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

35. 1089

Library of Heaven's Path #Chapter 1089: Not Even Able to Withstand a Single Blow - Read Library of Heaven's Path Chapter 1089: Not Even Able to Withstand a Single Blow Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

Chapter 1089: Not Even Able to Withstand a Single Blow

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Zhang Clan?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"Indeed. Even amongst the Sage Clans, the Zhang Clan is ranked in the top three. It would be no joke to say that they are one of the strongest clans throughout the entire Master Teacher Continent. Their inner disciples, consisting of those who possess bloodline of superior purity, can easily reach Saint realm by sixteen and Leaving Aperture realm experts by twenty! If a comparison must be made, the strength of the Zhang Clan is definitely above that of the Luo Clan!" Wu shi remarked.

"The Zhang Clan is so formidable?" Zhang Xuan was astonished.

"Indeed. If you really wish to court Luo shi, there's a good chance that you will find yourself standing against these two clans. But of course, given Principal Zhang's talents, it's only a matter of time before you are able to surpass the Sage Clans. However, before then, it'll be best for you to lie low. After all, your standing as a Celestial Master Teacher and Celestial Saint is simply too astounding. If the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe were to learn of this matter, they could very well dispatch the full might that they had at their disposal to destroy you, and that would put you in peril. Furthermore, you shouldn't take it for a given that all master teachers are willing to side with you. Alright, that's all that we wish to talk about. We'll leave it to you to decide the path you wish to walk down!"

Wu shi smiled. "If you really wish to stand against the two Sage Clans, feel free to approach us for help. No matter how difficult the task may be, we are willing to stand behind you!"

"Indeed, Principal Zhang. Regardless of your choice, we will back you unconditionally!" Guild Leader Han added.

As long as the young man before them didn't meet his end prematurely, there was no doubt that he would eventually achieve great things.

As powerful as the Sage Clans may be at the moment, give it a few hundred or a thousand years, and they would surely be nothing before the eyes of this young man.

But at the moment, without sufficient strength, it was still best for the other party to lie low. Otherwise, great trouble could very well ensue.

"You have my gratitude!" Understanding that the both of them were only saying those words to him out of concern, Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and thanked them.

He knew that Luo Ruoxin's background was bound to be atypical, but who knew that it would be that complicated?

It was no wonder why she was reluctant to accept him and had even warned him against it. If the opponent was going to be two Sage Clans, one would indeed have to stop and think twice.

"Principal Zhang has always been a wise and reliable figure, so I believe that you will be able to make the right decision yourself. Thus, we won't say any more than that. We will be waiting for your arrival at Qingyuan Conferred Empire, so til then, farewell!" Wu shi, Guild Leader Han, Mo shi, and the others clasped their fists and took their leave.

"Principal Zhang, we are returning straight to our academies as well. Before we leave, we would like to express our earnest gratitude to you. It's due to your leadership that we are able to overcome the ancient domain safely..." Wo Tianqiong and the others also walked over and bade their farewells.

"Principal Zhang, we will be returning to the Combat Master Hall now. We will make preparations for the arrival of your students for the exchange!" Jiang Yuan, Feng Xun, and the others from the Combat Master Hall did the same too.

Very soon, everyone went on their own ways, leaving behind just Zhang Xuan, Zhang Yinqiu, Ji Yan, Tan Qing, and Luo Ruoxin.

"Alright, let's return to the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy!"

Thus, the group began making their way back.

"Zhang shi, I heard from Feng Xun earlier that the students of our academy are intending to head to the Combat Master Hall for an exchange? May I ask what is the matter about?" Standing atop the back of the saint beast, Zhang Yinqiu hesitated for a moment before walking up to Zhang Xuan to ask.

Exchange—this was something usually conducted amongst powers of equivalent strength. For one, it was not uncommon for the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy to bring their students to Yunxu, Luoqing, and the other Master Teacher Academies so that they could learn from one another.

But the Combat Master Hall... One must know that the combat masters were existences capable of rivaling opponents who surpassed their cultivation realm. To bring their students there for an exchange... How was that any different from asking for a beating?

"When I was still a student, I established a student faction known as the Xuanxuan Faction, and I have specially conducted a few lessons which brought about a substantial rise in the overall fighting prowess of the students. I know that the Combat Master Hall is powerful, but I think that this is a good opportunity for them to see the world." Zhang Xuan replied with a smile.

"But even if you have specially conducted a few lessons, our students are still bound to be far from matching up to the geniuses of the Combat Master Hall..."

"The combat masters are simply too powerful. While it does broaden their horizon, I fear that it would end up as a crushing blow to the confidence of our students, and that would impede their further growth..."

Hearing those words, Vice Principals Ji Yan and Tan Qing couldn't help but shake their heads.

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It seemed like Zhang shi was still too young.

As a Celestial Saint, it was natural that he could defeat Feng Xun and the others as easily as if dicing vegetables on a chopping board. However, their students were just ordinary humans. How could they be able to match up to the likes of the Combat Master Hall?

If they were to really head there for an exchange, wouldn't they simply lose all of their confidence?

"Don't worry, I have already given them a heads up. In this exchange, it doesn't matter whether they win or lose. What is more important is for them to know that there's a mountain beyond the other, as well as to give them a goal to strive for!" Zhang Xuan replied.

"This... Alright then!" Seeing that Zhang Xuan knew what he was doing, the crowd decided to go along with his decision.

The aerial saint beast traveled at an incredible speed, and within just a few days, the massive Hongyuan City had already come into sight.

"The rest of you can return to the Master Teacher Academy first. I intend to take a brief stop at my manor first..." Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and bade Zhang Yinqiu and the others farewell.

Before returning to the Master Teacher Academy, he wanted to first see how Wang Ying and the others were faring on their cultivation. As for the academy, there was School Head Mo and the others standing fort, so it was unlikely for anything to go wrong there. Besides, with the return of Zhang Yinqiu and the two vice principals, they were bound to have much to talk about, so Zhang Xuan felt that he should leave them to be.

Returning back to the manor, Zhang Xuan noted that Wang Ying and Liu Yang had made substantial advancement in their cultivation in his absence. They had started to cultivate the Saint Ascension Decipher, and their zhenqi had grown more condensed and substantial, granting them far greater fighting prowess than before.

Zhang Xuan divided the various treasures he had obtained from the ancient domain amongst them before calling Butler Sun Qiang over.

In the ten days of absence, Sun Qiang seemed to have grown even fatter. However, his cultivation remained the same as before—a clear sign that his heart was not on cultivating at all.

Naturally, Zhang Xuan gave him a good lashing yet again, but judging from past experience, it didn't seem likely that it would work.

Perhaps it was due to how reliable and driven his students were that the world gave him such a worrying butler for him to fuss over.

While Zhang Xuan was offering his students pointers and teaching his butler a lesson, Zhang Yinqiu and the others finally returned back to the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy.

"Even though Zhang shi is an incredible genius, he's still a little too young and lacking in worldly experience. It is truly reckless of him to propose an exchange between our academy and the Combat Master Hall... I honestly think that he's making too light of the matter!"

"My sentiments exactly. Which of the combat masters aren't top-notch geniuses, invincible existences within their own cultivation realm? If our students were to clash with them, there's a good chance that instead of motivating them, it would end up eroding their confidence and drive!"

Zhang Yinqiu, Ji Yan, and the others sighed.

Fighting a rival of the same strength as one could motivate one to strive harder so as to overcome the rival. However, when the gap between both parties was too great, it would only cause one to despair and fall into despondency instead.

This was simply how the human mind worked.

"How about this? Let's first pay that Xuanxuan Faction which he talked about a visit first, and in the midst of doing so, we can warn them about the strength of the Combat Master Hall once more. At the very least, if we prepare them for what that is about to come mentally, it'll cushion the trauma that they would suffer later on!" After a moment of silence, Vice Principal Ji Yan said.

"Indeed. We should emphasize to them that the exchange with the Combat Master Hall serves to show them what the peak fighting prowess within their individual cultivation realms are, and they should lower their positions beforehand so that they wouldn't be too dismayed by their lack of strength." Vice Principal Tan QIng nodded in agreement.

Before long, the trio had already made up their minds.

Considering that Zhang shi was currently the principal and he had already confirmed an appointment with the Combat Master Hall, it would be improper for them to attempt to veto his decision at this point. That would be undermining his authority and that of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. However, the least they could do was to give the students a heads up of what that was about to come and inform that they were visiting the Combat Master Hall to study and not to challenge them. If they could ready their mindsets beforehand, the students wouldn't be too affected by the disparity in their fighting prowess.

"Alright, let's go over then!"

They had learned about the location of the Xuanxuan Faction's headquarter from Zhang Xuan on the journey here, so it didn't take long for them to arrive at their destination.

As Zhang Yinqiu was currently possessing the body of an Otherworldly Demon puppet, he chose to remain on the back of the aerial saint beast. On the other hand, Vice Principals Ji Yan and Tan Qing leaped down the aerial saint beast and walked towards the headquarter. However, before they could get past the entrance, they were already stopped by several students.

"May I know whom you are looking for?" one of the students asked.

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"I am here to look for the person-in-charge for the Xuanxuan Faction..." Vice Principal Ji Yan was slightly surprised to see that the students didn't know who he was, but nevertheless, he still replied politely.

As most of the members of the Xuanxuan Faction were freshmen of the same batch as Zhang Xuan, they had never really seen the two vice principals before as the both of them had gone missing in the ancient domain two years back, so they were unable to recognize them.

"The person-in-charge? Alright, I'll invite him over right now..." While the student didn't recognize the two vice principals, he did notice that the two elders carried an extraordinary air of authority around them. Thus, he quickly left without much hesitation, and before long, he brought Ruohuan gongzi and Song Chao back with him.

The both of them were the founders of the Xuanxuan Faction, so naturally, they were their de facto leaders when Zhang Xuan wasn't around.

"May I know the reason for the arrival of our guests?" Seeing that the two elders possessed strength far beyond them, Ruohuan gongzi and Song Chao exchanged swift gazes before clasping their fists respectfully.

"I heard that you intend to visit the Combat Master Hall for an exchange?" Not bothering to beat around the bush, Vice Principal Ji Yan got straight to the topic at hand.

"There's indeed such a matter. This is also the reason why the members of the Xuanxuan Faction has been working hard recently so as overwhelm the Combat Master Hall with our prowess and teach them a lesson!"

This matter was no secret. There was no one in the academy who was unaware of the matter, so there was no need to hide it from the two guests either.

"Overwhelm the Combat Master Hall?"

"Teach them a lesson?"

Vice Principals Ji Yan and Tan Qing exchanged gazes, and the knit between their eyebrows tightened.

Are you honestly telling me that you intend to teach that bunch of monsters from the Combat Master Hall a lesson? Do you have a death wish?

Truly, the ignorant knows no fear!

After a moment of silence, Vice Principal Ji Yan spoke up, "How about this? If you're that confident in your ability, why don't the both of us suppress our cultivation to your level and have a match with you?"

"You want to have a match with me?"

"That's right. Those from the Combat Master Hall possesses strength far superior to their counterparts, so it won't be easy for just anyone to defeat them. If you can defeat us when our cultivations are suppressed, it won't be an issue for you to face the Combat Master Hall. Otherwise... I hope that you can head there with the intention to learn from them instead!" Vice Principal Ji Yan said.

"Very well, I understand your sentiments. We, of the Xuanxuan Faction, won't bully you either..." Hearing the proposal made by the two elders, Ruohuan gongzi hesitated for a moment before turning his gaze towards a student who was sweeping the area not too far away. "You, come over here! Spar with these two elders for a while. Make sure to go easy on them so as to not hurt them..."

"..." Ji Yan and Tan Qing.

Seeing how that fellow, instead of sparring with them himself, ordered a student sweeping the area to fight with them instead, even instructing the latter to go easy on them... the two vice principals nearly exploded on the spot.

"Are all of the freshmen as arrogant as you? Very well, I sure am interested to see how powerful you are!" Clenching his jaws tightly, Ji Yan suppressed his cultivation to the same level as the sweeping student before beckoning with his hand, "Come!"

...

"Master, Vice Principal Ji has begun fighting with a student..." In the air, the Byzantium Helios Beast informed the old principal.

"Don't worry, the both of them know what they are doing. They won't go overboard..." Zhang Yinqiu replied with a reassuring smile.

He was just about to continue speaking when a gust of wind suddenly blew in the surroundings. Shortly after, he saw Vice Principals Ji Yan and Tan Qing flying over.

To his astonishment, the two Primordial Spirit realm experts had the mark of a broom imprinted firmly on their faces, and their clothes were soiled with dust and mud as well.

"What happened?" Zhang Yinqiu couldn't help but ask.

"We were defeated..." The duo replied with unspeakable embarrassment on their faces.

"The both of you were defeated?" Zhang Yinqiu widened his eyes in disbelief.

Two powerful vice principals actually got pummeled? How was that possible?

Seeing the incredulous expression that Zhang Yinqiu had, the faces of the duo reddened further as they added, "We weren't able to even withstand a single blow..."

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Chapter 1090: Poison Hall Headquarters

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Just recalling the offense of that sweeping student left the two vice principals on the verge of tears.

He was simply too powerful! It was as if he could peer right into the flaws of their movements. No matter how they attempted to dodge, the broom would accurately fall on their faces without fail.

Were it not for the fact that they possessed superior physical resilience as Primordial Spirit realm experts, they would probably have ended up bedbound!

Initially, they had thought that the sweeping student might just have been a hidden expert of the Xuanxuan Faction, so indignant with their loss, they had chosen another opponent to fight against. Yet, they actually lost even more tragically!

To think that they would be no match for the students when in the same cultivation realm!

"Zhang shi said that... he conducted a few lessons for them?" Seeing the pitiful plight that the two vice principals were in, Zhang Yinqiu suddenly recalled what the young man had said earlier, and his lips started quivering wildly. Just what in the world did Zhang shi teach them for the students to become so powerful?

Unable to take it any longer, he turned his gaze toward the Byzantium Helios Beast.

"Principal Zhang did conduct a few lessons for the students, but as for the exact details... I am not too sure about them either." the Byzantium Helios Beast shook his head.

He had spent most of his time in the Myriad Anthive Nest cultivating, so he was not too sure about the happenings within the academy.

"Never mind, let's find Mo Zhu and the others!" Seeing that the Byzantium Helios Beast wasn't too certain on the details either, the trio hurriedly headed toward the Elder Hall.

Not too long later, they met Zhao Bingxu, Mo Zhu, and the others. The school heads were agitated to meet them once more, and the trio ended up explaining what had happened to them in the ancient domain. It took quite a while before the trio was finally able to pose the question that was on their mind.

"Ah. We had the Combat Master Selection not too long ago, and the Combat Master Hall ended up sending two parties to assess our students. However, they were defeated so tragically that they were completely sapped of their confidence. In fact, they even fled overnight just a day before they were supposed to fight with Principal Zhang's direct disciple, not bothering to bid any of us farewell beforehand..." School Head Mo swiftly brought Zhang Yinqiu and the others up to date on recent matters.

"Are you certain that it isn't our students who were sapped of their confidence?" The trio was frenzied by what they were hearing.

Just what in the world had happened to the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy in the two years that they were trapped in the ancient domain?

"Not only so, Principal Zhang also managed to tame all of the spirit beasts and saint beasts on the Cloudmist Ridge, and he has distributed them among the students of the Beast Tamer School. Currently, just counting the number of Perfect Harmonization realm spirit beasts, we have more than twenty thousand of them. Also, Principal Zhang has conducted a few public lectures from time to time, and those have induced at least a twofold rise in the overall fighting prowess of our students..." Seemingly oblivious to the shock the trio was going through, School Head Mo continued explaining the various changes in the academy nonchalantly.

The more he spoke, the stiffer the bodies of the trio became. Eventually, before School Head Mo could finish his piece, the trio was already completely petrified.

It was just a moment ago that they had been worrying that Zhang shi was too young and inexperienced to manage the academy, but at this moment... they realized that they were the ones who were too inexperienced to manage the academy.

To think that they had even doubted the other party's capabilities, it sure was a huge farce.

...

Ten days later, Zhang Xuan stood on the deck of a massive ship, looking ahead into the distance. Within the compartments of the ship housed the tens of thousands of Xuanxuan Faction members, and the heart of every single one of them was leaping in excitement. They could not wait to cross blows with the combat masters with their refined skills.

Over the prior ten days, Zhang Xuan had conducted another five lessons for them before packing them into the ship to set forth for Qingyuan Conferred Empire.

Due to the enormous size of the ship, they had to find dozens of saint beasts before they were able to take off.

For the exchange with the Combat Master Hall, Zhang Xuan had only brought School Head Mo and Pavilion Master Mo Gaoyuan with him. Zhang Yinqiu, Ji Yan, and Tan Qing, seeing that there would likely be no problem with the exchange, chose to remain behind at the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy to manage the matters there.

In truth, as Zhang Xuan knew that he would have to continue charging ahead in order to resolve his Innate Fetal Poison, as well as to get together with Luo Ruoxin, it was very unlikely that he would be able to spend much time in the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy in the future. In fact, there was a good chance that he would not return there after heading to Qingyuan Conferred Empire, at least not in the short run. Thus, he had attempted to return the position of principal to Zhang Yinqiu.

However, the latter just would not agree to it no matter how he tried to convince him. Zhang Yinqiu was deeply concerned by the state he was in. He felt that if an incomplete person like him were to become the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, it might undermine its prestigious name.

As such, Zhang Xuan could only continue holding onto his title as the honorary principal. But of course, all of his responsibilities as the principal were still entrusted to Zhang Yinqiu to handle.

In the past ten days, Zhang Xuan had also paid a visit to the Blacksmith Guild to browse through their books in hopes of finding a way to heal the Golden Origin Cauldron, but it was a pity that the smithing mastery within the Hongyuan City was deeply limited. He had found a way to give birth to a new spirit within an existing artifact, but waking up a dormant one was proving to be far more difficult than he had anticipated.

It was to save them that the Golden Origin Cauldron had ended up falling into the state it was in, so Zhang Xuan could not allow it to die just like that. After careful contemplation, he decided to pay a visit to Qingyuan Conferred Empire to study more advanced smithing techniques before making a move.

...

Looking at the fleeting white clouds and feeling the raging wind before his eyes, Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.

The day before their team set forth, Luo Ruoxin had paid a visit to him and informed him that she still had matters to attend to, so she had to leave Hongyuan Empire for the time being, and she would not be able to meet him in Qingyuan Conferred Empire either. As reluctant as Zhang Xuan was, he could only nod in agreement.

In any case, since he had already learned of her true identity, he did not need to worry about being unable to meet her in the future.

There was one thing that Wu shi had said that he agreed deeply with—his current strength was still insufficient to go against the Sage Clans directly. If he wanted to be together with Luo Ruoxin, he would have to work a lot harder.

"Zhang shi... this is a gift that my father and King Huai prepared for you. Fearing that you would be reluctant to accept it, they told me to hand it over to you only after we left Hongyuan City!"

A crisp voice came from behind him, and Yu Fei-er walked up to Zhang Xuan's side.

For the exchange at the Qingyuan Empire Combat Master Hall, Luo Qiqi, Hu Yaoyao, and she had tagged along as well. They were considered members of the Xuanxuan Faction as well, so they had been allowed to join the trip.

"Gift?" Not expecting Emperor Yu Shenqing and King Huai to prepare something for him, Zhang Xuan took the storage ring from Yu Fei-er's hands.

"Knowing that Zhang shi is proficient in the art of smithing and pill forging, they have prepared some ores and medicinal herbs within the ring. They aren't particularly valuable or rare, but they have prepared many portions of them so that you need not fret about being short of ingredients!" Yu Fei-er said with a smile.

As the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, Zhang Xuan was bound to have a bright future ahead of him. Naturally, Yu Shenqing and the others were reluctant to let go of this huge tree.

"Actually, I am the one who should be thanking your father!" Knowing their intentions, Zhang Xuan decided to accept the gift graciously.

Thinking back, had Yu Shenqing not given the Bodhi Seed to him, which he had used to grow a Bodhi Saint Tree within his folded space, there was a good chance that they would have been unable to overcome the Black Sand of Oblivion in the ancient domain!

He had been too busy over the past ten days, so it had slipped his mind to extend his gratitude to Emperor Yu Shenqing for the matter.

Choosing not to delve too much into this topic, Yu Fei-er looked at Zhang Xuan with a heated gaze. "Zhang shi, I have recently met with some troubles in my cultivation. May I ask you to give me some pointers?"

"Of course..." Zhang Xuan nodded.

While he was offering some pointers to Yu Fei-er, Luo Qiqi, Hu Yaoyao, and the others also dropped by. Thus, he decided to share the recent insights he had regarding cultivation with them as well.

After receiving the warning from Kong shi, he had not rushed into cultivating for the past few days. Instead, he had been thinking about the path that he intended to head down.

While he hadn't managed to create any formidable cultivation technique or battle technique, he did reinforce his cultivation further, allowing him to tap into his newfound strength more smoothly.

His insights were profound yet concise, making them valuable pointers to any cultivators. Luo Qiqi, Yu Fei-er, and Hu Yaoyao benefited greatly from his teachings.

A month passed in a flash.

The three ladies advanced substantially in their cultivation within that period of time.

After three months of cultivation, Yu Fei-er had managed to achieve a breakthrough to Half-Saint pinnacle, and Hu Yaoyao had managed to reach Nascent Saint pinnacle.

Of course, the one who had made the greatest advancement within that period of time was none other than Luo Qiqi. Two months ago, her cultivation had still been at Chrysalis realm pinnacle, similar to Yu Fei-er. However, within this short period of time, she had managed to advance her cultivation to Saint 1-dan pinnacle, putting her on par with Zhang Xuan!

Even Zhang Xuan could not help but be astonished by the rate at which she was advancing her cultivation. It seemed like she was indeed a person of great talent.

Her recent improvement was not just limited to her cultivation; her mastery at pill forging had also made significant progress as well. With her current proficiency, she could probably forge any grade-7 primary pill easily.

While the three of them were improving at light speed, Zhang Xuan's two direct disciples, Wang Ying and Liu Yang, weren't slacking either. Within a span of two months, Wang Ying had managed to advance from Chrysalis realm primary stage to Nascent Saint pinnacle. It was the same for Liu Yang as well.

It was due to them cultivating a simplified version of the Saint Ascension Decipher that their cultivation was not advancing too quickly. If it had been an ordinary Heaven's Path Divine Art, they would have long reached higher realms.

On the other hand, Sun Qiang's progress was still the slowest of them all as his heart was not in cultivating. Nevertheless, with Zhang Xuan's spot-on guidance, as well as the vast resources he had available to him, his progress was still much faster than the normal students of the academy.

At this moment, he had already reached Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle, just a step away from Chrysalis realm.

After a month of cultivating, Zhang Xuan had fully reinforced his Saint 1-dan pinnacle cultivation. Even though he had not achieved a breakthrough, his true fighting prowess could already be said to be invincible among all cultivators beneath Primordial Spirit realm.

More importantly, he had found that his Soul Depth had also increased quite a bit after the Saint Ascension Ordeal, rising from the initial 21.1 to 23.1.

The difficulty in raising one's Soul Depth was not constant. Instead, just like cultivation, it became increasingly harder to raise one's Soul Depth the higher it was. Raising one's Soul Depth from 1.0 to 3.0 wasn't difficult, but raising it from 21.1 to 23.1 required at least several dozen times the effort required for the former.

Even so, if not for the Heart Ordeal being too easy, the growth of Zhang Xuan's Soul Depth would surely have been more than that.

As Zhang Xuan had spent most of the journey cultivating, he did not converse much with others. After an entire month of traveling, a humongous city finally came into sight.

The capital of Qingyuan Empire, Qingyuan City!

...

As Zhang Xuan and the others arrived at Qingyuan City, Poison Master Bai Ting and Poison Master Hai Mingjin finally arrived at the Poison Hall headquarters with Wei Ruyan.

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Chapter 1091: Tome of Poison Legacy

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The headquarters of the Poison Hall was located amid a massive mountain range. Unlike the other branches, which were concealed by formations, it was an enormous city that extended for several thousand kilometers, exposed in the open.

It had an economy of its own, producing and selling its own resources, reminiscent of a mini kingdom.

Upon seeing the majestic city before his eyes, Bai Ting couldn't help but remark, "It is said that vast majority of the mountain range has been laced with lethal poison, and any personnel who isn't a poison master of the Poison Hall would be swiftly poisoned to death. As such, there is no need for the headquarters to conceal itself from the eyes of the world at all."

The Poison Hall was a feared existence throughout the Master Teacher Continent. Thus, for safety considerations, most branches were concealed within a formation so that the other occupations would not be able to find it.

However, it was different for the headquarters. It was in plain sight amid the mountain range, not concealed by any formation at all. Nevertheless, due to the fact that the mountain was filled with countless poisonous worms and venomous beasts, anyone who wished to enter the Poison Hall headquarters would have to pay a heavy price.

This was also why, even though the location of the Poison Hall headquarters was common knowledge, no one dared to make a move on it. Even the Master Teacher Pavilion would have to think thrice before launching a crusade against it.

"I wonder if the day will come when poison masters are able to walk beneath the light once more, just like the other occupations..." Hai Mingjin sighed as he shook his head bitterly.

Even though the headquarters were built in the open, it still had to be constructed in the depths of a mountain, different from the other occupations, which were located in prosperous and majestic cities.

The cold and sinister image of poison masters was simply too deeply imprinted into the minds of the populace, causing them to be fearful of poison masters. Such a point of view was not something that could be changed easily.

"I also hope that such a day will eventually come. Fortunately, it seems to be within sights!" Glancing at the young lady behind whom he had carefully embraced with his zhenqi, a gentle smile surfaced on Bai Ting's face.

Ever since leaving Jingyuan City, they had flown for nearly two months without rest, but the young lady still showed no signs of awakening. Furthermore, the poisonous aura that was emanating from her body only seemed to be getting stronger and stronger.

Were it not for the antidotes that she had provided them back when she was still conscious and disguised as Sun Qiang, even with their incredible resistance to poison as 7-star pinnacle poison masters, they would have already been poisoned to death by now.

For the mere aura she emanated passively to be intolerable for poison masters of their strength, the Innate Poison Body sure was fearsome!

Unique constitutions were something that came innately with one's birth, so there was nothing they could say about that. However, what had truly impressed them was the deep level of understanding the founder possessed regarding the use of poison.

On their journey to the Poison Hall headquarters, they had been musing over the poison knowledge that the founder had imparted to them previously. The deeper they delved into the knowledge, the more fearsome they realized that the founder was. It could be said that the knowledge that they had gained over the past two months was far more than what they had learned in the previous several dozen years! On top of that, the antidote that they had been given was truly miraculous. It was no joke to call it the antidote to all poisons!

Not only was it able to neutralize the poison emanating from the young lady, it could even curb the toxins from the poisonous worms and venomous beasts on the mountain range!

A few days ago, Bai Ting had been bitten by a poison worm, and they had thought that he was a goner. However, shortly after consuming the antidote, he managed to make a full recovery from the poison! To think that a simple pill would actually be effective against a myriad of poisons... Even though they were seeing it with their own eyes, they still couldn't help but find it inconceivable!

If not for the antidotes that they were given, they would have probably died multiple times before they could come to this point.

"As long as the founder awakens and regains her full strength, it won't be difficult for us to win the acknowledgement of the other occupations. The Poison Hall has never suffered from a lack of experts, but it's a pity that none of them are willing to submit to the other, so they end up building and ruling over their own factions instead. This has led to the Poison Hall being severely segregated, and we are unable to stand our ground before the other occupations. As a result, we have been forced to hole up in remote places, unable to stand in the light."

Recalling the various happenings in the Poison Hall over the past few centuries, Hai Mingjin couldn't help but sigh.

Truthfully, the Poison Hall did not start out in such a manner. At the very start, they shared the sunlight along with the other occupations, and poison masters didn't have to hide their identity from the others out of fear.

The Poison Hall had ended up in its current plight was because there had been no single poison master who was outstanding enough to take over the position of the head of the Poison Hall after the passing of their founder.

As the rules governing the Poison Hall were not as strict as that of the other occupations, it was not uncommon for poison masters to kill one another. Furthermore, they had no particular standard to the disciples that they accepted, thus resulting in there being both kind-hearted individuals and evildoers amid their ranks. Due to such circumstances, the strength of the Poison Hall had been on a constant decline, thus resulting in the current plight it was in.

If there was a person whom everyone in the Poison Hall was willing to recognize and submit to, their plight could very well have been very different. Perhaps, they might even have reached the same level of prosperity as they had achieved back then.

"Let's not get ahead ourselves for the time being; the current Poison Hall seems to be very different from how it used to be. I have informed my teacher about my arrival in advance, and out of safety considerations, I decided not to inform my teacher about the founder. Even so, my teacher still told me to be very careful when heading over and that I should make sure not to catch anyone's attention. It appears that the Poison Hall is currently caught in an intense faction rivalry, and even my teacher is helpless to stop it." Bai Ting sighed.

"Your teacher? Do you mean Myriad Poison Eminence, Lin Jianghai?" Hai Mingjin asked.

Even though Bai Ting was his close friend and they had both come from the same Poison Hall, the other party had never really told him about his heritage before. He had only managed to fathom a guess from the other party's poison arts.

"Indeed, my teacher is Poison Master Lin Jianghai. I have studied under him for thirty years, but due to my lacking talent, I was unworthy of inheriting the essence of his heritage. Otherwise, I would have been an 8-star poison master by now." As soon as Bai Ting spoke of his teacher, his voice immediately became very respectful.

He felt deeply indebted to his teacher.

Without his teacher, he would not be. Even if he was not his teacher's direct disciple, the debt that he owed his teacher was still something that he could not hope to repay in his lifetime.

Recalling the various information concerning the Poison Hall headquarters, Hai Mingjin could not help but comment. "The Poison Hall headquarters consists of the Two Guardians, Four Eminences, Twelve Poison Kings, and 72 Tier-1 Hall Masters. Even the weakest of these experts is at 8-star pinnacle. The Myriad Poison Eminence is ranked in the middle of the Four Eminences, and even the weakest of his direct disciples is an 8-star poison master. Those who manage to become his disciple are the most outstanding of all poison masters, and they are deeply envied by others!"

Even though he was only a 7-star pinnacle poison master, he had been looking forward to visiting the headquarters, so he had read quite a few books regarding it. As such, he had a rough idea regarding the various powers within the headquarters.

As there had not been a single poison master who could win the respect of everyone else, the seat of the hall master had been empty for countless years. The affairs within the Poison Hall were basically dealt with by the Four Eminences, and as for the Two Guardians... they often spent their days wandering the lands, so it was extremely hard to contact them. Even the poison masters of the headquarters had rarely seen them around.

As such, the Four Eminences were known to be the pinnacle of authority and power within the Poison Hall.

As one of the disciples of the Myriad Poison Eminence, even if Bai Ting was not a direct disciple, he was still allowed to travel in and out of the Poison Hall headquarters freely.

Otherwise, given that both of them were mere 7-star poison masters, they would have been shut out at the entrance.

"Alright, let's hurry up and enter the city. The poison aura within the founder's body is running out of control. If we don't suppress it soon, I fear that her life might be in danger!" Bai Ting urged before proceeding ahead with Wei Ruyan.

The city in the Poison Hall headquarters was not any much different from the capitals of the kingdoms and empires outside. On top of poison masters, there were also ordinary civilians walking around.

Walking through the city, Bai Ting and Hai Mingjin could not help but glance at one another in confusion.

Usually, the main streets should have been bustling with life, but there was not a single soul in sight. Shops at both ends of the streets were tightly shut, and there were no vendors or anything of that sort. It was cold and desolate. Did something happen?

But that should not have been the case!

If the Master Teacher Pavilion were to make a move on the Poison Hall headquarters, it would have surely caused a huge commotion throughout the Master Teacher Pavilion, and they could not possibly have been unaware of the matter. So, that was unlikely to be the case.

But... other than the Master Teacher Pavilion, what else could sap the life out of the massive Poison Hall headquarters?

"Let's continue heading in!" Hai Mingjin proposed.

"Un." Bai Ting nodded.

At that point, a voice suddenly sounded. "Is the person ahead of me Junior Bai Ting?"

The duo raised their heads and saw a middle-aged man flying over.

Perhaps due to his hunched back, the middle-aged man had a short stature of roughly 1.6 meters. He did not seem like a particularly impressive figure, but the eight stars on the emblem in front of his chest showed that he was not a person whom one should underestimate.

Upon seeing the other party, Bai Ting immediately clasped his fist and bowed. "Senior Yuan Ling!"

Hearing that name, Hai Mingjin had the fright of his life. "Yuan Ling? Could he be the 8-star pinnacle poison master who once succeeded in poisoning a Saint 8-dan saint beast to death?"

He did not know too many 8-star poison masters, but Yuan Ling's reputation made it impossible for him to not know of the other party.

As an 8-star pinnacle poison master, Yuan Ling was one of the 72 Tier-1 Hall Masters. His greatest known feat was to have concocted the 'Cloudsmoke Powder'. Colorless and odorless, the Cloudsmoke Powder warped into the form of a cloud when scattered, allowing it to drift along with the wind. With a sufficient dosage, it would be lethal even to a Saint 8-dan expert!

It was said that Hall Master Yuan Ling was once pursued by a Saint 8-dan saint beast, and left with no choice, he had released the Cloudsmoke Powder and poisoned the latter to death.

It was due to this battle that he had become well-known throughout the Empire Alliance. There was no one among the Qingyuan Conferred Empire Poison Hall who knew not of his name.

Who knew that such an incredible figure was actually Bai Ting's senior? It was truly shocking to think of it!

"There's no need to stand on ceremony. Teacher heard that you have reached Leaving Aperture realm and intend to take the 8-star poison master examination, so he had me fetch you!" Yuan Ling smiled.

Due to Zhang Xuan's advice, Bai Ting had not revealed the matter regarding the founder yet, using his intention to take the 8-star poison master as a pretext to enter the Poison Hall headquarters instead. This way, it would guarantee them a safe passageway into the Poison Hall without any trouble.

"Thank you, senior. Right, weren't you dispatched to the Huaijin branch? Why are you at the headquarters as well?" Bai Ting asked curiously.

Under normal circumstances, the heads of the regional Poison Hall branches were not allowed to leave their post. Thus, it was peculiar for Yuan Ling to be in the headquarters and even fetching him personally.

"You haven't heard of the matter yet?" Yuan Ling was taken aback. A moment later, he nodded in realization and said, "Right, it has been many years since you left the headquarters, so it's understandable that you are unaware of the current situation. Right Guardian Shen Jue returned recently, claiming to have found an artifact of the founder.

"Using this, he intends to organize the Grand Conference of Poison Masters and appoint himself as the new hall master. As such, the 72 Tier-1 Hall Masters were all summoned to the headquarters to attend the conference, and the crowd in the city has also headed over to watch the commotion. That's why the streets are completely empty today!"

"Right Guardian Shen Jue?"

"An artifact of the founder?"

The duo frowned upon hearing those words. Intrigued, Bai Ting continued asking, "May I know... what artifact it is?"

"It's the founder's 'Tome of Poison Legacy'!" Yuan Ling replied.

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Chapter 1092: The Founder Arrives

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Tome of Poison Legacy?" Bai Ting and Hai Mingjin leaped in astonishment.

According to the rumors, the Tome of Poison Legacy was an artifact personally written by the founder of the Poison Hall. She had detailed all of the secrets of her poison arts within the book, and it was the artifact that all poison masters craved to obtain. However... it was said to have disappeared from the face of the world along with the founder.

After the founder died, there were quite a few hall masters who had taken over after her. However, as they had not inherited her true heritage, they were unable to receive widespread acknowledgement among the poison masters, resulting in the current chaos within the Poison Hall.

For the longest time, everyone had thought that the Tome of Poison Legacy had disappeared for good, but who would have thought that Right Guardian Shen Jue would actually manage to retrieve it!

"Indeed! With this artifact, he can be officially inaugurated as the new hall master of the Poison Hall without any doubts about his legitimacy. Just that... Forget it. Let's not talk about this any further. You'll understand once you meet teacher anyway!"

Yuan Ling was still intending to continue speaking when he paused for a moment and swallowed his words. Beckoning the both of them to follow him, he flew ahead.

The duo followed him closely.

As Saint 5-dan experts, their flight speed was beyond ordinary. It did not take them long to arrive at a vast residence located at the center of the city.

With Yuan Ling taking the lead, they walked toward the hall that their teacher had taught them in the past. Before they could enter it, arguing could be heard echoing from within.

"He's using that as an excuse to climb over us! Why should our teacher do it? At the very most, we'll just fight it out with him!"

"He's going too far, we can't just sit silently by the side and let him do whatever he wants!"

"Just because he says that it's the Tome of Poison Legacy, are we supposed to accept it like that? Is there anyone who can verify his words? I remember that our teacher had a grudge with him back then. He must be trying to make use of this matter to get rid of his rivals so as to successfully promote himself to hall master!"

"It's not like we don't know how narrow-minded that Right Guardian of ours is. With such a card in his hand, he's bound to make a move against us."

...

Walking into the room, they saw dozens of poison masters gathered, each of them with an indignant look on their face.

Swiftly scanning the room, Bai Ting noted that they were all the seniors and juniors who had studied alongside him back then. Most of them had already attained the strength of 8-star poison masters.

In the center of the room sat an elder who was dressed in plain clothes. He had an elusive aura that could hardly be felt, and his breathing was so indistinct that it was impossible to tell whether he was alive or not. Had he not been seated in the center of the room, one could have overlooked him very easily.

Intrigued, Hai Mingjin secretly used his Spiritual Perception to scan the other party, and the result that he got left him startled.

To his shock, his Spiritual Perception actually reflected that the space that the plain-clothed elder took up was completely empty!

What incredible strength he wields... Hai Mingjin narrowed his eyes in astonishment.

It was obvious that the person before him had achieved strength far beyond his imagination, such that even his Spiritual Perception was incapable of perceiving the other party's existence.

An expert of the other party's caliber did not need to even raise his hand to destroy him. Just a single thought, and his soul would have been helplessly crushed. There was the huge disparity in their strengths.

It was unimaginable how powerful the elder would be if he were equipped with poison!

Truly terrifying!

"Teacher, Junior Bai Ting is here!" Ignoring the crowd's argument, Yuan Ling stepped forward and reported.

"Un." The elder nodded before turning his gaze to Bai Ting. "I thought that you wouldn't have been able to make a breakthrough when your heart turned cold after the incident. Not bad, you are still able to qualify as an 8-star poison master in the end. You didn't let me down!"

"Teacher..." Bai Ting's eyes reddened as he stepped forward and kneeled on the ground.

Ever since leaving the headquarters, he had never met his teacher because he felt too ashamed to face him. Upon seeing his teacher once more, the emotions that had welled up within him for many years could not be contained.

The elder smiled. "Alright, you are going to be an 8-star poison master very soon, so you shouldn't cry over minor matters like this!"

"Yes!" Bai Ting nodded. Standing up, he turned a confused look to his teacher and asked, "Teacher, I happened to overhear someone saying that someone wants you to do something... If I may ask, what does that mean?"

Judging from how indignant everyone was, it was bound to be nothing good.

"It's nothing much." The elder waved his hand before sighing deeply. "You should focus your effort on taking the 8-star poison master examination while you are here and leave as soon as you're done. The Poison Hall is no longer the safe place you know of. We might face bloodshed very soon, so escape as far as you can."

"This..." Bai Ting frowned in confusion.

His teacher was one of the Four Eminences, so what could have happened for him to speak of such depressing words?

Furthermore... shouldn't Shen Jue's retrieval of the Tome of Poison Legacy and inauguration as the new hall master have been a joyous event?

Noting the confusion in Bai Ting's eyes, an 8-star poison master stepped forward and explained, "I believe you should have heard the news that Guardian Shen has found the Tome of Poison Legacy and intends to become the new hall master, right?"

"Yes!" Bai Ting replied with a nod.

Senior Yuan Ling had just informed him of the matter.

"The Tome of Poison Legacy is an artifact left behind by the founder, and it carries lethal poison. There is only one way to open it, and it's through the Life Tribute ritual. Guardian Shen intends to have our teacher conduct the ritual," the 8-star poison master said through gritted teeth.

Hearing those words, Bai Ting's eyes widened in shock.

Poison masters had a habit of sealing their manuals using lethal poison. In order to open such manuals, one would have to possess the ability to undo the poison. Otherwise, one would have to wear away the poison with life.

In other words, it was using human lives to wear away the poison on the manual. If one was not enough, two. If two were not enough, three... There was bound to be a limit to the poison laced on the manual, so there would come a point where it was sapped dry.

This was also what the Life Tribute ritual was!

Life Tribute was an extremely callous ritual, and it undermined the dignity of life. This was one of the practices that had the poison masters deemed as a type of demonic art, causing it to be snubbed by the orthodox occupations.

"But... why our teacher?" Bai Ting asked through gritted teeth.

His teacher was one of the Four Eminences, so why would they sacrifice such an esteemed individual for the Life Tribute?

"Our teacher had a conflict with Guardian Shen many years ago, so we believe that this is Guardian Shen's attempt to get back at him. Furthermore, the poison on the Tome of Poison Legacy is indeed too potent, such that it's impossible for even normal humans to approach it. As such, it can only be neutralized by 9-star poison masters. It's for this reason that Guardian Shen specifically singled out Teacher so as to further build his prestige. Through this incident, he wishes to send out a stern warning to the entire Poison Hall so that none dare oppose him!" the 8-star poison master replied with clenched fists.

While Life Tribute could wear away the toxicity of the poison, its effectiveness was also dependent on the strength of the tribute. Considering the potency of the poison that laced the Tome of Poison Legacy, even if they were to sacrifice twenty thousand ordinary humans, it still would not wear away the poison.

Only 9-star poison masters wielded sufficient strength to wear away the poison on the Tome of Poison Legacy. Anyone other than that would not do.

"Since he's obviously using this matter to get back at us, can't Teacher just turn him down?" Bai Ting asked anxiously.

"Teacher can indeed turn him down, but Guardian Shen... is forcing Teacher to comply with his demands in the name of greater good!"

"In the name of greater good?"

"Indeed. He promised all of the poison masters that as long as the Tome of Poison Legacy is opened, he will pick out the easier content and make it public knowledge for all poison masters to study, thus substantially raising the overall prowess of the Poison Hall. Through this promise, he is attempting to sway public opinion against our teacher, thus forcing Teacher to conduct the Life Tribute ritual. All of the poison masters in the headquarters are currently loitering around the area. They are claiming that they intend to witness the inauguration ceremony, but in truth, most of them are just keeping a surveillance over the manor, fearing that Teacher will attempt to escape," the 8-star poison master said with reddened eyes.

Only in trying times would one be able to see through the hearts of those around them.

The poison masters who were close with his teacher or usually fawned on him had all fled as far as they could, leaving behind only his students to guard the area.

Bai Ting could not help but clench his fists tightly as well.

Indeed.

With such terms to draw the other poison masters in, his teacher would have no choice but to become the sacrifice. Otherwise, with public opinion working against him, it would not be long before he fell from grace.

Interrupting the words of the poison master, the elder sitting in the center of the room waved his hand.

"Alright, I have already made up my mind on this matter. After I'm dead, don't come to this manor anymore. Stay as far away as you can so that we will at least be able to preserve our heritage."

No one would dare think of laying their hands on his disciples while he was alive, but once Shen Jue got his way, there was no doubt that he would turn his eyes to his disciples next.

The Poison Hall was not as strictly bound by rules as the Master Teacher Pavilion. In here, strength spoke the loudest. Without sufficient strength, the only fate one would face was death.

"Teacher..." Upon hearing those words, those present could not help but feel disconsolate. Even Yuan Ling's eyes had reddened as well, and a sorrowful silence drifted in the air.

At this moment, Bai Ting's voice abruptly broke the atmosphere.

"Teacher, actually... you need not sacrifice yourself. It might not be that easy for Guardian Shen to become the hall master either!"

"Hmm?"

Hearing those words, everyone quickly turned their gazes over. Even the elder could not help but frown.

"Junior Bai, why would you say such words?" Yuan Ling asked.

"It's nothing much. If it was any other occasion, Guardian Shen would indeed be qualified to become the hall master with his contribution of retrieving the Tome of Poison Legacy, and no one would dare say anything against it. However... I fear that the tome won't be sufficient now!" Bai Ting spoke confidently.

"He won't be able to become the hall master even with the Tome of Poison Legacy? What do you mean by that?" Yuan Ling frowned, unsure of what Bai Ting was driving at.

The others were bewildered by Bai Ting's words as well.

What was the Tome of Poison Legacy? An artifact that the founder had left behind. To draw a parallel, it was equivalent to Kong shi's Great Codex of Spring and Autumn; it was the supreme treasure of the Poison Hall. It could be considered the symbol of authority of the founder, and anyone in possession of it would receive the acknowledgement of all poison masters.

It was precisely due to Shen Jue obtaining the Tome of Poison Legacy that his teacher was put in a spot at the moment.

Yet... his junior was saying that even a person in possession of the Tome of Poison Legacy was unqualified to become the hall master? Then... who in the world was qualified to become the hall master?

"Junior Bai, I have no idea what you are getting at. The Tome of Poison Legacy is the supreme artifact of the founder, and anyone in possession of it will naturally gain the greatest authority within the Poison Hall." The 8-star poison master shook his head. "Unless the founder appears at this moment, there's no way we can prevent him from becoming the hall master!"

"Senior Lu is right. I have indeed invited the founder here today!" Bai Ting chuckled.

"You have invited... the founder here?"

"Junior Bai, the founder passed away several dozen millenniums ago, so how could you possibly invite her here?"

"This isn't a joking matter, Junior Bai."

...

Everyone was startled for a moment before shaking their heads.

If the latter had said that he had found another artifact of the founder, they might still have been able to believe it. However, to have found the founder herself... Wasn't that the same as daydreaming?

"I have indeed found the founder. She's only a fragmented soul at the moment, and she's currently possessing the body of this young lady." Bai Ting pointed to the person behind him.

It was only at this moment that everyone noticed that Bai Ting had wrapped his zhenqi around a young lady. He gently placed her down before unwrapping his zhenqi, and in an instant, poison aura immediately burst out of Wei Ruyan's body, causing everyone to involuntarily take a step back.

Before anyone could comprehend what was going on, the elder seated in the center, Lin Jianghai, suddenly exclaimed in disbelief.

"This is... the Innate Poison Body?"

The Innate Poison Body was the unparalleled unique constitution of their Poison Hall. Ever since the passing of their founder, the Poison Hall had not been able to find a single individual who possessed such a constitution. Who would have thought that one would suddenly appear before them at this moment?

"She doesn't just possess the Innate Poison Body; she has the Poison Soul Constitution as well!" Bai Ting said.

"This..." Lin Jianghai's body trembled in agitation. "What is going on? Why is this young lady unconscious?"

"It's like this..." Bai Ting began to explain how he had met the 'founder' at a Poison Hall branch and promised the latter that he would bring the young lady to the headquarters.

"You are saying that... the soul of our founder has possessed the body of this young lady? It's only because of her inability to withstand the pressure from the Poison Soul Constitution in her weakened state that she has fell into a coma?" Lin Jianghai's body stiffened from shock.

"Indeed. If you don't believe me, you can take a look at this pill that we were given!"

Flicking his wrist, Bai Ting took a jade bottle out from his storage ring.

With a smile, he took out a pill that the 'founder' had given him, and he presented it to his teacher.

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Chapter 1093: Spare Me, Founder (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

He had consumed the pill multiple times on the journey to the headquarters, so by now, there was only a single pill left in the jade bottle.

Upon taking a closer look at the pill, Lin Jianghai frowned. "Isn't this... a pill used for reinforcing one's core?"

As a poison master, he was very familiar with all kinds of medicinal properties. With just a glance, he could tell that the pill before him was an ordinary pill that was used for reinforcing one's core. Other than that, there was nothing special about it.

"That was what I thought at the start too, but after it was reforged in the founder's hand, it transformed into an all-cure antidote!" Bai Ting said.

Lin Jianghai frowned.

His title as the Myriad Poison Eminence had originated from the huge variety of powerful poisons he had up his sleeves.

For an ordinary pill for reinforcing one's core to be able to cure all poisons... was that not as good as saying that little pill was his nemesis?

Extending his Spiritual Perception to the pill before him, he could see what was within the pill in an instant. The more he looked at it, the more perplexed he felt.

Based on his eye of discernment and deep understanding of medicinal herbs, there was definitely nothing different about the pill before his eyes. It was no different than the products that were commonly sold in the market. Putting him aside, even if a Saint 5-dan cultivator were to eat three jin 1 of such a pill, it would not have any effect at all. To call such a pill an all-cure antidote, wasn't that exaggerating its effects a little?

For him, a 9-star poison master, one of the greatest poison users in the world, to be unable to see through what was special with the pill... Had it not been for how confidently Bai Ting had spoken, he would have surely had the latter thrown into the ditch that very instant.

"Are you certain that it has the effect of curing any poison?" Lin Jianghai asked doubtfully.

"If Teacher doubts my word, I can prove it to you right now..." Bai Ting smiled confidently. Turning around, he asked, "Senior Yuan Ling, may I know if you have any of your Cloudsmoke Powder with you at the moment?"

"I do." Yuan Ling nodded as he passed a jade bottle over.

As the most powerful poison he had ever concocted, it went without saying that he would bring it no matter where he went in case he found himself in an emergency situation.

"Poison Master Hai, I will need to trouble you on something..." Grabbing the jade bottle, Bai Ting beckoned Hai Mingjin over.

"Poison Master Bai, you need not stand on ceremony with me. If you have anything to ask of me, feel free to speak!" Hai Mingjin walked over.

"Actually, it's nothing much. I would just like to trouble you to consume this bottle of Cloudsmoke Powder..." Flicking his wrist, Bai Ting passed the jade bottle over.

"Ah?" Hai Mingjin's lips twitched wildly.

He had been wondering what Poison Master Bai was up to, but to think that the other party wanted to use him as a Pill Sample Beast for the poison!

The best way to determine the effectiveness of an antidote was not to examine its constituents but to try it out oneself. That was the most direct and efficient method.

But...

Shouldn't it suffice for you to test it on a Pill Sample Beast or something? Why do you need me to do it?

Without hesitating for long, Hai Mingjin walked over with gritted teeth. "Alright then."

While he was a little reluctant to serve as a test subject, when he recalled how mystical the pill that the founder had produced was, he still confidently propped open the lid of the jade bottle and gulped down the Cloudsmoke Powder contained within.

Pu!

Right after consuming the poison, his face turned pitch-black, and blood spewed wildly from his mouth.

The crowd frowned upon witnessing that.

With their knowledge as 8-star poison masters, they could easily tell it wasn't an act staged between the both of them. That fellow was truly poisoned.

"Here!" Knowing that the Cloudsmoke Powder acted quickly, Bai Ting dared not dawdle. He hurriedly fed Hai Mingjin the antidote in his hand.

Hai Mingjin hurriedly swallowed it.

Hu!

Shortly after consuming the pill, Hai Mingjin's pitch-black complexion began to revert back to normal. However, perhaps due to him consuming too much of the Cloudsmoke Powder, the antidote wasn't sufficient to cure the poison altogether. Half of his face managed to revert back to white, but the other half still remained completely black, creating a peculiar sight.

Nevertheless, the antidote still did help to suppress the poison and stabilize Hai Mingjin's condition for the time being. With an awkward look on his face, he said, "Cough cough! Poison Master Bai, do you still have any more antidote? I think I might have eaten too much of the Cloudsmoke Powder, and a single pill isn't sufficient to cure it..."

Due to the limited size of the pills, the amount of Heaven's Path zhenqi they could harness was also limited. Even though they could neutralize any poison, the grade of the Cloudsmoke Powder was simply too high. A single pill was not sufficient to neutralize it entirely, thus resulting in the current situation.

Bai Ting's lips twitched. "That was the last pill..."

"Ah? I also completed my bottle on the journey to the Poison Hall..." Hai Mingjin's body shuddered, and he nearly burst into tears.

It was supposed to just be a simple experiment to showcase the effectiveness of the pill to the others, but he ended up landing himself in such a state. Was there anyone more pitiful than he was?

Just what in the world did he do to deserve this?

"This..." Bai Ting's eyebrows twitched uncontrollably.

He was intending to display the prowess of the founder's all-cure antidote to the crowd, but... who would have thought that he would not have sufficient pills for it!

"Alright, there's no need to experiment anymore. That's indeed an all-cure antidote!" While the duo was feeling vexed by the situation they were in, Lin Jianghai raised his hand and spoke. "Yuan Ling, neutralize that young man's poison!"

"Yes!" Yuan Ling walked up to Hai Mingjin and stroked his hand softly down the latter's back.

In an instant, Hai Mingjin noticed a feeling of comfort rushing through his body, and the remaining blackness on his face also vanished without a trace.

"To be able to convert a pill meant for reinforcing one's core into an all-cure antidote that is capable of neutralizing even the Cloudsmoke Powder... This is indeed an inconceivable feat..." Ignoring Hai Mingjin, Lin Jianghai stood up and walked up to Wei Ruyan with a look of disbelief.

If he still harbored some reservations a moment ago, he was completely certain at this moment.

Putting aside the young lady's Innate Poison Body and Poison Soul Constitution, he had examined the antidote earlier carefully with his Spiritual Perception, and he had been certain that there was nothing special with it. Yet, it was actually capable of neutralizing poisons, even those at the level of the Cloudsmoke Powder. This was truly a little frightening.

He had taken a look at Yuan Ling's Cloudsmoke Powder before, and it was a poison that was so potent that it could easily claim the life of even a Saint 8-dan expert. To allow a mere core reinforcing pill to be able to cure the poison of the Cloudsmoke Pill without any problem, that was indeed an incredible technique.

He found that even he was unable to comprehend the logic behind it.

Probably, only the founder possessed such incredible means.

"Teacher, you believe me?" Bai Ting's eyes lit up.

"Un. Other than the founder, I can't think of anyone else who could possess such incredible skills..." Lin Jianghai nodded with a smile. "Alright, let's go and attend the inauguration ceremony. Since Shen Jue wants me to die, let's see who will get the final laugh!" A sharp glint flashed through Lin Jianghai's narrowed eyes.

As a person who had managed to survive in the Poison Hall and climb to the very peak, Lin Jianghai naturally was not a 'good' person either.

"We'll listen to your command!" Seeing that their teacher had regained his confidence, the morale within the room lifted as they walked out with clenched fists.

The inauguration ceremony would be held in a square not too far away from the residence. Practically the entire populace of the Poison Hall headquarters had come over to spectate the event, such that it was impossible to see the end of the crowd with a single glance.

Placed on the pedestal at the very center of the square was a floating book that shimmered with a faint radiance. Beneath it stood a black-robed poison master who emanated an astounding aura.

Seeing the newly-arrived group, the black-robed poison master smiled. "Eminence Lin, you are finally here!"

His voice boomed resoundingly across the entire square. "I see that you have chosen to conduct the Life Tribute ritual to open the Tome of Poison Legacy. Good! Don't worry, your sacrifice won't be in vain. I'll spread the content within the tome to the entire Poison Hall and lead it to greater heights!"

"Eminence Lin, as one of the Four Eminences, you have enjoyed the stipends of the Poison Hall for many years. It's time for you to do your part for the Poison Hall!"

"Think about it, your sacrifice will become the blessing of the entire Poison Hall, allowing us to achieve greater heights. This is something to rejoice over! Rest assured, your name shall be echoed for all of the later generations to hear!"

On the stage, another two men shouted along with Shen Jue.

They were both from the Four Eminences as well, figures of equal standing to Lin Jianghai.

Ignoring their words, Lin Jianghai leaped onto the stage as he sneered coldly. "Guardian Shen, Eminence Wang, and Eminence He, I came here not to conduct the Life Tribute ritual but to discuss the nomination of our new hall master!"

"Discuss the nomination of our new hall master? Eminence Lin, has age clouded your mind? Guardian Shen has obtained the Tome of Poison Legacy, an artifact of the founder, so it's only right for him to inherit the position of the poison master. Do you think that you can find another Tome of Poison Legacy in the world?" Eminence Wang sneered back.

"The Tome of Poison Legacy is one of the most important artifacts to our Poison Hall. Since Guardian Shen has managed to retrieve it for us, it's only natural that he assumes the highest position as well. Are you trying to disregard Guardian Shen's contribution, or are you trying to disregard the founder?" Eminence He harrumphed.

These two had long since decided to stand on the same side as Guardian Shen, so their words were filled with disdain and ridicule for Lin Jianghai.

"You need not play such meaningless word games with me. Since I dared to propose the discussion of the nomination of the new hall master, naturally, I have made my preparations beforehand." Lin Jianghai flicked his wrist grandly before declaring, "I have not found the Tome of Poison Legacy, but... I have found the founder!"

Upon saying those words, Lin Jianghai tilted his head toward the sky and bellowed, "Invite the founder in!"

Huala!

Yuan Ling, Bai Ting, and the others carefully carried Wei Ruyan over and placed her lightly down on the pedestal.

"Founder?"

"What does that mean?"

A commotion broke out amid the crowd. All of the poison masters glanced at one another in confusion, unsure of what was going on.

"Founder?"

Shen Jue and the other two Eminences also frowned upon hearing those words.

"Indeed. This young lady over here is the founder of our Poison Hall!" Lin Jianghai waved his hand grandly as he pointed toward Wei Ruyan. "Her soul has survived through the ages before claiming the body of this young lady over here, who possesses the Innate Poison Body. It's only a matter of time before she wakes up, and under her leadership, our Poison Hall will be brought to unprecedented glory!"

"She's the founder?"

"You must be joking! The founder passed away several dozen millenniums ago, so how could she possibly be a lady as young as that?"

Everyone was taken aback at first before a huge commotion broke out among them.

At this point, Shen Jue also could not help but sneer coldly, "Eminence Lin, it seems your reluctance to contribute to the Poison Hall has eroded your rationality. You simply picked a person off the street and proclaim that she is the founder. Why don't you go a step further and claim that she's Kong shi then?"

"Indeed!"

Shouts of approval broke out among the crowd below as well.

The Myriad Poison Eminence had always been a rational and dependable figure, but why was he acting so rash this time around?

To claim that an unconscious young lady was the founder... He had to be joking!

"Audacious!" Lin Jianghai roared authoritatively. "Guardian Shen, as a 9-star poison master, how blind must you be to be unable to recognize the Innate Poison Body?"

"Innate Poison Body?"

"The young lady possesses the Innate Poison Body?"

An uproar exploded among the crowd. Shen Jue was also stunned for a moment before he hurriedly turned his gaze toward the young lady. Indeed, there was something amiss about the young lady, and a cold gleam flashed across his eyes.

"The Innate Poison Body is a unique constitution that has only appeared in the founder in the past several dozen millenniums. None of us standing here have ever seen it before. For you to simply bring a young lady into here and claim that she possesses the Innate Poison Body... I'm afraid that you will have to show us more evidence than that! Besides, even if she does possess such a unique constitution, how can you prove that she's related to the founder?"

Flinging his sleeves, Shen Jue sneered coldly. "In order to prevent me from becoming the hall master so that you can continue sitting on your high horse, don't you think that you're crafting too huge of a farce over here?"

"Crafting too huge of a farce?"

"That could very well be the case!"

"No one among us has really seen the Innate Poison Body as well, so it's impossible to verify it on the spot. Furthermore, for a person possessing the Innate Poison Body to suddenly emerge at this moment after all this time, how can there be such a huge coincidence in the world?"

...

As expected. Right after Shen Jue said those words, echoes of agreement sounded among the crowd.

They were already skeptical when Lin Jianghai said that the young lady was the founder, and Shen Jue's words served to further deepen their doubts.

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Chapter 1094: Spare Me, Founder (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

While the constitution of the young lady on the stage did resemble the Innate Poison Body, no one present there had actually seen the true Innate Poison Body in person, so it was difficult for them to verify the matter on the spot.

Furthermore, for Lin Jianghai to proclaim that he had found the founder shortly after Shen Jue had found the Tome of Poison Legacy... No matter how one looked at it, it appeared that Lin Jianghai was making it up to willfully go against Shen Jue.

"The Innate Poison Body is also known as the Constitution of Disaster. Once unrestrained, the individual will begin releasing lethal poison from her body uncontrollably. I believe that all of you should have been well aware of this matter even before I spoke. Even though this young lady is unconscious, she has been passively releasing lethal poison from her body and soul. If Guardian Shen does not trust me, you can try to gather the poison aura together and see if you are able to withstand it or not! If even a 9-star poison master like you is unable to withstand it, that should be enough to prove whether she truly possesses the Innate Poison Body or not!" Lin Jianghai chuckled.

There were not any more of the all-cure antidotes to prove that the young lady was the founder, but the poison aura that she emanated was the best proof in itself.

While it might not cause much damage in the short-term, it would be lethal even to a 9-star poison master if he were to take in too much of it.

Not even 9-star poison masters could fake such an ability.

"This..." Shen Jue was taken aback.

With his eye of discernment, he was definitely more than capable of seeing whether the young lady before him possessed the Innate Poison Body or not. However, it was just moments before his inauguration, and he was just a single step away from becoming the hall master. If he were to acknowledge that the young lady before him was indeed the founder, this opportunity would slip right through his fingers.

And this was not a conclusion that he was willing to accept.

"Eminence Lin, do you take us for fools? Since you have prepared an Innate Poison Body, it's only a given that you see through the act and prepare a sufficiently lethal poison beforehand. Guardian Shen would only be falling into your trap if he really attempted to take in the poison aura. I will have to earnestly ask you not to bring such unseemly schemes into this solemn ceremony!" Eminence Wang shouted.

"Indeed. Others might not know much about you, but as fellow Eminences, I know you quite well. If you are reluctant to die, just say so. It's really laughable how you can come up with such nonsense when it's time for you to play your part. The Poison Hall has truly misjudged you..." Eminence He sneered coldly.

"There's no need for you to change the subject over here and attempt to sway public opinion against me. If it's that easy to feign the Innate Poison Body, our Poison Hall also wouldn't have been in tatters for so many years!" Lin Jianghai waved his hand. "Whether this young lady is truly the founder or not, we can easily invite the wills of the predecessors and have them judge for us!"

Just like the Master Teacher Pavilion, the Poison Hall also retained the wills of their predecessors. If there was any matter that the Poison Hall had trouble confirming, they could invite the predecessors over to make a judgement for them.

The wills of the predecessors would not lie, and they would not be swayed by their sentiments either. This would allow them to make a fair judgement.

"There's no need to bother the predecessors over something as minor as this. All we want to know is whether she possesses the Innate Poison Body or not, right? That's simple. I will just have to check that no one has planted poison on her, and if the poison aura she is emanating truly comes from her body and soul, we will be able to confirm that she does possess the Innate Poison Body," Shen Jue said with a frown.

He had already confirmed that the young lady before him did possess the Innate Poison Body, and that convinced him that he could not allow Lin Jianghai to invite the predecessors to judge the matter. Once it was publicly affirmed by the predecessors that the young lady did indeed possess the Innate Poison Body, there would be no way he could become the hall master anymore. The trouble he had gone through to obtain the Tome of Poison Legacy would have been in vain.

As formidable as he was, there was still no way he could match up to an individual who possessed the Innate Poison Body. It was clear whom the poison masters would eventually side with.

Hong long!

Right after saying those words, Shen Jue raised his hand and grasped at Wei Ruyan.

Hula!

Propped up by his zhenqi, the young lady floated silently in midair. Her eyes were tightly shut, reminiscent of a sleeping beauty.

"Let me take a look..."

While slowly making his way toward Wei Ruyan, a hint of killing intent flashed across Shen Jue's eyes as he slipped a sliver of his will from his Primordial Spirit discreetly into the young lady's body.

He was going to kill the young lady under the pretext of checking on her.

Once the young lady was dead, there would be nothing that Lin Jianghai could use against him anymore. What founder or Innate Poison Body, none of that was useful to a dead person!

After the deed was done, he could push everything onto Lin Jianghai. He could claim that in his attempts to feign the Innate Poison Body, he used excessively lethal poison and ended up killing the young lady.

In any case, the young lady had been in an unconscious state right from the start, so no one would be able to tell for sure when the young lady truly died anyway.

His movements were extremely discreet. Lin Jianghai had not thought that the great Right Guardian of the Poison Hall would actually be so despicable as to attempt to claim the life of the founder before everyone's eyes, so he was also oblivious to Shen Jue's movements too.

Hu!

As soon as the sliver of will entered the young lady's body, it immediately dived straight for her consciousness.

As a 9-star poison master, his strength had already reached an unfathomable level. Even though it was only a sliver of his will, it was so powerful that even Saint 6-dan experts would not be able to withstand it.

Huala!

Upon reaching the depths of her consciousness, he saw a young lady floating quietly in midair. Her eyes were tightly shut, but a faint poisonous aura could be seen constantly emanating from her.

As expected, she does possess the Poison Soul Constitution as well! Shen Jue's complexion turned even more awful.

It was already sufficiently difficult to find an individual who possessed the Innate Poison Body, but to think that she would have the Poison Soul Constitution as well! If this young lady were to survive, even if he managed to become the hall master today, it would not be long before he would be forced to abdicate for her inauguration!

Individuals who possessed both of the constitutions were simply too fearsome. If they were to study the Way of Poison, their fighting prowess would surely surge through the ranks. It wouldn't take long for even a 9-star poison master like him to be outdone!

I have prepared for several centuries for this position. No matter who you are, I won't let you get in my way...

With a cold glint in his eyes, Shen Jue roared frenziedly. He warped his hand into a deadly sword and slashed it toward the unconscious young lady.

The sword possessed such overwhelming force that it would kill the young lady even if she was conscious, let alone while she was in a dormant state.

Tzzla!

Just as the sword was about to cut through the young lady, a powerful aura abruptly burst forth from Wei Ruyan's consciousness. Following which, an immense might gushed out and stopped the sword in its path.

What? Shen Jue narrowed his eyes in alarm.

In the next moment, a figure appeared before his eyes.

He was a will as well. He was not a Primordial Spirit, but he carried the inviolable authority of one who had been acknowledged by the heavens. Shen Jue could not help but feel an incredible pressure weighing down on him.

"Celestial Master Teacher? You are... Kong shi?" Shen Jue's face paled in fright.

He had not thought that he would encounter another will in the consciousness of the young lady, much less a Celestial Master Teacher!

In all of history, there had only been a single known Celestial Master Teacher, and he was none other than the World's Teacher. Could the man before him truly be that legendary figure?

"Trying to lay your hands on my student? I'll have you pay for this with your life!" The figure narrowed his eyes before raising his palm.

Tzzzzzz!

Several surges of zhenqi immediately gushed into the young lady's consciousness. Unlike ordinary zhenqi, these surges of zhenqi seemed to command the very might of the world itself, as if the heavens themselves were passing judgement upon an evildoer.

"No, that isn't..." Horrified, Shen Jue tried to explain himself, but it was already too late.

Like hot oil encountering the sparks, his will immediately burst into flames. Before he could even cry in agony, his will had been reduced to ashes.

Pu!

With the elimination of his will, the real Shen Jue, who was in the midst of checking Wei Ruyan's condition outside, reeled in shock, and blood spewed from his mouth.

That will had originated from his Primordial Spirit, and its destruction had been so abrupt that his main body ended up suffering light injuries as well.

"Guardian Shen..." Not expecting the 'new hall master' whom they had embraced to abruptly spurt blood while checking on the condition of a young lady, Eminence Wang and Eminence He hurriedly rushed forward to check on his condition out of worry. However, what they met with instead was a pair of eyes filled with fear and horror, as if they had encountered a monster.

"Quick, we need to go now..." With a pale face, Shen Jue quickly turned around to leave. However, before he could even take the first step away, he suddenly felt an indomitable aura rising from the young lady behind him. The aura was, in every sense of the word, overwhelming. It felt as if the world was collapsing around him, and no matter where he ran or hid, he would never be able to get away.

Hong long long!

The young lady slowly rose into the air, and despite the lack of any wind, her pitch-black hair was fluttering. Her tightly-shut eyes paired with the poisonous aura that was flowing ceaselessly from her body created a truly sinister sight.

"Do you think that you will be able to escape after attempting to crush my soul with your Primordial Spirit?" A cold, androgynous voice that induced panic and despair in the hearts of the listeners sounded from the depths of the young lady's body.

"Crush her soul?"

"Guardian Shen attempted to kill the young lady?"

Everyone was stunned for a moment before directing furious gazes toward Shen Jue.

They had thought that he was truly intending to check if the young lady possessed the Innate Poison Body, but who would have thought that his true intention was to eliminate her!

"Shen Jue, you..." Lin Jianghai was so furious that he almost erupted on the spot. Cold sweat drenched his entire body.

To think that he was completely oblivious to it when Shen Jue attempted something right before his eyes... If something had really happened to the founder, how could he ever have faced the predecessors?

"I..." Shen Jue's face paled. Turning to look at the young lady, he forcefully suppressed his fear and replied, "I am just testing you. It was not my intention to kill you."

"Testing me? Humph! I was the one who singlehandedly created the Poison Hall many years ago, do you think that a brat like you is qualified to test me? Who do you think you are?"

The young lady's eyes were still shut, but her body was slowly drifting down from the air. Every single inch she moved downward, the pressure that Shen Jue felt increased twofold. It did not take long for Shen Jue to be completely drenched in sweat, and he felt like he was swiftly approaching his limit.

He was a 9-star poison master, and his strength had already reached a frightening level. Yet, he found himself completely powerless before the other party, as if he was a mere puppet!

"I..." Under the immense pressure, Shen Jue found himself incapable of uttering a single word.

Considering how the other party was able to wipe away his will in just an instant, it was apparent that the other party's strength far surpassed his!

More importantly, he was convinced that the person before him was Kong shi, and this realization sapped his entire body of its strength.

"Back when I dominated the continent, there was not a person who dared challenge me. As a junior who has inherited my legacy, how dare you raise your hand against me? Has your arrogance made you forget your own position?" The young lady's voice erupted once more. Every single word of hers seemed like thunder within the ears, leaving one not daring to respond.

"Elder, I really didn't intend to make a move against you. I just wanted to see who you are," Shen Jue replied anxiously.

"Do you know who I am now?" the young lady sneered coldly.

Before Shen Jue could respond, Eminence Wang stood forward and bellowed furiously, "Who in the world are you? Where did you get the guts to cause trouble in the inauguration ceremony of our new hall master?"

He had not experienced what Shen Jue had undergone within Wei Ruyan's body, so he was unaware of what kind of terrifying monster he was standing before. Even though the young lady was emanating a powerful aura, he had made a mental gauge and determined that he would be able to defeat her with his strength. This was also why he dared to step forward and question her.

"Who am I?"

A chilling laughter burst from the mouth of the young lady.

Huala!

A book appeared from the glabella of the young lady, and in the blink of an eye, it grew to several hundred meters wide. The book emanated the divine aura of the heavens, sealing the movements of those within the area.

Peng!

Everything happened in a flash. Before Eminence Wang could even comprehend what was going on, he had already been reduced to a lump of meat.

After crushing Eminence Wang, the young lady placed her hands behind her back as she stood loftily in the air, reminiscent of a demon or a deity.

"Do you know who I am now?"

Witnessing the horrific sight before them, Shen Jue and Eminence He quickly kneeled to the ground.

"Founder, spare me..."

Chapter 1095: Spirit Awakener

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Eminence Wang was a 9-star poison master just like them. Putting aside his proficiency in poison, his cultivation itself had already reached an unfathomable level. To be crushed in a single strike such that even his Primordial Spirit had no chance to escape at all... it would probably be very easy for the young lady to do the same to them as well.

The Innate Poison Body, the Poison Soul Constitution, and strength beyond measure... Without a doubt, the young lady before them had to be the founder!

Not only were Shen Jue and Eminence He frightened into kneeling down, all of the poison masters who had gathered around the area hurriedly got onto their knees, not daring to show the slightest disrespect to the young lady before them.

The young lady harrumphed coldly. "I don't wish to see anyone doubt me anymore. If anyone is harboring any thought of turning against me, know that you will share the same fate as Eminence Wang!"

She then turned to Shen Jue and Eminence He, and with an impassive look, she uttered coldly, "Offer your souls to me, and I can spare your lives."

"Yes!"

At this point, could Shen Jue and Eminence He afford to hesitate in the slightest? They hurriedly offered their souls to the young lady.

Given how the other party could slay Eminence Wang as easily as snapping the neck of a chicken, she would not require too much more effort to get rid of them!

Gaining possession of Shen Jue and Eminence He's souls meant that she now held absolute control over their life and death. As such, she no longer had to fear the duo turning against her.

After that was settled, she turned to Lin Jianghai and sent him a telepathic message. "Gather all of the 9-star poison masters in the Poison Hall here to awaken my constitution. I want to recover to my peak as soon as possible."

"Yes!" Lin Jianghai had already heard of the story from his student, Bai Ting, earlier, so he was not too surprised by the happenings.

Hu!

After hearing Lin Jianghai's response, the young lady fell back to the ground with her eyes still tightly shut, seemingly falling back into her unconscious state.

However, after that incident, there was no one who dared to look down on the young lady anymore. All of the gazes directed toward her were filled with fear and deference.

Lin Jianghai quickly gathered all of the 9-star poison masters that were currently in the headquarters, and with their combined strength, they managed to suppress and fully awaken Wei Ruyan's Innate Poison Body.

...

Three days later...

Wei Ruyan had finally awakened. Sitting on the highest throne that belonged to the hall master of the entire Poison Hall, she looked into the distance with her fists tightly clenched.

She might have been unconscious, but she could vaguely feel what her teacher had done for her.

Not only did her teacher risk his life to infiltrate the Poison Hall in seek of a cure for her, he had even severed a portion of his soul and slipped it into her consciousness so as to protect her from whatever danger she might have faced on her journey.

This was a deed so great that she truly had no idea how she could repay him.

Recalling her teacher's kind smile and elegant disposition, Wei Ruyan's eyes reddened, and she secretly made a vow in her heart. Teacher, Ruyan will not let down your expectations.

Her mother had died shortly after her birth, and her father had eventually left her as well. For as long as she could remember, pain and suffering had been an integral part of her life. No matter how she struggled and ran, she could never escape from it. Who knew how many times she had lamented the callousness of the heavens? But just as she thought that she was at the end of her road, the world brought her teacher to her.

For her, he had calculated every single possibility so as to ensure that no harm would come to her. For her, he was willing to brave through danger so as to buy her a sliver of hope. For her, he had stood unwaveringly before 9-star poison masters to protect her.

With such a teacher, what else could she possibly hope for?

...

I never thought that the soul fragment that I left with Wei Ruyan would end up being forced into action as well. The Poison Hall headquarters is far more dangerous than I imagined.

Just as the flying ship was descending upon Qingyuan City, Zhang Xuan felt the will that he had left with Wei Ruyan dissipating from overexertion, and he sighed deeply.

Unlike the Master Teacher Pavilion, chaos and lawlessness was the norm for the Poison Hall. It was a place where only those who possessed absolute strength could win the acknowledgement of others. Fearing for Wei Ruyan's safety, he had decided to deposit a fragment of his soul and a golden page with Wei Ruyan in case she landed herself in a dangerous position.

From the looks of it, it was fortunate that he had prepared thoroughly. Otherwise, that student of his might have lost her life.

Currently, he was a little too far away to perceive what had happened in the Poison Hall headquarters, but considering that the golden page had been used, Wei Ruyan should be safe for the time being.

Putting aside 9-star poison masters, even 9-star master teachers would be helpless before the golden page. It should not be too difficult to instill deference into the hearts of the poison masters once it was used.

"Principal Zhang, Combat Master Feng and Combat Master Jiang are here."

While Zhang Xuan was deep in thought, Ruohuan gongzi walked over and reported. Raising his gaze, he saw that Feng Xun and Jiang Yuan were indeed in the midst of flying over to the ship.

Zhang Xuan walked forward to greet them.

In the past month of absence, Feng Xun had managed to achieve a breakthrough to the Primordial Spirit realm as well. His strength had grown significantly greater and steadier from before. It was apparent that he had been working hard over the past month.

As for Jiang Yuan, he had successfully reinforced his Primordial Spirit realm primary stage cultivation, and his mind had grown considerably more resilient as well. It seemed like being possessed by the Skyleaf King had made him realize that his greatest weakness lay in his mind, so he had decided to focus his efforts on that aspect.

"Principal Zhang, you are finally here!" Feng Xun said with a smile.

Considering the enormous size of their ship and the comparatively lower cultivation of the aerial saint beasts pulling the ship along, it was natural that Zhang Xuan's group would take longer to arrive at Qingyuan City.

However, this had worked in their favor as well. So far, those from the Combat Master Hall had already learned about the happenings in the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, so they had all prepared beforehand. So as to uphold their honor, the combat masters were far more motivated and driven than ever, and morale among them was at an all-time high.

Within just the span of a single month, the overall fighting prowess of the Combat Master Hall had risen significantly; even the head of the Combat Master Hall was delighted to see it.

"The Combat Master Hall has prepared accommodation for you and your students. Come, let me bring you over!" Jiang Yuan said.

"Alright!"

Controlling the saint beasts, the flying ship ascended once more, and not too long later, under Jiang Yuan and Feng Xun's lead, they arrived at a massive manor. It was extremely vast, spanning over an area of a hundred qing 1 . Even though Zhang Xuan had brought a large number of students along with him, the size of the manor was still sufficient to house all of them comfortably.

After settling the group into the manor, Feng Xun walked to Zhang Xuan and said, "Principal Zhang, the exchange will be held three days from now. Our Combat Master Hall will hold a grand welcoming ceremony to receive you then!"

"I'll be troubling Combat Master Feng then." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Considering how his students had just made the long journey from Hongyuan City to Qingyuan City, it was natural that they were feeling mentally fatigued at the moment. In order to be in their peak state for the exchange, it would be best for them to have a few days of rest. The date of the exchange had probably been arranged in consideration of that.

After confirming the date that the exchange would be held, Feng Xun and Jiang Yuan took their leave. Shortly after that, Zhang Xuan beckoned for School Head Mo to come over.

"Have the students condition their state and cultivate diligently in preparation for the exchange three days from now. I have some matters that I have to attend to, so I'll be heading out for the time being."

The purpose for holding an exchange with the Combat Master Hall was to broaden the students' horizon, so it did not matter whether they won or lost.

After all, it was impossible for everything to go smoothly in cultivation. Besides, occasional losses weren't too bad either. It would help to build their mental resilience and aid them in maturing as a person.

Putting everything aside, even Zhang Xuan had suffered constant losses to his clone as well. Yet, despite losing time and time again, he had never lost his confidence and drive. Instead, he saw his clone as a goal that he should strive for, and that only served to fuel his motivation.

Upon hearing that Zhang Xuan was heading out, School Head Mo nodded slightly. A moment later, he suddenly realized something, and he turned a worried gaze toward Zhang Xuan. "Principal Zhang, we are currently in the capital of Qingyuan Conferred Empire, and there are many experts here. When you are outside, you must make sure to not act recklessly. Otherwise, even we will be unable to help you when you get into trouble."

Their principal was an incredible person. On top of possessing unparalleled talent, he was righteous as well. However, he had just one single flaw—recklessness.

Back in Hongyuan Empire, they could still cover up for him given the prestigious standing of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. However, in Qingyuan City, there were many individuals whose standing was above theirs, so it was still best for them to proceed carefully. They were only there for an exchange, so it would be best if they did not cause trouble beyond their means.

Seeing the worried look on School Head Mo's face, Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly. "Rest assured, I am only heading out to find a way to treat the Golden Origin Cauldron. I won't cause any unnecessary trouble!"

He had always conducted himself prudently, so why did School Head Mo have such a poor impression of him? It was as if the other party regarded him as a troublemaker.

"That's good..." School Head Mo heaved a sigh of relief.

Honestly speaking, he was a little skeptical about what Zhang Xuan had said. However, the latter was still the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, his direct superior. As an elder of the academy, it was within his rights to offer words of advice to the principal, but if he went too far, it could be considered insubordination.

After leaving the manor, Zhang Xuan asked around for the direction to the Blacksmith Guild before heading over.

The Golden Origin Cauldron had fallen into a coma after saving the expedition team, and as its master, it was only right for him to find a way to save it.

Before Zhang Xuan reached the Blacksmith Guild, a rather peculiar looking building came into sight. The building was reminiscent of a tower, rising straight into the clouds. Its top was rather slender, and it arched slightly downward like the neck of a swan.

Reading the plaque that hung at the entrance, Zhang Xuan was intrigued.

Spirit Awakener Guild? What kind of occupation is a spirit awakener?

He knew quite a bit about the various occupations in the world, but he had never heard of spirit awakeners before.

Just as Zhang Xuan was deep in thought, an attendant suddenly walked up to him and said, "This young master over here, are there any artifacts that you need enchanted? At just a price of ten middle-tier spirit stones, I can introduce you to the best spirit awakener in our guild. I guarantee that it will definitely be well worth your money."

The attendant was a young man in his early teens. His cultivation was only at Transcendent Mortal 1-dan, but the brilliant gleam in his eyes seemed to hint that he was a particularly resourceful person.

Zhang Xuan casually took out ten middle-tier spirit stones and tossed them over to the attendant.

To the current him, middle-tier spirit stones were not worth much. He would not feel guilty no matter how many of them he splurged. Since the attendant seemed to know quite a lot regarding spirit awakeners, it would be a good opportunity to learn more about the occupation.

"Is spirit awakener... a unique occupation?" Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before asking.

Hearing Zhang Xuan's question, the attendant replied with a question of his own. "Young Master, you aren't a local, right?"

"I came from Hongyuan Empire," Zhang Xuan answered with a nod.

The attendant chuckled. "That explains it. It's not uncommon for those who came via Qingyuan Empire to have never heard of spirit awakeners before."

"In the strictest sense, spirit awakener cannot be considered as a unique occupation, but without a doubt, it's one of the most lucrative occupations in Qingyuan Empire. There are countless cultivators who have come in seek of their services, and even those from the Master Teacher Pavilion visit often!"

Perplexed, Zhang Xuan asked, "What can spirit awakeners do?"

Even if spirit awakener was not a unique occupation, considering how even master teachers sought their services, there was bound to be something extraordinary about them. It was probably an occupation similar to herbologist; even though it might not have a distinct heritage required for it to be considered a unique occupation, their outstanding prowess in handling medicinal herbs was indeed something that mankind direly needed.

"As the name suggests, spirit awakeners have the ability to enchant spirits!" the attendant said. "For example, there are some cultivators who might find it hard to advance to Consonant Spirit realm due to having reinforced their cultivation too much. In such circumstances, if a spirit awakener assists in guiding the soul along, the cultivator will be able to achieve a breakthrough smoothly.

"Also, when weapons lose their spirit, spirit awakeners are also able to enchant a new spirit into it, thus breathing life into the weapon once more. On top of that, spirit awakeners are also able to guide souls into a unique state of mind that makes it easier for them to be refined and tempered. All in all, it is an occupation that is centered around support!"

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. "This... Do spirit awakeners have the ability to awaken a dormant spirit within an artifact as well?"

"Of course! Other occupations might be completely helpless before a dormant spirit, but spirit awakeners definitely wield such a capability," the attendant replied proudly. "Anything concerning souls and spirits come under the expertise of spirit awakeners! If that's what you are seeking, then I must say that you have come to the right place!"

"Very well, take me in," Zhang Xuan said with a nod.

His purpose of heading to the Blacksmith Guild was to awaken the Golden Origin Cauldron's spirit, but seeing that the spirit awakeners happened to specialize in this field, he decided to pay their guild a visit first.

While leading the way forward, the attendant asked, "Young Master, do you have an artifact whose spirit has become dormant?"

The spirits contained within artifacts were not too different from souls. They could be severely damaged in the midst of battle, and they would also gradually erode with time as well. Many powerful artifacts had met their downfall in such a manner.

While reforging an artifact would grant it a new spirit, such a process could be highly damaging to the artifact, resulting in a decline in its tier. This was where spirit awakeners came in.

In addition, there were formidable spirits who were unwilling to submit to their masters. In such cases, a cultivator might also opt to have the spirits erased so as to have a more subservient spirit enchanted into it.

"That's right!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"May I know what tier your artifact is? Depending on the tier of your artifact, the rank of the spirit awakener you need will differ as well," the attendant said.

"Saint intermediate-tier!" Zhang Xuan replied.

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Chapter 1096: Vice Guild Leader Xu

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Saint intermediate-tier?" The attendant leaped in shock.

Saint artifacts were extremely precious commodities within the Qingyuan Empire. Even Saint low-tier artifacts were extremely rare, let alone Saint intermediate-tier artifacts. The most powerful weapon currently wielded by the emperor of the Qingyuan Empire, the Infinite Sword, was also only at Saint intermediate-tier.

If a Saint intermediate-tier artifact appeared in an auction, it would definitely attract countless experts' attention.

Due to Zhang Xuan's young age, the attendant had thought that he would only have a Spirit pinnacle artifact in his possession at best. Yet, who would have thought that Zhang Xuan actually had an artifact of such caliber with him?

The attendant couldn't help but ask, "Young Master... are you a master teacher?"

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded. Slightly intrigued by the attendant's question, he asked, "How did you know that?"

He was not wearing his master teacher robe at the moment, and there did not seem to be anything about him that would suggest that he was a master teacher either. How did the attendant know that he was a master teacher?

"If you weren't a master teacher, your Saint intermediate-tier artifact would have long been snatched from your hands," the attendant said with a bitter smile.

All Saint intermediate-tier artifacts could be considered top-notch treasures within the Qingyuan Empire. Any news about them would induce countless cultivators to gather together like ravenous piranhas, and they would do everything that they could so that the Saint intermediate-tier artifact would be theirs in the end. Considering how young Zhang Xuan was, it was hard to believe that he would be able to retain possession of his Saint intermediate-tier weapon by himself.

Unless... he was a master teacher!

Considering the vast power that the Master Teacher Pavilion wielded, there were very few who would have the guts to steal from a master teacher.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

He knew of this as well.

Had it not been for his standing as a master teacher, there would have surely been many who had attempted to obtain his cultivation technique, and he would have met with much trouble along the way. He would not have been able to progress this far so smoothly.

Being a master teacher was a heavy responsibility, but it was also a huge umbrella that protected one as well.

After confirming that the other party was a master teacher, the attendant decided not to dwell too much on the matter.

"A 7-star spirit awakener is needed to wake the spirit within a Saint intermediate-tier artifact. In our guild, there are only three people who have achieved this level, and they are our guild leader and the two vice guild leaders. I will help you to make arrangements now."

Zhang Xuan nodded. A moment later, he asked curiously, "You mentioned earlier that the guild leader and the two vice guild leaders are 7-star spirit awakeners. Is the ranking system for spirit awakeners the same as the other occupations?"

"That's right. However, the lowest rank for spirit awakeners is 4-star," the attendant replied.

"The lowest rank is 4-star?" Zhang Xuan was perplexed to hear those words.

"That's right. While other occupations range from 1-star to 9-star, spirit awakeners have to take the 4-star examination right after their apprentice stage," the attendant said. "This is just an arrangement to align our ranking system with the other occupations. Conventionally, spirit awakeners are divided by low-tier, middle-tier, and high-tier. Low-tier spirit awakeners range from 4-star to 5-star, middle-tier spirit awakeners range from 6-star to 7-star, and high-tier spirit awakeners range from 8-star to 9-star. However, as this ranking system deviates from the convention adopted by the other occupations, it isn't preferable."

After a moment of thought, Zhang Xuan nodded in realization. "I see."

Since the occupation dealt with spirits and souls, the minimum requirement to becoming a spirit awakener would be to possess a cultivation of Transcendent Mortal 5-dan Consonant Spirit realm. At such a level of cultivation, one could already be deemed to be at 4-star pinnacle or half 5-star in other occupations.

If the Spirit Awakener Guild ranked their members from 1-star, they would not be able to match their ranking system with those adopted by the other occupations. Thus, for convenience purposes, they decided to set their lowest rank as 4-star.

Ultimately, there were countless occupations in the world, and there were all kinds of unique or even bizarre rules for them as well.

For example, there was a unique occupation in the Master Teacher Continent known as a seer. They wielded the power to peer into the secrets of the heavens, allowing them to foretell fortunes and calamities. This mystical art required them to have a deep understanding of the world in order to interpret it, so the minimum requirement to become a seer was to possess a cultivation of Saint realm.

Naturally, their lowest rank would be even higher than that of spirit awakeners, starting off from 7-star.

The 7-star spirit awakener that the attendant spoke of was effectively referring to middle-tier spirit awakeners. Judging from the conventional ranking system, an individual of that rank would possess a cultivation of Saint 2-dan at the very minimum.

While maneuvering their way through the Spirit Awakener Guild, Zhang Xuan continued asking questions, and it did not take long before he gained some understanding of the circumstances of the guild.

The guild leader and vice guild leaders were Primordial Spirit realm cultivators, and they could be considered top-notch experts within Qingyuan City.

Following behind the attendant, Zhang Xuan entered a vast hall.

Taking a swift look, Zhang Xuan saw quite a few cultivators queuing neatly in a line, waiting for a spirit awakener to help them temper their souls so that they could further raise their cultivation.

At the very front of the line, he saw a Clarifying Turbidity realm cultivator walk up to the young man ahead of him and say, "I haven't been able to make a breakthrough into Consonant Spirit realm due to my inability to sense my soul, so I hope to receive your pointers for this matter."

The young man nodded as he gestured to the round platform in front of him. "Sit down!"

The Clarifying Turbidity realm cultivator quickly took his seat on the middle of the round platform.

Shortly after the cultivator sat down, the young man placed his palm on the ground, and a surge of light began creeping its way toward the round platform, creating a circle of light around the cultivator.

"Relax your body," the young man said. His voice carried some kind of magic to it that compelled others to obey him.

The Clarifying Turbidity realm cultivator could not help but shut his eyes, and gradually, he fell into a unique state of mind.

Witnessing this scene, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. He is... trying to stimulate the cultivator's soul? He is assisting the cultivator in sensing his soul so that the latter can achieve a breakthrough? Incredible!

His opinion of spirit awakeners, based on what he had heard from the attendant earlier, was that it was an occupation that specialized in means that stimulated the soul. However, it seemed like it was not as simple as he had thought.

The occupation seemed to be a little similar to soul oracles. While soul oracles possessed expertise in strengthening themselves through unique means, spirit awakeners used their abilities to support others.

Taking the Clarifying Turbidity realm cultivator for example, he had been unable to sense his soul thus far, so he had not been able to reach Consonant Spirit realm yet. However, under the stimulation of the spirit awakener, his soul had grown stronger, making it easier for his body to tap into it. As such, it should not be long before he achieved a breakthrough.

Hong long!

While Zhang Xuan was still deep in thought, the Clarifying Turbidity realm cultivator suddenly howled in agitation, and his aura surged swiftly. In a single push, he managed to break the bottleneck that had limited him and reached the Consonant Spirit realm.

Seeing how the cultivator managed to achieve a breakthrough within just a few minutes, Zhang Xuan could not help but feel a little impressed. No wonder everyone seeks to head to higher tier empires, there are indeed more opportunities here.

In places like the Myriad Kingdom Alliance, the Consonant Spirit realm was a huge hurdle that most failed to overcome despite working their entire life. Over here, however, the very same bottleneck could be overcome that easily. Spirit awakener was indeed an extraordinary occupation.

However, while it was common knowledge that there were more opportunities in higher tier empires, not everyone could afford to move to such an empire.

Putting aside the dangers that lurked throughout the long journey from the Myriad Kingdom Alliance to Qingyuan City, the cost of living within higher tier empires was frightening as well. Just a single enchanting session could easily cost up to a high-tier spirit stone!

Not even the Alliance Head Residence of the Myriad Kingdom Alliance could afford to fork out such a sum.

On top of that, there were also multiple restrictions here and there. There was indeed a huge sum of money flowing around Qingyuan City every single day, but without reaching a certain level of proficiency in an occupation, one would never be able to lay their hands on the resources flowing through the area.

"Alright, we'll stop here today. I need some time to rest, and I will only return in ten days' time!"

As the Clarifying Turbidity realm cultivator achieved a breakthrough, the young man's face gradually turned ghastly pale, as if he had overexerted himself.

Fearing that the young master before him would be unaware of the matter, the attendant explained, "Spirit enchantment is very taxing on the soul, so spirit awakeners can only serve three people in a single sitting, and they then have to rest for at least ten days afterwards!"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

As a soul oracle who commanded a deep understanding of souls, he could see through the difficulties that lay in spirit enchantment. Ten days was indeed the minimum time required for them to recover from their exertion.

Proceeding ahead, Zhang Xuan saw a few others spirit awakeners; some were helping to temper the souls of cultivators while others were busy enchanting weapons. In order to ensure that they could be served before the spirit awakener exhausted themselves, there were even some who paid a hefty sum to purchase the queue positions of those ahead of them.

After taking a swift look around, Zhang Xuan could not help but remark, "It's indeed a lucrative occupation."

The cultivation of a soul was much different from the cultivation of a physical body and zhenqi. The latter two were at least tangible, making it easier for cultivators to grasp them, but the same could not be said for souls. As a result, it was not uncommon for cultivators to face trouble cultivating their souls, and this was where spirit awakeners came in. They could hasten the growth of one's soul, thus saving the cultivator much time and fumbling around.

At the same time, taming the spirit within a weapon was also a troublesome process. Depending on the spirit one was dealing with, there were those who had not succeeded even after many years of effort. Since that was the case, it was sometimes a more viable option for the cultivator to eliminate the spirit and have a spirit awakener enchant a more obedient one in.

These two abilities were more than sufficient to lay the foundations for the explosive popularity of the occupation.

Circling through the crowd, they finally arrived at the doorstep of a vast room. "Just ahead of us is the area where Vice Guild Leader Xu works. I have to give you a heads up first; the prices for Vice Guild Leader Xu's spirit enchantment tend to be steeper, especially when it's a Saint intermediate-tier artifact we are talking about here."

"How much will it cost?" Zhang Xuan had known that it would not be cheap from the start, so he dove right into the topic at hand.

"100 high-tier spirit stones!" the attendant replied.

"It's still alright. That isn't too expensive." Zhang Xuan nodded.

As long as he could save the Golden Origin Cauldron, even ten thousand high-tier spirit stones would not be an expense too high for him to incur, let alone a hundred.

Huala!

With a flick of his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out a hundred high-tier spirit stones.

Upon seeing the sum, the attendant hurriedly nodded in agitation before saying, "Give me a moment to report the matter to Vice Guild Leader Xu."

After which, he entered the room, and it did not take long for him to return with a relieved look on his face. "Young Master, it seems like your luck is not bad today. Vice Guild Leader Xu happens to have one more slot left. Allow me to bring you in!"

Following behind the attendant, Zhang Xuan walked into the room.

The room was roughly a hundred square meters large, and there was a beautiful lady, who looked to be in her early thirties, sitting at the center of the room. Even though she had concealed her cultivation, her subtle gestures had a peculiar air to them, a feeling that he had felt from Wu shi and Guild Leader Han as well. It seemed that she was a Primordial Spirit realm expert, too.

"Vice Guild Leader Xu, this is the master teacher who wishes to awaken the spirit within his Saint intermediate-tier artifact!" the attendant introduced.

"Un." Vice Guild Leader Xu nodded before turning her assessing gaze toward Zhang Xuan. With a slightly surprised expression, she asked, "You have a Saint intermediate-tier artifact?"

She could tell that the young man before her was only at Saint 1-dan pinnacle. Even if he was a master teacher, he should not be qualified to wield such a strong artifact yet.

"That's right." Zhang Xuan nodded as he brought the Golden Origin Cauldron out from his storage ring. "The spirit of my artifact has fallen into a deep sleep, so I hope that Vice Guild Leader Xu can help me awaken it."

"Deep sleep?" Vice Guild Leader Xu got up from her seat and walked up to the Golden Origin Cauldron. After a careful examination, a tight frown etched itself onto her forehead, and she turned her gaze back toward Zhang Xuan.

"Its will is currently deep in sleep. Are you intending to create a new will to replace it, or do you intend to wake it from its sleep?"

There were two ways for an artifact with a dormant spirit to regain spirituality. Firstly, creating a new spirit and replacing the dormant spirit with it. Secondly, awakening the dormant spirit.

"I intend to wake it from its sleep," Zhang Xuan quickly replied.

Creating a new spirit within the Golden Origin Cauldron was equivalent to having the current Golden Origin Cauldron killed. That was something that he would never do.

"This might pose to be a little difficult..." Vice Guild Leader Xu shook her head. Just as she was about to continue speaking, someone suddenly knocked at the door once more, and an attendant walked in.

"Vice Guild Leader Xu, Elder Dao Kou wants you to enchant his disciple's Embryonic Soul in order to push for a breakthrough to Primordial Spirit realm!"

"Dao Kou?" Vice Guild Leader Xu frowned. "Tell him that I don't have any more slots for today..."

But before she could finish her words, an elder suddenly barged in with a middle-aged man following behind him.

"No more slots? I'm quite certain I heard that you have only conducted spirit enchantments for two people so far. Shouldn't you still have one more slot today?"

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Chapter 1097: I Hate It When Others Pose Before Me

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The elder seemed to be in his sixties. He had snowy hair and sharp eyebrows that were reminiscent of arrows. The intense aura of slaughter that he carried hinted that he was a veteran of the battlefield, and the great power pulsating from his body revealed that he was a Saint 4-dan Primordial Spirit realm primary stage cultivator.

"He's one of the Twin Bandits of the Northern Meadows, Earth Flitting Bandit Dao Kou!"

Upon seeing the other party's appearance, the face of the attendant swiftly paled in fright, and he quickly sent a telepathic message to Zhang Xuan. "That man over there is known as the Earth Flitting Bandit, and he's a dominant figure among those living near the Northern Meadows. Not only does he wield outstanding strength, more importantly, he is arrogant and obeys no rules. It's best not to get on his bad side."

The Northern Meadows was the name of a territory under Qingyuan Conferred Empire, and it spanned over an area that was even larger than Hongyuan Tier-1 Empire. To be able to become a dominant power there bore testimony to the immense strength that Dao Kou wielded.

"So what if he obeys no rules? Vice Guild Leader Xu has already taken my spirit stones, is she intending to go back on her words?" Zhang Xuan shook his head, paying no heed to what the attendant was saying.

The Master Teacher Pavilion would not allow lawlessness to occur in areas where it was stationed. Even if the other party was a Primordial Spirit realm expert, he would still have to lower himself accordingly.

"That's not what I mean. The Earth Flitting Bandit Dao Kou is a vindictive person, so you have to be careful around him. It's not his first time snatching spirit enchantment slots from others, and the previous clients who have turned him down ended up suffering tragic fates."

While the attendant was filling Zhang Xuan in on the matter, Vice Guild Leader Xu shook her head and said, "I have only conducted spirit enchantment for two clients so far, but this gentleman over here arrived before you, and he has already paid the fee for it as well. Thus, I'm afraid that you will have to wait for the next session!"

As the vice guild leader of the Spirit Awakener Guild, it was a given that she would have to obey the rules.

Not to mention, the person before her was a master teacher at that.

"You said that this lad came earlier than me? That's an easy problem to resolve!" With a hearty laugh, Dao Kou walked up to Zhang Xuan, and with an authoritative and pressurizing voice, he said, "This friend over here, hand your slot to me. You paid a hundred high-tier spirit stones earlier, right? Here are two hundred, consider it compensation from me!"

As he said those words, he flicked his wrist, and a pile of two hundred high-tier spirit stones appeared on the ground before him.

To double the price in a single breath, this was definitely a deal that few could resist.

Right after saying those words, Dao Kou placed his hands behind his back, waiting for the other party to pick up the high-tier spirit stones. In his view, there was no way a Saint 1-dan cultivator would be so foolish as to offend him over a mere slot.

Contrary to his expectations, the young man did not seem to have heard what he had said at all. The young man continued looking at Vice Guild Leader Xu and asked, "You said that it will be difficult to awaken its spirit, may I know what the difficulties you will face are? Perhaps, I might be able to offer some assistance..."

Seeing how the young man was disregarding his teacher, a look of displeasure surfaced on the middle-aged man's face as he bellowed furiously, "Brat, are you deaf? Can't you hear that my teacher is talking to you?"

However, Zhang Xuan continued speaking to Vice Guild Leader Xu as if the middle-aged man was invisible. "I might not have much of an understanding of spirit enchantment at the moment, but I am willing to learn."

"Learn?" Vice Guild Leader Xu shook her head. "Spirit awakener isn't a unique occupation, but it isn't something that one can master swiftly. It's unlikely for you to be able to make it in time if you start learning now. Waking a dormant spirit requires very precise control, and it's a particularly troublesome process as well. I can't guarantee that I'll be able to succeed."

"This..." Zhang Xuan frowned. "Then... will there be any harm if you fail to wake the Golden Origin Cauldron up?"

Failure was still acceptable. What would be truly unacceptable was if the Golden Origin Cauldron's spirit dissipated as a result of it.

"Don't worry, failure will not cause any harm to the spirit of the artifact," Vice Guild Leader Xu replied with a smile.

"I'll have to trouble Vice Guild Leader Xu on this matter then. If you wake the Golden Origin Cauldron up, I'll surely repay your favor generously!" Zhang Xuan bowed deeply.

"There's no need to stand on ceremony. I am not really confident of success, so I ask of you not to hold too much hope. However, rest assured that I'll try my best!" Vice Guild Leader Xu nodded.

Given that the other party was a master teacher and had such a valuable artifact in his possession, he was bound to be no ordinary figure. Thus, Vice Guild Leader Xu's voice showed not the slightest hint of disrespect.

However, while Vice Guild Leader Xu dared not provoke the young man before her, the same could not be said for Dao Kou and the middle-aged man.

"Brat, we are talking to you over here. How dare you disregard us?" Not daring to offend the vice guild leader, the middle-aged man walked straight up to Zhang Xuan with blatant killing intent in his eyes.

It was one thing for the other party to disregard him, but how dare the other party disregard his teacher as well? This was unforgivable!

With his Saint 3-dan pinnacle cultivation, even if he did not make a move, the pressure he exerted was sufficient to leave any Saint 1-dan cultivator trembling in fear.

Zhang Xuan shot a nonchalant glance at the middle-aged man before speaking impassively, "Young man, watch your attitude. If you show some humility, I can consider replying to your request!"

"You're seeking death!" Hearing those words, the middle-aged man's face twitched in anger.

To think that a twenty-year-old brat would dare to address him as a young man and speak to him as if an elder lecturing a junior. He could not help but feel be overwhelmed.

Boom!

Unable to hold himself back any longer, the middle-aged man raised his palm and thrust it toward Zhang Xuan.

Seeing that sight, Vice Guild Leader Xu's face darkened. She instinctively stepped forth to stop the middle-aged man, but before she really did anything, the young man raised his gaze and bellowed, "Scram!"

Boom!

It was as if a clap of thunder had exploded within the room.

Deng deng deng deng!

Seemingly having suffered a heavy blow, the middle-aged man's face suddenly turned ghastly pale before his attack could land, and he was forced to retreat eight steps back. Blood spewed from his mouth.

Even though the middle-aged man's cultivation was far higher than Zhang Xuan's, Zhang Xuan was a Celestial Saint whose fighting prowess was invincible beneath Primordial Spirit realm. Against a cultivator who was not even a master teacher, he didn't even need to lift a finger—just a shout could easily breach the latter's mental barriers and send his cultivation into disarray.

"Yan Qi!" Seeing that his student had suffered severe damage with a single shout, Dao Kou's face darkened. He quickly rushed forward and infused zhenqi into his disciple's body so as to suppress his wounds. After that was done, he raised his gaze and glared at the young man with a frosty gaze. "Terpsichore and demonic tunist? This friend over here, don't you think that you went overboard?"

With his vast battle experience, he could immediately see through the young man's attack.

It was just a single word, but infused within it was the strength of a demonic tunist and terpsichore, making it nigh impossible to guard against.

"If I hadn't retaliated, I would have been the one lying on the ground at this moment," Zhang Xuan replied coldly before turning his gaze away.

"My student is indeed a little hot-tempered, but he doesn't move without a reason!" Dao Kou sneered coldly. "Since you have harmed my student, I believe that I have every right to return justice to him. Humph, seeing how you are just a measly Saint 1-dan cultivator, I won't bully you. Three moves. If you can touch even my clothes within three moves, I will drop this matter and leave immediately. Otherwise, I'll have you pass your slot on to me and leave, or else be prepared to face my wrath!"

As a powerhouse of the Northern Meadows, when had he ever suffered such humiliation?

"Three moves?" Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up. "Sure, make your move!"

"..." Dao Kou suddenly felt incredibly stifled within. "I am saying that I'll allow you to make three moves against me!"

A look of amazement appeared on Zhang Xuan's face. "Are you certain?"

"Of course!" Dao Kou replied confidently.

While the young man might have seemed formidable, being able to force back and injure his disciple with a roar, he could tell that the other party was simply a skilled user of soul arts.

It was inevitable that those who devoted their effort to furthering their soul arts would be weak physically. This was common sense among cultivators. Besides, considering how young the other party was, how strong could he possibly be?

This was also why Dao Kou had proposed such a challenge!

Those in the Northern Meadows would know that this was an unfair match. Putting aside the fact that Dao Kou was a Saint 4-dan cultivator, he happened to specialize in speedy maneuvers as well. For him to be matched against a Saint 1-dan lad... that was simply overkill!

"Alright then!" Paying no heed to the smug smile on Dao Kou's lips, Zhang Xuan nodded.

In the next moment, his figure abruptly blurred. Before anyone could process what was going on, he was already standing before Dao Kou.

While he was reluctant to cultivate the Unbounded Voyager due to the multitude of flaws in it, he had not left it lying around the past month. He had been trying to fuse portions of it into the Heaven's Path Movement Art, and this had raised his speed significantly. While it was still impossible to pull off the near instantaneous movement of the Unbounded Voyager, it was still a fearsome ability in close quarters.

From the moment he moved to the point he appeared before Dao Kou's eyes, it did not even take a tenth of a breath.

Hu la!

Right after Zhang Xuan's figure appeared, a fist swiftly followed.

"You..." Not expecting the other party to rush at him before he was even ready, and with such speed at that, Dao Kou's face paled in fight.

He immediately raised his hands to retaliate, but to his shock, he realized that the fist of the young man before him was far swifter than he was.

A sharp pain assaulted his chest, and with a cry of agony, he was sent flying away.

Peng!

Knocked heavily into a wall, Dao Kou slowly slid to the ground before his eyes rolled up. He had fainted.

"The Earth Flitting Bandit Dao Kou specializes in speed, and his movement technique, Fallen Footsteps, allows him to move as swiftly as an elusive specter. You really mustn't fight with him..."

It sounded complicated in words, but everything happened within a split second. When the young attendant heard Zhang Xuan accept challenge, he hurriedly sent a telepathic message over. However, before he could finish his words, Dao Kou was already lying helplessly on the ground. Rendered completely speechless, he felt as if insanity was about to overrun his mind.

From the looks of it, it was apparent that the young man before him was not too much older than he was. Yet, who would have thought that he was able to severely injure an Embryonic Soul realm expert with a bellow and a Primordial Spirit realm expert with a fist?

With his movement technique, Fallen Footsteps, the Flitting Earth Bandit Dao Kou could outmaneuver even a Primordial Spirit pinnacle expert. It was for this technique that he was renowned throughout the Northern Meadows. Yet, before Dao Kou could utilize his movement technique, he was knocked out.

The attendant could not help but gulp in fear.

It was fortunate that he had not thought of stealing the Saint intermediate-tier artifact from the other party's hands. If he had done so... he could very well have been the one lying on the ground at this very moment.

"Teacher!"

At that moment, the middle-aged man also finally recovered from his daze, and he quickly rushed forward to save his teacher.

Meanwhile, Zhang Xuan glanced down at the unconscious Dao Kou and shook his head.

Three moves?

You can't even withstand a single one! With such meagre strength, what are you showing off for?

I thought that you would at least be a worthwhile opponent.

Honestly, I despise people like you who try to pose when you don't even have the capability to do so.

Shameful! Truly shameful!

To be fair, if Dao Kou had used his true prowess as a Primordial Spirit realm expert against Zhang Xuan from the very start, he would have at least been able to stand his ground.

However, of all things, he had chosen to give Zhang Xuan a three-move advantage; he was just asking for suffering!

Not everyone was qualified to allow Zhang Xuan an advantage!

Putting aside a mere Primordial Spirit realm primary stage, not even the Leaving Aperture realm primary stage Skyleaf King had dared give him any advantages, and despite that, the Skyleaf King had still ended up being crushed in the end!

While Zhang Xuan's strength was still a little off from matching up to Primordial Spirit realm experts, he had many aces up his sleeves that would allow him to easily subdue them in battle.

Sighing deeply, Zhang Xuan shook his head and stared into the distance. A forlorn look crept into his eyes, as if an undefeated expert asking for a single worthy rival.

"I hate it when others pose before me, and you just had to do it. You really put me in a spot there."

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Chapter 1098: Taking the Spirit Awakener Examination

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

To be honest, he had already been very low profile by not bringing Wu shi, Guild Leader Han, or the Master Teacher Pavilion into the picture, but that fellow just had to offer up his face for a good slap.

How was Zhang Xuan supposed to hold himself back?

Forget it! As an adult, I should remain calm in the face of a child's tantrums.

Ignoring the teacher-disciple duo, Zhang Xuan turned his attention back to Vice Guild Leader Xu.

Upon sensing the other party's gaze on her, Vice Guild Leader Xu's eyebrows shot up.

The reason she had sided with Zhang Xuan earlier was because he was a master teacher, and it was important for her to uphold rules in the Spirit Awakener Guild. She had intended to stop Dao Kou if he really made a move against the young man, but to her surprise, the battle ended before she could even say a word.

Without a doubt, it was a thorough victory for the young man before her!

For a Saint 1-dan pinnacle cultivator to knock out a Saint 4-dan expert with a single punch...

Just where in the world did this monster pop up from?

A thought suddenly emerged in Vice Guild Leader Xu's mind. Could it be that... he's an expert from the Combat Master Hall?

Combat masters tended to seclude themselves so that they could focus their efforts on their training. As such, even though there was a Combat Master Hall branch in Qingyuan City, she had not really seen many combat masters around.

As such, she did not know much about the combat masters either. However, considering that the Saint 1-dan pinnacle young man was able to knock out a Primordial Spirit realm expert so easily, there was little doubt that he was one of the legendary combat masters, and from the looks of it, his standing was likely rather high as well.

This would explain why he had a Saint intermediate-tier artifact in his possession.

Previously, Vice Guild Leader Xu had thought that the young man was only able to remain safe due to the protection from the Master Teacher Pavilion, but from the looks of it, his individual strength seemed to play a huge role in it as well.

While Vice Guild Leader Xu knew that the young man before her was not an ordinary figure, she still thought that it was best to offer a word of advice after some thought.

" Gongzi 1 , it'll be best for you to remain on your guard. The Twin Bandits of the Northern Meadows are extremely famous figures. The Flitting Earth Bandit Dao Kou is one thing, but his elder brother, the Sky Bearing Bandit Cang Xu, will be a difficult foe to fight against. It's said that he has already reached Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle, and he possesses many sinister means, making him a difficult opponent to deal with."

Of course, with just a cultivation of Primordial Spirit realm primary stage, there was no way Dao Kou could become a dominant power of the Northern Meadows. The one who was truly formidable of the Twin Bandits was the elder brother, Sky Bearing Bandit Cang Xu!

Wielding incredible strength, even Vice Guild Leader Xu would not dare face him in a direct battle.

After all, spirit awakener was only a supporting occupation. Their abilities were not suited for battling.

"Thank you for your advice!" Knowing that the other party was advising him out of goodwill, Zhang Xuan responded with a smile. After which, he glanced at the Golden Origin Cauldron and asked, "May I ask, when will it be convenient for you to wake up my artifact?"

"Let's do it right now," replied Vice Guild Leader Xu.

She first walked around the Golden Origin Cauldron twice before abruptly pressing her palm against a certain portion of the Golden Origin Cauldron.

Weng!

A brilliant light shrouded the Golden Origin Cauldron.

Zhang Xuan stared at the situation nervously.

Around ten minutes later, Vice Guild Leader Xu retracted her palm before taking several steps backward. By this moment, her face was already ghastly pale. "It seems like I was underestimating the difficulty of the matter. If I'm not mistaken, your cauldron fell into a deep sleep from being struck by lightning, correct? If that's the case, I fear that I am not sufficiently powerful to wake it!

"Spirits are extremely weak to lightning; I believe you should know of this as well. If it had fallen asleep due to other reasons, I might still have been able to wake it by pushing myself a little further. But this is beyond my current capability."

Vice Guild Leader Xu shook her head.

"Then... do you know of anyone who can wake the spirit in my artifact then?" Zhang Xuan asked.

After a moment of contemplation, Vice Guild Leader Xu replied, "Based on what I have seen so far, the lightning has not only eroded the will within, it has also left some remnants throughout the cauldron. To wake the spirit within the cauldron, one would have to drive one's soul energy beyond the region filled with lightning remnants. In order to do so, one would have to be at Leaving Aperture realm at the very minimum. During the Leaving Aperture Ordeal, the cultivator's Primordial Spirit is tempered by lightning, granting it decent resistance to lightning. However, I fear that no one in the Qingyuan Empire Spirit Awakener Guild has reached that level yet!"

Even the strongest individual in the Qingyuan Empire Spirit Awakener Guild, their guild leader, had barely reached Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle. She was still far from reaching Leaving Aperture realm, so it was unlikely for her to be able to accomplish the task in the short-run.

"You mean that... due to lightning remnants on the cauldron, it'll be impossible for anyone beneath Leaving Aperture realm to wake the spirit within? What about souls with resistance to lightning? Will they work as well?" Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.

"Theoretically, yes. But of course, the soul would still have to possess proficiency comparable to a 7-star spirit awakener in order to wake the spirit within. However... where in the world can one find a soul that is resistant to lightning?" Vice Guild Leader Xu replied.

Primordial Spirits and souls were of the yin attribute, which meant they were highly vulnerable to lightning. So far, she had never heard of any Primordial Spirit or soul beneath Leaving Aperture realm that did not fear lightning.

"Proficiency comparable to a 7-star spirit awakener?" Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before lifting his gaze to ask, "Vice Guild Leader Xu, may I know what the conditions to browsing through the books in your guild library are?"

Since there was no one in the Qingyuan Empire Spirit Awakener Guild who was sufficiently skilled to wake the Golden Origin Cauldron, perhaps he should give it a try himself.

While lightning was the greatest threat to any soul or Primordial Spirit, his soul had been through the field of lightning and Saint Ascension Ordeal, thus making it more wholesome than the others. Ordinary lightning could no longer pose any threat to him.

"Conditions to browsing through the books in our library?" Vice Guild Leader Xu was slightly taken aback by Zhang Xuan's abrupt question. She hesitated for a brief moment before replying, "Our guild doesn't use the conventional rank restriction that other occupations use. As long as you pay a certain fee, you will be able to freely browse through our books and even copy them if you like. However, you aren't allowed to take away the original book."

Zhang Xuan was delighted to hear those words. "I wish to browse through all of the spirit awakener books, from 4-star to 7-star. May I know how much I have to pay?"

Only unique occupations with a perfect heritage would be stricter on their hierarchy. Typical occupations did not have that much requirements.

In fact, some would even loosen the conditions so as to attract more people into it, thus bolstering their forces.

Vice Guild Leader Xu did a swift calculation before responding. "To browse through all of the books, you will have to pay a sum of two thousand high-tier spirit stones."

"Here you go!"

With a flick of his wrist, two thousand high-tier spirit stones appeared on the ground.

"This..." Vice Guild Leader Xu was taken aback.

Even she would have difficulty whipping out two thousand high-tier spirit stones all of a sudden, and yet, the other party willingly forked them out so decisively just so to browse through books. Wasn't he a little too extravagant?

"Alright, I'll have to trouble Vice Guild Leader Xu to show me to the library."

To the current Zhang Xuan, it was not an issue for him to whip out two thousand high-tier spirit stones. If he could save the Golden Origin Cauldron and learn a new occupation on top of that, it would definitely be well worth the sum spent.

"Alright..." Seeing the earnest look on the young man's face, Vice Guild Leader Xu could tell that the other party was not joking. Thus, she accepted the spirit stones and said, "Follow me."

Zhang Xuan swiftly stowed the Golden Origin Cauldron back into his storage ring before following her.

Leaving the room, they walked through a long corridor for quite some time before eventually arriving at a vast room.

It was the library of the Spirit Awakener Guild.

At the entrance of the room, Vice Guild Leader Xu handed a token to Zhang Xuan before she began briefly explaining the rules.

"You are free to read any book you want, and if you want, you can cultivate in here too. If you suddenly have a stroke of inspiration while reading the books, there are also puppets that you can try enchanting. Those puppets are classified by ranks, and the higher rank the puppet is, the more difficult it is to enchant it. If you succeed in enchanting the spirit within a puppet of a certain rank, that means that you have achieved the corresponding level of mastery as a spirit awakener as well."

While spirit awakener was an extremely lucrative occupation in Qingyuan Empire, it was not a unique occupation, so it was not bound by the rules that governed them. Even the examination for it was relatively informal and simple.

"Thank you!" Zhang Xuan nodded before taking the token from the other party's hand.

"Alright, you may enter now. Actually, there are quite a handful of people who visit our library everyday in hopes of learning the art of spirit enchantment, but it's a pity that very few of them succeed!" Vice Guild Leader Xu sighed deeply.

Considering how lucrative the occupation was, it was inevitable that many wished to learn its arts. However, the conditions to become a true spirit awakener were simply too harsh. On top of possessing a strong soul, one also had to be capable of pulling off precise maneuvers with their soul energy. In a sense, being able to become a spirit awakener could be considered an inborn talent. Just reading the books was not sufficient for one to grasp the art of spirit enchantment.

Without saying much, Zhang Xuan pushed the door open and stepped in.

The first floor of the library was not too huge, consisting of only several dozen shelves. All in all, there were a few hundred thousand books.

Just as Vice Guild Leader Xu had said earlier, there were quite a few people flipping through books within the library. Most likely, they were also intending to grasp the art of spirit enchantment, just like him.

In order to not stand out too much from the others, Zhang Xuan walked up to the first shelf and casually took out a book. Putting on an impression of being absorbed into the book, his eyes slowly glanced down the shelves.

Hualala!

Whichever book his eyes fell upon swiftly materialized within the Library of Heaven's Path.

In less than ten minutes, Zhang Xuan had already succeeded in collecting all of the books on the shelves.

Compile! Zhang Xuan willed.

Innumerable books gathered together, fusing as one to form a single book. Zhang Xuan flipped it open lightly and began browsing through it.

It was the 4-star Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art.

Swiftly flipping through the contents, Zhang Xuan gained a deeper understanding of the occupation.

To put it in the simplest terms, enchantment was the act of using one's soul energy to nourish the spirit of an artifact or the soul of a cultivator.

The prerequisite to doing so was for one's soul to be attributeless. This was so as to avoid the spirit awakener's infusion of soul energy from being rejected by the receiver.

Just the very first prerequisite of their soul being attributeless was already a hurdle that most cultivators would never be able to overcome in their life. However, this was not a problem for Zhang Xuan at all.

As one who cultivated the Heaven's Path Soul Art, his soul was devoid of any attributes. Otherwise, he would not have been able to imitate the aura of others perfectly and deceive others with his disguise.

After browsing through the entire book, Zhang Xuan swiftly internalized what he had learned before driving his soul energy through his body. All in all, it took him less than an hour to fully grasp the 4-star Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art.

Let me see if it works or not, Zhang Xuan thought as he walked to the corner of the room, where he found a bizarre-looking puppet. The puppet had eight arms and four heads, and it seemed to be made of some kind of peculiar material. It was impossible to determine what tier it was.

Even so, Zhang Xuan could not be bothered to use his Eye of Insight or Library of Heaven's Path on it. Tapping into his soul energy, he placed his palm on the ground in front of the puppet before extending his consciousness toward it.

In an instant, Zhang Xuan suddenly found himself standing in a world of perfect darkness. Driving his soul energy, he sought to create a spark of light within this world.

Weng!

A burst of light shrouded the puppet.

Geji! Geji!

A few breaths later, Zhang Xuan successfully enchanted a spirit into the puppet, and it gradually came to life. Its hands and heads began twisting and moving about randomly, creating quite a peculiar sight.

Opening his eyes, Zhang Xuan thought with a smile, Seems like the 4-star spirit awakener examination isn't too hard after all.

He had been wondering how difficult the occupation would be, but judging from how he could enchant a spirit within the puppet so easily, it didn't seem to be as difficult as he had thought.

After that was done, he began making his way to the second floor.

There were also several hundred thousand books on the second floor as well. It did not take long for Zhang Xuan to finish collecting them and form the 5-star Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art.

Once he was done grasping it, he headed to the puppet in the corner and successfully enchanted a spirit into it once more. Seeing that he was done for the second floor, he headed up to the next floor.

...

Four hours later, Zhang Xuan stepped onto the fourth floor.

The entire room was filled with 7-star spirit awakener books. He swiftly collected them into the Library of Heaven's Path and compiled the 7-star Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art before heading to the corner where the puppet had been placed on the previous floors. However, when he arrived at his destination, what he saw left him with a deep frown instead.

There isn't a puppet for this floor? Wait a moment, what is that pillar for?

There was no puppet for him to enchant on the fourth floor. In its place was a fairly large pillar that extended from the ceiling to the floor.

Perhaps, it might be a weapon. If I successfully enchant it, I should be qualified as a 7-star spirit awakener!

With such thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan walked up to the pillar.

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Chapter 1099: The Lively Guild

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

On the previous few floors were the four-headed eight-armed puppets. Even though there was none to be seen on this floor, the black pillar before him should serve a function similar to that of the puppets before.

"Never mind, I'll know once I give it a try..." Sitting on the ground, Zhang Xuan placed his hand on the ground, and a circle of light swiftly shrouded the pillar. Just like before, Zhang Xuan extended his consciousness to the pillar, and he suddenly found himself plunged into a world of absolute darkness.

"Light up!" Knowing that the presence of light within this dark world represented the successful enchantment of the object, Zhang Xuan drove his Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art and tapped on the space ahead of him with his finger.

Weng!

A spark of light came to life, warding off the darkness. However, its radiance was extremely weak, reminiscent of a candlelight flickering in the midst of a powerful gale, on the verge of extinguishing at any moment.

"Hm?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Previously, as long as he were to drive his Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art, he would have been able to light up the entire world. However, it had only managed to produce a spark of light this time around, and it looked as if it would be extinguished at any moment. This meant that due to certain properties of the artifact, it was much harder to enchant a spirit into it.

"As expected of the 7-star spirit awakener examination. It's indeed much harder than the examinations before..." In face of such a situation, instead of wallowing in his failure, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in excitement instead.

Honestly speaking, he felt that the previous few examinations were nonsensical. It was so easy that just anyone could clear it with ease. Finally, there was something that was worthy of a challenge!

"I sure would like to see how difficult the 7-star examination will be... Regardless of the cost, I'll definitely be going to light you up today!" With a worthy challenge standing before him, Zhang Xuan's fighting will was stoked.

While other spirit awakeners could only conduct three enchantments within a day before going into a period of long rest, Zhang Xuan found that he wasn't bounded by the same limits. Perhaps it was due to the flawless Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art, or maybe it was simply because his soul was far stronger to his counterparts, he found that he could easily enchant dozens of times in a single day without feeling fatigued.

Thus, he raised his finger and tapped the space in front of him once more.

Yet another spark of light appeared. Just like the one before, it was flickering weakly amidst the darkness, but nevertheless, it still succeeded in driving the darkness slightly further away.

"Merge!" Driving his soul energy, Zhang Xuan brought the two sparks together, and they slowly fused together with one another.

As those two sparks were spirits which he had enchanted into the pillar, it harnessed his will, so it wasn't too difficult for him to merge them together.

But of course, it was also due to the flawless Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art that he was able to produce identical spirits that could be merged together in the first place. While ordinary spirit awakeners could enchant spirits of similar attributes, it was inevitable that the spirits they enchanted would differ slightly from one another due to imperfections.

Naturally, it went without saying that spirits of differing attributes couldn't be merged together. Otherwise, that would be equivalent to creating two wills within a single artifact. The two wills would vie with one another for possession over the artifact, and if things were to go wrong, the weapon could very well be destroyed. Back then, it was due to this problem that the Hongyuan royal family's Bodhi Saint Tree nearly lost its life.

Hu!

The merged spark was significantly brighter than before, lighting up a significant portion of the darkness. While it was still insufficient to drive off the darkness entirely, the spark was no longer at risk of extinguishing soon anymore.

"Indeed, it works!" Zhang Xuan thought in excitement.

It was out of a moment of inspiration that he thought of merging the spirits together, and he hadn't really thought that it would work out so well. Delighted, he continued tapping the space ahead of him.

Hu hu!

Another two sparks appeared, and Zhang Xuan swiftly merged them into the one.

With four sparks merged together, the initial flicker of flame had finally grown into a flame torch. It glowed brilliantly amidst the darkness, bringing light to at least a radius of hundred meters.

"What a massive space..." With enhanced visibility, Zhang Xuan was finally able to get a glimpse into the space he was in.

For the puppets before, the worlds of darkness were only several meters to around a dozen meters in radius. A single spark of light was more than sufficient to light up the entire space. But in the space he was currently in, he had already lit up more than a hundred meters of the area, but the end was still nowhere in sight... Wasn't this weapon a little way too big?

The larger a weapon was, the stronger its spirit had to be in order to sustain it. But... he had already enchanted four spirits, and yet, the end was still nowhere in sight. Wasn't this pillar an extremely fearsome existence?

"Well, I haven't thought that the 7-star spirit awakener examination would be so difficult. However, I don't believe that I won't be able to light it up with my strength!" Seeing that even a torch of flame was sufficient to light up the entire world, Zhang Xuan began feeling a little competitive.

As one who cultivated the Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art, if he couldn't clear the examination, wouldn't he be letting down the Library of Heaven's Path in his mind?

"Continue!"

Driving his soul energy swiftly, Zhang Xuan tapped on the area before him and produced several more sparks of light. However, the consecutive enchantments had expended quite a bit of his strength, causing his face to pale from weakness.

Even though his soul was much stronger than an average person, there was still a limit to how much he could bear. If he were to overexert himself, it could potentially create grievous damage to his soul.

Hu hu hu!

Fusing all of the sparks together, it didn't take long for the torch of flames to turn into a bonfire. The area shrouded by light expanded amidst the world of darkness, but there was still no sign of reaching the ends.

Until the world was fully lit up, the enchantment couldn't be considered a success.

"Forget it, I'll go all out!" Gritting his teeth tightly, Zhang Xuan continued the process frenziedly.

After fusing thirty-two sparks together, the bonfire finally turned into something that was reminiscent of a blazing sea of flames or a searing sun, illuminating the surroundings.

Hong long long!

The space trembled, and finally, Zhang Xuan was finally able to see the ends of the space.

To his astonishment, the consciousness of the artifact actually extended for several kilometers! It was no wonder why it was so difficult to enchant a spirit into it.

Having finally succeeded, Zhang Xuan felt a feeling of weakness consuming his body. At the same time, he couldn't help but feel deeply intrigued.

Having cultivated the Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art, his comprehension of spirit enchantment had reached 7-star pinnacle, and his skills could possibly be on par with even 8-star primary spirit awakeners. He was certain that Vice Guild Leader Xu and the others weren't able to match up to him in terms of efficiency in enchanting.

Considering how he had nearly tired himself to death before clearing the examination... did they really clear the same examination as well?

Wasn't it a little too hard for a 7-star spirit awakener?

...

In a vast room in the Spirit Awakener Guild, three ladies were seated together. They were the most three most influential figures in the guild, Vice Guild Leader Xu, Vice Guild Leader Chen, and Guild Leader Ruan.

"Xu Ying, what happened? You should know that the Twin Bandits of the Northern Meadows aren't opponents whom we can afford to provoke. The Flitting Earth Bandit Dao Kou might not be much, but the Sky Bearing Bandit Cang Xu is not an enemy we can defeat! If they were to come after us, we will have to owe the Master Teacher Pavilion yet another favor..." Guild Leader Ruan said with a frown.

Dao Kou had come to have his disciple's soul enchanted so as to push for a breakthrough to Primordial Spirit realm, only to end up being pummeled unconscious instead... It was after hearing that news that Guild Leader Ruan hurriedly called for an urgent meeting with the two vice guild leaders.

If the Twin Bandits of the Northern Meadows were reasonable individuals, they wouldn't have been so fearful of them either. There were none in Qingyuan City who were unaware of their callousness and lawlessness. If they were to attempt to get back at them for this matter, given the limited strength the Spirit Awakener Guild wielded, they might find themselves in a helpless position.

By then, they would have no choice but to turn to the Master Teacher Pavilion for help.

"It's actually like this..." Vice Guild Leader Xu swiftly went through the matter concerning Zhang Xuan.

"You are saying that... the fellow could very well be a combat master?" Guild Leader Ruan contemplated for a moment before nodding in agreement. "It would be best if that's the case. No matter how arrogant the Twin Bandits are, they wouldn't dare to challenge the Combat Master Hall!"

Putting aside that the Combat Master Hall was considered as a subsidiary of the Master teacher Pavilion, just the sheer amount of experts they had in their midst was sufficient to deter any occupation from offending them.

"If the Sky Bearing Bandit Cang Xu were to come and attempt to get even with us, you must have sure to push all the blame to that fellow. Don't bring unnecessary trouble into our Spirit Awakener Guild. We are only a supporting occupation, we don't have the strength to get involved in such conflicts." Guild Leader Ruan instructed.

As spirit awakeners devoted their efforts to cultivating their soul so as to further their spirit enchantment abilities, they tend to be relatively weaker as compared to their counterparts of other occupations. As a result, they had no choice but to avoid conflicts as far as they could.

To be honest, if not for the order established by the Master Teacher Pavilion, there would probably have been many who would attempt to kidnap spirit awakeners for the valuable ability they possessed. They wouldn't have been able to run such a lucrative business without any fear.

It was precisely for this reason that Spirit Awakener Guilds would only be established in places where the Master Teacher Pavilion held dominant power. They would avoid anywhere aside from those places so as to avoid unneeded trouble.

"Alright." Understanding the position they were in, Vice Guild Leader Xu nodded in agreement. Suddenly, a thought came to her mind, and she asked, "Right, the young man hasn't left yet. He said that he wishes to learn the art of spirit enchantment, and he's currently reading in the library."

"He's reading in the library? A man wants to learn spirit enchantment?" Guild Leader Ruan frowned.

It was not that Guild Leader Ruan was looking down on men, but spirit enchantment required very precise control which ladies were more apt at. As a result, there were very few men within the Spirit Awakener Guild.

"I've already dispatched my student to check on him to see if he's really studying. I think my student should be returning anytime now..." Vice Guild Leader Xu shared the same views as Guild Leader Ruan. She didn't think that it was likely that Zhang Xuan would successfully become a spirit awakener either. Six hours had passed, and the other party should have already noticed it was futile and gave up by now. Yet, he was still within the library. Thus, she couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive.

Jiya!

Right after speaking those words, a young lady suddenly barged into the room.

It was Vice Guild Leader Xu's student, a 6-star spirit awakener.

"How is it? Is that lad really studying?" Seeing that her student had returned, Vice Guild Leader Xu asked with a smile.

"Reporting to Guild Leader Ruan, teacher, and Vice Guild Leader Chen, not only has he been studying within this period of time... he has even taken the spirit awakener examination as well..." the young lady recalled what she had just seen, and a look of disbelief surfaced on her face.

"He has taken the spirit awakener examination?" VIce Guild Leader Xu frowned. "It doesn't seem like he knows much about the occupation the previous time I saw him... In just six hours after he started studying, he's already attempted the 4-star spirit awakener examination?"

In her previous encounter with Zhang Xuan, she could tell that the latter knew next to nothing about spirit awakeners. Yet, in such a state, he still dared to take the spirit awakener examination? You must be joking!

"He... Not only did he take the examination, he even succeeded in bringing the puppet that stands by the corner to life! The puppet is currently running around chaotically, and our sisters are trying our best to suppress it at the moment..." the young lady quickly replied.

"The puppet is running around chaotically? That can't be!"

This time, it was Guild Leader Ruan's turn to be perplexed. She turned to the young lady and asked, "One just has to successfully enchant two hands and one head of the puppet in order to clear the examination, so even if he were to successfully enchant the puppet, limited by its other body parts, it still shouldn't be able to move... How could it possibly be running around chaotically?"

"He... He enchanted all four heads and eight arms of the puppet, bringing its entire spirit to life!" With quivering lips, the young lady also looked as if she could hardly believe what she had just said either.

"He managed to bring its entire spirit to life?" Shocked by what they had just heard, the three of them stood up simultaneously.

Due to the limitations of the human soul, it was a nigh impossible feat to enchant a spirit which was capable of moving four heads simultaneously... Putting everything aside, even 7-star spirit awakeners like them couldn't dream of pulling something of that sort off. Yet, a fellow who knew nothing at all a moment ago managed to accomplish it just by reading a few hours of books?

"Just to confirm, you are saying that he managed to fully awaken the 4-star puppet?" Vice Guild Leader Xu asked anxiously.

If that was truly the case, the young man might very well be an extraordinarily talented spirit awakener!

"He didn't just awaken the 4-star puppet... the 5-star and 6-star puppets, he has awakened those too! Currently, he is on the fourth floor of the library, seated before a pillar at the corner of the wall. I'm not too sure what he's doing at the moment either..." the young lady said.

"You are saying that he managed to awaken the 5-star and 6-star puppet too?"

The bodies of the three of them jolted from shock.

A short moment later, Guild Leader Ruan frowned, "The 7-star puppet is spoiled, and as there hasn't been anyone qualified to take the 7-star spirit awakener examination in recent years, we haven't had it fixed yet. That pillar there should be the main pillar supporting our entire guild building. However, it isn't an artifact, so it shouldn't be possible to enchant a spirit into it. So, what could he be attempting to do..."

Boom!

Before Guild Leader Ruan could finish her words, the entire guild suddenly shook intensely.

Following which, an elder rushed into the room with a ghastly pale face.

"Bad news, guild leader! Our guild... has come to life!"

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Chapter 1100: I Really Want To Keep a Low Profile!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Our guild has come to life?" Guild Leader Ruan was taken aback.

The other two vice guild leaders were also perplexed as to what they were hearing.

"Yes! For some reason, our guild building suddenly stood up from the ground and ran away!" the elder cried anxiously.

Huala!

Before the elder could finish her words, the ground suddenly shook once more. Shortly after, outside the window, the top of the guild building, which bore some resemblance to the neck of a crane, suddenly leaned downward. The two windows at the very top seemed to serve as its eyes, as it assessed its surroundings curiously.

The many floors of the tower seemed to have become its body, and they shook non-stop, seemingly readying itself to take a step forward.

"This... the entire guild building has been enchanted with a spirit?" Guild Leader Ruan gulped down a mouthful of saliva and nearly cried.

Despite the unique design of their guild building, it was just an ordinary building and not an artifact. Given so, there should have been no way to enchant a spirit int it... How in the world did the fellow manage to accomplish it?

This was truly bad. Now that their guild building had a spirit, it seemed like it was about to run away at any moment...

If it were to really run away, how was she going to face the preceding guild leaders of the Spirit Awakener Guild...

"I heard that an elder of our guild has spent more than a hundred years to single handedly forge the support structure of our guild building. According to the rumors, it's said that the support structure has reached the level of a Spirit-tier artifact. Could it be that... he has succeeded in enchanting the support system?" At this moment, Vice Guild Leader Chen suddenly recalled something and asked.

The unique architecture of the Spirit Awakener Guild was in truth the effort of a single elder many years ago. It was said that she had forged the supporting structure using the same methods which one would use to craft weapons in order to grant it the enhanced durability and resilience it required... Perhaps that was the real reason why the enchantment succeeded.

But...

Considering the sheer size of the supporting structure, just how huge of a spirit would one have to enchant into it in order to bring it to life?

"Regardless of how he did it, we have to stop him. Otherwise, where will we go if the guild building were to escape?" Guild Leader Ruan said anxiously.

This wasn't the time for them to be thinking how it was done—their guild building was already on the verge of escaping! Putting aside that they would lose their place of dwelling, more importantly, the Spirit Awakener Guild would becoming a laughingstock for the entire city once that were to happen!

Thus, the trio rushed out of the room and headed towards the library. Before they could arrive at their destination, they suddenly saw a young man walking over with a confused look on his face. The young man also caught sight of them, and he immediately walked up to them.

"Vice Guild Leader Xu, what is going on? Why is your guild building moving about?" Zhang Xuan asked in bewilderment.

The Spirit Awakener Guild sure was eccentric. He was still sitting in the library when the entire guild suddenly rose from the ground, seemingly ready to run off... Where did their civility go?

If such a huge building were to run through the crowded streets of Qingyuan City, many would be injured!

Besides, even if no one was harmed, it would bound to cause great damage throughout the city pavement and the nearby buildings as well.

"You still dare to speak about it..." Hearing Zhang Xuan's words, the trio nearly spurted blood.

Do you really have no idea what you have just done?

You were the one who enchanted it, so how can you shamelessly shirk responsibility now that it's on the verge of running away...

Also... what's that expression of yours?

"Did you enchant a black pillar earlier?" Suppressing her urge to blow up, Vice Guild Leader Xu asked with forced composure.

"I did." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Barely after he succeeded in enchanting the black pillar, the entire building suddenly began moving. Thus, he could only rush out before examining what he had enchanted and whether he had truly succeeded or not.

"Regarding that... the black pillar is the supporting structure of the guild building. Thus, when you enchanted it, the entire guild came to life..." Vice Guild Leader Xu explained through gritted teeth.

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

He was still wondering why the Spirit Awakener Guild was so inconsiderate as to make its building move around in the middle of the city... But it seemed like he was actually the true culprit...

While others were enchanting weapons and souls, he actually enchanted an entire guild...

"Since you were the one who enchanted it, the guild building should be filled with gratitude towards you. I beg of you, get it to stop. If it were to get away, it would surely surely cause a huge commotion... Our Spirit Awakener Guild would be in deep trouble then..." Seeing that Zhang Xuan had finally understood what was going on, Guild Leader Ruan urged.

"Alright..." Not expecting that he would unintentionally land others into trouble just by taking the 7-star spirit awakener examination, Zhang Xuan's face reddened in embarrassment. He quickly followed the trio out of the guild building.

Flying in the air, he looked at the massive building before him.

The building was extremely tall, almost reaching a hundred meters high. Its slender neck was swinging wildly in the air, reminiscent of a crane.

By this moment, everyone within the Spirit Awakener Guild had already evacuated from the building, and they were staring at that 'living' behemoth before them with flabbergasted looks.

"This... How do I get it to stop?" Seeing how the massive figure was preparing to sprint away as fast as it could, Zhang Xuan's mouth twitched. He quickly turned to Vice Guild Leader Xu and asked.

"I don't know either. You can try asking it, it should listen to you..." Guild Leader Ruan replied.

"Listen to me?" Zhang Xuan turned his gaze back to the massive figure before him with a doubtful look. In that moment, the Spirit Awakener Guild seemed to have caught sight of him, and it excitedly cuddled up to him with its thick neck.

"..." Zhang Xuan was stunned.

It seemed like his plan to keeping a low profile had backfired.

Before such a huge crowd, a guild's base of operation was cuddling up to him, as if an obedient pet fawning on its master...

Honestly, all I wanted to do is to keep a low profile and not cause any trouble...

Dark lines streaked across Zhang Xuan's face. Helpless, he could only reach out to stroke the other party's neck and say, "Alright, you should stay here obediently. Try not to move around if there's no need to do so..."

Roar!

Hearing those words, the massive building swiftly stopped its movements and obediently planted itself back onto the ground.

"Alright, it's done..." Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. He quickly turned back to look at Guild Leader Ruan and the others, only to see them staring at him as if he was some kind of terrifying monster.

"Cough cough. This gongzi over here, please follow me back in. I'll pass your spirit awakener emblem to you. At the same time, our guild wish to discuss the matter of taming the guild building with you... As long as you can transfer the ownership of the guild building to us somehow, we are willing to reward you handsomely!" Seeing as more and more people were gathering in the area, Guild Leader Ruan knew that this wasn't the place to discuss matters, so she gestured Zhang Xuan back into the guild building.

No matter what, this building was the base of operation for their Spirit Awakener Guild. It was one thing while it was dead, but now that it had come to life, the least they could do was to claim ownership of their own building. Otherwise, if their building were to suddenly riot on them and escape, how embarrassing it would be for them?

"Alright." Zhang Xuan knew that he was at fault for this matter, and he also wasn't willing to continue serving as a public exhibit by remaining in the area. Thus, he followed the trio back into the guild building.

...

While Zhang Xuan was busy learning the art of spirit enchantment in the Spirit Awakener Guild, something was happening in the Combat Master Hall. A large group of combat masters had discussed together with one another to discuss how they should deal with the academy that they were going to hold an exchange with.

Xiao Qin was a Thousand Men Commander from the Martial Arts Division of the Combat Master Ten Divisions. Highly talented and driven, he was also known as his peers as Lunatic Xiao for his crazed passion for cultivation.

He had always regarded his identity as a combat master as his pride and honor. But recently, news regarding Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy kept echoing in his ears no matter where he went, and it had left him deeply displeased.

Just when did they, combat masters, had been lowered to the point where they had to conduct an exchange with an ordinary Master Teacher Academy?

The more he thought about it, the more furious he felt.

Unable to stand it any longer, he called his companion over and asked, "Is that Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy really as powerful as you all describe it out to be? No matter what, we, combat masters, are a gathering of top-notch geniuses chosen sieved out amongst the master teachers. Every single one of us wield strength that could easily rival those of higher cultivation realm than us. No matter how powerful their Xuanxuan Faction may be, it isn't possible for all of them to be on par with us. If that's truly the case, there would be no purpose in continuing the Combat Master Selection!"

"I share the same thoughts as well. But I believe you should have seen the reports sent back by Zhuo Qingfeng and the others too. I know Zhuo Qingfeng quite well, and he isn't one to spout nonsense on such matters!"

"I know that he won't spout nonsense, but I still find the matter hard to believe. Wait, those from the Xuanxuan Faction have just arrived in their accommodations, right? Why don't we take a look?"

"Now? Isn't the exchange three days later?"

"Yes, but it would be good for us to take a look in advance so as to gauge the strength of our opponents. This way, we will be able to dominate the exchange..."

"Sounds good. However, we must make sure that our hall master doesn't learn of this matter!"

"That's a given. Rest assured, we'll be heading there discreetly in plainclothes..."

...

All along, it had been their Combat Master Hall which had been conducting all kind of selection exercises to absorb the talents from the various organizations all over Qingyuan Empire. Yet, to think that a day would come where an ordinary Master Teacher Academy would knock on their door and have an exchange with them. In truth, Xiao Qin wasn't the only one who felt insulted by this matter. There were plenty of combat masters who felt that the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy was beneath them as well.

Thus, when the other combat masters learned of Xiao Qin's plan, they also wanted to tag along so as to see whether the rumors they had heard were exaggerations.

"Alright, let's go!"

Switching to their leisure clothes, the crowd began making their way over to the manor where the crowd from the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy were currently residing in.

Not too long later, they encountered another group of plainclothes combat master.

"Combat Master Sun... You are all intending to cause those of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy some trouble as well?" Xiao Qin was slightly startled by the sudden appearance of the other group.

"Cause them some trouble? Of course not! We are just going there to see whether they are qualified to cross blows with us..." Combat Master Sun replied with a smile.

Seeing that their goals aligned with one another, the two groups decided to converge and proceed forward together. But after turning at a bend in the street, they met some familiar faces again.

"Combat Master Tan, you all..."

"Ah... We were just planning to pay our friends from the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy a visit so as to see if the accommodation is to their liking..."

...

The manor wasn't too far away from the Combat Master Hall, but in the ten minutes journey, Xiao Qin met with eight waves of combat masters. All in all, there were at least several hundred of them.

"It seems like there are many who share the same thoughts as us!" Seeing how so many combat masters shared the same view as him, Xiao Qin nodded in satisfaction.

While the exchange was indeed set at three days from now, there was no particular rule stopping them from dropping by and greeting their guests!

"Guys, the other party will surely figure out that we are from the Combat Master Hall if we were to drop by just like that. How about we do this instead? For the time being, the rest of you will wait at the teahouse outside while I head over to try out their skills. Once I'm done, I'll come back to report to you all..."

As they were about to reach the manor, Xiao Qin called for the entire party to stop before saying.

It was fine for them to interact with those of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, but if so many combat masters were to drop by at once, they could be cast under the suspicion of being hostile to their guests.

"Alright, we will wait here for you then. Return quickly, don't keep us waiting for too long..."

Xiao Qin's suggestion sounded reasonable to the party, so it didn't take long before he was able to receive the approval of the majority.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Xiao Qin made his way over to the manor.

The manor was one of the properties of the Combat Master Hall, so Xiao Qin was able to maneuver his way through it easily. Before long, he saw a group of Hongyuan students cultivating in a vast courtyard.

"This friend over here, may I know who you are looking for? Perhaps I might be of some help to you." Before Xiao Qin could get far, a smiling young man suddenly walked up to him and asked.

"I am Xiao Qin. I wish to meet the leader of your Xuanxuan Faction." Xiao Qing clasped his fist and responded.

"I am Jun Ruohuan, and I can be considered as one of the leaders in the Xuanxuan Faction. May I know how may I help you?" Ruohuan gongzi asked.

"I heard that the students of the Xuanxuan Faction possesses exceptional fighting prowess, so I couldn't resist coming over to try out your skills..." Xiao Qin replied.

"I see. That won't be a problem, I can have it arranged for you." Hearing that the other party wanted to try out their skills, Ruohuan gongzi could already roughly fathom a guess what was going on.

Thus, he beckoned with his hand and 'huala!', several thousand people appeared around them.

"Here you go. They are all members of our Xuanxuan Faction. So, what kind of duel are you interested in? Feel free to state any request you have..."

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Chapter 1101: Is Your Xuanxuan Faction Still Recruiting? (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Xiao Qin's lips twitched.

This sudden encirclement... Was he going to have to challenge a group single-handedly, and was the group going to 'single-handedly' challenge him?

Individually, they were all weaker than him, but the overwhelming fighting will that was reflected in his eyes left him feeling as if he was a prey standing amidst a group of predators... Didn't they come from a weaker vassal state of Qingyuan Empire? Weren't they exhausted from their long journey?

Not only was there not the slightest hint of exhaustion from them, their eyes were even gleaming in excitement. It was almost as if they were waiting for him.

"I am at Saint 1-dan pinnacle. Is there any one of you who is at the same cultivation realm as me?" Xiao Qin asked.

Since he was going to test the strength of the Xuanxuan Faction, it would only be a fair assessment if he were to face someone who was of the same cultivation realm as him. Otherwise, facing a weaker opponent, even if he were to suppress his cultivation, he would still be able to easily subdue his opponent with his superior battle experience and eye of discernment. That would be no different from bullying his opponent.

And of course, if he were to play it fair, hopefully, the other party would be too embarrassed order a lynching on him too...

"Saint 1-dan?" Ruohuan gongzi frowned.

Their Xuanxuan Faction mostly consisted of freshmen, and it had only been several months since the start of the school term. Despite the incredible speed of their cultivation, their strongest member was still only at Perfect Harmonization realm. Thus, to find a member who had reached Saint realm was... Hmmm? It seemed like they did have a Saint 1-dan pinnacle member amongst them after all!

"Invite Senior Qiqi over!" Ruohuan gongzi turned around and issued an instruction to a nearby member.

The member swiftly sprinted away, and not too long later, Luo Qiqi appeared in the courtyard.

So far, other than the monstrous Zhang Xuan, this young lady was the strongest member of their faction.

"My apologies, but it seems like Senior Qiqi is the only one who has achieved a cultivation of Saint 1-dan pinnacle in our Xuanxuan Faction. Why don't you... have a duel with her then?" Ruohuan gongzi said a little awkwardly.

Luo Qiqi was an individual who had received the individual guidance directly from Principal Zhang, so her cultivation and eye of discernment were far beyond the other members. It did seem like they were bullying the other party by having him face her.

"You want me to fight against a woman?" Xiao Qin frowned.

He was an unparalleled genius of the Combat Master Hall. Be it in terms of zhenqi, physical resilience, reaction speed, and the such, he was far superior to his other peers. To randomly find a woman to face him... Weren't they looking down on him a little bit too much?

"What's wrong with facing a woman?" Luo Qiqi frowned in displeasure. Raising her hands, she beckoned, "Make your move!"

"Since that's the case, pardon me then!" Upon the other party's insistence, Xiao Qin sighed lightly and did a gentlemanly bow. After which, he drove his zhenqi throughout his body, and an aura overflowing with strength surged from his body.

Hu!

Xiao Qin took a step forward, and his figure abruptly disappeared.

As a Thousand Men Commander of the Martial Arts Division, he specialized specifically in martial arts. It was just a single step forward, but there were at least seven to eight transformations contained in it. In an instant, multiple identical figures all around him, making it impossible for one to determine which direction he was going to attack from.

Battle technique, Steps of Thousand Illusory Shadows!

Steps of Thousand Shadows was a battle technique which was created by a Primordial Spirit realm expert of the Combat Master Hall two thousand years ago. It could produce multiple illusory figures around one, making it impossible for one to determine one's location. This would, in turn, make the opponent vulnerable to one's attacks.

Even though his opponent was a woman, he still chose to go all out right from the start.

This was also one of the core teachings of the Combat Master Hall—Never underestimate any opponent that you are facing!

Huala!

As soon as the Steps of Thousand Illusory Shadows was executed, he raised his finger to serve as his sword and directed it against the opponent before him.

This was also a battle technique, known as the Rising Crouching Dragon. It was known for its swift and precise movements, reminiscent of a dragon swiftly subduing its prey, making it an extremely difficult move to guard against.

Even within the Combat Master Hall, there were hardly any peers who could equal him whenever he executed the two powerful battle techniques in unison.

"Not too bad!"

The young lady chuckled. Without resorting to any huge movements or battle techniques, she simply raised her hand and smacked downward.

It was a very simple palm strike!

Yet, for some reason, Xiao Qin felt as if his movement technique had been completely suppressed by the other party. It was sensation similar to being cornered by a predator; no matter where he attempted to do, there was no way he could avoid that palm strike.

"What is that move?"

Xiao Qin's eyes narrowed in shock, and cold sweat trickled down his back.

While the young lady's moves seemed simple enough, it was exquisitely executed in a manner which sealed all of the transformations 1 in his battle techniques. It seemed like no matter how he moved, there would only be a single conclusion—he would be sent flying by that palm strike!

"It seems like I can only clash with her forcefully..." As expected of a genius of the Combat Master Hall, Xiao Qin was able to derive the best solution to his current plight in an instant. Since he was unable to dodge the palm strike, he would only find himself defeated if he were to attempt all of his transformations desperately to escape. Thus, he gritted his teeth and raised his palm as well.

He might have lost in a battle of skill against the young lady, but he wouldn't necessarily lose in a battle of strength.

While his defense wasn't as formidable as that group of monsters from the Protector Division, his zhenqi and physical body resilience had still reached a fairly decent level. At the very least, he would be able to overpower most cultivators in a direct clash of power, let more a female cultivator who was unlikely to specialize in strength.

Hu!

Just as he was about to thrust his palm forward to meet the other party's, the young lady figure abruptly blurred before disappearing from his sight altogether.

"Shit..." Realizing that he had erred, cold sweat trickled down Xiao Qin's body.

He had thought that the other party had intended to clash directly with him, so he had gathered all of his strength into his palm strike. Yet... it was actually a feint!

"AHHHHH!!" With a furious battle cry, Xiao Qin swiftly withdrew his attack and backed away.

Considering how he had been using his full strength, it was impressive that he was able to pull back his palm strike and retreat so quickly. However, it was a pity that he was still a step too slow. A powerful might suddenly pressed down from behind him, and even before it struck, he could already feel his organs being torn apart by the incredible might.

"I won't be able to make it in time..." Knowing that by the time it was too late for him to turn around and meet the other party's attack, he quickly drove all of his zhenqi towards his back to ward off the force of the attack as much as he could.

At this point, he could only endure the strike and try to find a way to counterattack later on.

Gugu!

Anticipating a powerful strike landing on his back, he gritted his teeth and mentally resolved himself to withstand the strike. However, the powerful aura which had gathered behind him abruptly dissipated, and the pressure of the attack dissipated all of a sudden.

Bewildered, he anxiously turned around, only to see that the young lady had already retreated eight steps away. Standing calmly on the spot, as if not having moved at all, she calmly said, "You have lost."

Pu!

Right after those words were spoken, Xiao Qin's face suddenly turned ghastly pale, and a spurt of blood gushed from his mouth. It was only in this instant did he realize that he had been completely sapped of his strength, and even remaining on his feet had become an incredibly arduous task for him.

It didn't take him long for him to realize what was going on. Even though he had never directly clashed with the young lady throughout the fight, he had been forced to retract his zhenqi twice within a short duration of time, and the impact from doing so had caused immense damage to his body.

To be able to induce severe internal damage within him without even crossing blows... the young lady's comprehension of combat and battle techniques were truly fearsome!

At this point, Xiao Qin had no choice but to admit that he wasn't a match for the other party.

After recuperating for a moment, Xiao Qin stood up with a depressed look on his face and sighed deeply before conceding, "I have lost."

He had thought that the rumors concerning the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy were mostly exaggeration, but after facing the young lady, he realized that the notion he had couldn't be more wrong.

He couldn't even withstand the might of a random woman within the Xuanxuan Faction, so how incredible would their top-notch expert be?

"Actually, your zhenqi, physical body strength, agility, and reaction speed are all not bad. What that is truly limiting you is your battle techniques!" Seeing Xiao Qin's gloomy look, Luo Qiqi consoled.

"My battle techniques are limiting me?" Hearing those words, Xiao Qin's mouth twitched, suffering an even greater blow than before.

He was the greatest genius of the Combat Master Hall's Martial Arts division. Despite being only at Saint 1-dan, he had already grasped four Saint low-tier battle techniques!

It could be said that other than the Thousand Men Commanders whose cultivation were higher than him, there were no peers who possessed a deeper understanding of martial arts than him...

Despite such, the other party actually said that... his battle techniques were limiting him! This was a direct slap to his face!

"You don't believe me?" Luo Qiqi chuckled softly, not offended by Xiao Qin's response at all. "You can ask any student here and have them evaluate your performance in the fight earlier!"

"Evaluate? They will evaluate me?" Shaking his head, Xiao Qin looked at the several thousand students around him.

Most of them were at Perfect Harmonization realm, and there were some who were still only at Consonant Spirit realm. He wouldn't even spare an additional glance at such cultivators on the streets, and yet, to have them evaluate his performance...

Were they able to see through the essence of his moves?

Were they able to understand how profound his moves were?

Evaluate his performance?

What a joke!

"You seem to doubt my words. Do you feel that they are unable to see through the flaws in your battle technique due to their limited cultivation?" Luo Qiqi shook his head. "It's not that I want to traumatize you, but with your current comprehension of battle technique, even if you were to suppress your cultivation and fight with any one of them here, you won't survive past two blows!"

"Any one of them here?" Xiao Qin's complexion turned extremely awful. "I know that I have lost to you, but I have to ask you not to humiliate me like that!"

No matter what, he was still an expert of the Combat Master Hall. To claim that he would be unable to receive two blows from Perfect Harmonization realm cultivators... that was blatantly making a mockery out of him!

"Senior Luo Qiqi is right, your strength is indeed very lacking."

"Even if you were to lower your cultivation and fight with you, you still wouldn't be a match!"

"We aren't deceiving you. Your comprehension of battle techniques is truly appalling..."

Seeing the indignant look on Xiao Qin's face, the crowd began remarking.

They were looking forward to the arrival of an expert who would allow them to go all out, but who knew that he would turn out to be so weak in the end. Honestly speaking, they couldn't help but feel deeply disappointed.

Since the Combat Master Hall was going to challenge them, why didn't they send a couple of stronger combat masters?

Given how appalling that fellow's comprehension of battle techniques was, it was as good as sending them a sandbag to pummel!

Hai!

Everyone in the room couldn't help but sigh deeply in lamentation.

"You all... Very well! I was afraid that it would be too much if I were to suppress my cultivation and challenge the rest of you, but since that's what you all think, let's do it then!" Hearing the sighs and seeing the disappointed looks around him, Xiao Qin was on the verge of exploding. Unable to take it any longer, he consumed a recovery pill to heal from his injuries before suppressing his cultivation is a roar. In the blink of an eye, his cultivation had fallen to Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle.

"I have already suppressed my cultivation. Is there anyone who wishes to fight against me?" Xiao Qin scanned his surroundings and he declared coldly.

"Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle? Many of us are at that cultivation realm here, so feel free to pick..." Seeing that the other party was still intent on challenging them, Ruohuan gongzi shook his head and replied.

"Alright!" Seeing how the leader of the Xuanxuan Faction was fearlessly asking him to have his pick, Xiao Qin couldn't help but feel as if his face had been slapped once again. Gritting his teeth in anger, he scanned the surroundings and selected an ordinary-looking young man. That person seemed to be in his early twenties, and with fair complexion and a slender physique, he had an appearance reminiscent of a weak scholar.

"You want to fight with me?" The person who was specifically pointed out widened his eyes in shock, as if he had just won the lottery.

"That's right!" Xiao Qin flung his hands majestically.

"I can fight with you, but you are injured at the moment. I would be bullying you if I were to fight with you like that..." After hesitating for a moment, a hint of excitement flashed across the eyes of the young man as he spoke earnestly. "Why don't I tie both of my hands up then? I'll fight against you without my hands... It should be fairer this way!"

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Chapter 1102: Is Your Xuanxuan Faction Still Recruiting? (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Tie up both of your hands? Fairer?" Xiao Qin staggered, and he nearly fainted on the spot.

Are you suggesting that it would only be fair fight against me after you tie up both of your hands?

Aren't you underestimating me too much!

I, a powerful Saint 1-dan pinnacle expert, am challenging you to a fight, and yet, you think that I would only be a match for you with both of your hands tied?

A sharp pain assaulted Xiao Qin's chest, leaving him feeling as if he would spurt blood at any moment.

"If you think that you will be able to withstand my attacks, do whatever you please!" Xiao Qin clenched his jaws to tightly that his teeth was on the verge of chipping, but he also knew that there was no point getting angry.

Thus, he took a deep breath to calm his state of mind before rushing forward.

The woman earlier was a Saint 1-dan expert just like him, and she was incredibly talented as well, so it was one thing for him to lose to her. He didn't believe that he would lose to a random individual whom he had picked from a group of several thousand people as well.

Huala!

With his fingers hooked like claws, his hands darted forward with a sharp gust of wind.

Battle technique, Thunderbolt Heart Ripping Claws!

While this technique hadn't reached Saint low-tier yet, it was well-known for its astounding prowess amongst Spirit pinnacle battle techniques. Upon reaching Major Accomplishment for this technique, one would be capable of pulling off lightning-swift movements that could mess with the opponent's momentum, making it extremely difficult to deal with.

But of course, just the ability to mess with the opponent's momentum wouldn't justify the incredible infamy it had. What that truly instilled fear in the hearts of the cultivators was how callous the technique was.

Everything that the claw latched itself onto would be torn off at lightning speed. If a cultivator were to put his guard down for a moment while facing this technique, his heart could very well be ripped out in the next moment.

It was due to how vicious the technique was that most master teachers would steer clear of it. However, these were the exact techniques that combat masters required to overwhelm their opponents in battle. The more vicious a technique was, the more likely that it would be effective in subduing or even killing their opponent. As a result, Xiao Qin had already reached an incredible mastery in the technique,

Huala!

Just as the Thunderbolt Heart Ripping Claws was about to land on its target, the scholarly young man suddenly took a quick step and dodged to the side. It was an extremely puzzling sight. The scholarly young man's movements were visibly far slower than Xiao Qin's, but for some reason, the scholarly young man was able to easily dodge his assault easily, as if having predicted the trajectory of his attack. On top of that, while the scholarly young man made the evasive maneuver, he lifted his leg and kicked it forcefully towards Xiao Qin's lower body as well.

Facing the attack, Xiao Qin's eyes narrowed.

He thought that the young man whom he had chosen out would only be average at best, but the movements made by the other party made him realize that he was sorely mistaken. The other party was far more terrifying than he had expected.

The Thunderbolt Heart Ripping Claws was extremely powerful, but the enhanced speed came at the expense of stability in his lower body. On top of that, the other party's kick was accurately aimed at a location which he would definitely have to guard against but it was extremely awkward for him to do so.

"Thousand Leaf Threading Hands!" Knowing that he could be incapacitated if the kick were to land, Xiao Qin hurriedly opened up his claws and stroked the area in front of him gently.

It was a light movement reminiscent of a musician stroking its zither, but it was far more lethal than it looked.

The Thousand Leaf Treading Hands was a battle technique created by a demonic tunist. While its movements seemed completely harmless on the surface, in truth, every single finger harnessed a powerful surge of sword qi which could devastate any opponent easily.

The switch between the Thunderbolt Heart Ripping Claw to the Thousand Leaf Treading Hands was swiftly and seamless, devoid of the slightest lag in between, as if they were transformations of the same technique. This feat in itself showed that Xiao Qin's reputation as the genius of the Martial Arts Division wasn't just for show.

His mastery over his battle techniques had indeed reached an incredible level.

However, as incredible his movements were, he was still outdone by his opponent. Seemingly having anticipated Xiao Qin's movements, the scholarly young man leaped into the sky and accurately kicked his fingers with the tip of his feet.

Kacha! Kacha!

As the immense force gathered in the scholarly young man's feet collided with Xiao Qin's fingers, the crisp sound of bone shattering echoed resoundingly in the air. Before Xiao Qin could recover from this blow, a black shadow abruptly covered his view. A leg was headed straight for his face.

Peng!

Xiao Qin was sent crashed into the ground, and blood spurted uncontrollably from his move.

He struggled back to his feet with disbelief in his eyes.

He realized that from the start to the end, the scholarly young man really hadn't used his hands at all. Yet, the other party was still able to defeat him so easily!

While he did lose to the Saint 1-dan pinnacle woman earlier on, he could rationalize his defeat as the woman being the most talented genius in the Xuanxuan Faction. But the scholarly young man was someone whom he had chosen at random, a mere Cosmos Bridge realm cultivator... and yet, he didn't even survive two attacks from the other party!

Could it be that there was truly a mistake in the battle techniques that he cultivated?

"There's no need to get depressed." the scholarly young man consoled. "Your fighting prowess is not too bad, it's just a pity that you met me! But well... I guess you could also count it as a blessing in disguise too, because I am one of the weaker members of the Xuanxuan Faction.

"Your moves are swift and powerful, and your ability to transit between different techniques is impressive. Your grasp of timing over battle technique is rather commendable too. Despite so, the reason why you are unable to achieve victory is because you place too much trust in your battle techniques and overlooked yourself!"

"Place too much trust in my battle techniques?" Unsure of what the scholarly young man was driving at, Xiao Qin frowned in incomprehension.

"That's right. The aim of a battle technique is to effectively draw out the strength within a cultivator so as to overwhelm the opponent. However, it is important to note that it is a means to a battle, not an end to a battle! As powerful as a battle technique may be, it can only play an auxiliary role in battle." the scholarly young man explained with a smile.

"The battle techniques that you have utilized in your fight against Senior Qiqi and me are indeed powerful. If it had been any other cultivator, there would be no doubt that they would have fallen by now. However, in our eyes, your reliance on powerful battle techniques only became flaws for us to exploit.

"To give you an example, that claw art that you have used against me earlier boasted of incredible speed and astounding might. However, have you considered any countermeasure should your attacks fail to land on your opponent?"

At this point, the scholarly young man paused for a brief moment before continuing. "Even the strongest of battle techniques would be meaningless if you can't land it on your opponent! The reason why I chose to dodge your claw art at the very last moment is because I could tell that you would be wide open in that very instant. In that instant, all of your strength would be centered on your upper body, leaving your lower body wide open!

"Thus, I aimed my kick at your lower thigh. No matter how fast you are able to drive your zhenqi, it would have been difficult for you to channel your zhenqi from your hands to your legs at a moment's notice. You probably thought that this was a negligible flaw due to the incredible speed of your claw art, but under the careful manipulation of an expert, even the smallest of flaws could be exacerbated many times over. That being said, your response is truly commendable. Realizing that you would not be able to reinforce your defenses in time, you decisively chose to switch your method of offense.

"Your new offense consisted of a light stroking motion. Under its gentle exterior, I could sense sword qi gathering on your fingertips. If I'm not mistaken, it should be a type of battle technique as well. I have to admit that it's quite a powerful move, but its attacks are very straightforward too. A sword might be sharp, but that's only when you are standing before its blade. Just by leaping into the air, I was able to avoid your attack easily. Then, with a simple kick on your fingers, I was able to overcome your battle technique very easily and even inflict considerable damage." the scholarly young man shook his head in pity.

As a whole, the strength of the fellow before him was still decent, but it was a pity that his movements were too rigid.

"Y-you..." Xiao Qin's body trembled in shock, as if a streak of lightning had struck his body.

The other party's analysis was spot-on. Those were indeed the flaws of his battle techniques... It was no wonder why he lost so tragically!

"All of you... were able to see through my flaws as well?" Xiao Qin turned to the crowd around him and asked hoarsely.

"Considering how weak you are, it would have been difficult not to see through your flaws!"

"Your attacks are too straightforward, being able to see through the flaws in it is truly nothing much..."

"To tell you the truth, Hu Chun has only listed a small portion of the flaws in your battle techniques. It goes without saying that the more powerful a battle technique is, the greater damage it could deal, but... if one is unable to land his blows, what would be the use even if one were to wield the most powerful battle technique in the world?"

...

Hearing Xiao Qin's question, a huge commotion broke out amidst the crowd.

"Unable to land his blows..." Xiao Qin muttered in a daze as he heard the comments around him.

Indeed.

Battle techniques were designed to allow a cultivator to amplify his strength so as to deal greater harm to his opponent. However, if one's battle techniques couldn't connect with one's opponent... what would be the use?

No matter how many battle techniques one were to learn, it would only be for show!

"I have benefitted from your guidance..."

The realization of this fact came as an epiphany to Xiao Qin. He had a feeling as if the clouds that had been covering his eyes all along had finally been parted, revealing an entirely new world to him. Thankful, he bowed deeply to the crowd before him.

For many years, he had been aiming to cultivate as many powerful battle techniques as he could, and he took pride in that as well. He mistakenly assumed that powerful battle techniques equalled to greater fighting prowess.

Such a logic may hold true against ordinary cultivators, but when faced with a true expert, his overreliance on battle techniques would have been a fatal flaw!

As the saying goes, 'the greater the breadth, the lower the depth'!

No matter how smooth his transitions between battle techniques were, if he couldn't

"There's no need to stand on ceremony. Actually, we also learned all of these from our principal as well. It's only due to his guidance that we were able to attain the current eye of discernment and astute combat sense that we possess. Otherwise, as ordinary master teachers, there's no way we could have been a match for you!" the scholarly young man replied.

"Your principal?"

"That's right. Our principal is an incredible genius. Despite being younger than us, his understanding of combat far surpasses our understanding. He is the one who taught us that the precision of an attack is far more important than the strength harnessed in it. For example, in the fight earlier, if you had shifted your first attack to the left by three centimeters and taken an additional step forward, I would have been unable to counterattack at all." the scholarly young man said.

"This..." Frowning, Xiao Qin simulated the scene in his mind, and his eyebrows suddenly shot up in astonishment.

He was right!

If he had done so, the scholarly young man wouldn't have any time to dodge his claws, let more launch an counterattack at his lower body!

"And for the second move, the concept of wielding sword qi on your hands with a gentle stroking motion is a good idea, but your movements are simply too rigid. If you were to complement it with the motions of Gentle Palm as well, you would have been able to cover your sides as well. Even if I had leaped into the sky and dodged your first attack, I would still have been in your attack range, thus forcing the match into a direct collision. If so, it would have been hard to tell whether who would emerge victorious..." the scholarly young man continued analyzing.

Xiao Qin's body stiffened once more.

The main reason why his fingers were kicked so easily earlier was due to the sword qi on his fingers being unable to reach his opponent, thus leaving him wide open.

If he were to complement his stroking motion with the underlying concept of the Gentle Palm, the enhanced flexibility in his hand movements would have allowed him to cover a greater arc of attack before him. If so, he would have been able to fend against his opponent's kick as well...

"Our principal has once told us that if it would be better to cast away all techniques if all one did was to rely on them blindly. It's only due to your overreliance on battle techniques that resulted in your lack of flexibility in battle, thus placing you in a disadvantage against other cultivators..." the scholarly young man sighed.

With his fists tightly clenched, Xiao Qin finally absorbed everything that he had heard, and he exhaled a mouthful of turbid gas. With admiration in his eyes, he commended, "To be able to have such insights, your principal is truly an incredible genius..."

These combat insights were far more profound than those in the Combat Master Hall. Just by these in itself, it was apparent that the principal that they were speaking about was a terrifying genius.

"Of course, our principal is a genius like no other in the world! Not only so, he also has a magnanimous heart that is boundless like the ocean. As long as one is willing to learn from him, he would impart what he knows without any hesitation." the scholarly young man smiled.

"He would impart what he knows without any hesitation to anyone who is willing to learn?"

"Indeed. But due to his limited time, he has no choice but to limit his efforts on the members of the Xuanxuan Faction for the time being. It is also for this reason that countless cultivators dream of joining our Xuanxuan Faction!" Ruohuan gongzi interjected at this point.

"T-this..."

With his fists tightly clenched, many emotions flashed across Xiao Qin's face. A moment later, he spoke up meekly, "May I ask if... your Xuanxuan Faction is still recruiting?"

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Chapter 1103: The Xuanxuan Faction Has Taken Our Men In!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"You are asking if we are still recruiting?"

Looks of bewilderment filled the faces in the area.

"That's right!" Xiao Qin gritted his teeth in determination. "I wish to join the Xuanxuan Faction!"

"This..." Upon hearing those words, everyone's eyes lit up. Ruohuan gongzi burst into laughter before replying, "That's not a problem at all! If our principal were to learn than an outstanding expert like you wishes to join our ranks, he would definitely be delighted as well!"

"So... you are agreeing to it?" Xiao Qin asked nervously.

If there were only one or two strong individuals amongst them, he could still attribute it to their outstanding talent. However, all several thousand members were that powerful, it could only mean that they had an outstanding teacher.

The primary goal of a combat master was to advance their fighting prowess. Only with greater strength would they be able to protect mankind from the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and other threats.

Considering that the Xuanxuan Faction was willing to impart its knowledge to anyone who was willing to learn, allowing him to attain power swiftly, why should he hesitate in joining its ranks?

"Of course, our Xuanxuan Faction welcomes all kinds of talent!" Ruohuan gongzi chuckled as he flicked his wrist and took out a book. "Here is a manual which contains the compilation of our understanding of the knowledge that our principal has imparted to us thus far. It isn't wholesome, but it does cover many aspects of battle. You can take a look first, it might just prove to be of help to you in furthering your strength!"

"This..." Xiao Qin took the book, and upon taking a brief glance at it, his heart suddenly jolted in astonishment.

Even just by looking at the first page, he could tell by his eye of discernment and keen instinct for battle techniques that the content compiled within the book was an unparalleled manual of combat insights.

As long as he were to study it diligently, he would definitely be able to bring his strength up another level.

While he was shocked by the content of the manual, he also couldn't help but feel a little moved.

It was just a moment ago that he requested to join the Xuanxuan Faction, but the other party still chose to hand him such a valuable book to him without the slightest bit of hesitation.

The deep trust that they showed in him left him with an indescribable feeling of warmth within.

"There is only one rule to our Xuanxuan Faction, and that is to obey Principal Zhang Xuan's commands and strive to assist him wherever possible. Other than that, there are no particular boundaries for our Xuanxuan Faction. We promote the sharing of knowledge amongst members without any concealment so that we could grow together as an entire whole." Seeing through Xiao Qin's thoughts, Ruohuan gongzi explained.

From the very start, the Xuanxuan Faction was only a student faction, not an official organization. Furthermore, the primary aim why the organization was founded was to band the freshmen together so that they would be able to protect themselves from the tyranny of the seniors, so the management wasn't particularly strict.

Even though Zhang Xuan had become the principal and their primary aim had already ceased the exist, the culture of free communication of knowledge and resources had still been preserved.

The more capable members would help to explain difficult concepts to weaker members, and those who were equal in strength would learn from one another and improve together... It was also under such a culture that even the average members of the Xuanxuan Faction were able to advance their cultivation by so much within a short span of several months, such that even a Thousand Men Commander of the Combat Master Hall would be no match for them.

On the other hand, seeing that the Xuanxuan Faction had its ideology based upon the true essence of 'teacherhood', creating a culture of transparency of knowledge regardless of background, Xiao Qin couldn't help but feel deeply impressed.

"I am Xiao Qin, a Thousand Men Commander of the Combat Master Hall. To tell you the truth, I have come here with the intention to assess whether the Xuanxuan Faction is qualified to have an exchange with the Combat Master Hall. However, after taking a look, the Xuanxuan Faction is indeed as amazing as the rumors put it out to be. And its leader, Principal Zhang Xuan, is truly the role model of all master teachers!"

At this point, Xiao Qin's eyes lit up as he continued, "To be honest with you, there are still several hundred combat masters out there waiting for my news. If it's not too much, I hope to bring them into the Xuanxuan Faction as well!"

He was rather familiar with most of the combat masters who had come to the manor today, and most of them were deeply interested in advancing their fighting prowess. Without a doubt, the Xuanxuan Faction was an ideal platform for them to achieve their goals. If they were to learn of this, they would surely join the Xuanxuan Faction without any hesitation.

"Several hundred combat masters will be joining the Xuanxuan Faction?"

The crowd couldn't help but be stunned by the news.

"Does the Combat Master Hall permit you to join other organizations?" Ruohuan gongzi couldn't help but ask.

No matter what, the Combat Master Hall could be considered as a military branch of the Master Teacher Pavilion. It didn't seem likely for it to allow its members to join other organizations easily.

"The Combat Master Hall has no particular rules regarding that aspect. Furthermore, considering that the Xuanxuan Faction is a student faction of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, it can be considered as an organization of the Master Teacher Pavilion as well. Thus, there should no problem in us joining the Xuanxuan Faction!" Xiao Qin replied with a smile.

The rules of the Combat Master Hall were mainly directed towards preventing combat masters from betraying mankind, but considering that the Xuanxuan Faction was an organization of master teachers, it was unlikely that it would cross the bottom line of the Combat Master Hall.

Besides, the Xuanxuan Faction was also a lax organization with few commitments. Even if the hall master were to learn of this matter, it was unlikely that he would say much about it, either.

"Since that's the case, feel free to invite your friends over then... This would also be a good opportunity for our members to learn from you all as well!" Seeing that it wasn't a problem, Ruohuan gongzi nodded.

"Alright!" Xiao Qin quickly left the manor, and not too long later, he returned with two hundred men behind him.

Naturally, it was inevitable that there would be some battles in their first encounter with one another, but considering how even Xiao Qin wasn't a match for the members of the Xuanxuan Faction, less had to be said about the other combat masters.

In less than two hours, the two hundred combat masters had nothing but admiration left for the members of the Xuanxuan Faction. They fought with one another for the opportunity to interact with the members of the Xuanxuan Faction at a deeper level.

The more that they crossed blows and traded insights with the members of the Xuanxuan Faction, the more astounded they were by the level of comprehension that their principal had regarding combat. At the same time, the admiration they felt towards their principal also inevitably deepened as well.

To impart such profound combat insights to the public without any reservations was almost unthinkable! Just what exactly what kind of person was their principal?

The combat masters who had just joined the Xuanxuan Faction couldn't help but be filled with curiosity towards him.

...

The Elder Conference Hall of the Combat Master Hall.

"I have taken a look at the report sent in by Zhuo Qingfeng and Feng Xun, and the fact that Principal Zhang Xuan was able to raise the fighting prowess of ordinary members to match combat masters shows that he's an extraordinary figure. We should pay close note to the students during the exchange, and if there are talented individuals amongst them, try to recruit them into our ranks so as to bolster the forces of our Qingyuan Empire Combat Master Hall!" an elder seated on the main seat of the conference table stroked his beard and said.

The head of the Qingyuan Empire Combat Master Hall, as well as Half-Leaving Aperture realm expert, Xing Zhuoyuan.

While the notion of an exchange with the Master Teacher Academy of a vassal nation sounded ridiculous, it was a motion endorsed by a few Thousand Men Commanders of their Combat Master Hall. As such, Xing Zhuoyuan was also interested to see whether the little Master Teacher Academy was truly as powerful as everyone put it out to be.

If that was truly the case, he could try to bring in some of their talents into their branch so as to further strengthen themselves.

"Hall Master Xing is indeed wise, our thoughts have been too narrow!"

"With Hall Master Xing's sharp insight, our Qingyuan Empire Combat Master Hall would surely rise to greater heights!"

Upon hearing Xing Zhuoyuan's explanation, the various division heads and elders couldn't help but nod in commendation.

When they first heard that Xing Zhuoyuan had approved to the exchange, they were astounded.

The Combat Master Hall had always been a symbol of strength for the master teachers, an unreachable target for them. Considering how the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy was just a cradle for master teachers in a vassal nation of Qingyuan Empire, it was beneath their Combat Master Hall to hold an exchange with them.

It was only at this moment did they finally comprehend the thoughts which Xing Zhuoyuan had put into this matter.

If one were to describe master teachers as the geniuses amongst the populace, the combat masters would be the geniuses amongst the geniuses. Even within a group of several thousand master teachers, there might not even be a single individual who would be qualified as a combat master.

It was due to the high standards of the Combat Master Hall that there were very few combat masters around. If what Zhuo Qingfeng and the others said were true, and the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy was truly filled with powerful individuals who could subdue cultivators beyond their current cultivation realm, it would indeed be a good opportunity for them to pull in some fresh blood.

"Right, Hall Master Xing. Even though the exchange is set on three days from now, there are many combat masters who feel indignant at the notion of having to face the students of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy as equals, so they have secretly sneaked off to the accommodations of our guests intending to try out their skills..." At this moment, an elder suddenly recalled a certain matter and reported.

The head of the Martial Arts Division, Division Head Zhen Ying!

Just like the school system of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, the Combat Master Hall was also divided into multiple divisions. All in all, there were a total of ten divisions, namely the Weapon Division, Fist Division, Palm Division, Footwork Division, Martial Arts Division, Internal Breath Division, Guardian Division, Soul Division, as well as the most secretive Heart Division!

Each of these divisions represented a complete heritage, and it served to draw out the full potential of a combat master in a certain aspect.

For example, the Weapon Division could be divided into saber, sword, spear, and the various weapons. Those who were able to join its ranked were mostly combat masters who had grasped Weapon Intent.

On the other hand, the combat masters of the Palm Division specialized in palm arts and wielded incredible strength, and the combat masters of the Footwork Division specialized in movement techniques and possessed outstanding agility.

As for the Soul Division, combat masters would cultivate their souls and learn battle techniques effective against bringing down souls there.

As there was a limit to what an individual could learn, it was impossible for one to be capable in every single field. As such, the Combat Master hall divided the combat masters into the various divisions based on their proficiency. Through specialization, not only would they be stronger individually, they would also be able to better complement one another in group battles against the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

"I have heard of that matter too. Don't worry, just let them be. This will also be a good opportunity to see if the Xuanxuan Faction of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy is truly as capable as Zhuo Qingfeng and the others put them out to be!" Hall Master Xing replied with a chuckle.

Xiao Qin and the others had thought that they had managed to slip out without catching anyone's notice, but considering how more than two hundred combat masters had suddenly vanished from the Combat Master Hall, it didn't take long for the others to catch wind of what they were up to.

In fact, almost every single division head and elder on the conference table was aware of it. However, they chose to left the combat masters to their own devices.

"That's what I thought too, so I allowed them to act as they please. I have already sent someone to scout the situation, so we should receive some news very soon!" Division Head Zhen Ying nodded.

"Seems like all of us have the same intention in mind. We have also sent scouts of our own over, so we should be able to learn whether the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy is the real deal this time around... Good, it seems like the news is in!" Halfway through another division head's words, he suddenly flicked his wrist, and a Communication Jade Token appeared in his hands.

With a smile still lingering on his lips, he lowered his head to take a look, and his face abruptly stiffened.

"What's wrong? Did our combat masters lose in a duel against them?" Upon noticing the peculiar expression on the division head's face, Hall Master Xing asked.

"News has come in on my side as well. Let me take a look..." Division Head Zhen Ying seemed to have felt something as well, and a Communication Jade Token materialized in his hands. Upon scanning the content, he suddenly froze on the spot as well, unable to speak a word.

"What's going on? Say something!" Taking the reactions of the two division heads into sight, an elder couldn't take it any longer, and he exclaimed in frustration. Thus, he walked forward and took the Communication Jade Token from Division Head Zhen Ying's hand. However, after taking a look, he froze on the spot too.

It took a very long time before Hall Master Zhen Ying was able to exclaim with a tearful voice, "Hall Master Xing... it seems like before we could even recruit them into our ranks, our combat masters have already been taken in by the Xuanxuan Faction!"

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Chapter 1104: Even The Division Heads Have Jumped Ships

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Our combat masters have been taken in by the Xuanxuan Faction?"

"What do you mean?"

The crowd frowned. Even Hall Master Xing had a bewildered look on his face.

"The two hundred combat masters who went to challenge the students of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy have all joined the Xuanxuan Faction..." Division Head Zhen Ying uttered in a daze.

"They have all joined the Xuanxuan Faction?"

Everyone was dumbfounded for a moment before those words could finally be processed in their minds. A stabbing pain struck their chests, leaving them unable to catch their breath.

Hall Master Xing even nearly stumbled and fell out of his chair.

It was just a moment ago that he confidently claimed that the Combat Master Hall would be able to make use of this opportunity to bring in some new blood and bolster their forces. And yet, before they could even manage to poach the other party's students, they ended up losing their men instead...

What the heck was this!

"Preposterous, this is preposterous! A bunch of combat masters actually joined a rural organization... Tell them to return back to the Combat Master Hall this instant, or else I shall have their names erased from the records!" one of the division heads stood up and bellowed furiously.

All along, the Combat Master Hall had always been the one selecting men from other organizations. Never once had anyone managed to poach their men before.

"But would it be inappropriate for us to do so? Our Combat Master Hall has no rules that prevents our members from joining other organizations, and we don't have the right to restrict them from learning the other occupations, either..." Another division head raised an objection.

While the Combat Master Hall was a little more rigid than the Master Teacher Pavilion, it wasn't governed by too many rules either. Combat masters were still granted a considerable degree of freedom, so to threaten them seemed to be going a little overboard...

"There are no rules in the Combat Master Hall that hinders them from joining other organizations, but if all combat masters were to do so, what would become of our Combat Master Hall? If everyone were to fool around like that, who will stand up to protect mankind when disaster strikes? We need to sever the problem at the root before it gets out of hand!"

"Indeed! There mustn't be a precedent for such a matter, or else, what would become of the pride and dignity of our Combat Master Hall?"

Two of the division heads harrumphed.

The crowd fell silent.

Those words did make some sense.

The Combat Master Hall had no explicit rule that prevented its members from joining other organizations, and all along, there had been no need for there to be such a rule, either. Most combat masters were highly devoted to their training, so very few of them had any time to join other organizations.

However, it was a different matter this time around. Two hundred combat masters were intending to join another organization together, and this could potentially pose to be a problem. If combat masters were to start segregating themselves by their affiliations, it would affect the camaraderie and morale of the Combat Master Hall.

As such, precedence mustn't be allowed!

If their members were no longer united, how were they supposed to defend mankind from its threats?

There were simply too many empires that had fallen to factional rivalry, and an organization that stood at the frontlines to protect mankind from threats, the Combat Master Hall couldn't afford to risk such a thing happening!

"Alright, I'll inform them right now..." Division Head Zhen Ying hesitated for a moment before nodding. He tapped his finger on the Communication Jade Token and sent a message over.

Weng!

A few moments later, new words emerged on Division Head Zhen Ying's Communication Jade Token, and after browsing through it swiftly, he staggered and nearly fell to the ground.

"What's wrong?"

Taking Division Head Zhen Ying's reaction into sight, the crowd couldn't help but ask anxiously.

The head of the Martial Arts Division had always been as a composed individual, so why did he seem so edgy today?

Just what kind of news was it that would leave him so deeply jolted?

"My subordinate has just relayed the commands to Xiao Qin and the others... and the response he received was that if the Combat Master Hall were to force them to back out from the Xuanxuan Faction, they would rather renounce their identities as combat masters..." With twitching lips, Division Head Zhen Ying revealed the news he had just received.

"They would renounce their identities as combat masters?"

"How is that possible? They have just barely come into contact with the Xuanxuan Faction, and they are already so deeply loyal to them? Just what kind of charm does Zhang Xuan possess for them to act in such a manner?"

A huge commotion broke out within the room. The others didn't take the news any better than Division Head Zhen Ying.

Becoming a combat master was something which countless cultivators dream of every single day. It was an honor, as well as a calling... Those bunch of rascals had only come into contact with the Xuanxuan Faction once, and yet, they were already willing to go to the extent of renouncing their identities as combat masters just to join them?

"Just what kind of spell did that Zhang Xuan cast over them? This won't do... I must teach those arrogant fellows a lesson!" an elder roared furiously as he stood up.

The head of the Fist Division, Chen Zhuqing!

He was the most hot-headed individual amongst the Ten Division Heads, so he was the first to lose his temper upon hearing that his subordinate had been beguiled and poached by a measly little organization from a vassal Tier-1 Empire.

"I'll go with you!" Another elder stood up as well.

The head of the Footwork Division, Lu Wangqiu!

Lu Wangqiu was a good friend of Chen Zhuqing's, and he knew about the latter's fiery temper. Thus, he felt that it would be best for him to tag along so as to defuse the situation if required to.

Besides, even though he was much more rational than Chen Zhuqing, he shared the same thoughts as the latter, so he wanted to see what was going on too.

"If possible, try to avoid any conflicts. Zhang Xuan might only be the principal of a Tier-1 Master Teacher Academy, but he has close ties with Wu shi and the others from the Master Teacher Pavilion. More importantly, he's Zheng Yang's teacher... It would suffice to teach him a lesson so that he understands that the Combat Master Hall isn't to be trifled with, there's no need to make this matter bigger than it is!" Hall Master Xing instructed.

As fellow master teachers, there was no need for them to fall out with one another. Such a thing wouldn't benefit either of them.

Not to mention, Zhang Xuan was even the teacher of that incredible genius, Zheng Yang!

Zheng Yang was a rare genius that emerged only once every few millennium, so there was a very good chance that he could clear the examination and become their Progeny of Combat. If that were to happen, as Zheng Yang's teacher, Zhang Xuan's standing would soar beyond measure as well. Thus, it was best to avoid offending him, or else it could turn out bad for them in the future.

While Zhuo Qingfeng and the others had reported Zhang Xuan to be an extraordinary genius as well, the information which the Combat Master Hall had regarding the latter's capability was severely limited as the latter rarely made a move. As such, they didn't think that Zhang Xuan would be more formidable than Zheng Yang.

Even though Zhang Xuan was Zheng Yang's teacher, it didn't necessarily mean that Zhang Xuan would be more talented than Zheng Yang. After all, the main job of a teacher lay in clarifying doubts and guiding the students towards the right path. It wasn't too rare to see students surpassing their teachers.

"Rest assured, Hall Master Xing."

"We know what we to do!"

The two hall masters replied before leaving the room.

Their departure left the room plunging into silence.

At this point, the group was still unable to overcome the fact that the infallible Combat Master Hall was actually outdone by a rural organization... This was something unthinkable to them.

"Actually, this isn't necessarily bad for us. Our Combat Master Hall has been in a lofty position for too long, so this might be a good opportunity to dispel the complacency amongst our members..." Noting the low morale in the room, Hall Master Xing consoled with a smile.

"Un."

The crowd nodded.

Indeed. The Combat Master Hall was too used to being in a higher position than others, and this matter could make their members understand that even the Combat Master Hall wasn't infallible.

"Division Head Chen is a little hot-headed, but with the rational Division Head Lu with him, nothing bad should occur... We should make sure to question those rascals thoroughly when they return so as to find out why they would rather renounce their identities as combat masters just so that they could join the Xuanxuan Faction!"

"There would be nothing for us to say if the combat masters have chosen to stay in the Xuanxuan Faction by its own merit, but if the Xuanxuan Faction has resorted to bribery and beguilement... Hmph, we will have to report it to the Master Teacher Pavilion and have them deal with those black sheeps!"

"To attempt to poach our members, that Zhang Xuan sure is brazen!"

...

The various division heads and elders harrumphed with wintry faces.

While the others were still discussing the matter, Division Head Zhen Ying took out his Communication Jade Token and said, "The both of them have already arrived at the manor, and they are currently in the midst of communicating with the members of the Xuanxuan Faction..."

Division Head Chen had sent a message over to report their progress.

"Tell Division Head Chen to bring those rascals over here right after he's done. I wish to question them personally to find out what happened!" Hall Master Xing said.

"Alright!" Division Head Zhen Ying nodded as he raised his Communication Jade Token to write on it. In that moment, a burst of light suddenly flashed from his Communication Jade Token, and a line of words surfaced on it.

Division Head Zhen Ying lowered his gaze to take a look at the newly-arrived message, and with just a look, his body stiffened for the third time.

"You... What has happened this time around? It can't be that the other members still refuse to return even though two division heads have headed there personally to pick them up?" Hall Master Xing asked coldly as an air of hostility emanated from him.

For the Xuanxuan Faction to refuse to release their men even when they had already dispatched two of their division heads, weren't they looking down on them a little too much?

"That's not it..." Division Head Zhen Ying quickly shook his head. With utter disbelief and shock reflected in his eyes, he mumbled with quivering lips, "It seems like Division Head Chen and Division Head Lu... have joined the Xuanxuan Faction as well! They said that they won't be returning to the Combat Master Hall for the time being..."

Pu!

"What did you say?"

"The both of them... have joined Xuanxuan Faction as well?"

The crowd was frenzied by what they had just learned.

Those who went to the Xuanxuan Faction to challenge them ended up joining them, and those who went to retrieve their missing members also decided to jump ships... Just what kind of sorcery did the Xuanxuan Faction possess for those who headed there to be unwilling to return?

"Are you certain?" Hall Master Xing's body was trembling uncontrollably. Completely overwhelmed by the situation, he didn't even realize that he had tugged away a huge chunk of his beard.

He knew Division Head Chen and Division Head Lu very well. The both of them would never condone such matters, which was also why the both of them had volunteered themselves to head over there in the first time. So... how in the world did they end up joining the Xuanxuan Faction?

"This..."

The other elders and division heads glanced at one another at a loss.

"Everyone, follow me over to the manor. I want to see with my own eyes just what kind of charm has that Zhang Xuan cast over our combat masters!" After a moment of tense silence, Hall Master Xing rose to his feet and flung his sleeves furiously.

"Yes, Hall Master Xing!"

The others nodded in agreement.

To be honest, they were also perplexed as to why even the two division heads would choose to remain at the Xuanxuan Faction. Was the Xuanxuan Faction really that great?

Leaving the hall, it didn't take long for them to be standing in the aerial space above the manor.

"Look, they are all below..."

Beneath their feet, they spotted Division Head Chen and Division Head Lu standing amidst a huge crowd.

"Who of them is Zhang Xuan?" one of the division heads asked.

"Zhuo Qingfeng has passed a painting of him to me, and it doesn't seem like he's amidst the crowd..." Hall Master Xing shook his head.

He had scanned the entire surroundings with his Spiritual Perception right after he arrived at the area, but there wasn't anyone which fitted Zhang Xuan's description.

The situation was a little bewildering to him. If Zhang Xuan wasn't around, why did the combat masters choose to stay in the Xuanxuan Faction on their own accord?

"Don't head down first. Let's watch what they are up to before we decide on what to do..." Hall Master Xing raised his hand to stop the others from making a move before focusing his senses on perceiving what was happening below.

With his sharpened hearing, he could hear the voice of a male sounding below, "Little Chen, your fist art is actually not too bad. The main reason why you aren't able to defeat me is because your mind is plagued by too many miscellaneous thoughts. Fist art requires one to converge their mind, spirit, and psyche into a single point before bursting forth. In your current state, there's no way you will be a match for me!"

"Little Chen?"

The others also heard those words, and they glanced at one another with twitching lips.

It was one thing for a seventeen-year-old fellow to be talking to Division Head Chen with a lecturing tone, but to call him Little Chen on top of that...

"It'll be easier for you to comprehend it through a demonstration. Alright, suppress your cultivation to Nascent Saint pinnacle for a moment, I'll give you an example of what a decent punch should be like!" the young man said.

"Alright!" Nodding, Division Head Chen suppressed his cultivation to Nascent Saint pinnacle. After which, he raised his fist, and an incredible aura burst forth from him.

"That is... Division Head Chen's strongest fist art, Ravaging Dragon In the Wild?"

"That young man is going to suffer badly!"

Seeing that Division Head Chen was going to use his famed move, the faces of the combat masters tensed.

Boom!

Two fists collided together, causing a powerful shockwave to ripple in the surroundings.

Sou!

In the next instant, Division Head Chen was sent flying.

"Cough cough. I failed to hold myself back yet again, pardon me..." the young man scratched his head helplessly.

"..." The crowd.

Chapter 1105: Roughly Four Hours

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Peng!

Division Head Chen crashed heavily into the wall, causing his body to be covered in dust and dirt. After a series of violent coughing, he got back to his feet and flew back. Even though his face had paled from the injury he had just suffered, there was an inconcealable excited gleam in his eyes.

As the head of the Fist Division, it went without saying that his specialty lay in fist art. With the sheer prowess of his fist, he could easily crush opponents of higher cultivation realm than him.

Yet, despite the young age of the fellow before him, he found that the latter's comprehension of fist art had reached a level far beyond his imagination.

"How can I further improve my fist art?" Division Head Chen clasped his fist and asked earnestly.

'It is not the senior but the skilled that becomes the teacher'. He might be the head of the Fist Division, and the other party might be younger and possess a lower cultivation than him, but it was indubitable that the other party was far beyond him in the field of fist art. It was no shame for him to lower his head and ask for the other party's guidance.

"Your fist art looks decent, but it lacks an indomitable spirit... If I'm not mistaken, you must have cultivated quite a lot of battle techniques, right?" the young man asked.

"That's right. Altogether, I have cultivated 42 fist arts..." Division Head Chen replied awkwardly.

In the past, whenever someone asked him how many fist arts he had learned, he would answer them with a proud look on his face. However, in this moment, he seemed to vaguely understand what the young man was driving at, and he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed by it.

"When it comes to battle techniques, one's strength is determined by the mastery of one's technique, not the amount of techniques one have. Learning too many battle techniques may just result in one's mind, spirit, and psyche being divided. Ever since my teacher imparted me my fist art, I have been spending the past year refining that one single move so as to ensure that I have grasped it perfectly. That's also the reason why my fist is able to wield such might. You have learned a total of 42 fist arts, but how much time are you able to devote to each of them?" the young man asked.

"This... I spent roughly twenty years of each of them... I am nine hundred this year..." Division Head Chen scratched his head awkwardly.

"..." Realizing that he had misspoke, the young man's face reddened, and he quickly changed the subject. "Time is not the only factor that matters in the cultivation of fist arts, devotion is very important as well. Alright, since you have joined our Xuanxuan Faciton, I'll impart you a trick as to how you can align your mind, spirit, and psyche together in order to maximize the might of your fist!"

"Thank you!" Division Head Chen's eyes lit up in agitation.

"That youth is actually offering pointers to Division Head Chen?"

"I can still hardly believe it at this point, but... that fist executed by the young man is truly too fearsome. I don't think that we'll be able to withstand it either!"

The division heads and elders in the air were shocked by what they had just seen.

Despite the young age of the person that was teaching Division Head Chen, they had to admit that his fist art was truly powerful. As martial arts fanatics themselves, they couldn't help but feel interested in it.

"It should be out of his desire to learn that fist art that Division Head Chen decided to join the Xuanxuan Faction... But what about Division Head Lu?" After learning of the reason why Division Head Chen had jumped ships, the crowd couldn't help but turn their gazes towards where Division Head Lu was at.

Standing in front of Division Head Lu was a young lady which seemed to be around sixteen or seventeen too. Despite her young age, she had a delicately-shaped face that was extremely beautiful.

The young lady seemed to be saying something to Division Head Lu. Focusing their senses at their conversation, the group could vaguely hear what was being said between the both of them.

"... Little Lu, your movement technique is not too bad, but it's excessively flamboyant. Flamboyant movement techniques can overwhelm the weak, making them err in panic. However, such a trick wouldn't work for experts. One will just appear as nothing more than a fool before their eyes!"

With her hand behind her back, the young lady spoke in a disappointed tone. "The main aim of movement technique is to allow one to close in on an enemy swiftly so as to catch him off guard, thus creating an opportunity to subdue him. Squandering all of one's zhenqi solely on producing illusions will only effectively make one's attack weaker than it should be!

"Lower your cultivation to a realm higher than me, which is Saint 1-dan pinnacle. I'll show you what a movement technique should be like!" the young lady said with a deep sigh.

"Alright!" Division Head Lu nodded before suppressing his aura. In the blink of an eye, his cultivation had been lowered to Saint 1-dan pinnacle.

"Alright, let's begin!"

Right at the start of the battle, Division Head Lu's figure suddenly blurred, and five illusory clones appeared around him. Each of them felt lifelike, and they emanated the very same aura as one another, making it nigh impossible to figure out which was real and which was fake.

"That's Division Head Lu's [Nine Shadows Step]!"

"Upon mastering the Nine Shadows Step, one is capable of producing nine illusory clones simultaneously, making it an extremely fearsome technique to guard against. Even though Division Head Lu is only able to produce five of them due to his suppressed cultivation, it still wouldn't be easy to deal with that technique!"

"So far, there has been very few people who have managed to overcome the might of the Nine Shadows Step..."

"Even I would have to retreat and reconsider my moves before dealing with that movement technique..."

...

Hall Master Xing and the others watched the situation with grim expressions on their faces.

Saint 1-dan was the minimum cultivation required to execute the Saint low-tier Nine Shadows Step. The movement technique was greatly feared even within the Combat Master Hall itself, such that in a battle under the same cultivation realm, there was none of them who was capable of overcoming it.

"Prepare yourself, I am going to make a move..." While the combat masters were still awed by the sight before them, the young lady suddenly spoke with a solemn voice.

Following which, a figure blurred before everyone's eyes, and it seemed as if a shadow had darted forth. In the next instant, however, the shadow seemed to have returned back to where it was.

Padah!

A resounding echo sounded, and the five illusory clones dissipated. Division Head Lu's body was scrunched together reminiscent of a shrimp, and yellowish bile was spewing in large mouthfuls from him.

Judging from the looks of it, it seemed like the young lady had struck his abdomen.

"She... made a move?" Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, everyone felt their throats running dry.

Even with their eye of discernment, they were unable to see the young lady's movements... Just how fast could she be?

They had never imagined that a day would come where the head of the Footwork Division would have his ultimate skill overcome by another movement technique...

Terrifying!

"Too fast... I am really no match for you. Young Miss, I beseech you to teach me..." After a long moment, Division Head Lu finally recovered from the blow. Struggling back to his feet, he looked at the young lady before him in admiration before clasping his fist earnestly.

When he first heard that the members of the Combat Master Hall would rather join the Xuanxuan Faction than to return, he was extremely furious.

Thus, as soon as he arrived, together with Division Head Chen, they challenged a few of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy students and defeated them all. It was around that moment that Liu Yang, who was currently teaching Division Head Chen at the moment, and Young Miss Wang, who was standing before him at this very moment, came out.

The both of them suppressed their cultivation down to their levels, and yet, to their horror, they were unable to withstand even a single blow from them...

It was then that they realized how powerful the Xuanxuan Faction was, and they couldn't resist the urge of wanting to learn from them as well.

"The aim of a movement technique is fast, faster, and fastest. As long as one's speed is beyond a certain mark, the rest wouldn't be a problem anymore..." the young lady explained.

After listening to her lecture, Division Head Lu couldn't help but feel impressed.

The other party's explanation delved straight into the essence of movement technique, leaving him feeling deeply enlightened. The various notions which had become walls that limited his fighting prowess seemed to have shattered after hearing her words.

To think that despite studying movement technique for several centuries, his comprehension of movement techniques would turn out to be beneath that of a young lady. It was truly a huge embarrassment.

Sighing deeply, Division Head Lu was just about to speak when he suddenly heard Division Head Chen's exclamation not too far away.

"Hall Master Xing, you are here too! Come down, let's join the Xuanxuan Faction together..."

Astonished, Division Head Lu quickly raised his gaze, and it was only then did he notice Hall Master Xing and the other elders and division heads' presence.

As the group had been standing quite a distance away, and the yahd also used their Primordial Spirits to conceal their aura, not even Division Head Lu had noticed their arrival.

"Indeed, come down here and join us. The members of the Xuanxuan Faction truly have an insightful and refreshing perspective towards combat combat. At the very least, it's far more profound than the knowledge that we impart within the Combat Master Hall! We should all join the Xuanxuan Faction and further our fighting prowess together!" Division Head Lu shouted with a bright smile.

"This..."

The lips of Hall Master Xing and the others twitched.

They were still planning to observe the situation a little longer and decide on a feasible course of plan before heading down. Yet, those two fellows actually shouted for them like that, betraying their presence... It would be deeply impolite for them to remain hidden under such circumstances, so they could only all get down.

"I am the head of the Combat Master Hall's Weapon Division. May I know who is skilled in weaponry? I can suppress my cultivation and have a fight with you!" Since they were already discovered, there was no need for them to hesitate any longer. The head of the Weapon Division flicked his wrist, and a spear appeared in his grasp. With a slight flick, a sound reminiscent of the call of a dragon echoed in the air.

Knowing that the entire Combat Master Hall might just end up joining the Xuanxuan Faction if they didn't do anything at this point, they were left with no choice but to fight for the sake of their pride and honor!

"Allow me..." the young man who was teaching Division Head Chen stepped forward.

Liu Yang!

While he specialized in fist art, he did learn spear art from Zheng Yang for quite a period of time.

As for the other members of the Xuanxuan Faction, while they would suffice to deal with ordinary combat masters, they were still a little lacking to deal with the division heads.

The previous battle that they had with Division Head Chen and Division Head Lu had already proven the point. It was due to their successive losses that they ended up inviting them, the direct disciples of Principal Zhang, over.

"Very well!"

Seeing that the other party's cultivation was only at Half-Saint pinnacle, the head of the Weapon Division also suppressed his cultivation to the same level.

Hu la!

Once that was done, he flicked his wrist, and his spear burst forth with incredible momentum.

As expected of the head of the Weapon Division. Even before the spear could reach Liu Yang, the formidable wind pressure that it created as a result of its movement was already hard to withstand.

Even though the head of the Weapon Division had suppressed his cultivation to Half-Saint, the might that he wielded with a spear was still something which not even a Saint 1-dan expert would be able to withstand.

"Incredible..."

"Division Head Zhou's [Charge of the Roaring Dragon] is indeed formidable. As expected of the battle technique which boasts the greatest fighting prowess within the Combat Master Hall! There's probably none in the same cultivation realm who could possibly face it head on!"

"I have fought against him once, and he had used that technique against me. Back then, I could only quickly beguile him with my soul art before quickly making my escape... In a straight encounter, there's no way anyone would be able to withstand it!"

"The same goes for me as well. I could only flee it for the time being and find a way to counterattack..."

...

Hall Master Xing and the others nodded in approval.

As the pride and honor of the Combat Master Hall was at stake here, they couldn't tolerate a loss here. Thus, it was relieving to see that the head of the Weapon DIvision, Division Head Zhou, resorting to his strongest battle technique right from the start. Even if they were the ones facing that battle technique, they had no confidence to say that they would be able to escape intact from it.

Hu!

While they were still chatting amongst one another, the young man made a move.

The young man raised his spear and pushed it forward with incredible force. It wasn't a particularly exquisite or sharp move, but it pierced through the air in an instant. As a result of its incredibly swift movement, it looked as if the spear had been lengthened in midair, and in the blink of an eye, it appeared right before Division Head Zhou.

Huala!

The might of Division Head Zhou's Charge of the Roaring Dragon dissipated entirely, and the tip of Liu Yang's spear stopped right before Division Head Zhou's throat.

In a single move, Division Head Zhou had been defeated!

"Your spear art is much faster than mine. I have lost..." With a pale face, Division Head Zhou's body froze.

Even though he was the head of the Weapon Division, that move which the young man had utilized previously had already far surpassed his current means. He realized that he was completely helpless before it.

"Your spear art is not too bad. I only defeated you by exploiting an opening in your spear art..." Liu Yang said with a smile.

"I have studied spearmanship for more than 842 years now, and I have always thought that I have already grasped the essence of the Way of Spear, and there is no peer who would be able to defeat me. Yet, who could have known that there's a mountain higher than the other..."

Shaking his head, Division Head Zhou looked at Liu Yang and asked, "May I know... how long have you been practicing spearmanship?"

"Roughly..." Liu Yang tried to calculate the duration which he had been learning spearmanship for. A moment later, he replied with a serious expression, "... Four hours!"

"..." Pavilion Head Zhou.

Chapter 1106: The Stifled Hall Master Xing

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Division Head Zhou cried.

As the head of the Weapon Division, he had dedicated his entire life to studying spearmanship—a whole eight hundred years! Even if the other party only had decades of experience with the spear, he still could have accepted the outcome. After all, everyone had a differing aptitude for spearmanship. There were simply some geniuses in the world who could easily achieve what others spent their entire lives pursuing within just several years.

However, what the young man before him truly specialized in was fist arts! As for spearmanship, the other party had only practiced it for four hours, and yet, he was still defeated that easily.

Seeing the twitching face of the old man before him, as if he was about to faint at any moment, Liu Yang couldn't help but feel a little guilty for traumatizing him. Thus, in hopes of lessening the blow, he quickly added, "This... Actually, I don't remember it clearly anymore. It could have been more than four hours."

Back then, in order to face the Dragon Gate Formation of the Combat Master Hall, he, Wang Ying, and Zheng Yang had imparted their skills to one another unreservedly so that they would have more options to choose from.

Due to the limited time they had, they could only quickly grasp as much as they could. Therefore, Liu Yang had allocated four hours to comprehending the essence of spearmanship.

No... Thinking back, it seemed like it should have been less than four hours... Was it three hours? Or perhaps two?

He had been too engrossed in his training back then, so he could not quite remember it anymore.

Liu Yang frowned.

"Alright..." Seeing how the young man before him was consoling him with a troubled expression on his face, Division Head Zhou could not help but feel deeply stifled in his chest. Blood seemed to well up at the back of his throat, just a little push away from spurting from his mouth.

Seeing that the head of the Weapon Division had been defeated, another elder stepped forward to challenge them. "I am the head of the Palm Division, Yan Qinghai. I would like to challenge you to a duel."

"Palm Division?" Liu Yang frowned. With a nod, he stepped forward and said, "Alright, I'll be your opponent then..."

Wang Ying stepped forward and interjected. "You just had a match, so you should take a rest for now. I'll face him."

Not expecting Wang Ying to vie with him, Liu Yang shook his head. "But Senior, he specializes in palm arts. My fist art is a more compatible match for him compared to your leg art, so it will be better for me to fight him instead!"

"I learned a palm art from Teacher recently, and I haven't found an opponent to practice it with yet. I think this would be a good opportunity for me to give it a try," Wang Ying admitted.

"Teacher also taught me that move too. I want to give it a try as well," Liu Yang replied.

Wang Ying frowned in displeasure. "Well, you just had a match, so you must be exhausted by now. I think it would be good for you to take a rest first. It wouldn't do for you to lose and soil our teacher's reputation."

Liu Yang harrumphed in response. "It's not like you weren't watching the previous round; it was no challenge at all! I didn't even use a thousandth of my zhenqi; that kind of depletion can be recovered within just two breaths! I would have to face a thousand of such opponents to actually be exhausted."

"..." Division Head Zhou.

"..." Division Head Yan.

"..." The crowd from the Combat Master Hall.

The heck!

Can't you all show some respect for your opponents?

We can hear every word you say over here, you know...

No matter what, we are still top-notch experts from the Combat Master Hall. Don't you think it's inappropriate for you to view us with such disdain?

At the very least, you should spare some consideration for our pride and honor.

"Fine fine, you are the senior, so your words count..." After a long argument, Wang Ying finally managed to suppress Liu Yang via her seniority and successfully snatched the right to face the head of the Palm Division, Yan Qinghai.

"Let's start!" With an excited look on her face, Wang Ying stepped up to Division Head Yan Qinghai and said, "I only learned my palm art recently, and I haven't had the chance to try it on anyone yet. I'm not too sure how it'll turn out, so I ask of you to go easy on me."

Hearing the argument between Liu Yang and Wang Ying had left Division Head Yan Qinghai on the verge of erupting. Thus, upon hearing her say such humble words at this moment, he could not help but think that Wang Ying was making fun of him.

"It's too late for you to beg for mercy now!"

With a furious roar, he raised his palm and executed his strongest trump card without any hesitation.

Hong long long!

The palm strike harnessed such incredible force that loud explosions sounded from the compressed air, causing the surrounding temperature to rise to a fearsome level.

Saint low-tier battle technique, Palm of the Crimson Dragon!

The Palm of the Crimson Dragon was named after the legendary Crimson Dragons, which were known to live within searing lava. It harnessed the energy of pure yang, granting the palm strike the power to melt even steel.

It was due to this technique that Division Head Yan Qinghai had become one of the top experts in the Combat Master Hall.

Hu!

Facing Division Head Yan Qinghai's relentless assault, Wang Ying's first instinct was to dodge with her movement technique, as per her usual strategy. However, recalling that her initial intention, she gritted her teeth and forced herself to remain rooted to the spot. Driving her zhenqi furiously, she executed the palm art that her teacher had imparted to her.

Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm!

According to her teacher's account, it seemed like her teacher had also learned the palm technique not too long ago, and he had not had a chance to use it in battle, either. Nevertheless, based on her understanding of the technique, it seemed like it wielded strength beyond measure.

The two palms collided.

Sou!

" Ahh... " With a cry of agony, Division Head Yan Qinghai's figure was sent retreating into the distance. He swiftly broke the seal on his cultivation and recovered his strength back to its peak, thus allowing him to steady his figure midair. Nevertheless, his face still paled from the previous impact.

"Did you really just learn this palm art? You have never used it in battle before?" Division Head Yan Qinghai asked with a look of disbelief.

"Indeed. On our way to Qingyuan City, my teacher said that he had recently learned a new palm art, so he imparted it to us and instructed us to practice it well. However, the cultivation of the palm art turned out to be more troublesome than I thought. The practitioner has to build up their emotions in order to draw out the true prowess of the technique, but that can be difficult to pull off in the midst of a battle. So, after cultivating it for a while, I thought that it was rather meaningless, so I never really used it afterwards!" Wang Ying replied.

The greatest flaw in the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm lay in the necessity to build up one's emotions in order to enter the ideal state of mind to draw forth the strength of the technique. However, despite Wang Ying's strength, she was only a teenager, and limited by her experiences, she was unable to comprehend true sorrow. Thus, after cultivating it for a while, she felt that it was too troublesome and decided to shove it away altogether.

"Meaningless? You decided to seal away such a powerful palm art just like that?" Division Head Yan Qinghai widened his mouth in shock. There was an indescribably stifling sensation in his heart that left him feeling choked up within.

He had only traded one blow with the young lady before him, but with his eye of discernment, he could tell that the palm art she had executed was far stronger than every single battle technique he knew of!

Such a powerful technique, and yet, the young lady said that its cultivation was troublesome and meaningless.

Unable to hold it any longer, Division Head Yan Qinghai took in a deep breath and, with a reddened face, asked hesitantly, "Can you... impart this palm art to me?"

"Of course! Our teacher is a magnanimous person, and he would never hesitate to teach those who are willing to learn. If you truly wish to learn the palm art, I can impart it to you right now..."

Wang Ying had never learned such a troublesome battle technique ever since she started cultivating. Not only did it require her to align her mind, spirit, and psyche, she even had to build up her emotions and immerse herself within it during its execution. That was too troublesome!

In her view, such a troublesome technique probably wouldn't be too powerful or practical in combat. Thus, there was no harm imparting it to the other party.

"Y-you are really... willing to impart it to me?" Division Head Yan Qinghai widened his eyes in shock. A moment later, he took in a deep breath, assumed a grave expression, and declared, "From now on, I am a member of the Xuanxuan Faction as well. Anyone who tries to advise me to leave here shall be my sworn enemy!"

"..." Hall Master Xing.

"..." The other division heads.

There was a long silence drifting in the air before another elder finally stepped forward.

"I am Division Head Wu of the Footwork Division. Is there anyone who is willing to face..."

However, before Division Head Wu could finish his words, Hall Master Xing stepped forward and said, "Enough. I see that our two friends over here are already exhausted from all the fighting they have done, so let's call it a day."

"Hall Master Xing..." There was a hint of anxiety in Division Head Wu's words.

Aren't we here to cause trouble?

How can we give up right now?

"Cough cough. Division Head Wu, let's just call it a day. In any case, those from the Xuanxuan Faction will stay here for a couple of days, so we have more than sufficient time to exchange insights with them," Hall Master Xing replied.

At this rate, he might very well find all of his division heads becoming members of the Xuanxuan Faction! How humiliating it would be for him if that happened!

After a long moment of silence, Division Head Wu could only sigh deeply and reluctantly give up on the idea. "Alright then..."

The battle techniques that the two youths had utilized were simply too astounding. Even he could not help but feel tempted to learn them as well. However, the look on Hall Master Xing's face clearly showed that he would go into a frenzy if another division head jumped ship to the Xuanxuan Faction. It seemed like he would just have to sneak back here later in the night.

After holding back the tempted division heads for the time being, Hall Master Xing turned to Liu Yang and Wang Ying and asked with a smile, "These two friends over here, may I know where Principal Zhang currently is?"

"Our teacher went out early in the morning, and he hasn't come back yet," Wang Ying replied.

"He hasn't come back yet?" Hall Master Xing nodded. "I see. Tell him that I'll be paying a visit soon to discuss the details of the exchange."

"Alright, I'll relay your words to him." Wang Ying nodded.

"Un. We'll be taking our leave now."

After saying those words, Hall Master Xing left with the manor with the few remaining division heads and elders without any hesitation.

He rushed all the way back to the Combat Master Hall, and it did not take long for him to return to the Elder Conference Hall.

Everyone took their seat, and a queer silence permeated the air.

In this trip, not only had they failed to bring back their combat masters from the Xuanxuan Faction, they had even lost two more division heads. With this, only six was left of the initial Ten Division Heads. To make matters worse, there was an excited gleam within the eyes of several division heads, which hinted that they might defect very soon.

To think that his initial thought was to draw in fresh talents from the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy into the Combat Master Hall during the exchange. Yet, before he could draw in a single person, the other organization had already taken in so many of their men.

The more Hall Master Xing thought about the matter, the more stifled he felt.

After the silence lingered long enough, Hall Master Xing took a look at the faces before him and asked, "What are your views on the matter today?"

"This... The Xuanxuan Faction is indeed extraordinary in its own way. If I'm not mistaken, those two youths who faced Division Head Yan and Division Head Zhou should be Principal Zhang's direct disciples. The battle techniques that they executed were truly impressive!"

"Indeed, indeed! This is my first time seeing someone overcoming Division Head Chen's fist art with sheer force! That young man's spear art is also very impressive as well, I never could have imagined that Division Head would be defeated in a single move!"

"To be honest, the palm art executed by the young lady is the most profound and powerful battle technique I have seen. That palm strike that she executed wasn't just powerful, it gave me a feeling that I was sinking deep into the crevices of space, preventing me from dodging the attack..."

...

The several division heads and elders in the room discussed excitedly.

"Cough cough!" Hall Master Xing clutched his aching chest in despair.

He was asking them to offer suggestions to resolve the current quandary they were in, but... those faces filled with admiration and excitement... What the heck?

Was the heritage of their Combat Master Hall really beneath that of a mere Master Teacher Academy?

"Enough! This meeting is adjourned!" Knowing that the division heads and elders were still overwhelmed by the battle techniques they had witnessed at the Xuanxuan Faction, he realized that they were in no state to be discussing the matter, so he waved his hand and sighed deeply.

"Yes!"

The division heads and elders rose from their seats and bowed deeply to him before backing out of the room.

Soon, silence returned to the room. At this moment, only Hall Master Xing and an elder were left.

The elder was the head of the mysterious Heart Division of the Combat Master Hall, Liao Bujin.

"What is your view of the matter?" Hall Master Xing asked.

"Hall Master Xing, I don't think that this is necessarily bad news for our Combat Master Hall!" Division Head Liao replied.

"You think that this matter could be beneficial for us?" Hall Master Xing frowned.

Why did he feel so skeptical at those words?

"Undeniably, the members of the Xuanxuan Faction possess a terrifying comprehension of combat. It is inevitable that our combat masters, who seek to advance their fighting prowess, have been seduced by their strength. However, as much as it is a threat, this is also a good opportunity for us as well. If we could absorb the Xuanxuan Faction into our Combat Master Hall, it will only be a matter of time before we are able to surpass the Combat Master Halls of other Conferred Empires!" Division Head Liao said.

"This... I also get the logic, but judging from the current circumstances surrounding the Xuanxuan Faction, will they be willing to join the Combat Master Hall?" Hall Master Xing shook his head dejectedly.

"Actually, that isn't a difficult problem to resolve. From what I can see, they are deeply loyal to Principal Zhang. Thus, if we can convince Principal Zhang to join the Combat Master Hall, I don't think that we will have any trouble absorbing the Xuanxuan Faction as well!" Division Head Liao said with a smile.

"This..." Hall Master Xing was stunned for a moment before slowly nodding.

What Division Head Liao said was indeed true. If they could convince Zhang Xuan to join the Combat Master Hall, they would be able to turn the threat of the Xuanxuan Faction into a blessing instead, and their forces would become stronger than ever!

But...

Bringing Principal Zhang into the Combat Master Hall did not seem like an easy feat!

"Hall Master Xing, with your current Half-Leaving Aperture realm cultivation, if you could just find a powerful spirit awakener to nourish your soul and make it even more wholesome, you might just be able to clear the Trial of Inner Demons of the Heart Division and obtain that secret art," Division Head Liao said with a sharp glint in his eyes.

"By then, no one at the same cultivation realm will be a match for you! With that, you can challenge Principal Zhang to a duel with him joining the Combat Master Hall as the stake... If it works out, it will just be a matter of time before our Combat Master Hall rises to glory!"

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Chapter 1107: Cang Xu

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"The highest secret art of the Heart Division is a technique left behind by the founder of the Qingyuan Combat Master Hall. Of the many generations of hall masters, only five have succeeded in clearing the Trial of Inner Demons to acquire the technique." Hall Master Xing frowned. "It won't be easy..."

Division Head Liao was right. If he could master the greatest secret art of the Heart Division, he would be peerless in his class. No matter how powerful those from the Xuanxuan Faction were, they would still be no match for him.

The Heart Division was the most mysterious division of the Combat Master Hall. Instead of cultivating their body, soul, or battle techniques, their main focus lay in cultivating their heart and overcoming the fearsome Inner Demons within them. If one could clear the Trial of Inner Demons, they would be able to acquire the greatest secret art left behind by their founder, thus making one peerless in one's class.

Of course, Hall Master Xing had considered taking the trial before, but each time, he had ended up shying away out of fear. The trial was simply too difficult, such that only the greatest of geniuses among the preceding hall masters had succeeded in clearing it.

"I know that it won't be easy, but... we don't have any other choice! Judging from the state of the remaining division heads, most of them will probably end up joining the Xuanxuan Faction as well. If that happens, we will become nothing more than an empty shell, and the Qingyuan Empire Combat Master Hall will become a joke in everyone's eyes!" Division Head Liao said bitterly.

He also knew that it would be nigh impossible to accomplish it, but they were already cornered. At this point, they did not have any other choice.

Hall Master Xing sighed deeply.

He knew that at this rate, it would only be a matter of time before their Combat Master Hall effectively became a subsidiary of the Xuanxuan Faction.

With his influence, he was still able to suppress the news for the time being. However, as the saying goes, paper cannot hope to contain fire.

It was only a matter of time before the news was leaked and became known to the public. For the great Combat Master Hall to become a subordinate organization of a student faction of a Tier-1 Empire... He would never be able to raise his head in public anymore!

The inept Hall Master Xing would become a laughingstock in all other Combat Master Halls!

More importantly, the Convention of Combat Masters among Conferred Empires was just around the corner... Nothing could be allowed to happen at this critical period!

"Hall Master Xing, we are already standing right at the cliff. We have no choice but to give it a try," Division Head Liao persuaded.

Taking a deep breath, Hall Master Xing nodded grimly. "You're right. No matter what, I'll have to give it a try."

The situation at the Combat Master Hall was not too optimistic. The Trial of Inner Demons was dangerous, but at the very least, it was not fatal. Currently, this was the best shot they had.

"Guild Leader Ruan and Vice Guild Leader Chen of the Spirit Awakener Guild are my friends, so I can bring you to them. As long as they assist us, your Primordial Spirit will be able to become more wholesome, and clearing the Trial of Inner Demons shouldn't be too difficult!" Division Head Liao said.

"I'll be troubling you then, Division Head Liao!" Hall Master Xing nodded in gratitude.

Although spirit awakener was only a supporting occupation, their expertise in the field of Primordial Spirits and souls were indeed valuable to cultivators. With their help, his Primordial Spirit could be made more wholesome, thus making his mind more focused. With that, he would be less vulnerable to the beguilement of the Inner Demons.

There were also many Half-Leaving Aperture realm experts who would engage the help of spirit awakeners so that their minds would not be crushed by the excruciating pain of the lightning tempering their soul during the Leaving Aperture Ordeal.

Based on the statistics compiled by the Combat Master Hall, the probability of Half-Leaving Aperture realm cultivators clearing the Leaving Aperture Ordeal was only 10%, but with the help of a spirit awakeners, the probability could be raised to 30%!

It was for this reason that spirit awakeners were so highly sought after, the demand highly exceeding the supply.

In fact, despite not being classified as a unique occupation, the Spirit Awakener Guild's main headquarters held a prestigious standing in the Master Teacher Continent. The influence it wielded was on par with even the stronger Sage Clans.

After all, the stronger one became, the heavier one's Inner Demons would become. The ability of spirit awakeners in tempering the soul and making it more wholesome in itself made them an organization that most powers wanted to befriend.

It was said that there were at least six powerhouses in the continent who had declared that anyone who became an enemy of the Spirit Awakener Guild would have to face them as well. Not only so, there were also many experts in the Master Teacher Pavilion's main headquarters who had specially joined the Spirit Awakener Guild to learn spirit enchantment as well, thus furthering the Spirit Awakener Guild's sphere of influence.

It was for this reason that despite the relatively weak fighting prowess of the occupation, not even the Combat Master Hall dared offend them.

"Alright, let's go!" Division Head Liao nodded.

Having made up their minds, the duo stepped out of the Elder Conference Hall and flew straight for the Spirit Awakener Guild.

...

In the Spirit Awakener Guild, Zhang Xuan followed behind Guild Leader Ruan and the others with a sheepish look on his face, and soon, they arrived in a spacious room.

After taking their seats, Guild Leader Ruan turned to Zhang Xuan and asked, "May I know how I can address you?"

Zhang Xuan had not introduced himself to anyone in the Spirit Awakener Guild, so not even Vice Guild Leader Xu knew of his name.

"I am Zhang..." Zhang Xuan was just about to say his name when he paused for a brief moment. Then, with a refreshing smile, he continued, "Cough cough, I am Sun Qiang!"

Considering how he had caused so much trouble here, bringing the other party's guild building to life, it would be best if he did not reveal his name. Otherwise, if they were to raise their complaints with the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, how would he ever be able to raise his head before the students again?

"So, you're Sun gongzi!" Guild Leader Ruan pondered for a moment, but there was not a person she knew of in the Combat Master Hall who fit the criteria. Perplexed, she asked, "Sun gongzi, you aren't from our Qingyuan City, right?"

"That's right. I just arrived in Qingyuan City not too long ago," Zhang Xuan replied with a nod.

"I see!" Guild Leader Ruan also nodded. "Back to the topic at hand, the reason we invited gongzi over is because we have something that we require your help on. You have enchanted our guild building and brought it to life. In light of that, we hope that... you can tame it and pass over its ownership to us, or else... you can just join our Spirit Awakener Guild and become one of us!"

"Join the Spirit Awakener Guild?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I am a master teacher, so I'm afraid that it would be inappropriate for me to join other guilds. I'll help you tame the guild building instead. However... I am not too sure how I can go about doing it, so I'll need you to guide me along."

It was really an accident that he had enchanted the entire guild building!

How could he have known that the black pillar was part of the supporting structure of the building? It was at the same spot as where the examination puppets were on the previous floors, so he had thought that it was part of the examination as well. Who would have thought that the entire guild building would come to life instead?

Hearing the young man turn down her invitation, Guild Leader Ruan could only shake her head in disappointment. "Actually, it isn't too difficult. Sun shi, you just have to draw out the awakened spirit of the guild building and have it contract with me!"

To be honest, the other party's ability to successfully enchant the entire guild building without going through proper training showed that he possessed unparalleled aptitude for spirit enchantment!

It was a real pity that the other party was a master teacher, not to mention, a male!

Otherwise, she would have surely recommended him to the main headquarters!

Even though the Spirit Awakener Guild had men, they were in the minority. The entire lineage, and that was including their founder as well, was dominated by females. No matter how talented a man was within their guild, it would be hard for him to enter the top echelon.

"I see." Zhang Xuan nodded. "That shouldn't be a problem at all."

Just as the other party had said earlier, the guild building possessed deep loyalty to him as he was the one who had awakened its spirit. As long as he commanded it so, its spirit should be willing to contract with Guild Leader Ruan.

"I'll be troubling Sun shi then!" Guild Leader Ruan replied with a smile. "Let's do it outside. The sealing of the contract requires both parties to face one another, so it would be impossible to do it in here."

The sealing of the contract required the spirit of the guild building to offer a portion of its spirit to her, and their location was not suited for it, considering that they were currently in the 'stomach' of the guild building.

Thus, the four of them flew out of the room and gazed at the guild building face-to-face in midair.

Due to the movements of the guild building after it came to life, huge cracks had emerged on the tidy streets, and the civilians in the area had long evacuated as far as they could, leaving behind only a few dozen relatively powerful spectators in the vicinity.

Their gazes were centered on the guild building as well, seemingly intrigued by how such a huge building had suddenly come to life.

Noting that the three guild leader and vice guild leaders were standing behind him, Zhang Xuan said sheepishly, "Let me try communicating with its spirit."

He turned his gaze toward the building, and using his means as a spirit awakener, he tried to establish contact with the spirit within it.

Huala!

Seemingly having heard Zhang Xuan's calling, the building shook slightly as it raised its head once more.

Seeing that it was possible to communicate with the building, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. He began discussing the matter of having it contract with Guild Leader Ruan.

While Zhang Xuan was in the midst of communicating with the building, hidden in an alley not too far away from the Spirit Awakener Guild, a white-haired elder was glaring at him with hateful eyes.

"That is the man who injured you?"

Standing beside that white-haired elder was another old man. The old man had a moustache shaped like the '八' character, his eyes were slanted diagonally, and there was a crimson scar on his glabella that was eerily reminiscent of a closed eye.

"Yes, that's him! You must kill him and have his corpse torn to shreds, or else I'll never be able to quell the anger in my heart!" the white-haired elder spat with tightly gritted teeth.

He was the Flitting Earth Bandit of the Northern Meadows, Dao Kou!

He had been knocked out by Zhang Xuan's punch previously, and after regaining consciousness, he had found himself unable to forgive that arrogant young man. Thus, he had gone to seek out the old man beside him and brought him over.

Naturally, the old man was the other member of the Twin Bandits, Sky Bearing Bandit Cang Xu!

Cang Xu was a Saint 4-dan Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle expert, and it was due to his overwhelming strength that the Twin Bandits enjoyed such great fame in the Northern Meadows.

"Don't worry. No matter who he is, I will have his soul crushed for daring to hurt my brother!" Cang Xu harrumphed coldly. "However, based on what you said earlier, it seems like that person is a master teacher. His Saint 1-dan cultivation isn't a threat at all, but the Master Teacher Pavilion will come after us if it is found that we have killed a master teacher!"

The Master Teacher Pavilion was not a power to be trifled with.

Even for just a 4-star master teacher, one could only report him to the Master Teacher Pavilion and have them deal with him. If one were found to have harmed a master teacher of their own accord, they would be severely punished for their actions!

Once the Master Teacher Pavilion made a move, there was no one in the continent who could get away unscathed, let alone the both of them!

Dao Kou harrumphed. "So what if he's a master teacher? As long as you use your secret art, you should be able to get rid of him discreetly. The Master Teacher Pavilion will never be able to link his death to you!"

"You shouldn't underestimate the prowess of the Master Teacher Pavilion. If they really try to investigate the matter, they will surely be able to uncover the truth. However... a mere Saint 1-dan small fry won't be worthy of them putting much effort into the matter!" Cang Xu sneered.

As long as the Master Teacher Pavilion put its mind to it, it would be able to uncover the truth of even the most discreet of murders. However, the time, manpower, and resources that would have to be spent on it would be extremely great as well.

Even if it was through a surprise attack, the fact that the young man had been able to knock out Dao Kou in a single punch hinted that his standing in the Master Teacher Pavilion should not have been too low. But that still would not be sufficient to justify the Master Teacher Pavilion paying such a heavy price to investigate his death!

"As you know, I was only barely able to learn the secret art with the guidance of an elder. I cannot afford to be interrupted in the midst of the technique, or else I will suffer a severe rebound. I will need you to protect me later on while I try to snatch his soul," Cang Xu said.

His secret art was, in fact, a soul art that he had found in an ancient domain. It was capable of killing another discreetly, making it extremely difficult to guard against.

It was through such means that they were able to dominate the Northern Meadows, with none daring to get on their bad side.

Dao Kou nodded. "Don't worry, I'll guard you!"

"Un." Cang Xu nodded back. "The secret art only works when I am in within three hundred meters of the target. We will have to find a quiet spot a little closer to the Spirit Awakener Guild."

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Chapter 1108: Pummeling the Guild

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

As fearsome as the secret art was, it had its limits, too. It was best to execute it within a distance of three hundred meters so as to ensure its effectiveness.

As Primordial Spirit realm experts, they were able to conceal their aura and hide their presence easily. In the blink of an eye, they had already made their way over to another alley not too far away from the Spirit Awakener Guild without catching anyone's attention.

After swiftly assessing the distance, Cang Xu noted that it was precisely three hundred meters, and he heaved a sigh of relief. He looked at Zhang Xuan in the sky with narrowed eyes as he said menacingly, "Let's do it here!"

"Alright!" Dao Kou nodded as he warily scanned the surroundings.

Cang Xu would be in a vulnerable state while he was executing the secret art. He would not be able to move, so someone had to protect him during that period.

As Cang Xu took a seat on the ground, he drove his zhenqi furiously. Blood suddenly began seeping from the crimson scar on his glabella, producing a hair-raising sight.

Tzzzzzzz!

A sinister killing intent slowly drifted from his glabella. Something that was reminiscent of a Primordial Spirit floated above his head, and it slowly morphed into the shape of a mini altar.

The mini altar had a peculiar form unlike any other. If Zhang Xuan had witnessed this scene, he would have immediately recognized the altar as identical to the one that he had snatched from the Jadeleaf King, except for the fact that it was much smaller.

Upon seeing the appearance of the altar, Dao Kou heaved a sigh of relief.

As mystical as his brother's secret art sounded, it was rather simple in theory. It involved using the cultivator's Primordial Spirit as a medium to draw in the target's soul. Once this happened, the target, being deprived of their soul, would die unknowingly. It was troublesome to execute, but its value lay in how discreet it was. Even a 7-star pinnacle master teacher might not notice the attack even if it was happening right before his eyes!

Weng!

As Cang Xu drove his zhenqi, light shone from the altar, and a bizarre-looking figure emerged from it. The bizarre-looking figure made some peculiar movements similar to an awkward tribal dance to summon Zhang Xuan's soul.

Soft mutterings reminiscent of dream talk echoed in the air as a slight glow radiated from the altar. The slight glow, invisible to the eyes of others, slowly crept up and gathered around Zhang Xuan's body, shrouding him entirely in it.

Got him!

Sensing that the other party's soul was within his grasp, Cang Xu smiled in excitement. He quickly used his Primordial Spirit to drag Zhang Xuan's soul toward the altar.

How can it be so heavy?

A tug, and Cang Xu knew that something was amiss. For some reason, the other party's soul felt as heavy as a mountain. Despite his tug, it was not budging in the least!

In this moment, he felt like a cricket trying to fell a tree.

Cang Xu was perplexed. What is going on?

With his strength as a Primordial Spirit pinnacle cultivator, even if he assaulted an expert of the same cultivation realm as him, he would still be able to easily drag the other party's soul toward him. Yet, how could the soul of that Saint 1-dan young man possibly be so heavy?

I don't believe that I won't be able to pull him over.

Narrowing his eyes, Cang Xu harrumphed coldly within as he tugged with even greater force.

...

While Cang Xu was straining himself over there, Zhang Xuan was currently communicating with the spirit of the guild building.

"Be a good boy and seal the contract with that nice auntie over there..." Zhang Xuan communicated his thoughts over to the spirit of the guild building.

Hualala!

Upon hearing those words, the spirit of the guild building suddenly rippled anxiously, seemingly expressing its opposition to the notion.

It was the young man before it who had awoken its spirit, so naturally, it was only willing to submit to him. It was deeply reluctant to be contracted to another being other than him.

"Hmm?"

Just as Zhang Xuan was about to continue persuading the spirit of the guild building, he suddenly felt a light yank on his soul. The sensation... felt a little similar to being bitten by a mosquito or being tugged by a little child. He instinctively retaliated by pulling back on whatever was tugging on his soul, but before he could process what it was, the guild building before him suddenly leaped up furiously.

Puhe!

Due to the sheer size of the guild building, it was able to cover several hundred meters within a single leap. A resounding squish sounded beneath where it landed, and following shortly after was a shriek of agony similar to the sound of a pig being butchered.

" Brother! "

For some reason, Zhang Xuan found that shriek peculiarly familiar. Lowering his gaze, he saw Dao Kou, the man whom he had sent flying some time before, staring at the ground before him with a look of horror.

And in front of him, an old man was crushed into a meat patty under the sheer weight of the guild building.

While conducting the soul attack on Zhang Xuan, Cang Xu had been unable to move his body at all. Despite all the precautions he had prepared beforehand, he had never thought that the massive guild building would be able to move so energetically, and he ended up being crushed to death before he could even react.

No one would have thought that the Sky Bearing Bandit Cang Xu, who had the entire Northern Meadows trembling in fear at his name, would end up dying at the hands of a building.

"It really ended up trampling someone to death..." Zhang Xuan's lips twitched as he watched his worst nightmare come to be.

Previously, he had been thinking that if the guild building ran amok, someone would eventually be hurt. To think that it actually happened...

Looking downward at the crying Dao Kou, he could not help but feel deeply apologetically.

It was just a moment ago that he had beaten the other party up, and now, the guild building that he had awoken ended up crushing the other party's brother into a lump of meat. This fellow sure was unlucky!

Swiftly flying downward, Zhang Xuan sighed deeply and said, "My condolences. Rest assured, I'll teach this guild building a lesson!"

"You bastard, I'll kill you!"

However, for some reason, Dao Kou only seemed to become even more incensed upon hearing Zhang Xuan's consolation. With eyes reddened in anger, he roared furiously and charged forward.

In his view, Zhang Xuan was the culprit who severely injured him and killed his brother, and his words appeared to be mocking him. Hatred clouded his mind, and he felt as if he would never be able to vent his anger unless he ripped the bastard in front of him into pieces.

Boom!

Before Dao Kou reached Zhang Xuan, an intense gust of wind tore through the area, and in the next moment, a massive figure suddenly came crashing down.

Paji!

Crushed under the guild, Dao Kou was flattened like a pancake, just like Cang Xu.

"You..." Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up in fury.

Building, you are too much!

How can you blatantly murder others right before my eyes? Do you think I'm blind? Unforgivable!

Angered, Zhang Xuan flew up to face the guild building before raising his palm.

Hong long!

A massive palm print formed of zhenqi gathered before him before bursting forth toward the guild building.

In face of Zhang Xuan's wrath, the guild building whimpered indignantly, not daring to move in the slightest.

...

Hu hu!

Hall Master Xing and Division Head Liao were making their way over to the Spirit Awakener Guild.

While travelling, Division Head Liao had sent a message over to his acquaintances at the Spirit Awakener Guild through a Communication Jade Token.

After reading the message that had just appeared on his Communication Jade Token, Division Head Liao informed Hall Master Xing with a troubled frown, "Guild Leader Ruan is currently in the guild, but... it seems like she's currently preoccupied with some matters at the moment. She might not be free to enchant your Primordial Spirit."

It was a necessary formality for the head of the Combat Master Hall to send a notice before visiting the Spirit Awakener Guild. Otherwise, if there was no one there to receive him, it would not look good on Hall Master Xing's part either.

"Preoccupied?" Hall Master Xing frowned. "Tell her that I'm willing to pay any price as long as she agrees to help me!"

The matter concerning the Xuanxuan Faction was extremely urgent. He had to resolve it as soon as possible, or he would be risking the utter disgrace of the Combat Master Hall. In order to prevent that, Hall Master Xing was willing to pay any price he needed to.

"Alright, I'll relay your words to her!" Division Head Liao swiped his finger on the Communication Jade Token, and a moment later, he frowned. "She says that... she really has urgent matters to attend to, and she won't be able help you today!"

"What about the other two vice guild heads?" Hall Master Xing asked.

"It seems like they are also with her," Division Guild Liao replied.

"With her? What in the world are they up to?" Hall Master Xing flung his sleeves. "Tell them that our Combat Master Hall is willing to settle any problem they are facing as long as they are willing to nourish my Primordial Spirit!"

"Alright, I'll try asking..." Knowing that this matter was of grave importance, Division Head Liao nodded and sent another message. A moment later, the Communication Jade Token in his palm glowed, and a line of words emerged.

Upon seeing what was written on it, Division Head Liao's body stiffened, and he nearly fell from the sky.

Hall Master Xing frowned. "What's wrong?"

"They said... They said..." the usually-composed Division Head Liao stuttered.

"They said that they are currently in the midst of watching someone pummel their guild!"

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Chapter 1109: Huge Trouble

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Hall Master Xing was stunned. For a moment, he thought that he had misheard.

"What did you say? Pummel what?"

Division Head Liao took another look at the words on his Communication Jade Token, and he replied with an indescribable expression on his face, "Pummel their guild..."

"Guild? What guild?" Hall Master Xing widened his eyes in bewilderment. "Did Guild Leader Ruan offend some other guild?"

"That's not it. They are watching someone pummel their own guild... It seems like someone has succeeded in enchanting the Spirit Awakener Guild's building, and the building has come to life!" Division Head Liao explained.

"Someone enchanted the Spirit Awakener Guild's building?" Hall Master Xing's lower jaw nearly fell to the ground.

Even though he was not a spirit awakener, he also understood that the larger an object was, the harder it would be to enchant it. Considering how large the guild building was, it was bound to be far more difficult to enchant it compared to normal artifacts. For someone to actually successfully enchant it... just which incredible spirit awakener could it be?

"It seems to be the deed of a foreign spirit awakener who goes by the name of Sun Qiang," said Division Head Liao.

"Sun Qiang?" Hall Master Xing frowned.

Not knowing much about the Spirit Awakener Guild, the name did not ring a bell to him.

A thought suddenly flashed through Hall Master Xing's mind, and he spoke with an excited gleam in his eyes. "Right! If that Sun Qiang person is able to enchant even the entire guild building, he will surely be more than capable of nourishing and stabilizing my Primordial Spirit, right?"

"You're right!" Division Head Liao nodded in agreement.

He knew full well that even with Guild Leader Ruan and the other vice guild leaders' proficiency in spirit enchantment, they were still incapable of enchanting something as large as the guild building. Given that Sun Qiang was able to do it, it could only mean that his proficiency in spirit enchantment was far greater than theirs.

If they could acquire his assistance, perhaps Hall Master Xing would really be able to clear the Trial of Inner Demons and obtain the heritage, thus resolving the crisis they were in!

"Let's head over to take a look!" Agitated, the duo hastened their footsteps.

It did not take too long for them to arrive at the Spirit Awakener Guild. There, they saw a young man wagging his finger furiously at the massive building while bellowing angrily.

Meanwhile, the guild building's long neck was lowered miserably. From time to time, it would nick the young man's robe, seemingly trying to appease him.

"This..."

Even though they had heard that someone had successfully enchanted the Spirit Awakener Guild's building, it was still shocking to see it with their own eyes.

Such a huge building was moving its body ceaselessly, and the paint and dust on it were tearing off layer after layer, causing a cloak of dust to rise in the area. It was a truly fantastical sight.

More importantly... that massive figure was actually fawning over the young man, trying its best to express its goodwill toward him. Hall Master Xing and Division Head Liao could not help but feel as if their perception of the world had just collapsed altogether.

"Guild Leader Ruan, Vice Guild Leader Chen, Vice Guild Leader Xu!" Stepping forward, Division Head Liao greeted the three ladies as he introduced his companion. "This is the head of the Combat Master Hall, Hall Master Xing!"

"It's pleasure to meet you. I have long heard of your name..."

The three top brass of the Spirit Awakener Guild quickly greeted Hall Master Xing politely.

"Pardon me. As fellow residents of Qingyuan City, I should have come over long ago to greet you all." After trading a few pleasantries, Hall Master Xing turned his gaze toward the young man before the guild building and remarked, "I don't think that I have seen Spirit Awakener Sun Qiang around before..."

"He has just arrived at Qingyuan City not too long ago, and his proficiency of spirit enchantment is one that leaves even me deeply impressed. Hall Master Xing, if you truly hope to have your Primordial Spirit enchanted, it would be best for you to seek his assistance!" Guild Leader Ruan replied.

Honestly speaking, the cultivation of Hall Master Xing was a little too high for her spirit enchantment to work well on his Primordial Spirit.

"I'll have to trouble Guild Leader Ruan to introduce me to him then." Hall Master Xing quickly bowed.

"I also only just got to know him a while ago, so I'm afraid that there's nothing I can do if he refuses to help," Guild Leader Ruan said.

At this moment, Division Head Liao could not help but ask, "Guild Leader Ruan, if I may just ask, why is Spirit Awakener Sun Qiang beating up the guild building all of a sudden?"

This matter had left him deeply perplexed.

Since the other party had successfully enchanted the guild building, why was he pummeling it now?

"As the guild building has just been enchanted, it is still lacking in its judgmental ability. Earlier, it crushed two people to death, and that has caused Spirit Awakener Sun Qiang to fly into a rage!"

"It crushed two people to death?" Hall Master Xing and Division Head Liao were taken aback.

"Un. It crushed the Twin Bandits of the Northern Meadow, Cang Xu and Dao Kou, to death earlier on..." Guild Leader Ruan swiftly filled Hall Master Xing and Division Head Liao in on the matter.

"The Twin Bandits of the Northern Meadows have killed innumerable people in their time. Who would have thought that they would lose their lives here?" After hearing those words, the two combat masters were startled for a moment before shaking their heads at the capriciousness of the world.

The Twin Bandits of the Northern Meadows were notorious within the Qingyuan Conferred Empire. If not for the fact that they were often hidden amid the marshlands, they would have long been hunted down by others.

Previously, the Qingyuan Empire's emperor had dispatched a force to have them eliminated, but the both of them still managed to get away. Eventually, they could only drop the matter.

Who knew that the both of them were brazen enough to step into Qingyuan City... and who would have thought that their lives would be ended beneath the feet of a mere building? Perhaps this was karma working its way around them.

While their minds were still dwelling on the matter, they suddenly heard the bellow of the young man ahead of them.

"Alright, stop acting pitifully here. Hurry up and seal the contract with Guild Leader Ruan!"

Zhang Xuan was truly angry.

As the saying goes, 'an untrimmed tree grows bent; an undisciplined man turns crooked!'

It was indeed true that the spirit of the guild building had just awoken, so it might not have understood much of the world. However, if it were to go undisciplined, wouldn't it go around killing others?

Zhang Xuan had always avoided causing trouble wherever he went, so why would a spirit he enchanted turn out to be so undependable?

How disappointing!

Seeing that Zhang Xuan was angry, the guild building dared not utter the slightest word of complaint. It indignantly stretched its slender neck toward Guild Leader Ruan.

Very soon, the contract was sealed.

"Thank you, Sun shi!" Having finally tamed the guild building, Guild Leader Ruan heaved a sigh of relief and clasped her fist toward the young man.

"There's no need to stand on ceremony..." Zhang Xuan waved his hand casually. "This fellow seems to have a bad temper, killing people on a whim. You have to keep a tight watch over it in the future!"

"The Twin Bandits of the Northern Meadows don't have too good of a reputation. In a sense, they deserved their fate. Rest assured, our Spirit Awakener Guild will deal with the matter, so Sun shi need not worry about it," Guild Leader Ruan said with a smile.

The abrupt deaths of two Primordial Spirit realm experts could cause pandemonium, but this might just work out to be a blessing in disguise for the Spirit Awakener Guild.

Even though most would not dare act against the Spirit Awakener Guild on the surface out of fear for its connections, its low fighting prowess paired with its wealth still made it an attractive target for most, and there were those who operated in the shadows against it. However, if others were to learn that its guild building had just stomped two powerful Primordial Spirit realm experts to death, many would be deterred from the idea of laying their hands on the guild.

Such a matter could only be beneficial to them.

Zhang Xuan shook his head and said, "No matter what, they did die as a result of my doings. Here are two hundred high-tier spirit stones. If an opportunity arises, please hand it over to their offspring or kin!"

Even though the Twin Bandits of the Northern Meadows had committed many evil deeds and deserved to die, it should not have been by his hands. After all, they had not done much to him yet. Thus, he could not help but feel a little guilty about having killed them.

It had not been his intention to cause trouble.

All he wanted to do was to remain the pretty boy he was in the background, but trouble just had to keep knocking on his door.

Guild Leader Ruan hesitated for a moment, but seeing that Zhang Xuan had made up his mind, she eventually took the spirit stones from him and nodded. "This... Very well, we will handle this matter for you..."

At that moment, she could not help but feel a tinge of admiration for the young man.

He could have easily stood on the moral high ground and justified his actions through the immoral actions of the Twin Bandits, but he chose to acknowledge the portion of his sins in the matter as well. To stand up for what he did instead of making excuses, this was a true master teacher.

Putting everything aside, Kong shi had also caused a fair bit of trouble back then. However, it was how he resolved those problems that won him the admiration of all, thus allowing him to eventually become respected as the World's Teacher.

"I'll be troubling you then..." Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. At this point, he suddenly remembered something and added, "I prefer to keep a low profile, so I don't want too many people to learn of this news. Thus, I hope that Guild Leader Ruan can help me keep a lid on the matter."

"Low profile?" Guild Leader Ruan's face twitched uncontrollably.

You enchanted the guild building, bringing it to life, shortly after you arrived and even killed two Primordial Spirit realm experts afterwards...

Is this your definition of low profile?

Surely there is not a single person who is more high profile than you!

However, since the other party had made such a request of her, Guild Leader Ruan still nodded and said, "Sun shi, rest assured. We will warn those in the area to keep silent about this matter."

It was also to their benefit for this matter to remain an enigma to the public. It might cause others to mistakenly assume that the Spirit Awakener Guild had a powerful expert in their midst, and this would further ensure their security.

"Sun shi, allow me to introduce you!" After chatting for a while longer, Guild Leader Ruan gestured Zhang Xuan over to two men standing not too far away. "These two men are the head of the Combat Master Hall, Xing Tianming, and the head of the Heart Division, Liao Bujin."

"Head of the Combat Master Hall?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.

One of the main reasons he came to the Qingyuan Conferred Empire was to lead the Xuanxuan Faction to an exchange with the Combat Master Hall. The date that they had agreed on was three days from now, so he had not really expected to see the other party there.

"That's right. Hall Master Xing and Division Head Liao, this is Spirit Awakener Sun Qiang. He is a master teacher as well," Guild Leader Ruan said.

"Master teacher?" Hall Master Xing looked at Zhang Xuan with a frown. For some reason, he found the young man before him weirdly familiar. "May I know which Master Teacher Pavilion Sun shi is from?"

"I..." Zhang Xuan was just about to say that he was from Hongyuan Empire, but he quickly stopped himself before he could say those words.

If he were to reveal that he was from Hongyuan Empire, it would not take long for Hall Master Xing to connect the dots and uncover his true identity. If so, he would risk being exposed publicly that he had used a fake alias, and that would make the situation even more awkward.

"I have been wandering around with my teacher ever since I was young, so I haven't joined any Master Teacher Pavilion branches yet. I only took my master teacher examination in a Tier-1 Empire Master Teacher Pavilion..." Zhang Xuan quickly changed his words.

In the strictest sense, that could not be considered lying.

He had not joined any Master Teacher Pavilions, and he had indeed been wandering around the area.

"I see..." Hall Master Xing nodded.

There were indeed quite a few itinerant master teachers who chose not to join a Master Teacher Pavilion, so it wasn't particularly shocking.

However, considering the fact that the other party had not joined a Master Teacher Pavilion and yet could still wield such capability at his age, surpassing even Guild Leader Ruan and the others in the field of spirit enchantment, his teacher was bound to be no ordinary figure!

After trading some pleasantries, Hall Master Xing finally popped the request with a look of anticipation. "I heard that Sun shi's has a deep grasp over spirit enchantment, so I came here hoping for you to enchant my Primordial Spirit..."

"Me?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.

In his studies, he did learn that spirit awakeners had the ability to nourish souls and Primordial Spirits, making them more wholesome. However, he had not thought that his first client would turn out to be... the head of the Combat Master Hall!

"Yes. I'll be truly grateful if Sun shi accedes to my request," Hall Master Xing quickly replied politely.

"That isn't a problem. However... I have one artifact whose spirit is currently in a dormant state, and I need to wake it up first. If Hall Master Xing does not mind, may I ask you to wait for a moment while I treat it?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Considering how the head of the Combat Master Hall had come over and earnestly made this request of him, he had no reason to turn him down. Besides, with the Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art, reinforcing the other party's Primordial Spirit was not a particularly difficult task for him.

However, the Golden Origin Cauldron took priority over that.

"This..." Hall Master Xing and Division Head Liao frowned upon hearing those words, and they shot a glance at one another.

Based on what they had heard, waking a dormant spirit was a particularly difficult feat to pull off even for a spirit awakener. More importantly, it was highly depleting on the spirit awakener's soul energy as well. It was very likely that the other party would not be able to conduct a spirit enchantment for many days after that, and their matter couldn't afford to be delayed.

Hall Master Xing hesitated for a brief moment before asking, "Sun shi, may I speak with you privately?"

Hearing those words, Guild Leader Ruan knew that they needed some space to discuss private matters, so she clasped her fist with a smile. "I have just sealed the contract with the spirit of the guild building, so I still have to familiarize myself with it. I'll be taking my leave first..."

Vice Guild Leader Chen and Vice Guild Leader Xu followed closely behind her.

Seeing that the head of the Combat Master Hall wanted to speak privately with him, Zhang Xuan waved his hand and created an isolation barrier around him before turning his gaze back to the other party. "May I know what matter it is that you wish to speak of?"

Hall Master Xing gritted his teeth and said, "To be honest with you, our Combat Master Hall has been facing some huge problems recently. To deal with the threat at hand, I need to temper my Primordial Spirit as soon as possible so that I can clear the Trial of Inner Demons and raise my fighting prowess... or else, the consequences will be unimaginable! Thus... I hope to that Sun shi will enchant my Primordial Spirit first. For that, our Combat Master Hall is willing to fulfill any request that you have!"

"Huge problems?" Zhang Xuan was startled.

What kind of problem or enemy was the Combat Master Hall facing that left its head scrambling to raise his fighting prowess?

It was unimaginable that there was an enemy that even the Combat Master Hall was unable deal with. Just what kind of prodigious figure were they up against?

In that moment, Zhang Xuan could not help but feel a little apprehensive. It seemed like Qingyuan City was far more dangerous than he had thought!

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Chapter 1110: Truly Impressive!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The Combat Master Hall was the guild that boasted the greatest fighting power within the Qingyuan Empire. Not even the Master Teacher Pavilion could compare to it!

Yet, even a power as strong as the Combat Master Hall was being forced to tread carefully, and judging from Hall Master Xing's tone, it seemed like they had been backed into a corner, possibly at stake of being completely wiped out. Just the thought of it was sufficient to leave cold sweat dripping down his back!

However, giving some deeper thought to it, Zhang Xuan felt that he might have been giving the matter too much thought. After all, if a disaster were to truly strike, news should have already spread far and wide. At the very least, as the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, he should have been privy to the news as well. As the old adage goes, 'no news is good news'. Given that Hall Master Xing still had the time to drop by the Spirit Awakener Guild to have his Primordial Spirit enchanted, the problem did not seem to be too severe.

"Pardon me, but may I ask what kind of problem the Combat Master Hall is facing? Perhaps, I might be able to help," Zhang Xuan said.

Given how the Combat Master Hall had accepted his request for an exchange readily, it was only right for him to reciprocate the favor and help them when they were in need.

Hearing Zhang Xuan's question, Hall Master Xing's face reddened, and he quickly waved his hand. "Sun shi, thank you for your concern. However, it would be better for our Combat Master Hall to resolve this problem by ourselves. It will suffice if you can just help reinforce my Primordial Spirit so that I could successfully clear the Trial of Inner Demons..."

If others were to learn that the source of his trouble was a mere student faction from a Tier-1 Empire... he would never be able to raise his head anymore!

He simply could not bring himself to speak of this matter to another soul outside of the Combat Master Hall!

"This... Alright then!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Since he had already mastered the art of spirit enchantment, he could treat the Golden Origin Cauldron any time he wanted. Considering that the head of the Combat Master Hall had gone so far as to plead with him, he could not bring himself to turn the other party down.

"Thank you, Sun shi!" Hearing the other party's agreement, Hall Master Xing was delighted. "Shall we find a better place to do the spirit enchantment?"

Due to the intricacies in enchanting a Primordial Spirit, it had to be conducted in absolute silence so that the spirit awakener would not be disturbed in the process. Considering that the guild building was running around at the moment, even killing two men at that, it did not seem like a fitting location to conduct the spirit enchantment.

"This..." Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

It did seem like the guild building would take some time to quieten down. Furthermore, it was one thing for the spirit enchantment to fail, but if the guild building were to go on a rampage once more and stomp the head of the Combat Master Hall to death, he could see himself being apprehended and executed not too long later.

"Our Combat Master Hall's Heart Division has a formation that isolates the space within from the external world. Why don't we head there instead?" Division Head Liao suggested.

"Sounds good." Zhang Xuan nodded.

In truth, he had also been planning to drop by the Combat Master Hall to take a look, and since the other party was inviting him over at this moment, there was no reason for him to turn them down. Also, it would be a good opportunity for him to assess the fighting prowess of the combat masters before mentally preparing the members of the Xuanxuan Faction for it.

Otherwise, he would be put in a spot if that bunch were to get into trouble here.

After bidding Guild Leader Ruan and the others farewell, Zhang Xuan followed Hall Master Xing back to the Combat Master Hall.

The Qingyuan Empire Combat Master Hall was located not too far away from his accommodation. It was a majestic building that exuded a powerful aura, deterring any troublemakers from committing any foolishness.

"It is even bigger than the Spirit Awakener Guild..." Zhang Xuan was astonished. He could not help but wonder. If I were to successfully enchant this building, it would surely be able to run faster than the Spirit Awakener Guild's building...

"Sun shi, this is our Combat Master Hall! Our Combat Master Hall is divided into Ten Divisions..." Seeing that Zhang Xuan was looking around curiously, Division Head Liao began introducing the basic structure of the Combat Master Hall. "... and I am the head of the Heart Division!"

"The Ten Divisions of the Combat Master Hall..." Zhang Xuan made a mental note.

He had never really heard about it from anyone before. He would have to inform Ruohuan gongzi and the others of the matter so that they could take note of it during the exchange.

"Footwork Division, Weapon Division, Palm Division, Fist Division... I can roughly fathom what those divisions are focused on, but what does the Heart Division specialize in?" Zhang Xuan asked with intrigue.

It was not too difficult to guess what the other divisions did from their names, but what in the world was the Heart Division?

"Actually, the Heart Division is the most important, as well as the most fearsome division in the Combat Master Hall!" The one who responded to Zhang Xuan's question was Hall Master Xing.

"Oh?" Zhang Xuan was perplexed.

"One of the core responsibilities of the Combat Master Hall is to fend off the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. However, the killing intent that Otherworldly Demons emanate is incredibly potent, and over time, it will slowly corrode one's mind and soul. In order to withstand their killing intent, it is of the utmost importance that combat masters possess mental resilience far surpassing others. It is also for this reason that the Heart Division was founded"! Hall Master Xing explained.

"As the saying goes, it's the brave who survive an encounter on a narrow bridge. There are many cases where a cultivator possessing more condensed zhenqi, a more resilient physical body, and stronger soul energy ends up losing to an opponent far weaker than them! In a battle, it's not only strength and technique that counts. More often than not, it's a clash of wills as well, and the one with the stronger will is often the one standing at the end!"

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.

He could relate with that point of view as well.

Taking himself for example, he had encountered plenty of opponents who were stronger than him in every aspect. However, be it the Scarletleaf King, Skyleaf King, or even Dao Kou, despite possessing the decisive advantage in a direct battle against him, they still ended up dying by his hand.

Ultimately, this could be boiled down to the differing intensity of their wills.

A cultivator lacking a strong will would find themself being beguiled or outmaneuvered by their opponent, thus eventually suffering an untimely death.

That was not to say that cultivating one's body and zhenqi weren't important, but it was only with a state of mind that was proportionately powerful with one's abilities would one be able to bring forth one's full strength.

Looking Wang Ying for example, despite cultivating the Heaven's Path Movement Art, her lack of confidence still eventually resulted in her loss in the Teacher Evaluation back at Hongtian Academy.

That matter had taught Zhang Xuan that he had to pay close heed to the mental development of his disciples as well. Even though Wang Ying was still a little shy in front of strangers, she was at least much more decisive than before.

"The development of the mind is extremely important. The combat masters of the Heart Division have a far firmer will compared to those from the other divisions, allowing them to stand unwaveringly before the temptations of the world," said Hall Master Xing.

Of the two hundred combat masters who had joined the Xuanxuan Faction, there was not a single one that was from the Heart Division. In fact, while the other division heads were easily drawn by the benefits that the Xuanxuan Faction offered, Division Head Liao was the only one who had been able to retain his composure, even calmly strategized a solution out of the quandary for him!

All of this was a result of his cultivation of his state of mind.

At this point, Hall Master Xing could not help but feel deeply regretful for neglecting to enforce the cultivation of the state of mind within the Combat Master Hall. If he had done that in the first place, the Combat Master Hall might not have been cornered by the Xuanxuan Faction in the first place.

"The Trial of Inner Demons can be divided into many different levels, and the strength of the inner demon in each level differs from one another as well. By clashing frequently with one's inner demons, one can temper one's will and reinforce one's state of mind!" Hall Master Xing explained.

Zhang Xuan nodded.

His will had become significantly more resilient after facing an inner demon during the Saint Ascension Ordeal, inducing a significant rise in his Soul Depth. Were it not for the inner demon being too weak, the benefits that he would have received could have been much greater than that!

A thought suddenly came to Zhang Xuan's mind, and his eyes lit up. "The Trial of Inner Demons sounds truly interesting. Could I give it a try as well to temper my will?"

"Of course! That's not a problem at all!" Hall Master Xing replied with a smile.

"You have my gratitude!" Zhang Xuan thanked him with a smile in return.

As long as he could withstand the temptation of the inner demons, he could elevate his state of mind to greater heights. Since the Trial of Inner Demons had such a function as well, it would be a waste not to use it!

While they were chatting, the crowd walked into the Combat Master Hall.

Behind the majestic building front was a cluster of buildings. They were clearly segregated into ten areas, which probably corresponded to each of the Ten Divisions.

Division Head Liao led the way forward, and it did not take long for them to arrive in the Heart Division.

Before them stood a huge, pitch-black building with a bizarre design that was strikingly similar to a heart. From afar, it looked as if the heart was beating swiftly.

"This is the Heart Division," Division Head Liao said as he led the way into the building.

As soon as Zhang Xuan stepped into the building, he immediately felt rich spiritual energy gushing at him. Not only so, a unique atmosphere seemed to linger in the air within the building, bringing tranquility to one's heart.

"We have set up a formation that gathers spiritual energy and calms the minds of those within the building. Sun shi, why don't you conduct the spirit enchantment for Hall Master Xing here?" Division Head Liao proposed as they arrived in one of the rooms in the Heart Division.

Zhang Xuan nodded.

The Heart Division was much quieter than the Spirit Awakener Guild, making its environment much more suitable for conducting a spirit enchantment. It would probably be much easier for him to wake the Golden Origin Cauldron's spirit here too.

After finding a suitable area within the room, Zhang Xuan gestured to the spot before him and said, "Hall Master Xing, please take a seat."

"Un." Knowing that this would determine whether or not they would be able to resolve the crisis that the Combat Master Hall was facing, Hall Master Xing quickly nodded and took a seat.

"Calm your mind and focus your consciousness within your Primordial Spirit," Zhang Xuan instructed.

"Alright." Hall Master Xing closed his eyes and centered his consciousness around his Primordial Spirit. In a moment, he entered a trance, reminiscent of a meditating old monk.

Not bad! Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in commendation.

It was just a moment ago that the other party had still harbored emotions of anxiety and apprehension, but in the blink of an eye, he had reined in his emotions entirely and freed up his mind. His control over his state of mind and emotions was truly terrifying.

It seems like Wang Ying and the others still have a long way to go, Zhang Xuan remarked internally.

Having learned the Heaven's Path battle techniques from him, Wang Ying and the others could be considered invincible existences within their power class. However, in terms of state of mind, they were nowhere on par with Hall Master Xing.

The ability to control one's state of mind freely might not seem like much, but it could play a decisive role in battle.

In controlled circumstances such as an official tournament, Zhang Xuan was confident that Wang Ying and the others would be able to achieve victory easily. However, if it was a fight to the death, the veteran combat masters would be able to play on their weak minds and make them panic, and this would inadvertently result in openings in their movements.

This was inevitable. It was possible for Wang Ying and the others to advance their cultivation swiftly, but the same was clearly infeasible for their state of mind. Ultimately, they were still too young. In terms of mental resilience, there was no way they could rival the much older and experienced combat masters.

Zhang Xuan made a mental note. I really have to pay more attention to the cultivation of their state of mind...

Those thoughts were swiftly tossed aside from his mind. He knew that this was not the time to be contemplating such matters. Raising his gaze to face Hall Master Xing, he focused his mind as he slowly placed his palm down on the ground.

Weng!

A circle of light shrouded Hall Master Xing.

Driving the Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art, Zhang Xuan warped his consciousness into a thin thread before carefully delving into the other party's mind.

Enchanting an artifact was different from enchanting a Primordial Spirit. The former only required the spirit awakener to light up the flames of spirit within the artifact's consciousness, but as for the enchantment of a Primordial Spirit, the spirit awakener would have to extend his consciousness into the cultivator's mind and slowly search for the flaws and openings within it to repair.

As Zhang Xuan approached Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit, he could not help but widen his eyes in shock. He's even more fearsome than the Skyleaf King...

Regardless of whether it was the quality or the size, Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit had far surpassed that of the Skyleaf King!

Considering that Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit was already far stronger than that of the Leaving Aperture realm Skyleaf King despite only being at the Half-Leaving Aperture realm, it was difficult to imagine how terrifying his might would be once he became a full-fledged Leaving Aperture realm expert!

With such incredible strength, he should be able to withstand a third of my strength if he suppresses his cultivation to my level, Zhang Xuan thought in awe.

Truly impressive!

Chapter 1111: What a Long Rift

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Even though the Skyleaf King had only been at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage, his Primordial Spirit had already undergone the tempering of the Leaving Aperture Ordeal, bringing the strength of his Primordial Spirit to a whole new level. However, Hall Master Xing was only at Half-Leaving Aperture realm, but his Primordial Spirit was already far stronger than that of the Skyleaf King. This was truly frightening.

Even so, provided that they were in the same cultivation realm, it was still impossible for Hall Master Xing to defeat him.

After all, he had cultivated the Saint Ascension Decipher and ascended to become a Celestial Saint. In his power class, there were none who could possibly be a match for him. The fact that Hall Master Xing was able to withstand a third of his strength was already an incredible feat in itself.

Let me see what kind of flaws there are in his Primordial Spirit... Activating his Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan began assessing the sight before him.

The Primordial Spirit ahead of him had a transparent quality reminiscent of a perfect crystal.

Any other spirit awakener in his place would have been awed by the overwhelming might of the Primordial Spirit, but with the sharp gaze of Zhang Xuan's Eye of Insight, he was able to easily find innumerable flaws in the Primordial Spirit. There were many gaps that presented themselves in the form of depressions on the surface of the Primordial Spirit that would have prevented the flow of thought and power.

In a way, it was similar to glass; while it seemed flat and smooth to the human eye, one would find little bumps and depressions on it when placed under a microscope.

The Eye of Insight was capable of peering through the essence of items. Even though the other party's Primordial Spirit appeared transparent and perfect on the surface, ultimately, it was not formed from cultivating the Heaven's Path Divine Art. When magnified, Zhang Xuan was able to see all kinds of depressions and rifts on it.

After studying it for a moment, Zhang Xuan nodded. As long as I fill up those depressions, it will be difficult for inner demons to assault him.

Inner demons were formed from the deepest desires or the apprehension within one's heart. If one's Primordial Spirit was perfect, devoid of depressions and openings, it would be like a completely sealed egg, making it difficult for inner demons to breach one's defenses.

Zhang Xuan smiled as he reached his hand forward. Fortunately, the depressions aren't too big, so it won't be too difficult to resolve the issue.

With every single tap, a bundle of spirit would fill up the depressions within Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit. The glow that it radiated gradually became brighter and brighter, and eventually, it was nearly blinding.

Hmm? There's a long rift here. While traveling around Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit, Zhang Xuan suddenly caught sight of something that left a deep frown on his forehead.

At the back of Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit, there was a glaring rift that extended down the center, from one end to the other.

Even though it isn't too deep, it has severed many of the connections within the Primordial Spirit, preventing it from functioning normally. Zhang Xuan stroked his lower jaw and fell into deep thought.

It seemed like Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit had been severely injured at some point, or else it was impossible for there to be such a huge rift on his Primordial Spirit.

Zhang Xuan scratched his head as he contemplated. It's not too difficult to fill up the smaller depressions using the means I have learned from the spirit awakener books. But, such a huge rift... How should I go about fixing it?

Judging the huge size of the rift, reminiscent of a valley in the Primordial Spirit, it was apparent than ordinary means would not work on it.

To make an analogy, a wall that had depressions could easily be plastered over to make it smooth once more, but if half of the wall collapsed altogether, the repair work would be far more complicated than that.

Suddenly, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in excitement.

Wait... While ordinary methods will not work, if I use the method that I use for artifact enchantment within this rift, I might just be able to fill it up swiftly!

Ordinary methods were unlikely to work, but considering how his spirit enchantment could bring even the massive building of the Spirit Awakener Guild to life, it should not be too difficult for him to create a spirit within the crevice to fill it up.

There had been no records on anyone doing this before, but... didn't Kong shi just offer him some advice not too long ago?

He had to innovate and forge his own path!

Sticking along with the conventions would just limit his potential!

And this was the time for him to do so. If he were to succeed, Hall Master Xing would surely be able to clear the Trial of Inner Demons easily and resolve the problem plaguing the Combat Master Hall!

Kong shi is the World's Teacher; there can't be any mistake trusting him! Zhang Xuan nodded his head in satisfaction.

He swiftly assessed the feasibility of the matter based on his comprehension on spirit enchantment. There might be some side effects from doing so, but it won't affect his core.

One of the problems in this solution was that the spirit used to fill up the rift would have its own consciousness as well, similar to that of the guild building. There was a chance that it would run amok.

This would be a huge problem for anyone else, but not for Zhang Xuan. All he had to do was eradicate that consciousness right after the spirit was born.

If it had been any other spirit awakener in his place, the other party would probably have been forced into a bitter fight against the spirit in order to erase it, and in the process of doing so, that might even have harmed Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit. However, as a soul oracle and a poison master, Zhang Xuan had many means that would allow him to effectively deal with spirits.

Alright, it's settled then...

Having conducted a simulation of the entire process in the head and confirming it to be feasible once more, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Drawing his consciousness back to his body, he turned to Division Head Liao and instructed, "Division Head Liao, I'll need you to guard us. By no means should anyone interrupt us during the course of the spirit enchantment!"

Division Head Liao nodded in response. "Rest assured!"

Nodding back, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath and closed his eyes once more. His will slipped into Hall Master Xing's mind along with the light, and in the blink of an eye, he was standing before the rift once more. With a grim expression, he stepped forward and tapped on the rift lightly.

Hu!

The darkness within the rift was slightly cleared by the emergence of a spark of light.

However, the spark was still too small to fill the entire rift. Zhang Xuan had to create another eight sparks before the light was able to cover the entire rift.

After that was finally done, he could not help but feel deeply exhausted.

Previously, in order to enchant the guild building of the Spirit Awakener Guild, he had produced thirty-two sparks, and over here, he had created another eight. All in all, he had already used the abilities of a spirit awakener for more than forty times when the limit for the average spirit awakener was only three times.

With that, he had finally reached his limit.

I need to wipe away that newborn spirit.

Even though Zhang Xuan was exhausted, he knew that it was not the time to rest. Suppressing his exhaustion, he walked up to the rift.

He had to eradicate it as soon as possible, or else the clash of the two wills would cause Hall Master Xing great suffering.

Gathering his soul energy, a brilliant glow gathered on Zhang Xuan's palm. He was just about to make a move when...

Hong long!

The door to the room suddenly burst open. Following which, an anxious voice exclaimed, "Hall Master Xing, bad news..."

Shit... Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in alarm.

He had just been about to speak when the massive Primordial Spirit before him rose from its dormant state. It abruptly released a powerful aura that jolted Zhang Xuan's will out.

Hall Master Xing had awoken from his trance due to that shouting, and as a natural defensive mechanism of his body, Zhang Xuan's will was viewed as a foreign object and forcefully expelled from his mind.

If Zhang Xuan had been in his peak state, he would still have been able to withstand the simple instinctive reflex of Hall Master Xing's body easily. However, drained from all of the spirit enchantments he had done that day, he was feeling sluggish and weak all over, leaving him in no state to defend against Hall Master Xing's reflexive actions.

Returning back to his body, Zhang Xuan opened his eyes and saw an old man standing within the room with a frantic look. Division Head Liao was berating the old man with a deep frown on his forehead, seemingly criticizing the other party for abruptly barging in forcefully.

Having regained consciousness, Hall Master Xing turned to the old man and asked, "Division Head Wei, what's the matter?"

"Hall Master Xing, Division Head Wu of the Footwork Division has also left the Combat Master Hall for the Xuan... that place!" Division Head Wei reported anxiously.

As there was an outsider around, he did not dare say the name 'Xuanxuan Faction'. Otherwise, if others learned that their combat masters had willingly defected to another organization, they would surely have become the joke of the town.

"He still went in the end," Hall Master Xing muttered with a livid expression.

He had thought that his division heads would at least still be able to hold themselves back, but who would have thought that they would succumb to the temptation in the end?

He felt so choked up that he could vomit blood.

Hall Master Xing was just about to speak when the person who had just enchanted his Primordial Spirit for him, Sun shi, suddenly asked with a deeply worried look, "You... Are you still fine?"

"I'm fine. Right, I haven't thanked Sun shi for enchanting my Primordial Spirit yet. I feel like my fighting prowess has been raised another notch, and my entire body is gushing with power!" Hall Master Xing replied with a smile.

As expected of a master spirit awakener, the other party's means were indeed formidable. Just a single session of enchantment, and he could already feel the strength of his Primordial Spirit rising by leaps and bounds.

He felt that it would not be a problem even if he were to challenge the Leaving Aperture Ordeal in his current state.

"I see... I'm glad to see that you are fine!" Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

It seemed like he had worried excessively. Even though he had enchanted a spirit into the other party's Primordial Spirit in order to fill the rift, it only made up a very small portion of it. Under the suppression of Hall Master Xing's powerful Primordial Spirit, it was likely that it would be assimilated before it could do anything.

After thanking Sun shi, Hall Master Xin stood up with a resilient glint in his eyes. "Division Head Liao, prepare the formation. I'll be heading over right now!"

There were only Ten Division Heads in the Combat Master Hall, and five of them had already defected to the Xuanxuan Faction. Granted that it was not a true defection—they were only there to learn battle techniques for the time being—but still... if others were to learn of the matter, it would not reflect well on their Combat Master Hall! Their pride and honor were at risk of being shattered!

He had to resolve this problem at its root once and for all.

"Alright!" Knowing that the situation was urgent, Division Head Liao quickly rushed into action as well. He led the way to a huge hall before placing his palm on a mechanism. A burst of light shone, and a one-man passageway emerged before them.

"I'll be entering now," Hall Master Xing stated. He turned around to look at Zhang Xuan and said, "Sun shi, I'm afraid that I'll have to ask you to stay a while longer. If I fail the trial this time around, I might require your help once more..."

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

After which, Hall Master Xing stepped in.

Watching him leave, Zhang Xuan finally felt exhaustion overcoming his body. Thus, he took a seat on the ground, closed his eyes, and began meditating so as to recuperate from his previous exertion.

He had to drive his soul energy using the Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art ten times before his exhaustion finally alleviated. When he opened his eyes once more, he saw Division Head Liao pacing around the entrance nervously, looking into the passageway from time to time.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Xuan stood up and walked over.

"Hall Master Xing has been inside more than two hours now. I fear that something bad might have befallen him during the trial!" Division Head Liao replied with a worried frown.

"He isn't out yet?" Zhang Xuan also frowned upon hearing those words.

He had been too busy recuperating previously, so he was not too aware of the passing of time. However, doing a swift calculation at the moment, it did seem like two hours had already passed.

This did not make sense. Regardless of whether Hall Master Xing passed or not, the results should have been out by now. It did not make sense for there to not be the slightest movements at all.

"Yes, he isn't out yet," Division Head Liao replied apprehensively. "No matter whether he has cleared the trial or not, he should have at least sent a message by now. However, there's been no news from him at all."

Right after those words were spoken, flurried footsteps suddenly sounded from the passageway. Following which, a figure came into sight.

"You are... Hall Master Xing? W-what happened to you?"

Upon seeing the appearance of the figure, Division Head Liao's lips twitched as his body froze from astonishment.

At the same time, Zhang Xuan also caught sight of the figure, and he nearly fainted on the spot.

"What is that monster?"

Chapter 1112: Hall Master Xing Has Been Eaten

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It was a face covered in huge tumors, and at the very top of his head, there was even a crimson tower of meat stretching half a meter upwards. In this moment, Hall Master Xing looked like a moving cactus!

It was only due to his face retaining some semblance to his original appearance that they did not suspect him of being an inner demon who had escaped from the passageway... However, his appearance was truly eerie!

Didn't he just challenge Trial of Inner Demons?

Why did he look as if he had just been pummeled?

"Hall Master Xing!" Division Head Liao hurriedly rushed forward and cried, "Even if you couldn't clear the trial, you shouldn't have harmed yourself like this..."

The Trial of Inner Demons only served to assess one's mind, so it didn't pose any harm to the physical body. Yet, for Hall Master Xing to return in such a state... Was he so upset about failing the trial that he decided to harm himself?

"You..." Hall Master Xing nearly fainted from anger. He turned to Zhang Xuan, pointed at the tumors on his face furiously, and asked, "Sun shi, can you tell me what is going on over here?"

Not expecting to be dragged into the matter, Zhang Xuan was startled. "You are asking me? How would I know?"

"You really don't know?" Hall Master Xing asked with narrowed eyes as he turned around.

Upon seeing what was behind Hall Master Xing, Zhang Xuan nearly spurted blood.

A crimson flower bud was growing right on the other party's bottom.

A flower on the bottom and a cactus on the head... Zhang Xuan scratched his head in confusion for a moment when a thought suddenly came to him, and his lips twitched. Could it be that... I enchanted the spirit of a plant instead of an artifact into him earlier?

Naturally, different beings had fundamentally differing spirits.

Plant spirits could allow the medicinal herb it was harnessed within to mature swifter and healthier. However, if the spirit died, it was very likely that the entire medicinal herb would wither as well.

Such was the case for most saint herbs.

This was similar to the Bodhi Saint Tree. In the period of time that its spirit was asleep, it looked as if it was dead on the surface. This left Emperor Yu Shenqing in a panic, and he had searched far and wide for herbologists to treat it, nearly resulting in a calamity.

As such, dealing with spirits was also an extremely profound subject, such that it was worth others devoting their whole lives to studying.

That isn't right. I'm certain that I used the method to enchant artifacts on it. Zhang Xuan frowned.

No matter how he thought about it, he just could not understand how an artifact spirit could have possibly turned into a plant spirit.

While he was deep in thought, the bud on Hall Master Xing's bottom suddenly began blossoming, and an indescribably horrendous smell drifted from it. Shortly after, the cactus on his head also began blooming. In a moment, a bunch of flowers could be seen hanging on his head, making him look like a reindeer.

Its growth rate is clearly one of a plant spirit, so could I have really made a mistake? Wait, I've got it!

A thought suddenly struck Zhang Xuan at this moment. Even though I used the method to enchant artifacts on it, the rich vitality with Hall Master Xing's body resulted in the artifact spirit displaying properties similar to those of a plant spirit. This is also why Hall Master Xing's body has transformed in such a bizarre manner as well.

Zhang Xuan had not made any mistakes in his enchantment, but due to the differences in the environment, it was inevitable that the artifact spirit would display unexpected properties from when it was in an artifact.

Most artifacts were non-living until they were enchanted, as shown by their pitch-black world within them. On the other hand, Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit was pulsating with life. It was an environment far more nourishing than any soil. As such, it was inevitable that the spirit that Zhang Xuan had enchanted into his Primordial Spirit had grown frenziedly.

Cough cough!

Upon making sense of what was going on, a bizarre look crept onto Zhang Xuan's face.

With the great strength wielded by Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit, he could still easily suppress the spirit within him easily, preventing it from running amok. However, shortly after having his Primordial Spirit enchanted, he had entered the Trial of Inner Demons, and his mind had come under attack. In his moment of weakness, the spirit had managed to make a comeback and grew frenziedly, thus resulting in the ridiculous circumstances at this moment.

But... what the heck was that plant?

While it resembled a cactus, it was not really one, and the flower on his bottom looked foreign as well.

Ah, it seemed like he had made a grave mistake trusting Kong shi's words!

It was due to the other party's advice that he had taken a leap of faith forward, in hopes of forging his path. Who could have known that barely after he took the first step, he already found himself dropping into a pit?

Kacha! Kacha!

Just as Zhang Xuan was in deep thought, the flowers of the cactus finally matured into fruits roughly the size of a jujube. Round and crimson, it might sound weird to say this, but it looked deeply appetizing.

"What the heck are these?" Seeing that fruits were growing on him, Hall Master Xing was on the verge of tears. He looked at Zhang Xuan desperately, hoping that the latter could resolve his situation.

Even though he was not too sure what was going on, he had an inkling that it had something to do with the spirit enchantment.

Otherwise, given that he had never possessed the ability to flower in the past, why would his talent as a plant blossom all of a sudden?

"Cough cough. I'm not too sure what has happened either. Perhaps you ate something unclean a while ago. Let me take a look at your condition, and I'll see what I can do about it." Knowing that he might be pummeled to life if he admitted that the was the culprit, Zhang Xuan spoke without the slightest redness on his face.

Honestly speaking, it was not his intention for the situation to end up in such a manner. Judging from the size of the rift in Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit, Zhang Xuan knew that it would be nigh impossible for the other party to clear the Trial of Inner Demons if he left it be.

On top of that, it was apparent that Hall Master Xing was in a rush to raise his fighting prowess to deal with some kind of threat, and it was for this reason that Zhang Xuan decided to take the risk after confirming that it was feasible, and it would not pose any threat to the other party's life.

Furthermore, he did plan to deal with the spirit, but he just had to be disrupted at the very last moment, resulting in his efforts to be rendered futile.

Still, it was indeed a stupefying sight to see the head of the Combat Master Hall, one of the strongest experts in Qingyuan Empire, walking around with a cactus head covered with delectable fruits and a bizarre flower on his bottom.

If he were to charge an entrance toll for this exhibit, he could probably earn a huge fortune out of this.

"I have eaten something unclean?" Hall Master Xing stared at Zhang Xuan with an unbelievable look on his face. However, knowing that it was meaningless to point fingers at this moment, he could only concede. "Sun shi, I beseech you to help me..."

"Very well!" Sitting on the ground, Zhang Xuan began exerting his spirit awakener prowess once more and entered Hall Master Xing's mind.

He adeptly maneuvered his way over to the other party's Primordial Spirit, and when he looked at where the rift had been, he could not help but freeze.

His efforts had not been futile; the rift had been completely filled up at this moment. However, this had led to another troubling matter—Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit had already fused completely with the enchanted spirit.

This... Zhang Xuan's eyelids twitched uncontrollably. His Primordial Spirit is way too adaptable!

Typically speaking, the spirit that Zhang Xuan had enchanted should have been considered a foreign object, and the Primordial Spirit would have tried its best to expel it. Yet, within just two short hours, the spirit had actually succeeded in fusing perfectly with Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit.

Originally, all Zhang Xuan had to do was head to the rift and eliminate the consciousness within the spirit, thus putting it entirely under Hall Master Xing's control. However, now that the spirit had already fused together with Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit, its consciousness had been intermixed together with Hall Master Xing's, meaning that course of action was out of the question.

If he attempted to wipe out that consciousness, he would risk killing Hall Master Xing as well.

Most likely, the spirit must have hastened the fusion while his mind was preoccupied by the inner demons.

Had he known that such a situation would happen, he would have stopped Hall Master Xing from entering the Trial of Inner Demons at any cost. Now that the other party's head had turned into a cactus covered with fruits and his bottom was sprouting a flower... This was truly a disaster!

Zhang Xuan withdrew his consciousness from Hall Master Xing's mind as he frowned in distress.

It's fortunate that the enchanted spirit doesn't have any offensive ability. However, now that it's fused into his Primordial Spirit, it is no longer possible to resolve the issue externally. He will have to eliminate that spirit himself.

There were indeed some cultivators in the world who used certain secret arts to consume plant spirits in order to enhance their Primordial Spirit and souls. While Hall Master Xing did not cultivate any of such secret arts, it seemed like the sheer strength of his Primordial Spirit had helped to facilitate a smooth fusion with the spirit. However, the first step of those secret arts was to eliminate the consciousness within the spirits, and in Hall Master Xing's case, the fusion had happened without him knowing, so he had ended up skipping the vital first step.

He did manage to perfect his Primordial Spirit in the end, but the existence of two consciousnesses within his Primordial Spirit had inevitably resulted in all kinds of bizarre problems cropping up.

For one, the spirit, through its instincts, was delightfully tapping into the huge reserves of vitality within Hall Master Xing's body to grow non-stop.

While Zhang Xuan was still deep in thought, the cactus on Hall Master Xing's head grew higher and higher, and the flower on his bottom grew more and more warped. From afar, he resembled a massive plant, rooted quietly to the spot.

Such a feeling was further accentuated as more and more jujube-like fruits sprouted from his head, making him seem like a bona fide fruit tree.

Noting that Zhang Xuan had withdrawn his consciousness from his mind, Hall Master Xing asked anxiously, "Sun shi, do you know any way to resolve this issue?"

"I have identified the root of your problem, but I still need some time to think the matter through," Zhang Xuan said awkwardly.

What the heck was this?

The other party had earnestly made a request of him, but he had ended up causing such a huge mishap.

How embarrassing!

Hall Master Xing heaved a sigh of relief. "It's good that you have identified the root of the problem."

While there was still no solution at the moment, at the very least, with the root of the problem identified, there should still be hope for a cure.

Otherwise, if he had to spend his entire life in such a form, he would much rather have a knife plunged straight into his chest.

At that moment, 'jiya!', the door to the room opened. Division Head Wei walked in with large strides, and upon seeing the tree, he could not help but walk up to it and remark, "What a weird-looking tree!"

After saying those words, he reached out and plucked one of the fruits before biting down on it heartily. Then, he turned to Division Head Liao and Zhang Xuan, and asked, "Is Hall Master Xing not out yet? It has already been two hours!"

"..." Hall Master Xing.

"..." Division Head Liao.

"..." Zhang Xuan.

Grinding his teeth tightly together, Hall Master Xing replied menacingly, "I am over here..."

It was one thing for him to be treated as a tree, but to think that someone would actually eat his fruit.

"Hall Master Xing!" It was then that Division Head Wei noticed that Hall Master Xing's face was on the tree. In that instant, the motion of his mouth came to a halt, and he widened his eyes in shock.

"Cough cough! Sun shi, you should quickly find a way to cure him. Otherwise, putting aside resolving our current crisis, he won't even be able to face our fellow combat masters!" Division Head Liao said anxiously.

"Un. The reason for Hall Master Xing's current condition is due to a spirit fusing with his Primordial Spirit. At this stage, I'm afraid that it's impossible to solve his situation externally anymore. He will have to cultivate a technique to eliminate the spirit within his Primordial Spirit. Nevertheless, rest assured that he will revert back to normal once the spirit is eliminated," Zhang Xuan explained.

Hall Master Xing heaved a sigh of relief before asking, "Then, is Sun shi in possession of any techniques that are capable of eliminating a spirit?"

"That... I'm afraid not!" Zhang Xuan scratched his head awkwardly.

The Spirit Awakener Guild did have techniques that allowed one to eliminate spirits externally, but the current predicament Hall Master Xing was in made it risky to adopt such a solution. And as for secret arts to eliminate spirit internally... he did not have any such manuals in his possession.

Hall Master Xing staggered, and despair loomed in his eyes. "Am I doomed to live in this state for the rest of my life?"

"Actually, I do have another solution that will revert you back to normal swiftly..." Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Firstly, I'll sever the plant offshoots from your body to hinder their activity. After which, I'll concoct some poison for you to swallow. The poison serves to temporarily lower the vitality within your body and deprive the plants of their nutrients. With some time, they should wither and die off. However, you mustn't use your cultivation during this period of time, or else they will come right back to life!"

"You want me to consume poison?" Hall Master Xing gulped down a mouthful of saliva as his face paled. He could not help but tremble at that thought.

Just a spirit enchantment from you has already left me in such a state. If I consume the poison you concoct, what in the world will happen to me?

At the same time, he could not help but ask doubtfully, "For you to be able to concoct poison, could you be a... poison master?"

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Chapter 1113: What a Dark Color

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The higher ranked a poison master was, the more feared they were by the populace.

And a poison master who could concoct poison that was effective even against a Half-Leaving Aperture realm expert... That was truly fearsome!

At the very least, he must be at 7-star pinnacle.

"That's not it. I am a physician, and with my knowledge of medicinal herbs, I should be able to easily deduce a prescription for your condition!" Zhang Xuan replied calmly.

Considering that the man standing before him was the head of the Combat Master Hall, there was no way he could admit that he was a poison master.

Hall Master Xing shook his head. "I'll pass then..."

As much as physicians were knowledgeable about medicinal herbs, there was still a significant difference between the field of study for physicians and poison masters. In the concoction of poison, the slightest difference in the environment or combination of medicinal herbs could result in a huge difference in the resulting medicinal property. Just relying on fundamental knowledge of medicinal herbs would not suffice for one to deal with poison.

Otherwise, if every physician could be a poison master as well, the existence of a 'poison master' occupation would have been rendered meaningless.

Hall Master Xing was not willing to bet his life on that possibility.

"Are there no other ways beside these two options?" Division Head Liao asked with a frown.

One was unfeasible at the moment whereas the other one was too risky. He had thought that with a high-ranked spirit awakener to enchant the Primordial Spirit of Hall Master Xing, the latter's fighting prowess should be able to be increased by leaps and bounds. Yet, who would have thought that the latter would end up being crippled instead?

What was with this?

Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before saying, "Actually... I do have another solution. I just fear that... you will be reluctant to agree to it!"

"Tell us!"

"It's actually rather simple. Open up your Primordial Spirit and allow me to probe into it. I'll find the sentience of the spirit within your Primordial Spirit and kill it," Zhang Xuan replied.

The three combat masters glanced at one another and fell silent.

Opening up one's Primordial Spirit meant to lower every single line of defense one had. If the other party attempted to do anything to Hall Master Xing, he would be completely helpless to retaliate.

Hall Master Xing shook his head. "I apologize, but... I can't do that!"

Even if the person was the trusted Division Head Liao, he still would not be willing to lower all of his defenses, let alone an unreliable stranger!

"There's nothing else I can do then, unless..." Another thought came to Zhang Xuan's mind, but before he could speak of it, he swiftly shook his head.

"What?"

Zhang Xuan looked at Hall Master Xing hesitantly before eventually relenting. "I can try concocting some poison that is capable of wiping away the spirit in your Primordial Spirit. Of course, that is easier said than done, and I might require multiple attempts before I get it."

With his comprehension of poison, it was not entirely impossible for him to succeed in that. However, Hall Master Xing's situation was a little peculiar—a cactus growing fruits on his head and a flower sprouting on his bottom—so it was a little difficult for him to ascertain the type of spirit so as to determine what would be effective. Thus, it might require several attempts before he got it right.

"That won't do!" Hall Master Xing quickly refuted the idea with twitching lips.

A poison that would kill the spirit could very well end up killing him! If he were to let the other party to experiment on him... wouldn't it be more likely for him to die first?

"That's all I've got. If none of that works with you, there's nothing else I can do..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Honestly speaking, he was not entirely at fault for this matter either. He had warned Division Head Liao to prevent anyone from entering, but Division Head Wei just had to barge into the room in the midst of the process, preventing him from eliminating the consciousness within the spirit.

It was a combination of mistakes that resulted in this huge farce.

Hall Master Xing fell silent.

He could tell that the other party was earnestly helping him, and it was no one's intention for such a mishap to occur. However... those solutions were truly unacceptable for him.

"Sun shi, let me think over this matter for a while." Hall Master Xing pondered for a moment before abruptly suggesting, "Right, didn't you say that you would like to enter the Trial of Inner Demons to temper your will? Why don't you give it a try now while I ponder over this matter?"

"Hmm?" Zhang Xuan blinked in surprise.

Wasn't that quite a huge leap in thought?

They were just in the midst of discussing how they could save the other party, but the other party suddenly proposed that he try out the Trial of Inner Demons.

"Rest assured, the main goal of the Trial of Inner Demons is to temper one's mind. If you find yourself reaching your limit, you can just admit defeat and leave. As long as you don't push yourself too far, it won't be dangerous!" Taking Zhang Xuan's silence as a sign of apprehension, Hall Master Xing consoled him with a smile.

However, the smile did not seem to have the slightest sincerity within it. Instead, it was so forced that the cactus on his head began shaking, and the fruits were on the verge of falling off.

Zhang Xuan was assessed Hall Master Xing silently for a while before eventually nodding slowly. "I'll give it a try then."

While he had no idea what Hall Master Xing was up to, he did not think that the other party would harm him. At this moment, the other party needed some private space to ponder over the matter and make a decision for himself. Since that was the case, it was indeed a good opportunity for him to challenge the Trial of Inner Demons and temper his will. Perhaps, he might even find some inspiration within and come up with a better way to resolve Hall Master Xing's condition.

"Un. Division Head Liao, open up the Trial of Inner Demons once more!" Hall Master Xing instructed.

"This..." Division Head Liao frowned. A moment later, he slowly nodded. "Alright."

After saying those words, he walked up to the wall and placed his hand on it. A moment later, the passageway surfaced once more.

Directing a nod toward the crowd, Zhang Xuan walked into the passageway, and it did not take long for him to disappear from everyone's sight.

As soon as Zhang Xuan's figure disappeared, Division Head Liao immediately asked, "Hall Master Xing, Sun shi isn't a member of our Combat Master Hall. Why did you let him enter the Trial of Inner Demons? You also know that the greatest heritage of our Heart Division is in there."

The Trial of Inner Demons was a forbidden land even to ordinary combat masters. It was only open to the hall masters and division heads. Contained within it was the greatest heritage of the Heart Division, and Hall Master Xing had actually allowed an outsider to enter. Why?

"Don't worry, the heritage is only attainable upon clearing the entire Trial of Inner Demons. Even someone of my prowess is unable to clear it, let alone a Saint 1-dan cultivator like him," Hall Master Xing replied grimly.

Division Head Liao pondered for a moment before nodding. "Yes, that's true as well."

He had been too caught up in the allowance of Sun shi's admittance into the Trial of Inner Demons, so he had not thought of this point.

Even among the generations of hall masters, only five of them had managed to attain the greatest heritage. Given so, it was nigh impossible for a mere spirit awakener to clear the trial.

"There's no need to worry about the heritage for the time being. You also know our current circumstances; I have to resolve the problem I am plagued with as soon as possible in order to deal with that Xuanxuan Faction, as well as to participate in the Convention of Combat Masters. So... I am planning on allowing his will into my Primordial Spirit!" Hall Master Xing informed the other party grimly.

"You are going to allow him into your Primordial Spirit? Hall Master Xing, I urge you to reconsider!"

Division Heads Liao and Wei were startled, and they hurriedly tried to talk him out of the matter.

Opening one's Primordial Spirit and allowing an outsider to enter was no joking matter. Placing the trust in the wrong person could very well spell death! As the head of the Combat Master Hall, the other party could not take such a risk!

"I have already made up my mind. I understand the dangers very well myself; that's also why I had him enter the Trial of Inner Demons. If he harbors malicious thoughts in his mind, the inner demons that will be bred as a result will be proportionately greater, thus putting him in grave danger. By then, even if I do not make a move, he will be punished by his own evil intents, perhaps facing death even.

"On the other hand, if he has an upright and pure mind, inner demons will be unable to harm him. If it's proven that he's a man of good character, I am willing to take the gamble and entrust my Primordial Spirit to him," Hall Master Xing said.

"This..." The duo mused over what they had just heard.

Inner demons were a manifestation of the negative emotions within one's heart. If that fellow harbored malicious thoughts toward Hall Master Xing, the inner demons would reflect his will, thus putting him through great suffering.

If the other party could traverse within the Trial of Inner Demons safely, it would show that the other party held compassion within his heart. If so, it might be worth taking the gamble for Hall Master Xing to entrust his Primordial Spirit to the other party.

Seeing that the duo was hesitating, Hall Master Xing placed his hands behind his back and said, "Risk is inevitable if one wants to achieve great things. In truth, I don't blame Chen Zhuqing, Yan Qinghai, Lu Wangqiu, and the others for joining the Xuanxuan Faction. On the contrary, I envy them even."

In that moment, he resembled a tenacious cactus in the midst of a desert.

"You envy them?" The two division heads were bewildered by those words.

The division heads' mass defection to the Xuanxuan Faction was no different from snubbing the Combat Master Hall's heritage, soiling its dignity and honor. If they were the hall master, they would have surely exploded at the division heads by now.

"Indeed. The Combat Master Hall is a branch of the Master Teacher Pavilion, and it serves as the military force of mankind. What does a military force require? It goes without saying—strength! As long as it augments our strength, allowing us to fend off the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and any threats that stand in our way, there are little qualms as to what we are limited to doing as long as we do not overstep our moral bounds. These are the words that our founder left us back then, as well as the motto that we, combat masters, all live by," Hall Master Xing said.

Division Heads Liao and Wei nodded.

The very purpose for the existence of the combat masters was to protect mankind on the frontlines.

As long as it was not against the principles of the Master Teacher Pavilion, they were allowed to do anything in their pursuit for strength. After all, an excessively controlled environment would only stifle one's growth.

Those from the Xuanxuan Faction might be from a vassal nation, but their comprehension of combat had far surpassed their own, reaching an unfathomable level. If studying from the Xuanxuan Faction could grant them greater strength, why should one oppose it?

There was no shame in seeking knowledge from others, no matter how noble or how senior one was—that was an ideal that Kong shi himself had sought to propagate!

Asking for guidance from a cultivator who was weaker than one was not shameful; on the contrary, it highlighted one's humility and dedication to improving himself, thus giving others a good impression of them. The pros and cons were extremely clear here; the problem lay only in whether one was able to let go of one's pride or not.

"Despite being Primordial Spirit realm experts, they were willing to lower themselves and seek guidance from the Xuanxuan Faction. That displayed their strong thirst for knowledge and power, and that is a good thing! However, as the head of the Combat Master Hall, it is my responsibility to uphold the honor and dignity of the organization, so I have no choice but to stop them so as to not turn our branch into a laughingstock of the world." Hall Master Xing sighed deeply.

"Un." The duo nodded.

After explaining the matter, Hall Master Xing turned his attention back to the passageway and said, "Alright, let's see whether Sun shi harbors malicious thoughts or not. We should be seeing his fox tail 1 soon if he intends to harm me..."

Nodding, Hall Master Liao placed his palm on the wall.

Huala!

The opaque wall transformed into transparent jade.

Noting the look of confusion of Division Head Wei's face, Division Head Liao explained, "This jade wall is able to detect the number of inner demons within. The more malicious thoughts one harbor, the darker the color of the jade wall will become. For one, due to our combat masters dedicating most of our time to furthering our combat skills, their state of mind tends to be much more innocent and purer, so most of them will face less than a dozen inner demons. Previously, when Hall Master Xing entered the Trial of Inner Demons, he only had three inner demons to deal with, so the wall was nearly transparent...

"Most master teachers also face a dozen or so inner demons at most, and the wall will turn slightly translucent. Only those who harbor malicious thoughts will produce dozens of inner demons, resulting in the color of the jade wall to turn darker!

"If the wall remains translucent throughout while Sun shi is within the passageway, it would mean that he is a righteous person, and we need not worry about him stabbing us in our back. Naturally, it would be relatively safe for Hall Master Xing to bare his Primordial Spirit to the other party..." At this point, a cold glint surfaced in Division Head Liao's eyes. "However, if the wall turns dark, it would mean that he harbors malicious thoughts in mind. If so, we should end his life as soon as he emerges from the passageway. That is, if he manages to escape the Trial of Inner Demons alive in the first part!"

Hall Master Xing and Division Head Wei nodded in agreement. Just as they were about to respond, their faces suddenly warped in shock. Noting that something was wrong, Division Head Liao quickly turned around to look at the wall behind him.

The transparent jade wall had been gleaming brightly a moment ago, but in the blink of an eye, it was suddenly dyed pitch-black.

"The jade wall has turned black? How could this be? That would mean that there are more than a hundred inner demons inside..."

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Chapter 1114: Cang Xu's Vengeance

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

He wasn't the only one who was astonished. Hall Master Xing and Division Head Wei had narrowed their eyes as well, and killing intent could be seen in the depths of their gazes.

Naturally, they had seen those whose minds could dye the wall dark, but this was the first time they had seen the wall being colored to a shade reminiscent of ink!

This was no longer at the level of harboring malicious thoughts. The other party was a huge threat that they had to get rid of by any means!

Who could have thought that despite Sun Qiang's seemingly harmless appearance and earnest attitude, his heart would be so sinister and terrifying?

"It's fortunate that you didn't agree to his demands and had him enter the Trial of Inner Demons first to ascertain his character... I dare not imagine what could have happened if you really agreed to him then!" Division Head Liao exclaimed in cold sweat.

Had Hall Master Xing really agreed to baring his Primordial Spirit to the other party, misfortune would have already befallen him!

"Division Head Liao and Division Head Wei, make preparations. We'll make a move as soon as that fellow leaves the Trial of Inner Demons. We mustn't allow him to get away alive..." Hall Master Xing said as a glint flickered in his eyes.

"Yes!" the two division heads responded resoundingly.

Shortly after Zhang Xuan stepped into the passageway, his surroundings changed so swiftly that it left him feeling as if he had stepped into another dimension.

Countless Night Illumination Pearl gleamed brightly above him, similar to the brilliant noon sun.

It was a sealed room. There was no path forward nor any exit. The walls were filled with all kinds of bizarre inscriptions.

Walking up to take a closer look, Zhang Xuan realized that the inscriptions were actually deformed demons, and there were more than a hundred of them around the room.

These demons were wearing all kinds of items—some were equipped with a golden pole in hand, some were carrying steel whips, and some had a necklace made of human bones. It was quite an eerie and inconceivable sight, and this gave rise to a hint of fear within one's mind.

Am I already in the Trial of Inner Demons? Zhang Xuan frowned.

At the very center of the room was a zafu 1 , which was shrouded by a dense concentration of spiritual energy. It was probably a formation which could be activated.

Perplexed, Zhang Xuan walked up to the zafu and sat down on it.

Weng!

The moment he sat down, a certain mechanism in the room seemed to have been triggered. All of the demons inscribed on the wall suddenly emanated a brilliant glow, and it seemed as if they would tear out of the wall at any moment to tear him apart.

I see... The room establishes a link into the depths of the challenger's heart and produces inner demons accordingly... Sensing the energy harnessed within the ripples of light, Zhang Xuan swiftly came to a realization.

He had imagined the Trial of Inner Demons to be a location filled with formidable inner demons, something similar to what he encountered in the Saint Ascension Ordeal. However, from the looks of it, his initial assumption was off.

The true demons lurked in the depths of one's heart.

It seemed like sitting on the zafu had activated a formation which induced the birth of inner demons.

I wonder what my inner demons would be like... Zhang Xuan wondered.

Ever since he first started his journey, he had been cultivating the Heaven's Path Divine Art and his path had been relatively smooth-sailing. He had never experienced desperation in relentlessly pushing for a futile breakthrough, nor the despair of being unable to advance forward no matter how hard one worked, so he had never really encountered any inner demon in the midst of his cultivation before... With his opportunity, he wanted to see exactly how fearsome inner demons were, and whether his mind was sufficiently resilient to withstand their temptation.

Weng!

The formations swiftly whirred into action, and the spiritual energy in the surroundings spun into action. The surroundings blurred, and Zhang Xuan found himself plunged within a world of perfect darkness.

It was similar to the situation he had faced when he had encountered his Heart Ordeal previously. Just as Zhang Xuan was scanning his surroundings carefully, bizarre demons suddenly rushed in from the surroundings.

Their forms were similar to the inscriptions he had previously seen on the walls, and there must be at least a few hundred of them around.

"So many? Why would I have so many inner demons?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.

He was still thinking that he shouldn't have much inner demons—after all, wasn't the cultivation technique that he practiced, Heaven's Path Divine Art, supposed to be perfect? Yet, who could have thought that he would end up having to face so many of them simultaneously... If they were to charge at him all at once, would he be reduced to dust?

"No, something is wrong. If they are truly my inner demons, how could I still be conscious at this point in time?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Having undergone the Heart Ordeal before, he knew that inner demons had the ability to place one's mind in a befuddled state, thus creating an opening for them to strike... It was perplexing how there were so many inner demons around him, but he was still perfectly conscious.

Just what was going on?

"You're indeed a smart fellow... Indeed, these inner demons aren't yours but mine..."

At this moment, a voice laced with hatred suddenly sounded. Zhang Xuan quickly raised his head and looked over, and he saw an elder with a crimson line in the middle of his glabella walking towards him.

"Who are you?" Zhang Xuan was stunned by the sudden appearance of an intruder.

With a look, he could tell that the other party was a human just like him. But... why would this foreign-looking elder suddenly appear within the Trial of Inner Demons as well?

"You are asking who am I?" the elder's face distorted in rage, and he looked as if smoke would pour out from the top of his head at any moment. "I am the person who was stomped to death by the house you have enchanted, Cang Xu!"

"You are Cang Xu? But... aren't you dead?" Zhang Xuan asked hesitantly.

Cang Xu had already been reduced to a lump of meat by the time he saw the other party, so it was inevitable that he wouldn't recognize the other party's face. Who would have thought that he would meet the other party here? But... why would a dead person suddenly appear here?

Furthermore, he seemed to have said that all of the inner demons in the area belonged to him. What was going on?

"I was in the midst of using my Primordial Spirit to lay claim to your soul when I was suddenly stomped to death by that building of yours... Due to the link forged between your soul and mine, I was able to conceal a sliver of my will within your body. If you haven't came here, I would have been forced to lay dormant until the day I dissipated, but since you have delivered this opportunity into my hands, I'll have you pay for your actions!" Cang Xu sneered frostily.

Crushed by the massive building of the Spirit Awakener Guild in the midst of executing his secret art, his Primordial Spirit dissipated on the spot. It was fortunate that with the strength of his secret art, he was able to slip a sliver of his will into Zhang Xuan's body and continue existing as an inner demon.

Unless Zhang Xuan were to be forced to face his inner demons during an ordeal or a trial, as an inner demon, he would have been forced to lie dormant, unable to do anything at all. Yet, by a stroke of luck, Zhang Xuan chose to enter the Trial of Inner Demons and activated the formation which triggered one's inner demons. How could he allow such a precious opportunity to slip past his fingers? Thus, he immediately got out and made his move.

As the villain which had tyrannized the Northern Meadows for many years, his hands were stained with the blood of innumerable innocent life. As such, his presence and malicious thoughts swiftly triggered a reaction in the formation, causing several hundred inner demons to appear simultaneously.

"It seems like I have misunderstood the guild building..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

At this moment, he suddenly recalled that mosquito bite on his soul back when he was in the midst of convincing the guild building to submit to Guild Leader Ruan and the others. He had shrugged it off back then, thinking that it might just be an imagination on his part. From the looks of it now, it was the working of the old fellow before him.

This would explain the abrupt movements from the guild building's part as well. It was due to its great desire to protect its owner that it had made a move, but he misunderstood the other party's intentions and thought that it was just acting willfully, and he even beat it up over the matter.

Thinking about it, he couldn't help but feel deeply ashamed.

"You tried to claim my soul? You are a soul oracle?" Zhang Xuan noticed a peculiar phrase in the other party's words and asked.

The ability to claim another's soul was a secret art of the soul oracles. Yet, the fellow before him was actually able to execute it... Could he really be a soul oracle?

"I am not a soul oracle, that's a secret art which I have inherited from an old senior... Hmph, you need not try to sound me out, you will be a dead person very soon anyway!"

Roaring furiously, Cang Xu thrust his arm forward. In that instant, an altar appeared beneath him once more. A brilliant gleam of light surrounded Zhang Xuan as it tugged his soul towards the altar, seemingly attempting to consume it.

"This..."

The tug on Zhang Xuan's soul was so weak that he could hardly feel anything. However, the altar that had formed beneath Cang Xu had left him startled.

Without a doubt, that was an altar of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.

But... Cang Xu was clearly a human, so why would he have such a possession?

"You... betrayed mankind?" Zhang Xuan's face turned cold.

It was inevitable that there would be some humans who would turn to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe to fulfill their desires. Even You Xu, the previous vice head of the Master Teacher Academy Physician School, had succumbed into his desires for a longer lifespan and chose to come under the command of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, let alone the others.

Cang Xu was definitely a human, but he was using an altar belonging to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe to execute a secret art which only Otherworldly Demons should have known of—what clearer signs of betrayal could there be other than this?

"Hehe, a smart fellow you indeed are. However, I'm afraid that you won't live to tell the tale!" Sneering coldly, Cang Xu tugged on the light with all of his might, wanting to drag Zhang Xaun's soul into the altar.

Yet, despite his efforts, Zhang Xuan remained firmly rooted to the spot as if a mountain. Even drawing on every last ounce of strength within him, the other party still didn't budge in the slightest.

"Why won't he budge?!" Cang Xu howled in desperation.

He had already claimed many souls with this secret art, and each time, he was able to pull the other party's soul into the altar with relative ease. Yet, why couldn't he move the fellow before him?

"Betraying mankind and learning such demonic arts to harm your own kind, you do deserve to die." Zhang Xuan uttered coldly.

He was still feeling bad that the guild building which he had enchanted had ended up crushing the other party to death, but from the looks of it, it seemed like it was a blessing in disguise after all.

Zhang Xuan was a peaceful person, but against those who had betrayed their own brethren, he wouldn't hesitate to make the killing blow.

For such a person, he had actually pummeled the innocent guild building... It seemed like he would have to apologize to the guild building after this matter was over.

"Move! Move! Why won't you move!"

While Zhang Xuan was deep in thoughts, Cang Xu was still tugging with all his might, to the point where veins had popped on his head and he was about to suffocate from breathlessness, but his efforts were not showing any results.

If only he still retained his strength as a Primordial Spirit, he would have long rushed over and killed the other party himself. He wouldn't have to go through so much trouble.

"Have you had enough yet?" Seeing how that fellow was still tugging at his soul relentlessly, Zhang Xuan frowned in displeasure.

You just can't give it a rest, can't you?

Just because I left you to do as you please for a while, you thought that I was a person whom you can climb over easily?

"Die! You brat, die!" Cang Xu roared furiously.

"You said that you want my soul, right? Sure, I'll draw out my soul for you then." Zhang Xuan said with a chilling smile.

Hu la!

A ten-meters large soul leaped out from Zhang Xuan's body and flew in the direction of where Cang Xu was tugging towards.

Paji!

The massive soul crushed down on Cang Xu's body, causing the weakened inner demon to be flattened into a pancake, just like how his physical body was crushed by the guild building back then.

At the same time, the altar also shattered to innumerable pieces under Zhang Xuan's bottom.

In the first place, the altar had been fueled by Cang Xu's soul. Given that Cang Xu retained barely a sliver of the strength he originally wielded, it was inevitable that the altar wouldn't be able to withstand the weight of Zhang Xuan's soul.

The crushed Cang Xu didn't dissipate immediately this time around. Instead, he muttered indignantly, "Why? Why wouldn't it work..."

His body and Primordial Spirit had been destroyed under the weight of the guild building, and it wasn't easy for him to slip a sliver of his will into his mortal enemy's body in the form of an inner demon. He thought that at the very least, he would be able to exact his vengeance.

Finally, an opportunity was presented right to him, but he ironically ended up suffering the same fate as he did previously...

Just what kind of monster have I got myself tangled with...

"It's still too early for you to cry. Now that you're an inner demon, you still have long days ahead of you..." Zhang Xuan uttered coldly.

An inner demon existed in a form similar to a soul. Unless Zhang Xuan were to execute his soul arts against it, it wouldn't dissipate that easily.

However, it seemed like Zhang Xuan's words had ended up sparking something within Cang Xu's mind instead. A cold smile crept onto his lips, and he roared, "You're right. I am an inner demon now, why should I fear you? Everyone, kill him together!"

He was the one he had produced all of the inner demons, and through his secret art, he was able to control all of the inner demons as well. As long as they were to make a move together, he would surely be able to kill that monster before him and exact his vengeance!

"Hm?"

Zhang Xuan frowned as he watched the inner demons slowly heading towards him. Even he would have difficulties dealing with several hundred inner demons simultaneously. However, at this moment, a voice sounded, "Master, that technique of using an altar as a medium to claim souls... it seems to be a secret art which I have created!"

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Chapter 1115: Taming the Inner Demons

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

The one who spoke was Vicious.

"You were the one who created the secret art?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

"That's right. The secret art serves to claim the souls and Primordial Spirits of other cultivators to nourish one's soul 1 ." Vicious replied.

"Nourish? Wait a moment... Do you mean that the person whom Cang Xu has submitted to is... another body part of yours?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"That does appear to be the case." Vicious replied.

In a battle against Kong shi many years ago, Vicious was killed, and his corpse was reduced into numerous pieces.

However, his cultivation had already achieved a level where he could revive just from a single droplet of blood. As long as he had sufficient time and the conditions were right, he could regain consciousness and come back to life. This was what had happened to his heart and phalange back then.

However, there was a drawback to that technique. Every single body part that regained consciousness viewed itself as the original Vicious, and it sought to devour the others so as to return back to its full strength.

Zhang Xuan had promised to help Vicious find back his other parts, but who would have thought that the person who Cang Xu had submitted to would be another one of his body part!

"Master, if I can devour that body part which he has submitted to, my cultivation will surely rise by leaps and bounds..." Vicious said in agitation.

"Alright, I'll conduct a Soul Search on him to gather some information." Zhang Xuan nodded.

This Vicious had already submitted to him, so it would be beneficial to him if the other party were to raise his cultivation.

His interaction with Vicious had happened in the mind, and it only lasted for an instant. In this moment, the inner demons were still rushing towards him under Cang Xu's command.

The assault of inner demons differed from that of humans. Instead of executing techniques and exerting strength, they would attempt to infiltrate into one's mind through producing all kinds of illusions, gradually eroding one's mental resilience before overwhelming one's consciousness.

Weng!

The assault of the inner demons left Zhang Xuan suddenly feeling a little light-headed.

As Cang Xu was a Primordial Spirit pinnacle expert, his inner demons possessed power proportionate to his original cultivation realm 2 . On top of that, there were simply too many of them. Even with mental resilience of Zhang Xuan's caliber, it was still difficult for him to withstand their simultaneous onslaught.

"Hold it for a moment!" Zhang Xuan roared.

He knew that he would in a vulnerable position once the inner demons were to breach his mind. Thus, driving the Heaven's Path Soul Art to toughen his defenses, he bellowed, "You are Cang Xu's inner demons, so why are you going for me?"

These inner demons were all drawn out from Cang Xu's malicious thoughts, so why would they go for him instead?

"Why would we go for a disgusting brethren when there's a delicious soul right before us?"

"I know that you want to achieve higher realms in your cultivation and advance your ranking as a master teacher. As long as you listen to me, the goal will be just within reach!"

"Haven't you realized that there's a flaw in your state of mind? Trust me, and I'll supplement your deficiency!"

...

All kinds of lies were spouted from the mouths of the inner demons. Their words carried a beguiling quality to it which seemed to draw one into a trance, making one lose sight of oneself.

"Can't you come up with something other than that?" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Initially, he was still a little overwhelmed by the combined might of the inner demons. However, upon hearing those inner demons saying that there was a flaw in his cultivation technique and his state of mind, he immediately became more awake than ever.

The Heaven's Path cultivation techniques were compiled by the Library of Heaven's Path, and they were perfect in and of themselves... A flaw in them? You must be joking!

I am one who has cultivated the Heaven's Path cultivation techniques, so for you to teach me... Who do you think you are?

Honestly, don't you think that the quality of your beguilement is a little too low for inner demons?

"I don't know where you inner demons came from, but are you really content with living your life in such a manner? Hiding in the corners of one's heart, not daring to appear in the open... Do you really have no dreams of becoming stronger and making your mark on the world?" Zhang Xuan asked with an alluring tone.

"Ah?"

The inner demons halted what they were doing, and they glanced at one another in bewilderment.

They were in the midst of beguiling the other party, so how did it turn into a situation where the other party attempted to beguile them instead?

Shouldn't the other party fall into a trance under their suggestions and begin doubting himself, causing his mental resilience collapse and his mind to pass out, thus opening an opportunity for them to overwhelm him?

So how... How could he remain perfectly conscious, and from the looks of it, the other party seemed to be even stronger than them!

Furthermore... they found themselves a little moved by the other party's words!

"In order to cultivate one's soul, one must first stand against the Five Soul Declines. As lifeforms reminiscent of souls, the same applies to inner demons as well. I have a cultivation technique here which might help you if you were to cultivate it diligently." Seeing that the inner demons were at a loss, Zhang Xuan pushed on.

In an instant, flowers began falling from the sky as the spiritual energy in the surroundings resonated in excitement. The inner demons felt as if as long as they were to cultivate according to his teachings, they would be able to surpass their limits and become stronger than ever.

"Inner demons are born by the evil within one's heart. If one's heart is pure, there would be no place for the existence of an inner demon. What a tragedy this is! The basis of your existence is actually centered around a cultivator's whims, and you don't even have control over your own fate... Don't you feel frustrated and helpless? But worry not! As long as you were to cultivate the technique that I impart you, you will be able to grasp hold of your own fate and become the master of yourself!" Zhang Xuan continued on.

The inner demons, who were still hesitating a moment ago, clenched their fists tightly together in agitation, and their faces flushed crimson.

The prowess from the Impartation of Heaven's Will used alongside a demonic tune was simply too great, such that even the inner demons ended up succumbing to it.

"Don't fret, don't hesitate, trust yourself. You will definitely be able to do it. Why should you live such a bitter and difficult life? Heed my words, and gain the strength to dictate your lives!" Zhang Xuan said impassionately as he reached out a hand to them.

Huala!

The agitated inner demons immediately flew over to grasp Zhang Xuan's hand.

In that moment, Zhang Xuan swiftly flicked his wrist and took out a jade bottle. With a simple beckoning, he collected all of the inner demons into the jade bottle.

"Will they really be unable to escape from here?" Zhang Xuan asked as he grasped the shaking jade bottle tightly in worry.

Based on his prior experience, as long as he didn't fall for the inner demons' beguilement, the inner demons would dissipate on their own accord. However, Vicious told him that those fellows could be collected for his own use. This was also the reason why he went through so much effort, using the Impartation of Heaven's Will and his demonic tunes in order to convince them to submit to him.

"As long as you use the altar you have obtained from the Jadeleaf King to stopple the lid, they won't be able to flee. When you need to use them, just uncork the lid. Trust me, they might just prove to be a valuable asset in unexpected situations..." Vicious said.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

With a flick of his wrist, he took out the altar which the Jadeleaf King used previously, and with a light tap, a unique seal covered the entire altar. Following which, the massive altar began to shrink, until it was able to fit nicely on top of the jade bottle as a cork.

As soon as the altar fell on the cork, the bottle suddenly stopped altogether. It was as if the inner demons had been suppressed within.

Having reaching Saint realm, Zhang Xuan's zhenqi had obtained some new abilities. In the past, it would have been difficult for him to morph his body to be bigger or smaller than how it was, but this wasn't a problem anymore.

This was also the reason why the Byzantium Helios Beast was able to increase his size readily to ferry more people on top of him back then.

"Y-you..." Cang Xu stared at the sight before him in horror.

He thought that with so many inner demons assaulting the young man at once, it should be a walk in the park to take him down. Yet, who could have thought that in the blink of an eye, all of the inner demons would end up betraying him, submitting to the young man instead... Cang Xu's body trembled in fear, and he felt so shocked that he felt as if his mind was going to snap.

Soul Search!

Soul Search was a convenient technique, but it had severe limitations as well. It was unlikely to work on those who were too much stronger than him and the mentally resilient.

Given the current state Cang Xu was in, Zhang Xuan knew that this was the ideal opportunity to strike. Thus, he swiftly grasped Cang Xu and utilized the soul art on him.

This soul art was highly damaging on the victim's soul, but considering that Cang Xu had already defected to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and even attempted to kill him, there was no punishment that he was undeserving of.

Tzzzzzzzz!

In the blink of an eye, he had completed a Soul Search on Cang Xu.

As Cang Xu had already been severely weakened in the first place—only a mere sliver of his original soul remained—he was unable to withstand the tremendous pressure of the Soul Search and dissipated instantaneously, disappearing without a trace.

The Marshlands of the Northern Meadows City... After completing the Soul Search, Zhang Xuan managed to find the fellow who had imparted the secret art to Cang Xu.

At the very start, Cang Xu and Dao Kou were just two petty thieves. On one occasion, while fleeing from their enemies, they dived into the marshlands. Just as they thought that they were going to lose their lives, they stumbled upon a peculiar cavern and obtained the heritage contained within.

They had no idea who had left behind the heritage, but they had found themselves getting into a soul contract with the owner of the heritage, which forced them to tribute a soul into the altar once every few days.

And of all souls, the ones that were preferred were those of master teachers.

Over the years, countless master teachers had died in Cang Xu's hands. This was also the reason why he didn't hesitate for too long before deciding to make a move on Zhang Xuan, even when he had guessed that Zhang Xuan was likely to be no ordinary master teacher.

I'll have to look into it in the future... Zhang Xuan thought as he placed those thoughts aside for the moment.

Returning his soul back into his physical body, he opened his eyes once more. At this moment, there were no more inner demons before him, and the pitch-black world from before had vanished. He found himself sitting on a zafu in a room brilliantly-lit by Night Illumination Pearls.

It was as if what had happened to him previously was only a dream, and it had left him slightly dazed for a moment.

Lowering his gaze, he saw that there was indeed a jade bottle in his hands, and he muttered, "It seems like it wasn't a dream after all. I really managed to take down those inner demons..."

Zhang Xuan smiled.

He could feel the items that were sealed within the jade bottle, and that reaffirmed that everything that had happened was true.

Let me see if there are any changes in my state of mind...

Previously, when Zhang Xuan took down a single inner demon while undergoing the Heart Ordeal, his Soul Depth had surged from 21.1 to 23.1. This time, given that he had taken down several hundred inner demons, surely his Soul Depth would surge to an unbelievable level!

He quickly whipped out a Stone of Insight to test his Soul Depth, and upon taking a look, his mouth began twitching wildly.

"How could this be?" Zhang Xuan muttered in shock

His Soul Depth was still the same as before, 23.1. There was no change whatsoever!

It was as if his previous encounter with the inner demons had done nothing to temper his mind!

"Master, those inner demons aren't yours, so even if you were to successfully beguile them, it won't temper your state of mind in any way... Given so, it's normal for your Soul Depth to remain stagnant!" Knowing what was going through Zhang Xuan's mind, Vicious explained telepathically.

"I see..." Zhang Xuan replied sorrowfully.

Why did other people have so many inner demons while he had none at all?

How could the world be so unfair? He should be given a chance to temper his state of mind as well!

Ah, being too strong had its own troubles as well!

Hong long!

While Zhang Xuan was lamenting his own plight, the wall in front of him suddenly parted, revealing a passageway forward. It seemed like him clearing the Trial of Inner Demons had triggered some kind of mechanism.

Putting away his woes, Zhang Xuan stood up and assessed the passageway warily. After confirming that it was safe, he slowly made his way into it.

The end of the passageway led to another sealed room, and there was a round and smooth crystal ball at the very center of the room.

Zhang Xuan placed his palm on it, and a brilliant gleam of light shot up, revealing a figure.

The figure was an old man with snowy beard and hair. It was a little difficult to discern his age from his appearance.

"The fact that you are able to come here means that you have cleared the Trial of Inner Demons, and your state of mind has become flawless. With this, you are qualified to inherit my heritage..."

The elder stroked his beard with a smile before continuing on, "I am the founder of the Heart Division. The reason why I founded this division is to temper the hearts of the combat master, and those who have managed to achieve that will be able to inherit the highest secret art of our Heart Division, [Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra]!"

"Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra?"

"That's right. Upon reaching Major Accomplishment in this technique, one's heart would be unblemished like a transparent glass, leaving one impervious to the temptations of the inner demons. At the same time, one's Primordial Spirit would also become more wholesome, thus enhancing one's strength!"

The elder smiled meaningfully at Zhang Xuan for a moment before continuing, "Only the greatest of geniuses who are able to withstand the Formation of Inner Demons are qualified to heart this technique. Since you are able to come here, this means that you have already met the minimum qualifications. How about it? Are you interested in learning the technique?"

"No." Zhang Xuan replied without the slightest hesitation.

"..." The elder

Chapter 1116: Altering the Sutra

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Those who were qualified to challenge and overcome the Trial of Inner Demons, in terms standing and strength, were all the upper echelons of the Combat Master Hall. There was only one motive for them to do so—to obtain the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra... He was only asking the other party whether he was interested out of politeness—naturally, there should only be one answer. Yet, who could have thought that... the other party would actually reply curtly with a 'no'!

If you aren't interested, what the hell are you doing here?

Playing with me?

"This is the highest secret art of the Heart Division... Are you certain that you don't want to learn it?" the elder asked hesitantly.

"I'm not interested." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He had no inner demon at the moment, and that secret art, upon reaching Major Accomplishment, only served to reduce the number of inner demons. A secret art which performed poorer than him... Unless he was off his rockers, there was no way he should learn that technique!

"Then... why did you challenge the trial?" the elder was displeased.

"I thought that there are inner demons here to temper my state of mind, so I came here to train. Yet... who could have thought that the inner demons here are too weak, it's completely useless to me. I ended up getting excited over nothing... To tell you the truth, I am really disappointed!" Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.

If he had known that the formation was so weak, he wouldn't have come over and wasted his effort.

The only consolation for it was that he had managed to capture several hundred inner demons and uncover the location of another one of Vicious's body part, so the trip wasn't a complete waste.

"Too weak? Disappointed?" the elder's face flushed crimson, and he nearly fainted on the spot.

He managed to obtain the Formation of Inner Demons in an ancient domain a very long time ago, and he found that it was capable of drawing out the evil, sorrow, fear, and the various negative emotions within a human and amplify them, causing one to sink into a whirlpool of their own emotions.

Those who were able to overcome it would find their state of minds growing far more resilient than before. And for those who weren't able to overcome it, the formation was set up in a manner to halt before things truly get dangerous, so it wasn't dangerous at all.

As simple as the trial sounded, it was no easy feat to overcome one's inner demons. Of the generations of hall masters, only five had managed to clear the Trial of Inner Demons. Just through this in itself, one could see how difficult the matter of. And yet, that fellow actually said that it was too weak...

And furthermore, his face showed that he was full of disdain towards the matter...

Disdain your head! Are you really here to take the trial or to mock us?

"This Formation of Inner Demons is indeed nothing against true experts. However, your strength is only at Saint 1-dan, and it took you a very long time to clear the formation at that. From that, I think it can be seen that the formation isn't as easy as you put it out to be." the elder said with a displeased look on his face.

It had been around ten minutes from the moment that fellow triggered the formation to the point that he entered this room. As fast as it may be, the fact that he still needed ten minutes to overcome his inner demons meant that the trial wasn't as easy as he made it out to be.

So, why are you boasting over here? You aren't that great either!

"From the look on your face, it seems like you feel that I am talking big." Zhang Xuan shook his head and sighed. "It's not that I want to criticize you, but this formation of yours is truly unseemly and useless! If you don't believe me, I can point out the errors in it for you right now. Even though the formation is capable of drawing out one's inner demons, it requires one to walk to the center of the formation in order to do so. That's as good as giving the cultivator a hint as to what is going to come, thus giving him an opportunity to mentally prepare himself. At the same time, the cultivator would also realize that the experiences afterward would all be false, and that would severely reduce the effectiveness of the formation. This is the very first problem with it!"

"This..." the elder mused over those words for a moment, but he couldn't find anything to refute them.

That was indeed a flaw of the formation.

But while that was the case, once the inner demons came into play, the cultivator's mind would immediately be sent into disarray. It would be hard for the cultivator to think rationally and remind himself that the experiences he was going through were false by then. Thus, in his view, that couldn't be considered as a major flaw.

But even so, for the other party to notice it shortly after entering the Trial of Inner Demons... Could it be that the trial was truly too easy for him?

"Other than that, the inner demons produced by the formations are too simplistic. They only seek to lay doubts regarding one's cultivation and battle techniques. What if the challenger has absolute confidence in his cultivation and battle techniques? If so, the trial would effectively be rendered meaningless... This is the second problem!" Zhang Xuan continued.

"You..." the body of the elder stiffened.

In the first place, the Formation of Inner Demons was not easy to set up, so it was normal for it to be flawed. But even so, finding them shouldn't have been easy when one was in a befuddled state under the work of the inner demons, so how could this fellow still have the attention to look out for flaws?

Was this for real?

"Besides that, the entire location reeks of a formation! The forms of the inner demons are too distasteful, who in the world would want to deal with those inner demons in their right mind? They would probably crack open their heads as soon as they get a chance to do so! Don't you think that the effect would be far greater if the inner demons were to transform into someone they were familiar with? And this is the third problem of the formation!"

"... This is the fourth problem of the formation!"

"... This is the fifth problem of the formation!"

...

"... And this is the tenth problem of the formation! In the first place, this formation isn't too large or powerful, so don't you think that it's unacceptable for there to be so many flaws in it?"

Placing his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan complained in dissatisfaction.

The formation was indeed capable of drawing out the inner demons within one, making it extremely hard to guard against it. However, the flaws were apparent as well.

To summarize it simply, it simply wasn't immersive!

For the inner demons to appear in the form of demons, wasn't this as good as telling others that 'I am a demon, guard against me'?

As a customer, he found the experience too non-immersive and lacking.

A truly fearsome inner demon would one which could warp into a being which evoked one's remembrance or deepest regret, rendering one incapable or reluctant to tell the difference between the two... That would be truly fearsome then!

For one, if those inner demons had chosen to assume Luo Ruoxin's form instead of those ugly appearances they had, there was a very small chance that he might have just succumbed to it.

"T-this..." the elder's face paled.

In the first place, he was only a fragmented soul left behind a very long time ago. Suffering these consecutive shocks had left his existence wavering uncontrollably, and it looked as if he was only a step away from dissipation.

As the one who had set up the formation, it was natural that he was well aware of its flaws. He knew that all ten of the flaws pointed out by the other party had no mistakes whatsoever!

In other words, in the short span of time which the other party had cleared the formation, he had also managed to see through the very essence of it.

That would explain why he took ten minutes... It seemed like he spent most of the time analyzing the formation instead of dealing with the inner demons.

But still, to be able to uncover so much within such a short period of time... Wasn't his eye of discernment a little too formidable?

"Then... is there any way that I can resolve the issue?" Knowing that he mustn't look down on the person standing before him, the elder asked carefully.

"It would be very difficult to resolve all of the flaws of the formation. However, I do know of one good way to raise its prowess by a little... As long as we stack an Illusory Formation on top of your Formation of Inner Demons, we would be able to hinder the challenger from noticing anything before the inner demons are triggered, and this would deprive them of the opportunity to prepare themselves. This should enhance the effectiveness of the formation significantly."

After saying those words, Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before drawing a picture identical to that in the previous room with his zhenqi.

Tapping on the picture, several hundred light points emerged within the picture of the room.

This was one of the abilities of a painter, Suspended Imagery!

"As long as we plant flags in these points, we should be able to build an Illusory Formation on top of the original formation and enhance its potency..." Zhang Xuan explained calmly.

His comprehension of formations had already reached 7-star pinnacle, putting him at a level comparable to 8-star primary formation masters. On top of that, his experiences at the Qiu Wu Palace had given a far deeper insight into formations as well. Thus, as complicated as compounding two formations together was, it wasn't an issue to him.

Besides, his aim was only to improve a small aspect of the Formation of Inner Demons, so the Illusory Formation didn't have to be too complicated.

"This..."

As one who had set up the Formation of Inner Demons, the elder's comprehension of formation had also reached an incredibly profound level. With just a look, his body jolted, and disbelief crept into the depths of his eyes.

At first sight, the formation seemed haphazard, disobeying the conventions of formation building. It looked as if something an amateur had randomly came up with. However, at closer examination, he realized that it was perfectly calculated to complement as many flaws in the Formation of Inner Demons as it could, enhancing the prowess of the latter immensely.

"I have benefited under your guidance..." the elder bowed deeply and respectfully.

His previous doubts had vanished without a trace, and in this moment, all he was left with was admiration for the latter.

As young as the person before him was, his comprehension of formation had already achieved a level far beyond what he had achieved in his lifetime. On top of that, he possessed an incredibly resilient mind which not even the Formation of Inner Demons could faze. Who could have thought that he would encounter such an astounding genius after he had passed away?

"There's no need to stand on ceremony!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand calmly.

He was just feeling a little frustrated over how poorly the formation was designed, so he casually pointed it out. Since the other party accepted his views, there was no need for him to push his point insistently and embarrass the other party.

"This is the manual for the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra. Even if you are uninterested in it, I still have to abide by my own rules and hand it over to you..."

The elder tapped his finger lightly, and a shimmering bundle of light appeared. It gradually morphed into a manual.

Taking a glance at it, Zhang Xuan collected it into the Library of Heaven's Path. Following which, he picked up the book to take a look while in truth, he was browsing through the content of the book in his mind. A moment later, with a deep frown etched on his face, he remarked, "This secret art has an extremely high requirement on one's state of mind!"

The Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra demanded its cultivator to possess an extremely resilient mind, or else, not only would one fail to master it, it might even introduce inner demons into one's mind, causing one's cultivation to go berserk and decline drastically. In the worst case scenario, one might even lose his sense of self and go berserk.

There were simply too few people in the world who possessed sufficiently strong mental resilience to cultivate the secret art. It was no wonder why one had to clear the trial first before one could inherit the heritage! Otherwise, if those who were not sufficiently capable were to obtain it, it might end up ruining their future instead!

"That's right." the elder nodded regretfully.

"It would be hard to commonize a secret art that demands such a high mental resilience of the cultivator... Why don't I take a look at it and alter it so that normal cultivators will be able to practice it safely as well?" Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before asking.

If it had been any other secret art, he would probably be helpless before it. However, it was a different case for this heart sutra.

The crux of the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra lay in cultivating one's Primordial Spirit or soul to becoming wholesome. There was an uncanny resemblance between it and the method which spirit awakeners utilized to nourish Primordial Spirits and souls.

He had noticed it while he was browsing through the technique, so he fused it together with the spirit awakeners' spirit enchantment techniques. Even though he failed to create a Heaven's Path cultivation technique out of it, he did manage to overcome the requirement that demanded a high mental resilience from the cultivator.

In a sense, he had managed to resolve the greatest flaw of the technique.

"Alter it so that... normal cultivators will be able to practice it safely as well?"

Back then, he had endured much suffering in order to obtain this secret art. His goal was simple—he only wanted to raise the strength of the combat masters.

But after obtaining it, he realized that due to the sheer complexity of the technique, only those who possessed high mental resilience were able to cultivate it. This had been one of the greatest regrets in life.

If the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra could really be made commonplace, the overall strength of the Combat Master Hall could really be raised by leaps and bounds!

That would also mean a greater degree of safety for mankind as well.

"The greatest flaw in the cultivation technique lay in its cultivation process. Cultivators of the technique will have to face all kinds of temptations, and those who fail to overcome it will meet with disastrous outcomes. It is for this reason that the threshold for the technique is extremely high. In truth, it's not too difficult to resolve the problem. While I was browsing through the manual earlier, I have altered the portions concerning it accordingly. " Zhang Xuan said.

"You have altered it while you were browsing through it for the first time?"

When he heard that the other party would alter the technique and make it commonplace, he had imagined that the process would take decades or even centuries easily. Yet, it had only been half a minute since he had taken out the cultivation technique, and not only did the other party manage to finish browsing through it, he had even successfully altered it at that... The elder's body trembled in shock, unable to believe what he had just heard.

That had been his goal while he was alive as well, but despite devoting his entire life to it, he still didn't manage to succeed even when he was on his deathbed... Yet, within a period of time where it wouldn't suffice for anyone else to finish browsing through and internalize the manual, he had already finished altering the technique...

Even the great Kong shi couldn't have wielded such capability!

"That's right." Zhang Xuan replied with an amiable smile. "Do you want a copy? I can write one down for you now!"

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Chapter 1117: Danger! Danger!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"I'll be troubling you then." The elder clasped his fist and bowed.

Even though the young man had shown capabilities that far exceeded common geniuses, he still found it hard to believe that the other party could alter the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra within such a short period of time.

He had to confirm it with his own eyes.

Having guessed the elder's thoughts, Zhang Xuan waved his hand, and line after line of words formed out of zhenqi slowly appeared in the air.

It was the altered Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra!

"T-this..."

Upon taking a look, the elder's body stiffened as incredulity crept into his gaze. "With this alteration, the temptations will still appear, but in a progressive manner instead. This will allow those with a weaker state of mind to cultivate the secret art and slowly advance their proficiency..."

He had studied the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra for many years, so he knew it inside out. The other party had not altered much of the sutra, but he had managed to change it from its very foundations.

The prowess upon reaching Major Accomplishment had not changed, but the starting point had been lowered instead.

In the past, even the head of the Combat Master Hall would have difficulties cultivating the technique, but now... even an ordinary Ten Men Commander could probably grasp it with ease.

Seeing the elder trembling in agitation, Zhang Xuan smiled.

Admittedly, the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra was a hard-to-come-by technique. While it was not of much use to him, he could still impart it to Wang Ying and Liu Yang. It should complement the weaknesses in their state of mind, allowing them to reach even greater heights.

More than that, if all combat masters could cultivate the technique, the overall fighting prowess of the Combat Master Hall could be brought to greater heights.

The events in Qiu Wu Palace had given him deeper respect toward master teachers. This was also why he had accepted Hall Master Xing's request readily.

The elder bowed deeply. "Allow me to thank you on behalf of the entire Combat Master Hall!"

"You are being too polite. We are all master teachers, so it's only right for us to help one another!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

The elder had passed away many years ago, but he had chosen to leave behind his will to pass down his secret art, all in hopes that mankind could strive for greatness. His concern for the future of mankind was truly worthy of respect.

Zhang Xuan's response made the elder nod in approval. Curious, he asked, "Considering your incredible mental resilience, I guess that you must be the newly-elected head of the Heart Division?"

"I'm not..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He was only dropping by the Combat Master Hall to help Hall Master Xing. He was not even a combat master, so how could he be a division head?

The elder was taken aback for a moment before realization struck him. "You aren't? Oh, I get it! Your strength must have been a factor limiting you from becoming a division head. After all, the minimum requirement is Primordial Spirit realm while you are only at Saint 1-dan pinnacle."

Naturally, there was a requirement on one's cultivation before one could be qualified to become a division head.

If they were to just go by the young man's mental resilience, he was definitely the best candidate to become the head of the Heart Division. However, it seemed like his cultivation had hindered him.

Upon 'understanding' what was going on, the elder said, "How about this then? As the founder of the Heart Division, I wield the ultimate control over the Heart Division. I'll give this to you as compensation for resolving my greatest regret. This way, once your cultivation reaches the mark, you'll automatically become the head of the Heart Division. Not even the hall master will be able to question the matter."

"Thank you for your concern, but it's fine..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He was not even interested in becoming a combat master, let alone the head of some Heart Division. Just as he was in the midst of rejecting the other party, he suddenly felt the elder before him sending a thought into his mind. As the thought fused with his mind, he suddenly found himself with perfect knowledge of all the formations in the Heart Division. With this, he had effectively gained full control over all of them.

"Alright. With this, my job is done here. I will be entrusting the Heart Division to your hands."

The transmission of thought had left the elder's soul fading even more. Even so, there was a satisfied smile on his face.

The reason the elder had persisted for so long was due to his regret in being unable to find a successor whom he was truly satisfied with. Even though the cultivation of the young man before him was a little too low, his capability was truly not one to be underestimated. Under the other party's leadership, he was confident that the Heart Division could be brought to greater heights. With this, he was finally able to put down the baggage in his heart.

"But I..." Seeing the elder's look, Zhang Xuan was deeply conflicted.

While he was still in the midst of finding the words to explain his identity, the elder's soul was visibly growing more and more transparent, and eventually, with a light 'pop', it vanished altogether.

"Jeez!" Seeing that it was already too late for him to say anything, Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly.

Forget it. I'll just pass on the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra to Hall Master Xing and Division Head Liao when I get out and let them deal with the matter. That should be more than enough.

He simply was not interested in becoming a combat master, so he could not possibly become the head of the Heart Division. At the very least, if he could pass on the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra to them, they would disseminate it. In a sense, he would be fulfilling the elder's final wishes as well.

Having made up his mind, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. He took one last look around the room, and after confirming that there was really nothing around that he could temper his mind with, he began walking out with a disappointed look on his face.

However, barely after taking a few steps out of the passageway, he suddenly felt a chilling sensation pounding on his heart, and goosebumps rose all over his skin.

Hu!

Trusting his instincts, he immediately executed his Heaven's Path Divine Art, and his figure vanished from the spot. The next moment, the hands of a cactus struck the place where he had been standing, creating a huge depression in his place.

Hong long!

The cactus did not stop there just because he had missed. The following moment, Zhang Xuan felt the air crushing heavily down on him, threatening to flatten him into a sheet of paper.

Narrowing his eyes, Zhang Xuan unhesitatingly halted in his direction of advance and forcefully leaped into the air.

Paji!

Right after he left the ground, a brilliant ray of light blasted across the area that he had been about to pass by earlier, crushing everything in its path callously. If he had been a second late in responding, he might have lost his life.

Sou!

Before he had chance to catch his breath, the flash of a sword flew across the sky, headed for him.

It seemed as if the assaulter had already calculated the trajectory of his movements. Despite his swift reaction, he was still unable to free himself from the relentless offense of the assaulters.

If the previous two attacks were only to corner him, this attack was definitely a killing blow! The sword qi emanated by the sword covered every single path that he could escape to, leaving him no room to flee at all!

What is going on? Zhang Xuan's complexion turned incredibly awful.

He had never thought that he would be assaulted in the Combat Master Hall!

However, this was no time to be thinking about the matter. If he could not overcome the attack before him, all that would be left of him was a cold, lifeless corpse.

With a threat looming right before him, his mind whirred at great speed. In this moment, he seemed to have entered a unique state of mind. Under the assessment of the Eye of Insight, even the sword before him seemed to have slowed down.

Hu!

In this state of mind, Zhang Xuan found that he was completely composed and rational, and such a state allowed him to make the best decision before him. With a huge gust of wind, he compressed his body tightly together.

Geji geji!

In the blink of an eye, from his initial height of 1.8m, he was compressed into roughly the size of a watermelon.

Putting aside the fact that sword qi had sealed his surroundings, preventing him from dodging at all, even if he had managed to dodge the attack by some chance, there was no knowing if the other party still had some other countermeasures to corner him further. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before he was killed! Since that was the case, he had to retaliate!

Shortly after he compressed his body into a bundle, he felt a cold burst of air flying straight above his head. The sword barely nicked his skin, causing a stinging sensation.

"Break!"

Reverting back to his original form, Zhang Xuan swiftly shot his finger forward.

Huala!

Innumerable bursts of sword qi shot forth from his fingers. They swiftly flew toward the barrier of sword qi ahead of him that had sealed his surroundings, and reminiscent of rain striking down on a banana tree, the clash between the two produced relentless 'ding ding dang dang' sounds.

From the previous few attacks, he could already tell that the other party's strength was far greater than his, at least reaching the level of Primordial Spirit pinnacle. With his current strength, there was no way he could face them head-on. Since that was the case, he would just have to overwhelm them by quantity!

Relentless sword qi stormed forth from his finger and struck the barrier of sword qi. As powerful as the barrier was, it still swiftly thinned under the relentless attacks before eventually dissipating.

"What?"

This series of actions was completed in the blink of an eye. From the initial escape to retaliation, not even half a breath had passed. The one who had launched the attack clearly had not expected that he would be able to dodge the attack and even retaliate, breaking the barrier of sword qi, and he exclaimed in astonishment.

I have to flee now! Knowing that he was still in a dangerous position, Zhang Xuan leaped forward and dashed as fast as he could.

"Where do you think you're going?"

A furious bellow sounded, and a massive palm print suddenly came falling down upon Zhang Xuan.

The palm print covered over a dozen square meters with him centered at the middle, thus effectively blocking his path of escape. With the speed that the palm print was heading toward him at, it was nigh impossible for him to escape in time.

His combat sense is too strong. Zhang Xuan's face turned grim.

He had thought that he could make use of the other party's lapse in concentration to flee, but the other party had recovered faster than expected. Furthermore, the other party was even able to come up with an attack that could corner him within the blink of an eye. The other party's combat sense was truly frightening!

Even Wu shi could hardly compare to that.

Zhang Xuan knew that he would be severely injured once he was struck by the palm strike, and in his weakened state, there would be no way for him to escape with his life anymore. Thus, he quickly hastened his footsteps and rushed off as fast as he could.

Huala!

In the blink of an eye, he reached the corner of the hall.

But at the same moment, the palm print had finally reached right above him.

"Break!"

Zhang Xuan tapped his finger upwards.

Weng!

Something seemed to whir into life in the room, and the massive palm print froze in midair, as if a fish frozen within a block of ice.

From the information imparted to him by the elder, he had gained a thorough understanding of the layout and formations within the Heart Division, allowing him to control them easily. From the very start, he knew that it would be hard for him to escape, so his movements were also calculated to head toward the center of the formation so as to activate it.

If someone traced his path of movement from the moment he left the passageway of the trial, they would shockingly notice that it was actually a straight line right toward this point!

In other words, even while dodging those attacks, he was still able to instantaneously find a way to resolve it and continue advancing forward. Considering that he was up against an opponent far stronger than him, this was definitely an incredible feat.

With the formation active, Zhang Xuan was finally able to see the faces of his assailants, and a cold gaze immediately slipped into his eyes.

"Hall Master Xing, Division Head Liao, and Division Head Wei, what are you three trying to do?"

They were the three experts of the Combat Master Hall.

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Chapter 1118: Zhang Xuan Crushes the Trio

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhang Xuan was extremely unhappy.

It was out of goodwill that he had come over to help nourish Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit so that the latter could deal with whatever trouble he was facing. It was one thing for them not to compensate him, but they even launched an attack against him on top of that.

If not for his swift reaction, he would have already been dead by now!

Was this how the Combat Master Hall treated their benefactor?

"Y-you..."

While Zhang Xuan was fuming, Hall Master Xing and the others widened their eyes in shock, unable to speak a single word.

Of the three of them, there was one who had reached Half-Leaving Aperture realm while the other two were at Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle. With the three of them attacking in collaboration with one another, even a Saint 5-dan primary stage expert could easily have been taken down if caught off guard.

The young man was only at Saint 1-dan pinnacle, but he had still managed to escape from their encirclement unharmed. The combat sense and reflexes he had displayed had surpassed any one of them there!

And more importantly... he was actually able to control the formations in the Heart Division!

Wasn't only the head of the Heart Division able to control them?

"That should be our question instead! Speak, what is your motive for infiltrating our Combat Master Hall?" After recovering from his shock, Hall Master Liao harrumphed coldly. Flicking his wrist, he took out a token.

The token was the symbol of authority of the Heart Division, and it was also the key to controlling the formations within it.

Huala!

A flash of light burst from the token, and the frozen palm print abruptly shook free from its restraints. With a resounding explosion, it burst forth once more.

"Humph!" Sneering coldly, Division Head Liao was waiting for the palm print to fall upon Zhang Xuan when it suddenly switched direction and headed toward the three of them.

Hong long!

Astonished, the trio hurriedly retreated to dodge the palm strike. The palm print eventually struck the ground, creating a huge depression beneath it. At the same time, innumerable cracks crept across the ground within the room.

Amid an intense gale that burst forth from the palm strike, the fruits on Hall Master Xing's head fell to the ground amid resounding 'plops'.

"Division Head Liao, how in the world are you controlling your formation?"

Cloaked with a layer of dust, Division Head Wei roared furiously. At the same time, he gathered his zhenqi into his clenched fist and sent a powerful punch right toward Zhang Xuan.

The might of the palm burst forth, crushing down in Zhang Xuan's direction.

"Humph!" Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up as he stood his ground.

Hu!

Before the punch could connect, it made an abrupt U-turn and returned right back at Division Head Wei himself.

"What?" Shocked, Division Head Wei quickly thrusted his palm forward to ward off the might of his punch. Nevertheless, he was still forced to retreat eight steps, and a numbing sensation engulfed his arm. The impact had also jolted his zhenqi, causing him to sustain some internal injuries.

He had exerted his full might in the previous punch, and it seemed like the formation had further enhanced the strength of the punch before sending it back. With his last moment defense, he inevitably ended up suffering some injuries from the encounter.

Pale-faced, Division Head Wei roared furiously, "Liao Bujin, what the hell are you doing?"

With his eye of discernment, it was apparent that it was the Heart Division's formation that caused his attack to turn against him. Given that Liao Bujin was the head of the Heart Division, it went without saying that he was the one who wielded absolute control over its formations. Yet... why was he helping the enemy instead?

"I have no idea! It is as if... he has obtained higher control rights over the formations than me..." Division Head Liao narrowed his eyes in horror.

The formations in the Heart Division were left behind by the founder of the Heart Division, and its control rights were determined by a strict hierarchy. In fact, the head of the Heart Division was not chosen by nomination, but by whether one was able to control the formations of the Heart Division or not.

Back then, it was because he had bested the other elders in terms of his control over the formations that he had been given the token, thus becoming the head of the Heart Division.

Under normal circumstances, with the token in hand, there should have been no one in the Combat Master Hall who could surpass him in terms of control over the formations, and this included the hall master. So, how could the young man be able to supersede his control so easily? This should have been impossible!

Seeing through the situation, Hall Master Xing turned to Zhang Xuan and asked, "How did you manage to obtain higher control rights over the Heart Division's formations than Division Head Liao?"

However, Zhang Xuan was in no mood to answer their questions at this point. With an incredibly dark face, he said in a chilly tone, "It's under your invitation that I came here to nourish your Primordial Spirit. While some mishap happened in the midst of it, it's due to Division Head Wei abruptly barging into the room despite my warnings beforehand. I'm sure it should be apparent that I bear no ill intentions. Yet, not only did you not reciprocate my favor, you even turned around and assaulted me. Why?"

Zhang Xuan's voice gradually grew colder and colder. As he spoke, he slowly walked step by step down from the sky.

With every step that he took, the pressure that Hall Master Xing and the others felt intensified by a notch. After several steps, they felt as if they were shouldering an entire mountain, causing their legs to tremble uncontrollably. Cold sweat trickled ceaselessly down their faces.

This immense pressure came from the formations of the Heart Division!

Given that the other party was in control of the formations, he could easily kill all of them as long as he willed it to happen!

" I asked why! " Zhang Xuan roared once more furiously.

Huala!

Unable to withstand it any longer, the trio collapsed to the ground. A stifling sensation choked them, and blood spurted from their mouths.

Zhang Xuan was truly furious this time around.

He had always acted by the principles that he deeply believed in. He did not think that he was a noble and selfless person, but at the very least, he had never done anything that went against his conscience. Even though a mishap did happen, it was a fact that he had helped to perfect Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit. And yet, these three combat masters had actually made an attempt on his life!

And it was an attempt that was completely devoid of mercy! If it was not for his swift reflexes, he would have been dead already!

He had been trying his best to find a way to resolve Hall Master Xing's condition, and yet, they actually attempted to kill him without rationalizing the situation!

"You are asking why even though you have tried to kill our hall master?" Division Head Liao spat indignantly as he tightened his grip around the token in his hand, wanting to wrestle back control over the formation. However, it was to no avail.

Before the other party, it was as if his token as a mere toy. Putting aside controlling the formation, he found that he was even unable to feel it at all. This was how absolute the other party's control over the formation was.

"Kill your hall master? If I really wanted to kill him, do you think that he would still be alive and kicking now?" Zhang Xuan sneered coldly as he flung his sleeves furiously.

Peng!

A powerful force struck Division Head Liao, and his body crashed heavily into the wall. He was completely helpless before the power of the Heart Division's formation.

In truth, even though Zhang Xuan's cultivation was only at Saint 1-dan, he still could have easily destroyed Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit earlier on. There was no need for him to go to such lengths to do it.

As such, when he heard Division Head Liao replying him with such a ridiculous reason, he could not hold back his temper any longer.

Seeing that his companion was wounded, Division Head Wei clenched his jaws furiously. "With more than a hundred inner demons in your heart, do you honestly expect us to believe that you wanted our hall master to bare his Primordial Spirit out of goodwill?"

Considering how the wall had turned so dark after the other party had entered the Trial of Inner Demons, it was apparent to see that he harbored malicious intentions at heart. No matter how he tried to reason his actions, they were bound to be excuses!

"Inner demons?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had not really thought that the trio would attempt to kill him for such a reason.

"So that's why you attacked me?" Zhang Xuan gazed down on them coldly. "Those inner demons aren't mine. I was assaulted by the Sky Bearing Bandit Cang Xu back at the Spirit Awakener Guild, and a sliver of his soul ended up latching onto me. It was his soul that resulted in the congregation of inner demons."

If it had been anyone else, he wouldn't have bothered to waste his words. He would have just pummeled them straight to vent his anger and return some sense back into their heads.

However, he was in the Combat Master Hall, and as the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, his actions were representative of the entire organization. Given that the Xuanxuan Faction was going to have an exchange with the Combat Master Hall very soon, it could prove to be very troublesome later on if he beat up the hall master and two division heads.

The other party might even vent their anger on his students.

Considering that they were in Qingyuan City, the other party's home turf, he had no choice but to hold himself back.

"Cang Xu?" Hall Master Xing and the others were stunned to hear that name.

He had heard how the fellow was stomped to death by the guild building.

If one had to compile a list of the ten most unforgivable criminals in Qingyuan Empire, that fellow would definitely have been on the list.

"Indeed. I have already killed that fellow and taken down all of the inner demons." Zhang Xuan harrumphed coldly. "If I really have hundreds of inner demons, do you think that I could walk out from the Trial of Inner Demons perfectly fine?"

"This..." The trio froze.

The other party was right. If those inner demons were indeed his, even with the safety measures in the formation, he would still have been driven to a state of near insanity by the simultaneous onslaught of the inner demons!

Considering how the other party was in a completely rational state, capable of making astute judgements in battle and analyzing the situation keenly... it did appear that he was unfazed by the inner demons.

Zhang Xuan gazed down on Hall Master Xing coldly. "Besides, if I really intend you harm, do you think that I would have entered the Trial of Inner Demons just to cause problems for myself?"

"To deal with our hall master, it's natural that you would have to gain our trust first. You could have known of the existence of the Trial of Inner Demons beforehand and made countermeasures against it, only for the countermeasures to fail halfway through the trial," argued Division Head Liao.

If possible, they would not doubt their benefactor either. However, when they thought back about what had happened, everything seemed too coincidental to be true.

Just as they were about to find a powerful spirit awakener, he suddenly appeared in the Spirit Awakener Guild. It should have only been an ordinary spirit enchantment, but it ended up turning Hall Master Xing into a flowering cactus.

It was not to say that the points raised by the other party did not make sense, but there were still too many doubtful points for them to simply accept it as it was.

It was due to these doubts that they harbored that they were swiftly convinced that the other party was up to no good upon finding out that there were so many inner demons in the other party's heart.

"Alright then. Let's take a step back and not debate whether I would have to win your trust before dealing with your hall master. With just my control over the Heart Division's formations, do you think that anyone will be able to stop me if I attempt to kill the three of you?" Placing his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan spoke with the utmost arrogance.

So what if they were combat masters?

With the many formations of the Heart Division under his control, he was the sole sovereign within this space!

If he wanted to make a move, he could have easily killed the trio without anyone being any the wiser.

Hearing those words, the trio fell silent.

That was indeed true.

Perhaps the other party might still have needed to resort to schemes beforehand, but with the formations of the Heart Division now under his absolute control, there was no need for him to waste his breath on them.

Seeing that the trio was unable to speak a word, Zhang Xuan continued. "Hall Master Xing, if I'm not mistaken, your Primordial Spirit suffered significant damage in the past, right?"

"That's right... Twenty-five years ago, I fought with an Otherworldly Demon King in the Subterranean Gallery and ended up being wounded by him," Hall Master Xing replied.

There were quite a few people within the Combat Master Hall who were aware of the wounds his Primordial Spirit had suffered. Back then, his injuries were so severe that he had nearly lost his life. He was unconscious for three whole years, and if not for the relentless effort of the old guild leader of the Physician Guild, he might have just passed away back then.

However, it was a pity that the old guild leader suddenly went missing after saving him, leaving him unable to repay the other party's favor.

That had become a huge regret of his.

Sighing deeply, Zhang Xuan began explaining with a softened tone. "The damage sustained by your Primordial Spirit has ended up leaving behind a huge rift in it. I used my spirit enchantment to help cover up your rift, but Division Head Wei entered at that crucial moment, and your awakening Primordial Spirit ended up ejecting my consciousness from your mind. After which, while you were attacked by the inner demons, the enchanted spirit ended up fusing completely with your Primordial Spirit, thus resulting in that weird form of yours. It's indeed my fault for not explaining things to you earlier, but it was definitely not my intention to harm you."

"This..." Hall Master Xing's face paled.

He had felt his Primordial Spirit becoming much more wholesome than before, but as he had not done a thorough check, he didn't notice that the rift had been healed. Upon hearing Zhang Xuan's words, he hurriedly looked inwardly to check on his Primordial Spirit, and a moment later, his eyes widened in astonishment and delight.

"You treated... the rift in my Primordial Spirit?" Hall Master Xing asked hoarsely. He could hardly believe what had happened to him.

The huge rift in his Primordial Spirit had become a huge bottleneck for his cultivation. He had sought many formidable physicians due to that matter, but all was helpless before that issue.

Twenty years had passed, and he had already given up hope.

The reason he intended to challenge the Trial of Inner Demons was in hopes that perhaps that highest secret art could repair that wound of his. Although, to be honest, he did not harbor much hope for that either.

He had thought that his cultivation would be capped at this level for his entire life, and never had he thought that the spirit awakener before him would actually successfully repair his Primordial Spirit. How could he have made an attempt on the life of his great benefactor?

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Chapter 1119: Zhang Xuan Imparts a Technique

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"I have misunderstood you. Please accept my sincerest apologies," Hall Master Xing said as he bowed deeply.

Putting everything aside, if the other party truly intended to kill him, why would he have repaired his Primordial Spirit in the first place? There was no need for him to do so at all.

Furthermore, just as the other party had said, if the other party wanted to kill him, given his control over the formations, he would have just done it. There was no need for him to waste his breath.

To think that he, as the head of the Combat Master Hall, actually tried to kill a man who was earnestly doing his best to help him... A deep feeling of guilt and shame crushed down on his heart, choking him within.

Subconscious bias had influenced his train of thought, and the Trial of Inner Demons had further dulled his judgement. Otherwise, someone of his wits should have been able to figure all of that out.

"After all we have done, we dare not ask for Sun shi's forgiveness. We only hope that you will give us an opportunity to compensate you. No matter what it is, we will definitely have it done without the slightest complaint!" Hall Master Xing implored.

They were at fault for this matter, and no matter what, they had to clear things up. Putting aside the fact that this matter would bring shame to the Combat Master Hall, they would not even be able to forgive themselves.

"I don't need your compensation. However, if you are willing to trust me, I can resolve your problem right now," Zhang Xuan replied.

He was still angry over the matter, but at the very least, the other party had not done what they did out of ill will against him. Rather than souring the relations with the Combat Master Hall just so that he could vent his emotions, it would be better if he could use this incident to forge a sense of camaraderie between them and the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy instead.

"Of course, I trust Sun shi!" Hearing the other party not asking for compensation and even offering to resolve his problem for him, Hall Master Xing could not help but feel deeply grateful and ashamed at the same time.

This was the magnanimity of a true master teacher!

Compared to him, they seemed like hypocrites instead.

Zhang Xuan nodded. "Alright, I'll need you to lower the defenses around your Primordial Spirit."

"Very well!" Without any hesitation, Hall Master Xing sat down on the ground and bared his Primordial Spirit to the other party without any reservations.

Given that the other party controlled the formations of the Heart Division, there would have been nothing he could do even if the other party meant him harm. Since he was completely helpless, he might as well just completely let go. This way, he would at least be able to salvage the situation a little by displaying his trust in the other party.

Seeing that the other party was cooperating with him obediently, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

It was indeed difficult to deal with a spirit once it had fused with the cultivator's Primordial Spirit. Nevertheless, if he could slip his consciousness into the other party's Primordial Spirit and specifically pinpoint the location of the target, it would not be too difficult to eliminate it.

Hu!

Thus, Zhang Xuan extended his consciousness into Hall Master Xing's Primordial Spirit and began his work. Not too long later, he heaved a sigh of relief.

"Sun shi, how is it?" Division Heads Liao and Wei asked anxiously.

"Take a look for yourself..." Zhang Xuan left them those words and sat down on the ground to recuperate.

The other party's Primordial Spirit was simply too strong, such that he had to exert a lot of energy in order to maneuver his consciousness within it to find the spirit. Even though the process had only taken ten short minutes, it had ended up depleting his soul energy by almost 80%.

Boom!

A while later, a loud buzz suddenly sounded from Hall Master Xing's body, and amid a brilliant glow, a Primordial Spirit suddenly gushed out of his body.

"Leaving Aperture realm..." Division Heads Liao and Wei widened their eyes in disbelief.

Just how long did it take for them to achieve a breakthrough?

Hu!

Returning his Primordial Spirit back to his body, Hall Master Xing opened his eyes once more. He jolted his body, and the cactus on his head and the flower on his bottom fell to the ground before withering to death.

Turning to the young man, he kneeled down in gratitude.

"Thank you, Sun shi!"

His Primordial Spirit had long reached a level far surpassing any other Half-Leaving Aperture realm expert. Were it not for his injury, he would have achieved a breakthrough many years ago. After his trauma was resolved with Zhang Xuan's help, his flow of power finally became whole again, and with the incredible accumulation of power he had, he was able to achieve a breakthrough easily on the spot.

Of course, while he had managed to draw his Primordial Spirit out from his body, he had not undergone the lightning ordeal yet, so he could not be considered a full-fledged Leaving Aperture realm expert. Nevertheless, he was still many times stronger than before.

He could not help but feel incredibly blessed to have met with Sun shi.

Despite all of the misunderstandings between the both of them, the other party was willing to shrug off the matter magnanimously and treat him. In that moment, he was filled with nothing but admiration for the other party.

"There's no need to stand on ceremony!" Zhang Xuan swiftly helped the other party up.

At that moment, he suddenly recalled a certain matter, and he said, "Previously, after I cleared the Trial of Inner Demons, I met with the founder of the Heart Division!"

"Sun shi met with the founder?"

"But... Despite Cang Xu introducing so many inner demons into the trial, you were still able to successfully clear the trial?"

Everyone leaped in shock. This was especially so for the head of the Heart Division, Division Head Liao. His eyes were widened in disbelief.

Initially, considering that the other party's cultivation was only at Saint 1-dan, he had thought that it was unlikely for him to clear the trial. Furthermore, the other party had said that Cang Xu's Primordial Spirit had drawn in more than a hundred inner demons, and that only further convinced him so.

He had thought that the other party had only managed to get away unscathed by backing out of the formation through using some unknown method while his mind was rational the moment that the inner demons appeared. But who knew that the other party had managed to clear the trial!

He knew full well how difficult the Trial of Inner Demons was. Of the many generations of hall masters, only five had cleared the trial. Yet, a Saint 1-dan cultivator... had actually managed to clear it. This was too fearsome!

After a moment of shock, Division Head Liao asked, "Did the founder... impart the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra to Sun shi?"

"He did." Zhang Xuan nodded before continuing. "Since all of you are around, let me impart the secret art to the rest of you. It should prove to be useful in helping you all temper your state of mind!"

"You want to impart it to us?"" Hall Master Xing swiftly shook his head with a bitter smile. "I appreciate Sun shi's kind gesture, but there are fundamental requirements to cultivating that secret art. Until we are able to clear the Trial of Inner Demons with our own ability, we will only hurt ourselves by cultivating the secret art."

They would have loved to cultivate the strongest technique of the Combat Master Hall as well, but it was a pity that they were not strong enough to overcome the temptations of the mind. Even with the secret art right before them, they would not dare touch it. Otherwise, it might just very well cost them their lives.

In the many millenniums of history behind the Combat Master Hall, there had been a handful of combat masters who did not believe in such matters and demanded to learn the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra from the hall master, and eventually, their cultivation all ended up going berserk.

It was for this reason that it was eventually firmly sealed behind the Trial of Inner Demons of the Heart Division, becoming one of the forbidden secret arts of the Combat Master Hall.

In truth, they could not help but feel deeply impressed by the young man before them. Despite his young age, he had already attained a state of mind far beyond theirs, and with his own prowess, he had managed to earn the right to cultivate the secret art. They hoped to do the same, too, but it was still impossible for them in their current state.

The dangers concerning the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra were in no way exaggerated. Once a cultivator started to cultivate the secret art and fell for its temptation, they would find themself unable to stop cultivating, and it was a matter of time before disaster struck.

"The secret art did have such a flaw previously, but there's no need to worry about it anymore. You can take a look at it first before deciding on whether you want to cultivate the technique or not!" Zhang Xuan chuckled as he raised his hand. A screen of zhenqi appeared before him, and a string of gleaming words materialized in midair.

"This..." Not expecting the other party to show the secret art to them without any reservations, Hall Master Xing and the others felt a little conflicted.

It might seem as if there was no harm just looking at it, but even they could not guarantee that they would not succumb to the temptation of the technique and cultivate it. But again, as combat masters, avid pursuers of strength, it was extremely difficult for them to turn their eyes away when they knew that a powerful secret art stood before them. Curiosity gnawed at their hearts.

"Forget it! It won't hurt to take a look..." Eventually, the trio failed to withstand the allure of the secret art and began examining the secret art manual in the air.

Perplexed frowns gradually crept onto their faces.

Their eyes of discernment might not have been on par with the founder of the Heart Division, but they were still top-notch experts of the Combat Master Hall. With their deep experience and knowledge of all kinds of secret arts, it did not take them long to realize that the secret art was a little different from how it had been described to them. Astonishingly, the prerequisite mental resilience to begin cultivating the technique was not high at all. Putting aside them, even ordinary combat masters would be able to practice it without facing any serious danger.

"This..." The trio traded intrigued gazes with one another.

After a long moment of silence, Hall Master Xing asked hesitantly, "Sun shi, are you certain that this is the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra?"

"It is." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"But... that secret art can't be cultivated by those who lack mental resilience..." Hall Master Xing muttered in confusion.

"That's right. The secret art did have such an issue when I first obtained it." Zhang Xuan nodded. "I thought that it was a huge flaw, so I casually changed some parts of it. Now, even ordinary cultivators should be able to practice it!"

"You casually changed some parts of it?"

"Sun shi... did you really... alter the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra?"

The three combat masters felt the back of their throats turning dry, and their bodies began shaking involuntarily.

The secret art had been around ever since the founding of the Heart Division. If it could be altered that easily, one of the countless geniuses in the long history of the Combat Master Hall would have long done so!

Sun shi had barely been in the Heart Division for twenty minutes... and within this period of time, not only did he deal with the hundred inner demons from Cang Xu, he even inherited the heritage and altered it on a whim.

You must be joking with us! You've got to be!

That is the greatest secret art of the Combat Master Hall!

Is it really possible to change it just like that?

"Indeed. The secret art had simply too many flaws, and more importantly, ordinary cultivators were not even able to cultivate it at that! A flawed technique that ordinary cultivators are unable to practice, is there a reason for such a technique to continue existing in the world?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Honestly, I have no idea why the founder of the Heart Division left such a secret art behind!"

To regard a secret art that no one was able to cultivate as its unparalleled treasure, this Combat Master Hall sure was...

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "It's pity that I wasn't able to correct all of the flaws due to my ineptitude. I was only able to lower the prerequisites of the technique such that ordinary cultivators are able to practice it. It's still rather lacking, but I'm afraid that you will have to just make do with it."

He was still lacking books on the aspect of tempering one's mind, so he could only alter it this far for the time being.

Honestly speaking, he could not help but feel a little embarrassed for imparting a technique riddled with flaws to others.

The simplified Heaven's Path techniques that he would usually impart to others might have its flaws as well, but they numbered very few. However, as for this Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra... he had only altered one of the flaws, and there were still many more within it. If others were to learn that he was the one who had passed this technique over to the Combat Master Hall, he might just die of shame!

"Limits of your knowledge?"

"Make do with it?"

The trio staggered upon hearing those words, and they nearly collapsed to the floor.

Big brother, are you sure you aren't joking with us?

Generation after generation of our predecessors have failed to achieve what you did! If what you have done is considered ineptitude, shouldn't our predecessors have just banged their heads against the walls to repent for their uselessness?

And more importantly... it is such a profound cultivation technique, but why do you keep speaking of it with disdain, as if it is little more than trash?

Noticing the bizarre expressions on the faces of the trio, Zhang Xuan thought that they were worrying about the dangers of cultivating the newly-modified secret art, so he quickly clarified the matter. "Ah, are you afraid that I might have altered it incorrectly? Don't worry, your founder has taken a look at it personally and confirmed that it's fine. It's also for this reason that he passed down the top authority over the formations in the Heart Division to me."

"The founder has taken a look at it as well?"

While the trio was shocked by the news, realization also struck them at the same time.

They had been wondering how the other party had suddenly gained control over the Heart Division's formations just after making a trip into the Trial of Inner Demons. It turned out that the founder had passed his control rights over!

Just that gesture in itself was sufficient to prove that there was no mistake in the other party's alteration. Otherwise, the founder could not have possibly gone to the extent of passing his authority over to a stranger.

To receive the recognition of the founder and gain authority over the Heart Division's formations... Wouldn't that mean that the time the other party had spent on altering the secret art was far less than twenty minutes?

To be able to alter their highest secret art so quickly... Could it be that Sun shi's greatest strength lay not in spirit enchantment but his comprehension of cultivation techniques?

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Chapter 1120: Hall Master Xing's Doubts

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Thank you, Sun shi!"

As shocked as they were, they knew that it wasn't the time to be pondering over this matter. They quickly turned their gazes back to the secret art and began memorizing it.

They understood full well the significance of the lowered prerequisites for the cultivation of the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra to the Combat Master Hall.

The other party could have hidden the fact that he had obtained the heritage from them, and no one would have been any wiser either. Using the secret art, he could have easily drawn in countless pursuers and form his own influence, thus bringing him immense power and vast riches... Alternatively, he could have also used the secret art as a leverage to make demands out of them... Considering that it was their highest secret art on the line, they would have no choice but to bow to anything that the other party demanded.

But the other party didn't choose to do so.

In fact, he even tossed it back to them as if it was nothing at all... This magnanimity was something they could never hope to match up to.

It was laughable how they had actually doubted the character of such a noble person...

Their faces reddened in shame, and they would dive into a hole to hide in if there was one beside them in this very instant.

All along, they had thought that given that everyone had their own greed and desires, true selflessness was impossible... However, the young man before them had overturned that belief!

Only a man like him could bear the title of a 'teacher' without any guilt.

"Sun shi, your impartation of the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra to our Qingyuan Empire Combat Master Hall makes you a half-teacher to all of us. From now onward, no matter what request you have of us, our Combat Master Hall will surely have it accomplish at all cost!"

After taking several more looks at the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra and confirming that it was suitable for everyone to cultivate, Hall Master Xing stepped forward and clasped his fist earnestly.

While this secret art was left behind by the founder of the Heart Division, the young man before him did make a huge alteration to the technique, so it could be said that he had a claim to it as well.

Since they were going to cultivate the other party's technique, that would effectively make the other party their half-teacher.

No matter, the Qingyuan Conferred Empire truly owed the young man a huge debt this time around. This wasn't a debt which could be repaid just by offering a little bit of help here and there.

"Hall Master Xing, there's no need to stand on ceremony!" Not expecting the other party to take the matter so seriously, Zhang Xuan hurriedly waved his hands to indicate that it wasn't a huge issue.

"That can't do! Sun shi, you have truly done our Combat Master Hall a great favor this time around. With the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra you have imparted us, the overall fighting prowess of our Combat Master Hall would be raised immensely. With this, we would be able to deal with our current crisis easily!" Hall Master Xing replied earnestly.

There were two reasons why the members of the Combat Master Hall were to easily seduced by the Xuanxuan Faction. Firstly, the Xuanxuan Faction's grasp of combat knowledge was indeed far superior to theirs—even Hall Master Xing had to admit that. Secondly, it would be due to their lacking mental resilience against temptations.

However, with the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra being made commonplace, the overall prowess of the combat masters would be enhanced. With this, they might stand a chance in besting the Xuanxuan Faction in the exchange three days from now!

"Indeed. If one were to cultivate the secret art diligently, it'll help them to maintain their clarity of mind, allowing them to withstand the beguilement of the inner demons. At the same time, the enhanced state of mind will also boost one's comprehension of battle techniques and combat. It'll indeed boost the prowess of the combat masters significantly." Zhang Xuan nodded.

At this point, he suddenly recalled a matter and asked, "Right, I have some students who are severely lacking in their mental resilience. Will it be fine for me to impart the secret art to them as well?"

No matter what, the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra was still the highest secret art of the Combat Master Hall. He should still seek the other party's permission before imparting it to Wang Ying and the others in the Xuanxuan Faction.

"Of course! Since the founder has imparted the technique to you, and you have also made significant improvements in it, you are free to do anything you want with it!" Hall Master Xing said with a smile.

It wasn't a problem for the technique to be passed down to just a couple of students.

Division Heads Liao and Wei also nodded in agreement.

Such an act wouldn't harm the interests of their Combat Master Hall, so there was no need for them to oppose it.

"Allow me to thank the Combat Master Hall on their behalf then." Zhang Xuan bowed.

Wang Ying, Liu Yang, and the others from the Xuanxuan Faction were still too young. It was inevitable that they would be disadvantaged in terms of their state of mind against the combat masters. However, if they could cultivate the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra, that flaw of theirs could be resolved. At the very least, they wouldn't panic in the midst of battle, and that would give the Xuanxuan Faction a better chance in the battle.

"Sun shi, you are too polite!"

The others quickly clasped their fists respectfully.

After chatting for a while longer, Zhang Xuan suddenly recalled a certain matter, and he asked, "Will it be inconvenient for me to ask what kind of trouble is the Combat Master Hall facing?"

This was the second time he was asking this question.

The other party agreeing to allow him to impart the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra to his students and the members of the Xuanxuan Faction was a huge favor to him. For this, he didn't mind helping the other party resolve their problem.

Also, he was also a little curious as to know what kind of problem the Combat Master Hall was facing that would leave even the formidable Hall Master Xing in such a panic.

"I thank Sun shi for your concern, but with this Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra, I am confident that we should be able to overcome the crisis easily." Hall Master Xing replied with a smile.

The other party had already done them a huge favor by simplifying the Vitreous Heart Tempering Sutra to a level where each and every combat master would be able to cultivate it. If they still couldn't resolve the problem like that, their Combat Master Hall would have no face to continue existing in this world.

"Hall Master Xing..." Right after he had said those words, Division Head Liao suddenly turned to him and discreetly sent a telepathic message over. "Despite possessing only a cultivation of Saint 1-dan pinnacle, Sun shi was able to avoid our collaborative offense without incurring any injuries... His fighting prowess is truly terrifying! If we could have him to teach our combat masters, the overall prowess of our Comba Master Hall would surely rise swiftly!"

"This..." Hall Master Xing was a little taken aback by the proposal.

He hadn't really thought about it, but the young man before him had achieved an astounding level in his comprehension of combat despite his Saint 1-dan pinnacle cultivation.

Even with his breakthrough to Leaving Aperture realm, it was highly likely that he would be no match for the other party once he suppressed his cultivation to Saint 1-dan pinnacle too.

With his prowess, he was bound to be far stronger than those of the Xuanxuan Faction. If he could step forward to teach their combat masters... It could be foreseen that there would be a significant surge in the prowess of the Combat Master Hall!

By then, it wouldn't be a problem for them to defeat the Xuanxuan Faction and regain their honor.

"It's indeed a good idea, but... our Combat Master Hall is already deeply indebted to the other party. We can't let him do anything for us anymore..." Hall Master Xing replied with a frown.

Division Head Liao's idea was good, but they couldn't just keep accepting the goodwill of the other party without reciprocating.

Besides, for the Combat Master Hall to be unable to deal with an academy from a Tier-1 Empire, forced to the extent of engaging the help of a spirit awakener... How shameful it would be!

"You're right." Understanding Hall Master Xing's point of view, Division Head Liao nodded and fell silent.

On the other hand, hearing Hall Master Xing's confident response, Zhang Xuan nodded, "That's good..."

He knew that it wouldn't be appropriate for him to probe any further at this point, or else it would as good as casting doubt over the capability of the Combat Master Hall. Thus, he hesitated for a brief moment before continuing, "To tell you the truth, I do have something to ask of you."

"Feel free to speak!" Hall Master Xing replied hurriedly.

"Is it possible for me to access all of the Saint 2-dan and above cultivation technique manuals in your Combat Master Hall? Recently, I have reached a bottleneck in my cultivation, and I need to accrue as much knowledge as possible in order to converge my cultivation together..." Zhang Xuan said.

It had been a month since he had reached Saint 1-dan pinnacle at the Qiu Wu Palace. His physical body, zhenqi, and soul cultivation had already reached their limits long ago, and it was about time for him to achieve a breakthrough.

To be honest, it was deeply embarrassing for him to be stuck at Saint 1-dan pinnacle for such a long period of time.

"Our Combat Master Hall do have cultivation technique manuals of Saint 2-dan and above, but I'm afraid that we don't have too many of them." Hall Master Xing was visibly surprised by Zhang Xuan's request for a moment before nodding.

"There aren't much of them?" Zhang Xuan asked with a deep frown.

Typically speaking, the Master Teacher Pavilion would have a huge collection of cultivation technique manuals numbering in millions so that master teachers could easily access whatever information they required. So, why would Hall Master Xing say that there wasn't much of them?

"Unlike the Master Teacher Pavilion, where master teachers can access all cultivation techniques once their cultivation reaches the required level, combat masters have to overcome certain trials before they can claim any cultivation technique..." Seeing the incomprehension in Zhang Xuan's eyes, Hall Master Xing explained.

In the Master Teacher Pavilion, as long as one's master teacher rank and cultivation realm reached the required level, or if they were to accrue sufficient Contribution Points, they would be granted access to the cultivation techniques correspondingly. However, the Combat Master Hall didn't obey by the same rules.

Combat masters were expected to wield fighting prowess at the apex of humanity, so they had to temper their strength to the very limits of their cultivation realm and prove it so through clearing a trial would they be able to obtain the cultivation technique manuals for the next realm.

Otherwise, if one failed to reinforce their cultivation sufficiently at a certain realm, their subsequent cultivation would become unstable. This meant that they would no longer be able to retain their strength of being at the apex of their cultivation realm, and it could also hinder them from reaching greater heights in their cultivation as well.

"As our Combat Master Hall is born for the sole purpose of combat, combat masters would cultivate the same cultivation technique as one another so as to make it more convenient for them to collaborate with one another in combat or amalgamate their zhenqi together to generate a force far beyond their individual limits... Thus, the quantity of cultivation technique manuals that we have here is much fewer than that in the Master Teacher Pavilion!" Hall Master Xing explained.

Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

The Combat Master Hall was effectively the army of the Master Teacher Pavilion, so naturally, their cultivation techniques would be geared towards maximizing their prowess, especially through teamwork. For this purpose, it was necessary for them to cultivate specific cultivation techniques so that they could better aid and complement one another in battle.

"Of course, even though our cultivation technique manuals number few, I can assure their guarantee. They should prove to be a great source of inspiration to you. Besides, even though I did say their quantity is limited, we still do have a few hundreds of them here to cater to those of differing constitutions!"

Hall Master Xing didn't know why Sun shi would ask for quantity instead of quality, but since the other party had made such a request, he was bound to have a rationale behind it. Naturally, he should first clarify things up so as to prevent a misunderstanding from occurring.

"Several hundred cultivation technique manuals will do as well. Where do I have to go to access them, and what kind of trials will I have to undergo?" Zhang Xuan asked.

To be honest, he was also a little curious to learn what kind of trials that combat masters undergo too.

He hadn't tested out his newfound strength as a Celestial Saint yet, this would be a good opportunity for him to assess where his strength stood against the rest of the Master Teacher Continent.

"The cultivation techniques are in the Inner Breath Division. It happens that I am the head of the Inner Breath Division, so allow me to bring you over!" Division Head Wei said with a smile.

"I'll be counting on you then!" Zhang Xuan nodded with a smile.

Since the other party didn't want him to interfere in their private affairs, he wasn't interested in becoming a busybody either. No matter what, since he had come to the Combat Master Hall, he should at least use this opportunity to raise his strength by at least a little.

"Sun shi, this way please..." Division Head Wei bade Hall Master Xing farewell before leading Zhang Xuan out.

Upon the departure of the duo, Division Head Liao turned to Hall Master Xing and asked in bewilderment, "Have you ever heard of anyone deriving inspiration by reading a huge variety of cultivation technique manuals? Wouldn't it just make it harder for one to discern the truth from the false, befuddling their train of thoughts further instead?"

"I have never heard of such a thing either, but one thing is for sure. Sun shi is a true genius! Most likely, only Zhang Xuan of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy could be a match for him..."

Halfway through his words, Hall Master Xing suddenly froze. "Wait a moment... Zhang Xuan has just arrived in Qingyuan City, and Sun shi appeared shortly afterward. Furthermore, the both of them seem to be around the same age, and they are both top-notch geniuses...

"Division Head Liao, where is the painting of Zhang Xuan where Zhuo Qingfeng sent to us previously? Bring it over to me. Back then, I had only taken a glance at it and thought much of it. But this... I need to take another look to verify the matter!"

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