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

41. 1281

Library of Heaven's Path #Chapter 1281 - Sword Quintessence - Read Library of Heaven's Path Chapter 1281 - Sword Quintessence Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

Chapter 1281: Sword Quintessence

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Five minutes?" The sword on the stone platform froze.

Sword Quintessence was the highest level of comprehension toward swordsmanship, so naturally, it was no easy feat to achieve that realm. Without several centuries of experience and accumulation, it was nigh impossible to make the breakthrough.

Even the Old Sword Maestro, famed to be one of the greatest geniuses in swordsmanship in his era, had to work ceaselessly for more than a hundred years before he managed to achieve that realm!

On the other hand, the young man before him appeared to only be in his early twenties, and yet, he actually claimed that he would be able to achieve a breakthrough within five minutes...

How could that be possible?

"Elder, that is clearly nonsense! He's obviously trying to stall for time. If we don't kill him right now, there's no saying that he would do within those five minutes!" Seeing that the situation was developing in a direction beyond his control, Ji Lingzhen exclaimed anxiously.

I didn't summon you out to chat with the enemy... As a weapon, can you at least show some professionalism?

"Shut up!" the sword bellowed furiously.

Weng!

Before Ji Lingzhen could even react, a powerful surge of sword qi was already darting his way. Horrified, he quickly channeled his zhenqi to defend himself.

Peng!

However, the sword qi still overcame his defense and struck his chest squarely. His face reddened, and a spurt of fresh blood escaped from his mouth. At the same time, a glaring horizontal cut appeared across his chest.

All along, while Ji Lingzhen knew the sword to be a Saint high-tier artifact, he had no idea what its exact tier was. However, when he felt the sword qi emanated by the sword, he immediately realized that the true strength wielded by the sword was far beyond his imagination.

Just a simple sword qi was enough to render him completely helpless. If the sword were to attempt to claim his life, there would have been nothing he could have done about it!

"Try uttering another word, and I'll kill you this instant!" the sword harrumphed coldly.

It was also no wonder why it would be angry.

Prior to the Old Sword Maestro's death, he had sealed the sword here as an inheritance for his successor. There were two conditions that the successor had to meet in order to unseal it.

Firstly, he must fully comprehend the conceptualization behind the '剑 (Sword)' character outside. Secondly, his comprehension of swordsmanship must achieve the level of Sword Quintessence.

Only when these two factors were met would the sword finally be freed from the stone platform. Over the years, many geniuses had found its way to it, but it was a pity that none of them had been able to meet the two conditions simultaneously.

Ji Lingzhen could be said to be the one who had come the closest to unsealing it in the past several thousand years, but it was a pity that despite several centuries of hard work, he was still unable to take the final step to achieving Sword Quintessence...

If Zhang Xuan was really able to achieve Sword Quintessence, he would be able to free it from its restraints. Naturally, how could it allow others to interfere with this hard-to-come-by opportunity?

"Elder..." Not expecting that several centuries of companionship would actually mean nothing as compared to a couple of words uttered by Zhang Xuan, Ji Lingzhen trembled in fury. Clenching his fists tightly, he exclaimed, "That fellow over there has used the Impartation of Heaven's Will and demonic tunes in order to sway you. It's clear that he's up to no good!"

"Sway me?"

"That's right, elder. There's no sword practitioner who doesn't know how difficult it is to achieve Sword Quintessence. Even the Old Sword Maestro had to take many years of hard work before managing to achieve that realm!" Ji Lingzhen spoke with a worried tone.

"He's only at Upper Sword Heart, not even reaching the level of Half-Quintessence. How could he possibly achieve a breakthrough to Sword Quintessence within just mere minutes? That's obviously an attempt to stall for time. He's probably intending on using some kind of lowly method to tame you..."

"This..." Hearing those words, the sword hesitated.

There was some sense to what Ji Lingzhen had said. If it was that easy to achieve Sword Quintessence, it wouldn't have been known as the threshold to the pinnacle of swordsmanship!

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Back in those years, countless sword experts of the Empire Alliance had come to challenge the Old Sword Maestro, and there was no lack of 8-star master teachers amongst them. However, all of them ended up being defeated by his superior comprehension of swordsmanship.

From this, it could be seen how difficult it was to achieve the level of Sword Quintessence.

From such a perspective, it was indeed doubtful whether a young man in the early twenties would be able to achieve this breakthrough or not.

"That fellow is a despicable and scheming fellow. Without a doubt, he's up to his underhanded tricks once more. Elder, I suggest that you kill him right this instant just to be safe..." Noticing that the sword was starting to sway in his favor, Ji Lingzhen immediately pressed on with an anxious tone.

But halfway through his words, his body suddenly stiffened instinctively. Following which, an unbelievably grand and pure Sword Intent burst into the sky.

Hong long!

It was as if huge waves had been raised in the Sword Lagoon. In the blink of an eye, countless sword qi began gathering toward them, forming a frightening hurricane around them.

"This is..."

Ji Lingzhen clearly felt the Sword Intent within his body being suppressed entirely, preventing him from even moving a single step. An ominous premonition loomed over his mind, and his face paled. He slowly turned his stiffened neck over in the direction where the Sword Intent was coming from.

The young man who was just talking a moment earlier came into his sight. His eyes were still completely shut, but in this moment, it felt as if he had transformed into a sharp blade which could challenge even the deities even.

Weng weng weng weng!

Countless blades flew in from outside the formation, and they swiftly took a kneeling stance before the young man, as if paying respects to their new emperor.

"Servility of the Myriad Swords... This is Sword Quintessence?" Ji Lingzhen widened his eyes in fright before slowly shaking his head in disbelief.

It was just a moment after he said that it was impossible for the young man to achieve a breakthrough to Sword Quintessence and he was just stalling for time when such a situation occurred. At this moment, he couldn't help but feel as if the world had directed its full malicious intentions toward him.

Seven hundred years ago, he reached Half-Quintessence. Ever since then, he had been trying to further his mastery of swordsmanship to take the final step forward, and for this, he had resorted to all sorts of means and studied all kinds of books. Yet, no matter what he tried, he was still unable to grasp the realm above Half-Quintessence. On the other hand, the young man had only closed his eyes for a few minutes, and he had already reached the level that was beyond his reach...

The stark contrast between both of their plights left him on a mental breakdown.

Had it not been for his firm mind, the final string of rationality in his mind might have just snap there and then, leaving him falling endlessly down the abyss of lunacy.

He has really comprehended Sword Quintessence? This is really bad...

On the other hand, Ji Lingfeng's eyes were narrowed in horror.

He thought that as long as they were to engage the help of the Old Sword Maestro's personal sword, they should be able to get rid of Zhang Xuan without any trouble. In fact, that was one of the contributing factors why they chose to make their move here, so that they would at least have a trump card to fall back on if things went awry. Yet, who could have thought that the both of them would end up hooking up together, and Zhang Xuan even managed to achieve a breakthrough to Sword Quintessence...

At this rate, the sword might even acknowledge Zhang Xuan as its master!

To put it in concise terms, they were in deep shit.

Run! Realizing this, Ji Lingfeng suppressed the pain that was resonating throughout his body with every move and fled as fast as he could out of the mist.

Even though he had only managed to get through the Chaotic Palace Beguilement Formation thanks to Ji Lingzhen's directions back then, he had memorized the passageway from the previous experience. Furthermore, the formation had been mostly destroyed by the burst of Sword Intent from the awakening of the sword, thus making it easier from him to escape from the area.

Hualala!

Barely after taking two steps out, before he could even get far, he suddenly felt a chill running through his body. Before he could do anything, he suddenly felt the upper half of his body tumbling forward uncontrollably.

Turning his head over, he saw Ji Lingzhen retracting his finger coldly, and the nonchalant look on the latter's face was as if saying the deed he had just committed was nothing worthy of note.

He watched as Ji Lingzhen turned around to the stone platform and clasped his fist respectfully, saying, "Elder, I only made a move on Zhang shi under the deception of my foolish younger brother. As you know, it has been many years since I left the Sword Lagoon, so I was unaware of the happenings outside..."

"You..."

Padah!

Ji Lingfeng's upper body fell onto the ground, and blood spurted wildly from the severed halves of his body. Even up to the moment of his death, his eyes were widened in disbelief, as if not daring to believe that his elder brother would actually kill him with his own hands.

Used to seeing bloodshed, the sword didn't flinch at the slightest by the gore before its eyes. Instead, it bellowed coldly in response to Ji Lingzhen's words, "Silence! Don't interrupt that lad's breakthrough!"

"Yes!" Ji Lingzhen hurriedly fell silent and stood obediently on the spot.

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Since even a newcomer like Ji Lingfeng was able to see through the attitude of the sword, how could Ji Lingzhen, who had accompanied the sword for hundreds of years, possibly be oblivious to it?

The requirement to taming the sword was to comprehend Sword Quintessence. Since Zhang Xuan had successfully reached Sword Quintessence, and he had also displayed a thorough understanding of the conceptualization behind the character the Old Sword Maestro had left behind, it was only a matter of time before he successfully tamed the sword.

Once that were to happen, Ji Lingzhen would be a goner. Thus, he decisively chose to slay Ji Lingfeng and pin all the blame on the latter.

In the face of life and death, so long as he could survive, he wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice the life of his kin!

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan paid no heed to the mess that was happening at the moment. Under the protection of his clone, he immersed himself in the profound knowledge contained in the new Heaven's Path Sword Art which he had compiled earlier.

This sword art could be said to have contained the wisdom of the strongest sword practitioners in not just the Conferred Empires but even the Empire Alliance as well! As Zhang Xuan's comprehension of swordsmanship deepened, his Primordial Spirit also began morphing in the shape of a sword, and he felt like he could call forth devastating might with just a wave of his hand.

When his Primordial Spirit finally completed the metamorphosis into a sword form, he found that he seemed to command a natural authority over swords that were weaker than him. With just mere thoughts, he was able to drive them into action.

But of course, this was just the most elementary form of control. If he wished to wield absolute control over the sword, he would still have to gain the acknowledgement of the sword and tame it.

Nevertheless, this was already an extremely frightening ability

This effectively meant that no sword practitioner of the same cultivation realm as him could rival him anymore!

"With the deepening of my comprehension toward swords, I can now infuse Sword Intent even to the simplest of movements. Also, when I'm wielding a sword, the fighting prowess I can exert is around twofold as compared to when I'm fighting with fist art or palm art!" Assessing the Sword Intent flowing within his body, Zhang Xuan began to make a primary gauge of his current strength.

As expected of Sword Quintessence, it's indeed formidable... Now that I have achieved this level of strength, I wonder if I'll be able to defeat my clone... A thought suddenly came into Zhang Xuan's mind.

However, he soon shook his head, Forget it, I don't have masochistic tendencies!

He and his clone might have originated from the same soul, but through the superior capabilities of the Nine Hearts Lotus, his clone wielded a fighting prowess far beyond his. Every time Zhang Xuan thought that he had made substantial improvement and wanted to exact vengeance for his previous humiliation, he would find that his clone had grown even stronger...

It should probably be the same this time around.

Both their souls were connected, allowing them to share everything telepathically. As soon as their minds connected with one another, his clone would also be able to grasp Sword Quintessence as well. Given so, whatever advantage he had over his clone would be undone as well.

If he were to really dare make a move, there was little doubt that the one who would be lying miserably on the ground afterward would be him.

With this lingering thought in mind, Zhang Xuan slowly opened his eyes.

The first thing that came into his sight was a hundred or so Saint intermediate-tier swords bowing right in front of him, every single of them trembling in fear.

I see. So that's the reason why the Dusk Cloud Sword was so fearful of Ma Minghai back then... Zhang Xuan thought.

He found that he had the strength to easily wipe away the spirit of any of the swords with just a thought. Given so, how could the sword spirits not know fear?

"Zhang shi, congratulations on your breakthrough! Please pardon me for my previous disrespect. It's due to the deception of the despicable Ji Lingfeng that I made an erroneous judgement. I beg for your forgiveness!" Following which, Zhang Xuan swiftly heard an exclamation,

Turning over, he saw Ji Lingzhen kneeling on the ground not too far away. Even though the latter was trying to keep himself composed, the slight trembling of his body still betrayed his innate fear.

Ji Lingzhen was already no match for Zhang Xuan previously, and the situation had only just worsened. The sword on the stone tablet was clearly biased against him, and the young man had already had more than a hundred Saint intermediate-tier swords under his command at the moment as well. If the young man really wanted to kill him, all it would take would be a mere thought.

"You are asking for my forgiveness?" Zhang Xuan scoffed.

Conducting a swift scan of his surroundings, he suddenly noticed that Ji Lingfeng had already been killed. Then, he traded glances with his clone, and through a telepathic interaction, he swiftly understood what was going on, and a deep frown emerged on his forehead.

To be willing to kill even his own brother, Ji Lingzhen was really the worst of scums. Morals and principles clearly meant nothing to him at all.

Thus, Zhang Xuan communicated telepathically with his clone for a moment before turning his gaze back to the stone platform.

"Zhang shi!" the sword exclaimed in agitation.

It had been sealed here ever since the death of the Old Sword Maestro, and it had been nearly ten thousand years since then. Even though it had spent most of its time in hibernation, it still direly craved for freedom. If there was a chance for it to leave this damned place, it would grasp it without any hesitation.

"Zhang shi, I have the heritage of the Old Sword Maestro on me. You have to pull me out from the stone platform for it to show..." the sword informed Zhang Xuan telepathically.

"Pull you out?" Zhang Xuan asked before coming to a realization.

He hadn't really thought of it in such a manner previously due to the astounding power displayed by the sword, but the words that the sword had just spoken made him realize that the reason why the sword hadn't moved all this while was because there was some kind of seal trapping it in the stone platform.

For even something as strong as the sword to be unable to free itself, the seal was bound to be exceptionally powerful.

Thus, Zhang Xuan couldn't help asking, "If even you are unable to struggle free of the seal, how can I possibly be able to free you?"

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Chapter 1282: I Won't Be Learning Them Anymore

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"This stone platform was left behind by the Old Sword Maestro as well, and only sword practitioners who have comprehended Sword Quintessence would be able to break the seal and pull me out! However, I'm not too sure about how it can be done either..." the sword replied awkwardly.

The Old Sword Maestro had passed away shortly after sealing it in the stone platform, and it had spent most of its time hibernating since then. All it knew was that in order to be freed from the stone platform, it would need to find a sword practitioner who had comprehended Sword Quintessence and the conceptualization of the '剑 (Sword)' character. As for how that sword practitioner could draw it out from the stone platform... Embarrassingly, it didn't know a thing at all.

"You aren't too sure how it can be done either?" Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan couldn't help heaving a deep sigh. "Alright, let me give it a try then."

The sword was a Saint high-tier artifact. It would be of great use to him, so he wouldn't turn down an opportunity to obtain it.

With a swift movement, Zhang Xuan appeared before the stone platform. He grabbed the sword and exerted all of his force.

However, it was as if the sword was nailed into the stone platform, not budging in the least.

Frowning, Zhang Xuan began examining the stone platform closely.

"It's an artifact created by a celestial designer! No wonder..."

With Zhang Xuan's current strength, he could pluck up even an entire mountain if he wanted to. Yet, for him to be completely helpless before a seemingly ordinary stone platform...

So, he decided to take a closer look, and he swiftly found that the entire stone platform was a celestial designer mechanism. Unless one were to use a special method to resolve both the seal and the celestial designer mechanism simultaneously, or else it would be impossible to release the sword.

"The sword said earlier that only those who had achieved Sword Quintessence would be able to draw it from the stone platform. Perhaps I need to utilize my Sword Intent while drawing the sword out for it to work..."

With this thought in mind, Zhang Xuan tightened his hands on the handle of the sword before closing his eyes. He quickly morphed his comprehension of Sword Quintessence into a surge of Sword Intent and slowly drove it through his body.

Hong long!

It was as if something had been activated. With a resounding buzz, a peculiar power abruptly burst forth from the stone platform. Following which, a powerful wave of Sword Intent rippled into the surroundings before swiftly forming a barrier around the area.

The first thing Zhang Xuan noticed was that his Spiritual Perception had been isolated by the barrier of Sword Intent, preventing him from sensing anything beyond the barrier. The converse was likely to be true as well—those outside were unlikely to be able to sense what was going on within the barrier too.

Frowning in uncertainty, Zhang Xuan was just about to release his grip of the sword to assess his current situation when he suddenly saw a few lingering Sword Intent in the area slowly gathering before his eyes, gradually forming the silhouette of an old man.

The old man had a slightly emaciated figure, but his very presence felt like an incredibly sharp sword which would slice through anything standing before it.

"Old Sword Maestro?" Zhang Xuan called out warily.

Even though the old man was an existence formed solely of just Sword Intent, Zhang Xuan could sense that the other party retained memories of his past. Even just as a congregation of Sword Intent, the other party still wielded might far beyond his means.

"I am Jian Zhen, the man whom others know as the Old Sword Maestro! Since you were able to awaken the will I have left behind, you must have successfully comprehended Sword Quintessence. With this, you are qualified to inherit my heritage..." the old man placed his hands behind his back and said.

One could vaguely see Sword Intent rippling within his black eyes, as if granting him the keenness to discern everything in the world.

"Kneel down and pay respects to me as your teacher, and I'll impart you the Three Swords of Lingxu and the method to undoing the seal on the stone platform!"

"Pay respects to you as my teacher?" An inconspicuous frown emerged on Zhang Xuan's forehead.

"To inherit my heritage and my wisdom, naturally, you have to acknowledge me as your teacher!" the Old Sword Maestro replied with a tone of unquestionable authority.

"My Three Swords of Lingxu—Sea Severing Sword, Ocean Cataclysm Sword, and Heaven Desecration Sword—are top-notch battle techniques. Even the experts of the Empire Alliance would kill for the opportunity to learn them! If my days hadn't been numbered, I wouldn't have left my heritage here for any outsider take it for their own!"

Typically speaking, when an expert wanted to pass down his heritage, he would first assess his student's nature, talent, and many other aspects before deciding on whether to impart to the latter his heritage. After all, there was no expert who wouldn't want to find an outstanding successor to further his legacy. However, by the time the Old Sword Maestro arrived in the Sword Lagoon, he was already on the verge of death, so he wasn't in the physical state to set too many trials. Thus, he could only leave behind the '剑 (Sword)' character and the stone platform to assess his successor.

Nevertheless, even if he couldn't make a wholesome assessment of his successor, he was determined to have his successor acknowledge him as his teacher before imparting to the latter his heritage.

It might appear to be an empty title on the surface, but to those of the Master Teacher Continent, the solemnity of their lineage was something they wouldn't compromise on.

"Since you have spent a long time to decipher the words I have left behind, I believe that you must have been moved by my heritage for some time now. Considering how you are able to comprehend Sword Quintessence at your young age, I believe that you should be able to accomplish great things in the future. After you acknowledge me as your teacher, not only will I teach you the Three Swords of Lingxu, I'll also impart to you the essence of my comprehension of swordsmanship. As long as you train diligently, you should have no trouble becoming a top-notch swordmaster in the Empire Alliance within three hundred years!" the Old Sword Maestro said proudly.

He had absolute trust in his own swordsmanship.

Since the young man went through all of the trouble to come here and study the '剑 (Sword)' character he had left behind, it would mean that the young man was interested in obtaining his heritage.

Naturally, as the senior and teacher here, he should put on an authoritative air deserving of his standing.

Otherwise, how could he win the trust and respect of his successor?

"Three hundred years just to become the top-notch swordmaster in the Empire Alliance? That's too long, I can't afford to wait till then!" With a conflicted look on his face, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He had to become a 9-star master teacher before thirty in order to get rid of his Innate Fetal Poison before it blew up on him.

More importantly, he needed to wield strength on par with an 8-star pinnacle master teacher by the third month of the next year so that he could have the strength to free Luo Ruoxin from her engagement with the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan.

Three hundred years just to reach the peak in the Empire Alliance... That was simply too slow.

"You can't afford to wait till then? What do you mean?" the Old Sword Maestro narrowed his eyes in agitation.

It wasn't easy for him to find a suitable successor, and there was no way he was going to let this opportunity to pass down his heritage go. As a show of power, he released a powerful burst of Sword Intent into the surroundings, causing the air to moan from the pressure.

"Are you afraid that my sword art is too profound, and you are afraid that you won't be able to succeed? If that's the case, you don't have to worry so! The fact that you are able to comprehend the conceptualization behind my '剑 (Sword)' character shows that you aren't lacking in intelligence. I know that the Three Swords of Lingxu might be profound, but as long as you study it diligently, there's still at least 30% chance that you might succeed... But of course, the shorter the duration you take to comprehend the conceptualization behind my '剑 (Sword)' character, the higher your chances of success!"

The reason why the Old Sword Maestro had left behind the '剑 (Sword)' character was simple. He wanted to test the intelligence of his successor.

Without sufficient intelligence, even if he imparted to his successor the complete Three Swords of Lingxu, the latter would still be unable to grasp it.

Due to the lack of time, he was unable to construct the required mechanism to impose a time limit on the duration of comprehending the '剑 (Sword)' character. However...

"Judging from your young age, it shouldn't have been too long since you started comprehended my '剑 (Sword)' character, right?" the Old Sword Maestro asked. "I figure that it shouldn't have been ten years yet. If so, your chances of success would be at least 60%!"

"This..." Zhang Xuan scratched his head and he tried his hardest to remember how long he took. "I think I took around... a minute?"

He had barely glanced at the words on the stone wall before taking in the insights left behind by the predecessors. In total, he probably only took just six seconds or so...

Of course, it would be too shocking if he said that he had taken only six seconds, so he intentionally multiplied it by ten times to cushion the blow.

"A-a minute?" the Old Sword Maestro was taken aback. The Sword Intent he had diffused in the area also began trembling in resonation to his emotions, and it felt as if they would dissipate at any moment soon. "You said that you only took a minute to see through the conceptualization of the character I have left behind?"

"Indeed. It was just a single character, but it consists of 107 different Sword Intents and sword arts. If I'm not mistaken, the heritage should be a Sword Formation. That is the most convenient method to combine all of those differing Sword Intents and sword arts together." Zhang Xuan chuckled softly. "It actually isn't that difficult to deduce this much."

"You... in just a minute, you were able to see through how many sword arts there were in that character?" Unable to recover from his shock, the Old Sword Maestro exclaimed in disbelief.

A moment later, a thought came to his mind, and a deep frown containing a hint of displeasure furrowed itself in between his brows. "Lad, it seems like you have learned how to lie despite your young age... You said that you were able to see through the conceptualization behind the character I have left behind within a minute, so why don't I give you a test then? If you are really able to figure it out, I'll believe your words!"

He had concealed the Sword Intents and sword arts deeply within the '剑 (Sword)' character, such that even swordmasters of the same tier as him would be stunned upon coming into character with the character for the first time, unable to make sense of what it was. Yet, the young man actually said that he was able to figure it out within a minute... Most likely, he was either lying or he had simply made use of the wisdom of predecessors to figure it out.

"You wish to test me? Very well." Zhang Xuan replied nonchalantly.

"I'll execute a sword art right now, and you'll try to see how many Sword Intents and sword arts are infused into it."

After those words were spoken, Zhang Xuan suddenly felt a killing intent surging toward him.

An ocean of sword qi materialized before his eyes, as if he had been dragged into a wholly different world. Be it the constantly changing currents or the fleeting clouds, there was not a single glance within the world where one was unable to find any sword qi.

"How about it? Are you able to tell how many sword arts are in my move?" After doing all that, the Old Sword Maestro turned his gaze to Zhang Xuan.

"This..." Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I can't tell."

"Such an obvious question, and you can't tell anything at all. How do you expect me to believe your words then?" the Old Sword Maestro frowned in disapproval.

The Sword Intents and sword arts infused in the previous move he had executed were more apparent than those in the '剑 (Sword)' character he had left behind. Through this, the other party's claim that he had comprehended the '剑 (Sword)' character was pretty much overthrown.

Facing the Old Sword Maestro's doubt, Zhang Xuan didn't panic in the slightest. Instead, he chuckled softly and said, "I wasn't able to tell how many Sword Intents and sword arts are in that move, but I did manage to discern seventeen flaws in it!"

The reason why he was able to decipher the '剑 (Sword)' character was due to the compilation of the insights from countless preceding experts. Otherwise, if he were to do it himself, he would have taken several months at the very least... Given how fast the Old Sword Maestro's previous move came and go, even if he had comprehended Sword Quintessence, he was still unable to count the number of Sword Intents and sword arts in just a glance.

Besides... why should he go through the trouble of counting the number of Sword Intents and sword arts?

It would suffice for him to know the flaws.

"You found seventeen flaws in my move? Nonsense!" the Old Sword Maestro's face turned livid with rage.

Paying no heed to the Old Sword Maestro's wrath, Zhang Xuan began on a monologue, "The first flaw, even though the sword art you have executed is grand and imposing, it's needlessly intricate. If I'm not mistaken, it's designed as such so as to be utilized as a technique to trap others. However, considering the immense might that is devoted to the technique, to use it as a technique to trap and not kill is a huge waste of energy. In other words, the focus of the technique is wrong!"

"The second flaw, while infusing a Sword Intent targeted toward damaging Primordial Spirits would enhance the might of the sword art significantly, it also makes it more demanding on the user's soul energy and state of mind. Should the sword practitioner be unable to meet the basic requirement of the sword art, its execution could very well result in a backlash, which could make one vulnerable for a period of time, thus creating an opening for one's opponent to exploit..."

"The third flaw..."

"The fourth flaw..."

...

"The seventeenth flaw, the sword art is powerful but its might is unnecessarily scattered. If the might were to be devoted in a single move, it would have allowed the sword practitioner to overpower and slay his opponent in an instant. Yet, you had to divide the might among more than a dozen of transformations in the sword art, making it excessively complicated and even weakening it in the midst of doing so..."

Shaking his head in disappointment, Zhang Xuan raised his head to look at the Old Sword Maestro, "May I know there's anything you disagree with regarding my analysis?"

"Y-you..."

Initially, the Old Sword Maestro didn't think of anything much when the young man first spoke. However, the more he listened to the young man's words, the paler his face became. Eventually, by the time the young man listed the seventeenth flaw, his body was already trembling wildly.

As a swordmaster, he was still vaguely aware of the various problems there was in his sword arts... For the other party to be able to discern them with just a look, and even analyze them at a deeper level than him at that...

Just how in the world did he do it?

Gradually, the Old Sword Maestro's astonishment transformed into overwhelming joy, "With such intelligence and eye of discernment, you'll surely be able to master the Three Swords of Lingxu swiftly!"

His eyes glowed in excitement, and just as he was about to urge the young man into acknowledging him as his teacher once more so that he would be able to pass his heritage down, the young man suddenly sighed.

"For even a casual sword art you have executed to be plagued with flaws, your Three Swords of Lingxu is bound to be nothing much too... Forget it, you can leave your sword arts for yourself. I won't be learning them anymore!"

"Ah?"

The Old Sword Maestro froze on the spot.

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Chapter 1283: Three Swords of Lingxu

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Countless people wanted to learn the Old Sword Maestro's Three Swords of Lingxu. To be honest, the reason he had been severely injured back then was also due to his enemies wanting to acquire his sword art manual.

Here he was, offering the Three Swords of Lingxu to the young man, but the young man actually rejected him with such a look of disdain on his face.

The overwhelming frustration he felt left his chest feeling a little stifled.

"While I'm not interested in your sword art, your sword is indeed of some use to me." Zhang Xuan turned to the Old Sword Maestro and asked, "If it's not too much, can I take it away with me?"

As powerful as the Old Sword Maestro had made the Three Swords of Lingxu out to be, through the Sword Intent the other party had emanated earlier, Zhang Xuan could tell that there were still many flaws in the other party's comprehension of swordsmanship.

Instead of learning swordsmanship from the other party, he would be better off collecting ordinary Saint-tier sword arts and compiling them into the Heaven's Path Sword Art.

He would be able to improve faster that way, his foundations would be stronger, and most importantly of all, he would not have to become the Old Sword Maestro's student!

To be honest, he had become so used to being a teacher himself that he found it a little awkward to become the student of another individual, even if just in title.

Seeing that the young man was still reluctant to learn his sword art, the Old Sword Maestro said with a frown, "I have sealed the Lingxu Sword in the stone platform using a technique from the Three Swords of Lingxu. If you don't learn my sword art to a certain level of mastery, it'll be impossible for you to draw out the Lingxu Sword."

He had sealed the Lingxu Sword in the stone platform using the Three Swords of Lingxu. Only those who had mastered the technique to a certain level would be able to free the Lingxu Sword and take it away. Naturally, the purpose for doing so was to ensure that his heritage was properly passed down.

Those who did not inherit his heritage would never be able to take the Lingxu Sword away.

After explaining that, the Old Sword Maestro was just about to begin round two of convincing Zhang Xuan to acknowledge him as his teacher when the young man suddenly bent down and touched the ground casually. Then, he kicked the four corners of the stone platform once.

Kacha!

The crisp whirring of mechanisms filled the air.

Zhang Xuan gave the stone platform one powerful stomp.

Hu!

The Lingxu Sword leaped out of the stone platform and fell into Zhang Xuan's hand.

"You... You are actually able to undo the seal and mechanism I have put in place?" The Old Sword Maestro's figure flickered in astonishment. Had he not suppressed his emotions in the last moment, he might have dissipated on the spot!

It was just a moment ago that he had told the other party that he had to learn the Three Swords of Lingxu before he could extract the sword when something like this happened.

Are you here to tear down my show?

More importantly... he had put a lot of effort into crafting the stone platform and the seal so as to ensure that nothing would go wrong, such that it would be impossible for even him to forcefully extract the sword without going through the proper means. Yet, that fellow actually succeeded in retrieving the sword with just a few casual kicks.

In that moment, the Old Sword Maestro felt like he was just a dancing clown before the young man. All of the preparations he had made were nothing more than a joke to him!

"The seal and the stone platform you have prepared are not too bad, but it's pity that they have fatal flaws in them..." Paying no heed to the other party's current state, Zhang Xuan chuckled as he lowered his head to assess the sword in his hand.

The Lingxu Sword had a black blade, so there was no sharp glint typical of a sword to it. At the same time, there was no sword qi that could be felt from it either. On the surface, it appeared to be no different from any ordinary sword out there.

It was only when Zhang Xuan held it in his hand that he realized what a frightening weapon it was.

He found that there was absolutely no impediment when he drove his zhenqi through it. Even with a casual swing, he would be able to bring forth power far beyond his imagination.

His cultivation was still too lacking for him to be able to bring out the full prowess of the sword, but even if he could just wield a tenth of it, he would still be able to slay a Grand Dominion realm primary stage cultivator easily!

This was how frightening the Lingxu Sword was!

Weng!

Just as Zhang Xuan was feeling the overwhelming strength of the Lingxu Sword, the latter suddenly began trembling intensely, seemingly trying to free itself from Zhang Xuan's grasp.

"Hmm?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"It's due to the nourishment of my Sword Intent over many years that the Lingxu Sword managed to become this strong. Without learning the Three Swords of Lingxu and my sword cultivation technique, it'll be impossible for you to tame the Lingxu Sword. You should understand that a sword that can't be tamed is unusable in battle..." the Old Sword Maestro explained proudly.

He had forged and nourished the Lingxu Sword personally, and his will was infused into it. How could others possibly tame the Lingxu Sword so easily?

But before the Old Sword Maestro could finish his explanation, the young man had already bellowed furiously, "Stop thrashing around!"

Following which, he tapped the Lingxu Sword on several points with his fingers.

Kacha! Kacha!

A series of crisp echoes rang in the air, and it did not take long for the Lingxu Sword to tremble in astonishment. It hurriedly halted its shaking and kneeled respectfully on the ground.

"Paying respects to Master!"

"Un." With a wave of his hand, Zhang Xuan stowed the Lingxu Sword into his storage ring. Then, he turned his sight back to the Old Sword Maestro and asked doubtfully, "What did you say earlier? I wasn't really paying attention!"

Zhang Xuan had been so busy trying to examine the strength of the Lingxu Sword that he did not hear what the Old Sword Maestro was saying.

"I-it's nothing much..." The Old Sword Maestro's mouth twitched uncontrollably, and the body he had formed out of Sword Intent began to dissipate.

Even though his death had left the Lingxu Sword free to take any master, he knew his sword very well. He had forged the Lingxu Sword personally, and he knew that it was an incomparably arrogant individual. Yet, to submit to the young man in the blink of an eye... this was a blow that he could not take.

"Alright. If there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave first!" Zhang Xuan clasped his fist before turning around.

"This... You haven't even learned the Three Swords of Lingxu yet; how can you leave like that?" the Old Sword Maestro exclaimed in agitation. "The area is shrouded by the Sword Intent I have infused into the stone platform previously. Unless you learn my Three Swords of Lingxu, forcefully barging through will make you severely inju..."

Before the Old Sword Maestro could finish the word 'injured', the young man had already placed his finger casually on the barrier of Sword Intent, and with a light 'hu la!', the entire barrier of Sword Intent vanished without a trace.

"Cough cough!" The Old Sword Maestro's face turned completely crimson. At this point, he could not bother keeping up the impression of an expert anymore. A pleading look surfaced in his eyes as he spoke. "Why don't you reconsider the matter? My Three Swords of Lingxu is really, really formidable..."

"I know, but I truly can't become your student!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

The Old Sword Maestro hesitated for a moment shaking his head in resignation. "It's fine if you don't become my student. All I ask is that you pass down my heritage down to the later generations."

He had thought that as long as he could accept a talented student, he would be able to bring honor and glory to his heritage. But... the young man before him was simply too outstanding! Considering how even he could not see the depths of the young man before him, it was clear that it would be nigh impossible for him to get the young man to acknowledge him as his teacher. At this point, all he could hope was for the young man to impart his heritage to a suitable person and pass down his lineage.

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before turning around. "I can help you find a suitable successor to the lineage of your swordsmanship. Where's your sword art?"

"It's over here." A light flickered through the Old Sword Maestro's eyes, and a surge of Sword Intent flew straight for Zhang Xuan. Zhang Xuan did not dodge, and in an instant, he saw countless surges of sword qi flashing across his eyes. They swiftly formed a sword art manual.

Just as the Old Sword Maestro had said earlier, there were only three moves to this battle technique. However, every single move wielded might that could not be underestimated.

In fact, even the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm, which Zhang Xuan had learned earlier, paled in comparison to it.

Most likely, this is a Saint high-tier battle technique... Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up.

The Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm was a technique that Ancient Sage Qiu Wu had come up with in his earlier years, and limited by his knowledge and experiences, it only met the mark of a Saint intermediate-tier battle technique. On the other hand, the Three Swords of Lingxu clearly wielded far superior might, reaching the level of Saint high-tier.

It was no wonder the Old Sword Maestro was so confident in his heritage. There was indeed a basis for his confidence.

A moment later, Zhang Xuan sighed grudgingly. But... why are there so many flaws in it? How am I supposed to learn it like that?

Sea Severing Sword, Ocean Cataclysm Sword, and Heaven Desecration Sword—each of these techniques harnessed strength and speed far greater than the last. However, the number of flaws they possessed were also so numerous that they left him completely speechless. Putting everything aside, even the most basic Sea Severing Sword had a total of 336 flaws.

Just by looking at it, Zhang Xuan had already lost his interest in learning the sword art.

"More importantly, these sword arts require the complementation of 108 swords in order to execute..."

Typically speaking, it would be impossible for a battle technique to have so many flaws, or else there was no way one could practice it without one's cultivation going berserk. The main reason the Three Swords of Lingxu had so many flaws was because the sword arts did not consist of the movement of a single sword. Rather, it was a Sword Formation, requiring a total of 108 swords in order to execute!

With each of the 108 swords moving individually, it was inevitable that there would be many more flaws in the sword art compared to other battle techniques.

Seeing the look of disgust on the face of the young man after receiving his heritage, to the point where it almost seemed like he would just vomit, the Old Sword Maestro sighed deeply and said, "This is the Three Swords of Lingxu, which I devoted my entire life into creating. If you don't wish to learn it, I hope that you will at least find a successor for it. Please don't let my lineage end here!"

"Don't worry. Even though the sword arts in your Three Sword of Lingxu are plagued with flaws—just the depletion of zhenqi is a nightmare in itself—the might they harness is still considerable. I'll try to find a way to make some improvements in them before passing them on to a suitable successor in your stead." Zhang Xuan clasped his fist sincerely.

In truth, he was only irked by the high number of flaws in the sword arts, and just the thought of the number of high-tier sword art manuals that he had to gather in order to perfect the Three Swords of Lingxu was enough to leave him feeling deeply fatigued. On the whole, he still thought that the Three Swords of Lingxu was a decent technique, wielding considerable strength.

"Ah..." Stifled by the young man's words, the Old Sword Maestro's figure flickered once more. "I'll be counting on you then..."

After saying those words, 'pah!', he dissipated on the spot.

All he wanted to do was to pass down his heritage... but never in his dreams did he expect to meet such a fellow. In the end, he even dissipated from sheer indignation and rage before he could even pass down his comprehension of swordsmanship.

"Jeez!" Seeing the figure of the Old Sword Maestro disappearing before him, Zhang Xuan sighed deeply. "Since I have learned your sword arts and taken your sword, I'll see your wish to the end and bring honor and glory to your swordsmanship!"

The fact that the Old Sword Maestro had gone to the trouble of setting up these trials despite the severely wounded state he was in back then was more than enough to show his determination to pass his heritage down. He did not want the sword arts he had created with much difficulty to disappear from the world just like that. He hoped to pass them down to the later generations and have them shine in their hands.

Since that was the case, Zhang Xuan would help him pass down the Three Swords of Lingxu to the right successor after he had improved it so that his name could be sung through history.

This stone platform is a treasure as well. I should take it with me!

The fact that the stone platform was able to trap the Lingxu Sword showed that it was made from decent materials. So, Zhang Xuan threw it into his storage ring with a flick of his hand.

If he could not find a use for the stone platform for the time being, using it as a sheath did not sound too bad. At this point, Zhang Xuan could not help but remember that, in his previous life, sword experts in novels were able to defeat their opponents with just their sword sheath. In the future, while his sword was still sheathed in the stone platform, he could lift the ten-meter-long stone platform to smash his opponent, too. The thought of it left him tingling a little in excitement.

After the stone platform was removed, the flow of the stream reverted to normal. Zhang Xuan stretched his back lazily before slowly making his way out. Barely after taking a few steps, he saw Ji Lingzhen lying on the ground, his breathing halted.

"I only told you to teach him a lesson, why did you kill him?" Zhang Xuan turned to his clone and frowned.

"I wasn't the one who did it. It was them!" The clone gestured to the area behind Ji Lingzhen.

Turning his gaze over, Zhang Xuan first noted that the mist that had been shrouding the area was dissipating along with the gradual collapse of the Chaotic Palace Beguilement Formation. Next, he saw several hundred people lying unconscious all around the area.

They were the sword practitioners who had been studying the '剑 (Sword)' character in front of the stone wall earlier.

Zhang Xuan swiftly assessed their conditions and confirmed that they were just unconscious, not dead, and he heaved a sigh of relief. Soon, a hint of doubt arose in his mind.

Shouldn't they have been busy studying the '剑 (Sword)' character outside?

Why would they have fainted there?

"The rising pillar of Sword Intent earlier made it known to everyone on the island that a treasure has surfaced, so they rushed over here in hope of claiming the treasure. So, I told them that Ji Lingzhen had managed to obtain the treasure, and they immediately rushed forward and lynched him to death. However, they were not able to find anything on him, so they turned their sights to me instead. So, I could only knock all of them out!" Zhang Xuan's clone replied with a casual shrug.

His clone wielded the strength to defeat even the Grand Dominion realm primary stage Ji Lingzhen easily. Even though the cultivators gathered in the area were not weak, they were still far from matching up to him.

"I see. It's good that they aren't dead, or else things could get troublesome." Hearing his clone's explanation, Zhang Xuan knew that he would also have made the same call if he were in the same position.

Men blinded by greed are irrational. Force works better than words on them.

Zhang Xuan quickly put his clone back into the Myriad Anthive Nest before making his way out of the mist. Soon, he heard numerous footsteps outside, and shortly after, Brother Sun and the other candidates of the secondary selection appeared in his sights.

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Chapter 1284: Taming of the Swords

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"It's really you!" Upon seeing Zhang Xuan stepping out from the mist, a cold glint flashed through Brother Sun's eyes.

When they saw the pillar of Sword Intent emerging earlier, they had swiftly realized that a treasure had emerged in the world. Anyone who obtained it would surely be able to rise through the ranks and make a name for themselves even in the Sanctum of Sages!

Even though they were master teachers, they were still humans with desires. This was a rare opportunity for them as well. They could not allow it slip through their fingers just like that. No matter what, they had to at least give it a try.

They could not allow Zhang Xuan to hog it just like that!

The master teachers swiftly moved to surround Zhang Xuan tightly, and their representative, Brother Sun, said with a cold voice, "Hand over the treasure and share it with all of us, and we'll consider sparing you this once. Otherwise, don't even dream of getting away today."

"Treasure?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"You need not feign ignorance before us. All of us know that we are at the Sword Lagoon, and the previous pillar of Sword Intent is a clear sign that the heritage of the Old Sword Maestro has surfaced. Quickly hand it over, and we can spare you this once. Otherwise... this matter won't just end with you losing your slot!" another master teacher bellowed coldly.

As long as the young man did not use his artifacts, there was nothing of him to fear!

Even if he did use his artifacts, considering how many of them were here, they would still be able to incapacitate him swiftly.

"That's right! Zhang shi, you should know the position you are in very well!"

"There's no denying that you possess incredible strength, and you possess powerful artifacts as well. However... are you certain that you will be able to withstand our combined strength?"

...

The other master teachers looked at Zhang Xuan coldly.

After that fellow embarrassed all of them the previous day, they had already had a huge bone to pick with him. Now that the heritage of the Old Sword Maestro was at stake as well, they did not hesitate to show their hostility toward him.

"Are you all going to disregard your standing as master teachers and snatch my possession?" Zhang Xuan frowned in displeasure.

Due to the standing and identity that master teachers had on the Master Teacher Continent, they would usually conduct themselves honorably and respectably. When it came to the allocation of a treasure, they would compete with one another fairly through duels. However, those men gathered there clearly had no intention of playing it fair. They were outright forcing him to hand over the heritage to them.

"Snatch? It's only natural for a treasure to go to those deserving of it! If you wish to keep it for yourself, you should first consider if you have the capability to do so!" Brother Sun waved his hands impassively. "Alright, let's not waste our breath anymore. Attack him! Don't give him any opportunity to release his puppets!"

"That's right!"

Huala!

The next moment, the master teachers surrounding Zhang Xuan charged forward simultaneously.

All of them knew that Zhang Xuan had an army of puppets in his possession, and once released, things would become troublesome for them. For this reason, they did not hesitate to gang up on him. In an instant, zhenqi abruptly flooded the entire Sword Lagoon, causing the air to turn a little suffocating from the viscosity of the energy.

To be able to clear Zhao Xingmo's preliminary selections, there was no doubt that they were all outstanding geniuses possessing talent and strength on par with Zhang Jiuxiao. Even though this was the first time they were collaborating with one another, they were still able to draw out strength far beyond a normal cultivator's imagination.

Gathered together, their strength was like a river gushing forward relentlessly, threatening to tear down everything in its path.

Given the momentum of their offense, it was likely that even a Half-Grand Dominion like Pavilion Master Yue would have been hard-pressed to withstand their attack.

"Not too bad!" Seeing how those master teachers were able to draw out so much strength from their teamwork, Zhang Xuan nodded leisurely. Then, he drove his Sword Quintessence.

In the blink of an eye, his presence seemed to have turned into a sharp sword, and a burst of Sword Intent rose into the clouds. At the same time, he emanated a dangerous aura that threatened to tear anything in its path into shreds.

In the face of Zhang Xuan's aura, the master teachers revealed looks of astonishment and fear, but they did not allow their emotions to impede their offense at all.

Wuuuuuuuu!

With the summoning of Zhang Xuan's Sword Intent, countless gales rose throughout the Sword Lagoon, and innumerable swords began flying in his direction.

"Since you were the ones to make the first move, don't blame me if you get hurt."

Hu!

With a cold harrumph, Zhang Xuan's figure abruptly vanished from the spot. Through the Unbounded Voyager, he flitted at a speed as fast as a specter.

Hu!

Zhang Xuan charged right into the river of energy created by the master teachers, and as if a sharp blade, he sliced their attack in two. After which, more than twenty individual surges of sword qi abruptly burst forth from his body, aimed at each of the master teachers.

Had it been before, the combined prowess of the crowd might have been able to stop him. However, after he had comprehended Sword Quintessence, his sword qi had grown far sharper and more condensed than before. While Brother Sun and the others were not weaker, they were insufficient to put up a fight against him.

Tzzzzzzzz!

In just ten breaths, all of the master teachers were wounded by the sword qi.

However, their injuries were not too severe. Zhang Xuan's goal was just to punish them; he did not intend to claim their lives.

But the master teachers did not seem to have any ideas of backing down. On the contrary, seeing how their collaborative offense had been neutralized so easily, and the young man had even managed to launch a successful counterattack, their eyes reddened further with greed.

"That fellow has been hiding his strength all along. With his current prowess, even Pavilion Master Yue would be no match for him."

"Isn't he from the Qingyuan Empire? How can he be so powerful? Have you all realized it yet? He was only at Primordial Spirit realm intermediate stage yesterday, but at this very moment, he is at the pinnacle stage!"

"Not only so, it seems like he has managed to comprehend Sword Quintessence as well."

"There's no doubt about it. This must be the result of inheriting the Old Sword Maestro's heritage. Otherwise, there's no way he could grow so much within this short period of time."

...

They had fought with Zhang Xuan the previous day as well, and while he had not been weak, it was certain that he had not been so strong!

For his cultivation to rise by two small cultivation stages within a single day... there was no way this had nothing to do with the Sword Lagoon! After all, there was no cultivator who could possibly advance his cultivation so quickly!

"To be able to raise an individual's strength by such a degree within a short period of time, the heritage of the Sword Lagoon is truly no joke." Clenching his jaws tightly, Brother Sun bellowed, "Everyone, we must unite! If we don't stand together on the same front, not only will we be unable to obtain the treasure and the heritage, there's a good chance that we might all lose our lives here!"

"Yes!" the crowd echoed in response.

Just a day ago, the young man could only achieve victory when their cultivation was lowered, but today, he had already gained the strength to rival all of them simultaneously. If they could obtain the heritage of the Old Sword Maestro for themselves, they would be bound for greatness!

"Move!"

With a furious roar, the geniuses immediately charged up together.

Even though their teamwork had been decent previously, all of them had held back quite a bit. After all, after they defeated Zhang Xuan, there was a chance that they would have to fight it out among themselves for the allocation of the heritage. However, after witnessing Zhang Xuan's strength with their own eyes, they realized that they would not even get to come close to the heritage if they continued holding back at this point.

With their wills united by a common foe, their combined strength soared to new heights.

Innumerable surges of zhenqi began gathering together to form a huge cluster of power that covered a radius of over several hundred meters. Under the immense influx of power, the air became as viscous as mud. Putting aside a cultivator, even weapons would find it hard to proceed in the face of such atmosphere.

Kacha! Kacha!

Immense pressure weighed down on Zhang Xuan, who stood at the very center of this hurricane of energy. The overwhelming power tugged and pulled at his body, as if attempting to tear him into shreds.

"Humph!" Facing the offense of the master teachers, Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes frostily.

He had shown them mercy, but they had simply taken his magnanimity as a sign of weakness and carried on their offense. With this, he felt that his tolerance had come to a limit.

There was indeed no end to a human's greed.

From their attitudes, it could be seen that even if he imparted the Three Swords of Lingxu to them, they would still think that he was holding something back.

Since that was the case, it was time to take forceful measure and have them know the meaning of fear.

Without wasting any words, Zhang Xuan pushed his foot against the ground and dashed into the crowd of master teachers.

For some reason, the viscous space created by the full might of all of the master teachers present seemed to be completely ineffective on him. He flitted through the area as if a phantom, and with every grasp, he would accurately catch a master teacher, acquire his jade token, and send him flying with a light push.

Just like that, the master teachers fell one after another.

While the collaborative offense of the master teachers was powerful, through his Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan was still able to find many flaws here and there, allowing him to overcome it with ease.

Peng peng peng peng peng!

It was almost as if Zhang Xuan was a tiger diving into a crowd of goats. As many master teachers as there might have been, there were none who lasted more than a breath before him.

"My jade token!"

"He took away mine as well!"

"He isn't just knocking us down; he's taking away out jade tokens too! Be careful!"

It did not take long for all of the master teachers to be collapsed on the ground, and every single one of them were moaning in pain.

Since Zhang Xuan had been able to guess that a part of the test was to have confidence in one's strength and keep one's jade token with one, the other master teachers had also come to realize the same as soon as they calmed down, and they had chosen to bring it along with them as well. Yet, who would have thought this would end up presenting a chance for Zhang Xuan to acquire all their jade tokens at once?

Despite collaborating with one another, they were actually unable to withstand a single move from the other party at all. How in the world did this freak cultivate to gain such monstrous capabilities?

In this moment, Brother Sun and the others were still in a state of disbelief, unable to believe what had just happened.

"Since you all tried to eliminate me, it's only right for me to do the same to you. This isn't a breach of the rules, right?"

Paying no heed to the state of shock the master teachers were in, Zhang Xuan flicked his hand, and the twenty jade tokens floated right in front of him.

"You dare!"

The crowd immediately panicked.

Those jade tokens represented their chances to enter the Sanctum of Sages. If they were to be destroyed, it would mean that they had failed the secondary selections, and they would be unqualified to enter the Sanctum of Sages anymore.

Their initial thought had been that as long as they collaborated with one another, they should be able to eliminate Zhang Xuan with ease. Yet, instead of overpowering the young man, they had ended up placing themselves in a precarious situation.

"Is there any reason I shouldn't do it?" Zhang Xuan scoffed coldly as he closed his grip.

Kacha! Kacha! Kacha!

The crisp echo of the jade tokens shattering sounded simultaneously, and in an instant, all twenty jade tokens were reduced to powdery remains.

Seeing the sight, the master teachers were completely frozen for a moment.

" Ahhh! "

Gradually, the master teachers returned to their senses. Some let loose despaired howls, some collapsed to the ground in utter shock, and some glared at Zhang Xuan in hostility, as if swearing to exact vengeance.

"This is catastrophic. If all of us have been eliminated simultaneously, doesn't that mean that... that bastard is the only one who has cleared the secondary selection?" Brother Sun muttered in disbelief.

There was a total of 33 candidates participating in the secondary selection, and the selection should have come to an end as soon as thirteen candidates were eliminated. However, if all of them were eliminated simultaneously... would that make Zhang Xuan the only one who had cleared the selection?

If that was really the case, they might really lose their minds!

Furthermore, how was Zhao Xingmo supposed to explain this matter to the Sanctum of Sages? For there to be only a single candidate from the Empire Alliance...

Wuuuu!

Just as complete chaos had descended upon the situation, a series of whistling sounds suddenly echoed from afar. Soon after, more than a hundred Saint intermediate-tier swords flew over, surrounding Zhang Xuan tightly.

"These... are the superior swords that have chosen to remain in the Sword Lagoon?" one of the master teachers exclaimed with narrowed eyes.

Each year, the Sword Lagoon would draw countless sword practitioners in. When these sword practitioners died in the Sword Lagoon, their swords were likely to choose to rest in Sword Lagoon due to the Sword Intent lingering in the area.

Due to this, there were also sword practitioners who would visit the Sword Lagoon in the hope that they might be able to take away some formidable swords to enhance their fighting prowess.

"These swords are able to grow by devouring the Sword Intent lingering in the area, so they tend to abhor outsiders who interrupt their peace in the Sword Lagoon. For this reason, they assault cultivators from time to time. Haha! It seems like Zhang Xuan is in deep trouble this time around!"

Coming to realize what was going on, the master teachers burst into gleeful laughter.

So what if you have eliminated all of us?

Now that you are surrounded by so many Saint intermediate-tier swords, no matter how powerful you are, there's no way you will escape from here alive!

"Kill him! Let's all go down together..." Brother Sun roared frenziedly.

But before he could finish his words, the swords abruptly fell to the ground respectfully.

"Paying respects to Master!" the hundred or so swords declared simultaneously, their deafening voices shaking even the clouds.

"Master?"

"These swords have all recognized Zhang Xuan as their master?"

The master teachers were completely flabbergasted and crazed by the sight before them.

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Chapter 1285: The Results Are Voided

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"You are acknowledging me as your master?"

Not only were the crowd flabbergasted, Zhang Xuan was startled as well. It took a long while before he was able to make sense out of what was going on.

It seemed like the Sword Intent released by the Lingxu Sword had benefited these swords greatly, so all of them ended up submitting to it.

And now that the Lingxu Sword had acknowledged Zhang Xuan was its new master, these swords also unhesitatingly chose to do the same as well.

Adding Lingxu Sword into the group, and I would have a total of 108 swords, thus meeting the weapon requirement for the Three Swords of Lingxu. Could this be the reason why the Lingxu Sword agreed to help Ji Lingzhen make a move on me over the Sword of Faint Whisper and Sword of Faint Warble? Zhang Xuan wondered.

There was a total of 107 Saint intermediate-tier weapons in the area, and adding the Lingxu Sword in the equation, he would have the number required to execute the sword arts in the Three Swords of Lingxu.

Did this mean that the Old Sword Maestro hasn't been able to gather the swords required for the Sword Formations after he created the Three Swords of Lingxu? Was that the reason why his enemy was able to severely wound him, forcing him to escape to the Sword Lagoon? Another thought appeared in Zhang Xuan's mind.

One of the greatest difficulties in executing the Three Swords of Lingxu was gathering the swords required to set up the Sword Formations. Could it because the Old Sword Maestro wasn't able to gather the required number of swords that resulted in his eventual defeat?

Otherwise, given the overwhelming strength that the Old Sword Maestro wielded, as well as the tremendous might he could bring forth via his Three Swords of Lingxu, it should have been extremely difficult for anyone to defeat him.

However, Zhang Xuan also knew that there was no point thinking about these matters anymore. There was no way he could affirm his deductions at this point. With a swift flick of his hand, he kept all of the swords into his storage ring.

After he kept those swords, the resounding call of a crane suddenly echoed in the air. Soon after, a majestic crane could be seen gliding over from the horizon.

Zhao Xingmo and Pavilion Master Yue were standing on the back of the crane, gazing down at the defeated candidates on the ground.

Zhang Xuan had used the Myriad Anthive Queen to control the surrounding Myriad Ants, preventing Zhao Xingmo and Pavilion Master Yue from noticing anything. Nevertheless, as time passed, they still eventually realized that something was amiss, so they began making their way over. When they felt all of the jade tokens except for Zhang Xuan's had shattered, they nearly fell off the back of the crane.

The secondary selection was set to be three days long, but in less than half a day, all of the candidates except for one had been eliminated... This was too that exaggerated!

The crane slowly landed on the ground, and after making sense out of what was going on, Zhao Xingmo turned to Zhang Xuan with tearful eyes.

He knew that the young man was a troublemaker, but surely the latter didn't have to do this during the secondary selection! This was too much!

For a candidate to single-handedly eliminate all of the others, how was he supposed to report this matter to the Sanctum of Sages?

After all the trouble he had gone through searching for candidates, he couldn't possibly just bring a single person back to the Sanctum of Sages with him, right?

Putting aside whether the Sanctum of Sages would be willing to accept such an outcome or not, there would surely be a huge uproar from the Eight Conferred Empires and the various tier-3 Sage Clans!

"Zhao shi, the law doesn't punish the masses. If everyone has failed the secondary selection, that could be a sign saying that there's a major loophole in the secondary selection. Since that's the case, why don't we balance out the rules and conduct another round of selection? It would be fairer for the candidates this way." Pavilion Master Yue shot a glance at Zhang Xuan before quickly clasped his fist toward Zhao Xingmo.

"Indeed, I agree that there's a need for a new round of selection too..."

"I think that it's only rational to do so as well..."

Seeing that there was hope for them, Brother Sun and the others quickly spoke up in agreement to Pavilion Master Yue's words as well.

If there wasn't a new round of selection, they would all be eliminated right here. Naturally, they knew where they should stand

"This..." Zhao Xingmo hesitated.

He couldn't just take a single person back to the Sanctum of Sages with him, but... the rules were the rules. If he were to alter it at his convenience, that would be compromising the integrity of the selections.

If that was the case, every single candidate who failed the selection would just demand to retake the selection once more, thus rendering the significance of the selection pointless.

"I'll report this matter to the Sanctum of Sages and have the elders make a judgement on this matter." Zhao Xingmo pondered for a moment before replying.

The situation had already exceeded his authority. It would be best for him to report it upward and have them make a judgement instead.

"Yes!" Since Zhao Xingmo had already said so, they weren't in a position to say anything more.

"Zhang shi, since you have received the heritage contained in our Sword Lagoon, I hope that you can return it to our Qianchong Empire. I'll thank you in the stead of the Qianchong Empire Master Teacher Pavilion and its countless master teachers..." Pavilion Master Yue turned to Zhang Xuan and said.

Previously, while the other master teachers were explaining the reason behind their elimination, they had also spoken about the emergence of the Old Sword Maestro's heritage as well.

"Return?" Zhang Xuan turned to Pavilion Master Yue with a look that suggested that a fool was talking to him. "The Sword Lagoon has been in Qianchong Empire for at least ten thousand years now, but not a single person has been able to acquire it. This only goes to show that none of you are deserving of the heritage. Since I have the luck and capability to acquire it, why should I hand it over to you?"

"Zhang shi, you can't put it like that. The Sword Lagoon is a heritage that is passed down from generation to generation in our Qianchong Empire, and it serves to motivate countless master teachers to work harder and charge forward bravely. It has already come to be a spiritual pillar of Qianchong Empire, as well as an identity that civilians of Qianchong relate with. Since you aren't from Qianchong Empire, it's only natural for you to return the heritage to us. If you were to take it away with you, you would be robbing an entire Conferred Empire of its spiritual pillar and identity." Pavilion Master Yue replied.

His words weren't heavy, and there was a smile on his face as well. However, there was a clear resolve in his words which showed that he wouldn't bow down on this matter.

His intentions were clear— the heritage in the Sword Lagoon belongs to Qianchong Empire. Since you aren't from our country, don't you dream of taking it away!

If you don't return it, should any chaos happen to Qianchong Empire, it'll all be your fault... Let's see how you'll account the matter to the headquarters if that were to happen!

Pavilion Master Yue's voice might be gentle, but the steely threat behind it was impossible not to notice.

Seeing through the hidden meaning behind Pavilion Master Yue's words, Zhang Xuan chuckled softly and said, "Since you claimed that it's a spiritual pillar and identity of your Qianchong Empire, why hasn't anyone obtained it over the past ten thousand years? To leave a heritage lying in the dust, preventing it from bringing prosperity to generations to come, isn't your Master Teacher Pavilion a little too incompetent?"

"Ah..." Pavilion Master Yue's lips twitched upon hearing those words, and his face turned crimson.

"Trying to extort the heritage out of another because you aren't able to obtain it yourself, is this how the Qianchong Empire Master Teacher Pavilion operates? It seems like I really should report this matter to the headquarters and have them look into the prevalent culture here!" Zhang Xuan continued.

"This... Zhang shi, I'm just worried that your reputation will be affected if you were to keep the heritage with you, I don't bear any ill will toward you..." Knowing that he wasn't on the side of reason, Pavilion Master Yue could only concede.

"You're worried my reputation will be affected? Pavilion Master Yue, I must say that you are worrying unnecessarily. However, there happens to be something which I would like to report to the headquarters which I think you might want to worry about." Zhang Xuan replied coldly.

"May I know what's the matter?" An ominous premonition came to Pavilion Master Yue, and his eyebrows began twitching slightly in worry.

"Zhao shi is the one who chose the location of the secondary selection, and even as candidates, we aren't aware of the location beforehand. Yet, not too long after entering the Sword Lagoon, I was met with an ambush. I suspect that someone on the inside has intentionally leaked news concerning the secondary selection to my enemy in order to harm me. Therefore, I hope to have the Empire Alliance investigate this matter and redress my grievances!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand imposingly.

It would be too much to shrug off Ji Lingzhen and Ji Lingfeng's presence in the Sword Lagoon as a coincidence. It was more likely that they had known that he would be there for the secondary selection.

It was just yesterday that he had beaten up Pavilion Master Yue, so the latter had the motive to backstab him. On top of that, it was likely that Zhao Xingmo had approached Pavilion Master Yue to obtain his assistance in helping to coordinate the miscellaneous matters concerning the secondary selection so as to ensure that it would proceed smoothly. Thus, it was likely that he knew of the location of the secondary selection in advance as well...

So, other than Pavilion Master Yue, Zhang Xuan couldn't think of anyone else who would and could do such a thing.

A hint of deep horror was reflected in the depths of Pavilion Master Yue's eyes, but he knew better than to allow it to show on his face. With a tone reminiscent to a senior kindly advising a junior, he said calmly, "Zhang shi, since you have gotten off unscathed and obtained the heritage even, this matter can be considered as a blessing in disguise. Let's not blow things up or else it might reflect badly on the Master Teacher Pavilion. Why don't you leave it to our Qianchong Empire Master Teacher Pavilion to deal with this matter instead? I promise you that I'll root out the culprit and..."

"I'll hand the heritage of the Old Sword Maestro to the headquarters and report the happenings over the past two days to them. As for what they will do about the matter, that would be none of my business." Zhang Xuan interjected coldly, speaking with a decisive voice.

Had it not been for the many trump cards he had hidden up his sleeves, he could have surely been killed by Ji Lingfeng. For the head of a Master Teacher Pavilion to collude with outsiders to harm an elder of the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion, just this crime itself was enough to drag Pavilion Master Yue down to his doom.

As for the specifics of how Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion would deal with this matter, Zhang Xuan wasn't interested to know.

"I..." Pavilion Master Yue was at a loss for words.

Thinking about the fate that would befall him, his face turned ghastly pale, and his body collapsed weakly to the ground.

He was indeed the one who had leaked the news concerning Zhang Xuan's whereabouts to Ji Lingfeng. If no one were to investigate this matter, he might still be able to get away scot-free. However, if the headquarters were to be dragged into this matter as well, there was no way he would be getting off with what he had done.

After all, that would be equivalent to harming his own brethren, and the Master Teacher Pavilion would never tolerate such actions!

"Zhang shi, what happened?" Noticing that something was amiss from the conversation between the two, Zhao Xingmo couldn't help but ask.

"Zhao shi, this is what I have faced after entering the Sword Lagoon. You can take a look." With a flick of his wrist, Zhang Xuan passed a jade token over.

Looking through the content in the jade token, Zhao Xingmo's complexion swiftly turned livid.

He was the one who had set the rules and details of the secondary selection, and this included the location as well. He had made great deal preparations to ensure that news wouldn't be leaked out in advance, and yet, Zhang Xuan still ended up being ambushed...

"Yue Yiquan! How dare you do such a thing beneath my eyelids? Very well! I'll have this matter reported to the headquarters in the name of the Sanctum of Sages. You better have a good reason prepared for that by then!" Zhao Xingmo bellowed coldly before flinging his sleeves coldly.

"Zhao shi..." Pavilion Master Yue's face was ashened.

The Sanctum of Sages was the highest master teacher training institution beneath the Master Teacher Pavilion, and its standing was higher than even that of the Empire Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion. If Zhao Xingmo were to report this matter in his capacity as a guide from the Sanctum of Sages, the highest headquarter would surely keep a close lookout for the matter as well.

In other words, there was really no way out for him anymore.

At the very start, all he had intended was to exact vengeance for his wife's brother and have that insignificant figure from Qingyuan Empire learn that a quasi 8-star master teacher wasn't someone he could afford to humiliate... Yet, while trying to do the other party in, he ended up drawing flames upon himself instead.

His future, standing, and reputation... All of these were going right down the gutter. From the respected head of the Qianchong Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, he would soon become a scorned criminal.

If only he knew that this would happen to him, he would have never gone up against Zhang Xuan...

In this moment, Pavilion Master Yue felt deep regret for his actions.

"Let's go!" Couldn't be bothered about Pavilion Master Yue, Zhang Xuan swiftly got onto Zhao Xingmo's crane and began flying back to Qianchong City.

Soon, they arrived back at the Master Teacher Pavilion.

"Zhang shi, I'm sorry that I have let you down..." Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, Zhang Jiuxiao immediately walked forward and apologized in dejection.

Zhang Xuan had spent much time and effort on him in order to help him to enter the Sanctum of Sages, but he ended up being the first one to be eliminated in the secondary selection. While he felt dispirited from his failure, he felt even more apologetic for letting Zhang Xuan down.

"How were be eliminated shortly after the selection begin?" Zhang Xuan asked in intrigue.

"I..." Zhang Jiuxiao's face turned crimson. "I was assaulted by a sword..."

It turned out that shortly after landing on the Sword Lagoon, Zhang Jiuxiao found himself assaulted by a top-notch Saint intermediate-tier sword.

As the sword wielded strength far beyond his capability, it didn't take long for his jade token to be shattered.

"That's most probably Ji Lingfeng's Sword of Faint Whispers..." After asking about the appearance of the sword, Zhang Xuan replied with a shake of his head.

Since Ji Lingfeng had gone to the extent of laying an ambush for him in the Sword Lagoon, he was bound to have dug his background as well. Perhaps it was out of worry that Zhang Jiuxiao would foil things up, in view of the relationship between the both of them, Ji Lingfeng chose to eliminate him right from the start.

"I have really let down the expectations you have for me this time around..." Zhang Jiuxiao lowered his head in shame. He really didn't know how he should face the young man before him.

In this moment, Zhao Xingmo's voice suddenly sounded.

"Due to the unexpected event occurring in the secondary selection, the results will be voided. Everyone will be following me to the Sanctum of Sages to participate in the final selection!"

"The results will be voided?" Zhang Jiuxiao was taken aback. "Zhang shi, what's going on? Wait a moment, shouldn't the secondary selection last for three whole days? Why did you all return so early?"

As he was taken out of the Sword Lagoon right after he was eliminated, he was unaware of the happenings afterward.

"The remaining candidates ganged up on me, attempting to eliminate me, and I accidentally... eliminated all of them..." Zhang Xuan replied.

"You accidentally eliminated everyone else?" Zhang Jiuxiao was stunned.

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Chapter 1286: Ruoxin, Here I Come!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Amidst a furious gale, an aerial saint beast soared swiftly through the sky, leaving behind white streak in its trail.

In the room on the back of the aerial saint beast, Zhang Xuan looked at the young man sitting before him and nodded in satisfaction.

Due to the results of the secondary selection being voided, it was decided that all of the candidates would head to the Sanctum of Sages together to undergo the final selection.

While the other candidates would shoot Zhang Xuan looks of hostility from time to time, they didn't conduct any acts of aggression toward him during the trip.

Along the way, Zhang Xuan imparted the Three Swords of Lingxu and his comprehension of swordsmanship to Zhang Jiuxiao.

And as expected of a genius from the Zhang Clan, Zhang Jiuxiao's ability to absorb new knowledge was not too bad. In just half a month, he managed to raise his comprehension of swordsmanship up to the level of Half-Quintessence. While it was still a long way off from comparing to up to Zhang Xuan, his mastery of swordsmanship could be said to be unmatched against the other sword practitioners amongst the candidates.

Not only so, he also managed to advance his cultivation to Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle. With his current strength and superior comprehension of swordsmanship, he would be a match for even Brother Sun and Ma Minghai.

From someone who was barely able to clear the selections of the Sanctum of Sages, Zhang Jiuxiao had grown to become one of the strongest candidates in the running.

Upon reaching a certain bottleneck, one's fighting prowess would begin to stagnate, improving at a rate much slower than before. To make an analogy, this was just like how it was relatively easier to improve one's timing in a 100 meters sprint from 13.0 seconds to 12.0 seconds. However, to improve it from, let's say, 10.3 seconds to 10.2 seconds, was no easy feat at all. This was because one was already nearing his physical limits and talent, so it would take a lot of effort and time in order to make any visible improvement, if possible at all.

This was the situation which Zhang Jiuxiao was facing. Even though he possessed considerable talent and a unique cultivation technique, he was already nearing his bottleneck. Under such circumstances, it would usually take significant time and effort for him to just raise his fighting prowess by a visible level. And yet, within half a month, he actually managed to achieve such a huge breakthrough. If this were to be known to others, it would definitely shock many speechless.

This could almost be said to be a mean which only 9-star master teachers were capable of!

"Finally, I have reached the Unbounded Voyager 2-dan!"

While offering guidance to Zhang Jiuxiao, Zhang Xuan hadn't been slacking off on his training either. In half a month, he fused the movement techniques he had learned together with the Unbounded Voyager and perfected the Unbounded Voyager 2-dan to the level of Heaven's Path. Naturally, he didn't waste any time learning it too.

It was a pity that he was currently on the back of an aerial saint beast and it wasn't convenient for him to try out the technique, so he wasn't sure how the effects were.

On top of that, he had also fully reinforced his Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle cultivation as well. The Primordial Spirit in his body was pulsating with power, ready to make the breakthrough to Half-Leaving Aperture realm at any moment.

However, Zhang Xuan's greatest breakthrough still lay in his swordsmanship.

After comprehending Sword Quintessence and learning the Three Swords of Lingxu, his understanding of swordsmanship had advanced by leaps and bounds. Putting aside the Lingxu Sword, even if he only had the Glacier Rain Sword in hand, he would still be able to bring forth strength far beyond imagination.

In the past, he would only be barely a match for a Grand Dominion realm primary stage even if he were to utilize all of his means. But now, as long as he had a sword in hand, he would be able to crush any Grand Dominion realm primary stage cultivator with ease.

The most important thing I have to do right now is to gather more sword art manual and perfect the Three Swords of Lingxu. If I could perfect them into Heaven's Path battle techniques too, I would be able to bring my fighting prowess to greater heights once more! Zhang Xuan thought as he got to his feet.

There was no doubt that the Three Swords of Lingxu wielded tremendous might, but it was unfortunately plagued with far too many flaws. For a perfectionist like Zhang Xuan, it was simply much too bitter of a pill to swallow.

Fortunately, considering that the Sanctum of Sages was the highest master teacher training institution on the continent, there should be plenty of sword art manuals there for him to perfect the Three Swords of Lingxu.

While Zhang Xuan and Zhang Jiuxiao were cultivating diligently, Ma Minghai, Brother Sun, and the other candidates weren't idling around either. In fact, perhaps due to the setbacks they had suffered during the secondary selection, they were more tenacious than ever in their training.

While they failed to make a significant breakthrough in their fighting prowess, the experience did temper their state of mind, making them far more resilient than before.

An uncarved jade will never become a treasure. As top geniuses from their own region, they have been accustomed to being at the top. The experience of being outdone by another will be beneficial to their future growth... Taking this scene into sight, Zhao Xingmo nodded in approval.

The candidates who had cleared his preliminary selections were all the greatest of geniuses, so it was inevitable that there would be some complacency in them. The indignance at their defeat against Zhang Xuan would drive out the complacency within them, pushing them to work harder than ever in hopes that they would be able to return the humiliation in the future.

While Zhao Xingmo was looking at the candidates contemplatively, a master teacher suddenly stepped forward and asked, "Zhao shi, what will the format of the final selection in the Sanctum Sages be? Would it another battle?"

The one who had asked the question was Brother Sun.

Upon hearing those words, the other candidates also halted their cultivation and turned their heads over in curiosity.

They were about to reach the Sanctum of Sages very soon, so they were rather curious about how the final selection would be like. After all, it was the final hurdle standing between them and the Sanctum of Sages.

"The final selection will be far more difficult than the preliminary selection and secondary selection. It won't be just a battle..." At this point, Zhao Xingmo hesitated for a moment, seemingly trying to find a term for it, before replying, "To be more exact, it would be like an overall evaluation!"

"Overall evaluation?"

The crowd was intrigued.

"The Sanctum of Sages is the highest master teacher training institution on the Master Teacher Continent, and those who wish to enter it must display qualities far surpassing an ordinary man, be it in terms of strength, wisdom, adaptability, magnanimity, courage, and such. The final selection serves to conduct an overall evaluation of all of these qualities to determine whether a candidate is qualified to become a student of the Sanctum of Sages. Naturally, its difficulty will also be far greater than the previous two rounds of selections!"

At this point, Zhao Xingmo paused for another moment before continuing on, "Based on past experiences, there is a great chance that the final selection would be... challenging the Mountain Gate!"

"Challenging the Mountain Gate?"

"That's right. The Mountain Gate is an examination ground which the Master Teacher Pavilion has spent a great deal of effort to set up. It serves to assess a cultivator's state of mind and strength by putting him through a series of tests, each with a pre-allocated amount of time. The shorter the duration one takes each test, the higher one's score will be... And those who are unable to clear the tests within the preallocated period of time would be eliminated!" Zhao Xingmo explained grimly.

This was the standard selection trial used to assess candidates seeking to join the Sanctum of Sages, so revealing it in advance wasn't an infringement of the rules.

Zhao Xingmo gestured to the two young men who had assisted him in conducting the preliminary selections and said, "The two of them have also challenged the Mountain Gate in the past, but they failed to clear it. Nevertheless, as they had achieved decent results in it, they were offered the opportunity to become listening in students in the Sanctum of Sages."

"Doesn't that mean that they are geniuses who have cleared the preliminary and secondary selections as well?"

The crowd was astonished.

Only those who had cleared the preliminary and secondary selections would be qualified to take the final selection... Even though all of them were allowed to take the final selection this time around, it was due to the Sanctum of Sages granting them a special exception. Otherwise, thirteen of them wouldn't be standing here at this very moment.

"You're right. They did manage to clear the preliminary and secondary selections, but they failed to clear the Mountain Gate, so they were eliminated in the final selection." Zhao Xingmo nodded.

"Zhao shi, based on your previous experience as a guide, how many of us do you think will be able to clear the Mountain Gate?" Ma Minghai couldn't help but ask.

"Your talents and strength are decent, but in the final selection, you will be pitted against top-notch geniuses from the most powerful clans and organizations all over the Master Teacher Continent. Based on my previous experience, if you are lucky, ten of you might be able to clear the Mountain Gate. Otherwise, there would only be one or two of you, or perhaps, even none at all!" Zhao Xingmo replied.

The challenge of the Mountain Gate wasn't just a selection exercise amongst the thirty of them. There would also be other candidates from the Empire Alliance, Sage Clans, and major powers all over the continent. The geniuses from those powers had access to superior cultivation resources, especially top-notch cultivation techniques and battle techniques, and some even possessed unique bloodlines...

While individual prowess was important in clearing the final selection, luck also played a crucial role as well. As talented as the thirty or so of them were, the vast difference in their background would make it rather hard for them to match up to the other candidates from the Empire Alliance, Sage Clans, and other major powers. If they were lucky, they might still be able to vie ten slots or so over. Otherwise, they might find themselves without even a single slot at the end of the final selection.

Such a situation did happen in history before.

"Jiuxiao, you are from the Zhang Clan too, so you should know quite a bit about the final selection too, right?" Seeing the looks of disbelief from the candidates around him, Zhao Xingmo turned to Zhang Jiuxiao and asked.

"Yes. From what I heard, the competition there is extremely rife. Even for the Zhang Clan, there are years where over half of the candidates they have sent would fail the final selection..." Zhang Jiuxiao nodded.

Even though he was from a side family in the Zhang Clan, he was still rather informed about the situation concerning the Sanctum of Sages, as well as the difficulty of the final selection.

The Zhang Clan had no lack of offspring, and there were plenty who were stronger and more talented than him. Yet, every year, many of them would challenge the Mountain Gate and fail tragically. From this, it could be seen how difficult the trial was.

"There's a genius from the same side family as me named Zhang Yunqi. He was twenty-eight last year, and he has already cleared his first lightning tribulation, successfully making the breakthrough to Leaving Aperture realm primary stage. In our group, he can already be considered to be a nigh invincible existence, and yet, he still failed the final selection..." Zhang Jiuxiao explained.

"Even a Leaving Aperture realm primary stage cultivator had failed the final selection?"

The crowd was stunned.

Currently, even the strongest of them all was only at Quasi Leaving Aperture ream. If even a True Leaving Aperture realm expert had failed the final selection, didn't that practically mean that none of them stood a chance at all?

"Indeed. However, the final selection isn't based solely on one's cultivation realm. Zhang Yunqi's younger brother was only at Primordial Spirit realm advanced stage, but he managed to clear the final selection in the end... To be honest, I can't really tell what the criteria to clear the Mountain Gate is!" Zhang Jiuxiao said with a bitter smile.

Plenty of geniuses from the Zhang Clan would challenge the Mountain Gate each year, but there was no specific pattern to be observed by those who managed to clear it. Sometimes, a clan member with high cultivation realm could challenge the Mountain Gate for multiple years, only to fail each time. Sometimes, a clan member whom others didn't bear much hope for would clear the Mountain Gate with flying colors at the first attempt.

"There are many variations to the tests of the Mountain Gate. Even those who were participating in the same final selection could find themselves facing different trials. As such, there's no way to train or prepare for it in advance. One can only enter with a flexible mind and adapt to the circumstances." Zhao Xingmo explained.

"This..."

The crowd fell silent.

They had asked about the format of the final selection in hopes that they would be able to make preparations for it so as to boost their chances of clearing it. However, after hearing the details, they realized that things were far more complicated than they had thought it out to be.

However, that was to be expected. If it was that easy to enter the highest master teacher training institution, wouldn't it be flooding with students by now?

"My advice is for you all not to get too worried about the matter. After entering the Mountain Gate, just complete the tests to the best of your abilities. Even if you can't clear the final selection, you will still have plenty of opportunities as long as you can make it as a listening in student. As a listening in student, you will have the opportunity to take the final examination again in subsequent years!" Noticing the apprehension and nervousness on the faces all around, Zhao Xingmo advised with a smile.

While the Sanctum of Sages was very strict in the selection of its students, it did offer other avenues for candidates who were reluctant to give up. As long as one's results in the final selection weren't too bad, one could always opt to become a listening in student and challenge the Mountain Gate in subsequent years.

But of course, as one who was challenging the Mountain Gate for the second time, they would be judged far stricter than other candidates. Nevertheless, in order to raise the spirits of the crowd, Zhao Xingmo chose to bottle that up in his heart. Otherwise, their nervousness could very well affect their performance in the final selection.

"I see. That's a relief to hear..." Hearing that there would still be a chance for them even if they were to fail the final selection, the crowd heaved a sigh of relief.

"Alright, we should be arriving at the Sanctum of Sages very soon, so make some preparations. If nothing goes wrong, the final selection should be held within the next three days!"

After chatting for a while more, Zhao Xingmo suddenly pointed to the area ahead and announced.

Everyone hurriedly looked forward, and soon, a massive city came into sight. Located in the middle of a mountain range, it seemed to be shrouded by a massive Spirit Gathering Formation, drawing the spiritual energy in a radius of several hundred thousand li into the area. Even before landing in the area, the rich spiritual energy in the air had already left them feeling deeply refreshed.

"That's the Sanctum of Sages?" Abruptly getting to his feet, Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly in agitation.

"Ruoxin, here I come!"

Chapter 1287: Ancient Sage Bo Shang

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

The very reason why he came to the Sanctum of Sages was to seek Luo Ruoxin and free her from the engagement with the Zhang Clan so that he could be with her...

He had put in so much effort to come this far, and he was currently just a step away from meeting her, so how could he not be agitated?

Rest assured, I'll marry you openly. I'll never put you in a spot and make you choose between me and your family. Zhang Xuan vowed as he calmed down his agitated heart.

This engagement concerned two of the strongest clans on the Master Teacher Continent, so his mission was bound to be fraught with difficulties. But, so what?

Anyone who dared to stand in his way, even if the other party boasted the strongest power on the Master Teacher Continent, he would simply crush whatever opposition they had down like a domino!

Exhaling deeply, Zhang Xuan gazed at the world beneath him.

A cluster of towering buildings rose from the ground, reminiscent of a crouching behemoth prowling in the mountain range. Its sheer grandeur bestowed it with a natural air of majesty and authority.

The person who founded the academy must have possessed a comprehension of formation on par with 9-star formation master... Zhang Xuan noted in wonderment.

The entire academy was built along the mountain range, and every single bit of it was exquisitely constructed, placing it in perfect alignment with its surroundings. Looking at it from above, it felt as if one was looking at a beautiful artwork.

From this, it could be seen that the founder of academy, on top of being a 9-star formation master, was likely to be a highly-skilled landscaper 1 as well.

"The founder of the Sanctum of Sages is Ancient Sage Bo Shang. He has followed Kong shi and learned from him as one of his direct disciples!" Noticing Zhang Xuan's astonishment, Zhao Xingmo remarked.

"Kong shi's direct disciple?" Zhang Xuan was startled.

Despite the prestige of the Sanctum of Sages, he had thought that it was just an organization created by a 9-star master teacher or one of the normal students under Kong shi. He hadn't even considered the possibility that it was founded by Kong shi's direct disciple!

"Indeed. Otherwise, how could the Sage Clans possibly be willing to send their inner clan members to the Sanctum of Sages to study?" Zhao Xingmo replied with a hint of pride in his voice.

"Ah, that's true." Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

In truth, this was also something he had been wondering about all along. Clans as powerful as the Zhang Clan and the Luo Clan were bound to at least have some 9-star master teachers in their ranks, as well as experts of most major occupation. Given so, was there really a need for them to send their offspring to the Sanctum of Sages to study? After all, they should have the resources required to groom their own offspring!

However, if the Sanctum of Sages was founded by one of Kong shi's direct disciples, that would change the nature of things.

Just on that fact in itself, there was bound to be something extraordinary about the Sanctum of Sages.

"Ancient Sage Bo Shang is neither the most famous nor the most powerful of Kong shi's direct disciples, but he possesses an extraordinary ability in imparting knowledge and ideology to others. It has been several ten thousand years since the Sanctum of Sages was founded, and despite the trial of time, Kong shi's ideology is still perfectly passed down from generation to generation. Students there are able to feel the very spirit of the World's Teacher, as well as his deep desire to bring mankind to greater heights! Learning in such an environment could open up one's mind, allowing one to view the society and the entire world from a higher perspective from before, thus giving them an insight into how they could better use their strength to bring about greater prosperity for mankind. This is something that no clan or blessed land is able to do!" Zhao Xingmo continued on.

Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.

Naturally, there was no doubting Kong shi's selfless spirit for mankind.

Just the very fact that Ancient Sage Bo Shang was passing from Kong shi's knowledge and ideology in full from one generation to the next was more than enough to reinforce the Sanctum of Sages' position as the number one training institution in the world.

It was no wonder why all powers over the world wanted to send their offspring in. Just the inheritance of Kong shi's spirit represented a prestige that no other blessed land could possibly bring.

"I have heard of the affairs of Ancient Sage Qiu Wu before, and just out of curiosity, may I know that compared with Ancient Sage Bo Shang, who is stronger?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask.

"Well... Ancient Sage Qiu Wu is Kong shi's servant whereas Ancient Sage Bo Shang is his direct disciple. But of course, this is a matter from ancient times, and it involves Ancient Sages at that, so it wouldn't be our place to speak too much about it." Zhao Xingmo replied with a smile.

"I see..." Zhang Xuan nodded in response.

While Zhao Xingmo didn't point it out explicitly, the meaning behind his words was clear. Ancient Sage Bo Shang was stronger than Ancient Sage Qiu Wu!

To make a comparison, it was just like how Sun Qiang and Zheng Yang were like to Zhang Xuan, albeit Sun Qiang might not exactly be a good comparison.

While Sun Qiang did receive Zhang Xuan's guidance from time to time, his fighting prowess was still nowhere in comparison to Zheng Yang and the others.

"Of Kong shi's 72 direct disciples, the ten strongest are referred to as the 'Ten Apostles', and Ancient Sage Bo Shang is one of them. He's one of the few possessors of the Eye of Insight, which grants him strength unmatched by most." Zhao Xingmo said.

As a member of the Sanctum of Sages, he revered the founder of the academy deeply, and he was also well-versed in the latter's background as well.

"Eye of Insight?"

"Un. Ancient Sage Bo Shang is the second master teacher after Kong shi to comprehend Eye of Insight, and he even created a set of optic arts for it. It was said that back in the war against the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, a look from him would kill even an ordinary Otherworldly Demon Emperor instantaneously! However, it was a pity that despite having being passed down over the years, no one has been able to master the optic arts he has created..." Zhao Xingmo shook his head in lamentation.

"Optic arts? Kill even an ordinary Otherworldly Demon Emperor instantaneously?" Zhang Xuan was astonished.

He possessed the Eye of Insight, and he knew what it was capable for. So far, he had only known it to wield the ability to peer through the facade to look into the essence of things, identifying the intrinsic flaws in them... To be able to kill others with just a look, this was something he had never imagined to be possible before.

If that was really the case, wouldn't the Eye of Insight be a really frightening ability?

"Indeed. But of course, the set of optic arts isn't easy to master. Those who are able to master it to that extent would have already inherited Ancient Sage Bo Shang's heritage, and they would be immediately conferred the position of the head of the Sanctum of Sages! Just to give you a sense of what that represents, the standing of the head of the Sanctum of Sages on the Master Teacher Continent would only be higher than that of the heads of the Zhang Clan and the Luo Clan." Zhao Xingmo remarked.

"Becoming the head of the Sanctum of Sages?" Seeing through the hidden meaning behind those words, Zhang Xuan frowned. "Is there no sanctum head for the Sanctum of Sages at the moment?"

As the number one training institute of the Master Teacher Continent, it served to groom generations and generations of geniuses. There were many elders and clan heads of the Sage Clans that used to be students from the Sanctum of Sages... So, how could the Sanctum of Sages have no sanctum head at all?

"One of the requirements to becoming the head of the Sanctum of Sages is to possess the Eye of Insight and master the optic art which Ancient Sage Bo Shang has left behind. It has been three hundred years since such an expert has appeared in the Sanctum of Sages, so the affairs are currently managed by a deputy head." Zhao Xingmo explained.

These matters couldn't be considered as secrets. Those who were members of the Sanctum of Sages were aware of such matters, so there were no qualms about speaking of them to Zhang Xuan.

"I see." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Most powers with long history had their own set of heritage. If one was unable to inherit the heritage, one would be unable to receive the acknowledgement of the predecessors. This would, in turn, make it nigh impossible for them to earn the recognition from the crowd and have them submit to one.

This was especially so for an organization as prestigious as the Sanctum of Sages. These requirements were viewed with grave importance, and there was no way of working around them.

Taking a step back, if someone were to really attempt to circumvent the requirements and proclaim himself as the head of the Sanctum of Sages... Putting aside the headquarters of the Master Teacher Pavilion, even the students of the Sanctum of Sages themselves would rise up in opposition to it!

And for the sanctum head to not even be recognized by his own students... Putting aside the question of legitimacy, was there anything more disgraceful than that?

"Alright, we have arrived at our destination. Let's head down."

Just as Zhang Xuan was about to ask on, Zhao Xingmo suddenly declared loudly. Glancing downward, he noted that the aerial saint beast had already stopped right above an empty square, and it was beginning to descend slowly.

Zhang Xuan knew that this wasn't a good timing for him to ask on, so he decided to hold his questions off for later.

Hula!

Soon, the aerial saint beast landed on the ground, and the group swiftly leaped off its back.

The square was filled with many men and all sorts of saint beasts. It seemed like they had rushed here from all over the Master Teacher Continent to participate in the final selection as well.

Even with a swift glance, it could be seen that every single one of them possessed exceptional strength.

"Zhao shi, are we going against these men in the final selection?" Ma Minghai asked with quivering lips.

While they weren't the weakest bunch in the square, there were plenty who were stronger than them. The powerful auras that they exerted were more than enough to tell Ma Minghai and the others that they stood no chance against them in a proper duel.

Back when they were still in their own homeland, they had always thought that they were top geniuses on the Master Teacher Continent. Even if there were people in the world who were more talented than them, the disparity between them was unlikely to be too great. However, after seeing the crowd that had gathered in the area, they swiftly realized that their thoughts were too naive.

"Most of them are inner clan members of the Sage Clans. On top of the superior purity of their bloodlines, they were also given the best guidance from young, so it's only natural that they would be that strong. In any case, like I have told you earlier, strength is only one of the criteria being assessed in the Mountain Gate. As long as you were to perform to the best of your abilities in every test, you should stand a decent chance. So, there's no need to be too worried..." Noting the air of anxiety shrouding the group, Zhao Xingmo consoled.

The inner members of Sage Clans were able to grow swiftly in the earlier stages of their cultivation through awakening their bloodline. Furthermore, they were also had access to the best cultivation resources and the best guidance from a very young age, so it was a given that they would be stronger than the other candidates.

With that huge of a difference in the starting line, it was inevitable that there would be some distance between them at this point. This was an innate factor, so there was nothing they could do to help that. Nevertheless, as long as the group continued working hard, they might just be able to catch up with them.

"We understand. Thank you, Zhao shi."

Even though the group understood this much too, they still couldn't help their nervousness.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan was secretly scanning his surroundings with his Eye of Insight.

As expected of the offspring of Sage Clans, they are indeed powerful."

Not only were there Leaving Aperture realm cultivators who had undergone the lightning tribulation amongst the crowd, there were even some who had reached Half-Grand Dominion realm! To possess such strength when they weren't even in their thirties yet, their talents could be said to be almost on par with him!

As powerful as Zhang Xuan's fighting prowess was at the moment, his true cultivation was still only at Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle at the moment, a long distance away from reaching Half-Grand Dominion realm.

"Hm? There seems to be quite a few who aren't master teachers amongst them..." someone within the group suddenly remarked.

Zhang Xuan had also noticed the same as well.

There were quite a few young men in the square who weren't wearing master teacher robes, and they didn't carry the disposition that master teachers would usually have either.

"The Sanctum of Sages serves not only to groom master teachers but those of the other occupations as well, such as blacksmith and apothecary. As such, those from the other occupations would come to challenge the Mountain Gate each year too." Zhao Xingmo replied with a smile.

The Sanctum of Sages was the highest training institute on the Master Teacher Continent, but it didn't seek to just cultivate master teachers. It also had heritages for the other occupations as well.

In fact, the number of non-master teachers amongst the candidates, as a whole, was far higher than the number of master teachers.

"So that's the case..." Everyone nodded.

All of the candidates from the Eight Conferred Empires only numbered thirty in total. If the secondary selection had gone as planned, there would only be twenty of them left.

But on the square, there were more than ten thousand young men, and this disproportionate number of candidates was deeply bewildering to them. However, if the scope of the candidates wasn't just limited to master teachers, that would make perfect sense.

Even though the occupations in the world were divided into Upper Nine Paths, Middle Nine Paths, and Lower Nine Paths, that didn't mean that there were only 27 occupations in total. It was only a conventional terminology used to rank the occupations.

There were at least a thousand occupations out there in the world, and which occupation wouldn't have a couple of geniuses each year? Given so, it was within expectations that there would be so many candidates taking the final selection.

"Let me see how the strength of the geniuses from the other occupations are like..." Upon understanding all of these, Zhang Xuan began assessing those of the other occupations.

A moment later, he shook his head.

While there were plenty of experts amongst those of the other occupations too, on the whole, they were still rather lacking as compared to master teachers.

After all, master teacher wasn't the number one occupation in the world for nothing.

"Hm?" Just as Zhang Xuan was about to retract his gaze, he suddenly caught sight of a certain group which made his eyes light up in agitation. "Are those people... from the Glacier Plain Court?"

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Chapter 1288: Zhang Qian

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Standing nearby were a few young ladies. They were dressed in white robes, identical to those of the Glacier Plain Court back when he was at the Myriad Kingdom Alliance branch.

Zhang Xuan had not received any news about Zhao Ya since she left, and he had been wanting to know how she was faring since then. Since he happened to meet the members from the Glacier Plain Court, it was a good opportunity to ask about her condition.

Considering that they had been selected to participate in the final selection of the Sanctum of Sages, the group over there would likely possess considerable standing in the Glacier Plain Court. Thus, there was a good chance that they were aware of how Zhao Ya was doing.

"Zhao shi, I'll head over there to take a look," Zhang Xuan informed Zhao Xingmo before making his way over.

"Over there?" Zhao Xingmo took a glance over and remarked, "Those ladies over there are from the Glacier Plain Court. It'll be best not to get on their bad side."

"Oh?" Zhang Xuan was surprised by the warning. "Are the members of the Glacier Plain Court known to be unreasonable?"

Zhao Xingmo shook his head and replied, "That's not it. Most of the members of the Glacier Plain Court are beautiful ladies, so their group tends to be extremely popular in the Sanctum of Sages. In fact, most take pride in marrying one of their members, so there are plenty of people who attempt to chat them up on a daily basis. I fear that you might get snubbed if you approach them abruptly."

The young man before him was very talented, and his eye of discernment was incredible as well. However, who would have thought that he was actually so lecherous!

On their first meeting, the young man had already asked him about the details of the number one beauty of the Sanctum of Sages, the Luo Clan's little princess. And now, as soon as he spotted the beautiful members of the Glacier Plain Court, he was drawn in and wanted to approach them.

Do you know that the Sanctum of Sages isn't like the Qingyuan Empire? Even if you possess incredible talent, you can't just react in such a manner every time you see a beauty. At this rate, it's just a matter of time before you get beaten up by someone!

"Ah... I just intend to ask them something. I'm not intending to chat them up."

How could Zhang Xuan be unaware of what Zhao Xingmo was thinking after hearing those words and seeing the expression on the latter's face? Black lines immediately streaked across Zhang Xuan face.

He had always conducted himself honestly and righteously, rarely overstepping his boundaries unless truly necessary. Yet, for the other party to treat him like a pervert... that was a great insult to his character!

"No matter what, you have to make sure to tread carefully. There are no weaklings in the Sanctum of Sages. Try to be as low profile as you can, and don't ever get into a conflict with anyone!" Zhao Xingmo advised.

First, the young man forcefully got him to allocate two slots to the Qingyuan Empire during the preliminary selection through his scheming. Next, the young man made a mess out of the secondary selection, forcing him to have to bring everyone over.

And now, barely after they had arrived, he was already trying to approach the group from the Glacier Plain Court.

Can't you just give it a rest for a while? Will you die if you stop causing trouble for a moment?

"Don't worry," Zhang Xuan reassured with a smile, "I've always been one to keep a low profile. I won't get into any trouble, so rest easy!"

This time, he was only heading over to ask some questions. Surely, nothing bad could happen from asking a few questions, right?

"That would be for the best. I'm only your guide, so I won't be able to help you with anything that happens from here onward. So, allow me to give you a few words of advice. The Glacier Plain Court possesses great power and influence in the Master Teacher Continent, and they used to be on par with the Zhang Clan and Luo Clan in the past. Even though they might have been declining in recent years due to the absence of a court chief, their prowess is still not to be underestimated," Zhao Xingmo warned with a stern frown.

He was only in charge of selecting the candidates and taking them over to the Sanctum of Sages. Anything beyond that was out of his jurisdiction, and it was not his place to interfere either.

Nevertheless, they had still spent some time together, and he had a rather favorable impression of Zhang Xuan. So, he still hoped that the latter would not get into trouble in the Sanctum of Sages.

Especially not with a power as strong as the Glacier Plain Court.

Knowing that the other party was saying those words out of goodwill, Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and replied, "I understand!"

"Un." Zhao Xingmo nodded before falling silent.

After which, Zhang Xuan made his way over to the members of the Glacier Plain Court and asked with a smile, "May I ask if you all are from the Glacier Plain Court?"

"We are."

The young ladies turned around and responded, but their faces were devoid of any emotion. Complete indifference, as if trying to distance themselves from the young man before them.

As those of the Glacier Plain Court cultivated yin attribute cultivation techniques, their personalities tended to be a little cold.

"I am a cultivator from the Qingyuan Empire, and I hope to enquire about a certain matter," Zhang Xuan said earnestly.

"Don't you think that your pick-up line is a little too old-fashioned?" one of the young ladies sneered coldly, the disdain in her eyes clear for all to see.

The Glacier Plain Court was one of the top powers in the Master Teacher Continent, and they were ravishing beauties possessing exceptional talent. As a result, there were many who tried to chat them up every single day, and over time, they had seen all kinds of means that others would use. The one that the young man before them was using, trying to enquire about a certain matter—it had been many years since anyone had tried using that on them! It was a pick-up line that had expired a very long time ago!

A complete lack of creativity. Zero marks for effort!

Seeing that he had been misunderstood, Zhang Xuan shook his head with a bitter smile as he quickly explained, "You are really misunderstanding my intentions. I have an acquaintance who entered the Glacier Plain Court recently, and I haven't been able to gather any news on her. I happened to spot your group here, so I was wondering if I could perhaps enquire about her affairs from you!"

"An acquaintance? You aren't going to say that your acquaintance is one of us, are you?" The disdain on the young lady's face deepened.

She had heard so many of such pick-up lines that she could recite most of them from memory.

In the short time that they had spent in the square so far, there had already been five groups of men who had approached them, wanting to get close with them.

'Young miss, you look familiar. I think we might have met in our previous life.'

'Aren't you tired? Because you have been running through my mind all day long.'

She had simply heard too many of such pick-up lines; any more of them could very well cause her ears to grow warts!

"Of course not. The person I wish to ask about is a young lass called Zhao Ya. She should have been brought into the Glacier Plain Court by one of your elders that goes by the name of Liu Xuan," Zhang Xuan said.

The young lady menacingly narrowed her eyes as she snapped furiously. "Audacious! Is the name of our young court chief something that you are worthy of uttering?"

"Young court chief?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"Stop putting on an act!" An imposing aura burst forth from the young lady as she glared at Zhang Xuan threateningly, as if daring him to continue spouting nonsense. "Leave right now, and I can let this matter slide. Otherwise, don't blame me for getting nasty!"

As soon as she released her strength, her cultivation immediately showed. Despite her young age, the young lady was actually at Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle! Even among the impressive geniuses that had gathered there, she could be considered as an expert.

"Calm down, I just want to ask you..." Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan continued to explain the matter, but the young lady seemed to have reached the limit of her patience. She raised her hand and struck out at Zhang Xuan.

Her palm was imbued with a frosty energy that induced a spine-chilling sensation within one, as if threatening to freeze everything in the surroundings.

"This..."

Zhang Xuan did not think that his serious question would actually end up provoking the other party into making a move against him. Sighing helplessly, he raised his finger in preparation to counterattack, but before he could do so, a figure suddenly appeared before him, and the energy built up abruptly dissipated.

Zhao Xingmo.

"This friend from the Glacier Plain Court, I am a guide from the Sanctum of Sages, Zhao Xingmo. This young man over here is a candidate under me, and if he has offended you in any way, I ask for your pardon..."

It was just a moment ago that the young man had promised him that he would not get himself into trouble, but the young man had ended up provoking the other party into making a move after just a few words. Unable to watch on any longer, he had ended up charging in to mediate in the fight.

"Since Zhao shi has spoken on his behalf, I'll overlook the matter this once." Seeing that a guide had stepped in to mediate the matter, the young lady glanced at Zhang Xuan coldly before flinging her sleeves and turning away.

"Thank you." Heaving a sigh of relief, Zhao Xingmo turned to Zhang Xuan with a frown and said, "Let's return."

"I really have something I would like to ask her..."

All Zhang Xuan wanted to know was whether Zhao Ya was faring well or not, but not only was the young lady unwilling to say anything, she even tried to make a move on him. Was there something wrong with her head?

"You said that you wouldn't provoke them, but as soon as you spoke, you actually called their young court chief a young lass. Aren't you clearly taunting them?" Zhao Xingmo berated with a deep frown.

Worried about Zhang Xuan, he had been keeping an eye on the situation, and he had heard the conversation between the two of them from the start to the end.

"This..." Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Zhao Ya was his student, so there was no problem with him calling her 'young lass'. However, he had failed to consider the fact that Zhao Ya was also their young court chief at the moment. From their perspective, his method of addressing her was indeed rather disrespectful.

No matter what, the Glacier Plain Court was still one of the strongest powers on the Master Teacher Continent. The standing of their young court chief could be said to be on par with a 9-star master teacher, and yet, a young lad like him actually addressed her in such a manner. It was no wonder the young lady had gotten angry.

In a sense, this was like directly addressing the emperor by his name and even calling him a young lad.

"Alright, let's go back... I've heard of the affairs of the Glacier Plain Court's young court chief too. She possesses the Pure Yin Body, and the Glacier Plain Court only brought her back several months ago. I know she is rumored to possess beauty on par with the little princess of the Luo Clan, but still..." As Zhao Xingmo spoke, he looked at the young man before him and shook his head.

This young fellow was not just a pervert—he was practically blinded by his lust!

He looked into the affairs of the Luo Clan's little princess before coming to the Sanctum of Sages, and now that he had encountered the members of the Glacier Plain Court, he actually rushed straight forward to enquire about their young court chief.

Are you going to do that to every beautiful lady you come by?

While both of them might be young, they are figures who could rattle the entire Master Teacher Continent with just a stomp of their feet. Just how gutsy are you to actually dare to think of making a move on them?

"Zhao Ya is my... There's a close relationship between the both of us. I honestly only wish to ask you for some news on her..." Unwilling to give up, Zhang Xuan could only change his words.

Previously, when he had addressed Zhao Ya as a young lass, the young lady had nearly exploded. If he said that she was his student, wouldn't the young lady overturn the heavens?

Upon hearing those words, the young lady's eyes immediately widened with rage. Unable to hold her burning fury in anymore, she stepped forward and bellowed furiously.

"Close relationship between the both of you? What kind of nonsense are you spouting? The young court chief of our Glacier Plain Court is sacred and virtuous—how dare you insult her in such a manner? Zhao shi, pardon me, but I'll have to ask of you to step away. No matter what, I must teach this insolent fellow to watch his mouth!"

"This..." Zhao Xingmo was frenzied.

Previously, that fellow claimed that he was acquainted with the Luo Clan's little princess, and now, he actually claimed that there was a close relationship between him and the young court chief of the Glacier Plain Court.

Just who do you think you are?

The young prodigy from the Zhang Clan?

Do you really think that everyone in the world ought to know of you?

"There must be some kind of misunderstanding..." As crazed as Zhao Xingmo felt on the inside, he still tried to maintain a composed exterior as he attempted to mediate in the conflict.

From his point of view, given Zhang Xuan's capabilities, he would clear the final selection without a problem. It would really be a huge pity if he was injured prior to the final selection.

The young lady harrumphed. "There's no misunderstanding over here. While our Glacier Plain Court has been lying low in recent years, that's not to say that we will tolerate others defaming us in such a manner! How can I simply watch as that bastard insults our young court chief like that? If I don't teach him a lesson, what will become of the authority and prestige of our Glacier Plain Court?"

She took two steps toward Zhang Xuan and eyed him intimidatingly, saying, "Since you dared to speak of our young court chief in such a manner, surely you won't shy away from a fight, will you?"

"You wish to challenge me to a fight?" Seeing how the young lady had even gone to the extent of challenging him to a fight, Zhang Xuan shook his head and said, "If I defeat you, will you tell me the current circumstances of Zhao Ya?"

Seeing how the young man was still persistently addressing their young court chief by her name, the young lady's face turned livid. "You are really courting death..."

But before the young lady could make a move, a leisurely voice suddenly sounded in the air. "This fairy over there, it's not worth it getting angry over an arrogant brat like him. Leave him to me. It would be a huge pity if you dirtied your hands over someone like him!"

Following which, a white-robed young man holding a fan in his hand slowly walked over.

With an elegant flick of his wrist, he folded his fan and chuckled. There was a refined air shrouding him, making him appear gentlemanly.

"The Zhang Clan's Zhang Qian greets the fairies of the Glacier Plain Court. It's a delight to meet you all!"

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Chapter 1289: I'm In A Rush For Time

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Glacier Plain Court's Chen Leyao pays respects to Zhang gongzi!" Withdrawing her palm, the young lady clasped her fist and returned the greetings

"Zhang Clan?" Zhang Xuan turned to the young man who had just appeared and assessed him carefully.

Zhang Qian appeared to be in his mid-twenties, and his cultivation felt deep like the unfathomable ocean. Just like the Glacier Plain Court's Chen Leyao, he had reached Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle as well.

It was no wonder why Zhang Jiuxiao could only be considered as one from the side family in the Zhang Clan. Even after receiving his guidance, Zhang Jiuxiao still paled far in comparison to Zhang Qian.

"So you're Fairy Leyao! I have long heard rumors of your affairs. A palm to subdue seven swords, a breath to freeze three thousand li... The Seven Bandits of Shunyan City has been going wreaking havoc all around, and if not for your help, they might have really brought forth a huge catastrophe!" Zhang Qian chuckled refinedly.

"Zhang gongzi, you're flattering me!" Chen Leyao's eyebrows shot up, but her tone remained nonchalant, showing no particular emotion to Zhang Qian's words.

In order to enter the Sanctum of Sages and resolve the trauma in her cultivation, she had worked herself down to her bone, spending most of her time cultivating. As a result, the only notable affair concerning her was about how she had single-handedly brought down the vicious Seven Bandits of Shunyan City, thus saving many lives from dying in their hands. It wasn't a particularly huge affair, but the fact that Zhang Qian was aware of it showed that he had been keeping a lookout for her affairs.

"I have always been in awe of Fairy Leyao's strength and talents." Zhang Qian complimented once more. "I have heard the conversation between the two of you, and that young man over there has been really disrespectful to you that I couldn't even stand watching it anymore. Why don't I teach him a lesson in your stead, so that you don't have to dirty your hands for someone like him?"

"... I'll be leaving the matter to you then, Zhang gongzi." Chen Leyao could tell that Zhang Qian was intentionally fawning on her, and after a moment of pause, she eventually nodded. "It'll do to just teach him a lesson. There's no need to go too far."

It wasn't like there was some kind of irreconcilable grudge between the both of them, so there was no need to blow things out of proportions. She was only unhappy at how the young man had addressed the name of their young court chief so casually and it would suffice to just teach the young man a lesson so that he would never dare do it again.

"Fairy Leyao sure is kind. Don't worry, I won't go too far!"

Huala! Zhang Qian opened the foldable fan in his hand, and as he turned his gaze toward Zhang Xuan, the smile on his face vanished, replaced with frostiness in his eyes. With a disposition which suggested that he had everything in grasp, he said, "This friend over here, I'll give you two options. You can choose to apologize and compensate for the mistake you have done. I won't ask for too much, just two Saint intermediate-tier artifacts will do. Otherwise, I'll make a move and force you to apologize and compensate. Once that happens, don't expect to be able to get off with just compensating two Saint intermediate-tier artifacts!"

"Apologize? Compensate?" Zhang Xuan nearly burst into laughter.

Couldn't be bothered with that self-assuming fellow, he turned his gaze back to Chen Leyao and said, "Young lady, I didn't know that she has become your young court chief, so if there's anything I have said that has offended you, allow me to apologize to you right here. I am acquainted with your young court chief quite a while back, so I just would like to know how she's faring in the Glacier Plain Court."

Considering how Zhao Ya's current standing in the Glacier Plain Court, it was understandable why Chen Leyao would get mad at how he addressed Zhao Ya directly by her name.

While Zhang Xuan did find Chen Leyao's words and actions rather offending and reckless, he didn't come to pick a fight. In any case, an apology cost nothing at all, and if he could find out how his student was faring by apologizing, he would gladly do it.

Before Chen Leyao could say anything, Zhang Qian's face had already darkened in fury. "Brat, I am talking to you right here. Are you deaf?"

As one of the geniuses of the esteemed Zhang Clan, he was respected no matter where he went to. No one would dare to snub him even in the slightest. Yet, this brat actually ignored him altogether... This was something that the prideful him couldn't accept.

"I'm enquiring something from the young ladies of the Glacier Plain Court, and I don't think this has anything to do with you, right? Do the members of your Zhang Clan have the habit of drifting to wherever there are ladies and rudely interject in the business of others?" Zhang Xuan glanced at Zhang Qian with cold eyes filled with contempt and disdain as he flung his sleeves. "You really should go for therapy to cure that bad habit of yours!"

Trying to use me as a stepping stone to impress the girls?

Young man from the Zhang Clan, you should already be thankful that I haven't knocked on your doorstep yet. For you to actually be getting on your high horses in front of me, do you really think that your Zhang Clan is untouchable in the Master Teacher Continent?

"What did you say?" Zhang Qian narrowed his eyes menacingly as veins popped on his temples.

Even though his bloodline was purer than Zhang Jiuxiao's, his standing on the Zhang Clan was actually not too high. If he could establish good relations with those from the Glacier Plain Court, he would be able to become more highly-regarded in the Zhang Clan, which would, in turn, open up more opportunities for him, allowing him to soar through the ranks.

It was for this reason that he unhesitatingly stepped forward to help Chen Leyao when he saw that she had gotten into an argument with another.

He thought that by bringing out the Zhang Clan's name, he would be able to scare the other party into submission. Yet, he never thought that the young man would actually have such a fearless attitude toward the Zhang Clan!

"Unless you are deaf, you should have heard what I have said perfectly clear. Stop sticking your nose into where it doesn't belong and scram to the side, or else I'll have to no choice but to teach you a lesson..." Zhang Xuan ordered coldly with a wave of his hand.

The other party should be thankful that he had a good temperament. If it had been anyone else in his place, he would have surely beaten the other party up by now!

"It's over..." On the other hand, Zhao Xingmo, who had been watching the entire scene from the start to the end, nearly fainted on the spot.

The young man had just said that he was extremely low profile and would avoid trouble, but in just a few moments, he had already successfully turned the disciples of the Glacier Plain Court and an offspring of the Zhang Clan against him...

If this is what you mean by low profile, are you going to tear down the entire Sanctum of Sages once you go high profile?

"You're courting death!" Unable to take Zhang Xuan's taunting, Zhang Qian roared furiously before charging forward.

In an instant, the surrounding air seemed to have become viscous. An incredibly powerful energy converged in on Zhang Xuan, shrouding him within it.

As expected of a genius from the Zhang Clan, despite being at Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle as well, his fighting prowess was nearly on par with the other Vicious he had encountered at the Marshlands of the Northern Meadows.

It was not to say that Vicious was weak, but after several dozen of millenniums to death and having barely awoken from the seal the Qingtian Emperor had cast upon him then, the strength that the other Vicious could exert was really severely limited then. Furthermore, the other Vicious consisted of only the head and the eyes, which meant that his fighting prowess would be severely limited as well.

Nevertheless, despite such factors, Vicious was still an existence which could rival Kong shi back then, so it could be said to be rather amazing for Zhang Qian to be able to wield strength on par with him.

"Hmph!" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes coldly.

As powerful as Zhang Qian might be, there was no way Zhang Xuan would lose against him with the current strength he wielded. Just as he was about to make a move as well, a burst of sword qi suddenly flew toward Zhang Qian.

Hong long!

Noticing the burst of sword qi, Zhang Qian released a powerful ripple of zhenqi in retaliation, and the sword qi dissipated in an instant. Not too far away, a groan echoed inconspicuously, but that faint sound couldn't escape from the notice of those present here. It seemed like in the earlier encounter, the person who had made a move against Zhang Qian had been injured instead.

"Zhang Jiuxiao, you actually dare to raise your hand against me?" Zhang Qian roared furiously.

When he turned his head over, he saw Zhang Jiuxiao rushing forward to stand in front of Zhang Xuan. His slightly pale face hinted that he was the one who had clashed with Zhang Qian earlier and sustained some injuries from it.

No matter what, he was only at Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle, an entire cultivation realm weaker than the Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle Zhang Qian.

"Zhang Qian, we are here all here to participate in the final selection of the Sanctum of Sages. There's no need to make things so tense among us..." Suppressing the suffocated sensation crushing his chest, Zhang Jiuxiao clasped his fist and said.

Zhang Xuan was his benefactor, so even though he knew that he was no match for Zhang Qian at all, he couldn't bring himself to simply look away from the matter.

"You said that there's no need to make things so tense among us? That might be true a moment ago, but I do see a need for it now!" With a warped look on his face, Zhang Qian roared furiously. "I'll deal with you once we return to the Zhang Clan. Now, don't get in my way and scram!"

"If you want to make a move here, you'll have to start with me!" Zhang Jiuxiao replied adamantly, refusing to back down.

"Jiuxiao, it's fine. I'll deal with him myself." Zhang Xuan placed a hand on Zhang Jiuxiao's shoulder to indicate that it was fine before stepping forward.

He understood Zhang Jiuxiao's intentions, but he didn't think that there was a need for that.

In truth, Zhang Jiuxiao wasn't trying to play the hero here. He knew that there was a huge disparity in strength between Zhang Qian and him, and he knew that he would only be tragically defeated if a fight were to occur. However, he still chose to intervene in the conflict because that would be the only way to minimize the implications of the matter.

As the number one Sage Clan on the Master Teacher Continent, the Zhang Clan wielded frightening power in its hands. While it wouldn't stoop so low as the mobilize its influence to interfere in the matters of the younger generation, it was still inevitable that there would be plenty of people in the Sanctum of Sages who were eager to butter up to Zhang Qian and the other offspring of the Zhang Clan. It was for this reason that very few people dared to cross Zhang Qian and the other offspring of the Zhang Clan, or else they could find every step they took in the Sanctum of Sages fraught with difficulties.

If Zhang Jiuxiao were to take the blame for this matter, in view that he was an offspring of the Zhang Clan as well, he would just suffer a bit of punishment and that would be the end of things.

However, what Zhang Jiuxiao didn't know was that Zhang Xuan didn't fear the Zhang Clan at all. As long as he wanted to marry Luo Ruoxin, it was only a matter of time before he became an enemy of the Zhang Clan.

Besides, he didn't fear the suppression of the Zhang Clan either. With the Library of Heaven's Path, would he have to fear anyone attempting to stifle his growth?

Since Zhang Qian was the one to start the conflict, there was no reason for him to defer meekly to the other party!

With these thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze back to Zhang Qian and spoke with casual contempt, "Alright, hurry up and make your move. I'm in a rush for time, so I don't have too much time to waste on you!"

"You..." Seeing how lightly Zhang Xuan was taking him, Zhang Qian roared furiously and charged forward once more, sending a palm strike toward the other party.

The offense this time around was much stronger than before. The immense might behind the palm strike brought forth the slight rumbling of thunder, as if it was tearing open a vacuum in space.

"Powerful..."

"Zhang Qian might not be the strongest candidate dispatched from the Zhang Clan to participate in the final selection this time around, but his strength is still one that shouldn't be underestimated!"

"Even I would have some trouble taking on that palm strike face-on. It would better to dodge it before making another move, but it doesn't seem like Zhang Qian would allow that lad to do so..."

"That haughty fellow is in for some suffering!"

"Even if he wanted to chat those young ladies up, he should have found a better reason than that. Now that he has offended both the Glacier Plain Court and the Zhang Clan, even if he clears the final selection by some chance, he probably won't be able to survive in the Sanctum of Sages for too long..."

...

The surrounding crowd also swiftly turned their attention over to the commotion that was going on as well. There was a myriad of expressions on their faces, shocked, curious, intrigued, and much more. However, if one thing was clear, none of them thought well of the young man.

There was no one who dared to step forward to mediate in the conflict either, especially since the Zhang Clan was involved in the matter as well. There was no way they would risk getting flames on themselves just to help a stranger.

"This..." Chen Leyao also didn't expect things to blow out of proportions, and a slight frown emerged between her brows.

She thought that the young man was just a little thoughtless in his words, but at this point, conceited would be a more appropriate adjective to describe him!

She had long heard of Zhang Qian's name, even before arriving in the Sanctum of Sages.

Despite only being twenty-six this year, Zhang Qian had already reached Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle. On top of that, his aptitude toward battle techniques was astounding as well. Not only so, he also boasted vast battle experience, such that even Chen Leyao herself would be hard-pressed to subdue him. For a mere Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle lad to dare taunt him... Wasn't that lad just asking to be killed?

Hong long!

Before everyone's astonished gazes, the sheer force of Zhang Qian's palm tore a deep gorge right through the square.

"That's the Saint intermediate-tier battle technique, Soul Shattering Palm!"

"That strike doesn't just wield overwhelming physical might, it also boasts a powerful offensive power toward souls as well! If that strike were to land on one squarely, it would jolt one's soul and instantaneously knock one out, putting one at the mercy of another!"

"Even among Saint intermediate-tier battle techniques, it can be considered as one of the strongest!"

...

A huge commotion broke out amidst the crowd once more.

But at this very moment, a slightly disappointed voice sounded from the young man standing right in front of that powerful palm strike, "This is your move? Well, I guess it's not too bad considering that it's coming from you, but I really don't have any interest in playing with you right now, so pardon me then..."

Right after saying those words, the young man took a step forward and thrust his palm forward casually.

Kacha!

There was no astounding strength or overwhelming aura from that palm strike, but for some inexplicable reason, the majestic Soul Shattering Palm actually dissipated upon clashing with it.

Following right after, with a resounding 'pa dah!', Zhang Qian found himself crushed forcefully onto the ground like a toad, as if there was a mountain weighing down on him. He struggled wildly, but his body simply wouldn't budge at all. Frenzy and rage were written all over his face.

"This..."

"He subdued Zhang Qian in a single move?"

Everyone widened their eyes in frenzy.

"H-how is this possible?" Chen Leyao widened her eyes in disbelief.

"Settled." Without sparing a glance for Zhang Qian, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze back to Chen Leyao and said, "Young lady, you haven't answered my question yet. How is your young court chief faring in the Glacier Plain Court?"

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Chapter 1290: Chen Leyao's Attitude

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Y-you..." Chen Leyao was at a loss for words.

She viewed her strength to be roughly on the same level as Zhang Qian, so Zhang Qian's defeat meant that she wouldn't have been able to withstand even a second blow from the young man as well!

If they were to really get into a battle, she would only be humiliated!

Wasn't he just a Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle cultivator?

How could he be so formidable?

Cold sweat trickled down Chen Leyao's back. It was fortunate that Zhang Qian had stood in earlier, or else the one who would be crushed on the ground like a toad would have been her... If that were to really happen to her, she would never be able to hold her head high before others anymore!

"Just who in the world are you?" With tightly clenched fists, Chen Leyao asked.

It shouldn't be possible for someone who wielded such strength to be a nobody. So, how could she have never heard of the young man before?

More importantly, judging from the young man's overwhelming strength and how he was able to qualify for the final selection in the Sanctum of Sages, he should have a powerful background. Since that was the case, it was irrational to think that someone of the young man's caliber to stoop down to provoke them.

Building on that argument, could that mean that he was really acquainted with their young court chief? Or perhaps, was he... one of their young court chief's pursuers?

"I am a 7-star master teacher from Qingyuan Empire, so I doubt that you would have heard of my name. Don't worry, I don't mean you any ill-will. I'm just asking out of concern." Zhang Xuan replied.

As famous as Zhang Xuan might be in Qingyuan Empire and Hongyuan Empire, it was unlikely that his reputation would travel so far for even those of the Sanctum of Sages to have heard of him.

"Qingyuan Empire?" Chen Leyao pondered for a moment before shaking her head.

There was indeed no notable figure she knew of that originated from Qingyuan Empire.

Due to a war two decades ago, the Qingyuan Empire had become the weakest of the Eight Conferred Empires. Who could have thought that such a talented master teacher would emerge from their ranks at this point in time?

"Are you... really acquainted with our young court chief?" Chen Leyao asked hesitantly.

According to what she knew, their young court chief seemed to have come from Qingyuan Empire as well. Could the both of them really be acquainted with one another?

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded affirmatively.

Zhao Ya was one of his direct disciples, and together, they had forged their way out of Tianxuan Kingdom to the greater world out there. Their relationship couldn't be just covered with the word 'acquainted'.

"I have been a bit worried about how she has been doing ever since your Elder Liu Xuan took her to the Glacier Plain Court, so I thought that I would ask you since you are from the Glacier Plain Court as well. I really don't intend anything aside of that." Zhang Xuan explained earnestly.

"I see. If that's the case, I guess it would be fine to speak of her affairs to you..." Chen Leyao looked at Zhang Xuan's earnest eyes for a moment before nodding slowly. "To tell you the truth, I don't know much about our young court chief either. I know that she's extremely diligent in her cultivation, and her cultivation has been growing swiftly as well... While it hasn't been long since she arrived in the Glacier Plain Court, her strength already far surpasses ours, reaching a level unfathomable to us. As for the details, I'm afraid that I am not too clear about them myself either..."

Speaking up to this point, Chen Leyao's face couldn't help but redden.

While she did possess considerable talent as well, which made her a relatively famous figure in the Glacier Plain Court, she was still a long distance away from matching up to the young court chief.

As the young court chief had devoted all of her time to her cultivation, she hadn't been able to find an opportunity to interact with the other party over the past half a year since the other party's arrival. In fact, if not for the couple of times she had seen the young court chief from afar, she would have doubted if there was truly such a figure in their Glacier Plain Court at all. As a result of that, she knew next to nothing about the other party.

Zhao Ya's strength far surpasses theirs? Zhang Xuan was startled for a moment before nodding slowly.

As one who possessed the Pure Yin Body, her cultivation would surge forward once she awakened her unique constitution. On top of that, there was no doubt that the Glacier Plain Court would devote all of their resources into grooming her as well, so it was indeed not difficult for her to surpass Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle in half a year.

It seems like I really have to work harder... Zhang Xuan thought with a bitter smile.

It would really be embarrassing if he turned out to be the weakest amongst his students the next time they met.

"Thank you for your information. Pardon me for having imposed on you. Farewell." Seeing that Chen Leyao really didn't know much about Zhao Ya, Zhang Xuan decided to take his leave.

In any case, the fact that Zhao Ya had been recognized as the young court chief by the members of the Glacier Plain Court, and that her cultivation had risen beyond Leaving Aperture realm showed that the Glacier Plain Court hadn't been mistreating her. Since that was the case, he would be able to rest his heart easy.

His students would have their own lives to live too, he couldn't possibly keep an eye on them all the way. He would just have to be content with knowing that they were doing well.

With a wave of his hand, Zhang Xuan released the weight on Zhang Qian. Then, with a polite bow, he returned back to where he was standing.

"There's no need to stand on ceremony..." Seeing Zhang Xuan leaving without saying anything else, not even sparing her an additional glance, Chen Leyao's face reddened in embarrassment.

Previously, she thought that the other party was intentionally saying those words to chat her up, or perhaps, to build a relationship with the Glacier Plain Court. However, from the looks of it now... that was clearly not the case!

The young man had really only approached her just to ask a question.

If she had known it in advance, she wouldn't have been so self-assuming and implicate Zhang Qian in the matter...

As this thought came to her mind, she quickly turned her head over to look at the released Zhang Qian. The latter struggled to his feet with rage and mania written on his face.

"Damn it!" Zhang Qian spat indignantly.

He thought that this was an opportunity for him to perform before the beauties and get close with them, only to find himself crushed to the floor in a single move. The great humiliation he had gone through left him feeling so frustrated that he could go mad on the spot.

However, that encounter had also made him realize that the young man was someone whom the current him was no match for. As furious as he may be, he knew that he would only be embarrassing himself further if he were to rush up to the young man and confront him.

"Are you fine?" While Zhang Qian was at the peak of his rage, he suddenly saw Chen Leyao looking over with a concerned look.

"I... I'm fine!" With a reddened face, Zhang Qian quickly tried to regain his poise.

He attempted to flick open the foldable fan in his hand to block his face, only to find that half of the fan had been destroyed in the previous clash. Even though their battle was ended in a single blow, the shockwave that was released as a result of the blow was not one which ordinary fans could withstand. As a result, it ended up being reduced to an unseemly state.

"It's good that you're fine. Zhang shi, thank you for making a stand for me earlier. However, it seems like the friend from before means no ill-will, so I hope that you won't take this matter to heart." Chen Leyao said.

It was while trying to stand up for her that Zhang Qian ended up landing himself in such a state. Even though he ended up contributing nothing at all, she was still rather grateful to him for offering his help.

This entire incident had originated from her misunderstanding, and she felt deeply ashamed by her rashness as well. Thus, she felt that it was necessary for her to mediate between the both of them, and hopefully, they might be able to put aside their differences.

"No ill-will? Just on the very fact that he had belittled our Zhang Clan, there's no way I'll be able to make peace with him!" Hearing that Chen Leyao was even speaking on that young man's behalf now, Zhang Qian's rage intensified.

"Fairy Leyao, you need not say anything more. This thing has nothing to do with you anymore. That brat has insulted our Zhang Clan and even made a move on me. I'll have to return this favor to him, or else what dignity would I have in the Sanctum of Sages?"

As an offspring of the Zhang Clan, he was utterly crushed right before the faces of so many geniuses before they could even take the final selection. Without a doubt, this incident would be one of the darkest spots in his records. If he couldn't get even with the other party, he would be mocked for this matter for many years to come!

"This..." Chen Leyao had no idea what she could say at this point.

Indeed. With how far things had come, it was no longer just a personal conflict between her and that young man anymore.

"Zhang Yu, I want you to look into the background of that brat and find out why Zhang Jiuxiao is helping him!" While Zhang Qian might be arrogant, he wasn't a reckless individual. After a moment of thought, he turned to the side and instructed.

On the other hand, the young man known as Zhang Yu before him nodded in response before disappearing amidst the crowd.

Inner clan members like him tended to have some personal attendants, who would be in charge of taking care of their daily necessities and attending to miscellaneous matters.

Not too long later, Zhang Yu returned. He clasped his fist and reported, "Young Master, I have managed to dig up some things on that fellow. He's a master teacher from Qingyuan Empire, serving as the principal of Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. He has once succeeded in crashing the Qingyuan Empire, which goes to say that he possesses talent and strength far beyond ordinary master teachers!"

Most of the affairs surrounding Zhang Xuan were recorded in the Master Teacher Pavilion, so it was actually not too difficult for those who knew where to look to acquire information on him.

"Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy? Not even worth a mention!" Zhang Qian scoffed derisively before a frown emerged between his brows. "However, the fact that he succeeded in crashing the QIngyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion does make him quite a troublesome figure to deal with!"

In his view, being a principal of a Master Teacher Academy in somewhere as small as Hongyuan Empire was no different from being the chief of some a remote village, an insignificant figure. However, if the young man had successfully crashed a Master Teacher Pavilion before... things wouldn't be that simple anymore.

There were certain restrictions imposed on pavilion crashing. For one, a master teacher's rank must not exceed that of the tier of the Master Teacher Pavilion he was crashing, and he must be a local in the region as well.

It was due to these two restrictions that only a small number of people had succeeded in pavilion crashing over the past several dozen millenniums. The very fact that the young man had successfully crashed a Master Teacher Pavilion was enough to show that he wielded extraordinary talent.

"But no matter how formidable he might be, he's still nothing more than a countryside bumpkin. Young Master, if you had used the power of your bloodline earlier, there was no way he would have been a match for you!" Zhang Yu said.

What that made Sage Clans extremely frightening wasn't their talent but their bloodline.

"Indeed, it won't be too difficult for me to defeat him if I were to tap into my bloodline. However, using that ability will drain me greatly, and I won't be able to recover in the short-run either. Given that the final selection is coming up, I can't afford to deplete myself at this point in time..." Zhang Qian shook his head.

It was not that he didn't want to use the power of his bloodline but he dared not to.

The power of his bloodline would exhaust his strength by far too much, such that even if he managed to teach that young man a lesson, his performance in the final selection would be impeded as a result... If so, he would be severely punished when he returned to the Zhang Clan.

The Zhang Clan also valued the slots for the Sanctum of Sages greatly as well.

"What do we do then?" Zhang Yu asked.

"There's no need to worry." Zhang Qian harrumphed as he narrowed his eyes menacingly. "Let him immerse himself in his glee for a couple of days. Once I get into the Elite Division of the Sanctum of Sages, he would be nothing more than a helpless bug in my grasp!"

"That's true..." Zhang Yu nodded in realization.

Naturally, students of differing degree of talent and strength had to be groomed under different environment and conditions. For this reason, the students of the Sanctum of Sages were allocated to one of the two divisions based on the results of the final selection, namely the Elite Division and the Ordinary Division.

The Elite Division was where most geniuses were gathered. They were groomed to be future Sages, and they stood a far better chance at entering the Inner Sanctum in the future.

Comparatively, the conditions for those in the Ordinary Division were considerably poorer.

Zhang Qian's goal wasn't just to clear the final selection; he wanted to get into the Elite Division as well, becoming one of the top existences amongst the students!

"With the greater degree of authority I would wield as a member of the Elite Division, I would be able to make his life in the Sanctum of Sages a living hell! After I have my fun with him, I shall have him expelled from the Sanctum of Sages so as to carve it deep in his mind that the Zhang Clan isn't an existence whom he can offend!" Zhang Qian sneered as his eyes turned completely cold.

At this moment, he suddenly recalled something, and he turned his head over, "Right, what's that fellow called?"

After all that had been said and done, Zhang Qian suddenly realized that he didn't even know what the young man was called.

"He goes by the surname of Zhang as well, but he isn't from our Zhang Clan. His name is Zhang Xuan!" Zhang Yu replied.

"Zhang Xuan? You said that the young man earlier is called Zhang Xuan?" Before Zhang Qian could even speak, Chen Leyao had already abruptly interjected in with an anxious look on her face.

"Yes, his name is Zhang Xuan. He's just a lowly figure who walked out of Tianxuan Kingdom, and he still has the cheek to adopt the same surname as us..." Zhang Yu harrumphed coldly.

However, before he could finish his words, Zhang Yu's body suddenly stiffened. A surge of chilling energy had abruptly gripped his body.

Following which, a palm suddenly flew for his face.

Pah!

With a resounding echo, Zhang Yu was sent flying out before crashing heavily into the ground. His shattered teeth scattered all over the floor, and blood spurted out of his mouth endlessly.

Seeing this, Zhang Qian stepped forward and asked with a livid expression, "Fairy Leyao, what do you mean by this?"

The person who had just made a move earlier was Chen Leyao, but why would she suddenly turn on them all of a sudden?

"Zhang Qian, you better keep the mouth of your subordinate in check. And you as well, if I were to find out that you have been disrespectful to Zhang Xuan, Zhang shi... Let it be known that our Glacier Plain Court won't sit idly!"

Placing her hands coldly behind her back, Chen Leyao spoke with unquestionable conviction.

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Chapter 1291: Zhao Xingmo's Mental Breakdown

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"You are going to fall out with me over that Zhang Xuan?" Zhang Qian could hardly believe what he had just heard.

He did all of this in order to win the goodwill of Chen Leyao and the Glacier Plain Court, but why did it seem like his efforts were backfiring on him?

Weren't you so angry at him that you even wanted to make a move on him earlier? Why are you protecting him now?

"Zhang Qian, the previous slap was just a warning. I hope that you will know what's best for yourself!" Chen Leyao waved her hands casually.

"You... Why? I want to know why!" Overwhelmed with rage, Zhang Qian bellowed in agitation.

He really couldn't understand how the woman before him could be so fickle in her attitude.

"You don't need to know why. Just know that if you dare to cause any trouble to Zhang shi, you will be making an enemy out of me as well!" Chen Leyao replied with a steely and determined tone.

From her voice, there was no doubt that her words weren't just a mere threat. She wouldn't hesitate to make a move if Zhang Qian really dared to do anything to Zhang Xuan!

"You..." Zhang Qian clenched his fists tightly as his body trembled from anger. He wanted to lash out at the woman before him, and it took the final shreds of his rationality to prevent him from doing so.

Putting aside the fact that Chen Leyao was nowhere weaker than him, he couldn't afford to offend the Glacier Plain Court at this point in time.

"Very well..." Zhang Qian stared at Chen Leyao for a moment longer before suppressing his rage forcefully. Flinging his sleeves, he carried Zhang Yu up and walked away.

He had come all the way here to fawn on Chen Leyao, only to have his subordinate pummeled by the latter instead... The more he thought about it, the more furious he felt.

"Zhang Xuan, it's all your fault... If I don't make you pay the price for that, my surname shall not be Zhang!" Unable to vent his frustrations of Chen Leyao, Zhang Qian turned all of his hostility toward Zhang Xuan instead.

If not for that brat, how could he possibly suffer such humiliation? His relationship with those from the Glacier Plain Court wouldn't have turned awry either.

As this thought flashed across his mind, he turned around to glance in Chen Leyao's direction, only to see the latter looking at Zhang Xuan with a complicated look in her eyes.

"Damn it!" Seeing this, Zhang Qian's anger flared up once more.

But amidst this anger, some doubts emerged in his mind as well.

Chen Leyao was an aloof person who wouldn't even bother to keep up conventional politeness before others. Why would she suddenly regard that fellow so highly?

Was she charmed by him?

...

"Senior Leyao, Zhang Qian is an exceptional individual, be it in terms of background or talent. Is it really wise to fall out with him like that?" another young lady from the Glacier Plain Court walked up to Chen Leyao and asked.

She had gone off for a moment earlier, so she didn't hear the earlier conversation. All she saw was Senior Leyao making a move on Zhang Qian's subordinate, and this act left her deeply perplexed.

Regardless of which aspect one was looking from, Zhang Qian was an outstanding master teacher. It would be best to befriend such a person rather than to make an enemy out of him, so why would Senior Leyao suddenly fall out with one another?

"Do you know who the young man here with us earlier was?" Chen Leyao asked.

The young lady pondered for a moment before shaking her head, "I have no idea."

"He's Zhang Xuan, Zhang shi!" Chen Leyao replied with a grim expression.

"Zhang Xuan... Zhang Xuan?! Senior Leyao, you can't be saying that... he's the man who resolved the problems in our cultivation techniques, our benefactor?" the young lady's body froze on the spot.

"That's him! If I'm not mistaken, he's our young court chief's teacher as well..." Chen Leyao continued.

"H-how is that possible?" The young lady widened her eyes in disbelief.

Their Glacier Plain Court's Yin Formula and Yang Formula were powerful but fundamentally flawed, which resulted in the premature deaths of the cultivators practicing them. Even those who had reached Saint realm would survive no more than three hundred years, paling far in comparison to the average thousand years lifespan most ordinary Saint realm cultivators would have.

Like flowers, the young ladies of the Glacier Plain Court blossomed for just a short moment before withering in desolation.

Chen Leyao and the others thought that they were bound to walk down the same road as well, but a gift from the heavens descended upon them... Eight months ago, when Elder Liu Xuan brought their current young court chief back, she also handed over a revised copy of their Yin Formula and Yang Formula over to the Glacier Plain Court.

The revised version had resolved the various side effects that cultivating the Yin Formula and the Yang Formula would cause, allowing their lifespan to revert back to the length of an ordinary cultivator!

Even though news concerning the origin of the revised cultivation technique had been suppressed by the upper echelons, Chen Leyao, as one of the core members of the Glacier Plain Court, still managed to learn a thing or two about it.

From what she had heard, it was the teacher of their young court chief who created the revised version, a master teacher named 'Zhang Xuan'...

All along, Chen Leyao had envisioned the benefactor to be an old man, at least an 8-star master teacher at minimum. Yet, who could have thought that he would be so young, roughly the same age as them!

"By revising the cultivation technique, he has bestowed upon us a new life..." Realizing this as well, the young lady's face flushed crimson in agitation.

"Indeed. Given how indebted we are to him, it's really unforgivable that I have attempted to make a move on him... Should we head over to pay our respects to him, as well as to apologize for my earlier mistake?" Chen Leyao asked awkwardly.

"Sounds good." The young lady nodded. She quickly gathered the rest of the members of the Glacier Plain Court who weren't around previously and explained the situation to them as well, and they revealed looks of shock as well.

Their gazes couldn't help but drift in Zhang Xuan's direction.

...

"How can you be so reckless?" Looking at Zhang Xuan, Zhao Xingmo couldn't help but berate furiously.

The other party was a genius of the Zhang Clan! To knock him into the ground with a single slap, humiliating him in such a manner... That was equivalent to thoroughly offending the Zhang Clan! How was he going to survive in the Sanctum of Sages after this matter?

"I only intended to ask a few questions, but Zhang Qian just had to stick his leg into the matter for no reason." Zhang Xuan replied nonchalantly.

As powerful as the Zhang Clan was, they couldn't possibly do whatever they want in the Sanctum of Sages. One had to play by the rules here!

And as long as it was they were playing within the rules, there was really nothing for Zhang Xuan to fear!

If forced to a corner, Zhang Xuan didn't mind going all out to bring down whatever influence the Zhang Clan had in the Sanctum of Sages!

"The only reason why you are able to remain calm is because you don't understand the extent of the influence that the Zhang Clan wields in the Sanctum of Sages. If you were to know, there's no way you would be thinking the same anymore..."

Seeing that Zhang Xuan didn't care at all, Zhao Xingmo shook his head and said, "Why don't I put it this way for you? The Sanctum of Sages is an academy that towers above the Sage Clans, but as the number one clan, the numbers of slots that the Zhang Clan receives each year is really substantial, and most of their dispatched candidates are able to successfully clear the final selection as well. Their clan members could be found in every single grade, and they dominate most of the important roles in the academy as well... Offending one of them would be equivalent to offending all of them. Once that happens, no matter what you attempt to do in the Sanctum of Sages, you will find yourself impeded at every step."

Sometimes, it was more frightening and troublesome to offend a ruffian than an official. At least officials would still be bound by rules and self-decency, but ruffians would stoop to anything to make your life a living hell.

"Even if they have the numbers, they wouldn't dare to mess around in the Sanctum of Sages." Zhang Xuan replied nonchalantly.

"Even if they don't mess around, just following the rules will be enough to leave you with a headache. Putting everything aside, if all of them were to challenge you one by one, do you think that you'll still have time to cultivate?" Zhao Xingmo asked.

"That would really be troublesome..." Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

Indeed.

Even if Zhang Xuan was able to defeat all of those challengers, their pestering would still be more than enough to annoy him to no end. That would indeed be difficult to deal with.

"Furthermore, you didn't just offend the Zhang Clan just now, you offended the Glacier Plain Court as well. Even if the influence of the Glacier Plain Court in the Sanctum of Sages pales in comparison to the Zhang Clan, it's still not to be underestimated. Furthermore, due to the nature of their group, their rallying power is no joke either! Just a call, and countless helpers would come their way. As long as they were to openly express their hostility, there would be plenty of geniuses who would be willing to teach you a lesson in their stead!" Zhao Xingmo continued on.

It was one thing that the members of the Glacier Plain Court were all ladies, but they were top-notch beauties at that. It was for this reason that most people were fixated on the idea of marrying a lady from the Glacier Plain Court.

As such, the Glacier Plain Court also became one of the powers which no one dared to offend. The endless stream of trouble that could ensue from crossing them would really be able to give anyone a headache.

Zhang Xuan sure knew how to pick his enemies! He had warned the young man so many times against it, but he still ran over to provoke them...

Can't you just quietly wait here for the final selection to start? How good would that be?

What were the words you have said earlier? Low profile?

Are you sure that this can be considered as low profile?

If that was low profile, there would be no one high profile in the world!

"Listen to my advice and apologize to those from the Glacier Plain Court. I think there's still some room for reconciliation with them. Otherwise, if the two of them combine their forces to deal with you, even ten lives wouldn't be enough for them to take!" Zhao Xingmo pondered for a moment before advising.

While he was only in charge of bringing them here, he had a good opinion of Zhang Xuan. He didn't hope for the latter to suffer over a moment of folly just after he had entered the Sanctum of Sages.

"This..."

Just as Zhang Xuan scratched his head, not knowing how to respond to those words, Zhang Jiuxiao's anxious voice suddenly sounded by the side, "The members of the Glacier Plain Court are making their way over to us..."

"Ah?"

Zhao Xingmo and Zhang Xuan quickly turned their gazes over, and indeed, Chen Leyao and the other young ladies from the Glacier Plain Court were walking in their direction.

They might still have been able to pray that the young ladies from the Glacier Plain Court were just walking coincidentally in their direction, but those impassioned gazes fixated on Zhang Xuan had completely ruled out that possibility.

"They must be here to thrash it out with you, Zhang shi. I fear that they might have already come to some sort of agreement with Zhang Qian. This is really bad..." Zhao Xingmo frowned in worry.

Too anxious to drag Zhang Xuan away, he didn't see Chen Leyao making a move on Zhang Yu earlier. So, when the entire group from the Glacier Plain Court marched imposingly in their direction, he immediately thought that they were here to cause them trouble.

"Zhang shi, you should first apologize to them before they say anything later on... At the very least, try to appease them before they do anything!" Zhao Xingmo anxiously sent a telepathic message over to Zhang Xuan.

"Apologize to them?" Zhang Xuan felt deeply conflicted at this moment. "How should I go around doing it?"

Apologizing wasn't a big deal to him, but he knew that he hadn't done wrong this time around, so he really couldn't bring himself to admit that it was his fault!

"How to go around doing it?"

Not expecting Zhang Xuan to have such a low emotional quotient, Zhao Xingmo nearly tore his hair out in exasperation. "Alright, I'll guide you step by step. Just repeat after me word for word, alright?"

"As soon as they come, say these words, 'Fairy Leyao, please forgive me for my bluntness earlier. I'll apologize to you sincerely here, so I hope that you can overlook my faux pas...'"

"... Alright then." Knowing that Zhao Xingmo was doing this for his good, Zhang Xuan eventually decided to go along with his plan after a moment of hesitation.

By the time he memorized those words from Zhao Xingmo, the young ladies of the Glacier Plain Court were already standing before him. Thus, he cleared his throat and began on his monologue, "Fairy Leyao..."

But before he could finish his words, the young lady before him had already bowed deeply and said, "Zhang shi, please forgive me for my bluntness earlier. I'll apologize to you sincerely here, so I hope that you can overlook my faux pas..."

"Ah?" Hearing oddly familiar words coming from Chen Leyao's mouth, Zhang Xuan was stunned.

"Cough cough!" Zhao Xingmo also widened his eyes in shock, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

Wasn't the other party here to cause trouble?

Why did they suddenly start apologizing instead?

More importantly, to be saying the exact same words which he had just taught Zhang Xuan...

"This is a specialty from our Glacier Plain Court, Wintry Spirit Essence. It has exceptional effects for those who are at Leaving Aperture realm. If you don't find it too shabby, please do accept my gift. It's a compensation for my earlier rudeness..."

Before the both of them could recover from their shock, Chen Leyao had already whipped out a jade bottle and passed it over.

"Wintry Spirit Essence? B-but that's one of the most valuable resources in the Glacier Plain Court! Even a single bottle would cost a thousand concentrated high-tier spirit stones..." Zhao Xingmo widened his eyes in shock, and he nearly choked on his own saliva.

Wintry Spirit Essence was a rare commodity even in the Glacier Plain Court, and it was barely sufficient for their internal consumption. As such, it was nearly impossible to find it in the open market. Yet, Chen Leyao was actually intending to give it to Zhang Xuan just like that...

Just what in the world was going on?

Weren't they marching here angrily to pick a bone with Zhang Xuan?

Why were they moving around carefully instead, apologizing and even passing over a gift as well?

Unable to make sense of the perplexing situation before him, Zhao Xingmo felt a little light-headed.

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Chapter 1292: Zhang Xuan's Decision

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Wintry Spirit Essence?" Zhang Xuan did not expect the other party to offer him a gift after apologizing. He froze for a moment before taking a glance at the jade bottle.

The jade bottle was not too big, but there was a freezing air emanating from it, threatening to freeze someone into an ice cube at any moment. At the same time, spiritual energy even more concentrated than concentrated high-tier spirit stones could be felt pulsating within the jade bottle.

Even though Zhang Xuan had never heard of the item before, he could tell at first glance that it was something extraordinarily valuable. With just the spiritual energy contained inside, he would have no trouble pushing for a breakthrough to Half-Leaving Aperture realm. In fact, even reaching Leaving Aperture realm with it did not seem impossible.

"That's right. Zhang shi, please do accept it. It's a token of my goodwill," Chen Leyao urged anxiously.

Since she had cultivated the cultivation technique that Zhang Xuan had altered, that made the young man a half-teacher to her. On top of that, the young man was the teacher of their young court chief.

Had she not thought that the young man was trying to chat her up and attempted to make a move, Zhang Qian would not have been drawn in, and the whole string of trouble would not have happened.

No matter what, she had to make it up to the other party.

"This..." Zhang Xuan blinked blankly.

Previously, Zhao Xingmo had spoken of the matter with extreme graveness, urging him to admit his fault and apologize, making it seem as if the young ladies from the Glacier Plain Court were terrifying monsters. But from how he saw it, they seemed rather easy to approach, and they were very cordial. It was completely unlike what Zhao Xingmo had said earlier!

Seeing that Zhang Xuan was still hesitating, Chen Leyao thought that he was still angry, and she urged him anxiously. "Zhang shi, we won't be able to rest well if you refuse to accept our gift..."

"This... Alright then. Since it's a token of your goodwill, I won't hold back!"

Judging from the other party's attitude, it felt that she would never let him go if he refused her gift, so he could only helplessly reach out to take the jade bottle.

Relief visibly flashed across Chen Leyao's face for a moment. "Thank you for your understanding, Zhang shi."

Since the young man was willing to accept her gift, she saw this as a sign that he was willing to put aside their differences and forgive her.

"You're too polite." Zhang Xuan clasped his fist in response. Then, with a slightly perplexed tone, he asked, "I was rather impolite to you earlier as well, so why would... you all apologize to me instead?"

He could not make sense of the situation.

It was just a moment ago that the other party had been so furious that she had wanted to make a move on him, but a few minutes later, she suddenly approached him to give him a gift.

Even for a change of mind, that was way too fast!

"This..." Chen Leyao and the others glanced at one another, and bitter smiles surfaced on their lips.

"It's because..."

Just as she was about to begin explaining, the ruckus in the surroundings abruptly vanished, to the point where one could even hear a pin drop. Following which, three figures flew over from the distance and stopped in the air above the square, emanating powerful auras.

All three of them were old men. Zhang Xuan found himself unable to gauge how powerful they were, but the powerful auras that they emanated left one feeling as if they could tear a person apart with just a glare.

Beneath his sleeves, Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly. They possess even greater power than Luo Chengxin.

Luo Chengxin was a Saint 7-dan expert, so did that mean that those three in the sky were at Saint 8-dan?

With such strength, they could already be ranked at the top of the Master Teacher Continent!

Zhao Xingmo sent a telepathic message to Zhang Xuan to explain the situation. "They are the elders of the Sanctum of Sages, and they are in charge of invigilating the final selection."

"I see..." Zhang Xuan nodded in response.

As expected of the Sanctum of Sages! The strength of their elders was really at a wholly different level!

"Candidates!" The old man standing at the very front spoke. "The three of us will be overseeing the selection this time around. I am 8-star Master Teacher Liu Haoyu, and you can address me as Elder Liu. The esteemed gentleman on my left is Elder Han Zhu, and the one on my right is Elder Lin Qing."

His voice was not particularly loud, but it resounded clearly in everyone's ears. It felt like even if one were cover one's ears, the voice would still resonate right within one's mind, preventing one from shutting it off altogether.

Demonic tunist... and a particularly high-ranked one at that! Zhang Xuan noted with a grim expression.

As a demonic tunist himself, he was able to tell that there was something amiss with the other party's voice. He had already comprehended the level of 'the greatest sound is silence, and the greatest form is formless'.

For even the simplest words to wield such strength... If the elder tapped into the power of his Primordial Spirit as well, most probably, every single person standing in the square would be put into a trance immediately.

A Saint 8-dan master teacher was indeed frightening. Even a casual gesture from them could wield so much power.

"I believe the guides should have informed you all of the entrance examination to our Sanctum of Sages—challenging the Mountain Gate," Elder Liu said as he grabbed at the space in front of him.

Huala!

A massive gate abruptly warped into appearance before the crowd. A brilliant light shimmered within the gate, making it impossible for one to tell what was on the other side.

"Could this be... a Teleportation Formation for living beings?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Legend had it that 8-star formation masters were capable of not just transmitting holograms and words but even lifeforms.

The gate before his eyes caused significant disturbances in space, and it felt as if stepping in would bring him into a whole new world. Chances were that it was the legendary Teleportation Formation that he had heard so much about.

"It's indeed a Teleportation Formation." Zhao Xingmo confirmed Zhang Xuan's supposition. "The Mountain Gate examination won't be held within the Sanctum of Sages but a unique folded space. A Teleportation Formation is required in order to enter the area."

"Folded space?" Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before nodding.

Based on what he had heard about the Mountain Gate so far, it sounded far more complex than the Caged Battle Royale. Considering how there were over ten thousand candidates participating in the final selection simultaneously and each candidate would face a test unique to them, space was bound to be a huge problem. However, if the test were to be conducted in a folded space, everything would make sense.

He had a folded space himself too, the Qiu Wu Palace. As such, he was rather familiar with it.

"In the Mountain Gate examination, the difficulty will be altered based on your individual capability. Each person will be faced with tests vastly different from others', so there's no point taking the experiences of preceding candidates as reference," Elder Liu advised, gazing down upon the crowd. "You just have to try your best and deal with whatever comes before you to the best of your ability.

"As for the tabulation of the results, there's no need for you to worry about that. The Sanctum of Sages has a unique artifact known as the Jade Tablet of Trials, and it will make a fair evaluation of your performance in the tests based on established criteria. The higher you are scored, the more likely you will pass the examination.

"This year, the Sanctum of Sages will be taking in five hundred students. So, we will only be taking in those who score within the top five hundred."

"The Sanctum of Sages is only accepting five hundred students this year?"

"But there are at least ten thousand people here! Five hundred... Isn't that one in twenty?"

"It really won't be easy!"

...

Hearing how competitive the final selection would be, unease and trepidation could be seen on most of the faces among the crowd.

At the same time, Zhang Xuan could not help frowning as well.

Those who were currently standing in the square were all the top geniuses gathered throughout the Master Teacher Continent, experts among experts. To finish in the top five percent of them all was truly no easy task.

It was no wonder Zhao Xingmo had said that it was possible for not even a single one of them to make the cut. Considering the harsh requirements, it was indeed not easy to succeed.

Even Zhang Xuan did not have absolute confidence in the final selection.

In a sense, this was a testimony to the strength of the Sanctum of Sages.

If every single batch of candidates of the Sanctum of Sages had to go through this harsh selection, just how powerful would those who managed to stay till the end be?

"Zhao shi, what is the Jade Token of Trials?" one of the master teachers asked Zhao Xingmo with a perplexed look on his face.

"In the Mountain Gate examination, each individual will be faced with different tests. For example, if a Primordial Spirit realm advanced stage cultivator and a Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle cultivator encounter a Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle saint beast and defeat it, naturally, the Primordial Spirit realm advanced stage cultivator will be awarded with more points. The Jade Token of Trials is a unique artifact that serves to tabulate these deeds into a score before compiling them into a scoreboard. The higher one's score is, the better one's final result will be!" Zhao Xingmo explained.

"I see..." Everyone nodded in realization.

"Then... other than defeating saint beasts, what else in the tests will add to our score?" another master teacher asked.

Since the Jade Tablet of Trials worked by converting accomplishments into a corresponding score, it stood to reason that there was an established system for its calculation. As stated previously, there were many different tests, so not all of them would be concerning saint beasts. Surely, there should be other ways of earning points too.

"So far, some of the known possible tests are defeating saint beasts, breaking through a formation, sensing danger in advance, and lecturing a crowd. As long as you perform well in these tests, you will be able to earn some points. Other than that, skillful utilization of one's capability in some unique occupations will also earn one bonus points, such as in spirit enchantment, terpsichorean arts, and painting. As long as you display proficiency exceeding that of the other candidates, those could be considered as accomplishments as well, and the Jade Tablet of Trials will take them into account," Zhao Xingmo explained.

"In other words, as long as you possess a skill that others don't have and perform it in the tests, they will be noted down by the Jade Tablet of Trials and added to your final score, thus helping you stand out from the other candidates!"

Hearing those words, the crowd could not help but clench their fists tightly in agitation.

As easy and fair as the test might have seemed, it was actually far more difficult than it sounded.

If one was competing with just a couple of people, one was bound to have a skill that stood out from the others. However, amid a crowd of over ten thousand geniuses, any seemingly outstanding capability would only appear ordinary in comparison.

Someone might be good at painting, but there was bound to be another one amid the group who was better at it than that person. The same went for the other occupations.

As the saying went, 'there is always a mountain higher than the one before you'. It was definitely no easy feat to reach the peak.

"The capabilities one can display aren't just limited to hard skills. Outstanding management and leadership skills can also add to one's score, but of course, those might be harder to display. The aim of the Sanctum of Sages is to further the wisdom of mankind, thus bringing mankind to reach greater heights. Naturally, the benchmark for enrollment is much higher than other academies."

Seeing the tensed look on the faces of the group, Zhao Xingmo chuckled softly to alleviate the atmosphere. "However, there's no need to worry. Just as I have said before, as long as you work hard and perform to the best of your abilities, your shine will definitely catch the attention of the Sanctum of Sages!"

"Yes!" The group nodded before falling into deep contemplation to figure out what their outstanding traits were.

Zhang Xuan also stroked his lower jaw and pondered. A while later, he could not help but shake his head—he did not seem to have any outstanding traits at all!

Lecturing, formation deciphering, terpsichorean arts, painting... While he was rather proficient in all of those, those could not be considered his specialty!

For example, his painting—while he had achieved a level of proficiency comparable to ordinary 8-star primary painters, the geniuses of the Painter Guild that were participating in the final selection were bound to be able to outdo him.

The same went for pill forging, smithing, and the like.

His mastery of those supporting occupations could be considered outstanding among master teachers, but to those who truly devoted their lives to those arts, it was inevitable that he would still be lacking.

Well, if I really have to choose a specialty... that would probably be disguising!Zhang Xuan thought.

His supporting occupations were all so-so, roughly around the same level. There were none that particularly stood out.

If he really had to list a strength that he was proud of, that would be 'acting like an expert'!

After all, his disguise as 'Yang Xuan' had been able to fool even Luo Chengxin. So far, he had never made any major slip-ups in his disguise before, and that should be more than enough to show his incredible aptitude in the art!

Just that... will acting like an expert really add to my score? Zhang Xuan's face collapsed.

It was hard to imagine any formal academy that would take into account one's ability to act as an expert as one of its entrance criteria!

It seemed like his strongest capability would not be able to help him here.

Forget it. If it comes down to it, I'll just execute a couple of my less outstanding techniques. As long as I utilize enough of them, I should be able to acquire a decent score, Zhang Xuan thought.

No matter what, he was determined to enter the Sanctum of Sages. This was the road leading him to Luo Ruoxin, and he could not let the journey end just here.

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Chapter 1293: Top Five

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"In the Mountain Gate examination, you are only allowed to rely on your own talents and capabilities. No external artifacts, weapons, or the sort are allowed. If we were to find you have cheated, your results in that test will be voided. Other than that, the killing of other candidates is prohibited as well. Such an act will result in a direct termination of your candidacy!" Elder Liu announced solemnly.

"Yes!"

The crowd in the square quickly nodded in response.

The main point of an examination lay in fair competition. If one were to rely on artifacts and the sort in the final selection, that would undermine the purpose of it.

If everyone were to rely on their artifacts to clear the examination, the Sanctum of Sages wouldn't be an institution for the talented but the wealthy.

"Prior to passing through the gate, remember to leave your Soul Imprint on the gate so that the Jade Tablet of Trials can process your names and backgrounds. This is so as to facilitate the tabulation of the results of your performance in the examination." Elder Liu continued.

Nodding, the crowd quickly used their secret arts to leave behind their Soul Imprint on the gates.

"Alright, let's set off now. The duration for the Mountain Gate examination will be three days, and may the odds be in your favor!" Elder Liu waved his hand grandly.

"Yes!"

With a resounding response, the excited crowd began passing through the gates.

"Since it's the Teleportation Formation, it's unlikely that we'll end up in the same location. So, you can only rely on yourself for the entrance examination..." Watching as the crowd surged through the gates, and it was going to be their turn soon, Zhang Xuan turned to Zhang Jiuxiao and said.

"Zhang shi, rest assured. I'll do my best in the entrance examination!" Zhang Jiuxiao nodded.

In the past, he wouldn't have been confident of emerging in the top 5% amidst this large group of geniuses. However, the times were different now.

In the time that they were traveling to the Sanctum of Sages, he had been learning diligently from Zhang Xuan, and this had boosted his fighting prowess significantly. His comprehension of combat had also soared by leaps and bounds, making him no longer the man he used to be. More importantly, he even comprehended Half-Quintessence in swordsmanship, which would make him nigh invincible amidst his peers. With these, his chances at getting into the top five hundred were higher than ever!

"Be careful inside." Seeing that Zhang Jiuxiao was confident, Zhang Xuan nodded in approval.

Chen Leyao and the others also turned to Zhang Xuan and said, "Zhang shi, let's meet in the Sanctum of Sages."

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

After which, the group from the Glacier Plain Court swiftly made their way through the gates.

In their view, considering how the young man was able to easily defeat Zhang Qian, it should be a walk in the park for him to clear the final selection. Now, it was just a matter of whether he would be able to qualify for the Elite Division or not.

"You all can go now!" A moment later, Zhao Xingmo finally gestured the group to advance ahead, and the thirty or so candidates from the Eight Conferred Empires began making their way over for the gates.

Zhang Xuan was at the very back of the group, and he watched those ahead of him disappear in the shimmering light within the gates one after another before it was finally his turn. Upon contact with the gates, he immediately felt the space around him warping abruptly, and with a flash, he vanished from the spot.

Meanwhile, watching as Zhang Xuan vanished from the spot, Zhang Qian narrowed his eyes and spat with gritted teeth, "Zhang Xuan, just you wait. Once I get into the Elite Division, I'll make your life a living hell!"

After saying those words, he stepped into the gate as well and disappeared.

Not too long later, the ten thousand or so geniuses on the square had all entered the gates, leaving only the guides who had brought them here behind.

"Alright, let's all head to the Hall of Results."

Following behind the other guides, Zhao Xingmo flew across the Sanctum of Sages and before long, he was standing before a towering hall.

Standing imposingly in the center of the hall was a grayish-emerald jade tablet, and it emanated an air of ancient history.

With just a look, there was little doubt that this jade tablet had been in the Sanctum of Sages for many years.

A warm glow rippled across the surface of the jade tablet, bringing slight illumination to the surroundings. Stopping right before the jade tablet, all of the guides directed their gazes to it directly, hoping to find some familiar names on it.

"Guides, the examination has barely started. There's no rush." Seeing the anxious looks on the guides, Elder Liu couldn't help but chuckle.

There were three days to the examination, so it was too early to conclude anything at the current phase. The true fight over the placing would only happen at least two days later.

"Un."

The guides nodded as they sat onto the ground as well to rest. At this moment, a nearby stone pillar positioned just beside the jade tablet lit up, and several names emerged on the jade tablet.

"The examination has barely started, but there are already candidates who have scored some points?"

Astonished, the guides quickly took a closer look to see who those candidates were.

"Feng Ziyi, 127!"

Zhang Yu, 121!"

"Jiang Xuecun, 116!"

"Yuan Haiqing, 109!"

"Bai Qingxuan, 103!"

...

"All above a hundred points? They have already scored so much even though the examination has barely started a while ago..."

Seeing the names and their respective scores on the jade tablet, a huge commotion broke out amidst the crowd.

It was truly frightening to see the candidates scoring more than a hundred points when the examination had just started a few minutes ago. More importantly, it wasn't just an individual or two who had achieved that feat, but five of them!

Such a thing had never happened in previous years before!

"One would gain 1 point from defeating a saint beast of one cultivation stage higher, 5 points from defeating a saint beast of two cultivation stages higher, and 25 points for three cultivation stages higher... Yet, a hundred points in just a few minutes? Just how in the world did they accomplish this?"

Zhao Xingmo felt his throat turning hoarse. He could hardly believe what was happening at all.

Under normal circumstances, one's results would only reflect on the jade tablet once it exceeded 10 points, and it would be a gradual increase beyond that. For their score to reflect more than a hundred points from the very start, and for five candidates at that...

"The highest scorer at the moment is Feng Ziyi. Where's he from?" one of the guides amidst the crowd asked curiously.

"He's from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. It's said that he's the direct disciple of one of the elders, and his cultivation has already reached Grand Dominion realm intermediate stage. Without a doubt, he was definitely one of the stronger, if not the strongest, candidate!" a black-robed master teacher who knew about the details explained.

"A direct disciple of an elder from the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters?" Zhao Xingmo's breathing hastened.

In order to become an elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, one had to be a 9-star master teacher at the very minimum! As a student of such a powerful expert, it was no wonder why Feng Ziyi would be able to achieve such incredible results right from the start.

"In second place is Zhang Yu, a genius from the Sage Clan, Zhang Clan. It's said that the purity of his bloodline has already reached Earth-tier!"

"Earth-tier?" Zhao Xingmo widened his eyes in shock.

The bloodline of Sage Clan's offspring could be divided into four tiers depending on their purity, namely Tier-2, Tier-1, Earth-tier, and the highest Sky-tier!

The basic requirement to become an inner clan member was to possess Tier-2 bloodline, and some of the more formidable ones would possess Tier-1 bloodline. As for those whose bloodline had reached Earth-tier, most of them would be from the main family, and even at worst, they would be the offspring of the elders.

"Indeed. Ever since the founding of the Sanctum of Sages, the Zhang Clan had a total of 37 Earth-tier bloodline offspring. Even the weakest of them eventually reached Saint 8-dan pinnacle... Considering that Zhang Yu possesses the same Earth-tier bloodline as well, he's bound to reach incredible heights in the future as well!" the black-robed master teacher said.

"Saint 8-dan?" Zhao Xingmo found himself at a loss for words.

Wielding such strength, one could already be considered to be standing at the top of the continent. With just a stomp of his feet, he would be able to bring around the downfall of a power like Qianchong Empire easily!

"Right! Earlier, I encountered another offspring of the Zhang Clan named Zhang Qian. May I know what the purity of his bloodline is?" Zhao Xingmo couldn't help asking.

"Zhang Qian only possesses an ordinary Tier-2 bloodline. Amongst the thirty candidates the Zhang Clan has sent in this time around, he's ranked amidst the last, not even worth a mention!" the black-robed master teacher replied.

"Not even worth a mention?" Hearing those words, Zhao Xingmo's face turned as dark as charcoal.

Zhang Qian was a Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle expert, and yet, he was still ranked in the bottom few of the Zhang Clan's candidates? If that was the case, just how formidable would those who were ranked ahead of him be?

This was really too terrifying!

The Zhang Clan had its fair share of spectacular candidates in the previous years' final selection, but never had the line-up of their candidates been so formidable before!

"Jiang Xuecun... Is she from the Sage Clan, Jiang Clan?" Zhao Xingmo continued asking.

Of the many Sage Clans on the Master Teacher Continent, the three strongest were namely the Zhang Clan, Jiang Clan, and Luo Clan respectively.

Considering how Jiang Xuecun managed to get onto the rankboard within such a short period of time, achieving a score that was just beneath Zhang Yu, it was hard to imagine that she could be from any other clan other than the illustrious Jiang Clan.

"Un, I have met Jiang Xuecun myself once before. As you know, the Jiang Clan specializes in soul offense, but even amidst their ranks, the soul energy which Jiang Xuecun is born with can be considered immense. In terms of fighting prowess, she could very well be on par with even Feng Ziyi!" the black-robed master teacher said.

"As for Yuan Haiqing, he's one of the geniuses of the Sage Clan, Yuan Clan. While the Yuan Clan is slightly weaker than the Zhang, Jiang, and Luo at the moment, unable to squeeze into the top three, I heard that they have managed to find a successor who possesses Sky-tier bloodline half a year ago. If the rumors are really true, there's no saying that the Yuan Clan might just be able to join their ranks in the near future!"

"Sky-tier bloodline?" Zhao Xingmo was astonished.

Sky-tier bloodline was the strongest bloodline that any offspring of the Sage Clans could possess. As long as those who possessed such bloodline was given time to mature, it was just a matter of time before he became a renowned figure in the Master Teacher Continent.

For one, the current heads of the Zhang Clan and the Luo Clan possessed Sky-tier bloodlines as well.

"It doesn't seem to be just a rumor. Over the past few days, several of the stronger powers and clans have expressed their goodwill toward the Yuan Clan, wanting to befriend them. It seems like the rise of the Yuan Clan is inevitable..." the black-robed master teacher replied.

"So, these candidates all have notable backgrounds... Then, what about Bai Qingxuan? What's his background?" Digesting the news which he had just heard, Zhao Xingmo asked in interest.

Since the four in front had such spectacular results, Bai Qingxuan, whose name was placed just beneath theirs in the fifth place, shouldn't be any ordinary figure either!

"Bai Qingxuan is from the Blazing Inferno Court." the black-robed master teacher said.

"Blazing Inferno Court? You mean the powerful organization whose reputation rivals that of the Glacier Plain Court?"

While the Glacier Plain Court had the Yin-Yang Lake, and their core cultivation techniques were the Yang Formula and Yin Formula, most of their members still cultivated the Yin Formula. On top of that, nearly all of their members, from the court chief down to the elders and the ordinary members, were all female.

The Blazing Inferno Court was the direct opposite. Most of them were men, and they practiced cultivation techniques that were rich in yang attribute, such as the Inferno Art and such.

It was said that the two powers were created by the same founder, but due to certain disagreements and intense rivalry between members who cultivated yang cultivation techniques and yin cultivation techniques, they were eventually divided into two powers.

Roughly two decades ago, the two powers attempted to bridge their differences and reunite as one through a political marriage. However, in the last moment, the to-be court chief ended up fleeing at the very last moment, disappearing from the face of the world.

Eventually, the two powers fell out with one another once more, and they parted on an unhappy note.

"That's right." The black-robed master teacher nodded. "While the reputation of the Blazing Inferno Court isn't too resounding, and they have very few branches over the world, on the whole, they still wield overwhelming strength which would be foolish to overlook. If not for that, the Glacier Plain Court wouldn't agree to a political marriage with them either!"

"Indeed." Zhao Xingmo nodded in agreement.

For a political marriage to work, both powers should be of equal standing. Otherwise, it would be nigh impossible for them to coexist peacefully.

Weng!

While the both of them were chatting, the stone pillars lit up once more, and new names emerged on the jade tablet.

"The top five hundred candidates have emerged..."

Zhao Xingmo immediately turned his gaze toward the jade tablet, and as expected, it was filled with all kinds of names.

The height of the jade tablet was just sufficient to reflect five hundred names in total, and perhaps it was for the very same reason, only five hundred students would be accepted into the Sanctum of Sages in each entrance examination.

"Come, take a look and see if the talents you have brought here are on the rankboard or not." the black-robed master teacher said with a smile.

Nodding, Zhao Xingmo swiftly scanned the jade tablet from head to toe, and very soon, a tight knit emerged between his brows.

Despite the huge number of names, he realized that there was not a single one that was familiar to him.

Under normal circumstances, Zhang Xuan should be able to get into the top five hundred easily. So, why is his name nowhere to be found? Zhao Xingmo thought worriedly.

Is none of the candidates I have brought here going to clear the final selection?

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Chapter 1294: A Royal Harem of 3000

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

The entire world shook intensely before Zhang Xuan's eyes. As Teleportation Formations worked by warping spatial laws, he knew that if he could decipher the structure of the Teleportation Formation, it would help him greatly in further comprehending the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel. Thus, as soon as he entered the Teleportation Formation, he immediately activated his Eye of Insight, hoping to get a rough understanding of how it worked.

A myriad of colors shimmered in the surroundings, creating a beautiful artwork. Many lines seemed to stream past him, creating a feeling as if he was flying at an extremely fast speed.

It's a little similar to the deciphers of the Saint Ascension Decipher... Zhang Xuan thought.

Under the discerning gaze of his Eye of Insight, he actually found that the Teleportation Formation had a structure that was deeply reminiscent of the Saint Ascension Decipher. On the fundamental level, it contained of lines, ranging from one to nine of them, tightly knitted to form a unit, creating what one would perceive as length, breadth, and height, or in other words, space.

Hu!

An abrupt jolt left Zhang Xuan staggering, and the gleaming lights before him vanished. When he finally scanned his surroundings once more, he realized that he was already standing in the midst of a relatively small mountain valley.

Dense trees filled the area, and a small stream trickled down from the heights of a mountain. It knocked on the various rocks that stood in its path, creating a crisp yet tranquil melody.

Taking a look at his sides, Zhang Xuan found that he was completely surrounded by lush trees. It was a little similar to the sight he saw when he first took off his blindfold in the Sword Lagoon. However, the swiftly rising altitude of the land around him, as well as the mountain on the horizon, were clear indications that he was in the midst of a valley.

I should start with hunting down saint beasts to earn some points first. Knowing that time was precious in the examination, Zhang Xuan didn't hesitate to flit up the valley.

He wasn't too sure how the score calculation for other aspects worked, but at the very least, it was definite that he would earn points from hunting down saint beasts. Since that was the case, it would be best for him to hunt down as many of them as possible first just to be safe.

This kind of reminded him of the entrance examination of Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy as well. Back then, he tamed over several hundred spirit beasts and obtained a score far exceeding that of other candidates.

But again, in terms of beast taming and dealing with saint beasts... while he did have confidence in his skills, it was hard to fathom what those geniuses from the Beast Tamer Guild were capable of. After all, they had devoted their life to studying beast taming, so they were bound to be good at what they did. It would be hard for him to compete against them, especially since he had barely spent a few days learning beast taming in total.

Flitting swiftly ahead, many plants flashed across Zhang Xuan's peripheral vision.

Perhaps it was due to the superior concentration of spiritual energy in the area, there was a large variety of plants in the area. Even Zhang Xuan found that he couldn't name most of them.

On the journey to the Sanctum of Sages, other than cultivating, Zhang Xuan had spent most of his time studying in the Library of Heaven's Path, and he had managed to go through most of the books he had collected.

In terms of scope of knowledge, it was possible that even 9-star master teachers were no match against him. From such a perspective, it was indeed peculiar that there were actually so many plants that he was unable to name. Perhaps, it might be because most of them were native to the folded space, so they weren't recorded in any books.

Hm? Something is not right...

As Zhang Xuan continued examining the area around him as he flitted forward, a realization suddenly dawned on him, and a deep crease appeared on his forehead.

Judging from the area of his Spiritual Perception and his length of the flight, even if saint beasts were really rare in the folded space, he should have at least encountered a couple of ordinary lifeforms by now. But up to this point, other than plants, there was nothing around him at all. This was really baffling.

Could I have been teleported into some kind of formation? Zhang Xuan immediately halted his flight and examined his surroundings closely with his Eye of Insight.

It took a moment of concentration, but he eventually noticed that something was indeed amiss.

It's an Illusory Formation. Zhang Xuan noted.

He quickly advanced toward a certain point and stomped his feet lightly.

Weng!

The huge congregation of plants all around him withered immediately. The melodious sound of flowing water knocking on rocks continued sounding in his ears, but the world before Zhang Xuan changed greatly.

He found that he was no longer in a mountain valley but before a straw house located in the midst of a lush mountain. There was a feeling of serenity drifting in the air, soothing one's tense nerves.

However, knowing that he was still in the midst of the Mountain Gate examination, Zhang Xuan didn't allow such an atmosphere to affect him. Keeping his guard up, he swiftly assessed his surroundings before walking warily toward the straw cottage.

Tz la, tz la!

Before he could reach the straw cottage, a slightly screechy, metallic sound suddenly echoed in the air. Circumventing the straw cottage, he saw an old man squatting by a stream, grinding a certain object in his hand relentlessly.

Taking a closer look, Zhang Xuan realized that it was a thick and long metal bar.

Perhaps under the relentless effort of the old man, the top portion of the bar had been ground thin, and the tip was as fine as a needle.

Whittling a metal bar into a needle 1 ? Taken aback by the sight before him, Zhang Xuan asked with a slight hint of bewilderment in his voice.

He wouldn't be surprised if he were to meet with an assault from a pack of saint beasts, trapped within a formidable formation, encountering an army of soldiers, or anything else. But to see someone whittling a metal bar into a needle in the Mountain Gate examination... what was this supposed to mean?

"Do you know what I'm doing?" At this moment, a faint but clear voice sounded in the air.

The old man seemed to have noticed Zhang Xuan's presence, and without stopping his action, he asked with a questioning edge in his tone.

"Are you whittling a needle?" Zhang Xuan replied.

"Oh?" The old man seemed to be a little surprised by how Zhang Xuan was able to get it at the first try. "You can tell that I'm whittling a needle?"

Considering how thick and long the metal bar was, most cultivators would probably guess that he was attempting to whittle out some kind of weapon. That would be the logical answer, after all.

"You are trying to use this as an analogy to tell me that as long as one has perseverance and is willing to put in hard work, there's nothing in the world that's too difficult to accomplish. As the saying goes, 'With diligence and perseverance, a metal bar can be whittled down to a needle.'" Zhang Xuan replied.

"This..." The old man blinked his eyes.

He was born with unimpressive talents, and in his earlier years, he thought that he would never be able to catch up with the others. But one day, while he was out, he saw his teacher grinding down a metal bar bit by bit. When he asked what his teacher was doing, the latter said that he was trying to whittle out an embroidery needle and quoted those exact same words.

It was as if a ray of light had parted the darkness he had been in, showing him a clear path forward. It was with that very mindset that he charged forward fearlessly, eventually reaching his current height.

The reason why he was enacting the same action was in hope that the later generations could gain the same enlightenment that he did... But this fellow actually saw through his motive with a single look, causing all of those words of wisdom that he had scripted before to clutter up in his chest, suffocating him.

"Whittling a metal bar down to a needle..." Suppressing the stifling sensation in his heart, the old man was just about to speak when he saw the young man before him shake his head, sighing deeply, "The intentions behind the saying may be good, but in my view, it's simply wasted effort!"

"Why would you say so?" Frowning, the old man looked at Zhang Xuan and asked.

These were the very same words which had inspired him back then. Why would they be wasted effort?

"Simple. If I'm not mistaken, you are not a real person but a Soul Imprint. The metal bar which you are whittling down is Starspirit Metal, which is even more valuable than Black Goldcrystal Ores due to the incredible resilience it boasts. On the other hand, the chisel you are using to grind it down is made of ordinary Risegreen Rock, which can be easily picked right off the streets... Due to the overwhelming difference in the tier of the tool you are using and the metal bar you are trying to whittle down, what you are doing is really not any different from using a cotton swab to grind down a metal bar. Given so, do you think that you will succeed?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Through his Eye of Insight, he could tell that the old man wasn't a real person but a Soul Imprint.

The metal bar in his hand was the extremely rare Starspirit Metal, boasting incomparable hardness. It would be difficult for even an 8-star blacksmith to melt it down. Yet, to use an ordinary stone chisel to whittle it down to a needle... Surely this was a joke?

"Even if perseverance and diligence don't fail those who embrace them, at this rate, whatever returns you will receive from your efforts will only be minimal... Furthermore, as a Soul Imprint, your time is severely limited as well. If my memory fails me not, Soul Imprints can only survive for a limited time in the external world." Zhang Xuan continued.

He had met quite a few Soul Imprints so far, and he had some understanding of how they worked as well. In a dormant state, they would still be able to survive for a long period of time. However, once they gain consciousness, they wouldn't be able to sustain themselves for too long.

Ancient Sage Qiu Wu and the Old Sword Maestro were such examples. Despite the incredible strength they wielded while they were still alive, the Soul Imprint that they left behind still didn't last for too long before dissipating.

"This..." Hearing Zhang Xuan's logical analysis, the old man sighed helplessly before putting down the metal bar in his hand. "You really are a sharp-witted and discerning person. I didn't think that you would be able to see through so much within such a short period of time."

While part of the reason why the old man was whittling the metal bar here was to motivate the later generations, more than that, it also served as an assessment to them as well.

For the young man to see through his motive with a single look and even tell that he was just a Soul Imprint, the young man was truly a keen person.

In response to the praise, Zhang Xuan shook his head and said, "It really isn't too difficult to see through this much."

Even though he wasn't an academic in his previous life, he had at least heard of the story of whittling a metal bar down to a needle 2 . Perhaps to those who had never heard of the story before, this could be a huge source of inspiration and enlightenment, but as someone who could recite the story even from the back, it couldn't even leave the slightest ripple in his mind.

"Actually, if you really wish to whittle the Starspirit Metal down to a needle, there's a way to go around doing it. The Risegreen Rock chisel won't be sufficient, but with some Black Goldcrystal Ore and Woodvine Essence, it can definitely be done!" Zhang Xuan suddenly said with a smile.

"Oh? You're saying that a combination of Black Goldcrystal Ore and Woodvine Essence would allow me to whittle this bar of Starspirit Metal down to a needle?" the old man asked in interest.

"That's right!" Zhang Xuan replied confidently. "The process isn't too complicated either. The Woodvine Essence possesses corrosive property, and through complementing it with several other medicinal herbs, it can be used to wear down the Starspirit Metal. In fact, as long as we calculate the size and quality of the metal bar in your hand precisely, with sufficient medicinal essence, we will be able to corrode the entire bar down to the size of a needle within minutes. There would be no need to whittle it down at all!"

"You are saying that it can be done within minutes?"

"It happens that I do have the required ingredients with me at the moment. Why don't you give it a try?" Flicking his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out a pile of medicinal herbs.

These medicinal herbs had come from the storage ring which he had retrieved from Ji Lingfeng back at the Sword Lagoon. Even though those medicinal herbs were valuable, as the Boss of the Qianchong Empire Black Market, Ji Lingfeng still had a substantial number of them with him.

Zhang Xuan quickly mixed the various medicinal herbs together to concoct a unique medicinal essence.

Retrieving a piece of Black Goldcrystal Ore, Zhang Xuan poured the medicinal essence on it equally throughout. Then, he took the metal bar from the old man's hands and placed it on top of the Black Goldcrystal Ore.

Tzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

A white stream of smoke rose into the air, and the Starspirit Metal swiftly contracted. Just like what Zhang Xuan had said, it really became a thin needle within a few minutes' time.

The medicinal essence and Black Goldcrystal Ore also happened to be depleted at this moment, as if everything had been precisely calculated prior to the act.

With a flick of his finger, Zhang Xuan casually tossed the needle over to the old man. "Here, I have already done it for you, so you don't have to waste your time whittling the metal bar anymore. Honestly speaking, don't you find it tiring? Not only is it tough, more importantly, you aren't making much progress either..."

"..."

The old man's lips twitched.

It was only an analogy he used to test the candidates! And yet... the young man before him really turned his metal bar down into a needle...

More importantly, that lecturing tone that he took after that was as if he was a senior speaking words of wisdom to a junior...

Do you know who I am to be talking to me like this?

Shaking his head, the old man swiftly shook away the frustrations in his mind and said, "With just a look at the metal bar, you were able to precisely calculate the quantity of medicinal essence you would require to corrode it down to the size of a needle... It seems like your Eye of Insight has already reached the realm of 'Infinitesimal Keenness'!"

"You know that I possess the Eye of Insight?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

After the fourth acknowledgement of Celestial Master Teacher, he had already gained the ability to conceal his Eye of Insight completely. As long as he willed it so, not even an 8-star pinnacle master teacher would be able to notice his Eye of Insight.

Yet, the old man was actually able to see it with a single look... Just how powerful could he be at his peak?

Could he possibly... be a 9-star master teacher? A thought came to Zhang Xuan's mind, and he couldn't help but tighten his fists in agitation.

So far, the most formidable master teacher he had seen was Elder Liu, who had briefed them on the rules of the Mountain Gate examination earlier. He hadn't met a real 9-star master teacher before, and he didn't even know the name of any single one of them either.

If the old man before him was really a 9-star master teacher, it was indeed possible for him to tell that he possessed the Eye of Insight.

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Chapter 1295: Do You Want To Be the Sanctum Head?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Your possession of Eye of Insight has resulted in a distortion in the Teleportation Formation, that's why you were sent here!" Seeing the look of confusion in Zhang Xuan's eyes, the old man explained.

The Teleportation Formation of the Sanctum of Sages would teleport every candidate to different locations depending on their field of specialty. The young man had activated his Eye of Insight as soon as he entered the Teleportation Formation, so naturally, he was sent here.

The Illusory Formation was the first trial, and it served to assess his proficiency in the usage of his ability. Only if he was able to overcome the Illusory Formation would he be qualified to meet the old man.

Zhang Xuan swiftly realized this as well.

A person who was able to create something as formidable as a Teleportation Formation was bound to be able to sense his Eye of Insight as well, not to mention, he was using it openly within the Teleportation Formation earlier too.

"You said earlier that my Eye of Insight has reached the level of Infinitesimal Keenness... what does that mean?" Zhang Xuan asked.

He had never told anyone about his possession of the Eye of Insight before, and there was nothing detailed regarding the Eye of Insight in the books either. As such, he had no idea that it could divided into differing realms too.

"Eye of Insight is an extremely rare ability that only a very small portion of extraordinarily talented 6-star master teachers are able to awaken. In the entire history of the Master Teacher Continent, there are not many of people who managed to awaken the Eye of Insight. Depending on how proficient one is at using the Eye of Insight, there is a vast difference in its prowess too. As such, it is classified into different realms as well."

The old man stroked his beard as he continued on, "The first realm is Discerning Facade. It allows one to see through all disguises, allowing one to see an object right at its core."

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Ever since he comprehended the Eye of Insight, he had realized that he could use it to see through any facade with ease.

It was through using it that he was able to catch a glimpse of Luo Ruoxin's true appearance too.

"The second realm is what I have told you earlier, Infinitesimal Keenness. At this realm, you are able to see through the weight, size, material, and the various other details of an object with absolute precision. At the same time, you are also able to see through the strengths and flaws of cultivation techniques, battle techniques, and all sorts of maneuvers as well." the old man said.

Nodding, Zhang Xuan asked, "I see. Is there a third realm as well?"

Even without using the Library of Heaven's Path, the current him was indeed able to assess the details of an object with absolute precision using just the Eye of Insight. This would mean that he had achieved the realm of Infinitesimal Keenness at the very minimum.

Just that... if he recalled correctly, he already possessed this ability when he first obtained the Eye of Insight. So, to call it the second realm felt a little weird to him,

"The third realm is known as History Tracing, and it allows one to peer into the origin of a matter and thus trace its history. Upon reaching this realm, one would be able to peer into the very fundamentals of artifacts and battle techniques, and even trace down the missing aspects of it. For example, no matter how well a person covered his tracks up well, he's bound to leave some traces of his presence behind. Thus, those whose Eye of Insight have reached the realm of History Tracing will be able to see these traces and track that person down." the old man said.

"Ah..." Zhang Xuan blinked his eyes blankly.

Was this really the third realm of the Eye of Insight?

If that was really the case, wasn't it weird that he possessed this ability right after he had awakened his Eye of insight too?

"Upon reaching this realm, those of the same cultivation realm would be unable to hide any secrets from one anymore. With just a sweep glance, one would be able to tell if an individual is lying or holding back some critical information. More importantly, one would be able to accurately assess the potential of a cultivation technique as well. Those who have achieved the realm, other than those who have died prematurely, have all gone on and become 9-star master teachers!" the old man said.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan fell into deep contemplation.

He could roughly understand what the old man was driving at. The reason why he was able to improve so swiftly without facing any bottlenecks was mainly due to the Heaven's Path Divine Art. Considering the Eye of Insight's ability to determine the potential of cultivation techniques, those who possessed it would be able to choose the most suitable cultivation techniques for themselves and advance through the ranks with ease too.

"Then... is there a fourth realm?" Zhang Xuan asked.

He had already accomplished the first three realms, so could there still be any level above that?

If that was the case, it would be good if he could advance the mastery of the Eye of Insight too. It could potentially becoming a powerful trump card in battle.

"Of course! Upon reaching the third realm, one would be able to start practicing optic arts. Through creating formations with the lines of insight, it's possible for one to exert a prowess far surpassing that of battle techniques through the Eye of Insight! According to my teacher's impartation, the fourth realm is called Demon Vanquisher. Once mastered, one will be able to tear apart even the space of where one lays one's eyes upon. In terms of prowess, it's even comparable to Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's famed Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel!" the old man said proudly.

"Even on par with Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel?" Zhang Xuan might be unaware of other battle techniques, but he had definitely heard of the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel.

Having cultivated the technique himself, he knew how profound it was. If one could master it up to 5-dan, one would be able to wield full grasp over space and travel freely within it. Even without using Teleportation Formations, one would be able to cover long distances instantaneously with a spatial leap.

So far, it was the most formidable battle technique he had ever seen, even more profound than Kong shi's Saint Ascension Decipher even. If he could perfect all of its flaws and master it to its highest level, even with his current cultivation of Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle, he would still be able to slaughter Saint realm 7-dan experts with ease.

Back then, Ancient Sage Qiu Wu had used this very technique to seal the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe for several dozen millenniums, preventing them from entering the Master Teacher Continent and granting mankind this period of peace.

So, for the optic art to be on par with such a battle technique, wasn't it a little too powerful?

"Optic art... Elder, may I know whom your teacher is?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help asking.

He had heard that Kong shi's direct disciple, Ancient Sage Bo Shang, possessed the Eye of Insight, and he had created a set of optic arts to complement it. With just a look from his eyes, thousands of Otherworldly Demons would be reduced to ashes.

Considering how the old man before him was speaking about optic arts, could there be some kind of link between the both of them?

"My teacher is one of Kong shi's Ten Apostles, Ancient Sage Bo Shang! My teacher left right after creating the Sanctum of Sages, so I'm officially the first sanctum head. The rules regarding the Mountain Gate were also created by me." Seeing that Zhang Xuan had finally come to a realization, the old man chuckled softly.

"The first sanctum head?" Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in shock.

He thought that the old man was just a random soul drifting around the Mountain Gate, but to think that he was the very first sanctum head!

"I heard that in order to become the head of the Sanctum of Sages, one must possess the Eye of Insight... Since that's the case, elder, does it mean that you possess the same gift as well?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask.

"Indeed, I possess the Eye of Insight as well. At my peak, I have cultivated it up to the fourth realm, Demon Vanquisher. In fact, the rule stating that only those who possess the Eye of Insight would be able to become the sanctum head was also created by me. The intention behind it is simple. Just like how my teacher hopes to pass down Kong shi's ideology through the the Sanctum of Sages, I also hope to pass my teacher's heritage down to later generations so that they would honor his name for years to come!" the old man nodded.

"For this reason, every student who wish to enrol into the Sanctum of Sages must participate in the Mountain Gate examination, and those who possess the Eye of Insight will be teleported here to undergo my test!"

Zhang Xuan finally understood what exactly was going on.

It was no wonder why there was no one in the area at all. It seemed like his test was in a completely different area from all of the other candidates.

Learning that the old man before him was the first sanctum head, Zhang Xuan dared not to pull his weight either. Clasping his fist respectfully, he asked, "Elder, may I know what your name is?"

In terms of standing, the old man could be considered as Kong shi's grandstudent, a truly formidable figure in history. On top of that, he was also the person who had helped build up the Sanctum of Sages, bringing it to the position of honor and glory that it currently sat on... Without a doubt, he was a person worthy of respect.

"It has been too long since my passing, so my name is not worth a mention. However, the people of this generation address me as Sage Kui!" the old man said.

"Junior Zhang Xuan pays respect to Sage Kui." Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and bowed slightly.

The old sages had contributed greatly to mankind in their own ways, so he had always harbored great respect toward them.

"Un." Sage Kui nodded. "Since you were able to see through my Illusory Formation and overcome it, that would mean that your Eye of Insight has achieved the level of Discerning Facade. After which, you were able to accurately gauge the weight of the metal bar and concoct a corresponding amount of medicinal essence to melt it. That would mean that you have achieved the level of Infinitesimal Keenness as well... However, in order to become a candidate for the position of the sanctum head, you have to achieve the third realm, History Tracing, at the very minimum!"

"Candidate for the position of the sanctum head?" Zhang Xuan blinked his eyes in a daze.

He had come here in order to qualify as a student of the Sanctum of Sages, why did it suddenly become a test for him to become the sanctum head instead?

"That's right. Due to the rule of sanctum heads having to possess the Eye of Insight, there has been many times in history when the Sanctum of Sages went without a sanctum head for a long period of time. Including me, there have only been nine generations of sanctum heads so far. Since you possess the gift required, you have met the basic qualification to be considered as a candidate for the position of the sanctum head as well... Right, I forgot to ask you yet. Are you interested in becoming the tenth sanctum head of the Sanctum of Sages?" Sage Kui asked.

"Of course!" Zhang Xuan nodded hurriedly.

If he were to become the sanctum head, be it in terms of standing or position, he would become worthy of Luo Ruoxin. If he were to ask for Luo Ruoxin's hand in marriage with this position, the Luo Clan would really have to think the matter through.

"That is great. However, I have to inform you first that possessing the Eye of Insight is just one of the requirements to becoming the sanctum head. You also need to undergo trials to ensure that you have the strength, state of mind, and wisdom required for the position." Sage Kui said.

"Yes!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

He had known for a long time that there were very few master teachers who managed to comprehend the Eye of Insight, but he never thought that they would really number so few.

Considering how there were only nine sanctum heads in total, and an average Saint realm cultivator was able to live for a thousand years... That would mean that most of the time, the Sanctum of Sages was without a sanctum head!

It was no wonder why he would be teleported here as soon as he stepped into the formation. Considering how difficult it was to come by a master teacher possessing the Eye of Insight, it was natural to rope him in as soon as possible to groom him as the next sanctum head!

"May I know what the trials would be?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Like I've said before, in order to become a candidate in line for the position of the sanctum head, your Eye of Insight must reach the third realm. Now, I'll have to assess whether you have met that prerequisite before moving on to the next test!" Sage Kui replied.

"The third realm of Eye of Insight, History Tracing, allows one to peer into the origin of a matter and trace its history. I have an artifact with me right here, and I'll give you an incense's time to accurately determine its nature. If you can do so, it would mean that you have cleared the test."

"Very well." Zhang Xuan nodded confidently.

Discerning artifacts had always been his strength, and ever since the time he had spent at Tianxuan Kingdom, he had never failed before.

"Good!" Noting Zhang Xuan's confidence, Sage Kui nodded.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, a ceramic vat suddenly appeared before him.

"All you have to do is to tell me what's stored in the ceramic vat."

"What's stored in the ceramic vase?" Zhang Xuan repeated with a frown.

The ceramic vase appeared to be perfectly ordinary on the surface, and there was indeed nothing special about its material too. However, there were unique paper seals plastered on its cap, preventing one's Spiritual Perception from viewing what was within.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan activated his Eye of Insight and attempted to peer into the vase.

As soon as his Eye of Insight was activated, the vase before him seemed to come to life. It emanated an astounding aura reminiscent of a sun, mercilessly blinding those who were attempting to peer into it. With this, it was impossible to see what was hidden within!

"How am I supposed to tell what's inside like this?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Under the blinding light, his eyes felt like they were going to bleed anytime soon. There was no way to see through that!

In fact, everything had been overwhelmed by that light, making it impossible to even discern any traces to make a deduction on what was inside the vat.

At this point, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a brief moment before muttering in his mind.

"Flaws!"

Chapter 1296: Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Hu!

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

With a simple flip, the information within the book flowed into Zhang Xuan's head.

"Golden Script Seal, an artifact created by the first head of the Sanctum of Sages, Sage Kui. It possesses the ability to seal the transient and eternalize it. There is a total of seven flaws. No.1, it can only seal non-living objects as living beings would suffocate under the effects of the seal. No.2, its defenses are extremely weak. Sword qi would be able to destroy it..."

"Ah..." Zhang Xuan clutched his forehead speechlessly.

What he wanted to know was the information concerning the vat and, more importantly, what was inside it. Yet, for information on the seal to appear instead... what a headache!

But thinking deeper into it, it was natural that the Library of Heaven's Path would react in such a manner.

The vat was a non-living object, so it required physical contact in order to compile a book on it. However, it happened that the seals were currently in its active state, so its flaws were reflected instead.

This was truly a dilemma. Considering that this was a test on his Eye of Insight, he could not just step forward to touch the vat.

Zhang Xuan contemplated deeply for a moment before a thought suddenly struck him. While I can't see anything through the Eye of Insight, it should be possible to deduce what's within it through the flaws of the seal.

He had already assessed the entire vat all over with his Eye of Insight, but perhaps due to the long age of the vat or the jarring radiance blinding his sight, he was really unable to find any clues as to what could be stored in the vat.

However, through the seals, it should still be possible for him to make an intelligent guess as to what was within the vat.

Based on the first flaw, the seal could only be used to seal non-living objects. This meant that was within was not a lifeform. Even if it was, it would have to be dead by now.

As for the second flaw, it stated that the seal had weak defenses and one could easily destroy it with sword qi. Since that was the case, it was safe to assume that what was within the vat was not too valuable. Otherwise, considering the ordinary material of the vat and the fact that the seal could be easily destroyed, it would be a little too negligent to store it within the vat.

And the third flaw...

Zhang Xuan's mind whirred into action as he swiftly narrowed the scope of his deduction.

A moment later, he could not help but shake his head.

Even if he were to narrow down the possible choices through the flaws of the seal, there were still way too many items that could have been in the vat!

There was no way to come to a conclusive deduction just through this.

If I can't even deduce it despite knowing the flaws, how did the previous candidates possessing the Eye of Insight manage to clear this test? Zhang Xuan frowned in bewilderment.

Since he was able to see the invisible trails of others to locate their whereabouts, it meant that he had already reached the third realm of the Eye of Insight. However, despite having achieved this realm, he was still unable to tell what was within the vat. Since that was the case, shouldn't the others who were at the same realm in terms of Eye of Insight have been unable to discern what was within the vat too?

But if they were unable to discern what was in the vat, how did they clear the test?

While Zhang Xuan was still stressed out over the matter, he suddenly heard Sage Kui's voice. "Times up. How is it? Were you able to find what's stored within?"

"Elder, I was only able to deduce that the vat is likely to be used to store some kind of fluid. As for what it is and what it does, I'm afraid that I can't tell at all..."

Zhang Xuan had thought that with his prowess, he would be able to clear the test with ease. Yet, who would have thought that he ended up suffering such a huge setback instead? His face could not help but redden in embarrassment.

On the other hand, Sage Kui's eyes widened for a brief moment before swiftly reverting back to normal. With a composed tone, he asked, "Is there any underlying basis behind your deduction?"

"This Golden Inscription Seal can only be used to seal fluids," Zhang Xuan replied.

"You are able to comprehend the Golden Inscription Seal?" This time, Sage Kui was no longer able to conceal his astonishment.

"I'm afraid that I am unable to comprehend it. I was only able to deduce that from deciphering the aura that it emanates," Zhang Xuan said.

"Un, you are right. What's stored within the vat is indeed a type of fluid. Also, putting aside those who have achieved the third realm in the Eye of Insight, even those who have reached the fourth realm would be unable to tell what's inside the vat!" Sage Kui revealed with a satisfied look on his face.

"In truth, this test serves to assess not one's eye of discernment but one's character and nature. The Eye of Insight can always be cultivated, so it doesn't matter whether you have reached the third realm or not. However, character and nature are two aspects that are very hard to change. The Sanctum of Sages houses Kong shi's ideology and my teacher's heritage, so I don't wish to pass it down to those with malicious intentions!

"The reason I said earlier that only those whose Eye of Insight has reached the third realm are qualified to become a candidate in line for the position of sanctum head and have you observe this vat was to assess your reaction.

"If one is unable to determine what's inside the vat, so be it. To lie out of anxiety to clear a test only shows that one's character is questionable."

At which, Sage Kui chuckled. "Congratulations, you have cleared the test. It's admirable that someone as young as you is willing to admit failure graciously. It seems like you are a person of good character. Not bad, not bad!"

"Thank you," Zhang Xuan said with a reddened face.

It turned out that it was a test after all. Indeed, if one was unable to discern anything, there was no reason one could not just admit to it.

Even so, the other party's words about him being of good character were indeed true. Otherwise, why would he have been unanimously chosen to become the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy?

Just with that remark alone, Zhang Xuan immediately felt a burst of goodwill toward Sage Kui.

For some inexplicable reason, everyone else seemed to tightly hold onto the belief that he was an existence who brought destruction wherever he went, and they tried to maintain a distance from him. Only the old man before him was able to see through his good character with a single glance. As expected of a grandstudent of Kong shi, his eye of discernment was indeed outstanding.

"Since you have cleared my test, here is your reward. It's the Sanctum Head Token of the Sanctum of Sages!"

With a flick of his wrist, Sage Kui passed a token over to Zhang Xuan. "The token is real, but it has been sealed by some inscriptions, so you won't be able to use it for the time being. As a result, you won't be able to issue commands through it, and you won't enjoy the authority and privileges that come along with it. In other words, despite having the Sanctum Head Token in your hand, you'll still be an ordinary student in the Sanctum of Sages."

Nodding, Zhang Xuan caught the Sanctum Head Token.

Taking a look at it, the token was not big. It was filled with inscriptions, which sealed the aura of the token tightly within.

To the eye of an outsider, it would appear to be nothing more than an ordinary token. However, just by grasping it, one would be able to feeling the raging power harnessed within it. It felt as if there was some immense energy stored within the token that would cause even the sky to dull before its powers.

This token is probably a really high-tier artifact.

Even without checking on it with his Library of Heaven's Path, Zhang Xuan could tell that the token was no ordinary tool. In terms of tier, it was definitely superior to the Lingxu Sword of the Old Sword Maestro.

"I didn't seal the token to intentionally make things difficult for you. You should be well aware of the standing of the Sanctum of Sages in the Master Teacher Continent. In order to become the sanctum head, it's imperative that you wield strength proportionate to your position. Otherwise, how will others be willing to follow you? Even if your position is legitimate, you still won't be able to gain the respect of others."

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded slowly.

While the Master Teacher Pavilion did establish a certain degree of order via rules to the Master Teacher Continent, the fact was that strength still reigned mighty.

The reason the Zhang Clan wielded such great authority, which even the Master Teacher Pavilion would falter before, was due to their overwhelming strength. Even if Zhang Xuan rose to the position of the sanctum head right now, if he did not possess strength worthy of the position, no one would be willing to follow him.

On the contrary, it might even bring danger upon him.

Considering how he was only at Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle, there was a good chance that this would only make him a laughingstock.

"I'm glad that you understand that. Alright, I have set three seals in total upon the Sanctum Head Token. The first seal will be broken when you become an 8-star master teacher. The second seal will be broken when your cultivation reaches Saint 8-dan. Last but not least, the third seal will be broken when your cultivation of the Eye of Insight reaches the fourth realm, Demon Vanquisher."

Sage Kui looked at Zhang Xuan with eyes filled with anticipation as he continued. "Judging from your appearance, you should only be your early twenties at the moment. Given how you are able to wield such strength at your current age, there's no doubt that you possess outstanding talent. While these three goals will be hard to achieve, as long as you work diligently, you should be able to accomplish it within a hundred years. At just 120 years old, you will be one of the youngest to become the head of the Sanctum of Sages!"

"A hundred years?" Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan could not help but shake his head.

While the three conditions that Sage Kui had imposed for him were indeed difficult, if he could only accomplish them within a hundred years, he would already be buried under a huge pile of grass thanks to the Innate Fetal Poison.

Not to mention, if he wanted to stop Luo Ruoxin from marrying that hateful fellow from the Zhang Clan, he would have to wield sufficient strength to stand before both the Luo Clan and the Zhang Clan by the third month of the next year.

He was not going to survive that long at that pace.

"I'll just repeat it one last time. Until you fulfill those three conditions, you won't be able to release the seal on the Sanctum Head Token, and you won't be able to tap into the power harnessed in it. As such, I hope that you can disguise yourself as an ordinary student and study diligently in the Sanctum of Sages, slowly taking a step at a time to the peak. This is the best way for you to win the respect of others, as well as my test to you," Sage Kui advised.

"I understand." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Two words: low profile.

By walking every step of the way by himself, he would be able to gain a true understanding of the Sanctum of Sages. This way, when he finally became the sanctum head, he would be able to take control of matters with ease instead of falling into a panic.

"Good. Alright, this is the optic art that my teacher has created, Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld. Only those who possesses the Eye of Insight will be able to practice it. As the saying goes, once one cultivates it to the highest level, one will be able to peer right into the ninth netherworld. Even the heavens will be unable to conceal one's eyes.

"I'll impart the technique to you right now, and you have three days to practice it. As for how much you manage to learn, that will be dependent on your own talent. If you can't comprehend it your entire life, you won't be able to reach the fourth realm of the Eye of Insight. In other words, even with the Sanctum Head Token in hand, you won't be able to become the real sanctum head."

Sage Kui waved his hand forward.

Huala!

A huge number of words along with a massive formation map appeared in the space before Sage Kui.

Swiftly glancing through the content, Zhang Xuan felt his heart jolting in astonishment.

As expected of an ultimate technique on par with the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel, it was indeed formidable.

Just as Sage Kui had said, the optic technique was built upon the foundation of the Eye of Insight, so only those who possessed the gift would be able to practice and utilize it. Basically, the underlying idea behind it was to make use of the lines of insight within the Eye of Insight to form formations. The more lines of insight one had, the more capable one would be in seeing through the essence of objects, and the greater prowess the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld would wield.

This optic art consists of three realms. The first realm is Gaze of Deities and Demons. With just one look, one would be able to crush the mental state of a cultivator, rendering them incapable of fighting against one! Zhang Xuan noted as he looked at the first realm.

There were some formidable cultivators who carried a unique disposition of their own. With just a glare, they would be able to instill deep fear into others.

This was especially so for emperors. With a glare and a roar, those who had never experienced life-and-death situations would find themselves being put under deep pressure.

Basically, the first realm, Gaze of Deities and Demons, served to maximize such an ability to its very limits via the Eye of Insight. With just one look, one's enemies would feel as if they were standing before deities and demons alike, crushing their spirit entirely, rendering them incapable of retaliating at all.

Once one's spirit had been crushed, no matter how powerful one was, there would be no chance at victory at all.

To be able to induce others to flee with just one look...

As expected of the technique left behind by the founder, it was indeed formidable!

If he could master it, his fighting prowess would surely grow by at least twofold.

With such thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan continued looking on. But before long, a deep frown appeared on his forehead.

"Hmm? That's not right. It seems like... there's something wrong with the optic art!"

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Chapter 1297: Are You Suffering From Achromatopsia?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Out of habit, Zhang Xuan collected the manual of the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld into the Library of Heaven's Path before browsing through it. So, what he was reading wasn't the text in the sky but the compiled book in the Library of Heaven's Path.

The introduction still sounded fine, but when he began processing the formula to practicing the optic art, he swiftly realized that something was amiss with the technique.

"What's wrong?" Sage Kui asked.

The optic art was created by his teacher, and it was incomparably profound. There was no genius possessing the Eye of Insight who wouldn't be mesmerized by it. Yet, the young man actually frowned and said that there was a problem. What did he mean by this?

"This..." Zhang Xuan turned over to look at Sage Kui. "Elder, I would like to ask if there's anyone amidst the preceding sanctum heads who have suffered from blindness?"

"Blindness?" Not comprehending the reason behind Zhang Xuan's words, Sage Kui frowned. "I am only in charge of guiding and assessing the potential candidates for the position of sanctum head, so I don't really know much about their affairs."

He had died several dozen millenniums ago, and in order to allow his fragmented soul to survive as long as possible, he would only regain consciousness if a genius perceived to possess the Eye of Insight were to enter the examination grounds. Considering the limited time that he remained conscious, it was difficult for him to find out much about the affairs of the other sanctum heads.

"Then... Pardon me for asking this insolent question, but was Ancient Sage Bo Shang's eyes fine?" Seeing that he was unaware of the matter, Zhang Xuan rephrased his question once more.

"My teacher has departed from the world shortly after founding the Sanctum of Sages... and his eyes were indeed blind then." Sage Kui paused for a brief moment before adding, "However, with appropriate treatment, I think that his condition should be reversible..."

"Reversible?" Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan unwittingly shook his head as a bitter smile emerged on his lips. "I'm afraid that it'll be extremely difficult to do so, if not impossible altogether."

"Why?" Slightly surprised by Zhang Xuan's affirmative response, Sage Kui asked.

There were many books containing details about Ancient Sage Bo Shang's affairs in the Sanctum of Sages, but most of them were centered around the nobler and more positive aspects of him. Furthermore, it was only known in a very small, closed circle that he had lost his sight back then, so the news didn't spread too far. So, how did the young man learn of the matter?

Not to mention, to speak so affirmatively that it was nearly impossible to recover from his blindness...

"The reason lies in the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld!" Zhang Xuan sighed.

"The optic art serves to tap into one's potential through the Eye of Insight to unleash devastating might. In terms of prowess, it is indeed an incredible battle technique. However, the side effect is that each time the formation map was activated, it would inflict tremendous, irreparable damage to the eye. As time goes by, one would inevitably lose one's sense of sight!"

In fact, the very first flaw regarding the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld in the Library of Heaven's Path was the permanent loss of sight.

Regardless of whether one was an ordinary mortal or a cultivator, there was bound to be a limit to one's potential. The ability of the optic art in tapping into this potential in the form of formation maps was indeed formidable, capable of bringing forth great destruction in an instant. However, the damage that it would inflict on the caster was immense and irreversible too.

This was especially so since a human's potential couldn't be restored with any pills or means.

To make an analogy, this was just like how, in Zhang Xuan's previous life, a significant portion of talented athletes tended to have short lives. This was because they had sapped the potential of their bodies dry when they were younger. On top of that, the injuries they had sustained throughout the course of their career also remained as traumas, placing a great strain on their bodies. As a result, very few of them were able to enjoy the lifespan of an ordinary human.

What the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld drained was the optic nerves. It was possible to treat and change the eyes, but if one's optic nerves were to wither and die, there would be very little that one could do.

In other words, the optic art was fatally flawed.

To Saint realm cultivators, who possessed extraordinary senses and Spiritual Perception, it might seem like the loss of sight might not impede their fighting prowess significantly. However, the same couldn't be said about those who possessed the Eye of Insight.

In the first place, even without practicing optic arts, the Eye of Insight was already a very powerful gift in itself. The very ability to discern details more keenly than anyone else could play a deterministic role in the outcome of a battle. The loss of sight would mean the loss of this gift, which would result in a sharp decline in one's fighting prowess. On top of that, one might also suffer a huge setback in their state of mind as well, and that would prevent them from reaching greater heights in the future.

Hearing the young man's helpless sigh, Sage Kui frowned in displeasure, "I have practiced the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld for several hundred years now, but I haven't noticed any damage to my eyes. This is an optic art left behind my teacher, so I'll have to ask of you not to spread false rumors about it!"

It was not that Sage Kui was reluctant to believe Zhang Xuan's words, but he had also cultivated the optic art for many years, but his eyes were still completely fine. He didn't experience any discomfort or pain as a result from using the technique, and his eyesight hadn't been impaired either.

Given so, wasn't the other party's worries a little unfounded?

Besides, who was his teacher?

Ancient Sage Bo Shang, one of the Kong shi's direct disciples, honored as one of the Ten Apostles! The Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld was a technique which Ancient Sage Bo Shang had devoted his entire life to developing, so how could there be such a fatal flaw to it?

This was a ridiculous notion in itself!

Even if there was a flaw in it, it shouldn't be something which a mere Primordial Spirit realm cultivator like the young man would be able to see through!

Knowing that Sage Kui would react in such a way, Zhang Xuan didn't lose his composure. Instead, he looked at the latter and said calmly, "Why don't I put it like that then? Elder, you mentioned that you have cultivated the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld for several hundred years now, but if I'm not mistaken, you weren't able to reach the third realm, right?"

"... Yes." Sage Kui nodded.

Due to his lack of talent, despite his hard work, he was still unable to catch up with his teacher's footsteps even up to his teacher's death. Putting aside the third realm, he wasn't even able to reach the peak of the second realm.

"If I'm not mistaken, when you first left this fragment of your soul here, you have just used the inferno to reforge your eyes and the frigid ice to temper them, allowing you to barely reach the second realm of the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld. At your current level, you are already able to see through the darkness with absolute keenness, as if it's a brightly lit room. However, in a real battle, you still aren't able to use the true prowess of the second realm, Asura's Wrath, right?" Raising his eyelids, Zhang Xuan said.

The first realm of the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld was Gaze of Deities and Demons, and the second realm was Asura's Wrath. Once one had mastered the second realm, with just a glance, one would be able to bring scorching inferno to the lands, as if hell had descended upon the world.

The first realm was mainly focused on mental offense whereas the second realm was a pure physical offense.

Those whose strength hadn't met a certain mark would stand no chance before Asura's Wrath at all, turning into cinders in an instant. Even those who possessed strength greater than the caster would find themselves placed in a very difficult position, unable to exert their strength freely as they wanted to.

Most importantly of all, the optic art could be cast at will. There would be no movements or anything else to warn one of the offense beforehand. Everything within the reach of the eye were possible targets, making it nigh impossible to guard against it.

It was for this reason that the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld was so famous, and the generations of sanctum heads were also deeply respected throughout the continent, possessing a standing higher than even that of the heads of the Zhang Clan and the Luo Clan.

However, as powerful as the technique was, it was extremely troublesome to cultivate it. Firstly, one had to reforge one's eyes with the inferno and use frigid ice to temper them. After which, one still had to go through many gruesome trials, and the slightest mistake in any of them could result in the cultivation of the Eye of Insight to fall through.

Even though Sage Kui hadn't executed any optic art so far, through Zhang Xuan's understanding of the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld, he was still able to roughly deduce the latter's proficiency.

"How... did you know?" Sage Kui was astonished.

The other party's words were completely spot-on. When he first left behind a fragment of his soul in the Mountain Gate, he had barely managed to cultivate the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld up to the second realm, still a very far way off from reaching the third realm.

"Even though you are just a sliver of will at the moment, I can still see slight flames burning in your eyes. As weak as they appear, they seem to wield the potency to torch everything down to cinders. From that, it isn't too difficult to deduce that you have reached the second realm, Asura's Wrath." Zhang Xuan said as he leisurely strolled around the other party.

Since he had collected the manual of the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld into the Library of Heaven's Path, it took only a moment for him to assimilate all of the knowledge concerning it. With his current understanding of the optic art, it wasn't too difficult for him to deduce this much.

"Are you saying that... you have already finished reading through the second realm of the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld?" Hearing those words, Sage Kui's body trembled in astonishment, and his eyes widened in shock.

It was just a moment ago that he had shown the manual of the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld to the young man, but in just a few breaths' time, the young man was actually able to accurately list out the various distinctive traits of the second realm... Could it be that he had really managed to memorize all of it?

One must know that the manual of the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld consisted of over several hundred thousand words! Just browsing through it would take some time, let alone assimilating the knowledge. Back then, he had studied it day and night without rest after obtaining the manual, but it still took him two days before he managed to primarily grasp the optic art.

He even received his teacher's compliment for that...

And yet, the young man actually managed to memorize it all within just a few breaths? How could that be possible?

"It isn't too difficult to memorize the entire optic art. What's more important is interpreting and cultivating the technique." Zhang Xuan shook his head. He didn't reveal the slightest joy at having astounding the other party; on the contrary, he shook his head in pity as he continued on, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but while cultivating the second realm, Asura's Wrath, you should have seen red dots in your eyes from time to time. Also, there would be a slight itch in your eyes from time to time, and upon facing the wind, your eyes would tear up uncontrollably too. Worst of all, after casting Asura's Wrath, you would find yourself in a state of temporary blindness for roughly three breaths...

"May I know if there's any mistake in what I have said so far?"

"You..." Sage Kui couldn't believe what he was hearing.

He had indeed faced these conditions while he was cultivating the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Underworld, but back then, he thought that it was just a side effect from reforging his eyes with the inferno, so he didn't think too much into it. Could there really be something wrong with the optic art?

By the time he reached the second realm of the optic art, his teacher had already departed from the world, so there was no one whom he could consult these issues with. As a result, he could only fumble his way forward, hoping that he would be able to find the right path.

It was also true that he would suffer temporary blindness after casting Asura's Wrath, but he thought that it was a natural effect as a result of the excessive exertion of his strength in the casting of the optic art. Could it really be as the young man had said... there was really a problem in the optic art?

"Asura's Wrath uses the eyes as a medium to channel a raging inferno upon one's enemies. Upon reaching Major Accomplishment, the flames would be able to cleanse all impurities and torch everything down into cinders. Without a doubt, it's a technique that wields astounding might, but it's highly exhausting on one's mind as well. Continued usage of the skill would cause the nerves that governed sight to age prematurely, thus significantly reducing the lifespan of one's sight. This is just like how the core of a formation plate would be depleted each time it's used. Once it reaches its limit, not even the most formidable of formation masters would be able to fix it."

Zhang Xuan shook his head in pity as he continued, "Even though you have barely reached the second realm by the time you left this sliver of will, the side effects have already started to show. For one, the immense strain on your eyes has resulted in the enlarging of blood vessels in your eyes, resulting in them appearing slightly red. Also, if I'm not mistaken, you should suffer from frequent insomnia too."

"You know that... I have insomnia?" Sage Kui was flabbergasted.

For a cultivator as strong as Sage Kui, he could use cultivation to replace his need for sleep. Nevertheless, an occasional sleep now and then would still be a relaxing experience for both his body and mind.

In fact, most cultivators would still opt to rest from time to time.

Back then, when his teacher just departed from the world, he had to govern the entire Sanctum of Sages by himself, so he didn't have time to get much rest. Even when he tried, he wasn't able to fall asleep either. He had attributed the matter to his tense nerves, but could it really be related to the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld?

Now that he thought about it... he seemed to recall that his teacher suffered from constant insomnia as well, and that had left him feeling lethargic frequently.

"Considering the damage the cultivation of the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld has caused to your nerves, it's inevitable that you would suffer from insomnia. Furthermore, as you deepen your mastery in it, your mind would start to wear down, resulting in frequent memory loss. More importantly... your sensitivity toward colors would also start to dull, and eventually, the many colors of the natural world would appear to be nothing more than black and white to you..."

At this moment, Zhang Xuan paused for a moment before sighing deeply in sympathy. "In other words, total color blindness!"

"If I'm not mistaken, you should be suffering from such symptoms too!"

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Chapter 1298: Sage Kui's Dilemma

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Due to the inferno burning within one's eyes, those who practiced the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld would find their sensitivity toward colors fading as time passed, and eventually, the entire world would appear to be nothing but black and white to them.

Due to the nature of the injury, it was an irreversible symptom. There was no way to recover from it.

This was not listed in the flaws in the Library of Heaven's Path, but through Zhang Xuan's deep understanding of the Way of Medicine and cultivation, he could still deduce this much from working backward.

"Color blindness? What's that?" Sage Kui was stunned by the foreign term.

He had never heard that terminology from anyone's mouth before.

"You don't know what it is?" Zhang Xuan was startled for a moment before realization struck him.

Due to the difference in worlds, it was indeed possible that the notion of color blindness was not as prevalent or common in this world.

So, Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment to decide how he should explain the concept. "Color blindness refers to a lack of sensitivity of one's eyes in perceiving different colors. Take my clothes for example, what's the color that you see?"

"Gray," Sage Kui replied.

"It's light-blue, not gray," Zhang Xuan stated with a shake of his head.

"Light-blue?" Sage Kui frowned.

Is this supposed to be what light-blue looks like? Why doesn't it seem to be the case?

"Let me ask you a different question instead. How many colors are there in a rainbow?"

While saying those words, Zhang Xuan waved his hand and created a rainbow bridge of seven colors in the sky.

"I can discern a couple of colors from it, but... there doesn't seem to be seven colors in the rainbow you have created. Furthermore, most of the colors are of similar tones, so I can't really say for sure either..." Staring at the rainbow intently, Sage Kui felt a ripple of shock striking his mind.

He had seen plenty of rainbows when he was younger, and he could accurately distinguish seven colors from them. But now, he could only identify three colors in total, and the difference between the three was very vague. Could he really have been suffering from color blindness, just as the other party had said?

Was this really the side effect from practicing the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld that his teacher had left behind?

For so many years, he had harbored absolute faith toward the optic art that his teacher had created. However, under the persuasive and logical analysis of the young man before him, he could not help but begin doubting.

"Then... is there a way to resolve the problem?" Sage Kui asked.

"So far, I only managed to analyze the flaws in the optic art. I haven't really found a way to resolve them yet..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

The Library of Heaven's Path would only reflect the flaws of techniques, and Zhang Xuan had not come into contact with any optic art manuals before, so he could not compile anything with the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld to perfect it.

"However, since we have identified the problem, it will only be a matter of time before a solution is found!"

As long as Zhang Xuan could find sufficient optic art manuals to perfect the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld, those problems would be resolved as well.

Back then, there had also been many faults with Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm, and cultivation of the technique could have caused one to go blind, too. Nevertheless, through compiling it with many other cultivation techniques, he had resolved that problem.

"Let's hope so..." Sage Kui nodded. "So, will you still be cultivating the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld?"

Sage Kui knew how powerful the Eye of Insight was as well, and it would indeed a pity to go blind as a result of cultivating an optic art.

"I think I'll hold off cultivating the technique for the time being. I'll try to resolve the current problems before cultivating it," Zhang Xuan replied.

Despite its flaws, the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld was still an extremely formidable battle technique. He would have to find some way to access optic art manuals so as to compile them together with it and perfect it.

In any case, there was no rush for the time being. What he was lacking in the most at the moment was not battle techniques but his cultivation.

If his cultivation was too low, no matter how many formidable battle techniques he had, he would still be unable to faze the Zhang Clan and the Luo Clan.

"Un, that would be good, too. For the next three days, you should try to gain a complete understanding of the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld. If there's anything that you are unable to comprehend, feel free to ask me. You won't have any more opportunities to clarify your doubts once you leave this land in three days!" Sage Kui nodded.

"Thank you, elder!" Zhang Xuan replied before sitting on the ground.

While he appeared to be staring at the words in the air, his consciousness was immersed within his mind as he tried to fully grasp everything concerning the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld.

There are more than thirty flaws to the optic art all in all, and every single one of them poses great damage to the body.

After a moment of studying the optic art, Zhang Xuan rubbed his glabella helplessly.

It was not that he did not want to cultivate the technique, but there were simply too many flaws in it! How could a perfectionist like him possibly swallow something like this?

If he forced himself to cultivate it, he might very well die from repulsion before anything else.

Seeing that Zhang Xuan had paused on the spot for some time now, Sage Kui asked with a kind smile, "How is it? Is there anything concerning the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld that confuses you? I can address your doubts here!"

Knowing that Sage Kui was asking out of goodwill, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "There are quite a few aspects of the optic art that confuse me, but it's fine. I don't think that you'll be able to address them either."

It was not that he was underestimating Sage Kui, but it was likely that even Ancient Sage Bo Shang himself would have been unable to address his doubts! Otherwise, there was no way he would have ended up blinding himself.

"You are saying that I won't be able to address your doubts?" Sage Kui frowned in displeasure. "I've spent several centuries cultivating the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld, even reaching the second realm of it. As long as it's a problem regarding its cultivation, I'll surely be able to answer it!"

He knew that the young man before him possessed an exceptional eye of discernment, being able to notice such a major flaw in the optic art with just one look. Nevertheless, he had still cultivated the technique for many years now, and not to mention, he was also a powerful cultivator. He was confident that with his deep understanding of the battle technique, he would be able to address any questions that the young man could come up with.

"You'll surely be able to answer it?" Seeing the confident look on Sage Kui's face, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze over and smiled lightly. "Very well, I do have a few questions that I would love to have some answers to. I would be very grateful if you can answer them. Firstly, in the Gaze of Deities and Demons, what is the exact form that the demons and deities should assume? If it's just based on personal conceptualization, won't be effectiveness of the optic art be compromised?"

"This..." Sage Kui was startled by the abrupt question.

In this world, there was no one who had seen a true deity or demon before, so naturally, they were beings that were extremely hard for any human to truly imagine.

In fact, whenever Sage Kui cast the technique, he would instinctively attempt to image bloodshed and carnage, intending to use killing aura as a substitution for the conceptualization of deities and demons to instill fear in the hearts of others.

Just as Sage Kui was about to reveal his method, the young man before him had already spoken up once more. "If what we are going to image is just plain slaughter, once the killing intent corrodes one's eyes and consciousness, how would one be different from the Otherworldly Demons? Furthermore, what demons and deities stand for should be supremacy, not slaughter. If we use slaughter to replace the concept of supremacy, wouldn't that be an inaccurate interpretation of the technique?"

Hearing those words, Sage Kui's face turned pale.

Indeed. As a result of his frequent conceptualization of bloodshed and carnage, there was a period of time when he found himself unable to control the killing intent within him anymore, and he ran all the way down to the Subterranean Gallery to slaughter Otherworldly Demons to vent his emotions.

In a sense, using the slaughter to substitute the demons and deities would turn the technique into a depraved art, which was at odds with the standing and beliefs of a master teacher.

"My second question!" Seeing that Sage Kui was unable to answer his first question, Zhang Xuan decisively decided to move on.

"The Gaze of Deities and Demons utilizes one's eyes as a medium to attack another's soul. However, for the attack to reach its target, one must first absorb a hint of the target's soul energy in order to lock the attack onto the other party's Primordial Spirit. However, if the target is aware of this aspect of the technique, they could use it as an opportunity to overwhelm one with their soul energy, putting one in a perilous position. Taking a step back, even if the target isn't aware of this opening, if the target's Primordial Spirit is far stronger than one's own, a forceful attack would inflict significant damage upon one!"

Sage Kui fell silent, unable to speak a single word at all.

This was another flaw of the Gaze of Deities and Demons, and even his teacher, Ancient Sage Bo Shang, had been unable to resolve it.

But while this was indeed a potential opening, considering the fast pace of a battle, there would be very few people who would be able to notice it and use it against them.

As such, it could not be considered a major flaw.

Just that... since the other party had pointed it out, it would not feel right to say that it was a negligible flaw.

"My third question. In order to cultivate Asura's Wrath, one must use the inferno to reforge one's eyes and the frigid ice to temper them. Through the intersection of hot and cold, one will be able to form a balance of duality within one's eyes, which is aligned with the nature of the world as well. However... while two contrasting powers in one's eyes can enhance the strength of the formation maps and strengthen the lines of insight, it will also suppress the strength of one's soul as well, reminiscent of a seal. This will inadvertently result in the weakening of one's Primordial Spirit..."

"My fourth question..."

Zhang Xuan posed all his questions one after another.

With each question asked, Sage Kui's face turned paler by a shade. By the time the tenth question was asked, his silhouette had already turned faint, and it seemed as if he would vanish at any moment.

At this point, he was no longer shocked but horrified.

While the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld was created by his teacher, it was inevitable that it would have its own flaws as well. Nevertheless, under normal circumstances, these flaws were not too apparent, so they would not cause much of a problem in its execution.

Yet, with just a single glance, the young man was able to see through all of these flaws, reciting them one after another precisely. If the young man had been an enemy, with just this knowledge, the young man would have been able to overcome his optic art easily and blind him with a single move!

The realization of this made Sage Kui break out in cold sweat.

He had thought that after learning the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld, there would be hardly anyone in the world who would be a match for him. In any battle, as long as he utilized the optic art, he would be guaranteed victory.

But after hearing the young man's words, he realized that the only reason he had remained undefeated for so long was because he had never encountered a true expert. If he had encountered an enemy of the young man's caliber back then, it was questionable whether he would still have his eyes with him at this moment.

As the saying goes, 'the most proficient of swimmers can drown in water'. Complacency would eventually bite back at one.

He was able to discern so many flaws with just a look... and I was actually tried to offer him guidance...

Sage Kui's body stiffened. He felt so stifled that he could not even speak a word.

It was just a moment ago that he had declared confidently that he would offer the young man guidance, but as soon as the young man starting stating his questions, he found that he could not even answer a single one of them.

The searing sensation on his face left him feeling like burying himself in a hole.

"This is my thirteenth question... Never mind, I'll just stop here today. Elder, have you thought of the answers of any of them?"

There was a momentary silence before the young man spoke with a comforting voice. "There's no need to rush into it; you can slowly take your time to ponder over them. In any case, we still have two days more here. For the time being, I'll take a sleep first. Feel free to wake me up when you're done, and I'll continue asking the other questions I have in mind."

"Cough cough!" Sage Kui's lips twitched wildly as his silhouette faltered.

This was supposed to be a session to clarify doubts, but why did it seem like the young man was assessing him instead?

More importantly... he knew that there was no way he could come up with a fitting answer to those questions!

Putting aside him, even his teacher would have been unable to do so! If his teacher was really able to answer these questions, he would have improved the Divine Eye of the Ninth Netherworld already.

Given so, there was no way he would be able to answer those questions even if he were to ponder over them for two years, let alone two days!

The reason he had left behind a sliver of his will was to assess the later generations, but now, he found himself being stumped before them instead.

Just where in the world did this monster came from?

After contemplating for some time and deciding that there was no way he would be able to answer any of the questions, Sage Kui could only turn his gaze back to the young man helplessly. However, what he saw was the young man deeply asleep on the ground instead. Saliva was dripping down from his opened mouth, and there was a sweet smile on his face, as if he was having a good dream.

This... Are you the first-generation sanctum head, or am I?

Sage Kui's vision immediately turned dark. The sheer frustration that he felt left his very existence faltering non-stop, as if he would dissipate at any moment.

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Chapter 1299: End of the Examination

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Over the past several ten thousand years, he had assessed eight candidates possessing the Eye of Insight, and every single one of them expressed deep reverence toward him, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.

Their wonderment and awe only served to deepen when they saw the manual of the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld. Every single one of them swore to cultivate strictly to the manual, and some even feared that their lack of talent would taint such a brilliant optic art.

Yet, this fellow actually managed to stump him after a swift look at the manual, and as if that wasn't enough... he actually went to sleep right before him!

You are obviously biting tightly onto the fact that I won't be able to answer your questions!

Deeply stifled, Sage Kui shook his head before sitting helplessly onto the ground. Staring at the optic art manual before him, he eventually began to reanalyze it once more.

Even though he felt a little unhappy about the young man's casual attitude before him, he knew that the young man's words rang true. Just the fact that the young man could pose those questions to him meant that the young man's comprehension of the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld had already reached a level on par with his.

If a cultivator were to find flaws in the technique he practiced, it went without saying that he would have to find ways to resolve them.

Otherwise, if he were to harbor doubts about the capability of the battle technique he practiced, how could he possibly charge valiantly toward the top?

...

Some time later, Zhang Xuan stretched his back lazily and opened his eyes.

Ever since he arrived at Qianchong Empire, he had been constantly preoccupied with various matters. Even on the way to the Sanctum of Sages, he was completely absorbed into studying, raising his cultivation, and guiding Zhang Jiuxiao along. As a result, a great deal of mental fatigue had been building up in him for some time now.

Perhaps in view of the fact that they were currently in the Mountain Gate examination, and Sage Kui was looking after him, Zhang Xuan instinctively realized that there wouldn't be any problem regarding his safety here. As such, he was able to release whatever wariness he had toward his surroundings and slept rather sweetly.

"It has been almost three days?" Standing up and stretching his back lazily, Zhang Xuan did a rough calculation of the time he had been out, and he couldn't help but leap in shock.

He thought that he would only sleep for a day at most, but who could have thought that he would end up being knocked out for three days straight. Just the thought of it left him deeply embarrassed.

Perhaps it was the great stress he had been under recently, he hadn't been able to get a good rest. As such, when his tension finally loosened, his mind took this opportunity to rest as much as it could without any concern about time.

"Has Sage Kui resolved the problems which I have posed to him yet?" Zhang Xuan suddenly recalled what happened prior to his sleep, and he turned his gaze toward Sage Kui.

To his shock, he found that the old man's body had already turned significantly less corporeal, as if he would dissipate at any moment. On top of that, his eyes were crimson, and there was an indescribably aged look on his face. It was as if he had depleted all of his vitality, spirit, and energy in the past three days.

"What's wrong with you?" Zhang Xuan was horrified by the sight before him.

Before he went to his sleep, Sage Kui was still doing perfectly fine. Why would he suddenly change so much after a short span of three days?

"You are finally awake..." Turning his gaze to Zhang Xuan, Sage Kui's face unwittingly reddened in embarrassment. With a distressed and helpless look in his eyes, he said, "I have pondered over the questions you have asked for three days... and I really can't find an answer to them!"

He thought that he should at least resolve one of the questions posed within the next three days so as to preserve his honor, but... it seemed like he had overestimated himself.

The deeper he pondered over those questions, the less confidence he found that he had in the optic art. At this point, he was already severely doubting if the way he had chosen was wrong right from the very start.

Zhang Xuan was still wondering what kind of earth-shattering incident had occurred while he was in his sleep when he heard those words. Heaving a sigh of relief, he consoled, "It's fine that you can't find an answer to them, there's no need to take it to heart! It'll do as long as you keep a lookout for these problems when you practice the technique in the future..."

"..." Sage Kui felt even more stifled inside.

Why did it feel like he was the student here?

"The duration of the examination is three days, so is it about time for me to leave now?" Zhang Xuan swiftly glanced at his surroundings and noted that he was still in the folded space.

Then, a thought suddenly struck him, and he looked at Sage Kui in alarm, "What about my points?"

While the other candidates were busy trying to get as many points as they could, he actually slept through all three days! Was he going to fail the examination because of that?

"... Wait a moment, I'll get you some points now." Sage Kui replied awkwardly.

He had been too busy pondering over the young man's question that he forgot about this matter...

It would really be the greatest joke of the world If the future sanctum head couldn't even qualify as a student in the Sanctum of Sages!

For the past eight sanctum head candidates, while the candidates were busy studying and comprehending the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld, he would gradually add their points so as to ensure that no one would be able to notice that something was amiss with their results. However, the overwhelming trauma he had suffered this time around had caused him to completely forget about this matter.

He quickly tapped his finger, and a moment later, he said, "Alright. You should have enough points to enter the Elite Division now!"

"Thank you." Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

At this point, he had also roughly realized what was going on here. While the previous sanctum head candidates wouldn't sleep through the three days like he did, they would still be preoccupied with studying the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld, so they wouldn't have any time to head out to earn points either.

Most likely, they were only able to become official students of the Sanctum of Sages due to Sage Kui tampering with their points.

Considering how the latter was the creator of the Mountain Gate examination, it wouldn't pose any difficulty for him to add points to a candidate!

"Good luck and work hard. Try to break the seals on the Sanctum Head Token as soon as possible so that you can become the next official head of the Sanctum of Sages. I'll be entrusting the responsibility of passing down Kong shi's ideology and my teacher's heritage to the later generations into your hands then!" Despite Sage Kui's solemn voice, the expectant gleam in his eyes showed that he thought highly of the young man before him.

There was something really different about the young man as compared to the other sanctum head candidates he had assessed. Perhaps, he might just be able to walk out a path different from the rest of them.

As difficult as the task was, he had a feeling that the young man might just be able to resolve the flaws in the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld and perfect his teacher's heritage.

"Rest assured." Zhang Xuan replied.

The position of the sanctum head meant a lot to him as an individual as well. It would prove to become an important chip for vying for Luo Ruoxin's hand in marriage, and it would also grant him the resources he would need to push for a breakthrough to 9-star master teacher before reaching his thirties.

No matter what, he was determined to obtain it.

"Un." Sage Kui nodded in satisfaction before waving his hand.

In the next moment, Zhang Xuan abruptly felt a jolt in his body, and the surroundings before him warped into nothing more than a myriad of colors.

Hu la!

With another jolt, he suddenly found a large gate towering before him. He instinctively took a step forward, and before he knew it, he was already standing in the midst of the square before.

"I have returned?" Blinking his eyes in confusion, Zhang Xuan scanned his surroundings.

At this point, the students who had fought to enter the examination grounds three days ago seemed to have mostly returned. There were vastly different expressions on their faces; some were lit up in delight, some were dim with dejection.

The results were only reflected on the Jade Tablet of Trials, so they were still unaware of whether they were qualified as candidates in the Sanctum of Sages or not. Nevertheless, they were able to make a gauge based on their performance, so most of them already had a rough idea of their own results.

Zhang Xuan swiftly searched the surroundings for the group he had entered the Mountain Gate with. Coincidentally, in this moment, the gate behind him suddenly lit up once more, and a figure walked out—Zhang Jiuxiao.

"How did you fare for the examination?"

"I'm not too sure either, but I think I shouldn't have a problem with clearing the examination!" Zhang Jiuxiao said with a hint of excitement in his eyes.

"Oh? What's your test?"

To be able to remain confident despite the strong competition, just what could Zhang Jiuxiao's test be?

"Swordsmanship! I have already achieved the level of Half-Quintessence, and I have also grasped the basics of the Three Swords of Lingxu too. While it's still a little lacking at the moment, I think that there shouldn't be too many candidates who would be able to match my level of proficiency." Zhang Jiuxiao replied confidently.

On their journey from Qianchong Empire to the Sanctum of Sages, Zhang Xuan had imparted him the essence of swordsmanship, inducing a massive leap in his comprehension of the sword, and he successfully made a breakthrough to Half-Quintessence.

Together with his grasp over the Three Swords of Lingxu, even Ma Minghai, who was famed for superior mastery in swordsmanship, wouldn't be a match for him. Given so, it was indeed not too difficult for him to stand out from the other candidates in the field of swordsmanship.

"That's good." Zhang Xuan nodded in approval.

He had spent quite a lot of effort guiding Zhang Jiuxiao along in hopes that he would be able to clear the examination, and he had seen how hard Zhang Jiuxiao had worked during this period of time as well. It was truly heartening to see that his efforts had paid off.

"My results should be enough for me to become a student at the Sanctum of Sages, but it doesn't seem too likely that I'll be able to get into the Elite Division." Zhang Jiuxiao continued.

"Elite Division?"

This was the second time Zhang Xuan was hearing this term. He couldn't help but direct a perplexed gaze toward Zhang Jiuxiao.

"The Elite Division is the class which only the most talented students of each intake would be able to enter, and all in all, there are only fifty slots for it!" Zhang Jiuxiao explained as a gleam of anticipation flickered across his eyes.

"Only fifty?" Zhang Xuan was astonished.

With an intake of fifty, it would mean that only the top 10% of the candidates who had cleared the entrance examination would be able to enter the Elite Division.

Considering how strict the selection was, it could be seen how outstanding those who were able to get into the Elite Division were.

'Indeed. Most of those who were able to get into the Elite Division eventually went on to take up leadership roles in their own affiliated organizations. If I could get into the Elite Division too, there's a good chance that my standing in the Zhang Clan would rise beyond Zhang Qian!" Zhang Jiuxiao said in agitation.

"Isn't the offspring of Sage Clans ranked by the purity of their bloodlines?" Zhang Xuan asked in wonder.

"To a large degree, yes. However, it isn't the only criterion that is assessed. There are some geniuses from the side family who, despite the lacking purity in their bloodlines, achieved spectacular accomplishments as well, and they were highly-regarded in the Zhang Clan too!" Zhang Jiuxiao explained.

"There's nothing more to say about the standing of the Sanctum of Sages in the Master Teacher Continent. Putting aside how much the students in the Elite Division would accomplish in the future, just the connections that they could build there were already sufficient to reinforce their standing in the world!"

"That's true." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Those who were able to enter the Elite Division were mostly highly-regarded geniuses from top-notch powers. Even if they failed to become the heads of their affiliated organization in the future, even at the very worst, they would still at least be able to qualify as elders!

And being in the same class as those figures would allow one to forge connections with them, thus establishing a powerful network of contacts.

In contrast, the Ordinary Division was comparatively weaker.

"Right, Zhang shi, how many points do you think that you have received? Were you able to calculate it? Do you think that you'll be able to get into the Elite Division?" Zhang Jiuxiao asked curiously.

He had spent a considerable amount of time with the young man so far, and if the young man were to use his full strength in the examination, there was really a good chance that he might be able to get into the Elite Division.

But again, it was hard to say for sure.

The most outstanding young geniuses of the Master Teacher Continent were all gathered on this square, and to emerge above them all was no easy feat at all.

"This..." A bitter smile surfaced on Zhang Xuan's lips as he shook his head. "To be honest, I'm not too sure either."

Even though Sage Kui said that he had given him sufficient points to enter the Elite Division, he still wasn't too sure how many points he had obtained.

"You aren't too sure?" Guessing that Zhang Xuan might be reluctant to reveal his results, Zhang Jiuxiao decided not to press the issue any further. With a chuckle, he said, "It's fine. Our scores are being tabulated at the moment, so we should know the results of the examination very soon!"

If nothing went wrong, they should be able to find out whether they had managed to make it into the Sanctum of Sages by today.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

The duo swiftly found Ma Minghai and the others and made their way over.

Judging from the composure on Ma Minghai and Brother Sun's face, it seemed like they should have performed not too bad. As for the others, their complexion looked a little awful, and their fidgety body posture reflected their anxiety and worry, so it was apparent that they didn't have too much confidence in their performance.

It was no wonder why they would feel this way. They might be the cream of the crop in their respective clans or empires, but against the many experts from the various occupations, Sage Clans, and Empire Alliance, their halo as geniuses inevitably dimmed in comparison.

"I wonder how many of them will be able to get into the Sanctum of Sages..." Zhang Xuan wondered as he glanced at the worried faces before him.

The competition to reach the top was never easy, let alone in somewhere like the Sanctum of Sages. To make a metaphor, it was like thousands of cavalry charging to get across a narrow plank of wood to get to the other side.

Inevitably, some might find themselves being crushed by the hordes behind or pushed down the cliff, thus being eliminated from the race.

Just taking himself as an example, if not for how outstanding he was, he would have never been able to rise up through the ranks from Tianxuan Kingdom, reaching where he was at the moment.

...

Before long, all of the candidates had finally stepped out from the gates, and the rankboard reflecting the scores of the top five hundred candidates on the Jade Token of Trials was refreshed for the very last time.

Many nervous guides stood before the grayish-emerald tablet with their eyes fixated on it.

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Chapter 1300: Elite Division

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Weng!

With a brilliant shimmer of light, the names, ranks, and scores on the Jade Tablet of Trials were refreshed one last time. All in all, there were five hundred lines of information on the screen, no more no less.

Upon seeing the results, a huge commotion broke out amid the crowd.

"The results this time around have really broken the records!"

"I wouldn't say that they have broken records, but it's definitely the best performance we have seen in the entrance examination for the past thirty years."

"The top ranker, Feng Ziyi, actually managed to obtain a score exceeding 70,000 points. Even the little princess of the Luo Clan didn't manage to obtain such a score back then!"

"That's only because the little princess didn't use her full strength. If she really went all out, putting aside 70,000, even 700,000 is not completely out of the question!"

"As the one who possesses the Dimension Silencer, she commands near absolute authority over space. It's questionable whether the folded space of the Mountain Gate examination would have been able to handle her strength if she really went all out!"

"The only one who stands a chance against the little princess of the Luo Clan is the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan!"

...

The surrounding master teachers discussed with one another.

As guides, they had led many intakes of candidates into the Sanctum of Sages, and without a doubt, the performance of the current intake was the highest within the recent decades!

The top ranker, Feng Ziyi, had even scored 70,000 points.

That was truly a frightening accomplishment!

"Zhang Yu isn't too bad either. With a score of 69,000, he's only 1,000 points away from first place!"

"I didn't think that Yuan Haiqing would be able to push up a rank at the very last refresh, obtaining the third place."

"Bai Qingxuan isn't not too bad either. He managed to secure the fourth place..."

The guides commented on the top scores as they looked through the list of names on the scoreboard.

Listed before them were the names of the experts who would be entering the Elite Division, the most talented youths in the Master Teacher Continent. Perhaps, several hundred years from then, those names would be spoken by countless mouths, resounding through every street and alley.

"Bing Lingqing and Chen Leyao of the Glacier Plain Court have also managed to get into the Elite Division as well. Bing Lingqing's ranking has constantly remained between tenth and twentieth throughout the examination—not too bad. As for Chen Leyao, her ranking was around the seventies to the eighties in the first two days of the examination, but in the very last day, she suddenly managed to make a push into the top fifty!"

"She must have completed some kind of formidable test for her results to soar by so much. I really must say that her luck is not too bad."

"Indeed. Well, it's a huge pity for Zhang Qian though. He was in the top fifty throughout most of the examination, but his ranking abruptly fell through at the final juncture, disqualifying him from the Elite Division."

...

They had been observing the scoreboard over the past three days, so they had a rough idea of how each candidate had fared throughout the course of the examination.

Suddenly, someone amid the crowd exclaimed, "Wait a minute... Everyone, look at the person in fiftieth place, Zhang Xuan. Where did he pop out from? I don't recall seeing his name on the screen throughout the examination."

Everyone quickly turned their gazes over, and indeed, sitting in fiftieth place on the scoreboard was an extremely unfamiliar name... Zhang Xuan!

"This name has never gotten into the top five hundred throughout the course of the examination, so how could he leap up to fiftieth place in the final refresh?"

"His score is 12,700. The last time I checked, the score for five hundredth place is 2,400. In other words, within the period before the final refresh, his score increased by more than 10,000? How is that possible?"

"Ten thousand within two minutes... Not even Feng Ziyi would be capable of something like that!"

"Could he have cheated?"

Soon, voices of doubts began spreading throughout the hall.

The Jade Tablet of Trials would refresh once every two minutes, and not once had the name 'Zhang Xuan' appeared before. The fact that 'Zhang Xuan' had never appeared in the top five hundred meant that he had never, at any point in time, achieved a score higher than the five hundredth ranker's 2,400 points!

Yet, for his score to surge up to 12,700 in an instant... that was too exaggerated!

The ten thousand candidates had toiled for three whole days, but most of them did not even come close to reaching 10,000 points. Yet, that fellow actually obtained that many points within two minutes? Was this even humanly possible?

Forming a stark contrast to the bewildered and doubtful crowd was Zhao Xingmo, who visibly heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing Zhang Xuan's name.

That fellow sure was worrisome, leaving him on edge for the past three days.

His heart had been restless ever since he failed to find that fellow's name on the first day, and he had thought that the young man did not stand a chance anymore. Yet, who would have thought that he would actually shoot up by 10,000 points at the very last moment, successfully clearing the entrance examination? Not to mention, he even snuck into the very last slot of the Elite Division at that! It sure was a thrilling ride of emotions.

To him, the fact that a candidate he had brought to the Sanctum of Sages had successfully gotten into the Elite Division was a great source of pride and honor to him.

"Zhang Jiuxiao, Ma Minghai, Sun Gan... All in all, seven of the candidates whom I have led here have successfully cleared the examination. Not bad!" Zhao Xingmo nodded in approval.

While it was slightly beneath expectations that only seven out of thirty-three cleared the examination, considering that one of them managed to make it into the Elite Division, it was still not too bad. With such results, he would be qualified to head to better places to recruit more stronger candidates into the Sanctum of Sages.

Similar to how most of the guides were reacting, Elder Liu also frowned in disapproval. "There's something peculiar about the results."

He had served as an elder in the Sanctum of Sages for a very long time now, and he had encountered plenty of geniuses in his time. However, he had never seen or heard of anyone who remotely came close to earning 10,000 points within two minutes before.

Elder Liu pondered for a moment before he turned to the old man by his side and instructed, "Elder Han Zhu, go and check the situation."

"Yes!" Elder Han Zhu nodded.

Elder Han Zhu quickly backed out of the hall, and not too long later, he returned with an unreadable expression on his face.

Noting the peculiar expression on Elder Han Zhu's face, Elder Liu asked, "What's wrong?"

"I have just checked the records, and based on what I saw, until the final refresh, Zhang Xuan didn't have any points at all. In other words... he earned 12,700 points at the very last moment!" Elder Han Zhu replied with a frown.

While the Jade Tablet of Trials only reflected the names and scores of the top five hundred candidates, it still kept track of the results of the other candidates as well. Otherwise, it would not have been able to determine who had cleared the examination and who had failed it accurately.

Earlier, he went to check the past records of that 'Zhang Xuan' candidate, and to his shock, he realized that up till the final two minutes, that candidate did not have a single point! It was only when the examination was coming to an end that he suddenly leaped to the fiftieth place. Clearly, there was something very bizarre about the situation.

"He earned 12,700 points at the very last moment? Is there any test in the Mountain Gate examination that can earn that many points in a single go?" Elder Liu asked contemplatively.

"As you know, the Mountain Gate examination was left behind by Sage Kui, and even elders like us don't have the authority to check on what kinds of tests are within, let alone uncover the point allocation of the tests. Nevertheless, in the records of the past hundred years, the highest number of points that was allocated in one go was for deciphering a grade-8 intermediate Illusory-Slaughter Formation—5000 points!"

At this moment, Elder Han Zhu hesitated for a moment before continuing. "This record was left behind by the Zhang Clan's Zhang Chen, and it caused a huge uproar then!"

"I know of the matter, too. 5,000 points is already unbelievable, but this Zhang Xuan actually earned 12,700 points in a single go. Just what kind of test did he go through for that?" Elder Liu still found the matter a little hard to believe.

There were indeed tests in the Mountain Gate examination where one could earn a great deal of points in a single shot, but those tests were proportionately difficult to pass as well.

Furthermore, 5,000 points was already an astounding reward for a single test. So, for a candidate to receive 12,700 points at once... Honestly, he really could not bring himself to believe such a thing to be possible.

Elder Liu pondered for a moment before issuing his instructions. "For the time being, let's announce the results. Afterward, conduct a Challenge of the Defeated to check if Zhang Xuan really has the ability to earn so many points at once."

"Very well." Elder Han Zhu nodded.

After three days of examinations, the candidates were all bound to be exhausted. Thus, the Sanctum of Sages would usually announce the results quickly so that they could rest as soon as possible.

However, there were also exceptions to the convention.

For instance, there were times when the scores of several candidates appeared to be abnormal. In such situations, the Sanctum of Sages would organize a Challenge of the Defeated to allow those who did not clear the examination to challenge those who did and those in the Ordinary Division to challenge those in the Elite Division.

Firstly, this served to showcase the strength of the students so that teachers could tailor their guidance to their needs in the future. Secondly, it was to reassure the candidates that the examination was fair and impartial. There was no cheating, nepotism, or anything of the sort involved.

If the candidates learned that Zhang Xuan had gotten into the top fifty in the last two minutes, there were bound to be many who would question the integrity and fairness of the entrance examination. In such a case, the Challenge of the Defeated served to show that he had obtained his position through his true strength.

"Let's go." After saying those words, Elder Liu beckoned for the others to follow him before taking the lead.

The others quickly followed him, and before long, they arrived in the square.

At this moment, all the candidates were already out of the Mountain Gate, and they were staring in the sky with expectant and tense looks on their faces.

"Congratulations on completing the three-day examination. You have all worked hard. Now, I shall announce the results of the examination. First and foremost, I shall announce the names of the candidates who have been selected to join the Elite Division..." As Elder Liu's resounding voice echoed through the square, he grabbed the space ahead of him, and the sky suddenly seemed to have turned into glistening jadeite. With a brilliant radiance, names began appearing one after another.

Feng Ziyi, Zhang Yu, Yuan Haiqing, Bai Qingxuan...

With the appearance of each name, there would be resounding cheers from the crowd.

"I have heard of Feng Ziyi; he's the direct disciple of one of the grand elders of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters!"

"He's the direct disciple of a 9-star master teacher? No wonder he's so formidable! Having received the most accurate guidance from a young age, he's bound to be impeccable in all fields, be it in terms of his strength or his zhenqi. It's a given that he would take first place."

"I thought that Zhang Yu would have a chance to take first place in this entrance examination!"

"The Zhang Clan is too big, and they have too many geniuses in their ranks. While Zhang Yu might possess exceptional talent, he's still far from being ranked at the top. Naturally, the resources he can tap into are limited as well."

Most of the names that appeared were familiar to the crowd here, and to them, they were existences reminiscent of the untouchable stars in the sky.

Chen Leyao? She got into the Elite Division, too? Zhang Xuan noted.

Considering how Chen Leyao had been able to get into the top fifty despite being only at Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle, it seemed like she did possess some exceptional means.

As more and more names were revealed, Zhang Xuan could not help but wonder, There are so many candidates with the surname 'Zhang'. Are they all from the Zhang Clan?

So far, forty names had already appeared, but ten of them went by the surname 'Zhang'. Were they all from the Zhang Clan?

For the Zhang Clan to take up ten out of the fifty slots of the Elite Division... were they not a little too powerful?

Hu!

Just as Zhang Xuan was about to turn to Zhang Jiuxiao to ask him about the matter, the light in the sky flickered for the last time, and a certain name appeared at the very end of the list.

"Zhang Xuan? Is he from the Zhang Clan, too?"

"I don't think so. I saw the list of candidates dispatched by the Zhang Clan this year, and there wasn't such a name on it..."

"He seems to be some master teacher from the Qingyuan Empire. As soon as he arrived in the square, he offended Chen Leyao from the Glacier Plain Court and pummeled Zhang Qian from the Zhang Clan."

"He actually dared pummel Zhang Qian? He sure is brave!"

"Well, how could one who possesses the strength to get into the Elite Division possibly lack self-confidence?"

...

When Zhang Xuan's name appeared, a huge commotion immediately broke out among the crowd.

Everyone present knew of the first forty-nine names—they were all from distinguished clans or were famed geniuses whose names had spread far and wide. Only the name in fiftieth place, Zhang Xuan, was completely unfamiliar to all of them.

In such a bizarre manner, his name ended up standing out in the list.

Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle, not to mention that he was just an insignificant figure from the remote Qingyuan Empire, and yet, he still managed to get into the top fifty.

Truly inconceivable.

Chapter 1301: Being Able To Sleep Is An Important Skill!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Damn it! Damn it!" With a trembling body, Zhang Qian cursed furiously beneath his breath.

He had performed beyond his usual limits in the examination, and he thought that it would allow him to soar through the ranks. Yet, contrary to all of his expectations, he still failed to get into the top fifty. Not only that, as if adding insult to his injury, it was that Zhang Xuan bastard who took the final position, squeezing him out of the Elite Division!

He had been thinking that with the authority he would gain from getting into the Elite Division, he would be able to teach that fellow a lesson. But as if the heavens were playing tricks on him, the situation somehow evolved to this point.

"Brother Yunfeng, it's that Zhang Xuan fellow who made a move against me. He was also the one who squeezed me out of the top fifty as well!" With clenched fists, Zhang Qian complained indignantly to a young man not too far away.

Zhang Yunfeng was another candidate from the Zhang Clan who managed to qualify for the Elite Division. He was ranked in the 46th place in the examination.

"I know, but you brought it upon yourself." Zhang Yunfeng glanced at Zhang Qian and harrumphed indifferently. "Even I would hesitate to approach those from the Glacier Plain Court carelessly, but you eagerly rushed up to them as soon as you arrived, wanting to fawn on them. You are really courting trouble!"

"I admit that I was too arrogant and deserved to be humiliated, but that fellow showed blatant contempt for the Zhang Clan in public, saying that those from the Zhang Clan would put a leg into any affairs that concern a beautiful lady... And you really can't begin to imagine the haughty tone he took when he said those words too! We can't allow him to get away with defaming the Zhang Clan so easily!" Zhang Qian exclaimed indignantly.

"Don't even try using those little ploys of yours on me. Nevertheless, regardless of whether he has shown blatant contempt for the Zhang Clan or not, he was indeed rather arrogant to make a move on you even after you have expressed your identity. Don't worry, I'll teach him a lesson later on and make him learn that just that bit of talent he has won't be enough for him to act so smugly in the Sanctum of Sages!"

"Thank you, Brother Yunfeng!" Hearing that the other party was willing to step up for him, Zhang Qian's eyes lit up in excitement.

Zhang Yunfeng's bloodline was far purer than him, reaching the level of Tier-11 . On top of that, the other party's cultivation was also significantly higher than his, reaching Grand Dominion realm primary stage. If the other party was willing to make a move in his stead, that Zhang Xuan fellow would surely be thrashed.

"Un." Zhang Yunfeng replied impassively.

To him, a fellow who had originated from humble lands was just a short disturbance to his cultivation. It wasn't a problem worthy of his note.

...

"Moving on, these are the people who have qualified for the Ordinary Division!" Ignoring the crowd's astonishment, Elder Liu waved his hand grandly once more.

Silver lights gathered in the sky, and one by one, names flickered into existence.

It didn't take too long for all 450 names of the candidates who had made it into the Ordinary Division to appear. After confirming that Zhang Jiuxiao's name was amidst them too, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Zhang Jiuxiao's ranking wasn't too high, ranging in the 460s, but nevertheless, what was important was that he had cleared the entrance examination and successfully became a student of the Sanctum of Sages too.

As for the others who had journeyed here with them from Qianchong Empire, Ma Minghai and six others had managed to clear the examination too. Their rankings weren't too good, but on the overall, their group did fairly decent in terms of passing rate.

After revealing the list of students who had made it into the Ordinary Division, Elder Liu continued, "Now, I'll be announcing those who are qualified as listening in students!"

Then, with a wave of his hand, another list of five hundred names appeared.

All in all, the Sanctum of Sages accepted five hundred normal students, inclusive of both the Elite Division and Ordinary Division, and five hundred listening in students each intake.

Soon after the list of five hundred listening in students was revealed, excited and disappointed murmurings swiftly rippled across the crowd.

Zhang Xuan took a swift look at the list of listening in students and noted that four of them were from their Qianchong Empire group too. All in all, eleven out of the thirty-three of them had got into the Sanctum of Sages, so it was a passing rate of one-third. As compared to the results of the previous years, this could be said to be not too bad.

Waving his hand casually, Elder Liu said with a firm voice, "Those whose names are in any of the lists, please remain in the area for a while longer. As for the rest, do head down to take a rest!"

Despite Elder Liu's polite choice of words, the authoritative undertone in his voice showed that it was a command instead of a request.

No matter how indignant those disqualified candidates failed, they knew that it would be utter foolishness to question Elder Liu's judgement. Thus, they could only depart in dejection.

In the end, the Sanctum of Sages wasn't a charity organization, and the true nature of the entrance examinations was to sieve out the proficient from the non-proficient. An inevitable result of that, there were bound to be those who would be left behind or eliminated.

Unfortunately, their failure here would set them behind by a great deal. If they wanted to make a comeback, they would have to pay a far higher price than the others.

...

In less than ten minutes, only a thousand people were left standing on the square.

"First and foremost, allow me to welcome all of you into the Sanctum of Sages!" Elder Liu tapped his finger in the air, and identity tokens immediately appeared in the hands of each and every one of the qualified candidates. "These are the jade tokens representing your identity. They will be automatically updated to reflect your respective roles as a student in the Sanctum of Sages."

Zhang Xuan glanced at his jade token before glancing at the others around him.

The jade tokens for listening in students were light-blue color, those in the Ordinary Divisions had light-yellow tokens, and those in the Elite Division like him had black tokens.

Taking a closer examination at his jade token, he noted that there was a character, '圣 (Sage)' carved in seal script on it, and it emanated an air of ancient yet grand history. There were also some miscellaneous inscriptions by the side of the jade token resembled the eyes of a human, as if signifying that the predecessors were looking over one.

With a flick of his finger, Zhang Xuan dripped a droplet of blood onto the jade token, and it immediately fused into it. Instinctively, he sensed that as long as he had the jade token with him, he would be able to freely walk through the protective formations surrounding the Sanctum of Sages without triggering them.

At the same time, Zhang Jiuxiao had also claimed ownership of the jade token in his hand, and the elation on his face was impossible to miss.

As an offspring from the side family, he wasn't a highly regarded member of the Zhang Clan. However, with his successful enrollment into the Sanctum of Sages, there would be a vast change in his standing.

"Perhaps, I might even be able to attend the Annual Assembly this year!" Zhang Jiuxiao thought with his eyes glowing with excitement.

The Zhang Clan would organize an Annual Assembly each year, and only the inner clan members and accomplished members of the side family would be invited to participate. Under normal circumstances, Zhang Jiuxiao wouldn't have been worthy of receiving an invitation, but now that he had become a student of the Sanctum of Sages, his standing within the Zhang Clan would surely ascend to new heights. With his newfound status, he was already qualified to attend such high-tier clan assemblies.

"This is all thanks to Zhang shi!" Knowing that he would have never been able to achieve so much without Zhang Xuan's help, Zhang Jiuxiao instinctively shot a grateful glance toward the latter.

While he was an offspring of the Zhang Clan, the Zhang Clan hadn't offered him much help in his cultivation and development as a master teacher at all. On the other hand, it was Zhang Xuan who tirelessly guided him along, not spurning him despite the hostility he had directed toward the other party previously. He had nothing but deep respect toward the young man's character and depth of knowledge.

At this moment, Elder Liu's voice sounded once more, "The entrance examination might have ended, but I can still see disappointment and regret in many of your eyes. So, the Sanctum of Sages will be conducting a Challenge of the Defeated so as to give you one last opportunity to rise through the ranks!"

"That's wonderful! All I need is just an opportunity like that!"

"Is this for real? The Challenge of the Defeated is rarely conducted, so who could have thought that we would actually encounter one here. This time, I shall become an official student of the Sanctum of Sages by hook or by crook!"

Upon hearing the announcement, the eyes of the candidates immediately lit up in excitement.

While it wasn't common that for a Challenge of the Defeated to be conducted, it did occur a couple of times in history, so most candidates were still aware of its existence.

"The rules of the Challenge of the Defeated are simple. Listening in students will get an opportunity to challenge a student of the Ordinary Division, and if they were to emerge victorious, they will be able to claim that student's position. Similarly, students of the Ordinary Division will be able to challenge a student of the Elite Division, and they will be able to claim that student's position if they win. Everyone will only get one opportunity to choose and challenge an opponent, and those who fail the challenge will have to suffer a penalty." Elder Liu announced.

"I believe most of you should be familiar with these rules, so I shall not elaborate too much on it For those who are still a little unsure, feel free to refer to the identity token you have just received."

"Refer to the identity token?"

Zhang Xuan extended his Spiritual Perception into the jade token in his hand, and the many rules of the Sanctum of Sages immediately appeared before him. There was indeed a portion regarding the Challenge of the Defeated.

This challenge was established for the sake of equity. The strong would rise through the ranks whereas the weak would be eliminated and cast away. In other words, survival of the fittest. However, the act of challenging someone who was more 'senior' to one could be considered as a highly disrespectful act, so failure would mean incurring a penalty.

There were various different types of penalties possible, ranging from paying compensation, physical punishment, to issuing a public apology. This was up to the winner to choose.

In other words, while it was an opportunity for weaker candidates to rise through the ranks, they had to make sure to work within the limits of strength.

"Begin!" With a resounding bellow, Elder Liu waved his hand, and a round dueling ring gradually emerged from the ground.

On the other hand, the crowd swiftly went through the names they had seen on the name lists earlier in their minds so as to decide on whom they should challenge.

"I want to challenge the candidate who is ranked 500th in the entrance examination, Xue Ning!" a voice suddenly sounded from the crowd.

It was from one of the listening-in students.

"I recognize him. He's Zhao Qi, the first place amongst the listening-in students, ranked 501th in the examination. I knew that he would want to challenge the candidate that is one rank above him!"

"That's to be expected. Considering how there is only a rank difference between the two of them, the disparity in their capabilities shouldn't be too great. No matter what, he would have to give it a shot, or else he would regret it for life."

"Indeed. Anyone in his position would be reluctant to give up without a try!"

...

The crowd remarked as they saw someone amongst them standing out to issue a challenge.

It was just a single rank of difference, but it made an entire world of difference of being a listening in student and being an official student in the Sanctum of Sages.

No matter who was in Zhao Qi's shoes, he would have to at least give it a shot. After all, how could one possibly be content to retire just like that when they were only a single step away from reaching the peak?

Hu la!

After issuing the challenge, Zhao Qi leaped onto the ring.

"As you wish."

A young man also walked out from the crowd and stepped onto the ring as well.

Taking a closer look, Zhang Xuan realized that the young man was no other than the person who had fought with him over the Tianchen Brew back at Qianchong Empire, only to lose fifteen concentrated high-tier spirit stones to him in a bet—the Third Young Master of the Xue Clan, Xue Ning!

In that battle back then, the latter ended up vomiting for a long while due to moving too quickly, and he had been mocked by many due to that incident as well.

But over the past few days, perhaps motivated by the experience with Zhang Xuan, he actually managed to take his cultivation a step further, reaching Quasi Leaving Aperture realm.

While that kind of strength might not mean much against the ridiculously talented geniuses of the Sanctum of Sages, there was no denying that he was also amidst the cream of the crop of mankind.

"Xue Ning, what were the tests you have faced in the Mountain Gate examination? What kind of duel do you want to accept Zhao Qi's challenge with?" Elder Han Zhu asked.

The Sanctum of Sages didn't just select its students on the grounds of strength but an overall evaluation of capability. For this reason, the challenger would have to surpass the challenged in the latter's field of specialty in order to prove that he was worthy of taking the latter's place.

"The reason why I was able to clear the selection is due to my attacking speed and might. As long as he can defeat me while his cultivation is suppressed down to my level, I'll admit my loss!" Xue Ning declared confidently with his head raised up high.

Even though the Xue Clan was only a Tier-3 Sage Clan, its ultimate technique, Golden Silk Thread, was not to be underestimated.

Had he not met with an anomaly like Zhang Xuan, the battle technique would have very well made him nigh invincible in his power class.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to clear the Mountain Gate examination to become a student of the Sanctum of Sages either.

"A fight? Very well!" Zhao Qi nodded. With a ferocious howl, his cultivation realm swiftly plummeted down to Quasi Leaving Aperture realm as well.

Hong long!

A moment later, the duo was already clashing with one another.

The both of them were indeed worthy of their titles as geniuses. Ingenious maneuvers were dashed out one after another, and powerful shockwaves rippled relentlessly into the surroundings. For the time being, the both of them seemed to be equally matched, making it difficult to discern who wielded the upper hand.

"Zhang shi, who do you think will win?" Zhang Jiuxiao asked curiously.

"Xue Ning seems to be in an advantageous position in terms of his skills." Zhang Xuan replied.

"My thoughts exactly!" Zhang Jiuxiao remarked. Then, with a curious gaze, he turned to face Zhang Xuan and asked, "Right, Zhang shi. What kind of test did you encounter in the Mountain Gate examination? I'm curious to know how you were able to get into the Elite Division!"

The young man before him seemed to be a master in every art, be it in terms of cultivation, master teacher, appraising, painting... It was as if there was nothing he didn't know, nothing he didn't specialize in.

As such, Zhang Jiuxiao simply couldn't help but wonder what capability did Zhang Xuan rely on to get into the Elite Division.

"How I got into the Elite Division?" A look of rumination appeared on Zhang Xuan's face before he replied,

"Well, I guess I slept my way through?"

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Chapter 1302: Challenging Zhang Xuan

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"You slept your way through?" Zhang Jiuxiao widened his eyes, flabbergasted, unable to comprehend what was going on.

He asked how Zhang Xuan became a student of the Elite Division, hoping to learn from his experiences, but the latter told him that... he slept the way through?

"Indeed. Not everyone will be able to handle three whole days of it straight!" Zhang Xuan continued with a tone reminiscent of a forlorn expert who was unable to find a single person who could rival him.

To be honest, he never thought that he would actually be able to sleep for three days in a single go, and he was truly shocked when he woke up. But thinking back, it was really well worth it.

Even if he were to remain awake, there was also nothing much he could do. There were too many flaws in the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld, so it was impossible for him to continue cultivating it. On the other hand, Sage Kui, for some inexplicable reason to him, seemed to be overly traumatized by what he had said as well. Rather than being placed in an awkward position for three whole days, it was really a much wiser decision to use this time to refresh himself for his future journey in the Sanctum of Sages.

After all, having the time to sleep his fill was a luxury that he might not be able to afford anymore later on.

"Three whole days straight?" Zhang Jiuxiao had an expression that looked as if he had seen a ghost. "Zhang shi, you mean to say that while we were busy clearing tests in the Mountain Gate, not daring to rest for an instant for fear of being overtaken, you were actually sleeping for three days straight?"

"Indeed. I didn't think that I would be able to sleep for so long either..." Zhang Xuan replied with a bitter smile.

"Despite sleeping for three days, you were still able to qualify as a student of the Elite Division..." Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, Zhang Jiuxiao felt that he was going mad.

From the moment he entered the Mountain Gate, he had been doing everything he could to showcase his talents, fearing that a second of rest would mean the difference between success and failure. Yet, the young man before him actually slept the three days through, and even so, he was still able to make it into the Elite Division... Could the world be any more unfair than this?

"Wonderful!"

"Splendid!"

"Third Young Master Xue, beautifully done!"

While Zhang Jiuxiao was about to explode from shock, a wave of cheerings suddenly broke out in the surroundings. Raising his gaze, he saw that the duel on the stage had already concluded.

The challenger, Zhao Qi, had been tightly bound by the Golden Silk Thread like a cocoon. No matter how hard he struggled, he found himself unable to move at all.

Xue Ning's Golden Silk Thread might have been ineffective against Zhang Xuan, but it was still a formidable weapon against most other cultivators. Zhao Qi wasn't weak either, but he was still eventually cornered by it.

"I admit defeat!" With dejection glooming between his brows, Zhao Qi sighed deeply and conceded defeat.

He thought that since the difference in score between the both of them wasn't too big, with a little bit of luck, he should be able to emerge victorious. However, from the looks of it now, it seemed like the Mountain Gate examination was indeed fair and impartial. Its ability to accurately gauge the capability of each candidate was unquestionable.

"I'm willing to accept the punishment!" After being freed, Zhao Qi left behind these words before walking down the ring quietly.

Seeing that the first duel had concluded, Elder Liu asked once more with a smile, "Is there anyone else who wishes to issue a challenge?"

"I wish to issue a challenge! The person I want to challenge is the person in the 50th rank, Zhang Xuan!" A loud bellow boomed across the square, and a figure leaped onto the stage.

"It's the 52nd rank Meng Fanxing!"

"He's the offspring of the Sage Clan, Meng Clan. Even though his bloodline is only at Tier-2, his cultivation has reached Half-Grand Dominion realm!"

"How could someone like him possibly tolerate having the Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle Zhang Xuan getting into the Elite Division when he couldn't qualify for it?"

"Indeed. As soon as the Challenge of the Defeated was announced, I knew that there would surely be plenty of people who would want to challenge Zhang Xuan. Not only is his cultivation realm low, more importantly, he's taking up the very last seat to the Elite Division. There's bound to be many people eyeing his position!"

"That reminds me, I just heard news from a friend of mine in the Sanctum of Sages. I can't verify whether it's true or not, but it's said that Zhang Xuan had never gotten into the top five hundred throughout the course of the examination. It was only when the Jade Tablet of Trials refreshed for the final time that his name suddenly appeared in the 50th place, taking up the very last slot for the Elite Division. In other words... his score just increased by more than 10,000 points all of a sudden!"

"His score increased by more than 10,000 points all of a sudden? Isn't that obviously cheating?"

"Well, we can't really say for sure at this point yet. If he has really cheated, the Sanctum of Sages would have dealt with him."

...

Hearing that someone had challenged Zhang Xuan, a huge commotion immediately broke out in the surroundings.

Amidst the crowd, Zhang Qian's eyes also reddened in excitement.

The happenings in the Hall of Result had begun spreading amidst the crowd, and quite a few people were already aware of the peculiarity in Zhang Xuan's results. Every single one of them was interested to see just what kind of unique ability did that master teacher named Zhang Xuan possessed to be able to qualify as a student of the Elite Division.

Elder Liu and Elder Han Zhu also turned their gazes over. They wanted to see the young man's performance so as to have the doubts they had been harboring answered.

"You want to challenge me? Sure!"

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan didn't think that someone would challenge him, and he shook his head helplessly. With a leap, he headed up the dueling ring as well.

As much as he wanted to keep a low profile and stay out of trouble, he wasn't someone who was afraid to stir the pot. If someone wanted to take his place, the other party would do well to show strength worthy of doing so!

"May I know what kind of test did Zhang shi undergo in the Mountain Gate examination? I'll just compete with you on whatever you faced in there!" Meng Fanxing harrumphed with a slight hint of disdain in his voice.

"What kind of a test I just underwent? But I just woke up and I don't feel like sleeping anymore... Forget it, let's not waste our time then. Why don't we just settle it with a normal duel?" Zhang Xuan thought about the previous examination he had and shook his head.

He had just slept for three days straight, and it hadn't been even an hour since he had woken up. If he were to compete with the other party right now in who could sleep for a longer period of time, he would definitely be in a disadvantageous position. Besides, the crowd wouldn't be interested in watching such a duel either.

All in all, it would be much more convenient to settle it with a fight, just like what Xue Ning did earlier.

It would be swift, trouble-free, and more importantly, effective.

"You want to have a duel with me? Are you serious?" Meng Fanxing stared at Zhang Xuan was if he was looking right at a fool.

I am a Half-Grand Dominion realm expert whereas you are just at Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle... Are you certain that you want to have a match with me?

You aren't daydreaming at the moment, are you?

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded affirmatively.

"Very well. I'll suppress my cultivation to the same level as you then." Meng Fanxing nodded before swiftly suppressing his cultivation down to Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle.

After which, he got into an offensive stance and said, "Let's begin then."

"Very well." Zhang Xuan replied.

In truth, it didn't matter much to him whether Meng Fanxing suppressed his cultivation or not. However, since the other party had already done so, he couldn't be bothered to waste his breath either. It was not like there would have been a difference in the outcome anyway.

With a swift dash, Zhang Xuan's figure suddenly appeared right before Meng Fanxing, and his hand darted forward to strike the latter.

"You..." In the face of the palm strike, Meng Fanxing felt as if the world was crushing down on him.

He found that the space around him had been completely sealed, be it his front, back, left, or right, rendering it completely impossible for him to flee.

In an instant, Meng Fanxing's breathing rapidly hastened to the point where he was wheezing for air, and his face turned completely red.

But before the palm strike could land, Zhang Xuan abruptly withdrew his hand.

Due to the strike and the withdrawal of the palm happening in quick succession, to the eyes of most spectators, it would appear that he was only carrying out a particularly crude feint.

But it was such a move that caused Meng Fanxing's head to turn completely blank in an instant, almost as if someone had used a sword to sever his flow of thoughts. His body staggered in a manner reminiscent of a drunk man for a moment before collapsing to the ground with a resounding 'padah!'.

Meng Fanxing had fainted.

"This..."

"What happened? I didn't even sense the slightest disturbance in the spiritual energy in the air, so why would Meng Fanxing faint all of a sudden?"

"I'm not too sure either. All I saw was Zhang Xuan's feint..."

The crowd stared at one another in bewilderment, unable to make sense of the situation before them.

The movements of Zhang Xuan's previous palm strike was extremely simple, consisting of just a forward thrust and a withdrawal. There didn't seem to be anything particularly ingenious about it, and there wasn't even any zhenqi infused into the strike. Yet, such an attack actually left Meng Fanxing fixated on the spot, not attempting to dodge it at all, and even though the attack didn't land, he still fainted on the spot... What was going on?

Even though the square was filled with 7-star master teachers, each and every single one of them were confounded by what they were seeing.

"What a formidable palm strike!" In contrast to the looks of incomprehension from the crowd, Elder Liu remarked with narrowed eyes.

As a Saint 8-dan expert, he was able to notice what was wrong with the palm strike in an instant.

"The imposing momentum behind the palm makes one believe that it's a physical attack, but the truth is that it's an attack directed right at the soul instead. It aims to wedge in overwhelming pressure and helplessness into its target's mind, forcing it into a state of extreme tension. Then, when the pressure abruptly vanishes, the instinctive relaxation of the mind results in a massive amount of blood leaving the brain, thus bringing about a faint spell!"

Elder Han Zhu also nodded in agreement to Elder Liu's analysis, "Indeed. While the mind and body may seem separate, huge fluctuations in emotions can affect a person's physical state tremendously. What this palm utilizes is fear tactic. But still, to be able to make his opponent faint with just a casual strike devoid of any surge of zhenqi or powerful emanation of aura... Just how precise is his control over his soul energy?"

As simple as it may seem in theory, carrying it out in practice was fraught with difficulties. Putting all aside, even he would find it difficult to achieve such a feat if he were to suppress his cultivation down to Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle.

"It seems like there's indeed something extraordinary about Zhang Xuan after all. Looks like there's nothing wrong with the results in the Mountain Gate examination." Elder Liu nodded.

While it was unlikely for there to be any problems with the point allocation system of the Jade Tablet of Trials, he had wondered if the young man had received his results through sheer luck. However, from the looks of it now, it was apparent that there was no such thing as luck in the outcome of the Mountain Gate examination. It was either one had the capability or one didn't.

When Meng Fanxing finally roused to once more, his dazed look swiftly turned into a face reddened in embarrassment as it dawned upon him what had just happened, and he muttered in disbelief, "I've lost..."

He had no idea how it happened, but he actually fainted from a single blow. How embarrassing!

"It's fine." Zhang Xuan replied.

"I'm willing to accept my punishment..." Knowing that he had failed the challenge, Meng Fanxing gritted his teeth tightly.

"There's no need for that. We are all students from the Sanctum of Sages, so it's nothing much for us to have a casual duel with one another." Zhang Xuan replied with a smile.

To be honest, he only received this placing due to Sage Kui tampering with the score, so it was normal that the other party would harbor some doubts toward his strength.

"Zhang shi is really a magnanimous person. It's no wonder why you were able to become a student of the Elite Division, I'm impressed!" Meng Fanxing clasped his fist and bowed respectfully.

To be able to keep an open heart before the skepticism and doubts of others, he was really still lacking in his cultivation of the mind as compared to the young man before him.

"You're too polite." Zhang Xuan replied with a nod as he began making his way down the stage.

However, a voice suddenly sounded at this moment, "Hold it for a moment! I also wish to try out Zhang shi's hand too!"

Turning his head over, Zhang Xuan saw a familiar face walking up.

It was the man whom he had smacked to the ground with a single palm prior to the start of the Mountain Gate examination, Zhang Qian!

"Did that fellow fail to see through my strength?" Seeing that the other party was still intent on challenging him despite all that had happened, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up.

It was one thing if Zhang Qian had never challenged him before, but the fact that the other party couldn't even withstand a simple palm strike from him should be sufficient to highlight the vast disparity in strength between the both of them. Yet, to challenge him at this moment... Did he think that he hadn't been humiliated enough yet?

"It's Zhang Qian! Wasn't he defeated already?"

"I don't get it either. Why would he challenge Zhang Xuan again at this point?"

"Could he have some kind of trump card which he hasn't used yet?"

"Well, he's placed in the 51st place after all. How could he give up without a fight?"

...

Most of those in the crowd were also aware that the both of them had traded blows in the past, and looks of bewilderment surfaced on their faces.

It was just three days ago that Zhang Qian was utterly defeated by Zhang Xuan, so wasn't it just pure foolishness to challenge him once more at this point?

"You want to have a duel with me?" Zhang Xuan shot a glance toward Zhang Qian and asked.

"That's right! However, since you are from the Elite Division, surely you wouldn't make me fight you with my cultivation suppressed, would you?" Zhang Qian harrumphed.

Zhang Xuan shrugged, "You can choose not to suppress your cultivation if you want to."

"Very well, let's begin then!" Zhang Qian's smile curled up triumphantly as a powerful aura burst forth from him.

"Half-Grand Dominion realm? No wonder." Feeling the strength emanated by the other party, Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

That would explain why Zhang Qian still dared to challenge him despite the humiliating defeat he had suffered the previous time around. It seemed like he had managed to achieve a breakthrough in his cultivation over the past three days!

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Chapter 1303: The Strength Of the Zhang Clan's Bloodline!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Hong long!

While Zhang Xuan was still in deep thoughts, Zhang Qian was already dashing toward him while gathering might in his palm.

He had chosen to drive his Half-Grand Dominion realm cultivation to its very limits from the very start, and the overwhelming energy that was emanating from him caused the surrounding air to turn viscous. It felt as if the entire dueling ring had turned into his Dominion, and anyone who stepped into the area would be completely under his control.

Not bad. Zhang Xuan remarked leisurely.

As expected of one of the geniuses of the Zhang Clan. Even though it was just an advancement by a cultivation stage, Zhang Qian's strength had grown significantly as compared to three days ago.

If he were to continue taking the other party lightly, he might really lose the duel.

With a slight tap of his finger, Zhang Xuan shot a brilliant burst of sword qi straight toward to the other party's palm strike.

He was only at Primordial Spirit realm at the moment, and due to his lacking cultivation, he could only rely on his comprehension of swordsmanship to rival the other party.

Si la!

The surge of sword qi emanated a chill which seemed to pierce right into one's bones, and it felt as if it would be able to slice through anything that stood in its path.

"What?"

Zhang Qian didn't expect Zhang Xuan to have such a deep comprehension of swordsmanship. He realized that if he were to clash with the sword qi directly with his palm, he could very well be sliced into two.

Thus, he quickly clenched his remaining free hand into a fist and threw it forward.

Hong long!

Even though this punch was hurled forward all of a sudden, that didn't hinder the fluidity and agility of his movements. At its current speed, it would be able to strike Zhang Xuan and severely wound him before the sword qi could reach him.

He's indeed much more powerful than Zhang Jiuxiao! Zhang Xuan noted.

Three days ago, he was able to subdue Zhang Qian with just a single palm strike, so he thought that it should be a walk in the park for him to defeat the latter once more. However, considering the current circumstances, he would really be underestimating his opponent if he were to continue fighting with such a mindset.

Just the speed of the transformation in Zhang Qian's maneuver meant that his comprehension of combat had already achieved an extremely high level, considerably higher than an average combat master.

Nevertheless, despite Zhang Qian's immense growth, he would still require a lot more work before he would be a match for him.

Lines of insight rippled in Zhang Xuan's eyes as he gazed at Zhang Qian's movements once more.

This time around, it seemed like the latter's movements had slowed down, slowly displaying before his eyes.

Zhenqi telepathy? Through his Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan also swiftly noticed that something was amiss.

There was a thin thread extending from afar, connected right to Zhang Qian's ear.

Clearly, someone was offering pointers to Zhang Qian for this duel.

It seemed like this line of communication was established using a sort of unique secret art, making it far more difficult to notice than ordinary zhenqi telepathy. Had it not been for Zhang Xuan's Eye of Insight, it would be doubtful whether he would have been able to notice it or not.

Most likely, this was a mean to hide the matter from the eyes of Elder Liu and the others.

But still, to possess means capable of deceiving even a Saint 8-dan expert... It seemed like the Zhang Clan was really not to be underestimated.

Fortunately, the Eye of Insight had the ability to track down even the faintest of traces. As discreet as the matter was carried out, it was still incapable of fooling his eyes.

Tracing the line, Zhang Xuan's gaze was soon led to a young man beneath the stage.

That's... the candidate in the 46th rank, Zhang Yunfeng? Zhang Xuan recognized the young man as the person who had been sitting with Zhang Qian all this while.

It's no wonder why this fellow dares to challenge me, and his grasp over combat also seemed to have abruptly improved by leaps and bounds. No doubt about it, Zhang Yunfeng must be offering him pointers from the back!

Processing all of these in an instant, a smile crept onto Zhang Xuan's lips as he stood calmly before Zhang Qian's punch.

Instead of dodging, he raised his other hand and tapped forward.

Hu!

The space ahead of him suddenly began twisting together, causing Zhang Qian to feel as if he had been plunged into a bog. No matter how he pushed his fist forward, he found that he was unable to advance his punch any further.

Dominion!

Ever since leaving Qianchong Empire, other than guiding Zhang Jiuxiao along with his cultivation and swordsmanship, he hadn't been idling on his personal growth either. At this point, he had already fully assimilated the use of his 1-meter Dominion into his fighting style.

In the past, his Dominion took a form reminiscent of a light barrier, surrounding his entire body. However, with his enhanced grasp over the technique, he was able to cast a miniaturized Dominion around him at will. This way, not only would he be able to alleviate the frightening consumption of zhenqi, the presence of his Dominion would also be almost indiscernible as well, making it more difficult to guard against it.

With his fist locked in place, Zhang Qian's punch fell flat, and Zhang Xuan's sword qi continued flying for his other palm.

Si la!

A spray of blood splattered into the sky as the zhenqi gathered in Zhang Qian's palm dissipated under the severance of the sword qi.

"AHHHHH!!"

There was a scream of agony as Zhang Qian's palm was pierced through by the sword qi, and a walnut-sized hole appeared on his hand.

"You have lost." Having subdued the other party with a single strike, Zhang Xuan took a step back and halted his offense.

This single strike should be more than enough to show the disparity in the strength between the both of them. Besides, considering that Zhang Qian wasn't a match for him while he was still at full strength, he would stand even less of a chance now that there was a hole in his palm.

"I have lost? No way. There's no way I would lose!" Zhang Qian quickly took out several medicinal herbs to halt the bleeding of his palm before glaring at Zhang Xuan with eyes reddened in frenzy.

Hong long!

A rampaging aura burst forth from Zhang Qian, and astonishingly, it felt like he was growing stronger at a rapid pace.

In the sky, Elder Han Zhu was overlooking the duel when he saw this sight, and his face turned livid with graveness, "Zhang Qian is tapping into the power of his bloodline. Should we intervene in the battle?"

It was only a friendly duel, but Zhang Qian actually went to the extent of tapping into the power of his bloodline. This could potentially be dangerous for both Zhang Xuan and Zhang Qian.

"Take a look at Zhang Xuan." Instead of responding to Elder Han Zhu's question straight, Elder Liu pointed at the area ahead of him.

Perplexed, Elder Han Zhu turned his gaze over, and what he saw left his eyebrow shooting up in surprise.

On the stage, there was not the slightest hint of nervousness or anxiety to be seen on Zhang Xuan's face. It was almost as if he knew that Zhang Qian would make such a move.

"A Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle defeating a Half-Grand Dominion realm. I'm really interested to see what other miracles can Zhang Xuan bring us." Elder Liu chuckled softly.

It was simply too astounding for a single candidate to earn 12,700 points within two minutes that Elder Liu thought that there might have been an error in the Mountain Gate examination. However, the sight before him had proved his initial assumptions to be completely wrong.

The young man before him was really just that fearsome!

"I understand." Elder Han Zhu nodded. "I'll make a move only when he's really in danger."

Considering the composed attitude Zhang Xuan held toward Zhang Qian's outburst, it was likely that he was confident of neutralizing the latter's offense. Since that was the case, it might be worth waiting a little to see what would happen.

Boom!

While the two elders of the Sanctum of Sages were chatting with one another, on the stage, Zhang Qian had finally fully activated his bloodline. Even though his cultivation was still capped at Half-Grand Dominion realm, his aura had turned far more violent than before, a little reminiscent of a ravenous ancient beast awakening from its long sleep.

Hu!

With a swift charge, Zhang Qian threw his fist toward Zhang Xuan once more.

"Hm?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

He thought that Zhang Qian's moves would change after his bloodline had been activated, perhaps utilizing a more powerful battle technique or that sort. He didn't think that the latter would attack him with just a straightforward jab.

Surely such a move would be beneath even the most basic of battle techniques?

Could it be that the activation of his bloodline had enhanced his strength but limited the flexibility in the type of attacks he could utilize?

If that was the case, was there any point to activating his bloodline?

Forget it, I should be able to know the answer soon enough. This will be a good opportunity for me to find out just what is so special about the Zhang Clan's bloodline. Knowing that it was pointless to think about such matters at this point, Zhang Xuan raised his palm to meet Zhang Qian's punch.

This time, he didn't use any battle technique either. He was intending to clash straight on with Zhang Qian.

Hu la!

The palm and the punch swiftly closed in on one another, but just as when they were about to meet, Zhang Xuan suddenly saw something blur across his field of vision, and cold sweat immediately broke out all over this body.

Eye of Insight!

Sensing that something was wrong, he swiftly activated his Eye of Insight, and only then did he realize that the other party's punch had, at some point, arrived right before his chest, just a split instant away from striking him.

How can this be? Can a fist even be teleported? Zhang Xuan's eyes widened in horror.

There was no way he would have made such a fatal calculation error in battle. Given the trajectory of Zhang Qian's punch, it would have to collide with his palm first before getting to him. Yet, to actually bypass his defense and arrive before his chest in an instant... Could it really be teleportation?

But... as one who had practiced the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel, even if Zhang Xuan couldn't bend space according to his will yet, he would still have noticed the warping in space if Zhang Qian had really teleported. It was apparent that Zhang Qian's punch hadn't resulted in any disturbance in the surrounding space, so it would be safe to assume that it was a perfectly ordinary attack...

The situation was truly inconceivable!

However, at this current moment, Zhang Xuan didn't have the luxury to think any deeper into the matter either.

Dominion!

With a deep exhalation, Zhang Xuan immediately pressed his chest backward as he swiftly retreated back with a powerful leap as well. At the same time, a meter of Dominion appeared around him.

Weng!

But before Zhang Xuan's Dominion could be formed, a sharp ache struck his chest.

Peng!

His body was sent flying backward, but fortunately, he managed to ward off the momentum of the strike and regain his balance in mid-air. Nevertheless, the strike had still dealt considerable damage to him, and his face turned pale.

How swift... Zhang Xuan clenched his fists in disbelief.

This was the first time he had suffered such a huge setback fighting against others!

His Dominion could be activated at will, which meant that he was able to trigger it in an instant. Logically speaking, the other party's fist should still have been a distance away from him, so why would it strike him all of a sudden?

Fortunately, his Dominion still managed to impede Zhang Qian's fist significantly at the crucial juncture, or else if that punch were to land squarely on him, even if he didn't sustain grievous injuries, his fighting ability would have been severely compromised too.

Hu!

Zhang Xuan swiftly drove his Heaven's Path zhenqi to recover his energy while he assessed Zhang Qian with narrowed eyes.

All along, he didn't think that Zhang Qian was a formidable adversary, so he didn't think much of the latter either. However, this setback had taught him that those who had the bloodline of the Sage Clans running through their veins were more frightening than he had imagined them to be.

With Zhang Qian's current strength, even ordinary Grand Dominion realm primary stage cultivators wouldn't be a match for him!

"Where do you think you are running off to?"

With his first strike landing effectively on his foe, a hint of cruel glee surfaced in Zhang Qian's eyes. With a swift leap, he dashed forward once more.

He had only taken a single step, but for some reason, he appeared before Zhang Xuan in the next instant with a fist charged with power.

Huala!

A deafening sonic boom exploded in the air, and it felt as if even space would be torn down by the sheer might of the fist.

Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm!

Knowing that he would stand no chance against Zhang Qian through ordinary means, especially given the bizarre sight that had happened earlier, Zhang Xuan raised his palm and executed Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's battle technique.

Hong long!

Using the might of his palm, Zhang Xuan sealed the space around Zhang Qian, intending tp prevent the latter from making any abrupt actions. But once again... before his palm could land, Zhang Qian's fist had already bypassed his attack once more, appearing right before his chest.

Just what's going on? Zhang Xuan's face turned awfully ugly.

Under normal circumstances, his Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm should have been able to overcome the other party's attack with ease! It was as if the other party had known that he would make that move and launched a series of countermeasures before he could even react, bringing the punch to somewhere his palm couldn't affect.

Just what in the world was going on?

Sword Quintessence, Sea of Blades!

With a furious roar, Zhang Xuan opened up all of his acupoints and ejected sword qi into his surroundings.

Ding ding ding ding!

Under the furious onslaught of the sword qi, Zhang Qian had no choice but to withdraw his attack.

At this moment, Zhang Qian's face had also turned slightly pale, and he was panting heavily. It seemed like the two punches earlier had drained him greatly as well.

That was a close one... With a livid face, Zhang Xuan swiftly retreated several steps back to create some distance between him and Zhang Qian.

At this moment, an anxious voice suddenly sounded in his ears, "Zhang shi, that's the ability of the Zhang Clan's bloodline—Time Compression..."

It was Chen Leyao's face.

"Time Compression?" A deep frown emerged on Zhang Xuan's face.

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Chapter 1304: Make A Breakthrough While I'm At It

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

He knew that the ability of the Luo Clan's bloodline had something to do with space. As the little princess of the Luo Clan, Ruoxin wielded the Dimension Silencer in her hand as well, which granted her fearsome might.

As for the Zhang Clan... thinking back, he had never asked Zhang Jiuxiao about their bloodline ability either, so he didn't know what it was. But never in his dreams could he have imagined that it would be related to the secrets of time!

Time and space, these were the two fundamental building blocks of the world.

Without a doubt, a person who could grasp time would have the world in his grasp too.

This would explain why despite his timely reflexes, the enemy still managed to bypass his defenses to land his attacks. Most likely, through burning his bloodline, Zhang Qian's fist had affected his perception of time, thus resulting in his attacks appearing to be teleporting to him.

In a clash between experts, the difference between life and death banked on a fraction of an instant. If one could compress time, even if it was just one-hundredth of a breath, it could play a crucial role in the midst of a tight battle.

With such a powerful bloodline ability, it was no wonder why the Zhang Clan was able to remain as the number one Sage Clan on the Master Teacher Continent over the years.

However, it appears that burning his bloodline to tap into the Power of Time drains him swiftly as well. It doesn't seem like he will be able to maintain that state for too long... Zhang Xuan analyzed.

As one who had cultivated the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel, he knew very well that tapping into abilities that exceeded one's cultivation would drain one's life force or even potential.

It's fortunate that I have the Eye of Insight, or else those two punches would have surely left me severely wounded at the very least... Zhang Xuan thought as a terrified shudder ran through his body.

It was due to the Eye of Insight that he was able to clearly perceive the other party's punch trajectory in the nick of the moment and react accordingly. Otherwise, he would have surely suffered severe injuries.

"I'll defeat you!"

While Zhang Xuan was still immersed in his thoughts, Zhang Qian had already managed to catch his breath, and with a furious roar, he charged forward once more.

He won't be able to sustain that ability for too long. As long as I were to avoid his attacks and put some distance between the both of us, it shouldn't be too difficult for me to defeat him! Zhang Xuan swiftly came up with a countermeasure.

So far, it appeared that there was a limit to the range of Zhang Qian's Time Compression. So, if Zhang Xuan were to resort to long-range attacks instead, he should be able to overcome the other party's attacks easily.

And everything else would be easy.

Hu!

With a step, Zhang Xuan executed the Unbounded Voyager, and reminiscent to teleportation, he abruptly appeared at the other end of the dueling ring.

Padah!

Barely an instant after Zhang Xuan left, Zhang Qian's punch fell heavily on the area where he was standing previously. Had he been a split second slower, that punch could have very well landed on him.

Now!

Knowing that this was the ideal opportunity to launch an attack, Zhang Xuan tapped his finger in Zhang Qian's direction.

Wu wu wu wu!

Four surges of sword qi burst forth, and they whizzed across the dueling ring to arrive before Zhang Qian in less than a fraction of a second.

Puhe! Puhe! Puhe! Puhe!

Those four sword qi stabbed right into Zhang Qian's feet and palms, pinning him firmly onto the dueling stage with their momentum.

Hu!

After doing all of that, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

It was fortunate that Chen Leyao had given him a timely reminder of the matter, or else it would have been difficult for him to turn the tables around on Zhang Qian without using his Library of Heaven's Path.

"You have lost." Placing his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan gazed down on Zhang Qian coldly.

"I..." Zhang Qian's eyes were filled with craze, but just as he wanted to speak, the complete exhaustion of his strength and the severe injuries he had sustained finally took a toll on him, and he caved in and fainted.

He had exerted himself too much by burning his bloodline.

He had gone all out in hopes of exacting vengeance and acquiring the final slot into the Elite Division, but his efforts ended up in futility.

While the cultivation of the young man before him wasn't too high, his fighting prowess was nothing short of terrifying.

Hu!

A light breeze swept across the square, and a figure suddenly appeared on top of the stage—Zhang Yunfeng. He took a glance at Zhang Qian on the ground, and after confirming that the sword qi hadn't struck any of the vitals, he heaved an inconspicuous sigh of relief. Following which, he waved his hand toward the bottom of the dueling ring.

Noting the gesture, Zhang Yu hurriedly rushed onto the dueling ring and fed Zhang Qian several recovery pills before carrying him down.

Zhang Yunfeng finally turned his attention to Zhang Xuan, and with a face devoid of expression, he remarked, "It seems like you are quite powerful after all."

"To offer pointers to Zhang Qian remotely such that he could at least take a blow or two from me... You aren't too weak yourself either." Zhang Xuan replied composedly.

"Offer pointers to Zhang Qian remotely?"

"Isn't that flouting the rules?"

"The Zhang Clan is really getting arrogant!"

"This is too much. Just because they wield great influence in the Sanctum of Sages doesn't mean they can blatantly disregard the rules like that!"

A huge commotion broke out amidst the crowd.

The Challenge of the Defeated was a fight to vie for the precious and limited slots in the Sanctum of Sages, so fairness was extremely important. It was one thing for Zhang Qian to burn his bloodline, but to think that he would have another person guiding him from behind. This was a clear infringement of the rules!

Not expecting the other party to be able to see through his little moves and even expose them publicly, Zhang Yunfeng's impassive expression immediately darkened a little, "Do you dare to face me in a duel?"

"Sure, it'll be my pleasure." Zhang Xuan replied calmly.

He had been rather pissed off at how the other party had been playing little tricks behind his back. Since the other party had come knocking on his door, he didn't mind teaching him a lesson.

"Good!" Seeing that Zhang Xuan had agreed to it, Zhang Yunfeng smirked.

He stood unmovingly on the spot, but for some reason, his figure suddenly seemed to tower. His aura swiftly intensified, to the point that it seemed as though he would tear apart the seals around the dueling ring.

Weng!

In the next moment, a faint light barrier of roughly five meters in radius materialized around Zhang Yunfeng.

And standing in the middle of the light, Zhang Yunfeng felt like an indomitable existence.

This is a true Dominion? Zhang Xuan's face turned grim.

This was the first time he was seeing a Grand Dominion realm expert casting a Dominion. Not only did it cover an area greater than his, the power pulsating within it was also even purer and more profound.

"The difference in the fighting prowess between each realm grows progressively larger as one advances further up the Saint realm. Zhang Xuan might be powerful, but against a Grand Dominion realm cultivator of Zhang Yunfeng's caliber, it's unlikely that he would stand much of a chance." Elder Han Zhu frowned.

From Leaving Aperture realm onward, the gap of a single realm could possibly mean a difference in fighting prowess by severalfold.

It was for this reason that while Zhang Xuan could easily defeat opponent eight to nine cultivation stages stronger than him at Transcendent Mortal, but beyond Saint realm, most of the time, challenging an opponent that was even six to seven cultivation stages higher than him was already difficult for him.

It was not that Zhang Xuan was getting weaker, but the gap between each cultivation stage was simply increasing exponentially.

This was similar to how even though the differences between one and two and one billion and two billion were both by a factor of two, their differences in terms of absolute values were immense.

Such was the case for Primordial Spirit realm and Grand Dominion realm too. The four lightning tribulations in between created a vast gap that was nearly unbridgeable between the two realms.

In the first place, it was already a huge surprise to see Zhang Xuan defeating the Half-Grand Dominion realm Zhang Qian. Now that he was faced against the Grand Dominion realm primary stage Zhang Yunfeng... No matter how Elder Han Zhu looked at it, there was just no way Zhang Xuan could win.

"Based on the situation in the previous battle, he would indeed be no match for Zhang Yunfeng." Elder Liu nodded.

As a Saint 8-dan master teacher, he possessed a keen, discerning eye. From the earlier fight, he could roughly gauge Zhang Xuan's strength.

Against normal Grand Dominion realm experts, Zhang Xuan might still stand a chance. However, faced with a genius from the Zhang Clan... the odds were that he would lose.

"Then..." Elder Han Zhu was taken aback.

Since the outcome of the battle is already clear, why are we still allowing them to fight?

"As geniuses, they have their own pride. Even if we manage to stop them here, Zhang Yunfeng will just find another way to challenge Zhang Xuan. Since that is the case, it would be much better to settle everything here!" Elder Liu replied.

"More importantly, I'm interested to see just how much potential does Zhang Xuan harness within him!"

If they didn't settle the matter today, the Zhang Clan would just continue to find other reasons to harass Zhang Xuan in the future. It was probably in view of this that Zhang Xuan accepted Zhang Yunfeng's duel without any hesitation too.

"Alright then." Hearing those words, Elder Han Zhu nodded before falling silent.

At the very least, if they were to settle their scores in the Challenge of the Defeated, should any life-threatening circumstances arise out of the duel, they would be able to intervene immediately, so Zhang Xuan's life wouldn't be in danger.

"You can go first."

While the two elders were conversing with one another, Zhang Yunfeng was finally done with his preparation. He raised his hand and gestured for Zhang Xuan to make the first move.

On the other hand, knowing that Zhang Yunfeng wouldn't be an easy opponent, Zhang Xuan had no intention of holding back either. With a flick of his left hand, the furious might of the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm rushed toward Zhang Yunfeng. At the same time, he also lifted his right hand and tapped forward.

Grand Constellation Finger!

Executing two Saint intermediate-tier battle techniques simultaneously, Zhang Xuan had gone all out from the start.

Hu!

Standing before the two attacks, Zhang Yunfeng leisurely took a step forward.

Weng!

As soon as the palm strike and the finger art came into contact with his Dominion, they were immediately deflected just like how a river flow parted before a massive boulder. It didn't seem to have caused the slightest bit of effect on Zhang Yunfeng at all.

"This..." Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in astonishment.

As expected of a Grand Dominion realm expert of the Zhang Clan, the other party was much more frightening than he had thought!

"What about this?" With a furious roar, all kinds of attack burst forth from Zhang Xuan—palm strikes, punches, finger arts, and many more. In the blink of an eye, the entire dueling ring seemed to have been plunged into an ocean of zhenqi.

Boom boom boom!

The furious assault caused sonic booms to explode relentlessly in the air.

Even if it was Zhang Qian who had tapped into the power of his bloodline, he would have surely been sent into a fluster from this overwhelming barrage of attacks.

But Zhang Yunfeng simply chuckled lightly and waved his hand lightly.

Hu la!

Upon contact with his Dominion, the barrage of attacks was deflected to his back as well, inducing countless ripples to diffuse on the seal around the dueling ring.

He's still perfectly fine even after all that? Zhang Xuan felt as if his mind was going to explode.

That was really way too overpowered!

He thought that with that barrage of attacks, he would at least be able to tear open the other party's defenses. Yet, it barely did a thing at all!

Was he really completely helpless before the other party without a sword in hand?

"I have already given you a chance to attack me, so it should be my turn now." After deflecting all of Zhang Xuan's attacks, Zhang Yunfeng spoke up before tapping his finger forward.

Tz la!

A surge of pure energy immediately shot forth from the tip of his finger.

"Hm?"

Accelerated by Zhang Yunfeng's Dominion, the surge of pure energy appeared right before Zhang Xuan's chest in an instant. Realizing that he would have no time to dodge at all, he could only hurriedly raise his palm to defend himself.

Tzzzz!

The powerful momentum of the finger art traveled through Zhang Xuan's palm and struck his body like a comet, forcefully pushing him back. As a result, a massive gorge was dragged out on the dueling ring.

Hu!

It took a great deal of effort before Zhang Xuan was able to regain his balance once more. He felt his zhenqi running erratically in his body, and as if someone had scalded with palm with blazing inferno, an indescribable pain assaulted his hand.

Even a simple finger art of his wields so much strength? Zhang Xuan was alarmed.

He might have successfully withstood the finger art, but if this were to go on, the duel would surely end with his loss.

"Not too bad. The fact that you were able to withstand my attack shows that you do have some capability." Zhang Yunfeng remarked as he raised his palm, preparing for the next attack.

At this moment, however, the young man before him abruptly raised his hand up high.

"What's wrong? Are you going to surrender?" Zhang Yunfeng asked with a contemptuous smile on his lips.

"That's not it. I just would like ten breaths to myself." Zhang Xuan replied.

"Ten breaths?"

"I admit that I am not a match for you with my current strength. In any case, it's already unfair that a Grand Dominion realm cultivator like you is facing a Primordial Spirit realm cultivator like me at your full strength. So, I want ten seconds to sort out my thoughts..."

Exhaling deeply, a smile emerged on Zhang Xuan's lips as he continued, "... as well as to make a breakthrough while I'm at it!"

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Chapter 1305: He's Bathing!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Make a breakthrough while he's at it?"

"Is it possible to make a breakthrough as and when you like?"

"What can he possibly do in just ten breaths? It won't even be sufficient for a short toilet break!"

Upon hearing Zhang Xuan's words, a huge commotion broke out beneath the stage.

The various elders in the sky also looked at one another in confusion, uncomprehending of what the young man was up to.

A typical cultivator would have to find an isolated chamber, prepare all kinds of cultivation resources, and condition his body for many days before attempting for a breakthrough, and yet, this fellow actually asked for a ten breaths break from the battle in order to make a breakthrough...

Do you think that making a breakthrough is as easy as breathing, able to do it as and when you like?

"Fine, I'll give you ten seconds then. Let's see if you have the ability to make a breakthrough within this period of time!" Zhang Yunfeng was startled for a moment before he nearly burst out laughing.

He had seen plenty of eccentric people in his life, but the young man before him sure was one-of-a-kind!

To ask for a ten breaths break in the midst of a battle in order to make a breakthrough... Can you come up with something any more ridiculous than that?

And even if you did manage to achieve a breakthrough, you would only be at Half-Leaving Aperture realm. Do you think that you would be a match for me like that?

Fine, I'll give you the time that you desire so much then! Let's see what you can do with it!

"Great." Zhang Xuan nodded. Flicking his wrist, he took out the Wintry Spirit Essence, uncorked the bottle, and swallowed it whole.

"That isn't for drinking!" At the bottom of the dueling ring, Chen Leyao saw that sight and nearly keeled over.

The Wintry Spirit Essence was a cold attribute spirit essence capable of freezing one's very blood and bones. Even the members of the Glacier Plain Court would just dab a little bit of it on their fingers and slowly absorb it over a very long period of time each time they cultivated. That bottle of Wintry Spirit Essence was intended for several years of use, and yet... he actually swallowed it whole!

While it was true that the Wintry Spirit Essence was rich in spiritual energy, it was simply too cold. Swallowing it directly was worse than ingesting lethal poison directly!

Putting aside a Primordial Spirit realm cultivator like you, even Grand Dominion realm experts would die from having their innards freezing over!

Just what in the world are you doing?

It was in view that the young man was her benefactor and the teacher of their young court chief that Chen Leyao gave him a bottle of Wintry Spirit Essence. If he were to die because of that... there was no way she would be able to escape responsibility!

Gugugu!

Just as Chen Leyao was scared out of her wits, she saw that not only did the young man on the stage not turn into a sculpture of ice, the aura he emanated was even growing stronger by the moment. It felt almost as if a dam which had accumulated several decades worth of water was beginning to shatter, ready to let loose a furious flood upon the world.

Following which, with a resounding buzz, the young man successfully overcame the bottleneck of Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle and reached Half-Leaving Aperture realm.

Despite so, the advancement in his cultivation didn't stop just there. It continued surging forward furiously.

Two breaths later, he reached Quasi Leaving Aperture realm.

"This..." Chen Leyao's face paled, and her throat turned dry. Her eyes were bulging so much that it seemed as if they would plop out to the ground anytime soon.

She was certain that the young man would be frozen to death by the cold energy of the Wintry Spirit Essence, but... not only was he fine, he even managed to swiftly assimilate the spirit essence into his body and advance his cultivation swiftly.

Just what kind of constitution did he have? That was really frightening!

Amidst her shock, Zhang Xuan's advancement in cultivation finally slowed to a halt.

It seemed like he had finished devouring all of the spiritual energy contained within the Wintry Spirit Essence.

"This..."

"To achieve a breakthrough of two cultivation stages within three breaths?"

"Isn't this a little too fast?"

Everyone stared at the sight before them in a daze.

In the sky, Elder Liu and the others also nearly plummeted to the ground from shock.

They thought that the young man asking for a break of ten breaths was just a joke, but in just three breaths, he had already managed to advance his cultivation by two cultivation stages. And furthermore, from the looks of it, if not for the insufficient spiritual energy from the Wintry Spirit Essence, he could have very well pushed for even higher realms.

Zhang Yunfeng was also dumbfounded by how Zhang Xuan actually succeeded in achieving a breakthrough so swiftly, and a deep frown emerged on his forehead. But a short moment later, the frown gave way to a cold chuckle, "You are merely at Quasi Leaving Aperture realm. Even if you did succeed in achieving a breakthrough, you still won't be able to defeat me with such strength."

Even with two consecutive breakthroughs, that fellow would only be a mere Quasi Leaving Aperture realm. There was still a huge gap between the other party and a true Grand Dominion realm expert like him!

Boom!

All of a sudden, the deep rumbling of thunder abruptly bellowed in the sky above, and it took only a short moment for the clear skies to be covered in darkness.

Raising his head anxiously, Zhang Yunfeng saw ominous clouds looming above the square.

"He... can't be thinking of challenging the lightning ordeal here, could he?" Zhang Yunfeng's body shuddered involuntarily upon that realization.

To dare to draw out the lightning ordeal a moment right after you have reached Quasi Leaving Aperture realm... Do you know how frightening the lightning ordeal is?

Primordial Spirits were of the yin attribute, and they needed to be nourished by the lightning ordeal before they could make the transformation into the yang attribute. Only then would they be able to travel freely without being limited by their bodies.

However, lightning was the natural nemesis to all beings of the yin attribute. Even Zhang Yunfeng had to reinforce his cultivation for more than half a year before daring to challenge the lightning ordeal... but even so, he still sustained grave injuries from it, nearly crippling himself for good. He had to rest for three whole months before he was able to recover back to full health.

It was one thing for that fellow to rush his breakthroughs, but to actually draw in the lightning ordeal on top of that...

Are you really that intent to die?

"That's too reckless!" Zhao Xingmo exclaimed in horror.

To be honest, it was no big deal for Zhang Xuan to lose the duel. After all, Zhang Yunfeng was ranked higher than him, so it wouldn't affect his status and prestige as a student of the Elite Division. There was really no need to take the risk and rush for a breakthrough at all!

This was really a foolish action!

Perhaps noticing Zhao Xingmo's worry, Zhang Jiuxiao consoled, "Don't worry, Zhang shi will be fine!"

Zhao Xingmo might not be aware of how monstrous Zhang Xuan was, but he had experienced it firsthand.

So many times, he had worked hard to reinforce his cultivation so as to push for a breakthrough in hopes to surpassing Zhang Xuan, but in the end, the latter would just casually say "I have accumulated enough" and easily achieve breakthrough after breakthrough, steadily widening the gap between the both of them...

After all the traumas he had been through, there was no longer anything Zhang Xuan could do that would surprise him anymore.

Admittedly, the situation occurring before him was inconceivable to him too. But considering that it was Zhang Xuan who stood at the eye of the storm, everything didn't seem as unbelievable anymore.

After all, that young man was a Celestial Master Teacher like Kong shi. How could an existence like that be gauged using the common sense of ordinary men?

"Fine? How could he be fine? Do you know that the very first Leaving Aperture Ordeal is the most dangerous to a cultivator? There are countless geniuses in history who had died because of it... Just look at the dense congregation of storm clouds in the sky! I know that he's a person of great capability, but it takes only a moment of complacency to make an irreversible mistake!" Zhao Xingmo bellowed anxiously.

"Besides, even if he were to survive the lightning ordeal, he would surely suffer grievous injuries too. Given so, how is he going to continue fighting against Zhang Yunfeng?"

Considering how powerful the Leaving Aperture Ordeal was, it was inevitable that one would suffer great damage to one's Primordial Spirit... And considering how he was already outmatched when fighting at his full strength, how could he possibly be a match for a Grand Dominion realm expert when he was in a severely wounded state?

Even without looking at the outcome, it was obvious what the conclusion of the duel would be!

"This..." This time, even Zhang Jiuxiao was stumped.

He had deep confidence in Zhang Xuan, but given how disadvantageous the circumstances were to the latter, even he couldn't help but waver at this point in time.

"My heavens, has Zhang Xuan gone mad? Are my eyes playing tricks on me, or is Zhang shi trying to draw his Primordial Spirit out from his body?"

All of a sudden, a loud exclamation echoed through the square. Alarmed, Zhang Jiuxiao turned his head toward the sky and saw that Zhang Xuan had drawn his Primordial Spirit out of his glabella, and in this very moment, his Primordial Spirit was charging right into the congregation of storm clouds.

"Is Zhang shi intending to face the Leaving Aperture Ordeal with his Primordial Spirit? But that would only put him in greater danger!" Zhang Jiuxiao widened his eyes in shock.

Considering that the Primordial Spirit was weak against lightning, a cultivator would stand a better chance at surviving the Leaving Aperture Ordeal if he were to face the lightning tribulation with his Primordial Spirit housed within his body. This way, the body would at least help to block out a fair bit of the lightning.

Back at the Marshlands of the Northern Meadows, he had seen the deep agony that Hall Master Xing was put through from facing the lightning tribulation directly with his Primordial Spirit.

Zhang Xuan was present then as well, so he should be aware of the dangers of his actions. Why was he still taking such a risk then?

While Zhang Jiuxiao was wondering if Zhang Xuan had gone bonkers, the latter's Primordial Spirit had already charged right into the storm clouds. Countless streaks of lightning flashed within the clouds, fully displaying the treacherous environment within.

Kacha! Kacha!

Under the relentless lightning strike, Zhang Xuan's Primordial Spirit began moving in a bizarre fashion, as if the lightning strike had caused him to lose control of himself.

"The Leaving Aperture Ordeal is the first hurdle that Saint realm experts would face. The violent energy harnessed within the lightning tribulation is simply too great such that most Primordial Spirits would end up succumbing it, resulting in dissipation. Yet, that fellow actually dashed right in complete unprepared... He really shouldn't have done that. Having gotten into the Elite Division, he had such a bright future lying before him, but now..."

"Recklessness is really the bane for all cultivators. Look at how he's convulsing uncontrollably!"

"This is his very first lightning tribulation, so his Primordial Spirit wouldn't have the slightest resistance to lightning at all. Even if his Primordial Spirit doesn't dissipate from this, it's likely that his sanity would be wiped away by the violent force of the lightning ordeal... That fellow is really too hasty for success... Wait a moment, are you sure he's convulsing? Why doesn't it seem that way to me?"

Long sighs of lamentation sounded one after another from the crowd, but all of a sudden, the sudden exclamation left the entire crowd stunned for a moment.

"You're right! His Primordial Spirit isn't convulsing. It's more like... more like..."

Half a breath later, another master teacher finished the sentence with a shrill voice, "... More like he's bathing!"

"Bathing?"

Bewildered by that perplexing remark, everyone quickly turned their gazes over, and indeed, there was something really amiss with the situation.

The Primordial Spirit amidst the lightning clouds was moving around, but it wasn't a spasmodic movement. Rather, if they really had to describe it, it would be more of a rhythmic scrubbing movement, as if he was trying to spread the lightning equally throughout his body.

As if he was trying to scrub it into the depths of his Primordial Spirit.

"Primordial Spirits are naturally averse to lightning, but not only is he unfrightened, he's even heartily bathing in it..."

"Are my eyes playing tricks on me? How could something like this possibly happen?"

Madness. This was truly madness.

Three breaths to push from Primordial Spirit pinnacle to Quasi Leaving Aperture realm, and even challenging the lightning tribulation face on straight afterward...

Their minds could still accept it if Zhang Xuan managed to survive the Leaving Aperture Ordeal by a close shot, but to be bathing so joyfully amidst it...

No words could even begin to describe the emotions they were feeling at this very instant.

"T-this..." Elder Liu gulped down a mouthful of saliva as his eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

As an elder of the Sanctum of Sages, he had seen plenty of outstanding geniuses over the past several hundred years, such as the current head of the Zhang Clan, the little princess of the Luo Clan... They were all the most outstanding figures of the Master Teacher Continent, the stars that shone the brightest in the night sky.

But... not even they dared to play with the Leaving Aperture Ordeal like that!

Elder Liu clawed at his hair frenziedly, tearing out huge patches of it.

"He..." Zhang Yunfeng had frozen in shock from what he was seeing.

He thought that it was utter foolishness of the young man to bring forth the lightning tribulation so casually, and that he was simply courting death. Yet, as if a resilient cockroach, the lightning ordeal didn't seem to faze him in the least. On the contrary, he was even having plenty of fun 'bathing'!

"Ten breaths are up!" This daze continued for quite a while before Zhang Yunfeng suddenly remembered the situation he was in and bellowed loudly.

Hu!

The Primordial Spirit in the sky seemed to have heard his voice and immediately stopped his 'scrubbing'. He opened his mouth wide and devoured the entire sky of lightning through his mouth before dashing right back into his body.

In the next moment, Zhang Xuan opened his eyes and looked at Zhang Yunfeng apologetically.

"Pardon me. It was my first time experiencing the lightning tribulation, and I had a little too much fun that I accidentally took another additional breath. To make up to you, why don't I give you a three moves advantage?"

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Chapter 1306: Wave Treading Stride

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

From the moment he said those words to his breakthrough and the lightning tribulation, a total of eleven breaths had passed... It was a single breath more than what he had promised earlier, and the fact that the other party didn't try to assault him within this period of time was honestly praiseworthy.

No matter what, he must return the favor!

"What did you say?" Zhang Yunfeng gritted his teeth so tightly as it felt as if they would chip under the immense force.

It was just a moment ago that he thrashed Zhang Xuan upside down, but all of a sudden, Zhang Xuan was actually offering to give him a three moves advantage? That was blatantly underestimating him!

"Make your move. I promise you that I won't retaliate in the next three moves you make!" Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back and smiled.

"You're really seeking death!" Zhang Yunfeng couldn't suppress his rage any longer.

While he wasn't one of the most talented individuals in the Zhang Clan, he had a composed and steady personality. It was for this reason that he didn't rush into agreeing to help Zhang Qian exact his vengeance... But Zhang Xuan's words had really struck the thorn in his heart this time around.

For the longest of time, he had been extremely concerned about the widening gap between him and the other geniuses of the Zhang Clan, and Zhang Xuan's casual attitude and words of underestimation only served to further remind him of the matter.

In an instant, rage consumed his entirety, and he couldn't help but want to tear the young man before him into shreds.

Tzzzzzz!

Zhang Yunfeng began walking forward slowly.

Even though he was walking atop the smooth dueling ring, somehow, his movements felt as if he was riding upon a wave. Despite his slow speed, there was an imposing momentum behind his movement reminiscent of the choppy waters of a stormy sea.

Previously, in view of his standing, he had decided to hold himself back a little. However, now that he had decided to go all out, his overwhelming strength immediately showed through.

"It's the Zhang Clan's Wave Treading Stride!"

"Rumors have it that the Wave Treading Stride was created by an elder in the Zhang Clan while he was observing a water strider moving along the ripples in the water. Not only were its movements agile, it was also well poised for offense and defense, similar to a leaf floating atop the ocean—no matter how treacherous the waves get, it would still remain afloat."

"This technique is similar to Shadow Tracking, but it's much more profound and grander!"

"Since Zhang Yunfeng has gone to the extent of using this technique, it seems like he has started getting serious!"

"Zhang Xuan is likely going to be defeated... His ability to withstand the lightning tribulation is indeed incredible, but a cultivation of Leaving Aperture realm primary stage is just too low!"

...

Discussions broke out amidst the crowd.

While Zhang Xuan's breakthroughs were shocking, in their view, it was likely that Zhang Xuan had just reinforced his cultivation immensely over the months, thus allowing him to easily take this final step forward in this critical juncture.

As formidable as Zhang Xuan had performed in the lightning tribulation, his true strength was still bound to be lacking as compared to the genius of the Zhang Clan, especially given the huge disparity in their cultivation realms.

"I shall make you regret looking down on me!" Zhang Yunfeng raised his palm and forcefully pushed it down upon Zhang Xuan.

This palm may seem unimpressive on the surface, but as the one standing before it, Zhang Xuan felt as if a torrential tsunami was towering before him, inducing a slight feeling of helplessness in him.

Saint intermediate-tier battle technique, Air Propulsion Palm!

Completely overwhelmed with anger, Zhang Yunfeng didn't bother to hold back at all. In an instant, Zhang Yunfeng had turned the dueling ring reminiscent to the bottom of an ocean. Any movement made within the range of his attack would require his permission.

"Not bad!" Zhang Xuan remarked calmly with his hands still beneath his back.

With an agile flit, he dodged Zhang Yunfeng's lethal attack and materialized at the other end of the dueling ring.

After achieving a breakthrough to Leaving Aperture realm primary stage, his fighting prowess had increased by at least twofold. While he hadn't really tried out how powerful he was at the moment, he was confident that if he were to use his full strength, Zhang Yunfeng wouldn't stand a chance at all.

It was for this very reason that Zhang Xuan dared to give the other party a three moves advantage.

While he only had the Primordial Spirit realm Heaven's Path Divine Art with him at the moment, the Leaving Aperture realm cultivation technique manual books he had collected back at Qianchong Empire's black market, along with those he had obtained from Ji Lingfeng's storage ring, had given him a deep insight Leaving Aperture realm. Even though they weren't sufficient to form the Leaving Aperture realm Heaven's Path Divine Art, he was still able to compile out a decently wholesome cultivation technique manual. Furthermore, his diligent cultivation over the past few days had firmly reinforced his cultivation.

It was due to all of these factors that he was able to push for multiple breakthroughs so easily after ingesting the potent Wintry Spirit Essence.

As for the lightning tribulation, he had gone through the Saint Ascension Ordeal, which granted him significant resistance toward lightning. On top of that, as he cultivated the Heaven's Path Soul Art, his Primordial Spirit was already yang in nature. As a result, the lightning tribulation which all cultivators were so frightened of was actually nothing more than a walk in the park for him.

This was also the reason why the 'bathing' scene earlier occurred. He wasn't showing off but attempting to spread the lightning over his Primordial Spirit in the shortest time possible so as to best temper his Primordial Spirit.

Even so, he still exceeded the time by a single breath... How embarrassing.

As for his massive soul, he had used the Heavenly Art of DImension Unravel to compress it into a smaller form so that it wouldn't stand out too much. Otherwise, if a ten-meters large Primordial Spirit were to slip out of his body, there was no saying that the lightning tribulation might even be scared into escaping.

"Do you think that I would let you run away?" Seeing that Zhang Xuan had dodged his first attack, Zhang Yunfeng narrowed his eyes and flicked his finger toward the sky.

Tz la!

A powerful sword qi burst into the heavens. From this move, it could be seen that his comprehension of swordsmanship had reached a decent level as well—Upper Sword Heart.

Wu wu wu!

Halfway through its trajectory, the sword qi abruptly burst into several hundred surges of smaller sword qi, scattered all around the area as they surged for Zhang Xuan.

A battle technique? Zhang Xuan was slightly surprised.

He thought that it was only a casual flick of sword qi, but the move turned out to be a battle technique too.

While the splitting of the sword qi would result in each of them harnessing significantly weaker might, such a barrage of attack was more effective in inducing panic in the opponent.

In a fight between experts, one's state of mind was extremely important too. As soon as the opponent started to lose his composure, one would be able to drag him into one's momentum and influence his movements, thus gaining full control over the flow of the battle.

But while such a move might have incredible effects when directed toward other opponents, it wasn't too effective against Zhang Xuan.

With another flit, Zhang Xuan arrived at the other end of the dueling ring, evading every single one of those mini sword qi cleanly.

"Is dodging the only thing you are capable of?" Zhang Yunfeng harrumphed coldly.

Two moves had already passed, but he didn't even come close to catching the young man's shadow. This had borne some feelings of frustration within him.

"I said that I would give you a three moves advantage, so of course, I won't back down on my words." Zhang Xuan said with a soft chuckle.

"You..." Zhang Yunfeng's face reddened in rage.

Unable to take it anymore, he charged forth once more.

This time, his speed was severalfold faster than before. It was still far from a match against Zhang Xuan's Unbounded Treader in terms of speed, but it was definitely far faster than ordinary movement techniques.

"What incredible speed! What movement technique is that?"

"It's the highest level of mastery of the Wave Treading Stride, Rippleless Treading!"

"He actually cultivated the Wave Treading Stride to the highest level? As expected of a genius from the Zhang Clan!"

...

A few amongst the crowd recognized the movement technique that Zhang Yunfeng was using, and shock surfaced on their faces.

Wave Treading Stride, this was an extremely difficult movement technique to master. Not only was it highly demanding on one's talent, it also took many experimentation and practice before one could grasp the feeling of it. Yet, to be able to reach Rippleless Treading, the highest level of the technique, at such a young age, it must be said that Zhang Yunfeng was truly an outstanding individual.

Hu la!

Amidst shocked gazes, Zhang Yunfeng had already arrived at an area less than five meters away from Zhang Xuan. With a shrill buzz, he activated his Dominion, and it swiftly engulfed Zhang Xuan as well.

In an instant, Zhang Xuan felt immense pressure crushing him from all directions. It was as if he was grasped in the palm of another, unable to move at all.

He's indeed formidable... Zhang Xuan's face turned livid.

Typically speaking, at Saint 6-dan primary stage, a cultivator would have just formed his Dominion, and it would assume a form reminiscent of flowing water, so the pressure it could exert wouldn't be as great. At later stages, it would take a form reminiscent of a bog, followed by mercury, and finally lead... As one progressed through the various cultivation stages of Saint 6-dan, the prowess of one's Dominion would grow significantly stronger.

As such, even though the radius of one's Dominion would barely change at all, it was rather easy to classify its strength.

While Zhang Yunfeng was only at Saint 6-dan primary stage, his Dominion was already extremely compact and dense, such that even Zhang Xuan would have some trouble trying to blast it apart.

"It was a grave mistake to give me a three moves advantage. Since that's the case, you need not dream about making a move at all!" Zhang Yunfeng bellowed coldly as he struck his palm down upon Zhang Xuan.

Augmented by the strength of his Dominion, this palm strike was at least two times as powerful as before. Even before it reached its target, its sheer might would have already suppressed one's soul and physical body, destroying any thoughts of retaliation in one's mind.

Raising his head, all Zhang Xuan could see was a dark shadow looming above him. His movements were restricted by Zhang Yunfeng's Dominion, preventing him from escaping at all.

If it had been a moment before, there is no way I'll be able to withstand that palm strike without counterattacking. But now...

There wasn't any hint of nervousness to be seen on Zhang Xuan's face, and he showed no signs of counterattacking either. Instead, he simply hugged his body together to protect the vitals of his body.

"He can't be dreaming of facing the attack head on like that, can he?"

"Even Grand Dominion realm cultivators would be unable to withstand that blow from Zhang Yunfeng! To attempt to withstand it without putting up any significant defenses at all, is he courting death?"

"I really don't know whether to say that the fellow is fearless or plain dumb!"

Upon seeing Zhang Xuan's actions, the crowd fell into a daze.

If one were to execute a battle technique within one's Dominion, the might of the battle technique could be easily enhanced to twofold stronger than before. Zhang Yunfeng's Air Propulsion Palm wielded devastating might even without his Dominion, and yet, Zhang Xuan was actually intending on taking it face on? If things were to go wrong, he might even be smacked to his death!

"Should we intervene in the duel?" Elder Han Zhu watched on the situation in jitters.

"There's no need for that. Zhang Yunfeng isn't a reckless person, he won't kill another candidate right before us." Elder Liu's fists were also tightly clenched despite his words, and there was a contemplative gleam in his eyes which made one wonder what he was thinking about.

Huala!

Amidst shocked gazes, Zhang Yunfeng's palm landed squarely on Zhang Xuan's back, and amidst a resounding sonic boom, a powerful blast of shockwave swept into the surroundings.

"It's over..."

Seeing that the young man who had just achieved consecutive breakthroughs really didn't attempt to dodge at all, many amongst the crowd couldn't help but cover their eyes with a cringe, not daring to see what had just happened.

However, before they could hear an anticipated cry of agony from the young man, another explosion abruptly sounded, and a deep groan escaped from Zhang Yunfeng's throat instead.

Quickly turning their eyes over once more, they saw the genius of the Zhang Clan retreating in a fluster with a pale face. His hands were trembling non-stop, and his eyes were marked with horror.

"What happened?"

Those who had covered their eyes before didn't see what had happened previously, and they were baffled by the abrupt change in circumstances.

"It's the lightning tribulation!" a master teacher amidst the crowd exclaimed in agitation.

"Lightning tribulation?"

"That's right! Just a moment ago, Zhang Xuan's Primordial Spirit devoured the entire sky of lightning, but instead of assimilating it, he allowed it to wrap itself all over his body instead. Not only was Zhang Yunfeng's palm strike neutralized by that very lightning, he even suffered a backlash from his attack! Just look at his pale face! I reckon that his Primordial Spirit has suffered significant damage from that previous move!" the master teacher remarked excitedly.

"You said that he allowed the lightning tribulation to wrap itself all around his body so as to use it to protect himself?"

The crowd staggered on the spot.

It was true to devouring lightning would help to temper one's physical body and Primordial Spirit, but there was a huge problem in that course of action—it was extremely difficult to release the accumulated lightning within one's body. Over time, it could slowly wear down one's body, causing significant damage to one.

But when Zhang Yunfeng's palm strike fell on Zhang Xuan, he ended up drawing away the lightning within the latter's body, thus sparing the latter from the agony of the lightning while significantly injuring himself... It was two birds in a stone for Zhang Xuan.

"Could it be that... Zhang Xuan had guessed that Zhang Yunfeng would utilize this palm strike, so he intentionally gave the latter a three moves advantage in hopes of using the latter's strength to draw out the lightning within his body after tempering his body and soul?"

Someone suddenly shouted out.

In an instant, looks of disbelief and horror appeared on the faces of every single expert in the square.

If that was really an intentional act on Zhang Xuan's part, that would really be terrifying. That would mean that not only did he grasp the might of the lightning tribulation well, he had also seen right through Zhang Yunfeng's strength and personality as well!

Otherwise, if anything were to go wrong, the one who would be severely injured would be Zhang Xuan himself!

"Can he still be considered a human?"

Upon realizing what was going on, the crowd gulped down a mouthful of saliva as they glanced at one another. A deep fear rose from the depths of their souls.

It was one thing to be highly talented, but to be able to keenly see right through others as well...

If they were to face Zhang Xuan in a battle as well, would they stand a chance at all?

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Chapter 1307: Here Comes My Sword Sheath!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"This is exactly the aspect about Zhang shi that amazes others without fear. No matter how inconceivable a feat is, he's able to pull it off with perfect ease using unconventional methods..." Zhang Jiuxiao's eyes gleamed in admiration.

As an offspring of the Zhang Clan, he had grown up hearing about the greatness of the 'young prodigy'. As a result, he had grown up admiring the talents of the young prodigy, but in this moment, there was no one else in his eyes but Zhang Xuan.

No matter how formidable the young prodigy was, it was all based on the purity of his bloodline. How could he possibly compare to Zhang Xuan?

With sufficient time, Zhang Jiuxiao had no doubt that Zhang Xuan would be able to exceed the young prodigy and reach the very pinnacle of the world.

"He's indeed... exceptional." Zhao Xingmo muttered in a daze.

From the moment Zhang Xuan managed to defeat him easily during the preliminary selection, he had already known that the young man was anything but normal. Just, he couldn't have imagined that the young man would be so abnormal!

From the current looks of it, he would be able to forge a legend for himself even in the Sanctum of Sages, where geniuses were aplenty.

"You have had your three moves. It's my turn!" Zhang Xuan loosened his huddled body and stretched his neck before speaking with a grin.

The attack from the lightning tribulation was indeed within his calculations. He had compiled a book on Zhang Yunfeng through the Library of Heaven's Path, and there were several hundred flaws reflected there. Picking one of them out and designing a scheme to do him in was, honestly, not that difficult.

Sou!

With a swift movement reminiscent of a streak of lightning, he dashed right up to Zhang Yunfeng and stabbed his finger forward.

Huala!

A brilliant burst of sword qi reminiscent of a shooting star shot forth, and upon contact with the latter's Dominion, it easily creating an opening and pushed ahead.

Back when he was still at Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle, his strength was still too weak to overcome Zhang Yunfeng's Dominion. However, after the consecutive breakthroughs, his strength had already surpassed the limits of the latter's Dominion, such that it couldn't impede him any longer.

"Break!"

Seeing how the sword qi actually managed to breach the defenses of his Dominion, cold sweat immediately rained down Zhang Yunfeng's forehead. With a flick of his palm, he hurriedly took out a sheathed sword to fend against the sword qi.

Ding ding ding!

The sword qi collided with the sword sheath and produced a resounding sonic boom before dissipating entirely. On the other hand, Zhang Yunfeng was forced to retreat two steps before he was able to ward off the might of the sword qi.

"He used a weapon?"

"Considering that it's supposed to be a fair duel, his act of drawing a weapon should suffice for this duel to be ruled as his loss!"

"Those of the Sage Clans possess innumerable powerful artifacts in their possession. If artifacts were to be allowed in the duel, it would become a battle of wealth instead of a battle of strength!"

...

Even though Zhang Yunfeng didn't draw his sword out of his sheath, his very act of taking out a weapon still induced a wave of disapproval from the crowd.

Offspring of the Sage Clans had no lack of good artifacts. Any single one of them could easily drive others into despair. For this reason, even though there was no explicit rules banning the usage of artifacts in the Challenge of the Defeated, there was a tacit agreement amongst the candidates against it.

On the dueling ring, Zhang Yunfeng paid no heed to the commotion of the crowd beneath and quickly popped a pill into his mouth in order to recover from the injuries he had sustained from the lightning tribulation. After which, he turned to Zhang Xuan and said, "I must admit, you are indeed a formidable adversary.

"I might have drawn my weapon, but you don't have to worry. I know that you are a cultivator from Qingyuan Empire, so I won't bully you either. This sword of mine is known as Glacial Frost, and it's a half Saint high-tier artifact. It would be indeed unfair for me to fight you with it, but its sheath is only at Saint intermediate-tier... I'll just use this sheath, but you can use any weapon you want."

After which, Zhang Yunfeng pulled out his sheath and wielded it. A surge of concentrated Sword Intent flowed forth from him, emanating a great pressure on those standing before it.

Even though he was armed with a sheath instead of a sword, his sheer mastery in swordsmanship enhanced his fighting prowess by more than twofold.

"He's only going to use his sheath?"

"Well, considering that his sheath is a Saint intermediate-tier artifact, I guess that it would still be acceptable since he won't be relying on the superior strength of his weapon to achieve victory."

"On top of being a talented sword practitioner himself, he practices the profound sword arts of the Zhang Clan too. If Zhang Xuan were to accept the duel, there was no way he would be a match..."

"I've heard of how frightening the Zhang Clan's swordsmanship is as well. Zhang Xuan won't stand much of a chance against it..."

...

Such mutterings could be heard from the crowd.

As a half Saint high-tier artifact, once the Glacial Frost Sword was drawn, there would be no cultivator of the same cultivation realm as Zhang Yunfeng who could match him, much less Zhang Xuan. Naturally, the circumstances would be extremely unfair to Zhang Xuan.

However, if Zhang Yunfeng were to wield only the sheath of his sword whereas Zhang Xuan could choose to use any weapon of the same tier, the duel could still be considered to be fair.

"How about it? Do you dare to fight me?" Zhang Yunfeng looked at Zhang Xuan with a hint of provocation in his eyes.

"You're only going to use your sword sheath?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"That's right. You don't have to feel restrained by me, you can use any weapon you want!" Zhang Yunfeng replied, heaping even more pressure on Zhang Xuan to accept the duel.

"We have already competed on movement techniques and battle techniques, so shouldn't we compete on our weapon mastery as well? After all, only with a weapon in hand can a cultivator display his true fighting prowess. Besides, what I specialize in isn't bare-handed combat either."

"This..." Zhang Xuan revealed a hint of hesitation.

Indeed. With a weapon in hand, a person's fighting prowess could potentially rise exponentially.

Take Zheng Yang for example, without his spear in hand, there was no way he could have cleared the Dragon Gate Formation and become the Progeny of Combat.

Personally speaking, Zhang Xuan rarely used any weapons because his opponent tended to be too weak. After all, why go through the trouble of holding a weapon when a punch was sufficient to resolve the problem?

"May I first take a look at your prowess with the sheath before deciding whether I should use one or not?" Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before asking.

If Zhang Yunfeng's prowess with a weapon was formidable, he could still consider wielding a weapon. Otherwise, there was really no need to take out the Lingxu Sword for something as minor as this.

After all, it wasn't really his hobby to bully the weak.

"You want to take a look at my prowess with a weapon? Alright then, I'll grant your wish." With a light chuckle, Zhang Yunfeng pushed his palm forward, and his sheath immediately flew forth like a prowling snake pouncing upon its prey.

This was a rather peculiar move, carrying distinctive traits of both swordsmanship and spearmanship. It was ingeniously angled in a manner that aimed to seal multiple acupoints at once. If the strike were to really land on its target, the target would surely be incapacitated, losing all fighting prowess and even sustaining severe injuries!

"Not bad!" Zhang Xuan remarked as he flicked his fingers forward.

Multiple sword qi sprung forth, blocking the way of Zhang Yunfeng's sheath.

Ding ding ding ding!

It was a melody similar to a torrential shower raining down upon a roof. Watching as the sword qi clashed against his sheath, Zhang Yunfeng's eyebrows shot up as he pushed his palm up.

Hua la!

With a powerful sweeping movement, the sheath forcefully deflected the sword qi on it back toward Zhang Xuan.

Facing this sight, Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes and quickly retreated.

It was no wonder why Zhang Yunfeng proposed fighting with their weapons! In just a single encounter, it was already apparent that he was extraordinarily gifted in weaponry.

Even though he was only armed with a sheath, his pierce was as sharp as a spear, his sweep was as forceful as a pole, and every single maneuver was conducted with the agility and flexibility of a sword... With all these three coming together in a sword art, it became a technique nigh impossible to guard against.

Despite cultivating the Heaven's Path battle techniques of numerous weapons, Zhang Xuan still found himself in a fluster for a short moment there.

It seemed like weapon battles were really where Zhang Yunfeng's true forte lay.

Hula!

However, despite how swiftly Zhang Xuan was retreating, the sheath seemed to move at an even swifter speed, pursuing closely behind him. No matter how he attempted to swerve and dodge, he was unable to escape from the pursuit of the sheath.

"That is... Wave Treading Stride? He actually managed to infuse the movement technique into the manipulation of his weapon?" Elder Liu exclaimed in astonishment.

Wave Treading Stride was a movement technique that made use of the momentum of the opponent in order to advance or retreat, reminiscent of how a water strider drifted along with the waves.

As a movement technique, it was developed with the intention of facilitating the movement of a cultivator. Yet, who could have thought that Zhang Yunfeng would have actually integrated the technique into the manipulation of his weapon as well!

If Zhang Xuan couldn't find a way to knock away the sheath, it would continue following him as if a shadow. No matter where he escaped to or how fast he moved even, it would track his movements tightly, unable to be shaken off.

Hu hu!

Over on the dueling ring, Zhang Xuan had come to the same realization as well. Thus, he executed the Unbounded Treader and flitted away.

In the blink of an eye, he appeared at the other end of the stage. At the same, he raised his palm and thrust it forward.

Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm!

Due to the excessively swift movements of the Unbounded Treader, the sheath found itself unable to catch up for a moment when it was abruptly faced with the overwhelming strength of the palm strike. Colliding face on with it, a resounding explosion sounded. Following which, intense shockwaves rippled from the collision, causing the entire dueling ring to shake non-stop.

With this abrupt intervention, the sheath was forcefully shook out of its previous state.

"How about it? Does my prowess with a weapon in hand satisfy your criteria?" Retracting his sheath, Zhang Yunfeng asked with a hint of pride in between his brows.

He had viewed his ability to integrate Wave Treading Stride into the utilization of weapons as one of his greatest pride, and indeed, it was something worth being proud about as well.

"Not too bad!" Zhang Xuan nodded earnestly.

Using just a mere sword sheath, Zhang Yunfeng was actually able to leave him in a fluster for a moment there, nearly trapping him. Truly, as expected of a genius of the Zhang Clan. The means that he possessed were indeed formidable.

"Do you dare to fight against me for a round? You appear to be rather proficient in swordsmanship, so I presume that you are a powerful sword practitioner yourself too. Since that's the case, your fighting prowess should be much greater with a sword in hand, right?" Zhang Yunfeng continued.

"I'm indeed more powerful with a sword in hand, but my weapon is a little too powerful... I'm afraid that it will be unfair for you!" Zhang Xuan said with a conflicted look. "Why don't I use my sword sheath as well?"

"You are going to use your sheath too?" A disdainful sneer escaped fro Zhang Yunfeng's lips. "What I have shown your earlier is just the tip of the iceberg of my ability with a sword. In a real battle, I'll be far stronger than that... If you were to only wield a sheath as well, I fear that you might be severely injured in the battle!"

"That won't happen, you don't have to worry about that. Even without drawing my sword, I'm still plenty formidable." Zhang Xuan replied to Zhang Yunfeng's words with a leisurely smile.

"Oh? Very well, let me witness the prowess you are able to bring forth with just your sheath then!" Harrumphing coldly, Zhang Yunfeng raised his arms, and a powerful aura burst forth from him.

He had started practicing weaponry from a very young age, be it saber, spear, sword, halberd, pole... He had some degree of mastery in every single one of these conventional weapons, which was also how he could give spirit to a seemingly ordinary sheath, granting it strength that would make it invincible in its power class...

And yet, the other party actually wanted to face him with a sword sheath as well...

Are you joking with me?

Since you are that arrogant, let me put you back in your place then! You shall know that not everyone can be like me, Zhang Yunfeng, displaying superior prowess even with just a mere sword sheath equipped in hand.

"Are you certain... that you want us to fight using sword sheaths?" Zhang Xuan asked hesitantly.

"Of course, you were the one who said you want to use a sword sheath too!" Zhang Yunfeng sneered coldly. "Why? Are you planning on backing down at this point?"

"It's not that. I'm just a little worried. Well, look out then. I'll be taking out my sword sheath now..." With a conflicted expression on his face, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist.

Hu la!

Zhang Yunfeng was startled for a moment before he felt a mighty gale gushing at him. Raising his head, he saw a round platform several meters in radius falling right for his head.

Padah!

Before he could even process what was going on, he was already smacked onto the ground in a '太' shape. His feet which were barely exposed at the end of the round platform were twitching non-stop—at least a consoling indication that the poor man beneath was still alive. Nevertheless, this smack should have rendered him incapable of fighting anymore.

"This..." Seeing that the other party wasn't even able to take a single one of his attacks, Zhang Xuan scratched his head and said with a flat tone, "Ah, I should have warned you beforehand. My sheath is a little bigger than the others..."

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Chapter 1308: Accommodation

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

For many millenniums, the Lingxu Sword had been sealed in a mechanical stone platform. Back when he took the Lingxu Sword, Zhang Xuan did not neglect to take the stone platform with him as well to serve as the sheath.

As the stone platform was the work of a celestial designer, it was not ranked in the same manner as artifacts usually were. Nevertheless, if one really had to assign a tier to it, it was definitely insufficient to be considered a Saint high-tier artifact. Thus, from such a perspective, Zhang Xuan could not be considered to be cheating.

Just that... the stone platform was exceptionally heavy, and even Grand Dominion realm experts would have trouble lifting it. Otherwise, there was no way it could have kept the Lingxu Sword sealed in place for so many years either.

The fact that Zhang Yunfeng was able to survive having it smacked over him was already a huge blessing in itself.

"That's his sword sheath?"

"There's really a sword inserted on top of it!"

"But why in the world does he have such a massive sword sheath?"

"Poor Zhang Yunfeng..."

...

There was a brief moment of silence beneath the dueling ring, and everyone gulped subconsciously as they stared at the sight before them with twitching eyes.

This is too shameless!

The other party was holding a perfectly normal-sized sheath, but you took out such a massive one... who in the world would be able to withstand that?

At the same time, there were many candidates who heaved a huge sigh of relief as well.

It was fortunate that they did not foolishly step forward to challenge Zhang Xuan, or else the one lying beneath that slab of stone could have been them!

In any case, while Zhang Xuan's actions were unconventional, there was no questioning that it was within the scope of the rules that Zhang Yunfeng had come up with. Furthermore, Zhang Xuan had even given a warning in advance. Ultimately, Zhang Yunfeng only had himself to blame for his tragic plight!

Paying no heed to the shocked crowd, Zhang Xuan casually flicked his hand and returned his 'sword sheath' back to his storage ring, revealing the poor man crushed beneath.

Zhang Yunfeng's tongue was stuck out, his eyes had rolled backward, and his body was twisted like a dough stick. The deep fear that he felt prior to being knocked out was still firmly etched on his face.

His current state was truly wretched.

Just as Zhang Xuan was about to infuse a surge of Heaven's Path zhenqi into Zhang Yunfeng's body to heal his injuries, a powerful gust of wind suddenly blew, and a young man leaped onto the dueling ring.

"Hold it right there!" the young man yelled with a livid expression on his face.

After which, the young man walked over to Zhang Yunfeng and placed his fingers on the latter's acupoints. Upon realizing that the latter had only lost consciousness and that his wounds were not too severe, the young man heaved a sigh of relief. He fed a pill into Zhang Yunfeng's mouth before waving his hand, and Zhang Yunfeng's body slowly floated into the sky before drifting into the crowd below.

"Thank you for going easy on Yunfeng. I am Zhang Zhuo, Yunfeng's cousin. Allow me to apologize for Yunfeng's previous rashness." Zhang Zhuo clasped his fist as he spoke.

The impassive look on his face made it hard to discern whether it was an earnest apology or a threatening remark.

Nevertheless, Zhang Xuan still responded politely with a nod.

He remembered seeing Zhang Zhuo's name on the list of candidates who made it into the Elite Division—he had finished in 31st place.

"It's impressive that you possess such strength at your age despite coming from the Qingyuan Empire. If there's an opportunity in the future, I would be delighted to trade blows with you. However, I think that most of our fellow peers here must be exhausted from the entrance examination and are eager to rest, so let's not keep them any longer. Farewell." After saying those words, Zhang Zhuo turned around and leaped down from the dueling ring.

His movements were exceptionally nimble, perhaps a sign that he possessed exceptional capability in movement techniques.

Since Zhang Zhuo had departed as well, Zhang Xuan knew that there was no point in him remaining on the dueling ring any longer. Thus, he turned around and returned to his seat.

With the current fight concluded, Elder Liu turned to the crowd and asked if there were any other challengers.

A couple of candidates stood forward, unwilling to part with this hard-to-come-by opportunity to rise through the ranks.

Even though Zhang Xuan had used questionable methods to knock out Zhang Yunfeng previously, his ability to break through Zhang Yunfeng's Dominion still bore testimony to his true strength. As such, there were no Ordinary Division students who were so foolish as to challenge him anymore.

By the second hour, there were no more challengers. So, Elder Liu stepped forward with a smile and said, "Alright. Your accommodations have been prepared, and you can check them on your identity token. Lessons will officially start tomorrow, and you will be expected to report to your classes. So, take the chance to rest well today!"

The crowd swiftly nodded in response.

Zhang Xuan took out his identity token, and when he scanned it with his Spiritual Perception, a road leading to his accommodation appeared.

"Let's go!" Beckoning Zhang Jiuxiao along, Zhang Xuan began making his way over to the Sanctum of Sages.

Across the square, there were a set of towering doors with the words 'Sanctum of Sages' written on a plaque above. By the right side was the word 'Confucianism 1 '.

Zhang Xuan could not tell what level of painting it was, but the conception behind those words was extremely deep, to the point that it felt as if he was seeing an entire world through those words.

"These words were left behind by the first sanctum head of the Sanctum of Sages, Sage Kui. Studying these characters will be highly beneficial to furthering one's comprehension of painting," Zhang Jiuxiao told Zhang Xuan with a hint of excitement in his voice.

As a 7-star pinnacle painter himself, he knew how valuable these words were.

Without a doubt, high level paintings were definitely hard to come by. After all, there were only so many high-ranked painters on the Master Teacher Continent.

Even though those words had been there for several dozen millenniums, there was not the slightest hint of damage on them. They still looked as wholesome and fresh as if they had just been written a moment ago.

These words are able to absorb spiritual energy in order to heal any wear and tear on the ink, Zhang Xuan noted.

He could not have expected that the fellow who had been busy whittling a metal bar into a needle in the folded space would actually have such a deep comprehension of painting, capable of writing words with such deep conception.

Had he known it in advance, he would not have spent his time sleeping. If he had spent that time learning painting from the other party, he might have been able to make significant advancements in that occupation.

Knowing that those words would not escape from the entrance and he would have plenty of chances to study them in the future, Zhang Jiuxiao's gaze did not linger on them. Instead, eyes reddened in agitation, he looked at the tall doors before him and exclaimed, "So, this is the highest training institute on the Master Teacher Continent. Sanctum of Sages, I'm finally here!"

Born in a side family of the Zhang Clan, he had put in so much more effort than the members of the main family in order to obtain what came easily to them.

Wanting to be recognized by the Zhang Clan, he had traveled down to the Qingyuan Empire many years ago, just to vie for the slot that he would never obtain from the Zhang Clan!

For a very long time, he had viewed getting into the Sanctum of Sages as his dream, but he also knew too well how difficult it would be to do so. He had devoted his heart and soul to it, but not once did he dare bear too much hope, fearing that the disappointment upon failure would crush his soul. However, after going through so much, he had still finally accomplished his dream.

Perhaps it was because he had seen through Zhang Jiuxiao's feelings, Zhang Xuan suddenly spoke up. "A powerful bloodline will only put you at a starting line above others. Ultimately, to reach the top, you can only rely on yourself."

There was no one in that world who did not desire a superior constitution, an overpowered bloodline, and outstanding talent. However, those would only put one at a higher starting point than others. In order to reach the very peak, what was more important was undying perseverance and unyielding diligence.

Zhang Xuan, for example, did not possess outstanding talent, a formidable teacher, or an overpowered bloodline. In fact, it would be no exaggeration to say that he had started from zero. Yet, he still managed to slowly take one step forward at a time from the Tianxuan Kingdom to the Sanctum of Sages.

This was not because he possessed astounding talent that far surpassed the others or that he had exceptionally good luck that would get him out of every single quandary he faced. Rather, it was because he had an unyielding heart that pushed him forward relentlessly!

Without such an intense desire to grow, it was impossible for one to become a true expert!

"Yes!" Zhang Jiuxiao nodded.

As soon as they walked into the Sanctum of Sages, the first thing that they noticed was that the concentration of spiritual energy in the surroundings was many times higher compared to a moment prior. On top of that, there was a unique aura drifting in the area that seemed to refresh one's mind, granting greater clarity of thought.

"No wonder it can draw so many humans in, it's indeed a blessed land for cultivation!"

Rich in spiritual energy, as long as Zhang Xuan could gather the required Heaven's Path Divine Arts, even if he did not go through the trouble to search for spirit stones, he would still be able to advance his cultivation swiftly.

In ten years, he would still be able to become a 9-star master teacher and stand at the peak of the world.

The place where he was living was not located too far away from the entrance. Following the directions on the jade token, he soon arrived at a residence. The concentration of spiritual energy within the residence was even more impressive. Even a non-cultivating human would be able to enjoy an increased lifespan and gain immunity to all diseases by walking in the area.

By this moment, Zhang Jiuxiao had already parted from him. As the latter was a student in the Ordinary Division, he could only live in the shared dormitory. Naturally, the privileges of the two could not be compared.

In a sense, the system was rather similar to that of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. The top students were granted accommodation in manor-like residences whereas ordinary students could only live in shared dormitories.

However, while Zhang Xuan's lodging was much better than most of the other students, as he was ranked at the very last in the entrance examination, the residence he was allocated was located at one of the more remote edges, and it was the worse one out of the many others.

Walking up to the gates of the residence, Zhang Xuan took out his jade token, and the seal immediately opened. Zhang Xuan pushed the door open, and just as he was about to walk in, an elegant figure suddenly walked up to the residence beside him and stopped.

It was the young lady from the Glacier Plain Court, Chen Leyao!

Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and said, "Fairy Leyao, thank you for your words of advice during the duel."

If not for the other party informing him that the Zhang Clan's bloodline ability was Time Compression, he would have taken a bit more effort to defeat Zhang Qian.

"Zhang shi, you are too polite," Chen Leyao quickly replied. "I was only doing what I should do!"

The young man before her was the teacher of their young court chief, and she was also indebted to him due to his revision of the Yin Formula. To be honest, she felt a little embarrassed that she had not stepped forward to help him when he was in a difficult position.

Watching as the young lady unlocked the adjacent residence, Zhang Xuan asked in puzzlement, "Is this where you are staying?"

He was in the very last place of the Elite Division, so it was only given that he was allocated the residence at the very corner. However, he was certain that Chen Leyao's ranking was in the thirties, so it did not make sense that they were living adjacent to one another!

"I heard that Zhang shi was staying here, so I swapped with another person," Chen Leyao said with a smile.

Considering that the adjacent residence was the accommodation of the person ranked 49th, it went without saying that the person had been more than willing to make the swap with Chen Leyao.

"Swap?" Zhang Xuan was slightly startled to hear that.

"Yes. You are the teacher of our young court chief, and you have resolved the most major problem of our cultivation techniques, so you are my benefactor too. If there's anything you need, feel free to request it of me; I'll rush over and have it done as soon as possible!" Chen Leyao said with a smile.

Actually, a greater part of the reason was that she was worried that the Zhang Clan would make things difficult for Zhang Xuan. By living in the adjacent residence, she would be able to look out for him.

No matter what, she was the one who had caused the conflict between them.

"You're too polite." At this point, Zhang Xuan came to a realization.

That explained why the young lady's attitude toward him had changed all of a sudden. She had realized that he was Zhao Ya's teacher.

The reason he dared not say that Zhao Ya was his student was because he feared that an ordinary disciple of the Glacier Plain Court would not be aware of the matter, and it would only worsen the conflict between the both of them. However, since the young lady was aware of it... that made things much easier.

"Since you know of the relationship between Zhao Ya and me, may I ask if you have a long-distance Jade Communication Token or something of the sort? I would like to speak a few words to her, if that isn't a problem." Zhang Xuan immediately looked at Chen Leyao expectantly.

Back then, when Zhao Ya left, he still did not have a Communication Jade Token to give her. Besides, even if he did, considering the vast distance that sat between them, there was no way his messages could have gotten to her.

Since the young lady before him was a disciple of the Glacier Plain Court, she was bound to have a channel of communication to contact the headquarters. Perhaps, she might just be able to put him in contact with Zhao Ya.

After half a year apart, it would have been a lie if he said that he did not miss his student.

"I do have a long-distance Jade Communication Token here, but from the Sanctum of Sages, it would have to be augmented by a supporting formation before it can reach our young court chief. This supporting formation isn't easy to set up, and due to my lacking cultivation, I will require three months at the minimum," Chen Leyao said.

"Three months?" An inconspicuous hint of a frown emerged on Zhang Xuan's forehead. "May I know what grade the supporting formation is? I happen to know a thing or two about formations, so perhaps I might be able to offer some help!"

In view of the long lifespan that cultivators had, three months could not be considered a long period of time. A simple seclusion could easily take this amount of time. But to Zhang Xuan, it was a little too long. If it was a simpler formation, perhaps he would be able to help to set it up so as to save some time.

"It's a grade-8 formation," Chen Leyao replied.

"Grade-8?" Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before nodding. "As long as the formation isn't too complex, I should be able to set it up. May I take a look at the formation blueprint?"

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Chapter 1309: Vicious' Awakening

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

While his comprehension of formations was still limited at 7-star, his foundations were firm because he had studied the Heaven's Path Formation Art. If required to, as long as he studied the formation blueprint carefully, he would be able to set up basic grade-8 primary formations with ease.

"Alright!"

The supporting formation was a specialized formation to augment the transmission range of the Jade Communication Token, and it was not really a confidential secret or that sort, so Chen Leyao did not have to hold it back from Zhang Xuan. With a flick of her wrist, she passed a formation blueprint over.

Zhang Xuan took the blueprint and began studying it.

To make an analogy to his previous world, if the Jade Communication Token could be viewed as a cell phone, the formation would be a cell towers, serving to strengthen the transmission signals so that the message would be able to travel a greater distance.

As simple as it sounded in theory, it was not that easy to carry it out in practice.

It's a grade-8 primary formation, and with my current comprehension of formations, I should be able to set it up easily. Zhang Xuan frowned. However... I'll still take around three days, and the work required for that will be highly intensive. That'll be too troublesome.

While his comprehension of formations was already on par with most 8-star low-tier formation masters, there were simply too many aspects that one had to take note of when setting up the formation. The slightest mistake in the amplification of the transmission signal could very well destroy the structure of the Communication Jade Token, so it was imperative to be absolutely careful in every single one of the details. As a preliminary estimate, Zhang Xuan deemed that it would take at least three days for him to finish setting it up.

Three days just to set up a formation... that was too extravagant!

Knowing that he was limited by his understanding of formations, Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before coming up with a plan. Looks like it's time for me to take the 8-star formation master examination!

It was due to his lack of understanding of formations that resulted in his inability to effectively set up the formation. However, as long as he could clear the 8-star formation master examination and access the books about grade-8 formations, he should be able to reduce the time required significantly.

Noticing Zhang Xuan's frown, Chen Leyao asked, "Is Zhang shi able to set up the formation?"

"I'm still a little lacking." Zhang Xuan shook his head before asking with a smile, "Right, do you know where I can take the 8-star formation master examination in the Sanctum of Sages? I would like to first take the examination before studying how I can set up the supporting formation. I think it would be safer this way."

As the highest training institute of the Master Teacher Continent, the Sanctum of Sages were bound to house branches of other occupations. Otherwise, how would the students of other occupations advance their skills here?

Most importantly of all, master teachers had to clear the prerequisite for their supporting occupations before they could take the master teacher examination.

"Everything related to the examination of supporting occupations and the sort can be found in the Hall of Erudition. I have looked into the matter previously, so I know its rough location. Why don't I show you there?" Chen Leyao answered with a smile.

"I'll be troubling you then."

Through the identity token, he had also gained a rough idea of how the Sanctum of Sages functioned. It was divided into multiple halls, each of them serving a different purpose. However, the structure still differed significantly from that of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy and the Combat Master Hall.

The Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy and Combat Master Hall were divided into respective occupation schools or cultivation divisions, such as the Beast Tamer School and Apothecary School for the former, and Martial Arts Division and Soul Division for the latter.

On the other hand, the Sanctum of Sages mainly consisted of Five Halls, and they had nothing to do with occupations or the sort.

They were namely: Attainment, Solidarity, Propriety, Erudition, and Integrity!1

Hall of Attainment 2 , the place where teachers taught and student learned as well as where the impartation of knowledge, learning of techniques, and inheritance of culture took place.

Hall of Solidarity, a training ground with all kinds of trials in order to temper one against the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. It served to promote camaraderie and cooperation among fellow students.

Hall of Propriety, the area where duels and battles were conducted.

Hall of Erudition, where occupation examinations were conducted and cultivation technique manuals were stored, the place where students would unlock their wisdom.

Hall of Integrity, the place where students reinforced their state of mind and tempered their character.

Attainment, Solidarity, Propriety, Erudition, and Integrity 3 ; Graciousness, Altruism, Respect, Frugality, and Tolerance 4 . These were the five pillars of the Sanctum of Sages.

Students who had come here to cultivate not only had to be strong—more importantly, they had to be principled and cultured.

"Zhang shi, you are too courteous!" Chen Leyao nodded before leading the way forward.

The Hall of Erudition, despite being termed as a hall, was not an actual building. Rather, like the Ten Schools of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, it referred to an entire branch of the academy.

Just the type of occupational examination grounds numbered more than a hundred.

The duo proceeded forward swiftly, and roughly ten minutes later, they arrived at the entrance. The first thing that they saw was a massive wall that was crafted using some unknown material, and carved at the center was a massive character that induced warmth and tranquility in one.

智 (Erudition).

This calligraphy... looks very familiar... Zhang Xuan unwittingly halted his footsteps.

The calligraphy for the '智 (Erudition)' character was vastly different from that of the 'Sanctum of Sages' plaque at the entrance. Even though it did not emanate an overwhelming aura, it created a conception of vastness that was as high as the heavens, as broad as a seemingly endless plain. This reflected the broad-mindedness of the one who had left behind the calligraphy, the great dreams that he harbored for the world.

While Zhang Xuan was still bewildered by the sense of familiarity he felt from the painting, a voice suddenly sounded in his mind.

"This is... Kong shi's writing!"

"Vicious, you are awake?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

The person was no one other than Vicious, who had fallen into a dormant state for nearly an entire month after consuming the other Vicious of the Marshlands.

"Yes. Fortunately, I have managed to assimilate that fellow into me!" Vicious replied with a slightly agitated voice.

"How are you feeling? Is there any advancement in your cultivation?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Vicious was his trump card, so if the other party's strength grew, it would indubitably be beneficial to him.

"Master, after fusing together with my head and my eyes, my strength has grown by leaps and bounds. In my current state, even Saint 7-dan cultivators won't be a match for me," Vicious replied proudly.

"Saint 7-dan?" Zhang Xuan was slightly astonished.

Just a month ago, that fellow had only been at Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle, and yet, just by fusing together with his brain and eyes, he had managed to advance two cultivation realms! This sure was scary!

Just what kind of people was he surrounded by? Each of them seemed to be even more monstrous than the other. How pressuring...

There was nothing he needed to say about his clone, and judging from what Chen Leyao had said earlier, Zhao Ya's cultivation was bound to be far higher than his at the moment.

And now, even his subordinate had gained the ability to subdue Saint 7-dan cultivators.

"After assimilating the head, I have received a more wholesome understanding of my heritage, especially in terms of soul cultivation. Currently, I have soul cultivation techniques all the way up to Saint 9-dan," Vicious said.

"That's great!" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

The soul cultivation technique manuals he had obtained from Mo Hunsheng only reached Transcendent Mortal, so after reaching Saint realm, he had no choice but to stop his soul cultivation for quite a while. After which, he managed to compile the complete Heaven's Path Soul Art for the first four dans of Saint realm, and he had also raised his soul cultivation up to Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle.

With the soul cultivation techniques from Vicious, as long as he could find soul cultivation-related manuals in the future, he would be able to compile them together to form complete Heaven's Path Soul Art manuals and advance the might of his soul.

Wait a moment...

A doubt flashed across Zhang Xuan's mind. Aren't soul cultivation techniques unique to the heritage of soul oracles? Why would Vicious possess them as well?

According to what he had gathered from Mo Hunsheng, soul cultivation techniques were a unique heritage of the soul oracles whereas Vicious was an Otherworldly Demon. So, why would Vicious possess such a deep understanding of soul cultivation techniques, possessing complete manuals of them even?

Forget it, there's no point thinking about that at the moment.

Knowing that it would be pointless to think too deep into matters that he did not have an answer to at the moment, Zhang Xuan continued asking, "Other than soul cultivation techniques, do you have any zhenqi cultivation techniques?"

Vicious was an expert who had rivaled Kong shi many years ago, so the cultivation techniques that he practiced were bound to be incredibly profound. If he could learn them too, that would be deeply beneficial to furthering his fighting prowess.

"I do have a few cultivation techniques, but those are intended for Otherworldly Demons, so I fear they might not be compatible with your constitution. Nevertheless, I'll just send them over to you."

After hearing those words, Zhang Xuan immediately felt a surge of knowledge shooting into his mind.

Since even he was capable of transmitting knowledge, considering how Vicious had assimilated the knowledge of the other Vicious too, such a thing was bound to be even easier for him.

After browsing through the knowledge he had just received, Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Indeed, I won't be able to cultivate those cultivation techniques."

He could still study the soul cultivation techniques, but the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe's cultivation techniques were completely useless to him.

There was a vast difference in the physique of a human and an Otherworldly Demon, and this was a fundamental problem that even the Library of Heaven's Path could not bridge. As a result, no matter how talented he was, there was simply no way he could practice those cultivation techniques.

"What a pity..." Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.

If only he could practice those cultivation techniques, he would have been spared from a great deal of trouble, and it would have been more convenient for him to achieve breakthroughs.

But from the looks of it, it seemed like it was all a pipe dream.

After which, both of them continued chatting for a while.

Even though the brain did possess most of Vicious' memories, the immense damage that it had suffered then and the passing of several millenniums had resulted in quite a few memories blurring out. For example, he could only remember the vague outlines of the affairs concerning Kong shi.

Knowing that there would be plenty of opportunities to interrogate Vicious in detail now that he was awake, Zhang Xuan decided to get back on track for the time being. Recalling what Vicious had mentioned earlier, he could not help but ask, "Right. you said earlier that this character was left behind by Kong shi. What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what it means! The '智 (Erudition)' character was written my Kong shi, and it's of a much higher level than the writing he left at the Saint Ascension Platform. If I could devour it, it would be able to call forth power far greater than before!" Vicious remarked in excitement.

"Devour?" Zhang Xuan's face immediately darkened.

This fellow sure knows how to dream!

This is the Sanctum of Sages, the highest training institute of the Master Teacher Continent! You actually want to eat Kong shi's writing here... Before you can even do the deed, you will be pummeled into the ground first!

Perhaps, even I would be implicated by you as well!

"You'd better wipe that thought out of your mind!" Zhang Xuan harrumphed coldly before turning his gaze back to the calligraphy.

It was no wonder it looked familiar to him. He had studied the writing he had obtained from Kong shi back at the Saint Ascension Platform many times, so he was already familiar with the latter's handwriting.

Seeing that Zhang Xuan had abruptly stopped before the calligraphy, Chen Leyao explained with a chuckle, "This '智 (Erudition)' character is wholesome and well-connected, reminiscent of the sparks of inspiration within a person's mind. Frequent admiring of the calligraphy will help to enhance one's analytical ability, thus opening the doors to erudition."

"I see." Zhang Xuan nodded.

This character was indeed far more profound than the words Kong shi had left behind back at the Saint Ascension Platform, be it in terms of conception or aesthetics. Even Zhang Xuan felt like whatever turbidity was weighing down his mind would be cleansed if he observed it for prolonged periods of time, thus enhancing his thinking ability.

As expected of a work from Kong shi... In comparison, it seemed like Sage Kui's words still needed much more work.

"No wonder most powerful clans are intent on sending their offspring over to the Sanctum of Sages to study. Putting everything aside, just this calligraphy alone already has the ability to stabilize one's Primordial Spirit and reinforce one's cultivation. On top of that, it can also suppress any inner demons, granting peace and tranquility," Zhang Xuan remarked in awe.

With Kong shi's massive character standing guard, even inner demons would not dare wreak havoc.

Perhaps, this was the main reason most powerful clans would willingly send the most outstanding of their offspring to receive the heritage and guidance of the academy.

After staring at the calligraphy for a little longer, Zhang Xuan turned his head back to Chen Leyao and said, "Let's go in!"

"Un." Chen Leyao nodded, and the two of them headed into the Hall of Erudition.

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Chapter 1310: The King of Destruction (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

After passing several streets, Zhang Xuan finally found the location where the formation master examination was held. He pushed open the door and walked in.

Its interiors were exceptionally cold and quiet, and there were only a couple of people inside. This formed a stark contrast to the bustle that the other Formation Master Guilds outside enjoyed.

"There's a strict limit to the number of candidates that the Sanctum of Sages recruit each year, and only formation masters possessing extraordinary talents or capabilities would be able to get in. On the other hand, ordinary students would rarely come over here unless they had to take the formation master examination." Chen Leyao explained.

"It's better this way. I like the quiet." Zhang Xuan replied with a smile.

Most of the examination he had undergone in the past were filled with people, such that regardless of what he did, he would have to queue up. It was terribly troublesome.

This should be able to spare him a fair bit of trouble, and it was also aligned with his humble and quiet personality.

"Are the two of you here to challenge the formation master examination?" At the front reception, a receptionist who seemed to be in his early thirties stepped forward with a bright smile on his face.

The emblem weaved into her robe reflected that he was a 6-star formation master.

"Un. I would like to take the 8-star formation master examination." Zhang Xuan said.

"8-star?" The receptionist was stunned for a moment before asking, "You?"

"Yes." Zhang Xuan nodded.

The occupations of the Master Teacher Continent maintained a very strict hierarchy concerning the access to books. Only when one's mastery of the occupation had reached the required rank would one be able to read the books deemed to be corresponding in terms of profoundness.

If he wished to browse through grade-8 formation books, he would have to become an 8-star formation master first.

And with his current proficiency, it shouldn't be much of a trouble for him to clear the examination.

"Ah, pardon me. It's just that you are so young and I was slightly taken aback for a moment." An awkward smile flashed across the receptionist's face as he quickly continued on. "May I know if you have brought your 7-star emblem with you here? I'll help you process your application."

"Here." Flicking his wrist, Zhang Xuan passed the 7-star formation master emblem over.

Guild Leader Han of the Qingyuan Empire Formation Master Guild had helped him apply for it after witnessing his skills relating to formations back at the Qiu Wu Palace.

Catching it, the receptionist took a look at the name and flipped open a book. After checking for a moment, he suddenly raised her gaze to look at Zhang Xuan doubtfully, "According to the records, Zhang shi, it has only been two months since you cleared the 7-star formation master examination. Are you certain that you want to challenge the 8-star formation master examination so quickly?"

Typically speaking, even the highly talented students of the Sanctum of Sages would require several decades of accumulated experience and knowledge before they would be ready to tae the 8-star formation master. Yet, this fellow had just barely cleared the 7-star formation master examination two months ago, and he was already challenge the 8-star examination? This was too fast!

"That's right." Zhang Xuan nodded affirmatively.

"Noted. I have processed your application. Alright, come with me." Seeing that the young man was certain on the matter, the receptionist quickly went through the administrative procedures before leading the way forward with a smile.

Those who were able to enter the Sanctum of Sages were either from prestigious clans or possessed extraordinary talents. He was only an ordinary receptionist, so there was no way he would dare to show any disdain or disrespect toward them.

Very soon, they arrived in a room. The receptionist bowed to an elder standing in the midst of the room and said, "Elder Su, Zhang shi over here wishes to challenge the 8-star formation master examination."

Weaved before the elder's robe was a formation master emblem, and on it, eight brilliant stars shimmered. At the same time, Zhang Xuan felt a wholesome sensation from the elder's cultivation, and he found that he was unable to tell how strong the latter was without the latter making a move.

Given so, it was likely that the elder's cultivation realm was at Saint 7-dan at the bare minimum.

"Kong shi has once preached education without discrimination. Those who seek to learn can all become his students. As such, the Sanctum of Sages doesn't just have master teachers but those of other occupations as well. The elder is probably a pure formation master." Zhang Xuan thought.

Through reading the information contained in his identity token, he managed to gain quite an understanding of the Sanctum of Sages.

While master teachers practiced supporting occupations as well, due to their time being divided over a wide span of occupations, it was inevitable that their mastery and depth of knowledge concerning specific occupations would be beneath that of those who specialized solely in it.

Take Pavilion Master Wu of the Qingyuan Empire for example, while he possessed considerable mastery as a formation master, when put in comparison with Guild Leader Han who specialized as a formation master, his skills would be barely worth a mention.

Every single unique occupation was profound and powerful, such that even the devotion of a lifetime wouldn't be sufficient to explore the depths of it, let alone for master teachers who regarded them as supporting occupations.

And the disparity in proficiency would only grow larger and larger as one approached the top.

For this reason, the teachers who taught supporting occupations in the Sanctum of Sages were those who specialized in the specific occupations instead of master teachers.

This way, the students would be able to gain a better insight into what each of these occupations fully comprise and was capable of.

"You wish to take the 8-star formation master examination?" Elder Su took a look at the information which the receptionist had passed to him, and a deep frown emerged between his brows. "To take the 8-star examination, your cultivation would have to reach Grand Dominion realm at the very minimum, but you are only at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage at the moment. You won't be able to set up a grade-8 formation due to your lacking cultivation."

The difficulty in setting up higher grade formations didn't just lie in their enhanced complexity but the greater demand in terms of zhenqi purity and capacity as well. For such a reason, there was a strict requirement on cultivation for formation masters.

Zhang Xuan didn't attempt to conceal his cultivation, so Elder Su was able to see through it with a single look.

"Reporting to Elder Su, even though Zhang shi's cultivation is only at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage, in terms of zhenqi, he pales nowhere in comparison to a Grand Dominion realm primary stage cultivator!" Chen Leyao interjected.

"If that's true, I guess I can consider making an exception for you. Alright, follow me." Elder Su nodded.

Having resided in Sanctum of Sages for a very long time, he had seen all kinds of geniuses. If the young man did possess such capability, it would be fine to make an exception for him too.

"Thank you, Elder Su. If I may ask, how do you intend to assess my zhenqi?" Seeing that he wasn't shut down on the basis of his lacking cultivation, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

It would really be troublesome if he could only take the examination once his cultivation reached Grand Dominion realm primary stage. He would have to find higher tier spirit stones and the corresponding cultivation techniques for it too. By the time he was done, it would already be several days later.

"We do have a formation that's specially used to assess one's zhenqi." Elder Su said before shaking his head in exasperation. "However, it was just destroyed by that 'King of Destruction' when he came over earlier, and we haven't been able to fix it yet!"

"King of Destruction?" Zhang Xuan was perplexed by that term.

"Indeed. He's a student who just got into the Sanctum of Sages a few years back. On his very first year, he challenged the examinations of three supporting occupations and brought about great devastation to all three examination grounds. This is already the third time he's taking the 8-star formation master examination... Hai! This is the reason why our branch appears so cold and quiet too. All of our elders have rushed over to supervise his examination, fearing that he would tear down our Steps of Formations..." Elder Su rubbed his glabella in distress.

"Brought great devastation?" Zhang Xuan was intrigued by those words. "What kind of devastation did he bring?"

In the past, he used to cause an upheaval each time he took an examination, but as the days went by, he eventually calmed down, becoming more dignified and mature. Putting everything aside, just look at how the Mountain Gate was still standing even after he had made his round through it.

"What kind of devastation did he bring?" Those words left Elder Su snorting so angrily that even his beard flew into the air. "I don't know for the other occupations, but in the three occasions that he had come over, he had destroyed at least an item each time! The first time, he destroyed the formation plate which I spent two months inscribing with difficulty! The second time, he destroyed an isolation chamber... And this time around, I thought that he just wanted to try out his strength, but he ended up destroying that strength-assessing formation of ours. Honestly, if it's possible, I would ban that King of Destruction from setting foot onto our branch ever again!"

"To actually devastate the same location three times... he sure is too much!" Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in disbelief at what he was hearing.

Even in times that he accidentally caused any damage to an examination facility or the sort, it would only be a one-time off affair. Yet, that fellow actually caused destruction in the same place thrice... That was really going overboard!

It was no wonder why the other party was addressed as the King of Destruction!

"Indeed. It's just an examination, does he really have to cause some damage each time he comes? You really can't imagine how furious I get each time I see him!" Elder Su slammed his palm on the table furiously.

"My sentiments exactly! I also find those who destroy public property and make themselves public nuisances abhorrent... But of course, if one were to do it unintentionally, that would be a different matter altogether..." Zhang Xuan remarked vehemently in agreement.

It was one thing to do it unintentionally, but those who create destruction with malicious intentions sure were abominable!

"Forget it, let's not talk about that fellow anymore!" The more Elder Su spoke about the matter, the more furious he felt. If he hadn't felt so indignant regarding the matter, a person of his standing would have never nagged about the issue before a student like that either.

After venting his frustrations, Elder Su turned to Zhang Xuan and nodded in satisfaction, "You aren't too bad."

Normally, whenever he spoke bad things about the King of Destruction, the other students would fidget timidly on the spot, not daring to even breathe loudly. Yet, not only was this young man unafraid, he even unabashedly revealed his resentment for the King of Destruction as well.

This made the goodwill he felt for the young man before him shooting furiously up the meter.

"Alright, you should start making some preparations. I'll assess your strength right now." Elder Su contemplated for a moment before saying.

"Preparations? Elder Su, didn't you say that the strength-assessing formation has been destroyed? How do you intend to assess my strength?" Zhang Xuan asked in intrigue.

"Simple. I'll suppress my cultivation to Grand Dominion realm primary stage and cross blows with you. As long as you can withstand three blows from me, I'll consider it as your pass!" Elder Su said with a smile.

Under normal circumstances, he had the right to refuse a candidate if his cultivation was beneath the mark, not to mention that the strength-assessing formation was destroyed too... But what could he do? The student before him just happened to meet his eye!

So, he decided to make a special exception.

"Alright!"

Zhang Xuan was still wondering what kind of examination he would face when he heard those words, and he heaved a sigh of relief.

"Good. Let's do it here then!" Elder Su stood up and walked to the center of the hall.

The hall was extremely spacious, so there were no problems having a fight here.

Geji! Geji!

Suppressing his cultivation down to Grand Dominion realm primary stage, Elder Su waved his hand and said, "Feel free to use your full strength. Even though this is an impromptu test to assess if you possess strength on par to a Grand Dominion realm cultivator, it is still a formal test, so don't expect me to go easy on you!"

"I'll try my best!" Zhang Xuan nodded grimly.

Even though the elder had suppressed his cultivation, it was very likely that he was a Saint 7-dan expert. Be it in terms of eye of discernment or reflexes, he was bound to be far stronger than Zhang Yunfeng. It would be foolish to hold back against such an opponent.

Hu!

With a swift Z-step maneuver, Zhang Xuan dashed for Elder Su.

The movement technique he was utilizing was a Saint intermediate-tier battle technique from the Qingyuan Empire Combat Master Hall. It aimed to prevent one's opponent from launching any surprise attack through a constant change in positioning and movement trajectory.

Due to the intricacies in the movement technique, there were very few who would use it in a real battle. However, Zhang Xuan managed to integrate it perfectly into his attack, flitting swiftly from left to right as if a specter.

"Not bad." Elder Su's eyes lit up.

Considering how the young man before him was only at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage, he had thought that it was an exaggeration to say that the young man possessed strength on par with a Grand Dominion realm cultivator. However, looking at the swiftly-moving silhouette before him, he realized that there might be some credence to those words after all.

Weng!

While harboring such thoughts, Elder Su released a powerful surge of energy from his body, forming a Dominion of five meters radius around him.

Tz la!

Shrouded within a Dominion, Zhang Xuan's movements immediately slowed down, as if he had descended into a bog.

"I'm going to be making my move. The first attack will be Palm of the Elephant-Dragon. It's a technique that harnesses the might of elephants and dragons, and further enhanced by my Dominion, it won't be easy for you to overcome it. So, do be careful..."

The young man before him had heartily listened to his grumbles and even displayed enmity toward the King of Destructions as well. This had left him feeling deep feeling of goodwill for the young man. As such, even though he wasn't planning on going easy, his very warning showed his care and concern for the young man.

"I'll give it my all." Hearing that, Zhang Xuan immediately felt an adrenaline rush through his body.

With a swift flit, he executed the Unbounded Voyager.

Fighting against Zhang Yunfeng had given him a deeper insight into how a Dominion worked. In essence, being impeded by a Dominion was somewhat equivalent to having a force acting against one. In a sense, it could be viewed as a rope pulling one back, hindering one from making any movement.

However, while the rope was taut on one end, it would be relatively slackened on the other.

The reason why Zhang Xuan had used a Z movement earlier was to draw Elder Su's attention into impeding his sideward movement, so that the abrupt use of the Unbounded Voyager would be able to catch Elder Su off guard. And as expected, before the latter could process what was going on, he had already managed to close the gap between the both of them.

With a flick of his wrist, he attacked with a palm strike of his own.

The other party had said that the Palm of the Elephant-Dragon wielded immense strength, so just to be cautious, he used the most powerful palm art he knew against it in retaliation—Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm!

Boom!

The two palms collided with one another.

"What?"

Not expecting the other party to close in the distance between the both of them so swiftly and even execute such a powerful palm art, Elder Su's eyes narrowed in alarm. Before he could even speak, a force harnessing crushing momentum was already crashing down on him.

"How could he be so powerful..." Feeling as if he had been struck by a comet, Elder Su's lips twitched uncontrollably.

In the instant of collision, he felt as if someone had shattered every single bone in his body, and he was immediately sent flying backward.

In mid-air, he attempted to unseal his cultivation to ward off the momentum of the attack, but the relentless might of the other party's palm crushing down on him denied him of any chance of doing so.

Boom!

His crashed heavily into the wall of the room, creating a massive hole behind him.

Kacha kacha!

Due to the overwhelming might of the crash, a massive crack swiftly crept up the wall, all the way up to the roof.

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Chapter 1311: King of Destruction (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"This..." Chen Leyao's eyebrows shot up as an ominous premonition arose in her mind.

If she recalled correctly, all that supposed King of Destruction did was destroy a formation. But what Zhang Xuan had just done was tear down the entire main hall of the branch...

"Ah?"

While Chen Leyao's expression had turned unnatural, Zhang Xuan was also scratching his head in incomprehension.

Where is the might of the elephants and dragons that we agreed upon?

Where is the indomitable strength that will be difficult for me to withstand that you spoke of?

Just a single palm, and you were already sent flying. Not to mention, you even crashed through the wall. Is it really fine for you to go that easy on an examinee you are assessing?

"You..." Struggling out of a pile of dust, Elder Su's face was so warped that it almost felt as if he would lose his mind.

As an elder invigilating an examination, he had actually been sent flying by the examinee.

More importantly, he had even warned the other party to be careful of the formidable might behind his palm.

Be careful your head!

The one who should be freaking careful is me!

"This... Elder Su, there are still two blows remaining. Actually, I only used a half of my strength in the earlier attack, so..." Zhang Xuan said hesitantly.

"You only used a half of your strength?" Elder Su suddenly wobbled on his feet as he became lightheaded.

"I held back a little when I executed my palm strike earlier," Zhang Xuan explained.

That was not a lie. He did rein in his strength a little.

He would rarely display his full strength in a battle unless he deemed it absolutely necessary to do so. In view of Elder Su's supposed powerful palm strike, he had chosen to face it with his strongest move, Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm, but he had still held back in terms of strength.

On top of that, in order to maximize the might of the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm, the attack should come down a downward trajectory. In order to capitalize on the speed of the Unbounded Voyager earlier, he could only execute it with a horizontal trajectory, so its strength was further reduced.

"..." Elder Su's lips twitched uncontrollably.

Despite only facing half of the young man's strength, he still nearly ended up crippled.

If the young man had used his full strength in the previous palm strike, would he have lived to see tomorrow's sun?

Are you really sure you are a Leaving Aperture realm primary stage cultivator and not a Saint 7-dan cultivator?

Silence drifted in the air for some time, and unable to endure the suspense, Zhang Xuan spoke up once more. "Elder Su, if you find that I'm still lacking, I'll put in my full strength for the two remaining moves!"

"Cough cough! It's enough. There's no need for you to face my remaining two moves. I believe that you wield strength comparable to a Grand Dominion realm primary stage cultivator!" Elder Su quickly waved his hand.

As a formation master, his strength would not be on par with master teachers. Nevertheless, even when suppressing his cultivation, he would still be far stronger than most Grand Dominion realm cultivators. Yet, despite his strength, he had been sent flying with a single palm strike from the young man.

With that alone, there was no need for him to continue with the remaining two blows.

"Thank you, Elder Su!" Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Since his strength had reached the mark, that meant that he was eligible to take the 8-star formation master examination. Once he succeeded, he would be able to contact Zhao Ya later in the night.

"There's no need to stand on ceremony," Elder Su said as he rubbed his two trembling hand together.

He discreetly whipped out a pill, swallowed it, and released the seal on his cultivation; only then did he feel his injuries alleviating slightly. After which, he glanced at the massive crack in the middle of the hall, and his mouth twitched slightly. Just as he was about to find someone to repair it, flurried footsteps sounded, and an elder abruptly barged into the room.

"Old Su, you were right. This time, with the whole lot of us staring at him, that fellow didn't dare cause damage anymore, and he's currently challenging the examination obediently. Do you want to take a look as well? It's not a common sight to see him so calm..." the elder exclaimed in agitation.

Kacha! Kacha!

Before the elder could finish speaking, the crack on the wall suddenly began advancing once more, crawling over the entire ceiling. It seemed that the elder barging into the room and his loud voice had destabilized the condition in the room.

Hualala!

Dust began fluttering to the ground.

The elder who had just entered the room finally noticed that something was amiss, and lifting his head to look at the ceiling, he shrieked in shock, "Ah! What's that?"

That shriek happened to be the straw that broke the camel's back. Unable to endure it any longer, the room began to shake intensely.

Boom!

The entire room came crashing down.

Rocks, dust, and everything that was in the ceiling collapsed to the ground. Zhang Xuan and the others hurriedly drove their zhenqi to fend off the falling rubble, and only then were they spared from the calamity.

When everything finally settled down, Elder Su took a look at the complete wreckage around him, and he nearly burst into tears.

It should have been a simple test to assess the lad's strength, resolved with three simple blows. How did it come to this?

Admittedly, the hall had not been built with durability in mind; nevertheless, as a work of celestial designers, its resilience was not to be underestimated. For several centuries, he had lived here with nary a problem, and even after the previous visits of the King of Destruction, the hall had managed to remain standing. Yet, just by crossing palms with this fellow, the hall had been reduced to such a state.

The more he thought about it, the more stifled Elder Su felt. Eventually, he could not help but direct an accusatory gaze at the standing young man not too far away.

Upon catching sight of the daggers in Elder Su's eyes, Zhang Xuan's hands instinctively shot up and pointed to the elder who had just entered, and he exclaimed in an innocent and indignant voice, "I wasn't the one who destroyed the hall; he did! It has nothing to do with me!"

"..." Elder Su.

"..." The elder who had just entered.

"..." Chen Leyao.

A moment later, the elder swept away a brick on his head and the debris on his shoulders before turning to Elder Su with a look of bewilderment. "Old Su, this is... Just what's going on?"

"It's nothing much. I was in the midst of assessing Zhang shi's strength when in a moment of carelessness..." Hearing the elder's question, Elder Su's face immediately flushed red. Eventually, he still found himself unable to speak of the exact reason.

He was simply too embarrassed to speak of that matter! Even though he did lower his cultivation to Grand Dominion realm primary stage, the opponent he faced was only at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage! Furthermore, not only was he sent flying, the impact of his crash even caused the entire hall to collapse. How could he possibly admit to a matter like that before his old acquaintance? Did he not want his pride anymore?

If he really came clean, that blabbermouth would surely spread it far and wide, and it would be a matter of hours before every soul in the Sanctum of Sages knew of his humiliation.

"In a moment of carelessness?" The elder scratched his head in confusion, and dust rained down from his hair.

"Alright, there's no point talking about this matter anymore. Zhang shi over here intends to take the 8-star examination, so take him to the Steps of Formations!" Fearing that his old friend would continue pursuing the matter, Elder Su anxiously changed the topic at hand.

"He wants to take the 8-star examination too? Very well, follow me." Nodding, the elder began leading Zhang Xuan away.

"Un." Zhang Xuan and Chen Leyao quickly followed him.

Elder Su hesitated for a moment, but eventually, his gut feeling told him that it might not be safe to leave Zhang Xuan alone, so he decided to follow along as well.

After leaving the rubble, they walked for some time before a staircase came into view.

This staircase was extremely bizarre. There was nothing above or below supporting it, and it simply floated off the ground, ascending straight into the sky, as if leading to a heavenly palace of some sort.

"What's this?" Zhang Xuan asked curiously.

He could tell that there were many formations inscribed on each of the steps of the staircase and in the surroundings in order to allow them to float. Nevertheless, it was still a rather impressive feat.

"This is what we call the Steps of Formations, and this is where we conduct the formation master examination!" the elder explained with a chuckle.

"Steps of Formations?"

"Un. Every single step here contains a unique formation, be it Illusory Formation, Slaughter Formation, Beguilement Formation, and many others. Some of them even require one to set up a formation in order to decipher it. All in all, there are ninety steps here, and every ten steps is equivalent to the increment of a star in rank," the elder explained.

"As long as you can reach the 80th floor, that will mean that you have cleared the 8-star formation master examination!"

Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

In a sense, this was similar to the Sea of Formations that he had encountered previously. Basically speaking, the formation master had to display their prowess through overcoming all sorts of formations that stood in their way in order to clear the examination.

Once the examinee reached a certain mark, that would signify that they had cleared the examination.

Also, depending on where the examinee had stopped, that could also be used to determine how far had their mastery of formations had reached. For example, reaching the 75th step would mean that they had achieved the proficiency equivalent to a 7-star high-tier formation master.

Of course, this examination was clearly at a different level to the Sea of Formations. Some of the formations even required one to set up a formation in order to clear. It would be highly testing on one's state of mind, creativity, and knowledge of formations.

Even for Zhang Xuan, this examination could pose quite a bit of a challenge.

While the both of them were still chatting, Chen Leyao could not help but ask, "Elders, may I ask if those standing on the steps are all challenging the examination too?"

Taking another look, Zhang Xuan realized that there was a total of five people standing on the staircase.

These students did not continue heading up. Instead, each of them was standing atop a step. Their eyes were tightly shut, almost as if they were in a daze or in the midst of deep contemplation. Or maybe, they were already consumed by the formation, unable to struggle free.

"Indeed, they are currently challenging the formation, too!" Elder Su nodded. "Two are taking the 5-star and 7-star examinations, and one is taking the 8-star examination!"

Zhang Xuan took a closer look and noted that two of the students were standing on steps in the forties, two on steps in the sixties, and one on steps in the seventies.

After a moment, Zhang Xuan asked curiously, "The King of Destruction you spoke of earlier must be the highest student up there, right?"

He had heard from the elder who barged in earlier that the King of Destruction had not completed his examination yet. Given so, it would make sense for the latter to still be on top.

Previously, Elder Su had said that the King of Destruction was intending to take the 8-star formation master examination as well, just like him, so by deduction, he would be the one in the seventies.

Elder Su harrumphed in displeasure. "Indeed, that's him!"

Who in the world would like to be around someone who could cause massive devastation all of a sudden?

Intrigued, Zhang Xuan took a closer look at the King of Destruction and noted that he was a young man who seemed to be in his thirties. His figure looked a little slim and slender, and he was dressed in a light gray robe. As the other party's back was facing him, he was unable to make out his facial features, but he could vaguely feel a cold and lofty aura emanating from him.

Zhang Xuan did a swift calculation before remarking with a smile, "He seems to be on the 79th step. I wonder if he will be able to take the final step forward."

In this moment, all the steps suddenly began shaking wildly, as if a rampaging beast had crashed heavily onto it.

"The hell, the King of Destruction is attempting to destroy our Steps of Formations! Hurry up and stop him!" an anxious voice yelled.

Shortly after hearing those words, Zhang Xuan suddenly realized that there were a couple more elders sitting by the staircase, and they were dressed similarly to Elder Su. Most likely, they were the other elders dispatched to keep the King of Destruction in check.

The elder who had shouted earlier had an anxious look on his face, and as he spoke, he quickly gathered zhenqi in his palm and pumped it into the staircase before him, seemingly attempting to stabilize the Steps of Formations.

Unfortunately, there were simply too many formations on the steps. As powerful as that formation was, he was not strong enough to stabilize the entire structure by himself.

"What are you all waiting for? Hurry up and help out!"

In this moment, Elder Su could not pay attention to Zhang Xuan any longer. He quickly flew forth and pumped his zhenqi into the Steps of Formations as well.

With six powerful formation masters making a move simultaneously, the staircase's shaking did lessen. However, in this moment, the young man on the 79th step suddenly opened his eyes and lifted his leg. Just as he was about to step on the 80th step, the steps beneath his feet finally reached their limits.

Hong long!

With a resounding explosion, everything collapsed. Countless formations flew across the air, causing the spiritual energy in the surroundings to fall into chaos.

"This..." Zhang Xuan gulped subconsciously. "He really is the King of Destruction!"

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Chapter 1312: It's Really, Really Hard To Obtain One's Emblems Through Application

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Hu!

The steps were eroding and the formations were collapsing. Before the other examinees could process what was going on, they suddenly felt the ground beneath them vanishing, and 'putong!', 'putong!', all of them fell to the ground, creating huge depressions beneath them.

Opening their eyes, they scanned their surroundings with a dazed look, unsure of what was going on.

We are only here to take the formation master examination. Can anyone tell us... what in the world is going on?

"King of Destruction, you must compensate our Steps of Formations!"

"If you can't fix it well, don't even dream of leaving!"

"You bastard, I'll kill you!"

"Elder Su, don't get reckless. You won't be able to defeat him..."

Elder Su and the others felt burning rage gushing into their minds, and they immediately sealed the surrounding space as they stared at the young man in the sky with hatred burning in their eyes.

The Steps of Formations had been in the Sanctum of Sages since time immemorial. Countless geniuses had been assessed by it, but never had any problem cropped up before. Yet, it was reduced to rubble as soon as that fellow came!

How could they possibly not be burning with rage?

"I..."

The King of Destruction also didn't seem to know what was going on either. With a dazed look on his face, he looked down at the collapsed staircase beneath him, as if still trying to figure out what had just happened.

"I really didn't do it on purpose... Could it be that the quality of the Steps of Formations is made out of inferior materials?" the King of Destruction asked with a helpless shrug.

"Inferior your sister 1 !" Unable to take it any longer, Elder Su roared in anger.

You said that it was made out of inferior materials?

So many people had challenged it, but it was still able to remain standing across all those years. Yet, as soon as you came, it ended up collapsing... How can you have the cheek to say it's made out of inferior materials?

"Su Bing, I have warned you before. Don't you dare insult my sister..." Upon hearing the cursing, the King of Destruction's face immediately darkened as a threatening glint emerged in his narrowed eyes. A hint of killing intent emanated from him.

Hong long!

In the blink of an eye, the figure in the sky had already appeared right before Elder Su.

Alarmed, Elder Su raised his hand to receive the King of Destruction's attack in a fluster, but before he could make it in time, he already felt a sharp pain in his chest. A foot had struck him squarely.

Peng!

While spurting blood in mid-air, he crashed right into a wall not too far away and created yet another massive hole in his wake.

"That fellow is strong..." Zhang Xuan's lower jaw fell in astonishment.

Elder Su's true strength was at Saint 7-dan at the very minimum, and yet, he was still unable to withstand a single strike from the King of Destruction... It seemed like despite the young age of the King of Destruction, the strength that he wielded was not to be underestimated!

What was particularly impressive was the speed he traversed from the sky to Elder Su at. It was as if he had stepped right through space, achieving a speed that was on par with his Unbounded Voyager!

"Calm down, calm down! Su Bing didn't do it intentionally... It's just out of a moment of rage that he misspoke..." Seeing that one of their companions had been sent flying with a kick, the other elders glanced at one another in shock for a moment before hurriedly rushing up to placate the King of Destruction, fearing that the young man would fly into a rage once more.

"I told you before. Criticize me if you want, but never ever insult my sister. If I were to hear a single word regarding my sister coming out from your mouth..." the young man said as he glared coldly at the elders standing before him.

Facing the young man's menacing gaze, the lips of the elders twitched in fear.

"Y-yes... Old Su, what are you waiting for? Get over here and apologize!" one of them turned around and bellowed.

"Cough cough!" Climbing up from the rubble with difficulty, Elder Su spurted a mouthful of blood upon hearing those words. With a tearfully indignant expression, he walked forward, clasped his fist, and said, "I apologize for my previous faux pas, and I seek your forgiveness for the matter..."

To be sent into the wall twice in a single day...

What the heck is this!

Hearing Elder Su's apology, the coldness on the King of Destruction's face finally alleviated, and he nodded in satisfaction, "That's more like it. You better take note of it in the future, alright?"

"Ah..." Zhang Xuan and Chen Leyao glanced at one another in utter shock.

No words could describe what they were feeling at this moment.

Too arrogant!

That fellow had turned the examination ground to rubble, and yet, when one of the elders reprimanded him for the matter, he actually just rushed forward to beat him up...

It was in this moment that a seed of doubt was planted in Zhang Xuan's mind—Had I actually been too amiable in the past?

Admittedly, he did cause quite a bit of destruction in the past, but he would always try to make up with it by offering all kinds of compensation, sometimes even offering to repair it back to perfection. On the other hand, the young man in front of him was completely unreasonable, not even bothering to apologize for what he had done!

So what if I destroyed it?

Just try criticizing me, and I'll make you crawl all over the ground, searching for your fallen teeth!

"Alright. There's no need to give me a gift or anything of that sort as an apology. I am a rather casual person, and I don't like to cause excessive trouble either." the King of Destruction waved his hand leisurely.

Those words left the elders of the Formation Master Guild branch nearly collapsing to the ground.

We are only apologizing to you... Who in the world is going to give you a gift?

Furthermore, casual? Don't like to cause excessive trouble?

At the rate you are going, even killing all of us here would be a trivial matter to you, right?

"Is that how it's supposed to go?" Overwhelmed with shock, this was the only thing that was on Zhang Xuan's mind at this moment.

It was no wonder why the other party was called the King of Destruction, he was indeed vicious!

Compared to the other party, he was truly lacking. There was really no ground for comparison between the both of them.

"Regarding the Steps of Formations..." With faces reddened in indignation, Elder Su and the others couldn't stand it any longer, and they pointed to the rubble on the ground.

"Don't bother with words of apology or that sort anymore. What's more important right now is that I haven't finished by 8-star formation master examination yet. You all should hurry up and find a way to repair it first." the King of Destruction interjected.

"This..." The crowd was stifled speechless by those words.

Even Zhang Xuan was left in a state of shock.

Was it really fine for one to be that shameless?

It was one thing not to offer any compensation after destroying the other party's property, but to pummel the other party up and even demand it to be fixed as soon as possible... Really, did that fellow have no sense of shame?

"It seems like I'm still thin-skinned as compared to him!" Zhang Xuan thought in embarrassment.

All those who had chased after me due to the destruction I have caused, did you see that?

That's the real King of Destruction standing right there!

What I did can only be considered as a small disturbance at the very most, not even worth a mention!

"The Steps of Formations was constructed by eight 9-star formation masters dispatched by the headquarters, and they took three months in total before they finished building it. Our strength isn't sufficient to repair it." Elder Su said with a reddened face.

9-star formation masters were basically capable of creating any formations beneath grade-9 in an instant. However, to compress a formation into the size of a single step, and have it trigger immediately as soon as someone came into contact with it so as to assess him... That was definitely no easy task.

Even formation masters of their rank would need to take a fair bit of time before they could pull off something like that.

"You aren't able to repair it? But I need to clear the formation master examination as soon as possible. I don't have much time to waste!" the King of Destruction frowned in anger.

"Actually, there's no need for you to worry. We have all seen that the circumstances of the examination earlier, and you have already reached the 79th step, just a step away from reaching the 80th. That is sufficient to show that your prowess is already on par with 8-star formation masters. We can help you apply for an 8-star emblem straight so that you don't have to take the examination anymore!" At this point, Elder Su didn't even want to argue with the King of Destruction anymore. All he wanted to do was to send the other party away as quickly as possible.

It was already bad enough for it to be destroyed once. If they were to allow that fellow to challenge it once again after it was repaired, who knew what would happen the next time around? Since that was the case, they might as well just clear the fellow and send him on his way.

In any case, given the previous circumstances, it was apparent that he was about to reach the 80th step when the Steps of Formations abruptly collapsed. Thus, in a sense, they weren't compromising on the examination either.

"You want to apply for an 8-star emblem for me?" the King of Destruction was taken aback. "How can that do? I always seek to clear my examinations with my own ability. Such shortcuts just aren't for me! Besides, formations have always been my greatest weakness, and since I'm already taking the examination, I should use it as an opportunity to temper my skills too... I don't need you to apply the emblem for me!"

"..."

Elder Su and the others clawed at their hair.

Are you done yet?

We have already admitted defeat, even offering to give the emblem right into your hands, so why are you still rejecting it... Will you only be content after you have driven all of us mad?

"This... Elder Su, may I interject for a bit?" Seeing how the atmosphere had turned awkward, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but step forward to interject.

"Zhang shi, feel free to speak!" Elder Su clasped his fist.

Zhang Xuan had also destroyed the hall earlier on, but compared to the King of Destruction, the other party still felt pure like an innocent, white lily. Furthermore, after what the King of Destruction had done, the contrast between the both of them made him feel that Zhang Xuan's character was actually not too bad.

"Is it impossible to take the examination now that the Steps of Formations have collapsed?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Actually, this was what he was more concerned about.

He needed to clear the 8-star formation master examination as soon as possible so that he could access the grade-8 formation books. This way, he would finally be able to meet the disciple that he hadn't meet for a very long time... Would the collapse of the Steps of Formations mean that his plans were going to fall through?

"This..." A conflicted look surfaced on Elder Su's face. "Actually, it's not that there's no other way to conduct the examination, but the time required might be a little longer..."

"Oh? What's the other way?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

"We can make an application to the headquarters right now and have them send over a brand new formation blueprint over. The examinee will start studying it on the spot and attempt to set it up. As long as the examinee succeeds, and the tier of the formation meets the mark, he would be considered to have cleared the examination..." Elder Su paused for a moment before saying.

In truth, this was the most direct manner to assess a formation master. However, having a 7-star pinnacle formation master set up a grade-8 formation would require at least several months of effort. Due to how exhausting and lengthy the examination was, as well as the great number of examinees that challenged the formation master examination each year, such an ineffective method had been gradually eliminated with time.

"In order for a formation to display its true prowess, one would have to harmonize it together with the surrounding environment, and considering the complexity of a grade-8 formation, it would indeed be far more time-consuming." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"However, I'm willing to undergo this examination!"

It was true that most 7-star formation masters would take a very long time to set up a basic grade-8 formation, but Zhang Xuan was different. With just a sweep of his Eye of Insight, he would be able to determine the ideal locations where he should plant the formation flags at. Even if that didn't work, he still had the Library of Heaven's Path to fall back on.

As such, setting up a basic grade-8 formation could be said to be a walk in the park for him.

"Since there's such a method as well, I want to take the examination too!" Before Elder Su could reply to Zhang Xuan's remark, the King of Destruction had already spoken up once more.

"You wish to take the examination too?" Hearing that the King of Destruction was going to continue with the examination, everyone shuddered in fear.

"That's right!" the King of Destruction nodded affirmatively.

Seeing the frightened look on the faces of the elders, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but step in, "This friend over here. Actually, since Elder Su and the others are going to apply for an emblem for you, there's really no need for you to take the examination anymore. Why do you want to go through so much trouble?"

Since that fellow could already obtain the 8-star formation master emblem, why in the world was he being so troublesome here?

"Having an emblem applied for one is like being taken pity upon. I don't need anyone's pity!" the King of Destruction harrumphed coldly.

"Since the Formation Master Guild is willing to give the emblem out to you, it shows that they have already acknowledged you. Since that's the case, how can that be considered as pity?"

At this point, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out his emblem. "Look, this formation emblem I have over here was applied for me by Guild Leader Han of the Qingyuan Empire Formation Master Guild. I didn't even attend the examination!"

"This..." The King of Destruction frowned in dilemma. "It should be hard to get an emblem applied for one, right?"

To be able to have one's emblem directly applied for one was definitely no easy task. If the other party was able to get the head of a Formation Master Guild to do it for him, could it mean that the other party was an incredible genius as well, just like him?

"You're right. It's really, really hard to obtain one's emblem through application. After all, how often do you see a person obtaining his emblem through application?" With a deep sigh, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, and a whole string of emblems appeared before him.

"But well, what can I say... my 7-star demonic tunist emblem—applied. 7-star apothecary emblem—applied. 7-star painter emblem—applied. 7-star terpsichore emblem—applied. 7-star appraiser emblem—applied. 7-star physician emblem—applied..."

"..." King of Destruction.

"..." The elders.

"..." Chen Leyao.