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

42. 1313

Library of Heaven's Path #Chapter 1313 - Your Sister - Read Library of Heaven's Path Chapter 1313 - Your Sister Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

Chapter 1313: Your Sister

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Cough cough! Zhang shi, it's fine. You can keep your stuff!" Clutching his heart, Elder Su couldn't bring himself to look at them.

What the heck was with all of them?

In a sense, having one's emblem applied for one was similar to being given a direct admission into branded schools. Typically speaking, it was extremely difficult to encounter something like that, almost nigh impossible. Yet, the fellow before him actually took out a whole pile of emblems and they were all freaking applied for...

More importantly... he even had the cheek to say that it was really, really difficult to obtain emblems by application...

Is this really how 'really, really difficult' is to you?

Why does it seem like you are intentionally bragging about it to us instead?

"You obtain all of these through application?" The eyes of the King of Destruction widened as his breathing hastened. "Just how much destruction did you cause to receive such treatment?"

He had to visit this branch thrice and destroy the Steps of Formations before Elder Su offered to apply for the emblem in his stead... Could he have possibly found a comrade in the same path?

"Destruction? Of course not! It's not like I'm into destroying stuff or anything!" Zhang Xuan hurriedly waved his hand in denial. "I had all of these applied for me through my personal charisma!"

"Personal charisma? Hmph, I don't believe you! If you weren't destroying any of their stuff, why would they go through so much trouble to specially make an application for your emblem? Alright then, why don't you tell me how you managed to receive your 7-star formation master emblem then?"

"Back then, they encountered a grade-8 seal which they were unable to decipher. I managed to open up a hole in the formation, and it's through that which I earned the approval of the Qingyuan Empire Formation Master Guild..."

Thinking back, he met Guild Leader Han back at the entrance to the Qiu Wu Palace. He was attempting to create an opening in a seal containing the rampaging energy in the volcano, and after a series of misunderstandings, he eventually managed to win Guild Leader Han over through his capabilities.

"Open up a hole in a formation? How is that any different from destroying?" The King of Destruction clicked his tongue in displeasure. "What about your 7-star apothecary emblem then?"

"I obtained that through rendering the head of the Qingyuan Empire Apothecary Guild speechless during a Pill Debate. The spectacle was truly amazing then, the entire Apothecary School of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy ended up... ended up..." It was at this moment that Zhang Xuan realized he had misspoken, but with everyone's eyes staring intently on him, he had no choice but to continue on. "... being torn down..."

The lips of the King of Destruction curled up into a smirk, "Aha, I knew it! What about your 7-star appraiser emblem?"

"While appraising a painting, I scraped off a layer of it and exposed a problem in it..." Zhang Xuan's voice gradually grew more and more diffident.

"Your 7-star demonic tunist emblem?"

"I ended up knocking out all of the divine cranes in charge of the examination, and as there weren't sufficient cranes to conduct the examination anymore, School Head Jiang ended up specially applying for the 7-star emblem for me..."

Thinking back on those incidents, cold sweat started to rain down Zhang Xuan's back.

True, he didn't destroy buildings frenziedly like what the King of Destruction did... But it honestly felt like his actions were not any better though?

All along, he had viewed himself to be a good person, but the more he spoke, the more he felt that he was the villain instead...

"And you still refuse to call that 'destruction'?" The King of Destruction stared at Zhang Xuan with a smug look. "Earlier, I seem to have heard some explosion sound from the direction where you all came from earlier. Did something happen?"

"While testing out my strength, I accidentally... tore down the main hall..." Zhang Xuan replied awkwardly.

The King of Destruction clicked his tongue, "Is this the personal charisma you speak of?"

"I..." Zhang Xuan was rendered speechless.

He was still confident in himself a moment ago, thinking that it was how outstanding he was that he managed to get others to apply for his emblems. But looking back now... could they have done so out of fear to placate him, so as to prevent him from causing any more damage?

But... it was not like he did all of that intentionally!

Anxious, Zhang Xuan turned to Elder Su and the others in hope of finding some support from them, only to see their bodies trembling uncontrollably and their faces livid in fear.

It was already bad enough for a King of Destruction to barge into their home... Just what in the world did they do so wrong for the heavens to send two homewreckers into their branch?!

All they wished for was a life of peace, was this simple wish of theirs really that difficult to fulfill?

Seeing all of the fearful looks directed at him, Zhang Xuan could only lower his head in resignation. Realizing that it was impossible for him to salvage his reputation anymore, he quickly changed the topic, "Elder Su, I think you should hurry up and make the application with the headquarter. I intend to take the examination to obtain the 8-star formation master emblem..."

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Really, all he wanted to do here was to take the examination. He had no intention of causing any trouble at all!

No wonder why the King of Destruction was unwilling to have his emblems applied for him. At this point, it seemed almost as if the occupation guilds would only specially apply emblems in order to placate troublemakers...

"I'll take the examination together with him!" the King of Destruction interjected.

Elder Su looked at the two of them for a moment before slowly nodding. Then, he turned around and left the room.

An examination to set up formation was troublesome, but it shouldn't be possible to cause too much damage through that. This course of action was at least acceptable to him.

Not too long later, Elder Su returned. "This is the elementary grade-8 formation which I have just applied for from the headquarters. I'll give you three days to study it, and as long as you can successfully construct it within three months, I'll consider it as your pass!"

After which, he flicked his hand, and a formation blueprint appeared before the duo.

The blueprint was extremely complex, making it extremely hard to harmonize it with the surrounding environment. Even though it was only an elementary grade-8 formation, it was at least several times more intricate than that of a 7-star pinnacle formation.

However, it's still a lot easier to set up than the supporting formation Chen Leyao showed me... After taking a look, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Even though he was a 7-star formation master, his understanding of formations was already on par with most 8-star primary formation masters. While he would have trouble constructing some of the more profound grade-8 formations, for elementary ones like this, it was still no trouble at all.

"Haha, I am known to be one of the fastest readers in my clan. It seems like I'm going to complete it faster than you!" While Zhang Xuan was still harboring such thoughts in mind, he suddenly heard the hearty laughter of the King of Destruction beside him.

"You are a fast reader?" Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan turned a glance over.

"Indeed. Despite the complexity of this formation, I'm confident that I would be able to fully comprehend it within half a day!" the King of Destruction declared proudly.

For a young man in his thirties to wield strength which even Elder Su was no match against, there was no doubt that the King of Destruction was a person of great talent, possessing skills that surpassed most ordinary men.

"What about you?" After speaking his piece confidently, the King of Destruction turned to look at Zhang Xuan intently. There was a bright smile of his face, but the look of competitiveness in his eyes was impossible to miss.

It wasn't rare for him to find a fellow 'avid destroyer', and it was even more coincidental that the both of them were challenging the 8-star formation master examination at the same time. Considering the various similarities between the both of them, it was inevitable for him to compare himself against Zhang Xuan, wanting to see who would be the superior one.

"You are asking me?" Zhang Xuan was slightly surprised by that abrupt question.

He hesitated for a moment, and instead of answering the question straight, he turned to Elder Su and asked, "Are there formation flags for grade-8 formations here?"

"Of course, we have them all prepared!" Elder Su wasn't sure why Zhang Xuan would suddenly ask such a question, but he still flicked his wrist, and a huge pile of grade-8 formation flags appeared on the ground.

"Thank you." With a smile, Zhang Xuan waved his hand, and all of the formation flags immediately flew into the air.

Then, he snapped his fingers.

Huala!

The several hundred flags immediately flew into the surroundings, plunging themselves into the ground all around the room.

"What is he up to?"

Seeing Zhang Xuan tossing the formation flags all of a sudden, everyone was startled. They had no idea what he was up to.

On the other hand, paying no heed to the crowd's shock, Zhang Xuan took a few steps back and stomped his feet.

Weng!

With a buzzing sound, a formation came into life. Mist immediately crept into the room, hindering the sight of all those who stood within.

Grade-8 formation... activated!

"I'm done!" Zhang Xuan clapped his hands to rid the dust on them. "I have finished setting up the grade-8 formation."

"..." The King of Destruction.

"..." Elder Su and the others.

"..." Chen Leyao.

"Cough cough!"

It took a very long time before Elder Su and the others were able to recover from their shock. The various elders quickly checked the various aspects of the formation for the first time, the second time, and the third time, but they were unable to find any single problem with it at all. In the end, they could only give a nod of approval, "There's no problem with the formation Zhang shi has set up. I hereby declare that Zhang Xuan, Zhang shi, has cleared the 8-star formation master examination!"

"..." The King of Destruction felt so stifled on the inside that he could hardly breathe.

To be honest, he was intending to compete with Zhang Xuan and show off a bit before him, but in the end... he only ended up having his own face slapped instead!

He wasn't even done reading through the content in the formation, but the other party was already done setting up the formation...

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Wasn't this a little too fast?

"Forget it, Elder Su. I don't want to take the examination anymore. Help me apply for my 8-star formation master emblem instead!" The King of Destruction waved his hand and harrumphed in displeasure.

"This... Alright then!" Elder Su nodded.

This was what he had offered the other party from the start anyway. Besides, considering that it was the King of Destruction they were dealing with, it was always better to be safe than sorry.

"Thank you." The King of Destruction nodded. He took a glance at the destroyed Steps of Formations and said, "I'll have my men to compensate the damages here, and I'll find someone to have the Steps of Formations repaired back to its original state as soon as possible too."

"We'll be counting on you then..." Hearing those words, Elder Su and the others visibly heaved a sigh of relief.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan nodded inconspicuously in approval as well.

All this while, he had thought that the King of Destruction was an extremely unreasonable person, causing damage here and there without taking responsibility for his actions. But from the looks of it now, that wasn't exactly the case.

While his actions did inconvenience others, he did make reparations for them afterward, so his actions were still barely acceptable.

"There's no need to stand on ceremony." the King of Destruction replied before turning over. "Your name is Zhang Xuan?"

"That's right." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"You are a freshman who just came in this year? Otherwise, there's no way I wouldn't have heard of your name!" the King of Destruction asked with uplifted eyebrows.

The ability to set up grade-8 formation instantaneously was, without a doubt, an extremely powerful capability. If there had been such a figure in the Sanctum of Sages before, he would have surely heard of him before.

"That's right."

"Not bad. Talented and skilled, yet humble and low profile, just like me. I like you!" The King of Destruction nodded in satisfaction.

"You're too kind." Zhang Xuan replied with a polite smile.

Considering the King of Destruction's strength, he was bound to be from an extraordinary background.

Being on good terms with a person like the King of Destruction was definitely a good thing for him.

"I'll be leaving now. If you intend to challenge the examinations of any other occupations in the future, feel free to call me along. I have connections in many of them, so they would usually give me some leeway!" the King of Destruction said.

Zhang Xuan quickly thanked the other party.

After which, the King of Destruction began making his way out.

Watching at the departing back, Zhang Xuan turned to Elder Su and the others with a doubtful look and asked telepathically, "Elder Su, may I know which clan is the King of Destruction from?"

It was apparent that Elder Su and the others had been relatively docile before the King of Destruction. While it was true that the King of Destruction possessed great strength, Elder Su and the others should have connections in the Sanctum of Sages too, and they were backed by the Formation Master Guild as well, so they shouldn't have been any need for them to treat the other party so respectfully.

In other words, the King of Destruction must have a powerful background which even Elder Su and the others were fearful of. Otherwise, given his track record, he would have long been expelled from the Sanctum of Sages!

"You... don't recognize him?" Elder Su and the others were speechless.

After all that had been said and done, you actually don't know who the King of Destruction is?

Zhang Xuan replied with a nod.

"He's from the Luo Clan, Luo Xuanqing!" Elder Su replied.

"Luo Clan, as in the Sage Clan?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

It just happened that he was looking for members of the Luo Clan, but who could have thought that the young man before him would actually be one of them! To wield such strength at his age, he should possess considerable standing in the Luo Clan, right?"

With this thought in mind, Zhang Xuan asked anxiously, "May I know what is Luo Xuanqing's identity in the Luo Clan?"

"His identity?" Seeing that Zhang Xuan really didn't know a thing at all, a helpless look surfaced on Elder Su's face. "He's the sixth son of the head of the Luo Clan. If you still don't know who he is, you should have heard of the famed little princess of the Luo Clan, right, The little princess is his younger sister..."

He is... Ruoxin's elder brother? So, my brother-in-law? Zhang Xuan froze in the spot.

In the next moment, he quickly turned around, and upon seeing that King of Destruction Luo Xuanqing hadn't gotten far, he immediately shouted out, "Broth... Luo Xuanqing, Brother Luo..."

Hearing that someone was shouting for him, Luo Xuanqing turned around with a frown.

Upon seeing that the other party had turned around, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but tremble in agitation at the thought that he would be able to learn about Luo Ruoxin's affairs very soon. He began speaking, "Your sister..."

"You sister!" But before Zhang Xuan could finish his words, a furious bellow boomed across the air.

Following which, Luo Xuanqing abruptly appeared before him, and a fist crashed right into his face.

Peng!

Zhang Xuan was sent flying away, and he struck the wall behind him head first.

Boom! Huala!

The entire building had already been in a fragile state after Elder Su's crash, and with Zhang Xuan crashing into it now too, everything around them began collapsing.

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Chapter 1314: Reunion

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"In view that this is your first offense, I'll let you off this time. However, if you dare speak another word about my sister, don't blame me for taking your life!" After sending Zhang Xuan flying, Luo Xuanqing harrumphed coldly and left.

In the blink of an eye, he had already vanished from the spot.

"..."

Rubbing his head, Zhang Xuan quickly climbed up from the rubble. He wanted to stop Luo Xuanqing from leaving, but it was already too late. Thus, he could only stare helplessly at the entrance of the branch.

All I wanted to ask is some news on Ruoxin... I have no intentions of scolding you or your sister!

Do you need to get that agitated?

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan drove his Heaven's Path zhenqi to recover from his wounds.

He couldn't help but feel a little dispirited. Despite all the breakthroughs he had made recently, he was still too weak.

Earlier, the other party had appeared before him in an instant, such that he didn't even have time to react before his body was sealed in place, preventing him from even speaking a single word. If only he was a little stronger, he wouldn't have been in such a passive position, subdued by the other party within a single strike.

It was fortunate that the other party had gone easy on him, or else that encounter could have very well claimed his life.

Still, this was a very bad first meeting... To think that his future brother-in-law would send him flying in a single punch!

Zhang Xuan was helpless for a moment before he raked together his determination, and his eyes turned resolute once more, "I really should focus on raising my cultivation as soon as possible. If I can't even defeat my brother-in-law, how can I stand against the Zhang Clan and Luo Clan and negotiate with them for Luo Ruoxin's marriage in hand?"

This brother-in-law of his was one of the younger generations in the Luo Clan, but even so, the strength that he wielded was already so frightening. Considering that Zhang Clan was famed to be the number one clan in the Master Teacher Continent, they were bound to be even more powerful. At the very least, he would have to unseal the Sanctum Head Token by the third month of next year in order to be able to hold a candle to them!

Only so would he be able to wield a standing and power that the Zhang Clan and Luo Clan would have to think twice before shrugging him off.

"Zhang shi, you..." Just as Zhang Xuan was deep in thoughts, a voice suddenly sounded in his ear. Turning his head over, he saw Chen Leyao looking at him with a deeply worried look, "Is your head alright?"

The young man had a punch smashed into his head by the King of Destruction, and ever since then, he had been in a very long daze. It was no wonder why she would get worried.

"I'm fine!" Zhang Xuan shook his head before turning to the other elders not too far away. "Elders, since I have become an 8-star formation master, is it possible for me to access the 8-star formation master books now? If it isn't too much to ask, may I ask you to bring me there?"

In any case, there was no way for him to rush his strength. In order to build a strong foundation, he would have to slowly advance a step at a time. Since he had successfully cleared the formation master examination, it would be better for him to bring his mastery of his occupation up to par first before deciding on anything else.

"You want to visit our library? Follow me." Elder Su nodded.

"Fairy Leyao, I think it would be better for you to return first. After I'm done finding a way to swiftly set up the supporting formation, I'll head over to look for you!" Zhang Xuan said with a smile.

"Very well." Chen Leyao nodded before she turned around and left.

Following behind Elder Su, Zhang Xuan walked through quite a few corridors before he finally arrived before a room with tall doors.

"Here is our library. As we are still in the midst of processing your emblem, I'll give you this one-time use token instead. With it in hand, you'll be able to enter the area and browse through any books you want." Elder Su said.

He had no idea why the young man would suddenly ask to read at this moment, but showing a desire to learn was always a good matter.

"Thank you!" After taking the token, Zhang Xuan began making his way in.

Just like the libraries of most other guilds, it had many shelves, each of them densely filled with books. In terms of quantity and variety of books, it couldn't hold a candle to the Master Teacher Pavilion, but when it came to the depth of knowledge in formations, there were definitely no other libraries that could compete with it.

Zhang Xuan began sweeping through the shelves with a swift glance of his eyes.

In less than an hour, he had already collected every single book in the room into his Library of Heaven's Path.

"Compile!" Zhang Xuan willed, and the Library of Heaven's Path jolted.

A book appeared before him.

With a tap on the book, the knowledge that was concealed within it immediately flowed into his consciousness.

"Time to start studying!"

Zhang Xuan quickly scanned the area for a quiet spot before sitting down and fully immersing himself in his study.

It was a steep learning curve from grade-7 formations to grade-8 formations, especially when it came to Teleportation Formations. The enhanced complexity was already a tough nut to crack, but more than that, one would have to possess a firm grasp over spatial laws in order to set them up. Without that, it would be impossible to set it up even if one were to comprehend the full complexity of the grade-8 formation.

Four hours later, Zhang Xuan stood up while rubbing his glabella.

"It's really getting more and more difficult! In the past, I would take two hours or so to finish browsing through any of the Heaven's Path books, but this time, I actually took two times of that..." Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.

The fact that he took four hours to finish studying the 8-star Heaven's Path Formation Art fully reflected how difficult it was... If not for his excellent state of mind, it was questionable whether he could have lasted that long.

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan decided not to think too much into it. He quickly ran through the knowledge he had just assimilated, and he couldn't help but be astonished by how profound the art was.

As expected of the 8-star Heaven's Path Formation Art! The knowledge contained within really brought his understanding of formations to a far higher level, opening a new world before him. In terms of depth of knowledge regarding formations, he was already comparable to an 8-star pinnacle formation master.

However, due to his cultivation still only being at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage, it would still be difficult for him to set up some of the more advanced grade-8 formations.

The four hours of studying had left him feeling deeply fatigued.

The more advanced a formation was, the more complex it would be. This would mean that one would have to make far greater calculations, thus creating a greater burden on one's mind as well. Had Zhang Xuan not possessed decent talent in formations, it would probably have been impossible for him to finish learning the 8-star Heaven's Path Formation Art that quickly.

"I should be able to set up Chen Leyao's supporting formation easily now!" Even though Zhang Xuan was exhausted, there was still an excited glint in his eyes.

He rested on the spot for a while, and after feeling that his fatigue had vanished and his mind was refreshed, he walked out of the library and headed back to his own accommodation.

Not too long later, he was already standing right before his residence. But instead of entering it, he headed for Chen Leyao's residence and knocked on the door instead.

"Enter!" Chen Leyao's crisp voice sounded from within.

Pushing open the door and entering, he saw the young lady standing quietly at the center of the room, her body pulled into a rather peculiar position. This position accentuated her curvaceous features, fully displaying her physical charms.

Her acupoints were all opened, and she was drawing in the surrounding spiritual energy into her body swiftly.

With just a look, Zhang Xuan could tell that it was one of the alterations he had made to the Yin Formula back then. As bizarre as the body posture may seem, it enhanced the rate at which one could absorb spiritual energy at, and on top of that, it also resolved the damage which the Yin-Yang Lake would deal to one's body.

If one were to constantly cultivate using this method, it would accentuate one's figure too.

Judging from how standard Chen Leyao's posture was, it could be seen that she often used this method to cultivate.

"Zhang shi, you have found a way to set up the supporting formation quickly?" Chen Leyao slowly halted her cultivation and returned back to a normal standing position before turning to look at Zhang Xuan with a faint smile.

Perhaps too used to maintaining a cold demeanor, she was unable to fully shake off her coldness even when she smiled. However, that only seemed to add another layer to her charm, creating a feeling somewhat reminiscent of the cold moon smiling slightly down upon one.

It must be said that Chen Leyao was indeed an incredible beauty, on par with even Hu Yaoyao and the others.

Otherwise, Zhang Qian wouldn't have speciallycomee over to please her either.

"Un. Where do you think would be convenient to set up the supporting formation?" Zhang Xuan replied.

To him, it mattered not whether Chen Leyao was beautiful or not. What was most important was that he would be able to get in touch with Zhao Ya very soon!

"That room would do." Chen Leyao said.

The accommodation which the Sanctum of Sages allocated to the students of the Elite Division was rather spacious, containing several rooms. They could be used as places to cultivate or welcoming one's guests.

The room which Chen Leyao was pointing to was a room that was neighboring her courtyard.

"Alright." Zhang Xuan quickly entered the room and scanned the area with his Eye of Insight. A moment later, he turned to Chen Leyao and asked, "Do you have grade-8 formation flags with you?"

"Here you go!" With a snap of her finger, Chen Leyao passed several hundred formation flags over.

"Go!" Zhang Xuan bellowed deeply, and the formation flags immediately rose to the sky.

They simultaneously shot forth to a different direction in the room, and it took only the blink of an eye for all of them to be in place.

After which, Zhang Xuan confirmed his position once more before stomping his feet.

Weng!

The formation was immediately driven into action.

After confirming that there was no problem with the formation, Zhang Xuan turned to Chen Leyao and asked in agitation, "Where's the Jade Communication Token?"

Chen Leyao flicked her wrist, and a jade token fell lightly onto the very center of the room.

The fact that she was able to set up the supporting formation too, even though it would take several months, meant that her comprehension of formations had also reached 8-star as well. Naturally, she was able to easily discern where the core of the formation was, as well as where she should place the Communication Jade Token to best amplify its transmission signals.

Weng!

As soon as the jade token fell onto the core of the formation, the formation shook for a bit. A warm glow rippled through it, as if trying to establish communication with someone far away.

Knowing that the young man was eager to meet his student, Chen Leyao didn't waste any time on words. She walked up to the Communication Jade Token, and with a few strokes, she sent a message over.

Weng!

Not too long later, a slight buzzing sound echoed, and the formation shook once more. Following which, a round portal similar to a mirror appeared before his eyes.

As the mist slowly cleared, a face so beautiful that it could even freeze one's heart gradually came into appearance.

Zhao Ya!

Half a year of absence, the young lady in Zhang Xuan's memories had grown much more mature. She naturally commanded a disposition of elegant, and her facial features had gotten far more ravishing as well, as if they had been painstakingly carved into perfection. With just one look, one would find oneself unwittingly holding one's breath.

She was simply too beautiful!

Every single aspect of her seemed to be the embodiment of beauty itself, making it impossible to pick out a single flaw in it.

Even when compared to the undisguised Luo Ruoxin, her looks still didn't pale in comparison at all.

"Zhang shi, feel free to speak of anything to our young court chief. I'll be taking my leave first." Knowing that the reunited teacher and student would have much to say to one another, Chen Leyao backed out of the room and took her leave.

"Teacher, is that really you? Are you at the Sanctum of Sages?" Shortly after Chen Leyao left, the young lady in the mirror couldn't hold herself back anymore. She asked with a quivering voice, and her reddened eyes reflected the myriad of emotions running through her mind.

On the other hand, through the changes Zhao Ya had undergone, Zhang Xuan could tell that the Glacier Plain Court hadn't been mistreating her, and there was a hint of relief in his eyes.

There were countless words that he had thought that he would say when they finally met, but in this moment of reunion, he found himself at a loss for words.

All of those feelings and anticipation that overflowed in this moment of reunion left his mind completely blank. He couldn't find the right words to convey what he wanted to say in this moment.

Looking at the young lady who had once walked behind his back, calling him 'teacher' again and again, Zhang Xuan's hesitant and worried voice finally sounded.

"Zhao Ya, how... have you been?"

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Chapter 1315: Corridor of Puppets

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

In the courtyard, Zhang Xuan instructed, "Sun Qiang, find out if there are any pills, spirit essence, or spirit stones that are more effective than concentrated high-tier spirit stones. I wish to buy some."

After the chat with Zhao Ya, he had returned to his residence.

As his butler, Sun Qiang had moved into the Sanctum of Sages to stay together with him. Fortunately, his residence was rather spacious, so even with the both of them staying together, it did not feel cramped at all.

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

Most of those in the Elite Division were important figures from powerful organizations, and to them, what was most important at the moment was to raise their cultivation as much as possible. As such, they were assigned personal attendants to take care of miscellaneous affairs, just like how Zhang Yu was assigned to Zhang Qian.

As Zhang Xuan's butler, as long as he was registered with the Sanctum of Sages, he would receive an emblem that allowed him free access in and out of the Sanctum of Sages without coming under the attack of the defensive formation.

Watching at Sun Qiang's departing back, Zhang Xuan shook his head and sighed deeply. I really need to cultivate faster now...

When he chatted with Zhao Ya the day before, he had found that although it had only been half a year since they last met, the latter's cultivation had already reached Saint 7-dan!

That was many times stronger than him.

It was one thing for him to be sent flying by his future brother-in-law, but to be weaker than his students on top of that... With his current strength, how could he win Luo Ruoxin's hand in marriage?

All along, he had thought that his talent was still okay, and the rate that he cultivated at was not too bad either... but at that moment, he had realized that he was nothing at all!

Those around him were simply too monstrous!

For this reason, as soon as he returned, he instructed Sun Qiang to find items that were rich in spiritual energy so that he could cultivate.

Currently, this was also what he was lacking the most.

After Sun Qiang left, Zhang Xuan stroked his lower jaw and thought contemplatively.

There are two ways for me to swiftly raise my fighting prowess!

Firstly, I can find Leaving Aperture realm and Grand Dominion realm cultivation technique manuals and compile the corresponding Heaven's Path Divine Arts and cultivate them swiftly.

Secondly, I can find soul cultivation technique manuals and compile the corresponding Heaven's Path Soul Art to strengthen my Primordial Spirit. Either of these two should bring about a significant growth in my strength.

Of course, if I have time, it would be best for me to find optic art manuals so as to complete the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld. If I can't cultivate the technique, I won't be able to become the head of the Sanctum of Sages!

There were two ways he could quickly raise his cultivation at the moment—zhenqi and Primordial Spirit. Currently, he had only compiled a portion of the Leaving Aperture realm Heaven's Path Divine Art, and as for Grand Dominion realm cultivation technique manuals, he had not seen a single one of them yet. He would have to make haste on that.

So, Zhang Xuan took out his identity token and took a look at it for a moment before nodding slightly.

In order gain access to the cultivation technique manuals of the Sanctum of Sages, I have to prove my fighting prowess first by clearing the Corridor of Puppets! The longer I can last in there, the more formidable the cultivation technique manual I will be able to access.

The rules of the Sanctum of Sages were vastly different from those of the Master Teacher Pavilions and Master Teacher Academies that Zhang Xuan had been to.

If anyone wanted to browse the sanctum's cultivation technique manuals or secret manuals, they would first have to prove that their fighting prowess had reached a level worthy of doing so.

The stronger their fighting prowess, the more profound the secret manuals they would be able to access. In a sense, this was aligned with Kong shi's philosophy of 'personalized guidance'.

If top-notch cultivation techniques were given to those who were incapable of cultivating them, it would only harm the person in question.

To use an analogy from Zhang Xuan's previous life, this was like giving a racing car to an amateur driver. That would not be goodwill but murder.

For this reason, the Corridor of Puppets served to evaluate the fighting prowess of those challenging it so as to determine the cultivation technique that the individual was suited for. This way, they would be able to better bring out their strength.

The Corridor of Puppets is divided into ten levels, namely Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui 1 , and each of these levels corresponds to a couple of cultivation technique manuals. Due to the many different levels in the trial, they are able to segregate the types of cultivation techniques totally. However, what I require is quantity, not quality!

Zhang Xuan frowned in distress.

To him, it mattered not whether the cultivation technique he practiced was profound or simplistic.

This was also the reason he had not been too happy when he obtained the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld and the Heavenly Art of Dimensional Unravel, perhaps showing disdain for them even. It was not because he was intentionally acting aloof to humblebrag but because no matter how profound a technique was, it was bound to have its flaws.

Practicing a flawed technique made him feel as if a fish bone was stuck at the back of his throat. If he had a choice, he would rather collect a thousand ordinary books and compile a Heaven's Path technique instead!

As such, the Sanctum of Sages' method of segregating the cultivation technique manuals into various tiers worked to his disadvantage.

In the past, when the manuals were placed alongside one another, he could collect all of them with just a sweep of his eyes. However, now that they were divided across different levels, compiling them together would not be that easy anymore.

After a moment of dilemma, Zhang Xuan was still unable to come up with an alternative, so he could only shake his head in defeat. Forget it, there's no point thinking so much about it at this point. I should just head over to take a look instead.

Pushing open the door, he left his residence.

The Corridor of Puppets could be considered as a type of trial, so it was located at the Hall of Solidarity.

Through asking those walking along the streets for directions, it did not take long for him to arrive before a gate with a massive '义 (Solidarity)' character inscribed on it. Just like the '智 (Erudition)' character that he had seen earlier, there was a deep conception behind it as well, but the sensation that it evoked was completely different.

The '智 (Erudition)' character induced sparks within one's mind, cultivating one's wisdom with a prolonged period of examination, granting one greater clarity of thought.

On the other hand, the '义 (Solidarity)' character seemed to encourage magnanimity, expanding one's narrow state of mind. All of the petty frustrations and worries that plagued one's mind in the past would vanish without a trace, and feelings of friendship and brotherhood would wrap around one's heart, lingering for a very long time.

The calligraphy looked simple on the surface, but it carried an imposing and forthright aura, reminiscent of a soldier charging valiantly across the battlefield.

"Where my solidarity lies, I shall persist even if the entire world opposes my will," Zhang Xuan muttered in a daze.

The conception behind the '义 (Solidarity)' character served to promote the unity of mankind, encouraging individuals to let go of all internal grudges and unhappiness to unite against external foes.

Without a doubt, this character had been left behind by Kong shi as well.

Otherwise, there was no way it could have placed Zhang Xuan in a daze.

Vicious' voice suddenly sounded at this moment, and vaguely, Zhang Xuan could hear him gulping. "Master. If I could just eat this calligraphy, my cultivation will definitely rise by leaps and bounds..."

"Go and play by the side!"

Ignoring that fellow who was thinking about eating every single day, Zhang Xuan began making his way into the Hall of Solidarity.

The Corridor of Puppets was located at a corner in the Hall of Solidarity. Zhang Xuan swiftly found the trial that corresponded to the Leaving Aperture realm before heading in.

The area inside was not as quiet as the Formation Master Guild branch where he had his examination previously, but there were still not many people inside.

According to the details on the jade token, it seems like multiple people can enter the Corridor of Puppets simultaneously. Most likely, they are all here to challenge the trial together, Zhang Xuan noted as he walked up to the reception.

"I would like to challenge the Corridor of Puppets for Leaving Aperture realm cultivation technique manuals. May I know how I go about doing it?"

Even though his identity token did contain some details concerning the Corridor of Puppets, the information provided was very brief.

The receptionist was a young lady in her early twenties, and she had a particularly refreshing appearance.

Upon hearing Zhang Xuan's question, she raised her head and explained with a smile, "You need to first pay one hundred concentrated high-tier spirit stones as a registration fee, and of the ten corridors here, you choose any of them to challenge. However, just a word of advice in advance, do not try to be too ambitious. The Corridor of Puppets is not easy, and arrogance may lead to you being severely wounded."

"I see." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Depending on the corridor one entered, there would be a significant difference in the strength of the puppets as well.

Zhang Xuan passed one hundred concentrated high-tier spirit stones over, and after a moment of hesitation, he said, "I choose..."

However, before he could finish his words, a voice suddenly sounded from not too far away. "I'm going to challenge the Bing Corridor 2 . I'll be counting on you, Qing Yu."

The voice had a clear ring to it—a little reminiscent of the jingling of bells—and it felt very soothing to the ears. Zhang Xuan turned his head over to look, and he saw a young lady dressed in purple standing not too far away. She seemed to be in her twenties, and there was a slightly cold and aloof air around her.

Putting aside her refined disposition, the young lady also possessed an exceptional physical appearance. In terms of beauty, she could be said to be on par with Chen Leyao.

"Senior Shui, you are here again. You really are diligent!" The eyes of the receptionist, who had been addressed as Qing Yu by the young lady, lit up, and with a chuckle, she passed a card over. "Here is your challenge token!"

"Un." Senior Shui took the card with a nod before she turned around and left.

After Senior Shui's departure, Qing Yu turned her gaze back to Zhang Xuan and asked, "Alright, which corridor do you wish to challenge?"

Zhang Xuan contemplated for a brief moment before replying.

"I... I think I'll choose the Bing Corridor as well!"

Judging from the looks of it, the Jia Corridor was the most difficult one whereas the Gui Corridor was the easiest. Even though his cultivation was only at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage at the moment, in terms of fighting prowess, he could be said to be comparable to a Grand Dominion realm primary stage expert.

However, he did not have any gauge of how difficult the Corridor of Puppets would be yet. If it was too difficult, he would not be able to clear it; if it was too easy, the cultivation technique manuals he received would be riddled with far too many flaws. Since the young lady ahead of him had chosen the Bing Corridor, it would be good for him to tag along to get a rough gauge of how powerful the puppets would be.

"You want to challenge the Bing Corridor? Are you sure?" Qing Yu frowned in astonishment.

"Yes, I'm certain." Zhang Xuan nodded. "Why? Is there a problem with me challenging the Bing Corridor?"

"That isn't what I mean." The young lady shook her head before continuing. "Senior Shui is a genius who entered the Elite Division several years ago, and her cultivation has already long reached Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle. Even so, despite devoting an entire month to challenging the Bing Corridor, she still hasn't cleared it. Given so, are you really certain that... you want to challenge the Bing Corridor? If I'm not mistaken, your cultivation should only be at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage, right?"

"A Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle cultivator has challenged it for a month now but has still yet to succeed?" Zhang Xuan was shocked.

He thought that he would not have much trouble clearing the Corridor of Puppets, but after hearing what Qing Yu had said, he realized that he might have been underestimating the trial.

"Indeed. The Jia Corridor is the hardest corridor to clear in the Corridor of Puppets, and in the several dozen millenniums since the Sanctum of Sages was established, there has only been a small handful of people who have managed to clear it. There were slightly more people who had cleared the Yi Corridor, but even if one adds all of them up, the number definitely won't exceed a hundred.

"Considering how difficult the first two corridors are, it should not be too difficult for you to image the difficulty of the Bing Corridor too. In some years, there are cases where not even a single student manages to clear the Bing Corridor. In fact, the last person who cleared the Bing Corridor was the little princess of the Luo Clan. As such, I really don't recommend challenging it!" Qing Yu shook her head.

The difficulty of the Jia, Yi, and Bing Corridors had already reached a horrifying level. Putting aside a Leaving Aperture realm primary stage cultivator, even a pinnacle cultivator would find it hard to clear the challenge. For him to challenge it when it was his first time there...

Truly, the ignorant know no fear!

Zhang Xuan was startled for a moment before his eyes lit up in agitation. "You said that the little princess of the Luo Clan has challenged the Bing Corridor previously?"

"That's right!" Oblivious to the changes in Zhang Xuan's emotions, Qing Yu continued with her earnest persuasion. "My view is that, given your current strength, it would be best for you to challenge the Gui Corridor 3 first. It's the easiest one to clear. Even though you are only at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage, as long as you possess a decent knowledge of combat, you stand a good chance of clearing the trial. As for the Bing Corridor, it would be best if you dropped that notion from your mind!"

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan said, "Thank you for your goodwill. However, I still wish to give the Bing Corridor a try. If it doesn't work out, I'll return here and give the other corridors a try."

Since Ruoxin had cleared the Bing Corridor, he was determined to do the same as well.

"You'll return here to give the other corridors a try?" Seeing that the other party was unwilling to listen to her advice, Qing Yu frowned. "Once the mechanism whirs into action and the puppets move, if you don't have sufficient strength to stand your ground, you could end up suffering immense damage."

Knowing that the other party was trying to persuade him out of goodwill, Zhang Xuan replied with a smile, "I understand, but I still wish to give it a try."

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Chapter 1316: Banzai

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Alright then. Don't regret it when you get injured." Qing Yu shook her head as she passed a challenge token over to Zhang Xuan. "If you really can't hold on any longer, just crush the challenge token, and the puppets will stop their attack."

"Thank you." Zhang Xuan clasped his fist before turning to head in the direction that Senior Shui had headed off in.

Watching as Zhang Xuan departed, Qing Yu harrumphed coldly. "He really is courting death!"

At this moment, another receptionist walked in, and upon seeing the displeased look on Qing Yu's face, he asked with a smile, "What's wrong?"

"A Leaving Aperture realm primary stage fellow just came by earlier, and he insisted on challenging the Bing Corridor 1 . No matter how I tried to talk him out of the idea, he just wouldn't budge!" Qing Yu replied indignantly, seemingly upset that her goodwill had fallen on deaf ears.

The lower jaw of the newly arrived receptionist fell to the ground from shock. "A Leaving Aperture realm primary stage fellow actually wanted to challenge the Bing Corridor? Is there something wrong with his head?"

As receptionists in the Hall of Solidarity, they were well aware of how difficult the Bing Corridor was. Countless Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle geniuses had attempted it, only to return with looks of disappointment on their faces. So, for a mere Leaving Aperture realm primary stage cultivator to attempt to challenge it... that was clearly seeking death!

"I don't know if there's something wrong with his head or not, but I do know for sure that he's quite a lustful fellow!" Qing Yu harrumphed in disdain.

Not understanding what the two matters had to do with one another, the newly arrived receptionist asked in incomprehension, "Lustful?"

"Just a moment ago, Senior Shui said that she wanted to challenge the Bing Corridor, and a second later, that fellow said that he wanted to head there, too. Given so, aren't his intentions clear for all to see?" Qing Yu sneered with a clear hint of derision in her tone.

"This..." The newly arrived receptionist swiftly came to a realization. "The Corridor of Puppets in the Hall of Solidarity is centered around the idea of 'solidarity'. Depending on the number of individuals who enter a certain Corridor of Puppets simultaneously, the number of puppets that appear will increase correspondingly. As such, participants will have to collaborate with one another and entrust themselves to the others before they will be able to achieve victory. For that fellow to enter right behind Senior Shui, it's apparent that he wants to use this opportunity to forge intimate ties with Senior Shui... How shameless!"

One could challenge the Corridor of Puppets as an individual or as a group.

As an individual, it would be an assessment on one's individual strength. As a group, it would be an assessment on the team's ability to perform synergistically to fend off the puppets.

Considering how that fellow wanted to challenge the Bing Corridor despite his lacking strength, it was apparent that he wanted to team up with Senior Shui so as to strike up a connection with her.

After all, Senior Shui was blessed with a beautiful appearance, and she came from a good background. Even within the Sanctum of Sages, she could be considered a celebrity. There were countless students who wanted to get close with her, but that fellow was probably the first one who dared to be so bold about the matter.

It seemed like lust had really shrouded his rationality for him to act so impudently.

"Indeed. However, with strength like his, he will only be a nuisance to Senior Shui in the examination. This will only make him incur her ire!" Qing Yu smirked smugly.

Senior Shui had been visiting their Corridor of Puppets for more than a month now, and it was apparent that she intended to clear the trial alone. So, if that young man barged in at this moment and forced a collaboration with her, it would result in the foiling of her plans, and more importantly than that, he would be dragging her down.

It would already be a miracle if Senior Shui did not resent him for that, so how could she possibly generate goodwill toward him over such a matter?"

"You're right. Let's just wait and see. He'll probably climb out in a half-death state later," the newly arrived attendant said with a smile.

...

Unaware of the conversation between the two receptionists, Zhang Xuan followed behind Senior Shui, and not too long later, he found himself standing before a door.

Inscribed on the door was a '丙 (Bing)' character.

Senior Shui took out the challenge token that she had been given and swiped it lightly in front of the door. With a deep rumbling sound, the stone door gradually opened.

Shortly after the stone door closed behind her, Zhang Xuan headed forward and copied what she had done, and he successfully entered the door as well.

The sight before him blurred for a moment, and before he knew it, he found himself standing in a vast room.

The room was circular in shape, reminiscent of a dueling ring. There were seals that could isolate auras and neutralize might installed all over the room so as to ensure that the walls would not be damaged.

"Who are you?"

Senior Shui had already positioned herself at the center of the room, and she had just prepared herself to face the puppets when she suddenly saw Zhang Xuan walk in. In an instant, her face darkened.

If two or more people entered prior to the start of the trial, the collaborative mode would be triggered instead. At least two puppets would appear, and the nature of the duel would become vastly different from before.

"I'm here to challenge the Corridor of Puppets, too. Isn't there no limit to the number of people who can participate in the trial? You don't need to care about me, just do whatever you have to do," Zhang Xuan said with a smile.

In his identity token, it was only reflected that it was possible for multiple students to challenge the Corridor of Puppets simultaneously, but there was no clear explanation of the rules. As a result, he had no idea that the crux to a multi-challenger mode was teamwork. On the contrary, he even thought that it was an independent trial, where everyone would be taking the test one by one.

After all, it was rare for there to be any examination involving teamwork.

It worked in his favor that the other party had come in earlier. This would be a good opportunity for him to spectate the happenings in the trial, and through doing so, he would be able to roughly gauge the difficulty and make preparations in advance.

"Don't hold me back, or else I'll make you die a horrible death!" Senior Shui narrowed her eyes threateningly and harrumphed coldly.

"Hold you back? What do you mean by that?" Zhang Xuan was startled by the abrupt remark. He was just about to probe deeper when the gears of a mechanism in the room began whirring into the action.

Geji geji!

Following which, the door ahead of them opened, and a puppet walked out.

Dressed in black, the puppet looked no different from a real man. Upon seeing Senior Shui at the center of the room, it immediately dashed out.

Hong long!

At the same time, a formation in the surroundings activated.

This formation had an effect similar to a Leaving Aperture realm cultivator's Spatial Lock, turning the surrounding air exceptionally viscous, thus hindering one's movement and exertion of strength.

"Humph!"

Facing an abrupt assault from the puppet, Senior Shui had no time to say anything at all. Thus, with a swift step forward, she engaged the puppet.

It had to be said that Senior Shui did wield considerable strength. While her cultivation was at Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle, in terms of fighting prowess, she would not lose out to any Half-Grand Dominion realm cultivators.

The cultivation technique that she practices is of the water attribute, carrying a concept of 'relentless'. Individually, her strikes don't wield much power, but when they are strung together, they turn into a raging flood that none will be able to withstand! Zhang Xuan noted.

In terms of absolute strength of their strikes, Senior Shui seemed to be severely lacking as compared to the puppets. However, what was fearsome about her was how she was able to build on the momentum of her previous move to enhance the might of her subsequent strikes, causing her to build up more and more power over the course of the battle, till the point where she was no longer stoppable.

A single droplet of water might seem insignificant, but with time, it could pierce through even a boulder.

Such was the type of strength that Senior Shui wielded. Despite her seemingly gentle movements, the rampaging blows from the puppets were still unable to breach her defenses, reminiscent of a steel hammer attempting to strike a flowing river.

No matter how powerful one struck, after the might subsided, everything would just revert to its original form.

After trading roughly a dozen blows, the young lady's eyebrows shot up as she bellowed furiously.

"You aren't going to get the better of me!"

Then, she raised her palm and pressed it furiously on the puppet's chest during an opening.

Peng!

With a burst of zhenqi, the puppet was forced back eight steps, leaving a series of footprints on the ground.

Roar!

However, despite the immense force behind her strike, the puppet still managed to swiftly regain its balance. On the contrary, it seemed to have grown even more enraged due to the attack, and it began moving at a faster speed than before.

Si la!

Sharp claws tore through the air with a frighteningly shrill gale as they rushed right for the young lady before them.

Zhang Xuan shook his head and sighed. Even though she's able to maintain the might behind her attack, and her defense is excellent, her flaws are apparent. It's a pity that she takes too long to charge up sufficient power, thus making it difficult for her to strike during opportune moments.

It was true that the young lady could become an extremely fearsome adversary once she built up sufficient might, but the problem was that everything would begin anew once her chain offense was broken.

Furthermore, there were times where the puppet had shown openings in the midst of the battle, but because her strength had yet to build up sufficiently, she had been unable to capitalize on those opportunities to deal a decisive blow to her opponent.

For example, with the previous move, if it had been Zhang Xuan in her place, he would have blasted the puppet's head open with a single punch. However, the young lady had only managed to push it back several steps, failing to deal critical damage.

It really is a huge pity! Zhang Xuan shook his head and sighed.

While he was shaking his head and sighing, Senior Shui was on the verge of going insane. Watching the overwhelming might that the puppet was attacking her with, her face turned ghastly pale. She retreated hurriedly, forming an elegant trajectory in the air.

Tz la!

Even though her evasive maneuver was swift, it was still insufficient to outrun the nimble movements of the puppet's claw. With a resounding rip, a portion of her clothes were torn off, and a bloodied gorge appeared on her shoulder.

Boom!

Seeing that its strike had failed to strike Senior Shui's vitals, the puppet seemed to have gotten a little frustrated. Thus, right after seeing that its claws had missed its mark, it immediately switched its attack to a palm strike and pressed it firmly down on the young lady.

While there was no zhenqi devoted to the palm strike, the puppet wielded strength on par with Half-Grand Dominion realm experts. On top of that, the surrounding formation was making it difficult for the challenger to exert her strength.

As a result, when the palm fell, it felt as if the space within the room had completely frozen in place, making it impossible for anyone to escape.

Seeing that the palm strike was just about to land on her, Senior Shui gritted her teeth in resolution. It was probably a secret art of some kind, but her figure suddenly elongated into what looked like a long strand of noodle, allowing her to escape from the palm strike in the nick of time.

However, when she reverted to her original form, her face had turned visibly paler. It seemed like the secret art had taken a heavy toll on her.

As she panted heavily, she turned around to see what the young man, who had forced her independent battle into a team battle, was doing, only to see the latter with one arm crossed over his body and the other supporting his lower jaw, seemingly enjoying the spectacle before him.

"You..." Seeing this sight, Senior Shui nearly exploded on the spot.

Since it's a team battle, you should at least make a move, right? To be standing without moving, as if a corpse, what the heck are you planning to do?

Just as Senior Shui was able to beckon Zhang Xuan to join in as well, another door in front abruptly opened with a resounding 'jiya!', and yet another puppet rushed out.

As the young man had not stepped onto the battlefield, the puppet rushed right for Senior Shui as soon as it appeared.

Just one puppet was already enough to corner her, and yet, in this moment, two of them were rushing at her simultaneously. In an instant, Senior Shui felt immense pressure heaping down on her, cloaking her face in sweat.

These puppets wield strength comparable to Zhang Qian...

Unaware of the young lady's thoughts, Zhang Xuan continued assessing the situation before him.

It was no wonder others would say that the Bing Corridor was extremely difficult to clear. The strength of the puppets was indeed fearsome.

It was true that Zhang Qian was unable to even evade a single move from him prior to the entrance examination, but that still did not change the fact that he was a Half-Leaving Aperture realm cultivator. On top of that, he also wielded the unique bloodline ability of the Zhang Clan. With such prowess, there were few who would be a match for him, and the fact that he had nearly gotten into the Elite Division was proof of the fact.

Considering that Senior Shui was faced against such an opponent, it was truly impressive that she had been able to survive for that long against the puppet.

It's a pity. It seems like she's going to fail the trial! Zhang Xuan sighed.

Having watched the battle ever since its start, he already had a clear picture of the level of strength that Senior Shui wielded. It would have been difficult for her to defeat a single puppet, let alone subduing the both of them simultaneously.

It was just a matter of time before she failed the trial.

It was no wonder she had been unable to clear the trial despite devoting an entire month to it. The trial was truly merciless.

Later on, when it's my turn, I'll knock out the two puppets simultaneously, not giving them an opportunity to work together at all. Zhang Xuan quickly ran through his decided course of action before nodding confidently.

The collaboration between the two puppets was incredible, such that even he could have had trouble dealing with them. Since that was the case, it would be better for him to take the initiative and knock them out as soon as the examination began.

At the very least, he should get rid of one of the puppets instantaneously first.

"Damn it..." With her face drenched in sweat, Senior Shui found herself swiftly approaching her limits.

She had thought that the young man would step in to help her, but he was still standing by the side, staring at the situation curiously as if he had nothing to do with it at all.

Overwhelmed with rage, Senior Shui puffed up her chest and roared, "Just how long do plan on staring at the situation for?"

"Ah?" Not expecting to be reprimanded over that, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before asking, "Then... what else am I supposed to do?"

"Y-you..."

So furious that she could explode, Senior Shui accidentally lost her balance in battle, resulting in her being struck by one of the puppets' palm strikes. The fiery pain in her shoulder left her feeling even more frenzied, and she furiously bellowed, "Aren't you going to make a move?"

What the heck is this! You were the one who barged in to trigger the multi-challenger mode, but in the end, you left me to deal with the puppets by myself while you idle by the side...

Even if you are weak, surely the least you could do for the team is to disturb the puppets and hinder them from attacking me.

"Make a move?" Zhang Xuan had a conflicted look on his face. This was the young lady's trial, so if he interfered in it, would he not be flouting the rules?

After some thought, an idea came to Zhang Xuan's mind. He placed his fist horizontally against his body, and with earnestness and anticipation written all over his face, he yelled, "Senior Shui, you can do it! Senior Shui, you can do it! Banzai!"

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Chapter 1317: I Didn't Do It on Purpose

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Upon hearing the shouting, Senior Shui looked as if she had seen a ghost. She turned her head over to look at the young man cheering fervently for her, and unable to withstand it any longer, she spurted a mouthful of blood.

The hell!

While other teams have reliable experts to watch their back, what is with this fool I was assigned?

You can do it? Banzai?

Banzai your head!

I am about to be killed over here, and I'm seeking for your help. Yet, why the heck are you cheering for me over there? Do I look like I need your cheering?

I want you to make a move! Make a move!

Senior Shui's body trembled uncontrollably from frenzy, and she felt as if she was on the verge of losing her mind.

If two challengers were to enter the Corridor of Puppets within a short interval of one another, the mechanism of the trial would immediately deem them as a team. This was common knowledge among those of the Sanctum of Sages, and even those who did not know would at least have enough sense to ask about it.

We are in a two-player challenge mode, so how can you stand idly by the side? How am I supposed to deal with so many puppets by myself!

Initially, Senior Shui thought that the fellow had entered the trial in order to claim her affection, but from the looks of it now, it seemed to be the complete opposite. The young man was not trying to claim her affection but her life!

Otherwise, why would he continue spectating by the side when the second puppet had already appeared?

Hu la!

On the verge of exploding, her first instinct was to lash out at the young man. Unfortunately, the puppet before her did not give her a chance to do so. The first puppet sent a fist flying toward her.

The deafening sonic booms around her made Senior Shui realize that if she got distracted at this point, she might very well lose her life. Cold sweat broke out all over her body as she activated her secret art once more. Her body immediately began to thread through the attacks of the puppets nimbly, reminiscent of a water snake. It was a close shave, but she managed to escape from the punch.

After escaping from the attack, her breathing visibly hastened further, and her face turned even paler.

Her secret art was actually the ability of her unique bloodline, and it drained her deeply each time she used it. She would have to rest for an extensive period before she could recover from her exertion. Over the past month, she had not used it once.

That day, she had made up her mind to go all out, especially since she had already gotten accustomed to the fighting pattern of the puppet, and she was planning to create a new record this time around.

But who would have thought that she would end up being dragged down by this atrocious young man? Being forced to face two puppets alone, she ended up using her secret art twice in a short interval. At this point, her body was already nearing its limit.

This won't do. If this goes on, I might very well lose my life. Do I really have to admit defeat? Senior Shui gritted her teeth in indignation.

It had already taken an entire month for her to grow accustomed to the fighting style of the puppet, and she was certain that she could have cleared the trial with relative ease by tapping into the power of her unique bloodline. Yet, such a situation ended up happening instead.

Once her bloodline was activated, it would take at least a month of rest before she would be able to return to her peak condition. Too many things would have to be put back like that.

I can't give up! Senior Shui clenched her fists tightly in determination. I must find a way to throw one of the puppets to that fellow, and once I get rid of one of them, the rest will be easy!

While panting heavily, she made up her mind.

Competition in the Sanctum of Sages was extremely strife. She could not afford to lose a month over this, so she could only gamble.

While that fellow who was shouting 'do your best' by the side was unreliable, as long as she could get the puppet over to his side, as one of the teammates, he would come under attack as well. If she could fling off one of the puppets to him, she would be able to find a chance to turn the tables around!

Of course, she understood that the young man would be put in danger as a result of that, but there was nothing that could be done. Since he had chosen to challenge the Bing Corridor, he would have to shoulder some of the danger.

As long as that unreliable fellow can last a dozen breaths for me to destroy the first puppet, I should be able to come to his aid afterward. Senior Shui harrumphed.Humph, who told him to sabotage my attempt in the first place? He ought to suffer a little bit for his actions!

Without any hesitation, she jolted her body slightly, a little reminiscent of the strings of a zither being pulled on.

Hu!

As if a taut rubber band being released, her figure abruptly vanished from the spot. The next moment, she was already in Zhang Xuan's vicinity.

"Do your best..." Zhang Xuan was still in the midst of cheering when the young lady abruptly appeared in front of him, and he froze in astonishment.

"I'll be leaving one of them to you!"

Looking at the startled look on the young man's face, even though Senior Shui felt a little infuriated on the inside, she still felt obliged to warn him.

"You will be leaving one of them to me?"

While Zhang Xuan was confused by the situation, two puppets had already rushed up to him. The immense might that they wielded caused an overwhelming pressure to weigh down upon him.

Kacha!

One of the puppets smashed a fist right toward Zhang Xuan's face.

Isn't this... against the rules? Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

He was there just to watch the commotion and learn from his senior. If he intervened in the duel, wouldn't her results be invalidated?

Would he be disqualified from the trial as a result of that as well?

However, considering the furious assault that one of the puppets was launching against him, this was not the time for him to be thinking about such stuff. He dodged the puppet's attack nimbly with a side step, and at the same time, he shot a glance at the young lady not too far away.

She was currently dealing with the other puppet. A spurt of fresh blood escaped her mouth, and an immense power was swiftly engulfing her body, bringing her fighting prowess up to great heights in an instant.

Is there a need to go this far to challenge a trial? Zhang Xuan could tell that she was using a secret art more potent than the one before, and he could not help but shake his head.

Secret arts had the ability to enhance one's fighting prowess greatly in the short term, but they had their downfalls as well.

For one, they were extremely damaging to one's body. While secret arts allowed a cultivator to exceed their limits temporarily, this overexertion would result in an unbearable toll on their spirit, zhenqi, and physical body, thus placing them in a long down period. In fact, there were some that would sap one's life force, causing one's lifespan to be shortened.

It was for this reason that Zhang Xuan never used secret arts.

Well, another reason was that he did not know any of those secret arts.

The young lady was already spurting blood, and yet, she was still insistently using her secret arts. She was really putting her life on the line!

Zhang Xuan sighed deeply, but before he could delve deeper into his feeling of lamentation, the puppet before him was already charging toward him with a body slam.

"Wait a moment, you are supposed to be assessing her. Aren't you attacking the wrong target over here?" Zhang Xuan exclaimed as he halted the charging puppet back by placing a finger of his on the latter's head.

Just who the heck designed the Corridor of Puppets? Shouldn't the puppets at least have the basic ability to discern who the challenger is?

I am only here to watch how the trial works! It isn't my turn yet, so why are you flinging your fists and howling at me?

Roar! Roar!

Being blocked out by a single finger further enraged the puppet. An aura of ferocity emanated from it as it drove its strength to its very limits, rotating its arm so swiftly that it almost appeared like a wheel.

However, with its head being kept at bay by Zhang Xuan's finger, no matter how fast its hands rotated, it was unable to hurt Zhang Xuan.

Instead, it felt like an electric fan, bringing a cooling breeze to him.

Since I didn't harm the puppet at all, this can't be considered as an infringement of the rules, right? Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

As he did not really interfere with the trial of another—his actions could only be considered as legitimate self-defense, and he did not destroy anything—his right to challenge the trial should not be revoked. After all the trouble he had gone through to come here, it would really be a huge annoyance if that was the case.

After keeping the puppet before him under control, he turned his sight back to the battling young lady and puppet.

After executing her secret art, while Senior Shui's complexion appeared to have considerably worsened, her fighting prowess did soar by leaps and bounds—she was nearly twice as strong as before.

Peng peng peng peng!

Previously, she had been forced to evade the puppet's attacks and find an opening to strike, but with her enhanced strength, she was already able to go head-to-head with the puppet. Under their furious clash, even the formation around the Corridor of Puppets seemed to shake unstably.

Her secret art is powerful, but... as a practitioner of water attribute cultivation techniques, she's abandoning her own strengths by going head on with the enemy.

Zhang Xuan frowned.

With his current comprehension of combat, even without using the Library of Heaven's Path and Eye of Insight, he could still be considered a grandmaster. Those who cultivated water attribute cultivation techniques were capable of encompassing everything, and yet, the young lady actually chose to go head-to-head with her opponent.

She was clearly abandoning her very own roots.

It's true that this is the most efficient way for her to defeat the puppet given the current circumstances, but she will suffer tremendous damage as well. In fact, even her state of mind might waver.

Cultivators pursuing their own paths had to have absolute confidence in their cultivation techniques. Considering that the young lady practiced arts of the flexible water, it would be in contradiction to her own beliefs to engage in rigid and forceful offense. This would be a reflection that she had started doubting her path, and just like how the mind could influence the body, the body could also influence the mind.

Even if she managed to eventually defeat the puppet, this seed of doubt planted in her mind could have massive repercussions in the future.

Since I have already seen it, it wouldn't do for me to just watch idly by the side...

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan still chose to speak up.

"That... Senior Shui, you won't last long like this!"

"I won't last long like this?" Senior Shui was in the midst of battling against the puppet when she heard those words and jolted for an instant.

She had thought that by dumping a puppet with him, the young man would surely be chased all around the room like a rat running across the street. Yet, why was his voice still so clear, devoid of the slightest hint of exertion? He even had the leisure to say that she could not last long. She was a lady, so who said that she could not last long?

The one who is unable to last long enough should be you!

Senior Shui harrumphed coldly as she shot a glance in the direction where the voice originated from.

The next moment, her body froze.

The puppet that had left her in such a tough spot was currently throwing its arms forward like a shrew, and it was running forward so forcefully that a huge depression had been left on the ground. Yet, due to a finger placed on its forehead, it was simply unable to advance a single step forward.

What the heck is going on?

Wasn't the puppet extremely ferocious and powerful when it was fighting against me?

Why does it seem like it is acting coquettishly at this moment instead?

Could it be that this unkempt Leaving Aperture realm primary stage fellow is actually a hidden expert?

Hula!

Even though Senior Shui was shocked beyond words, the puppet she was facing could not possibly give her any time to take a breather. It immediately launched its second wave of attacks.

Left with no time for thought, she could only put aside the matter and hurriedly raise her guard.

However, due to her guard being put up in a rush, she was eventually overpowered and was forced several steps back. A suffocating sensation devoured her chest, and she felt her blood running erratically in her body, causing her body to ache greatly.

Suppressing the urge to vomit blood, Senior Shui asked with gritted teeth, "What do you mean by I can't last long like this?"

"It won't do for you to go head on against the puppet. Given your strength, there's no need for you to do this to defeat it," Zhang Xuan explained.

Hu la!

An abrupt gale of wind blasted toward Senior Shui's face. Astonished, she hurriedly backed away, but the shockwave from the puppet's punch still resulted in a red streak forming across her face, dealing her a searing pain.

With a few swift maneuvers, she quickly created some distance between her and the puppet before asking anxiously, "Then how else should I face the puppets?"

"This... Will it be against the rules if I offer you guidance?" Zhang Xuan asked hesitantly.

"Of course not!" Senior Shui's body staggered upon hearing those words.

We are in a two-player challenge mode! How in the world would you offering guidance to me be against the rules?

"That's a relief..." With a quick sigh, Zhang Xuan was just about to impart some wisdom to Senior Shui when the puppet before him suddenly went on a rampage.

Roar!

It had struggled free from the might of his finger and charged forward.

"What are you roaring for? Can't you see that I'm busy?"

Displeased, Zhang Xuan sent a casual slap toward the puppet.

Pah!

The puppet's head rotated twice on its neck before being sent flying.

Putong!

It collapsed on the ground convulsing, clearly losing all fighting prowess.

"This..." Not expecting that a casual punch from him would cause that fellow's head to be sent flying, Zhang Xuan's lips twitched in frenzy. "Did I accidentally use too much strength? But I didn't do it on purpose..."

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Chapter 1318: Continue with the Trials

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

He honestly did not do it on purpose.

The puppet was simply moving too fast, so he subconsciously dealt it a slap. Who was to know that it was so fragile, such that its head would be blown right off?

Senior Shui was dumbstruck as well.

While the puppet had her tortured to the point where she nearly wanted to die—she had used everything at her disposal but was still unable to defeat it—that fellow had managed to knock off the puppet's head with just a casual slap. Did it really have to be that exaggerated?

He's actually that powerful? Senior Shui's body trembled out of sheer astonishment.

No matter how slow-witted she might have been, it was apparent that the young man before her was an extremely powerful expert!

With just a finger, he was able to keep the puppet at bay, and with a palm, he was able to slap away the puppet's head. His fighting prowess was countless times more powerful than hers!

"I really didn't do it on purpose. Why don't we do this instead? As long as you don't revoke my right to challenge the trial, I'll help you fit back your head, and you can continue on your attack."

With how things had played out, he could not be bothered with offering guidance to Senior Shui anymore. He quickly squatted down and placed the puppet's head back onto its neck.

He had only entered the Corridor of Puppets to gain some insight into how the trial worked. It would truly be a tragedy if he was disqualified just because he accidentally interfered in another challenger's trial!

"You..." Just as she finally found a slight bit of respect for the young man, the latter's subsequent actions caused her rage to surpass previous levels.

There are plenty of challengers who accidentally destroy the puppets in the midst of the trial. Do you really need to be so apologetic?

Besides, it's useless for you to install the puppet's head right back on!

While puppets, unlike humans, would not die just because their heads had been lopped off, their internal structure was still an intricate system of gears and so on. Only professional celestial designers would be able to fix them.

What in the world do you hope to achieve by pressing the head back on?

Just as Senior Shui was just about to lecture the young man on the matter, the puppet she was facing suddenly charged at her once more, leaving her with no choice but to turn her attention back to the battle.

After trading a few blows, she finally managed to knock back the puppet and gain a temporary moment of respite.

She immediately turned her gaze toward the young man and saw the latter helping the puppet up. In this moment, the puppet's head had already been placed back onto its neck.

"I'm done..." Zhang Xuan patted his hands together as he nodded in satisfaction. "Not only did I help you repair your damage, I also fixed some of your flaws as well. With this, you should be able to exert your full strength once more!"

"Roar?" The puppet glanced at Zhang Xuan with a look of incomprehension.

"Don't worry. I didn't mean to interrupt in your battle earlier. Feel free to continue what you were doing—I won't intervene." Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

"Ah?" The puppet scratched its head as it slowly extended its fist toward Zhang Xuan.

Just as it was about to hit Zhang Xuan, it suddenly recalled how the latter had managed to lop off its head with a single slap, and it hurriedly retracted its hand and leaped backward fearfully.

It looked at Zhang Xuan with a slightly tilted head, as if asking, Are you really not going to intervene?

"I won't, don't worry!" Zhang Xuan replied with an affirmative nod.

"Roar!"

With an excited war cry, the puppet turned around and dashed for the young lady in the room.

"I..." Senior Shui's goosebumps immediately rose from her arms, and she nearly fainted on the spot.

Brother, did you really come here to sabotage me?

Do you know that we are a team? By smacking off the head of one of the puppets, we were already halfway there to victory, so why in the world are you fixing the puppet's head?

Is the issue perhaps in your head?

It's already difficult for me to cope with one of them, but you want me to face two of them simultaneously?

Will you only be glad after killing me?

Initially, Senior Shui had thought that the other party had come here to catch her attention and win her fancy, but from the looks of it now... To be honest, she would rather it have been the former! At the very least, she would not lose her life.

Just as she was about to curse Zhang Xuan, the other puppet arrived before her.

Its punch was way faster and more powerful than the puppet she was facing. Even before it came close to Senior Shui, she already felt as if her body had been suppressed by a Dominion, preventing her from moving at all.

What's going on? Senior Shui narrowed her eyes in bewilderment.

She had fought with the puppet of the Bing Corridor for a month now, and even if the puppet was more powerful than her, the disparity between the both of them should not have been too great. When did the puppet become so strong?

However, this was not the time for thought. She quickly raised her fists to defend against the latter's attack.

Pah!

As soon as her palm came into contact with the other party's fist, a crushing pressure pushed at her chest, leaving her feeling as if something heavy had crashed into her.

The next moment, her entire body shot backward.

Pu!

Even while she was in midair, fresh blood spurted from her mouth.

She crashed heavily into the wall behind her, creating a '大'-shaped imprint behind her.

"You..." While hanging on the wall, Senior Shui's body convulsed non-stop.

The world seemed incomparably dark to her.

Previously, the strength of the puppet had been acceptable to her. If she were to use her full might, she would have been able to achieve victory. But why was it that, after its head had been lopped off and it had been modified slightly by the young man, it grew so powerful?

How were they supposed to fight like that?

Forget it, it might be better for me to just admit defeat...

It really felt like she had used up her entire lifetime's worth of frustration on this trial.

Just as she was about to crush her challenge token to halt the trial, she suddenly recalled that it was a collaboration. If one of them were to admit defeat, it would be deemed as a loss for the entire team. So, with gritted teeth, she turned to the young man standing not too far away.

"I can't defeat the puppets, so I'm going to admit defeat now. As this is a team battle, you will be deemed to have lost as well."

"Team battle?" Zhang Xuan was startled by those words. "What do you mean by that?"

"You really don't know?" Senior Shui harrumphed coldly. "As you entered the Bing Corridor right after me, the mechanism automatically registers both of us as a team. As long as one of us admits defeat, it'll be considered a loss for the entire team."

"We are actually a team? And if you admit defeat, I will lose as well?" Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in shock.

All along, he had thought that the trial would be an individual assessment, especially since this was how most examinations worked in the Master Teacher Pavilion. Yet, after the whole farce that they had been through, it turned out to be a team battle?

There was actually such a system in the Sanctum of Sages?

"Of course! What else did you think would happen?" Senior Shui snapped impatiently.

In the end, it turned out that the young man really did not know anything at all. That explained everything. Nevertheless, even knowing that he did not do it intentionally could not quell the rage and frenzy she was feeling at that very moment.

"Wait a moment, don't admit defeat!" Zhang Xuan exclaimed in shock.

If she admitted defeat, his trial would finish before he could do anything at all!

He had not even collected the cultivation technique manuals in the corridor yet, so how could he admit defeat?

"I apologize for doing nothing earlier; I honestly did not know that it was a team battle. Give me a moment. I'll get rid of those puppets right now."

After understanding what was going on, how could Zhang Xuan still dilly-dally? He turned to the two puppets on the field and declared, "Your opponent is me! Come at me together!"

"Roar?" The puppet whose head had been sent flying by Zhang Xuan earlier took a step back as it shook its head fervently, indicating its complete refusal toward the notion of fighting against Zhang Xuan.

Didn't you say that you wouldn't intervene in the battle earlier? Why are you looking at me with that cold glint in your eyes?

"You aren't coming? I guess I'll have to go over there myself then!" With a cold harrumph, Zhang Xuan took a step forward and entered the battlefield.

Roar!

Facing Zhang Xuan's provocations, the other puppet could not hold itself back anymore and charged at him.

However, before it could get far, it immediately felt something grabbing at its arm, holding it back.

Turning around, it saw its puppet comrade shaking its head desperately, seemingly pleading for it not to go.

"Roar, roar?" The other puppet was completely bewildered by the actions of its comrade. It tried to shake off the grip of its comrade to challenge Zhang Xuan to a fight.

"Roar ah roar!" Seeing that the other puppet refused to back down, the puppet comrade decisively sent a slap over to its face.

Not expecting its comrade to make a move on it, the other puppet blacked out before it could even process what was going on.

Putong!

Unconscious, it collapsed flimsily to the ground.

After which, the puppet carefully turned its gaze to Zhang Xuan and bowed slightly. "Heh heh roar!"

Then, it struck its head with its own palm.

Padah!

It collapsed to the ground as well.

"That's more like it!" Seeing how obedient the puppet he had modified was, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction. He turned his gaze to Senior Shui and asked, "This should be considered a clear for the trial, right?"

"..." Senior Shui.

It took quite some time before she managed to recover from her daze. She looked at the young man in front of her with a look that was even more shocked than she would have been if she had seen a ghost instead.

To make the puppets fight among themselves and even knock itself out...

Just how in the world did he manage to do that?

"We really... cleared the trial?" After consuming a pill and recovering slightly from her injuries, Senior Shui struggled out from the wall while panting heavily.

To be honest, she could still hardly believe what was going on.

It was already extremely difficult to clear a trial by oneself, and the difficulty of a team battle was many times greater than an individual battle. To succeed under such circumstances... she could not help but feel as if she was dreaming.

But again, it was no wonder she would feel like that. Even after a month of hard work, she still had not succeeded in clearing the Bing Corridor. It was a little hard for her to believe that she had really cleared the trial just like that.

Zhang Xuan was not too sure about the rules, and he took a glance at the two unconscious puppets on the ground before remarking, "Since we have defeated the puppets, it should be considered a clear for us."

The modified puppet seemed to have noticed Zhang Xuan's gaze on it, and its body trembled slightly. It hurriedly shut its eyes tighter.

"Un..." Senior Shui nodded. There were many questions that she would have liked to ask, but in her moment of shock, she had no idea how she should construct her words.

In this moment, the sound of whirring mechanisms sounded, and a door slowly opened.

"Let's head in to take a look."

Walking into the door, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in excitement.

Inside was a bookshelf with several books stacked on it.

This was probably the prize for clearing the Bing Corridor.

"Un." Senior Shui's motive for challenging the Bing Corridor was to obtain these cultivation technique manuals, so she hurriedly walked up to the bookshelf in agitation.

There were only ten books or so, but they were all extremely profound cultivation techniques, far stronger than those he had seen in the black market.

Grandiflora Cultivation Technique, Jadetree Sky Piercing Formula, Art of Golden Flames...

With a swift sweep, Zhang Xuan collected them into the Library of Heaven's Path, and after compiling them together with the other books, he could not help but shake his head in disappointment.

He had thought that he would be able to compile a complete Leaving Aperture realm Heaven's Path Divine Art like this, but it seemed like quantity was indeed far more important than quality when it came to compilation.

"Jeez!" Zhang Xuan sighed deeply, thinking that the compensation was not worth the effort at all.

To spend a hundred concentrated high-tier spirit stones just to see ten or so books, that really was not worth the price for him.

At this moment, a female's voice sounded. "Alright, I've made up my mind!"

Shifting his gaze over, Zhang Xuan saw that Senior Shui had picked out the Rippling Water Profound Art, the only water attribute cultivation technique in the limited collection.

"That book is indeed not too bad." Zhang Xuan nodded in approval.

While that cultivation technique was not necessarily stronger than the one that Senior Shui was already cultivating, it did complement her current cultivation technique well. Studying the manual could serve as a great source of inspiration for her future cultivation.

"Un, I'll begin copying the content now. Have you chosen your book yet?" Senior Shui asked.

Those who had cleared the Corridor of Puppets could not take away the physical copy of the manuals inside, but they were allowed to copy them.

"Me?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I won't be copying any. I still need to continue with the trials, so I'll be taking my leave."

He had already collected all of those books in his Library of Heaven's Path, so there was no need for him to copy them again.

"Continue with the trials?" Senior Shui was taken aback for an instant before her eyes lit up in agitation. "It can't be that... you are going to challenge the Yi Corridor 1 ?"

Considering how easily the young man before her had managed to clear theBing Corridor 2 , it was a given that he would not be interested in the cultivation techniques here, especially since he stood a good chance at clearing the higher levels.

It would already be a blessing if a single student cleared the Yi Corridor every decade. Would the young man before her be able to successfully clear it as well?

In an instant, she felt as if she might just be lucky enough to see a miracle being forged right before her eyes.

"Yi Corridor? That's not it." Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I intend to challenge the Gui Corridor 3 !"

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Chapter 1319: Sounds A Little Inauspicuous

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"What?" Senior Shui's body jolted, and her eyes widened in shock.

In this moment, she felt as if blood was flowing to and fro her throat, threatening to spill out at any moment, "You are going to challenge the Gui Corridor?"

The Gui Corridor was the easiest trial of all, and only the weakest students of the Sanctum of Sages would head there... Given how you were able to easily defeat two puppets of the Bing Corridor so easily, why in the world do you want to challenge the Gui Corridor?

While others were slowly advancing forward, that fellow was actually regressing with time...

Are you here just to brush up your existence?

"That's right. The manuals in the Bing Corridor isn't too good, so I'm intending to head to the Gui Corridor for a look." Zhang Xuan replied earnestly.

The more profound and powerful a cultivation technique was, the fewer of them there would be. What Zhang Xuan needed was to collect as many cultivation technique manuals as possible... As such, he was extremely disappointed when he saw the pitiful collection of books that was at the end of the Bing Corridor. He felt that he had made the wrong choice and should have gone to the Gui Corridor instead.

There were bound to be many more books there, and that would be more useful to him than challenging the Bing Corridor.

"..." Senior Shui clutched her hair.

Are you a lunatic?

Every single cultivation technique in the Bing Corridor is extremely profound and powerful. Admittedly, they can't compare with the cultivation technique I have inherited from my ancestors, but they still wield formidable prowess!

Are you honestly comparing such treasures to the trash in the Gui Corridor?

Just what in the world is going through your mind?

"Alright, you should continue copying your notes. I have to get going now!" Zhang Xuan turned around and began making his way out of the Bing Corridor.

As he walked, sighs of lamentation would escape from his lips.

This trip had truly been a huge waste.

By the time he walked out of the Bing Corridor and arrived before the reception once more, he found that other than the female receptionist named Qing Yu, there was another male receptionist sitting beside her.

Seeing how the young man had come out so quickly without any injuries on him, Qing Yu was stunned. She couldn't help but ask in bewilderment, "Are you... fine?"

She was certain that the fellow would be pummeled to the point that no one would be able to recognize him anymore, an incomparable sight of misery, so how could he still be completely fine?

One must know that the Bing Corridor was a trial which even the talented Senior Shui had yet to clear after a month of hard work!

"Fine? Why would I not be fine?" Taken aback by the abrupt question, Zhang Xuan was startled for a moment. Then, seeing that there was no response from Qing Yu, he took out a hundred concentrated high-tier spirit stones and passed it over, "I wish to challenge the Corridor of Puppets once more. Here are the spirit stones."

"You want to challenge it once more?" Qing Yu frowned in bewilderment. "Each person can only challenge a Corridor of Puppets once a day. I'm afraid that you will have to return tomorrow."

If each challenger could keep challenging the same Corridor of Puppets again and again, putting aside that he would be depriving other challengers of the opportunity to challenge, the Corridor of Puppets would not have sufficient time to recover as well.

As such, each challenger was limited to challenging a Corridor of Puppets once per day.

And under normal circumstances, those who had managed to clear the Corridor of Puppets wouldn't challenge the same corridor once more, and those who failed would be left in a tragic state, possibly being unable to move even after an entire day of rest. Only someone as tenacious as Senior Shui would be able to persistently challenge the same Bing Corridor every single day for a month straight.

"I'm not going to challenge the Bing Corridor." Zhang Xuan explained.

"So, you have finally thought things through..." Qing Yu heaved a sigh of relief. "Which Corridor of Puppets will you be challenging then? The Ding Corridor 1

?"

"No, I'm intending on challenging the Gui Corridor 2 ." Zhang Xuan replied.

"The Gui Corridor..." Qing Yu was rendered speechless.

She was still wondering how formidable that fellow was when he challenged the Bing Corridor as soon as he came, but from the looks of it now, it seemed like the results had been rather disastrous for him... In the end, he still had to start from the very bottom.

Well, to be fair, for a Leaving Aperture realm primary stage cultivator, even the Gui Corridor would pose a great difficulty.

In a sense, it was good that the young man was able to think things through and pursue something that was more feasible to him than to cling on to his meaningless pride.

"I told you earlier that you should have just challenged the Gui Corridor, it's really a huge pity for you to have wasted a hundred concentrated high-tier spirit stones just like that. But nevertheless, it's still good to see that you have come to your senses..." Qing Yu smiled as she took out another challenge token and passed it over. "Right, where's the challenge token you have used in the Bing Corridor? Regardless of whether you have used it or not, you'll have to return it to us."

"Here it is." Zhang Xuan took the challenge token which Qing Yu was offering him before passing back the Bing Corridor's challenge token he had received earlier. After which, he turned around and headed off to the Gui Corridor.

Shortly after he left, the male receptionist turned to Qing Yu and asked, "Is that the lustful fellow that you have spoken about earlier?"

"That's right." Qing Yu nodded.

"I have to say that he's rather handsome, but to challenge the Bing Corridor with his Leaving Aperture realm primary stage cultivation... He's indeed a little over his head." the male receptionist remarked.

"It's apparent that he's not a person who lacked money, he probably did that in order to strike up a connection with Senior Shui. But from the looks of it, his efforts seem to have ended in futility. Realizing the limitations of his strength, he had no choice but to challenge the Gui Corridor instead..." Qing Yu shook her head as she prepared to toss the challenge token which she had received from the young man earlier back into the drawer, but all of a sudden, she froze on the spot.

"This challenge token..."

"What's wrong?" The male receptionist turned his gaze over as well, and in the next moment, his body stiffened as well. "There are actually golden marks on it... Isn't that a sign that he has cleared the trial?"

Speaking up to this point, the male receptionist traded gazes with Qing Yu, and the both of them gulped down a mouthful of saliva in shock.

"It can't be that... he managed to clear the Bing Corridor?"

As receptionists of the Corridor of Puppets, they were well aware of the difficulties surrounding the Bing Corridor. Many geniuses of the Sanctum of Sages had marched in confidently, only to return with dispirited looks on their faces. There were years where not even a single challenger would manage to clear it successfully... and that Leaving Aperture realm primary stage fellow actually managed to clear it?

How in the world was that possible?

And if he had already cleared the trial, what about Senior Shui?

Considering how she had entered the trial before him, why was she nowhere to be seen?

"I'll head over to take a quick look..." The bewildering situation left Qing Yu feeling completely crazed. Unable to hold herself back anymore, she stood up from her seat and prepared to make her way over to Bing Corridor to check the situation out.

"Wait a moment..." But before Qing Yu could leave the area, the male receptionist beside her abruptly grabbed her hand. Perplexed, she turned around to look at the male receptionist, only to see the latter pointing at the area in front of him with eyes widened in disbelief.

She traced the male receptionist's finger and looked over as well, and the sight she saw left her entire body freezing on the spot. The young man who had just left for the Gui Corridor a moment ago had returned. With a brilliant smile on his face, he took out another hundred concentrated high-tier spirit stones along with a challenge token and passed those over to them. "I wish to challenge the Ren Corridor 3 now."

Despite her dazed state, Qing Yu still managed to instinctively take out a challenge token from the drawer and passed it over to the young man before her.

"Thank you." the young man replied before turning around elegantly to take his leave.

"He managed to... clear the Gui Corridor too?" Taking a glance at the challenge token which had just been returned, Qing Yu's lips twitched once more.

Even if the Gui Corridor was easy, surely it should be impossible to clear it that quickly?

How long had he been gone for?

One minute?

Two minutes?

In any case, it was not any more than three minutes... Within such a short period of time, even getting there and back would take two and a half minutes, which meant to say that he only spent a couple of seconds to clear the Gui Corridor?

Trading gazes with the male receptionist, the both of them could see the horror in each other's eyes.

Just as they were stunned with fright, the young man's voice sounded once more, "Sorry to interrupt, but I would like the challenge token for Xin Corridor4 . Thank you."

While shuddering in fear, Qing Yu passed a challenge token over before taking the other party's spirit stones and challenge token. Then, taking a glance at the challenge token once more, her body jolted.

It was another pass...

To clear both of them equally quickly, did this mean to say that the difficulty levels of both the Gui Corridor and the Ren Corridor were no different to him?

She widened her mouth so wide that it almost seemed as if she was a fish that had fallen on shore. Just as she was about to check with the male receptionist to see if she was dreaming, the young man walked over once more.

"Give me the challenge token for the Geng Corridor."

"..." Qing Yu.

"..." The male receptionist.

...

"Hu! I'm finally done copying down all of it. By coupling this "Rippling Water Profound Art" with my current cultivation technique, I would surely be able to bring my fighting prowess up to a new level!" Senior Shui remarked with a satisfied smile.

As soon as the young man left, she immediately started copying, and all in all, it took her twenty minutes in order to finish copying down the thick manual entirely.

Of course, she would be able to memorize the entire book within a shorter period of time if she wanted to, but while cultivators of her caliber possessed a photographic memory, that didn't mean that their memories were infallible. Ultimately, it would still be safer to keep a physical copy of the manual.

Even a word of difference for a cultivation technique as profound as this would result in a vast difference in its conception. She didn't want to take on this needless risk.

She had spent an entire month challenging the Bing Corridor, only to fail each time. If not for that young man she had encountered earlier, it was doubtful whether she would have been able to obtain the Rippling Water Profound Art or not.

It wasn't easy for her to come by this opportunity, so it was best not to waste it.

"I wonder if he has finished clearing the Gui Corridor yet. Given his strength, it should be a walk in the park for him!" Placing the cultivation technique manual carefully back onto the shelf, Senior Shui slowly made her way out of the room, returning back to the front reception.

"What's wrong?"

As soon as she arrived at the front reception, she immediately noticed that something was amiss. The boisterous and cheerful Qing Yu from before was, at this moment, sitting on a chair with a completely dazed look, reminiscent of a lifeless zombie. Her eyes were staring blankly at the ground, as if someone had stolen her soul.

The male receptionist beside her wasn't doing any better either. His mouth was wide open, as if his lower jaw had been dislocated.

"Qing Yu... What's wrong with the two of you?" Senior Shui asked out of worry.

"Senior Shui, you are finally back..." Some spirit finally returned back to Qing Yu as she raised her head up slowly. Then, she anxiously stood up and asked, "There was a young man named Zhang Xuan who entered the Bing Corridor right after you, right? Did he really clear the trial?"

"He did. His strength is truly extraordinary!" Senior Shui replied.

After a twenty minutes rest or so, she had mostly recovered from her exertion. While her complexion still looked unnaturally pale, she was in a much better state than before.

"It seems like all of that really isn't a dream then..." With a pale face, Qing Yu staggered back onto her chair. Her hand opened up, and 'huala!', a bunch of small tokens fell all over the ground.

"These are..." Perplexed, Senior Shui bent down to pick up one of those small tokens, and her eyes widened in shock. "These are all challenge tokens? Furthermore... cleared?"

After an entire month of challenging the Corridor of Puppets, she had come to know what the golden marks on the challenge token represented.

But why would there suddenly be so many cleared challenge tokens here?

"That's right... These are the doing of Zhang shi..." Qing Yu nodded in a daze.

"You mean to say that he cleared all of these trials?" Senior Shui could hardly believe what she was saying. She quickly picked up all of the challenge tokens with a sweep of her zhenqi and examined all of them closely.

" Gui Corridor, Ren Corridor, Xin Corridor, Geng Corridor, Ji Corridor, Wu Corridor, Yi Corridor 5 ... he cleared so many of them?" Senior Shui's body began trembling uncontrollably.

In the short twenty minutes that she spent copying down her Rippling Water Profound Art, the other party actually cleared seven corridors?

How could he possibly do it so quickly?

Fighting so many puppets in succession, wouldn't he run out of zhenqi? Wouldn't he feel exhausted?

"That's right. He cleared all of those without taking a breather at all..." Qing Yu nodded.

"Then... where is he at the moment?" Senior Shui asked.

"He's currently challenging the Jia Corridor 6 !" Qing Yu replied.

"The Jia Corridor?"

Senior Shui hurriedly lowered her head to take a look, and indeed, there was no Jia Corridor amongst challenge tokens. In other words, the young man hadn't cleared the hardest corridor yet.

"Wait, that's not right... Since he has already cleared the Bing and Yi Corridors, why didn't he challenge the Ding Corridor 7 ?" Flipping through the challenge tokens once more, Senior Shui frowned in bewilderment.

That fellow had started from the Gui Corridor, and he had challenged every single corridor from the bottom up... So why would he skip the Ding Corridor?

"Ah..." Qing Yu's face flushed red, and after a long moment of silence, she swallowed a mouthful of saliva and finally spoke up, "He said that... the name of the corridor didn't sound nice 8 , and as an upright man, there was no point challenging it!"

"..." Senior Shui.

Chapter 1320: Challenging the Jia Corridor!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Geji! Geji!

Standing at the very center of the room, Zhang Xuan watched as a puppet walked out from a door ahead of him, and he heaved a deep sigh of helplessness.

He had already cleared eight of the ten Leaving Aperture realm Corridor of Puppets, but he was still unable to compile a complete Heaven's Path Divine Art.

Left with no choice, he could only head over here to challenge the most difficult trial of all.

In the long several dozen millennium years of history behind the Sanctum of Sages, only seven people had cleared the trial in total. From this, it wasn't too difficult to imagine how difficult the trial was.

The puppet in the Yi Corridor has already reached Grand Dominion realm intermediate stage, so the one in the Jia Corridor 1 is bound to be even stronger!Zhang Xuan thought as he assessed the puppet before him with narrowed eyes.

Challenging the Yi Corridor had already posed a great challenge to him. He had to use the flaws he had found in the puppet from the Library of Heaven's Path and the keen discernment of his Eye of Insight in order to design a whole series of maneuvers before he was finally able to corner the puppet and subdue it.

But even so, he still suffered some injuries in the midst of the challenge. It was fortunate that he was able to recover swiftly through his Heaven's Path zhenqi, or else he might have to retire for the day.

According to what the female receptionist, Qing Yu, has said, Ruoxin has cleared the Jia Corridor... So, the least I can do is to clear it as well! Zhang Xuan thought determinedly as a powerful fighting spirit flowed forth from him.

Of the seven people who had cleared the Jia Corridor, Luo Ruoxin was one of them.

Since his girlfriend was able to clear it, he mustn't lose out either! Otherwise, how could he be qualified to ask for her marriage in hand?

After walking out from the door, the puppet abruptly opened its eyes and announced grandly, "To dare to challenge the Jia Corridor, you must be really confident in your strength. Very well, let me see what you are capable of then!"

"You are able to speak?" Zhang Xuan frowned in bewilderment.

Even the puppet he had modified earlier in the Bing Corridor was only capable of muttering a couple of incoherent syllables. Yet, the puppet before him was actually capable of voicing human speech. This was inconceivable!

"Let's begin the battle!" Couldn't even be bothered to waste its breath on words anymore, the puppet uttered coldly before charging forward.

Hu!

Its movements were as swift as a bolt of lightning, and it took only an instant for it to appear before Zhang Xuan.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan didn't expect the puppet to move so quickly, covering the ten meters between them instantaneously as if teleportation. He quickly took a step forward as well to build up some momentum as he thrust his palm toward the puppet.

In an instant, countless palm prints materialized all over the area, as if a garden of resplendent flowers had blossomed in the midst of the battlefield all of a sudden. They converged with one another to form a seemingly relentless current of force that threatened to wear down any opponent.

This was a battle technique he had obtained from the Yi Corridor, Overlapping Palm.

This palm art worked in a manner strikingly similar to the Thousand Hands of Rulai 2 . Its prowess would stack up layer after layer on one another, leaving one feeling as if one would be washed by its might.

While this attack wasn't as powerful as the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm in terms of offensive, it was an excellent move when used in defensive maneuvers. More importantly, due to how complex the technique was, it was extremely difficult to distinguish real threats from feints, thus possibly creating unexpected results in battle.

Hong long!

But while Zhang Xuan's palm strike was formidable, the puppet was even stronger. Using some sort of bizarre battle technique, the sheer might of its fist seemed to seal the surrounding space completely, preventing the countless palms from converging with one another, thus rendering it completely ineffective.

The puppet has cultivated Overlapping Palms too... Zhang Xuan frowned in realization.

To be able to make such instantaneous judgement to effectively neutralize his attacks, there could only be one possibility... The puppet must have a deep understanding of Overlapping Palms as well, and it knew the ideal moments to strike in order to nerf the offense.

While Zhang Xuan did improve the palm strike significantly through compiling it with various other palm art manuals in the Library of Heaven's Path, those who were familiar in the technique would still be able to find an opportunity to step in and counterattack.

This wasn't about exploiting the flaws in the palm technique but simply the natural manner how the certain maneuvers would curb one another.

"Break!" Knowing that he would only be placed in a deeply disadvantageous position if he were to continue pushing his Overlapping Palms on, he decisively changed his palm strike into a sword art instead. With a flick of his finger, a powerful surge of sword qi burst forth.

Having comprehended Sword Quintessence, every single movement that Zhang Xuan made could be considered as a sword art. Even though he didn't execute any battle techniques, he might he could exert at will was still not beneath any ordinary sword art.

Pu! The sword qi instantaneously sliced through the space which the puppet had constructed and flew straight for the latter's glabella.

"Hmph!" In face of the swift transformations in Zhang Xuan's attacks, it harrumphed coldly.

Without the slightest hint of panic, it calmly opened up its tightly-clenched fist like a blossoming orchid, and several surges of sword qi short forth from it.

Po! Po! Po!

The sword qi collided with one another, causing a resounding explosion in the air before vanishing simultaneously.

The clash in sword qi left Zhang Xuan with suffocating sensation welling up in his chest. It seemed the backlash of the collision had caused some internal injuries to him.

Sword Quintessence? A puppet actually managed to achieve the level of Sword Quintessence?

He had known that the puppet of the Jia Corridor would be formidable, but he didn't think that the latter would be such a powerful opponent!

It was one thing for it to have grasped the Overlapping Palms, but to actually possess such a deep comprehension of swordsmanship as well, achieving the level of Sword Quintessence... This was really unbelievable!

From how Zhang Jiuxiao was able to rely on his Half-Quintessence comprehension of swordsmanship and his shallow understanding of the Three Swords of Lingxu to get into the Sanctum of Sages, it could be seen how rare top sword practitioners were.

For a puppet to actually wield such deep understanding of swordsmanship as well, it would have been a lie if he were to say that he wasn't astounded.

Wait a moment, it's impossible for a puppet to comprehend Sword Quintessence by itself. Its innate flaws render it incapable of comprehending such conceptualizations. From the looks of it, it appears that an expert sword practitioner who has comprehended True Quintessence had infused a part of himself into the puppet's body, thus granting it the ability to execute such a powerful sword qi! A moment after his shock, Zhang Xuan swiftly realized that something was amiss with the situation.

Puppets weren't capable of cultivation or comprehension unless under certain unique circumstances. They could fight on command, but every single moves they made would be programmed beforehand.

In other words, the Sword Quintessence which the puppet had displayed wasn't its own comprehension but merely a fragment of memory of a sword expert.

In other words... even though the puppets were capable of executing moves that wielded the prowess of Sword Quintessence, its failure to grasp the fundamental principles behind it would limit the flexibility of its moves.

But even if that was the case, it still wouldn't be easy to deal with the puppet.

It'll be difficult for me to outmaneuver the puppet in terms of swordsmanship since it has grasped Sword Quintessence and wields far greater strength and speed than me, and in terms of palm arts, I'm not an opponent for it either... Zhang Xuan's mind swiftly whirred into action.

If the puppet was still of equivalent cultivation realm as Zhang Xuan, he might still have been able to outmaneuver it in terms of swordsmanship with time, but the vast disparity in their fundamental abilities would make it nigh impossible to do so. Also, in the previous clash using his Overlapping Palms, the puppet had displayed prowess far above his...

How in the world was he supposed to win this battle? The odds were overwhelmingly against his favor!

Dominion!

A light sphere of roughly a meter radius appeared around Zhang Xuan's body.

It seemed like there was no other choice than to use his ultimate skill then!

Weng!

But before Zhang Xuan could make any move with his Dominion, he suddenly felt the surrounding space crushing heavily down upon him.

The puppet had released its Dominion as well.

Astonishingly, the puppet's Dominion was twenty meters in radius, and just by standing in its perimeter, Zhang Xuan felt as if steel chains were wrapped tightly around his body, rendering it impossible for him to move even a single inch.

This is... Grand Dominion realm pinnacle? Zhang Xuan's lips twitched in frenzy.

It was no wonder why every single move he executed was neutralized so easily! The puppet's cultivation had already reached Grand Dominion realm pinnacle!

Currently, Zhang Xuan wielded the strength to subdue a Grand Dominion realm primary stage cultivator without any problem; perhaps a little strenuous against intermediate stage cultivators but definitely still possible to achieve victory, but against advanced stage and pinnacle experts... He barely stood a chance at all!

Hu!

With cold sweat breaking throughout Zhang Xuan's body, he immediately executed the Unbounded Voyager and forcefully escaped from the shackle-like restraints of the puppet's Dominion to a corner of the room.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, he took out the challenge token and crushed it.

Weng!

An aura rippled from the token, and the puppet who was just about to charge toward Zhang Xuan once more immediately halted its attacks. It took a few steps back before asking coldly, "Are you admitting defeat?"

Despite how intricacies behind their exchange of blows, in truth, the three moves that they had traded—a fist art, a sword art, and Dominion—lasted less than three breaths in total. Considering how they had barely explored the depths of each other's strength yet, it seemed a little too early to be admitting defeat at this point!

"I'm no match for you in my current state." Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly.

In the first place, this trial was designed for Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle experts whereas he was only at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage. To be honest, it was not entirely impossible for him to emerge victorious if he were to utilize all of the means at his disposal, but... the circumstances hadn't grown so desperate for him that necessitated such a course of action yet.

"Farewell!" Zhang Xuan turned around unhesitatingly and left the room.

But without clearing the Jia Corridor, I won't be able to compile out a perfect Leaving Aperture realm Heaven's Path Divine Art to cultivate... It's almost like a paradox! It seems like I'll just have to find other alternative methods to raise my fighting prowess then. Zhang Xuan thought as he made his way over to the front reception.

Currently, the greatest room of improvement for me should lie in the Three Swords of Lingxu and the Divine Eyes of the Ninth Netherworld.

There were two direct ways of raising one's fighting prowess. First, through raising one's cultivation, and second, through cultivating formidable battle techniques.

He wouldn't be able to advance his cultivation without compiling the complete Leaving Aperture realm Heaven's Path Divine Art, so it seemed like he could only pursue the second route.

He had two extremely powerful battle techniques at hand, and the successful cultivation of any of them would raise his fighting prowess immensely. However, it was a pity that they were terribly flawed, which was why he had put off cultivating them up to date.

I should ask around to see where I can find sword art manuals! Zhang Xuan thought as he arrived before the front reception.

"Zhang shi... did you clear the Jia Corridor?" Senior Shui had been lingering around the area out of curiosity, and she immediately spoke up in agitation as soon she saw Zhang Xuan.

"I didn't." Zhang Xuan shook his head. "The puppet in the Jia Corridor is simply too powerful, I'm still unable to match it with my current strength..."

"I see..." Senior Shui instinctively heaved a sigh of relief, but after realizing the rudeness of her action, her face immediately reddened in a fluster.

It was already unbelievable how the young man had managed to clear eight of the corridors successively without any rest, and if he could clear the Jia Corridor as well, she might have really been scared out of her wits.

"Excuse me, do you know where I can learn sword arts in the Sanctum of Sages?" Paying no heed to Senior Shui's actions, Zhang Xuan passed the challenge token back to Qing Yu as he asked.

"You wish to learn swordsmanship?" Before Qing Yu could reply, Senior Shui had already interjected with a frown.

"That's right." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"If you intend to learn swordsmanship, you are in luck! Senior Shui over here happens to be the most formidable sword practitioner amongst the younger generation in the Sanctum of Sages, and her teacher is the most powerful swordmaster around here!" Qing Yu said.

"You are a sword practitioner?" Taken aback, Zhang Xuan turned his sight to Senior Shui.

Back at the Bing Corridor, the young lady had used all kinds of battle techniques and secret arts to deal with the puppets, but sword art wasn't one of them.

"Of course!" Hearing those words of skepticism, Senior Shui frowned in displeasure. With a flick of her wrist, she whipped out a sword and said, "Why? Do you want to try my swordsmanship?"

The usage of weapons and artifacts were banned in the Corridor of Puppets, and the lack of a sword would have severely limited the might of her swordsmanship, so she decided against using it altogether in the battle. However, this didn't mean that she would allow others to question her accomplishment in swordsmanship. She raised her sword up, and concentrated Sword Intent burst forth from her.

"Not too bad, but there's still room for improvement..." Seeing that Senior Shui had achieved the level of Upper Sword Heart, Zhang Xuan offered a few rare words of compliment. "If it isn't too much trouble, may I ask you to lead me to where sword art manuals are stored?"

"There's still room for improvement? Let me see how deep of an understanding you have in swordsmanship then!" With a cold harrumph, Senior Shui's body seemed to warp into a sharp sword as she charged forward with imposing momentum.

Paji!

But before she could even come close to Zhang Xuan, the sword she was wielding suddenly dragged her entire body down to the ground, shaking uncontrollably in her hand.

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Chapter 1321: Unless You Are the Sanctum Head!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"You..." Struggling up from the ground, Senior Shui's lips were twitching crazily. The gaze she directed at the young man before her had changed altogether. "Your comprehension of swordsmanship... has already reached the level of Sword Quintessence?"

As a genius in swordsmanship, she was well aware of the various levels in swordsmanship. Her sword had dropped to the ground in fear before it could even nick the young man at all, trembling non-stop; she had only encountered such a situation with her teacher before! In other words, the young man who appeared to be in his early twenties already possessed an understanding of swordsmanship that was on par with her teacher!

But how in the world could that be?

To achieve Sword Quintessence required not only an extremely deep understanding of swordsmanship. More than that, one also had to accumulate sufficient experience and insight before one would be able to achieve the conceptualization necessary for the realm. The reason her teacher was able to achieve that realm was because he had once traveled a distance of ten thousand li on foot, experiencing the suffering and agony that ordinary mortals underwent, and that was what became the foundation for his breakthrough.

Even if the young man were to start cultivating from his mother's womb, that would only be a short twenty years. To achieve Sword Quintessence within this limited period of time... was truly inconceivable!

Zhang Xuan did not deny the matter. Instead, with a flick of his wrist, the sword that was bowing to him was released from its pressure.

Weng!

It flew into the air and landed in his hands.

He flicked it lightly, and a crisp metallic reverberation echoed from it.

"This sword is not bad. It's compatible with you," Zhang Xuan remarked before tossing the sword back.

The sword was light and flexible, which was well-suited for a water attribute cultivator like Senior Shui.

"My teacher picked it out for me," Senior Shui replied as she stored her sword. Following which, she turned to look at Zhang Xuan and asked, "You said that you wish to browse through books relating to swordsmanship?"

Since the young man had comprehended Sword Quintessence, there was no point in challenging him in a duel anymore.

The disparity between them was simply too big, so she would only be humiliated in the end.

"My teacher has quite a vast collection of books relating to swordsmanship, and I can bring you over," Senior Shui said hesitantly.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. "Ah, then I'll be troubling you to lead the way then."

"However," Senior Shui said, "I should warn you first. You have already comprehended Sword Quintessence, which means that you have already found your own way, so it would be best for you not to harbor too much hope regarding the matter. I think that there's a good chance that you may be kicked out before you can see any books."

"Kicked out? Why?" Zhang Xuan frowned in confusion.

To achieve the level of Sword Quintessence at his age, he could already be considered an outstanding genius. Most sword practitioners would welcome him with opened arms, wanting to trade insights with him, so why would he be kicked out instead?

"This... As you may know, my teacher is the number one sword expert in the Sanctum of Sages, Jian Qinsheng. He possesses exceptionally powerful cultivation, and he's an extremely respectable man as well..."

At this point, Senior Shui paused for a moment before continuing with a suppressed voice. "Just that... he tends to be a little too rigid and inflexible when it comes to rules."

"Inflexible when it comes to rules?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

As Jian Qinsheng's student, Senior Shui was not in a good position to criticize her teacher, but basically, what her words meant was that Jian Qinsheng was an austere person, possessing the attitude reminiscent of an old academic.

Such people tended to be extremely forthright in their words and actions. If they harbored goodwill for you, they would treat you with the utmost sincerity and offer their assistance magnanimously. However, if they found that they could not get along with you, then no matter how high a standing you had, how illustrious a background you had, nothing would be able to change their view of you.

"Yes. He used to be an elder of the Hall of Propriety, so he regards rules and formalities very highly. If you want to browse through his collection of books and receive his guidance, you will have to clear his test and receive his acknowledgement.

"The Zhang Clan has a genius sword practitioner known as Zhang Xu, and he's a renowned figure even in the Inner Sanctum. In terms of swordsmanship, he's reputed to be the indisputable number one, having achieved the level of Sword Quintessence. Yet, when he paid my teacher a visit in hopes of browsing through his collection of books, he was still mercilessly kicked out. So, I thought that it would be good to give you a heads up so that you won't be shocked later on," Senior Shui said hesitantly.

"Even a Sword Quintessence expert was kicked out? Why?" Zhang Xuan was perplexed.

As someone who had comprehended Sword Quintessence, Zhang Xu could already be considered one of the top figures of the Sanctum of Sages, even though his cultivation was lacking compared to the elders. In a sense, he could even be considered a fellow peer of Jian Qinsheng's in terms of swordsmanship.

It simply did not seem rational for Jian Qinsheng to kick Zhang Xu away on a whim!

"Like I have said before, my teacher is someone who regards formalities and the sort very highly. The person that he respects the most is the Third Sanctum Head.

"The Third Sanctum Head was one of the rare few who trod the path of cultivation through his sword, standing unchallenged in the world through his profound comprehension of swordsmanship. Those of the Sage Clans had to defer to him, and even the elders of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters dared not face him head on! In his generation, the prestige and strength of the Sanctum of Sages were pushed to the very peak.

"However, despite the overwhelming prowess of the Third Sanctum Head, it is a pity that he was slightly lacking when it came to his ability to impart knowledge. As a result, he was unable to pass down his full heritage, and it was then that the swordsmanship in the Sanctum of Sages began declining!

"My teacher is a descendant of the Third Sanctum Head, and over the years, he has been guarding the hint of Sword Intent left behind by the Third Sanctum Head. In order to become my teacher's student or learn anything from him, you have to gain the acknowledgement of the Sword Intent first.

"To be honest, I think the reason I was able to emerge among dozens of genius sword practitioners and become my teacher's student is mainly because of my water attribute. As you know, the water attribute's nature is to encompass everything. On the other hand, Zhang Xu has already comprehended a path of swordsmanship belonging to himself, and it's at odds with the Sword Intent. As a result... my teacher kicked him out."

"I see!" Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

Once one's comprehension of swordsmanship reached the level of Sword Quintessence, the Sword Intent one exerted would be able to gain some degree of consciousness. Given so, it was indeed possible for a Sword Intent to have the ability to choose a suitable successor to inherit its way.

A different conceptualization of Sword Intent could result in a clash of ideology.

Senior Shui cultivated a water attribute cultivation technique, and due to its gentle and flexible nature, it was easier for her to receive the recognition of the Sword Intent. On the other hand, those who had a deeper comprehension of swordsmanship were likely to already have their own conceptualization of what swordsmanship should be like, and that meant it was highly likely that there would be a conflict of ideology with the Sword Intent, thus making it even more difficult for them to receive its recognition.

A thought surfaced in Zhang Xuan's mind. Does this mean that the books that Jian Qinsheng has collected were all left behind by the Third Sanctum Head?

In a sense, receiving the Sword Intent's recognition could also be interpreted as 'walking on a similar path of swordsmanship'.

Only those who walked a similar path would be able to browse through his books and receive his guidance. To put it plainly, Jian Qinsheng was simply looking to cultivate his own lineage of sword experts.

Zhang Xuan shook his head. Every single person has a unique comprehension of swordsmanship, so I wonder what conceptualization Jian Qinsheng has comprehended. Chances are that it's different from the Old Sword Maestro's!

His current comprehension of swordsmanship mostly originated from the Old Sword Maestro.

So far, he had never heard of anything between the Old Sword Maestro and the Third Sanctum Head, so it was likely that the two of them were from different schools.

In other words, if he headed over, there was a good chance that just like Zhang Xu, he would be rejected by the Sword Intent and kicked out.

After a moment of dilemma, Zhang Xuan could not help but ask, "What if I just take a look at the books from afar, not copying or scanning them with my Spiritual Perception?"

The way he read books was different from the others. As long as it was within his range of sight, he would be able to take anything into his Library of Heaven's Path.

He did not need Jian Qinsheng's guidance, notes from the books, or even access to see the content within at all. All he wanted was a look at them from afar...

This should be fine, right?

"Take a look at the books from afar?" Senior Shui shook her head with a bitter smile. "My teacher treasures every single one of those books dearly, and he created a room that only those who have his token in hand will be able to enter. So... unless you are the sanctum head of the Sanctum of Sages, there's no way you will be able to get in!"

Surprised by that, Zhang Xuan asked, "The sanctum head will be able to get in?"

It seemed like he was the only candidate for the position of the sanctum head at the moment.

Well, he was not the sanctum head, but it would not take too long before he inherited the position.

"Of course! The sanctum head is the highest leader of the Sanctum of Sages! No matter who my teacher dares offend, he would never turn down a request from the sanctum head," Senior Shui replied matter-of-factly.

A moment later, she shook her head and sighed. "However, it has been more than three hundred years since the Sanctum of Sages had a sanctum head. Currently, all affairs are taken care of by the deputy sanctum head.

"Alright, there's no point discussing about such matters too much. We aren't in a position to talk much about someone as esteemed as the sanctum head. So, after all I have said, are you still interested in heading over to take a look? If that's the case, let's set off now."

"I still want to give it a try. Let's go!" Zhang Xuan replied with a smile.

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Chapter 1322: Hierarchy Among Sage Clans

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

While Zhang Xuan knew that Jian Qinsheng's conceptualization of swordsmanship was bound to be different from his, he still felt compelled to head there to take a look. If, by some chance, he really managed to acquire the sword art manuals required to perfect the Three Swords of Lingxu, he would be able to clear the Jia Corridor and finally form his Leaving Aperture realm Heaven's Path Divine Art.

Besides, every single cultivator had a unique interpretation of cultivation, forged by their individual experiences and insights. Only through interaction with others would one be able to broaden one's horizons and raise the ceiling for further improvement.

"Let's go." Seeing that the young man was still insistent on heading over, Senior Shui nodded. She bade farewell to Qing Yu, and the both of them made their way out of the Hall of Solidarity.

While advancing forward, Senior Shui sent a telepathic message to Zhang Xuan. "Later on, if you fail to gain the acknowledgement of the Sword Intent and my teacher asks you to leave, I advise you to just turn around and walk away. Don't expect to be able to sway him with words; on the contrary, you will only be making things difficult on yourself."

"Those who live for their swordsmanship usually have a temperament similar to a sword: sharp and straightforward. Don't worry, I understand," Zhang Xuan replied with a nod.

Those who were able to raise their comprehension of swordsmanship to the level of Sword Quintessence would have devoted their life, mind, soul, and spirit all to the sword, so naturally, their personality would also gradually morph into something resembling their swordsmanship as well.

For this reason, sword practitioners tended to be true to their feelings, and they hated it when others beat around the bush.

Taking the Old Sword Maestro for example, he was extremely decisive in his actions. Even when he dissipated, he did it with absolute gusto, not showing the slightest hesitation!

"It's good that you understand." Senior Shui heaved a sigh of relief.

Considering how the young man was able to wield such great strength and achieve such astounding accomplishment in swordsmanship at a young age, there was little doubt that he came from an extraordinary background. She did not wish for her goodwill to end up causing dissension on both sides!

Thinking up to this point, Senior Shui could not help but turn to Zhang Xuan and ask curiously, "Your name is Zhang Xuan, right? Are you from the Zhang Clan? Why haven't I heard of you before?"

Seeing that someone was misunderstanding his identity yet again, Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I'm not from the Zhang Clan."

"You aren't?" Senior Shui could hardly believe what she was hearing.

If he was not from the Zhang Clan... did he manage to obtain such astounding strength at his age without relying on the power of a Sage Clan's bloodline? How could that be possible?

"I am from the Qingyuan Empire, and I guess the reason I possess decent strength would be because I am extremely hardworking," Zhang Xuan explained earnestly.

"This..." Recalling how the young man had just cleared eight corridors in succession within thirty minutes and yet still chose to follow her to learn swordsmanship instead of taking a break, Senior Shui could not help but nod in agreement. "To be able to wield such strength at your age despite being an unaffiliated cultivator, you do have some tenacity in you."

"Senior Shui, if I recall correctly, you tapped into the power of your bloodline earlier, right? Are you from a Sage Clan as well?" Zhang Xuan asked curiously.

"You... don't know me?" Senior Shui nearly choked on her saliva.

Her cultivation might only have been at Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle, but due to her background and physical appearance, she could be said to be a celebrity in the Outer Sanctum, a person who would catch the eyes of others no matter where she went. And yet, this fellow actually did not know her background?

Are you for real?

"Well, this is the first time I have seen you. Am I supposed to know who you are?" Zhang Xuan asked with a perplexed frown.

"First time you are seeing me?" Realization struck Senior Shui as she widened her eyes in astonishment. "You can't be a freshman who has just enrolled into the Sanctum of Sages today, can you?"

"I am." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Right after you cleared the entrance examination, you ran straight to the Hall of Solidarity and cleared eight corridors in succession?" Senior Shui gulped as her cheeks began quivering non-stop.

Is it just me, or are the freshmen nowadays a little too formidable?

Even after an entire month of preparation, she was still having trouble clearing the Bing Corridor, but barely after arriving in the Sanctum of Sages, that fellow had already cleared eight of the corridors?

"Ah. After the entrance examination ended in the afternoon, I took a trip to the Hall of Erudition to take the 8-star formation master examination and successfully cleared it by setting up a grade-8 formation. After which, I chatted with someone for two hours before returning to my residence. Then, I took a bath before going over to the Hall of Solidarity," Zhang Xuan said.

"..." Senior Shui's body petrified on the spot.

It was, by no means, easy to clear the 8-star formation master examination. Even the elder brother of the little princess of the Luo Clan had challenged it twice, only to fail both times around. So, why was the young man talking about it with a light tone that seemed as if he had just taken a walk around the park?

More importantly... most 7-star pinnacle formation masters would require at least a few months of hard work before they were able to set up a grade-8 formation. Considering that the entrance examination had ended in the afternoon, and at this very moment, the sky had not darkened yet...

Are you a monster?

Unable to hold herself back any longer, Senior Shui asked, "If I may ask... how long did you take to clear the 8-star formation master examination?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan frowned as he tried to recall the entire course of events. "If we exclude the strength assessment... roughly around five to six minutes? Well, if that Elder Su hadn't dawdled, I should have been able to clear it faster!"

"Five to six minutes..." Senior Shui's body began trembling wildly from frenzy. At this moment, she felt so traumatized that she did not know if she would ever recover from this blow.

She had been wanting to take the 8-star formation master examination for a long time, too, but it was a pity that her cultivation was too low, so she was unable to receive the qualifications for it. Yet, even though the young man possessed cultivation beneath hers, he still managed to clear the examination in a few minutes.

The more she thought about the matter, the more suffocated she felt on the inside, to the point where she could not catch her breath anymore.

Seeing how the young lady's face was turning red at a moment and white in the other, clutching her chest at one moment and tearing at her hair in the other... she really looked mentally deranged. Knowing that it would be disrespectful to point that out, Zhang Xuan very conscientiously changed the topic. "Right, you still haven't answered my question yet. Are you from a Sage Clan?"

Suppressing all of those overwhelming emotions inside her, Senior Shui Qianrou replied, "My name is Shui Qianrou, and I come from a Sage Clan, the Shui Clan!"

"Shui Clan?" Zhang Xuan suddenly thought of something, and he lowered his head contemplatively for a moment before asking in bewilderment, "I have a friend who is from the Mu Clan, and he practices wood attribute cultivation techniques. Water and wood 1 ... Could it be that there are clans relating to the Five Elements among the Sage Clans?"

Mu Yuan, whom he had met in the Hongyuan Empire, was a member of the Mu Clan. For a Shui Clan to appear here... could there really be some kind of Five Elements Clans among the Sage Clans?

Otherwise, would it not be really coincidental for the Shui Clan to practice water attribute cultivation techniques and the Mu Clan to practice wood attribute cultivation techniques?

"The clans relating to the Five Elements are Tier-1 Sage Clans... You don't know this?" Shui Qianrou was really rendered speechless this time around.

On top of being Tier-1 Sage Clans, the Five Elements Clans had a history of being deeply united with one another, such that even the Zhang Clan and the Luo Clan had to think twice before getting on bad terms with them. As someone who had managed to get into the Sanctum of Sages, how could the young man have never heard of them?

Do you live beneath a rock?

But thinking about the matter once more, it was not like the matter was completely impossible.

Despite being a Conferred Empire, the Qingyuan Empire was located extremely far away from the center of the Master Teacher Continent. Considering that, it was not too surprising that they were not well-informed on the power structure of the Sage Clans.

The summer worm would never come to know of ice, and the frog in the well would never understand the vastness of the sea!

At this, Shui Qianrou shook her head and began explaining. "Sage Clans are divided into various tiers... You should have at least heard of that, right?"

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

There were Sage Clans in the Eight Conferred Empires too, such as the clan thatXue Ning 2 had come from. However, they were mostly Tier-3.

"Sage Clans can be basically divided into four tiers. Standing at the top of the pyramid are the Premier Clans. While their standing pale in comparison to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, their standing surpasses that of the Apothecary Guild headquarters, Blacksmith Guild headquarters, and such. They wield immense authority and an exalted position in the Master Teacher Continent. All in all, there are three Premier Clans, namely the Zhang Clan, the Luo Clan, and the Jiang Clan," Shui Qianrou explained.

"Beneath them are Tier-1 Sage Clans. The Five Elements Clans such as the Shui Clan and the Mu Clan are listed in this category. Some of the stronger organizations in the Master Teacher Continent, despite not being Sage Clans, may also be placed in this category for comparison sake, such as the Glacier Plain Court, Apothecary Guild, so on and so forth."

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in astonishment.

All along, he had heard much about the strength of the Zhang Clan and the Luo Clan, and he knew that they were behemoths as well. However, he did not think that they would actually wield that much influence and power in the Master Teacher Continent, possessing a position that surpassed even that of the Apothecary Guild headquarters.

It was no wonder Wu shi and the others had been so worried when they learned that the person he liked was the little princess of the Luo Clan!

"After that are the Tier-2 Clans. These clans wield a position on par with the Empire Alliance, and overall, they number around a hundred. Last but not least, there are the Tier-3 Clans, who wield influence equivalent to Conferred Empires. There are many of them spread across the entire Master Teacher Continent, such that I can't even give you a rough estimate as to how many of them there are."

Shui Qianrou briefly went through the four different tiers of Sage Clans while Zhang Xuan nodded along. The young lady had pretty much laid out everything clearly for him, albeit in a rather simplified way.

It seemed like the Sage Clans obeyed a very strict hierarchy as well.

At this point, Zhang Xuan suddenly thought about Yuan Tao, and he could not help but ask, "I have a stu—friend who is from the Yuan Clan. May I know which tier the Yuan Clan is in?"

Considering that the Glacier Plain Court was on par with Tier-1 Sage Clans, if the Yuan Clan were to be beneath that... Well, perhaps he should consider finding Yuan Tao and bringing him back.

Seeing that Zhang Xuan really did not know anything at all, Shui Qianrou shook her head helplessly and said, "For the Five Elements Clan, the Mu Clan, Shui Clan, and Jin Clan 3 have names that correspond directly to the element that they represent. On the other hand, the clan that represent fire has the surname Chi, and the clan that represents earth has the surname Yuan. As far as I know, there should be no other Yuan Clan among the Sage Clans, so the friend that you spoke of should be a member of the Five Elements Clans' Yuan Clan!"

"The Yuan Clan represents earth of the Five Elements Clans? So, it's a Tier-1 Clan?" Zhang Xuan was slightly startled.

To be honest, he really did not think that the Yuan Clan would be so formidable.

"Indeed. Not only so, the Yuan Clan is also known as the strongest of the Five Elements Clans. They boast fearsome might and invincible defense, making them infallible berserkers of the battlefield!" Shui Qianrou explained.

The cultivation technique and bloodline ability passed down in the Shui Clan had the ability to encompass everything, using flexibility and technique to curb overwhelming force with ease, but the problem with that was that their offensive prowess was too weak!

Of the Five Elements Clans, the clan that boasted the greatest offensive power was the Jin Clan. However, if other factors were taken into account as well, the Yuan Clan was the unquestionable number one.

"I see. That's a relief..." Hearing that the Yuan Clan was not too weak, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Since the Yuan Clan had such a powerful heritage, he would not need to worry about Yuan Tao for the time being. A clan as powerful as that should have plenty of means to raise Yuan Tao's cultivation and fighting prowess swiftly. In fact, there was a chance that his cultivation might even be on par with Zhao Ya's.

At this moment, Shui Qianrou suddenly sent a telepathic message over. "Our teacher's residence is just ahead. Later on, try not to speak unless necessary..."

Raising his head, Zhang Xuan realized that they had arrived before a rather stately-looking residence. Even before entering its premises, he could feel a powerful Sword Intent emanating from within, leaving him feeling as if he had returned to the Sword Lagoon.

"Is this where Elder Jian Qinsheng lives? Truly extraordinary!" Zhang Xuan remarked.

As expected of the number one sword practitioner in the Sanctum of Sages. Despite comprehending Sword Quintessence, he still felt his Sword Intent being suppressed by the aura emanating from the residence, leaving him feeling slightly stifled on the inside.

"There's a surge of sword qi in the entrance that serves to keep ordinary students at bay. Give me a moment, I'll report your presence to my teacher so as to open up the path for you..."

Taking a deep breath, Shui Qianrou walked up to the residence, and just as she was about to enter, she suddenly noticed a sword qi thrashing around between the fingers of the young man beside her. The sword qi was struggling with all its might to escape, but as if clamped tightly between two steel bars, it was unable to free itself.

"Sword qi? Do you mean this?" Zhang Xuan was asked in bewilderment.

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Chapter 1323: All Wrong

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"You..." Goosebumps immediately rose all over Shui Qianrou's body, and she nearly lost all rationality.

It was just a moment ago that she had reminded the young man to act with prudence so that he would not offend her teacher accidentally, and then he actually grabbed the surge of sword qi protecting the residence as soon as he arrived.

Can't you just cool it down a little?

Realizing his mistake as well, Zhang Xuan hurriedly apologized. "Ah, pardon me. I'll release it right now!"

He had sensed the surge of sword qi as soon as he arrived by the entrance of the residence, and he had feared that it would accidentally harm Shui Qianrou, so he had secretly captured it. He did not think that it would actually be a doorkeeper left behind by Jian Qinsheng to fend off uninvited guests!

In fear of the sharp sword qi, there would surely be no one who would dare mess around with it. This was as good as turning away all guests.

Regardless of what Jian Qinsheng's intentions for leaving behind the sword qi were, that was not something for Zhang Xuan to interfere with. As a guest, it was indeed rather inappropriate for him to have captured the doorkeeper.

Thus, he swiftly released his grip on the sword qi.

The struggling sword qi did not think that it would be released all of a sudden. Similar to a wild cat abruptly being released from its restraint, it whizzed uncontrollably outward.

Sou!

The stone pillar propping up the entrance gate was immediately sliced apart

Jiya!

It fell to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

"This..." Zhang Xuan was completely dumbfounded by the unexpected damage.

All he had done was release the sword qi. How was he to know that the latter would be so unreliable, whizzing off to destroy the very place that it was supposed to guard.

Still, to capture the other party's doorkeeper and indirectly result in the destruction of the gate... what would Jian Qinsheng think of him?

But he really did not do it intentionally!

"..." Shui Qianrou's vision turned dark.

She had reminded Zhang Xuan time and time again to be careful, but it was as if her words had fallen on deaf ears. Now that he had caused such a huge commotion even before meeting her teacher...

You are really putting me at a difficult position, do you know that?

While Zhang Xuan was still feeling deeply stifled by what had happened so far, a loud bellow suddenly sounded from the residence. "Who is it?"

Following which, eight men suddenly rushed out and encircled them.

"Senior Xie, it's me!" Alarmed, Shui Qianrou swiftly stepped forward to calm down the situation.

"Junior Shui? What happened over here?" Senior Xie frowned.

"Zhang shi over here has heard of our teacher's reputation, so he wanted to pay a visit to him. I forgot to warn him in advance about the sword qi, which resulted in this mishap," Shui Qianrou swiftly explained on Zhang Xuan's behalf.

"Our teacher's sword qi is known for its incomparable sharpness. To not know of it in advance and yet remain unharmed in the face of it, even turning it against the gate instead, it seems like the friend you have over there is a skilled sword practitioner!" Senior Xie's eyebrows shot up, and he began assessing Zhang Xuan intently from head to toe.

Senior Xie was a young man in his early thirties. He was dressed in a green robe, and with a sword in hand, he exuded a sharp and domineering aura.

His cultivation had already reached Saint 6-dan, Grand Dominion realm intermediate stage!

"I have only learned swordsmanship for a short moment and am lacking in skills, so I wasn't able to react in time when the sword qi appeared previously. I am sorry for the trouble I have caused." Zhang Xuan swiftly spoke up, too.

He had come with a favor in mind, so it would be best for him to maintain a humble attitude.

Besides, he had not forgotten his motto of maintaining a low profile at all times yet!

"There's no need for any apologies here. The reason our teacher has left this surge of sword qi here is to assess the visitors' comprehension of swordsmanship. Only those who possess an innate sensitivity toward swordsmanship will be able to notice it in advance and avoid being harmed by it," Senior Xie replied with a hearty smile. "Alright, I'll bring you to meet our teacher!"

"You'll bring me to meet your teacher?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.

Did he accidentally take the wrong script?

In the past, when he accidentally caused some damage here and there, the other party would be convulsing all over, glaring at him with such hostility that he felt like he would combust under it. But this time around, no one was angry at him? And they were even inviting him to meet their teacher?

Was this a trap? Were they afraid that he would run as soon as they talked about compensation, so they decided to first bring him into the heart of their base before extorting a fortune out of him?

Or perhaps... was the demolition of the residence a part of Jian Qinsheng's test for his visitors?

Thinking back, most powerful experts had rather bizarre quirks of their own. Taking Sage Kui for example, he was nothing but a fragmented soul now, and yet, he was still diligently whittling down that metal rod of his. Perhaps, demolition was the little quirk that the austere top swordmaster of Sanctum of Sages had?

It would be wonderful if that was really the case. Zhang Xuan was confident that he would be able to score full brownie points from Jian Qinsheng if so!

Having guessed this much, Zhang Xuan turned to look at Shui Qianrou, wanting to see the answer from her face. However, the latter had a look of utter confusion on her face, which suggested that she was not aware that Jian Qinsheng had such practices.

Forget it! Regardless of whether it's a blessing or a disaster, I'll just have to deal with it when the time comes!

After a moment of dilemma, Zhang Xuan heaved a deep sigh on the inside before he clasped his fist and directed a polite smile to Senior Xie. "I'll be troubling you then!"

After which, he followed Senior Xie into the residence.

Perhaps because it was located in the Sanctum of Sages, Jian Qinsheng's residence was not too big. However, as if to make up for the lack of quantity with quality, it was exquisite. For starters, it was surrounded by a massive formation that allowed sword qi to flow freely on the inside. These surges of sword qi moved in accordance to some kind of a profound pattern, as if inviting sword practitioners to decipher its secrets.

Such an environment would be highly effective in aiding sword practitioners in deepening their comprehension of swordsmanship, allowing them to improve by leaps and bounds within a short period of time.

Secretly activating his Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan studied the formation carefully and swiftly identified the locations of the formation flags and formation core. This way, if anyone were to dare make a move on him, he would be able to reduce the entire residence to rubble in an instant. This knowledge left Zhang Xuan feeling reassured inside, and he nodded in satisfaction.

While Zhang Xuan was still examining his surroundings, Shui Qianrou discreetly walked to Senior Xie's side and asked through zhenqi telepathy, "Senior Xie, what's going on here?"

She was Jian Qinsheng's disciple as well, and all along, she had known the sword qi guarding the residence to be a measure to prevent outsiders from barging in casually. When in the world did it become a test?

"Our teacher went to watch the earlier entrance examination, and he said that there are a few talented individuals among the new batch of freshmen who possess a profound understanding of swordsmanship. So, he altered the strength of the sword qi slightly, saying that those who are able to notice it in advance and remain unharmed in the face of it are those who possess great aptitude in swordsmanship. He tasked me with bringing anyone who manages to fulfill these two criteria to him. You didn't hear of the news because you left early in the morning," Senior Xie replied.

The entrance examination was a huge affair in the Sanctum of Sages, and most elders would pay close attention to it in the hope of finding a suitable successor.

As austere as Jian Qinsheng was, it was his deepest wish to pass down his ancestor's swordsmanship, so he wanted to find a suitable successor to groom.

"I see!" Coming to realize the situation, Shui Qianrou finally heaved a sigh of relief.

All was fine as long as her teacher was not angry!

Circling around a flower garden, a gazebo soon came into appearance. An elder was standing within the gazebo with a sword in hand, seemingly cultivating some kind of sword art.

"Our teacher is currently practicing his swordsmanship, so I'll have to ask you to wait here for a moment." Senior Xie waved his hand.

"Alright." Zhang Xuan halted as he looked at the elder in the gazebo intently, interested to see what he was going to do.

The elder's movements were extremely slow, but there was a distinct feeling of unbounded flexibility from it, a little reminiscent of the Taiji Fist.

Every single slash seemed to seal off an entire area of space, leaving those facing it with no way to escape from the attack.

"What profound swordsmanship," Zhang Xuan remarked in awe.

As one who had comprehended Sword Quintessence, Zhang Xuan could be considered as one who had reached the very pinnacle of swordsmanship. To the untrained eye, the elder's movement might seem to be nothing much, full of openings for one to exploit. However, with just a glance, Zhang Xuan could tell the extraordinary prowess of the sword art.

Slow as it might have been, the elder's swordsmanship harnessed the very essence of swordsmanship in it.

It actually bears some semblance of the Heaven's Path Sword Art!

It was an indubitable fact that swordsmanship was valued for its flexibility and swiftness in movements, but it would be sheer foolishness to equate swiftness to strength.

A swift sword wielded fearsome prowess, but if it was unable to strike the vitals of the opponent, it would merely be a waste of strength.

Anyone could pick up a weapon and slash it wildly in quick succession. Such a maneuver would appear frightening, keeping most at bay. However, a true expert would be able to instantaneously see through the openings in the attacks and subdue the individual with a single strike.

In a battle, swiftness was far from enough. Precision was of the utmost importance as well.

The elder's swordsmanship was extremely slow, such that it would be more accurate to call it a performance than a real sword art, but every single movement of his was aligned with the essence of swordsmanship. Even the air seemed to tremble in resonance to his movements, sealing the entire space altogether. This bore a striking resemblance to his Heaven's Path Sword Art!

It was the kind of swordsmanship that was completely devoid of excessive actions. As soon as the blade was drawn, it would surely strike a vital spot.

It was due to this property that Zhang Xuan had been able to instill fear in the hearts of his opponent through his Heaven's Path Sword Art, and none of those in the same cultivation realm as him stood a chance against his swordsmanship.

After the initial shock, Zhang Xuan soon shook his head. However, while it does bear a striking resemblance, it's still lacking a little!

As similar as it was to the Heaven's Path Sword Art, it simply was not it.

In swordsmanship, even the slightest of difference could create the greatest difference in results!

If the elder were to face him with such swordsmanship, even if the elder wielded strength similar to the puppet in the Jia Corridor, Zhang Xuan would be able to defeat him easily!

It was not to say that the elder's swordsmanship was weak, but the current sword art he was executing could be said to be a poor imitation of the Heaven's Path Sword Art. Every single move it made would simply be naturally curbed by the real Heaven's Path Sword Art, thus placing the elder in an absolutely disadvantageous position.

Regardless of whether this sword art was created by him or the Third Sanctum Head, the very fact that he could achieve this level of swordsmanship is a frightening feat in itself. Still... I can only say that it's a huge pity! Zhang Xuan sighed on the inside.

The Heaven's Path Sword Art was created by compiling innumerable sword arts together, and it had already achieved the level of simplified profoundness.

As an ordinary human, it was indeed incredible for the elder to have been able to come so close to comprehending the essence of swordsmanship.

Hu!

While Zhang Xuan was still deep in thought, the elder in the gazebo finally halted his movements and retracted his sword. His aura felt as steady as a mountain, and his zhenqi swiftly retracted like the ebbing tide, making it impossible to discern anything extraordinary about him with the naked eye.

If not for witnessing the wonders in his swordsmanship, Zhang Xuan might have thought of him as an ordinary old man.

With a light smile, the elder turned to Zhang Xuan and asked, "This friend over here, I saw you shaking your head earlier. Is there something inappropriate with my swordsmanship?"

"Inappropriate? That's not it." Zhang Xuan paused for a moment before continuing.

"It would be more apt to say that... it's completely wrong!"

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Chapter 1324: A Strand of Hair

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Completely wrong? Shui Qianrou was stunned for an instant before her face swiftly warped in horror.

It felt like she had received enough shocks for a lifetime that day.

She had already told the young man in advance to mind his words, and the latter had responded positively to her words.

Is this what you mean by being careful with your words?

Her teacher's swordsmanship was number one in the Sanctum of Sages. In fact, even when taking the entire Master Teacher Continent into account, he was definitely ranked amid those who stood at the zenith. In face of such a master, an ordinary man would not even dare breathe loudly, fearing that his actions would incur her teacher's wrath. Yet, this fellow actually said that his swordsmanship was completely wrong!

Are you incapable of speaking properly?

At the same time, Senior Xie's face also turned livid with anger. "What did you say?"

Those words could be taken as a clear insult toward his teacher.

He still had some respect for the young man in view of how he was able to discover and subdue the sword qi at the entrance, but who would have thought that he was just a person with his head in the clouds?

"Let him finish his words." The elder, Jian Qinsheng, waved his hand before turning his gaze to Zhang Xuan. "This sword art was passed down to me from my ancestor, and it was with this sword art that he rose to the very peak of the Master Teacher Continent. It would be an exaggeration to say that he was infallible, but there was hardly anyone who was a match for him then... So, why would you say that this sword art is completely wrong?"

"Well..." Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment, but he soon realized that there were so many flaws that he did not know where he should start from. If he were to start listing all of them, he was afraid that the elder might just lose all confidence in his swordsmanship. Thus, he could only sigh and say, "There are simply too many of them. I don't know how I should put it..."

You don't know how you should put it?

Shui Qianrou's fists were so tightly clenched together that her fingernails were sinking into her flesh.

If you don't know how you should put it, why don't you consider not speaking at all?

Are you really not afraid of death, or are you just tired of living?

Overwhelmed with rage, Senior Xie stepped forward and bellowed, "Arrogant fellow! Do you really think that you will be able to impress my teacher by spouting such nonsense over here?"

On the other hand, Jian Qinsheng frowned upon hearing Zhang Xuan's words.

As one of the most esteemed swordmasters throughout the Master Teacher Continent, there were countless young talents who wished to come under his tutelage. However, due to his severe demands when selecting his disciples, only a rare few were accepted. Perhaps in an attempt to stand out from the others, there were those who would utter arrogant words before him each year in hopes of catching his attention.

It was a pity that their arrogance would be proven empty after a quick test.

However, on top of wielding top-notch swordsmanship, Jian Qinsheng was an 8-star high-tier master teacher as well, possessing a superior eye of discernment.

When the young man before him spoke those words earlier, there were no unnatural fluctuations in his voice, and his aura remained steady throughout. This was a sign of conviction, meaning to say that he had confidence in what he was saying. This was in stark contrast to the hint of anxiety and apprehension he had sensed from the previous students who had dared speak arrogantly before him.

For this, rather than being angered by the young man's words, he was intrigued. He wanted to get to the bottom of the matter.

Senior Xie clasped his fist and said, "Teacher, please permit me to challenge that arrogant fellow to a duel and assess his swordsmanship! If his words prove to be empty, I wish to teach him a lesson so that he will learn some humility!"

How could he stand idly when someone was doubting his own teacher? As a student, it was his obligation to uphold his teacher's reputation and honor!

Instead of replying to Senior Xie's request, Jian Qinsheng turned to Zhang Xuan and asked, "You are a freshman, right?"

"Yes, I am," Zhang Xuan replied with an attitude that appeared neither subservient nor arrogant.

"Un. Among the freshmen, there's a student who possesses exceptional swordsmanship. His name is Zhang Jiuxiao. Could you be him?" Jian Qinsheng asked.

He had watched the entrance examination, and he had seen that Zhang Jiuxiao had achieved the level of Half-Quintessence in swordsmanship despite his young age. There was no doubt that he harnessed boundless potential within him. Could the young man before him possibly be Zhang Jiuxiao?

"Jiuxiao is a friend of mine." At this point, Zhang Xuan bowed slightly before continuing. "I am Zhang Xuan."

"Zhang Xuan?" Jian Qinsheng pondered for a moment before shaking his head.

Throughout the entrance examination, he had only been keeping an eye out for those who possessed exceptional talent in swordsmanship. While Zhang Xuan did cause a huge commotion when he rose to the top fifty in the final moment, to Jian Qinsheng, that was nothing worthy of note at all.

"You said that my sword art is completely wrong, but when I asked you about it, you aren't able to say anything either. Since that's the case, why don't you have a duel with my student? I'll have him suppress his cultivation to your level. Of course, the both of you will compete only in terms of swordsmanship, and it'll be a friendly duel," Jian Qinsheng proposed.

Since the other party was not Zhang Jiuxiao, it was likely that his comprehension of swordsmanship was not too deep either. Thus, he decided to have his student try the other party out so as to see just what gave him the confidence to utter such brazen words.

"Sure, I'm fine with it." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Since he was unable to voice the flaws, it would be good if he could demonstrate it to the other party instead. Perhaps, he might be able to give the other party some insights regarding it.

"Follow me!" Hearing that the young man had agreed to the duel, Senior Xie harrumphed coldly before leading the way forward.

A moment later, they arrived at an empty clearing not too far away from the gazebo. It was around twenty meters in diameter, a decent size to hold a battle.

Huala!

After taking his position in the clearing, Senior Xie slowly drew his sword.

The instant that his sword left its sheath, the air around him immediately changed. It felt sharp and dangerous, reminiscent of a dagger that would plunge right into one's body at any moment.

Geji! Geji!

Even though he had suppressed his cultivation down to Primordial Spirit realm primary stage, Senior Xie still carried an imposing presence that made him tower over others.

Upper Sword Heart?

With just a look, Zhang Xuan was able to tell that Senior Xie had already achieved the level of Upper Sword Heart, just a step away from achieving a breakthrough.

To be able to achieve such a level of mastery in his swordsmanship at his age, even if he was still slightly lacking compared to Zhang Jiuxiao, he could already be considered an expert.

Channeling his spirit and mind to the peak, Senior Xie gazed at Zhang Xuan coldly. "Where's your sword? Make your move!"

"My sword?" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Considering that he was dealing with someone of his cultivation realm, and his comprehension of swordsmanship had already reached Sword Quintessence... he would really be bullying the other party if he wielded a sword.

Thus, he quickly took a look at the surroundings before his eyes finally fell upon Shui Qianrou. "If it's not too much trouble, I would like to borrow something from you, Senior Shui!"

"You want to borrow something from me?" Shui Qianrou was bewildered by that abrupt request for a moment before realization struck her. She flicked her wrist and passed her sword over. "Here!"

Given how the young man had examined her sword previously, he must have been thinking of borrowing it from her.

Typically speaking, due to the presence of a spirit within the sword, it would be difficult to borrow the sword of another. However, given that the young man had achieved Sword Quintessence, that should not be a problem.

"That's not what I mean." Instead of taking the sword, Zhang Xuan walked up to Shui Qianrou, and with a light pinch, a strand of hair from the young lady fell into his palm. "I don't need the sword. I'll just borrow a hair."

After saying those words, he infused zhenqi into the strand of hair.

Weng!

The hair immediately stood up as if a rapier.

Returning to the clearing, Zhang Xuan said with a smile, "Let's begin!"

"You are going to use that against me?" Senior Xie's eyes reddened in rage as his body trembled non-stop.

He was one of the top sword practitioners among the student populace in the Sanctum of Sages, not to mention, the student of Swordmaster Jian Qinsheng. It was already beneath his standing to challenge a mere freshman, and yet, that fellow actually wanted to face him with a single strand of hair.

That was a blatant show of derision toward him!

"Un. I don't have a hobby of bullying others." Zhang Xuan nodded calmly.

"Now you're asking for it!" Rage consumed his rationality as Senior Xie whipped his sword through the air with a piercing shrill.

The difference between a professional and an amateur would clearly show as soon as they made a move.

Even though Senior Xie was clearly in an enraged state, he did not allow it to affect his swordsmanship at all. As soon as he made a move, he had already sealed eight of Zhang Xuan's acupoints with his sword qi, sealing the major zhenqi circulation pathway associated with most sword arts.

That fellow's rage is faked? Zhang Xuan noted with a nod of approval.

There was truly no one mediocre among the students of the Sanctum of Sages.

Despite appearing to be incomparably angry on the surface, appearing as if he would explode at any moment, Zhang Xuan realized that Senior Xie was actually analyzing his posture and movements with absolute calmness, and the maneuvers he had executed were also calculated precisely to seal off his escape routes.

Were the one facing this attack another Upper Sword Heart expert or even Zhang Jiuxiao, they would surely be sent into a fluster, forced to face him head-on.

But if Zhang Xuan were to do that, the hair in his hand would surely be destroyed by the force from the collision. With his weapon destroyed at the very first encounter, that would signal the end of this sword duel.

Forcing others to go on the defensive with a single strike, sword experts really should not be underestimated.

However, it was a pity that the opponent Senior Xie was facing was an expert who had comprehended Sword Quintessence!

With a light smile, Zhang Xuan did not bother to retreat or side step. Instead, with a leisurely diagonal pierce, he aimed for Senior Xie's shoulder.

To most, it would be hard to understand why he would ignore the blade that was swiftly falling upon him and launch an offense on the opponent's shoulder instead. However, upon seeing this sight, a deep frown appeared between Jian Qinsheng's eyebrows, and a look of disbelief surfaced in his eyes.

That was one of the moves he had executed earlier in the gazebo.

Just that, the young man had managed to make it even more ingenious and fluid. The very movement seemed to naturally harmonize with the world, granting it compelling might.

He had only made slight changes in the movement here and there, but the prowess he is able to bring forth is at a whole new level. Jian Qinsheng clenched his fists tightly in agitation.

As a renowned swordmaster on the Master Teacher Continent, his eye for swordsmanship was irrefutable.

The young man's movements appeared to be naively simple, but the crux to it lay in its impeccable timing to overwhelm the enemy's swordsmanship. Through it, even a strand of hair could display might on par with a sword!

"Hmm?" At this moment, Senior Xie's face also warped in astonishment.

As soon as the young man made a move, he immediately felt his zhenqi circulation pathway being severed, and as if his chest had been clawed apart, intense pangs of pain assaulted him.

"Damn it!" With reddened eyes, Senior Xie swiftly retracted his attack and began flitting around the clearing.

He was intending on launching a forceful attack to capitalize on the strength of his sword to sever the young man's hair strand. However, after his initial plan fell apart, he decided to take a more careful approach, flitting around the battlefield in wait for a suitable opportunity to take the young man down in a single move.

It was only a brief encounter, but it had eroded all disdain he had for the young man before him. He realized that the young man's comprehension of swordsmanship was not beneath his.

"This..." On the other hand, the various juniors who had gathered in the area to spectate Senior Xie's duel were confused as to why Senior Xie would take a defensive position right after a single clash, and perplexed murmurs could be heard among them.

Even Shui Qianrou was completely bewildered by the situation as well.

While Jian Qinsheng was able to sense the ingenuity behind Zhang Xuan's move, his disciples were limited by their own understanding of swordsmanship and could not see through it.

As a result, it appeared to them that Senior Xie was intentionally going easy on the young man.

"Senior Xie is simply too kind!"

"Indeed. If it was me, I would have that fellow sliced apart in a heartbeat!"

"Don't worry. Since Senior Xie has proposed the duel, he will definitely make that young man deeply regret his earlier arrogance!"

Such whispers could be vaguely heard in the area.

Zhang Xuan heard those whispers, too, but he shrugged them off with a light chuckle.

He had to admit that Senior Xie was sharper and more flexible than he had thought. The latter seemed to have realized that his shoulder pierce was not as simple as it looked—the timing and trajectory of the motion allowed for countless transformations that would allow him to easily suppress anything that the latter could have thrown at him—so he decisively withdrew his attack, opting to bide his time and wait for an opening.

But how could the Heaven's Path Sword Art be avoided just by moving around the area?

Holding the strand of hair tightly, Zhang Xuan used the very same move to launch another diagonal pierce.

This time, the hair strand was not aimed for Senior Xie's shoulder but his throat.

Once again, it looked like a simple maneuver, but due to its impeccable timing, it allowed for countless transformations. No matter how Senior Xie tried to evade, Zhang Xuan had plenty of ways to drag him back into the center of the attack, as if he was trapped in an inescapable whirlpool. In other words, there was no way to avoid it at all!

The same move, but due to a slight difference in the trajectory of attack and timing, there was a manyfold difference in terms of prowess!

It was difficult to believe that something like this could be possible even when witnessing it with one's own eyes.

There's actually such a transformation to the move as well?

By the side, Jian Qinsheng widened his eyes in shock, not daring to believe what he was seeing.

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Chapter 1325: A Strand to Shatter the Sword

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Having devoted many years of his life to uncovering the secrets behind his ancestor's swordsmanship, Jian Qinsheng was already well-versed in all the different transformations in the swordsmanship.

The move that Zhang Xuan had executed earlier consisted of eighteen different types of transformations, but there were none that were an attack from this angle!

A simple pierce it might have been, but it was indubitably a masterful stroke, cornering the opponent in a single move!

Jian Qinsheng could not believe his eyes. But to do this, one must have an absolute grasp over the timing of the battle and the maneuvers of the opponent. Even I would require a lengthy period of contemplation before I could think of something like that, and to do so during a tense battle, where life and death hinge on the slightest millimeter of difference...

Even he would struggle to execute such a movement in battle.

"You..."

While Jian Qinsheng was stunned by the situation, Senior Xie felt an extremely stifling sensation that threatened to blow his chest up.

Even though he could not comprehend the profundity of the pierce, he could feel his flow of zhenqi and momentum being completely thrown off when the hair strand pierced toward him. Given his current movement, if he could not find a solution fast, he would crash right into the hair!

Although it was just a strand of hair, with zhenqi infused into it, its sharpness was on par with any sword. It was definitely more than capable of piercing through his throat or even decapitating his head!

Retreat!

Knowing that he would only incur severe injuries if he pushed on ahead, he gritted his teeth and thrust his palm forward.

Pah!

A sonic boom sounded in the air, and Senior Xie made use of the reaction force from the palm thrust to retreat.

Due to the abrupt reversal in his energy flow, Senior Xie lost control of the raging zhenqi in his body, and it rampaged throughout his body like a heavy hammer tossed around the area. His face swiftly reddened, and fresh blood began trickling down from the corners of his mouth.

So far, they had traded two moves, but without even touching one another, he was already injured.

Most likely, no one would believe him if he told them.

"What is going on?"

"I have no idea either. What is Senior Xie up to?"

With their eye of discernment, they were unable to see through the prowess of Zhang Xuan's sword art. All they saw was that Senior Xie had the upper hand when he abruptly retreated, resulting in a backlash in his energy flow.

This bewildering situation left all of them dumbstruck.

"Could it be that... our Senior Xie is actually a masochist?"

"Now that you mention it, that could very well be the case. I remember that Senior Xie once pursued our Senior Shui before, but the very next day, his entire face was swollen."

"I heard about that, too. After that, he didn't dare take even a second glance at Senior Shui, right? Just that, what does that have to do with being masochist?"

"It has everything to do with being masochist! Every single person in the academy knows that that person likes Senior Shui, and he still dared to court her. Isn't that just asking for a beating?"

The various juniors gossiped by the side.

On the other hand, seeing the bizarre expressions that his juniors were shooting him by the side, Senior Xie could roughly guess what they were thinking of, and his face turned completely livid.

He had planned to teach that arrogant fellow a lesson in his teacher's stead, but despite wielding a Saint intermediate-tier sword to deal with a fellow who was holding nothing but a strand of hair, he ended up inducing an energy backlash himself and spurted blood.

"If you can withstand this move, I'll admit defeat!"

Taking a step back, Senior Xie took a deep breath before his eyes abruptly narrowed dangerously.

Huala!

A powerful surge of Sword Intent immediately burst forth from it, rising straight up into the sky.

"It's Senior Xie's trump card, Sorrowless Sword!"

"This is the sword art created by our teacher, right? A sword to sever all frustrations, distancing oneself from worry and sorrow. Within the same cultivation realm, there is none who can withstand this sword art!"

"Our teacher is able to create 99 surges of sword qi instantaneously when executing this move. Of us, Senior Xie has shown the greatest aptitude toward this sword art, and even though he cannot compare to our teacher, he's already able to produce 32 surges of sword qi in a breath!"

"With 32 surges of sword qi sealing his acupoints, the young man won't even be able to find the strength within him to counterattack..."

...

A commotion broke out in the surroundings, and worry surfaced in Shui Qianrou's eyes.

She was the one who had brought Zhang Xuan here, so she would feel deeply guilty if he was injured in the duel against her senior.

But with his strength, this shouldn't pose a problem at all...

However, recalling how the young man was able to clear even the Yi Corridor, it was unlikely that Senior Xie would be a match for him.

Tzzzz!

Driving his aura to its very peak, Senior Xie rose into the sky, and entering the state of Sword-Man Union, he pushed his sword forth.

"Not bad!" Zhang Xuan nodded in approval.

This sword art required the sword practitioner to devote their spirit, mind, and soul into their swordsmanship in order to heighten its prowess. Without exceptional aptitude toward swordsmanship, it would be difficult to achieve this feat.

With a single pierce, he was able to seal off 32 of the opponent's acupoints, thus placing the opponent in a disadvantageous position. A truly incredible technique it was.

Eye of Insight!

In an instant, the various flaws in Senior Xie's movements appeared in clarity right before Zhang Xuan.

The might is decent, but it has too many openings.

With just a glance, Zhang Xuan could already see more than a dozen openings. Instead of stepping back, he chose one of the openings and charged forth.

"What is that fellow doing?"

"Does he intend to clash directly with Senior Xie's sword with that strand of hair?"

"I can't even bring myself to watch any longer. That's suicide!"

...

A huge uproar rippled through the crowd upon seeing Zhang Xuan's actions.

In their view, the logical course of action to make before Senior Xie's ferocious offense was to evade. Yet, that young man actually dashed right up instead. He was really courting death!

Even Jian Qinsheng could not help but feel deeply perplexed by the sight before him.

He was the one who had created the Sorrowless Sword, and he knew very well what frightening offensive power it wielded. Even sword practitioners who wielded sword arts of the same tier would not dare clash with it directly, and yet, the young man actually wanted to face it with just a strand of hair. Not only was it likely that he would be injured in the encounter, there was even a chance that he might be killed in the clash!

Huala!

Before many bewildered gazes, the sword finally came into contact with the hair.

Hu!

Just as everyone thought that the hair strand would be sliced into countless shreds by the rampaging sword qi, the taut hair strand suddenly slackened, and it moved in an unexpected trajectory to strike the back of Senior Xie's sword.

Weng!

It was a resounding metallic clang, and following right after was a series of crisp sounds.

Kacha! Kacha!

Taken aback, everyone quickly took a closer look, and they saw cracks swiftly creeping across the sword. In just the blink of an eye, it had already shattered into countless fragments, scattering all over the ground.

Pu!

With his sword shattered, Senior Xie once again suffered a backlash of his zhenqi. His face reddened, and blood spurted from his mouth. With a jolt, his body collapsed to the ground.

The Sorrowless Sword was indubitably a powerful sword art, but it required an extreme level of concentration into one's sword. The shattering of the sword would inevitably result in the abrupt severing of one's mind, spirit, and soul, dealing immense damage to the sword practitioner.

"This..." The surroundings fell unnervingly silent. Everyone stared at the young man, aghast.

Swallowing a pill, Senior Xie struggled to his feet as he muttered despondently beneath his breath, "I've lost..."

No matter how unwilling he was to accept it, he had no choice but to admit his defeat.

For a sword practitioner like him to lose to a strand of hair while wielding a Saint intermediate-tier sword...

Everything was so unbelievable that it felt unreal to him, as if he was in the midst of a dream.

"There's no need to feel discouraged by your loss," Jian Qinsheng told Senior Xie. After which, he turned his gaze to Zhang Xuan with a heated look in his eyes, as if he had found a gem. "This young brother over here has achieved a level of swordsmanship far above yours!"

"I understand..." Senior Xie nodded in embarrassment.

Noting the slight air of awkwardness, Zhang Xuan quickly spoke up. "It's just a friendly duel to learn from one another. I'm also in awe of Senior Xie's extraordinary swordsmanship."

"To be able to use a strand of hair to shatter his sword, your grasp over the sword has really reached the apex of the continent." Jian Qinsheng did not hold back on his compliments at all. "If I didn't see wrongly, your strand of hair should also be severed too, right?"

"That's right." Zhang Xuan nodded as he released his zhenqi.

Hu!

With the slight tug of a light breeze, the taut hair immediately dissipated on the spot.

The crowd was astonished once more.

It wasn't too difficult to infuse one's zhenqi into an intact strand of hair to pull it taut, but the strand of hair that the young man wielded had already dissipated into countless fragments. To be able to circulate one's zhenqi through it to maintain its form and even shatter Senior Xie's sword... just how frightening was the young man's control over his zhenqi?

After confirming his guess, Jian Qinsheng consoled his disciple with a smile. "Actually, you don't have to be too disheartened. Your sword wasn't shattered by the strand of hair in his hand."

Hearing those words, a look of incomprehension surfaced on Senior Xie's face. The other disciples were equally confused as well.

The shattering of the sword had only begun after the hair struck the sword. If it was not the hair that had caused the shattering of the sword, what else could it be?

"When you execute the Sorrowless Sword, due to your piercing action, you focus all your might at the tip of the sword, hoping to concentrate your strength to defeat your opponent.

"As a result of that, the blade of your sword was left completely unguarded. Furthermore, the spot that the hair strand struck was where the exertion of might intersected, thus causing the zhenqi you have infused into the sword to run amok.

"To put it in more direct terms, it's your own strength that caused the shattering of the sword. All your opponent did was find the ideal position and timing to strike!" Jian Qinsheng explained earnestly, fearing that his disciple would lose all confidence in his swordsmanship as a result of this encounter.

After which, he turned to Zhang Xuan and asked, "May I know if what I have said is true?"

"Elder Jian is indeed keen-eyed!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Jian Qinsheng was right. No matter how he concentrated his zhenqi into the strand of hair he wielded, it was impossible for it to be able to shatter a Saint intermediate-tier weapon. The reason he had been able to produce such an effect was because he had tapped into Senior Xie's strength as well.

When the intersection of might within the sword was struck by his strand of hair, the gathered zhenqi ran amok, resulting in the swift destruction of the blade.

Due to the backlash from the strike, the feeble strand of hair also ended up being reduced into countless shreds. If not for Zhang Xuan's pure zhenqi, it would have long disappeared along with the wind.

"To be able to see through flaws in the swordsmanship of another and launch a precise counterattack, if I'm not mistaken..." With a hint of agitation and disbelief in his eyes, Jian Qinsheng stared at Zhang Xuan intently as he asked, "Has your comprehension of swordsmanship already achieved the level of Sword Quintessence?"

Only those who had achieved the level of Sword Quintessence could possess such sensitivity to swordsmanship, clearly perceiving the movement of sword qi in the area to launch an effective counterattack, thus easily subduing Senior Xie even while he was executing the Sorrowless Sword.

"That's right!" Zhang Xuan nodded in response.

He might still have been able to conceal it if he had not made a move, but if Jian Qinsheng could not tell this much after the previous display, the many years he had spent practicing swordsmanship really would have been in vain.

"To comprehend Sword Quintessence despite being only in your twenties... Are you from the Zhang Clan?" Even after hearing the affirmative response from Zhang Xuan, Jian Qinsheng still found it difficult to believe what he was hearing.

Just how much aptitude must the young man possess in swordsmanship in order to climb this far at an age as young as his? One must know that he had also been reputed to be a peerless genius back in his time, but still, he had to devote many years of effort into his swordsmanship before he was able to achieve the level of Sword Quintessence.

"Zhang Clan? I'm not from the Zhang Clan," Zhang Xuan replied with a bitter smile.

Why would everyone assume that he was from the Zhang Clan after hearing his name?

Were the offspring of Zhang Clan the only Zhangs who were talented?

It was as if they were saying that it was impossible for normal cultivators to achieve this level through their own hard work!

"You aren't from the Zhang Clan?" Jian Qinsheng was taken aback for a moment before breaking into a heart laughter. "That's truly great, hahaha!"

"This..." Seeing how excited Jian Qinsheng had suddenly become, Zhang Xuan could not help but fall into a daze.

To get so excited after hearing that he was not from the Zhang Clan, could it be that Jian Qinsheng had some kind of grudge with the Zhang Clan?

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Chapter 1326: Classifications of Quintessence (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Pardon me, it seems like I have acted inappropriately..." With a smile, Jian Qinsheng swiftly regained his composure as he looked at Zhang Xuan with a satisfied look. "The swordsmanship you executed previously is also the Flowing Water Swordsmanship, right?"

Hearing that name, Zhang Xuan was startled. He shook his head and replied, "Flowing Water Swordsmanship? What's that?"

"You have never heard of it before?" Jian Qinsheng frowned. "The swordsmanship that you practice was created by my ancestor, the Third Sanctum Head, Jian Liushui, and it has been passed down for many generations before coming down to me. It is also practiced by many other sword practitioners in the Sanctum of Sages. The swordsmanship that you executed earlier, be it in terms of Sword Intent or maneuvers, bears a close resemblance to it. It should be the Flowing Water Swordsmanship."

Even though the swordsmanship was created by his ancestor, it was not just passed down through his lineage. There were many students of the Sanctum of Sages' Sword Sanctuary who practiced the Flowing Water Swordsmanship as well.

He thought that even if the young man before him was not from the Zhang Clan, he must have grasped the crux to the Flowing Water Swordsmanship through some kind of fortuitous encounter, allowing him to achieve such strength within a short period of time.

Yet, to think that the young man had not even heard of the Flowing Water Swordsmanship before!

Realizing that Jian Qinsheng might be referring to that terribly flawed swordsmanship of his, Zhang Xuan replied with a polite smile, "To tell you the truth, the sword art that I executed earlier was something that I came up with. Even though it's similar to your Flowing Water Swordsmanship in form, they are two different sword arts!"

That nonsensical swordsmanship might have appeared fine at first glance, but upon further examination, the flaws that it was riddled with would leave one feeling disgusted all over. He would have to be mad to practice such swordsmanship!

"You came up with that sword art?" Jian Qinsheng widened his eyes in disbelief.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan nodded in response.

Considering that he was in the Sanctum of Sages, one of the top institutes in the Master Teacher Continent, he could not afford to use Yang Xuan's name anymore. Otherwise, if the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters looked into the matter and proved his statement false, he would be in deep trouble. Since that was the case, it would be safer for him to say that he was the one who had come up with it.

In any case, after comprehending Sword Quintessence, he could already be considered a swordmaster. As such, it would not be unusual for him to have come up with a couple of sword arts or something.

"This..." Jian Qinsheng was still unable to believe what he had just heard. "Can you display the sword art that you have created once more?"

"Of course!" Zhang Xuan nodded in response.

With a flick of his fingers, several cold glints shot forth from his fingertips, slicing right through the air.

His movements were straightforward and to the point, devoid of any complexity. However, they carried an inescapable sharp edge, as if one would be unable to escape from him once the sword qi had laid its eyes on them.

Another thing to note was that the sword art executed was extremely slow, but it carried a devastating momentum that left others feeling deeply helpless.

It was as if standing against the sword art was equivalent to standing against the very heavens.

"It really isn't the Flowing Water Swordsmanship..." Jian Qinsheng muttered in disappointment.

He had thought that the young man before him had managed to grasp the crux of his ancestor's swordsmanship, but from the looks of it, the conceptualization of the two sword arts were vastly different. This was a clear sign that they were from two separate lineages.

Furthermore, he could tell that the other party's sword art was even more profound than his ancestor's Flowing Water Swordsmanship, containing innumerable transformations.

Unfortunately, it was still severely lacking in terms of prowess. From the looks of it, it was likely to be a rather low tier sword art, not exceeding Saint intermediate-tier.

Tossing aside the feelings of disappointment within, Jian Qinsheng looked at the young man before him once more. "Since Zhang shi was able to create such a formidable sword art, and your comprehension of swordsmanship has also achieved the level of Sword Quintessence, you probably aren't here to learn."

Considering how accomplished the young man before him was in the field of swordsmanship, possibly achieving a level that was close to him, it was unlikely that the young man was there to learn from him.

"I did come to visit with a humble request in mind. I heard that Elder Jian has a vast collection of sword art manuals, and if it's not too much to ask, I would like to browse through it." Zhang Xuan revealed his true intentions.

"You wish to browse through my collection of sword art manuals? That isn't a problem, just that..." At this point, Jian Qinsheng hesitated for a brief moment before continuing. "To tell you the truth, my Compendium of Sword Arts was created by my ancestor, Jian Liushui, and he has infused his Sword Intent into it. Only those who have acquired the recognition of his Sword Intent will be able to enter its premises. In fact, I use that as a basis for deciding whom to accept as my disciples so as to ensure that they will be able to enter and study in the Compendium of Sword Arts."

"Only those who have acquired the recognition of his Sword Intent will be able to enter its premises?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had heard of this matter from Shui Qianrou prior to heading over, and back then, he had thought that it was a rule that Jian Qinsheng had come up with. But from the looks of it now, that was not the case.

"That's right. My ancestor reached the very pinnacle of the Master Teacher Continent in his time, and his strength far surpassing mine. The Sword Intent that he left behind is exceptionally powerful, such that even I am unable to flout his rules," Jian Qinsheng said with a bitter smile.

Everyone said that he was too rigid and inflexible. He possessed an exceptional sword heritage, but he chose to selfishly keep it to himself, and that was what that led to him being unable to find a suitable successor to his lineage of swordsmanship.

Only he himself knew that he was restricted by the rules imposed by his ancestor, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"There are only two possible ways one can enter the Compendium of Sword Arts. First, possessing the Sanctum Head Token. Second, earning the acknowledgement of the Sword Intent. There are no other alternatives. If you really wish to access the book collection, feel free to give it a go. Once you have earned the acknowledgement of the Sword Intent, you will be able to freely enter and leave the Compendium of Sword Arts."

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before nodding. "Alright."

While he possessed the Sanctum Head Token, he still was not entitled to the privileges that it came with. His cultivation realm was only at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage, and his master teacher rank was at 7-star; he was a long way off being able to unseal the token.

Putting aside the fact that Sage Kui had warned him against revealing the Sanctum Head Token to anyone before he managed to successfully unseal it, it could lead to a great deal of trouble if he did so.

This simply was not aligned with his motto of humility and keeping a low profile.

Since that was the case, it would be good for him to see if he could receive the acknowledgement of the Sword Intent first. Perhaps, he might just be able to clear it easily with the unique nature of the Heaven's Path Sword Art.

"Follow me!" Jian Qinsheng nodded before beckoning Zhang Xuan over.

Considering how talented the young man before him was and, most importantly of all, he was not from the Zhang Clan, Jian Qinsheng was more than willing to grant him access to his collection of books. However, it was a pity that he was helpless before the rules.

Zhang Xuan followed closely behind Jian Qinsheng, and Shui Qianrou, Senior Xie, and the others glanced at one another before deciding to tag along.

The fact that they were all present meant that they had earned the acknowledgement of the Sword Intent. They were curious to see if this young swordmaster would be able to do the same.

It did not take long for them to arrive at a rather spacious room. Inscribed at the very center of the room was a wall with a massive '剑 (Sword)' character. Its strokes were sharp and powerful, carrying a disposition that felt as if it would pierce through the heavens.

It was somewhat similar to the character that he had seen back at the Sword Lagoon, but the both of them were completely different in terms of conceptualization.

Carved beneath the '剑' character were all kinds of explanations and interpretations. With just a glance, it was apparent that there was some history to those carvings. Most likely, they were the insights and experiences left behind by generations of sword practitioners in the lineage.

"This character was left behind by Ancestor Liushui many years ago," Jian Qinsheng explained. "As long as one can step within five meters of it without coming under its attack, one will have earned the Sword Intent's acknowledgement."

"I see." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Once a sword practitioner had tempered their Sword Intent to a profound level, the Sword Intent could gain a certain level of consciousness, allowing it to assess a situation instinctively and move of its own accord to protect its owner. The character inscribed on the wall harnessed Jian Liushui's very will, and it would be a grave mistake to underestimate the prowess of the Sword Intent harnessed within it. If it sensed a conceptualization of swordsmanship that was at odds with it, it would automatically launch a series of attacks.

"Allow me to give it a try." Knowing what it would take for him to access the collection of books, Zhang Xuan took in a deep breath and began walking forward slowly.

However, barely after taking a single step, he was already feeling immensely pressured by the massive character before him. It felt as if he was a mortal standing before a stupendously massive sun, and every step forward resulted in a swift intensifying of the searing sensation on his Primordial Spirit.

Is the swordsmanship I have cultivated really incompatible with the Sword Intent?

Zhang Xuan had been hoping that the odds would be in his favor, but given the current circumstances, it was clear that he was not going to receive the acknowledgement of the Sword Intent.

This was really troublesome.

He could attempt to sneak into the Compendium of Sword Arts to read the books, but considering that he was in the Sanctum of Sages, perhaps that might not be a good decision.

Ignoring the tight defenses around the Compendium of Sword Arts, if it was revealed that he, the future sanctum head, had broken into his own academy like a thief, he would become the laughingstock of the town!

Jeez, with great power comes great responsibility!

It seemed like becoming the sanctum head was not necessarily a blessing.

He really missed those days when he was a nobody and could do whatever he wanted freely without being restrained by anything!

While Zhang Xuan was thinking such thoughts, his feet did not stop. He continued advancing forward, and the pressure from the character continued heaping down on him. It was as if he was standing right beneath a guillotine, and the blade was about to fall upon his neck at any moment.

Feeling threatened by the might of the Sword Intent harnessed within the '剑' character, the Sword Intent within Zhang Xuan's body also began stirring in unease, eager to charge out to stand its ground against the other.

"Will he be able to obtain the acknowledgement of the Sword Intent?" Shui Qianrou asked worriedly as she watched the young man advancing toward the '剑' character.

Jian Qinsheng shook his head. "I'm afraid that things don't look too good for him..."

Through his observation, he could tell that the young man had already found his own path in swordsmanship, and it was of a vastly different conceptualization to his ancestor's Flowing Water Swordsmanship. It was not possible for the young man to successfully obtain the Sword Intent's acknowledgement.

Wu wu wu!

While Jian Qinsheng was in the midst of his words, the '剑' character on the wall abruptly jolted, and a surge of sword qi shot straight for Zhang Xuan.

"Haa..." Knowing that this was a sign of failure, Jian Qinsheng sighed deeply as he waved his hand forward.

A powerful might burst forth from his finger, deflecting the sword qi emanated from the '剑' character.

"Come back!"

"Alright." Knowing that the result was already clear, Zhang Xuan could only shake his head in disappointment before retreating.

"It seems like you aren't able to win the acknowledgement of the Sword Intent. Perhaps, this is a sign to say that you aren't meant to enter the Compendium of Sword Arts," Jian Qinsheng said in lamentation.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan could only sigh deeply again.

Considering that the Heaven's Path Sword Art harnessed the very essence of swordsmanship, he had been hoping that it might just be able to earn the acknowledgement of the Flowing Water Swordsmanship. However, it seemed like his thoughts were too naive.

"May I know if there's any way for me to obtain the acknowledgement of the Sword Intent?"

"There's only one true peak to swordsmanship, but there are many different Sword Quintessences that pave the way to the top. The Sword Quintessence comprehended by my ancestor is one such way, and the one comprehended by the head of the Zhang Clan is another. Even though they lead to the same peak, different Sword Quintessences still repel one another due to their fundamental differences. Thus, I fear that it's impossible for you to succeed in your current state.

"That being said, perhaps, just perhaps... if you could comprehend the Flowing Water Swordsmanship to the level of Sword Quintessence, you might just be able to earn the acknowledgement of the Sword Intent," Jian Qinsheng said.

If the comprehending of true swordsmanship was the destination that all sword practitioners hoped to reach, Sword Quintessences could be considered the pathway that sword practitioners tread upon on their way there. Naturally, even if there was only one destination, there were innumerable pathways that could lead one there.

This was just like how a question could be resolved in many different manners, but the answer would still be the same.

"What you mean is that... as long as I comprehend the Sword Intent harnessed in the '剑 (Sword)' character on the wall and achieve the level of Sword Quintessence, I might be able to obtain the Sword Intent's acknowledgement?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"That's right." Jian Qinsheng nodded. "However, don't even think about trying that. It's only a possibility I am proposing theoretically. Achieving one Sword Quintessence already requires a sword practitioner to devote their entire life to it. Achieving a second one... that would be practically impossible! There have been countless swordsmanship geniuses in the Sanctum of Sages, but none of them have ever succeeded in that before. It will only be a waste of effort..."

"Is it really that difficult?" Zhang Xuan wondered doubtfully as he turned his gaze toward the words beneath the '剑 (Sword)' character and closed his eyes.

"Indeed. The difficulty is so great that it's almost unimaginable. From what I read in the records, my ancestor, Jian Liushui, attempted to comprehend another Sword Quintessence after completing the Flowing Water Swordsmanship, only to fail terribly, nearly causing his cultivation to go berserk..."

With a deep sigh, Jian Qinsheng turned his gaze to the young man to usher him out with an apology when a loud buzzing sound suddenly echoed.

A surge of Sword Intent burst forth from the young man's glabella. Seemingly sensing something, the '剑 (Sword)' character ahead suddenly began trembling excitedly, and even the room itself began creaking loudly.

Jian Qinsheng's eyes widened in astonishment. "Is that... the Sword Quintessence of the Flowing Water Swordsmanship?"

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Chapter 1327: Classifications of Quintessence (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It was a sensation that reminded him of the relentless, rapid tides, carrying an imposing momentum that would blast through anything that stood in its path. For someone who had been in contact with his ancestor's Flowing Water Swordsmanship from a very young age, Jian Qinsheng was extremely accustomed to that feeling.

The both of them should have been at odds, but why would the young man suddenly emanate Sword Intent that was identical to his ancestor's?

Furthermore, judging from the overwhelming aura, it seemed like he was in the midst of reaching Sword Quintessence?"

Weng weng weng!

In his moment of confusion, the swords in the hands of the sword practitioners in the area suddenly began shaking uncontrollably as their swords flew out of their sheaths. They swiftly fell to the ground, paying respects to their new emperor.

"He actually managed to reach Sword Quintessence..." Jian Qinsheng muttered as he felt his throat running hoarse.

Those who had comprehended Sword Quintessence would receive the blessings of the world. As long as a sword was not stronger than them, a Sword Quintessence expert would be able to force the sword to submit to them unconditionally.

However, it was apparent that the young man before him had already comprehended Sword Quintessence, and for him to achieve yet another breakthrough now... It could not be that he had comprehended two different types of Sword Quintessence, could it?

One must know that even achieving a single Sword Quintessence was a feat that most sword practitioners failed to achieve despite devoting their entire life to the sword. Yet, the young man before him was only in his twenties, and he had already comprehended two of them...

More importantly, it was just a moment ago that he had said that it was impossible to comprehend two different Sword Quintessence simultaneously when the young man immediately made the breakthrough.

Must you really slap my face that quickly?

Jian Qinsheng's lips trembled uncontrollably as the entire world he had known collapsed right before his eyes.

He had started practicing swordsmanship when he was three, comprehended Lower Sword Heart when he was seventeen, Upper Sword Heart when he was forty, and Sword Quintessence when he was sixty-three... Without a doubt, his talent was legendary, and there were countless who were envious of him. But in face of the young man before him, all those glorious accomplishments of his felt like an embarrassment instead.

"He has achieved the same Sword Quintessence as teacher?" Shui Qianrou widened her eyes in disbelief as her body trembled uncontrollably.

Prior to coming over, the young man did not even know what the Sword Quintessence that her teacher had comprehended was, and yet, just by chatting a bit here and there, he suddenly attained the same Sword Quintessence as her teacher.

One must know that she had cultivated under her teacher for many years, but despite that, she had only managed to grasp the bare basics of it.

In this moment, the overwhelming sense of defeat that she felt rendered her completely incapable of speech.

Hu!

A while later, Zhang Xuan finally reined in his aura before opening his eyes once more.

This time, he walked unhesitatingly toward the '剑 (Sword)' character and placed his finger on it. In response to his touch, the character seemed to dance exuberantly, seemingly ready to fly out of its restraints and soar into the sky.

Zhang Xuan turned to Jian Qinsheng and asked with a smile, "Elder Jian, can this be considered as having obtained the acknowledgement of the Sword Intent?"

"O-of course!" Jian Qinsheng lips twitched a bit as he hurriedly nodded in response.

Even the '剑 (Sword)' character left behind by his ancestor looked ready to elope together with the young man! What else could it be if not a sign of acknowledgement?

"That's a relief!" Zhang Xuan patted his chest and sighed in relief.

As soon as he had heard Jian Qinsheng say that it was theoretically possible to comprehend a second Sword Quintessence, he had immediately collected all of the insights and interpretations concerning the '剑 (Sword)' character into the Library of Heaven's Path.

Those who were qualified to leave their words beneath the '剑 (Sword)' character were all those who had reached or had been on the verge of reaching Sword Quintessence. Even though there was not too much of such text in the area, it was all incredibly insightful and concise, allowing him to compile a perfect manual.

With prior experience in reaching Sword Quintessence, it was much easier the second time around, which was also the reason he had been able to achieve a breakthrough so quickly.

"The Compendium of Sword Arts is just right ahead. I'll open it for you now!" Jian Qinsheng headed over the corner of the wall and pushed lightly, and the two sides of the wall slowly slid apart, revealing a door behind it.

"Thank you. I happen to have several doubts concerning swordsmanship that require verification from the books, and I'll leave once I'm done looking through the relevant books..." With his eyes lit up in excitement, Zhang Xuan quickly explained his current situation to Jian Qinsheng before heading in.

It had to be said that the collection of books in the Compendium of Sword Arts was truly amazing. It must have taken countless years before they managed to expand the compendium to such a scale.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan began scanning the area with his eyes.

Wherever his gaze fell, the books would automatically be replicated in the Library of Heaven's Path in neat rows.

Walking in between the shelves, he quickly took in all the books around him.

A moment later, Zhang Xuan suddenly halted his footsteps.

Hmm? The Flowing Water Swordsmanship?

To his surprise, there was actually a Flowing Water Swordsmanship secret manual lying casually in one of the innermost bookshelves.

But then, he suddenly remembered that he was currently in the Compendium of Sword Arts, a sacred ground where only those recognized by the ancestor of the Jian Clan would be able to enter. Those who could enter already had their identities verified, so there were no qualms about leaving any secret manuals out in the 'open'.

After collecting the Flowing Water Swordsmanship secret manual, Zhang Xuan tapped on it lightly in the Library of Heaven's Path.

"Flowing Water Swordsmanship conceptualizes Sword Intent as a flowing stream of water, relentless and unending. Sword practitioners specializing in this swordsmanship will be able to form a tight guard of sword qi, thus granting them superior defensive prowess. This swordsmanship was created by the Third Sanctum Head of the Sanctum of Sages, Jian Liushui, and it's possible to achieve the level of Sword Quintessence through this conceptualization. Flaws: ..."

Zhang Xuan shook his head. It sure has plenty of flaws...

Admittedly, the Flowing Water Swordsmanship was extremely powerful. In terms of concept, it bore a striking resemblance to the Heaven's Path Sword Art, but it was a higher tier sword art, wielding far greater might.

Currently, the Heaven's Path Sword Art that Zhang Xuan had compiled was only Saint intermediate-tier. He could easily overwhelm those of the same cultivation realm through its devastating strength, but its prowess was severely lacking when put against a Saint high-tier battle technique.

On the other hand, while the Flowing Water Swordsmanship was plagued with flaws, it had reached the level of Saint high-tier. If he could master it, his fighting prowess would surely rise by leaps and bounds.

To make a comparison, it was like the difference between a ballista and a crossbow. A crossbow was much more flexible and nimble in terms of usage, but in terms of prowess, it could not compare to a ballista.

Zhang Xuan continued reading through the manual.

This swordsmanship is highly demanding on one's eye of discernment!

The Flowing Water Swordsmanship required one to mold one's Sword Intent into a form reminiscent of flowing water.

However, in order to successfully break down one's Sword Intent into a fluid and flexible form, one had to possess an eye of discernment far surpassing the ordinary. In fact, without the Eye of Insight, it was technically impossible to cultivate the technique up to the level of Major Accomplishment.

No wonder Shui Qianrou said that other than the Third Sanctum Head, no one has succeeded in mastering the Flowing Water Swordsmanship. From the looks of it now, the problem didn't lie in their lack of hard work or talent. Rather... their eye of discernment just wasn't up to par!

As a past sanctum head of the Sanctum of Sages, the Third Sanctum Head had possessed the Eye of Insight as well. It was probably because of that he was able to create such a powerful sword art. However, it was pity that none of the sanctum heads after him specialized in the sword, thus causing the lineage of this swordsmanship to be buried in the dust.

As a descendant of Jian Liushui, Jian Qinsheng had tried his best to learn the Flowing Water Swordsmanship, but without the Eye of Insight to peer directly into the very essence of the Sword Intent, he could only create a very crude conceptualization of water flow. It was no wonder he was not able to bring glory and honor to the swordsmanship!

Possessing the Eye of Insight, the Flowing Water Swordsmanship happened to be compatible with Zhang Xuan.

Let me see if I can perfect the Flowing Water Swordsmanship!

If the flaws could be resolved, it would be worth considering practicing the sword art.

With this thought in mind, Zhang Xuan continued his collection of books. In just ten minutes, the hundred thousand sword art manuals in the Compendium of Sword Arts were all within the Library of Heaven's Path.

I'll see if I can perfect the cultivation technique of the Three Swords of Lingxu...

Compile!

Zhang Xuan retrieved the cultivation technique for the Three Swords of Lingxu and placed it together with all the other sword art manuals.

His very purpose here was to perfect the Three Swords of Lingxu. Everything else could wait.

Huala!

A new book materialized before Zhang Xuan's eyes.

Swiftly flipping it open, a deep frown was etched onto Zhang Xuan's forehead.

Only one of the sword arts is perfected?

The Three Swords of Lingxu consisted of three different sword arts, namely Sea Severing Sword, Ocean Cataclysm Sword, and Heaven Desecration Sword!

Each of these three moves was stronger than the previous. Even though Zhang Xuan's cultivation was only at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage, if he could fully execute Heaven Desecration Sword, putting aside Grand Dominion realm pinnacle cultivators, he would even be a match for Saint 7-dan primary stage cultivators!

It was due to this that the Old Sword Maestro had been able to stand undefeated in the Empire Alliance.

This Compendium of Sword Arts had a massive collection of more than a hundred thousand sword art manuals, so Zhang Xuan had thought that he would be able to perfect all three sword arts by compiling them together. It was a little disappointing to see that only one sword art had been perfected after all that effort.

Nevertheless, this was still better than nothing.

Due to the Three Swords of Lingxu being a Sword Formation, even the very first move, the Sea Severing Sword, had possessed more than 360 flaws! It would have been impossible to resolve all of them without that many books.

Even though the Ocean Cataclysm Sword and Heaven Desecration Sword haven't been perfected yet, the number of flaws they have has also been greatly reduced... All in all, there's less than ten for both of them. I'll just have to find a way to resolve them in the future!

While he could not start cultivating the remaining two sword arts yet, the reduced number of flaws in them meant that it would be much easier for him to perfect them in the future.

There are various different classifications to Sword Quintessences. The Sword Quintessence that Sanctum Head Jian Liushui comprehended leans more toward defense whereas the one that the Old Sword Maestro comprehended leans more toward offense...

Through the knowledge of the books he had gathered, many aspects concerning swordsmanship became much clearer to Zhang Xuan.

Since there are Sword Quintessences that are directed toward offense and defense, there should be those that are directed toward speed and agility too.

These theories were explained in one of the books that Jian Liushui had left behind. As there were simply too many books within the compendium, Zhang Xuan would have probably overlooked them if he had not collected everything into the Library of Heaven's Path.

Perhaps it was because Jian Qinsheng did not see the book, so he only knew that there were classifications to Sword Quintessences but not what kind of classifications there were.

Let me try out the Flowing Water Swordsmanship!

With a thought, Zhang Xuan placed all the defensive sword art manuals together with the Flowing Water Swordsmanship secret manual.

Hu la!

A brand-new book materialized, and with a tap, the knowledge within flowed into Zhang Xuan's head.

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. It's perfected!

Perhaps due to Jian Liushui's swordsmanship lineage being more sided toward defensive swordsmanship, the proportion of defensive sword art manuals were far higher than offensive sword art manuals. This made perfecting the Flowing Water Swordsmanship secret manual much easier than perfecting the Three Swords of Lingxu.

I'll cultivate this one first then!

Since Zhang Xuan had managed to perfect the Flowing Water Swordsmanship, he quickly found a quiet place in the compendium to sit down and start studying.

Just as the name suggested, the Flowing Water Swordsmanship required the sword practitioner to cultivate their swordsmanship until their sword qi was as fluid and flexible as water, flowing relentlessly like a seemingly unending river.

Once mastered, the sword practitioner would be able to put up a perfect guard that boasted even greater defensive power than a Dominion!

Going through the perfected Flowing Water Swordsmanship in his head, Zhang Xuan focused his mind, and gradually, his zhenqi formed small little blades that circulated within his body.

The hardest aspect of the Flowing Water Swordsmanship was not to convert one's zhenqi into swords—Zhang Xuan had been able to do that for a very long time—but to convert the zhenqi into a compact stream of Sword Intent to protect oneself.

Nevertheless, having cultivated the Heaven's Path Divine Art and possessing the Eye of Insight, this was not much trouble for Zhang Xuan. Two hours later, he exhaled a mouthful of turbid air before getting to his feet once more.

After an arduous training session, he had finally brought his mastery of the Flowing Water Swordsmanship up to the level of Major Accomplishment.

I can't test out the prowess of the Flowing Water Swordsmanship here, but I reckon even Grand Dominion realm pinnacle experts will be unable to breach my defenses now! In fact, even Saint 7-dan experts will have to struggle a fair bit before they can lay a finger on me! Zhang Xuan thought in agitation.

What he was lacking the most at the moment happened to be a good defensive technique—this had been displayed very clearly to him when he was sent flying with a single punch from his future brother-in-law.

However, with this sword art, even if he was still no match for Luo Xuanqing, at the very least, he would not be incapacitated in a single punch anymore.

Furthermore, the defensive ability of the Flowing Water Swordsmanship would only grow stronger as his cultivation rose, possibly making it one of his stronger trump cards at the moment.

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Chapter 1328: It's Time to Show Some Real Skills

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Sensing the might that he could exert through his Sword Intent, Zhang Xuan was deeply pleased. After immersing himself in his glee for a moment, he sat back down on the floor and crossed his leg to cultivate the first sword art of the Three Swords of Lingxu—Sea Severing Sword.

This sword art required the simultaneous cooperation of 108 swords, but fortunately, he had managed to make a decent number of Saint intermediate-tier swords submit to him back at the Sword Lagoon, so that was not an issue.

He imaged the movements of every single sword and sword art in his head, examining each of them in detail and refining all of them to the sharpest precision.

Two hours later, he got up to his feet once more.

After a long session of arduous work, he had successfully mastered the Sea Severing Sword.

Of course, as he had mastered the two sword arts through imagery, he had not gotten an opportunity to see them in action yet. As such, he could only fathom a guess about their true might.

With my mastery of the Sea Severing Sword, even without using the Lingxu Sword and the others, I would still be able to drown a Grand Dominion realm advanced stage cultivator with my sword qi. If I use my full strength, slaying even a Grand Dominion realm pinnacle expert could be possible! Zhang Xuan thought with eyes gleaming in excitement.

As expected of an offensive Sword Quintessence, its might was truly frightening!

Even without wielding a weapon, he could defeat a Grand Dominion realm advanced stage cultivator with ease. If he utilized all his means, even a Saint 7-dan primary stage cultivator could possibly fall under his offense!

With such fighting prowess, he would at least be capable of protecting himself in the expert-filled Sanctum of Sages now.

After cultivating the two top-notch sword arts, Zhang Xuan exhaled a mouthful of turbid gas as his heart shuddered in excitement.

With his current fighting prowess, he was confident that he would be able to clear the Jia Corridor with ease!

Alright, I should be done here. I should leave now!

Seeing that it was getting late, Zhang Xuan got to his feet and walked out of the room.

As soon as he stepped out, he saw that Jian Qinsheng was still standing at the very center of the room, and Shui Qianrou, Senior Xie, and the others were seated on the ground in kneeling positions. They were staring intently at the '剑 (Sword)' character on the wall with creases on their foreheads, seemingly deep in thought.

"Zhang shi, you're out," Jian Qinsheng remarked with a smile.

Despite only being a freshman, the young man had achieved the level of Sword Quintessence. In Jian Qinsheng's heart, the young man could already be considered his peer. As such, he did not take the tone that he would usually speak to his juniors with.

"What are they doing?" Zhang Xuan pointed to Shui Qianrou and the others in confusion.

"Ah. They saw how you managed to comprehend Sword Quintessence just by studying the '剑 (Sword)' character for a short moment, and that has ignited their drive. So, they decided to sit here to study the '剑 (Sword)' character as well in the hope that they will be able to take the final step forward and achieve the level of Sword Quintessence, just as you did," Jian Qinsheng replied with a hint of satisfaction to his voice.

It was not like he had never encouraged his students to study the '剑 (Sword)' character in the past, but they had never heeded his advice before. In their view, there was simply nothing interesting about the '剑 (Sword)' character to study.

However, after witnessing what Zhang Xuan had achieved, they were now all more driven than ever to succeed.

"I have ignited their drive?" Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in astonishment.

The reason he had been able to achieve a breakthrough so swiftly was because he had successfully compiled a Heaven's Path technique from the insights carved beneath the '剑 (Sword)' character. To expect to achieve a breakthrough just by staring at a mere character... Weren't they daydreaming?

However, since they were Jian Qinsheng's students, it would be rude for an outsider like him to interfere too much in their affairs. Thus, he could only suppress his overwhelming urge to bellow at them and plaster on a smile. "Well... All the best then!"

Unaware of the thoughts in Zhang Xuan's mind, Jian Qinsheng simply chuckled softly before asking, "Did you receive any insights from the books in the Compendium of Sword Arts?"

"Thank you for granting me access to your collection of books, Elder Jian. I have benefited greatly from it!" Zhang Xuan bowed deeply.

If not for those books, he would not have been able to learn the Flowing Water Swordsmanship and cultivate it to the level of a Heaven's Path technique.

He would not have been able to master the first sword art of the Three Swords of Lingxu either and, through doing so, induce an immense surge in his fighting prowess.

"Oh?" Hearing Zhang Xuan's words, Jian Qinsheng's eyes lit up. "Since that's the case, would you like to trade some blows with me? It would be a delight to see the swordsmanship of the only sword practitioner in history to have comprehended two different types of Sword Quintessence!"

"It would be an honor to receive Elder Jian's guidance!"

He had just mastered those two sword arts, and he was seeking an opportunity to try out its strength. Considering that the person standing before him was one of the rare swordmasters in the Master Teacher Continent, there was definitely no one better for him to practice his skills on!

Stroking his beard, Jian Qinsheng said with a smile, "Good! Let's not disrupt their cultivation and head to another location."

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

While Zhang Xuan thought that it was impossible for Shui Qianrou and the others to grasp Sword Quintessence just by staring at the character, it would still be highly beneficial in helping them advance their comprehension of swordsmanship.

Since it was not anything bad, there was no reason for Zhang Xuan to pour a pail of cold water over their fiery drive.

Following behind Jian Qinsheng, they soon arrived in a room. It seemed to be a specialized training room, and the walls were reinforced with Fortification Formations.

The formations were all at grade-8, and even with Zhang Xuan's current strength, he would still have trouble trying to break them open.

"Let's do it here." Jian Qinsheng gestured with a smile as he walked to the center of the room. Flicking his forefinger, a surge of sword qi shot forth from his fingertips.

Upon seeing Jian Qinsheng's actions, Zhang Xuan was taken aback. "Elder Jian, aren't you going to suppress your cultivation?"

Jian Qinsheng was at least a Saint 8-dan expert whereas he was only at Saint 5-dan primary stage. The disparity between them was simply too great.

How was he supposed to fight against Jian Qinsheng if the latter did not suppress his cultivation?

"If I were to suppress my cultivation, I fear that my old bones would not even survive a single blow from you," Jian Qinsheng replied with a bitter smile.

The sight of the young man before him crushing his disciple with ease was still fresh in his mind. He did not think that he would stand much of a chance if he suppressed his cultivation down to the same level as the other party.

After all, the young man's comprehension of swordsmanship and combat had reached a level that was inconceivable even to him.

He had encountered many geniuses in his years in the Sanctum of Sages, but only the little princess of the Luo Clan and two or three others could leave him with such a feeling of apprehension.

"But..." Zhang Xuan frowned. "There's no way I will stand a chance against you in your current state."

He was well aware of the limitations of his strength. The old man before him was not just any ordinary Saint 8-dan expert—he was also a swordmaster. Given the vast disparity in their cultivation, Zhang Xuan would only be crushed in the battle.

"Why don't we do this instead? I won't suppress my cultivation, but I'll use only 1% of my full strength. That will roughly be equivalent to the might a Saint 7-dan primary stage cultivator possesses. Don't worry, I won't allow you to be injured. At the same time, through such an arrangement, you can let loose without worrying about injuring me. This way, you will be able to better test your strength," Jian Qinsheng said with a smile.

"Alright then." Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

For some inexplicable reason, his heart started beating in excitement.

So far, he had not had a chance to clash with a Saint 8-dan expert. If he could test himself against Jian Qinsheng's strength, he would be more prepared when he faced opponents of that caliber in the future.

"I'll be making my move then!" With a flick of his hand, a sword appeared in Zhang Xuan's hand, and a brilliant cold glint flashed across the room, emanating a chilling intent.

The Lingxu Sword.

He had never wielded it ever since obtaining it. It was simply too strong; he feared that he would accidentally decimate his opponent with it.

But since Jian Qinsheng was coming at him without suppressing his cultivation, that would not be a problem.

Hong long!

With a swift slash, boundless sword qi barraged forth with astounding might, and for an instant, it felt as if space was crushing in on one.

"Is that... a Saint high-tier artifact?" Jian Qinsheng's mouth twitched, and his eyes narrowed in astonishment.

Saint high-tier artifacts were rare even in the Sanctum of Sages. Considering that the young man was only an unaffiliated cultivator, it was a little hard to believe that he would have such a weapon with him.

In terms of pure strength, Saint high-tier artifacts harnessed might surpassing that of Saint 7-dan cultivators. If a swordmaster like the young man were to wield it against him...

"Cough cough! It won't be good for you to rely too much on the strength of your sword. Here, why don't I lend you a spare one for the duel?" With a reddened face, Jian Qinsheng handed a sword over.

"That will do as well." Thinking about it once more, the might of the Lingxu Sword was indeed too great, and it would be unfair to use it in a friendly duel. Thus, Zhang Xuan nodded and took the sword that was passed to him.

With just a few taps of his fingers on the blade, a resounding buzz echoed, and the sword acknowledged Zhang Xuan as its master.

Seeing how swiftly Zhang Xuan managed to make the sword submit to him, Jian Qinsheng's lips twitched.

As expected of a genius who had comprehended two different Sword Quintessences, even his ability to tame swords was far more effective than that of ordinary sword practitioners.

It's a Saint intermediate-tier weapon, Zhang Xuan noted as he felt the sword in his hand.

At this point, he suddenly recalled another matter, and he turned his gaze to Jian Qinsheng once more. "Right, Elder Jian. In this duel, it will be fine for me to do anything as long as I don't wield a weapon exceeding Saint intermediate-tier, right?"

"That's right." Jian Qinsheng nodded. "You are able to easily drive Saint intermediate-tier artifact easily with your current strength, but you are still too weak to regulate the might of a Saint high-tier artifact. Even if you win the duel with it, it will be pointless if you aren't the one in control."

Even the most ordinary Saint high-tier artifacts wielded a fighting prowess on par with Saint 6-dan Grand Dominion realm pinnacle cultivators! Considering how the young man only possessed a cultivation of Leaving Aperture realm primary stage, he would be led astray by the Saint high-tier sword he had!

Eventually, the one who was in control would not be him but his sword.

"That's good." Hearing that he could do whatever he wanted as long as the weapon he wielded was no more than Saint intermediate-tier, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

He had not yet executed the Sea Severing Sword after mastering it. This would be a good chance for him to try it out.

In any case, the opponent he was facing was far stronger than him, so there was no need to worry about accidentally hurting him at all.

With a jot of the sword in his hand, a cold glint flashed across the air, and an imposing tide of sword qi immediately burst forth, slashing through whatever stood in its path.

"Not bad!" Seeing Zhang Xuan's move, Jian Qinsheng chuckled softly.

By weaving his fingers across the air, it took only an instant before a current of sword qi flowed right in front of him, reminiscent of a massive barrier.

Flowing Water Swordsmanship!

Just as Jian Qinsheng had promised, he had only used a hundredth of his strength in his defense.

Nevertheless, the strength he wielded was not to be underestimated. The sword qi flowing within the massive barrier was extremely compact, leaving not even the slightest space for anything to bypass it. It was reminiscent of an immense, unbreachable Dominion.

Ding ding ding ding!

The barrage of sword qi that Zhang Xuan had sent forth collided with the flowing wall of sword qi, inducing innumerable ripples on it. Under the violent attacks, the formation in the room shook intensely, and glaring scars appeared on the ground.

The formations inscribed into the room were extremely resilient, but Zhang Xuan's full strength paired with the frightening might of the Sea Severing Sword was so powerful that even the formations seemed as if they would collapse at any moment.

He's indeed formidable!

Even though Jian Qinsheng had managed to keep Zhang Xuan's attack at bay for the moment, he could clearly sense that the might from the tide of sword qi was swiftly growing stronger by the moment, and his expression turned grave.

As expected of a genius who commanded two different Sword Quintessences. His strength was truly extraordinary!

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan felt so excited that he could leap in joy.

Even when using his full strength, he was unable to deal even the slightest harm to the Saint 8-dan swordmaster. Since that was the case, it seemed like it was time for him to show his true skills!

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Chapter 1329: The Stifled Qin Jiansheng

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Let me try out the real Sea Severing Sword then!" With eyes gleaming with excitement, Zhang Xuan grabbed at the surrounding air forcefully.

What he had executed earlier was only the Sword Intent of the Three Swords of Lingxu, he didn't really go all out. However, seeing how Jian Qinsheng had managed to deal with his first attack with such ease, the final shred of hesitation within him finally vanished.

Pilipala!

A series of resounding cracking sounds echoed as more than a hundred Saint intermediate-tier weapons floating in the air shot forth.

"Go!" Lines of insight rippled in Zhang Xuan's eyes as he adeptly maneuvered an extremely complicated sword art toward Qin Jiansheng.

The Sea Severing Sword might only be a single sword art, but it was also a massive Sword Formation made up of 108 swords. Every single sword would be executing a sword art of its own, and collectively, it was as if an entire army was charging at one.

Boom!

The barrage of swords swiftly turned into an imposing wave collapsing down upon the room, and countless intersecting sword qi permeated the room.

"Th-this is... the Old Sword Maestro's secret art? But..." Jian Qinsheng, whose tension had just alleviated slightly after successfully fending off the first attack, suddenly saw the formation of swords before him, and he nearly fainted on the spot.

The Old Sword Maestro was a renowned swordmaster in history, so he had heard of his name and secret art before.

In fact, when he was traveling around the world, in seek of inspiration to further his swordsmanship, he had paid the Sword Lagoon a visit and trained there for quite a while, but due to the clashes in ideology, he eventually gave up on the notion.

He thought that the Old Sword Maestro's heritage should have already died out by now, but who could have thought that he would see it from the young man before him? Furthermore, it seemed to be sharper, swifter, and stronger than what he had heard in the legends.

And more importantly... he had just thought that the other party had no suitable weapon and gave him a Saint intermediate-tier sword, but in the blink of an eye, he suddenly whipped out this entire bunch.

If you have so many swords with you, why in the world did you accept my Saint intermediate-tier sword?!

Jian Qinsheng's face twitched uncontrollably. However, in this moment, he had to devote his all into fending against the attack that was diving right at him. Thus, he opened up his two both hands and skillfully weaved another barrier of flowing sword qi, just that it was clearly much more fortified this time around.

Boom!

Barely after he was done, the assault of the hundred swords arrived right before him. With overwhelming force, they collided on the barrier. 'Kacha! Kacha!', amidst a series of crisp echoes, the barrier of flowing sword qi began shattering like a broken mirror.

"How could those sword qi know the flaws of my Flowing Water Swordsmanship?" Jian Qinsheng's body jolted.

The Flowing Water Swordsmanship was extremely difficult to overcome due to its ability to spread out any force falling upon it over its entire area, but the young man was still able to shatter it in an instant. This could only mean to say that the latter had found the openings within his Flowing Water Swordsmanship, making it impossible for him to sustain its flowing state.

One must know that even someone as strong as that man from the Zhang Clan was unable to accomplish such a feat, so how did the young man before him manage to do it?

Shocked by the situation before him, Qin Jiansheng swiftly moved to repair the barrier of flowing sword qi, but he realized that it was already too late. The hundred swords had already slipped through the openings in his defenses, and they were surging swiftly toward him from all directions with devastating forces reminiscent of a storm.

Before he could do anything, the swords had already pierced into him.

Pu!

A sweet sensation welled up in Jian Qinsheng's throat as he was sent flying. Peng! He was slammed into the wall.

Hulala!

The Fortification Formations reinforcing the room also creaked loudly under the overwhelming impact, seemingly ready to break apart at any moment.

Hu hu hu!

Jian Qinsheng was already plastered on the wall, but Zhang Xuan's attack wasn't over yet. The hundred swords overlapped with one another and launched attacks one after another, reminiscent of the relentless waves of the sea, each more powerful and imposing than the previous.

In a moment, Jian Qinsheng's body was surrounded by the silhouettes of countless swords, and the cold glint reflected from them made it difficult for one to see what was ahead.

Boom!

Unable to withstand it any longer, the Fortification Formation finally burst apart, and 'jiya!', the room swiftly collapsed under the immense force.

Rock fragments ricocheted around the room amidst a rain of dust.

But even at this moment, the offense of the swords still showed no signs of halting. Jian Qinsheng attempted to flee to regain his momentum, but the swords were ingeniously aimed at the openings of every single he made, such that even fending against them already took up all of his strength and attention.

Boom boom boom!

Forced back by the barrage of the swords, Jian Qinsheng eventually knocked down seven to eight rooms before everything finally came to a halt.

Hu!

Exhaling deeply, Zhang Xuan retracted his palm. His face had turned pale at some point in time, and his body was aching from head to toe. He couldn't even find the strength within him to lift his fingers.

When he had practiced the Sea Severing Sword earlier in the Compendium of Sword Arts, he did so through mental imagery to sharpen his form, so it wasn't possible for him to get a clear idea of how powerful it would be. It was only after executing it did he realize how frightening the sword art actually was. In fact, in the midst of the execution, he found that he had lost all control over the sword art, and every last bit of zhenqi was squeezed out of his body before the sword art finally came to a halt.

"This is too scary, losing control of my body. I better not use this sword art unless in times of emergency..." Cold sweat rained down Zhang Xuan's head as he patted his heart fearfully.

It was not to say that there was something wrong with the Sea Severing Sword but that his cultivation was simply too low, making it impossible to him to wield full control over the sword art. This was similar to how a child could swing a hammer too, but the child's lack of strength would make it difficult for him to control it, especially when the hammer was in motion.

In this moment, Zhang Xuan was the child swinging the hammer. Once the Sea Severing Sword was executed, he couldn't stop until every last drop of zhenqi in his body was sapped dry.

Ever since he had undergone the Saint Ascension Ordeal and reached Saint realm, he had never depleted his zhenqi before. Yet, the Sea Severing Sword was actually able to drain every last bit of energy within him, which went to show just how powerful the sword art was.

However, it was also extremely dangerous for a cultivator to use up all of his zhenqi in the midst of a battle. It would mean that he was powerless against anything that his opponent would throw at him next.

"Right, is Jian Qinsheng alright?" Too engrossed in himself, Zhang Xuan forgot about the plight Jian Qinsheng was in. Looking at the rubble all over the ground, he couldn't help but feel a little worried.

Even though Jian Qinsheng said that he wouldn't lower his cultivation, he still suppressed his strength to a hundredth of his original might. There was no saying that the other party might just succumb to his sword art in his weakened state... and that would mean that he was a murderer!

Hu!

Fortunately, a silhouette suddenly rose from the rubble at this moment—Jian Qinsheng.

He wasn't able to maintain his image as an expert anymore. His clothes were in tatters, and his body was cloaked in dust. His wretched state felt as if someone had just taken advantage of him.

"Elder Jian..." Zhang Xuan's lips twitched for a moment before he called out worriedly.

"I'm fi—pu!" Jian Qinsheng chuckled awkwardly, but before he could finish his words, another mouthful of fresh blood spurted from his mouth. Putong! Jian Qinsheng plummeted from the sky and fell headfirst into a pile of mud.

At this very moment, he was suffering from a mental breakdown. Under normal circumstances, given his strength, it was impossible for the young man who hurt him no matter how powerful his sword art may be.

However, he had suppressed his strength down to a hundredth of it, and his Flowing Water Swordsmanship was breached so quickly that he hardly had any time to react. To be honest, he was extremely lucky to be alive at this very moment.

Lying in the pile of mud, Jian Qinsheng swallowed a pill, and it took a long while before strength slowly returned back to him.

Getting back to his feet, he took a look at his surroundings and sighed deeply.

He was curious to see how powerful a person who had comprehended two Sword Quintessences would be, only to end up being reduced to such a state in a single move... It was fortunate that no one was around to see it, or else he might have just died from embarrassment...

"Teacher, are you fine?"

"Old Master, what happened?"

"Everyone, be on your guards! Don't let the culprit get away!"

And just like that, Jian Qinsheng's final bit of consolation was utterly shattered.

Turning around, he saw his butlers, guards, Shui Qianrou, Senior Xie, and his other disciples all standing not too far away, looking at him in worry.

"What are you all doing here?"

If not for Jian Qinsheng's mental fortitude, he might have just passed out on the spot.

He was still feeling thankful that no one saw him earlier when more than a hundred people suddenly materialized behind his back. That was almost everyone in the residence!

"Teacher, Zhang shi said that you were injured and he asked us to hurry over to take a look. Senior Xie was worried that something bad might have happened, so he called all of us to follow him..." Shui Qianrou quickly explained.

"..." Jian Qinsheng clutched his chest, clawing at his heart which was aching so much that he could hardly breathe.

It was one thing for the young man to reduce him to the pitiful state he was currently in, but to even call his disciples and servants here to spectate his misery...

This was too much!

"Don't worry, I'm not injured. I just accidentally used too much force when I was practicing my swordsmanship earlier..." With a reddened face, Jian Qinsheng shrugged the matter off casually with a wave of his hand.

"Not injured?" Senior Xie, Shui Qianrou, and the others looked at one another with rather complicated looks in their eyes.

Completely tattered clothes and a swollen face... Is it really possible for anyone to be reduced to such a state from practicing his swordsmanship?

"Cough cough! Where's Zhang shi?" Knowing that his students were thinking, Jian Qinsheng coughed loudly twice and changed the topic.

He still saw the young man when he flew up earlier, so why would the latter be nowhere to be seen at this moment?

"Zhang shi has asked me to relay his gratitude toward you for allowing him to browse through your collection of books. It has provided him with some inspiration regarding his swordsmanship, so he bade his farewell to return back to his residence to cultivate..." Shui Qianrou said.

"He returned back to his residence to cultivate?" Jian Qinsheng felt even more stifled inside after hearing those words.

After causing a mess around here and severely injuring him, that young man actually secretly fled the scene... Gratitude, you said? Is this how you show your gratitude?

Just as Jian Qinsheng was contemplating whether he should capture that young man back here to teach him a lesson, Shui Qianrou suddenly walked up and presented him with a book, "Right, teacher. Before he left, Zhang shi instructed me to hand this over to you personally..."

Jian Qinsheng took the book with a deep frown and casually flipped it open. With just a single glance, his entire body froze on the spot, and disbelief plastered itself on his face.

"T-this..." Jian Qinsheng trembled uncontrollably.

Considering how the ink on the book had barely dried, it was clear that it was just written down a moment ago. Detailed on it was the various mistakes he had made on his cultivation, as well as the aspects which he had erred in his comprehension of swordsmanship.

In fact, a large handful of those points written down were questions which had left him deeply confused for many years...

In other words, as long as he were to make corrections according to what was written on the book, he would definitely be able to bring his fighting prowess up to greater heights...

"It was just a brief encounter, and I hardly made any move at all... But he was still able to see through so much about me?" Despite squeezing the book tightly in his hand, Jian Qinsheng still felt as if he was in a dream.

On top of being a swordmaster, he was a teacher in the Sanctum of Sages as well. It wasn't rare for him to have to analyze the problems that a student was facing in his cultivation or swordsmanship and offer him pointers to resolve them. Naturally, his eye of discernment was extremely formidable as well, far surpassing that of his peers.

Even so, he was still completely helpless toward the problem he was facing. Yet, the young man was able to uncover and concisely detail all of the problems he was facing, and more importantly, he had even provided solutions to them as well...

Just what kind of monstrous eye of discernment did that young man possess?

"It's no wonder why he was able to comprehend two different types of Sword Quintessences at his young age. In terms of comprehension of swordsmanship, I don't even come close to holding a candle against him..."

In this moment, Jian Qinsheng finally understood why the young man was able to earn the recognition of his ancestor's Sword Intent so quickly.

From the very start, they weren't even at the same level as one another.

"Perhaps, that's what a true prodigy is!" Jian Qinsheng remarked deeply as he closed the book and kept it into his storage. Then, a thought suddenly came to his mind, and his eyes lit up, "Wait a moment!"

"Given that young man's deep understanding of swordsmanship, if I were to bring him to the Zhang Clan, perhaps I might be able to exact vengeance for the grudge back then!"

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Chapter 1330: Let Everything Collapse (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It took six hours of rest, till the sun was starting to rise over the eastern horizon, before Zhang Xuan finally felt his zhenqi fully recovering, and his mind, spirit, and soul once again returned to their peak.

He instinctively knew that it would be a bad idea to remain there after injuring Jian Qinsheng, so he decisively collected all of his swords and returned to his residence.

As expected of an offense-based Sword Quintessence, its might is really not to be underestimated!

Recalling the battle that had happened the previous night, Zhang Xuan's eyes gleamed in excitement.

Even though Jian Qinsheng had suppressed his strength to a hundredth of his original might, his fighting prowess was still not something that any ordinary Saint 7-dan primary stage cultivators would have been able to compete with. Since that was the case, wouldn't the fact that he had been able to send the other party flying mean that no Saint 7-dan primary stage expert would be a match for him once he went all out?

Saint 7-dan Phantasmal Space realm—at that level, a cultivator would be able to grasp the very essence of space. Their Dominion would begin to morph into a form in between a phantasm and reality, making it extremely difficult to deal with.

The Dominions created by Saint 6-dan Grand Dominion realm experts would manifest in a physical form, such as an area of mist or a barrier of light, thus making it discernible to the eye. However, upon reaching Saint 7-dan Phantasmal Space realm, one's Dominion would become intangible, similar to one's Spiritual Perception. Invisible to the eyes, untouchable to the hands, its discreetness could create unimaginable effects.

For example, back when Luo Xuanqing kicked Elder Su Bing flying, the reason the latter did not dodge was because Luo Xuanqing had already shrouded the latter in his Dominion, trapping the latter firmly in place.

With his Saint 5-dan primary stage cultivation, it should have been impossible for Zhang Xuan to faze an expert of that caliber. However, with the Sea Severing Sword, this impossibility had become a real possibility.

It's daybreak! I should head over to the Jia Corridor and finish it.

The rising crimson sun had forced the dark night to retreat, bringing light back to the world.

Zhang Xuan began making his way over to the Hall of Solidarity once more.

He soon arrived at the front counter, and Qing Yu was still seated there.

"I wish to challenge the Jia Corridor once more!"

Accustomed to the procedure, Zhang Xuan wasted no time and passed the concentrated high-tier spirit stones over straight away.

After all he had done, reading, learning swordsmanship, and recovering from his exertion, a day had already passed. Thus, he could continue challenging the Corridor of Puppets once more.

Seeing that it was Zhang Xuan, Qing Yu passed a challenge token over with a nod.

Upon receiving the token, Zhang Xuan immediately turned around and left.

"He wasn't able to clear the Jia Corridor yesterday, but he rushed over as soon as the sun was up." The male attendant from before was also around, and he could not help asking, "Within this short period of time, there shouldn't have been any substantial change in his strength, right? So, what is he in such a hurry for?"

Cultivation was a process of consistent effort, not a way to achieve great things in a heartbeat. How could one night of cultivation possibly help him?

If the young man wanted to clear the Jia Corridor, he would require a few months of hard work at the very least!

"I'm not too sure either..." Qing Yu shook her head. "Perhaps... he might have successfully cultivated some kind of secret art and wants to give it a try!"

"But the stronger a secret art is, the harder it is to grasp it." The male attendant shook his head. "There are some who devote their lives to studying a secret art, only to gain a superficial grasp of it. How much could he possibly have learned in a single night?"

It was not that he had no trust in Zhang Xuan's strength, but some things were simply impossible!

The Jia Corridor was the hardest corridor to clear, and even most Grand Dominion realm advanced stage cultivators would have trouble defeating the puppet within. Even if Zhang Xuan had managed to clear the Yi Corridor the previous day, it still did not seem possible for him to clear the Jia Corridor after one day of hard work.

"The previous one to challenge the Jia Corridor was the Luo Clan's little princess, right? I seem to recall that she's the current record holder," the male attendant suddenly remarked.

"She's indeed the current record holder. She cleared the Jia Corridor within just three minutes..." Upon speaking of the Luo Clan's little princess, admiration and respect immediately seeped into Qing Yu's eyes.

While other challengers struggled with all their might but were still unable to clear the Jia Corridor, the little princess was able to clear it within a short three minutes. More importantly... when she left the room, there was not the slightest speck of dust on her, maintaining her ever-elegant and poised appearance.

Every time she recalled this matter, she could not help but tremble in excitement.

Ever since the Corridor of Puppets was created, there was not a single person who had achieved such a record in the Jia Corridor!

In other words, the accomplishment of the Luo Clan's little princess was unrivaled. There was no one who could compete with her even in the past tens of thousands of years, and it was unlikely that anyone would be able to break her record any time soon.

"Indeed, she's really too formidable..." The male attendant nodded in agreement. He was just about to speak when ripples suddenly appeared in the tea placed in front of him. Following which, the cup began trembling, followed by the table.

"What's going on?" The both of them sprang right up to their feet, and they began scanning their surroundings warily.

"I have no idea..."

Halfway through Qing Yu's words, she suddenly felt the ground shaking intensely, as if there was an earthquake. After which, a resounding explosion rumbled from the distance.

"That seems to be... from the Jia Corridor?"

The eyebrows of the duo shot up as the hurriedly rushed in the direction that the explosion came from. Before they could arrive at the Jia Corridor, they saw a young man walking over with an apologetic look on his face. "My apologies, I failed to rein in my strength when making a move earlier..."

Qing Yu glanced at the Jia Corridor, or to be more exact, the rubble that was once the Jia Corridor. Smoke was pouring out of it. Sweeping through the contents with her Spiritual Perception, she saw that the puppet of the Jia Corridor had already been dismantled into countless pieces, such that there was not even an intact spare part anymore. It truly was complete and utter destruction.

"You..." Unable to hold herself back anymore, Qing Yu asked Zhang Xuan in agitation, "Just what did you do?"

She was well aware of the strength that the puppet in the Jia Corridor wielded. Even ordinary Grand Dominion realm advanced stage experts would not be a match for it, and yet, that fellow still managed to crush it so easily. Just how in the world did he manage to do it?

More importantly... it had not even been three minutes since he had taken the challenge token from her!

Within this period, he had actually defeated the puppet and torn down the entire Jia Corridor while he was at it?

"I was only using a sword art," Zhang Xuan said awkwardly.

Due to the rules of the Jia Corridor, Zhang Xuan was unable to wield his swords, so he could only use his sword qi in substitution. Nevertheless, the might of the Sea Severing Sword was still far beyond his control. The puppet was reduced to dust as soon as it appeared, but even so, he was still unable to stop the sword art until it depleted a massive portion of his zhenqi. The current destruction was the result of that.

He had thought that since the Corridor of Puppets was a formal trial by the Sanctum of Sages, the Fortification Formations reinforcing the corridors would be rather powerful, so it should have been fine for him to let loose. It was never his intention to cause such a huge commotion!

It was fortunate that the trial had deemed it a success right after the puppet was destroyed, and the books at the very end of the corridor had come into his sight, allowing him to swiftly collect them into his Library of Heaven's Path. Otherwise, if his efforts had ended in vain after all the trouble he had been through, he really might have burst into tears on the spot.

"Sword art?" Qing Yu and the male receptionist were really at a loss of words.

Sword arts, they had seen plenty of those. But one that could destroy not only the puppet but the entire corridor along with it? They had never seen one that wielded such might before!

"Wait right here for a moment. I'll report this matter to the elder," Qing Yu told Zhang Xuan before hurriedly leaving.

The destruction of the Jia Corridor was a huge matter, far beyond the jurisdiction of a mere receptionist like her.

The Hall of Solidarity could be considered property of the Sanctum of Sages. If everyone were to destroy it without care, not even the Sanctum of Sages would have enough money to pay for the reparations.

"Alright." Knowing that it was only right for him to make compensation after causing destruction, Zhang Xuan had no intention of leaving either. He found a place to sit down and began meditating to recover his zhenqi.

While the strength of the Sea Severing Sword was reduced because he had not wielded any swords, the execution of the sword art still depleted nearly half of his zhenqi!

Previously, I thought that the Old Sword Maestro was just unable to gather sufficient swords for the execution of the technique, but from the looks of it now, even if he had gathered sufficient swords, it is uncertain whether he would have been able to execute it or not.

As one who had cultivated the Saint Ascension Decipher, the capacity of Zhang Xuan's zhenqi far exceeded that of other cultivators, but even so, he was still nearly unable to keep up with the depletion of energy. Despite being the creator of the move, the Old Sword Maestro probably still had a fair bit of trouble trying to execute the technique.

Knowing that it would be impossible for him to fully recover without several hours of cultivation, Zhang Xuan decided to immerse his consciousness into his Library of Heaven's Path to take a look at the books that he had just collected.

There were only five books in the Jia Corridor, and they corresponded to the Five Elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. The tier of the books was extremely high, plausibly the most profound and powerful Leaving Aperture realm cultivation techniques in the Sanctum of Sages.

Putting all the Leaving Aperture realm cultivation techniques together, Zhang Xuan commanded, Compile!

Huala!

A new book materialized. Flipping it open, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in delight.

After all his hard work, he had finally succeeded in compiling the Leaving Aperture realm Heaven's Path Divine Art! Just thinking about the difficulties that he had been through was enough to make tears stream down his cheeks.

I wonder if Sun Qiang has managed to find a source to procure pinnacle spirit stones,Zhang Xuan wondered as he swiftly memorized the cultivation technique.

Without a source of sufficiently pure spiritual energy, he would not be able to further his cultivation.

Above concentrated high-tier spirit stones were the pinnacle spirit stones, which boasted extraordinary purity. If he could find a source for those, his quandary concerning a lack of spirit stones would be resolved!

There were no pinnacle spirit stones in the Qingyuan Empire, but it should not be too difficult to find them in the Sanctum of Sages.

"He's the person who destroyed the Jia Corridor, Zhang shi..."

While Zhang Xuan was still in thought, he suddenly heard a voice. Raising his head, he saw Qing Yu leading an elder over.

The elder took a look at the Jia Corridor, and his eyebrows immediately began twitching.

Zhang Xuan hurriedly got up.

"Zhang shi, Elder Liao over here is in charge of everything concerning the Leaving Aperture realm Corridor of Puppets," Qing Yu introduced.

"Paying respects to Elder Liao!" Zhang Xuan quickly clasped his fist.

There was nothing else he could do. Under the roof of another, he had no choice but to lower his head.

He still could not bring himself to be as domineering as his future brother-in-law.

With a voice of suppressed rage, Elder Liao asked, "You said that you managed to reduce this place to this state just by executing a sword art?"

"That's right..." Zhang Xuan nodded hesitantly.

"Pass me your challenge token!"

Zhang Xuan did as he was told.

Elder Liao took a close look at the challenge token that Zhang Xuan had passed over, and a moment later, a deep frown appeared on his forehead.

The Jia Corridor did not just have a formidable puppet—it had a powerful formation as well. Under normal circumstances, even a Grand Dominion realm pinnacle expert would not have the strength to cause such devastation in this place... unless the individual had cheated!

But on the challenge token, the young man was reported to have cleared the trial fair and square. In other words, no acts of cheating had been detected by the system.

Was it really possible for a Leaving Aperture realm primary stage cultivator to cause such destruction with his sword art?

Perplexed, Elder Liao instructed, "What sword art did you execute earlier? Show it to me!"

"Show it to you? This..." A conflicted look surfaced on Zhang Xuan's face. "To be honest with you, my grasp over the sword art is still lacking, so I am unable to control it properly. I fear that I will accidentally harm you if I execute it here!"

"Harm me?" Elder Liao sneered. "While I am only a managerial elder here, my cultivation has at least reached Saint 7-dan Phantasmal Space realm. A Leaving Aperture realm primary stage cultivator like you actually fears that you will accidentally harm me? What arrogant words!"

There were various tiers to the elders of the Sanctum of Sages. Personnel who had reached Saint 7-dan would be eligible to take on the role of a managerial elder, such as Su Bing and Elder Liao.

"This... Elder Liao, even if you are confident in your strength, I still fear that my sword qi will destroy the other buildings in the area too..." Zhang Xuan was still a little hesitant about executing the Sea Severing Sword here.

"Do you think that your sword qi will have a chance to escape from my Dominion? You must be joking!" Elder Liao harrumphed coldly with deep confidence reflected in his eyes.

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Chapter 1331: Let Everything Collapse (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

As a Saint 7-dan Phantasmal Space expert, Elder Liao wielded incredible control over the space around him. If he couldn't even suppress the sword qi suppressed by a mere Leaving Aperture realm fellow, he would really be a failure of a cultivator.

"If you are really that confident, I guess it should be fine. Be careful then..." Since Elder Liao was confident about the matter, Zhang Xuan decided not to say anything more.

With a tap of his finger, surges of sword qi flew forth from his fingers, but instead of flying toward Elder Liao, they floated in the air as if they were blades of swords.

"So many of them?" Elder Liao was slightly surprised to see the young man's ability to manipulate so many sword qi adeptly simultaneously. He quickly drew a semi-circle before his chest and formed a protective barrier.

He wanted to try for himself whether the other party's sword qi really wielded the strength to destroy the Jia Corridor.

Wuwuwu!

Barely after he was done with that, a hurried buzzing sound suddenly echoed in the air, and as if the space before him had collapsed, more than a hundred surges of sword qi arrived within a five meters radius of him in the blink of an eye.

"So fast?" Horrified by how quick the young man's sword qi was, Elder Liao hurriedly activated his Dominion to stop the latter.

Boom boom boom!

The sword qi collided with Elder Liao's Dominion and produced a sound reminiscent of a mixer being plunged into a water vat. The violent impacts caused his face to redden, and his Dominion nearly dissipated under the relentless barrage of attacks.

Sou!

Under the overwhelming pressure pushing against his Dominion, Elder Liao was slammed heavily into the wall behind him, bashing a huge hole through it. Even so, the might of the sword qi pressing against his Dominion didn't seem to show any sign of weakening. At the same time, more and more sword qi were surging forth toward him as well, causing the entire area to be flooded with cold glints.

In an instant, the entire main hall was permeated with sword qi.

Jiyaya!

Under the relentless barrage of sword qi within and Elder Liao crashing around the place, the main hall finally reached the limits of its durability. A glaring crack swiftly crept its way across the walls, and with a resounding explosion, the entire room collapsed inward.

...

Hu!

Sometime later, Zhang Xuan finally came to a halt after expending every last drop of his zhenqi, and he panted heavily on the spot.

When he finally caught his breath and regained some strength, he took a look at his surroundings, and his eyebrows couldn't help but shoot up.

In this very moment, the Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui, all ten corridors had been reduced to rubble, and smoke was rising from their midst. In fact, even the main hall which was meant to receive challengers had been destroyed as well.

"Cough cough!"

A silhouette rose from the rubble—Elder Liao. His hair was half shaven off from the torrent of sword qi, and his body was inflicted with cuts all over. It was nearly impossible to use words to describe the sheer state of misery he was in.

Zhang Xuan recoiled at the sight, and he swiftly chirped in anxiously, "Elder Liao... you were the one who told me to make a move..."

You declared confidently that you would be able to withstand my sword art, so what the heck is this then?

Aren't you putting me in a spot?

It wasn't easy for me to shake off my title as the 'God of Destruction', and your overconfidence just set back all of the hard work I have put in all this while...

With such a happening, how do you think others will see me?

I just wanted to quietly clear the examination and read my books peacefully!

"I..." Elder Liao's face flushed red as he looked at the collapsed corridors with a look of despair in his eyes.

All he wanted to do was to check if the young man had been cheating... How did everything come to this?

What left him even more frustrated was that he was the one who had insisted on the young man to make a move, so he couldn't blame the latter for this matter either.

"Get out of my sight!" Elder Liao felt so frustrated that he thought he would explode on the spot. There were so many words he wanted to speak but couldn't, and eventually, he could only wave his hand with furiously gritted teeth.

"You are telling me to leave?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback. "I don't have to compensate for the Corridor of Puppets?"

While most of the responsibility for the destruction lay on Elder Liao, considering how huge this matter had blown up to, he didn't expect to be able to get out of this scot-free either.

"Are you able to pay for it?" Elder Liao bellowed with a voice seething with anger.

Zhang Xuan's lips twitched, "I guess not?"

He didn't think that he was poor, but his fortune, in contrast to the powerful puppets and formations set up in Corridor of Puppets, was truly insignificant in comparison. There was no way he would have enough money to compensate for the damage.

"So, scram!" Elder Liao bellowed.

"Yes..." Zhang Xuan swiftly turned around to make his leave, but barely after taking a few steps, he suddenly turned around and said, "Elder Liao, in the fight earlier, I found that your body is suffused with cold energy, so I advise you not to practice your Hiemal Yin Formula anymore..."

"How do you know that I practice the Hiemal Yin Formula?"

This was the first time the both of them were meeting, so how could the other party know what cultivation technique he practiced?

"I heard of it from someone else. If, by any chance, you feel... unwell, feel free to find me at my residence in the Elite Division." Zhang Xuan advised before decisively turning around and leaving.

He had destroyed the Corridor of Puppets, but Elder Liao didn't forcefully keep him in the area or make things difficult for him. In a sense, he owed the other party a favor for this. In the battle they had earlier, he had compiled a book on the other party in the Library of Heaven's Path and noticed that there was a problem with the other party's cultivation technique, so he decided to advise him out of kind will.

Actually, it wasn't a major issue either. As long as Elder Liao stopped cultivating the Hiemal Yin Formula, the body should be able to recover by itself. Even if he didn't stop cultivating, as long as he sought treatment in time, the issue should be manageable.

But considering how the other party was in the heat of his anger, it didn't seem like a good time to elaborate too much about it.

After all, from experience, he knew that if he were to tell Elder Liao "You are sick" after destroying his place, there was a good chance that he would be pummeled to death on the spot...

On the other hand, watching as the young man leave hurriedly after leaving behind those abrupt words, Elder Liao was baffled. However, when he saw the rubble all around him once more, rage began surging through his body once more.

"It seems like I shouldn't use the Sea Severing Sword easily in the future anymore..." Glancing at the rubble behind him, Zhang Xuan shook his head in dejection.

He had only executed this sword art thrice ever since mastering it, but he had already unintentionally harmed two people, destroyed a puppet, and devastated a crucial infrastructure of the Sanctum of Sages...

Who knew what kind of mess he would get himself into if he were to continue using the sword art recklessly?

It would be best for him to avoid using this sword art unless he was in a desperate situation, or else he might just be stealing his future brother-in-law's title as the King of Destruction.

He was the man who was destined to become the sanctum head, a person revered and admired by countless! He mustn't end in a position where others would shun him, as if he was a hated troublemaker!

"I should go and check on how Sun Qiang is faring... Also, I need to find some means to earn more money. Even if Elder Liao didn't demand any payment from me, I should at least make some compensation for what I have done." Zhang Xuan thought.

Had it been any other occasion, it wouldn't have been a big deal to him whether he could become the sanctum head or not. However, this matter had a profound effect on whether he would be able to stop Luo Ruoxin's marriage in the third month of the next year or not.

Without becoming the sanctum head of the Sanctum of Sages, it would be nigh impossible for him to vie with the Zhang Clan's young prodigy for Luo Ruoxin's marriage in hand

So, he was determined to obtain the position, by hook or by crook.

According to what Sage Kui had said, prior to unsealing the Sanctum Head Token, it would be best for him to win as many people's respect as possible so that his prestige would be higher after his inauguration... But within just two days of his enrollment, he had already destroyed Jian Qinsheng's home and the Corridor of Puppets...

No matter what, he should at least do something to salvage his crumbling reputation!

But of course, the fact that he didn't have much money at hand still held, so it was about time to bolster his finances.

Thus, Zhang Xuan quickly returned back to his residence, and not too long later, Sun Qiang, returned as well.

Perhaps it was due to an entire night of hard work, Sun Qiang appeared to be a little weary.

"How is it?" Zhang Xuan turned his gaze over and asked.

"Young Master, I have looked into the matter, and there is a wide range of items of cultivation resources available in the Sanctum of Sages. In terms of effectiveness, there's nothing that compares to pinnacle spirit stones, but it appears that those can only be sourced in the Inner Sanctum." Sun Qiang revealed his findings.

"Inner Sanctum?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had heard that the Sanctum of Sages was divided into two main categories—Inner Sanctum and Outer Sanctum. Most likely, Luo Ruoxin was in the Inner Sanctum.

"That's right. Other than pinnacle spirit stones, I also found grade-8 Energy Repository Pill. I had someone purchase some of those for me. Please take a look" Sun Qiang said as he passed a jade bottle over.

Uncorking the jade bottle, Zhang Xuan took a look at the contents inside and nodded.

There were three pills in total, and they were indeed rich in spiritual energy. The energy contained within them were significantly greater than the grade-7 Spirit Reinforcing Pills he had a while back.

"It's indeed useful to me, but... I'll need a lot more of it. At the very least, I would require at least thirty of them in order to push for a breakthrough to Leaving Aperture realm intermediate stage..." Zhang Xuan rubbed his glabella in distress.

While these Energy Repository Pills were at grade-8, perhaps due to the limitations of the pill forging skills of the apothecary, they had only reached the level of Formation. As such, the spiritual energy they harnessed was rather limited.

"Are there any other cultivation resources?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"There are. It seems like it's possible to earn rewards through clearing missions in the Sanctum of Sages, and one of the rewards available is the Jade Spirit Essence!" Sun Qiang said.

"Jade Spirit Essence?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Just like spirit stones, Jade Spirit Essence would only be formed in areas that were rich in spiritual energy, so the spiritual energy it harnessed was extremely pure. While it couldn't compare up to pinnacle spirit stones, it was indeed a much better cultivation resource than concentrated high-tier spirit stones.

The problem was that Jade Spirit Essences were extremely rare, rumored to be harder to find than pinnacle spirit stones. Even Zhang Xuan had only seen them in the books before.

"What missions are there?"

"There is quite a huge variety of them. Missions can be requested by both students and teachers, but most of them would be rather difficult to complete. Based on what I have seen earlier, there are a total of three missions that have Jade Spirit Essence as their reward, and of them, one awards three Jade Spirit Essences!" Sun Qiang said.

"Three Jade Spirit Essences?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in excitement.

Jade Spirit Essences were far larger than spirit stones, and a single one of it could be easily worth up to ten thousand concentrated high-tier spirit stones. The spiritual energy that was harnessed within three of those was definitely more than enough for him to successfully advance through the Leaving Aperture realm!

If he were to sell them, even if it couldn't compensate the losses sustained by the Corridor of Puppets, it would at least help to supplement a substantial portion of the reparation cost.

"That's right." Sun Qiang nodded.

"To offer such a hefty award, what's the mission?" Even though Zhang Xuan was excited by the notion of earning three Jade Spirit Essences, he knew that a mission that would offer such a reward would definitely be proportionately difficult as well.

The Sanctum of Sages was filled with countless experts, but despite the handsome reward offered for the mission, there wasn't a single person who dared to take it up. That spoke a lot about the difficulty of the mission.

"It seems to be a mission from the Beast Tamer Hall... As for the details, I'm afraid that you would have to head there to learn more." Sun Qiang said.

Ultimately, he still wasn't a student of the Sanctum of Sages, so he didn't possess most of the privileges that all students have. In fact, it took him a lot of effort in order to gather this much information.

"Where are the missions posted? Bring me over to take a look..."

Zhang Xuan was just about to have Sun Qiang bring him over when a frown suddenly made its way to his forehead. Flicking his wrist, he took out his identity token and swiped his finger on it.

A line of words came into appearance.

"Zhang shi, come to the Hall of Attainment's Court of Elites immediately. We have to report in today!"

It was a message from Chen Leyao.

"Report in... Right, I have to report in!"

Regardless of whether one was a student from the Elite Division or the Ordinary Division, they were to report in today in order to select or be assigned a teacher.

Otherwise, without any backing in the Sanctum of Sages, it would be hard for the students to secure resources for themselves.

Most of the master teachers in the Sanctum of Sages wouldn't go so far as to deprive a student of his allocated cultivation resources, but there was no guarantee that the others wouldn't do so.

After all, the Sanctum of Sages took in not only master teachers but geniuses of other occupations as well.

And most importantly, the reason why most geniuses chose to enroll in the Sanctum of Sages was to build up their own connection network. Disciples under the same teacher would inevitably be closer to one another, and it would be easier for them to ask favors from one another in the future too. Thus, choosing the correct teacher was of utmost importance.

"I want you to continue looking into the matter, I'll go report in first." Knowing that it would reflect badly on him if he were to be late on the very first day, Zhang Xuan hurriedly made his way over to the Hall of Attainment.

Attainment, Solidarity, Propriety, Erudition, and Integrity. The fact that Attainment was placed first clearly reflected its position in the Sanctum of Sages.

The most important responsibility of a master teacher was to impart their knowledge to the world, and the Hall of Attainment was the place where this happened.

By the time Zhang Xuan arrived, the entire area was already packed with people. Making just an estimate from what he could see, there were nearly ten thousand people in the area.

Just like the Hall of Solidarity, there was a massive character written at the entrance to the Hall of Attainment as well.

"It seems like Kong shi's handwritten characters can be found at the entrance of all five halls. Perhaps this is to remind the later generations to hold those values close to their hearts..." Zhang Xuan thought.

Following which, he heard the sound of Vicious gulping down a mouthful of saliva.

Zhang Xuan callously sealed the fellow back into the Book of Heaven's Path before proceeding in behind the crowd.

The Hall of Attainment was divided into many sectors, and the classes for the Ordinary Division and Elite Division were located at different sectors. Students of the Elite Division had the privilege to choose their own teacher whereas those of the Ordinary Division could only be selected by the teachers.

Zhang Xuan quickly scanned the area, and after finding the reporting location for the Elite Division, he swiftly walked over.

As soon as he entered the room, he immediately saw the other 49 who had made it into the Elite Division together with him were all present.

Chen Leyao had been pacing around the room anxiously, and it was only when she saw Zhang Xuan walking through the door did she finally heave a sigh of relief. She quickly walked over and said with a hushed voice, "Why are you only arriving now? Something big has happened. The Mountain Gate has collapsed!"

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Chapter 1332: Self-Introduction

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"The Mountain Gate has collapsed?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Everything had been perfectly fine when they challenged the Mountain Gate examination the previous day. Everyone had displayed their capabilities as best they could in order to get into the top five hundred. Why would it collapse all of a sudden?

"That's what Fei shi said earlier." A hint of disbelief could be heard in Chen Leyao's voice as well.

Clearly, she was also shocked by the news, or else she would not have been in such a hurry to relay it to Zhang Xuan.

"Fei shi?"

"He's the elder standing at the front. He's the person in charge of all affairs relating to the Elite Division, so you can look for him if you have any problems in the future," Chen Leyao said as she gestured to the front.

Zhang Xuan turned his gaze over as well and saw a middle-aged man standing at the very front. He was surrounded by several students, who seemed to be asking him about something.

"Did they mention the reason behind the collapse of the Mountain Gate?"

The Mountain Gate had survived several dozen millenniums in the Sanctum of Sages, so why would such a thing suddenly happen at this point in time?

Chen Leyao pondered for a moment before saying, "I'm not too sure, but based on what I heard, it seems like the sculpture of Sage Kui has shattered."

Hearing that, Zhang Xuan was confused.

What did the shattering of Sage Kui's sculpture have anything to do with the collapse of the Mountain Gate?

"The Mountain Gate and the folded space were created single-handedly by Sage Kui, and most of the tests within were also supervised by his will. The shattering of the sculpture means that the will he left behind has dissipated, and without his support, the folded space ended up collapsing as well," Chen Leyao replied.

"This..." Zhang Xuan frowned.

To be honest, he was extremely grateful to Sage Kui for the help he had offered back during the entrance examination, and he had been planning on returning to find the latter after he gained the strength to activate the Sanctum Head Token. Who would have thought that the latter's will would dissipate so swiftly?

Zhang Xuan sighed deeply. "Even if he has spent most of his time over the past several dozen millenniums asleep, it's still inevitable that his life would eventually reach its end..."

There was a limit to the lifespan of all living beings. Not even Kong shi was able to free himself from the shackles of time.

Even if Sage Kui was a powerful expert prior to his death, there was still a limit to how long his fragmented soul could survive. If it had remained constantly asleep, he might still have been able to last for quite some time. However, each time a new sanctum head candidate appeared, he had to wake up once, and this ended up depleting his lifespan significantly. It had merely been a matter of time before his will dissipated.

"Indeed." Chen Leyao nodded in agreement. "Now that Sage Kui's will has dissipated, it'll be difficult for the next sanctum head to establish his position..."

"Difficult for the next sanctum head to establish his position?"

"Ah, you must still be unaware of it. According to the rumors, Sage Kui's will doesn't just sustain the entire Mountain Gate examination. More importantly, he is also the one who is in charge of selecting the next sanctum head. In fact, every single sanctum head has been personally chosen by him. Now that his will has dissipated, it'll be difficult for the next sanctum head to build legitimacy and credence to his position..."

As one of the top geniuses of the Glacier Plain Court, Chen Leyao had her own connections. While these matters might have been confidential secrets in the Sanctum of Sages, it was not too difficult for her to learn this much from her sources.

"This..." Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan was just about to continue speaking when a resounding voice arose from the center of the room.

Turning his head over, Zhang Xuan saw that the one who was speaking was Fei shi.

"It seems like everyone from the Elite Division is here. First and foremost, I would like to congratulate every single one of you for successfully becoming a student of the Sanctum of Sages. I'll be accompanying you for the next few years of your journey here, but before I get to anything, I would like each of you to introduce yourself to the others. The people gathered here will be your fellow classmates, and you will be seeing one another frequently in your time in the Sanctum of Sages. So, it would be good for you all to familiarize yourselves with one another as soon as possible. Alright, in first place, Feng Ziyi..."

Zhang Xuan turned his gaze over curiously, wanting to see the face of the top ranker of the entrance examination.

Feng Ziyi had outperformed even those of the Zhang Clan to come top in the entrance examination. From this feat alone, there was no doubt that the other party was a person of great capability.

A young man who appeared to be in his mid-twenties walked out. He had an ordinary-looking exterior, no imposing aura or dashing appearance. He was the type of person who would blend right into the crowd if one did not pay close attention to him.

However, under the assessment of Zhang Xuan's Eye of Insight, he could still clearly perceive the fearsome flow of energy that coursed through Feng Ziyi's body like the rapid tides of a river. There was little doubt that this fearsome flow of energy could be converted into devastating might within moments if willed so.

Grand Dominion realm advanced stage... He's indeed a formidable individual.Zhang Xuan nodded.

A cultivator had to possess unthinkable talent in order to possess such strength in his mid-twenties.

"My name is Feng Ziyi."

The young man simply introduced his own name before falling silent.

It would have seemed silly if anyone else had done the same, but for the mysterious Feng Ziyi, such actions only seemed to deepen the enigma around him.

"In second place, Zhang Yu!" Fei shi announced.

He had the details concerning every single student who enrolled into the Sanctum of Sages, but if Feng Ziyi was unwilling to say anything more about himself, it was not be his place to talk too much either.

Following the announcement, another young man stepped forward and clasped his fist.

This young man appeared to be even younger than Feng Ziyi, around his early twenties, but his strength did not feel any weaker than the latter's. It felt like he could bring forth a calamitous storm with just a wave of his hand.

"My name is Zhang Yu, and I'm from the Zhang Clan. I hope that we can work together and strive for greatness!" In contrast to Feng Ziyi's cold disposition, Zhang Yu spoke with a warm smile on his face.

Under the scanning of the Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan found that there were no major flaws to be found in Zhang Yu's physical body, zhenqi, or soul, which made his strength exceptionally wholesome.

In comparison, the other offspring of the Zhang Clan that he knew of, such as Zhang Jiuxiao, Zhang Qian, or even Zhang Yunfeng, were truly not even worth mentioning.

If the two of them were to go all out in a battle, even though Zhang Yu's cultivation was only at Grand Dominion realm advanced stage, Zhang Xuan was not confident that he would be the one to emerge victorious in the end.

As one of the inner members of the Zhang Clan, Zhang Yu's bloodline ability was bound to be far stronger than Zhang Qian's. Along with the various profound battle techniques and powerful means he would have learned in the Zhang Clan, Zhang Yu likely possessed the strength to rival opponents several cultivation stages stronger than him as well.

Following Zhang Yu was Yuan Haiqing, Bai Qingxuan...

Zhang Xuan assessed every single one of them carefully, and while most of the rest came nowhere close to comparing to Feng Ziyi and Zhang Yu, they still left him feeling deeply bewildered.

It was no wonder these clans and powers were able to remain at the top of the Master Teacher Continent for so many years. They really did possess exceptional means in cultivating the talents of the younger generation.

All in all, the only one who could be said to have truly come from a humble background among the fifty students of the Elite Division was him.

It seems like the Master Teacher Continent is rather similar to my previous world. Due to the difference in upbringing and resources available to each individual, the powerful grow even more powerful whereas the weak grow even weaker. This gap will only continue to widen with time...

Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.

The stronger powers and clans had high-ranked master teachers amid their ranks and superior resources, thus allowing them to provide the best upbringing for their younglings right from the very start. This was not something that ordinary clans could afford to do.

As for those who had paved their way forward a step at a time, rising from the humble Tianxuan Kingdom all the way up here... well, such cases could be said to be practically non-existent. In a sense, Zhang Xuan's case could be considered a miracle among miracles.

It was really no wonder others automatically assumed that he was an offspring of the Zhang Clan.

It did not take too long for the front forty-nine students to finish introducing themselves.

"Last but not least, Zhang Xuan!"

As soon as those words were spoken, all eyes in the room immediately turned toward Zhang Xuan.

Despite not being from the Zhang Clan, Zhang Xuan had beaten up Zhang Qian and Zhang Yunfeng. This was a sight that everyone had seen with their own eyes back then, and that matter had left a deep impression on them.

Zhang Xuan introduced himself with a smile. "I am Zhang Xuan, and I am from the Qingyuan Empire."

"He's really from the Qingyuan Empire!"

"Despite coming from such a humble place, he still dared to make a move against the Zhang Clan? He sure is brazen!"

"But don't you think that it's weird how he was able to defeat Zhang Yunfeng despite being in fiftieth place?"

"That's indeed rather bizarre. Perhaps, he might even be a secret student of some 9-star master teacher of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters..."

Upon hearing Zhang Xuan's introduction, the crowd immediately began discussing him in whispers.

Considering how Zhang Xuan was able to achieve such strength despite being unaffiliated to any powers and the very fact that he dared stand against the Zhang Clan fearlessly, there was no one in that room who thought that he was as simple as he had introduced himself to be.

"Alright. Now that you have made your introductions, I shall first talk about some of the basic rules in the Sanctum of Sages that you must abide by, followed by the various aspects you have to take note of when choosing your teacher," Fei shi said with a smile.

"Regarding the rules, they are all thoroughly explained in your identity tokens, so I won't waste your time by going into detail about them. However, there's one thing I would like to remind all of you on.

"As students of the Sanctum of Sages, you can compete with one another, but under no circumstances should you attempt to claim the life of your peers. If you have any irreconcilable conflict with anyone that you must settle at any cost, you can apply for a Master Teacher Confrontation with us. As long as three elders agree to your request, you'll be accorded a Life-and-Death Contract to carry on with it. Under the terms of the Life-and-Death Contract, the power affiliated with the individual who has lost their life in the Master Teacher Confrontation must not attempt to exact vengeance against the victor."

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded.

In a sense, these rules were similar to those of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy.

Regardless of whether one was a master teacher or not, wherever humans existed, there was bound to be conflict. Even the most enlightened of individuals were no exception to the rule.

Even Kong shi had also lost his rationality to rage and sorrow before.

Conflicts would have to be resolved in a timely and appropriate matter, or else they would only continue growing bigger and bigger.

This was also why most organizations, be it Master Teacher Academies or the Sanctum of Sages, had systems in place to deal with such situations. Otherwise, if an individual was forced to bottle up their hostility and rage due to the rules, it could eventually lead to them committing far worse acts.

"As for the selection of teachers, I only have a very simple piece of advice for you all. Choose a teacher who is aligned with your strengths.

"The fact that you were able to rise above the other ten thousand candidates means that you possess an outstanding talent or skill. As such, I hope that you can sharpen this strength of yours and bring it to its very limits."

Following which, Fei shi began introducing some of the more formidable master teachers and exceptionally talented individuals of the other occupations in the Sanctum of Sages.

Upon hearing these introductions, Zhang Xuan shook his head in disinterest.

The Library of Heaven's Path was far better than any teacher he could have. As such, this topic held no purpose to him at all.

"Fairy Leyao, do you still have any more of the Wintry Spirit Essence that you gave me previously? May I buy some of it from you?"

According to what Sun Qiang had said, it seemed like it would be difficult for him to obtain pinnacle spirit stones without entering the Inner Sanctum, and the other alternatives seemed to be rather troublesome as well. However, upon seeing Fairy Leyao, he suddenly remembered the Wintry Spirit Essence. He had consumed some previously, and it had been extremely effective on him. He could raise his cultivation swiftly with it.

"That... I do have some Wintry Spirit Essence, but I'm planning on using it to push for a breakthrough to Grand Dominion realm," Chen Leyao replied hesitantly.

The young man was her benefactor, as well as the teacher of their young court chief. Under normal circumstances, she would not have turned down any request he had of her, but... she really needed the Wintry Spirit Essence to push for a breakthrough, so it was not convenient for her to give it away.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up upon hearing those words. "If I can help you achieve a breakthrough to Grand Dominion realm without using the Wintry Spirit Essence, would you be willing to sell your Wintry Spirit Essence to me?"

"If you can help me achieve a breakthrough, I'll give the Wintry Spirit Essence straight to you!" Chen Leyao said.

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Chapter 1333: Offering Pointers to Chen Leyao

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

There was no treasure that was more important than raising one's own cultivation realm. If Zhang Xuan could help her push for a breakthrough to the Grand Dominion realm right now, even if she were to give the Wintry Spirit Essence straight to the other party, she would still have won big-time.

"Good!" Zhang Xuan smiled in delight.

He was just about to get Chen Leyao to execute a punching routine so that he could offer her some pointers when he suddenly heard a voice.

"Brother Zhang!"

Zhang Xuan turned around and saw a young man standing not too far away from him.

"Zhang Zhuo?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

The other party was none other than Zhang Yunfeng's cousin, the person ranked 31st place in the entrance examination.

"Just as I said yesterday, I am interested in testing out Brother Zhang. Since it's a free interaction time right now, I would like to invite you to a duel!" Zhang Zhuo clasped his fist respectfully.

He showed no hint of arrogance due to his identity as an offspring of the Zhang Clan.

"Free interaction time?" Zhang Xuan took a quick glance at his surroundings and saw that while he was chatting with Chen Leyao, Fei shi had already stopped talking to allow the students to familiarize themselves with one another.

As geniuses of the Sanctum of Sages, they spoke not only through words but their capabilities as well. As such, there was quite a number of people who had come to blows with one another.

"This..." Zhang Xuan frowned.

In truth, Zhang Zhuo's challenge meant nothing much to him. Even if he was ranked 31st place in the entrance examination, it would not take Zhang Xuan too much to defeat him.

However...

He had depleted all of his zhenqi after executing the Sea Severing Sword twice in the Corridor of Puppets, and while he had managed to recover a bit of his strength since then, he was still in no state to fight against a cultivator of Zhang Zhuo's caliber.

"What? Is Brother Zhang unwilling to face me in a battle?" Zhang Zhuo narrowed his eyes playfully.

Considering how many freshmen had been watching in the square yesterday, it would have been bad to his reputation if the offspring of the Zhang Clan kept challenging Zhang Xuan in succession.

Today, every single student of the Elite Division was around, so this was a good opportunity to suppress the other party's haughtiness. He was determined to have the other party learn that not everyone could afford to offend their Zhang Clan!

"It's just a duel; why would I be unwilling to face you in a battle? I only fear that I will fail to keep my strength in check and accidentally cripple you. It would be a pity if something like that hurts the camaraderie we have as fellow students of the Elite Division," Zhang Xuan replied calmly.

While he might have depleted his zhenqi, he still had plenty of means to deal with a mere Grand Dominion realm primary stage cultivator.

At the very worst, he would just let his clone out to bite at the other party.

Alas, that fellow was a little too aggressive and hard to control. It would be a little embarrassing if he accidentally crippled Zhang Zhuo while he was at it.

"You..." Zhang Zhuo's face darkened. Harrumphing coldly, he beckoned with his hand and said, "Since you are willing to accept my challenge, let's begin!"

After saying those words, he turned around and walked to the center of the hall.

"I guess it can't be helped then." Zhang Xuan sighed deeply as he got up and walked over as well. However, barely after he could take a step, Chen Leyao suddenly blocked the path ahead of him.

"Zhang shi, you have depleted your zhenqi, haven't you?" Chen Leyao sent a telepathic message over.

"You can tell?" Zhang Xuan was slightly taken aback.

He had not told the other party about the matter of his zhenqi running dry, and he did not think that he had showed any hint that would betray that either. Thus, he could not help but be slightly surprised to see that Chen Leyao was able to see through it.

"Your acupoints were wide open while you were talking earlier, absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy desperately to replenish your zhenqi. With just a look, it's apparent that you are suffering from severe depletion of zhenqi," Chen Leyao explained.

"How can you fight with another in the state you are currently in. Why don't I help you turn down the battle instead? Even if he's from the Zhang Clan, he should at least sell me this favor..."

Ultimately, the foundation of a cultivator lay in their zhenqi. Admittedly, experts of their level could draw on incredible strength from their physical bodies and Primordial Spirits too, but to fight without zhenqi was similar to a tiger attempting to hunt down its prey without its fangs and claws.

Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I will lose my honor and reputation if I turn down his challenge."

To be honest, he cared about nothing of that sort, but considering that the other party was from the Zhang Clan and had provoked him first... What a pity it would be if he were to let this precious opportunity to pummel the other party into the ground slip by?

"But you won't be able to fight in your current state!" Chen Leyao exclaimed.

It was not that she harbored any special feelings for the young man before her. However, just on the basis that the young man was the teacher of their young court chief, she could not allow any harm to come to him.

Otherwise, if the young court chief started assigning blame for the matter, there was no way she could take responsibility.

"This..." Zhang Xuan frowned. He knew that he could only rely on other means to resolve this situation, too, and he was actually planning on finding an opportunity to slip off for a moment to change his clothes. However, a thought suddenly came to his mind in this moment, and he asked, "Fairy Leyao... why don't you fight for me instead?"

"You want me to take your place?" Chen Leyao was stunned for a moment before hurriedly shaking her head. "The only reason I was able to get into the Elite Division is due to my secret art. As such, my fighting prowess is still lacking compared to most of the others in the Elite Division. I fear that I won't stand a chance against Zhang Zhuo!"

Her cultivation was only at Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle at the moment. In the eyes of others, she could be considered an astounding genius, but compared to Zhang Zhuo, she was still severely lacking.

If they were to clash in a real battle, the one who would fall was indubitably her.

"Who said that you don't stand a chance against Zhang Zhuo?" Zhang Xuan patted Chen Leyao's shoulder reassuring before walking up to Zhang Zhuo. "Brother Zhang, I would love to accept your challenge, but I happen to be at a crucial moment in my cultivation, so it won't be convenient for me to fight with you right now. Why don't I have Fairy Leyao fight in my place instead, and I'll offer her pointers by the side. If you are able to defeat her, I'll consider it my loss."

"Crucial moment in your cultivation?" Zhang Zhuo harrumphed coldly.

It was obvious that the other party was just finding a random excuse to turn down his challenge.

You made a breakthrough to Leaving Aperture realm before all of us yesterday; are you trying to tell us that you can still achieve a breakthrough today?

Even if you want to give an excuse, surely you can find something that's more logical than that!

If you think that you can turn down my challenge with such an excuse, you are dreaming!

The previous day, he had asked Zhang Qian and Zhang Yunfeng about the conflict they had with Zhang Xuan, and it seemed like everything had started from this Chen Leyao. Since she was intent on standing up for Zhang Xuan, he did not mind teaching her a lesson.

He knew that the young lady was far weaker than him, and if they were to really clash with one another, he would be able to defeat her easily within three moves.

"Fairy Leyao, are you sure you want to stand up for him?" Zhang Zhuo directed a cold gaze toward Chen Leyao.

"I..." Chen Leyao's eyebrows shot up.

She had only intended to dissuade Zhang Xuan from fighting in the duel, but who would have thought that she would suddenly be dragged out to fight the duel instead?

However, due to how loudly the both of them had spoken, everyone had already turned their gazes over. At this point, it was already too late for her to back down.

"That's right! If you wish to have a fight with Zhang shi, you'll have to get past me first," Chen Leyao replied coolly.

"Very well. Let me see how powerful your Glacier Plain Court is then!" Harrumphing coldly, Zhang Zhuo's figure vanished with a swift step forward.

His fingers were cupped in a shape reminiscent of a bowl as they crushed down heavily upon Chen Leyao.

This technique was not a battle technique, and it looked incredibly straightforward. However, the instant that his palm fell, the surrounding space was immediately sealed, forcing Chen Leyao to face him head-on.

Facing such a situation, Chen Leyao's eyes narrowed slightly as a hint of panic flashed through her eyes.

With her current fighting prowess, she could only match Zhang Qian. She would have trouble fighting even Zhang Yunfeng, let alone the stronger Zhang Zhuo.

The moment that Zhang Zhuo's palm fell, she immediately felt her zhenqi slowing. Even if she were to gather all of her strength to counterattack, she still would not be able to withstand Zhang Zhuo's attack.

"Move half a step to the left and stab your finger rightward as if a sword."

Just as Chen Leyao was feeling utterly helpless, a voice suddenly sounded calmly by her ears—Zhang Xuan.

I guess I have no other choice...

Seeing that there was no better alternative before her, she slid her feet to the left and pierced her finger forward.

Padah!

Her movements were slight, but it caused Zhang Zhuo's palm strike to miss with a resounding sonic boom. At the same time, her finger also accurately pierced an opening in Zhang Zhuo's offense, catching him off guard for an instant.

It must be a coincidence! Zhang Zhuo thought as he hurriedly retracted his hand and took a step back.

"Left hand, Sword Traversing into the Sea. Right hand, Dragon Soars into the Wilderness!" Zhang Xuan continued issuing instructions.

Just as Chen Leyao was feeling deeply despaired, she saw that she had actually successfully fended off Zhang Zhuo's attack by following Zhang Xuan's instructions. In an instant, confidence filled her heart. Without any hesitation, she continued obeying the latter's instructions, executing a sword art in her left hand and a palm art in her right.

In terms of strength, she was far from comparing to Zhang Zhuo, but through executing the two moves simultaneously, she managed to seal off the latter's attack trajectory, forcing the latter to take up a defensive position.

Zhang Zhuo also could tell that the momentum of the battle was against him at the moment, and a forceful attempt to go on the offensive could only result in him getting injured. Thus, he had no choice but to continue retreating.

"Ursae Majoris Steps, Quenching of the Three Yang!" Zhang Xuan instructed.

Chen Leyao immediately began shuffling her feet, executing the Ursae Majoris Steps. At the same time, her finger tapped forward, seemingly drawing out a triangle in the air, as she drove her zhenqi for the other party's Three Yang Meridians.

These moves were not particularly profound, but they were apt for the current circumstances. It coincidentally sealed off the zhenqi circulation pathway of the next move that Zhang Zhuo was going to execute, leaving him feeling so stifled that he could spurt blood.

Something is very weird here... Zhang Zhuo thought as he leaped backward in alarm.

"What is Zhang Zhuo up to?"

"Chen Leyao's moves should be extremely easy to deal with. Why is he not defending against them, choosing to retreat again and again instead?"

"Extremely easy to deal with? Are you honestly saying those words? Look at where Chen Leyao's finger is pointing! If he attempted to retaliate, his Chihai acupoint would have been struck. If he attempted to charge forth, his Ziyang acupoint would have been kicked. If he attempted to flank from the left, his Huaihai acupoint would have been slammed by her shoulder. If he attempted to flank from the right, he would have been faced with an even more intense barrage of attacks! In such a situation, there's no choice but to retreat!"

"This..."

The battle between the both of them had caught the attention of everyone in the room. Initially, the crowd did not think much of the battle, but as it went on, looks of disbelief gradually began surfacing on their faces.

As fellow offspring of powerful clans, they were well aware of the backgrounds of one another. Under normal circumstances, Chen Leyao should not have been able to withstand three moves from Zhang Zhuo. Yet, at this very moment, she actually managed to corner Zhang Zhuo to the point that he could not even retaliate!

Were Zhang Xuan's pointers really that formidable?

"Interesting!" Leaning against the table, Zhang Yu watched the battle with a fascinated look in his eyes.

Usually, he would not have much interest in battles such as this, but upon seeing such a sight, his gaze could not help but linger on the battle.

For the weak to triumph over the strong, the weak would have to control the flow of battle impeccably, dealing with whatever techniques the strong threw over promptly. To be honest, it was hard for him to believe that Zhang Xuan would be able to allow Chen Leyao to achieve this much just through his pointers.

Deng deng deng deng!

Before everyone's bewildered gazes, Chen Leyao and Zhang Zhuo traded ten more blows, and shockingly, Zhang Zhuo did not even manage to fend off a single one. He kept retreating non-stop, and before long, he was backed against the wall.

"Damn it!" Zhang Zhuo's face turned livid.

This should have been an easy battle for him, but ten moves had passed, and he had not gotten a chance to counterattack yet. The intense frustration made him feel like he was going to explode.

"Since this is the case, don't blame me for not having mercy on you!"

Seeing that there was no longer any path to escape to, Zhang Zhuo narrowed his eyes, and a powerful surge of energy began gushing through his body.

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Chapter 1334: Chen Leyao's Breakthrough

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"That's the power of his unique bloodline?" Sensing the abrupt surge in Zhang Zhuo's aura, everyone was taken aback.

It was just a friendly spar between fellow students! Was there a need to tap into such a mutually harming trump card?

"No, it isn't the power of his unique bloodline. Rather, it's a secret art he has been practicing for quite a while. Once it's activated, even Grand Dominion realm intermediate stage cultivators would struggle to match his might..." a young man from the Zhang Clan explained with a smile.

Tapping into the power of one's unique bloodline would inflict massive damage upon one, and one would have to rest for at least a month after that. For this reason, not even those of the Zhang Clan would resort to it easily.

But even without tapping into the power of their unique bloodline, the Zhang Clan was still the number one Sage Clan on the Master Teacher Continent. They possessed plenty of secret arts which could raise their fighting prowess swiftly within a short moment.

Cornered by a young lady whose strength was far beneath his time and time again, Zhang Zhuo's frustration eventually hit its limit, and unable to tolerate it any longer, he resorted to his secret arts.

"Things are going to get hard for Chen Leyao!"

"Indeed. She might be able to claim the upper hand for the time being with her superior skills, but in the face of absolute strength, she won't be able to hold on for too long!"

...

The crowd didn't think that the situation was too optimistic for Chen Leyao.

It was true that technique would allow one to overcome an opponent stronger than one, but there was a limit to that as well.

Otherwise, cultivators wouldn't have to cultivate relentlessly in seek of greater strength.

In the view of the crowd, Chen Leyao had only managed to clinch a temporary upper hand, but the situation was still unfavorable to her. The massive gap between Zhang Zhuo and her ability would eventually result in the tables turning on her.

Her defeat was inevitable, it was just a matter of time.

Hearing the discussion from the crowd, Chen Leyao's expression also turned grim.

Just as she was at a loss as to what she should do, Zhang Xuan's voice suddenly sounded in her ear once more, "Traversing Crane Palm, Third Form!"

At this point, obeying Zhang Xuan's instructions had already become a reflexive action to her. Without even thinking about it, she had already raised her arm, and reminiscent to a soaring divine crane, she pressed it down upon Zhang Zhuo.

The Traversing Crane Palm was a technique created by a senior in the Glacier Plain Court while watching the flight trajectory of cranes. It was a technique which harnessed very little strength, but the speed of its attacks was extraordinary. Furthermore, the complicated trajectories of its movements also made it even harder for the opponent to cope with the battle technique.

And the Third Form harnessed the very essence of the Traversing Crane Palm. Once activated, a sight reminiscent of a beautiful crane spreading open its wings and soaring into the heavens would unfold before the eyes of the onlookers.

Pah!

The spreading of the wings was swiftly accompanied with the crisp echo of a palm accurately falling on Zhang Zhuo's face.

"A slap?"

"Zhang Zhuo just got slapped?"

The surroundings were abruptly plunged into silence, and even Chen Leyao was stunned by the situation before her.

Chen Leyao's attack was extremely swift, allowing her to catch others off guard, but considering Zhang Zhuo's cultivation realm, he should have been able to dodge her attack easily! Yet, he still ended up being struck squarely in the face, leaving five clear fingerprints on his face... This was simply too shocking!

Not only was Chen Leyao dazed, Zhang Zhuo, who had just undergone a power up after activating his secret art, was completely dumbstruck as well. It took a long while before he recovered from his shock, and his zhenqi began surging from his sheer rage.

"Bastard, I'm going to kill you!" Zhang Zhuo's eyes turned bloody red, and veins were popping up from his forehead.

It was already a great embarrassment for him to be cornered by a person whose strength was far lower than his, but as if that wasn't enough, he was even dealt a resounding slap to his face. The humiliation he felt burned down every last shred of rationality he had.

Hong long!

Driven by his rage, his energy began gushing out as if a burst dam, and in an instant, his aura had already grown two times stronger than before. Under the overwhelming power which he was emanating, Chen Leyao was forced to retreat again and again with a pale face.

"She just had to mess with the wrong opponent." Zhang Yu remarked with a leisure smile as he lay on the table and watched the situation in interest.

"Hm?" A young man seated not too far away from Zhang Yu shot a curious glance over.

"The secret art which Zhang Zhuo is using is called the Searing Blood Formula. It uses one's blood essence as fuel to temporarily boost one's fighting prowess significantly. Under normal circumstances, it would only be able to raise one's strength by 30%, but due to the sheer rage from the humiliation he had suffered, the effects of the Searing Blood Formula ended up being amplifying his strength by twofold instead. At the current moment, Zhang Zhuo's strength is already comparable to a Grand Dominion realm intermediate stage cultivator... If Chen Leyao hadn't dealt that slap, she might have still been able to last a little longer in the battle, but now... I can only wish her the best of luck!"

Zhang Yu's words were very clear.

Chen Leyao had won the battle but lost the war. She might have managed to embarrass Zhang Zhuo, but her actions ended up amplifying his strength instead, and the eventual result of it would be her own suffering.

"From such a sense, Chen Leyao has indeed dug her own grave... Zhang Zhuo has always been known to be a cold person. To him, there's only friends and foes. He wouldn't go easy on his opponent just because she's a lady..." The young man shook his head.

Even he would have trouble coping with Zhang Zhuo after his abrupt surge in strength, let alone that Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle young lady.

While the both of them were chatting, Zhang Zhuo's strength had finally hit its peak. Just by taking a single step forward, Chen Leyao immediately felt the air around her distorting disturbingly. She suddenly felt as if she was bound by ropes, and no matter how she struggled, she was unable to shake free from it.

"This is really bad..." With a flustered look, the young lady turned to Zhang Xuan and said, "Zhang shi, what should I do?"

She had made her moves strictly according to Zhang Xuan's instructions, but who could have thought that she would only end up provoking Zhang Zhuo further, resulting in the situation completely going out of control!

"I guess there's nothing to be done. Given how much his strength has increased, you won't be a match for him in your current state!" Zhang Xuan said as he stretched his back lazily.

"But..." A hint of despair flickered across Chen Leyao's face when she heard those words, and she nearly burst into tears.

I also know that I'm no match for him as well, but... am I really going to be beaten up by him?

"You really need to have more flexibility in your thoughts. Since you aren't able to defeat him with your current strength, all you have to do is to achieve a breakthrough then!" Zhang Xuan shook his head in disappointment.

"Achieve a breakthrough?" Chen Leyao was stunned.

Do you really think I am like you, capable of achieving a breakthrough as and when I like?

If it's that easy to reach Grand Dominion realm, I would have already succeeded a month ago. I wouldn't have been stuck at my current realm at so long!

"That's right." Zhang Xuan nodded. "From this moment on, heed my words very closely. There's no need to be afraid or panic, it's just a mere breakthrough to Grand Dominion realm. Ten breaths is all it takes!"

"Ten breaths..." Chen Leyao nearly fainted from rage.

Aren't you bragging a little too much over here?

On top of having one's zhenqi accumulated beyond a certain point, one must also achieve some comprehension of the spatial laws in order to reach Saint 6-dan Grand Dominion realm... Due to that, there were simply too many talented geniuses on the Master Teacher Continent who found their footsteps halted at this point, unable to push for a breakthrough.

Even the most talented genius of our Glacier Plain Court took three whole months for her breakthrough!

And you're telling me that you would make me to do it within ten breaths?

Even the most unreliable of salesman wouldn't dare to utter such big words!

"Ten breaths?"

"He can't be serious, can he?"

"In the first place, don't you think that it's ridiculous for a Leaving Aperture realm primary stage to offer guidance to a Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle in making a breakthrough? To make promises which he's unable to uphold, that fellow is really unworthy of being a master teacher!"

...

Zhang Xuan didn't bother concealing his voice, so everyone in the room heard his words loud and clear. They looked at one another with faces marked with disbelief.

You really need to know what you can brag about and what you can't!

At this rate, you are just only going to be humiliated by your own words!

By the side, a deep frown appeared on Fei shi's face as well. Even he didn't think that it was possible for Chen Leyao to make a breakthrough within ten breaths.

"You want to make a breakthrough? Dream on!" Zhang Zhuo roared as he raised his palm, and overwhelming might gushed toward the young lady standing opposite to him.

"I..." Chen Leyao felt her bones being pushed to their limits under the sheer pressure of the palm. She wanted to escape, but she realized that her escape routes had been completely sealed, leaving her completely helpless.

Lost and not knowing what to do, Zhang Xuan's voice suddenly sounded in her ears once more.

"Lonesome Footsteps, Second Form. Drive your zhenqi using the Glacier Formula into your Tianmen acupoint and Qixin acupoint."

"... Alright." Knowing that she had no other choice but to put her trust in Zhang Xuan, she gritted her teeth and made her move.

Instead of retreating, she chose to head forward instead.

The Second Form of the Lonesome Footsteps was a forward dash maneuver.

"I'm doomed..." With a pale face, Chen Leyao prepared herself for the very worst.

She moved instinctively upon hearing the instructions, not bothering to think the actions through.

Even from afar, Zhang Zhuo's palm was already one which she couldn't withstand. Charging right over would only increase the force of the other party's palm, pushing her further down the cliff.

Barely after dashing forward by two meters, the pressure before her had already increased by twofold. Not only were her bones tightly pressed together now, even her muscles were pushed to their limits, as if they would be torn to shreds at any moment.

"Forget it, I have no other choice now! I'll just have to put my trust my Zhang shi's judgement!" Chen Leyao despaired, but she knew that there was no longer any alternatives before her.

Thus, she began driving her zhenqi according to the Glacier Formula, channeling her energy toward her Tianmen Acupoint and Qixin Acupoint.

These two acupoints were the crux to achieving a breakthrough to Grand Dominion realm. Naturally, she had attempted to open these two acupoints several times in the past, but her attempts had all ended in failure.

But surprisingly, she felt her zhenqi flowing smoother than ever instead. The immense pressure weighing down on her was facilitating the movement of her zhenqi forward!

In this moment, she couldn't help but feel that the other party wasn't attacking her but aiding her in her breakthrough!

Boom!

Under the furious torrent of zhenqi channeled to them, the Tianmen acupoint and Qixin acupoints were swiftly opened up. Following which, Chen Leyao's vision suddenly blurred for a moment. Lines had appeared before her. She couldn't tell for sure, but they appeared to be the folds of space.

She instinctively reached forward to grab at them, and a surge of power suddenly coiled around her body.

Half-Grand Dominion realm, reached!

"She really achieved a breakthrough?"

"How did she do it?"

Everyone was flabbergasted to see Chen Leyao successfully overcoming her bottleneck in less than two breaths after dashing into Zhang Zhuo's attack. The sight was simply so shocking that it seemed to sap the oxygen out of their lungs.

Every single one of them had thought that Zhang Xuan was just bragging, but who could have thought that... he really wielded the power to make the impossible happen!

Not only was the crowd shocked, even Chen Leyao's body was shaking from sheer agitation. Disbelief could be seen in her eyes, reflecting how inconceivable the situation was to her as well.

She had pushed herself time and time again for a breakthrough, but no matter what she did, she was simply unable to break through the ceiling that was capping her strength. It was unbelievable to her how that ceiling could be shattered so easily.

"Switch to the Yang Formula, drive your zhenqi through the Three Meridians of the Yin Formula..." In her moment of agitation, Zhang Xuan's voice continued sounding.

Not daring to hesitate in the slightest, Chen Leyao swiftly drove her zhenqi strictly to how the young man had instructed her to do so.

Boom!

There was a slight jolt in her meridians, and all of a sudden, Chen Leyao felt the palm strike which Zhang Zhuo was pushing toward her lightening considerably. Following which, a feeling of unprecedented harmony resonated through her body, and the power which had coiled around her body previously began to expand outward.

Under normal circumstances, if one's zhenqi was unable to keep up with the expansion of one's Dominion, one would suffer severe injuries. However, due to her driving her Yang Formula toward the Three Meridians of the Yin Formula, it ended up creating a powerful suction force around her, reminiscent of a black hole.

Tzzzzzzzz!

It took only a mere instant for the attack which Zhang Zhuo was sending over to be devoured clean, and Chen Leyao unhesitatingly used it to fuel the expansion of her Dominion. Before long, a stable five meters light barrier formed around her.

"I... really achieved a breakthrough?" Feeling the Dominion that had formed around her and the overwhelming strength flowing through her body, Chen Leyao's body froze in shock. She could hardly curb the agitation she was feeling inside.

"I really achieved a breakthrough! And it has only been... five breaths!"For those who are wondering, Dominion works something like gravity to oppose one's movement. So if Chen Leyao's movement backward is sealed, she would still be able to move forward.

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Chapter 1335: Fei shi's Warning

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

The entire main hall was deathly silent. Including Fei shi, each and every face that could be seen was marked with shock.

Achieving a breakthrough to Half-Grand Dominion realm, that was still acceptable to them. But to make a leap to Grand Dominion realm just three breaths after that due to a single sentence spoken by Zhang Xuan... There was really no words that could describe their current feelings.

They had never heard of anyone being able to make another person achieve a breakthrough so quickly in succession, not even with 9-star master teachers!

"He sure is a resourceful lad!" the leisurely Zhang Yu from a moment ago remarked with narrowed eyes.

"Resourceful?"

"That slap earlier should be an intentional move from Zhang Xuan's side to anger Zhang Zhuo. The purpose was to push Zhang Zhuo's secret art to its limits, maximizing his increment in strength!" Zhang Yu said with a nod.

"Secret arts with the ability to raise one's strength significantly are formidable weapons in battle, but there is a fatal flaw in them. The strength derived from them would be all 'virtual power'."

"Virtual power?" The young man not too far away wasn't too sure what Zhang Yu meant by those words.

"Virtual power refers to strength which doesn't belong to one. To make a metaphor, it would be like a bubble. It's possible to increase the size of a bubble to a colossal degree, but as soon as something happens, it would disappear without a trace. Virtual power simply isn't as concrete as the zhenqi one cultivated, and its attributeless nature would make it easy for others to steal as well." Zhang Yu harrumphed.

"On the surface, it appeared that Zhang Xuan had chosen to make Chen Leyao fight the battle in his place, but in truth, right from the very start, it was his intention to have Chen Leyao make use of Zhang Zhuo's virtual power to overcome her bottleneck and reach Grand Dominion realm!"

The young man could hardly believe what he was hearing, "In a battle, the slightest mistake could lead to grievous injuries or even death... To attempt to absorb the power of an opponent and push for a breakthrough in the midst of a battle, isn't that too risky?"

It wasn't uncommon for powerful experts to infuse their energy into their juniors in order to raise their strength swiftly. This process was otherwise known as Cultivation Impartation.

Cultivation Impartation could allow one to achieve a breakthrough swiftly, but its requirement was extremely severe as well. Firstly, the ones conducting and receiving the Cultivation Impartation must be from the same lineage, practicing the exact same cultivation techniques. Secondly, both parties must be willing to undergo the Cultivation Impartation, and there must be no resistance in the entire process. Otherwise, the slightest lapse in the process could cause the receiver to lose control of the immense energy being pumped into him and literally explode on the spot.

Given how dangerous Cultivation Impartation was, to attempt to steal the opponent's strength and push for a breakthrough in the midst of a tense battle... Just how confident must a person be in his own strength in order to do so?

"Zhang Xuan must have investigated Zhang Zhuo's background beforehand to gain a thorough understanding of the latter's strength, cultivation techniques, secret arts, and the sort beforehand. Putting that information along with what he knew of Chen Leyao, he would be able to craft out scenarios for Chen Leyao to safely achieve a breakthrough in the midst of a battle with him... It shouldn't be too difficult to obtain all this information if he were to tap into Chen Leyao's connections." A glint flickered across Zhang Yu's eyes as he saw through the 'crux' of the matter.

Stealing the opponent's strength to push for a breakthrough in the midst of a battle may seem extremely complicated, but as long as one had a thorough understanding of the fighting prowess of both parties and designed a plausible scenario with countermeasures for unexpected situations in place, there was still a good chance that one would be able to pull it off safely.

"More importantly, Chen Leyao probably isn't as weak as we thought. Most likely, she's already on the verge of a breakthrough. In other words, as shocking as the situation may seem, she was actually collaborating with Zhang Xuan to play out a show to garner attention. Otherwise, do you think that a Leaving Aperture realm primary stage cultivator, not to mention one that is unaffiliated with any powers, would possibly possess an understanding of cultivation that surpasses Chen Leyao, Zhang Zhuo, and even us?" Zhang Yu said confidently.

"This..."

The young man came to a realization.

Of course, even if one were to make ample preparations beforehand, pushing for a breakthrough in the midst of battle was still an extremely difficult and risky process. Nevertheless, it was at least at a level where the matter wasn't completely implausible to them anymore.

"Despite his young age, he sure is scheming..." Coming to realize 'what was going on', the young man harrumphed coldly.

"Those who come to the Sanctum of Sages dream of leaving a mark on the Master Teacher Continent, and the best way to do so is to trample on the name of the Zhang Clan. That Zhang Xuan sure is an ambitious fellow!" Zhang Yu sneered coldly.

"Do you want me to teach him a lesson in your stead?" the young man asked.

"There's no need for that. He can do whatever he likes as long as he doesn't trample on my toes. If he really is so brazen as to do so, I don't mind teaching him a lesson which he would never forget." Zhang Yu waved his hands leisurely before falling silent.

To him, while Zhang Xuan did possess some talent, he wasn't a person who posed any threat to his position.

While the two of them were discussing this matter by the side, in the middle of the hall, Zhang Zhuo was nearly losing his mind.

The secret art he had used ended up being used as nourishment for Chen Leyao's breakthrough. That was another tight slap on his face! His body trembled from the overflowing rage coursing through his body, and with a wrathful roar, he dashed forward once more.

"Alright. Since you have achieved a breakthrough, he should pose no threat to you anymore. It'll do for you to knock him out. Take three steps back using the Seventh Form of the Lonesome Steps and execute the second move of the Vacuum Palm!"

Before Zhang Zhuo's attack could strike, Chen Leyao heard Zhang Xuan's voice in her ears once more.

Without any hesitation, she carried out what was being said, and half a breath later, Zhang Zhuo stared at Chen Leyao with eyes widened with disbelief before collapsing powerlessly to the ground.

"I won... I actually won!" Overwhelmed with agitation, Chen Leyao rushed back to Zhang Xuan's side and exclaimed in delight.

Zhang Yu thought that Zhang Xuan had a thorough grasp of her strength, which allowed him to design a situation where she would be able to tap into Zhang Zhuo's power to push for a breakthrough. However, as the person in question, Chen Leyao knew very well that she had only met Zhang Xuan the previous day, and even though they had spent some time together, she had never executed her moves or displayed his cultivation to him before.

In other words, prior to her battle with Zhang Yu, Zhang Xuan knew nothing about her abilities at all!

Relying solely on his eye of discernment, he was able to analyze the depths of her abilities in the midst of a battle and offer spot-on pointers for her to turn the tables around, not to mention, even allowing her to achieve a breakthrough within five breaths!

His ability had far exceeded her wildest expectations.

It was no wonder why he was able to modify the Yin Formula and Yang Formula and resolve the problem which had plagued the Glacier Plain Court for countless dozen millenniums!

"You should be thankful that this is just a friendly spar. If it had been a life-and-death battle, you would have been long killed!" Seeing how excited Chen Leyao was, Zhang Xuan poured a bucket of cold water over her with his words.

In truth, it was only possible to carry out such a situation in a friendly spar. Otherwise, if Zhang Zhuo had executed killing blows one after another right from the start, there would have been nothing Chen Leyao could have done to reverse the situation.

As such, it would be nigh impossible to replicate this success again.

"Furthermore, considering that you have achieved a breakthrough by absorbing the strength of another, the foundations of your cultivation is bound to be rather shaky. I'll prepare a cultivation technique for you to reinforce your cultivation later on, so make sure to practice it well so that you don't leave behind any traumas in your cultivation." Zhang Xuan continued.

Considering that Chen Leyao had made a breakthrough on Zhang Zhuo's 'virtual power', her current breakthrough could be said to be built upon weak foundations. She would have to work hard on reinforcing her cultivation so as to ensure that this wouldn't cause any problem in the future.

It was a little troublesome, but this couldn't be helped. After all, not everyone was as talented as him.

"I understand.' Chen Leyao nodded. At this moment, she suddenly recalled the agreement they had made earlier and flicked her wrist, "Here are three bottles of Wintry Spirit Essence. That's all I have at the moment. If Zhang shi has a need for them, feel free to take them."

Just as what she had said before, as long as Zhang Xuan could help her achieve a breakthrough, she would give the Wintry Spirit Essence to the other party for free.

And since the other party had managed to carry out the end of his promise, she wouldn't renege on her words either.

"Thank you." Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up as he took the bottles of Wintry Spirit Essence unreservedly.

To be honest, without his guidance, it took take at least half to an entire year of accumulation before Chen Leyao would be able to make a breakthrough to Grand Dominion realm. Considering how much time he had saved the other party, it wasn't too much for him to receive these as compensation.

Zhang Xuan uncorked the bottle and felt the concentrated spiritual energy and frigid chill emanating from within. Without any hesitation, he gulped down the entire bottle of Wintry Spirit Essence.

Then, he paused for a brief moment before gulping down the other two bottles as well.

Time waits for no one.

It had been nearly a day since he had arrived at the Sanctum of Sages, but he had only raised his cultivation by two cultivation stages so far. This was too slow, too slow!

Since he had already compiled the full Leaving Aperture realm cultivation technique, he should just push for a breakthrough on the spot!

"He drunk all three bottles at once?"

Chen Leyao knew that the young man before him possessed means far beyond her imagination, but even so, she couldn't help but shudder in terror when she saw the young man swallowing three whole bottles of the Wintry Spirit Essence at one shot.

As soon as the Wintry Spirit Essence entered his body, Zhang Xuan immediately drove his Heaven's Path Divine Art, and it didn't take long for his depleted zhenqi to be restored completely. Following which, as more and more spiritual energy was converted into zhenqi and deposited into his dantian, his aura grew stronger and stronger.

"It's truly an honor to be able to witness such an exciting breakthrough. As expected of geniuses of the Elite Division, the means that every single one of you possesses are truly astounding!"

Just as Zhang Xuan was about to push for a breakthrough to Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle in a single go, he suddenly heard Fei shi's voice sounding beside him.

He turned his head over and saw that Zhang Zhuo had already regained consciousness, and he was currently sitting gloomily by the side. On the other hand, Fei shi was looking at him with deep agitation reflected on his face.

While he harbored the same thoughts as Zhang Yu, thinking that Chen Leyao's breakthrough was a carefully planned maneuver between the two beforehand, that didn't hinder his deep respect for the young man.

Even the most meticulously designed plan could flop if it were to be executed badly.

"However, I would just like to re-emphasize something over here. No matter what the outcome of the duel is, please consider it as a friendly spar to learn from one another. Don't harbor any grudges against one another over a matter as minor as this." Knowing that the previous battle could very well incur the ire of Zhang Zhuo or even the Zhang Clan toward Zhang Xuan, Fei shi stepped in and spoke with a smile

"Most of you have come from powerful clans and backgrounds, so I believe you should understand the importance of building up your connections. It's fate that brought all of you together in the same class, so I hope you can treasure the relationship you have with one another. Even if you were to rise to a great position in the future, these connections you forge with one another here will surely help you all greatly in the future..."

"Indeed, there's no need to sour relations with one another over a friendly spar."

"Don't worry, Fei shi. We understand that!"

Knowing the rationale behind Fei shi's words, the crowd swiftly chirped in with a smile.

Coming from powerful clans and backgrounds, even if they didn't enroll in the Sanctum of Sages, they would still be able to rise through the ranks with ease. The two reasons why they went through the trouble to do so was to, firstly, temper their state of mind through the characters that Kong shi had left behind and the atmosphere that drifted in the Sanctum of Sages, and secondly, build up their connections.

With powerful connections, they would be highly valued even when they returned back to their clans, which would aid them in vying for a greater degree of authority in the future.

"Alright, I won't impose on you all any further. Feel free to speak and interact with one another, and don't forget to select a teacher suited for you later on..." Seeing that everyone understood his intentions, Fei shi decided to speak no more.

The crowd also knew that it wasn't easy for them to be gathered together in one place. Once they started cultivating, they would be scattered all over the place. So, they deeply treasured this opportunity to socialize with one another.

Looking at this situation with a smile, Fei shi slowly made his way over to Zhang Xuan.

"Zhang shi, I have taken a look at your background, and I must say, it's truly astounding that someone of your age is able to come this far from Tianxuan Kingdom. Not only did you become the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, you have also successfully crashed two Master Teacher Pavilions. To be honest, even I am deeply in awe with your talent."

As the person in charge of this class of the Elite Division, he had read Zhang Xuan's profile in advance, and even for someone like him, he couldn't help but find himself filled with respect for Zhang Xuan.

Even if it was in a remote location like Qingyuan Empire, the fact that he could successfully crash the Master Teacher Pavilion was more than enough to prove his talent and strength.

"Fei shi is too polite." Zhang Xuan clasped his fist in response.

Fei shi nodded slightly before continuing on, "Possessing talent is important, but so is forging connections with others... The Zhang Clan is the number one Sage Clan in the Master Teacher Continent, so I hope that you can make reconciliations with them. It won't be good for you to get into a conflict with them."

It hadn't been a day since the young man had arrived in the Sanctum of Sages, but he had already pummeled three students from the Zhang Clan. This was really putting him at a spot.

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Chapter 1336: Luo Xuanqing Visits

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

As the top Sage Clan in the Master Teacher Continent, the Zhang Clan had many offspring in the Sanctum of Sages. As long as they were not the core members of the Zhang Clan, it would not cause too much of an uproar to harm them. However, within less than a single day, Zhang Xuan had pummeled three of them. While they were all the less important inner members, that could still be considered an act of provocation toward the Zhang Clan!

He might still have been able to make some actions in the shadows to mediate the conflict between both parties had it been any other power, but as for the Zhang Clan... it was a power that was not much weaker than the Sanctum of Sages, and he was only an ordinary teacher in it.

If Zhang Xuan really incurred the ire of the Zhang Clan, and the latter sent some of their more formidable offspring at him, there would be nothing he could do at all.

As long as the Zhang Clan acted within the rules, there would be nothing he could do as a teacher in the Sanctum of Sages.

Knowing that the other party was advising him out of goodwill, Zhang Xuan clasped his fist politely in response. "Thank you for your advice, Fei shi. I'll take note of that."

"That would be for the best. As an unaffiliated cultivator, you must pay careful heed to your relationships. It's always better to make friends than enemies. After all, you aren't the sanctum head!" Fei shi remarked.

"Sanctum head?" Zhang Xuan looked at Fei shi with a bewildered look.

What did this have to do with being the sanctum head?

Seeing the confusion on Zhang Xuan's face, Fei shi said, "The Sanctum of Sages is a subsidiary of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, an organization that is of equal standing to the Combat Master Hall. You should be aware of this matter as well, right?"

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

If one were to view the Master Teacher Pavilion as a feudal empire, the regional Master Teacher Pavilion would be the local governors, responsible for dealing with the issues that occurred in the area. The Combat Master Hall would be the military, under the command of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, ready to be dispatched should any conflict or war break out.

As for the Sanctum of Sages, it would be something similar to the Imperial Academy 1 , responsible for grooming top-notch geniuses for the Master Teacher Pavilion to shoulder the responsibility of guiding and protecting mankind.

As such, the Sanctum of Sages was viewed to be equal standing to the Combat Master Hall.

"The Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters is a transcendental organization in the Master Teacher Continent. As long as one doesn't betray mankind or carry out actions that harms the interest of mankind, the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters would usually take on a neutral position to all conflicts. Naturally, as a subsidiary to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, it would be inappropriate for the Sanctum of Sages to get too close to any clan or power too," Fei shi explained.

Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

In a sense, this was similar to how the Combat Master Hall branches would remain unaffiliated to any powers in the region they resided in, or else the Master Teacher Pavilion would swiftly step in and deal with them.

The Sanctum of Sages was a place to groom the talents of mankind. Following the ideology of Kong shi, education without discrimination, anyone who had displayed sufficient talent would be able to enter the Sanctum of Sages and learn. As a result, there were many powerful clans and organizations who had their core members here. If the Sanctum of Sages were to make use of its position to get close to a certain power, they would risk sidelining the others, and that would be at odds with Kong shi's ideology.

"The sanctum head is the figure who represents the entire Sanctum of Sages. In order to win the respect of others, they must tower over the other students. Take our previous sanctum head for example. When he was still a candidate for the position of sanctum head, he would frequently challenge the offspring of the Zhang Clan, the Luo Clan, and the Jiang Clan, pummeling them again and again, thus forging a reputation of power for himself.

"Naturally, as the sanctum head, he didn't have to fear offending others, and he didn't have to butter up to anyone either. On the contrary, through displaying his strength, he would be able to better earn the recognition of others. However, the same can't be said about you. As an ordinary student, it would be best for you to maintain a low profile. There are simply too many geniuses in the Sanctum of Sages. Despite your incredible background, you are still considerably lacking compared to the true geniuses!" Fei shi warned.

Zhang Xuan's experiences could be said to be legendary, but if one were to compare him with the little princess of the Luo Clan and the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan... he was still too lacking.

This was especially so for the former. In just two years after arriving in the Sanctum of Sages, she had already cleared nearly all the trials here. And when someone asked her the reason for doing so, her reply was that she was simply too bored!

To clear all the difficult trials just because she was bored...

The little princess' words had truly dealt a huge mental trauma to all the geniuses in the Sanctum of Sages back then.

While Zhang Xuan was a very talented individual, he still paled in comparison to those monsters.

"I understand." Zhang Xuan stroked his lower jaw contemplatively and nodded.

The preceding sanctum heads before him had gone around challenging others, showing blatant disregard for the prestige of the other clans and powers. It seemed like he had really been too low profile all this time!

To destroy only a Corridor of Puppets and pummel three offspring of the Zhang Clan so far... it really did feel like he was not doing enough!

It would be difficult for him considering his humble personality and his motto of maintaining a low profile, but for the sake of building up prestige for his inauguration as the next sanctum head, he had no choice but to force himself to go high profile!

If Fei shi were to learn of Zhang Xuan's thoughts, he might very well faint from anger.

Even though the other sanctum heads were high profile, they only did so after building up a powerful foundation, cultivating for a century or even several centuries before rising to the top in a single shot. Yet, this fellow...

On the very first day after arriving at the Sanctum of Sages, when his cultivation was only at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage, he was thinking of how to wreak havoc! There was not a single preceding sanctum head who had been as unruly as him!

Seeing that Zhang Xuan understood what he was getting at, Fei shi nodded in approval. "It's good that you understand. Over the next two days, find an opportunity to apologize to those of the Zhang Clan."

Possessing great talent was not frightening. Only those who knew how to adapt and could live till a ripe old age were truly fearsome.

He harbored great expectations in Zhang Xuan, and naturally, he did not wish to see the latter being suppressed by others in his time at the Sanctum of Sages, resulting in the stagnation of his growth.

"Apologize?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"That's right. It'll be extremely helpful to your future if you can get on good terms with them. For one, if you can just obtain the position of an honorary elder in the Zhang Clan, you won't have to fear not having sufficient resources for your cultivation. With their help, you'll be able to rise to the top of the Master Teacher Continent easily!" Fei shi explained.

What unaffiliated cultivators tended to lack was resources, be it spirit stones or cultivation technique manuals. If Zhang Xuan could obtain those two, he would surely be able to advance his cultivation swiftly.

"Honorary elder?"

"Yes. Powers as big as the Zhang Clan often establish systems similar to empires and sects. In addition to their clan members, they also have many subordinate powers and experts under them, and a huge bulk of their power actually comes from them!" Fei shi remarked.

"Of course, considering that you are a master teacher, it would be best if you could join the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. However, there are many requirements and tests one has to undergo in order to enter the headquarters, so that course of path will be much more difficult."

"I see!" Zhang Xuan came to a realization.

In essence, what Fei shi was saying was that the extent of the Zhang Clan's influence did not just stop at their own clan members. It would be more accurate to liken it to a warship with countless frigates surrounding and protecting it.

There were many unaffiliated cultivators who would try to forge a good relationship with the powerful clans or organizations so that they could join them after graduating from the Sanctum of Sages.

Of course, the best option for master teachers was to get into the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, but it was terribly difficult to do so. The Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters only accepted the strongest of experts across the entire Master Teacher Continent, such that even experts like Fei shi were unqualified to join their ranks.

"Alright, before I stop right here, let me just offer you one last piece of advice. The Sanctum of Sages revolves around connections, and the Zhang Clan is a power in the Master Teacher Continent that one cannot circumvent. I hope you can choose what is best for you," Fei shi said earnestly before he turned around to leave.

At this moment, however, a student suddenly rushed over and exclaimed, "Fei shi, bad news! The King of Destruction is here!"

"King of Destruction? What is he doing here?" Fei shi was taken aback.

The King of Destruction was a figure in the Sanctum of Sages that left all the teachers and personnel with a huge headache. He loved to challenge trials, or maybe, it would be more accurate to say that he loved to cause destruction under the pretext of challenging trials. Wherever he appeared, pandemonium was soon to follow. As a result, it did not take long for his presence to be associated with trouble.

Just that... they were in the Hall of Attainment, a place where lessons were held! Why would the fellow run over here?

There were no trials for him to destroy here!

"I don't know either... but he's currently making his way over!"

Barely after those words were spoken, a tall, dashing young man suddenly barged into the main hall. As soon as he stepped in, he began scanning the room, as if trying to find a certain someone.

Several figures immediately walked up to Luo Xuanqing to block his path, and one of them coldly bellowed with a frown, "Luo Xuanqing, this is where the classes of the Elite Division are located. If you're here to cause trouble, I'll have to ask you to leave!"

He was the genius of the Zhang Clan, Zhang Yu!

"Elite Division? Wow, how formidable! You speak as if that's a huge deal. Let me tell you, back when I was in the Elite Division, you were still playing with mud! Don't waste my time; scram to the side!" Luo Xuanqing replied coldly with a wave of his hand.

Given that they were from two of the strongest clans on the Master Teacher Continent, the two were long acquainted with one another.

"You..." To be told such words in public, Zhang Yu's face turned livid.

Not wanting to waste his breath with the other party, Luo Xuanqing waved his hand impatiently. "Scram!"

Boom!

A rampaging might suddenly swept across the area, and before Zhang Yu could even process what was going on, he was already sent flying across the room.

Padah!

He was slammed forcefully into the wall, unable to move at all.

Even though Zhang Yu possessed incredible talent, due to the difference in their ages, he was still nowhere close to being a match for the older Luo Xuanqing.

Upon seeing that Luo Xuanqing had made a move on Zhang Yu, the other offspring of the Zhang Clan immediately rushed forward with hostile looks on their faces.

However, before they could even get close, Luo Xuanqing waved his hand once more.

In an instant, as if smacking away flies, the offspring of the Zhang Clan were all slammed into the wall as well.

Even though Luo Xuanqing's actions might have seemed violent, his actions were actually well-controlled. He had only smacked them to the wall, taking care not to hurt them severely.

Unable to take it any longer, Fei shi stepped forward and said, "Luo Xuanqing, this is the Elite Division. There's nothing for you to destroy over here. You'd better leave right now."

No matter what, he was still the person in charge of this class. If he remained idle when his students were being slammed into the wall by another, it would not reflect well on him either.

"I'll leave after I find the person I'm looking for." Luo Xuanqing waved his hand as he continued looking around the room. All of a sudden, his eyes lit up. "Zhang... Zhang Xuan, right? I've been looking for you!"

"You've been looking for me?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

"He's here to find Zhang Xuan?"

"Luo Xuanqing is known to be a very violent individual. It seems like Zhang Xuan is in for a good beating!"

"Well, he's as obstinate as a mule, listening to no one but his younger sister. It seems like Zhang Xuan has offended him somehow, so he decided to come over here to exact vengeance."

"Over the years, he has beaten up nearly all of the seniors and juniors in the school. I bet that Zhang Xuan is a goner."

...

Hearing the words of the crowd, the eyes of Zhang Zhuo and the others lit up.

Luo Xuanqing was known throughout the Sanctum of Sages as an unreasonable individual. The very fact that they had been smacked into the wall when they had not even done anything was more than enough to show that.

Now that Zhang Xuan had been eyed by Luo Xuanqing, he would surely be pummeled to the point where he would regret being born in this world!

"That's right, brother. Come with me. I have something big to talk to you about!" Before Zhang Xuan could even process what was going on, Luo Xuanqing had already grabbed his neck with a hearty laughter and dragged him out.

"..." Zhang Zhuo, Zhang Yu, and the others.

Aren't you the King of Destruction?

Where is the fight you promised us?

Hey, you should play the rules, shouldn't you?

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Chapter 1337: A Group of Eccentrics (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Zhang Xuan was completely stunned.

He had only met this brother-in-law of his once in the past, and the latter had even sent him flying with a punch. Why would the latter suddenly come to look for him?

Could it be that... he had come to learn of his relationship with Ruoxin and was agreeable to it?

As these thoughts flashed across his mind, Zhang Xuan could not help but tremble in agitation.

If he could receive the approval of this future brother-in-law of his, things would be much more convenient for him in the future.

Following the other party out of the Elite Division, Zhang Xuan was just about to speak when his body suddenly shuddered. A cold burst of energy suddenly rose from the depths of his body.

I forgot about the matter of my breakthrough...

After consuming the Wintry Spirit Essence, before he even had chance to cultivate, Fei shi had suddenly come over to talk to him. Right after that, his future brother-in-law suddenly appeared and dragged him out hurriedly.

Even the geniuses of the Glacier Plain Court could be turned into ice pops if they drank a single sip of the Wintry Spirit essence directly, and Zhang Xuan drank three bottles successively. Had it been anyone else, there was no doubt that the person would have already frozen to death by now. While Zhang Xuan was able to endure it due to his possession of the Heaven's Path zhenqi, he could not last too long without assimilating the energy either.

As soon as the cold burst of energy began to act up, it swiftly grew more and more powerful with imposing momentum. Zhang Xuan felt as if his inner organs were going to be frozen solid, causing him to tremble non-stop.

This won't do. I need to cultivate and assimilate the energy swiftly.

Knowing that it would be unsafe for him to remain in this state, Zhang Xuan swiftly drove his zhenqi to ward off the cold energy while converting it into zhenqi, preparing to push for a breakthrough.

"What are you doing?" Sensing the changes in Zhang Xuan's body, Luo Xuanqing halted his footsteps and frowned.

"I... need to... cultivate," Zhang Xuan uttered, quivering from the coldness.

The cold energy had already permeated the depths of his body, such that even speaking felt like an arduous task to him. He tried to use zhenqi telepathy as well, but he found that he was too busy trying to ward off the cold to divert his zhenqi away for other uses.

"You can always cultivate whenever you like. I have urgent matters for you right now!" Luo Xuanqing was still wondering what kind of important matter it was when he heard that it was just cultivating, so he waved his hands impatiently and said, "Hurry up and follow me. Forget it, you walk a little too slowly. I'll just carry you there!"

Before Zhang Xuan could even explain the matter, he suddenly felt his body being wrapped a surge of energy

Hu!

His body suddenly flew forward as if leaping through space.

There was a terrifying gale howling loudly in the surroundings, but Zhang Xuan could only see flickering lights around him. It was hard to tell how fast he was moving, but it seemed to be even faster than his Heaven's Path Movement Art.

As expected of a genius from the Luo Clan... Zhang Xuan thought.

Considering how this future brother-in-law of his was Ruoxin's brother, his grasp over space was clearly more formidable than most other people. Naturally, there was no questioning his speed either.

Even though Zhang Xuan had cultivated the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel and the Unbounded Voyager, due to the limitations of his cultivation, the average speed that he was able to move at was still a little beneath that of the other party.

Forget it, I need to focus my attention on assimilating the power in the Wintry Spirit Essence, or else I will become an ice sculpture!

Knowing that this was not the time for him to be shocked, Zhang Xuan quickly closed his eyes and desperately processed the cold energy in his body into his own zhenqi.

As time passed, the amount of zhenqi in Zhang Xuan's body swiftly built up, pushing him closer and closer to a breakthrough.

At some point in time, while Zhang Xuan was still busy cultivating, his body suddenly jolted.

They had finally come to a stop.

Opening his eyes, the scenery that appeared before Zhang Xuan was not the familiar buildings of the Sanctum of Sages but an empty field.

He was still sealed within the bundle of zhenqi that Luo Xuanqing had wrapped around him, and the latter was standing not too far away with his hands behind his back, seemingly thinking of something.

With his lips still quivering from chill, Zhang Xuan asked, "Brother-in... Brother Luo... where are... we? Why did you... bring me here?"

"Don't speak!" Luo Xuanqing exclaimed sharply.

Silenced, Zhang Xuan was completely bewildered.

The other party had brought him here without saying a word at all, and when he asked, the other party told him not to speak. Just what in the world was the other party up to?

Wuwuwu!

Just as Zhang Xuan was still racking his brain to figure out his current circumstances, a sound reminiscent of the moaning of the air suddenly echoed in the area. Peculiarly, the sound seemed to echo closer one moment yet farther the next.

"Heh!" Harrumphing coldly, Luo Xuanqing took a step forward.

Boom!

A powerful aura burst forth from him, and Zhang Xuan immediately saw the space before him warping due to some kind of compelling force. At the same time, his Spiritual Perception was also uncontrollably brought into some kind of dimension.

This is the prowess of a Phantasmal Space realm expert? Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in astonishment.

At Saint 7-dan Phantasmal Space realm, not only would one's Dominion become harder and more unfathomable to guard against, more importantly, one would also gain the power to construct a Phantasmal Space. Within this area, as long as one disallowed it, it would be difficult to notice one's presence even with one's Spiritual Perception.

This was the ability that Luo Xuanqing was executing at this very moment. When Zhang Xuan attempted to extend his Spiritual Perception toward Luo Xuanqing, it felt as if he was dropping a stone into a marshland. Whatever entered the space around Luo Xuanqing would bizarrely vanish, leaving him unable to sense anything within it at all.

He knew for sure that Luo Xuanqing was right before him, but it was as if the latter had vanished from the world. No matter how he tried to perceive his surroundings, he could not find the latter.

Phantasmal Space realm experts were already able to control the space around them to a frightening degree. If they really hoped to conceal their presence, it would be impossible to find them, regardless of whether it was with one's eyes or Spiritual Perception. Unless one had reached Saint 7-dan as well, one would be completely helpless before them!

Eye of Insight!

Intrigued by the prowess of Phantasmal Space realm cultivators, Zhang Xuan decisively halted his cultivation to examine the situation before him closely.

Hu la!

The vanished Luo Xuanqing appeared before his eyes once more. While his silhouette was still a little blurred, he was no longer imperceptible anymore.

Boom!

Under the discernment of his Eye of Insight, he could vaguely tell that Luo Xuanqing was currently fighting with someone else, and immense power was diffused into the surroundings from their clashes, causing powerful shockwaves to ripple across the field.

It had to be said that despite Luo Xuanqing's violent and reckless personality, his fighting prowess was not to be underestimated. Even if Zhang Xuan were utilized all of his current means against him, it was unlikely that he would be a match for him.

Zhang Xuan could not help but ask, "Vicious, would you be able to defeat him in your current state?"

Vicious had once said that Saint 7-dan cultivators would not be a match for him, but it was apparent that Luo Xuanqing was no ordinary Saint 7-dan cultivator.

"I can easily destroy any ordinary Saint 7-dan cultivator, but as for that young man over there... I don't think that I'll be able to defeat him," Vicious said awkwardly.

Devouring the Vicious of the Northern Marshlands had induced a significant rise in his fighting prowess, allowing him to match most Saint 7-dan experts.

However, as the elder brother of Luo Ruoxin, Luo Xuanqing was likely a figure who stood at the very center of the Luo Clan, so putting aside his superior talents, the resources that he was entitled to were bound to be top-notch. Besides, without sufficient strength, how could he become known as the King of Destruction in the Sanctum of Sages?

"I thought that you have grown so strong that no Saint 7-dan cultivators would be a match for you..." Zhang Xuan grumbled in displeasure.

Back when that fellow first regained consciousness, he bragged as if there was not a single person who would be a match for him in the world. Back then, Zhang Xuan had really thought that he was formidable, but looking at it now, it seemed it was all empty talk after all.

"This..." Hearing the displeasure in Zhang Xuan's voice, Vicious' voice grew noticeably anxious. "Master, as long as you let me devour that '智 (Erudition)' character, I'll definitely be able to defeat that fellow with ease! Add another '义 (Solidarity)' in, and even Saint 8-dan cultivators won't be a problem. And if you were to top up with another '仁 (Attainment)' character in, Saint 9-dan cultivators might not necessarily be a match for me anymore..."

"Alright, stop bragging. Don't even dream about devouring those characters, you hear me?" Zhang Xuan replied in disdain.

Those were the treasures that Kong shi had left for the Sanctum of Sages, and they held the crucial role of sealing the luck in the land. To even dream of devouring those characters... he sure was brazen!

But thinking about it again, Vicious was a figure who was able to trap even an expert like Kong shi for numerous days back in his peak, so naturally, the value of Kong shi's writing was not as significant in his eyes.

"Alright then..." Having been reprimanded, Vicious did not dare say anything.

Zhang Xuan turned his gaze back to the fight before him.

"Haha, as expected of a genius from the Luo Clan, you are indeed formidable. I'll take you up on your offer then!"

Hu la!

The blurred scenery abruptly reverted to normal, and Zhang Xuan saw a young man of short stature standing just by Luo Xuanqing's side. To emphasize how short that young man was, he was only half of Luo Xuanqing's height, barely even reaching up to the latter's chest. His skin was as black as charcoal, but his eyes gleamed with a blinding light that seemed to warp space itself.

Due to the intense battle that had transpired between the two of them earlier, the field in the surroundings was filled with huge depressions and deep gorges. If Zhang Xuan had not seen the state of the field before, he would have thought that he was in the midst of a mountain range plagued with treacherous terrain.

That young man is a Saint 7-dan cultivator, too, Zhang Xuan thought.

He could not tell how powerful the short young man was at the moment, but the fact that the latter was able to clash with Luo Xuanqing and even end up in a draw, it could only mean that the latter's fighting prowess was definitely not beneath Saint 7-dan.

"Who is he? Why did you bring him here?"

At the same moment that Zhang Xuan noticed the short young man, the latter also noticed him, and a conspicuous frown surfaced on his forehead.

"He is..."

Luo Xuanqing was just about to explain the situation when the resounding call of a crane echoed through the sky. Following which, a massive divine crane descended swiftly in their direction.

The divine crane was not completely white in color. Instead, reminiscent of a phoenix, its tail was filled with feathers of all colors, and if one stared at it intently, it felt as if flames were flowing through them.

That's a... Seven-colored Heaven Crane! Zhang Xuan noted in astonishment.

This crane was completely different from those buffoons he had attracted with his zither playing back when he was taking the demonic tunist examination. The Seven-colored Heaven Crane was a lineage of saint beast that came from the ancient era, and even without cultivating, they would attain strength equivalent to a Saint 7-dan cultivator upon maturity!

"The both of you sure came early!"

Raising his head, Zhang Xuan realized that there was a young man seated on top of the back of the crane.

The young man was in his early thirties, too. He had a towering stature, a head taller than Luo Xuanqing in fact, but his figure was rather plump. Placed next to him, Sun Qiang would look nothing more than a mere chubby child.

It must be difficult on the Seven-colored Heaven Crane to have to carry him... Zhang Xuan remarked internally.

To be honest, be it in his past life or his current life, this was the first time he had seen someone as plump as that. Just the thought of having to carry a person that huge sent shivers down his spine.

"It's not that we came early; you arrived late. Come down!" Luo Xuanqing harrumphed coldly as he raised his hand and grabbed forward.

In an instant, the surroundings began warping once more. The divine crane in the sky seemed to have knocked into a wall, causing it to shake uncontrollably.

"Oh? Your ability to manipulate space seems to have grown significantly stronger, but you will need much more than that to hurt me!" The fatty chuckled softly.

Without bothering to dodge, he stepped forward powerfully and leaped down from the back of the divine crane.

Hu hu hu hu!

Due to his weight and the momentum of his leap, it took only a moment for his speed to reach a frightening level, exceeding even the speed of sound.

Kacha!

His plump body collided heavily on the sealed space, and a massive crack swiftly slithered across the seal swiftly before shattering with a resounding explosion. Under the impact, even Luo Xuanqing was forced to retreat several steps.

Boom!

The fatty landed on the ground, creating a massive depression beneath him.

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Chapter 1338: A Group of Eccentrics (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

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

After reaching the Transcendent Mortal realm, it was already extremely difficult for a cultivator to die from falling from great heights. Considering how the fatty was no weaker than Luo Xuanqing, there was no way he would have any trouble falling from such a height.

However... to be able to destroy a spatial seal set up by Luo Xuanqing in midair and still create such a huge depression beneath him, that was already a force far greater than smashing a mountain right upon one's head! Zhang Xuan could not help but think what would have happened if he had been in that fatty's place. Would he have died from the impact?

That would have been a rather hilarious situation.

Before Zhang Xuan could remain shocked for long, a plump silhouette rose up from the huge depression and shook his body. The dust that he was cloaked in fell from his clothes, and shockingly, he was completely unharmed!

It was as if the person who had just fallen to the ground was not him but someone else.

Zhang Xuan was astonished. What incredible defensive ability!

After cultivating his Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body to its limits, his physical body was already on par with Saint intermediate-tier artifacts. However, if he had fallen with the momentum that the fatty did earlier, his organs would have ruptured from the impact of the fall. Even if he did not die, his health bar would at least have depleted by half.

This meant, in terms of physical body resilience, the fatty had already reached a level far beyond his!

That was truly frightening!

"Who's this lad? I have never seen him before."

After shaking off the dust on him, the fatty took a look at Zhang Xuan, and his lips cracked into a smile.

"Sealed on the spot, and it seems like there's something wrong with his body as well. Did this lad offend you somehow? Do you need me to crush him for you with my bottom? Well, it'll be his honor to die beneath my bottom..."

Black lines streaked across Zhang Xuan's face.

Did this fatty have the same hobby as Golden Origin Cauldron—sitting on others?

Fearing that the fatty would really do as he had said, Luo Xuanqing quickly waved his hand and explained, "He's a person whom I have specially invited here to assist us!"

"You specially invited him over?"

Looks of disbelief surfaced on the faces of the fatty and the shorty.

They knew Luo Xuanqing's personality very well—a proud and condescending person, a troublemaker who refused to submit to anyone. For such a person to engage the help of a twenty-year-old lad who was only at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage... just what was the background of this lad?

"Indeed." Luo Xuanqing nodded. Just as he was about to begin on his introduction, he noticed that the surroundings had, at some point, been shrouded with a light mist.

Following which, an entrancing melody sounded.

"A melody of sorrow to mark the passing of the beautiful years of youth, replaced by tears upon one's robe. I have kept you waiting..."

The voice was fleeting, sounding as if it was a whisper in one's ears or a resonation within one's soul. It carried a quality that seemed to hook one in, compelling one's emotions to sway along with it.

Grave looks surfaced on the faces of Luo Xuanqing, the fatty, and the shorty, and they drove their zhenqi to the point where white smoke was rising from their heads, seemingly desperate to keep out the attack of the voice.

Demonic tune! Zhang Xuan noted in alarm.

Even though the effects of demonic tunes were not as pronounced on him since he cultivated the Heaven's Path zhenqi, the slightest carelessness could still end with him being placed in a trance, resulting in the breeding of inner demons.

For the time being, he already had enough inner demon subordinates.

Sensing that the offense of the voice was growing more and more intense, Luo Xuanqing harrumphed coldly in displeasure. "Bi Hongyin, it has been long since we last met, but it seems like your means are still the same as ever!"

"Oh? Why don't you give it a try to see if they are still the same then?"

The tone of the voice abruptly changed to take on a more seductive edge. At the same time, the mist in the area seemed to intensify, and apparitions seemed to flash in the air, playing on the deepest fear within one's heart, making it difficult for one to focus one's attention.

"Sure, give it your best shot! Do you think that I'll be afraid of you?" Luo Xuanqing stepped forward and stomped on the ground. A resounding boom reminiscent of a drumbeat reverberated in the surroundings.

A blinding burst of zhenqi erupted from Luo Xuanqing, making it hard for one to open one's eyes before him.

With the diffusion of the light, the mist was forced to dissipate considerably. After which, Luo Xuanqing scanned his surroundings with keen eyes, and a moment later, he abruptly grabbed at the space ahead of him.

A massive palm print immediately appeared in the sky, covering more than tenmu 1 . Immense energy coiled endlessly around his body. In that moment, it felt as if the space of the sky above had been frozen in place, threatening to collapse at any moment.

"Your control over space is superb. I didn't think that you would have made such huge progress since the last time we met."

The demonic tune seemed to have grown a little weaker, a sign that the demonic tunist had suffered a setback in the previous clash.

"Of course. How could I possibly be the only one who remained stagnant?" Luo Xuanqing retracted his palm and returned to Zhang Xuan's side.

Tzzzzzz!

The mist in the distance began to gather, and a tall, slender figure slowly materialized before everyone's eyes.

It was an extremely beautiful young lady. Her slim figure paired with her tall stature gave her a type of unique elegance, and this was especially accentuated by her pair of beautiful legs. In terms of height, she was even taller than Zhang Xuan.

After cultivating the Heaven's Path Golden Body, Zhang Xuan's skin had not only become smoother than a baby's, his height had also risen to 1.8 meters. At that height, he could already be considered one of the taller ones among the males in the Master Teacher Continent. It was truly rare to see a lady whose height was even above his.

"Since everyone is here, allow me to make the introductions." As the young lady walked over, Luo Xuanqing took a look around him before getting straight to the topic at hand. "Zhang Xuan here is a freshman who enrolled into the Sanctum of Sages just a day ago. We met for the first time yesterday."

"Luo Xuanqing, why did you bring a freshman over here?"

"It's not as if you don't know the strength of the freshman. He'll drag us down if you bring him there as well!"

"That place is extremely dangerous! What are you thinking, bringing a Leaving Aperture realm primary stage cultivator there? Wait a moment... If his surname is Zhang, could he be from the Zhang Clan? No, that's not right. You have always hated those from the Zhang Clan, so how could you be willing to work with them?"

...

Upon hearing that the person whom Luo Xuanqing had brought over was only a freshman, the trio frowned in displeasure.

It was no wonder they would react in such a way. They were all Saint 7-dan experts, and yet, Luo Xuanqing actually brought a mere Saint 5-dan primary stage cultivator over. This course of action was clearly detrimental to the success of the mission that they were about to undertake.

"Don't underestimate Zhang shi. He might be young, but he's an incredibly talented formation master. The speed that he can construct formations at is unmatched by anyone that I know of. In fact, even 8-star pinnacle formation masters might not necessarily be a match for him!" Luo Xuanqing explained.

Even though he was rather displeased that the young man had insulted his sister yesterday, that did not hinder the awe he felt for the young man's talent in formations. To be able to construct a grade-8 formation that he had never seen before, albeit the most basic one, in just several breaths... With this young man with them, their chances of success would be increased manyfold!

Formations? Zhang Xuan finally understood what was going on.

He had thought that Luo Xuanqing had brought him over because the latter had found out about the relationship between him and Luo Ruoxin, but it was apparent to him now that he was mistaken.

Most likely, Luo Xuanqing required some help concerning formations for some kind of mission or trial, and recalling his incredible ability in setting up formations, Luo Xuanqing chose to specially invite him over.

Yes, specially invite him over!

"You are telling us that a Leaving Aperture realm primary stage cultivator is able to set up a formation faster than a grade-8 pinnacle formation master? Are your eyes playing tricks on you?" The shorty frowned doubtfully, clearly not believing Luo Xuanqing's words at all.

The other two also shot looks of skepticism toward Luo Xuanqing and Zhang Xuan.

It was not without reason that formations masters had strict cultivation requirements on one's promotion. Without sufficient strength, it would be impossible for one to set up a certain formation.

Considering how Zhang Xuan was only at Leaving Aperture realm primary stage, it was hard for them to take Luo Xuanqing's assessment of the other party seriously.

"Do you all think that I'm lying?" Luo Xuanqing clearly looked at little displeased. "I took the 8-star formation master examination with him, and back then, before I could even finish browsing through the formation blueprint, he had successfully set up the formation. If not for that, do you think that I would go through so much trouble to invite him here?"

"He had set up the formation before you could even finish browsing through the formation blueprint?"

The trio was taken aback for a moment before the disbelief on their faces deepened.

As a cultivator's cultivation advanced, their Primordial Spirit would gradually grow stronger, which would in turn further the prowess of their Spiritual Perception. As Saint 7-dan experts, as long as the content was not too profound, they would be able to memorize most cultivation techniques and secret arts with a sweeping glance.

Yet, for the young man to successfully set up the formation before Luo Xuanqing was done browsing through the formation blueprint... it was a little hard for them to conceptualize just how fast that was.

The tall lady, Bi Hongyin, casually pulled her hair behind her ear as she suggested with a smile, "I happen to be quite proficient in formations, too, so why don't I assess him?"

Hu!

Before Zhang Xuan could even say a word, his surroundings suddenly blurred, and the seal that Luo Xuanqing had placed around him vanished without a trace. He could tell in an instant that he was standing in the midst of a formation activated from a formation plate.

His surroundings were pitch-black, and a sinister wind whistled in the area. There was a powerful mental pressure weighing down on his mind, attempting to inflict him with a splitting headache.

It seems like that Bi Hongyin lady has achieved quite a deep understanding of formations as well, Zhang Xuan thought.

Thinking back, the appearance of the mist around them as soon as she appeared was likely to be the doing of some kind of formidable formation plate as well. It would be hard to produce such an effect otherwise.

To be able to activate a formation plate instantaneously and trap all of them, it meant that Bi Hongyin's comprehension of formations had already reached 8-star at the very minimum.

"Bi Hongyin, what are you up to?" Not expecting the tall lady to make a move on Zhang Xuan all of a sudden, Luo Xuanqing was enraged. He was just about to step forward to stop her when he suddenly felt a tug on his hand pulling him back.

"Don't worry, she won't go overboard... Just let her give it a try, otherwise it'll be hard for us to entrust our safety to him later on."

The person who had just spoken was the fatty.

Clearly, he also harbored some reservations toward the ability of the freshman. Thus, he hoped to see what the latter was capable of through Bi Hongyin's move.

"This..." Luo Xuanqing hesitated for a moment before grumbling reluctantly in agreement. "Fine then!"

Those who were gathered there were his close friends. While none of them were willing to submit to the other, they were very conscientious individuals, and they would never hurt others for no good reason.

"Luo Xuanqing says that you are highly skilled in the field of formations. This is the formation plate that I had an 8-star high-tier master teacher craft for me, and if you can break out of it within four hours, I'll acknowledge your skills and allow you to come along with us."

Unaware of the happenings outside, Zhang Xuan swiftly heard a voice from within the formation.

Acknowledge my skills and allow me to come along with you all? Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly.

He was in the midst of attending a social event to interact with the other students of the Elite Division when he was suddenly dragged off by Luo Xuanqing. It was one thing for Luo Xuanqing to not explain anything to him, but before he knew it, they were suddenly trying to assess his skills. This bewildering turn of events really left him feeling deeply stifled.

Does it look like I'm really all that interested in joining your group?

But after taking in a deep breath and calming down, he thought through his circumstances once more, and the fact that Luo Xuanqing had invited him over showed that the latter acknowledged his skills. Since that was the case, if he could prove himself worthy this time around, he might just be able to win the goodwill of his future brother-in-law.

As troublesome as it would be, for the sake of Luo Ruoxin, he would just have to do it!

Flaws!

Having made up his mind, Zhang Xuan immediately leaped into action. A book materialized in the Library of Heaven's Path.

Taking a look at the content of the book, Zhang Xuan clicked his tongue in disdain.

What a trashy formation plate this is. There are so many flaws in it!

The tall lady had said that she had specially engaged the help of an 8-star high-tier formation master to craft this formation plate for her, so he had thought that it would be some ingenious artifact. Perhaps, his expectations were simply too high from the start.

I can think of 138 ways to decipher the formation.

It took only a moment of calculation for Zhang Xuan to come up with this conclusion.

After studying all the 8-star formation books over at the Formation Master Build branch in the Hall of Erudition, his comprehension of formations had already reached 8-star pinnacle. In fact, in terms of knowledge, he might even be a match for some 9-star low-tier formation masters.

With his knowledge, it was a walk in the park for him to overcome a grade-8 formation plate like this!

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before making up his mind. I guess I should use the most direct and fastest method to decipher the formation so as to please my future brother-in-law.

After choosing the method to use, Zhang Xuan was just about to realize his plan when his body suddenly stiffened. To his astonishment, the meridians in his body had frozen solid.

Crap, I forgot. I have yet to assimilate the Wintry Spirit Essence...

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Chapter 1339: What an Easy Lightning Ordeal!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Shortly after he consumed the three bottles of Wintry Spirit Essence, before he could even start assimilating them, Fei shi had suddenly came over to have a heart-to-heart talk with him. Following which, his future brother-in-law had suddenly dragged him to this field. While he did assimilate a portion of it on the way, there was still a lot left within him.

There had not been much of a problem when he was still seated on the ground, but as soon as he attempted to draw upon his strength to break the formation, he suffered backlash.

The rampaging cold energy within his body caused his face to turn ghastly pale, and his body shuddered non-stop. He felt as if his organs had turned into ice sculptures, and even driving his zhenqi became an extremely difficult act.

This won't do... I need to assimilate the cold energy right now, or else I'll really freeze to death there! Zhang Xuan thought in alarm.

He had been hoping to break the formation swiftly and leave a good impression on Luo Xuanqing, but that was clearly impossible now.

It was one thing for him to waste the Wintry Spirit Essence, but in the worst-case scenario, the rampaging cold energy might leave some trauma in his body, resulting in unexpected situations with his body.

Assimilate!

Knowing that there was no time to waste, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath before swiftly gathering his Heaven's Path zhenqi together to push for a breakthrough in his cultivation.

Due to the attributeless nature of the Heaven's Path zhenqi, not only was it capable of neutralizing all types of poison in the world, it could even imitate the Slaughter of Zhenqi unique to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. Back then, not even the Ten Kings of the Qingtian Lineage were able to see through his disguise.

Due to that, the Wintry Spirit Essence, which even the members of the Glacier Plain Court were fearful of, posed very little threat to him.

Gugugugu!

Driving his zhenqi swiftly, his stiffened body gradually regained flexibility, and with imposing momentum, he drove his zhenqi to crash into the bottleneck hindering his advancement.

Kacha! Kacha!

It took only an instant for the bottleneck leading to Leaving Aperture realm intermediate stage to be torn through.

Even after the breakthrough, the zhenqi in Zhang Xuan's body continued to surge furiously with imposing momentum, charging right for the next bottleneck.

Zhang Xuan had long committed the Leaving Aperture realm Heaven's Path Divine Art to mind after a few hours of reading through it, and with ample spiritual energy to fuel his breakthrough at this moment, the rest was easy. Driving his growing accumulation of Heaven's Path zhenqi, it took less than five breaths for him to successfully overcome the bottleneck to Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage.

And ten breaths later, he successfully reached Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle!

Hu!

It was only after achieving three breakthroughs that the spiritual energy in the Wintry Spirit Essence finally completely sapped up.

Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. I succeeded...

As expected of a treasure from the Glacier Plain Court. It was indeed not without reason that Chen Leyao wanted to save it for her breakthrough to the Grand Dominion realm!

It was far easier to convert the Wintry Spirit Essence into zhenqi, thus making it much easier to push for a breakthrough with it.

I should just clear the lightning ordeal while I am at it, Zhang Xuan thought.

Boom!

Storm clouds emanating frightening might were swiftly drawn over.

Upon achieving a breakthrough in the Leaving Aperture realm, as long as a cultivator did not intentionally suppress their cultivation and conceal it, the lightning ordeal would be immediately drawn over. On top of that, the prowess of the lightning ordeal would also vary according to the strength of individual drawing it over.

The stronger one was, the more formidable the lightning ordeal would be.

...

"Luo Xuanqing, since you have so much confidence in Zhang Xuan, why don't you guess how long he will take to overcome Bi Hongyin's formation plate?" the fatty asked Luo Xuanqing with an interested smile.

"Bi Hongyin's formation plate is at grade-8 intermediate, so it might still take him quite a bit of effort in order to decipher it."

At this point, Luo Xuanqing paused and thought contemplatively for a moment before adding, "My guess is that he will take at least an hour."

Deciphering a formation was slightly easier than setting one up. Considering how Zhang Xuan was able to set up a grade-8 formation within just a few breaths, even if it was the most basic one, it was more than enough to show that he possessed an extraordinarily deep understanding of formations. As formidable as Bi Hongyin's formation plate was, Luo Xuanqing did not think that Zhang Xuan would have a problem with it.

Nevertheless, this should have been first time Zhang Xuan was coming into contact with such a formidable formation plate, so it would still take an hour or so at the very least.

"An hour? Heh, you are confident in him. However, my thoughts differ from yours. I don't think that he'll be able to succeed!" The shorty shook his head with a sneer.

"It's not like you have never experienced Bi Hongyin's formation yourself. It's intertwined with her demonic tunes and soul attacks, making it difficult to focus one's attention inside. In such a state, deciphering the formation won't be easy. Even an average 8-star pinnacle formation master would require at least six hours in order to do so. Regardless of whether that lad inside is as formidable as you make him out to be or not, it will be impossible for him to succeed without at least two hours of work!"

The fatty shook his head. "You all sure have ample confidence in that lad. My take is that he might not even succeed at all!"

As a Saint 7-dan expert, he had seen plenty of formidable formation masters in his time, and he had a clear gauge of what the capabilities of a top-notch formation master were.

Bi Hongyin was not just a skilled demonic tunist—her prowess in formations was equally terrifying. By pairing those two abilities with one another, her grade-8 intermediate formation could display might comparable to a grade-8 pinnacle formation.

This was likely the first time that the lad inside had experienced such a formation, so it would already be a huge blessing if he could keep himself from panicking, let alone deciphering the formation in time.

"This..." Hearing the comments from the duo, Luo Xuanqing found his previous confidence in Zhang Xuan eroding slightly.

It was possible that Zhang Xuan might really possess an extraordinary talent in formations, allowing him to identify the various cruxes in any formation and set it up in an instant.

But as unlikely as it was, he could not discount the possibility that Zhang Xuan might have seen and practiced beforehand. He might not have seen the grade-8 primary formation used in the formation master examination before, but he could not say the same for Zhang Xuan.

If Zhang Xuan had really seen the formation before and practiced it multiple times, it was only natural that he could set it up within a few breaths.

Boom!

Just as Luo Xuanqing was feeling a little uncertain inside, the formation before him suddenly jolted. It seemed like there was a huge mass of power swiftly building up inside.

It lasted for roughly twenty breaths before the sky above abruptly darkened. A frightening Power of Lightning was starting to gather right above them.

They could not assess the situation in the formation due to the formation's mist hindering their Spiritual Perception, but the overwhelming might harnessed by the storm clouds gathering right above them caused goosebumps to rise all over their arms.

"What's going on?" The person who was controlling the formation, Bi Hongyin, was astonished by the abrupt changes in the surroundings.

She had only activated this formation to test Zhang Xuan's strength—it was not as if she was committing some kind of heinous crime! Why were the heavens sending lightning upon her, as if she was some kind of sinner?

Surely her little actions should not warrant such extreme punishment?

Bi Hongyin did not think that Zhang Xuan would make much progress at the start, so other than infusing her zhenqi into the formation, she did not pay much attention to the situation inside. As such, she had no idea that the young man inside had advanced his cultivation from Leaving Aperture realm primary stage to Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle within less than twenty breaths.

Of course, she could not have fathomed that the lightning ordeal was summoned by the young man inside either.

"Damn it!" Seeing that the lightning was directed toward her formation plate, ready to reduce it to smithereens at any moment, Bi Hongyin clenched her fists tightly and leaped up, launching an attack at the storm clouds.

Boom!

However, before her attack could strike the storm cloud, a lightning bolt roughly the thickness of a human's waist suddenly descended.

Kacha!

With seemingly unlimited power, the falling lightning bolt instantaneously devoured Bi Hongyin and her offense.

Tzzzzzzzzz!

Bi Hongyin fell back to the ground with her body spasming now and then. Her hair was standing on end, and her face had been charred black. The elegant and seductive lady from a moment ago had disappeared without a trace, leaving behind a wretched victim of a lightning strike.

Even though her cultivation had reached Saint 7-dan, her strength was still far from sufficient to stand against the imposing might of the natural world.

Fortunately, her sacrifice was not in vain. The ominous clouds in the sky seemed to dissipate slightly after that powerful lightning strike, seemingly ready to vanish at any moment soon.

Just as Bi Hongyin heaved a sigh of relief, another surge of energy suddenly exuded from within the formation, and upon sensing that surge of energy, the ominous clouds in the sky began gathering together once more. In just a few breaths, the storm clouds had already grown two times larger than before.

"What in the world is going on?" Bi Hongyin felt a numbing sensation on her scalp, and her head felt as if it would blow at any moment.

At this rate, she really felt like she would go insane.

Luo Xuanqing and the others were flabbergasted by the scene before them as well. They had no idea what to make of the situation.

Kacha! Kacha!

There was no time to think at all. Almost right after the storm clouds had formed together, a bolt of lightning immediately surged down.

This time, it was far larger than before. Just the diameter was already more than two meters wide!

With legs trembling in fear, Bi Hongyin watched the lightning bolt with a pale face.

Knowing that she would not be able to avoid it, she gritted her teeth and bucked up her courage. Raising her hands, she drove her zhenqi to its maximum and sent a burst of force upward to counter the lightning bolt.

Kacha!

While her desperate move did manage to weaken the lightning bolt considerably, it was not sufficient to neutralize it entirely. It fell on her once more, and her body was completely charred black. The smell of burnt flesh drifted from her, and a stream of white smoke rose from her body.

Due to the severity of her injuries, she could not help but spurt a mouthful of blood.

"I have at least managed to hold on for the time being..." Bi Hongyin's knees caved in from weakness, and she fell onto the ground on her bottom. Despite her current state, she still heaved a sigh of relief.

The previous bolt of lightning was extremely powerful, but judging from the magnitude of the storm clouds, two strikes should have depleted its energy entirely. It would dissipate very soon.

But barely after this thought formulated in her mind, another surge of energy exuded from the formation yet again.

Hong long long!

The dispelling ominous, storm clouds suddenly gathered together once more, and this time, they were far stronger and condensed than before.

The previous storm clouds only covered an area of roughly several hundred meters, but this time around, they covered roughly five to six li 1 . Even before the fall of the lightning bolt, the crowd could feel the cataclysmic might harnessed within the storm clouds, as if an imposing dragon was hidden in their midst. It rumbled and roared, seemingly declaring its intention to reduce everything to dust.

"Why?" Bi Hongyin could only stare at the sight above her with her mouth agape.

From sheer shock, even her mind had whirred to a halt.

The previous lightning bolt had nearly claimed her life. If she faced the next one head-on, there was no doubt that she would be reduced to ash!

But why was it so intent on striking her?

From the looks of it, it seemed like it would not rest until it had accomplished that!

Knowing that she would not be able to cope with something of this scale alone, Bi Hongyin anxiously bellowed, "Stop looking at the commotion! Come over and help!"

"A-alright!" Realizing the severity of the matter as well, Luo Xuanqing and the others quickly rushed over.

Hualala!

Under the collaboration of the four experts, a hole was torn right through the sky.

A seven-colored burst of energy clashed directly with the lightning bolt, and a deafening explosion echoed over a hundred li. With the collision of the two devastating forces, cracks began surfacing on the earth.

The faces of Luo Xuanqing and the others were flushed crimson from all their exertion. They had driven their zhenqi to the extent that it felt like their bodies would burst apart. Every single one of them was charred from head to toe, and their hair was standing on end. One by one, they spurted large mouthfuls of blood.

Powerful as they were, the lightning bolt descending from the sky was simply too fearsome. Even with their prowess put together, their combined might still fell slightly short of the lightning bolt.

It was fortunate that they were all offspring from powerful clans or organizations, so they had plenty of life preservation means up their sleeves. Otherwise, that lightning bolt would have inflicted severe injuries on them, the kind that they would have to spend several months in bed to recover from.

...

While the crowd outside the formation was being tortured by the lightning tribulation, inside the formation that severed one's sense of hearing and Spiritual Perception from the outside, Zhang Xuan was staring at the layer of mist above him in confusion.

After my breakthrough, the heavens should have noticed the power I am exuding and cast the Leaving Aperture Ordeal upon me. So, why isn't it coming?

He had been waiting there for quite some time now, but nothing had happened at all. Could there have been a problem in the way that he exuded his strength?

Hu!

He exuded another surge of energy.

Silence.

He exuded yet another surge of energy.

Still silence.

Could it be that I cleared the lightning tribulation too easily the previous time, and now it doesn't dare appear before me again?

Zhang Xuan rubbed his glabella in bewilderment as he continued exuding his strength.

I thought that the Leaving Aperture Ordeal would at least be as difficult as the Saint Ascension Ordeal, but this is really disappointing.

Kacha! Kacha! Kacha!

Outside the formation, Luo Xuanqing and the others were jolted by the lightning bolt again and again, and a stream of white smoke rose from their heads.

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Chapter 1340: This Is My Leaving Aperture Ordeal?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Luo Xuanqing and the others might have been Saint 7-dan experts, but they were still far too weak against the lightning that represented the might of the world.

As the ominous clouds grew denser and larger, the lightning bolts also became thicker and thicker. The group of four was in no danger yet due to the multitude of life preservation means they possessed, but under the relentless zapping of the lightning, they still ended up being charred black. In this moment, rather than experts, they looked like wretched beggars.

Having been in lofty positions ever since they got into the Sanctum of Sages, they had never suffered such indignation before!

After suffering four consecutive zaps, Bi Hongyin finally reached her limit, and a furious spurt of blood escaped from her mouth.

Of the four of them, she was currently in the most pitiful plight. She used to be graceful and noble like a fairy, but at this moment, she seemed more like a witch. If one did not look at her closely, it would be hard to even ascertain whether she was a human or not.

"Why does it want to strike my formation plate so badly?" Bi Hongyin simply could not comprehend it no matter how she racked her mind.

Why would such a powerful lightning tribulation be so intent on destroying her formation plate?

It was as if her formation plate had done something unforgivable to it!

She had paid a heavy price to an 8-star high-tier formation master to inscribe it for her, and she only had one. If it was destroyed, her fighting prowess would be halved at the very least!

At this moment, a thought suddenly struck Bi Hongyin's mind. "Luo Xuanqing, could it be that the fellow in the formation has just achieved a breakthrough?"

The storm clouds had gathered too fast, and its might had already far exceeded the scale of ordinary Leaving Aperture Ordeals, so that possibility did not strike her mind. However, watching as the storm clouds gathered again and again, she began to realize that something was amiss.

She had used her formation plate so many times in the past, but it had never drawn the ire of the heavens before. It was only after she trapped that lad in it that the lightning bolt was so determined to destroy it. Could that really be the case?

"A breakthrough? That shouldn't be possible. When I met him earlier, I heard that he had achieved a breakthrough from Primordial Spirit realm to Leaving Aperture realm primary stage just yesterday." Luo Xuanqing shook his head. "Considering that he has just raised his cultivation by two cultivation stages, how could he possibly achieve another breakthrough now?"

Even though it had not been long since that fellow enrolled into the Sanctum of Sages, his affairs had already been spread far and wide in the Elite Division and Ordinary Division, to the point that he could nearly be considered a legend.

Based on the news he had heard, the fellow had achieved a breakthrough within an interval of ten breaths while fighting against someone else. Given so, he should not have the momentum to push for another breakthrough again.

After all, cultivation was a process of accumulation. Putting him aside, even his incredibly talented younger sister had to advance a step at a time.

Never had he heard of anyone who could achieve a breakthrough one day and still continue doing so the next.

"He achieved a breakthrough just yesterday?" Bi Hongyin was taken aback for a moment before shaking her head.

She had been wondering if the mess was caused by the fellow in the formation, but given what Luo Xuanqing had said, that was unlikely to be the case.

"Are you thinking that this is the lightning tribulation he drew over due to his breakthrough?" Luo Xuanqing asked.

"That's right." Bi Hongyin nodded.

"Even if he did achieve a breakthrough, he would only face the Leaving Aperture Ordeal. His lightning tribulation couldn't possibly be so powerful." Luo Xuanqing shook his head, expressing his skepticism toward Bi Hongyin's thoughts.

"Regardless of the truth, given how the lightning tribulation is growing stronger and stronger, we'll all die here if we continue like this. Bi Hongyin, why don't you just give up on your formation plate?"

At this point, the shorty had also been zapped to the point where he felt like he was already on the verge of a mental breakdown.

The lightning bolts that had fallen were clearly all directed toward the formation plate. As long as they abandoned the formation plate, the problem would be resolved.

It really was not worth it to lose their lives over a mere artifact.

"You want me to abandon my formation plate? Impossible!" Clenching her fists tightly, Bi Hongyin declared resolutely, "It is the foundation of my strength; I'll never give it up, even at the cost of my life!"

Only she knew how much she had to go through in order to obtain the formation plate. She had nearly lost her life for it! How could she give it up that easily?

There was no way she could accept its destruction just like that!

"There's no way I'll allow my formation plate to be destroyed, over my dead body!" Bi Hongyin looked at the lightning gathering in the sky above, racking her mind for a solution.

In this moment, a deafening explosion suddenly sounded beside her.

Kacha!

A powerful shockwave rippled into the surroundings, causing Bi Hongyin's already feeble body to stagger weakly. Following that, cracks began creeping across the formation plate floating not too far away from her, and with a crisp echo, it shattered in half.

Pu!

Watching the sight before her, Bi Hongyin's breathing hastened, and her eyes reddened in frenzy. Unable to withstand the mental blow from the destruction of her precious artifact, she spurted yet another mouthful of blood.

In order to protect it, she had gritted her teeth to endure the lightning strikes, so why did it still shatter in the end?

Hu!

Just as she was trying to figure out what was going on, the mist produced by the formation dissipated, and a young man walked out from within. "Alright, I have deciphered the formation... Ah? You all... What happened?"

Zhang Xuan had tried multiple times, but he found that he was unable to call forth the lightning tribulation at all. Eventually, he could only attribute it to some kind of property of the formation shrouding him hindering the fall of the lightning tribulation. Thus, after some thought, he used the most direct method to escape from the formation—destroying the formation plate.

He was hoping to make a majestic return after escaping from the formation so as to win some goodwill from Luo Xuanqing, but who Would have thought that he would see a couple of charred figures instead?

He had to squint his eyes before he could finally recognize them as the various experts whom he had met previously.

How did they end up in such a state all of a sudden?

"Are you the one who destroyed my formation plate?" Bi Hongyin asked with a quivering tone.

"Yes. There were simply too many flaws in the formation, such that I couldn't even decide which one I should exploit to escape from the formation. In the end, I decided to just go with the easiest one—destroying the formation plate." Zhang Xuan nodded in response. "How is it? I should have cleared your test, right?"

While he did hesitate a little before destroying the formation plate, considering how the tall lady had chosen to trap him without any prior warning or the sort, he eventually decided that there was no reason to stand on ceremony with her either.

At this point, earning the recognition of his future brother-in-law was more important than anything else.

"Y-you... I'll kill you!" Bi Hongyin roared in a craze.

It was just a moment ago that she had said that she would only allow the formation to be destroyed over her dead body, but then the young man shattered it. In the face of such a situation, her rage burst forth like an erupting volcano.

She raised her hand, preparing to launch a killing strike against Zhang Xuan. However, the next moment, a violent rumbling echoed from the sky. The storm clouds had built up sufficient power once more, and another frightening lightning bolt was just about to descend upon the world.

Kacha!

Despite her life preservation artifacts protecting her, Bi Hongyin's hair was still jolted up from the lightning, and white smoke rose from all around her.

Even though the one who should have been undergoing the lightning tribulation was Zhang Xuan, Bi Hongyin's act of hindering the lightning tribulation was considered as an act of defiance against the authority of the heavens, thus incurring their ire. From the looks of it, it seemed like the lightning tribulation would not let this matter rest until it finally struck down Bi Hongyin.

This... Is she going through a lightning tribulation as well?

It was only at this moment that Zhang Xuan noticed the storm clouds that had gathered from all around. Lightning dragons were traversing imposingly amid the dark sky, threatening to dive down at any moment.

Wait a moment, that's not exactly right. It seems like the lightning tribulation is related to me... Zhang Xuan was bewildered.

It was a little bewildering to him why the lightning bolt was specifically striking Bu Hongyin, but when he drove his zhenqi, the storm clouds in the sky visibly grew more rampant. Without a doubt, this lightning tribulation was his!

Then, realization struck Zhang Xuan as he widened his eyes in horror. It's not that my lightning tribulation is easy, but these guys have been blocking it all along, preventing it from falling into the formation... B*stards!

Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth furiously as his eyes reddened from rage.

It was no wonder nothing happened no matter how long he waited within the formation. It turned out that the tall lady had been sabotaging him!

There was no way to circumvent the lightning tribulation, and it was impossible to find a substitute to endure the lightning tribulation for one. Otherwise, the offspring of powerful clans could simply have their elders fend off the lightning tribulation in their stead. There would be nothing for them to worry about.

On the contrary, any attempts to interfere in the lightning tribulation would only cause the lightning tribulation to grow more and more powerful, to the point that the cultivator who had drawn in the lightning tribulation would be struck to death.

This was also the reason none of them dared to interfere back when Hall Master Xing found himself in a precarious position while undergoing the Leaving Aperture Ordeal.

In other words... due to Bi Hongyin's interference, his lightning tribulation had grown so powerful that not even Saint 7-dan cultivators could withstand it anymore. How in the world was he supposed to survive such a lightning tribulation?

If it really fell on him, he would be dead in a heartbeat!

The more Zhang Xuan thought about it, the more enraged he felt.

Are you sick in the mind? It's not your lightning tribulation, so why are you interfering in it?

Look at what you have done! With the storm clouds that have gathered here, it's only a matter of time before you succumb to it. And once it's done with you, I'll be next!

It's one thing for you to want to seek death, but surely you need not drag me down with you!

At this point, Zhang Xuan really felt like crying.

Boom!

As stifled as he was feeling, the lightning tribulation would not grant Zhang Xuan the time to soak in his despair. A deafening rumble echoed from above, and raising his head, he could not help but shudder in fear.

The lightning tribulation had already grown to a scale countless times stronger than the Saint Ascension Ordeal. The one that he had faced in the square right after the Mountain Gate examination back then could not begin to hold a candle to this.

Even after raising his cultivation to Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle, there was no way he would be able to survive a lightning bolt of this scale.

But... only I can resolve my own lightning tribulation. There's no way I can escape from it. If I allow her to continue wreaking havoc here, my chances of clearing it will only grow slimmer, Zhang Xuan thought anxiously.

With this in mind, he could not help but curse at Bi Hongyin once again.

You crazy bastard, why in the world are you messing with something that is none of your business? Look at the trouble you have caused me!

In his moment of panic, a thought suddenly came to Zhang Xuan. Right! Is it possible for me to see the flaws of the lightning tribulation?

Compile! Zhang Xuan quickly willed in his mind.

The Library of Heaven's Path has the ability to discern the flaws of everything in the world, so the lightning tribulation should be no exception too, right?

Hu!

With a jolt, a book materialized in the Library of Heaven's Path.

Zhang Xuan quickly flipped it open to take a look.

Ah? Why is it empty?

Completely empty, there was nothing on the book at all

It seems like the Library of Heaven's Path is unable to compile a book on anything that concerns me... Zhang Xuan swiftly came to a conclusion.

He had given it a try in the past, and he realized that anything that was directly associated to him could not be compiled as a book. For one, he was unable to compile a book on himself in the Library of Heaven's Path.

Perhaps, the lightning tribulation that he faced was also considered an extension of him, so the Library of Heaven's Path could not compile any information on it either.

Eye of Insight!

Realizing that he could not count on his Library of Heaven's Path, he swiftly activated his trump card to analyze the lightning in the sky, hoping to find any flaws that he could exploit.

At that very moment, the storm clouds had already covered up an area of several dozen li around them, and the lightning that was traversing amid them was at least ten meters thick, reminiscent of massive dragons soaring in the sky.

Every single bolt of lightning wielded strength comparable to a Saint 7-dan. Even Luo Xuanqing and the others would be injured in a direct encounter with them.

Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly uneasily. With my current strength, there's no way I'll be able to withstand all of that.

Under the analysis of his Eye of Insight, he found that there was no possible way he could withstand the overwhelming lightning in the sky, even with his enhanced cultivation.

A sharp glint flashed through Zhang Xuan's eyes. But there's no other choice; I have to give it a try no matter what. It seems like I can only dash into the midst of the storm clouds, just as I did yesterday.

It might seem to be a highly dangerous action to dash into the storm clouds in the midst of one's lightning tribulation, but as someone who had done so personally, he knew that it was actually much safer than waiting for the lightning bolt to fall upon one below.

This was because the lightning bolt would only fall after the energy harnessed within it reached the peak, making it highly difficult to withstand. However, if one were to dash up into the storm clouds before the energy had been concentrated into the lightning bolt, one would be in a considerably safer position.

Of course, this might only have been applicable to Zhang Xuan. For a typical cultivator, plunging into an environment permeated with lightning would still result in their body being slowly worn down, resulting in gradual electrocution to death. In a sense, that was even more frightening than facing an entire bolt of lightning at once.

However, Zhang Xuan, who possessed the Heaven's Path zhenqi, could easily recover any damage sustained by his physical body and soul. As such, the most frightening maneuver ironically turned out to be the safest option for him.

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Chapter 1341: Charging into the Lightning

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

But... I'm still too weak at the moment. If I could advance my physical body and soul cultivation a little more, at least to the point where I can match a Saint 7-dan cultivator, I would be able to overcome the lightning tribulation.

As complicated as the thought process was, it took only an instant for Zhang Xuan to come to realize all of it.

At this moment, the storm clouds were beginning to charge up energy once more after striking down Bi Hongyin.

After spurting several mouthfuls of blood and swallowing two pills, Bi Hongyin finally recovered slightly from her injuries. As soon as she regained her strength, she immediately directed an antagonistic glare toward Zhang Xuan.

It was to protect her formation plate that she offended such a powerful lightning tribulation, and yet... that fellow actually destroyed her formation plate!

"I don't care whether you were invited here by Luo Xuanqing or not," Bi Hongyin roared furiously. "If I don't teach you a lesson today, my surname won't be..."

But before she could finish her words, the young man opposite to her interjected with a frosty face. "Shut your mouth!"

Zhang Xuan's voice was not too loud, but it was infused with the power of his demonic tunes and Impartation of Heaven's Will. It sounded loud and clear even amid the deafening rumbling of the thunder, and it left a lingering buzz in their ears.

"That Leaving Aperture realm lad actually told Bi Hongyin to shut her mouth?" The shorty nearly fell to the ground from shock.

Luo Xuanqing also widened his eyes in frenzy.

As the King of Destruction, he rampaged freely in the Sanctum of Sages, fearing not even the managerial elders. But before the Bi Hongyin, who would turn into a banshee whenever she got angry, he always made sure to watch his language and actions.

Yet, not only did that fellow destroy her formation plate, he even told her to shut her mouth.

Aren't you being a little too brazen?

"What did you say?" Bi Hongyin asked with a threatening edge to her voice.

The bulging, crimson eyes that glared at Zhang Xuan could truly send shivers down one's spine. If not for her charred face, she would have definitely been extremely frightening.

"Shut your trap if you want to live!" Given the precarious situation he was in, Zhang Xuan could not even be bothered to maintain a polite front anymore.

With a leap, he slowly advanced toward the storm clouds above.

Hong long long!

As soon as he approached the storm clouds, the lightning immediately sensed the aura he was emanating and slowly gathered toward him.

"He... Is he intending to withstand the lightning tribulation for me?" Zhang Xuan's abrupt action had bewildered Bi Hongyin so much that she even forgot about her rage in this moment. "But if even I am unable to withstand the lightning tribulation, there's no way he can survive it!"

Even a Saint 7-dan expert like her was completely helpless against the devastating might of the lightning bolt above. Given that the young man was a mere Leaving Aperture realm cultivator, there was no way he stood a chance against it!

Is he intending to compensate for my broken formation plate with his life?

Bi Hongyin widened her mouth in shock. As this thought came to her mind, all of her fury vanished without a trace, and she even felt a little touched inside.

Despite facing death, the young man still charged forward to protect her. It seemed like he was not that bad a person after all.

"Wait a moment, is that... his lightning tribulation?"

In contrast to the emotional Bi Hongyin, Luo Xuanqing, the shorty, and the fatty noticed that the storm clouds were swiftly gathering toward Zhang Xuan, and realization dawned upon them.

That explained everything; it was all due to that fellow.

The fatty gulped unconsciously. "Didn't you say that he just achieved a breakthrough yesterday and can't possibly make any advancement today? Why does it seem like... he's at Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle?"

"That really seems to be the case..." Luo Xuanqing's lips were twitching as well.

Based on what he had heard, that fellow had made a breakthrough from Primordial Spirit realm pinnacle to Leaving Aperture realm primary stage within ten breaths the previous day, and he had spent that afternoon taking the 8-star formation master examination at the Hall of Erudition, so he should not have had any time to even reinforce his cultivation. How in the world did he manage to make a breakthrough again now?

Not to mention, a breakthrough of three cultivation stages!

Boom! Boom!

While the crowd was still in a state of shock, the storm clouds had already finished gathering around the young man, and lightning energy was swiftly gathering together, threatening to spill forth at any moment to tear the young man apart.

"This won't do. Even if his cultivation has reached Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle, he won't be able to withstand something of that scale," Luo Xuanqing exclaimed.

Even with his recent breakthroughs, the young man's strength was still far too weak in comparison to the lightning energy that had gathered above. Even Saint 7-dan experts like them were unable to withstand the lightning energy in the storm clouds, let alone that young man!

He could already see the young man being reduced to ash as soon as the lightning bolt fell, and no one would be able to save him.

"I was the one who brought him here; I can't let him die as a result of this," Luo Xuanqing uttered in panic. Even someone as domineering as him felt completely helpless before this situation.

He was the one who had brought Zhang Xuan over, and they were also the ones who had blindly interfered with the lightning tribulation, resulting in it growing stronger and stronger. He would not be able to get past his guilt if the young man died as a result of that.

Just as he was in a complete state of loss, the young man's voice suddenly sounded. "I'll deal with the lightning tribulation. If you have any physical body cultivation technique manuals or soul cultivation technique manuals, hurry up and bring them out. I need as many of them as possible."

"Cultivation technique manuals?"

Everyone was taken aback.

The important thing now is to resolve the current quandary we are in, so why are you seeking cultivation technique manuals?

The lightning bolt is going to fall on you anytime soon! Even if we give you cultivation technique manuals now, will you have time to study them?

Seeing that the crowd was still hesitating, Zhang Xuan bellowed furiously, "Hurry up!"

"Yes!"

They had no idea what Zhang Xuan wanted cultivation technique manuals for, but since he was adamant about the matter, Luo Xuanqing and the others quickly nodded in agreement.

Were it any other situation, they surely would have killed the other party if a Leaving Aperture realm lad dared to speak to them in such a manner. However, with the threat of the lightning bolt weighing down on them, none of them had the time or effort to bother about his attitude.

They knew that they had incurred the wrath of the lightning tribulation too, and if the young man failed to clear his lightning tribulation, they would become its next victims.

"I have physical body cultivation technique manuals here!" The fatty flicked his wrist, and a huge collection containing several thousand books appeared before him.

With just the sheer power of his physical body, he was able to knock Luo Xuanqing back and shatter sealed spaces. Considering how the prowess of his physical body had already reached an extremely frightening level, it was not too surprising for him to have plenty of physical body cultivation technique manuals.

"I have some soul cultivation technique manuals here!" Bi Hongyin also whipped out some books.

"I have both physical body and soul cultivation technique manuals, but I don't have too many of them..." The shorty and Luo Xuanqing took out a few books as well.

It was apparent that they were all from powerful clans or organizations just by how they were able to reach Saint 7-dan at their young age. These manuals might have been rare treasures to other cultivators, but to them, these were resources that they had no lack of.

"Thank you." Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up upon seeing the number of manuals before him.

He hurriedly scanned through them with his eyes.

Hu la!

It took just an instant for him to collect them all into the Library of Heaven's Path.

Not only are there physical body and soul cultivation techniques, there are even Saint 6-dan Grand Dominion realm and Saint 7-dan Phantasmal Space realm cultivation techniques! It's a pity that their quantity is a bit lacking, so I'm still unable to compile complete Heaven's Path Divine Art manuals from them, Zhang Xuan thought in pity.

Even though there were Grand Dominion realm and Phantasmal Space realm cultivation technique manuals amid the pile, he was still a long way from compiling the Heaven's Path Divine Art. Even if they collected them all, it would not do much to help his current situation.

Forget it, I'll take a look at the physical body cultivation technique manuals instead...Zhang Xuan thought.

Compile!

His mind jolted slightly, and a new book materialized in the Library of Heaven's Path.

He placed his finger on the book, and the knowledge harnessed in it swiftly flowed into his mind.

Success!

As expected of a top-notch physical body cultivator! The books he had were numerous, and they covered over a wide range of aspects concerning physical body cultivation. Through compiling all of them together, Zhang Xuan actually managed to compile a complete Heaven's Path Golden Body!

As long as he cultivated according to it, he would be able to temper his physical body to achieve a level of resilience on par with Saint high-tier artifacts!

Let's see if it's the same for the soul cultivation technique manuals...

Knowing that time was a luxury he could not afford to waste, Zhang Xuan swiftly turned his sight to the other group of books that he had just collected.

As a demonic tunist, Bi Hongyin specialized in soul offense. As such, she had a huge collection of books regarding souls. As for Luo Xuanqing and the fatty, even though they specialized in neither physical body cultivation nor soul cultivation, as offspring of powerful clans or organizations, they still had plenty of books regarding those topics.

All in all, the collection of books the three of them had numbered over a thousand.

Taking out the soul cultivation technique manual he had obtained from Vicious and placing them together, Zhang Xuan willed, Compile!

A new book materialized before his eyes.

Zhang Xuan shook his head in disappointment. I only managed to perfect the Leaving Aperture realm Heaven's Path Soul Art from that...

Ever since the eradication of the soul oracle's lineage, there had not been any occupation or power that had been able to display prowess on par with them with regards to the soul. Even with the soul cultivation techniques that he had obtained from Vicious, he had only managed to form the Leaving Aperture realm Heaven's Path Soul Art. The Grand Dominion realm Heaven's Path Soul Art was still plagued with flaws, and it would be hard for him to cultivate it right now.

Forget it, I should just use whatever I can get for the time being. Every slight increment in strength will mean a higher chance of survival for me...

Sighing deeply, Zhang Xuan turned to the crowd and asked once more, "Do any of you have pinnacle spirit stones, Jade Spirit Essence, or cultivation resources that harness concentrated spiritual energy?"

Even with the required cultivation techniques in hand, it would be futile if he did not have any spiritual energy to raise his cultivation.

"I have the Jade Pearl Sap! It has similar properties to the Wintry Spirit Essence of the Glacier Plain Court!"

"I have a piece of Jade Spirit Essence over here, but it isn't too big..."

"I have a grade-8 Origin Spirit Pill..."

...

Upon hearing Zhang Xuan's needs, the crowd hurriedly took out the pills, spirit stones, and spirit essences they had and tossed them toward Zhang Xuan.

"Thanks!" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in excitement.

It would have taken him a great deal of effort to gather these items on any other occasion, but due to the crucial moment, the others also understood the urgency of the situation and did not hesitate to pass their resources over to him.

With a sweep of his hand, Zhang Xuan took the Jade Pearl Sap, Origin Spirit Pill, and Jade Spirit Essence and swallowed the former two decisively without any hesitation. After which, he turned his gaze back to the storm cloud and noted that the bolt of lightning was done forming and was about to strike down. Knowing that he had no time to waste, he immediately dashed into the storm clouds.

"What is he doing?"

"He'll die if he dashes in recklessly like that!"

Everyone's body recoiled from horror upon seeing Zhang Xuan's actions.

Dashing straight into the storm clouds was equivalent to placing oneself in the midst of a sea of lightning! Under such conditions, it was only a matter of time before one's physical body and Primordial Spirit wore down and dissipated into nothing!

Hong long long!

Zhang Xuan's charge into the storm clouds seemed to have angered the lightning. Countless smaller bolts of lightning swiftly gathered in the area that he had disappeared into, and it took only a blink of an eye for the entire sky to be filled with lightning sparks. It was to the extent that one would be shocked just by attempting to extend one's Spiritual Perception into the storm clouds.

"What should we do?"

"There's nothing we can do but to wait. This is his lightning tribulation, and if he manages to clear it, it will disappear soon after. Otherwise... there's a good chance that none of us will be getting out of here alive!" Luo Xuanqing said with a livid face.

They had all interfered with the lightning tribulation, so unless Zhang Xuan cleared his lightning tribulation, it would only continue to grow larger and larger until it struck down every single one of them.

This was also the reason they did not hesitate to take out whatever Zhang Xuan demanded earlier.

After a moment of silence, the fatty suddenly remarked, "For a Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle cultivator to clear such a formidable lightning tribulation... things aren't looking too optimistic!"

He was known for his superior defensive ability, but even he had no confidence that he would be able to survive the onslaught of such powerful lightning. If such was the case for him, the chances that the young man would survive the ordeal were even slimmer.

"Indeed. Prepare yourselves. If the lightning tribulation continues its attack, we'll just have to use the ability of our bloodlines to vanquish it," the shorty said.

"I guess there's no other choice..."

The others nodded in agreement as well.

The lightning tribulation might have been powerful, but they had their trump cards as well. If they went all out, it was not completely impossible for them to destroy it. However, they would sustain grievous damage in the midst of it, and that could potentially hinder the future advancement of their cultivation.

Unless they were truly cornered, they would not even consider such a course of action.

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Chapter 1342: The Lightning Tribulation Escapes

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Kacha!

As soon as he stepped into the storm clouds, a bolt of lightning immediately came zapping his way. Zhang Xuan swiftly gathered his zhenqi to defend against it.

Pu!

A spurt of fresh blood escaped from his mouth as his hair stood up from the static electricity.

Due to Bi Hongyin and the others' interference, the lightning tribulation had already grown to a level far beyond what he could deal with. Even if he used all of his means possible, he was not absolutely confident that he would be able to withstand it.

Zhang Xuan swiftly realized that even when driving his Heaven's Path zhenqi to its maximum to heal up his injuries, his recovery was unable to keep up with the rate at which the lightning was burning away his body. Thus, he raised his eyebrows and tapped at the area before him.

Flowing Water Sword Intent!

Tzzzzzz!

Countless surges of sword qi burst forth from his acupoints, forming a massive barrier.

It had to be said that the Flowing Water Swordsmanship was indeed very powerful. It formed an absolute defense shell that not even the fluidity of water was able to breach.

Kacha! Kacha! Kacha!

Nevertheless, under the relentless strikes of the lightning bolts, Zhang Xuan's face swiftly paled.

Even though I am able to keep the lightning bolts completely at bay with my Flowing Water Swordsmanship, the might that they harness is simply too strong. I won't be able to sustain this for long...

This was similar to how even though an umbrella was able to fend off a downpour, it could not shelter one from a hailstorm.

The absolute defense shell formed by his Flowing Water Swordsmanship allowed him to keep the lightning bolts at bay, but due to the limitations of his cultivation, he could not maintain it for too long.

In at most ten breaths, his sword qi would dissipate under the furious onslaught of lightning, and he would be back to square one.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan drew out his Primordial Spirit without any hesitation. I won't be able to survive at this rate. I must raise my physical body cultivation and soul cultivation swiftly.

Unlike the time when he made a breakthrough right above the entrance to the Mountain Gate, he had dived into the depths of the storm clouds this time around, so no outsider was able to see what he was doing, and this cover allowed him to utilize all of his means without any fear.

Cultivate!

Zhang Xuan's body had already comprehended Mind of Void, which granted it the ability to cultivate independently. It would be much more efficient if he cultivated both his soul and body simultaneously.

Tzzzzzz!

After ingesting the Jade Pearl Sap and Origin Spirit Pill, Zhang Xuan's body reflexively drove its zhenqi according to the method detailed in the Heaven's Path Golden Body, and his physical body grew stronger at a rate visible to the eye. Dead skin peeled off layer after layer from his body, creating a sight reminiscent of a cicada escaping from its shell.

Once one's physical body cultivation had reached Zhang Xuan's current level, advancing it even slightly was an incredibly difficult feat. Typical means such as tempering one's body with flames or ice were no longer effective anymore.

In one of the manuals that the fatty had taken out, it detailed how an expert physical body cultivator studied the molting of cicadas when a sudden inspiration struck him, and he created a technique that allowed humans to strip off their old cells, a little like cicadas. Each time one molted away old cells, one's physical body would be able to grow a little stronger.

Through repeating this process over a long period of time, one would become extremely powerful.

The Heaven's Path Golden Body that Zhang Xuan had just compiled was centered around this notion. As Zhang Xuan shed more and more layers of old cells, his skin grew younger and supple. However, in contrast to his appearance, his body was actually growing more and more resilient, slowly creeping up from the level of a Saint intermediate-tier artifact to Saint high-tier artifact.

While his physical body swiftly grew stronger, his Primordial Spirit was also frenziedly absorbing spiritual energy from the Jade Spirit Essence.

As he drove his zhenqi according to the Leaving Aperture realm Heaven's Path Soul Art, spiritual energy was diving into the acupoints on his Primordial Spirit like mini vortices, nourishing it.

Hong long!

In the blink of an eye, his soul had already achieved a breakthrough to Half-Leaving Aperture realm, and it was swiftly surging forth toward Leaving Aperture realm primary stage...

However, it did not take long before the spiritual energy within the Jade Pearl Sap, Origin Spirit Pill, and Jade Spirit Essence was completely depleted.

Even though items that Luo Xuanqing and the others had given him were superior cultivation resources, the simultaneous cultivation of his physical body and soul required too much spiritual energy. They simply were not sufficient for him to master those two cultivation techniques together.

I can't keep up with the Flowing Water Swordsmanship much longer.

As if adding to his injury, the sword qi that was protecting him was starting to falter as well, threatening to collapse in on him at any moment.

Knowing that he was still in no state to face the lightning tribulation yet, Zhang Xuan quickly flicked his wrist and instructed the figure materializing before him, "Clone, help me fend off the lightning tribulation for a while and buy me some time!"

He and his clone were considered a single entity, so even if he were to use his clone to fend off the lightning tribulation, it would not result in the intensification of the ordeal.

"It's just a mere lightning tribulation. Look how scared it has made you... Pass the Heaven's Path Soul Art to me!" As soon as his clone appeared, he harrumphed coldly with a lofty look on his face. Without any hesitation, he leaped right into the sea of lightning.

Kacha! Kacha!

Bolts of lightning immediately surged toward him, but his clone stood fearlessly in their face. Stretching his back lazily, he casually whipped out a towel and began scrubbing his back.

The scrubbing of the towel spread the lightning shocks equally throughout his clone's body, and his aura and soul began to grow at a visible rate.

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

He had also used this method to temper his Primordial Spirit back at the entrance of the Mountain Gate, but who would have thought that this fellow had actually learnt this from him...

If he's able to endure the lightning, I should be able to do so. Perhaps, I might even be able to induce a significant enhancement in my soul and physical body under the tempering of the lightning bolts!

Watching as his scrubbing clone sent a disdainful look toward him, seemingly mocking his weakness, Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

He did not have any other cultivation resources that were suited for his cultivation at the moment, and he was completely surrounded by lightning bolts, leaving him nowhere to escape to. If he did not find a solution soon, he really might lose his life.

Since his clone was able to survive the lightning bolts without trouble, surely, he, as the main body, should be able to do so as well!

Thus, Zhang Xuan returned his soul to his physical body and retracted the defensive barrier of sword qi that he had put up, allowing the lightning in his surroundings to wash over him.

Pu!

The immense surge of electricity caused his body to stiffen, and a mouthful of blood splattered from his mouth.

A thought suddenly came to Zhang Xuan's mind.

Perhaps, if I could have my Heaven's Path zhenqi imitate the attribute of the lightning energy around me, I might be able to withstand its might?

Considering how the Heaven's Path zhenqi was able to imitate even the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe's Zhenqi of Slaughter, it should have no trouble copying the lightning attribute of the energy around him as well!

Thus, Zhang Xuan began focusing his attention in an attempt to grasp the Power of Lightning around him, and as he slowly circulated the zhenqi in his body, a hint of the lightning attribute really emerged in his Heaven's Path zhenqi!

Kacha!

Right after he converted his zhenqi to the lightning attribute, another lightning bolt fell upon him. Even though it still left him feeling deeply uncomfortable, it was no longer as intolerable as it had been previously.

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in delight. Great!

He had only tried it on a whim, but it really worked out for him!

Another thought suddenly emerged in Zhang Xuan's mind, and his body began trembling in agitation. Since my zhenqi has changed to the lightning attribute, will I be able to absorb the lightning energy in the surroundings?

Just as a practitioner of cold attribute cultivation techniques like Chen Leyao could cultivate through absorbing the Wintry Spirit Essence, considering that his zhenqi was currently of the lightning attribute... would he be able to absorb the surrounding lightning energy as well?

Just looking at the unimaginable congregation of lightning energy around him was enough to make the edges of Zhang Xuan's lips creep up uncontrollably!

His soul had once absorbed the lightning energy within Qiu Wu Palace. Of course, the lightning energy he had absorbed back then had originated from a formation, so naturally, it could not hold a candle to that of lightning tribulations, the violent might of the heavens. But still, that showed that the notion was not completely impossible!

I should give it a try...

Knowing that absorbing the rampaging energy of the lightning tribulation was bound to be extremely difficult, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath and resolved himself.

Swinging the sword in his hand, he began executing the Flowing Water Swordsmanship to protect himself once more, but he left a small gap to allow a small spark of lightning to creep in.

Hong long long!

As soon as Zhang Xuan absorbed the lightning spark into his body, it began wreaking havoc, knocking forcefully here and there to cause as much destruction as it could. In the blink of an eye, several of Zhang Xuan's meridians were torn apart.

Even with lightning attribute zhenqi, it was still extremely difficult for a cultivator to control the violent energy of the lightning tribulation. Otherwise, with lightning attribute cultivators drawing upon the might of the heavens at their whim, who would be able to match them?

I should try merging the lightning spark with my zhenqi.

Zhang Xuan had expected at least this amount of damage to occur. Even though the rampaging lightning spark left him feeling as if thousands of needles were ripping him apart from the inside, he forced himself to keep his calm and began converging his Heaven's Path zhenqi on the lightning spark.

Tz la!

Perhaps due to the encompassing nature of the Heaven's Path zhenqi, as soon as his lightning attribute zhenqi came into contact with the lightning spark, they immediately merged together, forming a much purer, more powerful surge of energy.

It really works!

This success meant that he would be able to use all of the lightning energy gathered there as spiritual energy to fuel his cultivation!

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhang Xuan retracted his sword and simultaneously opened all of his acupoints wide.

The surrounding lightning energy was swiftly drawn to his body as if a vortex, and he desperately assimilated the massive influx with his Heaven's Path zhenqi.

It did not take long for Zhang Xuan's soul cultivation to exceed Leaving Aperture realm primary stage, and his physical body was swiftly growing stronger and stronger as well.

...

"Are you all ready?" Luo Xuanqing asked.

"Un." Bi Hongyin and the others nodded.

As powerful as the lightning tribulation before them was, they had no other choice at this point. After all, they could not possibly watch idly by the side as Zhang Xuan was zapped into ashes.

Thus, after some discussion, they eventually decided to dash in to save him, and at the same time, they would use their most powerful moves to forcefully dissipate the storm clouds.

If everything worked out, they would be freed from the danger they were in. Even if their attempt failed, at the very least, they would have another pair of hands on their side.

"Alright, ready yourselves!" Luo Xuanqing looked at the storm clouds above as he drove his zhenqi furiously.

However, just as he was about to call for them to set off, a shocked voice suddenly exclaimed beside him.

"Wait a moment! Is it just me, or is something amiss with the lightning tribulation?"

The one who had just spoken was the shorty. His eyes were fixated on the sky, and there was a doubtful frown hanging on his forehead.

"Something amiss?" Luo Xuanqing was perplexed by shorty's sudden remark. "What do you mean by that?"

The other two also turned their sights over.

"Take a closer look. Doesn't it seem like the storm clouds... are moving?" the shorty asked.

"Moving?"

Bewildered, the crowd quickly turned their gazes to the sky as well, and just as what shorty had said, the storm clouds were indeed moving. The densest congregation of storm clouds had been right above them a moment ago. However, at that moment, it seemed to have deviated to the side.

Bi Hongyin frowned in incomprehension. "Once the lightning tribulation falls, unless the person undergoing the ordeal flees, it shouldn't move."

Lightning tribulation was an ordeal from the heavens. As long as the one undergoing the ordeal did not flee, the lightning tribulation would not move easily. Considering that Zhang Xuan was currently in the midst of the storm clouds, completely surrounded by lightning energy, there was no way he would be able to move around the place.

So, why were the storm clouds moving then?

While they were still perplexed, the storm clouds completely evacuated from the area just above them, revealing a figure in the blue sky.

It was Zhang Xuan.

"He's fine?"

Seeing that the young man had not yet been burnt to a crisp, Luo Xuanqing and the others instinctively heaved a sigh of relief. Just as they were about to beckon him to hurry down, the young man suddenly opened his eyes and bellowed furiously.

"Where do you think you are going?"

After which, the young man dashed forward and charged right into the midst of the storm clouds.

Pilipala!

A series of lightning sparks and thunderous rumbling echoed.

Following which, the clouds deviated to the side, revealing the young man's figure once more.

"Hey, stop running away!" the young man roared before dashing forward once again.

Hu hu hu!

This time, even though Zhang Xuan's movements were swift, the storm clouds were even faster. As if chased by some kind of monster, they flitted away desperately.

"You..." Seething with rage, Zhang Xuan chased the storm clouds persistently.

However, the fact that the lightning tribulation was able to appear whenever a cultivator was to undergo an ordeal meant that the speed that it could move at was far beyond that of any cultivator. It took only a few moments before it disappeared beyond the horizon.

"This... He scared away the lightning tribulation?"

"All along, it has always been the lightning tribulation who chased after cultivators, but he actually made the lightning tribulation flee in a fluster?"

Luo Xuanqing, Bi Hongyin, and the others grasped at their hair as they stared at the sight before them in utter shock.

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Chapter 1343: Treasure Finders

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"What a pity!" Seeing that the lightning tribulation had been scared into fleeing, Zhang Xuan shook his head in disappointment.

After converting his Heaven's Path zhenqi to lightning attribute, he was indeed able to absorb the lightning energy to advance his cultivation swiftly.

But upon witnessing how happy he was absorbing the surrounding lightning energy, his clone also began absorbing as well... And the result of that was the sight which everyone had just seen. Seeing how furiously its energy was being devoured, the lightning tribulation was terrified, and it immediately turned around and fled...

For the lightning tribulation, the existence of fear to all cultivators, to end up running away instead...

There was no way they would have believed such a thing to be possible if they hadn't seen it unfolding before their very eyes.

However, even though the lightning tribulation didn't have any sentience, considering how it had the ability to grow stronger in accordance to the strength of the one undergoing the ordeal, it wasn't too surprising to think that it would have the ability to 'avert danger' as well. Given how furiously he and his clone were absorbing its energy, it was only natural that it would be frightened.

"I should have absorbed more while I could! I only managed to advance my cultivation up to Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage, and I'm not done cultivating my Heaven's Path Golden Body yet. My physical body is only on par with half-Saint high-tier artifacts at the moment..." Zhang Xuan shook his head and sighed deeply.

He was still thinking that given how huge the lightning tribulation was, he would at least be able to master the Heaven's Path Soul Art and Heaven's Path Golden Body. Who could have thought that it would suddenly turn around and run away?

"Oh well! At the very least, I did manage to advance my fighting prowess considerably. With my current strength, I should be able to match Saint 6-dan Grand Dominion realm pinnacle experts even without using the Three Swords of Lingxu. In fact, even Half-Phantasmal Space experts shouldn't pose too much of a threat to me!" Zhang Xuan consoled himself.

In this short period of time, not only did he manage to raise his zhenqi cultivation to Saint 5-dan Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle, he also managed to advance his soul cultivation to Leaving Aperture realm advanced stage, and his physical body achieved a level of resilience comparable to half-Saint high-tier artifacts...

All in all, they added up to a severalfold increment in his fighting prowess.

Previously, there was no way he would be able to defeat the puppet of the Jia Corridor without using the Three Swords of Lingxu, but with his newfound strength, he would be able to crush the latter with just a single finger.

In fact, even if he stood on the spot and allowed the puppet to attack him freely, the latter would still be unable to inflict the slightest bit of injury on him.

And of course, if he were to use the Three Swords of Lingxu, he would be able to match even Saint 7-dan intermediate stage experts!

If he were to face Luo Xuanqing once more, even if he was still no match for the other party, at the very least, he wouldn't be as powerless as he was previously.

"Alright, I'll be heading off to rest first. Remember to inform me the next time something as good as a lightning tribulation occurs, I haven't had my fill yet..." the voice of Zhang Xuan's clone echoed in his mind.

As soon as the lightning tribulation showed signs of fleeing, his clone had decisively returned back to the Myriad Anthive Nest in order to prevent anyone from noticing his presence.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Just like how Zhang Xuan's fighting prowess had grown substantially from absorbing the energy from the lightning tribulation, his clone had also benefited greatly from the earlier free buffet. In fact, it seemed like his clone had grown by a greater degree at that.

In the first place, his clone was forged out of the Nine Hearts Lotus, which was invulnerable to lightning. Due to the immense amount of lightning energy it had absorbed, it gained the ability to infuse the power of lightning in its attacks, thus resulting in a significant enhancement in its fighting prowess!

Even without crossing hands, Zhang Xuan was well aware that he was no match for his clone in his current state...

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh deeply once more.

Others might think that he possessed decent talent, but the truth was that he was someone who couldn't even match up to his disciple, subordinate, his girlfriend... and even his own clone! Was there anyone in the world who was as pathetic as him?

He couldn't help but feel deeply stifled within.

It felt like the long year he had spent cultivating had been all in vain.

"Are you... alright?"

When Zhang Xuan finally returned back to Luo Xuanqing and the others, he saw that everyone was staring at him with looks of disbelief.

"I'm fine." Zhang Xuan nodded before grumbling indignantly, "If not for that coward fleeing so quickly, I would have definitely taught it a good lesson!"

"..." The crowd.

"Let me introduce this bunch over here to you." Knowing that they would only feel more stifled if they were to continue chatting about the topic, Luo Xuanqing gestured to the other three and introduced them, "You should know Bi Hongyin by now, she's a genius from the Demonic Tunist Guild headquarters. This towering fatty over here is a prodigy from the Yuan Clan, Yuan Xiao. And last but not least, this shorty over here is a genius from the Yun Clan, Yun Lianhai."

"Pleased to meet all of you." Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and greeted them.

Indeed. People of a certain social standing did tend to hang out with those of the same standing as them.

The Yuan Clan and Demonic Tunist Guild headquarters... He had never heard of the Yun Clan before, but given how the shorty was able to fit into their group as well, the Yun Clan must be a rather formidable power as well.

"As for this young man over here, he's Zhang Xuan, Zhang shi. I met him yesterday while I was taking the 8-star formation master examination. I believe you all should have gotten a good glimpse of his capabilities by now." Luo Xuanqing said.

"Of course, of course..."

The others quickly nodded in agreement.

Not only did the young man manage to shatter Bi Hongyin's formation plate with ease, he even sent the lightning tribulation fleeing in fear... They had no idea of knowing what the young man did in the storm clouds to produce such an inconceivable outcome, but just based on what he had accomplished so far, they dared not to underestimate him anymore.

"Brother-in... Brother Luo, you haven't explained why you brought me here yet." Seeing that he had received the acknowledgement of the crowd, Zhang Xuan turned a doubtful gaze toward Luo Xuanqing and asked.

He was in the midst of a networking event in the Elite Division when Luo Xuanqing suddenly dragged him here. Despite all that had happened, he still wasn't too sure what the latter was up to.

Luo Xuanqing sealed the surroundings with a wave of his hand in order to prevent others from eavesdropping in before whispering with a hushed voice, "Just a while ago, I discovered a blessed land, and within it, I found a growing [Dongxu Gourd]!"

"Dongxu Gourd?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Despite the huge number of books he had read, he had never read of the Dongxu Gourd before.

"Dongxu Gourd is a treasure of nature. Using the earth veins as its roots, it absorbs the essence of the sun and the moon, and it takes ten thousand years before it flowers, and another ten thousand years before it bears fruit. In each earth vein, there can only be one Dongxu Gourd... As a result of that, Dongxu Gourds are extremely rare and valuable. If one can cultivate it and fuse it into one's body, the chances which one would be able to achieve a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan would be increased by at least 50%!" Luo Xuanqing said.

"50%?" Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in astonishment.

Beyond Saint 5-dan, while cultivation resources were still as important as always, the cultivator must also achieve a deep understanding of the surrounding heaven and earth and the spatial laws too... As such, any artifact which could increase one's chances of success by 10% or 20% would be highly sought after by all cultivators!

It was unimaginable for an item to be able to raise one's chances of achieving a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan by 50%!

"Indeed. However, the blessed land I have found is fraught with dangers, and it'll be difficult for me to succeed alone. That's the reason why I gathered everyone here, and as long as I can obtain the Dongxu Gourd, I'll compensate all of you handsomely for your efforts." Luo Xuanqing said with a sharp glint in his eyes.

The Dongxu Gourd would a crucial factor in determining whether he would be able to achieve a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan or not. He was determined to obtain it, by hook or by crook.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

He thought that they had gathered here to challenge some kind of trial, but that was clearly not the case now. Luo Xuanqing had invited all of them here to engage their help in obtaining the Dongxu Gourd!

"Is there a powerful formation guarding the Dongxu Gourd or something?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Considering how his cultivation paled far in comparison to the rest of the group, the only reason he could think of why Luo Xuanqing would invite him here was due to his proficiency in formations.

"Un, there's a grade-8 pinnacle formation around the Dongxu Gourd. I'm not too sure who set the formation up, but I have attempted to breach the formation twice but failed on both occasions." Luo Xuanqing replied with a nod.

"As one of the top clans on the Master Teacher Continent, the Luo Clan should have plenty of capable formation masters. It shouldn't be too difficult for you to engage the help of a couple of them to help you breach the grade-8 pinnacle formation, right?" Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully.

Given the strength and standing of the Luo Clan, putting aside a grade-8 pinnacle formation, they would surely have talents who could easily decipher grade-9 formations as well. Why would Luo Xuanqing seek his help instead?

"The situation is not that easy. The blessed land I spoke about has strict restrictions on it. Those whose ages are over forty or cultivations are at Saint 8-dan or above are prohibited from entering. If one were to forcefully barge in, there's a very good chance that the blessed land would collapse inward, thus causing the treasures within to disappear for good!" Luo Xuanqing said with a bitter smile.

"There's such a restriction?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback. Suddenly, a thought came to his mind, and he asked, "Is it be possible that... the blessed land is an ancient domain left behind by an old expert?"

As Luo Xuanqing had said that the Dongxu Gourd was a treasure of nature, he instinctively assumed that the blessed land it was located in would be a natural terrain as well. However, the presence of a formation and restrictions sounded too much like a manmade work.

"Of course! The Dongxu Gourd can grow in natural conditions too, but as soon as it starts to flower, the aura that it emanates will swiftly draw others to it. Under such circumstances, there's no way it would be able to survive until maturity!" Luo Xuanqing replied.

"I see..." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Treasures like the Dongxu Gourd were extremely valuable. If it wasn't guarded by a formation or something of the sort, there was no way they would have been able to get a shot at it.

"This is how it is. So, I would like to formally invite you to join our team, and regardless of whether we succeed or not, I'll compensate you with a pinnacle spirit stone and a half-Saint high-tier artifact for your efforts!" Luo Xuanqing said.

"Pinnacle spirit stone?" Those three words immediately sparked up a radiant glow in Zhang Xuan's eyes.

Putting aside that Luo Xuanqing was his future brother-in-law, a close kin of Luo Ruoxin and soon-to-be close kin of his, just on the pinnacle spirit stone itself, there was no way he would turn down this mission!

After all, that was what he was lacking the most at the moment.

If he could obtain even a pinnacle spirit stone, he wouldn't have to worry over a lack of spiritual energy for quite a while. At the very least, it should be sufficient for him to reach Saint 6-dan, or if luck had it, perhaps even Saint 7-dan as well!

"That's right. I don't have the pinnacle spirit stones on me yet, but I have already applied for them from my clan. They should be here by the time we return from the blessed land." Luo Xuanqing continued.

"Alright, I'll accept your offer!" Without much hesitation, Zhang Xuan expressed his agreement.

Other than the pinnacle spirit stone, there were also several other reasons why he chose to accept the mission. Firstly, through the shared experiences they would have while trying to obtain the Dongxu Gourd, they should be able to swiftly grow close with one another. And as long as he could take down this future brother-in-law of his, he just might be able to convince the other party to bring him to meet Ruoxin!

Of course, from his previous experiences, it was apparent that Luo Xuanqing was a sis-con. Until they grew sufficiently close enough to one another, it was best for him not to speak of or express any interest in Ruoxin before the latter. Otherwise, all of his efforts could very well be undone.

Also, given that he had already been dragged here and learned of such a confidential secret, there was already no room for him to back down!

Otherwise, should the news leak out somehow, he would definitely be the first suspect!

"Good! You are still lacking in strength at the moment, but worry not. I'll protect you, so just follow closely behind me. You just have to make a move when we reach the grade-8 pinnacle formation." Seeing that he had managed to bring Zhang Xuan to his team, Luo Xuanqing heaved a sigh of relief and patted the young man on the shoulder with a peal of hearty laughter.

A cost of his domineering attitude in the Sanctum of Sages, he didn't have too many friends. He did know quite a few individuals who were skilled in formations, but he didn't feel safe revealing the existence of the Dongxu Gourd to them.

After all, the significance of the Dongxu Gourd was simply too great to Saint 7-dan cultivators.

It would be a disaster if his own teammate were to sabotage him at the last moment.

On the other hand, even though Zhang Xuan possessed extraordinary capability as a formation master, his cultivation wasn't too high and he didn't have a powerful background either. Such a person was easier for him to control, which was the reason why he chose Zhang Xuan eventually as well.

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded.

To be honest, with his current strength, if he were to utilize all of his means, he was confident that he would at least be on par with the rest of the team... But well, it was still best for him to maintain a low profile wherever possible.

Otherwise, as awe-inspiring he would be after using all of his trump cards, he would only end up with the others putting their guard against him and his means. That would only put him in an even more dangerous position in the future.

Besides, his strongest trump cards weren't really suited to be shown in public either, such as Vicious...

"Since we are going to be working together, allow me to give you a brief introduction of these three's abilities so that we can better collaborate with one another later on." Luo Xuanqing said.

"Bi Hongyin specializes in demonic tunes and formations, you should have seen her prowess for yourself earlier, so I won't elaborate too much about that. Yuan Xiao boasts superior defenses, such that it would be no exaggeration to call him a human shield. As for Yun Lianhai... his fighting prowess is slightly beneath the rest of us, but he's from the Sage Clan, Yun Clan... And as you might know, the Yun Clan specializes in seeking out treasures, and they are known around the Master Teacher Continent as a clan of treasure finders!"

"Treasure finders?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback. "There's such an occupation in the world?"

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Chapter 1344: The Zhang Clan's Secret (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Indeed. The activation of their bloodline can grant them heightened sensitivity toward treasures, allowing them to perceive the presence of treasures even through obstacles such as formations!" Luo Xuanqing nodded with a hint of envy in his eyes.

"For this reason, despite being only a Tier-2 Sage Clan, the standing of the Yun Clan is not beneath that of the Shui Clan and the Mu Clan."

Cultivators required a huge deal of resources in order to advance their cultivation, and there were countless treasures and ancient domains that had been hidden by old experts using all kinds of mystical means. Just the ability to perceive the presence of treasures through formations was already an ability that would leave countless brimming with envy.

"Is that considered a unique occupation?" Zhang Xuan asked in curiosity.

"Of course not! They are only able to seek out treasures through their bloodline, so it's impossible for them to propagate such an ability to the masses." Luo Xuanqing chuckled.

"I see." Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

Kong shi had determined that in order for a certain heritage to be considered a unique occupation, it had to meet two requirements. Firstly, it needed to form a complete, individual system with a perfect heritage. Secondly, it had to be able to be available to the masses, such that most cultivators would be able to learn it.

Herbologists met the second requirement, in the sense that most cultivators were able to learn it, but there were simply too many different heritages in order to form a complete and wholesome system. As for the Yun Clan, they probably had a complete heritage, but due to their capability being built on a bloodline, ordinary individuals were unable to learn it, so it could not be considered a unique occupation.

"It seems like there's no way for me to learn it then..." Zhang Xuan shook his head regretfully.

What he lacked at the moment were cultivation resources. If he could gain the ability to perceive the presence of treasures, he would be able to easily gather the resources he required to advance his cultivation. However, since it was only limited to the bloodline of the Yun Clan, it seemed like there was no way for him to learn it.

As powerful as the Library of Heaven's Path was, there was no way it could allow him to imitate the bloodline ability of others.

"If it was a unique occupation, there would surely be countless willing to die to learn it!" Luo Xuanqing nodded.

After a moment of chatter, Zhang Xuan gained a deeper understanding of the strengths of the group.

His future brother-in-law was the strongest of all with a cultivation of Saint 7-dan Phantasmal Space realm pinnacle, followed by Bi Hongyin at Phantasmal Space realm advanced stage.

The one who boasted the strongest defensive prowess turned out to possess the weakest offensive power in the group, such that even subduing Yun Lianhai would be a trouble to him. But at the same time, due to his superior defensive prowess, even Luo Xuanqing would have trouble defeating him.

"Alright, let's set off now!"

After gaining an understanding of each member's strengths and weaknesses, they swiftly got onto the back of the Seven-colored Divine Crane. With a resounding chirp, the divine crane warped into a flash of seven colors and soared into the horizon.

There were no protective formations or structures on the Seven-colored Divine Crane, so there was nothing to guard one against the unrelenting assault of the wind resulting from the swift movement of the divine crane. As Saint 7-dan experts, Luo Xuanqing and the others were unaffected by the wind, but they could not help but be surprised to see that Zhang Xuan was completely unfazed by it as well.

Even if the young man had made a massive breakthrough to Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle, there should have been a huge gap between his fighting prowess and theirs. To be able to stand steadily before the raging winds despite his lacking cultivation, it was apparent that the young man's astounding talent did not just stop at formations.

"Given Brother Zhang's deep understanding of formations and decent strength, you must have achieved quite a result in the Mountain Gate examination, right?" the shorty, Bi Lianhai, asked with a rather unnerving grin.

The others also directed curious gazes over as well.

Most senior students who had reached their level of cultivation had already grown disinterested in the affairs of the freshmen, so very few of them paid heed to the entrance examinations. As a result, despite the huge commotion that Zhang Xuan had caused, they were completely unaware of it.

"I did just alright," Zhang Xuan replied. "I'm ranked fiftieth, just enough for me to get into the Elite Division."

"You are fiftieth?" Yun Lianhai was shocked. "Just who in the world is in your cohort? To think that we would have so many formidable freshmen this year!"

With the level of proficiency in formations the young man before him had, he should have been able to easily get into the top three. Why would he only be fiftieth?

That was a really dangerous position to be in! The slightest carelessness could have spelt the loss of his candidacy for the Elite Division!

"There are indeed quite a few talented students in their cohort." Before Zhang Xuan could reply, Luo Xuanqing had already spoken up. "You should have heard of the Zhang Clan's Zhang Yu before, right? He's in the same cohort as them!"

"Zhang Yu? You mean the lad who possesses Earth-tier bloodline? I have met him once, and he's indeed a formidable individual. In time to come, there's a good chance that he could reach a level on par with you!"

"Humph!" Luo Xuanqing harrumphed in displeasure upon hearing those words.

"There's no need for you to get so mad at that. Even though there have been many talented individuals among the Zhang Clan in recent years, none of them come close to comparing with the little princess of your Luo Clan!" Yun Lianhai chuckled softly.

Speaking of the little princess, a hint of admiration unwittingly crept into the depths of his eyes.

Clenching his fists tightly beneath his sleeves, Zhang Xuan asked with feigned nonchalance, "Brother Yun, is the little princess you speak of... the renowned figure who managed to cultivate the Dimension Silencer?"

"Indeed! I'm referring to Xuanqing's younger sister!"

Paying no heed to Luo Xuanqing's darkened complexion, Yun Lianhai began gossiping enthusiastically. "Speaking of which, Xuanqing, I heard that your younger sister has been betrothed to the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan since her birth. May I know if that young prodigy is really as talented as everyone makes him out to be?"

"Shut your mouth!" Luo Xuanqing bellowed as he glared at Yun Lianhai with narrowed eyes. "I warned you never to bring up this matter before me, or else don't blame me for getting nasty!"

The fatty, Yuan Xiao, shrugged nonchalantly at Luo Xuanqing's rage. "Regardless of whether we speak of the matter or not, that is a decision made by the elders of both clans. Your rage won't change anything."

As an offspring of the Yuan Clan, which was second only to the Three Great Sage Clans, he was well-informed of the matter concerning the betrothal between the little princess of the Luo Clan and the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan. He knew that the overly-affectionate brother was afraid that his younger sister would be unhappy after marrying into the Zhang Clan, but as the offspring of one of the strongest Sage Clans, there were some responsibilities that they simply could not shirk off.

Such an important decision was bound to have received the mutual consensus of the elders of both clans. Not even the head of the Luo Clan had the power to reverse the decision at this point.

"I might not be able to change anything from my side, but I can at least try to pull some strings from the other end. If I ever get my hands on that fellow, I'll definitely pummel him until he backs down from the engagement!" Luo Xuanqing gnashed his teeth furiously.

"Why do you have to make things difficult for yourself?" Yun Lianhai sighed deeply. "If that young prodigy of the Zhang Clan is really as great as the legends make him out to be, the purity of his bloodline will be a match for even that of your younger sister. Do you really think that you'll be a match for him?"

"I..." Luo Xuanqing's face flushed crimson.

As powerful as he was, he was well aware that he came nowhere close to matching his younger sister!

Even though his younger sister was more than a decade younger than him, her cultivation and fighting prowess had already reached a level far beyond his.

If that young prodigy of the Zhang Clan was really a genius of the same caliber as his younger sister, there was no way he would be a match for the other party.

At this point, the silent Bi Hongyin suddenly chirped, "Speaking of the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan, I happen to have overheard of some secrets surrounding him. Are you all interested in hearing them?"

"Secrets?"

Everyone quickly turned their gazes over, and even the cold-faced Luo Xuanqing pricked up his ears to listen in as well.

"Twenty years ago, my teacher was invited to the Zhang Clan as an honorary guest. One night in his accommodation, the head of the Zhang Clan suddenly knocked on her door, requesting her to follow him to save someone," Bi Hongyin said with a contemplative look in her eyes, seemingly trying to recall the conversation she had with her teacher back then.

"The head of the Zhang Clan? Are you referring to the 'Xingmeng Sword Saint'?" Yuan Xiao asked with a hint of respect in his voice.

"Indeed, that's him!" Bi Hongyin nodded. "Back then, my teacher was extremely perplexed by his actions. As a demonic tunist, she wasn't adept in treating and curing others, so it was bewildering to her why the head of the Zhang Clan would suddenly request her presence. However, as soon as she saw the patient, the answer was immediately apparent to her.

"The person who was ill was an infant. My teacher couldn't tell whether the infant was poisoned or what, but his soul was in an extremely feeble state, about to dissipate at any moment. The Xingmeng Sword Saint wanted my teacher to play a demonic tune to stabilize his soul."

The crowd nodded.

Demonic tunes could crumble a person's mental fortitude and destroy their mind, but at the same time, it could also reinforce one's soul and induce a significant rise in one's cultivation.

It would be unwise to feed medicine to a weak infant, so in such a scenario, it was indeed much more suitable to engage the help of a demonic tunist than a physician.

"My teacher agreed to make a move, but the effects weren't too pronounced. Nevertheless, the Xingmeng Sword Saint still compensated my teacher handsomely for her assistance. Following that, my teacher was escorted out of the residence, and she has no idea what happened to the infant afterward..."

Coming to a realization, Yuan Xiao could not help but ask, "Are you trying to say that the infant that your teacher treated back then is likely... the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan?"

"Well, there's no way to tell for sure anymore, but considering how coincidental the timing was and the fact that the Xingmeng Sword Saint invited my teacher over personally... But thinking again, given how the young prodigy was assessed to possess unmatched purity in his bloodline even when he was still in his mother's womb, there should be no doubt that the Zhang Clan would devote all of its resources into protecting him. It's unthinkable that anyone would be able to breach the tight defenses of the Zhang Clan and harm him!" Bi Hongyin analyzed with a confused frown.

"My teacher didn't think too much into the matter then, but since that encounter then, it seems like no one has seen the young prodigy in public. Thus, she couldn't help but harbor some doubts about the matter."

If nothing was wrong with the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan, how could he have hidden from the sight of the world for twenty whole years?

Not to mention, to even opt against enrolling into the Sanctum of Sages?

There were indeed too many doubts shrouding the young prodigy that one could not help but think deeper into.

"If the person whom your teacher treated twenty years back was truly the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan, that would mean that someone severely injured him shortly after he was born. It's really hard to believe something like that to be true..." Yuan Xiao frowned.

As offspring of Sage Clans, they knew how protective their clans were toward offspring who possessed the purest of bloodlines. This was the first offspring in the several dozen millenniums' history of the Zhang Clan to possess a bloodline comparable to their founder, so how could they possibly allow anyone to harm him right after his birth?

Zhang Xuan could not help but ask, "Could it be the work of internal rivalry within the Zhang Clan?"

If the person who was severely ill back then was truly the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan, that would truly be for the best. Naturally, the worse state the young prodigy was in, the more unworthy he was of marrying Luo Ruoxin!

"Impossible! A Sage Clan like the Zhang Clan pays particular heed to its reputation and prestige. There's no way internal strife or anything of that sort could happen in their midst!" The one who spoke up was Luo Xuanqing.

As a genius of the Luo Clan, he was deeply aware of how Sage Clans operated.

"But just because the Zhang Clan pays particular heed to its reputation and prestige doesn't mean that it's impossible for such a thing to happen. Who knows? There might just be an ambitious elder who would attempt to assassinate the young prodigy out of desire for the position of clan head!"

As a librarian in his previous life, Zhang Xuan had read plenty of books and stories. This was a common plot in most family strife.

Before Luo Xuanqing could speak, Yuan Xiao shook his head and replied, "You aren't from a Sage Clan, so you aren't aware of the rules that govern us... I can tell you very clearly right now that the situation you have proposed is impossible to happen!"

"Impossible to happen?" Zhang Xuan blinked in incomprehension.

Power could blind the eyes of others, and not even 9-star master teachers were infallible to that, let alone the elders of the Sage Clans. How could anyone guarantee that it was impossible for such a thing to happen?

There was bound to be a reason such a plotline became a cliché!

Seeing the look of confusion on Zhang Xuan's face, Yuan Xiao shook his head once more. "You might not be able to comprehend it if I explain it from our perspective, so why don't I phrase it this way instead?

"You should know that there's a sanctum head to our Sanctum of Sages, right?"

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