Library of Heaven's Path

by Little Merger

Traversing into another world, Zhang Xuan finds himself becoming an honorable teacher. Along with his transcension, a mysterious library appears in his mind. As long as it is something he has seen, regardless of whether it is a human or an object, a book on its weaknesses will be automatically compiled in the library. Thus, he becomes formidable. “Emperor Zhuoyang, why do you detes

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Library of Heaven's Path #Chapter 1345 - The Zhang Clans Secret (2) - Read Library of Heaven's Path Chapter 1345 - The Zhang Clans Secret (2) Online - All Page - NOVEL NEXT

Chapter 1345: The Zhang Clan's Secret (2)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"I do!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Not only was he aware of that there was a sanctum head to the Sanctum of Sages, he was also the only candidate in line for that position.

"There's a set of unique selection criteria in order to decide one's eligibility to become the sanctum head. Those who are unqualified will not be able to inherit the heritage of the Sanctum of Sages. You should have heard of this too, right?" Yuan Xiao asked.

Zhang Xuan nodded in response.

In order to become the head of the Sanctum of Sages, one must possess the Eye of Insight, be a master teacher, have an upright, humble, and low-profile personality, be of noble character, and possess dashing looks that were second to none and charisma that could capture the hearts of others. It was only after clearing all of that criteria that Sage Kui finally bestowed the Sanctum Head Token to him.

Without achieving those factors, there was no way he would have been a candidate for the position of sanctum head.

"Such is the same for the heads of Sage Clans! Only those whose bloodline has reached a certain level of purity are qualified to become the next head of the clan. One can't just claim authority within the Sage Clan on the basis of strength alone. Take the current head of the Zhang Clan for example. In fact, the Xingmeng Sword Saint is only the stand-in clan head of the Zhang Clan at the moment. The real clan head is the young prodigy! In the past several millenniums, he's the only one whose bloodline has reached the level of purity necessary to become the head of the Zhang Clan!" Yuan Xiao said.

"The same goes for the Luo Clan as well. Even though Brother Xuanqing possesses a pure bloodline as well, it's still insufficient for him to inherit the position of the clan head. The real head of the Luo Clan is his younger sister. It's just that his younger sister is still too young at the moment, so everything is still being managed by the elders for the time being."

Zhang Xuan came to a realization.

The situation in the Sage Clans was indeed rather similar to his current circumstances.

Even though the Sanctum of Sages had a deputy sanctum head who was managing the affairs for the time being, once Zhang Xuan broke the seal on the Sanctum Head Token and became the real sanctum head, there would be no one who could steal his position from him.

This was the rule that Kong shi had set, and this was in accordance with the virtue of propriety that Kong shi had preached. No one would dare undermine Kong shi's ideology, especially not in a place where his heritage was passed down.

Otherwise, the public would immediately turn against that person, and that person would be criticized and insulted for their immoral actions for many years to come.

"So, it's impossible for any clan member of a Sage Clan to turn against the incumbent clan head in an attempt to wrestle power away from him. Not to mention, with the sheer purity of the bloodline that the young prodigy possesses, his maturity will only bring the Zhang Clan to greater heights in terms of power, bringing every single member greater honor and prestige. Just who would be so foolish as to foil their own future by harming the young prodigy?" Yuan Xiao explained.

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"Ah..." Zhang Xuan scratched his head in embarrassment.

He really did not think that even the powerful Sage Clans would be restrained by so many conventions.

If everything that Yuan Xiao had said was true, it was indeed not too likely for anyone to have assaulted the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan.

"I heard this secret from my teacher many years ago, and to be honest, I can't verify whether the details are exactly as I remembered them or not." Bi Hongyin shook her head. "Furthermore, for a clan as big as the Zhang Clan, there would at least be several thousand infants who are born in the same year, and we can't discount the possibility that the infant my teacher encountered is a child of the Xingmeng Sword Saint's friend."

With over several dozen millenniums of history behind it, the Zhang Clan had already grown to become a massive empire by itself. The population of the entire clan was so numerous that it was impossible to count all of them, and the family structure of both the main family and the side family had grown incredibly complicated. Each year, the clan would usher in several thousand new members, so there was no way to ascertain for sure that the person whom Bi Hongyin's teacher had treated was definitely the young prodigy.

Furthermore, it was a ridiculous notion to think that a peerless genius that the Zhang Clan had never seen before ever since the time of its founder would actually be left on the verge of death not too long after his birth!

"That's true..." Everyone nodded.

"Alright, let's not discuss the Zhang Clan anymore." Knowing that it would be pointless to talk about this matter, especially since they had no way of verifying it anymore, Bi Hongyin turned her gaze to Luo Xuanqing and asked, "Brother Luo, I heard that the little princess left the Sanctum of Sages a while ago. Has she returned yet?"

Upon hearing those words, Zhang Xuan's eyes immediately lit up, and he anxiously turned his gaze to Luo Xuanqing.

Her words eroded all grudge and anger Zhang Xuan had felt toward her, leaving nothing but gratitude instead.

"She has long returned," Luo Xuanqing replied with a slight nod.

"She has returned? Wonderful! If there's a chance, do bring me to meet her. Despite being fellow students of the Inner Sanctum, I still haven't got a chance to meet her yet!" Bi Hongyin said excitedly.

Even though it had been two years since the little princess arrived in the Sanctum of Sages and she had left behind countless records as well, there actually were not too many people who had truly met her before.

There were only countless rumors of her floating around in the Sanctum of Sages, some praising her unparalleled beauty and others in awe of her talent.

"She has been in seclusion ever since her return, desperately cultivating non-stop as if she has offended someone powerful. Even I am unable to meet with her, let alone others!" Luo Xuanqing shook his head and sighed deeply.

"Desperately cultivating non-stop? But she's already so powerful..." Zhang Xuan exclaimed beneath his breath as he felt a sharp pain stabbing into his chest.

Back at the Qiu Wu Palace, the young lady had hesitated for a very long while before accepting his confession. Most likely, she had known then that it would be difficult for her to go against the engagement, and it was unlikely that there would be a happy ending for the both of them. Nevertheless, she still courageously took a leap of faith and accepted him.

But this acceptance came at a price. It would mean that she would have to defy the orders of the elders of her clan, and in order to do so, she had no choice but to desperately immerse herself in her cultivation in the hope that she could soon wield the strength to dictate her fate.

Otherwise, she could only be swept along by the pace of others.

Noticing the huge fluctuations in Zhang Xuan's emotions, Luo Xuanqing shot a narrowed glance over. "You seem to be very interested in my younger sister."

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"I..."

For a moment there, Zhang Xuan thought of coming clean and telling him, Your younger sister has already agreed to become my girlfriend.

But at the last moment, he eventually abandoned the idea.

Putting aside whether Luo Xuanqing would be able to believe his words or not, even if the other party did, this matter would only turn in a catastrophe.

Just thinking about it, the fiancée of the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan had fallen in love with an unaffiliated cultivator with a humble background...

That was bound to cause a huge uproar, and if things went wrong, he might even be putting more on Luo Ruoxin's plate for her to deal with.

She was already cultivating hard for their future together, so naturally, he could not possibly allow a moment of recklessness to drag her down.

Just wait till I break the seal and become the real sanctum head of the Sanctum of Sages... With such a position, no one will dare underestimate me anymore... Zhang Xuan took in a deep breath and suppressed his agitation.

What was more important for him at the moment was to cultivate humbly and strive to break the seal on the Sanctum Head Token as soon as possible.

He did not fear trouble, but it would be unforgivable if he caused more trouble for Luo Ruoxin in the midst of doing so.

Driving his state of mind, Zhang Xuan swiftly returned to a state of composure before replying with a smile, "The fame of the little princess has spread far and wide. I heard of her affairs back when I was still in the Qingyuan Empire, and to be honest, I have nothing but praise and admiration for her. That's why I can't help but be rather curious about her affairs!"

"Humph, that'd better be the case! If I learn that you harbor any kind of thoughts toward my younger sister, even though we are acquainted with one another, rest assured that I'll pummel you to the point that you won't even be able to recognize which way's up!" Luo Xuanqing harrumphed with a voice dripping with threat.

"Of course, of course..." Zhang Xuan nodded with a bitter smile.

To be threatened by his future brother-in-law... Just what was this!

At the same time, he felt incredibly glad that he had stopped himself from blabbering earlier, or else he could very well have been lying on the ground, bruised all over.

"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore." After chuckling softly, Yun Lianhai changed the topic. "Right, Zhang shi. In your cohort, other than Zhang Yu, there's another student who possesses incredible talent despite not being from any Sage Clan. If I recall correctly, his name should be... Feng Ziyi! Do you know him?"

"Feng Ziyi? I know of him. He's the person who was ranked in first place for the Mountain Gate examination this time around!" Zhang Xuan nodded. " According to what I know, he seems to be the direct disciple of one of the grand elders of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters."

"Indeed. There is a total of three grand elders of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, and their whereabouts are usually a mystery. To be able to become one of their direct disciples, I must say that Feng Ziyi's luck is really good. On top of that, the person who took him in is the person who is the strongest of the three grand elders... Yang shi!" Yun Lianhai remarked in envy.

"Yang shi?" That familiar name made Zhang Xuan instinctively turn his gaze toward Yun Lianhai.

"Indeed. Yang shi, Yang Xuan!" Yun Lianhai replied.

"Yang... Xuan?" Zhang Xuan's body stiffened.

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Chapter 1346: Killing Intent

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

All along, Zhang Xuan had been introducing himself as Yang Xuan's disciple. He did not think there would be really such a figure since it was a name that he had come up with, but to think that there would actually be such a huge coincidence!

To think that there would actually be a master teacher named Yang Xuan in the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters... and he was even one of the three grand elders!

Just how lucky did he have to be to meet with such a coincidence?

It was no wonder Luo Chengxin panicked upon meeting and hearing the name 'Yang Xuan'! It was not that he had impersonated Yang Xuan well—there was really such a person in real life! That was why the other party was horrified and panicked.

Throughout his journey, as long as he reported 'Yang Xuan's' name, the Master Teacher Pavilion would immediately suppress all news concerning him. Most likely, they had seen that it involved one of the three grand elders of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters and decided that it would be best for them to keep out of the matter!

So that's the reason...

He had thought that his disguise was so good that he managed to fool everyone into thinking that he had a powerful backer and that was why no one dared to lay their hands on his Heaven's Path Divine Art and Heaven's Path techniques... But it turned out that there was really a Yang Xuan in the world!

Everything had only gone smoothly for him because he had borrowed the other party's reputation to bolster his authority!

How can there be such a huge coincidence in the world? Zhang Xuan could hardly accept this fact all of a sudden.

He knew that it was only on a whim that he came up with his 'Yang Xuan' persona, and it was simply too much of a coincidence for the persona he had created to actually be a real person!

Could it be the Library of Heaven's Path? Zhang Xuan thought in alarm as he dived his consciousness into his mind.

He returned to the entrance of the Library of Heaven's Path and stared at the four words inscribed on the plaque above the massive gates. They emanated an aura of ancient history, reminiscent of an artifact that had lived through the eons, traversing from world to world. It was hard to describe the sensation that those words evoked, but the closest phrase that he could think of was the 'solemnity of age'.

Perhaps, this might be what they mean by the threads of destiny? There's a certain trajectory that the world gravitates toward under the will of the heavens. Even a decision made seemingly at a whim could have far greater implications than one can ever imagine, Zhang Xuan thought as his body tensed up.

He had no idea why he would feel like that, but his intuition was telling him that this matter was far more than a coincidence. Perhaps, the Library of Heaven's Path might have even influenced his subconscious mind to mouth out those two words.

He suddenly felt like the will of the heavens was omnipresent, and it was gradually guiding him along the road it wanted him to tread on.

The authority of the heavens is inviolable; the will of the heavens is absolute.

Zhang Xuan suddenly felt a shiver run through his body as a possibility came to his mind.

I might control the Library of Heaven's Path, but... what if the heavens want to destroy me one day? Will I be completely helpless then too?

"Zhang shi? Zhang shi? What's wrong?" Just as Zhang Xuan's thoughts were wandering, a voice suddenly sounded in his ear. Lifting his gaze, he saw Yun Lianhai looking at him with a worried expression.

Zhang Xuan quickly suppressed his apprehensions and fears and replied with a smile. "Ah, I'm fine!"

For someone of his state of mind, it was not too difficult for him to conceal his emotions from the eyes of others.

The Library of Heaven's Path was his greatest secret, and he could not allow anyone to learn of its existence.

"I was just surprised to hear that Feng Ziyi would have such a background..." Zhang Xuan scratched his head awkwardly.

"Indeed. I was almost as shocked as you when I first heard of the news."

The grand elders of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters were deeply elusive figures, and each one of them was more secretive than the others.

Yun Lianhai nodded before leaning forward with a look of curiosity. "Right, Zhang shi. Someone as young and talented as you should also have a capable teacher, right? May I ask who your teacher is?"

The fact that the other party was not from the Zhang Clan and yet possess cultivation on par with the geniuses of the Zhang Clan was more than enough to tell that he had the backing of a strong teacher.

"This..." Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan's lips twitched.

If it had been in the past, he would have unhesitatingly replied, 'My teacher is Yang Xuan.'

However, with Yang Xuan's real direct disciple, Feng Ziyi, being in the Sanctum of Sages, it would only be a matter of time before his lie was exposed if he said such words!

Noting Zhang Xuan's silence, Yun Lianhai quickly waved his hand to shrug the matter off. "It's fine if it's inconvenient for you to answer my question. I know that there are some old hermits out there who dislike their students using their name to brag before others, so there's no need to worry."

He had only intended it to be a casual question. If the other party felt uncomfortable replying to that, he had no intention of pressing for a response.

After all, everyone had their own secrets, and it was not like they were close friends. It was understandable that the other party harbored some reservations about revealing his background to him.

Zhang Xuan clasped his fist. "Thank you for your understanding."

"It's nothing," Yun Lianhai replied with a smile.

The group chatted for a while longer before dispersing to do their own things.

Zhang Xuan calmed down his unnerved heart before sitting on the ground to reinforce his newfound strength.

It was meaningless for the current him to think about matters that were too far ahead—it was not as if he could make a difference in this moment anyway. The best thing he could do at the moment was quickly raise his strength in preparation of what was to come.

Ultimately, there was nothing to rely on but cold, hard strength.

In silence, the group swiftly advanced toward their destination.

During this period of time, Zhang Xuan had tried to sound Yuan Xiao out for some news regarding Yuan Tao, but as Yuan Xiao had not returned back to the Yuan Clan over the past year, he did not know too much about the genius who had recently returned to their clan.

In response to that, Zhang Xuan could only sigh deeply in disappointment.

It was five days later that the Seven-colored Divine Crane finally arrived at a meandering mountain range, which extended as far as the eye could see.

After the past few days of hard work, Zhang Xuan had managed to fully reinforce his cultivation. He was not able to make any breakthroughs without the relevant cultivation technique manuals and spirit stones on hand, but having adapted to his power, his fighting prowess still grew a fair amount.

If Jian Qinsheng were to challenge him with his strength lowered to a hundredth once more, there was a very good chance that Zhang Xuan would be able to kill him before he could even react to his move.

"The Dongxu Gourd is hidden over there." Luo Xuanqing gestured to the area beneath him as he instructed the Seven-colored Divine Crane to stop near a valley.

Turning their gazes downward, the crowd saw a long gorge that slithered through the vicinity like a gigantic anaconda. It was conspicuous from where they were currently situated, but had they been anywhere else, their sight would have definitely been impeded by the towering mountain cliffs all around, causing them to overlook this gorge.

A land that naturally harnesses wind and water, it's the type of terrain where spirit veins 1 tend to form, Zhang Xuan noted internally.

With his knowledge as an 8-star pinnacle formation master, he could tell that the gorge beneath them was the 'center line' that connected the entire mountain range together, thus forming a natural deposit of spiritual energy.

But on second look, a frown emerged on his forehead. However, it seems like someone has altered the terrain in a manner that prevents it spirit mines from developing."

Places where spiritual energy tended to gather, such as the gorge beneath them, would usually result in the development of spirit mines over time. Zhang Xuan could not tell for sure whether it was due to someone's intentional action or some sort of natural fault, but the earth veins beneath had been completely destroyed. While they could still gather the surrounding spiritual energy, it had already become physically impossible for spirit mines to form.

While Zhang Xuan was still analyzing the situation contemplatively, Luo Xuanqing said, "Let's head down!"

Following which, the divine crane began descending, and before long, the group was standing at the entrance to the valley.

"This place is called the 'Valley of Earth Spirits'. Due to the rich spiritual energy harnessed within this area, there are many saint beasts who choose to reside in this area, and there's no lack of Saint 8-dan experts among their ranks. As such, we can't afford to fly straight in. Otherwise, if we catch the attention of any Saint 8-dan beasts, there's a good chance that we'll lose our lives here," Luo Xuanqing explained grimly.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan was astonished.

The Seven-colored Divine Crane was already the strongest saint beast that he had seen so far, but to think that there would be plenty of beasts that were stronger than it within the valley.

The Master Teacher Continent was far larger than he had thought, and there were countless experts hidden all over the world. It would be foolish of him to gauge it by what he had seen so far.

But thinking again, if not for the powerful saint beasts guarding the valley, it would be impossible for the Dongxu Gourd to remain undiscovered for such a long period of time.

"Try your best to rein in your aura when we enter later on; make sure not to leave any traces behind. Otherwise, we could very well meet with trouble even before arriving at our destination," Luo Xuanqing instructed solemnly.

He then moved on to instruct the divine crane to keep a lookout for them from afar and cover them should any unexpected situations happen before leading the way into the valley.

The remaining members of the group quickly followed suit.

Due to Zhang Xuan's cultivation being the lowest of the group, he was positioned at the center so that they could protect him should any unexpected situation arise.

The gorge was unnervingly calm. Stepping in, all they could hear was the moaning of the wind flitting through the gorge.

The spiritual energy within the gorge was indeed considerably more concentrated than the rest of the mountain range, but due to the deficiencies in the terrain, it was impossible to concentrate the spiritual energy at one point. Nevertheless, it was still a decent area to cultivate in.

Following closely behind Luo Xuanqing, Zhang Xuan warily assessed his surroundings with his Eye of Insight.

He could see surges of spiritual energy slowly flowing forward peacefully like a stream.

Is such an environment really sufficient to fuel the growth of the Dongxu Gourd?

The more Zhang Xuan studied his surroundings, the more perplexed he became.

He was not too sure what requirements the Dongxu Gourd needed to be in to mature well, but according to what Luo Xuanqing had said, it could only grow in the presence of a spirit vein. There was indeed a spirit vein flowing through the gorge, but the deficiency in the terrain had weakened it so much that he felt hesitant to call it a spirit vein anymore.

Perhaps noticing the doubtful look on Zhang Xuan's face, Luo Xuanqing sent a telepathic message over. "Actually, we are already in the midst of the formation that ancient expert set up."

"We are already in the midst of a formation?" Zhang Xuan was astonished.

Given that he had already mastered the 8-star Heaven's Path Formation Art, there was no way he could not have realized that they were standing in the midst of a formation... unless the formation had reached grade-9!

A grade-9 formation... Just how powerful was the ancient expert who had left behind the Dongxu Gourd?

"That's right. This formation serves to alter the flow of the spiritual energy in the surroundings, rendering it impossible for one to find the real spirit vein and locate the Dongxu Gourd. If not for this, the Dongxu Gourd would have long been harvested by someone else!" Luo Xuanqing explained. "It's also out of sheer luck that I managed to find this place..."

"Luck?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "It would have been hard to discover this with luck alone!"

Even he was unable to notice any anomaly in the surroundings with his Eye of Insight activated. The notion that one would discover the possible presence of a Dongxu Gourd in the area based on sheer luck itself was improbable.

"Well... to be honest with you, I heard of this matter from my younger sister. Reading is a huge hobby of hers, and she loves to put clues together to make deductions about the various places," Luo Xuanqing remarked proudly. "Through a certain formation and a detailed map of the entire mountain range, she deduced that there's a high chance that there is a grade-9 Hidden Formation located in this region, and I took note of it back then... After which, I came to examine this area carefully, and as expected, there was indeed something amiss about this gorge!"

Several dozen millenniums was a very long duration, even with the long lifespan of cultivators. If it was possible to find this location on sheer luck, someone would have found the Dongxu Gourd long ago.

It was only with the help of his ridiculously talented younger sister that he was able to zone in on this gorge.

"Your younger sister was able to deduce all of this with just a formation and a map in hand?" Zhang Xuan was shocked.

As expected of his girlfriend!

Her eye of discernment and analytical prowess were indeed nowhere weaker than his.

Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before sending another telepathic message. "Right! Brother Luo, I have something that I am really curious about that I would like to ask you!"

"Feel free to speak," Luo Xuanqing said with a slight nod of his head.

"I was wondering, given how powerful the Luo Clan is, is there really a need for the little princess, the head of the Luo Clan, to be betrothed to the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan?" Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.

This was something that had been plaguing his mind over the past few days.

The purity of one's bloodline determined one's standing in the Sage Clans. Since Luo Ruoxin was the head of the Luo Clan, was there really a need to go to the point of forcing her to marry the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan?

Was that not equivalent to entrusting their entire clan to the hands of the Zhang Clan?

Luo Xuanqing's face darkened upon hearing those words, and he uttered with a dangerous edge to his voice, "Who told you to ask such a question?"

In an instant, Zhang Xuan felt a surge of cold air pressing up toward him as overwhelming killing intent pressed down on him.

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Chapter 1347: Zhang Xuan, the Formation Master

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

This killing intent was so powerful that it felt palpable, permeating through his skin and into his soul, causing his body to stiffen uncontrollably.

With eyes narrowed in alarm, Zhang Xuan's mind swiftly whirred into action.

This was not the first time he had asked about Luo Ruoxin's affairs, but back then, Luo Xuanqing had not shown such an agitated response to his question.

Could there really be some kind of secret involved?

As if oblivious to the threatening aura that Luo Xuanqing was emanating, Zhang Xuan replied with an innocent smile, "I just find the matter rather bewildering."

Luo Xuanqing stared at Zhang Xuan intently, as if trying to find any falsehood in his words. However, all he saw was an earnest smile from an honest man, so he eventually released the killing intent that he was emanating with a harrumph and coldly said, "This is a matter between our Luo Clan and the Zhang Clan. As an outsider, you shouldn't get too involved in this matter. Understood?"

"Yes, Brother Luo." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Luo Xuanqing might not have said anything at all, but his very response told Zhang Xuan a very important fact—the two clans were determined to go through with the betrothal by hook or by crook, and no one would be able to stop them!

It was apparent to all how doting and protective Luo Xuanqing was of his younger sister, as well as how much he abhorred the Zhang Clan, but even so, he was still unable to do anything to terminate the engagement between both clans. Most likely, there were other factors that made it critical that the engagement carried on as planned.

This is really a huge dilemma! Zhang Xuan rubbed his glabella in distress.

His previous thought was that as long as he could become the sanctum head of the Sanctum of Sages, he would be in a position not beneath that of the head of the Zhang Clan. On top of that, given that Luo Ruoxin and he were in love, there should have been a good chance that he would be able to gain the approval of the Luo Clan.

However, it seemed like there was a need to reassess the current situation now.

Despite being the head of the Luo Clan and possessing extraordinary strength, she was still unable to struggle free from the engagement she had with the Zhang Clan. He would really have to look into this matter when he got back.

Wuwuwu!

While Zhang Xuan was still deep in thought, a sound similar to the buzzing of a group of mosquitoes suddenly echoed through the air.

Bi Hongyin narrowed her eyes and exclaimed with a hushed voice, "Crimsontail Wasps!"

Shortly after Bi Hongyin's exclamation, an entire legion of wasps, each roughly around the size of a longan, suddenly pressed in their direction in the form of an ominous, black cloud.

"Crimsontail Wasps?" Zhang Xuan's heart skipped a beat after hearing those words.

This saint beast was detailed in some of the beast tamer books that he had read. The Crimsontail Wasp was small, and its strength was not too frightening, typically being only at Saint 3-dan to Saint 4-dan. However, what was frightening about it was the potent poison it carried on its sting.

In a group, even a Saint 7-dan expert could easily be poisoned to death in a moment of carelessness.

What was worse was that they tended to hide within mountain forests in legions. In a sense, they were even more frightening than Saint 8-dan beasts.

The killing intent that Luo Xuanqing released earlier has alarmed them! Zhang Xuan swiftly realized what was going on.

They had concealed themselves really well ever since entering the mountain valley, keeping their auras tightly reined in within their bodies. Under normal circumstances, they should have been able to bypass the detection of most saint beasts, and yet, a legion of Crimsontail Wasps was suddenly heading their way.

Most likely, the Crimsontail Wasps had felt threatened by the earlier burst of killing intent and decided to seek out and kill the source of the threat.

Looking at the fearsome cloud of wasps heading in their direction, Yun Lianhai's face suddenly turned ghastly pale. "What should we do?"

It was a rather unnatural reaction for an expert of his caliber. It seemed like he had an innate fear toward lifeforms that carried poison in them.

"We'll cause too much of a commotion if we engage the Crimsontail Wasps in a battle, and that would likely draw in even more powerful foes. More importantly, there are simply too many Crimsontail Wasps. Putting aside the question of whether we'll be able to eliminate all of them or not, Crimsontail Wasps have a group defensive mechanism that prompts it to release poison clouds upon their death. Once the poison clouds build up to a certain concentration, we'll be doomed as well." Bi Hongyin swiftly analyzed the situation for the group.

The Crimsontail Wasps were the very enemies that they feared encountering in the valley. The Crimsontail Wasps were currently standing in their way from advancing deeper into the valley, but killing them was not an option, and there was no way they would be able to circumvent the entire legion safely. It was truly a helpless situation they were in.

"There's no choice, let's just retreat out of the valley and find a way to get rid of them outside," Luo Xuanqing instructed decisively.

As a member of the Luo Clan's main family, as well as a future leader of the Luo Clan, Luo Xuanqing definitely was not as rash and hot-headed as he appeared on the surface. In times of adversity, he would weigh his options rationally and make the most logical choice on the spot.

"Very well!" Knowing that this was the best course of action they could take, the group immediately began retreating.

After fleeing barely several hundred meters, with a shake of his head, Zhang Xuan remarked, "It doesn't seem like we'll be able to make it in time..."

Following which, another legion of Crimsontail Wasps suddenly appeared right in front of them with a resounding buzzing noise that left one with goosebumps.

As Saint 3-dan to 4-dan beasts, there was no doubt that the Crimsontail Wasps possessed intelligence. It was not easy for a meal to walk onto their plate, so they had made preparations beforehand to corner their prey.

"There's no other choice." Knowing that a fight was inevitable, Luo Xuanqing roared, "Prepare for battle!

"Zhang shi, I'll be counting on you to set up an Aura Isolation Barrier to prevent the shockwaves or sounds from the battle from leaking into the surroundings.

"Bi Hongyin, use your demonic tunes to hinder their communication so that they won't be able to arrange themselves in formations and collaborate with one another.

"Yun Lianhai, use your secret art to determine the whereabouts of the Wasp King.

"Yuan Xiao, your body boasts the highest defensive capability and immunity to poison, so I'll need you to follow me later on to strike down the Wasp King.

"Once the Wasp King is killed, the remaining Crimsontail Wasps would fall into confusion. We can make use of the opportunity to escape!"

The crowd nodded grimly. "Yes!"

Hearing how concise and rational Luo Xuanqing's commands were, each of them aimed right at the flaws of the enemies, Zhang Xuan could not help but nod in approval.

Were it to be anyone else in his position, they would have already lost their nerve. However, not only was Luo Xuanqing able to remain perfectly calm, he was even able to instantaneously capitalize on everyone's strengths to craft the ideal plan to cope with the danger they were facing. The geniuses groomed by the Sanctum of Sages were indeed on a whole new level, reacting completely differently from the others in times of danger.

After seeing that everyone had received his commands, Luo Xuanqing bellowed, "Move!"

At the same time, he lifted his hand and closed his palm. As if falling under his control, the surrounding space suddenly turned incredibly viscous, and even the slightest of movements would be met with the greatest of resistance.

"Zhang shi, I'll fend off the wasps for the time being, but I won't be able to last too long like that, so I need you to set up the formation as soon as possible!"

"I understand, just that..." A hint of embarrassment suddenly surfaced on Zhang Xuan's previously solemn face, and he looked at the group around him awkwardly. "Do any of you have grade-8 formation flags?"

He had cleared the 8-star formation master examination just one day ago, and he had not had time to purchase any grade-8 formation flags yet... if he could afford some in the first place, that was.

"You don't even have any formation flags?" Bi Hongyin face twitched upon hearing those words.

The expert formation master whom Luo Xuanqing had specially invited into their group actually had no formation flags at all!

The other members of the group could not help but feel a little light-headed. Their journey had barely started, but everything was already looking so grim.

"Here, take mine!" Exhaling deeply in frustration, Bi Hongyin flicked her wrist and threw roughly five to six hundred formation flags over to Zhang Xuan.

As one who specialized in formations, it was a given that she would bring large quantities of formation flags wherever she went in case of emergencies. Of course, considering that she was a genius from the Demonic Tunist Guild, there was no questioning their quality too.

"Thank you." Zhang Xuan swiftly grabbed all of those flags as he drove his zhenqi.

Sou sou sou!

The next moment, the flags flew out in all direction.

"You..." Seeing how Zhang Xuan tossed all of the flags out without even giving them a second look, Bi Hongyin's face flushed scarlet in fury. "I only have that many flags! If you throw all of them out at once and fail to form a formation, we'll have no choice but to force our way through using brute..."

But before she could finish her sentence, a huge congregation of mist suddenly settled into the surroundings. A formation had been successfully formed and activated.

Grade-8 Aura Isolation Formation, typically used to prevent any noise, shockwaves, or any sort of intangible disturbances from traveling in and out of the formation.

"T-this... He's already done?" Bi Hongyin gulped in awe, but that hardly helped alleviate the hoarseness in her throat.

Not only was she in such a state, even Yun Lianhai and Yuan Xiao were completely dumbstruck as well.

Even though Luo Xuanqing had showered plenty of praise upon Zhang Xuan about how swift he was in setting up formations, the sight before them was still too inconceivable. It was simply beyond the limits of their imagination!

To complete a grade-8 formation within less than a breath... Could 9-star formation masters even set up a grade-8 formation that quickly?

After all, setting up a formation was a very complex business. It involved analyzing the surrounding geographical terrain, environment, strength of the opponent, diffusion of power, and many other factors. Yet, to finish it in the blink of an eye without even assessing any of those conditions... or was his mind capable of processing all of that complex information in an instant?

Recalling that they were still in the midst of a battle, Bi Hongyin swiftly shook herself out of her shock and whipped out her zither, preparing to play an offensive demonic tune. However, she suddenly realized something then, and she widened her eyes in astonishment. "Wait a moment... this formation doesn't seem to have just concealed our presence—it seems to harness the effects of a Beguilement Formation as well. Look, those Crimsontail Wasps are clearly in a disorientated state, traveling aimlessly around the area."

To her shock, she realized that the formation did not just isolate their presence from the rest of the world. It seemed to be trapping all of the Crimsontail Wasps within it as well, not allowing even a single one of them to escape.

This was extremely significant to their current situation. If even a single Crimsontail Wasp got away, they could possibly draw the powerful saint beasts in the valley over to save their comrades.

"Oh. You gave me quite a few flags there. There were still some remaining after I finished the Aura Isolation Formation, so I compounded a Beguilement Formation while I was at it," Zhang Xuan replied with a cheery smile.

"You compounded a Beguilement Formation while you were at it?"

Everyone's cheeks convulsed wildly after hearing how casually Zhang Xuan spoke of the matter.

Within a short span of less than a breath... that fellow actually set up two formations!

And as if that was not enough... the both of them were compounded upon one another!

Overlapping two formations on top of one another was a task that was many times more complicated than just setting up just a single formation. Many more variables and factors had to be taken into account when making the calculations. Even expert formation masters would have to spend several months working with multiple compasses in hand, and yet, that fellow was actually able to achieve it on a whim.

Bi Hongyin felt a searing pain on her cheeks, as if someone had just dealt a tight slap to her face.

She was considered a genius formation master as well, but compared to the other party, she felt like she was not anything at all.

It was almost as if she was a complete amateur standing before a professional.

Yun Lianhai also quickly shook himself out of his shocked state before asking, "With this Beguilement Formation, those Crimsontail Wasps shouldn't be able to get away. With that, we shouldn't have to fight them anymore, right?"

"This..."

The others were dazed for a moment before hurriedly nodding in agreement.

Indeed! Their goal was not to kill these Crimsontail Wasps but to bypass them so that they would not hinder the group from finding the Dongxu Gourd! Since they were already trapped by the Beguilement Formation, there was no reason for them to fight anymore.

They could just walk away, and the disoriented and trapped Crimsontail Wasps would not be able to stop them.

"That won't do." Luo Xuanqing shook his head and said, "A formation that is set up on a whim won't have sufficient spiritual energy to sustain it for too long. Soon, it will run out of energy and deactivate. We might be able to get away from them now, but if we encounter them once more in the depths of the valley, we'll be in a far more dangerous position!"

Formations required a constant input of spiritual energy in order to remain active. This was similar to how a carriage required a horse to drive it. Once the horse ran out of strength, the carriage would not remain moving for long.

The Beguilement Formation might have been able to last for quite a while if it was only trapping one or two Crimsontail Wasps, but there was an entire legion of them in here! Under their furious thrashing, the Beguilement Formation would only deplete its spiritual energy faster than ever. By Luo Xuanqing's estimate, it should be collapsing very soon.

Rather than be placed into an even more dangerous situation later on, it would be much wiser for them to get rid of the threat then and there, while they still had the upper hand.

"Run out of energy? Brother Luo, that won't be a problem. I also noticed that problem while I was setting up the formation earlier, so I compounded a Spirit Gathering Formation on top of that. With the Spirit Gathering Formation drawing in the surrounding spiritual energy to fuel the other formations, I think it should have no trouble running for several hundred years!" Zhang Xuan quickly clarified.

"You even compounded a Spirit Gathering Formation on top of that?"

The others staggered upon hearing those words.

They quickly turned their gazes over to assess the formation, and indeed, it was as sturdy and stable as it could get. It seemed like there was an endless source of spiritual energy fueling its power depletion.

"This..."

The crowd felt as if their minds had just blown up.

A triple compounded formation... and finished in a breath at that. Brother, are you high?

It took a long while before the deeply stifled Luo Xuanqing was able to find his words once more. "Since that's the case, it should be safe for us to leave then..."

He had prepared so many contingency plans, but in the end, he did not get a chance to use any of them at all. Just by throwing out a pile of flags, the young man had already resolved the crisis they were facing. This left him with a crushing feeling of defeat.

"Leave? Isn't it a huge waste to leave behind so many formation flags?" Zhang Xuan blinked in confusion.

These formation flags were of top-notch quality, and every single one of them was worth a bomb! It would be too wasteful to toss away such a huge fortune here!

"What other choice do we have? These Crimsontail Wasps produce poison clouds upon their death. Even if we manage to slaughter every last one of them, we'll also suffer heavy damage," Luo Xuanqing said with a frown.

"Heavy damage? Why would that be the case? There were still some spare formation flags after setting up those three formations, so I decided to add in a Slaughter Formation. It will activate automatically once the formation gathers sufficient spiritual energy. All we have to do is wait here," Zhang Xuan replied with the same cheery smile.

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Chapter 1348: I Am a Physician

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

There were no words that could describe the shock that the other members of the group were feeling.

In fact, they might even have started to feel numb to it already.

There was an exponential rise in the difficulty for each additional formation overlapped on a compounded formation.

Even the most talented of 8-star formation masters that they knew of would require a minimum of four months to set up the most basic grade-8 double compounded formation and sixteen months for the most basic triple compounded formation. As for a quadruple compounded formation... Without at least two decades of work, there was no way one could succeed!

Yet, with just a shake of his hand, the young man before them managed to set up four of them in less than a breath...

His comprehension of formations could not just be defined with the word 'formidable' anymore. It was already beyond their imagination, reaching the realms of 'terrifying'!

Bi Hongyin could not help but ask, "Zhang shi, did you really just clear your 8-star formation master examination just a few days ago?"

"I did. I took it together with Brother Luo, and it was really quite troublesome..." Recalling the examination he had that day, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"Troublesome..." In this instant, Luo Xuanqing was seriously contemplating whether he should never speak to the young man ever again.

From looking through the formation blueprint to activating the formation, it took you only five breaths... and you freaking call that troublesome?

If anyone was troubled by that examination, it should be me!

Even until now, my 8-star formation master emblem hasn't arrived.

"The Slaughter Formation is about to execute!" Zhang Xuan suddenly interjected.

While they were chatting, the Slaughter Formation that he had set up seemed to have absorbed sufficient spiritual energy, and with a brilliant burst of light, it began to whir into action.

The next moment, countless bursts of sword qi shot forth.

All the others could see was innumerable cold glints flashing before all of the Crimsontail Hornets collapsed to the ground, severed into two.

"How powerful..."

Witnessing the might of the Slaughter Formation, the others felt shivers running down their spine.

Even though it was only a grade-8 primary Slaughter Formation, it was complemented by a Beguilement Formation and Spirit Gathering Formation, which raised its prowess to an unbelievable extent. Even for them, they would require a great deal of effort before they could break out of the formation.

"Something is wrong..." Luo Xuanqing suddenly noticed something. "Considering the powerful might of the Slaughter Formation, why are the Crimsontail Wasps floating stationary in the air, allowing the sword qi to slice right through them? Even if their sense of direction has been confounded by the Beguilement Formation, their innate sensitivity to danger should still prompt them to dodge the sword qi!"

"You're right!"

"What's going on?"

Luo Xuanqing's words had jolted everyone into realization as well.

As formidable as a grade-8 Slaughter Formation was, it should not have the power to kill Crimsontail Wasps so easily. Yet, the situation before them... the Crimsontail Wasps were floating around idly, as if they were completely oblivious to the assault of the Slaughter Formation!

This was a really mystifying situation.

"Oh. Regarding that, I had set up an Illusory Formation as well. These Crimsontail Wasps aren't too powerful, and their minds aren't too resilient. As such, they are particularly susceptible to Illusory Formations," Zhang Xuan replied with a light chuckle.

"Again?" Luo Xuanqing's cheeks twitched intensely, and unable to stand it anymore, he asked, "Just how many formations did you compound in here!"

He had only expected Zhang Xuan to set up a single formation to prevent sound and shockwaves of combat from leaking out. Yet, he actually ended up performing far beyond expectations, setting up five formations on top of one another!

Just how many more were in there that they did not know of?

"Well, didn't you all say that the Crimsontail Wasps would release poison clouds upon their death? I implemented a Gathering Formation to channel the poison clouds together. Other than that, I also set up a Compression Formation. Considering how the poison of the Crimsontail Wasps could kill even a Saint 7-dan expert, if I can just extract some, I should be able to sell it for quite a hefty sum!"

Zhang Xuan continued calculating with his fingers. "Oh, there's also a formation to search for the Wasp King. Since that fellow is the king, it's bound to have many valuable parts to it. However, I still am not too sure how powerful the Wasp King is, so out of safety considerations, I set up a Confinement Formation so that I would at least be able to trap it should I fail to kill it. Other than that, there's also a Visibility Formation for us to look through the mist, a Ventilation Formation to ensure that we receive fresh air so that it won't feel too suffocating here. Oh, and not to forget, a Temperature Regulation Formation as well so that we can watch the show comfortably... I think that should be all."

After saying those words, he turned back to the crowd and saw Luo Xuanqing and the others with their mouths wide open. They were all looking at him as if he was a monster.

It took a long while before they managed to recover from their shock, but even so, a stifling sensation still continued to suffocate their chests.

Talking to that fellow felt almost as if they were stabbing a dagger into their own hearts.

Their current feelings could totally be described in five words— Screw this sh*t, I'm out.

"Brother Luo, I heard that the little princess is quite a proficient formation master as well." Bi Hongyin turned to Luo Xuanqing and discreetly asked, "Is she able to set up formations this quickly, too?"

"S-she... She's unable to do it that quickly!" Luo Xuanqing replied while gulping. "But again, my younger sister didn't spend too much time studying each occupation either—she simply masters them too quickly. Well, perhaps except for pill forging I guess."

His younger sister was not just a highly talented cultivator—she also grasped each of the occupations extremely quickly. What took others several decades to master, she could become proficient within just several months and reach the peak.

The only supporting occupation that she was slightly lacking in was pill forging.

This was just like how formations were what he was the worst at. He had to take the 8-star formation master examination three times before he managed to barely scrape by.

"I see..." Bi Hongyin nodded. A moment later, she turned to Zhang Xuan and asked out of curiosity, "Zhang shi, are you proficient in pill forging?"

"I'm afraid I can't really forge pills." Zhang Xuan shook his head dejectedly.

He had a tight grasp over the various theories and knowledge concerning pill forging, but he lacked the skills to put this knowledge into practice. Otherwise, he would not have to engage the help of others each time.

Upon hearing that, the others heaved a sigh of relief.

Considering how monstrous he already was in the field of formations, he would really be inhuman if he was equally formidable in the other supporting occupations.

At the very least, the fact that he could not forge pills showed that he was not infallible.

"Wait a moment, don't you have the 7-star apothecary emblem?" Luo Xuanqing asked with a doubtful frown.

Back then, the fellow had even whipped it out to flaunt to him that he had received the emblem through special application. That was one memory that he would probably never forget.

"Ah, regarding that, I really am unable to forge pills. I only managed to be promoted through clearing the Pill Debate examination," Zhang Xuan explained.

"Pill Debate..." Another bout of light-headedness assaulted Luo Xuanqing. At this point, he really wanted to bang his head on the wall.

There was no apothecary who did not know that Pill Debate was many times more difficult than the pill forging examination!

The clearance rate for the pill forging examination was at least several dozen in a thousand, but there might not even be a single apothecary out of a group of a hundred thousand who would be able to clear the Pill Debate examination!

A moment later, after sensing that the formation was not moving anymore, Zhang Xuan told the other members, "Alright, all of the Crimsontail Wasps are dead."

The others did a swift sweep of their surroundings, too, and as expected, all of the Crimsontail Wasps had collapsed to the ground.

With a quick scanning of his formation, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in excitement. "I have managed to capture the Wasp King too. Let's head over to take a look!"

After which, he hurriedly advanced forward.

Fearing that they would make a misstep and end up being attacked by the formation, the other members of the group followed tightly behind him. Not long later, they saw a withered Crimsontail Wasp floating in the air, seemingly on the verge of death.

In terms of appearance and size, this wasp was actually not much different from the others, making it nigh impossible to differentiate it from the rest.

Zhang Xuan activated his Eye of Insight to conduct a closer examination of the Wasp King.

While the other Crimsontail Wasps were at Saint 3-dan to 4-dan, the Wasp King wielded a cultivation of Saint 6-dan Grand Dominion realm pinnacle.

"The Wasp King's poison is too strong; I think it would be best to just kill it so that needless trouble doesn't arise from this," Luo Xuanqing proposed.

Even ordinary Crimsontail Wasps could kill Saint 7-dan experts when sufficient poison built up. Given how this one was able to become the Wasp King, its poison was bound to be far more potent. Just to be safe, it would be best to kill it quickly.

After all, it would be a disaster if any single one of them was pricked.

"Yes, its poison is indeed rather potent!" Zhang Xuan nodded as he reached out to grab the Crimsontail Wasp between his forefinger and middle finger.

"Be careful!" Seeing that Zhang Xuan actually used his bare hands to grab the Wasp King, cold sweat immediately trickled down everyone's back.

Weng!

At that moment, an unexpected change occurred. The seemingly debilitated Wasp King dived forward, and the venomous sting on its tail shot straight toward Zhang Xuan's skin.

Puhe!

A small incision was made on Zhang Xuan's forefinger, and the venom immediately flowed into his bloodstream.

The Wasp King had actually been feigning weakness all along! As soon as it saw that Zhang Xuan was going to grab it, it immediately leaped up to retaliate!

"That's the Wasp King's Lifebound Venomous Sting! Its known to be lethal to even Saint 8-dan cultivators. This is really bad. There's no antidote in the world for it!"

Seeing how Zhang Xuan had ended up being stung in his moment of negligence, everyone's face paled in fright.

The Crimsontail Wasp's Lifebound Venomous Sting was a weapon that even 8-star pinnacle physicians were helpless before, and any cultivator of Saint 8-dan and beneath would die within moments after being stung.

Without a doubt, the countdown to the death of this genius formation master had already started ticking.

Padah!

While everyone was panicking, the Wasp King suddenly collapsed to the ground. It convulsed twice before breathing its last breath. Even at its death, its eyes were widened in indignation.

"The Wasp King... has been poisoned to death?"

Everyone leaped in shock.

It was apparent from the situation that not only did the Wasp King fail to poison Zhang Xuan, it even ended up being poisoned to death instead.

"This..." Zhang Xuan scratched his head awkwardly, unsure of how he should explain the situation.

The Wasp King's assault was so sudden that he did not even have the time to react before the sting was plunged into his finger. At the same time, the Heaven's Path zhenqi flowing through his body also ended up entering the Wasp King's body, and as a result of that... the Wasp King died.

"You are a poison master?"

Everyone turned to Zhang Xuan with shocked faces.

"I..." Zhang Xuan was at a loss as to what to say.

The Wasp King attempted to poison him, only to be poisoned to death instead. This situation had unfolded right before their eyes, so there was very little he could say to vindicate himself.

"If I said that it died on its own, would you believe me?" Zhang Xuan asked hesitantly.

The others shook their heads.

"Alright, I'll tell you the truth then." Driving his state of mind, Zhang Xuan calmly explained, "Actually... I am a physician! Prior to entering the valley, I swallowed some antidotes. The Wasp King tried to kill me, but it ended up being afflicted by the poison of the antidote I consumed, thus resulting in its death."

Poison masters were capable of poisoning others to death, and so could physicians.

It was just that the former specialized in the concocting of poison whereas the latter sought to create medicine. Nevertheless, both occupations still intersected at some points.

"Physician?"

"Antidote? Just what kind of antidote could possibly poison the Wasp King to death?"

The others frowned in disbelief.

"It's this one." Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out a pill.

"This one?"

The others took the pill and examined it closely. Before long, deep frowns were etched onto their foreheads.

No matter how they looked at it, it was only an ordinary antidote pill. Could such a thing really be able to poison even the Wasp King to death?

"If you don't believe me, you can give it a try. There are many poisonous substances in the area, so you can just take a few breaths here and there to test the potency of the antidote." Zhang Xuan shrugged.

"Forget it... we'll believe that you are a physician."

The eyebrows of the others twitched upon hearing Zhang Xuan's words.

Who in the right mind would willingly ingest poison, even to test out the effects of an antidote pill?

In any case, every single one of them had their own secrets keep. There was no reason for them to pursue the matter to the very end.

"Alright, let's go then." Seeing that the others had given up on interrogating him, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. With a wave of his hand, he swiftly retracted the formation flags in the surroundings, and after a moment of hesitation, he eventually decided to chuck the carcass of the Wasp King into his storage ring as well.

While the carcass of the Wasp King was not of much use to him, he could always use it to deal with others.

After retracting the formation flags, their surroundings returned to absolute silence. It seemed like their earlier battle did not draw the attention of other saint beasts.

The group heaved a sigh of relief.

Holding the antidote that Zhang Xuan had passed them tightly, Luo Xuanqing hesitated for a moment before carefully storing it in a jade bottle. After which, he hurriedly headed to the front of the group once more and began leading the way forward.

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Chapter 1349: Soulbinding Golden Bead

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"These are your formation flags." With a wave of his hand, Zhang Xuan passed the pile of formation flags back to Bi Hongyin.

"You can keep them for the time being. They are much better off with you than with me," Bi Hongyin replied.

After witnessing the other party's proficiency in formations, she knew that the formation flags would be put to much better use in the other party's hands.

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. "Thank you."

These formation flags were indeed of much use to him.

If he could only kill a Half-Phantasmal Space expert with his current strength, with these formation flags in hand, as long as he could catch the enemy off-guard, even a Phantasmal Space realm intermediate stage expert could be cornered by him!

After their previous encounter with the Crimsontail Wasps, the group was far more careful than before.

They continued advancing deeper into the valley for four hours straight.

Within those four hours, they got into several small skirmishes with saint beasts, but thanks to Zhang Xuan's formations and the superior fighting prowess of the group, it did not take them too much effort to resolve those situations.

At some point in time, Luo Xuanqing suddenly stopped behind a massive boulder and gestured to the area ahead of him. "The Dongxu Gourd is located in the cavern just ahead."

Tracing the trajectory of the valley, the others soon saw an average-sized cavern appearing before their eyes. Due to the lush vines that grew along the cliff, the entrance was concealed to the point that only small slits could be seen. If one did not pay close attention, one would have overlooked the presence of the cavern easily.

"This place... doesn't seem to be any different from the other areas though," Bi Hongyin said with a confused frown.

In her view, there was nothing unique about the cavern. There was no astoundingly powerful aura or concentration of spiritual energy. It felt no different from the other parts of the mountain range.

Would something as valuable as the Dongxu Gourd really be inside?

"That's because there's an Aura Isolation Formation around his cavern. Otherwise, someone else would have long harvested the Dongxu Gourd," Luo Xuanqing said.

The others also nodded in agreement after hearing these words.

Indeed. If the cavern emanated a powerful aura or had a high concentration of spiritual energy, even the saint beasts would have charged in upon noticing it to dig out the treasure within.

"Let's head in then. Why are we waiting out here?" Yun Lianhai urged excitedly.

As a qualified treasure hunter, his blood raced in exhilaration upon hearing that the treasure was right before them.

"We can't head in right now. We have to wait till nighttime," Luo Xuanqing informed the group through zhenqi telepathy.

"Nighttime? Why?" Yun Lianhai was baffled by Luo Xuanqing's words.

The others also could not understand why Luo Xuanqing wanted to wait till nighttime before making a move. One must know that they were currently in the midst of a valley where Saint 8-dan beasts lurked. Every additional second there put them in greater danger.

"A Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast lives in the cavern," Luo Xuanqing explained.

"Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast?"

Bi Hongyin and the others narrowed their eyes in astonishment.

Noting the changes in the expressions of those around him, Zhang Xuan could not help but ask, "Is it a really formidable saint beast?"

So far, his knowledge of beast taming had only reached 6-star. While he had read quite a variety of books and come to learn of some of the more formidable saint beasts, he still was not too well-versed with the rarer and more elusive saint beasts.

"The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast is a saint beast that possesses the bloodline of the Dragon Tribe. Just by reaching maturity, they would already achieve a strength on par with Saint 8-dan experts," Yuan Xiao explained grimly.

"Saint 8-dan?" Zhang Xuan's expression turned grave.

To be honest, he had never seen a saint beast of that tier before.

If he could just tame one of those, he would stand a much better chance in the struggle against the Zhang Clan for Luo Ruoxin.

"Indeed. Even with all of our strengths combined, we won't be a match for that fellow, so it would be best for us to wait till nighttime so as to not draw its attention," Luo Xuanqing said grimly.

Due to their innate talents and superior physical prowess, Saint 8-dan beasts tended to wield fighting prowess far stronger than Saint 8-dan cultivators. Even though they were offspring of powerful clans and organizations, possessing multiple means up their sleeves, they were still insufficient to deal with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast.

"Saint beasts of that tier should possess a keen awareness of their surroundings and be able to perceive even the slightest disturbance in their surroundings. Is there any difference between entering now and at nighttime?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Saint beasts would also unlock their Spiritual Perception at Saint 2-dan, allowing them to be impervious to the reduced visibility of nighttime. At Saint 8-dan, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast could be considered one of the strongest saint beasts in the world, so what difference would day and night make to it?

"It's because I have this artifact." Luo Xuanqing flicked his wrist, and a jade container appeared in his palm. He pried it open lightly, and a ray of brilliant light flickered out.

Sitting at the center of the jade container was a golden bead. It was made of a material that Zhang Xuan could not recognize, but its radiance was amazing.

"What is it?" Bi Hongyin asked.

It seemed like Zhang Xuan was not the only one who did not recognize what the golden bead was.

"This is a Soulbinding Golden Bead that I had someone specially craft for me," Luo Xuanqing replied.

"Soulbinding Golden Bead?"

"The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast possesses the Dragon Bloodline, and due to that, it's particularly sensitive to golden, shiny objects. So, I specially had this artifact forged so as to capture its attention. Look at the formation marks inscribed on top of it. It's carved in a way to induce drowsiness if one stares at it for an extended period of time," Luo Xuanqing explained.

"However, in the day, sunlight would compromise the effectiveness of the Soulbinding Golden Bead, making it harder to draw the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast's attention. So, it would be best to wait till nighttime."

The crowd nodded in realization.

It was no secret that those of the Dragon Bloodline possessed a crazed fancy for objects that were particularly shiny or dazzling. As long as they used the Soulbinding Golden Bead well, it could indeed lead to exceptional results.

Once they lulled the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast to sleep, they would be able to bypass it safely as long as they proceeded carefully.

"Brother Luo, can you allow me to examine your Soulbinding Golden Bead?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Here you go," Luo Xuanqing said as he tossed the golden bead over.

Catching it, Zhang Xuan began examining it closely.

He had to admit that it was an exquisite work. The person who had forged the bead must have been an 8-star celestial designer at the very minimum.

Flaws!

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

"Soulbinding Golden Bead, forged by 8-star Celestial Designer Jiang Feifei..."

The book detailed the origin of the Soulbinding Golden Bead, its effects, and its flaws.

Seeing that Zhang Xuan was studying the Soulbinding Golden Bead closely, Luo Xuanqing asked in curiosity, "Zhang shi, are you well-versed in the artifacts of celestial designers too?"

"I have read quite a few books regarding that, so I do know a thing or two about that field." Zhang Xuan nodded.

He was still a 6-star celestial designer at the moment, not having taken the examination ever since leaving the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy.

6-star celestial designers could already be considered professionals in the field, but in comparison with the true experts in the Sanctum of Sages, his mastery and knowledge could only be considered minor at the very most.

"Oh? Since you are well-versed in celestial designer artifacts too, what do you think about my Soulbinding Golden Bead?" Luo Xuanqing asked in interest.

Since there was some time to waste before nighttime, he was curious to see how much this genius formation master knew about celestial designing.

Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before speaking up. "Judging from the exquisiteness of the work, I deduce that this artifact was forged by an 8-star celestial designer. However, as exquisite as the work is, there are still quite a number of flaws in it, so I am a little apprehensive as to whether it will be sufficient to deal with a Saint 8-dan beast or not."

He had to admit that the Soulbinding Golden Bead was well-designed, such that it could easily lull any Saint 7-dan beasts to sleep. However, if it was used against a Saint 8-dan beast... it probably would not be that simple.

"I spent a heavy price to get the genius celestial designer of the Inner Sanctum to forge it for me. There are no saint beasts possessing the Dragon Bloodline that could resist its allure and remain unfazed by the effects of the formation marks on it," Luo Xuanqing declared confidently.

Out of safety consideration, he had even had the elders in his clan appraise the Soulbinding Golden Bead after it was forged, and the response he had received was that it was highly effective against Saint 8-dan beasts.

"The formation marks do harness the secrets of the soul, which makes it highly hypnotizing to humans. However, I can't say for sure whether it'll have the same effectiveness when used on a saint beast. After all, the soul of a beast is vastly different to the soul of a human. When you engaged the help of the genius celestial designer, did you tell the person that you were intending to use the artifact to deal with a Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"This..." Luo Xuanqing was taken aback by Zhang Xuan's questioning.

As this involved the confidentiality of his mission to acquire the Dongxu Gourd, he had only told Jiang Feifei that he was intending to use the Soulbinding Golden Bead to deal with a Saint 8-dan expert, not specifying the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast in his request.

He had thought that as long as it could work on Saint 8-dan experts, it should not have any trouble with saint beasts too!

"In proportion to their physical mass, saint beasts tend to possess larger and stronger souls than humans. Nevertheless, as long as the Soulbinding Golden Bead is well-used, it's not entirely impossible for it to lull the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast to sleep. However, it would probably require quite some time, so it might not be as convenient as you thought it to be," Zhang Xuan said.

"As long as it succeeds in lulling the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast to sleep, the duration doesn't matter!" Luo Xuanqing shook his head.

As long as he could knock out that massive fellow, what would an additional hour or two matter?

He had already made half a year of preparations for the Dongxu Gourd; another day or two would not make a difference to him.

Zhang Xuan was silent for a moment before replying. "Considering that it's a Saint 8-dan beast we are dealing with, every second will spell a greater degree of danger. What I'm trying to say here is that if you have any other alternative means, it would be best to use it instead. Counting solely on the Soulbinding Golden Bead won't be a safe option."

Standing before a Saint 8-dan beast was almost equivalent to being in the same room as a ticking time bomb. It would be one thing if they succeeded in lulling the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast to sleep, but what if they were to fail?

"Alternative means? Can you forge an even better Soulbinding Golden Bead?" Luo Xuanqing asked impatiently.

Zhang Xuan shook his head in response.

Due to the limited number of celestial designer books he had read, he was not too sure what he could do to resolve the flaws in the Soulbinding Golden Bead.

"Then, what's the point of saying so much? I had to look through many books before I was able to discover this method to deal with saint beasts possessing the Dragon Bloodline. Alright, there's no need to say anything more. Let's just give it a try first. If it doesn't work out, we'll just have to resort to forceful measures. Even if we are unable to kill the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, as long as we can stall it for a few hours, we should still be able to harvest the Dongxu Gourd," Luo Xuanqing said.

In any case, his goal was to obtain the Dongxu Gourd, not to kill the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast. Even if they could not knock out the latter, as long they could find a way to stall it for some time, it was still possible for them to succeed in their mission.

"Alright then." Having no better solution in mind either, Zhang Xuan could only go along with the current plan.

The group continued discussing for some time to sort out their plan to deal with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast. Just as they were about to rest up to prepare themselves for the battle later in the night, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows suddenly shot up. "Someone is here."

"Someone is here?"

The crowd frowned.

They were all Saint 7-dan experts, but even they did not perceive anyone's presence. How would the young man know?

"I left some small formations while making my way here. As long as someone comes into their vicinity, they will activate and alert me," Zhang Xuan explained.

His Spiritual Perception was far larger than that of ordinary cultivators, but of course, he could not possibly tell them that. So, he could only find another excuse.

"Who is it?" Luo Xuanqing asked.

"I don't know either. They are currently making their way over here. They should be emerging from behind that boulder over there soon," Zhang Xuan said as he pointed behind him.

Luo Xuanqing immediately turned around to stare at the boulder behind him, and right after, a couple of figures emerged from behind the boulder.

"It's him?" Luo Xuanqing's face immediately turned livid.

"Who are they?" Zhang Xuan asked.

Luo Xuanqing clenched his fists tightly and narrowed his eyes. "They're from the Zhang Clan... Zhang Heng!"

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Chapter 1350: I'll Poison Him to Death

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Zhang Heng? Why is he here?" Yuan Xiao's face immediately darkened.

Bi Hongyin and the others also frowned upon hearing that name.

"He is...?" Zhang Xuan asked in confusion.

Of the Zhang Clan members, he had only heard of Zhang Yu and the young prodigy. He had never heard of Zhang Heng before.

"Brother Luo and Zhang Heng are geniuses who entered the Sanctum of Sages in the same cohort. They have always competed with one another, and their relationship..." Yuan Xiao took a glance at Luo Xuanqing before whispering with a suppressed voice, "They are not too amiable!"

"Not too amiable?" Hearing those words, Bi Hongyin burst out laughing. "More like mortal enemies! No matter what they do, they just have to compare with and outdo the other. If Luo Xuanqing destroys a hall, that fellow would run off to destroy two. Just think of all the trouble they have caused throughout the years!"

"This..." She did not bother lowering her voice, so Luo Xuanqing heard her words loud and clear. His face immediately reddened in embarrassment. He wanted to retort, but he found that there was nothing he could say.

"Destroys a hall? You are saying that Brother Luo's reputation of being a King of Destruction... is intentional?" Zhang Xuan was shocked.

"Of course not!" Luo Xuanqing harrumphed in displeasure. "It's just that... I was too focused on winning and forgot to hold back a little..."

"Too focused on winning?"

"If Zhang Heng clears a trial in ten minutes, Luo Xuanqing would desperately do everything he could to clear the trial in nine minutes. Of course, there's no way he would be able to control himself when he's going all out!" Bi Hongyin uttered leisurely.

It was indeed hard to control one's strength when one was attempting to break a record, so it was inevitable that mishaps would occur.

Looking back, Zhang Xuan found that even though he had caused a fair bit of destruction as well, he was at least in control of himself. He never caused trouble for the sake of it, and more often than not, they were all freak accidents resulting from unfortunate coincidences or misunderstandings.

In comparison to Luo Xuanqing, he felt like he was just a gentle lamb.

"If that's the case, does this mean that Zhang Heng heard news about the Dongxu Gourd and came here to stick his nose into the matter as well?" Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.

Given that Zhang Heng and Luo Xuanqing were rivals of one another, their cultivation was likely around the same level as one another. If Zhang Heng was really there to meddle in the matter, things could get really troublesome for them.

"Don't worry, I have only told you about the matter concerning the Dongxu Gourd. There's no way he could know about that. He's here for something completely different," Luo Xuanqing replied confidently.

"Oh?"

The others were slightly surprised by Luo Xuanqing's words.

What other business would Zhang Heng have there other than the Dongxu Gourd? The Sanctum of Sages was at least several million li away, so he could not possibly have been there to sightsee, could he?

"Look at the group with him. Zhao Xun and Zhao Yi from the Beast Tamer Hall, Li Heng from the Celestial Designer Guild, and Yu Wen from the Physician Guild here—if I'm not mistaken, he's here to tame a saint beast," Luo Xuanqing replied.

"Tame a saint beast?" Yun Lianhai pondered for a moment before widening his eyes in realization. "Now that you mention it, I do remember hearing something related to that. Not too long ago, Zhang Heng posted a beast taming mission, offering three Jade Spirit Essence for helpers to aid him in the taming of a saint beast that possesses the Dragon Bloodline. Could it be that the saint beast he is hoping to tame is the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast?"

"I also recall something like that!"

Everyone was taken aback by those words.

Even Zhang Xuan was slightly surprised.

A few days ago, Sun Qiang had told him that there was a beast tamer mission that offered generous rewards. He had intended to take it up, but he had eventually forgotten about the matter because he was in a rush to report for the Elite Division. Who would have thought that the mission was actually posted by Zhang Heng!

More importantly... to think that they would meet one another here!

"That seems to be the case!" Luo Xuanqing said as a sharp glint flashed across his eyes.

"That's way too much of a coincidence!"

"Indeed! Just as we were planning to deal with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, they suddenly arrived here to tame it. Brother Luo, could this actually be your doing?"

Everyone quickly turned their gazes toward Luo Xuanqing.

Considering how many saint beasts there were in the world, it was far too much of a coincidence for them to meet one another in somewhere as remote as this. It was hard to believe that Luo Xuanqing did not play a part in orchestrating this matter.

"Who else could it be?" Luo Xuanqing's lips crept up gleefully. "That fellow constantly keeps a tab on my whereabouts. So, I knew that it was only a matter of time before he found out what I'm up to no matter how discreet I am. In order to prevent the secret of the Dongxu Gourd from getting out, I went around buying beast taming tools and had the Soulbinding Golden Bead forged so as to create an image that my goal is to tame the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast. Who could have known that fool would really fall for my ploy?"

The crowd glanced at one another.

Such a thing was possible?

But thinking again, everything made sense.

There had always been bad blood between the both of them, so it was only natural that Zhang Heng would attempt to sabotage Luo Xuanqing's efforts after learning that the latter was intending to tame a Saint 8-dan beast.

"Smart!" Zhang Xuan remarked.

This was truly two birds in a stone. Not only did he manage to turn Zhang Heng's attention away from his real goal, he even managed to get the latter to clear away the danger for him!

Regardless of whether Zhang Heng would successfully tame the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast in the end or not, he would surely be a great aid to them by helping them distract the latter's attention, thus opening a gap for them to sneak past the latter.

As expected of an offspring of the Luo Clan, his future brother-in-law sure was skilled in scheming against others. Hidden beneath his reckless, brash exterior was a calculative, black-hearted soul!

After coming to realize what was happening, Yun Lianhai's eyes glowed in respect as he asked, "Since he's intending to tame the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, should we hide ourselves and wait for the two to engage one another first before heading in?"

He had been feeling a little apprehensive about how they would deal with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast should the Soulbinding Golden Bead fail to work its wonders. Since Zhang Heng was willing to confront that beast in their place, they were more than willing to sit back and enjoy the show.

"That won't do either." Luo Xuanqing shook his head. "I have competed with Zhang Heng for many years, and as much as I hate to admit it, I can roughly fathom his train of thoughts. Most likely, he realized that I was on my way here, so he quickly chased over here as well. He will become suspicious if I am nowhere to be seen. Furthermore, if he chooses to explore the cavern further, there's a good chance that he will notice the existence of the Dongxu Gourd as well."

"What should we do then?" Yun Lianhai asked.

"Simple," Luo Xuanqing said with a sharp glint in his eyes, "aren't they intending to tame the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast? We'll act as if we are hindering them while luring the saint beast over to them. Once they have their hands preoccupied with it, we will be able to do whatever we want!"

"Good idea!"

The others quickly gave their approval to that course of action.

Since they were putting on a show, they should go all the way.

Since you are here, don't you think that you will be letting down the audience if you don't make a move?

So, why don't I set the stage for you?

It will be two birds with one stone like that. Not only will your vanity and pride be satisfied, I can also reap the fruits of victory at the same time.

It was apparent that Luo Xuanqing had an idea in mind from how confident he was, so Zhang Xuan asked, "Brother Luo, do you have a plan in mind?"

"Of course!" Luo Xuanqing nodded. "My plan is for us to split into two teams. One team will aim to hinder their advancement whereas the other will engage the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast and act as if they are trying to tame it. Once Zhang Heng realizes that I am a step ahead of him, he will surely panic and hurriedly make a move... and the rest will be simple!"

The others nodded upon hearing his plan.

Considering that Zhang Heng 'knew' that Luo Xuanqing was there to tame the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, he would surely realize that something was off if Luo Xuanqing allowed him to engage it without hindering him. Since that was the case, it would be best for them to struggle a bit and enrage the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast while they were at it before passing the mess over to Zhang Heng.

With Zhang Heng's strength and means, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast would not be able to kill him. However, it would be able to give him a hell of a time and stall him, thus preventing him from stopping them from obtaining the Dongxu Gourd.

"Since everyone agrees that there's no problem with this, I'll start making arrangements."

Seeing that the crowd approved of his idea, Luo Xuanqing first turned to Zhang Xuan and Yuan Xiao and said, "The two of you will proceed ahead to engage the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast. Yuan Xiao, you possess stronger defense so you should take the front line whereas Zhang shi will support you from the back with his formations.

"If that bastard Zhang Heng hasn't appeared, we still might have some trouble dealing with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, but since he just has to stick a leg into my business, there's no need for us to hold back agaisnt him anymore. Try to make the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast as angry as you can later on, we'll find a way to make Zhang Heng take over. Got it?"

"Un." Zhang Xuan and Yuan Xiao nodded.

The instruction was actually rather simple. He and Yuan Xiao were in charge of pulling the aggro of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast until Zhang Heng's group appeared.

"As for Hongyin and Lianhai, follow me. We'll be engaging Zhang Heng and his group. Remember, we must try our best to stop them from advancing!" Luo Xuanqing said.

After saying those words, he began making his way over Zhang Heng's group, and Bi Hongyin and Yun Lianhai followed behind.

"We should make a move, too." Seeing that the others had left, Yuan Xiao walked past the boulder and carefully entered the cavern.

"Zhang shi, you should set up your formation over here first. It doesn't have to be too strong, just sufficient to trap the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast for a short while. Meanwhile, I'll try to draw it out of the cavern and into your formation. That should suffice for our part," Yuan Xiao told Zhang Xuan telepathically as he proceeded ahead.

Zhang Xuan nodded in response.

That was indeed the simplest way to go around doing that. Their goal was not to tame or kill but to anger that huge fellow.

"After trapping the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, we'll have to rush over to assist Luo Xuanqing and the others. Zhang Heng isn't a weak opponent; even in the Inner Sanctum, he is considered one of the strongest experts! The battle between the both of them is spectacular even by the standards of the Inner Sanctum. I'm sure you'll be able to learn a lot from spectating their battle," Yuan Xiao said with a hint of excitement in his voice.

Cultivators loved to watch duels between true experts as they were a good opportunity for them to reflect on themselves and learn new things.

Luo Xuanqing and Zhang Heng were figures who stood at the very top of the Inner Sanctum, so naturally, a fight between them was worth watching.

"Alright." Zhang Xuan nodded indifferently.

To be honest, he was not too interested in the fight between the two of them. As his cultivation had not reached Saint 7-dan yet, there were bound to be many details that he would not really be able to make sense of.

Besides, he would definitely have to invoke the Library of Heaven's Path in the midst of watching the battle, and he was certain that he would feel so disgusted that he might even puke once he saw all of those ridiculous flaws in their techniques.

"What? You aren't interested?" Seeing through Zhang Xuan's thoughts, Yuan Xiao chuckled. "Are you thinking that a fight between the both of them will just be another ordinary spar? You are greatly mistaken then. Whenever the two of them cross blows, each and every single move they make is sharp and deadly!"

"Sharp and deadly?" Zhang Xuan was astounded. "Just what kind of grudge do they have to go that far?"

As fellow students, surely there could not be a reason for such animosity.

"You are really unaware of the matter? Well, I guess that's to be expected, considering how you have only arrived at the Sanctum of Sages a couple of days ago," Yuan Xiao said with a nod.

He swiftly scanned his surroundings, and after confirming that there was no one around, he said with a hushed voice, "According to rumors within the Sanctum of Sages, it's said that Zhang Heng intends to court the little princess of the Luo Clan... Wait, where are you going?"

Before Yuan Xiao could finish his story, the young man behind him suddenly turned around and left.

"I'm going to poison that Zhang Heng to death!" Zhang Xuan uttered coldly.

"..." Yuan Xiao.

Chapter 1351: The Shameless Zhang Clan

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Despite being filled with indignation, Zhang Xuan eventually decided against going. With a deep frown, he asked in a doubtful voice, "Isn't the little princes of the Luo Clan already engaged to the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan? As an offspring of the Zhang Clan, does that Zhang Chun really intend to vie for his clan head's bride?"

"He definitely wouldn't dare do something as brazen as vying for his clan head's bride, just that... the young prodigy has been missing for a very long time, and there are... some rumors going around."

Yuan Xiao warily scanned his surroundings once more, and after confirming again and again that there was no one eavesdropping on their conversation, he secretly sent a telepathic message to Zhang Xuan. "It's said that even if the young prodigy doesn't appear by the third month of the next year, the Zhang Clan will still send an outstanding offspring with pure bloodline of around the same age to complete the marriage ceremony... and Zhang Chun happens to be in the list of candidates! In the end, what's important is for the marriage to go through, by hook or by crook."

"There's actually such a matter?" Zhang Xuan's face reddened in fury, and he nearly exploded on the spot.

Even though he had been displeased about Luo Ruoxin's engagement with the young prodigy in the past, he had still been able to reluctantly tolerate it given that both parties were top-notch geniuses from their respective clans.

But the young prodigy was simply showing blatant disrespect for Luo Ruoxin over here. Not only did he disappear irresponsibly into thin air, he even wanted to find others to replace him in the engagement!

That was far too much!

It was not like Luo Ruoxin was a commodity for sale! Did the Zhang Clan think that just anyone would be worthy of her?

How could the number one Sage Clan of the Master Teacher Continent be so shameless?

If I have a chance to visit the Zhang Clan, I swear that I'll raise up a storm there or else my surname isn't Zhang! Zhang Xuan vowed in his heart with gritted teeth.

"But again, that is only hearsay. I can't guarantee its authenticity, so do take it with a pinch of salt," Yuan Xiao explained with a frown upon noticing that something was wrong with Zhang Xuan's complexion.

"The little princess of the Luo Clan isn't just supremely talented; she's also renowned for her unparalleled beauty as well. There's no one who wouldn't be charmed by her after catching a glimpse of her allure. Zhang Chun had the honor of meeting her once, so I guess it wouldn't be too surprising for him to be infatuated with her. And as you know, Luo Xuanqing is an overly-affectionate brother. How could he remain calm upon seeing that Zhang Chun is lusting over his younger sister? Due to that, whenever they start fighting, there's no one who can pull them apart."

Recalling the previous few times that the two of them battled with one another, Yuan Xiao could not help but cower a little.

Even though he boasted nigh invincible defense, he knew that he would be no match for Luo Xuanqing once the latter activated his bloodline ability.

The reason that human-shaped tornado had left so many managerial elders with a splitting headache was not just due to his aptitude in causing destruction. More importantly, it was due to the overwhelming fighting prowess he commanded.

Suppressing the fury in his heart, Zhang Xuan waved his hand. "Got it. I'll set up a formation here, so you just have to lure the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast over, and I'll immediately activate the formation to have it trapped temporarily."

That fellow dared lust over his girlfriend? He would have to see just how formidable that fellow was! If that fellow was not up to standards, he would have him poisoned to death!

It happened that he had just acquired the poison essence of the Crimsontail Wasp King, so he could poison even a Saint 8-dan expert to death. Considering how Zhang Chun was roughly around the same cultivation realm as Luo Xuanqing, he should not be able to withstand the effects of the poison either.

"Alright." Yuan Xiao nodded. With a grim look, he lowered his body and began rolling toward the cavern as a round ball.

Upon reaching the entrance of the cavern, he had to struggle a bit before he could squeeze his way in.

After seeing that Yuan Xiao had entered the cavern, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath before waving his hand, and several hundred formation flags immediately floated into the air.

Due to the limitations of his cultivation, he was only able to set up grade-8 primary formations. Anything beyond that would be putting far too great a strain on his strength.

But the problem was that it was impossible to trap a Saint 8-dan beast without a grade-8 intermediate or even advanced formation!

My cultivation is still far too lacking...

If one were to just look at Zhang Xuan's current understanding of formations, setting up a grade-8 pinnacle would not pose a problem to him. In fact, even grade-9 primary formations would not be too much trouble. However, his lacking cultivation was a problem that no amount of understanding of formations could resolve.

In order to set up a grade-8 intermediate formation, he would require the ability to construct Phantasm Space. No amount of zhenqi could substitute that.

Zhang Xuan's mind quickly spun into action, and in just the blink of an eye, a formation surfaced in his thoughts. It's not viable for me to set up a formation to confine the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast in for long, but if it's just trapping it for an hour or so... I should be able to do it with the Ptilopsis Confinement Formation!

Even though the Ptilopsis Confinement Formation was just a grade-8 primary formation, it had the remarkable ability to seal all of one's senses, and this included Spiritual Perception. Those who stepped into its area of effect would find themselves plunged into complete darkness, leaving a feeling of helplessness and despair arising from the bottom of their hearts.

It was said that the elder who designed the formation had once captured 108 owl-type saint beasts that were adept in navigating through the darkness. By the time his formation was constructed, every single one of them was trapped within it, unable to escape.

It was not particularly effective against human cultivators, who could navigate their way through using a compass or the sort, but it was definitely a powerful weapon to deal with saint beasts. Of course, he would be being too optimistic to think that it could trap a Saint 8-dan beast for too long, but an hour should not be too difficult.

I'll choose this one then! Zhang Xuan swiftly imagined a few scenarios to gauge the viability of this course of action, and he eventually came to the conclusion that the Ptilopsis Confinement Formation was the most suitable one of the formations that he could construct.

Thus, he flicked his fingers.

Sou sou sou sou!

Formation flags darted across the air, falling into place in the surroundings. They dived forcefully into the various gaps in the nearby boulders or soil, disappearing from sight.

It did not matter whether formation flags were located above ground or underground. As long as they accurately harnessed the flow of spiritual energy from the surroundings, there would not be too much difference in the prowess of the formation.

After this was done, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief and began waiting patiently for Yuan Xiao to return with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast.

But after waiting for roughly ten minutes or so, Yuan Xiao still did not appear. A frown emerged on Zhang Xuan's forehead.

All Yuan Xiao has to do is pull the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast over, should it really take such a long time?

I should head over to take a look!

Deciding to check out the situation, Zhang Xuan began making his way over to the cavern. However, before he could even walk through the entrance, an overpowering shockwave suddenly burst forth from within.

His eyes narrowed in alarm, and he hurriedly executed the Unbounded Voyager and retreated from the scene.

Peng!

However, Zhang Xuan's reaction was still a little too slow. The powerful shockwave struck him forcefully from the back.

Pu!

A sweet sensation gripped his throat, and he was sent flying into the nearby cliff, smashing out a huge hole in it.

From the impact of the collision, Zhang Xuan felt his entire body being strained to its limits. The muscles throughout his body were mostly torn, and it felt as if his bones were on the verge of being shattered into innumerable pieces. A pain that was so excruciating that it seemed to stab right into his soul assaulted him.

It was just a brief instant, but Zhang Xuan had already sustained severe injuries. If not for his recent breakthroughs—especially the enhancement of his physical resilience through the cultivation of the Heaven's Path Golden Body, which made his body as strong as a half-Saint high-tier artifact—there was a good chance that he might have died on the spot.

"Who is it?" Zhang Xuan roared as he swiftly drove his Heaven's Path zhenqi to heal his injuries.

At the same time, he pushed his palm against the wall to turn himself around, wanting to see who the culprit was. However, before he managed to do so, he suddenly felt goosebumps rising all over his body once more. Another shockwave wielding crushing might was pressing down on him.

It seemed like the other party was intent on forcing him into a corner.

"Damn it!" Knowing that he could very well lose his life if this shockwave were to strike him, Zhang Xuan hurriedly activated his Dominion.

With his cultivation reaching Leaving Aperture pinnacle, his Dominion no longer spanned over a radius of one meter. Instead, just like a normal Grand Dominion realm primary stage cultivator, it covered a radius of five meters around him.

On top of that, the power of his Dominion was extremely compact, making it far stronger than a Grand Dominion realm primary stage cultivator's.

The emergence of his Dominion managed the incoming attack significantly, but before Zhang Xuan could heave a sigh of relief, cracks suddenly began creeping across his Dominion.

Kacha! Kacha!

They swiftly consumed his entire Dominion before eventually shattering it with a resounding explosion.

Pu!

Another spurt of fresh blood spilled forth from Zhang Xuan's mouth as the incoming shockwave pushed him further into the cliff, threatening to reduce him into a lump of meat paste.

The other party is simply too strong! At the very least, they must be a Saint 7-dan pinnacle expert! Zhang Xuan thought as a chilling sensation arose in his heart.

After the two consecutive blows they had traded, it was apparent that Zhang Xuan was in an absolutely disadvantageous position. In fact, he did not even manage to catch who his opponent was throughout the entire encounter.

This deeply reminded him of the plight that he had been in when he first met Luo Chengxin.

In face of the devastating strength that the other party wielded, Zhang Xuan found a hint of helplessness arising in his heart.

"Just who in the world are you?" Knowing that there was no time to be wasted, Zhang Xuan flicked his hand as he roared, "Puppets, block him!"

Hu la!

The hundred or so puppets he had in his storage ring immediately emerged in the area.

These were the puppets that he had managed to tame from the Vicious of the Northern Marshlands.

While most of them were only at the Leaving Aperture realm, their combined strength was still a sight to behold!

Boom!

As soon as the puppets appeared, they immediately positioned themselves in a formation before launching an assault on the fellow who had attacked him from behind.

After becoming an 8-star formation master, Zhang Xuan had made some rearrangements to the collaborative formation of the puppets, thus bringing their prowess to a whole new level. Sonic booms erupted here and there under their powerful might.

Back then, while the puppets were using the offensive formations of the Combat Master Hall, they had been able to defeat the Saint 6-dan primary stage Pavilion Master Yue with ease. With their current enhanced ability, even dealing with Saint 7-dan opponents was within their means!

Sou sou sou sou!

What was frightening about them was how relentlessly their attacks fell, reminiscent of the endless waves of an ocean. However, before they could reach their full strength, another powerful force burst forth once more.

It was a strength that carried the imposing air reminiscent of an avalanche. It felt as if, no matter how one struggled, there was just no way to escape from it.

Peng peng peng peng!

Amid a series of sonic booms, the collaborative formation of the puppet was forcefully torn apart. Following which, the puppets were sent flying one after another. With astounding force, they were slammed into the cliff face around the area, incapacitating them for good.

Sou!

While the puppets were sent flying one after another, a slight buzz suddenly sounded in the air. At some point in time, a sword had appeared right above them. It warped into a streak of light blue as it charged forth with incredible prowess.

It was apparent that this sword had been charging up for a very long time. Its emergence swiftly caused a massive vortex to gather in the area, and it took just an instant for it to appear behind the assailant.

Lingxu Sword!

Zhang Xuan knew from the start that the puppets would be no match for the assailant, so he had hidden the Lingxu Sword among them to ready the true killing strike!

Even though he had no time to execute the Sea Severing Sword, the Lingxu Sword was still a blade that was no weaker than Saint 7-dan experts. Its assault clearly displayed its superior might, and it charged forth with strength that threatened to slice even the world apart!

Weng!

Zhang Xuan thought that this assault would send the assailant into a panic, but then he suddenly heard a slight buzz.

Following which, the structure of the surrounding space warped, and it felt as if the Lingxu Sword had fallen into a folded space, resulting in a complete termination in their telepathic link.

Saint 8-dan... Zhang Xuan thought as his body stiffened in horror.

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Chapter 1352: I'll Accept Your Challenge!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

At Saint 8-dan Dimension Sundering realm, cultivators would gain the ability of Dimension Sundering, allowing them to temporarily isolate spaces from the world and establish dominance over it. This ability would usually be manifested in their Dominion, and it would completely sever any telepathy links, making it impossible for other cultivators to even communicate remotely with their weapons within their sphere of control. At the same time, any attacks that were launched into the Dominion would simply run out of control, like a boulder being thrown into the sea.

To draw a comparison, if one could be said to have gained a primary control over the space around them at Grand Dominion realm and Phantasm Space realm, at Dimension Sundering realm, their strength would have already fully matured, granting them the strength to create their own personal space!

As long as they willed it, they could steal a space from the world and establish their dominance over it!

The strike launched by the Lingxu Sword was indeed powerful, such that even Phantasm Space realm experts would falter before its might. However, against Dimension Sundering realm experts, its strength was truly lacking!

Weng weng weng weng!

The Lingxu Sword trembled non-stop in horror, but no matter how it struggled, it was unable to advance or retreat in the slightest. It was as if it was a nail hammered into a wall.

"Vicious, prepare to make a move too!"

Zhang Xuan was astonished by the situation as well, but he knew that panic would be of no use to him. He immediately entered the Heart of Tranquil Water state and established communication with Vicious within the Book of Heaven's Path.

Unless pushed to it, he would never tap into the power of Vicious, his clone, and his poison master abilities. Once those means were used, he would have no choice but to kill his opponent. There was no second alternative to that!

He had thought that he could cope with just his puppet and the Lingxu Sword, but clearly, the assailant who had attacked him far exceeded what he could cope with those means. Thus, he could only resort to his trump card.

Knowing the perilous situation Zhang Xuan was in, Vicious swiftly replied, "Yes, Master!"

At Zhang Xuan's will, a finger suddenly materialized behind the assailant.

Hu la!

With a seemingly light tap, a mysterious power shot forth from the finger, and the Dominion began shattering as if a mirror.

Even though Vicious' cultivation was only at Saint 7-dan pinnacle, and even subduing Luo Xuanqing would pose some difficulty to him, he was still a figure who had once stood at the very top of the Master Teacher Continent, so his eye of discernment and experience were still spectacular. On top of that, the assailant had his hands full dealing with Zhang Xuan's puppets and suppressing the rampaging Lingxu Sword.

As a result, the assailant actually ended up being caught off guard by Vicious' attack.

Kacha! Kacha!

As the Dominion swiftly approached its limits, Zhang Xuan also felt the overwhelming force that was pressing down on him abruptly releasing, so he quickly pushed himself out of the cliff and turned around to face the assailant.

What he was met with a thirty-meter-long dragon-shaped beast floating nearby. Its body was grayish in color, and its eyes were dyed crimson. It emanated an aura of imposing authority.

"Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast?"

Gedeng!

Zhang Xuan's heart skipped a beat.

He had thought that Luo Xuanqing and the others might have lost, and Zhang Chun and the others had proceeded over to make a move against them. However, who would have thought that the person who was making a move on him was actually the saint beast they were supposed to be dealing with!

If it was standing here... didn't that mean that there was nothing in the cavern at all?

It was no wonder Yuan Xiao still was not out yet! Most likely, he was still busy looking through the empty cavern, unaware of the fact that the massive beast that he was looking for was not inside at all!

A Saint 8-dan beast...

It was only natural that his means did not work on the other party. Against an expert of such a caliber, there was indeed very little that he could do.

The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast harrumphed coldly. "Brazen fools, do you really think that you are able to tame me?"

Its voice was not too loud, but it seemed to echo endlessly within one's mind, reminiscent of the reverberations of a bell.

Zhang Xuan heart shuddered upon hearing those words, and he quickly spoke up to refute that claim. "How could someone of my strength possibly dream of taming you? I think there must be a misunderstanding somewhere."

Why would that huge fellow suddenly speak such words?

Saint beasts were proud, lofty individuals, which made taming them an incredibly difficult act. This was also the reason 8-star beast tamers were particularly respected in the Master Teacher Continent.

Under normal circumstances, in order to tame a saint beast, one would need to prepare all kinds of gifts and find a way to befriend it. Only after one had reached a certain level of intimacy with the saint beast would they extend an invitation to it. As such, even for 8-star pinnacle beast tamers, it would take several years before they were able to tame a Saint 8-dan beast!

And yet, to be told such words when they had not even done anything yet... Just how did the situation come this?

Saint beasts hated the notion of submitting to others. It was one thing if the other party was stronger than them and helpless to retaliate, but for a Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle cultivator to even dream of taming it, it was no wonder the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was enraged!

"Hah! What other business can you possibly have here if that's not the case? Someone has already told me that your group plans on enslaving me to make me a tool to further your ambitions!" the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast roared furiously, and its voice caused the entire ground to tremble.

"Someone has told you that?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback for a moment before his eyes widened in realization. "It must be that Zhang Chun..."

It was just a moment ago that he had thought that Zhang Chun was foolish to have been played by Luo Xuanqing, but from the looks of it now, it seemed like they were the ones who were being played.

He had specially paid a visit to the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast beforehand to inform it that someone wanted to tame it. Firstly, he would be able to obtain the other party's goodwill through that, and secondly, he would be able to turn the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast against Luo Xuanqing, making it impossible for the latter to tame it!

As expected of someone from the Zhang Clan, he was indeed as shameless as he could get!

Just that...

If you want to pick a bone with someone, look for Luo Xuanqing! Why are you assaulting me instead?

Feeling deeply stifled, Zhang Xuan hurriedly waved his hands and said, "I'm not the one who's planning on taming you, but the person who told you that is. His name is Zhang Chun, and he's intentionally saying those words to use you against..."

"Humph! None of you humans are trustworthy!"

Boom!

Before Zhang Xuan could finish his words, the tail of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast suddenly swept in his direction with devastating force.

Hu la!

At the same time, he felt as if the surrounding space had turned into a vortex, firmly holding him in place, preventing him from fleeing.

Knowing that he only had himself to rely on in this critical juncture, Zhang Xuan desperately willed, Flaws!

Wu!

A book materialized in the Library of Heaven's Path, and touching it, a huge influx of information flowed into his mind.

"The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast cultivates independently, so its comprehension of the Dimension Sundering realm isn't too deep..." After reading the content in the book, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Despite being a Saint 8-dan beast and wielding frightening power, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast had a fatal flaw.

Due to cultivating independently, its comprehension and ways of manipulating spatial laws were rather narrow, thus limiting the prowess of its offense.

"Vicious!" Upon realizing that, Zhang Xuan swiftly sent the information that he had received over.

With a slight sway, Vicious' finger seemed to have flitted through space. The next instant, it suddenly appeared at the flank of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, and it pierced forward once more.

Kacha!

The Dominion of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, which harnessed the power of Dimension Sundering, dissipated once more.

"Hmm?" Not expected a Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle cultivator to possess the means to undo its attacks twice, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast widened its eyes in confusion.

Even though it had cultivated independently, that did not mean that it had never encountered human cultivators before. It knew that it was abnormal for a Leaving Aperture realm cultivator to possess the strength to undo its attack, and it didn't expect the latter to be able to see right through its flaws either.

Hu!

Along with the dissipation of the power, Zhang Xuan felt the pressure weighing on him disappearing once more. Knowing that it would be dangerous for him to remain in the vicinity of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, he decisively flitted a hundred meters away through the Unbounded Voyager.

There was no way he would be able to defeat the massive fellow with his current strength, so he could only stall for time and wait until Luo Xuanqing and the others returned.

While the strength of those fellows was beneath the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, they should still be able to defeat the latter if they were to coordinate closely with one another and exploit its flaws.

"There is really something weird about the finger you have here!" Harrumphing coldly, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast swept its tail over once more.

Having its power of Dimension Sundering foiled twice, it was curious to see whether the other party had managed to do so through sheer luck or real strength.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan knew that there was no way he would be able to withstand the other party's attack, so he had Vicious aim his attack at one of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast's flaws once more.

Kacha!

Just like before, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast's Dominion was shattered.

The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast widened its eyes in disbelief. "You are able to see through the flaws in my Dominion?"

If it had been an expert of the same caliber who managed to achieve this feat, it would not have thought much of the matter. However, a mere Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle nobody actually succeeded in crushing its Dominion thrice. This had really piqued its intrigue.

Seeing that the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast had actually stopped its attack, a thought swiftly arose in Zhang Xuan's head, and he spoke with an imposing tone. "Of course! I am a master teacher. Not only am I able to see through the flaws in your Dominion, I can correct them as well. As long as I offer you guidance on your cultivation, your strength will be far greater than it is now!"

He did not plan for this at the start, but if he could convince the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast into becoming his tamed beast now, the remaining problems would be resolved. Not only so, he would also be able to make use of the strength of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast to teach Zhang Chun a lesson!

He had long thought that that fellow was an eyesore.

"You, offer me guidance?" The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast pondered for a moment before calmly replying. "If you can defeat me with your own strength, I'll acknowledge you as my teacher!"

"Defeat you with my own strength?"

"This finger over here has a completely different aura from yours, so it should be a type of artifact, right? As for these puppets and sword, they are just external tools. If you can defeat me without relying on any of these, putting aside becoming my teacher, I'll even acknowledge you as my master!" the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast said.

Despite being only at Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle, the young man before it was actually able to see through the flaws in its Dominion easily. If it could receive the young man's guidance, it might just really be able to achieve heights far beyond its imagination.

Of course, the young man would have to display strength worthy of becoming its teacher and master first. Otherwise, as a proud saint beast who had the Dragon Bloodline flowing through its veins, how could it bow down to others easily?

"Defeat you?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

To be honest, even his clone was no match for the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, let alone him!

Beyond Primordial Spirit realm, every difference in cultivation realm would result in a vast difference in fighting prowess. This was especially apparent between the Phantasm Space realm and the Dimension Sundering realm—they were truly worlds apart from one another!

Even while utilizing all of his means, he was only just able to fend off the other party through exploiting the other party's flaws that he had found using the Library of Heaven's Path. If he fought the other party bare-handed, victory was clearly impossible!

Wait a moment... I can use that on it, right?

A thought suddenly came to Zhang Xuan's mind, and he swiftly raised his head to look at the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast. "Since your name is Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, that should mean that you possess rather concentrated Dragon Bloodline, right?"

If the other party really possessed the Dragon Bloodline, perhaps, he might just be able to win by his skills.

"Indeed," the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast said proudly.

"Since that's the case..." A confident smile crept onto Zhang Xuan's lips as he gazed down on the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast with the disposition of an expert from above. "If you can withstand this call of mine, I'll consider it as my loss."

"Call?" The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was slightly taken aback by the abrupt change in disposition of the young man.

"That's right." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Then, he took in a deep breath and spoke.

"Moo!"

"Mou!"

Two sounds echoed resoundingly through the air.

Following which, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast's body suddenly began convulsing.

Padah!

It collapsed to the ground with white foam spilling out from the edges of its mouths.

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Chapter 1353: Give Him a Taste of the Floor!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The Eight Notes of Heavenly Dragon that he had learned back then allowed him to subdue any beast possessing the Dragon's Bloodline as long as it had not reached the purity of a Pureblooded Dragon.

At the start, he had been a little apprehensive at using the Eight Notes of Heavenly Dragon as he thought that it would not be too effective against a Saint 8-dan beast. On top of that, it also expended a great deal of his zhenqi, which would only result in his weakening. Yet, contrary to his expectations, it worked much better than he predicted!

If only he had known that it would be like that, he would have just done so right from the start and spared himself some pain.

"You are... a Pureblooded Dragon?"

While Zhang Xuan was still in thought, the convulsing Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast stared at him with deep terror reflected in its eyes.

The hierarchy within the Dragon Tribe was extremely strict. Even though it was known as the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, it was still far from matching up to a real member of the Dragon Tribe.

"I am not a Pureblooded Dragon, but as long as you submit to me, I can help you refine your bloodline and make you stronger." Zhang Xuan walked over with a domineering attitude, as if saying that he would use the Eight Notes of Heavenly Dragon against it once more if it dared say no.

It did not take too long for the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast to lower its head. "I'll submit..."

The fact that the other party was able to voice out the Eight Notes of the Heavenly Dragon meant that the young man was definitely associated with the Pureblooded Dragon, even if he was not one of them. Submitting to such a figure was not only not a shame, it could be said to be a blessing even!

He would have to be a fool not to grasp such an opportunity.

Seeing that the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast had agreed to it, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

He had come here only to help Luo Xuanqing find the Dongxu Gourd, but who would have thought that he would end up taking in a Saint 8-dan beast instead? However, this was good too. Among the student populace, there were not many who would be able to defeat the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast. With such a tamed beast, he would be able to stand unmatched in the Sanctum of Sages.

...

Within the cavern, Yuan Xiao was still slowly advancing.

Knowing that there was a Saint 8-dan beast in the cavern, he dared not use his Spiritual Perception too far nor fly for fear of alarming it. He could only cautiously advance, relying solely on his sense of sight to detect danger. However, the cavern was simply too big. Despite advancing for ten whole minutes, he still had not reached the end of it.

Just where in the world is the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast?

After walking a little longer and finding himself back at the entrance of the cavern, Yuan Xiao frowned.

He had already walked an entire lap around the cavern, so why was the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast still nowhere to be seen? Could it be that it was out hunting and was not back yet?

It would be wonderful if that was the case. He would be able to set up a formation at the entrance of the cavern and activate it as soon as the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast returned to trap it. This way, he would not have to endanger himself by luring it.

If that's the case, I should hurry out to inform Luo Xuanqing and the others of this matter...

With this thought in mind, he extended his Spiritual Perception throughout the cavern and swiftly swept across it.

As expected, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was really nowhere to be seen. Thus, he quickly made his way out of the cavern.

The fact that the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was not around meant that they could not rely on it to deal with Zhang Chun and the others anymore, so there was no point for them to wait anymore.

Squeezing out of the entrance of the cavern once more, he was just about to beckon Zhang Xuan over when he suddenly saw a massive figure lying on the ground, licking the young man's feet subserviently.

"This..." Yuan Xiao widened his eyes in horror, unable to believe what he was seeing. "Zhang shi, w-what is going on?"

How in the world did something like this happen?

It's one thing for the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, which he had been searching all around the cavern for, to be outside, but for it to be lying before Zhang Xuan, licking his feet subserviently...

Am I dreaming?

"Oh. The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast happened to meet with me while it was on its way back to the cavern, and I happened to be free, so I decided to tame it," Zhang Xuan replied.

"You decided to tame it..." Yuan Xiao nearly fainted on the spot.

That's a Saint 8-dan beast! It's a figure that we would have to flee as far as possible from when encountering it, and yet, to just 'decide to tame it'... Furthermore, how long has it been?

Ten minutes? Twenty minutes?

In any case, it hasn't even been thirty minutes yet!

Suppressing the frenzy that was threatening to turn him hysterical, he looked at Zhang Xuan deeply for a long while before asking, "You... are skilled at beast taming too?"

"I did clear the beast tamer examination," Zhang Xuan replied with a nod.

At that very moment, Yuan Xiao felt so stifled that he was not even sure what he should say anymore.

It was one thing for that fellow to possess inconceivable prowess in terms of formations, but for him to wield such formidable capabilities as an apothecary, physician, and now a beast tamer as well. Really, was there anything in the world he was incapable of?

With the danger of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast resolved, there was no longer any point in them remaining there. So, Zhang Xuan waved his hands and said, "Let's head over to check up on Brother Luo and the others!"

Considering how there could be formations within the cavern and that Yuan Xiao dared not use his Spiritual Perception for fear of alarming the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, it was understandable that he was oblivious to the commotion outside.

However, Luo Xuanqing and the others should not have been too far either, so they should have heard the commotion. Yet, for none of them to attempt to come over to check things out, it could only mean that either things were really tight on their side or something had already happened to them.

Thus, the both of them quickly headed over to where Luo Xuanqing and the others were.

Before even arriving, they could feel a powerful gale rushing at them, and pebbles and boulders were flying all around. However, perhaps out of fear that their fight would draw in even more saint beasts, there was an intentional attempt on both sides to suppress their strength such that the shockwaves of their attacks would disappear after travelling a certain distance.

Walking through the various boulders flying around the area, Zhang Xuan and Yuan Xiao soon saw two figures exchanging blows in the air. Every single move they executed harnessed astounding might; even someone of Zhang Xuan's prowess would hesitate to close in on them recklessly.

Zhang Xuan could recognize that one of the figures belonged to Luo Xuanqing, so he turned to Yuan Xiao and asked, "Is he Zhang Chun?"

The person whom Luo Xuanqing was facing was a young man in his thirties. He had thick, bushy eyebrows and a pair of long and slender arms. He commanded a wholesome power that seemed to have very few openings for one to exploit. Just like Luo Xuanqing, he was at Saint 7-dan pinnacle, too.

"Un." Yuan Xiao nodded.

Zhang Xuan took a closer look at the battle, and just as Yuan Xiao had said, the blows that both parties were using were indeed vicious and callous.

However, it seemed like both parties were extremely familiar with one another, such that they could actually predict the move of the other party in advance. As such, despite how dangerous the battle was, neither side was actually able to harm the other, even slightly.

On the contrary, they felt like brothers of the same lineage trying to feed one another moves.

To the side, Bi Hongyin and Yun Lianhai were standing opposite two people from Zhang Chun's side with their arms crossed before their chests, watching the battle interestedly from the sidelines.

Yuan Xiao walked up to Bi Hongyin and Yun Lianhai and asked with a suppressed voice, "Why did the both of them start fighting with one another?"

Was the plan not to put on a show to stop Zhang Chun's advancement? Why did Luo Xuanqing end up fighting so seriously with the other party?

"We tried to stop him, but Zhang Chun proposed that they settle the problem through force, saying that the winner would gain the right to tame the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast whereas the loser would have to scram as far away as he could!

"Provoked by those words, Brother Luo ended up fighting with him. However, as they are on the same level and are simply too familiar with each other's moves as well, the battle has dragged on till now," Bi Hongyin explained.

Then, she suddenly recalled a matter and asked with a frown, "Where is the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast? You didn't lure it over?"

"Regarding that..." Recalling what he had seen earlier, Yuan Xiao was not sure how he could explain this matter to Bi Hongyin, so he shook his head and said, "It would be best for you to ask Zhang shi instead."

Bi Hongyin shot Yuan Xiao a perplexed look, but she still turned to Zhang Xuan and asked, "Zhang shi, how did the matter with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast go?"

"Oh. I fought with it earlier, and..."

Zhang Xuan was just about to explain the matter that had just happened when a powerful shockwave suddenly burst forth from ahead.

In the sky, Zhang Chun forcefully pushed Luo Xuanqing away before retreating from the battlefield. Then, he noticed Zhang Xuan and Yuan Xiao's figures and frowned. "The both of you are actually fine?"

The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast had clearly marched off angrily to deal with the two of them, so how could they have returned completely unharmed?

Zhang Chun's words made Luo Xuanqing realize that there was something amiss with the situation as well, and he questioned, "What do you mean by that?"

"Xuanqing, that fellow met with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast before us and told it that you were going to tame it in order to provoke it. This way, it would harbor hostility toward us and attack with the utmost aggression if we were to ever encounter it," Yuan Xiao explained.

Zhang Xuan had already explained the matter to him while they were making their way over, and this made him realize that he had fallen for the other party's ploy too.

"Indeed, I did meet with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast before you. I knew that you were intentionally trying to block my way, but tough luck for you, that happened to work in my favor. You know, I was actually quite curious to see how powerful an enraged Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast would be!" Zhang Chun chuckled heartily, admitting to the matter forthrightly.

However, he still could not help but direct questioning gazes toward Zhang Xuan and Yuan Xiao. "The both of you should have encountered with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, so how can you be completely fine?"

It was no wonder he was perplexed by the matter.

The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was a Saint 8-dan beast, and even he would be no match for it when it was in an enraged state. Yet, those two actually managed to escape unscathed from its clutches... This was simply illogical!

His plan had been to intentionally stall Luo Xuanqing from saving the others, thus causing two of his companions to sustain some injuries and be incapacitated. After which, he would lure the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast over to deal with Luo Xuanqing. Through this, not only would he be able to sabotage Luo Xuanqing, he would be able to earn the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast's goodwill too.

If the two of them managed to return unscathed, could it mean that they did not manage to meet with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast?

Instead of answering Zhang Chun's question, Zhang Xuan instead asked, "You are Zhang Chun?"

"That's right. Who are you?" Zhang Chun asked with a frown.

For a mere Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle fellow to address him directly with such an insolent tone, he sure had guts.

"You don't need to know who I am. I heard that you have intentions of courting the little princess of the Luo Clan. Is that true?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"What are you getting at?" Zhang Chun asked with narrowed eyes. He turned to Luo Xuanqing and asked coldly, "Luo Xuanqing, is he your man?"

"Zhang shi..." Hearing how his younger sister had been brought up, a frown emerged on Luo Xuanqing's forehead as well.

Zhang Xuan turned to Luo Xuanqing and said with a firm voice, "Brother Luo, just tell me if he harbors any inappropriate thoughts toward the little princess."

"Humph, he's just a toad lusting over the flesh of a swan. How could someone like him possibly be worthy of my younger sister?" Luo Xuanqing was not sure what Zhang Xuan was getting at either, but hearing about the matter between Zhang Chun and his younger sister still made him harrumph in displeasure.

In the first place, he was already filled with many dissatisfactions about the Zhang Clan, especially with the disappearance of the young prodigy. Yet, that bastard Zhang Chun still dared to harass his younger sister. If not for the limitations of his strength, he would have had Zhang Chun pummeled to the point where not even his parents recognized him!

"Since Brother Luo has said such words, he really does deserve a beating," Zhang Xuan said with an affirmative nod, seemingly making up his mind on something.

"Deserve a beating? Hah, you are thinking of beating me up?" Zhang Chun was still wondering what this nobody was up to, but upon hearing that the other party was dreaming of beating him up, he felt so enraged that he actually began laughing instead.

He was one of the top experts in the Inner Sanctum as well as an influential offspring of the Zhang Clan. There was no one who would not shudder before his wrath.

And yet, a Leaving Aperture realm nobody actually uttered such arrogant words to his face, showing a complete disregard for him!

"Zhang shi..." Luo Xuanqing was bewildered by those words, too.

Did someone knock Zhang Xuan silly earlier?

Zhang Chun was a figure who even he had trouble defeating, and that young man actually declared that he would give the other party a beating?

"Oh? You are smarter than I thought. I thought that I would have to repeat those words a few more times before you were able to get my point," Zhang Xuan replied condescendingly.

"You... Very well! I hope you possess the strength to back up the arrogant words you have spouted here!" With a cold sneer, Zhang Chun flicked his hand, and an overwhelming pressure immediately crushed down upon Zhang Xuan.

"Give him a taste of the floor!" Zhang Xuan snapped his fingers leisurely, showing complete nonchalance toward Zhang Chun's offense.

Roar!

The next moment, a massive shadow abruptly covered the entire area above them. Following which, something reminiscent of a whip suddenly swept over with frightening speed.

Peng!

Before Zhang Chun could even process what was going on, he had been sent flying into a nearby cliff, creating a huge pit in it.

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Chapter 1354: The Strength of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

There was a moment of complete silence as everyone stared at the sky with a dazed look in their eyes.

"The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast... is heeding Zhang shi's commands?" Luo Xuanqing's lips twitched as he finally awoken from his dazed state.

He had seen that massive fellow from afar the first time he came over, and it was incomparably ferocious. Most Saint 8-dan cultivators would struggle to be a match for it.

It was for that reason that he had gone to the extent of forging out the Soulbinding Golden Bead to knock it out so that he could sneak into the cavern without facing the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast.

It was a complete coincidence that Zhang Chun appeared just then, so he had decided to lure the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast to the latter instead.

But before they could even carry out that plan, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast had suddenly flown over itself, and from the looks of it, it seemed like it was completely devoted to carrying out Zhang Xuan's orders, not daring to disobey them in the least.

Luo Xuanqing quickly turned his gaze over to Yuan Xiao, seeking an explanation. Perhaps harboring the same thoughts in mind as well, the others also turned their gazes over.

"Don't look at me, I don't know what's going on either!" Facing the gazes from the crowd, Yuan Xiao could only shrug helplessly as well. "Earlier, I went into the cavern to search for the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, intending to taunt it and lure it out, but I wasn't able to find anything at all in the end. But as soon as I walked out of the cavern, I saw the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast lying right before Zhang shi, licking his feet. I have no idea what happened in the time that I was gone!"

"You say that it was licking Zhang shi's feet?" Luo Xuanqing's eyebrows shot up in astonishment. "Are you saying that... Zhang shi has already tamed the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast?"

"Just look at that! Is there even any doubt about it? It should be apparent to anyone who isn't blind!" Yuan Xiao exclaimed.

"But..." Luo Xuanqing did not dare believe what he was seeing. "It has only been twenty minutes so far, and he has already managed to tame a Dimension Sundering realm saint beast despite being at Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle himself?"

Fast in terms of forging pills? Possible. Fast in terms of neutralizing poison? Possible. Fast in terms of setting up compounded formations? Arguably possible. But taming beasts required the cultivation of intimacy and feelings between the beast and the beast tamer!

To succeed in such a short period of time, are you actually some kind of love guru?

Not even 9-star beast tamers could accomplish something like this!

Seeing the disbelief in Luo Xuanqing's eyes, Yuan Xiao asked, "Before meeting this fellow, would you have believe it if someone told you that it's possible to set up a grade-8 formation faster than one can activate a formation plate?"

"This..." Luo Xuanqing was stifled.

Coming from the main family of the Luo Clan, he had seen plenty of formidable formation masters. In fact, he had many opportunities to meet with and interact with 9-star master teachers too, but not even they were able to set up formations that swiftly!

Even his younger sister, who was known to possess unparalleled talent, could not come close to that speed!

"Would you believe it if someone told you that it's possible for one to remain completely fine after being stung by the Crimsontail Wasp King and even poison the latter to death?" Yuan Xiao pressed his point on.

"Would you believe it if someone told you that it's possible for a cultivator to send a lightning tribulation fleeing in fear?"

Luo Xuanqing did not know how he should respond to those words.

All along, he had viewed his younger sister as the very peak of talent in the Master Teacher Continent, and he was only second to his younger sister. However, upon seeing this fellow, he realized that he might have been too narrow-minded.

The world sure was far bigger than he had thought.

While Luo Xuanqing's group was discussing with hushed voices, Zhang Chun pushed himself out from the cliff face and flew over with a furious look on his face.

"Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, what are you doing? We have a deal with one another!"

He had not thought that the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast would turn against him all of a sudden.

"Deal? That doesn't matter anymore. Since my master has asked me to give you a taste of the floor, I have no choice but to imprint that flavor in your mind. Come, be obedient and don't fight back," the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast replied nonchalantly as it sent another tail whip toward Zhang Chun.

Previously, that human had promised it valuable treasures in exchange for a truce. However, since it had already acknowledged a master, it could not possibly commit acts that were contrary to its master's orders.

Kacha!

Driving its Dimension Sundering realm strength to its limits, the surrounding space around it seemed to have suddenly froze in place, thus hindering Zhang Chun's attempts to retreat. As a result, it ended up being slammed into the cliff face once more.

This time, his state was even worse than before. His internal organs had been jolted out of position, and several of his bones had splintered. Before he could climb out from the cliff face, a sudden spurt of blood escaped from his mouth, and his face paled.

Zhang Chun swallowed a pill, and after recovering slightly from his severe wounds, he pushed himself out from the depression in the cliff and stared at the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast with gritted teeth. "You... actually acknowledged this fellow as your master?"

In order to tame this fellow, he had prepared many good items, and he had been extremely confident of success. Yet, who would have thought that within a short span of twenty minutes, the saint beast was actually tamed by another person and even launching a barrage of attack against him!

"How dare you speak of my master in such disrespectful terms? You are courting death!" The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast narrowed its eyes menacingly as it swept its tail over furiously.

The might of its assault was far stronger than the previous two times, such that it nearly burst even the space in the valley itself. In the form of a black streak, its tail appeared before Zhang Chun, carrying might so imposing that it threatened to tear him apart.

Zhang Chun instantaneously realized that there was no way he would be able to withstand that attack with his current strength, so he gritted his teeth, whipped out a jade token, and crushed it without any hesitation.

Weng!

A series of ripples reminiscent of flowing water appeared before Zhang Chun, and in the face of the water-like barrier, the might of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast's tail whip vanished without a trace.

"Grand Cosmos Protective Amulet! What an extravagant move!" Yuan Xiao remarked in astonishment.

"Grand Cosmos Protective Amulet?" Zhang Xuan repeated doubtfully.

"It's a protective amulet that only 9-star master teachers are capable of forging. Once activated, as long as the opponent's cultivation isn't beyond Saint 9-dan, one will be able to withstand any assault with ease," Yuan Xiao explained. "As expected of a genius from the Zhang Clan, to think that they would have such an item in their possession as well!"

Zhang Xuan was astounded as well.

The fact that the protective amulet could only be forged by 9-star master teachers and that it could withstand the attack of any opponent whose cultivation was not beyond Saint 9-dan was sufficient to show that the artifact was of immense value.

"Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, don't think that I am afraid of you! You might be strong, but you'll need far more than that to kill me!" Seeing as his protective amulet successfully intercepted that devastating attack, Zhang Chun heaved a sigh of relief. At the same time, however, he could not help but feel a pinch in his heart.

He had spent a heavy price in order to obtain the protective amulet, and it could almost be said to be the most valuable artifact he had on him. It was his final trump card to fall back on in a critical situation, but who would have thought that he would have ended up using it there?

Paying no heed to Zhang Chun's fury, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast continued flicking its tail over, causing the water-like barrier to ripple endlessly.

Seeing that the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was relying solely on brute force, Zhang Xuan shook his head. "You won't be able to break the protective amulet that way.

"Follow my instructions. Gather your strength in your tail and pierce the point three chi left of the intersection of the ripples..."

"Yes!" Hearing that, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast nodded before gathering all of its might at its tail and piercing it forward at a point.

Kacha!

A shattering sound echoed in the air, and as if a balloon popped by a needle, the ripples in the air abruptly burst.

Pu!

With his protective amulet destroyed, Zhang Chun swiftly succumbed to the overwhelming might of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast. His chest deflated inward as his body was slammed into the air, and fresh blood spewed endlessly from his mouth.

"This..."

This time, it was not just Luo Xuanqing and the others who were shocked speechless. Those who had come along with Zhang Chun also widened their eyes in disbelief, unable to believe what they were seeing.

No matter how strong a protective amulet was, it was still impossible for it to provide absolute defense. After all, it was only an artifact. There was no way it would possess the flexibility to adapt to situations like a 9-star master teacher.

However, an artifact on the level of the Grand Cosmos Protective Amulet would have already been refined to the point where no one of Saint 9-dan and beneath would be able to see through its flaws. Yet, that young man was actually able to see through it with just a look.

Just how was that possible?

Zhang Chun flew out from the cliff face and furiously roared, "Who in the world are you? This is a grudge between me and Luo Xuanqing, are you certain that you want to barge into this matter? Do you understand the consequences of your actions?"

Blood could be seen trickling down the edges of his lips, and a look of absolute fury was reflected on his features.

Taming the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast should have been a competition between him and Luo Xuanqing, and that young man should only have been an assistant recruited by Luo Xuanqing. Typically speaking, he would not even have bothered to spare someone of that young man's caliber a second glance, but to think that the young man would actually cross him time and time again.

Do you know what the consequences of offending the Zhang Clan are? With just a word from me, I can make it so that every single thing you attempt to do in the Sanctum of Sages will be fraught with difficulty!

"Do I know the consequences of my actions? Of course I do," Zhang Xuan replied nonchalantly before turning his gaze to the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast once more. "Continue pummeling him. I don't want to hear the slightest rubbish from his mouth anymore!"

"Yes!" The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast nodded before abruptly charging forward.

Despite its immense size, its speed was truly no joke. In the blink of an eye, its sharp claws were already right before Zhang Chun.

With its medium of attack switching from its tail to its claws, the offensive might of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast instantaneously surged by a significant degree.

"You..." Not expecting the young man to actually disregard him, choosing adamantly to make a move on him despite all that had been said, Zhang Chun felt so enraged that he could have vomited blood.

He swiftly flicked his wrist and drew a sword before piercing it forward to defend against the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast's offense.

Zhang Chun's swordsmanship was vastly different from the two Sword Quintessences that Zhang Xuan had comprehended.

His movements were simple and concise; there was no particular elegance or beauty to them. But for some reason, his swordsmanship felt extremely heavy, and it carried an unstoppable momentum to it, as if a comet falling from the high heavens above.

"Not too bad, I must say," Zhang Xuan remarked.

The sword that Zhang Chun wielded was at least on par with the Lingxu Sword, which meant that it was a Saint high-tier artifact at the minimum. Furthermore, he could tell that the other party possessed an understanding of swordsmanship that was far deeper than Shui Qianrou's, at least reaching the level of Half-Quintessence.

It was no wonder the other party was able to draw with Luo Xuanqing in a battle; his strength was indeed not to be underestimated.

However, as frightening as his strength might have been, it was still far from matching up to the Saint 8-dan Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast.

The claws continued advancing forward, unimpeded by the sea of sword qi standing in its path. Then, with a light grasp...

Peng!

The sea of sword qi immediately dissipated without a trace.

Weng!

With a resounding clang, Zhang Chun's sword was knocked into the cliff face, and Zhang Chun himself coughed a mouthful of blood. Eight bones of his ribcage had shattered under the impact, and crimson blood dyed his body.

Knowing that he could very well lose his life if this continued, Zhang Chun bellowed, "You lot, listen to my instructions. We'll fend off that massive beast together!"

"Yes!"

The other four young men who had accompanied him there swiftly flew over.

These four were roughly around the same strength as Yuan Xiao and the others, each of them reaching Saint 7-dan. If the five of them were to put their strength together, they would indeed be a match for the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast.

Hu!

Collaborating with one another, the five experts swiftly formed a light noose and hooked it around the neck of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast.

"Zhenqi Bind? They have really come prepared!" Bi Hongyin harrumphed coldly.

"What's a Zhenqi Bind?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"It's a technique that high-tier beast tamers commonly use. In essence, it's a noose formed by putting the zhenqi of a huge crowd together to bind a beast. Once caught within the Zhenqi Bind, it will be difficult for even a Saint 8-dan beast to be able to struggle free!" Bi Hongyin said.

"Many high-tier beast tamers use this method to capture a saint beast before slowly taking their time to make the beast submit to them!"

Hu la!

While they were speaking, the Zhenqi Bind finally tightened around the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast's neck.

In response to that, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast roared furiously and raised its claws to tear it apart.

Peng!

The Zhenqi Bind was torn apart. The five experts immediately felt a suffocating sensation assaulting their chests, and as if being struck by a massive hammer, all of them plummeted down from the sky.

Even with the prowess of all five of them combined, they were still no match for the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast!

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Chapter 1355: One-On-One!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"So that's Saint 8-dan!" Looking at how the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was able to deal with the five experts with absolute ease, Luo Xuanqing felt deeply envious.

Having comprehended the power of Dimension Sundering, Saint 8-dan experts were able to tear a rift in the world and create their own miniature world when they activate their Dominion. Within this miniature world, they were the absolute conquerors. Unless one had achieved the same level of cultivation as them, otherwise there was no way to defeat them.

Zhang Chun might be one of the strongest students of the Inner Sanctum, but even he didn't wield the ability to breach this gap in strength!

"Truly formidable." Zhang Xuan uttered in agreement too.

He thought that the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast had used its full strength against him previously, but from the looks of it now, it hadn't even brought out a tenth of its true strength back then.

Otherwise, he would have been crushed into minced meat before he could even bring out Vicious' finger.

"If I could wield such strength too, I would be in a much better position to ask for Luo Ruoxin's hand in marriage in the Luo Clan..." A glint flashed across Zhang Xuan's eyes.

Saint 8-dan might not mean much to top-notch Sage Clans like the Luo Clan, but it was already a representation of the top-tier fighting prowess of the Master Teacher Continent. Considering how he was only twenty this year, if he could reach that level before the time for Luo Ruoxin's engagement, he should be able to make the Luo Clan take him seriously.

Boom boom boom!

While Zhang Xuan was still contemplating over such thoughts, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast swiftly struck out at the five experts, slamming all of them into the nearby cliff.

"Lad, what hero are you if you can only rely on your tamed beast to fight with us? Do you dare to fight me one-on-one?" Knowing that the odds were not in his favor, Zhang Chun spat through gritted teeth.

"You want to fight me one-on-one? Hah, a Saint 7-dan pinnacle expert like you is actually challenging me, a Saint 5-dan cultivator, to a one-on-one? You sure are a hero!" Zhang Xuan sneered disdainfully.

While he wielded the strength to rival opponents stronger than him, he knew that he was still a far way off from matching up to a Saint 7-dan pinnacle expert. Naturally, he wouldn't be so foolish as to fall for Zhang Chun's taunting!

He would only be asking for a beating if he were to accept that duel!

"I'll suppress my cultivation down to your level!" Zhang Chun added.

Zhang Xuan waved his hand derisively, "I'm not free!"

As a beast tamer, the strength of his tamed beast was considered as a part of his strength too, so there was nothing dishonorable in his actions by the conventional standards of the Master Teacher Continent. Since he was able to make their life a living hell without making a move, there was no need for him to soil his hands at all.

On the other hand, seeing that nothing that he said was working, Zhang Chun was on the verge of going berserk.

As an individual who was born with astounding talent, his life had always been smooth-sailing, be it back in the Zhang Clan or at the Sanctum of Sages. He had never suffered such grievances before!

"You coward!" Zhang Chun clenched his fists so tightly that his fingers nearly fractured from the pressure.

The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was simply too strong, it would be nigh impossible for them to defeat it. Even if he were to utilize the power of his bloodline, he would only be able to barely escape... However, the price that he would have to pay for tapping into his bloodline was extremely heavy, such that he dared not to use it lightly.

As such, the best solution out of the current predicament he was in was to defeat that young man!

As long as he could subdue that young man instantaneously, not only would be able to exact vengeance for the humiliation he had suffered, he would also be able to force the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast to obey his commands and teach Luo Xuanqing a lesson too.

Otherwise, if others were to learn of the humiliation he had been put through here, how could he possibly uphold his position and honor in the Sanctum of Sages?

"You're right, I'm a coward." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"..." Zhang Chun staggered on the spot.

Other cultivators, especially ones that were as young as them, would turn blind in rage and charge forth furiously as soon as they heard those words. Yet, the fellow before him was actually able to remain completely nonchalant to his provocations, and the smug look on his face even suggested that he was proud of his cowardice...

How could he be so thick-skinned?

"Tell me what Luo Xuanqing gave you. I'll pay you the same price as long as you are willing to have a duel with me." Zhang Chun took in a deep breath and said.

Since that fellow had followed Luo Xuanqing here to help him tame the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, it was safe to assume that the latter would have offered him handsome rewards in exchange. Right now, he was offering the same sum of money just to have a duel with him... Surely that fellow wouldn't turn him down with such a generous offer!

As long as that huge fellow didn't make a move, teaching a mere Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle cultivator would be a walk in the park for him.

"Brother Luo gave me one... I mean five pinnacle spirit stones! If you can take out that many too, not only will I have a duel with you, I'll even allow your entire group to come at me simultaneously!" Upon hearing Zhang Chun's offer, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

"..." Once again, Zhang Chun was stifled speechless.

You were going to say one pinnacle spirit stone just now, right? I clearly heard you say one!

It is just a moment ago that you were professing your cowardice haughtily, but as soon as I said that I will pay you for it, you immediately accepted the offer and even said that the five of us can come at you together... Do you really need to be that greedy?

"Fine, I'll pay you five pinnacle spirit stones. However, I don't have any of it with me at the moment. As long as you agree to have a duel with me, regardless of whether you win or lose, I'll apply for those five pinnacle spirit stones as soon as I return to the Sanctum of Sages and compensate you!" Even though Zhang Chun felt so furious that he could explode, he still forced himself to calm down.

"This..." Hearing that Zhang Chun didn't have any pinnacle spirit stone with him, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before saying, "Why don't you write down a debt note first to indicate that you owe me five pinnacle spirit stone? Once I obtain the debt note, I'll have the duel with you!"

"Very well!" Afraid that Zhang Xuan would back out, Zhang Chun didn't dare to hesitate for too long before making a decision. He took out a paper, bit his finger, and wrote a line of words on it.

"This is a debt note writing using my blood, so it contains the power of my bloodline. There's no way for me to shirk off the debt with this."

Zhang Xuan took the debt note and examined it closely. It was only after confirming that there was no trick hidden within the debt note did he finally nod his head in satisfaction. He turned to the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast and said, "Let go of them."

"Yes!" the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast replied.

The power of Dimension Sundering which was trapping the Zhang Chun's group in place dissipated.

Hu hu hu hu hu!

The five of them immediately plummeted to the ground, but fortunately, they still managed to stabilize their posture in midair, thus avoiding an embarrassing fall to the ground.

"Take this." Zhang Chun took out a jade bottle and poured out five pills. He gave one each to the other members before swallowing one himself, and only then did he feel his injuries alleviating slightly.

The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was simply too powerful. Even with the five of them collaborating with one another, they still came nowhere close to being a match for it.

"Alright, suppress your cultivation!" Zhang Xuan allowed them a long moment of recuperation before uttering nonchalantly.

"I know." Suppressing his cultivation, Zhang Chun's aura swiftly fell from that of a Saint 7-dan pinnacle to one that was of equivalent level to Zhang Xuan—Saint 5-dan Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle.

The suppression of his cultivation might have led to a dip in his fighting prowess, but at the same time, it also helped to alleviate the severity of his injuries as well, thus enhancing his mind, spirit, and soul.

"Since it's a formal duel, I hope that you can obey by our agreement earlier. I won't unseal my cultivation, but similarly, you shouldn't have the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast interfere in the duel either!" Zhang Chun harrumphed coldly.

"Of course!" Zhang Xuan replied.

"That's good then." A cold glint flickered across Zhang Chun's eyes as a hint of savagery emerged on his face.

Currently, the only thing that was holding him back was the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast. As long as the latter didn't make a move, a mere Leaving Aperture realm cultivator couldn't possibly pose a threat to him. With his superior comprehension of battle and talent, he would be able to crush the other party with ease!

Even though the young man had managed to tame the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, Zhang Chun felt that the other party had used some kind of unique means instead. Over the many years of heritage, beast tamers had come up with many innovative ways to make powerful beasts submitting to them, and there were a handful of them which didn't require one to possess too high of a cultivation.

As such, he didn't have too high of a view of Zhang Xuan's fighting prowess either.

"Let's begin!" Zhang Chun bellowed as he prepared to make his move..

"Hold it for a moment." Zhang Xuan suddenly interjected.

"What's wrong? Are you having regrets now?"

"You must be joking. I just want to suggest having the other four of your companion to suppress their cultivation and join the battle as well. I fear that you'll be crushed if you were to face me alone." Zhang Xuan shook his head and said.

It was not that he was looking down on Zhang Chun, but it was simply a fact that there would be no one of the same cultivation realm who could possibly be a match for him.

He had already made the other party write a debt note for him, so the least he could do was to offer the other party some benefits in return for the pinnacle spirit stones. After all, he was a principled man.

"Zhang shi... It'll be best not to underestimate Zhang Chun. Even amongst Saint 7-dan experts, there are very few who could match him..." Luo Xuanqing couldn't help but advise.

As one who had competed with him for the longest of time, he knew very well what Zhang Chun was capable of.

In the first place, it was already worrying how Zhang Xuan had accepted a one-on-one match with Zhang Chun, and yet, he was still insisting on a one-on-five...

Wasn't he being a little too conceited over here?

"It's fine." Zhang Xuan waved his hand to gesture for Luo Xuanqing not to worry.

He had just reinforced his cultivation and hadn't found someone to try his hand out on yet. Since the five of them happened to be around, why not?

"But..." Luo Xuanqing still wanted to persuade Zhang Xuan against it, but in this moment, Yuan Xiao stepped forward and interjected.

"Zhang shi must have an idea in mind for proposing something like this, so it should be fine. Besides, given how Zhang shi was able to even scare a lightning tribulation away, he might just wield the strength to subdue Zhang Chun!"

"That's true!" Nodding in realization, Luo Xuanqing decided to remain silent and watch the situation first. Nevertheless, he still felt that it was important to remind the crowd to remain on their guard, "Most likely, the reason why Zhang Chun challenged Zhang shi to a one-on-one is to make use of this opportunity to capture Zhang shi and use him against us. So, as soon as you realize that things are going awry, don't hesitate to leap forward and save him!"

"Un."

The others nodded.

Luo Xuanqing had competed with Zhang Chun for many years, so his grasp over the latter's temperament and style of doing things was bound to be rather accurate.

"You are the one who said those words yourself, I hope that you don't come to regret your decision."

Even though Zhang Chun was so furious that he could explode, he knew that the situation was currently disadvantageous toward him—Luo Xuanqing and the others would surely move as soon as they realized that something was amiss—so he beckoned the others over and sent a telepathic message over, "Later on, I'll be focusing on attacking that fellow. What you all should do is to help to stall Luo Xuanqing and the others, along with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, from saving him... As long as you can keep them at bay for a single breath, I'll definitely be able to put that fellow back in his place!"

Hearing those instructions, the other four members of Zhang Chun's team nodded discreetly.

They also felt deeply stifled after being pummeled by the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, and if there was an opportunity to get back at the culprit, they wouldn't hesitate to play a part too.

Hu la!

After deciding on their course of action, the four members suppressed their cultivation as well and stood in a circle around Zhang Xuan, encircling the young man.

"Let's begin!"

With a resounding roar, the five of them made a move simultaneously.

Even with their cultivation suppressed, their experience, eye of discernment, and reflexes as Saint 7-dan experts still remained, not to mention that they were still top geniuses of the Inner Sanctum. Their zhenqi swiftly permeated the entire valley, and it took only an instant for a barrage of sword qi, saber qi, and the sort to congregate all around Zhang Xuan, leaving no space for the latter to escape at all.

"Formidable!"

The bodies of Luo Xuanqing and the others stiffened after seeing this sight.

In order to deal with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, Zhang Chun and the others had practiced a grade-8 collaborative formation. While their cultivation was lowered to Leaving Aperture realm, the tier of their formation still remained the same. With their combined might, even a Saint 7-dan primary stage cultivator could be killed in the blink of an eye!

"Will Zhang shi be fine?" Bi Hongyin asked worriedly.

The others also directed apprehensive gazes over.

They had completely no confidence that they would be able to withstand the onslaught of the five of them were they to be in Zhang Xuan's place, even if they were to suppress their cultivation down to Saint 6-dan pinnacle instead of Saint 5-dan pinnacle!

Thus, they swiftly drove their zhenqi, preparing to dive forward to save Zhang Xuan. However, in this moment, a voice carrying a tinge of confusion sounded in the air.

"Is this all you are capable of after collaborating with one another?"

A moment later, the voice turned from one of confusion turned into one of disappointment, "This sure is a huge letdown."

Peng peng peng peng peng!

A total of five crisp echoes sounded in the air, and following which, all of the sword qi and saber qi vanished from the surroundings, and the five experts were sent flying in the distance like footballs. They were embedded back into the cliff face once more, and fresh blood flowed profusely down the edges of their lips.

For an instant, one could see utter despair in their eyes before their heads abruptly hung loosely from their neck, passing out.

"This..."

Luo Xuanqing and the others widened their eyes in horror. Turning into the direction of the voice, they saw Zhang Xuan clicking his tongue in disappointment as he clapped the dust off his hand while walking back toward them with a look that seemed to be saying 'The top sure is lonely. Just when will I be able to find a worthy rival in this world?'

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Chapter 1356: Distorted Space

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

To be honest, Zhang Xuan was really disappointed.

He had thought that Zhang Chun, as one of the top geniuses of the Zhang Clan, in collaboration with four other experts, should at least have been able to pose a challenge to him even when they had their cultivation suppressed down to the same level. However, as soon as they began launching attacks, he realized that he had been expecting too much from them!

But thinking about it again, this was to be expected.

Previously, when his zhenqi cultivation had just reached Leaving Aperture realm primary stage, he had already been able to successfully clear the Jia Corridor. Now, with his physical body cultivation and soul cultivation brought up to an equivalent level, there was no way Zhang Chun and the others, no matter how talented they were, could possibly catch up.

Stretching his back lazily, Zhang Xuan turned back to the crowd and said, "It'll probably be an entire day before they wake up. Don't worry, I'll have the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast look after them, so they won't be harmed by other saint beasts!

"Since we have time now, let's quickly find the Dongxu Gourd."

Even though Zhang Xuan detested the Zhang Clan for how frivolously they were treating Luo Ruoxin, it had not come to the point where he wished for their deaths.

If he simply left Zhang Chun and the others lying unconscious there, it would not be long before they were eaten by the other saint beasts in the valley. In a sense, that could be considered indirect murder by them.

By having the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast guard them, first and foremost, no saint beasts would dare cause any trouble, and secondly, they would not dare to enter the cavern anymore even if they did regain consciousness.

Suppressing the astonishment in his heart, Luo Xuanqing nodded. "Very well!"

To see his long-time rival, Zhang Chun, being knocked out so easily... This little friend that he had met just a day before sure was not an ordinary figure!

"Given the setback and humiliation that Zhang Chun has suffered today, there's no way he'll let this matter go easily. You must proceed carefully in the Sanctum of Sages from this day onward. If he attempts to find any trouble with you, make sure to inform me as soon as possible, and I'll help you settle the matter," Luo Xuanqing told Zhang Xuan telepathically as the group made their way over to the cavern.

He knew Zhang Chun very well. As an offspring of the esteemed Zhang Clan, as well as an 8-star high-tier master teacher, the latter would not resort to despicable deeds. However, with the power and influence the latter wielded in the Sanctum of Sages, he did not even have to resort to despicable deeds in order to make life difficult for others.

For one, just a stand made by Zhang Chun was more than sufficient reason for others to shun Zhang Xuan like the plague.

Considering how Zhang Xuan had offended Zhang Chun while trying to stand up for him, he was bound to get into lots of trouble in the future.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded.

In truth, while a huge part of the reason he had decided to teach Zhang Chun a lesson was due to the latter harboring lustful thoughts for Luo Ruoxin, he also felt that this was a good opportunity to win this future brother-in-law of his over to his side. In a sense, that would kill two birds with one stone, definitely well worth the trouble he would potentially face in the future as a result of this conflict.

He could feel that Luo Xuanqing no longer perceived him as an ordinary talented friend but a close buddy now.

Of course, it seemed to still be a little too early for him to talk about his relationship with Luo Ruoxin with the other party, but nevertheless, the deepening of their friendship would surely be of great help to him in winning Luo Ruoxin's hand in marriage in the future!

In any case, his strength was not up to par yet, and he had not unlocked the Sanctum Head Token either, so it was still too early for him to make a move. It would be good for him to work on Luo Xuanqing for the time being instead.

With the threat of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast resolved, the group swiftly advanced into the cavern.

While the entrance to the cavern was narrow, its interior was vast. The cavern seemed to extend along with the entire mountain range, meandering up and down.

"Xuanqing, I took a look at the place earlier, but I didn't notice anything peculiar in here," Yuan Xiao remarked.

He had examined the entire place thoroughly while searching for the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, but it was just an ordinary cavern within the mountain. There was nothing peculiar about it at all.

Instead of replying to Yuan Xiao's remark, Luo Xuanqing turned to Yun Lianhai and asked, "What about you? Did you notice anything?"

Considering how Yun Lianhai was a treasure hunter and possessed natural sensitivity toward treasures, there was a good chance that he could sense something that they could not.

"Let me give it a try." Yun Lianhai took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

A droplet of blood flew up to his glabella, and a glaring third eye abruptly opened up between his brows. It began scanning the surroundings intently.

A moment later, Yun Lianhai shook his head and said, "I don't sense anything either."

"Is this the ability that treasure hunters possess? I guess there is really no way for me to learn that!" Zhang Xuan remarked in wonderment.

He had used his Eye of Insight to assess Yun Lianhai's state earlier, and he had concluded that the latter was using his bloodline ability to scan the surroundings for artifacts rich in spiritual energy.

However, what was unique about that ability was how it could see through obstacles, like how a compass could detect the magnetic field of an object even from a distance away.

Since the very foundation of this ability lay in the unique bloodline of the Yun Clan, it could be said to be an innate talent. It was not a skill that one could learn through hard work.

Ultimately, while cultivation opened up a world of possibilities, cultivators were still fundamentally limited by their innate talent in many ways. Using an example from the world Zhang Xuan previously lived in, it would be just like how no matter a policeman trained himself, there was no way he would be able to become a K9.

With this, Zhang Xuan's hopes of picking up the art of treasure hunting were dashed.

"Zhang shi, what about you?" Luo Xuanqing asked.

The others also turned their heads over in curiosity.

It was just a short few days since they had first come to know one another, but this young man had already brought them an entire life's worth of shock. They were interested to know if this miraculous young man would be able to notice anything amiss or not.

In response, Zhang Xuan discreetly concentrated on the lines of insight in his eyes and began examining his surroundings carefully.

Unless a formation was active, the Library of Heaven's Path would not be able to perceive it. Thus, he could only rely on the Eye of Insight to search for clues.

But very quickly, he shook his head and said, "I can't find anything either."

As powerful as the Eye of Insight was, it was limited by his own cultivation. He was unable to discern items that were too much stronger than he was, just like how he had not been able to find Kong shi's folded space back at the Saint Ascension Platform 1 .

Seeing that they were making no progress at all, Bi Hongyin frowned in impatience. "Just where is it? Luo Xuanqing, stop keeping us in suspense!"

"Haha, I was just curious to see if you would be able to find it," Luo Xuanqing replied with a light chuckle. "To be honest, I wouldn't have been able to find the location of the formation myself either. It was my younger sister who managed to deduce the rough location of the formation's Life Gate through a map, and I only managed to locate it by following her instructions."

"The little princess was able to deduce the location of the formation's Life Gate through a map?"

Everyone gasped in shock.

Wasn't the little princess of the Luo Clan a little too talented?

It was already an incredible feat to be able to tell that there was an ancient domain here just by looking at the map, but to be able to find the rough location of the formation's Life Gate as well... That was really inconceivable!

"This is a map that my younger sister drew for me. It's using this that I was able to find the core of the formation and enter the ancient domain where the Dongxu Gourd is!" Luo Xuanqing flicked his wrist, and a palm-sized jade token appeared in his hand.

He tapped on it lightly, and amid a brilliant shimmer of light, faint mist emanated from the jade token and shrouded the entire cavern. Vaguely within the mist, one could see rocks and crevices... In a sense, it was somewhat similar to a painting. It slowly fused together with the real world until there was no way of distinguishing the two from one another anymore.

What incredible manipulation of space! Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up in astonishment.

The mist emanating from the jade token was not a type of ink or formation—it was a manifestation of a type of spatial energy.

To be able to paint on space and fuse it together with reality... this was truly an incredible technique!

After the mist fused fully with the cavern, the jade token floated up from Luo Xuanqing's hand and began drifting forward.

The group quickly followed behind the jade token.

It did not take them long to arrive before a dead end.

A towering stone wall blocked their path ahead, preventing them from advancing any further.

Upon reaching this point, the jade token also stopped advancing and spun on the spot.

Luo Xuanqing turned around and said to the group, "Due to the massive design of the formation, the Life Gate moves with time. It's located at a different location from where it was the previous time I was here, but since the jade token has stopped here, this should be it."

Without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan immediately activated his Eye of Insight to look at the space before him.

There's indeed a distortion in space here... Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly.

With the location confirmed, he was indeed able to tell that something was amiss in the area.

There was a sesame-sized spatial distortion right beneath the jade token. If one was not sure where to look, it would have been practically impossible to find it.

After all, it was not too rare for slight spatial distortions to arise. Even a bunch of Transcendent Mortal cultivators putting their might together would suffice to create a slight spatial distortion, so most cultivators would instinctively turn a blind eye to it.

It was no wonder the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, a Saint 8-dan beast, would fail to notice the secrets hidden within the cavern despite living here for so many years. Just how in the world was one supposed to find something like this?

At the same time, to be able to deduce this much just by looking at a map and even craft a jade token specially for it... Zhang Xuan could not help but feel deeply pressured by the astounding capabilities that Luo Ruoxin wielded.

In the past, he had not been particularly concerned about Luo Ruoxin's identity or background, choosing to confess to her solely because he liked her. However, in order to win the approval of the Luo Clan, he had no choice but to face the difference in their strength and standing.

And if even someone as powerful as Luo Ruoxin was not able to turn down the engagement with the Zhang Clan, things were truly not optimistic for them.

No matter what, I'll definitely wed you openly as my wife! Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly in agitation.

Yuan Xiao and the others stared at their surroundings with squinted eyes for a very long time, but they were still unable to find anything at all. Eventually, they could only shake their heads and give up.

"I really am unable to see what is so special about this place. Why don't you just open the Life Gate? We'll follow behind you."

"Alright." Without wasting any time, Luo Xuanqing raised his finger and tapped the area right ahead of him.

A droplet of blood dripped out from the tip of his finger.

Following which, he formed a few hand seals, and a unique power was imbued into the jade token.

Weng!

With a resounding buzz, the sesame-sized spatial distortion began rotating swiftly, reminiscent of a mini vortex.

Si la!

A rift was torn through space with the sesame-sized spatial distortion at its very center. At the same time, the vortex grew bigger and bigger, forming a cone-shaped spiral.

"Let's enter," Luo Xuanqing said.

Perhaps due to having expended too much strength, Luo Xuanqing's face was slightly pale.

"Alright." Yuan Xiao nodded.

Without any hesitation, he took the lead and leaped into the cone-shaped spiral.

He was the one who boasted the greatest defensive ability among their group, and considering that they were entering uncharted territory, it was a given that he should be the first one to enter.

Hu!

His two-meter-wide figure was still rather massive while it was at the top of the cone-shaped spiral, but as he descended, his figure grew smaller and smaller, until it was roughly the size of a needle, before vanishing into the distorted space.

"This..."

This was the first time everyone had seen such a bizarre sight, and their eyebrows could not help but leap up in astonishment.

Is this the ability of the 4-dan Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel, Creation? Zhang Xuan frowned.

Even though it seemed like Yuan Xiao had become smaller after jumping into the cone-shaped spiral, in truth, it was just a visual effect arising from the distortion of light due to the bending of space.

For example, it was just like how a person would appear to be different in size from a meter away and a hundred meters away.

Naturally, a person who was a hundred meters away, no matter how tall and big they were, would appear to be as small as a sesame seed.

Such was the situation over here as well.

While the cone-shaped spiral appeared to be only several meters away from them, there were actually many layers of space concealed within it. In terms of absolute distance, it was likely to be several li away from them.

Using space as a foundation to create stable space, and even make it so inconspicuous at that... It seems like the person who has left behind this ancient domain is likely to at least be a Saint 9-dan cultivator. On top of that, their comprehension of spatial laws is also extremely deep, perhaps still not on par with Ancient Sage Qiu Wu yet but definitely far surpassing that of ordinary cultivators,Zhang Xuan thought.

It was no wonder he had not been able to find anything with his Eye of Insight previously. This ability to manipulate space was already far beyond what someone of his level could comprehend.

"Let's head in, too."

Seeing that Yuan Xiao had entered, the others also forged ahead. Bi Hongyin leaped in first, followed by Yun Lianhai.

Watching as the two of them disappeared, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath before jumping into the cone-shaped spiral as well.

Hu!

In an instant, he felt as if he was plummeting through an abyss, heading somewhere he could hardly fathom.

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Chapter 1357: Why Aren't You My Brother-In-Law!

The wind whistled deafening by Zhang Xuan's ears. Even though it only appeared to be two or three meters, it felt as if he was falling from a height of several thousand meters. Not only was his speed swiftly accelerating, the pressure of the surrounding space on him was rapidly intensifying.

The moment that he dived into the sesame-sized spatial distortion, his surroundings suddenly blurred. When he came to once more, he was already standing in the midst of a lush green field.

White clouds drifted in the beautiful blue sky, and vibrant verdant grass covered the earth; it almost felt like a utopia. Taking a deep breath, the air was rich with spiritual energy, as if one was standing right above a spirit vein. It made one's cells dance in exhilaration.

It's indeed impossible for those of Saint 8-dan and above to enter this area... Zhang Xuan noted.

The entrance of the distorted space was only strong enough to carry cultivators of their strength over. If those of the Dimension Sundering realm attempted to enter, the distorted space would collapse.

Looking forward, Zhang Xuan saw Yuan Xiao and the others standing nearby. Confusion could be seen reflected in their eyes; they were shocked by the sight before them as well.

There were plenty of elders in the Sanctum of Sages who wielded a deep understanding of spatial laws too, but they were only capable of creating folded spaces. It was unimaginable that anyone would be able to create a space that bore such a deep resemblance to reality and harnessed such concentrated spiritual energy.

"The elder who left behind this ancient domain has placed the spirit vein in the valley into this folded space as well. Otherwise, how could he possibly breed an artifact on the level of the Dongxu Gourd?" said someone from behind.

Luo Xuanqing had entered the area as well.

"Placed the spirit vein into this folded space?"

Yuan Xiao and the others were astonished. Even Zhang Xuan felt that this matter was inconceivable.

He had seen plenty of folded spaces, and he even had one with him at the moment. Under normal circumstances, folded spaces were separate entities from reality, so to put an entire spirit vein in and even have it continue producing spiritual energy... It was unimaginable what it would take to accomplish that.

"Brother Luo, do you know who the expert that left behind this ancient domain is?" Zhang Xuan asked.

A person who could leave behind such a formidable ancient domain was bound to be a famous figure even among the countless experts who had risen in the entire history of the Master Teacher Continent.

Luo Xuanqing paused for a moment before saying, "I'm not too sure whom the ancient domain was left behind by, but this place seems to have some links to Ancient Sage Qiu Wu."

"Ancient Sage Qiu Wu?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.

"Indeed. In the past several dozen millenniums, other than Kong shi and the old ancestor of our Luo Clan, only Ancient Sage Qiu Wu has managed to comprehend the highest realm of space. This folded space is so exquisitely created that it could even sustain the growth of a treasure like the Dongxu Gourd. I really can't think of anyone who could achieve such a feat other than him," Luo Xuanqing explained.

Zhang Xuan also nodded in realization.

It was no wonder he was able to gauge the distortion space in terms of the levels of the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel prior to entering. In the end, it turned out that it was highly likely that this folded space had been left behind by that expert.

Previously, he had quite a delightful chat with the Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's fragmented soul, but it was a pity that the latter could not stay for too long. If he could meet the latter here in this folded space, it would definitely be a good opportunity to exchange some insights regarding space.

"The Dongxu Gourd is right ahead, but there's a formation blocking the way. The previous time I came here, I studied the formation for quite a few days, but I was still unable to find a way to resolve it," Luo Xuanqing said as he pointed forward.

Looking in the direction that Luo Xuanqing was pointing, they saw a river flowing in the midst of the sky. There was a long, thin vine wrapped around the river at a certain point, and connected at the other end of the vine was a lush green gourd.

The gourd was not too big, and there were no physical traits to suggest that there was something exceptional to it. But for some reason, there was a bizarre distortion in the space around it that gave a feeling that the gourd existed in another dimension. It was a sensation that made one feel as if one would be unable to touch the gourd even if it was right before one.

Upon seeing the gourd, everyone's eyes lit up.

They were still wary of the dangers they would have to go through before reaching the gourd, but to think that it would actually be so close to them.

"Let me take a look..." Out of curiosity, Yuan Xiao took a step forward, intending to fly forth to harvest the gourd. However, the next moment, cold sweat rained down his body, and he hurriedly retreated in fear.

Despite his swift reaction, he was still a step too late. A huge force that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere abruptly struck his chest.

Peng!

Before he could even grasp what was going on, he was sent flying. He skidded several dozen meters across the fields before he was finally able to dispel the force, and his face paled in fear.

If not for his swift reaction and superior defense, he could have died right there!

"That's a formation?"

The eyes of the crowd narrowed in apprehension.

From the current looks of it, it was apparent that the gourd that seemed to be within reach to them was not as easily obtainable as it seemed. The entire area was filled with all kinds of formations, and one would have to overcome all of them before reaching the gourd.

"I was stuck at this point the previous time I came here, too. I was unable to overcome the formations." Luo Xuanqing nodded.

The previous time he was there, through his superior comprehension of spatial laws, he had managed to advance much deeper than Yuan Xiao did. Nevertheless, he was still unable to get close to the gourd, as if it could only be watched from afar.

"Zhang shi, are you able to recognize what kind of formation that is?" Bi Hongyin asked.

"That isn't a formation." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"It isn't?"

The crowd was perplexed by those words.

"It's a type of manipulation of space. To summarize, it's somewhat similar to the seals in the Subterranean Gallery that serve to keep the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe at bay. The stronger an individual is, the greater the rebound they will face from the seal. On the other hand, if the individual isn't a cultivator, they won't face any rebound at all," Zhang Xuan explained.

He had triggered his Library of Heaven's Path previously when Yuan Xiao was attacked by the seal, and it was through the book compiled that he realized that it was a utilization of space instead.

"So, it should do as long as we suppress our cultivation, right?" Luo Xuanqing glanced at the injured Yuan Xiao and frowned. "I'll give it a try then."

Regardless of whether Zhang Xuan was right or not, someone would have to give it a try. Since Yuan Xiao was injured, he could only do the job himself.

Taking a deep breath, he sealed the zhenqi within his body, making him appear no different from an ordinary human.

Cultivators who had reached his level were already more than capable of concealing their zhenqi completely in their dantian, making them appear to be no different from ordinary humans. On top of that, it seemed like Luo Xuanqing was using some kind of secret art to suppress his cultivation even further, such that Zhang Xuan would not be able to tell even with his Eye of Insight without examining closely.

"Incredible!" Zhang Xuan remarked excitedly.

He had seen plenty of techniques that would allow one to conceal one's aura and cultivation, but those would usually fail before the Eye of Insight. It was truly frightening that Luo Xuanqing's secret art was able to deceive him too.

Noticing the shocked gazes all around, Luo Xuanqing explained, "It's a technique created by our old ancestor. It uses folded space to seal and conceal one's strength, making it impossible to circumvent even through Spiritual Perception."

"Un." Zhang Xuan nodded before moving on to grimly warn, "After proceeding in, no matter what you encounter, you mustn't tap into your cultivation. Remember, the higher the cultivation, the greater the rebound."

The surrounding space was reminiscent of a wooden log floating atop a body of water. The more one tried to push it down, the faster and more forceful it would push back.

Only ordinary humans would be able to remain unfazed by its attacks.

"Un." Luo Xuanqing nodded as he took a step forward.

As expected, due to his sealed cultivation, he really did not come under attack at all. However, barely after taking a few steps, his face suddenly paled. It seemed as if he had been through something inconceivable, and the fear in his eyes was palpable.

"Don't release the seal on your cultivation..." Zhang Xuan bellowed upon noticing Luo Xuanqing's peculiar state.

However, before he could finish his words, his future brother-in-law still failed to hold it in, and zhenqi gushed out of his body.

Boom!

A resounding explosion sounded, and just like Yuan Xiao, he was sent flying as well.

"Brother Luo..." Alarmed, Zhang Xuan hurriedly rushed forward and passed over a recovery pill infused with his Heaven's Path zhenqi.

Luo Xuanqing took the pill and swallowed, and a moment later, when his injuries alleviated slightly, he opened his eyes once more and shook his head apologetically.

"I'm fine..."

"I told you earlier that you mustn't tap into your cultivation no matter what you encounter." Zhang Xuan frowned. "Why did you still..."

He had made it loud and clear to the other party that he had to suppress his cultivation by hook or by crook, but barely three breaths after entering, the other party forgot what he said and was forcefully thrown out...

Aren't you a little too absent-minded?

"I encountered an illusion in there, and I saw... someone bullying my younger sister. That's why I wasn't able to hold myself back," Luo Xuanqing replied awkwardly.

He had resolved himself to keep his cultivation firmly suppressed at all costs prior to entering the area of the seal, but as soon as he saw his younger sister being bullied by others, all of those thoughts instantaneously vanished from his mind.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan could not help but shake his head with a helpless smile.

As expected of this overly-affectionate brother. Despite knowing that it was an illusion, he was still unable to stop himself from making a move.

"The little princess is much stronger than you in terms of fighting prowess, so what can you possibly do against an opponent who can even bully her?" Bi Hongyin grumbled in displeasure by the side.

Yun Lianhai and the others also found themselves speechless after hearing what Luo Xuanqing had said.

The little princess of the Luo Clan did not just possess superior talents in cultivation, more importantly, she had assimilated the Dimension Silencer. With just a mere thought, she would be able to seal the surrounding space and crush even Saint 9-dan experts with ease. Considering that Luo Xuanqing was only at Saint 7-dan, how could he possibly help his younger sister?

If there was anyone who had to do the protecting, it was the little princess!

"My strength might be beneath my younger sister's, but I still won't hesitate to pit my life against anyone who dares bully her!" Luo Xuanqing declared with conviction. A hint of gentleness and sadness surfaced in his eyes. "Our mother died while we were very young, so she became my only true kin in the Luo Clan. Thus, I resolved myself to not allow the slightest grievance to come to her!"

"Is that why you harbor such deep enmity for the Zhang Clan?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Indeed. In terms of bloodline purity, that bastard young prodigy of the Zhang Clan is indeed worthy of my younger sister. However, he's so arrogant that ever since the engagement was set, he has never appeared before my younger sister, not even once! This is a show of blatant disrespect and disregard toward my younger sister. How can I possibly not be mad at him?" Luo Xuanqing harrumphed coldly.

Recalling that fellow who was snatching his girlfriend form him, Zhang Xuan puffed up in rage too. He could not help but agree. "That bastard young prodigy of the Zhang Clan really needs someone to pull him off his high horse!"

If he was the one who was engaged with Luo Ruoxin, he would surely spend every single second of his life by her side!

"That's right!" Luo Xuanqing roared furiously. "If I ever catch sight of that bastard young prodigy, I'll definitely smash his head into his neck!"

"That's right!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand grandly and said imposingly, "Count me in! I'll make that bastard young prodigy crawl all over the ground, searching for his teeth!"

"This..."

Watching as the enraged duo lashed out at the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan, Yuan Xiao, Bi Hongyin, and Yun Lianhai glanced at one another in bewilderment.

And this bewilderment was directed right at Zhang Xuan.

It's understandable that Luo Xuanqing is worried that his younger sister will have to spend her life in misfortune.

But as an outsider, why on earth are you getting involved in this matter for?

Not to mention, to even get so indignant at the matter...

Is there really a need for that?

Unable to withstand it anymore, Yuan Xiao turned to Zhang Xuan and cleared his throat. "Ahem! Zhang shi, if I recall correctly... the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan shouldn't have offended you before, right?"

"I..." Zhang Xuan was stunned for a moment as he recalled his current position, so he fumbled for a moment before hurriedly replying, "I am just... just feeling a little indignant for Brother Luo! To anger someone as kind and tolerant as Brother Luo to such an extent, that bastard young prodigy must definitely be a shameless and despicable scoundrel! As master teachers, we have the responsibility to teach such scum of the world a lesson they will never forget!"

"This..."

The crowd glanced at one another.

Kind and tolerant... Well, putting that aside, there was not anything wrong with what the young man was saying, but why did feel like there was something rather weird about his words?

Luo Xuanqing was also slightly taken aback by Zhang Xuan's impassioned response. He took a closer look and noted that the young man was truly furious; it was not just an act to win his favor.

Thus, he could not help but remark, "What a great brother you are! Why aren't you my brother-in-law?"

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Chapter 1358: 3-dan Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Knowing that the others would get suspicious if he continued dwelling on this matter, Zhang Xuan decisively changed the topic. "Brother Yuan and Brother Luo are injured, so I'll be counting on you to take care of them. I'll head in to take a look."

"Let me do it instead!" Bi Hongyin stepped forward and said, "I specialize in dealing with illusions and soul attacks, so I should be able to withstand them better."

"Alright then." Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before nodding. "There's a good chance that there are many different formations in there, so be careful. Make sure that you don't use your cultivation regardless of the situation."

The illusion formation was a separate entity from the spatial seal, which was the reason why Zhang Xuan did not notice it through the Library of Heaven's Path. Otherwise, he would have surely reminded Luo Xuanqing in advance.

"Un." Bi Hongyin nodded before sealing her cultivation completely.

Her ability to seal her cultivation was not as absolute as Luo Xuanqing's, so Zhang Xuan was still able to see through her using his Eye of Insight. However, she was still able to keep her zhenqi from emanating, and the formation was unlikely to be sensitive enough to sense the zhenqi concealed in her dantian either.

Hu!

The young lady began proceeding forward, and in just a few steps, she arrived at where Luo Xuanqing and Yuan Xiao came under attack. As if something had come to her vision too, she abruptly stopped as well.

"Be careful!" Yun Lianhai could not help but remind her.

"There's no point shouting. The spatial seal in there prevents sound and even one's Spiritual Perception from getting through!" Luo Xuanqing shook his head.

"It seals off Spiritual Perception as well?" Astonished, Zhang Xuan tried to extend his Spiritual Perception over, but upon reaching a certain point, his Spiritual Perception seemed to disappear in an abyss. No matter how he pushed on, he was unable to sense anything at all.

It was a very perplexing and bizarre situation. It was obviously something that was right before them, but due to a profound manipulation of space, it felt like these two spaces were in completely different worlds.

Amid everyone's worried gazes, Bi Hongyin continued advancing forward steadily, but eventually, she was still unable to hold herself back from driving her zhenqi, and as a result of that, she was jolted out of the spatial seal just like everyone else.

Zhang Xuan rushed over and asked, "What happened?"

"After entering the spatial seal, I was teleported into another space where a saint beast was rampaging all around, devouring everyone in its sight. Unable to withstand it, I could only make a move in the end," Bi Hongyin explained with a reddened face.

She had been determined to suppress her cultivation down to the very end, but she simply could not bring herself to stand by as the saint beast attempted to bite off the head of a child.

"Teleported? But you didn't move at all!" Yun Lianhai exclaimed.

All of them could clearly see Bi Hongyin with their own eyes, so there was no way she could have been teleported somewhere else.

"Don't you think it's weird that we are able to look into the spatial seal despite being unable to perceive it with our Spiritual Perception?" Luo Xuanqing suddenly interjected.

"This..." Yun Lianhai fell into deep thought.

Sometimes, what the eye saw might not necessarily be real.

Just like mirages in the desert, no matter how lifelike and authentic they seemed to the thirsty explorers, they were actually all illusions.

The reason cultivators believed in their Spiritual Perception was because they were extending their consciousness directly toward their surroundings to perceive it, so it was much more unlikely for them to perceive something incorrectly. In their current situation, they were indeed able to see the entire situation clearly with their eyes, but who could guarantee that what they were seeing was real?

"Brother Yun, can you help us sense if that Dongxu Gourd is real?" Zhang Xuan suddenly spoke up.

"Alright!" Yun Lianhai nodded.

If what they were seeing within the spatial seal was false, there was a good chance that the Dongxu Gourd could be fake as well.

A droplet of blood flew toward Yun Lianhai's glabella, and an eye abruptly opened up between his brows. The eye quickly turned its gaze toward the gourd in the sky.

A moment later, he shook his head and said, "I can't sense the presence of any treasure..."

"You can't sense it?" Luo Xuanqing's face turned pale.

He had prepared for a very long time in order to acquire this Dongxu Gourd. If it turned out to be an illusion, he really might break into tears!

"Let me take a look at it," Zhang Xuan said with a frown.

He could not make a clear assessment of the situation with what they had gathered so far, so the most effective way was for him to enter the spatial seal personally to check things out.

"Be careful," Luo Xuanqing instructed.

"Un." Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan suppressed his cultivation before making his way into the spatial seal.

The method he used to seal his cultivation was not as advanced as Luo Xuanqing, but the zhenqi he cultivated was the Heaven's Path zhenqi. As long as he willed it so, not even Saint 9-dan experts would be able to discern his level of cultivation, let alone the others!

Hu!

As soon as he entered the spatial seal, his surroundings abruptly turned completely white. He tried to extend his Spiritual Perception to the limits, but he was still unable to perceive anything at all. It was as if he was standing amid a barren land where he was the only man existent within this world.

Luo Xuanqing and the others had already vanished without a trace, as if they had not even been there in the first place.

This sure is a little unnerving... Zhang Xuan thought with a frown as he slowly proceeded ahead.

Shortly after, a mountain range appeared before his sight.

After which, he arrived before a waterfall with a lake at the bottom. The cascading water sounded deafening in the surroundings.

This is...

Taking a closer look, Zhang Xuan's heart began beating in agitation.

He had been there before. That was where he had first met Luo Ruoxin!

The Verdant Mountains of the Huanyu Mountain Range!

In this very place, he had witnessed countless spirit beasts gathering around the waterfall, and he had thought that they were intending to do Luo Ruoxin harm. So, he had charged forward in the hope of saving her. That was how they had first met.

He quickly turned his gaze over to the waterfall, and a beautiful figure stood calmly over there. Just as always, she stood with an air of indifference, reminiscent of an inviolable lotus. It seemed as if there was nothing in this world that would be able to faze her.

"Ruoxin..." This was not the first time they had met one another, but even so, Zhang Xuan's heart still could not help but skip a beat as if it was the first time.

He had thought that he would be able to meet Luo Ruoxin as soon as he came to the Sanctum of Sages, but as he came to learn more about their current situation, he felt more pressured. It was to the point where he was not sure how he could face her anymore.

Even so, the yearning in his heart never died down even for a moment; on the contrary, it had only been growing stronger with time.

No, this isn't real. This is just an illusion... Clenching his fists tightly, Zhang Xuan endured his urge to charge over, and his breathing gradually calmed down as well.

His mind had been confused for a moment, but as rationality slowly returned to him, he recalled that he was in the midst of finding the Dongxu Gourd, and there was no way he could appear in the Verdant Mountain all of a sudden, let alone meet Luo Ruoxin. Even if it was not an Illusory Formation, it was likely to be some clever manipulation of folded space that allowed for the reflection of his memories.

Sou!

Having calmed down, Zhang Xuan was just about to advance forward when a sharp glint of light suddenly flashed across the sky. In the blink of an eye, it sliced right across Luo Ruoxin's body.

Following which, a young man with a vile look on his face appeared before Luo Ruoxin, and he uttered with a cold sneer, "You are my fiancée, but you fell in love with someone else. Since that's the case... why don't you just drop dead!"

The young man had a demented look in his eyes, and his facial features were deeply reminiscent of Zhang Chun. But for some reason, the young man seemed to bear some resemblance to him too.

The young prodigy of the Zhang Clan... Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth in fury.

How dare that bastard young prodigy of the Zhang Clan make a move against Luo Ruoxin? He's courting death!

Just as Zhang Xuan was about to unseal his cultivation, the Library of Heaven's Path in his mind jolted. For an instant, he felt as if a resounding bell had chimed right next to his ear, causing his body to stiffen in shock. He was forcefully jolted back to rationality, and he told himself, It's just an illusion. It's just an illusion...

At the same time, he drove his state of mind swiftly and re-entered the state of Heart of Tranquil Water. When he looked over once more, the young prodigy had already disappeared, and Luo Ruoxin was nowhere to be seen. In fact, even the entire Verdant Mountain had vanished.

Everything had returned to a completely white space.

That was a close shave,

Zhang Xuan thought as cold sweat trickled down his body.

Even though he knew that it was an illusion, he still could not help himself from making a move upon seeing Luo Ruoxin being injured. It seemed like the spatial seal did not just seek to confound—it intended to play on the emotions and feelings of others as well.

Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. It's fortunate that I have the Library of Heaven's Path, or else I would have been jolted out like Luo Xuanqing and the others...

Just as he was about to proceed ahead once more, he suddenly felt the 'ground' beneath him giving way, and he abruptly plummeted downward. The piercing whistling of the wind reverberated in his ears.

When he lowered his head, he could see the earth accelerating toward him at a fearsome speed, and it seemed like he would collide anytime soon.

He had suppressed his cultivation entirely, so his current strength was only at that of an ordinary human. If he fell from such a height, he would definitely lose his life.

In response to the danger perceived, his zhenqi began jumping into action, attempting to push its way out of the seal so that he could break the fall.

It's an illusion. It's an illusion! Zhang Xuan suppressed his zhenqi with greater force as he slowly closed his eyes.

If not for what he had experienced earlier, he surely would have succumbed. However, the previous experience had left him prepared for whatever was to come, so he was no longer as panicked or affected as before.

If he really used his zhenqi, the spatial seal would immediately rebound against him, and that would cause him to get injured.

Hu!

As soon as his heart had returned to perfect calmness, the deafening whistling of the wind and the falling sensation disappeared without a trace. When he opened his eyes once more, he found himself still standing amid the white space.

Using space to conjure effects reminiscent of illusions, I have never really thought of that possibility before... Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief as he examined his surroundings once more.

His comprehension of formations had reached the level of 8-star pinnacle, and he had learned the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel as well. Under normal circumstances, a folded space would not be able to trap him. However, this place was actually able to breach his mental fortitude without him sensing that anything was amiss. The means of the owner of the ancient domain were truly astounding,

Activating his Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan noted that the structure of the surrounding space was reminiscent of a beehive, consisting of small cubes placed together. However, unlike an ordinary beehive, the cubes were not stationary. Instead, they were flowing along with drifting water, forcing one to go along with its momentum and fall under its effects.

Space is basically ripples moving at a frequency. As long as I can find the true nature of this space, I'll be able to manipulate it too, Zhang Xuan thought as he went through what he had learned in the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel.

Some time later, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. I see!

Through analyzing the structure of the space around him, the various parts of the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel that did not make sense to him previously suddenly made complete sense.

Back when he cultivated the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel, his cultivation was still a little too low, making it highly difficult for him to comprehend the deeper nature of space. However, with his cultivation being raised to Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle, he was able to better analyze the space around him and advance his understanding of spatial laws to a higher level.

Zhang Xuan nodded in realization. It's no wonder this spatial seal is able to evoke illusions. Space can be formed using formations, and the inverse is true as well. So, naturally, it can be used to influence the thoughts of others as well.

Formations could be used to set up space, and space could be set up as formation. Building on this, that would mean that it was possible to embed formations within space itself to make one see the things that they desired the most.

Exhaling a mouthful of turbid gas, Zhang Xuan's eyes glowed in excitement.Having comprehended this, my understanding of space should have reached the level of 'Control'!

There were mainly five levels of the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel, namely Compress, Traverse, Control, Creation, and Destruction.

Compress allowed one to compress space and hasten one's movements.

Traverse could be considered as a deepening of the concept of Compress. Through a greater understanding of space, one would be able to execute movements reminiscent of teleportation, covering a distance of several hundred meters in an instant.

One who had comprehended this realm would be able to breach the Dominion of a Phantasm Space realm expert without being affected by the latter's control of space.

Control referred to gaining the ability to manipulate space. Upon reaching this realm, folded space and the sort would no longer be able to trap one. In fact, one would even be able to tap into the strength harnessed within these spaces to suppress one's opponent.

As for Creation and Destruction, Zhang Xuan still had not managed to fully comprehend those two concepts. He could tell that the creator of this ancient domain had reached the level of Creation at the very least, but for the time being, he still could not say for sure what 'Creation' in terms of space represented.

Since I have managed to reach the 3-dan Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel, this spatial seal won't be able to trap me any longer... Zhang Xuan chuckled inwardly.

With his current comprehension of spatial laws, this beehive-like space was an enigma to him no more.

Even the various formations embedded into the spatial seal that induced illusions in his head earlier also appeared clearly before his eyes, and he could destroy him on a whim.

I should leave now. Zhang Xuan drove his zhenqi and lightly waved his hand.

Then, he took a step forward, and the next moment, he was standing right before the river. A lush green gourd floated right before him, emanating an overpowering aura.

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Chapter 1359: Zhang Xuan Got Beaten Up

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The river was a spirit vein, and the spiritual energy flowing through it was so concentrated that it felt almost tangible.

The gourd was just hanging right beneath it, absorbing the spiritual energy as nutrition and growing slowly.

"Now, I just have to pluck it and take it back..." Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

If he wanted to level up, he just had to collect sufficient cultivation technique manuals and spirit stones. As valuable as the Dongxu Gourd was, it was of very little use to him. It would be more worth it for him to use it to develop a good relationship with Luo Xuanqing. As long as he could win Luo Xuanqing's goodwill and get him to speak up on his behalf later when vying for Luo Ruoxin's hand in marriage, everything would be worth the effort!

Thus, he reached out to grab the Dongxu Gourd.

Even though he did not use any strength, with his comprehension of Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel reaching 3-dan, his grasp easily caused the surrounding space to turn viscous. As if a fish trapped in a net, all escape routes for the gourd were sealed.

Just as Zhang Xuan's hand was just about to reach the gourd, the lush fruit suddenly woke up and began struggling.

Kacha!

The sealed space immediately broke, and Zhang Xuan felt an overwhelming force pressing down on him, threatening to grind his arm down to dust.

"Hmm?" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in astonishment. He quickly drove his zhenqi to form a massive barrier before him.

With his enhanced comprehension of space, even if he were to drive his zhenqi now, he would not suffer a rebound from the spatial seal.

Hu!

The gourd hanging on the vine shook its bottom.

Si la!

The massive barrier was immediately torn apart as if it was a piece of paper. Zhang Xuan hurriedly placed his hands up to guard against the attack.

An intense pain assaulted his arm, and the next moment, he was smacked down onto the ground.

With a pale face, Zhang Xuan struggled to his feet. His entire arm had already gone numb from the impact, and his bones were creaking in protest, as if saying that they would shatter if they had to endure any more than that.

Zhang Xuan's physical body had currently reached a level of resilience on par with half-Saint high-tier artifacts. Thus, he would not feel anything even if a Saint intermediate-tier artifact tried to slice him. Yet, with a slight shake, the gourd was able to leave him in such pain. The strength of the gourd had far surpassed his imagination.

"Damn it!" Zhang Xuan quickly drove his Heaven's Path zhenqi to recuperate from his wounds as he glared at the gourd with reddened eyes.

"I don't believe that I won't be able to capture you!"

Taking in a deep breath, he flicked his wrist, and a sword appeared in his palm. With a slight flick, a burst of sword qi shot toward the gourd.

The Lingxu Sword!

Considering how the Dongxu Gourd could help one achieve a breakthrough to Dimension Sundering realm, its tier was probably quite high. Having suffered against it a moment ago, Zhang Xuan dared not take the gourd lightly, so he used his most powerful weapon right from the start.

Tzzzzzz!

As soon as the Lingxu Sword appeared, the surrounding space immediately began distorting, seemingly ready to be torn apart at any moment.

In the first place, folded spaces were not as stable as the spaces outside. On top of that, Zhang Xuan had already comprehended the third dan of Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel. Even if he could not rip the folded space open, it was not too difficult for him to create a distortion in it.

Hu!

Watching as a burst of sword qi flew in its direction, the gourd shook its body once more, reminiscent of a large-bottomed individual flaunting their figure.

Tz la!

A powerful shockwave rippled from the gourd, halting the incoming sword qi in place, preventing it from moving even an inch closer.

"This..." Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up.

Even though he did not use the Three Swords of Lingxu, he had still harnessed its offensive Sword Quintessence in the attack. Not even a Saint 7-dan Phantasm Space realm primary stage expert would dare take the attack head-on. Yet, just by shaking its body, the gourd actually managed to neutralize his attack.

Was it not a little too strong for a mere gourd?

Knowing that he could not afford to hold back, Zhang Xuan quickly whipped out 108 swords and commanded them to attack.

"Go!"

Sou!

A barrage of sword qi instantaneously filled the area as the zhenqi in Zhang Xuan was swiftly sapped dry. The 108 swords warped into flashes of cold light as they charged in the direction of the gourd.

Padah!

The gourd also seemed to sense the devastating might wielded in the move, and it shook its bottom even more joyously.

Puhe!

Due to its excessively large movements, it dropped off the vine and flew over in Zhang Xuan's direction.

Boom boom boom!

It clashed directly with the sword qi, sending ripples diffusing into the surroundings amid brilliant bursts of colorful light.

As powerful as the Sea Severing Sword was, it seemed to be completely ineffective on the gourd. The swords qi simply bounced off it without causing the slightest mark on its surface. Instead, the gourd was even able to speed up in the midst of those attacks, tiding across the entire barrage of attack in just an instant.

"It's actually so powerful?" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in astonishment.

Sea Severing Sword was already his strongest move, and even Yuan Xiao and the others would suffer a great deal if they were to take the attack head-on.

Yet... it was actually so easily neutralized by the gourd. This was really inconceivable.

Was it normal for gourds to be that powerful?

However, the gourd also did not plan on allowing Zhang Xuan any time to rest. Right after breaking through the Sea Severing Sword, it slammed its body forcefully toward his chest.

After executing the Three Swords of Lingxu, the zhenqi in his body was already on the verge of running dry. Fortunately, with the recent breakthrough in his physical body cultivation and soul cultivation, he was not completely powerless without zhenqi anymore.

Without any hesitation, he raised both of his palms while driving the Heaven's Path Soul Art to draw upon his soul energy to augment his defenses.

Peng!

The crisp sound of a shattering bone echoed clearly in the air. Zhang Xuan's arm had fractured under the impact.

His body was sent flying into the distance before crashing heavily onto the ground. This short encounter had caused several bones of his ribcage to shatter as well.

Despite being a mere artifact, the fighting prowess of the Dongxu Gourd was simply too powerful.

If not for the Sea Severing Sword neutralizing a portion of the offense, that previous slam would have left him completely incapacitated.

Sou!

Before Zhang Xuan could climb up from the ground, the gourd shook a little in the air and charged toward him once more.

This time, its movement was way faster than before, to the point where its figure was nothing more than a slight blur. It seemed as though it would not rest until it was able to smash him into his grave.

Zhang Xuan's face paled.

In a frontal encounter, he was completely no match for the Dongxu Gourd. On top of that, his zhenqi was completely expended at the moment, and he was severely injured as well. If he allowed the gourd's attack to fall on him, he really might just lose his life there and then.

"Spatial Seal! Clone!"

Zhang Xuan was not sure whether those outside were able to see what was happening within, but to prevent Luo Xuanqing and the others from seeing his trump card, he still snapped his fingers to seal the surrounding space, preventing anyone from seeing what was within. At the same time, he released his clone.

After cultivating the Heaven's Path Soul Art, the prowess of his clone had risen by leaps and bounds. Its fighting prowess was significantly higher than his, so it should at least be able to defend against the Dongxu Gourd for some time.

Hu!

As soon as his clone appeared, Zhang Xuan immediately filled him in on the situation through their telepathic connection, and the other party charged forward to engage the Dongxu Gourd.

However, as fast as his clone was, he was still lacking compared to the Dongxu Gourd. Before he could even throw a punch, the latter was right before him.

Padah!

The Dongxu Gourd crashed right into his clone's face, imprinting its shape onto his face.

"Screw you!" Zhang Xuan's clone immediately went berserk. "How dare you hurt my handsome face? I'm going to kill you!"

Each time he was released from the Myriad Anthive Nest, he would derive great joy from mocking his main body and flaunting his overwhelming strength. But this time, before he could say or achieve anything, he ended up being quashed by a mere gourd instead. This unprecedented humiliation left him feeling so angry that it felt as if he would explode from sheer rage.

While roaring, the clone did not forget to throw a furious punch toward the Dongxu Gourd too.

Boom!

It was a direct hit, but the clone felt a jolt run through his body instead. With quivering lips, he quickly turned to the main body and said, "I can't defeat him. You should quickly run away!"

Even though his fighting prowess was far stronger than the real Zhang Xuan's, it was still a huge way off from matching up to the gourd before him.

"Run away?" Zhang Xuan hesitated upon hearing those words.

He was here to obtain the gourd for Luo Xuanqing, and to run away after all the effort they had put into this mission... was really a little hard to accept.

"If you aren't going to run, you can face that fellow yourself. I won't be accompanying you, goodbye!" the clone roared with gritted teeth.

Under the furious onslaught of the gourd, his body already bore no semblance of a human anymore.

Of course you can still afford to hesitate when all you are doing is hiding behind my back! If you don't want to run away, why don't you try facing this monster of a gourd yourself?

"Alright then..." Zhang Xuan nodded with a reddened face.

He also knew that he would not be a match for the Dongxu Gourd with his zhenqi sapped dry at the moment, so without any hesitation, he waved his hand and withdrew his clone and all of the swords back into the Myriad Anthive Nest and his storage ring respectively before fleeing back the way he had come.

Kacha!

However, it seemed like the Dongxu Gourd still had no intention of letting him off. It charged over in his direction once more with the same astounding speed that was nigh impossible to dodge, so he had no choice but to reinforce his defenses and brace himself against the impact.

Pah!

He was sent flying once more, but fortunately, he had managed to retreat back to the area where the illusions were generated once more, and with a flash, his figure vanished from the spot.

Before vanishing from the spot, Zhang Xuan vaguely saw the gourd in the sky shaking its bottom triumphantly before leisurely made its way back to the vine and hanging itself back on it.

In the blink of an eye, everything returned to normal, as if nothing had happened at all.

...

Some time ago prior to Zhang Xuan's fight with the Dongxu Gourd...

After seeing the young man off into the spatial seal, Luo Xuanqing and the others could not help but pace around the area worriedly.

"Zhang shi... should be fine, right?"

"Zhang shi has a deep understanding of formations. Even though this isn't exactly a formation, it does bear some resemblance to one. I think he should be fine..."

"As long as he can resist the urge to release his cultivation, he won't be affected by the rebound of the spatial seal."

Even though these were the words that they spoke, uncertainty and apprehension still continued to plague their hearts.

This was especially so for Luo Xuanqing. He had paid a heavy price in order to obtain the Dongxu Gourd, and if he could not touch it after all that, he would really be at a loss.

"Look, Zhang shi is heading forward," Yuan Xiao said.

The crowd quickly turned their heads over and saw Zhang Xuan slowly making his way over to the gourd in the sky. However, barely after taking two steps, he abruptly vanished from the spot.

"He must have cleared the illusions..." Luo Xuanqing's eyes lit up in agitation.

However, just two breaths later, a figure suddenly flew out of the spatial seal, and with a resounding 'peng!', it crashed into the ground just beside them, coughing huge mouthfuls of blood.

"Zhang shi!"

Horrified, the crowd hurriedly rushed toward him worriedly.

"I-I'm fine..." As he struggled to his feet, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

It was fortunate that he had fled swiftly, decisively leaping out of the spatial seal. Otherwise, he could have died at the hands of that fellow.

Looking at the severe wounds that Zhang Xuan had sustained, Luo Xuanqing could not help but ask, "Was Zhang shi also evicted by the spatial seal?"

They had all been injured by the spatial seal due to them unintentionally exerting their strength while inside. Could it be that the young man had faced the same inside too?

But... his wounds appeared to be slightly different from the ones they had sustained though?

"That's not it..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"What happened?" the intrigued Yuan Xiao asked.

Could it be that other than the spatial seal, there was still something else within the space that could hurt them?

If that was really the case, they would have to proceed carefully.

"I was..." With a face filled with embarrassment, Zhang Xuan scratched his head and said, "... attacked by a gourd..."

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Chapter 1360: Vine

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

It was no wonder Zhang Xuan would be so crestfallen by the matter.

All along, he had performed splendidly before his future brother-in-law, even impressing the latter through the taming of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast. His image in the latter's heart should have been flawless and impeccable... but who would have thought that a mere gourd would undo all of his efforts at this critical juncture!

It was one thing if he could not defeat a saint beast or an artifact, but for even a gourd hanging on a vine to pummel him to the point where he was forced to flee frantically as if a mischievous son being evicted out of his house... this must really be the greatest humiliation in his life!

"You were pummeled by a gourd?" Luo Xuanqing was startled for a moment before he finally understood what was going on. "That means to say that... Zhang shi, you have met the Dongxu Gourd? So, that thing really exists, and what we see isn't just an illusion?"

"That's right." Zhang Xuan nodded.

Due to Yun Lianhai saying that he could not sense the presence of a treasure, everyone's heart was left on an edge, fearing that their efforts had all gone to waste. Zhang Xuan's reassurance made all of them heave a sigh of relief.

Since it really existed, they still stood a chance then.

Seeing the dejected look on Zhang Xuan's face, Luo Xuanqing patted his shoulders and consoled him. "As an item that could help others comprehend the Dimension Sundering realm, its fighting prowess is likely to be on par with Saint 8-dan primary stage experts. As talented as you are, Zhang shi, your cultivation is still only at Saint 5-dan Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle, a great distance from it. It's only natural that you won't be a match for it. In fact, even I won't fare too well against it..."

Considering how the Dongxu Gourd raised the chances of a cultivator achieving a breakthrough to the Dimension Sundering realm by 50%, how could it possibly be anything ordinary?

As long as one's strength was not on par, putting aside capturing it, even if one were to capture it, there was no way one would be able to assimilate it!

It was only after hearing those words that Zhang Xuan finally felt a little better inside. He turned to the crowd and said, "I have already deciphered the crux to the spatial seal before us, and I'll bring you all to the gourd later on. However, I just want to warn all of you beforehand that the fellow is extremely violent, and there's a good chance that it'll make a move on us as soon as it sees us. So, I think you all should heal up first and condition your physical state to your peak."

"Alright then."

The crowd nodded before taking a seat.

Zhang Xuan took a seat as well. He opened up his acupoints and swiftly absorbed the spiritual energy in the surroundings so as to replenish the zhenqi that he had lost earlier and heal his wounds.

Thanks to the concentrated spiritual energy that was present in the folded space, it took him less than four hours to recover completely.

While reinforcing his cultivation, Zhang Xuan began strategizing against the Dongxu Gourd. That gourd is really a little too powerful. It won't be easy to deal with it even with our current forces...

He had considered several ideas, but after some careful rumination, they did not seem to be feasible against the Dongxu Gourd.

Just as Luo Xuanqing had said, that fellow was likely to possess fighting prowess on par with Dimension Sundering realm primary stage experts, a level that was far beyond the current them.

Unless... he released Vicious' finger and head to collaborate with Luo Xuanqing and the others!

But of course, that would mean exposing Vicious' existence, and for a master teacher to be rearing an Otherworldly Demon... If the matter got out, he would surely draw the wary gaze of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters upon him, and there was a chance that his master teacher license might even be revoked.

After quite some thought, Zhang Xuan was still unable to think of any good ideas. In this moment, Luo Xuanqing and the others suddenly stood up and said, "Let's head off!"

While they had sustained rather severe injuries from the earlier rebound of the spatial seal, after swallowing the recovery pill that Zhang Xuan had given them and utilizing the various means they possessed, they had managed to mostly recover from their wounds.

"Make sure to follow closely behind me. Don't even stray off by a single step," Zhang Xuan instructed severely.

Understanding the dangers that lay within the spatial seal, the others nodded.

Zhang Xuan swiftly sealed his cultivation before taking the lead into the seal.

Having comprehended the 3-dan Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel, his grasp over space was stronger than ever. On top of that, he had already comprehended the secret of the spatial seal, so in truth, there was no longer any danger in here for him.

In terms of absolute ability to manipulate space, Luo Xuanqing was likely a little stronger than him, but within the spatial seal, Luo Xuanqing would not even be able to come close to matching to him.

With the prior experience of traveling through the spatial seal, the second attempt proceeded much smoother. It did not take too long for them to arrive in the vicinity of the river of spiritual energy, and they could clearly see the gourd hanging just beneath it.

"It's the Dongxu Gourd..." Luo Xuanqing's body trembled in agitation.

He could not see it clearly from afar, but now that he was already in its vicinity, he could see that it was the Dongxu Gourd. If he could assimilate it into his body, his chances of achieving a breakthrough to Dimension Sundering realm would be increased by 50%.

"I don't think that I'll be of much help to you from this point onward, so I'll just wait for you here," Zhang Xuan said.

Unless he were utilized all of his trump cards, his actions would not mean much in comparison to the fighting prowess of the crowd. So, it did not matter whether he involved himself in the fight or not.

"It's fine—you have already done enough." Luo Xuanqing and the others were pumped up. "With our strength, we should be able to subdue it easily!"

Zhang Xuan raised his clenched fist and gave a cheer of encouragement. "Good luck!"

Three minutes later...

The group was back outside the spatial seal, and Luo Xuanqing and the others were lying on the ground with bruised, miserable faces.

Their collaboration was superb, and every single move they utilized was well-calculated to corner their opponent. Nevertheless, they were still no match for the gourd, and they ended up being viciously pummeled instead. This was especially so for Yuan Xiao—his entire body was covered with round imprints of the Dongxu Gourd.

Yun Lianhai hesitated for a moment before saying, "Zhang shi, why don't you bring the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast in? With it making a move, we should be able to destroy the Dongxu Gourd easily!"

The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast possessed strength comparable to a Saint 8-dan pinnacle expert, and even if the four of them collaborated with one another, they still would not be a match for it. With its help, they should be able to subdue the Dongxu Gourd with ease.

"This..." Zhang Xuan was slightly troubled by that request.

It was not that he did not want to do that... but it had not been long since he had constructed an awe-inspiring image before the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, and if he had to engage its help just to deal with a mere gourd now...

His pride could not take it!

Besides, the folded space seemed to be constructed in a manner that did not allow Saint 8-dan experts to enter. Well, it might still be possible for him to bring the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast in if he were to first store the latter in his Myriad Anthive Nest before letting it out, but such a course of action could possibly result in the folded space becoming unstable as well. If so, that would cause much more trouble than it was worth.

While the crowd was still conflicted as to what they should do, Luo Xuanqing suddenly gritted his teeth and resolutely declared, "Forget it, I'll use my bloodline ability then! I'll need you all to assist me later on."

"You are going to use your bloodline ability?" Bi Hongyin frowned. "Are you certain? You'll have to rest for at least a month if you use it, and that might cause you to lag behind Zhang Chun..."

While activating the bloodline ability would briefly grant an offspring of a Sage Clan overwhelming fighting prowess, it would also put a great strain on their body. For this reason, they would only choose to resort to it in desperate situations.

"I know, but as long as I can capture it, I should be able to push for a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan as soon as I recover after the month. This price is something that I can accept!" Luo Xuanqing replied.

Given his current rate of cultivation, he would at least require a few more years or even a decade or two of effort before he would be ready to push for a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan.

However, with the Dongxu Gourd, he should be able to succeed within just three months! So, resting for just a month was just a small price to pay.

"I see." Bi Hongyin nodded. "Since you have made up your mind, let's do it."

There was no such thing as a free lunch in the world. It would be blind optimism if a person expected to lay his hands on a treasure without giving something in return. Prior to making the journey here, Luo Xuanqing had already resolved himself to make sacrifices for this aim.

Having come to a decision, they quickly scattered to recuperate from their injuries and condition themselves back to their peak state.

Six hours later, they stood before the Dongxu Gourd once more.

"Hongyin, use your demonic tunes to interfere with its attacks. Yuan Xiao, try to draw the gourd's aggression upon you. Yun Lianhai, you will be going on the offensive alongside me. We only have one chance, so we have to succeed this time around!" Luo Xuanqing said solemnly.

"Alright!" the crowd replied resoundingly.

"Let's begin then!" Luo Xuanqing bellowed.

The next moment, overwhelming energy began billowing intensely within Luo Xuanqing's body, and it felt like his aura had been lit on fire. Following which, the space around him began to distort randomly.

He took a step forward and raised his palm, and the space around the gourd seemed to instantaneously freeze in place.

Hu!

Sensing hostility directed toward it, the gourd immediately charged out indignantly, wanting to strike down its enemy. However, the strength that Luo Xuanqing wielded from activating his bloodline was simply too strong. Despite multiple attempts to dash out, the gourd was actually unable to break out of the confined space.

Triiing ting! Trriiiiiiinnng ting!

The melody of a zither began playing—Bi Hongyin had started her performance. Yuan Xiao and Yun Lianhai also charged forward to make their moves.

Watching the happenings, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. They should be able to succeed this time around...

After activating his bloodline ability, Luo Xuanqing's prowess had more than doubled, and his current strength was not any beneath that of a Dimension Sundering realm expert.

As expected one of the top geniuses of the Luo Clan, the rise in his fighting prowess from activating his bloodline ability was frightening.

He had fought with Zhang Qian in the past, and he had seen the latter activating his Zhang Clan bloodline ability as well. Even though Zhang Qian's strength did grow significantly upon the activation, it came nowhere close to comparing to this.

It seemed the purer one's bloodline was, the more formidable the effects when one's bloodline ability was activated.

While Zhang Xuan was still deep in thought, the four experts had managed to suppress the Dongxu Gourd to the ground, and they were kicking it furiously. Bi Hongyin even raised her zither and smashed it down on the gourd furiously.

Under the crazed onslaught of the crowd, the gourd could only tremble fearfully on the ground, forming a miserable sight in contrast to the arrogance it had shown before.

Recalling how badly he was pummeled previously, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction at that sight. You sure acted smug just now, didn't you? Take this to your heart, revenge is a dish best served cold!

This is the price you have to pay for acting arrogantly before me!

Let's see if you dare do something like that in the future!

Knowing that the battle was as good as concluded, Zhang Xuan turned his head over to the flowing river of spiritual energy in the sky.

This proved that there was indeed a spirit vein within the valley at one point in time, but someone had dug it out from the ground to nourish the Dongxu Gourd. On top of that, it had been used to sustain the folded space as well, so at this point in time, it was already on the verge of drying up.

What a pity... Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.

If this spirit vein had only been extracted from the ground not too long ago, the concentration of spiritual energy flowing within it would have been on par with pinnacle spirit stones.

While there was still plenty of spiritual energy flowing within the river, the concentration had already dipped considerably. At this moment, its concentration was only equivalent to high-tier spirit stones, so it was not of much use to him anymore.

Just as Zhang Xuan was about to retract his gaze from the river, he suddenly caught sight of the vine hanging over it in his peripheral vision. This vine seems to be good stuff...

It was roughly around the thickness of a finger, but its gleaming, jade-like exterior seemed to suggest that it was rich in spiritual energy. Previously, he had been paying so much attention to the Dongxu Gourd that he had neglected it, but examining it intently with his Eye of Insight, he realized that the vine was actually incredibly resilient, and the concentration of spiritual energy within it was far purer than that of a concentrated high-tier spirit stone.

"Let me take a closer look!" Unable to hold back his curiosity, he flew over with eyes gleaming in excitement.

It did not take long before he was standing in front of the vine. The vine had a brilliant green color that was reminiscent of emerald, and it felt cold to the touch. It was hard to put a finger on the feeling that the vine gave him, but it felt like there were countless folded spaces packed densely within it, similar to a beehive.

This... Zhang Xuan blinked in surprise.

He had felt such a sensation from the gourd as well. This should be what others called the power of Dimension Sundering, which was also what one had to comprehend in order to achieve a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan.

He had thought that such a power should only be existent in the gourd, but to think that the vine would carry traces of such power as well.

Will I be able to assimilate it? Zhang Xuan wondered as he touched it once more, and amid a cooling feeling that rippled through his body from his finger, a book materialized in the Library of Heaven's Path.

Zhang Xuan retracted his finger and took a few steps back away from the vine before immersing his consciousness into the Library of Heaven's Path to read the book.

Kacha! Kacha!

However, at this moment, a series of crisp echoes reminiscent of squeals of delight sounded from the vine, and it dashed straight for Zhang Xuan.

Alarmed, Zhang Xuan raised his hand and grasped forward. "Store!"

Hu!

In the blink of an eye, the vine was deposited into his storage ring.

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Chapter 1361: You Poisoned the Wine?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The disappearance of the vine seemed to have robbed the river of spiritual energy of its support, and with a resounding boom, it exploded. Rampaging spiritual energy diffused around the folded space, causing the entire folded space to ripple unstably.

Sensing the disturbance in the spiritual energy, Luo Xuanqing and the others were visibly stunned for a moment. They took a look at their surroundings before swiftly returning to pummeling the gourd.

Peng peng peng peng!

With the four Saint 7-dan experts utilizing all kinds of means and weapons against it, be it swords, sabers, spears, hammers, it did not take long before the gourd was lying completely paralyzed on the ground, seemingly on its final breath.

"The gourd is going to die if you continue pummeling it. Why don't you rest for a moment before continuing?" The alarmed Zhang Xuan hurriedly rushed forward to persuade them to stop.

"Un." Luo Xuanqing waved his hand, and the crowd finally came to a halt.

At the same time, he grasped his hand tightly together, and surrounding space distorted to form a bubble around the Dongxu Gourd.

"Alright, it's done..."

Sealing the Dongxu Gourd seemed to have sapped the last bit of energy within Luo Xuanqing. His face turned pale as he slumped feebly to the ground.

There was a time limit on how long the bloodline ability could remain activated for. Back then, Zhang Qian had only used three moves before he was unable to lift his fist at all. On the other hand, Luo Xuanqing must have executed at least a hundred moves considering how long he had fought with the gourd, and that was really an impressive feat.

"Congratulations!"

The eyes of Yuan Xiao and the others were filled with envy, but they still clasped their fist and offered their sincere congratulations to Luo Xuanqing.

Even though they would have loved to make the Dongxu Gourd their own, they were not willing to sacrifice their principles for that.

Besides, given Luo Xuanqing's strength and standing, even though they were considered peers, they dared not offend him either.

"If not for all of your help, there's no way I could have succeeded," Luo Xuanqing said.

Just as he was able to place the spatial bubble into his storage ring—he would only be able to assimilate the gourd after conditioning his body back to its peak state—a powerful shockwave abruptly burst forth from the seemingly lifeless gourd.

Si la!

A huge rift was torn in the spatial bubble, and the gourd dashed out.

"Sh*t!" Luo Xuanqing narrowed his eyes in horror.

He had already depleted all of his strength due to the activation of his bloodline ability, and he could not even summon the slightest bit of energy in his powerless body anymore. If the Dongxu Gourd fled at this moment, there was no way he would be able to stop it!

"Stop right there!" Yuan Xiao and the others were startled for a moment, but they swiftly recovered and moved decisively to take down the Dongxu Gourd.

After all of the suffering they had gone through and effort they had put in to take down the Dongxu Gourd, how could they allow it to escape now that they were only a step away from success?

Sou sou sou!

However, the gourd seemed to have known their attack trajectories in advance, and with just a slight shake, it managed to avoid the rain of attacks with ease. In the blink of an eye, it accelerated beyond the speed of sound, and it was headed in one specific direction.

Toward Zhang Xuan!

"This..." Zhang Xuan felt as if ants were running on his scalp, and he nearly fainted on the spot.

I didn't even make a move this time around, so why are you coming for me?

"Zhang shi, be careful!" the crowd shouted anxiously.

Given how quickly the gourd was moving, Zhang Xuan knew that it was already too late for him to hide. Thus, he gritted his teeth and braced himself to withstand the impact of the collision, just as he had done before.

Hu!

As soon as his palm came into contact with the Dongxu Gourd, he felt a searing pain assaulting his hand. The Dongxu Gourd had actually managed to puncture a glaring hole in his palm, causing fresh blood to spurt all around.

Weng!

In the presence of blood, the Dongxu Gourd did not bother dodging at all. Instead, it shook its bottom and prepared to make a second move.

Hu la!

This time, it dashed straight toward Zhang Xuan's abdomen.

Given the strength of the gourd, should its attack really connect, his intestines would surely be ruptured, resulting in severe injuries!

It's not me; I'm not the one who pummeled you just now. The party who wanted to capture you is them, and the party who made a move on your earlier is them too! Why on earth are you coming for me instead?

Tears nearly streamed down Zhang Xuan's eyes this time around, but he knew that this was no time for crying. He drove his zhenqi and attempted to grab hold of the gourd before it struck its abdomen, but it was futile. He only caught air.

But surprisingly, the pain that he had anticipated did not arrive. Instead, the gourd vanished into his abdomen.

"This..." Zhang Xuan was stunned.

He had no idea what to make of the current situation.

The others also turned doubtful gazes in his direction.

"Where is the gourd?" Zhang Xuan looked around him anxiously, but the gourd was nowhere to be seen. He used his Spiritual Perception to gaze inwardly into his body, and his lips suddenly quivered. "W-why... why is it in my dantian?"

Seated lazily in the depths of his dantian was the Dongxu Gourd. Upon sensing the presence of Zhang Xuan's Spiritual Perception, it even intentionally shook its bottom gleefully, as if flaunting its victory.

"What?"

Everyone quickly rushed forward and scanned Zhang Xuan's body with their Spiritual Perception. A moment later, Luo Xuanqing slumped to the ground with a dazed look and muttered, "You have actually assimilated the Dongxu Gourd into your body..."

"Assimilated?"

"The Dongxu Gourd can help its owner comprehend the Dimension Sundering realm. As long as one assimilates it, one will be able to infuse it into one's dantian," Luo Xuanqing explained with his eyes widened in disbelief.

"However, the assimilation process is extremely complex. Not only does it require the cultivator to tribute their blood essence to it, more importantly, their cultivation must also have reached Saint 7-dan pinnacle at the very minimum in order to make it acknowledge them as its master. Considering that your cultivation is only at Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle, two realms away from Phantasmal Space realm pinnacle... just what on earth is going on here?"

He had put in so much effort and paid such a heavy price before he managed to take down the Dongxu Gourd, but before he could assimilate it, it ended up diving into someone else's dantian. Luo Xuanqing could not help but clutch his suffocated chest, patting it forcefully to alleviate the pain.

Zhang Xuan's face paled upon realizing what had happened, and he anxiously bellowed, "But I never intended to assimilate it! Gourd, you'd better come out right now!"

He had come here to help his future brother-in-law procure what he needed, and to end up taking it for his own instead...

You are really bent on destroying the noble and righteous image I have established before my future brother-in-law, aren't you? You homewrecker!

Hu hu!

The gourd continued shaking its body gleefully.

"You..." Seeing how the gourd continued flaunting its victory smugly, Zhang Xuan felt so angry that his body quivered in rage. Left with no choice, he could only face Luo Xuanqing with a deeply apologetic look. "Brother Luo, I really had no intention of assimilating the Dongxu Gourd..."

"I know." Luo Xuanqing shook his head and sighed in resignation. "Artifacts possess spirit as well. What's not meant to be is simply not meant to be; there's no point forcing it..."

Even though he felt so stifled that he could spurt a bucketful of fresh blood out at the moment, he still managed to think things through.

Given how the Dongxu Gourd had chosen to dive into Zhang Xuan's dantian despite all he had done, it could only mean that it had never been interested in him from the start!

"I..." Zhang Xuan's face turned scarlet from embarrassment. He really did not know what he should say in such a situation.

What the heck was this? He was supposed to be there to help, but with such a happening, who else would dare ask him out to hunt treasures in the future?

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before speaking up. "Brother Luo's intention of procuring the Dongxu Gourd is to push for a breakthrough to the Dimension Sundering realm, right? If I can help you achieve a breakthrough, would it mean that it wouldn't matter whether you had the Dongxu Gourd or not?"

Considering how gleeful the Dongxu Gourd was acting, it did not seem like it would be coming out anytime soon. This matter could not be considered his fault, but nevertheless, he still felt deeply guilty for taking what should have belonged to Luo Xuanqing.

"Help me achieve a breakthrough?" Luo Xuanqing was visibly surprised by Zhang Xuan's remark for a moment before he shook his head glumly. "Achieving a breakthrough to the Dimension Sundering realm is not a small matter... Countless experts in history have been stuck at the Phantasmal Space realm, unable to take the final step forward. If not for that, I wouldn't have traveled so far and paid such a heavy price to obtain the Dongxu Gourd!"

Despite the various miraculous means the young man had displayed so far, the difficulty in achieving a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan was simply too great! Even cultivators who were privileged enough to receive the guidance from a 9-star master teacher might not necessarily be able to take the final step forward, let alone the fact that Zhang Xuan was only at Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle!

"Since this has already happened, why don't you just give it a try?" Zhang Xuan asked.

If it had been a while ago, without having seen any Saint 8-dan cultivation technique manuals, there was no way he would have been able to help Luo Xuanqing achieve a breakthrough even if he could compile a book on the latter's flaws through the Library of Heaven's Path.

However, with his comprehension of space achieving the level of 3-dan Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel, as well as his assimilation of the Dongxu Gourd, he had already gained a significant understanding of the power of Dimension Sundering.

With that and the Library of Heaven's Path, he just might be able to help Luo Xuanqing achieve a breakthrough to higher realms!

"Give it a try? With the current state I am in, how can I give it a try?" Luo Xuanqing said with a bitter smile.

The activation of his bloodline ability had depleted all of his energy. Putting aside pushing for a breakthrough to higher realms, even walking normally was an arduous task to the current him!

"Oh right... Don't worry, I'll find a way to help you alleviate the side effects resulting from the activation of your bloodline ability." Saying those words, Zhang Xuan immersed his consciousness back in the Library of Heaven's Path and began studying the book he had just compiled on Luo Xuanqing.

He had compiled this book while Luo Xuanqing and the others were fighting against the Dongxu Gourd. He had been intending to use it to explore the secrets concerning the unique bloodlines of Sage Clans, especially since he felt that it would come useful when he vied with the Zhang Clan for Luo Ruoxin's hand in marriage.

The activation of the bloodline ability would result in damage to one's spirit, mind, and vitality, putting one's body in a state of extreme deficiency. In such a state, the cultivator would be unable to exert any strength, and any forceful attempt to do so would result in one's cultivation declining... Reading the description in the book, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows knitted together.

There was a fundamental limit to one's potential, vitality, and spirit, and the activation of one's bloodline would lead to excessive depletion of those. Without sufficient time, there was no way one could recover to full health.

The Heaven's Path zhenqi is able to heal injuries, open up blockages in the meridians, and restore the spirit, mind, vitality of the ill... I wonder if it will be effective in this situation too? Zhang Xuan wondered.

Due to the incredible purity of the Heaven's Path zhenqi, it was able to easily dive into a cultivator's meridians and cells to repair the damaged portions. In a sense, the depletion resulting from the activation of a unique bloodline was a similar problem. Perhaps, it might be of some use.

With this thought in mind, Zhang Xuan looked at Luo Xuanqing straight in the eye and said, "Brother Luo, I have thought of a way that could possibly help you recover from your weakened state swiftly!"

"Oh? What kind of method is it?" Luo Xuanqing asked curiously.

The young man before him had produced too many miracles in the time they had spent together. While he did not bear too much hope in the matter—if there was truly such a method, top-notch Sage Clans like the Zhang Clan and the Luo Clan would already have been using it by now—he still wanted to hear what the young man had in mind.

"Simple." Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and passed a vat over with a confident look on his face. "You just have to drink this!"

"You want me to drink wine?" Luo Xuanqing was still wondering what kind of solution the young man had in mind, but to think that it would be this. His eyebrows could not help but shoot up.

Bi Hongyin stepped in and intervened. "Luo Xuanqing's body is currently in a bad shape. Drinking wine at this moment will only worsen his condition."

Are you serious about having Luo Xuanqing drink your wine? Look at how frail he is at the moment!

Yuan Xiao also stepped forward and offered, "Zhang shi, if you really wish to drink, why don't I accompany you instead?"

"This is the method to help him recover swiftly from the side effects of activating his bloodline ability," Zhang Xuan explained to the crowd before turning his gaze back to Luo Xuanqing. "Brother Luo, if you believe me, you should give it a try. If it succeeds, I'll help you achieve a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan by today. Even if it fails, it's just a vat of wine. It won't cause too much harm to your current condition!"

"This..." Seeing Zhang Xuan's insistence, Luo Xuanqing hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly. "Alright then."

He took the wine from Zhang Xuan's hands and stared at it for a moment before raising his head and gulping down the wine.

Gugugugu!

As soon as the wine washed down his throat, a spicy feeling arose in Luo Xuanqing's body. However, it did not seem to be making any difference to his current condition at all.

Just as he was about to berate the young man for fooling around, his body suddenly shuddered involuntarily. He widened his eyes in astonishment and exclaimed, "This wine... There's something wrong with this wine!"

"You poisoned the wine?" Yuan Xiao immediately turned to Zhang Xuan with a darkened face, and a powerful aura immediately burst forth from him.

"..." Luo Xuanqing.

"..." Zhang Xuan.

Chapter 1362: Luo Xuanqing's Breakthrough

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"No, it's not poison. Luo Xuanqing's complexion is improving!" Before Zhang Xuan could explain himself, Bi Hongyin had spoken up.

Her meticulous nature allowed her to immediately notice the slight changes within Luo Xuanqing.

Even though Luo Xuanqing still looked as weak as before, unable to draw forth the slightest strength in his body, redness had started returning to his previously ghastly pale face.

Seeing that he had misunderstood Zhang Xuan, Yuan Xiao hurriedly reined in his aura and scratched his head in embarrassment.

He had seen how the young man had poisoned the Crimsontail Wasp King to death and declared that he would poison Zhang Chun to death, so as soon as Luo Xuanqing said that there was something wrong with the wine, the first thing that came to his mind was that the wine was poisoned.

Gudong! Gudong!

It did not take long for Luo Xuanqing to down the entire vat of fine wine. Without his zhenqi protecting his body, he swiftly became intoxicated by the high concentration of alcohol in the wine. Nevertheless, his complexion and body seemed to have recovered significantly from before.

If he had appeared to be a terminally-ill patient who seemed like he was standing at the gates to hell a moment ago, right now, he seemed more like a young man who had just been afflicted with a slight fever or something.

Luo Xuanqing looked at Zhang Xuan with glazed eyes and asked, "Is there still any more wine?"

"Here you go!" Zhang Xuan took out another vat and passed it over.

"Thank you..." Taking the vat, Luo Xuanqing began gulping it down in huge mouthfuls.

It was an established fact that after the activation of one's bloodline ability, one would be unable to exert any might for an entire month. Yet, just by drinking a vat of wine, he felt the frailty that seemed to plague him right from the depths of his body starting to vanish!

This was something that was unbelievable to him!

One must know that the frailty after activating one's bloodline ability was a problem that had plagued Sage Clans for countless years. Much research had been done to alleviate the problem, but there was still no feasible and affordable solution to resolve it.

But as he gulped down more and more wine, he could feel his vitality swiftly coming back to him, returning to his peak state.

By the time he was done with the second vat of wine, all frailty he felt had already vanished without a trace!

"Zhang shi..." The astounded Luo Xuanqing turned to look at Zhang Xuan, wanting to know how he managed to do it.

"Close your eyes and don't resist me..." Zhang Xuan interrupted Luo Xuanqing's words with wave of his hand.

Then, he flicked his finger, and countless needles flew over.

Tzzzzzzz!

As soon as the silver needles pierced into his body, Luo Xuanqing immediately felt a unique energy coursing through his body. The meridians that had ended up getting blocked as a result of him activating his bloodline ability slowly opened up once more.

To make an analogy, activating one's bloodline ability was like causing a machine to go on overdrive. Once it cooled down, the energy that had gotten into narrow meridians would slowly agglutinate, causing blockages in the area, making it difficult for one to drive one's zhenqi through them.

In other words, what was blocking the meridians was not impurities but one's own zhenqi!

However, the energy that flowed through the silver needle melted the agglutinated zhenqi as if ice in the face of boiling water, clearing those meridians swiftly. In just moments, Luo Xuanqing felt refreshed and energized, and strength swiftly returned to his body, surging through his entirety.

"This..."

Yuan Xiao and the others glanced at one another, flabbergasted.

Recovering one's vitality through drinking wine could still be rationalized by the wine being concocted using potent recovery medicinal herbs... but to replenish one's zhenqi just by sticking a few silver needles in, that was a little too exaggerated!

Having recovered his zhenqi, Luo Xuanqing no longer felt as withered before. He flicked his wrist, took out a pill, and threw it into his mouth.

Geji! Geji!

As he absorbed the energy harnessed within the pill, the energy in his body grew stronger and stronger. In less than an hour, he had already returned to his peak state.

"You are really able to resolve the side effects from activating one's bloodline ability..." Getting to his feet and feeling the strength coursing through his body, Luo Xuanqing stared at the young man before him with a look of disbelief.

Ever since he was young, his clan elders had always warned him against activating his bloodline ability easily, or else he would have to undergo a long period of recuperation. Who knew that the formation master he had coincidentally met would actually be able to resolve his problems so easily?

"This is a secret art of mine, and it depletes my energy greatly as well, so I earnestly request for you all not to let this matter out," Zhang Xuan said with a pale face as he clasped his fist.

Luo Xuanqing's cultivation was simply too much higher than his. He had needed to expend nearly all of his zhenqi before he was able to heal the other party.

It would be best for him to avoid doing this in the future, or else he would probably die of overexertion after treating a couple of people.

"Un." It was apparent that Zhang Xuan had also pushed himself a little too much in the recovery process, and the others also understood the significance of this matter. Thus, they swiftly nodded in agreement.

After a short moment of rest, Zhang Xuan said, "Since Brother Luo has already recovered fully, let's push for a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan right now then!"

"Alright." Luo Xuanqing nodded. Then, with a slightly lost look on his face, he asked, "What should I do now?"

Even though he had managed to recover to his full strength, he was still some way off from pushing for a breakthrough to the Dimension Sundering realm. Otherwise, he would not have gone through the trouble of looking for the Dongxu Gourd either.

"You should assimilate this item first." Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and passed a vine over.

Although the power of Dimension Sundering within the vine was slightly inferior to that of the Dongxu Gourd, it was apparent that assimilating it would do one much good in pushing for a breakthrough to the Dimension Sundering realm.

It was due this vine that he dared promise Luo Xuanqing that he would help him achieve a breakthrough.

"Alright." Nodding, Luo Xuanqing began pumping his zhenqi into the vine, attempting to assimilate it for his own.

This was only a small segment of the entire vine, so it was not too difficult to assimilate it. It took him less than six hours to succeed.

Within the period of time Luo Xuanqing spent assimilating the vine, Zhang Xuan had managed to recover fully as well.

"Alright, store it in your dantian!" Zhang Xuan instructed.

Seeing how slow Luo Xuanqing's movement was, he tapped his finger forward.

Tz la!

The vine immediately dived right into Luo Xuanqing's dantian.

"This..." Luo Xuanqing widened his eyes in disbelief.

In his view, the vine was only an ordinary item. Even if he were to assimilate it, there would be nothing that would come out of it. However, when he fused it into his dantian, he realized that the vine actually harnessed countless folded spaces packed together!

In fact, it could be said that the effect of the vine was nearly no different from assimilating the Dongxu Gourd itself!

Seeing that Luo Xuanqing finally understood, Zhang Xuan casually said, "Alright, you can push for a breakthrough now."

It was only with the Eye of Insight that he could discern the power of Dimension Sundering that was harnessed within the vine. The others lacked the ability to do so, so naturally, they were not able to notice it.

"Alright."

With his body back to its peak state and having assimilated the vine, Luo Xuanqing knew that it was the ideal opportunity for him to achieve a breakthrough. Thus, he took a seat on the ground and began conditioning his breathing, preparing himself for a breakthrough.

Some time later...

With a resounding explosion, a powerful aura flowed forth from his body. His aura abruptly surged, and in just a few moments, he had already overcome his bottleneck.

However, as he advanced into the Half-Dimension Sundering realm, his cultivation gradually came to a halt.

Seeing as Luo Xuanqing's flow of energy gradually came to a halt, Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully, "What's wrong? Are you lacking the strength to push for a breakthrough straight to Saint 8-dan?"

Under normal circumstances, considering that Luo Xuanqing was in his peak state and that he had assimilated the vine, he should have been able to push for a breakthrough to Dimension Sundering realm with ease. Why did he stop at just Half-Dimension Sundering realm?

"As long as I wish to do so, I can push for a breakthrough at any moment. However, at Saint 8-dan, one's Dominion will become imbued with the power of Dimension Sundering, which is equivalent to wrestling power from the surrounding space. However, the space in this folded space is considerably weaker and less stable, so even if I do achieve a breakthrough here, the increase in my fighting prowess will not be as great," Luo Xuanqing explained.

"I see." Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

Even though he had already comprehended the third dan of the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel, he still knew close to nothing about the Dimension Sundering realm. As such, he was unable to anticipate such a possible pitfall.

At the Dimension Sundering realm, cultivators would seek to sunder the space from the world to strengthen themselves, and naturally, the space sundered from folded spaces would inevitably be weaker than those sundered straight from the natural world.

The space of the natural world had come to achieve an exquisite balance over countless years of development, so achieving a breakthrough there would be much more beneficial to one in terms of increment in fighting prowess or future potential.

"More importantly, when a cultivator achieves a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan, a lightning tribulation will be drawn in. If I challenge the trial back at the Sanctum of Sages, I'll be less susceptible to the offense of inner demons, making it easier for me to succeed."

Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.

The Sanctum of Sages carried the aura left behind by Kong shi and generations of master teachers, and due to the righteous air that lingered in the area, inner demons dared not wreak havoc when one was challenging a tribulation. As such, achieving a breakthrough in the Sanctum of Sages would be much easier than doing so outside.

After all, not everyone was like him, capable of talking an inner demon into submission.

"He really succeeded..."

"How did he manage to do it?"

Seeing how Luo Xuanqing, who had difficulty even standing up not too long ago due to the side effects from activating his bloodline ability, successfully made a breakthrough to Half-Dimension Sundering realm, the faces of Bi Hongyin and the others flushed red in agitation.

Even though they had not reached Phantasm Space realm pinnacle yet, as long as they were to cultivate hard, they should be able to reach it within a few years.

If they could engage Zhang shi's help then and push for a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan Dimension Sundering realm, their clans would surely view them with far greater regard and grant them greater authority!

"Brother Luo, how much has your strength grown after achieving a breakthrough to the Half-Dimension Sundering realm?" Yun Lianhai asked curiously.

"How much has my strength grown?" Hearing that question, Luo Xuanqing laughed heartily and grabbed the space in front of him.

Kacha!

He tore off a fragment of space, creating a rift ahead of him.

Everyone widened their eyes in shock.

Even though they were in a folded space and Luo Xuanqing had always possessed exceptional control over space, this was still an astounding feat. Even Dimension Sundering realm intermediate stage experts would have incredible trouble achieving such a feat!

"There's no need to worry. There's no problem in the breakthrough method that Zhang shi has imparted to me. If I meet with that bastard Zhang Chun again, I'll be able to beat him up to the point where even his own father won't be able to recognize him," Luo Xuanqing said in excitement.

He had been competing with Zhang Chun for many years, and each time he achieved a breakthrough, the latter would swiftly follow suit as well. Neither of them was able to shake the other off. It was for this reason that he was determined to find the Dongxu Gourd so as to surpass the latter once and for all.

Who would have thought that, even though the Dongxu Gourd did not recognize him, he would still be able to successfully make a breakthrough?

With his newfound strength, he would make sure to put that fellow through a round of suffering when he returned to the Sanctum of Sages!

"That's a relief..."

Everyone first heaved a sigh of relief before they slowly directed heated gazes toward Zhang Xuan.

"Ah..." Facing everyone's passionate gazes, Zhang Xuan scratched his head in embarrassment and said, "Since we have resolved the matter concerning the Dongxu Gourd, shall we return to the Sanctum of Sages now?"

"Wait a moment first," Luo Xuanqing said with a smile. "I don't think that there's only the Dongxu Gourd in this ancient domain. In fact, the reason I invited Yun Lianhai over is to borrow his ability to scan the surroundings. Perhaps, we might be able to find much more valuable treasures in here!"

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Chapter 1363: Looped Space

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

A spirit vein was torn out of the mountain valley and placed into this folded space in order to supply it with energy. Surely the person who had left behind this folded space would not have conducted this huge operation just to nourish a mere Dongxu Gourd, right? There had to be something more to it.

At this moment, Zhang Xuan also came to the same conclusion. He shot a glance at Bi Hongyin and the others and noticed the lack of surprise on their faces.

From the look of it, it seemed like they had known this in advance as well, which was also the reason they were willing to lend their strength to help Luo Xuanqing obtain the Dongxu Gourd despite the danger involved.

"Yun Lianhai, we'll be counting on you!" Luo Xuanqing said with a solemn nod.

"Un. Leave it to me," Yun Lianhai replied.

Without any hesitation, he executed his secret art once more, and a series of ripples diffused from his glabella into the surroundings.

The folded space expanded far beyond the spatial seal where they had previously been. The ripples diffused for a very long time, to the point where Yun Lianhai's body was beginning to tremble, before they finally came to a halt.

"How is it?"

Yun Lianhai had to gasp for air for quite a while before he managed to recover enough to reply. "I have sensed some ancient objects, but I'm not too sure if they are treasures."

"Lead the way!" Luo Xuanqing said.

As soon as the order was given, Yun Lianhai began making his way forward.

After a roughly ten minutes journey, the crowd suddenly came to a halt with perplexed frowns on their faces.

"Judging from the river in the sky, it doesn't seem like we are getting anywhere. Could we possibly be trapped within a Confinement Formation?" Bi Hongyin asked with a slightly perturbed voice.

Throughout their journey, she could not help but realize that no matter where they traveled to, the river of spiritual energy still appeared to be at the exact same relative position to them in the sky. It was almost as if they had not advanced a single step forward!

Facing such a situation, Luo Xuanqing lowered his head and pondered for a moment before saying, "It isn't a Confinement Formation but the effects of the distortion in space."

Achieving a breakthrough to Half-Dimension Sundering realm had granted him a deeper understanding of space, allowing him to swiftly notice what was amiss with the surroundings.

"Distortion in space?" Bi Hongyin asked doubtfully.

The scenery around them appeared to completely normal, devoid of the bizarre warps similar to the cone-shaped vortex they had seen prior to entering this folded space. As such, she could not help but harbor some doubts toward Luo Xuanqing's judgement.

"The distortion in space here spans across the entire folded space, so it isn't visible to the eye. The space that we commonly see is three-dimensional in nature, and it stretches endlessly into the surroundings. On the other hand, the space within this folded space seems to take the form of a ring. Traveling in a straight line will result in us walking in a loop, bringing us back to the point that we started from," Luo Xuanqing explained.

"On top of that, a distortion in space will cause light to distort as well, and this creates the illusion that we are walking in a straight line even though we are effectively walking in circles! If we could jump out of this folded space and look at ourselves from above, we should see that our bodies are distorted instead of upright!"

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.

Distorted spaces were not apparent to those who were standing within them. In a sense, this was similar to how it was not apparent to an individual that the earth was round just by looking at their immediate surroundings.

The situation they were currently facing was similar to two endpoints in space connecting with one another, forming a closed loop that resulted in them walking in endless circles.

"If that's the case... how do we leave this folded space?" Yuan Xiao asked apprehensively.

Luo Xuanqing hesitated for a moment before replying, "Shatter the folded space!"

Hearing that, Bi Hongyin shook her head and said, "Folded spaces aren't stable. If anything goes wrong while shattering the folded space, there's a good chance that we might be trapped here for life!"

Folded spaces were not as stable as spaces in the natural world, and they were incapable of regenerating on their own. So, if someone exerted too much strength, it could result in its complete collapse, and all of them would be reduced to dust.

It was also for this reason that it would be unsafe for them to bring the Saint 8-dan Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast in.

"This..." Luo Xuanqing frowned.

He also understood this much, or else he would have made a move immediately instead of wasting his breath on words.

Zhang Xuan suddenly spoke up. "Actually, there's no need to shatter this space."

"Oh?"

The crowd quickly turned their sights over.

"Look at the flow of the spiritual energy above us. No matter where we walk, it remains right above us. This only means that the space around the river is stable, or in other words, it isn't within the folded space we are in!" Zhang Xuan explained.

Looks of realization dawned upon the crowd.

Indeed, if the river was within the looped folded space as well, its relative position to them should change along with their movement. It did not make sense for it to remain fixed in position.

"If we wish to escape from here, we just have to find a way to delve into the river and move against its current," Zhang Xuan said.

"That's right!" Luo Xuanqing's eyes lit up upon hearing those words, and he quickly nodded in agreement as well.

"Since that's the case, let's make a move!"

Without any hesitation, the crowd immediately flew toward the river.

The river was actually a spirit vein. As soon as the crowd made their way into it, they felt overwhelming spiritual energy pouring toward them at an incredible speed, causing their breathing to hasten.

Luo Xuanqing waved his hand and formed a massive spatial bubble around the crowd, alleviating the pressure resulting from the strong currents in the river. With that, the discomfort was reduced significantly, and they began to make their way forward slowly.

This spirit vein could have been passed off as pinnacle spirit stones, but it has expended itself too much in order to sustain this space. What a pity! Zhang Xuan thought in lamentation.

If this massive spirit vein had still been in the mountain valley, it surely would have developed into a spirit mine filled with plenty of pinnacle spirit stones. However, in order to allow the space to remain operating normally, the spiritual energy within it had been slowly depleting, to the point where even producing high-tier spirit stones was a problem for it now.

But again, if this spirit vein had actually produced pinnacle spirit stones, it would have long been harvested by the other powers. There was no way they would have gotten a chance to obtain the Dongxu Gourd.

Right! I should try and see if I can communicate with that fellow!

Knowing that he would not be in any danger with Luo Xuanqing around, Zhang Xuan turned his consciousness into his body, toward his dantian.

He swiftly saw the fellow who had willfully dived into his body lying leisurely on the ground, exuding vibes similar to a lazy Sunday morning.

Seeing how the gourd was able to remain completely unfazed after all the trouble it had caused him, displeasure swiftly filled Zhang Xuan's mind. Since that fellow has absorbed my blood and acknowledged me, I should be considered as its master now!

Thus, he began trying to establish control over the Dongxu Gourd.

Tzzzzz!

Under the drive of his power, the Dongxu Gourd began revolving in the air.

The power of space contained within the Dongxu Gourd began flowing through his body.

Huala!

Wherever the power of space swept by, the Heaven's Path zhenqi in the area of his dantian would suddenly collapse inward, as if it had fallen into a depression.

What's going on? Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in alarm.

He had spent a great deal of effort to recover his zhenqi, so how could the Dongxu Gourd make it disappear just by emanating a bit of power?

No, that's not it. It's not that my zhenqi has disappeared—the space within my dantian has been changed. I can store much more zhenqi in here now...

After a swift scan, Zhang Xuan was stunned.

It was not that his zhenqi had vanished into thin air; the surrounding space had been distorted, allowing him to store much more zhenqi had before.

Wait a moment. A thought suddenly emerged in Zhang Xuan's mind. If I could set up a closed loop within my dantian as well and keep my zhenqi in perpetual revolution, not only will I be able to store more zhenqi, I'll be able to draw it swifter than before as well, granting me more explosive power.

As perplexing as the idea of a looped space might have sounded to one who was encountering it for the first time, it was actually a rather simple concept, and it was not too difficult for him to implement.

If I could exert all of my zhenqi in an instant, I might just be able to execute the Ocean Cataclysm Sword...

With that thought, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Even though the Ocean Cataclysm Sword still had a few flaws here and there, the main reason he could not execute it yet was mainly due to his output of zhenqi being too low.

No matter how huge a tank was, the amount of water it could pump out was still limited by the width of its pipes.

The Ocean Cataclysm Sword required far greater outburst of zhenqi compared to the Sea Severing Sword, but if he could set up such a looped space within his dantian, he might just be able to draw forth sufficient zhenqi instantaneously to execute the technique.

Let me give a try...

Tzzzzzzz!

Sensing his strength, the Dongxu Gourd began to revolve slowly, gradually releasing the power of space around Zhang Xuan's dantian. It was a little similar to a bee constructing its beehive.

It seems like it'll take a while before the construction is complete.

Owing to the limitations in his cultivation, Zhang Xuan knew that it would take him a lot of effort to construct a looped space within his dantian even with the help of the Dongxu Gourd.

Nevertheless, it was a relief to see that he was able to drive the Dongxu Gourd without it resisting him. This meant that he had really managed to assimilate the latter.

Watching the construction of the folded space in his dantian, Zhang Xuan sighed helplessly.

It'll be fine as long as it doesn't cause any trouble. Just that, I'll need quite a bit of spiritual energy to complete the construction, so I need to start looking for spirit stones once more...

Due to his cultivation of the Saint Ascension Decipher, his zhenqi capacity far exceeded that of an ordinary cultivator. However, with the setting up of a looped space, he would require a lot more zhenqi in order to fill it up.

Making a rough calculation, he would require ten times as much as what he had at the moment!

This meant that he would have to gather spirit stones, absorb the spiritual energy within them, convert that into zhenqi, and deposit it into his looped space.

But given how poor he was at the moment, where was he supposed to look for more spirit stones?

If it really comes down to it, perhaps I should get Sun Qiang to compile a list of cultivators who are on the verge of a breakthrough in the Sanctum of Sages and 'share' their lightning tribulation when it comes, Zhang Xuan contemplated seriously.

He had benefited greatly from absorbing energy from the lightning tribulation during his previous breakthrough to Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle. Since he was able to do that for his lightning tribulation, there should not be any reason he could not do the same for the other lightning tribulations. With that, he should be able to fill up his dantian easily without any trouble.

I should have a discussion with Brother Luo later on and request to observe his lightning tribulation. Zhang Xuan nodded as he made up his mind on the matter.

After the previous absorption, the energy harnessed within ordinary lightning tribulations would not have much use to him anymore. However, the lightning tribulation that Luo Xuanqing would have to face when he pushed for a breakthrough to the Dimension Sundering realm should be able to meet his standards.

"Look, what's that?"

While Zhang Xuan was deep in thought, a sudden exclamation from the group pulled him back to reality. Raising his head to take a look, he realized that they had already reached the end of the river flow. A mountain range filled with peaks that rose right above the clouds appeared before his eyes.

However, on second look, he realized that the mountain was not real. It felt fleeting and beyond reach, a little like a painting someone had hung at the horizon of the world or perhaps just a mere mirage, a product of one's imagination.

"That's the highest level of painting, World Composition!" Luo Xuanqing remarked grimly.

"World Composition?"

"A painting at the level of World Composition far exceeds the realm Evocative Vividness, reaching a level where even humans can enter and live within the painting," Luo Xuanqing said.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded. He took a closer look at the painting, and suddenly, a feeling of déjà vu came to him. He racked his brain in an attempt to capture the source of this feeling of familiarity when his eyes narrowed in astonishment. "This mountain range... Isn't it the same as the one in the painting that the Qingtian Emperor made me decipher?"

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Chapter 1364: You Again!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Back in the Qingyuan Empire, the Qingtian Emperor visited the Painter Guild with a copper mask in hand, seeking help to remove the seal on a painting he had. In the end, Zhang Xuan was the one who managed to remove the seal, and beneath it, he found an illusory image of Kong shi.

And for him to see a higher level painting that depicted the identical mountain range to the one he had seen before... Could they be depicting the same location?

"Kong shi's image isn't on the painting though. Did the painter intentionally choose not to draw it, or did he not notice Kong shi's presence?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Flicking his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out the painting he had acquired from the Qingtian Emperor and compared it to the mountain range on the ninth level painting before him. The features were completely identical to one another, well, with the exception of the lake of bathing ladies.

"That's the [White Creek Mountain] of the Empire Alliance. It's located at a place very far away from the Sanctum of Sages, such that even a Saint 7-dan beast would require a flight of three months in order to reach there!" Taking a glance at the painting in Zhang Xuan's hand, Luo Xuanqing said.

He was slightly surprised initially to see that Zhang Xuan had a painting of the same scenery as the ninth level painting before them, but he didn't think too much into it. After all, due to the splendid scenery at the White Creek Mountain, there were quite a few paintings of it circulating out there in the world.

"White Creek Mountain..." Zhang Xuan muttered beneath his breath as he tightened his fists.

"While the painting you have can't compete with the ninth level painting up there, it's still a commendable work of art. It has managed to bring out the splendor and beauty of the mountain range in full." Luo Xuanqing complimented.

This was a painting that could astound all painters in the Qingyuan Empire, but to Luo Xuanqing's eyes, it could only be considered to be 'commendable'.

"Indeed..." Zhang Xuan replied perfunctorily as he kept the painting back to his storage ring with his mind wandering somewhere else.

Now that he knew that the mountain range depicted in the painting was the White Creek Mountain, he would have to make a trip over there to take a look. Since Kong shi's apparition was spotted there, there was a good chance that he might find Kong shi's ancient domain over there too.

Hu!

While the two of them were chatting, the spatial bubble rose up from the river and arrived before the massive ninth level painting.

"Are we able to enter this painting too?" Looking at the lifelike painting before him, Zhang Xuan asked in curiosity.

There was bound to be a reason as to why the elder who had left the Dongxu Gourd here would leave a ninth level painting here as well. If they could enter the painting, they might just be able to unravel the secrets behind this folded space.

"It should be possible..." Luo Xuanqing pondered for a moment before nodding.

"I'll head in to take a look then." Zhang Xuan said with a smile before heading in.

This painting was not drawn on a paper but on top of the folded space. It consisted of multiple layers stitched together by the fabric of space, so Zhang Xuan had to fly for quite some time before he finally arrived before the massive mountain range.

The sheer expanse the mountain range took granted it an imposing and grand aura.

Flying upward, Zhang Xuan soon arrived at where he had replaced Kong shi's image with the bathing ladies, and he swiftly scanned the area. A moment later, he shook his head in disappointment.

There was nothing special to be seen here. There was no apparition of Kong shi or any hidden folded spaces and the such.

"Nevertheless, there should still be some reason why the elder chose to leave this ninth level painting in here..." Zhang Xuan mumbled contemplatively beneath his breath.

If this ancient domain was really left behind by Ancient Sage Qiu Wu, everything would make perfect sense.

He was Kong shi's servant, and the reason why he left behind this painting was likely to remind future generations that there was something lying in the White Creek Mountain!

Zhang Xuan continued scanning through the mountain range, but he was unable to find anything or note. Eventually, he could only return with empty hands.

When he finally returned back to Luo Xuanqing and the others' side, the mountain range suddenly shuddered slightly before dissipating silently.

"This painting has been around for too long. It's likely that time had already left it tattered throughout, and the only reason why it's still able to maintain its original appearance is likely only because no one has touched it yet. Your act of entering the painting had placed too much stress on the painting, thus inevitably resulting in its dissipation." Luo Xuanqing explained.

The slightly stunned Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

In a sense, this was similar to how even if old possessions were able to retain their beautiful outer appearances, their worn out within would only cause them to crumble to dust upon touch.

Zhang Xuan took one last glance at the dissipated painting before turning his gaze back forward. A rather wide passageway had appeared before them.

Following behind Luo Xuanqing and the others' footsteps, he landed on top of the passageway.

After all of the spatial distortion he had been through, it felt reassuring to have his feet planted onto solid ground.

"The artifact that I sensed is in there!" Yun Lianhai said with eyes gleaming with excitement.

As soon as he stepped onto the passageway, the fuzzy feeling he had received from the treasure before suddenly turned extremely distinct. As long as they were to walk down this path, they should be able to find quite a few good stuff.

"Great!"

Hearing that the treasure was located not too far away from them, the crowd immediately felt energized, and they began making their way forward.

Before long, a palace unfolded before their eyes.

While it was called a palace, it wasn't too big or extravagant. Instead, its ancient design seemed to be communicating the long history behind it.

"It's likely that there might be danger in here. Let me head in to take a look first." Luo Xuanqing said before taking the lead forward.

The gates of the palace were carved from stone, and it was densely filled with inscriptions.

"These are Spatial Inscriptions, unique characters which Ancient Sage Qiu Wu has created! Through studying these characters, one could comprehend the essence of space. Our clan has a detailed interpretation of these words." Luo Xuanqing exclaimed in astonishment.

"Spatial Inscriptions?" Zhang Xuan looked at those characters contemplatively for a moment before nodding.

He had seen those words at the Qiu Wu Palace as well.

The Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm was written using these words. Back then, he had no idea what those words meant, but he still managed to learn the battle technique through emulating the form of those words.

"If that's the case, does that mean that the ancient domain is really left behind by Ancient Sage Qiu Wu?" Bi Hongyin asked in agitation.

Even though Ancient Sage Qiu Wu was Kong shi's servant, his true strength was no weaker than the founder of the Sanctum of Sages, Ancient Sage Bo Shang. More importantly, his comprehension of space had reached an extremely high level. If they could obtain his heritage, it would only be a matter of time before they achieved a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan or even Saint 9-dan.

"That's most likely to be the case... But it's a little weird though. My clan has a huge collection of books detailing the life of Ancient Sage Qiu Wu, but we have never heard that he has left behind such an ancient domain before!" Luo Xuanqing said with a bewildered frown.

"As complicated as this ancient domain appears to be, to experts of the caliber of an Ancient Sage, it's something that they can create on a whim. I think it's likely that not even Ancient Sage Qiu Wu remembered about this ancient domain he had left behind..." Yun Lianhai said.

Coming from a clan of treasure hunters, he had come into contact with simply too many treasures in the world.

There were many ancient domains which appeared to be mystifyingly profound to those of the later generations, and the treasures within them were incredibly valuable too. However, to those who had left them behind, those might not bear much significance at all.

The difference in realms inevitably led to a huge difference in how they assessed the value of things.

"That's true." Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.

Take him for example, he wouldn't even blink an eye if someone were to throw a million high-tier spirit stones before him. However, in the Myriad Kingdom Alliance, just the possession of a single high-tier spirit stone could already be considered as a great wealth.

Similarly, while the Dongxu Gourd might seem to be incomparably valuable to them, it might just be something that an Ancient Sage would just toss away casually.

"Luo Xuanqing, since you recognize those characters, what is written on there?" Yun Lianhai asked.

"It's a message intended for the later generations who discover this ancient domain. The general meaning is that those who are able to come this far are bound to have a deep understanding of space and are qualified to obtain his heritage. Ah, the way to open the door is also detailed on it..." Luo Xuanqing said as he examined the inscriptions on the wall closely.

After many years of studying these Spatial Inscriptions, the Luo Clan had already compiled a book that allowed others to interpret the meaning behind these characters.

"Heritage? Does this meant to say that the heritage of Ancient Sage Qiu Wu lies in the palace?"

"That seems so." Luo Xuanqing nodded. Taking a deep breath, he said, "I'm going to open the door now, so be careful. It isn't easy for us to come to this point, so nothing must go wrong at this moment..."

After saying those words, he took a step backward before he raised his hand and tapped his finger forward. A surge of zhenqi poured forth and struck the gates.

He sent out a total of three such surges of zhenqi in a '品' formation, and energy began rippling across the surface of the gates. 'Jiyaya!', it began to slowly open.

Luo Xuanqing immediately drove his zhenqi to create a protective barrier around him in preparation for what would appear.

Ancient Sage Qiu Wu was a respected and celebrated figure, but since he had left his heritage behind here, he must have set up all kinds of trials in order to assess the qualification of those who sought his heritage. It would be better for them to proceed carefully.

Luo Xuanqing stepped into the palace, and some time later, he waved his hand to beckon for the others and said, "There's no danger. Come in!"

The crowd quickly swarmed in and found themselves standing within a hall. It was completely empty, except for a sculpture erected not too far away.

"It's Ancient Sage Qiu Wu!" Upon seeing the face on the sculpture, Zhang Xuan exclaimed.

He had seen Ancient Sage Qiu Wu back in the Qiu Wu Palace, so naturally, he could recognize the sculpture here too.

"This is Ancient Sage Qiu Wu?"

Despite coming from illustrious backgrounds, this was the first time they were seeing Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's sculpture.

"I have seen before Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's painting, that's indeed him." Luo Xuanqing replied before directing a perplexed glance at Zhang Xuan. "Zhang shi, how did you know it's him?"

Ancient Sage Qiu Wu had maintained a low profile in his lifetime, so there weren't too many records on him. The Luo Clan was only able to recognize the other party through a painting they had in their possession, so how was the young man before him able to recognize it with a look?

"You said earlier that those words were left behind by Ancient Sage Qiu Wu, so I thought that the sculpture must be him as well..." Zhang Xuan replied sheepishly.

The Qiu Wu Palace carried the secret of the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel, so it was best for him to avoid talking about it for the tie being.

On the other hand, seeing that Zhang Xuan was unwilling to speak about the matter, Luo Xuanqing also didn't push him for a response either. Everyone had their own private encounters and secrets, and there was no purpose in insistently dredging them up.

Instead, he walked over to the sculpture, kneeled onto the ground, and respectfully kowtowed a few times before standing up once more.

"Our Luo Clan's understanding of spatial laws originated from Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's heritage, so our ancestor has made a rule that if any member of the Luo Clan were to encounter Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's sculpture or will, we must kowtow to him to honor him as our grandteacher!" Luo Xuanqing explained.

"The Luo Clan's understanding of spatial laws originated from Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's heritage?" Zhang Xuan was astonished.

He turned to look at Yuan Xiao and the others, but they seemed to already be aware of this matter.

"Space is an intrinsic nature of the world, so unlike swordsmanship and the others, which can be developed into many different Quintessences, it has only one true path. As such, their heritages are more unified..." Zhang Xuan came to a realization.

He should have known this earlier.

It was no wonder why the Annal of Bedstead Disquisition Sage Luo had left behind was able to perfect the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel. It turned out that the both of them had originated from the same source.

"Junior Luo Xuanqing plays respect to Ancient Sage Qiu Wu!"

After saying those words, Luo Xuanqing reached out his hand and placed it on the lower pedestal of the sculpture.

Weng!

A light buzz echoed in the air for a moment before brilliant light burst forth from the sculpture. The unmoving sculpture slowly opened its eyes.

"The will of Ancient Sage Qiu Wu..."

Bi Hongyin, Yuan Xiao, and the others widened their eyes in shock, and without any hesitation, they kneeled to the ground.

One must know that Ancient Sage Qiu Wu was an expert which was even older than the founder of their respective heritages, such that even those founders would have to kneel down and address him as 'senior'.

"Back then, while I was passing by here, I happen to chance upon the seed of the Dongxu Gourd, so I decided to plant it, hoping that it would be of some help to the later generations. The fact that you are able to come this far shows that you have achieved a deep comprehension of space and is qualified to obtain my heritage..." the sculpture began speaking.

"Thank you, Ancient Sage Qiu Wu..."

Everyone felt agitated to receive Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's recognition. Luo Xuanqing was just about to utter some words of gratitude when he suddenly realized that not too far away, Zhang Xuan was still standing.

A frown emerged on his forehead as he berated, "Zhang shi, why are you not paying your respects to Ancient Sage Qiu Wu..."

But barely after those words were spoken, Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's sculpture had also turned his head over, and a horrified look appeared on his face, "You again!"

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Chapter 1365: Collapse of the Ancient Domain

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"You recognize me?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

"You made me come to see the flaws in my cultivation, so you can be considered half a teacher to me. How could I not recognize you?" the sculpture replied.

"Flaws in Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's cultivation?"

"Half a teacher?"

"Does this mean that... Zhang shi has actually offered pointers to Ancient Sage Qiu Wu?"

The teeth of Luo Xuanqing, Bi Hongyin, and the others clattered from shock upon hearing those words.

The significance of this matter was truly big, to the point that knowing too much might even cost them their lives!

"But... aren't you a fragmented soul?" Zhang Xuan asked in intrigue.

Even though they had met once another in the Qiu Wu Palace, each fragmented soul should have been an independent existence. Normally, it should have been impossible for any of Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's fragmented souls outside of the Qiu Wu Palace to share memories with those within, so how did the one before him recognize him?

"Each fragmented soul is an independent existence, but the order in which they are created is significant, too. It'll be nigh impossible for fragmented souls that are created earlier to read into the memories of those who are created later, but as for fragmented souls that are created later, through some special means, it isn't too difficult for them to share the memories of those that were created earlier. Not to mention, you are even carrying my heritage along with you, so it's even easier for me to do so," the sculpture explained.

Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.

He had been carrying the Qiu Wu Palace with him wherever he went, and while it was currently stored in his storage ring, considering Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's unfathomable mastery over space, it was not too difficult for him to figure out what had happened within.

"It's no wonder you tamed the Dongxu Gourd and got here so quickly. Your presence here explains everything. Ahem, I still have some things to attend to, so... Goodbye!"

With a sudden 'kacha!', a crack ran through the sculpture.

Following which, the imposing aura that was compelling subservience in the crowd receded like an ebbing tide.

Boom!

Following which, the sculpture abruptly exploded into countless fragments amid a cloud of dust, and it took a long while before everything settled on the ground.

"This..."

"Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's will... has dissipated? But he hasn't told us what the heritage is yet!"

With twitching eyebrows, Luo Xuanqing and the others clawed at their hair, unable to believe the situation unfolding right before them.

They had traveled far to get there, and after a great deal of hard work, they had finally been just a step away from obtaining the heritage when the sculpture abruptly exploded before their eyes, and the will harnessed within it dissipated.

What the heck was this?

They slowly turned toward Zhang Xuan and said, "Zhang shi..."

Facing the glares of the crowd, Zhang Xuan was completely dumbfounded as well.

Was that Ancient Sage Qiu Wu not a little too unreliable? He had also dissipated the previous time before saying what the heritage was! In fact, this time around, he had barely said anything at all.

He had seen so many wills... but in terms of speed, that fellow was surely the first!

It was no wonder he could come up with battle techniques such as the Unbounded Voyager. It turned out to be completely aligned with his innate nature!

But thinking of it again, Kong shi was rather fast as well. They had met two times so far, but each time, he did not manage to get the solution for the Innate Fetal Poison out of him.

This master and servant pair... No wonder the two of them managed to click with one another!

Under the murderous glares that were intensifying by the moment, Zhang Xuan replied with twitching lips, "Ahem, maybe this is a test posed to us by Ancient Sage Qiu Wu? He might have hidden the heritage somewhere in this folded space and want us to find it ourselves?"

That had been the case in the Qiu Wu Palace too. After Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's will dissipated, he had managed to find the Heavenly Art of Dimension Unravel through studying the three words 'Qiu Wu Palace' at the entrance.

Considering that it was the same Ancient Sage Qiu Wu they were talking about, he was likely to go by the same pattern.

Hearing those words, the crowd traded doubtful gazes, seemingly trying to ascertain the likelihood of Zhang Xuan's words being true.

Luo Xuanqing pondered for a moment before saying, "Back then, before our old ancestor obtained Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's heritage and comprehended the spatial laws, he also seemed to have gone through a similar experience.

"Zhang shi is right. A person like Ancient Sage Qiu Wu would only pass down his heritage to those who have undergone his careful selection. It wouldn't make sense for him to give his all to someone he has only met once!

"Let's comb through the area. We might just be able to find something."

Seeing that Luo Xuanqing had covered up for him, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

Bi Hongyin and the others nodded before getting to their feet to search the area.

The walls of the palace were also made of some kind of mysterious stone, and just like the gates, there were characters inscribed on them as well.

Bi Hongyin and the others could not interpret those characters, so they could only turn to Luo Xuanqing for help.

"These characters aren't a cultivation technique but just inscriptions to fortify the defenses of the palace. Even though this is a folded space—thus, there are no storms to weather—this fortification played a crucial role in allowing the palace to remain standing even after the passing of many millenniums," Luo Xuanqing explained.

Regardless of weather conditions, all structures would still eventually wear down with time. Without the fortification inscriptions, the palace would have long collapsed from the accrued damage.

Seeing that these characters meant nothing at all, the crowd was a little disappointed. At this point, Bi Hongyin suddenly thought of something and turned to Yun Lianhai. "The heritage should also be considered a treasure, too. Yun Lianhai, do you sense anything in the area?"

Since Yun Lianhai had been able to lead them there, there was a chance he would be able to lead them to the heritage left behind by Ancient Sage Qiu Wu as well.

"I'll give it a try." Yun Lianhai nodded before activating his unique ability.

This ability of his could only be considered to be tapping into his bloodline rather than activating it, so while it would cause some damage to him, it was not to the point where he would be incapacitated for an entire month.

Opening the third eye in between his eyebrows, he swept the area swiftly before suddenly coming to a halt. "I sense something weird in that direction..."

He pointed in a direction as he said those words.

The crowd quickly turned their gazes over.

It was directed toward the area just beneath the sculpture.

Rummaging through the shattered stone fragments, they soon found traces of a folded space.

"Wonderful!"

The eyes of the crowd lit up, and Luo Xuanqing raised his finger and tapped on the folded space.

Weng!

With a brilliant burst of light, a line of words surged out of the folded space and appeared before the crowd.

"Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Fist!" Zhang Xuan read out.

He had thought that Ancient Sage Qiu Wu had just said those words on a whim, but who would have thought that he had really left his heritage behind?

"Legend has it that Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's strongest battle techniques involve his finger, sword, fist, and palm, and they carry the prefix 'Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow'. The palm art is at Saint intermediate-tier, the fist art is at Saint high-tier, and the sword art is at Saint pinnacle... Even the old ancestor of my Luo Clan was unable to find those battle techniques, but to think that we would actually stumble on one of them here..." Luo Xuanqing was so agitated that his eyes were glowing.

"Finger, sword, fist, and palm?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

He had learned the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm before, and it was indeed a Saint intermediate-tier battle technique. He had thought that it was just an independent battle technique, but to think that it would actually be part of an entire series!

He quickly looked at the words in the sky and commanded in his mind, Flaws!

Huala!

A book materialized in the Library of Heaven's Path. Placing his finger on it, a constipated look swiftly appeared on Zhang Xuan's face.

There are even more flaws with it, Zhang Xuan thought with a shake of his head.

Just the 27 flaws in the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm had left him feeling deeply uncomfortable within, but this one actually had 31 flaws.

To be fair, it was a decent battle technique with formidable strength, but... how could he bring himself to cultivate such a flawed technique?

Ever since he started cultivating the Heaven's Path Divine Art, he had already grown accustomed to practicing skills that were devoid of flaws. Like a germaphobe, even the slightest hint of a fault would leave him feeling deeply uncomfortable, as if bugs were crawling over his skin... and there were actually 31 of them in this manual!

Zhang Xuan swiftly gathered all of the fist art manuals that he had practiced so far and compiled them together with it.

Compile!

There are still 28 flaws.

Even though Zhang Xuan had seen quite a number of fist art manuals in the past, their tier was simply too low. They were still sorely lacking to complement the faults found in a Saint high-tier fist art.

Several hundred thousand books, but they only managed to remove three flaws in total.

Zhang Xuan shook his head and consoled himself. Forget it, I'll just have to find more fist art manuals when I return to the Sanctum of Sages to perfect the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Fist.

In any case, there were plenty of secret manuals in the Sanctum of Sages. As long as he could clear the examination for them, he should be able to gather quite a number of fist art manuals. With time, he would surely be able to perfect it!

At this moment, the ground beneath their feet suddenly began trembling, and the space around them began distorting.

"Crap, this is bad. The dissipation of Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's will and the taking away of the Dongxu Gourd have led to instability within the space. At this rate, it'll soon collapse," Luo Xuanqing exclaimed in shock.

Similar to the Mountain Gate of the Sanctum of Sages, the structure of this folded space was simply too complicated. Without someone to sustain its operations, it would swiftly collapse at the slightest hint of impact.

And clearly, this was what was happening at the moment.

"Collapse?"

Everyone's face paled.

As powerful as they were, they were still limited by the space they were in. If the folded space were to collapse, there was a good chance that they would be crushed between dimension rifts and die... unless they could achieve a level that surpassed this folded space!

But that would require them to be at Saint 9-dan at the very minimum!

"We need to leave right now, or else we might just die in here!" Luo Xuanqing exclaimed anxiously.

"But... I have only remembered two lines of the entire fist art!" Bi Hongyin exclaimed with a reddened face.

"I have also only managed to remember two lines," Yuan Xiao said.

There were countless cultivators who dream of obtaining Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's battle technique, and it was a stroke of luck that they had managed to find it. Yet, to have to leave without memorizing its entirety... they just could not get over the indignation in their hearts.

"Your lives are more important. No matter how powerful the battle technique is, it'll be futile if you don't have the life to practice it. I have also only managed to memorize four lines myself. Hurry up, let's go!" Luo Xuanqing urged with a wave of his hand.

This battle technique had been created by Ancient Sage Qiu Wu, and it harnessed the essence of his wisdom. All in all, it contained more than several hundred lines, and despite their superior memory as cultivators, it would still take them at least an hour to memorize everything.

Barely a minute had passed so far, and it was already a formidable feat for them to have been able to memorize two to four lines.

But again, between a battle technique and their lives, it was clear which was more important!

"Alright!" Seeing that the surrounding space was shaking more and more intensely, such that dimension rift cracks had started appearing around the area, Bi Hongyin and the others realized that they could not afford to waste any more time. They quickly followed behind Luo Xuanqing to dash out of the folded space.

Naturally, Zhang Xuan followed suit.

They had proceeded slowly to carefully scan the area so as to ensure that they did not miss anything important when they were walking through the passageway toward the palace earlier, but with danger right behind them, they could not afford to do that. They flitted forward desperately as if their lives were on the line, and it took merely two breaths before they returned to the top of the river flow.

Luo Xuanqing swiftly summoned a spatial bubble once more and wrapped it around the entire group before driving it forward with all his might.

Ten breaths later, they returned to the bottom of the river, where they had first encountered the Dongxu Gourd.

Kacha! Kacha!

Barely after they returned there, they saw a huge dimension rift swiftly devouring the palace and the river behind them.

"That was a close shave..."

Cold sweat trickled down the crowd's backs.

It was fortunate that they did not hesitate for too long there, or else they might have died.

"Let's quickly get out of here," Luo Xuanqing said as he used a secret art of the Luo Clan to forcefully tear open an exit in the folded space.

Everyone quickly leaped up and headed out.

Huuu huuuu!

A deafening gale whistled by their ears, and intense vertigo swallowed them, leaving them in a deeply disoriented state. Fortunately, this only lasted for a moment.

When they opened their eyes once more, they were already back at the cavern.

Po!

Barely after they managed to find their footing once more, the sesame-sized spatial distortion suddenly emanated a blinding burst of light before vanishing from view.

The ancient domain had really fully collapsed!

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Chapter 1366: Let Me Teach You!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"The Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Fist..."

The disappearance of the folded space meant that the ancient domain had become nothing more than a part of history. Even though they were relieved that they had managed to survive the collapse, they still could not help but feel dismay regarding the loss of Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's heritage.

An unparalleled battle technique was right before them... and they missed it just like that.

"Even though I only managed to memorize a few lines, it's still a battle technique left behind by Ancient Sage Qiu Wu. If I can internalize it well, I should be able to raise my fighting prowess significantly," Yuan Xiao said.

"Why don't we do this? Let's regurgitate the content that we memorized, put it all together, and analyze it. This way, we can at least make the best out of what we know of the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Fist?"

"I guess that's all we can do now!"

Bi Hongyin and the others quickly nodded in agreement.

A battle technique of the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Fist's tier was extremely difficult to comprehend. Every single line carried a deep conception and great significance. Even though they had only managed to memorize a couple of lines, if they could just study it thoroughly, they should still be able to benefit greatly from it.

"Luo Xuanqing, you have the best memory of us all. Why don't you go first?"

"Un." Luo Xuanqing nodded. "The four lines that I have memorized are..."

As one of the top geniuses of the Luo Clan, he possessed superb memory. In just a short one to two minutes, he actually managed to memorize more than a hundred words.

Hearing that what they had memorized was the exact same as what Luo Xuanqing had said, Yuan Xiao and the others heaved a sigh of relief.

Just as they were about to start analyzing what those four lines meant, Yun Lianhai suddenly spoke up.

"I think I got the fifth line..."

Everyone quickly turned their gazes over with their bodies trembling in agitation. "You memorized the fifth line?"

"I think so." Yun Lianhai nodded as he quickly regurgitated the fifth line.

As a treasure hunter, possessing a good memory was of vital importance in order to be able to put clues together. As good as Luo Xuanqing's memory was, it was still slightly lacking compared to Yun Lianhai's.

"Amazing. Even though it's only five lines, it seems to have already opened up a new world to me," Luo Xuanqing remarked in awe as he ruminated over the words for a moment.

At this point, a thought suddenly flashed across his mind, and he turned to the silent Zhang Xuan. "Zhang shi, what about you? How many lines have you remembered?"

"Me?"

Zhang Xuan had been too preoccupied lamenting over the destruction of the folded space that he had not really heard what the others were saying. He felt that if he could have gotten the Myriad Anthive Queen to swallow the space, he would have been able to increase the space in the Myriad Anthive nest significantly.

He was slightly startled by the abrupt question before responding, "Oh, I managed to memorize everything."

"You m-memorized... everything?"

Flabbergasted.

They were all Saint 7-dan and Half Saint 8-dan experts, possessing superior analytical abilities, but even so, they only managed to memorize five lines in total.

But he actually memorized everything?

"Indeed." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Then... can you recite the content for us?" Luo Xuanqing asked in agitation.

"Sure. Actually, why don't I just write it down for you? This way, you can refer to it whenever you want to..."

With a tap of his finger, a surge of zhenqi shot forth from Zhang Xuan's fingers before abruptly bursting apart in the sky, forming a massive screen of light. Slowly, words began surfacing on the light screen.

It was the cultivation method for the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Fist!

He just had to use the Library of Heaven's Path to collect the entire manual, so it did not even take him half a breath to memorize everything. All he had to do now was bring it out word for word, so it was no trouble at all.

"This..."

Looking at the screen filled with words before them, everyone gulped as they shot glances of disbelief at Zhang Xuan.

To memorize so many words within just a minute or two... Just how in the world did he manage to do it?

At this moment, Yun Lianhai suddenly exclaimed, "Wait a moment, Zhang shi. There are a few words in your manual that are different from what I memorized."

Everyone turned their gazes over and saw Yun Lianhai pointing toward the third line. Indeed, there were three words in the third line that were different from what they had discussed and agreed on earlier.

Even though it was only a difference of three words, this alteration gave a completely different direction and conception to the battle technique.

Could it be that... even though that fellow did manage to memorize the entire manual, his memory on certain portions was flawed?

If that was the case, they should not practice this version of the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Fist even if it formed a complete manual.

It was still fine if one failed to memorize a cultivation technique or battle technique—what was truly dangerous was if one had remembered it incorrectly. Even the slightest mistake in cultivation could possibly lead to one treading down the wrong path, possibly resulting in one's cultivation going berserk.

"Oh. After I was done memorizing the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Fist, I had some time to examine it closely. I realized that the cultivation technique had quite a few problems, so I made some alterations to it. However, due to the limitations of my knowledge, I was only able to correct a couple of the flaws." Zhang Xuan sighed, and his head reddened in embarrassment.

If he had more Saint high-tier fist art manuals to refer to, he would have been able to correct more of the flaws. So far, of the 31 flaws, he had only managed to correct three of them, which was not even a tenth of the total. This was truly a huge failure on his part.

"A-alterations?"

The crowd nearly spurted a mouthful of blood.

While we were struggling to memorize two to five lines of the manual, you managed to memorize everything and even alter it.

Their faces flushed red, and they felt as if they were about to explode from the sheer frustration bubbling within them.

Quick at setting up formations? Fine, we'll tolerate that!

Quick at deciphering poison? Alright, we'll accept that too!

Quick at helping others achieving a breakthrough? Fine, we'll take that grudgingly as well...

But to be able to memorize a manual that quickly and even have time to alter it... Don't you think that you are showing off a bit too much?

"Why don't you just give me a while first? If I can refer to the fist art manuals back at the Sanctum of Sages, I should be able to perfect it further, thus bringing its might up to a new height," Zhang Xuan said.

It would not be nice for him to pass down such a disgustingly flawed battle technique to others. It would be best if he could perfect it before imparting it to them.

Yuan Xiao pondered for a moment before replying. "It's fine. I'll just memorize the original version..."

"I think I'll go with the original version. Zhang shi, may I trouble you to pen down the battle technique prior to your alterations?" Bi Hongyin asked as well.

Even their old ancestors would dare not alter a battle technique from an expert of that caliber easily. Despite the extraordinary feats that Zhang Xuan had achieved so far, they were hesitant to put themselves on the line to cultivate a battle technique that he had altered.

"Alright then." Knowing what the crowd was worried about, Zhang Xuan did not insist on the matter. With a wave of his hand, he reverted the portions that he had altered to their original version.

Seeing that the content had been changed to its original state, the crowd hurriedly took out some paper and brushes to copy the content down.

It would be disastrous if they memorized the content incorrectly, so it would be much safer for them to copy everything down instead.

An hour later, they were finally done copying the manual.

"Zhang shi... earlier, Ancient Sage Qiu Wu said that he knows you. Have the both of you met one another before?" Luo Xuanqing asked curiously.

"I happened to stumble into one of his ancient domain once, and after clearing his tests, I obtained his Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm," Zhang Xuan said without going into detail or revealing the existence of the Qiu Wu Palace.

"I see!"

The crowd nodded in realization.

"Then... what about when Ancient Sage Qiu Wu talked about you seeing through the flaws in his cultivation?" Yuan Xiao asked.

"How could that possibly be true? The truth is that I happened to chance upon a book that detailed the flaws in the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Palm, so I spoke about it casually before Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's will. Who would have thought that he would think so highly of me after the matter?" Zhang Xuan said.

Offering pointers to an Ancient Sage was simply too shocking a matter. Having something like that pinned to his reputation was not necessarily something good, especially considering how well-respected Ancient Sage Qiu Wu was.

In any case, he was determined to deny this matter to the end. As for whether the others would believe him or not, that was not his problem anymore.

"This..."

Luo Xuanqing and the others felt that Zhang Xuan was not being completely honest to them, but his explanation was something that they could accept, so they decided to probe no further.

"Let's return!"

Even though Luo Xuanqing had failed to obtain the Dongxu Gourd this time around, he did manage to achieve a breakthrough in his cultivation. As for the others, they also managed to obtain the Heavenly Demon Great Sorrow Fist, so it was not a wasted trip for them either.

Shortly after walking out of the cavern, they were met with the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast.

From it, they learned that Zhang Chun and the others had already regained consciousness two hours ago and left the area immediately.

Toward this matter, Luo Xuanqing could not help but feel a tinge of disappointment.

He had been hoping to try my newfound strength on that fellow so as to vent his many years of frustration, but who knew that the fellow would actually flee?

The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was not an aerial saint beast. While it was capable of moving at an incredible speed due to its superior cultivation, in terms of endurance, it still came nowhere near the Seven-colored Divine Crane. So, Zhang Xuan moved the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast into the Myriad Anthive Nest before leaving the valley with the others on the back of the Seven-colored Divine Crane.

"Here are your formation flags!" Zhang Xuan walked up to Bi Hongyin and passed a huge stack of flags over.

He had borrowed them from the other party for the mission, and since the mission had come to an end, it was only right for him to return them.

Otherwise, how would he be any different from bandits?

"My understanding of formations is still deeply lacking, so you can keep the flags. I think you will be able to do much more with them," Bi Hongyin said with a wave of her hand.

In the view of others, she was not just a talented demonic tunist—she was also a proficient formation master, a true genius. However, after meeting the young man standing before her, she realized that her skills were still sorely lacking.

After witnessing what the young man was capable of, she was embarrassed to even tell others that she was a formation master.

"This won't do. How can I simply take your stuff like that?" Zhang Xuan quickly shook his hands.

Those were grade-8 formation flags, capable of setting up even grade-8 pinnacle formations. Even a single one of those was worth a huge fortune, let alone an entire bunch of them.

He did not want to owe a debt to others over material possessions.

Not to mention that the other party was a lady, and they were currently before his future brother-in-law. He had to make sure to conduct himself well!

"If you think it's too much as a gift, it'll do as long as you offer me some pointers when I'm ready to push for a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan. That way, I will be the one who has gotten a good deal instead," Bi Hongyin said.

Of course, it was not because she was too rich that she gave so many valuable formation flags away for free. She was intending to make use of this opportunity to win Zhang Xuan's goodwill so that she would be able to engage his help in the future, especially when she needed to push for a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan.

"This..." Zhang Xuan frowned.

He did not think that he would have much trouble helping Bi Hongyin achieve a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan, but the main problem was that how long would she take.

Beyond the third month of the next year, he probably would not have time to attend to such miscellaneous matters anymore.

With this thought in mind, he turned to Bi Hongyin and asked, "How long will you need before you are ready to push for a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan?"

"How long?" A confident smile emerged on Bi Hongyin's lips as she replied, "I'm currently at Saint 7-dan advanced stage, ready to achieve a breakthrough soon. As long as I cultivate diligently, I should be able to successfully make a breakthrough within three years. After reaching Saint 7-dan pinnacle, I will have to slowly reinforce my cultivation in order to build up a strong foundation for Saint 8-dan. I will require ten to twenty years for that."

"Three years and ten years? That is to say that you will need at least thirteen years before you can push for a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"That's right." Bi Hongyin nodded. "My rate of cultivation can already be considered to be faster compared to the others in the Sanctum of Sages. You might not feel it that much at the moment, but every step forward beyond the Leaving Aperture realm gets increasingly arduous, and the time and effort one has to put in increases exponentially."

Zhang Xuan nodded in response to those words.

He could relate to that. Ever since he reached the Leaving Aperture realm, he could sense that the quantity of spiritual energy he needed to push for a breakthrough was much greater than before, and the time he took to achieve a breakthrough had increased from two hours to four hours. Really, the difficulty was so great that it left a numbing sensation on his scalp. If not for that, he would not have been so troubled by the matter.

Seeing the awful complexion on the young man's face, Bi Hongyin asked, "Zhang shi, is my rate of cultivation too fast or too slow?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before replying. "Thirteen years is a little too long for me. I don't think I can wait till then... Why don't we do this instead? You should try to achieve a breakthrough to Saint 7-dan pinnacle on the spot and reinforce your cultivation, and when we finally reach the Sanctum of Sages, I'll help you push for a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan straight!"

"Achieve a breakthrough on the spot?" Bi Hongyin's face twitched upon hearing those words. "Zhang shi, you must be messing with me. If I really could really achieve a breakthrough as and when I like, I would have already done so."

"I'm not messing with you." Zhang Xuan chuckled. "It's just a breakthrough to Saint 7-dan pinnacle, no problem at all.

"Here, I'll impart a method to you. Twenty minutes, no, that's too long... Five minutes! I'll have you achieve a breakthrough within five minutes!"

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Chapter 1367: I'll Take You There

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Five minutes?" Bi Hongyin's eyelids twitched. She forcefully suppressed the disbelief that was rising in her heart and asked, "What should I do?"

If anyone else had said those words to her, she definitely would have had the other party thrown off the back of the crane. However, it was different with the young man before her.

Through his guidance, he was able to make Luo Xuanqing achieve a breakthrough within just a short span of time. That was more than enough to prove that he was a man of great abilities. Achieving a breakthrough to Saint 7-dan pinnacle was not a small matter, but compared to a breakthrough to Saint 8-dan, it was indeed a walk in the park.

"Let me take a look at the cultivation technique manual you are practicing. I need to know the nature of your cultivation technique in order to determine a feasible direction to work in," Zhang Xuan said.

"Alright!" Bi Hongyin flicked her wrist and passed a book over.

Zhang Xuan took the book and casually flipped it open.

"Seven Strings Music Forging Art!"

The cultivation technique that Bi Hongyin practiced was the strongest technique of the demonic tunists. With her body as the zither and her breaths as strings, she was able to produce music on thought. Even a simple word or hum from her was imbued with great power, drawing others under her control.

After looking through the other party's cultivation technique, Zhang Xuan took out the book he had compiled on Bi Hongyin when she executed her battle technique earlier and studied both of them together. Some time later, he finally arrived at a solution.

"Cultivators of the Seven Strings Music Forging Art are able to temper their zhenqi into the seven strings of a zither, and upon breaking through to the Phantasmal Space realm, they are able to form the Seven Strings Dominion. Enemies who step into the Seven Strings Dominion will feel as if they have fallen into a world filled with demonic tunes. The slightest lapse in one's guard against it could result in the injuring of one's Primordial Spirit and the breeding of inner demons within one's mind.

"It's indeed not too easy to achieve a breakthrough with this cultivation technique. However, you have already accumulated a strong enough foundation for a breakthrough, just that you are currently lacking one last thing," Zhang Xuan analyzed with a frown.

"May I know what it is?" Bi Hongyin asked anxiously.

"Your Seven Strings Dominion isn't sharp enough yet. If an equally-skilled demonic tunist could put you under great pressure through attacking your openings, it should be possible to trigger your potential, allowing you to push for a breakthrough," Zhang Xuan said.

There were quite a few major flaws in Bi Hongyin's cultivation technique, but considering how far she had come cultivating it, it was already too late to change it. If she wanted to surpass her current bottleneck, there was only one way to do it—to use music to stimulate her music!

By attacking the biggest openings in her body, her body would be placed under immense stress, and this would force her body to achieve a breakthrough.

"Put me under great pressure?" Bi Hongyin was stunned for a moment before a bitter smile broke on her face. "Suppression by demonic tunes requires one to achieve a very high level of mastery in demonic tunes. The only person I know who can achieve this feat is my teacher, but it's a pity that she's not here. As simple as the idea is, it won't be easy to carry it out in practice."

"I happen to have some experience in demonic tunes as well. If you trust me, we can give it a shot," Zhang Xuan said with a smile.

"You are a demonic tunist too?" Bi Hongyin could hardly believe what she was hearing.

"I did learn it for a while. Right, do you have any books regarding demonic tunes? Let me take a look through them. I need as many books as possible so as to find a detailed way as to how I can help you achieve a breakthrough," Zhang Xuan said.

"Alright." Bi Hongyin nodded.

She flicked her wrist, and a huge pile of books immediately appeared on the back of the crane. She turned her gaze to Zhang Xuan and said, "These are all of the books relating to demonic tunes that I have with me at the moment. There are around two thousand of them here."

Responding with a nod, Zhang Xuan swiftly scanned through the books with his eyes and collected them all into the Library of Heaven's Path.

After which, he picked up a book and began flipping through, but meanwhile, his consciousness was immersed in his Library of Heaven's Path, studying these books.

Even though he had the 7-star demonic tunist emblem, he had only browsed through 6-star demonic tune manuals before, so effectively, his comprehension of demonic tunes was only on par with 7-star primary demonic tunists. Such a level of proficiency was still far from enough for him to resolve the problems Bi Hongyin was facing.

Compile!

After some commotion, a book materialized in the air.

Fortunately, a Heaven's Path Demonic Tune Art was compiled. With just a simple tap, he assimilated the knowledge contained within it. Thus, he opened his eyes once more and said, "Alright, I have found a solution to the problem."

Bi Hongyin glanced at the 'Discourse on Sheet Music' in Zhang Xuan's hand and asked in disbelief, "So fast?"

She had read the book when she had just become a 7-star demonic tunist. It simply introduced some of the simpler grade-7 demonic tunes and playing techniques. To make an analogy, it was somewhat similar to 'A Collection of Nursery Rhymes'. Was the young man really going to induce a breakthrough in her using such a book?

"Un." Without explaining the matter, Zhang Xuan instructed, "Sit down and take out your zither."

Despite harboring an ocean of doubts in her mind, Bi Hongyin still sat down, took out her zither, and gently stroked it with her fingers.

Ting trringg!

The melody of a zither began sounded in the air.

As soon as Bi Hongyin started playing, her disposition changed. It grew towering and imposing, reminiscent of a tall tsunami that threatened to drown one within it.

Meanwhile, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out a zither as well.

This was the zither that School Head Jiang had made for him using a unique branch procured from his own residence. Even with his current level of proficiency in demonic tunes, it could still be a considered a decent zither.

Stroking on the zither lightly, a melody drifted gently into the surroundings.

His zither playing did not harness too much offensive power; instead, it carried a fleeting and distant feeling that seemed to gradually draw one deeper into the melody, putting one in a trance.

Even though he had managed to compile the 7-star Heaven's Path Demonic Tune Art, he had not had a chance to cultivate it yet, so his prowess in demonic tunes was still only comparable to a 7-star primary demonic tunist.

Nevertheless, every note played was impeccably timed in between Bi Hongyin's playing, messing up her tempo. In terms of prowess, Bi Hongyin felt as if she was facing a 7-star pinnacle demonic tunist head-on.

Tring trringg ting tring!

In just moments, Bi Hongyin's face had turned crimson, and she nearly spurted blood on the spot.

"He's really powerful..."

Initially, Bi Hongyin still had some reservations about Zhang Xuan's proficiency as a demonic tunist, but just from this short encounter, she found that the other party's grasp of demonic tunes had reached a level far above hers!

This was truly frightening!

Formations, medicine, beast taming... It was already formidable that he possessed such astounding mastery in those occupations, but to think that he would possess such superb talent in demonic tunes as well! Just how in the world did he study?

While Zhang Xuan was stimulating Bi Hongyin's potential to help her push for a breakthrough to Phantasmal Space realm pinnacle, Yuan Xiao and the others were looking on with envy on their faces.

However, their envy did not last for too long before Yun Lianhai remarked, "Is it just me... or is the divine crane moving downward?"

Luo Xuanqing and the others lowered their heads and saw that the Seven-colored Divine Crane, which had been flying steadily a moment ago, was suddenly going on a downward trajectory.

"It's indeed moving downward. However, at the speed it's moving, this shouldn't pose any trouble," Luo Xuanqing replied.

Not even a second after saying those words, the divine crane's neck suddenly arched backward, and its eyes were bulging so much that it seemed as if they would pop out at any moment.

Hu!

It fainted on the spot.

"This..."

The mouths of Luo Xuanqing and the others twitched.

They were all Saint realm experts, so even if their aerial saint beast were to plummet, they would still be able to maintain their flight. But...

Can't the two of you calm down a bit? Look, even the Seven-colored Crane can't tolerate you two anymore!

If something really happens to it, how do you plan on returning to the Sanctum of Sages?

Luo Xuanqing hurriedly waved his hands to support the divine crane and the others, slowly guiding the group to the ground.

All the while, Zhang Xuan and Bi Hongyin remained oblivious to the suffering of the divine crane, and they were still completely engrossed into playing against one another.

As such, despite having lost consciousness and landed on the ground, the divine crane's body continued convulsing endlessly, and white foam flowed out from the edges of its mouth. It was almost as if whipping a corpse!

Boom!

Just as Luo Xuanqing and the others were hesitating over whether they should stop those two so as to save the divine crane from its agony, a resounding buzz reverberated from Bi Hongyin's direction. Her aura surged, breaking straight through the clouds and into the heavens. The bottleneck that had confined her at Phantasmal Space realm advanced stage had been broken!

"Phantasmal Space realm pinnacle? She really achieved a breakthrough... and it's just been five minutes!"

Yuan Xiao and Yun Lianhai glanced at one another with widened eyes.

Previously, Zhang Xuan had said that he could help Bi Hongyin achieve a breakthrough within five minutes, and putting together the time he had spent on reading through a book and playing the zither... it just happened that five minutes had passed!

This... Wasn't his calculation a little too precise?

"Alright, it's done!" Playing the very last note, Zhang Xuan put his zither back into his storage ring before exhaling deeply. He stood up and stretched his back lazily.

It was only at this moment that he finally recovered his trance, and after a short moment of confusion, a frown emerged on his forehead. "Hmm? Why are we on the ground?"

With his limited proficiency in demonic tunes, he had needed to focus his attention fully on his playing, so he did not notice the falling of the crane. As such, he could not help but be perplexed by the situation before him.

Logically speaking, they should still have been some distance away from reaching the Sanctum of Sages, so... why would they suddenly land on the ground?

"Why don't you take a look for yourself?" Seeing the confused look on Zhang Xuan's face, the veins on Luo Xuanqing's temples bulged as he pointed to the side.

Zhang Xuan hurriedly turned his head and saw the divine crane lying unconscious on the ground. Its tongue was stretched out, and its slender legs were twitching every now and then. Amazingly, he realized that its spasms were in tempo with the melody he had been playing before.

"It must have truly enjoyed the music I have played earlier to be dancing along to my melody even in its sleep!" Zhang Xuan remarked in awe. "It sure has fine taste in music!"

"..." The crowd.

"Zhang shi, I happen to have reached a bottleneck in my cultivation as well. Can you give me some guidance too?"

"I'm just a step short of a breakthrough, too."

...

Bi Hongyin's breakthrough had left Yuan Xiao and Yun Lianhai deeply moved. They realized that this was a good opportunity for them as well.

Zhang Xuan had initially planned to turn down their requests, but in view of the great sincerity they were showing him—neither of their 'sincerity' was worth any less than the grade-8 formation flags that Bi Hongyin had gifted him—he solemnly pondered over the matter for a split second before reluctantly agreeing to help them as well.

Yun Lianhai's cultivation was the lowest of the group, and his fighting prowess was not too strong, so helping him achieve a breakthrough was much easier. On the other hand, due to his powerful defensive prowess and strong foundation in cultivation, it was much more difficult for Yuan Xiao to achieve a breakthrough.

Nevertheless, that did not pose much of a problem for Zhang Xuan. He summoned the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast and commanded it to give Yuan Xiao a beating he would never forget, and not too long later, the latter successfully achieved a breakthrough.

The group rested on that spot for an entire day and reinforced their cultivation before continue their journey back.

By then, the Seven-colored Divine Crane had already recovered from its previous trauma. Well, it would still make abrupt halts and plummet several hundred meters from time to time in the midst of its flight, but all was still well.

However, due to that, their journey ended up being much longer than expected. What that should have been a five-day flight ended up taking them ten whole days.

Fortunately, this time could not be said to have been wasted. The crowd managed to reinforce their cultivation, thus increasing their fighting prowess significantly. This was especially so for Luo Xuanqing. At Half-Dimension Sundering realm and ready to achieve a breakthrough at any moment, he was already standing at the very top of the Inner Sanctum.

"Zhang shi, are you interested in accompanying me to look for Zhang Chun?" Luo Xuanqing suddenly asked while he was leaping down the back of the divine crane after landing in a vast courtyard.

"Look for Zhang Chun?"

"Indeed. It isn't easy for me to one-up him, so it goes without saying that I should make use of this opportunity to vent my many years of pent-up frustration. Otherwise, wouldn't my breakthrough have been in vain?" Luo Xuanqing said as he licked his lips savagely.

"This..." Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before saying, "Actually, I'm planning to take the 8-star examinations for my other supporting occupations so as to push for a breakthrough to 8-star master teacher."

It had been quite some time since he had obtained the Sanctum Head Token, and time was rather tight for him too. It was about time for him to at least clear the 8-star master teacher examination and unlock one of the seals.

Otherwise, he might not be able to make it in time for Luo Ruoxin's marriage.

"You want to take the 8-star examinations for your supporting occupations?" Luo Xuanqing looked at Zhang Xuan contemplatively. "Which examinations are you planning to take first?"

"Hmm, spirit awakener, apothecary, physician, painter, beast tamer, celestial designer, terpsichore, and appraiser... Any of these should be fine," Zhang Xuan replied.

In order to qualify for the 8-star master teacher examination, he would need to have eight 8-star supporting occupations, and so far, he had only cleared his 8-star formation master examination. He really needed to work much harder.

"Ah, I have dest... I mean cleared those examinations before, so I am quite close with the personnel there. Why don't you follow me to pummel Zhang Chun, and I'll take you on a walk through all of them right after?" Luo Xuanqing said with a grand wave of his hand.

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Chapter 1368: Shrine of Seers

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"I'll be counting on you then, Brother Luo!"

Zhang Xuan was unfamiliar with the Sanctum of Sages, which made it difficult for him to find his way around. Hearing Luo Xuanqing's confident declaration, Zhang Xuan's eyes immediately lit up.

If he could have someone show him around, he would be spared from a great deal of trouble. Besides, he was more than willing to pummel Zhang Chun, not to mention the fact that the fellow still owed him quite a few pinnacle spirit stones. A few days had passed since then, so it was about time for him to collect the debt.

"There's no need for formalities with me!" Luo Xuanqing laughed heartily as he took the lead forward.

Even though the cultivation of the young man before him was ordinary, he had shown extraordinary expertise in setting up formations and guiding others to achieving a breakthrough. Even for him and the Luo Clan, there were many benefits that could be derived from befriending such a person.

Not to mention, the young man's personality happened to be to his liking as well.

While proceeding ahead, Luo Xuanqing sent out a few messages with his Communication Jade Token, and a moment later, he turned to Zhang Xuan with a smile and said, "That fellow isn't in the Inner Sanctum but the Shrine of Seers. Let's corner him there."

"Shrine of Seers?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"It's a branch of the Seer Guild, similar to the place where you took the 8-star formation master back then," Luo Xuanqing explained.

"You mean... there's a branch of the Seer Guild here?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in excitement.

He had heard of this occupation in the past. It was an Upper Nine Paths occupation that was shrouded with mystery. Seers were known to be able to use mysterious methods to foresee the events of the near future and use this knowledge to harness fortune and ward off bad luck.

Most Sage Clans would have a few seers serving as their honorary elders, assisting them in making important decisions.

All along, Zhang Xuan had only heard rumors about the occupation, but so far, he had not met a single seer in real life. Who would have thought that there would actually be a branch of the Seer Guild in the Sanctum of Sages?

"Of course! Where do you think the Sanctum of Sages is? Most likely, Zhang Chun is trying to get a seer to look into your background after getting done in by your tamed beast," Luo Xuanqing said with a chuckle.

The fact that Luo Xuanqing was able to find out that Zhang Chun was in the Shrine of Seers so quickly could only mean that he had many pair of eyes in the Sanctum of Sages.

"He's getting a seer just to look into my background? Wouldn't it be far more efficient for him to just ask around?" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

In his view, engaging the help of a seer for something so trivial was truly meaningless. After all, his background was stated in detail in his records, so all it would take was for Zhang Chun to tap into his connections to access it. Furthermore, there was likely a certain degree of error in the ability of any seer. It felt counterintuitive to go through so much trouble just to obtain possibly inaccurate information.

"The Zhang Clan has always been rather superstitious, and they regard seers and their ability of divination very well. The current clan head, Sword Saint Xingmeng, has even invited all the 9-star seers to the Zhang Clan over the past few years," Luo Xuanqing said with a disdainful sneer.

"Why would he invite so many 9-star seers over to the Zhang Clan?" Zhang Xuan asked in bewilderment.

As the number one clan in the Master Teacher Continent, the Zhang Clan's position was extremely stable, and it was blessed with many talented offspring as well. Just what were they so dissatisfied about that they needed to engage the help of seers to look into?

"Who knows what's going through the minds of those lunatics?" Luo Xuanqing shrugged.

The Shrine of Seers was located in the Hall of Erudition, just like the other examination grounds. Flitting swiftly forward, it did not take them too long to arrive at their destination.

Even though the Shrine of Seers was located within the Hall of Erudition, it emanated a completely different vibe from the examination grounds of other occupations. The building was extremely old, carrying the slight scent of the primordial ages.

The entire building felt like an upside-down tortoiseshell, covered with all kinds of bizarre cracks on its surface. It was a rather mysterious feeling that was hard to describe, but it seemed like the building was infused with the will of the heavens, serving as a window to peer into the secrets of the world.

The doors to the other examination halls were all wide open, but this particular building had its gates tightly shut.

"This is the Shrine of Seers?"

"Un. I tried picking up the seer occupation at one point in time too, but despite studying it for several days, I wasn't even able to qualify as an apprentice, so I chose to give up on it in the end. Well, it's really quite an enigmatic occupation. It's not right to say that they are a bunch of frauds as their prophecies and insights do turn out to be astoundingly accurate from time to time. Then again... the notion of using just a few tortoiseshells or copper coins to predict one's fate is just plain ridiculous to me." Luo Xuanqing shook his head.

"Every established occupation has a reason for its existence. The fact that the seer occupation has been able to survive several dozen millenniums without being phased out shows that it has its own meaning of existence," Zhang Xuan replied.

Survival of the fittest—those that were inept and useless would eventually be phased out with time. The fact that the seer occupation was able to be passed down for such a long period of time meant that it was not as simple as it seemed.

"You really talk like my younger sister. The last time I spoke with her about this matter, she said those words to me as well." Luo Xuanqing glanced at Zhang Xuan with a displeased look.

"It's my honor to share the same thoughts with the little princess." Zhang Xuan chuckled softly in response.

"Don't even bother trying to bootlick me!" Luo Xuanqing shot a glance at Zhang Xuan before continuing. "It's only because I have a good impression of you that I'm giving you this advice right here. Don't harbor any thoughts toward my younger sister. Firstly, there's no way you'll be able to catch her eye with your strength, and secondly, an outsider like you can't possibly go against the will of the Zhang Clan and the Luo Clan. This might sound a little harsh, but you'd do well to sever any wishful thinking you have toward her!"

Hidden within Luo Xuanqing's blunt exterior was a meticulous heart. After spending several days with one another, he could not help but notice that the young man had an unnatural interest in the affairs of his younger sister.

If anyone else had been so nosey, he would have simply resorted straight to his fists. After all, his title as the King of Destruction was not for show. However, the young man had helped him greatly and even aided him in achieving a breakthrough. In view of that, he decided to persuade the young man instead.

It was not that he was resistant to the idea of having the young man become his brother-in-law, but he knew that such a matter was absolutely impossible.

Even he, one of the core members of the Luo Clan, was unable to change his younger sister's fate, so what could a mere Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle fellow do?

Thus, it was better to sever all wishful thinking right from the start, or else it would only hurt more as time went by. It was not easy for him to meet a person whom he could get along with, and he would hate to see the other party falling into danger over the matter concerning his younger sister.

"There's no way I'll be able to catch her eye? That's hard to say. After all, who could fathom the capriciousness of life?" Zhang Xuan remarked deeply.

It was a sheer coincidence that he stumbled upon Luo Ruoxin in the midst of the Verdant Mountain back then, and it was also a sheer coincidence that those spirit beasts had gathered around her then, prompting him to make a move to save her. Without all of those coincidences, their fates probably would have never intersected, and they would not have gotten to know one another.

It was truly a marvel how fate was able to bring about a meeting of two people from two completely different worlds.

"Half of those who harbored those thoughts have been crippled by me, and the other half have been crippled by Zhang Chun..." Luo Xuanqing harrumphed coldly.

Jiya!

Just as he was about to continue speaking, the doors to the Shrine of Seer suddenly opened.

Following which, a young man wearing a long robe walked out from within.

"Seniors, my teacher invites you in!" The young man clasped his fist to greet Luo Xuanqing and Zhang Xuan before displaying an inviting gesture to usher them into the Shrine of Sages.

"Is your teacher... Master Feng Zhongquan?" Luo Xuanqing assessed the young man before him intently before his eyes suddenly lit up.

"Indeed." The young man nodded quietly, but he was not able to fully conceal the glee that was beaming on his face.

"Master Feng Zhongquan has always been an elusive figure in the Sanctum of Sages. I heard that Zhang Chun has paid a visit to him seven times, only to be shut out each time around. Are you sure that your teacher really wants to meet me?" Luo Xuanqing could hardly control his body from trembling in agitation.

Those of the Zhang Clan had a deep respect for seers, and Master Feng Zhongquan could be said to be the most formidable seer in the Sanctum of Sages. Zhang Chun had visited him on many occasions, only to be turned away before he could even pass over his name scroll. Yet, for Master Feng Zhongquan to send his student to invite him in... Didn't that mean that he was far more respected and esteemed than Zhang Chun?

With this, he would be able to give Zhang Chun a good mocking later on.

Hearing those words, the young man shot a nonchalant glance at Luo Xuanqing and said, "My apologies, I should have been clearer in my words. The one whom my teacher wishes to meet is the young friend beside you."

"Your teacher wants to meet me?" Zhang Xuan was stunned. "Why?"

He had only recently arrived at the Sanctum of Sages, and he did not even know who Master Feng Zhongquan was. Why would the latter suddenly request to meet him?

"I'm afraid that I don't have the answer to your question. You'll have to head in to find out."

In truth, the young man also found the matter inconceivable.

His teacher was a deeply esteemed figure on the Master Teacher Continent, such that he could even afford to snub the deputy sanctum head and the other elders if he wanted to, and there would be nothing they could do to him. Yet, he was actually requesting to meet a twenty-year-old freshman who had no particularly noteworthy background, and he had even instructed him to personally invite the other party in.

This was truly perplexing.

It would have been understandable if the other party was like the little princess, wielding formidable prowess, but he was only a humble Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle cultivator! He might have been considered a genius anywhere else on the Master Teacher Continent, but in the Sanctum of Sages, there were plenty of students who could rival or even surpass him. Even at the very most, his talents could only be considered average.

"Master Feng Zhongquan wants to meet Zhang shi?" Luo Xuanqing widened his eyes in disbelief.

He had thought that this was a good opportunity for him to mock Zhang Chun, but who would have thought that the person whom Master Feng Zhongquan wanted to meet with was the person beside him?

"Alright then." Zhang Xuan was bewildered by the abnormal situation, but seeing that the young man before him really knew nothing at all, he decided to head in to take a look. After all, he had been intrigued by the mysterious abilities that seers wielded for a long time, and this would be a good opportunity for him to see what they were capable of.

So, under the young man's lead, he walked into the Shrine of Seers.

The interior of the Shrine of Seers seemed to be even older than how it appeared outside. There were many bizarre flags planted on the ground, and they divided the main hall into many narrow sectors. There were several dozen young men sitting in a circle in each of these narrow sectors; some were holding onto a copper coin whereas others were holding onto a tortoiseshell. Their eyes were firmly shut, and the tight contemplative frown between their brows suggested that they were trying to fathom something.

At the middle of the circle was a reddish-green beetle placed on top of searing flames, and it looked so withered that it seemed like it was just a push away from falling into the embrace of death.

"Is that... the Light-shelled Beetle, renowned for being able to survive amid lightning?" Zhang Xuan wondered doubtfully.

He had never seen a Light-shelled Beetle before, but he had read records on them. According to the rumors, these lifeforms neither ate nor drank. Only on stormy days where the rain poured and lightning raged would they rise from their hiding places and dash into the sky, taking in the power of the lightning to sustain their existence.

Light-shelled Beetles were extremely elusive, and their numbers were severely limited as well, such that it was viewed as one of the hardest beasts to find in the world by the beast tamers. Yet, to think that they would be roasting it on the flames... this was really perplexing.

He had never heard of the Light-shelled Beetles being edible! And even if they were edible, how were they going to split it among the several dozen young men? It would not even be enough to stuff the gap between their teeth!

Noticing the doubtful look on Zhang Xuan's face, Luo Xuanqing sent a telepathic message over to fill him in. "This is one of the daily training that seers have to undergo. The crux behind this exercise is to seal all of their senses and use their will to fathom the will of the heavens to predict whether the Light-shelled Beetle has been burned to death or whether it'll climb out from somewhere."

He might not be a seer himself, but he had spent a few days of his life attempting to learn divination, so he had some idea of what was going on within the Shrine of Seers.

"This..."

Luo Xuanqing's explanation only served to plunge Zhang Xuan deeper into confusion.

Placed upon flames, there was a chance that the Light-shelled Beetle could be burn to death at any moment. But similarly, there was also a chance that it would manage to rise from the searing heat and flee. In a sense, was this not the same as Schrödinger's cat? Until the outcome was determined, all guesses would be naught but guesses.

Seemingly noticing the communication behind him, the young man turned around and explained to them, "The Light-shelled Beetle's ability to resist lightning is, in truth, a struggle against the heavens. For this reason, it's known as the Seer Beetle. Through predicting the life and death of such a lifeform, one is able to better grasp the elusive and capricious nature of the will of the heavens!"

"I see." Zhang Xuan nodded, but it was difficult to tell whether he truly understood those words or not. He shot a glance at the beetle on the charcoal and asked with a frown, "Given the intense heat of the charcoal there, that Light-shelled Beetle should already be on the verge of death, no?"

"On the verge of death?" Hearing those words, the young man shook his head with a chuckle. "I've divined that beetle before. It'll live up to a hundred years..."

But before he could finish his words, the sound reminiscent to a balloon popping echoed in the air. The Light-shelled Beetle that was lying on the charcoal a while ago abruptly swelled up and exploded into dust.

Peng!

"Ah..." Zhang Xuan shot a bizarre look at the young man and asked, "Could it be that... today is its hundredth birthday?"

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Chapter 1369: Voyeur

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Instead of replying to Zhang Xuan's words, the young man walked up to the Light-shelled Beetle and examined it closely in disbelief.

His divination ability as a seer had reached the level of 8-star, allowing him to foresee many events with a high level of accuracy. He had divined the beetle before him multiple times, and the result he got each time was that it would die of old age. Why would it suddenly blow up now?

Of course, saying that it would be able to live up to a hundred years old was just a metaphor. It wouldn't just literally live to its hundredth birthday!

Furthermore, even if that was the case, it didn't make sense for it to explode into dust right after those words were spoken?

The young man stared at the beetle with a conflicted look on his face for quite a while, but he was still unable to make sense out of the situation. In the end, he decided not to think too much into it and continued leading the duo forward.

Not too long later, they arrived before a room. Before he could even knock, a voice already sounded from within, "Come in."

Following which, the room to the door slowly cracked open.

Taing a look within, Zhang Xuan saw an elder seated at the center of the hall. The young man standing beside him was no other than the person they were looking for, Zhang Chun!

At this moment, he had already recovered from the injuries he had sustained, and his aura felt a little sharper and purer than before. It seemed like the vicious pummeling he had received previously had helped to beat out the impurities in his body, bringing about a considerable rise in his fighting prowess. A blessing in disguise indeed.

"It's you?" Upon seeing Zhang Xuan walking through the door, Zhang Chun's face immediately turned livid.

As a genius of the Zhang Clan, he never thought that he would be pummeled by the tamed beast of a nobody in the Sanctum of Sages, nearly losing his life in the valley. Recalling the embarrassment and humiliation he had been put through, his face swiftly reddened in fury.

However, he swiftly remembered something and turned to look at the old man beside him in astonishment, "Elder Feng, is the esteemed guest you spoke of... him?"

Previously, in the midst of their conversation, Elder Feng suddenly tasked his student to head out and usher an esteemed guest in. Back then, he had thought that it would be a top-notch expert or a respected elder of the Sanctum of Sages. Never in his mind had he even fathomed that it would actually be this fellow!

That fellow only managed to overwhelm him by lucking out and taming the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast. Otherwise, there was no way a mere Leaving Aperture realm pinnacle would possibly be able to face him straight on! Surely there was no need for Master Feng, whom even their clan head would have to show deep respect to, to view him so highly?

"That's right." Elder Feng stood up and assessed Zhang Xuan intently. The more he looked, the brighter the gleam in his eyes became, and a while later, he couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, "It's indeed the Discarnate Constitution of Divination!"

"Discarnate Constitution of Divination?" Zhang Xuan frowned in bewilderment.

Even though he was unable to determine his own condition through the Library of Heaven's Path, he did possess a deep knowledge of the various unique constitutions there were out there from the books he had assimilated so far, and there was none that corresponded to his own condition.

In other words, he was an ordinary man who couldn't be any more ordinary!

So, what in the world was the Discarnate Constitution of Divination? Why hadn't he heard it before?

If he really possessed such a unique constitution, why would his cultivation still advanced so slowly, such that he wouldn't even be able to catch up with his student and his girlfriend?

"The Number of Grand Divination, 49 with a discarnate 1, and you happen to possess that 'discarnate' physique." Elder Feng stroked his beard and explained. "To use conventional terms, it means that it's impossible to use the means of divination to determine your fate and thus, future!"

(The Number of Grand Divination is a terminology from Zhou Yi, which is the core of Yi Jing or I Ching, an ancient Chinese divination text. However, there is no clear grasp as to what Grand Divination truly means, and so, the Number of Grand Divination remains an enigma to the world.)

Before Zhang Xuan could make sense of what was being said, the young man beside him had already widened his eyes in disbelief.

"Teacher, that legendary unique constitution really exists?"

"I also thought that it was a legend until that incident, which made me understand that not only does such a unique constitution exists, there are even a couple of them out there in the world..." Elder Feng shook his head and said, seemingly unwilling to linger too long on this matter. "If you don't believe me, you can give it a try."

"This... Alright then." The young man was stunned for a few seconds before taking out three copper coins. He held them tightly in his grasp and mused for a moment before tossing them into the air.

The copper coins swiftly dropped onto the ground and spun non-stop, but before a divination could appear, resounding 'Kacha! Kacha! Kacha!' sounded, and cracks appeared on the coins.

And soon after, just like with the Light-shelled Beetle, 'peng!', the copper coins exploded into dust.

The young man's face immediately turned pale, and as if having sustained a heavy blow, he was forced to retreat several steps back. A trail of blood seeped down the corner of his lips as stupefaction rippled across his face.

The young man was clearly right before his eyes, but for some inexplicable reason, his divination was unable to work on the young man, or to be more exact, it felt as if he was attempting to divine something that didn't exist in the world at all, a discarnate entity.

How could the concepts of karma and history possibly apply to a discarnate entity?

"How is it?" Having known this outcome, Elder Feng looked at his disciple and said.

The young man took in a deep to suppress his injuries before replying in resignation, "I really can't divine anything at all..."

"Of course, he's a void in the world. Not only his fate, even everything he has done and is going to do will be veiled from the eyes of the world!" Elder Feng said.

"This..."

In this moment, the young man could finally understand why his teacher wanted to meet this fellow.

Discarnate Constitution of Divination, this was the constitution that was most suited to become a seer. There weren't any records of anyone possessing such a constitution, but even in the entire history of mankind, there should only be several dozen of them existent in this world. He could have never thought that the ordinary-looking man before him would actually possess it as well.

"Everything I have done and am going to do will be veiled from the eyes of the world?" Zhang Xuan frowned upon hearing the words exchanged between the duo.

It took him a while before he could fully grasp that notion.

Most likely, the reason why divination didn't work on him was due to the Library of Heaven's Path.

The Library of Heaven's Path could probably be considered as the very manifestation of the heavens, so naturally, concealing the will of the heavens and impeding others from looking in was probably just a walk in the park for it.

In other words, he didn't possess the Discarnate Constitution of Divination at all.

"Indeed. In other words, you are a fault in the world. If you were to become a seer, no matter how you peer into the secrets of the heavens, you still wouldn't suffer any backlash at all!" Elder Feng exclaimed with glowing eyes.

The act of divining the future was equivalent to revealing the secrets of the heavens, and naturally, seers would have to suffer the retribution of the heavens for their actions. For this reason, high-ranking seers usually didn't end well.

When one looks into the abyss, the abyss looks back at one. If one were to just divine smaller affairs, one might still be able to avoid the notice of the heavens. However, if one were to attempt to divine something that would affect the trajectory of the world... they would soon find the very ill will of the heavens directed against them. Eventually, most of them would meet their ends while undergoing the tribulation of the heavens.

Despite the seemingly glamorous exterior of seers, they were, in essence, voyeurs who sought to peer into the secrets of the heavens, and thus, the dangers they faced were greater than any other occupation.

However, there was one exception to the rule—the Discarnate Constitution of Divination. Those who possessed such a constitution were existences who weren't even within the calculations in the heavens, and no matter how they peered at the secrets of the heavens, they wouldn't face any punishment from the heavens...

A constitution that allowed others to flout the rules openly without being punished—it was as if it was made just for seers!

"I was only able to notice it when Zhang Chun requested me to divine your background and your teacher." Elder Feng explained.

Hearing those words, Zhang Chun's face turned crimson. He felt so stifled that he could explode on the spot.

After the pummeling he had received, he had been wanting to get even with Zhang Xuan. For this reason, he spent a heavy price to request for Elder Feng's help, wanting the latter to help him divine Zhang Xuan's background... Yet, his efforts only seemed to have placed Zhang Xuan on a higher pedestal!

Not only had he not found out anything more about Zhang Xuan, the latter even became Elder Feng's esteemed guest!

It was as if even the world was on his side!

"Your Discarnate Constitution of Divination is most suited for seers." Elder Feng looked at Zhang Xuan with pulsating excitement in his eyes. "So, what do you think about becoming my direct disciple?"

"Elder Feng, you want to take that fellow in as your direct disciple? But you have never taken in any direct disciples before..." Zhang Chun's face twitched in shock.

While seers might not possess exceptional fighting prowess, due to the unique nature of their occupation, they were respected as one of the Upper Nine Paths occupations. This was especially so for Elder Feng, who was considered to be one of the greatest seers in the world...

Just the fact the polite attitude their clan head maintained before Elder Feng showed his standing on the Master Teacher Continent.

If Zhang Xuan were to really become Elder Feng's direct disciple, all his hopes of vengeance would be dashed!

"Direct disciple?"

The young man by the side showed a face full of envy and admiration.

He was only Elder Feng's ordinary student, which meant that he wasn't entitled to inheriting the crux of Elder Feng's heritage. Most likely, he would only remain an 8-star seer for life, unable to take a step forward anymore.

But again, there was nothing he could do. The Discarnate Constitution of Divination was something one was born with, and no amount of hard work would change that.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan didn't expect Elder Feng to request him to become his direct disciple on their first meeting. Instead of responding to that question straight, he looked at Elder Feng with a doubtful look and asked, "Is the Discarnate Constitution of Divination very rare?"

"Very much so. I only know of four people in the Master Teacher Continent who possesses that constitution, and that's including you." Elder Feng replied.

"Four people? May I know who are they?" Not expecting that there would be three people who would possess that constitution, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but be a little curious.

At the same time, Zhang Chun also quickly stemmed the thoughts in his mind and turned his attention over.

"You must be the Luo Clan's Luo Xuanqing, right?" Instead of replying Zhang Xuan's question, Elder Feng suddenly turned to Luo Xuanqing and asked.

"Xuanqing pays respect to Elder Feng!" Luo Xuanqing clasped his fist and said.

"Un, there's no need to stand on ceremony. Back then, when your younger sister sealed her cultivation and left the Luo Clan, your clan head paid me a visit and requested my help in divining her location. However, I was unable to divine her exact whereabouts, and if my guess fails me not... it's like that that she possesses the Discarnate Constitution of Divination too!" Elder Feng said.

"My younger sister possesses the Discarnate Constitution of Divination?" Luo Xuanqing was surprised by the revelation before nodding in realization.

Previously, he had been wondering why despite the many seers there were in the Luo Clan, they were still unable to find his younger sister's whereabouts for such a long period of time... It was due to this incident that he had a biased view toward seers, thinking that they were just fraudsters out to dupe money and prestige out of others. However, if his younger sister possessed the Discarnate Constitution of Divination, that would explain everything.

Elder Feng nodded in response.

"What about the other two?" Zhang Chun asked.

"The first person I have found to have possessed that constitution is the young prodigy of your Zhang Clan... No matter how I attempt to divine his whereabouts, I was simply unable to find any trace of him anywhere. It's as if he has never existed in the world at all!" Elder Feng said.

"The young prodigy?" Zhang Chun heaved a sigh of relief.

It was fortunate that the young prodigy possessed such a constitution as well, or else he would be spending the next few years hearing the gleeful Luo Xuanqing harping on this matter.

"The last person is a mysterious young lady I met a few months back. She is roughly Zhang shi's age, and she possesses extraordinary strength, unlike anything I have seen before... However, it's a pity that she disappeared before I could catch a word with her." Elder Feng shook her head and sighed.

"I see..." Zhang Xuan nodded.

All along, he had been hearing about how formidable the young prodigy was, and after hearing what Elder Feng had said, he was really starting to catch a glimpse into what kind of figure he was going up against.

He was only able to avoid the divination of seers due to his possession of the Library of Heaven's Path, but to think that the young prodigy would actually possess the Discarnate Constitution of Divination...

It was no wonder why he was able to remain hidden for so long... It turned out that not even the Luo Clan had any way to figure out where he was!

"Wait a moment... You said that it's impossible to fathom my fate and my history due to my Discarnate Constitution of Divination. If that's the case, how did you know that Brother Luo and I have just arrived before your doorstep previously, even sending out your student to receive us?" Zhang Xuan suddenly thought of something, and he couldn't help but frown in confusion.

Since it was impossible to divine his whereabouts, there should be no way Elder Feng should have known that he would be coming by today!

Furthermore, thinking back, the door to the room also opened right when they have just arrived outside it...

"This..." Seemingly not expecting to hear such a question, Elder Feng was visibly taken aback for a moment before directing a bizarre look at Zhang Xuan. "Have you... never used your Spiritual Perception before? This room isn't located too far away from the entrance, so it's very easy to extend one's Spiritual Perception over."

"..." Zhang Xuan.

Chapter 1370: Sage Xi's Tortoiseshell

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Perhaps it was due to the awareness that he was at the Shrine of Seers, everything that had happened seemed to be veiled with a layer of mystery in his head. For this reason, he thought that it was due to the unique abilities of a seer that Elder Feng was able to divine his arrival and dispatch a student to receive them... But who could have thought that it would just be a simple Spiritual Perception scan!

That was an ability that all cultivators would unlock upon reaching Saint 2-dan. Once activated, one would be able to perceive everything within a given radius. With this ability, it was indeed not too difficult for Elder Feng to notice their arrival.

"How is it? Are you willing to become my direct disciple?" After explaining the matter, Elder Feng continued directing his heated gaze upon Zhang Xuan.

There was no way he would be able to take in the little princess of the Luo Clan, the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan, or the mysterious young lady as his students, but as for Zhang Xuan, he felt that he stood quite a huge chance.

If he could take Zhang Xuan in as his direct disciple, with the latter's tremendous potential in the occupation, they would be able to make seers great again!

"Pardon me, but I already have my own teacher and heritage, so it wouldn't really be convenient for me to acknowledge anyone else as my own teacher." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"I have the fortune of meeting your teacher, Yang Xuan, once before. While he does have an eccentric temperament, he wouldn't have any qualms about you acknowledging someone else as your teacher for other supporting occupations." Instead of getting mad at Zhang Xuan's rejection, Elder Feng reasoned calmly.

Before Zhang Xuan could say anything, Zhang Chun's body jolted, and he exclaimed in disbelief, "Yang Xuan? Elder Feng means to say that... Zhang Xuan's teacher is Yang shi of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters?"

Even Luo Xuanqing also widened his eyes upon hearing those words.

They did mention Yang Xuan's name during the journey to obtain the Dongxu Gourd, but Zhang Xuan didn't say anything about him then... Why would he suddenly turn out to be Yang Xuan's student?

If that was really the case, it would be understandable why Zhang Xuan would have no fear about the repercussions from pummeling Zhang Chun.

Even though the Zhang Clan was the number one Sage Clan on the Master Teacher Continent, it still paled far in comparison to the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. As the First Grand Elder, other than the seat of the pavilion master, which had been empty for several millenniums now, Yang Xuan's standing was second to none in the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters!

"Due to your constitution, I am unable to divine anything relating to your lineage. Nevertheless, through using my authority in the Sanctum of Sages, I'm still able to access your record files. To rise through the ranks from the humble Tianxuan Kingdom and reach such a height, not to mention that you have always identified yourself as Yang shi's student, I really can't imagine any other master teacher who is capable of grooming a student as talented as you!" Elder Feng said with a chuckle.

While he was unable to divine Zhang Xuan's profile, he was still able to access the latter's records.

Considering how often Zhang Xuan had identified his teacher as Yang Xuan before others, it wasn't too difficult to dig that up too.

"I..." Zhang Xuan immediately broke out in cold sweat.

The only reason why he identified himself as 'Yang Xuan's' student was because he thought that it was just a made-up name, so he used it as he pleased! How was he supposed to know that that fellow really existed, and even possessed such a high standing at that... This was really a huge headache!

If Yang Xuan were to drop by the Sanctum of Sages and say that he didn't have such a student, his lie would be immediately exposed!

Without this protective umbrella, it wouldn't take long before greedy individuals turned their eyes to him, wanting to uncover the secrets behind the swift rise in his cultivation and supporting occupation.

"How is it?" Noticing the changes on Zhang Xuan's face, Elder Feng thought that the other party was seriously contemplating over the issue, so he chuckled softly and said, "If you still harbor some reservations regarding the matter, I can send a message into the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters and seek his opinion on this matter on your behalf!"

"Regarding that..." Zhang Xuan's eyebrows leaped up upon hearing those words, and he immediately spoke up anxiously, "... I am very thankful to Elder Feng's high opinion of me. However, I have never come into contact with anything relating to seers, so if possible, I would like to access the books relating to it. If I do possess some talent in the art of divination, I would be more than delighted to take up your offer. Otherwise, I would feel guilt-ridden if my lack of talent in the field were to blemish your reputation!"

This sure was a difficult position he was in.

He had only come here with Luo Xuanqing to get a go at Zhang Chun, but who could have thought that he would end up getting such a passionate offer by someone else to become his student, and that person was even threatening to 'tell on him to Yang Xuan' if he were to reject his offer... Hai, being too outstanding sure was troublesome!

Was his simple wish of living an ordinary life really that difficult to achieve?

Since that was the case, he decided to first take a look through all of the seer-related books first. By then, let's see who would become whose student!

"You want to access our library of books?" Seeing that Zhang Xuan wasn't resistant to the idea of becoming his student, Elder Feng heaved a sigh of relief. With a look that said 'there's no way you can't possibly not be a genius', he chuckled, "There are simply too many things to learn as a seer for you to master the art within just a day or two. Actually, there's no need to go through so much trouble. There's a far simpler way to gauge your talent as a seer."

"Gauge my talent as a seer?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"Un. Yu Chen, bring the tortoiseshell over here!" Elder Feng instructed with a wave of his hand.

"Yes!"

The young man turned around and left, and not too long later, he returned with an ancient tortoiseshell carefully held between his hands.

The ancient tortoiseshell was slightly grayish in color, and its surface was densely filled with slight cracks. Even before coming close to it, Zhang Xuan could already feel a slight quivering in the space surrounding it, as if the secrets of the world were sealed within it, awaiting curious minds to peer into it.

"Could this be... Sage Xi's Tortoiseshell?" Zhang Chun widened his eyes in astonishment.

Stroking his beard, Elder Feng turned to confused Zhang Xuan and explained with a smile, "Sage Xi is a renowned expert whose time predates even that of Kong shi. Through observing the patterns on the back of the long-living tortoise, he managed to grasp the will of the heavens and founded the seer occupation. He has passed down many divination-related artifacts, and the most famous of them all is a tortoiseshell..."

"That tortoiseshell is known to be the number one treasure of the Seer Guild, and it's stored in the deepest and most secure region of the guild. It's used to divine the trajectory of the continent's fate and the rise and fall of the world... Of course, not even I have the rights to use it. The one before you is a replica which a 9-star pinnacle seer, Elder Ji Chan, created many years ago."

"However, don't underestimate it just because it's a replica. It's through the divination of this tortoiseshell that Ancient Sage Bo Shang found that several dozen millennium's worth of fortune was gathered in this land, allowing it to survive the trial of time, thus leading to him establishing the Sanctum of Sages on this land. That should be more than enough to verify its prowess!"

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up in astonishment.

It wasn't too difficult to gather spiritual energy and fortune within a land—high-ranked formation masters were capable of doing that too. However, to retain spiritual energy and fortune within a land for several millenniums or even several dozen millenniums, especially amidst an ever-changing world and environment... This was not something that they were capable of.

To do that would require one to not only foresee the changes in the land itself but those surrounding it as well... To be able to divine it accurately, the tortoiseshell could definitely be considered as a priceless treasure.

"This tortoiseshell has been passed down 121 generations so far, and all 102 9-star pinnacle seers who have appeared within this timeframe have all used it as some point in their life. As a result of that, their wills are all infused within the tortoiseshell as well... So, just by placing your hand on top of it, they will be able to assess whether you possess talent as a seer or not." Elder Feng said as he lightly stroked the ancient tortoiseshell in front of him.

Zhang Xuan didn't expect the other party to take out such a valuable artifact to assess his talent. At this point, it would only be disrespectful of him if he were to turn down the other party any more than this, so he asked, "I just have to place my hand on it?"

"Un. If you still harbor some doubts toward its effects, I can have others showcase it to you..." Elder Feng turned his gaze to Zhang Chun before continuing on, "You have been wanting to learn divination from me for many years, only to be turned away each time around. It's not that I'm intentionally making things difficult for you or trying to test your patience, but you are simply unsuited for this occupation! Place your hand on this tortoiseshell and see for yourself."

"This..." Zhang Chun's face twitched.

He would have never thought that a day would come where he would actually be used as a counterexample. As displeased as he was, he still walked forward and slowly placed his hand on the tortoiseshell.

Seemingly sensing the touch of a living being, a slight radiance emanated from in between the many cracks on the tortoiseshell.

Kacha! Kacha!

It was a rather bizarre sight. The light seemed to be weaving across the many cracks on the tortoiseshell, and as if playing an instrument, a crackling sound echoed in the air. Very soon, two ancient runes surfaced before everyone's eyes.

Elder Feng glanced at the runes and shook his head, "Yu Chen, explain these two runes to the others."

"Yes!" The young man stepped forward and said, "What these runes over here mean is that the individual tested is of ordinary aptitude and is unfated with the art of divination!"

"Ordinary aptitude? Then what would the runes for the talented be like?" Zhang Chun asked with a hint of indignance in his voice.

The current clan head and elders of the Zhang Clan held seers in high esteem. If he could achieve a high level of mastery in the art of divination, it was likely that he would be regarded highly and them, and perhaps, he might even be brought into the circle of the upper echelon of the clan.

It was for this reason that he persistently visited Elder Feng despite being rejected time and time again. He was still harboring hope that the rejection might just Elder Feng's way of testing him, but who could have thought that the real problem lay in his lack of talent?

"The aptitude of a seer can basically be divided into six tiers, namely inferior, ordinary, fair, superior, and pinnacle." the young man explained. "For those who are unable to read the runes, there's a far easier to interpret them. The greater the number of runes, the higher one's aptitude toward divination is. A single rune would mean inferior, two runes would mean ordinary, so on and so forth. If six runes were to appear, it would mean that the individual possesses unparalleled aptitude in divination!"

After saying those words, the young man placed his palm on the tortoiseshell.

Kacha! Kacha! Kacha! Kacha! Kacha!

Brilliant light weaved across the cracks of the tortoiseshell, and the same crackling sound echoed in the air once more, but this time, it was more numerous. Slowly, five runes surfaced from the tortoiseshell.

"Superior?" Zhang Chun gulped down a mouthful of saliva in shock.

He had met Yu Chen many times around, and he thought that the latter only caught Elder Feng's sight by sheer luck. He had never thought that the latter would actually possess such a high aptitude toward divination.

Given that Yu Chen was only an ordinary student despite his 'superior' aptitude... as a mere 'ordinary', he really didn't stand a chance at all.

"I would like to give it a try too..." Stepping forward, Luo Xuanqing placed his palm on it, and two runes appeared. Just like Zhang Chun, his aptitude was 'ordinary' too!

Luo Xuanqing was initially a little disappointed, but he consoled himself by telling himself that his aptitude was at least not any beneath Zhang Chun. Afterward, he turned to Zhang Xuan and said, "Zhang shi, you should give it a try too!"

"Alright." Knowing there's no way for him to back out of this, Zhang Xuan stepped forward.

Previously, he had said that he would take Elder Feng as his teacher if he showed aptitude toward divination... Was he really going to have to acknowledge another person as his teacher?

This was really a little difficult for him to accept.

Perhaps, he could try using the Heaven's Path zhenqi to conceal the results?

On the other hand, watching as Zhang Xuan stepped forward, an excited gleam surfaced in Elder Feng's eyes.

The Discarnate Constitution of Divination was a legendary physique that all seers sought for. There were no precedents which he could use as a reference to fathom how many runes the young man would be able to induce, but most likely, it would be beyond six.

Hu!

Before his expectant eyes, Zhang Xuan placed his palm on the tortoiseshell.

Weng!

A light buzz sounded in the air, and a blinding light began streaming across the cracks in the tortoiseshell.

Kacha! Kacha! Kacha...

Crackling sounds echoed one after another in high frequency, almost as if one was stir-frying beans.

"With so many crackling sounds echoing, I wonder how many runes would appear?" Zhang Chun clenched his fists tightly as he looked at the sight before him with reddened eyes.

Previously, when he placed his hand on the tortoiseshell and it crackled twice, two runes appeared. Following which, when Yu Chen placed his hand on the tortoiseshell and it crackled five times, five runes appeared.

And now, the tortoiseshell had already crackled for several dozen times in response to Zhang Xuan's touch... It couldn't be that several dozen runes were going to appear, right? If that's the case, just how immense of a talent did he possess?

In his state of shock, he suddenly saw Elder Feng's face warping into horror, and the latter dashed forward furiously.

However, it was already too late. With a particularly conspicuous 'hong long', the ancient tortoiseshell exploded into dust.

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Chapter 1371: The Tragic Elder Feng

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"..."

Zhang Xuan was completely dumbstruck, not knowing whether he should retract his hand from the tortoiseshell or not.

Whether I am talented or not, it'd do for you to just reflect it accordingly... Why the heck did you explode on the spot for?

All I had done was to use a bit of my Heaven's Path zhenqi and the power of the Library of Heaven's Path to disguise myself... Do you really have to do this to me?

Previously, when Elder Feng took out the tortoiseshell, he had treated it extremely carefully, as if it was his child. For it to explode just like that... wouldn't the other party pit his life against him?

Just as Zhang Xuan was at a complete loss as to what to do, he saw the old man who was still smiling a second ago suddenly standing before him, staring at the remains of the tortoise shell on the ground with a twitching face, seemingly on the verge of going berserk.

"Teacher..." Not expecting such a situation to occur either, Yu Chen was shocked beyond words too.

While others might not understand the significance of the tortoiseshell, he knew how important it was to his teacher. Having it reduced to dust like that was no different from claiming his teacher's life.

"My tortoiseshell..."

The trembling Elder Feng reached out to stroke the remains on the ground, and in just an instant, he looked as if he had withered many years.

"Elder Feng, he didn't do it on purpose. Why don't I have a new one forged out for you? Your tortoiseshell was already old and decrepit prior to this, filled with many cracks. It was only a matter of time before it broke. Just last year, I came to know an extremely skilled craftsman at the Chen Village; his handicraft is truly exquisite, and the price he charged is fair as well. Shall I introduce him to you?" Luo Xuanqing consoled.

"Pu!" Unable to take it anymore, Elder Feng spurted a mouthful of blood.

"Cough cough..." Zhang Xuan rolled his eyes at his future brother-in-law before shaking his head speechlessly.

You shouldn't try to console others if you don't know how to go around doing it. You are only making things worse!

A tortoiseshell of this tier was incredibly valuable... Do you think that you would be able to replace it just by forging a close replica?

Seeing that Luo Xuanqing couldn't be relied on, Zhang Xuan could only make a move himself. He pondered for a moment before speaking up earnestly, "Elder Feng, what is done cannot be undone, so there's no use remaining upset about the matter. It's just a tortoiseshell anyway. Why don't I capture a few over tomorrow so that you can make as many of it as you want? If you like, you could even boil a pot of fine soup with their flesh too..."

"Pu! Pu!" Elder Feng spurted even more blood.

"Or else, why don't I make a new one for you then?" Seeing that the situation seemed to only be getting worse with his consolation, Zhang Xuan was really at a loss as to what to do.

While he was touching the tortoiseshell previously, he managed to compile a book on it in the Library of Heaven's Path. Despite the long heritage behind it and its high tier, it was plagued with many flaws too. As long as Zhang Xuan was willing to set his mind to it and managed to gather sufficient books on it, he should be able to forge another tortoiseshell that was of the same tier or even higher!

With this thought in mind, Zhang Xuan decided to immerse his consciousness into the Library of Heaven's Path to study the book so as to analyze the feasibility of creating an exact replica of the tortoiseshell when Yu Chen's anxious voice suddenly sounded.

"Teacher..."

His voice was quivering, carrying deep fear toward something.

Sensing the anxiety in the voice, the depressed Elder Feng turned his head over.

"Look at that..." Yu Chen pointed to the roof above them.

Elder Feng hurriedly raised his head, and what he saw caused his eyes to narrow in fear.

At the same time, noticing the peculiar reaction of the duo, Zhang Xuan and the others raised their heads as well, and in the next instant, they froze on the spot.

A huge crack had appeared on the tortoiseshell-shaped building above them, and it was swiftly creeping its way across the area. The inscriptions that were used to fortify the building seemed to have been rendered useless in this very moment, as if they had encountered a force which even they were helpless before.

"How could this be?" Elder Feng clawed his head in horror.

The explosion of the Sage Xi's Tortoiseshell could still be attributed to its old age and wear and tear, thus resulting in retribution from the heavens. On the other hand, the tortoiseshell building had a huge investment in manpower and resources to construct it, and in terms of durability, not even a Saint 8-dan pinnacle expert's full strength attack would be able to cause the slightest damage to it. Why would it collapse all of a sudden?

"Stop!" Bellowing furiously, Elder Feng rushed forward in an attempt to stop the destruction.

No matter what, he couldn't allow the Shrine of Seers to collapse just like that.

However, despite his furious output of zhenqi, he was still unable to stop the collapse of the building. It was as if an inexplicable force that no man could rival was acting upon the building, forcing the collapse to occur.

And before this force, even Saint 9-dan experts were nothing more than ants, not even worth a mention.

Kacha! Kacha!

Finally, the roof reached the limits of its durability, and with a series of explosions, rubble began plummeting from above. Many of the seers were immediately jolted out of their focused state, and they anxiously opened their eyes and darted out.

As for Zhang Xuan and the rest, it somehow felt wrong if they were to run away in this moment, so they could only drive their zhenqi and form a barrier above them to fend off the falling rubble.

Hualala!

Even amidst a cloud of dust, it took just a mere glance to see that the ancient tortoiseshell building was no more, replaced by a mere lump of rubble. All of the formations and the sort that it harnessed had also been completely destroyed as well.

"This..." Zhang Xuan blinked his eyes in a daze as he remarked, "Isn't this building a little too poorly-built? Just who is the architect behind it? If any ordinary humans had been in here, they would have been crushed to death!"

The building still appeared rather sturdy when he looked at it from the outside, but it turned out to be just a false sense of security! It was fortunate that he was strong, otherwise he would have never been able to survive the collapsing rubble no matter how many lives he had!

"Pu!" Once again, Elder Feng spurted a mouthful of blood.

"Teacher, what's going on?" Yu Chen rushed over to Elder Feng's side and asked anxiously.

It took a while before Elder Feng managed to calm down the stifled sensation in his heart. He looked at the rubble all around him with a desolated look and sighed deeply, "It must be the retribution of the heavens..."

"Retribution of the heavens?" Hearing that phrase, Zhang Xuan asked in incomprehension.

"Seers sought to peer into the secrets of the heavens in order to receive insights into what the future holds, which is a violation of the natural laws of the world. For that reason, our occupation is deeply abhorred by the heavens. As such, we have to use unique means in order to conceal our presence from the will of the heavens, thus leaving the retribution of the heavens nowhere to strike... However, even such means aren't completely infallible. After all, the heavens possess means which none of us can fathom. Take the situation just now for example, it seems that the will of the heavens have somehow slipped past the barriers we have put up and destroyed the entire place from within, thus resulting in the current state of affairs..." Elder Feng hesitated for a moment before explaining slowly.

As a 9-star seer, even though everything had happened abruptly, he was still able to fathom roughly what had just happened with a swift divination.

Those who had reached the top in a certain field were bound to catch the envy of the heavens, and this envy would often manifest in a physical form such as the Leaving Aperture Ordeal and the Dimension Sundering Ordeal. In a sense, this could be considered to be the heavens' retribution toward those who dared to vie power from it.

And this was even more so for seers, who sought to peer into the secrets of the heavens. The only reason why they were able to survive so long was due to the elaborate preparations they had made to guard against the will of the heavens. Using the language of Zhang Xuan's world, it would be similar to how illegal gambling dens would swiftly hide all traces of their activities as soon their sentries caught sight of the arrival of the police, leaving the policemen completely helpless against them.

And of course, when seers dared to peer into the secrets of the heavens, they didn't just rely on their courage and bravado either. They would have made ample preparations in advance. However, they just didn't expect that despite the tight guard they had put up against it, they were still noticed. Not only was the tortoiseshell destroyed, even the Sanctum of Sages' several dozen millenniums old Shrine of Seers was destroyed as well...

Elder Feng clutched his chest as a stabbing pain assaulted his heart.

On the other hand, upon hearing those words, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up in astonishment.

He had previously attributed the incident to the lack of durability of the tortoiseshell and the building, but it turned out to be related to the will of the heavens instead.

When he used the Library of Heaven's Path to examine the tortoiseshell, the tortoiseshell broke. When he used it to help him assess whether he would be able to create an exact replica, the entire shrine collapsed on them...

Could the 'will of the heavens slipping past the barriers' which Elder Feng had spoken about possibly be related to the Library of Heaven's Path?

If that was the case, he would have a huge responsibility to play in the destruction.

Zhang Xuan's face turned crimson red, and he had no idea how he could explain this matter to Elder Feng at all. But at this moment, Elder Feng shook his head bitterly and patted Zhang Xuan's shoulder consolingly, "Zhang shi, you need no blame yourself for this matter. This has nothing to do with you! Our Shrine of Seers probably got complacent and slacked off in maintaining the defensive barriers, thus resulting in the current circumstances. I know that it might seem that our occupation might seem quite dangerous after everything that has happened, but I can ensure you that this is an anomaly. As long as one were to speak prudently and make proper preparations beforehand, one wouldn't face with any danger at all, not to mention that you possess the Discarnate Constitution of Divination!"

"Safe?" Seeing that Elder Feng didn't blame him for the matter, Zhang Xuan internally heaved a sigh of relief.

There was no way he could mention the Library of Heaven's Path before the other party. Since the other party didn't realize a thing, it would be foolish for him to speak up and give himself away.

As for the damage he had cost, he would just have to find another way to compensate them.

"Indeed, this is just a freak accident. Usually, it wouldn't even happen once in ten thousand years..." Fearing that the genius he had set his eyes on would back out due to this matter, Elder Feng hurriedly explained. "If you are still feeling a little skeptical about the matter, you can take a look at our library over there. We maintain another layer of defensive barrier around it, so it was able to avoid the retribution of the heavens. As such, despite the collapse of the Shrine of Seers, it's still able to remain standing. As long as sufficient defensive measures are made in advance, it's really extremely safe!"

As he spoke, he gestured over in a direction.

Looking at where Elder Feng was pointing at, Zhang Xuan saw a building standing not too far away. It was connected directly to the Shrine of Seers, but the destruction of the Shrine of Seers didn't seem to have fazed it in the least. Through its open entrance, he could see shelves and shelves of books stacked neatly within. Despite the cloud of dust drifting in the area, the interiors of the library remained perfectly clean.

"That's your library?" Zhang Xuan asked as his eyes lit up.

The destruction of the Shrine of Seers had already left him a little panicked, causing him to rack his brain desperately to find a way for him to compensate them. However, if he could access the library and compile a complete Heaven's Path Divination Art, he would be able to make it up to them in full.

"That's right!" Elder Feng nodded with a hint of pride in his voice. "Even though the members of our Shrine of Seers branch number much less than the other occupations in the Sanctum of Sages, our collection of books doesn't pale in comparison at all. Sage Xi's Tortoiseshell might have been destroyed due to the little accident we had previously, but you can still assess your talent through browsing through the books!"

Previously, when the other party said that he wanted to browse through the books to determine whether he was suited for the occupation or not, he proposed using Sage Xi's Tortoiseshell instead only because he thought that it would be too troublesome and too long.

But with the destruction of Sage Xi's Tortoiseshell, there was no other way around it anymore. They could only rely on the most primitive method now.

"Alright then, I'll go take a look."

Hearing that he was free to browse through the books, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. He instinctively began walking over to the library when warning bells suddenly rang inside his head, and he quickly halted in his footsteps.

"If I were to use to the Library of Heaven's Path in there, would the library collapse as well?" Zhang Xuan's heart jolted in trepidation.

But thinking again, the reason why the Shrine of Seers collapsed was probably because the will of the heavens sensed someone attempting to peer into its secrets, so perhaps, it might not work on books? Besides, it wasn't certain that the collapse of the Shrine of Seers was due to him using the Library of Heaven's Path either.

Nevertheless, just to be safe, Zhang Xuan decided to activate his Library of Heaven's Path from where he stood so that even if his guess was wrong, the defensive barrier would still be able to defend the library.

Thus, he muttered lightly in his mind, "Flaws!"

Hong long!

In the next moment, a wild inferno swept across the books, burning them down into ashes in an instant. Following which, a massive crack crept across the entire library, similar to what that had happened to the tortoiseshell previously.

And in just a few breaths, the building collapsed into a pile of rubble.

...

"My library!" Elder Feng's eyes widened to their brim, and a mouthful of fresh blood spurted from his mouth. Frenzy consumed his mind.

Just what in the world was happening? Why would multiple calamities strike the Shrine of Seers in such short succession?

If it was just once, it could still be reasoned as them failing to conceal their presence well, resulting in the notice of the will of the heavens. However, for it to happen thrice... at this point, even he was unable to find any reason to justify it anymore.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan's lips twitched in horror at that sight as well, "Even books aren't spared either?"

He wasn't too certain before, but this around, watching with his own eyes the inferno spreading across the library, there was no way for him to deny it anymore.

He quickly turned to look at the dazed elder beside him and called out, "Elder Feng. Elder Feng? Elder Feng!!"

Zhang Xuan called out thrice, but the other party didn't respond at all. Alarmed by the unnatural state that Elder Feng was in, he began worrying whether the other party had ended up sustain grievous internal injuries due to the multiple shocks he had suffered, so he immediately walked toward the other party to take a closer look.

But in the next moment, a thick streak of lightning suddenly appeared from nowhere and fell right on top of Elder Feng.

Kacha!

Elder Feng collapsed to the ground.

"Elder Feng, you..." Horrified, Zhang Xuan hastened his footsteps.

Hong long! Hong long! Hong long! Hong long!

Multiple streaks of lightning drowned the old man, leaving only a pair of spasming legs outside.

—

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Chapter 1372: How Can a Man Say That He's Unable to Do It

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

Some time later, the lightning finally receded, and Elder Feng climbed out from the ditch he was in an unkempt state. The expression on his face looked as if he had been ravaged by countless savage beasts, wretched and disconsolate.

It was one thing for the Shrine of Seers and library to be completely destroyed, but to be struck relentlessly by lightning when an azure clear sky stood right above him... what was he supposed to make of this situation?

All he wanted to do was to take in a student! It was not as if he had violated some heavenly rules or something, did his actions really warranted being struck by lightning?

It was fortunate that the lightning only sought to punish and not to kill, or else even a Saint 9-dan pinnacle expert like him would have been reduced to ashes too.

"Teacher..." Yu Chen hurriedly pulled Elder Feng out of the ditch. At this moment, he had no idea what he could and should say in this situation either.

This was the first time he had seen his teacher in such a state after coming under his tutelage two hundred years ago.

"It's all my fault..." Seeing how the lively and energetic old man being reduced to such a state within just a short span of ten minutes, Zhang Xuan lowered his head apologetically.

After all that had happened, it was apparent that the situation was just as what the other party put it out to be—it was retribution from the heavens.

Peering into the secrets of the heavens was something forbidden by the heavens. It would still be fine if they weren't caught in the act, but once they were... As the master of the Library of Heaven's Path, unless he were to seal off the Library of Heaven's Path, coming into proximity with the seers would cause the will of the heavens to swiftly notice the existence of such desecrating actions.

In a sense, it was similar to how students cheating in the examination would be able to get away scot-free with they weren't caught, but once they were, there was no way they could be let away lightly. Otherwise, how could the school uphold the integrity of the examinations?

The authority of the heavens mustn't be challenged!

If it were to allow everyone to just peer into its secrets as when they liked, what would become of the world?

Initially, Zhang Xuan was planning to compile a book on Elder Feng to see if he could help the latter treat his injuries, but who could have known that this simple action would result in the will of the heavens noticing the nature of Elder Feng's occupation and sending a streak of lightning down on him?

And for every time he tried to check, another streak of lightning would fall. After multiple tries, it was finally absolutely clear to him that he was the one who had brought the lightning here...

His primary intention was to save Elder Feng, but his goodwill had only ended up causing even more damage...

Just the thought of it left him feeling deeply embarrassed.

"Given that I'm unable to look at the books of seers or even examine those of the seer occupation... there's really no way for me to learn the art of divination then..." Zhang Xuan shook his head in disappointment.

No matter what, as an Upper Nine Paths occupation, seers were deeply respected in the society. If he could master the art of divination, his standing would surely rise to greater heights, thus giving him more chips to win Luo Ruoxin's marriage in hand.

But not only was the Library of Heaven's Path unwilling to help him compile a Heaven's Path Divination Art, it was even bent on destroying every single book relating to divination that he lay his eyes upon... From the looks of it, it seemed like he was completely unfated with this occupation.

"Elder Feng, I'm truly apologetic about what have happened here today. If I hadn't come here, such a situation wouldn't have happened either..." Zhang Xuan walked up to the dazed-looking Elder Feng, clasped his fist, and apologized earnestly.

As one who possessed the Library of Heaven's Path, it could be said that he carried the will of the heavens along with him. And to enter a place where others were peering into the secrets of the heavens with the will of the heavens with him...

To be honest, it was already a huge blessing that none of the seers had died in this calamity.

Even though it was completely unintentional, he still couldn't shirk off responsibility for what that had happened here, so he could only admit to it candidly.

"This has nothing with you..." With lifeless eyes, Elder Feng shook his head and sighed deeply.

In his view, their occupation had simply revealed too many secrets of the world that the retribution of the heavens was falling upon them. No matter how talented the young man before him was, there was no way he could dictate the will of the heavens to attack them.

So ultimately, the fault still lay in them.

"Elder Feng, with all that had happened, I think that you might want some time to yourself, so I won't impose on you any longer..." Knowing that there was no way for him to explain the matter, Zhang Xuan decided to say no more.

"Alright, you should return first. I'll come and look for you after I make sense out of what had happened here..." Elder Feng nodded.

After witnessing what had happened to the Shrine of Seers, the young man should be filled with apprehension for the seer occupation at the moment. It would be best for him to first figure out the root of the problem before approaching the young man to alleviate his fears and talk him into becoming his direct disciple.

Otherwise, who in the world would be willing to join an occupation which would put one at risk of being struck by lightning at any moment?

"Farewell then!" Zhang Xuan clasped his fist once more toward Elder Feng before leaving the area.

Luo Xuanqing took one last look at the surroundings before quickly leaving together with Zhang Xuan.

As soon as he was in a safe distance away from where Elder Feng's Spiritual Perception could reach, he finally couldn't hold back his curiosity any longer. He walked up to Zhang Xuan and asked with a hushed voice, "Zhang shi, what exactly happened back there?"

"I'm not too sure either..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

It wouldn't be safe for him to talk too much about this matter even if the other party was his future brother-in-law. After all, there were simply too much at stakes here.

"You aren't sure?" Hearing Zhang Xuan's response, a displeased frown appeared on Luo Xuanqing's forehead. But eventually, he still decided against probing any further.

He wasn't too sure about what had happened either, but without a doubt, it must have something to do with the young man before him.

Otherwise, why would the Shrine of Seers remain perfectly intact for several dozen millenniums, only to collapse completely as soon as he appeared?

Everyone had been saying that he was the King of Destruction, causing devastation and ruination everywhere he went. But within this short period of time that he came to know this young man, somehow, he felt that the young man was far more fearsome than he was.

At the very least, the destruction he caused was explicable, caused mainly by excessive use of strength or failure to rein in his cultivation properly... On the other hand, the young man managed to tear the entire Shrine of Seers down, and no one knew how he did it at all!

This must be the highest realm in the Art of Destruction. It seemed like he still had much to work on.

"I really should interact more with him so as to learn the art of causing destruction inconspicuously..." Luo Xuanqing thought as he stroked his lower jaw contemplatively.

"Right! I have been too preoccupied with all that was going on that I forgot about Zhang Chun!" Luo Xuanqing suddenly recalled something at this moment and smacked his forehead regretfully

He had been too caught up in trying to figure out if what had happened to the Shrine of Seers was related to the young man before him that he forgot his primary motive there.

Zhang Chun was still within the Shrine of Seers, and he hadn't found an opportunity to beat up that fellow yet...

It wasn't easy for him to achieve a breakthrough, so how could he let Zhang Chun off without giving him a huge gift?

"It would reflect poorly on you if you were to simply run over to pummel him... In my opinion, there's no need for you to go to him at all. You should make him come and find you instead." Zhang Xuan said.

"Oh?" Luo Xuanqing looked over in interest and asked, "How should I go about doing that?"

"Simple. Of the many occupations in the Sanctum of Sages, are there any which the offspring of the Zhang Clan particularly excels in?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Hmph!" Upon speaking of the Zhang Clan, Luo Xuanqing immediately harrumphed in disdain. "While there's nothing good that can be said about the personality of those of the Zhang Clan, I have to admit that their reputation isn't just for show. There are plenty of experts amongst them, and their names are often brought up when speaking of the top geniuses of most supporting occupation as well..."

The talents of the Zhang Clan's offspring didn't just manifest in their fighting prowess, they also had outstanding accomplishments in other occupations too.

It was due to this reason that they were able to enjoy such a lofty reputation as the indubitable number one influence in the Sanctum of Sages, both feared and respected by the masses.

"That's good. Other than Zhang Chun, who is the next most renowned offspring of the Zhang Clan? Bring me to him, and I'll challenge him in his field of speciality!" Zhang Xuan declared. "As long as we do a sweep of all members of the Zhang Clan, it should only be a matter of time before Zhang Chun comes to us personally."

It was only a matter of time before the matter that had happened at the Shrine of Seers was traced to him. On top of that, the fact that Yang Xuan was a real figure amongst the top echelons of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters was also a ticking time bomb threatening to explode on him at any moment...

It would be one thing if Yang Xuan were to never appear, but once the other party did and denied the teacher-student relationship that Zhang Xuan claimed, it wouldn't take long before greedy individuals would set their eyes upon him, determined to uncover the secrets behind his swift rise.

While the Master Teacher Pavilion had rules against such actions, it didn't necessarily have the resources to enforce it. Furthermore, it also had many other strategic goals as well, such as uniting the various powers of the Master Teacher Continent to fend against the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. If it had to choose between maintaining friendly relations with a powerful organization and protecting an individual master teacher, even if a talented one, it would indubitably choose the former. Sometimes, for the sake of more important objectives, one had no choice but to compromise and turn a blind eye to other matters.

The only reason why Zhang Xuan was able to remain safe so far was due to his lineage, and this was also an important factor to preventing the top echelons of the Master Teacher Continent from falling into utter chaos.

Kill a disciple, and his teacher would come knocking for vengeance; this was actually just a gross simplification of the effects of a lineage. One had to be extremely careful when dealing with lineages because it was extremely difficult to say for sure just who was connected to whom... For this reason, unless it was a truly irreconcilable grudge, most powers would avoid making a move on one another.

There was an incident in the past where a Tier-3 Sage Clan casually sentenced a Transcendent Mortal cultivator from a minor clan to death for crossing them. But as luck would have it, a 9-star blacksmith turned out to be their great great great grandfather... In the end, the Tier-3 Sage Clan was nearly entirely wiped out from the face of the world.

As such, most cultivators and powers would avoid making a move a person who could have possibly come from a powerful heritage. It was also for this reason that Zhang Xuan was able to rise through the ranks safely, such that there wasn't even any attempted assassination on his life. The protection he had received from the name 'Yang Xuan' had truly been invaluable.

If not for the fact that Yang Xuan really existed, given how he had succeeded in crashing two Master Teacher Pavilions, the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters would have long sent some men down to investigate his secrets.

In other words, he was currently in a very precarious position. He had to become an 8-star master teacher and remove the seal on the Sanctum Head Token or raise his cultivation to a level where he would be able to protect himself before Yang Xuan came knocking.

If he could become the next head of the Sanctum of Sages, even the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters would have to think twice before making a move on him.

Just as what Fei shi had said previously, generations of sanctum heads would challenge the students of powerful clans and organizations while they were students themselves in order to build up prestige, and this would allow them would swiftly gain control of the Sanctum of Sages after their inauguration. Since he was going to be the next sanctum head anyway, there was no need for him to hesitate about the matter either.

It just happened that he had the poorest relationship with the Zhang Clan, so it went without saying that he should start from challenging them!

If he couldn't flip the entire Sanctum of Sages upside down, his surname shan't be Zhang!

"You want to challenge the Zhang Clan offspring in their field of specialty?" Luo Xuanqing asked with a frown. "I know that you possess incredible means in the field of formations and beast taming, but it won't be easy for you to defeat them in the other supporting occupations. Are you certain that you'll be able to emerge victorious?"

It wasn't that Luo Xuanqing didn't trust Zhang Xuan, but it was impossible for even the most talented master teacher to be skilled in everything.

While the young man before him possessed exceptional prowess in the field of formations and beast taming, such that he didn't think that there would be anyone in the Sanctum of Sages who could rival the young man, he couldn't say the same for the other supporting occupations too. Just recalling the various unbelievable records that the Zhang Clan's offspring had set in some of the supporting occupations was enough to send shivers down his spines.

It was one thing if they managed to succeed, but if they were to fail in their challenge, things would get really embarrassing for them...

"Don't worry. As long as I can receive an ample amount of books, it won't be easy for me to lose!" Zhang Xuan said confidently.

"If you are really confident about it, I guess it should be fine. It happens that I have some business at the Spirit Awakener Guild. Do you want to come along with me?" Recalling the various miracles that the young man had produced, Luo Xuanqing hesitated for a moment before saying.

"Spirit Awakener Guild?" Zhang Xuan turned to Luo Xuanqing. "Are there any offspring of the Zhang Clan there?"

"Zhang Chun's younger brother, Zhang Feng, is the Inceptive Sage there. However, his proficiency of spirit enchantment has already reached the level of 8-star... Are you sure that you're able to do it?" Luo Xuanqing asked worriedly.

Chuckling softly, Zhang Xuan replied, "Don't worry, how can a man say that he's unable to do it? If he's still of decent character, I'll let him off after a quick challenge. Otherwise, I won't be standing on ceremony then..."

—

Promoting my Discord here: https/discord.gg/ATHVehx

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Chapter 1373: Changes in the Library of Heaven's Path

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Even though Zhang Xuan carried some prejudice against the Zhang Clan, he did not intend to make things difficult for every single one of them indiscriminately. As long as the other party's personality was not too bad, he would not go overboard.

As for Zhang Chun... as a shameless toad lusting for the flesh of a swan, he definitely had to be punished!

After making up his mind, Zhang Xuan turned a confused look toward Luo Xuanqing. "You mentioned Inceptive Sage earlier. What does that mean?"

"There are many occupations in the Sanctum of Sages, and as long as a student achieves proficiency superior to all other students and becomes the indubitable number one in a specific occupation, they will receive the esteemed title of 'Inceptive Sage'. This title isn't merely honorary; more importantly, it is a symbol of power and standing. As long as one is able to become an Inceptive Sage, they will be considered as the representative of all students in that specific occupation, as well as their senior!" Luo Xuanqing explained.

"Zhang Feng successfully enchanted the guardian golem in the Spirit Awakener Hall and made it move seven whole steps, thus breaking the record for the last three thousand years. Due to that, he became the Inceptive Sage of the Spirit Awakener Hall."

"Guardian golem?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Enchanting a guardian golem should not have been too difficult a task. After all, he was someone who had even successfully enchanted a whole guild before!

"You'll know how difficult it is once you see it with your own eyes!" Seeing how Zhang Xuan thought little of that matter, Luo Xuanqing shook his head with a bitter smile.

Naturally, the guardian golem was no ordinary statue, or else Zhang Feng would not have been the only one to have successfully enchanted it in the past three thousand years.

The Spirit Awakener Hall was also located in the Hall of Erudition, so it did not take them too long to arrive at their destination.

When Zhang Xuan saw the guardian golem standing at the entrance of the guild, he immediately understood why Luo Xuanqing would say such words.

Standing at more than a dozen zhang tall and six to seven zhang wide, it towered like a massive building before the Spirit Awakener Hall. On top of that, it was made of some kind of bizarre black stone that wielded the ability to absorb one's will, making it difficult to light up the spark of enchantment within it.

"This... There would indeed be some difficulty in enchanting it," Zhang Xuan remarked grimly.

Even he would require a lengthy period of time and deplete himself greatly in order to enchant this golem.

The biggest issue was not the golem's size but the material it was made of. The material was not particularly suited for harnessing a spirit, causing any spirit enchanted into it to dissipate swiftly.

In a sense, attempting to enchant it was like pouring a pail of water into a basket. The faster one poured the water, the quicker the water just seemed to flow away, making it seem like an impossible feat to achieve.

As long as the rate one enchanted the golem was beneath the rate at which the spirit infused into the golem was dissipating, it would be impossible to succeed. For Zhang Feng to not only succeed but even get it to move seven steps, he was indeed a formidable figure.

With such thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan stepped forward, placed his hand on the golem, and sent his consciousness into it.

In an instant, he felt as if he had been plunged into a domain of complete darkness, devoid of any hint of light. He could not see the slightest trace of the outstretched hand he had placed before him, and to make things worse, he found that he could not extend his Spiritual Perception outward either.

With a light tap of his finger, he conjured a brilliant spark that illuminated the surroundings. However, before the light could even diffuse around, a powerful suction force suddenly devoured the light.

This reminded him deeply of the Starluster Stone. Under the suppression of the surrounding suction force, the spark could only coil around his fingertip, unable to illuminate any further than that.

Hu!

Zhang Xuan brought his consciousness back into his body and opened his eyes once more.

Enchanting the golem would indeed be a huge challenge to him, even greater than the challenge of enchanting the entire Spirit Awakener Hall. Even with his current strength, it would not be too easy for him to succeed.

"How is it?" Luo Xuanqing asked.

Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before replying. "Can you bring me to where the 8-star spirit awakener books are located? I have some doubts concerning spirit enchantment, and I'll need to browse through some books in order to resolve them."

He had only accessed 7-star spirit awakener books before, so his understanding of spirit enchantment was still a little lacking at the moment.

As long as he could gather sufficient books to compile the 8-star Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art, he would be able to easily clear whatever test there was to become an Inceptive Sage.

"You want to browse through 8-star spirit awakener books?" Luo Xuanqing nodded. "You'll have to clear the 8-star spirit awakener examination first for that. The examination hall is right ahead. I still have some matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving for now..."

"Alright." Zhang Xuan nodded in response before heading into the Spirit Awakener Hall.

Similar to the place where he had taken the formation master examination previously, there was hardly anyone in sight in the relatively big Spirit Awakener Hall, making the area appear exceptionally empty and cold in contrast.

Zhang Xuan quickly made his way over to the front receptionist and passed his emblem over.

"Zhang shi, this way please!"

The receptionist was a young lady who appeared to be in her early twenties. After learning of Zhang Xuan's identity, her attitude became exceptionally friendly, and she quickly led him over to the library.

"All 7-star spirit awakener books are within. There are quite a lot of books here, so if you need help finding any, feel free to approach me, and I'll find it for you!" the female receptionist said.

"It's fine, I think I can manage by myself. Thank you," Zhang Xuan replied with a smile before walking into the library.

The number of high-tier spirit awakener books in the Qingyuan Empire Spirit Awakener Hall was rather lacking, so it would be best for him to browse through more 7-star spirit awakener books prior to taking the 8-star spirit awakener examination just to be safe.

The library here did not disappoint. As soon as he stepped in, a massive collection of books immediately unfolded before him, causing his eyes to light up in excitement.

Without any hesitation, he dived straight into collecting them into the Library of Heaven's Path.

Flaws!

Hualala!

Books were swiftly replicated in his Library of Heaven's Path at a swift speed.

Zhang Xuan swiftly noticed that something was different. Hmm? Why does it seem like the speed at which I am collecting the books has improved?

It was true that he could collect the books just by looking at them directly with his eyes, but there was still a slight lag between his sight and the materialization of the books in the Library of Heaven's Path. Usually, while he was already done sweeping across the third shelf, the Library of Heaven's Path would still be materializing the second.

But this time around, it felt as if the Library of Heaven's Path was running right behind his back. Just as his eyes reached the third shelf, the Library of Heaven's Path reached the third shelf.

There hasn't been anything peculiar with the Library of Heaven's Path recently though, and I haven't fallen into a coma either. Zhang Xuan began racking his brain to make sense of the peculiar situation he was facing.

The only time the Library of Heaven's Path had undergone a metamorphosis was when he met Luo Ruoxin once more in the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. That metamorphosis had allowed him to collect books with not just his touch but with just a look from his eyes.

However, that metamorphosis knocked him out for three whole days. This time, nothing of the sort had happened, but the book collecting rate had grown much faster than before. What was going on?

A thought flashed across Zhang Xuan's mind, and he widened his eyes in disbelief. Could it be...

It was a little hard for him to believe, but that was the only reason he could come up with no matter how he racked his mind.

And that was... destroying the Shrine of Seers!

In the view of the heavens, destroying a Seer Guild branch was probably equivalent to successfully raiding a den of criminals, ridding the world of a poisonous tumor. Could the changes in his Library of Heaven's Path be related to that?

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. Could it be that there is a reward for me bringing ruination upon the seers, something like a bounty?

As powerful as the Library of Heaven's Path already was, he would not hesitate to grab an opportunity to evolve it further. After all, it was the strongest trump card that he had in his possession as well as the foundation of his growth. Without a doubt, its metamorphosis would grant him great benefits one way or another.

I guess I should go out and destroy a few more Seer Guilds when I have some free time on my hands... Zhang Xuan nodded affirmatively.

Of course, all of this was just his conjecture at the moment, so it would require further verification in order to determine whether his hypothesis was true or not.

In any case, with the enhanced speed at which he could collect books into the Library of Heaven's Path, he managed to collect all of the books in the library and assimilate them into his mind within four hours—in the past, it would have taken him six hours.

Once he was done, he returned to the main hall to find the female receptionist.

"I wish to take the 8-star spirit awakener examination. May I know what the processes for that are?" Zhang Xuan inquired.

In order to read the books of 8-star spirit awakeners, he would have to clear the 8-star spirit awakener examination first.

"You wish to take the 8-star spirit awakener examination?" A slight hint of astonishment could be seen in the female receptionist's eyes for a brief moment before she nodded. "The spirit awakener examination it actually rather simple, unlike those for apothecaries and blacksmiths. All you have to do is successfully enchant a grade-8 puppet before an elder of our Spirit Awakener Hall branch, and you'll be considered to have cleared the examination."

"I'll be troubling you to bring me over to the examination hall then." Zhang Xuan nodded.

After which, under the lead of the young lady, Zhang Xuan arrived at a relatively spacious hall.

The elder invigilating his examination was an old man who appeared to be in his sixties. The eight brilliant stars on the emblem pinned in front of his robe indicated that he was an 8-star spirit awakener.

The internal structure of the puppet was extremely simple, somewhat similar to the ones he had seen at the Qingyuan Empire Spirit Awakener Guild. Its purpose was to gauge one's mastery of spirit enchantment, so there was no need for excessive complexity. Stepping forward, Zhang Xuan placed his palm on the puppet.

A sliver of his consciousness slipped from his Primordial Spirit into the puppet, and it did not take him long to light up the latter's consciousness.

In truth, the puppet had only barely met the basic requirements to be considered a grade-8 puppet. Anyone who had met the minimum requirement to become an 8-star spirit awakener would be able to clear it with ease.

"Here is your 8-star emblem!" Not expecting the young man to clear the examination in a single try, the elder was visibly surprised.

He quickly helped the young man apply for an emblem and passed it over.

Seeing that he had managed to clear the examination without any unfortunate accidents occurring, Zhang Xuan secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Taking his new 8-star spirit awakener emblem, he headed for the section containing the 8-star spirit awakener books in the library and continued his studying session.

Six hours later, he finally walked out of the library.

It was exhausting going through so many books at once, but he did manage to master the 8-star Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art, thus raising his mastery of the art up to the level of 8-star pinnacle.

"Zhang shi, how is it going?"

Barely after taking a step out of the library, Zhang Xuan encountered Luo Xuanqing.

"Un, I think I should have..." Zhang Xuan nodded as he replied, but halfway through his words, he suddenly stopped. He stared at the sight before him with utter shock, and it took a while before he managed to find his voice once more. "W-what is going on?"

The majestic building that he had been in just six hours ago had collapsed, and white smoke was rising here and there.

"Oh... I was intending to get Elder Zhao of the Spirit Awakener Hall to help me reinforce my Primordial Spirit, but that fellow was simply too incompetent. He ended up ejecting my Primordial Spirit out of my body, and in a moment of carelessness... Well, it just became like that..." Luo Xuanqing scratched his head in embarrassment.

"You were able to cause such a mess just by fortifying your Primordial Spirit?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.

Previously, when Luo Xuanqing said that he had some business at the Spirit Awakener Hall, he had already guessed that the other party was intending to find someone to help him reinforce his Primordial Spirit in preparation to facing the Dimension Sundering Ordeal. He thought that a matter as simple as this should not have been too much of a problem, but such a mishap still ended up happening.

Honestly, can you stop causing destruction wherever you go? You are a huge embarrassment, you know!

"Someone must have cut corners while building this Spirit Awakener Hall, or else how could it possibly be so fragile..." Luo Xuanqing harrumphed unabashedly.

Before Luo Xuanqing could finish his words, a furious bellow suddenly sounded. "Luo Xuanqing, can you be any more shameful than that?"

Following which, a group of men rushed out angrily.

The one leading the group was a young man in his late thirties. Taking a closer look, the young man's facial features bore some resemblance to Zhang Chun's.

"Zhang Feng, what do you mean by that?"

"You have barged into our Spirit Awakener Hall a total of two times, and each time around, you somehow manage to leave it in complete shambles. From today onward, our Spirit Awakener Hall no longer welcomes you. If you dare to take even the slightest step into here, don't blame us for getting nasty with you!" Zhang Feng roared with gritted teeth.

"Humph, how is it my concern that your Spirit Awakener Hall's building is so fragile? If you have the time to be roaring at me, why don't you spend it finding better bricklayers instead?" Luo Xuanqing snapped coldly.

"You still have the cheek to be saying those words... If you hadn't lost control of your own Primordial Spirit, would such a thing have happened? You really are a piece of work, you know?"

With a grand wave of his hand, Zhang Feng stepped forward and loudly declared, "With my authority as the Inceptive Sage of the Spirit Awakener Hall, I hereby pass an 'Inceptive Sage Decree'. As long as Luo Xuanqing steps into the perimeter of our Spirit Awakener Hall, all spirit awakeners are allowed to attack him without any qualms over injuring him or even killing him!"

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Chapter 1374: Luo Xuanqing Runs Amok

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Luo Xuanqing's expression turned livid upon hearing Zhang Feng's words. A frightening aura lingered around him, reminiscent of a crouching tiger prepared to pounce forth at any moment. "Do you really think that I dare not cripple you?"

Ever since he entered the Sanctum of Sages, he had always stood unchallenged by others, stepping over those who had dared stand in his way. When had anyone dared speak to him in such a manner before?

Not even his elder brother, Zhang Chun, would dare talk to him like that!

"You want to cripple me? Sure, do it then! You might be stronger than me, but you'd better not forget that we are in the Spirit Awakener Hall right now. As the Inceptive Sage, I can control the countless puppets that are in here to subdue you with ease!" Zhang Feng sneered coldly.

The Spirit Awakener Hall was filled with puppets here and there. Once enchanted, all of these would be weapons at Zhang Feng's disposal. With these soldiers to fight in his stead, what would Luo Xuanqing's strength count for?

As long as he retained his identity as the Inceptive Sage of the Spirit Awakener Hall, he would be an invincible existence here. Not even Saint 8-dan experts would dare to pull their weight before him!

"You..." Luo Xuanqing gritted his teeth in fury as his breathing hastened.

"What's wrong with that? Unlike you, causing trouble and expecting others to pardon you just because you are a member of the Luo Clan, I forged a place for myself in the Spirit Awakener Hall through my own capability! If you weren't the brother of the little princess, do you think that our Zhang Clan or even the Sanctum of Sages would have tolerated you for so long? You would have long been minced into countless bits and fed to the fish!" Zhang Xuan harrumphed coldly with a haughty swing of his sleeves.

"Also, tell your little princess that it's her honor that the young prodigy of our Zhang Clan is willing to wed her. If she dares to flee once more, don't blame us for resorting to extreme measures!"

"Honor? Extreme measures? Hahahaha!" Before Luo Xuanqing could even say a word, Zhang Xuan had already interjected. "Come, why don't you tell me in detail just how much of an honor it is to marry the young prodigy of the Zhang Clan and how extreme the measures you plan to use will be?"

That young prodigy of the Zhang Clan must have accrued several generations of fortune for him to be engaged to be Luo Ruoxin at birth, and yet, he still dared to put on a disappearing act. And as if that was not enough, the rest of them still had the cheek to spout such words.

You are really challenging the limits of my tolerance!

To be honest, Zhang Xuan also thought that Luo Xuanqing had gone overboard with the damage, and the haughty attitude he put on after that only further worsened the situation.

I can understand why you are mad at Luo Xuanqing and want to get back at him, and I won't stop you from doing it either. But how dare you speak of Luo Ruoxin in such a manner? You are really asking for a beating!

"Who the hell do you think you are? Is this any place for you to speak up?" Zhang Feng did not think that he would be bellowed at by Luo Xuanqing's lackey, and he narrowed his eyes menacingly.

"Regardless of who I am, I just want to ask you a simple question. If the little princess of the Luo Clan were to turn down the engagement with your Zhang Clan, what kind of extreme measures do you intend to resort to?" Zhang Xuan asked. His attitude was seemingly casual, but the frostiness in his eyes was unconcealable.

"Humph, do you think that she has any place in turning our Zhang Clan down? Little princess is a mere title she upholds before others! To our Zhang Clan, she's nothing at all!" Zhang Feng sneered coldly.

"You bastard! Try saying those words once more, and I'll rip you to shreds!" A powerful aura instantaneously burst forth form Luo Xuanqing, surging right into the clouds, seemingly threatening to tear the sky apart.

It was one thing for someone to insult him, but he would never forgive anyone insulting his younger sister!

"Sure, I'll say it as many times as you like! Pure and innocent little princess, my ass! Despite having an engagement with our young prodigy, she still ran out to hook up with some other guy. She has really sullied every last bit of honor that we Sage Clans have," Zhang Feng spat out disdainfully.

"You scum!" With a furious bellow, Luo Xuanqing dashed out like a cannonball, and it took only an instant for him to appear right before Zhang Feng.

Boom!

The abrupt outburst of overwhelming might compressed the surrounding air so much that a deafening cacophony of sonic booms resounded here and there.

"Humph, could there still be any mistake about it? Your Luo Clan should have received the news, and just a few days ago, they sent a few elders over to our Zhang Clan to explain the matter to us. Most likely, that little princess of yours that you hold so dearly should still be under house arrest!" Zhang Feng mocked coldly as he dodged Luo Xuanqing's attack and retreated.

"Since she dared to do it, why can't we say it out loud? Only that fool of an elder brother I have would think of that disgraceful woman as a treasure. If it was me, I would have marched right up to her to confront her over the issue!"

"You are courting death!" With eyes crimson with frenzy, Luo Xuanqing dashed forward with astounding speed. At the same time, he clasped his fist together, and the surrounding air suddenly seemed to have frozen in place, leaving Zhang Feng with nowhere to escape.

Peng!

Overwhelming might punctured Zhang Feng's chest.

Pu!

With a spurt of fresh blood, Zhang Feng was sent flying into the distance.

He was by no means weak, but even so, he was only at the same level as Bi Hongyin and the others, still a distance away from matching up to the Half-Dimension Sundering realm Luo Xuanqing.

Just a single strike, and he was already severely wounded.

"Luo Xuanqing, you've asked for it!" After crashing heavily to the ground, the unkempt Zhang Feng forcefully pushed himself back to his feet and glared at Luo Xuanqing with scarlet eyes.

Raising his hand, he commanded, "Beat him down into his grave!"

Hu la!

As soon as that command was issued, a dozen puppets immediately leaped out from the surroundings.

These puppets were neither works of celestial designers or blacksmiths. Rather, they were enchanted artifacts. At first glance, it might appear that there was no specific grade to them, but their prowess was not to be underestimated.

This was especially so with the inferno giant among them. Standing at four meters tall, its presence caused the surrounding air to distort from overwhelming heat.

Besides the inferno giant, there was a metal giant as well. Zhang Xuan could not tell with just a normal look what it was made of, but it was extraordinarily resilient. In terms of defensive prowess, it was probably on par with Saint high-tier artifacts. It would really take a great deal of effort to deal with it.

It would not be too much trouble for Luo Xuanqing to deal with Zhang Feng ordinarily, but the appearance of the dozen puppets immediately placed him out of tempo, causing him to fumble around a bit.

"Damn it!" Luo Xuanqing roared with rage bubbling within him, releasing all of the strength he harnessed in his body.

Si la!

Releasing the entirety of his Half-Dimension Sundering realm cultivation, the surrounding space began to distort under the rampaging outpour of his zhenqi. Under his immense might, the settled dust and rubble rose into the sky once more, bringing greater chaos upon the world.

His original intention was to conceal his cultivation and spring a surprise on Zhang Chun, but Zhang Feng's words had exceeded his bottom line. At this point, he did not care that much either.

Peng peng peng peng!

It might have seemed as if there was only a small step of difference between the Dimension Sundering realm and the Phantasmal Space realm, but just like between a cocoon and a butterfly, there was a world of a difference between them. With his full might as a Half-Dimension Sundering realm expert released, the puppets swiftly found their movements sealed, as if they had fallen into a bog. As much as they struggled, they were unable to escape from whatever was holding them in place.

Kacha!

With a downward press of his hand, the dozen puppets did not even last another breath before being suppressed forcefully into a lying position on the ground. Indignant roars blared from their mouths, but as if the weight of an entire mountain was upon them, even getting to their feet seemed to be a daunting task.

"You..." Zhang Feng never thought that Luo Xuanqing would have already reached such a level. His eyes narrowed as he hurriedly retreated.

"You aren't going anywhere until you make things clear today!" With a deep bellow, Luo Xuanqing dashed forth with the momentum of a human-sized massive dragon.

His movement caused countless ripples to appear in the surrounding space, reminiscent of a water surface disturbed by a pebble thrown into it.

Peng!

These seemingly light ripples struck Zhang Feng as if massive clubs hammering down on his body, causing fresh blood to spurt form his mouth once more. The impact of the blows forcefully pulled him down from the sky.

Hu la!

After striking Zhang Feng down, Luo Xuanqing took another step forward, appearing before Zhang Feng in an instant. Then, he raised his leg and stomped toward Zhang Feng's face.

With the speed and the strength of the stomp, if the attack were to really land on Zhang Feng, he would be crippled for good even if he did survive this ordeal.

It seemed like hearing his younger sister being insulted right before him had truly enraged Luo Xuanqing, and that snapped the last bit of rationality in his mind, causing him to disregard all rules and consequences of his actions.

Those who dared touch the inverted scale of a dragon would meet with swift deaths! 1

"Formidable," Zhang Xuan muttered.

For a moment there, rage had consumed his mind as well, and he had been planning to dash forward as well. However, seeing that his future brother-in-law had already made a move, he eventually forced himself to remain still.

It simply was not the right time for him to express his identity yet.

Of course, if Luo Xuanqing were to be placed in a disadvantageous position in the battle, he would step in and intervene.

Zhang Feng was justified in confronting Luo Xuanqing over the destruction of the Spirit Awakener Hall and passing the Inceptive Sage Decree. After all, Luo Xuanqing did go overboard in that matter.

However, he did one thing that he never should have done—insult Luo Ruoxin. Based on that alone, he was deserving of dying a hundred times over!

"You..."

Seeing the prowess behind the stomp heading for his face, Zhang Feng quivered in fear. Not daring to hold back anymore, he swiftly triggered the bloodline ability in his body.

Boom!

The surrounding time seemed to have slowed, but at the same time, it felt like Zhang Feng had gotten faster compared to the rest of the world. With a powerful push of his hand against the ground, he rolled several meters away, dodging the stomp by just a hair's breadth.

Boom!

The stomp imprinted a depression of thirty-meters right beneath the floating Luo Xuanqing's feet, raising countless stone fragments into the sky.

"Luo Xuanqing, you are insane!" Zhang Feng exclaimed as he cowered in fear at that sight, not daring to imagine what would have happened if that attack had landed on him.

Even though the Spirit Awakener Hall had collapsed, as long as they gathered sufficient workers, they should be able to get it rebuilt swiftly. However, now that even the ground beneath was devastated, how were they supposed to rebuild their base?

Boom!

Not bothering to respond to Zhang Feng, Luo Xuanqing's figure flickered, and he appeared before Zhang Feng once more with a palm flying right for the latter.

This palm strike seemed to have forcefully dragged Zhang Feng into a sundered dimension, leaving him completely cornered and with nowhere to escape. In the face of the might of the palm, Zhang Feng only felt a numbing sensation rising all over his body as his aura was suppressed to the point where it felt as if he would explode from within.

Even before the palm strike could land, the unbearable pressure weighing down on him had already drawn a spurt of blood from his mouth.

Even after activating the power of his bloodline ability, it was still far from sufficient to bridge the disparity in the strength of the two of them.

"Just when did you achieve a breakthrough? How can you possibly be so powerful?" Zhang Feng exclaimed as he felt a prickling sensation run through his scalp. At this point, he was filled with regret.

He had known from the start that this fellow would lose all sanity when his younger sister was mentioned, so why in the world did he have to use those words to trigger him?

Wasn't that just asking for trouble?

Driving his bloodline ability to the maximum, Zhang Feng barely managed to break out of the sundered dimension and dodge the overwhelming palm strike.

Boom!

Another massive palm print appeared on the ground. The remaining buildings that had yet to collapse in the area began trembling non-stop, seemingly on the verge of falling into the depression created previously by the powerful shockwave.

Seeing how the other party was still dashing at him as if a crazed lunatic, Zhang Feng felt deep fear arising from his midst, and he anxiously bellowed, "Luo Xuanqing, I am an Inceptive Sage. If you dare hurt me, that's no different from going up against the entire occupation. You will be hunted down in the future. Not even the Luo Clan will be able to protect you!"

"Let them come! In any case, I'll be sending you down to the netherworld today!"

Boom!

Amid another resounding sonic boom, Luo Xuanqing vanished from the spot. In the blink of an eye, he appeared before the Zhang Feng once more with a palm strike.

This time, he had sealed the surrounding space completely, turning it into a solid cage. Even if Zhang Feng were to drive his Zhang Clan's bloodline to its limit, he would still be unable to escape from it.

"Are you done messing around yet, Luo Xuanqing? Don't think that we'll just tolerate everything that you do!"

Hong long long!

Just as the palm was about to strike down on Zhang Feng's head, a resounding bellow sounded, and three elders suddenly appeared right before the crowd. One of them waved his hand, and a surge of light deflected the might of Luo Xuanqing's palm strike.

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Chapter 1375: Luo Ruoxin Is Under House Arrest

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"A Saint 8-dan expert!" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in alarm.

To be able to teach Luo Xuanqing a lesson while protecting Zhang Feng completely from the attack, it was truly an exquisite move. He could not be too sure about the other two elders, but the one who had made a move was likely at Dimension Sundering realm advanced stage at the very least!

Those who possessed such strength were ranked at the top of the Master Teacher Continent. They would be able to start their own sects and dominate a region of their own.

Peng!

Under the rebound of his own might, Luo Xuanqing's face paled as he was forced to retreat several steps back to ward off the force. He raised his head to look at the trio in the sky with an awful look on his face.

"Elders, Zhang Feng dared insult my younger sister. My rage won't be quelled unless I teach him a lesson!" Luo Xuanqing bellowed with eyes widened like bells.

"Enough!" the elder who had made a move earlier roared angrily. "Luo Xuanqing, does the Spirit Awakener Hall or the Sanctum of Sages still mean anything to you? In view of the little princess and the Luo Clan, we allowed you to get away with destroying our guild without any repercussions. What else do you want other than that? Will you only be content after you wipe our Spirit Awakener Hall completely off the face of the world?"

Luo Xuanqing stepped forward and clasped his fist tightly. "I bear no ill will toward the Spirit Awakener Hall. The one whom I have a grudge with is Zhang Feng. I'll give the Zhang Clan and the Sanctum of Sages a satisfactory explanation after I'm done with him, so I ask of the three elders not to interfere in this matter."

He simply could not allow the other party to get away so easily after insulting his younger sister!

"Audacious! Zhang Feng is our guild's Inceptive Sage. By making a move on him, you are showing blatant disregard for our entire guild! Scram right now, and we can still overlook today's matter. Otherwise, even if you are from the Luo Clan, we'll make sure you have hell to pay for your actions today!" another elder berated sharply with an electrifying look in his eyes.

It was one thing for Luo Xuanqing to reduce the entire Spirit Awakener Hall to such a state, but he even wanted to make a move on their Inceptive Sage after that. This was truly intolerable. If they allowed such a thing to happen, what would become of their dignity?

"Are you threatening me? Let me tell you this, I, Luo Xuanqing, fear no threat!" Luo Xuanqing bellowed with his eyes narrowed coldly, and once again, his aura surged.

It seemed like even if he had to tap into his bloodline ability, he would make Zhang Feng pay the price for his actions.

"That fellow really is a lunatic!" Seeing his actions, a shudder ran through Zhang Feng's body.

Had it been anyone else, considering that even the elders had gotten involved, he would have made use of this opportunity to resolve the matter peacefully. Yet, Luo Xuanqing still refused to back down, determined to go all the way through regardless of the consequences.

He really was a true psycho. Once he got psychotic, there was no such thing as rationality in his head.

Seeing as a battle was about to break out at any moment, Zhang Xuan placed his palm on Luo Xuanqing's shoulder and said, "Brother Luo, just leave the rest to me."

The crowd thought that the young man who dared talk to the berserk Luo Xuanqing would surely be pummeled beyond recognition, but contrary to their expectations, the latter's powerful aura began receding instead.

"This..."

Everyone widened their eyes in disbelief, unable to comprehend the situation unfolding before their eyes.

Luo Xuanqing's temperament could be clearly seen from what had happened earlier. Most likely, other than his younger sister, there was no one else in this world who could shake him out of his berserk state.

Yet, the twenty-year-old young man beside him actually made him back down with just a couple of words? Just what was the background of that young man for Luo Xuanqing to actually be so obedient to him?

"Zhang shi..." Ignoring the shocked crowd, Luo Xuanqing turned his head to the young man behind him.

The person who was grabbing his shoulder was, of course, none other than Zhang Xuan.

It was not that he wanted to withdraw his strength, but the palm on his shoulder was pressed on the acupoint required for the activation of his bloodline, forcefully suppressing his strength.

"Don't worry, I'll bring justice to the little princess." Knowing what the other party was thinking, Zhang Xuan raised his head and looked at the three elders in the sky with a sharp glint in his eyes.

"Elders, I don't think that there's any way to resolve this matter peacefully anymore. It's a private matter between the both of them, so I ask of you not to interfere in their affairs."

The elder who had spoken up previously harrumphed coldly. "Lad, do you know whom you are talking to?"

"Regardless of who you are, I'll just say this once. Step back and allow the both of them to settle this matter among themselves, and I can promise you Zhang Feng's life won't be endangered. Otherwise, I'm afraid that this won't look good on any of us here," Zhang Xuan said.

He did not like to cause trouble either, but Zhang Feng's mouth was truly horrid. To dare slander his girlfriend's reputation in public, no matter how good his temper was, he still could not let this matter go without giving the other party a good beating.

All along, he had tried to steer clear of trouble, never provoking others wherever possible, to the point where humility was etched right into his bones. However, he was fine with going high profile just this once.

"Very well!" Not expecting a twenty-year-old young man to act so arrogantly before them, the three elders trembled with rage.

Having been in the Sanctum of Sages for several decades now, they had seen plenty of haughty young masters and talented geniuses, but there were none who had dared speak to them in such a tone barely after enrolling into the academy.

Who do you think you are?

The next sanctum head?

A Celestial Master Teacher?

Know your place!

"We'll just make it very clear to you right now. If you dare touch even a single strand of Zhang Feng's hair, we'll consider it as waging war against our Spirit Awakener Guild. You can be very sure that we'll make you regret having ever been born!" one of the elders replied with a wintry tone.

Given that they had already made a move, they would lose respect from their students and peers if they allowed the other party to just beat up their Inceptive Sage as they liked!

The authority they had built up over the years would vanish in an instant!

"Alright then. Since none of you are willing to back down, I won't stand on ceremony then... Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, knock those three impediments down!"

"Roar!"

The next moment, the massive Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast appeared before everyone's eyes. With a resounding roar, it swooped right for the three elders in the sky.

"Ah?"

Not expecting such a powerful saint beast to be released on them all of a sudden, the three elders were scared out of their wits. Before they could even react, the saint beast had already swiped its claws toward them.

Si la!

The space before them was immediately torn apart, and a black gorge harnessing rampaging might appeared.

The incredible might that Luo Xuanqing had displayed earlier was already extremely shocking, but compared to that of this Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, it was nothing at all.

They were not even at the same level as one another.

"What?"

"Saint 8-dan pinnacle..."

The faces of the three elders instantaneously flushed white. They hurriedly launched their strongest attacks, not daring to hold anything back in the face of an expert of such caliber.

The crux to Saint 8-dan Dimension Sundering realm lay in the comprehension of spatial laws, and there was a significant difference in fighting prowess across the cultivation stages within the realm.

On top of that, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was one of the stronger saint beasts, even possessing the Dragon Bloodline. Not even a master teacher of the same cultivation realm would necessarily have been a match for it, let alone weak spirit awakeners like them.

In an instant, various powers rippled through the air, raining down like a torrent. At the same time, many puppets materialized in the air, but they swiftly exploded one after another.

It was just a simple charge for the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, but its superior might and nigh invincible defense were more than enough to destroy everything that the three elders sent at it.

In less than ten breaths, the heads of the three elders were stabbed into the ground, and white foam was leaking from their mouths. Their bodies were completely stiffened.

As powerful as they might have been, they were still far too lacking compared to the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast.

Hu!

After defeating the three elders, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast swiped forward and grabbed Zhang Feng in its hand.

With his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan looked at Zhang Feng and said, "I want you to apologize."

Even though his voice was calm, it carried inviolable authority to it, compelling others to bow down to him.

"I..." Zhang Feng bit his lips so tightly as fresh blood was flowing down his chin. "What I have said is the truth! Why should I apologize? The little princess of the Luo Clan has already confessed that there's someone she likes, and she intends to cancel the engagement with our Zhang Clan. This is a matter that the top echelons of the Luo Clan and the Zhang Clan are aware of. If you don't believe my words, you can get Luo Xuanqing to send a message back to his clan to ask about it!"

"Bullsh*t! If my younger sister has someone that she likes, how can I possibly be unaware of it?" Luo Xuanqing said with veins popping from his head.

"Cough cough! Brother Luo, there's no need to get so agitated..." Zhang Xuan quickly held the almost rampaging Luo Xuanqing back.

While Luo Xuanqing distrusted Zhang Feng, he thought that it was more likely that what Zhang Feng had said was the truth.

Considering that Ruoxin had agreed to become his girlfriend, it was indeed possible for her to have told both clans that she wanted to cancel the engagement with the Zhang Clan.

He knew his girlfriend very well. She was a silent and perhaps even cold person, but she was extremely decisive and headstrong when it came to crucial situations.

Just like him, as long as she had decided upon something, she would never back down or look back, no matter how great the difficulties that lay ahead were. Even if the entire world were to block her path, she would continue marching forward without fear.

Recalling what Zhang Feng had said earlier, with a tight knit between his eyebrows, Zhang Xuan asked, "You said that the little princess is likely under house arrest in the Luo Clan... What does that mean?"

He could not allow Ruoxin to be wronged because of him. As a man, he would have to step forward and bear the responsibility.

If he could not even protect the woman that he loved, what was the point of being a master teacher? What was the point of growing strong?

Being held tightly in the grasp of the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, Zhang Feng knew that even if the duo did not kill him, they could easily inflict great suffering upon him should he choose to remain silent. Thus, he gritted his teeth and eventually revealed everything that he knew. "Half a month back, an elder of our Zhang Clan sent over a betrothal gift, as per usual, but the little princess suddenly appeared then and personally rejected the gift. She told him that she already has someone whom she loves, and she doesn't intend to proceed with the engagement with the Zhang Clan. Thus, she said, there's no need to waste time no such matters anymore.

"Her comments caused huge ripples. It didn't take long for the upper echelons of the Zhang Clan and the Luo Clan to learn of the matter, and soon after, the Luo Clan dispatched several elders to subdue the little princess and place her under house arrest."

"This..." Zhang Xuan's body jolted.

Someone of Ruoxin's wits must have known the consequences of saying those words, but even so, she still unhesitatingly spoke them out loud.

Just how much courage would it have taken her to go against the will of two of the strongest Sage Clans on the Master Teacher Continent, not to mention that one of them was her family?

Zhang Xuan clenched his teeth and asked, "Where is she being held?"

"I'm not too sure either. I only heard of this matter from an elder in my clan," Zhang Feng replied anxiously.

On the other hand, Luo Xuanqing was still unable to believe what he had just heard. "Bullsh*t! Everything that you have said is bullsh*t! How can my younger sister possibly fall in love with someone else? Who in the world can possibly be worthy of her?"

"Cough cough!" Seeing the extreme reaction Luo Xuanqing had toward this matter, Zhang Xuan could not help but turn his head over and say, "Brother Luo, calm down! I know that the little princess is outstanding, but there's bound to be someone worthy of her."

"Someone worthy of her?" A glint flashed across Luo Xuanqing's eyes as he turned to Zhang Xuan and snorted. "You?"

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Chapter 1376: The Dancing Golem

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"I..." Zhang Xuan suddenly fell silent.

For a moment, he was tempted to admit that Ruoxin was indeed his girlfriend.

However, he eventually still swallowed those words back then.

Considering how the Zhang Clan and the Luo Clan were already in a mess after hearing that the little princess had someone that she fancied, he would only be making things worse if he revealed the matter right now.

He would have to reveal his relationship with Luo Ruoxin eventually, and now was definitely not a good time.

First and foremost, he would require an identity that would allow him to withstand the pressure exerted from the Zhang Clan. This way, Luo Ruoxin would be able to face her family as well. Otherwise, if others knew that the person whom she liked was just an ordinary person from a humble Unranked Kingdom... not only would it not ease the predicament they were in, it would only be complicating it.

It was traditional thinking, but marriage had to be between two equals, or else there was no way Luo Ruoxin's family would be willing to accept him. He did not wish to see his girlfriend falling out with her family over him, criticized by the world.

"Zhang shi, I am thankful for what you have done, but I am in no mood to joke with you!" Luo Xuanqing said grimly. He turned to Zhang Feng and said, "You said that this incident happened half a month ago?"

All in all, their journey to obtain the Dongxu Gourd had taken roughly twenty days. If the incident had happened half a month ago, it would mean that it had happened right after he left the Sanctum of Sages.

If that was the case, it would explain why he had not caught wind of the matter.

"That's right." Zhang Feng nodded.

Luo Xuanqing stood on the spot with a livid expression on his face for a while before he suddenly turned his head to Zhang Xuan and said, "Zhang shi, I'll leave this fellow to you. Make sure to give him a good lesson so that he learns how to watch his mouth in the future. I'll be right back."

After which, he leaped up into the air and flew off in a certain direction. Before Zhang Xuan could say a word, he had already disappeared into the distance.

"Brother Luo..." Zhang Xuan frowned, not expecting the other party to leave just like that.

The other party moved so quickly that even the execution of the Unbounded Voyager would have been insufficient for him to catch up, so he could only hold back the urge to chase him. He turned his gaze to the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast and said, "Teach him a lesson, but don't kill him."

"Roar!" Nodding, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast was just about to make a move when a whiz sounded. The three elders who had been planted into the ground had flown back up into the sky.

"This friend over here, Zhang Feng is our guild's Inceptive Sage. Hurting him is no different from going against the entire Spirit Awakener Guild. I hope that you can think things through before making a move," an elder said through gritted teeth.

"Furthermore, the system of Inceptive Sages is something that is determined by the Sanctum of Sages. To show public defiance for it is equivalent to opposing the Sanctum of Sages, and you'll be expelled for it."

"Expelled?"

"Indeed. Luo Xuanqing is one of the core members of the Luo Clan, and his cultivation had reached Half-Dimension Sundering realm, so expulsion from the Sanctum of Sages doesn't really mean anything to him. However, it's different for you. Judging from your age, you must be a freshman who has just enrolled this year, right? You still have a long future ahead of you, so why ruin your entire life just to vent a moment of anger?" another elder added.

"Ruin my entire life?" Zhang Xuan shook his head with a light chuckle. He turned to the three elders and said, "Since we are in the Sanctum of Sages, let's settle this matter by the rules of the Sanctum of Sages then. I am currently an 8-star spirit awakener, so as long as I replace him as the Inceptive Sage, it won't be considered a violation of the rules no matter what I do to him, right?"

"Of course! If you can become the Inceptive Sage, even if you were to beat him to death, our guild will help you cover up the matter," an elder replied with a nod.

An Inceptive Sage could be considered the most outstanding member within a certain occupation among the younger generation, so if there were to be any conflicts with others, they were inclined to help him.

With the current situation, for example, if not for the fact that Zhang Feng was their Inceptive Sage, they would not have rushed out at all.

After all, it was apparent that both Luo Xuanqing and the young man before them were tough nuts to crack.

In all honesty, the collapse of the Spirit Awakener Hall was not a big matter; they could easily have it fixed by enchanting a couple of puppets. However, having their Inceptive Sage beaten up would really be a huge slap to their face, and this was something they could not accept.

"I see." Zhang Xuan nodded. "I'll have to trouble you all to tell me how the test for the Inceptive Sage works then. I still have some matters to attend to after this, so I don't have much time to waste."

There was no backing out of this matter anymore given how far they had come. In order to ensure that there would be no negative implications from the day's events, he would have to replace Zhang Feng as the next Inceptive Sage.

After all, what he was aiming to do was build up his reputation in preparation for his inauguration as the sanctum head, not sully it. How embarrassing would it be if he were to become the next Luo Xuanqing, hated by the entire student populace?

"You want to challenge the Inceptive Sage?" Hearing those words, the three elders nearly snorted their beards off.

They had seen plenty of arrogant people in the past, but they had never met one that was so conceited!

Only those who were the greatest of geniuses would be able to become the Inceptive Sage of an occupation, and Zhang Feng was one who had even broken many of their records. Initially, they had still intended to have him represent their Sanctum of Sages' branch to challenge the candidacy for the position of the headquarters' hall master, but who could have known that he would end up being nearly beaten to his death by someone else instead... and the culprit was even planning to replace him!

Even though spirit awakener was not an Upper Nine Paths occupation, it still had a complete heritage to it, and it was considered one of the top occupations of the Master Teacher Continent. For someone who had merely cleared the 8-star spirit awakener examination just six hours ago to spout such arrogant words...

The trio felt that the young man was simply taking spirit awakeners too lightly.

Gritting their teeth, they were just about to berate Zhang Xuan to put him back in his place when they suddenly noticed the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast looking at them intently with malicious intentions in its eyes.

It seemed as if it was ready to swipe its claws down on them should they speak a single unnecessary word.

Knowing that they were no match for the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, one of the elders suppressed his anger and explained, "The challenge to become the Inceptive Sage is very easy. As long as you can enchant the guardian golem and have it move more than the previous record holder, it'll be considered your victory.

"Zhang Feng, this young man over here says that he wants to challenge your position as the Inceptive Sage. Are you willing to accept his challenge?"

With irrepressible fury in his eyes, Zhang Feng glanced at Zhang Xuan before nodding. "I'll accept his challenge!"

He had been beaten up for no good reason earlier, and even though it was Luo Xuanqing's doing, this fellow was an accomplice. Since this fellow was looking for trouble, he did not mind teaching him a lesson and showing him what a true expert was!

"There are two golems right in front of our Spirit Awakener Hall, and the both of you can choose either one of them to enchant. If you manage to get your golem to travel further than Zhang Feng's, you will be able to replace him as the next Inceptive Sage of our Spirit Awakener Hall!" one of the elders said as he pointed forward. "First and foremost, I'll have to ask you to let go of Zhang Feng."

Tracing the elder's finger, two guardian golems sat where the entrance to the Spirit Awakener Guild used to be. Even though they were slightly tilted due to the various prior events, they were not damaged in the slightest.

Upon hearing that the rules of the challenge were so simple, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief before waving his hand.

The Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast nodded as well before releasing Zhang Feng. Nevertheless, it still continued glaring at the other three warily, as if saying that it was ready to crush them into minced meat should any of them dare make a move against its master.

Zhang Feng shot a spiteful glance at Zhang Xuan and the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast before walking over to one of the golems. A sharp glint flashed across his eyes, and he waved his hand grandly. "Let's waste no time and begin right away!"

"Very well," Zhang Xuan replied calmly as he made his way over to the other golem.

He had taken a look at the golems before, and it would indeed be rather difficult to enchant them considering their sizes and the materials that they were made of. However, after reading through the 8-star spirit awakener books, he had managed to gain a deeper understanding of spirit enchantment, so it would not be too difficult for him to succeed anymore.

"On my count, start!"

At the elder's command, Zhang Xuan suddenly sensed a huge disturbance in the surrounding spiritual energy. Following which, Zhang Feng's Primordial Spirit leaped out from his glabella and entered the interior of the golem.

I guess his title as the Inceptive Sage of the Spirit Awakener Hall isn't just for show. His Primordial Spirit is indeed rather strong, Zhang Xuan remarked internally.

While the other party's Primordial Spirit was still far from comparing to his, it was still a sight to behold. Just its very presence was able to exert immense pressure upon others.

One's ability to enchant was deeply related with the strength of one's Primordial Spirit. The stronger one's Primordial Spirit was, the easier it would be for one to enchant an artifact.

In terms of cultivation, Zhang Feng was far from a match for Luo Xuanqing and Zhang Chun, but when it came to the strength of their Primordial Spirit, he was much stronger than the both of them.

Tzzzzzzz!

As soon as his Primordial Spirit seeped into the guardian golem, a unique energy began gathering and diffusing all over it. A slight gleam appeared on the surface of the golem, and it looked as if it would come to life at any moment.

Even though Zhang Feng had already started his enchantment, Zhang Xuan was in no hurry to start. Instead, he activated his Eye of Insight and observed Zhang Feng's actions closely.

It had to be said that while Zhang Feng's personality was so-so, his ability as a spirit awakener was indeed notable. He pulled forth the various abilities of an 8-star spirit awakener perfectly with grace and elegance, such that there was even a peculiar kind of beauty to his actions.

"Alright, it's about time for me to start too..."

A while later, Zhang Xuan turned his eyes back to his own golem and placed his hand on it.

Tzzzzzzz!

Submerging a hint of his consciousness into the golem, he was immediately plunged into a world of endless darkness. Driving the Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art, he tapped his finger forward, and a ball of flames was immediately conjured before him.

The ball of flames was not too big, but it was expanding to the surroundings at a steady pace.

Expand! Zhang Xuan willed with raised eyebrows, and in an instant, the ball of flames exploded into a sea of flames that rapidly spread across the area.

Even though the golem was steadily absorbing in the flames as well, the area which the flames covered was simply too great such that the rate it was growing at far exceeded the rate at which it was being absorbed.

It did not take long for darkness to be fully vanquished from this space, replaced with radiant light.

Seeing that the enchantment was a success, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.

It wasn't too difficult after all...

Even with a leaking pail, as long as one's influx of water was fast enough, it was still possible to fill it fully.

After mastering the 8-star Heaven's Path Spirit Enchantment Art, the speed at which he could enchant artifacts had become much faster than before. He was able to easily exceed the speed that the golem was undoing his enchantment at.

Turning his head to look at Zhang Feng, he saw that the latter was just about to finish as well.

With a light chuckle, he snapped his finger, and a sliver of his consciousness flew over. Right after he was done making preparations, he heard a voice beside him. "Elder, I am done..."

After which, a Primordial Spirit slipped out from the golem and floated in midair with a look of agitation and excitement on its face.

"Good. Make it move, and we'll count how many steps it can take. Let's see if we can break your previous record." One of the elders nodded.

"Yes!" Zhang Feng nodded as he gestured his hand forward grandly.

Huala!

The stationary golem abruptly opened its eyes, and amid a cacophony of noises, it stood up.

Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!

The golem began to walk forward, and each time its massive foot stepped down on the ground, the surrounding area would tremble under its sheer weight.

With every step that it took, the spirit harnessed within the golem would dissipate considerably. Nevertheless, it still continued to make its way forward.

"One step. Two steps. Three steps..." The elder in the sky counted as the light in his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Dong dong dong dong!

The golem continued forward, and soon, it came to its seventh step. In the sky, agitation could be clearly seen on Zhang Feng's face, and his fists were tightly clenched together. He willed with all of his might for the golem to make the seventh step.

Boom!

Zhang Feng's golem lifted its leg with great difficulty and took a small step forward before finally losing consciousness with a resounding buzz, collapsing back to the ground.

A triumphant look emerged on Zhang Feng's face as he turned to Zhang Xuan with a gleeful smirk on his lips. "The golem I enchanted has managed to take seven and a half steps in total. It's your turn!"

"Alright," Zhang Xuan replied casually before snapping his fingers.

Huala!

His golem stood up, but despite moving its arms here and there, it did not advance forward at all.

"Your golem hasn't moved a step at all, so I'm afraid that we'll have to consider this your..." one of the elders began announcing with a frown.

However, before he could finish his words, another elder beside him exclaimed with a shrill voice tinged with disbelief.

"It's not that his golem isn't moving—it's dancing!"

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