Chapter 1722: Hu Yaoyao's Advancement
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"They have caught sight of Zhao Ya?"
The one who had sent him the message was none other than his father, Sword Saint Xing!
"Did they… manage to get here as well?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.
From his experience in the previous three dimensions, he had found that he was unable to send messages to everyone else. Could the reason that his Communication Jade Token had suddenly begun trembling be due to the fact that his parents, the Xingmeng Sword Saints, were in the same dimension as him, or was the restriction to send messages lifted in this dimension?
Zhang Xuan tapped his finger on the Communication Jade Token and swiftly crafted a message before sending it over. "Where are you all?"
A moment later, the Communication Jade Token lit up, and a line of words appeared. "Hall of Great Accomplishment, Pavilion of Warm Spring!"
"Pavilion of Warm Spring?" Zhang Xuan frowned.
Putting aside whatever pavilion his parents were in, he did not even know where the Hall of Great Accomplishment was!
"Let's take a look around!" Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.
In any case, the Temple of Confucius was right ahead of him. Since his father was able to send him the exact name of their location, he should be able to find it with some looking around.
Hu Yaoyao looked at Zhang Xuan intently and asked, "Are we heading over as well?"
"Un. Given that we are already approaching the vicinity of the Temple of Confucius, it's likely that we'll encounter many powerful experts. If we encounter any danger later on, I want you to turn around and flee right away. There's no need to worry about me, understand?" Zhang Xuan instructed sternly.
"Humph! You're thinking that I'm a burden, aren't you? While my cultivation hasn't reached Great Sage yet, my fighting prowess is still decent. The reason I was captured back at the snow dimension is because they caught me by surprise with a soul attack!" Hu Yaoyao knew that Zhang Xuan was worried about her, but she still could not help but retort in displeasure.
Half a year ago, this fellow had still been a junior whom she could bully as she liked, but at that moment… she found that she could not keep up with him no matter how far she pushed herself, and this realization filled her with frustration.
"Of course not, there's no way I would think of you as a burden. As long as you can flee quick enough in the face of trouble, there's no way you would be a burden to me!" Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.
It was such a nostalgic feeling to Hu Yaoyao, being stifled by that fellow's words to the point that she felt like spurting blood.
The reason that she had said that her fighting prowess was decent was to tell him that she would be able to lend her a hand in times of danger; there was no way she was going to pull him back. Yet… all he could think of was having her escape so that she would not drag him down in battle!
Am I that useless in your eyes?
Hu Yaoyao gritted her teeth in fury. The next moment, however, she suddenly put on a provocative smile as she strutted toward Zhang Xuan in a manner that showed off her curvaceous body. With a seductive voice that would make any man's heart pound, she purred, "Are you doubting my abilities? Shall we make a bet then?"
"A bet?"
"That's right. I'll perform a dance, and if your state of mind is affected by my dance, I want you to apologize to me. You'll never say words like asking me to run whenever we encounter danger again. On the other hand, if you can remain unfazed by my dance, I'll do whatever you tell me to do from now onward. I'll not cause any trouble for you!" Hu Yaoyao eyed Zhang Xuan intently with her crescent eyes.
"Fine by me!" Seeing that Hu Yaoyao was insistent on the matter, Zhang Xuan nodded.
In truth, he was also interested to see what a pinnacle terpsichore was capable of. While Hu Yaoyao's cultivation was lacking, she did inherit the highest heritage of the Terpsichore Guild headquarters, so it would indeed be foolish to simply disregard her capabilities.
"I'll be starting then!"
With a simple step forward, Hu Yaoyao began her dance. In the blink of an eye, she seemed to have transformed into a lithe fairy from the heavens. Her graceful movements and ethereal disposition harmonized with one another to produce a charm that seemed to draw one's soul in. One look was all it took for a man to fall under her spell, captured by her charisma.
Zhang Xuan had to admit that Hu Yaoyao's figure was truly perfect, even among all the ladies that he had met so far. It was a balance so perfect that even the slightest bit more meat would make her appear plump, and the slightest bit less meat would make her appear thin. This was a symmetry that seemed to have come from the hands of the heavens themselves. While she could not switch into more beautiful clothes due to the environment, her slightest movement and subtle gestures seemed to electrify one's soul over and over again.
"Not bad!" Zhang Xuan nodded in approval.
Hu Yaoyao's confidence in her fighting prowess was not unfounded. Even though her cultivation was only at Saint 9-dan pinnacle, her dance could easily cause even Great Sage 2-dan Aureate Body realm cultivators to lose control of themselves.
While it did work for cultivators of both genders, it was particularly effective on male cultivators. Even Sempiternal realm male cultivators might fall for her terpsichorean art if they were caught off guard.
As the saying went, even the mightiest of heroes would find it hard to resist the charms of a beauty. In the very first place, Hu Yaoyao was an incredibly beautiful and charismatic individual as she was. Without resorting to terpsichorean arts, her disposition and demeanor carried the ability to draw others to her. Coupled with her dance, even with the limitations of her cultivation, she was still able to exude a charm that others would find hard to resist.
Of course, there was still a distinction between making her opponents succumb to her terpsichorean art and killing them.
Due to the limitations of her cultivation, she would have difficulties trying to leave even a mark on the body of Aureate Body realm cultivators even with a weapon in hand.
"You… are unaffected by my dance?"
As the dance came to an end, Hu Yaoyao's movements slowly trailed to a beautiful stop. Looking at the clear, innocent eyes of the young man standing opposite of her, her posture could not help but slump in disappointment.
Due to her godsent appearance and figure, she had swiftly been chosen as an Inceptive Sage candidate shortly after entering the Terpsichore Guild headquarters. The reason that she had been given permission to enter the Temple of Confucius was because she had already mastered the highest heritage of the Terpsichore Guild headquarters, which granted her the ability to protect herself even when faced with Great Sage cultivators.
Given the abilities that she wielded, when she met Zhang Xuan once more, the thought of competing with him to determine who was superior immediately surfaced in her mind.
Back when she was still at the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, she could not even begin to count how many men had fallen before her skirt. There were no male master teachers who would not view her in deference, fearing to cross her path.
The fellow standing before her, Zhang Xuan, was the only thick-headed oaf who was blind to her charms, viewing her as no different from anyone else.
She had thought that she would finally be able to faze this thick-headed oaf after inheriting the highest heritage of the Terpsichore Guild headquarters, but to her astonishment, the eyes of the thick-headed oaf were actually clearer than she remembered them being.
Bro, are you sure that your eyes are fine?
At that instant, Hu Yaoyao felt an urge to find a physician to check on his eyes.
Right when she was feeling utterly defeated, Zhang Xuan suddenly spoke. "Well, I have to admit that I was a little affected by it."
"Really?" Hu Yaoyao's eyes lit up, but the next moment, as if suspecting that Zhang Xuan was just trying to console her, she eyed him in skepticism. "I don't see any traces of you being affected by my dance though…"
"Your Aerial Dance of Linglong was well-performed. You managed to capture the demeanor of a fairy soaring into the heavens perfectly, leaving the spectators with the feeling that they were in a dream.
"However, the flaws in your dance are very apparent as well. Firstly, your movements were too intentional. The charm of a fairy is accentuated not by flaunting her figure but through the transcendental air in her gestures and movements. What you should be focusing on is the ethereal and not the worldly!
"Secondly, the intent of your dance is too blatant. This causes cultivators to put up their defenses, making it harder than ever to breach their mental resilience…"
Without stopping to catch his breath, Zhang Xuan pointed out seventeen flaws. After which, he paused for a moment before carrying on. "How should I put this? The dance that you have performed earlier has simply too many flaws, such that I can't watch on anymore. It leaves me feeling a little nauseated. Well, you also know that I'm a perfectionist, so…"
"You…"
Once again, Hu Yaoyao found herself on the verge of spurting blood.
Perfectionist? Perfectionist your damned head!
It's one thing for you not to be mesmerized by my alluring dance, but you actually felt nauseated watching it…
Hu Yaoyao felt tears brimming in her eyes. All of a sudden, all she could see was hopeless despair ahead of her career as a terpsichore.
While others pleasure themselves by watching my dance, all you can see in my performance are flaws. If you continue being like this, I don't think that we can hang out anymore!
"There's no need to be disheartened," Zhang Xuan said with a face so earnest that no one could fault him on his words. "These are the corrections I have made for the dance that you have just performed. As long as you study it, you should be able to further your terpsichorean art. This way… I guess your dance won't be as nauseating to me anymore!"
"…" Hu Yaoyao rubbed her glabella in distress.
Why do I suddenly feel so tired?
It's fortunate that I'm only friends with him. Honestly, I don't think I could stand having a person with emotional intelligence as low as him as my significant other. Otherwise, with all the traumas and frustration that I would receive from interacting with him, it would just be a matter of time before I resorted to self-harm!
As stifled as Hu Yaoyao was feeling, she still quickly memorized the flaws and corrections that Zhang Xuan had stated.
Following which, she began to study his words closely. The more she pondered over his words, the more convinced she felt that he was right. His words were deep, but at the same time, they were simple and direct. Her body began to move along with his words, and once again, she performed the Aerial Dance of Linglong.
Her movements became faster and faster, and her gestures became more and more ethereal.
Hong long!
Some time later, a rush of zhenqi surged into her body. To her surprise, her Saint 9-dan bottleneck suddenly loosened at this moment, allowing her cultivation to surge right up to the Introspective Convalescence realm.
"I… actually made a breakthrough?" Hu Yaoyao's body froze in astonishment.
Her eyes instinctively turned toward the young man with conflicting emotions rippling within them.
The young man was able to see through the flaws in her dance so easily, and just by following his directions, she could correct those flaws and advance her cultivation and terpsichorean art.
From the looks of it, it seemed like being useless to him… did not sound that bad anymore!
At the very least, she was able to receive his guidance.
Whatever! If he thinks I'm useless, so be it! I'll just follow him and fish for a couple of pointers here and there. I'll be spared from so much hard work just by leeching off him…
Just like that, Hu Yaoyao's fighting spirit was ignited once more.
Chapter 1723: The Encounters of the Xingmeng Sword Saints
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"Alright, let's hurry up and head over!"
Hu Yaoyao's breakthrough was completely within Zhang Xuan's expectations. As long as the other party was able to receive his guidance humbly, he would be able to make the other party achieve a breakthrough so easily that the other party would begin doubting themself!
This was the ability that he wielded, humble and low profile, just like him.
"Un!"
Knowing that Zhang Xuan had urgent matters to attend to, Hu Yaoyao did not dare to delay him any longer. She followed quietly behind him while reinforcing her cultivation.
They began making their way toward the Temple of Confucius that they saw in the distance.
The magnificent structure floated in the distant sky, appearing vaguely in sight. With incredible speed, the duo flitted over.
Zhang Xuan had expected the journey to be fraught with dangers, but it turned to be so peaceful that it scared him!
Putting aside Otherworldly Demons, he did not even see a single beast along the way.
Ten minutes later, they were finally standing before the magnificent structure. There was a plaque hanging at the entrance with four majestic words calligraphed on them—Hall of Great Accomplishment!
This must be one of the six Subordinate Halls of the Temple of Confucius!
He had learned from Luo Ruoxin that there were six Subordinate Halls to the Temple of Confucius, and each of them corresponded to a Celestial Amulet of Legacy. Without a doubt, the Hall of Great Accomplishment should be one of the six Subordinate Halls.
Mist drifted across the entrance of the Hall of Great Accomplishment, obscuring it from view. Nevertheless, from the tightly shut gates, it seemed like no one had entered yet.
Looking around, Zhang Xuan found four mini pavilions in the area, named 'Warm Spring', 'Irate Summer', 'Cooling Autumn', and 'Frozen Winter'.
Is that the Pavilion of Warm Spring? Zhang Xuan thought as he made his way over to the pavilion marked with the words 'Warm Spring' together with Hu Yaoyao.
This pavilion was not too big. As soon as he entered the area, he saw a huge number of people standing in the vicinity. Some of them were dressed in master teacher robes whereas others wore the robes of their clan or casual wear.
All in all, there were roughly thirty people. Even the weakest of them was at Saint 9-dan.
"Clan head!"
Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, a couple of figures walked forward to greet him.
Zhang Xuan also recognized them. They were the grand elders of the Zhang Clan.
They had been in seclusion all this while, and they had only arrived in Qufu two days prior.
The current Zhang Xuan had already stripped off his disguise and reverted to his original appearance.
"Xuan-er, you are here!"
Zhang Xuan was just about to ask where his parents were when he heard a voice coming from the distance. Following which, the Xingmeng Sword Saints walked over with hastened footsteps.
Upon seeing that they were not injured, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. At the same time, he could not help but notice something that stunned them. "How did you… raise your cultivation so quickly?"
Prior to entering the Temple of Confucius, they had only been at Sempiternal realm primary stage. However, in just a few short hours, they had actually managed to advance their cultivation to Sempiternal realm consummation, thus putting them at the very pinnacle of the Master Teacher Continent!
"We stumbled upon a fortuitous encounter…"
Following which, Sword Saint Xing began explaining with a smile.
Upon hearing his explanation, Zhang Xuan was rendered speechless.
His parents were far more fortunate than him. Instead of the six dimensions, they were teleported straight to the exterior of the Temple of Confucius.
The spiritual energy and teacher's milieu in there were much more concentrated than the six dimensions. Furthermore, it was filled with treasures when they had just arrived. With the aid of those treasures and their Soul Depth of 29.9, it was inevitable that their cultivation would surge by leaps and bounds.
Seeing the incredulous look on his son's face, Sword Saint Meng added with a smile, "Furthermore, we haven't been cultivating for just a couple of hours… Rather, we have already been here for three months!"
"Three months?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.
It had only been twelve hours since the Temple of Confucius opened, so how in the world could they have cultivated there for three months?
"Your father and I happened to stumble upon a blessed land where the flow of time is accelerated. As such, even though a couple of hours have only passed for the rest of you, we have already cultivated for a very long time here!" Sword Saint Meng explained.
"This…" Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in shock.
Their luck was too overpowered!
It was one thing for them to be teleported right to the exterior of the Temple of Confucius, but they had actually stumbled upon a blessed land with accelerated time on top of that. He could not help but think of the suffering that he had gone through moving from one world to another, battling enemies one after another.
"Do you know where the blessed land is? Could you find it again?" Zhang Xuan asked.
If they could find it, he would head in there and cultivate for a while to raise his fighting prowess before moving on to do anything else.
"I don't think we'll be able to find it anymore. The blessed land activated when we came into contact with its mechanism, and when we were finally done cultivating, it vanished on its own. We tried looking for it afterward, but it was nowhere to be seen… Actually, even without relying on the blessed land, your cultivation speed is already fast enough as it is…" Sword Saint Meng consoled.
"Alright then!" Zhang Xuan rubbed his glabella.
Even though he was gladdened by the advancement in his parents' cultivation, he could not help feeling a little frustrated as well. He had always taken pride in the speed of his cultivation, but after such a long period of time, he was still stuck at Aureate Body realm consummation, yet to take a single step forward at all…
Sighing deeply, Zhang Xuan looked at his parents and asked, "How did you all get straight to the exterior of the Temple of Confucius? I was teleported to the dimensions outside instead. Furthermore… how did the two of you remain together?"
He had been teleported to the forest dimension outside, and he had been unable to find any familiar faces at all. On the other hand, not only did his parents teleport straight to the exterior, from what he had heard from them, it seemed like they had never separated from one another at all.
"This probably has something to do with the Celestial Amulet of Legacy!" Sword Saint Xing replied. "When the Temple of Confucius first opened, your mother, I, and a few other grand elders were in the midst of studying the Celestial Amulet of Legacy. Before we knew it, we had already been teleported here… Furthermore, I can vaguely feel an inseverable relationship between the Celestial Amulet of Legacy and the Hall of Great Accomplishment before us."
"The Celestial Amulet of Legacy?" Zhang Xuan lowered his head to look at the glowing amulet that Sword Saint Xing was holding onto.
It was emanating an aura that seemed to meld perfectly with the aura of the Hall of Great Accomplishment. It felt like they were actually a single entity that had been split in two, and there was a unique resonance between the two of them.
If that Celestial Amulet of Legacy teleported my parents to the Hall of Great Accomplishment, why didn't the one in my hand do anything of that sort? Zhang Xuan wondered in bewilderment.
The Celestial Amulet of Legacy in his grasp was the Prime Amulet, so going by normal circumstances, should he not have teleported straight to the Prime Hall?
So far, he had not even seen the shadow of the Prime Hall. Instead, he was forced to travel through the forest dimension, desert dimension, and snow dimension… He knew that he would face many dangers in the Temple of Confucius, but the least Little Amulet could do was point out a direction for him!
Had he known that Little Amulet was actually so useless, he would have thrown it away back then!
"Since your Celestial Amulet of Legacy resonates with the Hall of Great Accomplishment, why didn't you all enter the Subordinate Hall?" Zhang Xuan asked.
Since they had already reached the destination and had the required Celestial Amulet of Legacy as well, why were they still idling outside the premises?
"We tried, but we were unable to open its massive doors. It's likely that the time hasn't come for it to be opened yet…" Sword Saint Xing replied. "However, based on my observation, it will likely open within four hours or so!"
Through the windows, Zhang Xuan gazed at the nearby Hall of Great Accomplishment and noticed that the massive doors at its entrance were firmly shut, emanating a forbidding air.
Despite the resonance between the Celestial Amulet of Legacy with the Hall of Great Accomplishment, it seemed like they had not fully harmonized with one another yet.
"In the Jade Communication Token, you mentioned that you spotted Zhao Ya's trail. Where is she?" Zhang Xuan asked.
He had been worrying about his students ever since they were kidnapped. While he had reassured himself time and time again that they would be fine, he still could not help but worry about their plight.
"She's…" Sword Saint Xing was just about to answer the question when a resounding explosion sounded in the air. Following which, the pavilion that they were in suddenly began quaking nonstop.
"They are here again…" Sword Saint Xing stood up and narrowed his eyes.
"Who's here?" Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.
"Otherworldly Demons. They know that your father has a Celestial Amulet of Legacy, so they come over every now and then to challenge us!" Sword Saint Meng explained.
Lowering his gaze, Zhang Xuan saw an Otherworldly Demon standing right in front of the pavilion. The Otherworldly Demon was gripping onto a sword in his hand, and he emanated an air of concentrated killing intent.
"Sword Saint Xing, I am Bei Yuan. Do you dare face me in a duel?" the Otherworldly Demon bellowed with a voice reminiscent of a deafening bell.
Chapter 1724: Zhang Xuan Accepts the Battle
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"Battle?" Zhang Xuan frowned in incomprehension. "The Otherworldly Demons actually dared to appear in the open… not to mention, they are even adhering to the rules?"
Based on what he knew, etiquette and such meant nothing to the Otherworldly Demons. Driven by their bloodlust, they were mostly interested only in slaughter. Thus, it was extremely bizarre for an Otherworldly Demon to actually issue a formal challenge.
More importantly, there were many powerful master teachers in the Pavilion of Warm Spring… Given that the deep-seated conflict between the master teachers and the Otherworldly Demons had gone on for tens of thousands of years, it was inevitable that both sides would have some loved ones who had been killed by the other party. Was the Otherworldly Demon not afraid of being killed running over here like that?
"It's not that they want to adhere to the rules. They have no choice but to do so!" Sword Saint Xing explained with a bitter smile.
"They have no choice but to do so?" Zhang Xuan was perplexed by those words. A moment later, he widened his eyes in realization. "Could it be that… there are Ancient Sages here?"
It was only in the presence of the Ancient Sages would even Sempiternal realm consummation experts be forced to obediently abide by the rules.
"Indeed, there are Ancient Sages around the area. The Ancient Sage of our Zhang Clan is here too… As the Ancient Sages of both sides are a little apprehensive about facing the other, they have come to an agreement to resolve any conflict by a fair duel. Willful murder is prohibited… Otherwise, there's no way that it would have been so peaceful around here!" Sword Saint Xing explained.
Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.
It was no wonder he did not encounter any danger along the way. It must have been due to the pact between the two factions.
Otherwise, it was likely that a war would have broken out before the Subordinate Hall even opened. Perhaps, they might even have ended up whittling each other down, only to have the treasures end up in the hands of another.
To use an analogy from his previous life, the Ancient Sages on both sides were like nuclear weapons keeping each other in check. The reason that neither side was willing to mobilize their Ancient Sages was because they knew that the scales would immediately tilt if they lost their Ancient Sages. Considering how they had not even seen the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn yet, there was no reason for them to go all out and take on such a risk.
"The reason they are challenging me is because they wish to acquire the Celestial Amulet of Legacy in my hands… or possibly enter the Temple of Confucius right behind us!" Sword Saint Xing whipped out his sword and sneered coldly. "However, how could I allow them to do as they please?"
"Father, please wait a moment!" Seeing that Sword Saint Xing was about to head down, Zhang Xuan stood up and halted him. "Allow me to face him instead!"
"You?" Sword Saint Xing was taken aback.
"Indeed. While my cultivation is only at the Aureate Body realm, I do have the strength to fend off Sempiternal realm cultivators. Furthermore, I did stumble upon some minor fortuitous encounters on my way here, and I think this would be a good opportunity for me to test myself," Zhang Xuan replied confidently.
While Sword Saint Xing had already reached Sempiternal realm consummation, the enemy was no weakling. It was not that he did not have any confidence in Sword Saint Xing's fighting prowess, but he was simply unwilling to see any harm coming to the other party.
Sword Saint Xing assessed Zhang Xuan deeply for a moment before nodding. "Alright then… Take care! If you find yourself forced into a corner, run right back here."
His son might only have been in his early twenties, but he possessed many means that made even the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters apprehensive of him. To be honest, he was not confident of defeating Bei Yuan by himself, but his son very likely had the capability to pull it off!
"I will!" Zhang Xuan nodded. After that, he leaped out of the pavilion and appeared right before the Otherworldly Demon. "I am Zhang Xuan. If you wish to challenge my father, you'll have to bypass me first!"
"Are you able to make decisions here?" It seemed like Bei Yuan did not recognize Zhang Xuan. Seeing how young the fellow standing before him was, Bei Yuan eyed him skeptically. "If you lose, I expect you to hand over the Celestial Amulet of Legacy!"
"Of course I can!" Zhang Xuan chuckled softly in response. "If I lose, we'll hand the Celestial Amulet of Legacy to you. However, what if I win?"
Bei Yuan flicked his wrist and took out a metallic armor that boasted astonishing flexibility. Patting the metallic armor forcefully, Bei Yuan harrumphed. "If you win, I'll give this Great Sage armor to you as compensation!"
"You are intending to trade the Celestial Amulet of Legacy with just a Great Sage artifact? Do you take me for a fool?" Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up in disdain.
Even the Hundred Schools of Philosophers offered an Ancient Sage artifact to match the Celestial Amulet of Legacy! To offer a mere Great Sage artifact for the wager… the other party was really taking him too lightly!
"What do you want then?" Bei Yuan frowned.
They had also conducted similar duels earlier, and even though their tribesmen had lost, Sword Saint Xing did not raise any requests. Why would this wager suddenly become unfair when it came to this young man?
"Three Great Sage artifacts!" Zhang Xuan demanded firmly.
"Three Great Sage artifacts?" Bei Yuan narrowed his eyes upon hearing the other party's demand. "You're dreaming!"
"So be it then! I can't be wasting my time on you either. You should know that the Celestial Amulet of Legacy is necessary to enter the Temple of Confucius. While it's only the Subordinate Hall, so the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn wouldn't be there, regardless, the heritage of Kong shi is bound to be extraordinary. You'd better think it through. Don't say that I didn't give you a chance when that time comes… If you aren't going to accept the deal, you should hurry up and say so. I am exhausted from exploring the area, and I want to take a rest!" Zhang Xuan stretched his back lazily as he walked back to the Pavilion of Warm Spring.
"This…" Bei Yuan fell silent.
Three Great Sage artifacts was a hefty price to pay, but it came nowhere close in comparison to an opportunity to enter the Temple of Confucius and obtain Kong shi's heritage.
"Give me a moment. I'll return and discuss the matter with the others!"
Leaving these words behind, Bei Yuan turned around and headed to a pavilion not too far away with the words 'Irate Summer' written on it.
Not too long later, he returned and said, "I'll agree to your request!"
After saying those words, he flicked his wrist, and three Great Sage artifacts materialized before him.
In reciprocation, Sword Saint Xing stepped forward and placed the Celestial Amulet of Legacy floating in the air as well.
"Let's begin! I don't believe that a young brat in his twenties could possibly be a match for me!" Bei Yuan spat.
With both sides offering up their stakes, Bei Yuan wasted no time in drawing his sword, prepared to leap right into the duel.
"Hold it a moment. Before we begin, I believe that there's a need for us to clarify the rules!" Zhang Xuan raised his hand.
"Rules?"
"Indeed. The battle between us should be regarded as a fair duel, right?"
"Of course!" Bei Yuan nodded in agreement.
"Since it's a fair duel, I should be able to make use of any skills at my disposal, right? To put it in more straightforward terms, a formation master would be able to make use of his formations, and a beast tamer would be able to bring his tamed beasts into the battle. Does that sound fair to you?" Zhang Xuan asked.
"Of course! Whatever occupation you have, feel free to use those techniques in the battle!" Bei Yuan shrugged nonchalantly.
A formation master's strength indubitably lay in setting in formations, and a beast tamer's strength included his tamed beasts. They had devoted their time to furthering those arts in order to be able to use them in battle, so there was no denying that it was part of their capabilities as well.
"I see… That makes things really easy then!" Hearing Bei Yuan's agreement, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and commanded, "Tamed beasts, give that fellow a beating of his life!"
Huala!
As soon as those words sounded, the Five Monarchs immediately materialized before Zhang Xuan and surrounded Bei Yuan. The sheer intensity of their auras combined seemed almost strong enough to tear space apart.
"These are your tamed beasts?" Bei Yuan staggered in utter shock upon seeing those five tamed beasts.
At the same time, the Xingmeng Sword Saints and the many master teachers in the Pavilion of Warm Spring also widened their eyes to the brim, rendered speechless by the sight before them.
Those are five Sempiternal realm consummation tamed beasts…
Are these the 'minor fortuitous encounters' that you mentioned earlier?
If these are considered as minor fortuitous encounters, is there anything in the world that could be considered as a major fortuitous encounter?
"Indeed," Zhang Xuan said. "I am a beast tamer, and we agreed that it's fair for me to use my tamed beasts in battle earlier, right? Hurry up and make your move then!"
"…" Bei Yuan spurted blood.
Fair your head!
How am I supposed to fight against five Sempiternal realm consummation beasts simultaneously?
"If you aren't going to take the first move, I'll be going first!" Zhang Xuan remarked impatiently. Raising his hand, he passed down the order to attack. "Get him!"
Roar! Roar! Roar! Roar! Roar!
The five Sempiternal realm consummation beasts charged at Bei Yuan.
Putting aside their cultivation realm, each of them carried the bloodline of the Ancient Divine Beasts, and as the Five Monarchs of the forest dimension, they had survived many battles. Even though Bei Yuan was not weak, he would not be a match for even a single one of them, let alone five of them at once.
All it took was a few breaths for his body to be bruised, fractured, and bleeding all over.
Knowing that he would die if he obstinately held on, Bei Yuan desperately screamed, "I'll admit defeat…"
"Heh, that's more like it…" Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction as he stowed the three Great Sage artifacts into his storage ring.
Glancing at the Pavilion of Irate Summer, he said, "Is there anyone who wants to challenge me? I, Zhang Xuan, am more than willing to play along. Otherwise, I'll challenge all of the Otherworldly Demons in the Pavilion of Irate Summer. Is there anyone who dares to take up my challenge?"
Chapter 1725: The Prowess of the Root
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"Audacious!"
"Yet another conceited fool who overestimates himself just because he has accomplished something!"
"Naive! Do you think that you are invincible just because you have tamed a couple of beasts?"
While Zhang Xuan was dueling Bei Yuan, quite a number of Otherworldly Demons had already headed out of the Pavilion of Irate Summer. Upon hearing the arrogant words spouting from Zhang Xuan's mouth, their faces turned livid with anger, and infuriated bellows escaped their lips.
There were around thirty Otherworldly Demons in sight at the moment, and over six of them possessed similar strength to Bei Yuan. Even though Zhang Xuan had tamed five Sempiternal realm consummation beasts, he still would not stand a chance against all of them combined.
"What's the use of arguing over there? If you have the guts to accept my challenge, take out your treasures and stake them as wagers," Zhang Xuan replied boredly. "Similarly, I'll also put the Celestial Amulet of Legacy on the line. Those who possess true strength speak through actions, not through words!"
The faces of the Otherworldly Demons turned livid in fury.
The young man was right. Nothing that they said would be meaningful; strength was something that had to be displayed!
"I'll give you ten minutes to think about it. I'll take a short nap for the time being. If you wish to take me up on my challenge, I don't mind playing with you all!" Zhang Xuan tossed those words to the Otherworldly Demon before returning to the Pavilion of Warm Spring while lazily stretching his back.
"Our clan head sure is formidable…"
"He's actually able to render so many Otherworldly Demons speechless at once. This is the kind of imposing air that a true powerhouse should have!"
The cultivators in the Pavilion of Spring Autumn nodded in respect.
It was true that neither side dared go too far due to the involvement of the Ancient Sages, but the Otherworldly Demons were clearly in a more advantageous position than the humans due to their superior strength. As a result, it had been the humans who were in a passive position so far.
They did not think that the head of the Zhang Clan would actually be able to turn the tables on the Otherworldly Demons as soon as he appeared!
"You're Zhang Xuan, aren't you? I am Bei Feng, and I'm willing to accept your challenge!"
Before Zhang Xuan could return to the Pavilion of Warm Spring, a towering Otherworldly Demon suddenly walked out from the crowd. He was one of the remaining six Sempiternal realm consummation cultivators.
Seeing that someone had taken the bait, Zhang Xuan asked with a smile, "What's your wager?"
"I only have a Great Sage artifact. I can give it to you if I lose the duel. In exchange, I won't ask for you to give me the Celestial Amulet of Legacy if I win. All I want is to claim three slots to enter the Hall of Great Accomplishment!" Bei Feng said.
"Three slots?" Zhang Xuan frowned in bewilderment.
"Based on the inscriptions that we have found in the area, it seems that our Celestial Amulet of Legacy allows us to bring ten people into the Hall of Great Accomplishment," Sword Saint Xing said.
"I see!" Zhang Xuan nodded contemplatively. "Sure, I have no problem with that. I'll accept your wager!"
Even if Bei Feng won the duel and obtained three slots to enter the Hall of Great Accomplishment, it would still be a highly disadvantageous situation for them. In a battle of seven against three, the Zhang Clan should be able to easily overpower and kill those three unfortunate Otherworldly Demons tagging along with them.
In any case, Ancient Sages were not able to enter the Temple of Confucius, and they did not have the power to interfere with the happenings inside.
"I know that those five beasts are your tamed beasts, but they aren't a clear indication of your individual prowess. The one I am challenging is you, not your beasts. As a master teacher, won't you cast aside your beasts and face me in a proper duel?" Bei Feng asked.
"In other words, you don't want to use my tamed beasts?" Zhang Xuan asked as an unreadable smile crept onto his lips.
"That's right! I admit that your five beasts are formidable, but do you dare pit your true ability against me and fight me with your own strength? Don't you think that it's dishonorable for a master teacher like you to be so reliant on your tamed beasts?" Bei Feng taunted.
"I can face you without my tamed beasts… but since it's a handicap on my side, I want you to wager another Great Sage artifact!" Zhang Xuan said.
"You want me to wager another Great Sage artifact?" Bei Feng frowned as he lowered his gaze in hesitation. After a moment of contemplation, he flicked his wrist, and a crimson spirit stone materialized on his palm. "I don't have any more Great Sage artifacts, but this Sacred Blood Crystal is fueled using the blood essence of Sempiternal realm consummation beasts. It harnesses the full energy of an expert of that caliber. It'll be a convenient source of spiritual energy for your cultivation. While it can't compete with a true Great Sage artifact, its value should almost be on par with one. Will you take this as a replacement?"
Zhang Xuan took a look at the crimson spirit stone, and he immediately sensed the concentrated spiritual energy that was emanating from the rock. It was so concentrated that it almost felt tangible.
If he cultivated using it, he would indeed be able to advance his cultivation swiftly. Without a doubt, it was something that would be useful to him.
"Very well, I'll accept your deal!" Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.
To be honest, he felt like he was hoarding a little too many Great Sage artifacts at this point. He did not need any more of them. In terms of utility, the Sacred Blood Crystal was definitely far more useful to him.
Perhaps still a little worried about the matter, Bei Feng declared loudly, "The Ancient Sage of you humans and the Ancient Sage of my tribe will bear witness that the use of tamed beasts is forbidden in this duel!"
Zhang Xuan did not know where the Ancient Sages were hidden, but this declaration effectively meant that the rule had been officialized. Anyone who dared turn their back on this rule would be severely punished.
This was because the ceasefire was of the utmost importance for both sides to preserve their fighting prowess for the fight over the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn later on. While it was true that every single Sempiternal realm consummation cultivator was an invaluable addition to the team, the Ancient Sages would not compromise the bigger picture just to protect a single one of them.
"Rest assured! Since I have already agreed to your terms, you can expect me to honor my promise!" Zhang Xuan replied confidently as he moved his tamed beasts into his Myriad Anthive Nest.
"I'll believe in your honor as a master teacher!" Bei Feng nodded.
Taking a deep breath, he took a step forward and whipped out his weapon.
It was a Great Sage tier moon glaive. This was also the artifact that he was wagering on the duel.
"Clan head, be careful!" one of the grand elders exclaimed worriedly.
Without his tamed beasts, their clan head would only be an Aureate Body realm cultivator. It did not seem impossible for him to match an enemy two realms stronger than him.
Was it really possible for one to breach such a huge disparity in strength?"
"Heh!" Zhang Xuan chuckled softly as he stepped forward. With a flick of his wrist, a jade-like root appeared on his palm.
"I did say that I wouldn't use a tamed beast, and I'll honor the end of my promise… However, I don't have any formidable Great Sage artifacts, and this root is something that I have acquired out of coincidence. It's still decently resilient and hard to be used as a weapon. You shouldn't have any qualms with me using it in battle, right?"
"A root?" Bei Feng took a look at the item that the young man was holding in his hand, and only after confirming that it was indeed a root did he finally nod in agreement. "Feel free to use it as your weapon!"
As long as the young man did not use his tamed beasts, it would not matter much to him whether the young man used a Great Sage artifact or not. Besides, he had taken a closer look at the root and had not noticed anything peculiar about it.
"That's good… Little Root, I'll leave the rest to you!" Zhang Xuan nodded as he lazily tossed the root up into the air.
"Leave it to me!" the root replied through the diffusion of its thoughts.
After that, it flew into the aerial space right above Bei Feng.
"Mere cheap street tricks!" Bei Feng spat coldly as he flung the moon glaive in his grasp toward the root.
Si la!
The space tremored under Bei Feng's movements. A Sempiternal realm consummation cultivator paired with a Great Sage artifact produced a might that would leave anyone trembling in fear.
Hu!
But before the moon glaive could strike the root, the space around them suddenly jolted. The next instant, Bei Feng found himself standing in the midst of a desert. A towering tree stood quietly in front of him. With a tug of a light breeze, buds of cotton slowly descended upon the ground as if snow.
Alarmed by the changes around him, Bei Feng narrowed his eyes and shouted, "What's this?"
Unbeknownst to him, wisps of nearly indiscernible cotton had fallen into his mouth as he spoke.
"What's going on?"
"What kind of artifact is that?"
Not expecting a mere root to produce such a massive desert, everyone was stunned. For a moment, they were not able to react at all.
"Bei Feng, it's just an illusion. You just have to find a way to break it…" one of the experts of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe shouted in agitation.
"Alright…" Bei Feng said.
However, before he could finish speaking, his body suddenly started convulsing wildly.
Hualala!
The next instant, Bei Feng was reduced to a pile of yellow sand. Not a trace of him remained.
Silence immediately devoured the entire area.
Chapter 1726: The Appearance of the Ancient Sage
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
Hu!
With a light sway of the towering tree, the desert suddenly vanished from sight. Everything reverted to normal, as if what they had witnessed earlier was nothing more than a figment of their imagination.
The only difference was that the Otherworldly Demon known as Bei Feng had vanished completely from the face of the world.
"Bei Feng has died?"
"His soul aura has completely vanished without a trace. Has his body really been reduced to yellow sand? How is this possible?"
"What just happened?"
The Otherworldly Demons were utterly horrified by what they had just witnessed. It was so inconceivable that they could not help but doubt the integrity of their eyes.
In terms of fighting prowess, Bei Feng could be said to have been the strongest among them all. Yet, despite his strength, he had been reduced to yellow sand barely after the duel started. Just what in the world was that root?
How could it wield such frightening prowess?
The Otherworldly Demons were not the only ones who were appalled by this turn of events. The Xingmeng Sword Saints and the other master teachers watching the duel were dumbstruck as well.
They had thought that Zhang Xuan would have a tough battle against Bei Feng, especially since he had been forbidden from using his tamed beasts. Who could have thought that he would end the battle with even greater ease than before?
To end the battle in less than two breaths… Furthermore, it was not a simple death. Every single trace of Bei Feng's existence had been completely erased!
"Xuan-er, this…" Sword Saint Meng murmured worriedly.
"Don't worry, it's nothing much. It's one of the minor fortuitous encounters that I told you about earlier. I happened to tame this root by chance," Zhang Xuan replied with a reassuring smile.
As fearsome as the root appeared to be, it was actually extremely easy to defend against it. As long as one sealed one's acupoints and prevent its cotton from getting into one's body, the root would be rendered completely helpless against one. In terms of true fighting prowess, it was actually nowhere near the level of the Five Monarchs.
Sword Saint Meng felt an ache in her chest.
Minor fortuitous encounter?
Five Sempiternal realm consummation beasts and a seedling that could easily eradicate a Sempiternal realm consummation expert from the face of the world… if they are considered as minor fortuitous encounters, what do we count as then?
Aren't we nothing at all?
"Return!" With a flick of his wrist, Zhang Xuan placed the root back into the Myriad Anthive Nest. Following which, he beckoned with his hand, and the Sacred Blood Crystal and the moon glaive flew right into his grasp.
"Since I have won the duel, I won't stand on ceremony," Zhang Xuan remarked.
Without paying any heed to the response from the Otherworldly Demons, he threw those two artifacts right into his storage ring.
Hong long long!
Barely after he collected those items, a fearsome aura suddenly crept across the land as if a tornado had descended upon the world. Cracks appeared all over the floor, and the Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter Pavilions began trembling nonstop. It felt as if they would succumb to the immense pressure at any moment.
"This is… the strength of an Ancient Sage?" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes as he hurriedly raised his head to take a look.
However, the pressure seemed to be omnipresent, so he was unable to discern where it was coming from.
"While that root isn't a beast, it does have its own life and consciousness. That should be enough for it to be deemed as a tamed beast. Yet, you speak of a fair duel?"
The domineering voice reverberated across the land.
Following which, Zhang Xuan felt his body tensing on the spot. It felt like some formidable force had locked onto him, and it was threatening to crush him to death.
Jiya! Jiya!
His bones creaked resoundingly as cold sweat poured down his head.
It was apparent that the Otherworldly Demon Ancient Sage had deemed his actions to be an infringement of the rules and had decided to make a move.
"Old Geezer Yu, didn't you hear my descendant asking if he could use the root earlier? Your subordinate clearly agreed to his terms. Are you intending to cause trouble just because your subordinate lost the duel? If a fight is what you want, a fight is what you'll get!"
Just as Zhang Xuan was about the reach his limits, a voice suddenly reverberated in the air as well. Following which, an energy reminiscent of a warm breeze in spring embraced his body, causing the pressure crushing him to vanish.
It was just a simple clash between the two Ancient Sage experts, but the shockwave produced a crisp sound reminiscent of a river battering a boulder. It felt as if even the reinforced space in the Temple of Confucius would shatter from their strength.
"The Ancient Sage of the Zhang Clan?" Knowing that the newly arrived Ancient Sage was on his side, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.
From the looks of it, the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan had decided to make a move as well.
"Your descendant mentioned that the root is hard and resilient, but he never revealed that it possesses such an enigmatic ability…" The voice of the person named Old Geezer Yu echoed in the air.
"Since it's a duel, your subordinate should have known that there was a possibility that he would be killed. How naive must your subordinate have been to expect his enemy to come clean about his trump card?" The old ancestor of the Zhang Clan harrumphed coldly. "Besides, while the root does possess enigmatic abilities, the same could be said about your subordinate's moon glaive!
"A loss is a loss. If you don't have the courage to face a loss, you should have stopped your subordinate from accepting the duel in the place! If you really want to exact vengeance for your subordinate, why don't you stop hiding like a darned tortoise and come out to face me? Even if I suffer some injuries while doing so, I swear that I'll bust your nuts!"
"You…" Old Geezer Yu was so furious that his voice was quivering with rage. However, it seemed like he did fear the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan quite a bit. Instead of fussing over that matter, he harrumphed. "Humph! I'll overlook your provocations for today, but I don't believe that you'll be able to constantly guard this fellow! His name is Zhang Xuan, isn't it? I'll remember it. I'll have plenty of opportunities to end his life once we're out of the Temple of Confucius…
"You useless bunch of fools, stop staring with your mouths wide open. Return to the Pavilion of Irate Summer and wait patiently for the Hall of Great Accomplishment to open!"
"Yes!" Hearing the order from their old ancestor, the Otherworldly Demons hurriedly turned around and returned to the pavilion.
"Hold it a moment!"
Barely after the Otherworldly Demons started retreating toward the Pavilion of Irate Summer, they suddenly heard a loud bellow—it was from Zhang Xuan.
Seeing that Zhang Xuan was not willing to let this matter rest, the faces of the Otherworldly Demons turned livid. "Do you still intend to duel with us?"
"That's right, I still want to continue challenging you all. Rest assured, I won't use my tamed beasts or the root now. Is there still anyone brave enough to face me in a battle?" Zhang Xuan had never been so good-tempered as to let someone who exerted pressure and threatened him get away without paying a hefty price.
It was not as if he had never killed an Ancient Sage before!
You want to kill me? Very well… Watch helplessly as I do your subordinates in!
If you dare make an appearance, I'll throw the Book of Heaven's Path right at you and make my second Ancient Sage kill!
An Otherworldly Demon could not help but ask skeptically, "Are you certain?"
"If none of you have the guts to accept my duel even after I have given you so many concessions, I suggest you return to the otherworldly battlefield and never appear on the Master Teacher Continent ever again. With how cowardly you lot are, there's no way you can ever become a threat to mankind!" Zhang Xuan harrumphed arrogantly.
"You…" The Otherworldly Demons clenched their fists tightly together upon hearing those words.
"Are you really not going to use your tamed beasts and root?" Old Geezer Yu's voice echoed in the air.
"I'll swear in my capacity as a master teacher that I'll rely only on my own strength and my weapon. Surely you won't be so frightened as to deprive a mere Aureate Body realm cultivator of his weapon, right?" Zhang Xuan raised his head proudly, devoid of the slightest fear toward Old Geezer Yu. "If you aren't going to allow me to use my weapon, just treat it as if I did not say anything!"
"Humph! Use your weapon then!" Old Geezer Yu harrumphed coldly.
His subordinate had also used his weapon earlier. Even if Zhang Xuan had a truly powerful weapon in his grasp, due to the limitations of his cultivation, there was only so much that he would be able to do.
"Is there anyone who dares fight me?" Zhang Xuan pointed his finger forward and challenged imposingly. "If your subordinates are frightened, I don't mind having all of them coming at me. In other words, they can fight me one after another or fight me all at once. If I, Zhang Xuan, show even the slightest frown in response, I'll renounce myself as an offspring of the Zhang Clan!"
"Well said! You are indeed a man of our Zhang Clan!" the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan complimented with a heartened tone. Following that, he harrumphed coldly at the Otherworldly Demons. "Old Geezer Yu, my descendant has already made so many compromises. Surely you can't still be scared of him, can you?"
"You…" Not expecting to be humiliated by a mere Aureate Body realm cultivator, Old Geezer Yu was on the verge of exploding from rage. "Very well, I'll give you what you want. However, it won't just be a simple duel but a life-and-death duel! In other words, the duel won't end until either this young brat dies or my subordinates die! Do you still dare accept the challenge?"
He had really lost his temper.
Ever since he became an Ancient Sage, no one had dared talk down to him in such a manner. Yet, a young brat actually dared to taunt him again and again. This was not something that his pride would allow.
That young brat had powerful tamed beasts and a formidable root, but his cultivation was sorely lacking. The young brat might possess methods to deal with Sempiternal realm cultivators, considering how he dared to make such a challenge in the first place. However, Old Geezer Yu refused to believe that none of his subordinates would be able to stop the young brat!
Knowing that the other party was determined to use this opportunity to kill this descendant of his, the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan harrumphed coldly. "Old Geezer Yu, you sure have the cheek to talk…"
Just as he was about to reject the request, another voice interrupted him.
"Fine, I'll accept your challenge!"
Chapter 1727: I'll Humbly Accept Them
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
Seeing how rashly Zhang Xuan had agreed to Old Geezer Yu's challenge, the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan was horrified.
"Have you thought this matter through?" he asked Zhang Xuan worriedly. "You won't be allowed to use your tamed beasts or the seedling; you'll only be able to use your own weapon! It's not too late to back down now."
"I don't intend to back down, and I hope that the other party won't back down either!" Zhang Xuan replied with an indomitable air. With a straightened back, he said, "Suppressing the Otherworldly Demons is part of my responsibility as a master teacher. Even if I'm no match for them and all of this is nothing more than a futile sacrifice, I won't back down!"
"Well said!" the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan roared with a hearty laughter.
"Put your mind at ease and focus your attention on eradicating those Otherworldly Demons. Since we have already agreed on the rules, that Old Geezer Yu wouldn't dare to renege on his promise and interfere in the duel. If he were to so make a move, he can be certain that he will have to face the rage of my sword!"
"Hah! I'll be glad as long as you don't renege on your promise!" Old Geezer Yu sneered eerily in response. "As you have all heard, that young brat wants to challenge all of you, and you have the option of swarming him together if you want to… We of the Spirit Tribe have inherited the bloodline of the Gods. We are unparalleled, and we can't allow ourselves to be defeated by mere humans! If you lose in this battle, I don't think that there's any need for you to exist in this world anymore. On the other hand, if you successfully defeat him, I'll bestow upon each of you a droplet of my blood!"
"A droplet of our lord's blood?"
"Lord, please rest assured. We won't let you down!"
Upon hearing the reward, the faces of the Otherworldly Demons flushed in agitation as a brilliant light shone from their eyes.
"Let's begin then!"
Hula!
Shortly after those words were said, dozens of Otherworldly Demons immediately encircled Zhang Xuan, sealing all of his escape routes.
"You…"
Not expecting the Otherworldly Demons to be so shameless as to really gang up on Zhang Xuan, the faces of the master teachers in the Pavilion of Warm Spring turned livid in fury.
"It's fine, I can handle them. There's no need to breach the rules over something as minor as this…" Seeing that the master teachers were intending to head forward to aid him, Zhang Xuan waved his hand and chuckled softly. After which, he turned to the Otherworldly Demons and asked coldly, "We agreed earlier that I'm allowed to use my weapons, right?"
"Of course!" Old Geezer Yu's voice echoed loudly in the air.
"Very well then! Allow me to draw my weapon first before proceeding with the duel!" Zhang Xuan nodded. He flicked his wrist, and the Dragonbone Divine Spear immediately materialized in his grasp. With a simple swing, it warped into a massive ancient dragon that soared across the air.
"This is… Ancient Sage Ran Qiu's Dragonbone Divine Spear, a real Ancient Sage artifact? No, that's not it. Its powers have been sealed, so it can only exert the strength of a Great Sage artifact at the moment… This won't be sufficient to pose a threat to them…" Seeing the weapon that Zhang Xuan had taken out, Old Geezer Yu widened his eyes in astonishment before falling into deep contemplation.
There was no doubt that the Dragonbone Divine Spear had been a formidable weapon at its peak, and even he would have had to run as far as possible if he encountered it. However, it was a different matter now that its power had been sealed.
Most of his subordinates had reached the Sempiternal realm, and nearly all of them had a Great Sage artifact in their possession. They should at least be a match against the severely weakened Dragonbone Divine Spear.
Old Geezer Yu was confident that his subordinates would be able to stand their ground, but the next moment, the young man flicked his wrist and took out a gigantic slab of metal.
It was also a Great Sage artifact.
"A Great Sage brick artifact? Furthermore, it seems to be forged out of Golden Origin Spirit Stone… Who in the world is so extravagant as to use the Golden Origin Spirit Stone in such a wasteful manner?" Old Geezer Yu frowned.
However, that was not the end of it yet.
Hu hu hu hu hu!
In the blink of an eye, more weapons materialized in the surroundings, forming a defensive circle around Zhang Xuan.
The Infernal Blacksaber, Bei Xin's spear, the Soultheft Shackle, Ancient Sage Zi Rong's inkstone…
These six artifacts emanated a fearsome pressure reminiscent of six separate Sempiternal realm consummation experts.
"You… How do you possess so many powerful artifacts?"
Everyone had thought that the young man would only bring out a single Great Sage artifact to aid him in his battle—after all, each Great Sage artifact was an invaluable treasure. Yet, who could have known that he would bring out so many of them in the blink of an eye?
Such extravagance had stunned everyone watching the scene.
Putting aside the rarity and value of Great Sage artifacts, just taming a single Great Sage artifact could easily take several decades or even centuries of one's life.
Yet, a twenty-year-old man had actually managed to tame so many of them. This was too unbelievable!
"Attack!"
Seeing as the number of Great Sage artifacts was growing by the second, the Otherworldly Demons realized that they could really lose against the young man at this rate. Thus, one of them immediately shouted the order for the group to launch their attack.
"Hold it a moment. I haven't taken out all of my artifacts yet…" Zhang Xuan grumbled as he continued flicking his wrist.
Hu hu hu!
Another four Great Sage artifacts appeared. It was the moon glaive and the other artifacts that he had won in the two earlier duels.
As soon as those four artifacts earlier, Zhang Xuan's fingers danced agilely among them, tapping them accurately on certain points.
Weng weng weng weng!
The four Great Sage artifacts echoed in unison, indicating their submission to Zhang Xuan. They had all acknowledged him as their master.
Huala!
Following that, the four Great Sage artifacts rose into the air as well, directing their edges toward the Otherworldly Demons.
"Ten Great Sage artifacts? This… How is this a fair duel?"
"Is this what he means by 'Even if I'm no match for them and all of this is a futile sacrifice, I won't back down'?"
Seeing the legion of Great Sage artifacts floating around Zhang Xuan, the Otherworldly Demons felt goosebumps rising on their skin, and they nearly spurted blood in frustration.
They could overlook a single artifact, but ten of them… That was equivalent to facing ten Sempiternal realm cultivators at once! Did they even stand a chance against such a powerful force?
Thinking about the impassioned words of the young man earlier, as if a lone hero fighting off hordes of enemies, they felt their hearts stifling up.
No match your head!
Futile sacrifice my ass!
The one who is in a disadvantageous position is clearly us!
"What are you all waiting for? Are you waiting for your deaths?" Old Geezer Yu roared in frenzy.
As an Ancient Sage, he had lived for many years. Yet, he had never seen something as eerie as this.
"Y-yes!"
The longer they waited to strike, the more time Zhang Xuan would have to coordinate his artifacts together. If those artifacts were really able to coordinate with one another impeccably, they would stand no chance. Thus, he charged forward furiously.
The Otherworldly Demon who had roared the command to attack earlier was the first one to charge forward and reach Zhang Xuan. The weapon that he wielded was a Great Sage crescent blade.
He was one of the initial six Sempiternal realm consummation experts, and in terms of strength, he was nearly on par with Bei Yuan. The tremendous strength that he boasted was brought out perfectly through his forceful weapon. With a simple hack, a deafening sonic boom echoed in the air, and even the surrounding space distorted slightly as a result of the force exerted.
Hula!
Zhang Xuan felt a tremendous might descending right upon his head.
Just when it seemed like he would be split in half, his time suddenly accelerated. He easily turned around to face the crescent blade before adeptly tapping his fingers on it.
Weng!
An excited buzz sounded from the crescent blade. Following which, its massive body jolted ferociously, and it escaped from the Otherworldly Demon's grip. It turned its blade against the Otherworldly Demon and swung itself down furiously.
"The heck…"
The eyes of the Otherworldly Demon widened in horror at this abrupt change.
The next moment, his head plopped to the ground. Even before he died, he still had no idea what was going on.
"This… Did he just tame that crescent blade?"
The master teachers were dumbstruck by what they were seeing.
And Old Geezer Yu looked utterly frenzied as well.
To be able to tame their weapons and turn them against their masters in the midst of battle… How were they supposed to face an enemy like this?
Before the crowd could recover from their shock, the young man had already charged into the crowd. Every weapon that came into contact with his finger would immediately turn on its master. At the same time, the brick, Dragonbone Divine Spear, and the other weapons were also collaborating closely with one another to destroy the Otherworldly Demons.
"Initially, I thought that the Otherworldly Demons were going too far by ganging up on Zhang shi, but why does it seem as if it's Zhang shi who is the one bullying them?"
"To actually snatch the enemies' weapons and turn them against their masters… I wonder how traumatized these Otherworldly Demons are!"
"There's no need to wonder about it, it's definitely worse than what you can ever imagine! It's no wonder Zhang shi dared challenge all of them at once… It seems like he was prepared for this. Right from the start, he was already planning to slaughter all of the Otherworldly Demons!"
…
Amid the discussions, Zhang Xuan had quietly backed out from the crowd. With his hands behind his back, he leisurely watched the massive battle between the Otherworldly Demons and the weapons.
He could not help but remark, "I am deeply grateful for the gifts that you have offered me. I'll humbly accept them!"
Chapter 1728: The Blood of an Ancient Sage
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"Pu!"
"Humbly accept your head!"
The Otherworldly Demons who found themselves coming under the furious offense of their ex-weapons were utterly frenzied. The pitiful plight that they were in made tears stream down their faces.
You know full well that we never intended to give our weapons away to you! What you are doing isn't 'humbly accepting' our weapons but stealing them, alright?
A fair duel should mean all of us using zhenqi to fight with one another, but look at what you are doing!
Fair your head!
At this rate, it would almost be better if you had brought your tamed beasts out to bite us to death! At the very least, we wouldn't have to face such humiliation…
Under the onslaught of weapons under Zhang Xuan's control, the Otherworldly Demons fell one after another. In the blink of an eye, over thirty of them had already been slain. Witnessing such a sight before him, the Ancient Sage named Old Geezer Yu finally came to the limits of his tolerance.
"You… you're courting death!"
His motive for having his subordinates challenge the human cultivators was to obtain the opportunity to enter the Hall of Great Accomplishment. However, with nearly all of his subordinates dead, what use did he have for the slots?
It was not as if he could enter the Hall of Great Accomplishment himself!
Hong long!
A massive hand suddenly materialized in the air, sealing the space surrounding the Hall of Great Accomplishment. An astounding might that seemed as if it could seal even the heavens rushed down from the sky, threatening to crush Zhang Xuan into minced meat.
"Powerful!"
Realizing the danger heading his way, Zhang Xuan drove his zhenqi desperately, hoping to flee as far as he could. However, he found his body completely bound in place. No matter how he struggled, he was unable to get away.
Ancient Sages were the most powerful existences on the Master Teacher Continent. Even the most resilient material in the world would be crushed under their imposing might. Given Zhang Xuan's cultivation, he stood no chance against such a force.
Hula!
Just as Zhang Xuan was nearing his limits, the cold glint of a sword suddenly flashed through the air.
However, this sword glint was not aimed at the palm descending from the sky, and it did nothing to alleviate the tremendous pressure that Zhang Xuan was under. Instead, it was aimed at a void in space.
Puhe!
The sound of a sword plunging right into flesh ripped through the air. Following which, fresh blood dripped from the void in space.
It seemed like the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan had been biding his time to determine Old Geezer Yu's location before making his move!
"You…" Old Geezer Yu shrieked in anger.
At the same time, the palm in the sky flickered a little before vanishing into thin air.
Huhu!
Ripples diffused from a void in space. Old Geezer Yu knew that he was in a disadvantageous position at the moment, so he fled without any hesitation.
"Haha, this sure is exhilarating!" the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan roared in hearty laughter.
It was extremely difficult to kill a cultivator who had already reached Ancient Sage. In truth, the two of them had fought with one another for many years, but there had been no conclusion to their battle. This time around, the old ancestor had managed to land a direct strike on Old Geezer Yu's vitals. While it was insufficient to take down Old Geezer Yu once and for all, the latter would have to recuperate for quite a period of time.
The reason that he was able to do it was because his descendant had managed to provoke Old Geezer Yu into losing his temper, thus leading him into making a reckless move.
Lowering his head to look at the battlefield once more, he saw that all thirty of the powerful Otherworldly Demons had already collapsed to the ground as corpses.
A huge array of weapons had fallen into Zhang Xuan's possession. They danced joyfully around him, as if concubines seeking imperial favor.
"You might be young, but your capabilities and wisdom are remarkable. Not bad!" the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan complimented.
Following which, a force slowly swept across the battlefield, gathering the blood droplets scattered over the ground. These crimson droplets converged together in the sky before being filled into a jade bottle.
"It's due to you that I had the opportunity to severely wound Old Geezer Yu. As a senior of the Zhang Clan, I can't allow your contributions to go unnoticed. I'll bestow these five droplets of Ancient Sage blood to you!"
"Thank you, old ancestor!" Zhang Xuan accepted the jade bottle respectfully.
To be honest, he had no idea what the blood of an Ancient Sage could be used for. However, the fact that it could drive the Otherworldly Demons into a frenzy, going to the extent of accepting his challenge despite the risks that they would face, there was no doubt that it was an invaluable treasure.
"The blood of Otherworldly Demon Ancient Sages harnesses concentrated killing intent, so it might not be as useful to your cultivation. Besides, this is only your spoils of war and not my reward. As a senior, I can't be too stingy with my reward. So, I'll bestow this jade bottle to you as well. It contains five droplets of my blood. Use it well and strive to advance your cultivation to higher realms as soon as possible. I believe that you'll be able to bring the Zhang Clan to greater heights!" the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan said.
Hula!
Right after those words were spoken, a jade bottle materialized in the air. Even before it approached Zhang Xuan, he could already feel tremendous power pulsating within the blood droplets within the jade bottle, as if they would combust into flames at any moment.
Even though Zhang Xuan's bloodline had already been stripped from him, considering that it was the blood of an Ancient Sage from the same clan within the jade bottle, it was likely to be of far greater use to him than the blood of an Otherworldly Demon Ancient Sage.
"Xuan-er, hurry up and thank our old ancestor!" Sword Saint Xing reminded Zhang Xuan anxiously through telepathy.
"Thank you, old ancestor!" Zhang Xuan bowed deeply.
"There's no need to stand on ceremony. This is what you deserve!" the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan said.
As the voice trailed to a halt, the imposing aura lingering in the air disappeared, as if it had never been there in the first place.
Knowing that the old ancestor had returned to hiding, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.
There was no doubt that many Ancient Sages would have made their way into the Temple of Confucius in hopes of acquiring Kong shi's ultimate treasure. Given so, it would be best not to parade their strength around.
After all, it was always the tree that stood out from the others that would fall in the face of a furious gale.
If they unintentionally drew the ire of the other Ancient Sages, and the other Ancient Sages chose to gang up on them, they would be dead before they knew it.
Zhang Xuan sent a telepathic message over to Sword Saint Xing. "What is the use of the blood of an Ancient Sage?"
"Every droplet of Ancient Sage blood possesses an incredible amount of energy," Sword Saint Xing explained with an excited gleam in his eyes. "Furthermore, it contains their comprehension of cultivation as an Ancient Sage as well. As such, if one could assimilate the blood of an Ancient Sage into one's body, one's cultivation will be able to improve by leaps and bounds, possibly reaching an unthinkable level!"
"Assimilate?"
"That's right. For example, if a mortal came into contact with a droplet of Ancient Sage blood and successfully assimilated it without exploding from all the power raging within his body, they would be able to advance from Fighter all the way to Great Sage at once!" Sword Saint Xing explained.
"This…" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in shock.
It had taken him so much time, effort, and resources in order to advance from Fighter to Great Sage… and yet, a mere droplet of Ancient Sage blood was more than enough to do the same.
This was way too fearsome!
Of course, he also understood that it was just an example. Putting aside the fact that it was impossible for a mortal to assimilate the overwhelming power harnessed within the blood of an Ancient Sage, even if they somehow found a way to pull it off, their zhenqi would be extremely bloated from achieving breakthroughs in such a forceful manner.
As a result of that, their fighting prowess would be beneath that of an ordinary Great Sage, and it would be hard for them to push their cultivation further, considering their weak foundation.
"However, the true appeal of Ancient Sage blood lies not in the tremendous energy nor the comprehension of cultivation infused in it. What truly drives others frenzied over it is the power of the Ancient Sage's Blood Reincarnation that the blood harnesses. If a cultivator sustains severe damage, as long as their soul didn't dissipate on the spot, a single droplet of Ancient Sage blood will allow them to make a complete recovery. Its effects are so powerful that even a head lopped off could be reattached once more as long as the cultivator hasn't breathed their last breath yet!" Sword Saint Xing explained.
"This…" Zhang Xuan's body froze on the spot.
He could not even begin to describe his shock anymore.
Due to his Heaven's Path zhenqi, he possessed miraculous recovery abilities that allowed him to swiftly heal from most injuries. Nevertheless, if someone lopped his head off, there was no way that he would have been able to recover from that kind of severe injury.
Yet, the blood of an Ancient Sage was able to heal such severe, near-death injuries. To put it in other words, every droplet of Ancient Sage blood was no different from an additional life!
It was no wonder the Otherworldly Demons had gotten so agitated over it. It was truly a priceless treasure!
"Father, Mother, I'll give you one droplet each. It's unlikely that I will use all five droplets here…" Recovering from his shock, Zhang Xuan uncorked the cap of the jade bottle and flicked his finger.
Two droplets of blood pulsating richly with power flew toward the Xingmeng Sword Saints.
It would be much better for him to give a droplet to each of his parents so that they would at least be able to protect themselves from harm. In any case, it was unlikely that he would use all five blood droplets there, so there was no harm in doing so.
There were unpredictable dangers lurking in the Temple of Confucius, and it would set his mind at ease if his parents had such a life preserving treasure with them.
"This…"
Not expecting their son to give them such an invaluable treasure without any hesitation, the Xingmeng Sword Saints exchanged glances with one another before clenching their fists tightly in agitation.
With such a son, what more could they wish for in the world?
Chapter 1729: Where Is Zhao Ya?
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
Knowing that it was a show of filial piety from their son, the Xingmeng Sword Saints did not reject Zhang Xuan's gift and accepted the blood droplets from him.
Despite the miniature sizes of the blood droplets, when they fell into the hands of the Xingmeng Sword Saints, they nearly dragged the duo down into the ground.
This weight was not unique to just the blood of Ancient Sages. Even a single strand of those who had reached Ancient Sage was as heavy as a mountain. If not for the Xingmeng Sword Saints' recent advancement in cultivation to Sempiternal realm consummation, they might not even have been able to lift it up!
"You should hurry up and assimilate it into your bodies!" Zhang Xuan said with a smile.
"Un!"
Without any hesitation, the duo sat down, and they each absorbed a blood droplet into their body. Following which, they slowly channeled it toward their dantian.
A short moment later, they abruptly opened their eyes.
"Have you succeeded?" Zhang Xuan asked with a doubtful frown.
"How can it be that easy to assimilate the blood of an Ancient Sage? We have only stored it in our dantian separately so that we can constantly wash our zhenqi through it constantly. Over time, our zhenqi will be suffused with the aura of an Ancient Sage, and this will be highly beneficial to our cultivation!" Sword Saint Xing said with a smile.
If it was that easy to absorb Ancient Sage blood, it would truly be unworthy of its reputation as the ultimate treasure that countless cultivators sought.
It was something that would require at least several years or decades of hard work.
As such, they had chosen to store the blood droplet in their dantian for the time being. By washing their zhenqi through it, they would be able to slowly assimilate it into their bodies. With sufficient time, the blood droplet would be completely suffused throughout their body, granting them the ability of Blood Reincarnation!
"I see!" Zhang Xuan nodded in realization. "I'll give it a try as well!"
After saying those words, he sat down on the floor. With a light tap of his finger, he absorbed a droplet of the Ancient Sage blood in the jade bottle into his body.
Hula!
As soon as the blood droplet entered his body, it fused right into his body. Not only was there a complete lack of resistance, he even felt the blood droplet pulsating joyfully through his body. It was almost as if it had finally returned to its place of origin.
"This…" Zhang Xuan was utterly confused by the situation occurring in his body. "How have I assimilated the blood droplet just like that?"
They said that it would be a difficult process that required much time and effort, did they not?
Why was it so easy for him then?
"You have already assimilated it?" Hearing that his son had successfully assimilated the blood droplet into his body, Sword Saint Xing raised his head and directed a doubtful gaze over.
"Indeed!" Zhang Xuan nodded as he swiftly elaborated on the happenings after the blood droplet entered his body.
"I think I understand," Sword Saint Xing said. "Twenty years ago, when our old ancestor incurred severe injuries, he needed the blood of a Zhang Clan offspring in order to sustain his life. Back then, the only person in the Zhang Clan whose bloodline purity met the mark was you… In other words, a portion of your blood flows through his body!"
"My blood flows in his body?" Zhang Xuan's face twitched upon hearing those words.
Somehow, he could not help but find something really weird with those words. It was almost as if he had been reunited with his long-lost son!
"The primary reason that we infused your blood into the old ancestor's body was to sustain his life, but the sheer purity of your bloodline induced an evolution in the old ancestor's constitution, thus further enhancing his fighting prowess! As such, when you tried to absorb the blood of the old ancestor, it was as if that blood droplet was returning to its source. Naturally, it goes without saying that it would be much easier for you to assimilate the blood droplets than us," Sword Saint Xing explained with a smile.
"I see…" Zhang Xuan nodded as he decided not to think any deeper into the matter.
He focused his attention on perceiving the Ancient Sage blood that he had assimilated into his body, and he found that it had fused impeccably with his own blood. Not only so, he found overflowing vitality sprouting in the depths of his body.
It was truly a mysterious feeling. It was as if life itself was coursing through his body. If he had to put this feeling into words, it would be that even if someone snapped off his arm, he would be able to grow a new one the next instant. There was no need for him to worry about getting hurt anymore.
However, he could sense that while there was an immense volume of vitality in his body, it was not infinite. It would deplete and run dry eventually.
There was a pill known as the Grand Intermittent Pill that could allow a person's severed limbs to regrow, but its effects were far inferior to those of the Ancient Sage blood.
Firstly, the Grand Intermittent Pill had minimal effectiveness on Great Sage cultivators due to the limited energy harnessed within it. Secondly, Ancient Sage blood was capable of reviving a person no matter how tattered their body was, even if their head was lopped off. On the other hand, the Grand Intermittent Pill would only regrow a cultivator's severed limbs. If a cultivator's head was lopped off, no number of Grand Intermittent Pills would be able to heal them.
I should give a droplet to Ruoxin as well, Zhang Xuan thought with a smile as he placed the remaining two blood droplets into his storage ring.
It was not easy to acquire such treasures, and he had no intention of keeping them to himself. He also had people whom he held dear and wanted to protect.
As for the blood of the Otherworldly Demon Ancient Sage, I should find some time to see what I can do with it…
Considering how his Heaven's Path zhenqi was able to emulate the zhenqi of Otherworldly Demons, he might be able to use these blood droplets of the Otherworldly Demon Ancient Sage… But with so many master teachers around, this was definitely not the time or place to be experimenting with the blood droplets. He would just have to leave it for later on.
"Oh right! You have acquired news on Zhao Ya. Where is Zhao Ya?" Zhang Xuan stood up and looked at his parents.
He was going to ask them about the matter concerning Zhao Ya when the Otherworldly Demons suddenly came to challenge Sword Saint Xing, so there had been no time to inquire. Since the Otherworldly Demons had already been dealt with, it was time to get back to that.
"There are four pavilions here. We are residing in the Pavilion of Warm Spring, and the Otherworldly Demons have dominated the Pavilion of Irate Summer. Beasts have swarmed the Pavilion of Cooling Autumn, and the Pavilion of Frozen Winter is being taken up by an unknown group of people. Prior to your arrival, I sensed a hint of cold aura coming from their group, so I took a closer look. For a split moment, I seemed to see your student!" Sword Saint Meng said.
Sword Saint Meng was hot-tempered at times, but she was extremely meticulous when it came to details. Considering that this was a matter that concerned her son, she had been keeping a close eye on it. Even though the cold aura was indistinct, it had still caught her attention.
"So… there's a good chance that Zhao Ya is in the Pavilion of Frozen Winter?" Zhang Xuan asked in agitation. He hurriedly rose to feet and walked to the windows to take a look.
Of the four pavilions, Spring corresponded to Autumn, and Summer corresponded to Winter.
From the Pavilion of Warm Spring, the Pavilion of Frozen Winter happened to be hidden by the other two pavilions, not allowing him to peer into the situation there.
"However, I only took a quick glance before the other party disappeared back into the group. I thought that she resembled your student, but I was unable to confirm whether it's really her or not!" Sword Saint Meng said.
"We'll know once we head there to take a look!" Zhang Xuan said imposingly.
So long as there was a chance that Zhao Ya could be in the Pavilion of Frozen Winter, it was his responsibility as her teacher to check the area out.
Seeing that Zhang Xuan intending to head over, Sword Saint Xing hurriedly added, "I'll follow you. I should at least be able to lend you a hand…"
"It's fine! I can handle this on my own!" Zhang Xuan shook his head and turned down Sword Saint Xing's offer to help.
In no way could the Xingmeng Sword Saints be considered weak, but the very fact that the other party had been able to kidnap Zhao Ya and Wei Ruyan discreetly likely meant that the other party was a formidable foe. Furthermore, he had not ascertained whether the kidnappers were truly an enemy or not. It would be much safer for him to head there alone.
Knowing that his son possessed means far beyond him, Sword Saint Xing could only shake his head helplessly and instruct, "Be careful!"
"Un!" Zhang Xuan replied before swiftly making his way over to the Pavilion of Frozen Winter.
"Intruder, please halt!"
Before Zhang Xuan could even approach the Pavilion of Frozen Winter, he had already heard a voice in the air. Following which, an overpowering pressure crushed down from the sky.
"An Ancient Sage?" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in shock.
He had experienced such formidable might just a moment ago—it was a force that could only have been exerted by an Ancient Sage!
It was unlikely that an Ancient Sage would easily make a move on him. More likely than not, the pressure served as a warning to remind him that the Pavilion of Frozen Winter was under the protection of an Ancient Sage as well.
Of course, that was only to be expected. If those in the Pavilion of Frozen Winter did not possess such strength, they would have been eliminated by the others already. There was no way that they would have been able to safely occupy a pavilion by themselves.
"Elder, I don't harbor any malicious intentions. I have a junior who is very likely within the Pavilion of Frozen Winter, and I wish to enter to take a look!" Zhang Xuan clasped his fist politely.
Even though the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan was likely in the vicinity as well, he did not dare push his luck.
"I know you. Zhang Xuan, twenty years old, the head of the Three Premier Clans and the Sanctum of Sages. You single handedly destroyed an army of 110,000 Otherworldly Demons strong in the Subterranean Gallery, sparing mankind from a catastrophe. Impressive," the Ancient Sage said.
Zhang Xuan was surprised by how the anonymous Ancient Sage was aware of his affairs. He clasped his fist and bowed. "I'm unworthy of your praise!"
"Given your contributions to mankind, I would have welcomed your visit with the warmest hospitality from my side if it had been on any other occasion. However, I'm afraid that I cannot permit you to enter the Pavilion of Frozen Winter at the moment, and I beg your pardon for that," the Ancient Sage said.
"Why?" Zhang Xuan frowned. As he pondered over the other party's words, a thought surfaced in his mind, and he asked, "Elder, are you a master teacher?"