Chapter 1730: Ten Breaths Is All It Takes
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
The other party did not show the slightest hostility to him despite knowing of his deeds in the Subterranean Gallery. Instead, the other party even labeled his deeds as 'contributions to mankind'. Those were words that would only typically be spoken by master teachers!
Could the other party be one of the Ancient Sages of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters?
But if the other party was a master teacher as well, why was the other party stopping him from entering the Pavilion of Frozen Winter?
"I am not from the Master Teacher Pavilion, but…"
The Ancient Sage began explaining, but before he could finish his words, a crisp echo suddenly sounded from the Pavilion of Frozen Winter, as if some kind of seal had just been broken. Concentrated cold energy burst out from the broken seal into the surroundings, cloaking the Pavilion of Frozen Winter with a layer of frost in the blink of an eye.
"Zhao Ya is indeed in there!" Zhang Xuan's face darkened.
It was the exact same cold energy that Zhao Ya had emanated after he successfully altered her meridians! There was no mistake!
Hu la!
Paying no heed to the Ancient Sage, Zhang Xuan dived right into the Pavilion of Frozen Winter.
It was apparent to him now that the other party was simply stalling for time to achieve their goals!
So what if the enemy that he had to face was an Ancient Sage?
If worst came to worst, he would just have to use his golden page and toss the Book of Heaven's Path at the other party!
For his student's safety, this was a price that he was willing to pay!
Hu la!
Light flooded out from the Pavilion of Frozen Winter and formed a thin barrier around the building. Zhang Xuan rammed right into the barrier, but he found that he was unable to breach it with his current strength.
"You can't enter now!" the imposing voice of the Ancient Sage exclaimed.
"Scram!" Zhang Xuan roared as he whipped out the Dragonbone Divine Spear and pierced it toward the light barrier.
Weng!
The attack of the Dragonbone Divine Spear caused the light barrier to waver a little, but the light barrier swiftly stabilized without the slightest scratch on it.
"Break!"
Unwilling to give up, Zhang Xuan infused all of his strength into the Dragonbone Divine Spear and thrust it toward the light barrier once more. This time around, however, bundles of black flames began emerging from the surface of the spear.
Having undergone the trial of the Empyrean Heavenly Flame thrice, his body was already able to harness this devastating force of nature. Focusing all of the Empyrean Heavenly Flame that he had absorbed into the tip of the Dragonbone Divine Spear, it did not take long for the light barrier to be set alight.
"Empyrean Heavenly Flame?"
The Ancient Sage hidden by the side was astonished. He was just about to raise his hand to extinguish the flame when the sound of a millstone scraping against the ground reverberated loudly in the air. Following which, the four pavilions began trembling simultaneously.
"What's going on?" Knowing that something major had just happened, Zhang Xuan could only abandon his attempt to breach the light barrier in order to scan his surroundings.
A loud explosion sounded from the towering Hall of Great Accomplishment, and a crack opened between the tightly shut entrance gates.
An aura of history poured forth from the depths of the Hall of Great Accomplishment, suffusing the Pavilions of Warm Spring, Irate Summer, Cooling Autumn, and Frozen Winter. In an instant, the crowd could vaguely see the passing of the seasons unfolding swiftly before their eyes.
As the Celestial Amulet of Legacy in Sword Saint Xing's hands came into contact with the aura of history, a warm glow burst forth from it, forming a light sphere that covered a diameter of ten meters.
Tzzzzzz!
Tugged by a compelling force, the Xingmeng Sword Saints and the others found their bodies being pulled uncontrollably toward the depths of the Hall of Great Accomplishment
"The Hall of Great Accomplishment has opened! Xuan-er, let's go," Sword Saint Xing shouted anxiously.
"I have to save Zhao Ya first!" Zhang Xuan exclaimed anxiously as he turned his sights back to the Pavilion of Frozen Winter once more.
Since he had finally found Zhao Ya, as her teacher, he was obliged to bring her back unharmed!
Kacha!
Launching a barrage of stabs with the Dragonbone Divine Spear, it did not take long for the light barrier to be pushed to its limits and shatter under the pressure. Zhang Xuan immediately made use of this opportunity to dash into the pavilion.
However, just as he was making his way in, a light sphere formed of cold energy bolted out from the Pavilion of Frozen Winter. It followed closely behind the Xingmeng Sword Saints and the others, heading into the Hall of Great Accomplishment.
Within the light barrier, Zhang Xuan noticed a slender figure shrouded in an icy aura. Who else could it be other than Zhao Ya?
The light sphere seemed to have been formed using her powers.
The Xingmeng Sword Saints and the others were able to enter the Hall of Great Accomplishment successfully due to the Celestial Amulet of Legacy in their possession. However, the group that was in the light sphere constructed by Zhao Ya was able to pass through the cracks in the entrance of the Hall of Great Accomplishment without any problem as well.
"Zhao Ya…" Seeing that Zhao Ya had entered the Hall of Great Accomplishment, Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in panic.
Huhuhuhu!
Following that, twenty beasts charged out of the Pavilion of Cooling Autumn and dashed straight toward the entrance of the Hall of Great Accomplishment. It seemed like they intended to sneak into the Subordinate Hall in the midst of the chaos. However, just inches away from the Hall of Great Accomplishment, they found themselves being halted by an invisible barrier. No matter how they tried to push forward, they were not able to advance a single step forward.
Most of these beasts were at Great Sage 3-dan and 4-dan, but it was apparent that their strength was nothing in comparison to the barrier. It was almost as if they were termites trying to bring down a towering tree! Even if they pushed with all their might, the barrier would not waver in the least.
"Those scoundrels have entered the Hall of Great Accomplishment by making use of Zhao Ya's unique constitution!" Zhang Xuan nearly exploded from fury as realization struck him.
How could he get so careless at a time like this? He should have known that the other party would make use of Zhao Ya to enter the Hall of Great Accomplishment! Blinded by his anxiety to save Zhao Ya, he had ended up missing the opportunity to enter the Hall of Great Accomplishment together with his parents. Now that they had all entered the Subordinate Hall, he was the only one left outside. What the heck was that?
"This won't do. I must enter the Hall of Great Accomplishment as well!" Zhang Xuan muttered anxiously as he charged furiously toward the entrance of the Subordinate Hall.
It had not been easy for him to find his student once more. He would never forgive himself if he lost this chance to save her because of a careless mistake on his part!
If worst came to worst, he would just have to make use of the Library of Heaven's Path to find the flaws in the barrier. Even if he had to tear the entire place down, he was determined to get in!
Hu!
In the blink of an eye, Zhang Xuan reached the invisible barrier. He had thought that he would be kept out just like the other beasts clawing desperately ahead of them, but contrary to his expectations, a warm glow suddenly embraced his body. Before he knew it, he was already on the other side of the barrier.
Zhang Xuan was startled for a moment before realization struck him. How I could have forgotten about that? I have the Prime Amulet in my hands!
Previously, Luo Ruoxin had told him that the Celestial Amulets of Legacy only worked against the Subordinate Halls that they corresponded to whereas the Prime Amulet granted entry to all of the Subordinate Halls and the Prime Hall.
It was due to how useless Little Amulet had been in the outer dimensions that he had ended up forgetting about its existence. After all the disappointments that it had brought him, it was finally proving its value at a crucial time like this!
"Elder, please bring us along with you…"
Before Zhang Xuan could charge all the way into the Hall of Great Accomplishment, he suddenly heard desperate voices behind him, so he turned around to take a look.
They were from the beasts who were clawing frantically at the invisible barrier but to no avail.
Zhang Xuan gazed deeply at them for a moment before saying nonchalantly, "Become my tamed beast, and I'll bring you in!"
"This…"
Hearing those words, the beasts were stunned for a moment before a huge commotion broke out.
"You want us to become your tamed beasts? You're dreaming!"
"The reason we of the Beast Tribe cultivate is so that we can live freely without deferring to anyone. You might be powerful, but there's no way you are going to make us submit to you!"
"At the very most, we'll just give up on the opportunity to enter the Hall of Great Accomplishment! We'll still be able to improve quickly by cultivating around the exterior of the Temple of Confucius anyway…"
"Even if I die here, I, the Verdantcloud Beast, will never submit to anyone!"
The main reason that they had entered the Temple of Confucius was to find their own fortuitous encounter and advance their cultivation. However, if they had to submit to a human and lose their free will over it, they would rather give up on this rare opportunity.
"Heh!" Hearing the words from the beasts, Zhang Xuan chuckled softly.
With a flick of his spear, he crossed the invisible barrier once more, dashing right into the horde of beasts.
Pipa! Pilipala!
Ten breaths later, he flicked his spear behind his back as he gazed quietly at the subdued beasts before him. "Are you ready to submit now?"
"… Paying respects to master!"
Hualala!
The beasts swiftly got to their knees and bowed down to Zhang Xuan. The arrogant Verdantcloud Beast even took the lead in offering its blood essence to Zhang Xuan to seal a contract with him.
The other beasts anxiously followed suit as well. It was as if they were afraid that their new master would not recognize them if they were too late in professing their submission.
"…" The old ancestor of the Zhang Clan.
"…" The anonymous Ancient Sage.
When did those of the Beast Tribe become so subservient?
Even they, as Ancient Sages, would not be able to force those of the Beast Tribe to do anything against their will. Otherwise, any Ancient Sage would have been able to easily form an army of Great Sage beasts.
Yet, this young man actually managed to do it within seconds.
In an instant, all the experts who were unable to enter the Hall of Great Accomplishment found themselves dumbstruck.
Chapter 1731: Hall of Great Accomplishment
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"Let's enter!"
With all of the beasts pledging their loyalty to him, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction. He moved all of the beasts into the Myriad Anthive Nest before making his way through the invisible barrier once more.
But things did not go as he had expected this time around. He found himself colliding with the invisible barrier that had halted the footsteps the beasts. Unlike before, he was not able to pass through it.
"What's going on?" Zhang Xuan's lips twitched at this unexpected situation.
Could it be that he had waited for too long and was no longer able to enter the Hall of Great Accomplishment?
If that was really the case, he might burst into tears on the spot.
"Master, you are bringing too many beasts in with you…" Just as Zhang Xuan was trying to make sense of the bizarre situation before him, Little Amulet's voice sounded in his head. "Normal Celestial Amulets of Legacy can bring ten people in. As the Prime Amulet, I can bring fifteen people in. However, you tamed over twenty beasts earlier…"
Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, it was not that he could not enter the Hall of Great Accomplishment anymore but that he had exceeded the load capacity. He sent a telepathic message back to Little Amulet and asked, "Won't it work if I place them in a folded space?"
"It won't work! Otherwise, your parents would have been able to bring everyone into the Subordinate Hall!" Little Amulet explained.
"I see!" Zhang Xuan nodded in comprehension.
There was no way that Kong shi would have allowed the rules that he had imposed on the Subordinate Halls to be circumvented that easily. Otherwise, there would be no point in setting those restrictions in the first place!
Thus, Zhang Xuan released the beasts whose cultivation were lower till there were only fourteen of them left. He tried walking through the invisible barrier once more, and this time, he was able to pass through it without any issues.
Shortly after passing through the light barrier, Zhang Xuan suddenly said, "Wait a moment, that isn't right. The Heavenwood Greenserpent is in my folded space as well. If we factor them in as well, doesn't it mean that the number of people I have with me has already exceeded fifteen?"
The fourteen beasts only included those which he had just tamed a moment ago. Other than them, he also had the Heavenwood Greenserpent, Goldspirit Cloudtiger, Crimsonfrons White Tiger, and so in the Myriad Anthive Nest. Thus, the total number of beasts he had with him was, in fact, more than twenty!
"They are considered native lifeforms to the Temple of Confucius, so they are allowed to pass freely through the barriers in the Temple of Confucius. As such, they aren't counted in the quota!" Little Amulet explained.
"There's such a thing as well?" Zhang Xuan asked in astonishment, not expecting there to be such an exception to the beasts in the Temple of Confucius.
Shaking his head, he hastened his footsteps and swiftly advanced into the Hall of Great Accomplishment.
It had been over a minute since the others had entered the area, so he would have to up his speed in order to catch up with them.
Passing through the massive gates, he found himself standing in the midst of a humongous hallway. Sculptures of many different demeanors and postures were placed neatly on both sides. Some were deep in thought, some were looking into the distance, some were reading a book, some were in the midst of their cultivation… They were sculptured so lifelike that it seemed almost as if they would come to life at any moment.
"Are these… the seventy-two Sages?"
It did not take long for Zhang Xuan to recognize the models behind those sculptures. They were none other than the seventy-two Sages under Kong shi's lineage.
Kong shi was known to have had over three thousand students and seventy-two direct disciples. His seventy-two direct disciples were known as the seventy-two Sages, and the strongest ten of them, which included Ancient Sage Ran Qiu and Ancient Sage Bo Shang, were respectfully referred to as the Ten Apostles.
Each of the seventy-two Sages had their fair share of legendary exploits, achieving astounding accomplishments in their lifetime. Their deeds had been recorded by the Master Teacher Pavilion in the form of literature and artwork so as to remind the world of their greatness and the sacrifices that they have made for mankind.
Zhang Xuan had once seen some of their artwork, so it was not too difficult for him to recognize the sculptures.
Ancient Sage Zi Yuan, Ancient Sage Zi Qian, Ancient Sage Zi Liu, Ancient Sage Ran Geng…
Familiar names surfaced in Zhang Xuan's mind as they overlapped together with the sculptures before him. Looking at those ancient figures, he could almost see the devastating battles against the Otherworldly Demons back in their era.
Without their support, there was no way that Kong shi could have quelled the threat of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe singlehandedly back then!
They were the cornerstone to mankind's swift development across the years. In that era of despair, their existences were symbols of hope to mankind. Even after the passing of tens of thousands of years, their names still remained unforgotten by the world.
Zhang Xuan solemnly bowed to them to express his deepest respect to these great men before moving on.
The sculptures of the seventy-two Sages emanated slight pressure on those walking past them, tempering one's state of mind and soul. Without a doubt, this was extremely beneficial for the advancement of one's Soul Depth.
After taking a few more steps, Zhang Xuan saw a few master teachers sitting cross-legged on the floor, unable to advance any further. They were the grand elders of the Zhang Clan.
Due to the limitations of their Soul Depth, it was likely that they would incur severe injuries if they forced themselves to advance ahead. Since that was the case, it would be wiser for them to make use of the pressure to swiftly raise their Soul Depth.
Seeing that they were deep in concentration, Zhang Xuan chose to pass them by without disturbing them.
Until that moment, he still was not too sure who the culprits who kidnapped Zhao Ya and the others were. However, the fact that they were able to pass through the hallway consisting of the sculptures of the seventy-two Sages meant that their Soul Depth did not pale in comparison to his.
With such high Soul Depth, it was likely that their cultivation had reached Sempiternal realm consummation. If that was the case, they would pose a major threat to his parents and the other members of the Zhang Clan.
Coming to the end of the hallway, Zhang Xuan found himself arriving before a grand hall.
His parents and the other grand elders of the Zhang Clan were standing in the middle of the hall, and opposite to them were eight youths who emanated imposing auras. Just as he had guessed, all of those eight youths were Sempiternal realm consummation experts!
Seeing that his parents were fine, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. After which, he turned his gaze to the eight youths.
A young lady stood at the center of the crowd. Her eyes were tightly shut, and surges of cold energy were flowing out from her body. It seemed like she was trying to activate some seal on a wall in the hall.
Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up, and he exclaimed anxiously, "Zhao Ya!"
He hurriedly rushed over toward her.
"Xuan-er, it doesn't seem like she's able to hear our voices!"
Before he could reach Zhao Ya, the Xingmeng Sword Saints quickly sent a telepathic message to inform him.
"She can't hear our voices?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.
"Un. We tried calling for her earlier, but there was no response from her. She didn't even turn her head around, as if she couldn't hear us at all," Sword Saint Xing replied.
"She must be too engrossed in deciphering the painting on the wall. We can't really tell what her purpose for doing so is," Sword Saint Meng said as she secretly pointed to the wall.
"Painting?" Tracing Sword Saint Meng's finger, Zhang Xuan finally noticed the massive painting on the wall. The painting was of remarkable verisimilitude, as if an entire world was sealed within it.
Zhao Ya was continuously channeling her cold energy into the painting, seemingly trying to undo the seal cast on it.
Normally, Zhao Ya should have noticed his presence as soon as he stepped into the hall, not to mention that he had even called for her. The fact that she was not reacting at all likely meant that she was in a trance.
Seeing that Zhao Ya was unharmed, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief, and his unnerved heart finally settled down for the time being.
He turned his attention to the eight youths standing opposite to them and narrowed his eyes. "Who are they?"
"I asked them earlier, and they said that they are the offspring of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers!" Sword Saint Xing said.
"Hundred Schools of Philosophers?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "They are the descendants of the seventy-two Sages, right? Why did they kidnap Zhao Ya, and what is the painting on the wall?"
All along, he had thought that it was the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe who had captured Zhao Ya, Wei Ruyan, and Yuan Tao.
Considering the callous nature of the Otherworldly Demons, it was completely within their nature to pull off something like this… Yet, who would have thought that the culprits were really from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers?
While he had stumbled upon some clues that pointed to the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, he had still held some reservations toward suspecting them. After all, their lineage originated from Kong shi, who had held principles and propriety in high regards. It was hard to believe that they would commit something as impetuous as kidnapping a person to achieve their own goals.
This did not fit with the common perception of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers!
Not only so, what was even more bizarre was that these offspring of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers were actually more interested in a painting than the sculptures of their ancestors outside! Could it be that some kind of incredible secret was hidden within the painting?
Harboring such thoughts in his mind, Zhang Xuan could not help but take a closer look at the painting before him.
The first thing that he noticed was the antiquated aura emanated by the painting. It felt like an artifact that had survived through history. He activated his Eye of Insight in an attempt to take a closer look at it, but he found that the painting seemed to have fused perfectly together with the time and space of the hall, thus obscuring it from his view.
This was probably the seal that Zhao Ya was trying to break.
Nevertheless, he could still feel an air of grandeur coming from the painting. It seemed as if one's consciousness would be absorbed into the painting with just a single look.
"Is it possible for this to be the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn?" Sword Saint Xing's voice suddenly sounded in Zhang Xuan's ears.
Chapter 1732: An Opportunity to Achieve a Breakthrough to Ancient Sage
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"The Great Codex of Spring and Autumn?" Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up.
"The Great Codex of Spring and Autumn is said to be the strongest artifact that Kong shi left behind. There are those who say that it's a book, there are those who say that it's a weapon, and there are also those who say that it's a spatial artifact. In any case, no one has seen the true form of the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn before. So, wouldn't it be possible for it to be a painting?" Sword Saint Xing analyzed.
"Otherwise, why would the experts of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers rush right here as soon as the Hall of Great Accomplishment opens in order to decipher this seal? Furthermore, it's apparent that they are aware that Zhao Ya's strength is crucial to deciphering this seal, which explains why they kidnapped her!"
Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan fell into deep thought.
There was some sense to what Sword Saint Xing was saying.
Most information available about the Temple of Confucius came from rumors, so it might not necessarily be true. While the name 'Great Codex of Spring and Autumn' suggested that the artifact existed in the form of a book, the artifact might be able to assume multiple forms.
This was similar to how the Dragonbone Divine Spear was able to alternate between the form of a spear and a skeletal dragon.
Zhang Xuan turned his gaze back to the magnificent painting on the wall and scrutinized it closely through the Eye of Insight. While its contents were a little obscure due to the seal, he was still able to make out the scenery of a barren snowfield. It seemed like a world of permafrost lay on the other side of the painting.
"There are temporal laws infused within the painting…"
Through examining the painting carefully, he could feel the power of space and time infused within the painting. It was likely that the flow of time within the painting was different from that of the real world.
If a separate concept of time existed within the painting… could the painting really be the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn?
If that was the case, he would have to snatch the painting regardless of the cost. Even if the other party was the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, he would not pull his punches!
An idea suddenly flashed across Zhang Xuan's mind. Even though I might not recognize the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn, Little Amulet should be able to discern it!
He was lacking in knowledge concerning the ancient era, but Little Amulet was different. It had specially been forged by Kong shi to serve as the key into the Temple of Confucius, so it should be able to recognize the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn!
Thus, he sent a telepathic message to Little Amulet to ask about the matter.
"Great Codex of Spring and Autumn? Hahaha, that's the most ludicrous thing I have ever heard in my life! That's the Canvas of Four Seasons, which Kong shi drew personally!" Little Amulet replied amid guffaws in the Myriad Anthive Nest.
There was a light breeze in the Myriad Anthive Nest, which caused Little Amulet to flutter.
"Canvas of Four Seasons?"
"Didn't you notice the four pavilions prior to entering the Hall of Great Accomplishment? Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter—those are the four seasons of the world!" Little Amulet explained.
Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement.
Thinking back, Kong shi's superior breakthrough method to Great Sage also involved conceptualizing one's body as the world to emulate the four seasons of nature. He had thought that it was on a whim that those pavilions were named after the seasons, but it seemed like there was more to it.
"What use is the Canvas of Four Seasons that those of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers would go to such lengths for it?"
While Zhang Xuan was slightly disappointed to learn that the painting was not the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn, there was no denying that he was intrigued by the painting.
Even if it was not the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn, it was likely a formidable artifact of some sort. It would not have caught the attention of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers otherwise.
"The Canvas of Four Seasons harnesses the concept of the four seasons—Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter—allowing one to use the forces of nature to temper oneself," Little Amulet replied. "On top of that, time flows faster within the painting compared to the external world, roughly around twofold. In other words, a cultivator who cultivates for two years in the painting would find that only one year has passed in the real world… As such, it's the ideal artifact to groom aspiring talents!"
Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.
The reason that the Zhang Clan had been able to remain the number one Sage Clan even after the passing of so many years could mostly be credited to its Blood Reservoir. Utilizing the difference in the flow of time, the offspring of the Zhang Clan were able to comprehend secret arts and master occupations much faster than their counterparts.
The same went for the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. Of course, the pointers of 9-star master teachers were invaluable in reducing the detours in one's cultivation, but more than that, the difference in the flow of time in the Hall of Spring and Autumn ensured that the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters would have powerful experts in every generation.
In fact, it was largely due to cultivating in the Hall of Spring and Autumn that Zheng Yang had been able to advance his cultivation far faster than the rest of his students.
Given how the Canvas of Four Seasons allowed one to cultivate for two years within the span of a year, it could be considered a decently powerful artifact.
"However, based on what I know, what is truly valuable about the Canvas of Four Seasons isn't the difference in the flow of time but that Kong shi has sealed a fragmented piece of the world within it!" Little Amulet added excitedly.
"Sealed a piece of the world?" Zhang Xuan contemplated for a moment before nodding in agreement. "I see. Considering how the cycle of seasons in the painting is still persisting to this day, I suppose it's to be expected that it contains a fragmented piece of the world!"
There were several tiers to folded spaces. The most ordinary folded space involved creating a dimension that was suited for storing objects but insufficient to sustain life. An example of that would be storage rings.
Folded spaces that were of a tier higher could be viewed as greenhouses. It was possible to create conditions capable of sustaining life in these folded spaces, but they were highly dependent on external inputs in order to maintain these conditions. If one persistently neglected to supply spiritual energy to these folded spaces, their condition would gradually deteriorate to the point that it would be hard to sustain life.
Zhang Xuan's Myriad Anthive Nest was at such a tier. He had to supply his spiritual energy into it in order to ensure that it developed positively. This was different from the Master Teacher Continent, which was able to produce its own spiritual energy and breed new life dynamically.
The fact that the painting was able to emulate the cycle of the four seasons likely meant that it was a space similar to that of the forest dimension. It could produce its own spiritual energy to support life, which placed it at a higher tier than his Myriad Anthive Nest.
Considering the strength that Kong shi had wielded, his ability to seal a fragmented piece of the world into his painting was not surprising.
"It's to be expected? You don't seem to understand the significance behind this. The fragmented piece of the world infused into the painting is not the same as the world you see before you right now," Little Amulet explained. "It's a fragmented piece of the ancient world!"
"A fragmented piece of the ancient world? Is there anything different about it? At the very most, won't the difference simply lie in the concentration of spiritual energy…" Zhang Xuan did not think too highly of the matter.
It was likely that the concentration of spiritual energy had been much higher in the ancient era, considering how the world had been able to support the rise of Kong shi, the seventy-two Sages, and so many powerful experts. However, what about it? Even if Kong shi had sealed a fragmented piece of the ancient world into the folded space, it was ultimately just a fragmented piece. It could not be compared to the vast lands of the current Master Teacher Continent!
Before Zhang Xuan could finish his sentence, his eyes suddenly narrowed as a thought rose from the depths of his mind. "No, that's not all. You are saying that the fragmented piece of the world sealed within the painting comes from tens of thousands of years ago, back in the era when cultivators were still able to advance to Ancient Sage. So, if one were to cultivate within the Canvas of Four Seasons, there's a chance that one could achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage, right?"
Yang shi and Sword Saint Xing had shared several pieces of information with him regarding Ancient Sages. Around ten thousand years ago, a certain 'quality' seemed to have vanished from the atmosphere of the world. Without this quality, the many Sempiternal realm consummation of the world found themselves unable to take the final step forward to reach Ancient Sage.
It was due to this change that human Ancient Sages willingly went into hibernation in order to prolong their lifespan as much as possible so as to protect mankind from the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.
Considering that this 'quality' had only gone missing in the last ten thousand years, if the fragmented piece of land that Kong shi had sealed within the Canvas of Four Seasons was truly from his era, did that not mean that it would harness the 'quality' required for one to achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage too?
"That's right! Why else do you think they would go so far for this painting?" Little Amulet nodded smugly in agreement.
"I see… This painting represents an opportunity to achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage… Since that's the case, I should give it my all to acquire it!" Zhang Xuan nodded determinedly.
Given his rate of cultivation, while he was only at Aureate Body realm consummation, it was likely that he would be knocking on the bottleneck of Ancient Sage soon enough. If he could not advance any further than that, it would truly be torture for him!
Since the opportunity was right in front of him, he had to seize it by hook or by crook!
"Thanks for your reminder. Little Amulet, you aren't as useless as you seem after all…" Zhang Xuan burst into hearty laughter.
If not for Little Amulet explaining the significance of the Canvas of Four Seasons to him, it might have slipped right through his fingers!
"…" Little Amulet.
On the other hand, Sword Saint Xing stared speechlessly at his son, who had abruptly broken out in huge peals of laughter amid the tense silence between both sides.
Did his son just lose his mind due to sheer joy?
Chapter 1733: The Use of the Icy Crystal
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
As Zhang Xuan and Little Amulet had communicated through telepathy, Sword Saint Xing was unaware of their interaction. He thought that it was because he had said that the painting could be the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn that his son had suddenly gotten so excited.
However, to only start laughing after several minutes had passed… his reaction speed was a little slow!
"Xuan-er…"
Seeing how his son's laughter did not stop even after some time, Sword Saint Xing could not help but call him out of worry.
"Un!" Zhang Xuan quickly recovered from his laughter and nodded. "No matter what, we'll have to get that painting!"
He might still have been a distance away from Ancient Sage, but his parents were already at Sempiternal realm consummation. They were ready to take the final step forward at any moment. If they could acquire the painting and successfully achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage, there would be very little for him to worry about for the rest of the journey through the Temple of Confucius!
"Very well!" Hearing the words of their son, the Xingmeng Sword Saints nodded.
Weng weng weng!
While they were chatting, the seal on the Canvas of Four Seasons was starting to waver under Zhao Ya's ceaseless attacks. It seemed as if it would break open at any moment.
"Very soon…"
Upon seeing this sight, the eyes of the eight youths lit up in anticipation.
Kacha! Kacha!
While everyone was waiting expectantly for the seal to be undone so that they could take the painting away with them, the sound of something shattering apart suddenly broke the silence in the hall.
Astonished by this abrupt noise, the crowd quickly turned their gazes over, and to their horror, the frozen river depicted in the painting had actually begun melting.
"This is bad. We need to hurry up! Once spring arrives in the painting, we won't be able to undo the seal with cold energy anymore!" one of the eight youths exclaimed.
He quickly rushed to Zhao Ya's back and channeled his zhenqi into her body, providing her with the extra energy required to decipher the seal as quickly as possible.
The others also realized the urgency of the matter, so they quickly rushed over and channeled their zhenqi into Zhao Ya's body through a secret art. In an instant, the surge of cold energy exerted by Zhao Ya intensified, hastening the rate at which the seal was being undone.
"Spring arrives in the painting?" Knowing that Little Amulet was knowledgeable about the issue, Zhang Xuan quickly asked, "Does that mean to say that the seal is interrelated with the current season depicted in the painting?"
"As the Canvas of Four Seasons moves from one season to the next, the seal also has to alter accordingly in order to seal the energy in the painting and ensure that it doesn't leak out," Little Amulet explained. "I reckon that those fellows from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers calculated that it would be winter in the Canvas of Four Seasons at the moment, so they kidnapped your student to decipher the seal.
"The seal takes on the cold attribute when it is winter in the painting, allowing those who possess the Pure Yin Constitution to easily manipulate and decipher the seal. However, once spring settles in, the seal will change accordingly. If they don't have a corresponding power, it'll be impossible for them to continue deciphering the seal anymore!"
"Judging by how the glaciers are melting and rivers are starting to flow once more, the Canvas of Four Seasons has already started progressing from winter to spring. Should I help them decipher the seal?" Zhang Xuan asked.
To be honest, he had no idea what kind of energy would correspond to the spring seal. If he did not lend a hand to the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, there was a good chance that there would not even be a painting for them to fight over. If that was the case, he might as well help them for the time being and battle with them over the ownership of the painting afterward.
In any case, he had the Five Monarchs, more than a dozen tamed beasts, and many Great Sage artifacts in his possession. No matter how powerful the eight youths from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers were, he did not think that they would be a match for him.
"Do you think that it's a sheer coincidence that you arrived at the Hall of Great Accomplishment after breaking out of the snow dimension?" Little Amulet harrumphed.
"This…" Zhang Xuan was first taken aback for a while before his eyes lit up in comprehension. "The Canvas of Four Seasons is in its winter season at the moment, and the snow dimension is filled with frost as well. If there's a connection between the two of them, could it mean that…"
Having thought it through, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, and the icy crystal that had been placed on the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe's altar materialized in his grasp.
The icy crystal was no longer as cold as it had been previously. On the contrary, he felt warmth and nourished by the crystal, as if life was finally returning to the world after a long period of frost. Reminiscent to the painting before him, the energy in the icy crystal was gradually progressing toward spring.
"I see…" Zhang Xuan nodded in realization.
He had been addressing the third dimension that he had entered as the snow dimension all that time, but that was not an accurate term. To be more precise, it should have been called the dimension of four seasons.
The season in there was not limited to winter. It would cycle between spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
It just so happened that it was winter when he entered the dimension, which was why all he could see was snow.
The artifact that was controlling the weather in the dimension of four seasons was the crystal that he was holding onto. Had he not taken it away, the snow in that dimension would have started melting, thus ushering spring back to the world.
"That crystal in your hand is the crux to breaking open the seal!" Little Amulet said.
"Un!" Seeing that it was just as he had guessed, Zhang Xuan nodded. Then, with a slightly doubtful voice, he asked, "I thought you didn't know anything at all? Why are you suddenly so knowledgeable about all of this?"
From the forest dimension all the way to the dimension of four seasons, Little Amulet had been completely useless. Yet, at that moment, it was speaking with absolute confidence. If it had known all this information from the very start, why did it not say so?
"Hmm…" Little Amulet pondered for a moment before proudly replying, "It might be because Kong shi has sealed my memories in a manner such that I only regain the relevant memories when I enter specific places. Unless I enter the hall itself, I will be completely ignorant to whatever is in it. For example, if you ask about what is in the other five Subordinate Halls, I wouldn't be able to tell you anything!"
"Alright then…" Zhang Xuan sighed helplessly.
He could see why Kong shi would impose such a restriction on the Prime Amulet. Otherwise, all of his heritage and treasures would have been swept away by a single person, and that was unlikely what Kong shi wanted.
"With this crystal, I should be able to decipher the Canvas of Four Seasons as and when I like. Since that's the case…" Realizing that he was in an advantageous position instead because he had entered the dimension of four seasons, Zhang Xuan shot a glance at the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, who were desperately trying to release the seal within the limited time that they had, and a smile crept onto his lips.
The eight youths were standing in a straight line behind Zhao Ya, connected to each other palms to backs. They had channeled all of their zhenqi into Zhao Ya's body, supplying her with sufficient energy to exert a steady surge of cold energy toward the seal.
"Since you had the guts to kidnap Zhao Ya and put her in a trance so as to make her do your bidding, I don't think you can blame me for what I'm going to do next," Zhang Xuan muttered beneath his breath.
Chuckling softly, he calculated his timing carefully before dashing forward swiftly, as though a bolt of lightning.
His movements were extremely swift, and he had even ignited his Zhang Clan bloodline for this. As such, before anyone could even react, he was already right above Zhao Ya.
"Sever!"
Without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan flicked his finger and sent a surge of sword qi to sever the contact between the palms and Zhao Ya's back.
Boom!
As the contact was severed before the eight youths could retract their zhenqi from Zhao Ya's body, the resulting effect was no different from the eight youths donating their energy to Zhao Ya.
Under the guidance of Zhang Xuan's zhenqi, the huge influx of energy within Zhao Ya's body swiftly tore through all of the bottlenecks in her cultivation, causing her strength to surge furiously.
Kacha! Kacha!
In just two breaths, she had already reached Sempiternal realm consummation.
"Teacher…"
The rise in her cultivation seemed to have broken whatever mind control technique was placed on Zhao Ya. She swiftly regained her consciousness, and upon seeing Zhang Xuan's figure above, her eyes lit up in agitation.
"Seal the remaining zhenqi in your body away from the time being. You can use it when you are pushing for a breakthrough to Ancient Sage!" Zhang Xuan instructed as he sent the method to sealing that huge bundle of energy to her.
Even with the furious surge in Zhao Ya's cultivation all the way to Sempiternal realm consummation, she still had a tremendous amount of energy lingering in her body. After all, in her body was the full zhenqi of eight Sempiternal realm consummation experts!
Zhang Xuan was thinking of having Zhao Ya seal it away for the time being and use it in the future when she attempted for a breakthrough to Ancient Sage. Otherwise, it would be a pity to allow such precious energy to go to waste.
"Zhang Xuan, you are courting death!"
Not expecting their zhenqi to be suddenly stolen in such a manner, the eight youths exploded in rage.
Chapter 1734: Breaking the Seal
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"Courting death? Look who's speaking here!"
Floating in the air, Zhang Xuan glared down at the eight youths beneath him with utterly cold eyes.
"You kidnapped my students and limited their freedom. With no regards to her will, you forced her to expend her strength to help you decipher the seal on the painting… Is this the kind of propriety that the Hundred Schools of Philosophers abide by? Is this what you have inherited from Kong shi?"
Even the final shred of goodwill that Zhang Xuan harbored toward the Hundred Schools of Philosophers had vanished by that point.
Not only did they go around forcing the Luo Clan and the Zhang Clan to accept their challenges to acquire the Celestial Amulets of Legacy, they even captured his students and collaborated together with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. It seemed like they had already lost sight of what they stood for at the very start.
"We're doing this for mankind!" one of the youths amid the group shouted angrily.
"For mankind? What a coincidence! What I'm going to do right now is for mankind as well. Get them!" Zhang Xuan replied with a cold sneer.
Knowing that it was meaningless to argue with the other party, he flicked his wrist.
Huala!
The Five Monarchs and countless weapons materialized around the area and charged for the eight youths from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers.
"You…"
The eight youths did not think that Zhang Xuan would make a move on them without any hesitation. They were angered by his actions, but given the current situation, they had no choice but to focus their effort on fending off the incoming enemies.
"Teacher…" Seeing that her teacher was confronting the youths from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers directly, worry rippled in the depths of Zhao Ya's eyes.
"Don't worry, I'm not so weak as to be done in by them! Tell me how you were kidnapped by them and what happened afterward. I'll redress your grievances!" Zhang Xuan said.
"This was what happened…" Zhao Ya began to recount her story.
Back to the time at the Empire Alliance City, she ordered the members of the Glacier Plain Court to return back to the City of Glacier while she remained in the Empire Alliance for a period of time to reinforce her cultivation. Wei Ruyan also stayed behind to protect her during her cultivation. Thinking that there would be few who were able to pose a threat to the two of them, Zhang Xuan did not think much about it and returned to the Zhang Clan.
But just when the two of them were finally about to leave Empire Alliance City, they encountered a young man.
The young man did not make a move on them right away. Instead, he informed them that he was from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, and there was something important that he needed their help with. However, due to confidentiality issues, he could not tell them what it was yet.
Naturally, the two of them could not possibly accept such a questionable request. Thus, they ended up battling one another, and they swiftly found themselves being outmatched and captured.
By the time they realized that they were in a dire situation, it was already too late for them to send any help messages out.
After that, they were confined in a solitary location. However, the other party did not mistreat them. Instead, they supplied them with sufficient cultivation resources to further their cultivation, and there were even experts who helped them on the difficulties that they were facing with their cultivation.
On top of that, they imparted the method to deciphering the seal to them.
As for the reason that Zhao Ya had been in a trance earlier, it was actually in order to protect her. The seal on the Canvas of Four Seasons was extremely powerful, and it would inflict tremendous pressure on one's mind while trying to decipher it. Through placing her in a trance, the chances of her losing concentration and sustaining irrecoverable damage would be significantly lowered.
"Despite their forceful measures, you went along with them and did whatever they asked you to. Why?" Zhang Xuan frowned.
He knew Zhao Ya's personality very well. She was an obstinate individual who would never yield to force. When had she become so obedient as to obey the orders of someone who had kidnapped her?
This was completely unlike the Zhao Ya that he knew.
"They said that…" At this point, Zhao Ya's face reddened as she bit her lips. "As long as I helped them to decipher the seal, they would offer you an opportunity to push for a breakthrough to Ancient Sage…"
"Offer me an opportunity to push for a breakthrough to Ancient Sage?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.
"That's right. They said that you are the most talented master teacher on the Master Teacher Continent. The roots of both the Hundred Schools of Philosophers and the Master Teacher Pavilion trace back to Kong shi, and they be considered close allies. As long as we were willing to do them this favor, they would reciprocate as well," Zhao Ya replied awkwardly.
"So, you followed their instructions…" Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan felt both a little angry and touched at the same time.
Sighing deeply, he shook his head and said, "I appreciate your intentions, but when have I ever succumbed to a challenge before? It might be difficult to achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage, but I haven't fallen so far that I need to sacrifice my own students in exchange for an opportunity for a breakthrough! Rest assured, if there's truly such an opportunity in the world, I will be able to obtain it with my own strength!"
"Teacher, I was wrong…" Zhao Ya's voice grew a little meek.
"Alright!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand. "Considering that you had good intentions, I won't pursue this matter any further!"
After which, he turned in the direction of the eight youths and ordered, "Stop!"
Hu la!
The Five Monarchs and his many Great Sage artifacts swiftly returned to Zhang Xuan's side, leaving eight incapacitated youths lying powerlessly on the ground. The pummeling that they had been put under had completely ruined their dashing appearance.
"This is just a small punishment for kidnapping my students. Anyone who dares to touch my students will have to bear the consequences of their actions. Since Zhao Ya hasn't sustained any injuries as a result of your doings, I'll spare your lives. However, I want you to answer my questions first before I set you free."
Looking at the eight youths on the ground coldly, he asked, "Firstly, what is the Hundred Schools of Philosophers intending to achieve by snooping around and kidnapping my students? Secondly, has the Hundred Schools of Philosophers already allied with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe… or could it be that you have converted those Otherworldly Demons into your subordinates?"
Upon learning that those of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers did not intend to harm Zhao Ya, a thought surfaced in his mind.
Could it be possible that the Otherworldly Demons whom he had seen alongside the Hundred Schools of Philosophers were actually their subordinates?
He, for example, had managed to forge a Soulless Metal Humanoid out of an Otherworldly Demon Ancient Sage, and he had Vicious subdued in his Book of Heaven's Path as well. However, that did not mean that he was working with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe.
The Hundred Schools of Philosophers might have something similar to that.
"We are only obeying the orders from our superiors. We aren't too sure about the specific details of the matter, so pardon us for being unable to answer your question," one of the youths answered while hissing in pain.
"You are unable to answer my question?" Zhang Xuan gazed down at the youth intently, as if peering right into his mind.
Faced with Zhang Xuan's eyes, the youth hesitated for a moment before replying affirmatively, "… Yes!"
"It's fine if you are unwilling to speak. I'll find out soon enough. Now, scram!" Zhang Xuan turned around and flung his sleeves coldly.
He was indebted to Kong shi, and Ancient Sage Bo Shang and Ancient Sage Ran Qiu had indirectly helped him as well. Since these youths were their descendants, and it did not seem like they had forsaken mankind to ally themselves with the Otherworldly Demons, there was no need for him to claim their lives.
"We aren't leaving," one of the youths protested resolutely.
"Throw them out!" Zhang Xuan commanded imposingly.
The Five Monarchs and the many Great Sage artifacts charged forward once more, and it did not take long for the eight youths to be thrown right out of the Hall of Great Accomplishment.
Without Zhao Ya's unique constitution escorting them in, they would not be able to enter the Subordinate Hall again.
After dealing with the youths from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, Zhang Xuan finally turned his gaze back to the Canvas of Four Seasons. The snow in the painting had mostly melted, and the seal had assumed another form. It was completely different from the seal that Zhao Ya had spent so much effort deciphering earlier.
"Teacher, the seal has changed… The seal releasing technique that I have learned won't work on it anymore," Zhao Ya said anxiously with a pale face.
She tried to channel her cold energy toward the seal, but she realized that she was unable to control the seal anymore.
The attribute of the seal placed on the painting had already changed accordingly to match the season of the painting.
"Don't worry, I have my own ways!" Zhang Xuan chuckled softly as he flicked his finger.
Weng!
The icy crystal that he had obtained earlier materialized before him, and he lightly pushed it forward.
Hu!
The icy crystal immediately surged toward the seal, and as soon as it came into contact with the seal, it began to revolve on the spot. It swiftly formed a vortex that devoured the seal on the painting in the blink of an eye.
Seeing that the icy crystal was indeed effective against the seal, just as Little Amulet had said, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. He quickly beckoned the Xingmeng Sword Saints over.
"Let's head in to take a look!"
Following which, he took the lead and stepped into the unsealed painting. The others also quickly followed suit without any hesitation.
Silence returned to the majestic hall.
Chapter 1735: The Requirements to Achieving a Breakthrough to Ancient Sage
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
Those who had reached the pinnacle of painting were capable of constructing worlds that anyone could enter and live in. More frighteningly, the world that they created could be so lifelike that one would not even realize that one was in a painting.
It was said that tens of thousands of years ago, the Painter Guild had been blessed with a painter of unparalleled talent. He had created his masterpiece, consisting of a massive world and a ravishing beauty, when he was in his prime. Obsessed with his work, he had spent much time in his masterpiece along with the ravishing beauty, and as time passed, he had even fallen in love with the ravishing beauty. One day, he had entered the painting and never left it again.
As a painting created by Kong shi himself, the Canvas of Four Seasons was a work far above the tier of any 9-star painter, be it in terms of conceptualization of the work or the grasp of space-time. The painting was almost no different from a massive folded space, where the end was nowhere in sight.
"There's spiritual energy within this painting, and it's extremely concentrated at that!"
Standing on top of a boulder, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, and he could not help but be astounded by the capabilities of Kong shi.
There was no doubt that this painting had surpassed the level of 9-star painters, achieving the realm of Unadorned Reality.
Everything that was within the painting felt perfectly natural, such that it was impossible to discern any difference between it and the world outside. With an attack of the Dragonbone Divine Spear, Zhang Xuan was still able to open dimension rifts within the painting and traverse through it. More astoundingly, the dimension rifts would slowly repair themselves as well.
Had he not known that it was a painting, he would have never been able to imagine that it was a simulation of reality.
Zhang Xuan swiftly found a clearing before calling the shocked Xingmeng Sword Saints over. "Give it a try and see if you are able to achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage here!"
As his cultivation was only at Aureate Body realm consummation, he was unable to sense the 'quality' that was required for one to achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage. However, his parents were already at Sempiternal realm consummation, and they were just a step away from reaching that legendary level.
"Un!"
Knowing that there was bound to be a reason behind their son's words, the duo swiftly sat down and began cultivating quietly.
Hong long long!
As they began cultivating, the spiritual energy in the area swiftly converged on them and surged into their bodies. Slowly, their auras grew stronger and stronger.
Some time later, the two of them halted their cultivation and stood up.
"We are able to feel the bottleneck of our cultivation, and it feels like we'll be able to overcome the bottleneck with sufficient time… At this rate, it might really be possible for us to achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage!" Sword Saint Meng said.
Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.
It was only a deduction from him and Little Amulet that one would be able to achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage in the Canvas of Four Seasons. However, if that was truly the case, the value of this painting was truly phenomenal!
"Since that's the case, why don't you two try to push for a breakthrough right now?" Zhang Xuan suggested with a smile.
Considering how he had kicked out the offspring of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, it was likely that the Ancient Sage who had stopped him from entering the Pavilion of Frozen Winter earlier would be enraged.
If his parents could achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage right now, they would at least be less defenseless against other Ancient Sages.
"Right now?" Hearing those words, the Xingmeng Sword Saints exchanged glances before shaking their heads bitterly. "You are thinking too lightly of Ancient Sages!"
"It's true that a fragmented piece of the ancient world is sealed here, and the 'quality' of the air in here allows one to take the final step forward and achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage. However," Sword Saint Xing said, "it will still take a lot of time and effort in order to do so. It's not something that can be achieved in the spur of the moment!"
"Even among Kong shi's three thousand students, only seventy-two of them successfully reached Ancient Sage. This is not an undertaking that anyone can succeed in! It's true that the aura lingering in this painting is crucial to achieving a breakthrough to Ancient Sage… but if one's accumulation is insufficient, the presence of the 'quality' in the air won't make any difference!"
Zhang Xuan was startled for a moment before nodding. "You're right…"
His parents were right.
Reaching Ancient Sage was a major breakthrough, and it was highly demanding on one's comprehension of the world. If one could not even meet the prerequisites for a breakthrough, it was impossible to succeed even if one was in a suitable environment.
Even in the ancient era, not every cultivator was able to become an Ancient Sage. Those who were able to reach that realm were all top-notch geniuses.
"What exactly is the 'quality' in the air that allows one to achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage?" Zhang Xuan asked.
"I can't point out exactly what it is either, but I do know that people named it the Aeon of Ancient Sages. As long as one's accumulation reaches a certain level, one will be able to tap into the Aeon of Ancient Sages to rise to greater heights!" Sword Saint Xing explained.
"Aeon of Ancient Sages?" Zhang Xuan nodded contemplatively. "Does this thing exist naturally in our environment, or is it something that could be depleted?"
"There aren't any records as to where the Aeon of Ancient Sages comes from and why it exists in our world, so I have no way of answering your question for sure," Sword Saint Xing explained slowly. "However, based on my deduction, it's likely to be a depletable resource just like rare ores. Once we run out of it, it'll be nigh impossible to bring it back.
"Back when people realized that it was no longer possible to achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage, a huge panic broke out amid the upper echelons of the Master Teacher Continent. There were many remarkable talents who had already accumulated enough to push for a breakthrough, but for some reason, they just weren't able to take the final step forward. It was also around that period of time that they discovered the existence of the Aeon of Ancient Sages!"
As the ex-head of the Zhang Clan, he had heard of this story from his predecessor.
The realization that no one was able to achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage anymore had cast a cloak of despair over the Master Teacher Continent. Those who had cultivated all their life and reached Sempiternal realm consummation with much difficulty suddenly found their cultivation limited. No matter how hard they pushed themselves, they had simply been unable to advance any further. It was inevitable that they would be terrified.
Furthermore, the Otherworldly Demons had also made use of the opportunity to launch attacks on the Master Teacher Continent. It had truly been a period of nightmares for mankind. Humans had nearly succumbed to despair then.
It was fortunate that the Ancient Sages had then decided to devote their lives to protecting mankind by going into hibernation!
Realizing that they were still able to fend against the Otherworldly Demons for the time being, the panic had gradually calmed down.
Were it not for the sacrifices made by the Ancient Sages, mankind would have already ceased to exist!
"I understand that the Aeon of Ancient Sages is a crucial quality to making a breakthrough to Ancient Sage, but exactly what else is required other than that?" Zhang Xuan asked.
His parents had said that they were unable to achieve a breakthrough due to their accumulation being insufficient, but what exactly did that mean? What did they have to accumulate that was insufficient?
Or to put it in other words, what requirements did one have to meet in order to push for a breakthrough to the highest realm?
"Ever since ancient times, Ancient Sages have been the symbol of the highest fighting prowess in the world. There has been a lot of research done on it to study the requirements in order to achieve a breakthrough to that pinnacle realm. Firstly, the presence of the Aeon of Ancient Sages is necessary. Secondly, one's Soul Depth must reach 30.0. Thirdly, one must achieve a soul span of a million kilometers!" Sword Saint Xing explained.
"Soul span of a million kilometers?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "What does that mean?"
He could understand the first two requirements that Sword Saint Xing had mentioned, but what did the third one mean?
"It's really simple. When you refine your soul energy into a soul thread and extend it outward, the longest distance that your soul thread is able to reach will be your soul span!"
Zhang Xuan fell into deep thought.
Hid soul had been tempered by lightning and heavenly flames, making it extraordinarily powerful. He had also used his soul energy to perceive his surroundings before. However, he had never tried threading his soul energy and extending it as far as possible.
Seeing the expression on Zhang Xuan's face, Sword Saint Xing could tell that his son had never tried testing his soul span before, so he asked with a chuckle, "Do you want to give it a try and see what your soul span is?"
Those who were unaware of the conditions required to achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage would not bother testing their souls in such a manner. It was dangerous to spread one's soul too far outward. If the soul thread snapped, one could potentially incur severe damage.
"Alright, I'll give it a try!" Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement. He was also curious how far he could go.
Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan began refining his soul energy into a soul thread before pushing it outward.
100,000 kilometers!
200,000 kilometers!
300,000 kilometers!
In the blink of an eye, he had already passed the 500,000 kilometers mark, but his soul thread showed no signs of slowing down. In fact… he realized that he had not even used a tenth of his soul energy yet!
Chapter 1736: Achieving a Breakthrough to Ancient Sage
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
Hu!
Zhang Xuan finally came to a halt.
"How is it?" the Xingmeng Sword Saints asked curiously.
They knew that their son was the head of the Jiang Clan and had a soul oracle student. Without a doubt, he was likely to be highly proficient in the field of soul arts. However, they were not too sure what realm he had reached, so it was inevitable for them to be interested in his results.
"This…" Zhang Xuan scratched his head awkwardly. "The world in here is simply too small. My soul thread has already reached the end of the world."
While this was a world that Kong shi had created through extraordinary means, it was ultimately still a folded space. There was no way that it could be boundless like the Master Teacher Continent. All in all, the world was less than a million kilometers wide in diameter.
It was not large enough for him to push himself to his limits!
However, if one thing was for sure, when it came to souls, he was already comparable to the Ancient Sages!
Of course, he would only be comparable to them in terms of quantity. When it came to quality, he was severely lacking. At the very most, he would only be able to protect himself from the soul offense of the Ancient Sages. He was still lacking sufficient power to be able to quell experts of that level.
"Even though the world in the painting is small, the fact that you were able to reach the end of the world shows that you possess extraordinary soul span. As long as you raise your Soul Depth and cultivation up to the mark, you should be able to reach Ancient Sage!" Sword Saint Xing remarked in astonishment.
His son's talent was truly overpowered.
While other cultivators struggled to keep up with their soul span even after their cultivation had reached Sempiternal realm consummation, he had already met the requirement despite only being at Aureate Body realm consummation.
Perhaps, the bottleneck that had made Ancient Sage unreachable to most cultivators might be a mere mini hurdle for him, just like any other cultivation realms.
"Actually, it's not too difficult to increase your soul span. I have a soul cultivation technique manual over here that you two can cultivate…" Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out a book.
As one who had comprehended the Soul Quintessence and inherited the heritage of the soul oracles, he had long formed his own school of study regarding souls. The soul cultivation technique manual that he was offering to the Xingmeng Sword Saints was tailored to the constitution of those in the Zhang Clan. As it was completely unrelated to the heritage of the Jiang Clan, it could not be considered betraying the Jiang Clan's secrets.
"This cultivation technique is indeed highly effective in increasing one's soul span. As long as we cultivate it diligently, we should be able to reach a soul span of a million kilometers within a month!" Sword Saint Xing remarked in agitation after swiftly browsing through the manual.
"Un. I'm looking forward to the day that you two become Ancient Sages!" Zhang Xuan said with a chuckle.
"I'm glad that you think highly of the two of us, but it really isn't as easy as that!" Sword Saint Xing shook his head. "Other than the three core requirements, there are many other factors that can affect the possibility of one's breakthrough to Ancient Sage, such as one's understanding of cultivation, one's ability to harmonize with the world, one's state of mind… In any case, a breakthrough to Ancient Sage is truly no easy feat. As powerful as your soul cultivation technique is, it'll only increase our chances of success by ten percent!"
"Only ten percent?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.
"Indeed. Stepping into the Ancient Sage realm symbolizes overcoming one's fundamental limits to reach a higher level of existence. To make an analogy, it's no different from a carp leaping across the Dragon's Gate! One's constitution changes completely, including one's meridians. There's no way to make that leap that easily…" Sword Saint Xing explained.
However, before he could finish his piece, he suddenly felt the world around him quaking intensely. Surges of spiritual energy were swiftly gathering in a certain direction.
Following which, an overwhelming burst of energy gushed into the heavens, splitting the world in half.
"This… Someone is achieving a breakthrough to Ancient sage?" Sword Saint Xing widened his eyes in disbelief.
He felt as if his head was going to explode. Not a moment earlier, he had said that it would be incredibly difficult to achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage!
Who in the world was it?
Sword Saint Xing quickly turned his sight to the center of the vortex, and he saw an eerie-looking saber floating quietly in the air, greedily devouring the spiritual energy and Aeon of Ancient Sages in the air. Its strength swiftly grew greater and greater.
It was as if rivers of spiritual energy were filling up an ocean. The flow of energy was so quick that it caused the saber to shake nonstop.
"This is… your weapon?" Sword Saint Xing gulped.
The dazed Zhang Xuan nodded in response. He was taken aback by the situation as well.
The one that was achieving a breakthrough at the moment was the Infernal Blacksaber.
He did not place it back into his storage ring after chasing the eight youths from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers away, so it had ended up following him into the Canvas of Four Seasons.
In the first place, the Infernal Blacksaber was a Half-Ancient Sage artifact, and it had devoured the fresh blood and souls of 110,000 Otherworldly Demon soldiers. It had already accumulated enough for a breakthrough, but it had just been lacking the final catalyst to do so. The Aeon of Ancient Sages in the painting just so happened to be what it lacked, thus allowing it to successfully advance to Ancient Sage!
Hualala!
A tremendous amount of spiritual energy swept across the area as if hurricanes, causing the ground to tremor intensely. As the Infernal Blacksaber continued to absorb spiritual energy furiously from the painting, the surrounding space began to dissipate.
"The spiritual energy in here isn't sufficient for it to make a breakthrough! If this goes on, I fear that the world in the painting will be completely destroyed!" Sword Saint Xing narrowed his eyes in horror.
Usually, when a cultivator pushed for a breakthrough to Ancient Sage, they would prepare ample cultivation resources so that they would not abruptly run out of energy in the midst of their breakthrough.
However, the Infernal Blacksaber was just a weapon, so it was inevitable that it would neglect something like that. Zhang Xuan had not expected it to achieve a breakthrough at that moment, so he had not made preparations in advance.
If they were on the Master Teacher Continent, there might still have been ample spiritual energy in the air to sustain its breakthrough. However, they were in a painting. Considering how its foundations were not too stable in the first place, the surrounding space was already starting to collapse due to the strain that it was under. At that rate, the entire painting might just be utterly destroyed.
It had not been easy for him to find the Aeon of Ancient Sages required for one to make a breakthrough to Ancient Sage. It would be a huge waste if the painting was destroyed just like that!
"Infernal Blacksaber, absorb this!"
Knowing that there was no time to lose, Zhang Xuan flicked his finger.
Hula!
A droplet of blood harnessing a concentrated reservoir of energy surged toward the Infernal Blacksaber.
It was the blood that Old Geezer Yu had shed after he was injured.
The old ancestor of the Zhang Clan had collected the blood and given it to him. If there was anything that he had that could provide sufficient energy for the Infernal Blacksaber to achieve a breakthrough, it was that.
Tzzzzzz!
As soon as the Infernal Blacksaber came into contact with the blood, it swiftly absorbed it. However, it seemed like the spiritual energy harnessed within a single droplet was not enough for its breakthrough.
Thus, Zhang Xuan flicked the other droplets of blood over one after another.
Soon, he had already depleted all five droplets of Old Geezer Yu's blood.
It was only after absorbing the fifth droplet of blood that the Infernal Blacksaber finally calmed down. An aura of invincibility drifted off from its body, and it felt as if it could split the painting in two and escape with just a single slash.
Hong long long!
A dimension rift appeared in the sky of the painting, and ominous clouds swiftly gushed in.
It was a cultivation ordeal, the Ancient Sage Ordeal!
Under normal circumstances, it would have been impossible for one to summon a cultivation ordeal within a folded space. However, the Ancient Sage Ordeal was simply so powerful that the world within the painting was not able to stop it.
Kacha!
Lightning and heavenly flames descended from the sky and shrouded the Infernal Blacksaber. The Infernal Blacksaber swiftly channeled the remaining energy from Old Geezer Yu's blood to alleviate the destructive might from the cultivation ordeal, allowing it to absorb the energy safely. Slowly, crimson marks surfaced on its blade.
Under the tempering of the lightning and heavenly flames, the Infernal Blacksaber became more and more sinister. Just a glance at it was more than enough to unnerve one's will.
Hu!
Some time later, the ominous clouds finally began to dissipate, leaving the Infernal Blacksaber floating quietly in the air. With a light slash, the space in the painting was sliced apart as easily as a blob of tofu.
"I have finally reached Ancient Sage! Hahaha!" The Infernal Blacksaber burst into laughter. Following which, it turned to Zhang Xuan and kneeled on the floor. "Thank you, Master!"
Chapter 1737: Assimilating the Ancient Sage Blood
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"Rise!"
With a wave of his hand, the Infernal Blacksaber fell into Zhang Xuan's hand. He immediately felt the destructive energy harnessed within it.
Before, he would need to resort to all kinds of means in order to defeat a Sempiternal realm consummation expert. However, with the Infernal Blacksaber in his grasp, he would be able to easily slay dozens of Sempiternal realm consummation experts with just a simple slash.
Even though there was only a realm of difference between Ancient Sage and Sempiternal realm, the gap between the two realms was as great as the distance between the heavens and the earth. This difference was not something that could be breached with just quantity.
"I'll finally be able to protect myself from other Ancient Sages now…" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in agitation.
Even though the golden page did grant him the ability to kill other Ancient Sages, it had its limitations too. For example, if Old Geezer Yu had continued hiding quietly, he would have been unable to do anything about the other party even if he had the golden page in mind. However, the situation was completely different now that the Infernal Blacksaber had reached Ancient Sage!
If Old Geezer Yu made a move on him again, the Infernal Blacksaber would surely be able to trace the origin of his aura and injure him!
That was also how the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan managed to drive Old Geezer Yu away.
This was another invaluable trump card in his possession. If he used it together with the Otherworldly Demon Ancient Sage corpse, he would be able to kill other Ancient Sages in a surprise assault!
He was no longer as reliant on the golden page as he was before.
"Alright, you should reinforce your cultivation!" Zhang Xuan instructed.
The Infernal Blacksaber nodded, and it began flitting into the distance to find a quiet spot to cultivate. However, before it could get far, it ran into the Dragonbone Divine Spear, which was making its way over. It hurriedly bowed respectfully to the latter before going on its way.
It was only after reaching Ancient Sage that the Infernal Blacksaber realized just how powerful the seal placed on the Dragonbone Divine Spear was. Once its seal was released, there was no doubt that it would not stand a chance at all against the Dragonbone Divine Spear.
"Xuan-er, your spear…"
Upon seeing this sight, Sword Saint Xing widened his eyes in astonishment.
The hierarchy among artifacts was extremely straightforward; they would only bow to artifacts stronger to them. If the Infernal Blacksaber had paid its respects to the Dragonbone Divine Spear, did it not mean that the latter was even stronger than an Ancient Sage artifact?
He knew that the Dragonbone Divine Spear was no ordinary power, but he was not too sure just how powerful it was.
"It's nothing much. It's just another minor fortuitous encounter," Zhang Xuan explained with a smile.
"It's just another small fortuitous encounter?" Sword Saint Xing staggered on the spot and nearly broke down.
Do you have some kind of misunderstanding as to what 'minor fortuitous encounter' means?
If your Dragonbone Divine Spear, Infernal Blacksaber, and all those Great Sage artifacts you have are only minor fortuitous encounters, what in the world could be called a major fortuitous encounter?
"Wait here for a moment. I'll go tame this painting…" Without explaining himself, Zhang Xuan quickly made his way toward a certain direction.
Not too long later, he arrived before a cave. With a simple grasp, a scroll appeared in his hand.
It was the original painting of the Canvas of Four Seasons. He had found the painting while threading his soul energy together to extend it as far as he could.
With a few taps, the painting swiftly acknowledged him as its master, and he stowed it into his storage ring.
Hu la!
With a jolt, the Xingmeng Sword Saints suddenly found themselves returning to the hall. They instinctively turned their sights toward where the painting had been placed previously, only to find that it had completely disappeared from sight.
A short moment later, Zhang Xuan also left the painting and materialized on the spot. "Do you want to cultivate here or follow me?"
The greatest treasure in the Hall of Great Accomplishment was the Canvas of Four Seasons. However, the sculptures of the seventy-two Sages, the rich spiritual energy, and the inscriptions on the walls were all invaluable resources for cultivation as well.
They would be able to advance their cultivation tenfold faster in the hall than anywhere else.
The Xingmeng Sword Saints glanced at one another before shaking their heads in unison. "We won't be following you anymore. It's peaceful here, and it's a good opportunity for us to cultivate our souls and state of mind, as well as to assimilate the Ancient Sage blood. We'll try to achieve a breakthrough here!"
They had realized that they would only be a burden to their son if they followed him with their current strength. Since that was the case, it would be better for them to remain in the Hall of Great Accomplishment and cultivate. If they could achieve a breakthrough to Ancient Sage, they might still be able to continue supporting their son in his endeavors.
"I'll remain here, too!" Hu Yaoyao said.
She had only recently achieved a breakthrough to the Introspective Convalescence realm, and she would be even more of a burden if she insisted on following Zhang Xuan around.
Zhao Ya stepped forward and said, "Teacher, I'll follow you. I know where they took Wei Ruyan and Yuan Tao!"
"Un!" Zhang Xuan nodded. He pondered for a moment before flicking his finger, sending a droplet of Ancient Sage blood toward Zhao Ya. "Absorb this droplet of blood first!"
Many dangers lay ahead of them. Even though every droplet of Ancient Sage blood was an invaluable treasure, there was nothing more important to him than his student's safety.
"Yes!"
Zhao Ya quickly sat down and absorbed the droplet of blood into her body. Power flurried through her body, but in less than ten minutes, she stood up once more with brilliant light shining from her eyes.
"Have you… managed to assimilate the Ancient Sage blood?" Zhang Xuan asked in astonishment.
The reason for him being able to assimilate the blood swiftly was because the blood from the old ancestor had originated from him. However, why was Zhao Ya able to do it so quickly as well?
"Yes, Teacher!" Zhao Ya nodded. "After you reconstructed my meridians, I realized that I am able to convert any energy into my zhenqi swiftly. Even though the droplet of blood harnesses a lot of energy, it still doesn't pose too much of a problem for me to assimilate it!"
"Meridians?" Zhang Xuan frowned.
He tapped his finger and sent a surge of zhenqi into Zhao Ya's body to check on her condition. It seemed like after the alteration in Zhao Ya's meridians, her ability to assimilate energy into her body had become far stronger than other cultivators.
In that respect, even Zhang Xuan would pale in comparison to her.
Then again, considering how her meridian network was even more rational than that of an Ancient Sage, it was no wonder that she had been able to assimilate Ancient Sage blood so swiftly!
"Let's go!"
The fact that Zhao Ya had assimilated the Ancient Sage blood meant that she, at the very least, had a life preservation method if anything bad happened. Bidding farewell to his parents, Zhang Xuan began making his way out of the Hall of Great Accomplishment together with Zhao Ya.
Looking at the departing duo, a bitter smile crept onto Sword Saint Xing's face as he remarked, "He might be my son, but I have to say that he and his students are really overpowered…"
Just to assimilate a droplet of Ancient Sage blood, they had to store it in their dantian and absorb it bit by bit over a month or so. On the other hand, those two were actually able to assimilate it into their bodies within moments. This was truly an inconceivable feat.
"We need to work much harder as well. Otherwise, if our son and his students surpass us, we won't be able to maintain our dignity as elders before them!" Sword Saint Meng said.
"Indeed, indeed!" Sword Saint Xing nodded.
The two of them sat down on the floor and began cultivating.
…
"Old ancestor, you have to redress our grievances!"
Outside the Hall of Great Accomplishment, the eight youths who had been driven out were crying with snot and tears dripping down their faces.
They had dedicated much time and effort to preparing for the expedition before they were finally able to get into the Hall of Great Accomplishment. They had never expected that they would be viciously pummeled before being thrown out of the Subordinate Hall before they could acquire anything at all.
"You can only blame yourselves for your lack of strength!" the hidden Ancient Sage remarked with a hint of resignation in his tone.
"It's not that we are weak, but that fellow has tamed so many beasts and powerful artifacts! If not for those, there's no way that he would have been a match for us!" One of the youths gritted his teeth hatefully.
What was great about that fellow?
All he had were his tamed beasts and artifacts. Without those two, there was no way that he would have stood a chance against them!
"That's right! Old ancestor, we beseech you to create a chance for us to have a fair duel with him!"
"If he's able to defeat us without those external aids, we'll willingly admit our defeat!"
The other youths quickly nodded in agreement.
"This…" The old ancestor for silent for a moment before speaking up once more. "Brother Hongtian, my descendants would like to have a fair duel with your descendant. Will you grant me this favor?"
"Feel free to discuss any arrangements with my descendant. Rest assured, as long as you don't resort to anything unprincipled, I don't intend to intervene in his matters!" the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan said.
While Zhang Xuan and the others had entered the Hall of Great Accomplishment, he had remained hidden in the vicinity.
"That's a relief…" the old ancestor of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers replied.