Chapter 1738: Assaulting an Ancient Sage
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
Hu!
The seal of the Hall of Great Accomplishment glowed, and Zhang Xuan and Zhao Ya flew out.
"Where do you think you're going?"
The eight youths with a couple of others from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers swiftly surrounded the two of them as soon as they appeared.
"What? Do you still want a pummeling?" Zhang Xuan harrumphed coldly.
He had already spared their lives, but they did not know gratitude. Did they really think that he was a pushover?
"We want a fair duel with you, one-on-one. You aren't allowed to your weapons or tamed beasts. Do you dare take up our challenge?" one of the youths spat coldly.
"Fair duel? What are the stakes then?" Zhang Xuan shot a nonchalant glance at the youth.
Without any stakes involved, he could not be bothered to waste his time fighting a meaningless battle with this crowd.
Before the youth could reply, the voice of the Ancient Sage sounded in the air. "Earlier, Brother Hongtian gave you five droplets of Ancient Sage blood. If you are able to win the duel with them, I'll also offer you five droplets of Ancient Sage blood as the wager!
"This is the stake that we are willing to offer. What do you have to offer us then?"
"What do I have to offer?" Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before saying, "I can spare their lives!"
"…" The Ancient Sage suddenly felt an uncomfortable throbbing in his heart.
In the first place, it's uncertain who will win in the duel. Furthermore, I have offered you five droplets of Ancient Sage blood, but is this really all you have to offer me? Are you that certain that you'll be able to win?
"If you lose to us, you have to hand over the Canvas of Four Seasons!"
"Indeed! You have to bring out the Canvas of Four Seasons as your wager!"
…
The other youths shouted vehemently.
However, before they could finish their piece, they found Zhang Xuan looking at them with a gaze that seemed as though he was looking at fools. "Are you dreaming? Do you think those few droplets of blood from your old ancestor are worth me bringing out the Canvas of Four Seasons as a wager?"
"T-then… Your wager won't work either! If you lose the duel, we will have nothing to gain from the battle!"
The crowd from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers protested furiously.
The Ancient Sage from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers felt even more stifled than before.
"That isn't any of my business, is it? It's not as if I'm really interested in having this duel with you. If you don't want to battle me, we can always call the duel off," Zhang Xuan uttered as he stretched his back lazily.
He had not intended to duel with those from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers in the first place, so it was not as if it would hurt him dearly not to have the duel.
"How about this? We'll bet five droplets of blood for an opportunity to achieve a breakthrough in your Canvas of Four Seasons," the Ancient Sage from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers suggested.
"Hmm… That wager does sound fair to me, but I'm only at Aureate Body realm consummation whereas your descendants are all Sempiternal realm consummation cultivators. There are two realms of difference between us, so isn't it extremely disadvantageous for me to be unable to use my artifacts and tamed beasts?" Zhang Xuan said.
"I'll have them lower their cultivation to your level!" the Ancient Sage from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers replied.
It was indeed unfair for them to impose so many restrictions on the other party and yet send cultivators of higher realms against him.
"That would be great. Let's begin then!" Zhang Xuan nodded before taking a step forward. With a light chuckle, he remarked, "So that we don't waste each other's time, you may come at me together. However, if you come at me all at once, I might not be able to hold myself back. I'll have to ask for your pardon if a couple of you lose your lives in the process!"
"You want to kill us? Try it then!" one of the youths sneered coldly.
He suppressed his cultivation down to Aureate Body realm consummation before charging toward Zhang Xuan, making the first move.
Using some mysterious secret art, the movement of the youth became extremely swift. In the blink of an eye, the youth had already arrived before Zhang Xuan, and his palm struck diagonally down toward Zhang Xuan's head.
In that instant, the youth thought that he had already gotten Zhang Xuan for good, but before his palm could connect, he suddenly felt a sharp sensation in his chest as air gushed out of his lungs. Turning his eyes downward, he found that the other party's palm had already sunk right into his chest.
Peng!
The youth flew into the distance before he crashed wretchedly on the floor, coughing out huge mouthfuls of blood.
To his astonishment, he could not even discern how Zhang Xuan had made a move on him at all! It was as if the other party's palm had simply teleported right in front of him!
"Come at me together. There's no way any of you stand a chance against me in a one-on-one!" Zhang Xuan shot a glance at the remaining youths.
"Let's get him together!"
The crowd had seen the earlier exchange, and they realized that the other party's fighting prowess was far greater than theirs in the same cultivation realm. There was no way that they could possibly hope to defeat him alone. Without hesitating for long, they nodded at one another before charging at the other party simultaneously.
Peng peng peng peng!
Before the crowd could even reach Zhang Xuan, the person in question had already charged right into them. As if a tiger around a pack of lambs, there was not a single person who was able to withstand a blow from him.
They were the top geniuses from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, and they had prided themselves on their superior fighting prowess against their peers. Yet, before the young man before them, the strength that they were so confident of was so laughably pathetic that it seemed as if they were little kids parading before an adult.
"How could he be so powerful?"
Witnessing this scene, the Ancient Sage of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers could swiftly tell that his descendants had lost the battle!
Even though the other party was only at Aureate Body realm consummation, his true fighting prowess was already on par with Sempiternal realm cultivators!
Of the entire Hundred Schools of Philosophers, the only one known to possess such superior capability was Kong Shiyao!
Watching the battle a little longer, it was painfully apparent that even in a group battle, they were not close to being a match for Zhang Xuan.
As much as he did not want to admit it, the Ancient Sage of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers still sighed deeply and advised, "You aren't a match for him… Admit defeat!"
However, barely after he spoke those words, an unexpected situation occurred.
Under the relentless assault from the group from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, Zhang Xuan accidentally made a fatal mistake, leaving him open for a brief moment. One of the youths keenly noticed this opportunity and pierced his finger toward Zhang Xuan's blind spot.
In the face of this unexpected crisis, perhaps it was because Zhang Xuan thought that it was too late for him to avoid the attack, he lifted his palm to strike the youth's head instead.
This was a move of mutually assured destruction! The youth might be able to pierce his finger through Zhang Xuan's heart, but he would also have his head smashed to bits by the latter and die on the spot!
More importantly, judging from the frightening momentum of the duo's movements, it was already too late for them to retract their attacks.
"Halt!" the Ancient Sage of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers roared anxiously.
A powerful surge of energy swiftly shrouded the entire area, sealing the surroundings space. It seemed like the Ancient Sage of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers had decided to make a move in order to prevent a tragedy from happening.
However, a moment after he released his energy, the young man below, who was moments away from having his heart pierced, suddenly moved in an awkward trajectory and mysteriously avoided the deadly move.
Following which, a saber materialized in his palm.
Huala!
To the astonishment of the Ancient Sage of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, the target of the saber was not his descendants but him!
"That is… an Ancient Sage weapon!" The Ancient Sage of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers narrowed his eyes in shock.
He did not think that the young man would intentionally reveal a flaw just to lure him into making a move and confirm his location.
He immediately attempted to flee, but it was already too late. The saber had wrapped its aura around him, keeping him firmly in place.
Puhe!
A sharp glint flashed across the air, and fresh blood spurted in the air.
"Haha! You have my deepest gratitude for your generosity!" Zhang Xuan chuckled softly as he swiftly caught all of the blood with a gourd that he had prepared.
All in all, there were over twenty droplets of blood.
Those five droplets of Ancient Sage blood were no longer enough for him to make a move. From the very start, this was what he was aiming for!
The Ancient Sage of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers had been polite to him on the surface, but he had overlooked the despicable actions committed by his descendants, turning a blind eye as they kidnapped his students and made use of them for their own gain. Not only so, he had even used his powers to suppress him so as to stop him from getting to Zhao Ya.
There was no way that he would miss an opportunity to get even with the other party!
"You…"
Having lost too much blood, the face of the Ancient Sage of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers paled from frailty. Infuriated by the sudden assault, he was just about to make a move when he suddenly felt an imposing aura raging by the side.
It was the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan, Zhang Hongtian, warning him against making a move on his descendant. Knowing that he could not afford to fight with Zhang Hongtian at the moment, he suppressed his raging fury and held himself back.
To think that an Ancient Sage like him had actually been fooled by an Aureate Body realm brat, even suffering injuries in the process! Such a thing was completely unthinkable!
"The young head of the Zhang Clan sure is a remarkable figure! I am impressed. Our Hundred Schools of Philosophers admit our loss. Farewell!"
Hu la!
With a powerful gale, the Ancient Sage of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers swiftly pulled his descendants back to his side before turning around, preparing to leave the area.
"Wait a moment. Where are the five droplets of Ancient Sage blood that you promised me for losing the challenge? Are you intending to renege on your promise?" Zhang Xuan shouted after the Ancient Sage.
The Ancient Sage of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers staggered upon hearing those words. He nearly spurted out a mouthful of fresh blood.
Suppressing the stifled feeling in his chest, he flicked a jade bottle over before leaving decisively.
He was afraid that he would be choked to death if he continued conversing with the young man!
Chapter 1739: Poison Dimension
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"That's more like it!"
Catching the jade bottle, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.
Those who wanted to force him into a duel had to pay a corresponding price for their actions. Not even Ancient Sages would be an exception to that rule!
"Your saber's made a breakthrough to Ancient Sage, has it?" the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan asked in shock. He could hardly believe what he had just seen.
"Un!" Zhang Xuan nodded affirmatively.
"Great. That's great!"
There was a brief moment of silence before the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan burst into hearty laughter.
Over the years, he had been singlehandedly propping the Zhang Clan up, and it was extremely tiring for him. He knew that if he passed away, the Zhang Clan would swiftly fall into decline, and that was not something that he was willing to see. However, the breakthrough of that saber meant that the Zhang Clan had another Ancient Sage to rely on.
Furthermore, the lifespan of an artifact was far longer than a human's. There was no doubt that its existence would ensure the safety of the Zhang Clan for a very long time.
"I still have some students who are in the hands of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, so I'll be taking my leave!" Zhang Xuan clasped his fist.
With the departure of the Ancient Sages of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers and Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, there was nothing else that could pose a threat to them there.
"Go on!" The old ancestor of the Zhang Clan waved his hand.
If not for the interference of the old ancestor from the Zhang Clan, his earlier assault would not have succeeded. In the worst-case scenario, he might have even died to the Otherworldly Demon Ancient Sage earlier. Thus, he bowed deeply to the old ancestor of the Zhang Clan before prompting Zhao Ya to lead the way ahead.
The two of them flew an extremely long distance, and it was not until the Hall of Great Accomplishment was nothing but a blur in the scenery that Zhao Ya finally came to a halt.
"I entered this space with the Hundred Schools of Philosophers from here!" Zhao Ya said.
Taking a look, Zhang Xuan realized that this was the place where he and Hu Yaoyao had entered from. It seemed like it was the same for the others as well.
"Break!"
Zhang Xuan had only managed to arrive in the exteriors of the Hall of Great Accomplishment through the offerings of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, which had opened a spatial passageway there. However, with the Infernal Blacksaber upgraded to Ancient Sage tier, he did not have to depend on such elaborate techniques anymore.
Huala!
With a slash of the Infernal Blacksaber, a black rift appeared in midair.
Zhang Xuan pulled Zhao Ya and leaped right into the black rift.
The next moment, the two of them returned to the dimension of four seasons.
However, what that stood before him was no longer a field of snow. Flowers had bloomed amid verdant greenery, replacing the monotonous whiteness from before.
If not for the fact that the Introspective Convalescence realm elder was still in the area, he would have wondered if he had entered another world.
Having been in this dimension before, it did not take him too long to find the exit to the world. The duo swiftly dived through the spatial seal to enter the next dimension.
Hu!
Before they knew it, they found themselves standing in the midst of a mountain forest filled with miasma.
Zhao Ya took a look at the surrounding environment. "Wei Ruyan is likely to be in the Subordinate Hall corresponding to this dimension!"
Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement. He flicked his wrist, and a pill appeared on his palm. "Swallow this!"
"Alright!" Zhao Ya popped the pill into her mouth before asking doubtfully, "Teacher, is this an antidote?"
"The air and water here are poisonous. Monitor your condition and be careful!" Zhang Xuan explained.
Due to his Innate Fetal Poison, he had devoted a fair portion of his time to studying poison. With a glance, he could tell that the mountain forest was not as simple as it seemed. Despite the silence drifting in the area, there were no formidable beasts that posed a threat; the truth was that the entire area was suffused with lethal poison that would callously suffocate the unwary.
Following closely behind her teacher, Zhao Ya asked, "Teacher, what do we do now?"
"Let's find the exit of this dimension for the time being. If my guess is correct, the location of the Subordinate Hall should be directly above the exit!" Zhang Xuan said.
Having gone through a couple of dimensions, he was already fairly well-versed in the rules.
He randomly picked a direction with his Dragonbone Divine Spear, confounding Zhao Ya in the process, before trudging off in the chosen direction.
There were venomous scorpions and snakes all over the jungle, but as one who possessed the Heaven's Path zhenqi, Zhang Xuan did not fear them. They carried on ahead without facing much danger.
After traveling for roughly an hour, they encountered a group of master teachers whose faces had turned frighteningly pale. It was apparent that they had been poisoned.
Zhang Xuan gave them a couple of pills infused with Heaven's Path zhenqi to cure them of their poison. Following which, he asked them a few questions to determine the approximate location of the exit before rushing over.
…
"This should be it!"
Roughly two hours later, the duo finally halted right before a medium-sized pond.
"This seems to be nothing more than an ordinary pond. Teacher, why do you think that this is the exit?" Zhao Ya asked doubtfully.
She had also heard the answers provided by the group of master teachers, but even they had been oblivious to the true location of the exit. How could her teacher be so certain about the matter?
"That's simple!"
Without bothering to explain himself, Zhang Xuan swiped his hand through the air and grabbed an ant in between his fingertips.
This ant was crimson in color, and it was roughly the size of a bean. With just a glance, it was clear that it was an extremely venomous creature.
With a light chuckle, Zhang Xuan placed the ant on the back of his hand.
Puhe!
Without any hesitation, the ant bit through Zhang Xuan's skin, injecting venom right into his bloodstream. At the same time, Zhang Xuan did not use his Heaven's Path zhenqi to neutralize the poison, allowing it to spread freely through his body instead.
In the blink of an eye, the back of his hand had already started turning black, and blisters were starting to form here and there.
"Teacher…"
Not understanding the intentions behind her teacher's actions, Zhao Ya panicked.
She could tell that the venom that had just been injected into her teacher's body was deadly. If it made its way toward her teacher's heart through the bloodstream, that could result in instantaneous death!
"Calm down, there's no need to worry!" Zhang Xuan said calmly.
With a casual wave of his hand, the water in the pond splashed into the air and scattered over his wound.
Tzzzzzzzz!
It was as if the lethal poison on the back of his hand had encountered its nemesis. White smoke rose into the air, and the blackness and blisters from before swiftly retreated. Before long, his hand had reverted to its original state, as if it had never been poisoned before.
"This…" Zhao Ya was taken aback. "Is the water in this pond actually an antidote?"
"That's right!" Zhang Xuan nodded. "As treacherous as these dimensions seem, Kong shi left them behind in order to test the future generations to see if they are qualified to inherit his treasures. His aim was never to cause meaningless deaths! As such, there was bound to be an antidote of some kind near the exit. Otherwise, it would be meaningless for him to leave his heritage behind, only to have no one alive to inherit it!"
Zhao Ya nodded in realization.
"I asked the previous group of master teachers that we encountered earlier where the most dangerous location, the place that has the greatest number of venomous creatures, is in this dimension. They pointed me toward here. The cultivation technique that Kong shi practices emphasizes the harmony of nature; where there is yin, yang is bound to exist as well. Wherever the density of venomous creatures is the greatest, it's likely to be where the antidote lies. That's why I was certain that this is where the exit lies!" Zhang Xuan said confidently.
He knew that it was impossible for the group of master teachers that he had encountered previously to know where the exit was. If they knew, they would have escaped from the poison dimension instead of wandering helplessly around the area.
While they did not know where the exit was, in the long period of time that they had spent there, they should have gotten a rough idea of where the more treacherous terrain was.
After they made their way there, the first thing that Zhang Xuan realized was that there were no venomous creatures around the perimeter of the pond. That was more than enough to back up his deduction.
Realizing that they were right before the exit, Zhao Ya asked, "Teacher, should we tear a dimension rift right now to save Ruyan?"
Based on what her teacher had said, the Subordinate Hall where Wei Ruyan had been taken to was likely right above the pond.
"We are going to save her, but before that, there's one more thing that we have to do. Wait here for me while I go into the pond to take a look. The fact that the antidote that neutralizes the poison from the venomous creatures in this dimension can be found within the pond means that the crux to the dimension is likely to be in there as well. We'll have to grab that first!" Zhang Xuan said.
The crux of the forest dimension was the Five Monarchs. In the desert dimension, it was the Berserk Yellowsand Wood. In the dimension of four seasons, it was the crystal. There was little doubt that something similar could be found in the poison dimension as well.
Like the crystal, it was likely to be an artifact that would play a crucial role in whatever they encountered within the Subordinate Hall.
In any case, it was always better to be prepared.
After saying those words, Zhang Xuan leaped right into the clear pond without any hesitation.
Chapter 1740: Fishing
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
With a depth of around ten meters, the pond was not too deep. Beyond that was where the spatial seal that led to the next dimension lay.
Instead of entering the spatial seal, Zhang Xuan chose to swim around its vicinity to take a closer look.
But even after swimming all the way around once, he was unable to find anything at all. Putting aside any lifeforms, he could not even find any rocks, ores, or anything that could remotely resemble an artifact. It was all clear water.
"Did I guess incorrectly? Does the crux of the dimension not lie here, or could it be that… someone has beaten me to it?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "No, that's not right. If someone had claimed the crux of the formation, the poison lingering in the air would have receded by now…"
In the desert dimension, the desert had vanished after he took the Berserk Yellowsand Wood. In the forest dimension, as he had left together with the Five Monarchs, it was not clear what had happened after they departed. Nevertheless, no longer restricted by the authority of the Five Monarchs, it was unlikely for the beasts in the dimension to remain so orderly.
The same applied to the poison dimension as well. Considering how poison was still lingering in the air and the pond still possessed the properties of an antidote, it was likely that the crux of the dimension had not been found.
"Eye of Insight!"
Zhang Xuan scrutinized every nook and cranny within the pond, and soon, he noticed that something was amiss.
The substance that would neutralize the surrounding poison seemed to be growing scarcer and scarcer.
Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before flying out of the pond. He waited for a few seconds before checking on the pond once more, only to find that the substance had fully regenerated within.
"Teacher, have you found it yet?" Zhao Ya asked.
"Not yet. However, I have a good guess as to what the crux of the formation is. Bring me a bamboo pole!" Zhang Xuan instructed with a smile.
Zhao Ya left the area. Shortly after, she returned with a bamboo pole in hand.
Taking the bamboo pole, Zhang Xuan shook it lightly, jolting the leaves off. Driving his zhenqi through the bamboo pole, he manifested his zhenqi as a thin thread at the other end of the bamboo pole before concentrating his zhenqi at the very tip of the thread, as if preparing a delicious bait for the prey to be reeled in.
"This is… a fishing rod? Teacher, are you intending to fish at this pond?" Zhao Ya was taken aback.
" Fish with a rod and not with a net; hunt not those back in their nests 1 . If I'm not mistaken, the crux of this dimension can only be fished out. Other methods wil only drive it further away!" Zhang Xuan explained with a smile.
In the past, he had read a book about Kong shi, and one of them depicted 'Fish with a rod and not with a net; hunt not those back in their nests'. What it meant was that Kong shi fished with a fishing rod and not through fishing nets, and even though he did use the bow and arrow to hunt animals, he would never attempt to shoot down those that were resting.
This was an analogy to display Kong shi's benevolence, but it seemed like it had a deeper meaning. Using forceful means would not get him what he wanted within the pond. The only way was to literally fish!
Zhang Xuan placed a venomous worm inside the pond before sitting quietly by the side.
Fishing could temper one's state of mind and rid one of restlessness and anxiety, allowing one to be more aligned with nature.
Even ordinary mortals could fuse into their surroundings while fishing, creating a scene as still as a painting, let alone cultivators at his level of cultivation.
As the fishing line that he had made out of zhenqi swayed along with the ripples on the pond, Zhang Xuan suddenly felt that the poison dimension was not as frightening as it seemed. It was another creation of nature, and it was both real and authentic.
In ancient times, when the world was rich with spiritual energy, no humans would dare to step into the primordial forests. Miasma lingered in those places, and venomous creatures prowled the area, ready to sink their toxins into any unwary souls. It was rather similar to the poison dimension that he was in.
This dimension was not an artificial creation. It was one of the primordial forests that had withstood the test of time.
In there, one could experience the true nature of nature.
Driving the cultivation technique that he had practiced while achieving a breakthrough to Great Sage, Zhang Xuan seemed to have become a part of the natural world as well, fusing in with the boulders, trees, and dirt around.
Under the extreme calmness, his Soul Depth began to rise…
29.91!
29.92!
…
Huala!
While Zhang Xuan was in a trance, the water before him suddenly rippled. Following which, an anxious voice filled the air.
"Teacher, a fish has taken the bait!"
Lowering his head, Zhang Xuan saw a bright red koi hanging on his zhenqi thread, struggling desperately. Water splashed all around the area.
"What a pity!"
It was great that he had caught the fish, but it had also jolted him out of his trance.
Had it not, his Soul Depth might have reached 30.0, thus hitting the prerequisite for him to become an Ancient Sage!
Hu la!
Zhang Xuan lowered his wrist lightly before swinging it backward powerfully. The bright red koi fish was flung right out of the pond.
Hu la!
Thrown out of the water, the koi fish struggled on the ground a while as its mouth opened and closed desperately, as if it could not catch its breath. A moment later, it flipped over with its eyes bulging from their sockets, seemingly having breathed its last breath.
"Teacher, is the fish… dead?" Zhao Ya asked in uncertainty.
Isn't this the crux of the dimension?
Why did it die as soon as it was fished up?
Was it not meant to be fished up?
"Alright, that's enough!" Zhang Xuan kicked the body of the koi fish lightly, and it bounced up a few times in response to the stimulus before falling still once more, as if it was truly dead this time around.
Rendered speechless, he flicked his finger and gathered a bundle of black flames infused with the lightning and threatened, "Haven't you had your fun yet, or do you want to be roasted?"
"Cough cough!" The koi fish on the ground flipped upward and stood up on its tail. "My apologies, it's just a habit of mine. I haven't been on the shore for so long that I had some trouble breathing when I came up, and I thought that I would suffocate to death…"
Zhao Ya's cheeks twitched upon hearing those words.
A fish actually stood up and began speaking.
Furthermore… the fish seemed to have quite an eccentric personality.
"Don't estimate this fellow. It's a Sempiternal realm consummation cultivator. Put aside coming onto shore, he wouldn't die even if he was thrown into a pot of boiling oil!" Zhang Xuan explained.
Zhao Ya's initial shock slowly turned into intrigue as she asked, "If it possesses such strength, how did it end up being fished up?"
A Sempiternal realm consummation fish was likely to be a being of great intelligence. Yet, it had been fished up by an ordinary bamboo pole… This was unbelievable!
"I can't help it—it was out of habit! In the past, Kong shi would often come to fish me. He would hook me up each and every time before releasing me shortly after. Each time, I would be caught dozens of times, so I eventually got used to it!" the koi fish explained.
Zhao Ya's cheeks continued to twitch.
Despite its strength, it still allowed itself to be hooked up each and every single day… Furthermore, from the looks of it, it seemed like it enjoyed the process. Was it really that bored?
More importantly, to fish the same fish every single day… Kong shi must have been bored to death!
"Don't listen to his nonsense. If I'm not wrong, Kong shi also used his zhenqi as his fishing line and bait. What that fellow is interested in is not just the bait but the fishing line as well, am I right?" Zhang Xuan shook his head with a light chuckle before turning his gaze to the koi fish.
"This… It's all fleeting clouds!" the koi fish said in embarrassment.
"I see!" Zhao Ya widened her eyes in realization.
It was no wonder an ordinary fish was able to cultivate to Sempiternal realm consummation. It turned out that it had been consuming Kong shi's zhenqi all along.
Naturally, there was no way that it would pass on such a delightful task to any other fish.
"I thought that I'd hidden myself quite well earlier. How did you find me?" asked the koi fish doubtfully as it turned to Zhang Xuan.
The way that it had hidden itself was extremely discreet, such that it would have been nigh impossible for even those who possessed the Eye of Insight to see through its disguise. There were a few other groups who had arrived prior to them, but they had failed to notice its presence.
Yet, the young man had actually known that he needed to use a fishing rod to hook it up, and that had left it feeling itchy all over. As a result, it could not help but bite the bait and allow itself to be hooked up.
"The antidote that you have left inside the water is similar to my zhenqi. It's not something that anyone could create," Zhang Xuan explained. "If I'm not mistaken, it probably originated from Kong shi, right?"
Chapter 1741: Meeting Luo Qiqi Once More
Translator:# StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
The reason that he had allowed a venomous creature to inject its toxins into his body was to prove his deduction to Zhao Ya, as well as to feel how the antidote within the pond neutralized the toxins of the venomous creatures.
He had swiftly realized that the antidote worked in a similar manner to his Heaven's Path zhenqi.
Other than Kong shi, he could not think of anyone else who possessed such an ability. That was also why he had thought of making a fishing rod with his own zhenqi. To be honest, he had not really been sure whether it would work out or not!
"It's indeed Kong shi's unique zhenqi, but… why do you possess the same ability as him?" the koi fish asked questioningly.
"It's because I'm a Celestial Master Teacher as well!" Zhang Xuan answered with a chuckle.
"You are a Celestial Master Teacher? That explains a lot…" The koi fish widened its eyes in realization. "Alright, I have made up my mind! I'm going to be with you from now on! Back then, Kong shi instructed me to stay here, saying that I should only leave when the next Celestial Master Teacher comes by. That way, I'll be able to be fished every day!"
"Fished every day?" Zhang Xuan recoiled in disgust.
That koi fish sure was a masochist, wanting to be caught every day.
"You should enter my folded space for the time being. I'll call you when I need you!" Zhang Xuan said with a wave of his hand.
"Roger that!" the koi fish replied excitedly.
The next moment, it entered Zhang Xuan's Myriad Anthive Nest and found a massive brick lying before it.
"Woah! This brick is forged so exquisitely…" the koi fish complimented.
It had seen quite a few bricks in its lifetime, but it had never seen one with so many good materials wasted on it.
"You are the one that is a brick. Your whole family are bricks! I am the Golden Origin Cauldron, a true cauldron through and through!" the Golden Origin Cauldron roared in fury.
"You are a cauldron?" the koi fish scoffed in disdain. "So, you should be able to light up a fire, right? Why don't you come grill me then? People have told me that I taste wonderful grilled! Don't you want to try a slice of me? Quick, I can't hold myself back anymore…"
"…" the Golden Origin Cauldron.
"There's no need to go through that much trouble. Raw slices are good enough!" the Infernal Blacksaber harrumphed coldly as a cold glint flashed off its blade.
"Ah. I'm sorry…" Horrified by the appearance of an Ancient Sage artifact, the koi fish immediately lowered its head subserviently, not daring to run its mouth anymore.
…
Unaware of the little drama that had just happened within the Myriad Anthive nest, Zhang Xuan brought Zhao Ya to the area above the pond.
Just like before, he was unable to advance any further upon reaching an altitude of thirty meters. Thus, he whipped out the Infernal Blacksaber and sliced the air above him.
Huala!
Space was torn apart, and a dimension rift emerged in its place. The duo continued heading upward, and it did not take long for them to arrive on flat ground.
Similar to before, a massive palace could be seen right in front of them in the distance.
"This should be the Subordinate Hall," Zhang Xuan said. "Let's head over!"
So, the two of them swiftly made their way forward.
"This is… the Hall of Lull 1 ? Is this where Kong shi used to stay in?"
On the plaque hung right above the entrance of the Subordinate Hall, the three words 'Hall of Lull' were written. It was likely where Kong shi had stayed back in his time.
"Teacher, the gates to the Subordinate Hall have already been opened. Let's hurry in!" Zhao Ya urged.
Given that the Hall of Lull had already opened, it was likely that someone had already entered its premises. They would have to hurry, or else they could potentially miss Wei Ruyan.
"Let's go!"
Zhang Xuan took out Little Amulet, who swiftly enveloped the duo with its light. After that, the two of them passed through the gigantic gates and entered the Hall of Lull.
Just like before, there was an invisible barrier shrouding the Subordinate Hall. Those who did not have the corresponding Celestial Amulet of Legacy or unique constitution would not be able to pass through the invisible barrier. However, through the authorization of the Prime Amulet, Zhang Xuan could enter any Subordinate Hall without any trouble.
One thing that Zhang Xuan could not help noting was that the Infernal Blacksaber was actually able to pass through the barrier around the Hall of Lull despite being an Ancient Sage artifact. Based on what he knew, Ancient Sages were not permitted to enter the Subordinate Halls and Prime Hall. He had actually been ready to leave the Infernal Blacksaber outside if it bounced right off the seal.
Thinking about it, it might be because the restriction was not imposed upon those who had achieved a breakthrough in the Temple of Confucius or that it was not imposed on artifacts at all.
In any case, this was good news for him as it meant additional security.
The interior of the Hall of Lull was vastly different from the Hall of Great Accomplishment. If the latter was a manifestation of extravagance, the former was a symbol of frugality.
It was not to say that the Hall of Lull was small and shabby; on the contrary, it was extremely vast. Yet, it was oddly empty. All that could be seen was a simple bedstead positioned in the innermost location of the room.
There were no inscriptions or paintings on its blank, white walls, nor were there any sculptures or ornaments to inject some vibrance into the room. The entire Hall of Lull was simply dyed the clean color of white and nothing else.
"Is this where Kong shi once stayed?" Zhao Ya widened her eyes in disbelief as well.
Even she could hardly believe that this was the place where the great Kong shi had resided.
Kong shi was respected as the World's Teacher, having nurtured innumerable experts in his lifetime, especially the seventy-two Sages. Yet, who would have thought that his living environment had actually been so modest?
"Kong shi truly saw past the facade of power and wealth!" Zhang Xuan remarked as he examined the room carefully.
Similar to the poison dimension, the layout of everything in the room felt perfectly natural. It was an environment that stripped a person of their worries and frustrations, leaving them refreshed and invigorated.
Cultivating in such an environment would surely be highly beneficial to raising one's Soul Depth.
"Since the gates have already opened. Wei Ruyan and the others should have already entered this Subordinate Hall. Where are they?" Zhao Ya scanned her surroundings doubtfully as well.
The entire room was visible with a glance; there was nowhere for one to hide. It was apparent that they were the only two people in that room. This did not make sense. There should have been quite a number of people there.
Boom boom boom!
Just as they were perplexed by this bizarre situation, they suddenly felt a disturbance in the spiritual energy ahead.
"They should be right there!" Zhang Xuan said.
Tracing where the disturbance was coming from, Zhang Xuan hurried ahead and left the room through the back door in front of them.
The moment they walked out, a gush of concentrated zhenqi suddenly washed over them, exerting immense pressure on them.
Beyond the back door of the Hall of Lull was a garden.
"We have already reserved the Bodhi Fruits on the tree. I'll have to ask you to return from where you came!" a voice harrumphed coldly.
"There's no one in the world who doesn't desire treasures, but these are things that we have put a great deal of effort into obtaining. We can't give them to you!"
"The treasures of the world go to those who are capable enough to acquire them. We are the ones who made sufficient preparations to acquire them, so it goes without saying that they belong to us!"
…
From where the voices were soundings from, Zhang Xuan could see two factions standing opposite one another, the air between them a little tense.
The group on the right side consisted of ten members, and Wei Ruyan was among them as well. The other nine were dressed in identical clothes, which indicated their identity as offspring of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers.
On the other hand, the group on the left side only consisted of a single person. A round orb twirled with a light hum in front of her.
Dimension Silencer!
The person was actually Luo Qiqi!
Upon the entrance of Zhang Xuan and Zhao Ya, the crowd swiftly turned their eyes over to take a look at the two new guests.
"Zhang shi!" Luo Qiqi's eyes lit up with a hint of anticipation.
Zhang Xuan directed a nod at Luo Qiqi before turning his gaze to the Hundred Schools of Philosophers.
Among them, only Wei Ruyan paid no attention to his arrival. She was in a trance, just like Zhao Ya before. Her hands were directed toward the Bodhi Tree, which was located not too far away from her, and the fruits were gradually becoming more and more crimson under the influx of her zhenqi. It seemed as if the fruits would mature at any moment.
"This isn't an ordinary Bodhi Tree; it's Great Sage tier!" Noticing Zhang Xuan's doubt, Luo Qiqi hurried over. "Unlike the one in the Hongyuan Empire, consuming the Bodhi Fruits growing on it increases the chances of a cultivator reaching a Soul Depth of 30.0 by thirty percent, thus reaching the level equivalent to an Ancient Sage!"
"It allows one's Soul Depth to reach 30.0?" Zhang Xuan was startled for a moment as his eyes widened in shock.
It was a common saying among master teachers that Soul Depth was the hardest to cultivate, and that was something that he could relate deeply with!
Be it his zhenqi, physical body, or soul cultivation, as long as he had the corresponding cultivation techniques, he would be able to advance with ease. However, he could not do the same with his state of mind.
It had already been a few days, but he had only managed to raise his Soul Depth from 28.1 to 29.99. He was still lacking a bit to reaching 30.0.
It might have appeared to be a simple 0.01, but this final step happened to be the greatest hurdle to overcome. Who knew how much time and effort would be required to overcome this challenge?
If the Bodhi Fruit really could raise one's Soul Depth to 30.0, one's chances of achieving a breakthrough to Ancient Sage would really be raised significantly!
Chapter 1742: Bodhi Fruit
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"That's right. If not for that, there's no way they would have gone through the trouble of bringing Wei Ruyan here!" Luo Qiqi replied.
Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes deeply.
He really had to say that the Hundred Schools of Philosophers had a far deeper understanding of the Temple of Confucius than the Master Teacher Pavilion.
First, it was the Canvas of Four Seasons imbued with lingering Aeon of Ancient Sages, and then, it was a Bodhi Fruit that allowed one's Soul Depth to hit 30.0, reaching a level comparable to an Ancient Sage.
It seemed like they had already studied the entire Temple of Confucius thoroughly and had made elaborate preparations for that very moment.
Hong long long!
Under Wei Ruyan's relentless infusion of zhenqi, the Bodhi Fruits on the tree began to sway a little, emanating a deep fragrance.
This was a sign that the fruits had matured!
Hu!
Wei Ruyan finally halted her flow of zhenqi. It was clear that she had overexerted herself trying to hasten the maturity of the Bodhi Fruits. Her face was slightly pale, and she was panting heavily.
"Wei Ruyan!" Zhao Ya anxiously sent a telepathic message over.
"Senior Zhao Ya?" Wei Ruyan was beginning to recover from the trance that she was in. With a dazed look on her face, she scanned her surroundings in search of a familiar face. She swiftly found Zhao Ya, and at the same time, she also noticed the young man standing next to her. Her eyes slowly widened in astonishment as she softly muttered in disbelief, "Teacher…"
"Un!" Seeing that Wei Ruyan was unharmed and that her cultivation had risen a little, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.
"Teacher!"
Realizing that it was not her imagination, Wei Ruyan immediately rushed over to Zhang Xuan and Zhao Ya's side. However, barely after taking a few steps, a young man suddenly stepped forward and blocked her way.
"You can't go over yet. You need to pick the Bodhi Fruits for us first!" the young man said.
The irritated Wei Ruyan coldly hissed, "Get lost!"
"Don't forget what you promised us!" The young man's face darkened as he reminded haughtily.
"You dare to threaten me?" Wei Ruyan narrowed her eyes in fury as an imposing aura emanated from her body. She was ready to let all hell break loose if pushed too far.
However, before she could make a move, the voice of her teacher sounded in the air. "My student has helped you hastened the maturity of the Bodhi Fruits, but you still need her help to pick them for you? Ruyan, come here!"
Completely disregarding the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, Zhang Xuan turned to Wei Ruyan and urged her to come over.
"Yes, Teacher!" Wei Ruyan swiftly walked around the young man to go to Zhang Xuan's side.
"You are Wei Ruyan's teacher, Zhang Xuan?" The young man frowned in displeasure.
"I am," Zhang Xuan replied curtly.
"You came at a good time. Since Wei Ruyan follows your orders, I need you to order her to harvest the Bodhi Fruits. Of the six fruits here, we can give you one as a reward for your hard work!" the young man said haughtily.
As if doubting what he had just heard, Zhang Xuan asked incredulously, "Did you say that you'll only give one Bodhi Fruit to Ruyan in exchange for her hard work?"
"That's right!" The young man nodded. "Our Hundred Schools of Philosophers requires the remaining five Bodhi Fruits, so we have to bring them back with us. The only reason that we are willing to spare a Bodhi Fruit to you is in view of the hard work that she has put in all this time. If you don't want the Bodhi Fruit, you can choose something else equivalent in value!"
"Spare?" Seeing the young man putting on airs, Zhang Xuan shook his head wryly. "Since you know that Ruyan has put in plenty of hard work, allow me to speak a few words of fairness!"
"Feel free!"
"You were able to enter this Subordinate Hall due to Ruyan's unique constitution, right?"
"That's right!"
"The Bodhi Fruits are mature and ready for picking because Ruyan has been using her zhenqi to stimulate its growth, right?"
"That's right!"
"Then it's really simple then. Since you have done nothing at all, all six Bodhi Fruits should go to Ruyan. What's there to fight about? Alright, Ruyan, go and pluck all of the fruits!" Zhang Xuan remarked earnestly.
"You… What do you mean by that?" Not expecting Zhang Xuan to snub them in such a manner, the young man widened his eyes in fury.
"I don't mean anything by that. I'm just speaking a few words of fairness!" Zhang Xuan said. "Since you played no part in entering the Subordinate Hall and maturing the Bodhi Fruits, what right do you have to claim possession of the Bodhi Fruits?"
"Audacious! Do you know who you are talking to?" the young man roared furiously, angered by Zhang Xuan's impudence.
Hualala!
The remaining eight from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers quickly surrounded the three of them and released their auras, attempting to pressure them into submission. Just like the group from the Hall of Great Accomplishment, they were all Sempiternal realm consummation experts!
"Teacher…" Wei Ruyan's complexion turned ugly upon seeing that someone dared to threaten her teacher.
But just as she was about to say something, her teacher raised his hand and said, "Don't worry, leave it to me!"
"Yes, Teacher!" Wei Ruyan nodded.
She knew her teacher capability very well. Since her teacher had told her not to worry, it really meant that there was nothing for her to worry about.
Zhang Xuan glanced at the youths surrounding him, and a wry smile crept onto his face. He took a step forward.
These youths from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers were indeed formidable, but the Infernal Blacksaber had just advanced to Ancient Sage tier, and he had many artifacts and tamed beasts with him. If he wanted to, he could easily subdue all of them.
Just as he was about to make a move to teach those arrogant fellows a lesson, Luo Qiqi suddenly spoke. "Allow me to do it instead!"
Without waiting for Zhang Xuan's response, she dived into the crowd.
As soon as she made her move, the incredible strength that she wielded immediately showed.
Just like Zhao Ya, she had actually reached Sempiternal realm consummation!
"…" Zhang Xuan felt his head hurt a little.
Previously, when he unintentionally wreaked havoc at the Luo Clan and left, she had only been at Saint 9-dan.
Yet, within such a short period of time, she had actually managed to advance her cultivation all the way up to Sempiternal realm consummation!
The rate at which she was achieving breakthroughs was ridiculous!
Everyone around him told him that he cultivated extremely quickly, but whenever he looked at his students, he felt like he still had a long way to go!
Weng weng weng!
The Dimension Silencer rotated with a light hum in the air, keeping the surrounding space tightly sealed. Luo Qiqi flitted around the crowd as if a butterfly amid a field of flowers.
There was no doubt that the youths from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers were powerful, but it was painfully obvious that they were no match for Luo Qiqi!
"It seems like her grasp over the Dimension Silencer has improved!" Zhang Xuan nodded in approval.
He had seen the young lady using the Dimension Silencer to halt the elders of the Luo Clan before. Back then, her control over the Dimension Silencer's powers had still been a little unrefined, and it had felt like she was only tapping into its raw strength. However, at this moment, her control felt wholesome, to the point that her movements almost felt like an artform in itself.
In this moment, it was no exaggeration to say that she had become one with the Dimension Silencer!
"Luo Qiqi won't lose to them. Let's harvest the fruits!" Zhang Xuan said with a smile as he turned his sights to the Bodhi Tree.
The Bodhi Tree before him was a little similar to the one that he had seen at the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. However, it was far lusher, and the aura that it emanated felt significantly deeper.
They say that cultivating under the Bodhi Tree can enhance one's soul cultivation and state of mind! Zhang Xuan thought excitedly.
Ordinary Saint realm Bodhi Trees had the effect of calming a person's mind and dispelling their inner demons. Considering that the Bodhi Tree before him had reached Great Sage, its effects were likely to be more pronounced!
If I cultivate under this tree, perhaps I might be able to advance my state of mind beyond 30.0!
His state of mind had already reached 29.99, a sliver away from reaching the level of the Ancient Sages. It would be a huge waste for him to ingest the Bodhi Fruit only to advance his Soul Depth by 0.01. As long as he sat beneath the tree and meditated, he should be able to make a breakthrough soon enough!
While Zhang Xuan was pondering over that matter, Wei Ruyan walked up to the Bodhi Tree and reached out to grab one of the Bodhi Fruits.
Weng!
A pulsation of energy burst forth from the Bodhi Fruit. It was a natural defensive mechanism of the Bodhi Tree in order to keep those who intended to harvest its fruits.
However, the pulsated energy was easily neutralized by Wei Ruyan using a secret art.
Kacha!
The fruit was plucked from the branches.
Tzzzzz!
The moment that the fruit was harvested, black smoke gushed forth from the branch that the fruit had been snapped from, and it swiftly shrouded Wei Ruyan.
"That's… poisonous gas?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.
He did not expect the Bodhi Tree to have such a defensive mechanism as well.
It was no wonder those youths had been unwilling to pick the fruits themselves, insisting that Wei Ruyan do it. If they had really tried to do it by themselves, there was a good chance that they would have ended up being poisoned to death.
Chapter 1743: The Ability of the Koi Fish
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
The poisonous gas released by the Bodhi Tree would have been extremely tricky to resolve for any other cultivator, but to Wei Ruyan, it was no different from tonic. As she absorbed all of it into her body, an excited gleam flickered across her beady eyes.
"You can raise your cultivation through the black smoke too?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.
Wei Ruyan nodded.
"As expected of the Innate Poison Body," Zhang Xuan remarked in awe.
This unique constitution sure was powerful.
If others were afflicted with that poison, they would die within moments. Yet, Wei Ruyan was actually able to make use of this deadly material to raise her cultivation. Even Zhang Xuan could not help but envy that overpowered ability of hers!
It did not take long for Wei Ruyan to finish assimilating the energy within the black smoke. She quickly retrieved a jade container from her storage ring and placed the Bodhi Fruit inside. Once that was done, she moved on to the next Bodhi Fruit and repeated the process.
The same black smoke poured forth and shrouded Wei Ruyan. This time around, however, it seemed to be significantly denser than before. Under its onslaught, the young lady shuddered a little, and her face turned pale.
"What's wrong?" Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.
"The poisonous gas is too powerful. There's only so much that I'm able to absorb," Wei Ruyan replied frankly.
Even as one who possessed the Innate Poison Body, the amount of poison that she could take in and assimilate at once was limited. If she attempted to take in too much poison, she risked overloading her body with power.
The poisonous gas released by the second Bodhi Fruit was far greater than the first fruit, and this was something that she had not expected.
It took a long while before she finally managed to curb the rampaging poisonous gas within her body, and she heaved a sigh of relief. Then, she turned her sights to the third Bodhi Fruit.
Tzzzzzz!
This time, the black smoke released by the Bodhi Tree was even greater than before. Forced to assimilate so much poisonous gas at once, Wei Ruyan's body began shuddering uncontrollably, and her face gradually turned paler and paler. Just as she was about to reach her limits, she felt someone placing his palm against her back.
Following which, her teacher said, "Use the black smoke to push for a breakthrough!"
"Yes, Teacher!"
Knowing that her teacher was intending to help her raise her cultivation, Wei Ruyan quickly focused her concentration on channeling the poisonous gas toward overcoming her bottleneck.
The poisonous gas emanated by the Bodhi Tree was lethal, but it was an exceptionally powerful catalyst to temper one's state of mind. Zhang Xuan used his Heaven's Path zhenqi to help clear the various blockages within Wei Ruyan's body so that she could circulate her zhenqi easier.
With every Bodhi Fruit that Wei Ruyan picked, the poisonous gas emanated by the Bodhi Tree would grow significantly stronger. By the time she came to the sixth fruit, the poisonous gas emanated was so powerful that it seemed as if it would corrode even the surrounding space.
Zhang Xuan meticulously facilitated Wei Ruyan's flow of energy in order to ensure smoothness in driving her zhenqi.
Geji! Geji! Geji!
Some time later, sounds echoed from Wei Ruyan's meridians. It was a sign that showed that she had successfully cleared the bottlenecks in her way. Her aura surged, and before long, her cultivation had already reached Sempiternal realm consummation, just like Zhao Ya.
After reinforcing the overwhelming power coursing through her body, Wei Ruyan clasped her fist and bowed in agitation.
"Thank you, Teacher!"
If not for her teacher's help, she would have wasted a good half of the poisonous gas there. If things had gone wrong, she might have sustained heavy injures because her body was unable to withstand the stress imposed on it.
With her Sempiternal realm consummation cultivation and her overpowered Innate Poison Body, it was unlikely that she would find anyone who was a match for her beneath Ancient Sage.
The heartened Zhang Xuan nodded in approval. Then, his face visibly turned cold as he turned his gaze toward the nine youths battling with Luo Qiqi.
If not for the fact that he was around, Wei Ruyan would have sustained irreparable damage from the growing intensity of poisonous gas emanated from the Bodhi Tree. This kind of harm was not something that a mere Bodhi Fruit could compensate for!
These fellows expected Wei Ruyan to harvest the fruits for them, but they did not take any preventive measures in order to protect her. It was apparent that they saw her as no more than a tool that they could dispose of after squeezing her dry!
Peng peng peng!
At that moment, the battle between Luo Qiqi and the nine youths from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers finally came to an end. The fighting prowess exerted by Luo Qiqi with the Dimension Silencer was simply too powerful. Even with the eight of them collaborating with one another, they did not stand a chance. Their faces were pale from the injuries that they had sustained in the battle, and their complexions looked incredibly awful.
The fact that they had been chosen to enter the Subordinate Hall to seek the Bodhi Fruit meant that their standing in the Hundred Schools of Philosopher was considerably high.
They had grown up basking in the respect of those around them, but they had ended up being so viciously pummeled during such an important mission. This was not something that their pride could accept.
"Zhang Xuan and Wei Ruyan, those fruits are of the utmost importance to the Hundred Schools of Philosophers. I hope that you can hand them over…" the young man who seemed to be the de facto leader of the group said through gritted teeth.
However, in response to the request from the young man, Zhang Xuan simply waved his hand and said, "Break their limbs and throw them out!"
Whether they did it intentionally or not, he could not accept the fact that they had placed his precious student in such a dangerous position. They had to suffer the consequences of their actions.
"Sure thing!" The Golden Origin Cauldron leaped out and charged toward the nine young men.
Soon enough, their limbs were all fractured by the Golden Origin Cauldron before they were tossed pathetically out of the Hall of Lull.
None of them would have feared the Golden Origin Cauldron at their peak, but after Luo Qiqi's attacks, they no longer wielded the strength to retaliate.
"Teacher, I'll leave these Bodhi Fruits for you to decide what to do with them!" Wei Ruyan said as she passed the fruits over.
"Un!" Zhang Xuan took the Bodhi Fruits and placed all of them but one into his storage ring. He passed the Bodhi Fruit over to Wei Ruyan and said, "You're the one who collected so many Bodhi Fruits, so you should hold onto one. However, don't rush into using it. I have a formula here that can raise your Soul Depth. I want you to cultivate under the Bodhi Tree and raise your Soul Depth to 29.9 first. Once you're done, you can use the Bodhi Fruit and push for a breakthrough to Ancient Sage!"
"Yes!" Wei Ruyan nodded.
With a tap of his finger, Zhang Xuan imparted the secret art to temper one's state of mind over to Wei Ruyan.
"Zhao Ya, this one is for you!"
Zhang Xuan took out another Bodhi Fruit and passed it to Zhao Ya together with the secret art.
Due to their unique constitutions, they were able to advance their zhenqi cultivation swiftly. However, this had also led to the cultivation of their minds severely lagging behind. This would be a good opportunity for them to cover the gap.
"Qiqi, this one is for you…"
After sorting his two students out, Zhang Xuan took out another Bodhi Fruit and passed it over to Luo Qiqi.
Luo Qiqi had arrived in the Hall of Lull earlier than them. Even if he did not come, with her fighting prowess alone, she was bound to have been able to obtain one for herself.
"Thank you!" Luo Qiqi took the fruit, but her eyes remained firmly upon Zhang Xuan. There was a conflicted look in her eyes as she said, "Zhang shi…"
Seemingly knowing what she was going to say, Zhang Xuan waved his hand and said, "I have taught you pill forging before, which affirmed our relationship as teacher and student. It's impossible to dictate one's feelings, but propriety is not something that can simply be disregarded. It's impossible for us to come to be! In the first place, the engagement between us was a huge misunderstanding… I believe that you are aware that there's someone whom I love as well, so… I'm sorry."
Since it was impossible for him to give her happiness, it would be better for him to break it off decisively.
Dragging it out would only cause more harm to the other party. He did not want the other party to spend her life pursuing something futile.
"I…" Luo Qiqi's face collapsed as her body trembled in agitation.
She knew that the odds were in her favor, and she knew that it would be nigh impossible to achieve what she desired. Nevertheless, she had not thought that she would be rejected so bluntly.
By the side, Zhao Ya's face also darkened upon hearing those words.
As the saying went, 'A day as my teacher, a father I'll respect for life'!
A student was not allowed to have any other relationships with their teacher, or else it would be considered a breach of propriety. Such a thing was frowned upon in the Master Teacher Continent.
She wanted to pursue her happiness, too, but she knew that her attempts to do so would only sully her teacher's reputation. This was a dilemma that had left her deeply conflicted.
Noting the depressed look on Luo Qiqi and Zhao Ya's faces, Zhang Xuan sighed deeply internally as he smiled. "Alright! For the time being, you should focus on raising your cultivation. You are still young, and there is much more to life that you haven't seen or experienced yet. One day, you'll find someone far more suitable for you than me!"
If there were any alternatives, he would not have wanted to hurt the two of them. However, if he failed to maintain a firm attitude toward this matter, he would only give them false hope, and there was nothing more painful than pursuing something that would never come to be.
Knowing that they needed some time to themselves in order to calm down, Zhang Xuan waved his hand and said, "I'll leave you all here to cultivate. Try your best to raise your Soul Depth as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, I'll go look for Yuan Tao…"
Just as he was about to leave, a voice suddenly appeared in his mind. "Master, I can dig up this tree for you. Do you want to take it away with you?
"You are able to dig this tree up?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.
"Heh, I am the crux of an entire dimension, you know! Of course I am able to dig up a mere tree!" the koi fish replied proudly.
Chapter 1744: Gongxi Qing
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"Is that so? Let's take it away then!"
Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in excitement.
That whole time, he had been thinking that it would be wonderful if he could take the Bodhi Tree away with him. After all, this was an ideal impetus for him to push for a breakthrough in his Soul Depth to 30.0. Who would have thought that the little koi fish would be able to do it for him!
But after giving it some more thought, the matter made sense.
The koi fish was the crux to the poison dimension, and the poison dimension corresponded to the Hall of Lull. It was likely that there was some inseverable connection between the two. There had to be some reason for Kong shi choosing to groom the koi fish and leave it in the poison dimension in the first place.
"Alright!" Hearing Zhang Xuan's approval, the koi fish immediately flew out, and with whip of its tail, it leaped into the pond located at the center of the backyard.
Gugugugu!
The water in the pond began to swirl into a massive spiral.
Gradually, the water spiral rose into the air and enveloped the Bodhi Tree, pulling it off the surface of the ground.
"This…"
Zhang Xuan did not think that it would be so easy to retrieve this precious Bodhi Tree. His eyes lit up in excitement.
Hula!
He swiftly stowed the Bodhi Tree into the Myriad Anthive Nest, choosing an empty clearing in the area to plant it. Shortly after it was planted, a pond formed in its vicinity, and koi fishes swam delightfully within it, splashing water into the air from time to time.
Zhang Xuan quickly examined the replanted Bodhi Tree and noted that it did not wither due to the movement. Instead, its trees grew even lusher. Furthermore, it seemed to harmonize with the other Bodhi Tree that he had acquired from the Hongyuan royal family, and they swiftly fused together into one body, forming a passageway that could temper one's soul and Soul Depth.
"With this, I shouldn't face any troubles trying to push for a breakthrough to Ancient Sage!" Zhang Xuan chuckled softly beneath his breath.
With this tree placed in the Myriad Anthive Nest, he would be able to cultivate whenever he had time. Reaching a Soul Depth of 30.0 was simply a matter of time!
Of course, the fastest way was still to consume a Bodhi Fruit. However, even though his Soul Depth was already on the verge of a breakthrough, his cultivation was severely lacking. He felt that the Bodhi Fruit would be put to greater use with his parents and the others.
"Teacher…"
Seeing that the Bodhi Tree had been taken away, Zhao Ya and the others were slightly bewildered. It was just a moment ago that their teacher had prompted them to cultivate under the Bodhi Tree, but the next moment, he had suddenly taken it away.
In response, Zhang Xuan cleared his throat and said, "You should head into my folded space to cultivate!"
Since he had taken the Bodhi Tree away, there was no reason for them to remain in the area. Thus, he waved his hand and helped the three girls into the Myriad Anthive Nest as well, leaving them to cultivate their Soul Depth.
Then, he quickly made his way out of the Hall of Lull.
…
Huhuhu!
Thrown out of the Hall of Lull with their limbs broken, the nine youths from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers trembled in fury. Frenzied looks covered their faces, and it seemed as if they were on the verge of going berserk.
After consuming a grade-9 Grand Intermittence Pill, their shattered bones had already begun to heal, but their rage only deepened with time.
Unable to take it any longer, one of the youths asked, "Gongxi Qing, what do we do now?"
The young man named Gongxi Qing was the de facto leader of the group, the person who had given orders to Wei Ruyan and Zhang Xuan earlier. He was a descendant of Ancient Sage Zi Hua.
"We can't let this matter go just like that!" Gongxi Qing gritted his teeth furiously.
As offspring of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, the populace of the Master Teacher Continent were no different from barbarians in their eyes.
In the first place, those barbarians should have taken pride in the fact that they were of use to them in the Temple of Confucius. Yet, not only did they snatch all of the treasures away, they had even pummeled them into such a state. It was a heinous crime! Unforgivable!
"We have to teach them a lesson so that they'll know never to cross the Hundred Schools of Philosophers!"
"Zhang Xuan doesn't seem too strong, but that young lady known as Luo Qiqi is far beyond our means to deal with at the moment!"
"Zhao Ya and Wei Ruyan's cultivation has reached Sempiternal realm consummation as well. We wouldn't stand a chance against them in a fight!"
…
The others discussed the situation worriedly.
They were infuriated, but they also knew that their opponents were beyond their means to deal with.
"We might not be a match for them, but the loss of the Bodhi Fruits is a huge matter. The old ancestor will surely intervene. I'll send him a message right now…" Gongxi Qing harrumphed coldly.
Bearing the excruciating pain from his newly healed bones, Gongxi Qing took out a unique jade token and sent the details of the conflict over. However, he did not go in depths about who the culprit was. He only mentioned that the Bodhi Fruits had been stolen and that they had sustained severe injuries.
A moment after he sent the message, tremendous pressure suddenly weighed down from the heavens. It was so intense that it left the crowd feeling deeply suffocated.
Following which, an elderly figure suddenly appeared before the crowd. Upon seeing the states of the nine youths, the face of the elderly figure turned livid as he demanded, "What happened?"
As he spoke, a droplet of blood oozed out from the tip of his finger. The droplet of blood split into nine portions, with each portion entering the body of one of the nine youths. In an instant, the injuries that they had sustained began healing at a visible rate due to the sheer vitality contained within the blood. It did not take long for them to be restored to full health.
This was one of the abilities that Ancient Sages possessed, Blood Reincarnation!
The elderly figure was an Ancient Sage expert!
"Old ancestor, you must redress our grievances!"
After recovering from their injuries, Gongxi Qing and the others immediately kneeled onto the ground and cried sorrowfully.
"Who's the culprit?" The elderly figure narrowed his eyes as the aura that he emanated grew even colder.
The elderly figure appeared to be in his sixties, and he did not have a beard. His eyes carried a hint of desolation, but his face was slightly pale. It was hard to tell whether he was exhausted from traveling there through space too swiftly or had met with some danger and been injured.
"The culprit is a master teacher from the Master Teacher Continent!" Gongxi Qing spat through clenched teeth. "We brought Wei Ruyan into the Hall of Lull and had her help us mature the Bodhi Fruit. However, that fellow came over and snatched the ripened fruits from our hands. He even injured us and broke our limbs…"
"Did you tell him your identity?"
"We did! We told him that we are from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers and that these Bodhi Fruits are of vital importance to us. We even offered to give one of the Bodhi Fruits to him as compensation. Yet, that scoundrel still chose to make a move on us!" Gongxi Qing continued indignantly.
"When did the master teachers of the Master Teacher Continent become so arrogant?" the elderly figure sneered in fury.
In an instant, it was as if someone had set his aura ablaze. A rampaging aura poured forth from his body, crushing everything around him. All of those who stood in the face of this aura could only shiver in fear, not daring to speak a word aloud.
The Hundred Schools of Philosophers and the Master Teacher Pavilion both had their roots from Kong shi, and propriety was something of the utmost importance to them. Since their people had already matured the Bodhi Fruit, it was inappropriate for the other party, especially given that he was a master teacher, to snatch it away by force. If one resorted to brute strength for everything, how would one be any different from the Otherworldly Demons?
"Old ancestor, you must redress our grievance! We beseech you to kill that fellow for us!"
"Even if we spare his life, the least we should do is cripple his limbs so that he will learn a painful lesson for his arrogance!"
Sensing that they had successfully invoked the rage of the old ancestor, the crowd roared furiously.
"Rest assured, I'll surely redress your grievances!" The elderly figure nodded.
Spreading his Spiritual Perception into the area, the elderly figure's voice boomed in the surrounding area. "The master teacher who has just entered, may I know whose descendant you are? I hope that you can offer a fair explanation as to why you have treated my descendants in such a manner. Otherwise, don't blame me for being merciless!"
Hu!
A wind blew silently in the area, but there was no response at all.
"From the looks of it, it doesn't seem like he's the offspring of any Ancient Sage. Since he isn't under anyone's protection, I won't stand on ceremony…" The elderly figure harrumphed coldly as a malicious aura drifted forth from his body.
At this moment, the descendants behind the elderly figure suddenly exclaimed in agitation. "Old ancestor, that fellow is coming out!"
Shortly after, a slight glow emanated from the entrance of the Hall of Lull, and a figure appeared before the crowd.
"We must make him understand that those from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers aren't to be trifled with!" Gongxi Qing sneered coldly.
However, the very next moment, he saw the old ancestor's body stiffening as an incredulous expression crept onto the latter's face. "The person whom you were referring… The person who stole the Bodhi Fruit from you… is Zhang Xuan?"
"That's right! He's the scoundrel who made a move on us!" Gongxi Qing nodded vehemently.
"I see… I forgot that I had some matters that I still have to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave. A matter as trivial as this doesn't require my intervention, so settle it among yourselves!"
Hu!
And with a poof, the old ancestor disappeared from sight.
"…" Gongxi Qing.
"…" The crowd.
Chapter 1745: Stone Forest Dimension
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
Gongxi Qing and the others were utterly dumbstruck by what they were seeing.
That was their old ancestor, an Ancient Sage expert! It was just a moment earlier that he had declared that he would redress their grievances, but as soon as he learned that the culprit was Zhang Xuan, he turned tail and fled without any hesitation!
What the freaking hell was that?
Was the other party not just a mere Aureate Body realm consummation cultivator?
Why did it seem like their old ancestor… feared the other party?
While Gongxi Qing and the others were feeling stifled at being left in the lurch by their old ancestor, the old ancestor was on the verge of spurting blood as well.
He was actually the same Ancient Sage who had been injured by the Infernal Blacksaber back at the entrance of the Hall of Great Accomplishment!
Of course, given the tremendous strength he wielded as an Ancient Sage cultivator, there was no way that he would fear a mere Aureate Body realm cultivator. However, the young man had an Ancient Sage saber in his possession, which changed the very nature of things. Furthermore, he could feel that Zhang Hongtian was hidden somewhere around the area, discreetly protecting the young man from the dark.
If he was really caught between an Ancient Sage cultivator and Ancient Sage saber in his wounded state, he could end up losing his life!
Ancient Sages were extraordinarily resilient creatures. However, if one successfully slew an Ancient Sage, one would find that the body of an Ancient Sage was filled with treasures from head to toe.
He had thought that the reason why Zhang Xuan was able to enter the Hall of Great Accomplishment was because he had studied the Zhang Clan's Celestial Amulet of Legacy thoroughly, to the point that he was able to decipher its seal and overcome it even without the amulet in hand. The possibility that Zhang Xuan would have been able to enter the Hall of Lull as well had never crossed his mind.
Who would have thought that even after fleeing there, he still ended up encountering the other party?
"The rest are in the midst of preparing for that matter, so I can't bother them at the moment. However, once they are done with that, we'll surely get back at them!" The old ancestor harrumphed.
It went without saying that the powerful Hundred Schools of Philosophers did not just have him as their only Ancient Sage. However, it just so happened that the others had more important matters to attend to, so he was the only one free enough to take care of the younger generation.
He had thought that with him standing up for the younger generation, neither the Master Teacher Pavilion nor the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe would dare cross their path. Yet, contrary to his expectations, he ended up being severely wounded as soon as he made an appearance…
The more he thought about it, the more miserable he felt.
However, as one who had survived to become an Ancient Sage, there were hardly any challenges that he had never encountered before. He would just have to tolerate it for the time being. Once the others were free, it would be time for him to exact his vengeance!
…
With the Infernal Blacksaber in his grasp, Zhang Xuan walked out of the Hall of Lull.
He knew that his actions in the Hall of Lull would surely draw an Ancient Sage from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers over, so he had taken out the Infernal Blacksaber in advance to counter any assault.
It was impossible for an Ancient Sage to kill him while keeping his location hidden. As soon as the other party revealed his location, the Infernal Blacksaber and golden page would swiftly rush forth to reap the other party's life. Thus, there was nothing to fear.
Walking out of the seal, Zhang Xuan saw the nine youths standing completely unharmed before him. Infernos of rage were burning in their eyes, but they did not attempt to make any moves against him.
"Oh, you've recovered," Zhang Xuan remarked nonchalantly as he cast a sweeping gaze across the surroundings.
While it was possible for them to recover from their fractured limbs using the Grand Intermittence Pill, they would still have to rest for at least a couple of days before they could make a full recovery. Considering how their injuries had completely vanished within ten minutes of being thrown out, it was very likely to be the doing of an Ancient Sage.
However, even after scanning the surroundings, he could not find anything at all. At the same time, the Infernal Blacksaber also reported that there were no Ancient Sages around.
Knowing that the trembling nine youths did not even pose a threat to him, Zhang Xuan shot them a piercing glare, which caused them to drop to their knees, before walking back down the road that he had come from.
It did not take long before he returned to the poison dimension. Without the koi fish around, poisonous creatures had swiftly swarmed around the pond. It seemed like it would not be long before the tiny 'safe haven' in the poison dimension was devoured by poison.
After passing through the exit, Zhang Xuan found himself standing in the midst of a world filled with boulders of all sizes.
It was as if he had stepped into the midst of a bald mountain range, filled with nothing but massive rocks. His visuals were instantaneously assaulted by the overwhelming onslaught of monotonous gray; there was not the slightest greenery in sight.
From the looks of it, it seemed like he was standing in the center of a stone forest.
The area was not as dry as the desert dimension, and it was not as rich in spiritual energy as the forest dimension either. If he had to use a single word to describe the current dimension that he was in, it would be 'bizarre'. The boulders around him had extremely bizarre shapes, and just taking a swift glance at the surroundings was enough to leave his eyes spinning.
"It seems like these boulders are depicting a certain kind of move." Zhang Xuan leaped onto one of the taller boulders and pondered with a frown.
Looking at the general shape of the stone forest, he found that it resembled multiple experts executing their secret arts all at once.
"I'll know it once I give it a try!"
He swiftly found a cluster of boulders and began studying them. Emulating the shapes of the boulders, he felt his zhenqi flowing in a unique trajectory, and the next moment, his palm shot forward lightly.
Padah!
A sonic boom reverberated in the air, and a small dimension rift was torn apart at the tip of his palm.
"It's indeed a battle technique! Furthermore, the prowess it wields is incredible!" Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in astonishment.
So far, he had only casually emulated the movements; he had not even tried to practice it seriously! Could it be that… the boulders formed multiple sets of incredibly powerful secret arts?
If that was the case… where should one start cultivating from? Was there a sequence to it?
If he studied it randomly, would it cause any unintended side effects?
"Forget it! I should look for the exit first!" Zhang Xuan soon made up his mind.
If he found the exit, he would be able to find the corresponding Subordinate Hall. Ultimately, the outer dimensions were only trials that Kong shi had posed to those who ventured into this dimension. The true treasures lay within the Temple of Confucius.
This time around, Zhang Xuan chose to spin the Infernal Blacksaber before swiftly flitting in the direction that it had pointed out.
An hour later, he finally found some signs of human activity. Following the trail, he soon stumbled upon a group of master teachers. They were standing in a clearing in the stone forest, and they were arguing vehemently with one another.
"The sequence of my movements is right! You won't face any problems as long as you cultivate in accordance to my moves!"
"Rubbish! My sequence is the only one that is correct. Look, those two movements of yours don't even connect to one another. It's apparent that you've gotten it all wrong!"
"You dimwits! I have already cultivated in this sequence, and I can feel my mastery of my technique deepening significantly. If you really think that you are right, why don't we have a spar and see whose sequence is superior?"
"Indeed! What's the point of arguing so much? Let our strength do the talking!"
…
In the midst of their arguments, the master teachers really ended up coming to blows with one another. A furious gale whipped up in the surroundings and shockwaves from colliding blows rippled destructively into the surroundings.
However, they did make sure to construct an isolation barrier around them to avoid damaging the boulders around to the best of their abilities.
"Just like the group of sword practitioners I encountered at the Sword Lagoon, these fellows are unknowingly losing their sanity…" Zhang Xuan shook his head lamentably.
He had encountered such a situation back in the Qianchong Empire. The sword practitioners there had come to blows as soon as they had a disagreement with one another, which was atypical of sword practitioners. He did not think that he would see the same sight here as well.
The battle ended as quickly as it started. Before long, a man stood victorious over the others.
"See, the sequence that I have followed is the most powerful of all. This should be enough to show that I'm right. Alright, hurry up and start making your offerings!" The victorious master teacher nodded in contentment.
"Alright, we'll follow your sequence then!"
The others reluctantly nodded in agreement.
"Making your offerings?"
On the other hand, Zhang Xuan was confused as to what was going on.
The more he looked at the situation, the more bewildering he found it.
Master teachers were supposed not to be superstitious. Why were they talking about making their offerings?
Hiding by the corner, Zhang Xuan continued watching the movements of the master teachers in bewilderment.
The victorious master teacher took out a couple of valuable artifacts and placed them before the boulder, as if making an offering to it. Not too long later, the artifacts began to burn up, and a golden glow shone from the boulder.
Following which, a silhouette suddenly surfaced on the boulder and began moving around, seemingly demonstrating some sort of battle technique.
"The secret art that the master teachers were practicing earlier is just the form, so is this the zhenqi circulation pathway that goes along with the movements?" Zhang Xuan wondered.
The silhouette moving on the boulder was currently demonstrating a kind of internal breathing technique that seemed to go along with the movements that the master teachers had executed earlier, but there were still some imperfections between the two.
"How is this still not right? The sequence I deduced doesn't link up with the internal breathing technique… Pu!"
The triumphant master teacher followed the movements of the silhouette on the boulder, but a moment later, his face paled, and a mouthful of blood spurted from his lips.
If the movements were at odds with the internal breathing, there was a high chance that one's cultivation might go berserk. He had been extremely confident with the sequence that he had deduced, but who would have thought that it was still wrong?
"Let's continue studying the movements. We can't afford to make a mistake anymore, or else we'll be trapped here for good!" The triumphant master teacher shook his head helplessly.
He was just about to continue examining the boulders around the area when a young man suddenly flew over and said, "Hello, I have arrived in this dimension just a moment ago. If I may ask… what are you all doing?"
StarveCleric
I'm not really sure if I have explained this before, but anyways…
For those who are curious about 'form' and 'zhenqi circulation pathway', they are intended to go together in pairs. This is a common theme in Wuxia novels.
Think of it this way, the form is the movement of the attack that we see (for example, a punch or a kick) whereas the zhenqi circulation pathway provides the energy behind the movement.
Without the zhenqi circulation pathway, you could still execute the battle techniques by copying the movements, but you won't be able to harness the true destructive prowess behind it.