Chapter 784

Chapter 784: Zhang shi, Isn’t Yours Too Short? ##

 

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Feather duster? Ying Qin’s body swayed weakly from side to side.

The spear in my hand is a Spirit high-tier weapon crafted using the finest Xuan Jade of the Eastern Sea. It has a length of 2.3 meters, and the tip is specially made out of Gelid Jadeite Essence, possessing incomparable sharpness capable of slicing through metal and carrying the effect to slow down the thoughts of one’s enemy…

I have such a powerful weapon in my hands, and yet you wish to fight against me using a feather duster?

That item is only made out of ordinary bamboo! It would be sliced into two with even the slightest touch, how in the world do you expect to fight against me?

Not only him, Ruohuan gongzi was completely stunned as well.

Using a feather duster to deal with a Spirit high-tier weapon? Zhang shi… don’t you think you are going too far humiliating the other party?

But… what is with the inexplicable joy I am feeling at the sight of this?

“Great, I’ll be right back!” With his lips curling up uncontrollably out of excitement, Ruohuan gongzi immediately ran off.

“You…” Seeing the gleeful look on Ruohuan gongzi’s face, Ying Qin felt his innards boiling with fury. “Zhang shi, I am earnestly challenging to a duel, and since you have agreed to it, I hope that you can take it seriously. As fellow master teachers, don’t you think it’s improper for you to humiliate me like that?”

“Humiliate?”

Zhang Xuan shook his head. “I am truly not trying to humiliate you, and you aren’t qualified for me to go that far either. The reason I am not using a spear against you is due to the excessive power of my spear art. I fear that I might accidentally kill you if I fail to control my strength well, and that would be very troublesome. While a feather duster is indeed a little weaker, it’s much easier to control it, so I will be able to avoid injuring you!”

He really didn’t have any intention of humiliating Ying Qin.

He could see why the latter would think so, but if he wanted to humiliate him, he could have easily defeated him in a single blow without any weapon at hand as well.

Honestly speaking, it was out of respect for the other party that he chose to even use a feather duster as a weapon.

“You…” Ying Qin was so furious that he started laughing uproariously instead. His eyes narrowed into menacing slits as he bellowed, “Fine! Let me see how powerful your spear art is then!”

For a top Grade-4 student to be told by a freshman that he was fearful that he might accidentally kill him… Ying Qin felt so much fury boiling within him that he could’ve charged forward to tear the other party apart then and there.

In the midst of their conversation, Ruohuan gongzi had already gathered more than a dozen feather dusters from the surroundings and threw them onto the stage for Zhang Xuan to choose.

Zhang Xuan casually picked up one of them before turning to Ying Qin. “We can start now.”

“You’re seeking death!”

Seeing that Zhang Xuan was truly intending to use a feather duster to fight against him, Ying Qin roared in fury as the spear in his hand pierced forward with might reminiscent of a massive dragon.

A gale so powerful that it felt as if it could tear one into shreds whipped up in the surroundings.

Infused with zhenqi, the Spirit high-tier spear pierced through the air, producing a deafening sonic boom as it headed straight for Zhang Xuan.

“Strong…”

Upon seeing the move, Luo Xuan, Ruohuan gongzi, and the others couldn’t help but narrow their eyes.

Even though Ying Qin had already suppressed his cultivation to Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle, the power that he displayed in his attack was still far beyond what they could withstand.

Perhaps it might be an exaggeration to say that this move was unrivaled by all Cosmos Bridge realm cultivator, but it was no joke to say that less than a handful of Cosmos Bridge realm cultivators in the academy would be able to take this blow.

In fact, most Perfect Harmonization realm primary stage cultivators would be forced to retreat in the face of this move, not daring to confront it head-on.

Could Zhang shi really be able to stand against such a powerful attack with a feather duster in hand?

Everyone subconsciously turned their gazes to Zhang Xuan, only to see him standing nonchalantly before the other party’s might. A slight smile emerged on his face as he stretched his hand forward and snapped his forefinger and middle finger together.

Kacha!

Just like that, the incomparably powerful spear was held lightly in Zhang Xuan’s fingertips.

As if fallen deep into a marsh, the ferocious dragon of a spear from a moment ago found itself incapable of moving no matter how hard it struggled.

Pah pah pah pah!

While holding onto the spear, Zhang Xuan raised his feather duster and struck Ying Qin’s face relentlessly.

In just the blink of an eye, crimson streaks had already filled the latter’s face.

“The heck… it is actually possible for such a situation to happen in a battle?”

“Why does it feel like an adult caning a child?”

“Indeed… This is supposed to be a serious battle, but this…”

…

The crowd beneath the stage was stunned.

When they saw Ying Qin’s spear art earlier, they had nearly been scared out of their wits, thinking that Zhang shi would be defeated by it. Who could have known that Zhang shi would end up stopping the spear with just two mere fingers instead!

No matter how hard Ying Qin tugged or pushed, the spear was firmly trapped between Zhang Xuan’s fingers, refusing to budge at all. This had left him open to the lashing of Zhang Xuan’s feather duster.

Everyone had thought that this would be an intense battle between two experts, but in the end… it turned out to be a one-sided slaughter instead!

“Ah!” Ying Qin hadn’t expected the other party to be skillful enough to even grab a spear harnessing such immense might so easily. Panicked, he struggled with all his might, but he was unable to pull the spear out of Zhang Xuan’s fingers at all. Flustered, he howled, “Let go!”

At the same time, he gathered all of the zhenqi in his body to pull the spear back to him with his full might.

As long as the spear remained in the other party’s grasp, he would be powerless against him.

“You want it back? Here you go!”

Feeling the force pulling the spear away from his fingers growing stronger and stronger, Zhang Xuan abruptly let go with a smile.

Deng deng deng deng!

The sudden disappearance of the force from Zhang Xuan’s side caused Ying Qin to fall backward abruptly. In an attempt to stop himself from tumbling back, he ended up leaving a series of heavy footprints in the dueling platform.

“You! Die!”

Even though Ying Qin was left in quite an awkward position, having succeeded in pulling his spear out, he felt another burst of confidence returning to him. With a roaring whiz from his spear, he swept it toward the Zhang Xuan.

Since the pierce failed to work, surely a sweep would be fine!

In the next moment, however, the figure before him suddenly blurred, and a pair of fingers abruptly materialized from nowhere and easily halted the movement of his spear.

What is going on… Ying Qin’s body shook wildly.

In order to prevent the other party from grabbing his spear, he had put his full might into the sweep. How did the other party still manage to grab his spear?

That should have been impossible!

Before he could give it much thought, the feather duster began raining blows down on him once more.

Even though it was only a stick made out of bamboo, it had zhenqi infused into it. As such, a lashing from it felt even more painful than being whipped by a leather belt. With just a few strikes, Ying Qin’s face was already covered in lacerations, and blood was dripping down his face profusely.

“Damn it!”

Despite facing an opponent with the same cultivation level as him at the moment, he still ended up being struck bloody by a feather duster. Ying Qin felt as if he was going to go mad.

With an abrupt pounce, he leaped upward while tugging the spear forcefully out of Zhang Xuan’s grip.

Exerting his full might until the point which his zhenqi was about to explode from overexertion, the other party’s force on his spear abruptly disappeared once again.

Huala!

As a result, Ying Qin’s figure fell back yet again. However, this time, before he could steady his figure, Zhang Xuan had rushed forward to grab his spear once more, and the feather duster began lashing him again.

The heck… Ying Qin was on the verge of tears.

He had fought many battles ever since he had started cultivating, but never had he had a duel like that before.

The moment his spear shot forth, the other party rushed to grab his spear and lash him viciously. While he was trying to pull his spear out of the other party’s grip, the other party would abruptly let go, resulting in his loss of balance. But yet again, making use of his state of vulnerability as a result of his loss of balance, the other party would charge forward to grab his spear again…

That’s cheating!

Can’t we have a proper duel?

“AHHHH!”

The more he thought about it, the more furious Ying Qin felt. Fury raged furiously in his chest like blazing flames.

Hong long!

In his state of rage, he finally let go of the suppression of his zhenqi, resulting in his cultivation swiftly surging back to normal.

Perfect Harmonization realm primary stage… Perfect Harmonization realm intermediate stage… Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle!

In the blink of an eye, he had reached the peak of his strength once again.

Upon the recovery of his strength, he immediately turned his attention back to Zhang shi once more, seemingly about to charge at him again, only to see the latter had already retreated several meters away.

Holding a feather duster in his hand, the other party questioned him nonchalantly, “Are you admitting defeat?”

“Admitting defeat? Impossible! Through the battle we had, I realized that you aren’t merely a Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle cultivator… Do you dare fight against me at my full strength?” Ying Qin gritted his teeth.

After being struck so viciously on his face, how could he possibly admit defeat and let the other party get away just like that?

Besides, considering how the other party could grab his spear so easily and firmly such that even he was unable to extract it from his fingers, that showed that his strength far exceeded any Cosmos Bridge realm pinnacle cultivator. Since that was the case… even if he were to use his full strength against the other party, that couldn’t be considered bullying.

“Fine by me,” Zhang Xuan replied calmly.

In the first place, he had intended for Ying Qin to use his full strength, but the latter obstinately insisted on suppressing his cultivation for the sake of fairness. This situation worked better with him; he would finally be able to try out his strength like that.

“Let’s start then.” Zhang Xuan raised his feather duster to gesture for the other party to come at him.

“Wait a moment!” Seeing Zhang Xuan’s movement, Ying Qin couldn’t help but recall how badly he had been thrashed just a moment ago, and he shuddered in fear. Gritting his teeth, he said, “I wish to compete with you in terms of spear art, but your feather duster is too short, turning the duel into a close quarter battle instead. May I ask of you to use a spear to fight with me?”

What Zhang Xuan had done earlier—grabbing his spear and lashing him viciously—couldn’t be considered as a spear art but close quarter offense.

A spear’s length granted it a long reach, but at the same time, it also limited its utility in a narrow space.

He couldn’t allow the other party to turn the battle into a close quarter combat like before, or else even with his restored cultivation, it was extremely likely that he would end up badly thrashed like before.

“Close quarter combat? Spear?”

How could Zhang Xuan possibly not understand the other party’s intention? Letting out a soft chuckle, he said, “You mean that… my feather duster is too short for you, so you want me to fight you with a longer weapon?”

“That’s right!” Ying Qin nodded.

“Fine by me as well!” Zhang Xuan nodded before turning to Ruohuan gongzi. “Help me tie these feather dusters together, end-to-end.”

“Yes!” Ruohuan gongzi nodded as he leaped onto the dueling platform and tied the feather dusters together using some string from his storage ring.

With more than a dozen feather dusters connected end to end, the ultimate product was more than ten-meters long, and it resembled a long wooden branch.

It was truly a novel sight to watch as the bunch of feather dusters rose up like a flagpole, and countless feathers swayed amidst the wind.

“This should be long enough, right?” Zhang Xuan asked as he took the long rod over.

“Of course!” Ying Qin’s eyes lit up.

Due to his spear being too long, he had been unable to display his prowess in close quarters, which resulted in the eventual lashing he’d received. However, now that Zhang Xuan had made his weapon ten meters long, the tables would be turned on him.

He had no doubt that the other party would be completely crushed, and he would be able to exact vengeance for the humiliation he’d received.

Hearing the other party’s approval, Zhang Xuan flicked his ‘long spear’ made out of more than a dozen feather dusters to the side, preparing himself for the battle. He then said nonchalantly, “I hope that you won’t complain anymore when you lose this time.”

“Of course, I won’t. However, you are the one who should be careful!” Ying Qin replied confidently.

The feather duster spear was more than ten meters long. Provided he could get within a distance of ten meters of Zhang Xuan, the other party would be helpless before him.

Excited, Ying Qin swung his spear casually and said, “Let’s begin!”

Seeing the other party’s confidence, Zhang Xuan raised his spear vertically upright, as if a lightning rod connecting to the heavens. At the same time, he beckoned with his left hand and chuckled lightly. “Come, I’ll give you a 39 meters head start!” 1

Translator’s Thoughts

StarveCleric StarveCleric

13/20 If we get first this week, there will be three additional chapters next week!

I’m currently editing the next two, so they’ll be posted soon(ish) 😀

Chapter 785: The True Spear Art ##

 

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

In his previous life, Zhang Xuan had once seen a picture of a small person holding a forty-meter-long saber taunting his opponent, saying that he would first allow him to get a 39 meters head start.

At this moment, this was exactly the kind of feeling Zhang Xuan got.

With more than a dozen feather dusters connected together, his weapon seemed just like a flagpole. In comparison, his enemy’s spear felt no different from a short twig.

With such a long weapon in hand, he felt as if he had nothing to fear.

“Let’s begin then!” With a roar, Ying Qin stepped off with his right foot and charged straight at Zhang Xuan, aiming to close the distance as soon as possible.

Considering the length of Zhang Xuan’s weapon, as long as he could get within a ten-meter radius of him, he should be safe from the other party’s offense.

The other party had previously used a feather duster to lash him. With this opportunity, he would return the favor to him!

“Do you really think it’ll be that easy for you to close in on me?”

How could Zhang Xuan possibly not understand Ying Qin’s intentions? With a slight smile, he executed the Heaven’s Path Movement Art and drew an additional ten-meter distance away from Ying Qin in an instant before stabbing his feather duster spear toward Ying Qin.

Hu!

A feather duster spear ten-meter long couldn’t possibly be as agile as a spear or as swift as a sword. Yet, for some reason, it still managed to block Ying Qin’s advancement.

Or to be exact, the spear was precisely positioned such that there was no way for Ying Qin to avoid it if he were to continue charging forward with his current momentum.

Damn it! Ying Qin’s complexion turned awful upon realizing that his advancement had been impeded.

He immediately twisted his body to dodge the other party’s attack before rushing to another location to charge forward once more. However, just as he was about to do so, the feather duster spear appeared right before him once again.

The speed this time around was far swifter than previously. Moreover, it was directed at one of his mingmen, leaving him no choice but to avoid it as well.

“Humph!”

He immediately leaped backward to dodge the attack before rushing at another direction.

With a burst of his zhenqi as an Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle expert, his speed was as swift as a soaring dragon.

But… despite his speed, the Zhang Xuan’s feather duster spear seemed to be even faster than him. Every time he attempted to approach the other party, a spear would abruptly emerge to block his path. It was as if the Zhang Xuan knew where he would attack from.

As such, despite the bulky and burdensome weapon the opponent was wielding, Ying Qin felt as if he was facing an impregnable fortress. No matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn’t breach the other party’s defenses.

“This…”

Ruohuan gongzi and the others swallowed a mouthful of saliva as they widened their eyes in shock.

They had thought that it would be hard for Zhang shi to deal with Ying Qin when the latter released the suppression on his cultivation. After all, two realms was indeed a huge gap to overcome. But who would have thought that with just a feather duster spear, Zhang shi would be able to ward off the other party perfectly, leaving him prowling helplessly at a ten-meter distance away?

While this couldn’t be consisted a victory, considering that Zhang shi was facing an opponent with a far higher cultivation than him, it was indubitably an impressive feat.

It was at that moment that someone amidst the crowd suddenly shouted, “Do you all feel that there’s something weird about this battle? I can’t really put my finger on it, but… it doesn’t feel like a duel at all!”

“Indeed!” Luo Xuan frowned as he felt that there was something amiss with the situation as well. After a moment of contemplation, he muttered, “It is like… toying like a monkey?”

“Now that you say it, it does seem like that…” Ruohuan gongzi nodded in agreement.

Words of agreement rippled through the crowd as well.

At this moment, it seemed as if the awe-inspiring Ying Qin from a moment ago was being played by Zhang shi like a monkey. Zhang shi would stand, unmoving, on the spot and flick his feather duster spear slightly, and Ying Qin would suddenly leap backward and rush off in another direction before attempting to charge toward Zhang Xuan again.

But before he could charge in, the bamboo spear would arrive before him, and he would leap backward once more…

Such a cycle had been ongoing since the start of the battle.

Honestly, it truly resembled those street performers played with their monkeys.

To play a Grade-4 student like a monkey…

Zhang shi sure was incredible!

Luo Xuan, Ruohuan gongzi, and the others had once viewed Zhang shi as a target for comparison, but upon seeing this sight, they could only swallow a mouthful of saliva and watch silently.

Even if they were to cultivate for another ten years, it was doubtful they would be able to wield the strength he had at this very moment!

…

“Damn it!”

As the crowd below realized that, Ying Qin had also noticed this detail as well. Furious, he gritted his teeth so tightly that they were on the verge of chipping off.

He had thought that with the opponent wielding such a long weapon, as long as he could get into close quarters, he would be able to subdue him easily. Who could have known that the other party would be so skilled with a spear? Every single move that the other party made casually came at trajectory that was difficult for him to defend, and they were all aimed at his mingmen as well.

In other words… there was no way for him to get close at all!

At this moment, the short reach of his spear became his weakness instead. The other party’s spear was more than ten meters long whereas his was only two meters. With his spear being unable to reach the other party, how could the duel go on?

Shouldn’t the one with the shorter weapon be at an advantage?

Why does it feel as if I am the one being disadvantaged instead?

If this goes on, not only will I lose, I will even become a laughingstock! Ying Qin thought with a livid expression as he heard the comments from the crowd below.

If word were to spread that he had been toyed with like a monkey by a freshman, there would be no way he could keep his head up before his peers and his juniors.

That spear of his is crafted by connecting feather dusters together, so its quality is subpar. If I directly clash with it, even if I’m injured in the encounter, I should be able to snap it! Ying Qin pondered as he flitted across the battlefield.

There was no way he could achieve victory under the current circumstances. The urgent matter at hand was to find a way to close in on his opponent, and the only way to do so was to snap the feather duster spear…

Considering that those feather dusters were only made of ordinary materials, with his strength as an Ethereal Treading realm expert, it shouldn’t be too difficult for him to reduce them to dust with his zhenqi.

Alright, I’ll do just that then! Gritting his teeth, Ying Qin pumped his zhenqi furiously, and with his arms covering his chest, he charged forward furiously, paying no heed to the movement of the feather duster spear at all.

Kacha! Kacha!

As he had predicted, the feather duster spear was unable to withstand his might at all.

Due to the long length of the feather duster and the low quality of the materials used to craft it, it was impossible for Zhang Xuan to pump zhenqi into it efficiently to reinforce its resilience. Thus, upon contact with Ying Qin’s rampaging zhenqi, it was swiftly reduced to dust.

“This is bad…”

“That’s cheating!”

Anxiety swept through the crowd as they watched the sight.

Zhang shi had already given him a huge advantage by wielding a feather duster spear, and yet he shamelessly destroyed it. That was cheating!

“Let’s see how you stop me now that I am already right before you!” With a roar, Ying Qin raised his spear and pierced right at Zhang Xuan.

At his current proximity from the other party, his spear wielded the absolute advantage in the collision. With this blow, he would win the duel!

“Do you think that you can win with just this?” Seeing the other party’s excited look, Zhang Xuan shook his head. He abruptly released his grip, and the feather duster spear fell to the ground.

He let go of his weapon? Ying Qin was taken aback by the abrupt turn of events.

A weapon was a cultivator’s most prized possession. It was an unspoken rule to never release one’s weapon in battle—what would a spear master be without his spear? How could Zhang Xuan simply throw his weapon aside like that?

At that moment, the young man before Ying Qin chuckled lightly as he spoke. “A weapon is just an extension of one’s limbs. A spear art doesn’t require a spear to be executed!”

The next moment, Zhang Xuan leaped into the sky and his aura abruptly changed.

Boundless Spear Intent gathered around him, and in that instant, it felt as if he was the personification of the spear itself. He was the spear, and the spear was him; there was no distinction between the two.

“T-this… This is the realm of Spear-Man Union?” Ying Qin’s body stiffened as his eyes narrowed in astonishment.

Legend had it that if one were to reach a certain level in the comprehension of Spear Heart, they would be able to become the spear themself.

Even without a spear in hand, they could wield their body like a spear through the manifestation of their Spear Intent and challenge anyone who stood in their way!

But even Senior Xue Zhenyang had yet to reach such a realm. How did the man before him achieve such heights?

However, in the midst of a duel, he didn’t have the luxury of entertaining any miscellaneous thoughts. Zhang Xuan’s manifestation of a spear was already right before him. The other party’s fingertip had manifested into the edge of the spear, and with a sharp glint, it clashed with the tip of his spear.

Hong long!

An immense force crushed down on Ying Qin as he felt an overpowering Spear Intent rushing through his body, shattering his defense in an instant.

Pu!

Fresh blood spurted frenziedly from his mouth as his figure was sent flying into the air, retreating at a rapid pace.

Padah!

After flying several dozen meters, he crashed heavily onto the ground. A moment later, the tip of his spear was plunged into the ground some distance away from him.

Pu!

Yet another mouthful of crimson blood spewed from his mouth.

“I’ve lost…”

Looking at the nonchalant Zhang Xuan on the dueling platform, he clenched his fists tightly in agitation.

He had never thought that even when he had exerted the full extent of his strength, he would still be defeated by a single finger from the other party.

Such strength was already comparable to Senior Xue Zhenyang, the leader of the True Helios Faction.

Just as Ying Qin was wallowing in the sorrow of his defeat, Zhang Xuan’s calm voice was suddenly heard.

“Do you know the reason for your loss?”

Ying Qin struggled his feet and said, “I know that I have lost. I will back out of the True Helios Faction to become Xuanxuan Faction’s gatekeeper. You need not mock me any further about this matter…”

A person who lived with the spear had a backbone just like the spear.

Since they had agreed on it beforehand, he would keep his end of bet and become the gatekeeper of Xuanxuan Faction. However, he wouldn’t allow himself to be humiliated any further.

“Mock?” Zhang Xuan shook his head.

“I am only telling you to set your priorities straight. What you should be pursuing is the Way of the Spear, not the spear in your hand!”

“What do you mean?” Ying Qin was slightly taken aback by Zhang Xuan’s words.

“Spearmanship is both an artform and a capability. It shouldn’t just be what you do with a spear but what you feel with your heart as well.”

With his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan turned to Ying Qin with a profound gaze in his eyes and said, “Just like when you were struck by my feather duster in close quarters, if only you had let go of the spear in your hand, what you could have gained would have been a brand-new world. But… it’s a pity that you weren’t able to do so.

“That’s the reason you lost.”

“I…” Ying Qin was stunned.

Indeed. When the other party was holding onto his spear and lashing him with a feather duster, he could have let go of his spear. Even if he was barehanded, he would still be able to fight. Even if he couldn’t win, he would still be able to flee. At the very least, he wouldn’t have been struck so horrendously as he had been back then.

“Afterwards, when I fought you with the feather duster spear, it was indeed a wise move on your part to close the distance between us. However, you neglected the fact that spearmanship doesn’t simply lie in the spear. In a true spear art, the man is in the spear, and the spear is in the man as well! That’s the reason you were caught off guard when I let go of my spear and attacked you directly,” Zhang Xuan continued.

“I…” Ying Qin’s body froze in shock.

The other party was right.

Training with the spear, he had already viewed the spear as a part of him. This was the reason he couldn’t bring himself to let it go earlier in the battle.

Instinctively, he thought that he would be unable to fight once he released his spear.

“If you aren’t able to let go, how can you comprehend the quintessence of the spear and grasp profound spear arts?” Zhang Xuan said with a smile.

“Let go? Quintessence?” Ying Qin muttered these words in a daze.

Ever since he had started learning the spear, he had thought of his weapon as a part of him, just like his limbs and eyes.

How could a human simply let go of their limbs and eyes so easily?

But in the previous battle, Zhang Xuan had given him an impactful lesson. Sometimes, one had to let go.

Letting go could open up a whole world before one, bringing one release and freedom. Perhaps, one might even notice something one had never noticed before.

Seeing that Ying Qin was starting to understand what he was saying, Zhang Xuan continued, “Spear in the heart, and heart in the spear—that’s what spearmanship truly is. The thing you hold in your hand is nothing more than a tool!”

“The heart in the spear is the true spear?” Ying Qin ruminated over those words with his eyes closed. A moment later, exhaling a mouthful of turbid gas, he opened his eyes once more, and the confusion in his eyes had given way to clarity.

Putong!

Kneeling on the floor, Ying Qin lowered his head in respect.

“Thank you for your guidance! I beseech Zhang shi to take me as your student and impart your spearmanship to me!”

Translator’s Thoughts

StarveCleric StarveCleric

14/20 If we get first this week, there will be three additional chapters next week!

Chapter 786: Xue Zhenyang’s Determination ##

 

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

“Stand up! As long as you work diligently for the Xuanxuan Faction, I will guide you in your spearmanship!” Zhang Xuan nodded.

The Xuanxuan Faction had just been established, and considering it was a faction consisting solely of freshmen, it was in dire need of credible fighting power. However, Zhang Xuan didn’t have the time to protect its members every time something happened, so he needed to bring in sufficiently powerful cultivators to ward off troublemakers.

Considering that these three were geniuses of the Grade-4 students, they were indeed the most suitable candidates.

This was also the reason Zhang Xuan had provoked them into agreeing to the bet of becoming the gatekeepers of Xuanxuan Faction.

He wasn’t intentionally trying to humiliate them. He was hoping that through their presence, the troublemakers would have to stop and think for themselves whether they could really afford to provoke the Xuanxuan Faction or not.

Ying Qin stood up and said, “Alright. The three of us will back out of the True Helios Faction to join Xuanxuan Faction!”

At this moment, he wasn’t just awed by the other party’s fighting prowess but his character as well.

Even in a duel, the latter intentionally used a feather duster against him just to teach him that the foundation of spearmanship didn’t lay in the weapon itself.

This comprehension hadn’t led to an increase in his fighting prowess yet, but it did open up a brand-new world before him. Now that he knew the general direction in which he should advance, as long as he built on it, he would surely be able to climb to great heights.

“Un!” Zhang Xuan nodded before turning his gaze back to the crowd.

“Faction leader, faction leader!”

“Faction leader, faction leader!”

…

Suddenly, someone amidst the crowd began shouting ‘faction leader!’, and before long, more and more people joined in the chant, and it grew louder and louder. Eventually, everyone was shouting vehemently as they stared at the young man on the dueling platform with deep excitement and admiration gleaming from their eyes.

If they had still harbored doubts as to whether it was truly the correct decision for them to follow Zhang shi previously, at this very moment, they knew that they had made the right decision.

He was able to easily defeat the geniuses of the Martial Arts School, the top fighters of the True Helios Faction. As long as he was around, what else did they have to fear?

This is our faction leader!

The pillar of support for us freshmen. As long as he is around, we have nothing to fear!

Feeling the earnest emotions from the crowd, Zhang Xuan couldn’t help but feel a little moved as well. At this moment, Ruohuan gongzi stepped onto the stage and raised his hand.

The chanting immediately quietened down.

“In the Master Teacher Academy, every batch of freshmen faces the oppression of the seniors. This is to beat the arrogance and conceit out of them, teaching them that there is always a higher mountain, a world beyond what they see! This should have been a good tradition to uphold within the academy, but… as time passed, this tradition nurtured a sense of superiority within them, and they got more and more overboard in their actions, turning the culture of humility into a toxic cesspool!” Ruohuan gongzi’s voice was heard clearly throughout the crowd.

“They forced us into purchasing their products at excessively inflated pricing. They forced us to join their factions and become tools for them to earn their fortunes and Academic Credits. And if we refused, they would use their connections to deprive us of crucial resources needed to survive in the academy! Are we freshmen supposed to sit idly and allow them to oppress us like that?

“We can’t!

“We can’t, and we won’t! We won’t allow them to oppress us like that! We won’t allow them to turn us into their money-earning slaves! We won’t allow our dignity to be trampled beneath their feet! We are master teachers. We are the leaders who will guide humanity to higher grounds, not pitiful beings who can be bullied by anyone!

“We might be weak individually, but even oceans are made of tiny droplets of water. If we can gather our strength together, we will find the might to stand against them! Thus, we must unite together as one!

“On this note, I nominate Zhang shi to be our leader! In order to allow many of us to enroll in the academy, he willingly gave away his own points in the entrance examination. So that we wouldn’t be taken advantage of by the seniors, he compiled his own version of the Teacher Information Documentation and distributed it for free. To uphold the dignity of us freshmen, he stood up and defeated the Grade-4 students who came to oppress us, convincing them to lend a hand to our cause!

“His selfless character is a role model for all of us! If such a man is going to be our leader, I am willing to join the Xuanxuan Faction and listen to his commands!

“What about the rest of you?”

Ruohuan gongzi’s gaze fell on the crowd as his voice echoed resoundingly, “Are you willing to stand up as well?”

“We are willing to join the cause!”

“We will join the Xuanxuan Faction!”

…

With thirty thousand freshmen shouting simultaneously, it seemed as if the buildings in the area would collapse due to the sheer volume.

“Good! Since everyone is agreeable, our Xuanxuan Faction shall be officially established today, and Zhang shi will be our leader!” Ruohuan gongzi roared.

Even though most knew of the existence of the Xuanxuan Faction due to Ruohuan gongzi’s attempt to gather members, its formation had yet to be officially announced. As such, making use of this opportunity when everyone was gathered together, he decided to announce its establishment. From this moment onward, the largest student faction in the academy was no longer the True Helios Faction nor the Bewitching Devil Faction but the Xuanxuan Faction!

The faction established by Zhang Xuan, a freshman who had barely arrived in the academy for less than five days.

“Xuanxuan Faction! Xuanxuan Faction!”

“Xuanxuan Faction! Xuanxuan Faction!”

…

Deafening chanting sounded from the excited crowd.

Even if a student were to join a senior’s faction, while they would be protected from the oppression from other student factions, they would still face oppression from the seniors in the same faction. The only way for them to escape that altogether was to establish their faction!

Furthermore, given Zhang shi’s noble character, they were more than willing to obey his commands as well!

Thus, the crowd agreed to join the Xuanxuan Faction without any hesitation.

“Since everyone is agreeable, allow me to invite our faction leader up to say a word or two!” Interjecting in the chanting, Ruohuan gongzi turned to Zhang Xuan and gestured him forward.

“Me?” Zhang Xuan was caught off guard by that remark. But facing the expectant gazes of thirty thousand freshmen, he had no choice but to step forward. “There’s only one thing I have to say. We might be freshmen, but we aren’t inferior to the seniors. What the seniors can do, we can accomplish as well! Only through standing on our own two feet will others acknowledge our strength. If we don’t even respect ourselves, who will respect us? Thus, I will warn the members of the Xuanxuan Faction against provoking others, but if anyone comes to provoke us, we shall not back down!”

“Well said!”

“We will let them know our prowess!”

A wave of cheering swept across the crowd.

It had only been five days since they’d enrolled at the academy, but many of those present had already suffered great grievances from the oppression of the seniors. Thus, those words touched the depths of their hearts, leaving them deeply moved.

Seeing this, Ying Qin and the others also felt their blood running wild in passion. It was at this very moment that they couldn’t help but think that perhaps… it wasn’t a bad decision to join the Xuanxuan Faction.

Most other student factions operated by forcing others to join their ranks, so their members were united on the surface but divided internally. However, the members of the Xuanxuan Faction were all united in their wills. Perhaps, they might achieve greatness that no other student factions had before!

…

As the student faction was being established, Xue Zhenyang, Long Cangyue, and Dong Xin were also about to arrive at the dormitories of the freshmen.

They had been rushing there ever since leaving Hu Yaoyao’s residence, but due to the significant distance between both places, it had taken them quite a while.

“Faction leader!”

Before long, row after row of towering buildings appeared in their sights. They were just about to sneak in under the cover of the night to see how Ying Qin was doing teaching the freshmen a lesson when they suddenly saw a figure rushing toward them before stopping right before them.

“How is Ying Qin doing?” Xue Zhenyang asked.

The other party was the subordinate whom he sent to scout the situation.

“This…” The figure hesitated for a moment before replying, “Ying Qin, Yuan Gang, and Bai Mian… have been defeated by Zhang shi, and as per their bet, they have left the True Helios Faction to join the Xuanxuan Faction!”

“Defeated? Left the… True Helios Faction?” Xue Zhenyang was flabbergasted.

Before coming over, he had declared confidently that there would be no problems given that he had sent Ying Qin over. Never had he imagined that such a situation would happen instead!

“Yes!” The figure nodded.

“What happened? Putting aside Yuan Gang and Bai Mian, Ying Qin received my personal guidance! How could he have lost?” Xue Zhenyang was unable to believe his ears.

Yuan Gang and Bai Mian might have still been a little lacking, but Ying Qin was one of the top fighters among the Grade-4 students! The other party had followed him for many years, and he had imparted his spear art to him unreservedly… How could he have lost to the freshmen who had just enrolled into the academy?

Dong Xin and Long Cangyue were also dumbfounded by the situation before them.

Ying Qin might not have been a member of their factions, but as one of the most capable members of the True Helios Faction, they were acquainted with him as well. An Ethereal Treading realm expert, 5-star high-tier master teacher, challenged the freshmen to a duel of battle techniques… but lost?

Were their ears playing tricks on them?

“I recorded the scene of the duel. You will understand once you take a look…” Knowing that it was hard to convince them of the matter, the figure flicked his wrist, took out a Record Crystal, and passed it over.

Xue Zhenyang hurriedly took it and infused his zhenqi into it. A few moments later, the scene of the duel appeared before everyone’s eyes.

“The freshmen actually managed to defeat Bai Mian and Yuan Gang easily after receiving his guidance?”

“With a feather duster, he was able to beat Ying Qin into submission?”

…

Upon seeing the content of the Record Crystal, the trio was stunned.

To allow to a freshman to defeat a Grade-4 student after a short moment of guidance… Such a feat was way beyond them!

“Even though he was only using a feather duster, he still managed to subdue Ying Qin by exploiting the flaws in his spear art. This eye of discernment… just how deep an understanding of spearmanship must one possess to be able to do so?” Xue Zhenyang muttered hoarsely as his body trembled uncontrollably.

As a master of the spear, he could tell the prowess of Ying Qin’s attacks. Even he would be forced to dodge when facing them!

Yet, not only did Ying Qin’s opponent manage to overcome his spear art, he even did so casually by catching hold of his spear using his fingers, as if it was as simple as picking up a rock at the side of the road…

To be able to do this so leisurely, this could only mean that he had seen through the main flaws of Ying Qin’s spear art and used them against him.

How frightening must his eye of discernment be?

“It is no wonder Hu Yaoyao ended up becoming his apprentice. His understanding of the spear has reached an unfathomable level… Zhenyang, if you were to fight with him, would you be able to defeat him?” asked Dong Xin, turning to Xue Zhenyang.

“I…” Xue Zhenyang clenched his fists tightly as hesitation flashed across his eyes for a moment. However, his eyes swiftly grew steadfast once more as he said, “I might be unable to defeat him now, but… as long as I am able to reach the tenth dan of the Fallen Leaf Spear, it won’t be hard for me to defeat him!”

As the leader of the True Helios Faction, a celebrated genius of the Martial Arts School, how could he falter that easily before an opponent?

“If I recall correctly, you reached 9-dan three years ago. If it was that easy to reach 10-dan, you wouldn’t have been stuck for so long!” Dong Xin shook her head, thinking that it was unlikely for Xue Zhenyang to succeed.

“Don’t worry, I have already comprehended the essence of the tenth dan. All I am lacking now is an impetus for me to make the breakthrough!”

Back then, in order to overcome his bottleneck, Spear Emperor Lu Xinqing had wandered through the streets to experience the world of the ordinary mortals, and from there, he created the 10 Dans of the Fallen Leaf Spear.

After a moment of hesitation, an unwavering determination appeared in Xue Zhenyang’s eyes as he declared, “Tomorrow, I shall leave the academy and wander the world to comprehend the various intricacies of life in order to find the inspiration to achieve the breakthrough to 10-dan. I will not return to the academy until I manage to achieve the breakthrough!”

Translator’s Thoughts

StarveCleric StarveCleric

15/20 If we get first this week, there will be three additional chapters next week!

Chapter 787: Wei Changfeng’s Daughter ##

 

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The establishment of a student faction was not an easy task. There were all kinds of administrative tasks to be done, such as deciding the organization structure, the rules of the faction, and the registration of the members. By the time they were done, it was already nearing dawn.

As a faction established by freshmen, the Xuanxuan Faction had no membership fee. However, it did have a strict organizational system that all members had to adhere to. This was necessary to bring sufficient resources into the faction for its operations.

Of course, such important decisions couldn’t be decided overnight, and they were still under discussion.

Zhang Xuan couldn’t be bothered with such matters, so he left it up to Ruohuan gongzi, Luo Xuan, and the others, and returned straight to his residence in the Elite Sector.

However, before he could even take a rest, he suddenly heard knockings on his door. One of the seniors in charge of managing the Elite Sector stood at the door.

“Zhang shi, you have a visitor!”

Zhang Xuan glanced behind the senior and saw a fatty, who stepped forward and greeted, “Young Master!”

“Thank you, senior.” Seeing that it was Sun Qiang, Zhang Xuan first thanked the senior before pulling Sun Qiang into the residence.

“What happened?”

It had just been a few days ago that he had visited Sun Qiang and the others at the residence. For Sun Qiang to come looking for him so suddenly, could it be that something bad had happened?

“It’s Wei Changfeng. After making arrangements for the Spirit Emporium, he visited the residence seeking Young Master,” Sun Qiang replied.

“He is looking for me? Didn’t I tell him to follow your instructions? Is he acting defiant?” Zhang Xuan frowned.

Wei Changfeng had become his subordinate after he had wreaked havoc in the Spirit Emporium. However, as he had to return to the Master Teacher Academy, he had instructed Wei Changfeng to obey Sun Qiang’s commands instead. Could it be that he was refusing to listen to Sun Qiang?

“That’s not it. He… insisted on meeting young master. Left with no choice, I could only come over to find you,” Sun Qiang replied.

It wasn’t easy to gain access to the Master Teacher Academy. Even he had to go through quite a bit of effort before he could reach Zhang Xuan’s residence.

“He insisted on meeting me?” Zhang Xuan frowned.

“Yes. I asked him what’s wrong, but he refused to speak a word. He said that he would only speak before you, so I had no other choice but to come here,” Sun Qiang said with a bitter smile.

“This… Alright then, I’ll meet him.”

It was unlikely for a Saint realm expert like Wei Changfeng to go all the way to seek him for some minor issue. Since he had made such a request, it must be an urgent matter. Thus, Zhang Xuan swiftly left the academy with Sun Qiang.

Soon, they arrived at the residence where Sun Qiang and the others were currently living.

“Young Master!” Wei Changfeng immediately rushed up upon seeing Zhang Xuan’s figure.

It had only been a few days since they’d parted, but Wei Changfeng looked as if he had aged several years. His eyes were bloodshot, and it seemed as if he had undergone some kind of turmoil.

“This… what happened?” Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully.

As a Saint realm expert, Wei Changfeng could easily live for a thousand years. As long as he didn’t do anything that would sap his life force, it was impossible for him to age so quickly!

Furthermore, taking his lifespan into consideration, the ageing of several years in his appearance would translate to a loss of several decades of his lifespan.

Putong!

Wei Changfeng’s knees fell to the ground, and he pleaded, “Young Master, please save my daughter. She’s… reaching her limit!”

“Hmm?” Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Through the Library of Heaven’s Path, he had learned that the reason Wei Changfeng had established the Spirit Emporium was to gather as many as artifacts as possible to feed their spirit to his daughter to sustain her life.

Considering the number of artifacts that Wei Changfeng had gathered, it should have been sufficient for his daughter to hold on for several decades as long as nothing severe occurred. It was also due to this that Zhang Xuan was in no hurry to save his daughter.

Given all that, why did his daughter suddenly fall into a critical state after just a few days?

“I have no idea either. She was still fine initially, but two days ago, her state suddenly worsened. I tried feeding her the spirit of the artifacts, but it was completely ineffective. Young Master, please save my daughter!” Wei Changfeng pleaded desperately with reddened eyes.

For so many years, he had done everything he could to sustain his daughter’s life. If the latter were to really succumb to her illness, he wouldn’t have the will to live on either.

His young master had been able to see through his situation with a glance, and considering the extraordinary means he had displayed back in the Spirit Emporium as well, perhaps… he might really be able to save his daughter.

This was the last hope that he had.

“Bring me to her!”

The only way for Zhang Xuan to ascertain his daughter’s current condition was by meeting her personally.

“I have brought her over. She’s currently in my room…” Wei Changfeng hurriedly pointed.

Fearing that his daughter might not last that long, he decided to bring his daughter over as well.

“Good!” Zhang Xuan nodded as he hurried into the room.

The residence which Sun Qiang had found only had eight rooms in total, and all of them were only around ten square meters large. Furthermore, due to the bad positioning of the residence, the rooms were rather dark even in the day.

By the corner of the room was a wooden bed, and lying on it was an extremely thin young lady who seemed to be around fifteen years old or so. Her face was peculiarly pale, and her black hair had a slight yellowish tinge to it. In a coma, her eyes were tightly shut.

“Her illness is really severe!” Zhang Xuan frowned.

Even breathing seemed to be difficult for the young lady before him. Through his Eye of Insight, he could see that the other party’s bodily function had already declined fatally, and there was not a single healthy meridian in her body. It felt as if she could just breathe her last at any moment.

It was no wonder Wei Changfeng was panicking. His daughter was indeed already on the verge of death. If she wasn’t treated soon, it was doubtful whether she could even last until nightfall.

“Until two days ago, she was still able to maintain her consciousness and converse with me. Even though there were times when her illness would act up, she would be fine once she consumed the spirit of the artifacts… But two days ago, the spirit of the artifacts became completely ineffective in curbing her illness. As a result, she fell into a coma and hasn’t woken up since then,” Wei Changfeng swiftly explained the symptoms anxiously.

“I see.” Zhang Xuan nodded as he assessed the young lady carefully, but eventually, he could only shake his head helplessly.

His current understanding of the Way of Medicine was still only at 4-star. Due to his limited knowledge, even with the Eye of Insight, he was still unable to precisely identify the root of the problem plaguing the young lady.

Thus, without any hesitation, his hand reached forward to read the young lady’s pulse.

The young lady’s skin felt chilling to the touch, as if an ice cube.

After which, Zhang Xuan muttered inaudibly, “Flaws!”

Weng!

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

Just like artifacts, Zhang Xuan could compile a book on an unconscious living being in the Library of Heaven’s Path by coming into contact with them as well.

Zhang Xuan hurriedly flipped the book open.

Wei Ruyan, a citizen of Qingyuan City, possessing the Innate Poison Body…

The content of the book immediately surfaced in Zhang Xuan’s mind as though it was imprinted on it.

Innate Poison Body? This lass possesses the Innate Poison Body? Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

Unique constitutions were extremely rare on the Master Teacher Continent. In his entire journey, the only people he had met with unique constitutions were Yuan Tao and Zhao Ya. To think that this unconscious young lady would possess a unique constitution as well!

Innate Poison Body is an ideal constitution for cultivating the ways of the poison master. However, in her current state… it is questionable whether she will be able to live or not! Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Unique constitutions were formidable, but until they were awakened, the possessor of the unique constitution would be nothing more than an ordinary human.

Clearly, this young lady hadn’t awakened her unique constitution.

Back when Zhang Xuan was in the Red Lotus Ridge Poison Hall, he once read several books regarding the Innate Poison Body, but the details were extremely vague. As a result, he had no idea how the Innate Poison Body could be activated, and what would happen once it was activated.

In any case, the urgent matter was the illness she was suffering from, so Zhang Xuan continued reading.

… She has once suffered an attack from a Saint realm expert while she was still in her mother’s womb, resulting in the Deficiency of Spirit, Soul, and Blood. Flaws: …

Zhang Xuan’s eyebrows shot up. Deficiency of Spirit, Soul, and Blood?

Just as the name suggested, the Deficiency of Spirit, Soul, and Blood meant that one’s spirit, soul, and blood were impaired compared to those of an ordinary human. Often, this was a result of a problem in the development of the fetus, especially the lack of nutrients.

It would be difficult for a person suffering from such an illness to survive due to their spirit, soul, and blood being too weak to sustain their core bodily functions. In fact, more often than not, a fetus suffering from such an illness wouldn’t even survive until childbirth.

Yet, not only did the young lady succeeded in coming to this world alive, she even managed to live to such an age… This was truly a miracle in itself.

“Under normal circumstances, it would have been difficult for Ruyan to be born given her condition. However, my wife expended all of her vitality to protect Ruyan, giving her the strength to be born into this world. In the process, however, my wife… lost her life,” Wei Changfeng explained, seemingly noticing Zhang Xuan’s thoughts.

His face was nonchalant, and his voice was steady, but the sorrow deep within his eyes couldn’t be concealed.

“Ruyan has inherited my wife’s life and will. Even at the cost of my life, I can’t allow anything to happen to her!”

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan nodded earnestly to reassure him that he would try his best.

He could understand where Wei Changfeng was coming from.

His wife had given her life to protect their daughter and bring her into this world. If he couldn’t even protect their daughter after all that, how could he face his wife in the netherworld?

Over the years, regardless of how heavy a price he had to pay, as long as there was a ray of hope for his daughter, he would clutch at it desperately.

“Young Master, is there still hope for Ruyan?” Wei Changfeng asked with worry reflected in his eyes.

“Her bodily functions have nearly come to a complete halt. I’m afraid that it will be extremely difficult to save her.” Zhang Xuan shook his head.

After reading Wei Ruyan’s book, he realized that this matter was extremely problematic.

Over the years, this matter had evolved beyond a simple Deficiency of Spirit, Soul, and Blood problem. In order to sustain Wei Ruyan’s life, she had been consuming a lot of nourishing items, but her body was simply too weak to take all that nourishment. As a result, her bodily functions ended up being destroyed by the excessive energy in her body instead.

On top of that, with her soul slowly growing weaker with time, she could be said to already have one foot in the grave.

It was no wonder even 6-star pinnacle physicians were helpless before her problem. Even for Zhang Xuan, despite having traced down the very source of her affliction, he was still at a complete loss, having no idea where he was supposed to start.

Hearing that the young master didn’t say that it was entirely impossible, Wei Ruyan immediately pleaded. “Young Master, I ask of you to save Ruyan. As long as Ruyan recovers, I am willing to serve you for my entire life!”

“Since you have sworn loyalty to me, I will definitely do whatever I can for your daughter. However, the affliction plaguing your daughter is a tricky one to deal with. Not only is your daughter’s body in a weakened state, her soul is also far too feeble at the moment. To treat her, we must first find a way to allow her to regain her consciousness. However, to do so, we must strengthen her body first…” Zhang Xuan rubbed his glabella in frustration.

The reason Wei Ruyan was in a coma was due to her body being too weak to harness her soul. To make an analogy, her body was like a gunny sack while her soul was like water, resulting in her soul gradually weakening over time. If her soul weakened beyond a certain point, her consciousness would eventually fade altogether.

But… it was impossible to treat her physical body without rousing her consciousness.

It was possible to nourish her body through medicinal herbs, but its effectiveness would be severely limited without her will tenaciously driving her body to complement the treatment.

This resulted in a paradox. To regain consciousness, she would require a sufficiently strong body to harness her soul. But to nourish her body to become sufficiently strong, she had to regain consciousness first… Such was the difficult situation Wei Ruyan was facing.

Even Zhang Xuan couldn’t help but feel his head aching at the situation before him.

“What do we do?” Wei Changfeng asked anxiously.

Having come into contact with medicinal herbs and treatment methods on a daily basis in order to treat his daughter, even though he had never taken the physician examination, his comprehension of the Way of Medicine in this specific field could be said to be on par with most 5-star or even 6-star physicians.

Even without the young master saying anything, he knew very well the condition his daughter was in.

Could it be that the young master was helpless before this situation as well?

Was he doomed to watch as his daughter withered before his eyes?

Zhang Xuan contemplated for a moment before replying, “Calm down, I have a way to stabilize her condition for the time being. However, it is unlikely to work for long. In order to treat her once and for all, we have to first find a medicinal herb capable of nurturing the soul. As long as I can find a way to peg her soul to such a medicinal herb to nurture it, I should be able to rouse her consciousness, and the rest will be easier to deal with!”

Chapter 788: Metastasis of the Innate Fetal Poison ##

 

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Even 7-star physicians would have been helpless in such a situation, but Zhang Xuan was different.

Possessing the capability of a soul oracle, if it were to come down to it, he could even draw the other party’s soul out to nourish it directly before placing it back into her body.

However, given Wei Ruyan’s current feeble body, if he were to draw her soul out, there was a chance that she might succumb to her frailty and die. Thus, that could only serve as his final resort.

“Medicinal herb? What medicinal herb do you need?” Wei Changfeng asked anxiously. “Give me the name, and I’ll definitely find it no matter how much it takes!”

“I don’t have a specific name to give you, but the medicinal herb must at least reach Saint tier and possess the ability to nurture souls. Furthermore, the herb must be alive… On top of that, I will need a Grand Intermittence Pill!” Zhang Xuan said.

“A living Saint herb? And a Grand Intermittence Pill, the g-grade-7 pill?” Wei Changfeng’s face paled.

If it had been anything else, given his strength as a Saint realm expert and his influence as the head of the Spirit Emporium, it wouldn’t have been too difficult for him to find them as long as he were to devote his resources into it. But those two items… that would be difficult.

This was no longer a problem of whether he had the connections to obtain them or not, but that it was very possible that these items might not even exist in the entire Hongyuan City!

If it was on some other occasion, he might still have been able to head to a higher tier empire to search for those items. However, Wei Ruyan’s current condition didn’t permit him the luxury of time!

“Only a living Saint herb possesses sufficient vitality to nurture her feeble soul. As for the Grand Intermittent Pill, I believe that you should have heard of it as well. As long as one hasn’t hurt one’s foundation, one will be able to recover from even the most severe of injuries easily by consuming this pill, and this includes severed limbs as well! This pill is also extremely effective in tackling physical frailty,” Zhang Xuan explained.

The Grand Intermittent Pill harnessed the ability to stimulate the vitality within a human body, allowing even one’s severed limbs to regrow.

Considering that Wei Ruyan’s bodily functions had nearly come to a complete halt, only a pill of such a level could alleviate her condition.

Any pill weaker than that was likely to be completely ineffective on her.

“I understand… It might still be able to find a living Saint herb in Hongyuan City, but where am I to search for a grade-7 pill?” Wei Changfeng clenched his fists tightly in distress.

As rare as Saint herbs were, there were still some who cultivated them in Hongyuan City. As long as one could offer them a satisfying price, it wasn’t too difficult to obtain it.

But… it was nearly impossible to find a grade-7 pill here.

“Hmm.” Zhang Xuan also frowned.

Even the most capable of apothecaries in Hongyuan City were at 6-star pinnacle, and it was impossible for them to forge grade-7 pills. Not to mention, the Grand Intermittent Pill was one of the more advanced pills amongst grade-7 pills.

“For the time being, let me see if I can find some other way to strengthen her body.” Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan turned his sight back to Wei Ruyan.

At this moment, Zhang Xuan was considering trying the Heaven’s Path zhenqi to nourish Wei Ruyan’s body.

The Heaven’s Path zhenqi possessed the ability to allow one to recover from one’s injuries swiftly. While Zhang Xuan had never tried to see if it was capable of stimulating the regrowth of severed limbs, there was no doubt regarding its ability to heal most wounds.

If it could be used as a substitution for the Grand Intermittence Pill, they could be spared from the effort of having to find a grade-7 pill.

Thus, placing his wrist on Wei Ruyan’s wrist, he sent a surge of Heaven’s Path zhenqi into her body.

Her meridians are completely blocked?

Zhang Xuan had thought that he would be able to send his Heaven’s Path zhenqi throughout Wei Ruyan’s body to trigger her vitality, but who could have known that he would meet with a blockade shortly after entry?

To his astonishment, the meridians in her body were like sealed tunnels, unconnected to one another.

Helpless, Zhang Xuan retracted his finger.

This is probably a result of the attack from the Saint realm expert she suffered back when she was still a fetus. As a self-protective mechanism, her body automatically sealed her meridians to limit the damage. Furthermore, as she has been in this condition for too long, it would be dangerous to attempt to force her meridians open, especially while she’s unconscious…

Zhang Xuan swiftly got a rough grasp regarding the situation.

Maybe I should try this!

Despite his initial failure, Zhang Xuan didn’t despair. He flicked his wrist and took out a box of silver needles.

Hu!

With a light shake of his hand, the silver needles fell on the various acupoints throughout Wei Ruyan’s body, and using them as a medium, Zhang Xuan sent surges of his Heaven’s Path zhenqi into her body.

“Good, it worked!”

As the Heaven’s Path zhenqi seeped into Wei Ruyan’s body, her ghastly pale face finally began to regain a red glow.

“It worked…” Wei Changfeng’s body trembled in agitation.

Seeing that it was effective, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. He continued to infuse his zhenqi into the other party’s body through the silver needles.

However, just as Zhang Xuan was about to circulate his Heaven’s Path zhenqi throughout Wei Ruyan’s body to nourish it, he suddenly noticed something, and his eyebrows shot up in alarm.

“No, something’s wrong!”

He immediately rushed to retract the silver needles, but before he could do so, the face of the young lady before him suddenly turned pale once more, and her body abruptly convulsed intensely.

“Damn it!”

Zhang Xuan swiftly retracted all of the silver needles from Wei Ruyan’s body as fast as he could.

However, it was already too late. As if struck by lethal poison, white foam seeped out from the edges of the young lady’s mouth, and after a slight moment of trembling, her body fell deadly still.

“D-dead?” Wei Changfeng quickly rushed forward to check the condition of his daughter, and upon realizing that there was no pulse, his eyes immediately turned crimson in fury.

He had thought that the young master might be able to save his daughter, and clutching this final straw of hope, he had rushed over to seek his help. Who could have known that the latter would actually treat his daughter to her death!

In that instant, the final spark of hope in his heart faded, and madness overtook his rationality.

“This…” Zhang Xuan was also in a frenzy by the situation before him.

The Heaven’s Path zhenqi had never failed him before. Why would something crop up this time around, causing Wei Ruyan to lose her life?

“It must be the effects of her Innate Poison Body…” Zhang Xuan’s face turned livid as realization struck him.

The other party’s Innate Poison Body seemed to have clashed with his Heaven’s Path zhenqi, resulting in a backlash.

Considering the incredibly feeble state that Wei Ruyan was already in, how could she possibly withstand the impact of the backlash? Due to the heavy toll on her body, she breathed her last.

I promised Wei Changfeng that I’ll treat his daughter, but such an unfortunate mishap happened instead… Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.

Even though Wei Changfeng wouldn’t be able to do anything to Zhang Xuan with his soul being held hostage, it was a fact that Zhang Xuan had promised to treat his daughter.

Just a moment ago his daughter had still been breathing, albeit on the verge of death. Yet, in the midst of his treatment, his daughter ended up losing her life.

It might have been an unfortunate accident, but there was no way anyone could accept this easily, especially not Wei Changfeng, who had devoted his life to saving his daughter.

I must save her!

Whether it was for Wei Changfeng, his own reputation, or Wei Ruyan herself, Zhang Xuan couldn’t allow the young lady to die just like that. Thus, he placed his fingers on the other party’s pulse once more and compiled a new book on her condition.

In the blink of an eye, he browsed through the entire book.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan instructed, “Little Feng, leave the room for a moment!”

“Leave the room?” Wei Changfeng asked with an awful look on his face.

“That’s right. She isn’t completely dead yet. She has just fallen into a deeper coma due to the backlash from the collision of energies. I need to use my secret art to save her, so I need you to leave for a moment.” Zhang Xuan waved his hands, urging him to leave quickly.

“This…” Wei Changfeng’s face turned incredibly ugly after hearing those words.

Her heart has stopped, and her body was beginning to stiffen. Yet, you are calling this a coma?

Who do you think you are fooling?

“Hurry up! If you don’t want to see her dead, get out of the room this very instant!” Zhang Xuan roared furiously.

“Alright then.” Seeing the young master fly into a rage, even though Wei Changfeng was still feeling deeply displeased on the inside, he still walked out of the room and closed the doors.

In the end, this was the final sliver of hope he had left. He could only pray that what Zhang Xuan was saying was true.

After he left, Zhang Xuan exhaled deeply and sat on the ground.

He had used the Library of Heaven’s Path to check on Wei Ruyan’s condition just a moment ago, and detailed on it was not that Wei Ruyan had fallen into a deeper coma but that… she was really dead!

However, even though she had breathed her last, her soul had yet to leave the confines of her body entirely yet.

While it wasn’t incorrect to define a person in such a state as dead, considering how not even a 7-star physician would be able to treat such a condition, Zhang Xuan suddenly recalled one of the techniques that Mo Hunsheng had imparted to him had the effect of guiding a soul back to its body.

Thus… since there was no better solution at hand, he decided to give it a try!

Otherwise, Wei Ruyan truly would be doomed!

This technique is damaging to my soul, but at this moment… I have no other choice!

Since he had decided to save Wei Ruyan, he wouldn’t allow anyone or anything, not even the grim reapers, to take her away, even if he had to pay a heavy price for it.

Thus, Zhang Xuan drew his soul out from his glabella.

Floating in the air, he saw Wei Ruyan’s soul gradually separating from her body, as if attracted by some inexplicable force of nature.

Seal!

Knowing that it would be impossible to save her once her soul was taken away, Zhang Xuan immediately formed a few hand seals before pushing his palm down on her soul.

Soul Art, Soul Summoning!

This capability had the mystical ability of summoning a soul through a suitable medium.

Huala!

With the suppression from his palm, the soul immediately returned back to her body.

However, just this wasn’t enough to reverse her death.

Even though Wei Ruyan’s soul had been temporarily secured by Soul Summoning, her death had already created a considerable rift between her body and her soul, making it difficult to fuse them together again.

I have to enter her consciousness!

It was impossible to mend the rift from the outside. Zhang Xuan would have to enter her consciousness, just like how he had saved Lu Chong previously. Thus, without any hesitation, his massive soul seeped right into her consciousness.

In a vast sea of consciousness, a thin and frail-looking young lady was floating in the air a short distance away with her eyes tightly shut, seemingly in a deep sleep.

It was Wei Ruyan’s soul.

I will have to strengthen her soul first… There’s only one feasible way to do it at the moment, and that is to nurture her soul through mine! Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly together.

Due to the other party’s soul being too weak at the moment, it was impossible to fuse it together with her body. Thus, there was a need to strengthen her soul first.

And the best method to do so was to nurture her soul through his!

In essence, this method meant feeding a portion of his soul to the other party.

Even though it was an effective method, it would also severely weaken oneself as well. As such, unless it was for the closest kin, there was no soul oracle who would be willing to resort to this.

To be honest, Zhang Xuan was also a little hesitant to go so far for a person whom he had only met a moment ago.

But ultimately, even though Wei Ruyan had already been in an extremely feeble condition back then and could possibly have died at any moment, it was a fact that his treatment had led to her death.

Since he had wronged her, it was only right for him to correct it.

Besides, the lengths to which Wei Changfeng had gone for his daughter had also touched him. It would be an unfortunate tragedy if the father and daughter were to be separated by the boundary of life and death.

Tzzzz!

Zhang Xuan’s soul reached for Wei Ruyan’s finger, and using her arm as a medium, he injected concentrated soul essence into the latter’s body so as to nourish her soul.

As his soul essence depleted at a rapid pace, it didn’t take too long for Zhang Xuan to feel deep fatigue.

Soul essence to a soul was just like blood to a body. Giving it away to another was extremely damaging to his soul. The fatigue he was feeling at the moment was only a minor side effect; in the very worst-case scenario, his soul could even lose its stability and dissipate.

However, since he had already begun this, it was already too late to back down. Suppressing his fatigue, he continued to pump his soul essence into the other party’s soul.

Under the massive influx of soul essence, Wei Ruyan’s feeble soul finally began to grow denser.

It is effective…

Upon seeing that his method was working, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. However, just as he was about to continue pumping more soul essence into the other party, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind, and his eyes widened in shock. He immediately activated his Eye of Insight, and his soul began trembling in agitation.

Sh*t, the Innate Fetal Poison… is spreading!

Chapter 789: Poison Soul Constitution ##

 

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Initially, the Innate Fetal Poison in his soul was wrapped together in a bundle by the corner, making it an inconspicuous existence.

However, with his soul weakening swiftly due to the transfusion of his soul essence, the Innate Fetal Poison began its assault. At this moment, it had already spread to more than half of his entire soul, and its march was still showing no signs of stopping.

I’m done for… Zhang Xuan’s face paled in fright.

The Innate Fetal Poison was something even Empyrean Kong shi had been helpless before in his time! If he were to allow it to consume his soul, there was no doubt that he would be immediately poisoned to death. No one would be able to save him!

Even though Zhang Xuan had failed to find what he was looking for at the Terpsichore School, he hadn’t panicked too much. He had thought that as long as he were to proceed carefully, he would be fine for the time being.

Yet, in his moment of anxiety, he’d neglected the presence of the Innate Fetal Poison in his soul and transfused his soul essence to another, granting the Innate Fetal Poison an opportunity to strike!

What in the world is this!

I must be the first one in the world to die due to an attempt to save another’s life!

On the verge of tears, just as Zhang Xuan was contemplating drawing back the soul essence he had pumped into the other party, he suddenly felt a warm surge of energy flowing back from the young lady’s body.

Upon contact with this surge of energy, the Innate Fetal Poison immediate fled in fright, as if having met its nemesis.

This… Zhang Xuan widened his eyes in astonishment.

The Innate Fetal Poison was a high-grade poison which was extremely difficult to deal with. So far, the only thing that Zhang Xuan had found to be effective in suppressing it was the Heaven’s Path zhenqi. In order to save his soul, he had tried many methods in hopes of being able to keep the Innate Fetal Poison in check, but none of them worked.

Yet, why was it suddenly retreating so fearfully all of the sudden?

A thought flashed through Zhang Xuan’s mind, and he muttered beneath his breath, “Could it be… the Innate Poison Body?”

Through the Library of Heaven’s Path, he’d learned that Wei Ruyan possessed the Innate Poison Body, just that she hadn’t activated it yet.

Could the Innate Poison Body possess the ability to curb the Innate Fetal Poison as well?

“No, it doesn’t seem to be the Innate Poison Body. Could it be the… Poison Soul Constitution?” Zhang Xuan’s eyes lit up in agitation.

The Innate Poison Body granted one an innate resistance to all poison. In fact, the consumption of lethal poison would only further temper one’s physical body.

However, such an effect didn’t extend to one’s soul. If afflicted by a soul poison, it was still possible for a person possessing the Innate Poison Body to be poisoned to death.

Unless… that person possessed the Poison Soul Constitution as well.

The Poison Soul Constitution worked in a manner similar to the Innate Poison Body. It granted one’s soul perfect immunity to all poison.

Considering that Wei Ruyan’s soul was able to help him suppress the Innate Fetal Poison plaguing his soul, there was a high chance that she possessed such a constitution.

It’s no wonder she’s still so feeble despite absorbing the spirit of so many artifacts! Her body has already been extremely frail since birth, and yet she still had to bear the burden from the sheer might of two unique constitutions within her. It is truly a miracle that she has survived to such an age! It sure is hard to say whether she has been blessed or cursed by the heavens… Zhang Xuan exclaimed internally as realization struck him.

Unique constitutions were extremely powerful, but their sheer power created a heavy burden on one’s body as well. It sure wasn’t easy for Wei Ruyan to come this far with two unique constitutions within her.

I should try it out to see if my deduction is right!

With such thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan began to draw back the soul essence he had pumped into the other party’s soul.

Gu gu gu!

As soon as the soul essence he had drawn back came into contact with the Innate Fetal Poison, the latter immediately retreated in horror as if electrified.

Hahaha, this is great! Zhang Xuan laughed joyously to himself.

He had been agonizing over how he could curb the Innate Fetal Poison when the solution to his problem simply fell from the heavens. Excited, Zhang Xuan quickly hastened the flow of his soul essence.

Tzzzz!

As he circulated his soul essence with Wei Ruyan, the Innate Fetal Poison was slowly driven back to the corner where it came from, not daring to make a move at all.

Even though he couldn’t get rid of it yet, he was at least able to suppress it for the time being.

This sure is a blessing in disguise! Only after suppressing the Innate Fetal Poison entirely did Zhang Xuan finally heave a sigh of relief, and excitement gleamed in his eyes.

Nurturing the soul of another was never an easy feat. To allow Wei Ruyan’s soul to recover from its feeble state, he would have to expend a significant portion of his soul essence, leaving him in a severely weakened state.

Nevertheless, at this very moment, Zhang Xuan was truly glad that he had made the decision he did. Who could have known that the sacrifice he made for Wei Ruyan would end up saving his life as well?

When his soul essence fused with the latter’s soul, it also gained a certain degree of the properties of the Poison Soul Constitution as well. At this current moment, even if someone were to feed him lethal poison capable of dissipating one’s soul, he would be completely unaffected by it. On the contrary, his soul might even grow stronger as a result of it.

I’ll have to stop here today.

Along with the transfusion of his soul essence, the fatigue Zhang Xuan felt gradually weighed heavier and heavier on him. Eventually, reaching his limit, he had no choice but to extract his soul from the other party’s consciousness.

Honestly speaking, Wei Ruyan’s soul was simply way too feeble. Even with the nourishment of his soul, he was still unable to awaken her fully in a single try.

Hu!

As Zhang Xuan’s soul returned to his physical body, he immediately turned his gaze to assess Wei Ruyan’s condition once more.

Even though the latter had yet to awaken, she had regained her breathing and heartbeat, and there was a healthy red glow on her face as well. At this moment, it felt as if she was only asleep.

For the time being, she shouldn’t be in danger.

However, if she wasn’t treated soon, it was unlikely that she would be able to survive for too long. Her physical body was simply far too weak.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Zhang Xuan shouted, “Alright, come in!”

Jiya!

The anxious Wei Changfeng immediately rushed into the room in a fluster, and after taking a look at his daughter, he heaved a sigh of relief. Following which, he turned to his young master, and upon seeing the latter’s pale face, he suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

Seeing the young master’s treatment causing his daughter’s death had left him so infuriated that he almost wanted to kill him. However, at this very instant, he realized that everything the young master had done was to save his daughter!

For the young master to be severely weakened after the treatment, it was clear how far he had gone for her…

Despite the other party devoting his efforts to saving his daughter, he actually misunderstood his intentions…

“I’m sorry, Young Master…” Wei Changfeng lowered his head apologetically.

“I’ve said that as long as you remain loyal to me, I will definitely do everything I can to save your daughter!” Zhang Xuan shook his head as he spoke with a powerless voice. “Guard me, I need to recuperate.”

Leaving those words behind, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out a jade bottle. Opening it, a round pill fell into his palm, and he consumed it whole.

It was the Miniature Restorative Pill that Wei Ranxue had given him.

Gugugugu!

The pill dissolved as soon as it came into contact with his mouth, turning into a warm gush of medicinal energy that surged through his body. His soul, which had been severely depleted while trying to nurture Wen Ruyan’s, slowly began to heal.

A moment later, he exhaled a mouthful of turbid gas before standing up.

Through the medicinal energy of the pill and his meditation, his soul was able to recover to its original state.

“Young Master!” Wei Changfeng clasped his fist to greet Zhang Xuan.

“Un.”

Zhang Xuan turned his gaze to the young lady on the bed once more, and after confirming once more that her status had stabilized, he heaved a sigh of relief. “We will still need the two items which I listed previously. Don’t waste your time waiting here, hurry up and find them!”

“Yes!” Wei Changfeng nodded. However, a moment later, he frowned. “I have given it some thought, and I think that there just might be a living saint herb in Hongyuan City. However… I might require Young Master to lead the way!”

“Where is it?” Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully.

Wei Changfeng was a Saint realm expert, and yet there was still a place in Hongyuan City which he couldn’t access?

“It’s in the Master Teacher Academy,” Wei Changfeng replied.

“The Master Teacher Academy?” Zhang Xuan was stunned for an instant before realization struck him.

Indeed. Having been able to enter its premises freely as a student, Zhang Xuan had overlooked its tight security. The entire academy was filled with many experts, and there was no lack of Saint realm cultivators amidst them. Even a person of Wei Changfeng’s strength would dare not charge in recklessly.

Thus, he required a student such as Zhang Xuan to bring him in.

“Yes. The vice head of the Physician School, You Xu, is not only a physician but a herbologist as well. He cultivates quite a few precious medicinal herbs in his garden, so if there is anywhere we can procure living saint herb in Hongyuan City, it is from him!” Wei Changfeng said.

Zhang Xuan nodded. “That’s good, let’s make a move then! The longer we drag it out, the harder it’ll be to treat your daughter!”

“Yes!” Wei Changfeng replied.

After the discussion, just as the duo made their way out of the room, they saw Sun Qiang, Wang Ying, and the others standing before them.

They turned to Zhang Xuan as soon as they saw him walking out of the room and greeted him.

“Teacher!”

“Young Master!”

Over the past few days of absence, Wang Ying and the others had made significant progress in their cultivation once again. The aura they exuded felt much more condensed than before.

With everyone gathered in the same area, Zhang Xuan couldn’t help but to notice how cramped the residence was once again. Shaking his head, he turned to Sun Qiang and asked, “Have you found a larger residence yet?”

“Reporting to Young Master, I have searched the area, but there are simply no larger residences in the vicinity,” Sun Qiang said embarrassedly.

It wasn’t that he had been lazing about, but all of the better residences near the Master Teacher Academy he found had already been purchased by the other students. Up until this point, the best residence that was available that he had found so far was still the one they were living in.

Knowing that Sun Qiang wasn’t intentionally slacking off, Zhang Xuan didn’t blame him. Instead, he turned to Wang Ying and the others and instructed, “I see. Alright, Wang Ying, Zheng Yang, and Liu Yang, you should help Sun Qiang look around as well. The sooner we find a suitable residence, the sooner we can move. This place is simply far too cramped…”

With another three people on the job, they should be able to find a suitable residence sooner.

In any case, spending all of their time cooped up indoors cultivating wasn’t ideal for them either. There should be a balance between work and leisure. It would do them some good to take a stroll outside and enjoy the city.

“Yes!” Wang Ying and the others nodded.

“Let’s go!” After delegating several other matters, Zhang Xuan left for the Master Teacher Academy with Wei Changfeng beside him.

Even though he still hadn’t received his student token yet, he had the tokens of three of the Ten Great Master Teachers in his possession, so bringing another person into the academy wasn’t a problem for him.

After traveling for another hour, they finally arrived at the Physician School.

The Physician School was ranked fifth out of the ten schools of the academy. Nevertheless, due to the nature of their occupation, there was no master teacher in the academy who was willing to offend them.

After all, there was no way anyone could guarantee that they could remain healthy for their entire life. As cultivators, there was a much higher chance that a day would come when they would require the help of the Physician School than any of the other schools in the academy.

Even before reaching the Tower of Physicians, the building located at the very center of the Physician School, Zhang Xuan could already see a large crowd walking in and out of the area. Astonishingly, it seemed to be even more bustling than the Blacksmith School.

As they were heading over, Zhang Xuan suddenly asked, “The price of saint herbs aren’t cheap. Have you prepared the money yet?”

He had no high-tier spirit stones with him at the moment, so there was no way he could afford a saint herb. Besides, Wei Ruyan was Wei Changfeng’s daughter, so it was only right for the latter to pay.

“I have prepared some money. It should be enough to afford a saint herb,” Wei Changfeng replied.

As the head of the Spirit Emporium, even though most of his artifacts had been swept away by Zhang Xuan, he still had quite a bit of savings left with him.

While saint herbs were expensive, the savings which he had accrued over many years should be sufficient to afford it.

“That’s good!” Zhang Xuan nodded.

Advancing ahead, an imposing tower soon came into their sight.

Tower of Physicians!

This was the grandest building within the entire Physician School, and the Vice School Head You Xu whom Wei Changfeng spoke of resided here.

Following behind the crowd, Zhang Xuan stepped through the entrance of the tower.

The first floor was a vast hall with countless master teachers walking around the area.

Shelves of precious herbs filled the room, and by the corner stood several physicians to attend to those who required a diagnosis. Most master teachers would choose to pay this place a visit to resolve any existing conditions they had or to purchase recovery herbs before embarking on their mission.

Zhang Xuan scanned the surroundings, but he wasn’t sure where Vice School Head You Xu’s living quarters were. Thus, he could only head to the reception with Wei Changfeng beside him.

Chapter 790: Ten-leafed Flower ##

 

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

“What do the both of you need?” the receptionist asked with a smile upon seeing Zhang Xuan and Wei Changfeng.

The receptionist was a lady in her early thirties. She wore a tight-fitting physician robe which accentuated her beautiful figure.

Like Luo Qiqi, she was also a 5-star low-tier master teacher, a Grade-2 student. Most likely, she had taken this job in order to earn Academic Credits as well.

“We wish to meet Vice School Head You Xu.” Zhang Xuan dived right into the matter at hand.

“You wish to meet Vice School Head You?” The receptionist was slightly taken aback. With a doubtful voice, she asked, “Do you have an appointment with him?”

“We don’t!” Zhang Xuan shook his head.

The receptionist also shook her head. “I will have to apologize then. Vice School Head You is a busy man, so I can’t take you to meet him if you don’t have an appointment.”

As a vice head of the Physician School, a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, even the nobility of the country would have to make an appointment in advance to meet him. How could a mere student be allowed to meet him as he pleased?

Judging from the other party’s young age, he was likely to only be a Grade-1 student. A minor figure like this wouldn’t even be qualified to meet the manager of the Tower of Physicians, needless to say a vice school head! Indeed, the ignorant were brazen!

“Then… how can we make an appointment with him?” Zhang Xuan asked.

“I have no idea,” the receptionist replied snappishly.

She had already made it clear through her words, but the other party still continued to pester her. A hint of displeasure flashed across the receptionist’s eyes.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan scratched his head, troubled.

He’d thought that the matter could be easily settled—he would meet with Vice School Head You Xu, ask him about the medicinal herb, negotiate the price, and they would be done. But who would have thought that he would be hindered at the very first step?

However, considering the other party’s standing as the vice head of the Physician School, this should have been expected. Otherwise, if he were to meet anyone who sought an audience with him, he wouldn’t have any time left for himself anymore.

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan said, “Since that’s the case, I have something in my possession that I hope you can pass to Vice School Head You in my stead. Perhaps, he might be willing to meet me after see it.”

“I apologize, but I am not your courier. If you really wish to meet Vice School Head You, please return only after you have the qualification to speak with him. Now if you will excuse me, I have things to attend to…”

Seeing that the other party was still refusing to give up, the receptionist shook her head in displeasure and rejected him flatly. However, just as she was about to chase him away, he suddenly flicked his wrist, and a token appeared in his hand.

On the surface of the token was a majestic image with rows after rows of buildings inscribed on it. It was a picture of the Master Teacher Academy.

The token of the elders?

Gedeng! The receptionist’s words suddenly came to an abrupt halt.

As a Grade-2 student, she was naturally able to recognize the personal tokens of the elders of the academy. How could a freshman possess such an important item?

In the midst of her shock, the young man flicked his wrist and took out two other identical tokens.

Placing the personal tokens on the receptionist table, Zhang Xuan requested, “I have three tokens here. Can you take a look to see which of them is closer with Vice School Head You and deliver it to him?”

“This…” Astonished, the receptionist flipped over one of the tokens, only to see the words ‘Mo Zhu’ written on it.

“Mo Zhu? The head of the Beast Tamer School, School Head Mo?” The receptionist shuddered in shock.

With trembling lips, she flipped over the second token, and she nearly blacked out.

Written on the second token was a name as well—Zhao Bingxu.

It was the head of the Blacksmith School, School Head Zhao!

“He possesses both School Head Mo and School Head Zhao’s personal tokens?” the young lady uttered in shock as her trembling hand reached for the third token and flipped it.

Wei Ranxue!

It was the head of the Terpsichore School!

The Ten Great Master Teachers were figures who stood at the very top of the academy, existences far beyond her. Despite being a Grade-2 student, she had hardly seen them around in the academy. It was only during the Academy’s Annual Celebration and the Annual Tournament that she would get an opportunity to see them from afar.

Yet, the young man before her actually took out three of their personal tokens at once…

The receptionist felt as if she was going to burst into tears.

She had thought that the other party was only a mere freshman, but who could have known that he would have such powerful backing?

If you are so formidable, you should have just headed up to meet Vice School Head You directly. Why did you even bother wasting your breath on me?

While her face had gone pale in shock, the young man before her asked with a doubtful voice, “How is it? Are these tokens useless as well? I knew it, those fellows were indeed bragging… If the tokens won’t work, will it be better if I call them over?”

“Cough cough!” The attendant nearly died from shock.

To say that three of the school heads were bragging, and even propose to call them over…

Just who was the young man standing before her?

To think that she had snapped at him just a moment ago…

Her face paled as her body shook uncontrollably. “There’s no need for that! The tokens work perfectly fine!”

Fearing that she would earn the ire of the school heads, the receptionist hurriedly pushed the tokens back to Zhang Xuan before walking out from the receptionist desk. “Follow me!”

Regardless of whether the other party meant those words or not, the fact that he could whip out the personal tokens of three of the Ten Great Master Teachers was more than enough to say that he was a figure whom she couldn’t afford to offend.

“Thanks.” Seeing that the personal tokens had really worked, Zhang Xuan nodded before following behind the receptionist with Wei Changfeng.

Not too long later, they arrived at the entrance of a vast courtyard.

“This is the residence of Vice School Head You!” the receptionist gestured and said.

Zhang Xuan turned his attention to the residence.

As expected of the residence of the vice head of the Physician School, it was indeed much larger than Hu Yaoyao’s residence. Even though he couldn’t get a clear view of the formation surrounding the residence, he could still feel the dense spiritual energy drifting in the surroundings.

Dong dong dong!

Stepping forward, the receptionist knocked on the gates.

Jiya!

A middle-aged man opened the gates from the inside.

“Sun laoshi, these two men seek an audience with Vice School Head You,” the receptionist hurriedly said.

“Seek an audience with Vice School Head You?” The middle-aged Sun laoshi frowned.

He turned his gaze to Zhang Xuan, and after confirming that he had no idea who he was, he turned his gaze onto Wei Changfeng. The next moment, his eyes lit up. “So, it’s the Boss Wei from the Spirit Emporium! I’ll report your presence to my teacher this instant!”

As a Saint realm expert and one of the top figures in Hongyuan City, Wei Changfeng was rather well-known in Hongyuan City as well.

Hearing those words, Wei Changfeng nodded.

As Sun laoshi turned around and returned back into the residence, the receptionist nearly fell limply to the ground from horror.

As Wei Changfeng had been standing silently behind Zhang Xuan without saying a word like a subordinate, she had assumed him to be a person unworthy of notice. Never could she have imagined that he would be the boss of the Spirit Emporium!

To take a Saint realm expert as a subordinate… Just who in the world was the young man before her?

It didn’t take long for Sun laoshi to return. He bowed deeply and gestured for them to head into the residence. “This way please!”

“Thank you.”

Ignoring the receptionist, who seemed to be on the verge of going bonkers, Zhang Xuan stepped into the residence.

The next moment, the refreshing scent of medicinal herbs filled his nose. Concentrated spiritual energy seemed to linger by his ear like a mini whirlwind, producing a soft whimpering sound.

Consonance of the Spiritual Energy? Zhang Xuan was stunned.

This phenomenon was a result of a consonance produced by accumulating an overwhelming amount of treasures in an area.

Scanning through the courtyard, Zhang Xuan swiftly caught sight of a small medicinal herb garden. That was where the Consonance of the Spiritual Energy was coming from. All kinds of herbs were being cultivated in the garden, creating a beautiful harmony of vibrant colors. It was a pleasure just to look at them.

Broken Yin Grass, Smile Embodiment Flower, Seven Hearts Spearmint… There are so many saint herbs here? Zhang Xuan’s eyebrows shot up in astonishment.

The garden was considerably small, containing only several hundred medicinal herbs. However, every single one of them was a top-grade herb, and one could even see quite a number of saint herbs with just a swift glance.

Hmm? That is… a Ten-leafed Flower? As Zhang Xuan carefully observed them while walking along the garden, his eyes suddenly lit up.

The Ten-leafed Flower was a saint herb as well.

Upon reaching maturity, ten different colored flowers will bloom on the ten leaves of the medicinal herb, and the flowers corresponded to the three hun and seven po of a human’s soul. If they could procure this saint herb to nourish Wei Ruyan’s soul, Zhang Xuan was confident that he would be able to awaken her within a single week.

At that moment, Wei Changfeng asked him via zhenqi telepathy, “Young Master, will that Ten-leafed Flower do?”

Clearly, he had also caught sight of the same medicinal herb as him.

In order to save his daughter, he had studied a great deal on medicine, granting him in-depth knowledge regarding medicinal herbs.

“Yes, the Ten-leafed Flower can save your daughter’s life. However, it’ll be preferable to procure one whose flowers have already bloomed so as to maximize the effectiveness of the treatment,” Zhang Xuan replied affirmatively.

The Ten-leafed Flower being cultivated in the medicinal herb garden was still quite some time away from blooming. However, it was unlikely that Wei Ruyan would be able to wait so long. Even though the effectiveness of the treatment would be lowered using an immature Ten-leafed Flower, it should still be sufficient to save her life.

Hearing the young master’s confirmation, Wei Changfeng heaved a sigh of relief. With his goal lying right before him, he couldn’t help but feel agitated within.

At that moment, Sun laoshi suddenly reported with a resounding voice, “Teacher, Boss Wei is here!”

Shifting their gazes, they soon saw an old man applying fertilizer to one of the medicinal herbs with a bent back not too far away.

The old man seemed to be in his sixties or seventies, and he had a long grayish beard.

The medicinal herb which he was tending to was a crimson flower with clear vein lines on it. The old man carefully dug the soil around the crimson flower and poured a scarlet fluid in before placing the soil back.

Demonic Blood Flower? Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had read this flower on a book before. Even though it was a saint herb, there were very few people who chose to cultivate it.

It wasn’t because the flower was inauspicious but that it was simply too difficult to provide for it.

This was because the Demonic Blood Flower required the nourishment of blood to survive!

Just cultivating a single Demonic Blood Flower would potentially require the blood of more than a dozen spirit beasts.

It seems Vice School Head You isn’t young anymore…

But even though it was hard to provide for, it had an incredible effect as well. Once matured, consuming it could boost a person’s vitality, extending their lifespan.

This was probably the reason Vice School Head You was taking care for it so diligently.

Otherwise, why would a master teacher spend so much effort on cultivating such a medicinal herb?

“Un.” Without turning his head over, the old man waved his hands to gesture that he had heard Sun laoshi.

The old man first flattened the ground around the Demonic Blood Flower and washed his hands in a basin in front of him before turning his attention to them.

“I have long heard of Boss Wei’s reputation, pleased to meet you,” Vice School Head Wei said with a smile.

“I have also long heard of Vice School Head Wei’s aptitude in cultivating medicinal herbs, and I must say that I am truly impressed by your medicinal herb garden!” Wei Changfeng clasped his fist.

“I dare not claim any aptitude in it, it is just a hobby of mine. May I know the reason for Boss Wei’s sudden visit?” asked Vice School Head You.

As fellow Saint realm experts, even though they had never met before, they had at least heard of each other’s name on other occasions.

Considering that they had spoken to one another before, it was likely that Wei Changfeng’s visit meant business.

“Vice School Head You sure is a candid man. I do have a request to ask of you…” Wei Changfeng bowed. “I hope to purchase Vice School Head You’s Ten-leafed Flower!”

“Ten-leafed Flower?”

Glancing at the saint herb which was pulsating with spiritual energy in the courtyard, Vice School Head You shook his head and replied, “Pardon me, but that medicinal herb is not for sale!”

Wei Changfeng immediately panicked. “I require the medicinal herb to save my kin, I hope that Vice School Head You can do me this favor…”

“I have already said that the medicinal herb is not for sale. Sun Yuan, send our guests out!” Vice School Head You waved his hands.

“Yes!”

Sun laoshi stepped forward and bowed. “This way please.”

“This…” Wei Changfeng looked at Vice School Head You with an anxious frown.

“I know that it is somewhat rude of me to suddenly arrive at your residence and ask for your medicinal herb, but I truly need it to save someone. Vice School Head You, I am willing to pay any price for your Ten-leafed Flower as long as it is within my means!”