Library of Heaven’s Path - Chapter 810

Chapter 810: Zhang Xuan’s Poison ##

 

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

“He drank it all, just like that?”

“Cheers? Does he think that that is wine?”

“To drink lethal poison so nonchalantly… he sure is cool!”

“Indeed. He might be a freshman, but with this, he has my complete respect!”

…

Seeing Zhang Xuan gulping down the poison without any hesitation, a huge commotion broke out among the crowd.

Previously, when he had first uncorked the lid, everyone could feel the overwhelming aura of the lethal poison contained inside.

Putting aside physicians, even poison masters would not dare to swallow such a poison!

Yet, the young man before them had gulped it down casually as if he was drinking wine, even smacking his lips when he was done. Just his courage in itself was truly admirable! Even the seniors who had their reservations about him couldn’t help but feel a surge of respect for him.

There was probably not a second person in the Master Teacher Academy who would willingly drink lethal poison as readily as him!

“You…” Not expecting the other party to drink his poison so quickly, leaving him no time to react at all, You Xu’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.

What do you mean by cheers, and that it’s my turn?

The hell! With such a huge gourd, there is at least four to five jin 1 of urine inside! On top of that, the astringent odor… How am I to drink this?

“I have already drunk your lethal poison, but you still aren’t going to drink mine? Fine by me as well. You are the one who set the rules, and you have failed to follow them. Since that’s the case, I will report it to the Physician Guild this instant to have your physician license revoked!” Zhang Xuan waved his hands.

“You…” You Xu’s complexion turned extremely awful, and he felt as if he was going to explode at any moment.

He had heard of how troublesome this fellow was, but he had never thought much of it. To think that it would actually be true!

To leave the Tower of Physicians in such a state and force him into accepting his duel… and now, the other party was even making him drink saint beast urine!

Refuse, and he would lose the duel, subjecting him to the whims of the other party.

Drink, and the reputation he had built up painstakingly over the course of his life would go down the drain.

There was no way out for him.

Neither option was one he could accept.

He had thought that he was ingenious to have thought of proposing a Duel of Poison Curing, but who knew that it would turn out to be the stinkiest decision he had ever made!

Forget it! Even though the Spirit Solution of Vigor is urine, it’s still a type of medicinal ingredient…

But ultimately, could one’s life possibly be more important than one’s reputation?

“Fine, I’ll drink it then!”

Gritting his teeth in determination, You Xu pinched his nose and took the gourd. Tilting his head upwards, he gulped it down.

The predecessors of the Physician Guild had also needed to consume all kinds of saint beast urines back then in order to formulate prescriptions to treat specific illnesses. Thinking about it from that perspective, drinking the Spirit Solution of Vigor didn’t seem to be much of a deal anymore.

Gudong, gudong!

The odor from the Spirit Solution of Vigor was so overpowering that You Xu’s lips began twitching wildly, and tears streamed down his cheeks.

Elder Mo’s gourd was extremely large, storing around four to five jin of the Spirit Solution. Despite the speed at which You Xu was gulping it down, it still took him three minutes before he was able to ingest all of it.

The urine of saint beasts was far harsher to the nose than a human’s. Putting aside whether there was any poison in the Spirit Solution of Vigor in the first place, just the smell itself already left You Xu extremely nauseated, and he felt as if he would vomit at any moment.

“I’m done!”

After exhaling a mouthful of foul-smelling breath, You Xu glared at Zhang Xuan savagely with a reddened face.

Just as You Xu was going to see if his poison had started to act on Zhang Xuan yet, he suddenly saw the latter gazing at him in admiration, even giving a thumbs up toward him.

“You drank it all? Impressive! When I said feel free, I meant that you don’t have to finish drinking the entire gourd. Actually, my poison only requires you to drink a mouthful. I truly didn’t expect Vice School Head You to have such a unique taste, gulping down an entire gourd of it… I am truly in awe of you!”

The purpose of the Spirit Solution of Vigor was just to conceal the unique presence of his Heaven’s Path zhenqi. You Xu just had to drink a single mouthful for the Heaven’s Path zhenqi infused in it to seep into his body.

Who could have known that the other party would be so drastic, finishing such a large gourd to the last drop? He sure was impressive!

“You…”

You Xu’s body swayed weakly, and a mouthful of orange-yellowish liquid spewed from his mouth. A repugnant odor could be smelled from his breath.

A mouthful is sufficient? Screw you!

You are toying with me, aren’t you?

“I will remember this! Let’s see if you can laugh until the very end! If you can’t neutralize the poison within the next hour, you will have lost the duel!”

Knowing that it was impossible for him to win a verbal fight against Zhang Xuan, You Xu gritted his teeth and harrumphed coldly.

“Neutralize the poison within the next hour? There’s no need to be that troublesome. I have already neutralized the poison…” Zhang Xuan looked at You Xu with a wry smile on his face.

The latter’s poison was indeed formidable. If it had been in the past, even with Zhang Xuan’s Heaven’s Path zhenqi, it would still have taken quite a bit of effort for him to neutralize it.

However, the previous transfusion of soul essence with Wei Ruyan had resulted in a change of his constitution, granting his body with properties reminiscent of the Innate Poison Body.

To the current Zhang Xuan, drinking You Xu’s poison was not much different from drinking any beverage. Its lethality was completely ineffective on him.

On the contrary, the spirit from the medicinal herbs used to concoct the poison further reinforced his cultivation and his soul. His soul had grown yet again from its size of ten meters. Even though he would have to draw out his soul in order to ascertain how much the growth was, it was a fact that his soul energy had grown significantly more condensed.

In other words, not only was the poison not harmful to him, it even boosted his cultivation.

“You have already neutralized the poison?” You Xu staggered, and he nearly fell from the stage.

Are you for real?

That poison was his greatest trump card! With it, he could even kill opponents who possessed a higher cultivation than him… Yet, the fellow hadn’t attempted to consume an antidote or done anything at all, how in the world did he manage to neutralize his poison?

“That’s right. If I’m not mistaken, the core ingredients of your poison are ‘Green-leafed Heart Nexus Plant’ and ‘Soulless Flower’, and you added another 49 medicinal ingredients to complement them. Should an ordinary Saint consume just a single drop, their heart and mind would be corroded, resulting in a swift death.

“Not only so, this poison has the effect of numbing one’s nerves as well. When diluted heavily, it can be used to make others obey one’s commands. This property of it is extremely potent as well, working on Saint realm experts too.”

At which, Zhang Xuan chuckled lightly. “The poison you concocted is indeed formidable. However, it is nothing before me! It just happens that I do know how to make an antidote to it. Three qian of Green Bamboo Shoot, two liang of Silverwear Grass, four qian of White Angelica Wood… Grind all 23 medicinal ingredients into powder, and that would be the antidote to your poison. There isn’t even a need to concoct anything at all.”

“Y-you…”

Every word that Zhang Xuan spoke made You Xu widen his eyes a little more. By the time he was done saying everything, the latter’s eyes were already bulging as if he had seen a ghost.

Given that You Xu had the poison in his hands, it was natural that he would have the antidote as well. Regardless of whether it was the poison or the antidote, the other party’s analysis was spot-on!

In other words, the reason Zhang Xuan was still fine despite drinking his poison was because he had neutralized it instantaneously…

Was that still the feat of a human?

Just how could one possibly do that?

Why did it feel as if he wasn’t consuming poison but just having a meal instead?

“Am I right?” Zhang Xuan glanced at You Xu with a provocative smile.

When he received the jade bottle, he had used the Library of Heaven’s Path to analyze its content. As a result, he knew the various ingredients of the poison, and from that, he was able to formulate an antidote to it.

Saint realm poison? A piece of cake!

“You… Fine, you might be right! However, this isn’t your victory yet… I can neutralize your poison, too! Open!”

Gritting his teeth, You Xu’s zhenqi began surging furiously.

Hong long!

In the next instant, all of his acupoints abruptly opened, and a fiery aura immediately gushed into the surroundings. In an instant, it felt as if he was a searing cauldron.

“This is… the ‘Grand Circulation Cauldron Poison Expelling Art’?” Zhong Dingchun exclaimed with narrowed eyes.

Hearing the lengthy name of the technique that the other party had stated, School Head Zhao, School Head Mo, and the others turned to him with questioning gazes.

“This is a technique created by 6-star pinnacle Physician Qian Buyou five thousand years ago. This technique allows one to expel the poison within one’s body without consuming an antidote.

“Despite the profound variations of poison in the world, poison is, in essence, a foreign substance that isn’t compatible with the human body, invading one’s meridians and acupoints. The Grand Circulation Cauldron Poison Expelling Art was designed based on this fundamental interpretation of poison; by using one’s body as a cauldron and one’s zhenqi as a power source, it expels all poisonous substances from one’s acupoints in a gaseous form!

“However, due to the technique’s inability to clearly differentiate between poison and other essential parts of the body, the usage of this technique inflicts permanent damage on the foundation of one’s body. Nevertheless, it has never failed in dealing with poison before. As long as it isn’t the kind of poison that results in instantaneous death, this technique will be able to resolve it. However, this technique went missing a few thousand years ago… How did You Xu learn it?” Zhong Dingchun explained with a deep frown.

The Grand Circulation Cauldron Poison Expelling Art was an incredibly effective skill in dealing with poison, but at the same time, it was an extremely difficult skill to master. Furthermore, it was said to have disappeared from the world several thousand years ago.

It was bizarre that You Xu knew of the technique when he, the head of the Physician School, didn’t know of it.

On top of that, the poison which the other party had just taken out was also something he had never heard of before.

His doubts only served to deepen after Zhang Xuan described the prescription.

The core ingredients of the poison, Green-leafed Heart Nexus Plant and Soulless Flower, were medicinal herbs that had gone extinct several centuries ago. It was impossible to find them anywhere now… If that was the case, how did that fellow concoct the poison?

On top of that, even though poison masters and physicians shared many similarities in their fields of specialty, the core capabilities they possessed were still different from one another. It would be difficult for a physician to concoct a lethal poison capable of killing a Saint realm expert unless there was a poison master working with him!

But… poison masters had always been the nemeses of physicians. Could that fellow have some secret connection with them?

I will have to question him thoroughly on this matter after this matter is over… Zhong Dingchun thought with a grim expression.

While Zhong Dingchun was contemplating the issue, School Head Mo, School Head Zhao, and the others came to a realization upon hearing his words.

“No wonder he challenged Zhang shi to a Duel of Poison Curing! He has such an ace up his sleeves!”

Despite the various reasons that You Xu had come up with to convince Zhang Xuan to accept the duel, it was still bizarre that a physician would choose to compete not on patient treating but poison curing. It turned out that he did have the absolute confidence in achieving victory over Zhang Xuan on this aspect.

A technique that could resolve any poison easily… It was natural that he would choose the format of the duel to be poison curing, especially after hearing about the formidable feats Zhang Xuan had performed in the Physician School!

Hong long!

While they were chatting, a yellowish gas gushed out of Vice School Head You’s body, reminiscent of steam fleeing from the various apertures of a cauldron.

“Pungent!”

“This foul smell is really intolerable!”

“Hurry up and seal your six senses, or else you will be stunk to death…”

“Sealing the six senses don’t work at all! That pungent gas seeps right into our acupoints…”

…

As more and more yellowish gas was expelled from Vice School Head You’s body, the crowd beneath frowned in displeasure.

The smell of the Spirit Solution of Vigor alone was already overwhelming to any human. Yet, the Grand Circulation Cauldron Poison Expelling Art further refined it before releasing it into the air, worsening the odor many times over.

Even Saint realm experts like Zhao Bingxu, Wei Ranxue, and the others couldn’t stand it, and they hurriedly created a barrier of zhenqi to ward off the odor.

Otherwise, they might really just faint from the sheer acridity of the stench!

Hu!

After some time, You Xu’s body finally stopped expelling yellowish gas. His entire face was ghastly pale from frailty, and it looked like he had been choked by the stench as well.

However, the excited gleam in his eyes couldn’t be concealed. Flinging his sleeves, he declared proudly, “I have neutralized your poison too!”

While he did take longer than Zhang Xuan to neutralize the poison, arguably, he did consume the poison later, and the quantity he consumed was much more as well. As long as he were to grasp onto these points firmly, he should be able to force the duel into a draw.

“You have neutralized my poison?”

Seeing You Xu’s confident face, Zhang Xuan shook his head and gazed at You Xu in sympathy. “Do you even know what poison you are inflicted with?”

You Xu harrumphed coldly. “No matter what kind of poison you used, my Grand Circulation Cauldron Poison Expelling Art is able to resolve it easily…”

However, before he could finish his words, he suddenly felt an intense pain assaulting his chest.

Pfffft!

A mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth, and his body began shaking uncontrollably. At the same time, his face swiftly turned black.

You Xu widened his eyes as his body stiffened in shock.

“I haven’t neutralized your poison yet?”

Chapter 811: Busybody ##

 

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

As a 6-star pinnacle physician, You Xu’s understanding of the human body had reached a profound level. He could easily tell whether he had been poisoned or not.

In just that brief moment, he instantaneously realized that the lethal poison had already reached his vitals. At such a point, there was nothing he could do to salvage the situation anymore.

Unknowingly, his fate had already been sealed.

Didn’t the Grand Circulation Cauldron Poison Expelling Art dispel the poison from his body?

Just what was going on?

“That is right, you didn’t neutralize my poison at all…”

“I didn’t neutralize it? How is that possible!”

Unable to believe it, You Xu anxiously drove his zhenqi in an attempt to suppress the poison within his body, but his actions were completely futile. Flustered, he pointed a finger at Zhang Xuan and yelled furiously, “Could it be that your poison was not in the Spirit Solution of Vitality? T-that… That’s cheating!”

He had already expelled every last drop of the saint beast urine, but the poison still remained in his body. Could the saint beast urine have been a cover to conceal the true poison?

“I cheated?”

Zhang Xuan gazed at You Xu disdainfully and bellowed authoritatively, “We were sincere and polite when we pleaded with you to sell the Ten-leafed Flower to us, which we needed urgently to save a life. It was one thing for you to reject us, but you exploited Wei Changfeng’s desperation to save his daughter and baited him into picking a Cloudmist Flower from the Cloudmist Ridge, causing him to suffer a tragic death under the relentless assault of saint beasts… And yet, you are accusing me of cheating?”

Zhang Xuan slowly walked forward as he spoke, and he carried an overpowering disposition that made one dare not look him in the eye.

“Vice School Head You made them pick a Cloudmist Flower from the Cloudmist Ridge? Isn’t that no different from sending them to their deaths?”

“Is that the reason behind the conflict between them?”

“I thought that Zhang shi only challenged Vice School Head You in order to make a name for himself. I didn’t expect for there to be such a story behind this matter…”

…

Hearing the resounding and powerful voice on the stage, a huge commotion broke out amidst the crowd.

Most of those gathered here had only known that Zhang Xuan had challenged Vice School Head You, but they didn’t know the story behind it. After hearing his words, they finally understood why Zhang Xuan would go to the extent of challenging a vice school head of the academy.

“I…”

Hearing the criticisms below the stage, You Xu panicked. On top of that, watching as Zhang Xuan’s seemingly immense figure advanced toward him, he suddenly felt a deep surge of fear, and he subconsciously took a step back.

“But nevertheless, as per your request, I managed to procure the Cloudmist Flower. Yet, when I went to your residence to make the trade with you, you insisted that the Cloudmist Flower should be alive. Fine, since that’s your request, I revived the Cloudmist Flower as per your wish, but you still refused to make the trade… Was I the one cheating then?”

Zhang Xuan continued to advance on You Xu with a sharp glint in his eyes.

“I…” You Xu trembled in fear as he took yet another step back.

“You said that the Ten-leafed Flower hadn’t matured yet and thus couldn’t be sold. Thus, I used my secret art and expended my zhenqi to hasten its maturity. But after all was done, you still refused to make the trade, disregarding the honor you have as a master teacher… Was that me cheating as well?”

It felt as if Zhang Xuan’s sharp words were going to penetrate You Xu’s soul. His voice echoed loudly from the stage, sounding clearly in everyone’s ears.

“I…”

Three consecutive “I”s, You Xu’s lips parted in an attempt to refute Zhang Xuan’s claims, but he simply couldn’t find other words to say.

What the other party had said were facts. There was no way to refute facts.

“There is actually such a matter?”

“It is one thing for Vice School You to refuse to sell the medicinal herb to Zhang shi, but to make things difficult for him on top of that, resulting in the loss of a life… That’s going too far!”

“I used to respect Vice School Head You and viewed him as my role model, but to think that he’s actually such a person… He has truly soiled the reputation of the Physician School this time around!”

…

Indignant and shocked exclamations broke out amidst the crowd.

Previously, there were many seniors who thought that Zhang Xuan was being extremely arrogant and disrespectful to challenge a vice school head despite merely being a freshman. However, after hearing these words, they realized that he was provoked into doing it!

Who could have expected a 6-star master teacher to actually be so vicious and dishonorable? If they were in Zhang shi’s shoes, they would have been burning in fury as well!

“The Ten-leafed Flower is a medicinal herb that I have cultivated painstakingly. If I wish to sell it, good for you. But if I refuse, who are you to question my judgement? Am I to be labeled a criminal just because I refused to sell it to you?”

Seeing that the public opinion was completely against him, You Xu gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand his ground.

“The Ten-leafed Flower is yours, so it’s your choice to decide whether you want to sell it or not. I can’t force you into it. However, it’s also my choice whether or not I want to challenge you to a Life-and-Death Physician Duel, what can you do about it?” Zhang Xuan said coldly.

“You…” You Xu’s body stiffened.

Since he couldn’t even defeat the other party in a Duel of Poison Curing, there was no way he would stand a chance in anything else!

In other words… victory was impossible for him in a Life-and-Death Physician Duel against the other party!

Furthermore, even if the other party did not dare kill him with so many people watching, the problem lay in that the other party could challenge him in a Life-and-Death Physician Duel any time he wished!

There was no way he could take it if that were to happen!

With each Life-and-Death Physician Duel, he would lose a layer of his skin. Come a few more times, and he would be on the verge of death, if not dead by then.

“You… Fine, I admit that I am no match for you! I will compensate you however you want me to, is that enough?” You Xu spat through gritted teeth.

“Compensate?” At this point, Zhang Xuan was already standing right before You Xu. Gazing down on him coldly, he asked, “Are you able to compensate for Wei Changfeng’s life?”

You Xu took a step back fearfully before frustration finally overwhelmed him, and he bellowed angrily, “Just what do you want then?!”

“Simple… I want you to pay with your life!” Zhang Xuan uttered coldly.

The fellow before him was the cause of Wei Changfeng’s death. Thus, there was only one thing he wanted from the other party—his life!

Because of you, Wei Changfeng was forced to scale the Cloudmist Ridge in order to save his daughter, resulting in his eventual death at the hands of a saint beast… As the culprit behind it all, how can I allow you to continue living in this world?

“You want me to pay with my life?” You Xu’s face warped in savagery. “I am the vice head of the Physician School, a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, but you want me to give up my life simply because of an insignificant figure like him? Why should I do that?”

“Why should you do that? HAHAHAHA!” Zhang Xuan roared with laughter. “You want to know why? Let me tell you why then!

“Simply because I solved 503 problems on the Wall of Dilemma singlehandedly!

“Simply because I have left 432 new treatment methods on the Malady Platform!

“Simply because I have contributed far more effective solutions to the illnesses recorded in the Ancestor Forest, allowing them to be resolved easily!

“Simply because I did not make a single mistake in the 5-star and 6-star physician examinations, leaving behind perfect treatment methods for 73 illnesses!

“I might have destroyed the Tower of Physicians, but my contribution to the Physician Guild is far greater than that. It is in view of this that the headquarters granted me permission to challenge you to a Life-and-Death Physician Duel, and yet you still dare to ask me why?

“I defeated you fair and square as a physician. Why, you ask? Simply because I defeated you in a Life-and-Death Physician Duel!”

As if an almighty deity from the heavens above, Zhang Xuan exuded an inviolable aura that allowed no one to question him in the slightest.

You Xu would take a step back fearfully with every single point that Zhang Xuan made, but Zhang Xuan would push forward with a forceful step each time, cornering him slowly.

“I…”

Eventually, You Xu suddenly realized that the ground behind him was empty; he had reached the edge of the stage.

Indeed, the other party hadn’t played any trickery against him. What the other party depended on what his true capability to challenge him to a Life-and-Death Physician Duel, and he had won fair and square as well. There was nothing You Xu could say to refute that.

“Kill yourself!” Zhang Xuan said with unquestionable authority.

At this point, You Xu’s face was completely pale, and he couldn’t speak a word at all. His confidence had been completely shattered.

“I…” In this instant, he felt as if he was an utter failure, and his very existence was shameful. Rather than to live so pathetically, he would be better off dead.

Thus, he raised his hand and pressed it down forcefully on his head.

“Hold it right there!”

But just as the palm was going to strike down on You Xu’s head, a deafening bellow suddenly echoed from the sky, and a figure descended to the ground.

Along with the bellow, You Xu’s body suddenly jolted, and the lifeless expression vanished from his face. He lifted his head to look at Zhang Xuan once more, but this time, his eyes were reddened with fury.

“You dare to use the Impartation of Heaven’s Will on me? I will kill you!” You Xu howled in rage.

No matter how slow he was, it was clear that the other party had used the Impartation of Heaven’s Will against him. Utilizing the pressure of the heavens, the other party made him lose himself. If not for that bellow snapping him out of his trance in the nick of time, he would already be dead!

Hong long!

The overpowering aura of a Saint 1-dan pinnacle expert engulfed the entire area, and the stage creaked loudly under the pressure, threatening to shatter at any moment.

Gathering destructive might in his palm, You Xu thrust his fist at Zhang Xuan furiously.

In face of the other party’s offense, Zhang Xuan stood proudly with his hands behind his back, viewing the other party’s attack with disdain.

“Enough, Vice School Head You!”

Just as the attack was about to land on Zhang Xuan, another bellow sounded, and a massive hand fell in between Zhang Xuan and You Xu, dissipating You Xu’s offense.

With the disappearance of the attack, Zhang Xuan sighed.

The Life-and-Death Physician Duel was conducted under the supervision of the headquarters. Had You Xu dared to land that palm on him, he would have been killed remotely by the headquarters!

It was a pity that someone had stopped him.

Turning to the intervening figure, Zhang Xuan saw a white-bearded old man dressed in a master teacher robe. He carried an air of dominance about him, hinting at his extraordinary standing.

“You are Zhang Xuan?” The old man glanced at Zhang Xuan emotionlessly with an overbearing disposition.

Looking at how the old man was still putting on airs here after stopping him from killing You Xu, Zhang Xuan frowned in displeasure.

“I am the head of the Apothecary School, Lu Feng!”

As the old man introduced himself, he stared down at Zhang Xuan impassively, exerting immense pressure on him. “No matter what, You Xu is a vice school head of the academy. Even if he has erred, he doesn’t deserve to die. How about this, I will have him give the Ten-leafed Flower to you and compensate you with some spirit stones, and we will call this matter off!”

“Call this matter off?” Zhang Xuan’s face darkened.

If not for this old man interfering in this matter, You Xu would have already died by now!

A Ten-leafed Flower and some spirit stones… Could these things bring Wei Changfeng back to life?

Waving his hands grandly, School Head Lu Feng said, “Yes. By challenging a teacher’s authority, you have already violated the respect a student ought to show a teacher. If you drop this matter now, the academy will be lenient with you for this matter…”

“Be lenient with me?” Zhang Xuan’s eyes were utterly cold. “What if I insist on taking his life?”

“Humph, this is the Master Teacher Academy! Do you think that a student like you will be allowed to act as you please?”

A freshman should have leaped at the opportunity to resolve the matter peacefully, especially since he was already mediating it. Yet, the other party dared to talk back at him publicly. School Head Lu Feng’s face immediately turned livid.

“Besides, You Xu is not only a physician but a 6-star pinnacle master teacher of the Master Teacher Pavilion as well. How he should be dealt with is a matter for the Master Teacher Pavilion and Master Teacher Academy to discuss. A 4-star master teacher like you has no place in a matter like this!”

“Are you the principal of the academy? Zhang Xuan’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m not!”

Not expecting Zhang Xuan to ask such a question, School Head Lu Feng was stunned for an instant. However, he swiftly recovered and said, “But with the disappearance of the old principal, and considering the fact that the Apothecary School is the number one school in the academy, I can be considered the stand-in principal, and I have the right to determine the major affairs within the academy. Don’t worry, my words count here. Not even You Xu will be able to override my decision!”

“Since you aren’t the principal, what are you spouting so much nonsense for? Stop being a busybody and move aside!” Upon hearing that the other party wasn’t the principal, Zhang Xuan’s eyebrows shot up, and he flung his sleeves majestically.

“Otherwise, shall I challenge your Apothecary School right here, right now?”

Chapter 812: Seniority ##

 

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

“What?”

“Did he just say that School Head Lu is a busybody?”

“He’s going to challenge the Apothecary School?”

Watching the spectacle on the stage, the crowd below felt as if they were going bonkers.

Ever since the disappearance of the old principal, most of the affairs in the academy had been taken care of by School Head Lu Feng. He might not be the official principal, but the power he wielded was as good as one.

Furthermore, he was also the de facto leader of the Ten Great Master Teachers, and School Head Mo and the others usually heeded his words for most affairs, granting him immense influence as well… Yet, a freshman dared to say that he was a busybody and asked him to move aside. That was truly brazen!

“Why is Zhang shi so reckless?” School Head Wei, School Head Zhao, and the others nearly fainted after hearing Zhang Xuan’s words.

They were thinking that with School Head Lu’s intervention, the matter could be resolved swiftly. However, they didn’t think that Zhang shi would take such a forceful stand on this matter.

School Head Feng was an austere man, and he regarded discipline and order very highly. Insulting him in public was an immense humiliation to him; there was no doubt that he would fly into a rage over this matter.

And just as they had expected, School Head Lu’s face darkened, and a steely glint could be seen in his narrowed eyes. With a voice reminiscent of the ominous rumbling of thunder, he bellowed, “What did you say?”

“Are you deaf? But even if you are deaf, surely your eyes should be able to see, right? It’s in my capacity as a 6-star physician that I have challenged You Xu in a Life-and-Death Physician Duel. In this matter, there is no distinction between teacher or student, so we can only be considered peers… So, don’t bother using those principles to your convenience to pressure me!

“Also, we haven’t even determined the winner of our duel yet, but you barged in and interfered in our battle willfully, terminating it forcefully… To talk to me about rules, why don’t you try to practice what you preach?” Zhang Xuan sneered coldly, with a fearless gaze.

While it was indeed a taboo for a student to challenge a teacher’s authority, Zhang Xuan had challenged You Xu to a Life-and-Death Physician Duel as a fellow 6-star physician, so until the moment the duel ended, his position would not be that of a student but a 6-star physician.

Even if Lu Feng was a 6-star master teacher, he could only be considered a peer in the course of the duel.

And as a fellow peer, what right did Lu Feng had to interfere in a fight between him and You Xu?

“You…” Lu Feng pointed his finger at Zhang Xuan with a livid face before flinging his sleeves backward furiously. “Sharp-tongued, aren’t you? But regardless of what you say, I won’t allow any harm to come to You Xu today. I will personally report this matter to the Master Teacher Pavilion to have them annul this matter with the Physician Guild!”

“You intend to protect him?” Zhang Xuan’s eyes narrowed menacingly.

For a moment, he was a little perplexed by why Lu Feng would go to such an extent to protect You Xu, but after a moment of contemplation, it suddenly struck him.

Back then, when he and Wei Changfeng were attempting to purchase the Ten-leafed Flower, the master teacher who came to purchase medicinal herb from You Xu seemed to have come as Lu Feng’s representative.

The price was low, and the exchange was completed swiftly without any trouble. Considering this, the relationship between the both of them must be fairly good.

But that was to be expected. As an apothecary and a herbologist in the Master Teacher Academy, the two of them had probably worked together on multiple occasions over the years, and this gradually built camaraderie between them. Otherwise, Lu Feng wouldn’t have gone to the extent of offending the Physician Guild to intervene in the Life-and-Death Physician Duel.

“That’s right!” Lu Feng declared grandly. “Vice School Head You, let’s leave. I would like to see who in the Master Teacher Academy dares to stop me!”

“Yes!” Seeing that School Head Lu was firmly standing up for him, You Xu heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly followed behind him.

He had already lost the Life-and-Death Physician Duel, so if he were to remain here, the only thing awaiting him was misfortune. At the current moment, the best thing he could do was to leave this area as soon as possible.

Zhang Xuan’s eyebrows shot up as he harrumphed coldly. “Leave? I haven’t given him the permission to leave yet, who dares take him away?”

Glancing coldly at You Xu, he commanded authoritatively, “After disregarding your honor and morals, what rights do you have to remain as a master teacher? Kneel down!”

“Kneel down?” You Xu was stunned to hear Zhang Xuan’s abrupt words. Just as he was about to sneer in response, he abruptly felt an explicable power striking his acupoints, and excruciating pain assaulted him.

Putong!

Before he could say anything more, his knees caved in and fell to the ground.

Having planted his Heaven’s Path zhenqi planted within You Xu’s body, it took nothing more than a thought for Zhang Xuan to subdue the other party.

“You…” Lu Feng’s countenance turned hostile.

Right after he said that he would bring You Xu back, Zhang Xuan made You Xu kneel onto the ground.

That was a direct slap to his face, a resounding one at that.

When did his standing as the head of the Apothecary School become so worthless?

“Zhang Xuan, are you sure you want to go against me?” Lu Feng glared at Zhang Xuan with a disquieting gaze.

“Go against you?”

Zhang Xuan shook his head. “You aren’t worthy of that! To tell you the truth, I didn’t give a single shit about you before you appeared!”

Possessing the Library of Heaven’s Path, there was nothing beneath the heavens that could stand against him. A mere head of the Apothecary School wasn’t even worthy of his notice; if the other party hadn’t come here to cause a ruckus, why would he have bothered wasting his effort going against him?

“You…” Hearing those words, Lu Feng nearly rushed forward in a frenzy to tear Zhang Xuan apart.

“Enough, I don’t wish to waste any more words on you. Until the Life-and-Death Physician Duel ends, no one will be taking him away. Putting aside the fact that you are only a stand-in principal, even if the official principal of the academy was here today, the only thing he would be taking away from here is You Xu’s corpse!” Zhang Xuan declared authoritatively.

With his Heaven’s Path zhenqi planted deep in the other party’s body, the difference between You Xu’s life and death hinged on a single thought of his. No matter who it was, they wouldn’t be taking You Xu away from here alive today!

“You dare!” Lu Feng roared furiously

“What do I have to fear?” With a wry smile, Zhang Xuan turned to You Xu and ordered, “He thinks that I don’t dare do anything. Why don’t you try spurting a mouthful of blood to prove him wrong?”

The next moment, an explicable power suddenly rampaged within the kneeling You Xu’s innards, and unable to hold himself back, ‘uweh!’, fresh blood gushed from his mouth, dyeing the entire area crimson.

“You…” Lu Feng nearly lost his sanity on the spot.

That was a blatant provocation toward him!

“Why? You still want to try me? You Xu, continue until he submits!” Zhang Xuan ordered with his hands behind his back.

Pu! Pu! Pu!

At Zhang Xuan’s command, You Xu began spurting blood endlessly. In just a few moments, his face had already turned ghastly pale, and it felt as if he might pass away at any moment.

“Stop it!” Seeing that his old friend would die if he were to continue spewing blood, School Head Lu Feng yelled furiously, but he realized that he was completely helpless to stop Zhang Xuan.

The poison which Zhang Xuan had planted into You Xu in the Life-and-Death Physician Duel was simply far too potent. Otherwise, the latter wouldn’t have been forced to obey his commands either, kneeling and spewing blood on command.

“Stop!” Zhang Xuan waved his hands casually.

Only after that word was uttered did You Xu finally stop throwing up blood. His body fell feebly to the ground, and he gasped frantically for air. For a moment there, he could almost feel death’s embrace.

Ever since becoming a master teacher a thousand years ago, he had never suffered such humiliation before.

Seeing that You Xu had finally stopped throwing up blood, Lu Feng immediately rushed forward to feed him a general antidote.

You Xu swallowed the antidote and drove his zhenqi to allow the antidote to permeate through his body. A moment later, however, he shook his head.

As a grade-6 pill, the antidote was potent. However, it was completely ineffective against the poison he was plagued with.

The poison which the other party had planted in him had already reached even the most hidden corners of his body, where his zhenqi was incapable of reaching. There was no medicine that could save him anymore.

“Damn it!”

Lu Feng stood up and turned to Zhang Xuan once more. His teeth were gritted so tightly together that it felt as if they would chip off from the sheer pressure between them. “Very well, I acknowledge your capability! However, allow me to offer you a warning. You might have won the Life-and-Death Physician Duel, but You Xu is a 6-star pinnacle physician under the protection of the academy. With your current standing, you have no right to determine his life and death!”

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan frowned.

As rude as the other party’s words were, he knew that the other party was right.

If You Xu was an ordinary physician, Zhang Xuan would have killed him without any hesitation. He had the right to do so after winning the Life-and-Death Physician Duel.

However, it was a pity that You Xu wasn’t an ordinary physician… he was also a 6-star pinnacle master teacher as well.

Every single master teacher was a pillar of society, a precious asset of the Master Teacher Pavilion. A huge amount of time, effort, and resources had to be devoted to groom every single 6-star pinnacle master teacher, and the death of any single one of them was a huge loss to society. As a result, unless they were to commit some grievous crime that harmed the interest of humanity, even master teachers of the same rank didn’t have the right to put them to death.

The only way that a 6-star pinnacle master teacher could be killed was under the decree of a 7-star master teacher or above, or a ruling from the Tribunal of Master Teacher.

This was precisely the reason Zhang Xuan had used his Impartation of Heaven’s Will to beguile You Xu into committing suicide instead.

If You Xu had really killed himself, he could pass it off as the other party committing suicide out of shame. There would be no one to testify against him, so he couldn’t be charged for it. However, after falling for it once, it would be difficult for him to beguile You Xu into it once again.

“I can spare him, but I will be taking him with me!” Zhang Xuan waved his hands.

If he had succeeded in making You Xu commit suicide, that would have been the end of things. However, since things had reached this point, he decided to take him to Wei Ruyan for her to end him instead.

Firstly, he would be able to gain some time to find a way to circumvent the rules of the Master Teacher Pavilion, and secondly, Wei Ruyan would be able to personally exact vengeance on the man who had killed her father.

“You want to take him with you? You are in the Master Teacher Academy, and you wish to take one of our vice school heads away with you? Don’t you think you are being a little too naive?” Lu Feng sneered coldly.

“Are you intending to not abide by the rules of the Life-and-Death Physician Duel?” Zhang Xuan frowned coldly.

“The rules must be abided, but at the end of the duel, you are still a student of the academy. As the stand-in principal of the academy and the leader of the Ten Great Master Teachers, I believe that I am more than qualified to stop a student!” Lu Feng replied with a grand wave of his hands.

While he had infringed on the rules by interfering in the Life-and-Death Physician Duel previously, as the duel had come to an end, the other party’s position had reverted back to that of a student. As the stand-in principal of the academy, he possessed the authority to stop or even teach a student of the academy a lesson.

There was no one who could refute that.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan’s complexion turned extremely awful.

Lu Feng was right. No matter how he put it, he was still a student of the academy. There was a natural hierarchy between teacher and student, and there was nothing he could do if the other party was intent on stopping him.

As long as he was in the academy, he had to respect the rules of it.

He could use poison to threaten You Xu, but if You Xu were to really die, that would be equivalent to a 4-star master teacher killing a 6-star master teacher—in other words, insubordination. Just by this in itself, he would be subjected to an investigation by the Master Teacher Pavilion.

That would make things troublesome for him.

As expected of a stand-in principal of the academy, a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, he was indeed a master at playing by the rules.

“Leave Vice School Head You here and neutralize the poison he is suffering from. For your victory in the Life-and-Death Physician Duel, I will compensate him in your stead. At the same time, I will make an exception and overlook this matter, treating it as if nothing has happened. Otherwise, I believe that you should also know that I have the power to teach a student of the academy a lesson. Even if you bring up your grievances to the Master Teacher Pavilion, there is no one who will side with you!” Lu Feng threatened.

“You are really determined to make things difficult for me, aren’t you?” Seeing that Lu Feng was determined to stand in his way, Zhang Xuan’s gaze turned frosty.

There was indeed nothing scarier than a shameless master teacher!

As the saying goes, ‘There is nothing to fear from a hoodlum, what is truly fearsome is a cultured hoodlum’!

“Make things difficult for you? Why would you say such words? I am merely teaching a junior a lesson. If you think that you are above me in seniority, you are more than free to do so as well!” Lu Feng roared in laughter.

There was an inherent power in seniority.

You are a student, I am a teacher. With just my standing, I can easily force you to lower your head to me!

Trapped in a deadlock, Zhang Xuan racked his brain furiously for a way out, but there was nothing that he could use to turn the tables. Just as he thought that it was the end, he suddenly heard the exclamation of an old man beneath the stage.

“Elder Zheng, Elder Wang, and Elder Liu, you are here! Wait a moment, don’t go up now…”

With a gust of wind, several figures leaped onto the stage.

Following which, a voice with suppressed composure, reminiscent of the calm before a storm, spoke. “School Head Lu, we are the three guest elders that the Martial Arts School invited recently. May I ask if with our standing… we can be considered your peers?”

Chapter 813: Unfilial Disciple, Hurry Up and Pay Respects to Your Grandteacher! ##

 

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Hearing that voice, Zhang Xuan couldn’t help but turn around, and what he saw left him in a trance.

The three elders who had leaped onto the stage were none other than Zheng Yang, Wang Ying, and Liu Yang.

Weren’t those three fellows cultivating in the residence outside the academy? Why were they here?

Furthermore, considering the tight security of the Master Teacher Academy, how did they sneak in without getting caught?

While Zhang Xuan was astonished by the sight before him, Lu Feng also didn’t expect the abrupt situation that fell upon him. He pondered for a moment before chuckling softy and replying, “I heard about the three of you from School Head Xu. Despite your young age, you are geniuses among geniuses, possessing extraordinary insight into battle techniques and cultivation. The fact that you were able to win School Head Xu’s approval speaks volumes about your capabilities!

“Since you are the guest elders of the Martial Arts School, you are naturally elders of our Master Teacher Academy as well. Without a doubt, you are my peers!”

The standing of guest elders was higher than that of ordinary elders.

Even though Lu Feng was a school head, in the strictest sense, he was only considered an elder of the academy as well. In other words, despite the age difference between them, the trio were his peers.

“It’s good to hear that!” Zheng Yang nodded in satisfaction.

He gestured to the other two, and the three of them turned to Zhang Xuan and kneeled to the ground. “Students pay respect to teacher!”

“Ah?”

“The three guest elders invited by the Martial Arts School are actually… Zhang shi’s students?”

“If Zhang shi’s students are of the same seniority as School Head Lu, doesn’t that mean that… School Head Lu is lower than him in terms of seniority…”

“Just what is going on?”

…

Not only were the seniors stupefied by the situation before them, the many teachers, elders, and school heads who had gathered in the area were dumbfounded as well.

Many people had heard about the new guest elders recruited by the Martial Arts School, and there were quite a few who had gone to listen to their lessons as well. The three new guest elders might be young, but their understanding of cultivation and battle techniques was truly worthy of respect.

As such, there was no one who had any qualms with their position.

Nearly all of the student populace thought that the reason the trio could achieve such a deep understanding of battle techniques and cultivation was because they had inherited the heritage of some formidable figure in the Master Teacher Continent, but never in their dreams had they expected that… their teacher would be Zhang Xuan!

He was just a freshman, and yet his students had already become elders of the academy…

Just what was with this weird turn of events?

While the others were shocked by the situation before them, on the stage, Lu Feng was on the verge of losing his mind.

It was just a moment ago that he had haughtily said that Zhang Xuan was free to teach him a lesson if the latter’s seniority was above his, but the next moment… these three appeared.

Going by seniority, if Zhang Xuan was the teacher of the academy’s guest elders, wouldn’t that mean that Lu Feng would have to call him… uncle?

The thought of that immediately sent a streak of darkness across his face. An extremely stifling sensation gripped his chest, leaving him short of breath.

The hell with this!

If he had known that this would happen, he would have never said that the trio were his peers… But spilt water couldn’t be taken back. Since he had already declared it publicly, he couldn’t possibly refute what he had just said.

It took a long time before his soul finally returned to him, and he said, “Zhang Xuan might be your teacher, but he is also a student of the academy as well…”

“Since you say that my teacher is a student of the academy, may I ask, who has he acknowledged as his teacher?” Zheng Yang asked.

Lu Feng’s face stiffened.

Given the huge ruckus that Zhang Xuan had caused in the academy, as the stand-in principal of the academy, he’d naturally had someone investigate his background. According to what he knew, the other party had gone into a coma during the recruitment period, so he had no teacher at all!

Realizing what Zheng Yang was possibly driving at, Lu Feng replied with an awful complexion, “He didn’t acknowledge anyone as his teacher…”

“Then does my teacher have a student token?” Zheng Yang asked.

Lu Feng hesitated once again.

Most students would receive their student tokens straight from their teachers when they acknowledged them. As for those who didn’t acknowledge a teacher, they were still allowed to attend open lectures and they would be given the benefit of the doubt to access most facilities in the academy, but the processing of their student token would be a little more troublesome, requiring at least ten days.

Considering that it was only six days since the start of the semester, it was natural that Zhang Xuan wouldn’t have a student token yet!

“Since my teacher doesn’t have a student token and he hasn’t acknowledged a teacher in the academy, why do you say that he’s a student of your Master Teacher Academy? Do you have any proof that he is?” Zheng Yang pressed on.

There was nothing Lu Feng could say to this.

Considering that Zhang Xuan didn’t have a student token and hadn’t acknowledged any teacher in the academy, even though he was recognized as a student in the academy, there were no official records stating so… If that was the case, it wasn’t exactly wrong to say that he wasn’t a student of the academy…

Assuming that Zhang Xuan really wasn’t a student of the academy but the teacher of guest elders, it would mean that his standing was higher than Lu Feng’s. Thus, if Lu Feng dared to hinder his path, that would be a blatant disrespect for his elders, and this was unacceptable for a master teacher!

“Even though he doesn’t have a student token, he has a residence in the academy, and he even created a student faction…” Lu Feng argued anxiously.

In the few days since he had entered to the academy, that fellow has already caused two schools to collapse and created so much trouble everywhere. Yet, you are telling me that he’s not a student… Are you seriously trying to argue that?

If he wasn’t a student, he would have long been kicked out from the academy for all he had done! There was no way the academy would condone such actions from unaffiliated personnel?

“Enough, Junior Lu Feng. It’s due to the token that School Head Mo gave me that I was able to obtain a residence in the academy, and the reason I established a student faction is due to the overwhelming support that the freshmen showed me. I don’t understand why you are overthinking this matter,” Zhang Xuan said.

“I know that it’s in consideration of the academy’s interests that you want to stop me, and I don’t blame you for that. However, it’s a fact that You Xu did lose to me in the Life-and-Death Physician Duel, so it’s my right to take him away. As a junior, you should know better than to hinder me!”

“Jun-Junior?” Hearing the other party’s nagging tone, as if a senior trying to persuade a junior not to do the wrong thing, School Head Lu Feng nearly fainted on the spot.

Do you have to rise up to the occasion every single time someone gives you the opportunity to brag?

If someone says that you are the principal, are you going to start acting like you own the academy immediately?

School Head Zhao, School Head Mo, and the others began muttering in disbelief.

“Elder Zheng, Elder Wang, and Elder Liu are actually… Zhang shi’s students?”

“It seems like they are direct disciples at that…”

They had thought that You Xu would surely escape with his life now that School Head Lu was mediating the dispute. But who could have known that three guest elders would suddenly appear at this crucial juncture?

What shook them the most was how Zhang Xuan addressed Lu Feng as his junior… Going by that, wouldn’t that mean they were his juniors as well?

Knowing that he would only be cornered if he allowed himself to be swept along at the other party’s pace, Lu Feng harrumphed coldly. “Let’s just drop the word games here. No matter how you put it, you are only a 4-star master teacher; don’t even dream about taking You Xu away today!”

In truth, the matter regarding seniority was indeed very troublesome to iron out. If one were to put it like that, everyone would be everyone’s senior in one way or another.

At that moment, an impassive voice suddenly sounded from above.

“Enough, School Head Lu! For a stand-in principal of the Master Teacher Academy to make such a huge fuss like that, don’t you think that’s shameful?”

Everyone lifted their gazes and saw a ravishing figure descending from the sky.

Upon seeing the figure above, Zhang Xuan’s eyes lit up.

The person was no other than the beautiful teacher who had captured his heart at first sight, Luo Ruoxin!

“Luo shi!” Upon seeing her, School Head Lu hurriedly clasped his fist and reported, “This matter concerns the dignity of the Master Teacher Academy! If we were to allow an outsider to take away one of our vice school heads, wouldn’t others start to question the authority of the Master Teacher Pavilion? How can we explain this to the headquarters if they question us on this matter?”

A slight frown appeared on Luo Ruoxin’s face as she waved her hands. “That’s not a problem for you to worry; Mu Yuan will explain it to the headquarters.”

“This… Yes!” Even though School Head Lu was dissatisfied with Luo Ruoxin’s response, he dared not to talk back to her.

Even though the lady before him was young, there was a high chance she was a member from a Sage Clan, the Luo Clan. Even Mu shi had to treat her with the utmost respect, so naturally, he wouldn’t dare challenge her authority.

Seeing Lu Feng backing down on this matter, Luo Ruoxin turned her gaze to Zhang Xuan and asked, “Could it be that… you have comprehended the Eye of Insight?”

Zhang Xuan didn’t expect Luo Ruoxin to ask such a question. He hesitated for a moment before nodding. “I guess you could say so!”

The other party had probably noticed it when he used it in the Life-and-Death Physician Duel against You Xu earlier.

“He has comprehended the Eye of Insight which only 6-star master teachers can comprehend?”

“I heard that it is extremely difficult to comprehend the Eye of Insight, and there are many of the top-notch geniuses in Sage Clans who spend their lives trying to understand it, only to eventually die in regret. Yet, Zhang shi has comprehended it?”

“With talent like his, as long as he doesn’t die, he’ll at least become an 8-star master teacher…”

“Indeed! So far, there are only ten people who are recorded to have comprehended the Eye of Insight in the books. Six of them became 9-star master teachers, two of them died a premature death, one of them had his cultivation capped after suffering severe wounds, but nevertheless, he still reached 8-star, and the last one went missing after clearing the 7-star master teacher examination… However, rumor has it that the missing 7-star master teacher was seen exerting might comparable to a 9-star master teacher in a fight against the Otherworldly Demons before passing away. All of these point at one thing—those who have comprehended the Eye of Insight will at least achieve strength equivalent to an 8-star master teacher if they are given time and space to grow!”

“Fearsome…”

Hearing Zhang Xuan’s admittance, a huge uproar broke out amid the crowd.

Even though the Eye of Insight was said to be an ability that 6-star master teachers could awaken, only a small handful of true geniuses had managed to comprehend it.

Yet, Zhang Xuan had actually managed to comprehend it! It was no wonder he possessed exceptional capabilities in smithing, terpsichorean arts, and the Way of Medicine!

His talent was rare even among the offspring of Sage Clans.

“Eye of Insight?” At the same time, upon hearing of the news, Lu Feng’s body trembled uncontrollably in fear.

Even the students beneath the stage knew of the significance of the Eye of Insight, so how could he possibly be unaware of it?

It was definitely no joke to say that the other party’s potential was boundless!

To offend such a talent for You Xu… was it really worth it?

It was no wonder Luo shi chose to side with him instead. Possessing such talent, the other party would surely grow to become one of the powerhouses of the Master Teacher Continent one day. Even those of the Sage Clan would be inclined to build a good relationship with him, not daring to offend him in the least.

“As I expected!” Luo Ruoxin nodded for a moment before abruptly leaping off the stage. For an instant, it felt as if she had come here to stop Lu Feng just so that she could ask this question, but the next moment, her soft voice sounded in his ear.

“I will come and find you tonight!”

Leaving behind those words, she stepped into the crowd, and after a few turns, she abruptly disappeared from sight.

Find me? Zhang Xuan frowned.

Possessing the Library of Heaven’s Path, he could easily see through anyone. But for some reason, he was unable to see through Luo Ruoxin.

Forget it!

Knowing that it was impossible for him to fathom the other party’s thoughts, and that he would get the answer tonight, Zhang Xuan decided to put the matter aside for the time being.

With Luo Ruoxin speaking up on his behalf, Lu Feng didn’t dare stop him any longer. After instructing Zheng Yang to carry the poisoned You Xu, he stepped off the stage with his students.

With everything that had happened, there was no one who dared to block his path. In an instant, the seniors immediately opened up a way for him to pass.

As Zhang Xuan walked, he couldn’t help but shake his head in disappointment. Given how huge a trouble he had caused this time, it would probably be difficult for him to enter the Master Teacher Academy anymore.

Of the ten schools, he had only challenged the Blacksmith School, Terpsichore School, and Physician School so far. There were still seven more to go, and it felt like a huge loss for him to leave just like that.

Looks like I will have to assume the role of a challenger if I wish to return to the academy…

After Zhang Xuan had denied being a student of the academy, there was no way School Head Lu would acknowledge him anymore.

Those who weren’t students of the academy possessed no Academic Credits or student tokens, so they weren’t able to enter the academy freely, and they weren’t allowed to use its facilities or take the examinations here either.

If Zhang Xuan still wished to raise the rank of his supporting occupations to 6-star in Hongyuan City, there was only one way—challenging the schools!

For example, if Zhang Xuan intended to obtain the 6-star apothecary emblem, he could challenge the entire school, and if no one could match up to him, he would naturally be qualified to apply for a 6-star apothecary emblem.

Why is it just so difficult for me to live a quiet and humble life? Zhang Xuan sighed deeply.

He could already foresee the huge chaos he would bring to the Master Teacher Academy should he challenge the schools.

Honestly speaking, all he wanted to do was to be an ordinary student, study in a peaceful environment, and pass his exams with flying colors. Yet… trouble simply had to come knocking on his door.

But since what had happened had happened, he decided to return to his residence and rest for a few days first. If no better solution came to mind by then, he would just have to resort to challenging the schools.

Once he obtained six 6-star supporting occupations, he would be able to take the 6-star master teacher examination.

With such thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan walked toward the entrance of the academy. However, on his way there, he suddenly saw a young man wielding a spear run up to him excitedly and block his way.

“I have finally reached the tenth dan of the Fallen Spear Art, achieving the level of Spear-Man Union! Zhang Xuan, I want to challenge you to a duel. Will you accept the challenge?”

The young man flicked his spear, and a resounding whir reminiscent of the roar of a dragon echoed. In that instant, his figure resembled an undefeatable God of War.

That person was none other than Xue Zhenyang.

After listening to Zheng Yang’s lecture the day before, he had gone into seclusion, and just a few moments ago, he had finally succeeded in breaking through his bottleneck.

After asking around and learning that Zhang Xuan was here, he immediately made his way over.

With his newfound strength, he would cleanse the humiliation he had suffered and reforge the True Helios Faction’s reputation!

Pah!

But before he could even listen to Zhang Xuan’s reply, he suddenly felt someone striking the back of his head forcefully.

He quickly turned around, only to see Zheng Yang laoshi glaring at him with a displeased gaze. “Unfilial disciple, hurry up and pay respects to your grandteacher!”

Chapter 814: So He Was the One Who Bought the Manor! ##

 

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Xue Zhenyang fell into a daze. The excited gleam in his eyes slowly transformed into a look of horror. Pointing a finger at Zhang Xuan, his gaze alternated between Zhang Xuan and Zheng Yang, and despair gradually painted his face dark. Unwilling to believe what was happening, he asked doubtfully, “G-g-grandteacher?”

When he’d departed from the True Helios Faction, Zheng Yang and the others hadn’t gotten on the stage yet. As such, he was still unaware of the background of his spearmanship teacher.

However, at this instant, hearing from his teacher’s own mouth that his grandteacher was Zhang Xuan, he suffered a blow so heavy that it threatened to snap his sanity.

When the subordinate he’d sent ended up being taken in by Zhang Xuan instead, the True Helios Faction suffered a heavy blow to its reputation.

In order to exact vengeance, he’d left the academy with a spear in his hands, intending to tour the lands so that he could comprehend the tenth dan of the Fallen Spear Art.

Through surpassing Zhang Xuan in spearmanship, he would bring glory back to the True Helios Faction, sending out the message that he, Xue Zhenyang, was still an irreplaceable genius of the Master Teacher Academy…

After all the effort he had put into it, when his diligence had finally paid off and he had achieved a breakthrough, reality suddenly struck him… Unknowingly, he had become the grandstudent of his nemesis!

The hell!

I don’t want to be that fellow’s grandstudent! I want to surpass him and cleanse the shame I have suffered due to him! I want to remain the revered genius of the Master Teacher Academy…

Xue Zhenyang howled furiously on the inside. However, before he could sort out his thoughts, excruciating pain assaulted the back of his head once more. His teacher had struck him again.

“Who do you think you are pointing your finger at? Where are your manners? This is the person I have been telling you about, my teacher. What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get on your knees!” Zheng Yang urged with a displeased frown.

He had been wanting to introduce his talented student to his teacher for a while now, but now that the chance finally came, the latter was acting completely disrespectful to his teacher. This was truly… If he had known earlier, he should have taught Xue Zhenyang some etiquette beforehand!

Get on my knees? On the other hand, Xue Zhenyang felt as if someone had just torn his world apart.

All along, due to Zheng Yang and the others’ age and astounding capability, he had thought that his grandteacher would be a formidable figure and thus imaged him as an old man in his seventies or eighties…

Yet, it turned out to be the nemesis he had set out to defeat in the first place!

Why did fate had to pull such a prank on him?

Before his departure, he had declared proudly that he would defeat Zhang Xuan upon his return… But how could he do so, given his current identity?!

While Xue Zhenyang was suffering a tragic mental breakdown, Long Cangyue and the others, who were watching the commotion, felt their bodies swaying weakly.

Of their four student factions, two had challenged Zhang Xuan, but one became his apprentice and the other his grandstudent… Their standing was gradually becoming one lower than the other.

“Say, if we challenge him as well… will we end up becoming his grand-grandstudents?” Long Cangyue gulped.

“You must be joking! Grand-grandstudent, that means that his standing is three generations higher than us! But we are the direct disciples of the old principal. If he’s three generations higher than us, wouldn’t that make even the old principal his grandstudent?”

Dong Xin harrumphed coldly. “Don’t put yourself down and inflate his ego!”

“But… there is just something uncanny about that fellow,” Long Cangyue said.

“There’s indeed something weird about him, but… don’t you think that’s what makes this a challenge?” Unlike Long Cangyue’s nervousness, Dong Xin’s eyes were glowing in excitement.

As a genius, she had never submitted to anyone before. Formidable as Zhang Xuan might seem, his capability had only served to further stimulate her fighting will.

“A challenge? Forget it. I fear that my Ashen Moon Faction will disappear after the challenge… If you wish to do so, do it yourself!” Long Cangyue hurriedly shook his head.

You must be joking! Which of the four student factions are weak?

Two had already had their turn, and they ended up in such a miserable state. Even a vice school head was utterly crushed by the other party… He had no desire whatsoever to get himself involved in this matter.

“Forget it! If you are really that scared, I’ll do it alone then! Don’t worry, I’ll surely be able to find his weakness and defeat him!” Dong Xin chuckled as her eyes twinkled in confidence.

There was no such thing as a flawless cultivator in the world. So what if Zhang Xuan was formidable?

She didn’t believe that he could be perfect!

As long as she paid careful attention, she would surely be able to find something to exploit against him.

By then, her Dong Xin Faction would become the academy’s largest faction, unmatched by any other!

And finally, after so many years of competing with Hu Yaoyao, she would emerge at the top!

…

“You accepted Xue Zhenyang as your disciple?”

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan was gazing at the kneeling Xue Zhenyang before him in a daze.

When did Zheng Yang take this fellow as his disciple? Not to mention, what was with the matter of being the guest elder?

Fearing that Zhang Xuan would get furious, Sun Qiang hurried forward and interjected.

“Young Master, I was the one who convinced Young Master Zheng Yang to do so. I saw that this fellow was sincere and determined in acknowledging Young Master Zheng Yang as his teacher, and he also paid the school fee as well, so I took pity on him…”

Discreetly, he passed a storage ring over and sent a telepathic message. “Here are the spirit stones that Zheng Yang and the others have earned through their lectures!”

“Lecture?” The more Zhang Xuan listened, the more bewildered he became. He immersed his consciousness into his storage ring, and what he saw made him have the shock of his life.

Middle-tier spirit stones stacked as if a mountain! Judging from the size of the pile, there were at least several ten thousand of them in there. Even if he were to exchange them for high-tier spirit stones, he would at least be able to get a hundred of them.

Are you sure you earned this sum by conducting a lecture, not by robbery?

“Indeed. It’s actually like this…” Sun Qiang swiftly explained the matter of how Zheng Yang and the others became guest elders of the Martial Arts School to Zhang Xuan.

“To think that such a thing could happen!” Zhang Xuan was astonished by what had happened while he was at the Cloudmist Ridge.

Even though what he had imparted to Zheng Yang and the others were just simplified versions of the Heaven’s Path Divine Art and Heaven’s Path battle techniques, those were already the most profound secret manuals in this world, far surpassing any of their kind.

As master teachers, it was natural that Xue Zhenyang and Xu Changqing would realize how profound they were.

With that, it didn’t come as much of a surprise that they would invite Zheng Yang and the others to become guest elders of the academy.

Sun Qiang couldn’t help but feel a little unnerved by Zhang Xuan’s silence. “Young Master, I’m the one who convinced Zheng Yang and the others into it. If you wish to punish them, please punish me instead…”

He felt that the young master would be moved by the spirit stones, but nevertheless, there was no way he could be certain that he had made the right call.

“Punish? Why would I punish you for this matter? Accepting disciples and imparting knowledge to them, this is a way for them to reinforce their understanding as well!” Zhang Xuan waved his hands casually.

Often, just by listening to a lecture, one’s understanding of a subject wouldn’t be complete. However, if one were to attempt to teach it to another, one would be forced to organize their thoughts and sort out the logic regarding it, and this would reinforce one’s understanding of the subject.

As such, it was crucial for students to exchange their knowledge with one another or even serve as the other’s teacher. This was not only beneficial to the other party but oneself as well.

Through the lecture, Zheng Yang and the others should have been able to gain deeper insight into cultivation and battle techniques themselves, and that was surely a good thing!

Besides, it wasn’t like he had made a loss because of this matter. With the spirit stones earned, he would have nothing to worry about for the time being!

He was still thinking about selling a portion of the Earth Vein Spirit Essence to tide them over for the time being, but it seemed like there was no need for it anymore.

These students of his had truly done something good for him this time around.

Nevertheless, there was still one thing he had to warn them about.

“I don’t oppose to you becoming the teachers of others. On the contrary, I think it’s good for you to impart knowledge to others. However… I will still have to ask you to do it in moderation. Our heritage is grand and profound, so it might bring us trouble instead if you impart too much to others. Living in this world, it’s always best to keep a low profile whenever possible. This is a trait that you should learn from me!” Zhang Xuan warned grimly.

The Heaven’s Path Divine Art and Heaven’s Path battle techniques, even if just the simplified versions, were too powerful; it would definitely cause a huge uproar if their existence were to be made known to others. Perhaps, it might even end up drawing in enemies far too powerful for them to deal with.

Thus… it would still be best for them to keep a low profile.

“Teacher, rest assured. We only lectured them on the bare basics. Regarding those crucial aspects of our heritage, we made sure to left them out… We have tried our best to keep a low profile as well!” Zheng Yang and the others replied.

“Good!” Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

The few of them didn’t speak too loudly, so not many had heard their words. However, Xue Zhenyang, who was just kneeling before them, heard them loud and clear. His body shook frenziedly, and tears threatened to spill from his eyes.

The heck, can we still hold a proper conversation over here?

A twenty-year-old freshman creating a huge storm as soon as he entered the academy, sending all of the seniors into a frenzy…

Three youngsters, only fifteen or sixteen, becoming the guest elders of the Martial Arts School…

How the freaking hell can you call this low profile?

If this is called low profile, what can be considered high profile?

“Alright. Since you have accepted him as your disciple, teach him well. Also, try to conduct a few more lectures in the academy to earn more spirit stones. As you know, we cultivators require a lot of spirit stones to cultivate, so it will be best for us to get as many of those as we can,” Zhang Xuan instructed.

Sun Qiang nodded. “Don’t worry, Young Master. I will make arrangements!”

As he had expected! As long as it came to money, the young master would have no qualms with it.

“Un. For the time being, we should head over to You Xu’s residence to get the Ten-leafed Flower!” Zhang Xuan said.

For the moment, the urgent matter at hand was for him to take the Ten-leafed Flower and save Wei Ruyan.

Other matters could wait, but hers couldn’t. If he didn’t hurry, the latter might just end up succumbing to her illness.

Given that You Xu’s life was in Zhang Xuan’s hands and he had lost in the Life-and-Death Physician Duel as well, he had no choice but to obey Zhang Xuan’s orders. Thus, it didn’t take long for the Ten-leafed Flower to appear in Zhang Xuan’s hands.

After obtaining the medicinal herb, Zhang Xuan headed to his residence in the Elite Sector.

His residence outside was currently too small, so it was extremely inconvenient there. On top of that, the treatment to save Wei Ruyan also required an area with a high concentration of spiritual energy, and his residence outside clearly couldn’t compare to this.

However, when they arrived at Zhang Xuan’s residence in the Elite Sector, he saw someone guarding the entrance. It was Huang Xing, Zhou Tong, and the others, the seniors who had allocated the residence to him back then. Stacked beside them were his personal belongings which he had stored inside the residence.

“What is going on?” Zhang Xuan frowned.

“Zhang shi, School Head Lu just passed an order saying that you are prohibited from staying here because you aren’t a student of the academy. His authority is higher than that of School Head Mo, so there’s nothing we can about it either… I beg your pardon, Zhang shi,” Huang Xing said with a reddened face.

He had also heard of the matter in the Physician School, and honestly speaking, he was filled with respect and admiration for Zhang Xuan’s actions as well. However, the person standing on the opposing side was the head of the Apothecary School, the stand-in principal of the Master Teacher Academy. No matter how gutsy he was, he dared not disobey School Head Lu’s orders.

Thus, he could only move Zhang Xuan’s possessions out of his residence.

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan’s face turned livid.

He hadn’t thought that Lu Feng would act so swiftly!

This residence was built upon a Spirit Gathering Formation, thus resulting in a dense concentration of spiritual energy around it. Such conditions were ideal for the Ten-leafed Flower to nourish Wei Ruyan’s soul.

The treatment wouldn’t be as effective if he were to conduct it in his residence outside!

However, it was indeed true that he had declared that he wasn’t a student of the academy, so he had no right to live there.

What should I do? Zhang Xuan rubbed his glabella, troubled.

Resigned, he placed his possessions in his storage ring and prepared to head back to his residence outside. However, at that moment, a middle-aged man, under the lead of a senior, suddenly walked up to him.

“Zhang shi, this man is looking for you!” the senior reported before retreating to the side.

The middle-aged man clasped his fist and asked, “May I confirm that you are Zhang shi?”

Zhang Xuan frowned. “You are…”

“I am the butler of King Huai Manor, Yu Qing. Our master has bought an accommodation for Zhang shi, and it is located just a short distance away from the academy. He tasked me to deliver the deed to you, and I will be grateful if you accept it!” As he spoke, Yu Qing took out a jade box, and opening it, a housing deed and land deed came into sight.

Taking a look at the land deed, Zhang Xuan saw the location written on it and he froze.

“Accommodation… That manor was bought by your master?”

Chapter 815: Hu Yaoyao’s True Identity ##

 

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Written on the land deed was the specific location of the plot of land, and it was indicating the location of the manor that Hu Yaoyao said was where the old residence of Wu Yangzi used to be situated.

Back then, when he learned that the manor belonged to him, he was extremely perplexed. He racked his mind to figure out who it could be, but never had he thought that it would be King Huai!

He never had any interaction with King Huai, except for the fact that Zheng Yang and the others had stayed in his manor for a few days, and his ambiguous relationship with the Yuan Clan, who had taken Yuan Tao with them.

To be honest, they couldn’t even be considered acquaintances, having just met once. Yet, the other party was gifting him a luxurious manor worth more than a hundred high-tier spirit stones?

Wasn’t this… a little too much?

But thinking about it carefully, King Huai was indeed the only one who had the financial resources to spare to carry this out.

Even though Mo Gaoyuan, School Head Mo, and others were prestigious 6-star master teachers, their wealth still couldn’t be compared to a king who wielded immense power in Hongyuan Empire.

“That’s right!” Butler Yu Qing nodded respectfully.

“I don’t think I have done anything worthy of this gift from King Huai…” Zhang Xuan shook his head.

As much as he was interested in the manor, he had no ties with King Huai whatsoever. It wasn’t really appropriate to accept such a valuable gift from a stranger.

“My master has ordered me to deliver the land deed and housing deed to you regardless of the cost. Otherwise, I might be kicked out of the King Huai Manor or even be severely punished for my lapse in duty!” Yu Qing said anxiously.

“Furthermore, this manor is registered under your name. If you continue to turn me down, I really do not know what I will do with the manor!”

Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had noticed it just now as well. The owner registered on the land deed and housing deed was indeed him.

In other words, King Huai had guessed that he would reject the gift, so he chose to register the manor straight under his name.

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan nodded. “Alright, I will accept it then. Sun Qiang, take the jade box. When I am free, I will make sure to pay King Huai a visit so as to express my gratitude!”

It was a fact that he needed a better accommodation at the moment, and Wu Yangzi’s treasure was located within the manor as well. Since the other party was determined to give the manor to him, there was no need for him to refuse it anyway.

At most, he would find an opportunity to offer some guidance to King Huai or resolve the illnesses he was suffering from in order to repay the favor.

Actually, the other party’s intention behind giving him the manor wasn’t too difficult to figure out.

What King Huai was interested in wasn’t him but Yuan Tao.

Yuan Tao possessed the Emperor’s Bloodline. Once he returned to the Yuan Clan, a Sage Clan, the Yuan Clan would surely devote their resources to grooming him. It would just be a matter of time before he became a powerhouse of the Master Teacher Continent.

Considering that he was Yuan Tao’s teacher, it wasn’t too difficult to imagine his standing then.

King Huai might be unable to fawn over Yuan Tao, but if he could get on close terms with him, it would be equivalent to building a connection to the Yuan Clan as well.

Even if Zhang Xuan were to adamantly reject the manor, it was likely that King Huai might still resort to other means to get to him. Since that was the case, he might as well just accept this manor.

“Thank you, Zhang shi!”

Butler Yu Qing had thought that Zhang shi would need some convincing before accepting the manor, but the latter suddenly agreed to it. Excited, he hurriedly passed the housing deed and land deed to Sun Qiang before clasping his fist. “I will be taking my leave then!”

“Un!” Zhang Xuan waved his hands to dismiss the other party.

“Since we have a new residence now, let’s head there!”

Without any hesitation, he left with the others behind him.

“This…”

It was just a moment ago that Huang Xing and the others had stopped Zhang Xuan from entering his old residence in the Elite Sector when King Huai suddenly sent him a massive manor. They glanced at one another with blank looks on their faces, not knowing what to say.

It was clear that School Head Lu had done all of this to humiliate Zhang Xuan, but now… not only was Zhang Xuan not humiliated, he even gave a tight slap back to School Head Lu…

If they were to report this matter to School Head Lu, would the latter fly into a rage and punish them instead?

What the heck was this!

If they had known earlier, they would have never gotten involved in this matter!

…

Oblivious to the woes Huang Xing’s group faced, Zhang Xuan, Sun Qiang, and the others left the academy, and not too long later, they arrived before a massive manor.

“Young Master…”

Before he could even knock on the doors, ‘jiyaa!’, the doors creaked open, and a huge army of guards and servants rushed out to welcome him.

A butler stepped forward and reported, “King Huai has sent us here out of worry to tend to your needs.”

“I see, help me relay my gratitude to King Huai!” Zhang Xuan nodded.

King Huai had truly put a lot of effort into this matter. Not only did he purchase such a luxurious manor in a prime location, he even refurbished the manor and prepared all of the servants required to manage it.

He sure was generous!

Indeed, it would be difficult for Sun Qiang and the others to tidy up the manor by themselves.

Since he had already accepted the manor, adding a little more to the debt didn’t mean much anymore.

All he had to do was to find a way to return the favor when the time came.

Following the butler into the residence, Zhang Xuan couldn’t help but gasp in awe.

It seemed like great care had been taken in the refurbishment as well. The manor was extravagant but not lacking in elegance, magnificent but soothing at the same time.

It was exquisitely designed to harmonize with nature. In an instant, Zhang Xuan felt as if he had walked into a massive park.

It was apparent that a Spirit Gathering Formation had been set up here; the spiritual energy in the manor was extremely dense. In terms of concentration, it was on par even with his residence in the Elite Sector.

“Incredible!” Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

From the looks of it, it seemed like King Huai must have spent a bomb on the refurbishment of the manor as well, perhaps even costing more than the manor itself.

In any case, if Zhang Xuan had bought the manor himself, there was no way he would have been able to make it like that.

Walking into the main hall at the very center of the manor, Zhang Xuan instructed, “Sun Qiang, you shall go with the Great Violetwing Beast to bring Wei Ruyan over!”

“Yes!” Sun Qiang nodded before taking his leave.

After finding a place to keep You Xu locked up, Zhang Xuan took a walk around the manor, and he soon arrived at a flower garden.

He paced around the area a few times before finally taking the Ten-leafed Flower out and planting it in the ground.

This was the area in the manor where the spiritual energy focused. By storing the medicinal herb here, he would be able to maintain its freshness.

After planting it in the ground, Zhang Xuan dripped a few droplets of Earth Vein Spirit Essence on it before heaving a sigh of relief.

In order to have the Ten-leafed Flower nourish Wei Ruyan’s soul, Zhang Xuan had to keep it alive first. Otherwise, if the flower were to wither, the soul that was bound to it would dissipate as well.

In order to ensure that nothing went wrong, Zhang Xuan took out several dozen formation flags from his storage ring and planted them in the area, creating a formation to keep others out.

Only after this was done did Zhang Xuan finally heave a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to return to his room, he suddenly saw Luo Qiqi and Hu Yaoyao walking over.

“Teacher, is this manor really yours?” Even at this point, Luo Qiqi could still hardly believe that it was true.

After all, this place was simply far too extravagant, and it would be no exaggeration to say that it was on par with the royal palace. To abruptly give such a place to her teacher for no apparent reason, it was normal that she would be skeptical.

Zhang Xuan nodded. “Let’s head in to speak!”

Thus, the three of them headed to the main hall.

“Hu Yaoyao, are you certain that this is Elder Wu Yangzi’s old residence?” Zhang Xuan asked.

“Yes, I am certain!” Hu Yaoyao replied decisively.

Seeing the lack of hesitation in her response, Zhang Xuan frowned.

The reason he and Luo Qiqi were looking for Wu Yangzi’s old residence was to obtain the treasure he had hidden. However, this manor had already changed hands several times, and considering the many times it had been refurbished and renovated, probably every inch of ground here had been dug before. Even if there was a treasure here, the chances were that it would have been taken away.

Just as Zhang Xuan was deep in contemplation, Hu Yaoyao suddenly spoke once more. “The reason Zhang shi is determined to find Elder Wu Yangzi’s old residence, if I am not mistaken, is to find the treasure that he left behind, right?”

“Treasure? What treasure?” Zhang Xuan feigned ignorance.

“There’s no need for you to hide it from me. There are some members in my Bewitching Devil Faction who are blacksmiths too, and I have heard that the both of you found Elder Wu Yangzi’s corpse!” Hu Yaoyao said. “Since you’ve found Elder Wu Yangzi’s corpse, surely you’ve learned of the existence of his treasure as well!”

“It has been two thousand years since Elder Wu Yangzi disappeared. Even if we managed to find his corpse, he would have already been long dead. How could we possibly receive any clues about his treasure from him…” Zhang Xuan shook his head and sighed in disappointment.

“To tell you the truth, I already knew what you two were up to when you asked me about the location of Elder Wu Yangzi’s old residence. It’s just that I chose not to point it out since you were unwilling to talk about it!”

Chuckling lightly, Hu Yaoyao returned back to her usual coquettish self and said, “Don’t worry. Of the entire Hongyuan City, I am the only one who knows about the treasure that Elder Wu Yangzi left behind. Thus, you need not worry about the news being leaked!”

Since the other party had already brought things out into the light, Zhang Xuan couldn’t be bothered to keep up with the disguise anymore. Thus, he turned his gaze to her and asked, “Oh? Since you said so, I would really like to ask you what your relationship with Elder Wu Yangzi is. Why do you know so much about him?”

In the first place, it was already bizarre how certain she was about where Wu Yangzi’s old residence had been. But to think that she would know about the existence of the treasure on top of that… This was suspicious.

“You want to know?” Hu Yaoyao smiled. Taking a deep breath, she drove her zhenqi.

Weng!

The next moment, with a jolt, her slender body suddenly emanated a slight glow, and the strength of the aura she exuded surged.

“This is… the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body?” Luo Qiqi exclaimed in shock as she exchanged glances with Zhang Xuan.

No matter how they looked at it, the technique was the secret art they had learned from Wu Yangzi, Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body!

But didn’t this physical body cultivation technique go missing long ago?

How did Hu Yaoyao learn it?

Furthermore, from the looks of it, it seemed like she had spent quite some time studying and cultivating it as well, reaching Second Incandescence just like Zhang Xuan.

“Indeed, this is the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body!” Hu Yaoyao nodded as she halted the flow of her zhenqi. “This is a technique I inherited from my ancestor.”

“Your ancestor? Isn’t the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body… Wait, could it be…” Luo Qiqi was astonished.

“In truth, my surname is not Hu but… Wu!” Hu Yaoyao said. “Wu Yangzi is my ancestor!”

“But if you are a descendent of Elder Wu Yangzi, why did you change your surname to Hu?” Zhang Xuan was perplexed.

As a grandmaster blacksmith, Wu Yangzi possessed immense prestige in Hongyuan City. It should have been an honor to have such an ancestor, why would his descendants choose to conceal their heritage instead?

Hu Yaoyao harrumphed coldly. “If we didn’t change our surname, our lineage would have been massacred by others long ago!”

“Massacred?” Zhang Xuan frowned. “But this is where the Master Teacher Academy is located. There are actually people who dare to lay their hands on you?”

With both a Master Teacher Pavilion and Master Teacher Academy taking root here, who would dare to lay their hands on Wu Yangzi’s descendants?

“Dare? Do you really think that it was possible for Wu Yangzi to be kidnapped by others so easily? Not to mention, does it make sense that he didn’t even have a chance to leave a message or call for help?” Hu Yaoyao asked.

“This…”

In truth, Zhang Xuan also felt that there was something amiss with the matter.

Back in the underground chamber, the Otherworldly Demon puppets whom he had faced were all at Saint 1-dan. While they were a formidable force in Hongyuan Empire, it was still nigh impossible for them to deal with a figure who could potentially make the breakthrough to become a 7-star blacksmith so discreetly.

Could there… really be some kind of hidden secret behind this matter?

Chapter 816: Going to the Apothecary School to Play ##

 

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

As an Upper Nine Paths occupation, the Blacksmith Guild had a strict requirement on the cultivation of its members. Considering that Wu Yangzi was known to be extremely close to achieving a breakthrough to 7-star, he must have been at Saint 1-dan pinnacle. On top of that, as the greatest blacksmith in Hongyuan Empire’s history, he must have possessed a lot of valuable artifacts as well…

Even if School Head Mo, School Head Zhao, School Head Lu, and the others were to gang up against him, it would still have been extremely difficult for them to kill him!

Yet, a bunch of Saint 1-dan Otherworldly Demons actually managed to infiltrate Hongyuan City and captured Wu Yangzi without anyone noticing, imprisoning him until his death. This was unimaginable in itself.

Judging from Hu Yaoyao’s tone, it seemed she knew a thing or two about the matter.

It was likely that Wu Yangzi’s capture was not as simple as it seemed.

“What happened back then?” Zhang Xuan asked.

“There are too many implications in this matter, and I don’t have any concrete evidence either, so I won’t talk about it for the moment. The only reason I revealed my identity to you is to earn your trust. If you really are looking for Wu Yangzi’s treasure, I might be able to help you!” Hu Yaoyao said.

“Since you are a descendant of Elder Wu Yangzi, there’s no need for us to hide this matter from you. You’re right, the reason we are looking for his old residence is to find the treasure he has left behind,” Zhang Xuan revealed.

“However, the details he left for us are extremely unclear. He only mentioned that he left something behind in his old residence, but as for what it is and where it is, it isn’t clear to us either.”

Even though Zhang Xuan admitted it, he didn’t tell Hu Yaoyao about the clue to the treasure he had received from the underground chamber.

It was not that he distrusted Hu Yaoyao, but the implications behind this matter were simply too great. Better safe than sorry.

“I have a rough idea of the items he has left behind, but… I have been here many times, and I haven’t found any trace of his treasure at all!” Hu Yaoyao said with a doubtful expression.

As Wu Yangzi’s descendant, she knew of the existence of Wu Yangzi’s treasure. However, the only one who knew where it was buried was Wu Yangzi himself. She had visited this manor many times over the years, hoping to find it, but there was no sign of it anywhere.

“We can take our time. Since this manor is mine now, we can slowly figure out where it is!” Zhang Xuan replied.

Wu Yangzi had said that he had left behind something that could help one reach Sainthood at the Three Stars of the Earth Dragon. As long as one were to place three formation flags according to the three stars, the object would appear automatically.

Zhang Xuan was still unable to figure out what the Three Stars of the Earth Dragon referred to, so he had no idea where to start.

However, with the confirmation of the location of Wu Yangzi’s old residence, they had managed to reduce the search perimeter significantly. As long as it was within that manor, they would eventually find it if they were to search carefully.

Most probably, Wu Yangzi’s treasure… isn’t as simple as to only help one achieve Sainthood! Zhang Xuan thought.

Somehow, he felt that the reason Wu Yangzi’s descendants were being hunted down was due to the treasure as well.

Zhang Xuan proceeded to ask Hu Yaoyao a few more questions about Wu Yangzi’s old residence, but the manor had gone through far too many hands over the years. It was impossible for anyone to tell what the manor had been like two thousand ago.

“Alright, you should find a place to rest first. I have to treat Wei Ruyan now. We will talk afterward.”

Soon, Sun Qiang and the Great Violetwing Beast returned with Wei Ruyan. Without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan rushed over to receive them.

He immediately checked on Wei Ruyan’s state. After she was nourished by his soul essence two days ago, her condition had improved significantly. But even so, she was still in a coma at the moment.

He carried her to the area where he had planted the Ten-leafed Flower earlier and began his treatment.

He first drew his soul out, and using a soul art, he transferred her soul into the Ten-leafed Flower. After accomplishing this, he heaved a sigh of relief.

For the time being, he would be leaving Wei Ruyan’s soul with the Ten-leafed Flower to allow the latter to nourish her. This process would require at least three days.

After which, Zhang Xuan took out the Earth Vein Spirit Essence to nourish Wei Ruyan’s body as well, but a moment later, a deep frown appeared on his face.

It seems that the most the Earth Vein Spirit Essence can do is to maintain her current physical condition. If I wish to restore vitality to her body, I will need the Grand Intermittence Pill!

The Grand Intermittence Pill was a grade-7 pill. Given Zhang Xuan’s current capability, it would be impossible for him to have it forged.

Furthermore, he didn’t have the pill formula nor the medicinal herbs required for it.

“It seems like I will have to pay the Apothecary School a visit…” Zhang Xuan muttered under his breath.

To have the Grand Intermittence Pill forged, he would have to first raise his pill forging skills to that of a 6-star pinnacle apothecary. Following which, he would have to apply for the pill formula of the Grand Intermittence Pill from the headquarters, purchase the necessary ingredients, and finally, find a 6-star pinnacle apothecary to forge it in his stead…

There’s still some time before nightfall… I’ll just make a quick trip there then!

It was barely dawn when Zhang Xuan had returned to the academy from the Cloudmist Ridge. After which, despite breaking many records in the Physician School and clearing the 6-star physician examination, it had only taken him around thirty minutes in total for that, and the Life-and-Death Physician Duel with You Xu had taken another thirty minutes, too.

Following which, the procuring of the Ten-leafed Flower, obtaining the housing deed and land deed to the manor, moving into the manor… Even after everything was done, it was also only barely noon. There was still some time before the appointment he had made with Luo Ruoxin at night.

As the saying goes, ‘vengeance in the moment’. Since he had said that he would pay a visit to the Apothecary School and he happened to have the time for it now, wouldn’t it only be right for him to head there?

After all, he was a master teacher.

How could he break his promise?

…

In a vast room within the Apothecary School sat a livid-faced Lu Feng.

In front of him were four other elders gathered around a table.

“The reason I gathered all of you here is to discuss how we can save You Xu!” Lu Feng said gravely.

“School head, it’s You Xu’s own fault for getting into such a plight. A master teacher should honor his promises. Yet, Vice School Head You reneged on his promise and even willfully caused the death of a Saint. This is more than enough to have him sentenced in the Tribunal of Master Teacher!”

One of the elders shook his head and sighed. “Furthermore, he lost to another in a fair Life-and-Death Physician Duel. Even if we wish to save him, there is no legitimate pretext we can use. If I may… I think it would be in our best interest to drop the matter!”

If Zhang Xuan were here, he would surely be able to recognize the other party as Vice School Head Zhou Qing.

He was the one who had helped Luo Ruoxin to clean her podium when she conducted her public lecture back then.

“Drop the matter? You must be joking! If not for You Xu contributing the saint herbs he had been cultivating to us, do you think that you would have been able to forge a 6-star pinnacle pill? Do you think that you would have been able to make such rapid progress in your pill forging skills over the years?” an elder interjected furiously.

“Indeed! Our Apothecary School is indebted to You Xu. We can’t allow him to be taken away just like that, especially not by a student!” another elder added.

“We have to deal with this matter sternly. Otherwise, if we allow students to act as they please, what will become of our Master Teacher Academy?” the last elder said.

Just like most of the schools, the Apothecary School had four vice school heads as well.

“I know that all of us are indebted to You Xu, but… the one who is at fault for this matter is him. On top of that, the other party followed the rules and went by the official procedure, such that even the Physician School has to objection to it. If we were to interfere in this matter any further, I fear that others might say that we are narrow-minded!” Zhou Qing frowned.

“Narrow-minded? Humph! That fellow has no respect for his elders at all, putting down the school head in public. If we don’t teach him a lesson, won’t others start going over our heads as well?” the first elder harrumphed.

“But it is the school head who interfered in the duel fir…” Vice School Head Zhou frowned, but before he could finish his words, Lu Feng abruptly slammed his palm on the table.

“Enough! The reason I gathered all of you is to discuss how we should resolve this matter, not to bicker with one another!” Lu Feng roared.

At this moment, he was still feeling extremely frustrated inside.

Despite being the stand-in principal of the Master Teacher Academy, he was snubbed by a twenty-year-old fellow in public and left in a tough spot. Just recalling the matter left rage boiling within him.

“That Zhang Xuan has been causing trouble all around ever since he enrolled at the Master Teacher Academy. No matter how talented he is, the Master Teacher Academy will not tolerate a student who attempts to undermine its authority!” School Head Lu Feng waved his hands grandly.

“Besides, in the Physician School, he has already publicly acknowledged that he isn’t a student of the academy. Thus, I have sent men to clear away his stuff from his residence in the Elite Sector, disallowing him from taking even a single step into the residence anymore!”

“This…”

Vice School Head Zhou was slightly worried by Lu Feng’s extreme actions. “School head, no matter what, Zhang Xuan has School Head Mo, School Head Zhao, and School Head Wei’s backing. If you do this… won’t you draw their discontent?”

Even if Zhang Xuan wasn’t a student of the academy, as a person favored by the school heads, it was nothing much for him to possess a residence in the Master Teacher Academy. To kick him away like that, that was equivalent to provoking the three school heads as well!

“Discontent? I am operating by the rules of the academy, what do they have to be discontented about?” Lu Feng sneered coldly. “The residences in the vicinity of the academy are extremely expensive. Let’s see where he can go after he gets kicked out!”

Vice School Head Zhou shook his head, disagreeing with Lu Feng’s decision. He was going to persuade Lu Feng against it once again when someone knocked on the door outside.

“School Head Lu, Grade-2 student Huang Xing seeks an audience!”

“Come in!” Upon hearing that it was Huang Xing, who was in charge of managing the Elite Sector, outside, Lu Feng gave him permission to enter.

Upon stepping into the room, Huang Xing was shocked to see that the school head and the four vice school heads were all present in the room, and he hurriedly clasped his fist to greet them. “Huang Xing pays respect to School Head Lu and the vice school heads!”

“So, how did the matter which I entrusted you with go?” Lu Feng asked.

Huang Xing twitched for a brief instant before he swiftly replied, “Reporting to School Head Lu, I have cleared out Zhang shi’s belongings from the residence and taken back possession of it…”

“Well done!” Lu Feng stroked his beard as he nodded in satisfaction.

A freshman actually tried to go head-to-head with him? Arrogant!

Even though Lu Feng couldn’t make a move on Zhang Xuan personally in consideration of his identity as a master teacher, given the prestige he had accumulated in both the Master Teacher Academy and Hongyuan City over the years, it was still a piece of cake for him to make the life of a mere student a living hell.

“How is he faring? Is he searching anxiously for lodging? Tell the realtor agencies that no one is to rent or sell any property to him, or else I will get even with the organization personally!” Lu Feng said.

“This…” Huang Xing hesitated for an instant before replying. “Reporting to School Head Lu, he… isn’t looking for lodging!”

“He isn’t looking lodging? Could he still be hanging around the Elite Sector, refusing to leave?” Lu Feng frowned.

“That’s not it… When Zhang shi came to collect his belongings, King Huai’s butler arrived and gifted him a massive manor which spans over three hundred mu 1 in area. Its interior design is also grand and beautiful, reminiscent of the royal palace… So, he moved in there!” Huang Xing said with a flushed face.

“King Huai… gifted him a manor?” Lu Feng widened his eyes in shock.

It was just a moment ago that he’d had the other party kicked from his residence, and now the other party had been given an extravagant manor… Was this for real?

“Yes…” Huang Xing replied nervously.

Even though he was afraid to say it, this was simply the truth… Not only was School Head Lu’s action of kicking the other party out of his residence completely ineffective, it had also made a complete enemy out of the other party.

With a livid face, Lu Feng was just about to ask for more details when a young man abruptly barged into the room.

“Teacher, bad news!”

The young man who barged in was Lu Feng’s direct disciple.

Seeing the fluster on his direct disciple’s face, Lu Feng frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Zhang Xuan! H-h-he’s come to our Apothecary School!” the young man yelled anxiously.