381-385

Chapter 381: My Students Cannot Be Bullied

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Is there something wrong with him?

Lin Ruotian was the clan head of the number one clan of Tianwu Kingdom, a 3-star formation master, and a Half-Zhizun expert. Of the thirteen countries, everyone would bow to him in utmost respect, not even daring to breathe loudly for fear of incurring his wrath!

Yet, not only did this fellow pummel his son and an elder of the clan, he even came here to settle the score, saying that he wanted to return justice to the world...

The heck!

I should be the one settling the score with you! What the heck are you here for?

Liu Cheng, you rascal, I will make you regret your actions!

Did you think that our Lin Clan is something you can play with?

Let me tell you, our Lin Clan has never feared anyone before!

Since you are so anxious to die, I'll grant your wish.

With a face completely stiffened with anger, Lin Ruotian prepared to head out to see what the other party was up to when a voice so loud that it echoed throughout the entire capital sounded.

"The head of the Lin Clan, whoever you are, hurry up and get out here to apologize! Otherwise, don't blame me for getting nasty!"

A voice seething with rage boomed across the lands.

"The heck!"

"Who the heck is that? He must be insane to dare to pick a fight with the Lin Clan!"

"To be so disrespectful to the Lin Clan... What's going on?"

Hearing the deafening voice, everyone was scared out of their wits.

Openly provoking the Lin Clan?

Who could that brazen fellow be?

"Isn't he being too gutsy?"

"Get nasty with his meager ability? Isn't he afraid of biting his tongue bragging like that?"

"He must be tired of living..."

The declaration outside sent the Lin Clan's hall into an uproar. The eyes of the elders turned red with fury, and they were about to faint from anger.

Ever since the Lin Clan's rise to power, when had anyone dared to insult them publicly right at their door!

How dare that conceited physician do so?

"Damn it! Elders, follow me. Let's slaughter that arrogant fellow!"

Bellowing furiously, Lin Ruotian started walking outside. But halfway through, he suddenly recalled something and turned to look at the Great Herb King and Hall Master Liao Xun.

"Hall Master Liao and the Great Herb King... I might have to trouble you two on something!"

"Un?" The duo stared at one another.

"My son and Ji Clan's gongzi were poisoned by the student of Liu Cheng, so there's a high probability that his student might be a poison master as well! It is difficult for me, even as a Half-Zhizun, to deal with a poison master. Thus, I hope that hall master can help me!"

"Poison master? If he is one, I would definitely know of him. Otherwise, he probably only learnt some superficial stuff outside!" Hall Master Liao nodded as he gestured casually, "Alright! Leave that little ant to me. It isn't anything much anyway!"

As the hall master of the Poison Hall, there was no reason for him to not know any poison masters in this vicinity!

Since he had never heard of the other party, that could only mean that he wasn't anything at all.

"Thank you!"

Lin Ruotian's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly nodded.

Actually, what he feared the most wasn't Liu Cheng, but his poison-using student. Even Physician Mu Hong was unable to resolve the poison on Lin Lang, which goes to show how dangerous the poison was! Given how Lin Ruotian didn't know a single thing about poison, there was a high chance he might fall to it as well!

Since the hall master of the Poison Hall was willing to make a move, then there was no need for him to worry at all.

"Let's go!"

With sufficient backing at hand, Lin Ruotian immediately led the various elders, Liao Xun, Grand Elder, Ji Feng, and the others out.

...

Returning to an hour ago.

After stretching his back lazily, Zhang Xuan walked out from the kingdom's book collection vault.

After more than two hours of hard work, he had finally added all of the books to the Library of Heaven's Path.

Due to him overexerting himself and collecting the books too quickly, he felt like groggy headed at the moment.

It was fortunate that he had experienced a significant rise in his cultivation recently, and he had been nourished by the Insight Energy when he became a Celestial Master Teacher, thus strengthening his soul significantly. Otherwise, he would have definitely fainted halfway through by the violent jolt in his head given the speed he was collecting at.

"Right now, I am only lacking the books at the Physician Guild and Formation Master Guild... I should find some time to finish those books there before using the golden page!"

Zhang Xuan muttered silently.

He wasn't anxious to use the golden page. It was a one-time consumable, and he wanted to maximize the what he got out of it.

"Liu laoshi!"

The moment he walked out, Lu Chong immediately stepped forward and clasped his fist respectfully.

Mo Tianxue and Mo Yu were around as well, and they immediately walked up to Zhang Xuan.

It wasn't that they didn't wish to leave, but they dared not to. If they were to leave now, what would they do about those fellows lying on the floor?

"You haven't sent them back yet?"

Seeing that the Third Elder was still convulsing on the floor, Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

The imperial physicians of the royal palace had conducted a primary treatment on them, but given how severe their injuries were, this primary treatment was only sufficient to prevent their injuries from worsening.

"Send them back?" Mo Tianxue scratched his head.

You didn't say how we should go about settling this, how do we know what we should do?

Sending them back was no different from declaring war on the Lin Clan. There would be no retreat if they were to do so.

"Un! We can't possibly leave them to die here!" Shaking his head casually, Zhang Xuan turned his attention from the wounded to Lu Chong and said, "You should be able to tell me about your enemies now, right?"

For fear of implicating his teacher, Lu Chong beat around the bush when Zhang Xuan asked him the last time. However, since Zhang Xuan was already involved in the matter, it should be alright for Lu Chong to explain the entire happenings already!

Upon hearing his question, Mo Tianxue and Mo Yu's attention was piqued. They also wanted to know what in the world happened that made this fellow beat up even the young master of the Lin Clan!

"Yes!"

Knowing that there was no use hiding it any longer, Lu Chong finally nodded and explained, "Actually, my name is not Lu Chong but Qu Chong. I am the young master from Tianwu Kingdom's Qu Clan..."

"Qu Clan? The Qu Clan whose entire clan of 137 people was killed two years ago? They still have an... offspring alive?" Glancing at one another, Mo Tianxue and Mo Yu were filled with shock.

"Yes, I managed to survive that ordeal..." With reddened eyes, Lu Chong gritted his teeth.

"You two know about this matter as well?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

Could it be that the royal family colluded with the Lin Clan and helped to conceal the matter?

"We do, but we had no choice then. Lin Long, Lin Lang's elder sister and the princess consort of Xuanyuan Kingdom, issued an order personally, and a Zhizun realm expert came personally to destroy the entire clan!"

At this, the usually calm emperor couldn't help but take in a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes, "There were many seniors and children in the mix. After the event, I went personally to take a look, and they didn't spare a single person. Everyone was killed in a single blow!"

Upon hearing his words, Lu Chong seemed to have returned back to the time two years ago. Tears began to ripple in his eyes, threatening to trickle down at any moment.

He was only seventeen years old this year.

Back then, when the tragedy struck, he was only fifteen years old!

For a fifteen year old to see his parents and kin being reduced to corpses, the agony he had undergone was hard to imagine.

"What happened?"

Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes. He felt outraged; his blood boiled.

Even though he hadn't undergone this kind of pain before, he could almost see the sorrow and despair on his student's face then.

If that wasn't the case, how could a fifteen-year-old child kneel quietly outside an academy for several days straight, all just to gain the strength to exact vengeance!

He also wouldn't have endured the torture from the tempering of the Poison Body and forcefully raised his strength to Zongshi realm intermediate stage in just a few days!

"I heard that Lin Lang had set his eyes upon the Qu Clan's young mistress, Qu Ling, but the latter refused to give in to him at all, injuring him even... If I'm not wrong, his injury was somewhat similar to that of the Third Elder, and this caused Lin Long to fly into a rage. Thus, she sent a subordinate to exact vengeance on the Qu Clan!" Mo Tianxue spoke of what he knew of the matter.

"Un..."

Glancing at his silent student, Zhang Xuan reorganized the story in his head.

Lin Lang was probably infatuated with Qu Ling, and he forced himself on her. In the end, the latter accidentally struck his vitals, causing him to become infertile.

Having terminated the Lin Clan's lineage, Lin Long flew into a rage and sent a Zhizun realm expert to exact vengeance...

"Even though the fault is on Lin Lang, they chose to blame the Qu Clan for it, killing the entire clan for this matter?" Zhang Xuan's face was scarily dark.

Ever since his reincarnation, it was the first time he had flown into a rage.

Raping a woman and going to the extent of destroying the other party's family... In the face of the Master Teacher Pavilion, how dare they commit such atrocities?

"Teacher, please redress my grievances!" Clenching his fists tightly, 'Putong!', Lu Chong kneeled on the floor. His entire body trembled in agitation.

"Don't worry. Now that I know of this matter, I'll definitely find justice for you!" Anger burned in the eyes of Zhang Xuan, and he gestured grandly, "Let's go!"

After which, he walked behind the men who were in the midst of sending Third Elder and the others to the Lin Clan.

"Guild Master Liu, you... what are you intending to do?"

Seeing the other party walking away without saying a single word, Mo Tianxue gulped down a mouthful of saliva and asked. Mo Yu also couldn't help but look over.

"Not much, just seeking justice for Lu Chong!" Placing his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan's impassive voice wafted in the air.

He could ignore everything else, but he felt that he should return justice to the 137 people the Lin Clan killed, and let everyone know that...

My students...

Cannot be bullied!

...

"What... did you say? Teacher brought Lu Chong to the Lin Clan, and he is currently insulting the other party on their doorstep?"

In Liu laoshi's classroom in the Tianwu Academy, Mu Xueqing stared at Meng Tao in disbelief.

The Lin Clan was the strongest clan in Tianwu Kingdom! Even her father had to tread carefully around them. Yet, her teacher actually ran to the other party's doorstep to insult them... Are you for real?

Teacher had always been a calm person. Why did he suddenly commit such foolishness?

"You remember that Lu Chong left to exact his vengeance, right? Worried about him, teacher asked me to send some men to keep a lookout on the situation in the capital these past few days, and this is what my men just told me..."

Meng Tao continued, "Those men are my father's trusted aides, so there's no mistake about it!"

"Exact vengeance? Could it be that Lu Chong's enemy is the... Lin Clan?"

It was no wonder that fellow pretended to be mute! With this kind of enemies, she wouldn't dare to say anything either!

Enemies of this level were even more fearsome than facing the royal family of Tianwu Kingdom...

Mu Xueqing felt as though she was going insane.

"No, we can't stand idly by the side when teacher is in trouble!"

After recovering from her shock, Mu Xueqing clenched her fists tightly, and determination gleamed in her eyes.

How could they, as students, remain unmoved when their teacher is in trouble?

Even if others could, she, Mu Xueqing, couldn't do it!

"Senior, we'll go as well!"

"Senior, bring us along too! Teacher is our benefactor, and now that he's in trouble, how can we wait here idly?"

...

Mu Xueqing's words immediately stirred the entire group.

It hadn't been long since they'd met Liu laoshi, but they could sense their teacher's earnest concern for them, and this filled them with respect for him.

.

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Chapter 382: Shadows of a Storm

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

They couldn't remain motionless toward a teacher who was willing to offend the Lin Clan for his own student.

"Alright. Even though we've decided to help Liu laoshi, our strength alone isn't sufficient. I know that everyone here has rather strong backing, so I hope that you all will try to mobilize them. Only then can we truly help Liu laoshi!"

Even though Mu Xueqing had an urge to charge over at this very instant to help her teacher, she knew that being rash was useless. She would only be a burden.

While she didn't have too many classmates, each of them had a powerful background.

Taking Meng Tao for example, his father was the guild leader of the Painter Guild, 3-star Painter Meng Yuan.

The others were the same as well. If they could mobilize all of these forces together, even the Lin Clan would be hesitant to lay their hands on their teacher.

"Alright!" Hearing their senior's words, the crowd knew that this was the best solution at hand. Thus, they nodded in agreement.

"Let's start now then. Remember, we have to be fast!" After instructing the group, Mu Xueqing immediately dashed to the Apothecary Guild.

...

"Zhao Ya, let me tell you some good news!"

At that moment, in the residence that Physician Bai prepared for Zhang Xuan, Yuan Tao ran over to Zhao Ya with an excited expression.

"What good news?" A beautiful lady glanced at Yuan Tao curiously.

At this moment, Zhao Ya's aura felt deep and dense, and one could sense fearsome strength within it. Even though she was only standing quietly on the spot, one could feel an extremely powerful pressure emanating from her.

Zongshi realm intermediate stage!

As expected of a grade-4 pill! Using the Frigid Yin Pill to further awaken her physical constitution, her strength immediately surged. From Pixue realm, she broke through several realms to reach her current level.

Her improvement was so huge that anyone who heard of it would be scared to death.

After the consumption of the Frigid Yin Pill, her Pure Yin Body had been successfully awoken to twenty percent.

Her disposition became even more refined, and her outer appearance looked even more enchanting than before.

If she was a rare beauty before, then she must be a fairy now. Even if Mo Yu were to appear before her, she would definitely feel embarrassed by her own form, not daring to compare with her.

Those possessing unique constitutions were people favored by the heavens. The moment it was awakened, one would gain overwhelming talent. This was the reason why countless people dreamt of possessing one.

But of course, the awakening of a unique constitution was also extremely difficult. There were plenty of people who knew that they possessed a unique constitution, but despite their hard work, even when knocking on death's door, they weren't able to trigger their potential at all. In the end, they could only die in regret.

While the Unravel Yin Pill and Frigid Yin Pill did trigger the awakening of Zhao Ya's Pure Yin Body, they only played a supporting role. The main reason was because she cultivated a simplified version of the Heaven's Path Divine Art. Her pure zhenqi allowed strength to flow through her meridians and acupoints perfectly.

It was with this foundation that her cultivation was able to progress swiftly without leaving behind any traumas.

If it was anyone else, they would definitely face numerous problems in the midst of their cultivation.

"That shameless Liu laoshi has met some trouble!" Yuan Tao's eyes shone in excitement.

After lacing the other party's teapot with poison, he had been waiting for news of Liu laoshi being poisoned to arrive... In the end, he never heard anything of about the poison, but instead, he learned of a far larger affair.

"What trouble?" Zhao Ya was bewildered.

"There is a student beneath him who we never met before known as Lu Chong. For some reason, his clan offended the Lin Clan, and the latter purged his entire family. Unwilling to see his student suffer such injustice silently, Liu laoshi rushed to the Lin Clan to cause a huge ruckus!"

Yuan Tao chuckled.

"Lin Clan? You mean Tianwu Kingdom's number one clan?"

Having been in the kingdom for a period of time, she had already heard of the various powers throughout the kingdom several times by now.

The Lin Clan was an extremely fearsome existence. Putting aside their immense influence, they even had Xuanyuan Kingdom as their backing.

It was said that even the Tianwu royal family dared not to offend him. Why would this Liu laoshi rush there to cause a ruckus?

"Right, that Lin Clan. He went to their doorstep to insult them, demanding that they apologize..." Yuan Tao chuckled delightfully.

No matter how formidable you might be, you are just an ordinary teacher. Tongxuan realm primary stage, and you dare to cause a ruckus at the Lin Clan, whose strongest expert is a Half-Zhizun. If this isn't courting death, what can this be?

"You mean that... he went there for the sake of his own student?" Disregarding Yuan Tao's glee, Zhao Ya frowned.

Despite having just arrived, they have already learned how fearsome the Lin Clan was. There was no reason why Liu laoshi would be ignorant of it!

Despite knowing the risks, he was willing to brave through the flames for the sake of his student... How much courage did that take?

How could such a noble person also be an unreasonable person?

Could it be that they have been misunderstanding him all this time?

"This... You're right!" Not expecting Zhao Ya to be concerned about an entirely different matter, Yuan Tao pondered for a moment while scratching his head.

"Call the others over as well and tell them of this matter!" After hesitating for a moment, Zhao Ya instructed.

She was the strongest among Zhang Xuan's five students, and she seemed to have taken the role of the de facto leader of the group, especially now that Zhang shi wasn't around.

"Yes!" Yuan Tao walked out. Not too long later, Zheng Yang, Wang Ying, and Liu Yang arrived as well.

"Zhao Ya, what's your view on this matter?" Upon entering, Zheng Yang immediately spoke up. Clearly, Yuan Tao had already explained the matter to them clearly before.

"That... Liu laoshi failed to remain impartial during the duel between me and Mu Xueqing, but his willingness to stand up against authority for the sake of his own student makes him a respectable teacher!" Zhao Ya replied.

She didn't have a good impression of Liu laoshi, and she had some qualms with his way of doing things, but the truth is the truth. She couldn't conceal it, and she couldn't pretend not to see it either.

"Indeed!" Zheng Yang nodded.

"Why don't... we go over and take a look! If we were to watch idly as something happens to such a good teacher who cares about his own students, Zhang shi will definitely blame us when he returns!"

After a moment of consideration, Zhao Ya made a suggestion.

Zhang shi was exactly the same kind of teacher as Liu laoshi. If the two of them knew each other, they would definitely see a soulmate in one another.

Since Zhang shi was currently in the midst of the 2-star examination, there was a responsibility for them, as his students, to stand up.

"That's right, Zhang shi would do anything for us. This Liu laoshi would also give his all for his own students... We can't allow anything to happen to such a good teacher. No matter what, we have to go over and take a look!"

Zheng Yang nodded.

Even though their strength was lacking as compared to the Lin Clan, they represented Zhang shi. Even if the other party wanted to take any actions, they would have to consider Zhang shi.

"Alright, let's go!" Upon coming to a decision, the others nodded as well.

Given how Liu laoshi was willing to stand up against the Lin Clan for his own student, it wasn't surprising that Mu Xueqing and the others were able to fight against them without backing down at all.

Such a teacher was indeed worthy of respect.

He possessed character and charisma similar to Zhang shi!

...

"Rash, too rash..." Hearing the report from his subordinate, Mo Tianxue was nearly scared out of his wits.

As the emperor of the kingdom, every single action of his represented that of the kingdom. As such, when Zhang Xuan left, he wasn't able to tag along. Thus, he had been getting his men to keep tabs, and upon hearing the news he nearly passed out from shock.

He thought that the fellow was only going to the Lin Clan to have them explain themselves and apologize, but who could have thought that he would start to criticize the other party at their doorstep, even demanding the clan head to come out...

The heck!

Wasn't this courting death?

"Men, gather all of the troops in the kingdom and have them wait for further orders!" Gritting his teeth, Mo Tianxue commanded.

Nothing can happen to Guild Master Liu. Putting aside the favor he had shown in treating the guardian beast, just his identity as the guild master of the Physician Guild made him a target worthy of protection.

Besides, the Lin Clan had also stepped on his bottom line. If it came down to it, he'd turn against the Lin Clan...

In any case, even if he were to try to fawn on the Lin Clan, it was impossible for them to back down anyway.

"Yes!" A person with a commander's bearing swiftly left the hall.

"Mo Yu, go over to the Lin Clan to take a look. If they make a move on Guild Master Liu, try to stop them..."

After making a few more arrangements, Mo Tianxue beckoned Mo Yu, and the duo hurriedly rushed to the Lin Clan.

As the number one clan of the kingdom, their main residence wasn't stationed too far from the royal palace. It didn't take long for the duo to arrive at the vicinity of the Lin Clan Residence. Outside the residence, they could see a huge bunch of people gathered around.

Taking a closer look, the both of them were dumbstruck.

"That's... Demonic Hands Chen Jianze? The eccentric Zongshi realm pinnacle expert who cut down his enemy's hands to cook and eat... I thought that he doesn't interfere in worldly affairs? Why is he here?"

"That's... The guild leader of the Painter Guild, Meng Yuan? Isn't he still in the midst of his painting journey?"

"The guild leader of the Apothecary Guild... 3-star Apothecary Hong Yun... and Apothecary Mu Yang?"

"The boss of Tianwu Bank..."

Seeing the group of people gathered before them, Mo Tianxue and Mo Yu were stunned.

All of them were esteemed figures that could shake the capital at its core. It would be an extremely difficult task for even the royal family to gather them, why would all of them gather here all of a sudden?

"Could it be that... the Lin Clan has gathered them together to deal with Guild Master Liu? Wait... But there should be no need for them to gather all of these people just to deal with him?"

A thought flashed through Mo Tianxue's head, but he immediately shook his head.

Given the influence of the Lin Clan, it was a walk in the park to subdue a single Liu laoshi. There was no need for them to utilize all of these connections.

"Father, they are here to... help Guild Master Liu!"

Mo Yu spoke up.

Upon hearing those words, Mo Tianxue suddenly noticed that they were all standing behind Guild Master Liu, as though acknowledging him as their leader.

In other words... They were here to support this Guild Master Liu?

But... why?

Even if the royal family were to fight with the Lin Clan, it would be impossible for him to gather so many people together. How in the world did a Tongxuan realm primary stage teacher who had just arrived at Tianwu Academy possess such immense rallying power?

Even Mo Tianxue felt faint-headed, and he was on the verge of going insane.

"Perhaps, it could be... his unique charisma..."

Mo Yu sighed softly.

Even though she was a proud princess and a genius, she couldn't help but admit that this Zhang Xuan seemed to possess a certain magic to him. He seemed to be able to win over all of the people around him and, as though a rolling snowball, his influence seemed to grow by the day.

It would be impossible for anyone to imitate his charisma, not even Mo Hongyi.

"Look, Clan Head Lin is out!"

"So many elders! It seems like the entire Lin Clan has been mobilized..."

"But I guess that's to be expected. After all, no one can stand having a person criticizing them at their front door..."

In the midst of his contemplation, a commotion suddenly broke out in front. Mo Tianxue hurriedly looked over and saw Clan Head Lin Ruotian leading a group of elders out. His face was as cold as ice.

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Chapter 383: Then I'll Beat You Until You Make Up Your Mind

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"You're Liu Cheng?"

Seeing the young man standing outside, Lin Ruotian narrowed his eyes.

Given how arrogant the other party was, he thought that he would be a formidable figure. Yet, contrary to his expectations, the other party was only a Tongxuan realm primary stage fellow. There were so many cultivators of his level in the residence that he wouldn't think it was a pity even if he were to kill a handful of them.

Yet, such a person dared to seek trouble with their Lin Clan. Was there something wrong with his head?

"You're the head of the Lin Clan?"

Ignoring the other party's question, Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back and looked at him indifferently.

"Teacher, he's Lin Ruotian, the head of the Lin Clan!" Lu Chong clenched his fists tightly.

Back then, when Lin Long sent someone to eradicate his entire clan, this Lin Ruotian must have participated in the operation as well!

Otherwise, how could Lin Long, who had already moved to Xuanyuan Kingdom, be so clear of the Qu Clan's situation so as to track and kill every single one of them cleanly?

For the past two years, even though Lu Chong didn't take any action, he had seared the appearance of all of the Lin Clan members deeply into his head.

"Lin Ruotian?"

Upon hearing that the other party was indeed the head of the clan, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction. "Since you're the clan head, this matter will be much easier to settle. Two years ago, you killed my student Qu Chong's entire clan of 137 people. Do you still remember the matter?"

"Qu Chong? That little bastard who got away?"

Lin Ruotian was taken aback.

A young lad from the Qu Clan had managed to escape two years ago. Due to the limited talent and cultivation of that fellow, he didn't think too much of the matter. Yet, to think that the very same brat would eventually become a threat to him!

In less than two years, the other party had actually already reached Zongshi realm!

However...

Since the other party had come knocking on his own accord, then don't expect to get away alive!

Killing intent gleamed in Lin Ruotian's eyes. With a slight gesture, a few elders immediately spread out and circled Zhang Xuan and Lu Chong tightly.

"Since you're still here, allow me to send you on a journey to reunite with your family!"

Sneering coldly, the corner of Lin Ruotian's lips slowly crept upward.

"Killed an entire clan of 137 people? Clan Head Lin, what's going on?"

"Indeed. I've heard of the Qu Clan, but didn't they move away? Why is Liu laoshi saying that they were killed?"

"The kingdom forbids murder, needless to say, purging an entire clan. You have to explain yourself today!"

...

Those in the area were all respectable figures. Upon hearing the conversation of the duo, their sense of righteousness was immediately provoked.

The Qu Clan might not be a prestigious clan, but it still possessed a sizeable influence. The news that everyone else had received was that the clan had relocated to another city. Never in their dreams did they expect the clan to be slaughtered callously instead.

It was no wonder why Qu Chong's teacher would come knocking. How could anyone overlook such great injustice?

Even though they were dragged here by their offspring, they only intended to act as mediators for any conflict that would occur. They had no intentions of standing against the Lin Clan at all.

But upon hearing this tragic case, their faces immediately darkened.

Since the Lin Clan was capable of silently wiping the Qu Clan off the face of this world, they could easily do the same to their clans as well.

At this moment, they felt threatened by the domineering Lin Clan!

"There's no need for our Lin Clan to explain our affairs to you all!"

Gesturing grandly to stop the commotion among the crowd, Lin Ruotian sneered coldly, "The Qu Clan had colluded with Tianwu Kingdom's enemies and attempted to assault the princess consort... This matter has been verified, and if you all believe it, feel free to check it with Xuanyuan Kingdom!"

"You... Rubbish!"

Not expecting the other party to slander his clan instead, Lu Chong's entire body trembled in anger.

"Enough. Since we can use other methods to resolve the issue, let's not waste our time on words!"

Patting his student's shoulder, Zhang Xuan glanced at Lin Ruotian impassively and said, "Since you have admitted that the Lin Clan is responsible for the destruction of the Qu Clan, I'll offer you two choices. You can either hand the culprit over and have him held responsible for his own crimes or have the entire Lin Clan die for his sins!"

"Die for his sins? You actually think that you two can destroy our Lin Clan? Hahaha!"

As though hearing a hilarious joke, Lin Ruotian stared at Zhang Xuan in pity.

Where in the world did Qu Chong find such a lunatic of a teacher? If he had continued hiding, Lin Ruotian would have just allowed him to be, and he might still be able to continue living on peacefully. Yet, to attempt to assassinate his son and injure the Third Elder... Lin Ruotian wasn't magnanimous enough to forgive them for that!

A mere Tongxuan realm primary stage and Zongshi realm intermediate stage... Did they think that such a line up was sufficient to destroy the entire Lin Clan?

Even if Liu Cheng had been hiding his cultivation - otherwise it would have been impossible for him to injure the Third Elder - given his young age, and the limitations of Tianwu Kingdom, how powerful could he get?

So what if the other party was a Zongshi realm pinnacle expert?

As a Half-Zhizun, he could still easily squash him!

He wasn't the only one who felt this way. Even those who came to support Liu laoshi felt awkward as well.

To declare he would destroy the entire Lin Clan... Even Tianwu Kingdom's royal family didn't dare to spout such words. For a mere Tongxuan realm primary stage cultivator to spout such words, where does your confidence come from?

Mo Tianxue was also perplexed.

Where in the world did Guild Master Liu get such confidence from?

He couldn't help but turn to his daughter.

"I... don't know either!" Mo Yu shook her head.

During the master teacher examination back then, she personally saw Zhang Xuan achieving a breakthrough into Zongshi realm. It had only been six to seven days since then, and such a short period of time wasn't sufficient for one to finish reinforcing their cultivation realm, needless to say, reach higher heights. Yet, for him to come over here and arrogantly declare that he would destroy the Lin Clan...

Could it be that... he had brought the Steelfang Howling Firmament Beast here as well?

As such a thought popped into her mind, she immediately looked into the skies. But in the clear and cloudless skies, she couldn't see any hint of the savage beast at all.

The Howling Firmament Beast wasn't here? Then on what grounds was he saying these words? Wasn't he afraid of incurring Lin Ruotian's rage?

...

"You mean that... you refuse both of the options?" Ignoring the bizarre gazes everyone was shooting him with, Zhang Xuan gazed at Lin Ruotian.

"Agree your head! Brat, since you are courting death, I'll grant your wish!"

Before Lin Ruotian could speak, an elder among the group could not hold himself back anymore. Roaring furiously, he stepped forth.

Boom!

The moment he walked out of the group, his aura immediately burst forth as though gasoline being ignited. Vigorous zhenqi shrouded the entire area, causing the wind to blow furiously.

Zongshi realm advanced stage!

"It's the Eleventh Elder of the Lin Clan, Lin Hu!"

"I heard that he specializes in fist art, and he's unmatched in hand-to-hand fights. Out of respect, people have given him the moniker Steel Arm Tiger!"

"His invincible arms paired with his Zongshi realm advanced stage cultivation make it difficult for even a typical Zongshi realm pinnacle to triumph over him..."

...

Upon identifying the one who walked out, the crowd immediately whispered quietly amongst themselves.

Every single one of the Lin Clan's elders were famous figures in Tianwu Royal City.

This Lin Hu might not be as famous as the Grand Elder Lin Tao, but he was still a reputable figure in the capital. He was a formidable person whom even Zongshi realm pinnacle experts were hesitant to cross blows with.

His appearance caused Mu Xueqing and the others to subconsciously clench their fists.

"Will teacher... be alright?"

One of the students asked.

"He should be... Actually, we don't even know how strong teacher is..."

Mu Xueqing said.

Even though Mu Xueqing's words were confident, her tone betrayed her uncertainty.

However, thinking about how her teacher managed to help her to reach Tongxuan realm and Lu Chong to reach Zongshi realm in just a few short days... How could a person of such incredible means be weak himself?

"Don't worry. If anything, I'm confident that Liu laoshi's strength can't only be at Tongxuan realm primary stage!" said Apothecary Mu calmly with a deep gaze.

He had never seen Liu laoshi fighting before, but he had the experience of forging a pill with the other party. To be able to remain nonchalant before the forging a grade-4 pill despite the potential threat of an explosion, how could such a person only be at Tongxuan realm primary stage!

Besides, all of the methods that Liu laoshi brought up to prevent explosion happened to be within his means as a Zongshi realm expert. If Liu laoshi wasn't at the Zongshi realm himself, how could he possibly offer such detailed, precise, and accurate guidance?

"They're going to start fighting soon..."

At this point, Zhao Ya and the others finally arrived. Upon seeing the sight before them, they immediately realized that a fight was about to start.

...

"Die!"

After walking out from the group, Elder Lin Hu bellowed, and without any hesitation, he charged straight at Zhang Xuan.

Didn't you want our Lin Clan to apologize or die for our sins?

Fine, then let's see if you have the strength to back up your words!

"Teacher..."

Seeing the other party rush forward, Lu Chong tightened his fists and prepared to step forward.

"There's no need!"

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath and stepped forward. Then, his legs suddenly moved.

With his hands still firmly behind his back, Zhang Xuan's entire body came crashing straight at Lin Hu.

Before Lin Hu's steel fist could land on Zhang Xuan, his body was already struck by the latter's body slam.

Peng!

Countless rocks flew into the air. Before this Lin Hu could react, he was already sent flying backward. In midair, blood spurted profusely from his mouth. Under this impact of the crash, his dantian broke apart, thus crippling his cultivation.

Putong!

Lin Hu flew for more than a dozen meters before landing heavily onto the floor. Then, he fell motionless, and it was impossible to tell if he was still alive.

However, given that his dantian was crashed and his entire skeletal rack was fractured, even if he were to be saved, he didn't have a future before him.

"What?"

"A Zongshi realm advanced expert was sent flying with a single strike?"

"How did he do it?"

...

Everyone was dumbstruck.

They thought that there would be an intense battle before a victor would emerge, and they could make use of this opportunity to gauge the strength of Guild Master Liu as well. Yet, this Steel Arm Tiger was already sent flying before he managed to even touch the other party...

How powerful must Guild Master Liu's body be and how fast must his reflexes get to achieve such a feat?

"His strength..."

Mo Yu was dumbfounded. She couldn't comprehend the situation before her.

It was just a few days ago that Zhang Xuan had reached Zongshi realm primary stage. Yet, at this moment, he sent a Zongshi realm advanced stage expert flying in a single blow...

How in the world does this fellow cultivate?

"Teacher..."

The one who was the most shocked of all was Lu Chong.

He wasn't just shocked, he felt frenzied!

It was just a moment ago that Zhang Xuan taught him the importance of using an opponent's weakness against them instead of relying on mere brute force. Yet... his teacher simply charged forward to strike his opponent with his body?

Isn't there something very wrong about this?

What about the weaknesses you talked about?

What about technique?

How was what you just did any different from me?

"Lin Hu..."

Lin Ruotian and the others didn't expect Lin Hu to be crippled in just a single attack from the other party. Their complexions immediately darkened.

Even though his strength couldn't be considered as one of the top in the Lin Clan, he was, by no means, weak. They had truly underestimated this fellow!

"Seems like he does possess some true capabilities. No wonder he's so arrogant. However... if he thinks that he can pull his weight with just a little bit of strength, he must be deluding himself!"

Glancing momentarily at the immobile Lin Hu, Lin Ruotian's eyes narrowed as he stared at Zhang Xuan coldly. The disdain in his eyes from before disappeared without a trace.

He was also capable of knocking down Lin Hu with a single crash, but he couldn't do it as easily as the other party had done.

Even so, he didn't think that he was weaker than the other party.

There were some people who specialized in brawling while there were some who specialized in battle techniques. Lin Ruotian happened to belong to the latter.

"Why, you still can't make a choice between the two?"

Despite having wounded Lin Hu severely, Zhang Xuan seemed as though he had just swatted a pesky fly. With his hands still behind his back, he chuckled lightly.

"Since you can't make a choice, then...!

"I'll beat you until you make up your mind!"

After which, he stepped forward, and his cultivation of a Zongshi realm pinnacle expert immediately burst forth without any restraints!

.

.

.

Chapter 384: Recognized by Wang Ying

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

As an ex-member of the modern society, Zhang Xuan always thought of violence as the last resort.

And from the looks of it now, he had no other choice!

Since that was the case, there was no need for him to maintain his politeness.

Isn't your Lin Clan formidable?

No one in Tianwu Kingdom means a thing to you?

Since that is the case, I'll beat you all into submission. I'll let you all know that...

There is a type of person in this world... that you can never offend!

"Zongshi realm pinnacle?"

"Guild Master Liu is actually a Zongshi realm pinnacle expert?"

"No wonder he dared to challenge the Lin Clan head on... With the strength to cripple Lin Hu with a single body slam, he does have the rights to do so!"

...

Upon sensing the aura Zhang Xuan emanated, everyone jolted.

It turned out that the other party's cultivation of Tongxuan realm primary stage was just an illusion. In truth, he was actually at Zongshi realm pinnacle!

With such strength, he was definitely counted as one of the top figures in Tianwu Kingdom!

"He... He..."

Mo Yu's eyes were about to pop out from her eyes.

Other people didn't know Guild Master Liu's true identity, so even though they were shocked, that was just about it. After all, while it was an amazing feat for one to cultivate to Zongshi realm pinnacle at twenty-four to twenty-four-year-old, it wasn't completely unheard of.

However... Mo Yu knew of the other party's true identity.

Zhang Xuan!

He had only reached Zongshi realm a few days ago, so how could he have reached the pinnacle stage in just six to seven days?

Every single advancement in Zongshi realm required a huge amount of time. It would be difficult even for a genius to reach pinnacle from primary stage without a few years of effort. Yet, to do so in a few days...

She felt as though her comprehension of the entire world was collapsing, and she was on the verge of going insane.

More importantly... He had reached at least the level of a 3-star apothecary, master physician, master painter, 2-star beast tamer, and 2-star master teacher...

All along, she had thought that his weak spot was his cultivation. Yet, to think that he didn't lose out in that aspect as well... Mo Yu felt as though she was going insane.

It was no wonder why the other party wasn't interested in her. With such talents... A much wider world was waiting for him out there.

"Liu laoshi... is a Zongshi realm pinnacle expert, even above that of Zhang laoshi?" Zhao Ya and the others were shocked.

When the other party had broken her sword with a single finger, she knew that the other party wasn't weak. However, she couldn't have imagined that he would be so fearsome.

Zhang laoshi was only at Zongshi realm primary stage, yet he was at pinnacle...

To be even stronger than Zhang laoshi... It was no wonder why Mu Xueqing and the others were so adamant about guarding his honor.

...

"Zongshi realm pinnacle? You're indeed incredible to possess such strength at such a young age. However, that's far from enough for you to challenge our Lin Clan. Clan head, allow me to teach him a lesson!"

Zhang Xuan's strength had caused the entire Lin Clan to be dumbstruck. However, at this moment, an elder stepped forward. His eyes were as sharp as a knife and as cold as frost.

"It's Lin Clan's Second Elder, Lin Xie!"

"He's a Zongshi realm pinnacle expert! Furthermore, he's just a step away from reaching Half-Zhizun!"

"He is ranked fourth in the Ten Great Experts rankings!"

"Given that he's making a move personally, Liu laoshi is in trouble..."

...

The crowd narrowed their eyes once more.

Liu Cheng might be formidable, but compared to the Ten Great Experts of the kingdom, he was still lacking significantly.

These ten were the ones who stood out among the numerous Zongshi realm pinnacles, climbing to the very peak of strength in the kingdom... And this person was rank fourth among the group!

His strength could no longer be described with 'fearsome'.

Putting everything aside, even the Third Elder whom Zhang Xuan castrated with a single kick wasn't a match for him.

"Alright, be careful!"

Lin Ruotian nodded.

As the head of the Lin Clan, he had to consider his own standing and authority. While Liu Cheng was powerful, he still wasn't worthy of him making a move personally.

Of course, having the Second Elder to make a move first was also to see what kind of trump cards the other party possessed. This way, he would be able to make precautions as well.

"Don't worry, he'll be a piece of cake!"

Waving his hands casually, Second Elder Lin Xie walked up to Zhang Xuan, and with a look of superiority, he sneered, "Lad, make your move. I would like to see what gives you the right to spout such arrogant words and lay your hands on our Lin Clan!"

"You?"

Paying no heed to the other party's provocation, Zhang Xuan shook his head impassively, "You aren't sufficient. All of you should come at me together!"

Since he was here to get back at the Lin Clan for Lu Chong, and he had already revealed his cultivation already, he couldn't be bothered to hide his strength anymore.

With his strength, he was unmatched among the Zongshi realm pinnacle cultivators. No matter how formidable this Second Elder could be, he couldn't possibly withstand his might.

"You want all of us to come at you together? You should try to get past me first before spouting such conceited words..."

Not expecting that he would be underestimated despite being the ranked fourth expert in the kingdom, Lin Xie's complexion turned awful. He immediately charged forward, and his palm smashed directly down toward Zhang Xuan.

"It's Elder Lin Xie's [Great Split]!"

"Many experts have fallen to this move. To think that he would utilize it at the very start of the battle!"

"He has no choice on this. That Guild Master Liu had defeated Elder Lin Hu in a single blow, so he must have felt pressured. That's why he chose to use his strongest attack right from the start!"

"I wonder how will Guild Master Liu cope with it..."

...

Upon seeing Elder Lin Xie's offense, graveness started spreading throughout the crowd.

While Lin Hu was strong as well, he was far from a match to Lin Xie.

Given that such an expert had used his strongest attack right from the start, even the ranked first and second Mo Tianxue and Mo Hongyi would have to deal with it cautiously.

"Elder Lin Xie's Great Split might be formidable, but this move is only a feint. His true ace is the [Consecutive Phantom Kicks]!"

Standing by the side, Mo Tianxue said grimly.

"Consecutive Phantom Kicks?" Mo Yu was taken aback by her father's words.

"Indeed. The Great Split is an attack with a downward trajectory, and the immense might behind it instinctively made one cautious toward it. However, in truth, it is just a cover for his lower body attack!"

Mo Tianxue explained. "This consecutive kick is extremely treacherous. Back then, when I sparred with him, I nearly fell for his trick!"

The Great Split was an attack that came from above whereas the Consecutive Phantom Kicks was an attack that came from below. The main reason for the imposing might from the former was so as to conceal the movements below.

If one wasn't aware of it in advance, even a stronger opponent could fall for it.

"Then... Isn't Guild Master Liu in danger?"

Mo Yu frowned, and anxiety flashed across her face.

Her father was already ranked first among the Ten Great Experts of the kingdom. If even he had nearly fallen for the trick, then didn't that mean that Zhang Xuan was in dire trouble? It's worth noting that the Ten Great Experts rankings only include those of Zongshi realm pinnacle. As Lin Ruotian had reached Half-Zhizun, he wasn't considered in the list.

"He is in danger. It all depends on whether he's able to see through it in advance and guard against it. However, in my opinion, it'll be extremely difficult for him to do so! After all, even though it may seem simple on the surface, it is actually quite an effective... The heck!"

Recalling how frightening the move was, Mo Tianxue shook his head and expressed his doubts. However, before he could finish his words, he suddenly froze. He was on the verge of having his final string of sanity snapped. "What... What is this?"

Mo Yu also hurriedly looked at the fight, and the sight she saw made her freeze as well. For a moment, her mind went blank.

Before Elder Lin Xie's powerful Great Split could strike Zhang Xuan, he was already sent flying by a single kick from Zhang Xuan. At this moment, he was already convulsing on the floor. His injuries were... all too similar to the Third Elder's...

A certain essential organ had... exploded!

With a single kick... it exploded! Lin Xie didn't even get the chance to react before he was kicked...

How in the world did the other party do it?

No matter what, the other party was the fourth strongest expert among the Zongshi realm pinnacle cultivators in the kingdom!

Upon seeing the sight, the crowd suddenly felt a chill within their pants, and cold sweat dripped profusely from their forehead.

They had clearly heard the crisp sound of an egg shattering just now. From the looks of it, this famous Elder Lin Xie was probably completely crippled... He had probably lost his functionality as a man.

"I already told you that you aren't sufficient, but you refused to listen..."

Disregarding everyone's shock, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

The other party's combination of Great Split and Consecutive Phantom Kicks was a deadly combo, and it would be difficult for any other Zongshi realm pinnacle to avoid it. However, Zhang Xuan possessed the Eye of Insight. Before the other party could make his move, he had already seen through it and counterattacked in advance.

Putting aside the fact that the other party's strength was inferior to him, even if he was an equal, how could he possibly withstand Zhang Xuan's pre-emptive strike?

"This is... Heaven's Path Leg Art?"

Wang Ying was taken aback.

When her teacher had imparted her this leg art, he had allowed her to come up with her own name. Eventually, she decided to follow by the name her teacher came up with and addressed it as Heaven's Path Leg Art.

This leg art was created by her teacher, and it was only imparted to her... How could this Liu laoshi know of it too?

"Wang Ying, what's wrong? What did you say?"

Hearing Wang Ying's muttering, Zhao Ya glanced at her doubtfully.

"No-nothing..."

With a reddened face, Wang Ying hurriedly shook her head.

Liu laoshi had moved too quickly just now, and she had barely caught a glimpse of it, so she wasn't too sure... Thus, she didn't dare to speak of it yet.

"Since you all aren't willing to make a move together, then I will!"

Seeing that everyone had been shocked by that single kick of his, Zhang Xuan harrumphed softly. Then, with a swift movement, he suddenly appeared amidst the Lin Clan members.

He was so fast that it seemed as though it was teleportation. Before the elders could take a good look, he had already appeared before them.

Peng peng peng peng!

The sound of fists sinking into flesh and slaps striking faces sounded; screams of agony filled the surroundings.

Before Lin Ruotian could react, the dozen or so elders beside him was sent flying at the same time. Falling to the ground, all of them either fell motionless or convulsed vigorously. In any case, none of them were capable of fighting anymore.

"Heaven's Path... Movement Art?"

This time, Wang Ying caught Liu laoshi's movement clearly, and her breathing hastened and her face flushed deep red.

She wasn't too sure with the Heaven's Path Leg Art, but there was no doubt about it, this movement art was Heaven's Path Movement Art!

Why in the world was Liu laoshi... capable of executing the Heaven's Path Movement Art created by Zhang laoshi?

Could it be...

A possibility appeared in Wang Ying's mind, and her slender body trembled vigorously. Slowly, her face turned paler and paler, to the point that it was no different from a sheet of paper.

It was after Zhang laoshi left that Liu laoshi appeared!

And after Liu laoshi appeared, Zhang laoshi had never appeared again...

All along, they had trusted the words of the Master Teacher Pavilion that he had gone for some test... Could it be that he had assumed the identity of Liu laoshi to take on the role of a teacher at Tianwu Academy?

If that was true... then Mu Xueqing was his student as well?

Then Zhao Ya and Mu Xueqing's duel...

It was no wonder why he stopped their duel that day, saying that they were being 'preposterous'. It must be that he was unhappy seeing his students fight with one another... He wasn't oppressing them with his capacity as a teacher!

Wang Ying's body turned cold.

"The poison..."

At this moment, she suddenly recalled she sneaked into Liu laoshi's classroom with Yuan Tao and Liu Yang to poison his drinking tools, and her face twitched. At this moment, she truly felt like crying.

If Liu laoshi was truly Zhang laoshi, then their act of poisoning him...

That was completely an unpardonable crime!

What the heck was this...

To think that she played along with Yuan Tao and Liu Yang and attempted to poison Zhang laoshi...

Until now, they still didn't know whether Zhang laoshi fell for the poison or not. If he really fell for it, then how could they face him in the future?

Their teacher had treated them earnestly, yet all they had been trying to do was to do him in return...

"What's wrong?"

Seeing Wang Ying's slightly scrunched face, Zhao Ya asked worriedly.

"It's nothing..."

Wang Ying hesitated for a moment, but she eventually closed her mouth, deciding against revealing her conjecture.

What would happen to Zhao Ya, Yuan Tao, and the others if she told them about it? How would they react?

At this moment, she felt so distressed and lost.

"Teacher..."

Wang Ying was at a complete loss.

On the other hand, Lu Chong, who was standing behind Zhang Xuan, had his eyes widened to the brim, and he was on the verge of going insane.

When he saw his teacher shattering the Third Elder's eggs with a single kick, he knew that he must be formidable. At the very least, he should be stronger than him...

Yet, never in his dreams did he expect that he was so much stronger!

Singlehandedly, in less than two breaths, he rendered more than a dozen elders of the Lin Clan powerless...

How did he do it?

Even a Half-Zhizun would be incapable of doing it to this extent!

If he knew that his teacher was that incredible, he wouldn't have hidden the matter from him!

"Yo-you..."

While Lu Chong was overwhelmed with shock, Lin Ruotian was about to go mad.

The reason why the Lin Clan was able to dominate the entire Tianwu Royal City wasn't just because of his strength as an individual, but because of the immense strength that each of these elder wielded!

Initially, he thought that given how the other party was just a mere Zongshi realm pinnacle, the crowd would be more than sufficient to subdue him. Yet, to think that in the blink of an eye, all of the elders he had brought out would be either crippled or severely injured...

What in the world was this?

"Liu Cheng, die!"

Roaring furiously, Lin Ruotian could no longer suppress his rage. He raised his palm and struck straight at Zhang Xuan.

.

.

.

Chapter 385: Zhao Ya, Your Sword!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Huala!

Might gushed out from his palm in the form of a blinding radiance, heading straight for Zhang Xuan.

Zhizun realm, otherwise known as the Ten Thousand Ding realm, was the final realm of the 9 dans of Fighters. At this realm, one's physical body and zhenqi would reach the very limits of a mortal, and the strength that one possessed would be unmatched by any Zongshi.

Lin Ruotian was only a Half-Zhizun, but the strength he wielded was reminiscent of a huge river, ceaseless and overwhelming. Before his attack could reach Zhang Xuan, the zhenqi he emanated had already reduced the surface of the stone floor to dust, as though a massive whip striking ceaselessly on it.

Having driven the zhenqi in his body to the maximum capacity, a shrill call - similar to a whistle - sounded in the air.

"Harmonization of Breath and Blood, Emanation of Zhenqi. This... is the distinctive trait of one who is about to reach Zhizun realm!"

Mo Tianxue's face paled.

He was the number one expert among the Zongshi realm pinnacle in Tianwu Kingdom, and he had a deep understanding of the Zhizun realm. It was said that those who had reached that level would possess blood as thick as mercury, and when one drove one's zhenqi, the call of a whistle would sound in the air.

All along, he thought that Lin Ruotian, who had achieved a breakthrough with Xuanyuan Kingdom's help, would possess an unstable cultivation, making him of little threat. But upon seeing this sight, he realized that...

He couldn't be any more wrong!

The other party's strength could be considered to be at the top even among the Half-Zhizuns. Under his current state, there was a possibility of him breaking through the final barrier at any moment to reach the pinnacle of the Fighter realm!

It was no wonder why he, despite possessing the cultivation of Half-Zhizun realm and the backing of Xuanyuan Kingdom, chose to poison the guardian beast secretly... It wasn't that he was afraid of the vengeance from Tianwu royal family, but that he wanted to confuse them.

By the time he reached Zhizun realm, he would be able to crush all that stood in his way in Tianwu Kingdom easily. Even the Master Teacher Pavilion would be helpless before him then.

If Guild Leader Liu hadn't forced him to show his hand, he could have taken that final step within several months!

By then... He could simply openly demand the throne and no one would be able to stop him.

Scary!

Cold sweat drenched Mo Tianxue's back, and he trembled in fear.

If not for this Guild Leader Liu charging straight at Lin Ruotian, Mo Tianxue would never have discovered this secret.

It was laughable how he thought that as long as the guardian beast managed to survive, the other party wouldn't dare to make a move.

"Guild Leader Liu... won't be a match for him..."

Amidst his fright, he was filled with worry for the latter.

Guild Leader Liu might be powerful even among Zongshi realm pinnacle experts, but he was still lacking in comparison to experts of Lin Ruotian's caliber.

Putting everything aside, just in terms of strength, Lin Ruotian should have already reached 9000 ding. That would be more than sufficient for him to subdue Guild Leader Liu.

Thinking so, he returned his attention to the duo's duel.

...

"Incredible..."

Facing Lin Ruotian's might face on, Zhang Xuan's face turned grave.

At Zongshi realm pinnacle, his strength had risen to 5000 ding, making him on par with an ordinary Half-Zhizun. However, Lin Ruotian had reached the peak of Half-Zhizun realm, making him a difficult opponent for Zhang Xuan.

At the first encounter, Zhang Xuan could already feel heavy pressure from the other party's might.

The other party's zhenqi gushed at him as though a burst dam, and he couldn't avoid it even if he wanted to. Thus, he could only forcefully face it head on.

Deng deng deng deng!

Retreating seven to eight steps backward, Zhang Xuan's internals were slightly rattled under the immense force.

Even though Zhang Xuan knew that he was at a blatant disadvantage, he didn't panic. Instead, a slight radiance glowed from his eyes, and lines of Insight Energy slowly drifted into appearance.

Eye of Insight!

But soon, Zhang Xuan frowned and shook his head in frustration.

The gift from becoming a Celestial Master Teacher was formidable, allowing him to peer into the flaws of a cultivator, but... it came with a fatal flaw. The effects of the Eye of Insight were limited by the cultivation of its user.

In other words, the Eye of Insight couldn't perceive the flaws of those stronger than him, making it completely useless against Lin Ruotian.

"Forget it. Flaws!"

Upon realizing that his newly-earned talent was useless here, he immediately turned his eyes to his other gift.

Hu!

His mind jolted, and a book appeared in the Library of Heaven's Path. He quickly browsed through the book.

A moment later, a slight smile crept onto his lips, "No wonder his body feels so energetic, he consumed the blood of a spirit beast!"

Different from the Eye of Insight, the Library of Heaven's Path could perceive the flaws in all cultivators, regardless of how high their cultivation was, as long as they displayed their battle technique before Zhang Xuan.

The strength, battle technique, and cultivation technique of the head of the Lin Clan was recorded in detail in the book.

The reason why he was able to achieve a breakthrough so quickly and achieve such overwhelming strength wasn't because he consumed some formidable pill, but because of... the essence blood of a spirit beast!

Spirit beast was an existence above that of savage beast.

Even the weakest spirit beast possessed strength surpassing that of a Zhizun realm. A drop of blood essence from this powerful lifeform could potentially induce a Bloodline Evolution in a Half-Zhizun savage beast, allowing it to successfully reach Zhizun realm.

It was through this that Lin Ruotian managed to reach Half-Zhizun from Zongshi realm pinnacle. On top of that, under the effects of the blood essence, his zhenqi became violent as though a feral beast, and it felt ceaseless as though a river flowing relentlessly.

"How can I defeat him?"

Many of the other party's flaws were recorded in the Library of Heaven's Path, but not only was the other party's stamina way above that of his, his violent-natured zhenqi made it difficult to get close, needless to say, injure him.

Upon crossing blows with an expert of this level, Zhang Xuan suddenly realized that he was lacking in battle techniques too much. Against those who were stronger than him, his disadvantage became apparent.

Be it Heaven's Path Fist Art or Heaven's Path Movement Art... All of them were centered around subduing one's enemy in a single blow.

His moves could work wonders in close quarters, but if he couldn't approach the other party, it would all be for naught. On top of that, under the nourishment of the spirit beast blood essence, Lin Ruotian's defense had become as strong as a savage beast. It was another question whether Zhang Xuan would be able to defeat him even if he were to close in on him.

Perhaps, even when Zhang Xuan's zhenqi was sapped dry, he would only be able to injure the other party. Killing him seemed nigh impossible.

In the end, the Heaven's Path battle techniques sapped one's physical stamina and zhenqi tremendously. Even though Zhang Xuan had reached Zongshi realm pinnacle, he still was still severely limited by this flaw.

"Forget it, I won't use the Heaven's Path battle techniques for now. I don't believe that he can sustain his battle state for too long!"

Having seen through all of the other party's battle techniques through the Library of Heaven's Path, while it would be difficult for Zhang Xuan to subdue Lin Ruotian in a single blow, it was completely impossible for the other party to wound him as well. At most, he just had to slowly grind away at his opponent.

Even if he had consumed the spirit beast blood essence and reached Half-Zhizun, he didn't possess endless stamina.

...

As Zhang Xuan's thoughts were flying about the place, Lin Ruotian felt so stifled that he could spurt blood.

The youngster's movements were bizarre and swift. The reason why he blasted his zhenqi out as soon as he made a move was simple; it was to prevent the other party from getting close to him and to hinder his movements...

Initially, he thought that under his powerful offense, no matter how strong the other party could be, it would be impossible for him to hold on for too long.

Yet, he couldn't have imagined that...

The other party was as slippery as a loach! It seemed as though he knew of the flaws in his movements and cultivation technique in advance, and with very slight movements, he easily stepped into the blind spots of his offense. His violent strength splashed at the surroundings, destroying the stone floor and blasting the air, but... he couldn't even touch a single hair on the other party!

In fact, even the emanation of his raging zhenqi failed to touch a hair on the other party.

Instead of fighting, that fellow seemed as though he was on a vacation. All of Lin Ruotian's feints and sudden twists... were completely useless! All of those traps that any other cultivators would have fallen for was totally ineffective on him...

Every single movement of the other party seemed to be well-calculated, causing all of Lin Ruotian's attacks to fall empty.

It was as though grabbing onto a massive chopper and trying to hack at the only party, only to miss by several millimeters each time... Putting aside how the other party wasn't injured in the slightest, Lin Ruotian was already about to puke blood from exhaustion and frustration.

Is this a game to you?

We are fighting and a life and death battle here! We have already crossed over a hundred blows, yet we haven't even touched the corners of each other's clothes yet... What the heck are you up to!

"This..."

"Are the two of them... really fighting?"

"Why doesn't it seem like it?"

...

While Lin Ruotian was on the verge of going into a frenzy, the crowd was struck dumb by the sight.

In a usual fight, two cultivators would collide with one another and cross blows.

Even if the weaker side could hold on, it wouldn't be able to hold on for too long, especially when there was a huge disparity in strength.

But... the heck! What was wrong with these two?

No matter how they looked at it, it didn't seem like those two were fighting, but...

Dancing!

Most of the time, before Lin Ruotian could make a move, Guild Master Liu would have jumped to the side and look at the other party idly. Then, following soon after... the former's attack would land on the spot where the latter was standing before.

In other words, even though Lin Ruotian was conducting the offense, in the eyes of the crowd, it seemed as though he was attacking wherever Guild Master Liu was jumping from, as though Guild Master Liu was leading him on.

To retreat and advance with such harmony... Even professional dancers don't have such synergy!

Could it be that the duo had already known each other, and they were familiar with the fighting methods of one another?

But that couldn't be it! Seeing how Lin Ruotian was ready to bite at the other party at any moment, it was impossible for him to be so bored as to intentionally perform such a show before everyone else!

"It's Guild Master Liu who is seeing through Lin Ruotian's movements in advance and messing with the other party's tempo..."

Principal Xie said with a grim look.

Given that a teacher of their academy was wreaking havoc at the Lin Clan, he had no choice but to rush over upon hearing the news. However, as soon as he arrived, this show immediately appeared before him, and a dizzy spell immediately struck him then.

To see through the other party's movements and evade to a safe zone before he could launch his offense, rendering the other party's raging might to fall empty...

How in the world did he do it?

Even 3-star master teachers didn't possess such fearsome abilities!

Unless... This Guild Master Liu was Lin Ruotian's father or teacher, and was well-versed in his offense, otherwise, it was impossible for him to make such precise judgements!

But... how could Guild Master Liu be Lin Ruotian's father or teacher?

This matter was completely impossible!

He knew that Guild Master Liu was a talented person, and bizarre matters seemed to shroud around him, but he didn't think that it would be to this extent!

To force the attacks of a stronger opponent to fall empty each time, regardless of how profound the movements were... Just the thought of it made his head go blank.

...

"You... Do you dare to face me head on!" Lin Ruotian bellowed; he was on the verge of exploding. The more he fought, the more frustrated he got.

"A head-on battle? Isn't that what we're doing now?" Zhang Xuan said leisurely as he continued dodging.

You attack while I evade, I advance while you retreat... Since you've been facing me all this while, how is this not a head-on battle?

Upon hearing those words, Lin Ruotian nearly spurted a mouthful of blood. He knew that if he were to continue arguing with the other party, he would definitely die of anger before the other party could do anything.

Thus, flicking his wrist, a sword appeared in his hands. Then, with a slight jerk, ripples appeared in the air, as though a paper had been cut apart.

"Do you dare to face me in a weapon duel then?"

"Weapon? Sure!"

Zhang Xuan was frozen for a moment before the edges of his lips curved up. Glancing backward, he chuckled, "Zhao Ya, your sword!"