168-170

Chapter 168: The Discerning Ability of a Master Teacher

Translator: Editor:

Pu!

Everyone's body shook, as though they had been struck by lightning.

Initially, they thought that perhaps Sun Qiang may have made a mistake, or perhaps their ears were playing tricks on them. Yet, that fellow repeated the same message.

Cursing Liu shi's family...

Furthermore, so brazenly. The heck, fatty, where did your confidence come from?

Master Yuanyu was frozen on the spot and tears streamed down his face.

I had only spoken of Master Teacher Yang Xuan's existence, I didn't mean to offend anyone... Now great, if Liu shi were to be maddened, it would definitely cause an uproar. If Yang Xuan turns to be a real master teacher and he pursues the matter, a battle would definitely ensue. Afterward, ... there would be no more afterward...

The crowd was shocked. Sun Qiang thought that the reaction meant that he was spot-on and he stood proudly.

That was the method that the old master used to scam Ling Tianyu. The moment he opened his mouth, the other party immediately gave in. He had imitated Zhang Xuan's disposition and gesture down to the very details, making him seem like a superior existence which had seen through the fabrics of the world.

With his head tilted upward, his glanced downward to see if the other party had conceded to his greatness and kneeled down to call him 'master'. Yet, he only saw the frosty look on the other party's face. In fact, even his guards drew their swords.

"Old master, I am going to kill him..." The guard bellowed as he prepared to charge forward.

"Hm? Why isn't it working?" Looking at the guard's behavior, no matter how foolish Sun Qiang could be, he realized that something was definitely amiss. Gedeng, his heart leaped. Could it be that his statement was inaccurate? Even so, he decided that he must uphold his status and authority.

Whenever the old master spoke, he often incurred the wrath of others. But after his words proved to be right, the other party would immediately give in.

Upon thinking of this, Sun Qiang's confidence surged once more, "How about this, allow me to touch your wife... Oh, since your wife isn't here... You... are a beast, you're looking for it..."

After musing for a moment, he recalled the other catchphrases of the old master.

The surroundings were completely silent.

Big brother, I thought that you were quite bold to have cursed Liu shi's family. To think that you still have more up your sleeves...

Wanting to touch Liu shi's wife, calling Liu shi a beast, saying that he was asking for it... I have seen brazen people, but I truly haven't seen anyone as brazen as you...

Liu shi's face was also steeled. His face twitched uncontrollably and he looked to be about to pass out from anger.

If not for his incredible tolerance, he would have definitely killed this fellow with a single slap of his.

"Old master, please allow me to kill this foolish lad who dares to insult you!"

The guard, Ah Yun, clasped his hands as he asked Liu shi for permission.

"Tell him who I am!"

Liu shi flung his robe.

He actually desired to kill the person before him as well. However, the other party's arrogance caused him to be apprehensive.

If not a master teacher, how would a lowly butler dare to behave in such a manner?

If the other party were truly an incredible master teacher, he wouldn't be able to withstand the other party's wrath when he finds out that his butler was killed.

Thus, it was better for him to behave prudently, deciding to first reveal his identity and observe the other party's attitude.

"Fatty, our old master is the Honorary Grand Duke of the Beiwu 2nd Tier Kingdom, Master Teacher Liu Ling..." Ah Yun stepped forward and declared.

"Like I care whether you are some grand duke or whatsoever..." Halfway through his words, his plump body trembled as he asked, "What did you say? Master teacher? He is a master teacher?"

He might be able to snub the grand dukes of other countries, but the same cannot be said about master teachers.

"Indeed, our old master is a 1-star master teacher. For you to insult him, you are truly courting death!"

Ah Yun clenched his teeth.

A master teacher is not an existence that can be sullied by anyone. To curse his entire family in public, demand to touch his wife, and call him a beast... Just these were sufficient to warrant his death penalty over a hundred times.

"Courting death?"

Sun Qiang's mouth twitched. He nearly knelt from the fear that he felt.

He thought that he could just act cool and peacefully pass off as an expert for once while the old master wasn't present in order to improve the old master's impression of him. Yet, in the midst of doing so, he became a fool instead.

The old master did the exact same things as well, but why is it that he was always able to get the other party to kneel in fear, not daring to even breathe loudly, while on the other hand, he just had to meet with a master teacher...

Why is there such a huge disparity even though we are both humans?

Insulting a master teacher... Isn't this equivalent to committing suicide?

What should I do?

Sun Qiang's plump face folded into countless creases and he was on the verge of tears.

"Go and report to your old master that Master Teacher Liu Ling, Master Teacher Zhuang Xian, and Master Teacher Zheng Fei are here. As for your matter, I will settle it personally with your old master!"

Seeing the previously arrogant plump butler trembling in fright, Master Teacher Liu Ling waved him away.

If the other party were truly a master teacher, letting off his subordinate could be considered a favor to him, equivalent to giving him face. On the other hand, if the other party turns out to be bogus, he could make a big fuss and take him down immediately, thus exacting vengeance for the insult.

"The old master has been out since morning... I don't know when he'll be back..." Upon hearing that the other party would not be dealing with him for now, Sun Qiang heaved a sigh of relief.

Upon knowing the other party's identity, he no longer dared to behave as arrogantly as he did before.

"You don't know when he'll be back?" Liu Ling and the others frowned.

They can't possibly keep waiting here for him.

"Yes!" Sun Qiang nodded his head.

"Alright then. Here is our name scroll, you take it for now. We'll pay our visits when your old master is back."

Liu Ling beckoned and the guard, Ah Yun, stepped forward to pass a name scroll.

"Yes!" Sun Qiang did not dare to refute his words and immediately accepted the name scroll from the guard's hands. Upon seeing the words 'master teacher' on it, his eyebrows twitched uncontrollably.

"Let's go!" Since the other party wasn't here, the three master teachers couldn't be bothered to waste their time on a butler. Thus, they turned around to leave.

Only after seeing them disappear into the distance did Sun Qiang heave a sigh of relief. He wiped away the cold sweat on his body before walking into the courtyard.

Upon entering, he felt his knees give in and he fell to the floor, paralyzed.

Looks like one can't just simply go around feigning to be an expert. Otherwise... One might not even know how he dies... I will never do it ever again...

...............

"Liu shi, why didn't you directly kill that fellow who insulted you?"

When the crowd left, the guard, Ah Yun couldn't help but inquire.

Those who are able to become master teachers are by no means kind. Liu shi never hesitates when it comes to killing others. But why was he able to tolerate the plump butler saying such words to him?

"Brother Zheng, what do you think of it?"

Ignoring his question, Liu Ling turned to Zheng shi, Zheng Fei, and asked.

"The master residing in the mansion doesn't seem to be a simple figure. If he is truly a master teacher, it is likely that his capabilities are superior to ours." Zheng Fei nodded his head with a grim look.

"Indeed!" Zhuang shi, Zhuang Xian, nodded his head as well.

"But... didn't we not see the owner of the mansion?"

Hearing the conversation between the three master teachers, everyone felt puzzled.

They didn't see the old master the plump butler spoke of. If so, how can they be so sure that the other party's capabilities are superior to theirs?

Even Yuanyu, who was following behind, felt perplexed.

"We didn't see him, but we saw his butler." Liu shi said.

"That weak fellow?" Ah Yun became even more confused. Was there anything special with that weak fellow?

"You all have only seen the surface!" Liu shi shook his head. "I have taken a look at the butler's constitution. It is not just poor; it can be considered to be extremely inferior. Logically speaking, his limit would have been Fighter 3-dan Zhenqi realm. However, did you see how strong he actually was?"

"Fighter 4-dan Pigu realm advanced stage..."

Ah Yun hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Indeed, he has reached Pigu realm advanced stage. Furthermore... Based on how he doesn't seem to have perfect control over his zhenqi, his breakthrough should be something that occurred recently. Putting this together with what Master Yuanyu said, that this Sun Qiang is someone he hired on a whim and that he was previously just a merchant in the commercial city... It is very likely that the rise in his strength is due to the guidance from the master of the mansion..."

After which, a grim expression appeared on Liu shi's face. "Given such inferior constitution and unexceptional cultivation technique, the zhenqi in his body should have long sunk due to excessive impurities, clogging all of the meridians throughout his body. Yet, he was able to induce a breakthrough in him in a few short days, even raising his strength by an entire realm... It would be hard for me to induce such growth in others."

As master teachers, they specialized in guiding one's cultivation. As such, they were able to easily recognize Sun Qiang's unique condition.

There are clots in Sun Qiang's meridians, causing his impure zhenqi to sink. According to logical deduction, it should have already been an incredible feat for him to reach Zhenqi realm pinnacle. Yet, contrary to their expectations, the latter had achieved Pigu realm advanced stage. No matter how foolish they were to be, it is obvious that the other party possesses exceptional abilities.

If Zhang Xuan were to hear their conclusion, he would definitely be astounded.

Master teachers aren't just for show, their discernment abilities were indeed impressive.

It is no wonder that it could become a profession that everyone on the continent fears. The sharpness of their eyes isn't something just anyone can match up to.

"If I'm not wrong, the other party had used an extremely pure zhenqi to destroy the shackles in his body and meld the sunken zhenqi, thus allowing him to achieve a breakthrough. Then, the sunk zhenqi he accumulated over numerous years caused his cultivation realm to soar, eventually stopping at Pigu realm advanced stage!"

The silent Zhuang shi hesitated for a moment before speaking.

If Sun Qiang were here, he would definitely be shocked. His experience was exactly as how the master teacher before him had described it to be.

"To be able to meld the sunk zhenqi with his and break through the clots in his meridians, that person's zhenqi must be at least intermediate tier. Or else... his cultivation must have reached Zongshi realm!"

Liu shi nodded his head, agreeing to Zhuang shi's words. Then, he turned to Ah Yun and said, "Regardless of whether he is an expert who possesses intermediate tier zhenqi or a zongshi... Even if he isn't a master teacher, he isn't someone that we can afford to offend. On the other hand, if he is a master teacher, even if he isn't as experienced as us, it is likely that he wields a greater level of potential. If he had slaughtered his butler back then, it would have been equivalent to falling out with the other party, thus making it impossible to reconcile with him in future. If so, we might as well sell him a favor. After all, that butler is just an insignificant figure. He was probably scared witless after knowing of our identity."

"Yes!" Ah Yun nodded his head.

He knew that his old master possessed incredible discernment abilities and that he was able to tell the truth through minor details. Thus, he did not inquire further about the matter.

"Incredible!"

Upon listening to their deduction, Master Yuanyu widened his mouth in astonishment.

It is no wonder that master teacher is such a prestigious occupation. With a single glance, they were able to analyze so many details. Their eyes are truly fearsome.

"But old master, that person isn't in his mansion, so what should we do now?"

Ah Yun asked.

"Even though he isn't in his mansion, it doesn't mean that we are devoid of ways to verify his identity. Inform Emperor Shen Zhui of the matter and tell him to summon the few people who had been treated by this Yang Xuan to the royal palace. I want to take a look at them personally..."

Liu shi delegated.

"Yes!" Ah Yun nodded his head.

Upon hearing those words, Master Yuanyu was impressed.

It wasn't of great importance that the person in question wasn't present. It wasn't a secret that Yang Xuan had helped Ling Tianyu, Du Miaoxuan, Luo Chong, and Apothecary Chen Xiao... As long as they were to gather and question them, they should be able to understand the situation.

It would then be clear whether the other party is genuinely a master teacher.

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Chapter 169: The 6-dan of the Heaven's Path Divine Art

Translator: Editor:

Zhang Xuan was oblivious to the visit by the three master teachers. At the moment, he was in the kingdom's Book Collection Vault, and his eyes were gleaming with excitement.

"It's complete..."

After reading books for an entire afternoon, he had finally finished flipping through all of the Pixue realm books in the Book Collection Vault. He had also managed to compile a complete version of the 6-dan Heaven's Path Divine Art in the library.

The front part was exactly as he had deduced before, so he only had to follow the steps behind.

"Time to cultivate!"

In any case, he was here alone, so there was no need to restrain himself. Without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan sat onto the ground and started cultivating.

Pipa! Pipa! Pipa!

The moment he started training, a dense congregation of spiritual energy immediately surged into his body from the heavens, causing the acupoints in his body to blow open consecutively. A series of crisp 'pops' reminiscent of frying beans echoed in the vault.

After an unknown period of time, Zhang Xuan opened his eyes. A look of astonishment appeared on his face as he was in a state of disbelief.

"I actually managed... to open all 108 acupoints?"

Legend has it that there are 108 acupoints in a human's body. However, only 72 of which can be opened. Furthermore, there is a specific order to how these acupoints could be opened. With differences in every individual's physique, there is a different order that everyone has to follow in order to achieve the best results. If one fails to follow the exact sequence, one might very well only open thirty to forty acupoints in their life and thereafter be stuck permanently.

He had initially thought that even with the Heaven's Path Divine Art, it would be considered an incredible feat to open 72 acupoints. Never in his dreams did he expect to be able to open all 108 acupoints.

At this moment, the acupoints throughout his body were twinkling, as a sky full of stars. He felt strength surge through his entire body.

If others were to learn that he had opened all of the acupoints in his body, they would definitely die of shock.

"108 acupoints mean that my strength has been boosted by 108 ding. Before reaching Pixue realm, I already have 20 ding of strength, and adding in the 90 ding from my physical body, my total strength is 218 ding. That is equivalent to a Tongxuan realm intermediate stage expert..."

Doing a rough calculation of his strength, Zhang Xuan's eyes gleamed with excitement.

In Tongxuan realm, one possesses 100 ding of strength in the primary stage, 200 ding in the intermediate stage, 300 ding in the advanced stage, and 400 ding in the pinnacle stage.

It is unheard of in Tianxuan Kingdom, or even in the surrounding kingdoms, for a Pixue realm pinnacle to possess the strength of a Tongxuan realm intermediate stage.

Yet, Zhang Xuan had easily achieved such a feat.

Even he himself couldn't help but suspect if he was dreaming.

There aren't many people in Tianxuan Kingdom who can rival him now.

After all, the strongest person in Tianxuan Kingdom currently is only at Tongxuan realm pinnacle.

"I should continue and see if there are Fighter 7-dan cultivation techniques..."

Zhang Xuan stood up and continued into the depths of the Book Collection Vault expectantly.

"What a pity..."

After circling around the entire Book Collection Vault once, Zhang Xuan could not help but shook his head in disappointment.

There wasn't any Fighter 7-dan cultivation technique in the Book Collection Vault.

But now that he thought about it, it was to be expected.

After all, Fighter 7-dan Tongxuan realm experts can be considered as the top-notch fighting power of the Tianxuan Kingdom. As such, the value of 7-dan cultivation techniques is incomparably valuable. Thus, how can one possibly leave such books lying around here, especially when visitors can be granted entry?

They would most probably be kept somewhere accessible only to the emperor.

"Since there is no cultivation technique, I should check out the battle techniques..."

Thinking of such, he walked with big strides toward the region where the battle technique manuals are stored.

There is a massive collection of books in the kingdom's Book Collection Vault. Even though the battle techniques kept here are not exclusive profound arts, its redeeming factor is that there are plenty of them. Just a single move can have several thousand different schools to it.

Zhang Xuan stopped before a certain bookshelf and glanced toward the books on it.

It is the region where the movement and leg techniques are stored.

"The 72 Lake Manoeuvre","Whirlwind Legs","34 Styles Chain Kicks","Eluding Traversing Dragon"

All kinds of movement and leg technique secret manuals filled the entire shelf.

"Wang Ying's legs were once injured. Even though she has the Body Nourishing Medicinal Solution to heal her legs, it would still be difficult for her to match up to the swift Du Lei. However, if she were to learn a good movement and leg technique, it should increase her chances of victory significantly.

Thinking of this, Zhang Xuan started flipping through the books.

Hualala, hualala!

In an hour's time, Zhang Xuan had managed to imprint all the books related to movement and leg techniques into his head, and two books had formed in his head.

Heaven's Path Movement Art and Heaven's Path Leg Art!

Casually flipping open the manuals, he immersed his concentration into the books. Four hours later, he managed to master the two moves.

Due to the books in the Book Collection Vault being about the most basic and fundamental moves, only a single movement was created, just like how it was for the Heaven's Path Spear Art.

That was especially so for the Heaven's Path Movement Art. It allowed him to move a distance of twenty meters the time of a tenth of a breath. His movement was so fast that it seemed as though teleportation.

Of course, attaining such breakneck speed causes a huge strain on the body. If it weren't for him cultivating the Heaven's Path Golden Body, such instantaneous movement would have caused his blood vessels to burst. Even so, given his current physical capabilities, he can only execute the move once. If he were to overdo it, it would cause him to bleed from his ears and nose due to excessive pressure.

Still, it is an extremely fearsome move. If one were to suddenly perform an instantaneous movement when battling with another person, even a Tongxuan realm pinnacle expert can be destroyed in an instant if he isn't guarded against it.

After learning the movement and leg techniques, he moved to the fists technique region and once again started flipping through the books, forming a single punching move.

Two hours later, he had easily completed learning the fist movement.

Just like the movement technique, even though it is just a single move, it allows his strength to be enhanced by a single fold instantaneously.

Given his current strength of 218 ding, a single fold meant that he was able to execute a punch with 436 ding of strength behind it. In other words, by executing the Heaven's Path Fist Art, his fighting prowess would rival that of a Tongxuan realm pinnacle expert.

Of course, this pushes his physical body to the limits as well. Just like the movement technique, he wouldn't be able to use it repeatedly. Given his current level of ability, he can only execute three punches at maximum.

Continuously flipping through the books and studying them, time passed slowly.

Fortunately, Zhang Xuan had foreseen that he would be staying in the Book Collection Vault for an extended period of time and had prepared some food in his storage ring in advance. Otherwise, he would surely die of hunger before he could even begin to train.

............

Countless lanterns hung and lit the palace.

"Apothecary Chen Xiao, why are you here?"

Walking into the main hall, Du Miaoxuan was filled with bewilderment.

He was just an ordinary elder of the Du Clan, and following the deterioration of his cultivation, even that title had become just a name. Yet, he was summoned abruptly by Emperor Shen Zhui today and thus, he was completely confused by what was going on.

Upon walking into the palace, he saw that Apothecary Chen Xiao, Ling Tianyu, and Luo Chong were all here.

"I have also received His Majesty's summons. It must be something that has to do with Yang shi. After all, all of us here have benefitted from Yang shi's grace!"

At this moment, Apothecary Chen Xiao no longer looked as sickly as he did previously. On the contrary, he was filled with vitality and liveliness.

"That might be possible..."

Du Miaoxuan nodded his head in agreement. Ling Tianyu and Luo Chong also suddenly came to a realization.

However, there was no need for them to ponder over the matter as they would soon know the answer. At this moment, Emperor Shen Zhui walked into the main hall with large strides. Smiling, he introduced to the crowd.

"I am not the one who invited everyone here today. It was the three master teachers."

"Master teachers?"

Du Miaoxuan and the others were taken aback. They hurriedly stood up and saw three dignified elders following behind the emperor.

"Sit. You must be Ling Tianyu. I heard that your wife was sick. Can you tell me about what happened during the treatment?" After trading some pleasantries, Liu shi turned his attention to Ling Tianyu.

After a moment later.

"You say that... Yang Xuan, with a single look, discerned that your stone lion is made of Southern Blood Jade and deduced from it that your family member was sick? Then... With a few needles, not only did your wife awake from her coma, she even gained the ability to walk immediately?"

Liu shi widened his eyes in disbelief.

"The Southern Blood Jade absorbs a person's vitality. Given how your wife was stuck in a state of coma, this meant that her illness had already reached an extremely severe state. In order to resolve the issue, not only does one need to find the exact blockages of the meridians, one also requires intermediate-tier zhenqi to break open those blockages. To be able to see through those exact spots, such that there weren't any hesitation in his movements... Can a master teacher really possess such sharp eyes?"

...

"The moment you entered, before you could even forge pills, he could tell that you were afflicted with death aura and would die at any moment? One who is afflicted with death aura would have a dark mark at their glabella, so it isn't surprising that he would be able to tell that much. Also, apothecaries often come into contact with cauldrons, it was natural that he would deduce as so... However, to be able to deduce all these without asking a single question... Why do I feel like he isn't a master teacher but a fortune-teller..."

"Also, he could tell that your unstable state of mind was caused by your consumption of Dragon-scaled Prawns just by your forging movements without asking a single question at all? You must be joking..."

...

Upon hearing everyone's experiences, the three master teachers became baffled.

The heck, is he some enlightened deity?

Even though master teachers possess sharp eyes, it isn't that exaggerated!

"Looks like... there are only two possibilities. Firstly... That Yang Xuan's standard is much higher than ours, to the point that we are unable to comprehend the full extent of his abilities."

After a long moment, Liu shi concluded with a grim expression.

"Or secondly... He knows of their conditions beforehand and searched for a solution before curing their illness at a single go, thus astounding everyone here. In other words... He is an opportunistic fraud who is looking to make a fortune."

Zheng shi and Zhuang shi nodded their heads. They shared Liu shi's judgment as well.

"If it is the former, it isn't a big matter for me to pay him a visit and learn from it. But if it turns out to be the second..." Speaking of which, Liu shi's eyes turned cold. "As a master teacher, I have the responsibility to expose such black sheeps so that they do not sully the reputation of master teachers."

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Chapter 170: Brewing Storm

Translator: Editor:

Tianxuan Kingdom

"Beiwu Tier 2 Kingdom Liu shi and Zhuang shi, as well as Hanwu Kingdom's Zheng shi, have arrived at the kingdom and they went to pay a visit to this Yang Xuan together?"

"Indeed. It is said that after they paid him a visit, they summoned Ling Tianyu, Du Miaoxuan, and the rest of them into the royal palace. No one knows what happened in there, but the second day, the three master teachers visited the mansion once more... Furthermore... They had turned up at the mansion for five consecutive days, but were nevertheless unable to meet with the master of the mansion?"

"The heck! That's way too intense, he even turned away master teachers? I know about Liu shi and he is one of the more capable 1-star master teachers. To think that such a person would be turned away at the entrance... Just exactly how capable is this Yang shi?"

"I'm afraid that he probably isn't just a mere 2-star master teacher!"

...

No one has ever heard of Yang Xuan's name. In fact, the Teacher Guild was unable to find anything about him either. As such, many people were doubtful of his identity and thought that he wasn't a real master teacher.

However, the situation has changed.

Liu shi, Zheng shi, and Zhuang shi are three official master teachers. They are public figures famous within the surrounding kingdoms. The three of them had paid Yang shi a visit, but for five consecutive days, they did not even get past the entrance. No matter how foolish one might be, it was clear to see that Yang Xuan isn't a simple figure.

"He is a master teacher, but his identity doesn't exist... Probably, his name, Yang Xuan, is fake..."

"Master teachers love to travel and experience the life of an average civilian. Through such, it trains their mind and tempers their soul. Could he be a high-tier master teacher who is in the midst of his exploration?"

"I don't know about that... But if it's true, then Tianxuan Kingdom has truly struck gold!"

"Indeed! Master teachers are a symbol of a country's strength. If a country has a 1-star master teacher, it can apply for a 2nd Tier Kingdom position. With a 2-star master teacher, it can apply for a 1st Tier Kingdom position. Finally, If it has a 3-star master teacher, it can apply to become a Conferred Kingdom!"

"Once a kingdom is conferred a title, it gains the right to build massive transportation formations to import and export resources, resulting in the country to prosper. The benefits from doing so are unimaginable..."

...

All kinds of rumors had spread throughout the kingdom.

"Your Majesty, even though the three master teachers aren't sure, and they still hold suspicions, from your humble servant's perspective, Yang Xuan seems like a person of great capabilities. Otherwise, he would not have been able to treat so many people easily. Even if he isn't a master teacher, he is likely to be a great physician. There might be hope for the Royal Elder."

In the palace, an old eunuch analyzed the available news.

"Un, send someone to stand guard at his entrance. The moment Yang Xuan returns to his mansion, report back to me immediately. I will pay him a personal visit." A grave expression appeared on Emperor Shen Zhui's face.

"Yes!"

The old eunuch nodded his head hurriedly.

...

"This is a rare opportunity. Wang Chao, if we catch Yang shi's attention and become his apprentice, we will surely be able to become master teachers!"

In a wide classroom in Hongtian Academy, Lu Xun stared excitedly at the young man before him.

"Indeed. No matter what, we have to pay him a visit and leave a good impression before him!" Wang Chao nodded his head excitedly. "Even if we are unable to become his apprentice, we will surely be able to achieve a breakthrough if he offers us some words of guidance."

"Un!" Lu Xun nodded his head.

"Right, so how is the matter with Zhang Xuan going?" Wang Chao suddenly recalled and asked.

"Him?" Placing his hands behind him, he stared into the distance with an aura of superiority. "He is just a stepping stone for me to become a master teacher. He means nothing at all, so don't worry about it. All of the students I have chosen for the battle are undergoing secret training, and in a few days, they will be able to break through to the next realm. They will win the Teacher Evaluation by an overwhelming lead and as such, the attention of the master teachers will be on me!"

"That's great! I'll have to congratulate you in advance then..." Wang Chong clasped his hands enthusiastically.

...

Such situations occurred throughout the kingdom. The appearance of a Yang shi had caused all powers within the kingdom to stir. All attention were fixated on Yang Xuan's mansion and in an instant, this seemingly inconspicuous mansion became the center of buzz within the capital.

A storm had begun to brew.

..................

At the moment, Zhang Xuan had reached the final bookshelf within the country's Book Collection Vault.

Five days of continuously flipping books without any rest or sleep had exhausted all of his strength. Putting aside cultivating, he wasn't even in the mood to speak.

"There's still one last row..."

Knowing that it wasn't easy to enter the kingdom's Book Collection Vault, Zhang Xuan was determined to first imprint all of these books onto the Library of Heaven's Path before doing anything. Even so, just this task itself had him exhausted to the point of possibly fainting at any moment.

Seeing that he had finally reached the final row, Zhang Xuan's eyes glowed in delight and tears threatened to flow out of his eyes.

After working hard for the past few days. he finally sees the end of his work.

"Un? These are books on poison..."

This row pertains to the uses of poison, creating poison, discerning poison, and inflicting poison on others. Similar to others topics in the library, only books on the very basics of the subject were available.

"I shall flip!"

Hualala! Slowly, with the movements of his fingers, the books were gradually imprinted into his mind, one at a time.

Of the countless jobs, the occupation poison master, based on its fighting prowess, is more than qualified to be listed among the Upper Nine Paths. But similar to assassins, it is a despised job. They can only hide in the shadows, never to see the light of the day. As such, very few people are willing to take on the craft, causing it to eventually fall into the ranks of the Lower Nine Paths.

Naturally, Zhang Xuan isn't willing to become a poison master either. However, it was still beneficial for him to look through these books as it could help him guard against other poison masters.

While one shouldn't bear ill intentions against others, one mustn't let down his guards.

Two hours later, he finished flipping through all of the poison-related books.

"I should first return to take a nap..."

After successfully imprinting all of the books in the Book Collection Vault into his mind, Zhang Xuan suddenly felt the fatigue he had accumulated in the previous five days crushing down heavily at once. All he can think about right now is to find a location to sleep.

Even though he has already reached Pixue realm pinnacle and his body is significantly stronger than others, five consecutive days without rest while keeping his mind on the edge has left him on the brink of collapsing.

Even so, the effort was worth it.

The Tianxuan Kingdom has more than a millennium of history behind it. Even though the books in here aren't exceptionally profound such that they can be considered as secret manuals, there are huge quantities of books on the fundamentals of nearly all occupations.

Usually, under such circumstances, others would find it difficult to discern the truth from the false, especially with the overwhelming content contained in this library. They would simply get increasingly muddled the more they read. However, to Zhang Xuan who possesses the Library of Heaven's Path, this isn't a problem at all.

As long as he is willing to, he can extract the most precise knowledge of each job and form a Heaven's Path manual, retrieving the genuine wisdom in each book for his use.

Walking out of the kingdom, Zhang Xuan looked at the sky and only then did he realize that he had spent five entire days in the vault.

"I can't rest yet. It is almost ten days since I ordered that Unravel Yin Pill and Colossus Rhinoceros Blood, so the items should be arriving soon..."

While he was walking along the streets, he suddenly recalled that the ten days deadline was about to come to an end and this wasn't the time for him to go straight to sleep. The items he had entrusted Guild Leader Ouyang to buy on his behalf should be reaching soon.

"I should first return to the mansion to take a look. Hopefully, someone has requested something of me in the past few days. This way, I would be able to gather the sum required for the items..."

He was still lacking two million gold coins to pay for the items. After getting into a remote alley and changing his appearance to that of 'Yang Xuan', he started walking toward the mansion.

...............

Zhang Liao and Zhang Mo are two famous burglars in the Tianxuan Kingdom. They specialize in robbing the rich to help the poor. In a way, they can be considered as righteous burglars.

Due to their nimble movements and well-planned operations, they have never failed throughout the numerous years in their career. The Tianxuan Kingdom offered a high bounty to capture the duo, but it is laughable that they do not even know the duo's appearances.

"That in front of us is Du Qiao's residence. This person is a despicable tycoon. He has committed plenty of immoral acts throughout his life. Although he had a recent encounter with bandits which dealt a huge blow to his business, an emaciated camel is still larger than a horse. We should have plenty of money to utilize if we were to rob from him..."

Zhang Liao chuckled and took a large step forward.

Due to the intense hunt for them, they left Tianxuan Kingdom for half a year. Upon returning, they immediately set their sights on Merchant Du Qiao.

"Un. However, we need to first plan carefully. We have to ascertain the skills of the guards in the residence and their habits before we can make a move." Zhang Mo nodded his head.

Whenever the duo decides to conduct burglary, they will observe the target thoroughly to confirm the layout of the residence and determine the weakness in their defense. Only when they are absolutely certain that they will succeed will they strike.

This is precisely the reason why they had yet to fail a single time after stealing from over fifty households.

"The residence right ahead. I have been here once... Ah?"

Turning around the alley, Zhang Liao walked forward. Just as he was about to sneak into the mansion which they had decided upon to survey its interior, he was shocked by the sight before them.

Zhang Mo's face also turned pale. His eyes widened in shock.

A large queue had formed at the entrance of the mansion. There were several hundreds of people lining up before the gates. It is one thing to have many people wanting to visit the master of the household, but... The gates to the mansion were tightly shut, and there didn't seem to be any signs of it opening anytime soon.

"Look! Isn't that... the Eight Arms Dragon, Liu Kaiyuan?"

Zhang Liao suddenly recognized a person in the crowd and his face turned ghastly white.

"It's him... The Eight Arms Dragon Liu Kaiyuan. He is a renowned figure among wandering cultivators. As a Tongxuan realm advanced stage expert, he is one of the top-notch figures in the kingdom. However, wasn't he injured during an expedition to capture a savage beast, and since then disappeared from public view? Why is he here? Furthermore, waiting at the entrance?" Zhang Mo was astonished.

"Wait... Is that... Iron-fisted Stone Dragon, Feng Jun? As a Tongxuan realm intermediate stage, he is the number one expert of Hanxue City. It is said that his iron fists are capable of disintegrating boulders. He is a powerful figure who even Emperor Shen Zhui regards as a peer. Why is he here... queuing up?"

"Eagle Eyes Duan Jiujiang? Steel Caltrop Long Xuanhai? Pale Scholar Hu Xiaobai..."

Initially, he thought that those who were queuing up were just ordinary civilians. However, upon recognizing a few of them, he took a closer look. As his gaze scanned through the faces of those figures in the queue, Zhang Liao's body trembled and he nearly fainted from fear...

These people are all top-notch experts of Tianxuan Kingdom! Even the weakest of them all is a Tongxuan realm primary stage.

Even though they do possess several tricks up their sleeves, if they really were to encounter any single one of these people, they probably wouldn't be able to escape. They would be beaten to death on the spot.

Just that...

Back then, when Emperor Shen Zhui invited them for a gathering in the royal palace, very few of them actually turned up. Why would such arrogant and rebellious experts who dare to even disregard Emperor Shen Zhui's invitation be queuing at this mansion's entrance?

Surely I am seeing things...

Zhang Liao and Zhang Mo exchanged gazes. Puzzled, they scratched their head furiously.

If these people were only queuing up, they might not have been so shocked. But judging from how they did not even dare to breathe loudly for fear of offending the people living in the mansion... Not daring to knock the door even though they were kept outside...

The heck! Heavens, can you tell me whether it is them who have gone mad, or is it just me?

Isn't this Du Qiao's residence?

How can a lowly merchant possess such prestige?

How did he get these experts to willingly wait at the door, not daring to even utter a single word of complaint?