《Library of Heaven’s Path 2: Eternal Destiny》


 Chapter 1: Stableman

    ¡°Low profile! Keep a low profile! I must keep a low profile! Important things need to be repeated three times. I, Zhang Xuan, have always been a humble and low-key person.¡±


    Looking at the lines he had just written with water on the table, Zhang Xuan touched his slightly swollen cheek and looked at the chestnut horse in the stable.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I couldn¡¯t beat you, it¡¯s that I like to keep a low profile. I just arrived here and don¡¯t want to get into a dispute with a horse. It wouldn¡¯t sound good if someone knows¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan felt much better after muttering to himself.


    It had been five years since that battle in the Firmament. During this time, he had learned to create his own universe and rebuilt a new Library of Heaven''s Path. It was only after seeding that he realized all the energy to maintain the new world came from a ce called the ¡°Source World¡±. Once cut off, all the Source Energy would cease, and the entire world would copse.


    Five days ago, the Source World suddenly became restless and severely affected the new world. Even he himself was severely injured due to the essence bacsh. To save countless lives and himself, he followed the energy to this ce. As soon as he entered, his cultivation waspletely sealed by the dense Source Energy, rendering him powerless.


    At this moment, he was not only severely injured but also no different from an ordinary person.


    Without an identity, he was a vagrant. Vagrants couldn¡¯t shop, stay in inns, and were constantly at risk of being killed or captured. Zhang Xuan was no exception. Shortly after entering White Rock City, he was captured by the Mo family and became a stableman!


    A great master of all ages, tending horses was one thing, but being beaten by a horse was embarrassing...This horse was the mount of Mo Yanxue, the eldest daughter of the Mo family. Its name was Su Shang, and it was less than three years old. It had a fiery temperament and refused to be leased. So it often fought with him over food, leading to numerous conflicts.


    For three consecutive days, Zhang Xuan had endured. But enough was enough. On the fourth day, this ruler of a world finally decided to act, and as a result... he was kicked in the face, left with a swollen, panda-eyed face, and even more serious injuries...


    ¡°If I weren¡¯t injured, I would definitely kill you...¡±


    He felt a bit morefortable by rubbing his face with a wet towel. Just as he was worrying about going hungry again, he heard hurried footsteps approaching.


    Two figures entered the stable.


    A young girl and a man. The girl, about sixteen or seventeen years old, wore a dark green dress. She had an elegant demeanor, and her ck eyes revealed a trace of coolness. She was none other than Mo Yanxue, the eldest daughter of the Mo family and the owner of Su Shang.


    The man not far behind her was obese, weighing at least two hundred pounds, with triangr eyes and a handlebar mustache... It was Feng Jin, the steward of the Mo family, who had initially captured him.


    ¡°Damn!¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyelids twitched.


    He had tied Su Shang up in a fit of anger due to the beat. If they saw this now, it would undoubtedly cause trouble... Sure enough, upon seeing the horse tied up, Feng Jin¡¯s face turned livid, and he scolded him harshly.


    ¡°Zhang Xuan, you lowly servant, how dare you tie Su Shang up? Are you looking to die?¡±


    ¡°I was just tidying up the room and was afraid of disturbing Su Shang...¡± Zhang Xuan quickly exined.


    ¡°Shut up! You¡¯re just a lowly stableman. Just follow the rules. Do you think you have the right to make decisions on your own?¡±


    His eyes turning cold, Feng Jin said, ¡°Let me tell you, the youngdy is going to White Rock Academy tomorrow to report and undergo the Source Pool Assessment. Once she passes, she will embark on the path of cultivation and soar to great heights! If anything happens to Su Shang because of you, you couldn¡¯t repay it with a hundred lives!¡±


    Zhang Xuan was puzzled, ¡°Source Pool Assessment?¡±


    Feng Jin replied, ¡°Yes. To cultivate, you must first find the Source Pool within yourself and sessfully open it. The youngdy has already done so and is qualified to undergo the assessment to be a true cultivator.¡±


    ¡°Noted!¡± Zhang Xuan quickly took note of the terms ¡°Source Pool¡± and ¡°Source Pool Assessment¡± in his mind.


    Just as Feng Jin was about to continue speaking, Mo Yanxue suddenly spoke, her voice cold like the striking of iron, ¡°I reward and punish clearly. I won¡¯t randomly give rewards, nor will I intentionally be harsh. Su Shang¡¯s coat is glossy, its tendons strong, and its eyes bright. That indicates you haven¡¯t been mistreating him. However, as a stableman, you didn¡¯t follow the rules and made decisions on your own. If everyone did this, wouldn¡¯t the Mo family fall into chaos? Withhold three days of meals as a warning to others!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Feng Jin quickly nodded, his face full of ttery. "Miss, you are so generous..."


    "He''s just a nobody, no need to waste too much effort on him!"


    Gently stroking the pink mane of the horse, Mo Yanxue looked at Zhang Xuan and said, "Although autumn has begun, the weather is still hot. You are responsible for fanning and bathing him. If I find out that Su Shang is in a bad mood because of the heat, it won''t just be a matter of missing meals. You will be dragged out and beaten to death. I doubt anyone would stand up for a lowly stableman like you."


    Zhang Xuan nodded repeatedly. "Don''t worry, Miss. I will do my best."


    After giving her instructions, Mo Yanxue turned and walked out. She had just passed by the stable and was concerned that her mount might be neglected. Seeing that Su Shang was well taken care of, she felt reassured.


    Not long after, Feng Jin sent someone with a cart of fine feed. The person delivering it was a servant in his thirties named Wu Xiang, who had been with the Mo family for ten years. He often skimmed off Zhang Xuan¡¯s meals.


    Although he was Zhang Xuan¡¯s direct supervisor and usually strict, they had interacted a few times. Unable to contain his curiosity, Zhang Xuan asked, "I heard Steward Feng mention ''Source Pool'' and ''Source Pool Assessment'' just now. What do they mean?"


    "Those are cultivation terms!"


    Wu Xiang was usually difficult, but these matters weren¡¯t secrets. Even if he didn¡¯t tell, others could be asked, so he didn¡¯t hide it. "Source Energy is the most fundamental power in the heavens. It can create worlds and change all things with endless power. Such a powerful force is not easy to control and naturally requires special methods..."


    After listening for a while, Zhang Xuan understood.


    Source Energy was powerful enough to suppress even his cultivation, showing its strength. Ordinary people absorbing it might end up dying instantly, like swallowing concentrated sulfuric acid!


    And the Source Pool was the container for this power, simr to the dantian used in the cultivation on the Master Teacher Continent.


    "...Source Energy is divided into nine grades, with Ninth Grade being the lowest and First Grade being the highest. The Source Pool Assessment tests the grade of your Source Pool. The higher the grade, the greater your future achievements will be!"


    Finally, Wu Xiang sneered, "You don''t even know what a Source Pool is. Don''t expect to cultivate. Servants are just servants. Don''t dream of bing a phoenix. Although the Mo family doesn''t restrict practicing martial arts, privately cultivating without permission will get you executed if caught..."


    After sending Wu Xiang off, Zhang Xuan fell into deep thought.


    It seemed bing a master in this world was not as easy as he imagined.


    Finding and opening the Source Pool alone was a troublesome matter.


    "I need to find a cultivation method first and then modify it to suit myself..."


    The Heaven''s Path in this world waspletely different from the Firmament, rendering the Heaven''s Path cultivation methods and the Library of Heaven''s Path useless. At this moment, he was in an even more difficult situation than when he first transmigrated to the Master Teacher Continent.


    Back then, he at least had the identity of a teacher. Now, he was just a stableman... It was a pitiful thought.


    Shaking his head to dispel these distractions, Zhang Xuan casually untied the horse.


    ¡°Neigh~~¡±


    Su Shang roared, lifting its front hooves and kicking towards him again.


    Clearly, it felt that it had been released toote and was somewhat angry...


    "A good man doesn''t fight with a horse. I''m not enduring, I''m keeping a low profile..."


    As his body swayed to avoid the attack, a thought suddenly came to him.


    "Source Energy is equivalent to Spiritual Energy on the Master Teacher Continent. After refining, it can form True Energy... The new world I created also absorbs Source Energy. So, can the refined power be directly used as True Energy?"


    This thought, once it arose, was impossible to suppress. With a mentalmand, the new world Zhang Xuan had created began to operate, and a special source of power spread to his palm.


    At that moment, Su Shang''s front hooves were just about tond in front of him. Without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan gently pushed forward with his palm, and the power surged out.


    Bang!


    The air seemed to crack like a whip. Su Shang''srge eyes filled with terror, and with a sharp cry, it was sent flying over ten meters. Its neck twisted as it hit the ground heavily, immediately ceasing to breathe.


    "D-dead?"


    Zhang Xuan''s vision darkened, and he felt like crying.


    Wasn''t he supposed to keep a low profile? How did things escte so quickly?


    But by a stroke of luck, a casual p had unexpectedly killed the usually arrogant horse...


    This was bad, he had caused big trouble!


    The eldest miss treated this horse like a treasure. She threatened to kill over a bad mood. If she found out he had killed it, there would be no way for him to leave the Mo family alive.


    No, he needed to find a way to escape in advance!

 Chapter 2: The Bet

    Chapter 2: The Bet


    As soon as this idea came up, Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    The Mo family was as strict as iron. He would need an identity before leave and walk out openly. If he could have snuck away, he would have done so long ago, not stayed until now.


    "No, why was I able to kill it?"


    After his frustration, a sense of doubt appeared in his mind.


    He had been bullied by this horse for several days. The harder he fought back, the worse the beatings got. How did it suddenly reverse today?


    He reyed the events in his mind and couldn¡¯t help but look at his new world.


    This was a ce created by absorbing Source Energy, structured like the Firmament, withnd, mountains, oceans, nts, and animals... Everything was there.


    In one area of the new world, a massive ocean spanning tens of thousands of miles had evaporatedpletely, turning into light blue beams, which was the power that killed the horse.He had thought that killing Su Shang was due to the suppressed power being released, but it turned out that it was because the new world had been burned...


    Killing a horse had consumed an ocean spanning tens of thousands of miles. If this kind of battle happened a few more times, the hard-won universe might copsepletely and disappear.


    His soul was already bound to this ce, and if it really happened, he would surely suffer severe damage too!


    Hmm, this method is good, but better not use it again...


    Throwing these thoughts aside, Zhang Xuan looked at the horse in front of him again.


    The arrogant horse that had been so aggressive was now lying dead.


    Ity motionless, gradually bing stiff.


    "This was Mo Yanxue''s sixteenth birthday gift, and she treasures it. What should I do now?" Zhang Xuan was troubled.


    He had been punished just for tying it up. If this was discovered, the consequences were obvious. With his current strength, even if he escaped the Mo family, he would surely be caught and chopped into pieces.


    Entering this world, he was prepared to sacrifice himself, but dying for a horse was too ridiculous...


    No, he had to find a way to save himself!


    "What if... you got up and kicked me?"


    Grabbing Su Shang''s front hoof, Zhang Xuan mumbled and was about to figure out how to activate the Library of Heaven''s Path in this world when he heard Wu Xiang''s voice outside the stable.


    "Zhang Xuan, here''s a fan for Su Shang from the youngdy. This horse''s fur is thick and doesn''t handle heat well. You must take good care of it, and don''t make any mistakes..."


    The door creaked open, and Wu Xiang''s words stopped abruptly. He rubbed his eyes hard and then looked terrified. "Y-you killed it?"


    Not expecting him to appear suddenly, Zhang Xuan didn''t even have time to hide the body. He remained silent for a moment and then exined, "Can I say... it was an ident?"


    Wu Xiang went crazy. "Does it matter if it was an ident? You know how important this horse is to the youngdy. It''s fine if you die, but don''t drag me down with you! No, I can''t be punished with you... Wait, if I report this, maybe I can escape punishment!"


    Taking two steps back, Wu Xiang turned and rushed out, disappearing in an instant.


    "..."


    Zhang Xuan didn''t expect him to run so fast. He didn''t even have time to stop him and felt helpless.


    If he hadn''t been discovered, he would have had a chance to deal with the body. Even if he couldn''t escape, he could at least buy a few hours to think of a n. Now, he had no way out.


    Was he going to wait for death?


    Or... burn the new world to gain some power for a short time and fight his way out of the Mo family?


    Not to mention how much strength the new world could provide, whether he could fight some experts, but if it burned out, all the creatures inside would die!


    If that happened, his risky arrival here would not solve the crisis but be a way to get himself killed...


    "What should I do?"


    "Wait, Su Shang is dead, which means it''s an object. If it''s an object, it can be spiritually awakened..."


    In his despair, an idea popped into his mind.


    The Spirit Awakening Technique was the forte of Spirit Awakeners on the Master Teacher Continent. As the name suggests, it could awaken the spirit of any object, giving it life and making it followmands, like a Taoist controlling a zombie or a cultivator driving a flying sword.


    Back then, Wang Ying had even awakened the spirits of all the buildings of the Master Teacher Pavilion to fight.


    However, Source Energy had sealed Zhang Xuan''s power, so to awaken the spirit, he might need to continue burning...


    Knowing this was the least damaging option, Zhang Xuan didn''t hesitate. He approached Su Shang again, raised his finger, and pointed it at the horse''s forehead.


    Boom!


    In his new world, a mountain range over a hundred thousand miles long instantly shattered, turning into beams of blue light.


    "Feng Jin, I saw Zhang Xuan hitting Su Shang as soon as I walked in, and then Su Shang fell to the ground, not breathing..."


    Zhang Xuan had just ced his finger on Su Shang''s forehead when Wu Xiang''s exnation echoed in the courtyard, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps.


    Creak!


    The door was violently pushed open, and Feng Jin rushed in first, looking frantic. Clearly, Wu Xiang''s report had driven him mad.


    The scene in the stable came into view instantly. Zhang Xuan was squatting on the ground, stroking the horse''s head, while thettery motionless, appearing truly dead.


    Feng Jin''s body trembled uncontrobly. "Zhang Xuan, you dared to kill Su Shang? You''re courting death..."


    "Kill?"


    Before he could finish, Zhang Xuan interrupted, "Steward Feng, you must be mistaken. How could I dare do such a thing? I was... scratching Su Shang''s itch!"


    Feng Jin''s eyelid twitched involuntarily. He wanted to kill someone. "Do you think I''m blind? Scratching an itch, and you made the whole horse stiff as a board?"


    At this moment, Su Shang''s entire body was rigid, as hard as dried socks, looking unmistakably dead. Yet you¡¯re telling me... this is scratching an itch?


    Are you kidding me?


    "Don''t you believe me?"


    Zhang Xuan looked innocent. "How about this... let''s make a bet? If Su Shang is really dead, I''ll take full responsibility. You can do whatever you want with me. But if he''s not dead, I''d like to apany the youngdy to White Rock Academy tomorrow to see how she undergoes the Source Pool Assessment!"


    A youngdy like Mo Yanxue would definitely take several attendants with her when she went out. Deciding who to take was well within Feng Jin''s authority.


    "You, a mere servant, what makes you think you''re qualified to bet with me?" Feng Jin snapped.


    "Whether I''m qualified doesn''t matter. What¡¯s important is..."


    Zhang Xuan scratched his head, his ck eyes full of innocence. "If Su Shang is truly dead, even if you beat me to death, you won''t escape me. After all, I''m here because you brought me to the Mo family, and you bear undeniable responsibility. But if Su Shang is alive, everyone is happy, the youngdy will be pleased, and you can rest easy, maybe even receive a reward... Feng Jin, I''m just a lowly servant, I don¡¯t understand much. I don¡¯t know if what I''m saying makes sense?"


    "You..."


    Feng Jin stunned for a moment and looked at the young man in front of him again, his eyes narrowing involuntarily.

 Chapter 3: The Scolding Horse

    Chapter 3: The Scolding Horse


    It wasn¡¯t that Feng Jin looked down on vagrants. Most peoplebeled as vagrants were criminals, beggars, or homeless. They had no power, no education, no skills. Entering arge mansion and bing a servant was not a disaster for them but a blessing.


    He had thought that this simpleton in front of him was the same. Being able to tend a horse was a great skill for him. Unexpectedly, he spoke these words with reason and logic.


    If Su Shang were truly dead, as the steward who brought him in, he would indeed bear inescapable responsibility and surely be implicated. If he lost the youngdy¡¯s trust, those servants he had bullied before might seize the opportunity to retaliate, and the losses would be more than he could bear.


    Feng Jin cast a cold nce at Zhang Xuan, narrowed his eyes, and then approached Su Shang, reaching out to touch it.


    What he felt made his heart sink. He almost couldn''t stand.


    Not only was the horse stiff, but it was also cold...


    ¡®And you say it¡¯s alive?¡¯


    ¡®Are you kidding me?¡¯Twitching his mouth, he looked at the stableman not far away, who looked back at him and said, "Have you made up your mind, Steward Feng? I''m just a vagrant, but you¡¯re different. You¡¯re the steward of the Mo family, highly esteemed. If something happens because you didn''t dare to make a bet, it wouldn''t be worth it..."


    Being threatened so directly made Feng Jin furious, but he knew the young man was right. He nodded immediately, "Alright, I¡¯ll bet. If you can make Su Shange back to life, I¡¯ll take you to White Rock Academy. If you can¡¯t, even if the youngdy doesn¡¯t order it, I¡¯ll dismember you and leave you dead without aplete corpse."


    "Thank you, Steward Feng!"


    Zhang Xuan shouted, patting Su Shang''s forehead, "Stop sleeping, get up quickly..."


    Wu Xiang''s mouth twitched. "The horse is already stiff, and you''re still pretending. Let''s see how you end this..."


    He had spoken so confidently, thinking there was some clever method.


    ¡®Just like this?¡¯


    ¡®I could do this too!¡¯


    Before he could finish speaking, Su Shang suddenly opened its eyes, jumped up, snorted, shook its head, and wagged its tail energetically, showing no sign of stiffness at all!


    "How is this possible?" Feng Jin was utterly dumbfounded.


    If he had only seen the horse dead, he might still doubt it, but he had touched it himself, and the heartbeat and pulse were gone. Yet, with just a word from Zhang Xuan, it jumped up...


    ¡®What on earth had happened?¡¯


    Wu Xiang was equally stunned. ¡®okay, I couldn''t do that¡­¡¯


    "How did you do it?" he couldn''t help but ask.


    Zhang Xuan smiled and delivered the exnation he had prepared, "Su Shang was fine all along. It just knows me well and was ying along."


    It was best not to mention the Spirit Awakening Technique, as he wasn¡¯t sure if it existed in this world.


    Wu Xiang couldn''t help but argue, "Impossible! Su Shang is a proud young steed. Even the youngdy has to coax it before riding. How could it listen to you and y along..."


    Before he could finish, he saw Su Shang, who had just stood up, nuzzling Zhang Xuan''s leg with its chestnut head, behaving like an obedient puppy.


    Wu Xiang: "???"


    He had fed this horse before, and it always snatched his food and kicked people randomly. Unable to bear it, he handed it over to this guy, hoping to see him make a fool of himself. Yet, after just a few days, they were this familiar...


    "ying along with you?" Feng Jin asked.


    Zhang Xuan''s face once again showed a simple and honest look. "Yes... this guy is very obedient. Just stroke its forehead, and you can be friends. Then it will listen to you."


    "Is that true?" Wu Xiang''s eyes widened, feeling that maybe he could do it too.


    "If you don''t believe me, you cane and try!" Zhang Xuan waved invitingly.


    Seeing Su Shang standing still without any sign of life, Wu Xiang turned to look at Feng Jin. Seeing the steward nod, he took a deep breath and approached.


    This horse was extremely important to the youngdy. If he could make it obedient, his status in the Mo family would surely soar.


    Carefully reaching out, before his hand could touch Su Shang¡¯s face, the fiery red horse suddenly turned.


    Bang!


    Two huge hooves struck his chest. Without time to react, Wu Xiang was sent flying seven or eight meters,nding heavily on the ground, vomiting a mouthful of blood.


    "You tricked me..."


    Struggling to get up, Wu Xiang''s vision darkened.


    ¡®Well, I guess I couldn¡¯t do it¡­¡¯


    In reality, he understood what had happened. The horse was clearly angry because he tattled, and it took the opportunity to retaliate.


    But the horse¡¯s cooperation was just too good!


    Just as he was about to curse, he saw Zhang Xuan and Su Shang not far away. Both of them opened their mouths at the same time, clearly mouthing the word¡ªidiot!


    "..."


    Wu Xiang''s mouth twitched. Unable to contain his anger, he pointed at Su Shang, "Steward Feng, it insulted me..."


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s cursing was bearable, but a horse insulted people... was there any justice left? Anyw?


    Feng Jin covered his forehead. "Shut up, aren¡¯t you embarrassed enough?"


    ¡®A horse insultes people?¡¯


    ¡®Are you losing your mind?¡¯


    "I..."


    Wu Xiang rubbed his eyes hard. Su Shang stood quietly behind Zhang Xuan, showing no sign of abnormality, as if the cursing earlier was just his imagination.


    Ignoring Wu Xiang, Zhang Xuan looked at the steward with a simple and honest expression. "Feng Jin, does the bet still count?"


    "Of course!"


    Feng Jin felt his mrs almost cracking. "Since Su Shang listens to you, take good care of it. Ensure the youngdy is on time for the assessment tomorrow. Don¡¯t dy the schedule."


    Knowing that staying longer would only bring more embarrassment, Feng Jin turned to leave. Just before exiting the courtyard, he looked at Wu Xiang. "Hurry up!"


    "Yes, yes!"


    Wu Xiang nodded repeatedly. As he walked away, he kept looking back, unable toprehend what had just happened.


    Just as he was about to leave the stable, he saw Zhang Xuan angrily p Su Shang on the face, scolding it in a tone full of exasperation, "Who told you to insult people just now? Do you not understand the rules? Remember your ce, you¡¯re just a horse..."


    "..."


    Wu Xiang rubbed his eyes again¡ªZhang Xuan and Su Shang were standing quietly, both smiling at him.


    "Unbelievable..."


    After seeing things wrong multiple times, Wu Xiang no longer trusted his own eyes. Shaking his head vigorously, he hurried away.


    Only then did Zhang Xuan breathe a sigh of relief. "No one will believe anything that guy says now!"


    Scolding Su Shang earlier was naturally a show for the others, aiming to confuse them. This way, even if any more issues arose, Wu Xiang wouldn¡¯t dare to report them easily...


    After all, the crisis wasn¡¯tpletely over.


    The Spirit Awakening Technique could make a dead horse stand up and appear alive, making it hard for people to notice the problem in a short time. But dead was still dead. In the scorching weather, it wouldn¡¯tst till tomorrow before it started to rot!


    If it starts to smell... even the dumbest person would know there¡¯s a problem, and it would be impossible to cover up.


    Gurgle, gurgle~~


    As Zhang Xuan was fretting over how to resolve the current situation, his stomach rumbled loudly.


    Having been deprived of food by this horse for several days and after all this exertion, he was starving, his stomach sticking to his back.


    "Rather than letting it rot, why not... eat some first?"


    The horse was already dead. Rather than waiting for it to rot, he might as well have a feast.


    But... if he ate it directly, and the youngdy wanted to ride it tomorrow, it would be easily noticeable if a leg or an ear was missing...


    If he didn''t eat, he¡¯d remain starving. Dying of hunger as the ruler of a realm in the Source World would be even more humiliating...


    "Maybe if I eat some of the organs, it wouldn¡¯t be noticeable?"


    Soon, an idea popped into Zhang Xuan¡¯s head. He walked into the kitchen, took out a sharp knife, and tossed it to Su Shang, impatiently waving his hand, "Cut out your heart, lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys yourself and roast them for me. I¡¯m too kind-hearted to do it..."


    Su Shang: "???"


    ¡®Do you think what you said make sense?¡¯

 Chapter 4: Yu Xiaoyu

    Chapter 4: Yu Xiaoyu


    Stretchingzily, Zhang Xuan walked out of the room.


    After finishing Su Shang''s innardsst night, instead of resting, he meticulously studied the rtionship between the new world and Source Energy.


    Source Energy is the foundation of constructing the new world. It''s like the ink in a 3D printer, able tobine everything, evolve the world, change endlessly, and wield infinite power.


    No wonder even a realm lord like Nie Yun was crushed by a single palm from this world. Little Chick was also reborn after being severely beaten, without even knowing who attacked... Once one truly masters and refines this source of all things, it indeed holds earth-shattering power over a small world like the Master Teacher Continent.


    Therefore, the bet with Steward Feng and following Mo Yanxue to White Rock Academy were minor matters. The real purpose was to find a chance to obtain cultivation techniques, lift his suppression, and link the Library of Heaven''s Path he created with the Heaven''s Path of this Source World, thus elerating his cultivation.


    Of course, another goal was to gain the status of a Source World resident. Otherwise, always being a vagrant would make everything inconvenient.


    Arriving at the stable, he snapped his fingers. The stiffened Su Shang on the ground suddenly jumped up, its tail wagging vigorously, stirring up the fallen leaves on the ground.


    His face twitched, and Zhang Xuan couldn''t help but frown.It''s smelly! The autumn heat is indeed terrifying.


    Looking around, he couldn''t help but point to one side and softly instructed, "Go roll over there!"


    Normal stables aren''t very big, but Mo Yanxue had specially built a grassy area for Su Shang to have a better living environment. The area, filled with flowers, was four to five meters square, emitting a faint fragrance.


    Hearing themand, the horse trotted over, rolled on the ground, and the smell was significantly masked by the scent of grass, dirt, and flowers.


    Though still a bit off, it wasn''t as unpleasant anymore.


    Breathing a sigh of relief, Zhang Xuan carefully groomed the horse''s coat, making it look vibrant and alive. Just as he finished, he heard hurried footsteps outside the yard. Mo Yanxue, Steward Feng, and Wu Xiang walked in.


    Not only the three of them, but also a round-faced girl in a white floral dress with a small string of copper bells tied at her waist, which jingled as she walked.


    "Xue''er, you promised. I get to ride this thoroughbred today, and you take my carriage. No backing out..."


    Before getting close, the girl shouted.


    Mo Yanxue nodded. "Yes, but... Su Shang is proud and aloof, a bit wary of strangers. If it throws you off, I won''t be responsible."


    "Cut it out!"


    The petite girl stepped forward, the bells on her body ringing crisply. "Do you think I, Yu Xiaoyu, am easily scared? I''ve also opened a Source Pool and can cultivate as a Source Warrior. Why would I be afraid of a horse?"


    "Alright then."


    Seeing her friend''s attitude, Mo Yanxue didn''t bother to persuade further and looked at Zhang Xuan. "Go bring Su Shang over!"


    Zhang Xuan untied the reins and led the horse to the two girls.


    One had to admit, both Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu were beauties, each with their own charm¡ªone cool as a chrysanthemum, the other lively as a sparrow, giving different impressions.


    "Hehe! I knew you were the best to me, Xue''er..."


    Seeing the majestic Su Shang, much more impressive than her carriage, Yu Xiaoyuughed and couldn''t resist reaching out to touch the horse''s head.


    "Careful..."


    Mo Yanxue was startled and hurriedly shouted.


    This horse was good in every way, except for its fierce temper. When her father first gave it to her, she tried to pet it and was almost knocked out by a kick.


    Though others might not know her friend''s identity, she knew well. Yu Xiaoyu was the daughter of White Rock City''s Lord Yu Longqing, whose status was higher than hers. If she got kicked, it wouldn''t just be Su Shang but the entire Mo family that would be implicated.


    Just as she was about to pull her friend back, she saw the usually fierce Su Shang not only not angry but blinking its big eyes and gently nuzzling her, as if its previous fierce temper had never existed.


    "???"


    Mo Yanxue was stunned.


    Did I see that right? How could this be?


    "Careful of what?"


    While petting Su Shang''s head, Yu Xiaoyu asked curiously.


    "This..."


    Mo Yanxue was about to exin but stopped when she saw Yu Xiaoyu''s next move, her mouth twitching.


    This cute-faced girl not only petted Su Shang''s head but also tugged at its ears and even flicked its forehead a few times...


    She expected the high-spirited horse to go berserk from such "insults," but instead, it behaved like a domesticated dog, not getting angry but obediently wagging its tail, almost licking her...


    "..."


    Mo Yanxue waspletely dumbfounded.


    Has it changed so much in just one day?


    "I think Su Shang is easy to get along with, Xue''er. Did you just not want me to ride it?"


    After thoroughly petting Su Shang, Yu Xiaoyu pouted.


    Beforeing, her friend had described this horse as a beast, making her ready to keep her distance. Who would have thought it was so docile and cute?


    Blushing, Mo Yanxue wanted to exin but didn''t know how.


    Could it be her own fault, and the horse liked cute things?


    "Something''s off..."


    Mo Yanxue turned to look at Zhang Xuan, who was in charge of the horse.


    She knew this horse well, as many servants were too scared to feed it, giving this neer a chance. But... in just a few days, it had changed so much?


    Seeing her friend not answering, Yu Xiaoyu didn''t dwell on it. She approached the horse, looking a bit troubled with her finger on her chin.


    She was only a little over 1.6 meters tall, not very high for a girl. Su Shang, being a thoroughbred, had a back height of 1.7 meters, making it difficult to mount.


    Seeing this, Steward Feng looked at Zhang Xuan and sneered, "Zhang Xuan, as a groom, how can youck awareness? Get down and serve as a mounting block for Miss Yu!"


    "A mounting block?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.


    "Exactly!"


    Steward Feng''s eyes gleamed with mockery. "It''s your honor to let Miss Yu step on you to mount the horse. The opportunity is given, don''t be ungrateful!"


    Didn''t you show off yesterday?


    Get down and let someone step on you, then see how you''ll face others, iming you won the bet against me.


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I don''t need this opportunity..."


    "What, defying orders? Are you disregarding the youngdy?"


    Steward Feng turned apologetically, "Youngdy, it''s my fault for not teaching him properly. However you wish to punish him, just say the word, and I''ll do it immediately to show him the rules for servants!"


    Mo Yanxue didn''t answer him but looked at Zhang Xuan with an expressionless face. "I want to know the reason!"


    "Reporting to the youngdy, actually, to mount Su Shang, one doesn''t need a human block."


    With a slight smile, Zhang Xuan looked at the horse before him. "Lie down!"


    Thinking it was a joke, Steward Feng sneered, "Even the youngdy hasn''t enjoyed such treatment. Who do you think you are,manding it..."


    Before he finished, the dark red horse nodded several times, then slowly lowered its tall body, lying on the ground obediently, like a cat.


    "What''s this?"


    Mo Yanxue, Steward Feng, and the others were all stunned, filled with disbelief.

 Chapter 5: Attracting Flies

    Chapter 5: Attracting Flies


    Based on what they knew about this horse, it would be surprising enough if it allowed someone to pet it. But lying down, letting people ride it, and obeying a groom''smand seemed a bit much.


    "Could it be that Su Shang has really be friends with you and can understand your words?" Steward Feng couldn''t help but ask.


    Yesterday, this horse yed dead following Zhang Xuan''s order, causing him to lose the bet.


    "Of course!" Zhang Xuan nodded.


    "What''s going on?" Mo Yanxue asked.


    "Well..." Steward Feng hurriedly recounted the events of yesterday, mentioning Su Shang''s cooperation with Zhang Xuan but omitting the bet.


    "Su Shang not only didn''t resist but also obeyed everymand..."


    Surprised, Mo Yanxue looked at Zhang Xuan with a hint of doubt in her eyes. "Do you have beast-taming skills?"In this world, there is indeed the skill of beast taming, but it requires Knowing Fate, Recognizing Fate, and ultimately Establishing Fate before disying various supernatural abilities. Such individuals are extremely rare and powerful, not just any random groom.


    Unaware of her thoughts, Zhang Xuan scratched his head and replied honestly, "I don''t know how it works either. It just seems very easy for me to make these Source Beasts feel close to me..."


    If the Library of Heaven''s Path were operational, he could use the energy of Heaven''s Path to excel in beast taming. But for now, it had nothing to do with beast taming.


    If he truly were proficient, he wouldn''t have been beaten into a panda-eyed state these past few days...


    Of course, he couldn''t say these things out loud. Otherwise, not only would he lose the chance to go to White Rock Academy, but he might also be seen as a monster and killed. So, he had to go along with their assumptions.


    Mo Yanxue was taken aback. "Very simple? Is there really someone naturally gifted with this ability? I''ve never heard of such a thing..."


    "Who cares if you''ve heard of it or not? Isn''t it a good thing to have such an ability?"


    Yu Xiaoyu, excited, jumped up, her bells jingling. "My father just captured a Cangback Eagle. It''s been almost half a month, and we still haven''t tamed it. You can lend me this groom after my Source Pool Assessment to make that stubborn bird obey!"


    "Well..."


    Zhang Xuan looked towards Mo Yanxue.


    As a groom, he couldn''t leave at will.


    Understanding his concern, Mo Yanxue nodded, "If you can do it, helping Xiaoyu would be fine."


    Apart from friendship, assisting the city lord''s family would greatly benefit the Mo family.


    Zhang Xuan cupped his fists. "Yes, Miss!"


    Since burning the new world allowed him to use the Spirit Awakening Technique, his beast-taming abilities should also be usable. If he couldn''t refuse, he might as well take advantage of it. Of course, he had to secure the benefits first.


    "Time is running out. If we don''t hurry, we might miss the Source Pool Assessment. Xiaoyu, stop dawdling and get on the horse!"


    ncing at the sun, Mo Yanxue urged.


    Yu Xiaoyu nodded and climbed onto the horse. With a soft neigh, Su Shang stood up and walked out of the yard.


    Seeing this horse''s drastically changed demeanor, Mo Yanxue followed closely. After a few steps, she turned to Zhang Xuan. "You follow us too!"


    "Yes!"


    Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.


    The first step was aplished.


    Although Steward Feng had said he''d take him along, having the youngdy personally invite him was much better. It left a stronger impression, making future actions smoother.


    Outside the Mo residence, a luxurious carriage awaited. Made entirely of solid wood, it was very sturdy and adorned with various decorations that jingled in the wind. It undoubtedly belonged to Yu Xiaoyu.


    Sitting upright on Su Shang''s back, Yu Xiaoyu turned to Mo Yanxue. "You can take my carriage!"


    Mo Yanxue nodded and stopped beside the carriage.


    Zhang Xuan nced at Steward Feng, smirking, "Steward Feng, will you kneel and serve as a step for the youngdy?"


    A carriage step is used for getting onto the carriage, simr to a mounting block for horses. Given Steward Feng''s earlier attempt to humiliate him, he wouldn''t miss the chance to retaliate.


    Making him suffer? Not happening!


    Understanding his intent, Steward Feng''s face turned sour. As the chief steward of the Mo family, kneeling in front of everyone would ruin his dignity.


    Just as he was hesitating, Zhang Xuan''s voice rang out again, "You said it was an honor for Miss Yu to step on you. Now that the youngdy needs to board the carriage, why hesitate?"


    "You... Of course, I''ll be a step. I just hadn''t gotten here yet."


    Fearing further embarrassment, Steward Feng suppressed his anger, stepped to the vehicle, and knelt down, his body jiggling with the motion.


    Mo Yanxue, uninterested in their bickering, nced at Zhang Xuan once more before stepping on Steward Feng to enter the carriage.


    "You, groom, are quite amusing!"


    Seeing the tension between the two, Yu Xiaoyu smiled at Zhang Xuan, revealing dimples. "Come and lead the horse for me. I''m afraid I''ll lose control if it gets startled!"


    "Yes!"


    Zhang Xuan stepped forward.


    He had already tamed this horse; there was almost zero chance of him being startled. But he understood her intent, showing some favor towards him, and he was happy to oblige to increase his presence.


    The impressive thoroughbred led the way, with Yu Xiaoyu''s bells jingling, attracting many gazes.


    Seeing Su Shang''s imposing demeanor and the luxurious carriage, people knew better than to provoke them.


    After walking for about half an hour, a massive building appeared. The tall outer walls couldn''t hide the lush greenery inside. The que above the entrance shone with fourrge characters¡ªWhite Rock Academy!


    A crowd had already gathered outside, mostly teenagers around sixteen or seventeen.


    "Xiaoyu, you''re here..."


    Hearing the bells, a young man approached.


    About twenty years old, dressed in a gray-blue outfit, his face slightly resembled Yu Xiaoyu''s.


    "Brother..."


    Yu Xiaoyu waved excitedly.


    This was Yu Feng, the city lord''s eldest son, and Yu Xiaoyu''s brother.


    "Didn''t I arrange a carriage for you? Why are you on horseback?" Yu Feng asked in confusion.


    "This is a thoroughbred. Most people don''t even get the chance to ride one!" Yu Xiaoyu pouted, seeing her brother didn''t recognize the value.


    "A thoroughbred?"


    Yu Feng examined the horse.


    Indeed, it had a magnificent build, with chestnut-red fur and a majestic presence, making it look impressive. Just as he was about to speak, his eyes fell on something that made him freeze.


    "What''s this... attracting flies?"


    Following the city lord''s son''s gaze, they saw dozens of flies buzzing around Su Shang''s belly, drawn by the smell.


    Zhang Xuan''s eyebrows twitched. "I forgot about this. Flowers can mask some odors, but they can''t hide this..."


    Bees or butterflies would be fine, but attracting flies... It was too pronounced to notice something was off!

 Chapter 6: Mo Yun Jade

    Chapter 6: Mo Yun Jade


    ¡°Flies?¡±


    Jumping off the horse, Yu Xiaoyu hurriedly checked Su Shang''s belly and saw a swarm of flies buzzing around. She turned, puzzled, towards the groom nearby, ¡°What''s going on?¡±


    Waving away the flies, Zhang Xuan remained calm, ¡°Miss Yu, it¡¯s quite humid recently. Besides, I never expected this at the academy''s entrance. It¡¯s probably due to their poor hygiene. It¡¯s quite normal.¡±


    He quickly deflected responsibility. After all, without getting down and sniffing closely, no one could say for sure.


    Yu Feng frowned, ¡°You mean these appeared after arriving here?¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded indignantly, ¡°Are you questioning us servants, Young Mr. Yu? I clean and groom Su Shang every day, bathing it with fresh flowers. It''s always clean and suitable for ady of Miss Yu¡¯s stature.¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu said, ¡°Brother, he''s right. Su Shang is a prized horse, fed with fine grain and housed separately. Unlike ordinary horses, it''s not dirty. I¡¯ve ridden it the whole way, and it definitely has no smell. It must be the academy¡¯s problem.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... I''ll report this to the student affairs office and have the teachers handle it.¡±Seeing his sister speak up, Yu Feng stopped questioning and smiled, ¡°These are minor issues. Let''s enter the campus first! Once you pass the assessment, I''ll help you choose a teacher.¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu nodded and was about to call Mo Yanxue when a mocking voice came over.


    ¡°There are many kinds of horses, but just being big and pretty doesn¡¯t make it a prized horse.¡±


    At that moment, a tall girl, also riding a fine horse, slowly approached.


    This horse was a whole head taller than Su Shang, with glossy ck fur, a long slender neck, powerful legs, and bright eyes. Its hooves made a rhythmic "clip-clop" sound on the stone ground, creating a strong sense of pressure even before it got close.


    Recognizing the neer, Yu Xiaoyu''s eyebrows shot up, ¡°Liu Mingyue, what do you mean by that!¡±


    The girl opposite, Liu Mingyue, was the daughter of the Liu family''s head, one of the three major families in White Roc City. Along with Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu, she was one of the city''s three beauties and always liked topete with the other two. Every meeting inevitably led to a quarrel.


    Yu Xiaoyu had chosen to ride Su Shang to look more impressive, hoping to outshine Liu Mingyue. But unexpectedly, the girl had brought an even taller and more imposing horse.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡±


    Liu Mingyue lifted the reins, raising her chin in a swan-like curve, ¡°My Dao Li is the true prized horse. Yours is just a colt at best, and yet you dare call it a prized horse?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense...¡±


    Biting her lip, Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s face flushed with anger. She wanted to retort but didn''t know what to say. Her mouth puckered up, unable to speak.


    Su Shang was imposingpared to other horses, but next to Dao Li, it seemed more like a colt, not standing out at all.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you convinced? Dare to let your horsepete with my Dao Li? If it wins, I¡¯ll acknowledge it as a prized horse. Otherwise, you must admit you came to the academy on a colt.¡±


    Liu Mingyue smiled confidently.


    ¡°How do wepete?¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu ced her hands on her hips, undeterred.


    Seeing her take the bait, Liu Mingyue continued, ¡°It¡¯s simple. Since the Source Pool Assessment ising up, making them run a thousand miles isn¡¯t practical. However, a prized horse is not only strong but also mentally resilient.¡±


    She then took out a grayish-blue stone and held it in her palm, ¡°I have here a piece of Mo Yun Jade, asionally obtained from battlefields and soaked in warriors¡¯ blood, rich in killing aura. Once activated, it simtes a battlefield environment, unsettling to the mind. A true prized horse would be unaffected within a ten-meter range, but an ordinary horse might get frightened and panic. Dare to let your horse try?¡±


    ¡°Mo Yun Jade contains a rich killing aura. Once released, it tempers the mind and enhances mental strength.¡±


    ¡°Using such a precious item just to test a horse? As expected of the Liu family¡¯s daughter, quite bold!¡±


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s just a test, not much killing aura will be wasted. It can still be reused after sealing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true...¡±


    The surrounding students whispered among themselves.


    ¡°Uh...¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu didn¡¯t immediately agree, hesitating as it wasn¡¯t her horse, making it hard to decide.


    ¡°What, don¡¯t you dare?¡±


    With a sneer, Liu Mingyue brushed her bangs, ¡°If not, just admit you¡¯re inferior and came to the academy on a colt...¡±


    ¡°You...¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu pouted angrily.


    Admitting defeat would mean never being able to hold her head high in front of her opponent again. As she struggled for an answer, a calm voice came from the carriage, "Why wouldn''t we dare!"


    The carriage curtain opened, and Mo Yanxue stepped out.


    Dressed in white, her cool, delicate face matched her tall and slender figure, making all the young men present light up with admiration. The confrontation between the three beauties was a feast for the eyes.


    Liu Mingyue suddenly realized, "I see, this is your Su Shang? It looks ratherckluster, not impressive at all!"


    Mo Yanxue responded, "We''ll see after the test! However... simply gaining your acknowledgment means nothing. How about we raise the stakes?"


    Liu Mingyue asked, "How?"


    Mo Yanxue said, "It''s simple. The loser must apologize to Xiaoyu and my Su Shang in public and then shout three times, ''I was wrong!''"


    Liu Mingyue agreed, "Fine! But it won''t just be a simple test. I want Su Shang and Dao Li topete in resisting the killing aura. Whoever withstands more wins!"


    After exining the rules and seeing that everyone was still a bit confused, Liu Mingyue added, "The closer they get to the Mo Yun Jade, the stronger the killing aura. In other words, the horse that gets closer wins! How about it? Dare to y?"


    "Well..." Mo Yanxue frowned.


    Although Su Shang was a prized horse, it was young and temperamental and had never experienced life-and-death battles. While entering the ten-meter range might not be a problem,peting with the other horse made the oue uncertain.


    While pondering, she suddenly thought of something and turned to look at the groom not far away.


    This guy had managed to keep Su Shang well-behaved; he should be able to make it withstand the killing aura too, right?


    "Zhang Xuan, you¡¯ve been taking care of Su Shang. You decide whether topete or not!"


    "Me?"


    Surprised that the youngdy directly named him, Zhang Xuan couldn''t help but be taken aback. He then began to consider his own situation.


    The scene before him was a confrontation in name but was essentially the youngdies taking the opportunity to one-up each other. In his current role, whether he won or lost, he wouldn''t gain any benefit. It would also make him very conspicuous, going against his low-profile and humble persona...


    Given this, there was no need to get involved. Thinking of this, he quickly bowed, "Miss, I''m just a groom. I''m really not fit to..."


    Before he could finish, Mo Yanxue interrupted, "Since I¡¯m letting you decide, it has nothing to do with your status. You have the right to make the decision!"


    "This..."


    Zhang Xuan looked troubled, "I only know how to take care of horses. I really don''t know anything else. Thank you for your high regard, but I''m afraid..."


    Mo Yanxue interrupted again, "If you win, I''ll reward you with 100 Source Coins..."


    "Alright!"


    Before she finished speaking, the previously hesitant groom waved his hand and showed a resolute expression, "Compete, we mustpete. Why wouldn''t we!"

 Chapter 7: Being Mocked By A Horse

    Chapter 7: Being Mocked By A Horse


    Source Coins were the currency in this world. As a groom, Zhang Xuan''s monthly sry was only two or three hundred coins. Competing for a chance to win 100 Source Coins was an offer only a fool would refuse.


    With the previous Su Shang, he couldn''t be sure. But the current Su Shang was already dead. It could walk and jump thanks to the Spirit Awakening Technique. Ordinary killing aura wouldn''t faze it, even in the face of a battlefield, it wouldn''t retreat a single step.


    Seeing him agree, Mo Yanxue''s lips curled slightly, but it was so fleeting that one might miss it if not paying close attention. Her cold voice continued, "Liu Mingyue, you heard him. Since you want topete, I''m more than willing."


    "Great! I was afraid you wouldn''t dare!" Liu Mingyue''s eyes sparkled.


    She had picked this fight because she had the utmost confidence in her Dao Li. Having experienced a real battlefield and adapted to true killing aura, it would be a disgrace if it couldn''t outdo a mere colt.


    ncing at the clueless groom, she couldn''t help but sneer.


    Letting this guy decide? You''ll regret it.


    Yu Feng couldn''t help but step forward and whisper, "Miss Mo, agreeing to this so hastily seems a bit rash, doesn''t it?""If we lose, we''ll just punish him!" Mo Yanxue chuckled.


    Yu Feng was stunned, then realized her cleverness. He looked at the girl in admiration once more.


    Given the situation, notpeting would affect their reputation, but losing would be worse. By letting a servant decide, any me for a loss would fall on him, sparing her from too much embarrassment. Winning, however, would highlight her wisdom.


    Coming up with this strategy so quickly showed why she was famous as a genius in White Roc City...


    Turning to look at his sister, Yu Feng saw Yu Xiaoyu standing beside Su Shang, quietly cheering it on, oblivious to the confrontation between the two girls...


    Yu Feng couldn''t help but shake his head.


    Despite being one of the three beauties of White Roc City, the difference was stark.


    "Let''s begin!"


    Ignoring the other''s mncholy, Liu Mingyue waved, and a ck-d servant approached, respectfully receiving the Mo Yun Jade. A stream of grayish-blue energy burst from his palm, enveloping the stonepletely.


    "This must be Source Power..." Zhang Xuan thought.


    On the Master Teacher Continent, they cultivated True Energy. In the Source World, Source Energy had to be refined into Source Power through the Source Pool, making one stronger and able to roam the world.


    The servant was clearly a cultivator who could refine Source Energy, a so-called "Source Warrior."


    After infusing it with Source Power, the Mo Yun Jade seemed to activate, exuding a misty aura. A battlefield-like killing aura spread out.


    Whoosh!


    Feeling this aura, the onlookers felt their hearts race, cold sweat dripping down their foreheads, and hurriedly stepped back dozens of paces, leaving arge circr space.


    The battlefield''s killing aura might not affect strong cultivators, but it was challenging for these not-yet-enrolled students.


    cing the Mo Yun Jade on the ground, Liu Mingyue looked at Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu, "I''ll go first and wait for you there!"


    With that, she rode into the jade''s aura, soon reaching a ten-meter distance.


    Though the killing aura wasn''t dense, it was enough to unsettle most horses.


    Yu Xiaoyu was about to step forward when Mo Yanxue shook her head and looked at the young man, "Zhang Xuan, since you agreed,pete with Miss Liu."


    "Yes!"


    For 100 Source Coins, Zhang Xuan didn''t hesitate. He mounted the horse and rode toward Liu Mingyue, soon reaching the ten-meter mark.


    "Just an inexperienced colt, and you want topete with me? Dream on!"


    With a sneer, Liu Mingyue urged Dao Li forward, advancing five steps at once.


    Now within five meters of the Mo Yun Jade, the intense killing aura surged over. Even the tall horse began to tremble involuntarily.


    Despite its battlefield experience, the mental pressure was nearing its limit.


    "Dare you toe closer?" Liu Mingyue taunted, lifting her head.


    Though the killing aura affected her too, Dao Li bore the brunt, leaving her with just a trace of difort.


    "I''ll try..."


    Showing a hint of nervousness, Zhang Xuan nudged Su Shang, leading it into the ten-meter range.


    The killing aura rushed into his mind, not much but enough to cause mental stress for an ordinary person.


    Of course,


    to Zhang Xuan, this killing aura was nothing. Even if it were a thousand or ten thousand times stronger, it wouldn''t affect him. But he was a humble groom, so he needed to keep a low profile. Charging in boldly would be too conspicuous...


    With that in mind, he controlled Su Shang to stop and disyed a pained struggle...


    He took acting seriously.


    ¡°Entering the ten-meter range without significant panic confirms Su Shang as a prized horse indeed...¡±


    ¡°No wonder it¡¯s Miss Mo¡¯s beloved horse. It¡¯s impressive. However, this is its limit. No matter how great, a horse that hasn¡¯t been to the battlefield can only make it this far.¡±


    Those who understood the situation began to analyze.


    Hearing thesements, Yu Feng couldn''t help but nod. Though he had never been to a battlefield, he had felt the pressure of killing aura and knew how it affected mental strength. For Su Shang to enter the ten-meter range without panicking was beyond imagination.


    Mo Yanxue also breathed a sigh of relief. She knew her horse well, and achieving this was no small feat. It seemed Zhang Xuan indeed had some skills. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been able to tame such a wild horse.


    ¡°Although it will still lose...¡± Mo Yanxue thought, ¡°Managing to enter the ten-meter range without losingposure is already a sess!¡±


    She realized that Liu Mingyue hade prepared, deliberately provoking them into agreeing to thispetition to embarrass them. She had no illusions about winning, only hoping not to lose too badly.


    ¡°It barely held up after entering the range. And you dare topete with me with such a horse...¡±


    Seeing Su Shang stop, Liu Mingyue sneered. However, before she could finish her thought, she saw the hesitant Su Shang shake its head and continue forward.


    One step! The horse¡¯s face twitched.


    Two steps! The horse''s face contorted.


    Three steps! The horse''s face looked like it was about to copse.


    At this moment, Zhang Xuan and Su Shang had reached Liu Mingyue, standing less than a meter away.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Liu Mingyue was dumbfounded. She had seen the horse shaking its head, seemingly unable to continue, and the groom appearing on the verge of copse. Yet, they still pressed on and even seemed to have more energy left.


    Liu Mingyue bit her lip. ¡°A horse that¡¯s never been to a battlefield, reaching six meters is its limit. I don''t believe it can match me¡­¡±


    Just as she was about to urge Dao Li forward, the horse beside her took another step,ing level with her.


    Liu Mingyue turned with rounded eyes and saw Su Shang''srge face just half a meter away. Suddenly, it opened its mouth, revealing a row of white teeth, as if... it wasughing at her!

 Chapter 8: Win Or Lose

    Chapter 8: Win Or Lose


    Did a horse justugh at her?


    Liu Mingyue was inplete shock. She couldn''t believe her eyes, but the evidence was right in front of her!


    She couldn''t help but look at the groom on the horse, who was looking back at her curiously. Their eyes met, and the groom immediately showed a look of pain, as if he couldn''t bear it anymore.


    "..."


    Liu Mingyue''s mouth twitched.


    ¡®Is he putting on a show for me?¡¯


    She was full of doubt and looked more closely. The young man was in so much pain that he was about to make a sound. It didn''t seem like he was faking it...


    ¡®Forget it. Since I can''t figure it out, I''ll just put it aside for now.¡¯ Gritting her teeth, she snorted coldly, "So what if you got within five meters? I don''t believe that this green colt can reallypare to Dao Li!"She squeezed her long legs against the horse''s belly, and they moved forward once again.


    Clip-clop!


    After two more steps, they were less than three meters from the Mo Yun Jade. The intense murderous aura was almost tangible, constantly attacking their spirits.


    "Three meters, it can withstand even three meters. As expected of a prized horse..."


    "It¡¯s so strong. It looks like Miss Mo''s Su Shang is going to lose."


    This achievement would be considered high even for seasoned warhorses, and Su Shang was just a colt. Achieving this was indeed unlikely.


    Hearing the crowd''sments, Liu Mingyue endured the stabbing aura in her mind and turned to look at the groom. She smiled coldly, "I advise you to admit defeat! This distance is not something a mere servant like you can hope for..."


    "I won''t..."


    The young man''s veins bulged as if he might fall off at any moment, but he continued to hold on desperately. As for Su Shang, its legs were trembling, looking like it would panic and lose control at any moment.


    Seeing this, Mo Yanxue frowned and said, "Zhang Xuan, if you can''t hold on,e back!"


    There is a gap. Though She didn''t want to lose, she didn''t want Su Shang to suffer irreparable damage either.


    "Don''t worry, Miss. Even if I die today, I won''t betray your trust in me..."


    Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth.


    Hearing his words, even though Mo Yanxue was usually indifferent, she nodded in satisfaction.


    "This guy..." Feng Jin''s eyelid twitched.


    Having been the head steward in the Mo family for over ten years, he naturally had an eye for things. Seeing the youngdy''s expression, he understood that after this incident, it would be impossible to trouble Zhang Xuan again.


    ¡®Forget it. I''ll treat him well from now on!¡¯ he thought.


    "Move forward!"


    Zhang Xuan shouted and the sound of hooves echoed. He and the horse moved two more steps forward.


    At this moment, the horse''s face twisted like a pretzel, and the groom was shaking as if he had epilepsy, almost foaming at the mouth...


    Despite this, they held their ground, matching Liu Mingyue''s position.


    "..."


    Liu Mingyue was utterly dumbfounded.


    She was about to be a Source Warrior after opening her Source Pool, making her physical condition naturally strong. Plus, Dao Li had been through real battlefields, which was why they hade this far. Yet, a colt paired with an untrained servant managed to do the same...


    "I don''t believe it, go!"


    With a shout, she urged her horse forward again. However, this time Dao Li no longer obeyed hermands but neighed angrily, jumped up, and turned to run away.


    It was spooked!


    Though it was a prized horse, it couldn''t withstand the pressure andpletely broke down.


    Thud!


    Liu Mingyue was thrown off and hit the ground hard.


    She hurriedly retreated over ten meters, only then did she heave a sigh of relief and looked over at Zhang Xuan in the distance. "Three meters is my limit. I don''t believe you can go further... At worst, it''s a draw..."


    Before she finished speaking, she saw Zhang Xuan''s ferocious face as he drove Su Shang forward again, now less than two meters from the Mo Yun Jade.


    Not only that, despite the overwhelming murderous aura, he showed no sign of stopping and continued forward.


    Clip-clop!


    One meter, half a meter...


    In just two breaths, the seemingly exhausted man and horse reached the Mo Yun Jade, closing the distancepletely.


    "Facing the murderous aura without being spooked... This is incredible!"


    "Even the best warhorses in the kingdom can''t do this."


    "I always thought Miss Liu''s Dao Li was the pinnacle of prized horses. And now it turns out that Miss Mo''s Su Shang is the real dark horse."


    Everyone exchanged nces with astonishment and saw the shock in each other''s eyes.


    Facing the murderous aura from the Mo Yun Jade, not to mention a horse, even Source Warriors with cultivation couldn''t always manage it. This alone earned everyone''s respect.


    "Impossible, how could I lose?"


    While others were shocked, Liu Mingyue couldn''t believe it.


    Dao Li, a prized horse from the battlefield, only managed until three meters. She thought the colt would fail within ten meters, but it pushed through to the end...


    It looked like it could copse at any moment but somehow kept getting stronger...


    It''s like someone saying, "Ever since I went crazy, I''ve felt much better."


    Especially the seemingly silly groom, with a twisted mouth and crooked eyes, fingers twitching, looking like an idiot from afar due to the murderous aura, yet his butt seemed glued to the horse''s back, not moving an inch. He asionally shouted, "Giddy-up!" driving the horse forward...


    She thought Mo Yanxue would regret letting himpete, but she never expected that someone would cry, and it turned out to be herself...


    This was too unfair!


    "We won..."


    Yu Xiaoyu jumped up excitedly not far away. The bells on her body jingling like autumn leaves rustling in the wind.


    Mo Yanxue also breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at the groom on the horse again and couldn''t help but nod.


    This guy could not only tame a fine horse but also had such perseverance. Impressive!


    After a moment, seeing that he was still twitching and had no intention of stopping, Mo Yanxue couldn''t help but call out, "Zhang Xuan, you''ve already won. You cane back now!"


    "Yes!"


    Under the impact of the murderous aura, the groom, who was still twitching, heaved a sigh of relief and endured the pain to respond. Just as he was about to drive the horse away, an unexpected change urred.


    At this moment, the trembling Su Shang suddenly lowered its head and bit the Mo Yun Jade on the ground.


    The murderous aura, though it could oppress the spirit, also served as a tool to temper it, having the same effect on its spirituality.


    The spiritual nature that Su Shang was born with, while obedient to Zhang Xuan''smands, had its own thoughts, like refusing to cook despite following the order to gut and clean...


    Now, seeing a treasure beneficial to it right in front of its eyes, it couldn''t resist and, without any hesitation, swallowed the jade stone whole.


    "It ate the Mo Yun Jade?"


    Everyone looked at each other in shock.


    A horse, instead of being frightened by the murderous aura, swallowed the source of it... This was unbelievable...


    "Look at the groom..."


    A trembling voice arose, and everyone looked up simultaneously.


    The "loyal" groom still held his head in his hands, shaking and twitching, his eyes rolling back, limbs convulsing... It seemed he couldn''t withstand the murderous aura any longer and might copse any moment...


    "The Mo Yun Jade has been eaten, so there''s no more murderous aura! Why is he still like this?"


    Yu Xiaoyu''s puzzled voice echoed.


    Silence fell.


    With the Mo Yun Jade eaten, the murderous aura was physically blocked. At this point, even an ordinary child on the horse would be unaffected, yet the groom was still twitching...


    ¡®What''s going on? Is there a dy on this thing?¡¯

 Chapter 9: Die For Its Honor

    Chapter 9: Die For Its Honor


    "Well..."


    Seeing that he was still twitching and showed no signs of recovering, Mo Yanxue couldn''t hold back any longer. She stepped forward and pulled Su Shang''s reins, "Are you alright?"


    "Don''t worry, Miss. I can still hold on..."


    Zhang Xuan''s weak voice came through.


    Feeling slightly awkward, Mo Yanxue coughed lightly and said, "Well... Su Shang ate the Mo Yun Jade. There''s no more murderous aura!"


    "Gone?"


    Stunned for a moment, Zhang Xuan''s twitching body visibly stiffened. He slowly opened his eyes and saw the bewildered looks around him.


    Realizing what had happened, his eyelid twitched with embarrassment.It seemed he overacted a bit...


    The murderous aura from the Mo Yun Jade wasn''t much to someone like him, a lord of a world. Plus, with Su Shang blocking 99% of it, he hardly felt anything. But if he acted too calm, it would be suspicious. So he pretended to have a mental breakdown!


    In hindsight, he might have overdone it...


    In his defense, who could have guessed this troublesome horse had such poor acting skills? Not only was it unafraid of the Mo Yun Jade, but it even ate it on the spot.


    ¡®Can you be more reliable? I''m Zhang Xuan, a master of countless lifetimes, and yet I''ve ended up with such an unreliable partner. What a disgrace!¡®


    "Miss, if I said the murderous aura was so strong that I still haven''t recovered... would you believe me?"


    After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Xuan tentatively asked.


    Mo Yanxue nodded.


    Besides this exnation, she couldn''t think of any other reason.


    Zhang Xuan dismounted with a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to ask about the promise of 100 Source Coins, an angry shout rang out, "Give me back my Mo Yun Jade..."


    He turned to see Liu Mingyue, who had been so arrogant just now, had red-rimmed eyes now.


    Mo Yanxue said, "You brought this for ourpetition. Now that Su Shang has swallowed it, there''s nothing I can do!"


    "No! You must give it back to me..."


    Liu Mingyue looked anxious.


    Mo Yanxue frowned, "Are you reasonable at all? You lost the game. You didn''t even apologize, and now you''re demanding your stuff back..."


    "Wow..."


    Suddenly, the previously domineering Liu Mingyue burst into tears, "I stole it from home. If my father finds out, he''ll scold me. Please give it back..."


    Unexpectedly, Mo Yanxue was a bit at a loss seeing her cry like this. She turned to Zhang Xuan, "Can you... get it out?"


    After thinking for a moment, Zhang Xuan nodded, "Feed it more grass, and it shoulde out soon..."


    "Wahhhh..."


    Liu Mingyue cried even harder.


    "Alright, alright!"


    Annoyed by the noise, Mo Yanxue waved her hand, "I''ll apply for a recement from my family and send it back to you. But you still need to apologize for losing the bet. Crying won''t help!"


    Although Mo Yun Jade was rare, the Mo family, being one of the three major families, could still spare a few pieces.


    Hearing that she would get it back, Liu Mingyue finally sighed in relief, sobbed a few more times, calmed down, and looked around, "I admit my defeat and sincerely apologize to Miss Yu and Su Shang. It was my fault. My fault. My fault!"


    She repeated three time ¡°My fault¡± as agreed.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s more like it.¡±


    Mo Yanxue breathed a sigh of relief, and even Yu Xiaoyu nodded in satisfaction.


    This girl had been challenging them since they met, and seeing her take such a fall was quite gratifying. She probably wouldn''t dare to cause trouble again anytime soon.


    "Let''s go!"


    There was no deep hatred, so seeing her apologize, Mo Yanxue didn''t want to pursue it any further and immediately headed into the academy.


    At this point, the gate was already crowded with people because of theirpetition, and she didn''t want to be surrounded like a monkey.


    After a few steps, she remembered something and turned back, "Zhang Xuan,e with me. Steward Feng, you and the others stay here to take care of Su Shang..."


    "I..." Steward Feng''s mouth twitched, but he didn''t dare say more.


    As a steward, not even having the qualification to enter the academy with Miss was a great shame, but there was nothing he could do. After all, this guy could tame Su Shang.


    "Thank you, Miss!"


    Seeing that she really took him along, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. He patted Su Shang''s ear, and whispered something to it before following closely.


    White Rock Academy covered over ten thousand acres, making it quite vast. This year, the students about to take the assessment were all apanied by their families, carryingrge bags and walking on the streets. There were also some senior students, busily helping the new students.


    Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu were well-known not just in the academy but also in White Rock City. As soon as they entered the campus, they attracted many senior students who wanted to help. However, seeing Yu Feng standing nearby, they all quieted down.


    He was the city lord''s son. And with his talent and strength, no one dared to act recklessly.


    "The Source Pool Assessment site is just ahead at the martial arts field. Let''s go there directly. Once we get the admission qualifications, we can figure out how to choose a teacher..." Yu Feng exined as they walked.


    Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu nodded. They were somewhat familiar with the academy''s rules and knew what to do even without exnation.


    After walking for a while and seeing fewer people around, Yu Xiaoyu came to her friend with a smile and lowered her voice, "Xue''er, your groom is quite capable. How about... you let me have him?"


    "Let you have him?"


    Mo Yanxue looked over.


    Yu Xiaoyu smiled, "Yes, he''s just a servant. If you don''t want to give him to me, I can pay 1000 Source Coins to buy him!"


    Mo Yanxue shook her head, "Not for sale!"


    "Please, I''m begging you..." Yu Xiaoyu blinked her eyes desperately.


    Mo Yanxue remained firm, "It won''t work. I said no, and I mean no!"


    ...


    Outside the campus, seeing Miss and Zhang Xuan disappear from view, Wu Xiang couldn''t hold back any longer, "Steward Feng, Zhang Xuan is now favored by the youngdy. I''m afraid he''ll cause us trouble in the future..."


    "What can we do if he does? You know the youngdy''s temper. Once she decides something, even the head of the family won''t oppose her..."


    The more Steward Feng thought about it, the angrier he became. He rubbed his temples and looked at Su Shang standing nearby, "Why do you have to listen to him and not to us..."


    "Exactly..."


    Wu Xiang''s eyes suddenly brightened as he thought of something, "Since Zhang Xuan can tame it, can''t you do it too, Steward Feng? Why not give it a try now? If it works, with your status, what ce would Zhang Xuan have!"


    "Right, let''s give it a try. The youngdy won''t mind!"


    Steward Feng nodded involuntarily and took a couple of steps towards Su Shang, carefully reaching out to touch it.


    Just like Yu Xiaoyu had done earlier, the horse was very obedient.


    Seeing that Su Shang didn''t shy away from his touch, Feng Jin was overjoyed.


    So, taming it was this simple all along. If he''d known, he wouldn''t have let Zhang Xuan seed...


    ¡®Well, Wu Xiang has good ideas. I''ll reward himter.¡¯ With a sigh, Feng Jin ced his hand on the horse''s sleek face.


    Feeling his touch, Su Shang''s dark eyes filled with intense sorrow and humiliation, like a pure maiden being molested and defiled by a rogue... A tear fell from its eye.


    Suddenly, Su Shang turned sharply and charged straight into the nearby wall.


    Crack! Its shinbone shattered, its head twisted to one side, and the once mighty prized horse instantly stopped breathing.


    "What?"


    Feng Jin''s vision darkened, and he copsed to the ground. This horse dying at his hands meant he... waspletely finished!


    ¡®Others touch it, and it''s delighted. I touch it, and it kills itself out of shame¡­ Damn it...What¡¯s wrong with my hands?!¡¯


    He was filled with murderous intent while looking at Wu Xiang.


    ¡®You do have some ideas. I''ll deal with you first¡­¡¯

 Chapter 10: Library of Heaven’s Path Activated

    Chapter 10: Library of Heaven¡¯s Path Activated


    In the Martial Arts Field of White Rock Academy.


    The ce was packed with people.


    Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu sat among the crowd, with Zhang Xuan following closely behind.


    In the center of the martial arts field was a circr arena, about thirty meters in diameter, surrounded by nine massive rectangr pirs. Each pir stood over fifty meters tall, reaching up to the sky, looking like nine giant dragons soaring upwards.


    "This is the academy''s Nine Dragon Pirs. Once the Source Pool Assessment begins, the vice-principal will use the Destiny Disk to summon Heaven¡®s Fate Energy to test all the students. Those who can retain one strand of energy will be a Ninth Grade Source Pool, two strands will be Eighth Grade, four strands will be Seventh Grade, eight strands will be Sixth Grade... Each grade doubles the previous one. To reach the First Grade, one must retain 256 strands of energy, marking them as exceptionally talented from the start..."


    To let his sister understand in a simpler way, Yu Feng exined while pointing around. "Of course, White Rock Academy''s requirements aren''t high. As long as you reach Ninth Grade, you will be epted as a student..."


    Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu had probably heard this before and weren''t surprised, but Zhang Xuan found it quite fascinating.


    In the Source World, cultivators needed to absorb Source Energy to be stronger. The Source Pool could bepared to the dantian, and the more energy it could hold, the greater one''s future achievements."Source Warriors are also called the Source Pool Realm, with nine levels: Sensing, Pool Seeking, Energy Storing, Body Tempering, Meridian Unclogging, Organs Easing, Jade Bone, Divine Soul, and Dharma Aspect! Those here for the assessment have all found and sessfully opened their Source Pool, meaning they have reached the second level of the Source Pool Realm!"


    As Yu Feng exined more, Zhang Xuan gained a deeper understanding of the power structure in this world.


    It was somewhat simr to the Nine Levels of Martial Arts on the Master Teacher Continent, except that Spiritual Energy was reced by Source Energy, which was stronger and more powerful.


    A Source Warrior tempered by Source Energy could easily tear apart a powerful figure like Kong Shi in the Firmament with little effort.


    This was the terrifying power of Source Energy!


    If the Source World was like Krypton, the Firmament was Earth. rk Kent might be ordinary on his, but on Earth, he was invincible.


    "Vice-principal Wu Yunzhou of White Rock Academy is in Seventh Level Source Pool, Jade Bone warrior, incredibly powerful..."


    Admiration filled Yu Feng''s eyes.


    Vice-principal Wu''s strength was only slightly weaker than his father¡¯s, making him one of the top experts in White Rock City.


    "The Source Pool Assessment is about to begin. Students whose names are called, pleasee to the arena..."


    At that moment, a voice echoed through the martial arts field. Zhang Xuan looked up and saw a man in his fifties standing in the center of the arena, holding a football-sized disk in his hand.


    Vice-principal Wu Yunzhou!


    Dressed in a gray-blue outfit, he exuded an aura of unyielding strength even without releasing his energy. It was clear that even if Zhang Xuan burned his new world to its limits, he would still struggle to match this man.


    "Liu Yonghui, Meng Jinbin, Yuan Haoxiang..."


    As the names were called, students quickly made their way to the center of the arena. Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu were among the first group of names.


    "Let''s move closer. Although the Nine Dragon Pirs can contain most of the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy, some of it will still scatter. If we can absorb it, it will be greatly beneficial!"


    Yu Feng smiled and stood up as well.


    Although Zhang Xuan was just a groom, he had genuinely helped his sister earlier. As her brother, he couldn''t be too stingy.


    "Yes!"


    Zhang Xuan nodded and followed closely behind towards the high tform.


    At this moment, the area around the Nine Dragon Pirs was already packed with people. It seemed everyone knew about this opportunity, so it was no wonder that even senior students hade for a simple assessment.


    "Young Master Yu, what''s the difference between Source Energy and the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy you mentioned earlier?"


    Sitting down next to one of the pirs, Zhang Xuan asked curiously.


    He had heard of Source Energy before, but this was the first time he had heard of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy.


    Yu Feng exined, "Source Energy is the origin of all things, wild and violent. Even if one has opened their Source Pool, they wouldn''t dare absorb it carelessly! Heaven¡®s Fate Energy, on the other hand, is a special item sold by the Destiny Hall. It can adapt to everyone''s physique, making it perfect for nurturing a newly opened Source Pool."


    "I haven''t cultivated and don''t know any techniques, so I probably can''t absorb it..."


    Zhang Xuan spoke with some embarrassment after undetstanding it.


    Yu Feng smiled, "Don''t worry. Heaven¡®s Fate Energy isn''t as vtile as Source Energy. Even if you haven''t cultivated, you can still absorb it, though the process will be slower. Rest assured, it will benefit you... Of course, you shouldn''t overdo it. If you feel overwhelmed, just leave immediately. Too much of it can cause harm."


    "Got it!" Zhang Xuan nodded, asking no more questions.


    While the two were talking, the tform was already filled with students, numbering in the thousands.


    "When the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy descends, your Source Pools will absorb as much as they can, which will be disyed on the Nine Dragon Pirs. At that time, you''ll easily know your talent level..."


    Vice-principal Wu Yunzhou exined.


    Everyone nodded and looked at the Nine Dragon Pirs. Zhang Xuan also nced around and soon found Miss Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu''s names, along with Liu Mingyue''s not far away.


    After searching for a while, Zhang Xuan was puzzled, "Young Master Yu, why isn''t your name up there?"


    "The Source Pool Assessment is for new students. The names were entered during pre-registration a few days ago, and identities have been verified... We outsiders don''t have our names up there..."


    Yu Feng smiled.


    Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.


    "It begins!"


    After exining everything, Vice-principal Wu Yunzhou threw the Destiny Disk into the air. In the blink of an eye, the disk hovered in the center of the Nine Dragon Pirs, spinning and releasing nine straight beams of light.


    The beams connected to the pirs, seemingly summoning something. Countless streams of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy appeared in the sky, transforming into dazzling rays of light and surging straight toward the students on the tform.


    "Here it is!"


    Mo Yanxue, Yu Xiaoyu, and the others stopped talking, closed their eyes, and emptied their minds to receive the descending energy.


    Yu Feng also closed his eyes.


    Zhang Xuan wasn''t in a hurry. Instead, he used his mental perception to sense the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy spilling out from the Nine Dragon Pirs.


    Although he didn''t know any cultivation techniques, Zhang Xuan had seen and experienced much as a lord of a world. He had many methods for dealing with different types of energy. Focusing his mind, he saw strands of pure energy scattered around his body.


    "Let''s try absorbing one..."


    Using his mental strength like tendrils, he reached out to a strand of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy and easily pulled it into his body.


    Just as he was about to control it to circte through his body and see if it could heal his injuries and be converted for his own use, Zhang Xuan felt a tremor in his heart and suddenly froze.


    The Heaven¡®s Fate Energy he had just absorbed immediately drilled into the Library of Heaven''s Path within his mind. This golden finger, suppressed by Source Energy and apanying him all this time, suddenly released a bright light. The sound of grand bells and drums thundered in his mind.


    "Heaven and Earth are not benevolent. They treat all things as straw dogs..."


    "The sun and moon wax and wane, and Heaven and Earth are wed..."


    Boom!


    The next moment, Zhang Xuan felt himself reappearing inside the Library of Heaven''s Path. Countless bookshelves stood around him, filled with an endless variety of books, stretching out of sight.


    The Library of Heaven''s Path, which had been unusable, was now directly activated by absorbing a single strand of Heaven''s Fate Energy!

 Chapter 11: Pillar Selection

    Chapter 11: Pir Selection


    "What on earth is happening?"


    Standing in the grand reading hall of the Library of Heaven''s Path, surrounded by familiaryers of books, Zhang Xuan felt a surge of emotions.


    In his final battle, to prevent the copse of the Firmament, he had summoned the library from his mind,pleting the Heaven''s Path. This current library was reconstituted with great power after the creation of the new world. It contained the three forces of the wed Heaven''s Path, the orderly Heaven''s Path, and the natural Heaven''s Path, making it apletely unique and incredibly powerful treasure belonging to him.


    Apart from revealing ws, it could control the power of order, deduce cultivation techniques, create and stabilize the five elements, among countless other functions, making it incredibly potent.


    However... this Heaven''s Path was of the new world, not of the Source World.


    Because of this, upon arriving here, it was suppressed and unusable. He never imagined that absorbing just a single strand of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy would revive it.


    Could it be that Heaven¡®s Fate Energy was the bridge between the Library of Heaven''s Path and the Source World¡¯s Heaven''s Path?


    If continuous absorption could rece the Source World''s Heaven''s Path with that of the new world, it would indeed be extraordinary!Suppressing his excitement, Zhang Xuan summoned a book with a single hand, which slowly floated over andnded in his palm. He gently opened it and looked down.


    The characters were blurry, like reflections in water, indistinct and unclear.


    "It must be that I haven''t absorbed enough Heaven¡®s Fate Energy..."


    Zhang Xuan spected.


    Focusing his mind, he once again extended his soul energy tendrils toward the surrounding Source Energy.


    With so many people absorbing energy, and his name not on the Nine Dragon Pirs, no one would notice how much he absorbed.


    Swish!


    Another strand of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy entered his brow and into the library. The next moment, it was as if a giant incandescentmp had been lit, making the previously dim area exceptionally bright. Zhang Xuan looked down again, and the characters on the book became significantly clearer.


    "It seems my guess was right. This Heaven¡®s Fate Energy can indeed allow the library to connect with the Source World''s Heaven''s Path..."


    Zhang Xuan''s spirit soared.


    Earlier, he thought that even as a lord of a world, it would be difficult to rise quickly. Now, with the Library of Heaven''s Path avable, why settle for being a mere servant when he could aim to be a master teacher of all ages?


    What? This world didn''t have one?


    Then he''ll be the first!


    He''d be the Kong Shi of this new world, establishing new order and mastering the way of the ages.


    With a clear goal in mind, Zhang Xuan controlled his excitement and focused on absorbing the surrounding Heaven¡®s Fate Energy.


    Strands of pure energy entered his brow, nourishing him. The quiet Library of Heaven''s Path, bolstered by this energy, underwent a dramatic transformation, gradually adapting to the Source World and bing an integral part of it.


    Although it was just the initial connection, it already meant endless capabilities, easily essible.


    As the books in the library grew clearer, more and more Heaven¡®s Fate Energy was absorbed.


    Two strands!


    Three strands!


    Ten strands!


    A hundred strands!


    ...


    For a Source Warrior, the ability to integrate Heaven¡®s Fate Energy depended primarily on the size of their Source Pool. Without a sufficientlyrge Source Pool, no matter how much energy was avable, they couldn''t absorb it all, just like a small stomach can''t hold too much food, no matter how delicious it is.


    The Source Pool is limited, but the Library of Heaven''s Path is limitless!


    Absorbing over a hundred strands of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy was still a drop in the ocean. It was like pouring a bucket of water into a dry sea; it had some effect, making a few hundred books clearer, but in the context of the entire library, the impact was negligible.


    However, as long as there is a flow of water, even the deepest abyss can be filled.


    "Let''s see if this Heaven¡®s Fate Energy can help me open my Source Pool and heal my physical injuries..."


    The bacsh from five days ago had severely injured him. If not for merging with Little Chick''s immortal power, he wouldn''t even be able to walk, let alone take care of horses.


    He directed the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy, sending some into the library and some through his meridians.


    The ability to use the Library of Heaven''s Path was an unexpected bonus, but his primary goal was to cultivate and restore his strength so he wouldn''t have to stay low-key anymore!


    The Heaven¡®s Fate Energy was indeed much gentler than Source Energy. It flowed through his body without causing harm, but it couldn''t heal his injuries. More importantly, after circting for a long time, he still couldn''t find any trace of a Source Pool.


    Could it be...


    As an outsider, his physique was different from others, and he didn''t have a Source Pool?


    That didn''t seem right!


    "It looks like I''ll need to learn some cultivation techniques..."


    After several more attempts, finding no sess, Zhang Xuan had to give up on continuing the search.


    Without knowing the method to find the Source Pool andcking any secret techniques, blindly searching was indeed not the best approach.


    "Forget it, I''ll just absorb the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy into the library for now!"


    His body couldn''t hold the energy, but he didn''t want to waste this hard-earned opportunity. Focusing his mind again, Zhang Xuan quickly grabbed the brilliant strands of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy before him.


    ...


    Not far from the arena, on a viewing tform, Vice-principal Wu Yunzhou, along with a dozen elders and dozens of teachers, were seated, all intently watching the glowing names on the nine pirs, filled with excitement and anticipation.


    This was White Rock Academy''s annual "Pir Selection."


    After the new students absorbed the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy, their talents would be revealed. These teachers and elders wouldn''t miss such an opportunity; they were here to immediately extend invitations to any discovered talents, hoping to recruit them into their own factions.


    Students who chose good teachers could achieve twice the results with half the effort, and teachers with good students could gain more resources and enhance their reputations. It was a mutually beneficial rtionship.


    Watching the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy descend, an elder in coarse cloth, stroking his beard with a smile, couldn''t help but sigh, "I wonder how many geniuses we''ll see this year!"


    This was Elder Ran Qingxu, the Great Elder of White Rock Academy.


    "Last year, there were over 800 Eighth Grades, more than 100 Seventh Grades, and even 50 Sixth Grades! It was the most fruitful year in recent times. This year... might not be as good."


    Not far from him, another elder spoke slowly.


    This was Wu Liuyun, the Second Elder.


    "That may not be the case. I heard that Mo Yanxue from the Mo family has exceptional talent. Although she hasn''t been tested yet, opening her Source Pool consumed a lot of resources, almost draining the entire Mo family. The more resources used, the more solid the Source Pool, which we all know is a fact... I expect her talent is quite high!"


    Ran Qingxu said.


    "Indeed, Yu Xiaoyu from the City Lord''s family and Liu Mingyue from the Liu family are also quite good... Now we just have to see what grade they can achieve!" Wu Liuyun nodded.


    "Look, they''ve started absorbing the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy, and the Nine Dragon Pirs are beginning to glow..."


    As they were specting, the nine tall pirs in the distance suddenly lit up simultaneously.


    This indicated that someone had sessfully absorbed a strand of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy, and the name and result of the first genius were about to appear.


    "I think it''s Mo Yanxue!"


    "Not necessarily. Although Yu Xiaoyu seems simple, her cultivation talent is just as strong. She might be the first to appear!"


    "I bet on Liu Mingyue!"


    Seeing this, the teachers began to argue.


    "What do you think, Vice-principal?"


    Ran Qingxu turned to Wu Yunzhou, who was sitting calmly in the middle, seeking his opinion.


    With the principal absent, Wu Yunzhou, as the highest-ranking leader present at White Rock Academy, and the one who activated the Destiny Disk to summon the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy, was the most qualified to judge.


    Hearing the question, the other teachers also stopped their debates and looked over, eager to hear the vice-principal''s insights.


    Wu Yunzhou smiled, "I think it''s Mo Yanxue. Her talent may not be superior to Yu Xiaoyu or Liu Mingyue, but she''s the most steady. She should be the first to refine the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy..."


    In cultivation, talent is one aspect, but character is another. Mo Yanxue is clearly moreposed. If anyone''s going to show results first, it would definitely be her.


    "I agree with the vice-principal..."


    Ran Qingxu smiled. Before he finished speaking, the light on one of the northern pirs slowly faded, and several words appeared, seemingly imprinted at the top¡ª


    Name: Not Recorded.


    Refined: One Strand.


    "Not... recorded? What does that mean?"


    "Could it be that... the person who surpassed Mo Yanxue and was the first to refine the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy didn''t officially participate in the assessment?"


    Everyone looked at each other, stunned.

 Chapter 12: First Grade Talent?

    Chapter 12: First Grade Talent?


    On the stage, over three thousand young men and women participated in the assessment. Each of them had opened their Source Pool and was absorbing Heaven''s Fate Energy,peting with one another. However, the one who seeded was an unknown individual...


    ¡®So... does this mean the real genius hasn¡¯t shown up yet?¡¯


    ¡¯Is that true?¡®


    Being called to participate in the first assessment meant the academy had already screened them. This meant those who went up first had a higher chance of being geniuses, and there were more of them. Everyone thought the first ce woulde from this group, but unexpectedly, someone else took the lead...


    Everyone turned to look at the crowd below the stage.


    There were thousands of people, densely packed, all with their eyes closed, absorbing the scattered Heaven''s Fate Energy. It was impossible to tell who had seeded and who hadn''t.


    "To leave a mark on the Nine Dragon Pirs, first, this person must be encountering Heaven''s Fate Energy for the first time. Second, they must be a genius who has opened their Source Pool; otherwise, even if they absorb it, they wouldn¡¯t be able to contain it, and it would eventually dissipate," Wu Yunzhou said, suppressing his embarrassment.


    Everyone nodded in agreement.Only those encountering Heaven''s Fate Energy for the first time would leave a mark. Therefore, all the older students could be excluded. Based on the second condition, it was clear that a genius surpassing Mo Yanxue was among the missed names from the first assessment.


    If someone could absorb scattered Source Energy so quickly without being on stage, how strong would they be once they got up there?


    ¡°Not necessarily!¡±


    Ran Qingxu waved his hand, seeing everyone''s thoughts. ¡°Absorbing a single Heaven''s Fate Energy quickly doesn¡¯t necessarily mean a high talent. The final score always depends on the capacity of the Source Pool..."


    ¡°The Great Elder is right,¡± Wu Liuyun smiled wisely. ¡°Absorbing just one Heaven''s Fate Energy is very random. For example, if the energy matches the physique, the Source Pool doesn''t reject it, or the energy just happens to bepatible with them... these conditions can lead to quick sess, but it doesn''t mean much. If someone can refine two or more at the same speed, then they can be considered a true genius!¡±


    At this point, Wu Liuyun smiled confidently, "Everyone, rest assured, the real genius will definitely appear on the stage. We won¡¯t choose wrongly..."


    Before he finished speaking, a slightly awkward voice interrupted, ¡°Second Elder, why don¡¯t you take another look at the Nine Dragon Pirs?¡±


    ¡°Looking again won¡¯t change anything. Absorbing one Source Energy only means a ninth-grade talent at best. What...?¡± Wu Liuyun scoffed, but his eyes widened as he saw the words on the pir. His attempt to continue speaking was cut off abruptly, and he made a sound like a duck¡¯s quack due to the sudden stop.


    The words on the stone pir had changed again.


    Name: Not recorded.


    Refined: Two.


    ¡°So fast?¡±


    Wu Liuyun¡¯s face turned red as if he had been pped.


    He had just imed they wouldn¡¯t choose wrongly, and that refining two would signify a genius. This individual had immediately proven him wrong.


    ¡°Two only shows moderate talent, far from being a real genius!¡± Wu Liuyun gritted his teeth, refusing to admit defeat. ¡°I, too, once refined four Source Energies in a short time and made a name for myself..."


    Just then, the awkward voice spoke again, ¡°Ahem, it¡¯s already four now!¡±


    Wu Liuyun¡¯s eyes twitched, wishing for a hole to crawl into.


    The pir¡¯s record had indeed changed to four, glowing brightly.


    In just a few breaths, this person had refined four Heaven''s Fate Energies...


    Were they really below the stage, not on it?


    After a long pause, Wu Liuyun spoke again, "Absorbing scattered energy to reach seventh grade shows significant talent, but... what a pity!"


    ¡°Why do you say that, Second Elder?¡± A teacher asked curiously.


    ¡®Seventh grade talent was impressive, why call it a pity?¡¯


    Wu Liuyun, with an air of superiority, exined, "The first absorption of Heaven''s Fate Energy is most effective. The second is less so, and by the third time, it has little effect. Everyone knows this, right?"


    Everyone nodded.


    The reason new students underwent the Source Pool Assessment on stage was because of this.


    Wu Liuyun continued, "The Nine Dragon Pirs,bined with the Destiny Disk, form an array to attract Heaven''s Fate Energy and act as a barrier to prevent energy leakage. That¡¯s why the assessments are held on stage. Outside, even if some energy leaks, it¡¯s minimal. Altogether, it¡¯s hard to gather even ten Heaven''s Fate Energies..."


    "This person has absorbed four in one go. I think it¡¯s their limit. Even if they want to absorb more, there may not be enough energy! Their potential halted byck of Source Energy... isn''t it a pity?"


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡±


    ¡°What should we do? Can we help them somehow? Such a talent shouldn¡¯t be wasted!¡±


    Everyone showed anxious expressions.


    If a genius were to be wasted because they weren¡¯t chosen to go on stage first, it would be a great loss.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote!¡± Wu Liuyun shook his head. ¡°Four is probably their limit. It¡¯s hard to progress further¡­¡±


    Before he finished, the nine pirs began to glow simultaneously. The previously fixed numbers on the northern pir suddenly changed, appearing on all the pirs and jumping wildly.


    Five!


    Six!


    ¡­


    Ten!


    Sixteen!


    The speed was astonishing.


    "..."


    Wu Liuyun waspletely stunned.


    Was this still a Source Pool Assessment?


    Who else could refine energy this quickly?


    "Sixteen... that''s a fifth-grade talent? And they reached fifth-grade without even getting on stage?"


    Not only was Wu Liuyun frozen, but all the other teachers watching were also feeling overwhelmed. They had seen talented individuals before, but never this talented.


    This wasn''t refining energy anymore; this was robbery...


    "It seems like... it hasn''t reached the limit yet..."


    Just as everyone was numb with shock, someone else shouted. Everyone looked up again, losing the will to speak.


    The dazzling numbers on the Nine Dragon Pirs didn''t stop at 16; they flickered and quickly jumped to 20, 30, 50...


    In less than a minute, it reached 100!


    "Could it be... that White Rock Academy is going to produce a first-grade genius?"


    After an unknown amount of time, a trembling voice broke the silence in the Martial Arts Field.


    A first-grade genius could refine 256 strands of Source Energy during the Source Pool Assessment. Although this person''s number was still short, they were doing this from below the stage!


    If they could forcefully absorb and refine over 100 strands off-stage, how hard would it be to reach 200 on stage?


    "If we could take them as a student..."


    Realizing this, everyone¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement.


    A first-grade super genius as a student... the teacher wouldn¡¯t have to do anything and could still achieve great sess.

 Chapter 13: Dean Lu Mingrong

    Chapter 13: Dean Lu Mingrong


    The small courtyard where the Dean of White Rock Academy lived was usually quiet and rarely visited. But now, there was a rapid knocking at the door.


    "Zhou Xu, what''s happening? If you don''t give me a good reason today, you won''t be leaving."


    Momentster, Dean Lu Mingrong, his face filled with anger, pushed the door open. He was a peak seventh-level Source Pool expert, one of the top figures in White Rock City. His imposing presence made it difficult for anyone to speak.


    "Dean, today we''re conducting the Source Pool Assessment..." Teacher Zhou Xu bit his lip but finally spoke.


    Dean Lu Mingrong squinted his eyes, "I remember saying we wouldn¡¯t be epting students this year. Such trivial matters don¡¯t need to be reported..."


    Teacher Zhou Xu stammered, "I-I know, but if the dean knew about the results this time, you might change your mind."


    Lu Mingrong replied, "Could it be that a genius who refined 16 strands of Source Energy has appeared? A fifth-grade talent is rare, but it''s not enough for me to change my mind."


    Teacher Zhou Xu hesitated for a moment and then tentatively asked, "Then... what about over 100 strands?""???" Lu Mingrong was taken aback.


    Teacher Zhou Xu continued, "So far, the Nine Dragon Pirs show over a hundred strands, and it hasn¡¯t stopped... Hey, dean, where are you going?"


    Before he could finish, Dean Lu Mingrong had already strode out rapidly.


    "To the Martial Arts Field!" Lu Mingrong called back.


    Teacher Zhou Xu was stunned, "Dean, didn¡¯t you say we wouldn¡¯t be epting students this year?"


    "I¡¯m just going to take a look, I didn¡¯t say I¡¯d ept them. Besides, if they¡¯re really keen on being my student, as a teacher, it wouldn¡¯t be right to refuse, would it?" Lu Mingrong said, his footsteps swift, and soon, he was out of sight.


    Seventh-grade, sixth-grade, even fifth-grade talents could be passed up... But this one was close to second-grade. How could I not take them in? He thought as he sped up, arriving at the stands in a sh.


    "Dean!"


    Seeing his arrival, Wu Yunzhou and the others quickly stood up and saluted.


    "Yes!" Lu Mingrong casually waved his hand, interrupting their greetings, "How is it now?"


    Wu Yunzhou responded, "Already... refined 205 strands and still increasing!"


    Lu Mingrong trembled slightly, "Over 200 strands? Are you saying... this genius might have a first-grade talent?"


    Wu Yunzhou, Ran Qingxu, and Wu Liuyun all nodded repeatedly.


    Initially, they had been shocked by the increasing numbers, but now they were numb to it.


    One strand, two strands, four strands, eight strands, and now over 200 strands... it continually shattered their understanding and imagination, leaving them at a loss for words.


    "What''s their name? Mo Yanxue, Yu Xiaoyu, or Liu Mingyue?"


    Holding his breath, Lu Mingrong couldn''t help but ask. He had heard of these geniuses, so if someone were to stand out, it would likely be one of them.


    Wu Yunzhou hesitated for a moment, "None of them. It¡¯s... an audience member!"


    "An audience member?" Lu Mingrong was stunned.


    What obscure text.


    Confused, he saw vice-principle Wu Yunzhou point forward, "Dean, you¡¯d better see for yourself."


    Without further questions, Dean Lu Mingrong turned and looked at the nine stone pirs. Sure enough, at the top of one pir, a series of words appeared.


    Name: Not recorded.


    Refined: Two hundred and seventeen strands.


    In just a few breaths, another twelve strands had been refined...


    "Not recorded..."


    Dean Lu Mingrong finally understood why Wu Yunzhou had said that. "Not recorded" meant that the person wasn¡¯t on the stage but below it... What else could it be but an "audience member"?


    No mistake there!


    Looking at the other pirs, not a single name had appeared so far...


    This meant that none of the so-called "geniuses" they had selected had managed to refine even one strand of Heaven''s Fate Energy, while an unselected audience member had refined 217 strands...


    The difference was too great...


    This wasn¡¯t just a case of having poor vision; it wasplete blindness.


    It was like a singingpetition where top national stars couldn''tpete with a foreigner, and then an unknown security guard outside the venue stole the show effortlessly...


    Even as the dean, Lu Mingrong felt a deep sense of powerlessness. Taking a deep breath to suppress his shock, he couldn''t help but ask, "Have you found out who it is exactly?"


    "No, there are too many people, and it''s too chaotic. Everyone is absorbing energy right now, and if we rush over, it might disturb them. I¡¯m worried that any interruption could cause this genius to have unnecessary mishaps..." Wu Yunzhou expressed his concern.


    "You''re right to be cautious!" Dean Lu Mingrong nodded. "The Source Pool Assessment is a process that requires continuous effort. If interrupted, it could cause the Source Pool to contract, making it almost impossible to expand to its full potentialter..."


    Absorbing Heaven''s Fate Energy into the Source Pool is a refining process and a growth process. Interrupting it would be detrimental in every way. This was why none of the teachers had discovered who this practitioner was.


    Seeing that the dean agreed with his point, Wu Yunzhou heaved a sigh of relief and continued, "This genius has already absorbed over 200 strands of Source Energy. Since 256 strands constitute a first-grade talent, even if their talent is exceptional, they will reach their limit soon. Then, we can easily identify who stops absorbing first..."


    "Good idea, let''s do that!" Dean Lu Mingrong nodded in satisfaction and looked again at the nine pirs.


    The pirs, connected with the Destiny Disk, formed a special array, continuously pouring Heaven''s Fate Energy like ripples onto the stage. The three thousand students immersed in these ripples had no idea that an "audience member" had already refined over 200 strands, while they were still struggling with just one...


    Looking again at the crowd outside, he saw what the Second Elder had mentioned. The nine pirs locked the energy tightly, and only a thinyer, like a light veil, floated in the air.


    "To be able to refine over 200 strands with just the scattered energy, this genius is truly terrifying!" Lu Mingrong marveled, his eyes lighting up with an idea. "Since that''s the case, why don¡¯t we give them a hand? Make their foundation even stronger..."


    "Help? How?" Wu Yunzhou asked, puzzled.


    "Simple!" Dean Lu Mingrong smiled slightly. "Since the pirs are locking the energy, we¡¯ll open a gap, allowing the energy to flow out more freely. That way, they can absorb faster and more stably."


    Wu Yunzhou nodded, "That makes sense! I''ll leave it to you, dean!"


    "Alright!" Lu Mingrong nodded, walked to one of the pirs, clenched his fist, and struck it hard.


    Crash!


    The entire pir shook slightly, and the nine beams of light connecting it to the Destiny Disk rippled. In an instant, the sealed white mist found an outlet and gushed out continuously, enveloping the practitioners outside the stage.


    "It''s done..." Lu Mingrong nodded, turned to return to the stands, but saw Wu Yunzhou, Ran Qingxu, Wu Liuyun, and the others staring nervously at the top of the pir, their eyes wide and bodies trembling.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Seeing their reaction, Lu Mingrong couldn''t help but turn back, his pupils contracting as he froze in ce.


    At the top of the Nine Dragon Pirs, the number had just been 217, but with a slight jump...


    It became 257!

 Chapter 14: Nine Dragons Draw Heavens Fate

    Chapter 14: Nine Dragons Draw Heaven''s Fate


    "This..."


    Even Lu Mingrong, with all his experience, felt overwhelmed.


    The limit of the Source Pool Assessment was First Grade, which was 256 strands. But the number on the pir had reached 257...


    It was like thinking the janitor was just a good singer and then realizing he was Pavarotti... How could anyonepete with that?


    "Dean, it seems... it¡¯s not over yet."


    Just as Lu Mingrong was too shocked to speak, a trembling voice came from the crowd. The dean looked up and felt dizzy again.


    258!


    259!260...


    With the continuous influx of Heaven''s Fate Energy, the "unregistered student" seemed like a dragon in a storm, soaring rapidly. The numbers jumped even faster than before, and in just a dozen breaths, it broke through 500 and was heading towards 1000.


    The Destiny Disk in the sky seemed unprepared for someone to absorb Heaven''s Fate Energy so quickly. It spun rapidly, releasing a dazzling red light, and the next moment, an endless stream of Heaven''s Fate Energy poured down.


    Boom!


    As more energy descended, the nine dragon pirs seemed to bear an immense weight, like carrying multiple worlds. They emitted a rumbling sound, and the ground began to tremble slightly.


    Waves of white mist surged like tides, crashing onto the shore, creating a strong sense of oppression.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    In all the years of Source Pool Assessments, no one had seen such a situation. The teachers were speechless, searching their minds for answers, but found nothing. It seemed there were no records of this in any books.


    Even vice-principle Wu Yunzhou frowned and, after a while, couldn''t help but ask, "Dean, there¡¯s an anomaly. Should we stop the assessment and continue another day... Dean? Dean?"


    He called out twice, but Lu Mingrong didn¡¯t respond.


    Wu Yunzhou turned and was stunned.


    Lu Mingrong, who had just been so authoritative, now looked as if he had remembered something shocking. His pupils were wide with disbelief, and his hands were trembling.


    ¡°Dean¡­¡±


    Afraid something was wrong, he called out again, but before he could finish, the dean''s voice rang out, "Could it be... the legendary Nine Dragons Draw Heaven''s Fate?"


    "Nine Dragons Draw Heaven''s Fate?" Wu Yunzhou was puzzled.


    Ran Qingxu, Wu Liuyun, and the others also looked confused.


    Realizing they might not have heard of it due to limited knowledge, Lu Mingrong took a deep breath, suppressed his shock, and exined, "The Source Pool is the foundation for cultivating Source Energy. As we know, it is divided into nine grades. Our White Rock Academy teaches and imparts this to students."


    Everyone nodded.


    The levels of the Source Pool weremon knowledge, even to children on the street.


    "But what you don''t know is..." Lu Mingrong continued, "Above First Grade, there is a Saint Grade!"


    "Saint Grade?" Wu Yunzhou asked.


    Lu Mingrong nodded. "Yes! These geniuses, when they first absorb Heaven''s Fate Energy, can not only exceed 256 strands but also easily surpass 500... Because they absorb energy so quickly, the ordinary Destiny Disk can''t supply enough power, triggering a hidden array. The nine dragon pirs will cooperate, drawing even more energy. This phenomenon is known as Nine Dragons Draw Heaven''s Fate!"


    Everyone suddenly understood.


    Wu Yunzhou finally grasped the reason for the dean''s shock and couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Dean, do you mean... this ''unregistered'' student might have a Saint Grade talent?"


    First Grade talent was already incredibly rare, almost impossible to find in the entire kingdom. Saint Grade... would be even more powerful and terrifying!


    "Yes!" Lu Mingrong nodded. "However, having a Saint Grade talent isn''t necessarily a good thing."


    "What do you mean?"


    This time, not only Wu Yunzhou was confused, but all the teachers were also bewildered.


    Isn''t higher talent always better?


    Achieving Saint Grade should be highly desirable, so why did the dean say that?


    Seeing their confusion, Lu Mingrong didn''t hide anything and continued, "When Nine Dragons Draw Heaven''s Fate is triggered, the descending Heaven''s Fate Energy will increase in both quantity and speed. It''s both a help and a test. If the absorber can keep up, the Saint Grade talent will be unlocked, leading to the path of the strongest. If they can''t keep up, they will face unbearable consequences... It''s like a narrow pipe that can''t handle arger flow of water, which will result in one oue... an explosion!"


    Dean Lu Mingrong clenched his fist. "If that happens, this genius could be severely injured on the spot. Forget about surpassing First Grade, they might not even reach Eighth Grade and could be aplete cripple."


    "There''s a chance to surpass First Grade but also a risk of falling below Eighth Grade?"


    "That''s... such a huge gap."


    Everyone looked shocked.


    They had thought a super genius had emerged, but now it seemed like a gamble!


    Fortune and misfortune are intertwined. Sometimes, an excellent start isn''t necessarily a good thing.


    "Look, the speed at which Heaven''s Fate Energy is descending is increasing. Let''s hope they seed..."


    Seeing that everyone understood, Dean Lu Mingrong didn''t say more. He looked at the people below the stage, his eyes filled with worry.


    Wu Yunzhou and the others also fell silent, watching closely, trying to identify the genius causing such amotion.


    Unaware of the discussions and the so-called "Nine Dragons Draw Heaven''s Fate," Zhang Xuan was feeling dejected because he couldn''t find the Source Pool and couldn''t cultivate.


    Such a great opportunity was slipping away, and who knew when he¡¯d have another chance to absorb Heaven''s Fate Energy for free.


    "Forget it!"


    Pushing aside his negative emotions, Zhang Xuan controlled the Library of Heaven''s Path to speed up the absorption of the descending energy. For him, as long as he didn''t waste the opportunity, it was fine.


    As he absorbed more Heaven''s Fate Energy, the books in the library became clearer. Zhang Xuan noticed the energy in the air bing richer and easier to absorb. Without hesitation, he controlled the library to devour it madly.


    The library, like a connection to the Source World¡¯s Heaven''s Path, operated frantically. A phantom of a library seemed to appear in the sky, covering the nine dragon pirs in an instant.


    Boom, boom, boom!


    The white mist was swallowed like water by a giant whale, transforming into a special nourishment that filled each page of the library''s books.


    1000 strands!


    2000 strands!


    5000 strands!


    ¡­


    The library devoured faster and faster, like a bottomless pit. The previously elerated Heaven''s Fate Energy was once again insufficient...


    This meant that while Nine Dragons Draw Heaven''s Fate was magical and brought a lot of Heaven''s Fate Energy, it still fell short for the level of devouring by the Library of Heaven''s Path.


    Sensing the rapid depletion of energy, the Destiny Disk and the nine dragon pirs elerated again. The Destiny Disk, in particr, turned a zing red, as if it were burning.


    Boom!


    The ground''s tremors and the rumbling in the sky grew louder and louder.


    "No way!"


    Lu Mingrong''s face changed suddenly. He no longer cared about finding the "unregistered" individual and quickly looked up. He saw the Destiny Disk spinning in the sky, unable to withstand the rapid energy depletion any longer. With a "crack", a clear fracture appeared in the middle.


    The lines spread, turning into small clusters of pure energy, scattering in all directions.


    The Destiny Disk, which had been used countless times for Source Pool assessments at White Rock Academy, had shattered!

 Chapter 15: Really Too Low-Key

    Chapter 15: Really Too Low-Key


    As the Destiny Disk shattered, the nine dragon pirs, havingpleted their task, could no longer hold on. With loud cracks, they split open with huge gaps, extending downwards in a frightening disy, producing sharp, grating sounds.


    "Splurt!"


    "Splurt!"


    "Splurt!"


    Next, the sound of blood being coughed up echoed through the area. Whether it was the participants on the stage or the students absorbing energy below, all of them turned pale, blood trickling from the corners of their mouths.


    Bacsh!


    It was like a tug-of-war, where just as both sides were exerting their full strength, the other side suddenly let go... It was fortunate that they weren''t severely injured.


    "What happened?""Why did the Destiny Disk explode?"


    "It looks like the nine dragon pirs shattered too..."


    The students who had been meditating opened their eyes and looked around in confusion.


    They had only been absorbing Heaven''s Fate Energy to refine their Source Pools, but now everything seemed to have fallen apart...


    It was like going to a banquet, and before the food was served, the kitchen blew up!


    Nothing like this had ever happened before!


    "How many strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy did you refine?" someone asked a nearby friend after the initial shock.


    "Me? I didn''t seed with even one strand. The Destiny Disk broke before I could."


    "Same here, I was just starting to refine when the bacsh hit!"


    "The time was too short. Even though Heaven''s Fate Energy isn''t as domineering as Source Energy, it still takes at least fifteen minutes to refine one strand..."


    The discussions spread quickly.


    Hearing these conversations, Dean Lu Mingrong couldn''t hold back any longer. He walked up to the stage and looked around. "Which of you sessfully refined a strand of Heaven''s Fate Energy?"


    The stage immediately fell silent.


    Refining one strand... was incredibly difficult!


    Unless one was a true genius, who could im to have done it?


    Everyone hung their heads in shame.


    "Mo Yanxue, what about you?" Dean Lu Mingrong asked, his gaze falling on the beautiful young woman not far away.


    As the eldest daughter of the Mo family and known for her high talent, even someone as detached as Lu Mingrong had heard of her.


    "I... was just about to refine a strand when a strong force rushed in, and then... it was gone," Mo Yanxue exined, slightly embarrassed.


    "Yes, yes, the same thing happened to me!" Yu Xiaoyu jumped up. Her bells jingled as she puffed out her cheeks in frustration.


    It was like having a delicious piece of braised pork right at her lips, only to have it snatched away. The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became.


    "You all experienced the same?" the dean asked the other highly talented students, receiving simr responses.


    "Sigh..." Lu Mingrong and Wu Yunzhou both took a deep breath, turning to look at the crowd below the stage.


    So many geniuses gathered together, yet none had seeded, while the unregistered genius had absorbed tens of thousands of strands in one go...


    The disparity was immense!


    The key issue was not just the speed of absorption but also the ability to snatch away the energy others were refining... This was beyond belief!


    Could this be the terrifying aspect of a Saint Grade talent?


    "Actually, it''s fortunate they didn''t seed. Otherwise, the energy entering their Source Pools would have solidified their strength, and an interruption in the Heaven''s Fate Energy supply could have had even worse effects," Ran Qingxu said.


    Lu Mingrong nodded.


    This was indeed a blessing in disguise.


    "Who among you has absorbed Heaven''s Fate Energy into your Source Pool and sessfully refined it? Even just one strand!"


    Lu Mingrong looked at the crowd below, trying to find the hidden genius through their expressions, but all he saw were confused faces and shaking heads.


    "This is a great opportunity. Just admit it, and I will take you as my personal disciple, granting you the best cultivation resources White Rock Academy has to offer!" Lu Mingrong promised, waving his hand to reassure them.


    "Being epted as the dean''s personal disciple? That''s a tremendous honor! It¡¯s like having the strongest backing in White Rock City!"


    "Backing is one thing, but with enough resources, their cultivation will improve by leaps and bounds..."


    "Yeah, this person is so lucky!"


    There was an uproar all around. Everyone was excited upon hearing this news.


    Everyone wanted to be the lucky one who refined the energy, but... no one had actually seeded!


    "The dean hasn¡¯t taken a student in over ten years. My father once asked him to ept me as his disciple, but he refused..." Yu Feng said enviously. "I really wonder who this person is, to have such a great opportunity."


    "To absorb Heaven''s Fate Energy into the Source Pool and sessfully refine it is truly admirable... I wish it were me!" Zhang Xuan couldn''t help but feel genuinely envious.


    Without any cultivation techniques, he couldn¡¯t train and could only rely on the Library of Heaven''s Path to absorb a bit of Heaven''s Fate Energy to light up a few old books. Compared to these real geniuses, there was a vast difference.


    If he could cultivate like them and be taken in as the dean''s personal disciple, he could easily shed his status as a groom and soar high, never having to look up to others again.


    Seeing everyone''s reactions, Lu Mingrong and Wu Yunzhou were at a loss.


    Logically, with such a great promise, no student would hesitate. Yet, no one came forward!


    And... everyone looked genuinely confused, not pretending at all...


    "Did none of you really refine any energy? Not even one strand?" Unwilling to give up, Lu Mingrong asked again, only to be met with silence.


    "Dean Lu, what happened? Why did the Destiny Disk and the Nine Dragon Pirs shatter? Why did the Source Pool Assessment stop?" Liu Mingyue called out.


    "Yes, dean, what¡¯s going on?"


    "Why did this happen? Will we still be able to conduct assessments in the future?"


    They had all been meditating with their eyes closed, focusing on refining energy, unaware of the events outside or the emergence of an "unregistered" individual causing such chaos.


    "The Destiny Disk malfunctioned due to old age. Don¡¯t worry, we''ll hold another assessment tomorrow to make up for it!" After a moment''s thought, Lu Mingrong exined.


    To be honest, he was still unsure if the scene earlier was indeed Nine Dragons Draw Heaven''s Fate and whether there was a genius with Saint Grade talent. Until he could identify the individual, he couldn¡¯t be certain.


    "Yes!"


    Hearing that there would be a makeup assessment, everyone felt relieved.


    Although they hadn''t seeded this time, they had gained experience and were confident they could aim for higher grades next time.


    Even Zhang Xuan''s eyes lit up.


    He had thought this was his only chance to absorb energy for free, but with another opportunity tomorrow, he could let the library absorb more and strengthen himself further. Plus, he could find a cultivation technique today and see if an outsider like him could open a Source Pool!


    If his talent turned out to be good and the dean took him as a personal disciple, his future path would be much smoother.


    For a moment, Zhang Xuan was filled with anticipation.


    ...


    Seeing the excitement on everyone¡¯s faces, without exception, Wu Yunzhou lowered his voice and said, "Dean, it seems this genius is quite low-key and doesn¡¯t want to admit it..."


    "Yes!" Lu Mingrong sighed. "Truly too low-key!"

 Chapter 16: Greedy for Wealth

    Chapter 16: Greedy for Wealth


    Saint Grade talent, if not unique in the world, is certainly rare. Such talent in anyone else would have had them showing off by now, but this "unregistered" individual remainedpletely quiet, their expression just like everyone else''s, with nothing special to show...


    This level of willingness to stay low-key was admirable.


    But... being too low-key isn''t necessarily a good thing! Such a genius needs to be found and given special training. How can they cultivate them if they can¡¯t find them?


    After searching for a while without sess, Wu Yunzhou couldn¡¯t help but say, "Dean, this person has such good character and is so humble. If we don''t find them today and they don''te back tomorrow, the academy will lose a true super genius!"


    "That''s exactly what I''m worried about!" Lu Mingrong nodded.


    Despite their incredible talent, none of the teachers had ever heard of them, and they weren''t even selected in the top three thousand names... How much must one avoid the spotlight to achieve that?


    This kind of unassuming attitude was something even he admired.


    "Dean, I have an idea, but I don''t know if it''s appropriate to say," Second Elder Wu Liuyun interjected."Say it," Lu Mingrongmanded.


    Wu Liuyun suggested, "Regardless of whether this genius was inside or outside the venue earlier, as long as they weren¡¯t one of our previous students, we can find out who they are by having everyone go through the Source Pool Mountain."


    "Right!" Wu Yunzhou''s eyes lit up. "Source Pool Mountain can test the stability of the Source Pool. Since this person could absorb tens of thousands of strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy, their Source Pool must be incredibly strong. Once they step in, it will definitely cause a phenomenon..."


    Source Pool Mountain was a device used in the academy to test the stability of the Source Pool. Once a Source Warrior stepped in, it would emit bright light in different colors, indicating various levels of stability.


    Normally, it disyed red, yellow, or green lights.


    Red indicated a stable Source Pool, yellow semi-stable, and green the weakest. If no light was emitted, it meant the Source Pool hadn¡¯t been opened.


    "Let''s do that! Let''s see how they stay low-key now!" Lu Mingrongughed heartily.


    He disliked ostentatious students, but being too low-key was also problematic.


    "I''ll make the announcement!" With the dean¡¯s approval, Wu Yunzhou didn''t hesitate. He looked around and his loud voice echoed through the area, "Everyone, the academy has decided to add an assessment at Source Pool Mountain. Each of you must take the test, so please follow the teachers'' guidance and don''t panic..."


    "Source Pool Mountain?"


    "Don''t we usually take this test after absorbing Heaven''s Fate Energy and stabilizing our Source Pools? Why are we doing it now?"


    Normally, this assessment was done after absorbing Heaven''s Fate Energy to stabilize the Source Pool. This sudden test felt like starting exams before even beginning sses.


    Everyone was puzzled, including Mo Yanxue, who was now with Yu Xiaoyu, Yu Feng, Zhang Xuan, and the others. They all looked at each other, not knowing what the academy was nning.


    "I heard someone say that a super genius appeared. Walking through Source Pool Mountain might be their way to identify that person," Yu Feng, who was well-informed, exined.


    "A super genius?" Mo Yanxue''s frown rxed. "That makes sense. No wonder the dean said he would take a personal disciple. It must be for this person."


    "I wish I could be the genius noticed by the dean..." Yu Xiaoyu nodded, her eyes full of longing. Then she noticed the groom nearby, "Zhang Xuan, why are you here by the stage too? Do you also want to cultivate?"


    "I do want to cultivate, but I don''t have any techniques..." Zhang Xuan replied, feeling embarrassed.


    As a renowned teacher, always regarded as a top genius, he now couldn''t even locate his Source Pool. It was quite humbling...


    "Never cultivated even once?"


    Yu Xiaoyu finally realized what was happening and turned to Mo Yanxue, "Xue''er, you''re being too stingy! As I said before... just give him to me, and I''ll teach him!"


    "No need, he¡¯s my servant, and I¡¯ll handle it myself!" Mo Yanxue shook her head, taking out a book from her bosom and handing it over, "This is our Mo family¡¯s ''Hongshan Source Pool Method.'' It¡¯s your reward from thepetition with Liu Mingyue. You can start studying it, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask."


    "Uh... what about the 100 source coins?" Zhang Xuan looked conflicted.


    Although he really wanted the cultivation method, the money was also very important!


    Seeing that he was still hung up on the money at this point, Mo Yanxue frowned, "You have to choose: the cultivation method or the source coins!"


    "Miss, can I take a look at the manual first before deciding? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t open the book."


    After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Xuan asked.


    "Alright." Mo Yanxue didn¡¯t mind, since she had intended to give him the book anyway.


    Zhang Xuan took the book, and as soon as his fingers touched it, he called out silently in his heart, "Defects!"


    Boom!


    The Library of Heaven¡¯s Path lit up, alternating between light and dark. The ability to identify defects activated, and the book, infused with Heaven''s Fate Energy, changed its text on the surface, revealing fiverge characters on the page: ''Hongshan Source Pool Method!''


    "It''s recing the book instead of generating a new one..." Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.


    Previously, the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path would generate an identical copy of any book it touched, marking its defects. Now, it required a book infused with Heaven''s Fate Energy to rece.


    It seemed that the library, although activated, was still very weak.


    Without dwelling on it, Zhang Xuan''s eyes showed reluctance, but he ultimately shook his head and handed the manual back, "Miss, I''ve thought it over. I¡¯ll take the 100 source coins instead."


    "Once you can cultivate and be a Source Warrior, earning 100 source coins will be easy..." Yu Xiaoyu couldn''t help but say.


    "I¡¯ve made my decision..." Zhang Xuan sped his hands in a bow.


    "Miss this opportunity, and I won¡¯t give you a second chance!" Mo Yanxue¡¯s eyes were cold.


    "Understood!" Zhang Xuan nodded.


    "Hmph!" Not wanting to say more, Mo Yanxue took out 100 source coins and threw them over.


    She had thought he was motivated and eager to learn, but it turned out he was just greedy for money. Her initial good impression of him vanished instantly.


    "Thank you, Miss!" Zhang Xuan said with a joyful expression.


    The book had already been copied by the Library of Heaven''s Path, so asking for it again was pointless. The money was more practical!


    "Actually, his choice is the most sensible..." Seeing the confusion on his sister and Miss Mo''s faces, Yu Feng exined, "Brother Zhang is over twenty years old. His meridians are set, and even if he finds his Source Pool, who knows how long it will take to develop it? Plus, the resources needed... given his status, who knows how long it would take to gather them? Instead of betting on something uncertain, it¡¯s better to take what he needs immediately!"


    "That makes sense!" Yu Xiaoyu realized.


    Mo Yanxue frowned but didn''t say anything.


    That reasoning was indeed sound.


    At an older age, the potential is much lower. Whether he could develop his Source Pool in his lifetime was uncertain. Though hecked ambition, he at least had self-awareness.


    "Let¡¯s go to Source Pool Mountain to test and see who this genius that the dean is so interested in really is..."


    Not dwelling on it any longer, Mo Yanxue began walking forward.

 Chapter 17: Zhang Xuan Never Caused Trouble

    Chapter 17: Zhang Xuan Never Caused Trouble


    At this time, the teachers had already finished guiding the students, who were now lined up on and off the stage.


    Although called a mountain, Source Pool Mountain was actually a small stone. As students walked past, it asionally emitted yellow or green colors, with red being rare.


    Many students hoped to be the "genius," but seeing the dean and others'' disappointed looks, they understood it wasn''t them.


    "Xue''er, do you think... the genius the dean is looking for could be you?" Yu Xiaoyu asked suddenly.


    "Impossible!" Mo Yanxue shook her head. "I haven''t even refined a single source energy during this assessment. If it were really me, the dean would have mentioned it earlier."


    "That''s true!" Yu Xiaoyu nodded, looking eager. "Someone more talented than us... I really want to know who it is. We must meet this person!"


    "Indeed!" Mo Yanxue agreed. "It would be an honor to know such a person."


    After expressing her feelings, she looked towards the groom in the distance. Her brows furrowed again.Here was someone clearly talented, yet humble enough not to acknowledge it, content with obscurity. Another was given the opportunity to train but willing to give it up for just 100 source coins... How could there be such a disparity between people?


    "It''s our turn!"


    Soon it was their turn. Mo Yanxue strode towards the Source Pool Mountain, which immediately emitted a faint red light.


    Though still a distance from deep red, it indicated her Source Pool was more solid than most, a testament to her talent.


    Next, Yu Xiaoyu walked over and also caused a faint red glow.


    "Who is this? He looks older..." Following behind them, Zhang Xuan was about to step forward when a teacher''s reprimand rang out.


    The students undergoing the assessment were all around sixteen or seventeen years old, but this guy was clearly over twenty, obviously not fitting the criteria.


    "He is my attendant. The vice-principal said everyone should be tested, so I brought him along," Mo Yanxue exined.


    "Don''t waste the opportunity on an attendant!" The teacher in charge snorted coldly. "Step aside!"


    "Yes!" Zhang Xuan nodded.


    He hadn''t opened his Source Pool, so the test was irrelevant to him. He was about to move aside when a voice rang out.


    "Let him take the test!"


    The dean, Lu Mingrong, looked over with deep eyes.


    "Yes!"


    The teacher didn''t dare hesitate with the dean''s order and motioned. "Go ahead!"


    Zhang Xuan stepped towards the Source Pool Mountain, feeling a gentle force enter his body and rush along his meridians as if searching for something.


    He didn''t resist, letting it roam while he looked down at the rock beneath his feet. The stone was grayish-blue, with no light glowing.


    "As expected, it doesn''t light up..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    This thing was quite urate.


    Just a moment ago, he had imagined whether the dean could be looking for him.


    Now it was clear he had overthought... Without Source Pool, he was just a useless person unable to cultivate, not worth all this fuss.


    "Step down!" The teacher was not surprised and nced at him contemptuously, waving his hand.


    Zhang Xuan stepped down, not noticing that the force that had entered his body was still wandering inside. It seemed get lost...


    Seeing this, Dean Lu Mingrong felt a deep disappointment.


    After testing almost all the students, the genius was still nowhere to be found...


    For the first time, he felt that sometimes, overly humble students could be quite frustrating!


    "Let''s go!"


    Realizing the dean wasn''t looking for her, Mo Yanxue and the others felt slightly disappointed and turned to leave the school. Although today''s assessment wasn''tpleted, it had been a good exercise. They would try again tomorrow and hopefully do better.


    Yu Feng, being a student of the academy, naturally couldn''t leave with them and waved to say goodbye.


    At this point, almost all the new students knew the dean was looking for a genius. Each one was eager to perform well and gain his favor.


    "Tomorrow, I must refine the Heaven''s Fate Energy well and make a name for myself!"


    Yu Xiaoyu clenched her fists, setting a lofty goal. As she spoke, she thought of something. "If I could borrow my dad''s training room for a night, I could definitely stand out tomorrow!"


    While others didn''t know, as his daughter, she knew very well. The city lord had built a special quiet room above the library for himself. Training there not only helped in focusing but also increased control over power. If she could adjust herself there overnight, she would surely perform much better at absorbing Heaven''s Fate Energy tomorrow.


    "But... Dad treasures that room. I can''t even look at it, let alone train there... Oh!"


    An idea suddenly struck Yu Xiaoyu. "If I help him tame that Cangback Eagle, he would definitely agree!"


    The Cangback Eagle was something her father had spent a long time capturing and had been trying to tame for over half a month without sess. If she could help, he would surely agree to anything.


    "Aha..."


    With a sly smile, Yu Xiaoyu jingled the bells on her outfit and approached Mo Yanxue. "Xue''er, you said I could borrow that groom..."


    Mo Yanxue frowned.


    "What, are you going back on your word?"


    Yu Xiaoyu nodded. "Just for a day. I''ll return him tomorrow, please~~"


    With a cute face and a pleading voice, even Mo Yanxue felt a bit of a headache.


    "Fine, fine!" She nodded, then turned to Zhang Xuan. "Zhang Xuan, go with Miss Yu and do as she says. Don''t cause trouble."


    "Yes, Miss. I''ve always been discreet and never caused trouble!" Zhang Xuan nodded.


    He had just been brought into the Mo family and had no contract of servitude, so he could leave whenever he wanted. However, since he hadn''t fully recovered from his injuries and hadn''t started training yet, it was better not to offend anyone.


    Staying low-key was always the top priority.


    Besides, he had noticed that while Miss Mo seemed cold and strict, she wasn''t actually bad. Using the Mo family as a temporary shelter until he fully recovered was a good way to ensure his safety. Most importantly, he needed to leave the Mo family openly to gain an identity. Otherwise, he would just be a refugee and sooner orter get caught again.


    Satisfied with his response, Mo Yanxue nodded.


    "Great, let''s go now..."


    Afraid her friend would change her mind, Yu Xiaoyu jumped up, grabbed Zhang Xuan''s sleeve, and headed towards the carriage outside the academy.


    Zhang Xuan awkwardly bowed to Mo Yanxue as a farewell.


    "This girl, always so energetic..."


    Mo Yanxue shook her head, turning towards Su Shang¡¯s resting ce.


    The horse had performed admirably, boosting her prestige. She would reward it well when she got back.


    Before she could get there, Feng Jin hurried over, his chubby body trembling with tension. "Miss, have you finished the assessment..."


    "Yes!"


    Mo Yanxue nodded expressionlessly. "Bring Su Shang over!"


    "Well..."


    Steward Feng''s eyelid twitched, and he fell to his knees with a thud. "Miss... Su Shang... it was..."


    "What happened to it?"


    Mo Yanxue asked.


    Steward Feng gritted his teeth. "It was... killed by Zhang Xuan!"


    "What happened? Tell me clearly!"

 Chapter 18: Golden Light

    Chapter 18: Golden Light


    "It''s like this!"


    Seeing the youngdy''s anger, a cold light shed in Feng Jin''s eyes. He bit his lip and began to speak mournfully, "After you left, Miss, Wu Xiang and I nned to take Su Shang to the stable for rest. But we had only walked a few steps when Su Shang suddenly copsed, convulsed, and died!"


    "We discovered it had been severely injured all along! The only reason it could withstand the killing aura of the Mo Yun Jade was that the physical pain it endured was greater than the fear in its heart... Otherwise, how could an immature horse have more willpower than a battle-hardened warhorse?"


    "What..." Mo Yanxue furrowed her brows, a hint of doubt in her eyes. "Injured?"


    "Yes, Miss, pleasee this way!" Feng Jin did not exin further and led her around a corner. There they saw Su Shang, which had been so vigorous earlier, lying still on the ground, lifeless.


    Mo Yanxue hurried to its side, her heart aching. With just one nce, she couldn''t help but clench her fists.


    The dark red horse was now stiff as a board, and the heat of the day had caused a foul stench, assaulting her nose.


    There was no need to touch it; it was clearly dead, with no chance of survival.Seeing the sadness and anger in her eyes, Feng Jin knew it was the right time. He pointed to Su Shang''s belly.


    "Miss, look here. Su Shang''s belly was shed open long ago. This must have been Zhang Xuan''s method of controlling it. Otherwise, how could a mere groom make a horse you couldn''t even tame so obedient?"


    Following his finger, Mo Yanxue indeed saw a bloody gash on Su Shang''s belly. The blood had long since dried and scabbed over. Though the cut was only about half a foot long, it must have been excruciatingly painful when it was made. The person who did it must have been incredibly cruel.


    Her fists clenched tighter, and her body began to tremble uncontrobly.


    This horse had been a precious gift from her father on her sixteenth birthday. He bought it at a high price from the White Rock Stud. She had always treasured it. She couldn''t believe a mere groom would use a knife on it just to tame it... It was so cruel and unforgivable.


    Feng Jin and Wu Xiang just exchanged nces and understood each other. Thetter quickly knelt down.


    "Miss, it''s my fault. Actually... I noticed something was wrong with Su Shang yesterday. Normally, it''s full of energy, running around the yard, butst night it justy there motionless. I should have reported it to you immediately..."


    Taking a deep breath, Mo Yanxue calmed her anger and looked at him. "What''s going on?"


    "Here is what happened..." Wu Xiang quickly recounted what he had seen yesterday and today, and added some fabricated and nderous details.


    After hearing his exnation, Mo Yanxue''s eyes turned red. "So, you mean Zhang Xuan has been abusing Su Shang to tame it. Just now, after I went to the Source Pool assessment, Su Shang copsed and died from both mental and physical pressure..."


    "That must be it. Otherwise, how could such a proud horse obey a mere servant?" Feng Jin nodded.


    Wu Xiang added, "Right, the idea that he can tame beasts is nonsense! I''ve never heard of anyone who can naturally make source beasts feel friendly towards them..."


    "Born to be able to tame beasts, indeed hard to understand..." Mo Yanxue nodded, her words halting as her pupils suddenly contracted. "Oh no, he''s helping the city lord tame the Cangback Eagle..."


    If what they said was true, and Zhang Xuan''s so-called taming was just brutal beatings... offending the city lord would be a certainty!


    "Take Su Shang''s body to the city lord''s mansion. I''m going to find Zhang Xuan right now. If he really caused Su Shang''s death through abuse, I won''t hesitate to enforce the family rules..."


    Unable to hold back any longer, Mo Yanxue stomped her foot and sprinted straight towards the city lord''s mansion.


    She hoped to catch up with their carriage. If something happened to the Cangback Eagle, the Mo family would have to face the wrath of the city lord.


    Watching her leave, Feng Jin and Wu Xiang exchanged relieved nces.


    "That brat dares to go against me? Let''s see how I deal with him..." Feng Jin snorted coldly, a sh of malice in his eyes.


    ...


    At that moment, Zhang Xuan, who had been framed by Steward Feng, was sitting outside the carriage, next to the driver.


    Yu Xiaoyu had invited him to sit inside, but he thought it was inappropriate and declined.


    After all, this girl was the daughter of the city lord and very beautiful. If people found out that a man of simr age rode in the carriage with her, it would certainly cause him a lot of unnecessary trouble.


    "Bro, your carriage was parked next to Su Shang earlier. Did you see if Steward Feng took good care of it? I''ve grown attached to the horse after taking care of it for so long, and I''d hate for anything to happen that would disappoint Miss Mo..."


    Zhang Xuan looked over with a simple and honest expression.


    "Well..."


    The driver twitched his eyelids. "Yes, they took good care of it. D-don''t worry!"


    "That''s good!"


    Seemingly oblivious to the driver''s nervousness, Zhang Xuan pretended to breathe a sigh of relief.


    The reason Su Shang had crashed into the wall and died after being touched by Steward Feng was because Zhang Xuan had instructed it to do so.


    Before heading to the academy with Mo Yanxue, he had deliberately pulled the horse''s ear and given it detailed instructions.


    There was no choice. The horse had already died. In this heat, the stench would soon be noticeable. In another half day, it would certainly be discovered. Rather than letting the problem be found outter, it was better to let it "sacrifice" itself now.


    This way, he could also distance himself from any suspicion.


    He had instructed Su Shang to die in front of the driver. As a servant of the city lord''s mansion, the driver''s testimony would carry more weight.


    Now it seemed that the horse had done well. Although the driver was not admitting anything at the moment, if Miss Mo or Yu Xiaoyu personally questioned him, he wouldn''t be able to hold out for long.


    Knowing that his n was in motion, Zhang Xuan stopped worrying and turned his thoughts to the books recorded in the library.


    He tapped his finger, and a book appeared in his hand. He gently opened it.


    "Hongshan Source Pool Method": Created 157 years ago by Mo Qingliu, the ancestor of the Mo family, it contains methods for finding and developing Source Pools...


    ws: First, the method for finding Source Pools is too slow without the aid of source energy and the power of the world, often resulting in wasted efforts. Second, the materials required for the development process are too rare and hard to find. Third...


    At the hundred and third w, it suggests using the power of a mountain to develop the Source Pool, yet itcks the weight of a mountain...


    "So many ws?"


    With just a nce, Zhang Xuan''s mouth twitched.


    It had been a long time since he had practiced a technique with so many ws. If he were to practice this, it would take forever to seed.


    ¡®Forget it, it''s better to do as before¡ªgather more secret manuals and merge them into a Heaven''s Path technique!¡¯


    Coincidentally, he was heading to the city lord''s mansion. Perhaps he could take advantage of this opportunity to aplish that.


    He withdrew his mind from the Library of Heaven''s Path, only to find that there was still a stream of energy wandering through his meridians.


    It was the same energy that had entered his body from the Source Pool Mountain, drifting aimlessly like a fish without a purpose. It couldn''t find a Source Pool but was unwilling to leave either.


    "Forget it, I''ll send it to the New World first!"


    Afraid that it might cause some trouble inside his body, Zhang Xuan focused his mind and threw it into the New World.


    This wasn''t Heaven''s Fate Energy. If he sent it into the library, what if it damaged the books?


    At the same time, beside the Source Pool Mountain, Dean Lu Mingrong looked on as thest student walked away, a deep disappointment in his eyes.


    "We''ve tested everyone and still didn''t find anything... Dean, do you think it''s possible that the appearance of the Nine Dragons Drawing Heaven''s Fate wasn''t due to a super genius but... a malfunctioning Destiny Disk?"


    Wu Yunzhou suddenly spoke up, recalling something.


    "This..."


    Lu Mingrong was taken aback.


    To be honest, it was possible for the Destiny Disk and the Nine Dragon Pirs to malfunction and produce such a result. If that were the case, it would be extremely embarrassing...


    "I''ll go check..."


    Realizing this, Lu Mingrong was about to examine the broken Destiny Disk when suddenly, the Source Pool Mountain began to shake violently. In the next moment, a dazzling light of red, yellow, and green illuminated the sky, as if the brightest sunset had ignited right before his eyes.


    Lu Mingrong stood frozen, his throat dry. He took a deep breath, and in a trembling voice, he murmured:


    "T-this... is the highest level of the Source Pool Mountain test, the ''Golden Light¡¯?"

 Chapter 19: The City Lord’s Mansion

    Chapter 19: The City Lord¡¯s Mansion


    ¡°Golden Light?¡±


    Wu Yunzhou and the others were puzzled.


    The deepest color they had seen before was only a deep orange-red. Such a bright, fiery red color, like a burning cloud, was something they had never even heard of, let alone seen.


    ¡°The Source Pool Mountain test shows red, yellow, and green colors to represent the stability of the Source Pool!¡±


    Suppressing his excitement, Dean Lu Mingrong hurriedly exined, ¡°Normally, a Source Pool at the First Grade level would only show a deep red color. Only by surpassing this level can the three colors blend together to produce a golden light. I always thought it was just a legend, but it¡¯s real, and it¡¯s right in front of us!¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­¡±


    Wu Yunzhou swallowed hard, his voice trembling. ¡°Then the Destiny Disk wasn¡¯t broken, and the super genius really exists?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Not only do they exist, but they just walked past the Source Pool Mountain! As for why it only appeared after everyone had left¡­ it¡¯s likely because the level is so high that even the Source Pool Mountain couldn¡¯t measure it urately at first!¡±Lu Mingrong smiled wryly.


    A dyed talent test, it seemed this old Source Pool Mountain was also due for recement¡­


    ¡°Since we¡¯re sure, we must find them. No matter how low-key this genius is, we will definitely find them if we try hard enough!¡±


    Wu Yunzhou nodded excitedly.


    ¡°Indeed! If we don¡¯t find such talent, it will haunt us forever¡­¡± Great Elder Ran Qingxu also agreed.


    A Saint Grade talent...


    It¡¯s uncertain if even one could appear in the entire kingdom. If one emerged in their academy and they failed to seize the opportunity, they would regret it for the rest of their lives.


    ¡°Dean, we couldn¡¯t identify who it was from the Source Pool Mountain. I¡¯m worried¡­ what if this genius doesn¡¯te back tomorrow? How will we find them?¡±


    Second Elder Wu Liuyun expressed his concern.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m worried about too¡­¡±


    Hesitating for a moment, Lu Mingrong said, ¡°Vice-principle Wu, go to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion and have City Lord Yu seal the city gates. No one who came to the academy today, regardless of age, is allowed to leave the city!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Wu Yunzhou cupped his fists.


    The dean¡¯s meticulous thinking was impressive. As long as the exits were sealed and no one could leave, they would naturally find the genius.


    ...


    The carriage sped along, and in less than half an hour, a magnificentplex appeared before them, more imposing than White Rock Academy. Even before they reached it, two waves of armored soldiers came forward to meet them.


    ¡°Miss, you¡¯ve finished your assessment¡­¡±


    A middle-aged armored soldier approached.


    ¡°Yup!¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu jumped off the carriage andnded lightly on the ground. ¡°Captain Hu, where is my father?¡±


    Captain Hu smiled, ¡°Miss, the City Lord is in the side hall with Adviser Liao, trying to tame the Cangback Eagle¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯vee at the right time!¡±


    Hearing that her father hadn¡¯t seeded yet, Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes lit up. She turned to Zhang Xuan, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Zhang Xuan responded, jumped off the carriage, and was about to follow when two soldiers stepped forward, crossing their long spears to block his path.


    Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s face darkened. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Captain Hu said, ¡°Miss, please have this person show his identification. I fear there may be danger¡­¡±


    ¡°Identification? He is Xue¡¯er¡¯s gro¡­ friend! I specifically invited him to help my father tame the Cangback Eagle. Show some respect!¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu raised her head and scolded sternly.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Captain Hu frowned.


    Seeing that he still wouldn''t let them through, Yu Xiaoyu continued, "What, my words don''t matter anymore?"


    Captain Hu hurriedly bowed. "I wouldn''t dare!"


    He gestured for the soldiers to lower their spears.


    "Let''s go!"


    With a cold snort, Yu Xiaoyu led the way towards the gate. Zhang Xuan followed closely behind. After walking a bit and seeing that they were far from Captain Hu, she stuck out her tongue and fanned her face with her hand, "That was close. This Captain Hu is so rigid. If he found out you were just a servant with no identification, he definitely wouldn''t have let you in."


    "Thank you, Miss Yu!" Zhang Xuan cupped his fists.


    Yu Xiaoyu shook her head, "Why thank me? I''m asking for your help! Don''t worry, I''m much more generous than your family''s youngdy. If you can help me tame the Cangback Eagle, I''ll give you 200... no, 196 source coins!"


    "196?" Zhang Xuan was puzzled.


    Why such an odd number?


    Yu Xiaoyu blushed, "That''s all the money I have on me today... but don''t worry, I''ll ask my dad for more tomorrow!"


    Zhang Xuan felt a pang of sympathy, realizing that even the daughter of the City Lord had limited pocket money. Thinking about his own poverty made him feel even more deste...


    The City Lord¡¯s Mansion was vast, with pavilions and towers everywhere. If he walked by himself, he might easily get lost. He followed closely behind Yu Xiaoyu, and soon they arrived at a spacious side hall.


    "Dad..."


    Before they even entered, Yu Xiaoyu called out. As soon as her voice rang out, a nervous voice responded, "Shh..."


    Zhang Xuan looked over and saw a middle-aged man with a square face sitting in the middle of the room on a sandalwood stool. Seeing her rush in, he anxiously put his finger to his lips, making a silencing gesture repeatedly.


    Beside him stood a middle-aged man dressed as an adviser, with a wisp of green beard, probably the Adviser Liao mentioned by Captain Hu.


    In front of them on a perch stood a bull-sized eagle, its body covered in a bluish-green color, with an iron-gray spine that looked like it had a steel te welded onto it.


    It was a Source Beast¡ªthe Cangback Eagle!


    At this moment, the Cangback Eagle no longer had the majestic appearance of a Source Beast. Its eyes were bloodshot, and its body trembled on the perch as if it would copse at any moment...


    Of course, City Lord Yu across from it didn''t look much better. His eyes were bloodshot, and his face was ashen, looking like he was on the verge of copse.


    "Miss, you''re back. How did your Source Pool assessment go? What grade did you get? Who did you take as your teacher?"


    Adviser Liao lowered his voice and looked over curiously.


    "The academy''s Destiny Disk broke, so we have to do it tomorrow..." Yu Xiaoyu exined.


    "The Destiny Disk was crafted by experts from the Destiny Hall. Although it¡¯s not as sturdy as some powerful source weapons, it¡¯s still quite strong. How could it break?" Adviser Liao was stunned.


    "I don''t know either!"


    Shaking her head, Yu Xiaoyu exined her purpose. "I''m not here to talk about that. Dad hasn''t tamed the Cangback Eagle yet, right? I found a friend who is good at taming beasts to help!"


    "Good at taming beasts?" Adviser Liao was puzzled.


    "Yes!"


    Yu Xiaoyu proudly pointed at Zhang Xuan. "This is Zhang Xuan. He has a natural ability to make source beasts feel at ease and can tame them easily!"


    "Hearing the term ''source beasts,'' one would understand that they are extremely proud and unruly creatures. If they could be tamed easily, the City Lord wouldn''t have spent half a month without sleep trying to tame this one..."


    Adviser Liao frowned after hearing Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s introduction. His face darkened. "Miss, you might have been deceived by some chatan."

 Chapter 20: Taming the Eagle

    Chapter 20: Taming the Eagle


    "Are you talking about him, Miss?" Adviser Liao''s eyes fell on Zhang Xuan, looking displeased.


    "I don''t care what your intentions are, but how dare you to deceive at the City Lord''s mansion. Take him down..."


    "Hold on!" Yu Xiaoyu immediately stepped forward. "Adviser Liao, what are you doing? Are you going to attack my friend?"


    Adviser Liao cupped his fists. "I was only afraid you would be deceived¡­ Miss."


    "I invited Zhang Xuan here!" Yu Xiaoyu puffed up her cheeks. "Are you saying I''ve been fooled by him?"


    Adviser Liao shook his head. "I''ve never heard of any beast taming talent, so I can''t help but worry. You should know there are many swindlers out there..."


    "Just because you haven''t heard of it doesn''t mean it doesn''t exist. Zhang Xuan easily tamed Xue''er''s horse Su Shang a few days ago..." Yu Xiaoyu huffed.


    Adviser Liao finally understood and sneered. "How can Su Shangpare to a true Source Beast like the Cangback Eagle? It''s just a horse. Feed it for a while, and anyone can tame it."Horses are among the easiest animals to tame. Otherwise, no one wouldn''t ride them. They don''t even count as Source Beasts. iming to be a beast tamer by taming such a thing is clearly a scam.


    "Really? But Xue''er said it was very difficult to tame. She couldn''t do it herself..." Yu Xiaoyu, who didn''t understand much, began to feel uncertain as Adviser Liao''s words sounded reasonable.


    "Adviser Liao is right! Horses are indeed easier to tame..." The City Lord, Yu Longqing, who had been staring at the Cangback Eagle, suddenly spoke.


    Hearing her father say so, Yu Xiaoyu looked a bit embarrassed. "Then... I specially invited him here to help you tame this creature..."


    "Haha, my daughter has grown up and can now help me with my worries. But don''t worry, I will tame the Cangback Eagle soon. There will be results by tomorrow at thetest." Yu Longqing''s reddened eyes showed a hint of excitement.


    "By tomorrow?" Thinking of borrowing her father''s quiet room, Yu Xiaoyu''s eyes twinkled. "Dad, I think tomorrow is toote. Why not let Zhang Xuan try? Since he''s already here, wouldn''t it be great if he seeds?"


    "Miss, it''s not that we don''t want you to try!" Adviser Liao said, "Beast taming isn''t a game. Once you start, you must see it through without changing hands midway, which is what we call ''Exhausting the Beast.'' Only by exhausting it to mental copse can it be fully subdued. The City Lord has already been at it for over half a month, and the Cangback Eagle is about to give in. If we change tamers now, all the previous effort might be wasted..."


    "I see..." Yu Xiaoyu didn''t realize beast taming was soplicated and curiously looked at Zhang Xuan who stood not far away. "How did you tame Su Shang? Did you exhaust it too?"


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Of course not! I was just lucky and got the Su Shang horse''s approval by chance..."


    From his chats with Mo Yanxue and others, Zhang Xuan had learned that although the Source World had terrifying power, where even a random person could destroy the Firmament, they were quitecking in the art of beast taming. He knew he needed to stay low-key for now.


    At that moment, Adviser Liao looked over. "Approval? How long did it take?"


    Zhang Xuan calcted in his mind. "About half a day!"


    It took one punch to knock it down and a second to use the Spirit Awakening Technique... saying half a day shouldn''t be an exaggeration.


    "Half a day? Haha, such bragging! No wonder the youngdy was deceived by you." Adviser Liao sneered.


    Yu Xiaoyu looked puzzled. "Bragging? Didn''t Adviser Liao say horses are easier to tame?"


    Adviser Liao said, "Horses are easy to tame, but Su Shang, being a thousand-mile horse, still has some wild nature. To make itpletely obedient, you need one of two methods. The first is to exhaust it until its will is broken, then take advantage of its weakened state to gain its approval. This is the method the City Lord is using, also known as the forceful taming method!"


    "The other method is to treat it well with delicious food, satisfying its desires until it loses its wild nature. This gentler approach is called the gentle taming method. Both methods take a long time, especially thetter, which can take six months to a year, or even longer. Taming a horse in half a day, even if it''s just a horse, is impossible... If it''s not bragging, then what is?"


    "Oh... I see!" Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.


    It turned out that the beast taming methods in the Source World were just the most basic techniques for the beast tamers on the Master Teacher Continent.


    Whether by exhausting or nurturing, both took a lot of time and effort, and the results weren''t very good. No wonder Mo Yanxue was so surprised when she heard he had sessfully tamed Su Shang.


    "What? Have I exposed you, and now you admit you''re a fraud?" Seeing Zhang Xuan''s expression, Adviser Liao sneered.


    "Not quite... I said I was just lucky to gain Su Shang''s approval. Since the City Lord and Adviser Liao don''t need my help, then, Miss Yu, I''ll take my leave now!" Zhang Xuan cupped his fists.


    Seeing the hostility, he didn''t want to cause any trouble.


    "Well... alright!" Seeing that her father was about to seed, Yu Xiaoyu nodded, although a bit unhappy because she had no excuse to use her father¡¯s silence room any more.


    "Wait a minute! The City Lord''s mansion is the core of White Roc City, and the youngdy is of noble status. Do you think you cane and go as you please?" Adviser Liao''s eyes narrowed, and he shouted coldly as Zhang Xuan turned to leave.


    "What do you mean by this, Adviser Liao?" Zhang Xuan frowned.


    He hadn''t wanted toe in the first ce, but Yu Xiaoyu had insisted and even offered money, so he reluctantly agreed. Now that he was here, he was questioned and threatened, and he was already quite annoyed.


    "Nothing much... I just want you to know the true art of beast taming, so you don''t continue to boast and deceive others!" Adviser Liao waved his hand dismissively.


    "Oh?" Zhang Xuan''s eyelids twitched.


    With their panda-eyed techniques that wouldn¡¯t even be worthy of taming dogs on the Master Teacher Continent, they dared to call it the art of beast taming!


    Thinking Zhang Xuan was now inplete awe, Adviser Liao sneered and looked towards Yu Longqing, bowing. "City Lord, the Cangback Eagle is almost at its limit. We can use that technique now!"


    "Oh? Finally?" Yu Longqing''s face lit up with joy. He stared intently at the Cangback Eagle in front of him, his eyes widening. He took a deep breath of source energy into his abdomen and suddenly shouted, "Submit now!"


    The City Lord''s strength was formidable, not a bit weaker than that of Dean Lu Mingrong. As he roared, the room instantly felt waves of energy rolling through it, like muffled thunder.


    Zhang Xuan''s pupils contracted.


    No wonder they were experts from the Source World. Just that one roar could have caused his entire New World to copse, and the so-called Nine Heavens and Ten Earths would have shattered into pieces.


    "Chirp!"


    Under the assault of the sound waves, the already faltering Cangback Eagle wobbled again, then let out an angry screech, looking at the City Lord with eyes full of humiliation.


    "It''s about to submit..." Seeing the expression on the eagle''s face, Adviser Liao was excited, clenching his fists.


    Yu Longqing''s face also turned red with excitement. He had persisted for over half a month, waiting for this moment...


    "Chirp!"


    Just as the two were full of anticipation, the enraged Cangback Eagle let out another screech, suddenly turned, and dashed towards the iron pir not far away.


    Bang!


    Its head smashed into the pir, blood gushing out. Then, its body fell off the perch with a thud, its legs twitching uncontrobly.


    "..." Yu Longqing''s vision went ck.


    Adviser Liao''s hands, which he had intended to celebrate with, slowly lowered, his face turning bright red with embarrassment.


    As they were feeling utterly humiliated and at a loss for what to do, they heard Zhang Xuan''s puzzled voice from not far away, "Is this what you call a mysterious and unfathomable taming technique?"

 Chapter 21: The Frightened Cangback Eagle

    Chapter 21: The Frightened Cangback Eagle


    "..."


    Adviser Liao''s mouth twitched, almost spitting out blood on the spot.


    He had just finished boasting about his taming methods, only to have them backfire in his face.


    This wasn''t some mysterious and unfathomable taming technique; it was a mysterious and unfathomable death technique!


    As his eyelids twitched and he was about to lose his temper, he saw Yu Xiaoyu looking equally puzzled. "Adviser Liao, is using its head to hit the wall also a taming method?"


    She genuinely didn''t understand.


    Hearing Adviser Liao and her father speak so confidently, she thought that the twitching was part of the process...


    Feeling another stab in his chest, and this time from Miss Yu, Adviser Liao didn''t dare to express his embarrassment and could only show a tearful expression. "Well... Miss, it just failed to be tamed.""What do you mean?" Yu Xiaoyu''s eyes widened.


    Seeing her persistence in rubbing his face in the dirt, Adviser Liao had no choice but to awkwardly exin, "There are sesses and failures in beast taming. This Cangback Eagle is too proud, preferring death over bing a human pet. I did my best..."


    He then turned to Yu Longqing, bowing deeply with a face full of shame. "City Lord, it is myck of skill that caused you to miss out on your desired pet..."


    The taming was naturally led by Adviser Liao. No one expected that after all this effort, it would end up being a waste of time.


    "It''s not your fault. It just means I am not destined for this Cangback Eagle. As you said, there are sesses and failures in taming. This loss is nothing to worry about. We will aim for sess next time." Yu Longqing shook his head.


    He had persevered for more than half a month, almost exhausting himself, only for the eagle tomit suicide at thest moment.


    Although he felt frustrated, he couldn''t me anyone.


    After listening to their conversation, Yu Xiaoyu finally understood what had happened.


    She looked at Zhang Xuan with curiosity. "Didn''t you say you tamed Su Shang in half a day? Why did my father spend half a month, only for it to crash into a wall?"


    Thisment made both Yu Longqing and Adviser Liao wish they could disappear into a hole.


    "Miss, please be careful with your words... Su Shang is just a horse, it can''t bepared to a Cangback Eagle," Adviser Liao quickly exined.


    Zhang Xuan smiled faintly. "Maybe I was just lucky."


    In reality, Su Shang had also died, but he had the Spirit Awakening Technique.


    "Then... could you help my father tame it?" Yu Xiaoyu still didn''t want to give up the opportunity.


    "Well..." Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment, then said, "If the Cangback Eagle isn''t dead, I could give it a try, but now..."


    "Give it a try?" Before he could finish, Adviser Liao''s icy voice interrupted him. "You really don''t know your ce. The Cangback Eagle has been enduring for so many days without submitting, choosing death over submission. It has made its stance clear. Even a master of beast taming couldn''t seed, let alone someone who loves to boast like you."


    "Adviser Liao, are you saying you don''t believe I can do it?" Zhang Xuan''s eyelids lifted slightly.


    Having been belittled once or twice, Zhang Xuan remained humble. But being mocked repeatedly tested his patience. Even a kid has his temper.


    "Indeed, if you can tame it in this condition, I''ll willingly take you as my master!" Adviser Liao snorted.


    "No need for such formalities. I''m just looking for some cultivation techniques. If you agree to let me read in the City Lord''s library for an hour, taming this eagle is no big deal," Zhang Xuan said, his mind made up.


    The Hongshan Source Pool Method had many ws, and on his way here, he had been thinking about getting some benefits from The City Lord. The current situation provided the perfect excuse.


    As for the eagle, if it died, he could use the Spirit Awakening Technique. If it didn''t, he would tame it. Either way, he was already in a win-win situation. And if the eagle flew away afterwards, it wouldn''t be his fault.


    "Read for an hour?" Adviser Liao was puzzled by Zhang Xuan''s request.


    Since the library was public, it generally didn''t contain highly confidential techniques but did hold the foundation of The City Lord''s mansion. It wasn''t a ce just anyone could ess.


    This matter wasn''t something he could decide; it needed the City Lord''s approval.


    Understanding this, Yu Longqing frowned and was about to speak when he saw his daughter looking at him. "Yes, Xue''er offered you the Hongshan Source Pool Method, but you didn''t take it. If you want to cultivate, you indeed need techniques..."


    "Xiaoyu, what''s going on?" Yu Longqing asked, noticing his daughter seemed to know more.


    "Oh, it''s like this!" Yu Xiaoyu exined, "Actually... Zhang Xuan is Yu''er¡¯s groom. He has never cultivated before. This time, he followed us to White Roc Academy, and saw so many Source Warriors, he might have been inspired and wanted to learn how to develop a Source Pool..."


    "Never cultivated before?" Yu Longqing looked Zhang Xuan over carefully. Indeed, his vitality seemed weak. Not only did heck Source Energy, but he also seemed to have internal injuries. After a moment of contemtion, he asked, "Do you really have a way to tame this Cangback Eagle?"


    "If it''s not dead, I have some methods," Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Surprised that the City Lord would actually consider Zhang Xuan''s offer, Adviser Liao showed a hint of reluctance. His tone was filled with disdain and contempt. "City Lord, you don''t really believe this guy, who can''t even locate a Source Pool, can help tame the Cangback Eagle, do you?"


    "There''s no harm in trying!" Yu Longqing replied.


    Yu Longqing waved his hand. "Hmm, go and fetch Doctor Li."


    Although feeling somewhat disgruntled, Adviser Liao nodded and left. He hadn''t seeded, and the City Lord had lost patience. It was understandable for him to turn to someone else''s seemingly empty promises.


    However, a lie is still a lie. This kid without any cultivation couldn''t possibly seed. Once he fails, the City Lord will naturallye to appreciate his own skills again.


    After Adviser Liao left, Yu Longqing, Zhang Xuan, and the others turned their attention to the Cangback Eagle on the ground. Although the eagle''s head was bleeding heavily, its strong physique as a Source Beast meant it was still twitching and hadn''t died yet. If they treated it in time, it might still have a chance.


    Soon, an elderly man carrying a medical kit followed Adviser Liao back in. He must be the Doctor Li mentioned by the City Lord. Without wasting any time, Doctor Li checked the Cangback Eagle and then took out a pill, dissolving it into liquid before administering it.


    Shortly after, the Cangback Eagle slowly opened its eyes and looked at Yu Longqing again, its eyes full of vignce and anger. The earlier taming attempt had clearly been a great humiliation to it.


    Yu Longqing finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Zhang Xuan. "Do you need anything to tame it? I will have it prepared immediately."


    "No need. I require absolute silence tomunicate with it. If you don''t mind... could you all leave the room?" Zhang Xuan said after a moment of thought.


    He wasn''t sure if his rough taming method would work. It was better to clear the room first. If the method was seen by others, it would be quite embarrassing.


    "Alright!" Yu Longqing hesitated but eventually nodded and left the room with Yu Xiaoyu and Adviser Liao.


    Soon, only Zhang Xuan and the Cangback Eagle remained in the room.


    "Chirp?" The Cangback Eagle had expected Yu Longqing to continue his torment when it woke up, but seeing him leave made it somewhat confused. This confusion didn''tst long, however, as it saw the young man nearby stretching and preparing for action, his face turning sinister as he approached.


    "Chirp, chirp..." The Cangback Eagle, pressing its wings to its chest, let out a nervous screech, like the mournful cry of an owl piercing the night.

 Chapter 22: Complete Submission

    Chapter 22: Complete Submission


    Outside the side hall of The City Lord''s mansion.


    Seeing that the City Lord actually allowed the young man to try to tame the Cangback Eagle and had brought them all out, Adviser Liao could no longer hold back. "City Lord, you don''t really believe that immature boy can tame the Cangback Eagle, do you?"


    Yu Longqing shook his head. "He''s just a groom and hasn''t trained in cultivation. I observed him earlier. He knows very little about beast taming. It''s almost impossible for him to seed."


    Adviser Liao was stunned. "Then why did you leave him alone with the Cangback Eagle...?"


    Yu Longqing looked over. "Do you have any other solutions?"


    "I... don''t," Adviser Liao said, looking dejected. "After over half a month of effort, the eagle''s will is incredibly strong. If I can''t tame it, there''s no way that kid can. He''s just a fraud trying to make a name for himself."


    Seeing Adviser Liao constantly belittle Zhang Xuan, Yu Xiaoyu couldn''t hold back anymore. "No, Zhang Xuan really did tame Su Shang, and it''s very obedient!"


    "Miss..." Adviser Liao was about to exin the vast difference between taming a horse and a Source Beast when a guard rushed up to them."Report, Mo Yanxue from the Mo family requests an audience!"


    Yu Longqing was slightly surprised but then nodded. "Let her in."


    The guard left and soon returned with Mo Yanxue, who looked flushed and breathless. She quickly approached and bowed. "Greetings, City Lord!"


    "Xue''er? Why are you here?" Seeing her usuallyposed friend looking so anxious, Yu Xiaoyu walked up curiously.


    "I..." Mo Yanxue hesitated and then cautiously asked, "Has Zhang Xuan started helping the City Lord tame the beast yet?"


    "He has already started," Yu Xiaoyu nodded.


    "He... started?" Mo Yanxue''s vision darkened, and she swayed slightly.


    "What''s wrong?" Yu Xiaoyu asked, puzzled. "Don''t worry, Zhang Xuan is very reliable. He even kicked us out just now, saying he needed tomunicate with the Cangback Eagle alone."


    Mo Yanxue felt even more distressed.


    "Yanxue, is there something wrong?" Yu Longqing noticed her unease and frowned.


    "Reporting to the City Lord, there''s nothing wrong. I''m just worried that our groom''s taming methods might be inappropriate and could offend the City Lord..." Mo Yanxue''s face flushed red as she bit her lip and bowed.


    "Oh?" Adviser Liao seemed to catch a hint of something and stepped forward. "It seems Miss Mo is quite familiar with Zhang Xuan''s taming methods. Could you exin in detail?"


    "This..." Mo Yanxue hesitated.


    "He''s Adviser Liao. He''s been helping my father tame the Cangback Eagle these past few days!" Yu Xiaoyu quickly introduced, afraid her friend wouldn''t recognize him.


    "Greetings, Adviser Liao!" Mo Yanxue bowed. "Actually... I don''t know much about Zhang Xuan''s taming methods. I just learned how he tamed Su Shang before leaving the academy and worried he might use the same method, which could be offensive to the City Lord."


    "Oh?" Yu Longqing was intrigued. "I heard he tamed Su Shang in half a day. What method did he use? Don''t worry, since you came to inform us, I won''t hold it against him."


    "Thank you for your generosity..." Mo Yanxue breathed a sigh of relief and bit her lip. "Zhang Xuan tamed Su Shang by beating it up and even stabbing it in the belly..."


    "Beating it up?"


    "Stabbing it?"


    Yu Longqing and Adviser Liao exchanged nces, both of them staggering slightly. Especially Yu Longqing, who had spent countless resources and efforts to capture this eagle. He had thought Zhang Xuan had some proper taming technique, but now he was being told... it was just stabbing?


    This had to be a joke!


    "Xiaoyu say Su Shang was very obedient after he tamed it. Stabbing it?... isn''t that just provoking it?" Yu Longqing couldn''t hold back anymore.


    Mo Yanxue blushed. "Su Shang was indeed very obedient, so obedient that it died! Its body is lying outside..."


    "..." Yu Longqing''s body trembled, and his mind went nk. "Let''s go see it quickly!"


    Adviser Liao''s taming methods had failed, and Yu Longqing had hoped that even if Zhang Xuan didn''t seed, the oue wouldn''t be too bad. But he never expected that this guy would treat a living horse as a dead one!


    If he really beat and stabbed the Cangback Eagle, with its proud nature, it would rather swallow gold or drink poison, or even jump off a cliff than ever ept taming!


    "I told you, we shouldn''t trust such an unreliable person..."


    Adviser Liao shouted coldly, rushing towards the side hall door, pushing it open. Yu Longqing, Mo Yanxue, and Yu Xiaoyu followed closely behind.


    As they burst through the door, the scene inside came into view. Zhang Xuan, who had confidently imed he would tame the beast, was half-kneeling on the ground, his right knee pressing down on the Cangback Eagle''s body, his left hand gripping its neck, while his other hand repeatedly pped its face...


    It looked like he was pping a pillow.


    "???" Yu Longqing.


    "???" Adviser Liao.


    They had treated this Source Beast with the best food and drink, spoken countless kind words, all to no avail. They had tried to oust it, treating it with utmost respect. And here was Zhang Xuan, taming it by riding on its head and beating it...


    Was this called taming?


    This was aplete offense, utterly destroying any chance of taming it!


    Not only were Yu Longqing and Adviser Liao stunned, but Mo Yanxue was also shaking, her eyes about to pop out of their sockets. She had rushed here, worried that Zhang Xuan''s methods might be inappropriate, but never imagined they would be this absurd...


    Even Yu Xiaoyu, who was usually slow to react, was in shock, feeling like she might break apart.


    "Let go of that Cangback Eagle..." Adviser Liao couldn''t hold back and shouted.


    "Why are you all here?"


    Zhang Xuan was in the middle of pping the Cangback Eagle when the group suddenly burst in. Confused, he stood up and kicked the eagle in the chest. "I''ll give you one more chance. Will you submit or not?"


    "You... you... This is ridiculous. If taming a beast was just about beating it, beast pets wouldn''t be rare and sought after. This is utter nonsense..."


    Adviser Liao was about to explode with anger. He wanted to rush over and teach Zhang Xuan a lesson for his absurd behavior. But then, they saw the Cangback Eagle under Zhang Xuan''s foot release a pink light from its forehead, and a drop of blood floated into the air, shining brightly.


    "This is... a soul sacrifice,plete submission?"


    Adviser Liao and Yu Longqing were both stunned,pletely taken aback.

 Chapter 23: Mo Yanxues Doubts

    Chapter 23: Mo Yanxue''s Doubts


    The Cangback Eagle was incredibly proud. After spending more than half a month with it, they knew this very well.


    At the slightest displeasure, it would go on a hunger strike. If it showed any sign of being tamed, it would find a way to kill itself. Adviser Liao and Yu Longqing even thought it was impossible to seed in this lifetime. Yet, after Zhang Xuan gave it a beating, it voluntarily offered its soul.


    What the heck... Was taming beasts really this simple?


    Adviser Liao, who was about to humiliate Zhang Xuan, found his words stuck in his throat, his face turning red with embarrassment.


    The more he had babbled earlier, the more awkward he felt now.


    To persuade the City Lord, he had used countless methods, almost causing both the man and the eagle to die. In the end, it was all for nothing. On the contrary, after a single beating, it took less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea for this beast to be obedient and submissive.


    Was there really such a big difference between people?


    "Great! You submit!" Ignoring everyone''s astonishment, Zhang Xuan smiled slightly. "City Lord, quicklye and ept the blood essence. That way, you can control it."


    As he had previously spected, as long as he was willing to burn the new world, the "Beating Taming Method" could also be used in this Source World to make source beasts submit.


    This way, there was no need to kill the beast before awakening its spirit, saving a lot of trouble.


    However, to tame the beast, not only had he consumed a mountain spanning over a hundred thousand miles, but he had also burned seven or eight hundred books filled with Heaven''s Fate Energy from the academy to "see" the Cangback Eagle''s ws.


    The Library of Heaven''s Path now operated like a precise machine that required fuel¡ªHeaven''s Fate Energy!


    As for how he managed to defeat the beast... The Cangback Eagle had been starved for over half a month. Coupled with crashing into the iron frame, it was nearly dead. Using his burning power to deal with it was easy.


    "Alright!"


    Hearing the young man''s words, Yu Longqing knew it wasn''t the time to be shocked. Without hesitation, he hurriedly approached, bit his finger, and pointed at the blood essence floating in the air.


    Once the two drops of blood touched, the Cangback Eagle''s soul power would enter his body, bing his beast pet forever.


    Just as Yu Longqing''s finger was about to touch the Cangback Eagle''s blood essence, thetter suddenly lifted its head and swallowed the blood back into its abdomen. It then hugged the iron pir with its wings and started banging its head against it.


    ng! ng! ng!


    The sound echoed like a bell, and in the blink of an eye, its head was bleeding again. It seemed to feel humiliated once more, desperate to die, refusing to be stopped by anyone.


    "???" Yu Longqing''s mouth twitched, and his eyelids involuntarily trembled.


    ¡®You mean... Zhang Xuan can ept your blood, but I can''t?¡¯


    ¡®I am the City Lord, a super-strong Source Pool Eighth Grade expert,ing to bond with you, and you ignore me. But you n to submit to a groom who beat you... Are you really that despicable?¡¯


    Feeling utterly frustrated, he saw the young man ahead also reacting. Full of displeasure, Zhang Xuan pped the eagle''s face. "Are you serious?"


    Zhang Xuan then grabbed the Cangback Eagle by the neck and punched its head. "Spit out the blood essence and form a master-servant contract with the City Lord, or I''ll cook you with mushrooms right now."


    "Chirp~~" The Cangback Eagle looked aggrieved, like an abused child, and pitifully chirped twice. Reluctantly, it spat out the blood essence again, which merged with the blood from Yu Longqing''s fingertip.


    Instantly, the City Lord felt a connection, realizing he could nowmunicate and bond with the beast.


    "I-it is tamed already?" City Lord Yu couldn''t believe his eyes and stared in astonishment at the young man.


    "What? It''s not done yet?" Hearing his question, Zhang Xuan thought the Cangback Eagle was cking off. His expression darkened, and he pped the eagle again. "Still trying to y tricks?"


    "Chirp! Chirp~~" The Cangback Eagle, almost speaking in its panic, looked aggrieved and on the verge of tears.


    "No, it''s already submissive..." Startled by Zhang Xuan''s swift action, Yu Longqing quickly waved his hand. "I was just curious about your taming method..."


    "Submission is all that matters." Zhang Xuan finally sighed in relief.


    "We struggled with it for over half a month without sess, but you tamed it with just a beating. How did you do it?" City Lord Yu couldn''t hold back his curiosity any longer.


    Not only was he curious, but everyone else in the room also perked up their ears, looking puzzled. Especially Adviser Liao, who was intensely focused, afraid of missing any detail.


    "Actually, I already told the youngdy that I have a natural affinity that makes source beasts feel close to me... It should be considered a talent!" Zhang Xuan repeated the reason he had given earlier.


    Yu Longqing and Adviser Liao exchanged nces, both twitching their mouths. ¡®Natural affinity? All we saw was you beating it up¡­¡¯


    However, without this exnation, it was hard to understand why the proud Cangback Eagle, beaten and humiliated, would still obediently submit and even take pride in its submission.


    "Adviser Liao, isn''t it time to fulfill your promise?" Zhang Xuan quickly looked at Liao Shiquan, worried he might ask more questions.


    "Well..." Adviser Liao felt his face burn with embarrassment and awkwardly looked towards Yu Longqing.


    He had thought Zhang Xuan was arrogant and disrespectful, only to find out that he himself was the fool...


    "It''s just a method to search for and establish a Source Pool, very simple. I''ll arrange for someone to take you there now." Yu Longqing smiled, breaking the awkwardness.


    If he had been worried before that Zhang Xuan might be a spy stealing the City Lord''s secret library, those fears were now gone. The talent Zhang Xuan showed in beast taming alone would make him valuable anywhere, possibly even bing a guest elder. Someone like him wouldn''t go to great lengths just to steal some basic Source Pool techniques.


    "Thank you, City Lord..." Hearing his agreement, Zhang Xuan sighed in relief.


    He had been willing to burn the new world just to gather techniques and practice quickly. Now, it was finally time to reap the rewards.


    "Zhang Xuan, here are the 196 source coins I promised you..." Yu Xiaoyu approached, rummaging for a while before pulling out a pile of coins.


    "Thanks!" Zhang Xuan grinned and epted them with a satisfied expression.


    "Xiaoyu, what''s this?" City Lord Yu asked, puzzled.


    "This is the payment I promised him for helping tame the Cangback Eagle..." Yu Xiaoyu nodded.


    ¡®Helping to tame a source beast... for just 196 source coins? And in small change?¡¯ Adviser Liao''s mouth twitched, feeling even more embarrassed.


    They had spent more than ten thousand source coins trying to tame the eagle over the past half month, achieving nothing and almost driving it to suicide. Yet, Zhang Xuan seeded in no time and only charged 196 coins. The stark contrast made Adviser Liao feel deeply ashamed, wanting to disappear on the spot.


    ¡®Such a powerful person, and I actually doubted him... How shameful.¡¯


    "Wait a minute, if taming a source beast is as easy as giving it a beating, then... why did Su Shang Horse have a gash on its belly and end up dead?" At this moment, Mo Yanxue, unable to contain her doubts any longer, voiced her question from a distance.

 Chapter 24: I Took You As My Child

    Chapter 24: I Took You As My Child


    A fine horse was indeed proud, butpared to the Cangback Eagle that could fly, it was far inferior. Since thetter could be tamed so easily, how could Su Shang have been tamed to death?


    Previously, Mo Yanxue believed Feng Jin''s words, but now she was beginning to have some doubts.


    "What do you mean, miss?" Zhang Xuan seemed clueless about the girl''s words and couldn''t help but be stunned. His lips trembled, his eyes filled with disbelief. "Are you saying... Su Shang, it... it''s dead?"


    At this moment, Zhang Xuan''s eyes showed a mix of shock, confusion, disbelief, and sorrow. The various emotions intertwined, making it clear that he had just learned of this news.


    "Are you surprised?" Mo Yanxue frowned.


    "Su Shang was very healthy this morning. It snorted at me happily as it sent you off to school. How could it be dead..." Zhang Xuan clenched his fist, his teeth grinding. "Miss, what exactly is going on?"


    Seeing his genuine emotion, which did not seem fake, and considering his easy taming of the Cangback Eagle earlier, Mo Yanxue was also unsure. She looked over again:


    "When you came to the City Lord''s Mansion, Feng Jin told me that to tame Su Shang, you not only punished it physically but also used a sharp tool to cut open its belly. This caused the horse to suffer unbearable pain in both body and soul, and it suddenly died after we left...""Are you implying that I killed Su Shang?" Zhang Xuan trembled and shook his head urgently. "Leaving aside that Su Shang had already submitted to me and was my beast pet, I had grown attached to it after caring for it for so long. How could I do something so inhumane? Moreover, if its belly was really cut open, how could Miss Yu not notice anything while riding it?"


    "Yes, when I was riding it, Su Shang was running with great strength, like the wind!" Yu Xiaoyu nodded.


    As the person who rode the horse, she had a significant say in the matter.


    In the morning, Su Shang was tall and powerful, running with great vigor. If it had been injured, it would have been impossible.


    Mo Yanxue remained silent.


    Indeed, if it had been injured upon arrival, especially with such arge wound, no matter how fearful it was of Zhang Xuan or how afraid it was of being beaten, it couldn''t have hidden the pain.


    "I know that taming Su Shang and having Steward Feng act as your footstool hurt his pride, but to falsely use me by killing Su Shang on purpose is too much!"


    Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth, looking both aggrieved and angry. "I am willing to confront him. If he is lying, I hope the youngdy will clear my name. But if the horse did die because of me, I am willing to serve you for life withoutint."


    "Alright!"


    After a moment of contemtion, Mo Yanxue nodded and turned to Yu Longqing: "City Lord, my people should have brought Su Shang''s body here by now. May I have theme in so we can determine the truth?"


    "Of course! Bring Miss Mo''s people in!" Yu Longqing waved his hand lightly.


    This young man had a very strong talent for taming beasts. Even as the City Lord, he wanted to form a good rtionship with him, so he was more than willing to help clear his name.


    As the guards left, it didn''t take long for Feng Jin, Wu Xiang, and others to appear in the hall with Su Shang''s body.


    Seeing the fine horse lying motionless on the cart, Zhang Xuan''s eyes widened, his body involuntarily shaking, and his eyes turning red.


    "Su Shang..." Walking around the horse, Zhang Xuan finally stopped by its belly. His trembling fingers gently lifted its wound, as if looking for something. However, he paused after less than a breath. He then touched the horse''s head, his body trembling.


    "Su Shang, Su Shang, what happened to you? You can''t die! We''ve been through so much together, and I''ve always treated you like my own child. I never thought you died today. I always took you as my child..."


    A cry of grief, like a cuckoo''s wail, and tears flowed from Zhang Xuan''s eyes.


    "..."


    Feng Jin and Wu Xiang were stunned.


    Were they really that close? They hadn''t noticed before.


    This wouldn''t do. If they let him continue, they really wouldn''t be able to exin themselves...


    Unable to bear it any longer, Feng Jin quickly spoke up, "Stop pretending. It was you who killed it..."


    "Pretending?" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth and looked over, "Who worried it was too hot and fetched water to bathe it? Who groomed it to keep itfortable? Who fed it hay in the middle of the night to make sure it wasn''t hungry? It was me! Steward Feng! Even if I offended you, you wouldn''t kill it just to frame me, would you..."


    "Frame you? Zhang Xuan, stop twisting things around. It was clearly you who killed it!" Feng Jin hesitated for a moment, panic shing in his eyes.


    "I can testify! It was because Zhang Xuan abused and punished it that Su Shang was severely injured and died," Wu Xiang added.


    "Abused and punished? You''re lying..." Zhang Xuan straightened his neck.


    "If you didn''t abuse it, how did Su Shang''s belly get injured? How could it have died otherwise?" Feng Jin sneered. "Zhang Xuan, I advise you to tell the truth. The youngdy might spare your life. Otherwise, today will be the day you die!"


    "You..."


    Seemingly unable to argue, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath and turned to Mo Yanxue. "Youngdy, you can''t just listen to his side of the story. Su Shang died after we left. Whether it died because of me or if Steward Feng framed me, it can be rified if there were any witnesses."


    "Indeed!" Mo Yanxue nodded. She hadn''t seen it, but there were thousands of people at the academy gate to see them off. Someone must have seen what happened.


    Zhang Xuan thought for a moment and said, "I remember that Miss Yu''s driver was also present. He might know what happened after we left..."


    "This..." Feng Jin hadn''t expected Zhang Xuan to find a way to break through so quickly. His mouth twitched, and he felt a bad premonition.


    "That''s right, he was there. I''ll bring him here right away..." Yu Xiaoyu nodded.


    "Miss Yu, there''s no need. Su Shang died when he wasn''t there..." Feng Jin quickly tried to dissuade her.


    "Are you feeling guilty?" Zhang Xuan sneered.


    "Why would I feel guilty?" Feng Jin flicked his sleeve.


    "That''s good then!" Zhang Xuan bowed to Yu Xiaoyu, "Please, Miss Yu."


    "No problem!" Yu Xiaoyu nodded and gave an order. Soon, the driver who had driven her carriage walked in. He seemed indifferent at first, but upon seeing Su Shang on the cart and Feng Jin, he became nervous.


    Zhang Xuan said, "Sir, you saw this Su Shang this morning. It was perfectly fine. Now I''m being told it died and that Steward Feng ims it was my fault. You were outside the academy with them. Do you know what really happened?"


    "Well..." The driver nced at Feng Jin, hesitated for a moment, then clenched his teeth. "It was because of your abuse that Su Shang couldn''t take it and died. I saw it clearly, no mistake."


    "Is that really the case?" Everyone''s eyes turned to Zhang Xuan.

 Chapter 25: Confrontation

    Chapter 25: Confrontation


    "Was it really your fault?" Yu Xiaoyu eximed in surprise.


    She trusted her driver more, and since he admitted it, it should be true.


    Feng Jin couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief. His eyes gleamed as he bowed and cupped his hands, "Miss, this driver has confirmed it personally. Please order Zhang Xuan to be punished immediately..."


    Mo Yanxue frowned and looked over, "Do you have anything to say?"


    "I... abused it to death?"


    Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth, looking extremely aggrieved. He suddenly turned to the driver, "First of all, we only met today. How do you know I abused the horse? Secondly, since you insist that Su Shang died because of my abuse, can you tell me how exactly it died? And when?"


    "Well..." The driver hadn''t expected such detailed questions. He couldn''t meet Zhang Xuan''s gaze, shrinking back and speaking less confidently, "It was right after you and the youngdy left that it couldn''t take it anymore and died..."


    "That''s not right!" Zhang Xuan immediately interrupted him before he could finish, "Just now, Steward Feng said it died two hours after we left. How could it have died right after we left ording to you?"This was amon interrogation tactic from Zhang Xuan''s previous life.


    From riding in the carriage, he knew the driver and Steward Feng had coordinated their stories. His probing had revealed that they hadn''t discussed the exact details of Su Shang''s death in depth. This was an opportunity to exploit.


    Sure enough, hearing this, the driver was stunned and then awkwardly said, "I must have remembered wrong... it did die two hours after you left..."


    "Miss Yu, Miss Mo and I were in the academy for less than two hours. Are you suggesting that we had already returned before the horse died?" Zhang Xuan questioned.


    "Well, then... it must have died after you left..." The driver visibly panicked.


    "It''s over..." Feng Jin''s face turned pale, realizing Zhang Xuan had exposed the driver''sck of confidence.


    Seeing the driver''s nervousness, Zhang Xuan stopped pressing and turned to bow, "City Lord, Miss Mo, Miss Yu, you must have seen that this driver''s words are inconsistent and clearly lying. I implore you to clear my name!"


    Mo Yanxue raised her eyebrows and looked at Yu Xiaoyu. At this point, anyone could tell the driver was lying.


    Understanding her friend''s intention, Yu Xiaoyu red up, "What''s going on? If you dare speak one more lie, I''ll have you beaten to death right now!"


    Yu Longqing also flicked his sleeve, "You know the rules of my mansion. I shouldn''t have to say more!"


    Thud!


    Seeing both the youngdy and the City Lord angry, the driver couldn''t hold it anymore and fell to his knees. Trembling, he pulled out a pile of copper coins from his pocket, "City Lord, Miss, Steward Feng gave me 50 source coins to say this. I didn''t want to falsely use anyone..."


    "You... you''re lying to defame me..." Feng Jin''s vision darkened, and he also fell to his knees, waving his hands repeatedly, "Miss, I didn''t do it. He''s lying. How could I give him money..."


    "Shut up! It''s not your turn to speak yet." Mo Yanxue, shocked that her family''s steward could do such a thing, felt utterly humiliated. She turned to the driver, "What exactly happened, and how did Su Shang die? Tell us in detail!"


    "Yes, miss!"


    Seeing that he could no longer hide the truth, the driver didn''t dare to waste any more time and quickly recounted what he had witnessed in detail: "After you left, Steward Feng thought that if Zhang Xuan could tame Su Shang, he could definitely do it too. So, he went to harass it. Su Shang couldn''t bear the humiliation and crashed into a pir to end its life. I don''t know what happened after that because I didn''t see it."


    "You were the one harassing it! Your whole family was harassing it! Stop spouting nonsense..." Feng Jin almost burst into tears.


    He had just tried to tame it, but being used of harassment felt so humiliating. Harassing a horse... and it was a male horse at that! Was he insane?


    "It''s true!" The driver nodded. "Not only did I see it, but there were also at least hundreds of people who saw it clearly. City Lord, Miss, if you don''t believe me, you can ask anyone. Su Shangmitted suicide by breaking its neck."


    After hearing the exnation, Adviser Liao approached Su Shang and touched its neck. Sure enough, the cervical bone was broken. He then nodded to the City Lord, "It did indeed die by crashing into the wall."


    "Feng Jin, do you have anything to say?" Mo Yanxue''s voice turned icy, like the chill of winter, her delicate fist clenched tightly.


    She was truly furious now. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought that the steward she had always trusted could do such a thing.


    "Miss, I..." Feng Jin''s face was ashen, and he slumped to the ground.


    With such detailed usations against him, he knew that no matter what he said now, it would be hard to exin himself.


    "As the steward, enjoying the benefits of the Mo family, you not only failed to repay us but also killed my Su Shang and framed someone else. This is a grave sin..." Mo Yanxue''s voice was filled with anger as she waved her jade hand.


    "Miss, I''m being wronged..." Feng Jin cried out. "Su Shang did die by crashing into the wall, and I admit my fault in that. But it was also injured, especially with a wound on its belly. I swear it wasn''t me who caused that injury."


    Mo Yanxue: "If it wasn''t you, then who was it?"


    Feng Jin: "After Su Shang crashed into the wall and died, Wu Xiang and I were preparing its body when we found that it was already severely injured. Its abdomen had been shed, and because it was previously stitched up, we hadn''t noticed. I believe it must have been Zhang Xuan who caused this wound while trying to tame it. Su Shang couldn''t bear the physical and mental pain, so when I tried tofort it, it crashed into the wall and died."


    "Even now, you''re still trying to pin the me on me..." Zhang Xuan said. "Since you im you didn''t cause the wound, do you have any evidence? Or, if you say it was me, do you have any proof?"


    "I..."


    Feng Jin was speechless, then turned and said, "Wu Xiang can testify!"


    "Yes, I can testify. Everything Steward Feng said is true..." Wu Xiang quickly added.


    "You think you can testify? Didn''t you just say I was the one who killed Su Shang?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "You two are colluding, and your words can''t be considered evidence anymore!"


    "Miss..." Wu Xiang quickly looked up.


    Mo Yanxue: "Zhang Xuan is right. Your words can''t be used as evidence anymore. Feng Jin, if you have no other proof, then this wound was indeed caused by you!"


    Feng Jin wanted to exin, but found he really couldn''t. His face was full of anxiety. Suddenly, he thought of something and quickly spoke, "Miss, think about it. If Su Shang had already crashed and died, what would be the point of me cutting open its belly? Wouldn''t that just create trouble for myself? So, this wound must have been there earlier..."


    "Pointless?"


    Before Mo Yanxue could speak, Zhang Xuan stared at him intently. "If I remember correctly... didn''t Su Shang eat a Mo Yun Jade Stone? Could this item be the reason or... the point?"


    "Yes! Mo Yun Jade Stone is very valuable. When Liu Mingyue lost it, she cried out of distress. Whoever gets it could sell it for a considerable price!" Yu Xiaoyu nodded.

 Chapter 26: No Longer a Slave

    Chapter 26: No Longer a ve


    After listening to Zhang Xuan''s analysis, everything that had previously confused Mo Yanxue suddenly became clear.


    No wonder the dignified steward went to such lengths to frame a mere groom. She couldn''t understand it before, but now that there was such a precious treasure like the Mo Yun Jade as bait, it made perfect sense!


    She turned to Yu Longqing and bowed respectfully, "City Lord, may I trouble you to send for a coroner to help inspect this matter?"


    "Of course!"


    Yu Longqing waved his hand, and soon a coroner arrived. After receiving instructions, he carefully examined the horse''s body before bowing again to report.


    "City Lord, there is no Mo Yun Jade inside this horse, and even many of its internal organs are missing..."


    "This means they dissected the horse looking for the Mo Yun Jade, cutting out its organs in the process. Killing the horse wasn''t enough; they didn''t even leave its body intact. You... you..." Zhang Xuan''s vision went ck with anger, and he breathed heavily as if he might faint at any moment.


    "Very good, Great! As expected of the Mo family''s chief steward. What audacity and skill!" Mo Yanxue was also furious, her pale face like the cold autumn. "Feng Jin, do you have anything to say?"Feng Jin shook his head desperately, "Miss, I swear I didn''t take it... And even if I wanted to, I couldn''t withstand the killing aura within the Mo Yun Jade... I truly don''t know how the jade went missing!"


    "If it¡¯s not you, then who took it?" Zhang Xuan, filled with grief and anger, turned to the coroner, "Sir, based on your experience, were these organs removed from the horse after it died, or while it was still alive?"


    The coroner replied, "There are no signs of fresh blood in the horse''s body, which indicates the organs were removed post-mortem. The same goes for the incisions on the belly; the blood had already coagted when they were made, indicating they were made after the horse died."


    "When the youngdy and I left, the horse was still alive... No one here would believe that the horse could have had its belly cut open, organs removed, and still be energetic enough to deliver Miss Yu to the academy! With the wounds confirmed to have been inflicted post-mortem, the culprit is obvious!"


    Zhang Xuan shouted, clenching his fists, and then bowed to Mo Yanxue, "If not for being in the City Lord''s Mansion today, with a coachman and coroner to testify for me, I might have been falsely used and left to face an uncertain fate. Such a grave injustice, I implore you, miss, to seek justice for me."


    "Rest assured, I will make sure you get justice!"


    Mo Yanxue coldly red at Feng Jin, "Feng Jin, as the Mo family''s chief steward, not only did you fail to alleviate your master''s worries, but you also colluded with others to oppress the innocent. All your assets will be confiscated, you will receive 100shes, your position as steward is revoked, and you are expelled from the Mo family, never to be employed again!"


    "Miss, please, no, don''t..." Feng Jin''s body trembled, and he copsed to the ground, crying out in despair.


    Theshes were a method used byrge families to discipline their servants, and every strike cut deep. With 100shes, even those without cultivation would likely die on the spot. Moreover, with his assets confiscated and being expelled from the Mo family, it was essentially a death sentence.


    All this for framing a groom? He couldn''t believe it.


    "Wu Xiang, as a servant, instead of upholding justice, you assisted Feng Jin in framing Zhang Xuan. You will receive 50shes and be expelled from the Mo family, never to be employed again!" Mo Yanxue continued.


    "Miss..." Wu Xiang''s body wavered.


    Originally, they thought that by currying favor with the chief steward, they could rise through the ranks and make their lives easier. They never dreamed that in just one day, they would be reduced to not even being able to remain as servants...


    All because they offended this groom, Zhang Xuan!


    Soon, amidst their miserable cries, the two were taken away. It was clear that after leaving here, they would likely never meet again.


    "Zhang Xuan!"


    After dealing with the two, Mo Yanxue looked at the young man before her, "Not only can you tame source beasts, but you also remain calm in critical moments, handle matters logically. It all shows that you are smart and capable. Since... Feng Jin''s position as chief steward has been revoked, from now on, you will temporarily take over his duties and manage the Mo family..."


    Hearing that she intended to appoint him as chief steward, Zhang Xuan hurriedly stepped forward, "I''m still young. I might find it difficult tomand respect if I were the steward. I fear I might disappoint your great kindness!"


    "Are you refusing?" Mo Yanxue was taken aback.


    The Mo family was one of the three major families in White Rock City. Regardless of status or power, it was a force to be reckoned with. As the chief steward, even without cultivation, one held immense power.


    With this position, one could practically walk sideways in White Rock City. The jump from groom to this level was enormous, like reaching the sky in a single bound, yet he refused...


    "Yes!" Zhang Xuan nodded, "As I said earlier, the horse indeed died because of me, and I am willing to serve you loyally for life. Now that my innocence has been proven, I have a different request. I want to have city residency status, to leave the Mo family, and no longer to be a ve!"


    Without an official status, he was still a drifter. The title of chief steward or any other position was meaningless to him.


    From the moment he identally killed the horse, he had been setting things in motion step by step with one goal in mind: to gain residency status in the Source World and fully integrate into this ce. Otherwise, his identity could not withstand scrutiny.


    Although he didn''t know the Source World''s attitude toward ascenders, the control over drifters and their identities suggested it was not friendly.


    As the ruler of a world, once his injuries fully healed, dominating White Rock City shouldn''t be a problem, but he couldn''t fend off a mob.


    "Leave the Mo family?"


    This time, not only Mo Yanxue was stunned, but even Yu Xiaoyu widened her eyes, "Large families may have many rules, but they also provide rapid advancement. Not to mention other things, but for cultivation, the resources and techniques you need can only be provided by such families..."


    Being under a big tree is beneficial. While being a servant didn''t sound prestigious, the benefits were many.


    This was why many chose to be subordinates in big cities rather than being lords in rural areas¡ªfor the sake of prospects and development opportunities.


    "Thank you for the reminder, Miss Yu, but my mind is made up!" Zhang Xuan sped his hands and looked at Mo Yanxue, "I hope you can grant my request, Miss."


    Mo Yanxue pondered for a moment and stared at him intently, "Xiaoyu is right. Leaving the Mo family, you will face countless difficulties. Are you sure you want to go?"


    Zhang Xuan nodded firmly.


    Seeing his determination, Mo Yanxue scrutinized the young man before her, her eyes narrowing unconsciously.


    She had already seen him in a new light after the beast-taming incident, but now it seemed she had still underestimated him!


    Revoking a servant''s status wasn''t too difficult, but for arge family, setting such a precedent wouldplicate future management.


    It was like trying to leave a criminal organization¡ªif you could leave, others would want to leave too, making it hard to maintain order.


    Frankly speaking, if not for being in the City Lord''s mansion today, not for his sess in taming the beast, not for Feng Jin''s framing, and not for owing him justice, she would hardly agree to his request.


    And with so many conditions piled together, with Yu Xiaoyu and the City Lord watching, she had no choice but to agree...


    Could it be that all these so-called coincidences were orchestrated by this groom? Otherwise, how could everything align so perfectly?


    If so, this guy was far from simple!

 Chapter 27: That Genius is Zhang Xuan

    Chapter 27: That Genius is Zhang Xuan


    "Alright, I agree to your request!" Mo Yanxue exhaled deeply, hiding her inner thoughts. She then turned to Yu Longqing and bowed, "City Lord, please grant Zhang Xuan his identity!"


    "That''s simple!"


    Yu Longqing smiled slightly.


    Every year, many drifters strive for official status, and for a city lord, it was a trivial matter. He waved his hand, and soon a guard brought over a token representing the identity.


    "Thank you, City Lord. Thank you, Miss!" Zhang Xuan epted the token and felt the energy it contained. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.


    With this, he was now a free man, and no one would suspect or capture him arbitrarily in the future.


    "Being able to naturally gain the favor of source beasts, this talent alone is worthy of respect wherever you go. It''s indeed not suitable for you to continue being a groom and servant."


    Yu Longqing smiled slightly, "Advisor Liao, take Mr. Zhang to the library and help him choose a suitable cultivation technique. If he bes a source warrior because of this, it would count as me doing a good deed.""Yes!" Advisor Liao bowed, "This way, please!"


    "Thank you, City Lord!" Zhang Xuan followed Advisor Liao and turned to leave.


    Seeing him walk away, Yu Longqing couldn''t help but nod, "Turning an unfavorable situation into a favorable one in such a short time, and using the opportunity to free himself from very... He is quite interesting!"


    Mo Yanxue could see the situation, and as the city lord, how could he not?


    "City Lord..."


    Just then, the guard from earlier hurried in again, "City Lord, Vice Principal Wu Yunzhou of White Rock Academy is here to see you!"


    "Bring him in!" Yu Longqing waved his hand.


    Although Vice Principal Wu''s strength was not as great as his own, he was still a top expert in White Rock City and could not be taken lightly.


    Soon, Wu Yunzhou walked in briskly. Seeing Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu present, he nodded slightly.


    "What brings you here, Vice Principal Wu?" Yu Longqingughed heartily, "Could it be you''ve heard I sessfully tamed the Cangback Eagle and came to congratte me?"


    "Uh..." Wu Yunzhou was taken aback by his vanity but yed along, "Did you really tame the Cangback Eagle?"


    News of the city lord capturing this source beast was known among the experts in White Rock City, but he hadn''t expected it to be truly tamed.


    "Of course! Eagle,e here!" Yu Longqing, full of pride, waved his hand.


    Though reluctant, the Cangback Eagle dared not disobey. Its eyes showed disdain as it folded its wings and approached step by step, like a grumpy old official.


    "Well, then I must truly congratte you, City Lord..." Wu Yunzhou sped his hands, his eyes showing envy.


    The Cangback Eagle, exhausted for more than half a month, wasn''t very powerful now. But once fully recovered, even some seventh-grade Jade Bone level warriors would struggle to defeat it. With its assistance, the city lord''s strength would undoubtedly soar, making him invincible in White Rock City.


    "No need to be so polite, hahaha..." After showing off, Yu Longqing beamed at the vice principal, "Besides congratting me, what other business brings you here?"


    Wu Yunzhou said, "Here''s the situation: Today, during the source pool evaluation at the academy, a rather remarkable genius emerged. Dean Lu, impressed by this talent, wants to take this person as a disciple. However, this individual did not reveal their identity and remained exceptionally low-key. Therefore, we hope the city lord can seal the city gates to prevent any students who visited the academy today from leaving."


    The matter of the Saint Level source pool certainly couldn''t be disclosed, so he framed it as Principal Lu wanting to ept a disciple. After all, everyone present at the time had heard about it, so it was no longer a secret.


    "To catch Dean Lu''s eye, this person''s talent must indeed be extraordinary..." Yu Longqing''s face showed a hint of surprise. "This is also for the sake of White Rock City, so I agree."


    He was quite familiar with Lu Mingrong, who had long since stopped epting disciples. For him to make an exception now was clearly unusual.


    "Thank you, City Lord!" Wu Yunzhou sped his hands in gratitude.


    "Sealing the entire city just to find one genius..." Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu exchanged nces, both equally astonished.


    Previously, they had heard of this genius but had no direct sense of the situation. Now, they understood how highly this person was regarded by the principal! The genius must have at least a fourth-grade source pool! Such talent exceeded even that of the city lord!


    The city lord was known as the greatest talent in White Rock City for a hundred years, but he only barely reached the fifth grade.


    "It''s a small effort, but may I know... what are the characteristics of this genius? I need to assign people to search carefully. Otherwise, while White Rock City is small, it still has a permanent poption exceeding ten million, with a daily flow of hundreds of thousands. If we were to question and investigate everyone, it would be very troublesome."


    Yu Longqing asked further.


    Without any distinguishing features, searching for a student would be too broad a task, even for the city lord, and it would feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.


    "Characteristics..." Wu Yunzhou fell silent.


    Should he say this person could absorb ten thousand strands of source energy in one breath? Or that they caused the Source Pool Mountain to emit golden light?


    Definitely not!


    Revealing such a super genius to the city lord might not be a big deal, but the fear was that he would be taken for a madman and arrested on the spot.


    After all, the events of today were so astonishing that even witnessing them firsthand made it hard to believe, let alone exining them to others.


    "Specific characteristics... First, this person is very low-key, seemingly unremarkable and without any fame in White Rock City," Wu Yunzhou thought for a moment before exining his analysis.


    If this person were well-known, they would have been chosen among the first three thousand students in the evaluation. Hence, it could be inferred that this person was exceptionally discreet.


    "Second, they are young and today should be their first time entering White Rock Academy!"


    If they were an older student or had previously opened a source pool, it would not have caused such an effect andmotion.


    "Low-key? First time entering the academy?" Mo Yanxue frowned, "Today, not only students participating in the evaluation entered the academy, but also many servants... Should the servants be checked as well?"


    After all, Zhang Xuan also went today and even approached the Nine Dragon Pir.


    "Right, there are also servants! It might trouble the city lord to check those as well, focusing on the young ones who haven''t done much cultivation before... I''ll send you the full listter!"


    Wu Yunzhou nodded hastily, realizing he had only focused on the students and not considered the servants. Could the low-key super genius be among them?


    It wasn''t impossible! Considering that all the students who came for the evaluation had been ounted for, it was indeed puzzling that such a highly talented individual had no prior records.


    "Servants? Low-key... Why do I feel like the person Vice Principal Wu is describing is Zhang Xuan?" Suddenly, Yu Xiaoyu interjected, her clear voice echoing through the hall.

 Chapter 28: Country Bumpkin

    Chapter 28: Country Bumpkin


    "Zhang Xuan?"


    Wu Yunzhou was taken aback and quickly turned around, "Miss Yu, who is this Zhang Xuan? I''ve never heard of him before."


    "This Zhang Xuan is just a groom for Xue''er. He went to the academy with us today and stayed outside the arena. He seems very low-key and doesn''t like to show off. If you hadn''t seen it yourself, you wouldn''t know how skilled he is at taming beasts," Yu Xiaoyu exined.


    The first time she saw this young man, he seemed ordinary. Then, he countered Feng Jin, tamed the Cangback Eagle, and obtained his identity¡ªeverything flowed smoothly. Even though she wasn''t as smart as Mo Yanxue, she could see that he wasn''t simple.


    Such a capable person, willing to remain inconspicuous as a groom, was astonishingly low-key.


    "Taming beasts?" Wu Yunzhou looked over, puzzled.


    "Yes, my father was able to tame the Cangback Eagle so quickly thanks to his help..." Yu Xiaoyu nodded and exined what had happened earlier. Of course, she only mentioned Zhang Xuan''s assistance with taming and didn''t go into details about the methods or steps he used.


    "A servant who can tame beasts and react quickly enough to turn the tables on those who framed him, taking swift revenge¡ªhe indeed has some skills." After hearing her exnation, Wu Yunzhou nodded, looking curiously at her. "Just now, Miss Yu mentioned that Zhang Xuan was standing outside the arena. Do you recall where exactly he was in rtion to the Nine Dragon Pir?"


    After thinking for a moment, Yu Xiaoyu said, "Due north!"


    "Due north?" Wu Yunzhou''s pupils contracted. The Nine Dragon Pir that first showed the words ''Not Recorded'' was in the north. Could it be that the genius they were searching for was sitting there?


    Could it be that the super genius they had been searching for wasn''t a student or a family scion, but just a groom?


    If that were the case, it would exin why they couldn''t find him; their focus had been solely on the students participating in the evaluation, never considering the servants!


    "Vice Principal Wu, is there something wrong?"


    Seeing his unusual expression, Mo Yanxue looked over, a trace of doubt in her brows.


    Zhang Xuan had some cleverness and ability, but it was hard to believe he was worth the principal''s personal mentorship and the city lord''s citywide search.


    "Nothing... May I know where this groom is now? Could you take me to see him?" Wu Yunzhou asked. Whether or not he was the one, he could confirm it with a closer look.


    "He just went to the library to find a suitable cultivation technique and should be back shortly. How about waiting here for a moment?" Yu Longqing suggested.


    After hesitating, Wu Yunzhou said, "I have something else to attend to shortly. How about we go directly? There''s no secret in the city lord''s library that would prevent me from taking a look, right?"


    No matter how low-key the person was, facing him, they wouldn''t be able to hide their true nature. It would be easier to confirm by seeing him in person rather than waiting.


    "Of course not. This way, please!" Seeing his insistence, Yu Longqing didn''t say more and led the way. Yu Xiaoyu and Mo Yanxue exchanged a nce and followed.


    ...


    Unaware that the vice principal hade to the city lord''s mansion, Zhang Xuan was staring excitedly at the densely packed bookshelves before him. There were tens of thousands of books on these shelves, covering cultivation, medicine, geography, humanities, and more. If he could absorb them all into his library, he would gain a deep understanding of this Source World, no longer as clueless as before.


    "You can browse any book on the first floor of this library, but you can''t take them out or make copies. You have only one hour, so choose quickly and remember as much as you can... if you can!" Advisor Liao sneered, a cold huff in his heart.


    "If you want to embarrass me, I''ll make sure that even if you enter the library, it will be a wasted trip," Advisor Liao thought to himself.


    ¡®Not to mention, you''re just an untrained country bumpkin who doesn''t know the quality of the manuals. Even if you find a good one, how much can you memorize in an hour? Cultivation involves acupoints, meridians, and many specialized terms. It''s not only hard to remember, but any mistake can be disastrous. I don''t believe someone who has never practiced cultivation can memorize aplete technique perfectly in such a short time. If you fail, it only proves your own ipetence.¡¯


    This was likely the reason the city lord felt at ease letting him browse freely.


    "Alright..."


    Ignoring Liao''s thoughts, Zhang Xuan looked up at the bookshelves in front of him. The first book that caught his eye was a manual on sensing the source pool, titled "Pagoda Seeking Pool Technique."


    He touched it with his finger.


    "ws!" he called out in his mind. The Library of Heaven''s Path shook, and a book that had absorbed Heaven¡®s Fate Energy appeared, bing solid and identical to the original.


    "It seems only books that have absorbed Heaven¡®s Fate Energy can be used..." Zhang Xuan nodded silently. He had suspected this when he copied "Hongshan Seeking Pool Method," and now it was confirmed.


    The Library of Heaven''s Path in his mind was activated and could record books and identify their ws. However, unlike on the Master Teacher Continent, it couldn''t be used infinitely and had a limitation¡ªHeaven¡®s Fate Energy.


    He had absorbed around ten thousand strands at White Rock Academy and used seven or eight hundred strands to tame the Cangback Eagle. Now he could copy about nine thousand more books.


    He realized he couldn''t just record everything; he needed to be selective. Otherwise, if he recorded a bunch of useless books, he still wouldn''t be able to cultivate effectively.


    Having made up his mind, he withdrew his finger and continued looking at other books.


    "Li Shoulin''s Visualization Seeking Pool Technique," "Detailed Exnation of the Returning to the Source Method," "Exploring the 108 Potential Locations of the Source Pool," "The Role of Meditation in Finding the Source Pool," "Dual Cultivation Seeking Pool Method"...


    The bookshelves were filled with various books. Without rmendations, it could indeed be overwhelming. But for Zhang Xuan, it didn''t matter. As long as the title contained "source pool," he touched it. The next moment, a corresponding book would form in the library.


    In just over ten breaths, hundreds of books were floating in the air, each glowing with a soft light and emitting a calming aura.


    "He really is an ignorant country bumpkin..." Advisor Liao sneered, seeing the young man scanning the bookshelves and touching each book but not taking any. His ck eyes were full of disdain.


    Just as he suspected, limited by his knowledge, even with the opportunity to find a cultivation technique in the library, it was useless for him.


    A true cultivator would choose one book and carefully memorize it, not behave like him, wanting to look at every book but not sure whether to take any.


    He hadn''t opened a single book, and a quarter of an hour had already passed.


    Without any clear goal, how could he cultivate effectively?


    Advisor Liao couldn''t help but shake his head, instantlybeling Zhang Xuan as someone ambitious yet superficial and impetuous.

 Chapter 29: Its Not Him

    Chapter 29: It''s Not Him


    After watching for a while longer and seeing that Zhang Xuan was still hesitating and hadn''t opened a single book, Advisor Liao lost interest in monitoring him.


    Following the city lord''s instructions, he had brought Zhang Xuan here, but whether or not he could learn anything depended on him. If he failed, it was his own fault.


    Just as Advisor Liao was about to leave the library, he heard footsteps approaching. He saw the city lord, Wu Yunzhou, and the two youngdies, Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu, all entering the library together.


    "City Lord..." Advisor Liao hurriedly sped his hands in greeting.


    "How''s his selection going? Which technique did he choose?" Yu Longqing gestured for silence, smiling and lowering his voice.


    Feeling slightly embarrassed, Advisor Liao shared his impressions, "City Lord... Zhang Xuan seems a bit impatient and ambitious, not really here to learn seriously..."


    "Oh? What do you mean?" Yu Longqing asked, puzzled.


    "Well..." Advisor Liao hesitated before saying, "He hasn''t chosen a single book yet!"Yu Longqing was taken aback and frowned, "Didn''t I ask you to help him pick a book? How could you let him choose on his own? He was just a groom before and has never seen cultivation techniques. How could he make a choice?"


    "Well..." Advisor Liao pointed ahead, "City Lord, see for yourself!"


    Full of doubts, Yu Longqing took a step forward and saw Zhang Xuan standing gracefully in front of a pile of books. His upright posture and refined demeanor gave an impression of transcendent elegance, not like a servant but more like a noble gentleman.


    Just as Yu Longqing was feeling impressed, he saw Zhang Xuan nce at the bookshelf and then start pointing at books with rapid, spasmodic movements... His speed was like that of a percussive massage gun.


    "???" Yu Longqing was stunned.


    This wasn''t the demeanor of a refined gentleman; it looked more like the onset of a fit...


    Shouldn''t he be taking books out to read when selecting techniques? What was this twitching about?


    "Was he doing this earlier too?" After watching for a while and seeing that Zhang Xuan''s twitching was intermittent, Yu Longqing couldn''t hold back and asked Advisor Liao.


    "Earlier... he was twitching a bit slower!" Advisor Liao nodded.


    "He hasn''t opened a single book... hasn''t even read any?" The city lord''s eyelids twitched. Not only did he have this expression, but Wu Yunzhou, Mo Yanxue, and Yu Xiaoyu were all equally bewildered.


    They had thought he was here to study earnestly, but it turned out he was just twitching in front of books...


    We can tolerate twitching in front of beautiful women, as it shows he''s healthy, but twitching at books... What is he thinking?


    "Yes! He hasn''t opened a single book. It''s not that I don''t want to help him choose, but I still don''t know what he''s looking for..." Advisor Liao exined.


    "Forget it. He helped me tame the Cangback Eagle; we should help him out a bit."


    After watching for a while and seeing that half an hour had passed without Zhang Xuan reading a single book, Yu Longqing couldn''t hold back any longer. He stepped forward, "Mr. Zhang!"


    Hearing the call, Zhang Xuan finally noticed the group and quickly turned around, "City Lord..."


    Without cultivation and still severely injured, even his hearing was impaired. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have let so many people approach without noticing.


    "Yes!" Yu Longqing pointed to Wu Yunzhou and introduced, "This is Vice Principal Wu of White Rock Academy. He is here to ask you a few questions!"


    Recognizing the vice principal from the academy, Zhang Xuan hurriedly sped his hands, "Greetings, Vice Principal Wu..."


    "No need for formalities. I''m just here to take a look..."


    After Wu Yunzhou spoke, he ced his hand gently on Zhang Xuan''s shoulder. The next moment, a stream of energy flowed into Zhang Xuan''s body through his shoulder acupoint.


    Zhang Xuan was slightly taken aback, "Vice Principal, what are you doing..."


    Wu Yunzhou withdrew his energy and frowned, "You haven''t even opened your source pool?"


    The young man in front of him had no trace of source energy within him, not even an open source pool.


    "I haven''t started cultivating yet. I came here to find books to study..." Not expecting the vice principal to test his cultivation, Zhang Xuan scratched his head, looking dejected.


    If he had found his source pool, he could absorb source energy and wouldn''t be so low-key and helpless.


    "Nonsense! Why didn''t you say earlier that you hadn''t opened your source pool..." Wu Yunzhou red at Yu Xiaoyu and flicked his sleeve in frustration.


    He had believed Yu Xiaoyu''s confident im and thought he had found the genius they were looking for, but it turned out to be someone who hadn''t even found his source pool. Without a source pool, he couldn''t absorb Heaven¡®s Fate Energy and was clearly not the genius they were looking for.


    "You only mentioned a genius. I didn''t know the specifics. I just thought Zhang Xuan seemed like a possibility..." Yu Xiaoyu muttered.


    "A person the vice principal wants to take as a disciple wouldn''t be so impatient and ambitious!" Wu Yunzhou snorted, clearly displeased.


    Cultivation talent was one thing, but diligence and effort were equally important.


    Zhang Xuan had spent half an hour and hadn''t selected a single book, only twitching in front of the shelves. Such a person wouldn''t be a good disciple even if offered for free.


    "City Lord, since it''s not him, I will take my leave..." Confirming that Zhang Xuan was not the person he was looking for, Wu Yunzhou didn''t waste any more words and turned to leave.


    "I''ll see you out..." Yu Longqing also shook his head. A servant trying to leap to the top was indeed challenging.


    After a few steps, Yu Longqing turned to his daughter, "Xiaoyu, help Zhang Xuan pick a few books. Make sure he memorizes them quickly as a way to repay him for helping with the Cangback Eagle."


    "Noted, Dad!"


    Yu Xiaoyu nodded and approached Zhang Xuan, lowering her voice and pointing, "On the innermost shelf over there, there''s a book called ''Five Directions Origin Technique.'' It''s the best technique for finding a source pool. You should study it."


    "Thank you, Miss Yu!"


    Zhang Xuan sped his hands gratefully. Although the power of the technique wasn''t crucial for him, given his abilities to identify ws and organize information, having someone provide such a rmendation meant a lot.


    "Dad, wait for me..." Without saying more, Yu Xiaoyu turned and chased after her father. At the entrance of the library, she saw the city lord standing alone; the vice principal had already left.


    With a smile, Yu Xiaoyu hugged her father''s arm, "Dad, you can''t just reward Zhang Xuan and not reward me. If I hadn''t brought him here, you wouldn''t have been able to tame the Cangback Eagle!"


    "Indeed, my daughter is the best!" Yu Longqing looked at her affectionately, "Tell me, what do you want? As long as I can give it, it''s yours..."


    "I knew you loved me the most..." Yu Xiaoyu smiled, her bright eyes focused on him, "I want to train in your private silence room to achieve better results in tomorrow''s evaluation..."


    "Train in my private silence room?" Yu Longqing was taken aback, then shook his head, "No, I can''t agree to that."

 Chapter 30: Not Enough Heaven‘s Fate Energy

    Chapter 30: Not Enough Heaven¡®s Fate Energy


    "Why not?"


    Yu Xiaoyu''s delicate eyebrows furrowed, and her lips pouted as if she was about to cry. "Are you reluctant?"


    "If my daughter wants it, even the stars in the sky, I would get them for you. But you haven''t had your source pool evaluated yet, and entering the silence room hastily, I fear you might get hurt by the rampant source energy inside..." Yu Longqing exined.


    His silence room was built at great expense, containing an array that gathers source energy. For someone with his strength, training inside would indeed be highly effective. But for someone like his daughter, whose source pool wasn''t fully stabilized, rushing in could cause minor injuries, or worse, significant harm that could affect her future cultivation.


    Understanding his exnation, Yu Xiaoyu felt dejected, "I thought I could use it too. I wanted to train hard tonight and perform well in tomorrow''s evaluation..."


    Seeing his daughter on the verge of tears, Yu Longqing frowned and pondered for a moment, then said, "Actually, there might be a way... This library was built by the 19th City Lord of White Rock City. To protect the books from source energy corrosion, a purification array was set up that can extract a small amount of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy using special methods. However, this array requires some precious herbs or source beast blood to operate... Never mind, I''ll go prepare it now. You wait in the depths of the library, and I''ll channel the source energy from the meditation room to help you cultivate!"


    "Thank you, Dad!" Yu Xiaoyu immediately jumped up and kissed her father''s cheek, "I knew you loved me the most!"


    "You little rascal..." Shaking his head, Yu Longqing smiled indulgently and turned to leave.He hadn''t exined in detail that extracting Heaven¡®s Fate Energy consumed a lot of resources.


    Even the City Lord''s Mansion couldn''t sustain it for long. However, as long as it helped his daughter, what did it matter if resources were consumed? He could afford it!


    "Notify the storeroom to bring my ''Spirit Source Bamboo'' over!" Yu Longqing instructed as he walked out of the library.


    "Spirit Source Bamboo? City Lord, this is the precious item you specifically sought to break through to the ninth grade of the source pool. Using it for this seems wasteful..." Advisor Liao was taken aback and quickly spoke up.


    "Xiaoyu will only be absorbing Heaven¡®s Fate Energy to temper her body and strengthen her source pool. She shouldn''t absorb much. For a treasure like Spirit Source Bamboo, the consumption will be minimal... Don''t worry!" Yu Longqing smiled.


    If the Spirit Source Bamboo werepared to a golden Buddha, melting it down to make other items would be distressing. But just scraping ayer of gold off wouldn''t hurt much and would make his daughter happy. Why not?


    That''s the situation now.


    Even if there was Heaven¡®s Fate Energy present for tomorrow''s evaluation, his daughter wouldn''t absorb it into her source pool.


    It would only be used for body tempering and meridian cirction.


    At most, she would absorb three to five strands, which would only cost one leaf of the Spirit Source Bamboo.


    And this bamboo had over three hundred leaves!


    The consumption wouldn''t be significant...


    "You''re right, City Lord!" Advisor Liao nodded after a moment''s hesitation.


    A cultivator whose source pool wasn''t fully stabilized wouldn''t be able to absorb much anyway. If the city lord wanted to indulge his daughter, it was no big deal.


    "Also, let Mo Yanxue train with her. She has a close rtionship with Xiaoyu and is enrolling at the same time. If both of them make a big impact, it will greatly benefit White Rock City!" Yu Longqing added.


    Advisor Liao nodded and left without furtherment.


    Yu Xiaoyu and Mo Yanxue arrived at the depths of the library, waiting for the arrival of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy. At the same time, Zhang Xuan also reached the ce they had mentioned, his eyes falling on a book with five bold characters that stood out beautifully: "Five Directions Origin Technique."


    He touched it with his finger, and in the Library of Heaven''s Path , ten books shook simultaneously, slowly merging into one.


    "It actually requires ten strands of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy to form. This book is indeed extraordinary..." Zhang Xuan was slightly surprised.


    Previously, the books he copied required only one strand of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy to seed, but this one needed ten, indicating its high level.


    This was good, as in the future, he wouldn''t need to read the contents to gauge a technique''s value; the amount of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy consumed would reveal its worth.


    Of course, the Library of Heaven''s Path ''s ability to organize and highlight the merits of techniques would also make their value clear at a nce.


    "I''ve already collected over six thousand techniques. This should be enough to merge into a Heaven''s Path technique..."


    After gathering all the techniques around the "Five Directions Origin Technique," Zhang Xuan stopped. He had absorbed around ten thousand strands of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy at White Rock Academy, and now most of it was used up. It was time to try merging them.


    With a thought, the ws of the many techniques appeared before him, and a new book slowly formed at the center of the library. The characters on the cover were faint, indicating they would soon be clear.


    At the same time, the remaining two thousand plus books that had absorbed Heaven¡®s Fate Energy began to visibly burn. Streams of pure energy formed gentle glows, continuously pouring into the emerging book.


    "I didn''t realize it before on the Master Teacher Continent, but creating a Heaven''s Path technique here requires so much energy..."


    Seeing over a thousand strands of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy burn up in just one breath, and the Heaven''s Path technique still not fully formed, Zhang Xuan was taken aback.


    Back on the Master Teacher Continent, with enough books collected, creating a Heaven''s Path technique was effortless.


    But here, the consumption was enormous. It seemed integrating the Library of Heaven''s Path with the Source World''s heavenlyws would be a long and challenging process.


    No rush, though. As long as he stayed here, he could eventually seed by substituting parts of the Source World with the Heaven''s Path.


    Feeling reflective, Zhang Xuan looked again at the book in front of him. At that moment, the library emitted a faint hum, and the surrounding light abruptly dimmed.


    "What..." Zhang Xuan was stunned.


    He saw that the remaining two thousand strands of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy werepletely exhausted, yet the Heaven''s Path technique still hadn''t fully materialized.


    In other words... the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy he had absorbed earlier wasn''t enough!


    Over ten thousand strands used up in just half a day... he really was a big spender. Even so, the Heaven''s Path technique hadn''t formedpletely. Would he be unable to cultivate during tomorrow''s source pool evaluation?


    If he missed this opportunity, it would be hard to find another er. But with all the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy gone, where could he find a few thousand more strands?


    For a moment, Zhang Xuan was at a loss.

 Chapter 31: Falling Bamboo Leaves

    Chapter 31: Falling Bamboo Leaves


    Before Zhang Xuan could stay troubled for long, he felt a faint airflow appear in the entire library.


    Initially, it was like a gentle breeze by the river, just enough to lift the strands of hair by his temples. As time passed, the trees swayed, and the hem of his clothes fluttered, making him feel utterly refreshed.


    "What is this... Heaven¡®s Fate Energy? How could there be such a thing in the library?"


    Zhang Xuan''s eyes widened, doubting if he was sensing it wrong. Wasn''t this extracted by the academy at a great cost, with the help of the Fate te and Nine Dragon Pir? How could it appear here, and even seem to increase?


    "Never mind... Maybe the Source World thinks I don''t have enough Heaven¡®s Fate Energy, so it¡¯s supplementing some to help me create the Heaven''s Path Divine Art!" Feeling ted, Zhang Xuan didn''t dwell on it.


    With a thought, the Library of Heaven''s Path trembled lightly, and the surrounding Heaven¡®s Fate Energy was devoured, lighting up books one by one, and storing them.


    "It''s a bit slow..."


    After absorbing for a while, Zhang Xuan frowned. The amount of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy floating in the library was far less than in White Rock Academy. At this rate, it would take several days to absorb tens of thousands of strands, making it impossible toplete in the time he had agreed upon with City Lord Yu.He had promised to read for only an hour, and now there was less than fifteen minutes left. At this speed, he might not even absorb a hundred strands...


    "No, I must speed up!"


    Hesitating no longer, Zhang Xuan fully opened his pores and began to madly devour the floating and scattered Heaven¡®s Fate Energy.


    If he had been cautious earlier, now he was eagerly absorbing as fast as he could.


    After all, with such arge library, a few strands of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy missing shouldn''t be noticeable.


    Of course, he still had to keep up appearances.


    Standing idly for too long would surely draw attention. He didn''t want anyone to know that he could absorb Heaven¡®s Fate Energy without opening a source pool, so maintaining a low profile was crucial.


    Feeling pleased, Zhang Xuan pulled out the "Five Directions Origin Technique" and pretended to study and memorize it while his body continued to absorb energy. In the Library of Heaven''s Path, lights flickered and books buzzed.


    ...


    In the quiet room, Yu Longqing and Advisor Liao looked at the jade-green Spirit Source Bamboo before them.


    To obtain this treasure, even as the city lord, Yu Longqing had spent countless resources and efforts. Such an item could be regarded as a family heirloom in any of the three major families.


    He took it out now just to fulfill his daughter''s wish and make her happy!


    "City Lord, once the formation is activated, it cannot be stopped. Are you sure you want to use it?" Advisor Liao looked over again.


    Yu Longqing smiled, "Why do you sound so nagging like a woman? Activate it for an hour, let Xiaoyu and Niece Yanxue better experience the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy... How much can they possibly consume?"


    "Understood!" Advisor Liao nodded, saying no more. He approached a crystal ball in the corner and gently stroked it. In the next moment, a gentle glow radiated, and countless strands of rampant source energy filled the main room.


    Feeling the surging power, Yu Longqing took out a jade token and lightly traced it over the Spirit Source Bamboo. The rampant source energy immediately converged onto the bamboo, flowing through the roots and releasing from the leaves. Through the refining of this magical item and the formation, what was released was the same Heaven¡®s Fate Energy that Zhang Xuan was absorbing.


    One strand, two strands, three strands...


    As the source energy was purified, the topmost dark green leaf gradually turned pale yellow, like it was swept by the autumn wind, and slowly withered.


    "One leaf can purify approximately eight strands of source energy," Advisor Liao calcted.


    Yu Longqing nodded, "As long as these eight strands are not fully absorbed, the formation will not continue to operate. For Xiaoyu and Niece Yanxue, it''s just refining their bodies andprehending Heaven¡®s Fate Energy. One leaf is enough..."


    Only now did Advisor Liao fully understand, and he bowed deeply, "City Lord, you are wise! Indeed, I was worrying unnecessarily..."


    Before he could finish his ttery, he saw the formation, which had just stopped, suddenly start up again. Another leaf turned from dark green to withered yellow.


    "Huh?" Advisor Liao was stunned.


    Yu Longqing also showed a hint of surprise, "Did those two girls absorb the eight strands of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy so quickly? How did they do that?"


    How long had it been? Ten breaths? Twenty breaths?


    Could it be that they couldn''t resist and directly absorbed the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy into their source pools? They shouldn''t be that foolish!


    Absorbing at the academy would allow them to measure their levels and choose better teachers. Absorbing here would only consolidate their source pools, losing other opportunities.


    It was like taking an exam at home¡ªat most, it consolidates knowledge, but no matter how well you do, it doesn''t mean much. Only good results in the college entrance examination could truly change one''s life.


    Swish!


    Before his doubts could be resolved, another leaf turned yellow and slowly fell from the branch.


    "Another eight strands?" Unable to sit still, Yu Longqing stood up abruptly.


    In less than a minute, they had absorbed sixteen strands of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy. Could it be that his seemingly foolish daughter was actually a genius?


    Frowning deeply, Yu Longqing couldn''t help but speak, "Advisor Liao, you stay here and keep watch. I''ll go see what''s going on with those two girls."


    "Understood..." Advisor Liao nodded. Just as he was about to say something, his eyes fell on the Spirit Source Bamboo again, and his face changed once more, "City Lord... another leaf has turned yellow!"


    "This..." Yu Longqing couldn''t help but sigh, "It seems these two girls are indeed very talented at absorbing Heaven¡®s Fate Energy!"


    "If... this continues, what should I do?" Advisor Liao couldn''t help but ask.


    Yu Longqing shook his head, "Their ability to absorb Heaven¡®s Fate Energy this quickly indeed exceeded my expectations, but... 32 strands of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy is already at the fourth grade, which should be their limit! The scenario you mentioned is absolutely impossible!"


    "Uh..." Advisor Liao finally nodded. In the hundred-year history of White Rock City, the highest level of talent among city lords had only reached the fifth grade source pool, absorbing 16 strands of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy. No matter how strong these two youngdies were... could they surpass that?


    The city lord''s words were correct, there was no need to worry too much...


    "You stay here and keep watch, I''ll go check on them..."


    Dispelling the unrealistic thoughts of his subordinate, Yu Longqing was about to leave the room when he felt the entire room flickering rapidly, as if it had turned into a dance floor with neon lights shing non-stop.


    He quickly turned his head.


    He saw that the Spirit Source Bamboo, which had just been dark green, was now continuously shing under the formation. In just over ten breaths, hundreds of leaves had simultaneously turned yellow and fallen to the ground, scattering everywhere.

 Chapter 32: Heaven’s Path Source Pool Method

    Chapter 32 Heaven¡¯s Path Source Pool Method


    ¡°...¡±


    His eyelids twitched as Yu Longqing felt a sudden darkness overwhelm his vision, nearly causing him to faint on the spot.


    This Spirit Source Bamboo was meant to help him reach a higher realm, but purifying the source energypletely depleted it...


    It was like refining gold dust, only to throw the golden Buddha into the furnace and turn it into waste g...


    Over three hundred leaves, more than 2400 strands of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy...


    Even with his level of strength, absorbing so much energy at once would be nearly impossible without risking a violent rupture.


    However, his heart had already shattered, and it was the kind that would be difficult to mend...


    "I''ll go check..."Despite his frustration, Yu Longqing still rushed out.


    The quiet room was located at the top of the library, just a short descent away. In mere breaths, he found Yu Xiaoyu and Mo Yanxue, the two girls.


    At this moment, they were sitting cross-legged on cushions. Seeing the top expert of White Roc City rushing in anxiously, both pairs of eyes looked up simultaneously.


    "Dad, Xue''er and I are ready. We can begin!"


    Smiling slightly, Yu Xiaoyu turned to Mo Yanxue, "Xue''er, when you absorb the Heaven¡®s Fate Energyter, make sure not to let it flow into the Source Pool, or we won''t be able to assess it tomorrow!"


    Mo Yanxue nodded, "Don''t worry, I know that much."


    "Good!"


    Yu Xiaoyu nodded, "Let''s train well today, so we can stand out tomorrow..."


    Seeing his daughter get more excited, Yu Longqing felt himself reaching his limit and couldn''t help but say, "You mean... you haven''t started yet?"


    "We haven''t felt the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy yet, so of course, we haven''t started!"


    Yu Xiaoyu looked puzzled.


    "......"


    Yu Longqing swayed.


    ¡®The entire Spirit Source Bamboo had been depleted from purifying the source energy, and over 2400 strands of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy had descended... and you say you haven''t started?¡¯


    So where did all that Heaven¡®s Fate Energy go?


    Hurriedly, he turned to survey the surroundings.


    The room was filled with rampant source energy, but the purified Heaven¡®s Fate Energy was nowhere to be found, as if everything he had generated with the formation had simply vanished.


    "Dad, don''t worry. Xue''er and I absorbed some Heaven¡®s Fate Energy at the academy today. We''ll be fine..."


    Thinking her father was worried about them, Yu Xiaoyu quickly reassured him.


    Yu Longqing: "I..."


    This wasn''t a matter of worry! It was like the house had been raided, and he had no idea how!


    "City Lord Yu, is purifying the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy very troublesome? If it''s too much trouble, I won''t disturb you..."


    Noticing his odd behavior, Mo Yanxue asked.


    "It''s not too troublesome, just a bit of an issue..."


    Yu Longqing looked over, "Just now... you''re sure you didn''t notice anything unusual, right?"


    "Yes!"


    Yu Xiaoyu nodded.


    ncing at Mo Yanxue, seeing the same expression, Yu Longqing couldn''t help but look around the library.


    The spacious room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, except for the sound of pages turning in the corner. Looking up, he saw Zhang Xuan staring at a book in front of him, turning the pages slowly, his movements seeming a bit stiff and unnatural.


    "Could it be him?"


    A thought popped into his head, causing Yu Longqing''s eyebrows to rise.


    There were only three people in the entire library. Since his daughter and Mo Yanxue hadn''t noticed the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy, could it be that this young man had absorbed it all?


    Zhang Xuan, unaware that he was being suspected, stared at the book in his hand, equally puzzled. He had just thought there was no more Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy when suddenly a huge amount descended. Just as he was about to absorb it, it disappeared as if it had never been there.


    Luckily, he absorbed it quickly, otherwise, he might have missed the opportunity.


    ¡°Forget it, though it¡¯s less than expected, over 2,000 strands should be enough to form the Heaven¡¯s Path technique!¡±


    Zhang Xuan felt a bit excited. The Library of Heaven''s Path had started to operate but had stopped halfway due to insufficient Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. Now with more than 2,000 strands, it should seed.


    With a thought, the more than 2,000 books gathered again, and a gentle light converged to a point.


    Whoosh!


    The light disappeared, and a brand-new book floated in mid-air. Zhang Xuan stretched out his hand, and it slowlynded in his palm.


    Like the previous books, the cover had no name. With a thought, the title "Heaven¡¯s Path Pool Seeking Technique" appeared.


    Flipping it open, he was greeted by characters exuding the essence of the Great Dao.


    ¡°The Source Pool, a ce to consolidate and refine source energy, can be in the lower abdomen, between the eyebrows, in the shoulder well, or at the bubbling spring¡­ Different physiques will have different locations...¡±


    The Source Pool, unlike the dantian used in the Master Teacher Continent, could exist in any part of the body before activation. One needed to find it to activate it.


    However, once sessfully activated, it could be moved to a specific location. Generally, it would be ced near the lower abdomen''s Qihai Acupoint because it is centrally located in the body, making it more convenient for cultivation and power cirction.


    ¡°To seek the Source Pool, one must first sense the source energy, harmonize with the body, and respond...¡±


    The book detailed how to sense the Source Pool and the methods to find and open it.


    ¡°That¡¯s odd¡­ why can¡¯t I sense it?¡±


    Following the Heaven¡¯s Path technique, Zhang Xuan practiced for a moment, then opened his eyes with a frown. The technique of the Heaven¡¯s Path couldn''t be wrong, but why couldn¡¯t he sense anything inside his body?


    Could it be¡­ because he wasn¡¯t originally from this world, so he didn¡¯t have a Source Pool?


    ¡°Search again¡­¡±


    He carefully reviewed the Heaven¡¯s Path technique, confirming that he hadn¡¯t used the wrong sensing method. Zhang Xuan was genuinely puzzled.


    Could it be that after all the effort toe to this world, he discovered he couldn¡¯t cultivate?


    If that were the case, the turmoil in the new world couldn¡¯t be avoided, and his crisis wouldn¡¯t be resolved. He might even die here.


    ¡°Right, the wed Heaven''s Path can only consolidate the correct points within a technique, but it might not be suitable for me since I¡¯m not a native of the Source World¡­ I should try the orderly Heaven¡¯s Path!¡±


    After thinking for a while, a new idea came to mind.


    The wed Heaven¡¯s Path marks the ws and consolidates the correct parts, sticking to the rules. Though it fits the Heaven¡¯s Path, it¡¯s only suitable for the beings of the Source World, not necessarily for him.


    At this point, the orderly Heaven¡¯s Path could be used. On the basis of correctness, it adds order and extension, which might make the technique suitable for an outsider like him.


    ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m out of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy again¡­¡±


    Rubbing his forehead, Zhang Xuan looked around. The more than 2,000 strands of source energy he had just absorbed were exhausted. Even if he wanted to operate the orderly Heaven¡¯s Path, he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s almost time, I¡¯ll find another chance next time!¡±


    Knowing that the hour of reading was almost over, Zhang Xuan was about to put down the Five Directions Origin Technique when Yu Longqing approached him, eyes shing with sharpness, ¡°Did you sense Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy just now?¡±

 Chapter 33: Wenxiang Courtyard

    Chapter 33 Wenxiang Courtyard


    Unexpectedly, the City Lord directly asked him this question. Zhang Xuan was stunned for a moment, then nodded and answered truthfully, "I sensed it... but there wasn''t much, and it disappeared quickly."


    The City Lord was taken aback, "You sensed it?"


    His daughter and Mo Yanxue hadn''t noticed anything, but this guy, who hadn''t even opened his Source Pool, detected it. Could it be that the Heaven''s Fate Energy he released was all absorbed by him?


    He couldn''t help but ask, "Could it be that... you''ve found your Source Pool?"


    "Not yet..." Zhang Xuan looked dejected, "Maybe my talent is too poor!"


    "Don''t be discouraged. You''re older, with more distractions, and it''s harder to concentrate. Searching for the Source Pool will be more difficult. Just take it step by step, and you may still seed..."


    Seeing that Zhang Xuan''s expression was sincere and not feigned, Yu Longqing offered somefort, though he was secretlyughing at himself.


    He had really be paranoid. Someone who hadn''t even opened their Source Pool couldn''t absorb Heaven''s Fate Energy, even if they wanted to. Moreover, even if they had, absorbing over 2,000 strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy in just a few breaths was impossible.


    So, it definitely wasn''t a human factor!


    "Perhaps there was a problem with the library''s array, and it couldn''t retain the Heaven''s Fate Energy, causing it to dissipate..."


    After pondering for a moment, Yu Longqing guessed.


    The library''s array, like the nine dragon pirs at White Rock Academy, also had the effect of locking and isting source energy. That''s why he dared to let his daughter wait here. Now that there was a problem, could it be due to the array?


    Just as he was about to inspect the array, he suddenly remembered something and looked at the young man not far away, "Have you chosen a technique you like?"


    "Thank you, City Lord. This ''Five Directions Origin Technique'' seems suitable, and I''ve almost memorized it..."


    Understanding the implied dismissal, Zhang Xuan ced the book back on the shelf, cupped his hands, and said, "Thank you for your hospitality. I''ll take my leave now."


    "You''re wee. The City Lord''s mansion always wees you, Mr. Zhang."


    Yu Longqing smiled and waved, "Send our guest out!"


    Soon, a guard came over and escorted Zhang Xuan out.


    Seeing him leave, Yu Longqing walked to the corner of the library, lightly brushed his hand over a bookshelf, and a triangr array g appeared¡ªthe base of the library''s array.


    Repeating this process, he walked to five ces in total, finding five array gs. Yu Longqing then pointed his finger, and a force quickly spread around, causing the array gs to vibrate, producing visible ripples.


    "It''s not broken!"


    Yu Longqing frowned.


    His actions just now were to test if there was a problem with the array. It appeared to be in perfect condition. If there was indeed Heaven''s Fate Energy, it should have been retained and not dissipated.


    "Should I... try again?"


    Knowing he wouldn''t rest until he found the cause, Yu Longqing returned to the quiet room and brought another treasure, continuing to activate the array.


    This time, he was more cautious, purifying only five strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy before stopping and rushing back to the library.


    Looking up, he saw his daughter and Mo Yanxue had closed their eyes and were quietly cultivating.


    Sensing the room, Yu Longqing was stunned.


    This time, the five strands of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy were like goldfish trapped in a tank, swimming around the library, unable to escape.


    ¡°The array isn¡¯t broken, so the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy from earlier wasn¡¯t lost but absorbed. What¡¯s different nowpared to earlier?¡±


    Comparing the current situation with the previous one, Yu Longqing¡¯s pupils contracted. ¡°The only difference is that Zhang Xuan has left... Could it really be rted to him?¡±


    ¡°Low-key, young, first time at White Rock Academy, standing at the north end of the arena...¡±


    Standing still, recalling the conversation between the Vice Principle Wu Yunzhou and his daughter, City Lord Yu couldn¡¯t help but shiver. All the conditions matched, except... the Source Pool wasn¡¯t activated!


    But if the Source Pool wasn¡¯t activated, could he really absorb Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, and in thousands of strands at that?


    Frowning, Yu Longqing waved his hand, ¡°Bring Hu Haiming over!¡±


    Soon, a soldier in armor walked in. He was Captain Hu, the one who had stopped Zhang Xuan to check his identity when he arrived at the City Lord¡¯s mansion.


    Hu Haiming sped his fists, ¡°City Lord!¡±


    ¡°Zhang Xuan now has an identity and won¡¯t return to the Mo¡¯s family. Follow him and see where he goes and what he does, and report back to me in detail. Also... make sure he doesn¡¯t notice you!¡±


    Yu Longqing instructed, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about this, not even my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Hu Haiming sped his fists, turned, and left quickly.


    ¡°A vagrant who can naturally attract source beasts, even making them willingly submit after being beaten, Zhang Xuan, I¡¯m really curious about what you¡¯re hiding...¡±


    City Lord Yu was filled with curiosity. Having been in White Roc City for so long, this was the first time he was intrigued by someone with no cultivation.


    Trusting Captain Hu¡¯s abilities, Yu Longqing turned his attention back to his daughter and Mo Yanxue.


    The two were focused, trying to absorb the scattered Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. But whether due to their talent or something else, their progress was slow. The five strands of energy had been swirling in the room for over a quarter of an hour without dissipating.


    ¡°Take it slow.¡±


    Knowing there was no point in urging them, Yu Longqing was about to return to the quiet room when he saw Captain Hu hurrying back, his face unusually grim.


    ¡°I told you to follow him. Why are you back so soon?¡±


    A sense of foreboding rose in Yu Longqing¡¯s heart as he asked.


    Kneeling on one knee, Hu Haiming looked embarrassed, ¡°It¡¯s my ipetence. I lost him. Please punish me!¡±


    ¡°You lost him? Stand up and exin what happened!¡±


    Yu Longqing frowned. Captain Hu was the head of the guards and had reached the fourth level of the Source Pool Realm. Losing track of someone who hadn¡¯t even opened their Source Pool, especially in such a short time, was concerning.


    Hu Haiming stood up and exined, ¡°After receiving the order, I followed Zhang Xuan. He wandered around, bought two buns from Zheng Yuan¡¯s Bun Shop, then bought a piece of clothing from Liu Ming¡¯s Clothing Store. I kept my distance and thought he hadn¡¯t noticed. But when we reached ¡°Wenxiang Courtyard¡±, he was bumped by a girl. After that, I lost sight of him!¡±


    ¡°Wenxiang Courtyard?¡±


    Yu Longqing was puzzled.


    ¡°It¡¯s... it¡¯s the brothel in the city!¡± Hu Haiming quickly exined.


    Yu Longqing was stunned, ¡°I know it¡¯s a brothel. What I¡¯m puzzled about is... why did Zhang Xuan head straight to a brothel?¡±


    He had just gained his identity after escaping vagrancy, and now he went to a brothel. Was this guy... that desperate?

 Chapter 34: New World

    Chapter 34: New World


    Brothels were alsomon in the Source World. The girls there had tragic stories: a gambling father, a sick mother, a brother in school, and a broken self¡­


    Many righteous heroes gathered there, generously offering money to save people from difficult situations.


    Yu Longqing, too, had done many chivalrous deeds in his youth, even taking the most destitute of these girls as his concubine.


    You might think this young man was using various methods to solve his identity issues to be stronger. But as soon as he stepped out, he was "generously giving money and acting heroically"¡­ The contrast was too great.


    Was he too desperate?


    Could this be why he bonded with Source Beasts?¡­ Did he have an intense animalistic nature within him?


    ¡°That¡¯s not the reason¡­¡±


    Guessing the City Lord¡¯s confusion, Hu Haiming quickly exined with embarrassment, ¡°He disappeared outside the brothel but didn¡¯t enter. When I realized he was missing, I rushed inside to search and asked the madam, but she said he never entered. It felt like he just vanished into thin air!¡±¡°Disappeared in an instant, without you, a Body Tempering expert, noticing¡­¡±


    City Lord Yu frowned.


    If he had suspected something was off about this guy before, he was now almost certain.


    Without any cultivation, he could detect and easily shake off a Body Tempering expert¡¯s tracking. Even Yu himself would find it difficult.


    After a moment''s hesitation, Hu Haiming sped his fists, ¡°City Lord, should we deploy the guards to search the entire city?¡±


    ¡°No need!¡±


    Yu Longqing shook his head. ¡°He hasn¡¯t done anything wrong or illegal. Searching the whole city would be like capturing him, which isn¡¯t right.¡±


    They only suspected he had absorbed Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy without evidence. No need to make a big deal out of it.


    Besides, even if it was his doing, it was Yu who let him stay in the library. If it was absorbed, he couldn¡¯t me anyone else.


    ¡°You may leave now!¡±


    Yu Longqing waved his hand. After Hu Haiming left, his eyes shed, and he squinted, ¡°We¡¯ll find out tomorrow! As long as this guy goes to White Rock Academy for the Source Pool Assessment, I¡¯ll be there to see for myself¡­¡±


    Thousands of people absorbing Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy at the same time would be hard to detect, but it would be easy if they focused on a single target from the start.


    ¡®Let¡¯s see how you stay low-key then!¡¯


    ¡­


    "Did I do something wrong...?"


    In a small alley not far from the City Lord''s Mansion, Zhang Xuan rubbed his chin, full of doubt.


    Ever since entering the City Lord''s Mansion, he had kept a low profile, focusing only on beast taming. He behaved cautiously, fearing others might notice something.


    By all ounts, his actions should have been perfect. How did he get tracked as soon as he left? And by a captain from the City Lord''s Mansion, no less!


    ¡®Something wasn''t right!¡¯


    ¡®Being low-key was really hard... even if I tried my best!¡¯


    With a sigh, Zhang Xuan thought long and hard but couldn''t figure out what went wrong.


    He shook his head and decided to let it go. "Never mind. First, I''ll find a ce to stay and think about how to cultivate. Everything else can wait..."


    Knowing the City Lord had no ill intentions wasforting. After all, if there had been any malicious intent, given his current state, he wouldn''t have left alive.


    Gambling continuously, he had earned some money from Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu. Although it wasn''t much, it was enough for food and lodging for a short while. Soon, he found a quiet room for cultivation and moved in.


    Hotels were still somewhat expensive; a quiet room would be about half the cost.


    To think that a Lord of a World would now be counting every penny... It was quite a pathetic thought.


    After eating the buns he had bought, Zhang Xuan checked around to ensure no one was following or had noticed him. Only then did he sit cross-legged. The next moment, he vanished from the room as if he had never been there.


    When he reappeared, he was floating above a vastndscape. Surrounding him were countless dense trees, various spiritual beasts moving back and forth, and birds flying, all in a harmonious scene.


    This was his self-created New World!


    The Library of Heaven''s Path he was currently using was the Heaven''s Path of this world. The mountains and oceans where he had killed Su Shang and tamed the Cangback Eagle originated from here.


    This was a universe he had created, and he coulde here with just a thought.


    He looked up.


    Above the New World, at an unknown height, was a pitch-ck area with numerous blue-gray streams swirling like tornadoes. Below, yellowish-brown streams flickered, forming mountains, rivers, and various vegetation.


    The blue-gray streams were Source Energy absorbed from the Source World, while the yellowish-brown streams were his means of creation.


    The entire New World was derived from Source Energy.


    The reason he had ventured into the Source World was that a few days ago, while the New World was absorbing Source Energy, there was turbulence. This caused the streams to be chaotic and nearly led to the copse of Heaven''s Path in this world. Even he was seriously injured and had not yet fully recovered.


    "Back then, the Heaven''s Path of the Firmament copsed because of an issue in the Source World. A hand suddenly emerged and split Heaven''s Path into three parts, which Kong Shi, Nie Lingxi, and I each took a part of..."


    Recalling what Nie Yun had told him, Zhang Xuan''s expression turned serious.


    He did not want to face the same crisis. Despite being a lord of a world, his life and death were still not under his control.


    With a flip of his wrist, a book appeared before him.


    It was the book containing Heaven''s Fate Energy.


    Whoosh!


    As Heaven''s Fate Energy appeared in the New World, it instantly triggered a massive tornado spanning thousands of miles. The immense power it radiated caused mountains to copse upon contact, unable to withstand even a fraction of a second. The enormous force obscured the sun and moon in the sky.


    Zhang Xuan trembled.


    As expected of Heaven''s Fate Energy, it far surpassed what the New World could endure.


    "Collect!"


    With a thought, he closed the book, reabsorbing the Heaven''s Fate Energy. Gently tapping it, the book fell to the ground and transformed into a mountain with a diameter of several thousand miles.


    However, this mountain was barren. There were no nts, no soil, not even springs¡ªjust a huge rock.


    Zhang Xuan frowned.


    As the creator of his world, he naturally knew how to create all things from Source Energy. Normally, Source Energy, nourished by yellowish-brown energy, could instantly generate mountains with rocks, trees, flowers, mineral veins, and springs.


    But this time, it only produced a single massive rock, which seemed strange.


    After hesitating, he threw out another book, which turned into a vast river spanning tens of thousands of miles. But this water had no nts, fish, or even microorganisms.


    "Heaven''s Fate Energy can create any object butcks creativity. Once used, it can only produce a single type of object..."


    After studying it for a while, Zhang Xuan understood.


    Everything in the worldplements each other. Purity has its advantages and disadvantages.


    Just like the highly purified silicon wafers in his previous life, which could achieve 13 nines of purity but lost the diversity and sticity of alloys.


    It seemed that while Heaven''s Fate Energy could build a bridge between the Library of Heaven''s Path and the Source World, it couldn''t sustain the operation of the New World. The best choice for strengthening and stabilizing this world was still the rampant Source Energy.


    "The Heaven''s Path Pool Seeking Method has always failed to find a Source Pool... What if I use the New World as a Source Pool? Would that work?"


    Suddenly, an idea struck him, causing Zhang Xuan to tremble.

 Chapter 35: Return to White Roc Academy

    Chapter 35: Return to White Roc Academy


    The purpose of the Source Pool was to absorb and purify Source Energy, ultimately for personal use.


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s World could also purify Source Energy, deduce creation, and generate the great paths of the heavens and all living things.


    One was a person, the other was a world.


    They seemed entirely different but had the same function... utilizing Source Energy!


    Since the Heaven''s Path cultivation method couldn''t locate the Source Pool, what if he used the New World as the Source Pool? Would it have the same effect?


    It was possible!


    Thinking of this, Zhang Xuan no longer hesitated. With a thought, he returned to the quiet room and reached out to the bronzempstand not far away.


    Whoosh!At the same time, the newly formed mountain in the New World copsed, turning back into Source Energy and converging into his palm.


    Huff!


    Thempstand appeared in his palm, with five clear finger marks left on it as the rivers burned again.


    Zhang Xuan''s eyes lit up.


    He had transformed Heaven''s Fate Energy into mountains and rivers to see if it could be burned and used like before. Now it seemed it really could.


    This meant... the entire New World could indeed serve as his Source Pool!


    "In that case, I''ve really struck it rich..."


    Others could only hold a few streams, with the so-called First Grade having only 256 streams, while he...


    Returning to the New World, he looked up at the vast expanse. Zhang Xuan couldn''t help but clench his fists... This enormous world seemed to have an endless supply of Source Energy, with no limits!


    However... if he continuously absorbed energy and caused turbulence, the beings within the world might not be able to endure it. He had to find a solution.


    Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan raised his hands and his eyes, letting out a low shout, "Open!"


    In an instant, the confined world wasyered, with clear energy rising and turbid energy sinking. A more stable world appeared before him.


    This was the method of creation, dividing the divine, immortal, and human realms.


    Since the entire New World was crazily absorbing Source Energy and affecting its life forms, he needed to create a separate divine realm with no life to contain and refine Source Energy, using it as the Source Pool!


    Watching the New World expand, filled with chaotic energy like a seed nted in the soil, small but full of potential, Zhang Xuan felt a surge of excitement.


    This newly created "Source Pool" world, although insignificantpared to the entire New World, would significantly enhance his strength once he had enough Heaven''s Fate Energy to solidify it, officially entering the ranks of Source Warriors.


    "This newly created ce will be called ''Xuan World''!"


    With a thought, Zhang Xuan named it.


    "With Xuan World, I can cultivate smoothly. It''s time to bring them over..."


    The "them" he referred to were his wife, Nie Lingxi, and his students, Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, and others.


    He didn''t know the situation or dangers of the Source World before departing and told no one to avoid worrying them. Now that he had confirmed some things, he could find a way to bring them over.


    And there was no need to take the dangerous path he had previously traveled. As long as he summoned them to the New World, he had the ability to bring them here.


    But this was just a preliminary idea. He would wait until he had a solid foundation.


    After all, he couldn''t even support himself right now. Bringing more dependents would force him to sell himself...


    Returning to the quiet room, he realized that the experiments had taken all night, and it was already the morning of the second Source Pool Assessment at the academy.


    Knowing that the Source Pool needed purified Heaven''s Fate Energy to stabilize, and that the academy''s assessment was the best opportunity, Zhang Xuan didn''t hesitate and stepped out.


    Previously, as Mo Yanxue''s groom, he had managed to enter White Roc Academy smoothly and participated in the assessment. What identity should he use this time?


    "Let''s go check it out first. If all else fails, I''ll find a way to sneak in..."


    Unable toe up with a better n, Zhang Xuan decided to take it step by step.


    As he left the quiet room and headed towards White Roc Academy, Yu Xiaoyu and Mo Yanxue, who had been cultivating overnight, also opened their eyes simultaneously.


    "How are you feeling?" Xiaoyu asked, her bright eyes filled with excitement as she looked at her friend.


    "I absorbed eight streams of Heaven''s Fate Energy to temper my body. If I take the assessment now, my speed of absorbing Source Energy will definitely be twice as fast as yesterday!" Mo Yanxue smiled.


    The assessment involved absorbing Heaven''s Fate Energy into the Source Pool to expand and stabilize it. Fearing it might affect their results, they had only absorbed the Heaven''s Fate Energy into their bodies. Refining eight streams overnight was certainly an impressive feat.


    "I only managed seven..." Xiaoyu pouted but quickly cheered up. "The assessment is about to start. With our training, our speed of absorbing Source Energy will definitely surpass others. We will stand out and surely impress the dean!"


    Mo Yanxue nodded. Although she didn''t know how talented the dean''s chosen student was, her improved control over Heaven''s Fate Energy after a night of hard work made her confident she would be the most dazzling one in the assessment.


    As they left the library, they saw City Lord Yu Longqing waiting outside. He smiled when he saw them. "The carriage is ready. Let''s go quickly, or we''ll bete."


    Xiaoyu''s bells jingled as she led her friend into the carriage. Just before closing the curtain, she looked back in surprise. "Dad, are youing with us?"


    Yu Longqing was now mounted on a tall horse, clearly intending to apany them.


    The Source Pool assessment was essentially White Roc Academy''s recruitment activity, not a big deal. Her father usually wouldn''t even inquire about it. Why the sudden interest?


    "Just have some free time, so I thought I''d check it out!" Yu Longqing smiled. "What, afraid your performance won''t be good enough for me to see?"


    Xiaoyu snorted, "Of course not! I will make you proud!"


    The carriage moved slowly, and it wasn''t long before they arrived at the academy gates. Just as they were about to enter, they saw Zhang Xuan being stopped by a teacher at the entrance.


    "Only students participating in the assessment and their family members are allowed inside. Others are not permitted," the teacher frowned and waved dismissively.


    "I want to take the assessment too..." Zhang Xuan frowned, ready to fabricate an identity, when he heard the City Lord''s voice, "Let him in. This is Zhang Xuan; he is with us."


    The teacher looked over and quickly bowed, not daring to object. "Yes, City Lord!"


    "Thank you..." Zhang Xuan, surprised by the help, didn''t say what he had nned. He quickly approached, bowed, and felt a surge of caution.


    Had the City Lord discovered something about him by having him followed and now allowing him into the academy?


    But he had always been very low-key...


    No, he needed to be even more low-keyter!


    As Zhang Xuan made his decision, Yu Longqing smiled from a distance.


    Since you''re here, let''s see how I''ll expose your disguiseter!

 Chapter 36: Another Assessment

    Chapter 36: Another Assessment


    Thanks to yesterday¡¯s events, White Roc Academy was even more crowded today.


    Before reaching the Nine Dragon Pirs, Zhang Xuan saw that the ce was already packed with students and attendants, numbering over twenty thousand.


    The news of a genius emerging during the assessment and impressing the dean had spread widely.


    Many people wanted to witness firsthand what kind of genius could make Lu Mingrong, who rarely took students, break his rule.


    "I heard that genius has three heads and a mouth as big as his waistband!"


    "That''s pure nonsense. That genius is actually my childhood friend. He got drunkst night and admitted it. Apparently, he even has three girlfriends."


    "You''re talking rubbish. That genius is actually my second aunt''s brother-inw''s cousin''s nephew..."


    The crowd was filled with various rumors, most of them far from reliable."I wish I were that genius. Admitting it would save me a lot of trouble..."


    Zhang Xuan''s eyes were filled with envy.


    Using Xuan World as his Source Pool required an unimaginable amount of Heaven''s Fate Energy. If he could gain the favor of Dean Lu, he might have the opportunity to absorb more and stabilize his cultivation...


    Of course, he knew this was impossible.


    Yesterday, he didn''t even know what a Source Pool was, and he still hadn''t found it. How could he be the genius everyone was talking about?


    Not only did he think this way, but Mo Yanxue, Yu Xiaoyu, and others did too. Among so many new students, who didn''t want to be the most dazzling one?


    Especially Yu Xiaoyu, who clenched her fists, her face flushed red. "This time, I must amaze everyone and surpass that genius!"


    Although she didn''t know how impressive the genius was, she had trained hard all night to stand out today.


    Unlike her, Mo Yanxue looked around, seemingly trying to find where the genius was hiding. She was curious how someone could remain so low-key that even the dean couldn''t identify them.


    Zhang Xuan looked around too.


    At this time, the nine dragon pirs on the stage had been rebuilt, towering and majestic, piercing the sky. Following City Lord Yu and the others, they hadn''t reached the front when Vice-Principal Wu Yunzhou, Elder Ran Qingxu, Wu Liuyun, and several other elders came up to greet them.


    "City Lord..."


    "Greetings!" Yu Longqing nodded with a smile. "I also wanted toe and see where this genius who impressed you all so much is. By the way, where is Dean Lu? Why isn¡¯t he here?"


    "He¡¯s over there on the viewing tform!" Wu Yunzhou pointed. "I''ll take the City Lord over..."


    Yu Longqing turned and saw Lu Mingrong sitting quietly in the stands, his eyes scanning the iing students carefully, afraid of missing someone.


    It seemed he wanted to lock onto his target in advance.


    "No need. You go ahead and handle the students, get them assessed quickly! I''ll go over myself..." Yu Longqing waved his hand, instructed his daughter, and strode towards the viewing tform.


    "City Lord!"


    Seeing his arrival, Lu Mingrong was also a bit surprised. Before he could stand up, Yu Longqing pressed his shoulder down. "I tamed the Cangback Eagle, but you don''t have to be so polite and get up to greet me..."


    "..."


    Lu Mingrong twitched his mouth.


    ¡®I was just getting up to say hello, not to greet you! Besides, if you hadn''t mentioned it, I wouldn¡¯t have known you tamed the Cangback Eagle¡­¡¯


    Seeing his shocked expression, Yu Longqing was quite satisfied. "Alright, I came to ask about this person you''re interested in. Who is he, to make you ask the City Lord''s Mansion for cooperation? When I heard from Vice-Principal Wu, I had people block all the exits from the city. I can assure you, none of the students or attendants who came for the assessment yesterday have left."


    "Thank you, City Lord!"


    Knowing it would be difficult to hide such an existence, Lu Mingrong hesitated for a moment before saying, "ording to the Source Pool grading, this genius should be able to reach Fourth Grade or higher. The exact grade hasn''t been measured... because the Destiny Disk malfunctioned!"


    Lu Mingrong didn''t bat an eye as he spoke. Whether it was First Grade or Saint Grade, it was above Fourth Grade, so he wasn''t exactly lying.


    "I knew it!" Yu Longqing nodded.


    He had suspected that this genius had to be more talented than himself; otherwise, such amotion wouldn''t have urred...


    Thinking this, he instinctively turned to look at Zhang Xuan.


    If it really was this guy... Could it be that after absorbing 32 streams of Heaven''s Fate Energy at White Roc Academy, he then absorbed over two thousand streams at his ce?


    That seemed unlikely!


    Forget it, whether it''s him or not, if he dares to continue absorbing, he will definitely reveal himself!


    As more students gathered, the assessment time quickly arrived. Vice-Principal Wu Yunzhou walked onto the stage and looked around.


    "Now, those whose names are called, pleasee up..."


    Just like yesterday, three thousand names were called out.


    Nearly eighty percent of those who were on stage yesterday didn''t go up this time. Instead, those who had been below the stage went up, causing everyone to look at each other in surprise.


    "Everyone, rest assured. The academy has prepared three Destiny Disks this time. There will be enough Heaven''s Fate Energy. It''s just a matter of the order of assessment, and we are amodating those who didn''t get a chance to go up yesterday..." Wu Yunzhou''s exnation reassured the crowd.


    Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu were not among the eighty percent and remained on stage. Given their reputation and status, they deserved special treatment.


    ncing around, Yu Longqing''s eyes fell on Zhang Xuan.


    Although he was no longer a servant, he wasn''t a new student either, so he wasn''t eligible to go on stage and remained seated to the north of the Nine Dragon Pirs.


    Yu Longqing considered making a request for him to go up, but hesitated and stopped.


    He was the only one who knew about Zhang Xuan possibly absorbing over two thousand streams of Heaven''s Fate Energy. If he gave him special treatment and startled him, this already cautious young man might choose toy low again, making it impossible to confirm.


    Last time, as a servant, he couldn''t go on stage yet was still discovered. This time, he could be too.


    With that thought, Yu Longqing decided to stay silent and watch quietly.


    "The assessment begins!"


    With Wu Yunzhou''s loud announcement, the Nine Dragon Array activated once again, and the Destiny Disks emitted a gentle light, enveloping the entire stage.


    In an instant, countless refined streams of Heaven''s Fate Energy descended, drifting toward those on stage.


    "It''s here!" Yu Xiaoyu''s eyes lit up. She quickly closed her eyes and began to frantically absorb as much as she could.


    The other new students didn''t dare ck off, and even the crowd below surrounded the tform tightly, hoping to better sense and stabilize their Source Pools in advance.


    Zhang Xuan wasn''t in a hurry to absorb the energy. Instead, he carefully observed his surroundings.


    Once he confirmed that everyone had their eyes closed in cultivation, he focused his mind and began "grabbing" the scattered Heaven''s Fate Energy from the tform.


    He grabbed cautiously, not daring to absorb too much at once, fearing he might cause another disturbance.


    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!


    As he absorbed, streams of Heaven''s Fate Energy flowed into Xuan World.


    Entering it, the energy operated the Source Pool nurturing technique, transforming into gigantic pirs that supported the sky, reaching so high they were out of sight.


    The previously narrow world expanded instantly with the appearance of the pirs, bing broader and higher.


    The Source Pool was like a newly dug tunnel, and the Heaven''s Fate Energy acted as the supporting cement piles, expanding the space and ensuring it wouldn''t copse.


    "It really works..."


    Seeing that the Heaven''s Fate Energy could indeed be absorbed by the newly born space in Xuan World, Zhang Xuan felt a bit excited.


    With such arge space, even without a Source Pool, it didn''t matter. The amount of energy it could hold would surely surpass any cultivator.


    After cautiously absorbing eight streams, Zhang Xuan stopped.


    Judging by Xuankai''s state, fully stabilizing it would require tens of thousands of streams of Heaven''s Fate Energy, which would be difficult to achieve while keeping a low profile.


    As Zhang Xuan paused, a line of characters kept shing on the Nine Dragon Pir, ready to appear at any moment.


    Name: Mo Yanxue...


    "Oh, is Yanxue going to be the first to finish this time?"


    Lu Mingrong and Yu Longqing exchanged nces. Just as they were about to speak, the northern pir suddenly shone brightly. Though the characters appearedter, they surpassed the others, emerging as if stamped onto the pir.


    Name: Not Recorded.


    Refined: 8 streams.

 Chapter 37: Still Absorbing

    Chapter 37: Still Absorbing


    "Another ''not recorded''? Could it be... that he''s still not on stage?" Seeing these words, Lu Mingrong, Wu Yunzhou, and the others were all stunned, full of disbelief.


    This time, they had reced two thousand five hundred people, andbined with those who had participated in the assessmentst time, it was close to six thousand.


    Almost everyone in White Roc City with any cultivation talent had been covered, yet they still hadn''t found the genius...


    Were their eyes really that blind, or was the other party hiding too well?


    The most crucial thing was... ¡®You¡¯re a genius, not a wanted criminal. Why be so secretive and cautious?¡¯


    Speechless, Lu Mingrong looked down at the stage. The young faces all had their eyes closed, trying tomunicate with the scattered Heaven''s Fate Energy...


    After watching for a while, he shook his head. It was impossible to identify who it was just by observing like this.


    "Eight streams? Is this the genius you''re looking for?"Yu Longqing, having seen the same words, couldn''t help but look over.


    Absorbing eight streams of Heaven''s Fate Energy for a Sixth Grade Source Pool, although talented, still appeared frequently in annual selections. However, doing so while sitting outside the Nine Dragon Pirs in such a short time was hard to believe.


    After all, the most talented Mo Yanxue hadn''t seeded even once...


    "It should be..." Lu Mingrong nodded.


    In theory, the Source Pool assessment was the process of consolidating the Source Pool. Once it was fully formed, continuing to absorb would not cause any changes in the Nine Dragon Pirs. This was why Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu, who had absorbed Heaven''s Fate Energy in the library, didn''t integrate it into their Source Pools.


    Yesterday, the genius had caused the Destiny Disk to shatter while absorbing Heaven''s Fate Energy. Lu Mingrong believed the person hadn''t reached their limit, which was why he postponed the assessment to today to see if the genius could continue absorbing.


    Unexpectedly, he could!


    And he did it so quickly!


    "Eight streams shouldn''t be his limit. Rather, it''s... the speed at which the Nine Dragon Pirs disperse energy!" Not far away, Ran Qingxu smiled wryly.


    "That..." Everyone was taken aback but then found it quite reasonable.


    The Nine Dragon Pirs had the function of blocking Source Energy. Under normal circumstances, dispersing eight streams in such a short time was indeed the limit. It meant that as soon as a stream was released, it was absorbed by this guy, leaving nothing for others...


    This was like licking the te clean!


    Thinking of this, they couldn''t help but look at the others on stage. They were all desperately trying to find energy, their faces turning red, and some were even about to faint from overexertion, yet they hadn''t found a single bit...


    "..."


    Ran Qingxu and the others all had their eyelids twitching.


    With nothing left, no matter how hard they searched, it was futile!


    "Dean..." Ran Qingxu couldn''t help but look over.


    Knowing that they couldn''t find this genius if things continued this way, Lu Mingrong waved his hand.


    Whoosh!


    Just likest time, the Nine Dragon Pirs made slight adjustments, and pure streams of Heaven''s Fate Energy immediately flowed out.


    Buzz!


    At the same time, Mo Yanxue''s name finally stopped shing and became fully visible.


    Name: Mo Yanxue.


    Refined: One stream.


    The eldest daughter of the Mo family had finallypleted her first absorption into the Source Pool.


    Not only her, but another pir also shone as Yu Xiaoyu''s name slowly emerged.


    The talents of the two were quite simr, showing an evenpetition.


    After more than ten breaths, Liu Mingyue and others'' names gradually appeared, while the "not recorded" entry from earlier remained silent, as if eight streams were the limit.


    "Could it be... that''s it?"


    After being stunned for a moment, Lu Mingrong nodded slowly. "Well, no matter how talented, there has to be a limit..."


    Last time, he absorbed nearly ten thousand streams. Even if it was fewer this time, he expected it to be hundreds or thousands. It seemed he had overestimated the other party.


    Everyone has a limit, even geniuses.


    However, if he stopped absorbing, finding him again would be difficult!


    While he was troubled, Yu Longqing said nothing. Instead, he looked at the inconspicuous Zhang Xuan in the crowd.


    If his guess was correct, closely watching this guy would surely reveal some clues.


    At this moment, Zhang Xuan was not like the others, closing his eyes to search for Heaven''s Fate Energy. Instead, he quietly opened one eye and cautiously observed his surroundings. Confirming that no one was paying attention to him, he sighed in relief.


    "Looks like it''s the same asst time. Just absorb as much as I can..."


    With thousands of people around, it was easy to hide. As long as he wasn¡¯t discovered, he could continue to keep a low profile.


    Thinking this, he closed his eyes, focused his mind, and started absorbing the Heaven''s Fate Energy floating in the air again.


    "Wow, so much? If I absorb it all, no one should notice..."


    After just a short while, Zhang Xuan felt excited. With only seven or eight streams of Source Energy, absorbing them cleanly could easily be detected. But with this much, he could do so freely.


    Boom! Boom!


    As he increased his absorption speed, giant pirs rose at the edges of the space, expanding the "Xuan World" by nearly ten times in just a few minutes.


    Unlike yesterday''s library absorption, the speed was even faster. Each stream of Heaven''s Fate Energy merged directly without needing to be refined.


    This was amazing!


    "Oh, right, there''s the Library of Heaven''s Path too..."


    Not wanting to favor one over the other, he quickly condensed books into physical forms, which floated in mid-air.


    "What the..."


    As he sped up his absorption, Yu Longqing, who had been watching him closely, suddenly had a gleam in his eyes. His fist under his sleeve clenched involuntarily.


    Although Zhang Xuan was absorbing the energy discreetly, Yu Longqing had locked onto him from the start. Given his strength at the eighth level of the Source Pool Realm ¡°Divine Soul¡± and his powerful spirit, he noticed something was off.


    In his view, the Heaven''s Fate Energy in the air was rushing into Zhang Xuan like water pouring through an open floodgate, disappearing into him as if into a bottomless pit, with no end in sight.


    "How can this be?"


    His face paled as he looked at the Nine Dragon Pirs.


    He had thought that even if Zhang Xuan was a genius, he might absorb at most 32 or 64 streams. But at this rate, 128 or 256 streams didn''t seem out of the question!


    No wonder his two thousand plus streams of Heaven''s Fate Energy vanished in an instant yesterday... Even ten more Spirit Source Bamboos wouldn''t be enough for such a devouring monster!


    "No, such a genius can only be used by me. I can''t let Lu Mingrong discover him!"


    Seeing that the Nine Dragon Pirs hadn''t yet disyed Zhang Xuan''s exact quantity, as if there was some dy, Yu Longqing''s heart pounded with excitement.


    If it were just an ordinary genius, it wouldn''t matter where he trained. As long as he was in White Roc City, Yu Longqing would gain supreme honor. But this groom was simply too extraordinary!


    He was likely a First Grade Source Pool, possibly even a Saint Grade Source Pool!


    If he could recruit him into the City Lord''s Mansion, once he soared, even the smallest reward would be immense and inexhaustible.


    As he was contemting how to help Zhang Xuan hide from the academy elders, he heard Elder Wu Liuyun''s excited voice.


    "Look, that guy is at it again..."


    Yu Longqing quickly looked up and saw that the number on the northernmost Nine Dragon Pir had suddenly jumped from "eight streams" to "one hundred fifty-five" in an instant, and it was still rapidly increasing.


    Two hundred!


    Four hundred!


    Six hundred...


    While others absorbed the energy stream by stream, this guy seemed to be on steroids, with each jump increasing by two hundred streams...


    "He really can keep absorbing. Where on earth is this genius..."


    Seeing this, Dean Lu Mingrong stood up abruptly in excitement and instinctively looked towards the northern part of the stage. Suddenly, his eyesnded on Zhang Xuan.

 Chapter 38: Cant Hide Anymore

    Chapter 38: Can''t Hide Anymore


    "This guy..."


    Dean Lu Mingrong couldn''t help but furrow his brows. He had seen this elderly groom yesterday and thought he was just there to observe and would leave once he found it meaningless. To his surprise, he was back again today.


    Seeing that he was staring directly at Zhang Xuan, Yu Longqing''s face changed slightly, but he quickly smiled and said, "Dean Lu, I have a suggestion. I don''t know if it''s correct!"


    Lu Mingrong withdrew his gaze and looked over, "Go ahead, City Lord!"


    Yu Longqing continued, "Since he is a super genius, he must have activated his Source Pool at a very young age. Otherwise, how could he be considered so talented?"


    Lu Mingrong paused, "That makes sense, but..."


    Yu Longqing, his face not betraying any emotion, deliberately misled him, "There is no ''but''... I believe if we look based on age, we will surely find some clues!"


    "I''ll give it a try..." Lu Mingrong nodded and began to carefully inspect the younger students.Seeing that he had been misled, Yu Longqing heaved a sigh of relief and looked back at Zhang Xuan. What he saw nearly made him faint.


    At this moment, the young man''s absorption speed had obviously increased. The Heaven''s Fate Energy was disappearing so quickly that the air around him was slightly shimmering.


    Simply absorbing Heaven''s Fate Energy, without reaching the eighth level of the Source Pool Realm and without strong spiritual power, made it difficult to notice any clues without close observation. But now, the situation was so obvious that even someone blind could see it!


    ncing nervously at Lu Mingrong, Yu Longqing noticed that he hadn''t found anything unusual and was about to turn his head...


    The City Lord quickly stood up, blocking his line of sight. "Dean Lu, it seems Xiaoyu''s performance is quite impressive too..."


    Lu Mingrong looked up and indeed saw that one of the dragon pirs showed Yu Xiaoyu''s number, which had reached "eight streams," tying her with Mo Yanxue for first ce.


    Eight streams, Sixth Grade Source Pool!


    Although not extremely stunning, it wasn''t weak either. Moreover, judging by her progress speed, she hadn''t reached her limit yet.


    "It seems Miss Yu has inherited the City Lord''s extraordinary talent..."


    Lu Mingrong sighed, about to continue his search when he noticed that Yu Longqing was still blocking his view. Curious, he heard the City Lord say, "In that case, does she have the qualifications to be epted into Dean Lu''s tutge?"


    Lu Mingrong was taken aback.


    He had thought it odd that the City Lord woulde all this way just to see a genius. Now it was clear that this was his main purpose all along.


    "epting students not only depends on the teacher but also on whether the student is suitable. If Miss Yu is suitable for my teaching methods, I would be more than happy to ept her..."


    Lu Mingrong smiled, not making any firm promises.


    The City Lord''s daughter, with good talent, would be a good disciple. Of course, that was if the "not recorded" genius wasn''t found. Thetter was so exceptional that if he could be taken as a disciple, even if the City Lord himself wanted to be his student, he would refuse without hesitation!


    "That''s true, but rest assured, my daughter won''t disappoint you..." Yu Longqing said.


    Lu Mingrong nodded, "The City Lord''s family has deep foundations. A teacher is only an aid. Even I cannot guarantee absolute sess..."


    "That''s not true..." Yu Longqing shook his head. "Dean Lu''s Bone Tempering Method is unparalleled in White Roc City. I am quite envious!"


    "The City Lord tters me..."


    After a few casual remarks, Lu Mingrong


    frowned.


    At this moment, he sensed something amiss.


    If Yu Longqing truly admired his Bone Tempering Method, he wouldn''t have avoided him but rather would have had his son, Yu Feng, apprentice under the Great Elder Ran Qingxu.


    Yu Feng''s talent was equally exceptional, having absorbed fifteen streams of Heaven''s Fate Energy, just one short of the sixteen needed for Fifth Grade!


    "Could it be..."


    Suspicious, seeing the City Lord continuously blocking his view, Lu Mingrong''s heart skipped a beat. It seemed he understood something. Without saying a word, he shifted slightly, evading Yu Longqing''s obstruction, and looked towards the northern part of the stage again.


    "Dean..."


    Seeing him dodge, Yu Longqing frowned.


    Lu Mingrong shook his head, "We''ll discuss Miss Yu''s apprenticeshipter. Let''s first find out where this genius is hiding..."


    "You''re right!"


    Knowing that further obstruction would only arouse more suspicion, Yu Longqing had no choice but to give up blocking and secretly nce at Zhang Xuan again.


    The groom, realizing his previous absorption was too intense, had slowed down a bit and was no longer as conspicuous.


    Seeing that it was hard to detect anything without close observation, Yu Longqing sighed in relief. Just as he felt everything was fine, he noticed Lu Mingrong''s eyes fixed straight on Zhang Xuan, as if trying to discern something from his face.


    "What''s wrong? Is there something wrong with my face?" Yu Longqing asked awkwardly.


    "There is something wrong. It seems the City Lord knows something and has been deliberately distracting me..." Lu Mingrong smiled faintly and looked in the direction Yu Longqing had been staring, his eyes falling on Zhang Xuan.


    He had seen the young man before but hadn''t had a chance to observe him closely before being interrupted.


    Was it possible...


    With a doubt in his heart, he focused his mind and carefully sensed Zhang Xuan. His pupils suddenly contracted.


    In his perception, this seemingly harmless young man, regardless of whether the Heaven''s Fate Energy was passing by or flying by, would instantly absorb it without leaving a trace, as if he were a giant ck hole capable of infinite devouring!


    "This..."


    After searching for a day, the genius wasn''t a student taking the assessment, nor a young scion of a prestigious family, but a... groom! No wonder there were no traces left behind.


    Who would have thought!


    "You figured it out?"


    Seeing his expression, Yu Longqing knew it was impossible to hide it any longer. He lowered his voice, "You wouldn''t want his extraordinary talent to be exposed, attracting more attention, would you?"


    Lu Mingrong nodded.


    A powerful Source Pool didn''t necessarily mean he would be an unparalleled expert in the future, but having arge capacity for Source Energy certainly opened up infinite possibilities. Even if he was only Second or Third Grade, the likelihood of reaching the ninth level of the Source Pool Realm would be over ny-nine percent!


    In other words, as long as he didn''t fall prematurely, even with just a Third Grade Source Pool, he could ultimately be a ninth-level powerhouse, unmatched in White Roc City!


    Such talent... it was best not to let many people know. Otherwise, even the royal city mighte to snatch him away, leaving them with nothing.


    "What do you suggest..." Dean Lu looked over.


    His eyes shing, Yu Longqing disyed the decisiveness of a city lord, "It''s simple. Besides you and me, no one else in White Roc City should know. We will publicly im that there was a malfunction with the Nine Dragon Pirs, which caused the previous situation. As for the genius... we can find someone to take his ce."


    "This..."


    Lu Mingrong hesitated. He had to admit, it was the best solution.


    Although this genius''s rapid progress in cultivation couldn''t be concealed for long, establishing a rtionship with him before he rose to prominence would be sufficient!


    "Alright, let''s do it!"


    Without much hesitation, Lu Mingrong made his decision.


    Although one more person would know the secret, it was better than not being able to identify the genius. Moreover, discovering him within his own academy made it easier to build a good rtionship. If he could take him as a student, his reputation would eventually spread throughout the Source World...


    "Pleasure working with you!"


    Seeing his agreement, Yu Longqing nodded with satisfaction and extended his hand.


    "Pleasure working with you!"


    Lu Mingrong smiled faintly. The two strongest figures in White Roc City shook hands firmly. Regardless of what the other thought, the agreement was set!


    As these two powerhouses silently began nning their future, an extremely excited voice rang out.


    "Dean... No wonder we couldn''t find that genius after searching for so long. He used to be a groom!"


    Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong''s pupils simultaneously contracted as they quickly turned around, only to see Wu Yunzhou approaching them with an excited expression.


    "How do you know?"


    Lu Mingrong couldn''t hold back anymore.


    With his seventh-level peak Source Pool cultivation and the slip by the City Lord, he had only just managed to discover the truth. How could this guy figure it out so quickly?


    "How do I know?"


    Surprised by the question, Wu Yunzhou looked puzzled and couldn''t help but point toward the stage. "In this situation, it''s kind of hard not to know, isn''t it?"


    Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong turned their heads in unison and saw a funnel-shaped vortex of airflow around Zhang Xuan''s position, like a tornado, attached to the Destiny Disk. As soon as thetter released Heaven''s Fate Energy, it was immediately absorbed, with the speed causing the air to emit a tearing sound.


    This was beyond licking the te clean¡ªit was eating the entire te!


    As for the numbers on the Nine Dragon Pirs, they were shing like neon lights.


    3000 streams!


    5000 streams!


    8000 streams...


    The numbers were shing so fast, it was like a rocket taking off.


    "???"


    Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong stood frozen in ce, feeling like they were about to cry.


    Though there weren''t many elders and teachers present for the assessment, there were still nearly a hundred. They had just agreed not to let a third person know, and now, the secret hadn''t even been kept for half a minute...


    Wasn''t he supposed to be low-key? Low-key, my foot!

 Chapter 39: Absorbing Casually for Fun

    Chapter 39: Absorbing Casually for Fun


    "What do we do now?"


    Feeling frustrated but unable to ignore the situation, Lu Mingrong couldn''t help but look over.


    "What do we do? Get these students to leave and cover this up as quickly as possible..."


    Yu Longqing waved his hand, disying the decisiveness and capability of a city lord. "I''ll handle Zhang Xuan and get him to take it easy. You deal with the teachers and make sure they all keep their mouths shut. Anyone who dares to leak any information will be thrown into the dungeon!"


    Lu Mingrong nodded.


    What Yu Longqing said was true. Most of the students and attendants had their eyes closed, focusing on sensing the Heaven''s Fate Energy, and hadn''t noticed the anomaly with the Nine Dragon Pirs and the vortex. If they could control the teachers who saw it and keep them from talking, the secret could still be kept.


    "Vice Principal Wu, gather all the teachers and elders immediately!"


    Lu Mingrong ordered in a low voice."Yes, sir!" Wu Yunzhou quickly turned and went to gather the others.


    Yu Longqing, meanwhile, flickered a few times and appeared in front of Zhang Xuan. Seeing the tornado of Heaven''s Fate Energy spinning above his head, he couldn''t help but twitch at the corners of his mouth. He tapped Zhang Xuan on the shoulder.


    "Zhang Xuan, my friend..."


    "Hmm?"


    Zhang Xuan, who was absorbing the Heaven''s Fate Energy, was surprised to be interrupted. He quickly stopped absorbing and slowly opened his eyes. Seeing who it was, he immediately showed respect. "City Lord, why are you here? Would you like to absorb some too? I''ll make room for you..."


    He moved over a bit as he spoke.


    "No need..."


    With a twitching face, Yu Longqing couldn''t help but ask, "Are you absorbing Heaven''s Fate Energy?"


    "I''m just casually absorbing for fun, to see if I can strengthen my body. I''m sorry to have embarrassed myself in front of you..."


    Zhang Xuan looked a bit embarrassed.


    Although the Library of Heaven''s Path and Xuan World were absorbing Heaven''s Fate Energy simultaneously, making the speed much faster than one alone, he figured that among so many people absorbing at the same time, his actions shouldn''t be too noticeable...


    Hmm, as long as I don''t admit it, they shouldn''t find anything wrong!


    "Absorbing... for fun?"


    Seeing his shy and somewhat dazed expression, Yu Longqing nearly choked on his own saliva.


    If this is you absorbing for fun... what does that make everyone else?


    Not even worthy of ying around?


    "I only learned how to find the Source Pool yesterday, so I don''t really know how to cultivate. I''m just here to make up the numbers. I must thank you, City Lord, for speaking on my behalf and getting me into the academy. Otherwise, I''d still be wandering outside the gate..."


    Zhang Xuan expressed his gratitude and then looked around, seeing the Heaven''s Fate Energy still present. Afraid of missing the opportunity, he hesitated and then asked tentatively, "If the City Lord isn''t absorbing, then I''ll continue. Even though my talent isn''t great and I startedte, I still want to be a Source Warrior..."


    "..."


    Yu Longqing clutched his chest.


    ¡®Is this guy even speaking humannguage?¡¯


    He had absorbed 22 streams of Heaven''s Fate Energy, opening a Fifth Grade Source Pool, and was hailed as the number one genius in White Roc City. Yet Zhang Xuan, who had absorbed over ten thousand streams, was saying his talent wasn''t great?


    ¡®Is he mocking me?¡¯


    Feeling deeply frustrated, Yu Longqing was about to exin the situation when he saw Zhang Xuan sit down again and close his eyes.


    At this moment, Zhang Xuan''s face was slightly flushed, as if he was trying hard to find Heaven''s Fate Energy but couldn''t, looking extremely unwilling, just like everyone else around him...


    "???"


    Yu Longqing felt a sharp pain in his chest.


    ¡®Could he act more fake?¡¯


    ¡®Looking at him like this, should I acknowledge his abilities or pretend I don''t know?¡¯


    Feeling utterly helpless, Yu Longqing didn''t know what to do when he saw the young man, still pretending, carefully open one eye and nce at him.


    Seeing that he hadn''t left, he quickly closed his eye again and resumed his effort, looking determined not to give up until he found something.


    "..."


    Yu Longqing held his forehead.


    ¡®Forget it, better leave before I get more frustrated.¡¯


    ¡®Just as he was about to turn around, he suddenly stopped.¡¯


    "Wait... It seems he doesn''t realize themotion he''s caused. In other words, he doesn''t know he''s been exposed. So if I treat him kindly now, it would be like helping him in his time of need."


    This guy is great at everything, except he''s too low-key... ¡®If that''s the case, I can use this to my advantage.¡¯


    ¡®Since he doesn''t know he''s been exposed, I''ll pretend not to know either and treat him well, so he''ll be grateful to me.¡¯


    ¡®A favor in times of hardship is far more valuable than embellishments in times of sess.¡¯


    Understanding this, Yu Longqing got excited. He coughed, steadied his emotions, and lowered his voice, "Take your time to cultivate. I''ll be over there waiting for you. After the assessment, I have something to discuss with you..."


    "Alright!"


    Not knowing what the City Lord wanted to discuss, but happy to receive an olive branch, Zhang Xuan quickly nodded. Once Yu Longqing left, he sighed in relief and carefully resumed absorbing Heaven''s Fate Energy.


    This time, he didn''t dare be as reckless as before, but with the Library of Heaven''s Path and Xuan World absorbing simultaneously, the speed was still impressive.


    The numbers on the Nine Dragon Pirs quickly started jumping again... making Yu Longqing feel a mix of fear and admiration.


    At this moment, he finally understood why Lu Mingrong was so desperate to find this person, even seeking his help.


    This was beyond extraordinary!


    Could it be that the Destiny Disk was blown up by him yesterday?


    If so, he absorbed at least over ten thousand streams yesterday, another two thousand at the City Lord''s Mansionst night, and now over ten thousand again...


    One Source Pool assessment, one person used over twenty thousand streams of Heaven''s Fate Energy. What level was this?


    ¡®Even a Saint Grade isn''t this terrifying!¡¯


    His face changed colors in shock¡ªwhite, red, yellow, pink¡ªunsure what he was thinking or what had scared him. Meanwhile, Wu Yunzhou had gathered all the teachers.


    Lu Mingrong stood before the group, his voice low but resonating clearly in everyone''s ears.


    "Today''s events must remain confidential. Not a word should be leaked. If I find out someone has spoken, I will personally ensure they arepletely crippled."


    The teachers were stunned. One of them couldn''t help but ask, "Dean, why?"


    "This is for your protection! In a small ce like ours, having a genius this strong could bring unimaginable trouble if the news gets out. You should understand this better than I do!"


    Lu Mingrong''s cold snort was followed by an immense pressure spreading over everyone.


    Feeling the naked killing intent from him, knowing he would indeed take action if they leaked anything, all the teachers'' faces turned serious, and they nodded in unison.


    "Yes!"


    Compared to gossip, their lives seemed more important...


    Seeing everyone agree, Lu Mingrong nodded in satisfaction and breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to give further instructions, the teacher who had spoken earlier spoke up again, trembling.


    "Um..."


    "What is it?" Lu Mingrong frowned.


    The teacher stammered, "We can keep quiet, but... with his current situation, it might be a bit difficult to hide..."


    He pointed as he spoke.


    Lu Mingrong looked over and saw that another vortex of Heaven''s Fate Energy had formed above Zhang Xuan''s head.


    As the absorption speed increased, a cracking sound was heard. The newly reced Destiny Disk made a crisp noise and started to crack again.

 Chapter 40: Just Kick Him Out

    Chapter 40: Just Kick Him Out


    "Damn it!"


    Never expected the second Destiny Disk to be rendered useless by absorption again, causing a jolt in Lu Mingrong''s heart. He hurriedly nced towards the nine dragon pirs.


    Though they weren''t damaged, there were subtle shifts, seemingly on the verge of copse, repeating yesterday''s disaster.


    "This guy..."


    Dean Lu was on the verge of pulling his hair out.


    Those who knew understood he came for the Source Pool assessment. Those who didn''t might think... he was here to intentionally wreck the ce!


    Frustrated, he flicked his hand, sending another Destiny Disk flying,nding in the middle of the nine dragon pirs. With the recement, the restless aura settled once more.


    Due to a disk failing yesterday, the assessment ended prematurely.So he got prepared to prevent new mishaps.Sensing the pause in source energy, Zhang Xuan, who was in meditation, quietly opened his eyes. ncing around, he noticed everyone gathered, deep in discussion, seemingly unaware of his anomaly, which eased his tension.


    It seemed his low profile was effective!


    Being modest was his standard and principle in everything he did, ingrained deeply in his marrow. It was difficult to change.


    "Let''s continue!"


    Knowing the stabilization of Xuan World was far fromplete, he refrained from self-admiration, closing his eyes once more to resume absorption.


    Huff, huff, huff!


    Boom!


    A massive vortex emerged above his head once more.


    "..."


    Lu Mingrong rubbed his forehead, looking at the many teachers who wore expressions of helplessness.


    Indeed, this guy was too extraordinary. Even if they didn''t want to admit it, in his current state, the truth couldn''t be hidden for long...


    "Let¡¯s hide it until we can¡¯t!"


    Yu Longqing approached him, saying, "As long as we manage rtions during this time... a soaring dragon can''t be confined, but while it''s still in shallow waters, we can offer assistance to ensure it understands our goodwill."


    Lu Mingrong nodded, once again looking at the city lord before him, his eyes tinged with surprise.


    No wonder he was the city lord, while he was just a teacher...


    That was the difference in stature.


    Keeping the dragon confined by his side would be the stupidest move. Investing and nning for the future were the paths to longevity. Even the smallest favor, once epted, would remain ingrained for a lifetime.


    ¡®Unless you are dealing with an ingrate who discards you as useless!¡¯


    "But now the situation has caused such a stir... We can manage the tongues of these teachers, but not those of their attendants and servants..."


    Understanding this key point, Lu Mingrong stopped dwelling and furrowed his brows slightly as he looked over.


    These attendants and servants were currently meditating with closed eyes, oblivious to any anomalies. But that didn''t mean they wouldn''t notice. Once they did, news of Zhang Xuan''s unparalleled talent would be equally impossible to conceal.


    Surely, they couldn''t just eliminate everyone...


    "It''s impossible to conceal, but... we can shift the focus!" Yu Longqing''s eyes gleamed.


    "Shift the focus?" Lu Mingrong was puzzled.


    "Yes!" Yu Longqing nodded. "As long as the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy isn''t absorbed, it will soon be contaminated by Source Energy and dissipate into the world. In that case... if there are issues during the assessment, it is dispersing from the due north shouldn''t pose a problem!"


    "That makes sense..." Lu Mingrong suddenly realized. "You mean interpret Zhang Xuan''s situation as a malfunction?"


    "Yes! Even if we were to tell others that a groom absorbed twenty thousand strands of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy and ruined two Destiny Disks while they didn''t even absorb one... who would believe it? Admitting one''s weakness is easy. But admitting someone else''s strength is difficult!" Yu Longqing affirmed.


    Lu Mingrong nodded. "That''s... I''ll prepare for it!"


    Understanding the n, Lu Mingrong wasted no time.


    He approached the nine dragon pirs and forcefully grabbed the one in the due north, causing it to sway and tilt slightly.


    Although the deviation was minor, the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy leaked faster and brighter. In the blink of an eye, it turned into a thick fog, enveloping Zhang Xuan inside.


    The brilliance even obscured the vortex above his head, which moments ago had concerned two masters but was now invisible.


    "Let''s wait until he finishes absorbingpletely!" Lu Mingrong sighed in relief, no longer fearing detection.


    Yu Longqing nodded silently, refraining from further words.


    "What''s going on?" While they strategized, Zhang Xuan, who was absorbing below, sensed something amiss and opened his eyes once more.


    "So much fog? Could it be... I can absorb freely without being noticed?" Previously, due to his discreet nature, he had only used about a tenth of his power, fearing discovery by outsiders. Now, with fog everywhere, even with full force, he wouldn''t be detected.


    Excited by the thought, Zhang Xuan split his focus, scanning the Xuan World and the Library of Heaven''s Path.


    The Xuan World now stood with tens of thousands of stone pirs, spanning billions of miles and unable to be seen to its end. Though not fully stabilized, it was close.


    As for the Library of Heaven''s Path, it now boasted thousands more books, suspended quietly in midair like countless stars.


    "Let''s begin!" Knowing he still needed more Heaven¡®s Fate Energy, Zhang Xuan wasted no time.


    Whoosh!


    Once again, the vortex emerged. The thick fog from earlier seemed to copse in an instant, pouring madly toward him at its center, fueling his absorption frenzy.


    "Brilliant!" Sensing the absorption at full throttle, Zhang Xuan couldn''t help but exim as the Xuan World became more secure.


    "This is true cultivation... Enduring was truly taxing!" he thought.


    Meanwhile, observing from the tform, Yu Longqing had a thought: "After absorbing so much consecutively, Zhang Xuan must be nearing his limit!"


    "Indeed..." Lu Mingrong agreed.


    No matter how exceptional his talent, there was always a limit to the amount of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy one needs. Now that he had absorbed two Destiny Disks and a Spirit Source Bamboo, he was likely reaching that limit.


    All they needed to do was wait. Once he stopped absorbing, no one would notice anything amiss.


    Crash!


    As they conversed, a thunderous roar suddenly echoed from ahead, like a waterfall crashing against rocks, jarring their ears.


    Startled, they looked up. What they saw made both masters'' pupils contract, almost bringing them to tears.


    Zhang Xuan, who had just created a vortex moments ago, now seemed like a divine spirit terrifying all directions. The surrounding fog surged madly toward him, its tidal sounds resonating.


    When it was silent, they could hide by not opening their eyes. Now... how could they hide this?


    Moreover, the second Destiny Disk, just ced, had cracked due to his intense absorption, on the verge of exploding once more.


    "Should we... just kick him out and stop him from absorbing?" Lu Mingrong couldn''t help but suggest with a frustrated expression.

 Chapter 41: Who Was the Genius?

    Chapter 41: Who Was the Genius?


    "Hmm?" Yu Longqing looked over in confusion.


    Lu Mingrong said, "You know the price and origin of the Destiny Disks. Although White Roc Academy is wealthy, it can''t withstand such consumption. I fear that if this continues... not only will we fail to conceal it, but the academy will also go bankrupt!"


    "That''s true..." Yu Longqing nodded involuntarily.


    The Destiny Disks are items that only the academy qualifies to purchase from the Destiny Hall. They are gathered from the River of Destiny, extremely pure and valuable. Although not as valuable as the Spirit Source Bamboo, they are not far behind!


    Such precious items, and this Zhang Xuan has consumed three of them in one go...


    Anyone else would find it unbearable!


    Lu Mingrong continued, "The academy is already left with few pieces. If we let him absorb more, I fear others won''t be able to stabilize their Source Pools!"


    Currently, the fastest absorbers were Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu, each only at ten streams. Many people hadn''t even seeded in one level. If we don''t stop this, this year''s assessment would be almostpletely ruined, with unprecedented gaps in results.There was no better solutions for now. Stopping him would be the only way to solve the problem. Yu Longqing nodded and instructed, "Don''t let him stop alone. Otherwise, it will attract too much attention."


    With so many people absorbing, if he was singled out, even the dumbest person would realize this young man is somewhat special. In that case, his identity as a genius might really be impossible to conceal.


    "I understand!" Lu Mingrong waved his hands, reced thest Destiny Disk, and had someone restore the positions of the nine Dragon Pirs.


    Afterpleting these tasks, he stretched out his palm towards the northern stone pir, gave it a fierce pat, causing the numbers like "Not Recorded", "21,000 streams" to shake and disappear.


    Without this, even if others stop practicing, they wouldn''t know the specific situation. The risk of exposure would be greatly reduced.


    With everything ready, Lu Mingrong finally breathed a sigh of relief, surveyed the surroundings, and spoke loudly.


    "Just now, there was a problem with the Nine Dragon Pirs, causing source energy leakage. I''ve already sent someone to fix it. From now on, to ensure the assessment proceeds without disturbance, practicing below the stage is no longer allowed. Everyone, please return to the stands to rest!"


    "No more practice allowed?"


    "Then how can we sense the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy in advance?"


    "It seems there really was a malfunction, otherwise, I wouldn''t have spent so long without finding a single level of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy..."


    The people below the stage, who were trying hard to sense, all slowly opened their eyes, each realizing suddenly.


    From the start of practice until now, nearly half an hour has passed. Even though the Heaven¡®s Fate Energy that leaked out is not much, it shouldn''t be impossible to find even one level!


    Previously, they thought it was a problem with their talents, but it turned out it was a malfunction!


    "There''s a malfunction?"


    Different from the astonishment of the crowd, Zhang Xuan also stopped absorbing, slightly disappointed as he opened his eyes.


    ¡®What exactly is White Roc Academy ying at? It breaks yesterday and today, how can it make people practice happily?¡¯


    ¡®Too unreliable, this poor academy!¡¯


    ¡®Forget it, having absorbed so much Heaven¡®s Fate Energy from others, the favor isn''t small. When my strength improves, I''ll find a way to help fix it¡­¡¯


    Feeling emotional, he saw everyone moving towards the stands and quietly followed, appearing unobtrusive as he found a corner to look towards the stage.


    At this moment on the arena, Mo Yanxue, Yu Xiaoyu, and others were still practicing with their eyes closed.


    With no more leakage of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy, a thin mist appeared over the entire high tform. Within it, the sense of pure power was like wandering little dragons, continuously shuttling.


    Knowing that absorption was temporarily impossible, continuing to watch was meaningless. Zhang Xuan no longer paid attention. He calmly observed himself instead, immersed his spirit once again in the Xuan World.


    The New World just opened up has absorbed more than 10,000 streams of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy, and it has already been thoroughly stabilized.


    The vast expanse of the four directions of heaven and earth is empty and endless.


    This was like the Dantian; without True Energy, no matter how vast it was, it wouldn''t add a bit to the cultivation.


    "It looks like I need to learn the method of tempering Source Energy..."


    To consolidate the Source Pool, the next step was to absorb the violent Source Energy between heaven and earth, then find a way to refine and temper it, improving the physiqueyer byyer, preparing for future realm leveling.


    "Look, Miss Mo Yanxue has already absorbed 21 streams of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy!"


    Just as Zhang Xuan pondered where to search for martial techniques, discussion erupted around him. Soon, he saw on the Nine Dragon Pirs that Mo Yanxue''s name ranked first, with the number "21" conspicuously disyed.


    "The highest talent in White Roc City in a century, Lord Yu, only absorbed 22 streams. I wonder if Miss Mo can break this record!"


    "Definitely! She''s already at 21 streams, so reaching 22 should be no problem!"


    "This is a Fifth Grade Source Pool..."


    "Amazing!"


    Watching the excitement of the crowd, Zhang Xuan couldn''t help but marvel as well. Despite being able to absorb over 20,000 streams of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy with the aid of the Xuan World, he was essentially useless even without finding the Source Pool... There was still a significant gap between him and this youngdy.


    Buzz!


    Just then, the light on the Nine Dragon Pirs flickered again, changing from 21 to 22, matching Lord Yu Longqing''s record and advancing towards the Fourth Grade Source Pool''s 32 streams.


    However, the higher one advanced in cultivation, the more difficult it became. After persevering for about a quarter of an hour, Mo Yanxue''s achievement finally settled at 28 streams, unable to progress any further.


    She remained in the Fifth Grade Source Pool, but her talent surpassed Lord Yu''s by a considerable margin.


    As for Yu Xiaoyu, she was equally formidable, reaching 27 streams!


    What surprised people was that even the somewhat ill-tempered Liu Mingyue managed to reach 24 streams, despitegging behind these two. She was genuinely a Fifth Grade talent and could be considered among the top in White Roc City''s hundred-year history.


    Of course, the impressive ones were only these three. Most of the others were dismal, only absorbing one level, ounting for nearly eighty percent. Those who absorbed two levels made up the remaining one and a half percent, with the rest being Seventh Grade and Sixth Grade.


    After the first round of assessments concluded, the second round began. Zhang Xuan wasn''t a student and didn''t qualify to enter, so he could only continue sighing with envy.


    Two hourster, all registered students were tested. Mo Yanxue, Yu Xiaoyu, and Liu Mingyue remained the highest talents.


    "The Source Pool assessment is over. This year''s results surpass previous years. Anyone who has sessfully absorbed one stream of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy and consolidated their Source Pool can be a disciple of the academy! Of course, students can choose their teachers, and teachers can also choose their students. How they choose is up to them."


    Gathering all students together, President Lu Mingrong smiled faintly. "However, before that, I would like to announce two matters!"


    "Could it be that the genius has been found, and the president wishes to take them as a disciple?"


    "It should be... Do you think it''s Mo Yanxue, Yu Xiaoyu, or Liu Mingyue?"


    "I think it might be me..."


    Immediately, everyone became excited.


    Yesterday, rumors spread that the president had once again considered taking on a disciple for a genius. Now it seemed likely to be true.


    In an instant, everyone wanted to see who this genius was who could make the president so eager and what kind of power they had mastered.


    "Who could it be?" Zhang Xuan couldn''t help but show curiosity.

 Chapter 42: Accepting a Disciple

    Chapter 42: epting a Disciple


    Although he didn''t know the strength of this dean, anyone who could wield power in White Roc City was clearly no simple person. Such a figure, willing to go to great lengths to recruit a student, indicated that this "genius" must be extraordinary. However, recruiting a student was just one matter. What was the other?


    Zhang Xuan and the others did not remain puzzled for long as Dean Lu Mingrong soon provided the answer.


    "The first matter!"


    Lu Mingrong''s voice echoed throughout the martial arts field, "White Rock Academy ns to recruit a few auxiliary teachers this year to handle various tasks, such as dormitory management, cafeteria management, and library management. If theyter qualify to teach, they can transition to full-time teachers."


    "Auxiliary teachers?"


    "Did the academy have them before?"


    "I don''t think so..."


    An uproar followed.Not only were the people confused, but even Wu Yunzhou, Ran Qingxu, and others were baffled.


    Auxiliary teachers... The dean had never mentioned this before. Why now?


    "This old fox is really cunning..."


    Unlike the others, Yu Longqing''s eyelid twitched, and his mouth couldn''t help but twitch.


    Others might not see the reason behind this sudden decision, but he saw it clearly.


    Zhang Xuan had not enrolled, and his age was beyond that of a typical student. If the dean forcibly took him in, even a fool would know he was the genius!


    He wasn''t a student and couldn''t be taken as a disciple. If the dean wanted to keep him at the academy, there was only one way... make him a teacher!


    Auxiliary teachers didn''t need to teach sses or worry about misleading students. Giving him an easy job would be like hiring a guest elder. More importantly, it provided a legitimate reason to interact and win him over...


    How shameless!


    ¡®Indeed, the older one gets, the craftier they be... No, I must find a way to bring him to my side and establish a strong connection.¡¯


    Yu Longqing fell into deep thought.


    Unaware of the battle of wits between the two masters, Zhang Xuan''s eyes also lit up upon hearing the dean''s words.


    This position was very tempting to him.


    He was very skilled at being a teacher. The ability to gather spiritual energy with words and enlighten students instantly was second nature to him! Now that he had left the Mo family and lost his source of ie, he urgently needed a job, and being a teacher was the best choice.


    The most crucial point was that this position would allow him to stay at White Rock Academy, providing him with endless Heaven''s Fate Energy and an extensive library, which would greatly benefit his cultivation.


    Of course, the premise was that he could actually get the job and be assigned to manage the library, which seemed quite difficult. After all, he was just an ordinary person with nothing special. Why would they choose him?


    "What are the requirements for applying for this auxiliary teacher position?" someone in the crowd asked, sharing Zhang Xuan''s curiosity.


    "It''s simple, just have a particr skill!" Lu Mingrong replied, looking around until his gazended on Zhang Xuan. "For example, this young friend Zhang Xuan, I heard you are skilled in taming beasts. Miss Mo''s Su Shang behaves like a cat in front of you. Is that true?"


    Zhang Xuan was taken aback by the directness but quickly nodded, "Yes, it is."


    Lu Mingrong smiled, "Would you be willing to join White Rock Academy as an auxiliary teacher?"


    "Me?" Zhang Xuan was momentarily stunned but then eagerly nodded, "Of course!"


    "Good! We''ll discuss the detailster," Lu Mingrong said, visibly relieved, and then turned back to the crowd. "Yesterday, I heard that a genius had appeared in White Roc City, which prompted me toe out of seclusion. As it turns out, I was not disappointed! The geniuses I was looking for are Mo Yanxue from the Mo family and Yu Xiaoyu from the City Lord''s family! I would like to take you both as my students. Are you willing?"


    "It''s them?"


    "These twodies'' talents even surpass the City Lord''s. It''s only natural that the dean would choose them!"


    The crowd was enlightened.


    Zhang Xuan frowned, sensing something was off, but he couldn''t identify what. If they were really looking for Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu, he had observed them closely yesterday and even crossed Source Pool Mountain without noticing anything unusual. How could they be so certain now?


    "I am willing!"


    "I am willing too..."


    Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu, seeing their effortsst night had not been wasted, bowed excitedly. Being epted as students by the dean was the highest praise and recognition.


    After everything was arranged and the impact of yesterday''s events was mitigated, Lu Mingrong nodded in satisfaction. He stroked his beard and was about to find an opportunity to speak with Zhang Xuan privately when an urgent voice interrupted.


    "Dean Lu, why didn''t you choose me? My talent isn''t bad either!"


    Everyone turned to see Liu Mingyue, the eldest daughter of the Liu family, standing not far away with reddened eyes.


    She, along with Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu, was considered one of the three great beauties of White Roc City. However, she had been slightly outperformed during the assessment, which was already embarrassing.


    Now, with the others being epted as students by the dean while she gained nothing, she was at a loss.


    "Miss Liu, the academy has many excellent teachers. With your outstanding talent, you can choose freely. I am quiteid-back by nature; being my student might not be beneficial," Lu Mingrong replied.


    epting Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu was merely to divert attention. He wouldn''t have much time for teaching, and the so-called discipleship was just a pretense. These two would spend most of their time self-studying.


    Unexpectedly, even under such circumstances, Liu Mingyue was still eager to step forward.


    "Why can Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu be your students, but not me? I don''t ept this!" Liu Mingyue gritted her teeth.


    "Why? Because our talents are better," Yu Xiaoyu''s eyes sparkled as she saw Liu Mingyue''s frustration. "Your talent is average, so don''t expect Dean Lu to take you as a student. Besides, with your bad temper, which teacher at the academy would dare to ept you? If all else fails, you could try bing an auxiliary teacher."


    With that, she nced at the groom not far away and smiled slightly, "Zhang Xuan, Zhang Xuan, would you ept her as a student?"


    Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly, "Sorry, I won''t."


    Unexpectedly, Yu Xiaoyu dared to publicly humiliate her, making Liu Mingyue so furious she was about to explode. "You can apprentice under an auxiliary teacher! Your whole family can..."


    Before she could finish, she heard Zhang Xuan''s words clearly and turned sharply, "What did you say?"


    She waspletely stunned.


    The eldest daughter of the Liu family, the third most talented person in White Roc City, was rejected by a mere groom, and he did so with such certainty...


    Was this for real?

 Chapter 43: I Won’t Accept Anyone

    Chapter 43: I Won¡¯t ept Anyone


    "I said I won''t take you as a student!" Zhang Xuan repeated firmly.


    Who was he? A revered teacher across the Master Teacher Continent, with countless individuals aspiring to be his disciple. Although he was currently ordinary in the Source World, it didn''t mean he would ept just anyone.


    "Say that again if you dare!" Liu Mingyue''s initial calmness vanished, and Zhang Xuan''s firm rejection made her chest heave with anger. Her whole body felt as if it was about to explode.


    She could ept not being taken in by the dean, who was the second strongest in White Roc City with unfathomable cultivation. But who was this guy? A mere servant with no cultivation, only recently made an auxiliary teacher at White Rock Academy. How dare he reject her? What right did he have?


    If she wanted to be his student, shouldn''t he be grateful and honored?


    Seeing her aggressiveness, Zhang Xuan rolled his eyes and stretchedzily. "I dare say it again¡ªI won''t take you as my disciple! Stop dreaming!"


    Liu Mingyue''s teeth were about to shatter from clenching. "Dreaming...?"


    How could this servant have the nerve to say that?She was a famous beauty in White Roc City, a historically renowned genius, and the legitimate daughter of the Liu family head. Any of these identities would attract countless followers. For him to refuse her as a disciple¡ªthree times no less!


    Fuming with anger, Liu Mingyue was livid. "Fine! Today, I won''t ask anyone else. I insist on bing your disciple. Whether you agree or not, you will have to!"


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Keep dreaming!"


    Trembling with rage, Liu Mingyue felt her vision darken.


    As the little princess of the Liu family, she had always been pampered. Though not all her wishes were granted, most were. Today, being humiliated by Yu Xiaoyu and wanting to be a groom''s disciple was already infuriating. Yet, not only was she refused, but he also told her she was dreaming...


    The intense anger surged to her brain, making her feel like she was about to explode.


    "This guy... is fierce!"


    "To humiliate Miss Liu like that, how does he dare?"


    "I don''t get it..."


    Seeing this, everyone was dumbfounded and looked at the young man with admiration. Miss Yu''s suggestion of apprenticing was meant to tease Liu Mingyue. If he had just ignored it, the matter would have passed. Instead, he refused three times and even told her she was dreaming...


    It was clear that this guy was bound to suffer.


    "I''ll kill you..."


    The crowd''s discussion became thest straw that broke the camel''s back. Liu Mingyue shouted angrily and took big steps toward Zhang Xuan.


    Seeing her so furious, Zhang Xuan frowned with displeasure. "Even if you kill me, I won''t take you as my disciple."


    ¡®What kind of person is he?¡¯


    ¡®Apprenticeship involves showing respect and following formalities, yet she wanted to kill him just because he refused... How rude!¡¯


    If this were on the Master Teacher Continent, she would be expelled and never epted again.


    "Ahhh..."


    Unable to hold back any longer, Liu Mingyue was about to rush forward and teach this arrogant guy a lesson when Yu Xiaoyu stepped in front of her.


    The City Lord''s daughter also looked awkward.


    She had only meant to tease Zhang Xuan about taking Liu Mingyue as a disciple, never expecting it to cause such amotion...


    Holding back the furious Liu Mingyue, Yu Xiaoyu quickly said, "Mingyue, I was just joking earlier. It wasn''t intentional. If Zhang Xuan won''t take you, Vice Principle Wu, Elder Ran or Elder Wu will do. There''s no need for this..."


    "Get out of my way..." Liu Mingyue continued to push forward, raising her hands.


    "Are you going to hit me?" Yu Xiaoyu swiftly neutralized her force.


    Though she had just activated the Source Pool, as the City Lord''s daughter, she had trained in many martial arts techniques. Ordinary men couldn''t get close to her, which was why she had a reputation as a genius.


    "Enough!"


    Seeing that they were about to fight, Mo Yanxue stepped in between them. "Mingyue, Xiaoyu really didn''t mean it. I apologize on her behalf! As for a teacher, it''s best to choose one that suits you. With so many great teachers in the academy... anyone would dly ept you with your talent."


    Liu Mingyue raised her eyebrows, "Are you all nning to gang up on me?"


    Mo Yanxue shook her head and smiled slightly, "We are all ssmates; how could we bully you? We''re just helping you find a suitable teacher! I heard you like palm techniques, and you''ve already achieved minor sess with the Liu family''s ''Fluttering Butterfly Palm'' in less than a year... In that case, you can apprentice under Vice Principle. His ''Flowing Wave Palm'' is very famous in White Roc City."


    "This..." Liu Mingyue hesitated.


    Although Wu Yunzhou''s strength was not as high as Dean Lu Mingrong''s, the difference was not significant. Apprenticing under him might indeed be more suitable. The reason she wanted to apprentice under Lu Mingrong was simply that the two in front of her had seeded. Why couldn''t she?


    It was infuriating.


    "Don''t hesitate!" Seeing her waver, Mo Yanxue quickly looked over to Wu Yunzhou not far away and gave a sweet smile, "Vice Principle Wu, Miss Liu has absorbed 24 streams of Source Energy and reached the Fifth Grade Source Pool. Could she apprentice under you?"


    "Well..." Wu Yunzhou nced at Dean Lu Mingrong and then at Zhang Xuan, feeling conflicted.


    This girl thought Zhang Xuan was just a groom and not worth mentioning. However, he knew that Zhang Xuan was an extraordinary genius with limitless future potential as long as he didn''t fall.


    Not epting such a person might offend him.


    The martial world isn''t just about fighting; it''s about rtionships.


    "Vice Principle Wu?" Mo Yanxue asked again, confused by his hesitation.


    "Oh!" Suddenly, Wu Yunzhou understood and waved his hand repeatedly, "Sorry, if Teacher Zhang Xuan doesn''t ept you, neither will I!"


    Yes, it''s best to be on good terms first!


    After speaking, he smiled warmly at Zhang Xuan in the distance.


    "???" Mo Yanxue was stunned.


    ¡®What does he mean by if Zhang Xuan doesn''t ept, he won''t either?¡¯


    ¡®Liu Mingyue is a genius!¡¯


    ¡®Since when do we need to consider a groom''s opinion?¡¯


    "Dean Wu..." Liu Mingyue felt even more humiliated.


    The third-ranked genius in White Roc City had been rejected five times in a row...


    "Don''t worry, Mingyue. Vice Principle Wu might have his reasons. How about Elder Ran? He''s the Great Elder of White Rock Academy, having reached the Jade Bone Realm with immense power. Being his disciple is just as good!"


    Mo Yanxue continued tofort her. However, before she could finish speaking, they saw Ran Qingxu not far away waving his hands repeatedly. "I respect Teacher Zhang Xuan''s opinion. I won''t ept her either..."


    ¡®Are you kidding? I don''t want to offend him either!¡¯

 Chapter 44: It’s Up To You

    Chapter 44: It¡¯s Up To You


    "???" Mo Yanxue was stunned.


    Liu Mingyue''s eyes turned red, feeling utterly humiliated. She was a genius... yet she had been rejected six times in a row! The worst part was that they all refused her just to please a mere groom. What did this mean? Did she not even deserve to be his disciple?


    On the verge of breaking down, she nced at Elder Wu Liuyun and the others, only to see them also shaking their heads, "We won''t ept you either..."


    Rejection*7.


    Rejection*8.


    Rejection*9.


    ¡­


    Rejection*107.In the blink of an eye, she had been rejected over a hundred times.


    All the students were dumbfounded, looking at each other and then at Liu Mingyue, before turning their gaze to the equally confused Zhang Xuan. What on earth was happening here? Those who knew the truth understood he was just a groom; those who didn''t might think he was the dean!


    "Can''t these guys be more discreet?" Seeing the many teachers'' rejection coupled with their eager expressions, Lu Mingrong couldn''t help but feel frustrated. He had specifically instructed them not to reveal Zhang Xuan''s true genius identity, but now, in their attempts to please him, it was tantly obvious. Even a fool could see something was up!


    Seriously, could they be any more clueless?


    "What do you mean, respecting my opinion?" Zhang Xuan, equally perplexed, rified earnestly, "I genuinely don''t want to take her as a disciple!"


    Rejection*108.


    Taking on a student should mean epting someone who is respectful and willing to learn. But this girl was arrogant and dismissive. If he epted her, it would only lead to constant frustration.


    "Wahhhhh..."


    Seeing his earnest expression and with every teacher rejecting her, Liu Mingyue couldn''t hold back any longer. Overwhelmed with frustration and humiliation, she burst into tears on the spot.


    She really was a genius... Scoring 24 streams of Heaven''s Fate Energy in the Source Pool Assessment was an achievement even the City Lord hadn''t reached. Any other teacher would have fought to take her on as a prized student. Why, then, was she treated like a pariah here?


    ¡®Am I really that bad?¡¯


    "Hey... stop crying!"


    Seeing the girl burst into tears again, Mo Yanxue felt a headacheing on. If she remained tough, Mo Yanxue could respond in kind, but crying left her helpless!


    After some hesitation, she looked over at the young man not far away.


    "Zhang Xuan... why don''t you just ept her? After the Source Pool Assessment, if no teacher epts her, she''ll not only be ridiculed but also won''t be able to enroll at White Rock Academy."


    She understood that the other teachers'' refusal was undoubtedly linked to this former servant. Though she didn''t know how he managed it, she realized that the only way to break this impasse was through him.


    "Uh..."


    Seeing everyone¡¯s eyes on him, Zhang Xuan felt a bit helpless. He preferred to keep a low profile, but now, with so many people staring at him and someone desperate to be his student, he felt overwhelmed!


    Couldn''t he just be a quiet, handsome man?


    "Alright then."


    After thinking for a moment, Zhang Xuan said, "She can be my student in name, but whether I teach her and how I teach her will be up to me. Also, I want that Dao Li transferred to me!"


    Since not epting her wouldn''t resolve the issue, he figured he might as well get some benefits out of it, considering it as her apprenticeship gift. As a revered teacher, even taking an auditor wasn''t something he did lightly.


    "???"


    Mo Yanxue was stunned.


    She thought that as long as she asked, he would give in. After all, epting Liu Mingyue would benefit him greatly too. She never expected this response.


    The dignified eldest daughter of the Liu family wants to apprentice under you, and you''re still putting on airs?


    "You''re dreaming..."


    Indeed, hearing this, Liu Mingyue forgot her tears and clenched her teeth in anger. Being his disciple was already beneath her, and now he wanted a gift too? Moreover, it wasn''t even certain if and how he would teach her... Who did he think he was?


    "Well..."


    Just as she was about to explode with frustration, Yu Longqing, the City Lord, stepped forward. "Teacher Zhang Xuan, since Liu Mingyue isn''t too keen on bing your student, how about we just drop this matter?"


    "The City Lord has stepped in!"


    "Looks like he couldn''t stand it anymore."


    "Yeah, I heard this Zhang Xuan used to be just a groom. He was only made an auxiliary teacher because he''s good at taming horses. He actually thinks he''s some kind of expert now..."


    As City Lord Yu Longqing spoke, a wave of disdainful murmurs arose around him. To the onlookers, it seemed ridiculous that Liu Mingyue, the third-ranked genius of White Roc City, should be rejected by Zhang Xuan. They thought he should be grateful for the honor and not act so arrogantly.


    "Fine!" Zhang Xuan nodded.


    He didn''t want to teach her anyway. With his abilities, if he ended up teaching a genius who quickly became the strongest in White Roc City, it would be quite awkward.


    "Mingyue, as we agreed, Teacher Zhang will not take you as his disciple..." City Lord Yu turned to the girl.


    "Thank you, City Lord..." Liu Mingyue nodded repeatedly.


    "Good!" Without paying further attention to the emotional girl, Yu Longqing looked at Zhang Xuan again, bowing slightly. "Teacher Zhang, since Mingyue won''t be your student, how about letting my daughter be your student instead?"


    ¡®Lu Mingrong might have brought you here to be an auxiliary teacher, but I''ll send my daughter to be your student! With daily teaching and constant interaction, who knows what might happen? That would be a huge win for me!¡¯


    ¡®Hmph, you want topete with me? Let''s see who can outdo whom!¡¯


    "Ahem, Dad, how many daughters do you have?"


    Yu Xiaoyu, stunned by her father''s words, couldn''t help but ask.


    Yu Longqing frowned, "Just you, of course!"


    Yu Xiaoyu''s eyes widened, "So you want me to be Teacher Zhang''s student, but I''ve already agreed to be Dean Lu''s student..."


    Yu Longqing smiled, "The apprenticeship ceremony hasn''t taken ce yet, has it? You can cancel it. I''m sure Dean Lu won''t mind, right?"


    Understanding Yu Longqing''s intention, Lu Mingrong could only awkwardly and politely nod, "Sure. It¡¯s up to you..."


    "..."


    Yu Xiaoyu was utterly bewildered. She had thought her father was joking, but he was serious. What made this groom so special that both Dean Lu and her father respected him so much?


    Yu Longqing said, "Teacher Zhang, you saw my daughter''s assessment just now. She ranks second in White Rock Academy and has exceptional talent. With the resources of the City Lord''s Mansion, she will surely progress rapidly once she starts cultivating. Apprenticing under you would definitely not bring shame to your name. What do you think?"


    Zhang Xuan nced at him and frowned slightly. "I won''t ept her."

 Chapter 45: Chen Hao

    Chapter 45: Chen Hao


    Zhang Xuan was genuinely frustrated.


    Since yesterday, he had been doing everything low-key, avoiding any mboyance or exposure, treating everyone gently and sincerely. But what was happening today? Why did everyone want to apprentice under him? Could it be that his identity as a revered teacher had been exposed?


    He carefully nced at Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong and was relieved to see that their eyes held only admiration, nothing more.


    "This guy must be crazy, refusing the City Lord''s personal request to take Miss Yu as his student?"


    "What''s going on? Why would the City Lord want to send his daughter to be a student of an auxiliary teacher?"


    Zhang Xuan''s refusal caused an uproar. The students were all wide-eyed, especially those who had mocked him earlier. They felt their faces burning with embarrassment.


    They had just said he was crazy for not epting Liu Mingyue, and the next moment, the City Lord was trying to send his daughter to him. What was going on?


    "Don''t worry, refusing the City Lord is bound to bring trouble!" a student spected."Yeah! The City Lord''s word isw. Daring to refuse him is asking for trouble!" another agreed.


    Just when everyone thought the City Lord would erupt in anger, he instead spoke cautiously, his face full of apology. "I''m sorry, I was being rash... If you really won''t ept her, at least let Xiaoyu assist you. When you feel she''s suitable, you can ept her as your student."


    Geniuses indeed had their temperaments, better not push too hard...


    "???" Everyone was dumbfounded again.


    ¡®You''re the City Lord¡­¡¯


    ¡®Shouldn''t you be angry, or at least upset about being refused?¡¯


    ¡®The most surprising part was asking his daughter to assist... Isn''t that like making her a servant?¡¯


    Their throats dry, the crowd couldn''t speak, turning to Yu Xiaoyu to see her reaction.


    "Dad... what are you doing?" Yu Xiaoyu was genuinely angry.


    She had worked hard and trained diligently to be the dean''s student. Now that she had been epted, her father wanted her to quit and apprentice under an auxiliary teacher... and he didn''t even want to ept her!


    "Shut up! Just do as I say!" Yu Longqing said, waving his hand in annoyance.


    Yu Xiaoyu''s face turned red with anger.


    Seeing her friend being forced to be the student of a former servant, Mo Yanxue couldn''t stand it either. She bowed and said, "City Lord, Xiaoyu is extremely talented. Isn''t it inappropriate to make her apprentice under Zhang Xuan?"


    "I know what I''m doing!" Yu Longqing interrupted her. "I know you and Xiaoyu are close friends, so please help me persuade her. I am her father; I wouldn''t harm her!"


    Seeing that the City Lord was serious, Mo Yanxue didn''t know how to dissuade him and looked at her friend again.


    "Dad..." Yu Xiaoyu''s lips pursed in anger, but she understood that her father must have his reasons. After a brief hesitation, she finally nodded. "Alright, Dad! But if he doesn''t teach me well, you have topensate me!"


    "Of course!"


    Seeing his daughter agree, Yu Longqing smiled and looked cautiously at Zhang Xuan again. "Teacher Zhang..."


    Seeing his sincerity, Zhang Xuan knew he couldn''t refuse any longer. The most crucial point was that being surrounded by so many people contradicted his desire to keep a low profile. He reluctantly nodded. "Just to be clear, she is only here to help for now. How and what I teach her will be decidedter."


    Since he hadn''t learned any techniques yet, he wouldn''t be able to teach even if he wanted to. To avoid exposing himself, it was best to set expectations early.


    "Of course..."


    Yu Longqing finally rxed, his face full of joy.


    "Now that everything is settled, Teacher Zhang, let me show you to your quarters and arrange your duties..."


    Seeing that Zhang Xuan was drawing too much attention, Lu Mingrong, fearing his genius identity might be guessed, quickly offered with an awkward smile.


    "Alright."


    Just as Zhang Xuan was about to leave the crowd, Liu Mingyue blocked his way. "Hold on!"


    "What now?" Zhang Xuan frowned.


    "If you can ept Yu Xiaoyu, why not me?" Liu Mingyue gritted her teeth.


    Since this guy had caused no one to ept her, she decided to make things difficult for him. If he didn''t want to take her as a student, she would force her way in. Once epted, she nned to do the opposite of whatever he instructed, causing trouble and embarrassing him in front of the entire academy.


    Let him know that Liu Mingyue was not someone to be trifled with!


    "ept you?" Zhang Xuan frowned.


    "That''s right! If you agree, I will gift you Dao Li directly, not just sell it to you."


    "Fine! Today, you both follow the academy''s arrangements. Come find me tomorrow..."


    Seeing more and more people gathering, Zhang Xuan nodded, unwilling to continue the dispute. Most importantly, he didn''t have the money to buy Dao Li anyway.


    "Alright!" Liu Mingyue snorted coldly and turned away.


    ¡®ept me as your student? Fine, I''ll be your nightmare!¡¯


    Afraid that more people would ask to be his disciples, Zhang Xuan quickly followed Dean Lu, leaving. Yu Longqing, knowing it wasn''t appropriate to press further, also turned to leave. His daughter was already under Zhang Xuan''s care, so the connection was made.


    "Dad..." Yu Xiaoyu hurried to catch up.


    "You are now a student of White Rock Academy. You can''t leave the school at will. Go back quickly!" Yu Longqing waved her off.


    Yu Xiaoyu frowned, "But Dad..."


    "You''ll understand in time!" Knowing he couldn''t exin now, Yu Longqing left the campus swiftly.


    Once they were gone, the students gathered together, exploding with chatter.


    "This Zhang Xuan... is his name Zhang Xuan? What''s going on?"


    "I heard he used to be a groom at the Mo family. Somehow, the dean noticed him and made him an auxiliary teacher!"


    "Even if he''s favored, he''s still just a servant. For Miss Yu and Miss Liu to be his students, he must be putting on airs, thinking he''s some great master!"


    "He needs a good lesson. We''ll deal with himter..."


    Watching Zhang Xuan''s departing figure, many students were filled with anger.


    Both Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue were among the most popr beauties in the academy. Now they were students of a mere servant, which left everyone discontented.


    "Actually, we don''t need to do anything. Didn''t he just ept Miss Liu as a student and even demand her to gift Dao Li?" a boy in the crowdughed. "We just need to inform the Liu family about this. The Liu family head will surely deal with him..."


    The eldest daughter of one of the three major families, unable to apprentice under the dean, would cause no issue. But apprenticing under an auxiliary teacher... it would definitely cause an uproar.


    "Exactly! Young Master Chen is indeed smart!"


    Everyone''s eyes lit up.


    Young Master Chen was Chen Hao, the young master of the Chen family, one of the three major families in White Roc City and one of Liu Mingyue''s ardent admirers.


    Seeing his goddess being forced to apprentice under an auxiliary teacher was such a humiliation that it made him furious. No matter what, he needed to teach Zhang Xuan a lesson to defend Liu Mingyue''s honor and make her see him in a new light.


    Unlike the others'' mocking, Mo Yanxue furrowed her brows, thinking hard but unable to understand.


    ¡®Forget it,¡¯ she decided. ¡®I''ll just follow the dean closely and take more notes. If necessary, I''ll exin everything to Xiaoyu again. I can''t let her fall behind in her cultivation¡­¡¯

 Chapter 46: Energy Storing Realm

    Chapter 46: Energy Storing Realm


    Unaware that he had be the target of many students'' ire, Zhang Xuan caught up with Lu Mingrong and, seeing no one around, couldn''t help but ask, "Dean Lu, why did you recruit me as an auxiliary teacher? I don''t seem to have any impressive skills or abilities."


    Both times he entered the academy, he had been careful and kept a low profile, so why had he attracted the attention of this prominent figure?


    Lu Mingrong''s eyelid twitched.


    ¡®You almost bankrupted White Rock Academy and nearly disrupted our Source Pool Assessment, yet you im to have no abilities? Do you need to bring the academy to its knees before you acknowledge your skills?¡¯


    Of course, he couldn''t say that. Since Zhang Xuan wanted to keep up the pretense, Lu Mingrong was happy to y along. He smiled and said, "City Lord Yu mentioned that you have a strong talent for taming beasts, which is exactly the kind of expertise we need at our academy..."


    Actually, it was Wu Yunzhou who had ryed this information after returning from the City Lord''s Mansion.


    Zhang Xuan understood. Indeed, in a world where beast taming was so primitive, having such a skill would naturally attract attention. It was beneficial for him too. He had been worrying about where to stay and how to find cultivation techniques, and now someone had provided him with a solution.


    "What can I do for the academy?" Zhang Xuan asked curiously. "Just taming beasts? What level of source beasts are we talking about?"If the level was too high and he couldn''t handle it, he''d rather not.


    "Auxiliary teachers need to do chores, but you''ve just epted two students, so you''re now a full-fledged teacher. You just need to teach them properly. As for your sry and benefits, I will discuss it with the other elders and make sure you''re satisfied," Lu Mingrong replied with a smile.


    The auxiliary teacher role had merely been a pretext. Such a genius couldn''t be expected to do menial tasks. Now that he had epted Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue, he was officially a teacher and didn''t have to do any chores.


    Surprised at how easily he had be a teacher and even received a sry, Zhang Xuan felt a bit embarrassed and asked hesitantly, "Could you give me a bit more money? Also, may I read books in the library?"


    "Of course!"


    Lu Mingrong nodded. "I''ll first take you to your residence and then get you a library ess pass so you can freely enter and exit the academy''s library."


    "Thank you, Dean!"


    Zhang Xuan quickly cupped his hands in gratitude.


    Being able to freely ess the library meant he could learn about the cultivation methods beyond the Source Pool Realm without having to find books elsewhere.


    The teacher''s residence was a sixty-square-meter room with a hundred-square-meter courtyard. Though notrge, in a ce like White Roc City, renting such a space would cost thousands of source coins per month, which was unaffordable for many. Now, he didn''t have to worry about rent.


    Zhang Xuan didn''t have much to settle in. He took a quick tour to familiarize himself with the ce, asked about the library''s location, and headed straight there.


    His "Xuan World," treated as his Source Pool, wasn''t entirely stable yet, but it was close. Therefore, his immediate need for Heaven''s Fate Energy wasn''t urgent. The most pressing task was to find more cultivation techniques to figure out his next steps.


    Otherwise, he might be dismissed before even starting to teach...


    Though he had the freedom to decide when and what to teach, he couldn''t possibly let his studentse and then teach them nothing. As a revered teacher, he couldn''t afford to lose face.


    Whether they were auditors or formal disciples, once they were under his tutge, he would treat them sincerely and generously, as was his consistent approach.


    The White Rock Academy library was even more grand and spacious than the one at the City Lord''s Mansion. Books were neatly categorized and organized inyers.


    Zhang Xuan presented the library pass given by the dean and, under the librarian''s curious gaze, entered and quickly found the section on Energy Storing Realm techniques.


    The first three levels of the Source Pool Realm were Sensing, Pool Seeking, and Energy Storing.


    Sensing and Pool Seeking involved sensing Source Energy and finding the Source Pool, then nurturing it through special means. This process usually took a long time, and once activated, an assessment could be performed.


    After the assessment and stabilization of the Source Pool, one must absorb Source Energy into the body to nourish it, thereby stepping into the Energy Storing Realm.


    Reaching this stage marked the true beginning of cultivation, bestowing strength as powerful as a dragon, making one extraordinary.


    As the lord of a world, Zhang Xuan''s body strength was unparalleled. Even fully unleashed, he was far superior to a seventh-level Jade Bone Realm expert. Techniques like energy storing were optional for him. However, he needed to find ways to relieve the pressure of Source Energy and heal the hidden injuries within his body. So, he still needed to study and gather techniques to better understand and refine Source Energy.


    Walking between the bookshelves, he casually picked up a book titled "Dragon and Tiger Energy Storing Technique" and gently opened it.


    "Energy storing is the process of absorbing Source Energy into the Source Pool and expanding the meridians..."


    "Source Energy is a vtile force, and even the Source Pool can''t easily contain it. It requires the aid of a ''furnace'' for refinement!"


    "A furnace, as the name suggests, ignites a me within the Source Pool. Different techniques result in different furnace powers. The stronger the me, the faster the Source Energy is refined. The Dragon and Tiger Energy Storing Technique is a low-grade energy refining method. By utilizing the power of nts and trees, it can forge a ''Dragon and Tiger Furnace.'' With diligent practice, it can transport 10 strands of Source Energy daily..."


    Zhang Xuan''s mind buzzed as a strand of Heaven''s Fate Energy ignited, creating an identical "Dragon and Tiger Energy Storing Technique" in his library,plete with its ws, perfectly imprinted in his mind.


    "A low-grade energy refining method? That''s quite weak..."


    After a nce, Zhang Xuan shook his head in disappointment.


    ¡®Cultivation techniques are ssified into low, middle, high, supreme, royal, and imperial grades. Low-grade techniques are the weakest, yet this one dares to call itself the Dragon and Tiger Energy Storing Technique... What a waste of a name.¡¯


    With a light touch on the bookshelf, one book after another was copied.


    "Turtle and Snake Energy Storing Technique," "Pine and Crane Technique," "Chaos Source Breaking Technique," "Heart Return Source Energy Technique," "Energy Absorption Storing Technique"...


    Various peculiar techniques were quickly recorded and arranged in the Library of Heaven''s Path.


    While Zhang Xuan was reading in the library, Liu Mingyuepleted her enrollment. At that moment, a groom approached her.


    "Miss, I''ve brought Dao Li here. Should I tie it here?"


    The groom asked curiously, having never seen someone bring a horse to school before.


    "I''m giving it to that ''auxiliary teacher.'' Let''s see what he''s nning!"


    Liu Mingyue snorted coldly, deliberately emphasizing the words "auxiliary teacher" as she approached the Dao Li horse and gently patted its head.


    "You''ve been feeding Dao Li all along, so it listens to you. Later, when it sees that auxiliary teacher, make sure it gives him a good lesson. If anything happens, I''ll take responsibility!" she instructed with a glint in her eye.


    "Understood!"


    The groom hesitated for a moment but then nodded in agreement.

 Chapter 47: Devouring the Source Dragon

    Chapter 47: Devouring the Source Dragon


    Before the day ended, Zhang Xuan had already copied thousands of books. ncing at his Heaven''s Fate Energy reserves, he reluctantly stopped. During this assessment, both the Xuan World and the Library of Heaven''s Path absorbed a significant amount of Source Energy¡ªenough for a lifetime for others, but for him, it was merely a drop in the ocean. To copy all the techniques in this vast library, he would need millions of strands of Source Energy.


    To avoid detection, he had been cautious during both assessments, never absorbing too much at once. The most he had taken in at one time was just over ten thousand strands, still far from the millions required. However, maintaining a low profile was the right choice. If the dean or others discovered his unique abilities, they would surely investigate, causing endless trouble.


    Thinking this, Zhang Xuan couldn''t help but praise his own cleverness. Most people, faced with so much Heaven''s Fate Energy, would find it hard to resist absorbing as much as possible, but he had managed it. Impressive, indeed.


    "Fusion..."


    As he wandered through the Library of Heaven''s Path, looking at the myriad floating books, he focused his mind. With the burning of countless strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy, a brand new book appeared before him. Zhang Xuan reached out, and the book gentlynded in his palm.


    He opened it, revealing an ancient and majestic aura.


    "... The higher the grade of the furnace used to refine Source Energy, the faster the refining process! Normal furnaces, like cultivation techniques, are divided into six grades: low, middle, high, supreme, royal, and imperial!"


    "Low-grade furnaces are mostly formed by absorbing the power of nts and trees. Though the power of nts is weak, it is vast and omnipresent, making it easy to ignite...""Middle-grade furnaces are often formed from rare medicinal herbs. The me is strong and robust, but such herbs are scarce and hard to find..."


    "High-grade furnaces are mostly formed from the power of source beasts..."


    "Supreme-grade furnaces are formed from Heaven''s Fate source beasts..."


    "Royal-grade furnaces are rare, formed from exceptionally rare treasures..."


    "As for imperial-grade furnaces, the required materials are extremely hard to find. Only truly unique items can achieve this level..."


    The first page of the book detailed the ssification and forging methods of furnaces within the Energy Storing Realm.


    nts, medicinal herbs, source beasts, Heaven''s Fate source beasts, rare treasures, and unique items... Different items used to ignite the furnace result in different types of furnaces. Essentially, igniting the furnace is a process of resource investment. The more valuable the items one possesses, the stronger the furnace and the faster the energy storing process, leading to higher future achievements.


    "What should I use to refine it?" Zhang Xuan frowned.


    To be powerful, he needed to find unique and rare items to forge an imperial-grade furnace. However, in his current situation, he hadn''t even heard of such items, let alone found them! Even if he knew of them, with his current strength, it would likely take hundreds of years to find them...


    "Heaven''s Path Order!"


    After pondering for a long time without a solution, Zhang Xuan''s spirit stirred. The Heaven''s Path techniques derived from the imperfections of the world gathered with the help of Heaven''s Fate Energy, forming a small glowing figure before him.


    The small figure sat cross-legged, meticulously practicing ording to the methods described in the book. The pathways of true qi cirction glowed brightly within it.


    This was the ability possessed by Kong Shi on the Master Teacher Continent!


    Given a starting point, one could use the rules of the Heaven''s Path to deduce the principles.


    In essence, each person has different constitutions and abilities. With this ability, Zhang Xuan could tailor a cultivation technique to suit an individual, finding the most suitable method for maximum effectiveness.


    This was why Kong Shi could have 3,000 disciples, with 72 attaining mastery. Otherwise, no matter how energetic a person was, it would be impossible to teach without distinction and tailor instruction to the student, let alone make every student extraordinary.


    Having read the Heaven''s Path techniques for the Energy Storing Realm, and unable to find items to ignite an imperial-grade furnace, he had to rely on the Heaven''s Path Order to slowly deduce and see if there was a shortcut.


    Whoosh!


    The "imperial-grade treasure" formed a fiery red furnace. Strands of Source Energy entered and were dposed into pure energy, flowing through the meridians.


    "Why does this seem... so familiar?"


    Seeing the process of cultivating with the imperial-grade furnace, Zhang Xuan was slightly stunned.


    The Source Energy quickly dposed upon encountering the furnace, transforming into various forms of power. Though the speed was astonishing for other cultivators, it still seemed a bit weak to him.


    The scene was familiar because he had seen it before!


    With a thought, Zhang Xuan found himself within the Xuan World. Looking up at the highest point of the sky, he saw strands of Source Energy descending from the chaos, burning in the Primordial Yellow Energy, transforming into colorful twilight.


    This burning speed was millions of times faster than that of an imperial-grade furnace!


    Upon contact, Source Energy could transform into mountains, rivers, life, nts¡ªeverything in the world.


    "The Primordial Yellow Energy is something that was born at the creation of the world... truly unique!"


    His eyes lit up, and Zhang Xuan clenched his fists in excitement.


    He had always wondered where to find such unique items. It turned out that the Primordial Yellow Energy, omnipresent in the Xuan World, was the best option!


    Only a world ruler could control this, making it exceedingly rare and hard to find.


    With a slight tremor, he reappeared in the "Source Pool," lightly touching the air. Strands of Primordial Yellow Energy suddenly filled the area, making the entire space seem like a burning furnace.


    "The heavens and the earth are the furnace, creation is the worker; yin and yang are the charcoal, and all things are the copper..."


    A clear sound echoed.


    With the enlightenment rising in Zhang Xuan''s heart, countless scattered strands of Source Energy in the library quickly gathered within him, forming a massive tornado in the blink of an eye.


    Forges made with ordinary items were just objects, but those made with Primordial Yellow Energy could use the entire heavens as a furnace, truly refining the sky.


    ...


    Su Qiao, one of the most senior auxiliary teachers at White Rock Academy, had been managing the library for over fifty years, making him a true veteran. Even Dean Lu greeted him respectfully, calling him "Elder Su."


    Today, while reading, he saw a new teacher walk in with a library pass. The young man, about twenty-four or twenty-five, had no trace of energy within him, clearly not yet started on cultivation. The most puzzling part was that he headed straight to the section on Energy Storing Realm techniques.


    These books were typically for students. What kind of weakling teacher was the academy hiring now?


    He initially thought Zhang Xuan was looking for books for his students, but after watching for a while, Su Qiao felt his anger rising.


    The young man was wandering through the library, pulling out books and putting them back, again and again, without even opening them. Then he would just stare nkly...


    ¡®Are you here to read or to cause trouble?¡¯


    Arrogant, careless, ignorant, and restless... In an instant, Su Qiao mentallybeled him with all these tags.


    "I''ll have to tell the dean that not everyone should be given a library pass... Otherwise, they''ll ruin the atmosphere of the library!"


    Snorting coldly, Su Qiao reopened his book. But just as he was about to continue reading, he felt the ground tremble slightly. Immediately, the surrounding Source Energy surged like a flood, pouring into the center of the library.


    He quickly looked up.


    The young man he had just beenining about stood still, his left hand behind his back, right hand holding a book, eyes closed, and body motionless. Yet his body was like a bottomless pit, devouring the rushing Source Energy.


    The speed at which he was absorbing the energy caused the surrounding Source Energy to twist and form tornadoes, making the bookshelves creak.


    "Is this the ''Devouring Source Dragon'' phenomenon caused by absorbing Source Energy too quickly? This... how is this possible!"


    Su Qiao''s pupils constricted, and he stood frozen in ce.

 Chapter 48: Interested in Energy Absorption?

    Chapter 48: Interested in Energy Absorption?


    Source Energy was incredibly vtile and destructive. For normal cultivators, absorbing it was like swallowing hot peppers¡ªeach intake felt like a life-and-death struggle. Absorbing dozens of strands in a day was considered impressive, while a few hundred would mark a top-tier genius.


    Back then, City Lord Yu Longqing absorbed 137 strands of Source Energy on the day of his assessment, earning him the reputation of a super-genius in White Roc City, appearing once in a century.


    In other words, someone in the Energy Storing Realm absorbing about a hundred strands of Source Energy in a day would be considered extraordinary.


    Yet here was Zhang Xuan, effortlessly absorbing Source Energy and forming tornadoes of it...


    The phenomenon known as "Devouring Source Dragon" urs when someone absorbs Source Energy too quickly, creating air currents that resemble a dragon... This is supposed to be a mythical phenomenon!


    Even if someone could actually do this, they would likely need to be beyond the ninth level of the Source Pool Realm, yet this young man, whom he had just dismissed, did it so easily...


    The most incredible part was that it wasn''t even deliberate cultivation but a casual realization while reading...


    His posture made it clear that this insight was as effortless as dozing off, not intentional!Achieving this casually, what cultivation method was he using? What grade of furnace had he ignited?


    Filled with shock, Su Qiao knew that the young man''s sudden entry into this realm had to be due to the book he was reading. Unable to contain his curiosity, he quickly looked at the book''s cover.


    "Energy Absorption Storing Technique... huh????" Su Qiao was dumbfounded.


    Energy Absorption Storing Technique... is a fringe method. The so-called "Absorption" doesn''t refer to "plucking flowers" but rather finding things in nature, such as minerals and herbs, and absorbing their Source Energy to umte power.


    This was a very poor technique, rarely practiced, and hardly ever read...


    And yet, he achieved enlightenment with this?


    Was this a joke?


    Rustling!


    As he marveled, he saw the young man''s rapid absorption of Source Energy causing the surrounding books to be swept into the air, some being torn to pieces.


    "Disaster... if this continues, the library''s books will be shredded!"


    His face changed color, and Su Qiao no longer cared about his book. He rushed out, ran to the young man, and started pulling the nearby bookshelves back.


    "What are you all standing around for? Hurry and help!"


    Seeing that moving the bookshelves away from the vortex indeed kept the books out of danger, Su Qiao sighed in relief and couldn''t help but turn around to scold the others.


    The library didn''t just have Su Qiao as an auxiliary teacher. There were several others responsible for organizing and categorizing the books. At this moment, they were all stunned by the scene before them, frozen in ce and unsure of what to do.


    Hearing themand, they hurried over, pulling each bookshelf away from Zhang Xuan.


    After doing this, they couldn''t help but look at the old man in front of them.


    "Elder Su, what is happening... why is this teacher suddenly absorbing Source Energy so crazily?"


    "Well..."


    After a moment of silence, Su Qiao spected, "He must be... very interested in ''energy absorption''..."


    "Energy absorption?"


    All the auxiliary teachers were dumbfounded.


    ¡®Does he have such a strong desire?¡¯


    ...


    "Here is the sry I have proposed for Teacher Zhang Xuan. What do you all think?"


    In the dean''s office, Lu Mingrong looked at the Vice Principle Wu Yunzhou and the others, as well as the various elders.


    These were the most influential figures in White Rock Academy. Even major decisions like hiring new teachers or student recruitment could be decided directly when they gathered together.


    But today, there was disagreement.


    "He''s a newly hired teacher, just starting to cultivate, and doesn''t know much... giving him 5000 Source Coins a month, isn''t that too high?"


    A female elder frowned, her eyes full of doubt.


    Third Elder He Qin.


    "Yes, although he is a genius, the assessment only shows that his Source Pool is strong and broad. It doesn''t guarantee smooth future cultivation. If the furnace doesn''t ignite well, therger the Source Pool, the slower the cultivation, and the lower the future achievements..."


    Fifth Elder Chen Jinlin.


    Hepared the Source Pool to a pond and the furnace to a water pump. Arger pond can hold more fish, but if the water pump is too small, the pond may dry up before it can support life...


    "Elder Chen is right. The furnace is crucial. How about this: if this genius can absorb more than 50 strands of Source Energy in one day, I won''t oppose the 5000 Source Coins sry."


    After a moment of contemtion, Second Elder Wu Liuyun spoke.


    "I also agree with Elder Wu''s view. Just starting to store energy and being able to absorb fifty strands a day, even if the furnace isn''t very strong, it''s still not weak. It''s above the level of most teachers, so a sry of 5000 Source Coins is justified."


    Ran Qingxu stroked his beard and nodded in agreement.


    "Absorbing fifty strands a day?"


    Lu Mingrong said, "Alright then! How about this, I''ll personally look for something to ignite his furnace, aiming to make his furnace stronger than mine..."


    "That''s nearly impossible!"


    Wu Yunzhou smiled bitterly and shook his head. "Dean, back then you caught a ''Hundred-leaf Singing Cicada.'' Although it wasn''t a top-grade Source Beast, it was incredibly rare... Where can we find such a treasure now?"


    "Well..."


    Lu Mingrong frowned, "But if such a genius''s achievements are limited due to a poorly ignited furnace, wouldn''t that be a great loss?"


    "When he bes stronger in the future, he can rece it with better treasures. For now, White Rock Academy''s conditions are limited..."


    Wu Yunzhou began to exin but was interrupted by a hurried knock on the door.


    Lu Mingrong: "Come in!"


    Immediately, they saw Su Qiao, the elder in charge of the library, striding in.


    "Greetings, Dean Lu, esteemed elders!" Su Qiao quickly bowed.


    "Why is Elder Su here?" Lu Mingrong frowned.


    Elder Su rarely left the library, so his sudden appearance suggested something urgent.


    "The newly hired teacher Zhang Xuan just now... ignited his furnace and absorbed Source Energy in the library, attempting to enter the Energy Storing Realm..." Su Qiao exined.


    "What? Igniting the furnace?"


    Lu Mingrong stood up abruptly, looking anxious. "This is too reckless!"


    "Indeed!"


    Wu Yunzhou was also deeply pained. "He''s just a groom with no resources and hasn''t learned any techniques. Igniting the furnace just by reading a book, without even finding a proper igniter... This is a serious mistake!"


    "It''s over. With the power of Source Beasts as an igniter, his future path could have been much further. Doing it this way almost cuts off his potential... Forget fifty strands, absorbing ten strands a day would already be impressive..."


    Ran Qingxu also had a bitter smile on his face.


    "He probably just started absorbing Source Energy. Hurry and stop him; it might not be toote..."


    Lu Mingrong hurriedly spoke, but before he could finish, he saw Su Qiao looking at him awkwardly. "Dean, please don''t worry and let me finish... This Zhang Xuan, I don''t know what level of furnace he ignited, but it triggered the ''Devouring Source Dragon'' phenomenon! Now, the entire library is in chaos, and I can''t handle it..."


    "???"


    "Devouring Source Dragon? The phenomenon that allows one to absorb 50 strands of Source Energy in a single breath?"


    The room fell silent. Everyone strained their ears, afraid they had misheard.

 Chapter 49: The Source Dragon Swallowing the Elephant

    Chapter 49: The Source Dragon Swallowing the Elephant


    Even a library administrator knew about the "Devouring Source Dragon" phenomenon, so how could the academy''s dean and elders not know?


    Zhang Xuan, who was supposedly just a groom with no resources and no exposure to cultivation techniques, caused such amotion as soon as he began cultivating.


    Earlier, they had discussed giving him a sry of 5000 Source Coins per month if he could refine 50 strands of Source Energy in a day. But now... he was refining at least 50 strands with a single breath! Everyone was going crazy. Igniting a high-quality furnace was so easy for him?


    "I swear on my honor, it''s true... I wouldn''t make a mistake!"


    Seeing the doubtful looks from everyone, Su Qiao raised his hand to exin.


    "Let''s go and see!"


    As soon as Su Qiao confirmed it, Ran Qingxu hurriedly nodded. Before his words were even finished, he felt a gust of wind. Looking up, he saw that the dean, who had just been talking, had already dashed out hundreds of meters and was about to disappear from sight.


    Not only him, but Vice Principle Wu Yunzhou also followed closely, running faster and faster, as if being chased by some source beast..."..."


    Ran Qingxu''s face twitched, stunned. Was this still the usually calm andposed Dean and Vice Principle? Why were they in such a rush?


    "Stop hesitating, if we''re toote, we won''t see anything..."


    While still confused, he heard a sigh. Looking up, he saw Second Elder Wu Liuyun also dashing out. Looking around, Ran Qingxu realized that he was the only one left in the room; everyone else had already run out...


    "Wait..."


    Feeling frustrated, Ran Qingxu couldn''t hold back any longer and hurried to catch up.


    It wasn''t long before all the elders arrived in front of the library. Seeing the young man in front of them, one hand behind his back, holding a book and in a state of enlightenment, they all looked at each other in disbelief.


    ¡®... The energy absorption technique is amazing!¡¯


    ¡®From now on, everyone should pass it around and absorb each other''s energy¡­¡¯


    "It really is the Devouring Source Dragon phenomenon..."


    Upon confirmation, Lu Mingrong swallowed hard.


    Source Energy entering his body so quickly could only be exined by this legendary phenomenon. Shattering the life chart during the Source Pool assessment and causing the Devouring Source Dragon phenomenon during Energy Storing Realm cultivation¡­


    ¡®So I was indeed the groom, the ignorant country bumpkin!¡¯


    ¡®Otherwise, why would your casual cultivation be so powerful and extraordinary¡­¡¯


    "The Source Energy within a few hundred meters has already beenpletely absorbed..." Ran Qingxu said after sensing the surroundings.


    "Yes! At this rate of absorption, if it continues, not just a few hundred meters, but even the Source Energy within a few miles will be depleted. Once that happens, the entire academy will run out of Source Energy to absorb... I''m afraid we can''t hide this from the other students!"


    Vice Principle Wu Yunzhou frowned, recalling something important.


    This was like a water pump with too much power, creating a vortex that prevents water from replenishing quickly enough, leading to a vacuum...


    Source Energy was alive and flowed freely; no one usually noticed it. But once a vacuum appeared, all the students in the academy would definitely notice. It would be impossible to exin then.


    ¡®If this news gets out... how can we keep the genius''s identity a secret?¡¯


    All previous efforts would be in vain, and the three Destiny Disks would have been sacrificed for nothing...


    "The only solution now is to prevent a Source Energy vacuum!" Lu Mingrong nodded. "I have an idea..."


    "Dean, do you mean we should replenish the absorbed Source Energy?" Wu Yunzhou guessed before he even finished speaking, his pupils constricting.


    Zhang Xuan''s absorption speed was clearly increasing. To prevent any abnormalities, they had to replenish the absorbed Source Energy. The most direct way was for these experts to use their own power to fill the gap...


    "There''s no other choice..."


    Lu Mingrong nodded. "Don''t worry, you know the Energy Storing Realm is just about filling the Source Pool with Source Energy and activating the meridians... Even if his Source Pool reaches the supreme grade, how much Source Energy can he absorb on his first attempt? If we each supplement a little, we should be able to suppress the anomaly quickly..."


    "Indeed!"


    "Sounds reasonable!"


    After a moment''s hesitation, Wu Yunzhou, Ran Qingxu, and the others nodded in agreement.


    A supreme-grade Source Pool was formidable, but since Zhang Xuan triggered the Devouring Source Dragon phenomenon, he had already absorbed a lot of Source Energy. It should be nearing saturation. All they needed to do was clean up the aftermath. The danger shouldn''t be too significant.


    During their conversation, the surrounding Source Energy boiled once more. Zhang Xuan''s absorption speed didn''t slow down; instead, it elerated. In an instant, nine dragons formed from Source Energy appeared beside him, distributed among nine key acupoints.


    Creak! Creak!


    The books that had just been moved were once again swept up by the dragons'' force, shredded into fragments and scattered on the ground.


    "We''re running out of time. If we don''t replenish the energy quickly, a vacuum will form in less than ten breaths," Lu Mingrong''s face turned pale.


    Just one dragon had thrown the entire library into turmoil, depleting the Source Energy within a few hundred meters. With eight more dragons, a vacuum would form rapidly and intensely if they didn''t act fast.


    "Do it now!"


    At Lu Mingrong''smand, the elders released their pure energy towards the dragons.


    Whoosh!


    The nine dragons, nearly starved of Source Energy, greedily absorbed the iing power, turning from a dull gray to a vibrant gold, as ifing to life.


    "This is... the Source Dragon Swallowing the Elephant phenomenon? Oh no, my energy is depleting too fast; I can''t break free..."


    "I''m being pulled in by the dragons as well; I can''t escape!"


    As the dragons turned gold, Lu Mingrong and the others felt their energy drain rapidly, almost causing them to faint.


    The Source Dragon Swallowing the Elephant, inspired by the tale of a python swallowing an elephant, signifies the dragons'' immense devouring power. Though they weren''t actual elephants,pared to Zhang Xuan, they were much stronger, making this metaphor fitting.


    Initially, they only intended to provide some energy to stop the dragons from causing too much disturbance. However, upon contact, their energy surged out uncontrobly.


    It was like feeding a hungry tiger only to be devoured themselves.


    They initially thought that since Zhang Xuan had already triggered the Devouring Source Dragon phenomenon, his need for Source Energy would have lessened. They never imagined that it would only grow stronger! The moment their power made contact, it was devoured faster than they could escape. Even if they wanted to retreat, it was toote!


    "Everyone, don''t panic. Pour in your energy. With the ten elders of White Rock Academy, along with the dean and Vice Principle, fourteen experts, I refuse to believe we can''t fill the Source Pool of a mere beginner in the Energy Storing Realm!"


    With his eyebrows raised, Lu Mingrong''s eyes gleamed with confidence.


    No matter how talented Zhang Xuan was, he had only just begun cultivating. Thebined strength of their group included some at the pinnacle of the Jade Bone Realm and others at the peak of the Organs Easing Realm. Their powerful energies, like rivers converging into the sea, should be more than enough to fill the Source Pool of a novice.

 Chapter 50: Out of Medicine

    Chapter 50: Out of Medicine


    "The dean is right!"


    "So what if the Source Dragon Swallowing the Elephant? Swallowing an elephant is impressive, but being able to digest it is what truly matters!"


    "Greed knows no bounds, like a snake trying to swallow an elephant. He wants to absorb everything? Let''s take the initiative and pour all our energy into him. Let''s see if he can handle it. If not, he''ll naturally let go of us."


    Initially unable to escape the Source Dragon Swallowing the Elephant phenomenon, everyone rxed after hearing Lu Mingrong''s words, regaining their confidence.


    No matter how high a cultivator''s talent is or how vast their Source Pool was, there were limits. The ability to absorb Source Energy and trigger the Devouring Source Dragon phenomenon was indeed powerful, but... with theirbined force, it should be enough!


    Each of these experts had cultivated for at least thirty years, absorbing at least 50 strands of Source Energy daily. Even with some losses, the umted energy was terrifying. Unleashing their full power might not move mountains, but it could definitely shake the entire White Roc City.


    Such strong individuals, and there were fourteen of them... If they couldn''t suppress a newly advanced cultivator, they might as well give up.


    "Let''s see if you can handle this!"Understanding this, Lu Mingrong, Wu Yunzhou, and the other fourteen experts no longer held back. They elerated the flow of their energy, pouring it into the nine Source Dragons.


    Boom!


    With the influx of so much energy, the nine Source Dragons immediately swelled, doubling in size, shining with a golden light, seemingly ready to soar at any moment.


    ......


    "It really works!"


    Seeing the Source Energy, which had previously been daunting, transform into pure power under the burning of the Primordial Yellow Energy furnace, filling the entire Xuan World, Zhang Xuan''s eyes sparkled with excitement.


    Previously, the Xuan World could absorb Source Energy, but the efficiency was low. Now, the speed had increased tenfold, even a hundredfold!


    "However... it still seems a bit slow!"


    Looking up, he saw strands of Source Energy falling like raindrops into the furnace, transforming into pure power and descending to the ground. The speed was much faster than what ordinary people could absorb, but... the Xuan World was vast!


    At this rate of absorption, it would take at least ten days to fill the entire Xuan World and reach the peak of the Energy Storing Realm, even if it didn''t take half a month...


    "Heaven''s Fate Energy is dispersed by the life chart, and since there are cultivators around, I can''t absorb it recklessly. But this is the library, and with Source Energy flowing endlessly, I should be able to absorb freely without any worries..."


    After pondering for a moment, Zhang Xuan nodded silently.


    At this moment, his consciousness was immersed in the Xuan World, controlling the Primordial Yellow Energy furnace, unable to return to his body. But the library was extremely safe, filled with Source Energy. With his current weak strength, absorbing with all his might shouldn''t be noticed by anyone...


    With this thought, he didn''t hesitate. The Xuan World shook, transforming into nine ck holes, simultaneously devouring the Source Energy from the air.


    "Yes, much faster indeed..."


    Seeing the speed increase eightfold, Zhang Xuan was slightly excited.


    Previously, it would have taken ten days, but now, it would take just a little over a day to seed.


    In a little over a day, he could go from the early stage of the Energy Storing Realm to its peak...


    "Although it''s still a bit slow, it''ll have to do!"


    After studying for a while and finding no faster method, Zhang Xuan sighed.


    In the Master Teacher Continent, it usually took him about two hours to break through a small level, and sometimes even less than half an hour. But here, it would take over a day... The cultivation in the Source World was indeed much more challenging.


    However, despite the slower pace, the space to contain power was a small world with endless true energy, far more profound and substantial than in the Master Teacher Continent. So, it wasn''t entirely a waste of effort.


    "I should go back to my residence. Staying in the library too long risks being discovered..."


    After absorbing Source Energy for a while and feeling his strength stabilize, Zhang Xuan decided to leave the library. Just then, he felt the nine ck holes above him suddenly swell and turn a light gold color. In the next moment, countless strands of pure Source Energy poured down.


    If the previous absorption speed was like heavy rain, now it was like a tsunami!


    And not just any tsunami, but one with countless waves continuously pouring in¡­


    "What''s going on?"


    Zhang Xuan''s eyes widened.


    ¡®Did the heavens feel my sincerity about absorbing Source Energy too slowly and decided to grant me power? Otherwise, why is there so much pure Source Energy pouring in, wave after wave, seemingly endless,ing through the ck holes?¡¯


    "Never mind, let''s absorb it all first..."


    Knowing that the Source Energy was arriving too fast and he had to use more Primordial Yellow Energy to transform it into a furnace, Zhang Xuan didn''t have time to think further. His consciousness couldn''t return to his body, so he could only desperately refine and absorb the energy.


    Fortunately, he had a whole world and enough Primordial Yellow Energy. Otherwise, an ordinary person wouldn''t be able to handle it.


    ...


    Inside the Xuan World, Zhang Xuan was frantically refining the surging Source Energy. In the library, the fourteen top experts of White Roc Academy no longer had their previous confidence. Instead, they were pale and on the verge of copse.


    "Dean, my energy is almostpletely depleted; I can''t hold on much longer..."


    Fifth Elder Chen Jinlin''s voice was a low, dull groan.


    His cultivation level wasn''t outstanding among the group, and after half an hour, he was already at his limit.


    "I''m almost out of energy too..."


    Wu Liuyun smiled bitterly.


    They initially thought it would be a simple task, believing that by working together, they could easily overwhelm the young man in front of them. However, while Zhang Xuan remained unaffected, they were the ones who couldn''t hold on.


    The young man seemed like a bottomless pit, no amount of energy could fill him up.


    "Take your medicine! You all should have energy-restoring pills... Don''t hold back!" Lu Mingrong''s voice trembled, his teeth clenched tightly.


    Despite being the strongest among them, he was also reaching his limit due to the immense energy being absorbed from him.


    "Alright!"


    Being trapped by the Source Dragon Swallowing the Elephant phenomenon, they couldn''t escape. If they didn''t want to die, they had to keep taking their pills!


    Struggling, they took out their pills and swallowed them.


    In an instant, their depleted Source Pools regained some energy, allowing them to continue pouring energy into the Source Energy dragons.


    Initially, they believed that even if Zhang Xuan''s Source Pool was of the highest grade, he wouldn''t be able to withstand thebined force of fourteen experts.


    They never imagined, not even in their wildest dreams, that they would be the ones to fail first...


    Previously, they had confidently thought they could let Zhang Xuan absorb as much as he wanted. Now, in hindsight, they realized how naive that was. Please stop... We were too childish!


    They had thought, "Let''s see if you can handle this," but while Zhang Xuan couldn''t be overwhelmed, they certainly could be.


    As various odd emotions swirled in their minds and after what felt like an eternity, Dean Lu Mingrong also felt his scalp tingle, realizing he couldn''t hold on much longer. Just then, Elder He Qin''s trembling voice echoed.


    "My pills... I''ve used them all! Is he... still absorbing?"

 Chapter 51: Mid-Energy Storing Realm

    Chapter 51: Mid-Energy Storing Realm


    "He''s still absorbing..." Ran Qingxu felt like crying.


    He was the Great Elder of White Roc Academy, ate-stage Source Pool Seventh Level Jade Bone Realm expert. Not only had his vast power been drained, but he had almost exhausted his supply of pills. The worst part was that Zhang Xuan was still absorbing, seemingly without end...


    This wasn''t just a Source Pool; it was more like a Source Ocean, a bottomless abyss!


    "I''m out of pills and energy; what do we do now?" Elder He Qin''s voice trembled.


    With good intentions, they had tried to hide the genius''s identity, but they almost ended up dying in the process... Such an event was unprecedented in the history of the Source World. It was truly a disaster!


    Ran Qingxu sighed, "I don''t know either. We need to ask the dean..."


    "Well..." Seeing the responsibility thrown his way, Lu Mingrong felt equally helpless. To be honest, his pills were almost gone too. Like the others, he wanted to continue butcked the strength.


    "If it really doesn''t work, we can forcibly cut off the connection. Even if it causes a Source Energy vacuum and exposes the genius''s identity, we can''t be med... We''ve tried our best!"Though they were passively trapped by the Source Dragon Swallowing the Elephant phenomenon, they could escape if they really wanted to. Given Zhang Xuan''s current strength, he was still too weak. If he were at their level, they might have been sucked dry without even having a chance to take their pills.


    Hearing this, everyone sighed in relief.


    Most ces, when a genius appeared, only needed money and resources. This time, it required lives! And the worst part was... Zhang Xuan had no idea!


    "I''ll count to three, and we''ll all cut off our energy simultaneously. One, two..." Knowing a decision had to be made, Lu Mingrong began to call out. But before he could finish, he stumbled forward. The power that had been constantly draining him suddenly stopped.


    Not just him, but the other thirteen elders and Vice Principles also staggered, instinctively looking forward.


    At this moment, the nine Source Dragons around Zhang Xuan gradually dissipated. He slowly woke from his state of enlightenment, his eyes opening to see the crowd before him. He looked slightly bewildered and confused.


    "Dean Lu, Vice Principle Wu... Elders, are you all here to read too?"


    ¡®What''s going on?¡¯


    He had only been cultivating for a short while, and so many experts had gathered. Could they have discovered that he was absorbing Source Energy?


    That shouldn''t be the case! He had tried his best to keep a low profile...


    "Tomorrow''s ss ising up, so I gathered everyone to study," Lu Mingrong said, lying without batting an eye.


    "I see!" Zhang Xuan sighed in relief.


    Luckily, he had been cautious and controlled his absorption of Source Energy. Otherwise, he would have been discovered for sure. He felt fortunate.


    Seeing that Zhang Xuan did not suspect anything, Lu Mingrong couldn''t help but ask, "I saw you seemed to have found a method for storing energy. How is it? Have you reached the peak of the Energy Storing Realm?"


    "My absorption speed isn''t very fast; I''ve just reached the mid-stage. It''s still far from the peak..." Zhang Xuan exined earnestly, feeling a bit embarrassed.


    Although his absorption speed was fast, the Xuan World was vast. It was only half full so far, and far from beingplete.


    The technique mentioned that absorbing a hundred or two hundred strands of Source Energy daily was impressive. But as the lord of a world, he couldn''t use that as a standard. Moreover, his was the Xuan World, not just a Source Pool.


    "Not fast?"


    "Only mid-stage Energy Storing Realm?"


    Ran Qingxu, Wu Liuyun, and the others were bbergasted.


    ¡®You nearly drained us all, depleted the Source Energy within hundreds of meters, and you say it''s not fast¡­¡¯


    ¡®My heart, liver, and lungs... they hurt so much.¡¯


    ¡®If you call this not fast, then what are we?¡¯


    ¡®Even if you want to stay low-key, you don''t have to pretend so tantly!¡¯


    Everyone felt a wave of frustration but saw that Zhang Xuan''s expression was sincere and genuine, indicating he truly believed what he said.


    Absorbing Source Energy had caused the phenomena of Devouring Source Dragon and Source Dragon Swallowing the Elephant, yet he still thought it was average...


    ¡®Can you not show off?¡¯


    "Dean, should we tell him the truth?"


    Suppressing the urge to give Zhang Xuan a good beating, Wu Yunzhou whispered.


    "No matter if he''s pretending or truly unaware, once the truth is revealed, our rtionship won''t be as natural as it is now..." Lu Mingrong smiled bitterly. "It''s like if the richest man disguised himself to y with you; everyone pretending not to know would make things more enjoyable. Once the truth is out, the rtionship loses its purity."


    This was the current situation.


    To maintain a good rtionship, they couldn''t rashly expose the truth. Otherwise, if Zhang Xuan knew that they were only there because of his talent, all their efforts would be meaningless.


    "I understand!" Wu Yunzhou nodded. "I''ll instruct Su Qiao and the others to keep their mouths shut."


    "Good!" Lu Mingrong nodded, then turned his attention back to the young man before him, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Cultivation needs to be done step by step. Don''t rush it."


    Speaking to a genius in this manner was truly awkward...


    "I understand!" Zhang Xuan nodded. "Rest assured, Dean, I will work hard and live up to your expectations!"


    ¡®You understand nothing¡­¡¯ Lu Mingrong thought, but he kept smiling. "So, will you continue cultivating here, or..."


    "I''ll head back now," Zhang Xuan quickly said, feeling embarrassed under the scrutiny of so many people. He didn''t want to draw any more attention and risk revealing anything. With so many experts around, it was best to stay as low-key as possible.


    Seeing Zhang Xuan leave the library, Lu Mingrong and the others could no longer hold on. They copsed to the ground, breathing heavily, their faces pale, and legs weak, losing all the dignity of the dean and elders.


    "Although it was exhausting and demanding, at least... we managed to cover up the phenomenon he caused, sparing us a lot of trouble. The remaining stages of physical body cultivation, like the Muscle and Viscera realms, shouldn''t require as much Source Energy, so we won''t need to be as cautious," Lu Mingrong said after a brief rest.


    "Yes, it shouldn''t be as difficult," Wu Yunzhou agreed. "The physical body, muscles, and viscera stages all involve cultivating oneself. We shouldn''t need to assist anymore, and we can conceal it just fine."


    "To be honest, he''s quite low-key and should be aware of his actions..."


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    The first time absorbing Source Energy in the Energy Storing Realm could be difficult to control, causing significantmotion. However, he would undoubtedly be more restrained afterward.


    After all, the young man appeared quite amicable and well-behaved.


    ...


    Unaware of the elders'' discussion, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief as he left the library.


    "Luckily, I stopped cultivating on a whim, otherwise, how would I have concealed it?"


    After his enlightenment, his entire focus was within the Xuan World, oblivious to what was happening outside. He had no idea when Dean Lu and the others had arrived. Judging by their expressions, they hadn''t noticed anything unusual about him.


    That was good; otherwise, he wouldn''t have known how to exin it.


    "Although I onlypleted half of the Energy Storing Realm, my injuries have healed significantly, and my strength has improved. Most importantly, I have a thorough understanding of the Energy Storing Realm. It was worth the trip..."


    With a smile, Zhang Xuan headed towards his residence. Before he reached it, he saw a groom standing quietly at the door with a tall horse. Next to him was a beautiful girl, seemingly waiting for him.


    It was Liu Mingyue and her prized Dao Li.

 Chapter 52: Su Shuang Revived

    Chapter 52: Su Shuang Revived


    "If you listen well, I can teach you!" Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.


    The girl was arrogant, liked to cause trouble, and cried often, which made him reluctant to take her on. The main reason he agreed was because of Dao Li.


    After Su Shang''s "death," its spirit was captured using the Moyun Jade Stone during his grief. To revive it, a horse was needed as a vessel, and this horse before him was the perfect candidate.


    A thousand-mile horse with strong bones, a battle-tested warrior... in every way, it was perfect.


    "Teacher Zhang, I brought Dao Li for you..."


    Seeing him return, Liu Mingyue shed a cold smile, then bowed with cupped fists. The groom holding the horse also hurriedly saluted.


    Nodding in satisfaction, Zhang Xuan''s eyes fell on Dao Li. Tall and majestic, more imposing than Su Shang, it stood out even among other thousand-mile horses.


    "Teacher Zhang, since you like horses so much, would you like to ride it?"Seeing his intense gaze, Liu Mingyue sneered inwardly but maintained a facade of goodwill, inviting him to ride. She also subtly signaled the groom nearby.


    Understanding her intent, the groom took a few steps back and made a secret gesture to Dao Li.


    "Of course!"


    Pretending not to notice their subtle actions, Zhang Xuan smiled and approached Dao Li.


    He had seen it from a distance yesterday, but now, up close, he observed its immacte coat, strong breathing, and robust tendons, all signs of great stamina and strength.


    "Hiss~~"


    As he approached, Dao Li raised its head and neighed, sensing an enemy. Its eyes gleamed with a murderous intent that the groom and Liu Mingyue tried to conceal.


    Catching this hostile vibe, Zhang Xuan understood their intentions and smiled slightly. "I felt bad before, thinking all creatures have spirits. But since this is the case, I won''t hesitate..."


    Allowing Su Shang''s spirit to enter Dao Li would rece its original spirit, essentially erasing it. Zhang Xuan had felt guilty about killing another horse to revive Su Shang, but seeing Dao Li''s aggression, his guilt vanished.


    ¡®You want to kill me? Well, it''s only fair if I kill you¡­¡¯


    With this thought, he raised his hand and gently ced it on Dao Li''s forehead. At the same time, he mentally connected to the Xuan World, where the Moyun Jade Stone appeared in his vision.


    Yesterday, at the City Lord''s mansion, he had specifically retrieved this stone from Su Shang''s stomach to store it in the new world; otherwise, he couldn''t have framed Steward Feng.


    The Moyun Jade Stone could store spirits, even capturing the murderous aura of battlefields, so it could certainly hold Su Shang''s spirit. When Su Shang "died," the n had already been set for its revival in a more suitable form.


    With a thought, the spirit of Su Shang was extracted from the Moyun Jade Stone, falling into Zhang Xuan''s palm. As he petted Dao Li, the spirit silently entered its mind.


    In an instant, Dao Li''s eyes widened with shock, but this quickly turned to excitement and exhration. Su Shang''s spirit sessfully devoured and reced Dao Li''s spirit!


    From approaching the horse to recing its spirit, it all took no more than ten breaths. Neither Liu Mingyue nor the groom noticed anything. The former, seeing Zhang Xuan about to mount the horse, clenched her fists in excitement and signaled the groom again.


    Understanding her intent, the groom bowed. "Teacher Zhang, if you want to ride, I can have the horse kneel down for you. If not, I must inform you that there''s a w in one of its legs."


    "A w?" Zhang Xuan looked over.


    "It happened a few days ago while feeding. It got scratched. With proper rest, it should heal in a few days..." The groom exined while moving behind Dao Li, pointing to a spot on its leg.


    His finger pointed to a ce hidden by the horse''s body. To see it clearly, Zhang Xuan would need to move behind. This was part of Liu Mingyue and the groom''s n, aiming to get Zhang Xuan into position to be kicked by Dao Li.


    "A scratched leg can indeed affect its appearance. Let me take a look..." Zhang Xuan didn''t refuse and walked to the spot indicated by the groom. Sure enough, he saw a jagged wound on Dao Li''s hind leg. It wasn''t too big or deep, seemingly a recent cut, intended to lure him over.


    Seeing he had taken the bait, Liu Mingyue''s eyes gleamed with excitement. She signaled the groom for the third time.


    Nodding, the groom looked at Dao Li and gently waved his hand.


    This was the prearranged signal. Upon seeing this gesture, Dao Li was to lift its hoof and kick the auxiliary teacher forcefully.


    However, after the gesture, Dao Li remained motionless, as if it hadn''t seen anything.


    "???"


    Both the groom and Liu Mingyue were stunned.


    Fearing Dao Li hadn''t seen the signal, the groom repeated it, but Dao Li still didn''t react.


    "This wound isn''t deep and should heal quickly..."


    Pretending not to notice their subtle actions, Zhang Xuan suddenly eximed, "Wait, there''s something wrong with this wound. Mingyue,e and take a look. It doesn''t look idental, more like a deliberate cut..."


    "Uh..."


    Reluctantly, Liu Mingyue approached to inspect the wound. Knowing it had been deliberately inflicted in front of her, she forced an awkward smile. "It does seem deliberate, but it''s not a big wound. It should be fine..."


    As she spoke, she signaled the groom again.


    Nodding, the groom, desperate for Dao Li to notice, stepped forward and waved his hands repeatedly.


    This time, Dao Li seemed to understand. With a loud neigh, it lifted its hind leg and kicked forcefully.


    "What?"


    Before Liu Mingyue could react, her vision went ck as a massive hoof filled her view.


    Thud!


    She was sent flying,nding on the ground with a bruised face,pletely losing herposure.


    "Miss!"


    The groom stood frozen in ce.


    The horse was supposed to kick Zhang Xuan, but it had kicked the youngdy instead. This was a disaster...


    "Wrong target..."


    Pulling Dao Li''s ear, the groom couldn''t help but mutter. Before he could finish, Dao Li turned and aimed its rear at him.


    "???"


    Unable to react in time, the groom was sent flying just like Liu Mingyue,nding heavily a short distance away.


    "Heehee, heehee~~"


    Dao Li neighed excitedly, as if to say... "Did I get it right this time?"


    ¡®Get it right my foot¡­¡¯


    Trembling, Liu Mingyue''s eyes filled with tears. Animals were just too unreliable...

 Chapter 53: Liu Mingyue’s Plan

    Chapter 53: Liu Mingyue¡¯s n


    "How could this happen? Why is your horse kicking people randomly?" Zhang Xuan couldn''t help but get angry when he saw the two people lying on the ground, unable to get up. He pointed at Dao Li''s head and scolded, "Do you realize your mistake?"


    "Hiss~~" Dao Li lowered its head in shame.


    Satisfied, Zhang Xuan smiled and patted it, "It''s good that you know you''re wrong. I''ll cook some soybeans for youter!"


    "..."


    Liu Mingyue, with her mouth open, felt like crying. ¡®Your student was still lying on the ground, and you have only pretended tofort her briefly... The most crucial part was... Dao Li, why do you look so shy?¡¯


    "Teacher Zhang, just saying that isn''t enough..." Liu Mingyue finally couldn''t hold it in and struggled to stand up.


    "I''m really sorry. This is your horse. I just got it and don''t know its temperament. I didn''t expect it to kick even its owner..." Zhang Xuan apologized sincerely.


    "..." The scolding words that Liu Mingyue had prepared got stuck in her throat. She couldn''t even get angry. Yes, this was her horse, and she wanted it to kick Zhang Xuan. Getting kicked herself was deserved... She really shot herself in the foot, trying to embarrass the other party, but ended up embarrassing herself instead. She nced around secretly, seeing that no one had noticed, she felt slightlyforted."Teacher Zhang, I''m fine..." Liu Mingyue said, enduring the pain from the swelling on her face. "Teacher, I''vepleted my assessment, and my Source Pool is fully stabilized. I came here today, firstly to deliver the horse, and secondly to ask when the first ss will be, so you can help me ignite the furnace. I want to start cultivating as soon as possible. This afternoon, Mo Yanxue sessfully ignited her furnace and reached the early stage of the Energy Storing Realm..."


    Since Dao Li was unreliable, she decided to have Zhang Xuan teach directly. The first ss for a new teacher was a public lecture. If he dared to ept, there would be opportunities to make him look bad.


    "Mo Yanxue has started cultivating?" Zhang Xuan was surprised.


    "Yes, the Mo family prepared the blood of a ''Lingyun Beast'' for her as an introduction. With Vice-principal Lu''s help, she sessfully activated a supreme-grade furnace..." Liu Mingyue''s eyes showed envy. Mentioning Mo Yanxue deliberately and revealing her current state was to make Zhang Xuan feel embarrassed. As a teacher, having a student with the same talent surpassing his own students in such a short time should make him feel ashamed. How could he continue to stay at the academy?


    Of course, her envy was real too. A supreme-grade furnace wasn''t easy to activate. The key, the skills and strength of the igniter¡ªresources and a teacher¡ªwere all indispensable. Such a level could be counted on one hand in White Roc City. If she could obtain it, it wouldn''t be long before she could reach the peak of the Energy Storing Realm and be one of the top freshmen.


    "Lingyun Beast?" Zhang Xuan was puzzled. He had limited Heaven''s Fate Energy and had only collected some martial arts manuals from the library. He hadn''t copied any basic knowledge of this world, so he didn''t know much about so-called Source Beasts.


    "It''s a rare Heaven''s Fate Source Beast, but its blood can be bought in the Destiny Hall. It''s one of the mostmonly used blood types for Source Warriors to ignite furnaces, but it''s very expensive..." Liu Mingyue exined.


    Zhang Xuan nodded. Although he still didn''t fully understand the Destiny Hall and Lingyun Beast she mentioned, he didn''t want to ask too many questions. As a teacher, not knowing what a student was talking about was quite embarrassing... However, this basic knowledge could easily be understood by reading books, so it wasn''t a big deal.


    "Alright, go prepare the ignition material. I''ll teach the first ss tomorrow and help you ignite the furnace..." Zhang Xuan waved his hand, knowing that the more he spoke, the easier it was to reveal his ignorance.


    "Yes!" Liu Mingyue''s eyes shed.


    ¡®You''re just a auxiliary teacher, what do you know about igniting furnaces? Humph, if you fail tomorrow... I''ll make sure you''re thoroughly embarrassed. Let''s see how you can still face me as a teacher.¡¯ With that thought, she agreed and turned to leave. After a few steps, she looked back at the groom, "Are youing or not!"


    It was all this guy''s fault that she got kicked. She nned to teach him a good lessonter...


    "By the way, tell Yu Xiaoyu to join us tomorrow!" Zhang Xuan instructed.


    Seeing the girl agree and turn to leave, Zhang Xuan smiled at Dao Li before him. "How do you feel?"


    Though called Dao Li, it had the mind and spirit of Su Shang after the Spirit Awakening, which was like borrowing a corpse to bring back a soul.


    "Hiss~~" Dao Li snorted softly and affectionately rubbed against him. Knowing it would be revived by this owner after crashing into the school gate, it didn''t expect to get such a body. Previously, it had thought this person was unreliable when asked to cut open its own belly to cook and eat its organs, but now it saw he could be reliable after all¡­


    At Liu Mingyue''s residence of White Rock Academy.


    As the eldest daughter of the Liu family, she couldn''t live in the same dormitory as ordinary students. Instead, she rented a room at a high price. Though smaller than Zhang Xuan''s staff dormitory, it still provided her with a private space, which was very precious for a student.


    "It hurts, can''t you be more careful..." A voice of anger came from the room.


    "Miss, it will be done soon..." The maid applying the medicine was so scared her hands were trembling.


    Soon, the medicine was applied. Liu Mingyue looked in the mirror and saw that the hoof print on her face had faded a lot, but was still faintly visible. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She red at the groom in front of her. "What were you doing? I wanted Dao Li to kick Zhang Xuan, why did it kick me?"


    The groom looked like he was about to cry. "I don''t know either. Could it be that auxiliary teacher has already tamed Dao Li?"


    "That''s impossible!" Liu Mingyue snorted coldly. "You must have made the wrong gesture. Dao Li intended to kick him but ended up kicking me!"


    Even if he was good at taming animals, it would take some time, wouldn''t it? How could he tame it at first sight?


    "I..." Cold sweat broke out on the groom''s forehead.


    "Alright, don''t be afraid. I know you didn''t do it on purpose. Now, I''ll give you a chance to make up for it!" Liu Mingyue said coldly.


    "Miss, please instruct me..." The groom immediately bowed.


    Liu Mingyue lifted her chin, her eyes gleaming. "Tomorrow, Zhang Xuan is supposed to help me ignite the furnace. I mentioned the ''Lingyun Beast'' on purpose earlier. He seemed to have never heard of it... Since he doesn''t know, there''s a chance to y some tricks!"


    "What do you want me to do?" The groom looked over.


    "Get a bottle of ''Hanbei Turtle'' blood!" Liu Mingyue said.


    The groom was stunned. "Hanbei Turtle... It''s not even considered a Source Beast, just the lowest ss of animal. Its blood is cold and icy, not even as good as ordinary nts. It can''t possibly ignite a furnace..."


    "Exactly. The less likely it is to seed, the better. I''ll use Hanbei Turtle blood and pretend it''s Lingyun Beast blood. Let him try to ignite it. Imagine a dignified teacher, not even knowing the blood was wrong, struggling to ignite it... How embarrassing would that be?"


    "This..." The groom''s eyes widened. "Miss, you''re brilliant! If that happens, he will surely be theughingstock of the entire academy!"

 Chapter 54: He Became Unreliable Again

    Chapter 54: He Became Unreliable Again


    At Mo Yanxue''s residence.


    Watching her friend continuously absorb Source Energy, growing stronger by the minute, Yu Xiaoyu''s eyes were filled with envy. She had been there when Dean Lu Mingrong helped ignite Mo Yanxue''s furnace. Unfortunately, since she was no longer his student, she wasn''t eligible for his help. Otherwise, she would have reached the early stage of the Energy Storing Realm just like her best friend!


    She couldn''t understand her father''s decision to have her apprentice under a mere groom... And he was the City Lord! Such poor judgment.


    Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, Yu Xiaoyu asked, "Xiaoxue, tell me, how much Source Energy can your supreme-grade furnace absorb in a day?"


    Mo Yanxue stopped absorbing and smiled slightly. "Based on the current rate, about 140 strands per day."


    "140?" Yu Xiaoyu''s eyes widened. "When my father first reached the Energy Storing Realm, he could only absorb 137 strands a day, which was already a record. You''re even better than him?"


    "It''s because Dean Lu helped me ignite my furnace... As you know, with the same ignition material, the igniter''s strength and techniques can greatly affect the oue," Mo Yanxue nodded.


    "That''s true..." Yu Xiaoyu''s face fell. For the furnace, every step was crucial: the cultivator''s talent, the ignition material, the ignition method, and the igniter''s skills. Thest step was particrly important and could be decisive. Her best friend had Dean Lu''s personal help, while she could only rely on that groom... The more she thought about it, the more depressed she became."Your father must have his reasons for making you apprentice under Zhang Xuan. He wouldn''t want someone as talented as you to have a poor start. Don''t worry!" Mo Yanxueforted her, noticing her friend''s thoughts.


    "Hopefully..." Yu Xiaoyu sighed. She bid farewell to her friend and returned to her ce, only to find Adviser Liao waiting at the door.


    "Miss!" Adviser Liao bowed and cupped his fists. "The City Lord asked me to bring you the ignition material: the blood of the Heaven''s Fate Source Beast, Qingguang Beast!"


    Yu Xiaoyu''s eyes widened in shock. "Qingguang Beast blood? Isn''t that even more expensive than Lingyun Beast blood, costing over 100,000 Source Coins?"


    Adviser Liao nodded. "This bottle costs 300,000 Source Coins!"


    Yu Xiaoyu was speechless with shock. Considering the dean had offered Zhang Xuan a sry of 5,000 Source Coins and was blocked by the elders even that, 300,000 Source Coins for a drop of blood was an astronomical price.


    "Since Dad prepared such precious blood, why does he insist on having me apprentice under that groom?" Yu Xiaoyu pouted, looking very unhappy.


    "The City Lord has his reasons for doing this. He asked me to tell you that you must maintain a good rtionship with the groom and never look down on him," Adviser Liao carefully conveyed City Lord''s instructions.


    After a moment of hesitation, Yu Xiaoyu said, "I won''t look down on him since he helped Father tame the Cangback Eagle... Liu Mingyue told me that he''s giving his first ss tomorrow and will ignite the furnace for me. I''m afraid... he''s just starting out and doesn''t know how to properly ignite it, failing to bring out the Qingguang Beast blood''s power..."


    A good chef can make a delicious meal from top-quality ingredients, but a poor one will waste them. If his skills arecking, the precious blood might be wasted.


    Seeing her concern, Adviser Liao took out another jade bottle from his robe. "Miss, don''t worry. The City Lord has already considered this. This is the blood of a ''Luozhi Bird.'' It''s somewhat simr to the Qingguang Beast''s blood but is very ordinary and can''t ignite a furnace at all. Tomorrow, you only need to give this blood to Teacher Zhang, follow his instructions for cultivation, and pretend that the furnace is ignited."


    "Why?" Yu Xiaoyu was stunned,pletely puzzled.


    Pretend? That was an unusual word for the daughter of the City Lord.


    Adviser Liao exined, "The first ss of a new teacher is always a public lecture, demonstrating their abilities in front of many teachers and students... This is to save face for Teacher Zhang and prevent him from being embarrassed. Don''t worry, the City Lord wille personally in the evening to ignite your furnace with the Qingguang Beast''s blood, allowing you to truly reach the Energy Storing Realm. This is just to maintain appearances."


    "Alright then!" Yu Xiaoyu nodded in satisfaction upon hearing that her father would personallye. With her father''s strength surpassing even that of Dean Lu, she might surpass her best friend in absorbing Source Energy and be the top freshman.


    "Also, make sure to give Teacher Zhang plenty of face. The more exaggerated your praise, the better the impression you''ll leave!" Adviser Liao instructed.


    "Don''t worry, I understand!" Yu Xiaoyu waved her hand dismissively. Although she didn''t fully understand her father''s motives, she had grown up in the City Lord''s mansion and had seen plenty of schemes and intrigues. Handling this situation would be a piece of cake.


    "What did you say? My sister apprenticed under a auxiliary teacher who used to be a groom?" Yu Feng''s eyes widened in disbelief inside his dorm room at White Rock Academy. He had been in seclusion for cultivation and missed his sister''s assessment yesterday. He couldn''t believe that such a major event had happened in just one day.


    "Yes, that groom must have used some trick to deceive the City Lord into making this decision... As her brother, you can''t let Xiaoyu suffer!" The angry voice belonged to Chen Hao, the most vocal among the students. He was the young master of the Chen family, one of the three major families.


    "What exactly happened?" Yu Feng asked for a detailed ount. After understanding the situation thoroughly, his eyes narrowed. "The groom you''re talking about, I think I saw him yesterday. He didn''t even know where the Source Pool was. He knew nothing, yet today he dares to take my sister as his apprentice. Such audacity..."


    Yesterday, Yu Feng had been somewhat impressed with Zhang Xuan for standing up for his sister. Now, that impression had plummeted to rock bottom. An ignorant servant as his sister''s teacher... Even if their father demanded it, how could Zhang Xuan agree?


    What nerve!


    "Isn''t he giving a public lecture tomorrow? I''ll make him understand the consequences of being a teacher without the necessary skills!" Yu Feng clenched his fists, a cold snort escaping his lips.


    Chen Hao''s eyes lit up. "I''ll organize as many ssmates as possible to attend tomorrow and embarrass him!"


    "Great!" Yu Feng nodded in agreement.


    In a small courtyard, Zhang Xuan sneezed. Who was thinking about him now...?


    Oh well, never mind!


    Remembering something, Zhang Xuan''s eyes fixed straight ahead. "I only learned how to ignite a furnace for myself. I don''t quite know how to do it for others. As a teacher, I can''t be careless! To ensure I don''t make mistakes in tomorrow''s ss... How about I practice on you? I''ll ignite a furnace for you too."


    Though not a Source Beast, the thousand-mile horse was quite close. If he could help it absorb Source Energy, it might undergo a direct transformation.


    "???" Dao Li froze. Helping a horse ignite a furnace for cultivation? This was starting to seem unreliable again¡­

 Chapter 55: Public Lecture

    Chapter 55: Public Lecture


    The next day.


    Sunlight filtered through the green foliage, casting a thinyer of silver frost on the ground. With a creak, the door slowly opened, and Zhang Xuan stepped out.


    Dao Li had been uncooperative out of fear, and it took until veryte to find its Source Pool. Without Heaven''s Fate Energy, no assessment was done, but the thousand-mile horse''s innate physical strength allowed it to directly absorb Source Energy, albeit very slowly. It seemed that finding some Heaven''s Fate Energy to stabilize it was necessary.


    Next was igniting the furnace.


    Although Dao Li was not a lord of a world and could not contain Primordial Yellow Energy, lending it a bit of qi sensation to ignite the furnace was easy. It was simr to when he taught Zhao Ya and the others martial arts¡ªwhile the normal version couldn''t be cultivated due to the constraints of Heaven''s Path, the simplified version worked fine.


    Igniting the furnace, Dao Li indeed transformed into a Source Beast, albeit the lowest grade. Under his coercion, it sessfully refined Source Energy, though with itsplex meridians, only one out of hundreds was cleared after an entire night of effort.


    Due to theck of open meridians, its absorption rate was only about 10 strands of Source Energy per day,parable to a low-grade furnace that used nts as its ignition source.


    "The structure of a horse differs from that of a human, beingrger, it should theoretically absorb faster... The slow rate must be due to incorrect methods..." Zhang Xuan was a bit frustrated.The speed was too slow!


    However, there was no choice. The anatomy of Source Beasts differed greatly from humans. To improve its absorption rate, the meridians had to be fully cleared... He would have to find relevant books on thister.


    Of course, if just one cleared meridian allowed it to absorb 10 strands of Source Energy overnight, fully opening its hundreds of meridians would result in an incredibly fast cultivation speed. The thought was quite exciting.


    After finishing with Dao Li, Zhang Xuan didn''t rest. He continued to heal and cultivate simultaneously.


    Focusing on healing, his absorption rate wasn''t fast, but over the long night, his Xuan World was filled with refined Source Energy, reaching thete stage of the Energy Storing Realm. Though his strength hadn''t increased much, he had stored enough Source Energy toy a solid foundation for future cultivation.


    "You stay here and reflect on how to clear your meridians. I need to go to ss now!"


    After instructing Dao Li to reflect on clearing its meridians, Zhang Xuan walked towards the small courtyard''s exit. He had only taken a few steps when he heard a pitiful cry from Dao Li, followed by a loud rumbling sound from its stomach.


    "This..."


    Zhang Xuan scratched his head awkwardly, realizing that the small courtyard didn''t have any hay or feed for horses, and Dao Li must have been starving!


    "I''ll buy you some food after my ss..."


    Heforted Dao Li and continued walking to the ssroom arranged by Dean Lu. Soon, he arrived at the location.


    "Why are there so many people?"


    Even before reaching the ssroom, Zhang Xuan saw a huge crowd gathered. There were teachers and students, numbering in the thousands.


    Why were so many people here for a ss with just two new students? It looked like they were attending a concert.


    "A newly recruited teacher''s first ss is always a public lecture. Didn''t you know that, teacher?" a student couldn''t help but exin upon seeing his confused expression.


    "Public lecture?"


    Zhang Xuan blinked. A public lecture, as the name suggests, is a ss open to the entire school for observation. He was supposed to give a public lecture? He hadn''t prepared for this at all!


    "Never mind, I''ll just go with it."


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. As a teacher revered across ages, he was used to having tens or even hundreds of thousands of people watching his public lectures in his previous life. A thousand people was a small audience for him.


    In a small building not far from the crowd, Dean Lu and others sat solemnly, each with a troubled expression, creating a gloomy atmosphere.


    "To be honest, this decision was somewhat rash!"


    Great Elder Ran Qingxu couldn''t help but remark, "It''s not that I don''t believe in him, but having a high cultivation talent doesn''t mean one is good at teaching. We''ve proven this many times before!"


    "Exactly, he should have informed us earlier about the lecture so we could have shared some teaching experience with him! Or at least had him attend our sses to learn. Starting directly, especially with such an important course like igniting a furnace... If he fails, not only will he be criticized, but White Rock Academy will also face numerous doubts."


    Second Elder Wu Liuyun nodded in agreement, looking equally troubled. They had encountered many super geniuses who weren''t good at teaching. What these geniuses found simple could be incredibly difficult for ordinary cultivators. Their thinking wasn''t even on the same level¡­


    For this reason, when everyone heard that Zhang Xuan had just learned the cultivation method yesterday and was already nning to help someone ignite a furnace today, and that it was a public lecture, they all nearly lost their minds.


    It was too reckless!


    They had thought his frenzied absorption of Source Energy, almost creating a vacuum, was extreme enough. They never imagined he could do something even crazier...


    "Should I go and suggest canceling this public lecture? If he can''t help Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue ignite their furnaces, it will be a huge embarrassment," Third Elder He Qin hesitated before speaking.


    "Let''s not rush. The news has already spread, and canceling it now would only cause more controversy," Dean Lu Mingrong smiled bitterly.


    Their energy had been drained by Zhang Xuan yesterday, and they only returnedte at night. Upon leaving the library, they heard about this public lecture and felt as if the sky had fallen.


    ¡®Can''t we just cultivate quietly for a few days?¡¯


    In less than a day at the academy, Zhang Xuan had already caused three major disruptions. If this continued, they wouldn''t be able to handle it!


    Wu Yunzhou said, "What should we do then? Someone has deliberately spread this news. Not only does the entire academy know, but all of White Roc City is aware. If he fails, it will greatly affect your reputation, Dean, since you were the one who approved him as a teacher..."


    Lu Mingrong replied, "I have considered that. Let''s watch first. If he can''t help Liu Mingyue and Yu Xiaoyu ignite their furnaces, we will intervene immediately and say that the ignition materialscked vitality."


    "That''s the best we can do..." Everyone smiled bitterly.


    Ignition materials vary in grade, and even high-grade ones are not guaranteed to ignite every time. Although this reason might seem weak, it was better than losing face outright and would at least preserve some dignity.


    "Look, Zhang Xuan is here. The public lecture is about to start!"


    Just as they were worrying, they saw Zhang Xuan arriving at the ssroom entrance, where Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue were waiting.


    Liu Mingyue''s face had mostly healed but was still quite red. It was clear she had been hit, but no one dared to ask her directly. They could only wonder in private.


    "Teacher Zhang!" The two girls cupped their fists simultaneously.


    "Hmm! Have you prepared the ignition materials I asked for?" Zhang Xuan inquired.


    Zhang Xuan nodded and asked directly, without any pretense.


    "I prepared the blood of a Qingguang Beast," Yu Xiaoyu said, handing over the vial of Luozhi Bird blood that Adviser Liao had given her.


    "I prepared the blood of a Lingyun Beast," Liu Mingyue said, handing over the vial of Hanbei Turtle blood.


    "Qingguang Beast?"


    "Lingyun Beast?"


    "Those are Heaven''s Fate Source Beasts! The City Lord''s Mansion and the Liu family really went all out!"


    "Miss Yu and Miss Liu are both super geniuses, so they need powerful ignition materials. It''s for their own good!"


    "Even if they seed, it won''t be because of that guy''s skills!"


    Upon hearing their words, the surrounding students and teachers were all shocked.


    Both the Lingyun Beast and the Qingguang Beast were considered the pinnacle of ignition materials in White Roc City. As long as there were no idents, igniting the furnace should be as easy as closing one''s eyes.


    "If Dad prepared such a treasure for Xiaoyu, and she still can''t ignite a supreme-grade furnace, I''ll make sure that guy pays!" Yu Feng clenched his fists in the crowd.


    That was the blood of a Qingguang Beast!


    Even he hadn''t been given such resources.


    As long as there were no idents, a supreme-grade furnace was a certainty...


    If it didn''t happen, it would be proof of the auxiliary teacher''s ipetence!

 Chapter 56: Should We Wait And See?

    Chapter 56: Should We Wait And See?


    "Not bad!"


    Hearing the discussions around him, Zhang Xuan immediately realized that the two ignition materials were highly valuable and nodded with satisfaction. "Get ready. I''ll ignite the furnace for you now!"


    "Yes!"


    Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue exchanged nces, each plotting their own schemes.


    For Yu Xiaoyu, the blood of the Luozhi Bird would certainly fail to ignite the furnace. Pretending otherwise should be easy enough.


    As for Liu Mingyue, the blood of the Hanbei Turtle would also fail to ignite the furnace. Even if it did, she wouldn''t admit it.


    Yesterday, he had embarrassed her, and now she wanted to see him humiliated in front of everyone.


    Each with their own thoughts, they handed over the prepared blood and sat cross-legged."Let''s begin!"


    Unaware of their thoughts, Zhang Xuan casually uncorked the bottles, feeling the potent energy within the two drops of blood. Satisfied, he nodded and gently flicked his finger. The two drops of blood floated out, suspended by their energy, and hovered at his fingertips. With a light flick, the bloodnded on the foreheads of the two girls.


    "What is he doing?"


    The onlookers were stunned.


    The students gathered here had all ignited furnaces before and knew the procedure well. First, one had to sense the surrounding Source Energy and draw it into the meridians. Then, the energy in the blood had to be guided into the Source Pool, where the Source Energy would interact with this energy to create a spark.


    It sounded simple but was extremelyplex in practice. As a teacher, one first had to draw an array around the student to ensure their fragile meridians weren''t damaged by the violent Source Energy. Then, using their own refined energy, they had to help extract the ignition power from the blood.


    In short, igniting a student''s furnace required the teacher to carefully work for at least half an hour. Yet, Zhang Xuan just flicked the blood out casually. Was he nning to ignite both furnaces simultaneously? That was too reckless!


    "This guy..."


    Mo Yanxue flipped through her meticulously prepared notes and saw that Zhang Xuan''s method waspletely different from Dean Lu''s. Her face reddened with anger. This was a crucial step in igniting the furnace, a significant event in her friends'' lives. To handle it so carelessly was absurd! She couldn''t understand why City Lord insisted on making Xiaoyu his apprentice.


    "Get ready to intervene," Dean Lu Mingrong sighed from the nearby room.


    Despite what Ran Qingxu and Wu Liuyun said, Dean Lu Mingrong still had some hope that Zhang Xuan might seed. However, seeing Zhang Xuan''s casual approach of cing the ignition materials on their foreheads, he quickly realized he was being overly optimistic.


    Geniuses might be able to extract power from the materials on their own, but ordinary people couldn''t. Although Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue had good talent, they certainly couldn''t achieve that.


    So, just from this, it was clear that this public lecture was destined to fail.


    "Alright then!" Everyone smiled bitterly. They had thought recruiting a genius would make them happy, but instead, it had exhausted them. They were nearly in tears from all the damage control they had to do.


    Unaware that his actions had shocked and left everyone speechless, Zhang Xuan noticed Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue getting distracted. He furrowed his brows and shouted, "Focus and calm your minds, do not get distracted by what''s happening around you."


    His method of igniting the furnace came from the Heaven''s Path Library''s Heaven''s Path techniques, specifically designed to fit their physiques and follow the orderly method of Heaven''s Path. ording to the books, as long as they didn''t resist, even the most ordinary nts could ignite a furnace, let alone the blood of Heaven''s Fate Source Beasts.


    Knowing they had to put on a show, Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue both calmed down and tried to sense the power in the blood. Naturally, they couldn''t sense anything. With one using the blood of a Luozhi Bird and the other using the blood of a Hanbei Turtle, which were among the worst possible, it was impossible to sense anything. They were even worse than ordinary nts.


    After a while, seeing no response from them, Zhang Xuan frowned slightly. The Qingguang Beast and Lingyun Beast were both Heaven''s Fate Source Beasts. Such precious ignition materials should be easy to sense and extract power from quickly.


    "It seems their talent is worse than a horse''s..." Zhang Xuan shook his head, looking helpless. Even Dao Li, a horse, had sessfully ignited a furnace using nts as an ignition source. Yet, these two, with such high-quality materials, hadn''t sensed anything yet.


    How weak!


    Well, with so many people watching, he couldn''t afford to lose face if the ignition failed. He extended both hands again and gently flicked his fingers.


    Whoosh!


    Two faint strands of Primordial Yellow Energy quickly flowed along their meridians, entering their Source Pools at an imperceptible speed and silently hiding there.


    This was a secret of a world lord, not to be disclosed lightly, not even to his own students.


    After finishing, Zhang Xuan stepped forward, extended two fingers, and removed the blood from their foreheads. He cleared his throat and said, "Open your mouths!"


    Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue, not knowing what he intended, simultaneously opened their mouths. Without hesitation, Zhang Xuan flicked his fingers again, sending the two drops of blood into their throats.


    "Teacher..."


    "Ah..."


    Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue were stunned, their eyes widening in disbelief.


    Igniting a furnace involved absorbing the power of the ignition material, not eating it... Directly swallowing the blood? What was he doing?


    "It''s over... That was the blood of Heaven''s Fate Source Beasts, and ingesting it unprotected could be fatal..." Dean Lu Mingrong felt faint.


    Heaven''s Fate Source Beasts were powerful, and their blood contained the essence of their strength. A normal person would be harmed just by observing it, let alone consuming it. Feeding it to two who hadn''t even reached the Energy Storing Realm...


    Was this igniting a furnace ormitting murder?


    They had prepared to cover up for Zhang Xuan if he failed to ignite the furnaces, but now, if the girls were injured or killed, the academy wouldn''t survive the scandal.


    "Reckless, absolutely reckless!" Wu Yunzhou clenched his teeth.


    "We must intervene immediately. If the blood gets absorbed, it will be toote to save them..." Elder He Qin stood up abruptly, ready to rush over, but was halted by Zhang Xuan''s voice:


    "Don''t worry. These two drops of blood are enveloped in my energy and won''t harm you. Ingesting them will make it easier to absorb their power and ignite the furnace..."


    "Enveloped in his energy? Is he at thete stage of the Energy Storing Realm?"


    "He was only at the mid-stage when he left the library yesterday, and now he''s already at thete stage?"


    Hearing this, Lu Mingrong and the others were stunned. They knew Zhang Xuan was exceptionally talented and would advance quickly, but they never imagined it would be this fast.


    If he had truly reached thete stage of the Energy Storing Realm, using his energy to envelop the blood would indeed prevent any immediate harm.


    "Should we... wait and see?"


    Wu Liuyun, his face red with frustration, couldn''t help but suggest.


    "Let''s wait then... I want to see if this guy can really help them ignite their furnaces!" Dean Lu Mingrong agreed reluctantly.


    Dean Lu Mingrong nodded.

 Chapter 57: Yu Xiaoyu Successed

    Chapter 57: Yu Xiaoyu Sessed


    "Really?"


    Unlike Dean Lu and the others, Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue, after sensing that the blood in their bodies caused no harm and was easier to absorb, breathed a sigh of relief.


    Especially Yu Xiaoyu, who, while "seriously cultivating," secretly observed her surroundings, waiting for the right moment.


    With the blood already ingested, it was time to find an opportunity to "sessfully ignite" the furnace, but it couldn''t look too fake.


    Her face flushed, as if she was exerting all her strength, though she didn''t care where the blood was or what power it held. She knew the blood was for show and wouldn''t ignite the furnace, so there was no point in pretending too much. It was just a waste of effort.


    Liu Mingyue, on the other hand, had apletely different n. She intended to wait a bit longer and then pretend to fail, making Zhang Xuan look foolish. But she had to appear earnest, so others wouldn''t see through her act.


    With this in mind, Liu Mingyue focused on the "blood" in her abdomen. The Hanbei Turtle''s blood was cold and chilling, the opposite of the fiery feeling needed to ignite a furnace. Knowing it wouldn''t work, she absorbed a strand of its energy, mixed it with her Source Energy, and followed Zhang Xuan''s instructions to direct it into her Source Pool.


    In the crowd, Yu Feng''s face turned red with anger as he watched the scene unfold. He couldn''t hold back any longer and stepped forward, shouting, "Zhang Xuan, do you even know how to ignite a furnace? Who swallows the blood? If anything happens to my sister, the City Lord''s mansion won''t let you off!"Seeing Yu Feng speak up, Chen Hao''s eyes lit up, and he also shouted, "Wasting the blood of the Qingguang Beast and Lingyun Beast like this is outrageous. White Rock Academy doesn''t need a teacher like him!"


    "That''s right. I''ve heard he''s just a groom. What does he know about cultivation? Keeping him as a teacher is just misleading the students."


    "We''re not exaggerating. Everyone saw it. Who ignites a furnace this way? If the ignition material was a mineral, would he chew it on the spot?"


    With their words, the crowd quickly joined in, many of them connected to Chen Hao or Yu Feng, adding to the momentum. In an instant, Zhang Xuan became the target of everyone''s criticism.


    "It''s just as well if he fails to ignite it. Later, I''ll find a way to ask Dean Lu for help... But it''s a pity about the Qingguang Beast''s blood. One drop is worth tens of thousands of Source Coins!"


    Mo Yanxue, seeing her friend''s struggle, couldn''t help but feel relieved.


    The City Lord must have been grateful for Zhang Xuan''s help with the Cangback Eagle, but risking his daughter''s future was too much. This was just too unreliable!


    Seeing themotion growing louder and more intense, Mo Yanxue stepped forward, unable to hold back any longer. "Stop arguing, everyone!"


    As the eldest daughter of the Mo family, a beauty, and the dean''s personal disciple, her displeased appearance silenced the crowd instantly.


    Mo Yanxue raised her eyebrows and said, "Even if Teacher Zhang is wrong, it''s up to the academy to handle it, not us students! Senior Yu Feng, am I right?"


    "You''re right, Yanxue. But since it involves Xiaoyu, I can''t just sit back and watch..." Yu Feng replied.


    "I understand your concern, but I don''t agree with your approach. Yesterday, the dean only intended for Teacher Zhang to be a auxiliary teacher. It was the City Lord who insisted on Xiaoyu apprenticing under him..."


    "This..." Yu Feng faltered. He had heard about this. The root cause of his sister''s situationy with their father. Zhang Xuan had even tried to refuse, only agreeing after much insistence. ming Zhang Xuan now was indeed inappropriate.


    Surprised that the former youngdy would speak up for him, Zhang Xuan was taken aback. He was about to respond when Mo Yanxue''s sharp gaze met his. "Teacher Zhang, since the dean appointed you as a auxiliary teacher, you should focus on your duties. Teaching... is not for you. Talents like Xiaoyu cannot afford to be dyed. Neither you nor the City Lord can take risks with someone''s future for your own purposes."


    "Uh..."


    Caught off guard by her directness, Zhang Xuan didn''t know how to respond. Just then, Dean Lu Mingrong appeared, unable to hold back any longer.


    "That''s enough!"


    He had reached his limit. Despite their efforts to build a good rtionship, this foolish student had already offended Zhang Xuan.


    ¡®What do you mean by ''can''t afford dys'' or ''fulfilling personal ambitions''... Being able to associate with such a genius, who cares about one''s own future? Once he grows, even the smallest of his favors will be more valuable than years of arduous cultivation!¡¯


    ¡®If you look at the founding emperors'' generals, each one is profound and powerful. Without encountering such a ruler, they might have remained vige heads, dreaming only of bing a n leader, never stirring the winds and riding the clouds.¡¯


    "Every teacher has their own teaching methods, and Teacher Zhang has his own insights. Right now, Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue are at the crucial moment of igniting their furnaces. Neither you nor anyone else should disturb them!" Lu Mingrong said with a flick of his sleeve, his face full of displeasure.


    "Teacher is right, but..." Mo Yanxue hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Teacher Zhang''s method of igniting the furnace is fundamentally wrong. The chances of sess are very slim..."


    "There are countless forms of furnaces, and naturally, there are countless ways to ignite them. My method of igniting yours doesn''t represent all the methods!" Lu Mingrong interrupted her again, understanding what she meant.


    "I understand, but I still stand by my opinion. If his method can ignite the furnace, I will apologize in person..." Mo Yanxue said firmly. But before she finished speaking, her best friend, Yu Xiaoyu, suddenly opened her eyes and, trembling with excitement, eximed, "Ah... My furnace is ignited! I seeded!"


    "???"


    Mo Yanxue was stunned.


    "???"


    Yu Feng, Chen Hao, and others were also dumbfounded. Not only them, but even Lu Mingrong, Ran Qingxu, Wu Liuyun, and the others, who were about to help Zhang Xuan save face, looked at each other, bewildered.


    What just happened?


    Did that crude method really ignite the furnace? Seriously?

 Chapter 58:Blow His Own Cover

    Chapter 58:Blow His Own Cover


    Although Dean Lu had firmly denied it earlier, as academy elders, they all understood that igniting a furnace had a customary process. A normal teacher, following the standard steps, wouldn''t have much trouble and could generally seed. However, Zhang Xuan''s method had nothing inmon with this traditional process. To them, it seemed like he was just messing around, yet he had actually seeded!


    Instantly, everyone turned to look at Yu Xiaoyu.


    "I... I really seeded! I can absorb Source Energy now..." Seeing so many people, including the dean, looking at her with curiosity, Yu Xiaoyu''s face reddened, and her voice lost its previous confidence.


    "Igniting a furnace allows you to absorb and refine Source Energy. Xiaoyu, what grade of Source Pool did you ignite? Can you tell us more?" Mo Yanxue couldn''t help but ask.


    "I... I ignited a supreme-grade furnace. Like you, I can absorb 140 strands of Source Energy per day," Yu Xiaoyu said, holding her head high.


    "Supreme-grade?"


    Mo Yanxue looked skeptical.


    "That''s right... You don''t believe me?" Yu Xiaoyu asked, her voice tinged with a bit of panic."It''s not that I don''t believe you, I just want to verify..." Mo Yanxue was about to say the word "test" when she was interrupted by Dean Lu Mingrong.


    "Activated is good. Go back and get used to it quickly, absorb Source Energy, and fill your Source Pool!"


    With his keen eyes, he could tell that Yu Xiaoyu hadn''t seeded. She must have been following the City Lord''s instructions to prevent Zhang Xuan from being embarrassed. Since this aligned with his goals, he wouldn''t expose her and would help cover it up.


    "Yes!" Yu Xiaoyu nodded repeatedly and turned to leave. She could pretend to be unconcerned in front of others, but in front of her best friend, she felt a bit guilty.


    "Wait..."


    She had only taken a couple of steps when an unhappy voice called out, "You ignited your furnace? Why can''t I sense it?"


    "..." Yu Xiaoyu trembled and turned around, seeing Zhang Xuan standing behind her, frowning in confusion.


    "I, I..." Yu Xiaoyu didn''t know how to respond, feeling her body stiffen.


    She was trying to cover for him, to back him up, yet he was tearing down his own stage... This wasn''t how it was supposed to go!


    Not only did Yu Xiaoyu look panicked, but the smiles on the faces of Dean Lu Mingrong, Ran Qingxu, and others also froze. They had thought that with Yu Xiaoyu''s cooperation, they wouldn''t need toe up with any more excuses, and today''s issue could be smoothly resolved. They never imagined that Zhang Xuan would blow his own cover.


    ¡®Bro... can you not make things so difficult?¡¯


    ¡®We are trying to help you!¡¯


    In an instant, Dean Lu Mingrong and the others felt as if a thousand curses were running through their minds. They''ve seen people make mistakes, but never anyone who sabotaged themselves so thoroughly.


    "Uh, uh! Xiaoyu did ignite the furnace. I just felt the flow of Source Energy..." Dean Lu Mingrong forced a clumsy smile, his eyelid twitching.


    "Yes, it''s true. We all felt it!" Wu Liuyun quickly added, followed by Ran Qingxu, Wu Liuyun, and the other elders chiming in.


    "Your method is correct. Igniting the furnace is naturally very straightforward!"


    "It looks like nothing''s happening, but in fact, the fire is burning vigorously and powerfully..."


    Seeing the dean and the elders covering for her, Yu Xiaoyu waspletely dumbfounded.


    ¡®What is going on? Who am I? Where am I?¡¯


    ¡®Does my father have such influence? Did he bribe the entire top echelon of White Roc Academy just to help me lie?¡¯


    "No, no!" Zhang Xuan frowned. "If you really ignited the furnace, I would have sensed it. Don''t be in a hurry to leave. Show me how you absorb Source Energy right here!"


    Earlier, he had secretly released a strand of Primordial Yellow Energy into her dantian. This energy was connected to his consciousness. If she truly ignited the furnace, he would definitely sense it, but he didn''t feel anything now...


    Obviously, she was lying!


    "I..."


    Yu Xiaoyu felt like crying.


    ¡®Why is lying so difficult?¡¯


    "That''s right, Xiaoyu, I also think something''s off. Try absorbing Source Energy, just like how you''ve seen me do it. We can all see it!" Mo Yanxue stepped forward.


    Yu Feng urged, "Sister, it''s just cultivation. It won''t take much time!"


    Looking left at Dean Lu Mingrong and the elders, then right at Zhang Xuan, and ahead at her best friend and brother... Yu Xiaoyu felt utterly lost.


    ¡®I want to show it, but I''m faking it, faking it!¡¯


    Seeing the girl on the verge of being exposed, Dean Lu Mingrong could no longer hold back and forced a smile, "Cultivation is a private matter. With so many people watching... it''s really unnecessary."


    "It''s definitely necessary! If it didn''t ignite, I need to know where the problem lies so I can improve..." Zhang Xuan exined.


    The method deduced by the Heaven''s Path Order should have suited Yu Xiaoyu perfectly. Why didn''t it seed? It was too strange!


    As the crowd debated, Liu Mingyue, who had been meditating with her eyes closed, suddenly stood up and looked at Zhang Xuan with disdain. "There''s no need to test! I can testify that Yu Xiaoyu didn''t ignite her furnace at all! This so-called Teacher Zhang doesn''t know how to guide others in cultivation..."


    "Testify? What proof do you have?" Ran Qingxu''s scalp tingled, and he quickly scolded her.


    ¡®What kind of people are these¡­¡¯


    Yesterday, they had gone all out to cover for Zhang Xuan, exhausting themselves to the point of copse but feeling relieved. Today, even though they were still helping him, they couldn''t feel at ease...


    This constant tension was going to be the death of them.


    "I''ll use myself as proof. I just refined all the Lingyun Beast blood that this so-called Teacher Zhang gave me, but my Source Pool remains calm and unchanged. It hasn''t ignited. If I didn''t seed, there''s no way she could have!" Liu Mingyue raised her head, her eyes sharp and challenging. "Yu Xiaoyu, do you dare to have it tested, or will you admit you''re lying?"


    "I..."


    Yu Xiaoyu was on the verge of tears.


    Lying is so hard!


    "Xiaoyu, what''s really going on? Tell us!" Mo Yanxue urged her friend.


    "I... I was afraid Teacher Zhang would be embarrassed, so I pretended, I deliberately..." Knowing she couldn''t hide it anymore, Yu Xiaoyu admitted, her face flushed with shame. She couldn''t reveal the truth about her father''s involvement, so she took the me herself.


    But once she admitted it, the crowd erupted.


    "Isn''t that lying?"


    "So all this time, this Teacher Zhang doesn''t know anything about cultivation..."


    "Damn, how dare he deceive us!"


    The crowd grew noisy, especially Yu Feng and the others, who clenched their fists in anger, ready to confront Zhang Xuan.


    "Dean, Teacher Zhang is a fraud who knows nothing about cultivation. Such a person doesn''t deserve to be a teacher! I officially use him of fraud and teaching useless methods..." Liu Mingyue, seeing the crowd''s anger, didn''t hesitate and shouted out her pent-up rage.


    "Hmph, if you make me lose face, I''ll make you a hundred times more embarrassed..." Liu Mingyue thought, feeling smug. She believed this young man would soon be discredited. Suddenly, her body stiffened.


    "Boom!"


    A powerful aura erupted from within her, and in an instant, the dense surrounding Source Energy surged into her body.


    "This is... igniting the furnace and starting to absorb Source Energy?"


    There was a moment of stunned silence.

 Chapter 59: The Flowing Stream

    Chapter 59: The Flowing Stream


    The furnace ignited, uncontrobly absorbing Source Energy, much like the girl standing before it. The air thickened with a powerful, surging force.


    "Didn''t she say... she didn''t seed in igniting it?"


    "Isn''t this supposed to be a formal report?"


    "Why is she losing control while reporting?"


    Everyone''s gaze fixed on Liu Mingyue.


    "What... what exactly is going on?" Mo Yanxue asked.


    "I..."


    Liu Mingyue looked utterly bewildered."I wish I knew!"


    To embarrass the groom, she had used the weakest essence blood she could find, thinking it would cause him to fail. She never imagined it would lead to this.


    It was like everyone else used gasoline and firewood to ignite the furnace, while she picked up a brick, confident it would fail, yet it still burned...


    How did this happen?


    She nced at the young man in the distance, almost in tears.


    Her family had prepared Lingyun Beast essence blood for her, but she chose Hanbei Turtle blood instead. Now, even if it ignited, it would be the weakest, barely better than using nts...


    "Since it''s ignited, let''s see what level it''s reached!" someone shouted.


    "Indeed!"


    Though frustrated, Liu Mingyue nodded.


    "So what if you helped me ignite it? I''ll still make you look bad!"


    She had imed to use Lingyun Beast essence blood. If the furnace only activated at a low grade, this auxiliary teacher would still be aughingstock!


    With a cold snort, she sat cross-legged, closed her eyes, and sensed the Source Energy around her being drawn into the Source Pool.


    Whoosh!


    In a blink, the Source Energy around her flowed like water, producing a gushing sound due to the rapid absorption.


    "This... this is the Flowing Stream? Only a supreme-grade furnace that can refine more than 150 strands of Source Energy in a day can achieve this!"


    "Flowing Stream refers to the sound produced by rapid refining of Source Energy... Achieving this is the hallmark of a peak-level supreme-grade furnace!"


    "The essence blood of a Lingyun Beast is indeed precious, but it typically ignites a furnace capable of refining 120 strands of Source Energy. To ignite more than 150 strands is... remarkable..."


    "Was that method really that effective?"


    The crowd buzzed with astonishment.


    Every cultivator dreamed of having a furnace that could refine more Source Energy... but igniting a furnace required many conditions, and a teacher''s guidance was one of the most crucial. Everyone thought that Zhang Xuan, who was formerly a groom, would waste resources. No one imagined that he not only seeded but helped Liu Mingyue ignite a supreme peak-level furnace.


    It was an absolute qualitative leap.


    "Better than my furnace? Mine was personally ignited by the dean..." Mo Yanxue''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    She and Liu Mingyue both used Lingyun Beast essence blood. Even with all her effort, she could only refine 140 strands a day, but Liu Mingyue exceeded 150 strands right from the start and even triggered the "Flowing Stream" phenomenon...


    Could it be that the dean''s ignition method wasn''t as effective as this former groom''s?


    If that''s the case, why did her best friend fail?


    She had used Qingguang Beast essence blood, which is even superior to Lingyun Beast''s.


    "Supreme furnace?" The most shocked person was Liu Mingyue.


    Everyone thought she used Lingyun Beast essence blood, but only she knew she had used Hanbei Turtle blood...


    The fact that it could ignite the furnace was already a miracle, but to ignite it to a supreme grade... was she dreaming?


    No! If such trash essence blood could ignite such a high-grade furnace, what would have happened if she had used real Lingyun Beast essence blood? Royal grade? Imperial grade?


    Her vision darkened, and Liu Mingyue suddenly felt a sharp pain in her heart. A golden opportunity to soar had been squandered.


    "Not necessarily! It could be that he is particrly skilled at igniting Hanbei Turtle essence blood. Lingyun Beast might not have been as effective..." Sheforted herself.


    Just as she was about to speak, she saw Wu Liuyun looking at her from the side, "Liu Mingyue, do you still want to file a formalint?"


    "I..."


    The girl blinked, feeling deted.


    What else could she say?


    There was nothing left to say!


    "No, I did ignite the furnace, but Yu Xiaoyu hasn''t seeded yet. Igniting the furnace is a basic lesson for any teacher, yet one of the two students hasn''tpleted it. I still believe Teacher Zhang Xuan''s teaching ability is questionable! He is not fit to be a teacher..."


    Liu Mingyue raised her head again.


    "This..." Wu Liuyun couldn''t help but look towards Dean Lu Mingrong when he saw that she was still insisting.


    Lu Mingrong, hardening his resolve, said, "Xiaoyu, I clearly saw you absorbing Source Energy just now. How can you say you didn''t ignite the furnace?"


    Yu Xiaoyu lowered her head, her face flushed with embarrassment. "I... I was afraid that Teacher Zhang''s method wouldn''t work and that I''d lose face in the public lecture, so I pretended!"


    She had to admit it. Liu Mingyue would never let it go, and whether the furnace was ignited or not was easy to tell.


    "You... How could you do this!" Lu Mingrong''s face was filled with disappointment. "Everyone''s physique is different, and the speed at which they ignite the furnace can vary. Liu Mingyue might ignite it quickly, while you might need half an hour or even longer... There''s no need to lie just to save face. Your problem is that you respect your teacher too much."


    With a flick of his sleeve, Lu Mingrong continued, "As a student, even though your intentions were good, your actions went against honesty and integrity. You will be confined for a day as an example to others. Go now!"


    "Yes..." Yu Xiaoyu breathed a sigh of relief. She sped her fists and was about to leave when Zhang Xuan blocked her path again, his brows furrowed. "Did you not refine the essence blood you swallowed?"


    "I..." Yu Xiaoyu''s face turned awkward. She didn''t know how to respond.


    The essence blood of the Luozhi Bird was useless even if refined! What difference would it make if she refined it or not? But she couldn''t say that out loud, having boasted that she used the essence blood of the Qingguang Beast...


    "Refine it before you leave. If you still can''t ignite the furnace, I''ll think of another way..." Zhang Xuan pointed to the meditation mat.


    "This... alright!" Yu Xiaoyu felt like crying.


    The essence blood of the Luozhi Bird was extremely poor quality. Even if she refined it, it wouldn''t work... But now, she had no choice. Taking out another dose of essence blood would be inappropriate...


    ¡®Never mind, I''ll just absorb it. The chances of sess are slim anyway, and if it doesn''t work, there will be other ways.¡®


    She sat down cross-legged, took a deep breath, and focused her mind. The next moment, the essence blood of the Luozhi Bird in her abdomen began to melt, turning into streams of energy that flowed towards her Source Pool.


    Soon, she opened her eyes.


    "Teacher Zhang, it''s not that I don''t want to ignite the furnace here, it''s that I really can''t do it..."


    Before she finished speaking, Yu Xiaoyu''s body also trembled. Just like Liu Mingyue earlier, a powerful aura burst from her body, causing the dense surrounding source energy to swirl rapidly.

 Chapter 60: Ill Do It Myself

    Chapter 60: I''ll Do It Myself


    "¡­"


    "What''s happening?"


    "It looks like... Miss Yu''s furnace has ignited too..."


    "Didn''t she just say she couldn''t do it? Her mouth says no, but her body is quite honest."


    The onlookers widened their eyes again.


    Liu Mingyue had imed the method was useless and was about to report it, then broke through; Yu Xiaoyu said she couldn''t do it, and the next moment, her furnace ignited...


    They had seen people try to save face, but never someone embarrassing themselves this much...


    "Are these two girls crazy? Unless... the master and disciples came here not for a public lecture but to put on a show!""¡­"


    Lu Mingrong, Wu Yunzhou, and the others were dumbfounded.


    They had been trying to figure out how to mitigate the impact and save face for the genius, only to witness this scene...


    No need for formations, power guidance, or any methods¡ªjust swallowing the blood and the furnace ignites... If it was this easy, what were we struggling with all this time?


    "???"


    The crowd was just shocked, but Yu Xiaoyu, under their gaze, had her eyes wide open and her eyelids twitching.


    This was "Luo Zhi Bird" essence blood, something confirmed as incapable of igniting. So why did it work? How did it seed?


    In an instant, the youngdy of the city lord''s mansion felt her worldview copse. Everything she had learned seemed useless.


    Especially after all the pretense... it turned out she just needed to absorb the blood''s power into the source pool! If she had known it was this simple, why pretend?


    A lifetime of acting skills wasted...


    "Sessfully igniting it only shows that Teacher Zhang did his job; it doesn''t mean anything yet. Let''s see what grade it is. If it''s not high, it still doesn''t mean much..." Chen Hao''s voice rang out again.


    "Right, we all want to know what grade the Qingguang Beast essence blood can ignite!"


    With these words, everyone''s eyes focused again. Liu Mingyue had ignited a top-grade furnace, could Miss Yu achieve the same?


    "I¡­" Hearing the crowd, Yu Xiaoyu''s heart skipped a beat, and she felt a rush of nervousness.


    Her rival, Liu Mingyue, had ignited a top-grade peak furnace using the essence blood of the Lingyun Beast, reaching the level of "Flowing Stream." Her best friend, Mo Yanxue, also reached top grade with the principal''s help.


    If she fell short, she¡¯d be endlesslypared andughed at!


    But saying there was no difference? Even she didn¡¯t believe that. Liu Mingyue used Heaven''s Fate Source Beast essence blood, while she only had "Luo Zhi Bird" essence blood... The gap was too big topare!


    Obviously, even if she ignited the furnace, getting a lower grade would be lucky. Top grade¡­ dream on!


    "Maybe¡­ forget it! I''ll check again when I get back..." She smiled awkwardly and shook her head. She knew her own situation and didn¡¯t want to embarrass herself in public.


    "Xiaoyu, you refined the Qingguang Beast essence blood, which is higher than the Lingyun Beast. Don¡¯t be modest, show it here. If Liu Mingyue dares, why shouldn¡¯t you?" Yu Feng said.


    "Yeah, show us. We want to see what grade the Qingguang Beast essence blood can ignite!"


    "We''re curious too..."


    "I¡­" Yu Xiaoyu wanted to cry. ¡®You really are my dear brother, not letting me embarrass myself and not letting me leave, huh? Not modest¡­ This isn¡¯t about modesty! Even if I wanted to show off, I can¡¯t!¡¯


    "Xiaoyu, start. I want to see too!" Mo Yanxue also looked over, curious.


    Using the same Lingyun Beast essence blood, Zhang Xuan ignited a furnace higher than the principal''s. What level could the higher-grade Qingguang Beast reach?


    "Alright!" With all eyes on her, there was no escape. Yu Xiaoyu gritted her teeth. ¡®To hell with it, I''ve already embarrassed myself enough¡­ a bit more won''t matter!¡¯


    She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and with a thought, began to capture the source energy.


    "Hope it can be refined¡­" The source energy entered the source pool, instantly igniting the furnace. It quickly turned into pure power, circting through her body.


    "Is it done? That was¡­ fast?" Yu Xiaoyu was stunned.


    She had thought it would be a lower-grade furnace, but the refining speed was so fast. Feeling strange, she elerated the process. The next moment, the crowd heard the sound of flowing water from within her body.


    "It''s the Flowing Stream!"


    "Both furnaces are top-grade peak!"


    "He ignited two top-level furnaces. Did we misjudge Teacher Zhang?"


    "It seems even the dean can''t do this..."


    Everyone, teachers and students alike, fell silent after their earlier criticisms.


    Typically, an experienced teacher would take almost half an hour, with extensive preparation and effort, to sessfully ignite one furnace, and even then, the sess rate wasn''t high. Yet, he effortlessly ignited two within minutes...


    "Chen Hao, didn''t you say Teacher Zhang wasn''t qualified? Now it looks like he''s quite skilled. I''m considering bing his student!"


    "I''m tempted too..."


    After the shock, murmurs of admiration spread among the students. Most hade expecting to see Teacher Zhang fail, influenced by Chen Hao, but his abilities were impressive!


    "Don''t get carried away. While it''s surprising that Teacher Zhang can ignite furnaces, his skills are still average."


    Seeing the growing admiration, Chen Hao gritted his teeth.


    "Igniting two top-grade peak furnaces is just average?" someone retorted.


    "Don''t believe me? Let me exin."


    Chen Hao waved his sleeve dramatically, "You heard Miss Liu and Miss Yu. They used the essence blood of Lingyun Beast and Qingguang Beast. You know how valuable this blood is. With such rare ignition materials, it''s not hard to ignite a top-grade furnace. Any dedicated teacher could do it."


    "Well..."


    The crowd hesitated, realizing the truth. With such powerful ignition materials, the high furnace level might not be due to Teacher Zhang''s skills.


    "In fact, I don''t even need a teacher! I could do it myself!"


    Seeing their doubts, Chen Hao sneered and raised his hand, "Here are the jade bottles with essence blood. There are still two drops left. Any new student who hasn''t ignited their furnace cane up. I''ll help them ignite it. If I fail, I''ll kneel and apologize to Teacher Zhang..."


    "Jade bottles?" Zhang Xuan was surprised. He noticed the two bottles Liu Mingyue and Yu Xiaoyu had given him were missing, likely taken by Chen Hao in the chaos.

 Chapter 61: Someone Poked My Belly

    Chapter 61: Someone Poked My Belly


    The essence blood of the Qingguang Beast and Lingyun Beast was extremely valuable. When sold, each drop was precise, with no excess. In contrast, essence blood from creatures like the Luo Zhi Bird and Hanbei Turtle, which were less popr, often came with promotions, sometimes even giving extra drops for free.


    This meant that the bottles from Liu Mingyue and Yu Xiaoyu,beled as containing one drop, actually had at least two drops.


    Zhang Xuan had been focused on helping them ignite their furnaces and hadn''t noticed, casually tossing the bottles aside after using one drop. He hadn''t realized there was leftover essence blood, which Chen Hao now had.


    "Two drops left?"


    "Is it really Qingguang Beast and Lingyun Beast essence blood?"


    "Miss Yu and Miss Liu both ignited top-grade peak furnaces. It can''t be fake."


    The crowd was abuzz. The wealth of these noble families was incredible, using one drop and discarding another.


    "What''s the matter? No one wants to try? Don''t worry, I''ve been at the academy for three years, reached the fourth level of the source pool, and helped teachers ignite furnaces for junior students. I have practical experience¡­"After introducing himself, Chen Hao looked around again. This time, a few young men stepped forward eagerly.


    "I want to try¡­"


    "Me too¡­"


    These students, from modest backgrounds, rarely had the chance to ignite even a mid-grade source pool. The opportunity to ignite a top-grade pool was too tempting to pass up.


    "Alright, you two." Chen Hao selected two keen-looking boys and bowed to Lu Mingrong, "Dean Lu, I would like to try helping them ignite the furnaces. May I?"


    "This¡­"


    Knowing Chen Hao was targeting Zhang Xuan, Lu Mingrong frowned and looked at the young man. Seeing Zhang Xuan''s calm demeanor, showing no displeasure, he nodded, "It''s understandable for students to want to try. However, if you can''t seed, to avoid wasting the essence blood, I will step in personally."


    Though he spoke of preventing waste, Lu Mingrong''s real concern was avoiding Zhang Xuan''s displeasure. If Chen Hao did manage to ignite the furnaces, Lu Mingrong intended to step in and im the credit himself.


    This way, the public lecture wouldn''t be as awkward.


    "Of course..." Chen Hao felt relieved and nodded eagerly, excitement showing in his eyes.


    As an admirer and follower of Liu Mingyue, he had resented this auxiliary teacher since the humiliation yesterday.


    He had hoped to embarrass Zhang Xuan during today''s public lecture, but now it seemed the tables had turned. He couldn''t resist stepping forward. If he did well this time, Mingyue might think more highly of him¡­


    Thinking of this, he nced at Liu Mingyue. Despite her injuries, her face was still bruised and swollen. Her eyelids trembled with nervousness, and it was unclear what she was thinking.


    "Don''t worry about me!" Chen Hao snorted lightly and approached the two new students. He took out the formation gs he had prepared and began setting up. After about ten minutes, he hadpleted a small formation for igniting furnaces, the "Furnace Ignition Fire Formation".


    "Unexpectedly, Chen Xiao''s son has set it up quite well¡­" Lu Mingrong thought to himself.


    Chen Xiao, the head of the Chen family, was influential. For a student to help others ignite their furnaces and openly challenge a teacher, it was naturally due to Chen Xiao''s influence.


    The method Chen Hao used was the standard furnace ignition technique, and the Furnace Ignition Fire Formation ensured a higher sess rate.


    Lu Mingrong had used the same method to help Mo Yanxue train.


    He initially thought the student''s challenge was a joke, but now he saw that Chen Hao knew what he was doing, following the correct sequence without error.


    "Youe first!" Chen Hao called one of the new students to sit by the formation, closed his eyes, and activated it with a light touch. A glow like a firefly''s appeared, activating the formation.


    "Let''s use the Lingyun Beast essence blood! Normally, someone of your status wouldn''t even have heard of this, let alone used it. Consider yourself lucky!"


    Chen Hao said as he opened the jade bottle from Liu Mingyue. A drop of essence blood immediately appeared at the center of the formation.


    Buzz!


    Enveloped by the formation, the essence blood released a greenish glow, transforming into tiny mes floating in the air.


    This was the basic method of igniting a furnace¡­ the "Fire Blood me" technique!


    "Impressive!"


    "No wonder he''s Young Master Chen¡­"


    Exmations of admiration rose from the crowd.


    Even some teachers couldn''t perform this so smoothly. A student not only seeded but did so with such precision, exceeding expectations. No wonder he dared to openly challenge.


    Chen Hao sighed in relief.


    Though he had learned the method, it wasn''t always a guaranteed sess. Achieving it on the first try this time was quite lucky.


    "Get ready, I''m sending the ignition me into your source pool now¡­" he said, grabbing a small me and pressing it into the student''s shoulder acupoint.


    The Fire Blood me traveled through the meridians, transforming into tiny stars within the source pool. Knowing this process required patience, Chen Hao continued infusing mes for nearly half an hour, sweating as he transferred all the mes into the student''s body.


    If visible, the student''s source pool would be filled with tiny mes, like stars in the sky.


    "Just onest step¡­"


    Wiping sweat from his forehead, Chen Hao exhaled deeply and pressed his joined fingers against the student''s source pool.


    Immediately, refined true energy shot from his fingertips into the student''s abdomen.


    A spark can ignite the ''source''!


    Normally, this energy would activate the stars, forming a furnace to refine source energy. But today, the result was disappointing. Despite Chen Hao''s efforts, the student remained unresponsive, eyes closed, showing no reaction.


    Having used all his strength without sess, Chen Hao grew anxious.


    The auxiliary teacher had casually given essence blood to Liu Mingyue, and she seeded. Why was this student so unresponsive? Even after infusing all the energy into the source pool, there was no reaction.


    Frustrated, he continued pressing, sending in more true energy.


    One press, two presses, three presses¡­


    Soon, he had pressed over 30 times, sending over 30 streams of source energy, but the student remained motionless.


    Sweat formed on his forehead. By all logic, the ignition should have happened long ago¡­ Why wasn''t it working?


    This was Lingyun Beast essence blood, far stronger than anything he''d used before.


    After a dozen more presses, feeling his energy nearly depleted and seeing no change, Chen Hao couldn''t hold back any longer.


    "Do you feel anything?"


    "Me?"


    The new student kept his eyes closed and said, "It feels like... someone is poking my belly."

 Chapter 62: Something Was Wrong With This Blood

    Chapter 62: Something Was Wrong With This Blood


    "???"


    Chen Hao''s vision darkened.


    ¡®I''ve been pouring energy into your source pool, trying to ignite the furnace, and you say it feels like I''m poking your belly?¡¯


    ¡®Are you even paying attention?¡¯


    Barely suppressing his frustration, Chen Hao asked, "Didn''t you feel any mes gathering in your source pool?"


    "Not at all," the student shook his head.


    "...Well, your talent is much worse than Miss Liu and Miss Yu''s, so it''s normal for it to take longer to ignite," Chen Hao muttered, trying to rationalize the situation. After a moment, he gritted his teeth, "Focus, I''ll try onest time. If it doesn''t work, we''ll stop."


    "Okay!" The student finally understood Chen Hao was trying to help him ignite the furnace. He focused again, but soon felt like someone was poking his belly, which felt oddly pleasant.Just as he was hoping it would continue, a panting voice said, "It''s no use. I give up¡­"


    Opening his eyes, he saw the once confident Chen Hao drenched in sweat, panting heavily like he hadn''t slept in days.


    "Senior¡­" The student felt awkward. So, his talent was that much worse than Miss Liu''s.


    "Dean¡­" Knowing he had tried his best but still far from sess, Chen Hao approached Lu Mingrong with embarrassment.


    Seeing his state, Dean Lu quietly sighed in relief. He looked around and began to speak clearly, "While the Lingyun Beast essence blood can ignite a higher-quality furnace, it''s not as simple as you think. In fact, it''s much harder!"


    "Harder?"


    "Why? Isn''t it said that the higher the quality of the ignition material, the easier it is to ignite the furnace?" The crowd was puzzled.


    "The Lingyun Beast is a Heaven''s Fate Source Beast. To ignite its essence blood, you must have precise control over the source energy, down to the smallest detail," Dean Lu exined.


    "With ordinary ignition materials, you just throw a spark into the stars, and it will spread and ignite the furnace, like lighting a pile of straw. Do you need to consider whether to light it from the top or bottom?"


    Chen Hao shook his head.


    "You can throw a torch onto a pile of straw and it will burnpletely. It doesn''t matter whether you light it from the top or bottom."


    "What about explosives?" Lu Mingrong asked.


    "Not only do you need a fuse, but the amount and packaging also require precise design¡­" Chen Hao answered.


    Lu Mingrong nodded. "Exactly. The essence blood of the Lingyun Beast is like an explosive. To use its power to ignite the furnace, you must control the intensity precisely¡ªnot too strong, not too weak. The best way is to inject true energy into the source pool in a specific sequence to ignite it sessfully. Doing it randomly, like you did, won''t work."


    "Understood!" Everyone nodded in realization.


    Lu Mingrong continued, "Teacher Zhang helped Liu Mingyue ignite her furnace effortlessly, but in reality, he used extremelyplex techniques. Any mistake would have led to disaster. Even I would find it difficult to aplish. He not only seeded but also ignited two furnaces simultaneously, showing his exceptional skills. He is not someone to be doubted lightly."


    "It seems I misunderstood Teacher Zhang!"


    "I told you he was amazing, but you didn''t believe me¡­"


    The students nodded in agreement. If they had doubted Zhang Xuan''s teaching abilities before, they were now fully convinced.


    Unlike the students'' sudden enlightenment, Zhang Xuan himself was puzzled. ¡®Is that really how it works? Why didn''t I know that?¡¯


    Of course, he wouldn''t voice this doubt. Although he preferred to keep a low profile, he didn''t mind epting praise from others.


    Seeing that everyone believed his exnation and knowing that today''s situation was almost resolved, Lu Mingrong finally rxed. He stepped out from the crowd and walked over to the seated young man, a look of kindness in his eyes.


    "Alright, I will help him ignite his furnace now. Consider it a gift of opportunity!"


    "Thank you, Dean!" The new student trembled with excitement.


    The Dean would do it¡­ A top-grade furnace, guaranteed!


    "First, regte your breathing and enter a meditative state."


    Seeing the student''s excitement, Lu Mingrong smiled and shook his head.


    "Yes!" Nodding repeatedly, the student closed his eyes and slowly regted his breathing until he calmed down.


    Satisfied, Lu Mingrong joined his index and middle fingers, gathering power at his fingertips. "Since you don''t understand, I will exin how to ignite the essence blood of a Heaven''s Fate Source Beast. First, synchronize the energy with the subject''s breathing. Then, concentrate all your energy and simultaneously inject two streams of true energy into the subject''s body, not just one!"


    "Two streams?" Chen Hao was confused.


    "Exactly! One stream of true energy can barely suppress the source energy absorbed into the body. If it gets overwhelmed, igniting the me bes much harder¡­" Lu Mingrong exined. "Alright, watch closely. I''ll only demonstrate this once!"


    With hismand, Dean Lu''s two fingers released a surge of source energy, transforming into a crimson light that shot towards the seated student.


    Though his actions mirrored Chen Hao''s, the power was entirely different¡ªstronger, more majestic, and filled with overwhelming force.


    However, the light entered the student''s source pool like a stone sinking into the sea, without any effect.


    "What¡­ it didn''t ignite either?"


    "Even the dean couldn''t seed? How is that possible?"


    Seeing no change in the student, who hadn''t absorbed any source energy, everyone stared in disbelief, worried they had seen wrong.


    Even Zhang Xuan was puzzled.


    The Dean''s words sounded impressive, but why did it seem no different from Chen Hao''s attempt?


    "Ahem! My technique must have been off¡­ I''ll try again and it will definitely work!"


    Surprised by his failure, Lu Mingrong awkwardly raised his fingers and tried again on the student.


    Again, the energy disappeared without a trace.


    "These moves are identical, but I sessfully ignited Mo Yanxue''s furnace just yesterday¡­"


    Feeling embarrassed, Lu Mingrong tried once more, only to fail again.


    Like Chen Hao, he pressed multiple times, making the student sofortable he nearly fell asleep, but still no sess.


    Sweat began to form on Lu Mingrong''s forehead.


    With his skills and effort, any rare treasure should have ignited by now. How could there be no reaction at all?


    He was the dean¡ªfailing here would be a huge embarrassment.


    "Something is wrong with the blood!" Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he turned to Chen Hao, "Give me the jade bottle!"


    ¡®True Lingyun Beast essence blood should be powerful and longsting. Sess shoulde with the first touch, so why was there no effect after multiple attempts?¡¯

 Chapter 63: Hong Yi Sought Apprenticeship

    Chapter 63: Hong Yi Sought Apprenticeship


    "Jade bottles?" Chen Hao was puzzled.


    The dean couldn''t ignite the furnace, so now he was looking for external factors to me?


    Though confused, Chen Hao followed the dean''s orders and handed over both jade bottles.


    Lu Mingrong took the recently used jade bottle, removed the stopper, and sniffed it. Realizing something, his pupils constricted sharply.


    "This, this¡­"


    Clenching his fist, he hurriedly grabbed the other jade bottle and did the same. His body started to tremble uncontrobly. Then he looked up at Zhang Xuan with intense shock in his eyes.


    "Dean, is there something wrong?" Vice Principal Wu Yunzhou asked.


    "I''ll exinter!" Lu Mingrong exhaled, calmed himself, and carefully put the jade bottles into his pocket. He then turned back to Zhang Xuan, "Teacher Zhang, why don''t you try to ignite the furnace? If you seed, everyone will see your true abilities.""Dean¡­" Wu Yunzhou and the others were anxious.


    If even the dean couldn''t seed, asking Zhang Xuan to try might offend him if he failed.


    "I know what I''m doing!" Lu Mingrong waved his hand and looked at Zhang Xuan again, "What do you think?"


    Zhang Xuan frowned, "Helping ignite the furnace is no big deal, but he isn''t my student."


    "Uh¡­" Lu Mingrong was taken aback. He turned to the new student, "What''s your name, and who is your current teacher?"


    "Dean, my name is Hong Yi. My talent isn''t very good, so no teacher has epted me yet¡­ I can only attend public lectures!" Hong Yi blushed.


    With limited teachers at White Rock Academy, only a few students could be formally taught. Most freshmen had to attend public lectures.


    Hong Yi was one of them. His source pool evaluation had only absorbed a single stream of Heaven¡®s Fate Energy, resulting in a ninth-grade source pool. Without any significant background, he naturally didn''t attract any teacher''s attention.


    "public lecture? That simplifies things¡­" Lu Mingrong looked at Zhang Xuan again, "Teacher Zhang, would you be willing to ept him as a student? Don''t worry, his training resources will be provided by the academy."


    Zhang Xuan frowned, nced at Hong Yi, and before he could ask, Hong Yi hurriedly stood up, excitedly kneeling, "Student Hong Yi, greets the teacher!"


    Just like Yuan Tao before, when he saw an opportunity, he wouldn¡¯t let it go. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have stepped out of the crowd and risked asking Chen Hao to ignite his furnace.


    Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t immediately agree. Instead, he looked over calmly, "I''m just an auxiliary teacher, and my teaching level isn''t very high. Once you be my disciple, other teachers might not ept you. Moreover, after bing my disciple, you must obey mymands without refusal or regret."


    "Obeying teacher''smands is only right. I, Hong Yi, will never regret it!" Hong Yi bowed, his eyes filled with determination.


    He knew his situation well¡ªno family background, no talent, no resources¡­ Being epted by a teacher was already a great opportunity. Regret? Not a chance!


    "Since you are sincere, I will ept you as my disciple."


    Without further ado, Zhang Xuan agreed. For him, the most important qualities in a disciple were character and attitude, not talent.


    Instead of waiting for someone who might betray him, he''d rather ept someone with less talent but a willingness to listen.


    With Heaven''s Path w and Heaven''s Path Order, even a horse could be trained to be a master.


    "Thank you, teacher!" Hong Yi nodded repeatedly, overwhelmed with excitement.


    "Now that you are my disciple, go sit over there. I will help you ignite your furnace!" Zhang Xuan walked over.


    Hong Yi sat cross-legged near the formation, preparing to meditate, when Chen Hao approached, "I set up this formation, so I''m taking it back¡­" He pulled up the formation gs one by one.


    Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t argue. After Chen Hao removed the gs, he flicked his fingers, sending a thin stream of Primordial Yellow Energy into Hong Yi''s source pool.


    "Teacher, what should I do now?" Hong Yi, unaware of the energy in his body, asked in confusion.


    "Three!" Zhang Xuan''s deep, steady voice sounded.


    "???" Hong Yi was puzzled.


    ¡®Isn''t he supposed to ignite my furnace? What''s he doing?¡¯


    Not only Hong Yi but also Lu Mingrong, Wu Yunzhou, and the others were equally perplexed.


    Normally, Zhang Xuan should have stopped Chen Hao from taking the formation gs and then continued pressing on Hong Yi¡¯s belly¡­


    Why was he doing nothing and just counting?


    "Two!" Ignoring the confusion, Zhang Xuan continued.


    "Putting on a show!" Chen Hao sneered, "I removed the formation gs. Without the formation''s assistance, let''s see how you ignite the furnace¡­"


    "Even the dean couldn''t do it. How can an auxiliary teacher seed?" A sycophantic follower nodded eagerly.


    At that moment, Zhang Xuan''s final count rang out, "One!"


    Boom!


    Hong Yi, who had been at a loss, suddenly trembled all over as the dense source energy around him surged into his body. In the blink of an eye, the sound of rushing water echoed, like a mountain spring flowing with clear and crisp sounds.


    "The Flowing Stream!"


    "It''s also a top-grade peak furnace¡­"


    "Not only did he seed, but he also timed it precisely to the second¡­ This technique is incredible!"


    Seeing the flustered and eager-to-cultivate Hong Yi, the onlookers were all stunned.


    The same Lingyun Beast essence blood had been tried by both Chen Hao and the principal, to no avail. Yet, Zhang Xuan ignited it in an instant and timed it perfectly¡­ How terrifying was his skill?


    Could it be that his ability to ignite furnaces far surpasses the principal''s?


    "He seeded again?" Liu Mingyue''s eyes widened.


    Previously, she thought her ability to ignite a top-grade furnace with the Hanbei Turtle essence blood was due to her own high talent. Now, it seemed it had little to do with her talent and everything to do with this auxiliary teacher!


    Lu Mingrong was even more shocked, trembling slightly. If he had been confused before, now he fully understood. Turning again to look at the young man not far away, his eyes were filled with shock and excitement.


    "Alright, he has sessfully ignited the furnace. Chen Hao, do you have anything to say?" Zhang Xuan asked, looking at Chen Hao.


    Even if Chen Hao was a student, a lesson needed to be given. Otherwise, he would be even more audacious.


    "I¡­" Chen Hao''s face turned red. He wanted to argue but couldn''t say a word. He finally nodded, "A bet is a bet. I willingly kneel and apologize¡­"


    He took a step forward, but before his knees touched the ground, he was helped up.


    Looking up, he saw the teacher he had hated, Zhang Xuan, standing in front of him with a kind look in his eyes.


    "Teacher Zhang¡­" Chen Hao felt a wave of emotion.


    He hadn''t expected that, despite his attempts to undermine him, Zhang Xuan would be so magnanimous, showing such generosity¡­


    As he was feeling touched, Zhang Xuan''s voice rang out, "Just pay up! Give me 500 source coins, and you won''t have to kneel."


    "???"


    All the emotion disappeared in an instant, and Chen Hao''s eyes widened in shock.


    "My noble head, the head of the heir of the Chen family, is only worth 500 source coins? Are you mocking me?"

 Chapter 64: The Truth

    Chapter 64: The Truth


    "What, you don''t even have 500 source coins?" Zhang Xuan frowned.


    For him, an apology meant nothing. Money, however, was practical.


    Although he was now a teacher at White Rock Academy, he hadn''t received any sry yet and was still broke. If he were alone, it wouldn''t matter, but now he had Dao Li to take care of, which required a considerable amount of soybeans, bran, and fine forage every day.


    A great horse was not easy to maintain; his previous horse, Su Shuang, had already been costly, and Dao Li, beingrger and more robust, naturally cost even more. Therefore, the more money he could get, the better.


    Chen Hao, unaware of Zhang Xuan''s thoughts, trembled with anger. He had thought Zhang Xuan was being kind-hearted, but now he realized it was deliberate humiliation.


    Who was he? The only son of the Chen family head, a well-known genius in the academy. He had never knelt to anyone except his parents, the heavens, and his teachers. Offering to kneel and apologize was a significant concession, yet Zhang Xuan didn''t feel moved. Instead, he demanded 500 source coins¡­ Was he trying to insult him?


    "Since you can''t afford it, if 500 is too much, how about 300¡­ fine, 100 source coins?" Zhang Xuan didn''t know his identity, thinking he was just an ordinary student. Seeing Chen Hao''s conflicted expression, Zhang Xuan assumed he couldn''t afford it, so he kept lowering the amount.


    "You¡­"Feeling utterly humiliated, Chen Hao saw red and felt like he was about to explode with rage. Clenching his teeth, he said slowly, "You don''t need to provoke me. I said I would kneel and apologize, and I will keep my word!"


    He pulled away from the hand holding him, took a step back, and knelt down, "I lost and am willing to apologize to Teacher Zhang. I was wrong!"


    After a loud kowtow, he stood up and walked away. The humiliation was too much; he couldn''t stay there any longer.


    After taking a few steps, still not far away, he heard Zhang Xuan''s dissatisfied muttering, "Can''t even afford 100 source coins? Young people today are so stingy."


    Stumbling, Chen Hao almost spat out blood. It turned out Zhang Xuan genuinely wanted the money, not just mocking him.


    If he had known, he would have just given the money and skipped the kowtow.


    "Alright, today''s public lecture ends here. Everyone, disperse!" Dean Lu Mingrong announced, his voice echoing across the area. Feeling relieved that the genius''s identity had not been exposed and his reputation remained intact, he waved his hand dismissively.


    "The dean didn''t choose wrong; this Teacher Zhang is indeed skilled!"


    "Skilled? He''s better than most teachers andparable to some elders. No wonder City Lord Yu insisted on his daughter bing his disciple."


    "Witnessing the birth of three top-grade furnaces, this public lecture was truly enlightening¡­"


    The onlookers were excited, discussing fervently as they slowly dispersed.


    Lu Mingrong then smiled at the young man before him, "Teacher Zhang, do you wish to continue teaching, or do you have other ns?"


    "I want to buy some forage for my horse and look for some books about horses. Where can I find these?" Zhang Xuan asked.


    Not knowing the meridian distribution of horses, although he used his Primordial Yellow Energy to help Dao Li ignite the furnace, the horse had only opened one meridian and could only absorb ten streams of source energy a day. It was incredibly slow¡­


    With some free time now, he thought it was a good opportunity to find what he needed and buy some feed.


    His previous horse, Su Shuang, had its spirituality awakened from a corpse, so it survived as long as the body remained intact. But now, with Dao Li, if the horse starved to death, the spirit within it would also perish. This was like a soul borrowing a body; if the revived body died again, the spirit would also disappear.


    "Forage, horses?" Dean Lu was taken aback but then remembered Zhang Xuan''s talent in taming beasts.


    After a moment of thought, he nodded, "You can find these things at the White Roc Horse Ranch. If you want, I can apany you there."


    "No need, just tell me the location and I''ll go myself," Zhang Xuan declined.


    He wanted to study the horse''s meridians privately and didn''t want too many people to know.


    Seeing his refusal, Lu Mingrong didn''t mind and exined the location of the ranch in detail.


    "See you, dean!"


    Knowing the exact location, Zhang Xuan instructed Yu Xiaoyu, Liu Mingyue, and Hong Yi to return the next day, then headed back to his ce. He mounted Dao Li and quickly rode towards the horse ranch.


    Watching him leave, Dean Lu suddenly remembered something and was taken aback, "Oh no, the White Roc Horse Ranch is owned by the Chen family. Zhang Xuan just made Chen Hao kneel and apologize; won''t they give him a hard time?"


    "They shouldn''t. This just happened, so the news probably hasn''t reached them yet. Besides, Chen Hao was in the wrong, it''s not Zhang Xuan''s fault," Wu Yunzhou reassured him.


    Lu Mingrong nodded but then his expression became serious. He turned to Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue, who hadn''t left yet, "You two, and the elders,e with me to the office."


    "Us?" The two girls exchanged puzzled looks.


    Though they had high status from birth, they were still just students and didn''t feel qualified to go to the dean''s office, especially with so many elders.


    "Dean, what''s going on?" Wu Yunzhou also looked confused.


    Hadn''t the public lecture ended sessfully? Was there still something unresolved?


    "You''ll see when we get there." Without further exnation, Lu Mingrong strode ahead. Soon, everyone was seated in the principal''s office. Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue didn''t dare sit, so they stood at the back of the group.


    "Vice Principal Wu, elders, take a look at this first¡­" With all eyes on him, Lu Mingrong took out the jade bottles he had received from Chen Hao and handed them over.


    "These bottles contained the ignition materials?" Wu Yunzhou smiled as he took one. He opened it and nced inside, his pupils constricting sharply.


    "Oh¡­"


    He hurriedly took the other jade bottle, opened it, and after looking inside, his face turned pale.


    "What''s wrong?" Ran Qingxu and the others were baffled. "Is there something wrong with the Heaven''s Fate Source Beast essence blood?"


    Full of questions, they crowded around. Momentster, their eyes widened in shock.


    "This¡­ This isn''t Qingguang Beast or Lingyun Beast essence blood, but¡­ Luo Zhi Bird¡¯s and Hanbei Turtle¡¯s! What is going on?" Ran Qingxu couldn''t hold back his astonishment.


    "I don''t know the specifics. We need to ask them¡­" Lu Mingrong exhaled and looked sharply at the two girls in the room.


    Hearing this, both girls were equally stunned. Liu Mingyue turned to the beauty next to her, "You used Luo Zhi Bird essence blood?"


    Yu Xiaoyu''s eyes widened, "You used Hanbei Turtle essence blood?"

 Chapter 65: Chen Haos Counterattack

    Chapter 65: Chen Hao''s Counterattack


    Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue were just as shocked as Lu Mingrong and the others. They had assumed that only the blood of a Heaven''s Fate Source Beast could ignite the supreme-grade furnace, yet the reality was so different.


    ¡®I lied for a reason, but what about you?¡¯


    The two girls exchanged nces, trying to read each other''s thoughts.


    "You don''t know either?"


    Seeing their expressions, the elders in the room were utterly confused.


    ¡®Why did this seem beyond theirprehension?¡¯


    Dean Lu couldn''t hold back and directly asked, "What exactly is going on? Yu Xiaoyu, you first! Why did you im to use Qingguang Beast blood when you actually used Luozhi Bird blood? You should know that such a thing shouldn''t have been able to ignite the furnace."


    "I..."Knowing she couldn''t avoid an exnation, Yu Xiaoyu bit her lip and confessed, "It was my father who told me to do it..."


    After hearing her exnation, Lu Mingrong chuckled bitterly.


    ¡®So that¡¯s how it was!¡¯


    It seemed that City Lord Yu had the same thoughts as him. Worried that Zhang Xuan might struggle to ignite the furnace and concerned about dying his daughter''s cultivation, he had taken such a precaution. No wonder she had been so deliberately overacting during the process... It was all because she was following her father''s orders!


    "And you, Liu Mingyue?"


    Lu Mingrong turned his gaze to her.


    "I... I just wanted to see him embarrassed!" Liu Mingyue mumbled, revealing her true intentions.


    After hearing the two girl¡¯s confessions, Ran Qingxu and the others were all left speechless and slightly exasperated.


    Luozhi Birds and Hanbei Turtles were such low-grade creatures that even igniting a low-grade furnace would be a challenge for them. Yet, these two had somehow managed to ignite a supreme-grade one...


    "Could it be that Teacher Zhang just went through the motions and actually used a higher-grade ignition material instead of these two bloods?" Elder He Qin spected.


    "Dean Lu made multiple attempts to ignite the furnace in Hong Yi''s body but failed. However, Zhang Xuan seeded in less than three breaths..."


    Wu Liuyun sighed.


    The reason why the dean had asked Zhang Xuan to give it a try after inspecting the jade bottle was because he had suspected this, but he didn¡¯t want to believe it. After testing it, though, he couldn¡¯t help but feel devastated.


    What he had been unable to achieve despite numerous attempts, the other person had done effortlessly, counting down from three... Anyone would find that hard to ept!


    "What..."


    Elder He Qin was at a loss for words.


    All doubts dissipated as the dean himself intervened.


    "Do you realize that your foolish decisions have cost you a great opportunity?"


    Ignoring the others'' thoughts, Lu Mingrong shook his head at Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue.


    "I..." Yu Xiaoyu couldn''t find the words to respond.


    Even though she had sessfully ignited a peak supreme-grade furnace, a feat better than her friend¡¯s, she couldn¡¯t feel any joy...


    "I still think he just got lucky!" Liu Mingyue huffed.


    "Alright, you two can leave now!"


    Not wanting to exin further, Lu Mingrong waved them off with a stern warning: "You must keep the matter of changing the ignition material a secret. If word gets out, you will face the full wrath of White Rock Academy!"


    "Understood!"


    Seeing how serious he was, Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue dared not argue and quickly nodded in agreement.


    In fact, they were more than happy to keep this embarrassing incident under wraps. Keeping it a secret was in their best interest too.


    As the two left, thinking back on the young man''s various miraculous feats, Lu Mingrong couldn¡¯t help but chuckle: "I thought he was just a genius with high cultivation talent, but I didn''t expect him to be so skilled at igniting furnaces too! Truly, a genius can''t be judged by ordinary standards... Oh, we should continue to keep this matter under wraps!"


    "Don''t worry, Dean!"


    The elders nodded in agreement.


    A person¡¯s exceptional talent was something to nurture, but his ability to ignite a supreme-grade furnace with such low-grade materials was enough to make powerful forces covet him!


    Such a skill could produce the greatest effect at the lowest cost, continuously nurturing more and stronger cultivators.


    "But many people witnessed today''s public lecture..." Elder Chen Jinlin expressed his concern.


    Lu Mingrong shook his head: "As long as we insist that the ignition materials for the three furnaces were indeed the blood of Heaven''s Fate Source Beasts, it will be believable, even if the results are a bit exaggerated."


    The others agreed.


    Indeed!


    Using Qingguang Beast and Lingyun Beast blood to ignite a peak supreme-grade furnace was shocking but still within the realm ofprehension. However, if the truth about using Luozhi Bird and Hanbei Turtle blood came out, it would cause an uproar worldwide...


    Therefore, keeping this secret was the safest course of action, both for Zhang Xuan and for White Rock Academy.


    ...


    In a private room within the student dormitory.


    "Damn it, damn it! I, a dignified young master of the Chen family, was forced to kneel before him!"


    Chen Hao roared, his face pale with anger.


    Since entering the academy, he had never suffered such humiliation, especially in front of his goddess, Liu Mingyue...


    "But that auxiliary teacher really did ignite a supreme-grade furnace. Young Master Chen, you really did lose..." said one of his follower.


    "Do you really think it was him who ignited the furnace? I doubt it!" Another follower sneered.


    Chen Hao looked over, a glint in his eyes: "Zhou Qingkai, have you discovered something?"


    Follower 2, Zhou Qingkai, exined, "I was there at today¡¯s public lecture too. Young Master Chen, tell me, did Teacher Zhang touch Hong Yi¡¯s abdomen and infuse any True Energy into his Source Pool?"


    After recalling the scene carefully, Chen Hao shook his head, "No!"


    Zhou Qingkai continued, "Even the dean needed to infuse Source Energy to ignite the furnace. How could he seed without doing anything?"


    Chen Hao was stunned, "You''re right!"


    "So, the truth is... Dean Lu was helping him!"


    Zhou Qingkai revealed his theory: "If I''m correct, the dean ignited the furnace but didn''t admit it, deliberately letting this teacher take the credit! After all, the teacher was personally recruited by the dean, and being humiliated by a student would be a disgrace for the dean as well. Otherwise, how could it be that this teacher, who did nothing, managed to ignite the furnace that had resisted all efforts, and that too a supreme-grade one!"


    "Right!"


    After mentally running through Zhou Qingkai¡¯s analysis, Chen Hao realized it made perfect sense: "So that''s it! What a despicable fraud... trying to steal such glory for himself. No way, I can¡¯t let him get away with this! Wang Yuxing!"


    Follower Wang Yuxing immediately responded, "Yes, Young Master Chen."


    Chen Haomanded, "He has a ss tomorrow, right? Spread the news to the Liu family that Liu Mingyue has been epted as a disciple by an auxiliary teacher. Make it sound as miserable as possible, and try to get the Liu family head toe in person."


    Wang Yuxing nodded, "Understood!"


    Chen Hao continued, "Zhou Qingkai, your father is skilled in taming horses and has visited the Chen family before. Have him go to my father and tell him I was humiliated by an auxiliary teacher. Make sure hees tomorrow morning to support me!"


    Zhou Qingkai bowed, "Rest assured, Young Master."


    "Alright!"


    Having given his orders, Chen Hao finally felt a bit relieved, as if today''s humiliation had been somewhat avenged.


    "If both the Liu family head and my father, the heads of the two major families in White Roc City,e to confront him, even Dean Lu wouldn''t dare to shield him. Then... I¡¯ll finally have my revenge!"

 Chapter 66: White Roc Stables

    Chapter 66: White Roc Stables


    Unaware of the events happening at the academy, Zhang Xuan rode his horse, Dao Li, towards a massive stable.


    This was White Roc Stables, thergest business of the Chen family, one of the three major families. Situated beside a mountain and near a vast in, it was a picturesque location where groups of majestic horses galloped freely across the fields.


    As Zhang Xuan approached, he saw arge building about thirty meters high and over a hundred meters wide. This was the horse trading center, bustling with people.


    "Sir, please leave your horse with us," a stablehand greeted him with a smile as soon as he arrived.


    The stablehand, experienced in weing guests daily, could tell at a nce that while Zhang Xuan¡¯s attire wasn''t extravagant, the magnificent horse he rode clearly indicated he was from a wealthy family. Such a horse was not just expensive to buy but also costly to maintain.


    Knowing the customs, Zhang Xuan took out ten Source Coins from his pocket, hesitated, and then put five back before tossing the remaining five to the stablehand.


    The stablehand''s eyelid twitched slightly.


    He had seen people give tips, and he had seen people not give tips, but this was the first time he''d seen someone give half and then take it back... How stingy could one be?Though he was mentally grumbling, his expression remained unchanged as he bowed and asked, "Sir, how can I assist you?"


    Zhang Xuan replied, "I¡¯d like to buy some feed suitable for a fine horse like this. Also I need some books on treating horses."


    "A horse as splendid as this one naturally requires the best feed. The supplies you need are in Room A over there..." The stablehand tied Dao Li securely and had someone else take care of the horse as he led Zhang Xuan inside. "As for books on treating horses, I¡¯m not too sure, but Room A has several specialist veterinarians. If you need, you can consult them."


    "Alright," Zhang Xuan nodded and followed him into the building.


    The room was spacious, with arge "A" sign hanging above the entrance. A nce around revealed that the people who frequented this ce were clearly wealthy or noble, as it appeared to be a marketce for fine horses.


    "Sir, your horse must be of a superior breed! Such a horse requires the finest feed and various supplements. Fully prepared, it would cost about 200 Source Coins per day..." said the attendant at the counter, smiling after hearing the details of Zhang Xuan¡¯s request.


    "200 a day? That¡¯s 6,000 Source Coins a month?" Zhang Xuan¡¯s face twitched.


    He currently had 296 Source Coins left from what he had received from Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu. After spending 120 on food and lodging, and giving the stablehand 5 just now, he was left with only 171... not even enough for one day¡¯s feed.


    If he had known it would be this expensive, he might have resurrected as a door frame instead. At least he wouldn''t have to spend so much on horse care!


    "Yes!" the attendant confirmed. "How many days'' worth would you like to purchase, Sir? We¡¯ll prepare it for you right away."


    After some thought, Zhang Xuan waved his hand dismissively, "Just get me enough for one meal. Let¡¯s see if the horse likes it first, and if it does, I¡¯ll buy more."


    "???"


    The attendant was stunned. "We... don''t sell it that way!"


    The stablehand was also taken aback. "Sir, you must be joking. The horse you¡¯re riding is worth at least 100,000 Source Coins. How could you only buy enough feed for one meal?"


    Superior breeds like Dao Li were extremely rare, each one being incredibly valuable. This was why Liu Mingyue and Mo Yanxue had been sopetitive about whose horse was better.


    "100,000?" Zhang Xuan was surprised.


    ¡®Was this horse really that expensive?¡¯


    For a moment, the idea of selling the foolish beast crossed his mind, but he quickly shook his head.


    Earning money wasn¡¯t difficult for someone with the Library of Heaven''s Path. Besides, if he sold the horse, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to get it backter. Dao Li had been awakened by him personally, was utterly loyal, and had gone through a lot to be a Source Beast. There was no need to abandon it for a small profit.


    "Never mind, prepare a month''s worth of feed," Zhang Xuan ordered.


    "Alright, that will be 6,000 Source Coins... How would you like to pay?" the attendant asked with a smile.


    "Hold on a moment," Zhang Xuan said, turning to the stablehand. "Is there any way to make some quick money around here?"


    "Make money? Sir... are you saying you need to earn money to pay for the feed?" The stablehand¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    Only now, after seeing the look on the attendant''s face, did Zhang Xuan realize his financial situation.


    The once cheerful attendant was now showing signs of disdain, clearly unimpressed by Zhang Xuan¡¯s apparentck of funds.


    He had thought this guy was a wealthy customer, but now it seemed he was just a poor man pretending to be rich. How dare he order a month¡¯s worth of feed if he couldn¡¯t afford it? Was he supposed to cover the cost himself?


    Now that he knew the truth, his enthusiasm evaporated.


    "Yes," Zhang Xuan said calmly, unfazed by her reaction. "I¡¯m open to anything that will help me earn some money quickly."


    Seeing he was serious, the stablehand thought for a moment and replied, "There are indeed some ways to make quick money at the stables, but the fastest would be horse taming..."


    "Taming horses?" Zhang Xuan asked.


    The stablehand nodded. "Yes, every year, White Roc Stables captures a batch of wild horses from the mountains. These horses are strong, with great stamina, and some even have the bloodline of Source Beasts. With some training, they can be sold as superior horses... However, these wild horses are tough to tame and can be very dangerous. Many grooms have been injured trying."


    "To solve this problem, the stables offer rewards for taming the most difficult horses. Whoever sessfully tames one will receive a generous payout."


    Zhang Xuan, now intrigued, asked, "How much can one earn for taming such a horse?"


    "Generally, taming a wild horse can earn you 1,000 Source Coins. The stronger ones can fetch between 3,000 and 5,000, while the most difficult ones can go for over 10,000..." the stablehand exined.


    "10,000?" Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes lit up. "Take me to them!"


    Just one horse could cover Dao Li¡¯s feed for a month.


    "Are you sure, Sir?" The stablehand hesitated. "These wild horses are fierce, especially the ones with a 10,000 Source Coin bounty. Not only are they extremely wild, but they¡¯re also fast and hard to catch... Many who have tried have ended up seriously injured! Sir, with your noble status, I suggest you think it over carefully before deciding."


    "It¡¯s fine. Just take me to them. If it¡¯s suitable, I¡¯ll try. If not, I won¡¯t," Zhang Xuan replied, waving off the concern.


    Seeing his determination, the stablehand reluctantly nodded and led the way.


    Zhang Xuan followed closely behind, pausing only to instruct the attendant, "Prepare the feed while I¡¯m gone."


    "Pay up first!" the attendant sneered.


    If earning money from taming horses were that easy, she would have done it long ago instead of working as a service attendant.


    In her eyes, this guy would soon be kicked by a wild horse and brought back here on a stretcher... She had seen plenty of arrogant, ipetent young nobles like him. Zhang Xuan was just another one in a long line.

 Chapter 67: Zhou Qun

    Chapter 67: Zhou Qun


    The horse-taming area was located in a nearby pasture, not far from the Room A. Inside the fenced enclosure, wild horses roamed freely, behaving like street thugs. Whenever they spotted a mare, they would rush over, rubbing against her in excitement.


    Even a fine steed couldn''t resist the allure of a beautiful mare.


    "There are many types of wild horses, categorized into four areas: A, B, C, and D, based on the difficulty of taming them. The horses in Area D are the easiest to tame and fetch about 1,000 Source Coins. The ones in Area A are the most difficult, with rewards up to 10,000 Source Coins! Which area would you like to try, Sir?" the stablehand exined as they exited the room.


    "Let''s go straight to Area A," Zhang Xuan decided.


    Even if he managed to tame a 1,000 Source Coin horse, it wouldn''t solve his problem. It was better to aim for the most valuable ones.


    "Have you ever tamed a horse before, Sir?" the stablehand asked, a bit worried.


    "I haven''t, but it shouldn''t be too difficult," Zhang Xuan replied.


    He had tamed dragons and even an immortal phoenix before, though he had never tried taming a wild horse."Well, be careful then!" Seeing that he couldn''t dissuade Zhang Xuan, the stablehand continued to lead the way. After a while, they arrived at a long, narrow shelter.


    Inside, a dozen muscr horse trainers sat, each with sharp eyes that marked them as skilled in their craft.


    "Manager Liu, I¡¯m not toote, am I?" A towering man, nearly two meters tall, strode over confidently.


    "Not at all, Master Zhou. You¡¯re just in time. That Fei Hong horse has just arrived¡­" said the middle-aged man, who sported a pair of upward-curled mustaches and a friendly demeanor.


    "Don¡¯t worry, now that I¡¯m here, it won¡¯t escape again!" Zhou Qun replied with a nod.


    "Of course¡­ Your skills are well-known, Master Zhou!" Manager Liu responded, nodding repeatedly.


    "This is Zhou Qun, a renowned horse-taming master in White Roc City. He¡¯s usually called in to handle the most difficult wild horses..." the stablehand whispered to Zhang Xuan. "That Fei Hong horse over there is the one that just arrived. Its name is Fei Hong. If tamed, it will earn you a reward of 10,000 Source Coins..."


    Following the stablehand¡¯s gesture, Zhang Xuan spotted a Fei Hong horse among the herd of mares. It was about the same size as Su Shuang, robust and majestic, with a fierce demeanor.


    Just by looking at it, he could tell it was a steed on par with Dao Li.


    "Master Zhou is indeed skilled, but taming horses isn''t just about strength. It also depends on a connection with the horse! I feel a strong connection with this Fei Hong, so I¡¯m confident I¡¯ll be the one to tame it!" one of the trainers in the group joked.


    "You? Don¡¯t make meugh! You couldn¡¯t even tame the snow horsest time and ended up with seven broken ribs, bedridden for over a month. The Fei Hong one is even fiercer; only I can tame it!" another trainer retorted.


    "Nonsense, I was just carelessst time¡­"


    The shelter was filled with a lively banter, indicating that the trainers were all well-acquainted and enjoyed joking with each other.


    Amid the chatter, the stablehand led Zhang Xuan over.


    "Manager Liu, this young master is also interested in taking on a horse-taming task... Could you arrange something for him?" the stablehand asked.


    Upon hearing this, not only Manager Liu but all the trainers turned to look at Zhang Xuan.


    "Does anyone really think they can tame a horse with those scrawny arms and legs?"


    "Is this a joke? Horse taming requires strength. This guy would likely get kicked to death before he even gets started¡­"


    "Can he even keep up with the horses?"


    The trainers burst intoughter, and even Zhou Qun, who had nced over at Zhang Xuan, couldn¡¯t help but smirk disdainfully.


    Taming horses required strength to match the animals. This young man, with his fair skin and delicate features, clearly a pampered noble, seemed more likely to be tamed by the horse than the other way around.


    "Young master," Manager Liu interrupted the chatter, frowning as he addressed Zhang Xuan. "Wild horses are nothing like domesticated ones; they¡¯re as dangerous as wild beasts. Are you sure you want to give it a try?"


    "Yes," Zhang Xuan nodded.


    "Alright then," Manager Liu sighed, realizing that he wouldn¡¯t be able to change Zhang Xuan''s mind. He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to him. "This is a liability waiver. By signing it, you acknowledge that if anything happens, the stables aren¡¯t responsible."


    After carefully reading the waiver and finding no issues, Zhang Xuan signed his name.


    Once he had finished, Manager Liu addressed the group. "The horse-taming will now begin. Everyone, be cautious. If you can¡¯t hold on, retreat immediately. If you get seriously injured or worse, you¡¯ll have no one to me but yourselves."


    "Of course!" the trainers nodded in agreement.


    "Who wants to go first?" Manager Liu asked, looking around. "The first one to go faces the most danger since the horse is still full of energy. But if you seed, no one else will get a chance."


    "I¡¯ll go first!" A burly man stepped forward and headed toward the pasture. He approached Fei Hong, about twenty meters away, and swung a rope over its neck.


    "Neigh!"


    Fei Hong, in the middle of flirting with a mare, was furious at being roped and bolted away.


    The man held on tightly, engaging in a fierce tug-of-war with the horse.


    Watching this, Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit speechless.


    It seemed that in this world, horse-taming techniques were still quite primitive¡ªrelying solely on brute strength without any real technique.


    Bang!


    While Zhang Xuan was deep in thought, the burly man was suddenly kicked by Fei Hong, flying ten meters through the air. He didn¡¯t have time to retrieve his rope before he scrambled away, likely with a few broken bones.


    He barely escaped with his life.


    "That¡¯s how horse taming is. He¡¯s lucky to be alive¡ªmany haven¡¯t been so fortunate¡­" Manager Liu remarked, noticing Zhang Xuan''s concerned expression. "If you think it¡¯s too difficult, you can still back out now."


    "No need," Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    "I¡¯m next¡­" The first man''s injury didn¡¯t deter the others. Another trainer rushed in, but his attemptsted even less time, and he too returned with serious injuries.


    Five trainers went up one after another, and nonested more than a minute.


    "Fei Hong is too fierce. Master Zhou, we¡¯re counting on you¡­" After the fifth failure, the remaining trainers were no longer eager to try. Their eyes all turned to Zhou Qun, who had just arrived.


    "This wild horse is nothing. I¡¯ll be back in no time!" Zhou Qun replied with a smile, standing up. After taking a few steps, he turned to Zhang Xuan and said, "Young Man, taming beasts isn¡¯t like embroidery or tea-drinking. Not just anyone can do it. Without absolute strength, trying to tame a wild horse is not only foolish but also embarrassing!"


    Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t help but feel speechless at being mocked out of the blue. "So, you¡¯re saying you have absolute strength?"


    Zhou Qun sped his hands behind his back, his figure towering as he replied, "That¡¯s right! In White Roc City, I¡¯m the second-best horse trainer. No one dares im first ce. What I say goes!"


    Without waiting for a response, Zhou Qun, brimming with confidence, strode boldly into the pasture.

 Chapter 68: Taming a Horse with a Horse

    Chapter 68: Taming a Horse with a Horse


    As Zhou Qun charged forward with great speed and confidence, Zhang Xuan couldn''t help but ask the stablehand, "Is this guy really that good?"


    The stablehand nodded, "Absolutely! Master Zhou''s horse-taming skills are among the best in all of White Roc City. You''ve heard of Miss Mo Yanxue¡¯s horse, Su Shang, right?"


    "Yes," Zhang Xuan nodded, recalling that it was the horse he had killed.


    "Master Zhou was the one who tamed it! He also tamed Miss Liu Mingyue¡¯s horse, Dao Li. Almost all the famous horses in White Roc City were tamed by him, which exins his high status," the stablehand continued, then paused as he seemed to recall something. "Speaking of Dao Li, it just urred to me, the horse you were riding earlier looks a lot like it..."


    "Yes, that was Dao Li," Zhang Xuan confirmed. "Miss Liu gave it to me."


    "What?" The stablehand''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    Dao Li was a well-known, valuable steed worth tens of thousands of Source Coins. To think it could be given away so casually... This person¡¯s identity must be far from ordinary if he¡¯s worthy of receiving such a precious gift from Miss Liu.


    As they spoke, Zhou Qun had already entered the pasture and was approaching Fei Hong.This wild horse, having repeatedly been roped and provoked, was clearly enraged. Seeing someone new approaching, it abandoned its earlier yful demeanor and charged directly at Zhou Qun with all its might.


    The ground shook under the horse¡¯s powerful strides, and within moments, it had closed the distance between them.


    "So fast!" Zhang Xuan thought, his eyes narrowing.


    The horse¡¯s speed was nearly on par with Dao Li¡¯s. If it charged at him suddenly, his only option would be to kill it, with no other way out.


    Meanwhile, Zhou Qun was also taken aback by the horse¡¯s speed. He quickly leaped to the side, and in one fluid motion, cast a rope that looped around the horse¡¯s neck.


    "Neigh!" Fei Hong let out an enraged cry, rearing up to strike with its front hooves.


    Despite hisrge stature, Zhou Qun was incredibly agile. He rolled to avoid the lethal attack and used the rope to vault onto the horse¡¯s back in one smooth motion.


    The series of actions was executed so perfectly that it seemed prenned, each movement flowing seamlessly into the next.


    "Well done!"


    "As expected of Master Zhou!"


    The other trainers couldn¡¯t contain their excitement, shouting in praise. They all understood the difficulty of what Zhou Qun had just aplished and were in awe of his skill.


    "Impressive!" Even Zhang Xuan, who wasn¡¯t very knowledgeable about horse-taming, couldn¡¯t help but be impressed.


    Zhou Qun¡¯s expertise was undeniable. If Zhang Xuan had been in his ce, he would likely have resorted to brute force, unable to execute such precise techniques.


    Now that he was on the horse''s back, Zhou Qun had the upper hand. He gripped the rope with one hand and formed a fist with the other, repeatedly punching the horse¡¯s back.


    Thud, thud, thud!


    Each punch was powerful, causing Fei Hong to cry out in pain. Enraged, it sprinted forward, covering over a hundred meters before abruptly stopping, as if hitting the brakes.


    The sudden stop caught Zhou Qun off guard, and he was flung forward, crashing to the ground.


    Thud!


    He spat out a mouthful of blood and, just as he tried to get up, Fei Hong was already upon him, its front hooves crashing down toward his chest.


    "Damn it¡­" Zhou Qun''s pupils contracted as he desperately rolled out of the way. But he was already at a disadvantage, and the horse relentlessly pursued him. Finally, one of its hoovesnded a solid blow, sending him flying and breaking several ribs. His face turned deathly pale.


    In horse-taming, like in bullfighting, maintaining momentum was crucial. Zhou Qun¡¯s repeated failures drained his energy, while the horse¡¯s grew stronger. The idea of taming it now seemed impossible.


    "Did Master Zhou fail?"


    "This horse is too strong! It¡¯s untamable¡­"


    Seeing theirst hope dashed, everyone present exchanged worried nces. If Zhou Qun couldn¡¯t do it, there was no way they could.


    Badly injured and knowing he couldn¡¯t tame the horse, White Roc City¡¯s top horse trainer scrambled back to the shelter. As he arrived, he noticed the young man he had mocked earlier was now looking at him with curiosity.


    "Is this what you meant by ''absolute strength''?" Zhang Xuan asked, somewhat amused.


    Zhou Qun, who had expected to dominate the situation, was now retreating in humiliation. Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t help but wonder why he had been so boastful in the first ce.


    "You¡­" Zhou Qun¡¯s face flushed with anger, and he spat out another mouthful of blood. Gritting his teeth, he wiped the blood from his lips and dered, "I underestimated that horse¡¯s strength, but if I can¡¯t tame it, then no one in White Roc City can!"


    "Alright then," Zhang Xuan replied, not interested in arguing. He stepped forward to the edge of the shelter, looking at Fei Hong in the pasture.


    There were 10,000 Source Coins at stake¡ªhe wasn¡¯t about to give up easily.


    "What are you nning? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to try! You, who knows nothing about horse-taming, think you can belittle Fei Hong?" Zhou Qun scoffed, incredulous.


    "Do you even know the right moment to throw the rope? Do you know when to jump onto the horse¡¯s back? Do you know the weak points of wild horses?" Zhou Qun continued, mocking Zhang Xuan.


    Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t respond, his gaze still fixed on Fei Hong, which had now bitten through the rope around its neck and was ring angrily at the crowd, ready to charge at any moment.


    "Young master, are you really going to try taming it?" the stablehand asked, his voice trembling with fear.


    Zhang Xuan smiled reassuringly. "Don''t worry, I never said I was going to do it myself."


    "You''re not?" The stablehand was confused. "Then how will you tame it?"


    Zhang Xuan smiled and called out loudly, "Dao Li,e here!"


    The sound of hooves echoed as Dao Li, who had somehow freed itself from the stable, galloped toward Zhang Xuan like a shooting star. Within moments, it was standing by his side.


    "Dao Li?"


    "Is that the horse the Liu family bought?"


    "Why did he bring another horse?"


    Everyone was stunned, including Zhou Qun, who was utterly bewildered.


    Wasn¡¯t Zhang Xuan supposed to tame the horse? Why had he brought another horse into the mix?


    Noticing their confusion, Zhang Xuan smiled again and addressed his horse, "Dao Li, go tame that Fei Hong for me! If you want to eat, you have to work for it. There¡¯s no such thing as a free meal..."


    "???"


    In an instant, everyone waspletely dumbfounded.

 Chapter 69: Zhang Xuans Taming Method

    Chapter 69: Zhang Xuan''s Taming Method


    "Y-Young Master, you must be joking. How can a horse tame another horse?" The stablehand''s lips quivered, afraid he had misheard.


    He had expected some impressive horse-taming techniques from Zhang Xuan, but to his surprise, Zhang Xuan simply instructed his own horse to tame another. This left the stablehand bewildered. Even if Dao Li could defeat Fei Hong, it would still only be a physical victory. How could that result in Fei Hong submitting to Zhang Xuan?


    Taming a horse wasn''t about overpowering it but rather about breaking its wild nature and instilling respect for humans. Zhou Qun and the other trainers weren''t trying to make Fei Hongpletely obedient, like a tamed beast pet. Their goal was to subdue its wildness enough for it to obey humanmands¡ªa form of partial taming.


    But now, Zhang Xuan suggested letting his horse handle it... Was this some kind of joke?


    "He¡¯s looking down on you!" Zhang Xuan ignored the stablehand''s doubts and looked at Dao Li seriously. "As a fine steed, someone is questioning your professionalism. You know what to do, right?"


    "Neigh!" Dao Li snorted angrily, ncing coldly at the stablehand before leaping over the fence and charging into the pasture.


    "???" The stablehand was stunned, and everyone present was left in shock. Manager Liu even broke off part of his mustache without noticing.


    ¡®Did the horse understand him?¡¯¡®And since when was this part of a horse''s expertise?¡¯


    "A-are you serious?" Zhou Qun, the towering man, was equally shocked, his expression one of disbelief. As a renowned horse-taming master, he had never heard of a method where one horse could tame another.


    "Stop pretending! Taming a horse is about showing it the strength of humans. If you rely on another animal, what¡¯s the point? If that worked, wouldn¡¯t everyone just use their pets? What would we horse trainers even be needed for?" Zhou Qun scoffed after his initial shock.


    "Master Zhou is right. Taming a horse is about demonstrating human power. What does it matter if Dao Li wins the fight? It won¡¯t make Fei Hong submit to you!"


    "Besides, I don''t even think Dao Li can beat Fei Hong!"


    "Fei Hong has Source Beast blood, giving it superior strength and endurance. While Dao Li is impressive, it''s still weaker inparison."


    The other trainers sneered at Zhang Xuan, doubting his unconventional method. They all relied on their skills to earn a horse¡¯s respect, and here was Zhang Xuan trying something that seemed absurd.


    While the crowd murmured, Dao Li reached Fei Hong. The two majestic horses were nearly identical in size, both with long, powerful legs full of explosive energy.


    "Neigh!" Dao Li let out a low call, seeminglymunicating with Fei Hong.


    Hearing the call, Fei Hong immediately grew furious. It raised its front hooves and charged at Dao Li with immense power. The strike was strong enough to tear through a bear, but Dao Li didn¡¯t dodge. Instead, it spun around and kicked out with its hind legs.


    Fei Hong¡¯s speed was incredible, but Dao Li''s was even faster. Its hooves struck with the force of a drawn sword, piercing through Fei Hong¡¯s defenses and sending it flying. Fei Hong, used to being the strongest among its herd, waspletely taken aback. It had never expected to be defeated so easily.


    While Fei Hong was still in shock, the onlookers, including Zhou Qun and Manager Liu, were equally stunned.


    "That¡¯s the power of a Source Warrior¡­"


    "Could Dao Li be a Source Beast?"


    As horse trainers, they weren¡¯t exceptionally strong, but they had trained enough to understand power. They realized that Dao Li¡¯s strength wasn¡¯t ordinary¡ªit was the energy of a Source Warrior, a force beyond mere physical strength.


    A horse shouldn¡¯t be able to cultivate, yet Dao Li was using Source Energy, something only Source Warriors could harness. How was this possible?


    "Neigh!" Fei Hong, recovering from its shock, roared and charged at Dao Li again, only to be kicked away once more.


    What had been an untamable, fierce wild horse was now being easily dominated by Dao Li. With each kick, Fei Hong¡¯s resolve weakened, until finally, it was too scared to attack and tried to flee. But no matter how fast it ran, Dao Li was faster, catching up and delivering another beating.


    After ten minutes of this, the once-proud and untamable Fei Hong horse was lying on the ground like a rag doll. Dao Li dragged it over to Zhang Xuan, looking smug and proud.


    "Neigh!"


    "Well done!" Zhang Xuan praised, then turned to Fei Hong. "Are you willing to submit now and be a part of the herd?"


    Though it didn¡¯t understand his words, Fei Hong seemed to grasp the meaning. It snorted angrily, refusing to submit.


    "I told you this wouldn¡¯t work!" one of the trainers sighed in relief.


    They had feared that Zhang Xuan¡¯s method might seed, which would undermine their entire profession. But taming a horse wasn¡¯t just about brute strength, so they felt vindicated when Fei Hong refused to submit.


    "You don¡¯t want to submit?" Zhang Xuan noticed the defiant look in Fei Hong¡¯s eyes. He turned to Dao Li with a smile. "In that case, I¡¯ll reward it to you. Do whatever you like with it!"


    "Neigh, neigh!" Dao Li¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement as it jumped onto Fei Hong¡¯s back.


    "???" Fei Hong was stunned.


    Realizing what was happening, it quickly looked at Zhang Xuan and frantically nodded, itsrge eyes welling up with tears.


    "Did¡­ Did it just submit?" The trainers were once again left speechless, unable toprehend what they had just witnessed.

 Chapter 70: Are There Any Other Wild Horses?

    Chapter 70: Are There Any Other Wild Horses?


    No matter what method Zhang Xuan had used, he had genuinely tamed the wild horse that none of the trainers could handle.


    "Can taming really be done like this?"


    "No, wait!" Zhou Qun suddenly frowned, realizing something. "This kind of taming only makes the horse submit to force, not truly ept its rider. It''s a hidden danger. Once sold, the horse could easily turn against its owner!"


    "Exactly, this kind of forced submission is a grave mistake in horse taming!" Another trainer nodded in agreement.


    Horses were different from other animals. Once tamed, they became closepanions to humans. If a horse was tamed out of fear rather than true eptance, it was like a ticking time bomb, potentially dangerous to its owner at any moment. If such an incident urred, it would not only tarnish the reputation of White Roc Stables but could also lead to customers avoiding their horses entirely.


    Zhang Xuan was puzzled. "Not truly epting?"


    "Indeed, horse taming involves various levels, such as true eptance, fake eptance, and forced submission. Thetter two are highly dangerous and are methods we trainers avoid," exined the trainer.


    Zhang Xuan frowned but didn''t respond immediately. Instead, he jumped over the fence and approached Fei Hong. Looking down at it, he asked, "Is what they¡¯re saying true? Are you only pretending to be tamed?""Neigh!" Fei Hong, still showing signs of anger, turned to look at Zhang Xuan with resentment. It was clear that Zhou Qun was right; the horse had submitted out of fear rather than genuine eptance. With its limited intelligence, it couldn¡¯t even hide its true feelings.


    "Manager Liu, this guy has broken the rules by using violence to subdue the horse. Not only should he not be rewarded, but he should also be punished as an example to others!"


    "Exactly! If we don¡¯t deal with this, people will start beating up wild horses instead of learning proper taming techniques. Our craft would be obsolete, and our horses would be unsafe to sell."


    "This is not a tiny issue. We must pay extra attention to it."


    The trainers, now feeling vindicated, voiced their anger. They had worked hard to learn the art of horse taming, and they didn¡¯t want brute force to undermine their profession.


    "Let¡¯s not rush to judgment. I¡¯ll check the horse myself," Manager Liu said, trying to calm the situation. He crossed the fence and reached out to touch Fei Hong¡¯s mane.


    The horse immediately flinched and moved away, clearly ufortable with the contact.


    Manager Liu¡¯s heart sank.


    A well-tamed horse would not only submit but also feel a sense of closeness to humans. This one, however, was afraid and avoided human touch¡ªhow could it be ridden or trusted?


    It seemed Zhou Qun and the others were right. Manager Liu turned to Zhang Xuan with a cold expression. "Zhang Xuan, you didn¡¯t tame this horse. You simply overpowered it. I must dere that your attempt has failed."


    Before he could finish his sentence, Zhang Xuan, visibly displeased, stepped forward and pped Fei Hong hard across its face.


    "Still not fully tamed, huh? What¡¯s wrong, am I being too lenient?" Zhang Xuan scolded.


    "Whinny?!" Fei Hong looked at him in disbelief.


    "What are you doing¡­?" Manager Liu was equally shocked. He had known Zhang Xuan''s methods were unorthodox, but this was beyond anything he had imagined.


    "Take this guy out."


    Just as he was about to order Zhang Xuan to be restrained, Fei Hong, after the initial shock of the p, suddenly lowered its head and started nuzzling Zhang Xuan''s leg like a puppy showing affection to its master.


    "Has it¡­ truly submitted?"


    Manager Liu was speechless, unable toprehend the sudden change. The horse had gone from defiant topletely obedient in an instant.


    Not just Manager Liu, but all the trainers, including Zhou Qun, were at a loss for words. They had never seen anything like this in all their years of training horses. Could it be that this Fei Hong horse had a masochistic streak and would only submit when beaten?


    Hesitantly, Manager Liu reached out to touch the horse¡¯s mane again. This time, the horse didn¡¯t flinch or pull away. Instead, it even nuzzled his leg affectionately.


    In just a minute, the horse''s attitude hadpletely changed¡ªall because of a single p.


    "Is it fully tamed now?" Zhang Xuan asked, looking around at the stunned faces.


    Initially, Zhang Xuan had wanted to avoid getting directly involved. He had hoped that Dao Li could handle the situation, but since the horse¡¯s submission had been more out of fear than genuine eptance, he had no choice but to step in. Using his unique "Beast-Taming Method"¡ªessentially pping the horse into submission¡ªhe had finally achieved the desired result.


    "Yes, it¡¯spletely tamed," Manager Liu admitted, still in shock. He tested the horse a few more times, confirming that it was indeed fully obedient. "But how did you do it?"


    Zhang Xuan shrugged. "It¡¯s just my taming technique. I¡¯m not ready to share it yet."


    Even if Zhang Xuan wanted to exin, it wasn¡¯t something that could be easily taught. His method was peculiar and highly effective, but it wasn¡¯t the kind of thing you could put into a training manual.


    "Alright¡­" Manager Liu, feeling a bit out of his depth, handed Zhang Xuan several bills. "Here¡¯s the reward for taming the horse, 10,000 Source Coins."


    "Thank you!" Zhang Xuan epted the money, relieved. Earning this much from taming a single horse was far faster than gambling.


    With 10,000 Source Coins, he could cover Dao Li''s feed for a month and still have some left over. However, once he paid for the feed, there wouldn¡¯t be much left. He couldn¡¯t keep relying on horse taming as a source of ie.


    "Manager Liu, are there any other wild horses that need taming? I¡¯d like to see if I can tame a few more," Zhang Xuan asked.


    ...


    At the Chen family estate in White Roc City, the patriarch, Chen Xiao, lounged barefoot on a reclining chair beside a pond, fishing rod in hand. The estate was vast, with sprawling courtyards and opulent buildings.


    As he fished, a servant hurried over, his footsteps urgent.


    "Patriarch¡­"


    Startled by the noise, the fish Chen Xiao had been about to catch darted away. His face darkened with anger. "Didn¡¯t I say not to disturb me while I¡¯m fishing? Punish yourself with twenty ps!"


    The servant¡¯s face went pale. "Yes, Patriarch!"


    Smack! Smack! Smack! He pped himself until his face was red and stinging, then stopped.


    "What is it?" Chen Xiao asked, his tone softer as he re-baited his hook.


    "Patriarch, there¡¯s trouble at the stables!"


    "Have Elder Chen Yun handle it. Whye to me?" Chen Xiao replied, uninterested. Elder Chen Yun was in charge of all matters rted to the stables.


    "It¡¯s¡­ someone has tamed the wild horse, Fei Hong," the servant exined.


    Chen Xiao¡¯s anger subsided slightly. "Now that¡¯s worth reporting. Fei Hong has Source Beast blood and has been impossible to tame for years. Who managed it? Zhou Qun? Wang Yuanzhao? Shen Siping?"


    The names he mentioned were the top horse trainers in White Roc City, all with extensive experience in taming wild horses.


    "None of them¡­ It was a young man, no older than twenty-four or twenty-five," the servant replied.


    "Remarkable! Youthful energy and stamina are certainly advantages when taming a horse like Fei Hong. I imagine it must have taken him at least three hours, though, right?" Chen Xiao guessed.


    Horses like Fei Hong couldn¡¯t be tamed unless their energy waspletely drained¡ªa process that took hours.


    The servant scratched his head. "It took less than five minutes¡­"


    "???" Chen Xiao was stunned.


    Five minutes to tame such a wild horse? That sounded impossible!


    "It¡¯s true!" the servant insisted. "He had another horse beat up Fei Hong, then pped Fei Hong across the face. That¡¯s how the horse was tamed."


    "His horse beat up Fei Hong? Then he pped it?" Chen Xiao was speechless. The words made sense individually, but together, they were baffling.


    "Not only that, after taming Fei Hong, the young man decided to tame all the other wild horses. Within half an hour, he had tamed all 27 of the remaining wild horses at the stables," the servant added.


    Chen Xiao¡¯s eyes twitched.


    Even though the other wild horses weren¡¯t as difficult to tame as Fei Hong, taming all 27 in such a short time was unbelievable.


    "But wait," Chen Xiao frowned. "If he¡¯s so skilled, why didn¡¯t Elder Chen Yun just pay him the bounty? Why bother me?"


    "The Elder did pay him, but¡­ no one expected that the horses weren¡¯t just tamed¡ªthey werepletely tamed! Now, all 28 of them, including Fei Hong, refuse to stay at the stables. They¡¯re determined to follow the young man home," the servant exined, his voice shaking with disbelief.


    "???" Chen Xiao¡¯s jaw dropped, the precious fishing rod slipping from his hand.


    Just when he thought things couldn¡¯t get any more bizarre, they did. The horses had all be so attached to the young man that they wanted to leave with him? It was not taming them! It was causing troubles.


    Leaping to his feet, Chen Xiao¡¯s eyes narrowed with determination. "How is Elder Chen Yun handling this?"


    The stables¡¯ prized horses represented nearly half of the family¡¯s annual profits¡ªlosing them would be disastrous.


    "The Elder tried to lock the horses in the stables, but¡­"


    The servant was truly surprised and couldn¡¯t believe what he had heard before. So he stammered for a while.


    "But what? Say it." Chen Xiao frowned his eyebrows and urged.


    The servant was about to cry, "But they broke out and started beating up the other horses. Now, all 3,000 horses in the stables are trying to follow the young man home. It¡¯s like they¡¯re staging a rebellion," the servant exined, his face pale.


    "???" The world seemed to go dark, and Chen Xiao almost fainted. After all thismotion, he realized that he had underestimated the situation. He had thought it was just a minor issue, but in reality, it was aplete disaster!


    He owned a horse stable, yet now all his horses had beenpletely tamed. Whose stable was it now, his or someone else¡¯s? How could he continue running his business?


    The Chen family relied heavily on their horse stable and the horses within it. If the horses ran off with someone else, what would be left? He might as well dere bankruptcy!


    "Why didn¡¯t anyone tell me about this earlier?" Chen Xiao couldn¡¯t contain his anxiety any longer and was on the verge of exploding. He had wasted so much time, and who knew what further problems might have arisen at the stable by now...


    The servant in brown hesitated and said, "But... the Patriarch wanted to go fishing..."


    "Compared to this, it doesn¡¯t matter if the fish die, rot, or stink!" Chen Xiao coldly snorted, then stomped his foot and dashed out of the courtyard. "Steward, prepare my horse¡ªI¡¯m heading to the stables!"


    Hismanding voice echoed throughout the entire Chen residence.


    Only then did the servant realize something, ncing down before hurriedly calling out, "Patriarch, your shoes..."


    In his haste to leave, Chen Xiao had forgotten to put on his shoes, having taken them off earlier while fishing.

 Chapter 71: Compensation?

    Chapter 71: Compensation?


    Outside the Chen residence, a student-looking youth had just arrived at the gate when he heard the thunder of hooves. A middle-aged man burst out of the gate, galloping away at full speed.


    Brushing off the dust kicked up by the hooves, the youth frowned and flicked his sleeve. "What kind of manners are these?"


    This was the Chen family, one of the three great families, yet they had such uncouth people? How embarrassing!


    Shaking his head, he approached the gatekeeper and respectfully cupped his hands. "Please inform the master that I am Zhou Qingkai, student of White Rock Academy, here on behalf of Young Master Chen Hao to meet with Patriarch Chen Xiao."


    The gatekeeper pointed. "That was him who just ran off."


    "???" Zhou Qingkai turned to look at the madly galloping horse and the barefoot man riding it, his face turning pale. "I hope the patriarch didn''t hear what I just said... I need to follow and exin!"


    Panicked, Zhou Qingkai quickly turned and ran after the disappearing horse.


    ...At White Roc Stables, Chen Xiao finally found a pair of shoes, though they were a bit small. He hurried forward, spotting Elder Chen Yun standing helplessly by the fence. Nearby, a young man in his mid-twenties was angrily scolding Fei Hong and a group of more than twenty fine steeds.


    "Could you be more responsible? I came here just to earn some bounty, and now look at this mess! Can someone tell me what to do?" Zhang Xuan was growing increasingly frustrated.


    Honestly, he was feeling quite depressed. He had originally nned to tame a few horses to earn some extra money for feed, but his Beast-Taming Method had proved too powerful. In a short time, all 28 of the fine horses had beenpletely tamed.


    If they had only been tamed, it wouldn''t have been a big deal. But Zhang Xuan''s method resulted in them bing utterly obedient, like loyal pets. And as pets, they naturally wanted to follow their master.


    So when he tried to leave, the horses insisted on following him, leading to the chaotic scene described by the servant earlier. Unable to stop them, the stables had locked them up, but the horses had learned from Dao Li and began attacking the other horses.


    While wild horses might submit reluctantly after a beating, regr horses, with a lead horse showing the way, would follow without hesitation. So instead of just earning a bit of money, Zhang Xuan had inadvertently uprooted the entire stable. No wonder they were upset!


    "Neigh!" Fei Hong stuck out its tongue in a cating manner.


    "Shut up!" Zhang Xuan pointed at its nose, his spittlending on its face. "You¡¯ve got the nerve to act cute? This is mostly your fault!"


    The horse, which had once been proud, had now be overly affectionate, causing much of the trouble by inciting the other horses. Had it not, the 3,000 horses wouldn¡¯t have broken free of the fence, demanding to follow Zhang Xuan.


    "Neigh..." Fei Hong shamefully turned its head away.


    "This isn''t the time to assign me. What do we do now?" Elder Chen Yun, unable to bear the sight any longer, massaged his temples.


    He had seen powerful tamers before, but nothing like this. In less than an hour, Zhang Xuan had tamed the entire stable¡ªsomething Elder Chen Yun would have dismissed as a fairy tale had he not witnessed it himself. Even now, it was hard to believe. The horses stood meekly before Zhang Xuan, not daring to move, as if they were being scolded by a master.


    "These horses belong to you. I can¡¯t take them away... Don''t worry, I¡¯ll make sure they return to the stable and won¡¯t interfere with your sales," Zhang Xuan promised, embarrassed by the situation.


    Elder Chen Yun snorted. "Now that these horses obey only you, how can I be sure they won¡¯t try to follow you again?"


    "Exactly! We must resolve this. If anyone could tame our horses like this, there''d be no point in running a stable," added Manager Liu.


    "That... I didn¡¯t do it on purpose..." Zhang Xuan said, feeling wronged. He nced at Dao Li, who was baring its teeth, and pped it on the head. "This is all your fault! If you had properly tamed Fei Hong, I wouldn¡¯t have had to step in!"


    "Neigh, neigh..." Dao Li whinnied, looking abashed.


    "Uh... give me some time. I¡¯ll talk to them and convince them not to submit to me," Zhang Xuan offered, though he wasn¡¯t confident. He had only studied how to tame beasts, not how to undo it.


    Elder Chen Yun shook his head. "They¡¯ve already submitted. It¡¯s not that simple to reverse."


    "Then what should we do?" Zhang Xuan asked.


    "Here¡¯s an idea," Elder Chen Yun suggested after a moment''s hesitation. "Since these horses have submitted to you, you could buy them all. The total cost would be about 20 million Source Coins."


    "I can¡¯t afford that!" Zhang Xuan felt like crying. He hade to earn money for feed, not to end up in debt for 20 million Source Coins, not to mention the responsibility of feeding 3,000 horses.


    "Then what do you suggest? These horses have been tamed by you; we can¡¯t sell them to others now..." Elder Chen Yun began to say but was interrupted by amanding voice.


    "Enough! This ends here. Not only is this young man not at fault, but we should thank him for his noble actions!"


    Everyone turned to see Patriarch Chen Xiao striding toward them.


    "Patriarch, you might not understand the situation..." Elder Chen Yun began, but Chen Xiao cut him off.


    "Silence!" Chen Xiao approached Zhang Xuan, his face breaking into a warm smile. "Young friend, I am Chen Xiao, head of the Chen family. I have the final say in all matters concerning the stables."


    Chen Xiao had quickly grasped the situation and, instead of anger, he felt excitement. If someone could tame an entire stable in under an hour, that was a rare talent indeed. Rather than making an enemy, it was better to build a rtionship with someone like that.


    Zhang Xuan, confused by the sudden change in attitude, asked, "I¡¯m Zhang Xuan. Nice to meet you, Patriarch Chen. But... what do you mean by ''noble actions''?"


    ¡®I tamed all your horses, and instead of being angry, you¡¯re calling it a good deed?¡¯


    "Exactly what I said," Chen Xiao replied with a smile. "If it had been anyone else, they might have refused to return the horses and used them to ckmail us. Wouldn¡¯t we be powerless to resist?"


    Elder Chen Yun¡¯s face changed. "That¡¯s true!"


    The patriarch was right. By taming all their horses, Zhang Xuan had essentially taken control of the Chen family¡¯s lifeblood. If he had chosen to exploit that, the Chen family could have faced demands for a huge ransom. Yet, Zhang Xuan had done nothing of the sort, even apologizing for the trouble. It was a testament to his character.


    "Those horses weren¡¯t mine to begin with. Demanding payment would be extortion!" Zhang Xuan shook his head. While he was in need of money, he wasn¡¯t willing to stoop to such tactics.


    "Well said!" Chen Xiao praised. "To possess such power and still be so humble, that¡¯s why I called you noble!"


    Chen Xiao was deeply impressed. Even the top horse tamers like Zhou Qun were known for their arrogance. Yet, Zhang Xuan, who had a skill far beyond theirs, was humble and polite¡ªa rarebination thatmanded respect.


    "It¡¯s not that I¡¯m particrly skilled. The horses were just well-behaved and easy to tame," Zhang Xuan said, feeling awkward at being praised.


    "Well-behaved? Easy to tame?" Zhou Qun and the others exchanged looks, nearly in tears.


    ¡®Do you call this easy? Look at our bruised faces and tell us again how easy it was¡­¡¯


    "Your humility is admirable!" Chen Xiao continued. "Given your talents and character, I wonder if you¡¯d consider bing a guest elder of the Chen family?"


    Zhang Xuan looked puzzled. "What¡¯s that?"


    "A guest elder is a special elder invited by the Chen family, holding the same status as the patriarch. Your role would mainly involve helping us tame particrly difficult horses, like Fei Hong."


    "That¡¯s all?" Zhang Xuan asked skeptically.


    "Indeed," Chen Xiao assured him. "We wouldn¡¯t trouble you with anything an ordinary tamer could handle¡ªonly the most challenging cases."


    After a moment of thought, Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I think I¡¯ll pass."


    He wasn¡¯t sure of Chen Xiao¡¯s true intentions, and as someone who preferred to keep a low profile, it seemed wiser to decline. After all, he was just a teacher at White Rock Academy, without much influence or power.


    "That¡¯s unfortunate..." Chen Xiao sighed, then turned to Elder Chen Yun. "Didn¡¯t I say at thest elders¡¯ meeting that offering a monthly sry of 100,000 Source Coins might not attract real talent?"


    Before he could finish, Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes lit up. "Did you say 100,000?"


    Chen Xiao nodded. "Yes, a guest elder of the Chen family receives a monthly sry of 100,000 Source Coins, plus¡ª"


    "Say no more!" Zhang Xuan interrupted with a grand gesture. "I ept!"


    A sry of 100,000 Source Coins a month? That was more than enough to make him reconsider!


    "Uh..." Chen Xiao was momentarily stunned, having expected more negotiation. "If you agree, Elder Chen Yun, please arrange for the guest elder¡¯s token to be issued immediately."


    "Understood!" Elder Chen Yun instructed Manager Liu to handle the paperwork. Once Zhang Xuan¡¯s name was recorded, he looked at the sea of horses and sighed. "But what should we do about these horses?"


    Chen Xiao, also at a loss, sighed. "Let¡¯s give it a try."


    He approached Zhou Qun and the other tamers. "Everyone, you¡¯re all skilled horse tamers. Please help bring these 28 horses back to the stable. The Chen family will reward you generously."


    These 28 horses were the ringleaders. If they could be controlled, the rest should follow suit.


    "Understood!" Zhou Qun and the others nodded, carefully approaching the horses. But before they could get close, the horses raised their hooves threateningly.


    The next moment, all the tamers were sent flying,nding in a heap on the ground, bruised and battered.


    As elite horse tamers, they were used to tough situations, but being kicked before even getting close was disheartening. To make matters worse, the horses then trotted over to Zhang Xuan, behaving like obedient puppies.


    "I really don¡¯t know what to do..." Chen Xiao admitted, realizing they were out of options. "Elder Zhang, it seems these horses only listen to you. Perhaps you could resolve this? As our guest elder, these horses can stay in the stable, still considered your pets."


    Before Chen Xiao could finish, the horses, as if understanding, suddenly began to gallop back to the stable, tails wagging in apparent happiness.


    "Why did they leave so suddenly?" Elder Chen Yun was dumbfounded.


    A moment ago, they had been impossible to control, even attacking the tamers. Now they had returned willingly?


    Chen Xiao¡¯s eyes widened in realization. "Could it be because I mentioned that staying in the stable would still mean being with Elder Zhang?"


    "That seems to be the case..." The others looked at Zhang Xuan, utterly speechless.


    Zhou Qun and his fellow tamers were especially devastated. They had been kicked for simply trying to lead the horses to the stable, but as soon as it was suggested they¡¯d still be with Zhang Xuan, they went back on their own. The difference in their taming abilities was just too painful to bear.

 Chapter 72: Someone Bullied the Young Master

    Chapter 72: Someone Bullied the Young Master


    Unlike the others who were shocked, Zhang Xuan let out a sigh of relief. "Since they¡¯ve all gone back... I guess I don¡¯t need to paypensation anymore?"


    The thought of paying over 30 million Source Coins was daunting. Not only could Zhang Xuan not afford it, but bringing so many horses back to the academy would blow his cover. The dean and others would quickly figure out that he wasn¡¯t just a simple teacher. That would ruin all his efforts to stay under the radar.


    "Of course not..." Elder Chen Yun nodded enthusiastically. He was just as relieved that the situation had been resolved without furtherplications. He quickly pulled out a stack of Source Bills from his pocket and handed them to Zhang Xuan. "Elder Zhang, this is your reward for taming the 27 fine horses earlier¡ª9,000 Source Coins."


    "Patriarch Chen, Elder Chen, if you''ll excuse me, I¡¯ll go pay for Dao Li''s feed and then take care of some other matters. If anythinges up, you can find me at White Rock Academy." Zhang Xuan pocketed the bills with a smile.


    Including the reward for taming Fei Hong, Zhang Xuan had earned a total of 10,000 Source Coins in less than an hour at the stables¡ªmore than enough to cover Dao Li¡¯s feed for over a year.


    "You''re a teacher at White Rock Academy?" Patriarch Chen Xiao asked, surprised. It made sense now why Zhang Xuan, despite his young age, had such good character and exceptional skills. Nodding in approval, Chen Xiao said, "I¡¯m an old friend of Dean Lu. If I get the chance, I¡¯ll visit the academy to pay my respects."


    "You''re always wee, Patriarch Chen!" Zhang Xuan nodded, then mounted Dao Li and, apanied by the stablehand, headed back toward Room A.


    As Zhang Xuan left, Elder Chen Yun turned to Chen Xiao with a puzzled expression. "Patriarch, the sry for a guest elder in the Chen family is usually 20,000 Source Coins per month. Why did you offer 100,000?"Chen Xiao didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, he asked, "What do you think Elder Zhang is worth?"


    Elder Chen Yun considered for a moment. "He¡¯s certainly skilled in taming beasts, but he¡¯s only in his twenties. Appointing him as a guest elder might stir some discontent. Moreover, while his ability to control horses is impressive, it may not be particrly beneficial for the stables if all the horses only obey him."


    "Discontent? No benefit?" Chen Xiao shook his head. "The 3,000 horses just now¡ªwere they fine steeds? Warhorses?"


    "Of course not, they were just ordinary horses..." Elder Chen Yun replied, still confused.


    Chen Xiao continued, "Exactly. And yet, under Elder Zhang¡¯smand, they all behaved as if they were seasoned warhorses, without a hint of reluctance. Do you understand what that means?"


    Elder Chen Yun¡¯s eyes widened as he grasped the implication. "You mean... he could quickly transform ordinary horses into warhorses?"


    The difference between an ordinary horse and a warhorse was immense. A warhorse needed to be fearless in battle, obeyingmands without hesitation¡ªa quality that took years to cultivate in most horses, with many never reaching that level.


    Reflecting on the 3,000 horses they had just seen, Elder Chen Yun realized they had already begun to exhibit the characteristics of warhorses under Zhang Xuan¡¯s influence.


    "Exactly! If this technique were applied on a battlefield, victory would be assured! And more importantly..." Chen Xiao¡¯s eyes gleamed. "A warhorse is worth five times more than an ordinary horse. With his ability, Elder Zhang could significantly increase the value of our stock with minimal effort. Who in the n would dare oppose such an asset? A sry of 100,000 Source Coins per month¡ªno, even 200,000¡ªwould be well justified!"


    "Not only justified, but it might even be underpaying him..." Elder Chen Yun finally understood Chen Xiao''s reasoning and found himself breathing a bit faster with excitement. The patriarch¡¯s foresight was indeed remarkable. With such a person in their employ, the Chen family¡¯s future in the horse business was secured. Anyone who thought to oppose Zhang Xuan would be a fool.


    "Good, you understand!" Chen Xiao nodded, then turned to the others, including Zhou Qun and Manager Liu. "Elder Chen, give each of them 10,000 Source Coins."


    "Yes, Patriarch." Elder Chen Yun didn¡¯t hesitate, taking out more bills and distributing them among the group.


    Zhou Qun and the others, though confused, epted the money with a mix of fear and gratitude. "Patriarch Chen, we really didn¡¯t do much to deserve this..."


    "I¡¯m giving you this money to remind you of the Chen family¡¯s rules. I, Chen Xiao, am very generous to those who follow them..." Chen Xiao¡¯s voice turned cold. "But to those who don¡¯t... I have a hundred ways to make them disappear without a trace."


    "Yes, yes!" The group nodded vigorously, understanding the gravity of his words. "If there¡¯s anything you need, Patriarch, just say the word. We won¡¯t hesitate to help."


    "Good. Then here¡¯s what I expect: keep what happened today with Elder Zhang and the horses to yourselves. If I find out anyone has talked, I¡¯ll ensure my earlier warning is fully enforced," Chen Xiao said, his tone leaving no room for doubt.


    "We wouldn¡¯t dare..." Zhou Qun and the others were drenched in cold sweat.


    "Good, you may go." Chen Xiao waved them off.


    "Yes!" Zhou Qun and the group hurried away.


    Watching this unfold, Elder Chen Yun was full of admiration for Chen Xiao. The patriarch had deftly managed the unruly tamers, first with rewards and then with threats, bncing kindness and intimidation perfectly. It was clear these tamers would now follow orders without question.


    "Elder Chen, you must also keep Elder Zhang¡¯s abilities a secret. If word of this gets out, we¡¯ll lose our advantage... and we should be prepared to help him keep a low profile if necessary," Chen Xiao continued.


    "Of course!" Elder Chen Yun agreed without hesitation.


    A talent like Zhang Xuan was someone any family would want to win over. Keeping him close and under the radar was the smartest move.


    "Patriarch..." Just as Elder Chen Yun was reflecting on the wisdom of Chen Xiao¡¯s strategy, a hurried voice called out. The Chen family steward, Yu Boping, arrived on horseback, apanied by a student on another horse.


    "What¡¯s the matter?" Chen Xiao frowned.


    "Patriarch, this is Zhou Qingkai, a ssmate of the young master. He says he has urgent news," Yu Boping exined.


    "A ssmate of Hao?" Chen Xiao turned to Zhou Qingkai, who dismounted and rushed over, bowing deeply, tears streaming down his face. "Patriarch Chen, you must stand up for Young Master Chen Hao! He¡¯s been bullied at the academy..."


    "Hao was bullied?" Chen Xiao¡¯s expression darkened. "Who would dare challenge the Chen family like this? They must have a death wish!"


    "It was a newly hired auxiliary teacher at the academy¡ªa man with no cultivation skills who got in by currying favor with Dean Lu. This morning, he not only humiliated the young master but also forced him to kneel publicly. It was outrageous and unforgivable!" Zhou Qingkai¡¯s voice was full of indignation as he tearfully recounted the story.


    Chen Xiao¡¯s eyes narrowed. "Forced him to kneel? What right does an auxiliary teacher have to do that? Why would he?"


    Zhou Qingkai continued, "This auxiliary teacher has no real talent but still wanted to teach. Young Master Chen Hao couldn¡¯t stand the sight of him and spoke out. In retaliation, the teacher humiliated him publicly. My ssmate Wang Yuxing and I can both testify to this!"


    "Tell me everything that happened in detail. If it¡¯s true that my son was humiliated for just speaking out, I won¡¯t just go after that teacher¡ªI¡¯ll make sure White Rock Academy knows the Chen family is not to be trifled with!" Chen Xiao¡¯s anger was evident. Chen Hao wasn¡¯t just his son; he was the future head of the Chen family. Public humiliation was an affront to the entire family¡¯s honor, and Chen Xiao wasn¡¯t about to let it slide.


    "Yes, Patriarch Chen. It happened like this: the auxiliary teacher took Miss Liu Mingyue as his student and, during a public lecture, used the blood of a Heaven¡¯s Fate Source Beast to ignite a furnace..." Zhou Qingkaiid out the narrative he had prepared, painting Chen Hao as a victim of a power y between the academy''s higher-ups, who allegedly helped the auxiliary teacher cheat to save face.


    "Dean Lu..." Chen Xiao¡¯s expression darkened as he listened. "That man would indeed do anything to protect the academy¡¯s reputation, even at the expense of a student. But to sacrifice my son¡¯s dignity? I won¡¯t stand for it."


    Seeing that Chen Xiao believed him, Zhou Qingkai felt a weight lift off his shoulders and bowed again. "Please, Patriarch Chen, stand up for the young master!"


    Chen Xiao nodded. "Rest assured, I¡¯ll visit White Rock Academy tomorrow. If that auxiliary teacher really is nothing but a sycophant who got in by ttering Dean Lu, I¡¯ll personally make him pay!"


    "Thank you, Patriarch!" Zhou Qingkai, sensing the intensity of Chen Xiao¡¯s resolve, didn¡¯t dare linger. He quickly excused himself and left.


    Chen Xiao watched him leave, then frowned. "I forgot to ask that teacher¡¯s name... No matter, anyone who dares to insult my son will have to face the consequences."


    "Indeed. Sacrificing the Chen family¡¯s honor for the sake of some auxiliary teacher is uneptable. We must make an example of him," Elder Chen Yun agreed, his face stern.


    "Exactly!" Chen Xiao nodded, then turned to Elder Chen Yun. "By the way, is the guest elder¡¯s token ready?"


    Elder Chen Yun retrieved the token from his pocket and handed it to Chen Xiao. "It was just delivered by Steward Yu."


    Chen Xiao examined the token with a satisfied smile. "Good. Let¡¯s go find Elder Zhang and present it to him in person. It¡¯s important to show him the respect he deserves."


    "Of course!" Elder Chen Yun agreed.


    ...


    At the White Roc Stables, in front of the counter in Room A, the receptionist, Zhao Yue, stretchedzily, clearly bored.


    "Zhao Yue, didn¡¯t you have a customer who wanted to buy a month¡¯s supply of fine horse feed? Why haven¡¯t you prepared it yet?" asked another receptionist who had just arrived, looking puzzled.


    Zhao Yue snorted. "That guy¡¯s just a poser. I¡¯d be an idiot to actually prepare anything."


    The second receptionist, Sun Hong, was curious. "What do you mean? He looked like a rich young master to me!"


    Zhao Yue rolled her eyes. "Young master? Please. He came in to buy feed but didn¡¯t even know the price. When I told him, he only wanted to buy enough for one meal. Does that sound like a wealthy young master to you?"


    Sun Hong paused. "Well, that is a bit odd... Who would do that? It¡¯s embarrassing!"


    Zhao Yue continued, "Exactly! Then, after hearing the price, he asked if there was any way to make money around here. It¡¯s like going to battle and realizing you forgot to bring a weapon! And then he chose horse taming to earn money..."


    "Horse taming?" Sun Hong¡¯s eyes widened. "That¡¯s a disaster waiting to happen! He¡¯s going to get kicked ck and blue."


    "Exactly!" Zhao Yue smirked. "He even went after Fei Hong, the horse that the best tamers in White Roc City struggle with. And this guy, barely in his twenties, thinks he can tame it? What a joke! Forget buying feed¡ªhe¡¯ll be lucky to walk away in one piece!"


    Just as she finished speaking, the young man they were talking about appeared at the counter, frowning slightly. "Is the feed ready?"


    "You need to pay first before I can prepare it," Zhao Yue replied with a cold smile.


    He must have failed miserably, she thought. He doesn¡¯t even have a scratch on him, so he clearly didn¡¯t even try. Probably realized he couldn¡¯t do it and came back empty-handed. Now, he¡¯s just a penniless poser, and I¡¯m not going to give him any special treatment.


    But before she could finish her thought, the young man casually pulled out a thick stack of Source Bills and handed them to her. "Is this enough?"


    Zhao Yue took the bills, and her eyes nearly popped out of her head. Each bill was worth 5,000 Source Coins, and there were 20 of them¡ª100,000 Source Coins in total!


    She made about 600 Source Coins a month, so 100,000 was almost 14 years of her sry. And she had just called this man a poser...


    "T-That¡¯s more than enough..." Zhao Yue stammered, her hands shaking as she quickly took two bills for the payment and returned the rest to him. How had he gotten so much money in such a short time?


    Had he really tamed the horses and earned the reward? If so... that was terrifying!


    As she handed the bills back, Zhao Yue¡¯s earlier disdain vanished, reced by shock and respect.


    Preparing the feed wasn¡¯t tooplicated, and soon a month¡¯s supply was ready. Zhang Xuan provided an address for delivery, and the stables arranged for it to be sent.


    Not bothering to engage further with Zhao Yue, Zhang Xuan turned to the stablehand. "Take me to the horse doctors. I have some questions to ask."


    "Of course, Elder Zhang, right this way..." The stablehand, now full of admiration, led the way.


    As they left, Sun Hong noticed Zhao Yue¡¯s stunned expression and smiled. "You don¡¯t actually think he earned all that by taming horses, do you?"


    Zhao Yue was still processing. "You think he didn¡¯t?"


    Sun Hong looked at her as if she were naive. "Even if he tamed Fei Hong, the reward would be only 10,000 Source Coins. How could he possibly have tamed 20 horses like Fei Hong in less than an hour? No, he probably just went home and got the cash. It¡¯s not hard for someone from a wealthy family to suddenly have some money."


    Zhao Yue blinked, realization dawning. "That makes sense. I was beginning to think he was some kind of beast-taming master. But really, he¡¯s just a rich kid ying pretend..."


    She huffed, annoyed at having been fooled. "You know what? I happen to know Master Zhou Qun. He hates posers like this guy. I¡¯ll make sure to tell him about this next time I see him..."


    Before Zhao Yue could finish her sentence, she noticed Sun Hong¡¯s eyes widening in shock. Turning around, she saw what had caused the reaction.


    Zhou Qun and a dozen other famous tamers were in the lobby, all bowing deeply to the young man who had just left the counter. They spoke in unison, their voices loud enough to echo through the building.


    "Greetings, Master Zhang!"


    "M-Master?" Zhao Yue¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Zhou Qun was one of the top tamers in White Roc City, and here he was, bowing to the very man she had dismissed as a poser. What on earth was going on?


    Zhao Yue and Sun Hong exchanged stunned looks, both utterly speechless.

 Chapter 73: Chen Hong

    Chapter 73: Chen Hong


    Zhang Xuan hadn¡¯t expected that these fools would suddenly kneel before him, causing him to instinctively shrink back. "What are you doing?" he asked, exasperated. This kind of public disy was anything but low-key!


    Zhou Qun, the head tamer, replied earnestly, "We just want to learn your horse-taming techniques, Master."


    "Get up first, then we can talk," Zhang Xuan waved his hand, urging them to rise.


    "Yes, Master!" Zhou Qun and the others stood up, realizing that kneeling might have been a bit too much.


    "Actually... taming horses isn¡¯t thatplicated," Zhang Xuan began, offering some simple advice. "As long as you¡¯re willing to beat down their arrogance, break their pride, and grind down their dignity..." He casually exined a few techniques that horse tamers from the Master Teacher Continent used. Given how underdeveloped this world seemed inparison, he figured he might as well share some basic knowledge.


    "Thank you, Master Zhang, for enlightening us..." Although Zhang Xuan only spoke a few sentences, Zhou Qun and the others felt as though a veil had been lifted from their understanding of horse taming, elevating their skills to a new level.


    "See you!" Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t want to linger. The more questions they asked, the harder it would be to remain low-key. Without saying anything further, he turned and walked away.


    Zhou Qun couldn¡¯t help but marvel, "Just a few words from Master Zhang gave us such insight. His understanding of horse taming is far beyond ours! No wonder he could tame so many horses in such a short time.""Indeed!" The other tamers nodded in agreement. "It''s a pity we can¡¯t always learn from him. If we could, our skills would surely improve even further..."


    "I heard he¡¯s a teacher at White Rock Academy. Why don¡¯t we visit the academy tomorrow? If we get the chance to attend one of his sses, we¡¯ll surely benefit greatly!" one of the tamers suggested.


    "Great idea! Let¡¯s all go together tomorrow morning..." Another tamer agreed, and even Zhou Qun looked excited. He pped his thigh and eximed, "It¡¯s settled then!"


    ...


    Zhang Xuan arrived at a small, somewhat unkempt courtyard and frowned slightly. The ce was littered with horse manure, and the smell was overwhelming. Several fine horsesy on the ground, two of them seemingly on the brink of death. A few robed individuals, who appeared to be veterinarians, rushed around with anxious expressions.


    "This is where they treat horses. If you want to look at books about horses, this is the only ce that has them," the stablehand exined.


    "Alright," Zhang Xuan nodded and walked inside. Before he could enter the building, a hurried veterinarian bumped into him.


    The man, an elder in his sixties, nced at Zhang Xuan and the stablehand, frowning. "Du Qing, why are you bringing random people here? Don¡¯t you know we¡¯re busy?"


    The stablehand, whose name was Du Qing, quickly exined, "This is Young Master Zhang, who wants to look at some books about horses..."


    Turning to Zhang Xuan, Du Qing continued, "Young Master Zhang, this is Elder Chen Hong, the Ninth Elder of the Chen family and the most skilled horse expert in White Roc City. If he says a horse can¡¯t be saved, then it¡¯s practically a death sentence."


    Zhang Xuan nodded and cupped his hands. "My apologies for the intrusion."


    Chen Hong wasn¡¯t impressed. "No need to apologize. First, we¡¯re busy and don¡¯t have time for idle visitors. Second, if you want to read books, go to the library. Whye here?"


    Zhang Xuan gave a sheepish smile. "I recently bought a fine horse and want to understand it better, so I nned to study its anatomy and meridians. These details are only avable here, not in the library."


    If he told them he was trying to help a horse ignite its Source Furnace and be a Source Beast, they¡¯d likely be scared out of their wits. This exnation was more reasonable.


    Chen Hong wasn¡¯t convinced. "We do have the books you mentioned, but... they¡¯re the result of years of painstaking research by our veterinarians. Why should we let you read them?"


    "Well... I can pay you!" Zhang Xuan hesitated briefly before taking out some Source Bills.


    "Money? Do you think Ick money?" Chen Hong sneered. "Our books aren¡¯t for just anyone to read, unless... you¡¯re also a veterinarian and can treat horses!"


    "You want me to treat a horse?" Zhang Xuan frowned.


    "Exactly! See that horse outside? If you can get it back on its feet and walking again, then you can read all the books you want," Chen Hong pointed to a horse lying on the ground, barely breathing.


    Zhang Xuan nced at the horse¡ªit was one of the two he had noticed earlier, almost at death¡¯s door. It seemed to have stopped breathing entirely. How was he supposed to treat something that close to death?


    "Chen Hong, can¡¯t you make an exception..." Du Qing pleaded, worried. "Young Master Zhang only wants to look at the books, not take them away."


    "I¡¯ve already said¡ªif he can treat the horse, he can read. If not, then he should leave!" Chen Hong waved his hand dismissively.


    "Young Master Zhang may not be a veterinarian, but he has extraordinary horse-taming skills..." Du Qing began, but Zhang Xuan interrupted him with a smile. "I¡¯ll give it a try. Given the horse¡¯s condition, it can¡¯t get any worse."


    Zhang Xuan could tell that Chen Hong was deliberately making things difficult. However, the elder had a point. The knowledge in those books was the culmination of many years of research by the Chen family¡¯s veterinarians, and it wasn¡¯t something they would easily share. If anyone could just walk in and read them, this ce would have closed long ago.


    Du Qing blinked, uncertain. Taming horses and treating them were two different skills. Experimenting recklessly could easily kill the horse. But considering the horse was already on the verge of death, maybe there was no harm in trying. Who knew? Perhaps Young Master Zhang might seed.


    While Du Qing hesitated, Zhang Xuan approached the dying horse and ced a hand on its neck. The moment he touched it, his eyebrow twitched.


    The horse was even weaker than it appeared, clearly on itsst breath. In this condition, even a miracle couldn¡¯t save it... But getting it to stand and walk a few steps wasn¡¯t too difficult.


    With that thought, Zhang Xuan moved to the horse¡¯s hindquarters and gave it a swift kick. At the same time, he infused a burst of Heaven¡¯s Path Source Energy through his foot.


    "Get up! Stop ying dead!" Zhang Xuanmanded.


    At his words, the nearly dead horse suddenly opened its eyes and, after a brief struggle, stood up and neighed loudly: "Neigh! Neigh!"


    "???" Chen Hong was stunned, rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn¡¯t seeing things. He had diagnosed this horse multiple times, deeming it beyond saving. Yet, after a single kick from Zhang Xuan, it was not only up but also lively. Since when did kicking a horse be a valid treatment method?


    Du Qing was equally dumbfounded. Taming horses required a good beating, and now treating them seemed to involve a good kick. Was physical contact with horses really this effective? Maybe he should quit being a stablehand and take up boxing...


    "Chen Hong, the horse is standing," Zhang Xuan said with a slight smile. "Can I read the books now?"


    "You... you..." Chen Hong¡¯s face twitched as he stared at the now-healthy-looking horse. Although he couldn¡¯t understand what Zhang Xuan had done, the horse was undeniably on its feet. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Chen Hong snorted. "It¡¯s still not enough!"


    "Oh?" Zhang Xuan¡¯s brows furrowed. "You said as long as it could stand and walk, I could read the books..."


    "I know what I said!" Chen Hong snapped. "But these books are the culmination of countless years of research by the Chen family¡¯s veterinarians. You¡¯re not a member of the Chen family, so you¡¯re not qualified to see them. Even if I agreed, the patriarch and elders wouldn¡¯t approve... Speaking of which, Patriarch, Elders, what brings you here?"


    Before he could finish his sentence, Chen Xiao, the patriarch, and Elder Chen Yun entered the courtyard, scanning the area. When they saw Zhang Xuan, their faces lit up, and they hurried over.


    "Elder Zhang, here is your guest elder token. We made it just for you," Patriarch Chen Xiao said with a wide smile, as if he couldn¡¯t be more pleased.


    "Oh," Zhang Xuan casually took the token.


    The token was about the size of a baby¡¯s palm, with "Guest Elder" inscribed on the front and "Zhang Xuan" on the back.


    "Elder Zhang, here is your first month¡¯s sry," Elder Chen Yun added, handing Zhang Xuan a stack of Source Bills, his face beaming.


    "..." Chen Hong felt like his brain had short-circuited.


    Just a moment ago, he had told Zhang Xuan he wasn¡¯t qualified to read the books because he wasn¡¯t part of the Chen family. Now, the patriarch and elder had shown up, one to present a token, the other to deliver money¡ªboth with expressions of utmost respect.


    What in the world was going on?


    Unable to hold back his curiosity, Chen Hong looked at the patriarch. "Patriarch, Elder... what¡¯s going on?"


    "Oh, Chen Hong!" Elder Chen Yun smiled warmly and introduced Zhang Xuan. "This is Zhang Xuan, our newly appointed guest elder of the Chen family. He enjoys the highest level of authority within the family, with a status equal to the patriarch¡¯s. Aren¡¯t you going to greet him?"


    "G-Greet him?" Chen Hong stammered, feeling his face flush with embarrassment. If Zhang Xuan had revealed his status earlier, Chen Hong would never have said what he did...


    "Is there a problem?" Chen Xiao sensed something amiss. "Is there a conflict between you and Elder Zhang? Elder Zhang, if Elder Chen Hong has offended you, please forgive him..."


    "It¡¯s nothing," Zhang Xuan shook his head, pocketing the guest elder token before asking, "So, can I read the books now?"


    "Of course! Elder Zhang, this way, please!" Chen Hong quickly gestured toward a small room.


    Zhang Xuan nced over. It was a modest room with just two rows of bookshelves, holding a few hundred volumes.


    "Thank you," Zhang Xuan said, bowing slightly to Chen Xiao and Elder Chen Yun. "Patriarch Chen, Elder Yun, I¡¯ll go read the books now. We can talk moreter."


    With that, he strode into the room.


    Once Zhang Xuan was out of earshot, Chen Xiao¡¯s expression turned stern. "Chen Hong, what happened? Did you upset Elder Zhang?"


    "It¡¯s like this..." Chen Hong recounted the events, feeling more and more embarrassed as he spoke. By the end, both Chen Xiao and Elder Chen Yun were staring at each other in disbelief.


    "Not only does he excel at taming horses, but he can also treat them? And all it takes is a kick?" Chen Xiao was astounded.


    "How on earth did he do that?" Elder Chen Yun wondered aloud, ncing toward the horse.


    The once frail horse now stood tall and proud, showing no signs of illness. Curious, Elder Chen Yun reached out to touch its head.


    Thud!


    The horse copsed instantly, twitched a few times, and theny still¡ªits breathing had stopped.


    Just a Heaven¡¯s Path Source Energy had kept it going this long... but now, it was dead.


    "???" Chen Hong finally realized what had happened. "He used True Energy to keep it standing?"


    Damn it, I thought he cured it with a kick... Turns out it was just for show!


    Suddenly, Chen Hong wasn¡¯t so sure about this new guest elder.

 Chapter 74: Yu Longqing’s Shock

    Chapter 74: Yu Longqing¡¯s Shock


    Zhang Xuan skimmed through the few hundred books, and within just a dozen breaths, he had recorded all of them into his Library of Heaven''s Path. As countless pieces of knowledge about horses flowed into his mind, he analyzed the information.


    "Although these books didn¡¯t mark out every meridian within a fine horse, they detailed dozens of them clearly enough. This should significantly improve Dao Li''s ability to absorb Source Energy," Zhang Xuan thought, satisfied with the oue.


    After leaving the stables, Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t bother to explore further and returned directly to the academy. His goals for the day¡ªbuying feed and finding books on horse anatomy¡ªhad both been achieved. Moreover, he had earned plenty of Source Coins and even gained a guest elder position. With everything settled, there was no need to stir up more trouble for now.


    Back at the small courtyard, Zhang Xuan ensured that Dao Li had eaten its fill, then carefully exined the structure of its meridians. He even developed a tailored cultivation technique with the help of Heaven¡¯s Path Nature for the horse, which he wrote down, instructing Dao Li to practice it. Once that was done, Zhang Xuan returned to his room.


    Although he had reached thete stage of the Energy Storing Realm (Source Pool Level 3), he still had a long way to go to reach its peak. Moreover, his injuries had yet to fully heal, so it was time to focus on both recovery and advancement.


    As he cultivated, pure Source Energy continuously flowed into his body, filling his Source Pool, expanding his meridians, and slowly increasing his strength...


    ...


    Meanwhile, in a student dormitory not too far from Zhang Xuan¡¯s location, a shadow appeared quietly by the window.Knock, knock, knock!


    A light tapping sounded on the window.


    "Who¡¯s there?" a crisp voice called from inside¡ªit was Yu Xiaoyu.


    "It¡¯s your father," the figure replied.


    The door opened, and City Lord Yu Longqing entered, smiling at his daughter. "I¡¯ve kept you waiting! Take out the Qingguang Beast blood, and I¡¯ll help you ignite your furnace now. Don¡¯t worry, with me here, the worst you¡¯ll get is a top-grade furnace, nothing inferior to Mo Yanxue¡¯s."


    To his surprise, Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. "Dad, there¡¯s no need. Teacher Zhang already helped me ignite the furnace."


    Yu Longqing was taken aback. "Didn¡¯t I instruct Adviser Liao to have you hide the Qingguang Beast blood and use the Luozhi Bird blood instead?"


    Yu Xiaoyu produced a small bottle and ced it in front of her father with a wry smile. "I didn¡¯t use the Qingguang Beast blood at all. Teacher Zhang used the Luozhi Bird blood to ignite my furnace."


    Yu Longqing opened the bottle and examined it closely. Sure enough, the Qingguang Beast blood was untouched. His vision darkened. "This is bad..."


    Luozhi Bird blood was one of the worst ignition materials¡ªusing it shouldn¡¯t have been sessful. The fact that it worked meant... he might have inadvertently harmed his daughter.


    His fingers trembled, and his voice quavered, "You... you didn¡¯t end up with a low-grade furnace, did you? Let me see how much Source Energy it can absorb in a day¡ª10 streams? 15 streams? Or... 20?"


    A low-grade furnace absorbed Source Energy slowly, which meant Yu Xiaoyu would need to work much harder and rely on more resources like pills and treasures to progress.


    "None of those! Let me show you..." Yu Xiaoyu said, not wasting time on further exnation. She sat down cross-legged, and immediately, the surrounding Source Energy flowed into her body rapidly.


    "One stream, two streams, three streams... This is like the Flowing Stream..." Yu Longqing¡¯s eyes widened in shock. "A top-grade peak furnace that can absorb 200 streams of Source Energy per day?"


    "Yes!" Yu Xiaoyu nodded. She still couldn¡¯t believe it herself. "Teacher Zhang used the Luozhi Bird blood to ignite a top-grade peak furnace for me."


    Yu Longqing waspletely baffled. "How is that even possible? Tell me everything!"


    Yu Xiaoyu recounted the entire day¡¯s events, including the bet and the involvement of the low-talented student, Hong Yi.


    "No matter how strong or weak someone¡¯s talent is, to ignite a top-grade peak furnace using Luozhi Bird and Hanbei Turtle blood... Teacher Zhang¡¯s abilities seem even greater than I imagined!" Yu Longqing clenched his fists, feeling both excited and regretful. If he hadn¡¯t tried to be clever by suggesting the Luozhi Bird blood, but had instead provided the Qingguang Beast blood, what level of furnace might have been ignited? Imperial grade? Or even... Emperor grade?


    What a wasted opportunity!


    "Dad, did you know about Teacher Zhang¡¯s abilities and that¡¯s why you insisted I study under him?" Yu Xiaoyu asked, her suspicion growing.


    "I..." Yu Longqing was at a loss for words.


    ¡®Know? If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have given you the Luozhi Bird blood¡­¡¯


    However, he couldn¡¯t admit that, so he sighed. "You don¡¯t need to know the reasons. Just make sure you respect Teacher Zhang and follow his guidance closely. If you do, you¡¯ll reap countless benefits in the future."


    "Yes, Dad," Yu Xiaoyu agreed, noting the seriousness in her father¡¯s voice.


    Worried she might press further, Yu Longqing changed the subject. "You mentioned that Teacher Zhang will be teaching you the umtion technique tomorrow?"


    "Yes," Yu Xiaoyu confirmed.


    Yu Longqing thought for a moment. "umtion is the process of absorbing Source Energy to build up strength, an essential step for all Source Warriors. I assume he¡¯ll teach you the academy¡¯s standard method, the Returning Energy umtion Technique. It¡¯s not a bad method, but the City Lord¡¯s Mansion has the Five Directions umtion Technique, which is the best in White Roc City. It¡¯s far superior to anything else avable."


    "So, tomorrow, no matter what Teacher Zhang teaches¡ªwhether it¡¯s simple or difficult¡ªjust say you understand and that you¡¯ve already mastered it. Then,e home in the evening, and I¡¯ll teach you the Five Directions umtion Technique. The next day, when you demonstrate your progress, Teacher Zhang will surely be impressed."


    "Alright!" Yu Xiaoyu agreed, though she wasn¡¯t entirely sure of her father¡¯s intentions. Still, given how seriously he spoke, she decided to follow his n.


    "Actually, I¡¯ll drop by the ss tomorrow as well," Yu Longqing continued. "I want to see if I can find any ws or gaps in his teaching. If I do, I¡¯ll exin them to you in the evening. Then, you can bring them up to Teacher Zhang the next day, as if you¡¯ve figured them out on your own."


    Yu Xiaoyu frowned. "But tomorrow¡¯s ss isn¡¯t a public one. Teacher Zhang might not let you in."


    Yu Longqing smiled confidently. "If I can¡¯t get in, I¡¯ll listen from outside. One way or another, I¡¯ll find out what he¡¯s teaching. And if all else fails, you can take notes and show them to meter!"


    "Alright," Yu Xiaoyu agreed, though she remained a bit puzzled by her father¡¯s eagerness.


    While Yu Longqing and Yu Xiaoyu were making their ns, another student, Liu Mingyue, was also cultivating in her dormitory. Sitting cross-legged on her bed, she continuously absorbed Source Energy, feeling the pure power flowing through her meridians like a rushing river, gradually filling her empty Source Pool.


    "Even though Teacher Zhang used Hanbei Turtle blood to ignite my furnace, it doesn¡¯t seem any different from a furnace ignited by a Lingyun Beast!" Liu Mingyue thought, her eyes filled with confusion as she recalled the events of the day. "Could it be that Teacher Zhang isn¡¯t the useless man I thought he was? No, that¡¯s impossible! He was just a servant yesterday, with no cultivation at all, and we even made a bet..."


    Remembering their bet at the school gate, Liu Mingyue¡¯s anger red. Not only had she been humiliated, but she had also lost her precious fine horse to him!


    She touched her face, where the marks from the horse¡¯s hooves had disappeared, though her skin was still red and swollen. "Dao Li, you ungrateful traitor..."


    Her frustration grew as she thought about the horse, which her father, Liu Tianzheng, had painstakingly acquired from White Roc Stables at great expense. The horse, which had seen battle, cost three times as much as Mo Yanxue¡¯s prized steed¡ªover 300,000 Source Coins! And now, it was gone...


    "If Dad finds out that the fine horse he worked so hard to get was taken by a mere auxiliary teacher, he¡¯ll be furious..." The more Liu Mingyue thought about it, the more upset she became.


    "Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll tell Dad that the teacher forcibly took Dao Li from me. That way, he¡¯ll cause trouble for Zhang Xuan, and maybe I¡¯ll even get a better teacher out of it... Yes, that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do!"


    Feeling vindicated by her n, Liu Mingyue wasted no time calling in her groom and instructing him on what to say.


    After he left, Liu Mingyue still felt unsatisfied and came up with another idea.


    "Knowing my father¡¯s temper, he¡¯ll definitely cause a scene when hees to the academy. If things are going to escte anyway, why not mess with that teacher a little more as payback?"


    "What¡¯s the most frustrating thing for a teacher? It¡¯s when their students don¡¯t understand or learn anything, no matter how hard they try to teach! So, no matter what Zhang Xuan says tomorrow, I¡¯ll pretend not to understand, as if I can¡¯t learn a thing... That¡¯ll drive him crazy!"


    "Hehe! I¡¯m so clever. That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯ll do!" Liu Mingyue grinned, already imagining Zhang Xuan¡¯s face contorted with anger and frustration.


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the Liu family estate¡ªone of the three great families of White Roc City¡ªthe patriarch¡¯s quarters were brightly lit.


    "What did you say? Mingyue was taken as a student by a auxiliary teacher?" Liu Tianzheng, the Liu family patriarch, mmed his hand on the table, his eyes zing with fury.


    As Liu Mingyue¡¯s father, he doted on his daughter and would do anything for her. But now, not only had Lu Mingrong refused to take her as a student, but he had allowed a mere auxiliary teacher to do so instead... Was this an insult to the Liu family?


    "That¡¯s right. Lady Mingyue has been crying every day and every night, hoping that you will stand up for her!" Wang Yuxing, who hade to deliver the news, embellished the story. "Moreover... it looks like she was beaten. When I saw her today, her face was red and swollen, with traces of blood..."


    Chen Hao had instructed Wang Yuxing to make things sound as dire as possible, so he exaggerated the situation. Although it was true that Liu Mingyue¡¯s face had been swollen earlier, the cause was a mark that vaguely resembled a circr imprint, though its origin was unclear.


    "He dared toy a hand on my daughter?" Liu Tianzheng¡¯s anger red. Just as he was about to ask for more details, the steward hurried in.


    "Patriarch, Lady Mingyue¡¯s groom requests an audience!"


    "Didn¡¯t he apany Mingyue to the academy? Let him in!" Liu Tianzheng ordered.


    The groom soon entered the room, immediately kneeling on the floor, and ryed Liu Mingyue¡¯s instructions in detail. "Patriarch, Lady Mingyue was bullied, and her horse, Dao Li, was taken away by someone..."


    "You¡¯re saying that a auxiliary teacher not only forced Mingyue to be his student but also demanded Dao Li as a tribute?" If he had been skeptical of Wang Yuxing¡¯s ount, Liu Tianzheng now had no doubts. His daughter had sent someone to report the situation, confirming his worst fears.


    Enraged, Liu Tianzheng¡¯s face turned green. "A lowly auxiliary teacher, who only got into the academy through connections, dares to act so arrogantly! Tell Mingyue that I will personally go to White Rock Academy tomorrow. I¡¯ll flip his desk over and show him that using my family to boost his reputation is nothing but a pipe dream!"


    When it came to his daughter, Liu Tianzheng wouldn¡¯t tolerate any insults or harm. If anyone mistreated his beloved child, they would face the full wrath of the Liu family.


    "Understood!" The groom and Wang Yuxing nodded eagerly, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. With Liu Tianzheng this furious, they knew Zhang Xuan was in serious trouble.


    ...


    After a night of cultivation, Zhang Xuan had fully connected all his meridians and finally reached the peak of the Energy Storing Realm. He could break through to the next level at any moment.


    "It seems I need to find a cultivation technique for the Body Tempering Realm (Source Pool Level 4)... Techniques are easy to find, but the Heaven¡¯s Fate Source Energy isn¡¯t..." Zhang Xuan frowned.


    As a teacher at the academy, he had free ess to the library, where he had alreadye across techniques for the Body Tempering Realm, as well as the Meridian Unclogging Realm and the Organs Easing Realm. However, just reading these books wasn¡¯t enough.


    Without sufficient Heaven¡¯s Fate Source Energy, he couldn¡¯t record them into the Library of Heaven''s Path, which meant he couldn¡¯t generate a wless Heaven¡¯s Path cultivation technique. Without that, he couldn¡¯t advance.


    "I¡¯ll have to find an opportunity today to ask Dean Lu if the Source Pool assessment is still happening. Maybe I can borrow some energy... Just borrow, I swear I won¡¯t actually enter!" Zhang Xuan thought to himself.


    Stepping out of his room, Zhang Xuan was washing up when there was a knock at the door.


    A momentter, Hong Yi, the student he had taken on yesterday, entered the courtyard. "Teacher Zhang, I¡¯ve finished cleaning the ssroom. Is there anything else you need me to do? There¡¯s still time before ss, so I can help with whatever you need."


    As a student who barely had the chance to be an apprentice, Hong Yi cherished this opportunity. Although Zhang Xuan was only a auxiliary teacher, the fact that he had helped Hong Yi ignite a top-grade furnace showed that his abilities were exceptional.


    Grateful and respectful, Hong Yi had arrived early to clean the ssroom. Now, he was eager to clean Zhang Xuan¡¯s courtyard as well.


    "I¡¯ve already taken care of things here, so there¡¯s no need to worry," Zhang Xuan replied, pleased with Hong Yi¡¯s attitude. He went back to his tasks.


    "Understood!" Hong Yi let out a relieved sigh and sat down on a stone bench in the courtyard. As he did, he noticed arge horse holding a mop in its mouth, diligently scrubbing the floor. The courtyard was spotless.


    When the horse saw Hong Yi looking, it grinned, baring its teeth in a friendly manner.


    "???" Hong Yi was stunned.


    Is this what you meant by ''taking care of things,'' Teacher Zhang? You¡¯re having the horse mop the floor?

 Chapter 75: A Real Lesson

    Chapter 75: A Real Lesson


    Having attended yesterday¡¯s public lecture, Hong Yi had already heard that the teacher in front of him was recruited for his expertise in taming beasts. He initially thought "expertise" meant just taming horses to make them obedient, but he never imagined it would be to this extent!


    Seeing the horse cleaning the courtyard and mopping the floor left him stunned, unable to believe his eyes. It was aplete reversal of what he understood.


    As he remained in shock, he saw that the teacher had finished washing up and was now looking at the horse mopping the floor. "Have you prepared breakfast?" Zhang Xuan asked.


    "Neigh~" Dao Li quickly nodded, put down the mop, and trotted off to the kitchen. Momentster, it came out holding a te with a few pieces of roasted meat.


    "..." Hong Yi was dumbfounded.


    He had heard that his teacher used to be a groom who served horses, but it seemed the situation was reversed. Wasn¡¯t it more like this horse was acting as the ¡°human,¡± specifically serving the teacher? How else could it be so skilled at cleaning and cooking?


    While he was still processing this shocking scene, he heard Zhang Xuan¡¯s displeased voice, "Didn¡¯t I tell you to use less salt? How could you make it so salty again? How am I supposed to eat this? And have you ever seen anyone eating roasted meat so early in the morning? Tomorrow, make some stir-fried vegetables. I¡¯ll leave you a recipe in advance..."


    "Neigh, neigh~" Dao Li nodded repeatedly, looking sincerely eager to learn.After finishing breakfast, Dao Li tidied up the dishes while Zhang Xuan stood up and looked at Hong Yi. "Let¡¯s go!"


    "Ah, okay!" Hong Yi replied, still dazed as he followed Zhang Xuan out of the courtyard. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if everything he had just experienced was real.


    However, after the initial shock passed, a strong sense of joy reced it. Initially, he thought he was just lucky to have found a teacher who would guide him to gain more knowledge and quickly be stronger. But now, he realized that yesterday¡¯s seemingly small opportunity was the beginning of something much bigger!


    This teacher was not only extraordinary, but there was also a good chance that he was a hidden master! Perhaps, to avoid attracting attention, he deliberately disguised himself as a mere groom...


    Otherwise, why would the City Lord push his own daughter to study under him, and why would the dean go out of his way to support him, even breaking the rules?


    Hong Yi made up his mind to cherish this opportunity and not let it slip away.


    Because it wasn¡¯t a public lecture, the ssroom was quiet, with no curious onlookers outside. When they entered, the ssroom had been cleaned and looked brand new.


    "Teacher Zhang!"


    Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue had already arrived and stood up as Zhang Xuan entered.


    Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction. "Since you have all sessfully ignited your furnaces, today I will teach you how to cultivate in the Energy Storing Realm. But first, each of you should perform a set of boxing techniques, so I can assess your strength and better understand your true capabilities."


    "Boxing techniques?" The three students exchanged confused nces.


    "By seeing your power in action, I can better understand your level and tailor my teaching to your needs," Zhang Xuan exined.


    Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue were enlightened, especially thetter, who showed a hint of doubt. This kind of approach was something their previous teachers never used. Could it be that this "auxiliary teacher" really had some skills?


    "I¡¯ll go first!" Liu Mingyue stepped forward, her voice clear.


    Her punches were powerful, apanied by strong gusts of wind. As the daughter of the Liu family patriarch, each of her moves was precise and full of strength. Even without using the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path, it was clear that her foundation was solid.


    Zhang Xuan focused his mind, and a book appeared in his consciousness.


    "Liu Mingyue, daughter of Liu Tianzheng, the Liu family patriarch in White Roc City. Early stage of the Energy Storing Realm."


    "Cultivation Technique: Frost Thousand-Seeking Technique."


    ...


    "ws: Thirty-one in total. The first w is a sensitive nature prone to overthinking, yet practicing a rigid and structured technique that suppresses her natural disposition, leading to low enthusiasm for cultivation. The second w is..."


    The book was filled with detailed ws, rted to both her personality and the errors in her understanding of her cultivation.


    After reading through this information, Zhang Xuan gently grasped the knowledge, and dozens of books formed by Heaven¡¯s Fate Source Energy burned within him. The next moment, a small, naked figure resembling Liu Mingyue appeared, sitting cross-legged nearby. Soon after, a series of cultivation paths shed continuously.


    Heaven¡¯s Path Order was deducing techniques.


    In the blink of an eye, a book without a title appeared in Zhang Xuan¡¯s hand¡ªit was the most suitable Energy Storing Realm cultivation technique for Liu Mingyue.


    Although it hadn¡¯t reached the level of Heaven¡¯s Path, it was still one of the top techniques.


    Returning from his mental library, Zhang Xuan saw that Liu Mingyue had just finished herst move and was preparing to test her strength on the apparatus.


    Buzz!


    The apparatus buzzed softly, and a number appeared: 0.4.


    "Not bad..." Zhang Xuan nodded.


    The number indicated horsepower¡ªa unit representing the full strength of a mature horse. A typical, untrained adult man generally had about 0.15 horsepower, while a woman might have around 0.1. Liu Mingyue, despite being only in the early stage of the Energy Storing Realm, had already achieved 0.4 horsepower, nearly three times that of an average man. Though she seemed prone to crying, her foundation was undeniably strong, and her talent was high.


    After Liu Mingyue finished, Hong Yi stepped forward.


    His punches were visibly less refined, and his score was only 0.2 horsepower, slightly above the strength of an average person. This was after lighting a top-grade furnace and cultivating for a night; otherwise, the difference would have been even greater.


    Quickly, the Heaven¡¯s Path Order deduced a suitable technique for Hong Yi as well.


    Finally, after the first two had finished, Yu Xiaoyu stepped up, her bells jingling as she moved gracefully to the front of the ss.


    "Teacher... I¡¯m ready!" she announced just as she noticed Zhang Xuan frowning and seemingly lost in thought. Hesitant, she asked, "Should I proceed?"


    "Yes, go ahead!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand, though there was a trace of helplessness in his eyes.


    Since yesterday, he had consumed all the Heaven¡¯s Fate Source Energy in the Library of Heaven''s Path while forming Heaven¡¯s Path techniques and finding ws in the wild horses he tamed. Now, he had no energy left¡ªnot even to create a single book. This meant that even if Yu Xiaoyu demonstrated her boxing techniques and continued her cultivation, no new books with her ws would be generated. Without those, how could he teach her effectively?


    He couldn¡¯t exactly teach two of the students today and tell the third to wait until tomorrow! But without a suitable technique tailored to her needs, teaching carelessly could lead to problems, especially given the dense and potent Source Energy involved, which was far more powerful than the spiritual energy he was used to.


    For a moment, Zhang Xuan wasn¡¯t sure what to do.


    ...


    Outside White Rock Academy, Chen Hao and his twockeys, Zhou Qingkai and Wang Yuxing, were waiting early in the morning.


    As time passed with no sign of anyone arriving, Chen Hao grew impatient. "We¡¯re running out of time. I¡¯ll go intercept that auxiliary teacher and find a way to force him to make today¡¯s lesson public. You two wait here for my father and the Liu patriarch. As soon as they arrive, bring them over immediately and help me expose his lies in front of everyone!"


    Zhou Qingkai and Wang Yuxing bowed. "Understood!"


    Inside the ssroom, as Zhang Xuan was lost in thought, Yu Xiaoyu finished her routine, and the apparatus buzzed again, showing her score: 0.42.


    It was slightly higher than Liu Mingyue¡¯s, which left thetter surprised and a bit disgruntled.


    Without Heaven¡¯s Fate Source Energy, Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t generate books, but as a Master Teacher with the Insight Eye, he could still discern most of the issues in their cultivation. However, deducing a suitable technique without Heaven¡¯s Fate Source Energy was beyond his current ability.


    Hepared the techniques generated for Liu Mingyue and Hong Yi. The former¡¯s was more refined, while thetter¡¯s was more basic.


    If Hong Yi was an average student, then Liu Mingyue was like an Olympiad participant. Therefore, even when teaching the same subject, the content had to be differentiated. Otherwise, the material would either be too difficult for some or a waste of time for others.


    "Since I¡¯m not yet clear on Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s situation, today I¡¯ll teach them the basic knowledge and methods for refining their meridians. Tomorrow, once I find some Heaven¡¯s Fate Source Energy and generate the corresponding techniques, I¡¯ll teach them individually," Zhang Xuan thought, having made up his mind. He looked up at the three students. "I now have a good understanding of each of your situations. Let¡¯s begin your Energy Storing Realm training."


    "Yes, Teacher!" the three students responded, sitting attentively, eager to learn.


    Zhang Xuan nodded in approval of their attitude and began exining. "The Energy Storing Realm is the process of gathering strength. The pure Source Energy refined by your furnace is stored in your Source Pool and used to temper your meridians,ying the foundation for the Body Tempering Realm..."


    He exined that while the speed of refining Source Energy depended on the quality of their furnaces, the effectiveness of meridian tempering was closely rted to the cultivation technique used. A technique that suited one¡¯s constitution would yield twice the result with half the effort, allowing the practitioner to quicklyplete the umtion and progress to the Body Tempering Realm. In contrast, an unsuitable technique would lead to slow progress, akin to being stuck in a quagmire.


    "I will now exin some basic methods for refining your meridians. You should test your own meridian limits, and when you reach them, let me know so I can create a personalized technique for you," Zhang Xuan instructed.


    "Personalized technique?" Liu Mingyue and Yu Xiaoyu exchanged nces, both startled. "Does that mean the teacher won¡¯t be teaching us the academy¡¯s Returning Energy umtion Technique?"


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. "That technique has too many ws. How could it be worthy of my students?"


    Although these students weren¡¯t his direct disciples, Zhang Xuan, as a Master Teacher, took his responsibility seriously. He would never allow his students to learn something wed, even if it meant more work for him. A teacher must never mislead their students!


    Without further exnation, Zhang Xuan continued, "Let¡¯s begin with the basics. The Source Energy refined by your furnace is much more docile, but the human meridians are delicate and often blocked, like channels clogged with silt. Refining the meridians is essentially a process of clearing out this silt..."


    "If the silt is forcibly pushed through, it can cause a blockage, hindering future progress. Therefore, I advocate for three things to do and three things not to do..."


    "First, control the energy as a thin thread, guiding it through the blocked areas..."


    Zhang Xuan quickly and thoroughly exined the foundational techniques of the Energy Storing Realm that had been derived in the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path.


    Liu Mingyue and Yu Xiaoyu were both astonished.


    As daughters of noble families, although they hadn¡¯t yet cultivated the Energy Storing Realm techniques, they had been exposed to such knowledge before. This was the first time they had heard such a detailed and logical exnation.


    "It must be something he¡¯s made up to fool us!" Liu Mingyue scoffed inwardly, her eyes showing a hint of disdain. "What could a auxiliary teacher possibly know?"


    However, this thought didn¡¯tst long before doubt crept in. "Some of what he said actually makes sense... I guess I¡¯ll try it secretly and see how it works. But I¡¯ll still pretend not to understand anything to frustrate him!"


    With this in mind, Liu Mingyue raised her chin defiantly, feigning a confused expression while secretly following Zhang Xuan¡¯s instructions.


    She began by guiding the refined Source Energy along a meridian near her Source Pool, the first ce where Source Warriors typically start tempering. ording to the usual method, the practitioner would control the Source Energy to repeatedly flush through the narrow channel, much like forcing water through a clogged pipe to clear it.


    However, Zhang Xuan¡¯s method involved controlling the Source Energy as a fine thread, guiding it gently through the meridian to first identify the areas where the silt had umted. Once these were mapped out, a specific technique could be used to clear each blockage.


    Following Zhang Xuan¡¯s method, Liu Mingyue quickly identified all the blockages in her meridian¡ªthree distinct types, just as Zhang Xuan had described. She then applied his technique to clear one of the blockages.


    Boom!


    The meridian vibrated slightly, and the blockage was cleared instantly. The previously weak meridian now felt much stronger.


    "His method seems to work... but it¡¯s just clearing blockages. It shouldn¡¯t be that significant!" Liu Mingyue was shocked that Zhang Xuan¡¯s method had actually worked but quickly dismissed its importance.


    Although she knew about various cultivation methods, she had never practiced them herself. This meant her knowledge was theoretical, without practical experience. Since Zhang Xuan¡¯s technique had cleared the blockage so easily, she assumed other methods would be just as effective.


    But it didn¡¯t matter¡ªshe would clear her meridians first and deal with the restter. Even if Zhang Xuan¡¯s technique was useful, she nned to act as if she didn¡¯t understand a thing. What could he do about it?


    With that in mind, Liu Mingyue continued to act confused while diligently following Zhang Xuan¡¯s instructions, ying both sides.


    Yu Xiaoyu, on the other hand, was feeling conflicted.


    Although she didn¡¯t know much about Energy Storing Realm techniques, her upbringing in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion had given her a strong ability to discern quality. It seemed that Zhang Xuan¡¯s method was indeed superior to the Returning Energy umtion Technique. However, she wasn¡¯t sure if it couldpare to the Five Directions umtion Technique her father had mentioned.


    "It probably can¡¯t. My father said that the Five Directions umtion Technique is the most advanced technique in White Roc City, unmatched by any other. Since that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t bother with this method," Yu Xiaoyu concluded.


    She decided to wait until her father taught her the superior technique, thinking there was no need to learn a weaker one only to switchter. So, she pretended to understand while quietly deciding not to practice what Zhang Xuan taught.

 Chapter 76: Zhang Xuan Was Completely Stumped

    Chapter 76: Zhang Xuan Was Completely Stumped


    Each of the two girls had their own thoughts, so neither of them paid much attention during the lesson. On the other hand, Hong Yi, who was encountering this material for the first time, listened intently with glowing eyes, absorbing Zhang Xuan¡¯s every word and slowly digesting the information.


    "Alright, that¡¯s all for now. How much have you remembered? And how much have you learned?" Zhang Xuan asked with a smile as he looked at Hong Yi.


    Among the three students, Hong Yi had the least exposure to cultivation and the worst talent, almost like a rural child encountering advanced mathematics for the first timepletely overwhelmed.


    "Teacher Zhang!" Hong Yi replied with an embarrassed and ashamed expression. "I... I only remember about thirty percent!"


    "Thirty percent?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback, but then his eyes lit up. "Your talent may not be great, but your memory is impressive. Thirty percent is more than enough. Do you want to try cultivating?"


    Even though he had only taught the basics, the content was distilled from the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path and contained profound principles. Most people would be lucky to remember ten percent on their first hearing. Even back when Zhao Ya and Wang Ying were learning, they didn¡¯t retain more than that. For Hong Yi to remember thirty percent was quite remarkable. Initially, Zhang Xuan thought this student might not achieve much in the future, but now it seemed there was potential after all. A strong memory was a talent in itself, much like his own ability to remember everything he read and grasp concepts instantly.


    "And what about you two?" Zhang Xuan asked the two girls after considering Hong Yi''s progress.


    "I... I didn¡¯t understand a single word, and I don¡¯t know anything!" Liu Mingyue responded, feigning a confused expression."Didn¡¯t understand a single word?" Zhang Xuan¡¯s joy from a moment ago faded.


    ¡®Even the student with the worst talent, Hong Yi, had managed to retain thirty percent, but you im you didn¡¯t understand a single word? And yet, you were able to absorb 24 streams of Heaven¡¯s Fate Source Energy, bing the third-ranked student in the entire academy? How is that possible?¡¯


    "Yes, I really didn¡¯t understand anything. Teacher Zhang, could you exin it to me again?" Liu Mingyue said, pretending to be anxious, though she was inwardly sneering. Let¡¯s see how frustrated I can make you!


    "And you?" Zhang Xuan asked, deciding not to waste time on Liu Mingyue, whose poor performance had made him reconsider giving her a personalized cultivation technique. Instead, he turned to Yu Xiaoyu.


    "Teacher, I understood everything and have fully grasped it," Yu Xiaoyu replied confidently, her expression resolute.


    "Understood everything? Fully grasped it?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.


    He had only taken on three students, yet they were all so different. He was starting to feel out of his depth.


    "Yes!" Yu Xiaoyu nodded firmly. Her father had told her to show respect andprehension for everything Teacher Zhang taught, so she spoke with absolute conviction, without any hesitation.


    ¡®Besides, it¡¯s just basic cultivation. When I learn the Five Directions umtion Technique from my father, it will far surpass anything Teacher Zhang taught. He can take the credit for itter and be happy!¡¯


    "Not bad, not bad!" Zhang Xuan was pleased with her response. He saw her understanding as a sign of excellent aptitude, almost approaching one-tenth of his own. If she continued to diligently cultivate,bining her talent of 27 streams of Heaven¡¯s Fate Source Energy with her peak-grade furnace, she could quickly break through to the Energy Storing Realm and even the higher realms, bing the undisputed top freshman.


    "Since you¡¯ve understood everything, start cultivating over there. I¡¯ll check your progresster and see if you can temper a few more meridians today," Zhang Xuan instructed, waving her to the side.


    "Yes, Teacher!" Yu Xiaoyu obediently moved to the side and sat cross-legged.


    ¡®Cultivate? No thanks. I can¡¯t just cultivate any random technique. What if it conflicts with the Five Directions umtion Technique my father will teach me? That would be a huge loss!¡¯ She thought to herself. ¡®As for the inspection, it¡¯s not like one ss will result in significant progress anyway. Even if I only temper one meridian, it won¡¯t be enough to make a noticeable difference. I can just say whatever I want when the timees¡ªthere¡¯s no way he can check!¡¯


    Seeing how cooperative she was, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Liu Mingyue. "As for you, I¡¯ll exin the lesson again. Try to grasp as much as you can. If you still can¡¯t understand, then perhaps you¡¯re not suited to be my student."


    "Really?" Liu Mingyue¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement, her fists clenched in anticipation. ¡®I didn¡¯t even have to ask, and he¡¯s already suggesting it... This is perfect!¡¯


    Zhang Xuan frowned. "What¡¯s with that reaction? Are you happy about not being my student?"


    "Uh... no, Teacher, please start the lesson. I¡¯ll work hard this time!" Liu Mingyue quickly deflected, trying to cover her tracks.


    "Hmm!" Zhang Xuan nodded, preparing to repeat the lesson when a loud voice suddenly came from outside the ssroom.


    "Teacher Zhang Xuan, we students also want to hear your exnation on the Energy Storing Realm. May we join?"


    Before the voice had even finished, the tightly shut door creaked open, and Chen Hao entered with dozens of students in tow. Zhou Qingkai and Wang Yuxing were not with him, likely still waiting outside for the arrival of Chen Xiao and Liu Tianzheng.


    "Join the ss?" Zhang Xuan frowned and waved them off. "This isn¡¯t a public lecture. The content is only for my students. Please leave!"


    This was a small, private ss, not arge lecture, so he naturally didn¡¯t allow other students to join. Allowing them to stay would vite his privacy and potentially cause more problems. What if these students listened and then decided to leave their original teachers? That could create unnecessary conflicts.


    Most importantly, as a teacher, he had the right to decide who he taught and when. Chen Hao had been causing trouble for him since yesterday, even publicly challenging him. Although Chen Hao had knelt and apologized, his defiant attitude had clearly not been resolved.


    "Leave? Hmph! I bet Teacher Zhang is afraid of making mistakes and getting exposed, right?" Chen Hao sneered.


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression darkened. "Mistakes? Exposed?"


    Chen Hao looked around the room. "You all may not know this, but yesterday, it was the dean who ignited Hong Yi¡¯s peak-grade furnace, not Teacher Zhang. He just happened to be standing there and took the credit!"


    "Now that you mention it, that seems likely!"


    "Yeah, who ignites a furnace without pressing on the stomach?"


    "So, we¡¯ve been deceived all along. This guy isn¡¯t fit to be a teacher!"


    Hearing this, the students who had followed Chen Hao began to gossip among themselves.


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes narrowed. "Do you have any proof? If you make such usations without evidence, you know the consequences, right?"


    "Proof? That¡¯s easy... You¡¯ve been teaching for a while now, right? Let¡¯s ask them if they¡¯ve learned anything," Chen Hao scoffed, turning to Liu Mingyue with a smile. "Mingyue, did you learn anything from Teacher Zhang¡¯s lesson just now? Can you exin it to us? The truth will be clear once you speak!"


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes narrowed further.


    Liu Mingyue hadn¡¯t understood a thing. Asking her to exin would likely confirm Chen Hao¡¯s usation. Considering this, Zhang Xuan turned his attention to Yu Xiaoyu, who had imed to have understood everything.


    While Zhang Xuan preferred to keep a low profile, he couldn¡¯t allow his students to be embarrassed in public. Chen Hao was clearly here to cause trouble, and if Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t handle this well, more students might try to undermine him in the future.


    Low profile and weakness are not the same.


    Of course, Zhang Xuan knew Chen Hao was a senior student but was unaware that he was also the son of the Chen family patriarch. If he had known, Zhang Xuan might have handled the situation differently, possibly using his status as a guest elder tomand respect.


    With this thought in mind, Zhang Xuan looked at Chen Hao coldly. "You¡¯ve been trying to cause trouble for me because of Liu Mingyue, right? Do you like her?"


    Zhang Xuan could easily see through the young man''s infatuation without needing the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path.


    Exposed in front of everyone, Chen Hao¡¯s face turned red. "I just don¡¯t want someone as talented as Mingyue to be held back by an ipetent teacher! And besides, what does my personal feelings have to do with asking her to exin what she learned?"


    "What do you think?" Zhang Xuan replied coldly.


    In truth, Zhang Xuan could have simply thrown Chen Hao out of the ssroom, and no one would have dared to object. However, doing so wouldn¡¯t clear his name and might even cause further misunderstandings. Since that was the case, it was better to settle everything now.


    Chen Hao looked around and then at Yu Xiaoyu. "Then let¡¯s ask Miss Yu to exin. As the City Lord¡¯s daughter, she wouldn¡¯t lie or cover for anyone."


    Seeing that Chen Hao had chosen Yu Xiaoyu, Zhang Xuan rxed. It seemed this situation was under control.


    "Me?" Yu Xiaoyu felt her heart skip a beat.


    During the lesson, she had been preupied with thoughts of the technique her father would teach herter, so she hadn¡¯t paid much attention. Besides, the Heaven¡¯s Path techniques were hard to understand, and she hadn¡¯t grasped even one percent of the material.


    "Yes!" Chen Hao nodded.


    Seeing Yu Xiaoyu hesitate, Zhang Xuan looked over at her. "I know you¡¯ve fully understood and grasped the lesson, so don¡¯t be nervous. Just exin a few points."


    "Yes..." Yu Xiaoyu felt all eyes on her, and her previous confidence vanished. She bit her lip and stammered, trying to recall what little she could remember. "The Energy Storing Realm is... is the process of umting strength, using the furnace to refine pure Source Energy to temper the meridians... The method is to refine or not to refine..."


    "???" Zhang Xuan was stunned. His head felt like it was about to explode.


    What was going on? Just a moment ago, she confidently imed to have understood everything, but now her exnation waspletely disjointed and nonsensical.


    "What are you doing?" Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow.


    Realizing she couldn¡¯t continue, Yu Xiaoyu lowered her head in shame, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes. "Teacher, I¡¯m sorry. I... I can¡¯t exin it..."


    "Hahaha! I knew it!" Unlike Zhang Xuan, who was dumbfounded, and Yu Xiaoyu, who was flustered, Chen Hao burst intoughter.


    He had thought Yu Xiaoyu might cover for Zhang Xuan by repeating something she had learned before. But to his surprise, she couldn¡¯t exin anything at all. This clearly showed that Zhang Xuan was ipetent and had taught nothing of value. Even the City Lord¡¯s daughter couldn¡¯t save him.


    Feeling triumphant, Chen Hao looked around at the other students. "Everyone, you can see for yourselves! This so-called teacher can¡¯t even teach a basic cultivation technique. How could he be qualified to instruct anyone? He¡¯s nothing but a fraud!"


    "That¡¯s right! The Returning Energy umtion Technique is straightforward. If the teacher had properly taught it, even a brief lesson would allow the student to exin the basics. But this girl, who¡¯s the second-best talent in White Roc City, can¡¯t even form aplete sentence..."


    "It¡¯s clear this teacher didn¡¯t teach anything of substance!"


    "Chen Hao, you¡¯re amazing! You saw through his ruse right away!"


    The dozens of students who had followed Chen Hao began voicing their agreement, their disdain for Zhang Xuan evident.


    He had been exposed as a fraud, and now everyone knew it.


    "Cui Xu, go fetch the dean and exin the situation in detail," Chen Hao ordered, sensing victory.


    To have Zhang Xuan dismissed and get revenge for yesterday¡¯s humiliation, he needed the dean to witness this firsthand. Only then could he ensure Zhang Xuan would be expelled.


    "Yes!" A student hurried out of the room.


    Ignoring this, Zhang Xuan turned back to Yu Xiaoyu. "What happened? Didn¡¯t you say you understood everything?"


    "I... I can¡¯t exin it..." Yu Xiaoyu wished she could disappear into the ground.


    If she had known things would turn out like this, she would have paid more attention during the lesson. Now, not only had she failed to learn anything, but she had also embarrassed her teacher.


    "Forget it..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    Different people have different strengths. Some are good at exining, while others are better at practicing. Yu Xiaoyu seemed to be thetter. As long as she could cultivate effectively, the usations would naturally fall apart.


    Just as Zhang Xuan was about to say this, the ssroom door opened again, and Dean Lu Mingrong, along with several elders, entered.


    "Chen Hao, as a student, who gave you the right to barge into an ongoing lesson?" Dean Lu reprimanded.


    Lu Mingrong and the elders had hoped for a day off, thinking that Zhang Xuan¡¯s private lesson wouldn¡¯t require their help. But now, they had been summoned because of an usation that Zhang Xuancked the ability to teach... How absurd! Zhang Xuan had ignited a peak-grade furnace using the blood of a worthless bird and a turtle. How could anyone think he was incapable of teaching?


    "Dean, elders... I¡¯ve found evidence proving that Teacher Zhang is misleading his students. I ask for your judgment!" Chen Hao boldly stepped forward, knowing his father would arrive soon. He was confident in his usation and wasn¡¯t afraid of the consequences.


    Dean Lu¡¯s eyes narrowed. "What evidence? If you don¡¯t have any, you know the consequences, right?"


    Chen Hao nodded. "Of course! Just now, Teacher Zhang taught a lesson on the Energy Storing Realm. But when I asked Miss Yu to exin what she learned, she couldn¡¯t say anything! This clearly shows that Teacher Zhang doesn¡¯t even know the basics of the Returning Energy umtion Technique! If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask them yourselves."


    Dean Lu turned to the two girls. "Is this true? Were you really unable to exin what you learned? I hope you¡¯ll be honest. If I find out anyone lied, they¡¯ll be expelled immediately, no matter who they are."


    His words were backed by a powerful mental force, which made the girls feel as if they were being scrutinized under a spotlight. Although Dean Lu hadn¡¯t reached the Divine Soul Realm, his spiritual power was strong enough to detect any lies.


    "Well..." Yu Xiaoyu hadn¡¯t even responded when Liu Mingyue, despite her reluctance, couldn¡¯t help but speak up. "Teacher Zhang did teach us about refining or not refining in the Energy Storing Realm."


    "The first method is to control the energy as a thread, prating the obstacles in the meridians."


    "The second method..."


    "The third method..."


    "What technique is this?"


    "It sounds interesting..."


    The elders frowned in thought.


    Liu Mingyue had only remembered about one-fifth of what was taught, so the elders couldn¡¯t fully grasp the depth of the technique. They could tell it was different from the academy¡¯s Returning Energy umtion Technique, but they couldn¡¯t gauge its effectiveness orplexity based on the limited exnation.


    "???" Zhang Xuan was just as surprised.


    ¡®Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t understand a single word and couldn¡¯t exin anything? Howe you¡¯re now reciting the lesson perfectly, almost word for word?¡¯


    One student imed to understand but couldn¡¯t exin anything. Another imed not to understand but could recite almost everything...


    ¡®What¡¯s going on with you two?¡¯

 Chapter 77: Liu Mingyue’s Explaination

    Chapter 77: Liu Mingyue¡¯s Exination


    Unable to contain himself any longer, Zhang Xuan turned to look at his two female students.


    Just a moment ago, Yu Xiaoyu, who had imed to understand everything, now appearedpletely bewildered, while Liu Mingyue, who had seemed utterly confused earlier, was now eloquently exining the lesson.


    She even urately described a part of the cultivation method!


    Zhang Xuan furrowed his brows tightly.


    Had he misheard earlier? Could it be that it was actually Liu Mingyue who had said she understood, and Yu Xiaoyu who imed she didn¡¯t?


    As Zhang Xuan was doubting himself, not far away, Chen Hao was also feelingpletely thrown off.


    Didn¡¯t Liu Mingyue dislike this teacher and not want to be his student? Why was she suddenly helping him? And why did she remember his teachings so clearly?


    Chen Hao felt like a clown who had been backstabbed by the very person he was trying to help."Chen Hao, do you think Miss Liu might be deliberately trying to help Zhang Xuan save face? Maybe she¡¯s just reciting some old cultivation method she memorized earlier, rather than what he actually taught?" a student suggested from the crowd.


    "That¡¯s possible! Otherwise, why would this so-called teacher avoid teaching the basic Returning Energy umtion Technique and instead use a method we¡¯ve never heard of?" another student agreed.


    "Yeah!" Chen Hao¡¯s eyes lit up. "That must be it! Otherwise, how could Yu Xiaoyu not remember a single word, while Liu Mingyue recalls so much?"


    With this idea in mind, Chen Hao shouted, "Miss Liu, just tell the truth. There¡¯s no need to cover for him..."


    "Cover for what?" Liu Mingyue rolled her eyes at Chen Hao.


    Although she didn¡¯t like Zhang Xuan and didn¡¯t want to be his student, she wasn¡¯t the type to lie or make false usations. The reason she recited the method was simply because it was urate and she wanted to be truthful.


    Just as she was about to speak, Yu Xiaoyu, who had been fuming in frustration, suddenly spoke up, "No, that¡¯s exactly what Teacher Zhang taught!"


    Chen Hao was quick to challenge her, "Then why don¡¯t you exin it? If you can recite it as urately as Miss Liu, I¡¯ll admit that Teacher Zhang really taught this method."


    "I..." Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s face turned red. She hadn¡¯t been paying attention during the lesson and couldn¡¯t recall much, let alone exin it.


    "I¡¯ll do it!" Hong Yi stepped forward, his voice clear and confident. "Teacher Zhang¡¯s exnation was even more detailed than what Miss Liu said. After the three dos and three don¡¯ts, he mentioned that cultivation should not be rushed, that Source Energy can be guided but not forced, and the specific steps are as follows..."


    Hong Yi had an excellent memory, and as he began to recount the lesson, his exnation was even moreprehensive than Liu Mingyue¡¯s. Every word aligned perfectly with Zhang Xuan¡¯s original teaching, leaving no doubt that this was indeed what had been taught.


    Upon hearing this, Dean Lu Mingrong, who had been observing the situation, quickly intervened to stop Hong Yi from revealing too much of the lesson¡¯s content. He then turned to Chen Hao, his expression stern.


    "Hong Yi didn¡¯t have the opportunity to ess any cultivation techniques before ss, and he certainly couldn¡¯t have conspired with Miss Liu just to uphold Teacher Zhang¡¯s reputation. Chen Hao, do you have anything to say now?"


    "I..." Chen Hao¡¯s face turned pale.


    He knew Hong Yi well, having handpicked him from the crowd yesterday. He was certain that Hong Yi had no ess to such techniques and wasn¡¯t involved in any plot with Liu Mingyue. This meant that what Zhang Xuan had taught was genuine.


    But how could this be? How could someone who was merely a stable hand just days ago suddenly be able to teach advanced cultivation methods, especially one that even he, Chen Hao, hadn¡¯t heard of?


    Desperate to salvage the situation, Chen Hao grasped at straws. "This technique... It¡¯s too obscure andplex. It must be something Zhang Xuan made up to sound impressive. It can¡¯t possibly be effective!"


    There were schrs and philosophers who purposely made their teachings sound profound and difficult to understand, just to seem superior. Chen Hao suspected Zhang Xuan was doing the same¡ªthrowing out a technique that sounded impressive but was ultimately useless. After all, neither Yu Xiaoyu nor Liu Mingyue had any ns to actually practice it.


    Dean Lu frowned at this. Indeed, some of the terms in the technique sounded abstract, making it hard to determine whether it was truly effective or just empty words. However, as an experienced educator, he knew better than to judge a method without seeing it in practice.


    But before he could say anything, Chen Hao pressed on. "Dean Lu, I¡¯m only concerned about the academy¡¯s reputation. Miss Yu and Miss Liu are two of the most talented students in White Roc City. If their education ispromised by an unqualified teacher, it would be a great loss for the academy."


    Dean Lu felt frustrated. He couldn¡¯t outright tell Chen Hao the truth¡ªthat Zhang Xuan was a hidden genius whose methods would eventually prove to be invaluable. At the same time, he couldn¡¯t allow Chen Hao¡¯s usations to go unchallenged.


    "What do you suggest, then?" Dean Lu asked, though he was already nning to have Chen Hao dismissed once this matter was resolved. He couldn¡¯t afford to let someone so disruptive remain at the academy, especially if it risked alienating Zhang Xuan.


    "It¡¯s simple. Since the three students have already learned the technique, they should be able to cultivate with it. The first time meridians are exposed to Source Energy, the progress is the most noticeable. If their strength increases, then the method is valid. If not, then it¡¯s just nonsense," Chen Hao proposed, his eyes gleaming as he looked at Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue. "We know their previous strength levels from the Source Pool assessment. If there¡¯s no improvement, it will be clear that the technique is useless."


    Elder He Qin, who had overseen the assessments, recalled the results clearly. "Yes, I remember. Miss Yu Xiaoyu had 0.42 horsepower, Miss Liu had 0.4, and Hong Yi had 0.2."


    Chen Hao¡¯s smile widened. "Perfect. Just this morning, I saw Miss Yu cultivating. Even if the progress is small, there should be some change. Miss Yu, would you mind testing your strength again?"


    "I..." Yu Xiaoyu hesitated.


    "Go ahead and try," Zhang Xuan encouraged her, confident in the power of the Heaven¡¯s Path technique. Even a basic application should yield significant results.


    So, he was one hundred percent confident. This time, it was truly a sure thing.


    "Um..." Yu Xiaoyu looked conflicted. After struggling for a moment, she showed a face that looked like she was about to cry. "I''m sorry, Teacher Zhang. I was just pretending earlier... I actually didn''t cultivate at all!"


    "You didn''t cultivate?" Zhang Xuan was puzzled.


    ¡®Then why did you act like you understood everything and had it all figured out? Your emotions were all on point... Were you just ying around?¡¯


    ¡®It was the samest time when you lit the furnace. Everyone thought you had seeded, but it turned out you were just pretending. And now, it''s happening again... I think you should stop being called Yu Xiaoyu and start being called Pretender Yu!¡¯


    "Yes..." Yu Xiaoyu lowered her head in shame, feeling like she wanted to die.


    Last time, she listened to her father''s advice and didn''t trust this teacher, making a fool of herself in front of thousands of teachers and students. This time, it was the same, with the only difference being that there were far fewer people watching her make a fool of herself...


    "You two didn¡¯t cultivate either, did you?" Zhang Xuan sighed, looking at Liu Mingyue and Hong Yi.


    One didn¡¯t understand, and the other just memorized without understanding. Upon closer thought, they were probably in the same boat as Yu Xiaoyu...


    "We didn¡¯t," Liu Mingyue nodded.


    Hong Yi¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment. "I''m sorry, Teacher. If it¡¯s not toote, we can start cultivating now..."


    If I hadn¡¯t been focused on memorizing earlier and had cultivated for even a little bit, maybe the teacher wouldn¡¯t have been humiliated...


    "No need!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand to stop him and pointed to the strength-measuring formation not far away. "Just go ahead and measure your strength!"


    "Measure?" Hong Yi was stunned, afraid he had misunderstood. He looked around cautiously and saw that everyone seemed equally confused, while Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes were wide with shock.


    They had all admitted they hadn¡¯t cultivated, so what could they possibly measure?


    Was this just going to be another embarrassing spectacle?


    As the city lord¡¯s daughter stood there with a strange expression, she noticed Zhang Xuan waving at her from a distance.


    "You go first!" Zhang Xuan ordered.


    Yu Xiaoyu waved her hands frantically, almost on the verge of tears. "Teacher, I swear I''m telling the truth. I really didn¡¯t cultivate..."


    "I told you to try it, so just try it! Why are you wasting so much time talking?" Zhang Xuan frowned.


    Seeing how decisive he was, Yu Xiaoyu didn¡¯t dare to argue anymore. She gritted her teeth and walked up to the strength-measuring formation.


    She had already measured her strength once earlier this morning, so there shouldn¡¯t be any changes if she measured it again.


    "Why measure if you didn''t cultivate?"


    "Who knows? Maybe she''s just trying her luck, hoping to somehow beat her previous score!"


    "That strength-measuring formation tests overall strength. Do they really think putting in a little more effort will yield a higher score? If it were that easy, it wouldn''t deserve to be called a formation!"


    As Yu Xiaoyu stepped up despite admitting she hadn''t cultivated, murmurs of disbelief and mockery spread through the crowd. Everyone was watching her as if she were a joke, especially Chen Hao, who wore a sneering expression.


    As long as her score remained unchanged, he had plenty of ways to make Zhang Xuan lose face, avenging the humiliation he suffered the day before.


    "I... I''m starting!"


    Seeing all eyes on her, knowing she could no longer escape, Yu Xiaoyu gritted her teeth, gathered all her strength, closed her eyes, and threw a punch at the formation.


    Buzz!


    The formation buzzed softly, the air hummed, and a number appeared on the disy.


    Chen Hao''sugh echoed nearby, "It must still be 0.42 horsepower. How could her strength increase without cultivation... Huh? How is this possible?"


    "Could the formation be broken?"


    "What happened?"


    Surprised by the unexpected reactions, Yu Xiaoyu cautiously opened one eye and peeked at the disy. With just one nce, she was frozen in ce.


    The formation, which had disyed 0.42 horsepower before ss, now showed 0.5.


    In just a short time, her strength had increased by 0.08 horsepower¡ªnearly a 20% boost.


    Strength increased without any cultivation? How was that possible?


    Yu Xiaoyu was utterly bewildered. Others might question why she didn¡¯t practice the method Zhang Xuan taught, but having experienced it herself, she knew she was waiting for her father to teach her the superior Five Directions umtion Technique!


    She had barely paid attention to Zhang Xuan''s lesson, let alone cultivated, yet her strength had increased this much?


    As she stood there in shock, full of confusion, she noticed Zhang Xuan''s brows furrow with displeasure. "It seems you not only didn¡¯t cultivate at all, but you also weren¡¯t paying attention during my lesson..."


    "Yes..." Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s face flushed with shame, as if she had been stripped bare. She couldn¡¯t understand, "If I didn¡¯t cultivate, then why did my strength increase?"


    Without answering her, Zhang Xuan turned to the other girl. "Alright, Liu Mingyue, you go and measure your strength too!"


    "Me?" Liu Mingyue pointed at herself.


    She had remembered some of what Zhang Xuan taught and listened attentively during ss, but unlike Yu Xiaoyu, she genuinely hadn¡¯t cultivated.


    In her mind, Yu Xiaoyu was clearly pretending that she hadn¡¯t cultivated, just to show off in front of everyone...


    "Fine, if anyone¡¯s going to be embarrassed, it¡¯ll be you..." Liu Mingyue initially thought about refusing, but then realized that if her strength hadn¡¯t improved, it would be Zhang Xuan who¡¯d be humiliated. Deciding not to overthink it, she clenched her fist and struck the formation.


    Buzz!


    The formation buzzed again, and another number slowly appeared on the disy.


    "I said I didn¡¯t cultivate... Ah?"


    Before she could finish her sentence, Liu Mingyue¡¯s voice caught in her throat. Her eyes widened in disbelief.


    The strength that had previously measured 0.4 horsepower had now surged to 0.6¡ªa full 50% increase!


    "This..."


    Liu Mingyue wasn¡¯t the only one shocked; even Principal Lu Mingrong and the others were stunned.


    An increase of 50% in strength after just one session...


    Even sitting and cultivating continuously for three days wouldn¡¯t produce such a result!


    The most perplexing part was... both Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue insisted they hadn¡¯t cultivated.


    But how could their strength increase so much without cultivation?


    "This isn¡¯t right!"


    As everyone stood in shock, Zhang Xuan suddenly looked at Liu Mingyue. "Did you try controlling the Source Energy to temper your meridians, as I instructed?"


    "I, I..." Liu Mingyue nodded, feeling embarrassed. "I did control one thread of Source Energy and explored the path a bit. It took me less than half a cup of tea''s time..."


    "Just as I thought..."


    Understanding dawned on Zhang Xuan as he nodded. "That¡¯s why your improvement was greater than Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s, and your progress faster!"


    "Just by controlling the Source Energy and exploring the path for less than half a cup of tea¡¯s time... it caused a 50% increase in strength?"


    "Am I dreaming?"


    "The most unbelievable part is Yu Xiaoyu... She didn¡¯t even cultivate at all, not even explore the path, yet her strength increased by nearly 20%..."


    "What on earth is going on?"


    In an instant, everyone¡¯s eyes turned toward Zhang Xuan, staring at him as if he were some kind of monster.

 Chapter 78: Heavens Fate

    Chapter 78: Heaven''s Fate


    Ignoring the crowd''s gazes, Zhang Xuan kicked towards Hong Yi and said, "Your turn!"


    "Yes!" Although he hadn''t practiced the technique the teacher just mentioned, seeing the progress of Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue made Hong Yi eager to try. As soon as the teacher spoke, he immediately rushed to the strength-testing array. Taking a deep breath, he clenched his fist and struck it hard.


    The array activated, and lights flickered.


    Looking up, he saw that the previous number of 0.2 had turned into 0.4.


    It had doubled!


    Everyone''s eyelids twitched again, and even Lu Mingrong and the others stood with their mouths half open, looking as if they had seen a ghost.


    "It increased by one hundred percent..."


    "Could it be because his foundation was weak, so the increase is more noticeable?""Wrong, the weaker the foundation, the harder it is to make progress!"


    "It has nothing to do with that. Liu Mingyue and Yu Xiaoyu were simr, and their improvement was also significantly greater!"


    The Energy Storing Realm was indeed the stage where physical strength increases the fastest, but... to double in strength still required an enormous amount of time and effort. Normally, without a month of hard training, such an increase would be impossible!


    But this person, who only listened to a ss, without even practicing ording to what was taught, managed to double his strength... What kind of heaven-defying technique was this, and what kind of heaven-defying teacher?


    "This is impossible... I don''t believe such a thing could happen; they must have practiced beforehand and are just pretending they didn''t..." Chen Hao widened his eyes, feeling a bit crazed.


    He hade today specifically to expose this person, to prove that he couldn''t teach or train anyone, and to make him lose face. But instead of seeding, he ended up highlighting how profound and mysterious this auxiliary teacher was...


    "Hong Yi only ignited the Furnace yesterday, and his Source Pool level is still at the lowest Ninth Grade... Even if he started learning the technique then, who could possibly make his strength increase by 100% in just one night?" Wu Yunzhou flicked his sleeve, staring intently. "Can you do it?"


    "I..." Chen Hao''s face turned red, and he was speechless. Although his talent wasn''t as good as Liu Mingyue''s or Yu Xiaoyu''s, he wasn''t weak either. Even so, it took him 24 days to double his strength! And with that, he was still the top of his ss, receiving endless praise.


    "Teacher Zhang, what is going on? We clearly didn''t practice, just attended the ss. Why did our strength increase so much?" Staring at the numbers before him for a long time, Hong Yi finally turned to the teacher, who was only a few years older than him, with trembling lips.


    Hearing this, everyone present turned to look as well. To be honest, they were just as confused.


    "It''s Heavenly Tutge!" Zhang Xuan exined with a smile. "This is a unique ability of a Master Teacher. As long as the teachings directly point to the essence of cultivation without any errors, students can automatically cultivate just by listening to the exnation, without needing to practice on their own..."


    He had thought that this ability existed only on the Master Teacher Continent, but he hadn''t expected it to work in this Source World as well! That was why he had asked Yu Xiaoyu to test it.


    "Just by exining... students can cultivate automatically... This..."


    Everyone was shocked beyond words.


    Lu Mingrong and Wu Yunzhou, the two deans, exchanged nces, their pupils contracting simultaneously.


    "Could it be..."


    Wu Yunzhou clenched his fist, filled with horror.


    Lu Mingrong''s deliberately lowered voice was slightly hoarse: "That''s right, it''s Heaven''s Fate!"


    Wu Yunzhou nodded.


    Only this legendary Heaven''s Fate could allow students to cultivate just by listening, ignoring all rules of training...


    Could it be... that Zhang Xuan wasn''t just exceptionally talented, but also a natural-born Heaven''s Fate Master?


    If that were true, it would be terrifying!


    "We might have underestimated him..." Lu Mingrong whispered.


    After the Source Pool Assessment, they knew this person had a Saint Grade Source Pool and unmatched talent, and they thought they had grasped his capabilities. But now it seemed... there was much more to him!


    A Saint Grade Source Pool was indeed powerful, capable of easily reaching the ninth level of the Source Pool Realm, the Dharma Aspect Realm... But that was merely the starting point for a Heaven''s Fate Master!


    In this world, great strength and profound cultivation could bring fame and glory, but in the face of Heaven''s Fate, they were nothing.


    Life was singr; if someone could control your fate, you were nothing more than meat on a chopping block.


    Just like the ability Zhang Xuan just demonstrated: students didn''t need to cultivate on their own. With just a few words, the technique would activate automatically... If the technique suited their physique, it could increase their cultivation. But what if it didn''t? What if it was even contradictory?


    Could they explode just by listening to the lecture?


    This was Heaven''s Fate!


    You could control wealth, power, and countless lived in your lifetime, but you would never be able to control your own fate.


    The unknown was the most terrifying.


    But... while it was known that some people had high talent and that powerful experts could find their fate and be Heaven''s Fate Masters, it was the first time anyone had heard of someone born with Heaven''s Fate.


    Zhang Xuan, clearly unaware of the concept of Heaven''s Fate, could easily control it... What kind of talent was this?


    No matter how high they guessed, it wouldn''t be an exaggeration!


    "This matter is even more serious... If others find out he has this ability, I''m afraid our entire White Rock Academy would be implicated andpletely wiped out from the continent..." After the initial shock, Lu Mingrong looked at the vice-principal in front of him with a wry smile.


    "Fate is singr, and every Heaven''s Fate Master is like a hidden hunter in the jungle, never easily revealing their abilities. Otherwise... they would be too easily killed!"


    Swallowing hard, Wu Yunzhou''s face turned pale. "If someone else who also practices Heaven''s Fate finds out about Teacher Zhang, they might kill him to silence him. As for us, who know about it... we might not escape either."


    The more they learned about Zhang Xuan''s talent, the more they felt like they were trapped in an endless sentence...


    "As for the matter of Heaven''s Fate, no one here knows except you and me. Tell everyone not to reveal what happened today, and advise Teacher Zhang not to use this so-called ''Heavenly Tutge'' again, and we should be able to keep it hidden for a while..." Understanding his concern, Lu Mingrong suggested.


    Wu Yunzhou nodded in agreement.


    That would be best.


    It was just that it felt like the secrets they had to keep were piling up, to the point where they could barely handle them...


    Their conversation was very quiet, only loud enough for each other to hear. The others didn''t understand what was going on, but at this moment, Chen Hao, unable to hold back any longer, shouted, "Nonsense! You''re just blowing your own horn. How could there be such an ability? Dean Lu, he''s clearly making things up. Such a liar has no right to be a teacher! He should be expelled immediately!"??.


    "Expelled? Immediately?" Lu Mingrong''s eyelids twitched slightly as he nodded, "You''re right, starting today, you are expelled!"


    "Great, finally he''s expelled... Let''s see if you dare to humiliate me again..." Chen Hao burst intoughter, but before he could finish his sentence, he realized something was wrong. His face turned pale, and his lips trembled as he looked over, "Me?"


    Wasn''t Zhang Xuan the one to be expelled? He was, after all, the young master of the Chen family, one of the three major families, and a renowned genius in the academy, with talent second only to Yu Feng. He had a great chance of reaching the sixth or even seventh level of the Source Pool Realm in the future. To expel him over an auxiliary teacher? Was he hearing this right?


    "Yes, Vice Principal Wu, please handle this matter. Chen Hao, as a student, has repeatedly disrespected his superiors, ndered his teacher, and vited the rules of White Rock Academy. Effective immediately, issue the Dean''s Order and proceed with his expulsion!" Lu Mingrong waved his hand.


    "Using the Dean''s Order just to expel me?" Chen Hao''s face went white, filled with disbelief.


    The Dean''s Order is the highestmand in White Rock Academy, typically only issued in cases of extreme danger to the academy or during the fall of a dynasty. Once invoked, all teachers and students must strictly adhere to it, and it is also formallymunicated to the City Lord''s Mansion and the major families in White Roc City. It is a level of authority just below that of the City Lord''s Order and hadn''t been used in over a decade. To use it on him was equivalent to not just expulsion but total cklisting...


    Even as the only son of n Leader Chen Xiao, inheriting the n leader position would be almost impossible!


    "Yes!" Wu Yunzhou looked at him with sympathy and nodded, "Let''s go!"


    Offending a genius like Zhang Xuan might lead to expulsion, but offending someone with Heaven''s Fate... was far more serious.


    "Dean Lu, Vice Principal Wu, I... I was only concerned that Miss Liu and Miss Yu''s talents might be wasted due to poor teaching, and had no intention of ndering anyone..." Seeing that they were serious, Chen Hao lost all his earlier bravado and bit his lip. "How about this, I apologize to Teacher Zhang..."


    "Chen Hao, my dear, if we are in the right, we shouldn''t be afraid, so why apologize?" At that moment, a stern voice rang out, followed by the door opening as Liu Tianzheng, led by Wang Yuxing, strode in.


    "In the right?" Chen Hao, surprised that the head of the Liu family would appear and speak in his favor, felt his eyes well up with tears.


    Liu Tianzheng nodded, "I¡¯ve heard about the situation here. A mere auxiliary teacher not only forced Mingyue to be his disciple but also physically punished her. This is an unforgivable crime!"


    Not only were the people in the room stunned, but even Liu Mingyue herself was confused. She had only asked a servant to notify her father to retrieve the Dao Li; how did it turn into physical punishment?


    Liu Tianzheng quickly walked to his daughter''s side and carefully examined her face. Sure enough, he saw a slight redness that hadn''tpletely faded.


    His face flushed with anger. Unable to hold back any longer, he turned and red at Zhang Xuan, "You must be Zhang Xuan. I want to know what mistake Mingyue made that warranted such a heavy hand? If you don''t give a proper exnation today, the Liu family will not let this go!"


    "Are you referring to the injury on her face?" Zhang Xuan finally realized what he was talking about and turned to Liu Mingyue, "Are you sure this was caused by me?"


    "I..." Liu Mingyue''s face turned red, and she wished she could just hide. This was evidence of her trying to harm someone and ending up hurting herself. She was already embarrassed enough, but to be questioned in public¡ªhow could she admit it? She could only look at her father and say, "Dad, don''t talk nonsense. How could Teacher Zhang possibly have punished me?"


    Liu Tianzheng insisted, "You don''t need to cover for him! Chen Hao, my dear nephew, has already informed me about this matter. He made it very clear. I also saw it just now¡ªyour face is still swollen. If it wasn''t him, who else could it have been? Rest assured, I''m here today to stand up for you..."


    Seeing her father''s righteous indignation, Liu Mingyue was almost in tears. This wasn¡¯t standing up for her; this was exposing her attempt to frame the teacher!


    "Chen Hao!" Growing more frustrated, she turned to the young man not far away, gritting her teeth, "Can you stop spouting nonsense?"


    Misunderstood by the girl he admired, Chen Hao hurried to exin, "I saw you go to Teacher Zhang and thene back injured, so I assumed it was him who hurt you..."


    "You assumed? You assume a lot!" Liu Mingyue snorted coldly, "The injury on my face was caused by my own clumsiness. What does it have to do with Teacher Zhang? Stop making false usations!"


    "I''m sorry..." Chen Hao wanted to cry. He had just imed he hadn''t intended to nder Teacher Zhang, and now here was direct evidence contradicting him. What was this? Did he think being expelled by the Dean''s Order wasn¡¯t enough?


    "Chen Hao, if we are in the right, we shouldn¡¯t be afraid!" Seeing Chen Hao¡¯s trembling lips as he tried to exin, Liu Tianzheng cut him off again, "Even if this Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t punish you, it''s still a fact that he unjustly demanded a disciple''s gift and took our Liu family''s Dao Li for himself, isn¡¯t it?"


    Zhang Xuan frowned, "When Liu Mingyue became my disciple, everyone was present. If you are unclear, you can ask them..."


    Liu Tianzheng paused, looking around.


    There were over thirty people in the room, including teachers and students. If all of them were present, then even if this Zhang Xuan were out of his mind, he wouldn''t dare to openly demand a disciple''s gift...


    "There were over a thousand people there at the time; it''s still early!" Seeing his hesitation, Elder He Qin chuckled softly.


    Realizing that his information might be off, Liu Tianzheng turned to her, "What''s going on?"


    Elder He Qin exined, "At that time, Miss Liu begged Zhang Xuan to ept her as his disciple. Teacher Zhang agreed but said that whether he would teach or how he would teach would be up to him. Additionally, she would have to sell Dao Li to him. He said ¡®sell,¡¯ not ¡®give¡¯!"


    "That¡¯s right!" Seven or eight students in the crowd nodded in agreement.


    It was said in front of everyone and couldn¡¯t be faked.


    "Even then, Teacher Zhang was still reluctant. In the end, Miss Liu herself offered Dao Li as a gift, not a sale, and Teacher Zhang only epted it after some persuasion..."


    Elder He Qin then looked at the girl, "Liu Mingyue, is what I just said true?"


    "Yes... it''s true..." Liu Mingyue''s face turned bright red.


    She had thought her father could use his strength to reim Dao Li, but with the Dean and so many elders present, what else could she say? Rather than trying to argue, she decided it was better to admit the truth and avoid further embarrassment?.


    Seeing his daughter confirm the truth, Liu Tianzheng frowned and looked at Chen Hao, "Didn''t your people say that Zhang Xuan forcibly made Mingyue his student and that she had no choice but to agree?"


    Chen Hao, now anxious, stammered, "Well... maybe I saw it wrong! Dean Lu, I truly didn¡¯t mean to nder anyone, it¡¯s just that..." But before he could finish, Liu Tianzheng interrupted him again, "If we have the truth on our side, we have nothing to fear. Your people also mentioned many things about Teacher Zhang. Surely not all of them were lies, right?"


    "..." Chen Hao felt like crying, "I have no truth, I am afraid, I am really afraid!"


    He had just thought that someone was finallying to help him, and his eyes had welled up with tears of gratitude. But now, he realized those tears had been wasted... This so-called help was only helping him dig his own grave!?.

 Chapter 79: Why Arent You Kneeling?

    Chapter 79: Why Aren''t You Kneeling?


    Outside White Rock Academy, Zhou Qingkai stood anxiously at the entrance, ncing around. He had been waiting for nearly half an hour, but the Chen family head still hadn''t appeared... Could he have forgotten? He couldn''t help but worry about the young master. Would he be able to sessfully get rid of that auxiliary teacher?


    As he pondered whether he hadn''t been clear enough the day before, the sound of galloping hooves echoed from the end of the street. A brilliant red horse sped towards him, and atop it sat a middle-aged man¡ªChen Xiao, the head of the Chen family.


    "That horse... is it Fei Hong?"


    Zhou Qingkai was stunned, then filled with excitement. He had once apanied Chen Hao to the stables and had seen this wild horse with the bloodline of a Source Beast. It was incredibly difficult to tame, and even Chen Xiao hadn¡¯t been confident about seeding. Yet, in just a few days, not only had it been tamed, but it was also now obediently ridden by him...


    As Zhou Qingkai stared in shock, Fei Hong stopped abruptly before him, shifting from a gallop to a halt in just a breath, without even a tremor in its muscles¡ªa testament to its immense strength. Truly, it was the most powerful steed at White Roc Stables, and Zhou Qingkai couldn''t help but feel envious.


    "Patriarch Chen... Young Master Chen sent me to wait for you here," Zhou Qingkai hurriedly stepped forward to greet him.


    "Where''s Hao?" Chen Xiao dismounted.


    "Young Master has already gone to the ssroom of that auxiliary teacher, intending to expose his lies in front of everyone," Zhou Qingkai exined quickly."To stand up after a fall instead of waiting for me to arrive¡ªnow that''s my son! Not bad, not bad!" Chen Xiaoughed heartily, nodding in satisfaction. "Let''s go take a look!"


    He had deliberately arrivedte, wanting to see how his son would react. If Chen Hao had simply waited for him and relied on the family, he would have been disappointed. But seeing him take action on his own filled him with pride.


    A man must find a way to retaliate against those who wrong him, no matter the oue, as long as his family has his back. If hecks this basic courage, how could he ever hope to lead the family?


    "Yes!" Zhou Qingkai nodded and was about to lead the way when Wang Yuxing hurried over. Seeing Chen Xiao, he sighed in relief, "Patriarch Chen, you''re finally here... Young Master Chen, he''s in trouble!"


    "What happened? Why are you so anxious?" Chen Xiao frowned.


    Wang Yuxing exined, "Young Master went to confront that auxiliary teacher, but... for some reason, the dean got involved and was so furious that he issued a Dean''s Order to expel him!"


    When Wang Yuxing and Liu Tianzheng entered the room earlier, they had seen this scene. Worried about the young master, Wang Yuxing had rushed over without understanding the full details.


    "A Dean''s Order? Expulsion?" Chen Xiao''s face turned ashen.


    Even Chen Hao knew the significance of a Dean''s Order, and Chen Xiao understood its immense power. If Chen Hao were really expelled under such circumstances, his future would be ruined.


    "Lu Mingrong..." Chen Xiao clenched his fists, trembling with rage.


    To think that over an auxiliary teacher, Lu Mingrong would dare to impose such severe punishment on his son. Where did he get the nerve? Did he really think the Chen family could be bullied?


    "Lead the way. I want to see what Hao did to deserve such treatment. If White Rock Academy doesn''t give me a satisfactory exnation, don''t me me for what happens next!" Chen Xiao strode towards the academy.


    Worried that time was running out, the three of them quickly made their way to Zhang Xuan''s ssroom. The door was tightly shut, but before they even reached it, they heard Chen Hao''s voice inside, tinged with a sob, apologizing.


    "I have no defense. I''m scared, I''m really scared! Dean Lu, Teacher Zhang, I truly didn''t mean it. I''m sorry, it was my fault, I apologize!"


    "Outrageous!" Chen Xiao''s fury exploded.


    This was his son, the young master of the Chen family, being reduced to groveling before others... How could this be tolerated?


    Unable to hold back, Chen Xiao kicked the door open and bellowed, "Hao, as long as I''m here, you don''t need to apologize to anyone. Let''s see who dares to make you!"


    Boom!


    The door crashed open, and Chen Xiao took in the scene inside: Lu Mingrong and over a dozen elders stood on one side, and about thirty students crowded the small ssroom, making it feel cramped. His son''s figure was nowhere to be seen at first nce.


    As Chen Xiao scanned the room, everyone turned to stare at the intruder, curious about who had barged in so recklessly.


    Chen Xiao paid them no mind and quickly spotted his son. Chen Hao, far from his usual confident self, looked tense and worried. Upon seeing his father, his face flushed with excitement, and he hurriedly cupped his fists, "Dad!"


    Chen Xiao, feeling a pang of sympathy, coldly snorted, "I''m standing right here. Let''s see who dares to criticize Hao, who dares to expel him!"


    Lu Mingrong hadn¡¯t expected Chen Xiao to be so reckless and barge in directly. His face darkened.


    "Patriarch Chen, you barged into the academy and damaged the ssroom door¡ªwhat do you think you''re doing?"


    Your son, in his defiance, has offended Teacher Zhang. I thought you, as the patriarch, would at least show some courtesy. But it seems you¡¯re even more unreasonable...


    "What am I doing? Lu Mingrong, I should be asking you that! What did my son do wrong for you to go so far as to expel him with a Dean''s Order?" Chen Xiao''s eyes narrowed.


    Lu Mingrong replied, "As a student, he defied authority, ndered a teacher, disregarded hierarchy, and repeatedly vited White Rock Academy''s rules... What do you think he did wrong?"


    "ndered a teacher? Disregarded hierarchy? Are you talking about that useless auxiliary teacher who only got his position through connections? Where is he? I want to see how bold he is to im my son defied him..." Chen Xiao sneered.


    Feeling deeply moved by his father¡¯s support, Chen Hao pointed quickly, "Dad, that''s the one I told you about¡ªthe one who only became a teacher by ttering the dean..."


    Chen Xiao followed his son''s gesture and saw a familiar young man, frowning as he looked back at him.


    "Patriarch Chen, is this your son?" the young man asked.


    "Zhang, Zhang..." Chen Xiao''s pupils contracted, his arrogant words stuck in his throat, unable toe out.


    "Dad, it''s because of him that I''m being expelled. You must avenge me..." Chen Hao pleaded, but before he could finish, a hand came down hard on his face?.


    p!


    The sharp sound of a p echoed through the entire ssroom, followed immediately by Chen Xiao''s thunderous roar, "As a student, how dare you be disrespectful to a teacher? How dare you defy your superiors? You wretch, kneel before me!"


    "Kneel?"


    Whether it was Lu Mingrong, the elders, or the students, everyone felt as if they had been suddenly silenced, their eyes wide open in shock, unable to speak. Wasn''t this Chen family head supposed to be here to protect his son, ready to cause a scene at the academy?


    Even Lu Mingrong and the others had braced themselves for a potential confrontation. But then, Chen Xiao''s sudden change in attitude caught thempletely off guard.


    "You must show respect to teachers..." But just a moment ago, Chen Xiao himself had been the most disrespectful!


    The onlookers were merely stunned, but Chen Hao, clutching his burning cheek, was filled with terror, unable to hold back his tears. Was this really his father? Hadn''t he just said that once he arrived, Chen Hao wouldn''t have to apologize to anyone and that no one would dare to pressure him? Now, instead of others forcing him, it was his own father who was making him kneel... Was this standing up for him or adding insult to injury?


    "Didn''t you hear what I said? Kneel down!"


    Seeing his son still standing there with a sullen, aggrieved look, Chen Xiao''s anger red, and he kicked him in the knees. Moments ago, he had felt proud of his son; now, he regretted it deeply.


    ¡®This was a young genius who had tamed thousands of wild horses within an hour¡ªa feat beyond extraordinary. And you dare say such a person has no skill, only bing a teacher through connections? What a joke!¡¯


    ¡®This man, even if he only taught horse taming, could attract countless experts eager to learn from him, even willing to pay for the privilege! Most importantly... after all the effort I went through to build a rtionship with him¡ªmaking him an guest elder, offering him money¡ªyou go and offend him to death¡­¡¯


    ¡®If I had known you were this foolish, I would have preferred to have shot you against a wall¡­¡¯


    Thud!


    With a kick, Chen Hao''s knees buckled, and he fell to the ground, kneeling before Zhang Xuan. "Dad..."


    Chen Hao¡¯s voice was filled with despair, but before he could say more, Chen Xiao pped him again on the head.


    "Shut up! Didn''t you hear me tell you to apologize?"


    "Why?"


    Chen Hao could no longer hold back, his grievances pouring out, "He''s just an auxiliary teacher..."


    "Shut up, you fool!"


    Chen Xiao''s rage was reaching a boiling point, and he gritted his teeth, "Teacher Zhang is an guest elder of our Chen family, holding a status equal to that of the patriarch. Kneeling before him is an honor for you!"


    "guest elder?"


    Chen Hao''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    As the young master, Chen Hao knew well the status of an guest elder within the family¡ªsuch a personmanded as much respect as the family head. Even the family head would treat them with the utmost reverence, ensuring theirfort and needs... But this man in front of him was just a lowly groom, wasn''t he?


    It wasn''t just Chen Hao who was shocked; Lu Mingrong and the others exchanged puzzled nces, each sensing the potential danger in the situation. Had Chen Xiao somehow learned of Zhang Xuan''s exceptional talent? If not, why would he suddenly show such fervent respect?


    While everyone else was puzzled, Zhang Xuan hadn''t expected the Chen family head to be so respectful. Though initially angered, he now found it impossible to stay mad and could only shake his head in exasperation. "Patriarch Chen, please calm down. He''s just a child, prone to saying the wrong things. Besides, kneeling here won''t be enough to show remorse. He should kneel in the Martial Arts Field for a full day."


    Chen Hao''s face turned crimson with humiliation, wishing he could disappear.


    The Martial Arts Field was the central area of the academy, frequented by all students and teachers. Kneeling there for a whole day would be like putting his face on disy for everyone to mock...


    "Teacher Zhang is generous..."


    Chen Xiao sighed in relief and pped Chen Hao on the back of the head once more, "Hurry up and thank Elder Zhang!"


    "Dad!"


    Chen Hao gritted his teeth, "I have no problem thanking him, and I don''t mind kneeling in the Martial Arts Field for a day. But I need to know, how did a newly appointed auxiliary teacher at White Rock Academy be an guest elder of our Chen family?"


    His words drew the curiosity of everyone in the room. The title of guest elder in the Chen family was a prestigious one, on par with that of a grand elder in the academy. How had this young man, barely in his twenties, achieved such a position? He didn''t even look like he could be a secret child of the family...


    "You dare to question your father''s decisions?"


    Chen Xiao delivered another p, but then he sighed, "Very well, it''s no harm in telling you. Elder Zhang''s horse-taming skills are extraordinary. Since the Chen family is famous for its stables, appointing him as an guest elder was only natural."


    "Horse-taming?"


    Before Chen Hao could respond, Zhou Qingkai, who had been listening quietly, finally voiced the question that had been nagging at him, "White Roc City has countless skilled horse tamers. Not to mention others, my father is not only an expert but is also renowned in the entire horse-tamingmunity. Zhang Xuan may be young andcking in experience, so why was he chosen over my father?"


    Chen Xiao turned to him, his brow furrowing slightly.


    Chen Hao quickly exined, "Zhou Qingkai''s father, Zhou Qun, is the most skilled horse tamer in White Roc City, known as Master Zhou..."


    Chen Xiao nodded in understanding, now recognizing Zhou Qingkai¡¯s resemnce to his father.


    The people in the room exchanged nces.


    Master Zhou was well-known; many of them had heard of him. Even if they hadn''t, a brief introduction was enough to highlight his significance. Given this, it seemed absurd that the Chen family hadn''t appointed someone of Master Zhou''s caliber as an guest elder, but had instead chosen a young man barely out of his teens...


    Even Lu Mingrong and the other elders were confused.


    They knew of Zhang Xuan''s talent for taming beasts, but it was limited to helping the City Lord tame a Cangback Eagle. How skilled could he really be?


    The Chen family appointing him as an guest elder suggested that Zhang Xuan was not only exceptionally talented in cultivation, had ignited the furnace, and possessed Heaven''s Fate... but was also a genius in beast taming?


    "Dad, you can''t seriously be saying that this Teacher Zhang''s skills in horse taming surpass even those of Master Zhou!"


    Chen Hao finally realized the gravity of the situation, blurting out his thoughts, "Everyone knows Master Zhou is unmatched in White Roc City. Not only did he tame Miss Mo''s Su Shang and Miss Yu''s Dao Li, but his mastery of horse-taming is unparalleled. You also know that horse-taming isn''t just about talent; it requires endless practice and deep knowledge of horses'' habits. At his age, how skilled could he possibly be?"


    Zhou Qingkai added, "Taming horses is only partly about talent. What''s more important is the tireless training and understanding of horses'' behaviors... I''m not saying Teacher Zhangcks talent, but at just over twenty years old, even if he started learning in the womb, how many types of wild horses could he know? How much could he understand about their habits? Without that knowledge, he''s likely to be thrown off or even trampled during taming, losing control of the situation and his life!"?.


    Horse taming is not just about having talent; it''s about mastering the techniquesssoing, mounting, controlling the horse, standing your ground, and leading the horse. Each of these skills requires day and night practice and cannot be mastered overnight.


    Chen Hao knew this well and nodded, "Dad, could it be that you''ve been deceived by him...?"


    "Shut up!" Chen Xiao was exasperated. "I have my reasons for what I did. You have no need to question me."


    Chen Hao insisted, "I''m not questioning you, Dad. I just believe that if we need an guest elder, Master Zhou would be a much better choice."


    "Young Master Chen is right," Zhou Qingkai interjected, bowing respectfully. "In White Roc City, my father dares to im second ce in horse taming, and no one would dare im first. I ask that you give my father a chance to have a fair contest with Teacher Zhang."


    Zhou Qingkai had full confidence in his father''s abilities. Winning this contest would not only alleviate Chen Hao''s embarrassment but might also earn his father the position of guest elder in the Chen family¡ªan opportunity that could change their fates.


    "You want Master Zhou topete against him?" Chen Xiao''s expression turned strange as he nced at Zhou Qingkai.


    After witnessing yesterday''s events, Chen Xiao couldn''t help but feel that the situation was somewhat amusing¡ªafter all, it seemed Chen Hao wasn''t the only one trying to cause trouble...


    Suddenly, he felt much better about the situation!


    "That''s right!" Zhou Qingkai nodded firmly, then turned to Zhang Xuan, his gaze resolute. "Teacher Zhang, do you dare topete in horse taming against my father? If you win, I''ll kowtow and admit my mistake. But if you lose, I ask that you show mercy to Young Master Chen..."


    He didn''t mention the guest elder position directly, but it was clear that if Zhang Xuan lost, it would be hard for him to maintain his position.


    Zhang Xuan''s expression twitched as he looked back at Zhou Qingkai, his face turning just as strange. "Are you sure your father would agree?"


    Zhou Qingkai nodded confidently, "Why wouldn''t he? Let me tell you, over the past twenty years, my father haspeted against 32 horse taming experts, and he has never lost. He is fully confident in facing you. On the contrary, if you¡¯re afraid, it''s better to admit defeat now..."


    "Shut up!"


    Before Zhou Qingkai could finish, a loud shout rang out. Everyone turned to see a group of more than ten people striding towards them. The one who spoke was a tall man, nearly two meters in height. Even before reaching them, he exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure.


    "Dad? Why are you here..." Zhou Qingkai''s eyes lit up as he recognized the man and rushed forward to greet him.


    It was none other than Zhou Qun, the horse-taming master of White Roc City!


    Zhou Qun had appeared just as they were discussing him, apanied by a group of well-known horse taming experts from the city. However, instead of looking pleased, his face was filled with anger, as if he might explode at any moment.


    "Get out of my way!" Zhou Qun shoved his son aside and quickly approached Zhang Xuan. To everyone''s astonishment, he bowed deeply, then dropped to one knee, his eyes filled with respect and reverence.


    "Zhou Qun greets Master Zhang!"


    "Wu Shuhuo greets Master Zhang!"


    "Liu Chenfeng greets Master Zhang!"


    In an instant, over a dozen horse taming experts followed suit, kneeling on one knee like students meeting their revered teacher after a long journey.


    "Master Zhang?" The room fell into a stunned silence?.

 Chapter 80: Bastard

    Chapter 80: Bastard


    "There''s no need for such formality, please rise!" Zhang Xuan hurriedly helped Zhou Qun and the others to their feet, surprised that they hade to the academy.


    "Dad..." Zhou Qingkai, who had been so arrogant moments ago, now stood frozen in ce. In his mind, his father''s horse-taming skills were nearly unmatched, and yet here he was, kneeling before another man, paying the respect of a disciple... How powerful must Zhang Xuan be?


    No wonder Patriarch Chen had chosen to make him an guest elder instead of his father. Suddenly, Zhou Qingkai''s face burned with shame.


    While everyone else was shocked, Chen Xiao could only hold his forehead in exasperation. He had hoped to keep Zhang Xuan''s extraordinary horse-taming abilities under wraps for as long as possible, but now everything was out in the open...


    ncing at Zhou Qun and the others, Chen Xiao couldn''t help but feel speechless. How unreliable!


    But the most exasperating of all was his foolish son. With a raised eyebrow, he grabbed Chen Hao by the ear, "You wretch! Get outside and kneel!"


    "But Dad..." Chen Hao winced in pain. "Even if Teacher Zhang is great at teaching and taming beasts, it''s clear that Miss Liu and Miss Yu don¡¯t want to be his students. I only acted to help them."


    Chen Xiao was furious, "What nonsense are you spouting?"Chen Hao persisted, "It''s not nonsense! They didn''t even want to remember or learn the techniques Teacher Zhang taught. Isn''t it obvious they aren¡¯t willing?"


    "This..." Chen Xiao was at a loss for words, and a chill ran through the room as everyone turned to look at Zhang Xuan. He calmly turned his gaze to the two girls, "Is what he said your true feelings?"


    Liu Mingyue and Yu Xiaoyu exchanged nervous nces before Liu Mingyue decided to speak the truth. "I initially agreed to be your student to make you lose face. After all, I have excellent talent, while you were just an auxiliary teacher, unworthy of teaching me. So I pretended not to understand or learn anything, hoping to anger you. But just now, I realized the techniques you taught are incredibly profound. Even with just a little practice, I¡¯ve improved rapidly! Now, I understand how fortunate and honored I am to be your student."


    Her voice was sincere as she continued. Initially, she had only chosen to be his student because no other teacher would ept her, and she wanted to see him fail. But after experiencing the benefits of his teaching, her perception had changed. The technique had increased her strength by 50% without even trying hard¡ªwhat could she achieve with serious practice? And now, knowing he was an guest elder of the Chen family, she understood that she had indeed been lucky to be his student.


    Yu Xiaoyu added, "My father wanted me to be your student because he knew it was for my own good. I¡¯ve always respected you and never intended to ck off..."


    "Respect? How is it respectful to im you¡¯ve understood everything when you¡¯ve learned nothing?" Zhang Xuan frowned.


    "I..." Yu Xiaoyu''s face turned red, and she fidgeted with her clothing, at a loss for words.


    "I''m sorry, Teacher Zhang! This is my fault!" a frantic voice suddenly interrupted. Everyone turned to see City Lord Yu Longqing rushing into the room.


    Yu Longqing quickly exined, "Teacher Zhang, it was I who instructed Xiaoyu to act that way. She wasn¡¯t paying attention in ss because of my foolish idea..."


    Zhang Xuan asked in confusion, "Why would you do that, City Lord?"


    Yu Longqing, clearly embarrassed, confessed, "I was worried that since you¡¯ve never taught students before, you might struggle to exin things clearly, and the students wouldn¡¯t understand... So I told her to help fill in the gaps and keep the ss from falling t. I figured I could tutor her at hometer if needed..."


    It was astonishing to hear the City Lord admit that he had been helping his daughter cheat. Zhang Xuan, taken aback, asked, "But why would you, a City Lord, go out of your way to help a small, ordinary teacher like me?"


    Zhang Xuan was genuinely puzzled. His only connection with Yu Longqing was helping him tame the Cangback Eagle, for which he had been paid. Why would the City Lord go to such lengths to support him?


    Yu Longqing was momentarily speechless. He couldn''t say it was because he recognized Zhang Xuan''s talent and wanted to curry favor with him, but there wasn¡¯t any other sufficient reason to offer.


    As Yu Longqing struggled to find the right words, the surrounding crowd also looked on in confusion. It was odd for a City Lord, the most powerful figure in White Roc City, to show such excessive kindness towards a mere auxiliary teacher.


    Just as Yu Longqing hesitated, Dean Lu Mingrong stepped forward, his expressionplicated. "Teacher Zhang, please don¡¯t take offense. The reason City Lord Yu acted this way is because I asked him to!"


    Zhang Xuan was even more confused.


    Lu Mingrong exined, "That¡¯s right. After I learned you had helped the City Lord tame the Cangback Eagle, I started considering the implications. If such a powerful beast-taming technique could be taught, more people might learn to tame Source Beasts, making them a valuable asset for us! That¡¯s why I directly promoted you to auxiliary teacher at the start of the semester and asked the City Lord to have Yu Xiaoyu be your student, so you could be promoted to a full teacher..."


    Standing nearby, Yu Longqing clenched his fists, his face twitching in frustration. This bastard had outmaneuvered him! He had gone through all the trouble of making his daughter a student to build a connection with Zhang Xuan, and now Lu Mingrong was taking all the credit...


    "I see!" Zhang Xuan nodded thoughtfully before turning back to Yu Longqing. "City Lord, didn¡¯t you consider refusing Dean Lu¡¯s request?"


    Yu Longqing, now thoroughly embarrassed, struggled to respond. Just as he was at a loss for words, Adviser Liao, who had once helped tame the Cangback Eagle, stepped forward. "How could the City Lord refuse? He and Dean Lu made the decision together!"


    Zhang Xuan was surprised. "They made the decision together?"


    "Indeed!" Adviser Liao nodded. "Only five people knew that you tamed the Cangback Eagle. If the City Lord hadn¡¯t told Dean Lu, how else could he have known?"?.


    "Indeed!" City Lord Yu Longqing nodded in sudden realization. With this, he neither denied Lu Mingrong''s involvement nor undermined his own initiative, ensuring that he remained the primary beneficiary of any goodwill. Even if there was a debt of gratitude, it would fall on him first.


    Lu Mingrong hadn¡¯t expected Adviser Liao to be so quick-witted, turning a passive situation into an active one. Knowing that saying more would only arouse suspicion, Lu Mingrong, though frustrated, could only nod, "Rest assured, Teacher Zhang. Our intentions were purely to ensure the continuation of your exceptional beast-taming skills, with no other motives..."


    Zhang Xuan nodded, beginning to understand. In just a minute or two, the two most powerful figures in White Roc City had subtly shed with words, each trying to outmaneuver the other. Though Zhang Xuan still felt something was off, the exnation seemed logical enough, and it did make sense. After all, why else would Dean Lu promote him from a mere auxiliary teacher without him showing any exceptional skills?


    Turning his attention away from the two men, Zhang Xuan focused on Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue. "I don''t care why you became my students, but now I''m giving you another chance to reconsider. If you don''t wish to remain under my tutge, you can leave now."


    "I..." Liu Mingyue hesitated.


    As she had mentioned earlier, she had been reluctant to be Zhang Xuan''s student, but after witnessing the effects of the Blood of the Hanbei Turtle igniting the supreme-grade furnace, and the sheer power of the technique that had increased her strength by 50% with minimal effort, she began to realize that being his student might be far more beneficial than she had initially thought. However, she still hesitated due to Zhang Xuan''s young age¡ªwhat if his early sesses were mere coincidences, and as her cultivation deepened, he could no longer guide her?


    Yu Xiaoyu was equally conflicted. She had agreed to be his student because of her father¡¯s insistence. Now that Zhang Xuan was giving them a chance to reconsider, she found herself unsure. The impact he had made on her was undeniable.


    "I..."


    "Teacher Zhang..." Both girls started to speak at the same time, only to be cut off by Zhang Xuan. "You don''t need to give me an answer right now. If you wish to continue being my students, practice the techniques I taught you tonight and return tomorrow for a test. If you pass, you may stay; if not, it''s over."


    He then walked to the lectern, took out a brush, and wrote two notes, which he carefully folded and ced into two silk pouches. "Each of you will take one. Inside is my requirement. Do not open it tonight; only read it before ss tomorrow. If you fail to meet the condition, there¡¯s no need to return."


    "Yes..." Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue exchanged nces and put the pouches into their pockets.


    "Secondly, if you truly wish to be my students, you must no longer be swayed by outside influences. If I find that you question my instructions or are easily manipted, you will be expelled from my tutge, permanently."


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s voice was firm as he spoke. Unlike his previous students like Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, and Yuan Tao, who were loyal and unwavering, these two had already shown signs of duplicity within just two days. Had he not been determined to stay low-key, he might have expelled them already.


    The two girls nodded in agreement, understanding the seriousness of his words.


    Satisfied, Zhang Xuan turned his attention to Hong Yi. Despite his average talent, Hong Yi was diligent and obedient, so there was no need to say much.


    "Teacher, I will definitelye tomorrow..." Hong Yi, frightened by Zhang Xuan''s gaze, quickly bowed.


    No longer worried about the three of them, Zhang Xuan suddenly remembered something and turned to Liu Tianzheng. "Patriarch Liu, although Liu Mingyue gifted Dao Li to me, you''re right¡ªepting such a precious horse without earning it isn''t appropriate. Even if it¡¯s a gift, I shouldn''t keep such a valuable creature without properpensation. However, I''ve already bonded with Dao Li in these two days. Could I buy it from you? How much did you pay?"


    Liu Tianzheng shook his head. "There¡¯s no need for that. Since Mingyue promised to give it to you, it wouldn¡¯t be right to ask for money..."


    Zhang Xuan insisted, "Fair is fair. If it were only a few hundred Source Coins, I wouldn¡¯t mind, but this horse is worth much more. If I ept it without paying, it wouldn¡¯t be good for either of us."


    Seeing how serious he was, Liu Tianzheng eventually nodded. "I purchased Dao Li for 320,000 Source Coins, but if you¡¯re serious about paying, just give me 300,000."


    "300,000?" Zhang Xuan''s eyes widened, and after a long pause, he sheepishly asked, "Could I... pay on credit?"


    "Credit?" Liu Tianzheng was taken aback. Just moments ago, Zhang Xuan had been so adamant about paying, and now this? He wasn¡¯t sure how to respond.


    Before Liu Tianzheng could answer, Lu Mingrong interjected, "Credit? There¡¯s no need for that. White Rock Academy will cover the cost!"


    "Why should the academy pay? Teacher Zhang is Xiaoyu¡¯s instructor; the City Lord¡¯s Mansion should pay!" Yu Longqing dered, waving his hand.


    "What right do you have? Teacher Zhang is part of White Rock Academy. If he¡¯s going to teach horse taming, buying some teaching tools is perfectly reasonable!" Lu Mingrong argued.


    "You call a fine horse a teaching tool?" Yu Longqing retorted, scoffing at the absurdity.


    "Why not? On the other hand, if the City Lord¡¯s Mansion pays, people might start talking. If anything like what happened earlier were to happen again, where would Teacher Zhang¡¯s and the academy''s reputation be?"


    Yu Longqing hesitated. Lu Mingrong had a point¡ªif the City Lord¡¯s Mansion paid, it could indeed raise suspicions, especially given what had just happened with Liu Mingyue.


    Seeing Yu Longqing falter, Adviser Liao chimed in, "The Dean is mistaken. The City Lord has always valued and nurtured talent. Besides, Teacher Zhang helped the City Lord tame the Cangback Eagle. A fine horse as a return gift is perfectly reasonable. And let¡¯s not forget, Teacher Zhang is my youngdy¡¯s mentor. How can she learn horse taming without a horse? Purchasing one in advance is entirely justified!"


    "Exactly, Adviser Liao is right! It¡¯s just a small token of appreciation. Surely White Rock Academy won¡¯t begrudge us this small expense, right, Dean?" Yu Longqing smiled.


    "Uh, Dean Lu, City Lord Yu, I might not have that much money right now, but I can earn it and pay you backter..." Zhang Xuan said awkwardly. "Besides, I¡¯m just an ordinary teacher, a nobody really. There¡¯s no need for either of you to spend money on me."


    Yu Longqing seized the opportunity, nodding, "Exactly! Teacher Zhang himself said he¡¯s just an ordinary teacher, a nobody... Dean Lu, you should let me handle this!"?.


    Dean Lu waved his hand dismissively, "Yes, exactly. Since he¡¯s just a small figure, there¡¯s no need to trouble the City Lord with this..."


    And so, the argument between Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong red up again.


    "Are they really fighting to pay 300,000 Source Coins on behalf of Teacher Zhang?"


    "Did I hear that right?"


    "Even if Teacher Zhang has exceptional talent in beast taming, isn''t this a bit too much? These two big shots are really going all out for this..."


    Watching the two powerful figures bicker, their faces red with determination, the onlookers were utterly speechless.


    300,000 Source Coins could easily buy a house in White Roc City, yet here they were,peting to cover the cost, as if whoever paid would be more honored. And all the while, they kept referring to Zhang Xuan as a "small figure" and an "ordinary teacher." But with such fiercepetition, how could he be considered ordinary?


    "Dad, Dean Lu..."


    At that moment, Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s clear voice cut through the tension, "The money has already been paid..."


    Both men turned simultaneously to see Chen Xiao standing in front of Liu Tianzheng, handing over a stack of Source Coins, smiling as he counted. "Sorry, but I¡¯ve already paid! Maybe next time, gentlemen... After all, Zhang Xuan is our Chen family¡¯s guest elder. It wouldn¡¯t be right for anyone else to step in."


    With a satisfied grin, Chen Xiao¡¯s deration brought the argument between Lu Mingrong and Yu Longqing to an abrupt halt. They both looked at him, and a single thought crossed their minds.


    "Old bastard!"?.

 Chapter 81: Calling Kong Shi

    Chapter 81: Calling Kong Shi


    While the three argued, Liu Tianzheng furrowed his brow. As the head of a prominent family, he was perceptive enough to realize that Zhang Xuan must be quite extraordinary to garner such attention from three powerful figures. However, his exceptional abilities seemed to be limited to horse taming, which didn¡¯t particrly benefit the Liu family, whose focus was onmerce and trade.


    As he pondered whether he should curry favor with Zhang Xuan by refusing to ept the money, Chen Xiao stepped forward, already counting out arge stack of Source Coins. "I¡¯ve counted it carefully¡ªexactly 320,000. Rest assured, Teacher Zhang would never take advantage of you."


    After only a brief hesitation, Liu Tianzheng nodded and epted the money. "Very well!"


    Horse taming had nothing to do with him, after all. Besides, Zhang Xuan was only in his twenties. No matter how talented he might be, how exceptional could he really be? Likely, this was just a case of a few people boosting his reputation by exaggerating his skills. Such things were not umon and not worth paying much attention to.


    Zhang Xuan scanned the room. "Now that this matter is resolved, perhaps it''s time for everyone to leave?"


    With such arge crowd in his ssroom, it had be quite chaotic. But at least his status as a teacher was now solidified, and he shouldn¡¯t face further doubts about his role.


    "Everyone should leave now. Don¡¯t forget to have the door fixed, Patriarch Chen..." Dean Lu Mingrong gestured for the crowd to disperse.


    However, the horse taming experts, led by Zhou Qun, were filled with excitement. "Dean Lu, since Teacher Zhang will be teaching a horse taming ss, can we enroll as students? We¡¯ll dly pay the tuition!""Yes, please ept us..."


    "We already have some foundational knowledge, so it¡¯ll be easier to teach us, and we¡¯re more obedient than most students."


    A group of well-known horse taming experts from White Roc City eagerly pleaded.


    After witnessing Zhang Xuan¡¯s beast-taming abilities firsthand, they were in awe of his prowess. Being epted as his students would be an incredible honor.


    Dean Lu Mingrong blinked in surprise. He had known that Zhang Xuan''s horse taming skills were high, especially after seeing him appointed as the Chen family¡¯s guest elder and witnessing Zhou Qun and others¡¯ respectful treatment. But he hadn''t realized just how high until now. Zhang Xuan''s talent in horse taming was likely on par with his cultivation and teaching abilities¡ªan endless treasure trove, growing more valuable the deeper one dug.


    As Dean Lu considered the pros and cons of epting these students, Chen Xiao''s voice rang out with a grin, "If you want to learn horse taming, you shoulde to the stables. That way, you can practice with real horses, and there¡¯s plenty of space... Right, Elder Zhang?"


    Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.


    "Then it¡¯s settled. Elder Zhang will ept you as students, but the sses will be held at the White Roc Stables..." Chen Xiao¡¯s eyes gleamed with excitement. By epting these experts as students, they would be tied to the Chen family, making future horse taming much easier. Those 320,000 Source Coins were well spent!


    Seeing through his intentions, Dean Lu wasn¡¯t pleased and frowned. "Teacher Zhang is a teacher at White Rock Academy. Why should he go to your stables to teach? I think that¡¯s inappropriate. If space is the issue, our academy can set up a dedicated area for practice."


    "Our stables receive wild horses every month, making practice more practical and cost-effective!"


    "We have dedicated researchers at the academy who can document everything in detail, making it easier to spread the knowledge..."


    In an instant, the two began arguing again.


    Taking advantage of the moment, Yu Longqing stepped forward with a smile. "Actually, the City Lord¡¯s Mansion also has a stable, and it¡¯s quite spacious. Perhaps I could take Teacher Zhang there to have a look, and he can decide..."


    "Shut up, you!" Both Lu Mingrong and Chen Xiao snapped at him.


    "Since this is about horse taming, it makes sense to go to a stable. The space isrger, and there are more horses..." Zhang Xuan interjected, settling the dispute.


    After all, the Chen family had already put up over 500,000 Source Coins, so it was only fair to prioritize their facilities.


    "Thank you, Elder Zhang! Haha! City Lord Yu, Dean Lu, we at the Chen family humbly ept your concession..." Chen Xiaoughed heartily and turned to his son, who was standing nearby in a daze. He kicked him again. "What are you standing there for? Get to the Martial Arts Field and kneel!"


    Chen Hao looked like he was about to cry, but he knew he couldn¡¯t defy his father and left the room. Once he was out of earshot, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Dad, what¡¯s going on? Why is this Teacher Zhang our guest elder, and why are the Dean and the City Lord treating him like this?"


    "With your intelligence, you wouldn¡¯t understand even if I exined. Just remember that you must never offend Teacher Zhang. His abilities are unfathomable!" Chen Xiao waved him off.


    "Yes!" Chen Hao nodded, regretting his earlier actions. If he had known things would turn out like this, he would never have provoked Zhang Xuan. Now, not only was he being punished, but even his goddess seemed to think he was meddling and didn¡¯t want anything to do with him anymore...


    A total loss!


    ...


    At White Rock Academy, in Yu Xiaoyu''s dormitory, Yu Longqing frowned as he looked at his daughter. "What exactly did Teacher Zhang teach you?"


    Since Zhang Xuan had asked them all to leave, they hadn¡¯t stayed much longer. Besides, the longer they stayed, the more likely they were to slip up. Arrivingte, Yu Longqing had only heard about the earliermotion and hadn¡¯t witnessed it himself, so he immediately sought an exnation.


    "I¡¯m not sure. It was just some basic cultivation techniques. At the time, I was more focused on learning the Five Directions umtion Technique, so I didn¡¯t pay much attention..." Yu Xiaoyu exined, recounting the earlier events in detail.


    Yu Longqing urged, "Try to recall the techniques he taught you. I¡¯ll see if there were any ws and help you improve."


    "I... I didn¡¯t remember them!" Yu Xiaoyu admitted, embarrassed.


    "You really..." Yu Longqing sighed, shaking his head. "You didn¡¯t even practice, and your strength increased by 20%. I suspect that Teacher Zhang¡¯s techniques might be more powerful than the Five Directions umtion Technique, yet you didn¡¯t remember a single thing... Even if I wanted to help, I can¡¯t."


    "What should we do..." Yu Xiaoyu scratched her head, feeling lost, until a thought struck her. "Hong Yi seemed to remember quite a bit. I could ask him to write it down for me..."


    "Good, go quickly!" Yu Longqing urged.


    He was eager to find out what Teacher Zhang had taught them that had caused all three students to improve so dramatically after just one lesson.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Yu Xiaoyu returned with a piece of paper, the ink still wet, indicating it had just been written?.


    Yu Longqing furrowed his brow. "Is that all? It seems Hong Yi didn¡¯t remember much either, likely only a small portion of theplete technique..."


    Even though Yu Longqing didn''t know the exact technique Zhang Xuan had taught, he had seen plenty of techniques for the Energy Storing Realm. He was familiar with the typical length andplexity of such techniques. The one Hong Yi transcribed was just a single, thin sheet of paper with only a few hundred words. While it might have more content than his daughter recalled, it was still just a fraction of theplete technique.


    "Even if you practice it, a partial technique won¡¯t have much effect. Let me take a look and see if I can fill in the gaps. If not, you might as well stick with the Five Directions umtion Technique. That technique is the best in White Roc City and should be far superior to an iplete method."


    With a sigh, Yu Longqing took the paper and nced at it.


    "Three Practices, Three Non-Practices... This theory is quite novel, controlling energy into threads, passing through obstacles... Hm?"


    Yu Longqing was taken aback. He had started reading with the intention of filling in the missing parts, but as soon as he read the first sentence, he was stunned.


    If previous techniques were like seeing the moon reflected in water or flowers in a mirror, Zhang Xuan''s technique was like holding the moon in your hands or cing a flower in your palm¡ªdirect, clear, and targeting the very essence of the Energy Storing Realm. Even someone of Yu Longqing¡¯s level found it astonishing.


    "Breaking through obstacles with Source Energy, using strength to guide finesse, the specific method is as follows..."


    As he read further, Yu Longqing¡¯s expression grew increasingly serious. Initially, he had thought that the iplete technique was far inferior to their family¡¯s Five Directions umtion Technique, but now he realized that the two were on par.


    To think that just a small portion of the technique, even with some uncertainties, could rival White Roc City''s top method... This was astounding!


    And he had only read about one-fifth of the content on this single sheet of paper.


    "Dad, how is the technique Teacher Zhang taught?" Yu Xiaoyu asked, curious after seeing her father''s expression shift from one extreme to another.


    "You... you have no idea what kind of opportunity you missed!" Yu Longqing shook his head in disbelief.


    Yu Xiaoyu was confused.


    Yu Longqing sighed, "This technique is extraordinary, reaching directly to the essence of cultivation. It¡¯s not just beneficial for the Energy Storing Realm; even I find it incredibly helpful! Such a high-level technique, when taught in person, would be far more effective than practicing itter..."


    Powerful techniques carry a special tent power." Experiencing thistent power firsthand during a lesson makes subsequent practice much easier, allowing for smoother progress. This is why even though the City Lord¡¯s Mansion and the three great families have strong traditions, they still send their heirs to the academy to learn from the teachers.


    If Teacher Zhang''s technique was this advanced, then during the lesson, it must have released atent power that caused her strength to increase even without practice. Had she paid close attention, the benefits would have been far greater than a half-month of rigorous training. Missing out on such an opportunity was a major loss.


    "Couldn¡¯t you exin it to me, Dad? Wouldn¡¯t that have the same effect?" Yu Xiaoyu asked, not fully understanding.


    "Exin? How could I possibly do that? I¡¯m not qualified..." Yu Longqing''s face reddened in embarrassment. "You should focus on practicing ording to the technique. Compared to this, the Five Directions umtion Technique is worthless!"


    Though Yu Longqing was White Roc City¡¯s most powerful figure, even he found Zhang Xuan''s technique to be something beyond his understanding. He realized that he was far less capable of teaching the Energy Storing Realm than Zhang Xuan. It was almostughable that he had previously thought he could supplement the technique with his own knowledge.


    But then he wondered how someone who, just the day before, hadn¡¯t even ignited a Source Furnace and didn¡¯t know how to cultivate, could create such a powerful technique in such a short time. Was this truly the extent of human talent?


    No, he couldn¡¯t let the opportunity to build rapport with Zhang Xuan slip by. He needed to find another chance to gain his favor, especially since the chance to give 300,000 Source Coins had already been snatched by Chen Xiao.


    Seeing that her father was serious, Yu Xiaoyu didn¡¯t hesitate further. She took the paper, studied it carefully, and then sat down to begin her cultivation.


    As she started, her meridians, nourished by the Source Energy, became stronger and more resilient, and her overall strength continued to grow.


    Satisfied that his daughter was on the right path, Yu Longqing quietly left the room.


    This Zhang Xuan¡ªable to tame beasts, ignite a Source Furnace, and teach such a profound technique¡ªwas far more powerful than anyone had imagined. Yu Longqing resolved to strengthen their connection with him without dy.


    He quickly turned to Adviser Liao. "Go and watch over Teacher Zhang¡¯s ssroom. The moment he leaves, notify me immediately."


    "Yes, sir!" Adviser Liao nodded and left.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Liu Tianzheng had also arrived at his daughter Liu Mingyue¡¯s dormitory. He looked at the technique she had just written down and frowned slightly. "This technique doesn¡¯t seem as good as our family¡¯s Fuyao umtion Technique."


    Liu Mingyue, feeling a bit embarrassed, exined, "I didn¡¯t remember much¡ªprobably only about a twentieth of it..."


    Liu Tianzheng replied, "Even with just a fragment, it¡¯s enough to gauge the quality. Let¡¯s take a look at the note Teacher Zhang gave you."


    "Wait..." Liu Mingyue quickly intervened. "Teacher Zhang said not to open it until tomorrow, just before ss."


    "Nonsense! That¡¯s just a childish trick. There¡¯s no harm in looking at it now." Liu Tianzheng dismissed her concern, reached into her pocket, and took out the pouch. He casually opened it, revealing a folded piece of paper inside.


    He unfolded it, revealing the message written within: "Increase your strength to 1.2, and you can be my student!"


    Liu Tianzheng couldn¡¯t help butugh in disbelief. "You currently have a strength of 0.6. He¡¯s asking you to double it to 1.2¡ªa 200% increase¡ªovernight. Is he serious?"


    "A 200% increase?" Liu Mingyue was equally stunned.


    While it was true that she had increased her strength by 50% during ss, that was only due to the initial boost from practicing the technique for the first time. Expecting a simr increase on the second try, especially on top of an already higher baseline, seemed impossible.


    "This guy must be joking! He likely used some unknown trick to boost your strength quickly, but I¡¯d bet it¡¯s some unconventional method," Liu Tianzheng spected.


    "Unconventional?"


    "Yes, unconventional¡ªsomething outside the mainstream. If practiced too long, it could lead to problems like cultivation deviation. You¡¯d better not continue with this technique. Stick to the proper methods instead," Liu Tianzheng advised?.


    "What should I practice then?" Liu Mingyue asked.


    "I will teach you the Liu family''s secret technique, Fuyao umtion Technique. While it may not be as powerful as the City Lord¡¯s Five Directions umtion Technique, it¡¯s not far off. With diligent practice, you can reach 1.2 strength within a month," Liu Tianzheng assured her.


    "A month? That long? Then how did Hong Yi double his strength in just one ss..." Liu Mingyue questioned, confused.


    "His initial strength was very low, so doubling it didn¡¯t require much power. But you, already at 0.6 strength, surely don¡¯t think you can reach 1.2 overnight, do you? That¡¯s impossible! Stop daydreaming and follow my advice¡ªpracticing the Fuyao umtion Technique is the right path!" Liu Tianzheng insisted, waving his hand dismissively.


    Having always followed her father¡¯s guidance, Liu Mingyue hesitated but ultimately didn¡¯t argue. She sat down and focused on listening to his instructions.


    As a seventh-level Source Pool expert, Liu Tianzheng''s strength was not far behind that of Dean Lu. Teaching a basic Source Pool technique was easy for him.


    "Just because he¡¯s good at taming horses, doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s good at teaching... What a joke! I¡¯ll show everyone that steady practice is the true path, and anything else is just a detour!"


    ...


    Unaware of the differing approaches of his two students, Zhang Xuan sat cross-legged in his ssroom, channeling the refined Source Energy into the final meridian in his body.


    Boom!


    A loud roar echoed within him, like thunder reverberating in his core. Thest meridian was fully tempered, and the Source Energy in his body flowed smoothly, forming aplete circuit. Zhang Xuan''s aura surged, signaling his breakthrough to the fourth level of the Source Pool Realm: the Body Tempering Realm!


    After two days of training, not only had his internal injuriespletely healed, but his cultivation had also advanced.


    "I wonder... how much strength I¡¯ve gained."


    The thought popped into Zhang Xuan¡¯s mind.


    Yu Xiaoyu had 0.5 strength, Liu Mingyue 0.6¡ªhow much could he achieve?


    As the ruler of his own world, within that realm, Zhang Xuan could move mountains, fill seas, and traverse infinite distances with a single step. His power was boundless, iparable by worldly standards. But in the Source World, using such power would inevitably be detected by the Source World¡¯s Heavenly Dao, leading to his annihtion.


    Therefore, the strength he could wield here was limited to what he had cultivated in the Source World over the past two days. What he wanted to test now was his maximum strength without drawing from his otherworldly powers.


    "ording to the technique, the Energy Storing Realm can reach a maximum strength of about 5. I¡¯ve just broken through, so I should be around that level."


    In the Energy Storing Realm, refining Source Energy and connecting meridians allowed one to be a true Source Warrior, with a strength potentially reaching 5 horse power.


    However, Zhang Xuan¡¯s situation was unique. Unlike others who relied on a Source Pool, he used the Suspended World as a substitute. Whether this affected his strength remained to be seen.


    Standing up, he approached the strength-testing array in his ssroom.


    This array, simr to the force-testing pirs on the Master Teacher Continent, could measure the full extent of one¡¯s strength with a single punch.


    Activating the array, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, letting Source Energy flow through his meridians before delivering a powerful punch.


    Crack!


    The air snapped like a whip, the sound crisp and clear. The array shuddered, and a number slowly appeared¡ª10!


    He had the strength of 10 horses.


    Double that of a typical Energy Storing Realm expert,parable to a Physique Stage master.


    Of course, this was just the physical strength derived from cultivating Source Energy. Now that his injuries had healed, he could do much more.


    Ever since killing the Su Shang horse, Zhang Xuan had been studying the rtionship between his new world and the Source World, learning various methods to harness and convert the power of mountains, rivers, and even space within his domain into usable strength.


    "Let¡¯s test the power of the new world. It¡¯ll give me a better idea of my potential opponents..."


    With a raised eyebrow, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath. Instantly, mountains in the new world ignited, burning away as vast amounts of Source Energy surged into his meridians.


    Boom!


    This time, his punch didn¡¯t sound like a whip crack but rather a thunderp.


    The array trembled as the numbers on it shed rapidly, shooting from 10 to 99 in the blink of an eye. Then, with a loud crack!, the array shattered into pieces, scattering across the room.


    He had destroyed the strength-testing array with a single punch.


    But Zhang Xuan immediately felt his meridians tearing apart from the immense power, Source Energy rushing to the surface as if trying to rip him to shreds. Thunder seemed to gather in the skies above.


    Recognizing this as the Source World¡¯s Heavenly Dao attempting to eliminate an anomaly, Zhang Xuan quickly retracted the power generated by burning the new world, reverting to using only Source Energy.


    It took a while for the pressure to dissipate.


    When he finally examined himself, Zhang Xuan sighed in exasperation.


    Just that one punch had burned through over ten mountains and five rivers, each stretching thousands of miles, leaving behind empty voids in the new world.


    "It¡¯s clear I shouldn¡¯t use this power unless absolutely necessary..." Zhang Xuan mused with a wry smile.


    The new world was akin to his body. If it werepletely burned out, he would die, with no hope of recovery. So long as he was in the Source World, he would rely on its power. Only in dire situations would he unleash his true strength¡ªmaintaining a low profile was still his primary goal.


    "Let¡¯s see how they¡¯re doing."


    Now that his body had recovered and he had gained a certain level of self-protection, Zhang Xuan knew it was time to check on things. He raised a finger, and a stream of sword Energy extended from it.


    "Heaven and earth will end, but this hatred will never cease!"


    The Heavenly Sword Technique, surpassing even the Pathos of Heaven, was once again unleashed.


    A vortex of sword light appeared before him, transcending the limits of time and space, crossing the vast distance of the Source World to an unknown destination.


    "Kong Shi, Kong Shi, are you there?"

 Chapter 82: A Warning from Kong Shi

    Chapter 82: A Warning from Kong Shi


    Indeed, Kong Shi had also followed Zhang Xuan to the Source World.


    Not only the two of them but also the father of his wife, Nie Lingxi¡ªhis father-inw, the creator of the Master Teacher Continent, Nie Yun, and his brother, Nie Tong, had arrived as well.


    The Heaven''s Path of the Source World was different from that of the Master Teacher Continent. Tomunicate across the distance, they had to rely on powers beyond Heaven''s Path.


    His Pathos of Heaven Sword Art was one such power. Previously, due to severe injuries, many of his abilities had been hidden in this new world, rendering them unusable. Now that his injuries had healed and he had regained some strength, he was able to use them again.


    As Zhang Xuan spoke, the vortex shook twice, and a gentle, steady voice came through.


    "Zhang Shi?"


    It was the voice of Kong Shi.


    Zhang Xuan''s eyes lit up with excitement. "Kong Shi, how are things on your side?"After the four of them entered the Source World, a powerful force had separated thempletely. He had no idea where the others had gone or what they had experienced.


    "Things are not looking good. Let me warn you, the Source World is not particrly friendly to ascenders like us. Be sure to hide your identity, avoid disying too much Heaven''s Fate Ability, and be wary of the Destiny Hall. Remember this!"


    Kong Shi''s deep voice sounded urgent.


    "Understood!"


    Knowing that Kong Shi wouldn''t say such things without a reason, Zhang Xuan responded seriously before continuing, "Have you contacted Lord Nie and Uncle Nie Tong?"


    Kong Shi replied, "I''ve tried, but so far, I haven''t been able to reach them. Something might have happened... I''m also in a dangerous situation, very troublesome. Zhang Shi, you must quickly increase your strength and find a way to rescue me. I am in..."


    Before Kong Shi could finish speaking, the vortex suddenly copsed, and the Pathos of Heaven Sword Energy was crushed by a tremendous force. Zhang Xuan''s face paled, and he staggered back a few steps, spitting out a mouthful of blood.


    After taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan spent a long time adjusting himself before he felt better.


    With his current strength and abilities, it was clearly still too much of a strain to forcibly use such a powerful sword art.


    His father-inw and Uncle Nie Tong''s fates were uncertain, and Kong Shi was in danger...


    And now he had to hide his identity...


    Kong Shi''s warning to him consisted of two parts: First, both Kong Shi and Nie Yun were in dire situations. Second, he must not disy too much of his Heaven''s Fate Ability and had to be careful of the Destiny Hall.


    "What is Heaven''s Fate Ability? And what is the Destiny Hall?" Zhang Xuan frowned.


    Due to the limitations of Heaven''s Fate Energy, his two previous visits to the Library had mostly been focused on cultivation techniques. He had yet to explore the cultural and geographical aspects, so there were many things he was still unclear about.


    However, these were not major issues since he could always ask someone for information.


    "I must quickly improve my strength to resolve all these crises..."


    After pondering for a short time, Zhang Xuan made a decision.


    With his current cultivation level, even if he found Kong Shi and Nie Yun, he wouldn''t be able to help them. Worse, he might even be a burden. Therefore, it was better to focus on advancing his cultivation as quickly as possible.


    "Without burning the new world''s power, 10 horsepower is only average in the Body Tempering Realm. To cultivate, Heaven''s Fate Energy is essential. But where can I find it?"


    Previously, he had acquired more than 20,000 strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy, mostly by taking advantage of the academy''s Source Pool Assessment. Now that all the students hadpleted their assessments, he needed to think of a new method.


    "Maybe I should ask Dean Lu."


    Realizing that thinking about it here would do no good, Zhang Xuan stepped out.


    ...


    In the dean''s office.


    Dean Lu Mingrong and Patriarch Chen Xiao sat facing each other.


    After a long silence, Dean Lu broke the tension. "Patriarch Chen, Teacher Zhang visited your horse farm for the first time yesterday, didn''t he? And after just one visit, he was appointed as a guest elder. Don''t you think you owe us an exnation?"


    Chen Xiao smiled slightly. "Teacher Zhang managed to tame the wild horse Fei Hong, which even Zhou Qun and others couldn''t tame. Appointing him as a guest elder¡ªwhat''s the problem? On the contrary, aren''t you the one who hastily appointed him as an ''auxiliary teacher'' just because he helped City Lord Yu tame the Cangback Eagle and even allowed Yu Xiaoyu to be his disciple? Isn''t that a bit reckless?"


    Lu Mingrong responded, "Our academy''s mission is to recognize and value talent. I merely saw Teacher Zhang''s potential along with City Lord Yu, so we decided to give him special support."


    Chen Xiao retorted, "I understand special support, but offering 300,000 Source Coins was a bit excessive, wasn''t it? With the sry of an auxiliary teacher, how long would it take for him to pay that back? If I recall correctly, an auxiliary teacher''s sry is only a few hundred Source Coins a month, right?"


    Lu Mingrong exined, "It has nothing to do with his sry. It was a gesture to demonstrate the unity of White Rock Academy, to show that we don''t abandon anyone, even if they''re just an auxiliary teacher. And as I recall, wasn''t it your Chen family that helped pay that money? I''d like to ask, how many wild horses like Fei Hong would Teacher Zhang have to tame to earn that much back for the Chen family?"


    Chen Xiao hesitated, "Well... the Chen family also sees Teacher Zhang''s potential. As for his current abilities, they aren''t worth mentioning."


    Lu Mingrong agreed, "Yes, we feel the same. His teaching ability isn''t worth mentioning..."


    At this, both men awkwardly smiled at each other. Just then, Wu Yunzhou, the vice-principal, entered the room and bowed.


    "Dean, Patriarch Chen, that ''not worth mentioning'' Teacher Zhang has just left the ssroom and was picked up by City Lord Yu. The two of them seemed very happy together."


    "Yu Longqing, you bastard..."


    Chen Xiao suddenly stood up.


    "How shameless!" Lu Mingrong''s eyebrows also shot up.


    Just moments ago, both had imed that Zhang Xuan wasn''t worth mentioning, but now, hearing that he had been taken away by City Lord Yu, they both seemed a little anxious.


    "Where did they go?" Lu Mingrong could no longer hold back.


    Wu Yunzhou thought for a moment, then said, "I heard they went to the White Roc Trading House."


    "White Roc Trading House? Liu family''s territory? Could it be that they were going to buy something needed for cultivation?"


    Muttering to himself, Patriarch Chen cupped his hands. "Dean Lu, I''ve just remembered something I need to take care of at the horse farm, so I''ll take my leave now."


    "Yes, I have matters to attend to at the academy as well, so I won''t keep you!" Lu Mingrong nodded.


    After Chen Xiao left, Wu Yunzhou looked over. "Dean, should we go there?"


    Lu Mingrong nodded. "Of course. Thest time, Patriarch Chen seized the opportunity to pay. This time, we can''t let Yu Longqing steal the chance. Otherwise, the advantage we''ve gained will be lost..."


    "Yes!"


    Wu Yunzhou nodded.


    The Saint Grade Source Pool, Furnace Ignition, horse taming, teaching, Heaven''s Fate... Each of these aplishments marked Zhang Xuan as someone who could surely rise above his peers and reach the pinnacle. If they didn''t seize the opportunity to build a strong rtionship now and shower him with favors, they might not even find the door to his support in the future.


    "White Roc City doesn''t have a Destiny Hall?"


    Riding on horseback, Zhang Xuan looked at the nearby City Lord Yu Longqing, his eyes full of disbelief.


    Kong Shi had repeatedly warned him to be cautious of the Destiny Hall, but it turned out that White Roc City didn''t have one.


    No wonder he hadn''t encountered any danger¡ªit all made sense now.


    If there were a Destiny Hall, given how long he''d been here, he would have at least heard some rumors.


    Seeing Zhang Xuan''s confusion, Yu Longqing patiently exined.


    The Destiny Hall was a sacred ce that all cultivators aspired to reach. The Destiny Disks used in the academy''s Source Pool Assessment came from there, and within the hall, there were those who could control all things¡ªDestiny Masters.


    After listening for a while, Zhang Xuan finally understood.


    The Destiny Hall was somewhat simr to the Master Teacher Pavilion on the Master Teacher Continent, being one of the most powerful forces in the Source World. Every cultivator took pride in mastering their destiny, and this was something that could only be obtained there.


    ording to normal procedures, once a cultivator''s strength reached a certain level, they could go to the Destiny Hall to seek their destiny. If they couldn''t find one that suited them, they would be cut off from the path to bing the strongest cultivator for life.


    This was very simr to the process of bing a Master Teacher.


    When a cultivator reached a certain level, they could undergo the Master Teacher Pavilion''s assessment. If they couldn''t meet the standards of mental state and the like, they would never be a Master Teacher.


    As for destiny, it was somewhat akin to the myriad professions.


    For example, those who mastered the destiny of beast taming would find taming Source Beasts to be a breeze, and everything would go smoothly for them. This exined why Mo Yanxue and the others were so shocked by his beast-taming abilities. Those who mastered the destiny of teaching could draw upon Heavenly Tutge to effortlessly guide and instruct others.


    This was why Lu Mingrong and Wu Yunzhou mistakenly believed Zhang Xuan to be a natural Destiny Master.


    After hearing all this, Zhang Xuan fell into deep thought.


    If that was the case... could the Master Teacher Continent itself have been formed by a strand of destiny? Otherwise, where would the unique abilities like the Convergence of True Energy, Heavenly Tutge, the Eye of Insight, and the Master Teacher''s Heavenly Armamente from?


    Yu Longqing continued, "We all have only one life, and so is fate. To cultivate another person''s destiny, one must either be their disciple or submit to them, willingly epting their control. Otherwise, they could take your life with a single thought."


    "We have only one life?"


    Zhang Xuan''s pupils contracted.


    He now understood why the divine hand had appeared in the Firmament. Perhaps it was because the "Way of the Teacher" was severed from its destiny, leading to its destruction.


    And the new world he created belonged to the path of emotions, which likely had a corresponding destiny holder. This was why he had felt so uneasy, unable to control his power, resulting in severe injuries that forced him into this world.


    It was fortunate that he had hidden his cultivation and strength upon arrival. Otherwise, he would have been detected long ago and would have perished without even knowing how.


    Of course, these were just his spections. The specifics were unclear, and even the City Lord Yu Longqing didn''t know much about it. He would have to rely on breaking through in strength to uncover the truth.


    Suppressing these thoughts, Zhang Xuan looked over in confusion again. "Since everyone yearns for the Destiny Hall, and it offers the chance to control one''s fate, why haven''t you tried it?"


    "Of course I have, and I even underwent a ''Destiny Baptism''... But unfortunately, Ick the qualifications to cultivate a destiny, so I can only be content with being a small city lord here. Otherwise, the world is vast¡ªwhere wouldn''t I be able to roam freely?"


    Yu Longqing shook his head with a bitter smile, his eyes full of regret.


    "Destiny Baptism? What''s that?" Zhang Xuan asked, puzzled.


    Yu Longqing''s expression turned contemtive as he reminisced. "The Destiny Baptism is a process where the Destiny Hall uses special methods to summon the ''Heaven''s Fate Energy Tide.'' When you stand within it, countless strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy descend from the sky, surging toward you, making you feel as if you''re immersed in the flow of fate."


    "There are countless branching paths within it, just like the various opportunities in life, and you must choose among them. Those with weak wills can easily get lost and end up wasting their talents and lives. But those with strong minds and good fortune, once they find the destiny force that matches them and merge it with themselves, can elevate their life''s level and instantly be a true Destiny Master."


    "As for me... I wasn''t so lucky. Faced with the Heaven''s Fate Energy Tide, I quickly lost my way and ended up with nothing."


    Yu Longqing''s face was full of regret.


    "Heaven''s Fate Energy Tide? Countless strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy?"


    Zhang Xuan didn''t know much about Destiny Masters and wasn''t too interested in them, but these two things were incredibly tempting.


    If he could experience such a thing, could he easily absorb several or even dozens of strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy and never have to worry about running out?


    "Indeed!"


    Unaware of Zhang Xuan''s thoughts, Yu Longqing assumed he was merely shocked and nodded involuntarily.


    "Are there any requirements for this ''Destiny Baptism''?" Zhang Xuan asked.


    Yu Longqing replied, "There are two requirements. First, your cultivation must reach the eighth level of the Source Pool Realm, the Divine Soul Realm. Otherwise, you won''t be able to withstand the pressure of the energy tide or the impact of fate on your soul."


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    As Yu Longqing had said, fate has countless branches, and without a firm mind, one could easily be led astray by various temptations and end up with nothing.


    "Secondly, you must pay a registration fee of 30 million Source Coins, which is non-refundable regardless of sess or failure."


    Seeing the doubt in Zhang Xuan''s eyes, Yu Longqing exined, "Each Destiny Baptism requires the efforts of many Destiny Masters to summon the ''River of Destiny,'' which is extremely taxing. The money is actually a fee for their services."


    Zhang Xuan acknowledged with a nod.


    This was somewhat simr to the alchemy debates on the Master Teacher Continent, where a fee had to be paid to invite alchemists to assist in the assessment. After all, no one was obligated to help for free.


    The same applied to the Master Teacher assessments. If you passed, the Master Teacher Pavilion would cover the costs. If not, you had to bear the expenses yourself. Without such rules, everyone would want to test their abilities, and the Master Teacher Pavilion wouldn''t be able to function.


    "Reaching the eighth level of the Source Pool Realm is easy... But 30 million Source Coins is a bit difficult!"


    After hearing the requirements, Zhang Xuan started calcting.


    For him, as long as he had enough Heaven''s Fate Energy, reaching the eighth level of the Source Pool Realm could likely be achieved within a month. However, earning that much money... would be a different story.


    It wasn''t that Zhang Xuancked the ability to make money, but the wealth of White Roc City was limited. Even if the three major familiesbined their resources, they might not be able toe up with such arge amount of cash at once.


    In other words, to umte such a sum, Zhang Xuan would practically have to gather all the liquid funds avable from the three major families!


    The difficulty of this task was obvious.


    Of course, this wasn''t something that needed to be rushed. After all, White Roc City was just a small town. Things would surely get easier if he went to the capital of a dynasty.


    Knowing that there was no immediate way to achieve a Destiny Baptism, Zhang Xuan decided to stop worrying about it and instead asked a question that had been on his mind: "So... if there''s no Destiny Hall, where can I find Heaven''s Fate Energy?"


    "First, you can use some special arrays to dpose treasures, which can produce this kind of energy, just like what I did for Xiaoyu and Mo Yanxue in the Library," Yu Longqing exined.


    As he spoke, Yu Longqing cautiously nced at Zhang Xuan, hoping to see if he had noticed that the Spirit Source Bamboo had beenpletely absorbed by him. However, Zhang Xuan''s face remained impassive, as if he had no idea what Yu Longqing was talking about.


    "Could I have been mistaken?"


    A hint of doubt shed in Yu Longqing''s mind. But since so much time had passed, it was no longer appropriate to ask directly, so he continued, "Second, you can search for the Destiny Disks used by White Rock Academy over the years. These disks are crafted by the Destiny Hall and contain arge amount of Heaven''s Fate Energy. During the annual assessments, not all the energy within them is necessarily consumed. Therefore, these discarded treasures should still contain some remnants."


    Zhang Xuan''s eyes lit up. "Where can I find these Destiny Disks? Should I ask Dean Lu?"


    The number of students each year varied, and so did the amount of energy they could absorb. It was impossible for all the energy within the disks to bepletely used up. Therefore, there was bound to be a significant amount of residual energy left in the discarded disks. If he could find them, he might be able to harvest a considerable amount of energy.


    "There''s no point in asking him," Yu Longqing replied. "Every year, the leftover Destiny Disks are sent to trading houses to be made avable to cultivators who didn''t have the opportunity to enroll. This is a requirement from the Destiny Hall, and even Dean Lu can''t do anything about it."


    Some people, due to favorable family conditions, were introduced to cultivation at a young age, found their Source Pool early, and even had a chance to activate it. Such individuals could apply to the academy and be Source Warriors.


    However, there were others who missed the best age for cultivation, like Zhang Xuan, who only found his Source Pool in his twenties and couldn''t enroll in the academy, leaving them with no way to be Source Warriors.


    To give these people a chance to cultivate, the Destiny Hall mandated that the academy send these used Destiny Disks to trading houses, allowing ordinary people to also have an opportunity to practice.


    "There''s also a third way," Yu Longqing continued, "which is to find a powerful Destiny Master. Such a person canmunicate with the River of Destiny and actively draw Heaven''s Fate Energy. However, this is the most difficult option, and unless you have a close rtionship with them, why would they help you?"


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    It was simr on the Master Teacher Continent. If youcked strength and wanted a Master Teacher to give you guidance, it was nothing short of a dream.


    But from what Yu Longqing said, once Zhang Xuan became a Destiny Master himself, he would be able to draw Heaven''s Fate Energy at will and never have to worry about running out again.


    It seemed he would need to work toward that goal in the future.


    Putting these thoughts aside, Zhang Xuan asked, "Are there any requirements to go to a trading house for a Source Pool assessment?"


    Yu Longqing replied, "You still need to pay a certain fee, around 200 Source Coins at the minimum."


    Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. "That''s not too bad."


    For others, 200 Source Coins might allow them to absorb one or two strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy at most, but he could absorb hundreds or even thousands of strands. He would definitely get his money''s worth.


    With this thought, the two of them urged their horses forward, heading quickly toward the White Roc Trading House.


    ...


    After Zhang Xuan left the academy, Liu Tianzheng finished teaching Liu Mingyue the Fuyao umtion Technique and stopped Dean Lu Mingrong, who was about to head to the trading house.


    "Dean Lu, isn''t it time to hand over the Destiny Disks used this year to our trading house?"


    "Yes," Lu Mingrong nodded and signaled to Wu Yunzhou, who then stepped forward and handed over a disk.


    Liu Tianzheng casually took it, but then suddenly froze.


    The object in his hand had already shattered into several pieces, resembling nothing more than a pile of fragments.


    "What is this?" Liu Tianzheng''s expression turned grim.

 Chapter 83: White Roc Trading House

    Chapter 83: White Roc Trading House


    The Destiny Disks from the Destiny Hall could only be obtained by academies with the necessary qualifications. Small trading houses could only acquire used disks, and even then,petition was fierce.


    The Liu family had paid a fortune every year to secure the rights to these items, including tens of thousands of Source Coins this year alone. Yet, all they got in return was this broken piece of junk?


    "This year''s assessmentsted two full days. There''s no way this was the only disk, and it¡¯s shattered at that..." Liu Tianzheng couldn¡¯t help but ask after his initial fury subsided.


    "Of course, there wasn''t just one!" Dean Lu Mingrong nodded, his face sincere. "There were three in total!"


    "That''s more like it!"


    Liu Tianzheng''s tense expression rxed into a smile, but it quickly froze when he saw the other two disks. His eyelids twitched uncontrobly as he eximed, "Dean Lu, are you ying a joke on me?"


    Just moments ago, Wu Yunzhou had handed over two more used disks. Like the first one, they were both shattered into multiple pieces, with not a trace of Heaven''s Fate Energy left¡ªnothing, not even a shred.


    In all their years of cooperation, this was the first time Liu Tianzheng had seen the disks so thoroughly depleted.Did someone eat the disks?


    "Master Liu, you''re overthinking this. Why would we y a joke on you? This year''s students were numerous, and there were many geniuses among them, so they consumed a bit more Heaven''s Fate Energy than usual. It''s not unusual. Unfortunately, all three disks have beenpletely exhausted, with no energy left," Lu Mingrong exined, shaking his head.


    "This is impossible! I specifically investigated. This year, 9,465 students came to White Rock Academy for the assessment, with 2,593 failing to absorb even a single strand of energy. Among the 6,872 sessful students, over ny percent absorbed only one strand. I calcted the total, and all together, they shouldn''t have consumed more than 9,000 strands of energy. One disk should have sufficed. How could three disks be drained like this?" Liu Tianzheng argued.


    Dean Lu replied calmly, "But that is the reality."


    Liu Tianzheng''s calctions were urate¡ªother students hadn''t consumed enough energy to deplete even one disk. However, there was that one person who drained all three... but this was not something Dean Lu could reveal.


    "Master Liu, the dean speaks the truth. If you don¡¯t believe us, you can ask the other elders. We have no reason to deceive you. Moreover, you can see the disk fragments yourself¡ªwhether they are real or fake is clear at a nce," Wu Yunzhou added.


    After carefully examining the fragments in his hand, Liu Tianzheng realized there was no point in arguing further. He took a deep breath and said, "Dean Lu, I know that White Rock Academy applies for two Destiny Disks from the Destiny Hall each year. Under normal circumstances, only one is used, so the academy should have a significant stockpile. Could you sell me one? Otherwise, with just these fragments, I''m afraid the Source Pool assessments at the trading house won''t be able to proceed this year..."


    He had already sold many slots for the assessments, and without a Destiny Disk, the trading house might as well close down.


    The academy did indeed apply for two disks each year, but the Destiny Hall didn''t always grant that many. Plus, the academy''s yearly consumption...


    Dean Lu didn''t deny it, saying, "There are indeed a few left, and I can sell you one, but the price might be a bit steep."


    "Price is negotiable!" Liu Tianzheng quickly nodded, smiling.


    "Since Master Liu is so eager, how about this? I won¡¯t ask for an unreasonable amount¡ª200,000 Source Coins for one," Dean Lu offered. "You should know that even the academy has to pay a hefty price to purchase these disks from the Destiny Hall."


    Knowing that Dean Lu wasn¡¯t lying and that the price wasn¡¯t too outrageous, Liu Tianzheng clenched his fists. After a long pause, he let out a breath of relief. "Fine, deal!"


    A single Destiny Disk could store about 10,000 strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy. The cultivatorsing to him for the assessment would each need to pay at least 200 Source Coins. ording to past experience, about half would fail to absorb any energy, while over ny percent of the sessful ones would absorb only one strand.


    By purchasing the disk for 200,000 Source Coins, Liu Tianzheng was confident that he could earn more than that in profits. It was a highly lucrative deal.


    "Good, bring Master Liu a new disk," Dean Lu said, dismissing the matter with a wave of his hand.


    Without further ado, Wu Yunzhou left and quickly returned with a pristine Destiny Disk.


    After carefully inspecting the disk several times to ensure it was brand new, Liu Tianzheng finally rxed. "I¡¯ll personally deliver the Source Coins tonight."


    "We trust Master Liu''s integrity," Dean Lu responded with a wave of his hand.


    As long as the Liu family remained, they weren¡¯t worried about being cheated.


    ...


    White Roc Trading House was bustling with activity.


    As Zhang Xuan looked at the imposing building before him, he awkwardly turned to City Lord Yu Longqing. "City Lord, I just feel that my Source Pool hasn¡¯t fully stabilized yet. I want to find some Heaven''s Fate Energy to see if I can absorb more. There¡¯s no need for you to trouble yourself further. If a distinguished figure like you apanies me, it might cause unnecessary misunderstandings."


    Yu Longqing nodded, "You''re right; I should have considered this earlier."


    His reputation in White Roc City was high¡ªwhile the people might not recognize Dean Lu or the Chen family head, they certainly knew the city lord.


    If he escorted Zhang Xuan into the trading house and tended to him personally, even a fool would notice something was amiss.


    If that happened, how could Zhang Xuan keep his genius hidden?


    After a moment of contemtion, Yu Longqing took out a token. "Teacher Zhang, I won¡¯t apany you, but you must ept this token. If you find something you want but don¡¯t have enough Source Coins, you can use this to charge it to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. Furthermore, if anyone deliberately causes trouble, this token will allow you to summon the city guards to deal with the problem."


    "This... It¡¯s too valuable for me to ept without merit!" Zhang Xuan quickly refused, his eyes full of doubt. "City Lord, I''m just an ordinary teacher. Even though I''m honored to have taught Miss Yu, isn¡¯t this a bit too much?"


    Although Zhang Xuan didn''t know the exact value of the token, he could tell from its ability to charge purchases and mobilize the city guards that it was extraordinary. Even if he was Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s teacher, wasn¡¯t it a bit excessive to give him something like this?


    Frowning, Zhang Xuan thought back carefully.


    His interactions with Yu Longqing had mostly been limited to taming the Cangback Eagle and epting Yu Xiaoyu as a disciple. As for igniting the furnace, that had been achieved using the blood of a Qingguang Beast¡ªan exceptional achievement, but not overly impressive...


    All this time, Zhang Xuan had hidden his abilities well and hadn''t exposed any issues, so logically, Yu Longqing shouldn''t have any suspicions.


    Realizing his actions might have been too forward, Yu Longqing awkwardly smiled and exined, "It''s like this... Xiaoyu was a bit inattentive during her lesson today, so I was hoping, Teacher Zhang, that you could give her some private guidance."


    Zhang Xuan sighed in relief, silently admiring Yu Longqing''s deep love for his daughter. He nodded and said, "If shepletes the tasks in the scroll tonight, I will certainly guide her tomorrow. You have my word, City Lord."


    A parent''s love for their child was boundless.


    The esteemed City Lord went to such lengths, even apanying Zhang Xuan and offering a City Lord¡¯s Token, all for the sake of helping his daughter. It truly wasn¡¯t easy.


    "Of course!" Yu Longqing was equally relieved that his exnation was epted. He cupped his fists and said, "In that case, I won''t disturb you any further, Teacher Zhang. Farewell!"


    After speaking, he turned and began to walk away. A few stepster, he saw the young man waving goodbye, so he smiled and returned the gesture. To his surprise, the horse under Zhang Xuan¡ªDao Li¡ªalso lifted a hoof and waved it in farewell.


    A horse waving goodbye? Was this animal serious?


    "Alright, stop showing off..."


    Zhang Xuan gave Dao Li a light p on its side and dismounted.


    This horse was good in every way except for its love of showing off. It wanted to impress everyone it met... It needed to learn to be as low-key and reserved as its owner!


    Seeing that the trading house didn''t refuse to amodate the horse, Zhang Xuan led Dao Li inside.


    Having already asked for directions, Zhang Xuan bypassed several stalls and soon arrived at a spacious hall.


    Outside the hall, arge crowd had already gathered¡ªat least a hundred people, all of whom were independent cultivators here for the Source Pool assessment. They varied in age, the youngest being at least twenty-seven or twenty-eight, while the oldest were in their sixties or seventies.


    Cultivation offered not only the potential for an extended lifespan but also the opportunity to earn more money, a temptation few could resist.


    "Everyone, please be patient. The steward has already informed Master Liu, who has gone to White Rock Academy to obtain a Destiny Disk! Those who haven''t registered yet, pleasee forward to pay the registration fee and prepare to enter..."


    An overseer noticed the growing noise and called out to the crowd.


    Zhang Xuan approached the overseer.


    Most of the hundred people had already pre-registered. Few, like Zhang Xuan, were here for the first time, so there weren¡¯t many ahead of him in line.


    As he waited, Zhang Xuan felt a tug on his sleeve. Turning, he saw Dao Li nuzzling his arm with itsrge head.


    "You want to try too?" Zhang Xuan was surprised.


    Dao Li was a creature he had sessfully awakened with the Spirit Awakening Technique and had fully tamed. It couldmunicate with him normally.


    The massive head of Dao Li nodded in response.


    "That makes sense!" Zhang Xuan nodded. "Although I''ve helped you find your Source Pool and sorted out your meridians, you haven¡¯t actually undergone an assessment yet. Since there''s Heaven''s Fate Energy avable here, you should try to absorb some."


    Dao Li let out a pleased snort, clearly excited.


    Without further dy, Zhang Xuan joined the line and soon reached the front. He took out 400 Source Coins, handed them over, and said, "I''d like to register for two."


    The overseer nced at him with a hint of confusion. "The second person... They need to be here soon, as the assessment is about to start. Once it begins, no refunds will be issued."


    "They''re already here!" Zhang Xuan smiled and patted Dao Li. "It''s this horse. It wants to participate as well."


    The overseer was momentarily stunned, then broke into a strange smile. "You want a horse to take up a slot in the Source Pool assessment?"


    Zhang Xuan nodded. "Yes! Is that possible?"


    The overseer chuckled. "As long as you pay, you could bring a whole herd of horses if you like! But I should warn you, horses arerge animals and will take up the space of about four people, so it¡¯ll cost four times the regr price."


    "That''s fine!" Zhang Xuan agreed.


    "Someone with money to burn..." the overseer muttered under his breath, but he didn''t try to dissuade Zhang Xuan any further. Instead, he exined, "Our trading house offers different levels of assessment¡ªInner and Outer Circles, each with three tiers: Inner One, Two, Three, and Outer One, Two, Three. Which level would you like to purchase?"


    "Different levels?" Zhang Xuan was puzzled.


    "Of course. The closer you are to the Destiny Disk, the denser the Heaven''s Fate Energy, which increases your chances of a sessful assessment. If you can afford it, you should definitely go for the better spots," the overseer borated.


    "I see!" Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.


    It was like attending a concert¡ª the closer you were to the stage, the higher the ticket price, and some seats could even be resold for exorbitant amounts.


    After a moment of thought, Zhang Xuan asked, "How much for a spot in the Inner One Circle? I¡¯d like one for myself and one for Dao Li."


    Back at the academy, he had been stuck in the outer circle, barely absorbing any energy. Now that he had the option to purchase the best spot, he wasn¡¯t going to miss the chance.


    The overseer replied, "Inner One is the best and most expensive¡ª1,200 Source Coins per person. Since your horse will take up four spots, it¡¯ll be 4,800 Source Coins for it, making the total 6,000 Source Coins."


    Zhang Xuan nced at Dao Li and, though it pained him slightly, he eventually nodded. "Let''s go with that."


    After he paid, the overseer handed him two tokens. "These are your entry tokens. Wait over there, and someone will guide you inside shortly."


    "Thank you!" Zhang Xuan epted the tokens and led Dao Li toward the gathering crowd.


    "Manager Qin, letting a horse take part in the assessment¡ªhas that ever happened before? Won''t you get in trouble for allowing it?" a staff member approached the overseer, concern evident in their voice.


    In all the years of Source Pool assessments, people had struggled to get a spot. Never before had anyone brought in an animal, especially one asrge as this.


    "Trouble? Why would I get in trouble for generating profit for the family?" Overseer Qin sneered, looking at the staff member as if they were foolish. "You don''t really think a horse can absorb Heaven''s Fate Energy, do you?"


    "Of course not!" The staff member had a sudden realization. "Horses are just ordinary animals, not Source Beasts. They can''t cultivate at all. By letting it in and charging four times the fee, you''ll ensure that not a single strand of Heaven''s Fate Energy is consumed. It''s pure profit..."


    "Exactly!" Overseer Qin nodded. "This fool just wants to show off by bringing a horse. If that''s the case, we''ll dly take his money and indulge him."


    If they had any ambition, they would have be Source Warriors long ago at their age. Why would they need toe to a trading house for an assessment?


    "Manager Qin, you''re truly wise!" The staff member nodded in agreement. Then, after taking another look at Zhang Xuan and Dao Li, something clicked. "Wait, why does that horse look so familiar?"


    "Now that you mention it, I feel like I''ve seen it somewhere before too..." Manager Qin paused, then suddenly realized, "That horse... it looks like the youngdy''s Dao Li!"


    "Yes, it''s definitely Dao Li! How did it end up with that man? And why is he bringing it here for a Source Pool assessment?"


    Both of them were stunned upon recognizing the horse.


    "Isn''t the patriarch supposed toe byter?" After a moment of silence, Manager Qin turned to ask.


    "I heard he''sing this afternoon to personally oversee the assessment," the staff member replied with a nod.


    "Good. If it really is the youngdy''s Dao Li, we''ll know for sure when the patriarch arrives. As servants, we just need to report what we see."


    Manager Qin smiled confidently.


    "Understood!" The staff member didn¡¯t ask any further questions.


    After a while, more people came to register, and about half an hourter, Liu Tianzheng, the patriarch of the Liu family, strode into the trading house.


    Elder Liu Tianming, who was in charge of the trading house, quickly greeted him. Liu Tianzheng handed over the newly purchased Destiny Disk and finally let out a sigh of relief.


    With so many people registering, if there were no Heaven''s Fate Energy avable, the reputation the Liu family had built over the years would be ruined in an instant.


    Seeing that the patriarch was momentarily free, Manager Qin hurried over. "Patriarch!"


    "You must be Qin Lu, right? Do you need something from me?" Liu Tianzheng recognized him.


    "Thank you, Patriarch, for remembering my name," Qin Lu''s eyes brightened as he quickly bowed. "It''s like this¡ªsomeone just brought a horse to undergo a Source Pool assessment, and the horse looks like it might be youngdy''s Dao Li."


    Liu Tianzheng was taken aback. "Where is he?"


    Qin Lu pointed. "Right there, near the center of the arena..."


    Liu Tianzheng looked up and indeed saw Zhang Xuan standing calmly in the middle of the crowd, holding the reins of a tall horse that was waiting quietly for the assessment to begin.


    "What is he doing here?" Liu Tianzheng was puzzled.


    While he didn''t know the exact extent of Zhang Xuan''s strength, he knew it was beyond the Energy Storing Realm; otherwise, he wouldn''t have been capable of teaching his daughter.


    Such strength indicated that his Source Pool should have stabilized long ago. Why would hee to a trading house for a Source Pool assessment now? It didn''t make any sense.


    And bringing a horse for the assessment...?


    After pondering for a moment, Liu Tianzheng''s expression darkened. "There aren''t many slots avable for the Source Pool assessment, and letting him bring a horse that takes up several spaces is pure nonsense!"


    Qin Lu quickly responded, "I thought of that, Patriarch, so I charged him four times the usual fee for the horse!"


    "Four times? 4,800 Source Coins?" Liu Tianzheng was surprised, then burst intoughter. "Well done, you¡¯ve got a good head on your shoulders."


    A horse couldn''t possibly absorb Heaven''s Fate Energy, so charging that much was pure profit. And to top it off, it was that same guy who had forced his daughter to sell Dao Li. The more Liu Tianzheng thought about it, the more he appreciated Qin Lu¡¯s initiative. He decided to keep an eye on him for future promotion.


    "Thank you for your praise, Patriarch!" Qin Lu was ted and quickly bowed in gratitude.


    Just then, a faint humming sound echoed from afar as the Destiny Disk, newly obtained from Dean Lu, was activated. Strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy immediately began to descend.


    Liu Tianzheng stopped talking and looked up at the tform. Everyone had already taken their seats, eyes closed in meditation.


    Even Dao Li had closed itsrge eyes, and its tall figure stood out conspicuously among the seated crowd.


    Spending 4,800 Source Coins to have a horse participate in a Source Pool assessment¡ªdid this guy really think that just because some people respected him, he could do anything? If that horse manages to cultivate, I''ll smash my head against the wall...


    Just as Liu Tianzheng was about to turn away and find a ce to rest, something caught his eye, and he froze in his tracks.


    "What? This... This is impossible!"

 Chapter 84: Liu Tianzhengs Collapse

    Chapter 84: Liu Tianzheng''s Copse


    On the distant tform, even while crouching, Dao Li still towered over the seated participants, resembling a gray boulder from afar.


    At this moment, the air around the "boulder" began to ripple, and faint strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy could be seen slowly approaching and seeping into it.


    "Could it be... this creature can actually absorb Heaven''s Fate Energy?" Liu Tianzheng felt his heart skip a beat.


    When the Destiny Disk was activated by an array, the Heaven''s Fate Energy became extremely chaotic, making it impossible to see who was absorbing it or how much, unless one''s cultivation had reached the eighth level of the Source Pool Realm, the Divine Soul Realm. Even at close range, it was difficult to detect.


    This was precisely why Zhang Xuan¡¯s first absorption had gone unnoticed even by Dean Lu Mingrong.


    "Bring me the assessment stone!" Liu Tianzheng urgently ordered.


    The assessment stone was the same device used in White Rock Academy¡¯s Nine Pirs to disy how much Heaven''s Fate Energy had been absorbed. At the academy, the results were shown in real-time so students could demonstrate their talents and choose, or be chosen by, a teacher.


    But here, with everyone being independent cultivators, disying strong talent without sufficient strength could invite disaster. As a result, there was no public disy of assessments during Source Pool evaluations at the trading house.However, to confirm his suspicions, Liu Tianzheng couldn¡¯t afford to worry about such formalities.


    "Yes, sir!" Qin Lu rushed away and quickly returned, carrying a small stone tablet.


    When he reached Liu Tianzheng, thetter took a deep breath and ced his palm gently on the tablet.


    As his energy flowed into it, the tablet emitted a faint hum, and letters slowly appeared on its surface, showing the rankings of all the participants.


    Name: Dao Li.


    Refinement: Two strands.


    "???"


    Liu Tianzheng waspletely stunned.


    He had only vaguely sensed that Dao Li might be absorbing some Heaven''s Fate Energy. He never imagined it would actually be true...


    Even more shocking was that the horse ranked first among all participants!


    Although all of the participants were older and hadn¡¯t yet stabilized their Source Pools¡ªindicating rtively average talent¡ªthey were still humans. Yet here they were, being outdone by a horse!


    Wasn''t it said that only Source Beasts could absorb Heaven''s Fate Energy?


    For a moment, Liu Tianzheng felt his chest tighten, leaving him at a loss for words.


    He quickly looked back at Dao Li and saw the horse pause for a moment, itsrge eyes darting around. Just then, a hand smacked its head, and Zhang Xuan¡¯s slightly irritated voice could be heard.


    "Hurry up and stabilize your Source Pool, or the Heaven''s Fate Energy will be absorbed by someone else."


    Hearing this, Dao Li didn¡¯t dare to resist. It closed its eyes again, and in the next moment, the stone tablet in front of Liu Tianzheng began to flicker.


    Three strands!


    Four strands!


    Five strands...


    In just a few minutes, Dao Li had absorbed eight strands!


    It had already reached the Sixth Grade Source Pool level.


    Seeing the horse diligently absorbing the energy, the young man beside it finally rxed and also closed his eyes.


    "A horse that can not only absorb Heaven''s Fate Energy but also seems to possess a Fifth Grade Source Pool..."


    Liu Tianzheng swallowed hard. Just as he was reeling from the shock, a sudden realization hit him.


    "Wait a minute... Could Lu Mingrong and Chen Xiao have known about this all along? Is that why they were so eager to buy this horse and pay the bill so quickly?"


    Even though Zhang Xuan had exceptional talent in taming beasts, surpassing Zhou Qun and others, it shouldn¡¯t have been enough to make figures like Lu Mingrong, Yu Longqing, and Chen Xiao all scramble to assist him.


    But if they knew this horse could absorb Heaven''s Fate Energy, meaning it could potentially cultivate on its own and evolve into a Source Beast, wouldn¡¯t that exin everything?


    "Damn it..."


    Liu Tianzheng clenched his teeth in frustration.


    A regr fine horse might cost around 100,000 Source Coins, and Dao Li was particrly valuable because it was a warhorse that had seen battle.


    He thought he had made a decent deal by getting 320,000 Source Coins for it, thinking he hadn¡¯t lost out. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect the horse to have this kind of ability.


    A Source Beast... Even the most ordinary one would be worth at least a million Source Coins if sold.


    He thought he had broken even with the 320,000 Source Coins, but in reality, he had lost several hundred thousand, if not close to a million!


    "No wonder everyone at the academy was pushing my daughter to be this man¡¯s disciple. They must have discovered Dao Li''s uniqueness and wanted to take advantage of me..."


    Once this thought clicked into ce, everything else made sense to Liu Tianzheng. He felt like his chest was about to explode from the rage.


    He had thought he was profiting, but in reality, he had been yed for a fool.


    The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Liu Tianzheng couldn¡¯t help but let out a cold snort, "Lu Mingrong, Yu Longqing, how dare you deceive me? If I see you again, I¡¯ll make sure to get some answers!"


    "What are you going to ask us about?"


    Before he could finish his outburst, a puzzled voice interrupted him.


    Liu Tianzheng turned to see none other than the very two men he had just cursed¡ªDean Lu Mingrong and City Lord Yu Longqing¡ªstanding right behind him.


    "What am I going to ask? Don¡¯t you both know already?" Liu Tianzheng shouted in anger.


    "Wait... you know?" Lu Mingrong and Yu Longqing finally noticed that the Source Pool assessment had started. Seeing the stone tablet in front of Liu Tianzheng, they exchanged a nce, and their expressions changed simultaneously.


    "So, you admit it? Do you think it¡¯s fun to deceive me?" Liu Tianzheng snapped, flicking his sleeve in frustration.


    "It¡¯s not that we wanted to deceive you... But the fewer people who know about this, the better. Otherwise, it could cause enormous trouble. I¡¯m sure you understand this, right?" Lu Mingrong sighed, shaking his head.


    It wasn¡¯t that they had intended to keep it from him, but Dao Li''s talent was too terrifying. If word got out, it could bring disaster upon White Roc City.


    Liu Tianzheng sneered, "Trouble? Ha! Are you worried about trouble, or are you worried that if I found out, I wouldn¡¯t let you take advantage of me?"


    "Take advantage of you?"


    Both Lu Mingrong and Yu Longqing exchanged confused looks.


    "If anything, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s taken advantage!" Lu Mingrong couldn¡¯t help but retort.


    ¡®Your daughter is apprenticed to such a genius. Just that connection alone will bring you untold wealth and glory.¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯ve made a huge gain, yet you¡¯re using us of taking advantage... How shameless can you be?¡¯


    "Me, taking advantage? Lu Mingrong, I never thought you¡¯d twist the truth like this. Do you really think my daughter and I are so easily fooled? If you don¡¯t give me a proper exnation today, the Liu family will make sure White Rock Academy regrets this!"


    Liu Tianzheng roared in anger, his fury evident in every word.


    The more Lu Mingrong listened, the more confused he became. Anger red within him as well, and he raised an eyebrow, shouting back, "Liu Tianzheng, have you lost your mind? I gave your Liu family such a huge opportunity, such tremendous support, and instead of appreciating it, you repay kindness with resentment? Do you really think White Rock Academy is afraid of you?"


    "Opportunity? You call this an opportunity?" Liu Tianzheng sneered. "Fine, take your so-called opportunity back!"


    With that, he pulled out arge stack of Source Coins from his robe and threw them at Dean Lu.


    As the Source Coins scattered in the air, both Lu Mingrong and Yu Longqing were left utterly bewildered.


    Was he out of his mind?


    Knowing that Zhang Xuan was a genius and that his daughter had be his disciple should have made him happy. But instead, he was throwing money around. What on earth was going on?


    Unless...


    "If you want to cancel Liu Mingyue''s apprenticeship, as the dean, I can agree to it!" Lu Mingrong said coldly, thinking he understood Liu Tianzheng''s intentions.


    Now it was Liu Tianzheng¡¯s turn to be dumbfounded. "What do you mean?"


    "Exactly what you think it means!" Lu Mingrong responded with a hint of disdain.


    Liu Tianzheng gritted his teeth. "Fine! So you''re using me and then discarding me once you¡¯ve gotten what you want, Lu Mingrong. How ruthless!"


    So they wanted to trick him into giving up the horse and then break off the teacher-student rtionship? He had expected them to at least try to cover it up, but they were being this tant!


    "Discard you? Are you out of your mind?" Lu Mingrong was about to ask for rification when he noticed a swirling vortex of energy forming above the tform.


    "He''s not even trying to be subtle, is he?"


    Lu Mingrong''s eyebrow twitched when he saw that the center of the vortex was Zhang Xuan.


    Previously, when absorbing Heaven''s Fate Energy at the academy, Zhang Xuan had been somewhat discreet, not causing such amotion. But now, it was as if he might as well have "I''m a genius" branded on his forehead.


    Seeing that Liu Tianzheng had stopped responding and was staring at the tform, Lu Mingrong also turned his gaze in that direction. His pupils shrank in shock. "What the...?"


    The scene of Zhang Xuan wildly absorbing Heaven''s Fate Energy, causing the air around him to churn, was unlike anything he had ever seen before.


    "Not the horse... It''s Zhang Xuan!" Liu Tianzheng quickly realized his mistake.


    The vortex of energy was not centered on Dao Li but on Zhang Xuan himself.


    Zhang Xuan sat calmly on the ground, eyes closed, as torrents of pure Heaven''s Fate Energy poured down like a storm. His body seemed like a bottomless pit, unable to be filled no matter how much energy it absorbed.


    Trembling, Liu Tianzheng nced at the stone tablet before him. At some point, another name had surged to the top of the rankings, overtaking the horse.


    Name: Zhang Xuan.


    Refinement: 3,517 strands.


    "???"


    Liu Tianzheng''s vision darkened, and he nearly fainted.


    At the normal rate of 200 Source Coins per strand, 3,517 strands equaled over 700,000 Source Coins... all absorbed by one person?


    He had been worrying about how to break even, but with Zhang Xuan alone, the trading house was sure to suffer a massive loss...


    "No way... He can''t be human..." Liu Tianzheng was too stunned to speak.


    Could an ordinary cultivator really absorb that much energy?


    "Stop staring and do something to cover this up! If word gets out, you know what kind of trouble it will bring!" Lu Mingrong snapped, irritated that Liu Tianzheng was standing there dumbfounded.


    "Cover it up? Did you... did you already know about his talent?" Liu Tianzheng finally caught on.


    "Of course. Didn''t you realize earlier that Liu Mingyue bing his disciple was a huge blessing, and now you''re trying to back out?" Lu Mingrong was exasperated.


    Liu Tianzheng finally understood. "Wait, are you saying... you were talking about Zhang Xuan being a super genius?"


    Lu Mingrong nodded, then looked puzzled. "Of course. What else could we have been talking about?"


    "I was talking about the horse..." Liu Tianzheng pointed to the stone tablet.


    Lu Mingrong and Yu Longqing followed his gaze, and their pupils contracted in shock.


    Name: Dao Li.


    Refinement: 45 strands.


    In such a short time, Dao Li had absorbed 45 strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy. The horse''s talent surpassed that of Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu...


    And most importantly... the horse was actually cultivating?


    In an instant, both men were utterly floored.


    They had sought to recruit Zhang Xuan because of his remarkable talent¡ªhis ability to ignite the furnace, his excellent teaching skills, his proficiency in taming beasts, and his connection to Heaven''s Fate. But now they realized they had underestimated him!


    Not only could he tame horses and turn them into warhorses, but he could also make them into Source Beasts...


    If news of this got out, countless dynasties would be fighting to im him.


    As this realization dawned on them, Liu Tianzheng finally understood why Chen Xiao had been so eager to help pay the bill despite his son being humiliated.


    Being associated with a genius like Zhang Xuan was worth any amount of money.


    Atst, Liu Tianzheng realized why Lu Mingrong and Yu Longqing had looked so shocked when heshed out at them. Knowing that Zhang Xuan was a genius, his earlier attitude was indeed foolish.


    "Dean Lu, I may have misspoken earlier. I had no intention of withdrawing my daughter from Zhang Xuan''s tutge..." Liu Tianzheng quickly tried to smooth things over.


    This truly was a golden opportunity for the Liu family, one they couldn¡¯t afford to miss.


    "Let''s not focus on that right now. We need to figure out how to cover this up. Once these peoplee out of their cultivation and realize the Heaven''s Fate Energy is gone, they¡¯re going to start asking questions..." Lu Mingrong interrupted, not wanting to dwell on the issue.


    "You''re right..." Liu Tianzheng nodded, realizing the gravity of the situation. Just as he was about to ask how they had managed to handle it before, Yu Longqing spoke up.


    "No need to cover it up; the Heaven''s Fate Energy is already gone..."


    Lu Mingrong and Liu Tianzheng quickly looked up, only to see the Destiny Disk they had just purchased beginning to crack with a faint "click." Fine lines spread across its surface.


    Liu Tianzheng felt his heart clench as he nced back at the stone tablet.


    Under Zhang Xuan''s name, the number had risen to 10,216 strands...


    A single Destiny Disk could store about 10,000 strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy. This meant that aside from the few strands absorbed by Dao Li, Zhang Xuan had consumed nearly all of it. Everyone else had barely gotten a single strand.


    "We can''t let anyone else find out!" Liu Tianzheng knew that the Heaven''s Fate Energy had beenpletely absorbed. The others would soon open their eyes and realize something was wrong. Without hesitation, he mmed his hand down on the assessment stone in front of him.


    Crash!


    The assessment stone shattered into powder, scattering across the ground.


    With the stone gone and the vortex dissipated, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to figure out what had happened.


    Now, the only witnesses were the few people present.


    Liu Tianzheng''s eyes fell on Qin Lu, the steward, standing not far away. Just earlier, he had thought Qin Lu was reliable and a good moneymaker for the Liu family. But now, he realized that if it weren''t for Qin Lu¡¯s greed in allowing this man and his horse to participate in the assessment, they could have easily earned over 200,000 Source Coins.


    Instead, they were left with just 6,000.


    "Promote him? Forget it. Maybe I should just get rid of him!" Liu Tianzheng''s eyes shed with a dangerous glint.


    While the three of them were dealing with their thoughts, Zhang Xuan, having absorbed over 10,000 strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy, slowly opened his eyes.


    He had stored all the energy in the Library of Heaven''s Path. Looking up, he saw countless books floating in the air, all emitting a warm glow, like stars in the night sky.


    "With this much Heaven''s Fate Energy, I can continue cultivating..." Zhang Xuan smiled to himself.


    Although 10,000 strands were not a lot, they were enough for him to use for a while. He just needed to be frugal and avoid the reckless consumption of energy that he had indulged in before.


    He then nced at Dao Li beside him.


    The horse had also absorbed a considerable amount of Heaven''s Fate Energy, stabilizing its Source Pool. From now on, its cultivation speed should increase.


    Overall, Zhang Xuan felt the 6,000 Source Coins had been well spent.


    "What happened? I haven¡¯t even started absorbing, and it¡¯s already over?"


    "Elder Liu Tianming, we paid so much money! Are you telling us we didn¡¯t get to absorb a single strand of Heaven''s Fate Energy?"


    "Refund! Refund!"


    Zhang Xuan''s reflections were interrupted by a chorus of angry shouts from the crowd around him.


    These independent cultivators hade to stabilize their Source Pools and advance to Source Warriors. But now, after spending their money, they had gotten nothing in return, and their frustration quickly turned into a wave of fury.


    At first, theirints were measured, but they soon escted into an uproar.


    Seeing themotion, Zhang Xuan decided to join in, raising his arm and shouting, "Refund! Refund!"


    He had absorbed the energy so discreetly that no one had noticed. If he joined the crowd, he might even get his 6,000 Source Coins back!


    Not far away, Liu Tianzheng saw this and felt a vein in his forehead throb as he struggled to control his anger. He felt as if he might suffocate from sheer frustration.


    The others had a right to demand refunds since they hadn¡¯t absorbed any Heaven''s Fate Energy. But Zhang Xuan? He knew perfectly well where all the energy had gone, yet here he was, shouting for a refund with the rest!


    "He''s just trying to keep a low profile, not wanting to stand out or draw attention. Let''s pretend we don''t know anything; otherwise, it will only cause more trouble!" Yu Longqing advised, noticing Liu Tianzheng¡¯s irritation.


    "I know..." Liu Tianzheng sighed, feeling utterly drained.


    He knew that staying quiet was the best way to handle the situation, but it still felt infuriating.


    With Elder Liu Tianming and Qin Lu managing the situation, the crowd was eventually pacified.


    In the end, the Liu family agreed to refund the money and promised to conduct a new assessment in the future.


    The crowd, though dissatisfied, knew theycked the power and influence to challenge the Liu family head-on, so they dispersed.


    Qin Lu approached Liu Tianzheng cautiously and asked, "Patriarch, should we refund Zhang Xuan''s money?"


    "Yes, give it back. If he wants to keep a low profile, let¡¯s help him with that," Liu Tianzheng sighed, waving his hand dismissively.


    "Understood," Qin Lu said before walking away. A short whileter, he returned. "Patriarch, I tried to give him the money, but he refused to take it. He said he doesn¡¯t need a refund."


    "Doesn¡¯t need a refund?" Liu Tianzheng''s eyes lit up.


    Could it be that Zhang Xuan had a change of heart and was now willing to let the Liu family recover some of their losses? Even though 6,000 Source Coins was a drop in the ocean, it was still a positive sign.


    Qin Lu shook his head and exined, "No, what he meant was that the 6,000 would be a deposit for the next assessment. He said he ns toe back next time!"


    "???"


    Liu Tianzheng felt a chill run down his spine. Panicking, he quickly turned around. "Refund him! Refund him immediately! If necessary, double it, triple it¡ªwhatever it takes, as long as he doesn¡¯te back next time!"

 Chapter 85: The Flaw

    Chapter 85: The w


    Happily pocketing the 18,000 Source Coins he had just received as a refund, Zhang Xuan finally noticed Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong standing not far away.


    He led Dao Li over to them.


    "City Lord Yu, Dean Lu, what brings you here?"


    After putting the Source Coins into his pocket, Zhang Xuan spotted Liu Tianzheng and greeted him respectfully with a cupped fist. "Master Liu, you''re here too!"


    Having absorbed over 10,000 strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy, not only did Zhang Xuan not spend a penny, but he also earned an extra 12,000 Source Coins. The Liu family truly seemed like good people, worthy of respect.


    "I came to the trading house to buy some things, and I happened to meet City Lord Yu at the entrance, so I invited him toe along. It''s quite a coincidence to see you here too, Teacher Zhang!" Lu Mingrong replied with a smile.


    "It is quite a coincidence. I was just wandering around when I saw the Source Pool assessment, so I thought I''d give Dao Li a try," Zhang Xuan exined.


    The two men exchanged knowing smiles, each hiding their true thoughts."A fine horse like that can find its own Source Pool and absorb Heaven''s Fate Energy?" Lu Mingrong asked, feigning curiosity.


    Yu Longqing and Liu Tianzheng perked up, eager to hear Zhang Xuan''s exnation.


    "It didn''t absorb much, and it wasn¡¯t very useful," Zhang Xuan said, shaking his head with a look of disappointment.


    He had expected Dao Li to absorb at least a hundred strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy given its size, but it only managed forty-something before stopping. Its talent was rather mediocre.


    It seemed that even if Dao Li could continue to cultivate, its future potential wouldn¡¯t be very high.


    "Not much?" The three men¡¯s eyelids twitched simultaneously.


    If absorbing over forty strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy in one assessment was considered "not much," what did that make the rest of them? Useless?


    "As long as there¡¯s some benefit, that¡¯s what matters. It looks like the academy should consider offering a course on horse taming. When the timees, I hope you¡¯ll be willing to share your expertise, Teacher Zhang," Lu Mingrong said, suppressing his inner embarrassment.


    "Teacher Zhang, do you need to purchase anything else? I''m quite familiar with this trading house and can show you around," he added.


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. "There¡¯s nothing I need to buy. I¡¯m just interested in studying Heaven''s Fate Energy further. Master Liu, when is the next Source Pool assessment here at the trading house? I''d like to sign up in advance."


    This question startled Liu Tianzheng, who quickly tried to shift the responsibility. "Teacher Zhang, if you''re truly interested in Heaven''s Fate Energy, you should talk to Dean Lu. He has several unused Destiny Disks that likely still contain a fair amount of energy."


    Zhang Xuan was surprised. "Dean Lu, you still have Destiny Disks?"


    "I...," Lu Mingrong hesitated, inwardly cursing Liu Tianzheng.


    White Rock Academy did have a few Destiny Disks in reserve, but they couldn¡¯t withstand constant use!


    Seeing Lu Mingrong¡¯s reluctance, Zhang Xuan asked, "Are these disks very valuable? I could buy one."


    Constantly sneaking around to absorb energy and having to disguise his actions was bing tiresome. If the disks could be purchased, it would certainly reduce a lot of hassle.


    "They can be bought, but they¡¯re not cheap. Each one costs around 2 million Source Coins," Lu Mingrong finally admitted, forcing the words out.


    Zhang Xuan frowned.


    He had just earned 200,000 Source Coins from the Chen family and had thought he was wealthy enough to cover his expenses for a while. But now, it seemed he was still far from having enough.


    He would need to earn money quickly!


    With that thought, Zhang Xuan looked curiously at Liu Tianzheng. "Master Liu, what¡¯s the most lucrative work in this trading house?"


    Since taming horses at the academy had been so rewarding, the trading house surely had simr opportunities. Even if one job didn¡¯t pay much, doing many could add up.


    "There are many profitable ventures, but if you want to earn quickly and abundantly, you should focus on services aimed at cultivators," Liu Tianzheng exined after some thought. "For example, conducting Source Pool assessments, helping ignite furnaces, selling top-tier techniques, or assisting in enhancing cultivation levels¡ªall of these can bring substantial rewards."


    "I see," Zhang Xuan said, nodding as he considered his options.


    Conducting Source Pool assessments would require arge amount of Heaven''s Fate Energy, so that was out. Helping ignite furnaces required rare ignition materials, which were hard toe by. As for using Xuanhuang Qi, he could only spare it for his own students, so that option was off the table too.


    Selling top-tier techniques was possible, but it would require him to study and create new techniques, which in turn required ess to arge number of books¡ªand Heaven''s Fate Energy was essential for that.


    It seemed there was only one option left.


    A sudden idea shed in Zhang Xuan''s mind. He looked up at Dean Lu and asked, "Dean Lu, if I could help you break through to the eighth level of the Source Pool Realm, would you be willing to give me a Destiny Disk?"


    "Help me break through?" Lu Mingrong chuckled awkwardly and shook his head. "I''ve been stuck at the peak of the Jade Bone Realm for a decade, trying countless methods. If I could have broken through, I would have done so long ago. I wouldn¡¯t have waited until now."


    Zhang Xuan responded earnestly, "I¡¯d like to try. If it doesn¡¯t work, I won¡¯t ask for anypensation."


    Seeing Zhang Xuan¡¯s sincere expression, Lu Mingrong hesitated, then asked, "Teacher Zhang, you¡¯re serious about this?"


    "Of course!" Zhang Xuan nodded. "Although my cultivation level isn¡¯t particrly high, I have a keen sense for the flow of energy. If you trust me, I might be able to identify the cause of your bottleneck and help you ovee it."


    "I trust you, but what exactly would I need to do?" Lu Mingrong asked, feeling a flicker of hope.


    If anyone else at the Energy Storing Realm had made such an offer, Lu Mingrong would have dismissed them without a second thought. But given Zhang Xuan¡¯s astonishing abilities¡ªlike making a horse start cultivating¡ªmaybe there was a chance.


    After all, if Zhang Xuan could achieve something as unbelievable as that, what else might he be capable of?


    "We should head back to the academy first. It''s too crowded here, and discretion is important," Zhang Xuan suggested, knowing that helping someone break through was a serious matter that should be handled with care.


    "Agreed," Lu Mingrong replied. He cupped his fists toward Yu Longqing and Liu Tianzheng. "Gentlemen, if you¡¯ll excuse us, we¡¯ll be heading back to the academy."


    With that, Zhang Xuan and Lu Mingrong, along with Dao Li, made their way out of the trading house and soon disappeared from view.


    As they left, Yu Longqing couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Master Liu, do you think Teacher Zhang can really help Dean Lu break through?"


    Liu Tianzheng shook his head. "You know as well as I do how difficult it is to break through. If Dean Lu could have seeded, he would have done so long ago, not waited until now."


    "True," Yu Longqing agreed.


    Breaking through from the third to the seventh levels of the Source Pool Realm involved refining the body and bones with Source Energy. But reaching the eighth level required refining the spirit¡ªa transformation of both body and soul. It was the most challenging hurdle in the entire Source Pool Realm.


    Lu Mingrong had always harbored a desire topare himself with others, but unfortunately, his talent had limited his sess.


    Back when he managed to break through, it had been during his travels, where he barely survived a life-threatening situation that allowed him to achieve a breakthrough by sheer luck. As the dean, with so many responsibilities and duties tying him to the academy, Lu Mingrong couldn¡¯t afford to leave and experience such trials. This made it incredibly difficult for him to advance.


    "Teacher Zhang is young, and though he¡¯s skilled at things like taming horses, he has no understanding of the eighth level of the Source Pool Realm, the Divine Soul Realm. No matter how talented or sensitive to Source Energy he might be, without the experience of cultivating at that level, all his guesses are like reflections in water¡ªbeautiful, but ultimately insubstantial," Liu Tianzheng scoffed.


    Yu Longqing seemed to agree but remained silent, nodding slightly in acknowledgment.


    To guide someone through a breakthrough, one must have reached that level themselves. Zhang Xuan, who had only recently discovered where his Source Pool was, iming to guide someone to the eighth level, was indeed unrealistic.


    ...


    In the dean''s office at White Rock Academy, Lu Mingrong looked curiously at Zhang Xuan and asked, "What do I need to do?"


    "Show me a set of your martial techniques," Zhang Xuan replied with a wave of his hand.


    Under normal circumstances, he wouldn¡¯t be able to assist someone so many levels above him. Doing so would go against his preference for staying low-key, but the warning he received from Kong Shi had filled him with a deep sense of urgency.


    Kong Shi was not one to speak lightly. If he said, "Things aren''t looking good," it meant he was in genuine danger. The fact that he had repeatedly cautioned Zhang Xuan to be careful suggested that he might have encountered trouble with the Destiny Hall, or perhaps even been captured.


    Zhang Xuan knew he needed to increase his strength quickly to find and rescue Kong Shi. Even though offering guidance could be risky, he decided it was worth it¡ªhe could always flee White Roc City and assume a new identity if things went wrong.


    If he seeded, people like Patriarch Chen Xiao, Patriarch Liu Tianzheng, and City Lord Yu Longqing could provide him with significant resources, including tens of thousands of strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy. That would be enough to advance his cultivation to the seventh level of the Source Pool Realm, the Jade Bone Realm, or even higher.


    "Alright!" Lu Mingrong, still unsure of Zhang Xuan''s intentions, nodded and clenched his fists, stepping forward.


    Whoosh!


    As Lu Mingrong moved, the air around him seemed to tear apart, creating a fierce gust of wind.


    Lu Mingrong was indeed a master at the peak of the Jade Bone Realm, with over a decade of experience. Every move he made felt like a hammer striking the air, producing a sharp, resonant sound that carried an undeniable sense of power and invincibility.


    Watching him, Zhang Xuan quickly realized that with his current strength, defeating someone like Lu Mingrong would likely require burning at least a tenth of the power from the new world he had created.


    Burning that much of his soul and cultivation base just to defeat one person was far too costly.


    Shaking his head to clear these thoughts, Zhang Xuan focused his mind and connected with the Library of Heaven''s Path.


    "Identify ws!"


    At hismand, the countless books in the library, resembling stars in the sky, began to converge. Within moments, over two thousand books merged to form a new tome.


    "The consumption is immense..." Zhang Xuan''s expression turned serious.


    When creating Heaven''s Path techniques previously, he had burned over three thousand strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy. Analyzing Lu Mingrong''s ws required a simr amount. In contrast, assessing Liu Mingyue and others had only used a few strands.


    It confirmed his suspicion: the greater the disparity between his cultivation level and his target''s, the more Heaven''s Fate Energy the process required.


    Clearly, until he had an ample supply of Heaven''s Fate Energy, it was best to use the Library of Heaven''s Path sparingly. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have enough energy left for his own cultivation.


    With a light gesture, Zhang Xuan summoned the book into his hand. The cover bore the name "Lu Mingrong" in three characters.


    He opened the book casually, but after reading the first few lines, his expression became peculiar.


    "This..."

 Chapter 86: Dean Lus Story

    Chapter 86: Dean Lu''s Story


    "Well? How was it?" Lu Mingrong asked after finishing his set of punches, standing tall with no sign of fatigue. In fact, his face was glowing with energy.


    Zhang Xuan, after a moment of contemtion, responded, "Your strength is immense, and your energy flows throughout your body. When you punch, your bones resonate in unison. It appears that the bone-refining technique you''ve cultivated is quite special, with a gradual and progressive effect. At first, it doesn¡¯t seem to show much, but as time passes, your bones are refined to an impressive degree. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be able to deliver such powerful punches as you just did."


    "You... How did you figure that out?" Lu Mingrong asked, clearly astonished.


    His bone-refining technique was so impressive that even Yu Longqing had praised it. However, the technique had a major drawback: it required an extremely long time to show results. Back when Chen Xiao was at the Muscr Stage, Lu Mingrong had already reached the Jade Bone Stage. But while Chen Xiao advanced, Lu Mingrong remained stuck in the Jade Bone Stage, even to this day.


    It was as if he was doomed to remain at this stage forever. He had been stuck at the peak of the Jade Bone Stage for ten years, and from the moment he entered this stage until now, it had been nearly thirty years.


    This was why he felt hopeless about breaking through. But to his surprise, after just watching him perform a set of punches, Zhang Xuan had correctly identified the situation. Even though Lu Mingrong had always prided himself on hisposure, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of disbelief.


    Zhang Xuan continued, "This technique is indeed powerful, allowing you to refine all your bones to an unimaginable degree, making you unbeatable among your peers. However, the drawbacks are equally significant. If you don¡¯t train your joints properly, they can be stiff. You likely have to soak in medicinal baths for at least two hours each day to maintain your body¡¯s flexibility."


    Lu Mingrong was stunned.Earlier, he had only been surprised. Now, he was outright terrified.


    Everyone knew that his bones were as hard as steel, capable of withstanding even attacks from those at the Divine Soul Realm. What they didn¡¯t know was that he had to soak in medicinal baths daily to keep his body functioning smoothly.


    Over the years, this condition had worsened, and to prevent others from finding out, he had avoided taking on students and spent most of his time in seclusion, officially iming to be focused on breaking through to the Divine Soul Realm. In reality, he was trying to manage his condition.


    The day when Wu Yunzhou and the others discovered Zhang Xuan¡¯s talent and sent Teacher Zhou to call on him, Lu Mingrong had been soaking in such a bath.


    "Just now, your punches were powerful, but theycked flexibility, which shows that your condition has be quite severe. If you don¡¯t address it, breaking through to the Divine Soul Realm will be nearly impossible," Zhang Xuan said, shaking his head.


    It wasn¡¯t that the technique was wed, but that Dean Lu had made some mistakes in his training, leading to theplete solidification of his joint cartge.


    "This..." Lu Mingrong clenched his fists. After a moment, he knelt down, his face full of sincerity. "Teacher Zhang, please help me. If you can resolve this hidden danger and help me break through, I will immediately give you the Destiny Disk."


    Whereas before he had doubted Zhang Xuan, now he began to believe that this young man might truly be able to help him.


    After all, the top physicians in White Roc City had failed to diagnose his condition, yet Zhang Xuan had urately described it after merely observing him for a few moments. It was as if Zhang Xuan had been with him for years. It was impossible not to be impressed.


    "If you want my help, there are two things I need to know in advance," Zhang Xuan said. "First, why did you continue practicing this technique even after noticing that something was wrong? As the dean of White Rock Academy and a teacher, you should have recognized the issue after decades of practice. Why did you keep going?"


    "I..." Lu Mingrong hesitated.


    Zhang Xuan continued, "Second, I need to see the bone-refining technique you¡¯ve been practicing. Only by understanding the nature of the w and how it came about can I urately diagnose the problem and prescribe a solution. If you can¡¯t provide this information, there¡¯s nothing more I can do."


    The Library of Heaven¡¯s Path could identify all ws, but it wasn¡¯t omnipotent. Without knowing the technique and the specific issues in Lu Mingrong¡¯s training, it couldn¡¯t provide a cure.


    Lu Mingrong frowned, deep in thought.


    Both the reason for his mistake and the bone-refining technique were his deepest secrets, things he was reluctant to reveal. However, Zhang Xuan¡¯s reasoning was sound: without knowing these details, even the most skilled physician couldn¡¯t hope to treat him.


    After a moment of reflection, Lu Mingrong sighed and took out a book from his robe, handing it to Zhang Xuan. "You can look at it. But be warned, mastering this technique isn¡¯t easy."


    "Thank you for your understanding," Zhang Xuan replied.


    As his fingers touched the book, Zhang Xuan silentlymanded, "Identify ws." In the next moment, the Library of Heaven''s Path gathered hundreds of books containing Heaven''s Fate Energy, which quickly merged into a single volume.


    The title on the cover read Tidal Bone-Refining Technique.


    With a single thought, the technique¡¯s contents and ws were transferred into Zhang Xuan¡¯s mind, and he instantly understood everything.


    Meanwhile, unaware that Zhang Xuan had already fullyprehended the technique he had spent decades mastering, Lu Mingrong steeled himself and began to exin.


    "As for why I made this mistake... It was the result of youthful impulsiveness. Since it happened so long ago, I don¡¯t mind telling you about it now."


    "About forty years ago, a genius emerged in White Roc City. He ranked first in the Source Pool assessments over the past century. After beginning his cultivation, he advanced rapidly, breaking through the Energy Storing Stage in just six months, reaching the peak of the Organs Easing Stage in five years, and entering the Jade Bone Stage in six years."


    "At 24 years old, he was unmatched among his peers. Even within the surrounding ten cities, he ranked among the top three, enjoying immense fame and admiration," Lu Mingrong recounted.


    Zhang Xuan listened, full of admiration. "I didn¡¯t realize you were so talented, Dean Lu. No wonder you¡¯re in charge of the academy."


    Lu Mingrong shook his head. "That genius wasn¡¯t me. It was City Lord Yu Longqing."


    "What?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.


    Seeing his confusion, Lu Mingrong continued, "At that time, I was an ordinary student with average talent and little recognition within the academy. While City Lord Yu and I were the same age, I was only at the early stage of the Organs Easing Realm, a nobody. Then, during a trial in Huaiyuan Mountain, I encountered danger and was saved by a girl from a nearby family."


    "She was beautiful, gentle, and kind-hearted, always putting my needs first... As we spent more time together, I gradually fell in love with her."


    "But at that time, I was very poor, with no powerful backing or family support. I wasn¡¯t particrly outstanding among the academy''s teachers, but I really liked her and was willing to give everything for her."


    As he spoke, Lu Mingrong seemed lost in thought. "She said... if we were to be together, I would need to reach the peak of the Organs Easing Realm and provide a dowry worth at least a thousand gold coins to be considered a match. So, I trained day and night, participated in the most dangerous trials, and hunted the fiercest Source Beasts, all to improve faster and gather the resources needed for a proposal."


    "After four years, I finally had everything ready. My cultivation had reached the peak of the Organs Easing Realm, and I was about to propose when I discovered that, while she was being affectionate with me, she was also involved with someone else..."


    "Ah, this..."


    Zhang Xuan was momentarily speechless.


    No wonder Lu Mingrong didn¡¯t want to talk about it. After four years of hard work, he had unwittingly walked into a love triangle.


    "Could it be..." A sudden realization dawned on Zhang Xuan. "Was the person she was involved with City Lord Yu Longqing?"


    A young hero with unmatched talent getting betrayed made sense.


    "Of course not!" Lu Mingrong responded, his expression darkening. "If it had been him, I would have conceded, knowing I couldn¡¯tpete. But it was actually some weak, unattractive guy who used to trail behind me during trials. I was the one who helped him pass the assessments and taught him to hunt. His cultivation was only at the fourth level of the Source Pool Realm, the Body Tempering Realm. In a crowd, he would have beenpletely unnoticeable."


    "Then why...?" Zhang Xuan blinked in confusion.


    If the other guy was so inferior, why would she choose him?


    Lu Mingrong sighed. "I was just as baffled. I wanted to ask her directly, but she refused to see me and deliberately avoided me."


    Zhang Xuan spected, "Perhaps she had some secret reason, something to do with her family, or another pressing matter..."


    Lu Mingrong nodded. "I thought the same. But her family was too powerful for me to approach, so I was left with no choice but to break in by force. However, my strength at the time was far from sufficient, so... I used a secret method to forcibly break through to the Jade Bone Realm."


    "You¡¯ve seen the Tidal Bone-Refining Technique. It requires gradual refinement over time to be powerful. But I was desperate to find her, so I disregarded the proper method and resorted to brute force..."


    Zhang Xuan sighed.


    He had already thoroughly understood the Tidal Bone-Refining Technique, including its ws.


    With careful and patient refinement, the technique¡¯s power would be immense. But if one rushed the process, it could lead to joint stiffening, a condition that, once it set in, was nearly impossible to reverse.


    Only by breaking through to the Divine Soul Realm and slowly nurturing the joints with soul power over ten or twenty years could the condition be cured. Otherwise, one would have to live with it forever.


    However, having already made such a mistake, it was nearly impossible to achieve the mental state required to break through to the Divine Soul Realm.


    "Through sheer force, I managed to gain extraordinary power within the Jade Bone Realm. I used this strength to fight my way into her family''s estate, where I finally saw her..."


    Lu Mingrong''s face turned pale as he clenched his fists.


    Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Was she gravely ill, bedridden, and that¡¯s why she avoided seeing you?"


    "No!" Lu Mingrong looked at Zhang Xuan with eyes full of despair. "She was already pregnant with that other guy¡¯s child... and had given birth! The child was three and a half years old by then!"


    "???"


    Zhang Xuan stood frozen in shock.


    He had thought it was a tragic love story, but instead, it turned out to be a tale of deep betrayal.


    "Wait a minute!" Zhang Xuan suddenly realized something. "Are you saying that while you were preparing for four years to be worthy of her, she was already with that weaker guy and had a child who was three and a half years old?"

 Chapter 87: The Solution

    Chapter 87: The Solution


    "Yes!" Lu Mingrong nodded.


    "So... from the time you met her at Huaiyuan Mountain until you started preparing, how long did that take?" Zhang Xuan asked, curious.


    "About four and a half years," Lu Mingrong replied.


    "In that case..." Zhang Xuan began to piece things together. "So she had already been involved with that guy when she started seeing you? That would mean... you were the third party in this situation?"


    Lu Mingrong shook his head. "Not exactly. She started seeing him after we began our rtionship, but she kept it a secret from me. When we first met, she was single. The demands for a thousand gold coins and reaching the peak of the Organs Easing Realm cameter."


    Zhang Xuan frowned, puzzled. "So she was with someone else while still making those demands of you? What was the point of that...?"


    Then, suddenly, realization struck him. "I see. She gave you an impossible task to make you give up on your own. But instead, you actually aplished it. By the time you did, she already had a child, making it impossible for her to be with you."


    "That¡¯s about right... When I found out, it felt like my world had copsed. I was so devastated that I coughed up blood and fell ill for a whole year. By the time I recovered, the cartge in my joints hadpletely solidified due to the intense training I had undergone, and it was toote to reverse the damage."Lu Mingrong sighed. "Later, when my master rmended me for the position of dean, I felt pressured to live up to the expectations. I couldn¡¯t let anyone see my weakness, so I pushed myself further, refining my bones to an even higher degree, hoping that sheer strength would allow me to break through. That¡¯s how I ended up in my current state."


    "I see..." Zhang Xuan finally understood the full story but still had some doubts. "But wait... Why did you start the story by talking about City Lord Yu Longqing¡¯s rapid progress? He didn¡¯t seem to y any role in this tale..."


    Lu Mingrong exined, "The man she had a child with was Yu Longqing¡¯s cousin!"


    Zhang Xuan was stunned for a moment before realization dawned on him. "So when you met her, you weren¡¯t particrly impressive, and you didn¡¯t have much power. But the other guy was Yu Longqing¡¯s cousin, and Yu Longqing was the top genius White Roc City had seen in a century... No wonder she chose to be with him instead of you. She was looking for status, aiming to be the sister-inw of the most powerful man in the city."


    Zhang Xuan shook his head, disheartened by the turn of events. What started as a seemingly romantic love story had quickly turned into a tale of opportunism.


    "And yet, she never imagined that the ordinary teacher she dismissed would eventually be the second most powerful person in White Roc City, wielding immense authority, second only to the city lord..."


    "Indeed, there was also her brother¡¯s ambition to be the family head. He needed external support, and his chances would improve if his sister married well," Lu Mingrong added, now that Zhang Xuan had pieced together most of the story.


    "A noble family where only those who reach the seventh level of the Source Pool Realm can challenge for the headship..." Zhang Xuan muttered to himself, before a thought urred to him. He looked at Lu Mingrong in surprise. "Could this woman you¡¯re talking about be... Master Liu Tianzheng¡¯s sister?"


    Lu Mingrong nodded. "Yes, she was Liu Tianzheng¡¯s sister!"


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s mouth fell open in shock.


    It turned out that this tragic love affair involved Liu Mingyue''s aunt. Lu Mingrong had almost be her uncle.


    After a long pause, Zhang Xuan finally asked, "So... what happened to Master Liu¡¯s sister?"


    Lu Mingrong exined, "When Yu Longqing found out what had happened, he severed ties with his cousin and kicked him out of the city lord¡¯s mansion. With that backing gone, and with me bing the academy¡¯s dean, she tried to reconcile with me several times, but I refused. Later, I heard that she and Yu Longqing¡¯s cousin attempted to drive him out of the Liu family to demonstrate their sincerity, but they ended up being killed by a Source Beast. That¡¯s all I know; the details were told to me by others."


    Seeing Lu Mingrong, usually a formidable figure in White Roc City, looking so downcast, Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t help but offer some words offort. "Dean Lu, you shouldn¡¯t let someone like her trouble you. She wasn¡¯t worth your time¡ªsomeone who couldn¡¯t see the value in you when it mattered most..."


    "Someone who couldn¡¯t see the value in me?" Lu Mingrong repeated, looking puzzled.


    "Yes," Zhang Xuan rified, "I¡¯m talking about those who are greedy and superficial, who have no real skills but expect to reap all the rewards without putting in any effort..."


    He hesitated for a moment, then added, "Life isn¡¯t about just sharing the wealth without going through the struggles together."


    "You¡¯re right," Lu Mingrong said, nodding in agreement. "But enough about my past. I¡¯ve told you everything, and the bone-refining technique is yours to study. This Tidal Bone-Refining Technique is very profound. Take your time to understand it, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask."


    "There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ve already found the source of your problem ande up with a solution. The technique is no longer of any use to me," Zhang Xuan said, handing the book back.


    The Library of Heaven¡¯s Path had recorded the ws in the technique, highlighting "impatience" as a critical issue. After a bit of thinking, Zhang Xuan had already figured out how to fix it.


    "No longer of use?" Lu Mingrong was taken aback.


    He couldn¡¯t believe that such aplex and embarrassing story had somehow inspired Zhang Xuan.


    "Very well, I¡¯ll help you fix this issue now," Zhang Xuan continued. "But first, you¡¯ll need topletely seal off your cultivation and strength. Whatever I do, you must not resist. If you do, it could ruin everything."


    "Seal my cultivation and strength?" Lu Mingrong hesitated, frowning. After a moment, he nodded. "Fine, but I¡¯m concerned that if I face danger, I might instinctively break the seal. Let¡¯s have Wu Yunzhou handle it instead. His strength is not far from mine, and if he seals me, even if I try to break free, it won¡¯t be easy."


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    It was understandable for Lu Mingrong to be cautious. Sealing his strength was akin to cing his life in someone else¡¯s hands, and they had only known each other for two days. It was normal for him to be wary. Trusting someonepletely in such a short time would have been strange.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Wu Yunzhou arrived. After understanding the situation, he couldn¡¯t help but look at Zhang Xuan with a mix of skepticism and curiosity.


    He knew of the dean¡¯s difficulties, though not in great detail. But for a new teacher who had only been in the academy for two days to im he could resolve such a long-standing issue...


    Wu Yunzhou couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy about the situation. The whole setup seemed unreliable, but since the dean had made his decision, Wu Yunzhou didn¡¯t dare to object. He nodded in agreement.


    Soon, the room was filled with a dense, overwhelming power as Wu Yunzhou sealed off all of Lu Mingrong¡¯s abilities. The once formidable second strongest person in White Roc City now had no more strength than an ordinary man.


    "It¡¯s ready!" Lu Mingrong, feeling theplete absence of his power, took a step forward and stood before Zhang Xuan, curious to see how this young teacher would help him.


    But before he could ask anything, Zhang Xuan walked out of the room, returning shortly after with Dao Li in tow. He whispered something into the horse¡¯s ear, patted its nk, and suddenly, Dao Li¡¯s expression grew serious. The horse turned its back on the unsuspecting dean and delivered a powerful kick.


    Thud!


    If Lu Mingrong¡¯s cultivation had been active, he would have easily dodged the attack, but with his strength sealed, he couldn¡¯t react in time. His pupils shrank as he was sent flying, crashing ten meters away.


    "What... what are you doing, Teacher Zhang?!" Wu Yunzhou shouted in shock as he rushed over to help.


    Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be a treatment? Why was Zhang Xuan using a horse to attack the dean?


    "I¡¯m helping Dean Lu resolve his issue. I exined this to him beforehand," Zhang Xuan said calmly.


    "Exined?!" Wu Yunzhou turned to look at the dean, who appeared just as confused as he was.


    "You did say you¡¯d help me, but you didn¡¯t mention having a horse kick me!" Lu Mingrong thought to himself, baffled by the situation. Yet, he had agreed not to resist whatever Zhang Xuan did, so when Wu Yunzhou looked at him for confirmation, he reluctantly nodded.


    "Alright, then..." Wu Yunzhou sighed and found a chair to sit in, deciding to watch quietly. However, his curiosity was piqued again when Zhang Xuan approached with a look of deep contemtion.


    As Wu Yunzhou watched, Dao Li relentlessly chased after Lu Mingrong, kicking him wherever it could reach¡ªhis arms, legs, shoulders¡ªno part of him was spared.


    "Wait a minute..." Wu Yunzhou furrowed his brow. "Dean Lu¡¯s strength might be sealed, but his body has been refined by Source Energy for years. His bones are as hard as steel. A horse¡¯s hooves shouldn¡¯t be able to cause any real damage."


    "Right... how could I forget that?" Zhang Xuan smacked his forehead, looking annoyed with himself.


    "Forget?" Wu Yunzhou¡¯s eye twitched involuntarily as he asked, "Then what was the point of the kicking?"


    "Oh, that was just a mistake. But it¡¯s fine, Dean Lu is tough¡ªhe can take it as a warm-up," Zhang Xuan replied with a smile.


    "???" Lu Mingrong¡¯s face stiffened.


    He, the dean of White Rock Academy, the peak of the Jade Bone Realm, had just allowed himself to be kicked around by a horse, only to hear that it was all a mistake? That it was just for fun?


    Just as he was about to ask if they could stop, he saw Zhang Xuan frown and scold Dao Li sharply, "Why are you kicking so weakly? Did you not eat enough?"


    Dao Li neighed in response and charged at Lu Mingrong with renewed vigor, its hooves flying.


    After watching for a while, Zhang Xuan finally turned to Wu Yunzhou and whispered something to him. Wu Yunzhou¡¯s face twitched as he listened, but heplied, soon returning with arge bundle of green grass, which he ced on the ground.


    Zhang Xuan walked over, picked up a water jug, and began sprinkling water over the grass. As he did so, he looked at Lu Mingrong with sincere eyes. "Dean Lu, since you like grasnds so much, I¡¯ve brought the grass, and the horse is here too. Now you can have your very own grasnd experience."


    "???" Lu Mingrong¡¯s vision darkened, and he felt a surge of anger rise from his core.


    Who said he liked grasnds?! He had been betrayed, not gone on a vacation!


    Allowing himself to be kicked earlier was one thing¡ªat least it didn¡¯t damage his pride too much. But this... this was an insult that struck deep. He had shared his most painful story, and now Zhang Xuan was using it to mock him!


    Just as Lu Mingrong was about to explode in anger, Wu Yunzhou, who was sitting nearby, looked over in confusion. "Dean Lu, I didn¡¯t know you liked grasnds. Bute to think of it, the academy¡¯sndscaping has improved a lot since you took over..."


    Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement. "Exactly! Greenery is soothing to the eyes. Just look at Dean Lu¡ªhe¡¯s the picture of vitality, clearly thriving in all this green."


    "Zhang Xuan, shut up!" Lu Mingrong growled, his eyes bloodshot as he red at Zhang Xuan like a wolf ready to pounce. The power sealed within him roiled like a tidal wave, threatening to break free at any moment.

 Chapter 88: Lu Mingrongs Breakthrough

    Chapter 88: Lu Mingrong''s Breakthrough


    "Dean, do you think it''s not green enough? No worries, I''ll have Dean Wu bring over more wild grass to make sure your room is fully green, with a unique touch... all green, through and through¡­" Zhang Xuan smiled as he exined.


    "Green your sister!"


    Lu Mingrong could no longer hold back his anger.


    His tragic past had been kept secret for decades, and while many had forgotten, the incident had caused such a stir back then that if someone deliberately brought it up, it would surely resurface as gossip over meals and drinks. This was something he wanted to avoid at all costs.


    In the past, as a regr teacher, he was alone and didn''t care about his tarnished reputation. But now, as the dean of White Roc Academy and the second strongest in White Roc City, how could he face people if this scandal came to light? How could he face histe mentor?


    Years ago, when his mentor saw him in despair, he spared no effort to help him regain his confidence, even sacrificing his life to find a medicinal herb in Huaiyuan Mountain¡­


    When he saw his mentor again, he had been torn apart by a Source Beast, leaving only a tattered robe.


    From that moment, hepletely abandoned any thoughts of love. He devoted all his energy to the academy, leading it to the point where thousands, even upper-ss families, vied for admission each year.In the past, children from families like Yu Xiaoyu and Mo Yanxue would have had enough of their family''s techniques. How could theye to the academy for further studies?


    "Why is Dean Lu swearing? Isn''t green good? It''s soothing to the eyes and refreshing for the spirit! Dean Wu, let me exin to you carefully why Dean Lu loves the grasnds¡­"


    Zhang Xuan, unfazed, smiled faintly and turned to look at the somewhat awkward Wu Yunzhou nearby.


    "Shut up¡­"


    Knowing that if Zhang Xuan continued, he wouldpletely lose face, Lu Mingrong couldn''t bear it any longer. He took arge step forward, rushing over, but before he could get close, he saw two horse hooves suddenly appear in front of him.


    His chest shook, and he was sent flying back again.


    With his Source Pool sealed, he could rely only on his physical strength, which, though not slow, was still no match for this well-trained horse. Every time he tried to get close to Zhang Xuan, he was forcibly blocked by the horse.


    "D*mn it¡­"


    Seeing the young man smiling, whispering in Wu Yunzhou''s ear, and asionally casting a mocking nce, the second strongest in White Roc City could no longer suppress his anger. He roared, and the powerful energy from the Source Pool charged at the seal.


    The robust True Energy of a Source Pool seventh level Jade Bone Realm practitioner shed with Wu Yunzhou''s seal, causing veins to bulge on Lu Mingrong''s forehead, his body flickering like a neon light, radiating astonishing power.


    Though Wu Yunzhou''s strength was slightly inferior, he was not far behind. The power of his full-strength seal was immense, and in his haste, Lu Mingrong found it difficult to break through in a short time.


    At this moment, whether by luck or coincidence, the horse''s hoovesnded on two of Lu Mingrong''s cultivation nodes.


    Usually, these two nodes were like a river blocked by mud, with the flow unable to pass through, and he dared not touch them easily. But now, the shock from the horse''s hooves created two cracks. The next moment, the blockage was washed away by a powerful surge, growingrger andrger until it could no longer be contained, forming a torrential flood.


    Crack! Crack!


    The flood surged forward, soon encountering another blockage, but the horse''s hooves struck again, precisely shattering the obstruction. With thebination of his own power and Wu Yunzhou''s seal, it was like the Yellow River and the Yangtze River converging, unstoppable.


    Lu Mingrong felt a shock throughout his body, his mind exploding like a balloon, as if his consciousness had suddenly broken free from the confines of his body and spread outward.


    At the same time, the fierce flow of True Energy suddenly became as docile as a kitten, tightly restrained within his meridians by a powerful mental force.


    His pupils contracted, and Lu Mingrong''s body stiffened. "Source Pool eighth level¡­ Divine Soul Realm?"


    He had thought Zhang Xuan was just joking about helping him break through, but it turned out to be true.


    This¡­ this¡­


    Clenching his fists, forgetting to consolidate his cultivation, Lu Mingrong couldn''t help but look at the young man not far away. At this moment, Zhang Xuan was no longer gossiping with Wu Yunzhou but was quietly sitting on a nearby chair, sipping tea, calm andposed, like a reclusive expert, untouched by the world.


    Even the horse, Dao Li, which had been thrashing him earlier, now stood calmly by Zhang Xuan''s side, its expression serene, with no sign of the previous violence.


    Wu Yunzhou, who was not far away, seemed puzzled by the sudden change and continued to look over curiously. "Teacher Zhang, weren''t you about to exin why the dean likes the grasnds? Why did you stop¡­?"


    Stirring the tea leaves, Zhang Xuan frowned slightly. "Why would the dean like the grasnds? It''s my horse that likes grass, so I asked Dean Wu to prepare more¡­"


    "Heh heh, heh heh!"


    Dao Li nodded, let out a long neigh, and trotted over to the grass on the ground, munching contentedly.


    Everything looked perfectly normal.


    "Did I¡­ hear wrong?" Wu Yunzhou scratched his head.


    "Yes, you did hear wrong. Teacher Zhang asked you to cut grass just to feed the horse¡­" Lu Mingrong walked over.


    "Dean, your cultivation¡­"


    Only then did Wu Yunzhou realize that Lu Mingrong''s aura had changed, filled with disbelief.


    The level that had troubled the dean for thirty years had really been broken through with this guy''s help!


    "Yunzhou, go to the warehouse and fetch me a Destiny Disk. I''ll cover the merits and costs myself," Lu Mingrong ordered.


    "Yes!"


    Knowing that the dean had more to say to Teacher Zhang, Wu Yunzhou responded and left.


    Once Wu Yunzhou was gone, Lu Mingrong couldn''t hold back his curiosity. "Teacher Zhang, how¡­ did you do it?"


    To be honest, even though he had broken through, it still felt like a dream, and he couldn''t understand how it had happened.


    Setting down his teacup, Zhang Xuan smiled. "To break through to the Source Pool eighth level, Divine Soul Realm, your mental strength needs to reach a certain threshold. Your thirty years of cultivation naturally need no mention. By all rights, you should have seeded long ago, but¡­ because of that emotional incident, you lost confidence and courage, andbined with the error in the Bone Tempering Method, you fell into self-doubt again and again. Simply put, you could have broken through, but youcked the confidence, and so you failed each time."


    Lu Mingrong fell silent.


    The young man was right. It wasn''t that he hadn''t tried to break through to the Divine Soul Realm, but each time, just as he was about to seed, he would convince himself that he couldn''t do it¡­


    Over time, these negative emotions umted, making it nearly impossible to progress.


    "But what does sealing my power and saying I''m ''green'' have to do with this?"


    Frowning, Lu Mingrong voiced his confusion.


    "It has everything to do with it! In fact, it''s crucial."


    Zhang Xuan exined, "Your cultivation and mental strength were sufficient, but you couldn''t break through because your emotions were disconnected. Once you could control them and create a specific flow, breaking through to the Divine Soul Realm would be easy. I had you talk about your experiences to find out what your deepest regret was."


    For serious illnesses, the harshest medicine is needed. Your biggest regret is that humiliating incident in your past. You not only ruined your life over a gold digger, but it also caused your mentor''s tragic death¡­


    "Therefore, only by tearing open this wound and forcing out the pus could you hope to start anew."


    "For a man, the most unbearable thing is being cheated on. Even worse is being cheated on and having everyone know about it, spreading it in front of you¡­ So, I deliberately had Dao Li humiliate you, making you lose yourposure. Then I kept bringing it up in front of Dean Wu¡­ You fell right into the trap. In your fury, you forgot your chaotic emotions, and your soul force connected, leading to your breakthrough."


    "Did youe up with all this just from watching me throw a few punches?"


    Lu Mingrong''s body stiffened as he looked at the young man in front of him, eyes full of disbelief.


    He had thought it was just to humiliate him, but it turned out that every step had been part of Zhang Xuan''s n¡­


    He had spent countless hours, read countless books, and studied numerous secret techniques, all to no avail. This young man, after just watching him throw a few punches, not only figured it all out but also devised a wless n that worked perfectly¡­


    "Is this the ability of a Destiny Master?"


    His heart skipped a beat as Lu Mingrong spected.


    Destiny Masters, the true chosen ones of the Source World, had abilities that were astonishing and difficult to believe. Some were even the stuff of legends.


    Considering the young man''s low cultivation level yet his ability to help him break through, this was the only exnation that made sense.


    Unaware of Lu Mingrong''s thoughts, Zhang Xuan smiled. "Actually, it''s all thanks to Dean Lu''s solid foundation. I merely followed the flow."


    "¡­"


    "Where in the world is there so much ''going with the flow''? Even if it exists, it only happens when one has the strength to make it happen!"


    Lu Mingrong sighed.


    Just like that gold digger. If he hadn''t managed to gather a million dowry, reached the Jade Bone Realm, and be the dean, would she havee back to apologize and hope to rekindle the rtionship?


    Absolutely not!


    "Dean, the Destiny Disk is here!"


    As he was lost in thought, Wu Yunzhou returned, holding a brand-new Destiny Disk.


    Lu Mingrong casually took it and handed it to the young man before him. "Teacher Zhang¡­"


    A Destiny Disk purchased by White Roc Academy cost 200 Source Coins, and given the nned economy and limited supply, it wasn''t something easily sold. Yet now, it was being offered willingly.


    Even if it were 2 million Source Coins, people would still eagerly trade it for a chance to break through.


    "Thank you!"


    Zhang Xuan epted the Destiny Disk and studied it with curiosity before asking, "How do I absorb this? Do I need to go to the Martial Arts Field?"


    The Destiny Disk contains Heaven''s Fate Energy, which requires a special formation to release, and this formation is the Nine Dragon Pirs on the Martial Arts Field.


    Lu Mingrong looked embarrassed. "If we activate the Nine Dragon Pirs¡­ I fear themotion would be too great!"


    Activating the Nine Dragon Pirs for one person to absorb energy would surely raise suspicions. Even a fool would notice something, and then it would be impossible to keep this genius''s identity a secret.


    "True, better to keep things low-key! I am, after all, a low-key and reserved person."


    Zhang Xuan nodded thoughtfully.


    Lu Mingrong''s face twitched, unsure of how to respond.


    You may say you''re low-key, but everything you do is as high-profile as it gets¡­


    But he couldn''t say that out loud, so he exined, "If Teacher Zhang wants to absorb the energy, I can set up a small array at your ce, simr to the one in the White Roc Trading Company. This array doesn''t require any special talent to set up and would be much less noticeable!"


    "That would be perfect, just what I wanted!"


    Zhang Xuan''s eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly.


    The two of them were about to head to the residence to set up the formation when they heard hurried footsteps approaching. Even before the person arrived, a voice called out.


    "Dean Lu, did Teacher Zhang help you break through?"


    Turning the corner, City Lord Yu Longqing strode over, speaking as he walked. "We''ve discussed your situation before. It''s my foolish cousin''s fault, and I''ve already requested the ''Soft Bone Elixir'' from the court. Once it''s refined, you''ll be among the first to receive it, so don''t worry too much¡­"


    Before he could finish, he noticed Zhang Xuan standing with Lu Mingrong and immediately looked embarrassed.


    "City Lord Yu, I appreciate your concern. What happened back then was my problem; you don''t need to me yourself."


    Lu Mingrong shook his head.


    Love and hate stem from within; it''s no one else''s fault.


    "It''s not about me. I just think that with your abilities and talent, this shouldn''t have happened. It''s because of that disgraceful member of our Yu family that you''ve been stuck in the Jade Bone Realm for over thirty years, unable to break through¡­ Wait, did you¡­ breakthrough?"

 Chapter 89: Disgusted to the Point of Vomiting

    Chapter 89: Disgusted to the Point of Vomiting


    Lu Mingrong had just broken through, and his immense Divine Soul power was still unable to fully consolidate. Even Wu Yunzhou could tell something was off, so as a peak Source Pool eighth level practitioner, he naturally noticed it, too.


    At this moment, Dean Lu was like a lighthouse in the night, radiating a dazzling and imposing aura.


    He actually¡­ really broke through!


    "Was it Teacher Zhang who helped you?"


    After his initial shock, Yu Longqing widened his eyes.


    "Yes, Teacher Zhang identified the ws and issues in my cultivation¡­" Lu Mingrong didn''t hide the truth and spoke honestly.


    Though Zhang Xuan made it sound easy, Yu Longqing knew just how difficult it truly was. Otherwise, the merchants wouldn''t have thought it impossible as well.


    The most astonishing part was¡­ from the moment Zhang Xuan offered to help to the point of achieving a breakthrough, less than half an hour had passed. Not only did he break through, but his cultivation had also fully stabilized¡­That was just too fast!


    Three days ago, when they first met Zhang Xuan, he was just a groom who didn''t even know how to find the Source Pool. Yet, three dayster, he had not only created numerous miracles but had also guided the peak Source Pool seventh-level Dean Lu to a breakthrough¡­


    No matter how you looked at it, it seemed unbelievable.


    "If City Lord Yu doesn''t mind, I''ll escort Teacher Zhang back first. We can chat more in detailter."


    Knowing theplexity of the situation, Lu Mingrong offered an exnation, sped his hands, and followed Zhang Xuan as they walked away.


    About half an hourter, just as Yu Longqing was growing impatient, Lu Mingrong returned.


    "You mean¡­ you broke through the Jade Bone Realm just by getting angry?"


    After hearing the exnation, Yu Longqing was stunned for a moment before shaking his head. "It''s definitely not that simple! Your foundation is indeed robust, and logically speaking, you should have broken through long ago. However, breaking through to the Divine Soul Realm not only requires a unified spirit but also a perfect harmony between the spirit and the body, with no sense of separation. Anger can make one''s spirit stronger, but it also disrupts bnce, making it difficult to align with the body."


    "That''s true¡­"


    Had Yu Longqing not pointed it out, Lu Mingrong might not have noticed, but now he realized something was indeed amiss.


    Achieving the Divine Soul Realm requires aplete integration of mind, intent, energy, strength, and spirit. The spirit must merge perfectly with the body to seed.


    Anger can boost one''s spirit, but it also breaks the bnce, making it seemingly impossible to leverage that moment for a breakthrough. Yet, he had undeniably seeded.


    "It was that horse that kicked me, clearing the blockages in my body¡­ There''s something wrong with that horse!"


    Lu Mingrong''s pupils contracted as he came to a realization.


    Without that horse, those final four kicks wouldn''t have allowed his energy to flow through his entire body, nor would he have been able to turn his enraged spirit into the foundation for transformation.


    It precisely struck the blockages at the exact right moment¡­ Not only is Zhang Xuan extraordinary, but this horse is also too strange!


    "Regardless of the reason, the fact that he guided you to a breakthrough is earth-shattering news, almost as shocking as revealing a natural talent¡­ My suggestion is that you should keep a low profile for the next few days. Don''t reveal your breakthrough. If anyone asks, just say you haven''t seeded!"


    After a moment of hesitation, Yu Longqing suggested.


    "You''re worried¡­ that Liu Tianzheng will spread rumors?"


    Lu Mingrong understood Yu Longqing''s concern.


    Only three people knew that Zhang Xuan was helping him. Given how cautious Yu Longqing was, it was clear he was wary of the man who had once almost be his brother-inw.


    Yu Longqing nodded. "Back then, he was willing to disregard his sister''s happiness to gain the position of family head. If he learns of this, there''s no telling what extreme actions he might take¡­ You know as well as I do that over the years, to maintain White Roc Trading Company, I''ve had some dealings with certain people from the Destiny Hall."


    Lu Mingrong nodded.


    Under normal circumstances, the Destiny Hall only sold Destiny Disks to academies and simr institutions. However, White Roc Trading Company asionally had other Destiny Disks in cirction, which suggests some private dealings with the Destiny Hall.


    The Destiny Hall is a powerful force with its own rules, but where there are people, there are factions, and with factionses self-interest.


    "I''ll be careful!"


    Lu Mingrong agreed.


    Inside the room where Zhang Xuan was staying, the miniature Nine Dragon Pirs were arranged around him. Zhang Xuan sat cross-legged in the center, and with a flick of his wrist, the Destiny Disk flew up.


    In the next moment, the immense Heaven''s Fate Energy spread out,pletely enveloping him.


    Knowing no one was watching, Zhang Xuan no longer held back. He opened all his pores simultaneously, and in the blink of an eye, the energy flowing from the Destiny Disk through the array waspletely absorbed.


    In the Library of Heaven''s Path, books began to rapidly appear, floating in midair like stars.


    A few minutester, the Destiny Disk shattered.


    The library now contained over ten thousand new books.


    "Time to continue training¡­"


    With this new material, Zhang Xuan knew he could study more. He retrieved his library card and headed to the library.


    The next day.


    Zhang Xuan, who had been sitting cross-legged on the bed, opened his eyes again.


    Having enough Heaven''s Fate Energy is indeed convenient. Shortly after arriving at the library, he had gathered enough books to smoothly develop the cultivation techniques for Body Tempering and Meridian Unclogging.


    After training for a night, he had broken through two levels, reaching the peak of the Source Pool fifth level, Meridian Unclogging, with his strength reaching 60 horsepower,parable to a peak Source Pool sixth-level Organs Easing practitioner.


    Normally, the third level of the Source Pool, Energy Storing, has less than 5 horsepower; the fourth level, Body Tempering, has less than 15 horsepower; the fifth level, Meridian Unclogging, has less than 30 horsepower; the sixth level, Organs Easing, has less than 60 horsepower; and the seventh level, Jade Bone, has 99 horsepower.


    Only by forming a Divine Soul and breaking the physical limits can one possess more than 100 horsepower.


    Zhang Xuan had only reached the peak of Meridian Unclogging, yet his strength wasparable to the peak of Organs Easing. The most critical point was¡­ while others would exhaust their energy after several bursts of 60 horsepower, his Source Pool was connected to the Xuan World, providing endless Source Energy, allowing him to keep going for days without issue.


    In other words, in a real fight, with such power, he was invincible against anyone below the Source Pool sixth level Organs Easing. No matter how many came, it wouldn''t matter. He might even be able to take on a Jade Bone expert!


    Of course, if he activated the Library of Heaven''s Path, even a Divine Soul practitioner could be killed with one punch.


    After three days of training, he finally had the power to protect himself in White Roc City.


    Feeling the changes within him, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction and focused his mind.


    "I wonder how those three are progressing with their training, and if they can meet my requirements¡­"


    Yesterday, he had left instructions for Yu Xiaoyu and the others on the brocade bag. As long as they trained diligently, it wouldn''t be hard to meet his standards. Now it was just a matter of seeing who couldn''t.


    If they couldn''t, then there was no need to take them on as students!


    "Xiaoyu, are you awake?"


    Early in the morning, a knock came from outside Yu Xiaoyu''s residence.


    "What brings you here?"


    Seeing her best friend Mo Yanxue at the door, Yu Xiaoyu asked groggily.


    "You! How can you sleep so soundly? I don''t know whether to call you carefree or just indifferent!"


    Seeing her disheveled clothes with a patch of pale skin showing on her chest, Mo Yanxue sighed and helped her tidy up.


    "Why wouldn''t I sleep soundly?" Yu Xiaoyu asked.


    "Of course, you should be training¡­ You didn''t pay attention at all in Teacher Zhang''s ss yesterday. I''m afraid you''ll have a hard time in today''s ss! So, I brought over the dean''s notes from the lecture, so you can go through them now and familiarize yourself¡­ to avoid panickingter!"


    Mo Yanxue took out a book from her pocket and handed it to her.


    "Thank you, Xue''er. You''re always so good to me¡­"


    Happily hugging her friend, Yu Xiaoyu took the book.


    Inside, rows of delicate handwriting emitted a faint ink fragrance, clearly freshly written. Some marks were still slightly damp, not fully dried.


    "There''s an hour left before ss. Quickly go through it and start practicing. If you don''t understand anything, ask me. Even if it''sst minute, it should still help¡­"


    Mo Yanxue urged.


    She hadn''t attended yesterday''s ss but had heard a bit about it. Apparently, her friend had made quite a fool of herself, so she wanted to help alleviate the embarrassment today.


    "Alright!"


    Appreciating the kindness, Yu Xiaoyu didn''t decline and began carefully reading the notes.


    She had already started training yesterday and was quite familiar with the Energy Storing techniques. After reading for a while, she began to look puzzled.


    The techniques that Hong Yi had copied for her, though they only captured about twenty to thirty percent of Teacher Zhang''s teachings, were clearly more direct and effective, directly targeting the essence of training.


    "What''s wrong? The notes contain every word the dean said, with no mistakes. I followed themst night, and my strength increased by 8%! This rate of progress ranks among the top in White Roc City over the past hundred years!"


    Seeing her hesitation, Mo Yanxue spoke proudly.


    "Wait¡­ You trained all night and only gained 8% strength? That''s considered top tier?"


    Realizing something was wrong, Yu Xiaoyu quickly looked up.


    "Yes, I only had 0.45 horsepower before, and now I''m close to 0.49. The most important thing is that despite not sleeping all night, I still feel energetic and full of vitality!"


    Mo Yanxue said excitedly, "Don''t hesitate! An overnight strength increase like this makes the dean the best teacher in White Roc City, without a doubt!"


    "..."


    Seeing her friend''s enthusiasm, Yu Xiaoyu was at a loss for words.


    Yesterday, without paying attention in ss, just by relying on her body''s automatic response, her strength had increased by about 20%. You seriously took notes, trained earnestly all night, and only increased by 8%¡­


    And your talent is even better than mine!


    Are you kidding me!


    "Alright, I''ll give it a try."


    Though doubtful, Yu Xiaoyu didn''t want to refuse her friend''s kindness, so she earnestly followed the notes and began to train.


    As Source Energy flowed into her meridians, it moved slowly, like an elderlydy with bound feet, inching forward.


    Seeing her friend seriously training, Mo Yanxue nodded in satisfaction.


    "Xiaoyu, once you realize the value of these notes, you''ll definitely thank me¡­"


    Smiling, this youngdy of the Mo family was just about to bask in the glow of her good deed when she saw her friend suddenly leap up and rush to the trash can, vomiting continuously.


    "Bleargh¡­ Bleargh¡­"


    Yu Xiaoyu was sweating coldly as she threw up.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Mo Yanxue hurried over.


    "I''m fine. I''ll just try to endure it¡­ Don''t worry, I won''t let your kindness go to waste!"


    Struggling, Yu Xiaoyu forced a look of determination.


    After vomiting, she felt a bit better and sat down to train again. But as soon as the Source Energy entered her body, her stomach churned once more.


    "Bleargh!"


    Yu Xiaoyu was back at the trash can, reluctantly raising her hand in surrender.


    "Xue''er, I''m really sorry. I tried my best, but I just can''t train with this. You saw it yourself, I didn''t do it on purpose¡­"


    "???"


    Mo Yanxue was left dumbfounded.


    This training method I gave you¡­ made you so sick that you vomited?


    What the heck?


    The technique personally taught by the dean, a chance everyone in the academy dreams of but can''t get¡­


    And it made you so disgusted you threw up?

 Chapter 90: The Two Girls Compete

    Chapter 90: The Two Girls Compete


    "Xiaoyu, what on earth is going on?"


    After Yu Xiaoyu finished vomiting, Mo Yanxue''s face had turned red from holding back her confusion.


    Changing a cultivation method at most results in not being able to train, or the True Energy not flowing properly. But this was the first time she had seen someone vomit because of it.


    After taking a few deep breaths and feeling a bit better, Yu Xiaoyu looked over again. "The cultivation method you wrote down in your notes¡­ it''s sloppy, chaotic, and disorganized. Are you sure it was really taught by Dean Lu?"


    "Absolutely! I even trained with it!"


    Mo Yanxue nodded, then suddenly paused. "Wait, sloppy, chaotic, disorganized? What do you mean?"


    "Compared to the method taught by Teacher Zhang, that''s exactly what it is," Yu Xiaoyu nodded.


    If you''ve never tasted gourmet food, pickles and tbread can fill you up just fine. But once you''ve had the former, it''s hard not to get sick eating thetter.How can two Energy Storing techniques be so different?


    "What? You''reparing the method taught by Zhang Xuan to the one taught by Dean Lu? Are you kidding? That guy was just my groom! What right does he have topare himself to the dean?"


    Mo Yanxue''s face darkened as she finally understood what her friend meant.


    "I don''t want topare them either, but that''s just the way it is¡­" Yu Xiaoyu said, her face flushing with embarrassment.


    Although the notes Hong Yi gave her only captured about twenty to thirty percent of Teacher Zhang''s teachings, they were still far superior to the ones in her friend''s notes. They weren''t even in the same league.


    Though Yu Xiaoyu was new to training, and not as skilled at evaluating the quality of cultivation methods, she could still tell which one was better.


    "Alright, since you say the method taught by Zhang Xuan is better, let me ask you this: after a night of training, how much has your strength increased?"


    Mo Yanxue demanded.


    "Well¡­ without a force-measuring array, I''m not really sure!"


    Yu Xiaoyu shook her head.


    "Not sure? That means your progress wasn''t significant¡­" Mo Yanxue spected.


    "If the progress wasn''t significant and I don''t meet Teacher Zhang''s requirements from yesterday, I''m in trouble¡­"


    Hearing her friend''s words, Yu Xiaoyu started to panic.


    Teacher Zhang had given her a brocade bag with specific requirements. If she didn''t meet them today, would she no longer be able to stay as his student?


    Worried, she quickly took out the brocade bag and gently opened it. The writing on it became visible: Increase your strength to 1.2, and you can be my student!


    "1.2 horsepower? Is Zhang Xuan dreaming?"


    Mo Yanxue nced at the note and couldn''t help but sneer. "Even if your strength is simr to mine, around 0.45, reaching 0.5 in one night would be miraculous, even considered the best in White Roc City for a century. But 1.2¡­ that''s a 167% increase in strength. Do you think that''s possible?"


    "Well¡­"


    Yu Xiaoyu''s face reddened further as she hesitated. "I reached 0.5 horsepower right after ss yesterday! And¡­ I didn''t even listen to the lesson!"


    Mo Yanxue: "???"


    She had spent an entire night training, nearly pulling her hair out, to increase from 0.45 to just under 0.49, and you''re telling me you reached 0.5 horsepower without even paying attention?


    "That''s impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Mo Yanxue shook her head vigorously.


    "I tested it yesterday¡­" Yu Xiaoyu exined hurriedly.


    "Maybe the force-measuring array was broken. Let''s do this¡ªyou and I will punch each other. I''ll be able to tell your strength immediately," Mo Yanxue suggested.


    "Alright."


    After thinking it over, Yu Xiaoyu realized her friend made sense and agreed.


    The two of them squared off. Mo Yanxue took a deep breath, circting the Source Energy she had purified yesterday through her meridians. Clenching her fist, she aimed a punch at her friend.


    It wasn''t that she didn''t trust Yu Xiaoyu, but she believed her friend was too naive and had probably been deceived. She thought that only by giving her a wake-up call would she understand that strengthes from hard work, not shortcuts.


    "Be careful¡­"


    Seeing her friend use her full strength, Yu Xiaoyu didn''t dare to be careless and raised her hand to meet the punch.


    As their fists collided, a loud crack split the air. Before Mo Yanxue could react, she was sent flying, crashing into the window andnding several meters away in the courtyard.


    "Ugh!"


    A mouthful of blood spurted from her mouth.


    "Xue''er, are you alright?"


    Yu Xiaoyu hurried over, not expecting her casual punch to have such power.


    "How¡­ how can your strength be this strong?"


    Mo Yanxue''s vision blurred, full of disbelief.


    From that punch, she could tell that this girl, who had always been weaker than her, had suddenly surpassed her!


    "I don''t know¡­ I just trained from the afternoon until evening yesterday, but I was too tired and fell asleep before midnight," Yu Xiaoyu exined.


    "You trained for less time than I did, yet your strength is greater¡­ Could it be that Teacher Zhang''s teachings really are better than Dean Lu''s?"


    Mo Yanxue found it hard to believe, but the evidence was right in front of her, so she had no choice but to ept it. After a moment, she consoled herself, "Even if it''s true, your strength isn''t that much greater than mine. With a bit of effort, I should be able to catch up¡­"


    Though she had been sent flying by the punch, based on the force she felt, Yu Xiaoyu''s strength was probably around 0.6 or 0.7 horsepower, no more. She couldn''t reach that level now, but with enough resources from her family and some hard work, she might catch up.


    "Well¡­"


    Hearing her friend mumble, Yu Xiaoyu shyly looked over again. "If I told you I only used half my strength just now, would you¡­ believe me?"


    "???"


    Mo Yanxue was stunned.


    While this was happening, on the other side, Liu Mingyue slowly opened her eyes after a day of training with the Fuyou Energy Storing Technique.


    Since her father said Teacher Zhang''s method was unconventional, she decided to focus on training her family''s inherited technique¡­ But why did her progress feel so minimal?


    In ss yesterday, just a casual session had increased her strength by 50%, from 0.4 to 0.6, but after nearly a day and night of serious training, the difference didn''t seem that significant¡­


    Was her father wrong, or was Teacher Zhang wrong?


    For a moment, doubt crept into her heart.


    All her life, she had been her family''s obedient daughter, always following her father''s guidance. He had treated her well, which had shaped her spoiled and overbearing yet indecisive and somewhat tearful personality.


    Her father never liked others going against his wishes, and she had alwaysplied, afraid of making mistakes. Fortunately, she had never encountered any problems until today, when she suddenly felt¡­ her father''s words yesterday might not be entirely correct.


    Because¡­ she clearly felt very ufortable while training the Fuyou Energy Storing Technique.


    Knowing it was wrong to doubt her father, Liu Mingyue shook her head and slowly stood up.


    "I definitely can''t reach 1.2 horsepower. Should I still go to Teacher Zhang?"


    The brocade bag given by the teacher had specific requirements: only if she reached 1.2 horsepower by this morning would she be allowed to continue as his student. Otherwise, she''d have to leave.


    Given the current situation, she was sure she wouldn''t make it!


    "I''ll go anyway. If I can''t meet the requirement, there''s no way Yu Xiaoyu could either. As long as I''m stronger than her, I''ll win."


    She had at least paid attention during ss, while that girl hadn''t listened at all. Beating her should be easy, right?


    In a race with a tiger, you just have to outrun yourpanion¡­


    As Zhang Xuan walked into the ssroom, he found Hong Yi already there, diligently cleaning.


    At this moment, Hong Yi''s body was filled with energy, and his aura was strong, clearly indicating that he hadn''t cked off and had been training hard.


    "Did you meet my requirement?"


    Zhang Xuan looked over calmly.


    The requirement he had left for Hong Yi yesterday was to reach 1 horsepower. Although it seemed lowerpared to Liu Mingyue and Yu Xiaoyu, it was by no means easy. Previously, even with focused training, Hong Yi''s strength had only reached 0.4 horsepower.


    To go from 0.4 to 1.0 meant increasing his strength by 250%! The difficulty was obvious.


    "I¡­ I don''t know if I''ve met it, but if you don''t ept me, I''ll kneel outside your door until you agree. No matter what, I must be your student, so I took the liberty ofing to clean¡­"


    Hong Yi quickly exined.


    Without a force-measuring array, he couldn''t gauge his exact strength, but he knew that without bing this teacher''s student, he''d neveruan with the one taught by Dean Lu? What a joke! That guy was just my groom¡ªwhat qualifies him to bepared with a teacher?"


    Finally understanding what Yu Xiaoyu meant, Mo Yanxue''s expression turned sour.


    "I don''t want topare, but that''s just the way it is¡­" Yu Xiaoyu''s face flushed with embarrassment.


    Although the notes Hong Yi gave her contained only a fraction of Teacher Zhang''s teachings, they were still far superior to the ones her friend had written down. They weren''t even in the same league.


    Even though she was just beginning to train and wasn''t as skilled at distinguishing the quality of techniques as others, she could still tell the difference.


    "Fine, since you say the method taught by Zhang Xuan is better, tell me, how much has your strength increased after one night of training?"


    Mo Yanxue snorted.


    "Well¡­ I''m not sure since I don''t have a strength testing formation," Yu Xiaoyu shook her head.


    "If you''re not sure, then the improvement must not be significant¡­" Mo Yanxue spected.


    "If there''s no significant improvement, and you don''t meet Teacher Zhang''s requirements from yesterday, that''s bad¡­"


    Hearing her friend''s words, Yu Xiaoyu started to panic.


    Yesterday, Teacher Zhang gave her a brocade pouch with specific requirements. If she didn''t meet them today, would she no longer be able to stay under his tutge?


    Thinking of this, she hurriedly took out the pouch and gently opened it, revealing the writing inside: "Increase your strength to 1.2 horsepower to be my student!"


    "1.2 horsepower? Is this Zhang Xuan dreaming?"


    Mo Yanxue peeked over, then sneered, "Your strength is probably around 0.45, like mine. Reaching 0.5 in one night would already be a miracle, the best in White Roc City for a hundred years. But 1.2¡­ that''s a 167% increase! Do you really think that''s possible?"


    "Well¡­"


    Yu Xiaoyu hesitated before speaking. "I reached 0.5 horsepower right after yesterday''s ss¡­ And I didn''t even pay attention in ss!"


    Mo Yanxue: "???"


    She had trained hard all night, nearly pulling out her hair, only to go from 0.45 to barely 0.49, while you say you reached 0.5 without even paying attention?


    "That''s impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Mo Yanxue shook her head furiously.


    "I tested it yesterday¡­" Yu Xiaoyu hurriedly exined.


    "Maybe the testing formation was broken. Let''s do this: you and I will exchange punches, and I''ll be able to tell your strength right away," Mo Yanxue suggested.


    "Alright!"


    Thinking her friend''s suggestion made sense, Yu Xiaoyu nodded.


    The two stood opposite each other. Mo Yanxue took a deep breath, circting the Source Energy she had just purified through her meridians. Clenching her fist, she punched toward her friend.


    It wasn''t that she didn''t believe Yu Xiaoyu, but she thought Yu Xiaoyu was too naive and might have been deceived. Only by giving her a lesson could she make her realize that strengthes from hard work and gradual progress, not sudden gains.


    "Be careful¡­"


    Seeing Mo Yanxue gathering her strength, Yu Xiaoyu didn''t dare to hold back and raised her hand to meet the punch.


    As their fists collided, the air emitted a sharp hiss. Before Mo Yanxue could even react, she was sent flying backward, crashing into a window andnding several meters away in the courtyard.


    "Ah!"


    She spat out a mouthful of blood.


    "Xue''er, are you alright?"


    Not expecting her casual punch to be so powerful, Yu Xiaoyu rushed over.


    "How is your strength so strong?"


    Mo Yanxue''s vision blurred, filled with disbelief.


    With that punch, she realized that this girl, who had always been weaker than her, had unknowingly surpassed her!


    "I don''t know. I trained from the afternoon to the evening yesterday, and because I was too tired, I went to bed before midnight," Yu Xiaoyu exined.


    "You trained for less time than I did, but your strength is greater¡­ Could Teacher Zhang''s teachings really be better than Dean Lu''s?"


    Mo Yanxue found it hard to believe, but the facts were undeniable. After a moment, she could onlyfort herself, "Even if that''s true, your strength isn''t that much stronger than mine. If I work a little harder, I should be able to catch up¡­"


    Although she had been knocked down, she estimated that Yu Xiaoyu''s strength was around 0.6 or 0.7, not much more. While she couldn''t reach that level yet, with enough resources and effort, catching up seemed possible.


    "Well¡­"


    Hearing her friend''s mutterings, Yu Xiaoyu shyly added, "If I said I only used half my strength just now, would you¡­ believe me?"


    "???"


    Mo Yanxue was stunned.


    While Yu Xiaoyu and Mo Yanxue were exchanging blows, Liu Mingyue, who had been training with the "Fuyao Energy Storing Technique" for a day, slowly opened her eyes.


    Since her father said that Teacher Zhang''s method was unconventional, she decided to focus on training with her family''s technique instead¡­ But why did it feel like her progress was minimal?


    During the ss, she had casually trained and seen her strength soar by 50%, from 0.4 to 0.6. But now, after serious training for nearly a day and night, the difference didn''t seem that significant¡­


    Was her father wrong, or was Teacher Zhang wrong?


    For a moment, she felt conflicted.


    All her life, she had been the obedient daughter, always following her father''s instructions. Her father had always treated her well, which led to her bing arrogant and domineering, but also indecisive and prone to tears.


    Her father disliked anyone contradicting him, and she had always obeyed, afraid of making mistakes. Thankfully, this had never been a problem before, but for some reason, today she suddenly felt¡­ that her father''s words might not have been correct!


    Because¡­ she could clearly feel how ufortable it was to train with the "Fuyao Energy Storing Technique."


    Knowing it wasn''t right to doubt her father, Liu Mingyue shook her head and slowly stood up.


    "There''s no way I can reach 1.2. Should I still go see Teacher Zhang?"


    The brocade pouch given by the teacher set a requirement: only if her strength reached 1.2 by this morning could she continue as his student. Otherwise, she would have to leave.


    And from what she could tell, she definitely hadn''t met that requirement!


    "I''ll go anyway. If I didn''t make it, there''s no way that girl, Yu Xiaoyu, did either. As long as I''m stronger than her, I win."


    During ss, at least she paid attention, unlike that girl, who didn''t listen at all. Beating her should be easy.


    If you run into a tiger, you just need to outrun yourpanion¡­


    Zhang Xuan walked into the ssroom, and sure enough, Hong Yi had arrived early and was diligently cleaning.


    At this moment, Hong Yi''s body was brimming with energy, his aura powerful, clearly indicating that he hadn''t cked off yesterday but had been training hard.


    "Did you meet my requirements?"


    Zhang Xuan asked calmly.


    Yesterday, he had set a requirement for Hong Yi to reach 1 horsepower. Although it seemed lower than Liu Mingyue and Yu Xiaoyu''s requirements, it was by no means easy. Hong Yi had never trained before, and even after paying attention in ss, his strength had only increased to 0.4 horsepower.


    For it to leap to 1.0, meaning a 250% increase in power, was no small feat.


    "I¡­ don''t know if I met it, but even if you don''t ept me, I''ll keep kneeling at your door until you do. No matter what, I must be your student, so I took the liberty ofing to clean¡­"


    Hong Yi quickly exined.


    Without a strength testing formation, he couldn''t gauge his power, but he knew that without bing this teacher''s student, he would never have a chance to attend ss.


    Since that was the case, there was no point in hesitation. If he failed, he would just beg. The opportunity was too precious to let slip.


    "You¡­"


    Zhang Xuan shook his head, a hint of approval in his eyes.


    This was the kind of student he wanted.


    Obedient and diligent!


    Unlike Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue, who had their own agendas and brought a lot of trouble, it might be better to dismiss them today!


    As he was contemting this, he saw two girls walking in.


    One was his student, Yu Xiaoyu, and the other was the once-arrogant Mo Yanxue.


    At this moment, Mo Yanxue no longer had her cold and haughty demeanor. Instead, she looked dazed, staring at the young man in front of her with disbelief.


    When Zhang Xuan had toppled Steward Feng, she had thought he was impressive, but never in her wildest dreams did she imagine he could be this extraordinary.


    Dean Lu and City Lord Yu had both praised him, and he had be a teacher at the academy, personally guiding her friend''s training¡­


    On the way here, she had tested Yu Xiaoyu twice more and confirmed that her friend now had over 1 horsepower of strength!


    In just one day of training, her strength had more than doubled¡­ something that had never happened in White Roc City''s history. And the person responsible for this miracle was the very groom who used to work for her¡­


    The more she thought about it, the more incredible it seemed, so she followed Yu Xiaoyu here.


    As she looked at Zhang Xuan, he also nced back at her.


    "Zhang¡­ Teacher Zhang!"


    Mo Yanxue stammered, a hint of nervousness in her voice.


    "Miss Mo, what brings you here?" Zhang Xuan asked curiously.


    Clenching her teeth, Mo Yanxue took a deep breath, bowed, and asked expectantly, "Teacher Zhang, may I attend one of your sses?"


    "No."


    Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    It wasn''t that Zhang Xuan was being heartless.


    It was that Miss Mo never had any real affection for him.


    If he hadn''t awakened his Spirit, he might have ended his days as a beggar. Any achievements he had made since then were entirely his own efforts, with no help from her. Since that was the case, why would he agree to let her attend his ss?


    Not expecting such a quick refusal, Yu Xiaoyu was equally stunned. "Teacher Zhang¡­"


    "Yu Xiaoyu, in the future, don''t bring anyone here without my permission!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand dismissively.


    "Teacher Zhang, Xue''er¡­ she just wants to listen to one of your sses. If it''s suitable, she''d like to be your student¡­" Yu Xiaoyu pleaded.


    "First, I don''t need anyone to be my student!"


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Second, if you don''t meet the requirements I set yesterday, you''ll be expelled today as well. Don''t speak up for others before you''ve sorted out your own situation."


    This Yu Xiaoyu had disrupted his ss twice already. If she failed to meet his requirements today, she would be expelled, no matter if she was the City Lord''s daughter.


    A student is a student, and if they can''t understand their position, they will eventually cause trouble.


    "Yes¡­" Yu Xiaoyu gave her friend an apologetic look, her face full of embarrassment.


    Mo Yanxue''s face turned pale, not expecting such bluntness.


    For a moment, she remembered a few days ago.


    Back then, he was just a groom, nervously exining things to her, while she insisted on following the rules and docked his pay for not tying a rope properly¡­


    How simr that situation was to today, except that the bnce of power hadpletely reversed.


    "Xiaoyu, I''ll leave now."


    Knowing there was no point in staying any longer, Mo Yanxue turned and left the room.


    Leaving the ssroom, she felt a wave of difort in her heart.


    The groom she could once easily manipte had grown to a point where she could no longer even dream of reaching him.


    She had once had the best chance to bring him to her side after leaving the Mo family, but that opportunity was now lost forever.


    Seeing her friend leave, Yu Xiaoyu didn''t dwell on it and looked over at the strength-testing formation in the corner of the room. "Teacher, where is the strength testing formation?"


    The formation that had stood against the wall was now nowhere to be seen, as if it had never been there.


    "The formation broke. So, when Liu Mingyue arrives, you can exchange punches with her. I''ll be able to tell your true strength that way."


    Zhang Xuan waved his hand.


    The strength-testing formation had been shattered to dust by one of his punches yesterday when he activated the Library of Heaven''s Path, and he hadn''t had time to repair it yet. Of course, he couldn''t admit that.


    "Exchange punches with her?"


    Yu Xiaoyu felt a bit apprehensive.


    Yesterday, Liu Mingyue had already reached 0.6 horsepower, and she had paid more attention in ss than Yu Xiaoyu. By now, she was surely even stronger!


    What if she ended up like her friend, getting knocked back by the punch¡­


    Not long after Mo Yanxue left, Liu Mingyue arrived.


    "Yesterday, I gave each of you a brocade pouch. Now, hand them over. If you''ve met the requirements, you can stay and continue your lessons. If not, you can leave immediately."


    Seeing that everyone had arrived, Zhang Xuan didn''t waste time and waved his hand.


    "Yes."


    The three students ced their brocade pouches on the desk.


    Opening the slips of paper inside, Zhang Xuan nced at Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue. "You two have the same requirement. Use all your strength and exchange punches. I''ll determine who can stay. Remember, you only have one chance."


    "Yes!"


    Liu Mingyue nodded and looked at her long-time rival, "Xiaoyu, be careful! I won''t hold back¡­"


    This girl had always been slightly more talented, but since she hadn''t paid attention in ss yesterday, and Liu Mingyue had reached 0.6 horsepower, Yu Xiaoyu should be at 0.5. Defeating her shouldn''t be difficult.


    "Yes¡­ I-I''ll also use all my strength!"


    Yu Xiaoyu gritted her teeth.


    Although she said this, she wasn''t very confident.


    "Begin!"


    At Zhang Xuan''smand, the two girls simultaneously threw their punches.


    In an instant, two surges of power erupted, and thepressed air crackled with sonic booms.


    Knowing that Liu Mingyue wouldn''t hold back like her friend had, Yu Xiaoyu didn''t dare to either, putting all her strength into the strike.


    Sensing that both girls were quite strong, Zhang Xuan knew they must have trained hard yesterday, which pleased him. He then focused his mind on the Library of Heaven''s Path.


    "ws!"


    With the burning of several strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy, two books suddenly appeared before him.


    cing his hands on them, Zhang Xuan''s spirit swept over the contents, and his brow furrowed.

 Chapter 91: The Chaotic Fate Practitioner

    Chapter 91: The Chaotic Fate Practitioner


    On one side, Zhang Xuan had just identified the ws and weaknesses in the two girls'' techniques, while on the other, the oue of the sh between their fists had already been decided.


    The previously confident and somewhat arrogant Liu Mingyue felt an immense force crash into her as if a massive boulder had struck her. Before she could even react, she was sent flying backward.


    Her back mmed into the ssroom door, which had just been repaired by n Leader Chen Xiao''s men the day before. The door, barely used, now had a human-shaped hole punched through it once again.


    The culprit, Yu Xiaoyu, was startled.


    She had suspected that Liu Mingyue''s strength might be considerable, so she didn''t hold back, unleashing all the power she had umted from training half the night. She had expected, at most, an even match¡ªnever in her wildest dreams did she imagine it would be this overwhelming.


    She had knocked Liu Mingyue flying¡­ Wasn''t Liu Mingyue at 0.6 horsepower just yesterday? How did she be so weak?


    "Yu Xiaoyu, your strength is 1.3 horsepower, while Liu Mingyue''s is only 0.61. Both of you,e here and exin why that is," Zhang Xuan frowned as Liu Mingyue hobbled back into the room.


    He couldn''t understand these two girls.Over the past two sses, Yu Xiaoyu had been showing off. In contrast, Liu Mingyue had been the opposite¡ªdespite iming she hadn''t learned anything, her body had never hesitated to follow through with the training.


    He had expected Yu Xiaoyu to be knocked out with one punch, but the reality was the exact opposite¡­


    "I¡­ have 1.3 horsepower?" Yu Xiaoyu''s eyes widened.


    She had realized her strength wasn''t weak after sending her friend flying, but she never imagined she had progressed this much! Just yesterday, she was at 0.5 horsepower, and after training for an afternoon and half a night, her strength had increased by 0.7¡ªmore than doubling!


    Unlike her astonishment, Liu Mingyue was utterly confused: "I only have 0.61?"


    Her father had exined the "Fuyao Energy Storing Technique" to her several times, and she had studied it diligently without any mistakes or neglect. Yet after an entire night, her strength had only increased by 0.01. Was this really White Roc City''s second most powerful Energy Storing technique?


    Why was it so weak?


    And Teacher Zhang, whom her father had dismissed, had casually taught a method that she barely learned, yet it had boosted her strength by 0.02¡­ The girl who had been weaker than her just yesterday had more than doubled her strength after some minor training!


    As she was still reeling from the shock, Zhang Xuan''s voice cut through her thoughts: "Didn''t you say you didn''t attend the ss yesterday?"


    "I¡­ asked Brother Hong for his notes and studied them again¡­" Yu Xiaoyu exined.


    "I followed my father''s advice and trained with my family''s ''Fuyao Energy Storing Technique''!" Liu Mingyue admitted, her face turning red as Zhang Xuan looked at her.


    "Since you have your family''s ultimate technique, you are no longer my student starting today. Leave!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand dismissively.


    Rules are rules. Since the requirements were set yesterday and not met, expulsion was the only option.


    "Teacher Zhang¡­" Liu Mingyue''s face paled, and she began to tremble.


    "Next!" Ignoring Liu Mingyue, Zhang Xuan turned to Hong Yi.


    Hong Yi threw a punch, and as expected, it reached exactly 1 horsepower. From the time he started training, his strength had increased fivefold! He had met the requirement.


    Witnessing this, Liu Mingyue finally understood. Teacher Zhang''s lessons weren''t unconventional or shortcuts¡ªthey were genuine secret techniques. Otherwise, no way simply following the training could lead to such rapid improvement!


    Clenching her teeth, she seemed to make a decision. Retreating to the door, she knelt and spoke with determination: "Teacher Zhang, I realize my mistake. Please forgive me. From today on, I will wholeheartedly acknowledge you as my master and follow only your instructions. If you do not ept, I will remain kneeling here forever!"


    "Hong Yi, close the door!"


    Zhang Xuan frowned.


    When given an opportunity, she didn''t cherish it. Only after losing it did she regret it. Life is often a one-way ticket¡ªthere aren''t so many chances to keep jumping back and forth.


    "Yes!"


    Although the door was damaged, closing it would still provide some cover. Hong Yi approached Liu Mingyue, apologized, and slowly closed the door.


    Disregarding her intention to kneel indefinitely, Zhang Xuan exined the ws in Yu Xiaoyu and Hong Yi''s techniques in detail, then wrote out a personalized cultivation method for each.


    Yu Xiaoyu took her method, read it through, and finally understood just how deep this teacher''s understanding of cultivation was.


    Her family''s "Five Directions umtion Technique" seemedughable inparison, like a child''s game.


    "No wonder my father insisted I be his student¡ªhe must have known how extraordinary he was all along."


    Yu Xiaoyu finally understood her father''s good intentions.


    As for Hong Yi, who had never been exposed to advanced techniques, he couldn''t fully grasp just how powerful Teacher Zhang''s teachings were, but he knew they were exceptional. Otherwise, how could they enable such rapid progress?


    With this understanding, he trained even more diligently.


    Lacking talent, he had no choice but to make up for it with hard work.


    Seeing his students working hard, Zhang Xuan also sat down cross-legged.


    In the third level of the Source Pool, Energy Storing, the energy flows through all the body''s meridians, umting power.


    In the fourth level, Body Tempering, Source Energy nourishes the muscles, making the body stronger and greatly enhancing overall physical fitness.


    In the fifth level, Meridian Unclogging, the focus is on refining the body''s fascia, increasing its flexibility and ability to handle greater power.


    As for the sixth level, Organs Easing, it involves refining the internal organs, making breathing more prolonged and increasing the speed of energy absorption.


    Zhang Xuan was currently between the Meridian Unclogging and Organs Easing levels.


    In body training, the difference between refining the internal organs and not is vast. The movement of the organs nourishes the entire body. Once fully refined, even the Source Pool can be transformed.


    For example, in Hong Yi''s case, his Source Pool was evaluated as the lowest, Ninth Grade. However, if he sessfully trained in the Organs Easing realm, the immense power generated by his organs might upgrade it.


    Zhang Xuan''s Source Pool connected to the Xuan World, already endless in its energy supply, didn''t need further enhancement. But if his organs were refined by Source Energy, even burning the New World wouldn''t injure him as easily under the pressure of the Source World.


    "Ah, I still need Heaven''s Fate Energy!"


    Reviewing his current situation, Zhang Xuan sighed.


    The 20,000 strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy he had just obtained from the Trading Company and Dean Lu were almost depleted after organizing the cultivation methods for the Body Tempering and Meridian Unclogging realms. To advance to higher levels, he would clearly need more Destiny Disks, but where could he find them?


    Meanwhile, at the Liu residence¡­


    Patriarch Liu Tianzheng stood respectfully at the entrance of the estate with the Grand Elder and others, anxiously looking out into the distance as if waiting for someone.


    The zing sun poured down, distorting the air with heatwaves.


    To make the patriarch and the Grand Elder of one of White Roc City''s three great families stand outside in the sweltering heat, the person they were waiting for must be of considerable importance.


    Clip-clop, clip-clop!


    As everyone began to doze off in the heat, the sound of hooves broke the silence. A horse-drawn carriage slowly approached.


    Eyes lighting up, Liu Tianzheng hurried forward a few steps and bowed deeply. "Lord Xu!"


    A young man lifted the carriage curtain and stepped down.


    He appeared to be in his early thirties, dressed in a blue-gray robe, with a cold and gloomy look in his eyes.


    Lord Xu nodded, his brow furrowing slightly. "So, you''re Liu Tianzheng? You''re much weaker than I expected¡­"


    Liu Tianzheng''s face filled with embarrassment. "Our Liu family is just a small n in White Roc City. It''s only thanks to Lord Ling''s protection that we have what we do today. My meager cultivation is naturally nothing in Lord Xu''s eyes."


    "At least you know to be grateful!"


    Lord Xu nodded in satisfaction. "I''vee here without prior notice under orders from Lord Ling to check if any ''Chaotic Fate Practitioners'' have infiltrated White Roc City."


    "Chaotic Fate Practitioners?"


    Liu Tianzheng''s pupils shrank. "Are you referring to those strange cultivators who can disrupt Heaven''s Fate and cause widespread chaos? I heard they appeared once decades ago, causing great turmoil and panic. It took the intervention of the Destiny Hall''s experts to finally suppress the situation¡­"


    "Indeed! This matter is top secret. Even the city lord of White Roc City isn''t privy to it. You''re only being informed because of your loyalty to Lord Ling. But remember, you must not let this leak out."


    Lord Xu waved his hand dismissively.


    "I understand!" Liu Tianzheng quickly bowed, a trace of concern in his eyes. "But, my lord, weren''t these people supposed to have disappeared with no trace of them for decades? Why the sudden investigation, and whye to such a remote ce like White Roc City?"


    Lord Xu replied, "I''m not entirely sure, but it seems other Destiny Halls have detected the presence of such individuals. I was sent here as a precaution. It''s best if there''s nothing, but if such a person is found and not reported, not only will I perish, but your entire Liu family will face annihtion."


    "Understood!" Liu Tianzheng''s expression turned serious.


    He didn''t doubt Lord Xu''s words. If they failed to handle the situation properly, despite being one of the three great families of White Roc City, the Liu family could be wiped out with just one word from him.


    Because¡­ Lord Xu was from the Destiny Hall, the most powerful organization in the entire Source World!


    Lord Xu, Xu Xin, wasn''t a Destiny Practitioner but a Fate Guardian.


    Fate Guardians, also known as Protectors, are the bodyguards of Destiny Practitioners. While they don''t possess the power to control fate, their status is highly esteemed due to their role in protecting Destiny Practitioners.


    They are somewhat akin to the Warriors on the Master Teacher Continent.


    Wherever they go, they represent the authority and status of Destiny Practitioners, and no one dares to show them any disrespect.


    "I wonder¡­ what are the characteristics of these Chaotic Fate Practitioners? It would help me conduct a more thorough investigation¡­"


    After a moment of thought, Liu Tianzheng asked curiously.


    "Chaotic Fate Practitioners don''t conform to the changes in destiny andck a definite fate of their own¡­"


    Xu Xin nodded, his expression bing more solemn. "Outwardly, they often exhibit talents beyond that of ordinary people, behave strangely, and stand out from the crowd. Most importantly, although they are not Destiny Practitioners, they can do things even a Destiny Practitioner cannot."


    "Talents beyond that of ordinary people? This¡­"


    Liu Tianzheng''s pupils constricted as a figure suddenly shed through his mind.

 Chapter 92: Whipping Strength

    Chapter 92: Whipping Strength


    That Zhang Xuan¡­ seems to fit the description!


    I''ve heard of First Grade Source Pools and even Saint Grade Source Pools absorbing hundreds of strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy, but absorbing over 1,000 at once, and even having a horse that can absorb and transform into a Source Beast¡­ This is the first time I''ve ever heard of such a thing!


    Could it be¡­ that this guy is the "Chaotic Fate Practitioner" that Xu Xin mentioned?


    It can''t be that much of a coincidence, right?


    "Should I report this?"


    Just as Liu Tianzheng was about to speak up, he clenched his fist tightly. "No, I can''t! Mingyue is still his student. If this man really is a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, Mingyue could be implicated and taken away as well¡­ If that happens, our entire family would be doomed! The key is that we''re still not certain if he really is one."


    Thinking of this, Liu Tianzheng couldn''t help but ask, "Aside from those traits, are there any other distinguishing characteristics?"


    Xu Xin replied, "I''m not sure of the specifics, but it''s said that these people are vicious and evil in appearance, easily recognizable at a nce. However, they''re so rare that only one or two have appeared in the entire Source World over countless years. Even Lord Ling doesn''t know much more than what he''s read from ancient records."Liu Tianzheng breathed a sigh of relief.


    The Source World is vast, and the Hanyuan Dynasty, where he resides, is just a tiny speck in it. With such a huge ce, only one or two have ever appeared over countless years¡ªhow likely is it that he''d encounter one?


    His luck couldn''t be that bad.


    Based on what Xu Xin said, Zhang Xuan likely just used some special method to absorb more Heaven''s Fate Energy. He probably isn''t one of these rare Chaotic Fate Practitioners.


    Besides, he seems rather kind and handsome, not like a vicious and evil person.


    "What''s the matter? Could it be that White Roc City really has one?" Xu Xin noticed Liu Tianzheng''s odd expression and looked at him in confusion.


    "Not at all. I was just thinking of my daughter, Liu Mingyue. She absorbed 24 strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy during her Source Pool Assessment, so her talent isn''t bad. Do you think she might have a chance to be a Fate Guardian like you?"


    Liu Tianzheng awkwardly changed the subject.


    "Twenty-four strands? A Fifth Grade Source Pool is not bad. What grade of me Furnace did she ignite?" Xu Xin asked, intrigued.


    "With the help of the Lingyun Beast''s blood, she managed to ignite a Supreme Grade Peak furnace," Liu Tianzheng replied.


    Xu Xin''s eyes lit up. "She''s quite promising. You''re lucky, Liu family head. If you have time, bring her to see me. If she''s suitable, I might take her as my disciple."


    "Thank you, Lord Xu!" Liu Tianzheng exhaled in relief.


    If his daughter could be Xu Xin''s disciple, then even if Zhang Xuan turned out to be a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, Liu Mingyue should be safe. It would be a precautionary measure.


    "You''re wee!" Xu Xin waved dismissively. "I''m here on Lord Ling''s orders and have brought three Destiny Disks with me. That''ll be 10 million Source Coins."


    Liu Tianzheng winced but quickly nodded. "Yes, of course."


    That''s daylight robbery!


    Dean Lu sold him one for 2 million, while Xu Xin was charging 3.33 million for each of the three he bought.


    But as expensive as they were, they were still better than having none. With careful nning, the investment could easily pay off and even bring significant profits.


    Of course, as long as people like Zhang Xuan aren''t allowed to interfere¡­


    "Prepare a ce for me to stay. I''ll be here for about half a month. Also, get me some beautiful women. Following Lord Ling is a strict business¡ªI haven''t had any fun for days. This time, I intend to indulge a bit."


    Xu Xin waved his hand nonchntly.


    The supposed search for Chaotic Fate Practitioners was just an excuse. Who would waste their time looking for such a rare individual in a backwater town like this? The real reason he was here was to take advantage of the situation, enjoy some authority, and rx.


    "Of course, my lord. I''ll see to it right away," Liu Tianzheng quickly nodded, just about to give orders, when a n elder hurried over and whispered, "Patriarch, the young miss has been expelled from Teacher Zhang''s ss and is now kneeling at his ssroom door¡­"


    "What?" Liu Tianzheng''s face darkened.


    No matter what, Liu Mingyue represented the Liu family. To make her kneel outside a ssroom was too much.


    "You see to Lord Xu''s amodations. I''ll go take a look myself in a moment," Liu Tianzheng instructed.


    "Yes!" The elder nodded and left.


    "I have to find a way to make money¡­"


    After much thought, Zhang Xuan rubbed his forehead.


    Helping others breakthrough is an easier way to earn. Still, given that his cultivation isn''t yet established, and with no Master Teacher profession in this world, it could easily raise suspicion. Moreover, guiding breakthroughs require the individual to have umted enough power and to be capable of paying up to 2 million Source Coins in one go. Even if he found such people, trusting them would be a major challenge.


    The simplest way would be to make money and then purchase the Destiny Disks from Dean Lu.


    If he could get two or three more¡­ perhaps he could break through to the Jade Bone Realm in one go!


    With that kind of power, he might not be considered strong in the entire Source World, but at least he''d have some ability to protect himself.


    Making money shouldn''t be difficult for him. It wouldn''t be too hard to borrow tens of thousands of Source Coins from n Leader Chen or City Lord Yu, but reaching the level of millions would be much tougher.


    "Best to leave it to the professionals¡­"


    He wasn''t skilled at finding ways to make money, but he knew someone who was. If he could bring that person to the Source World, many problems could be easily solved, leaving him free to focus on cultivation and only stepping in when necessary.


    Yes, that person was his chief steward¡­ Sun Qiang!


    "Let''s head back to the residence."


    Zhang Xuan knew that materializing someone here would scare Yu Xiaoyu and the others, and since Sun Qiang didn''t have an identity in this world, he would likely need City Lord Yu''s help.


    Having made up his mind, Zhang Xuan stopped thinking about it and turned his attention to his two disciples.


    The two of them were diligently training, streams of Source Energy continuously flowing into their Source Pools, converting into pure power that surged through their meridians, rapidly increasing their strength.


    "Remember, training requires a bnce of work and rest. It''s been over an hour¡ªgo back and rest for a bit."


    Seeing that they hadn''t cked off, Zhang Xuan was satisfied and waved them off.


    "Yes!" Yu Xiaoyu and Hong Yi stood up and bowed, their faces full of excitement.


    With Source Energy constantly flowing through their meridians, they could tell, even without a testing formation, that their strength had increased significantly in just an hour of training.


    Training that yields results so quickly¡­ Teacher Zhang''s methods are terrifying!


    "Teacher, we promise not to share this method with anyone, not even our parents," Yu Xiaoyu said earnestly as she approached Zhang Xuan.


    Hong Yi might not understand the importance of this technique, but as the City Lord''s daughter, Yu Xiaoyu knew that revealing it would attract countless people. Keeping it a secret was not only a way to protect Zhang Xuan but also herself.


    Zhang Xuan nodded approvingly.


    He had intended to remind them of this, but since she had brought it up herself, he didn''t bother to say more.


    "Teacher Zhang, it was my mistake."


    As they stepped out of the ssroom, they saw Liu Mingyue still kneeling by the door, her dark eyes filled with determination, all traces of doubt gone.


    "Once I set a requirement, it must be followed. If you didn''t meet it, you should have expected this oue¡­"


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Leave. Our teacher-student rtionship is over. Even if you kneel here until you die, it won''t change."


    "Teacher¡­" Liu Mingyue''s face went pale, and just as she was about to say more, footsteps approached, followed by her father''s displeased voice. "Mingyue, what are you doing?"


    "I¡­"


    Liu Mingyue trembled and quickly turned around, seeing her father, Liu Tianzheng, walking toward her withrge strides, now standing just a short distance away.


    "¡­"


    Liu Mingyue lowered her head.


    "Come home with me!"


    With a cold snort, Liu Tianzheng nced at Zhang Xuan in the distance. "Teacher Zhang, you may be talented and have the support of City Lord Yu, Dean Lu, and even n Leader Chen, but making my daughter kneel outside your ssroom without acknowledging her¡ªdon''t you think that''s a bit much?"


    "Father, it wasn''t Teacher Zhang who made me kneel. It was my own choice¡­"


    Seeing her father misunderstanding, Liu Mingyue hurriedly exined.


    "You?" Liu Tianzheng was stunned.


    Liu Mingyue nodded. "Yes, I didn''t meet Teacher Zhang''s requirement, so he won''t take me as a student. I''m kneeling here to beg him to reconsider."


    "Requirement?"


    Liu Tianzheng frowned. "Are you talking about the note in the brocade pouch, the one that said your strength must double overnight, reaching 1.2 horsepower?"


    "Yes." Liu Mingyue''s face turned even more embarrassed.


    Teacher Zhang had told her to open the pouch today, but her father had opened itst night¡­


    Liu Tianzheng waved his hand in frustration, his voice full of anger. "Doubling your strength overnight? That''s nonsense! He''s just making excuses. You''re too young and naive to see through it."


    Before he could finish, Yu Xiaoyu stepped forward, her bells jingling. "Patriarch Liu, please think carefully before you speak! Just because you can''t do it doesn''t mean others can''t!"


    "Exactly! Since Teacher Zhang set the requirement, it''s naturally achievable," Hong Yi added, not backing down.


    They could tolerate being criticized by a senior, especially one who was the head of a major family, but questioning their teacher? That was something they couldn''t stand.


    "Are you saying someone can do this?"


    Liu Tianzheng frowned.


    "Of course! If you don''t believe me, Patriarch Liu, I''ll prove it to you right now. Yesterday, my strength was only 0.5 horsepower, weaker than Mingyue''s, and many people witnessed that¡ªit couldn''t have been faked."


    Taking a deep breath, Yu Xiaoyu stepped forward, lowered her shoulders, and furrowed her brows before throwing a punch.


    Whoosh!


    The force of the punch was so strong that the air crackled with sonic booms, like the crack of a whip.


    "This is¡­ whipping strength! Her physical power exceeds 1.5 horsepower! She''s tripled her strength overnight. How¡­ how is this possible?"


    Liu Tianzheng''s pupils constricted.


    Even without a testing formation, he could tell that her strength had been condensed into a single, iron-hard strike with enough flexibility to exceed 1.5 horsepower!

 Chapter 93: Zhang Xuan Makes His Move

    Chapter 93: Zhang Xuan Makes His Move


    Yesterday, when Liu Tianzheng arrived at the academy, Yu Xiaoyu and the others had alreadypleted their strength testing. Although he hadn''t witnessed it himself, he had heard about it from others.


    In less than 12 hours, Yu Xiaoyu''s strength had increased from 0.5 horsepower to not only surpass the 1.2 horsepower requirement but also break through 1.5.


    Could such rapid progress be possible for a cultivator?


    While he was still reeling from the shock, Hong Yi approached and also threw a punch.


    Although it didn''t produce the whip-like sound of Yu Xiaoyu''s strike, the powerful force behind the punch spread out like a wave, extending three meters into the distance.


    "A prancing horse that releases force in all directions¡­ This strength¡­ also exceeds 1.0 horsepower?"


    Liu Tianzheng clenched his fists.


    A strength of 1.0 horsepower equates to the power of a horse. A punch that carries its force three meters beyond the point of impact is an impressive feat, especially just three days after the assessment. Could this guy really be a Ninth Grade Source Pool?Not even I could have done this at my peak, and even City Lord Yu might have struggled!


    "What about you? I had you train with our family''s ''Fuyao Energy Storing Technique'' yesterday. How much strength do you have now?"


    Seeing these two, Liu Tianzheng realized that Zhang Xuan''s requirements weren''t overly demanding and couldn''t help but turn to his daughter.


    Since Zhang Xuan''s methods had led to such rapid progress, could his own family''s inherited technique be just as effective?


    "0.61," Liu Mingyue replied, her face reddening.


    "That''s¡­"


    Liu Tianzheng felt as if the ground could swallow him up.


    He had insisted that his daughter not learn Zhang Xuan''s techniques, thinking she would surpass the others by using the family''s technique. Now, it seemed she had indeed stood out, but in the opposite direction¡­


    Training under Teacher Zhang''s guidance, others had increased their strength by about 1.0 horsepower, while his daughter had only gained 0.01. The difference was 100 times!


    Did the gap have to be so enormous?


    "You didn''t meet the requirement and didn''t train with his method, so you were expelled and decided to kneel here, begging Teacher Zhang to take you back?"


    Liu Tianzheng finally understood what was going on.


    "Yes!"


    Liu Mingyue nodded firmly. "If Teacher Zhang doesn''t take me back today, I''ll kneel here until tomorrow. If he doesn''t ept me, then I''ll keep kneeling until the day after tomorrow¡­ I''ll keep kneeling until he forgives me for my mistake."


    Seeing his daughter''s determination, Liu Tianzheng''s face darkened. "I admit his teaching methods can lead to rapid progress, but¡­ energy umtion is a gradual process. Progressing too quickly could lead to hidden dangers that will manifestter. You can''t be too careful!"


    "iming that fast progress leads to hidden dangers¡­ isn''t that a bit too presumptive?" Liu Mingyue frowned.


    Liu Tianzheng raised an eyebrow. "Presumptive? Who knows more about cultivation¡ªyou or me? I''m ate-stage Jade Bone Realm expert at Source Pool seventh level, and our family''s ''Fuyao Energy Storing Technique'' has been tested by countless people over generations. It''s been proven safe and effective. But what about Teacher Zhang''s method? Has it stood the test of time? If not, don''t lecture me!"


    "For my own good?" Liu Mingyue asked.


    "Exactly. I know you want to be stronger, but some techniques offer quick results at the cost of long-term potential. Once that potential is exhausted, your progress will stagnate. You can''t just focus on immediate gains and ignore the future. As your father, I would never harm you. Everything I do is for your benefit."


    "That''s nonsense¡­"


    Hearing her teacher''s methods being criticized, Yu Xiaoyu was about to argue when Zhang Xuan motioned for her to stay silent.


    "Teacher Zhang¡­"


    Liu Mingyue looked up at Zhang Xuan, her eyes filled with disbelief. "Is what my father says true?"


    Zhang Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm. "That''s for you to decide. I''ve said before that to be my student. You must trust me unconditionally and follow my instructions without hesitation. If you can''t do that, I won''t take you."


    Liu Mingyue bit her lip. Her expression conflicted. After a moment, she made up her mind. "Father, I still want to be Teacher Zhang''s student!"


    Her father didn''t know what kind of blood had ignited her me Furnace, but she did. He didn''t know how effortless and fast her progress had been during yesterday''s training, but she did.


    He didn''t know anything, so how could he tell her what to do?


    "You¡­"


    Liu Tianzheng''s face turned an even darker shade of blue. He swung his arm. "Liu Mingyue, I''ll give you one more chance to reconsider. If youe home with me now, I''ll find you a teacher better than Lu Mingrong!"


    Liu Mingyue shook her head. "Who in White Roc City could teach better than Dean Lu?"


    Liu Tianzheng responded, "He''s not from White Roc City¡ªhe''s a Fate Guardian from the imperial capital. Training under him will give you a better chance to connect with Destiny Practitioners. In this world, destiny is everything. No matter how strong you are, how pure your True Energy, it''s all worthless in the face of fate!"


    He acknowledged that Zhang Xuan had real skills; otherwise, he wouldn''t have been appointed as a guest elder by the Chen family. But so what?


    Destiny is everything. Without the ability to control it, even immense strength and vast True Energy are useless.


    "A Fate Guardian¡­"


    Liu Mingyue nced at Teacher Zhang, then back at her father. Finally, she shook her head. "Father, I missed an opportunity once before. I don''t want to miss it again. I''ll obey you in other matters, but not this time."


    Liu Tianzheng was taken aback, trembling with anger. "Do you know what kind of price you''ll pay for defying me?"


    "I know all too well. That''s why I''ve made this decision."


    Liu Mingyue shook her head, her expression resolute. "From a young age, I''ve always been an obedient daughter. Whatever you told me to do, I did, even if I didn''t like it. I followed your wishes and tried my best to meet your expectations.


    "I liked hanging wind chimes in the hallway, listening to them jingle in the breeze¡­ I liked wearing brightly colored dresses that would make me stand out wherever I went. I liked going to lively ces, running with the wind, and screaming with joy¡­ But you preferred silence and inness¡­


    "I chose to listen to you. I threw away the wind chimes, hid the dresses, and spent my days quietly at home, being a dutiful daughter¡­ And every time I saw Yu Xiaoyu, I felt a strange sense of envy. She got to do all the things I liked, and no one ever scolded or punished her for it.


    "But I was constantly lectured, always told it was for my good¡­


    "I once thought about rebelling. When I was nine, I used my allowance to buy a colorful ceramic doll. I kept it in my room and spent every day dressing it up, applying makeup, and making new clothes for it¡­ But when you found out, you said I was wasting time, neglecting my cultivation and not focusing on understanding Source Energy. You cut up the dresses I made and smashed the doll into pieces.


    "But that same day, I had justprehended Source Energy and found my Source Pool. You were so happy. You said I was the family''s most talented child in a hundred years¡­


    "Just like today, you said it was for my good that girls need to cultivate to change their fate¡­ I know that''s true, but is cultivation really the only way to change fate? Do I have to sacrifice my happiness and all my interests just to change my fate?


    "If that''s what it takes, then it''s not the life I want. What''s the point of changing my fate if I don''t enjoy the life I end up with?


    "I''ve felt suffocated, oppressed by the chains you''ve ced on me in the name of love.


    "I couldn''t rebel, so I obeyed, but I was always afraid¡ªafraid of failure, afraid of disappointing you¡­ Like when I lost to Mo Yanxue and misced the Mo Yun Jade Stone, I was so scared you''d scold me that I didn''t even dare to tell you about it.


    "With this fear, I became more and more hesitant. I couldn''t make any decisions without first seeking your approval¡­


    "Even yesterday, when you told me not to train with Teacher Zhang''s method but to use the family''s ''Fuyao Energy Storing Technique'' instead, I agreed, despite my reluctance!


    "But today, seeing how much Yu Xiaoyu and Hong Yi have improved, I realized something¡­


    "Why do I have to listen to you? Why do I have to live the life you''ve arranged for me?


    "I am who I am, and I want to live my own life. Even if I''m making the wrong choice today, even if I have to pay the priceter, I''ll do so willingly and without regret.


    "So¡­ today, I won''t listen to you. I''ll follow my heart and be Teacher Zhang''s student. I won''t give myself another chance to regret it."


    "¡­"


    Liu Tianzheng was stunned by his daughter''s words.


    All this time, he had thought he was doing everything for her good, making sacrifices¡­ He never realized that he was suppressing her true nature.


    Was he doing the right thing or not?


    He found himself uncertain for the first time.


    But that uncertainty quickly gave way to intense anger.


    The daughter he had raised wasn''t grateful¡ªshe was ming him! What an ungrateful wretch!


    "Your mother died early, and I didn''t want you to go astray. I thought about everything in advance to help you avoid mistakes. Is that so wrong? Without me, could you have grown up so well? Could you have enjoyed the status of the Liu family''s young mistress, living in luxury without worry?"


    He swung his arm angrily, ring at her. "I''ll give you one more chance to reconsider. Don''t disappoint me again."


    "You''ve never respected my opinions. No matter what I say, you always want me to agree with you¡­ Fine, since you want to hear it, I''ll say it again. In fact, I''ll say it ten more times if that''s what it takes!"


    Taking a deep breath, Liu Mingyue''s gaze remained resolute. "I want to be Teacher Zhang''s student."


    p!


    Before she could finish her sentence, Liu Tianzheng''s hand struck her face with a loud, sharp sound, the p echoing in the courtyard. It didn''t just hit her cheek¡ªit struck her heart as well.


    "Liu family head, what do you think you''re doing?"


    Not expecting him to hit his daughter, Zhang Xuan frowned.


    "What I do is none of your concern!"


    With a cold snort, Liu Tianzheng turned back to his daughter. "Say that again if you dare!"


    Covering her cheek, Liu Mingyue''s eyes filled with sadness. A moment ago, she still held out hope that if she persisted, her father would support her. Now, all hope was gone.


    In his eyes, she was nothing more than a puppet, to be controlled and manipted. As long as she was obedient, she was good. If not, she was rebellious and unfilial.


    Tears rolled down her cheeks, but her expression grew more stubborn than ever. "I said I won''t listen to you anymore. I will be Teacher Zhang''s student."


    "Fine! Since that''s your choice, don''t me me for being harsh!"


    Liu Tianzheng raised his hand to p her again.


    Liu Mingyue didn''t flinch, only closed her eyes. At that moment, the pain in her heart far outweighed the physical pain.


    But after a moment, the p didn''te. She wondered if her father had reconsidered, but when she opened her eyes, she saw that Teacher Zhang had stepped in front of her, catching her father''s hand, his brows furrowed with displeasure.


    "If there''s a problem, solve it through discussion. Violence isn''t the answer."


    "Move aside!"


    Liu Tianzheng tried to pull his arm free, but found Zhang Xuan''s grip as firm as a vise. His eyes narrowed. "Teacher Zhang, don''t think that just because City Lord Yu and Dean Lu respect you, I can''t do anything to you! First, this is a family matter and none of your business. Second, if it weren''t for your influence, Mingyue wouldn''t be acting like this¡­ You should consider yourself lucky I haven''t made trouble for you already. If you keep provoking me, don''t me me for making you regret it!"


    Zhang Xuan remained calm, one hand behind his back. "You''re wee to try."


    Although he hadn''t yet decided whether to ept Liu Mingyue as his student, he wouldn''t stand by and watch her be punished for following her heart.


    Everyone has the right to control their destiny, and not even parents should stand in their way.


    "Very well! No wonder Mingyue dares defy me¡ªit''s all because of you! Fine, I''ll show her that the Teacher Zhang she worships, the one she''s willing to kneel for, is nothing more than a mid-level cultivator!"


    Already angry with his daughter, Liu Tianzheng''s fury only grew when Zhang Xuan challenged him. With a roar, he unleashed his full power.


    He had only heard of Zhang Xuan three days ago, but he knew enough about him. Just a few days ago, Zhang Xuan had been a groom at the Mo residence,pletely ignorant of the Source Pool. Even if he had earned Lu Mingrong''s favor and be a teacher, how strong could he possibly be in such a short time?


    At best, he might have reached the mid-tote stages of the Energy Storing realm, but as ate-stage Jade Bone Realm expert, Liu Tianzheng could easily crush him!


    Of course, as a guest elder of the Chen family, Zhang Xuan couldn''t be killed, but Liu Tianzheng nned to teach him a lesson and show him who''s in charge.


    Snap!


    With a fierce shout, Liu Tianzheng gathered the power of ate-stage Jade Bone Realm expert into his right arm and shook it violently, trying to free himself. But despite his efforts, Zhang Xuan''s grip only tightened, causing a sharp pain in his arm.


    Liu Tianzheng''s expression darkened.


    Although he hadn''t used his full strength in that attempt, the 30-horsepower force should have been more than enough. He could easily throw a boulder with such strength, yet he couldn''t break free from Zhang Xuan''s grasp. It was unbelievable!


    "Let go!"


    With another shout, Liu Tianzheng doubled his strength, reaching 60 horsepower, but still, Zhang Xuan''s grip didn''t budge. It felt as if his fingers were fused to Liu Tianzheng''s arm, unshakable.


    A peak Energy Storing expert has only 5 horsepower at best. Even if Zhang Xuan was conserving his strength, he was still exerting a force equal to or greater than Liu Tianzheng''s. How could he be so powerful?


    "So, you''ve been hiding your strength. Good, that means I''m not bullying you with my superior cultivation. Let''s see how much you''ve been hiding!"


    With a shout, Liu Tianzheng struck at Zhang Xuan.


    Seeing his opponent make a move, Zhang Xuan didn''t waste time with words. His right hand moved like a pipa yer''s fingers, quickly and precisely countering the attack.


    Despite striking second, Zhang Xuan''s hand reached Liu Tianzheng first, each finger carrying immense power, like drumsticks pounding a drum, creating a series of resounding booms.


    The technique was the "Emerald Pipa Hands," a martial art from the Master Teacher Continent, not the Source World. But its power was just as formidable, if not more so, than any technique from the Liu family.


    If Liu Tianzheng didn''t block, he''d be injured. If he had blocked, the punch he had thrown would have been wasted. With no other option, he chose to defend, but that moment''s hesitation cost him dearly.


    Before his organs even made contact with Zhang Xuan''s fingers, they began to quiver, as if strummed by invisible strings.


    The "Emerald Pipa Hands" wasn''t just about the force behind the fingers; it carried a special rhythm that made the opponent''s organs dance to its tune.


    Bam!


    Zhang Xuan''s hand struck Liu Tianzheng''s abdomen. With a single blow, Liu Tianzheng was sent flying, crashing to the ground more than ten meters away. Before he evennded, he vomited arge amount of bile.


    Despite his internal organs having been specially tempered, he still couldn''t withstand the strange force of this technique.


    "You¡­ you''re not in the Energy Storing realm?"


    Struggling to his feet, Liu Tianzheng finally realized, his face filled with disbelief.


    The force Zhang Xuan had used on him didn''t exceed 60 horsepower, but the precision with which he wielded it was so perfect that even Liu Tianzheng, ate-stage Jade Bone Realm expert, could barely defend against it!


    There''s no way someone in the Energy Storing realm could do that!


    "I haven''t been in that realm for a long time¡­" Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    With his cultivation increasing, it was time to reveal some of his strength. Otherwise, people would keep challenging him, leaving him no time to train.


    Besides, he was curious to see how his recent trainingpared to the so-called experts of White Roc City. If he couldn''t handle them, he could always ignite the New World, making the situation less dangerous.


    "Teacher¡­"


    Watching the scene unfold, Yu Xiaoyu and Hong Yi exchanged stunned looks, unable to believe what they were seeing.


    Who is this man?


    Liu Tianzheng, the head of the Liu family, a renowned expert in White Roc City, had been defeated by Teacher Zhang in a single move¡­ Even though Liu Tianzheng had been at a disadvantage after having his arm grabbed, his cultivation should have been more than enough to prevent such an oue!


    "Could my father have seen this all along?"


    Yu Xiaoyu''s heart skipped a beat as a thought crossed her mind.


    Her father had been insistent about her bing Zhang Xuan''s student, but she hadn''t understood why. After learning the techniques, she hade to appreciate the decision, but it was only now, after seeing this, that she fully understood¡­


    I was too shallow!


    Her father must have recognized Zhang Xuan''s profound cultivation long ago, which is why he was so insistent that she be his student. The same must have been true for Dean Lu, who had gone out of his way to give Zhang Xuan special treatment¡­


    And to think she had once believed Zhang Xuan was just a groom with no real skills!


    "Teacher Zhang¡­"


    Not only were Yu Xiaoyu and Hong Yi shocked, but even Liu Mingyue, who was still kneeling on the ground, had her eyes wide open in disbelief.


    She had decided to be Zhang Xuan''s student primarily because his teachings were incredibly effective. The other reason was her desire to rebel against her father''s control. But now she realized that not only was Zhang Xuan an excellent teacher, but his actual strength was also astonishing!


    "No matter what your true strength is, you''ve led my daughter astray, making her disobey me. For that, you''ll pay the price!"


    Taking a deep breath to suppress the turmoil in his internal organs, Liu Tianzheng let out a furious roar.


    His daughter was already defying him. If he didn''t retaliate after being struck down, how could he expect her to respect him in the future?


    Grrr¡­


    True Energy surged within him, creating a sound like a croaking frog. Without holding back, Liu Tianzheng clenched his fist, his foot pushing off the ground as he leaped ten meters forward, appearing directly in front of Zhang Xuan.


    Liu Family Martial Art¡ªck Tiger Leaping Step!


    The ck Tiger is a Source Beast that resembles a tiger in appearance. It excels in leaping and is known to jump onto tree branches to observe its surroundings when hunting. Once it spots its prey, itunches a deadly strike from above.


    Liu Tianzheng was only using the leaping technique at the moment, not the full attack, but even so, its power was formidable. Before he even threw a punch, the explosive force emanating from him created a powerful wind that rippled outward.


    Zhang Xuan remained unfazed, his face calm. He didn''t dodge or evade but instead flicked his fingers.


    His movement was subtle, but his timing and aim were impable. If Liu Tianzheng didn''t evade, the strike wouldnd perfectly on one of his acupoints, rendering him powerless.


    "!"


    Not expecting such a swift reaction, Liu Tianzheng gasped in surprise. He quickly raised his arm, spreading his fingers wide and bringing his hand down like a whip.


    This was another signature move of the Liu family¡ªthe Willow Palm.


    With a body as flexible as a willow in the wind and a palm as broad as an awning, this technique was designed to strike from all directions at once. The force originated from the Source Pool, was amplified by the power of the thighs and waist, and could unleash up to 90 horsepower in a single blow.


    Even before the palm couldnd, the wind pressure alone was enough to threaten to shatter bones on impact.


    Knowing his current level of cultivation wouldn''t allow him to withstand such an attack head-on, Zhang Xuan shifted his body slightly to the side, moving just half a step. However, that half-step was precisely calcted, allowing him to avoid the full brunt of the Willow Palm.


    This move exploited a vulnerability in Liu Tianzheng''s technique.


    Even without using the Library of Heaven''s Path, Zhang Xuan, as a lord of a world with countless battles under his belt, could spot the w instantly.


    Dodging the attack, Zhang Xuan countered with a swift kick.


    The kick was a blend of real and feigned movements, making it hard to predict. Before Liu Tianzheng could react, the kicknded squarely on his abdomen, sending him flying again and causing him to copse to his knees.


    This strike was even more devastating than the previous one, causing even greater humiliation.


    If the earlier encounter could be exined by Zhang Xuan grabbing his arm, this time Liu Tianzheng had used his most powerful technique, yet he was still easily countered and sent flying.


    How could this young man, seemingly in his twenties, be so incredibly powerful?


    Struggling to stand, Liu Tianzheng''s expression grew more serious as he looked at Zhang Xuan.


    "I admit I underestimated you before, but this time, I won''t hold back."


    Taking a deep breath, Liu Tianzheng tightened his fists. After suffering two consecutive defeats, he unleashed his full power, and a powerful aura radiated from him like a wave of mercury. Just as he was about to strike again, a voice called out urgently.


    "Liu Family Head, what do you think you''re doing?"


    The voice had traveled from 200 meters away with the first word, "Liu," but by the time thest word, "doing," was spoken, its owner had already arrived before them.


    "This is White Roc Academy, not your Liu family estate!"


    A single palm strike sent Liu Tianzheng staggering back seven or eight steps before he finally came to a stop.


    Having driven Liu Tianzheng back, Lu Mingrong turned to Zhang Xuan with concern and nervousness. "Teacher Zhang, are you alright? Did this guy hurt you?"

 Chapter 94: Summoning Sun Qiang

    Chapter 94: Summoning Sun Qiang


    "Lu Mingrong¡­"


    Clutching his chest, Liu Tianzheng felt his internal organs roil with pain. He was nearly beside himself with anger.


    I''m the one who got injured here, alright?


    If you want to spar, I''m happy to oblige. But why are you picking on Teacher Zhang? He''s only just started cultivating and is merely at the mid-stage of the Energy Storing realm. How could he be a match for you?


    Standing in front of Zhang Xuan, Lu Mingrong''s expression was dark.


    He had arrivedte and only saw Liu Tianzheng preparing to attack. He hadn''t witnessed Liu Tianzheng being beaten like a dog earlier and assumed Liu Tianzheng was just causing trouble.


    "Mid-stage of the Energy Storing realm? The esteemed dean of White Roc Academy is lying through his teeth for the sake of an ordinary teacher. Is this what you call being an upright and exemry educator?"


    Liu Tianzheng''s fury only grew after hearing this.


    Who''s ever heard of someone at the mid-stage of the Energy Storing realm knocking me down twice with just two moves? You must be kidding me!


    No wonder I''ve seen him sneaking around with Yu Longqing. It all makes sense now.


    "What do you mean by that?" Lu Mingrong narrowed his eyes.


    "I mean exactly what you think!"


    Liu Tianzheng took a step forward, and his full power surged forth once more. "I want to see if your famed ''Flowing Cloud Hands'' is still unbeatable among those of the same level!"


    Since Zhang Xuan was proving to be troublesome, Liu Tianzheng decided to vent his frustration on Lu Mingrong.


    As the dean, Lu Mingrong had not only failed to properly care for his daughter but had also allowed her to be a disciple of someone like Zhang Xuan. That was reason enough to teach him a lesson and show him that the Liu family wasn''t to be trifled with.


    Moreover, they had crossed paths many times before, and although Lu Mingrong''s cultivation was slightly weaker, the oue of their battles had always been uncertain.


    "Do you intend to fight me?" Lu Mingrong asked with a frown.


    "If that''s how you see it, then yes!"


    With a sudden stomp, Liu Tianzheng shot forward, his body coiled like a bow, and his fist aimed like an arrow straight at Lu Mingrong.


    Whoosh!


    The full power of ate-stage Jade Bone Realm expert pierced the air, producing a shrill whistle. The sound came before the punch evennded.


    This technique was known as the "Arrow Fist," a martial art honed through years of observing arrows. It was designed to be fast, so fast that without prior warning, it was almost impossible to block.


    Knowing Lu Mingrong''s strength, Liu Tianzheng didn''t hold back from the start.


    In the past, even if Lu Mingrong had been a level higher, he would have been caught off guard by such a sudden attack. But now, with his Divine Soul spreading out, Lu Mingrong could clearly see every move Liu Tianzheng made, down to the smallest detail.


    With a slight shift of his foot, Liu Tianzheng''s fist barely grazed Lu Mingrong''s cheek before missing entirely. Lu Mingrong countered with a swift kick.


    Bam!


    Liu Tianzheng was struck in the abdomen again, just as he had been by Zhang Xuan earlier, and for the second time, he fell to his knees, nearly shattering his kneecaps.


    The Jade Bone Realm was indeed powerful, but against someone like Dean Lu Mingrong, who had reached the Divine Soul Realm, it was no match.


    "You¡­ you''ve broken through?"


    Realizing this, Liu Tianzheng was filled with disbelief.


    The humiliation was secondary¡ªwhat really shocked him was the fact that Lu Mingrong had ovee the bottleneck that had held him back for over ten years, reaching the eighth level of the Source Pool, the Divine Soul Realm!


    This realm was considered elite even in the surrounding cities, not just in White Roc City.


    Wasn''t he supposed to be stuck due to a heart demon? How had he broken through?


    Could it be¡­


    A thought struck Liu Tianzheng, and he nced toward the young man in the distance.


    Yesterday, they had been joking about how Lu Mingrong might offer Zhang Xuan a Destiny Disk in exchange for help with his breakthrough, thinking it was impossible. Yet, after just one night, Lu Mingrong had actually seeded.


    Could it be that Zhang Xuan really helped him?


    After just two lessons, he had captivated Liu Mingyue so much that she defied her father. He had absorbed all the Heaven''s Fate Energy from an entire Destiny Disk without a trace and had cultivation nearly as strong as Liu Tianzheng''s¡­


    Just how many secrets and cards did this guy have up his sleeve?


    And why was he hiding them?


    Could he be the "Chaotic Fate Practitioner" that Xu Xin was looking for?


    Liu Tianzheng''s face darkened as he clenched his fists.


    If that were true, there was no need to confront him head-on. Reporting it honestly would be enough, and others would take care of the rest.


    Seeing that Liu Tianzheng had figured it out, Lu Mingrong didn''t bother hiding the truth. "Yes, I''ve broken through to the Divine Soul Realm. Though I''m not sure what grudge you have against Teacher Zhang, I owe my sess entirely to his guidance. So if you want to attack him, you''ll have to go through me first!"


    "We have no grudge. I just want Teacher Zhang to let my daughter go and stay away from her¡­"


    Hearing Lu Mingrong''s words, Liu Tianzheng realized that he couldn''t act against Zhang Xuan anymore and said, "If he really is a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, my daughter can''t have any more dealings with him. Otherwise, not only will she be in danger, but the entire Liu family might also be destroyed."


    "Let your daughter go?"


    Lu Mingrong was taken aback. He then noticed Liu Mingyue still kneeling nearby. "What''s going on here?"


    "Dean, it''s like this¡­" Yu Xiaoyu quickly exined the situation in detail.


    Understanding the full story, Lu Mingrong''s expression grew stern. "Who you choose to be your teacher is Liu Mingyue''s decision. Even if you want the best for your daughter, Liu family head, you shouldn''t be so overbearing. Besides, bing Teacher Zhang''s student is a rare opportunity."


    "A rare opportunity? I don''t see it that way."


    Liu Tianzheng nced at his daughter. "Liu Mingyue, I''m giving you onest chance. Come with me right now, and I''ll overlook everything that''s happened. Otherwise, don''t bothering back to the Liu family!"


    Liu Mingyue shook her head. "Father, I won''t go back with you."


    "You''d rather leave the Liu family than give up on him?" Liu Tianzheng was genuinely shocked.


    "If life with the Liu family means constant unhappiness, then yes, I''d rather leave," Liu Mingyue replied.


    "You''re still young and don''t know what''s truly good for you. Someday, you''ll realize the mistake you''ve made. I just hope you won''t regret itter."


    "I won''t regret it!" Liu Mingyue''s gaze was resolute.


    "Very well. Very well!"


    Realizing that she wouldn''t change her mind and that taking her away by force was nearly impossible, Liu Tianzheng bowed to Lu Mingrong. "Dean Lu, I take my leave."


    With that, he turned and walked away.


    He had initially nned to keep Zhang Xuan''s secrets, but since Zhang Xuan had now turned his daughter against him, Liu Tianzheng would make sure to report everything to Xu Xin as soon as he returned.


    As the Liu family head left, Zhang Xuan turned to the girl still kneeling on the ground, somewhat surprised. "Are you really willing to give up the Liu family just to be my student? This isn''t a small matter. I hope you''ll think it through carefully before making a decision."


    "Teacher Zhang, I''ve made up my mind!"


    Liu Mingyue kowtowed again, her eyes full of hope. "I was foolish before, always opposing you. But you were gracious enough to forgive my transgressions¡­ Now that I''ve made my decision, I humbly ask that you ept me as your student."


    Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before replying, "Alright, I''ll ept you as an auditing student for now. You''ll be allowed to attend sses and train, but you''ll only be a formal disciple if you prove yourself worthy. If you disappoint me, you''ll be expelled immediately, with no second chances."


    Earlier, Zhang Xuan had been reluctant to take her as a student, but after seeing her determination and resolve, he changed his mind. Anyone willing to give up everything for the chance to learn was likely to achieve great things.


    Of course, she would only be an auditing student for now. To be a full disciple, she still had a long way to go.


    "Thank you, Teacher!"


    Relieved, Liu Mingyue quickly stood up, her eyes brimming with excitement. She clenched her fists in determination.


    Although she was only an auditing student, it was a step closer to bing a formal disciple. There was still hope!


    "This is the cultivation method I''ve prepared for you. Follow it diligently and try to catch up with Yu Xiaoyu and the others."


    Zhang Xuan handed her a book.


    He had anticipated that she might choose to follow him, so he had prepared a technique based on her physique. This method, developed through Heaven''s Path Order, would allow her to quickly increase her cultivation.


    Even as an auditing student, she was still under his tutge, so she couldn''t afford to be weak.


    "For me?"


    Liu Mingyue was taken aback. As she opened the book and read through the method, her eyes welled up with tears.


    How did Teacher Zhang know about the old injury on the left side of my abdomen, or that the meridians there are weaker and need extra care? How did he know that a venomous snake once bit my right leg?


    The method was incredibly detailed, not only outlining potential issues in her cultivation but also addressing old injuries she had suffered, optimizing her training ordingly.


    This is like a custom-made outfitpared to off-the-rack clothes.


    All the previous techniques she had learned were based on general experience. Even when something didn''t feel right, she had to adapt to the technique. But now¡­ this method was tailored perfectly to her needs. Every movement would flow smoothly, without any difort.


    Was this technique created just for me?


    From childhood, she had tried to be the perfect daughter, suppressing her own desires to fulfill her father''s expectations. This was the first time someone had truly considered her needs.


    Her heart felt as if it had been drenched in honey, overflowing with warmth and happiness.


    I''m so d I came back and sincerely asked to be epted as his student. If I had missed this opportunity, I would have had to watch Yu Xiaoyu grow stronger and stronger while I fell further and further behind.


    "We all received techniques tailored to our needs. That''s the only way we could have made such rapid progress in just an hour," Yu Xiaoyu exined with a smile, noticing Liu Mingyue''s amazement.


    She had been just as surprised earlier, but now she understood. Teacher Zhang must have put in a tremendous amount of effort to create these methods, a debt of gratitude she could never fully repay.


    Realizing this, Liu Mingyue clenched her fists.


    Each of the three students had been given a technique that suited them perfectly. The care and attention to detail far surpassed that of any other teacher. Even the highly regarded Dean Lu Mingrong probably couldn''t match it.


    While Liu Mingyue was filled with excitement and awe, Lu Mingrong approached Zhang Xuan with a hint of concern. "Teacher Zhang, the Liu family head, isn''t one to let things go easily. I''m worried he''ll cause trouble for you in the future. If you notice anything suspicious, please don''t hesitate to inform me. Don''t try to handle it on your own."


    Knowing how self-centered and arrogant Liu Tianzheng could be, Lu Mingrong was genuinely concerned. Now that Liu Tianzheng had been publicly defied by his daughter, there was little hope of reconciliation.


    "Understood."


    Zhang Xuan nodded, appreciating the advice.


    Lu Mingrong continued, "By the way, Chen Hao has been kneeling for an entire day and night. How should we deal with him?"


    Zhang Xuan waved a hand dismissively. "Have the Chen family head take him back and discipline him properly."


    If Chen Hao hadn''t repeatedly caused trouble, Zhang Xuan wouldn''t have bothered with him. Besides, the Chen family head had already paid a hefty sum of Source Coins to resolve the issue, so it wouldn''t be right to hold a grudge.


    After all, Zhang Xuan was still a guest elder of the Chen family, and it wouldn''t be appropriate to keep their young master kneeling indefinitely.


    "Understood," Lu Mingrong nodded.


    The exchange between the two left Yu Xiaoyu, Liu Mingyue, and Hong Yi all stunned.


    Why does it feel like Teacher Zhang is the dean, and Dean Lu is just an ordinary teacher?


    Unaware of his students'' thoughts, Zhang Xuan chatted with Lu Mingrong for a while longer before saying, "Dean Lu, I have some matters to attend to, so I''ll be heading back now."


    "Take care, Teacher Zhang." Lu Mingrong turned and left.


    After he was out of sight, Zhang Xuan walked briskly back to his residence. Once inside, he made sure no one was around, then focused his mind and entered the New World.


    Even after entering the Source World, the New World continued to absorb Source Energy, expanding in size until it was now so vast that Zhang Xuan couldn''t see its boundaries.


    Compared to the New World, the Master Teacher Continent was like a tiny grain of sand in a vast ocean.


    At the highest point, the Xuan World, used for Zhang Xuan''s cultivation, was now filled with refined Source Energy, its power immense and overwhelming.


    "Time to summon them."


    Zhang Xuan smiled to himself.


    He had just tested his strength against the Liu family head without needing to burn the New World. At this level of power, he was more than capable of holding his ground in White Roc City. It seemed the time hade to bring Sun Qiang and the others over.

 Chapter 95: Sun Qiang Arrives

    Chapter 95: Sun Qiang Arrives


    Floating in mid-air within the New World, Zhang Xuan''s mind enveloped the entire world. In the next moment, he teleported into a grand hall.


    In the center of the hall stood a statue of a young woman in her twenties. She wore a red silk dress that entuated her slender waist and tall figure, her eyebrows exuding an aura of heroism. It was his first disciple, Zhao Ya!


    Five years ago, Zhang Xuan and his father-inw, Nie Yun, had created this world together. After itspletion, they brought Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, and the others here, allowing them to betterprehend the rules. Finally, a year ago, they gained the recognition of Heaven and Earth, also reaching the Emperor''s Realm.


    Even Sun Qiang, who wasn''t particrly talented, had achieved the same cultivation level through Zhang Xuan''s repeated infusions of power.


    In the New World, being an Emperor was no different in strength from being an Emperor in the Firmament. In other words, Sun Qiang was now on par with top experts like Fairy Linglong and Deathless Monarch.


    "No need to search for me. I''m here. Everyone,e over."


    Zhang Xuan spoke calmly, his hands sped behind his back.


    The statue in the hall, which received the incense and offerings of countless people, retained a trace of Zhao Ya''s consciousness. Speaking here, he couldmunicate with her instantly, even if she were in the Firmament created by Nie Yun.In the Firmament, in the Hall of Council.


    Nie Lingxi, Luo Qiqi, Undying Emperor, Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, and others were gathered, their expressions solemn, the atmosphere in the room heavy.


    "Could they have really ventured into that so-called Source World?" Nie Lingxi whispered, her eyes filled with worry.


    Zhang Xuan''s sudden disappearance had left them all anxious. They had searched everywhere, turning every possible ce upside down, but found no trace of him.


    "That ce is full of dangers. I fear for his safety if he''s gone there¡­" Yuan Tao muttered, shrinking his neck.


    "Does Teacher''s wife know the way? If not, we should go as well," Zheng Yang stood up, determination in his eyes.


    "Yes, it''s better if we all go together," Liu Yang agreed.


    Wherever Teacher was, they would go too¡ªit had be second nature to them.


    "I''ve only heard of it. I don''t know how to enter or where to start," Nie Lingxi shook her head. "Let''s not rush. If he''s alright, he''ll surely send a message. Since we can''t find him, it''s better to wait here."


    "Teacher''s wife is right. We should wait." Zhao Ya added soothingly.


    However, before she could finish, she suddenly felt something and stood up abruptly, her eyes shining with excitement.


    "What''s wrong?" Everyone turned to look at her.


    "Teacher is in the New World. He just contacted me," Zhao Ya exined.


    "Then what are we waiting for? Let''s go!" Nie Lingxi sighed in relief and quickly flew out, with everyone else following closely behind.


    They flew higher and higher, and in just a few breaths, they arrived at a massive gateway suspended in the chaos.


    This was the space portal that Zhang Xuan and Nie Yun had built together. It allowed for free travel between the New World and the Firmament.


    Zhao Ya took out two tokens and ced them in the slots on either side of the gateway. The next moment, with a loud "creak," the gateway slowly opened, and a unique aura filled the air.


    Although the New World and the Firmament were connected, they were still two separate worlds with different rules. They couldn''t bepletely merged, or the shing rules might lead to the copse of both worlds.


    For this reason, even though Zhang Xuan had reached the realm of a lord of a world, he didn''t dare to return to the Firmament lightly.


    Of course, "not lightly" didn''t mean he couldn''t return at all.


    "Let''s go!"


    As the gateway opened, Zhao Ya and the others entered one by one. In the next moment, they all appeared in the hall where Zhao Ya''s statue was located and saw the figure they had been longing to see.


    "Everyone''s here!"


    Zhang Xuan smiled as he saw that none of them were missing.


    "Zhang Xuan!"


    "Teacher!"


    Seeing that he was safe, everyone sighed in relief.


    "You really went to the Source World. What''s it like over there?" Nie Lingxi asked curiously, noticing that Zhang Xuan''s aura was even more solid and profound than before. Even she couldn''t discern its depth.


    "The rules over there are much stricter¡­" Zhang Xuan detailed everything that had happened over the past few days. Of course, he omitted the part about being beaten by a horse¡ªno need to go into that with his students present.


    "This time, I''m here to take Sun Qiang over. I want to see if we can find a way to make some money. Once we have enough capital and Heaven''s Fate Energy, I''ll bring you all over as well!"


    Zhang Xuan exined his intentions.


    "Very well. I''ll go with you, young master!" Sun Qiang stepped forward.


    "Teacher, we want to go too!" Zhao Ya immediately said.


    "We want to go as well," Zheng Yang chimed in, gathering around.


    "The Heaven''s Path in the Source World is extremely sensitive. When I went over, I had to hide all my power within the New World to avoid detection. If you all go together, you''ll likely be discovered, and instead of helping, you''ll just create more problems for me," Zhang Xuan waved his hand.


    In a new environment, having a group of trusted people around was indeed beneficial, but the Source World was different. A single misstep could lead to the destruction of everything. Caution was paramount.


    "Understood¡­"


    Although they were reluctant, no one dared to argue and nodded in agreement.


    "Young master, I''ll go with you!" The Little Chick chuckled. "I''m immortal and can transform into a chicken, so I shouldn''t draw too much attention."


    "You? Better not¡­" Zhang Xuan shook his head. The Little Chick might seem harmless, but it was actually quite troublesome. Since their journey from the Master Teacher Continent, it had caused more than a few problems.


    "I¡­" Nie Lingxi started to speak, but Zhang Xuan interrupted her as well. "Lingxi, I have a task for you. I believe that Kong Shi and my father-inw might be in danger. Keep an eye out for any messages from them. If you receive any, find a way to inform me immediately!"


    Nie Lingxi nodded, though a hint of worry lingered in her gentle eyes. "But¡­ how will I contact you?"


    Two worlds separated them, and unlike now, where they couldmunicate through a single thought, it wouldn''t be so easy.


    Zhang Xuan pointed with his finger, and a sword energy appeared at his fingertip. It flew toward his wife. "This is a sword energy from the ''Pathos of Heaven.'' If you need to contact me, infuse your message into this sword energy. No matter how many worlds separate us, I''ll receive it instantly."


    This was a power that transcended the Heaven''s Path, capable of connecting two worlds.


    "Alright!" Nie Lingxi nodded, saying no more.


    "Let''s go!"


    After reassuring everyone, Zhang Xuan didn''t waste any more time. With a wave of his hand, he and Sun Qiang vanished from the hall and reappeared in the courtyard back in the Source World.


    Such a powerful oppressive force¡­


    As soon as Sun Qiang entered the Source World, he felt as though his entire body weighed a thousand pounds. His knees buckled, and he copsed to the ground, unable to stand.


    He was about to activate his power to resist the pressure when Zhang Xuan''s voice rang out.


    "Don''t circte your power."


    Raising an eyebrow, Zhang Xuan carefully instructed, "Let the Source Energy seal your cultivation. Otherwise, your power will be ipatible with this world, and you''ll easily attract attention¡­"


    The rules of the New World and the Source World might be different, but with his cultivation as an Emperor, Sun Qiang could activate his power to resist the pressure. However, this would also make it easier for him to be detected.


    When Zhang Xuan first arrived in the Source World, he had to do the same. Otherwise, as a lord of a world, he wouldn''t have ended up in such a pitiful state, getting beaten by a horse for days and struggling even to find a meal.


    "I''m not sure I can hold on¡­" Sun Qiang gritted his teeth.


    "Hold on a moment."


    Understanding that the pressure was due to the difference in space, Zhang Xuan activated his mind, and hundreds of books in the Library of Heaven''s Path transformed into pure energy, which flowed into Sun Qiang''s body.


    Heaven''s Fate Energy!


    This energy could solidify the Xuan World and the Source Pool, so it could naturally help someone resist external pressure.


    As the energy entered his body, Sun Qiang no longer felt the difort and stood up straight again.


    "Young master, so this is the Source World? It''s terrifying¡­"


    Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Sun Qiang was still shaken.


    Thankfully, the young master had prepared in advance. Otherwise, I might have died the moment I arrived here¡­


    "I''ll create a space within your body that you can use to cultivate in the Source World. Once Source Energy tempers your physical body, you''ll feel much better¡­"


    Knowing his situation, Zhang Xuan exined.


    Since Zhang Xuan had struggled to find his own Source Pool, Sun Qiang likely wouldn''t be able to either. Therefore, Zhang Xuan would have to create a space for him to cultivate.


    It didn''t need to be toorge¡ªjust big enough to hold a few thousand strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy would suffice.


    After exining, Zhang Xuan focused his mind, and before long, he created a small space within Sun Qiang''s body.


    However, even with a space created, without Heaven''s Fate Energy to solidify it, Sun Qiang still couldn''t cultivate.


    The 20,000 strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy that Zhang Xuan had recently obtained from Dean Lu and the Liu family head had beenpletely consumed while reading books. Thest of it had been used to stabilize Sun Qiang''s condition.


    Without Heaven''s Fate Energy to solidify the Source Pool, Sun Qiang couldn''t absorb Source Energy, making cultivation nearly impossible.


    "Where can I find more?"


    Rubbing his forehead, Zhang Xuan fell into deep thought.


    While he was troubled, on the other side of the city, Liu Tianzheng had returned to the Liu residence.


    "I''m furious¡­"


    As soon as he entered his room, the Liu family head couldn''t help but let out a roar of anger, mming his hand down on the table. The surrounding servants all shrank back in fear.


    "What happened, family head?" The Grand Elder, Liu Tianming, approached.


    "Where is Lord Xu?"


    Taking a deep breath, Liu Tianzheng turned to look at him.


    That''s right¡ªhe had made up his mind. He was going to report Zhang Xuan in detail.


    Daring to deceive his daughter and even making her turn against her father, Zhang Xuan would have to face the consequences!


    I''llbel you as a "Chaotic Fate Practitioner" and see if you dare to disrespect the Liu family again!

 Chapter 96: Where to Find an Opportunity?

    Chapter 96: Where to Find an Opportunity?


    "Xu Tianren, he¡­ he¡­"


    Liu Guanning stammered awkwardly.


    "What about him?" Liu Tianzheng frowned.


    Liu Tianming exined, "He''s brought in over ten girls, insisting that anyone who enters, whether delivering food or doing anything else, must strip naked. The whole Liu family is in an uproar¡­ Many people haveined."


    Liu Tianzheng''s face darkened.


    He had known Xu Xin wasn''t exactly a virtuous person, but he hadn''t expected him to be this excessive.


    "Let''s go have a look!"


    Knowing that his daughter''s situation couldn''t wait, Liu Tianzheng marched over. Before long, they arrived at a small courtyard.The courtyard gate was closed. Liu Tianzheng approached and knocked. "Creak!" The door slowly opened, and a girl cautiously poked her head out, most of her body hidden behind the door. The visible part waspletely naked.


    "Family head¡­"


    Seeing him, the girl jumped in fright, quickly releasing her grip on the door and standing up straight. Sure enough, she waspletely unclothed.


    With a face like thunder, Liu Tianzheng pushed the door open and walked in. Even before entering the courtyard, he could hear a series of moansing from inside, leaving no doubt about what was happening.


    Suppressing his fury, Liu Tianzheng bowed and cupped his hands. "Lord Xu, my men have found someone who matches the description of the Chaotic Fate Practitioner you mentioned. I''vee to report!"


    "Matches?"


    The "smack smack" sounds inside abruptly stopped, followed by Xu Xin''s surprised voice.


    "Yes!" Liu Tianzheng nodded.


    "If it only matches, then it''s not the one! Didn''t I tell you that Chaotic Fate Practitioners are extremely rare? Do you really think you''d be lucky enough to run into one? Don''t be so paranoid and worry yourself to death."


    The "smack smack" sounds resumed.


    "But¡­ there are many unusual things about him. I hope you''ll take it seriously!" Liu Tianzheng persisted.


    "Alright, I get it. Wait outside; I''ll be there in a moment!"


    Xu Xin sounded a bit impatient. The "smack smack" sounds suddenly quickened, and the previously intermittent moans grew more intense.


    Outrageous! This is just outrageous!


    Liu Tianzheng was nearly exploding with rage.


    He had suspected this guy wasn''t trustworthy from their first meeting, thinking him somewhat frivolous. But he hadn''t realized just how frivolous he was until now.


    Even after mentioning a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, he still dared to speed up¡­ Could someone like this really represent Destiny Hall?


    Turning to look at the Grand Elder, Liu Tianming, Liu Tianzheng was about to discuss what to say next when he noticed the elder''s face turning red with embarrassment. "His stamina is pretty good¡­"


    "???"


    Liu Tianzheng was stunned.


    Is that really the point here?


    The quick rhythm continued for over ten minutes. Just as Liu Tianzheng was reluctantly impressed by Xu Xin''s stamina, Xu Xin''s voice called out from inside, "Liu n Head,e in!"


    Taking a deep breath, Liu Tianzheng strode in.


    In the room, therge bed had been brought out at some point. Several girls were sitting on it, wearing thin clothes, their faces flushed red. Their bare shoulders and thighs were exposed, and Lord Xu Xin sat on the edge of the bed, his upper body naked, though he had already put on his pants and shoes.


    "What''s the situation?"


    Xu Xin asked while dressing.


    Despite knowing how ridiculous Xu Xin was, Liu Tianzheng still showed respect, understanding that, after all, Xu Xin represented the Destiny Hall. Bowing, Liu Tianzheng replied, "Lord Xu, after hearing your description of a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, I remembered a recent incident involving a low-ranking teacher. His talents are also quite strange, somewhat simr to what you described."


    "Oh? What''s strange about him?" Xu Xin asked with interest.


    Liu Tianzheng exined, "Three days ago, he was still a groom,pletely unaware of where the Source Pool was. Yet today, I had a spar with him, and he already possesses strength not much weaker than mine! Not only that but yesterday, he also drained an entire Destiny Disk in one go!"


    "Three days¡­ and he''s nearly as strong as you?"


    Xu Xin''s pupils shrank, the frivolity vanishing from his face as his eyes narrowed. "Drained a Destiny Disk? Tell me more!"


    "It''s like this. Yesterday, I purchased aplete Destiny Disk from White Rock Academy to evaluate some applicants for the Trading Company¡­"


    Without further hesitation, Liu Tianzheng recounted the events of the previous day in detail.


    "A single person drained over 10,000 strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy in less than a quarter of an hour, and his horse can also absorb the energy?"


    Xu Xin''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    "Yes¡­" Liu Tianzheng nodded.


    "Some powerful Destiny Masters can absorb Heaven''s Fate Energy, but not this quickly! And to think a horse can absorb it, too¡ªthis is definitely unusual! Does this person have any other special traits?"


    After a moment of thought, Liu Tianzheng added, "The Chen family appointed him as a guest elder because of his talent for taming horses. Dean Lu Mingrong hired him as a teacher, and his teaching has been remarkably effective, doubling his students'' strength in a short time! As for any other peculiarities, I''m not sure¡­"


    Talented in taming horses, able to absorb Heaven''s Fate Energy, and possessing extraordinary gifts¡­ Even if he isn''t a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, he must be closely rted to one.


    Xu Xin waved his hand.


    He had initiallye here just to go through the motions, never expecting to encounter such a creature in a ce as remote as this¡­


    "What should we do now, Tianren?" Liu Tianzheng asked.


    After a moment of thought, Xu Xin replied, "Lord Ling is currently away from the Destiny Hall, and the ce he''s gone to is far from here. Even if I sent word now, it would take three days for him to arrive. Here''s what we''ll do: I''ll go and investigate this person myself. If he really seems to be a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, I''ll report it to Lord Ling and let him decide."


    Relieved that Xu Xin was taking action personally, Liu Tianzheng felt that Xu Xin might still be reliable when it counted. Bowing, he asked, "Lord Xu, there''s something else I should inform you of in advance, and I apologize for it."


    "Oh?" Xu Xin looked over.


    Biting his lip, Liu Tianzheng exined, "This suspected Chaotic Fate Practitioner is a teacher at White Rock Academy, and my daughter just started cultivating andcks worldly experience. Somehow, she was lured in and epted as his student¡­ Lord Xu, I swear my daughter, Liu Mingyue, knows nothing of his true identity or intentions. If you find that he is indeed problematic, I hope you can give her a chance."


    "Chaotic Fate Practitioners are skilled at deception¡ªI''m well aware of that. Don''t worry; if that''s the case, I won''t me her. If she''s willing to report him, she''ll even be rewarded."


    Xu Xin waved his hand dismissively.


    "Thank you, Lord Xu!" Liu Tianzheng quickly bowed in gratitude.


    "Alright, you may leave now. I''ll meet you in the reception hall in half an hour."


    "Yes!"


    Liu Tianzheng nodded, and he and Liu Tianming exited the courtyard. Before they had gone far, the familiar "smack smack" sounds began again.


    "Such stamina!"


    Liu Tianzheng couldn''t help but marvel. If I''d had this kind of stamina back then, maybe Mingyue''s mother wouldn''t have left me for someone else!


    He had loved her and given her freedom, but that freedom had gone too far¡­


    Half an hourter, in the Liu family''s reception hall, Xu Xin appeared, dressed impably.


    "Should we reveal your identity immediately, or should we pretend you''re just my friend first?" Liu Tianzheng asked.


    "Given that his strength isn''t particrly high, there''s no need for borate schemes. Let''s start by saying we''re friends. If the opportunity presents itself, I''ll reveal my identity. If he flees upon hearing it, we''ll know for sure that he''s guilty. If not, he might have the potential of a Destiny Master. If that''s the case, I''ll make sure to cultivate a good rtionship with him."


    Xu Xin replied.


    "Young master, what do you need me to do? Just say the word, and I''ll get it done!"


    Feeling that his body had stabilized and he could now move freely, Sun Qiang approached with a grin.


    As a steward, Sun Qiang had always known his ce. When it was time to work, he never cked off. Zhang Xuan hadn''t brought his wife, son, or any of the girls¡ªonly Sun Qiang. The purpose was obvious.


    "This is the situation¡­"


    Zhang Xuan exined his predicament in detail, concluding with, "To quickly establish ourselves in the Source World, we need a lot of Source Coins, but I don''t have a way to make money. You need to think of something, fast!"


    "Money is hard toe by in any world¡­"


    Sun Qiang smiled bitterly.


    If it were easy, I wouldn''t have resorted to swindling and trickery back on the Master Teacher Continent.


    After pondering for a moment, Sun Qiang suggested, "We could take inspiration from when you pretended to be a Master Teacher on the Master Teacher Continent¡­"


    "Pretend to be a Master Teacher?" Zhang Xuan asked, puzzled.


    "Yes!"


    Sun Qiang nodded. "Since they say that Destiny Masters are the most powerful in this world, you could pretend to be a Destiny Master and scam some money¡ªuh, I mean, offer your services! Back then, I managed to snatch the bell from Zhong Zi and even smashed his favorite statue."


    Zhang Xuan:


    I''d almost forgotten about that.


    When I pretended to be the Master Teacher "Yang Xuan," even Sun Qiang was utterly fooled. But was that really a scam? I helped them solve their problems, didn''t I?


    "Let''s wait for the right opportunity. If I suddenly pose as a Destiny Master, it might raise suspicion¡­"


    Zhang Xuan didn''t agree right away.


    With the Library of Heaven''s Path, impersonating a master was easy. But first, he didn''t know enough about Destiny Masters. If he couldn''t help someone break through or heal hidden injuries, he''d be exposed immediately.


    Second, there wasn''t a suitable opportunity.


    From what he knew, Destiny Masters usually stayed in the Destiny Hall. It was rare for them to visit small towns like White Roc City. To convince people to hand over their money, he needed a perfect opportunity.


    But how often do such opportunities arise?


    It''s giving me a headache!


    Knock knock knock!


    As he wasmenting, there was a knock at the door.


    "Who is it?"


    Zhang Xuan frowned.


    "Teacher Zhang, Liu n Head Liu Tianzheng is here to see you!" Liu Tianzheng''s voice called from outside.


    Didn''t that guy just leave? Why is he back?


    Zhang Xuan furrowed his brow, full of confusion.

 Chapter 97: Opportunity Delivered to the Door

    Chapter 97: Opportunity Delivered to the Door


    "Go hide in the room. Don''te out unless necessary!" Zhang Xuan instructed Sun Qiang before turning and walking towards the door. He opened it to find Liu Tianzheng standing with a stranger, a young man about his age with a gloomy expression that suggested he wasn''t easy to get along with.


    However, Zhang Xuan wasn''t concerned about that. He sped his hands in greeting and said, "If you''re here to persuade Liu Mingyue to go home, I''m afraid I can''t help. You''ll have to talk to her directly."


    Liu Tianzheng shook his head. "Teacher Zhang, you misunderstand. I''m not here for that. This friend of mine heard about you and came specifically to consult with you on some matters."


    Zhang Xuan looked puzzled. What could anyone possibly need to consult him about? He had been keeping a low profile since he started cultivating. After hesitating for a moment, he shook his head. "I''m sorry, but if it''s just something trivial, I''ll have to decline. I''m quite busy today and don''t have the time."


    As if expecting this response, Liu Tianzheng pulled out a stack of Source Coins and handed them over. "Teacher Zhang, please don''t refuse so hastily. I was wrong to insist on taking Mingyue home earlier and to raise my hand against you. I sincerely apologize and hope you can understand the concerns of a father. To express my regret, I''ve brought 50,000 Source Coins as a token of my apology."


    "Do you think a little money can make me agree to answer your questions?" Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow but then quickly nodded. "Yes, I can ept that."


    He took the Source Coins, counted them, and pocketed them with satisfaction. Smiling, he gestured towards the inside, "Please, Liu n Head and your friend,e in!"


    As a teacher respected by the world, maintaining dignity was important, but there was no need to turn down money. Not when it was practically being handed to him.Since the teacher''s quarters had no living room and were a bit dim, Zhang Xuan led them to an octagonal pavilion in the courtyard and sat down, inviting the others to join him.


    A nce at the young man confirmed two things to Zhang Xuan.


    First, the young man''s status was clearly higher than Liu Tianzheng''s. Liu Tianzheng hadn''t dared to sit until this young man did, which indicated respect.


    Second, it seemed that Liu Tianzheng had noticed something strange about Zhang Xuan and had brought this person to investigate. The young man hadn''t taken his eyes off Zhang Xuan since arriving as if trying to find something out.


    Fortunately, the Heaven''s Path technique allowed Zhang Xuan to conceal his aura, including his cultivation, techniques, and True Energy cirction. Not even someone as powerful as City Lord Yu could discern anything if Zhang Xuan didn''t want to reveal it.


    Zhang Xuan figured Liu Tianzheng had likely noticed something odd during their fight and brought this person along to probe further.


    "It''s a pity my Heaven''s Fate Energy is exhausted; otherwise, I could have used the Library to check this guy''s background."


    These thoughts shed through his mind, but Zhang Xuan kept a calm expression as he asked, "Liu n Head, your friend looks unfamiliar. I don''t recall seeing him in White Roc City before."


    Liu Tianzheng smiled. "This is Lord Xu Xin from the imperial capital. He heard about how you, Teacher Zhang, became a guest elder of the Chen family at such a young age and how exceptional your teaching is. That''s why he decided to visit you."


    "The imperial capital?" Zhang Xuan''s mind began to form a preliminary judgment.


    He exined, "Liu n Head, you tter me. Teaching is like cooking¡ªa dish might suit one person''s taste and not another''s. It''s possible that my sses just happen to suit your daughter, which is why she''s been reluctant to return home. With time, she''ll understand your intentions."


    As a Master Teacher, handling rtionships between students and their parents was crucial. Zhang Xuan had long mastered the art of saying what needed to be said to smooth things over without causing offense.


    As far as he was concerned, it wasn''t his business if Liu Mingyue decided to maintain or sever ties with her father in the future.


    "Ah¡­"


    Liu Tianzheng was momentarily taken aback but then realized that Zhang Xuan''s words made a lot of sense.


    Zhang Xuan continued, "As for bing a guest elder of the Chen family, I just happen to have a knack for taming horses. It''s nothing special."


    "That''s not quite right," Liu Tianzheng countered. "White Roc City has many skilled horse tamers. Take Zhou Qun, for example¡ªhe''s known for taming both the Cangback Eagle and Dao Li. Why did the Chen family choose to hire you instead of him? More importantly, why do experts like Zhou Qun respect you so much, even wanting to apprentice under you?"


    "Well¡­"


    Zhang Xuan was at a loss for words, but before he could think of a response, Xu Xin spoke up casually, "Taming horses is just a minor skill. No matter how well you tame a horse, what does it really matter¡­ Thank you!"


    He hadn''t finished his sentence when he noticed a tea kettle being picked up and poured into his cup until it was full. Then it moved on to Liu Tianzheng''s cup.


    Xu Xin was about to take a sip when he noticed Liu Tianzheng''s strange expression and felt a hand restrain his arm. "Lord Xu¡­"


    "What''s the matter?" Xu Xin was about to scold Liu Tianzheng but then noticed the source of his friend''s concern and nearly dropped his cup.


    A horse stood before him, holding the kettle in its mouth, pouring tea for them. When it noticed Xu Xin looking, the horse''srge eyes seemed to smile, and it even nodded as if in greeting.


    Xu Xin''s eyelid twitched, and he quickly looked at the young man across from him. Zhang Xuan''s expression was equally displeased, and he rebuked the horse, "This tea has gone cold. Why didn''t you make some fresh tea? Is this how you treat guests?"


    The horse, embarrassed, retreated to the kitchen, where it began adding wood to the fire to boil water.


    "???"


    Xu Xin was dumbfounded.


    It had just poured tea, and now it was boiling water. If it weren''t sorge and muscr, he would have suspected it was a cultivator disguised as a horse.


    "And you call this ''nothing special''?" Xu Xin couldn''t hold back anymore.


    He had seen horses that recognized their masters, horses that could shield their masters from arrows, but this was the first time he''d seen a horse that could serve tea like a servant.


    He had initially thought Zhang Xuan''s horse-taming skills were simply about making horses obedient, but it turned out that Zhang Xuan''s idea of "nothing special" was this!


    "We don''t have any servants, so I have to rely on it¡­ Besides, this horse was tamed by the Liu family and given to me as a gift a few days ago. I''m not sure why it''s so capable," Zhang Xuan deflected.


    "Is that so?" Xu Xin looked at Liu Tianzheng.


    "It''s true. This Dao Li was only given to Teacher Zhang the day before yesterday!" Liu Tianzheng couldn''t lie.


    Xu Xin asked, "Could it do this when it was with you? Boil water and pour tea?"


    Liu Tianzheng shook his head quickly. "No, it couldn''t!"


    When Dao Li was with the Liu family, it was treated like an elder, with dedicated servants taking care of it. No one had ever heard of it serving others.


    Zhang Xuan exined, "I suppose Liu n Head hadn''t fully tamed it. Once you''ve truly tamed a horse, it''s not much different from a trained monkey¡ªit can dress itself, cook meals, and more. Asking it to boil water and pour tea is no big deal."


    "That makes sense¡­" Xu Xin and Liu Tianzheng exchanged nces. While they still felt something was off, it didn''t seem so shocking anymore.


    Some powerful beasts were highly intelligent, and the most advanced Source Beasts could even behave just like humans, performing various tasks with proper training. Although this horse was just an ordinary animal, with enough practice, it could learn these skills.


    Realizing there was no point in dwelling on this, Xu Xin turned his attention back to Zhang Xuan. "I heard from Liu n Head that your cultivation wasn''t particrly strong three days ago, yet now you can fight on equal footing with him. Could you exin how you''ve cultivated?"


    Seeing that this was indeed the question they hade to ask, Zhang Xuan sighed, feigning embarrassment. "The truth is¡­ I''ve been cultivating for a long time, but my circumstances made it difficult to show my abilities. Now that I''ve been honored with an appointment as a teacher by Dean Lu, I no longer have to hide my cultivation."


    Since it was impossible to exin how he had gained such strength in such a short time, Zhang Xuan decided to adjust the timeline, suggesting that he had been cultivating for years.


    Back when he worked as a groom, he had kept a low profile. Even if someone tried to investigate further, there wouldn''t be any traceable evidence from the Source World, so no one would be able to uncover the truth.


    "You''ve been cultivating for a long time?"


    Xu Xin and Liu Tianzheng exchanged nces.


    Given Zhang Xuan''s age, if he had started cultivating at sixteen, like Liu Mingyue, and was now around twenty-five or twenty-six, his current strength wouldn''t be surprising.


    "That''s right!" Zhang Xuan exined calmly. "I''ve been cultivating for a long time, but due to my previous position, I didn''t have the opportunity to reveal my abilities. Now that I''m a teacher, I can openly disy my true strength."


    Satisfied with his exnation, Zhang Xuan looked at Xu Xin, puzzled. "Lord Xu, you''ve asked so many detailed questions. Have I done something wrong or offended someone? Is that why you''re investigating me?"


    "Not at all."


    Liu Tianzheng smiled and exchanged another nce with Xu Xin. With a nod from Xu Xin, Liu Tianzheng exined, "In fact, Lord Xu Xin is a Fate Guardian. He''s here looking for talented individuals to take back to the Destiny Hall for special training."


    They couldn''t openly use Zhang Xuan of being a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, so iming they were searching for talent was a more eptable exnation.


    Liu Tianzheng watched Zhang Xuan closely for any reaction, but instead of panicking, Zhang Xuan''s face showed only confusion.


    "A Fate Guardian? What''s that?" Zhang Xuan asked, genuinely curious.


    "Fate Guardians are protectors of Destiny Masters," Liu Tianzheng replied, intrigued. "You''ve never heard of them before, Teacher Zhang?"


    Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    Seeing his sincerity, Xu Xin frowned. If Zhang Xuan didn''t even know what a Fate Guardian was, he couldn''t possibly be the rumored Chaotic Fate Practitioner. Apart from the horse, everything about Zhang Xuan seemed perfectly normal. Had they guessed wrong?

 Chapter 98: The Singing Glove

    Chapter 98: The Singing Glove


    Xu Xin and Liu Tianzheng exchanged a look, each seeing confusion and bewilderment in the other''s eyes.


    Something''s not right. He absorbs Heaven''s Fate Energy so efficiently that he can drain an entire Destiny Disk in a short time...


    After a moment, Liu Tianzheng seemed to remember something and quickly spoke up.


    It''s easy to exin away his talent for taming horses, but this ability to absorb Heaven''s Fate Energy is much harder to justify! After all, I spent 2 million Source Coins on that Destiny Disk, and it was drainedpletely in an instant, without leaving a trace...


    Seeing that Liu Tianzheng had finally brought up this topic, Zhang Xuan''s eyes brightened, secretly giving the man some credit.


    Just a moment ago, Zhang Xuan had been discussing with Sun Qiang how he needed a strong backstory to make his ims more credible, and now, the opportunity was being handed to him on a silver tter. He couldn''t help but think, Liu Tianzheng, you''re truly a kind man!


    "This..."


    Though his mind was racing, Zhang Xuan put on a troubled expression as if he was reluctant to speak, his face turning red as he struggled to find the words. "This involves a secret about my cultivation. I promised my teacher not to reveal it."Liu Tianzheng was taken aback. "You have a teacher?"


    "Of course!" Zhang Xuan replied. "I was just an ordinary groom before. Suppose it weren''t for an extraordinary opportunity that allowed me to be a disciple. How could I have risen to my current position, mastering not just horse taming but also teaching and even bing a teacher at White Roc Academy?"


    "That makes more sense now!"


    Hearing this, both Liu Tianzheng and Xu Xin exchanged nces of realization.


    Before, there were still some inconsistencies in the story, but now, everything fell into ce.


    An ordinary groom encounters a remarkable teacher, works hard in cultivation, and changes his fate. Not only does he achieve a strengthparable to the Jade Bone Realm at a young age, but he also bes a teacher at White Roc Academy.


    To better guide his students, he doesn''t shy away from challenging the heads of the three great families in battle!


    He remains calm under scrutiny, quietly proving his abilities and judgment through action, even when openly questioned or provoked...


    This isn''t just reasonable¡ªit''s inspiring!


    And you want to im that such an inspiring figure is a Chaotic Fate Practitioner?


    Xu Xin gave Liu Tianzheng a cold look, full of displeasure.


    He had been enjoying himself when Liu Tianzheng called him over, already making him somewhat irritated. Now, after discovering this misunderstanding, he found the whole situation even more frustrating. Liu Tianzheng seemed rather unreliable.


    Seeing the displeasure in Xu Xin''s eyes, Liu Tianzheng''s face paled. He wanted to find something else suspicious about Zhang Xuan, but everything seemed perfectly logical.


    Wait, there''s one more thing... Yesterday, Yu Xiaoyu only had 0.5 horsepower, but today, when she punched me, her strength was at least 1.5 horsepower, with the force of a whip!


    Remembering another key detail, Liu Tianzheng hurriedly spoke up, "Without some special method, how could her strength increase so dramatically overnight?"


    "Yu Xiaoyu?" Xu Xin asked.


    "Yes, she''s City Lord Yu Longqing''s daughter and one of Teacher Zhang''s students," Liu Tianzheng exined.


    Xu Xin nodded, looking at Zhang Xuan with curiosity. "A full horsepower increase overnight is indeed remarkable, even for someone in the Energy Storing realm. Teacher Zhang, how do you exin this?"


    Zhang Xuan''s face turned red with embarrassment. "Well... It''s actually a little trick of mine."


    "A trick?" Liu Tianzheng was confused.


    Zhang Xuan hesitated, rubbing his fingers together awkwardly. "I''m just an auxiliary teacher. Even if I managed to recruit some students, I knew there would be no shortage of people questioning my teaching abilities. I''m sure you''re aware of that, Liu n Head."


    Liu Tianzheng nodded in agreement.


    From Chen Hao to himself, everyone had questioned Zhang Xuan''s teaching abilities, yet he had consistently managed to prove them wrong.


    Zhang Xuan continued, "The only way to silence such doubts was to ensure my students made rapid progress, far outpacing others! However, I was just an ordinary groom. Even though my teacher''s methods were excellent, it would still be difficult to achieve such rapid results. So, yesterday, I pretended to be angry and gave each of them a brocade pouch."


    "Yes, I was there at the time. Could there be something special about those pouches?" Liu Tianzheng asked, puzzled.


    Everyone had seen the pouches at the time, including the heads of the two other great families, the academy''s dean, and several elders. It didn''t seem like there was any trickery involved.


    Zhang Xuan exined, "There was nothing wrong with the pouches themselves, but the conditions I set inside them were the key! If I''m not mistaken, Liu n Head, you opened the pouch yesterday and read the conditions inside, didn''t you? Do you remember what it said?"


    Of course, Liu Tianzheng remembered. The condition stated that only if Liu Mingyue reached 1.2 horsepower by this morning would she be allowed to remain his student.


    As he recalled this, Liu Tianzheng suddenly realized something, his voice trembling. "You mean the conditions in the pouches were meant for me and City Lord Yu to see? They weren''t really meant for the students to follow your teachings, but rather to find a way to help them achieve a quick breakthrough?"


    "Exactly! Isn''t it obvious? Did you really think that just by following a random cultivation technique, they could double their strength overnight?"


    Zhang Xuan continued, "Cultivation alone wouldn''t suffice, but with a special treasure, it could be possible. I suspected that both the City Lord''s Mansion and the Liu family had such treasures. However, I didn''t expect Liu Mingyue to stubbornly follow the normal training method without seeking any shortcuts."


    Liu Tianzheng was stunned, realizing the truth.


    No wonder my daughter was so upset with me, refusing toe home. Zhang Xuan had given such a clear hint, and yet I insisted she follow the Fuyou Energy Storing Technique without deviation...


    It''s no wonder her progress was slow!


    While there weren''t many treasures capable of quickly boosting a cultivator from the Energy Storing realm to the Body Tempering realm, there were plenty that could double one''s strength in a short time. For instance, the Spirit Source Bamboo that the City Lord obtained years ago had such an effect.


    Yu Xiaoyu''s rapid progress was likely due to this treasure.


    Of course, it could be easily confirmed by asking the City Lord if the treasure was still in his possession.


    "Is there anything else that seems suspicious?" Xu Xin''s tone was nowced with open irritation.


    From the conversation, Xu Xin could see that Zhang Xuan was indeed clever and somewhat talented, but everything he had done was within the realm of possibility. He was far from being a Chaotic Fate Practitioner.


    In other words, Zhang Xuan''s exceptional teaching and his students'' remarkable progress were entirely reasonable... Liu Tianzheng had clearly been using this situation to settle a personal vendetta!


    Liu Tianzheng was in a panic, wanting to say something more but finding himself at a loss for words. He felt like he was in an impossible situation where anything he said would be misunderstood.


    Ignoring Liu Tianzheng, who was now bordering on a nervous breakdown, Xu Xin turned back to Zhang Xuan with renewed curiosity. "As far as I know, only Destiny Masters can absorb and controlrge amounts of Heaven''s Fate Energy... Could it be that your teacher is a Destiny Master?"


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I''m sorry, Lord Xu, but my teacher prefers to remain low-profile. Without his permission, I cannot reveal his identity or profession. I hope you understand."


    "My apologies for being presumptuous," Xu Xin nodded and slowly rose to his feet. "Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, we won''t trouble you any further, Teacher Zhang."


    "Lord Xu?" Liu Tianzheng was stunned, his anxiety clear on his face.


    That''s it? No interrogation? What if he''s lying?


    "No trouble at all, Lord Xu," Zhang Xuan replied, sping his hands respectfully.


    With a faint smile, Xu Xin nced at Liu Tianzheng before turning to leave.


    Realizing that Xu Xin had made up his mind, Liu Tianzheng knew that pressing the issue any further would be futile. He hurried after Xu Xin, and once they had exited the courtyard, he couldn''t help but ask, "Lord Xu, is he really not a Chaotic Fate Practitioner?"


    "His exnations are consistent and verifiable, indicating that he''s not lying. However, we still can''t be certain whether he''s a Chaotic Fate Practitioner. Such individuals are exceedingly rare, and only a true Destiny Master could detect the subtle anomalies. Even as a Fate Guardian, I''m not equipped to make that determination."


    Liu Tianzheng felt a wave of disappointment. "So we''vee all this way for nothing?"


    "Not exactly," Xu Xin shook his head. "Though he may not be a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, he does seem to have a significant connection to destiny. Otherwise, he wouldn''t possess such strength at his age, nor would he be able to train an ordinary horse to behave in such a humanlike manner."


    Liu Tianzheng agreed. "Yes, that makes sense."


    Backed by a powerful family, Liu Tianzheng had only reached the Body Tempering realm by the age of twenty-five or twenty-six. Compared to Zhang Xuan, he was clearly outssed, so even if Zhang Xuan had a skilled teacher guiding him, his innate talent was still remarkable.


    Liu Tianzheng then asked, "If he''s connected to destiny, does that mean...?"


    Xu Xin shared his spection, "I suspect he has the potential to be a Destiny Master! His teacher likely kept this hidden to avoid drawing attention to such a precious talent and to prevent unnecessaryplications."


    "Unnecessaryplications? Are you suggesting... the notion of a singr destiny?" Liu Tianzheng asked gravely.


    "The singr destiny concept is the greatest fear of every Destiny Master, making them extremely cautious. Many hide parts of their abilities to avoid detection. If their true potential is discovered, they face two choices: either submit to the will of a stronger individual sharing the same fate or be eliminated... Zhang Xuan''s teacher likely withheld information about Destiny Masters for this reason, fearing it would expose his student to undue risk."


    Liu Tianzheng nodded, realizing that this exnation tied up all the loose ends surrounding Zhang Xuan''s peculiarities.


    "However, this is just spection on your part. How can we confirm it?" Liu Tianzheng asked.


    "Confirmation isn''t difficult," Xu Xin replied after some thought. "Give me one of the Destiny Disks I provided earlier."


    Though puzzled, Liu Tianzheng did as requested, handing over one of the 3 million Source Coin disks.


    Taking the Destiny Disk, Xu Xin pulled out a pair of purple gloves and began gently stroking the disk with them. As he did, the disk started to rotate slowly in his palm like a spinning top, though at a slower pace.


    "What are you doing, Lord Xu?" Liu Tianzheng asked, full of curiosity.


    "These are specially designed gloves called Purple Radiance, created by Lord Ling. They can substitute for the Nine Dragon Pirs to activate the Destiny Disk. With just a light touch, they can release the Heaven''s Fate Energy within. If Zhang Xuan indeed has the talent of a Destiny Master, Purple Radiance will emit a bright light. One finger lighting up indicates a Ninth Grade talent, two fingers an Eighth Grade, and so on¡ªthe more fingers that light up, the higher the talent!"


    Liu Tianzheng finally understood and asked, "What if all ten fingers light up?"


    This test was simr to the Source Pool Assessment, where the more energy absorbed, the higher the talent. Here, ten fingers reced the nine pirs.


    Xu Xin shook his head. "That''s impossible. The highest record in the Destiny Hall of the Hanyuan Dynasty is five fingers, and that was achieved over five hundred years ago. No one has lit more than four fingers in thest century."


    Liu Tianzheng nodded.


    "We''ll soon know if he has the talent of a Destiny Master and how strong it is," Xu Xin said, pressing the glove onto the Destiny Disk. As he did, the disk glowed brightly, releasing streams of Heaven''s Fate Energy that flowed in a straight line toward Zhang Xuan''s courtyard.


    Inside the courtyard, Sun Qiang emerged from his hiding ce, his eyes brimming with excitement. "Young Master, is this our opportunity?"


    He had overheard bits of the conversation while hiding and had pieced together some useful information.


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Based on what he had gathered, this Xu Xin was a Fate Guardian, and though he hadn''t exined in detail, he did mention something critical: a Fate Guardian was the protector of a Destiny Master!


    It''s like a Holy Knight serving a Pope¡ªif the Knight is present, can the Pope be far behind?


    So, if Zhang Xuan could sessfully pose as a Destiny Master in front of Xu Xin, it would solidify his identity. This would make earning money and finding Heaven''s Fate Energy much easier.


    It was just like when he had pretended to be a Master Teacher¡ªonly by sessfully assuming the role could he establish his identity. Otherwise, no matter how well he spoke, no one would believe him.


    However, this was also risky. If Zhang Xuan were exposed, the consequences would be dire.


    But given his need to quickly enhance his cultivation and uncover what had happened to Kong Shi, he had no choice but to take the risk.


    "What should we do now?" Sun Qiang asked.


    "I haven''t figured that out yet," Zhang Xuan admitted. "We need to guide them towards this conclusion without directly stating it. Otherwise, it''ll be too easy to slip up... Also, we need to keep thinking of ways to make money. We still need to buy more Heaven''s Fate Energy so you can train quickly. Without strength, everything we do will be dangerous."


    "Understood!" Sun Qiang nodded, then suggested curiously, "If we''re trying to make money to buy Heaven''s Fate Energy, wouldn''t it be easier to just get our hands on the energy directly?"


    Zhang Xuan was surprised by the suggestion but then shook his head with a bitter smile. "You''ve just arrived in the Source World, so you don''t understand how precious Heaven''s Fate Energy is. It''s a resource controlled by the Destiny Hall, and outside of the academies, ordinary people can''t even buy it. It''s not something you can just find whenever you want."


    But before Zhang Xuan could finish his exnation, he suddenly froze and looked outside the courtyard.


    He saw streams of pure Heaven''s Fate Energy slowly flowing in, swirling around them like small tornadoes.


    "Young Master, isn''t that Heaven''s Fate Energy?" Sun Qiang asked, his expression strange as he stared at Zhang Xuan.


    You just said it''s hard to find, and now it''s flowing into the courtyard on its own...


    "This..."


    Zhang Xuan was momentarily at a loss for words, embarrassed by how quickly reality had contradicted his words. "Start absorbing it quickly and stabilize the space I created for you. I''ll go see what''s going on!"


    "Understood!" Sun Qiang nodded, then sat down cross-legged to absorb the Heaven''s Fate Energy.


    Zhang Xuan followed the energy to the front door and peeked outside.


    Through a crack in the door, Zhang Xuan saw Xu Xin holding a Destiny Disk and gently stroking it. The disk was slowly rotating, releasing soft beams of light.


    "It''s them?"


    Realization dawned on Zhang Xuan.


    As a Fate Guardian, Xu Xin wouldn''t find a Destiny Disk particrly precious. Since that was the case... Zhang Xuan decided to absorb as much as he could to quickly enhance his strength!


    He had been worried about running out of energy in the Library, and now, this helpful person was providing him with a fresh supply of Heaven''s Fate Energy. Liu Tianzheng truly was a kind man!


    With this realization, Zhang Xuan wasted no time. He sat down by the door, focused his mind, and began absorbing the Heaven''s Fate Energy in the air.


    However, this time, he controlled the speed of absorption, careful not to draw too much attention.


    Previously, he hadn''t worried about attracting notice because many people had been absorbing Heaven''s Fate Energy simultaneously. He could blend in. But now, with only himself and Sun Qiang absorbing the energy, doing so too quickly might lead to misunderstandings.


    He needed to demonstrate that he had a "Destiny Master teacher" backing him without standing out too much.


    Of course, absorbing too slowly wasn''t an option either. A Destiny Disk contained over 10,000 strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy, and if he absorbed it too leisurely, the opportunity might pass him by.


    "I''ve got it..."


    Zhang Xuan''s eyes lit up as a n formed in his mind.


    Meanwhile, as Zhang Xuan began absorbing the energy, Xu Xin noticed movement in the Purple Radiance glove. The pinky finger suddenly lit up, shining brightly.


    "A Ninth Grade talent..." Xu Xin nodded. "It seems he does have the talent of a Destiny Master, but it''s only average."


    "So, does that mean he might be a Destiny Master in the future?" Liu Tianzheng asked in shock.


    Now, Liu Tianzheng understood why City Lord Yu had been so determined to have Yu Xiaoyu be Zhang Xuan''s student. Could it be that Yu Longqing had known all along?


    And now it made sense why Xu Xin wasn''t conducting an interrogation.


    Interrogating Zhang Xuan might confirm whether he was telling the truth, but it would also offend him. If Zhang Xuan truly became a Destiny Master, neither Liu Tianzheng nor Xu Xin could afford the bacsh.


    "Yes, but even if he does, his level won''t be particrly high. Alright, now that the test isplete, I''ll return the Destiny Disk to you..."


    Just as Xu Xin was about to hand back the Destiny Disk, he noticed that the ring finger had also lit up.


    "An Eighth Grade talent? What''s going on?" Xu Xin froze in ce.


    Both the pinky and ring fingers were lit, indicating that the young man inside had an Eighth Grade talent. But hadn''t the test just shown him to be Ninth Grade? How had his talent suddenly improved?


    Could the initial reading have been inurate?


    "Perhaps the Purple Radiance glove was slow to react. Let''s give it a moment..." Xu Xin spected.


    Before he could finish speaking, the middle finger lit up, followed by the index finger.


    Four fingers were now glowing, indicating a Sixth Grade talent.


    "A Sixth Grade talent is considered exceptional, even in the Destiny Hall of the Hanyuan Dynasty. It''s a once-in-a-century level of talent, stronger than Lord Ling himself..."


    Xu Xin''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    No wonder Zhang Xuan''s teacher had kept him hidden in this small town instead of sending him to Destiny Hall. He must have known how extraordinary Zhang Xuan''s talent was.


    While Xu Xin was still in shock, Liu Tianzheng noticed something strange. "Wait... Lord Xu, why did it drop back to Seventh Grade?"


    Xu Xin looked closely and saw that the middle and index fingers had dimmed, leaving only the ring and pinky fingers glowing.


    "This is an Eighth Grade talent..."


    Only two fingers were lit, indicating an Eighth Grade talent.


    "But I just saw three fingers glowing..." Liu Tianzheng protested, but before he could finish, both the middle and index fingers lit up again, followed by the thumb.


    However, the glowsted only a few breaths before fading, leaving just the pinky finger glowing again.


    Liu Tianzheng and Xu Xin exchanged wide-eyed stares.


    Talent level should be consistent¡ªfingers should either light up or stay dark. What was this flickering nonsense?


    Just as they were feeling perplexed, the Purple Radiance glove began to flicker repeatedly.


    Watching the flickering glove, Liu Tianzheng''s lips trembled as he read out the sequence of numbers: "Two-eight-two-five-six, two-eight-two-five-seven, two-eight-two-nine-thirty-one, three-eight-three-five-six, three-eight-three-five-seven, three-eight-three-nine-forty-one..."


    "Is the glove... singing?"

 Chapter 99: Sending Messages

    Chapter 99: Sending Messages


    ¡°Sing a song about the wool; it must be that Zihui is broken!¡± Xu Xin shook his head.


    For the talent test, either one finger would light up, or two... however, no matter how many fingers lit up, they would remain stable and unchanging. But now, it was flickering like a neon light; even the dullest person would know something was wrong.


    The only exnation was that it was broken...


    Even the most powerful treasures would have issues after long use.


    Liu Tianzheng suddenly understood, feeling slightly embarrassed: ¡°So what should we do now?¡±


    Having been poisoned by a few songs, he found himself involuntarily singing when he saw those numbers.


    Xu Xin said, ¡°Since it¡¯s broken, the other party¡¯s talent can¡¯t be measured. Let¡¯s go ask someone else. Having such talent is like a firefly in the dark of night¡ªso bright and outstanding, it can''t be hidden. As long as they are a bit clever, they will definitely notice the ws.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±Liu Tianzheng suddenly remembered: ¡°Now that you mention it, I think we should go find City Lord Yu Longqing. He must know something!¡±


    This guy had gone to great lengths to have his daughter be Zhang Xuan''s disciple... At first, he thought it was nothing, but now he saw ws everywhere.


    And the Chen Xiao patriarch... to tame a horse to make it a guest elder, most importantly, he didn¡¯t care if Chen Hao knelt for a day; he even helped pay 300,000 Source Coins. Now it seemed, there was also something off.


    But if he had known in advance that he possessed the talent of Destiny, it would all have made sense.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Xu Xin nodded, took off his gloves, and handed the Destiny Disk back, as the two walked away purposefully.


    ¡°Are we just leaving like this? Shouldn¡¯t we stay a bit longer? We could absorb the energy from this Destiny Disk before we go!¡±


    Zhang Xuan wanted to shout this out but ultimately chose to remain low-key, too embarrassed to speak.


    Earlier, to prevent the other side from suspecting, he hadbined hostility with slow movement, making them mistakenly believe the gloves were broken. The effect was achieved, but the absorption speed had clearly slowed down. After all the trouble, only about 3,000 strands of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy flowed into the Library of Heaven''s Path, which wasn¡¯t enough to replicate a technique even once.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what ws they all have; it might be usefulter..."


    Knowing they both had Destiny Disks and possibly many strands of Destiny Energy, Zhang Xuan''s mind stirred. He softly called out ¡°ws.¡±


    The library shook slightly, and a book formed.


    With a gentle motion of his hand, the booknded in his palm, which read ¡°Xu Xin.¡±


    The other party had just used Zihui to probe their talent, so they had used a technique to do so, while Liu Tianzheng had not used any power and thus hadn¡¯t formed a book.


    But having this one person was enough; as a Fate Guardian in White Roc City, this guy had absolute authority.


    He lightly opened the book.


    ¡°Xu Xin, from the imperial capital of the Hanyuan Dynasty, Fate Guardian, congenital impotence¡­¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Zhang Xuan was stunned in ce.


    Congenital...


    This guy had something going on!


    Perhaps he could help him with treatment and take the opportunity to get some Destiny Disks!


    Hmm, this needed nning; after all, helping him heal was also a way to help others, right?


    Back at the courtyard, Sun Qiang had finished his assessment and slowly opened his eyes.


    ¡°How was it? How much did you absorb?¡± Zhang Xuan asked.


    Sun Qiang replied, ¡°Reporting to Young Master, about a little over 1,000 strands!¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Zhang Xuan nodded.


    He didn¡¯t have a Source Pool and used the space he had opened up for him; in a short time, it could hold this much, which was already enough for general cultivation.


    After all, a First Grade Source Pool only absorbed 256 strands of Destiny Energy.


    ¡°This is Primordial Yellow Energy. I will now help you ignite the furnace, and after that, you can absorb Source Energy and refine it for your own use!¡±


    After Sun Qiang punched once, with the aid of the library and the orderly Destiny, a technique suitable for him was formed. Zhang Xuan then pointed, and a rich Primordial Yellow Energy surged into Sun Qiang¡¯s Source Pool.


    Unlike Yu Xiaoyu, Liu Mingyue, and others, he had to disguise his identity and didn¡¯t dare to use too much Primordial Yellow Energy. As for this guy, who he knew well, he had no such concerns.


    Once the Primordial Yellow Energy entered his body, it was immediately ignited to form a special furnace. Momentster, a stream of Source Energy was devoured by Sun Qiang and flowed into his body.


    Although he didn¡¯t know what grade he had reached, it was certainly far beyond Yu Xiaoyu and the others. The speed at which he absorbed Source Energy, although far inferior to his, was still not weak.


    At this moment, Liu Tianzheng and Xu Xin had already arrived at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    After some mutual introductions, Yu Longqing looked over curiously: ¡°I wonder... why have Lord Xu and Liu n Leadere here at this time?¡±


    He knew the Liu family had some connections with certain rogue Destiny Masters from the Destiny Hall, but without evidence, he couldn¡¯t say much. Now,ing over to inquire was like ying an open card.


    ¡°Indeed, we have something to ask!¡±


    Liu Tianzheng did not engage in small talk and spoke directly: ¡°City Lord Yu must be trying desperately to have Yu Xiaoyu be Zhang Xuan¡¯s disciple, right? It can¡¯t be just because you tamed the Cangback Eagle so easily!¡±


    ¡°You know I tamed the Cangback Eagle? Liu n Leader is quite well-informed. To tell you the truth, the Cangback Eagle is truly obedient now¡­¡±


    Yu Longqing smiled broadly.


    ¡°City Lord Yu, since Lord Xu hase to find you, he must know something; otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t havee personally!¡±


    Liu Tianzheng was toozy to beat around the bush: ¡°I guessed correctly; this Zhang Xuan should possess the talent of a Destiny Master, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Yu Longqing¡¯s brow furrowed.


    This matter had only been spected by him and Dean Lu; he never expected that this one had already known, and the key part was that he revealed it to the strong ones of the Destiny Hall.


    If that were the case, all the efforts to hide over these days would have been for nothing.


    Seeing his expression, Liu Tianzheng was shocked while putting on a fa?ade as if he already knew: ¡°I not only know this, but you guessed correctly; that Spirit Source Bamboo of yours has been used already¡­¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Yu Longqing was taken aback.


    To guess that Zhang Xuan had the talent of a Destiny Master, he thought was nothing, but to even know that the Spirit Source Bamboo had been used was a bit terrifying.


    ¡°Indeed¡­"


    Unlike Yu Longqing¡¯s shock, Liu Tianzheng had already confirmed two things in just a few sentences.


    First, that Zhang Xuan indeed had the talent of a Destiny Master; the second was that he had indeed used the Spirit Source Bamboo to help Yu Xiaoyu increase her strength. Thus, in such a short time, her strength had doubled, which meant that Zhang Xuan had not lied.


    Whether Teacher Zhang possesses the talent of a Destiny Master, I can only specte and cannot confirm, but regardless of whether he does, making good connections with him is a good thing for us at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, considering making Xiaoyu his disciple for that very reason¡­¡±


    Seeing the other party had almost figured it all out, Yu Longqing didn¡¯t hide anything and exined.


    Spection? What made you think that?¡± Xu Xin, who had been silent, looked over.


    Knowing this guy was rted to Destiny Masters, Yu Longqing spoke honestly: ¡°When he was teaching Xiaoyu, he only needed to teach; regardless of whether the student was willing or had any subjective initiative, he could let the Source Energy enter the Source Pool andplete the cycle of power within the body. Therefore, I spected it must be rted to destiny!¡±


    The student didn¡¯t want to learn; as long as he listened to the ss, he could cultivate autonomously?¡± This time, it was Xu Xin¡¯s turn to be shocked.


    If one could absorb Destiny Energy just by allowing him to teach, it would have confirmed that the other party indeed had the talent of a Destiny Master!


    Destiny is something that, whether you wish to or not, can make youply.


    Destiny cannot be defied!


    That is precisely why Destiny Masters are so feared and respected.


    ¡°You¡¯re not guessing that because of this, right?¡± Seeing he was clueless, it was Yu Longqing¡¯s turn to be confused.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of some other things¡­¡±


    Xu Xin didn¡¯t borate and instead asked City Lord Yu about the details. Thetter saw that he wanted to pry for information, so he started ying dumb. After asking for a long time, he failed to extract any useful information. Xu Xin said no more and left the City Lord¡¯s Mansion with Liu Tianzheng.


    Now it was 100% confirmed that not only did he possess the talent of a Destiny Master, but he might even be a true Destiny Master... ¡°Let¡¯s go; I will send a message to Lord Ling right away. We must pull this kind of person into our camp.¡±


    Outside the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, in the carriage, Xu Xin''s eyes gleamed


    .


    Wherever there are people, there is a world; the same Destiny Hall is not entirely united. That is why Lord Ling would secretly sell Destiny Disks to the Liu family behind the back of the Destiny Hall, aiming to cultivate his own direct lineage¡­


    This Zhang Xuan, once confirmed to have Destiny, would certainly have a ce in the Destiny Hall. If Lord Ling could pull him in first, it was needless to say that he would definitely gain an advantage.


    And as the guardian of the other party, he would also benefit greatly.


    ¡°A true Destiny Master?¡±


    Hearing the other party confirm, Liu Tianzheng''s eyes widened.


    To have a Destiny Master as a teacher, the future achievements are unimaginable... Speaking of which, isn¡¯t my daughter¡¯s insight much better than mine?


    It¡¯s ridiculous that he had been blocking it. If it weren¡¯t for the other party¡¯s insistence, he might have directly ruined such a good opportunity¡­


    It seemed he not only had to appease Mingyue but also ease the rtionship...


    Liu Tianzheng rubbed his temples.


    What was this? If he had known that the other party had such talent, he would have definitely rushed to have his daughter be his disciple... How could it be like this now!


    Now both sides were at an impasse, and he didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°By the way... doesn¡¯t this guy really like Destiny Energy? If I just send some over to this Zhang Xuan, the previous conflict should be eased..."


    A thought came to his mind.


    Since the other party was looking for Destiny Energy everywhere, and he happened to have some, why not send it directly to him?


    Although each Destiny Disk was very expensive, the benefits of pulling in a Destiny Master for the Liu family would definitely outweigh ten million, even twenty million!


    Thinking this through, Liu Tianzheng finally rxed.


    Back at the Liu residence, he didn¡¯t hesitate much. He quickly took the Destiny Disks and hurried to White Rock Academy, while Xu Xin returned to his own residence, driving away a group of naked women before taking out a palm-sized scroll.


    It was small, like a painting, but it contained a special charm.


    A Destiny Scroll!


    Only major Destiny Masters could carve such items, containing the power of destiny, allowing long-distancemunication with the creator of the scroll.


    The reason why the person he called Lord Ling allowed him, a Fate Guardian, toe here to investigate, was precisely because he had this thing to transmit messages at long distances.


    Gently pulling the string on the scroll, a mysterious power immediately rippled out, giving a sense of destiny returning and being unable to resist.


    Destiny Energy!


    The scroll slowly opened, and a beam of white light surged out from inside, followed by an old man¡¯s face suddenly appearing on it.


    ¡°Lord Ling!¡±


    Seeing this person¡¯s appearance, Xu Xin hurriedly knelt down.


    Although he had seen this kind of message transmission many times, every time he saw it, he still felt awed.


    ¡°Hmm, didn¡¯t I say that without a special reason, don¡¯t waste the scroll? This thing, even if I can refine it, is not so easy to make!¡±


    Lord Ling frowned, looking displeased.


    Xu Xin quickly sped his hands: ¡°Forgive me, Lord Ling; I contacted you because there is indeed something important to report... I seem to have discovered a potentially powerful Destiny Master in White Roc City!¡±


    Lord Ling was taken aback: ¡°Speak about the situation in detail!¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    Xu Xin hurriedly detailed how he discovered this and what had happened.


    After hearing his words, Lord Ling¡¯s face suddenly changed, and his voice trembled a bit: ¡°Are you saying... this Destiny Master you found can allow students to cultivate autonomously just by teaching, without relying on their subjective consciousness?¡±


    ¡°Subordinate heard this from City Lord Yu; the specific situation has not been thoroughly investigated yet¡­¡±


    Xu Xin looked at him with confusion: ¡°Lord Ling, could this not be the power of destiny? Or is there something wrong?¡±


    The ability to let students cultivate autonomously, with every word spoken invoking destiny, where everything follows naturally, was indeed a power unique to Destiny Masters! But...


    Lord Ling nodded, his eyes revealing a hint of astonishment: ¡°This ability is identical to that chaotic fate practitioner who emerged from the Zouyi Dynasty a while ago, not a bit different!¡±


    Author''s Note

 Chapter 100: The Soft-hearted Sun Qiang

    Chapter 100: The Soft-hearted Sun Qiang


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Xu Xin''s pupils constricted, a wave of coldness immediately flowing through his body.


    Having the same ability as a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, does that mean... this guy is either a Chaotic Fate Practitioner himself or has some connection to one?


    ¡°Then, what should I do now?¡±


    Xu Xin''s lips trembled.


    He had originally hoped to find a Destiny Master to gain more weight in Lord Ling''s eyes and earn greater recognition, but now he felt a bit frightened.


    Decades ago, when Chaotic Fate Practitioners first appeared, they wreaked havoc, enticing people, causing countless followers, and nearly tearing the entire Destiny Hall apart. For this reason, the entire Source World remained vignt and cautious about such individuals. Once discovered, they would be eliminated without hesitation!


    Just a few days ago, a Chaotic Fate Practitioner suddenly emerged from the Zouyi Dynasty, with an even greater ability to entice people. In just a few days, he gained a group of followers, willing to go through fire and water for him, even Destiny Masters were willing to follow him. Lord Ling was absent because he went to hunt down this person...He had thought that he hade here this time just to rx and enjoy himself, but unexpectedly... this guy, who seemed to be a Destiny Master, might really be rted to a Chaotic Fate Practitioner!


    ¡°You should befriend him first, stabilize the situation. I wille over to investigate clearly before making a decision!¡±


    Lord Ling raised an eyebrow: ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no need to be too nervous. This is just what you heard from others; Chaotic Fate Practitioners are extremely rare. In history, only two have appeared. It¡¯s impossible for one to suddenly emerge on one side while another appears on the other¡­ Of course, whether he is an ordinary Destiny Master or a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, this time you have already made a great contribution!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± Xu Xin sighed in relief.


    Lord Ling continued, ¡°I will try to arrive within three days... You¡¯d better observe him closely. If there are any issues, you can report to me in detail.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure... what aspects I need to observe, so I can prepare in advance!¡± Xu Xin hurriedly asked.


    After pondering for a moment, Lord Ling said, ¡°The Chaotic Fate Practitioner from the Zouyi Dynasty also excelled in teaching and seemed to have control over the direction of destiny in teaching. Didn¡¯t you say he is a teacher? Then test his students. If they can make rapid progress in their cultivation purely through attending his sses without relying on treasures, even if he isn¡¯t a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, he will definitely have an intricate rtionship with that person.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡± Xu Xin quickly sped his hands.


    ¡°Hmm, be careful and don¡¯t alert the enemy!¡±


    With that, Lord Ling said no more. As the conversation ended, the light from the scroll and the figure disappeared, and the Destiny Energy that had surged in the room vanished instantly.


    ¡°Testing the students? Then I will hold apetition; this way, I can determine their cultivation level and whether they have improved or by how much... But before that, I need to resolve any conflicts and build a good rtionship!¡±


    Putting away the scroll, Xu Xin thought for a moment: ¡°Come, take me to White Rock Academy!¡±


    Following Lord Ling¡¯s instructions, he nned to befriend the other party first. From what he knew, Chaotic Fate Practitioners were merely good at enticing others and weren¡¯t bloodthirsty. As long as he didn¡¯t show any malicious intent, it should be safe.


    Seeing that Sun Qiang hadpletely entered the state of stable cultivation, Zhang Xuan no longer paid him any mind and instead stepped out.


    Having just absorbed about thirty strands of Destiny Energy, he figured now was a good time to read some books. Once he got more, he could directly form the Dharma Aspect technique for the Internal Realm, allowing him to break through in one fell swoop!


    He was at the peak of the Meridian Unclogging Realm, having 60 horsepower. Once he reached the peak of the Organs Easing Realm, he might be able to break through 100 horsepower. Even when facing experts of the Jade Bone or Divine Soul realms, he would be able to fight!


    With such strength, White Roc City would be free from danger.


    Not long after Zhang Xuan went to the library to read, Liu Tianzheng arrived at White Rock Academy again. At this moment, he was unaware that the person he was looking for was not in the courtyard but was anxiously pacing back and forth outside.


    This morning, for the sake of his daughter, he had fought with Zhang Xuan, and in the afternoon, he brought Xu Xin over, questioning him like an interrogating officer. To be honest, he must havepletely offended him.


    ¡°No matter; if I¡¯m scolded, I¡¯m scolded. Even if I¡¯m humiliated, it¡¯s my own fault!¡±


    Gritting his teeth, Liu Tianzheng knocked on the door, his bright voice ringing out: ¡°Teacher Zhang Xuan, Liu Tianzheng is here to visit. I hope to have a word¡­¡±


    Inside the room, Sun Qiang slowly opened his eyes.


    Having juste from the Source World and not having met anyone yet, the young master wasn¡¯t present, and suddenly someone came to visit, putting him in a bit of a dilemma.


    If he didn¡¯t see them, they might have something to discuss with the young master and would be dyed. If he did see them, he didn¡¯t know how tomunicate since he didn¡¯t recognize them.


    ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s just meet. It¡¯s normal for someone of the young master¡¯s status to receive a servant!¡±


    Thinking this, Sun Qiang stopped hesitating, stood up, and opened the door.


    ¡°Teacher Zhang, hmm? Who are you¡­¡± Seeing the unfamiliar fat man in front of him, Sun Qiang looked puzzled.


    Sun Qiang sped his hands and bowed: ¡°I am Steward Sun Qiang! May I ask who you are and what brings you here to see the young master?¡±


    He didn¡¯t know that this was the head of the Liu family, one of the three great families.


    ¡°Ah, you are Steward Sun!¡±


    Liu Tianzheng returned the courtesy: ¡°I am Liu Tianzheng. I wonder¡­ is Teacher Zhang in?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the young master is not here,¡± Sun Qiang shook his head.


    Liu Tianzheng asked, ¡°Do you know when Teacher Zhang will return?¡±


    Sun Qiang replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know that. If Mr. Liu has urgent matters, you can speak with me first. When the young master returns, I can report it to him.¡±


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Liu Tianzheng said, ¡°Earlier this morning, I inadvertently offended Teacher Zhang. I came here to personally apologize¡­¡±


    ¡°Offended the young master?¡±


    Sun Qiang, who had been smiling, immediately stopped and shook his head: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t convey that kind of message!¡±


    Not knowing anything, he naturally couldn¡¯t agree; otherwise, he would offend the young master too much. If he agreed to a meeting, it definitely wouldn¡¯t be appropriate.


    ¡°Then can I wait for him in the courtyard until he returns?¡± Liu Tianzheng hesitated.


    ¡°Of course not!¡±


    Sun Qiang shook his head: ¡°The teacher¡¯s dormitory is very small; there¡¯s no ce. Mr. Liu, please go back!¡±


    With that, Sun Qiang closed the courtyard door.


    Watching the courtyard door close like that, Liu Tianzheng was a bit dazed, feeling that he hadn¡¯t reacted.


    He was the head of the Liu family, one of the three great families, and had lowered his posture to visit. Not only did he fail to meet anyone, but he was also blocked outside by a servant... He had never experienced this since he was young!


    His face flushed red. While he was contemting whether to leave or stay, he heard the earlier fat man¡¯s voicee from inside.


    Coming here to apologize, huh? Just a p in the face? Not an ounce of sincerity.


    The voice was soft, as if muttering to himself.


    Liu Tianzheng froze.


    Right! Since he came to apologize, maintaining an attitude wouldn¡¯t bring any satisfaction!


    A Destiny Master... is worth him giving up everything.


    Without too much hesitation, Liu Tianzheng knocked on the door again.


    After a moment, the door opened once more, and Sun Qiang¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed: ¡°Is there something else?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like this!¡± Liu Tianzheng smiled broadly, took out a Destiny Disk from his pocket, and handed it over: ¡°I know Teacher Zhang wants to absorb Destiny Energy, so I specially prepared a Destiny Disk to offer as a token of apology!¡±


    ¡°Destiny Disk?¡±


    Sun Qiang took it casually and closed the door again. The voice came from inside the courtyard: ¡°Well, who told me to be soft-hearted and like to do good deeds? I epted it, and when the young master returns, I will convey your intentions¡­ By the way, what¡¯s your name again?¡±


    ¡°Me¡­.¡±


    Liu Tianzheng, whose anger had just been suppressed, surged up again.


    You just muttered that there was no sincerity, and now I¡¯ve given you a Destiny Disk, yet you still keep the door closed. What does that mean?


    The key point... as the head of the Liu family, who in White Roc City wouldn¡¯t know him? Asking for my name is a deliberate humiliation!


    His face turned slightly green with anger, but he also understood that he indeed couldn¡¯t offend the other party.


    This fat man was indeed nothing much, but he had already offended Teacher Zhang once, and offending him again


    might really leave no room for reconciliation.


    Suppressing his anger, he was about to report his name when the lowered voice inside the courtyard spoke again.


    ¡°Just a Destiny Disk as an apology? People nowadays really know how to trick others.¡±


    Liu Tianzheng¡¯s anger was instantly doused.


    Once Zhang Xuan entered the Destiny Hall and became a registered Destiny Master, the power in his hands would be immense. At that time, with just one word, the Liu family might not be able to obtain Destiny Disks, and it would be easy for them to be removed from the three great families.


    Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door again. When the courtyard door opened, he continued with a smile: ¡°Steward Sun, I¡¯m Liu Tianzheng. This is another Destiny Disk also prepared for Teacher Zhang. I initially wanted to hand it to him personally, but since he hasn¡¯t arrived yet, I¡¯ll trouble Steward Sun to pass it on¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll definitely hand it over to the young master and mention your name, Liu Tianzheng, right?¡±


    Sun Qiang took the second Destiny Disk, his attitude noticeably improved.


    Liu Tianzheng nodded.


    ¡°By the way... how did you offend the young master? Perhaps I could help you with some good words?¡±


    Sun Qiang patted his chest: ¡°Don¡¯t worry; the young master values me greatly. He will definitely listen to my words!¡±


    Seeing the fat man¡¯s confidence, Liu Tianzheng hesitated before saying, ¡°It was just a misunderstanding earlier this morning when I shed with Teacher Zhang and we had apetition¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh? You fought?¡± Sun Qiang¡¯s chubby face wrinkled like a bitter melon: ¡°This is troublesome. Our young master is low-key. Although he appears polite on the surface, he has an incredibly proud heart and is the least willing to forgive someone whoys hands on him. What may seem small, like apetition, could easily be interpreted as an intent to kill! Forget it; I can¡¯t say good words for you. Why don¡¯t... I return these two Destiny Disks to you?¡±


    As he spoke, Sun Qiang handed back the two Destiny Disks.


    Upon hearing this, Liu Tianzheng dared not take them back, shaking his head repeatedly: ¡°Please, Steward Sun, help me out... Here¡¯s a gift for you¡ªa thousand Source Coins for your trouble!¡±


    While speaking, he handed over two bills, each worth 5,000.


    After taking the bills, Sun Qiang, though still looking conflicted, didn¡¯t reject as strongly as before: ¡°Alright, even if I¡¯m scolded, I¡¯ll help you say a few words! But¡­ with only two Destiny Disks, I can¡¯t guarantee it will work¡­ If you have a few more, I might have a better chance.¡±


    Liu Tianzheng shook his head: ¡°I¡¯m afraid this is the only one left; it¡¯s already been used¡­ I don¡¯t have any more.¡±


    He would love to give more, but this item was scarce and expensive. If it weren¡¯t for Xu Xin¡¯s visit, he wouldn¡¯t have even had these three.


    ¡°Give it to me!¡±


    Before he finished speaking, thest Destiny Disk was snatched away by the fat man before he closed the door again. Curiously, a voice came from inside: ¡°By the way, when you fought, did you hit the young master?¡±


    Liu Tianzheng felt embarrassed: ¡°No, I was the one who got hit¡­¡±


    Sun Qiang sighed in relief: ¡°That¡¯s good!¡±


    ¡°???¡± Liu Tianzheng.


    Why don¡¯t I like this line of questioning?


    Wait, I¡¯ve already given three Destiny Disks and a thousand Source Coins, and I¡¯m still stuck outside the door?


    Just as he was about to knock again, the fat man¡¯s voice came from inside.


    ¡°Hey, since this guy is so sincere, when the young masteres backter, I¡¯ll definitely say some good words for him. I¡¯ll make sure to praise him as someone who is rare in heaven and earth.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    In an instant, Liu Tianzheng felt like he had gained something.


    Author''s Note

 Chapter 101: I Am Here to Apologize

    Chapter 101: I Am Here to Apologize


    ¡°Wait a minute, I feel like I¡¯ve been tricked¡­¡±


    This realization struck Liu Tianzheng not long after. Even if he was here to apologize to Zhang Xuan, there was no need to give away three Destiny Disks! Each of these was worth a thousand Source Coins, and even the Liu family would feel the pinch giving that much away!


    Previously, he had agreed to give Xu Xin a Destiny Disk because he could easily sell it for profit, but now he had received nothing in return, having given them all away. How was he supposed to pay for anything now?


    ¡°The key is that Xu Xin is Lord Ling¡¯s Fate Guardian. If he finds out I¡¯m trying to curry favor with other Destiny Masters, he will definitely be very angry!¡±


    A wave of panic surged within him.


    After confirming from Xu Xin that Zhang Xuan was indeed a Destiny Master, he became frightened and hurried over to mend rtionships, thinking that one Destiny Disk would be enough. However, Sun Qiang was too skilled at ying on emotions, and a few sentences hadpletely broken him down, making him unwittingly give away all his Destiny Disks.


    Now, without any disks to sell, how would he manage to pay? Would Xu Xin not make him pay for this?


    ¡°Maybe I should go back and figure out how to appease Xu Xin first¡­¡±As he pondered this in his heart, a familiar figure approached him, and he rubbed his eyes hard to confirm: ¡°Xu Daren, you... what are you doing here?¡±


    It was precisely the Xu Xin he wanted to appease!


    Seeing Liu Tianzheng also present, Xu Xin paused for a moment and replied truthfully: ¡°I came here to build a good rtionship with Teacher Zhang Xuan. What about you? Why aren¡¯t you going in?¡±


    ¡°Teacher Zhang isn¡¯t here; there¡¯s only his steward in the courtyard¡­¡± Liu Tianzheng quickly exined.


    Xu Xin eximed, ¡°Then let¡¯s go inside and wait. Why are we standing out here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll knock now¡­¡±


    As Liu Tianzheng began to exin, his eyes suddenly lit up.


    He couldn¡¯t get in, but Xu Xin definitely could! As a revered Fate Guardian, he would have no problem entering. They could go in together and avoid standing outside and drawing attention.


    Thinking this, he went to the door and knocked again.


    ¡°Steward Sun, it¡¯s me. Xu Daren is here to visit Teacher Zhang. I hope you can let us wait in the courtyard!¡±


    The door opened, and Sun Qiang appeared, his plump face showing a hint of confusion: ¡°Xu Daren?¡±


    ¡°Yes, this is Xu Xin Daren, the Fate Guardian from the Destiny Hall¡­¡± Liu Tianzheng exined.


    Sun Qiang cautiously looked over: ¡°He also offended the young master?¡±


    Before Liu Tianzheng could respond, Xu Xin smiled and replied, ¡°It¡¯s not really an offense. I just asked a few questions before, and I may have been disrespectful. I came this time to have a goodmunication with him to clear up any misunderstandings¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Sun Qiang nodded.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go in together!¡±


    After the exnation, Xu Xin looked at Liu Tianzheng, and the two walked toward the courtyard. Just as they approached, therge doors suddenly mmed shut, catching both of them off guard and mming their faces.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    Xu Xin shouted angrily.


    As a Fate Guardian, entering any city meant being received by the city lord and treated like a distinguished guest. To enter a small courtyard only to be met with a shut door was not just an embarrassment; it was a p in the face.


    As he fumed, Sun Qiang¡¯s voice came from inside: ¡°You two should just wait outside!¡±


    After all thatmotion, they were just here to apologize, and there was no need to be so polite anymore.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Xu Xin gritted his teeth, ready to storm over and smash the door, wanting to give this ipetent steward a piece of his mind. Just then, he heard the fat man inside mumbling.


    ¡°I originally wanted to talk about the young master¡¯s preferences and habits to help them smooth things over and gain the young master¡¯s favor... But now that I think about it, forget it! I¡¯m the one who¡¯s worried, but the other party might not even be grateful¡­¡±


    Xu Xin was speechless.


    Was this ckmail? No, it was outright extortion!


    Liu Tianzheng¡¯s eyelids twitched as well.


    Was this fat man crazy?


    He already mentioned that Xu Xin was a Fate Guardian, and yet he dared to speak like this¡­


    Didn¡¯t he fear a beating?


    While he thought Xu Xin might be furious about this, he saw him turn and look over: ¡°Liu n Leader, give me a hundred thousand Source Coins; the money can be deducted from our ounts.¡±


    Normally, if a mere steward dared to speak like this, Liu Tianzheng would have definitely lost his temper. But since Lord Ling had specifically instructed him to build a good rtionship with Zhang Xuan, he couldn¡¯t afford to offend the steward over something as small as entering a courtyard. Otherwise, it would be hard to smooth things overter.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±


    As Liu Tianzheng took the money from his pocket, his shock was immense.


    If before he had hesitated to confirm whether Zhang Xuan was a Destiny Master, he was now a hundred percent sure!


    Not to mention Xu Xin¡¯s attitude; if he didn¡¯t know about his young master¡¯s strength and capabilities, a mere steward wouldn¡¯t dare speak to a Fate Guardian like this!


    In this light, giving away three Destiny Disks was truly worth it¡­


    After receiving the Source Coins, Xu Xin knocked on the door again and slid the bills through the door crack: ¡°Steward Sun, this is a small token of my appreciation. I hope you can ept it and perhaps help me say a few good things about me to Teacher Zhang¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, Xu Daren is understanding, unlike some people who only think of their young master and don¡¯t regard those of us running errands as human¡­¡± Sun Qiang replied, receiving the bills.


    Liu Tianzheng¡¯s face twitched, nearly exploding.


    Didn¡¯t he just give him a hundred Source Coins? And he still didn¡¯t regard him as a person? What more could he do to be treated as human?


    ¡°Steward Sun, don¡¯t be upset. I didn¡¯t bring that much money with me today. I only have twenty thousand left, and I¡¯m giving it all to you. I hope you can speak a few good words for me¡­¡±


    Though frustrated, he had no other choice. Since Xu Xin had already given, he couldn¡¯t refuse.


    With a sigh, he rummaged through his things and handed over thest two thousand Source Coins through the door crack.


    Seeing that the other party took the bills, Liu Tianzheng couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Can you offer any advice, Steward Sun?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite simple, really.¡±


    Sun Qiang¡¯s voice came from inside: ¡°Since you¡¯re here to apologize, naturally, you should wait outside; that shows sincerity. Haven¡¯t you heard of ¡®standing in the snow at the door¡¯? Once the young master returns and sees you two like this, he will definitely be very touched! Everything I do is for you¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Xu Xin and Liu Tianzheng exchanged nces.


    While it felt odd logically, somehow it felt inexplicably right.


    Since you¡¯re apologizing, it naturally requires an attitude, and waiting at the door shows that attitude. Although the steward was just a steward, his words made sense.


    But¡­ why did it feel like the money they just gave was wasted?


    City Lord Yu Longqing rushed into the gate of White Rock Academy, his face full of urgency.


    Not far along the smooth, even streets of the campus, he saw his daughter¡¯s teachering out of the library.


    ¡°City Lord Yu? What brings you here?¡± the teacher asked, greeting him curiously.


    Yu Longqing sighed in relief and sped his hands: ¡°Teacher Zhang, I came specifically to find you. I have something to discuss!¡±


    Zhang Xuan looked at him in confusion.


    If the city lord hade specifically, it must be something important.


    Yu Longqing continued, ¡°Just now, Liu Tianzheng, the head of the Liu family, brought a Fate Guardian from the Destiny Hall to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion to inquire about your situation. I¡­ identally let slip that you have the talent of a Destiny Master!¡±


    ¡°I? Talent of a Destiny Master?¡± Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow.


    Indeed! You can allow students to learn autonomously just through your teaching, without needing to cultivate diligently¡­ this is the power of destiny!¡±


    Seeing him feign ignorance, Yu Longqing added, ¡°I know you prefer to keep a low profile, but now that I¡¯ve spoken about it, there¡¯s no need to hide it anymore¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes widened.


    He had heard a lot about Destiny Masterstely, but this was the first time he learned that the ability to teach was a form of destiny.


    So that¡¯s why you sent Yu Xiaoyu to me, and Dean Lu wanted to invite me to be a teacher. It was all because of this? But wait¡­ I haven¡¯t used this ability at all before.


    Zhang Xuan frowned.


    He had felt that these two high-ranking officials had been overly kind to him, but he couldn¡¯t understand why until now.


    ¡°The reason for sending Xiaoyu to Teacher Zhang is naturally that you possess a Saint Grade Source Pool and have exceptional talent¡­¡± Yu Longqing exined.


    ¡°A Saint Grade Source Pool?¡± Zhang Xuan finally understood.


    It seemed that his absorption of Destiny Energy had not gone unnoticed; he had thought he was hiding it well, but they had seen through him.


    If


    they found out that his so-called absorption was merely to store it in the Library of Heaven''s Path and to solidify the Xuan World, and that he couldn¡¯t even find a Source Pool, they would likely not consider him a genius.


    Of course, this was something he couldn¡¯t reveal.


    Not wanting to dwell on this issue any longer, Zhang Xuan asked curiously, ¡°Is there any problem if Xu Xin finds out about this?¡±


    ¡°Of course there is!¡± Yu Longqing nodded. ¡°If you have nopetition with them, that¡¯s fine. But if there ispetition, destiny is unique. The Destiny Master they guard may very well act against you before you¡¯ve had a chance to grow, eliminating any dangers in the bud¡­¡±


    ¡°Destiny is unique? What does that mean?¡± Zhang Xuan asked, confused.


    It means that each destiny is unique. Either they eliminate all practitioners or make everyone surrender; otherwise, it is impossible to reach the peak¡­¡±


    Yu Longqing briefly exined.


    After listening, Zhang Xuan finally understood.


    ¡°You¡¯re worried that Xu Xin is looking into me to cause me trouble, right?¡±


    This line of reasoning actually made sense. Those two hade to him asking numerous questions. Although he had exined things in detail, the other party might not believe him. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have run off to find the Fate Guardian.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Yu Longqing nodded.


    ¡°Thank you for informing me, City Lord. I will be cautious.¡±


    Knowing that the other party had good intentions, Zhang Xuan nodded. As they were talking, they arrived at his residence''s door. Just as he was about to walk over, he saw Xu Xin and Liu Tianzheng, whom they had been discussing, standing quietly at the entrance, looking like children who had made a mistake. They were sweating profusely but standing still.


    ¡°Oh no, they are nning to make a move¡­¡± Yu Longqing¡¯s expression changed.


    Before he could finish speaking, Xu Xin and the others noticed them and their faces lit up as they approached.


    ¡°Teacher Zhang, you finally arrived! We came here this time to apologize¡­¡±


    Xu Xin bowed and sped his hands.


    ¡°Apologize?¡±


    Both Yu Longqing and Zhang Xuan were taken aback.


    Author''s Note

 Chapter 102: Are You Still Capable?

    Chapter 102: Are You Still Capable?


    Just as he mentioned that the other party might want to take action, the situation turned out to bepletely the opposite, leaving anyone feeling a bit bewildered.


    ¡°Be careful, I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s a trick. How can someonee to apologize empty-handed?¡±


    Yu Longqing whispered.


    Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.


    Who would apologize just by saying it? They surely must bring a gift!


    At this moment, the courtyard door creaked open, and a grinning Sun Qiang ran up with his palm open, presenting a pile of items.


    ¡°Master, you¡¯re back! This is a gift sent by Mr. Liu, thirty thousand source coins, three Destiny Disks, and one hundred thousand source coins from Lord Xu...¡±


    Zhang Xuan was stunned.Items like those from the Source City were temporarily unnecessary, but three Destiny Disks were too precious; the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy contained within was enough for him to cultivate to the Jade Bone Realm and even higher!


    In contrast to his excitement, Yu Longqing squinted his eyes.


    This confirmed the other party¡¯s Destiny Master talent; they nned to use everything they had to befriend him. Otherwise, why would they present such precious treasures?


    Oh no, the advantage I gained early on is about to be overtaken by them. It seems I also need to collect treasures and present them with a proper attitude...


    ¡°You¡¯re too generous,¡± Zhang Xuan gestured for Sun Qiang to put the items away, smiling broadly. ¡°Please,e inside!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Teacher Zhang...¡± Xu Xin and Liu Tianzhi breathed a sigh of relief.


    They had stood outside for almost an hour, and their legs were getting numb.


    In the small courtyard''s pavilion, Dao Li busied himself brewing tea for everyone.


    Xu Xin and Liu Tianzhi had already met and were no longer surprised. Yu Longqing could hardly contain himself.


    He had known the other party was skilled in beast taming, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to be so high... I should try the Cangback Eagle when I get back. This fellow does nothing but eat and show off; it¡¯s time to let it do some work.


    Even if it couldn¡¯t cook or boil water, brewing tea should be fine, right?


    ¡°You two are too polite; it¡¯s just a misunderstanding. It¡¯s good as long as we clear things up¡­¡±


    After hearing their intentions, Zhang Xuan, though puzzled, epted calmly.


    Seeing he wasn¡¯t too angry and held no ill will toward them, Liu Tianzhi and Xu Xin finally felt at ease.


    Of course, the former was worried about his potential revenge, while thetter was thinking about building a rtionship and taking the opportunity to probe.


    ¡°I wonder... do you two have any other matters? If not, I may have some things to attend to¡­¡±


    After chatting for a while, Zhang Xuan waved his hand.


    With enough Destiny Disks, he could first refine the internal organ realm techniques he had just collected into Heaven''s Path techniques.


    In the more than an hour he spent in the library, he had gathered over a thousand books on the internal organ realm cultivation method; it should be enough.


    With such a remote location suddenly having a Fate Guardian take notice of him, it put considerable pressure on him. Though the other party¡¯s attitude was good and they sincerely came to apologize, he still felt uneasy and wanted to improve his cultivation as soon as possible!


    Moreover, the key was that he also wanted to ascertain what had happened on Kong Shi¡¯s side to help out.


    ¡°There is indeed something I want to discuss with Teacher Zhang...¡± Xu Xin smiled.


    ¡°Please, go ahead, Lord Xu!¡± Zhang Xuan gestured.


    After a brief pause, Xu Xin said, ¡°I¡¯m here representing the Destiny Hall to select some talents who can be Fate Guardians or even possess Destiny Master talent. Therefore... soon, I¡¯ll be discussing with Dean Lu about holding apetition among the students! I¡¯ve heard that the three disciples you epted are exceptionally gifted, so I hope you¡¯ll allow them to participate and not refuse¡­¡±


    Unaware of his intentions, Zhang Xuan nodded at such a trivial matter: ¡°Of course! But my students have just begun their cultivation; among the new students, they might still be considered good, butpared to many old students, they arecking.¡±


    Cultivation isn¡¯t just about practice; it requires variousbat experiences to advance rapidly. He was not against his studentspeting in a martial arts contest.


    ¡°Rest assured, Teacher Zhang! It¡¯s merely a selection; there won¡¯t be any issues!¡± Xu Xin hurriedly said.


    After little hesitation, Zhang Xuan nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡±


    Having said what he needed to, Xu Xin beckoned Liu Tianzhi to leave the small courtyard.


    With their goal achieved, saying too much would expose them.


    Once they left, Yu Longqing had no reason to stay and stood to bid farewell.


    ¡°Wait, City Lord Yu! I happen to have a favor to ask!¡± Zhang Xuan said.


    Yu Longqing looked over: ¡°As long as it¡¯s within my capability, I won¡¯t decline.¡±


    With Liu Tianzhi having given so many gifts, even a renowned Fate Guardian brought money, putting him under considerable pressure. He wasn¡¯t afraid of the other party asking; he was just afraid they wouldn¡¯t speak up.


    If there¡¯s a demand, there will be a way to help, which can increase his weight in the other¡¯s mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s about my steward Sun Qiang, who is also a drifter. I wonder if you could provide him with a suitable identity?¡±


    Zhang Xuan hurriedly said.


    Drifters struggle to survive in the Source World; purchasing items is quite inconvenient. He had been captured by the Mo family for this reason.


    There was no way back then, but now that the city lord was right in front of him and he was deliberately establishing a good rtionship, he naturally opened his mouth.


    ¡°This is easy!¡±


    Yu Longqing smiled slightly.


    Under normal circumstances, granting an identity to drifters can beplicated, but for him as the city lord, it was a trivial matter!


    ¡°Then I¡¯d be grateful... oh, by the way, I might also need to recruit some drifters as servants. I wonder if the city lord could help arrange a few more.¡±


    Seeing how rxed he was, Zhang Xuan took the opportunity to speak: ¡°If contributions or expenses are needed, I can manage them.¡±


    Now that Sun Qiang was here, Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, and others would surely need to be brought over as well. Since he had spoken once, it was better to settle everything in one go.


    ¡°No need to do anything!¡±


    Yu Longqing chuckled: ¡°I¡¯ll send over twenty identity tokens tonight; if that¡¯s not enough, I¡¯ll send more.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡±


    Zhang Xuan sped his fists. ¡°Thank you, City Lord! With so many identity tokens, I can¡¯t take advantage of you. If you need to capture a precious Source Beast to tame, just call me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Teacher Zhang!¡±


    Not expecting to gain such amitment from the other party, Yu Longqing¡¯s eyes lit up. After chatting for a while longer, he bowed and sped his fists: ¡°Then I won¡¯t disturb you any longer!¡±


    After that, he left the small courtyard, heading towards his daughter¡¯s residence.


    Having not seen her for more than a day, he wondered if the girl had been obedient, diligently cultivating Teacher Zhang¡¯s techniques, and whether she had made any progress. Since he was here, it was a good time to check.


    Once everyone had left, Zhang Xuan turned his attention to the three Destiny Disks and a pile of source tickets Sun Qiang handed over, his expression full of confusion.


    Even if Liu Tianzhi had offended him, it shouldn¡¯t warrant such an extravagant gift, right? Did hee into a fortune?


    ¡°It¡¯s like this¡­¡±


    Seeing his expression, Sun Qiang detailed what had just happened.


    Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.


    It seemed that Liu Tianzhi had originally intended to give just one Destiny Disk, but was fooled by this steward into taking more and more¡­


    ¡°You did well!¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction, then handed over the source tickets: ¡°You take these; spend them however you wish! Just pass on the tasks that can¡¯t be handled to me.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Sun Qiang nodded.


    The two had been cooperating since they were in the Tianxuan Kingdom, and they had be very tacit. There was no need for too many words.


    Zhang Xuan observed the three Destiny Disks, returned to his room, and in just half an hour, absorbed them all. At that moment, the Library of Heaven''s Path had gained over twenty-seven thousand new books.


    ¡°Merge!¡±


    With a thought, the internal organ realm techniques he had reviewed before immediately fused together, and then a book of Heaven¡¯s Path techniques appeared before him.


    As he touched it, the cultivation method flowed into his mind.


    The internal organs are the source of human strength. The more vitality the internal organs have, the longer the energy will be...


    The book began with an introduction; thetter part detailed the cultivation methods. Zhang Xuan was not in a hurry to cultivate but focused on another point. A thousand books began to burn, and suddenly, a little figure appeared, strictly following the special method to operate the power.


    Heaven''s Path Order!


    Remembering the operation route, Zhang Xuan sat cross-legged.


    In the meantime, rich source energy immediately gathered from all directions and surged into his body.


    ---


    As Zhang Xuan cultivated, Yu Longqing arrived at his daughter¡¯s residence.


    Yesterday, he had scolded his daughter for missing an opportunity, telling her to properly practice the techniques taught by Teacher Zhang. Now that more than a day had passed, she should have made considerable


    progress!


    ¡°If I had 0.5 strength before, and with more than a day, if I can progress to 0.6 horsepower, it means Teacher Zhang¡¯s techniques are indeed formidable!¡±


    Thinking to himself, Yu Longqing pushed the door open and walked into the room.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    Seeing her fathere in, Yu Xiaoyu quickly stood up.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going? Is there anything you don¡¯t understand? Do you need me to help guide you?¡±


    Yu Longqing smiled as he looked over.


    ¡°There are some, but the techniques taught by the teacher cannot be leaked. I can¡¯t show you the methods directly; I can only ask about areas I don¡¯t quite understand.¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu said.


    ¡°I understand this point. Don¡¯t worry; even if you show me, I wouldn¡¯t look!¡± Knowing what his daughter was worried about, Yu Longqing shook his head.


    Every teacher has their unique skills, and if students can¡¯t keep this little secret, who would dare to ept students in the future?


    ¡°Thank you for understanding, Dad!¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu breathed a sigh of relief. After hesitating for a moment, she asked about a passage she didn¡¯t understand from the secret manual given by her teacher: ¡°Source energy gathers from all directions, the physical body is like mud, and fiery mes transform it into porcin... I don¡¯t quite understand how to interpret this!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s simple. It means utilizing the eight acupoints in your body to absorb source energy, then tempering your physical body, much like how porcin is made. It requires hammering and refining repeatedly to transform the muddy body into solid porcin...¡±


    After thinking for a while, Yu Longqing exined.


    Yu Xiaoyu nodded and sat cross-legged, practicing ording to her father¡¯s exnation. After a while, she suddenly opened her eyes wide.


    ¡°No, the method you mentioned doesn¡¯t quite fit with my previous training. I can¡¯t absorb the source energy at all... I just asked one question, and you exined it wrong!¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu shook her head, looking at the man before her, who was once a formidable hero in her eyes, filled with confusion: ¡°Dad, are you still capable?¡±


    Author''s Note

 Chapter 103: Mo Yanxues Aspirations

    Chapter 103: Mo Yanxue''s Aspirations


    Although she didn¡¯t understand the exact meaning of her father¡¯s words, she realized that his failure to exin the cultivation method properly indicated he had misunderstood!


    Having always believed her father to be omnipotent, now that he got a simple exnation wrong... could he still be capable?


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible...¡± Yu Longqing frowned.


    Yu Xiaoyu said, ¡°Let¡¯s see, how about you exin this sentence: ¡®Gathering strength into a circle, converging in the dantian!¡¯¡±


    ¡°This is simple; it means to gather the strength into a circle and circte it to the dantian...¡± Yu Longqing exined.


    ¡°What about: ¡®Gather breath into a tower, disperse energy like flowing water?¡¯¡± Yu Xiaoyu continued.


    After some thought, Yu Longqing said, ¡°It means to gather the breath inside to form a high tower, and if uncontrolled, the true energy will flow away like water...¡±


    ¡°Wrong! All wrong!¡±Yu Xiaoyu shook her head, looking disdainful. ¡°I thought you understood cultivation well, but it turns out you¡¯re just a half-baked teacher!¡±


    Surprised by his daughter¡¯s scorn, Yu Longqing¡¯s face turned green. ¡°If my exnation is wrong, then you tell me what these two sentences really mean?¡±


    No matter how one looked at it, he was a master at the eighth level of Source Pool with a Divine Soul, the top person in White Roc City. He had painstakingly helped to exin the techniques but was met with constant doubt...


    ¡°I asked my teacher about these two sentences in ss, and here¡¯s what he exined!¡±


    Knowing that if she didn¡¯t rify, her father wouldn¡¯t believe he was wrong, Yu Xiaoyu said, ¡°The first sentence, ¡®Gathering strength into a circle,¡¯ refers to cultivating one¡¯s strength to the level of perfection, so that it can converge in the dantian. Otherwise, the Source Energy can be unruly, making it easy to lose control, which could harm the body¡ªlightly leading to going astray in cultivation and heavily endangering one¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°The second sentence, ¡®Gather breath into a tower, disperse energy like flowing water,¡¯ refers to refining true energy. You need to have the spirit of building a tower,ying a solid foundation so you can buildyer byyer. You can¡¯t just jump to the ninthyer; you have to start from the firstyer. ¡®Disperse energy like flowing water¡¯ means if you can¡¯t control the Source Energy, you should let it flow naturally like water, instead of forcing it; otherwise, it would be time-consuming andborious, yielding no results¡­¡±


    Hearing his daughter¡¯s exnation, Yu Longqing was shocked, as if enlightened. His body involuntarily trembled.


    Letting things happen naturally, right...


    Digging a waterway to draw water uphill is almost impossible, but digging a spring at the mountain¡¯s peak to let it flow down naturally can ensure the entire mountain has water to drink...


    That¡¯s what letting things happen naturally means.


    In an instant, the parts he had not understood in his cultivation melded together, and the barriers that had blocked his cultivation for many years suddenly shattered like ss struck by a bell.


    Boom!


    A massive phantom appeared behind him, dignified and seated in mid-air.


    Source Pool Ninth Level, Dharma Aspect!


    After listening to his daughter¡¯s exnation of the technique, he had an epiphany and directly broke through the barriers that had bound him for years, reaching the Dharma Aspect!


    Yu Xiaoyu blinked.


    The technique her teacher had given her was only for the third level of Source Pool cultivation. Exining it to her father had allowed him to grasp it, thus achieving a breakthrough... What level of technique was this? How could it be so powerful?


    After a considerable time, Yu Longqing finally stabilized his cultivation, drew the Dharma Soul back into his body, and slowly opened his eyes.


    Looking at his daughter again, his eyes were filled with excitement: ¡°What other techniques has Teacher Zhang passed on to you? Quickly exin them to me! This set of techniques directly points to the essence of cultivation, and it¡¯s incredibly helpful to me¡­¡±


    Initially wanting to help his daughter with exnations, he found himself in the position of wanting her to teach him instead...


    ¡°Dad... get a grip! The teacher¡¯s techniques cannot be shared, even if you are my dad!¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu shook her head.


    Only then did Yu Longqinge back to his senses from his excitement, his eyes filled with longing: ¡°Xiaoyu, how about... you ask Teacher Zhang if I can also be his disciple? Don¡¯t worry; we¡¯ll keep it separate¡ªyou¡¯ll call me Dad, and I¡¯ll call you Senior Sister¡­¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu sighed.


    After a long time, Yu Longqing finally recovered, filled with frustration.


    Had he known that Teacher Zhang understood cultivation so profoundly, just the casual exnations of his techniques were so arcane, he would have asked to be a disciple long ago... what business did this girl have with it?


    ¡°What level of strength have you achieved after practicing this technique for more than two days?¡±


    Yu Longqing asked curiously.


    When hest parted from his daughter, he had only 0.5 horsepower; now, could it be that she had already reached 0.6 horsepower or even more?


    ¡°There¡¯s no measuring array here, so I¡¯m not sure,¡± Yu Xiaoyu shook her head.


    ¡°Just throw a punch; I can estimate it!¡±


    Yu Longqing smiled.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu nodded, stepping forward and throwing a punch at her father.


    Yu Longqing smiled slightly and raised his hand to meet it.


    In the next moment, the city lord Yu Longqing was sent flying backward, his form stabilizing in the air as the Dharma aspect emerged to keep him from crashing down.


    ¡°You, you...¡±


    His pupils contracted, and Yu Longqing looked as if he had seen a ghost: ¡°Is that... 3 horsepower?!¡±


    In just over a day of cultivation, she had gone from 0.5 horsepower to an astonishing 3 horsepower... was this normal cultivation?


    As a master at the Dharma Aspect, his power had already surpassed the 100 horsepower threshold. By right, 3 horsepower shouldn¡¯t have shaken him in the slightest. Yet, he had always thought his daughter was at most 0.6 horsepower; receiving her punch should have been simr. But here he was, sent flying by a single strike...


    ¡°3 horsepower?!¡±


    Not only was he shocked, but Yu Xiaoyu was alsopletely stunned.


    She had initially thought the techniques taught by her teacher were fast in the beginning but would slow downter. Now, it seemed they remained consistently rapid...


    ¡°Oh, right! The Fate Guardian Xu Xin from the imperial capital wants to hold a martial artspetition for the students, and you must participate! Here¡¯s a segment of Spirit Source Bamboo; you should find a way to refine it, which can elerate your strength increase!¡±


    After the shock wore off, Yu Longqing produced a green bamboo pole and handed it over.


    The leaves of the Spirit Source Bamboo had been used up, but the pole could still be used... at least for Yu Xiaoyu, it would provide significant help.


    Just by absorbing the dispersed Source Energy from the sky, she had skyrocketed from 0.5 horsepower to 3 horsepower in just over a day. With this treasure, her progress would surely be even greater!


    In an instant, Yu Longqing found himself looking forward to his daughter¡¯s performance in thepetition.


    In the Dean¡¯s Office.


    ¡°You want to hold apetition for all the students to select geniuses?¡±


    After hearing Xu Xin¡¯s request, Lu Mingrong furrowed his brows. ¡°We can hold it, but it will take some time. It definitely won¡¯t be possible in three days!¡±


    Studentpetitions ur every year and require a lot of preparation beforehand. How could they just say there¡¯s apetition and start immediately?


    Xu Xin said, ¡°The Liu family will cover all the expenses, and even those in the top ten will receive generous rewards!¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Liu Tianzhi said, ¡°Ah... yes!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just about the rewards; the time is too tight. We need a venue for thepetition, right? We need judges, too. If someone gets injured, we¡¯ll need medical attention! Who willpete against whom, and we need to arrange the process?¡±


    Lu Mingrong shook his head. ¡°White Rock Academy has over fifty thousand students from the lower grades to the higher grades. How long will it take to get results from thispetition? It¡¯s not that easy.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying it can¡¯t be done in three days?¡± Xu Xin frowned.


    ¡°Indeed! Absolutely impossible!¡± Lu Mingrong shook his head.


    Xu Xin sighed, ¡°Alright then, Liu family head, please inform Teacher Zhang that thispetition won¡¯t take ce¡­¡±


    Liu Tianzhi showed a joyful expression: ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°Teacher Zhang? Teacher Zhang Xuan?¡± Lu Mingrong looked over.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Xu Xin nodded. ¡°I just came from Teacher Zhang. I discussed thepetition, and he agreed. I thought Dean Lu would support it. Since it can¡¯t be done, I¡¯ll have to tell him it¡¯s off...¡±


    ¡°Why not hold it? Of course, we should!¡±


    Lu Mingrong said seriously: ¡°Not only should we hold it, but we¡¯ll start tomorrow. Isn¡¯t it just a studentpetition? White Rock Academy has organized many such events; for us, it¡¯s second nature; it¡¯s all small matters!¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    Liu Tianzhi said, ¡°But we need a venue.¡±


    Author''s Note

 Chapter 104: Re-establishing Communication with Teacher Kong

    Chapter 104: Re-establishing Communication with Teacher Kong


    After a night of cultivation, Zhang Xuan slowly opened his eyes.


    Crack! Crack!


    As his body moved, his bones emitted a series of crisp sounds. A mouthful of turbid air was expelled, resembling a white line that stretched over ten meters before gradually dissipating.


    Internal organs circted, and air was expelled over five steps!


    Peak of the Source Pool Sixth Layer of the Organ Realm!


    After forming the cultivation method yesterday, he began his practice. Hard work bore fruit; after a night of tempering, his internal organs felt as solid as steel. With each breath, it was as if he were a furnace, refining Source Energy into pure strength, fueling him continuously.


    Under normal circumstances, after tempering the internal organs, a specific internal cirction would form. By holding the air on the tip of his tongue, he could expel it over a distance of five meters.


    At this moment, Zhang Xuan could casually expel it over ten meters. The organs refined by the Heaven''s Path cultivation method clearly surpassed those of ordinary people.He threw a punch, and the air crackled, like rain hitting banana leaves.


    ¡®99 horsepower... Unfortunately, even with the Heaven''s Path cultivation method, it¡¯s difficult to break through the limits of the physical body!¡¯


    Normally, only the strongest peak of the Jade Bone Realm could cultivate strength up to 99 horsepower, which was the physical limit. To make further progress, one needed to integrate the soul with the body.


    He had thought that the Heaven''s Path cultivation method could break this barrier, but it also failed.


    After reaching thete stage of the Organ Realmst night, he already possessed this strength, yet there was no increase in power when he tried to break through the peak...


    ¡°Strange!¡±


    Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    Previously, whether in the Master Teacher Continent or the Firmament, as long as one''s cultivation broke through, power and spirit would naturally increase. Here, however, 99 horsepower felt like a ceiling,pletely locking him in.


    Whoosh!


    With a movement, he entered the new world.


    Creak! Creak!


    In an instant, his physical body broke through, exceeding 100 horsepower.


    Returning, he found that the strength over 100 horsepower reverted back to 99.


    ¡°It seems the Source World has a peculiar force that restricts cultivation, preventing breakthroughs past 99 horsepower until one reaches the Soul Realm...¡±


    Zhang Xuan pondered.


    If he had previously thought it was his cultivation issue, after testing, he quickly realized that it was not the case at all.


    It was the Source World¡¯s problem, which could be eliminated upon entering the new world.


    Of course, this held no significance for him. The new world was created by him. As the creator, surpassing 100 horsepower was easy; unleashing infinite horsepower would be a piece of cake.


    ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s contact Teacher Kong¡­¡±


    Understanding the rules of the Source World, he knew that if he recklessly sought a breakthrough without sufficient cultivation, he could very well face punishment from Heaven''s Path. Thus, Zhang Xuan did not dwell on it and pointed his finger like a sword, stabbing at the air before him.


    When heaven feels emotion, even heaven grows old.


    A few days ago, he had just recovered from his injuries and had used this technique, which connected him with the other party, although it had caused him bacsh, making him spit blood.


    Now that he had reached the peak of the Organ Realm, with his power nearly tenfold, he should be able to sustain it longer, perhaps gaining more information.


    The sword tip created a small whirlpool in the air, and then, Teacher Kong''s gentle voice emerged from within.


    ¡°Zhang Xuan!¡±


    ¡°Teacher Kong, how are things on your side?¡± Zhang Xuan quickly inquired.


    Last time, he mentioned he wasn¡¯t well and might be in danger; he wondered if the danger had been resolved.


    ¡°Not yet; I¡¯m trapped in a ce and cannot escape. If you¡¯re fine over there, hurry ande save me. I¡¯m in the Tianming Divine Domain of the Zouyi Dynasty...¡±


    Teacher Kong¡¯s voice transmitted through.


    ¡°The Zouyi Dynasty? Tianming?¡± Zhang Xuan noted the location.


    He nned to check the libraryter to see how far it was from his current location.


    Yesterday, he had browsed several geography books in the library and knew that the current ce he resided in, White Roc City, was a town within the Hanyuan Dynasty.


    There were no less than a hundred thousand simr dynasties in the Source World. If categorized into first-rate, second-rate, and third-rate, the Hanyuan Dynasty would probably not even be ssified as a third-rate; it was quite weak.


    ¡°How about you? I told you to be careful; haven¡¯t you attracted the attention of the Destiny Hall?¡± Teacher Kong asked after he finished speaking.


    ¡°You know me, Teacher Kong. I¡¯ve always kept a low profile...¡± Zhang Xuan said modestly.


    There was a noticeable silence from Teacher Kong¡¯s side. After a moment, he replied, ¡°Just be careful.¡±


    ¡°Why fear being noticed by the Destiny Hall? Do they really harbor ill intentions towards us ascenders?¡± Zhang Xuan was puzzled.


    From what he understood, the Destiny Hall was where Destiny Masters resided, and Destiny Masters were the most noble and powerful profession in the Source World. Surely they wouldn¡¯t persecute some ordinary ascenders out of fear!


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact reason, but they¡¯vebeled me as a ¡®Chaotic Fate Practitioner,¡¯ and are hunting me down. If it weren''t for my good fortune to have identally entered this ce, I would have long been captured!¡± Teacher Kong exined.


    Zhang Xuan frowned. ¡°Chaotic Fate Practitioner?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s said that decades ago, there was one who disturbed the destiny and disrupted the energy mechanism, nearly causing the entire Source World to copse. Just be careful, and don¡¯t expose your powers too much... Especially those rted to destiny!¡±


    Teacher Kong cautioned.


    Zhang Xuan nodded, recalling something. ¡°Now that you mention it, I did notice something strange. Last night, a Fate Guardian came over, ttering me and nning to hold a studentpetition.¡±


    The sudden decision by Xu Xin to host apetition was indeed odd. Since he couldn¡¯t figure it out himself, he decided to ask Teacher Kong; perhaps he could glean some insights.


    After all, the Zouyi Dynasty he was currently in was obviously more advanced than the Hanyuan Dynasty, and it had more information to ess.


    ¡°Did you reveal the ability of ¡®Heavenly Tutge¡¯?¡± Teacher Kong asked.


    ¡°I showcased it¡­¡± Zhang Xuan nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s the power of destiny, the way of the teacher¡¯s destiny! I was pursued and attacked because I revealed this ability. It seems the Destiny Hall has already taken notice of you. Be careful.¡±


    At that moment, the whirlpool shook again and then copsed, followed by a moment when the voice disappeared.


    Letting out a muffled grunt, Zhang Xuan staggered back seven or eight steps, his face flushed, blood seeping from the corners of his mouth.


    Despite his significant progress in cultivation, maintaining such a transcendent sword technique against Heaven''s Path was still quite difficult.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again next time!¡±


    Knowing it was impossible to contact Teacher Kong until he recovered, Zhang Xuan adjusted for a moment, feeling much better before exhaling.


    Though their conversation was short, it had rified many things for him.


    First, the Master Teacher ability is a type of destiny power.


    Second, Teacher Kong wasbeled a "Chaotic Fate Practitioner" and was being hunted by the Destiny Hall.


    Third, powers rted to destiny should not be casually revealed, or it would easily attract suspicion.


    Fortunately, he had kept a low profile during this period. Even though he had used Heavenly Tutge, not many people were aware. The most crucial point was that he hadn¡¯t used other abilities much, which hadn¡¯t drawn too much attention.


    As long as they kept a low profile during the uingpetition, with Yu Xiaoyu and the others not standing out too much, it should be fine.


    With that thought, he stood up and walked out of the room.


    ¡°Hiss, hiss, hiss~¡±


    In the yard, Dao Li approached happily, snorting and pointing with its hooves.


    A table of dishes had already been set in the pavilion.


    It seemed this fellow had been cooking since early morning.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Sun Qiang?¡± Zhang Xuan frowned.


    ¡°Cough, cough!¡±


    Dao Li exined a few things.


    Zhang Xuan suddenly realized, ¡°He¡¯s already eaten and gone out to find a way to earn money... Alright!¡±


    Having been in cultivation, and ording to his past life¡¯s understanding, it was now around ten o''clock in the morning. It was normal for the other party not to be at home thiste.


    ¡°Oh, go call Yu Xiaoyu, Liu Mingyue, and Hong Yi over. Tell them I need to see them!¡±


    He sat down to eat, giving his orders.


    Dao Li nodded itsrge head and pushed the door open to leave, disappearing shortly after.


    In the room where Mo Yanxue was, this youngdy from the Mo family was currently standing quietly with her eyes closed. Suddenly, her beautiful eyes widened, and with a low shout, she threw a punch.


    Bang!


    The air crackled as a stream of air shot straight forward.


    ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ve reached 2 horsepower!¡±


    Clenching her fists, Mo Yanxue''s eyes sparkled.


    After a night of hard training, the Golden Source Spiritual Liquid had beenpletely absorbed. Although there was no measuring formation, based on her experience, she knew she had definitely reached her desired goal!


    In just three days since enrolling, she had


    increased from 0.45 to 2.0 horsepower, a nearly 4.5-fold improvement. This speed of advancement was something even the former City Lord Yu could hardly match; she could be considered the best in White Roc City for a hundred years!


    ¡°I¡¯ll go find Xiaoyu and see what realm she has reached in her training!¡±


    After being sent flying by Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s punchst time, she had been holding a grudge. This time, she was sure she could clear her name.


    Just as she stepped out of her room and had not yet reached Xiaoyu¡¯s residence, a fine steed came galloping towards her.


    Blocking its path, Mo Yanxue asked curiously, ¡°Didn¡¯t you sell it to Teacher Zhang? What are you doing here?¡±


    Dao Li nced at the girl and raised its head, ignoring her.


    It recognized this girl; when it was young, she was the one who raised it, the thousand-mile horse!


    ¡°That¡¯s right; horses can¡¯t understand human speech¡­¡±


    Seeing its demeanor, Mo Yanxue realized this and was about to shake her head when Dao Li fixed itsrge eyes on her, appearing somewhat angry, as if questioning who couldn¡¯t understand human speech?


    ¡°You understand?¡±


    Seeing its attitude, Mo Yanxue was confused.


    ¡°Er, er!¡±


    Noticing her continued skepticism, Dao Li grew displeased, letting out a long neigh. Suddenly, it lifted its front hoof and kicked towards Mo Yanxue, seemingly wanting to punish her for her doubts.


    ¡°Attacking me? Dao Li, you think too highly of yourself. I¡¯m no longer the same as I was three days ago; I¡¯m now a master!¡±


    Seeing this fellow¡¯s rudeness, Mo Yanxue smiled and shook her head, then clenched her beautiful fist and struck back at its hoof.


    Having just broken through, she had yet to test her strength. Since this horse was so rude, she would just show its might!


    It was also a good opportunity to verify her cultivation.


    !


    Her fist and its hoof collided.


    The immense power of Mo Yanxue, exceeding 2.0 horsepower, surged forward violently. Even before she reached it, she was crushed back by the force from the horse''s hoof, like a ping-pong ball meeting a lead ball.


    The next moment, before this youngdy from the Mo family could react, she was sent flying over ten meters,nding on the ground.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Struggling against the pain, Mo Yanxue got up, incredulously looking at the steed before her.


    The strength of one horse refers to the total strength of a horse. Even a thousand-mile horse wouldn¡¯t be too much stronger. She thought that with her two horsepower, dealing with Dao Li should show it the terrifying power of human cultivators, but she never expected to be easily defeated!


    ¡°Hey, hey~¡±


    Seeing her fall hard, Dao Li grinned, exposing a row of neat big teeth, and proudly walked past her.


    Acting all high and mighty, as if it were strong! What a joke!


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Noticing the disdain in its eyes, Mo Yanxue¡¯s body trembled with anger, but she had no way to retort.


    ¡°Maybe Dao Li has a good innate constitution and possesses strength that exceeds two horsepower from the start!¡±


    Finding a suitable excuse for herself, Mo Yanxue felt much better.


    Her training was meant to bepared to peers of her age, like Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue, so what did it matterpeting with a beast?


    And she had lost, to boot.


    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely shine during thepetition!¡±


    Muttering to herself, she was just about to head to the Martial Arts Field when she saw Dao Li rushing over at high speed, with Hong Yi following closely behind. Both seemed to be in a hurry.


    Mo Yanxue looked at Hong Yi, who three days ago had ranked at the bottom with the lowest talent. Now, his aura was long and steady, and with each stride, he covered seven or eight meters. Before she could even see him clearly, he had already dashed past her.


    ¡°What incredible speed!¡±


    Mo Yanxue''s expression froze.


    As the youngdy of the Mo family, she had had skilled sparring partners since childhood. Although she had just started cultivating, she was well aware of many things in cultivation, even recognizing the strength of some cultivators with a single nce.


    At this moment, Hong Yi could leap such a distance in one step while sprinting wildly, his breath not faltering, even having some reserve strength... His power was likely not weaker than her own!


    Just three days ago, he only had 0.2 horsepower and no resources at all, yet now he possessed strength that surpassed hers?


    ¡°I must be seeing things¡­¡±


    Shaking her head, Mo Yanxue tried using the Celestial Step to leap forward. As her leg power surged, dust rose from the ground, and in the blink of an eye, she too darted out like Hong Yi.


    After moving forward for a moment, she stopped to gauge her footprints¡¯ distance... 6 meters!


    This meant Hong Yi''s running speed was faster than she could achieve even with all her effort!


    She wouldn''t lose to a horse, would she? This was someone who had once rankedst!


    In an instant, Mo Yanxue was filled with disbelief, hastily rushing in the direction where the two had gone. Before long, she saw the steed stop at the entrance of Yu Xiaoyu''s room.


    It wasn¡¯t long before her friend emerged, jingling with bells, hastily following Dao Li and Hong Yi.


    ¡°Xiaoyu¡¯s speed... seems even faster!¡±


    At a distance, Mo Yanxue¡¯s fists unconsciously clenched tightly.


    In the Energy Storing Realm, strength and speed were proportional. The faster the speed, the stronger the explosive power. This was an undeniable fact.


    Once the two had left, Mo Yanxue arrived at where they had just passed, ncing at the traces left behind. She quietly calcted in her heart, and her fists unconsciously tightened.


    Each step had a distance of ten meters!


    Moreover... judging by her friend''s previous pace, it was far from her limit.


    Could it be that Yu Xiaoyu''s strength had already exceeded 2.0 horsepower?


    That¡¯s impossible!


    Having relied on the Golden Source Spiritual Liquid and tirelessly adhering to Dean Lu¡¯s guidance without a hint of rxation... the progress she made could be considered the best in a century; how could anyone surpass her?


    ¡°No matter the reason, once thepetition starts, I¡¯ll definitely know¡­¡±


    In shock but still somewhat skeptical, Mo Yanxue gritted her silver teeth and turned towards the Martial Arts Field.


    Regardless of the reason her friend was running so fast, she was determined to im the title of the top new student; she wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to take it from her.


    ¡°Teacher!¡±


    In the small courtyard, summoned by Dao Li, three disciples quickly gathered before Zhang Xuan.


    After a day and night of cultivation, everyone had made significant progress. Looking at their teacher again, they were filled with admiration.


    ¡°You should all be aware of thepetitioning up, right?¡±


    Putting down his chopsticks, Zhang Xuan looked over.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Yu Xiaoyu and the others replied in unison, cupping their fists.


    ¡°I called you here to let you know that during thispetition, it¡¯s best to keep a low profile. There¡¯s no need to showcase too much strength; just do what feels right¡­¡± Zhang Xuan advised.


    Yu Xiaoyu, Liu Mingyue, and the others exchanged nces and blinked.


    Unlike other teachers, who wished for their students to stand out and prove their teaching skills, their teacher had instructed them not to outshine too much...


    Such selflessness was admirable.


    In an instant, their admiration for him deepened.


    ¡°Alright, if there¡¯s nothing else, go participate in thepetition!


    Having finished his instructions, Zhang Xuan waved his hand.


    Leaving the small courtyard, the three exchanged nces once more.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Liu Mingyue could no longer hold back.


    Yu Xiaoyu said, ¡°The teacher is great in every way, but he¡¯s just too low-key. Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do: we¡¯llpete normally, and if no one provokes us, we¡¯ll just keep things within limits, following the teacher¡¯s arrangements. If someone tries to be unruly, we¡¯ll make sure to uphold the teacher''s name and let the entire White Roc City know that his teachings are unrivaled!¡±


    ¡°Yu Xiaoyu, although I don¡¯t like you, I agree with this suggestion!¡± Liu Mingyue nodded.


    Hong Yi said, ¡°I¡¯ll follow the decisions of both senior sisters!¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled!¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu pped her hands in agreement.


    Author''s Note

 Chapter 105: The Alliance of Seventeen Kingdoms

    Chapter 105: The Alliance of Seventeen Kingdoms


    Uncertain about the ns of the three disciples, Zhang Xuan once again arrived at the library.


    The studentpetition held no appeal for him; it was irrelevant whether he attended or not. Now, with the three Destiny Disks gifted by the head of the Liu family, he had ample Heaven''s Fate Energy. His goal was to ascertain Teacher Kong''s situation and quickly enhance his strength and cultivation.


    The library was filled with a dense collection of books, but this time Zhang Xuan did not head straight for the cultivation methods. Instead, he went to the section on geography and culture.


    Overview of the Terrain of the Hanyuan Dynasty, History of the Ten Great Dynasties, Introduction to the Dynasties, The Grievances and Affections between the Surrounding Three Kingdoms and the Hanyuan Dynasty.


    A nce showed there were quite a few misceneous books.


    Zhang Xuan was not in a hurry to catalog them; he checked them one by one. After passing through two rows of bookshelves without finding the information he wanted, he couldn''t help but frown.


    Most of these books were records about the Hanyuan Dynasty and over a dozen surrounding countries, yet none contained any information about the Zouyi Dynasty, as if this kingdom did not exist at all.


    Just as he was puzzled, Su Qiao approached. ¡°Teacher Zhang, what kind of books are you looking for?¡±As the manager of the library, Su Qiao was still deeply impressed by Zhang Xuan''s previous tumultuous absorption of Source Energy, which had caused quite a stir. He wanted to ask in advance to prevent another incident.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for some books that introduce the entire continent. Do we have any here?¡± Zhang Xuan asked.


    Su Qiao shook his head. ¡°The continent where the Hanyuan Dynasty is located is vast and boundless. We are just a small drop in the ocean; it¡¯s insignificant. How could we possibly have such books? Only arge force like the Destiny Hall, which spans the entire continent, might have ess to them!¡±


    Zhang Xuan understood.


    It was simr to when he was in the Tianxuan Kingdom, searching through all the books but never discovering the Zhang family of Saints or the Alien Spirit n¡ªnot because they were backward, but because they were too remote toe into contact with.


    The same applied to the Hanyuan Dynasty; the ten surrounding dynasties were about the same size, with somewhat simr territories. It would be exceedingly difficult for someonepiling books to write about the entire continent.


    ¡°Elder Su, have you ever heard of the Zouyi Dynasty?¡± Zhang Xuan inquired, understanding this point.


    ¡°The Zouyi Dynasty?¡± Su Qiao pondered for a moment and shook his head involuntarily. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it! It shouldn¡¯t belong to the Seventeen Kingdoms Alliance.¡±


    ¡°The Seventeen Kingdoms Alliance? What is that?¡± Zhang Xuan asked.


    Su Qiao smiled. ¡°The kingdoms on the continent are divided into first, second, and third tiers¡ªfirst tier being the highest and third tier the lowest. Only those who enter the ranks can obtain the qualifications for cultivation. The Hanyuan Dynasty doesn¡¯t even qualify as a third tier. To allow the people within to find Source Pools and be cultivators, they united with a total of sixteen other unranked dynasties, forming this alliance.¡±


    This alliance fights together in times of danger and assists each other in crises, akin to brothers supporting one another, which enabled them to im a third-tier kingdom status and gain an opportunity to reside in the Destiny Hall.


    Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow, revealing a hint of confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean by cultivation qualifications or the opportunity to reside in the Destiny Hall¡­¡±


    Is there a qualification required to cultivate?


    As long as there is a Source Pool, can¡¯t one cultivate?


    Why would it be rted to the status of the kingdom?


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Su Qiao looked at him in surprise, though he found it odd. He continued to exin, ¡°Source Warriors need to find Source Pools to cultivate, and not everyone has ess to them. Without the fate for cultivation, even if one searched their entire life, they could never activate it, let alone cultivate! Just like in our Hanyuan Dynasty, previous cultivators spent their lives searching for a Source Pool but found nothing due to ack of fate. This is the saying: ¡®What is meant to be wille to be; what is not meant to be should not be forced!¡¯¡±


    ¡°The Destiny Hall controls fate. Only by establishing a branch hall here can the people here gain the destiny and qualifications to cultivate, allowing them to find Source Pools.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Zhang Xuan trembled all over.


    He had always been puzzled about why hecked a Source Pool. After all this time, it turned out that he did not belong to any kingdom, and naturally, he didn¡¯t possess the fate for cultivation!


    But through the Xuan World, he had forcibly created a Source Pool¡­ Wasn¡¯t that defying fate?


    ¡°Not only that, but cultivation must strictly adhere to fate!¡±


    Su Qiao continued, ¡°For instance, no matter how many spiritual herbs you consume or how powerful the cultivation method you practice, as long as your soul does not break through, your power will be capped at 99 horsepower and cannot exceed it. This is the power of fate! This also exins why cultivators at each realm do not differ too much from one another.¡±


    Zhang Xuan understood.


    He was clearly at thete stage of the Organ Realm, yet he possessed 99 horsepower. To think that even at the peak, he was still capped at 99 horsepower¡ªafter all this time, it was not that he had problems with his cultivation, but this was the reason.


    Fate decreed that without a breakthrough in the soul, power could not exceed 99 horsepower. Thus, even the Heaven''s Path cultivation method could not break through this limit.


    ¡°What aspects does fate epass?¡±


    After recovering from the shock, Zhang Xuan was curious.


    ¡°There¡¯s quite a lot to it. What Teacher Zhang excels in¡ªbeast taming¡ªis one form of fate. Alchemy and weapon crafting are also included, even matters of life, death, marriage, and crises; everything falls under fate.¡± Su Qiao exined.


    Doesn¡¯t that mean... one¡¯s entire life is subject to the constraints of fate? Zhang Xuan frowned.


    If that¡¯s the case, living means being constrained. What meaning does life have?


    ¡°Even without fate, one is still bound!¡±


    Seeing that he didn¡¯t understand, Su Qiao borated, ¡°Eating with chopsticks, finding a bed to sleep, using a cup to drink water¡­ thesemon actions also adhere to rules. Arguing with others is a sign of immaturity; being bullied and not retaliating shows grace; dating multiple girls makes one a scoundrel; remaining single after losing a spouse is a virtue¡­ these are rules subtly ingrained in your heart. As long as you¡¯re alive, how can you notply? You can certainly act as you please!¡±


    ¡°Indeed!¡± Zhang Xuan fell silent.


    With this perspective, it was evident that rules were everywhere, and no one could escape, even someone like him, the lord of a world.


    Su Qiao continued, ¡°Rules form the structure of society, the foundation of kingdoms, and even the basis of the world. Without these, everything would be chaos!¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Without rules, nothing could hold its shape. If everyone were driven by desire, the world would be filled with chaos, violence, and bloodshed. No one would produce anything, nor would anyone strive.


    After inquiring a few more things, Zhang Xuan gained a certain understanding of the Destiny Hall and Destiny Masters. He then cupped his fists gratefully and said, ¡°Thank you, Elder Su, for clearing my doubts!¡±


    ¡°Teacher Zhang is too polite. I have been in this library for decades. If you need to find any kind of books, just let me know! Whatever I know, I will share without reservation,¡± Su Qiao smiled.


    ¡°Thank you, Elder Su. With that said, I happen to have something I¡¯d like to ask. I want to see the cultivation methods for the Jade Bone Realm, but it seems there aren¡¯t any in this library¡­¡±


    Realizing that the library had no information on the Zouyi Dynasty, Zhang Xuan stopped searching.


    Having reached the peak of the Source Pool Sixth Layer of the Organ Realm, he was ready to challenge higher realms. Only with sufficient strength could he leave the Hanyuan Dynasty, exit the Seventeen Kingdoms Alliance, find Teacher Kong, and find a way to rescue him.


    The cultivation method for the Jade Bone Realm was only avable to the academy elders, ced on the third floor upstairs. To learn it, one had to first be an elder; ordinary teachers did not qualify.¡±


    Su Qiao exined.


    Zhang Xuan asked, ¡°Do you know how one bes an elder?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. As long as you possess the strength of the Source Pool Sixth Layer of the Organ Realm and pass the academy assessment, you qualify for employment as an elder. There¡¯s an Elder Hall over there, and there are teachers responsible for the evaluations. You can go consult them, and they will inform you in detail about what to do. But, Teacher Zhang¡­ didn¡¯t you just recently enter the Energy Storing Realm? Why are you asking about this?¡±


    The memory of Zhang Xuan generating the Devouring Source Dragon phenomenon during his Energy Storing Realm training had left a deep impression on Su Qiao.


    ¡°Of course, I want to see if I can take the assessment to be an elder!¡±


    After exining, Zhang Xuan strode toward the Elder Hall.


    ¡°Taking


    the assessment to be an elder? Has he already broken through to the Organ Realm?¡±


    After a moment of shock, Su Qiao realized, unable to believe it.


    Three days ago, he was at the Source Pool Third Layer, and today he was at the Organ Realm¡­ He knew Zhang Xuan was a genius, but this was truly too remarkable¡­


    ¡°Quick, inform Dean Lu!¡±


    Understanding that the elder assessment was a significant matter and knowing what this genius meant for the academy, Su Qiao hurriedly ran toward the Martial Arts Field.


    Today¡¯s studentpetition was sure to be presided over by the dean.


    Not far from the Martial Arts Field, on a high tform, Lu Mingrong, Zuo Yunzhou, and others were seated, watching the many studentspeting below, their eyes filled with admiration.


    To facilitate thispetition, they had built nine tforms overnight, allowing ten arenas tomence simultaneously, thus speeding up the process. Otherwise, with thousands of participants, it would take at least half a month to finish.


    Not far away, the esteemed Xu Xin had given them only three days, meaning allpetitions must conclude within this timeframe and yield results.


    ¡°Dean Lu, Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue have made significant progress¡­¡±


    Observing Yu Xiaoyu and others who easily defeated their opponents, Zuo Yunzhou couldn¡¯t help but marvel.


    Although they had not revealed all their power, continuously defeating dozens of people without breaking a sweat clearly indicated their cultivation had improved significantly since thest time they had met.


    ¡°Indeed, it seems Teacher Zhang is also a skilled instructor¡­¡± Lu Mingrong nodded, noting the matters rted to the way of the teacher¡¯s destiny could not be discussed openly, but praising his teaching was eptable.


    ¡°I heard he teaches cultivation methods he researched himself, not the academy¡¯s Returning Energy umtion Technique!¡±


    Wu Yunzhou chimed in with a look of concern. ¡°Having just begun his training, he probably only reached the Energy Storing Realm and hasn¡¯t even hit the Body Tempering Realm yet. To create such a powerful cultivation method¡ªthis Teacher Zhang not only excels at teaching but also has an astounding grasp of cultivation techniques. With this understanding,bined with his extraordinary talent, he might reach the peak orte stage of the Body Tempering Realm within a month¡­¡±


    ¡°A month? The peak of the Body Tempering Realm?¡±


    Ran Qingxu nearby shook his head. ¡°When I broke through from the Energy Storing Realm to the peak of the Body Tempering Realm, it took me a full five years. Cultivation must follow a gradual process. Even if he is a genius, it cannot be that fast.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Wu Yunzhou nodded.


    Cultivation is like building a house; no matter how high one¡¯s talent, without a solid foundation, it¡¯s like a reed floating on the water, unable tost long.


    Zhang Xuan could absorb Source Energy and create the Devouring Source Dragon phenomenon, showcasing his undeniable talent, but no matter how extraordinary that talent is, he still needed to cultivateyer byyer, making one level of progress after another, rather than soaring directly to the top.


    ¡°In the past, City Lord Yu was known as the best in a century, yet it took him a full two years to elevate from the Energy Storing Realm to the mid Body Tempering Realm. Zhang Xuan¡¯s talent is undoubtedly better than his, yet it will indeed be difficult for him to achieve that in under a year¡­¡±


    As Lu Mingrong spoke, he suddenly noticed Su Qiao rushing over, bowing with cupped fists. ¡°Dean, Teacher Zhang¡­ he has gone to the Elder Hall. He should be qualified and is attempting to take the elder assessment!¡±


    ¡°Taking the elder assessment?¡±


    Lu Mingrong and the others exchanged nces, momentarily stunned. Then, a sound of disbelief slowly escaped their lips.


    ¡°Source Pool Sixth Layer¡­ Organ Realm?¡±


    Author''s Note

 Chapter 106: Am I a Genius? (End of This Book)

    Chapter 106: Am I a Genius? (End of This Volume)


    In the Elder Hall, the one responsible for the assessment was Elder Chen Jinlin of the White Rock Academy.


    At this moment, Elder Chen frowned as he looked at the young man before him, revealing a hint of confusion.


    Three days ago, he had personally witnessed this teacher, who had just been recruited by the dean, absorb arge amount of True Energy from many of them for his Energy Storing. Even with rapid progress, it was impossible for him to reach the Organ Realm!


    Did he think he could take the assessment without having reached the required level? What a foolish dream!


    Suppressing his displeasure, Elder Chen spoke, ¡°To take the assessment for bing an elder, there are two conditions: First, your cultivation must reach the mid-stage of the Source Pool Sixth Layer of the Organ Realm! Second, you must have contributed 500 merit points to the academy!¡±


    ¡°Merit points?¡± Zhang Xuan asked curiously.


    Elder Chen exined, ¡°It refers to contributions made to the academy! Elders represent the authority of the academy. With this status, they naturally have a certain management power over the academy, so they must have made a contribution to qualify. Otherwise, if anyone could be an elder just by reaching the cultivation level, how would the academy be managed?¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded. ¡°What must I do to earn merit points?¡±There are many ways for teachers to umte merit points! Teaching students who achieve great results in the academypetition can earn merit points; repairing damaged cultivation methods or texts in the library can earn merit points; helping the academy tame Source Beasts or resolving crises can also earn merit points¡­¡±


    Elder Chen continued, ¡°The amount of merit points earned varies based on the contributions made. 500 points isn¡¯t too much, but it¡¯s not that simple to achieve. That¡¯s why, although White Rock Academy has been established for many years with over three thousand teachers, there are only a little more than ten elders.¡±


    Zhang Xuan understood, and he inquired again, ¡°What should I do to earn them the fastest?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious about wanting to be an elder!¡±


    Seeing his earnest expression, Elder Chen revealed a hint of displeasure. ¡°I advise you to focus on breaking through to the mid-stage of the Source Pool Sixth Layer first¡­ To reach this level, your internal organs must be as tough as iron. Every breath must be very prolonged; you could hold your breath for an hour without issue¡­ You¡¯ve only just started cultivating, don¡¯t aim too high!¡±


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve already reached the Organ Realm!¡±


    After saying this, he suddenly released his aura, and his skin felt as hard as iron, while his internal organs roared like fierce tigers.


    ¡°Is this¡­ the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Roar?¡±


    Elder Chen¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    The Tiger-Leopard Thunder Roar is something only experts in the Organ Realm can achieve. Three days ago, he was still in the Energy Storing Realm, and in just three days he had reached this level¡­ Even having seen various geniuses, he found it hard toprehend.


    ¡°Now, can I prove that I qualify for the elder assessment?¡± Zhang Xuan smiled.


    ¡°Well, you may have qualified, but I still need to verify it.¡±


    Dropping his earlier arrogance, Elder Chen quickly stood up and in a blink reached the testing formation. He pointed, ¡°Come over and test your strength! If your strength is over 30 horsepower, it will confirm that you really have reached this level.¡±


    Zhang Xuan, tired of continuing to be low-key and hide, threw a punch.


    Boom!


    The formation shook slightly, and two numbers appeared¡ª60!


    The maximum strength at the peak of the Source Pool Sixth Layer of the Organ Realm is 60 horsepower. As long as he proved himself to possess elder-level strength, it wouldn¡¯t raise any suspicion.


    ¡°Not only in the Organ Realm, but at the peak level¡­¡±


    Elder Chen trembled with excitement, no longer doubting Zhang Xuan. He quickly said, ¡°On that wall over there, the methods for earning merit points and other means to gain experience are written. Teacher Zhang can take a look, and if you have any questions, just ask me!¡±


    Knowing that Zhang Xuan¡¯s strength was likely greater than his own, Elder Chen no longer carried himself with the same pride.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t say more, quickly walking over to the wall. Sure enough, it was densely filled with methods for earning merit points, with several entries exceeding twenty.


    The first entry read: Find the remains of the first dean of the White Rock Academy, Lu Qing, who fought against Source Beasts and was buried deep within the Huaiyuan Mountains. Numerous teachers and students over the years have sought to find the remains and properly inter them at the academy''s back mountain, but none have seeded. The reward forpletion is 3000 merit points!


    The second entry: Find a lost treasure of the White Rock Academy, the ¡°Chaotian Sword,¡± which belonged to the third dean. Unfortunately, it was lost during a battle. Whoever finds it and submits it will receive 2500 merit points.


    The third entry: Lead the White Rock Academy to be the number one among the surrounding ten cities, worth 2000 merit points¡­


    As Zhang Xuan scanned the wall, his eyes quickly came to a halt.


    The seventeenth entry: Repair the library¡¯s formation, worth 500 merit points!


    ¡°Can I try this one?¡±


    Repairing the formation seemed straightforward. He could use the Library of Heaven''s Path to tackle it without wasting time, and most importantly, the library was very close to him.


    ¡°You know how to repair formations?¡±


    Surprised that he had chosen this task, Elder Chen looked over with curiosity.


    Formations are exceedinglyplex. Without talent, achieving results is nearly impossible. Could it be that this individual not only excels in taming beasts, teaching, and cultivating but is also skilled in formations?


    ¡°I¡¯ve read some books on formations. I¡¯ll go take a look; what if I seed?¡±


    Zhang Xuan casually exined, then curiously asked, ¡°What does the library¡¯s formation do? Why is it broken, and why hasn¡¯t it been repaired?¡±


    The library¡¯s formation serves three purposes: First, it prevents books from being eroded by rampant Source Energy; second, it keeps unauthorized individuals from breaking in; third, it prevents pests like insects from infiltrating. As for why it is broken¡­


    As he spoke, Elder Chen looked over with a nk expression. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°Why would I know?¡±


    Zhang Xuan was puzzled. ¡°I¡¯ve only been to the library a few times, and every time I was just reading books; I didn¡¯t pay attention to the formation.¡±


    ¡°Just reading books?¡±


    Elder Chen shook his head. ¡°The first time you went to the library to cultivate, you triggered the phenomenon of the Devouring Source Dragon. The formation couldn¡¯t withstand it and copsed at that moment¡­¡±


    ¡°The Devouring Source Dragon?¡± Zhang Xuan frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Elder Chen¡¯s eyelids twitched, realizing he might have said too much.


    ¡°How would I know?¡± Zhang Xuan asked, confused.


    ¡°The Devouring Source Dragon is a phenomenon created when one absorbs Source Energy too quickly during cultivation, forming a swirling vortex resembling a giant dragon!¡±


    Since he had already spoken, it made little sense to keep hiding it. Elder Chen hesitated for a moment and exined, ¡°That day, I, along with Dean Lu and over ten elders, rushed over in a hurry to address this matter. Otherwise, the entire library might have been drained by your absorption.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    After hearing the exnation, Zhang Xuan stood frozen in ce. It was only now that he understood why Dean Lu and the others had been unusually forgiving and friendly toward him.


    He had always thought he had done a good job hiding; little did he know, he had already been discovered!


    He couldn¡¯t entirely me himself; after entering the Source World, he had been unable to find a Source Pool. He had always thought that using the Xuan World as a substitute was a reflection of hisck of talent. However, it turned out he was a peerless genius¡­


    If that were the case, the Xuan World not only sessfully reced the Source Pool but seemed even more powerful!


    ¡°Wait a minute; the Devouring Source Dragon phenomenon urred after I became an auxiliary teacher. Does that mean you knew about my cultivation talent before then?¡±


    Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Even in the library, he had felt that he absorbed Source Energy too quickly, which might have raised suspicions. But before that, he had always been very careful to hide.


    ¡°Of course, we knew. You absorbed the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy and triggered the Nine Dragons Draw Heaven¡¯s Fate phenomenon; your Destiny Disks have been damaged three times in a row¡­¡±


    Elder Chen smiled wryly.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    After hearing the exnation, Zhang Xuan finally understood.


    All along, his so-called low profile relied on everyone else cooperating, rather than him genuinely being low-key¡­


    Since that¡¯s the case, why keep pretending?


    Instead of hiding and being evasive, he might as well act openly. As long as he did so grandly, it would make it hard for others to guess.


    At worst, he could just me it on a mysterious teacher, just as Sun Qiang suggested.


    After all, this had already been done in the Master Teacher Continent once, and he didn¡¯t mind doing it a second time.


    With that in mind, Zhang Xuan was toozy to continue hiding. He waved his hand, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go check out the formation and see what¡¯s wrong with it!¡±


    First, he would be an academy elder and then raise his cultivation to the Jade Bone Realm.


    With enough strength, what could the Destiny Hall do to him?


    From Su Qiao''s words, he had also learned quite a bit. Even if the Hanyuan Dynasty had the Destiny Hall, its experts wouldn¡¯t be too formidable.


    With the Library of Heaven''s Path at his disposal, he could see through all ws. Let¡¯s see how I can fool them!


    Previously, if others hadn¡¯t noticed that he was acting strange and he could maintain a low profile, he could have avoided a lot of trouble. Now that nearly all the experts in the city were aware, it was pointless to keep pretending.


    If he couldn¡¯t keep a low profile, then he might as well act high-profile!


    Author''s Note

 Vol 2 ch 1 : Becoming an Elder

    Vol 2 ch 1 : Bing an Elder


    Seeing his serious expression, Elder Chen Jinlin did not say more and stepped outside.


    Arriving at the library, he called out a couple of times, but found that Su Shao was not there, so the two pushed the door and entered the room.


    The surroundings were unusually quiet; all the teachers had been called to the martial arts field as judges, leaving not a single figure or student in sight.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the formation?¡±


    As his Eye of Insight operated, Zhang Xuan looked around but did not detect anything unusual. He looked back in confusion.


    ¡°It has already stopped operating. Otherwise, without the reference certificate, we wouldn¡¯t even be able to enter!¡± Chen Jinlin said.


    Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.


    It seemed that thest few times he hade, he indeed needed a reference certificate. He had thought it was just for Elder Su Qiao, but it turned out to be the key to entering the formation.


    After taking a few steps forward, Chen Jinlin pointed to a corner of the wall: ¡°That¡¯s the formation¡¯s base and gs; you can see how to repair it!¡±


    Zhang Xuan looked over. Two formation gs were nted against the corner of a bookshelf, made of an unknown dark gray material that had no luster.


    ¡°Defects!¡±


    Inside the Library of Heaven''s Path, there were no changes or books forming; it wasn¡¯t that the library was non-functional, but rather... this formation wasn¡¯t operating at all.


    A non-operating formation was like a martial artist who hadn¡¯t unleashed their skills; even if the library was powerful, it couldn''t detect defects. This meant that to repair it, the formation had to operate first.


    Seeing his serious expression, Chen Jinlin asked, ¡°Do you have any ideas?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll study it a bit¡­¡±


    Approaching the formation gs, Zhang Xuan touched one with his hand, and a book appeared.


    The red iron formation g, made from purple silk cloth, with a pole of red iron fused with silver, was crafted by the formation master Liao Sheng from the Hanyuan imperial capital eighty years ago.


    Defect one: the pole¡¯s tempering level is rtively low; defect two: the array patterns on the g were not carved correctly.


    ncing over it, Zhang Xuan was at a loss for words.


    He touched another one and received the same result, only to look at Chen Jinlin before him: ¡°Elder Chen, do you know the name of this formation?¡±


    Knowing the materials and defects of the formation gs wouldn¡¯t help in repairing the formation.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know... its name?¡±


    Chen Jinlin was baffled.


    The other party had confidently taken the task, thinking he had extensive knowledge of formations and even possessed a talent for them, only to admit he didn¡¯t even know the formation¡¯s name... was this a joke?


    Zhang Xuan shook his head: ¡°I just arrived; how could I know?¡±


    The formations on the Master Teacher Continent were driven by spirit stones and spiritual energy, while this world used source energy. It was likeparing a fuel car to an electric car¡ªthough both are vehicles, their essence waspletely different.


    Thus, his previous understanding of formations was evidently not applicable here.


    Hearing this, Chen Jinlin, though losing all hope, exined out of politeness: ¡°The formation in the library is called the Purple Silk Sealing Formation, set up with purple silk gs, and has multiple functions such as defense and sealing.¡±


    He gave a detailed introduction.


    This formation had been built by the Destiny Hall back in the day, so unless someone from the Destiny Hall was invited toe, it was practically impossible to fix.


    And even if one were to invite them, the cost wouldn¡¯t be small, which was why it had been left unused for so long.


    Zhang Xuan looked around the library; there were no changes, and he could only suppress his embarrassment: ¡°So... can you make this formation operate? Even if it can¡¯t function normally, if it could just be activated¡­¡±


    ¡°If I could activate it, then I¡¯d earn those 500 merit points easily¡­¡± Chen Jinlin rolled his eyes.


    Zhang Xuan scratched his head.


    He thought this was the simplest way to earn merit points, but now it seemed like it might not be doable.


    Just as he was about to give up, a thought urred to him.


    ¡°With the w of Heaven¡¯s Path and the Order of Heaven¡¯s Path, neither can be used in this situation. What about the Nature of Heaven¡¯s Path?¡±


    For anything to exert power, it mustply with naturalws. The closer it aligns with nature, the more powerful it bes; formations are no exception.


    The cement of formation gs needs to consider the terrain and even the surrounding buildings. Since both the w of Heaven and the Order of Heaven couldn¡¯t be used, trying the Nature of Heaven¡¯s Path might yield some results.


    With this thought, Zhang Xuan casually adjusted the position of one of the formation gs. Apanied by his intent, a book in the library indeed emitted light and slowlynded in his palm.


    He opened it casually.


    The book noted where this formation g should be ced to harmonize better with the environment and absorb source energy more easily.


    ¡°Indeed, it works¡­¡±


    His eyes lit up. Zhang Xuan ced the formation g in the position indicated by the book.


    Following the same method, he set the formation gs in the other corners of the library one by one.


    ¡°If there¡¯s no Destiny of the Formation, and if you don¡¯t understand formations, then no matter how you ce them, it won¡¯t work... Teacher Zhang, if you really can¡¯t do it, we can try switching to another task¡­¡±


    Seeing the other party fiddling around, Chen Jinlin estimated that nothing woulde of it and was shaking his head to advise him when suddenly, the formation g emitted a ¡°whoosh!¡± sound and released a gentle glow.


    ¡°This is... activated?¡±


    Eyes wide, Chen Jinlin froze in ce.


    Just adjusting the formation gs could activate it¡­ was this for real? If he had known this task was so simple, he would have taken it himself!


    Merit points could be exchanged for resources; even as the fifth elder of the White Rock Academy, he wasn¡¯t wealthy...


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s activated, it¡¯s useless. The formation has been damaged; to make it operate, you need to find the heart of the formation and inject source energy into it. But the heart of the formation will change with strength, time, season, and constetions. If you don¡¯t know much about formations, you¡¯ll never find it¡­¡±


    After watching for a while, seeing that the young man had activated the formation but was just standing still and not taking any further action, Chen Jinlin couldn¡¯t help but speak up.


    Before he could finish, he saw the other party kick a bookshelf.


    With a creak, the bookshelf slid aside, moving half a meter before stopping. Suddenly, Elder Chen Jinlin saw the activated formation suddenly emit brilliant light before disappearing.


    In the next moment, a huge repulsive force suddenly appeared on him, a rumbling sound exploded in his ears, and the surrounding source energy gathered, as if it wanted to grind him to dust.


    ¡°This is... the formation haspletely activated?¡±


    His pupils contracted. Chen Jinlin realized this was the phenomenon of the formation operating, repelling strangers. He didn¡¯t dare waste time and hurriedly took out the reference certificate from his pocket.


    As the certificate appeared, the rumbling sound ceased, and the operating formation gradually stopped.


    Gasping for breath, he looked again at the young man not far away, filled with disbelief.


    Formations, like other professions, first needed the recognition of Destiny to practice. This young man didn¡¯t even know the name of the formation and had clearly never been to the Destiny Hall... How then did he repair it and make it operate?


    ¡°Does this count as a sess for me?¡± Zhang Xuan smiled and looked over.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Chen Jinlin nodded eagerly.


    ¡°How... did you do it?¡± Unable to contain his curiosity, he looked over.


    ¡°I¡¯m sensitive to source energy and felt that the cements of these gs were a bit chaotic, so I adjusted them a bit. I didn¡¯t expect it would really be repaired,¡± Zhang Xuan exined.


    The Nature of Heaven meant letting everything return to nature and going with the flow. What he said, though strange, was the best exnation.


    If he imed to have a talent for formations, it would only raise suspicions.


    ¡°It can work like this?¡±


    Chen Jinlin¡¯s mouth hung open in surprise; the world of geniuses was indeed different from that of ordinary people.


    Just like a top student, even if they guess at a question they don¡¯t know, their probability of being correct is much higher than that of a poor student.


    ¡°This task happens to be worth 500 merit points. I should count as having passed the elder¡¯s assessment now, right?¡± Not wanting to dwell on this topic, Zhang Xuan asked.


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    Chen Jinlin nodded. ¡°Wait here a moment; I¡¯ll get your Elder Token right now¡­¡±


    Saying that, Elder Chen hurried out. Before long, he returned holding a token and handed it over.


    Zhang Xuan took it.


    It was somewhat simr to the token of the Chen family¡¯s guest elder, the size was the same, but the front had the words ¡°Elder of White Rock Academy¡± inscribed on it.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Holding the token in his palm, Zhang Xuan sighed in relief and headed up to the third floor of the library. With this thing, the formation no longer obstructed him, and he smoothly entered to seek out the cultivation method for the Jade Bone Realm.


    ---


    Meanwhile, on the other side, Lu Mingrong, Wu Yunzhou, and others


    also arrived at the Elder Hall, looking at Elder Chen Jinlin, who had just returned.


    ¡°I heard... Teacher Zhang is being assessed as an elder. How did it go? Did his cultivation really reach the Organs Easing Realm?¡±


    Wu Yunzhou couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Four days ago at the City Lord''s Mansion, he had personally checked the other party and found that he didn¡¯t have a single true energy in him, not even having activated the source pool. In just a few short days, you¡¯re telling me he reached the Organs Easing Sixth Level and can be assessed as an elder? Is this for real?


    ¡°Yeah, not only did he reach the Organs Easing Realm, but he¡¯s also... at the peak of the Organs Easing Realm, possessing 60 horsepower of strength!¡±


    Chen Jinlin exined.


    ¡°This is true.¡±


    ¡°Cultivating this fast? How did he do it?¡±


    Hearing his confirmation, everyone gasped, even Lu Mingrong was left speechless.


    The most talented person they had seen before was Yu Longqing, the first in a century. Even he took a full five years to go from the Energy Storing Realm to the peak of the Organs Easing Realm, yet this other party did it in just a few days.


    ¡°But mere cultivation isn¡¯t enough to be an elder; merit points are also required. What about the others? Did they take on tasks?¡±


    After the shock, everyone looked around, not seeing the other party¡¯s figure, and Wu Qinxu asked.


    Chen Jinlin said, ¡°He took on a task, and he finished it; he¡¯s now the seventh elder of our academy.¡±


    ¡°What task?¡± Su Qiao was taken aback.


    Ever since he learned the other party intended to be assessed as an elder, he had brought the principal and others over, totaling no more than fifteen minutes... and he had alreadypleted the task, earning 500 merit points?


    Chen Jinlin replied, ¡°To repair the formation in your library.¡±


    ¡°The library?¡±


    Su Qiao¡¯s mind exploded. He could no longer care about idle chatter and turned to rush towards the library. Momentster, he returned to the group, his eyes wide as if they would pop out.


    ¡°How did it go?¡± Lu Mingrong looked over.


    ¡°The formation in the library was not only sessfully repaired, but it seems... its power is also much greater than before! With my strength, I couldn¡¯t even breach it.¡±


    Su Qiao swallowed hard.


    The previous formation could deter students from entering without permission, but it was only effective against those below the Organs Easing Realm. With his strength, it could at most give a warning; it couldn¡¯t truly drive anyone away. But now, without a reference certificate, he felt he would be directly obliterated!


    ¡°This...¡±


    Lu Mingrong and the others looked at each other in disbelief, hurriedly rushing over. A short whileter, they returned one by one, and the room was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.


    Taming horses, cultivating, teaching... each extraordinary, and now there¡¯s a formation. How many more surprises does this Teacher Zhang have in store for them?


    ¡°Principal¡­¡±


    At that moment, a teacher hurriedly walked over; it was Zhou, who had run to call the principal during the Source Pool Assessment.


    Lu Mingrong frowned, ¡°Teacher Zhou, why aren¡¯t you at the martial arts field hosting thepetition? Why are you here?¡±


    Teacher Zhou hurriedly bowed and exined, ¡°Principal, your student Mo Yanxue drew a match with Hong Yi!¡±


    Recalling, Lu Mingrong said, ¡°If I remember correctly, his talent is very weak, with a Ninth Grade Source Pool assessment. Although he ignited a supreme grade furnace thanks to Teacher Zhang¡¯s help, with a poor foundation and no background, his progress in just three days shouldn¡¯t be significant!¡±


    And Mo Yanxue had the support of the Mo family. As far as I know, he obtained the Energy Storing Realm elixir, the Golden Source Jade Liquid, yesterday, dramatically increasing his strength. The two are not in the same league; even if he won, it wouldn¡¯t be a particrly glorious thing!


    Teacher Zhou looked embarrassed: ¡°He lost!¡±


    ¡°???¡°


    Lu Mingrong was frozen in ce.

 Vol 2 Ch 2 : Pinnacle of the Early Jade Bone Realm

    Vol 2 Ch 2 : Pinnacle of the Early Jade Bone Realm


    ¡°Based on my observations, Mo Yanxue''s strength is about 2 horsepower. Even if she isn¡¯t the top among the new students, she¡¯s not far off. How could she possibly lose?¡±


    Elder He Qin, the Third Elder, couldn¡¯t help but speak up.


    She was responsible for managing all the formations in the academy and oversaw the annual foundational assessments of students. Therefore, she could usually gauge a practitioner¡¯s strength without them needing to demonstrate it.


    She had observed Mo Yanxue in previous matches, and she had at least 2 horsepower of exceptional strength. Now, you¡¯re telling me she lost to a Ninth Grade Source Pool brat...


    Knowing that the other party wouldn¡¯t lie, Lu Mingrong asked after a moment of shock, ¡°How many exchanges did they have? What martial skill did Hong Yi use to defeat her?¡±


    Teacher Zhou replied, ¡°He didn¡¯t use any martial skills; he simply punched Miss Mo away.¡±


    Elder He Qin was left speechless, and Lu Mingrong fell silent.


    Defeating someone with 2 horsepower in a single move meant that Hong Yi''s strength was likely not only equal to hers but far beyond it!


    His own cultivation had surged to the peak of the Organs Easing Realm in just a few days, and even a random student he picked up had gone from 0.2 horsepower to over 2 horsepower...


    Previously, he thought Yu Longqing was the epitome of genius, an insurmountable barrier. Now, he realized thatpared to this new individual, the so-called barrier seemed to dim significantly...


    Oh, right, I have a hunch about something, but it¡¯s just a feeling...


    Seeing the surrounding silence, everyone was still shocked by the news they had just learned. Chen Jinlin recalled something and couldn¡¯t help but speak up: ¡°When we were assessing Teacher Zhang''s strength earlier, he casually demonstrated 60 horsepower. I think... he may not have used his full strength!¡±


    Lu Mingrong frowned: ¡°Are you saying he might have already... surpassed the Organs Easing Realm and reached a higher level?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just sensing it; I have no evidence,¡± Chen Jinlin said.


    ¡°Teacher Zhang has always been low-key, so it¡¯s not impossible for him to do this!¡± After a moment of silence, Lu Mingrong spected.


    The only issue with Zhang Xuan was that he was too low-key, leaving them feeling somewhat passive every time.


    Elder He Qin said, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s very simple to prove whether he used his full strength or not!¡±


    Everyone looked at her in confusion.


    Elder He Qin continued, ¡°Every ssroom has a strength assessment formation. If Teacher Zhang has made a breakthrough in the past few days, he will definitely go test it. We just need to find the formation and check the records to see his true cultivation level!¡±


    ¡°Exactly¡­¡±


    Everyone nodded.


    After finishing their training, the assessment formation was right in front of them; no one could resist the temptation to investigate, just like putting a scale in front of someone on a diet.


    As long as they checked, there would be a record.


    ¡°He just happens to be out of the ssroom. Let¡¯s go take a look¡­¡±


    Lu Mingrong nodded.


    The group hurriedly made their way to Zhang Xuan¡¯s ssroom. Before long, they arrived, opened the door, and saw the shattered formation immediately.


    Elder He Qin¡¯s face turned pale: ¡°This is... a result of being unable to withstand the force and being forcibly shattered!¡±


    Shattered? Over 99 horsepower?


    Lu Mingrong¡¯s pupils contracted: ¡°Is he at the Eighth Level of the Source Pool or even higher?¡±


    In Source Pool cultivation, there was a set limit; the Jade Bone Realm could reach a maximum of only 99 horsepower and could not exceed that.


    Not only did he exceed it, but he also shattered the formation with that kind of power... indicating that his cultivation was very likely on par with his own, having reached the Divine Soul Realm or even higher.


    No wonder he could guide Lu Mingrong¡¯s breakthrough. It turned out... he already had that level of cultivation!


    It was ridiculous to think he considered taking Zhang Xuan as a teacher a favor. As it turns out, if the other party wanted to showcase his strength, he might even have to respectfully be a disciple.


    ¡°Let¡¯s return to the martial arts field and see how Yu Xiaoyu and the others are progressing!¡±


    Knowing these matters were merely spections without confirmation, Lu Mingrong decided not to dwell further on this issue and waved his hand.


    Everyone nodded and hurried toward the martial arts field.


    ...


    Unaware that his explosive punch had been seen by Lu Mingrong and others, Zhang Xuan was quietly sitting in a room on the third floor of the library.


    He had gathered nearly all the books on the Seventh Level Source Pool and the Jade Bone Realm. With enough Heaven''s Fate Energy in the library, he could first form the Heaven¡¯s Path cultivation method.


    With a thought, thousands of books floated in the air. As the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy burned, a book with no title on the cover emitted a faint glow and appeared before him.


    ¡°The Jade Bone Realm is about tempering all the bones to be as tough as jade¡­¡±


    The content from the book flowed into his mind.


    Bones were the hardest part of the human body to cultivate and also the slowest to refine. To polish them into jade, one must not use source energy to hammer the bones directly, but rather to temper the bone marrow.


    Bone marrow has the function of producing blood and forming bones. As long as one controls the source energy to enter it and nourishes it slowly, it can improve bone density, allowing one''s strength to gradually increase.


    Knowing that everyone had gone to the martial arts field and no one would disturb him, Zhang Xuan focused his mind and sent the refined source energy from the Xuan World surging toward his bone marrow, continuously nourishing it.


    After being refined by the Primordial Yellow Energy furnace, the source energy in the Xuan World was incredibly pure and easily absorbable.


    Tempering the bone marrow requires refined source energy to wash over it continuously, allowing for a qualitative transformation through the method of ¡°dripping water wears through stone.¡± The greatest challenge for other practitioners was finding enough source energy.


    Taking the supreme-grade furnace as an example, which could absorb 200 units of source energy in a day, if he could wash the bone marrow with 180 units a day, that would already be considered quite diligent, as nourishing the muscles and practicing martial skills also required strength... Even with such calctions, one could only use a little over 60,000 units of source energy for refining in a year.


    It may seem like a lot, but when distributed throughout the entire bone marrow and used on every part, it amounts to very little.


    Therefore, cultivating in the Jade Bone Realm is extremely difficult, with many experts trapped at this level for ten or even twenty years without breaking through.


    In contrast to those individuals, Zhang Xuan had an inexhaustible supply of pure source energy in the Xuan World. In just under two hours, he had used over 30,000 units!


    After being tempered by so much source energy, his bones had already begun to change. Though he was still some distance from being as warm as jade, their sturdiness had greatly improved.


    ¡°Seventh Level Source Pool, Pinnacle of the Early Jade Bone Realm!¡±


    Feeling his cultivation level, Zhang Xuan exhaled slowly, rose, and threw a punch, only to frown once again.


    His cultivation had improved, but he confirmed that his strength remained at 99 horsepower, with no increase whatsoever.


    It was as if his power had been sealed at this level, unable to break through any further.


    Is this the pressure of destiny?


    ording to Elder Su Shao, the strength before the Eighth Level of the Source Pool was capped at 99 horsepower. This was a regtion set by the Destiny Hall, simr to the rules of the Firmament. As long as one¡¯s fate remained in the Source World, it was impossible to break through.


    It¡¯s like how in the past, the speed of light couldn¡¯t exceed 30 kilometers per second as long as one lived in the universe where the Earth is located; no matter how advanced technology became, it could never surpass that limit.


    If this analogy is still hard to understand, one could view this world as a game where every NPC''s power level has a certain value. Even if they develop consciousness, it¡¯s impossible to break the program or rewrite the code.


    Because they are merely a series of codes within the program, they cannot escape from it, and even if they could, they would surely perish.


    It seems that I won¡¯t be able to break through my power level until I step into the Divine Soul Realm.


    Understanding this, Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly.


    He thought that cultivating the Heaven¡¯s Path method might allow for some special circumstances, enabling him to fight above his level like on the Master Teacher Continent. Now it seems that without a breakthrough in power, it would be extremely difficult to fight above his level.


    With normal fist techniques, he couldn''t break through destiny''s limitation and surpass 99 horsepower. What about the Pathos of Heaven sword technique?


    A thought shed in his mind.


    The Pathos of Heaven sword technique is a martial skill that transcends Heaven¡¯s Path. Back in the Firmament, it was precisely with this sword technique that he sealed the Emperor for nine heavens, unbeatable.


    The techniques and martial skills formed from the books of the Source World couldn¡¯t help him surpass his limits, but perhaps the Pathos of Heaven sword technique could.


    Very likely!


    With this in mind, Zhang Xuan wasted no time and stepped in front of a strength assessment formation in the library.


    Taking a deep breath, he threw a punch


    .


    The formation emitted a light chime, and a line of text appeared on a nearby stone tablet.


    99 horsepower!


    As expected, his cultivation had broken through, yet his strength hadn¡¯t increased a bit, remaining fixed on those two numbers.


    Understanding that this was the power of destiny, Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t hesitate any longer. He pointed, forming a sword, and directed the Pathos of Heaven sword technique forward, fiercely striking out.


    Sizzle!


    The sword energy, like a startled swan, instantly tore through space, leaving a clear mark behind. The brilliant and powerful force met the strength assessment formation, which immediately shook violently.


    Just like the punch he had unleashed earlier, the assessment formation could no longer withstand it and copsed with a loud bang.


    ¡°Exceeding 99 horsepower!¡±


    Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.


    Before stepping into the Divine Soul Realm, his strength couldn¡¯t break through the limits set by the Destiny Hall, but with the Pathos of Heaven sword technique, he could easily do so.


    The Pathos of Heaven sword technique was created by him, and it could be expressed through a sword, of course, but it could also be used through fists, arms, and even every part of his body. This way, if he ever encountered a powerful Divine Soul Realm opponent and caught them off guard, he could also eliminate them.


    Of course, ordinarily, he would keep this sword technique as a trump card and not use it easily.


    ¡°I wonder how Yu Xiaoyu and the others are doing in theirpetition!¡±


    Knowing it would take at least another two or three days of cultivation to progress from the early to mid-Jade Bone Realm, Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t feel like lingering there any longer and stepped out.


    The Divine Soul Realm techniques were avable here, but they were no longer enough to form the Heaven¡¯s Path method, so staying in the library was meaningless.


    At this moment, in the martial arts field, all the students were gathered around a contest tform in the center, creating a lively atmosphere, while the other nine contests had all stopped.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why is it so lively?¡±


    Because there were too many people, it was somewhat crowded. Zhang Xuan curiously asked a nearby student.


    Logically speaking, with thousands of students in the academy, it would take three or four hours toplete the preliminary matches. How could it be so lively, resembling the finals?


    ¡°It¡¯s because this year¡¯s new students are exceptionally strong. They directly challenged the academy''s senior students, so with such a thrilling show, the other matches naturally lost significance. No one wants to watch them anymore; some even don¡¯t want topete...¡±


    This student, not recognizing Zhang Xuan, casually exined.


    ¡°New students challenging seniors? Who has the guts to do that?¡± Zhang Xuan was shocked.


    Every senior student had trained for at least a year, and some upperssmen had even broken through to the Body Tempering Realm. How could a new student who had just entered for less than three days challenge them? Was this crazy?


    ¡°It¡¯s the City Lord¡¯s daughter, Yu Xiaoyu! Along with the daughter of the Liu family, Liu Mingyue, and a guy named Hong Yi.¡±


    The student thought for a moment and added, ¡°It¡¯s said they were all taught by a teacher named Zhang Xuan¡­ You say, isn¡¯t this teacher a bit crazy? He¡¯s only been teaching for three days, and his students are challenging the seniors. Isn¡¯t that just asking for trouble? By the way, brother, you look a bit unfamiliar. Which ss are you in?¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded, feeling somewhat helpless: ¡°I am that so-called crazy teacher, Zhang Xuan!¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 6: Xuanlong Palm

    Vol 2 Ch 6: Xuanlong Palm


    Such performances are everywhere along the way.


    At this moment, many students saw Zhang Xuan and reacted as if they had encountered their crush in high school, disying various strange behaviors under the impulse of hormones. To outsiders, it seemed odd, but to them, it felt just fine...


    "Young Master, why not take on a few more disciples?" Sun Qiang smiled.


    "Forget it. Once I take on disciples, I must ensure their safety..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    ording to the news from Master Kong, the Destiny Hall is not friendly to those like them who ascend. Once their identities are exposed, the more disciples they take on, the more trouble they will encounter, and they might drag them down.


    It¡¯s better to refuse decisively from the start than to face problemster.


    "That''s true!" Sun Qiang nodded.


    The Xuanlong Pavilion is located in the northeast corner of White Rock Academy, close to Huaiyuan Mountain. Before they arrived, they could see many people gathered in groups of three to five discussing something.In front of them stood a gigantic stone tablet, ten zhang tall and seven zhang wide, smooth all over, with hundreds of bizarre characters carved on it, resembling dragons that seemed ready to soar and swim at any moment.


    "Young Master, this is the iplete manual ''Xuanlong Palm'' left by the sixth principal, Zhao Yunqing. It is said that he obtained it in a ruin and replicated its contents exactly. It contains an extremely profound martial art that, once practiced, can greatly increase one¡¯s strength!" Sun Qiang exined. "Unfortunately, it¡¯s unclear whether the principal¡¯s memory was iplete or if the martial art itself was damaged. For hundreds of years, countless people havee to observe and learn but have never seeded in practicing it.


    To prevent such a profound martial art from disappearing, White Rock Academy had no choice but to lift the restrictions. Anyone who canprehend it andplete the manual will not only face no repercussions but will also receive a direct reward of 2 million source coins!"


    As he spoke, he nced around, pointing at the groups of people: "These are all here for the fame; some have been studying for one or two decades and are still unwilling to leave.


    Zhang Xuan nodded and looked around.


    The person closest to him was a cultivator in his sixties, dressed in white, slightly yellowed, with messy hair and beard, looking somewhat like a hermit. In front of him were six or seven others who looked simr, appearing emaciated and somewhat malnourished, yet their spirits were remarkably high.


    "I¡¯ve said it before, it¡¯s not about understanding the meaning but observing the patterns! Look at that diagram; doesn¡¯t it look like someone sitting cross-legged? And that one looks like a hand about to strike..." I suspect that whenbined, these represent the method to perform Xuanlong Palm!"


    "I don¡¯t think so. That diagram somewhat resembles a seated posture, but upon closer inspection, whenbined with the previous character, it resembles the name of an acupoint. I think it¡¯s the position of true energy flow."


    "You¡¯re all wrong. These characters are not textual information but represent the sequence and direction of true energy flowing through the meridians!"


    Several people resembling hermits argued stubbornly.


    Not just them, others who had gathered were not much different, either arguing fiercely or sharing their guesses, discussing together.


    "If no one has made progress in hundreds of years, could it be that this is not a martial art at all?"


    Zhang Xuan frowned.


    So many people have studied it for hundreds of years, and if there was no progress at all, could it be that the so-called manual doesn¡¯t exist and is just ordinary characters? It seems that the understanding of true energy has greatly increased. Although they haven¡¯t mastered Xuanlong Palm, theirprehension of other martial arts must have improved significantly. Therefore, everyone is convinced that this technique must be real.


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Over the past few hundred years, so many experts have been eager to assert that this is an unparalleled martial art; the possibility that it is not is very small. One person might make a mistake, but when it¡¯s a few, tens of thousands, or even millions, the chances of being wrong are negligible.


    As he stepped forward, Zhang Xuan was just about to study it when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps approaching, followed by theughter of Principal Lu Ming: "Teacher Zhang, are you nning toprehend this Xuanlong Palm?"


    Zhang Xuan had not hidden his departure, so the news quickly reached him.


    "Yes, just came to take a look!"


    Zhang Xuan smiled slightly: "If I canplete this martial art, I hope I can exchange it for a Destiny Disk!"


    His purpose in earning money is to acquire Heaven''s Fate Energy, so there¡¯s no point in asking for money from the principal now.


    "Of course!" Lu Ming nodded repeatedly.


    With his consent, Zhang Xuan said no more and looked up at the stone tablet. The carved characters were each more than a person''s height, swirling with a dragon-like grace; they looked like words but also did not.


    The Eye of Insight activated, observing carefully.


    At that moment, the characters on the stone tablet seemed toe alive, transforming into little golden dragons soaring and leaping in the clouds.


    "It really is a martial art."


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression grew serious.


    Previously, hearing that no one hadprehended it in hundreds of years made him wonder if they might be mistaken. Now, he was one hundred percent sure that these inscriptions must contain a powerful martial technique.


    The progress made was of great help.


    Quickly, these little dragons, under the observation of the Eye of Insight, moved around in circles, but Zhang Xuan, like everyone else, feltpletely confused.


    The direction and sequence of these little dragons had no pattern. Following such a path for true energy would not only fail to cultivate the martial technique but might even lead to exploding one¡¯s body¡­


    So, this approach is wrong!


    Let¡¯s try rearranging andbining¡­


    Since he couldn¡¯tplete it in the normal sequence, let¡¯s try skipping characters, reading them backward, and so on.


    Soon, he tried all the ideas he could think of but found no sess.


    Over the past few hundred years, at least a few million experts have studied this martial art without arriving at the correct conclusion, and no one has seeded.


    Seeing the confusion in Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes, Lu Ming could only smile wryly and shake his head.


    When he first heard Zhang Xuan wanted to study this, he felt a strange excitement. If anyone in White Rock Academy had a chance of sess over the past few centuries, it would definitely be this person before him.


    However, seeing his current state, he understood that although Zhang Xuan had talent in cultivation and teaching, hisprehension might not be as extraordinary.


    It seems that in this lifetime, he won¡¯t have the hope of seeing anyone seed with Xuanlong Palm.


    While he was pondering, a young man beside him turned to look: "Principal Lu, since countless experts have studied this stone tablet over the past hundreds of years, have they left behind their insights and directions, as well as the difficulties and realizations they encountered?"


    "Yes, every year our academy specifically sends people to gather everyone¡¯s insights and transcribe them, hoping to provide some help for future generations... They¡¯re all in that room over there!" Lu Ming pointed.


    Zhang Xuan looked over, and on one side of the stone tablet, a room¡¯s door was ajar. From a distance, he could see rows of bookshelves filled with books, and inside sat arge group of cultivators, each clutching books, studying as if they were mad.


    Just as he was about to step inside, Zhang Xuan paused and looked awkwardly at Principal Lu Ming: "Principal, could I borrow a Destiny Disk for a while? I¡¯ll pay you backter!"


    With these books, he could fully utilize the Library of Heaven''s Path to find the correct understanding path. It¡¯s just a pity that all the Heaven''s Fate Energy he gathered had been exhausted; if he really had to read them one by one, it would take decades to finish!


    "Borrow?"


    He hadn¡¯t expected him to say that. Lu Ming was slightly taken aback.


    "Yes. If I canprehend andplete this Xuanlong Palm, the reward of source coins will offset the cost of the Destiny Disk. If I can¡¯t do it, I¡¯ll find another way to make up for the money."


    Zhang Xuan hurriedly exined.


    "This¡­ you are an elder of White Rock Academy and also a teacher, so borrowing one is no problem at all¡­" Lu Ming nodded.


    Not to mention his identity; simply in terms of helping him break through, lending one or even giving one wouldn¡¯t be a big deal.


    Lu Ming turned and walked off into the distance, and Zhang Xuan quickly followed: "I¡¯ll go with you!"


    Before long, he had obtained a new Destiny Disk. After ncing at it, Zhang Xuan secretly let out a sigh of relief.


    Returning to his residence, he activated the mini array that Principal Lu had helped set up. Streams of pure Heaven''s Fate Energy surged into the library. A quarter of an hourter, the Destiny Disk shattered, and over ten thousand new books formed in the library.


    Upon returning to Xuanlong Pavilion, Principal Lu and Sun Qiang were quietly waiting. When they saw him return, they both sighed in relief.


    "I¡¯ll go check those books first."


    No longer observing the stone tablet, Zhang Xuan walked toward the room.


    The room wasrge, covering at least an acre. For hundreds of years, every year¡¯s collected "insights" had been gathered here, stacked on


    over a dozen rows of bookshelves, amounting to tens of thousands of volumes.


    Many books had been severely damaged from flipping through them and the passage of time. Every time this happened, someone would rewrite them, so even though many books were tattered, they were not missing pages or words.


    Ignoring the people sitting on the floor reading, Zhang Xuan approached a row of bookshelves. With a gentle swipe of his finger, hundreds of volumes on Xuanlong Palm entered his mind.


    Integration!


    With a thought, the correct contents merged, forming a single book.


    He casually flipped it open and looked, only to find his brows furrowed tightly.


    The book before him waspletely nk, like a wordless heavenly book.


    In other words, the hundreds of "insights and experiences" were all wrong, with not a single correct line!


    The fact that they could leave content behind indicates that the people who observed the stone tablet were not of low status and had considerable cultivation; how could they all be wrong?


    Feeling perplexed, Zhang Xuan continued to swipe his finger, and several hundred books fell into the library, apanied by radiant light. Yet again, a heavenly book formed.


    Still wrong!


    After continuously recording nearly five hundred books, gathering insights from thousands of experts, not a single correct one appeared. Could it be that this Xuanlong Palm... truly cannot be cultivated?


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 7: Destiny Lock

    Vol 2 ch 7: Destiny Lock


    "Teacher Zhang, what¡¯s wrong? Are there issues with these insights?"


    Seeing the young man enter the room and continually swipe his hand without flipping through the books, Lu Ming approached with confusion in his eyes.


    "It¡¯s nothing..."


    Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t exin and once again stroked through hundreds of books, just like before, yielding no useful insights.


    Knowing that continuing wouldn¡¯t be helpful, he walked out of the room and returned to the stone tablet.


    The stone tablet stood imposing nearby, its characters seemingly piercing his vision and giving him a different sensation this time.


    However, this sensation waspletely different from before.


    If earlier it felt like dragons soaring across the nine continents, with unmatched might, now it felt like a gentle spring rain, warm and soft like dust.Different feelings all emanated from the same stone tablet. Even as the lord of a world, having witnessed countless techniques and manuals, he felt it was beyondprehension.


    "Young Master, this stone tablet feels somewhat off. When I looked at it earlier, I thought this technique should be like the [Four Leaf Palm], bold and powerful, but now it feels like the [Spirit Serpent Fist], incredibly flexible," Sun Qiang frowned.


    "You feel the same way?" Zhang Xuan was surprised.


    The [Four Leaf Palm] and [Spirit Serpent Fist] were martial techniques from the Master Teacher Continent, entirely different in nature, and could not be practiced simultaneously.


    "This technique is like that; every time you observe, there will be new insights. It¡¯s precisely for this reason that countless cultivators linger here, eager toplete it," Lu Ming said.


    "Every observation yields new insights?" Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow.


    If it were merely a defective martial technique, then even if a person¡¯s understanding changed, it would still build upon the existing foundation rather than lead to such opposite interpretations.


    Something isn¡¯t right!


    "This needs the Eye of Insight!" He thought, realizing that it was difficult to see the issue with just his eyes. Zhang Xuan focused his mind and whispered.


    In the Library of Heaven''s Path, a violent roar suddenly erupted, followed by numerous books suspended in the sky, all emitting a faint glow as they rushed toward the center.


    In the span of half a breath, they fused together, forming a single book.


    "Why is the consumption sorge?"


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression changed.


    To create this book, the Heaven''s Fate Energy he had just borrowed from Principal Lu, which amounted to over ten thousand units, had all been expended!


    Forming a Jade Bone-level technique had only required about a thousand units. Just looking at the stone tablet consumed this much.


    What a loss!


    He had thought that with the help of the library, he could supplement this technique. Even if it consumed energy, he assumed there would be some surplus. He never expected this situation.


    But now it was toote to regret.


    Extending his right hand, the newly formed book gentlynded in his palm. He opened it, and this time it was not nk but filled with content.


    "Carved into the blue jade wall of Luohuyan in Huaiyuan Mountain by Zhao Yunqing, the sixth principal of White Rock City, this contains a supreme-level palm technique. Unfortunately, its cultivation path is locked by a [Destiny Lock], making it impossible toprehend properly."


    w One: The position of the Destiny Lock is incorrect; it can be broken by applying over 99 units of force at a specific location.


    w Two: Martial techniques are divided into low-grade, middle-grade, high-grade, supreme-grade, royal-grade, and imperial-grade. The highest palm technique in White Rock City is only high-grade, yet this Xuanlong Palm can reach supreme-grade. No wonder countless people have rushed to it over the centuries.


    However...


    Zhang Xuan slightly frowned and turned to Lu Ming, curious as he asked, "Principal Lu, have you heard of [Destiny Lock]?"


    "Are you referring to the special ability of a Destiny Master to lock away a person''s future and fate?" Lu Ming raised an eyebrow, looking at him incredulously.


    "That should be it," Zhang Xuan replied.


    After pondering, Lu Ming exined, "What it specifically entails, I¡¯m not too clear on, but I have heard of it. Generally speaking, a person''s fate is determined from birth. This is what they call ''dragons give birth to dragons, phoenixes give birth to phoenixes, and mice are born knowing how to dig.'' For those born into poverty, trying to be someone great is at least ten times harder than for those from wealthy families."


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Ordinary people might never earn 3 million in their lifetime, while some children, even if their fathers disown them, might receive that much each year... Even though some extraordinary individuals can change their situation through effort, they often tragically discover that no matter how hard they try, they cannot reach the starting line of others.


    Fate is indeed cruel; even exhausting every effort can leave one battered.


    Under normal circumstances, fate cannot be changed. However... Destiny Masters are too powerful; they not only master their own fates without being perceived by others but can also lock away others, rendering them unable to resist. The tool used to lock fate is called the Great Destiny Lock!


    Seeing that Zhang Xuan still seemed puzzled, Lu Ming continued, "For instance, under normal circumstances, a genius could break through to the Divine Soul Realm and be the pinnacle expert of White Rock City. However, if they fall under a Destiny Lock, even if opportunities arise, they may miss them due to various reasons and thus fail."


    This aligns with the saying, "What is meant to be will eventually happen, and what is not meant to be cannot be forced."


    Another example: if you like a girl, under normal circumstances, lovers will end up together. But if a Destiny Lock is involved, there will be misunderstandings; even though they truly love each other and know that they are good people, they may never be together... This is the most terrifying aspect of a Destiny Master: the ability to control fate! Once this happens, no matter how strong one''s cultivation, it is impossible to break free.


    "Such power exists?"


    Zhang Xuan was astonished. "So, if you offend a Destiny Master, you won''t even have a chance to control your own fate?"


    "That¡¯s one way to put it, but it¡¯s not entirely urate!" Lu Ming exined. "Whether deploying a Destiny Lock or altering fate is not easy or simple. It consumes a tremendous amount of energy for a Destiny Master. Moreover, as a cultivator¡¯s power and influence grow, altering their fate bes increasingly difficult. Forcefully changing fate can lead to severe bacsh, and they might even end up restricted themselves."


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    The stronger one is, the more influence one wields; the greater the power, the stronger the control. For these individuals, their fates already have established trajectories, making it indeed difficult to change.


    Forcefully altering fate requires greater sacrifices, and one might inadvertently bring harm upon oneself.


    Only the weak are easier to control; it''s akin to a ve master, who can easily kill a ve with just a word or thought, whereas killing another ve master is far from simple or easy.


    "Why are you asking about this all of a sudden?"


    Seeing that he understood, Lu Ming looked at him with curiosity.


    "I think I might understand why no one has seeded in cultivating the Xuanlong Palm."


    He looked at the stone tablet before him.


    "This..."


    Lu Ming reacted, his lips trembling. "Are you suggesting that this technique is neither iplete nor missing parts, but rather... locked by a Destiny Lock? That¡¯s why it misleads theprehender, leading them in the wrong direction, preventing any sess?"


    "That¡¯s about the gist of it!" Zhang Xuan nodded.


    The ws pointed out by the Library of Heaven''s Path aligned closely with what Lu Ming had just stated.


    The Destiny Lock obstructed the path toprehension, which was why countless masters over hundreds of years had failed to grasp it.


    Lu Ming frowned. "But this doesn''t add up; in thest few hundred years, neen Destiny Masters havee here, and none detected a so-called Destiny Lock."


    In fact, whether the Destiny was locked or not had been questioned hundreds of years ago, and they had even invited Destiny Masters to investigate but found nothing.


    Over time, everyone stopped considering this possibility and merely thought the method ofprehension was wed. Why would it suddenly emerge as a possibility now? Did he discover something others hadn¡¯t?


    "Nothing was discovered?"


    Zhang Xuan shook his head, taking a few steps closer to the stone pir. He turned to Sun Qiang: "Go get a hammer!"


    "Alright!" Sun Qiang nodded and left. A short whileter, he returned with arge hammer and a small one. "Young Master, which one do you want to use?"


    "I won''t be using it; you will!" Zhang Xuan pointed at a character not far from him. "Use therge hammer and smash here!"


    "Smash?" Sun Qiang''s mouth twitched, carefully ncing at Lu Ming not far away. Seeing him equally astonished, he gritted his teeth and swung the hammer down.


    With his strength applied, the stone wall shook slightly, and stone chips flew everywhere.


    "What are you trying to do?"


    "How dare you damage such an exquisite martial technique? Seeking death!"


    Lu Ming was horrified.


    "Who is this guy? Why is he not stopping?"


    Those studying the technique nearby all erupted.


    To better study, some had moved closer to the tablet, some were feeling the flow of power on the stone wall, and now they were witnessing someone trying to smash it... This wasn¡¯t studying; it was destruction!


    "Teacher Zhang..."


    Seeing that the crowd was growing louder and seemed ready to rush over, even Lu Ming couldn¡¯t hold back, looking at the young man beside him.


    "Principal, we want this palm technique to be truly cultivable and not remain in its current state, where countless people have exhausted their efforts without sess. I can¡¯t just ignore that..."


    Zhang Xuan waved his hand.


    "Of course not..." Lu Ming shook his head.


    The Xuanlong Palm had been standing here for over three hundred years since the sixth principal, with countless people attempting to decipher it. If it could be fully understood through this method, he would undoubtedly be remembered throughout history and etched in the minds of future generations.


    "That¡¯s good; Sun Qiang, keep smashing!"


    Zhang Xuan said nonchntly.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 8: Ten Thousand Strands of Heavens Fate Energy

    Vol 2 ch 8: Ten Thousand Strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    Just as Sun Qiang was about to bring down the iron hammer, an elderly man with white whiskers rushed over, positioning himself in front of the stone wall.


    ¡°If you want to destroy the Xuanlong Palm stone wall, you''ll have to step over my body first!¡±


    Good!


    Taking the hammer from Sun Qiang¡¯s hands, Zhang Xuan grabbed it with one hand and swung it hard at the old man.


    Before it even reached him, an overwhelming pressure surged forward, as though it could tear a person apart.


    ¡°Teacher Zhang¡­¡± Lu Mingwei¡¯s expression changed.


    This was a renowned elder of the Hanyuan Dynasty, famous for his stubbornness and sharp words. Known for his solitary lifestyle, he hade here to live out his days in peace. When he learned of this palm technique, he visited daily¡ªnot toprehend it but simply to pass the time. If any harm came to him, White Rock Academy would undoubtedly be thrust into chaos.¡°You¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, the ¡°elder¡± realized that the person before him was serious. Terrified, his legs buckled, and he quickly stepped aside to avoid being struck.


    Thunk!


    The hammer hit the stone wall.


    If the elder hadn¡¯t moved, it would have mmed right into his chest. Though his cultivation might have kept him from dying on the spot, he would still have been gravely injured and unable to move for some time.


    Who was this man who dared to take such bold action?


    The elder¡¯s face flushed red with anger, but he dared not say another word.


    Dealing with insolence requires even greater audacity. There was no ce for diplomacy here; otherwise, they would be dyed endlessly.


    Ignoring the old man, Zhang Xuan smiled slightly.


    The Library of Heaven''s Path had already noted the way to break the seal: only a force exceeding 99 horsepower could shatter it. Sun Qiang was bound to fail, so Zhang Xuan let him try just to gauge the reaction of those present.


    Sure enough, some intervened, while others watched with interest.


    But none of that concerned him. A strand of sword energy from the ''Pathos of Heaven'' surged into the hammer. The heavy, unwieldy metal suddenly became sharp and precise, striking a specific spot on the stone wall.


    Crack!


    The sturdy stone wall trembled, fissures spreading rapidly until a resounding crash sent cracks radiating outward.


    It was done,pletely done!


    The elder who had just dodged to the side was stunned to see the wall, which he had studied for years, now shattered before his eyes. He looked distraught, as if mourning a great loss.


    ¡°Why? This palm technique has been passed down for centuries, and now it¡¯s gone!¡±


    ¡°Even if we couldn¡¯tprehend it, someone eventually would. Why destroy it?¡±


    The others present were equally shocked and pained. After all the effort they had put into deciphering the technique, watching it destroyed was too much to bear.


    ¡°Hold on, look at that!¡±


    A sudden shout came from the crowd, and everyone turned to see a smaller, green stone revealed behind the broken wall.


    Lu Mingwei rushed over, pressing his hand on the cracked stone and applying force. With a burst of energy, the broken fragments scattered, revealing a three-meter-high green stone covered in inscriptions that were moreplete and coherent than those on the outer wall. While the previous wall bore fragments, this was the full version.


    ¡°This is... the true Xuanlong Palm?¡±


    With a single nce, Lu Mingwei¡¯s eyes widened, and his pupils contracted. ¡°It was hidden behind the stone all along? No wonder no one could master it¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded, also observing the inscriptions.


    The characters shifted, morphing into dragons that demonstrated a magnificent palm technique, now clear and fixed for study.


    Hmm? What¡¯s that?


    As he finished memorizing the inscriptions, Zhang Xuan¡¯s gaze fell on the spot where the hammer had struck. A sudden, chilling force surged into his body, racing toward his mind.


    Could it be... the Heaven''s Fate Lock?


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression changed.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that destroying the wall would trigger a curse embedded within it, transferring a binding force onto himself¡ªa lock capable of sealing one¡¯s destiny, inescapable and intangible. Realizing this decades or even centuriester would be toote.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s stronger than me!¡±


    He activated the Pathos of Heaven technique within himself, intending to annihte the power, but at that moment, the Library of Heaven''s Path trembled slightly.


    Buzz!


    A golden lock appeared, suspended mid-air within the library.


    ¡°It¡¯s been captured by the library?¡± Zhang Xuan breathed out in relief.


    What he feared might trap him ended up subdued by the library¡¯s unparalleled power.


    Wait a moment¡ªwhy does this lock feel familiar?


    Intrigued, Zhang Xuan examined the golden lock more closely. The longer he looked, the more familiar it seemed.


    It wasn¡¯t a physical lock but an artifact formed from special energy streams, each emitting subtle, book-like lights that drifted onto the library¡¯s shelves.


    These are... Heaven''s Fate Energy?


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    The Heaven''s Fate Lock was actuallyposed of Heaven''s Fate Energy, far denser and more abundant than any in a Destiny Disk. While a typical Destiny Disk could hold up to 10,000 strands, this lock contained at least 100,000 or more.


    It wanted to break free from the library¡¯s grip.


    A Destiny Disk¡¯s energy was ownerless, but the lock¡¯s energy was imed, manipted by another¡¯s will.


    ¡°Come out!¡±


    With a mentalmand, the Library of Heaven''s Path extracted the consciousness from the lock, revealing it before him.


    A shadowy middle-aged man appeared, looking furious.


    ¡°Who are you? How did you strip my consciousness from the Heaven''s Fate Lock?¡±


    He was in utter disbelief.


    ¡°If I can do that, it means killing you would be even easier. Don¡¯t test me,¡± Zhang Xuan said calmly.


    In this realm, where the library held dominion, Zhang Xuan¡¯s power was infinite. Stripping away a consciousness or extinguishing a life was but a thought away.


    ¡°Trying to get information from me? Dream on.¡± The man scoffed.


    Enough! I shouldn¡¯t have let you talk.


    Seeing his defiance, Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t waste any more words. He pointed, and the man''s memories were extracted and absorbed.


    Reading through them, Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes narrowed with suspicion.


    This man, named Zhu Jing, was a Destiny Master from centuries ago. He created the Xuanlong Palm, and his disciples misused its power, even harming his daughter. In grief, he personally eliminated them but suffered serious injuries. Not wanting his technique to vanish, he inscribed it on the wall. Yet, fearing misuse, he condensed his remaining power into the Heaven''s Fate Lock to seal it.


    ¡°Humans are truly contradictory creatures,¡± Zhang Xuan thought, shaking his head.


    He wanted to preserve his creation for future generations yet feared its potential for misuse¡ªa truly paradoxical act.


    ¡°A Heaven''s Fate Lock contains a Destiny Master¡¯s consciousness. As long as it remains intact, destiny cannot change,¡± Zhang Xuan mused. ¡°The lock, woven from Heaven''s Fate Energy and soul power, binds the destiny of all beings it touches.¡±


    Mastering such an artifact would require reaching the Recognizing Fate stage at minimum¡ªa level beyond reach for most.


    Having finished his examination, Zhang Xuan saw no further use for the consciousness. He snapped his fingers.


    ¡°No...!¡±


    With a soft exmation, Zhu Jing¡¯s consciousness disintegrated into stardust and faded away.


    Standing before the lock, Zhang Xuan focused. The Heaven''s Fate Energy within dispersed, forming countless books in the sky.


    Momentster, the energy had spread out, coalescing into 100,000 separate books.


    So, the small Heaven''s Fate Lock had indeed beenposed of 100,000 strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy. A four-star Destiny Master possessed such wealth¡ªastounding!


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s initial worry about losing energy now seemedughable; he had gained far more than he¡¯d spent.


    With a contented smile, Zhang Xuan opened his eyes.


    ¡°So we¡¯ve been training incorrectly all along¡­,¡± someone muttered nearby.


    All around, people looked embarrassed as they realized their fundamental misunderstandings of the technique.


    Even the elder who had tried to stop Zhang Xuan looked particrly ashamed, unable to decide whether to stay or leave.


    Ignoring the crowd¡¯s mixed reactions, Zhang Xuan turned to Lu Mingwei, eyes shining with excitement. ¡°Dean Lu, do we have any more techniques like this at the academy? I¡¯d like to try them.¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 6: Xuanlong Palm

    Vol 2 Ch 6: Xuanlong Palm


    Such performances are everywhere along the way.


    At this moment, many students saw Zhang Xuan and reacted as if they had encountered their crush in high school, disying various strange behaviors under the impulse of hormones. To outsiders, it seemed odd, but to them, it felt just fine...


    "Young Master, why not take on a few more disciples?" Sun Qiang smiled.


    "Forget it. Once I take on disciples, I must ensure their safety..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    ording to the news from Master Kong, the Destiny Hall is not friendly to those like them who ascend. Once their identities are exposed, the more disciples they take on, the more trouble they will encounter, and they might drag them down.


    It¡¯s better to refuse decisively from the start than to face problemster.


    "That''s true!" Sun Qiang nodded.


    The Xuanlong Pavilion is located in the northeast corner of White Rock Academy, close to Huaiyuan Mountain. Before they arrived, they could see many people gathered in groups of three to five discussing something.In front of them stood a gigantic stone tablet, ten zhang tall and seven zhang wide, smooth all over, with hundreds of bizarre characters carved on it, resembling dragons that seemed ready to soar and swim at any moment.


    "Young Master, this is the iplete manual ''Xuanlong Palm'' left by the sixth principal, Zhao Yunqing. It is said that he obtained it in a ruin and replicated its contents exactly. It contains an extremely profound martial art that, once practiced, can greatly increase one¡¯s strength!" Sun Qiang exined. "Unfortunately, it¡¯s unclear whether the principal¡¯s memory was iplete or if the martial art itself was damaged. For hundreds of years, countless people havee to observe and learn but have never seeded in practicing it.


    To prevent such a profound martial art from disappearing, White Rock Academy had no choice but to lift the restrictions. Anyone who canprehend it andplete the manual will not only face no repercussions but will also receive a direct reward of 2 million source coins!"


    As he spoke, he nced around, pointing at the groups of people: "These are all here for the fame; some have been studying for one or two decades and are still unwilling to leave.


    Zhang Xuan nodded and looked around.


    The person closest to him was a cultivator in his sixties, dressed in white, slightly yellowed, with messy hair and beard, looking somewhat like a hermit. In front of him were six or seven others who looked simr, appearing emaciated and somewhat malnourished, yet their spirits were remarkably high.


    "I¡¯ve said it before, it¡¯s not about understanding the meaning but observing the patterns! Look at that diagram; doesn¡¯t it look like someone sitting cross-legged? And that one looks like a hand about to strike..." I suspect that whenbined, these represent the method to perform Xuanlong Palm!"


    "I don¡¯t think so. That diagram somewhat resembles a seated posture, but upon closer inspection, whenbined with the previous character, it resembles the name of an acupoint. I think it¡¯s the position of true energy flow."


    "You¡¯re all wrong. These characters are not textual information but represent the sequence and direction of true energy flowing through the meridians!"


    Several people resembling hermits argued stubbornly.


    Not just them, others who had gathered were not much different, either arguing fiercely or sharing their guesses, discussing together.


    "If no one has made progress in hundreds of years, could it be that this is not a martial art at all?"


    Zhang Xuan frowned.


    So many people have studied it for hundreds of years, and if there was no progress at all, could it be that the so-called manual doesn¡¯t exist and is just ordinary characters? It seems that the understanding of true energy has greatly increased. Although they haven¡¯t mastered Xuanlong Palm, theirprehension of other martial arts must have improved significantly. Therefore, everyone is convinced that this technique must be real.


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Over the past few hundred years, so many experts have been eager to assert that this is an unparalleled martial art; the possibility that it is not is very small. One person might make a mistake, but when it¡¯s a few, tens of thousands, or even millions, the chances of being wrong are negligible.


    As he stepped forward, Zhang Xuan was just about to study it when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps approaching, followed by theughter of Principal Lu Ming: "Teacher Zhang, are you nning toprehend this Xuanlong Palm?"


    Zhang Xuan had not hidden his departure, so the news quickly reached him.


    "Yes, just came to take a look!"


    Zhang Xuan smiled slightly: "If I canplete this martial art, I hope I can exchange it for a Destiny Disk!"


    His purpose in earning money is to acquire Heaven''s Fate Energy, so there¡¯s no point in asking for money from the principal now.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Of course!" Lu Ming nodded repeatedly.


    With his consent, Zhang Xuan said no more and looked up at the stone tablet. The carved characters were each more than a person''s height, swirling with a dragon-like grace; they looked like words but also did not.


    The Eye of Insight activated, observing carefully.


    At that moment, the characters on the stone tablet seemed toe alive, transforming into little golden dragons soaring and leaping in the clouds.


    "It really is a martial art."


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression grew serious.


    Previously, hearing that no one hadprehended it in hundreds of years made him wonder if they might be mistaken. Now, he was one hundred percent sure that these inscriptions must contain a powerful martial technique.


    The progress made was of great help.


    Quickly, these little dragons, under the observation of the Eye of Insight, moved around in circles, but Zhang Xuan, like everyone else, feltpletely confused.


    The direction and sequence of these little dragons had no pattern. Following such a path for true energy would not only fail to cultivate the martial technique but might even lead to exploding one¡¯s body¡­


    So, this approach is wrong!


    Let¡¯s try rearranging andbining¡­


    Since he couldn¡¯tplete it in the normal sequence, let¡¯s try skipping characters, reading them backward, and so on.


    Soon, he tried all the ideas he could think of but found no sess.


    Over the past few hundred years, at least a few million experts have studied this martial art without arriving at the correct conclusion, and no one has seeded.


    Seeing the confusion in Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes, Lu Ming could only smile wryly and shake his head.


    When he first heard Zhang Xuan wanted to study this, he felt a strange excitement. If anyone in White Rock Academy had a chance of sess over the past few centuries, it would definitely be this person before him.


    However, seeing his current state, he understood that although Zhang Xuan had talent in cultivation and teaching, hisprehension might not be as extraordinary.


    It seems that in this lifetime, he won¡¯t have the hope of seeing anyone seed with Xuanlong Palm.


    While he was pondering, a young man beside him turned to look: "Principal Lu, since countless experts have studied this stone tablet over the past hundreds of years, have they left behind their insights and directions, as well as the difficulties and realizations they encountered?"


    "Yes, every year our academy specifically sends people to gather everyone¡¯s insights and transcribe them, hoping to provide some help for future generations... They¡¯re all in that room over there!" Lu Ming pointed.


    Zhang Xuan looked over, and on one side of the stone tablet, a room¡¯s door was ajar. From a distance, he could see rows of bookshelves filled with books, and inside sat arge group of cultivators, each clutching books, studying as if they were mad.


    Just as he was about to step inside, Zhang Xuan paused and looked awkwardly at Principal Lu Ming: "Principal, could I borrow a Destiny Disk for a while? I¡¯ll pay you backter!"


    With these books, he could fully utilize the Library of Heaven''s Path to find the correct understanding path. It¡¯s just a pity that all the Heaven''s Fate Energy he gathered had been exhausted; if he really had to read them one by one, it would take decades to finish!


    "Borrow?"


    He hadn¡¯t expected him to say that. Lu Ming was slightly taken aback.


    "Yes. If I canprehend andplete this Xuanlong Palm, the reward of source coins will offset the cost of the Destiny Disk. If I can¡¯t do it, I¡¯ll find another way to make up for the money."


    Zhang Xuan hurriedly exined.


    "This¡­ you are an elder of White Rock Academy and also a teacher, so borrowing one is no problem at all¡­" Lu Ming nodded.


    Not to mention his identity; simply in terms of helping him break through, lending one or even giving one wouldn¡¯t be a big deal.


    Lu Ming turned and walked off into the distance, and Zhang Xuan quickly followed: "I¡¯ll go with you!"


    Before long, he had obtained a new Destiny Disk. After ncing at it, Zhang Xuan secretly let out a sigh of relief.


    Returning to his residence, he activated the mini array that Principal Lu had helped set up. Streams of pure Heaven''s Fate Energy surged into the library. A quarter of an hourter, the Destiny Disk shattered, and over ten thousand new books formed in the library.


    Upon returning to Xuanlong Pavilion, Principal Lu and Sun Qiang were quietly waiting. When they saw him return, they both sighed in relief.


    "I¡¯ll go check those books first."


    No longer observing the stone tablet, Zhang Xuan walked toward the room.


    The room wasrge, covering at least an acre. For hundreds of years, every year¡¯s collected "insights" had been gathered here, stacked on


    over a dozen rows of bookshelves, amounting to tens of thousands of volumes.


    Many books had been severely damaged from flipping through them and the passage of time. Every time this happened, someone would rewrite them, so even though many books were tattered, they were not missing pages or words.


    Ignoring the people sitting on the floor reading, Zhang Xuan approached a row of bookshelves. With a gentle swipe of his finger, hundreds of volumes on Xuanlong Palm entered his mind.


    Integration!


    With a thought, the correct contents merged, forming a single book.


    He casually flipped it open and looked, only to find his brows furrowed tightly.


    The book before him waspletely nk, like a wordless heavenly book.


    In other words, the hundreds of "insights and experiences" were all wrong, with not a single correct line!


    The fact that they could leave content behind indicates that the people who observed the stone tablet were not of low status and had considerable cultivation; how could they all be wrong?


    Feeling perplexed, Zhang Xuan continued to swipe his finger, and several hundred books fell into the library, apanied by radiant light. Yet again, a heavenly book formed.


    Still wrong!


    After continuously recording nearly five hundred books, gathering insights from thousands of experts, not a single correct one appeared. Could it be that this Xuanlong Palm... truly cannot be cultivated?


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 7: Destiny Lock

    Vol 2 ch 7: Destiny Lock


    "Teacher Zhang, what¡¯s wrong? Are there issues with these insights?"


    Seeing the young man enter the room and continually swipe his hand without flipping through the books, Lu Ming approached with confusion in his eyes.


    "It¡¯s nothing..."


    Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t exin and once again stroked through hundreds of books, just like before, yielding no useful insights.


    Knowing that continuing wouldn¡¯t be helpful, he walked out of the room and returned to the stone tablet.


    The stone tablet stood imposing nearby, its characters seemingly piercing his vision and giving him a different sensation this time.


    However, this sensation waspletely different from before.


    If earlier it felt like dragons soaring across the nine continents, with unmatched might, now it felt like a gentle spring rain, warm and soft like dust.Different feelings all emanated from the same stone tablet. Even as the lord of a world, having witnessed countless techniques and manuals, he felt it was beyondprehension.


    "Young Master, this stone tablet feels somewhat off. When I looked at it earlier, I thought this technique should be like the [Four Leaf Palm], bold and powerful, but now it feels like the [Spirit Serpent Fist], incredibly flexible," Sun Qiang frowned.


    "You feel the same way?" Zhang Xuan was surprised.


    The [Four Leaf Palm] and [Spirit Serpent Fist] were martial techniques from the Master Teacher Continent, entirely different in nature, and could not be practiced simultaneously.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "This technique is like that; every time you observe, there will be new insights. It¡¯s precisely for this reason that countless cultivators linger here, eager toplete it," Lu Ming said.


    "Every observation yields new insights?" Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow.


    If it were merely a defective martial technique, then even if a person¡¯s understanding changed, it would still build upon the existing foundation rather than lead to such opposite interpretations.


    Something isn¡¯t right!


    "This needs the Eye of Insight!" He thought, realizing that it was difficult to see the issue with just his eyes. Zhang Xuan focused his mind and whispered.


    In the Library of Heaven''s Path, a violent roar suddenly erupted, followed by numerous books suspended in the sky, all emitting a faint glow as they rushed toward the center.


    In the span of half a breath, they fused together, forming a single book.


    "Why is the consumption sorge?"


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression changed.


    To create this book, the Heaven''s Fate Energy he had just borrowed from Principal Lu, which amounted to over ten thousand units, had all been expended!


    Forming a Jade Bone-level technique had only required about a thousand units. Just looking at the stone tablet consumed this much.


    What a loss!


    He had thought that with the help of the library, he could supplement this technique. Even if it consumed energy, he assumed there would be some surplus. He never expected this situation.


    But now it was toote to regret.


    Extending his right hand, the newly formed book gentlynded in his palm. He opened it, and this time it was not nk but filled with content.


    "Carved into the blue jade wall of Luohuyan in Huaiyuan Mountain by Zhao Yunqing, the sixth principal of White Rock City, this contains a supreme-level palm technique. Unfortunately, its cultivation path is locked by a [Destiny Lock], making it impossible toprehend properly."


    w One: The position of the Destiny Lock is incorrect; it can be broken by applying over 99 units of force at a specific location.


    w Two: Martial techniques are divided into low-grade, middle-grade, high-grade, supreme-grade, royal-grade, and imperial-grade. The highest palm technique in White Rock City is only high-grade, yet this Xuanlong Palm can reach supreme-grade. No wonder countless people have rushed to it over the centuries.


    However...


    Zhang Xuan slightly frowned and turned to Lu Ming, curious as he asked, "Principal Lu, have you heard of [Destiny Lock]?"


    "Are you referring to the special ability of a Destiny Master to lock away a person''s future and fate?" Lu Ming raised an eyebrow, looking at him incredulously.


    "That should be it," Zhang Xuan replied.


    After pondering, Lu Ming exined, "What it specifically entails, I¡¯m not too clear on, but I have heard of it. Generally speaking, a person''s fate is determined from birth. This is what they call ''dragons give birth to dragons, phoenixes give birth to phoenixes, and mice are born knowing how to dig.'' For those born into poverty, trying to be someone great is at least ten times harder than for those from wealthy families."


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Ordinary people might never earn 3 million in their lifetime, while some children, even if their fathers disown them, might receive that much each year... Even though some extraordinary individuals can change their situation through effort, they often tragically discover that no matter how hard they try, they cannot reach the starting line of others.


    Fate is indeed cruel; even exhausting every effort can leave one battered.


    Under normal circumstances, fate cannot be changed. However... Destiny Masters are too powerful; they not only master their own fates without being perceived by others but can also lock away others, rendering them unable to resist. The tool used to lock fate is called the Great Destiny Lock!


    Seeing that Zhang Xuan still seemed puzzled, Lu Ming continued, "For instance, under normal circumstances, a genius could break through to the Divine Soul Realm and be the pinnacle expert of White Rock City. However, if they fall under a Destiny Lock, even if opportunities arise, they may miss them due to various reasons and thus fail."


    This aligns with the saying, "What is meant to be will eventually happen, and what is not meant to be cannot be forced."


    Another example: if you like a girl, under normal circumstances, lovers will end up together. But if a Destiny Lock is involved, there will be misunderstandings; even though they truly love each other and know that they are good people, they may never be together... This is the most terrifying aspect of a Destiny Master: the ability to control fate! Once this happens, no matter how strong one''s cultivation, it is impossible to break free.


    "Such power exists?"


    Zhang Xuan was astonished. "So, if you offend a Destiny Master, you won''t even have a chance to control your own fate?"


    "That¡¯s one way to put it, but it¡¯s not entirely urate!" Lu Ming exined. "Whether deploying a Destiny Lock or altering fate is not easy or simple. It consumes a tremendous amount of energy for a Destiny Master. Moreover, as a cultivator¡¯s power and influence grow, altering their fate bes increasingly difficult. Forcefully changing fate can lead to severe bacsh, and they might even end up restricted themselves."


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    The stronger one is, the more influence one wields; the greater the power, the stronger the control. For these individuals, their fates already have established trajectories, making it indeed difficult to change.


    Forcefully altering fate requires greater sacrifices, and one might inadvertently bring harm upon oneself.


    Only the weak are easier to control; it''s akin to a ve master, who can easily kill a ve with just a word or thought, whereas killing another ve master is far from simple or easy.


    "Why are you asking about this all of a sudden?"


    Seeing that he understood, Lu Ming looked at him with curiosity.


    "I think I might understand why no one has seeded in cultivating the Xuanlong Palm."


    He looked at the stone tablet before him.


    "This..."


    Lu Ming reacted, his lips trembling. "Are you suggesting that this technique is neither iplete nor missing parts, but rather... locked by a Destiny Lock? That¡¯s why it misleads theprehender, leading them in the wrong direction, preventing any sess?"


    "That¡¯s about the gist of it!" Zhang Xuan nodded.


    The ws pointed out by the Library of Heaven''s Path aligned closely with what Lu Ming had just stated.


    The Destiny Lock obstructed the path toprehension, which was why countless masters over hundreds of years had failed to grasp it.


    Lu Ming frowned. "But this doesn''t add up; in thest few hundred years, neen Destiny Masters havee here, and none detected a so-called Destiny Lock."


    In fact, whether the Destiny was locked or not had been questioned hundreds of years ago, and they had even invited Destiny Masters to investigate but found nothing.


    Over time, everyone stopped considering this possibility and merely thought the method ofprehension was wed. Why would it suddenly emerge as a possibility now? Did he discover something others hadn¡¯t?


    "Nothing was discovered?"


    Zhang Xuan shook his head, taking a few steps closer to the stone pir. He turned to Sun Qiang: "Go get a hammer!"


    "Alright!" Sun Qiang nodded and left. A short whileter, he returned with arge hammer and a small one. "Young Master, which one do you want to use?"


    "I won''t be using it; you will!" Zhang Xuan pointed at a character not far from him. "Use therge hammer and smash here!"


    "Smash?" Sun Qiang''s mouth twitched, carefully ncing at Lu Ming not far away. Seeing him equally astonished, he gritted his teeth and swung the hammer down.


    With his strength applied, the stone wall shook slightly, and stone chips flew everywhere.


    "What are you trying to do?"


    "How dare you damage such an exquisite martial technique? Seeking death!"


    Lu Ming was horrified.


    "Who is this guy? Why is he not stopping?"


    Those studying the technique nearby all erupted.


    To better study, some had moved closer to the tablet, some were feeling the flow of power on the stone wall, and now they were witnessing someone trying to smash it... This wasn¡¯t studying; it was destruction!


    "Teacher Zhang..."


    Seeing that the crowd was growing louder and seemed ready to rush over, even Lu Ming couldn¡¯t hold back, looking at the young man beside him.


    "Principal, we want this palm technique to be truly cultivable and not remain in its current state, where countless people have exhausted their efforts without sess. I can¡¯t just ignore that..."


    Zhang Xuan waved his hand.


    "Of course not..." Lu Ming shook his head.


    The Xuanlong Palm had been standing here for over three hundred years since the sixth principal, with countless people attempting to decipher it. If it could be fully understood through this method, he would undoubtedly be remembered throughout history and etched in the minds of future generations.


    "That¡¯s good; Sun Qiang, keep smashing!"


    Zhang Xuan said nonchntly.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 8: Ten Thousand Strands of Heavens Fate Energy

    Vol 2 ch 8: Ten Thousand Strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    Just as Sun Qiang was about to bring down the iron hammer, an elderly man with white whiskers rushed over, positioning himself in front of the stone wall.


    ¡°If you want to destroy the Xuanlong Palm stone wall, you''ll have to step over my body first!¡±


    Good!


    Taking the hammer from Sun Qiang¡¯s hands, Zhang Xuan grabbed it with one hand and swung it hard at the old man.


    Before it even reached him, an overwhelming pressure surged forward, as though it could tear a person apart.


    ¡°Teacher Zhang¡­¡± Lu Mingwei¡¯s expression changed.


    This was a renowned elder of the Hanyuan Dynasty, famous for his stubbornness and sharp words. Known for his solitary lifestyle, he hade here to live out his days in peace. When he learned of this palm technique, he visited daily¡ªnot toprehend it but simply to pass the time. If any harm came to him, White Rock Academy would undoubtedly be thrust into chaos.¡°You¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, the ¡°elder¡± realized that the person before him was serious. Terrified, his legs buckled, and he quickly stepped aside to avoid being struck.


    Thunk!


    The hammer hit the stone wall.


    If the elder hadn¡¯t moved, it would have mmed right into his chest. Though his cultivation might have kept him from dying on the spot, he would still have been gravely injured and unable to move for some time.


    Who was this man who dared to take such bold action?


    The elder¡¯s face flushed red with anger, but he dared not say another word.


    Dealing with insolence requires even greater audacity. There was no ce for diplomacy here; otherwise, they would be dyed endlessly.


    Ignoring the old man, Zhang Xuan smiled slightly.


    The Library of Heaven''s Path had already noted the way to break the seal: only a force exceeding 99 horsepower could shatter it. Sun Qiang was bound to fail, so Zhang Xuan let him try just to gauge the reaction of those present.


    Sure enough, some intervened, while others watched with interest.


    But none of that concerned him. A strand of sword energy from the ''Pathos of Heaven'' surged into the hammer. The heavy, unwieldy metal suddenly became sharp and precise, striking a specific spot on the stone wall.


    Crack!


    The sturdy stone wall trembled, fissures spreading rapidly until a resounding crash sent cracks radiating outward.


    It was done,pletely done!


    The elder who had just dodged to the side was stunned to see the wall, which he had studied for years, now shattered before his eyes. He looked distraught, as if mourning a great loss.


    ¡°Why? This palm technique has been passed down for centuries, and now it¡¯s gone!¡±


    ¡°Even if we couldn¡¯tprehend it, someone eventually would. Why destroy it?¡±


    The others present were equally shocked and pained. After all the effort they had put into deciphering the technique, watching it destroyed was too much to bear.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Hold on, look at that!¡±


    A sudden shout came from the crowd, and everyone turned to see a smaller, green stone revealed behind the broken wall.


    Lu Mingwei rushed over, pressing his hand on the cracked stone and applying force. With a burst of energy, the broken fragments scattered, revealing a three-meter-high green stone covered in inscriptions that were moreplete and coherent than those on the outer wall. While the previous wall bore fragments, this was the full version.


    ¡°This is... the true Xuanlong Palm?¡±


    With a single nce, Lu Mingwei¡¯s eyes widened, and his pupils contracted. ¡°It was hidden behind the stone all along? No wonder no one could master it¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded, also observing the inscriptions.


    The characters shifted, morphing into dragons that demonstrated a magnificent palm technique, now clear and fixed for study.


    Hmm? What¡¯s that?


    As he finished memorizing the inscriptions, Zhang Xuan¡¯s gaze fell on the spot where the hammer had struck. A sudden, chilling force surged into his body, racing toward his mind.


    Could it be... the Heaven''s Fate Lock?


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression changed.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that destroying the wall would trigger a curse embedded within it, transferring a binding force onto himself¡ªa lock capable of sealing one¡¯s destiny, inescapable and intangible. Realizing this decades or even centuriester would be toote.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s stronger than me!¡±


    He activated the Pathos of Heaven technique within himself, intending to annihte the power, but at that moment, the Library of Heaven''s Path trembled slightly.


    Buzz!


    A golden lock appeared, suspended mid-air within the library.


    ¡°It¡¯s been captured by the library?¡± Zhang Xuan breathed out in relief.


    What he feared might trap him ended up subdued by the library¡¯s unparalleled power.


    Wait a moment¡ªwhy does this lock feel familiar?


    Intrigued, Zhang Xuan examined the golden lock more closely. The longer he looked, the more familiar it seemed.


    It wasn¡¯t a physical lock but an artifact formed from special energy streams, each emitting subtle, book-like lights that drifted onto the library¡¯s shelves.


    These are... Heaven''s Fate Energy?


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    The Heaven''s Fate Lock was actuallyposed of Heaven''s Fate Energy, far denser and more abundant than any in a Destiny Disk. While a typical Destiny Disk could hold up to 10,000 strands, this lock contained at least 100,000 or more.


    It wanted to break free from the library¡¯s grip.


    A Destiny Disk¡¯s energy was ownerless, but the lock¡¯s energy was imed, manipted by another¡¯s will.


    ¡°Come out!¡±


    With a mentalmand, the Library of Heaven''s Path extracted the consciousness from the lock, revealing it before him.


    A shadowy middle-aged man appeared, looking furious.


    ¡°Who are you? How did you strip my consciousness from the Heaven''s Fate Lock?¡±


    He was in utter disbelief.


    ¡°If I can do that, it means killing you would be even easier. Don¡¯t test me,¡± Zhang Xuan said calmly.


    In this realm, where the library held dominion, Zhang Xuan¡¯s power was infinite. Stripping away a consciousness or extinguishing a life was but a thought away.


    ¡°Trying to get information from me? Dream on.¡± The man scoffed.


    Enough! I shouldn¡¯t have let you talk.


    Seeing his defiance, Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t waste any more words. He pointed, and the man''s memories were extracted and absorbed.


    Reading through them, Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes narrowed with suspicion.


    This man, named Zhu Jing, was a Destiny Master from centuries ago. He created the Xuanlong Palm, and his disciples misused its power, even harming his daughter. In grief, he personally eliminated them but suffered serious injuries. Not wanting his technique to vanish, he inscribed it on the wall. Yet, fearing misuse, he condensed his remaining power into the Heaven''s Fate Lock to seal it.


    ¡°Humans are truly contradictory creatures,¡± Zhang Xuan thought, shaking his head.


    He wanted to preserve his creation for future generations yet feared its potential for misuse¡ªa truly paradoxical act.


    ¡°A Heaven''s Fate Lock contains a Destiny Master¡¯s consciousness. As long as it remains intact, destiny cannot change,¡± Zhang Xuan mused. ¡°The lock, woven from Heaven''s Fate Energy and soul power, binds the destiny of all beings it touches.¡±


    Mastering such an artifact would require reaching the Recognizing Fate stage at minimum¡ªa level beyond reach for most.


    Having finished his examination, Zhang Xuan saw no further use for the consciousness. He snapped his fingers.


    ¡°No...!¡±


    With a soft exmation, Zhu Jing¡¯s consciousness disintegrated into stardust and faded away.


    Standing before the lock, Zhang Xuan focused. The Heaven''s Fate Energy within dispersed, forming countless books in the sky.


    Momentster, the energy had spread out, coalescing into 100,000 separate books.


    So, the small Heaven''s Fate Lock had indeed beenposed of 100,000 strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy. A four-star Destiny Master possessed such wealth¡ªastounding!


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s initial worry about losing energy now seemedughable; he had gained far more than he¡¯d spent.


    With a contented smile, Zhang Xuan opened his eyes.


    ¡°So we¡¯ve been training incorrectly all along¡­,¡± someone muttered nearby.


    All around, people looked embarrassed as they realized their fundamental misunderstandings of the technique.


    Even the elder who had tried to stop Zhang Xuan looked particrly ashamed, unable to decide whether to stay or leave.


    Ignoring the crowd¡¯s mixed reactions, Zhang Xuan turned to Lu Mingwei, eyes shining with excitement. ¡°Dean Lu, do we have any more techniques like this at the academy? I¡¯d like to try them.¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 9: Sun Chengyou (Full)

    Vol 2 ch 9 : Sun Chengyou


    "Fixing one technique alone earned me 90,000 Heaven''s Fate Energy, more than all the energy I absorbed previouslybined. If I could get my hands on a few more like that, reaching the Divine Soul Realm¡ªor even the Dharma Aspect Realm¡ªwouldn¡¯t be a problem!"


    Without understanding his thoughts, Lu Mingrong shook his head in admiration, mistaking Zhang Xuan''s intentions for devotion to the academy. "That''s it... I don¡¯t have any more."


    For an academy to obtain even one technique of this caliber was already unbelievable luck; expecting more was just a pipe dream. Besides, with their strength, they wouldn¡¯t be able to keep it anyway.


    Zhang Xuan looked a bit disappointed and turned to Sun Qiang, "Let''s go to the next one!"


    Lu Mingrong, puzzled, asked, "Mr. Zhang, is something wrong? If there¡¯s anything I can help with, please feel free to ask."


    "Nothing, just looking to earn a bit of cash," Zhang Xuan waved his hand dismissively, taking a few steps before stopping and saying, "Oh, right. Consider that Destiny Disk I lent you and the solution to your ''Mystic Dragon Palm'' as even¡ªwe owe each other nothing now."


    "Of course!" Lu Mingrong nodded.


    Letting out a sigh of relief, Zhang Xuan strode away.


    Though he now had over 90,000 Heaven''s Fate Energy, which was sufficient for the moment, there was still money to be made. After all, enrolling in the Destiny Baptism would cost a whopping 30 million Source Coins.


    Not to mention, he also intended to bring Nie Lingxi, Zhao Ya, and the others over¡ªhow could he support them without money?


    Watching the two walk off, Lu Mingrong hesitated and then turned to the Wu Yunzhou Vice-Principal following him, "I¡¯ll handle the matter of the ''Mystic Dragon Palm.'' You go after them and see if they need assistance."


    The vice-principal of Wu Yunzhou nodded and followed them.


    Lu Mingrong finally rxed and nced around, "I trust everyone will keep quiet about this technique and not let it slip out..."


    "Neigh~~"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The two galloping horses stopped, and Zhang Xuan dismounted, looking at the fenced yard in front of him with a hint of confusion. "Is this where Sun Chengyou lives? Can he really afford to pay a million?"


    The yard was overgrown with weeds and looked filthy and neglected. The low thatched cottage seemed to have been abandoned for years, with holes in several ces. No matter how he looked at it, it didn''t seem like a ce where someone with a million Source Coins would live.


    "ording to my investigation, Sun Chengyou was once a musician who served high-ranking officials, receiving numerous rewards. His own strength isn''t weak either, reaching the peak of the sixth level, Organs Easing, in the Source Pool Realm. So having a million Source Coins saved up shouldn''t be difficult. But why he lives here, I¡¯m not sure..." Sun Qiang shook his head.


    The limited time of just over two days had only allowed him to uncover ways to make money, but not in much detail.


    "Let¡¯s go take a look. If he can pay, great. If not, we''ll move on," Zhang Xuan nodded.


    They walked to the gate and knocked for a while, but nobody responded. They decided to enter.


    The yard was quiterge, but it was covered with overgrown grass, looking like it hadn¡¯t been lived in for years. Before they could reach the front of the thatched cottage, they heard sobbing¡ªa mix of male and female voices.


    Exchanging a look, Zhang Xuan and Sun Qiang headed toward the sounds, arriving to see an elder lying motionless on a straw mat in the middle of the hall. His eyes were closed, breath gone. On either side, what appeared to be his children and family were wailing in sorrow.


    "Could this be Sun Chengyou? Master, it seems we arrived toote..." Sun Qiang scratched his head awkwardly.


    "Late? More like he passed too soon," Zhang Xuan remarked, exasperated.


    ording to Sun Qiang, Sun Chengyou had been injured by a Source Beast and was on the brink of death, with a million Source Coin reward offered if someone could cure him. But before they even entered the house, they saw he was already dead¡ªwhat was left to treat?


    "What brings you two here?"


    As they were about to leave, a young man, noticing them, asked, his gaze shifting to them along with the other mourners.


    "This should be the residence of Senior Sun Chengyou, right?" Sun Qiang cupped his hands respectfully, confirming with some embarrassment, "My master is skilled in healing and came to help treat Elder Sun''s injuries. But it seems we¡¯re toote. Our apologies..."


    "Healing? Another so-called healer. My father was killed by quack doctors trying to get the reward! Seize them and lock them up with the others!" the young man ordered, his teeth clenched.


    "Yes!"


    With a quick response, five or six men rushed out from the house, encircling Zhang Xuan and Sun Qiang.


    These men were all at the Body Tempering Realm. While not exceptionally strong, they weren''t weak either. More importantly, despite wearing simple clothes, their eyes held a steely gaze¡ªa clear sign they¡¯d been through battle, possibly even killed before.


    These men had likely been blooded soldiers.


    "What¡¯s the meaning of this? All we did wase to offer medical help¡ªsince when is that a crime?" Sun Qiang¡¯s brow furrowed as he scanned the group around him.


    "Not a crime, but I despise con artists like you," the young man sneered, gesturing, "Take them!"


    The crowd closed in on Zhang Xuan.


    Just then, a clear voice called from inside the house, "Brother, what are you doing?"


    A young woman in her early twenties appeared.


    Dressed in in clothes, her face was exceptionally beautiful. Her red-rimmed eyes, teary expression, and delicate, sorrowful appearance made her look as fragile as a flower.


    "Yu¡¯er..." The young man frowned.


    "I understand that you''re upset over Father''s passing, but that¡¯s no reason to take it out on strangers."


    The young woman turned to Zhang Xuan, apologizing, "Sir, I¡¯m terribly sorry. My father was in good spirits just this morning, but a healer came byter, saying he could treat him. Father took the medicine, but his condition worsened, and he passed. My brother is distraught and may have acted impulsively. Please forgive him."


    "I¡¯m not acting impulsively! My father was sick, and as his children, we were desperate. But ever since we announced a million-Source Coin reward, we¡¯ve had countless ''healers'' showing up. But how many of them actually knew what they were doing? They were all opportunists," he sneered.


    "My brother isn¡¯t wrong. When Father was critically ill, no one dared treat him. But the moment we announced a million-Source Coin reward, so-called master healers swarmed in, all iming to have miracle remedies. We had over ten people with secret family forms alone¡ªhow could we possibly trust them?"


    A second young man, kneeling by the body, chimed in.


    "I understand, but this gentleman has just arrived. He hasn¡¯t done anything wrong. We mustn''t vent our frustration on innocent bystanders," the young woman waved her hand, dismissing the guards.


    The young man gave a reluctant nod, "Fine¡­ let them go."


    "Thank you," the young woman said. "I¡¯m sorry, sirs, but my father has passed. There¡¯s no further need for treatment."


    "If nothing is done, he really will be dead," Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    From their conversation, he had pieced together the situation.


    The million-Source Coin reward had proven far too enticing, drawing so-called ''healers'' to the house, each iming to have unique remedies. Initially, Sun Chengyou might have trusted them, but after trying several ''miracle cures'' with worsening results, it had be clear they were mostly frauds, desperate to cure a hopeless case in hopes of a reward.


    "What do you mean?"


    The young woman was stunned.


    "What I mean is, your father¡¯s breath has only temporarily stopped¡ªhe¡¯s not truly dead yet. If you bury him now, though, it will indeed be the end," Zhang Xuan stated.


    From his examination using the Eye of Insight, he could tell that, while the eldery unmoving with a rigid body, there was still a faint breath left.


    "He¡¯s... not dead?" the young woman gasped.


    "Don¡¯t spout nonsense! Father¡¯s heart has stopped beating; how could he not be dead?" the young man scoffed.


    "His pulse may have stopped, but his breath hasn¡¯t. If we act now, he could be saved. Any dy, however, and he really will pass, beyond the help of any healer."


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s words brought silence. Everyone stared at the elder, lying on the straw mat, his face turning a ghastly blue. Could he really still be alive?


    "Ignore him! We may not be doctors, but we can tell life from death, can''t we?" the second young man barked.


    "Indeed, these are chatans, lying just to get money," scoffed a middle-aged man who seemed to be the steward.


    "Believe it or not," Zhang Xuan shrugged and turned to Sun Qiang, "Let¡¯s go."


    They had just begun to leave when the young woman called out, "Sir, please wait! If you say my father isn¡¯t dead, do you know a way to save him? If you can bring him back and cure his ailment, the million-Source Coin reward will be doubled!"


    The young man frowned, "Sister, are you seriously trusting this chatan? Have you forgotten that Father¡¯s condition is due to frauds like him?"


    "Brother, with Father¡¯s condition as it is, what could be worse? Since this gentleman says he can save him, I want to give it a try," the young woman responded firmly.


    Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t help but respect her courage. "Are you sure you want to go through with this? And can you make this decision on behalf of the family?"


    "Yes," the young woman nodded.


    "Alright then," Zhang Xuan replied, stepping toward the hall and approaching Sun Chengyou lying on the ground.

 Book 2: Chapter 10: The Armored Rat-Tailed Beast

    Vol 2 ch 10: The Armored Rat-Tailed Beast


    Zhang Xuan approached and saw clearly that Sun Chengyou''s face had turned a ghastly blue, marked with spots. From any angle, it was clear that he had been dead for quite some time.


    Zhang Xuan ced two fingers lightly on Sun Chengyou¡¯s wrist, and a book appeared in his mind.


    ¡°You better hope that what you said earlier was true and not some joke. If it¡¯s a trick, I don¡¯t care who you are¡ªwe can offer a million bounty and make you pay for any lies!¡± a young man said,ughing bitterly as Zhang Xuan checked the pulse of a deceased man.


    Around them, others shook their heads.


    They had heard of grave-robbing and healing, butbining the two was unprecedented.


    Ignoring thements, Zhang Xuan looked toward a woman nearby. ¡°Who was helping treat this person earlier? Are they still here? I need to speak with them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s here!¡± The woman nodded and looked toward a young man. ¡°Brother.¡±


    With her urging, the young man, though disgruntled, eventually nodded and gestured to his subordinates. ¡°Bring that man here!¡±¡°Yes, sir!¡± One of them acknowledged and left, returning shortly with a physician in his thirties. The physician¡¯s face was swollen and bloodied, clearly showing signs of a recent severe beating.


    The man copsed as soon as he entered. ¡°Young Master Sun, I was wrong. Greed led me astray when I tried to earn a million Source Coins by concocting a false prescription. The herbs were all nourishing, and I never expected they¡¯d cause Old Master Sun¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡± Young Master Sun barked and pointed at Zhang Xuan. ¡°This man has questions for you.¡±


    The physician looked at Zhang Xuan, confused, but Zhang Xuan spoke first. ¡°You mentioned that the prescription was made up of highly nourishing herbs. Can you show it to me?¡±


    Although puzzled by Zhang Xuan¡¯s intentions, the physician knew there was no point in hiding anything now. He pulled a written prescription from his pocket and handed it over. ¡°This remedy is known to aid old injuries. I¡¯ve even prepared and taken it myself with no ill effects. I truly don¡¯t know why Old Master Sun had difficulty breathing and died after consuming it.¡±


    Zhang Xuan scanned the prescription quickly.


    ¡°How is it? Can he be saved?¡± Sun Missy asked anxiously.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Zhang Xuan nodded, looking at Sun Qiang. ¡°Turn Old Master Sun over.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± Sun Qiang moved over, grabbed the now-stiff body of Sun Chengyou, and flipped him upside down.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Young Master Sun and others looked panicked. Even in death, a respected elder¡¯s body should not be manhandled.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Young Master Sun rose to stop Sun Qiang, his hand reaching out. But before he got close, Zhang Xuan lightly touched him with a finger.


    Crack!


    As if struck by lightning, Young Master Sun¡¯s arm went numb, and he staggered back seven or eight steps, barely able to lift his hand.


    Eyes wide with shock, he realized he had underestimated the young man before him. He had assumed Zhang Xuan, despite his medical expertise, could only be at the Energy Storing or Body Tempering level. Yet, this one motion indicated a power possibly reaching the Organs Easing or Jade Bone realm.


    When did White Roc City gain such an exceptional talent?


    Repelled and unable to interfere, Young Master Sun watched as Zhang Xuan focused on the inverted Sun Chengyou. Zhang Xuan clenched his fist and delivered a blow to the abdomen.


    The impactnded with a sound like hitting a drum. A long-stiff body suddenly made a guttural noise, expelling a foul substance.


    ¡°Father!¡± Young Master Sun eximed.


    The incredulous look in his eyes barelysted as Zhang Xuan¡¯s fists continued to rain down like a storm, striking Sun Chengyou¡¯s body.


    The crowd watched, stunned, as after dozens of punches, the rigid corpse began to thaw like a defrosting fish, softening visibly.


    Zhang Xuan exhaled, rxed his fists, and pressed a pointed finger to Sun Chengyou¡¯s forehead. Finished with the treatment, he said, ¡°Put him down.¡±


    Sun Qiang gently lowered the elder, who, the moment he touched the floor, seemed to stir. A sudden flow of energy rose from his abdomen, followed by a fit of coughing.


    Cough, cough, cough!


    The once-dead man slowly opened his eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ alive?¡±


    The crowd erupted in astonishment. Even Sun Missy, who had been advocating for Zhang Xuan, stared wide-eyed, struggling to process what she saw.


    She had checked her father¡¯s body herself¡ªno heartbeat, cold to the touch, undeniably dead. Yet, after taking a barrage of punches from Zhang Xuan, he hade back to life.


    This wasn¡¯t just a miracle; it was practically divine intervention!


    ¡°What¡­ what happened? Why are you all back?¡± Sun Chengyou, confused, tried to sit up.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Sir, this is what urred¡­¡± Steward Feng recounted the recent events in detail.


    Realizing he had been pronounced dead and yet was now breathing again, Sun Chengyou¡¯s eyes filled with gratitude as he looked at Zhang Xuan. ¡°Thank you for saving my life, sir¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to thank me. Your daughter has agreed to pay, and we¡¯re just fulfilling our parts.¡± Zhang Xuan waved it off.


    Sun Missy motioned, and the steward handed over a thick stack of Source Coins. ¡°Thank you, young master, for saving my father. Here¡¯s the promised payment.¡±


    Sun Qiang took it eagerly¡ªexactly 200,000 Source Coins.


    ¡°But Sister, he revived Father, yet the hidden issue remains unsolved. You paid everything at once?¡± Young Master Sun frowned.


    She had promised that if the treatment saved their father and resolved his health problems, she¡¯d add another 100,000 Source Coins on top of the initial 200,000.


    ¡°If this young master can bring Father back from death, I trust he can heal himpletely,¡± Sun Missy replied.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got keen judgment. If you¡¯d reneged on payment, today¡¯s treatment would have ended here,¡± Zhang Xuan said sharply as he approached Sun Chengyou and checked his pulse again.


    This time, no one dared interrupt¡ªnot even Sun Chengyou, who barely breathed, fearing to disrupt Zhang Xuan¡¯s concentration.


    A momentter, Zhang Xuan released the wrist and said, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the Source Beast that injured you years ago was an Armored Rat-Tailed Beast, correct?¡±


    The Armored Rat-Tailed Beast was a rare Source Beast dwelling in lush marshes, resembling an armadillo but recognized for its rat-like tail.


    ¡°How¡­ how did you know?¡± Sun Chengyou¡¯s pupils contracted.


    Many knew he¡¯d been injured by a Source Beast, but the exact type was never disclosed. This young doctor identified it just by feeling his pulse¡ªunbelievable, even to him.


    ¡°Never mind how I know. Do you want to be fully healed?¡± Zhang Xuan asked.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Sun Chengyou nodded eagerly. He¡¯d been searching for doctors for years and had raised the bounty to a million coins¡ªall in pursuit of relief.


    ¡°Good. Then¡­¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Take off your pants.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Everyone froze, Sun Chengyou included, bewildered.


    Isn¡¯t this treatment? Why the pants?


    Seeing the expressions, Zhang Xuan rified, ¡°The bite from the Armored Rat-Tailed Beast was on your buttocks, wasn¡¯t it? That¡¯s where the Rat-Tail Venom is, causing your prolonged suffering.¡±


    ¡°Venom? Are you saying I¡¯m poisoned?¡± Sun Chengyou¡¯s mind reeled.


    Some physicians had suggested poison before, but tests were inconclusive, and detoxification pills did nothing. They had ruled it out. Could it be true?


    ¡°Yes.¡± Zhang Xuan nodded. ¡°Will you remove them or not?¡±


    ¡°I will!¡± Sun Chengyou nodded and thenmanded the room, ¡°Turn around!¡±


    Everyone, including Young Master Sun and Sun Missy, blushed and turned away. Only then did Sun Chengyou rx, untie his waistband, and reveal the area.


    Though aged, he had maintained smooth skin with few wrinkles.


    ¡°The beast bit my buttocks, but there¡¯s no visible wound¡­¡± Sun Chengyou exined, his face flushed.


    ¡°There might not be a visible mark, but does this spot feel tingling or sore?¡± Zhang Xuan pressed a wooden stick against a specific area.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Sun Chengyou nodded repeatedly.


    ¡°Good. Put your clothes back on.¡± Zhang Xuan instructed.


    ¡°Right!¡± Sun Chengyou quickly dressed, unable to contain his curiosity. ¡°Sir, can I still be saved? What¡¯s the real issue?¡±


    Zhang Xuan responded, ¡°The Armored Rat-Tailed Beast that bit you was a mutated one. Though it left no apparent wound, it injected venom that has tormented you all these years. I guess your symptoms worsen during Shen and Zi hours, causing chills and making you vomit everything, correct?¡±


    ¡°You are indeed a divine healer!¡± Sun Chengyou was astounded.


    ¡°Please, save me!¡±


    The uracy of Zhang Xuan¡¯s diagnosis left no room for doubt.


    ¡°Curing you isn¡¯t difficult, but it depends on your willingness and trust,¡± Zhang Xuan said evenly.


    Sun Chengyou bowed deeply. ¡°I trust you entirely and willply with whatever you say!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡± Sun Chengyou affirmed.


    ¡°Alright then. Bring arge cauldron. We¡¯re going to boil him!¡± Zhang Xuan dered.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 11: The Life-Saving Grace

    Vol 2 ch 11: The Life-Saving Grace


    ¡°What? Boil?¡± Sun Chengyou stood frozen in ce. ¡°Sir, you must be joking!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. No joke,¡± Zhang Xuan responded without emotion.


    ¡°Th-this...¡± Sun Chengyou found himself speechless.


    ¡°Sir, the water is extremely hot. Even though Father¡¯s cultivation has reached the Organs Easing stage, being submerged could still scald him to death...¡± Sun Missy couldn¡¯t help but interject.


    ¡°No boiling means the toxins embedded in his organs will remain, and even though I brought him back to life, he¡¯ll surely die within three days,¡± Zhang Xuan said. ¡°Let me make this clear: if you choose this route, I won¡¯t refund the payment.¡±


    Business was about fairness, and Zhang Xuan made it clear so there would be no disputester.


    Sun Missy and Young Master Sun exchanged nces before turning to look at Sun Chengyou.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Sun Chengyou bit his lip. ¡°This gentleman revived me and urately identified my condition and its cause. I trust he wouldn¡¯t harm me for no reason. I¡¯ll do as he says!¡±Seeing their father¡¯s resolve, the siblings held back their objections. Sun Missy gave a nod, prompting their servants to hurry into action. Soon, arge cauldron was set up, filled with clear water, and a roaring fire was lit beneath it.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Sun Chengyou climbed into the cauldron. The water soon rose to his neck, enveloping himpletely. At first, the temperature wasfortable, but it quickly escted. Despite his cultivation, Sun Chengyou began to struggle with the searing heat.


    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s too hot¡ªI can¡¯t take it,¡± Sun Chengyou said, lifting his head with difficulty.


    Zhang Xuan turned to the physician who had been beaten earlier. ¡°Bring your medicinal decoction here.¡±


    The physician flinched and nced nervously at Young Master Sun. Fearing reprisal, he quicklyplied, fetching a bowl of the concoction and handing it over.


    ¡°Drink it,¡± Zhang Xuanmanded.


    Sun Chengyou took the bowl and gulped it down. Though he hadn¡¯t thought much of the decoction before, sitting in the cauldron made him feel an immediate, cooling sensation rise from his abdomen, countering the water¡¯s heat.


    ¡°Look! The water is changing color!¡± someone in the crowd eximed.


    Sun Missy peered into the cauldron and saw the water turning a pale yellow, as if something was being drawn from her father¡¯s body. As the water boiled, the hue deepened.


    ¡°Could it be... did he just...?¡± someone muttered cautiously.


    Sun Chengyou¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Nonsense!¡±


    How dare they suggest such a thing!


    ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Scolding the onlooker, Sun Chengyou then looked at Zhang Xuan, bewildered. ¡°Sir, what is happening? Did I actually...?¡±


    Zhang Xuan sighed. ¡°That¡¯s the venom of the Armored Rat-Tailed Beast being expelled by the boiling water.¡±


    If he had soiled himself, he would have felt it!


    Sun Chengyou rxed upon hearing this, grateful he hadn¡¯t embarrassed himself in front of everyone.


    With the medicinal power maintaining him, Sun Chengyou managed to endure the boiling water. However, as the water turned a darker yellow and boiled more vigorously, he began to reach his limit.


    ¡°It¡¯s burning...¡± His skin flushed, resembling a boiled shrimp.


    ¡°Come out now,¡± Zhang Xuan instructed.


    Relieved, Sun Chengyou leapt out of the cauldron. Despite being boiled for so long, his body felt light andfortable, as if he had just experienced a rejuvenating steam bath.


    Perplexed, Sun Chengyou clenched his fists and channeled his True Energy. His bones emitted a series of cracks, and his body seemed to grow taller, radiating formidable power.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Is this... the seventh level of the Source Pool Realm, the Jade Bone stage?¡± His pupils contracted in astonishment.


    He had only intended to check if he still had any symptoms but unexpectedly broke through the bottleneck that had held him back for years, elevating him to one of White Roc City¡¯s elites.


    ¡°Father, did you fully recover?¡± Sun Missy, witnessing this, flushed with excitement. Her father¡¯s foundation had long been sufficient for a breakthrough, but his illness had suppressed it. If he seeded now, did that mean his body waspletely healed?


    ¡°The pain and difort are gone.¡± Sun Chengyou threw punches into the air, the wind whistling and his strength like that of an ox. The tearing sensation in his organs had vanished.


    ¡°The venom from the Armored Rat-Tailed Beast has been entirely expelled, so your body is indeed restored.¡± Zhang Xuan bowed slightly. ¡°Your illness is cured. I will take the reward and bid you farewell now.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Sun Chengyou turned hurriedly. ¡°Daughter, quickly prepare a feast. I must host this gentleman!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for a feast. I have urgent matters to attend to,¡± Zhang Xuan declined, waving a hand. ¡°My name is Zhang Xuan, a teacher at White Rock Academy. If you feel unwell in the future,e find me. As long as there¡¯s payment, everything else is secondary.¡±


    Sun Chengyou nodded in understanding. ¡°No wonder you possess such skill¡ªa teacher from White Rock Academy makes perfect sense.¡±


    The academy held a prestigious position in White Roc City.


    ¡°Teacher Zhang, what exactly happened? My father was dead, yet you revived him. And then boiling him cured his ailment. How?¡± Sun Missy couldn¡¯t hold back her curiosity any longer.


    Others turned their eyes toward Zhang Xuan, equally puzzled. Even the physician who had administered the false treatment leaned in, eager to hear the exnation.


    ¡°As I said earlier, Old Master Sun was poisoned by a mutated Armored Rat-Tailed Beast. The venom, being water-attribute, red up during the Shen and Zi hours when yin energy intensified, causing excruciating pain,¡± Zhang Xuan exined, pointing at the physician. ¡°The prescription had many nourishing ingredients, but the inclusion of water-attribute herbs like waterweed and Qingtou Flowers worsened the venom¡¯s effects, triggering the symptoms and rendering himatose.¡±


    ¡°I expelled the medicine from his abdomen with strikes, bringing him back. The boiling cauldron then leveraged intense heat to draw out the water-attribute venom. Luckily, the treatment worked.¡±


    Sun Missy, though still confused by the details, felt profound awe.


    ¡°Farewell.¡± Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t linger, leaving with Sun Qiang.


    Much work awaited him, and he couldn¡¯t waste time.


    As Zhang Xuan departed, Sun Chengyou turned to the physician. ¡°Did you understand Teacher Zhang¡¯s method?¡±


    The physician shook his head, eyes wide with astonishment. ¡°He exined it simply, but even if I knew the venom¡¯s attribute, I¡¯d never dare treat it that way... His mastery is beyondparison.¡±


    Despite his twenty-plus years of practice, the physician couldn¡¯t fathom flipping a patient upside down, pounding their abdomen, then boiling them. The risks were unimaginable.


    Yet Zhang Xuan performed the process as if he knew it would work, without a shred of hesitation¡ªdemonstrating an unparalleled understanding of medicine that far exceeded the physician¡¯s own.


    ¡°Zhang Xuan, White Rock Academy...¡± Sun Missy fell into contemtion after hearing the physician¡¯s words.


    Unaware of the ongoing conversations about him, Zhang Xuan had already mounted his steed with Sun Qiang, galloping swiftly toward the city.


    ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± Zhang Xuan inquired.


    ncing at the note, Sun Qiang replied, ¡°The owner of Ji Yi Travel has a Luoyu Flower that¡¯s turning yellow. Healing it could earn us a million coins.¡±


    ¡°Alright, to Ji Yi Travel...¡± Zhang Xuanmanded.


    Their horses sped off into the distance.


    ---


    White Rock Academy, Dean¡¯s Office


    Having concluded matters regarding the Xuanlong Palm, Lu Mingwei reviewed the copied martial technique with excitement.


    A supreme-grade technique! Even within the Hanyuan Dynasty, it would be highly valued. White Roc City had never seen its like. Thanks to Zhang Xuan¡¯s contribution, they now had one.


    With dedicated training, Lu Mingwei¡¯s strength would surge. Even without Yu Longqing advancing to the Dharma Aspect stage, surpassing him would be feasible.


    ¡°He truly is the academy¡¯s good fortune...¡± Lu Mingwei couldn¡¯t help but reflect.


    Since Zhang Xuan joined, everything from teaching to rtions with the city¡¯s major families and the City Lord¡¯s Mansion had improved. Now, with a supreme-grade technique secured, White Rock Academy could soon rise to the top among the surrounding ten cities.


    ¡°Dean...¡± Wu Yunzhou entered hurriedly.


    While others might rush to train after acquiring a supreme technique, Zhang Xuan immediately left, indicating pressing matters. Wu Yunzhou had shadowed him to provide backup if needed.


    ¡°He, he...¡± Wu Yunzhou¡¯s eyes widened with disbelief. ¡°He went straight to Sun Chengyou¡¯s residence!¡±


    ¡°Sun Chengyou, the retired court musician whose daughter married the Prince of Pingyuan? Wasn¡¯t he gravely ill, seeking a cure?¡± Lu Mingwei asked.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 12: Lord Ling Has Arrived

    Vol 2 ch 12: Lord Ling Has Arrived


    ¡°Yes, it''s him! The teacher arrived and treated him with a series of techniques, not only saving his life but alsopletely cleansing the deadly poison from his body.¡±


    Vice-Principal Wu described the scene in detail.


    After hearing the exnation, Lu Ming''s eyes widened. ¡°Are you saying he not only brought the dead back to life but also cured an ailment countless doctors couldn¡¯t solve? Since when did his medical skills be so exceptional?¡±


    Reviving the dead and healing broken bones were legendary feats he never believed possible until now¡ªand done by someone known for creating miracles.


    ¡°How would I know!¡± Wu Yunzhou sighed bitterly and shook his head. ¡°Not only that, after handling those cases, Teacher Zhang immediately rushed to the garden. The Luoyuhua flowers had inexplicably withered, beyond any gardener¡¯s ability to save. He simply poured a bottle of liquor over them and pruned the yellowed leaves. The nt soon flourished again.¡±


    ¡°Is this... herbal mastery?¡± Lu Ming¡¯s eyes widened.


    Wu Yunzhou nodded. ¡°Yes. After that, he went to the Fragrance Pavilion and apprehended the notorious thief Luo Qingkong after a fierce battle. Then, he proceeded to Cold Willow Alley to guide Master Hua Long in weapon forging, resulting in the creation of a supreme-grade divine weapon.


    ¡°Later, he visited Liudeng Street and unlocked the Lingyun Secret Lock, which had confounded countless experts for decades. Along the way, he even solved the legendary chess puzzle left thirty years ago by Elder Duju.¡±¡°This, this...¡±


    The more Lu Ming listened, the more astonished and confused he became. Unable to contain himself, he said, ¡°These tasks all had high bounties attached to them.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Teacher Zhang seems to be earning rewards. In less than half a day, he must have earned at least ten million Source Coins!¡± Wu Yunzhou said, chuckling.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that these problems, which have troubled countless experts in White Roc City and even the imperial capital for years, were all resolved by him in a short time just for some extra money?¡±


    Lu Ming¡¯s eyes widened with disbelief.


    These challenges were legendary, ones he had heard of since childhood. Their fame and lucrative rewards had drawn not only local experts but even masters from neighboring cities and the imperial capital, only for all of them to fail!


    Typically, solving just one of these issues would make someone famous citywide. But Zhang Xuan resolved them all, as if he were racing from one to the next, effortlessly collecting bounties.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t solving problems; it¡¯s a money-making spree!¡± Lu Ming thought, stunned.


    ¡°Yes! Not only did he solve them all, but each solution was wless...¡± Wu Yunzhou nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why I suspect this Teacher Zhang isn¡¯t just an educator. His talent in medicine, chess, forging, tracking, and botany must be unparalleled.¡±


    Lu Ming couldn¡¯t speak, overwhelmed.


    He thought he had overestimated Zhang Xuan, only to realize he had still underestimated him. This man was like an inexhaustible gold mine, revealing new treasures at every turn and leaving everyone shocked and captivated.


    While Zhang Xuan was busy figuring out how to make money, Lu Ming and others stood stunned, not understanding. Outside the Liu family mansion, Liu Tianzheng and various elders waited quietly by the gate.


    Even Xu Xin had stopped his usual antics, standing still with anxious eyes darting around as if expecting someone.


    Indeed, today was the day the imperial Destiny Master, Lord Ling Buyang, was to arrive.


    Whether Zhang Xuan was truly a Chaotic Fate Practitioner or a Destiny Master, once Ling Buyang arrived, there would be no more hiding.


    ¡°Caw!¡±


    After an unknown amount of time, the sky resounded with the cry of an eagle. Everyone looked up to see a massive ck-scaled Phoenix Eagle, with wings spanning over seven meters, flying in with incredible speed.


    The ck-scaled Phoenix Eagle, a Source Beast at the Divine Soul level, was known for its strength and swiftness, capable of covering tens of thousands of miles in a day. It was one of the mostmon flying mounts in the Hanyuan Dynasty''s imperial capital.


    ¡°It¡¯s Lord Ling!¡± Xu Xin¡¯s eyes lit up as he quickly stepped forward, bowing with cupped hands toward the eagle in the sky. ¡°Fate Guardian Xu Xin awaits Lord Ling!¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± came a faint voice, as a middle-aged man stood up on the eagle¡¯s back.


    About forty years old, his presencemanded respect at first nce, exuding a sense of profound soul power.


    His cultivation was likely far beyond that of experts like Yu Longqing, who had reached the Dharma Aspect Realm. For Destiny Masters who sought to control fate, an extraordinarily strong soul was essential. In fact, to be a Destiny Master, one needed at least to be at the Divine Soul Realm.


    Ling Buyang had been a Destiny Master for an unknown number of years, making him even more formidable.


    Ling Buyang leaped from the eagle, his eyesnding on Xu Xin. ¡°What have you found out about this Zhang Xuan?¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Xu Xin pulled out a book from his pocket and handed it over. ¡°Reporting to Lord Ling, there are many suspicious points. This is the information I''vepiled over the past few days. Please have a look.¡±


    Ling Buyang flipped through the notes, his brow furrowing deeper with each page.


    ¡°Students taught by him have increased their power a hundredfold within days, reaching the Energy Storing Realm peak; taming thirty horses in an hour; draining all the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy from a Destiny Disk in just a quarter of an hour... This is beyond the capability of any normal Destiny Master, even with unparalleled talent.¡±


    Destiny Masters could indeed learn many abilities, outperforming the average practitioner. Yet Zhang Xuan¡¯s feats bordered on the miraculous, defying conventional wisdom.


    Seeing Ling Buyang¡¯s expression grow stern, Xu Xin asked cautiously, ¡°Lord, what do you think?¡±


    Closing the book, Ling Buyang¡¯s eyes glinted. ¡°A Chaotic Fate Practitioner isn¡¯t just unparalleled in teaching, enabling students to progress rapidly. The key point is their mastery across many fields, each with extraordinary proficiency. Although I haven¡¯t met this Zhang Xuan, based on your report, even if he isn¡¯t a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, he must be closely rted to one.¡±


    ¡°Then... what should we do?¡± Xu Xin asked nervously.


    ¡°Given that his cultivation is only at the Jade Bone level, we should act swiftly and capture him to prevent unforeseen consequences. Leave no room for error!¡± Ling Buyang said coldly.


    Xu Xin¡¯s face turned serious. ¡°But... what if we¡¯re wrong?¡±


    ¡°Wrong?¡± Ling Buyang shook his head. ¡°Once we act, it won¡¯t matter if he is or isn¡¯t. There is no such thing as a mistake.¡±


    The Destiny Hall of the Hanyuan Dynasty was not a monolith. Various factions vied for dominance, none willing to submit. If he was correct, Ling Buyang would outmaneuver Elder Feng and ascend to the long-coveted position. But if he was wrong, years of work could be undone.


    Thus, there was no ¡®mistake,¡¯ only victory or defeat.


    A dead man wouldn¡¯t care about right or wrong.


    ¡°I understand!¡± Xu Xin¡¯s face hardened.


    Seeing Xu Xin''s resolve, Ling Buyang nodded approvingly and looked at Liu Tianzheng. ¡°You must be the head of the Liu family. You¡¯ve done well these past years.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, serve me faithfully, and you will be rewarded. The Liu family will soon rise to be the first in White Roc City!¡±


    Liu Tianzheng¡¯s face lit up, and he bowed. ¡°Thank you, Lord Ling, for your favor!¡±


    Ling Buyang instructed, ¡°Surround Zhang Xuan¡¯s residence. If word leaks out and he escapes, your entire Liu family will pay the price.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Liu Tianzheng bowed lower. ¡°We dare not disobey. However... there¡¯s something I must confess beforehand.¡±


    Ling Buyang frowned. ¡°Speak.¡±


    Liu Tianzheng exined, ¡°My daughter, Liu Mingyue, for some reason has been swayed by Zhang Xuan and taken him as her teacher, even going so far as to sever ties with me. I hope Lord Ling will show mercy and spare her when capturing him.¡±


    Ling Buyang¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Chaotic Fate Practitioners are adept at manipting minds. In the Zouyi Dynasty, a simr practitioner recruited over a hundred disciples within three days, including princes andmoners, none of whom could be dissuaded. That allowed him to escape, and he still hasn¡¯t been caught. Your daughter is only sixteen; it¡¯s normal for her to be influenced. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t hold it against you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lord...¡± Liu Tianzheng sighed in relief.


    ¡°Prepare to move! If Zhang Xuan resists, eliminate him on the spot!¡±


    Ling Buyangmanded sharply.


    ¡°Understood!¡± Liu Tianzheng nodded, eyes showing a hint of regret.


    If he had known Ling Buyang¡¯s attitude, he wouldn¡¯t have gone out of his way to gift Zhang Xuan three Destiny Disks a few days ago. But it didn¡¯t matter. If they captured Zhang Xuan, those items would remain his.


    At the City Lord''s Mansion, Yu Longqing was reviewing documents when Adviser Liao Shiquan rushed in.


    ¡°City Lord... trouble!¡±


    Liao Shiquan¡¯s brow was deeply furrowed.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Yu Longqing looked up, puzzled.


    ¡°Just now, our spy at the Liu family reported that the Destiny Master Ling Buyang has arrived and is in discussions with the Liu family head


    and elders,¡± Liao Shiquan said.


    Yu Longqing nodded calmly. ¡°We already knew Ling Buyang secretly supports the Liu family. If he visits without bothering us, we can pretend not to know.¡±


    Despite being the City Lord, he could not afford to offend a Destiny Master. Sometimes, ignorance was bliss.


    ¡°If it¡¯s just for trading Destiny Disks, we can overlook it...¡±


    Liao Shiquan''s hands clenched as he met Yu Longqing¡¯s eyes, his voice tight with urgency. ¡°But if they¡¯re nning to ambush Teacher Zhang Xuan, do we intervene or not?¡±


    ¡°Ambush Teacher Zhang Xuan?¡± Yu Longqing stood up abruptly, his face full of disbelief.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 13: Decision

    Vol 2 ch 13: Decision


    ¡°Could it be¡­ because he is a Destiny Master, with a unique fate?¡±


    For a moment, Yu Longqing seemed to have understood something important, but then shook his head, ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. If I remember correctly, this Lord Ling follows the fate teachings of Master Mo from the Zouyi Dynasty, which means his fate isn¡¯t unique!¡±


    While each person has only one fate, not every Destiny Master has to fight to the death. Only those who share the same fate and are in directpetition are driven to such extremes.


    For instance, those who cultivate the <em>Emotionless Sword Path</em> must defeat every practitioner of the same path to reach the pinnacle and achieve transcendence. Simrly, a cksmithing path requires eliminating anyone else on that path to achieve a true breakthrough.


    This singrity of fate drives even disciples of the same sect¡ªand sometimes even master and disciple¡ªto be enemies.


    There was once a powerful figure who achieved supreme strength by killing his parents, his wife and children, and even his own disciples¡ªeliminating every tie he had.


    Of course, this only urs at higher levels, generally above the Seven-Star Fate Striving Realm. For ordinary Destiny Masters, however, it¡¯s possible to cultivate together; at most, progress might be a little slower.


    For instance, Ling Buyang cultivates the <em>Machete Fate</em>, possessing unparalleled talent with that weapon, and his master is Mo Baiye, the founder of the Machete Sect in the Zouyi Dynasty.Mo Baiye is only a master at the Three-Star Knowing Fate Realm, still far from Fate Striving. Therefore, this <em>Machete Fate</em> does not need to be unique but instead benefits from expanding its influence, which is advantageous for Mo Baiye as the fate¡¯s originator.


    As long as they don¡¯t reach the Fate Striving Realm, all disciples and followers remain safe.


    Currently, Zhang Xuan, although his specific fate is unknown, is undoubtedly unrted to the Machete Fate. In other words, he isn¡¯t inpetition with Ling Buyang, so why encircle and kill him?


    ¡°It¡¯s not a fatepetition but¡­ a Chaotic Fate Practitioner!¡± Liao Shiquan said gravely.


    ¡°A Chaotic Fate Practitioner?¡± Yu Longqing frowned.


    Even as the City Lord, he hadn¡¯t heard of this term.


    ¡°It is said to be a person capable of disrupting fate, someone the Destiny Hall cannot tolerate. I¡¯m not entirely sure of the specifics, but I do know that Lord Ling has already ordered the Liu Family to encircle Zhang Xuan... and even issued an order to kill him if necessary!¡±


    Yu Longqing was taken aback.


    Such an order was terrifying. Zhang Xuan¡¯s talent was impressive, and his progress rapid, but facing an entire family and a Destiny Master, he stood no chance.


    What to do?


    Seeing his concerns, Liao Shiquan continued, ¡°City Lord, Miss Xiaoyu is Zhang Xuan¡¯s student. If he truly is a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, I fear she will be implicated¡­ and even you might not escape unscathed!¡±


    Although he was appointed City Lord by the Hanyuan Dynasty, Destiny Masters stand above all in this world. If they offended the Destiny Hall, not only would the dynasty not protect them, but they might even punish him as a warning to others.


    ¡°What do you suggest?¡±


    Yu Longqing looked at him.


    Liao Shiquan¡¯s eyes glinted, ¡°Two options: First, dispatch troops from the City Lord¡¯s Mansion to support Lord Ling, assisting in capturing Zhang Xuan as a show of loyalty. That way, if Miss Xiaoyu does get involved, we¡¯ll have the leverage to request leniency from Lord Ling. After all, ignorance absolves us; if we act out of good faith, any mistakes are understandable.¡±


    ¡°And the second?¡±


    ¡°Act as before. Pretend to know nothing, quietly inform Miss Xiaoyu to sever all ties with Zhang Xuan. In that case, even if something happens to him, she won¡¯t be implicated, and if any trouble arises, we¡¯ll have room to maneuver.¡±


    ¡°Is there no third option?¡± Yu Longqing fell silent.


    Knowing his lord¡¯s strong sense of loyalty, Liao Shiquan quickly added, ¡°My lord, remember that Destiny Masters represent the Destiny Hall... aiding Zhang Xuan would lead to disastrous consequences. You mustn¡¯t lose sight of that! The most important thing now is protecting Miss Xiaoyu.¡±


    ¡°I understand!¡±


    Yu Longqing nodded, his gaze sharp. ¡°Gather the experts of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion and send them to the Liu Family. Tell them the City Lord¡¯s Mansion will support Lord Ling¡¯s decisions unconditionally.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Liao Shiquan sighed in relief, with a hint of confusion. ¡°And you, City Lord?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find Xiaoyu and bring her home first. Otherwise, if we end up taking action against her teacher, she might resist, causing more conflict,¡± Yu Longqing said.


    Relieved that his lord had made a wise decision in a critical moment, Liao Shiquan nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll get on it immediately!¡±


    After he left, Yu Longqing exhaled deeply, changed into night clothes, and leaped swiftly toward White Rock Academy. Before long, he reached his daughter¡¯s residence.


    ¡°Father, why are you here?¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu stood up, surprised to see him enter.


    ¡°You¡­ have reached the middle stage of the Body Tempering Realm?¡± Seeing her unrestrained aura, vast and powerful, Yu Longqing was astonished.


    Two days ago, he¡¯d heard the news of her achieving the peak of the Energy Storing Realm in a famous battle. He had thought she would spend the next couple of days consolidating her cultivation, but not only had she broken through, she had advanced to the fourth level of the Source Pool Realm¡ªmid-Body Tempering Realm!


    This strength was likely stronger than even some senior students like Chen Hao.


    ¡°When Teacher learned I reached the peak of the Energy Storing Realm, he specifically created a Body Tempering Realm cultivation method suited to my physique, allowing me to advance quickly.¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu exined, her eyes full of admiration and respect as she mentioned her teacher.


    The techniques her teacher passed down allowed her to advance not only rapidly but also with no side effects. The more she practiced, the more she felt his profound wisdom.


    ¡°There¡¯s a situation. I¡¯d like to hear your thoughts¡­¡±


    Yu Longqing looked at her, recounting what Adviser Liao had exined.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s the situation. You¡¯re grown now, capable of making your own decisions. Whatever choice you make, I¡¯ll support you, no matter the cost.¡±


    Finishing, Yu Longqing looked at her seriously.


    Whatever decision she made, he would support her and do his best to deal with the consequences. This was both his love and respect for her.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s face turned pale.


    On one side was her revered Teacher Zhang, on the other, the Destiny Hall¡­ what was she to choose?


    After a long time, Yu Xiaoyu clenched her teeth and let out a breath, ¡°Father, you once told me that people should remember kindness and act with principles. If they don¡¯t, life loses all meaning¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly. The difference between humans and animals is our adherence to values and principles. If we abandon those, we¡¯re no better than animals.¡±


    Yu Longqing nodded.


    ¡°In that case!¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes grew resolute. ¡°I choose to stand with Teacher Zhang. If he¡¯s captured or killed, I will defend him, plead for him, and avenge him, even if it puts me in danger!¡±


    ¡°As expected of my daughter¡­¡±


    Seeing her make this choice, Yu Longqing nodded approvingly.


    If she had chosen the other path Liao Shiquan suggested, he would have supported her, though he would have felt some disappointment.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    One can sacrifice things for oneself, for others, or for gain, but never one¡¯s humanity.


    ¡°Father¡­ you agree with my choice?¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu was surprised.


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    Yu Longqing nodded. ¡°If a student won¡¯t protect their teacher, who has helped them, what meaning does life hold?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Father¡­¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°I just¡­ I¡¯m afraid of dragging you down.¡±


    Yu Longqing smiled, ¡°You¡¯re my daughter. How could you drag me down? Truthfully, not everything the Destiny Hall does is correct. Over the years, they¡¯vemitted their share of atrocities as well.¡±


    ¡°Father¡­¡± Yu Xiaoyu fell into his arms.


    ¡°Enough tears now. Prepare yourself¡­ I¡¯ll go notify Teacher Zhang and advise him to leave White Roc City. If he doesn¡¯t, there might be a battle, and he¡¯ll need all his strength and focus.¡±


    Gently pushing her away, Yu Longqing looked at her with affection.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu nodded.


    With her decision settled, Yu Longqing quickly left, making his way to the dean¡¯s office.


    He now wanted to know what choice Dean Lu would make in this situation.


    ¡°I¡­ will naturally send someone to assist Lord Ling and carry out all his orders!¡± Dean Lu Mingrong said. ¡°White Rock Academy is already deeply indebted to the Destiny Hall, so we willply with anymand they issue without hesitation.¡±


    Yu Longqing nodded, making no furtherment.


    Each person had their own path; it was not his ce to intervene.


    ¡°In that case, I will also make preparations. Zhang Xuan must not be allowed to escape¡­¡± Yu Longqing cupped his fists.


    Dean Lu nodded in agreement.


    After the City Lord left, Dean Lu turned to the Wu Yunzhou Vice-Principal, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Vice-Principal Wu Yunzhou replied, ¡°Could there be some misunderstanding between Lord Ling and Teacher Zhang? Should we try to exin?¡±


    Dean Lu shook his head, ¡°You haven¡¯t met Ling Buyang before. I¡¯ve known him for years. He¡¯s infatuated with power, stubborn, and unwilling to listen. If I go now to exin, it won¡¯t help; it might even implicate the academy¡­¡±


    ¡°Then what do we do?¡± Wu Yunzhou was concerned.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. Starting today, I resign as dean. You¡¯ll take over. Then, with all the elders, you¡¯ll go to Lord Ling, express your support for his decisions, while I¡­ go find Teacher Zhang and advise him to leave White Roc City!¡±


    ¡°Ask him to leave?¡± Wu Yunzhou was taken aback.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Dean Lu nodded, his eyes gleaming. ¡°If he leaves White Roc City, Ling Buyang won¡¯t find him. No matter what happens, it won¡¯t affect White Rock Academy. This way, I¡¯ll have repaid him for helping me achieve a breakthrough. And if things fall apart, I¡¯ll bear the consequences alone¡ªit won¡¯t involve the academy.¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 14: I Wont Leave

    Vol 2 ch 14: I Won''t Leave


    ¡°Dean¡­¡±


    Wu Yunzhou¡¯s eyes glistened with tears.


    Lu Ming gently smiled, ¡°This is the dean¡¯s token of authority. Hold onto it. As long as White Rock Academy isn¡¯t implicated, it¡¯s fine. If it ever is, you must publicly expel me without hesitation. Be decisive, without the slightest doubt. The academy can do without me, but it cannot be caught up in this matter.¡±


    Understanding that Lu Ming had made up his mind, Wu Yunzhou knew further persuasion was pointless. He cupped his fists and bowed. ¡°Understood!¡±


    Lu Ming said no more, swiftly exiting the dean¡¯s office.


    What exactly was a Chaotic Fate Practitioner? He wasn¡¯t sure. Nor did he know if it applied here. But he did know Zhang Xuan well¡ªsteady, unassuming, responsible, and without an ounce of arrogance despite his unparalleled talent. Killing such a person for the sake of ambition would leave a stain on the conscience forever.


    This was why when Yu Longqing approached him, Lu Ming had already made up his mind. But to protect White Rock Academy, he could only deny any connection.


    Moving swiftly, Lu Ming donned a dark outfit and covered his face as he left the academy.Ten minutester, he reached arge estate.


    ording to the intelligence Wu Yunzhou had gathered, Zhang Xuan was currently guiding someone in inscribing talismans. If sessful, this would earn him a bounty of 500,000 Source Coins. Zhang Xuan had alreadypleted every task with rewards of up to a million coins. This 500,000 one was thest remaining.


    Knowing time was critical and that the Liu family and Ling Buyang had yet to discover Zhang Xuan¡¯s location, Lu Ming acted without dy. He vaulted over the estate wall andnded in the courtyard without alerting a single guard.


    Anyone able to offer such a bounty wasn¡¯t insignificant. Though not on par with the top three families, they were still formidable.


    Inside the parlor, Zhang Xuan and Sun Qiang sat calmly. Across from them, a middle-aged man looked on earnestly and bowed. ¡°Teacher Zhang, please guide me.¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded. ¡°A talisman is an imprint of one¡¯s power onto paper, capable of unleashing great force when activated. The ¡®Explosive Talisman¡¯ you¡¯re working on, once triggered, equates to a full-strength attack from a Jade Bone expert. The difficulty is immense. Currently, you have eight key ws: first, insufficient focus during the inscribing process¡­¡±


    Although Zhang Xuan¡¯s understanding of talismans in the Source World was limited, the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path revealed the ws effortlessly. Pointing them out and instructing the man on corrections was not difficult.


    ¡°Thank you, Teacher Zhang¡­¡±


    The middle-aged man¡¯s face grew serious, acknowledging each w Zhang Xuan identified, all of which were consistent with his own experiences. If corrected diligently, sess in crafting the talisman was finally within reach.


    ¡°No need to thank me. If you have further questions, feel free to ask,¡± Zhang Xuan said evenly.


    ¡°Of course!¡± The man gestured, and his steward handed Zhang Xuan 500,000 Source Coins. Zhang Xuan epted the payment and, after bidding farewell to Sun Qiang, started to leave. He paused suddenly, brows raised.


    From the air, a crumpled note floated into his palm. He opened it to reveal four words: ¡°Meet outside immediately!¡±


    Frowning, Zhang Xuan walked to the courtyard entrance and saw a figure dressed in ck waiting at the end of an alley.


    ¡°Who¡ª¡± he began, but before he could finish, a streak of sword energy shed in the sky. Another ck-d figure descended and lunged at the first with a de.


    ¡°ng!¡±


    The first figure responded coldly, stretching out five fingers to unleash a swirling force that trapped the sword mid-air, shaking it loose with a series of metallic ngs.


    The second figure eximed, ¡°Three taps from the Swallow¡¯s Spring? Are you¡­ the City Lord, Yu Longqing?¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re¡­ Dean Lu?¡± Yu Longqing echoed in recognition.


    Both pulled down their masks, revealing familiar faces.


    ¡°City Lord, Dean, what is going on here?¡± Zhang Xuan asked, puzzled.


    ¡°It¡¯s clear that you arrived with the same intentions. Dean Lu, you should exin,¡± Yu Longqing said.


    Earlier, they had spoken of coborating with Ling Buyang to capture Zhang Xuan. But showing up like this revealed their true motives to each other.


    ¡°Teacher Zhang, Ling Buyang from the Destiny Hall of the Hanyuan Dynasty is here, conspiring with the Liu family to arrest you,¡± Lu Ming said, not holding back and recounting the news Yu Longqing had shared. ¡°My advice: flee immediately.¡±


    Yu Longqing nodded. ¡°Exactly. The Destiny Hall is acting, and neither the City Lord¡¯s Mansion nor White Rock Academy can openly resist. We came in a personal capacity to warn you to leave, sparing everyone further difficulty.¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s brows knit. ¡°Are they certain I¡¯m a Chaotic Fate Practitioner? Won¡¯t they at least confirm it before taking action?¡±


    He had anticipated revealing his strength might invite scrutiny but had prepared his defenses and a fabricated mentor to cite. Yet from their urgency, it seemed Ling Buyang wasn¡¯t going to give him a chance to exin.


    Lu Ming nodded, face grave. ¡°Yu Longqing is right. If they feared your backing, they would investigate cautiously. But if you appear weak, they¡¯ll act swiftly. Labeling you a Chaotic Fate Practitioner would be enough to justify killing you and earning them prestige.¡±


    Zhang Xuan took a moment, then nodded solemnly. He understood this principle all too well: being vulnerable meant being an easy target.


    ¡°Leave now. I¡¯ve ordered the East, South, and West gates closed but left the North gate open. You can slip out unnoticed. Anyter, and it may be toote¡­¡± Yu Longqing urged.


    Zhang Xuan looked at them intently. ¡°And what will happen to you both if I go?¡±


    Though they hadn¡¯t borated, he knew the answer. If Zhang Xuan vanished just before a capture, suspicions of a tip-off would arise. These two men, one the father of his student and the other who had endorsed him at the academy, would inevitably face repercussions.


    Especially Yu Xiaoyu and Hong Yi, who would likely be implicated as well.


    ¡°We have enough status to shield ourselves. Without solid evidence, Ling Buyang won¡¯t dare go too far¡­¡± Lu Ming exined.


    ¡°What is Ling Buyang¡¯s strength? Do you know?¡± Zhang Xuan interrupted.


    ¡°He should be at the ninth level of the Source Pool Realm, Dharma Aspect. I¡¯ve only just reached it, so he¡¯s stronger than me,¡± Yu Longqing admitted.


    ¡°Dharma Aspect?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes shed.


    Although he hadn¡¯t reached this stage, the Library had descriptions. A cultivator with a powerful soul could form a Dharma Aspect, attacking with soul power. Invisible and unpredictable, such attacks could result in madness or death even for a Divine Soul expert.


    This made Dharma Aspect practitioners formidable, standing at the peak of the Source Pool Realm, unmatched by most.


    In the region, a city like Fuyuan was renowned for having a ninth-level lord. Competing cities couldn¡¯t challenge it.


    But while such power was impressive, Zhang Xuan wasn¡¯t too worried.


    Soul attacks, feared by most, weren¡¯t a significant threat to him. Unless an opponent could destroy an entire world, they held little sway over him. For him, these were the weakest form of attack.


    Moreover, while Dharma Aspect cultivators could merge soul power with their bodies for massive strength, Zhang Xuan could achieve simr power by burning the Source World.


    So if Ling Buyang was at this level, he wasn¡¯t as vulnerable as he seemed. With the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path, he might even gain the upper hand.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. Besides himself, he has a Divine Soul-level ck-scaled Phoenix Eagle. Together, they¡¯re virtually invincible below the Dharma Aspect level. With his talents and advantages, you should leave before it¡¯s toote,¡± Yu Longqing urged.


    ¡°With your talent, it won¡¯t take long to surpass him. It¡¯s wise to retreat now and return when you¡¯re stronger,¡± Lu Ming added urgently.


    Seeing their sincerity, Zhang Xuan¡¯s heart swelled with gratitude. Taking a deep breath, he smiled.


    ¡°I appreciate your concern, but I won¡¯t leave. If they think me weak and aim to take my life for glory, I¡¯ll make sure everyone knows that¡¯s a grave mistake.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 15: Im Late

    Vol 2 ch 15: I''m Late


    ¡°Not leaving?¡±


    Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong exchanged nces, each frowning.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything wrong; why should I leave?¡± Zhang Xuan shook his head, reassuring them, ¡°I appreciate your good intentions, but I have my reasons for staying.¡±


    Running away wouldn¡¯t solve the issue.


    The other side represented the Destiny Hall. If he fled, it would confirm hisbel as a <em>Chaotic Fate Practitioner</em>, and the entire continent would begin hunting him down. If that happened, the only option left would be to hide, living like a fugitive. There would be no other paths left.


    If he did that, not only would he lose his chance to clear his name, but saving Kong Shi would also be nearly impossible. He still had time to handle this, but who knew if Kong Shi could wait that long?N?v(el)B\\jnn


    So, after thinking it over, the fastest solution was¡­ if he couldn¡¯t beat them, he¡¯d join them!


    If he could somehow prove he was a Destiny Master with a substantial background, then even if Ling Buyang was ambitious, he wouldn¡¯t dare to make a move. There were even other benefits: First, he could use the opportunity to infiltrate the Destiny Hall and investigate Kong Shi¡¯s whereabouts, preparing for his rescue. Second, he could obtain more Heaven''s Fate Energy, elerating his cultivation.Of course, this was risky. If he got caught, even escaping would be impossible. But if he didn¡¯t take risks, he¡¯d never get what he wanted. If he stayed cautious forever, he¡¯d have died countless times on the Master Teacher Continent.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about whether you¡¯ve done something wrong¡­¡± Yu Longqing looked worried, about to continue when hurried footsteps interrupted. Everyone turned to see the Great Elder of White Rock Academy, Ran Qingxu, arriving at the alley entrance.


    The elder looked anxious, but when he saw them in the alley, he paused before rushing up to Lu Mingrong, ¡°Dean, Liu Tianzheng led arge group into the academy and has detained Yu Xiaoyu, Liu Mingyue, and Hong Yi, demanding to know where Teacher Zhang is¡­¡±


    ¡°They captured Xiaoyu?¡± Yu Longqing¡¯s face darkened.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Ran Qingxu nodded.


    ¡°What¡¯s Liao Shiquan doing?¡± Yu Longqing roared in fury.


    Though he¡¯d expected this might happen, he still found himself enraged now that it hade to pass.


    ¡°Leave the rest to me. Go back quickly and avoid being seen with me; it wouldplicate things.¡± Zhang Xuan advised.


    Seeing they couldn¡¯t dissuade him and shocked by the Destiny Master¡¯s utterck of restraint, Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong exchanged a nce before swiftly departing.


    ¡°Young Master, what should we do?¡± Sun Qiang asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re not strong enough yet. Focus on acquiring materials to boost your power; I¡¯ll handle everything else.¡± Zhang Xuan gestured.


    Sun Qiang hurried forward, ¡°No, I¡¯ll stick with you, Young Master. If we do encounter danger, even if I¡¯m weak, I can still help. Besides, I know your intentions well¡ªthere are times when it¡¯s better if I do the talking for you. I¡¯m your best spokesperson!¡±


    Zhang Xuan paused. True, this guy had been through many trials with him, and indeed, there were things that would be easier for Sun Qiang to say.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    With that in mind, Zhang Xuan nodded, mounted Dao Li, and galloped toward White Rock Academy.


    Inside White Rock Academy.


    Liu Tianzheng, Xu Xin, and Ling Buyang stood together, surrounded by dozens of powerful elders. Across from them, Yu Xiaoyu, Liu Mingyue, and Hong Yi were restrained by soldiers, looking slightly disheveled.


    ¡°Tell me where Zhang Xuan is, and I¡¯ll overlook your ignorance in trusting him. If not¡­ the Destiny Hall will show you the consequences of associating with a Chaotic Fate Practitioner.¡±


    Ling Buyang¡¯s voice was calm as he gestured dismissively.


    ¡°Ignorance? Association? I don¡¯t understand what you mean by this, sir!¡± Liu Mingyue lifted her brows defiantly.


    Ling Buyang ignored her and turned to Liu Tianzheng. ¡°Liu Family Head, this is your daughter?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Liu Tianzheng¡¯s face paled, and he red at his daughter, fury zing in his eyes. ¡°Mingyue, have you caused enough trouble yet? Tell us where Zhang Xuan is at once and make amends! Or do you want to drag the entire Liu Family down with you?¡±


    ¡°Drag us down? What crime has Teacher Zhangmitted?¡± Liu Mingyue asked boldly.


    ¡°Lord Ling is a Destiny Master from the imperial capital¡¯s Destiny Hall. He suspects Zhang Xuan is a Chaotic Fate Practitioner and hase to apprehend him. A Chaotic Fate Practitioner is a criminal on the Destiny Hall¡¯s wanted list, incredibly dangerous, and must be eliminated. Do you understand the gravity of this?¡±


    Liu Tianzheng¡¯s brows furrowed, and he yelled, ¡°Stop being stubborn at such a critical time, or I¡¯ll show you no mercy!¡±


    ¡°Suspects? So it¡¯s not confirmed. Yet you¡¯re already mobilizing forces to hunt down a teacher, and on top of that, coercing his students? Is this really how the Destiny Hall operates?¡±


    Liu Mingyue shook her head. ¡°Besides, Teacher Zhang has taught us invaluable lessons. A teacher for a day is like a father for life. Even if I knew his whereabouts, I wouldn¡¯t reveal it.¡±


    ¡°Indeed! If you want us to betray Teacher Zhang, keep dreaming!¡± Yu Xiaoyu nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Me too!¡± added Hong Yi.


    Ling Buyang turned to Liu Tianzheng with a chilly gaze. ¡°Your daughter has quite the sharp tongue!¡±


    Cold sweat dripped from Liu Tianzheng¡¯s forehead as he bowed quickly, ¡°Apologies, Lord Ling. I will handle this disobedient girl myself and make her understand the consequences¡­¡±


    ¡°No need. I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    Ling Buyang stepped forward, regarding the three students coolly. ¡°You¡¯re loyal to him, I see. But does he care for you as much? Perhaps he knew we¡¯de, so he fled long ago¡­¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Liu Mingyue shook her head.


    ¡°Impossible? Then where is he now?¡±


    Ling Buyang smirked, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me he doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s happening by now. Yet he abandoned you here. This is the teacher you trust?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Liu Mingyue and Hong Yi exchanged uncertain nces.


    Yu Xiaoyu lifted her brows, ¡°Stop trying to manipte us. We know our teacher¡¯s character well¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you? Very well. Today, I¡¯ll teach you a lesson about human nature.¡±


    Ling Buyang took a step forward. ¡°Kneel!¡±


    Boom!


    A powerful wave of Divine Soul energy from the Dharma Aspect Realm spread out. The three felt the sky darken, as though a massive storm was about to descend and tear them apart.


    Terror filled their hearts, and their knees weakened involuntarily, as if they would fall any second.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    Realizing he was trying to control them mentally, Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue¡¯s faces flushed as they resisted with all their might.


    Here, the strength of the Heaven¡¯s Path techniques shone through. Even though they¡¯d only learned simplified versions, the power of the Heaven¡¯s Path allowed them to resist kneeling, even as their bones felt like they¡¯d shatter under the pressure.


    ¡°Your strength iscking, but you have spirit. Let¡¯s see how long youst¡­¡±


    Surprised, Ling Buyang took another step forward.


    With that slight movement, Yu Xiaoyu and the others felt as if a mountain was crashing toward them.


    Spitting up blood, Hong Yi copsed, thrown several meters back, his face pale. Liu Mingyue and Yu Xiaoyu soon followed, spitting blood as they fell.


    Without using any martial techniques or True Energy, Ling Buyang had severely injured them just by exerting his Divine Soul pressure.


    This was the terror of a Dharma Aspect master!


    ¡°Lord Ling, please go easy on my daughter. She may be misguided but is still my flesh and blood¡­¡± Liu Tianzheng hastily pleaded.


    ¡°I am Yu Longqing, City Lord of White Roc City, and Yu Xiaoyu is my daughter. Please, Lord Ling, show mercy!¡± Yu Longqing arrived at this moment, sping his hands respectfully.


    ¡°Vice-Principal Wu Yunzhou, what is going on?¡±


    Dean Lu Mingrong hurried over, pretending to be rmed before looking up. ¡°They¡¯re just students, young and ignorant. Perhaps we can discuss this peacefully.¡±


    ¡°No need to worry. I¡¯m merely teaching them a lesson.¡± Ling Buyang nced at the two officials dismissively before stepping forward again, his Divine Soul pressure crashing over the students, making it impossible for them to even speak.


    Under tremendous pressure, Yu Xiaoyu and the others struggled to rise.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Surprised, Ling Buyang¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Since you refuse to yield, I¡¯ll grant your wish!¡±


    He lifted his palm, pressing down lightly.


    Bang!


    Yu Xiaoyu and the others, who had just stood up, couldn¡¯t withstand the force and copsed, coughing up blood once more.


    ¡°You im Zhang Xuan wouldn¡¯t abandon you, yet here you lie, wounded by me. Where is this teacher you trust so deeply?¡± Ling Buyang stood with his hands behind his back, his robes flowing, emanating a powerful presence.


    Yu Xiaoyu clenched her fists.


    The others might not know, but she understood her father had likely warned Teacher Zhang, who would have left White Roc City by now.


    If he¡¯d escaped, at least they wouldn¡¯t be in immediate danger. As long as her teacher couldn¡¯t be captured, they wouldn¡¯t face execution.


    ¡°Teacher¡­ wille!¡± Liu Mingyue gritted her teeth.


    ¡°Oh, he will? How na?ve. Today, I¡¯ll show you just how ridiculous your faith is!¡±


    Ling Buyang raised his hand, about to strike, when he suddenly sensed his immense spiritual force vanish without a trace, as if it had dissolved into the void.


    ¡°What the¡­¡±


    Ling Buyang¡¯s face grew grim.


    As a Dharma Aspect powerhouse, he knew the strength of his Divine Soul. Even a Source Pool Realm eighth-level cultivator would be obliterated by it. But here, it had been nullified instantly¡­


    Who was responsible? And what level were they at?


    Just then, a horse galloped toward them. In a blink, the rider¡ªa young man¡ªappeared, pulling his reins with ease. The horse reared back, steady as a rock.


    ¡°Apologies for beingte¡­¡±


    Upon hearing his voice, Liu Mingyue, Yu Xiaoyu, and Hong Yi found themselves unable to hold back their tears.


    ¡°Teacher¡­¡±


    The towering figure on the horse could only be Teacher Zhang.


    Despite knowing his foes were after him, he hade without hesitation.


    This was their true teacher, someone who ced his students¡¯ safety above all else.


    Ling Buyang hadn¡¯t expected such a bold arrival and looked at the young man with a frown.


    Around twenty-four or twenty-five, he stood tall and had a profound gaze. His cultivation was difficult to discern, but hisposed manner was unfathomably deep. A stout man apanied him, casting a cold, dismissive gaze as though the people before him were mere ants.


    Ling Buyang extended his Divine Soul toward the fat man, who, to his surprise, revealed his cultivation openly.


    ¡°Energy Storing Realm?¡±


    Ling Buyang¡¯s mouth twitched.


    He¡¯d assumed the man was highly skilled, yet he was only at the third level of the Source Pool Realm, the peak of Energy Storing¡­ with a mere five units of power¡­ and he dared look down on him?


    Amused, Ling Buyang lost any respect he¡¯d harbored. Narrowing his eyes, he looked at Zhang Xuan. ¡°You must be Zhang Xuan¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, the stout man¡¯s brows shot up. ¡°How dare you! Who are you to address our Young Master by name?¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Ling Buyang was stunned.


    A mere Energy Storing cultivator daring to speak to him like this?


    Even Xu Xin and Liu Tianzheng were bbergasted. They¡¯d assumed the steward was insignificant, yet here he was, daring to scold Lord Ling himself¡­


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Ling Buyang¡¯s face darkened.


    ¡°Are you deaf? I said, who do you think you are, calling my Young Master¡¯s name?¡± Sun Qiang sneered. ¡°Our Young Master came here to White Roc City for training. He didn¡¯t want to reveal his identity, yet here you are falsely using him of being a Chaotic Fate Practitioner. What incredible nerve!¡±


    ¡°Young Master? Training?¡± Ling Buyang¡¯s confusion grew.


    ording to Liu Tianzheng¡¯s reports, Zhang Xuan was merely a servant of the Mo Family who had recently be a teacher at White Rock Academy¡­ And yet now, he was supposedly a young master in training?


    Studying Sun Qiang, Ling Buyang saw no fear in his face. If anything, his expression bordered on disdain. This was no act. Could he truly be from some powerful family?


    Could his earlier ¡°quick progress¡± have been a ruse, hiding his real strength? That would exin his rapid advancements.


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Sun Qiang huffed coldly.


    At Zhang Xuan¡¯s instruction, he¡¯d said what needed to be said, leveraging the situation.


    Not wanting to intervene himself, Zhang Xuan dismounted and walked to Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re fine, Teacher¡­¡± Yu Xiaoyu said quickly.


    Liu Mingyue¡¯s face lit with pride. ¡°Teacher, I, Liu Mingyue, haven¡¯t let you down¡­¡±


    ¡°You did well.¡±


    Checking their pulses, Zhang Xuan sighed in relief. They appeared severely injured, but the damage wasn¡¯t too deep, likely thanks to Yu Longqing and Liu Tianzheng¡¯s presence.


    As Zhang Xuan dismounted, Sun Qiang followed, ring at Ling Buyang. ¡°You¡¯d better hope Miss Xiaoyu and the others are unharmed, or the Machete Sect won¡¯t be long for this world¡­¡±


    Ling Buyang hesitated, his intent to attack fading.


    Could Zhang Xuan really be a young master from a powerful family?


    Sun Qiang turned to him with a sly smile, ¡°Lord Ling, let¡¯s keep this between us, or shall I share the truth with everyone?¡±


    Shaken, Ling Buyang decided against escting the confrontation.


    Ling Buyang¡¯s doubts deepened, and he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°You know of the Machete Fate?¡±


    Sun Qiang replied with a cool expression, ¡°Naturally. Not only that, but I also know your greatest secret!¡±


    Ling Buyang scoffed, caught off guard. ¡°What secret could I possibly have?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe me?¡± Sun Qiang smirked, speaking in a low tone that only Ling Buyang could hear.


    ¡°If my information is correct, when you first began cultivating the Machete Path, you made a small mistake. Because of that, every time you wield your de, a trace of True Energy flows into ces it shouldn¡¯t, gradually causing a blockage.¡±


    ¡°Once or twice isn¡¯t a big deal, but over time, that energy collects in an area that leads to severe pain, one that¡¯s impossible to alleviate. Seventeen years ago, while exacting revenge, you disregarded the risk and unleashed the most powerful move in the Machete Path. The force of that attack was so intense that a particr¡­ ¡®part¡¯ of your body burst and detached, leaving you with an unfible regret.¡±


    ¡°However, every cloud has a silver lining. With that ¡®part¡¯ gone, your meridians became more fluid, and the Machete Path, which had once been rough and awkward, became smooth and harmonious, elerating your cultivation speed¡ªthough it also diminished the path¡¯s innate fierceness.¡±


    ¡°You even consulted your master, Mo Baiye, who reassured you that ¡®existence is rational,¡¯ and urged you to continue cultivating as you were.¡±


    ¡°To prevent others from discovering your condition, you left the Destiny Hall in the Zouyi Dynasty and came to this remote Hanyuan Dynasty, recruiting Fate Guardians with seemingly strong physiques but who all suffer from the same¡­ affliction.¡±


    Sun Qiang¡¯s face was cold, and his voice dropped to a whisper as he added, ¡°So, Lord Ling, did I get that right?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Ling Buyang¡¯s whole body trembled, his pupils constricting in shock.


    Though he tried to deny it, he knew the truth: Sun Qiang¡¯s words were painfully urate.


    The Machete Path was a deeply masculine technique, requiring the practitioner to channel energy into five key Yang meridians and absorb sr energy at noon. Only then could they draw upon supreme masculine force to empower the de to its fullest potential.


    Years ago, a distraction caused Ling Buyang¡¯s energy to gather in a delicate spot. Every time he practiced, a portion of his energy gathered there until it built up to dangerous levels. When he finally had a chance to fight his enemy, he managed to kill them, but the excess energy caused irreparable damage.


    From that day on, his physical form had changed, giving him an unusual advantage: his cultivation advanced smoothly, as though free from obstacles. Although his de was less fierce than before, he progressed rapidly, reaching an advanced realm known as ¡°having no part, but stronger than having one.¡±


    Yet, this change had stripped him of his masculinity, a deeply humiliating oue. To cover up this secret, he only recruited Fate Guardians who shared the same affliction, employing other means to mask the truth.


    This incident had been buried for years, known only within a small circle in the Zouyi Dynasty¡ªand even there, it was kept under tight wraps. The fact that Sun Qiang had unearthed it down to the smallest detail left Ling Buyang shocked and horrified.


    Could it be that Zhang Xuan was truly a young master of some elite n, here in this remote city for training? If so, then using him of being a Chaotic Fate Practitioner would mean courting death.


    ¡°If it¡¯s just nonsense, I¡¯ll shout it for everyone to hear. I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t mind, Lord Ling?¡± Sun Qiang shed a smile, gazing at him intently.


    Ling Buyang¡¯s expression darkened, his earlier imposing demeanor vanished. He hastily waved his hand, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary¡­¡±


    Not far away, Xu Xin, who hadn¡¯t heard the private exchange, saw Sun Qiang openly challenging Lord Ling and practically exploded with rage, shouting, ¡°Lord Ling, let him speak! Let¡¯s hear what he has to say!¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 16: Compensation

    Vol 2 ch 16: Compensation


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Ling Buyang pped Xu Xin across the face, making him spin several times.


    This was the greatest mistake of his career. He had barely managed to keep it hidden. Now, you want me to admit it in front of everyone? Are you trying to ruin me?


    ¡°My lord, I just couldn¡¯t believe he dared speak to you that way¡­¡± Xu Xin¡¯s face showed confusion.


    How did trying to help end with me getting hit?


    ¡°Keep quiet unless spoken to!¡±


    Suppressing his anger, Ling Buyang steadied himself and looked at the man in front of him, Sun Qiang. ¡°Since you¡¯re apanying Young Master Zhang in his trials, you must be someone of considerable influence. I trust you wouldn¡¯t spread such unverified and baseless rumors that could damage my reputation. More than my reputation, it would bring shame to the entire Machete Sect. That wouldn¡¯t be wise, would it?¡±


    As expected from an experienced Destiny Master, Ling Buyang swiftly shifted the focus, invoking the stature of the Machete Sect.The implication was clear: without evidence, saying such things would provoke a powerful force. While he might be a minor figure, insulting a faction known for its fate mastery would have severe consequences. Even if you were from a prominent family, you wouldn¡¯t escape easily.


    Understanding this, Sun Qiang smirked with a casual wave. ¡°You''re impressive!¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Ling Buyang¡¯s face turned red with rage, teeth clenched. ¡°I not only represent the Machete Sect but am also a Destiny Master of the Destiny Hall¡­¡±


    Sun Qiang interrupted, ¡°You¡¯re spectacr!¡±


    Ling Buyang¡¯s expression darkened, and after a long pause, he exhaled sharply. ¡°Fine, I admit I acted without thorough investigation. However, whether Teacher Zhang is a Chaotic Fate Practitioner or was genuinely on a trial, that¡¯s just your im. I¡¯ll still conduct my investigation.¡±


    ¡°Investigate all you want. I¡¯ll just keep telling everyone how outstanding you are,¡± Sun Qiang retorted.


    ¡°You¡ª¡± Ling Buyang¡¯s eyes bulged in frustration. ¡°Can we be a bit more refined with our words?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Sun Qiang replied nonchntly.


    ¡°You¡¯re aptly named,¡± Sun Qiang added, provoking another re from Ling Buyang.


    ¡°Apologies. Today¡¯s events were due to my hasty judgment,¡± Ling Buyang admitted, holding his forehead as he steadied hisposure.


    Hearing this, Xu Xin couldn¡¯t hold back. What does he mean by hasty judgment? If they follow this logic, won¡¯t that ruin me? I was the one who reported Zhang Xuan as a Chaotic Fate Practitioner!


    ¡°Lord Ling, he¡¯s just praising you, so he must be feeling guilty. Why are you admitting fault?¡± Xu Xin blurted out.


    ¡°Praising me?¡± Ling Buyang nearly spat out blood.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. He kept saying, ¡®Lord Ling, you¡¯re incredible,¡¯¡± Liu Tianzheng added hurriedly.


    They¡¯d all heard Sun Qiang¡¯s words. Though crude, his statements had been praises. Why was Ling Buyang upset?


    ¡°Enough!¡± Ling Buyang felt a headacheing on. Sun Qiang¡¯s words weren¡¯t just adjectives¡ªthey were nouns!


    Unable to voice this, Ling Buyang gritted his teeth and bowed slightly. ¡°My apologies for my error. We¡¯ll be taking our leave.¡±


    He motioned with his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    If he previously considered capturing Zhang Xuan as his ticket to promotion, now he wouldn¡¯t dare touch him.


    Sun Qiang¡¯s unpredictable nature meant that if Ling Buyang pressed on, the events of today would be public knowledge, tarnishing his reputation beyond repair.


    ¡°Just an apology?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s voice cut through the tension as he stepped forward, eyes cold. ¡°You hurt my students and forced them into corners. Do you think a simple apology is enough?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Young Master Zhang?¡± Ling Buyang stopped and frowned.


    ¡°Apologize to them!¡± Zhang Xuan pointed to his three students.


    ¡°You must be joking.¡± Ling Buyang¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I¡¯m an official Destiny Master, a figure of prestige. They¡¯re just students with no cultivation. Why should I apologize to them?¡±


    ¡°Teacher, there¡¯s no need. We weren¡¯t hurt badly,¡± Yu Xiaoyu said, trying to ease the tension. Even her peers nodded, grateful but aware of the danger in provoking Ling Buyang.


    Not just them, even Yu Longqing and Lu Ming stood frozen. When they warned Zhang Xuan, they hadn¡¯t imagined he would turn the tables so decisively.


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s necessary isn¡¯t up to you,¡± Zhang Xuan said firmly. ¡°When you make a mistake, you apologize. That¡¯s the rule, an unchanging truth.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Ling Buyang¡¯s fury surged but he knew not to act rashly without understanding Zhang Xuan¡¯s background. Taking a deep breath, he said, ¡°It¡¯s true I acted on misinformation and hurt your students. I¡¯m willing to make amends.¡±


    He turned to Xu Xin. ¡°Where are the three Destiny Disks I told you to bring? Give them to Teacher Zhang!¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Xu Xin hesitated, eyes twitching. ¡°They¡¯ve already been gifted to him.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re gone?¡± Ling Buyang was stunned. Three Destiny Disks, worth millions of Source Coins, had been handed over so easily?


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Xu Xin¡¯s embarrassment was palpable. In three days, he had lost over a million Source Coins pursuing the wrong person.


    With no choice, Ling Buyang addressed Zhang Xuan. ¡°I¡¯ll inform the Destiny Hall and ensure they send recements. Rest assured, I won¡¯t go back on my word.¡±


    ¡°All that just to avoid saying sorry?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s brows furrowed.


    Ling Buyang¡¯s patience frayed. ¡°And if I refuse to apologize?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll apologize,¡± Zhang Xuan said, stepping forward. The power of his Jade Bone Realm surged, and he closed the distance in an instant.


    Apologies were just words. If confrontation was needed, it would be absolute, ensuring his authority was recognized and respected.


    ¡°Impudent!¡± Xu Xin lunged to defend, his role as Fate Guardian demanding he protect Ling Buyang even at the cost of his life.


    Air burst as Xu Xin¡¯s full Jade Bone Realm power surged, his strike descending like a hammer, fierce and unyielding.


    ¡°Watch out, Teacher Zhang!¡± Yu Longqing and Lu Ming shouted.


    But Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t dodge. He met the attack head-on with a fist.


    ¡°It¡¯s over for him,¡± thought Liu Tianzheng, recalling his own defeat against Zhang Xuan¡¯s weaker strength. Facing Xu Xin¡¯s full might, Zhang Xuan seemed doomed.


    But as the punch connected, Xu Xin¡¯s body was sent flying, blood spurting mid-air.


    No techniques. Just brute force. Xu Xin lost outright.


    Shock swept the crowd, including Ling Buyang, whose pupils contracted.


    He¡¯d let Xu Xin engage Zhang Xuan to gauge his strength, and now he knew: a 20-something with 99 units of force at the Jade Bone peak.


    No wonder he wasn¡¯t intimidated.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll apologize!¡± Ling Buyang dered, breathing deeply.


    Zhang Xuan smirked, knowing he¡¯d made his point and stepped back. Though he was strong, confronting a Dharma Aspect expert outright carried risks, especially with Machete Sect techniques untested.


    Ling Buyang turned to Yu Xiaoyu, Liu Mingyue, and Hong Yi, bowing. ¡°Forgive me for the harm I caused. I, Ling Buyang, sincerely apologize.¡±


    ¡°Just words?¡± Sun Qiang interjected.


    ¡°Xu Xin!¡± Ling Buyang called, expression stern.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Xu Xin stumbled forward, producing Source Coin notes. Ling Buyang verified the amount and handed it to Yu Xiaoyu. ¡°Here¡¯s 300,000 Source Coins aspensation.¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu gasped, looking to her teacher for guidance. She¡¯d never seen so much money.


    ¡°Take it,¡± Zhang Xuan instructed. With his back turned to Ling Buyang, he added, ¡°Let this be thest time. Now leave!¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 17: Thirty Million

    Vol 2 ch 17: Thirty Million


    Narrowing his eyes, Ling Buyang ultimately said nothing and turned to leave.


    Back then, he had endured even greater humiliation and had managed to survive until now. This minor disgrace was nothing to him.


    ¡°My Lord¡­¡±


    Liu Tianzheng looked anxious.


    Receiving a few praises from that plump man and letting Xu Xin punch Zhang Xuan, only to then walk away? You¡¯re a Destiny Master and haven¡¯t even acted yet¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back!¡±


    Cutting him off, Ling Buyang strode out.


    Liu Tianzheng and Xu Xin could only follow behind.¡°Teacher, this money¡­¡±


    Seeing that the greatest crisis of her life had been resolved, Yu Xiaoyu hurriedly handed over the source banknotes she was holding.


    ¡°You all keep it. Since you were implicated because of me, consider itpensation!¡± Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    ¡°This is too much¡­ Besides, we didn¡¯t suffer any real harm, and you¡¯ve already been so good to us, we can¡¯t repay it¡­¡± Yu Xiaoyu quickly refused.


    ¡°Buy some supplies and quickly improve your strength; consider it repayment to me!¡± Zhang Xuan waved his hand.


    Having just earned nearly ten million, thirty thousand was merely a small amount. He no longer cared.


    The most important thing was that they had indeed been humiliated due to his involvement. Without that, who would dare to bully them even a little?


    Seeing their teacher¡¯s determination, Yu Xiaoyu and the others had no more words, only storing their gratitude deep in their hearts.


    Liu Mingyue, in particr, was full of guilt.


    She knew a bit about her family¡¯s dealings with the Destiny Hall. It was likely that both Xu Xin and Ling Buyang were brought by her father¡­ yet Zhang Xuan hadn¡¯t med her at all.


    This trust alone left her feeling deeply ashamed.


    ¡°Teacher, rest assured, I will work hard and strive to earn your approval and be your official disciple as soon as possible¡­¡±


    Liu Mingyue silently vowed.


    She was currently only an auditing student and still far from being an official disciple. But no matter how distant that goal was, she would pursue it tirelessly.


    ¡°Teacher Zhang¡­ what exactly is going on here?¡± City Lord Yu and the others approached.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk in the ssroom.¡±


    Seeing the increasing number of students gathering around to watch, Zhang Xuan motioned them away.


    Inside the room, Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong could no longer contain themselves and looked over in sync.


    That was a genuine Destiny Master,ing with a crowd to capture him, exuding a threatening aura, only for the situation to be diffused in a few sentences? Most notably, he was even made to apologize to a few children and hand over so much source currency¡­


    ¡°You¡­ are you truly the young master of a powerful n training here?¡±


    The room fell silent for a moment before Yu Longqing spoke.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Zhang Xuan nodded. ¡°During training, one must hide their identity and start from scratch. That¡¯s why I entrusted you with handling my White Roc City credentials.¡±


    Yu Longqing was suddenly enlightened and felt a surge of admiration.


    Starting training as a stable hand¡­ it truly was an effort.


    The fact that he could disguise himself so well that even they didn¡¯t notice spoke volumes of his resilience.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my intention to deceive you; it¡¯s a family mandate, and it¡¯s inconvenient to exin further!¡± Zhang Xuan sped his hands.


    Since Ling Buyang already suspected him of being a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, he could only continue the pretense¡ªfor Kong Shi''s rescue and his safety.


    ¡°We understand¡­¡± Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong nodded simultaneously.


    No wonder he possessed such talent and advanced so rapidly. It all made sense as part of a powerful n''s trial.


    Zhang Xuan continued, ¡°Enough of that. Dean Lu, I have a million source currency here and wish to purchase sufficient destiny disks. Can you sell me some?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been pushing yourself so hard for money just for this?¡±


    Lu Mingrong realized.


    He had been wondering why Zhang Xuan was frantically taking on missions. It turned out he intended to buy destiny disks from him¡­


    ¡°White Rock Academy has umted some over the years, but not many remain. A few days ago, I sold one to Liu Tianzheng, gave you two¡­ Now, there are only four left. Here, take them all.¡±


    Zhang Xuan let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you, Dean Lu.¡±


    With these four, the library should have around 130,000 units of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, sufficient for rapid training.


    ¡°No need for thanks.¡±


    Lu Mingrong looked at him solemnly. ¡°Even with your high status, Ling Buyang is vengeful. Making him apologize today might put you in dangerter.¡±


    ¡°Not making him apologize would have put me in greater danger.¡± Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    If he had let Ling Buyang leave easily, the retaliation would be far worse. Forcing him to apologize and injuring Xu Xin would make him more cautious.


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Lu Mingrong paused and nodded.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that even after all his years of experience, the young man could see things so clearly.


    ¡°Destiny Masters can trace and manipte destinies. Be very careful¡­¡± Yu Longqing added.


    Zhang Xuan frowned. ¡°Trace destinies?¡±


    Yu Longqing nodded. ¡°Yes! Everyone has their destiny. Once it¡¯s located, a Destiny Master can sever beneficial streams or ce destiny locks, making even the strongest person unable to escape. This is why they are feared.¡±


    Zhang Xuan was confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Yu Longqing exined, ¡°It¡¯s hard to describe, but an example might make it clearer. Suppose you have a destiny to earn a billion source currency in your lifetime, and the opportunity for that urs at some choice in your life. A Destiny Master can find this event in the River of Destiny and either destroy it or use a destiny lock to dy it. So, instead of receiving it at 30, you might only get it at 80. Both lead to the same oue, but it¡¯s vastly different to obtain it in youth versus on your deathbed.¡±


    Zhang Xuan understood.


    Destiny couldn¡¯t be changed, but its timing could be manipted. If such a plot were used against him, it would be troublesome.


    ¡°Is there any way to avoid this?¡± he asked after a moment.


    Yu Longqing replied, ¡°Destiny Masters surely have ways to protect their destinies, but I don¡¯t know the specifics!¡±


    As they talked, the remaining four destiny disks from White Rock Academy were brought over. Zhang Xuan handed 800,000 source currency to Dean Lu. Paying for things outright was better than owing favors.


    After a few more questions and realizing they didn¡¯t know much more about Destiny Masters, Zhang Xuan stopped asking and looked up. ¡°Do we have enough Divine Soul realm techniques here?¡±


    Lu Mingrong responded, ¡°The academy has about a dozen. If Elder Zhang wishes, I can fetch them for you.¡±


    Yu Longqing added, ¡°The City Lord¡¯s Mansion might have more, but no more than twenty books.¡±


    ¡°Ten or twenty?¡± Zhang Xuan frowned.


    That was too few to create a Heaven¡¯s Path technique.


    ¡°Bring them over first.¡±


    He might be able to use the Heaven¡¯s Path Order ability to form a suitable manual.


    ¡­


    In the Liu family hall, a pin drop could be heard. Liu Tianzheng sat cautiously, not daring to breathe.


    After an unknown time, Xu Xin asked incredulously, ¡°Lord Ling, is that man really a young master of a great family?¡±


    Ling Buyang nodded. ¡°Achieving the Jade Bone realm at such a young age makes it very likely! But so what if he is? Many noble heirs go out to train each year, and only those who return alive gain status and glory. Otherwise, they¡¯re no different frommoners.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Great ns had fiercepetition due to their vast numbers.


    As long as someone wasn¡¯t a direct heir, nobody cared if they died outside.


    Hence, there was an unspoken rule: when noble heirs left for training, they ceased being heirs. Only those who survived and returned could reim their status.


    Xu Xin hesitated. ¡°Are you saying¡­¡±


    Ling Buyang¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°He dared to humiliate me. I can¡¯t kill him openly, but who says I can¡¯t act in the shadows?¡±


    If it were only for the forced apology, he could have endured it, knowing the young man was from a powerful n. But that boy knew details from 17 years ago¡­ if those got out, how could he live?


    So, these two must die!


    Xu Xin¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°Do you mean to lock his fate and bring misfortune?¡±


    Ling Buyang shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple! Locking fate would harm me greatly and only dy his achievements briefly. It¡¯s not worth it.¡±


    Xu Xin frowned. ¡°Then¡­¡±


    Ling Buyang¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°At the Divine Soul realm, one¡¯s spirit can detach from the body. Spirits are intangible, and without sufficient cultivation, they are undetectable. Tonight, I¡¯ll end him, and that plump one too¡­ As long as I obscure his fate beforehand, no one will trace it to me!¡±


    ¡°Excellent. I¡¯ll prepare the array!¡± Xu Xin said, excitement in his voice.


    Ling Buyang nodded, looking toward Liu Tianzheng. ¡°I¡¯ve suffered such a loss because you falsely reported him as a Chaotic Fate Practitioner!¡±


    Liu Tianzheng turned pale. ¡°My lord, please forgive me¡­¡±


    Ling Buyang spoke coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you if your Liu family covers my losses for this array and everything else.¡±


    Liu Tianzheng¡¯s brow twitched as he looked up nervously. ¡°


    How much are we talking about?¡±


    Ling Buyang¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°Not much. Just 30 million source currency! If I don¡¯t see it by nightfall¡­ your family will pay in blood!¡±


    ¡°Th-Thirty million? Pay in blood?¡±


    Liu Tianzheng¡¯s face turned ashen, and he copsed.


    It was over. Even if they sold the entire Liu family, they couldn¡¯t raise that amount.


    A million, thirty million¡­ In just a few days, the Liu family was doomed, all because of preventing his daughter from bing Zhang Xuan¡¯s disciple¡­


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 18: The Death of Ling Buyang

    Vol 2 ch 18: The Death of Ling Buyang


    Night.


    In the spacious, brightly lit discussion hall of the Liu family.


    Destiny Master Ling Buyang sat solemnly in the room, surrounded by bright red marks drawn in cinnabar, resembling talismans. Three destiny disks were positioned in front of him, representing heaven, earth, and man. At the four directions¡ªeast, south, west, and north¡ªwere ced the blood of four Source Beasts: the Dragon Serpent, Iron-Toothed Nether Tiger, Green-Winged ckbird, and Phosphorescent Armored Turtle, representing the four guardian divine beasts.


    Ling Buyang bit his finger and touched the disks lightly, causing them to emit a gentle glow. In an instant, countless waves of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy surged out.


    With fate as his shield, his soul would be indestructible, invulnerable to harm.


    Afterpleting the ritual, he flicked a special long incense stick into the altar nearby. It ignited, releasing a thin wisp of pale blue smoke.


    ¡°Protect this *Returning Soul Incense*. Make sure it doesn¡¯t go out¡­ In the time it takes for this to burn, I will kill those two and return with ease!¡± Ling Buyangmanded.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Xu Xin and Liu Tianzheng bowed in unison.The *Returning Soul Incense* was an anchor for the soul.


    Ordinarily, Ling Buyang¡¯s Dharma Aspect wasn¡¯t exceptionally strong, and venturing too far risked losing himself in the vast world. With this anchor, paired with the guidance of fate, he could return easily. Should the incense be extinguished, his Dharma Aspect would be unable to return within a set time, and without his body¡¯s nourishment, his soul would disintegrate, leading to his death.


    ¡°Go!¡±


    With a low shout, Ling Buyang¡¯s body, seated in meditation, remained motionless as a towering figure emerged behind him. It was an exact replica but shadowy and barely visible without the illumination of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy¡ªit was his Dharma Aspect, formed from his soul¡¯s power.


    The moment it appeared, Xu Xin and Liu Tianzheng felt a deep shiver in their souls, struggling to stay upright.


    It was a soul-crushing pressure that only those with simr cultivation levels could resist.


    Seeing their reactions, Ling Buyang nodded in satisfaction. His Dharma Aspect turned into an icy wind and vanished in an instant.


    ¡°So powerful¡­ That man is as good as dead!¡± Liu Tianzheng finally exhaled, confidence shing in his eyes.


    Despite the current financial ruin of the Liu family and the near-total sale of its assets, they were now deeply aligned with Ling Buyang. If Zhang Xuan were killed and Ling returned, the Liu family¡¯s rise would be assured, and they could even reach unprecedented heights.


    With this, Liu Tianzheng was filled with hope and anticipation.


    ¡­


    Zhang Xuan looked at the 30 or so techniques brought by Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong in the library and sighed.


    The Divine Soul Realm was already the most challenging among the nine levels of the Source Pool Realm. Combined with the scarcity of techniques, even Heaven¡¯s Path Order couldn¡¯t deduce the most suitable method for him.


    Clearly, finding more techniques was essential.


    White Roc City¡¯s avable Divine Soul techniques, outside of the Academy and City Lord¡¯s Mansion, might add up to no more than 50 if gathered from the Mo, Liu, and Wang families. Still, this number was insufficient for his needs.


    ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll pause my training and check on Sun Qiang.¡±


    With that, he left the room and walked to where Sun Qiang was practicing in the courtyard.


    ¡°Young Master!¡± Sun Qiang rose quickly.


    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯ve advanced from Energy Storing to Body Tempering already. Not bad¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded, pointing as 2,000 units of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy entered Sun Qiang¡¯s "Source Pool." ¡°The space I created for youst time wasn¡¯t fully stabilized due to insufficient Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. Now, it should be secure.¡±


    As "ascenders," they naturallycked a Source Pool. To aid Sun Qiang¡¯s cultivation, Zhang Xuan had specially created a small space within him to act as one.


    Though not particrlyrge, the 1,000 units of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy absorbed previously had been insufficient. Now, with 3,000 units, it formed a stabilizing pir.


    Zhang Xuan handed Sun Qiang written techniques for the Meridian Unclogging, Organs Easing, and Jade Bone stages. He pointed again, sending several streams of Heaven¡¯s Path Source Energy into Sun Qiang¡¯s meridians.


    ¡°If you encounter any blockages during cultivation, use my true energy to clear them.¡±


    The Source World was fraught with danger, so Sun Qiang¡¯s strength had to improve swiftly. Heaven¡¯s Path Source Energy was perfect for unblocking meridians.


    ¡°Thank you, Young Master¡­¡± Sun Qiang¡¯s voice quivered with gratitude.


    ¡°Continue your training.¡±


    Without further words, Zhang Xuan returned to his room and soon appeared in the Xuan World.


    Previously, due to insufficient Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, the Source Pools built for Nie Lingxi and others were only skeletal frameworks. Now, with enough energy, he could consolidate them and help them train more effectively.


    Shortly after Zhang Xuan left, a chilling wind swept through the moonlit courtyard. The cold intensified as a shadowy figure emerged.


    ¡°Zhang Xuan, and that fat man¡ªyou will both die¡­¡±


    Ling Buyang¡¯s Dharma Aspect snorted and scanned the area.


    The boisterous fat man who exposed him was training nearby. Streams of pure Source Energy were being rapidly refined and absorbed into his meridians, flowing into his dantian.


    ¡°Hmm? Zhang Xuan isn¡¯t here?¡±


    After surveying the area, Ling Buyang frowned. ¡°Lucky today, it seems. But I¡¯ll kill this one first as a down payment.¡±


    His eyes locked onto Sun Qiang. Without wasting time, his massive Dharma Aspect lunged at the plump figure.


    Sun Qiang, lost in a semi-dream state, envisioned himself standing atop a mountain of gold, surrounded by an endless supply of Source Coins. Just as he prepared to indulge, a cold voice shattered the illusion.


    ¡°Fat fool, you dared threaten me. Today is your day to die¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Startled, Sun Qiang saw Ling Buyang¡¯s towering figure looming with crushing force.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Ling Buyang, you coward! Ambushing me, where¡¯s your honor? Fight me head-on!¡± Sun Qiang shouted.


    ¡°Fight you? You¡¯re not worthy.¡±


    With a sneer, Ling Buyang extended his hand to grab Sun Qiang. Suddenly, a gigantic presence, akin to a mountain, fell upon him.


    ¡°A Source Pool? How can a Source Pool be this immense?¡±


    Ling Buyang was shocked.


    Even in the talent-rich Zouyi Dynasty, where he was considered a genius, his Source Pool was only the size of a ping-pong ball. But this¡­ resembled an entire mountain!


    Could it be¡­ a First Grade Source Pool? No,rger. Saint Grade, perhaps beyond!


    A Saint Grade Source Pool talent, as an attendant¡­


    Is this real?


    Fear spread in Ling Buyang¡¯s eyes. He had thought that killing the young man and his servant would go unnoticed. Now, facing a servant of such caliber, doubt crept in.


    ¡°Retreat¡­¡±


    Panic-stricken, he turned to flee.


    But before he could move, streams of true energy appeared, imbued with Heaven¡¯s Path might, like dragons from the heavens.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Ling Buyang froze, then screamed, ¡°No, I surrender, I was wrong¡­¡±


    The dragons tore through him, shredding his soul and devouring it with apparent relish.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Sun Qiang jolted awake, drenched in sweat.


    ¡°Was that a dream?¡±


    He looked around, still in the courtyard. Confused, his uncertainty quickly dissolved as a nourishing warmth spread from the true energy Zhang Xuan had left in him, boosting his soul and cultivation.


    Crackling!


    Within a few breaths, he broke through Body Tempering and advanced to the Meridian Unclogging stage.


    Half an hourter, the power had fully settled. His soul was strong, and he had reached the Divine Soul stage, the eighth level of the Source Pool Realm!


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Sun Qiang blinked.


    When did cultivation be so easy?


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a dream; it really happened!¡±


    Realizing this, Sun Qiang swallowed. ¡°Not only did I kill a Destiny Master, but I absorbed him?¡±


    This could only mean one thing: he had defeated Ling Buyang and devoured his soul.


    A practitioner at the Dharma Aspect stage, ninth level of the Source Pool Realm, whose cultivation resided in the soul¡ªabsorbing that was like receiving an entire infusion of power.


    Not advancing rapidly would be strange.


    ¡°I¡¯m in the Divine Soul stage, and Young Master hasn¡¯t reached it yet. Heh!¡±


    Picturing Zhang Xuan¡¯s reaction, Sun Qiang chuckled.


    Young Master would be astonished by his progress. Maybe they¡¯d even spar to see who¡¯s stronger¡­


    Back at the Liu estate.


    ¡°Lord Xu Xin, when Lord Ling returns, you must put in a good word for me. Our Liu family truly put everything on the line to support him¡­¡±


    Liu Tianzheng bowed.


    ¡°Rest assured, after this, my status will rise significantly. Your family, without question, will soar to the top in White Roc City!¡±


    Xu Xin¡¯s eyes glimmered.


    ¡°Thank you, Lord Xu¡­¡±


    Liu Tianzheng exhaled in relief.


    That stubborn girl, Liu Mingyue, would return now that her teacher was dead. He¡¯d make her understand the cost of not listening to her elders!


    ¡°You¡¯re wee¡­ What? How could this be?¡±


    Suddenly, Xu Xin''s voice trembled with fear.


    ¡°Lord Xu, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Liu Tianzheng, noticing the rm in his tone, looked over with confusion.


    Xu Xin¡¯s shaking hand pointed forward. ¡°The <em>Returning Soul Incense</em>¡­ It¡¯s out!¡±


    Liu Tianzheng¡¯s gaze snapped to the altar. Sure enough, the incense that Ling Buyang had lit before leaving was now extinguished. Ling¡¯s body sat unmoving at the center of the formation, breathless.


    ¡°Lord Ling¡­ he¡¯s¡­ dead?¡±


    Liu Tianzheng¡¯s pupils shrank as a bone-chilling dread overtook him.


    Author''s Note


    Hey, readers! We¡¯re back with another chapter! If you¡¯ve been loving the trantions, please consider supporting the BOTI Trantor Team with a 5-star review on NovelUpdates. Your support is everything to us¡ªthank you! ????

 Book 2: Chapter 19: Super Expert

    Vol 2 Ch 19: Super Expert


    The official Destiny Master of the Destiny Hall in the Hanyuan Dynasty and the direct disciple of Mo Dao, Mo Baiye, from the Zouyi Dynasty¡ªeither identity was enough tomand respect and awe. Yet, here he was, dying silently within the Liu family.


    Dying right under Liu Tianzheng''s watch.


    ¡°It¡¯s over. The Liu family ispletely finished¡­¡±


    Liu Tianzheng¡¯s face turned pale, and his vision darkened.


    He had just poured the entire family¡¯s wealth and generations of effort into appeasing this Lord Ling, only for him to die¡­


    The most critical part was that they hadpletely offended Zhang Xuan.


    Ignoring the advice of the wise led to trouble in the short term, but not listening to the younger generation could lead to disaster right at the doorstep!


    Liu Tianzheng¡¯s body shook as he urgently looked at Xu Xin nearby. ¡°Lord Xu, should we report to the Destiny Hall immediately¡­ and seek revenge for Lord Ling?¡±The Destiny Hall would never let the death of a Destiny Master go unanswered. Reporting this could at least keep Zhang Xuan preupied, buying him time and avoiding further trouble.


    Smack!


    Before he could finish, a burning pain spread across Liu Tianzheng¡¯s face as Xu Xin pped him.


    Xu Xin¡¯s face was pale, veins bulging on his forehead as he appeared nearly crazed. ¡°Silence! If you dare to reveal even a word about Lord Ling¡¯s death, I will wipe out the Liu family¡ªdown to thest member!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Clutching his face, Liu Tianzheng was dumbfounded.


    ¡°I am a Fate Guardian. My greatest duty is to protect Destiny Masters from harm. Now that he has died in my presence, if the news leaks, even if others seek revenge, what will happen to me?¡±


    Xu Xin said.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Liu Tianzheng¡¯s pupils contracted.


    It was like the imperial guards, whose duty was to protect the emperor. If the emperor were killed in their presence, at best, they would be buried with him; at worst, they would be executed on the spot¡­


    Even if someone avenged Ling Buyangter, Xu Xin was as good as dead!


    Moreover, Ling Buyang, as a Destiny Master from the Zouyi Dynasty, must have made countless enemies over the years. Even if he survived, returning home would only spell further trouble¡­


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    Understanding this, Liu Tianzheng realized something critical. His pupils shrank, and he dashed toward the exit, only to feel a sharp pain stab through his back before he could leave. It was as if his very soul were being torn apart.


    Struggling to turn, he saw a dagger embedded in his back.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    He reached for Xu Xin, but his strength ebbed away like a receding tide.


    ¡°Dead men don¡¯t spread secrets!¡±


    Xu Xin¡¯s eyes were cold.


    Although only the two of them were in the room, there was only one way to ensure the news didn¡¯t spread: kill the Liu family head!


    Once Liu Tianzheng was dead, no one would know for a while, allowing Xu Xin time to escape.


    Conveniently, Ling Buyang held the thirty million Source Coins he had taken from Liu Tianzheng. With those funds, Xu Xin could live well, hidden in any city.


    After stripping Liu Tianzheng and Ling Buyang of all valuables, Xu Xin secured everything before stepping out, his voiceced with an unchallengeable authority: ¡°Lord Ling has gone into seclusion to guide the family head¡¯s cultivation. For now, the family is to be closed off to visitors. No one is allowed to approach. Any disturbance during this time will be met with death!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The Liu family members had no reason to doubt him.


    Xu Xin walked away confidently.


    Thismand would dy discovery for at least two or three days, enough time for him to vanish without a trace, leaving no leads behind¡­


    ---


    Zhang Xuan walked out of the room, looking exhausted.


    After returning to the Xuan World, he had reinforced the Source Pools of Zhao Ya and the others, consuming a hefty seventy thousand strands of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. Although it was a huge expenditure, it significantly enhanced their talents and cultivation speed, making it worthwhile.


    As he stepped outside, he saw Sun Qiang waiting with an eager expression.


    ¡°Young Master, after a night of training, I feel I¡¯ve made some breakthroughs. Could we spar?¡±


    Zhang Xuan was surprised by Sun Qiang¡¯s newfound courage but smiled slightly. ¡°Alright!¡±


    ¡°Forgive me then, Young Master!¡±


    With a chuckle, Sun Qiang raised his pudgy fists and charged, shouting as his powerful force surged forward like a river breaking its dam.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°You¡¯ve certainly improved!¡±


    Zhang Xuan hadn¡¯t expected such progress, feeling momentarily astonished before he matched the punch.


    Boom!


    Their fists collided, and Sun Qiang¡¯s face twisted in pain as he was sent flying,nding heavily in the courtyard.


    ¡°Not bad, quite an improvement¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded, then blinked in confusion. ¡°When did you reach the Divine Soul Realm?¡±


    He was genuinely shocked.


    He knew Sun Qiang¡¯s potential well. Zhang Xuan himself hadn¡¯t broken through, yet Sun Qiang had managed to leap several major levels overnight. Was that even possible?


    Struggling up, Sun Qiang looked disheartened.


    He had thought that advancing to the Divine Soul Realm would make him stronger than his master, letting him show off a bit. Instead, he had been defeated with one punch¡­ How tragic.


    ¡°It¡¯s like this¡­¡±


    Sun Qiang recounted the events of the previous night in detail.


    ¡°So, Ling Buyang¡¯s soul detached, came to kill you, but was stunned by the Source Pool and devoured by Heaven¡¯s Path Source Energy, which allowed you to break through?¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes widened.


    That was even possible?


    Talk about luck!


    After painstakingly training for five or six days to reach the peak of the Jade Bone Realm, here was Sun Qiang, surpassing him overnight¡­


    However, his rapid advancement left his strength somewhat hollow. Even with Divine Soul Realm power, his might was so unstable it hadn¡¯t even reached 99 horsepower.


    Still, for Sun Qiang, raw strength didn¡¯t matter. With just the title of the Divine Soul Realm, he could deter others and aplish many things.


    ¡°Wait¡­ Ling Buyang¡¯s death is a big deal!¡±


    After a moment¡¯s reflection, Zhang Xuan frowned.


    Ling Buyang was an official Destiny Master of the Destiny Hall. While intimidating him was one thing, killing him would undoubtedly lead to being branded as a Chaotic Fate Practitioner if the news got out!


    ¡°No one came after Ling Buyang¡¯s soul was devoured?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help asking.


    ¡°No,¡± Sun Qiang shook his head.


    The night had been unusually calm, with no disturbances.


    Zhang Xuan found it odd.


    A Destiny Master, especially one at the Dharma Aspect Realm, was at the pinnacle of White Roc City¡¯s power. For such a figure to die, yet nothing to happen overnight¡ªit was too strange.


    ¡°I need to check something¡­¡±


    As Zhang Xuan prepared to investigate, urgent knocking sounded from outside.


    ¡°Is Elder Zhang here? Lu Mingrong and Yu Longqing request an audience¡­¡±


    Lu Mingrong¡¯s voice came through.


    ¡°Come in, Dean Lu.¡±


    Zhang Xuan gestured, and Sun Qiang quickly opened the door. Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong entered, their expressions heavy.


    ¡°Teacher Zhang, something major has happened¡­¡±


    As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, Yu Longqing spoke in a hushed tone.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Zhang Xuan looked over.


    Yu Longqing continued, ¡°The City Lord¡¯s Mansion, under Lord Ling¡¯s orders, had sealed the city gates and thoroughly inspected travelers. This morning, when the gates were opened, a traveler seemed suspicious, concealing their identity. The guards dyed him and informed the mansion. I happened to be avable, so I took the Cangback Eagle to check. What I saw was shocking¡­ The disguised traveler trying to sneak out was¡­ Xu Xin!¡±


    ¡°With his status, he could leave with just a word. Why disguise himself?¡± Zhang Xuan asked, puzzled.


    Leaving aside Xu Xin¡¯s peak Jade Bone Realm strength, his status as a Fate Guardian made him untouchable even to the City Lord. Why sneak out in disguise?


    ¡°I had the same question and approached to greet him, but¡­¡±


    Yu Longqing continued, ¡°He attacked immediately upon recognizing me, trying to force his way out. Although his strength was considerable, he couldn¡¯t match mine, so I captured him. Upon interrogation, I discovered¡­ it seems Lord Ling is already dead!¡±


    At this, the City Lord looked cautiously at Zhang Xuan, trying to discern his involvement.


    ¡°Yes, I already knew. Last night, Ling Buyang¡¯s soul detached to ambush me but was killed by Sun Qiang¡­¡± Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong exchanged shocked nces.


    Soul detachment, ambush, easily in¡­


    Each term made sense alone, but together, they were bewildering.


    Wait¡­ Sun Qiang?


    Both experts turned to the plump steward, fists instinctively clenching.


    Wasn¡¯t he just at the Energy Storing Realm? Yet he had killed a Dharma Aspect Realm Destiny Master?


    Could it be that he was hiding his true strength all along?


    ¡°Hic~¡±


    Sun Qiang felt embarrassed by their stares and let out an involuntary hup, releasing a wave of energy.


    ¡°Source Pool eighth level, Divine Soul Realm?¡±


    Both the City Lord and Dean Lu felt their vision darken, stunned into silence.


    Just yesterday, he had been at the Energy Storing Realm. Now he was in the Divine Soul Realm. Even a fool could see he was hiding his strength! Otherwise, how could someone improve so dramatically in just one night?


    The guess was urate; this "Divine Soul Realm" wasn¡¯t even Sun Qiang¡¯s true level. If it were, there was no way he could have killed a Dharma Aspect Realm master quietly without alerting even the neighboring courtyards.


    Their steward was not only beyond the Divine Soul Realm but was likely a super expert. And Zhang Xuan¡¯s own talent must be even more formidable, surpassingmon understanding. In an instant, the young man before them became even more enigmatic in their eyes.


    There was no doubt¡ªhe had to be from an influential family.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 20: Impersonating Ling Buyang

    Vol 2 ch 20: Impersonating Ling Buyang


    "You mean Ling Buyang was killed, and Xu Xin not only didn¡¯t report it but chose to flee alone?"


    Unlike the shock on the other two¡¯s faces, Zhang Xuan sensed something off.


    "A Fate Guardian¡¯s duty is to protect Destiny Masters. Now that the person he was protecting has died, a severe dereliction of duty like this leaves him with no choice but to run for his life," Yu Longqing exined.


    Zhang Xuan frowned. "So, no one knows that Ling Buyang is dead?"


    Yu Longqing nodded. "Aside from us two, only he knew, and Liu Tianzheng, who also knew, was killed on the spot by him!"


    Zhang Xuan was surprised. "Liu Tianzheng is dead?"


    Despite repeatedly causing trouble for him, Liu Tianzheng was still Liu Mingyue¡¯s father and the head of his n. Now, he had been killed in silence. As expected, great risks apany great rewards, but in his case, there were no rewards, only theplete ruin of his family and his own death¡ªhow tragic.


    "Wait, no one knows about Ling Buyang¡¯s death¡­ isn¡¯t that beneficial for me?"Suddenly, a thought struck Zhang Xuan, making him pause.


    Pretending to be a scion of a noble family or finding a "teacher" to back his ims could temporarily deceive others but would be exposed under scrutiny. However¡­ what if he assumed the identity of Ling Buyang?


    Ling Buyang¡¯s background was well-documented; he had a legitimate status and position as a Destiny Master. More importantly, he hailed from the Zouyi Dynasty, where Kong Shi had once been hunted and fled into a certain **Destiny Divine Domain** for safety.


    If Zhang Xuan could take on Ling Buyang¡¯s identity, all the problems he currently faced would be resolved!


    After considering the n several times in his mind and confirming that impersonating Ling Buyang was safer than pretending to be a noble scion, Zhang Xuan felt more confident. This strategy would not only solve the identity investigation issue but alsopletely conceal Ling Buyang¡¯s death, ensuring no one would discover it.


    However, there was a prerequisite: he needed confirmation beforehand. Acting without verification would be disastrous, akin to walking into a trap.


    With this in mind, Zhang Xuan looked at the two. "Take me to Xu Xin. I need to ask him something."


    "Alright!"


    Yu Longqing said no more and led the way. Soon, the four of them reached a secluded room in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. There, they saw Xu Xin chained up, his expression dazed and dejected. The former arrogance and insolence were gone, reced by sheer terror.


    "It¡¯s you? You killed Lord Ling. I¡¯m doomed, and you won¡¯t fare well either. The Destiny Hall will never let this go¡­"


    Recognizing Zhang Xuan, Xu Xin¡¯s eyes glimmered with false bravado.


    "You knew I was a noble family¡¯s disciple out on trial, yet you dared to attack. If the Destiny Hall knew how Ling Buyang sought death, how do you think they¡¯d react?"


    Zhang Xuan smiled, meeting his gaze.


    Xu Xin snorted. "This isn¡¯t an ordinary Destiny Master; he was Lord Mo Baiye¡¯s direct disciple. The Destiny Hall will thoroughly investigate your background. If you trulye from an untouchable lineage, they might drop it. But if your backing is weaker than Lord Mo¡¯s, no matter what you say, you¡¯ll face retribution."


    Zhang Xuan nodded. "That¡¯s fair."


    "Fair?" Xu Xin was taken aback.


    "Indeed, those with greater power are not challenged. The weaker ones inevitably face trouble¡ªsurvival of the fittest," Zhang Xuan remarked. "Did you really think that by escaping, the Destiny Hall wouldn¡¯t know Ling Buyang had died?"


    "I ordered the Liu family to stay away from the room. As long as I didn¡¯t speak, no one would find out for a while. By then, I¡¯d be somewhere unreachable!"


    Xu Xin¡¯s eyes filled with resentment as he nced at Yu Longqing. "It¡¯s all your fault! Otherwise, I would have already escaped!"


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s brow furrowed. "So if no one discovers it, they won¡¯t know? Does the Destiny Hall not have something like a life token that signals when someone dies?"


    In the Master Teacher Continent, powerful figures would often leave life tokens imprinted with their soul auras. When the original body perished, the token would shatter, signaling their death. This was Zhang Xuan¡¯s concern regarding the Source World.


    "Of course, there are life tokens!" Xu Xin replied. "However, I¡¯ve followed Lord Ling for many years and know he never left such items. Imprinting a soul trace makes it easy for others to deduce your fate and, consequently, control it. Only noble family descendants use them to confirm life or death, as having such tokens allows others to predict and control their fate. Who would willingly do that?"


    "I see¡­" Zhang Xuan exhaled in relief.


    If he impersonated Ling Buyang, and others were unaware of his death, then this wasn¡¯t stepping into a trap but seizing an opportunity.


    "Now that I know this, you¡¯re no longer needed¡­"


    With a sigh, Zhang Xuan approached Xu Xin, cing a finger on his forehead.


    "What are you doing?" Xu Xin shouted, panic-stricken. "Young Master Zhang, I was wrong. I was just following Ling Buyang¡¯s orders. He wanted to kill you; it had nothing to do with me¡­ Please, spare me! I¡¯ll give you the thirty million Source Coins and the three Destiny Disks I have!"


    Facing danger, Xu Xin, whocked resolve, surrendered instantly.


    "With you dead, these will be mine regardless."


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression was calm as a vast mountain range within his soul world ignited. Instantly, Xu Xin¡¯s memories were extracted.


    This was the unique technique of a Soul Oracle¡ªmemory extraction!


    A skill from the Master Teacher Continent that required burning a segment of the new world to activate.


    Assimting the memories into his own, Zhang Xuan learned many things, including intricate details about the Destiny Hall of the Hanyuan Dynasty. He exhaled deeply, reassured that Xu Xin¡¯s statements had been truthful. Moreover, to impersonate Ling Buyang sessfully, he needed more insights about him.


    Previously, using the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path, Zhang Xuan discerned ws butcked specific details. Now, having absorbed Xu Xin¡¯s memories, he gained sufficient knowledge of the Destiny Hall, enough to avoid stumbling blindly.


    "Who are you? Why am I here? I¡¯m hungry¡­"


    Stripped of memories, Xu Xin¡¯s gaze turned nk, his mind seemingly wiped.


    "Seems the energy I used wasn¡¯t enough¡­" Zhang Xuan sighed, slightly embarrassed.


    Normally, using his power for memory extraction wouldn¡¯t harm the target. However, because he needed to burn the new world¡¯s resources, the resultcked precision, leading to significant damage.


    Still, leaving Xu Xin as an imbecile was more merciful than death.


    "Let¡¯s go to the Liu family."


    Finished extracting Xu Xin¡¯s memories and collecting the thirty million Source Coins and three Destiny Disks, Zhang Xuan walked out.


    "Teacher Zhang, should we¡­ kill him?" Yu Longqing asked, shocked by Xu Xin¡¯s transformation into a drooling fool. It was clear that Zhang Xuan¡¯s so-called peak of the Jade Bone Realm was mere disguise.


    "Leave him for Liu Mingyue to deal with," Zhang Xuan waved dismissively.


    As wed as Liu Tianzheng was, he was her father. Let her decide his fate.


    "Understood," Yu Longqing nodded.


    With the City Lord and Dean Lu personally leading the way, they soon arrived at the sealed hall of the Liu family. Inside, they found Ling Buyang¡¯s stiff corpse seated at the center of an array, with Liu Tianzheng¡¯s heart-pierced body lying nearby.


    Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong wore solemn expressions at the scene.


    A Destiny Master at the Dharma Aspect Realm had died so silently! This meant the person before them must have surpassed that level, reaching unimaginable heights.


    Zhang Xuan approached Ling Buyang¡¯s corpse, touched it lightly, and with a "whoosh," it vanished into his inner world. The next moment, a series of cracks resounded from Zhang Xuan¡¯s bones, and his appearance transformedpletely.


    "You¡­ you¡­"


    The eyes of the two experts widened in speechless shock.


    Zhang Xuan now looked exactly like Ling Buyang, from his appearance to his aura and even the impression his soul conveyed¡ªthere was not the slightest discrepancy.


    Could it be that Zhang Xuan had mastered advanced disguise techniques? Such a skill required recognition by Fate itself.


    Otherwise, such perfect mimicry would be impossible!


    The more they interacted with Zhang Xuan, the more enigmatic he appeared¡ªlike a deep, unfathomable pool, impossible to see through or understand.


    "Is Teacher Zhang nning to¡­ impersonate Ling Buyang to cover up his death?" Lu Mingrong quickly grasped the n.


    It was a clever approach. If "Ling Buyang" returned to the Destiny Hall, White Roc City and everyone involved would be safe. As for when "he" might die in the future¡ªthat would be up to Zhang Xuan.


    With special preservation methods, the body would not dpose quickly, allowing this ruse tost for some time.


    Zhang Xuan nodded.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Realizing this, Yu Longqing¡¯s expression turned despondent. He bowed deeply. "Teacher Zhang, if I don¡¯t survive, please take care of Xia


    oyu. She¡¯s your student and knows nothing of this."


    Lu Mingrong added, "I have no family or burdens. I only ask that, as a teacher and elder of White Rock Academy, you look after this ce."


    "Die?"


    Seeing their expressions, Zhang Xuan understood their thoughts and shook his head. "You¡¯re overthinking. I only ask that you keep this a secret and don¡¯t let it spread."


    Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong were stunned.


    The implications were enormous. Xu Xin had killed Liu Tianzheng directly, leaving them no hope of survival. Yet Zhang Xuan simply asked for their silence and showed no intention of harming them.


    "Why?"


    Unable to contain his curiosity, Yu Longqing finally asked.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 21: Taming the Black-Scaled Phoenix Eagle

    Vol 2 Ch 21: Taming the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle


    Zhang Xuan said, "The two of you risked your lives, disregarding potential offense to the Destiny Hall, just to bring me information. Even before I revealed my identity during my most difficult times, you both offered various forms of assistance. I, Zhang Xuan, remember this well and could nevermit an ungrateful act!"


    Yu Longqing, anxious, responded, "But... if you don''t kill us and this information leaks, you''ll be in huge trouble!"


    "The city lord is right!" Lu Mingrong nodded. "Killing a Destiny Master and impersonating him is a crime severe enough that, even as a member of a distinguished family, you may find it hard to escape punishment."


    "First of all, though we''ve only known each other for a short time, I trust your character enough to believe that you wouldn''t betray me for personal gain!"


    Interrupting their conversation, Zhang Xuan''s eyes shone with determination. "Secondly, to repay kindness and settle grudges is the principle of being human. If I were to kill my benefactors out of fear for my safety, how would I be any different from a beast?"


    Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong fell silent.


    Repaying kindness and avenging wrongs are indeed fundamental human principles. Sadly, many people forget them, and even they themselves had once abandoned these ideals for profit. It was surprising that the young man before them adhered so firmly to these values despite his age.


    After a moment, Yu Longqing sighed, a wry smile crossing his face. "It seems our perspective was too narrow!""Yes, I thought that the older you are, the better you understand people, but I have forgotten my original purpose," Lu Mingrong shook his head.


    Back then, he would dedicate his all to someone¡¯s single request, even if it seemed foolish now¡ªit remained the most cherished memory of his life.


    Exchanging nces, both men took a step forward and bowed deeply. "Since Teacher Zhang trusts us so much, we hereby swear that if we were to disclose this information, we would face eternal damnation, dying from a bacsh of Source Energy!"


    "There''s no need for such a heavy oath. I trust your integrity," Zhang Xuan waved his hand. "Enough of this. Let''s focus on handling the Liu family''s wrath. The death of their patriarch and the depletion of their wealth won¡¯t be resolved easily."


    The Liu family had allied with Ling Buyang for a chance at glory, only to be drained of 4,000 Source Coins and suffer the death of their patriarch. If news of this spread, it would undoubtedly cause a major uproar.


    If the matter remained confined to White Roc City, it would be manageable. However, if word reached the imperial capital, suspicions would inevitably arise. Proper nning for this eventuality was essential.


    "Teacher Zhang, you don''t need to worry," Yu Longqing said. "On my way here, I had Adviser Liao mobilize the city guard. Over the years, the Liu family has leaned on the Destiny Hall tomit numerous atrocities, bing a blight on White Roc City. Now that Liu Tianzheng is dead, this poison needs to be eradicated."


    "Good!" Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.


    With the City Lord¡¯s Mansion intervening and the fall of the Liu family¡¯s leadership, any potential upheaval was swiftly quelled. Within half a day, the family''s remnants were cleaned out, leaving behind an empty shell of assets.


    At that moment, Zhang Xuan brought Liu Mingyue over to see Xu Xin, who was already bound and showing signs of mental breakdown.


    "You decide his fate," Zhang Xuan said, his hands sped behind his back as he stood nearby.


    "He ambushed and killed my father from behind; I will kill him in the same way," Liu Mingyue said, her eyes red, biting her silver teeth in resolve.


    Although her father had been strict, he had genuinely loved her. In a matter of days, life had be irreversibly different.


    Taking out a dagger, the girl trembled as she tried to strike multiple times without sess.


    Although her strength had reached the peak of the Energy Storing stage, she had never killed anyone. Despite her burning hatred, she found it difficult to act.


    After what felt like an eternity, she took a deep breath and plunged the dagger into Xu Xin¡¯s heart. After a brief struggle, the Protector at the pinnacle of the Jade Bone stage met his end.


    ng!


    The dagger slipped from her hand as Liu Mingyue copsed to the ground, her pent-up emotions finally breaking free.


    "Teacher..." Yu Xiaoyu looked worriedly at Liu Mingyue''s state.


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. "This is something she has to endure and ovee on her own. Only by doing so can she truly mature and stand on her own."


    Liu Tianzheng¡¯s character aside, he had devoted himself entirely to his daughter, and Liu Mingyue, despite feeling stifled, had adhered to his expectations, showing she understood his intentions.


    Now... there was no one left tomand or demand anything of her. Yet, the pain was hers alone to process. No amount of constion would help if she couldn¡¯t find her way out of it herself.


    "Stay here with her for now," Zhang Xuan said to Yu Xiaoyu. "Also, I n to leave White Roc City. If any of you wish to continue as my students,e to my residence by tomorrow morning. If not, I won¡¯t force you."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With a wave of his hand, Zhang Xuan signaled his decision.


    Since he had resolved to impersonate Ling Buyang and infiltrate the Destiny Hall in the imperial capital to investigate Kong Shi''s situation, staying any longer in White Roc City was pointless. He would set out the next day.


    Whether or not these three students chose to follow him was entirely up to them.


    As Zhang Xuan exited the room, Yu Longqing approached with a serious expression. "Teacher Zhang, it seems the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle has sensed Ling Buyang¡¯s death. It''s bing agitated, and my men are barely holding it down."


    "I''ll go take a look," Zhang Xuan nodded.


    The ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle had been Ling Buyang¡¯s beastpanion. Normally, their souls would have been connected, so it would have known the moment he died. However, Ling Buyang had perished when his soul was destroyed while separated from his body, which was then protected within a formation and subsequently ced into the New World, preventing any such detection.


    Initially, there was no sign of trouble, but as time passed and Ling Buyang didn¡¯t return, the eagle grew restless.


    Both the dean and the city lord had anticipated this and arranged for its capture. Yet the beast''s power, at the Divine Soul stage, had proven difficult for even ten of the city¡¯s elders to handle.


    "A Divine Soul stage Source Beast possesses intelligenceparable to humans; it must have guessed something happened and is searching for answers," Yu Longqing exined as they walked.


    "Understood," Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Yu Longqing continued, "The dean and I have discussed that if it proves uncontroble, we may need to kill it... to prevent any leak of information."


    This situation with Ling Buyang''s beastpanion had been unforeseen. Fortunately, his death within the formation had dyed the beast¡¯s reaction. Had it discovered the truth earlier and flown to the Destiny Hall, the absence of his life que would have exposed the situation immediately.


    "No need," Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    "No need?" Yu Longqing frowned. "Teacher Zhang, are you nning to tame it? Eagle-type Source Beasts are notoriously proud and only recognize one master for life. I know your beast-taming skills are remarkable, but taming this creature would be extraordinarily difficult."


    It wasn''t a matter of doubting Zhang Xuan''s abilities, but rather the sheer challenge of taming an already bonded beast, which surpassed even the difficulty of taming a typical Source Beast.


    Zhang Xuan only smiled, offering no further response as he followed Yu Longqing to the courtyard.


    Before long, they reached a scene where a massive eagle-like Source Beast was bound by iron chains, struggling fiercely. Surrounding it were over ten elders, their powerful energy pressing down on the beast, creating a tense stalemate.


    From afar, the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle looked exhausted, and the elders wore pale expressions.


    Source Beasts had naturally strong physiques. Though theycked techniques, they typically outmatched human cultivators of the same level. Especially aerial dominators like this one; without the chains, the elders would likely have been dispatched within a few charges.


    Activating a disguised power, Zhang Xuan transformed once more into the image of Ling Buyang. Before he even reached the courtyard, he called out.


    "Little ck!"


    "Chirp..."


    Seeing its "master," the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle froze, its eyes lighting up with excitement. It took two steps forward before pausing, tilting its head with a hint of confusion.


    It had detected something off.


    Though this person before it appeared identical to its master, there was no soul connection between them¡ªno bond of loyalty.


    "As expected of a Divine Soul stage Source Beast, far more perceptive than that dull-witted Dao Li," Zhang Xuan thought with admiration.


    Dao Li, though formidable, had proven inept, taking days just to learn basic cooking. Tea preparation was another disaster, either with too much water or too few leaves. So far, boiling water was its only passable skill, highlighting the significant difference between it and this sharp eagle.


    "Chirp~~"


    As Zhang Xuan approached, the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle''s cry turned piercing, its eyes full of fury.


    It had pieced together, the truth: its true master had most likely been killed.


    "You all step outside; I need to have a word with this creature," Zhang Xuan instructed, waving his hand.


    The elders from the City Lord¡¯s Mansion exchanged nces and looked at Yu Longqing. Upon seeing him nod, they collectively withdrew, stepping out of the courtyard.


    "You too," Zhang Xuan said to Yu Longqing.


    "Understood," Yu Longqing hesitated momentarily before exiting, closing the gate behind him and waiting outside.


    Although unsure what Zhang Xuan intended, he knew they couldn''t afford to let the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle escape. He turned to issue orders, "Bring three city-defense crossbows over here!"


    Several elders quickly moved toply. Not long after, they brought in massive crossbows, each weighing over a thousand pounds, their strings drawn taut, emitting an aura of deadly intent.


    These siege crossbows, paired with special arrows, were capable of threatening even someone of Yu Longqing''s strength. If Teacher Zhang failed to control the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle, they would not hesitate to kill it on the spot.


    Preparationsplete, Yu Longqing finally breathed a little easier. Suddenly, from within the courtyard, the distressed and angry cries of the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle echoed. It was clear that whatever negotiation Zhang Xuan had attempted had failed.


    In the next instant, the massive form of the Source Beast shot into the sky¡ªnot pping its wings to fly, but as though it had been punched into the air.


    Thump! Thump! Thump!


    The eagle''s body bounced a few times like a ball beforending. Just as Yu Longqing and the elders exchanged puzzled looks, they heard an unexpected sound from within the courtyard.


    "Chirp chirp~~ chirp chirp chirp~~"


    "???" Yu Longqing was stunned.


    Was that the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle''s cry? Why did it sound... different?


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 22: The Turning Point of Destiny

    Vol 2 Ch 22: The Turning Point of Destiny


    The uncertainty didn¡¯tst long. The courtyard door creaked open, and everyone saw "Ling Buyang" stepping out with a smile, looking apologetic as he spoke, "I¡¯m truly sorry, this creature has been unrulytely and caused trouble for everyone."


    Yu Longqing looked over quickly. The previously defiant ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle now followed obediently behind Zhang Xuan, its once fierce gaze reced with one full of submission. The great beast even nuzzled Zhang Xuan¡¯s leg with its massive head, making chirping sounds like a newborn chick finding its mother.


    "Ling Buyang is amazing!"


    "As expected of a Destiny Master..."


    The elders were full of admiration, their eyes brimming with respect.


    In their eyes, it made sense¡ªthis was his beastpanion after all. A lesson and it was back in line. Only Yu Longqing knew the real story and was left speechless with astonishment.


    He had actually tamed it?


    Turning another¡¯s beast into his own... He¡¯d assumed Zhang Xuan¡¯s beast-taming prowess was limited to horses or the half-dead Cangback Eagle. But clearly, it was far beyond that!The ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle, at the Divine Soul stage, was nearly on par with his own strength!


    "Let¡¯s go! Time for a little flight..." Without minding the others¡¯ thoughts, Zhang Xuan nodded, leaping lightly onto the eagle¡¯s back. With a sharp screech, the beast spread its mighty wings and soared into the sky in the blink of an eye.


    "So fast!"


    Riding the eagle¡¯s back, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He had been wondering how long it would take to reach the imperial capital. With this creature, travel would be much quicker.


    After circling the sky a few times, Zhang Xuan lost interest and was about to return when an idea struck him. "I remember Sun Qiang gave me a list that included a task to kill a peak Jade Bone stage Source Beast at Golden Leaf Valley, for which the White Roc Apothecary would reward a million Source Coins. Since I have some free time, why not take a detour?"


    The academy¡¯s library had a map of Huaiyuan Mountain. He had looked at it while collecting techniques and knew the exact location. With a thought, the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle broke through the clouds, flying swiftly toward the destination.


    Golden Leaf Valley was named for its fields of golden-blossomed bamboo flowers that covered the valley every spring, turning it into a sea of gold.


    Outside the valley, several herbalists covered in blood stumbled out, disheveled.


    "That was close..."


    One of them, a schrly-looking man, couldn¡¯t shake the fear in his eyes from their harrowing escape.


    Golden Leaf Valley spanned hundreds of miles, filled with countless herbs, making it a paradise for herbalists. In the past, they always returned with full baskets. But now, with that Source Beast lurking inside, every trip felt like entering hell.


    "I¡¯ve known Su Zhao for twenty years. Who would¡¯ve thought he¡¯d die to that beast..." sighed a burly man nearby.


    The schr added, "He had no choice. His wife is gravely ill, his son was hit by a carriage, and his elderly mother fell into madnessst year. He needed money for all of them. He wouldn¡¯t even buy resources for his own cultivation. When he heard the apothecary was desperate for White Egret Grass, which grows deep in Golden Leaf Valley, he thought one basket could solve all his problems. Who could have predicted such bad luck?"


    "Exactly. Who among us doesn¡¯t need money? Why else would we risk our lives for herbs?"


    The burly man nodded solemnly. "We barely escaped. Had we been slower, we¡¯d be dead too. Life¡¯s unfair. We already live hard lives; why must it be like this? If anyone could kill that beast, I¡¯d light incense for their long life every day."


    The schr nodded. "I¡¯d do the same."


    "It¡¯s not that people don¡¯t try; it¡¯s just too powerful to kill. The White Roc Apothecary¡¯s million-coin bounty has been up for over a year, but of the nearly two hundred hunters who have tried, none havee back."


    "True. My cousin¡¯s brother-inw¡¯s uncle¡¯s nephew was among a group of twenty, the best of whom had reached the peak of the Jade Bone stage. Yet, they didn¡¯t even make it out of the valley... We were lucky to escape."


    They shuddered at the memory of the beast¡¯s ferocity, and silence fell over them.


    "Let¡¯s move before it follows us out. If it does, we¡¯re all dead..."


    They caught their breath, preparing to leave. Just then, a furious roar echoed from deep within the valley, shaking the mountain itself.


    "That¡¯s the beast..."


    Their pupils contracted with fear. "Is iting after us?"


    "It doesn¡¯t sound like it¡¯s getting closer. Actually... it sounds afraid?"


    "Afraid?"


    They were well-versed in Source Beast behavior. A roar¡¯s emotion was easy to discern. Recalling the sound, it did seem to carry a hint of fear.


    A peak Jade Bone stage Source Beast, one of the strongest in Huaiyuan Mountain, had just chased them away moments ago, and now they thought it was... afraid? Ridiculous.


    "Should we check it out?"


    A voice spoke up, and after a moment¡¯s hesitation, the schr agreed. "Alright."


    They retraced their steps cautiously, stopping on a small hill that provided a view of the valley.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The ground shook as trees fell like dominos, each crash following the movements of some massive creature. Then came the beast¡¯s anguished cries.


    The group exchanged terrified looks.


    What could terrify such a powerful creature?


    "Look!"


    Someone pointed, drawing their attention.


    About two or three thousand meters away, a lone figure stood atop a tree crown. The Source Beast that had just chased them bellowed in fury and leaped toward him.


    "Watch out..."


    Seeing someone standing so nonchntly, openly facing the beast, the herbalists clenched their fists in worry.


    But their concern vanished in an instant. The mighty beast didn¡¯t even reach the figure before a single palm strike sent it flying, smashing through tree trunks.


    After several hits, the Source Beast, now visibly terrified, turned to flee. Yet it hadn¡¯t gone far when the figure appeared on another branch in front of it and struck again.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Each strike weakened the Source Beast further. Its powerful presence diminished with each blow.


    "Defeating a Source Beast using just his palm?"


    The herbalists swallowed hard.


    Source Beasts were known for their thick hides and immense size. Even skilled cultivators needed weapons to kill one. But this person had used only his palm, overpowering the beast with raw strength.


    What level of power was this?


    "Enough ying. You¡¯re too weak¡ªyou can¡¯t even withstand twenty percent of the ck Dragon Palm..."


    The wind carried the words faintly to their ears, followed by the figure moving in for onest strike.


    Boom!


    The Source Beast was hurled over seventy or eighty meters into the air before crashing to the ground, convulsing a few times before falling still.


    With a casual gesture, the figure collected the beast¡¯s body. Momentster, a massive eagle descended, and he mounted it, soaring into the sky.


    "Is it dead?"


    "Did that master kill it? Does this mean we can safely gather herbs now?"


    "Fantastic! Let¡¯s hurry before others find out, or the best herbs will be gone..."


    Excitement overtook their shock, and they rushed into the valley. They didn¡¯t know who the mysterious master was, but they were determined to honor him with offerings for saving their lives.


    "You¡¯re telling me... Lord Ling Buyang went to Huaiyuan Mountain, killed that beast, and imed the million Source Coin bounty?"


    In the dean¡¯s office, after listening to the dean¡¯s ount, Lu Mingrong was speechless.


    How money-hungry was this Teacher Zhang? He had always seemed so low-key. But who among the low-key would go around iming every bounty in the city in one day?


    Wasn¡¯t that drawing too much attention?


    Ignoring themotion his bounty hunting had caused in White Roc City, Zhang Xuan now faced his three students, expression neutral.


    "That¡¯s the situation. I¡¯m impersonating Ling Buyang to infiltrate the Destiny Hall. It¡¯s a grave offense, and if exposed, it could mean eternal damnation. If you choose to join me, you will be aplices, unable to clear your names. The biggest challenge is facing constant danger, your lives never truly your own... Whether you stay or not is up to you. I won¡¯t force you, but if you leave, don¡¯t mention studying under me to anyone."


    Back at his residence, Zhang Xuan cut straight to the point with the three girls who had arrived.


    Whether they would betray himter was a different matter.


    If they chose to stay, betrayal wouldn¡¯t be an issue. If they didn¡¯t, he had other means to handle that.


    "This..."


    The students were stunned to learn that their teacher had killed a Destiny Master and was now nning to impersonate him to infiltrate the Destiny Hall. They stood motionless, processing this bombshell.


    After the shock, they fell into deep contemtion.


    Would they follow him or not?


    Having life was an opportunity in itself. Without it, even the best paths led only to the gates of hell.


    Destiny changes course at every pivotal moment in life. This was undoubtedly the most significant one yet.


    Author''s Note


    Hi there, readers! Here¡¯s another chapter for you to enjoy from BOTI Trantor Team! If our trantions have brought you happiness, please leave a 5-star rating on NovelUpdates. Your kindness makes all the difference¡ªthank you! ???

 Book 2: Chapter 23: Journey to Hanyuan City

    Vol 2 Ch 23: Journey to Hanyuan City


    ¡°As long as Teacher doesn¡¯t abandon me, I am willing to follow him for life, unwavering and steadfast!¡±


    The first to speak up wasn¡¯t Hong Yi or Yu Xiaoyu, but Liu Mingyue, who previously had been the most reluctant to be Zhang Xuan¡¯s student.


    Her eyes were still red from grief over her father¡¯s death, but they shone with an unparalleled resolve.


    ¡°Before I met Teacher, I was just an insignificant person without talent or background, someone others looked down on everywhere I went. Now, no one in the academy dares speak ill of me; some even go out of their way to curry favor... Experiencing the better side of life has made me realize just how dismal it used to be.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to return to that life, so like Senior Sister Mingyue, I will go wherever Teacher goes! Even if it means death, I will never regret it.¡±


    Hong Yi also nodded with a smile. ¡°As for danger... life must bloom to be meaningful. Without facing challenges, how could one grow stronger?¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    Zhang Xuan felt a twinge of surprise. This student, whom he had once not paid much attention to, had matured considerably in just a few days.Looking at Liu Mingyue, he nodded in satisfaction. The once-proud and headstrong girl had gone through significant trials and was now like a polished gem beginning to shine.


    ¡°And you?¡±


    His gaze turned to Yu Xiaoyu.


    ¡°I...¡± Yu Xiaoyu raised her head, the bells on her body jingling, her long ck hair swaying with the wind. ¡°Actually, when I returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion earlier, my father asked me this question.¡±


    ¡°My answer was that I didn¡¯t know. I grew up in White Roc City and have never traveled far. Leaving home without knowing when I¡¯ll return fills me with anxiety and resistance.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m afraid of the dangers following Teacher, or of being judged by the Destiny Hall. I¡¯m afraid of leaving home and losing familiarity; afraid of not having friends and being surrounded by strangers; afraid of thunderous nights without my doll to hold.¡±


    ¡°I told my father these worries. He said... it was my choice to make, to follow my heart. He didn¡¯t wish for me to be an unmatched expert or to bear any family burden. He only wanted me to be happy.¡±


    ¡°So I reflected on my life,paring how it used to be with these past few days.¡±


    ¡°I was well taken care of by my father, living a good and happy life. Even when problems arose, they quickly faded. I thought I was content.¡±


    ¡°But a few days ago, after breaking through and sending Mo Yanxue flying with a punch, easily surpassing all my peers... the sense of aplishment from hard work filled me. The respect I earned not from my father¡¯s status but from my own merits reached deep into my heart. Only then did I realize my past happiness was shallow.¡±


    ¡°True happinesses from achieving goals and pushing oneself beyond limits.¡±


    ¡°So... I¡¯ve already said my goodbyes to my father. I¡¯ve decided to follow Teacher,e what may, life or death, sharing joy and sorrow. No matter how dangerous it is, I won¡¯t waver.¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s pure face was filled with determination.


    At that moment, she was no longer the slightly dazed and pampered youngdy but a warrior striving for her dreams and goals.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve all made up your minds, take tonight to say farewell to your family and friends. We leave tomorrow morning!¡±


    Zhang Xuan waved his hand.


    ¡°Yes!¡± The three of them saluted in unison.


    After they left, Zhang Xuan turned to head back to his room to absorb the three newly obtained Destiny Disks, only to see Dao Li approaching from the distance.


    The famed horse now wore an apron it had found somewhere, tied around its waist. It came over and ced its front hooves on Zhang Xuan¡¯s shoulders, starting to massage him.


    ¡°Just say what you need. There¡¯s no need to butter me up...¡± Zhang Xuan frowned.


    ¡°Neigh... Neigh...¡± Dao Li continued its massage, slightly embarrassed.


    ¡°You want toe with me?¡± Zhang Xuan realized.


    It wasn¡¯t a bad idea. For long-distance travel, the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle was ideal, while for shorter distances, Dao Li was more convenient. The best part was that it could cook, give massages, and serve tea.


    Seeing his hesitation, Dao Li¡¯srge eyes looked at him with a pleading expression.


    ¡°Fine, you cane along,¡± Zhang Xuan said with a wave.


    The ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle¡¯s back was already crowded with him, Sun Qiang, and the three disciples. There was no room for the horse. However, with his growing power and ease in opening the Xuan World, taking Dao Li along, even with all the feed he had bought, was not an issue.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, here¡¯s the Source Beast I just killed. Prepare it for roasting,¡± Zhang Xuan said, flicking his wrist as arge corpse dropped to the ground.


    Dao Li nodded excitedly, dragging the carcass to the kitchen with no trace of resentment or reluctance about staying on as the resident cook.


    Perhaps feeling pressured or just motivated, Dao Li¡¯s roast this time was perfectly seasoned, tasting exceptionally good. Pleased, Zhang Xuan wrote down recipes for traditional dishes like Sweet and Sour Pork, Red-Braised Pork, and Kung Pao Chicken, handing them to Dao Li for future study.


    Knowing they would leave the next day, Zhang Xuan made a final visit to the Chen Family. There, he tamed their horses in the lower-ranking stables marked ¡°B,¡± ¡°C,¡± and ¡°D¡± and taught some taming techniques from the Master Teacher Continent to Zhou Qun and others.


    Lastly, he guided Chen Xiao in his cultivation, helping the Chen Family Patriarch break through to the initial stage of the Divine Soul Realm.


    Chen Xiao earnestly invited him to be an honored guest elder and even paid arge sum for Dao Li¡ªa debt Zhang Xuan was determined to repay.


    As for Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong, he helped resolve some hidden injuries from past training, ensuring their paths forward would be smoother and their future potential greater.


    The night passed without incident. By dawn, the three students arrived, ready for departure.


    Knowing it was pointless to linger any longer, Zhang Xuan summoned the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle, donned his Ling Buyang disguise, and, along with Sun Qiang and the three disciples, mounted the eagle and took off.


    Though the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle was strong, carrying five people, including Sun Qiang, whose size equaled two or three men, was still taxing.


    But just when the eagle was about to falter, it felt a warm current of energy flow from its master¡¯s feet, instantly clearing its blocked meridians, and its stamina surged.


    ¡°Chirp chirp...¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Itsrge eyes gleamed with excitement.


    Whereas before its submission had traces of unwillingness, now there was only contentment. Following this new master might not just save its life but potentially help it break through to the Dharma Aspect stage.


    The distance between White Roc City and Hanyuan Dynasty¡¯s imperial capital, Hanyuan City, was over ten thousand miles. Even with the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle, it would take at least a day of flight. With this time, Zhang Xuan began instructing his students in cultivation.


    Dao Li¡¯s prepared Source Beast meat was not only delicious but also infused with rich energy, more potent than some rare herbs and pills.


    Having never consumed such nourishment before, Hong Yi¡¯s progress was unexpectedly faster than Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s, despite her higher natural talent.


    This spurred the girls to push themselves harder in their training. Though the scenery along the way was beautiful, none of them paid it any attention.


    Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t bother to look either, focusing instead on the power within his own body.


    Since reaching thete stage of the Organs Easing Realm, his strength had been capped at 99 horsepower. Even now, at the peak of the Jade Bone stage, it remained the same. It was as if an invisible force had sealed his strength.


    There was no doubt it was one of the effects of the Heaven¡¯s Fate Lock, limiting the power of Jade Bone stage cultivators in the Source World to 99 horsepower. No matter the opportunity or talent, surpassing this limit was impossible unless one broke into the Divine Soul stage.


    Like with the ck Dragon Palm technique, high talent andprehension were useless; once grasped, the Heaven¡¯s Fate would steer one off course, leading further down a false path...


    ¡°In the Source World, cultivation is influenced by Heaven¡¯s Fate, capping strength at 99 horsepower. The New World isn¡¯t restricted, but the power gained there can¡¯t be brought here...¡±


    Zhang Xuan rubbed his temples.


    He had tested this numerous times. In the New World, his strength could instantly surpass 100, even reaching 200 horsepower. But upon returning, it would be suppressed again.


    This meant that bypassing Heaven¡¯s Fate by hiding in the New World was pointless. He would need to break through this barrier in the Source World itself.


    If he could truly aplish this, a Jade Bone stage cultivator capable of surpassing 99 horsepower would be formidable enough to defeat a Divine Soul stage opponent with a single punch, even without using techniques like the Pathos of Heaven.


    ¡°Young Master, it looks like there¡¯s a fight up ahead...¡± Sun Qiang¡¯s voice interrupted his thoughts.


    Zhang Xuan looked over and indeed saw Source Energy swirling atop a distant mountain peak, where two groups were engaged in a chase. The fleeing


    figure was a woman clutching a three- or four-year-old child whose eyes were closed and face pallid.


    A young man, presumably her husband, was trying to hold off their pursuers¡ªa group of over ten wielding long sabers, their strikes leaving him battered and bleeding, barely holding on.


    ¡°Stop! We¡¯re willing to surrender the **Red Leaf Grass**... just spare us!¡± The woman, seeing her husband¡¯s worsening injuries, nced down at the child in her arms, bit her lip, and cried out.


    ¡°Toote! We¡¯ll take the Red Leaf Grass and your lives!¡± A cold voice rang from the pursuing group.


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression darkened at the deration.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 24: Bu Xu Hall

    Vol 2 Ch 24: Bu Xu Hall


    Though it was unclear who was in the right, anyone who spoke with such disdain was unlikely to be a good person.


    This didn¡¯t seem like Zhang Xuan¡¯s business, so he thought it best not to interfere. However, the voices below caught his attention again.


    ¡°Boss, this woman may have had a child, but she¡¯s still quite the beauty. Why don¡¯t we have some fun with her before killing her?¡±


    ¡°Agreed! Look at that figure, those hips... quite appealing.¡±


    ¡°Of course! Boss, even if you don¡¯t trust my skills, at least trust my taste. As for the order, the usual¡ªboss goes first, and we¡¯ll draw lots for the rest.¡±


    ¡°You know your ce!¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    From their words, it was clear they were ustomed to such vile acts.He patted the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle¡¯s back, signaling it to stop mid-air and hover.


    ¡°Bastards, I¡¯ll fight you to the death!¡±


    On the peak below, hearing the men nning to vite his wife, the young man roared and charged toward them.


    He moved fast, but returned even faster, knocked back with ease. Though he was at the peak of the Body Tempering stage of the Source Pool Realm, his opponents were stronger. Within moments, he was sent flying andnded heavily, blood pouring from his mouth.


    ¡°Yu Fei...¡±


    Seeing her husband gravely injured, the woman knew escape was impossible. She turned back, holding the child in her arms.


    ¡°Xiao Ying, go! Take the Red Leaf Grass and find a way to heal Xiao Zhuo... Forget about me! If they capture you, you and Xiao Zhuo are both doomed.¡±


    Yu Fei struggled to get up, spitting more blood, and positioned himself between his wife and their pursuers.


    ¡°We go together...¡± Xiao Ying shook her head firmly.


    ¡°Go? None of you are leaving!¡± The group reached them, led by a rugged man in his forties with a beard.


    ¡°Please, sirs, we were wrong. You can have the Red Leaf Grass. We only ask that you spare us and let our family of three go!¡± Xiao Ying fell to her knees, bowing repeatedly. The child in her arms, now awake, wriggled free and knelt as well, crying out in a tender voice, ¡°Please, I beg you!¡±


    ¡°What are you doing? We worked hard to find that Red Leaf Grass. If we give it away, Xiao Zhuo is doomed... Besides, they ambushed us for their own greed. Why should we hand it over?¡± Yu Fei gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Oh? So you have some spine? Too bad it¡¯s worthless against real power. Yes, we¡¯re after your Red Leaf Grass. So what? Weaklings like you don¡¯t deserve such treasures!¡± The bearded man sneered, twirling his saber. ¡°Get them! As nned¡ªkill the man and the child, bring the woman back alive, and keep her face and body intact. Damaged goods are no fun.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wise, boss!¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    With enthusiastic shouts, the group advanced, swords raised, exuding killing intent.


    ¡°It¡¯s over...¡± Yu Fei¡¯s face paled.


    ¡°Yes...¡± Xiao Ying¡¯s eyes showed despair. Realizing pleading was useless, she slowly stood up, cing the child before her husband. ¡°Husband, if we can¡¯t escape, we go together. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let them defile me.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Yu Fei reached out, about to strike her and then himself, when a sharp eagle¡¯s cry pierced the air.


    ¡°Chirp chirp...¡±


    The powerful sound resounded across the mountain. They all looked up to see a colossal ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle descending and halting above them. Two figures jumped down,nding smoothly.


    One was a man in his forties with piercing eyes, while the other was round-faced and friendly-looking.


    The bearded man frowned, ncing at the massive Source Beast in the sky before bowing. ¡°Esteemed sirs, I am Lian Huo, an official de-wielder of the First Grade from Bu Xu Hall in Hanyuan City. We are here on orders to capture these thieves who stole our medicinal herb. If we¡¯ve disturbed you, please forgive us.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not thieves! We worked hard to find the Red Leaf Grass. They¡¯re the ones trying to rob us!¡± Yu Fei quickly retorted.


    ¡°Bu Xu Hall?¡±


    Zhang Xuan ignored the dispute and narrowed his eyes.


    Xu Xin¡¯s memories hadn¡¯t included such an organization. However, any group called a ¡°Hall¡± held significant power, especially in Hanyuan City.


    Halls like Baiyun Hall, Hanye Hall, and Mo You Hall were renowned, their influence enough to intimidate even the Hanyuan royal family.


    Rumors said these halls were backed by powerful figures, but Xu Xin, as a Fate Guardian, wasn¡¯t privy to such details.


    ¡°Indeed, Bu Xu Hall may not be as famous as Baiyun Hall or Hanye Hall, but it holds great potential and has many followers. Sir, if you¡¯re merely passing through, here are 500 Source Coins as a token of respect. We hope you¡¯ll let us handle this matter without interference.¡±


    Lian Huo bowed again and held up a Source Coin bill.


    Having reached his position, he knew when to push and when to pull, recognizing which figures to provoke and which to cate.


    ¡°500 Source Coins to spare a family¡¯s life... Life sure is cheap.¡± Zhang Xuan remarked coolly.


    ¡°Oh, I see what you mean, sir!¡± Lian Huo breathed a sigh of relief and pulled out arger wad of Source Coins, smiling ingratiatingly. ¡°This is 10,000 Source Coins, all we can offer. We hope you¡¯ll forgive this intrusion. While we¡¯re not worthy of your friendship, Bu Xu Hall always wees strong allies. If you¡¯re interested, I can vouch for your introduction.¡±


    His practiced ease made it clear this wasn¡¯t his first such negotiation.


    ¡°10,000 Source Coins and an introduction? A fair deal for ignoring this,¡± Zhang Xuan nodded before turning to Yu Fei and Xiao Ying. ¡°And what about you? What can you offer? If it¡¯s enough, I can kill them for you.¡±


    ¡°Sir...¡± Lian Huo gaped in shock.


    ¡°Silence!¡± Sun Qiang¡¯s brows rose, his Divine Soul stage power pressing down, stifling any protest.


    ¡°I... I only have this Red Leaf Grass, willing to offer it if you spare us,¡± Yu Fei said, holding up the nt, which resembled red-tintedtro.


    Xiao Ying nced at the herb, then at their child, her eyes full of reluctance. Giving it away meant no cure for their son; not giving it meant they¡¯d die now.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want herbs, only Source Coins,¡± Zhang Xuan said indifferently.


    ¡°This...¡± Yu Fei hesitated, exchanging a look with his wife. They rummaged through their pockets and grimly said, ¡°We only have 10 Source Coins...¡±


    Zhang Xuan picked one up between his fingers.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± he said.


    With that, he raised his palm and sent it crashing towards Lian Huo.


    ¡°Sir, what are you doing? Attacking us is a direct challenge to Bu Xu Hall! Our Hall is backed by a Destiny Master, you¡¯ll be digging your own grave!¡± Lian Huo shouted, lifting his weapon.


    But before he could strike, the force of Zhang Xuan¡¯s attack disarmed him, and a momentter, the energy struck his chest.


    Thud!


    His chest caved in, blood sprayed as he flew backward, convulsed mid-air, and died before hitting the ground.


    One strike¡ªfatal.


    ¡°Boss!¡± The remaining Bu Xu Hall members froze, shocked that he¡¯d been killed without hesitation. Even Yu Fei and Xiao Ying were speechless.


    Refusing 10,000 Source Coins only to take one... and not fearing the consequences of defying Bu Xu Hall?


    ¡°Run!¡± The rest of the men scattered. But before they could get far, Zhang Xuan¡¯s strikes rained down, piercing their backs and draining their strength like deted balloons.


    In the span of three breaths, all ten de-wielders chasing Yu Fei and Xiao Ying were dead.


    ¡°Sun Qiang!¡± Zhang Xuan called.


    ¡°On it!¡± Sun Qiang began rummaging through the corpses, collecting valuables. If they¡¯d been able to offer 10,000 Source Coins, there had to be more on them. No sense in wasting it.


    ¡°Thank you for saving us...¡± Yu Fei and Xiao Ying fell to their knees, gratitude shining in their eyes.


    Xiao Zhuo mirrored them, cheerfully bowing with his tiny hands. ¡°Thank you, Uncle, for saving us...¡±


    ¡°I took your money to kill on your behalf. It¡¯s a fair deal, no need for thanks,¡± Zhang Xuan said dismissively.


    From the eagle¡¯s back, he¡¯d seen everything clearly. Lian Huo and his ilk were scum; killing them was just.


    Yu Fei¡¯s face flushed. ¡°A single Source Coin couldn¡¯t possibly be enough for your help... May we at least know your name, so my wife and I can honor you forever with offerings?¡±


    ¡°No need for that... But I do have a question: did you have previous conflicts with Bu Xu Hall? Were they after you just for the herb?¡±


    Zhang Xuan looked at them curiously.


    If there¡¯d been past grievances, it would make sense. Pursuing them over one herb alone seemed excessively brutal, even for Hanyuan City¡¯s cutthroat politics.


    ¡°We¡¯ve heard of Bu Xu Hall but never had any prior dealings with them, nor any grievances. It¡¯s just... all these halls operate simrly. If you don¡¯t join, you¡¯re extorted. There¡¯s no way around it,¡± Yu Fei said with a bitter smile.


    ¡°So tant... Is it true what they say, that Bu Xu Hall has the backing of a Destiny Master?¡± Zhang Xuan asked, intrigued.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! The leader of Bu Xu Hall is a Destiny Hall elder. He¡¯s supposedly from another dynasty and goes by the name...¡± Yu Fei paused, searching his memory before nodding. ¡°Ling Buyang!¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 25: A Bit Confusing

    Vol 2 Ch 25: A Bit Confusing


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Zhang Xuan froze in ce.


    Seeing Lian Huo and his men¡¯s vicious acts, he could understand why anyone would intervene. He¡¯d already assumed that this so-called hall master was an irredeemable viin. But to find out that the ¡®viin¡¯ was actually himself was beyond belief...


    ¡°That can¡¯t be right. Are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s brows furrowed, and he couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Yu Fei responded, ¡°There¡¯s no mistake. Bu Xu Hall once tried to recruit me, but I refused... If you don¡¯t believe me, you can inquire about it. That Ling Buyang practices the Machete Sect¡¯s techniques, and Bu Xu Hall¡¯s men all wield machetes!¡±


    Zhang Xuan nced at the surrounding corpses; the fallen des had dual edges and, while not overly long, each reached about 1.5 meters¡ªa typical weapon of the Machete Sect.


    From what he knew, mastery of Heaven¡¯s Fate was only granted to those who earned recognition. Yu Fei¡¯s im was likely true: Bu Xu Hall really was part of Ling Buyang¡¯s ¡°domain.¡±


    At that moment, Sun Qiang finished searching the bodies, gathering over 100,000 Source Coins¡ªa substantial gain.¡°I have other matters to attend to. Farewell for now!¡± Zhang Xuan said.


    After a few more questions yielded no new information, he and Sun Qiang leaped back onto the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle, taking off at speed.


    ¡°They¡¯re already leaving?¡±


    Yu Fei and Xiao Ying exchanged looks of disbelief.


    They had assumed that their savior would demand more in return, yet all he took was a single Source Coin.


    ¡°To do good without expecting anything in return¡ªthat¡¯s true nobility. Pity we don¡¯t even know his name... But I¡¯ll remember his face and ask Steward Feng. With his high status and widework, he might know who this was,¡± Yu Fei said, then looked at his wife with excitement. ¡°With the Red Leaf Grass, Xiao Zhuo is saved!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Xiao Ying smiled, lifting their son, eyes brimming with joy.


    From certain death to miraculous salvation, their benefactor was truly a godsend.


    How could someone like Ling Buyang be so vastly different from this mysterious hero?


    ---


    On the eagle¡¯s back.


    ¡°It seems the halls in Hanyuan City aren¡¯t as straightforward as I thought. It¡¯s possible that what Yu Fei said is true¡ªthat a Destiny Master supports them, like Ling Buyang...¡± Zhang Xuan analyzed.


    Bu Xu Hall wasn¡¯t even among the most prominent, hinting at the formidable nature of the other halls.


    Still, the idea that Destiny Masters openly led halls and engaged in tyranny raised questions. Weren¡¯t they afraid of public bacsh?


    ¡°Maybe not all members are corrupt; perhaps Lian Huo and his group are just bad apples... No point guessing with so little information. I¡¯ll know more once I reach Hanyuan City.¡±


    Withrge organizations, it was inevitable for some unsavory elements to slip through. Without further rity, spection would get him nowhere. Zhang Xuan focused again, closing his eyes and channeling Source Energy into the Xuan World, refining his bone marrow.


    As he absorbed more Source Energy, the Xuan World expanded, nearly doubling its previous size. Rivers of dense energy now crisscrossed thendscape, forming streams that converged intorger bodies of water, promising eventual transformation intokes and seas.


    However, as the Xuan World grew, it became unstable. Zhang Xuan was forced to channel 50,000 units of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy into it, stabilizing the realm once more.


    But he knew next time, it might take 100,000 units or more. Even at this rate, the supply would never be enough!


    ¡°Young master, we¡¯ve arrived at Hanyuan City!¡± Sun Qiang¡¯s voice broke his focus. Zhang Xuan looked up.


    Before him stood a colossal city sprawled below, a sea of towering structures that made White Roc City seem insignificant inparison. The difference was vast, as thoughparing a stream to an ocean.


    ¡°Where to, young master?¡± Sun Qiang asked.


    Returning to Hanyuan City meant confronting a dilemma. The first option was to head straight to the Destiny Hall¡ªrisky if his disguise faltered. The second was to visit Ling Buyang¡¯s residence, filled with his Fate Guardians and disciples who could easily spot inconsistencies.


    But either way, he needed to choose. Staying away after a long absence would certainly raise suspicions.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, Zhang Xuan instructed, ¡°Find a spacious house to rent, with a courtyard. Move Xiaoyu and the others in. I¡¯m heading to the Destiny Hall.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± Sun Qiang nodded.


    The ck-Scaled Phoenix Eaglended outside the city, and they split ways. Zhang Xuan guided the eagle directly toward the towering building ahead.


    Hanyuan City, as the imperial capital of the Hanyuan Dynasty, had its tallest and most magnificent structure in the royal pce. The second highest was the Destiny Hall, a spire piercing the sky like a sword, standing out against the horizon.


    Before reaching it, Zhang Xuan directed the eagle to descend.


    ¡°Elder Ling, you¡¯ve returned...¡±


    A young man hurried forward to greet him.


    Drawing on Xu Xin¡¯s memories, Zhang Xuan identified him as Xie Feng, a Fate Guardian tasked with attending to visiting Destiny Masters at the hall.


    Zhang Xuan nodded. ¡°Take care of the ck-Scaled Phoenix Eagle. Any issues, and you¡¯ll answer for it.¡±


    Although the eagle was Ling Buyang¡¯s beastpanion, it was often left at the Destiny Hall for proper care and feeding¡ªgiven its voracious appetite and need for rare sustenance only the hall could supply.


    ¡°Rest assured, Elder. I¡¯ll see to it personally.¡± Xie Feng beamed and called for staff to take the eagle away.


    Zhang Xuan strode into the hall, immediately enveloped by an intense flow of Source Energy. Special arrays within the hall attracted and stabilized the energy, making cultivation far more efficient here than outside.


    ¡°Ling Buyang, weren¡¯t you supposed to be in Zouyi Dynasty hunting down a Chaotic Fate Practitioner? Why are you back?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    A voice called out, and Zhang Xuan turned to see an older man in his fifties approaching, eyes wide with surprise.


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Xu Xin¡¯s memories hadn¡¯t included this man, which meant he was a stranger. Addressing him by name instead of ¡°Elder¡± suggested they were of simr rank, likely both Destiny Masters.


    From that one question, Zhang Xuan deduced two things: one, the man did not know of Ling Buyang¡¯s death, and two, Ling Buyang¡¯s mission to White Roc City was not widely known.


    Relieved, Zhang Xuan replied, ¡°The practitioner somehow caught wind and fled. Teacher had me return first.¡±


    ¡°Haha, knew it! Looks like I win our bet. Where¡¯s my prize? Don¡¯t think you can weasel out!¡±


    The older man¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    Zhang Xuan frowned but remained silent.


    He had no idea what wager or stakes were being discussed. Asking would only arouse suspicion.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think ying dumb will save you,¡± the man said, growing irritated.


    Seeing the situation tense, Zhang Xuan knew he needed to respond. ¡°Do you have proof of this wager? Without evidence, do you expect me to believe you?¡±


    ¡°Proof? It was a verbal agreement! You¡¯re as shameless as ever, Ling Buyang!¡± The elder huffed. ¡°The hall master himself witnessed it. We can have him settle this.¡±


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. ¡°I have urgent matters to attend to. We¡¯ll revisit thister.¡±


    Avoiding a showdown was crucial. Meeting the hall master was out of the question. Xu Xin¡¯s memories offered scant detail on the master, but Zhang Xuan suspected he was a powerful figure, beyond even the Dharma Aspect stage. Ling Buyang himself served this man willingly, hinting at tremendous strength.


    Zhang Xuan knew his disguise, even powered by the New World¡¯s abilities, would not withstand close scrutiny from such a formidable being.


    ¡°You¡¯re not slipping away that easily!¡± The elder lunged, his hand reaching out with the force of a Source Pool Realm cultivator at the Dharma Aspect stage, locking down the space around them.


    Forced to react, Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes narrowed. He channeled the sword energy from the Pathos of Heaven into his palm,unching a counterstrike with the ck Dragon Palm he had been practicing.


    Their energies collided, and both staggered back a step.


    The elder¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No wonder you¡¯re so bold. You¡¯ve mastered a new technique... Impressive! How about this: I¡¯ll forgo the bet if you teach me that palm technique.¡±


    ¡°A concubine?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyelid twitched.


    The wager involved a concubine? He never would have guessed.


    Ling Buyang¡¯s reputation had suggested otherwise¡ªespecially since Zhang Xuan recalled the man had a certain physical ¡®infirmity.¡¯ But it seemed he still managed to take concubines, and even gamble them...


    ¡°I need to sort this out. This is... quite confusing.¡± Zhang Xuan felt his mind reel with the unexpected revtion.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 26: The Clash of Worlds

    Vol 2 Ch 26: The sh of Worlds


    ¡°Such a beautiful concubine, it¡¯s understandable if you don¡¯t want to, but surely you don¡¯t need to keep a palm technique a secret, do you?¡±


    Seeing Zhang Xuan remain silent, the old man snorted coldly.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a set of palm techniques. Teaching you isn¡¯t an issue; it¡¯s just difficult to master. I¡¯m worried that if you can¡¯t seed in training, you¡¯ll me me for teaching it wrong¡­¡± Zhang Xuan replied.


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s right or wrong, I can tell for myself¡­¡± the old man responded.


    Zhang Xuan said no more and turned to instruct Xie Feng beside him: ¡°Bring paper and ink!¡±


    Xie Feng left and soon returned with pen, ink, and paper. Zhang Xuan took them and began writing slowly.


    It was the [Mystic Dragon Palm] recorded on the stone tablet¡ªa training form sealed by the Heaven¡¯s Fate Lock that no one had mastered in centuries.


    Even though the lock had been unraveled by him, the text was still profound and full of subtle meanings. Practicing it was no simple feat.The old man epted the written content and felt an ancient essence emanating from it as he read, confirming its authenticity. Excitedly, he nodded repeatedly: ¡°Good, good¡­ We¡¯re even now!¡±


    With that, he didn¡¯t linger and hurriedly departed.


    Watching him leave, Zhang Xuan finally sighed in relief.


    To make a bet with him that involved a concubine indicated they had a close rtionship. Any misstep in front of such a person could expose his disguise.


    Turning to Xie Feng, Zhang Xuan asked, ¡°Did you know about my bet with him?¡±


    Xie Feng shook his head: ¡°Elder Liu and Elder Ling are prominent figures; I, a mere Fate Guardian, am not privy to your wagers¡­¡±


    ¡°So, his surname is Liu¡­¡± Zhang Xuan understood.


    He now knew the elder¡¯s surname, though asking for his full name would be inappropriate. Still, it was no matter. The Destiny Hall had only a few Destiny Masters; with some effort, he could find out who was who and match the details.


    Not wanting to risk exposure further, Zhang Xuan simply said, ¡°I need to visit the library to research. Lead the way¡­¡±


    He needed topile techniques for the Divine Soul Realm to advance his cultivation. The longer he continued pretending, the more likely he would be discovered. He had to strengthen his abilities before then. Plus, information about the Chaotic Fate Practitioners and Kong Shi might also be found in the library.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Led by Xie Feng, the two arrived at a grand room.


    ¡°Elder Ling, I¡¯m just a Fate Guardian and not qualified to enter¡­¡± Xie Feng cupped his hands respectfully.


    Gesturing for him to leave, Zhang Xuan stepped inside and was immediately struck by a powerful sense of pressure, likely due to an array simr to that of White Roc City¡¯s academy.


    He pulled out the ess token he had taken from Ling Buyang¡¯s body, and the pressure gradually eased. After a few steps, a voice rang out: ¡°Greetings, Elder Ling¡­¡±


    Following the voice, he saw an old man seated nearby. Though not at the Dharma Aspect level, his aura indicated he had reached the initial stage of the Divine Soul Realm, much like Lu Mingrong.


    This must be the library¡¯s overseer.


    In the Destiny Hall and simr ces, libraries were of utmost importance, safeguarded not only by arrays but by expert custodians.


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Acknowledging him with a nod, Zhang Xuan walked along the shelves, feeling fortunate for the inspiration to impersonate Ling Buyang. Had he relied solely on himself, achieving the qualifications of a Destiny Master or an elder might have taken untold time and effort.


    The library was filled with an extensive variety of books, putting White Roc City¡¯s collection to shame. Knowing he had limited Heaven''s Fate Energy, Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t attempt to catalog everything but searched swiftly. Eventually, at the end of the shelf, he found manuals for the Divine Soul Realm.


    Hundreds of them, densely packed.


    Running his fingers across them, he sensed their sudden appearance in the Library of Heaven''s Path, merging slowly with the texts from his previous gathering to form a unified tome.


    ¡°Still not enough¡­¡±


    He flipped through the book and frowned slightly.


    Given the nature of the Library of Heaven''s Path, he needed at least a thousand manuals to create aprehensive Heaven¡¯s Path technique. Up to now, he had only managed to gather about five or six hundred, just halfway there.


    ¡°Heaven''s Path Order¡­¡±


    Realizing it could take ages to find the rest, Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t fret but focused his thoughts.


    With thousands of strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy burning, a small, naked figure materialized before him.


    Though iplete, the techniques from these five or six hundred books provided a foundation akin to constructing a building¡¯s base. He could tailor the progression to his physique from there.


    True Energy coursed through the figure¡¯s meridians as Zhang Xuan studied it, gaining insights with each observation.


    The Divine Soul Realm involved cultivating the soul to be a Divine Soul, reminiscent of soul cultivation in the Master Teacher Continent. The differencey in making the soul resilient to the tearing and pressure of Source Energy.


    Once trained, the Divine Soul could spread beyond the body, integrating with the physical form to effortlessly increase strength to over 100 horsepower. At its peak, the Divine Soul Realm could even reach 200 horsepower!


    This effectively doubled one''s power, enabling the soul to be used offensively. No wonder reaching this level marked one as an expert. It was indeed far superior to the Jade Bone Realm.


    ¡°My physical soul isn¡¯t exceptionally powerful, but with the soul energy of the new world, its sheer force could be described as ¡®infinite.¡¯ If I could adapt it to Source Energy, would that mean an explosive power beyond limits?¡±


    An idea sparked in his mind.


    His soul was split into two parts: one aspect formed the new world¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Path, maintaining the order of its operations; the other, a sorcerer¡¯s soul within, controlled his body and consciousness.


    These parts were distinct yet unified, able to convert seamlessly with a single thought.


    Because of this, his soul was extraordinarily strong. If a normal soul were represented as ¡°one,¡± hisbined souls would exceed billions or even reach infinity!


    If an ordinary soul extended outwards could raise strength from 99 horsepower to 200 horsepower, what power would he wield if he could channel his infinite soul entirely? Could the rise and fall of the Source World itself be determined by his will?


    ¡°Let¡¯s test it¡­¡±


    Excitement red within him as he directed his True Energy to flow like the figure. The immense soul energy of the new world extended outward like tendrils.


    Sizzle, sizzle!


    No sooner had it emerged from his mind than the surrounding Source Energy pressed down. Momentster, the tendril, colliding like two opposing substances, shattered into glowing fragments, vanishing as if it never existed.


    The pain in his mind was sharp and piercing, as if needles pricked him, nearing the brink of explosion.


    Boom!


    Simultaneously, the new world appeared to be probed by an unknown force. Dark clouds rolled across the sky for billions of miles, with purple lightning tearing the space into ck rifts. Rivers evaporated, and the earth shattered.


    ¡°Not good!¡±


    Realizing that his attempt to let his soul enter the Source World had provoked the counterattack of its Heaven¡¯s Path, Zhang Xuan dared not be reckless. He quickly calmed himself, merging his soul seamlessly back into his body, not letting a trace escape.


    The dark clouds and purple lightning dissipated without the link, though millions of miles of rivers and mountains had already turned to ashes.


    The new world was so vast, however, that such damage was insignificant, not even a scratch to him.


    But even minor losses indicated that path wouldn¡¯t work.


    Clearly, using the new world¡¯s soul power as a Divine Soul was impossible.


    It made sense; the new world and the Source World were two separate universes. This wasn¡¯t merely a cultivator¡¯s Divine Soul; it was a sh between worlds!


    If the Source World¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Path stood idle and let his extend, wouldn¡¯t it be overtaken in no time?


    ¡°Back to steady cultivation¡­¡±


    After some time, when the Source World¡¯s hostility faded, Zhang Xuan chuckled bitterly.


    Although his test showed that his soul power couldn¡¯t be unleashed for instant invincibility, it also proved that no ordinary attack could harm him.


    If he fought others in the Divine Soul or Dharma Aspect realms, as long as he baited their souls out and they attacked him with soul techniques, he would be invincible.


    No longer utilizing the new world¡¯s soul energy, Zhang Xuan followed the Heaven''s Path Order to guide his soul¡¯s cultivation. This time, the Source World¡¯s Heaven''s Path exerted no pressure.


    Evidently, his recent alignment with Source Energy was effective.


    After an unknown period, a sudden boom sounded in his mind, and his awareness expanded beyond his body.


    The eighth level of the Source Pool Realm, Divine Soul.


    ¡°Finally, a breakthrough¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan exhaled in relief. Knowing that reaching the peak of the Divine Soul Realm required time and umtion, he didn¡¯t push himself and began searching along the shelves again.


    If he could find enough Dharma Aspect techniques in one visit, he wouldn¡¯t have to make a return trip.


    While he didn¡¯te across Dharma Aspect techniques, he did find some books on Destiny Masters.


    Eyes lighting up, Zhang Xuan eagerly approached.


    In the deepest room of the Destiny Hall in Hanyuan City, an elderly figure emerged.


    The Hall Master, Han Xiao.


    A figure of immense power and authority, regarded as one of the strongest individuals within the Hanyuan Dynasty.


    ¡°You said... Ling Buyang has returned?¡±


    Halting mid-step, Han Xiao looked at Xie Feng, frowning slightly.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Xie Feng bowed deeply.


    ¡°If he¡¯s back, why hasn¡¯t hee to see me?¡± A hint of confusion flickered in Han Xiao¡¯s eyes.


    He had long been aware of Ling Buyang¡¯s mission to help the sect capture the Chaotic Fate Practitioners. Before departing, Ling had been specifically instructed to report to him upon returning. Yet, Ling had not shown up.


    Xie Feng lowered his head, replying respectfully: ¡°Hall Master, Elder Ling went straight to the library upon arrival. He said he needed to look up some information. I don¡¯t know the specifics... Would you like me to call him over?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Han Xiao waved his hand dismissively. ¡°I¡¯ll go find him myself. I¡¯m curious to see what could be more important than meeting me...¡±


    With that casual remark, the Hall Master strode purposefully toward the library.


    Author''s Note


    Hello, wonderful readers! Another chapter hasnded just for you from BOTI Trantor Team! If you love what we do, your 5-star rating on NovelUpdates would make our day. Thank you for your amazing support! ????

 Book 2: Chapter 27: The Divine Domain of Fate

    Vol 2 Ch 27: The Divine Domain of Fate


    ¡°Source World, also known as the Destiny World, stands at the heart of countless universes, embodying the culmination of fate.¡±


    ¡°No matter the species, as long as they exist, they possess their own destiny and are bound by the shackles of fate. No one can escape their destiny or the cycle of creation and reincarnationid out for them.¡±


    ¡°If one cannot break free, then could they control their destiny to make life smoother?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Thus, Destiny Masters were born. While they cannot defy and change fate, they can foresee its turns and crises, enabling better decisions and even adding ¡®color¡¯ to destiny...¡±


    In the library, Zhang Xuan skimmed through the book in his hand, gradually deepening his understanding of Destiny Masters.


    On the Master Teacher Continent, cultivation focused on power. In this world, cultivation was all about fate!


    The so-called paths of medicine, teaching, beast taming, alchemy, and smithing seemed powerful but were mere appendages dependent on the "Path of Fate."


    It was like an old theory from his past life: fate was the numeral ¡°1,¡± and skills like driving, ying music, practicing medicine, or cooking were zeros added to that ¡°1.¡± The more zeros added after ¡°1,¡± the higher one¡¯s value. But if the ¡°1¡± was removed, no number of zeros would hold any significance.This world was no different.


    Only Destiny Masters or their believers were qualified to study medicine, beast taming, alchemy, and other disciplines. Otherwise, they would be suppressed by the Heaven¡¯s Fate Lock, rendering them unable to learn despite trying.


    ¡°Fate is singr; only one person can ultimately master each profession...¡±


    For example, in teaching, countless people on the Master Teacher Continent pursued this path, but only one achieved the highest mastery¡ªKong Shi!


    No matter how outstanding future generations were, bing a teacher meant abiding by the principles he established. Even Zhang Xuan, who had rivaled that level on the continent, was still following in Kong Shi¡¯s footsteps.


    Understanding dawned on Zhang Xuan.


    No wonder the Master Teacher Continent was subordinate to the Source World. It was merely a branch within the greater framework.


    ¡°For cultivators, fate is singr, but for the Destiny World, there are infinite paths! Someone might struggle with medicine for decades and never progress, signifying that fate denies them that path. Yet, the same person might take up running and be a world champion, or y ser and be a star!¡±


    ¡°Some may fail at alchemy, unable to tell herbs apart after months, yet pick up an instrument and be the next Beethoven or Mozart...¡±


    ¡°And fate can branch into countless directions. Two people might share a writing destiny; one struggles with 500-word reports, while the other pens a 50,000-word novel effortlessly...¡±


    A realization crystallized in Zhang Xuan¡¯s mind.


    For ordinary people, cultivating a single fate was arduous enough. Zhang Xuan¡¯s disy of teaching, beast taming, and medical skills in White Roc City made it unsurprising that Ling Buyang suspected him of being a Chaotic Fate Practitioner.


    With a sweep of his hand, he stored all the books on Destiny Masters into the Library of Heaven''s Path. Just as he nned to search for information on Chaotic Fate Practitioners, an old man approached, eyes full of suspicion: ¡°You return to Hanyuan City and don¡¯te to see me, only to read these books?¡±


    The old man¡¯s brows knitted, clearly puzzled.


    It was Han Xiao, the Hall Master of the Destiny Hall!


    He thought Ling Buyang¡¯s urgency indicated he had unresolved questions or sought crucial knowledge, but it was only this...


    While these books were rare to ordinary people, they were basic knowledge for Destiny Masters, no moreplex than knowing one plus one equals two.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan was momentarily taken aback but quickly cupped his fists.


    He didn¡¯t know who this person was, but the dignified aura and evident authority suggested someone significant. It was best to answer cautiously.


    ¡°What content are you searching for? Maybe I can help clear up any confusion...¡± Han Xiao asked.


    After a brief hesitation, Zhang Xuan said, ¡°I¡¯m looking for detailed information and records on Chaotic Fate Practitioners!¡±


    He had already stored the books on Destiny Masters, so reviewing themter was fine. More pressing was understanding Chaotic Fate Practitioners to avoid exposure and investigate Kong Shi¡¯s circumstances.


    ¡°No need to look; it¡¯s not here!¡±


    Han Xiao shook his head. ¡°Chaotic Fate Practitioners emerged a few decades ago. They exist beyond fate¡¯s constraints, able to cultivate multiple fate-bound professions without conflict. The most crucial part is... the fate they cultivate isn¡¯t controlled by anyone! For example, practicing the Machete Sect, you would be bound by Lord Mo Baiye¡¯s influence. If he couldn¡¯t break through, neither could you.¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    He had read simr notes in the books.


    Take teaching as an example: when Kong Shi established the path of teaching, even the most talented disciples, like Zigong and Yan Hui, could not surpass him unless he advanced to a nine-star Master Teacher first.


    This was the manifestation of the singr fate.


    Han Xiao continued, ¡°Chaotic Fate Practitioners defy this constraint. If they practice the Machete Sect, not only would you fail to sense their progress, even Lord Mo Baiye, the founder, wouldn¡¯t know their level or strength! Such people disrupt bnce and are considered aberrations that must be eradicated!¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression grew serious.


    People often said that a divine creator shaped the world, using such beliefs to pacify and govern the masses. If someone appeared espousing materialism instead, wouldn¡¯t eliminating them be a priority?


    After his exnation, Han Xiao looked puzzled: ¡°You, as a Destiny Master from the Zouyi Dynasty, should know these details better than I do, right? In fact, most of what I said was previously exined by you. Why do you seem unaware after just one trip out?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not unaware; I just wanted to understand more deeply...¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but he maintained a calm expression, nodding with a smile.


    ¡°You came back precisely to learn more, didn¡¯t you?¡± Han Xiao¡¯s confusion deepened.


    ¡°I...¡±


    Knowing that speaking too much without knowing the facts would arouse more suspicion, Zhang Xuan paused, studying the old man before him.


    Xu Xin¡¯s memories didn¡¯t include this person¡¯s identity, so he truly didn¡¯t recognize him.


    Without knowing the other party¡¯s name, even changing the subject would be difficult.


    With a thought, Zhang Xuan tucked the ess token into the new world.


    Boom!


    Without the token, the library¡¯s formation detected an intruder and activated, spreading an immense pressure in all directions.


    Zhang Xuan involuntarily stepped back, a groan escaping him.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Han Xiao hadn¡¯t expected the formation to suddenly trigger. With a swift gesture, he unleashed a surge of power that enveloped the area, quelling the formation¡¯s energy.


    ¡°ws!¡±


    This was precisely Zhang Xuan¡¯s goal: to provoke a response. As Han Xiao acted, Zhang Xuan¡¯s mind activated.


    Swoosh!


    The Library of Heaven''s Path shimmered, and a book materialized.


    ¡°Han Xiao, Hall Master of the Destiny Hall in Hanyuan City, pinnacle of the third level of Dharma Aspect, cultivator of [Bnced Fate]...¡±


    Zhang Xuan blinked in shock.


    So, this was the Hall Master, someone he¡¯d rather avoid, and now they had met! Thankfully, he hadn¡¯t said too much, or he¡¯d surely be exposed.


    ¡°Wait... Bnced Fate?¡±


    The initial surprise gave way to confusion.


    Curiosity piqued, he read on, thankful for the book¡¯s exnation.


    Bnced Fate involved seeking equilibrium in all actions. Only by maintaining neutrality could one gain benefits and advance their cultivation...


    Zhang Xuan blinked in astonishment.


    He had assumed that fate only included traditional paths like alchemy, medicine, and teaching, akin to professions on the Master Teacher Continent. It turned out to be more bizarre and diverse than expected.


    Bnced Fate, this approach of staying neutral and impartial, was entirely unheard of.


    Yet such people not only existed but weremon.


    They wouldn¡¯t favor anyone or show bias, consistently treating all equally...


    And this, too, could form a destiny. That there were people cultivating it was hard to believe without witnessing it firsthand.


    As the book formed, Zhang Xuan returned the ess token to his pocket, causing the pressure from the formation to recede.


    ¡°Hall Master Han, in truth, I didn¡¯t meet with the teacher on thisst visit. The Chaotic Fate Practitioner escaped into the Divine Domain of Fate and hasn¡¯t been captured since...¡±


    After some thought, Zhang Xuan spoke.


    Ling Buyang¡¯s journey to the Zouyi Dynasty was in Xu Xin¡¯s memories, aligning perfectly with the information passed down from Kong Shi. This exnation should suffice.


    Han Xiao nodded in realization: ¡°The Divine Domain of Fate? Anyone who enters there is as good as dead. No need to pursue further!¡±


    ¡°This...¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s heart tightened. ¡°What exactly is the Divine Domain of Fate? The teacher never spoke of it before, and I don¡¯t quite understand...¡±


    Han Xiao smiled. ¡°Any Destiny Master who reaches the Establishing Fate Realm will develop their own Fate Path. They blend their cultivation, life, fortune, and knowledge into it, making it stronger until it bes the sole destiny. If this fate has a sessor, it will continue; if not, upon death, it forms a Divine Domain infused with their will. This is what we call the Divine Domain of Fate.¡±


    ¡°This ce embodies the cultivator¡¯s destiny. Any intruder whose


    fate diverges from it will be consumed and used as fuel. However, if they can inherit the knowledge, they will experience a rapid breakthrough in cultivation...¡±


    ¡°But destiny is singr. Without being the direct sessor or possessing deep understanding, it is nearly impossible to inherit it. Hence, those who mistakenly enter the Divine Domain of Fate are almost certainly doomed.¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 28: Zhi Lan Valley

    Vol 2 Ch 28: Zhi Lan Valley


    After hearing the exnation, Zhang Xuan fell silent.


    No wonder Kong Shi sounded so anxious; it indeed seemed perilous.


    With people hunting him outside and a singr destiny within the Divine Domain, failure to integrate meant eventual obliteration was inevitable.


    ¡°Are all Divine Domains of Fate the same, or do they vary?¡± Zhang Xuan pressed further.


    If there were levels, Kong Shi might handle a lower-tier domain with his capabilities. But if it were too advanced, even Zhang Xuan¡¯s intervention might be pointless.


    ¡°Of course, there are differences!¡± Han Xiao replied. ¡°The stronger a Destiny Master was in life, the more formidable their Divine Domain of Fate. The forty-seven most renowned Divine Domains on the continent were said to have been left by figures who reached the Seizing Fate Realm and beyond. Each of these masters stood at the continent¡¯s pinnacle, amassing countless followers. Their domains are unbreakable!¡±


    A flicker of confusion crossed Zhang Xuan¡¯s face. ¡°If entering means no return, how can one gauge the strength or rank of these domains?¡±


    If all Divine Domains of Fate were fatal, there would be no way to know their strength or grade, as no information would emerge.Han Xiao rified: ¡°While the Divine Domains are treacherous, they hold immense opportunities. Within, rare and sometimes unattainable treasures can be found. Moreover, certain simpler domains are not wholly insurmountable. Some cultivators, ordinary at best, have stumbled into such ces, gained a legacy, and advanced their cultivation greatly.¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded in understanding.


    Even with only a one-in-a-thousand chance of bing powerful, countless individuals would risk it all, believing they might be the chosen one.


    The biggest killer of humans was self-confidence.


    ¡°To determine their level, one can enter the outskirts of a Divine Domain and still leave. There, treasures and refined Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy may be found. The denser the energy, the higher the domain¡¯s level. Additionally, knowing who created the domain can allow an estimate of its power based on their lifetime achievements,¡± Han Xiao continued. ¡°Thus, the forty-seven famous Divine Domains have been ranked, with those higher on the list being more formidable. The reason I said that Chaotic Fate Practitioner wouldn¡¯t escape is that there is only one Divine Domain in the entire Zouyi Dynasty!¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression shifted sharply. ¡°You mean... this domain is one of the top forty-seven?¡±


    Han Xiao nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the [Zhi Lan Valley], ranked twenty-first. The identity of its creator is lost to history, but it was discovered three thousand years ago. Tens of thousands of Destiny Masters have entered since, and none have returned! I heard that the Chaotic Fate Practitioner¡¯s power wasn¡¯t significant. Escaping from such a ce is nearly impossible.¡±


    A tremor ran through Zhang Xuan as a strong sense of foreboding took hold.


    He had initially believed that raising his cultivation would be enough to seek out Kong Shi and attempt a rescue. Now, it was clear he neededprehensive knowledge about Divine Domains of Fate before making a move. Otherwise, risking his life could mean joining Kong Shi in peril without aplishing anything.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss this further...¡±


    Not wishing to dwell on it, Han Xiao looked over with a questioning expression: ¡°A few days ago, you mentioned noticing some anomalies in White Roc City and nned to investigate. Why did you return so quickly? Did you find anything, and why didn¡¯t you report it to me?¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s heart clenched.


    He had assumed that Ling Buyang hadn¡¯t mentioned White Roc City, so he could keep the matter under wraps. To his dismay, Ling had given detailed ounts to Han Xiao.


    He had no idea how much was said. Overexining could expose him, while too little might raise suspicion!


    What now?


    He had hoped to buy some time until his strength was formidable enough to be unafraid of anyone. Yet here he was, facing the strongest man in the entire Destiny Hall¡ªthe very definition of starting in hard mode.


    After a brief pause, Zhang Xuan spoke: ¡°Thank you for your concern, Hall Master. I did encounter some irregrities, but I managed to resolve them...¡±


    This vague response, implying an issue was resolved, said nothing substantive. It was a catch-all answer, making it impossible to find fault.


    ¡°Resolved? Did... a Chaotic Fate Practitioner appear?¡± Han Xiao¡¯s brows knitted.


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s scalp prickled; he hadn¡¯t anticipated Han Xiao to be so informed. He quickly rified: ¡°A Chaotic Fate Practitioner? That¡¯s not so easily found. Xu Xin exaggerated for the sake of merit.¡±


    ¡°Exaggerated? That doesn¡¯t seem right. I thoroughly analyzed what you told me, and the likelihood of a Chaotic Fate Practitioner in White Roc City was significant...¡± Han Xiao pressed on.


    ¡°I believed Xu Xin¡¯s words and mistakenly reported them to you. Upon arriving, I found it was hearsay¡ªmerely a talented youth,¡± Zhang Xuan exined.


    ¡°I see!¡±


    Han Xiao nodded, recalling something: ¡°Since it wasn¡¯t rted to a Chaotic Fate Practitioner and you returned from the Zouyi Dynasty empty-handed, your merit points are essentially zero. So, regarding the matter we discussedst time, I won¡¯t be able to help...¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s head throbbed.


    What matter fromst time?


    What help was he supposed to receive... If only you¡¯d spell it out!


    Seeing Zhang Xuan¡¯s dismayed look, Han Xiao shook his head: ¡°Worrying won¡¯t help. Elder Feng found a [Purple Bamboo Elixir] and brought it back, so I¡¯ve already logged the merit points. Currently, things aren¡¯t looking favorable for you...¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Zhang Xuan forced himself to nod with feigned disappointment.


    Han Xiao offered a slight smile: ¡°Keep trying. I mentioned two tasksst time. If this one didn¡¯t pan out, try the second. Completing it will earn you just as much merit as Elder Feng. However, you only have ten days. I hope you seize this opportunity and don¡¯t end before you start.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Hall Master, for your support. I will do my best...¡± Zhang Xuan said, sping his fists.


    Even if he didn¡¯t know what the task entailed, showing determination was essential.


    ¡°Good. Continue your search if you need to. I¡¯ll take my leave now...¡± Han Xiao waved, exiting the room. Before reaching the door, he paused and turned back: ¡°By the way, the item I asked you to bring back from the Zouyi Dynasty¡ªyou mentioned having it. Can I have it now?¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s hand clenched tightly.


    The item he brought back?


    A direct question... He couldn¡¯t simply admit not having it, but what could he give?


    Why do leaders always talk in riddles? Couldn¡¯t they just be straightforward?


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Noticing Zhang Xuan¡¯s changed expression, Han Xiao sensed something amiss but didn¡¯t realize Zhang Xuan was an imposter. After all, who would dare impersonate a Destiny Master so boldly?


    ¡°Hall Master, I did bring it back from the Zouyi Dynasty, but I don¡¯t have it on me now, so I didn¡¯t dare meet with you...¡± Zhang Xuan feigned embarrassment.


    ¡°No matter. It¡¯s not urgent...¡± Han Xiao said, hands sped behind him as he walked away.


    Once he left, Zhang Xuan exhaled in relief and resumed searching the library. He managed to find dozens of Dharma Aspect techniques, not enough to form a Heaven''s Path technique but sufficient for a basic understanding.


    The Dharma Aspect Realm had three sub-levels: Disembodiment, Wandering, and Manifestation.


    Disembodiment meant the soul leaving the body.


    Wandering allowed the soul to exit the body and conduct attacks, as Ling Buyang had, controlling his soul remotely, never expecting to die at Sun Qiang¡¯s hands...


    Manifestation meant the soul grew powerful enough to form a giant projection capable of killing within its domain¡ªHan Xiao¡¯s level.


    Although Zhang Xuan had reached the Divine Soul Realm, exceeding 99 horsepower in strength, he was still far from matching such powerful Destiny Masters.


    At the entrance, Zhang Xuan turned to the elderly guardian of the library and asked, ¡°Is this all the Dharma Aspect techniques we have? Are there more?¡±


    The elder bowed: ¡°Elder Ling, cultivating Dharma Aspect techniques requires a destiny to learn. Usually, they are inherited, so even if the library has them, they cannot be practiced by everyone.¡±


    ¡°I know... I¡¯m just asking if there are any that don¡¯t need a destiny, ones that Fate Guardians can use?¡± Zhang Xuan rified.


    The elder understood. ¡°You mean ordinary martial techniques. This is about all we have. Such methods aremon and avable at general shops.¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded, ending the conversation and leaving the room.


    His trip had elevated him to the Divine Soul Realm and given him insight into Destiny Masters and the Divine Domains of Fate. It was time to leave.


    He wondered if Sun Qiang had found a suitable ce to stay. If he had, Zhang Xuan would settle there first.


    As for returning to Ling Buyang¡¯s home, that was out of the question for now.


    While he could fool colleagues, deceiving family would be much harder. Visiting them might expose him after only a few words.


    As Zhang Xuan left the library and walked through the Destiny Hall, pondering how to contact Sun Qiang, he spotted Xie Feng, who had initially greeted him, approaching.


    ¡°Elder Ling, Madam Yu heard of your return to Hanyuan City. She¡¯s been waiting for you in the adjacent guest hall for some time, requesting that you see her as soon as you¡¯re done in the library...¡±


    ¡°Madam Yu?¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s brows furrowed.


    Who was that?


    ¡°Yes!¡± Xie Feng confirmed.


    Zhang Xuan pressed on, despite the apprehension: ¡°Did you ask her why she wishes to see me now?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Xie Feng hesitated before responding: ¡°I dared not inquire directly, but I believe it¡¯s rted to your bet with Elder Liu...¡±


    ¡°A bet?¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Could this Madam Yu be... Ling Buyang¡¯s newly acquired concubine?¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 29: Is He Ling Buyang?

    Vol 2 Ch 29: Is He Ling Buyang?


    Elder Liu had mentioned before, when learning the [Mystic Dragon Palm], that he no longer desired Ling Buyang¡¯s concubine. Now, with this Madam Yu appearing and mentioning the bet, it seemed highly likely she was the one involved.


    ¡°Tell her I have urgent matters to attend to and we can discuss it at hometer.¡±


    Understanding that a meeting would risk exposing his identity, Zhang Xuan waved his hand and strode out quickly.


    Before he could leave the Destiny Hall, he spotted Xie Feng approaching a young woman who appeared to be around twenty-two or twenty-three years old, radiating youthful energy.


    A young concubine in her twenties... it seemed Ling Buyang¡¯s private life was even moreplicated than he had thought.


    Using a special method, Zhang Xuan contacted Sun Qiang and soon met him.


    With sufficient funds, the steward had already secured a residence covering several acres, spacious and well-appointed.


    Seeing Zhang Xuan arrive, Sun Qiang stepped forward: ¡°Young Master, should we consider hiring some servants?¡±¡°Not for now,¡± Zhang Xuan shook his head, summoning Dao Li with a thought. ¡°If there¡¯s anything needed, assign it to him. He¡¯s fast on four legs...¡±


    Given that Zhang Xuan nned to alternate between his real identity and Ling Buyang¡¯s, having household staff could increase the risk of exposure.


    ¡°Heh-heh... heh-heh...¡± Dao Li nodded solemnly, as if in agreement.


    ¡°Everyone,e out too!¡±


    With a flicker, Nie Lingxi, Zhao Ya, and others appeared before him.


    They had all adapted to the Source World after training in the Xuan World, so their sudden arrival didn¡¯t seem to faze them; instead, they were curious.


    ¡°No wonder it¡¯s called the origin of myriad worlds; the space here is indeed more stable, and the pressure is stronger!¡± Nie Lingxi remarked after sensing their surroundings.


    Although she had once been an Empress in the Firmament, here she felt no different from an ordinary person. Even running a few steps left her short of breath.


    Zhang Xuan nodded. ¡°Here are identity tokens I prepared for you.¡±


    Distributing tokens obtained from Yu Longqing, he added, ¡°Stay and train here for now. If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, ask me anytime. If I¡¯m in seclusion, Sun Qiang can help.¡±


    The group nodded in unison.


    Since leaving Tianxuan Kingdom, Zhao Ya and the others had grown used to following their teacher¡¯s arrangements, while Nie Lingxi simply smiled withoutment.


    The Little Chick, on the other hand, darted around with boundless curiosity.


    The Source World¡¯s intense pressure had caused the creature to revert from human form back to its original bird shape.


    Instructing Dao Li to show everyone around, Zhang Xuan summoned Sun Qiang again. ¡°You have two days. Find out how many Destiny Masters there are in the Destiny Hall and how many branches exist in Hanyuan City, along with their affiliations.¡±


    If he were to convincingly impersonate Ling Buyang, ignorance wouldn¡¯t do; he needed at least a basic grasp of the city¡¯s politicalndscape.


    ¡°Leave it to me, Young Master...¡± Sun Qiang grinned.


    Gathering information was his specialty. No matter the ce, he could quickly locate sources and extract the desired details.


    With everything in ce, Zhang Xuan retreated to a room to train in peace.


    Using the new world¡¯s soul energy would provoke the Source World¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Path, so he could only rely on the power within his body to progress.


    For three days, he cultivated until he reached the peak of the Divine Soul Realm before pausing.


    The Divine Soul Realm didn¡¯t appear to be constrained by the Heaven¡¯s Fate Lock. Most cultivators capped at 200 horsepower at its peak, but Zhang Xuan achieved 500, with soul energy pure enough to extend up to 10,000 meters.


    Ordinary cultivators in the same realm could only reach a range of 1,000 meters¡ªjust a tenth of his reach.


    With this power, he could now contend with someone in the second level of the Dharma Aspect Realm¡¯s Wandering stage.


    In other words, even without burning the new world¡¯s energy, his strength now rivaled Ling Buyang¡¯s former level. Mimicking him would be even more seamless.


    Returning to seclusion after reaching the Divine Soul peak, Zhang Xuan decided it was time to reappear. Remaining hidden too long could render ¡°Ling Buyang¡± irrelevant.


    As he stepped outside, Sun Qiang approached, handing over a sheet of paper: ¡°Young Master, here is what I found; it¡¯s all recorded.¡±


    Zhang Xuan scanned the contents quickly.


    Sun Qiang, reliable as always, hadpiled all the information Zhang Xuan needed within just three days.


    The Destiny Hall of Hanyuan City had 19 Destiny Masters. Ling Buyang ranked among the top five in terms of cultivation, with only a few, such as Han Xiao, being stronger.


    ¡°The Elder Liu must be Liu Bingshan mentioned here...¡±


    Of the 19, only two had the surname Liu, and one was clearly in his thirties¡ªnot a match.


    Of course, details about the bet couldn¡¯t be unearthed, but knowing the name was already progress.


    ¡°Feng Zhaoting...¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes fell on another elder whose strength rivaled Ling Buyang¡¯s.


    This must be the Elder Feng Han Xiao had mentioned.


    ording to Sun Qiang¡¯s findings, both Feng Zhaoting and Ling Buyang had significant chances of bing the next vice-principal of the Destiny Hall, each with a faction of supporters. Liu Bingshan was one of Ling Buyang¡¯s backers.


    ¡°Could it be that Ling Buyang bet and essentially gifted his concubine to secure Liu Bingshan¡¯s support?¡±


    After absorbing the information, Zhang Xuan spected: ¡°The merits and favors Han Xiao mentioned are likely linked to the vice-principalpetition. His behavior upon hearing Ling¡¯s return makes sense now.¡±


    This was merely conjecture, albeit reasonable.


    As for branches, most Destiny Masters ran their own halls to teach their fate cultivation. The most notable ones were White Cloud Hall, Cold Night Hall, Worry-Free Hall, and Cloud Mountain Hall. Their affiliations, however, remained unclear.


    The findings left Zhang Xuan puzzled.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Wasn¡¯t fate singr, kept secret, never to be revealed? If so, how were these Destiny Masters openly spreading their methods to others?


    ...


    In the most famous medical hall of Fuyuan Trading House, Yu Fei stood nervously before an elderly physician.


    This man, Feng Jin, was well-known throughout the dynasty for his medical expertise. The diagnosis that only Red Leaf Grass could save Yu Fei¡¯s child came from him.


    ¡°Physician Feng, how is he?¡± Yu Fei asked anxiously.


    The search for the herb had nearly cost the lives of his entire family, but they had been saved by an unknown hero.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. With Red Leaf Grass, I can assure you he will be fine...¡± Feng Jin nodded.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Physician Feng...¡± Yu Fei¡¯s relief was palpable as he paid the fee. After a moment¡¯s thought, he produced a portrait: ¡°Physician, I need your help with one more thing. Have you seen this person?¡±


    Curious, Feng Jin epted the drawing and opened it, revealing a lifelike portrait of a middle-aged man in his forties.


    The level of detail was impressive, indicating the artist¡¯s skill.


    ¡°Why are you looking for this man?¡± Feng Jin asked, not yet answering.


    Yu Fei exined how his family had been hunted in the mountains by No Need Hall and were saved by this mysterious man.


    Feng Jin¡¯s expression turned strange. ¡°You mean... someone from No Need Hall was chasing you, and this man killed the attackers to save you?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. He¡¯s our savior. We are prepared to repay him, no matter the cost, if only we can find him,¡± Yu Fei confirmed earnestly. ¡°If you know who he is, we would be deeply grateful.¡±


    ¡°I do recognize him, but I doubt you¡¯ll believe me if I tell you...¡± Feng Jin sighed with a wry smile.


    ¡°Please, Physician Feng, tell us! Whether we believe it or not, we¡¯ll judge for ourselves.¡±


    His wife, Xiaoying, also implored: ¡°Physician Feng...¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you. If the portrait is urate and I¡¯m not mistaken, this man is none other than the hall master of No Need Hall¡ªLing Buyang!¡±


    ¡°He... is Ling Buyang?¡±


    Yu Fei stood frozen in shock.


    The leader of the hall that had hunted them hade to their rescue with no expectation of reward... What could this mean?


    For a moment, everyone in the room was dumbstruck.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 30: Fu Yingying

    Vol 2 Ch 30: Fu Yingying


    Zhang Xuan pondered for a long time, unable to understand why things were the way they were. The books he had read in the library provided no answers, so he shook his head and put it aside for now.


    ¡°Young Master, I¡¯ve heard that in the Hanyuan Underground City, Destiny Disks are for sale. With enough money, they¡¯re yours...¡± Sun Qiang whispered as Zhang Xuan finished reviewing the notes.


    ¡°An underground city?¡± Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Sun Qiang nodded. ¡°It¡¯s said to be a ck market beyond the control of the Hanyuan royal family and the Destiny Hall, where anything can be bought¡ªincluding lives.¡±


    ¡°Interesting!¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Although he had gained a considerable amount of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy by breaking the Heaven¡¯s Fate Lock on the [Mystic Dragon Palm], stabilizing Nie Lingxi and the others¡¯ Source Pools and transcribing Divine Soul Realm techniques had consumed a lot of it. He now had very little left.


    Since such things were avable for purchase, it was worth checking out. Additionally, progressing in soul cultivation proved increasingly difficult; obtaining rare treasures could help speed up his training.


    ¡°If it¡¯s a ck market, shouldn¡¯t it be secretive and hard to ess without significant status? How did you find out?¡± Zhang Xuan asked curiously.¡°Well, I got lucky, and since I¡¯m now in the Divine Soul Realm and a new wandering cultivator, people were eager to make connections...¡± Sun Qiang exined.


    A Divine Soul Realm expert, even in Hanyuan City, was considered significant. Such strength with no background naturally attracted those willing to share inside information.


    The ck market was only about thirty miles from their residence. Riding on Dao Li¡¯s swift hooves, Zhang Xuan reached the destination quickly.


    He dismounted and let Dao Li roam freely while he followed Sun Qiang¡¯s directions.


    The ce was disguised as an unremarkable teahouse, almost empty, with a bored tea master tinkering with tea utensils at a table.


    Zhang Xuan sat down and tapped the table lightly. ¡°A bowl of tea, no water, no leaves, and no bowl.¡±


    The tea master¡¯s eyes gleamed as he cupped his hands. ¡°Sir, such tea won¡¯t be drinkable! How many bowls would you like?¡±


    Zhang Xuan handed him a 100-tael silver note. ¡°I¡¯ll have as many as you can serve. I¡¯m not greedy.¡±


    Upon seeing the hefty sum, the tea master¡¯s eyes lit up, and he nodded enthusiastically. ¡°This way, please, sir.¡±


    Zhang Xuan followed him out of the room. The tea master handed him a ck cloth, which Zhang Xuan knew to tie over his eyes. He boarded a carriage that took a winding, half-hour route before being transferred to a small boat. After drifting for a while, light finally returned as the cloth was removed.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived, sir.¡±


    Zhang Xuan found himself in a spacious underground cavern. A dark river flowed beneath wooden bridges, creating long corridors carved into stone walls where stalls lined both sides, lit brightly and bustling with activity.


    ¡°Quite lively!¡±


    He hadn¡¯t expected so many people after such a convoluted journey. The area held at least several hundred, surprising him.


    ¡°This way, sir...¡± The tea master led him along the wooden corridors.


    The stalls were filled with items that were forbidden or hard to find in the outside world.


    ¡°Last two jars of Purple Jade Balm! Great for asthma, agitation, internal fire injuries, and men¡¯s... discreet issues!¡± a vendor called out with a smile as Zhang Xuan passed.


    Curious, Zhang Xuan lightly touched the balm, prompting the Library of Heaven''s Path to produce an entry.


    ¡°Purple Jade Balm: created by chopping an unborn infant andbining with Iceleaf Grass, Illusion Fire Fruit, and Source Beast blood, then solidified over a me.¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s pupils contracted in shock.


    Using unborn infants in concoctions? That was treating human life as mere ingredients.


    Before he could recover, another vendor shouted, ¡°Three Corpse-Eating Worms for sale! They burrow into victims through the anus, eating intestines and organs while releasing an anesthetic, making them undetectable until it¡¯s toote. Ideal for covert assassinations. Effective against anyone below the Organs Easing Realm.¡±


    Zhang Xuan nced at the vendor¡¯s disy, where three beetle-like, ck-shelled insects crawled slowly in a golden bowl, their heads a silvery hue. Their wing movements produced a hypnotic, chirping sound.


    Zhang Xuan was astonished.


    Corpse-Eating Worms, nurtured on corpses, were rare and often considered mythical. He hadn¡¯t expected to find them sold so openly.


    ¡°Here, anything imaginable can be found. Even if you want the meat of a Divine Soul Realm Source Beast to pair with your drink, it can be arranged,¡± the tea master chuckled.


    First-time visitors often reacted as Zhang Xuan did. This guest seemed no different.


    Amid such items, Divine Soul Realm Source Beast meat seemedmonce.


    ¡°Are there tamed pet beasts for sale?¡± Zhang Xuan asked out of curiosity.


    ¡°Beasts are sold, but taming must be done by the buyer!¡± the tea master exined. ¡°As you know, taming without a Beast Tamer''s destiny is impossible, and Hanyuan Citycks any Destiny Masters specializing in beast taming...¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded, now understanding.


    Taming, medicine, arrays, painting¡ªall these specialized skills required breaking their respective Heaven¡¯s Fate Locks. Only a Destiny Master could aplish that.


    With no beast-taming Destiny Masters in Hanyuan City, learning the art was an unreachable goal for others. Thus, even if a Source Beast was captured, taming it would be as uncertain as Yu Longqing¡¯s attempts to befriend them the most basic way.


    As the two conversed, they walked past a corridor and into a small room. Inside, a woman in a ck dress sipped tea, one long, snow-white leg visible beneath her hem.


    ¡°Lady Proprietor, we have a new customer,¡± the tea master said, halting.


    ¡°A new customer?¡± The woman scoffed, set down her tea, covered her leg with her skirt, and stood gracefully. ¡°If Elder Ling is new, then I must be a maiden!¡±


    ¡°Elder Ling?¡± The tea master¡¯s eyes widened.


    The woman nodded. ¡°Yes, this is Elder Ling Buyang from the Destiny Hall, soon to be the vice-principal in a few days, if nothing goes wrong...¡±


    ¡°My apologies, Elder Ling. I failed to recognize you...¡± The tea master retreated, embarrassed.


    Ignoring him, Zhang Xuan studied the woman with interest. ¡°The Proprietor knows me?¡±


    ¡°What a surprise!¡± She smirked and swayed over, cing her hands on Zhang Xuan¡¯s shoulders, exhaling yfully in his face. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Elder Ling? Got a new concubine and pretending not to know me? You used to call me ¡®Little Yingying,¡¯ but now I¡¯m just ¡®Proprietor¡¯?¡±


    Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t reply, staring back coldly, unleashing a sliver of his divine sense.


    The woman¡¯s cheeks flushed, realizing she had been subtly pushed back. She took two involuntary steps away, her expression changing to one of irritation. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, just not fond of people getting too close,¡± Zhang Xuan said coolly.


    Sheughed. ¡°Men only behave saintly when they¡¯re exhausted. That new concubine of yours must be really draining you...¡±


    She retreated and crossed her long legs, sitting back in her chair with no trace of the earlier allure. ¡°So, what brings you here this time?¡±


    Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t answer immediately but focused inward on the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path.


    He had pushed her away to force her to use power, thus creating an entry in the library.


    ¡°Fu Yingying, Proprietor of Hanyuan City¡¯s underground ck market, Divine Soul Realm peak cultivator, practitioner of the Heaven¡¯s Path Seduction Art, disciple of Green Hill Mountain.¡±


    Zhang Xuan frowned.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    This woman was also a Destiny Master with an inheritance.


    It baffled him that a dignified Destiny Hall elder like Ling Buyang would frequent a ce like this and know her so well.


    Never mind. Familiarity made things simpler. Zhang Xuan dropped the thought and stated his needs clearly.


    ¡°First, I need Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy¡ªlots of it. Second, I need Dharma Aspect Realm cultivation techniques. The more, the better.¡±


    ¡°Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy? You, an elder of the Destiny Hall, are short on it?¡± Fu Yingyingughed with disbelief.


    ¡°Is that surprising?¡± Zhang Xuan stood with hands behind his back, unfazed.


    ¡°Ah, I see, Elder Ling is trying to expand No Need Hall and cultivate more followers to surpass Elder Feng, isn¡¯t he?¡± Fu Yingying guessed with a smirk. ¡°There are Destiny Disks for sale, but the price is double that of the Destiny Hall.¡±


    ¡°Double?¡± Zhang Xuan frowned.


    She nodded. ¡°Yes, 4 million Source Coins per disk. But if you have the money, we have the stock.¡±


    Zhang Xuan remained silent. That was indeed steep.


    A disk from Dean Lu Mingrong cost 2 million, and here it was 4 million. This ck market was aptly named.


    ¡°Too pricey to buy?¡± Fu Yingying teased, brushing her hair back. ¡°As for Dharma Aspect techniques, I can gather them for you, but the cost will be high.¡±


    ¡°How high?¡± Zhang Xuan asked.


    With a slight smile, Fu Yingying said, ¡°Dharma Aspect techniques are precious,


    no matter the level. Even collecting them is challenging. Since you¡¯re an old client, I won¡¯t overcharge: 500,000 Source Coins per book.¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s brow creased.


    He needed at least 1,000 books to create a Heaven¡¯s Path technique. At 500,000 per book, that would mean a staggering 500 million Source Coins. Even his earnings couldn¡¯t cover that.


    Still, at 50,000 per Source Pool Realm manual, the price was fair and not extortionate.


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t open or copy the books and only look at their titles and bindings? What would that cost?¡± Zhang Xuan inquired after some thought.


    ¡°Just the titles and bindings?¡± Fu Yingying was puzzled.


    What kind of odd hobby was that? Searching for techniques without reading them was like visiting a brothel to look without touching.


    Wait... she had heard that Elder Ling might enjoy just that...


    ¡°Yes, and if you don¡¯t believe me, bring a few over and I¡¯ll show you,¡± Zhang Xuan offered.


    ¡°Very well.¡± After a pause, she smiled and walked into the back, returning shortly with a few books she ced on the table. ¡°These are some Dharma Aspect techniques. But remember, just titles and bindings¡ªdon¡¯t open them.¡±


    Zhang Xuan nced at the covers: *Celestial Roaming Technique*, *Falling Soul Method*, *Soul Shatter Art*, *Water Origin Focus Technique*, *Golden Body Manifestation*.


    He lightly touched each one, copying them into the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path. This time, there were no errors.


    ¡°How are they? Genuine?¡± Fu Yingying asked.


    ¡°Yes...¡± Zhang Xuan nodded. ¡°I¡¯m done. Please put them back.¡±


    ¡°Done?¡± Fu Yingying looked at him in surprise, her curiosity piqued.


    Elder Ling¡¯s status was formidable, but she had never seen such peculiar behavior before.


    In the past, he looked at her with twisted excitement, clearly interested in more than conversation. Now his gaze was so clear it seemed she held less interest to him than the books.


    Had her charm, honed over years of cultivation, lost its effect?


    ¡°How much for just looking like this?¡± Zhang Xuan asked.


    Fu Yingying pondered.


    Most people read books to learn; he truly just *looked*. No copying, no studying, just a nce.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say, 10,000 Source Coins per book,¡± she finally decided.


    ¡°Agreed!¡± Zhang Xuan nodded.


    At 10,000 per book, 1,000 books would only cost 10 million Source Coins, which was manageable. And with the Heaven¡¯s Path Order technique, he might only need 500 books.


    500 books at 10,000 each was 5 million¡ªsteep but achievable by taking a few more assignments.


    Seeing him agree, Fu Yingying said, ¡°I¡¯ll gather them for you, but it will take three days. I can¡¯t promise how many I¡¯ll find.¡±


    ¡°Understood. I¡¯lle back in three days,¡± Zhang Xuan said. ¡°As for the Destiny Disks, I¡¯ll take three for now.¡±


    At 4 million each, three disks would cost 12 million. Though he had earned over 30 million in White Roc City, most of it had been given to Sun Qiang, leaving him with just enough for this purchase.


    The Destiny Baptism was both ill-suited for his disguised identity and months away, as he¡¯d learned from his research. Spending the money on immediate needs was wiser.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Fu Yingying pped, summoning a youth who brought over three new Destiny Disks.


    Zhang Xuan inspected them and found them unused before pocketing them. ¡°Any quick ways to earn money here?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re short on funds?¡± Fu Yingying was momentarily taken aback, then caught herself. ¡°There are many ways to earn here¡ªselling items, selling techniques¡ªall lucrative. But for someone of your status, these are small sums. For real wealth, three methods suit you best.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Zhang Xuan was intrigued.


    ¡°First, selling your body... As a Destiny Hall elder and a Source Pool Realm expert, many wealthy patrons would pay dearly. In this world, money without power is as risky as beauty among wolves.


    If someone could have your child, their fate might change entirely,¡± Fu Yingying teased.


    ¡°It¡¯s the fastest way to make money and matches your known habits. I¡¯d even reserve a special room for you here for... services. One time, 1 million Source Coins. Ten times, and that¡¯s 10 million.¡±


    Author''s Note


    Hey, dear readers! The next chapter is here to brighten your day! If you¡¯re enjoying the story, please consider giving the BOTI Trantor Team a 5-star review on NovelUpdates. Thank you for sticking with us! ????

 Book 2: Chapter 31: The Hunting List

    Vol 2 Ch 31: The Hunting List


    Zhang Xuan''s face darkened. "What''s the second option?"


    "Breeding specialists... What do they take me for, a stud?"


    Knowing he wouldn¡¯t choose that, Fu Yingying didn¡¯t linger on the topic. She continued, "The second option isbat! Our ck marketpetitions are brutal and bloody, held every three days. Winning earns a reward¡ªnot much money, but the wagers outside the ring can be spectacr. The bigger the bet, the greater the payout upon victory! But if you lose, you could end up bankrupt..."


    Zhang Xuan frowned. "ck market fights? I can join those?"


    Ling Buyang was currently at the ninth level of the Divine Soul Realm, practically the pinnacle of strength in Hanyuan City. Would such a figure even consider fighting?


    "Of course, you can. But it requires preparation, and opportunities are rare¡ªone or two matches a year at most. The key is that participants are typically at the peak of their level, ready to break through at any moment. Although Elder Ling is strong, I doubt he could secure a win."


    Zhang Xuan nodded in understanding.


    The gap between the Divine Soul and Dharma Aspect Realms might seem small, but breaking through was no simple task. Many cultivators stuck at the peak sought life-and-death battles to push forward. The ck market duels offered just that.Fu Yingying added, "This method can earn quick money. If you bet correctly, you could make tens of millions, even billions, of Source Coins in one go. But keep in mind, the participants are often at their limit, teetering on the edge of madness. They might die if they don¡¯t break through, so these fights are never gentle. They''re often to the death. That''s why our ck market has never hosted such high-level duels."


    "Then I guess Elder Ling wouldn¡¯t choose this option, right?"


    Given his esteemed position as an elder of the Destiny Hall, destined to be a vice hall master, it seemed unlikely he would risk his life.


    While Zhang Xuan pondered, Elder Ling nodded. "It¡¯s fine. You can arrange it for me!"


    Fu Yingying was stunned.


    She had pegged this man as lecherous but cowardly, yet he suddenly seemed so resolute.


    "Alright," Zhang Xuan said, "What¡¯s the third option?"


    Seeing his seriousness, Fu Yingying didn¡¯t press further. "The third option involves targeting cultivators listed on the Hunting List."


    "Hunting List?"


    "Yes, it¡¯s the most infamous list in the ck market. The higher the price, the harder the target."


    She exined, "Being on the list signifies not only strength but also status. While many fear it, some even fight to get on it¡ªit¡¯s a fast track to fame."


    Zhang Xuan could understand.


    The Hunting List was dangerous, but anyone listed was among the elites of Hanyuan City. It was akin to instant fame¡ªsome people would do anything for it.


    "Where can I see this list?"


    "It¡¯spiled by the All-Epassing Sect¡¯s Omniscient List, priced at a million Source Coins per copy. The list updates in real-time, showing new entries regardless of distance," Fu Yingying said, flipping her hair.


    "Omniscient List?" Zhang Xuan asked, puzzled.


    Fu Yingying smiled. "A type of Heaven¡¯s Fate that tracks everything¡ªexperts, materials, Source Beasts, physicians, weapons, you name it. The All-Epassing Sect''s leader, Omniscient Schr, inherited this Heaven¡¯s Fate. Every list contains its power, ensuring urate, real-time updates. It¡¯s essential for any cultivator."


    "Get me one."


    Without another word, Fu Yingying retrieved a scroll.


    Zhang Xuan unrolled it. It was light but incredibly sturdy, and ordinary weapons wouldn¡¯t scratch it.


    Hanyuan City Hunting List


    The rankings began to appear:


    1st: Han Qianchou ¡ª 300 million Source Coins.


    2nd: Yue Longxiao ¡ª 240 million Source Coins.


    3rd: Han Xiao ¡ª 220 million Source Coins.


    Zhang Xuan was startled. He knew the third person¡ªthe Destiny Hall¡¯s master himself.


    A peak Dharma Aspect Realm expert, ranked third! The bounty, however, was astonishing.


    Zhang Xuan continued scanning.


    19th: Feng Zhaoting ¡ª 30 million Source Coins.


    20th: Ling Buyang ¡ª 29 million Source Coins.


    "I¡¯m on the list? And ranked lower than Feng Zhaoting?"


    Fu Yingying exined, "Feng¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Fate counters yours to some extent, so it¡¯s reasonable."


    "No one can counter me¡ªnot him, not anyone!" Zhang Xuan scoffed.


    He was curious about Feng¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Fate but didn¡¯t ask. After all, they had shed for years¡ªpretending ignorance would be absurd.


    "Sounds like Elder Ling has a way to neutralize Feng¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Fate. Congrattions on your future promotion to vice hall master!" Fu Yingying chuckled.


    "Neutralize? We¡¯ll see..." Zhang Xuan muttered, eyes gleaming as he continued reading.


    The Hunting List featured 50 names, each bounty starting at 10 million. Killing a few would quickly umte wealth.


    "But wait... who pays these bounties?"


    Fu Yingying rified, "Enemies. Who doesn¡¯t have enemies? Even small contributions from many add up. Take you, for instance. No Need Hall must have offended plenty. A thousand people contributing 10,000 Source Coins each makes quite a sum."


    Zhang Xuan fell silent.


    He had little knowledge of No Need Hall, but their notoriety was clear from how they¡¯d hunted Yu Fei. Their enemies would naturally fund bounties.


    "If I want to take on a target, how do I im the reward?"


    Fu Yingying handed him a ck card. "Attach their soul essence or blood to the list. The All-Epassing Sect will verify and credit the reward to this card, usable continent-wide."


    Zhang Xuan nodded. The system seemed far more convenient than carrying cash.


    "Our ck market also sells dossiers on the targets¡ªdetailed records of their crimes. If Elder Ling ns to take action, these will ensure your targets deserve it."


    "Get me some."


    Momentster, Fu Yingying returned with three files. "Each dossier costs 100,000 Source Coins."


    Zhang Xuan skimmed the first.


    Feng Yizhou


    ¡ªRanked 47th, Law Aspect Realm, owner of Fuyuan Trading House.


    Crimes:


    Hanyuan Year 579: Conspired with Fang Qing''s wife, murdered Fang, then killed her, seizing their assets.


    Hanyuan Year 581: Incited a beast tide, ughtering 112 civilians.


    Hanyuan Year 585: Killed his first wife, preserved her head in wine.


    ...


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s face grew grim as he read.


    Author''s NoteN?v(el)B\\jnn

 Book 2: Chapter 32: Feng Yizhou

    Vol 2 Ch 32: Feng Yizhou


    Feng Yizhou was a true monster, a ruthless demon whose victims likely exceeded a thousand.


    After reading through the dossier, Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Someone with a rap sheet like this, filled with countless heinous crimes¡­ How can the Hanyuan royal family allow him to run rampant?"


    "Of course, they wouldn¡¯t," Fu Yingying replied, her hands sped behind her back as she puffed out her chest with a seductive smile. "But every time he acts, either there¡¯s no scapegoat, or it has nothing to do with him. Without solid evidence, even the Hanyuan royal family can¡¯t do anything. And the most crucial reason is..."


    She trailed off, her beautiful eyes resting on him.


    "What¡¯s the crucial reason?" Zhang Xuan ignored her theatrics and pressed on.


    Fu Yingying smirked. "Are you really clueless, or just ying with me?"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. "What should I know?"


    "You¡¯repeting with Elder Feng Zhaoting for the vice principal position. Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t done any background checks. Feng Yizhou is his younger brother!""Feng¡¯s brother?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.


    No wonder.


    With someone to take the fall, no direct evidence, and the backing of both power and influence, who would dare touch him? Even the Hanyuan royal family would think twice.


    Picking up the second dossier, Zhang Xuan began reading.


    Li Yue''an, ranked 41st on the Hunting List. A Ninth-Level Source Pool expert in the Detached Realm and a rogue Destiny Master, he practiced the "Betrayal Heaven¡¯s Fate."


    - Hanyuan Year 580: Gravely injured and saved by a noble named Zeng Yousheng, who married him to his daughter. The following year, Li betrayed him, siding with his political rival, leading to Zeng¡¯s family''s execution.


    - Hanyuan Year 587: During a trial withpanions, he leaked their locations to Source Beasts, resulting in seven deaths and one injury.


    - Hanyuan Year 588: Betrayed and buried alive the mentor who had taught him his techniques.


    Zhang Xuan felt his scalp tingle.


    A Betrayal Heaven¡¯s Fate... such a thing existed? It made Zhang Xuan wonder if the famous L¨¹ Bu from his past life would¡¯ve excelled with this, or perhaps an "Adoptive Father Heaven¡¯s Fate," gaining power through sworn fathers.


    Fu Yingying exined, "This Heaven¡¯s Fate grows stronger the more people he betrays, and the more pain they endure."


    Zhang Xuan nodded grimly. The pattern was clear. No wonder it was forbidden to reveal one¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Fate¡ªknowing this, no one would save such a person, even if they were dying.


    "Does this guy have a powerful background too?"


    "Not really," Fu Yingying replied, "but he¡¯s incredibly cunning. He¡¯s been missing for seven years. Both the Hanyuan royal family and Destiny Hall have sent people to find him, but it¡¯s as if he vanished from Hanyuan City."


    Zhang Xuan nodded thoughtfully, moving on to the third dossier.


    The third target was a notorious "flower thief," a cultivator at the Roaming Realm. However, his method was unique¡ªhe vited women in their dreams using his soul, leaving no physical evidence. Even if his victims sought justice, it would be dismissed as a vivid dream.


    "What a twisted method..." Zhang Xuan muttered.


    This technique allowed him to assault any woman without facing consequences, truly an insidious art.


    "But why is his bounty so high? Compared to the first two, this guy doesn¡¯t seem as dangerous."


    Despite a lower cultivation level than Ling Buyang, the flower thief ranked 14th on the list, with a bounty of 50 million Source Coins¡ªsignificantly higher than the other two.


    Fu Yingying snorted. "His victims remember everything in excruciating detail, down to the most intimate moments. Though their bodies remain untouched, the psychological trauma is immense. Many people want him dead, which naturally raises the bounty. But every time he strikes, he changes his appearance. No one knows his true identity, so he¡¯s evaded capture for years."


    Zhang Xuan nodded in understanding.


    While his victims¡¯ bodies were unharmed, the mental scars he left were unforgivable.


    "Given how upset you are, were you one of his targets?" Zhang Xuan asked teasingly.


    "Of course not... He tried, but I chased him off!" Fu Yingying replied, shaking her head.


    Zhang Xuan believed her.


    Despite being only at the peak of the Divine Soul Realm, Fu Yingying¡¯s status as a ck market leader meant she had plenty of treasures. Even a Detached Realm expert wouldn¡¯t easily gain the upper hand.


    "Does Elder Ling need anything else? I can prepare it for you," Fu Yingying asked, steering the conversation back.


    "No need. I¡¯ve got everything I wanted."


    Zhang Xuan had achieved his two main goals¡ªobtaining a cultivation technique and Destiny Disk. The Hunting List and methods to make money were bonuses.


    "In that case, I¡¯ll arrange the duel for you. The Hanyuan royal family happens to have a Battle-Mad Prince at your level eager for a match. If you agree, I¡¯ll make the arrangements."


    "Let¡¯s do it," Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Fu Yingying calcted. "Then, in three days, please return for the duel. I¡¯ll spread the word to ensure everyone can profit."


    Zhang Xuan agreed and left, boarding a small boat that carried him away.


    Although his ck market visit emptied his funds, the gains had been substantial.


    As he departed, Fu Yingying¡¯s smile faded, reced by a pensive look.


    "Miss, is something off about this Ling Buyang?" asked a maid who appeared from the shadows.


    Fu Yingying frowned. "More than just off¡ªI suspect he isn¡¯t Ling Buyang at all but someone impersonating him!"


    "Why do you say that?"


    "Every time Ling Buyang saw me, he acted like he¡¯d never seen a woman before, constantly flirting. I even suspected he was that dream-invading flower thief! But this man barely looks at me, and my charm techniques don¡¯t affect him. More importantly, Ling Buyang is notoriously timid and cautious. Yet, he agreed to the duel without hesitation!"


    The maid gasped. "Could it really be an imposter?"


    "It¡¯s possible. But whether he¡¯s real or not will be clear during the duel. The real Ling Buyang wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the Battle-Mad Prince. Also, the unique techniques of the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate can¡¯t be faked. Once he uses them, his identity will be certain."


    "Miss, you¡¯re brilliant!"


    ...


    Blinded and guided away from the ck market, Zhang Xuan eventually returned to the teahouse.


    He mounted Dao Li and began his journey back to the city, mulling over his next steps.


    "Xu Xin¡¯s memories of Ling Buyang are sparse, and I need to figure out this Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate. If I can¡¯t perform it, I¡¯ll be exposed."


    Though Fu Yingying had her suspicions, Zhang Xuan was confident he could dispel them by mastering the Mo Dao technique before the duel.


    "But what exactly is this Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate? I need answers."


    With a determined look, Zhang Xuan turned his attention to a towering building in the distance¡ªthe Fuyuan Trading House.


    "Feng Yizhou¡¯s headquarters... Perfect timing. Let¡¯s see what I can find."


    Jumping off his horse, Zhang Xuan strode purposefully toward the building.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 33: Xiao Zhuo

    Vol 2 Ch 33: Xiao Zhuo


    The trading house was bustling with activity, far livelier than White Roc City.


    Shops lined both sides of the hall, offering everything from herbs, weapons, and armor to rare animal pelts and treasures. As Zhang Xuan strolled, considering where to gather information, a familiar voice caught his attention.


    "Mommy, I want candied hawthorn..."


    The soft, childish voice wasced with a sweet innocence. Zhang Xuan turned to see a well-dressed woman standing with a child of about three years old at a candied hawthorn stall.


    It was Xiao Ying and Xiao Zhuo, the mother and son he had saved earlier.


    "You¡¯re sick right now, so no sweets. Once you¡¯re better, Mommy will buy you a big one," Xiao Ying said gently.


    Xiao Zhuo pouted but then nodded obediently. "Okay, I¡¯ll wait until I¡¯m better. When I¡¯m better, I want the biggest one, as big as this house!"


    "Good boy," Xiao Ying smiled warmly. She was about to pick him up when Xiao Zhuo¡¯s eyes lit up. "It¡¯s Uncle Hero! Uncle Hero!"He ran toward Zhang Xuan, his little legs moving as fast as they could.


    Xiao Ying¡¯s heart sank. She recognized the man¡ªthe benefactor who had saved them from Lian Huo and his men, but also the feared master of No Need Hall, Ling Buyang.


    Under normal circumstances, she would have been eager to express her gratitude, but knowing his identity now, she hesitated. Still, Xiao Zhuo had already reached Zhang Xuan, and she had no choice but to follow.


    Bowing slightly, she said, "We meet again, benefactor..."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Zhang Xuan knelt and smiled at the child. "Xiao Zhuo, right? You want candied hawthorn?"


    The boy nodded. "Yes, Uncle Hero. It¡¯s so tasty, but Mommy said I can¡¯t have it until I¡¯m better." His eyes sparkled with longing, but he quickly added, "But it¡¯s okay! I¡¯m getting better, and when I am, I can have as much as I want!"


    Zhang Xuan ruffled his hair. "What a sensible little guy."


    Turning to Xiao Ying, he asked, "How¡¯s the Red Leaf Grass working? Will it cure him?"


    "Yes, it will," Xiao Ying replied quickly, her voice a little tense.


    "Good," Zhang Xuan nodded. "I have some business to attend to. Take care."


    Seeing that she recognized his identity and was wary, he decided not to linger. He left without another word, while Xiao Ying hurriedly picked up Xiao Zhuo and headed toward the clinic.


    The brief encounter left Zhang Xuan unfazed. It was merely a small interlude. Soon, he found himself at a nearby stall, where he casually purchased a trinket and struck up a conversation with the vendor.


    "Boss, ever heard of a ce called No Need Hall?"


    The vendor, a talkative middle-aged man, immediately perked up. "Of course! That¡¯s one of the big halls in the city, located in the northern district. Many people go there to learn, and their Mo Dao techniques are top-notch."


    "I¡¯m looking to learn some skills myself. Could you point me to their exact location?" Zhang Xuan slipped him a Source Coin.


    The man¡¯s eyes lit up as he gave detailed directions.


    Zhang Xuan was about to head there when a group of ck-d men with swords stormed through the crowd.


    "Move aside, you blind fools!"


    They knocked two people off their feet but didn¡¯t stop, charging ahead with arrogant disregard.


    Zhang Xuan frowned.


    "Who are they?" he asked the vendor.


    "Those are the trading house enforcers," the vendor said. "They handle all matters within the trading house. They¡¯re known for their rough behavior, so it¡¯s best to stay out of their way."


    True to his word, the injured parties simply picked themselves up and hurried away withoutint.


    Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. The world was full of injustices; he couldn¡¯t intervene in all of them.


    Just as he was about to leave, the sound of an explosion came from the enforcers¡¯ direction, followed by the mor of a fight.


    "Someone must¡¯ve broken the rules," the vendor spected.


    Zhang Xuan nced over to see a crowd gathering, obscuring themotion.


    "Foolish brat! Stealing herbs from the trading house? You¡¯re asking for death!" a loud voice bellowed.


    "I didn¡¯t steal them! These herbs are ours..." a weak voice protested.


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes narrowed. The voice was familiar.


    "I swear, my father didn¡¯t steal! My mother and father gathered these in the mountains..." a child¡¯s trembling voice cried out.


    His heart sank.


    "Xiao Zhuo?"


    Could it be that the Red Leaf Grass Yu Fei had given them was being targeted again? Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression darkened as he pushed through the crowd toward themotion.


    Before he could reach them, the enforcers¡¯ leader snarled, "You little brat, don¡¯t know your ce! If you won¡¯t hand it over, I¡¯ll kill the kid first!"


    "No! Xiao Zhuo!" Xiao Ying¡¯s anguished cry rang out.


    The next moment, Zhang Xuan heard the sickening thud of bodies hitting the ground and Yu Fei¡¯s desperate voice.


    "Xiao Ying! Xiao Zhuo! I¡¯ll fight you to the death!"


    Realizing the situation was dire, Zhang Xuan forced his way through the crowd.


    He arrived to find Yu Fei lying on the ground, one leg broken. Xiao Ying clutched Xiao Zhuo, both covered in blood, unmoving.


    Before them stood a sneering middle-aged man, surrounded by ck-d enforcers, their faces filled with menace.


    "Stealing herbs from us? You must have a death wish!" the man spat.


    A surge of fury welled up in Zhang Xuan.


    Yu Fei and Xiao Ying were ordinary cultivators trying to save their child. Did they deserve to die over a single herb?


    He knelt beside Yu Fei. "Are you okay?"


    Yu Fei¡¯s eyes were dull and unfocused. Upon recognizing Zhang Xuan, he let out a bitterugh.


    "Xiao Ying and Xiao Zhuo are gone... All for a single herb. Hah! If you want it so badly, take it!"


    With that, he unleashed a burst of power, shattering the Red Leaf Grass in his hand. The shockwave ruptured his heart, and he copsed in a pool of blood.


    "Yu Fei!" Zhang Xuan shouted, but it was toote.


    Desperate, he channeled Heaven¡¯s Path True Energy into Yu Fei¡¯s body while checking on Xiao Ying and Xiao Zhuo. But no matter how powerful his energy, it couldn¡¯t bring the dead back to life.


    "You dare destroy our herbs? Chop this bastard¡¯s corpse to pieces and feed it to the dogs!" the middle-aged man bellowed. His gaze fell on Zhang Xuan. "Who are you? Are you with this thief? Grab him too and beat the truth out of him!"


    Before he could finish, Zhang Xuan appeared in front of him in a blur, gripping his throat with one hand and lifting him off the ground.


    "Say that again," Zhang Xuan growled, his face contorted with rage.


    The enforcers surrounded him, shouting threats.


    "Our master, Feng Yizhou, is a Ninth-Level Source Pool expert! And his brother is an elder of the Destiny Hall! Kneel and beg for forgiveness, or you¡¯re dead!"


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s voice was cold as ice. "Why did you kill them?"


    "They stole our herb!" the man gasped.


    "Why did you kill them?" Zhang Xuan tightened his grip.


    "They¡ªthey refused to hand it over. It was for the master..."


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s fury boiled over. His grip tightened further until the man¡¯s neck snapped, and his lifeless body crumpled to the ground.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 34: New World

    Vol 2 Ch 34: New World


    The steward never expected, even in his dying moments, that this man would truly dare to kill him in the trading house in front of so many people!


    The shopkeeper was a master at the Dharma Aspect Realm, and most importantly, his elder brother was an elder of the Destiny Hall! Acting this way was tantamount to dering war against the Destiny Hall and opposing the entire Hanyuan City!


    "Daring to kill the steward, you''re courting death¡­"


    The ck-d enforcers behind him were equally stunned, but they charged forward in unison.


    Retreating would mean their own deaths as well, so they might as well fight with all they had for a slim chance of survival. These men were all at the peak of the Source Pool Realm¡¯s third level, Energy Storing. With nearly 5 horsepower of strength and weapons in hand, their strikes tore through the air with a mournful wail.


    In an instant, over ten des and swords aimed squarely at Zhang Xuan¡¯s back. If he didn¡¯t dodge, he¡¯d surely be hacked into mincemeat.


    <em>Buzz!</em>


    The air vibrated, and the descending des suddenly froze mid-air as if striking an imprable barrier. They neither advanced nor retreated, leaving everyone immobilized, unable to move a muscle."Soul power¡­ He''s a Source Pool Realm expert above the eighth level!"


    Realizing this, the ck-d enforcers became anxious one by one.


    Zhang Xuan tossed the steward''s lifeless body aside and turned to face them.


    "Regardless of the circumstances or who is right or wrong, you barged in to kill, not even sparing a child. You''re nothing but aplices, aiding and abetting evil. In that case, none of you deserve to live either!"


    With a flick of his hand, over ten streaks of energy shot from his fingertips, colliding with the weapons of the ck-d men. They felt a sharp jolt at their wrists, and in the next moment, their weapons shattered with a resounding <em>crack!</em> The broken des whistled through the air and embedded themselves straight into their throats.


    "You¡­ you¡­"


    The ck-d men widened their eyes in disbelief before copsing to the ground. In just one move, their lives had ended simultaneously.


    From Zhang Xuan''s ying of the steward to the annihtion of the enforcers, less than five breaths had passed. The surrounding onlookers were only now beginning to react.


    "He''s killed people!"


    "No matter how strong this guy is, offending Steward Feng means only one path¡ªdeath!"


    "I remember years ago, a Divine Soul Realm expert caused trouble here and was found dead the next day, his body hung outside for three whole days. This guy is doomed!"


    "Wait, it¡¯s him?"


    The shopkeeper who had earlier directed Zhang Xuan to Bu Xu Hall was now trembling with unease. Fortunately, he had been polite and answered all of Zhang Xuan¡¯s questions. Otherwise, he might have been among the dead now...


    Having killed all the enforcers, Zhang Xuan walked back to the family of three. His eyes were full of guilt as he faced Yu Fei and his family.


    "I should havee the moment I heard themotion¡­"


    If he had rushed over at the first sound of the battle, perhaps the family could have been saved. But no one could foresee the future, and now it was toote.


    This unremarkable couple had struggled tirelessly to save their sick child. After obtaining the Red Leaf Grass, they were pursued in the forest, escaped by a stroke of luck, and then came to seek treatment¡ªonly to be framed and murdered before everyone''s eyes.


    Human lives were as insignificant as grass.


    "Don''t worry. I took your source coin, and I will ensure justice for you. This is my promise to you, Zhang Xuan''s promise!"


    He gently closed their eyes with his hand and slowly rose, his gaze sweeping across the trading house. With a thunderous shout that reverberated through the entire hall, he roared, "Where is Feng Yizhou? Get out here and face me!"


    <em>Boom! Boom! Boom!</em>


    The powerful voice, infused with soul energy, was like a p of thunder, shattering the crystal chandeliers above and shaking the formations in the hall, causing them to hum and tremble.


    <em>tter!</em>


    More ck-d enforcers poured in from all directions.


    The Fuyuan Trading House¡¯s enforcement team was over two hundred strong, akin to a small army. This was why even Divine Soul Realm experts wouldn¡¯t dare to provoke them.


    With hundreds of peoplebining their strength and aura, the oppressive force could crush a soul and deter even the bravest.


    Zhang Xuan remained seated, motionless, as if oblivious to their arrival.


    "Whoever kills him will be rewarded with 200,000 source coins!"


    Someone suddenly shouted, but before the words fully escaped his lips, his head twisted an entire circle to face his back. His voice abruptly cut off as life left his body.


    Those initially tempted by the bounty froze in terror, none daring to step forward.


    "Wait¡­ Isn¡¯t that Elder Ling?"


    After a brief silence, someone recognized him in shock.


    "Elder Ling? Which Elder Ling?"


    "How many Elder Lings are there in Hanyuan City? It''s obviously Ling Buyang of the Destiny Hall, the Hall Master of Bu Xu Hall!"


    "Him?"


    The room grew heavy with tension.


    Ling Buyang was infamous for his deeds, not much better than Feng Yizhou. Why was he suddenly causing such amotion here?


    "Ling Buyang, what are you doing?"


    An enraged voice cut through the crowd as an imposing elder, appearing to be in his fifties, strode forward with piercing eyes and amanding aura.


    "Shopkeeper!"


    The ck-d enforcers collectively saluted him, visibly relieved.


    Looking at the corpses strewn across the ground, Feng Yizhou narrowed his eyes. "Ling Buyang, you''remitting murder in my trading house. Regardless of the reason, I demand an exnation!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "An exnation?" Zhang Xuan chuckled coldly. "Was it you who ordered your subordinates to seize the Red Leaf Grass? Was it you who had them frame Yu Fei and his family, and then kill them all?"


    "Yu Fei?"


    Feng Yizhou frowned and turned to one of the ck-d men nearby.


    The man hurriedly saluted. "Shopkeeper, per your orders, we were to obtain the Red Leaf Grass at all costs. We discovered it on Yu Fei just now. The steward demanded it, but he refused and even resisted, which led to his death."


    "Couldn''t you have handled this discreetly? Did it have to create such a public spectacle?" Feng Yizhou flicked his sleeve.


    These idiots had blown things out of proportion, turning a simple matter into a city-wide scandal!


    "We tried, but he was about to use the herb. Waiting any longer would have made it toote..." The man looked aggrieved.


    "Enough! Haven¡¯t you embarrassed me enough?" Feng Yizhou snapped before looking at Ling Buyang. "Elder Ling, we willpensate the victims and restore the damaged stalls. If these people were your friends, I¡¯ll have my subordinates apologize!"


    "An apology and somepensation? You think that can repay a life?" Zhang Xuan sneered.


    "What more do you want?" Feng Yizhou said, waving his hand. "Let¡¯s not mince words. If you wanted the Red Leaf Grass, you could¡¯ve just followed the proper channels instead of intervening like this. My people found it first, and you¡¯ve disrupted our operation. Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll report this to my brother or the Destiny Hall?"


    "Disrupted? You think I need to steal Red Leaf Grass?" Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Feng Yizhou smirked. "Stop feigning ignorance. You know full well who wants it and why. If you¡¯re vying for the Vice Hall Master position, do it through properpetition, not these underhanded methods."


    "Vice Hall Master?"


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s mind cleared as if struck by lightning.


    Could it be¡­ this Red Leaf Grass was the very item Hall Master Han Xiao had asked him to obtain?


    Realization dawned. Ling Buyang must¡¯ve received Bu Xu Hall¡¯s message about the herb, but Yu Fei got to it first, prompting relentless pursuit. Zhang Xuan had disrupted their ns.


    Though rare, the herb¡¯s medicinal value wasn¡¯t significant. Yet, if it was tied to Han Xiao and the Vice Hall Master rivalry, everything made sense.


    "Competing for the Vice Hall Master position should be fair. Did they deserve to die? Did the child deserve to die?"


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s gazended on the lifeless body of the young boy, Xiao Zhuo.


    He was only three years old, having barely tasted the joys of life. He hadn¡¯t even savored his favorite candied hawthorn before departing this cruel world.


    "What do you mean by this?" Feng Yizhou hesitated, ncing at the child before sneering. "Just a child. Stop ying the hero. A lowly life like his should feel honored to die by our hands!"


    "Honored? Very well. Let me show you what honor feels like!"


    Having no patience for further argument, Zhang Xuan leaped forward, his palm descending with overwhelming force


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A massive force apanied Zhang Xuan¡¯s strike as it descended upon Feng Yizhou. The technique was none other than the Xuanlong Palm!


    Since the other party treated human lives with such disregard, there was no need to waste any more words!


    "Ling Buyang, are you insane?"


    Seeing Zhang Xuan charging at him andunching an attack, Feng Yizhou couldn¡¯t believe it. However, he quickly realized it was not the time for questions. With a flip of both palms, he retaliated to meet the iing strike.


    Being ranked 47th on the Hunter¡¯s List, Feng Yizhou¡¯s strength was not far behind Ling Buyang''s. His palm technique, Breaking Wind Palm, was known for its extraordinary force. At its pinnacle, it was said to break even the wind itself¡ªalthough exaggerated, the power behind the technique was undeniably formidable.


    As the two palms collided, the surrounding air seemed to be sucked away, creating a temporary vacuum. A crushing force equivalent to over 200 horsepower surged towards Zhang Xuan''s descending palm.


    "Ling Buyang, your strength is impressive, but without using your Mo Dao, do you really think you can harm me? Dream on!"


    Feng Yizhou let out a cold snort, his confidence unwavering. But before his words had fullynded, his expression changed drastically. From Zhang Xuan¡¯s palm came an overwhelming, unending surge of energy, like relentless tidal waves crashing down upon him.


    <em>Thud! Thud! Thud!</em>


    Forced to retreat seven or eight steps, Feng Yizhou¡¯s face turned pale as paper.


    "You¡­"


    His pupils shrank in disbelief.


    He had assumed Ling Buyang¡¯s strength was on par with his own, and even if one emerged victorious, it would only be after exchanging hundreds of blows. Yet, in just a single strike, he was nearly overwhelmed!


    When had Ling Buyang be so terrifyingly strong?


    If his strength had always been this overwhelming, there would¡¯ve been no need for his elder brother to vie for the Vice Hall Master position.


    "Hmph!"


    Not giving Feng Yizhou any time to recover, Zhang Xuan stepped forward once more. This time, it wasn¡¯t a palm strike but a fist, bringing forth a deafening roar as it tore through the air. Each punch carried a staggering 500 horsepower, the force crushing and oppressive.


    Overwhelmed, Feng Yizhou retreated continuously, his expression now a mixture of fear and rage. "What exactly are you trying to do?"


    "To take a life for a life, and bring justice for Xiao Zhuo!" Zhang Xuan replied coldly, his fists unrelenting.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 35: Rising Rank

    Vol 2 Ch 35: Rising Rank


    Feng Yizhou sneered, "Justice? They''re just lowlymoners. Dead or alive, what justice do they deserve?"


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. "In my eyes, you''re worth far less than them."


    As they exchanged words, Zhang Xuan¡¯s relentless attacks forced Feng Yizhou into a desperate retreat, step by step. Unable to contain his frustration, Feng Yizhou finally blurted out, "How do you have such enduring power?"


    For most Dharma Aspect experts, exerting a strength of 500 oxen was a peak burst, a momentary surge in battle. Sustaining that level was near impossible; typical strikes would settle between 300 to 400 oxen.


    Yet Zhang Xuan¡¯s every punch carried the unwavering force of 500 oxen, as precise as if measured on scales. Such perfect control could only mean one thing: his true power vastly exceeded 500 oxen, allowing him to fine-tune his attacks with precision.


    "You¡¯ve reached the peak of the Ninth Level of the Source Pool Realm¡­ No wonder you dare act so recklessly." Feng Yizhou finally understood.


    "But this is my domain. You think killing me will be easy?"


    With his back nearly against the wall, Feng Yizhou¡¯s eyes glinted coldly. He reached into his robe and pulled out a token, tapping it lightly.Buzz!


    A low hum reverberated as ripples spread through the air. The once-stable Source Energy in the room churned violently, like water disturbed by a thrown stone.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "It¡¯s the Demon-ying Killing Array of Fuyuan Trading House!"


    "That array attacks indiscriminately, sparing no one without a matching token. We should¡¯ve left when we had the chance!"


    "Feng Yizhou¡¯s gone mad, activating an array that will kill us all!"


    Panic spread among the onlookers.


    The Demon-ying Killing Array was a formidable defense, brought from the Zouyi Dynasty and set up over 81 days. Even Ninth-Level Source Pool experts could barely escape its confines.


    Now, with the array fully activated, ck mist filled the hall, swallowing the light and plunging everything into darkness.


    "Ha! Elder Ling, you may be powerful, but dying with you will be an honor for these fools," Feng Yizhouughed maniacally, his face twisted in triumph.


    But then, a calm voice broke through the panic.


    "Relying on an array? Foolish."


    In the next moment, a radiant light burst forth. Zhang Xuan stepped forward, each step banishing the encroaching darkness. By his third step, the oppressive ck mist hadpletely dissipated, and sunlight once again poured into the hall.


    "How¡­ How is this possible? You wield the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate! How can you dispel an array?" Feng Yizhou stammered in disbelief.


    The Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate specialized in martial prowess, not array mastery. Yet Zhang Xuan had shattered the Demon-ying Killing Array effortlessly¡ªan aplishment even top array masters would struggle to replicate.


    "You don¡¯t need to know," Zhang Xuan replied coldly, stepping forward to deliver another punch.


    Crack!


    Feng Yizhou¡¯s arms shattered under the force, and he was sent flying, blood spraying mid-air. Before he could recover, Zhang Xuan¡¯s foot was already pressing down on his chest.


    "You¡­ you can¡¯t kill me! My brother won¡¯t let you live!" Feng Yizhou gasped, waving his hands desperately.


    "Did you spare Yu Fei? Did you spare Xiao Zhuo?" Zhang Xuan¡¯s voice was ice cold.


    With a final burst of force, Zhang Xuan¡¯s foot crushed Feng Yizhou¡¯s chest.


    Boom!


    Feng Yizhou¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as his heart exploded. Blood poured from his mouth, and his body went limp.


    "You¡­" His hand fell lifelessly to the floor, his eyes still filled with shock. He had never expected to die, let alone for the sake of mere "nobodies."


    "The master is dead?"


    "He really killed Feng Yizhou!"


    The crowd was frozen in disbelief. They had thought Zhang Xuan was merely bluffing, but he had truly in the master of Fuyuan Trading House, a renowned figure on the Hunting List.


    After a moment of silence, Zhang Xuan returned to Yu Fei and his family. He whispered softly, "I¡¯ve avenged you. Rest in peace."


    Turning to the stunned vendor, Zhang Xuan flicked two Source Coins into his hands. "Bury them properly. Whatever remains is yours. But if I hear of any mishap¡­ remember, killing you would be no harder than killing Feng Yizhou."


    The vendor trembled, clutching the coins. "Understood, sir. I¡¯ll ensure they receive a proper burial."


    With that, Zhang Xuan strode out of the trading house, leaving behind a scene of devastation. His task wasplete, and he had no intention of lingering.


    As for Feng Zhaoting¡¯s revenge? That was Ling Buyang¡¯s problem, not Zhang Xuan¡¯s. If they dared pursue him, he would deal with them in kind.


    ---


    In the underground ck market, Fu Yingying was leisurely applying makeup before a mirror. Her sultry features and crimson lips exuded a dangerous allure.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Her maid burst into the room, panic written across her face.


    "Miss, terrible news!"


    Fu Yingying frowned. "What¡¯s got you so flustered?"


    "Feng Yizhou¡­ He¡¯s dead!"


    "What?" Fu Yingying¡¯s hand froze midair. Her hairpins jingled softly as she stood abruptly. "How? Tell me everything."


    The maid ryed the details, her voice shaking. "Elder Ling went straight to Fuyuan Trading House after leaving here. He killed the steward, then a dozen enforcers. When Feng Yizhou showed up, Elder Ling slew him too¡ªin front of everyone."


    "It was him? He actually dared¡­" Fu Yingying¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She had believed Ling Buyang would only nce at the Hunting List, never imagining he would act so decisively.


    Suddenly, the Hunting List in the corner of the room began to glow.


    "It must be updating now that Feng Yizhou is confirmed dead," Fu Yingying murmured, taking the list in her hands.


    Sure enough, Feng Yizhou¡¯s name had disappeared. But what caught her eye next made her heart skip a beat.


    "Miss, look! Elder Ling¡¯s bounty has risen!" the maid eximed.


    Fu Yingying scanned the list.


    Rank 12: Ling Buyang ¡ª 59 million Source Coins.


    His bounty had skyrocketed by 30 million.


    "Someone increased the bounty significantly¡­ They¡¯re desperate to see him dead," Fu Yingying whispered.


    The higher the bounty, the greater the number of assassins and bounty hunters who woulde. Even someone like Ling Buyang would face endless trouble unless he could prove his strength matched the bounty.


    "Who would offer such a high price?" Fu Yingying pondered aloud, her expression thoughtful.


    The maid shuddered. "Whoever it is, Elder Ling¡¯s in grave danger now."


    But Fu Yingying smirked, her eyes gleaming. "If he truly is Ling Buyang, then yes, he¡¯s in trouble. But if he isn¡¯t¡­ then perhaps the danger lies elsewhere."


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 36: Lady Yu

    Vol 2 Ch 36: Lady Yu


    Half an hour earlier, Feng Zhaoting, who had been in seclusion, was jolted by the news. His breath faltered, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning ashen.


    "Yizhou¡­"


    His body trembled as he cried out.


    Orphaned from a young age, Feng Zhaoting had grown up relying on his younger brother. Their bond was unshakable. Despite Feng Yizhou''s many misdeeds, Feng Zhaoting had always covered for him, resolving problems quietly without a word ofint.


    He had hoped that once he secured the position of vice hall master, his brother would no longer face any threats. Never did he imagine that day would nevere¡ªFeng Yizhou was already dead.


    "Master Feng was trying to help you obtain the Red Leaf Grass when the conflict with Ling Buyang urred," reported an elderly messenger, bowing respectfully.


    "Ling Buyang¡­" Feng Zhaoting clenched his fists.


    Though they werepetitors for the vice hall master position, there was an unspoken rule: family was off-limits. Yet Ling Buyang had openly killed his brother, daring to strike him down in front of witnesses."Take out 30 million Source Coins and contact the All-Epassing Sect. Increase Ling Buyang¡¯s bounty," Feng Zhaoting ordered coldly.


    The old man hesitated, frowning. "Master, will you not handle this personally? Killing Master Feng publicly is a direct challenge to your authority."


    Feng Zhaoting shook his head. "I¡¯ve just acquired a Purple Bamboo Elixir that will aid my breakthrough. Once refined, I should reach the third level of the Dharma Aspect Realm. When that happens, my strength will be unparalleled, and the vice hall master position will naturally fall into my hands. Right now, confronting him head-oncks certainty."


    Though grief-stricken, he remained rational.


    If Ling Buyang dared to kill his brother in public, it meant he had something to rely on. Rushing into a confrontation could fall into his trap. Instead, he would raise the bounty, gauging the response of various factions. Their actions would reveal Ling Buyang¡¯s true strengths and weaknesses, allowing him to n ordingly.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "You are wise, Master," the elder acknowledged.


    "But just because I won¡¯t act now doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll let this go. Send Yunshan Hall to harass No Need Hall¡ªhit them hard. And prepare my horse. I¡¯m going to see the hall master."


    Feng Zhaoting intended to formally present the case to their superior. Depending on the hall master¡¯s reaction, he would decide whether to act directly or bide his time.


    ---


    Unaware of these developments, Zhang Xuan was engrossed in the Hunting List in his palm.


    Should I kill Ling Buyang right now and im the bounty?


    The thought was tempting¡ªnearly 60 million Source Coins were at stake.


    "When I imed the reward for Feng Yizhou, his name disappeared. Ling Buyang, however, is still listed, even though he¡¯s dead. That¡¯s because no one else has imed his death. The list updates in real-time, but it doesn¡¯t monitor life or death directly, nor does it track hidden figures."


    For example, though Zhang Xuan had killed Feng Yizhou, it was recorded under Ling Buyang¡¯s name, whom he impersonated.


    "Forget it. I¡¯ll keep using Ling Buyang¡¯s identity to kill more scum. The higher his bounty climbs, the better the payoff when I finally im it."


    Killing Feng Yizhou had already doubled Ling Buyang¡¯s bounty. With a few more kills, it could surpass 100 million. At that point, Zhang Xuan would present Ling Buyang¡¯s corpse to im it all. ?¦Á????§§?


    Killing to earn money, then earning more by being "killed"¡ªa two-way profit.


    Confirming his location, Zhang Xuan tucked the Hunting List into his New World, dismounted Dao Li, and patted its nk.


    "Head back for now."


    As the horse trotted away, Zhang Xuan focused and transformed his appearance into that of Lian Huo.


    The tragedy of Yu Fei and Xiao Zhuo was not just Feng Yizhou¡¯s doing; No Need Hall under Ling Buyang was also deeply involved. If its members were as unscrupulous as Lian Huo, Zhang Xuan wouldn¡¯t hesitate to wipe them out.


    Additionally, he still needed to learn about the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate.


    After walking for a while, argepound came into view. Though unmarked, two Body Tempering Realm cultivators stood guard at the entrance.


    Mimicking Lian Huo¡¯s gait and tone, Zhang Xuan approached confidently.


    "Who goes there?"


    The guards tensed but then froze in shock upon recognizing him.


    "Lian Huo? You¡¯re¡­ alive?"


    "Alive and kicking!" Zhang Xuan snapped impatiently. "I have urgent news for the hall master."


    The guard on the left sneered, "The hall master? Dream on. You know he neveres here. You¡¯ve been around long enough¡ªwhen have you ever seen him?"


    "I need to report something important," Zhang Xuan insisted.


    No wonder Lian Huo hadn¡¯t recognized him during their earlier encounter in White Roc City¡ªhe had rarely seen Ling Buyang himself.


    "Wait here. I¡¯ll inform Lady Yu," the guard relented.


    Lady Yu? Zhang Xuan¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Wasn¡¯t she the concubine who had sought him at Destiny Hall? He hadn¡¯t expected her to be running No Need Hall.


    After a short wait, the guard returned. "Lady Yu will see you."


    Following the guard, Zhang Xuan entered the sprawlingpound. He passed through a training ground where dozens of disciples practiced Mo Dao techniques, their des shimmering with faint soul-cleaving energy.


    Zhang Xuan took note. Though the energy was weak, the cumtive effect could be dangerous if many attacksnded.


    They reached a spacious hall where a woman sat with her back to the door, surrounded by a faintly glowing formation. Streams of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy flowed into her body, enhancing her cultivation.


    "Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy here? There must be Destiny Disks nearby," Zhang Xuan thought, intrigued.


    "Lady Yu, Lian Huo is here," the guard announced, bowing.


    "Leave us," she replied coolly.


    The guard departed, and Zhang Xuan prepared to search for the Destiny Disks when Lady Yu spoke again.


    "Lian Huo, do you know your crime?"


    "Your subordinate acknowledges his guilt," Zhang Xuan responded, bowing deeply.


    Lady Yu stood, revealing herself as the young and beautiful woman from Destiny Hall. Despite her delicate appearance, her cultivation had already reached the Seventh Level of the Source Pool Realm, Jade Bone.


    "Exin yourself. What happened with the Red Leaf Grass? Why has there been no word for days?" Her sharp gaze pinned him in ce.


    "It was Feng Yizhou!" Zhang Xuan quickly fabricated a story. "I was on the verge of securing the herb when his men intervened. All myrades were in. I barely escaped and only just recovered enough to report."


    "You im Feng Yizhou stole the Red Leaf Grass?"


    Lady Yu¡¯s eyes narrowed. Then, with a sudden burst of killing intent, sheshed out.


    Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t flinch as her palm stopped inches from his forehead, the force ruffling his hair.


    "Why didn¡¯t you dodge?" she asked coldly.


    "My life belongs to Lady Yu. If you wish to take it, so be it," Zhang Xuan replied calmly.


    Satisfied, Lady Yu withdrew her hand. "No need to pursue the Red Leaf Grass. Feng Yizhou is dead, killed by our hall master. Yunshan Hall will retaliate soon. Focus on your training to prepare for battle."


    "Understood." Zhang Xuan bowed and turned to leave when her voice halted him.


    "Wait. As promised, I¡¯ll demonstrate the Mo Dao techniques. Learn what you can."


    Lady Yu summoned a de with a flick of her wrist. Her demeanor transformed from a gentle beauty to a fierce warrior.


    With a single sh, her de radiated with Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, emitting a soul-cleaving force. The technique seemed capable of severing not just souls but also fate itself, potentially breaking cultivation barriers.


    As Zhang Xuan observed, he noted several Destiny Disks hidden in the room, their energies intensifying the de¡¯s aura.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 37: Exposed

    Vol 2 Ch 37: Exposed


    Momentster, the de stopped midair, and Lady Yu retracted her power. She tossed the Mo Dao toward Zhang Xuan.


    "Let¡¯s see how much you¡¯veprehended."


    "Yes, ma¡¯am." Zhang Xuan caught the weapon.


    It was clear she still didn¡¯t fully trust him. On the surface, this was a teaching session, but in reality, it was a test. Lian Huo would have had the proper qualifications to wield the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate. If Zhang Xuan failed to disy the same, his cover would be blown.


    "The moves are simple enough, but¡­ what exactly is this Heaven¡¯s Fate? How does it integrate with the technique?"


    Zhang Xuan realized that if he hesitated or failed the test, Lady Yu would immediately attack, and the entire No Need Hall would turn against him, ruining his mission. Yet, the connection between Heaven¡¯s Fate and martial techniques was beyond his current understanding.


    He knew the moves; they were straightforward. He could easily replicate and even refine them to be more fluid than Lady Yu¡¯s. But the keyy in the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy infused within the strikes¡ªhow it was summoned and harnessed was a mystery.


    This wasn¡¯t something that could be achieved by simply circting True Energy or Source Power.Heaven¡¯s Fate, either passed down through a legacy or self-realized, required profound insight. Even in Destiny Hall, while books described these professions, they didn¡¯t detail their cultivation methods.


    For a moment, Zhang Xuan found himself at a loss.


    "You haven¡¯t grasped anything?" Lady Yu¡¯s voice grew colder, her brows furrowing.


    "My aptitude iscking. Please grant me a bit more time," Zhang Xuan replied, stroking the Mo Dao in his hands.


    The residual Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy from Lady Yu¡¯s earlier demonstration still lingered on the weapon, as though it had been consecrated and tethered to the heavens.


    "w detection."


    With a softmand, a book materialized in his mind.


    "Qingyu Mo Dao, weapon of Lady Yu Qingyu from No Need Hall. Forged from Northern Mine Profound Iron, weighing 17 jin and 7 liang¡­"


    Zhang Xuan sighed internally. What¡¯s the use of this information?


    Then an idea struck him.


    "The Heaven¡¯s Path Nature technique includes a mimicking ability. Maybe I can replicate Lady Yu¡¯s mastery of the de and the sensation she evokes with her Heaven¡¯s Fate."


    He had sessfully used this mimicking ability in the past, even fooling Spirit Tribe experts by imitating bloodlines. Perhaps he could reproduce the technique¡¯s exact energy and movement, even if he didn¡¯t truly possess the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate. ????¨°B??


    Deciding to take the gamble, Zhang Xuan stopped hesitating. He flipped the Mo Dao in his hands, adjusted his grip, and steadied himself.


    Recalling Lady Yu¡¯s movements, Zhang Xuan began executing the de technique while activating Heaven¡¯s Path Nature¡¯s mimicking capability.


    In an instant, his movements synchronized perfectly with Lady Yu¡¯s previous demonstration. As he swung the de, wisps of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy responded, drawn by an unseen force.


    His vision briefly flickered. A radiant river appeared overhead, flowing in midair, brimming with boundless streams of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy.


    Before Zhang Xuan could fullyprehend it, the vision vanished like a fleeting dream.


    "You¡¯ve managed to grasp so much already?" Lady Yu¡¯s voice broke his concentration, her tone filled with astonishment.


    Zhang Xuan nced at the Mo Dao in his hand. Threads of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy coiled around it, exuding an aura of fate-cutting power.


    "Did¡­ I seed?" Zhang Xuan¡¯s heart leaped in excitement.


    Heaven¡¯s Path Nature had worked wlessly, mimicking even the intricacies of the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate.


    "So this is the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate? The sense of destiny flowing in alignment¡­ It even seems to elerate cultivation breakthroughs."


    This revtion deepened his appreciation for the Heaven¡¯s Fate professions. Even someone with average talent could rapidly advance under the guidance of Heaven¡¯s Fate.


    Just then, a roar erupted from the Heaven¡¯s Path Library. The numerous books containing Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy ignited and merged into a bright, flowing river.


    The river, resembling a Mo Dao, hung suspended within the library, seemingly connecting the intangible void to the library itself.


    At the same time, the Destiny Disks Zhang Xuan had recently purchased shattered and integrated into the ethereal flow.


    Watching his hard-earned Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy vanish into the mysterious current, Zhang Xuan¡¯s heart bled. Yet, the river still appeared starved, flickering weakly as though on the verge of extinguishing.


    "Still not enough?"


    Despite umting over 50,000 units of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, it was insufficient. This formation consumed far more than even his highest-level techniques or w detections.


    What exactly is this thing? Why does it demand so much?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "¡®Heaven¡¯s Fate Embodiment¡¯... This is the Heaven¡¯s Fate Embodiment stage. I haven¡¯t even reached this level¡ªhow could you? This¡­ this is impossible!"


    Lady Yu¡¯s exmation pulled Zhang Xuan from his thoughts. She stared at the Mo Dao in his hands, her expression a mix of disbelief and fear.


    "Heaven¡¯s Fate Embodiment?" Zhang Xuan muttered, looking down at the Mo Dao. The Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy coiled around the de emitted a faint luminescence.


    "You didn¡¯t know?" Lady Yu seemed taken aback. "Of course, you wouldn¡¯t. You¡¯re not a Destiny Master."


    Collecting herself, she exined, "Heaven¡¯s Fate represents a cultivation path. Surely you knew that much?"


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Even if he hadn¡¯t known before, his recent mimicry and observations had rified the concept. Those aligned with the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate could enhance their cultivation, sharpening their skills and breaking through faster.


    Lady Yu continued, "Heaven¡¯s Fate cultivation isn¡¯t simple. There are two main paths. The first is through the Baptism of Destiny, finding a fate aligned with oneself and bing a Destiny Master. This is the most sought-after but requires extraordinary talent."


    Zhang Xuan recalled Yu Longqing mentioning this. Sess in this path elevated one above the masses.


    "The second path is for those with talent insufficient to be Destiny Masters. They can still gain partial recognition from a Destiny Master, granting them ess to a portion of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. This is how professions like Fate Guardians or disciples of halls like No Need Hall operate. While the improvements are modest, they offer crucial support when breakthroughs are within reach."


    Lady Yu¡¯s tone grew more serious. "However, those who reach the Heaven¡¯s Fate Embodiment stage are extraordinary. Even without bing full-fledged Destiny Masters, they¡¯re considered prime candidates. And you¡¯ve achieved it. This means¡­ you possess the potential to be a true Destiny Master."


    Zhang Xuan processed her words, then asked, "But I¡¯ve heard that each Heaven¡¯s Fate is unique. How can multiple people cultivate the same fate?"


    Lady Yu gave him a piercing look before replying, "Each Heaven¡¯s Fate is indeed unique, but that applies only at the highest levels, far beyond what we can ess¡ªlevels even Lord Ling hasn¡¯t reached. For now, those cultivating under the same fate are like soldiers under a king. The throne may be singr, butmon soldiers aren¡¯tpeting for it."


    Zhang Xuan finally understood.


    In simpler terms, Heaven¡¯s Fate was akin to a sect. A novice disciple had no reason to vie for the sect leader¡¯s position.


    His thoughts were interrupted as Lady Yu¡¯s expression darkened, her eyes narrowing.


    "You¡¯re not Lian Huo. Who are you? Why have youe to No Need Hall?"


    Zhang Xuan froze, his brows knitting tightly.


    Exposed.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 38: The Power of Heaven’s Fate

    Vol 2 Ch 38: The Power of Heaven¡¯s Fate


    Zhang Xuan replied calmly, "Why does Lady Yu suspect me? If I¡¯m not Lian Huo, who could I be? Or perhaps you sent more than one person to retrieve the Red Leaf Grass?"


    Yu Qingyu sneered, "Lian Huo was personally nurtured by me. I know his talent and nature. Most importantly, he¡¯s followed me for years and understands the rules. He would never ask such questions."


    Her voice grew cold. "You must be from Yunshan Hall. The Thousand Threads Heaven¡¯s Fate truly lives up to its reputation."


    Before Zhang Xuan could respond, Yu Qingyuunched an attack. Her hand darted out in a swift chop, but it was a feint. As Zhang Xuan sidestepped slightly, she seized the opportunity to snatch the Mo Dao from his grasp.


    With a flick of her wrist, the de swept out in a river of light, enveloping Zhang Xuan entirely.


    Though her strike was sharp, Zhang Xuan quickly realized it wasn¡¯t meant to kill him. He raised his eyebrows but didn¡¯t counterattack, instead observing her closely.


    The de light rippled around him like a flowing curtain, leaving not even a scratch.


    "Strange¡­"Yu Qingyu¡¯s de stopped mid-swing as she scrutinized the burly figure before her. The man seemed unaffected, exactly as before.


    "My strike should have severed the Thousand Threads Heaven¡¯s Fate. If you were under its control, you¡¯d have snapped out of it by now. How can there be no change?"


    "Control?" Zhang Xuan chuckled. "Lady Yu worries too much. How could I be under anyone¡¯s control?"


    Yu Qingyu frowned. "The hall master once warned me about Feng Zhaoting¡¯s Thousand Threads Heaven¡¯s Fate. It uses soul threads to control others¡¯ spirits. Anyone weaker than him would be manipted, their actions no longer their own. You seemed suspicious, so I thought you might¡¯ve fallen under his influence."


    She adjusted her hair and fixed Zhang Xuan with a cold gaze. "But whether controlled or not, anyone more talented than me cannot be allowed to live."


    "Talented people must die? What logic is that?" Zhang Xuan¡¯s tone wasced with disbelief.


    Yu Qingyu snorted. "If you surpass me, the hall master will favor you more, granting you greater rewards of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. Since its supply is limited, your gain would be my loss. If you¡¯re weaker, you shouldn¡¯t unt your talent."


    Her words barely settled when she raised the Mo Dao again. This time, her strike aimed directly at Zhang Xuan¡¯s throat¡ªa killing move with no hesitation.


    Seeing her ruthless determination, Zhang Xuan sighed. "I was hoping to spare your life¡­"


    He had initially nned to investigate No Need Hall discreetly. But now, it was clear there was no need for subtlety. Yu Qingyu¡¯s ruthless nature justified her death many times over.


    With two fingers, Zhang Xuan lightly pinched the oing de.


    ng!


    The dazzling Mo Dao dimmed instantly, its ferocity snuffed out like a snake caught by the neck. No matter how Yu Qingyu twisted and pulled, the de wouldn¡¯t budge.


    Her face turned pale.


    "You¡­ How are you so strong? You¡¯re not Lian Huo. You¡¯re not controlled by the Thousand Threads Heaven¡¯s Fate either. You¡¯re in disguise!"


    She finally grasped the truth. Only someone of immense power could suppress her so easily.


    "You¡¯ve realized toote," Zhang Xuan said calmly.


    With a flick of his fingers, Yu Qingyu was hurled backward, mming into the wall. Blood dripped from her mouth as she coughed violently.


    Fear filled her eyes as she gasped, "Please¡­ don¡¯t kill me! I¡¯ll do anything you want."


    Her clothes slipped off her shoulders, revealing her undergarments. Her shapely figure was exposed, her smooth skin gleaming like jade. She leaned seductively toward Zhang Xuan, her voice soft and alluring.


    Zhang Xuan chuckled. "Aren¡¯t you worried about Elder Ling¡¯s jealousy?"


    "Jealous? What right does he have to be jealous?" Yu Qingyu sneered. "He married me, yet we¡¯ve never consummated. He even offered me as a bargaining chip for support in his bid for vice hall master. Since he never treated me as a wife, why should I remain loyal?"


    "Fair point." Zhang Xuan nodded, suppressing augh. It¡¯d be more surprising if Ling Buyang had touched you.


    Yu Qingyu¡¯s gaze turned sultry. "Come on then¡­ I¡¯ll do anything you want."


    "Anything?" Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes gleamed with mock excitement.


    The oppressive force pinning her down vanished. He beckoned, and the Mo Dao flew back into her hand.


    "If you¡¯re so capable, show me everything you¡¯ve learned about the Mo Dao."


    "???" Yu Qingyu froze in disbelief.


    She had meant anything in a different context. Clearly, Zhang Xuan wasn¡¯t interested in her advances. Not wanting to provoke him further, she reluctantly began demonstrating her de techniques.


    Swish!


    Wearing only light clothing, her movements disyed an unexpected elegance. As she swung the Mo Dao, Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy gathered around the de, illuminating the room faintly.


    Zhang Xuan watched intently, noting that her techniques were more refined than earlier.


    The de not only inflicted physical and soul damage but also seemed capable of piercing destiny itself, instilling a sense of fatalism.


    "So, this is the power of Heaven¡¯s Fate¡­"


    Zhang Xuan understood.


    Like martial arts, but fundamentally different. Heaven¡¯s Fate techniques manipted the underlying threads of destiny, influencing both the practitioner and their foes.


    Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted.


    Four de lights surged toward him from the shadows, targeting his vital points. Simultaneously, the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy in the room roared to life, intensifying the oppressive atmosphere.


    Zhang Xuan felt his thoughts twist, a fatalistic whisper taking hold: Why resist? Dying here doesn¡¯t seem so bad¡­


    The insidious influence of Heaven¡¯s Fate was far more dangerous than he anticipated.


    "Impressive."


    Yu Qingyu smirked. "Did you think I was just a pretty face? I¡¯ve been preparing for this moment since the hall master killed Feng Yizhou. You¡¯ll die here, just as nned!"


    The four figures controlling the de lights were No Need Hall¡¯s top enforcers, each at the Sixth Level of the Source Pool Realm, Organs Easing. Even a Dharma Aspect Realm expert would struggle against such an ambush.


    "Die!"


    Yu Qingyu¡¯s Mo Dao surged forward, wrapped in hundreds of streams of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. Victory seemed certain.


    But just as she anticipated the kill, Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. In an instant, the room¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy vanished as if devoured.


    ng! ng! ng! ng!


    The four de lights shattered, their wielders copsing mid-air, vomiting blood as they hit the ground. Theyy twitching, lifeless.


    "How¡­?"


    Yu Qingyu¡¯s pupils contracted in terror.


    Despite her carefullyid ns, Zhang Xuan had effortlessly absorbed the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, destroyed her enforcers, and shattered her defense.


    "Are you¡­ Feng Zhaoting?" she stammered, clinging to the only exnation that made sense.


    Zhang Xuan smirked. "Guess again."


    With a casual punch, Yu Qingyu was sent flying once more. Blood gushed from her mouth as she mmed into the wall, pinned by an invisible force.


    "Help! Someone¡ª"


    Her scream was cut short as Zhang Xuan¡¯s hand closed around her throat, lifting her effortlessly.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I didn¡¯t want to kill you," Zhang Xuan murmured.


    "But since you insist¡­"


    Yu Qingyu chuckled darkly, her tone unhinged. "Kill me if you want. It won¡¯t matter. I was always just another pawn."


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 39: A Plaything

    Vol 2 Ch 39: A ything


    Zhang Xuan frowned. "A ything?"


    "That''s right! I was just an ordinary girl from a humble family. When I was eight, my mother took me out shopping, and Ling Buyang spotted me. He offered 500 source coins to buy me."


    "My mother refused, swearing she wouldn''t give me up. Hisckeys killed her on the spot. Worse, to sever my tiespletely, they forced our family''s location out of her and wiped out my entire household!"


    "From that day on, I understood that my only path to survival was obedience. So I became the most docile and obedient servant they could ask for."


    "When I turned fourteen, I had matured and stood out among the other girls. Ling Buyang summoned me to his room. I thought I was finally going to be his woman. But instead, he tied me up¡ªcandles, whips, humiliating me in every way possible¡ªyet he never consummated the rtionship."


    "It continued like this, time and time again. From my initial despair and rage, I grew numb. I realized that in his eyes, I was nothing but a worthless ything!"


    "So I trained hard, enduring the humiliation, helping him recruit more girls to satisfy his twisted desires. Finally,st year, he formally married me as his concubine. But even then, I was never treated with dignity. His perverse torment never stopped..."


    Herughter grew hollow. "Go ahead, kill me... It doesn''t matter whose toy I am. There''s no reason for me to keep living!"Zhang Xuan sighed, his expression solemn. He raised his hand and tapped her lightly. A surge of power entered her mind, bringing all her memories into his view.


    After reviewing everything, Zhang Xuan gently brushed his hand across her forehead. Her eyes widened in disbelief, a line of blood trickling from her lips as her body fell lifeless to the ground.


    A tragic past did not excuse her bing a perpetrator of such evil. She had aided Ling Buyang in his crimes, allowing darkness to flourish under her watch.


    With a flick of his hand, Zhang Xuan collected the source tokens from her belongings¡ªaround one hundred thousand in total. He searched the room, locating four used destiny disks, and stored them in his personal realm.


    Though these disks were nearly depleted, yielding less than ten thousand destiny force strandsbined, any contribution was better than none.


    Returning to her memories, Zhang Xuan''s expression darkened further.


    The atrocitiesmitted under the Not Necessary Hall''s name were beyond heinous. Recruiting beautiful women for Ling Buyang''s debauchery, murdering countless cultivators¡ªhuman lives were no more than weeds to them. In these years alone, the Hall had imed thousands of lives.


    Despite their crimes, they had evaded justice, protected by Ling Buyang''s status as Hall Master.


    "Destinies, like faiths, grow through expansion. The more practitioners, the broader and stronger a destiny bes, enabling its founder to achieve even greater power," Zhang Xuan muttered as he pieced together the Hall''s true purpose.


    He strode out of the room, only to find a group of Hall members gathered in the courtyard.


    "Len Huo, what happened? We heard Madam Yu calling out earlier..."


    The guards were confused until they caught a glimpse of the scene within. Their faces turned pale.


    "Something¡¯s wrong! Madam Yu... she''s dead! It''s him! Intruder!"


    The courtyard erupted into chaos. Swords and des of the Hall''s renowned Soul Severance technique crisscrossed, forming an inescapable.


    Zhang Xuan stepped forward, his face calm, his soul force radiating outward to shield against the strikes. With a wave of his hand, the formidable Dragon w technique summoned spiritual dragons that swept through the courtyard.


    In a matter of moments, the courtyard was silent again, littered with lifeless bodies.


    Satisfied, Zhang Xuan searched the fallen members, retrieving another set of source tokens worth several hundred thousand. He then pushed open the doors of another room.


    Inside, a group of young girls sat huddled, their ankles bound in chains. They flinched at his arrival, eyes wide with fear.


    "You... Who are you?" A girl stepped back, her voice trembling. "Men aren''t allowed here. If Madam Yu finds out, you''ll be killed. Please leave!"


    "Yes, leave quickly!" another pleaded. "Last time, someone sneaked in, and they were killed on the spot."


    "Madam Yu is dead," Zhang Xuan said quietly.


    The girls froze, disbelief in their eyes. "Dead? She was so powerful... How could she die?"


    "Did you... kill her?"


    "Yes," Zhang Xuan replied.


    With a flick of his finger, sword energy danced across the room, slicing through the chains binding their ankles.


    "You¡¯re free now. Go home," he said.


    The girls hesitated, but when they stepped outside and saw the bodies of their captors, their eyes filled with tears. Their freedom hade so suddenly.


    "Let''s go!"


    They fled, seizing the chance to escape.


    Zhang Xuan watched them leave, then turned and searched the Hall''s storerooms. He found piles of medicinal herbs, treasures, and cultivation manuals, which he promptly stored in his realm.


    Once finished, he leapt onto the roof and disappeared into the night.


    Minutes after his departure, a squad of ck-d cultivators arrived at the Hall''s gates.


    "No guards?" their leader muttered, frowning.


    The group quietly entered, but what they found inside left them stunned: corpses strewn everywhere, not a single soul left alive.


    "How... What happened here?"


    "Everyone¡¯s dead?"


    "Did the Hall Master send another team?"


    The leader examined the bodies closely. "These men were in in a single strike. Whoever did this is at least a Divine Soul cultivator. Return and report immediately!"


    Without hesitation, the ck-d squad retreated, carrying the grim news back to their superiors.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Xuan made his way back to Destiny Hall. Armed with Madam Yu¡¯s memories, he felt confident in maintaining his disguise as Ling Buyang.


    Entering the hall, he was immediately greeted by the apprentice Xie Feng, who appeared visibly relieved.


    "Senior Elder, you''re finally here! The Hall Master has been looking for you."


    "The Hall Master?" Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow.


    "Yes!" Xie Feng nodded.


    Zhang Xuan handed him a source token and asked, "Do you know why?"


    Pocketing the token, Xie Feng replied cautiously, "Feng Zhaoting was here earlier. I¡¯m not sure of the specifics, but it seems urgent."


    "Feng Zhaoting?" Zhang Xuan mused.


    It seemed word of his brother¡¯s death had reached him quickly.


    "Lead the way," Zhang Xuan said.


    Xie Feng nodded and hesitated before adding, "It¡¯s rare to see the Hall Master this anxious. Five teams have been sent out already. Could it be... they''ve decided on the Deputy Hall Master?"


    Zhang Xuan chuckled. "Not quite. It probably has something to do with me killing Feng Yizhou."


    Xie Feng froze. "You... killed Feng Yizhou? The Hall Master''s brother? The Fuyuan Trading Company owner?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    His face turned ashen, disbelief written across his features.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 40: A Heated Dispute

    Vol 2 Ch 40: A Heated Dispute


    Feng Zhaoting''s infamous indulgence in his younger brother was no secret in Destiny Hall. Not only was his overprotectiveness well-known, but even uttering a single insult against Feng Yizhou could result in the annihtion of an entire n. Killing him outright? Unthinkable.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The gravity of the situation made Xie Feng break out in a cold sweat. His voice trembled as he managed a stiff smile. "Elder Ling, you must be joking¡­"


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. "No need to be so tense. This has nothing to do with you. Just lead the way."


    Seeing Zhang Xuan''sposed yet stern demeanor, Xie Feng realized the matter had escted beyond his pay grade. Without another word, he led the way forward, his thoughts racing.


    The contest for vice hall master was one thing, a mere political rivalry. But to outright kill Feng Yizhou? That was a deration of enmity, a feud that could not be resolved peacefully. This incident was bound to throw Destiny Hall into chaos.


    Following Xie Feng, Zhang Xuan remained calm, even rubbing his face to rx his features. Meanwhile, in the hall master''s chamber, Feng Zhaoting''s fists were clenched tight, his gaze locked in an unwavering stare.


    "Hall Master, that was my brother¡ªmy flesh and blood! And now, he¡¯s been ughtered by Ling Buyang. I demand justice! If not, I will settle this in blood!"


    Han Xiao frowned deeply. "Feng Elder, calm yourself. This might be a misunderstanding. Let¡¯s hear from Ling Buyang before we make any decisions.""Misunderstanding?" Feng Zhaoting scoffed angrily. "My brother¡¯s corpse lies cold, and thousands bore witness to his public execution. What misunderstanding could there be?"


    At that moment, Xie Feng entered, bowing respectfully. "Hall Master, Elder Ling has arrived."


    "Let him in," Han Xiao instructed.


    The doors opened, and to everyone''s surprise, Zhang Xuan strode in, his face streaked with tears, his expression grief-stricken.


    "Hall Master! You must seek justice for me!" he wailed, his voice choked with emotion.


    "???"


    Both Han Xiao and Xie Feng were stunned, while Feng Zhaoting¡¯s fury froze mid-breath.


    What was going on?


    "Ling Buyang, you finally dare to show your face!" Feng Zhaoting growled, his eyes burning with rage.


    "You!" Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes sharpened instantly. "I¡¯ll kill you!"


    Without hesitation, he raised his hand, a de of energy slicing through the air toward Feng Zhaoting.


    Caught off guard, Feng Zhaoting raised his hands to block.


    Boom!


    The collision sent a shockwave through the chamber. Though Feng Zhaoting managed to stand his ground, he was forced back several steps, his expression darkening as he felt the residual tremors in his chest. ?


    "You¡­" Feng Zhaoting¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. "Your strength¡­"


    How had Ling Buyang¡¯s power increased so dramatically? He had not only survived the attack but also momentarily gained the upper hand.


    Before Feng Zhaoting could fully process what was happening, Zhang Xuanunched another offensive, his left hand forming a de while his right became a hammering fist.


    "Enough!"


    Han Xiao¡¯s voice boomed through the chamber, an invisible force dissolving the shing energies instantly. Zhang Xuan and Feng Zhaoting were both immobilized, their movements locked.


    "Hall Master!" Zhang Xuan turned, tears streaming again. "You mustn''t shelter this murderer!"


    "Murderer?" Feng Zhaoting was bbergasted. "You¡¯re calling me a murderer?"


    Han Xiao¡¯s frown deepened. "Exin yourself, Ling Buyang."


    Zhang Xuan nodded, his voice shaking with indignation. "Hall Master, Feng Zhaoting sent his men to my Not Necessary Hall, ughtering everyone! My disciples, my legacy, all wiped out. This feud cannot be ignored!"


    "Not Necessary Hall¡­ destroyed?"


    The revtion sent shockwaves through the room.


    Han Xiao¡¯s gaze hardened. "Feng Elder, is this true?"


    "I¡ªI don¡¯t know!" Feng Zhaoting stammered.


    "I¡¯ll investigate immediately!" Han Xiao ordered. He turned to Xie Feng. "Go to Not Necessary Hall and report back."


    "Yes, Hall Master!" Xie Feng quickly departed.


    After some time, Xie Feng returned, his face pale. "Hall Master, Not Necessary Hall has indeed been wiped out. Madam Yu Qingyu has been found dead, along with dozens of disciples. Witnesses im they saw ck-d figures entering the hall. The trail leads back to Yunshan Hall."


    Han Xiao¡¯s face darkened. "Feng Elder?"


    "This¡­ This must be a mistake!" Feng Zhaoting protested.


    "Hall Master!" Zhang Xuan interjected. "This cannot go unpunished. I demand a life-and-death duel!"


    "Enough!" Han Xiao raised his hand, silencing the room. He turned to Feng Zhaoting. "Elder Feng, didn¡¯t you recently acquire a Violet Bamboo Spirit Pill to aid your breakthrough?"


    "Hall Master¡­" Feng Zhaoting¡¯s heart sank.


    "Split it in half and give the other half to Elder Ling aspensation. Then we¡¯ll discuss reparations."


    Gritting his teeth, Feng Zhaoting reluctantlyplied. He produced a jade bottle, split the pill, and handed half to Zhang Xuan.


    "Half a pill for so many lives?" Zhang Xuan sneered. "You think that¡¯s enough?"


    Before Feng Zhaoting could respond, Zhang Xuan snatched the pill fragment and pocketed it.


    "You dare!" Feng Zhaoting¡¯s fury erupted, his palm striking out.


    Zhang Xuan met the attack head-on. Their sh shook the chamber, but Feng Zhaoting''s superior strength sent Zhang Xuan stumbling back, a trickle of blood staining his lips.


    Han Xiao intervened once more, his voicemanding. "Enough. This matter is settled for now. Elder Ling, take this."


    He handed Zhang Xuan another jade bottle. "A Warm Spirit Pill. It¡¯ll help fortify your soul."


    "Thank you, Hall Master," Zhang Xuan said, epting the bottle while hiding his growing curiosity about Han Xiao''s impartiality.


    As Han Xiao dismissed them, Zhang Xuan¡¯s mind raced. The power dynamics in Destiny Hall were moreplex than he had imagined.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 41: Desperate

    Vol 2 Ch 41: Desperate


    These powers, much like the insights gained from the Mo Dao (Machete Sect), were imbued with destiny. They circled around Han Xiao, enhancing his cultivation, which was already at the peak of the Dharma Aspect Realm, making him even stronger. The cultivation barrier seemed ready to break at any moment.


    If the cultivation barriers for Source Warriors were likened to stone gates, then these Heaven¡¯s Fate Energies were akin to hammers pounding against them. Though weak individually, their umtion over time and quantity could eventually pierce through the barriers, achieving an unexpected power.


    ¡°Giving me pills, which increase his strength? What kind of cultivation method is this?¡±


    Zhang Xuan blinked in surprise.


    It was evident that Han Xiao¡¯s eagerness to provide soul-enhancing pills wasn¡¯t due to their good rtionship. Instead, it was clearly because doing so benefited Han Xiao himself.


    With a thought, Zhang Xuan absorbed one wisp of the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. As it entered the Library of Heaven''s Path, it transformed into a radiant book. Compared to the previous Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy he had absorbed, this one felt entirely identical, though it carried a sense of bnce and neutrality.


    ¡°Could it be¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan recalled the library''s record on Han Xiao:Han Xiao, Hall Master of the Tianming Hall in Hanyuan City, peak of the third level of the Dharma Aspect Realm, cultivates the Bnce Fate¡­


    ¡°Mo Dao Fate refers to treating the Mo Dao and rted martial techniques as one¡¯s lifeblood. Once a corresponding cultivation technique is created or the martial techniques are mastered to an extraordinary level, it can attract Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy to aid in breakthroughs.¡±


    ¡°Thousand Threads Fate, as per Yu Qingyu¡¯s memories, allows a cultivator to control others via threads. The more people controlled, the stronger one¡¯s power bes, simrly drawing more Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy to bolster strength.¡±


    ¡°Bnce Fate¡­ it seems the so-called bnce means that one must ensure absolute fairness in all things¡­¡±


    Dreamflower Fate, which increases cultivation with every act of rape in dreams!


    Betrayal Fate, where strength grows with each betrayal.


    Godfather Fate, which enhances cultivation after kneeling and gaining recognition from one¡¯s ¡®godfather.¡¯


    If these work like this, other Fate methods must follow simr rules.


    Han Xiao¡¯s Bnce Fate requires him to bnce everything around him. This exins why he made Ling Buyang prepare so extensively and appeased Feng Zhaoting, ensuring the two were evenly matched despite their disparity¡­ The moment one gains an advantage, Han Xiao immediately aids the other, guaranteeing neutrality!


    Interesting!


    No wonder Han Xiao hurried to inquire about things after Zhang Xuan returned from White Roc City. He feared Feng Zhaoting gaining too much of an advantage. At the time, Zhang Xuan thought Han Xiao seemed quite kind, but it turned out to be for self-serving reasons.


    Such a Fate couldn¡¯t be widely utilized. This Hall Master¡¯s cultivation of Bnce Fate was deeply concealed, unknown to outsiders. Without the Library of Heaven''s Path, Zhang Xuan wouldn¡¯t have guessed that receiving aid from Han Xiao could also further Han Xiao¡¯s cultivation. Instead, he might have been sincerely grateful for Han Xiao¡¯s actions.


    ¡°Hidden Fate abilities, secretly absorbing Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy¡­ Anyone else wouldn¡¯t even dream of such a method. But with the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path and my Eye of Insight, I can not only discern the truth but also witness the absorption process directly¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan marveled.


    Open practitioners like Ling Buyang and Feng Zhaoting, who openly recruited disciples and promoted their Fate methods, might grow in influence. But their Fates, being public, were less of a threat. It¡¯s the secretive ones like Han Xiao who were the most dangerous.


    Otherwise, that Dreamflower Fate practitioner wouldn¡¯t have ended up with such a high bounty.


    ¡°Wait, if I linger nearby while he absorbs Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, can I siphon some off without him noticing?¡±


    A bold idea took root.


    He was in desperate need of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, and purchasing it was prohibitively expensive. Since Han Xiao relied on bncing himself with Feng Zhaoting to gain an advantage, Zhang Xuan might as well siphon off some energy¡­


    Just a little bit. If discovered, he¡¯d return it!


    With this in mind, Zhang Xuan focused his spirit, activating the Eye of Insight to observe Han Xiao closely.


    Finally, he saw it: as Han Xiao employed his ¡°Bnce Path,¡± a faint bnce scale-like air current appeared in the void, emitting Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. Due to the minor scope of bncing, only a few thousand wisps were present.


    But even a mosquito¡¯s meat is meat!


    Extending his spiritual sense, Zhang Xuan quietly drew these energies into the Library of Heaven''s Path, where they transformed into books.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    After Zhang Xuan had absorbed all the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, Han Xiao seemed unaware. Instead, he simply wondered why the power that usually enhanced his cultivation suddenly vanished.


    ¡°Could it be¡­ that even with this pill, bnce hasn¡¯t been achieved?¡±


    Han Xiao spected, ¡°Makes sense. When the two shed earlier, Ling Buyang was clearly at a disadvantage. His own weakness, coupled with No Need Hall¡¯s destruction, must have widened the gap further¡­¡±


    Rubbing his temples, Han Xiao looked troubled.


    For his cultivation to progress, he had to bnce all surrounding forces. With No Need Hall annihted and Ling Buyanggging behind, if he didn¡¯t rectify things quickly, not only would he fail to advance, but he might also face bacsh!


    That¡¯s the nature of Fate. While it offers innate benefits, it also brings inherent risks.


    ¡°Looks like he hasn¡¯t noticed¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan kept an eye on Han Xiao¡¯s expressions as he siphoned the energy. Seeing no visible suspicion, he breathed a sigh of relief. Holding the Warm Spirit Pill in his palm, he put on a conflicted look.


    ¡°Hall Master, you must know that with my current strength, relying on this one pill alone won¡¯t allow me to break through. Now that No Need Hall has been destroyed,peting for the position of Vice Hall Master is nothing but a pipe dream. I¡¯d like to request your permission to withdraw¡­¡±


    ¡°Withdraw? That¡¯s out of the question!¡±


    Han Xiao waved his hand decisively.


    From Han Xiao¡¯s reaction, Zhang Xuan knew his guess had been correct. Still, he feigned confusion and asked, ¡°Why not?¡±


    Han Xiao exined, ¡°Yourpetition with Elder Feng for the Vice Hall Master position has already be the talk of the town. If you withdraw now, not only will the deaths of your subordinates from No Need Hall be in vain, but you yourself could face suppression. Returning to the Zouyi Dynasty would be almost impossible!¡±


    ¡°Then what should I do now?¡±


    Zhang Xuan sighed deeply. ¡°With my current strength, still in the Wandering Realm, I¡¯m far from the peak of the Dharma Aspect Realm. If only I had ess to suitable cultivation techniques for that realm¡­ perhaps I couldprehend something and gain an insight!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about Dharma Aspect Realm cultivation techniques. I can help find some for you¡­¡±


    Han Xiao immediately offered.


    He wasn¡¯t afraid of Zhang Xuan making demands; he was afraid of him not making any.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble the Hall Master!¡± Zhang Xuan replied, then added, ¡°Even with techniques, breakthroughs require resources. No Need Hall is gone, and I¡¯m broke¡­¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Han Xiao hesitated before reluctantly taking out a stack of Source Coins, handing them over. ¡°Here, a few million coins. Use them for now¡­ Remember, I have high hopes for you to be the Vice Hall Master. Don¡¯t disappoint me!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Hall Master. You¡¯re too kind¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan feigned gratitude, but inwardly, he was filled with intrigue about Fate Masters.


    These Fate Masters with concealed abilities were enigmatic to outsiders. But with the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path, Zhang Xuan could uncover their secrets and even exploit their strengths. For instance, he could lure someone cultivating Betrayal Fate into betrayal, or let himself appear controlled by someone practicing Thousand Threads Fate, thereby absorbing more Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy.


    Han Xiao, seeing Zhang Xuan no longer moring to withdraw, finally felt relieved. Yet as he extended his spiritual senses to absorb Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy again, his brow furrowed in confusion.


    Something felt off. Despite providing Zhang Xuan with so many resources, the bnce between him and Feng Zhaoting hadn¡¯t been restored. Could Feng Zhaoting have grown even stronger during this short time?


    Meanwhile, Feng Zhaoting had returned to his quarters. His face darkened as he stared at the person kneeling before him.


    ¡°What happened with No Need Hall? I only asked you to teach them a lesson¡ªwhy was it annihtedpletely?¡±


    Destroying someone¡¯s establishment was a serious matter in any sect, a grudge that wouldn¡¯t end until one party was eradicated.


    ¡°Reporting to the Hall Master, we didn¡¯t do it. When we arrived, the people were already dead¡­¡±


    The kneeling figure exined urgently. It was the ck-d leader who had led the group to No Need Hall.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t do it? Then who did?¡±


    Feng Zhaoting was stunned.


    He didn¡¯t doubt the subordinate¡¯s words. This person had served him loyally for many years without making any mistakes. Otherwise, such a sensitive task wouldn¡¯t have been entrusted to him.


    The ck-d leader responded, ¡°I also found it strange, so I discreetly investigated and uncovered something interesting.¡±


    ¡°Tell me,¡± Feng Zhaoting said.


    ¡°Elder Feng, the excuse Ling Buyang gave for attacking No Need Hall was avenging someone named Yu Fei. In the chaos, Yu Fei¡¯s body was taken away. Later, I tracked it down and found that someone had given him a proper burial. After exhuming the corpse and interrogating the one responsible, I learned he was acting on behalf of another person. That person mentioned heading to No Need Hall before it was destroyed¡­¡±


    The ck-d leader¡¯s preparation satisfied Feng Zhaoting. ¡°You suspect this person is the culprit?¡±


    ¡°Precisely,¡± the subordinate affirmed.


    ¡°When Yu Fei died, this person was on-site¡­ arranging for the body to be buried. Could it be¡­¡±


    Feng Zhaoting suddenly paused, as if struck by realization.


    The ck-d leader added, ¡°This person is none other than Ling Buyang¡ªElder Ling himself!¡±


    ¡°Ling Buyang killed all his subordinates to frame me?¡±


    Feng Zhaoting couldn¡¯t believe it at first, but after considering it, the scenario seemed usible. If true, it was an act of utter madness!


    Destroying a sect¡¯s stronghold was unforgivable in any tradition. If Ling Buyang aimed to ruin him, this was an effective way to ensure no room for reconciliation.


    ¡°If he wants to kill me¡­ then I¡¯ll strike first!¡±


    Feng Zhaoting¡¯s eyes gleamed coldly.


    Given their earlier exchange, he had already deduced that Ling Buyang¡¯s strength was inferior to his. With an opportunity to advance further, he could make this advantage definitive.


    ¡°Half a Purple Bamboo Elixir might not guarantee sess, but if I also gain control over someone more powerful¡­¡±


    His gaze fell on the ck-d leader.


    For the position of Vice Hall Master, if Ling Buyang was willing to kill all his disciples, then this subordinate¡¯s sacrifice was a small price to pay.


    Author''s Noten/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Book 2: Chapter 42: Unless You Pay More

    Vol 2 Ch 42: Unless You Pay More


    ¡°Hall Master¡­¡±


    Seeing that look in his eyes, the man in ck felt a tightness in his chest.


    Feng Zhaoting said, ¡°Ah Zhu, you¡¯ve been following me for twenty years now, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    The man in ck, Ah Zhu, nodded. ¡°It¡¯s been twenty-one years since I was fortunate enough to be chosen by you to learn the <em>Thousand Threads of Destiny</em>. I was only seventeen at the time.¡±


    Feng Zhaoting continued, ¡°After all this time, you¡¯ve been loyal and worked tirelessly for me. I¡¯ve also given you cultivation techniques and opportunities, allowing you to achieve your current strength. Now, it¡¯s time for you to repay me.¡±


    Ah Zhu cupped his hands. ¡°Whatever youmand, Hall Master, I will not hesitate¡­¡±


    Before he finished speaking, three fine needles shot out straight from his sleeve, gleaming coldly as they aimed for Feng Zhaoting¡¯s brow, chest, and heart.


    At the same time, Ah Zhu turned and bolted toward the exit.The two were close, and the needles moved with incredible speed and precision. Under normal circumstances, even a cultivator at the Dharma Aspect realm would struggle to block them. But Feng Zhaoting seemed to have anticipated this. He smiled faintly and snapped his fingers.


    <em>Swish!</em>


    A thin thread was drawn from Ah Zhu¡¯s body. With a light flick, all the strength in Ah Zhu¡¯s body drained away, as if a balloon had been punctured. Hisplexion turned deathly pale.


    Without strength to support them, the needles were easily blocked by Feng Zhaoting¡¯s divine soul. With another flick, the fleeing Ah Zhu copsed to the ground, terror written all over his face. ¡°You¡­ you¡­ left <em>Thousand Threads</em> in my body?¡±


    Feng Zhaoting smiled faintly. ¡°Cultivating my path of destiny naturallyes with my control. If you try to kill me, you will suffer bacsh. I told you this when I first taught you the technique, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    With that, Feng Zhaoting flicked his hand in the air. Dozens of threads pierced into Ah Zhu¡¯s body. Although Ah Zhu tried to resist, his gaze became vacant after a brief moment, like a walking corpse. ¡°Master!¡±


    Being controlled by <em>Thousand Threads</em> meant gradually losing one¡¯s own consciousness.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Feng Zhaoting nodded, feeling countless streams of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy spontaneously pouring into his body.


    The more cultivators controlled by the <em>Thousand Threads of Destiny</em>, and the stronger they were, the faster his strength grew. This Ah Zhu had already reached the Divine Soul realm, making him the strongest person Feng Zhaoting had controlled so far.


    Swallowing half a <em>Purple Bamboo Elixir</em>, he merged the medicinal energy with the power of destiny. After half an hour, countless streams of energy gathered in the room. Feng Zhaoting¡¯s divine soul trembled, and a three-meter-tall Dharma Aspect emerged behind him.


    This was the Dharma Aspect, the third realm within the Nine Levels of the Source Pool Realm!


    Having such strength meant truly standing at the pinnacle of the Source Pool Realm.


    ¡°It seeded¡­ Ling Buyang, how are you going to fight me now?¡± Feng Zhaoting¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    Don¡¯t underestimate this minor breakthrough. The gap between those who had reached this level and those who hadn¡¯t was enormous.


    A roaming divine soul could at most harm someone¡¯s spirit, but a Dharma Aspect possessed physicalbat capability. Its strength had also surpassed 500 ma! R


    Such a strong divine soul could even tear a physical body to pieces!


    <em>Whoosh!</em>


    Retracting his divine soul, Feng Zhaoting¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°Ling Buyang, you killed my brother, then murdered your own disciples and framed me. Don¡¯t me me for being merciless¡­¡±


    He used to worry that fully breaking ties would lead Hall Master Han to interfere. But now that the situation had escted, there was no need to pretend to be a nice guy!


    If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll kill you.


    However, I need to find the right opportunity. Otherwise, if it¡¯s discovered that I was behind it, it¡¯ll be difficult to exin. Most importantly, you still have a sect backing you. Provoking them would mean I couldn¡¯t stand a chance, even with ten times my strength.


    ¡­


    A small boat glided into a vast cave. Zhang Xuan sat on the boat, observing the surroundings.


    After parting with Han Xiao, Zhang Xuan knew he had be a target. Instead of staying long, he quietly returned to the ce Sun Qiang had found, where he guided hispanions in cultivation and studied the <em>Mo Dao Waterflow</em> that had appeared in the Library.


    This waterflow seemed ¡°iplete¡± and required a substantial amount of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. After pouring in hundreds of streams and finding it still insufficient, Zhang Xuan stopped.


    He wasn¡¯t exactly wealthy. He¡¯d wait until he had more resources.


    Though the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy he provided was limited, every time he practiced de techniques with the <em>Mo Dao Waterflow</em>, he gained insights that loosened the barriers to his Divine Soul realm.


    At this rate, even without a cultivation technique for the Dharma Aspect realm, frequent practice with the <em>Mo Dao</em> would inevitably lead to a breakthrough!


    Realizing this, Zhang Xuan finally understood that, as Yu Qingyu had suggested, he hadprehended the <em>Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate</em>.


    After some time cultivating, as his understanding of the <em>Mo Dao</em> deepened, he also attempted to draw Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy from the void to strengthen himself. However, as the energy descended, the World¡¯s Power suppressed him.


    Clearly, the <em>Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate</em> was a replica created by the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path. While identical to the original, he couldn¡¯t openly draw Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy from it.


    Comprehending a Heaven¡¯s Fate but unable to derive more energy from it left Zhang Xuan uninterested. Fortunately, the three-day agreement with Fu Yingying had arrived. Disguised as Ling Buyang again, he entered the ck market.


    This time, the Tea Master knew his identity and no longer blindfolded him.


    The ck rock walls were jagged, with bizarre stones hanging ominously above. After navigating a bend, the area opened up, revealing bright lights that illuminated the surroundings. The ck market came into view.


    After walking along the corridor for a while, Zhang Xuan arrived at the same house as before.


    ¡°Elder Ling, you were decisive in taking action. Truly admirable¡­¡±


    Seeing him arrive, Fu Yingying smiled faintly.


    When she first heard about him, she was shocked. With such a high bounty, she thought he¡¯d be killed quickly. Yet three days had passed without a single stir. Not only that, but he dared to appear openly. What audacity!


    ¡°Are the books I requested ready?¡± Zhang Xuan asked without responding to her praise.


    ¡°They¡¯ve been prepared¡­¡±


    Fu Yingying gestured, and several attendants brought over stacks of books, piling them on the table.


    ¡°There are more than three hundred volumes in total! This is everything I could gather¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded, stepped forward, and ran his fingers lightly over the books.


    Inside the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path, the books were instantly replicated.


    With these 300 volumes, along with what he had previously collected, he was almost done.


    ¡°The total is 3.14 million. Just give me 3 million¡­¡±


    Seeing his casual handling of the books, Fu Yingying was curious but didn¡¯t pry.


    After paying, Zhang Xuan looked at her again. ¡°Do you have any pills or medicinal herbs for boosting cultivation? I¡¯d like to purchase some.¡±


    ¡°We have plenty. It depends on the grade you¡¯re looking for¡ªthe higher the grade, the higher the price¡­¡±


    Fu Yingying began her introduction.


    An hourter, Zhang Xuan finally rxed, holding arge pile of herbs.


    With these, Zhao Ya and the others should be able to make another leap in their strength.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The techniques he had passed on to them were fast, but simply absorbing Source Energy was too slow. These herbs would help them reach the Jade Bone realm or even the Divine Soul realm in no time.


    After some hesitation, he also bought feed to help Dao Li improve. Finally, he stopped.


    After doing the math, he realized he¡¯d spent over ten million again.


    The reward for killing Feng Yizhou, along with the money he swindled from Han Xiao, was almost gone.


    ¡°Elder Ling, we¡¯ve found information about Li Yue¡¯an on the ck market. Are you interested in hunting him with us? If we seed¡­ we¡¯ll split the reward 50-50.¡±


    ¡°Li Yue¡¯an? You mean the 41st-ranked Fate Master on the Hunting List, the one whoprehended Betrayal Fate?¡± Zhang Xuan asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    Fu Yingying nodded.


    Zhang Xuan was puzzled. ¡°He¡¯s been in hiding for years. How did you find him?¡±


    He had read the man¡¯s profile. Betraying benefactors,panions, and teachers alike, Li Yue¡¯an was despised by all. Like the notorious thief known as the <em>Flower Snatcher</em>, he had vanished without a trace. How had they located him?


    Fu Yingying smiled. ¡°Luck, mostly. He¡¯s been hiding, yes, but he¡¯s also been busy. He took on a disciple, and that disciple betrayed him, secretly contacting the ck market to get rid of his master¡­¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyelid twitched.


    The hunter became the hunted.


    The betrayer betrayed.


    Karma indeed.


    ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s no surprise. Even if his disciple hadn¡¯t turned on him, Li Yue¡¯an would¡¯ve betrayed them sooner orter. Their cultivation of Betrayal Fate makes it inevitable


    . It all depends on who acts first,¡± Fu Yingying exined, thinking Zhang Xuan was lost in thought.


    ¡°Alright, I agree. We can work together,¡± Zhang Xuan nodded.


    After all, the target was a scoundrel. Killing him and earning some money was a win-win.


    Hearing his agreement, Fu Yingying breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Good. Let me warn you upfront: the Hunting List records his strength as being at the Departure Realm, but that information is from seven years ago. We don¡¯t know what level he¡¯s reached now or how strong he¡¯s be. This mission carries some risk.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Zhang Xuan nodded calmly.


    Seven years ago, Li Yue¡¯an had reached the Departure Realm. By now, he was likely at the Roaming Soul or even Dharma Aspect level.


    Of course, cultivating Betrayal Fate required enough people to betray. Without sufficient targets, his progress wouldn¡¯t be too drastic.


    Fu Yingying smiled and said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve agreed, let¡¯s head out now.¡±


    Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯reing along? If I¡¯m not mistaken, your strength is only at the Divine Soul Realm. Going up against someone who reached the Departure Realm seven years ago could be dangerous, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Fu Yingying brushed back her hair with a yful smile, her graceful figure entuated. ¡°Oh my, Elder Ling, are you worried about me? If you like me, just say so. I¡¯ve always been drawn to strong men, and you¡¯re not bad yourself¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it,¡± Zhang Xuan replied, his tone indifferent. ¡°What I mean is, if you¡¯re in danger, don¡¯t expect me to rescue you.¡±


    After a brief pause, he added, ¡°Unless¡­¡±


    Her yful expression turned curious. ¡°Unless what?¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded seriously. ¡°Unless you pay extra.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 43: Li Yuean

    Vol 2 Ch 43: Li Yuean


    Fu Yingying froze for a moment. ¡°Extra payment? How much more?¡±


    After a brief thought, Zhang Xuan replied, ¡°Let¡¯s say 100,000 Source Coins. If we encounter any danger, I¡¯ll ensure you don¡¯t get hurt.¡±


    No matter how strong this Li Yue¡¯an might be, as long as they hadn¡¯t reached the Dharma Aspect realm, it wouldn¡¯t be much of a challenge for him. Protecting someone was just a trivial task.


    Fu Yingying was somewhat annoyed. ¡°You¡¯re saying I¡¯m only worth 100,000?¡±


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re not worth it. I¡¯m just offering a high price to ensure your full cooperation.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Fu Yingying gritted her teeth in anger, her pretty eyes ring at the man before her, wishing she could tear him apart. She practiced the alluring Fox Charm Destiny art, and her every move carried an immense appeal to the opposite sex. Last time it didn¡¯t work, so she had prepared meticulously this time, dressing to impress and using her full charm. Yet, in Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes, she wasn¡¯t even worth 100,000 Source Coins. It was a serious blow.


    ¡°Shall we depart immediately, or do you need to prepare?¡± Zhang Xuan asked, unwilling to waste more words on her.¡°Let¡¯s leave now, but... I need to bring two people along!¡± Realizing her charm was ineffective, Fu Yingying had no choice but to give up.


    Zhang Xuan nodded. She wouldn¡¯t daree along without some preparation. If he decided to kill her and me it on Li Yue¡¯an, no one would question it.


    After a short wait, an elderly man and a young man approached. The elder bowed respectfully to Fu Yingying. ¡°Miss.¡±


    Fu Yingying introduced them. ¡°Elder Ling, this is my bodyguard, Mo Xiaosheng. He¡¯ll being with us today. The other person is Fan Xing, a disciple of Li Yue¡¯an. Mo Xiaosheng, Fan Xing, this is the Destiny Hall Elder, Ling Buyang.¡±


    Zhang Xuan nced at the pair. The young man¡¯s strength was clear at a nce¡ªSource Pool Realm, sixth level, Organs Easing¡ªnot too strong, but not weak either. The elder was harder to gauge, but he exuded a sense of pressure, simr to Elder Liu. This meant he was at least at the second level of Dharma Aspect, the Roaming Realm.


    No wonder Fu Yingying dared toe; with such a powerful bodyguard and her own considerable strength, she indeed had some confidence.


    Once the team was assembled, Fu Yingying said no more. She climbed onto a small boat, and Zhang Xuan followed closely behind.


    ¡°You¡¯re Li Yue¡¯an¡¯s disciple?¡± Zhang Xuan curiously asked Fan Xing, who was seated nearby.


    Fan Xing nodded but seemed unwilling to talk, his expression cold.


    ¡°Acting so rude¡ªwho gave you the guts?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s brows furrowed. A de of light formed at his fingertip, and he thrust it forward.


    Fan Xing was startled and quickly backed away, almost falling off the boat. At that moment, Mo Xiaosheng¡¯s spirit energy surged, blocking the de of light.


    ¡°Elder Ling, what are you doing?¡± Fu Yingying snapped, her brows furrowing.


    ¡°Nothing much, just teaching him some manners,¡± Zhang Xuan saidzily, his mind already immersed in the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path to examine the newly generated book.


    ¡°Fan Xing, a cultivator from the Hanyuan Dynasty, disciple of Li Yue¡¯an, practices Betraying Fate¡­¡±


    ¡°Just as I thought!¡± Zhang Xuan nodded. He had intentionally provoked Fan Xing to force him to use his techniques, thus generating a book to verify Fu Yingying¡¯s ims. It seemed this disciple indeed nned to betray his teacher and even intended to kill him.


    Having confirmed Fan Xing¡¯s identity, Zhang Xuan said no more. The boat swayed gently for about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, leaving the ck market and returning to Hanyuan City.


    The group then took a carriage for another hour, eventually arriving at a small valley surrounded by lush greenery.


    Fan Xing pointed to the forest. ¡°My teacher and I have been hiding here. He ims to have epted me as a disciple, but in reality, I¡¯m just a servant¡ªcooking, cleaning, and constantly berated or beaten. I only get to go to the city once a month to buy supplies¡­¡±


    Fu Yingying sighed. ¡°Over 10,000 people in Hanyuan City are searching for him. Everyone assumes this Destiny Master is hiding within the city. No one would ever imagine he¡¯s here. Without your help, we¡¯d never have found him!¡±


    The valley was dozens of miles from Hanyuan City, far from any official roads, and filled with Source Beasts. Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t venture here.


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right!¡± Zhang Xuan shook his head. ¡°Destiny Masters are revered. No matter where they go, they live well. If Hanyuan City was no longer safe, he could simply disguise himself and livefortably in another city. Why hide here like a fugitive?¡±


    Even someone like Feng Yizhou, who had a bounty on his head, could still live openly. How could someone with Li Yue¡¯an¡¯s status and power need to hide in the wilderness like this?


    Mo Xiaosheng, silent until now, finally spoke. ¡°Elder Ling, it seems you¡¯re unaware. Li Yue¡¯an not only offended experts from the Destiny Hall but also the Hanyuan royal family. If he stayed in the city or fled to another, he¡¯d eventually be found. Hiding here actually makes him harder to locate.¡±


    Fu Yingying nodded. ¡°Mo Xiaosheng is right. I never would¡¯ve guessed someone of his level would be living here.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t argue. He turned to Fan Xing. ¡°This valley doesn¡¯t seem to have any houses or huts. Do you live in a cave?¡±


    Fan Xing visibly hesitated before finally nodding. ¡°Yes¡­ we live in a cave below.¡±


    ¡°How big is the cave? Where exactly is it? I can send my spirit ahead to scout,¡± Zhang Xuan suggested.


    ¡°Sending your spirit? What do you mean?¡± Mo Xiaosheng frowned. ¡°Using your spirit to scout may alert a simrly strong cultivator. If you startle him and he escapes, how will we find him again?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so nervous?¡± Zhang Xuan smirked. ¡°This ce doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s been lived in. Li Yue¡¯an dares to kill benefactors and teachers; someone so bold wouldn¡¯t settle down quietly here, only going to the city once a month. You believe it? I don¡¯t!¡±


    He turned to Fu Yingying with disappointment. ¡°If you wanted to set a trap for me, you should¡¯ve picked a better excuse and location. Do you really expect me to buy this?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Fu Yingying asked, her confusion seeming genuine.


    Zhang Xuan froze for a moment before realization dawned. He turned to Mo Xiaosheng. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve hidden well. Should I call you Mo Xiaosheng or Li Yue¡¯an?¡±


    ¡°You think Mo Xiaosheng is Li Yue¡¯an? That¡¯s impossible!¡± Fu Yingying eximed. ¡°He¡¯s been loyal to me for years, always diligent and devoted¡­¡±


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not, we¡¯ll find out!¡± Zhang Xuan smiled faintly. ¡°Mo Xiaosheng, with your strength, it should be easy to send your spirit to scout. Why don¡¯t you do it?¡±


    ¡°If I separate my spirit, my body will be defenseless. If you attack me then, what chance do I have?¡± Mo Xiaosheng sneered.


    ¡°With Miss Fu here, you should be safe. Surely you trust your owndy?¡± Zhang Xuan countered.


    Fu Yingying nodded. ¡°Mo Xiaosheng, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll ensure Elder Ling doesn¡¯t attack.¡±


    ¡°He might not attack, but I¡¯ll strike you instead!¡± Mo Xiaosheng suddenly lunged at Fu Yingying, his fists swinging with explosive force. The air roared like thunder as his strike tore through it, seemingly capable of crushing anything in its path.


    Fu Yingying paled, unable to react in time. Just as she prepared to defend herself, two talismans flew from her hand, exploding into a golden shield. The shield held briefly but shattered under Mo Xiaosheng¡¯s assault. She braced for impact when a calm voice rang in her ears.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget the 100,000 Source Coins¡­¡±


    The next moment, Ling Buyang appeared before her, meeting Mo Xiaosheng¡¯s attack with his own punch. Their fists collided, producing a sharp shockwave. Both men took a step back, evenly matched.


    ¡°Mo Xiaosheng, what are you doing?¡± Fu Yingying roared, livid.


    ¡°Mo Xiaosheng? I told you, he¡¯s Li Yue¡¯an!¡± Zhang Xuan sighed, shaking his head at her obliviousness.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d concealed myself well,¡± Li Yue¡¯an admitted, his eyes filled with disbelief. ¡°How did you see through me?¡±


    ¡°You did hide well, but you made two ring mistakes,¡± Zhang Xuan said. ¡°First, your disciple, Fan Xing. A mere Organs Easing cultivator daring to scheme against a Ninth Level Source Pool expert? Either incredibly brave or unbelievably foolish.¡±


    Li Yue¡¯an and Fan Xing exchanged nces but said nothing.


    ¡°A man who practices Betraying Fate, gaining strength by betraying others, would naturally be paranoid. You wouldn¡¯t trust a disciple who might betray you in return. Can you honestly say Fan Xing wouldn¡¯t sumb to that temptation?¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s enough to guess my identity?¡± Li Yue¡¯an frowned.


    ¡°Ofcourse not. Here¡¯s the second clue: the trip to the ck market takes hours round-trip, leaving little time for anything else. A paranoid man like you wouldn¡¯t let Fan Xing wander so far unsupervised, even if just to buy groceries. This means you must be nearby¡ªand the only person who fits is you.¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 44: Betrayal of Destiny

    Vol 2 Ch 44: Betrayal of Destiny


    ¡°Even though you two acted as if you didn¡¯t know each other, there were small clues that gave you away. For instance, when we first boarded the ship and I made an excuse to attack Fan Xing, you intervened to stop me¡­¡± Zhang Xuan smiled.


    While such a detail alone wouldn¡¯t reveal much, Zhang Xuan used the power of his soul, allowing him to leverage the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path. Any attempt at concealment became aughable endeavor under its scrutiny.


    ¡°That makes sense. What¡¯s the second clue?¡± Mo Xiaosheng asked.


    Zhang Xuan replied, ¡°Destiny Masters cultivate their abilities by manipting fate. Their progress is much faster than simply absorbing Source Energy step by step. The power you¡¯veprehended requires continuous betrayal to advance. I can believe you infiltrated crowds or the Hanyuan royal family, but staying hidden alone in the mountains for years? Impossible! If you really did that, not only would you fail to progress, but abandoning your destiny would damage your cultivation.¡±


    Mo Xiaosheng pped his hands. ¡°I¡¯ve heard Elder Ling is remarkable; I didn¡¯t expect your observations to be so meticulous. I admit I underestimated you.¡±


    As Mo Xiaosheng spoke, his skeletal frame began to creak and shift. It was as though he were shedding ayer of skin. His body grew taller, his build more robust, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into a pale-faced middle-aged man.


    He was none other than Li Yue¡¯an, the notorious fugitive from Hanyuan City¡¯s Hunting List, a man everyone wished to kill.


    Stretching his unbound body, Li Yue¡¯an exhaled deeply. ¡°The ¡®Painted Skin¡¯ technique of the Art Gate is indeed impressive. It can alter one¡¯s appearance and aura, but after a long time, it bes stifling. I¡¯ve been by your side for six years, and I was on the verge of suffocating¡­¡±Seeing his transformation, Fu Yingying stepped back in rm, her face pale with terror. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡±


    She wanted to say more but found herself speechless.


    Li Yue¡¯an chuckled. ¡°Surprised I¡¯ve been hiding by your side? Elder Ling was right; I need betrayal to progress. If I were to infiltrate the royal family, any sudden appearance of a Dharma Aspect Realm expert would attract thorough investigations. In the ck market, things are simpler¡ªloyalty is all that¡¯s required.¡±


    Fu Yingying fell silent. The ck market consisted mostly of ouws or those with blood on their hands, so background checks were seldom rigorous. This loophole had allowed him to slip through unnoticed.


    Her expression darkened as a thought struck her. ¡°The ck market has suffered several riots in recent years, forcing relocations three times. Were you behind all of them?¡±


    Li Yue¡¯an smiled. ¡°Miss Fu isn¡¯t as clueless as she seems. Without those betrayals, how else could I have broken through the Detached Realm and reached the third stage, Dharma Aspect?¡±


    Fu Yingying was visibly shaken. ¡°You¡¯ve reached the third stage?¡±


    If he were only in the Detached Realm, she and Ling Buyang could still put up a fight. Against a Dharma Aspect expert, however, it was almost impossible. ?


    Li Yue¡¯an nodded. ¡°Correct.¡±


    Zhang Xuan stepped forward with a smile. ¡°With the power of the Dharma Aspect Realm, continuing to betray the ck market yields diminishing returns. So, you¡¯ve set your sights on betraying Fu Yingying, the one you¡¯ve followed for years. Killing her would deepen your betrayal of destiny, advancing your cultivation further. When you saw my bounty had skyrocketed, you decided to make a move.¡±


    ¡°You had your apprentice report to her about my whereabouts, convincing her to team up with me. Killing Fu Yingying would solidify your betrayal, elevating your cultivation. Killing me afterward for the bounty of 59 million Source Coins would ensure a carefree life. Quite the n!¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s tone grew colder. ¡°There¡¯s just one thing I couldn¡¯t figure out. With your Dharma Aspect strength far exceeding mine, why didn¡¯t you simply kill me after leaving Hanyuan City? Why dy until now?¡±


    Ling Buyang had only revealed the strength of the Second Level of the Ninth Stage of the Source Pool Realm, which was strong but no match for a Dharma Aspect expert. There was no need for Li Yue¡¯an to bring him here.


    Then Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes lit up in realization. ¡°Oh, I see now. You¡¯re not the only one who wants me dead. You¡¯ve made a deal with others in the city. But you feared they¡¯d seed first and im the bounty, so you decided to betray them and lure me farther away.¡±


    Li Yue¡¯an pped again, his face full of admiration. ¡°If anyone still ims Elder Ling is all brawn and no brains, I¡¯ll be the first to refute them. To deduce so much just from our location¡­ Impressive. But so what? It¡¯s toote now! With two betrayals fueling me, my strength is surging past the Dharma Aspect Realm. No matter what you say, today you¡¯ll die!¡±


    He spread his arms wide, lifted his head, and shouted, ¡°Destiny is mine tomand. Power,e to me!¡±


    Wham!


    At hismand, an overwhelming torrent of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy surged toward him, pouring into his body and threatening to break through his cultivation bottleneck at any moment.


    Betraying destiny yielded greater benefits the stronger and closer one¡¯s victims were. After six years at Fu Yingying¡¯s side, the energy he¡¯d umted was immense.


    ¡°Been waiting for this¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan let out a breath of relief. The Library of Heaven¡¯s Path had long exposed Li Yue¡¯an¡¯s identity. Zhang Xuan had willingly followed him here, engaging in a lengthy conversation, precisely for this moment. Now that the energy had arrived, he stopped wasting time and activated his powers.


    Countless tendrils of spiritual intent surged outward, devouring the scattered Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy in an instant.


    The energy umted from years of betrayal was far stronger than anything Zhang Xuan had absorbed before. Within moments, the vast Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy condensed into books inside the Library. Simultaneously, the previously fractured Mo Dao Water Flow grew robust andplete.


    ¡°Ten thousand strands!¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement.


    In just over ten breaths, he had absorbed 10,000 strands of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy! Five thousand strands had nourished the Mo Dao Water Flow, while the rest transformed into books, floating within the Library.


    ¡°What a generous benefactor! Following you here wasn¡¯t a waste after all¡­¡±


    With this influx of energy, Zhang Xuan¡¯s stalled cultivation broke through. His soul separated from his body, stepping into the Detached Realm, the First Level of the Ninth Stage of the Source Pool Realm!


    Unlike purchased, refined energy, this raw Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy allowed him to surpass his limits effortlessly, reaching the very peak of the Source Pool Realm, with 999 units of power. His soul also grew significantly stronger.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As Zhang Xuan basked in his breakthroughs, Li Yue¡¯an, arms wide open, was left dumbfounded. The energy he¡¯d summoned should have propelled him to the next level. Instead, he had barely absorbed a fraction before it disappeared entirely.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy?¡± he muttered, stunned.


    Seeing Zhang Xuan¡¯s aura surge, realization struck him. ¡°It


    Before he could react further, he roared in fury, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    Charging forward, he unleashed his technique. Lotus blossoms filled the air as his power surged toward Zhang Xuan, aiming to rip him apart.


    ¡°Be careful, Elder Ling!¡± Fu Yingying cried out. ¡°This technique, Step by Step Lotus, hides three fatal attacks!¡±


    Before her warning could finish, Ling Buyang charged forward directly, showing no hint of evasion. His crude, seemingly reckless move made Fu Yingying¡¯s heart sink.


    But contrary to her fears, Zhang Xuan calmly extended his hand.


    Boom, boom, boom!


    The lotus blossoms exploded one after another as Zhang Xuan¡¯s punchnded squarely on Li Yue¡¯an¡¯s chest. Blood sprayed from thetter¡¯s mouth as he was sent flying, smashing into a tree and breaking it in half.


    Fu Yingying stood frozen in shock. ¡°This¡­!¡±


    Without hesitation, Zhang Xuan walked over, grabbed Li Yue¡¯an by the neck, and lifted him off the ground.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Li Yue¡¯an¡¯s voice was filled with disbelief.


    ¡°What me?¡± Zhang Xuan pped him across the face. ¡°The Omniscient List dared to raise my bounty to 59 million. Did you think I¡¯d be so easy to kill?¡±


    After delivering several more ps, Zhang Xuan coldly dered, ¡°Enough. You can die now.¡±


    Just as Zhang Xuan tightened his grip to finish him, Li Yue¡¯an desperately cried out, ¡°Don¡¯t kill me! If you spare me, I¡¯ll tell you who I was working with and lead you to them. Otherwise, they¡¯ll remain in the shadows, and even with your strength, you won¡¯t be able to guard against them!¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 45: No More Hiding

    Vol 2 Ch 45: No More Hiding


    "Smart choice!"


    After a brief hesitation, Zhang Xuan nodded. He nned to see just how many people were tempted by the bounty of 59 million Source Coins and resolve everything in one go.


    If they were scheming to kill him for the reward, he¡¯d strike first and wipe out this group of scum. In the end, it¡¯d be clear who was the mantis stalking the cicada, and who was the oriole behind it all.


    With a light press of his palm against the opponent¡¯s abdomen, the Source Pool of the so-called expert shattered. His cultivation was rendered useless in an instant. Ignoring the man¡¯s screams of pain, Zhang Xuan casually tossed him to the ground.


    ¡°Speak. Who¡¯s behind the plot to kill me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± The man¡¯s face was drenched in cold sweat, his eyes trembling as he noticed Zhang Xuan¡¯s icy gaze. Realizing that silence might cost him his life, Li Yue¡¯an dared not conceal anything. ¡°It¡¯s Elder Feng Zhaoting¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Zhang Xuan sneered, nodding.


    In Hanyuan City, the one most desperate to kill him was undoubtedly Feng Zhaoting.Competing for the position of Vice Hall Master, killing Feng Zhaoting¡¯s younger brother, dismantling the Bu Xu Hall, and framing him¡ªany one of these was a grudge that couldn¡¯t be overlooked. It was a miracle Feng Zhaoting hadn¡¯t acted sooner.


    ¡°Lead the way!¡±


    After confirming the rendezvous location, Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t be bothered to say more. He threw Li Yue¡¯an into the carriage like a sack of grain.


    ¡°What about him?¡± Fu Yingying pointed to Fan Xing, whoy injured on the ground.


    While dealing with Li Yue¡¯an, Zhang Xuan had caught Fan Xing attempting to escape and effortlessly dragged him back. As someone at the peak of the Divine Soul Realm, Zhang Xuan¡¯s strength easily overwhelmed the Organs Easing Realm cultivator.


    ¡°Cultivating in defiance of fate, colluding with his master to harm others... Keeping him alive is just inviting more trouble. He deserves to die.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t kill me! I¡¯m willing to serve you, do whatever you want!¡± Fan Xing¡¯s pale face was devoid of its former arrogance.


    ¡°Serve me? How could I trust you not to betray me?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Uninterested in further conversation, Zhang Xuan lightly pped him. The Organs Easing Realm cultivator couldn¡¯t even react before his life was snuffed out.


    Just like Yu Qingyu, this man had been an aplice to evil. Such people didn¡¯t deserve mercy.


    As the carriage trundled along, Fu Yingying stared at the unassuming Ling Buyang beside her, unable to hold back her curiosity.


    ¡°Elder Ling is someone I¡¯ve met before. He¡¯s a bit of a lecher, somewhat cowardly, and his strength is only in the Roaming Realm. There¡¯s no way he could be a match for Li Yue¡¯an. Who are you, really? Could you have used a portrait skin from the Painting Gate to disguise yourself as him?¡± ?


    She had her doubts from their first meeting, but after the recent events, she was now certain.


    People can change, but not to such an extreme!


    Zhang Xuan gave her a puzzled look instead of answering. ¡°Painting Gate?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an organization simr to the Myriad Manifestations Gate, founded by a Destiny Master proficient in painting arts. Their works are so lifelike they can fool anyone. Their portrait skins can transform someone into another identity entirely, even deceiving close rtives. Earlier, Li Yue¡¯an used one of these to trick me,¡± Fu Yingying exined.


    Zhang Xuan nodded thoughtfully.


    The Painting Gate seemed to resemble the painting arts of the Master Teacher Continent, but with a twist. While thetter focused solely on artistry, the Painting Gate appeared to incorporate disguise techniques.


    His interest piqued, Zhang Xuan asked, ¡°So, if someone painted a donkey or a horse, could the wearer of the skin turn into one?¡±


    Fu Yingying nodded. ¡°Naturally, they¡¯d be a donkey or a horse.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s incredible!¡± Zhang Xuan eximed in awe.


    In the Master Teacher Continent, one¡¯s disguise abilities needed to reach the peak to mimic animals. Yet here, a simple painting could achieve the same effect. The Painting Gate was far more terrifying than he¡¯d initially thought, and their Destiny Painting Arts were extraordinary.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know much about the Painting Gate. How did youe by a portrait skin?¡± Fu Yingying asked curiously.


    Zhang Xuan shook his head, cutting her off. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. I¡¯m Ling Buyang. My previousck of strength was why I seemed so timid. Now that my cultivation has advanced, there¡¯s no need to act the same way.¡±


    Naturally, he couldn¡¯t admit the truth. Whether she believed him or not, this identity was too useful to abandon just yet.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Fu Yingying smiled slyly and leaned closer, pressing her soft figure against his arm and shoulder. ¡°If you¡¯re really Elder Ling, surely you haven¡¯t forgotten what we did before? Should we¡­ relive those moments? I¡¯m ready anytime and have been waiting for you¡­¡±


    ¡°Relive what?!¡± Zhang Xuan flicked her forehead with a finger.


    If he didn¡¯t know Ling Buyang¡¯s true character, he might¡¯ve fallen for her ruse.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Rubbing her forehead, Fu Yingying looked annoyed. Her seduction techniques seemed utterly ineffective on this man.


    ¡°Wait, are you cultivating the Fox Charm Destiny?¡± Zhang Xuan suddenly realized.


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± Fu Yingying¡¯s expression changed instantly, her entire body stiffening in fear.


    Her Destiny was a closely guarded secret. Not even Li Yue¡¯an, who had followed her for years, knew about it. Yet Zhang Xuan had identified it in one sentence.


    ¡°You know my foundations, so naturally, I can uncover yours,¡± Zhang Xuan replied mysteriously. Then, he asked curiously, ¡°For your type of Destiny, what¡¯s required to break through your current limits?¡±


    Fu Yingying hesitated before batting hershes flirtatiously. ¡°To charm powerful individuals into serving me. The stronger the target¡¯s cultivation, the greater the benefits upon sess.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it works¡­¡± Zhang Xuan mused, finding that it aligned with his guess. ¡°What counts as a sessful charm?¡±


    ¡°When they¡¯repletely willing to obey me, to follow my everymand as if I were their master,¡± Fu Yingying exined.


    Zhang Xuan pressed on. ¡°Is that how you controlled Mo Xiaosheng and failed to realize he was Li Yue¡¯an in disguise?¡±


    Fu Yingying¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment.


    She had prided herself on her unparalleled charm techniques but ended up being duped instead.


    Ignoring her awkwardness, Zhang Xuan pondered aloud. ¡°So, if someone verbally agrees to follow you, it doesn¡¯t matter whether they¡¯re truly sincere. Go ahead and try to charm me.¡±


    ¡°Charm you? But it didn¡¯t workst time¡­¡± Fu Yingying frowned.


    ¡°Just try,¡± Zhang Xuan said firmly.


    Reluctantly, Fu Yingying moved closer, her robe slipping off her shoulder to reveal an alluring curve. Her voice softened, brimming with seductive undertones, enough to sway any man.


    But despite her efforts, Zhang Xuan¡¯s previous resistance seemed unshaken.


    Just as Fu Yingying prepared to give up, Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression suddenly changed. His gaze grew nk, and he murmured hesitantly, ¡°Miss Fu, I¡¯m willing to do anything for you¡­¡±


    Fu Yingying was stunned.


    Did her charm¡­ seed?


    Her heart raced as she clenched her fists excitedly.


    Zhang Xuan, who had effortlessly defeated Li Yue¡¯an with his extraordinary strength, was now enchanted by her? If so, who could possibly stand against her?


    ¡°You¡¯d really obey me? Serving me won¡¯t be easy, you know¡­¡± Fu Yingying pushed her charm to the limit, her voice like a whisper of temptation.


    Just as she reached her peak, she heard Zhang Xuan¡¯s subdued voice.


    ¡°Stop babbling. Hurry and see if you can break through!¡±


    Fu Yingying froze in disbelief.


    So¡­ he was faking it all along?


    What was the point of all this?


    Though exasperated, she decided not to waste the opportunity. Channeling her energy, she connected to the heavens.


    A flow of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy descended upon her.


    ¡°It really works!¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes sparkled as he absorbed the energy greedily.


    While the amount wasn¡¯t immense, every bit counted. Even the tiniest gain was worthwhile.


    But as the flow diminished, Zhang Xuan turned to Fu Yingying. ¡°Keep charming me! We need more!¡±


    Speechless butpelled, Fu Yingying continued her seduction routine, her body trembling from exhaustion as she poured every ounce of her energy into the effort.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Xuan yed along, bowing repeatedly. ¡°I¡¯m willing to do anything for you¡­¡±


    After repeating the process seven or eight times, Fu Yingying finally copsed, drenched in sweat. Her cultivation, strained to its limits, faltered as she coughed up blood.


    Zhang Xuan looked awkward.


    ¡°Well, I guess that was worth a try,¡± he muttered, marveling at his haul of over 3,000 strands of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy.


    For Fu Yingying, though, the ordeal was a nightmare.


    ¡°What the hell are you even doing?¡± Fu Yingying demanded, ring at him. Her voice trembled with frustration as she wiped her mouth, the blood staining her sleeve a testament to the backfire of her failed seduction attempts.


    Zhang Xuan chuckled nervously, scratching his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just something I wanted to test. And now I know how it works.¡±


    He offered no further exnation. Even if he did, she wouldn¡¯t believe him.


    Normally, Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy linked to different Destinies was exclusive to their owner. But thanks to his Library of Heaven¡¯s Path, Zhang Xuan was like a walking bug in the system, able to absorb any energy as if it were his own.


    This ability defied allmon logic, and there was no way Fu Yingying could ept such an absurd truth.


    While they were conducting their peculiar "experiment" in the carriage, outside, Li Yue¡¯an was close to tears.


    He¡¯d never been so thoroughly humiliated.


    Initially confident that his breakthrough would allow him to kill Ling Buyang, he now found himself acting as a mere coachman for this former pushover.


    Worse yet, the sounds from inside the carriage¡ª"Ah! Ah!"¡ªfilled with strange moans, made his head spin.


    He¡¯d always heard rumors about Elder Ling being lecherous, but he never expected this level of shamelessness. Doing something like that on the road? With no concern for decency?


    Clenching his fists, Li Yue¡¯an tried to block out the sounds and focus on driving.


    But the humiliation festered. Each crack of the reins felt like another p to his pride.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 46: Diamond Amulet

    Vol 2 Ch 46: Diamond Amulet


    The carriage traveled swiftly, and an hourter, it stopped at the gates of a residence.


    Li Yue''an said, "Lord Ling, the ce where Elder Feng and I agreed to meet is here."


    Zhang Xuan nced ahead.


    It was a modest estate, with its gates firmly closed. The courtyard within was silent, devoid of any signs of life.


    ¡°So, my guess was correct¡ªthis is your residence, isn¡¯t it?¡± Zhang Xuan remarked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Li Yue''an nodded.


    Zhang Xuan smiled faintly and refrained frommenting further. Instead, he turned to the young woman beside him. ¡°Are you going in?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Fu Yingying replied without hesitation. Since she was already here, waiting outside wasn¡¯t an option.¡°Lead the way then,¡± Zhang Xuan said, gesturing. Following her, he entered the courtyard.


    The yard was small but meticulously maintained, free of weeds. Li Yue''an scanned the surroundings, then hurried forward a few steps. Seeing that Zhang Xuan and Fu Yingying weren¡¯t paying attention, he covertly pressed his palm against a stone pir and struck it sharply.


    <em>Buzz!</em>


    With a whirring sound, mist rose from the courtyard, and a powerful wave of energy enveloped the entire area.


    ¡°There¡¯s a formation¡ªthis is bad!¡± Fu Yingying¡¯s expression shifted.


    While the formation wasn¡¯t strong enough to harm a true Divine Soul realm expert, it could create significant interference. In battles between experts, even the slightest hindrance could be fatal.


    ¡°Toote to realize that now... Elder Feng, I¡¯ve brought Ling Buyang as agreed. Our deal is fulfilled; the rest is up to you,¡± Li Yue''an said coldly, his earlier subservience reced with a sharp, ruthless demeanor. Reaching his current cultivation level as a rogue cultivator wasn¡¯t something a simple-minded person could achieve.


    <em>Buzz!</em>


    As if in response to his betrayal, streams of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy flowed into Li Yue''an. Though minimal, they slightly restored his previously crippled strength.


    ¡°Well done! As per our agreement, all the rewards will be yours after he¡¯s dead... though you¡¯ll have to bear the infamy of killing him,¡± a voice echoed as the gates swung open.


    Over a dozen figures emerged from all directions. Leading them was an elder with a cold, unfeeling gaze¡ªElder Feng Zhaoting, the onepeting with Ling Buyang for the position of vice hall master.


    The remaining individuals were no weaklings either; the weakest among them was at the peak of the Jade Bone Realm, with several others, like Fu Yingying, at the peak of the Divine Soul Realm.


    These must have been forces secretly cultivated by Elder Feng, all now deployed to eliminate Ling Buyang.


    ¡°Good!¡± Li Yue''an sneered. ¡°After you kill him, leave the body to me. I¡¯ll chop him up to feed the fish!¡±


    ¡°Rest assured,¡± Feng Zhaoting replied with a nod.


    Li Yue''an added, ¡°Elder Feng, be careful. His strength isn¡¯t what you described; I couldn¡¯t even match him.¡±


    ¡°So what if it¡¯s different? With this formation and our numbers, he¡¯s doomed today!¡± Feng Zhaoting sneered at Zhang Xuan, exuding a powerful aura. Behind him, a towering shadow materialized, solid as a mountain.


    ¡°Dharma Aspect?¡± Fu Yingying¡¯s pupils contracted.


    This man had also broken through!


    Initially, she had been confident in Ling Buyang¡¯s ability to handle the situation. Now, her confidence wavered. Even among Dharma Aspect cultivators, those with formal teachings like Feng Zhaoting far surpassed rogue cultivators like Li Yue''an.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t expect it, did you? Even after you stole half my pills, I still broke through!¡± Feng Zhaoting mocked, revealing his Dharma Aspect.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect it, but it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Zhang Xuan replied casually.


    Feng Zhaoting¡¯s face darkened at the dismissive response. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter? Arrogant fool! Let¡¯s see how long you can keep up that attitude when you¡¯re facing death!¡±


    Then, turning to Fu Yingying, he offered, ¡°Miss Fu, I didn¡¯t expect you to be with him. I¡¯ll give you a choice¡ªhelp us kill him, and I¡¯ll reward you with a million coins¡¯ worth of ck-market goods. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying if I don¡¯t agree, you¡¯ll kill me too?¡± Fu Yingying¡¯s face turned livid.


    She had assumed that with Ling Buyang and Mo Xiaosheng present, taking down Li Yue''an would be a simple task, one that could even enhance her reputation. She hadn¡¯t anticipated this betrayal, nor being surrounded by Feng Zhaoting¡¯s forces.


    Even retreating was no longer an option.


    Feng Zhaotingughed. ¡°Miss Fu, you misunderstand. It¡¯s Ling Buyang and Li Yue''an who will kill you first before turning on each other, leaving only one survivor for us to deal with. I, meanwhile, will be seen by everyone as meditating in the Destiny Hall.¡±


    Fu Yingying clenched her fists. Joining forces with them would mean marking herself as one of their allies. Refusing would undoubtedly provoke their wrath.


    Turning to Ling Buyang, she saw that he was entirely calm, even smiling.


    ¡°You decide. Stay with me, and you might die. Join them, and you might survive,¡± he said nonchntly.


    After a moment of hesitation, Fu Yingying suddenly remembered something and looked at him sharply. ¡°At the door earlier, when you asked if I wanted to go in¡ªdid you already know it was dangerous?¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded. ¡°What else did you think?¡±


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll stay with you! My strength may not match yours, but I have plenty of good items. Breaking the formation and escaping is possible,¡± she dered, pulling out several talismans.


    ¡°You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!¡± Feng Zhaoting¡¯s face turned grim. ¡°Attack!¡±


    With hismand, the surrounding group charged forward. Leading them was none other than Azhu, now an emotionless killing machine under the Thousand Threads Heaven¡¯s Fate technique.


    <em>Buzz!</em>


    The formation activated, surging with source power. In an instant, the overwhelming force enveloped both Zhang Xuan and Fu Yingying.


    Fu Yingying swiftly ignited a talisman, creating a circr shield around them. Within the shield¡¯s protection, the formation¡¯s effects vanished entirely.


    These talismans, drawn by Dharma Aspect masters, were incredibly valuable. Most would hesitate to use them, but Fu Yingying didn¡¯t bat an eye. The sheer resources at her disposal as a ck market leader far outstripped even someone like Ling Buyang, a Destiny Hall elder.


    ¡°A Vajra Shield Talisman? Not bad, but let¡¯s see how long you canst!¡± Feng Zhaoting sneered, his fingers flicking. Dozens of threads shot forth, dragging ten more figures into the fray.


    These figures were just like Azhu¡ªsoulless killing machines.


    ¡°Yu Fei, Xiao Ying?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s face darkened.


    Among the group were familiar faces¡ªtwo individuals who had already been killed and buried, their corpses now puppets under Feng Zhaoting¡¯s Thousand Threads technique. Even Xiao Zhuo, a three-year-old child, had been turned into one of these monstrosities.


    Rage erupted within Zhang Xuan. His mind shed back to the scene when he had first encountered the trio.


    ¡°You did nothing wrong¡ªyour only fault was being born into this world. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ve taken your money, and I will avenge you. Feng Yizhou was just the beginning. Feng Zhaoting and his Yunshan Hall will fall entirely!¡±


    His gaze sharpened with murderous intent.


    With his killing intent surging, Zhang Xuan stepped forward, his fists clenched tightly. Meanwhile, the relentless assaults from the puppets were beginning to wear down the Vajra Shield Talisman¡¯s protection. The glowing shield was growing increasingly thin, on the verge of shattering.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need this anymore,¡± Zhang Xuan said calmly, taking another step forward.


    As he moved, the shield flickered and copsed, exposing them fully to the formation''s pressure. Fu Yingying¡¯s face turned pale with rm. ¡°Be careful¡ª!¡±


    Before she could finish her warning, Zhang Xuan acted. In the blink of an eye, he was upon one of the puppets. A single punch obliterated it, sending its remains flying and turning it into a stter of flesh and bone mid-air.


    Not pausing for even a moment, Zhang Xuan spun, driving his elbow into another puppet, while his knee shot out at a third. Each strike was precise and devastating, leaving no chance for counterattacks. A sharp swipe of his hand followed, and a de-like aura surged forth, bisecting a fourth puppet in an instant.


    The sheer ferocity of Zhang Xuan¡¯s attacks was staggering. With every strike, more Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy surged into him, deepening his mastery of the Dao Li Water Stream saber technique. Each motion was imbued with profound de intent, so convincing it seemed the weapon itself had be a part of him.


    Within moments, Zhang Xuan had neutralized a half-dozen puppets. Thest three, including Yu Fei and Xiao Ying, were pinned to the ground with a casual press of his hand, unable to move further.


    ¡°This...¡± Fu Yingying was stunned. She had believed joining him was a risk, but now it was clear that betraying him would have been a death sentence.


    ¡°That¡¯s the power that took down Feng Yizhou in broad daylight¡­¡± she murmured, sweat beading on her forehead.


    Not far away, Feng Zhaoting¡¯s face darkened further. He had expected Zhang Xuan to be strong, but this level of skill and power was far beyond his calctions.


    ¡°Impressive,¡± Feng Zhaoting admitted coldly, ¡°but how long can you keep it up? Every strike drains your strength, and your foundation is only Fifth Grade Source Pool. You won¡¯tst forever.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Feng Zhaoting sneered, gesturing to the shadows. More figures, puppets under his Thousand Threads control, emerged¡ªdozens of them. He had spent years building this army, and now Zhang Xuan would face its full might.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 47: Revenge for You

    Vol 2 Ch 47: Revenge for You


    As the first wave of puppets was defeated, Feng Zhaoting¡¯s hand shook again, and more than a dozen figures emerged. They were simrly at the Jade Bone and Organs Easing realms, with the strongest reaching the Divine Soul realm.


    ¡°Mo Young Master? Han Yusheng, the great Mr. Han? Elder Liu Yang?¡±


    Upon seeing these individuals, Fu Yingying seemed to recognize a few and couldn¡¯t help but exim.


    ¡°You know them?¡± Zhang Xuan asked.


    Fu Yingying nodded. ¡°That Mo Young Master was famous in Hanyuan City¡ªa young genius with a righteous heart, always upholding justice. He did a lot of good deeds. Three years ago, he went to investigate a human trafficking gang and disappeared. I never thought¡­ he¡¯d be turned into a puppet!


    ¡°And Mr. Han was a devoted teacher, tirelessly educating others. He charged the wealthy more and taught the poor for free. In his thirty years of teaching, he nurtured countless students. Two years ago, while investigating the disappearance of some of his students, he vanished. Now, to think¡­¡±


    Fu Yingying¡¯s expression turned dark with anger.


    She had long suspected Feng Yizhou was up to no good and that Feng Zhaoting was far from innocent, but she hadn¡¯t expected them to stoop to such despicable acts.¡°You walked past the gates of heaven and chose hell instead! Fu Yingying, me yourself for this¡­¡±


    Seeing that she recognized his controlled puppets, Feng Zhaoting snorted coldly.


    Killing people to refine their corpses¡ªif such news got out, he wouldn¡¯t just lose his position as vice-hall master, but even the Destiny Hall itself might suffer. He had originally nned to spare her, but now, there was no room for mercy.


    ¡°Set the formation!¡±


    Under Feng Zhaoting¡¯smand, the many puppets moved into specific positions. As power surged, the courtyard¡¯s formation filled with an oppressive killing aura, as if countless vengeful spirits had been summoned, their mournful wails stabbing into everyone¡¯s mind.


    In the blink of an eye, the courtyard transformed into a hellscape. Ghostly mes burned, the air turned chilling, and an oppressive dread pierced the soul, leaving everyone dazed.


    ¡°This is¡­ the Thousand Threads Soul Control Array! It attacks the soul, causing temporary loss of reason and judgment¡­¡± Fu Yingying trembled, clutching her head, her face pale.


    The Vajra Shield Talisman could fend off physical attacks, but it offered no defense against soul-based assaults.


    Just as she felt she couldn¡¯t hold on, a voice full of disdain came from nearby.


    ¡°This qualifies as a formation? What a joke!¡± Ling Buyang sneered as he stepped forward.


    Fu Yingying raised her head, just in time to see him smirk and stomp. The previously oppressive formation was instantly dispelled as sunlight flooded the courtyard, banishing the ghostly mes like snow melting under the sun.


    At that moment, Ling Buyang seemed like a radiant sun in the dark night, so dazzling it was impossible to look directly at him.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The attacking puppets were sent flying like kites with broken strings, all rendered incapable of further attacks in mere moments.


    ¡°How do you know how to break formations?¡± Feng Zhaoting¡¯s face darkened, and he instinctively stepped back, clearly shaken by Ling Buyang¡¯s intervention.


    ¡°Take a guess.¡± Zhang Xuan wasn¡¯t interested in wasting words. He dashed into the fray again, his power surging like boiling water. His punches tore through the air like whips, his movements like a tiger in a flock of sheep. Even Jade Bone and Divine Soul realm experts couldn¡¯t withstand a single blow.


    ¡°This guy¡¯s physical strength is terrifying. It seems I¡¯ll have to rely on soul attacks. Thousand Threads Soul Shatter¡­¡±


    Seeing Zhang Xuan¡¯s ferocity, Feng Zhaoting knew he couldn¡¯t hold him back, and his nned ambush was falling apart. He let out a roar, and a wave of threads shimmered from his fingertips.


    Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!


    A chorus of eerie hums rang out as the Divine Soul realm puppets activated their soul powers. One by one, towering soul projections emerged, as if cicadas shedding their shells.


    ¡°They¡¯re burning their souls?¡± Fu Yingying¡¯s face turned ashen.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Zhang Xuan asked.


    Fu Yingying exined, ¡°Burning the soul sacrifices one¡¯s cultivated soul power in a single battle, essentially a mutual destruction strategy. Once performed, these puppets will be permanently destroyed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite knowledgeable, but it¡¯s toote now¡­ You¡¯re all going to die!¡± Feng Zhaoting sneered, his soul threads transforming into towering demons that surged toward Zhang Xuan.


    ¡°Not just controlling bodies but also burning souls. No wonder they say the Thousand Threads puppets can rival the Machete Sect¡¯s Dao Li techniques¡ªit¡¯s true.¡±


    Despite the onught, Zhang Xuan remained calm and even marvelled at the Thousand Threads technique.


    While the Dao Li technique excelled in singlebat, Thousand Threads thrived in group battles. Even someone as strong as Ling Buyang would struggle in such a situation.


    ¡°These puppets took me twenty years to refine. To die under this move is an honor¡­¡± Feng Zhaotingughed coldly as his soul threads weaved through the air like a.


    Zhang Xuan smirked. ¡°Honor? You think too much.¡±


    With a casual wave of his hand, the soul projections were sucked into the Xuan World, unable to resist or even self-destruct.


    Even Divine Soul experts were powerless against the lord of a world.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­ Have you also broken through? Reaching the Dharma Aspect realm?¡± Feng Zhaoting¡¯s face drained of color, his confidence crumbling.


    ¡°More or less.¡± Zhang Xuan shrugged, his disinterest cutting deep.


    Zhang Xuan shrugged off Feng Zhaoting¡¯s question and stepped forward again. By now, most of the puppets had been eliminated. Desperate, Feng Zhaoting swung his Dharma Aspect power in a brilliant arc to block Zhang Xuan¡¯s advance while sending out countless threads from his palm, summoning more puppets.


    ¡°Even if you¡¯ve broken through, you¡¯re still going to die!¡± he roared, releasing waves of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. The powerful aura, reminiscent of the Dao Li martial technique, filled the air with an overwhelming sense of destiny controlled by his will.


    ¡°Heaven¡¯s Fate martial technique?¡± Zhang Xuan observed quietly instead of attacking. Activating the Eye of Insight, he carefully studied Feng Zhaoting¡¯s moves.


    When Yu Qingyu had disyed the Dao Li martial technique, Zhang Xuan had discerned its essence and replicated it. Now he wondered if he could do the same with Feng Zhaoting¡¯s Thousand Threads Heaven¡¯s Fate.


    The thought barely formed when the massive reservoir of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy he had stored in the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path surged forth, converging into a river. Like the Dao Li technique, this Heaven¡¯s Fate manifestation appeared rootless and boundless, suspended in a quiet flow.


    On closer inspection, the river¡¯s structure wasposed of countless interwoven threads.


    Thousand Threads Heaven¡¯s Fate.


    He had sessfully replicated it.


    However, replicating it hadpletely drained his store of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. Worse, the manifestation within the Library seemed frail, like a flickering candle on the verge of extinction. Despite the vast amount of energy used, the technique wasn¡¯t fully formed.


    ¡°Such a con! This is clearly more advanced than the Dao Li technique¡­¡± Zhang Xuan muttered, his annoyance mounting as he analyzed the iplete skill. Before he could devise a solution, Feng Zhaoting¡¯s threads surged toward him.


    ¡°Elder Ling, be careful! Feng Zhaoting is trying to control you!¡± Fu Yingying shouted anxiously.


    Feng Zhaoting, knowing his life was on the line, didn¡¯t hesitate to unleash every ounce of power he had. Even if it meant injury or regression in cultivation, he was prepared to forcefully subjugate Zhang Xuan¡¯s soul.


    ¡°You¡¯re toote¡­ Thousand Threads Soul Refinement!¡± Feng Zhaoting bellowed. The dazzling threads aimed for Zhang Xuan¡¯s head, attempting to pierce his mind and seize control of his soul.


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s brow furrowed, and he instinctively prepared to counter. However, just as the threads invaded his mind, the faint Thousand Threads Heaven¡¯s Fate within the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path quivered, effortlessly devouring the iing threads.


    With the additional energy, the weak manifestation gained substance. It now rivaled the Dao Li Heaven¡¯s Fate river in size, glowing faintly like a celestial star.


    ¡°What the¡­?¡± Feng Zhaoting spat blood as he realized what had happened. His most powerful technique, honed over decades, had been absorbed and turned against him. His confidence shattered as his body trembled uncontrobly.


    With a single step, Zhang Xuan closed the distance and grabbed Feng Zhaoting by the throat, lifting him off the ground.


    ¡°So powerful¡­¡± Fu Yingying watched in awe. She had known Zhang Xuan¡¯s strength was formidable¡ªpossibly even at the Dharma Aspect realm¡ªbut she hadn¡¯t anticipated it would be to this extent. Thebined might of so many puppets and Feng Zhaoting himself had been utterly overpowered, as if they were mere children.


    ¡°Fortunately, I chose the right side,¡± she thought grimly. Otherwise, she might be the one dangling helplessly in Zhang Xuan¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°Don¡¯t kill me¡­¡± Feng Zhaoting stammered, his arrogance reced with desperation. ¡°I¡¯ll step down as vice hall master. I¡¯ll leave Destiny Hall!¡±


    ¡°Step down? I killed your brother,¡± Zhang Xuan reminded him coldly.


    ¡°That was his fault! He deserved it! If you hadn¡¯t acted, I would have taken care of him myself¡­¡± Feng Zhaoting pleaded.


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. ¡°You also tried to kill me.¡±


    ¡°I was blind to your strength! I¡¯ll make it up to you. I¡¯ll give youpensation¡ªten million Source Coins, twenty million, fifty million! Whatever you want, just name it!¡± Feng Zhaoting¡¯s voice cracked with desperation.


    His tone grew frantic. ¡°Besides, I have the Thousand Threads Pavilion backing me. If you kill me, my master and senior brothers won¡¯t let you go. And don¡¯t forget, Hall Master Han won¡¯t turn a blind eye to this either!¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He continued to bargain, dangling the threat of his powerful allies and the allure of wealth.


    Zhang Xuan smirked faintly. ¡°You¡¯re right; I don¡¯t want trouble. But unfortunately for you, I made a promise¡­¡±


    With his free hand, Zhang Xuan lifted a Source Coin. The images of Yu Fei, Xiao Zhuo, and their family shed through his mind.


    He sighed. ¡°I like wealth, and I prefer to keep a low profile. But if I let you live, more innocent families will suffer. That¡¯s something I can¡¯t ept.¡±


    ¡°Wait! You¡¯ll regret this!¡± Feng Zhaoting howled. ¡°The Thousand Threads Pavilion won¡¯t let you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Rx. We¡¯re both elders of Destiny Hall. How could I kill you?¡± Zhang Xuan interrupted, mimicking Feng Zhaoting¡¯s earlier words. ¡°However, you went alone in search of Li Yue¡¯an, encountered danger, and perished. I avenged you by killing Li Yue¡¯an. No problem with that, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Feng Zhaoting¡¯s body went cold as he realized the irony of his own words being turned against him.


    Snap!


    Before he could say more, Zhang Xuan tightened his grip, snapping Feng Zhaoting¡¯s neck. His lifeless body fell to the ground, leaving behind only silence.


    With Feng Zhaoting¡¯s body lifeless on the ground, Zhang Xuan walked toward Yu Fei and his family¡¯s remains. Their corpses, turned into puppets, had been desecrated beyond rest in life or death¡ªa fate no one could have imagined.


    Sighing deeply, Zhang Xuan extended his hand. With a gentle press, the ground shifted to form arge pit.


    Carefully cing the family of three into the grave, he retrieved the Source Coin and ced it in Xiao Zhuo¡¯s small hand. The child¡¯s face was peaceful, almost identical to when he was alive, but there was no longer any sign of the pain that had gued him in life.


    ¡°At least now, you¡¯re free from suffering. May you eat all the candied hawthorn you love in your next life¡­¡± Zhang Xuan murmured.


    For cultivators, extravagant burial sites meant little. A simple and dignified burial was the highest respect he could offer. Though their meeting had been brief, Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t bear to leave them unburied.


    He pressed his hands together and said solemnly, ¡°Your vengeance has been fulfilled. Rest in peace.¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 48: Inheriting Destiny

    Vol 2 Ch 48: Inheriting Destiny


    "Is this your friend?" Fu Yingying curiously asked upon seeing Zhang Xuan personally burying the three individuals.


    "Sort of," Zhang Xuan nodded.


    "Life and death are both part of fate. Even death leaves traces. If we can find those traces and extract their fates from the River of Destiny, bringing someone back to life isn''t impossible," Fu Yingying exined.


    "Bringing someone back to life?" Zhang Xuan looked incredulous.


    Even as the lord of a world, he couldn''t achieve such a feat in the Xuan World. While it was possible to reassemble an identical body with matching memories, it would not truly be the same person.


    Noticing Zhang Xuan''s intense gaze, Fu Yingying blushed and hurriedly added, "I only heard this from my elders. I don¡¯t know the specifics. I''ve just heard that it has been done before..."


    "Whether it''s true or not, it''s worth a try," Zhang Xuan nodded decisively.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Fate was indeed mysterious, surpassing even the Dao rules he had once cultivated. What Heaven''s Path couldn''t achieve, perhaps fate could."Even if it''s possible, it might be useless... For one, finding someone powerful enough to delve into the River of Destiny to track their traces is challenging. Even if we found someone, their bodies must have dposed after such a long time," Fu Yingying frowned.


    "That won''t be a problem!" Zhang Xuan smiled faintly. With a flick of his wrist, the corpses of Yu Fei and the others vanished, entering his personal world.


    In his world, a single thought could preserve everything unchanged for even tens of thousands of years. Thankfully, the three had been turned into puppets by Feng Zhaoting. Otherwise, three days, though short, would have been enough for dposition to set in. Now, their skin retained its sticity, appearing as though they had just died.


    With this new goal, Zhang Xuan felt a renewed sense of determination. Whether reviving them was feasible or not, he had to try. Watching children die in front of him like this was difficult to ept.


    After finishing the burial, he turned and called out to Li Yue''an, who was standing not far away.


    "Come over here."


    Terrified by Zhang Xuan''s unexpected victory, Li Yue''an trembled. Just moments ago, he had been arrogant, but now he was filled with dread.


    "Elder Ling... I knew you''d win all along. I was just pretending earlier to mislead Feng Elder, ensuring they wouldn¡¯t flee too soon..."


    "I know," Zhang Xuan replied with a friendly expression. "You have a Hunter''s List, don''t you?"


    "Yes, yes!" Li Yue''an quickly nodded and rushed to retrieve a document, handing it over nervously.


    "Good. Apply now and im that Feng Elder was killed by you. Collect the bounty," Zhang Xuan instructed.


    "Understood!" Though he knew this would attract immense trouble, Li Yue''an dared not refuse. He swiftly cut Feng Zhaoting''s forehead with a dagger, extracting a drop of blood and pressing it onto the Hunter''s List. ?¨¤


    Soon, a reward of 30 million Source Coins was transferred over.


    "Now, transfer all your Source Coins to me," Zhang Xuan continued.


    Li Yue''an''s face twitched. He knew the consequences but couldn''t refuse. Including his savings, the total amount exceeded 10 million. Afterpleting the transfer, the bnce reached 46 million.


    Satisfied, Zhang Xuan clenched his hand, cutting off Li Yue''an''s breath. Using the same method, he quickly imed the reward tied to Li Yue''an.


    Li Yue''an, ranked 41st, had a bounty of 15 million Source Coins. With this series of actions, Zhang Xuan¡¯s bnce surpassed 60 million!


    This was an amount that evenrge families couldn''t easily gather on short notice. Killing truly was a lucrative business!


    After disposing of the bodies, Zhang Xuan handed 40 million Source Coins to Fu Yingying. "Get me ten Destiny Disks!"


    Havingpletely depleted his Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, he urgently needed to replenish it. The disks were critical for him.


    "Elder Ling, you''re now one of our ck market¡¯s most valued clients. I''ll give you the cost price for Destiny Disks," Fu Yingying quickly offered. "200,000 per disk. For 40 million, you can purchase twenty."


    "Excellent!" Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Twenty disks equated to 100,000 strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy, a significant boon for him.


    "Please apany me to the ck market to retrieve them. Also, the duel I arranged for you three days ago is set for tonight. Are you still participating?" Fu Yingying asked cautiously. Previously, she might have forced his hand, but after witnessing his strength, she no longer dared.


    "Of course," Zhang Xuan nodded. "Who am I fighting?"


    ck market duels not only offered high rewards but also opportunities to earn through betting. He¡¯d be foolish not to participate.


    "Your opponent is Prince Pingyuan, Han Qianye, from the Hanyuan Dynasty," Fu Yingying replied.


    "Han Qianye? Any rtion to Han Qianchou, the top-ranked hunter?" Zhang Xuan asked.


    Han Qianchou was the top name on the Hunter¡¯s List, with a bounty of 300 million Source Coins, surpassing even Destiny Hall''s Master, Han Xiao.


    "You¡¯ve never heard of Han Qianchou?" Fu Yingying asked incredulously before exining. "Han Qianchou is the Emperor of the Hanyuan Dynasty, the most powerful figure of our time. His cultivation has long surpassed the Ninth Level of the Source Pool Realm. Even Hall Master Han Xiao wouldn¡¯t dare provoke him. Hemands absolute respect from figures like Yue Longxiao, leader of Wanchang Sect in Hanyuan City."


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression turned serious. Although his strength had soared to the peak of the Ninth Level, surpassing Han Xiao seemed out of reach. For Han Qianchou tomand such reverence, his strength was undoubtedly terrifying.


    "What about Han Qianye? Is he rted to Han Yetang, one of the four halls?" Zhang Xuan continued.


    "Yes, Han Qianye leads Han Yetang. Destiny Masters often cultivate followers or sessors. Even the Hanyuan royal family doesn''t interfere," Fu Yingying exined.


    Hearing this, Zhang Xuan asked, "What¡¯s his strength?"


    "Four years ago, he reached the Roaming Realm and hasn¡¯t broken through since. He¡¯s been to the ck market twice but couldn¡¯t find challengers willing to fight," Fu Yingying said.


    With such a reputation and strength, few were willing to risk death for mere Source Coins.


    "Be cautious, Elder Ling. Although Prince Pingyuan is at the second level of the Dharma Aspect Realm, slightly weaker than Li Yue''an and Feng Zhaoting, he has vastbat experience, having led troops in countless battles and hunted numerous Source Beasts. His strength should not be underestimated."


    Zhang Xuan nodded. A strong opponent made the duel worthwhile.


    "How do bets in the ck market work?" he asked, intrigued.


    "ck market duels are violent and bloody. Fights usually end in serious injury or death, attracting many gamblers. Odds are calcted based on the contestants¡¯ perceived strength," Fu Yingying exined.


    "What are the odds for this match?"


    "Previously, your odds were five to one, while Prince Pingyuan¡¯s were 1.4 to one. After your recent victories, your odds are likely to drop," she replied.


    "Five to one? Then don¡¯t change them!" Zhang Xuan eximed.


    Betting 10 million with five-to-one odds would yield a 50 million return. Such a profitable opportunity couldn¡¯t be missed.


    "That¡¯s impossible," Fu Yingying shook her head. "Now that I know your true strength, the odds must be recalcted."


    Seeing her insistence, Zhang Xuan sighed. He summoned a ck horse, whispered a few words, and sent it off at full speed, watching it disappear into the horizon.


    Author''s Note


    Hi readers! Another exciting chapter is here, brought to you by BOTI Trantor team. If you¡¯re enjoying the journey, consider supporting us with a 5-star rating on NovelUpdates.

 Book 2: Chapter 49: Everyone Knows

    Vol 2 Ch 49 Everyone Knows


    The Destiny Hall Master''s Room


    Han Xiao sat quietly at the table, a faint smile ying on his lips. In front of him, the cdon teapot hissed with rolling steam, filling the room with a rich tea fragrance.


    ¡°What excellent tea!¡± Deputy Hall Master Chai Yunsheng took a sip from his cup, inhaling deeply as he praised the brew.


    Han Xiao stroked his beard with a chuckle. ¡°Naturally! This Yunshan Small-Leaf tea is picked from Doni Mountain on the misty morning of September 5th every year. Only girls born at the hour of Mao are allowed to pluck the leaves with their mouths. The annual quota for the entire Hanyuan City is less than five catties. I rarely drink it myself¡ªconsider yourself lucky to have a taste!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a given,¡± Chai Yunsheng said with curiosity. ¡°You seem particrly cheerful today¡ªhas something good happened?¡±


    Taking another sip, Han Xiao exhaled contentedly. ¡°Indeed! Thepetition between Feng Zhaoting and Ling Buyang has gone on for so long, and it looks like the result for the Deputy Hall Master position will be finalized soon!¡±


    Chai Yunsheng¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Who wille out on top?¡±


    Han Xiaoughed heartily. ¡°Between the two of them, their cultivation, talent, and the backing of their sects are nearly equal. The title of Deputy Hall Master is just a name¡ªwhy not give it to both?¡±Chai Yunsheng blinked in surprise. ¡°Both? Didn¡¯t you clearly state earlier that there was only one position, and they had topete for it?¡±


    ¡°Competition is the key to the Destiny Hall¡¯s growth. Not only before they be Deputy Hall Masters, but also after. Regr evaluations will ensure the one who underperforms loses the title,¡± Han Xiao exined. ¡°Competition fosters bnce and continuous improvement.¡±


    Chai Yunsheng nodded, though he didn¡¯t fully understand. Just as he was about to take another sip of tea, he noticed Han Xiao¡¯s face suddenly turn pale.


    ¡°Pfft!¡±


    A mouthful of blood spurted from Han Xiao¡¯s lips, and his body trembled violently. The robust aura around him dimmed as if extinguished like a candle in the wind.


    ¡°Hall Master, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Chai Yunsheng shot to his feet, scanning the surroundings with rm.


    Han Xiao clenched his fists. ¡°My cultivation has suffered a bacsh¡­ Quickly investigate! Could it be that Feng Zhaoting and Ling Buyang have started fighting?¡±


    He had carefully bnced the two to reap substantial benefits. A bacsh likely meant something had upset that equilibrium.


    Could it be that Ling Buyang used a pill to break through and sought out Feng Zhaoting to defeat him? Only a crushing victory would break the bnce and cause such a severe bacsh!


    Before he could finish speaking, Elder Liu Bingshan rushed into the room, cupped his hands, and bowed.


    ¡°Dean, Vice Dean¡­ bad news! We just received word¡ªFeng Zhaoting has been killed!¡±


    ¡°Feng Zhaoting¡­ is dead?¡±


    Han Xiao¡¯s vision darkened. His voice was urgent. ¡°Who did it? Was it¡­ Ling Buyang? How dare he!¡±


    No wonder the bacsh was so severe¡ªthe bnce had been utterly shattered!


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t Elder Ling,¡± Liu Bingshan quickly exined. ¡°ording to information from the Wanchang Sect, it was Li Yue¡¯an who killed Elder Feng and collected the reward!¡± R


    Han Xiao¡¯s face turned livid with rage. ¡°That rogue cultivator! I¡¯ve ignored him all this time, and he dares kill my Destiny Hall¡¯s Deputy Hall Master! Chai Yunsheng, find this scoundrel immediately¡ªI¡¯ll see him torn to pieces!¡±


    Before Chai Yunsheng could reply, Liu Bingshan stepped forward again. ¡°Hall Master, please calm down¡­ Actually, Li Yue¡¯an is also dead!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s dead too? Who killed him?¡± Han Xiao was stunned.


    ¡°It was Elder Ling Buyang. It¡¯s said that after learning of Elder Feng¡¯s death, he was so furious he tracked Li Yue¡¯an down and killed him,¡± Liu Bingshan reported.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Chai Yunsheng¡¯s eyelids twitched. ¡°That doesn¡¯t add up. First, why would all three of them be together? Second, if Feng Zhaoting is dead, Ling Buyang would only feel relieved¡ªwhy would he avenge him?¡±


    Han Xiao nodded in agreement. Since he had dangled the Deputy Hall Master position before them, their rtionship had only worsened. A few days earlier, Ling Buyang had even killed Feng Zhaoting¡¯s brother. How could he suddenly avenge Feng?


    After a moment of silence, Han Xiao¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Ask the Wanchang Sect for rification.¡±


    Since they had issued the reward, they must have verified the deaths of Feng Zhaoting and Li Yue¡¯an. Perhaps they knew more.


    Han Xiao retrieved a Destiny Scroll and unfurled it. A wave of mysterious energy rippled out, and a hazy figure appeared on the projected screen¡ªYue Longxiao, the head of the Wanchang Sect¡¯s Hanyuan City branch and second on the Hunter''s List.


    ¡°Master Yue, what happened to Elder Feng?¡± Han Xiao asked directly.


    Yue Longxiao hesitated before responding. ¡°Half an hour ago, Li Yue¡¯an brought Elder Feng¡¯s blood and corpse to im the reward. After verification, we issued the bounty. Shortly after, Ling Buyang arrived with Li Yue¡¯an¡¯s corpse and imed the reward as well.¡±


    ¡°How much time psed between the two ims?¡± Han Xiao pressed.


    ¡°For others, I wouldn¡¯t disclose this, but given our rtionship and the involvement of two Deputy Hall Masters of the Destiny Hall, I¡¯ll tell you. The time between ims was less than the duration of brewing a cup of tea. Moreover, during that interval, Li Yue¡¯an transferred all the reward money and his savings to Ling Buyang,¡± Yue Longxiao revealed.


    Hearing this, Han Xiao¡¯s body swayed. ¡°In such a short time, transferring funds and killing Li Yue¡¯an means Ling Buyang must have been nearby when Feng Zhaoting was killed. In other words, he likely killed Feng himself!¡±


    ¡°This is only your conjecture. It has nothing to do with the Wanchang Sect,¡± Yue Longxiao said before cutting the connection.


    Chai Yunsheng was visibly shaken. ¡°We know Ling Buyang¡¯s strength. How could he possibly defeat Feng Zhaoting? And Li Yue¡¯an, despite being a rogue cultivator, is formidable enough to have survived years of bounties. How could Ling suddenly be this strong?¡±


    Han Xiao stayed silent for a moment before nodding. ¡°No wonder he dared to kill Feng Yizhou openly. His strength must have advanced significantly, but he hid it well. Chai Yunsheng, spread the news of Feng Zhaoting¡¯s death to the Qiansi Hall, and subtly hint at theirpetition. Let¡¯s see how the Zouyi Dynasty responds.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± Chai Yunsheng nodded and left. Liu Bingshan followed closely behind.


    Left alone, Han Xiao gazed into the distance, his eyes narrowing.


    Reaching the Ninth Level of the Source Pool Realm meant each step forward was fraught with difficulty. For Ling Buyang to kill Feng Zhaoting so easily in such a short time, his rapid improvement was nothing short of extraordinary.


    ---


    Meanwhile, at the Hanyuan City Pce


    Han Qianchou, dressed in a python-patterned robe, stared at the report in his hand, lost in thought.


    ¡°Easily killing Feng Zhaoting and Li Yue¡¯an¡­ It seems Ling Buyang¡¯s return to the Zouyi Dynasty brought him significant benefits,¡± he murmured.


    After ncing at another document, his brows furrowed. ¡°No one else may know, but I do. My younger brother, Han Qianye, will face this man in a duel! A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall¡ªthis is sheer recklessness!¡±


    If it were the old Ling Buyang, he wouldn¡¯t have been concerned. But now, having killed two experts in a row, Ling was a terrifying opponent.


    Han Qianchou summoned an attendant. ¡°Deliver my Cold Nether Armor to Qianye and tell him he must wear it during the duel.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    After some thought, Han Qianchou rose to his feet. ¡°Forget it¡ªI¡¯ll go personally!¡±


    The attendant hesitated. ¡°Your Majesty, personally going to the ck market¡­ isn¡¯t that inappropriate?¡±


    Han Qianchou waved it off. ¡°What¡¯s inappropriate? I joined such duels in my youth too. Prepare a disguise¡ªI¡¯ll make sure no one recognizes me.¡±


    The attendant had no choice but toply.


    ---


    That day, the ck market bustled more than ever.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the ck market supposed to be highly secretive, catering to a select few? Why is it so crowded?¡± Zhang Xuan wondered aloud.


    Fu Yingying smirked knowingly. ¡°Do you think the Hanyuan royal family is unaware? In truth, they own shares in the market. At least half the annual profits flow directly into their coffers. That¡¯s why, despite repeated crackdowns, the ck market always reopens in a new location with the same people running it.¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded. No wonder Sun Qiang had easily found information about it. Despite its name, the ¡°ck market¡± wasn¡¯t really ndestine¡ªit operated in the open, much like certain establishments in his past life.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go evaluate your odds,¡± Fu Yingying said with a yful smile, curiosity evident in her eyes. She was eager to see how Zhang Xuan¡¯s betting odds would stack up against those of Prince Pingyuan.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 50: Han Qianye

    Vol 2 Ch 50 Han Qianye


    In a spacious private room of the ck Market, a middle-aged man with an authoritative demeanor sat quietly, his eyes closed as he rested.


    Beside him sat a stunningly beautiful woman. If Zhang Xuan were here, he would recognize her instantly¡ªSun Lianxiang, the daughter of the rogue cultivator Sun Chengyou, whom he had once encountered in White Roc City. She was now the newly-wed consort of Prince Pingyuan, her noble status evident in her ability to casually spend two million Source Coins to save her father.


    "Have we still not found out who exactly wants to duel the prince?" Sun Lianxiang asked with a slight frown.


    Three days ago, the ck Market had announced someone challenging the prince to a duel, but the identity of the challenger had remained undisclosed. With the few experts in Hanyuan City capable of such a feat, it should not have been difficult to find out who it was. Yet, despite thorough investigation, no leads emerged, as if this mysterious expert had appeared out of thin air.


    "Reporting to the princess, no news yet¡­ Not only that, but even the odds haven¡¯t been published," replied a ck-d subordinate, bowing.


    Sun Lianxiang¡¯s displeasure was apparent. "What is Fu Yingying up to? Does she not want this duel to happen?"


    The prince, a martial arts fanatic, had been eagerly seeking opportunities to push his limits in battle. Having a challenger appear was a rare chance, and it would be a disaster if the other party backed out out of fear.


    "Look! The matchup list has been posted!" someone shouted outside the room."Go see who it is!" Sun Lianxiang ordered quickly.


    The subordinate left and soon returned, bowing again. "Princess, the challenger is Elder Ling Buyang of the Destiny Hall."


    Sun Lianxiang was stunned for a moment before shaking her head. "His strength isn¡¯t bad, but he¡¯s greedy and lustful, not to mention cowardly. Can fighting him really help the prince make a breakthrough?"


    A life-and-death duel was inherently risky. If the opponent was too strong, it could lead to the prince''s death before reaching his limits. If too weak, it would fail to push him. Although Ling Buyang wasn¡¯t weak, he seemed far from capable of forcing the prince to bring out his full potential.


    "Experts of this level are usually cautious, rarely making a move unless necessary. Ling Buyang is probably hoping to seize this chance to improve his own standing," Sun Lianxiang remarked, taking out a stack of Source Notes. "Since we¡¯re here, let the prince have a warm-up match. As for us, we might as well make it worth our while. ce five million Source Coins on the prince¡¯s decisive victory!"


    "Yes!" The ck-d subordinate nodded and left. However, he soon returned with a strange expression. "Princess, the odds for the match between the prince and Elder Ling have been posted, but the gap is¡­ quiterge. I didn¡¯t dare ce the bet and came back to consult you."


    Sun Lianxiang raised an eyebrow. "Arge odds gap? That¡¯s to be expected. The prince is a seasoned warrior with unmatched strength. How could a cowardly elder like him possiblypare?"


    The subordinate replied awkwardly, "It¡¯s not what you think. The prince¡¯s odds are extremely high¡ª3.5 to 1 for his victory¡ªwhile Elder Ling¡¯s odds are just 1.3 to 1."


    "What?!" Sun Lianxiang was dumbfounded.


    In such ck Market duels, higher odds indicated lower expectations of victory, simr to betting on the Chinese ser team beating Brazil with odds of 501 to 1. Though 3.5 wasn¡¯t excessively high, it still reflected doubt in the prince¡¯s chances. Was Ling Buyang truly capable of defeating the prince? It seemed absurd. ??


    "Princess, should we still ce the bet?" the subordinate asked hesitantly.


    Sun Lianxiang frowned. "Has Ling Buyang done anything noteworthy recently to warrant such high odds?"


    "Not that I know of, but¡­ a well-informed fat man has been discussing it. Should I invite him over?"


    "A fat man?" Sun Lianxiang paused before nodding. "Bring him in. I want to hear why Fu Yingying has such confidence in Ling Buyang."


    Soon, the fat man arrived and bowed. "Humble one, Sun Qiang, greets the prince and princess."


    "You im to have information on Elder Ling Buyang?" Sun Lianxiang asked directly.


    "Yes," Sun Qiang replied, his eyes narrowing into slits as he smiled. "This information is absolutely reliable and will greatly benefit the prince and princess."


    "Speak, and if it¡¯s urate, you¡¯ll be rewarded handsomely," Sun Lianxiang said, waving her hand.


    "Well¡­" Sun Qiang hesitated before adding awkwardly, "My intelligencees at a fixed price¡ª20,000 Source Coins per piece."


    "Twenty thousand Source Coins? Are you extorting us? Believe me, I can have you arrested right now!" the subordinate snapped angrily.


    Sun Qiang stepped back slightly, releasing a subtle wave of his aura. The previously meditating Prince Pingyuan opened his eyes, nced at Sun Qiang, and said, "Give it to him."


    "Yes," Sun Lianxiang nodded, signaling her subordinate to hand over the money. Sun Qiang joyfully counted the amount and, satisfied, revealed his information.


    "Earlier today, Li Yue¡¯an ambushed Elder Feng Zhaoting and killed him with ease."


    Both Sun Lianxiang and Prince Pingyuan, Han Qianye, were shocked.


    "Elder Feng Zhaoting? His reputation is immense, and he had organizational backing. And now he¡¯s dead?" the subordinate asked in disbelief.


    Sun Qiang exined, "After killing Feng Zhaoting, Li Yue¡¯an was in by Elder Ling Buyang. This is the reason the ck Market has set such favorable odds for him."


    "Feng Zhaoting¡¯s strength isparable to mine, and with his Thousand Threads Heaven¡¯s Fate controlling numerous puppets, even I would struggle. If Li Yue¡¯an killed him, he must have broken through to the Dharma Aspect Realm," Han Qianye said gravely. "And if Ling Buyang could kill Li Yue¡¯an, could he have also reached the Dharma Aspect Realm?"


    Feng Zhaoting¡¯s strength, bolstered by his puppets, was formidable. Even experts in the Dharma Aspect Realm would find him a challenge. For Li Yue¡¯an to defeat him was no small feat, and for Ling Buyang to kill Li Yue¡¯an suggested even greater power.


    Sun Lianxiang frowned. "Could it be that Li Yue¡¯an was gravely injured in his fight with Feng Zhaoting, and Ling Buyang simply took advantage?"


    Han Qianye shook his head. "That¡¯s possible, but the ck Market wouldn¡¯t adjust the odds without evidence. It seems Ling Buyang¡¯s abilities aren¡¯t as straightforward as they appear."


    "Should we still proceed with the duel?" Sun Lianxiang asked, her concern evident.


    Han Qianye smiled. "Of course. He may be strong, but I am no weakling. Besides, I have trump cards of my own. Defeating him won¡¯t be easy."


    As he spoke, two middle-aged men entered the room. Their unfamiliar faces caused the subordinate to scowl. "Who dares intrude into the prince¡¯s private chamber?"


    "It¡¯s me," said one of the men, his calm voice silencing the room.


    Han Qianye¡¯s expression shifted, and he quickly stood. "I greet¡­"


    "Enough," the man interrupted, motioning to hispanion. "Give it to him."


    "Yes," the other man handed over a package, which Han Qianye opened to reveal a suit of armor.


    "The Cold Nether Armor?" Han Qianye was astonished.


    The visitors were none other than the Emperor of the Hanyuan Dynasty, Han Qianchou, and Eunuch Li.


    "Indeed. Wear it for the duel," Han Qianchou instructed.


    "Does my brother know something I don¡¯t?" Han Qianye asked, puzzled. The Cold Nether Armor was one of the most prized armors in the Hanyuan Dynasty, and for his brother to lend it suggested he took the duel very seriously.


    "Brother?" Everyone in the room was taken aback by the title. Only one man could be addressed as such by Prince Pingyuan.


    "Yes," Han Qianchou nced at Sun Qiang before gesturing him to leave. Understanding the sensitive nature of the discussion, Sun Qiang bowed and exited.


    Once the room was clear, Han Qianchou revealed, "Feng Zhaoting and Li Yue¡¯an ambushed Ling Buyang but were both easily in by him. He also destroyed 34 of Feng¡¯s puppets, including 11 at the Divine Soul Realm."


    The revtion left Han Qianye¡¯s eyes wide with shock. Feng Zhaoting alone was difficult to handle, let alone paired with Li Yue¡¯an. Yet Ling Buyang had killed them both effortlessly. His strength was far beyond expectations.


    "Put on the armor and test Ling Buyang. See if he employs any unique Mo Dao martial techniques. I suspect he¡¯s been reced," Han Qianchou said, his gaze thoughtful.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Reced?" Han Qianye¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    After investigating Ling Buyang¡¯s recent activities, Han Qianchou had uncovered suspicious anomalies. The unexpected appearance of Zhang Xuan in White Roc City, his sudden disappearance, and Ling Buyang¡¯s abrupt change in demeanor upon his return¡­ All signs pointed to something unusual.


    "Understood," Han Qianye replied.


    With their conversation concluded, the room fell into silence. The subordinate hesitated before asking Sun Lianxiang, "Princess, should we still ce the bet?"


    Before she could answer, Han Qianchou interjected, "Of course. Li, ce a wager of ten million on Qianye to win!"


    Han Qianye was surprised. "Brother, do you truly believe I can win?"


    Han Qianchou smiled. "With the Cold Nether Armor protecting you, even I would struggle to break your defenses. Focus on pushing yourself to the limit and achieving a breakthrough. Victory will follow naturally."


    Reassured, Han Qianye nodded. "Understood."


    Sun Lianxiang, now inspired, quickly added, "ce five million on the prince¡¯s victory!"


    As the subordinate left, Han Qianye¡¯s gaze darkened. "If this Ling Buyang truly is Zhang Xuan, this duel is about to get interesting."


    Thinking of the information he got before entering the ck market, Han Qianye''s eyes shed and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 51: Did I guess wrong?

    Vol 2 Ch 51 Did I guess wrong?


    "The Hall Master, are you sure Elder Ling will duel Prince Pingyuan here?"


    In a corner of the ck Market arena, two figures with concealed faces whispered in hushed tones. They were Han Xiao and Vice Principal Chai Yunsheng.


    Dueling in the ck Market often involved high-stakes gambling. Many concealed their identities, so the two figures didn''t appear out of ce.


    Han Xiao''s expression was grim. "The announcement has been made, so it''s true. Once they begin, seize the opportunity to assess Elder Ling''s strength. After all, he was able to kill Feng Zhaoting and Li Yue''an in session."


    Chai Yunsheng nodded in agreement. Though they''d confirmed from Yue Longxiao that Ling Buyang killed Feng Zhaoting, they still harbored doubts. This duel was the perfect chance to see for themselves. Upon hearing the news, they had rushed over and arrived just in time¡ªbefore the fight started.


    At that moment, a plump man approached, his demeanor sly as he lowered his voice. "Would you two like to buy some information? It''s about Elder Feng and Prince Pingyuan. I''ve got exclusive intel that could be useful to you!"


    "How much?" Chai Yunsheng asked.


    The plump man chuckled, his expression smug. "200,000 Source Coins!"


    "Are you robbing us?!" Chai Yunsheng nearly swore in anger.


    Han Xiao interrupted Chai''s fury, turning to the man. "Tell us what you''ve got. If it''s truly useful, 200,000 is fine."


    "Deal!"


    The man nodded enthusiastically. "Normally, Elder Ling¡¯s odds of winning should be much higher than Prince Pingyuan¡¯s. But they¡¯ve suddenly shifted. It''s said to be rted to Elder Feng and Li Yue''an!"


    Han Xiao¡¯s face grew solemn. The connection between Ling Buyang and the deaths of Feng Zhaoting and Li Yue''an was something he had already suspected, thanks to his close rtionship with Yue Longxiao. This confirmation made the source appear highly credible.


    Taking out 200,000 Source Coins, Han Xiao handed them over. "Speak. What''s the intel?"


    The plump man looked around cautiously before lowering his voice so only they could hear. "Word has it that His Majesty gifted the prince a set of faintly blue armor and bet on his victory!"


    "Faintly blue armor? Cold Nether Armor?" Han Xiao''s pupils contracted, his face darkening.


    Even he would struggle to prate that armor¡¯s defense. With Prince Pingyuan already so strong, wearing such protection made defeating him nearly impossible.


    After sharing a few more details, the man disappeared.


    "If this is true, the prince is practically guaranteed to win," Chai Yunsheng said.


    Han Xiao hesitated before waving it off. "His chances are indeed high, but we can''t be certain. If Ling Buyang managed to kill Feng Zhaoting and Li Yue''an, escape unscathed, ande here to duel, he might have something even greater up his sleeve. Go ce a 5 million bet on Ling Buyang winning."


    "Understood." Chai Yunsheng nodded.


    This duel between two top-tier experts had drawn nearly all notable figures in Hanyuan City, each eager to ce their bets.


    Inside VIP Box #1, an elder approached Fu Yingying and respectfully bowed. "Miss, the casino is about to close betting. So far, most wagers favor the prince, with only a third betting on Elder Ling."


    Fu Yingying nodded. "The prince''s reputation precedes him, and with favorable odds, it''s no surprise people are betting on him. By the way, did we find out anything about that plump man selling information?"


    The elder replied, "Not much. He seemed to appear in Hanyuan City out of nowhere. While his strength is at the peak of the Divine Soul Realm, any deeper background remains unknown."


    Fu Yingying frowned. "Without connections, how could he know such ssified details like Ling Buyang killing Li Yue''an? Did he ce any bets himself?"


    The elder shook his head. "No, he seems focused solely on selling information."


    Fu Yingying exhaled in relief. "No matter how expensive his intel is, only a few can afford it. His earnings tonight won''t exceed a few million Source Coins¡ªnot enough to worry about. Did Ling Buyang bet?"


    "Elder Ling hasn''t ced any wagers. Since purchasing those 20 Destiny Disks, he has been meditating in his room without interacting with anyone."


    "That''s good then¡­"


    Just then, hurried footsteps sounded. A servant burst into the room, panicked.


    "What happened?" The elder frowned.


    The servant bowed hastily. "Miss, Steward Chen, just ten breaths before betting closed, the plump man rushed in and ced a 30 million Source Coin wager on a draw!"


    Fu Yingying was taken aback. "A draw? In life-and-death duels, it¡¯s almost unheard of. Such a bet is highly unconventional!"


    The servant nodded. "It is rare, but it has precedent. The odds are astronomical¡ªtenfold! If it happens, he¡¯d walk away with 300 million Source Coins!"


    Fu Yingying shook her head. "Rest assured, it won¡¯t happen. Neither Elder Ling nor Prince Pingyuan would agree to a draw. That plump man¡¯s money is as good as lost!"


    As they spoke, the sound of a gong resonated. Ling Buyang and Prince Pingyuan stepped onto the stage, and the duel officially began.


    Zhang Xuan scrutinized the renowned battle-crazed prince. Though said to be over forty, the prince appeared to be in his early thirties. His tall frame radiated the iron-blooded aura of a seasoned warrior, a presence honed through countless battles.


    Despite both being at the peak of the Roaming Realm, the prince¡¯s strength far surpassed Ling Buyang¡¯s, even overshadowing Feng Zhaoting. It was no wonder few dared challenge him, as any mistake could prove fatal.


    "I know Elder Ling¡¯s cultivation is formidable. Please show your full strength," Han Qianye said solemnly, taking a deep breath.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Zhang Xuan nodded, stepping to the edge of the tform to retrieve the Mo Dao prepared by Fu Yingying.


    This duel had many eyes watching. Since he was impersonating Ling Buyang, he couldn¡¯t risk revealing any inconsistencies. The Mo Dao Heaven''s Fate technique wasn¡¯t just a martial skill¡ªit carried the unique force of destiny. Without it, even a perfect replication of the moves wouldck authenticity. However, thanks to the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path and the Dao Li Water Stream, his mastery was indistinguishable from the original.


    Han Qianye¡¯s eyes lit up as he retrieved a long spear. With the spear in hand, his aura transformed, exuding the oppressive might of an army. Unlike other spear users who favored sharp aggression, his style was heavy and overwhelming.


    "Forgive me!" With a low cry, Han Qianye surged forward, the tip of his spear unleashing star-like bursts in all directions.


    It was the Hanyuan royal family¡¯s unique technique, the "Spear Strikes the Nine Provinces." Created by their founding ancestor after uniting thend, it carried both grandeur and spiritual impact, enough to daze those with weaker souls.


    "Impressive technique!" Zhang Xuan praised.


    Though slightly inferior to the previous Xuanlong Palm, it was still exceptional. Han Qianye''s casual execution demonstrated his prowess, which could overwhelm even a breakthrough Feng Zhaoting.


    However, Zhang Xuan had no intention of dodging. With both hands gripping the Mo Dao, he let out a powerful shout.


    Whoosh!


    The scabbard shot forward like a meteor, forcing Han Qianye to either deflect it or lose his momentum.


    It was a clever counterattack, maintainingposure while seizing the initiative.


    ng!


    For Han Qianye, the challenge was hardly insurmountable. With a flick of his spear, the scabbard¡ªmade of ordinary wood¡ªshattered into splinters. His spear¡¯s momentum carried forward, undeterred.


    As the crowd grew anxious for Ling Buyang, Zhang Xuan¡¯s de gleamed with Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. Each strike carried the weight of destiny, shing toward the iing starlight.


    "Incredible! It really is Mo Dao Heaven''s Fate¡­" Han Qianchou, observing from a private box, stood up in shock.


    Heaven¡¯s Fate techniques weren¡¯t something anyone could master. Even those trained by the original creator, Mo Baiye, had to unlock their internal destiny locks and receive his direct inheritance.


    For Ling Buyang to wield such a skill proved he had received the lineage. It seemed the doubts about his identity were unfounded.


    "It seems I overthought things¡­" Han Qianchou murmured.


    Fu Yingying, too, was stunned. She had been convinced Ling Buyang was an imposter. Yet here he was, executing Heaven¡¯s Fate techniques wlessly. Was it possible she had misjudged him all along?


    On the tform, the Mo Dao and spear shed violently, the shockwaves scattering like rain and pockmarking the stage.


    "His strength is around 600 horsepower and sustainable for over ten strikes. Not bad," Zhang Xuan evaluated calmly.


    For someone below the Dharma Aspect Realm, Han Qianye''s performance wasmendable¡ªbut stillckingpared to him.


    "If this is your full power, you may surrender now," Zhang Xuan said with a faint smile, gripping the Mo Dao tighter.


    Han Qianye¡¯s confidence faltered as an overwhelming force crashed down upon him.


    "That¡¯s¡­ 999 horsepower, the peak of the Dharma Aspect Realm?!" His eyes widened in disbelief.

 Book 2: Chapter 52: Han Qianyes Breakthrough

    Vol 2 Ch 52 Han Qianye''s Breakthrough


    Like the 99-horsepower limit of the Jade Bone realm, the Dharma Aspect realm also has a limit, which is 999 horsepower!


    However, this power can only be unleashed after condensing the Dharma Aspect and mobilizing it. The Sensing realm, on the other hand, can unleash it purely through the physical body... Is this for real?


    But if it''s not real, how could the opponent do it?


    Han Qianye was shocked in his heart, but his spear never paused and continued to thrust at high speed. However, every move of the opponent¡¯s Machete was like a mountain hammer strike. After dozens of consecutive blows, his tiger''s mouth began to bleed, unable to withstand any more.


    He could unleash 600 horsepower with a single thrust due to an opportunity where he consumed rare heavenly treasures. Even so, he couldn¡¯t sustain it for long. Yet, the person before him, using 999 horsepower, still appeared rxed and unstrained, as if his energy would never run out!


    No wonder the Crown Prince was so cautious, no wonder Li Yue''an and Feng Zhaoting were no match. The opponent hid his strength well!


    "Since you are using Heaven¡¯s Fate, I will too!" Han Qianye raised his brows, and the tip of his spear shook fiercely. In the blink of an eye, Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy flowed, and the speed of the spear broke the sound barrier, rushing forward.


    Heaven¡¯s Fate Radiance!


    This was the Heaven¡¯s Fate passed down from the Han Yuan royal family. The radiance of the spear would instantly increase its speed, breaking the sound barrier. Countless people stronger than him had been easily in by this move.


    Seeing such speed, Zhang Xuan wasn''t afraid at all. Instead, his eyes lit up.


    The Heaven¡¯s Fate he had encountered before was either "betrayal," "charm," or "dream-rape"... all quite abnormal. However, the Spear Radiance, once understood, could increase the spear¡¯s speed and greatly enhancebat power. If it could be copied and taught to Zheng Yang, it would certainly improve his strength by arge margin.


    Thinking of this, the natural copying ability of Heaven¡¯s Path activated. In the blink of an eye, 100,000 books burned out and transformed into a stream of water resembling a long spear.


    "Such a huge consumption..."


    Zhang Xuan''s eyelids twitched.


    Fortunately, he had just bought 20 Destiny Disks, which provided around 200,000 Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to replicate this Heaven¡¯s Fate.


    Looking at the long spear-shaped water flow just formed, Zhang Xuan observed that, like the previous Machete or Thousand Threads Heaven¡¯s Fate, even with 100,000 Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy absorbed, it still felt somewhat weak and would extinguish at any moment.


    "Could it be that Radiant Heaven¡¯s Fate is superior to Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate?" Zhang Xuan spected.


    Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate could form its embryonic shape with 50,000 Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, but Radiant Heaven¡¯s Fate required 100,000. Does that mean it''s more powerful?


    This thought shed through his mind, and realizing it wasn¡¯t the time for such musings, Zhang Xuan shook his Machete and shed toward the iing Spear Radiance.


    This time, there was no holding back. All his energy surged along with the de aura, descending majestically.


    Crack! Crack!


    Although the Spear Radiance was fast, itcked power, and faced with his full-force strike, it immediately shattered. Han Qianye¡¯s pupils contracted. He tried to dodge but found that his body was locked by a special force, as though it was destined to be struck by this blow with no way to resist.


    Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, affecting the soul!


    "This is bad!"


    The people who had bet on Han Qianye¡¯s victory all turned pale.


    Looking at the power of this blow, if it trulynds, not only would the peak of Sensing realm not resist, even someone at the peak of Dharma Aspect would be unable to withstand it!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Buzz!


    The Machete struck Han Qianye, a glow shing. A dark blue armor suddenly appeared, blocking the de¡¯s aura. Not only that, the ordinary steel-tempered Machete shattered into countless fragments, which embedded into the ground.


    "This is... Cold Nether Armor!"


    "Prince Pingyuan is actually wearing Cold Nether Armor... Is this still a Life-and-Death duel? This is cheating!"


    "He''s known as a battle maniac, always wanting to duel with others, but when ites to actually fighting, he''s afraid of death and puts on battle armor. How can this be fair?"


    "As long as the armor is activated, it''s practically invulnerable. He''s already in an undefeatable position..."


    Upon seeing this scene, the crowd erupted in an uproar.


    Since it''s a Life-and-Death duel, the weapons used should be provided by the ck market, and there should be no significant disparity for the battle to be interesting. How could someone wear such invincible defensive armor? How is this a fair fight?


    So embarrassing!


    Han Qianye¡¯s face flushed slightly as he spat out a mouthful of blood, "They''re right, it''s indeed unfair to wear armor."


    As he spoke, he began to remove the Cold Nether Armor.


    "No need. Just unleash your full power. Who said I can''t defeat you just because you''re wearing armor?" Zhang Xuan waved his hand and stepped forward.


    Up until now, the opponent had been the one attacking, and he had been defending passively. Now, with his true energy flowing to the limit, he was ready to take the initiative.


    His speed was also incredibly fast, his footsteps making the sound of wind and thunder. Without the Machete and without the Heaven¡¯s Fate martial technique, logically, hisbat power would be considerably weaker, but Han Qianye felt a more difficult-to-resist sensation.


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


    In an instant, Han Qianye¡¯s Cold Nether Armor endured dozens of violent strikes, eachnding on the same spot, each carrying 999 horsepower, not more, not less.


    "Poof!"


    His face turned red as he spat out a mouthful of blood.


    The Cold Nether Armor could block attacks, but the shockwave from the power that passed through the armor still caused him unbearable pain.


    He had thought the opponent was only using Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate to umte power to 999 horsepower, but he never imagined that the opponent¡¯s physical strength had also reached that level! Moreover, every part of his body could unleash this power...


    How did he cultivate this?


    He had heard rumors that the Elder Ling was lecherous. If certain ces could also unleash such power, wouldn''t the women below die on the spot?


    Realizing it was not time for such thoughts, Han Qianye raised his spear again, trying to block the opponent¡¯s strike.


    However, before he could execute his spear technique, Zhang Xuan¡¯s violent power hit the spear shaft, and the spear shattered upon impact.


    "He can do it, why can¡¯t I? Why can¡¯t I?" Han Qianye¡¯s face twisted in fury. He pushed all his strength to the limit.


    He was always proud of his strength and was known in the military for his violent output. Among the royal princes, only the Crown Prince was a challenge. No one else could match him. But now, he was beingpletely suppressed! His frustration was unimaginable.


    The overwhelming power surged from the Source Pool, boiling in his meridians like scalding water, seeming ready to burst forth, but always getting stuck at a critical joint, unable to break through.


    This constraint had been blocking him for many years, and he had never been able to break through it.


    "Is it impossible to break through today as well?"


    He gritted his teeth.


    Fighting against such a powerful opponent was the best opportunity... He knew that once this chance was gone, he might never find such an opportunity again.


    Screaming inwardly, Han Qianye charged forward, meeting Zhang Xuan head-on.


    Fists collided, and the devastating force was like a stone thrown into water, creating ripples.


    "No! No! It''s still not working!"


    After over a hundred exchanges, Han Qianye felt his internal organs were shaking and bleeding. He realized that the blockage inside his body was still like an imprable wall that he couldn''t break through.


    Just as he thought he was going to fail again, a faint voice came from the opposite side:


    "Do you want to break through? I can help you."


    As the voice finished, Han Qianye felt the opponent¡¯s attacking power break through the Cold Nether Armor¡¯s defense and converge on a specific spot in his body.


    It was the very blockage he had been unable to ovee.


    Boom!


    With a single blow, the unshakable ce copsed, and his soul instantly solidified, appearing as a demon-like figure behind him!


    The third level of the Source Pool Realm¡ªDharma Aspect!


    He had broken through with the opponent¡¯s help!


    "Not bad, not bad!"


    In a private room, Han Qianchou¡¯s eyes lit up.


    This younger brother''s breakthrough marked another significant boost in the overall strength of the Han Yuan Dynasty.


    As the breakthrough waspleted, Han Qianchou''s eyes immediately lit up with approval. His younger brother¡¯s advancement signaled a huge leap in the overall strength of the Han Yuan Dynasty.


    Being at the Dharma Aspect realm, the difference between having or not having a Dharma Aspect was immense.


    ¡°This is the moment of victory¡­¡±


    Sun Lianxiang also sighed in relief.


    However, unlike their excitement, Han Xiao and Chai Yunsheng, the two Hall Masters, exchanged looks, their expressions filled with deep shock.


    ¡°Being able to use the Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate so smoothly proves it¡¯s definitely Ling Buyang¡­ But this immense strength also feels simr to someone who has trained in the Body¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Fate¡­¡±


    Han Xiao recalled records from the Destiny Hall.


    Those who cultivated the Body¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Fate would train their bodies without drinking alcohol, without bleeding, without injury, and without breaking their chastity vows¡­ For decades, they would work tirelessly, perfecting the full use of their muscle power, allowing every move to reach its maximum potential.


    Ling Buyang was known for practicing the Machete, and yet, so many rumors circted about him being lecherous¡ªhow could he have achieved such a feat?


    ¡°That¡¯s not right. Although he¡¯s famous for his lecherousness, it seems he¡¯s only ever observed women without any physical advances. I heard this from many people before and thought it was just gossip, but could it¡­ actually be true?¡±


    A thought shed in his mind.


    If this were true, then even if Ling Buyang hadn¡¯t cultivated the Body¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Fate, he must have a simr method!


    The most famous method for this would be the Buddha Sect¡¯s<strong>Golden Body Technique</strong>!


    By nurturing the Qi, cultivating the spirit, and preserving energy for decades, the body would eventually achieve the Golden Body, giving immense strength. With only physical power, one could sever fate and cross to the other side.


    ¡°With this kind of power and cultivation, he¡¯s definitely qualified topete with Chai Yunsheng¡­¡±


    Han Xiao murmured to himself, then turned to Chai Yunsheng beside him, sighing: ¡°When we return, I¡¯ll send Ling Buyang an official letter of appointment. From today onwards, he will be the Vice Hall Master of Destiny Hall. Once I return to the Zouyi Dynasty, I¡¯llpete with you for the position of Hall Master! Yunsheng, work hard. You know, you¡¯re the only person I¡¯ve ever wanted to entrust this position to. Please, don¡¯t disappoint me!¡±


    Chai Yunsheng was stunned, his gaze instantly turning solemn. ¡°Hall Master, rest assured. I will never let you down, and I will live up to your trust and expectations!¡±


    On the stage, Han Qianye had broken through to the Dharma Aspect realm, his power reaching 800 horsepower. With the Cold Nether Armor added, hisbat power soared. He had been at a disadvantage earlier, but now he had the upper hand.


    ¡°Defensive treasures really are strong. Without the<strong>Pathos of Heaven Sword Technique</strong>, it¡¯s going to be hard to win¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan thought to himself as he continually retreated.

 Book 2: Chapter 53: Mo Dao Lights Incense

    Vol 2 Ch 53: Mo Dao Lights Incense


    Zhang Xuan''s power was stronger, but the Cold Nether Armor could morph its shape, much like Iron Man¡¯s suit. Despite the same strength, the explosive attacking power was entirely different.


    After exchanging several blows, even though his cultivation was strong and his body and bones had been perfectly tempered, Zhang Xuan still felt intense pain, constantly surging through him.


    "Still not at a disadvantage?"


    Seeing his breakthrough, Ling Buyang could still stand firm, Han Qianye raised an eyebrow, and his Dharma Aspect emerged behind him.


    He was grateful for the breakthrough that had been assisted by the other party but understood that not putting in his full effort and directly admitting defeat would be disrespectful.


    The Dharma Aspect appeared again, and his power increased once more. With it, his strength, like Ling Buyang''s, reached 999 horsepower.


    In simple terms, the Dharma Aspect was still a manifestation of the Divine Soul, but it was more condensed and could even damage the human body.


    Bang, bang, bang, bang!


    With the help of the Dharma Aspect and the Cold Nether Armor, Zhang Xuan¡¯s physical strength was starting to falter. After exchanging over ten more rounds, he was forced to retreat repeatedly.


    After all, he had just broken through to the Ninth Level of the Source Pool Realm, and his cultivation had not yet been solidified.


    Of course, this was just his physical strength. Once he unleashed the Pathos of Heaven Sword Technique or ignited the New World, he could easily obliterate his opponent.


    "These streams of water absorb more Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, the more Iprehend Heaven¡¯s Fate, the more insight I gain into the Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate... Let¡¯s see if I can increase my control over it..."


    An idea suddenly emerged.


    When he had absorbed fifty thousand lines, his understanding of the Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate was just the basics. Upon reaching one hundred thousand lines, the sword techniques he could disy were alreadyparable to those of Elder Ling. But what if he absorbed more?


    Thinking of this, he didn¡¯t hesitate. With a thought, the Destiny Disk he had just purchased shattered, and one hundred thousand lines of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy surged toward the floating streams of Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate.


    Hum!


    The streams of Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate hummed excitedly, bing more solid and radiant. In an instant, Zhang Xuan''s understanding of Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate deepened further. The sword techniques previously performed by Yu Qingyu shed in his mind, not only bing integrated but also gaining deeperprehension as he developed more techniques in his mind.


    "So this is what Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate is all about..."


    He smiled slightly, shaping his hand like a sword and striking toward Han Qianye.


    The same technique, the same Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate sword moves, but the power was entirely different. As the sword energy left his hand, countless lines of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy attached themselves to it. Han Qianye immediately felt that his fate was slipping out of control.


    It was as though he had fallen into a sea full of storms, and could only drift along with the current.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Boom!


    The sword energy struck the Cold Nether Armor, and Han Qianye spat out a mouthful of blood, instantly flying backward.


    "Is this the true power of Elder Ling?"


    "To unleash such a powerful sword technique, hisprehension of Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate must have reached the second level!"


    "The second level? What is that?"


    "Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate is a small branch within the sword techniques of Heaven¡¯s Fate. Like a stream within a river, the creator, Mo Baiye, only reached the third level. Among his direct disciples, only three reached the second level... Ling Buyang has always been someone with aprehension at the first level, considered a marginal figure in the Machete Sect. Now that he has broken through, he may now be able to join the core!"


    Han Xiao''s expression became more serious.


    Previously, he had promised to find a Dharma Aspect cultivation method for the other party, but deep down, he had been hesitating. Now, he would no longer dare to avoid it.


    Reaching the second level of Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate, Ling Buyang¡¯s strength would surely surpass the Ninth Level of the Source Pool Realm, reaching even greater heights.


    "Qianye is about to lose..."


    In the private room, Han Qianchou shook his head.


    Although his younger brother had broken through to the Dharma Aspect Realm and had the Cold Nether Armor protecting him, it was still impossible to defeat a Heaven¡¯s Fate expert at the second level ofprehension.


    Such a person could already challenge a Two-Star Destiny Master.


    "Your Majesty..." Sun Lianxiang said anxiously.


    Han Qianchou replied, "The strength of Ling Buyang is no weaker than mine. Qianye¡¯s loss is not unjust. There¡¯s nothing more I can do."


    ---


    Zouyi Dynasty, Machete Sect.


    More than ten figures were seated in the main hall. Among them was an elderly man with snowy white hair, sitting in the center. His brows were like knives, and his gaze sharp like a sword, exuding an aura that made it difficult for anyone to look him in the eye.


    "Master, that Chaotic Fate Practitioner, has jumped into Zhi Lan Valley. If he stays hidden and doesn¡¯te out, should we really just leave him be?" A middle-aged man frowned.


    Zhi Lan Valley ranked 21st in the Destiny Divine Domain, containing countless rules. Over the past several thousand years, no one had survived after entering it. Even if this Chaotic Fate Practitioner was extraordinarily talented, it would still be difficult for him to endure for long...


    "Not worth worrying about. However, since the Chaotic Fate Practitioner is quite peculiar, we shouldn¡¯t let our guard down. Keep an eye out for him from the outside. If by some chance he does manage to survive, we¡¯ll kill him on the spot!"


    The elderly man waved his hand.


    He was none other than Mo Baiye, the creator of the Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate.


    "Understood," the middle-aged man nodded, about to speak again when suddenly, a Machete on the table in front of them violently shook.


    It was Mo Baiye''s personal sword, the source of hisprehension of the Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate.


    Back in the day, Mo Baiye had understood the essence of the Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate by wielding this de, and from it, he had created the sect¡¯s style.


    "What''s going on?"


    Mo Baiye froze for a moment and quickly turned to look.


    The Machete kept shaking violently. Suddenly, the incense in front of him caught fire on its own, and streams of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy swirled around, gathering to form the shape of a Machete.


    "This... someone hasprehended the second level of Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate? Wonderful! I never thought that our sect would produce another genius!"


    Mo Baiye realized what was happening and his face lit up with joy.


    The lighting of the incense was a sign of someone breaking through to a higher level of Heaven¡¯s Fate. This meant that a new genius had emerged, someone who had grasped the second level of Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate, and could now challenge a Two-Star Destiny Master!


    He only had three direct disciples who had reached the second level of Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate, so an additional disciple at this level would greatly enhance their power.


    "The fragrance ising from the southeast, the location of the Hanyuan Dynasty... Could it be... Ling Buyang¡¯s disciple? Has he broken through?"


    The middle-aged man couldn¡¯t help but speak up.


    "Ling Buyang... after that incident, I thought there was no hope for him, but he has broken through and seeded before anyone else..."


    Mo Baiye nodded with satisfaction, spreading his arms as if wanting to absorb the energy to break through himself. However, he soon realized that nothing was happening, and the surrounding atmosphere was eerily still.


    "Something''s wrong. While someone has broken through to the second level of Machete Heaven¡¯s Fate, I¡¯m not sensing any Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy... Could it be that his Machete Heaven¡¯s Fateprehension does not belong to our sect?"


    Mo Baiye''s expression darkened.


    If someone breaks through a level of Heaven¡¯s Fate, the sect leader can sense it and gain benefits. But now, even though there was a breakthrough, he felt nothing, which was troubling.


    "Mo Qing, go to the Hanyuan Dynasty and check the situation. If Ling Buyang has truly broken through and you can''t sense anything from him, or if you¡¯re unaffected by him..."


    Mo Baiye''s eyes flickered coldly.


    If he couldn¡¯t sense the breakthrough, it meant the person waspeting for the de of Heaven¡¯s Fate, and such a person would be eliminated immediately.


    "Understood!" the middle-aged man, Mo Qing, sped his fists and bowed.


    ---


    "He''s about to lose..."


    The people who had bet on Han Qianye''s odds felt a wave of disappointment.


    This was the Prince of Pingyuan, the idol of the younger generation in Hanyuan City, and even in the Cold Nether Armor, he was losing... How powerful was Ling Buyang really?


    Just as everyone was getting ready to tear up their tickets in frustration, Elder Ling, who had just struck Han Qianye flying, suddenly flushed and spat a mouthful of blood.


    "Not good... He must have used some forbidden technique and was backfired, that''s why his attack exploded with such tremendous power!"


    "If that''s the case, then who will win is still uncertain..."


    Everyone suddenly regained hope and continued to watch the match. Han Qianye, seeing Elder Ling''s condition, seemed to have the same thought and struggled to charge at him again.


    However, despite Elder Ling spitting blood, he stubbornly held on and once again sent his opponent flying. After seven or eight rounds, both of them copsed to the ground, unable to rise again.


    "Is this...?"


    The onlookers exchanged confused nces.


    At that moment, someone from the crowd, no one knew from where, spoke up: "Both fell and can''t get up. Shouldn''t this be considered a draw?"


    The referee was silent.


    It was a difficult situation. Saying Han Qianye won was impossible, and saying Ling Buyang won wasn¡¯t fair to Han Qianye either.


    Indeed, it was a draw.


    This was the first time anyone had seen a Life-and-Death Duel end like this.


    "Master..."


    The referee, having never experienced this before, didn¡¯t dare make a decision. He hesitantly looked toward a private room.


    Fu Yingying frowned and finally nodded.


    "Alright, I hereby announce the result of this duel... The match between Prince Pingyuan Han Qianye and Elder Ling Buyang ends in a draw!"


    "Even a draw... I lost!"


    "Who could have predicted this?"


    "No, wait. It seems someone actually bet on the draw and staked three million Source Coins."


    "What luck!"


    Those who had participated in the high-stakes gamble were downcast, while those who bet on the draw were filled with envy. A payout of 10 to 1¡ªthree million turning into three billion...


    Such wealth would surely ce them at the top in Hanyuan City.


    "Check who just spoke!"


    Fu Yingying ordered.


    A short whileter, a servant returned. "Miss, the one who spoke just now is the person who bet on the draw... the fat man."


    "He must have had prior intel, sold the information, and then ced all his bets on a draw..."


    Fu Yingying frowned, sensing something was wrong. But she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it.


    Han Qianye''s and Ling Buyang''s breakthroughs had urred during the match, so no one could have predicted them, not even themselves. But this man had seemingly foreseen it in advance. Something about this felt off.


    "This man is suspicious. Should we exchange his bet?"


    Manager Chen also realized something was amiss and asked cautiously.


    "Of course, we need to exchange it. Otherwise, who would keep betting here?"


    Fu Yingying shook her head.


    "That¡¯s three billion..."


    Manager Chen winced.


    Tonight¡¯s total transactions were less than three billion, so if they paid him out, their entire ck market would take a huge loss.


    "Spread the news of hispensation and send someone to follow him. I need to find out who he really is..."


    Fu Yingying waved her hand.


    "Yes!"


    Manager Chen nodded.


    Wealth stirs the heart, and no one dares to kill Han Qianchou. For someone who suddenly appeared out of nowhere at the peak of the Divine Soul Realm, making it back alive might not be so easy.

 Book 2: Chapter 54: The Second Realm of Destiny

    Vol 2 Ch 54: The Second Realm of Destiny


    The duel ended in a draw, with some celebrating and others filled with worry. Zhang Xuan, supported by several subordinates from the ck market, returned to his room.


    "How''s Elder Ling?"


    Fu Yingying nced over nervously.


    An expert who hadprehended the second stage of Destiny was of great help to her. If she could establish a good rtionship, it wouldn''t be impossible for her to return to her sect.


    "I''m fine..." Zhang Xuan replied, "Miss Fu, I''d like to purchase some Destiny Disks. How many do we have left in the ck market?"


    Fu Yingying didn¡¯t decline: "Although the ck market doesn¡¯t have too many left, we¡¯ve umted them over the years. You can take however many you want."


    After thinking for a moment, Zhang Xuan said, "Then I¡¯ll buy 100."


    The chubby man was none other than Sun Qiang, who had arranged the wager for the draw in the duel. Now, Fu Yingying was offering a low price for 100 Destiny Disks, which only cost 200 million Source Coins. With the profits from a duel, that was nothing to worry about.


    "100?" Fu Yingying¡¯s pupils shrank, and she looked awkwardly at him. "Our ck market can¡¯t provide that many at once. I could manage in three months... but... "


    She had expected him to request no more than a dozen or twenty at most, but now he asked for a hundred...


    Who, in their right mind, would buy twenty and then suddenly ask for a hundred?


    The Destiny Energy in the Destiny Disks was purified, pure energy that would greatly benefit Destiny Masters, but it couldn¡¯t be eaten like food. Buying too much wouldn¡¯t help much either.


    "Three months? Too long!"


    Not understanding her thoughts, Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Then, how many can you provide now?"


    Fu Yingying pondered for a moment and said, "At most, 50."


    "Fine, give me fifty," Zhang Xuan said. "If you trust me, I¡¯ll send over one hundred million Source Coins shortly¡­"


    Fu Yingying smiled, "With Elder Ling¡¯s strength, bing the Vice Hall Master is a done deal, so I naturally trust you!"


    One hundred million Source Coins was a huge amount, but for a Vice Hall Master of Destiny Hall, there would always be opportunities to earn it back, so it wasn¡¯t too difficult.


    Zhang Xuan let out a breath of relief. "Thank you..."


    Since the formation of the Mo Dao Destiny, the consumption of Destiny Energy had been enormous. Fifty Destiny Disks, which contained fifty thousand units of Destiny Energy, seemed like a lot, but once used, they would be exhausted in no time.


    They might not even be enough for his Mo Dao Destiny Realm to reach the third stage.


    Just earlier, he had learned from Fu Yingying about the so-called realms. Only by understanding the Destiny of the Destiny Hall and entering a higher realm could one break through the shackles of cultivation and be a higher-level Destiny Master.


    Taking Mo Baiye from the Mo Dao Sect as an example, to be a three-star Destiny Master, one¡¯s understanding of Destiny had to reach the third realm, the Knowing Fate Realm.


    The first three realms of Destiny were: Searching Fate, Recognizing Fate, and Knowing Fate.


    With this in mind, Zhang Xuan began to have some guesses about the Mo Dao Water Flow in the Library.


    Fifty thousand units of Destiny Energy formed the Searching Fate Realm, where one found and controlled their own Destiny. This realm seemed somewhat simr to someone like Yu Qingyu.


    After absorbing another fifty thousand units, the Searching Fate Realm would bepletely stabilized, somewhat like Ling Buyang¡¯s level.


    After absorbing a further hundred thousand, the realm would break through to the Recognizing Fate Realm, where Destiny was acknowledged, and both strength and control over Destiny would improve.


    Once reaching this stage, there were no more barriers in cultivating the Source Pool Ninefold and advancing to higher realms. As long as time passed and the necessary umtion was made, sess was guaranteed.


    In others¡¯ eyes, at this moment, Zhang Xuan was already a master who had surpassed the Source Pool Ninefold and deserved due respect.


    After waiting a while, they delivered the 50 Destiny Disks. Zhang Xuan was satisfied and stored them in the New World.


    Just after collecting the Destiny Disks, a subordinate entered the room and approached Fu Yingying, lowering his voice.


    "Miss, that chubby man has already left the ck market¡­ Seven groups of people are quietly following him."


    "Good, keep tracking him. Report anything you find immediately¡­" Fu Yingying nodded.


    "Understood!" The subordinate turned and left.


    Zhang Xuan had aplished his objective, and there was no need to stay any longer. Struggling to stand up, he cupped his fists. "Miss Fu, I¡¯ll take my leave now. If anyone wants to duel again, please help me set it up in advance..."


    Fu Yingying¡¯s lips twitched.


    Helping him arrange a duel once had almost caused the ck market to go bankrupt. If she did it again, she might end up losing her shirt.


    She smiled awkwardly, not dwelling on this issue, and with a flirtatious gaze, said, "Elder Ling¡¯s injuries aren¡¯t light. How about staying the night... so I can take care of you?"


    "No need¡­" Zhang Xuan shook his head, rejecting her offer.


    "Then I¡¯ll send you off..."


    Fu Yingying waved her hand, and Steward Chen stepped forward. "Elder Ling, this way, please..."


    Zhang Xuan said nothing further and followed Steward Chen out.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Not long after, Steward Chen returned to the room, his face full of confusion.


    Fu Yingying was displeased. "Didn¡¯t I tell you to send Elder Ling off? Why are you back so soon?"


    Steward Chen replied, "Miss, I did send him off. He said he urgently needed to use the restroom as soon as he left. Then... after waiting a while, he never came back. That¡¯s when I realized he had disappeared."


    "Was he afraid I¡¯d take advantage of his weakness and send someone to hunt him?"


    Fu Yingying looked slightly upset.


    She had kindly sent someone to escort him, hoping he wouldn¡¯t be harmed and that no one would scheme against him, but he didn¡¯t appreciate it and sneaked off.


    "Probably not¡­" Steward Chen shook his head.


    Fu Yingying looked at him. "Why do you say that?"


    Steward Chen exined, "When that chubby man was leaving, he left an envelope for me, saying I should open it personally after Elder Ling had left. After Elder Ling left, I opened it, and inside was exactly one hundred million Source Coins!"


    "That chubby man? One hundred million Source Coins?"


    Fu Yingying froze for a moment, then realized, "That means that chubby man is actually working for Elder Ling? Could it be that horse?"


    A sudden memory surged into her mind.


    After leaving Li Yue''an¡¯s courtyard, Elder Ling had called over a horse and given several instructions. At the time, she had thought nothing of it, but now it seemed like it was to inform the chubby man to ce the bet.


    The horse not only brought the man but also delivered the message precisely... Was this real?


    "Now it seems he really is one of Elder Ling¡¯s people. However, I don¡¯t understand how this man could be so sure it would end in a draw¡­" Steward Chen still looked puzzled.


    Fu Yingying smiled wryly. "It¡¯s simple. Who wins, who loses, or whether it¡¯s a draw, all of it is under the control of Ling Buyang."


    Steward Chen froze. "He controls it? Could he control Prince Qianye¡¯s breakthrough and his own breakthrough?"


    Fu Yingying shook her head. "Prince Qianye¡¯s breakthrough may not be fully controble, but it¡¯s certain that Ling Buyang¡¯s strength is far beyond what he¡¯s shown. His so-called breakthrough could just be a feint!"


    "This..."


    Steward Chen¡¯s pupils contracted sharply.


    Ifprehending the second stage of Destiny is just a feint, then how strong must his true strength be?


    Far from the ck market, aboard a small boat, Sun Lianxiang looked at her husband, who was injured but not fatally harmed, and let out a sigh of relief. "Thankfully, Elder Ling just broke through and still hasn¡¯t fully mastered his power. Otherwise, the prince would have been severely injured or perhaps never recovered..."


    Hearing this, Han Qianchou, who was standing at the bow of the boat, let out a mockingugh. "You really think Ling Buyang couldn''t kill Qianye?"


    "Isn¡¯t that the case?" Sun Lianxiang was taken aback.


    "Of course not!"


    Han Qianye, struggling to sit up, shook his head gravely. "If he wanted to kill me, I would have been dead long ago. The reason it ended in a draw is that he deliberately allowed it. And the only reason I could break through is because he helped me..."


    "This..." Sun Lianxiang looked utterly incredulous.


    Helping your opponent break through and still sparing their life during the battle... How strong must this Elder Ling be?


    "If he¡¯s really that powerful, he could have just won, there was no need for a draw, and no need to make it look wless and undetectable."


    Han Qianchou smiled faintly. "You¡¯re right. The chubby man who sold the information earlier was his subordinate. ording to the information I received, this person bet three million Source Coins on a draw."


    "A pre-battle bet on a draw means they were 100% certain it would end like that..."


    Sun Lianxiang¡¯s pupils constricted.


    What kind of confidence and strength would that require?


    "Elder Ling¡¯s cultivation level has far exceeded our expectations, but that might not be a good thing. After killing Feng Zhaoting and making a breakthrough in the second stage of Destiny, his cultivation hasn''t advanced further. People who want to kill him will definitely not be few. We¡¯ll have to wait and see."


    Waving his hand, Han Qianchou stopped speaking.


    He then jumped off the boat. Sun Qiang disembarked as well and rode a swift horse, rushing ahead.


    He seemed to know he was being followed, and did not dare to hesitate.


    The horse was incredibly fast, covering several miles in just the time it took to drink a cup of tea. Just as he thought he was in the clear, suddenly, with a "bang," an arrow appeared in front of him.


    The arrow carried immense force. Sun Qiang, using his spiritual energy, hurriedly blocked it. However, with a "thud," he was knocked off his horse and sent tumbling to the ground.


    "A Source Pool Ninefold expert?" Sun Qiang¡¯s face turned grim.


    "Not too bad..."


    A faint voice echoed from the distance, and a young schr slowly walked out from the end of the road.


    Sun Qiang spun around and tried to retreat, only to find that the path he had just passed was blocked by a limping old man holding a wine gourd. He looked like an old drunkard, though Sun Qiang could tell from theck of aura that this man was no ordinary person.


    "Since we¡¯re all here for the three million Source Coins, how about you all show yourselves?"


    Seeing that he couldn¡¯t escape, the old man took a sip of wine, sealed the bottle, and smiled.


    Huff, huff, huff!


    On both sides of the street, five figures emerged.


    One was a middle-aged Taoist nun, two were ck-d figures with veils over their faces, one was a bald, burly man, and thest was an elderly man with greenish beard.


    These five were also powerful experts, all likely at the Source Pool Ninefold level.

 Book 2: Chapter 55: Total Annihilation

    Vol 2 Ch 55: Total Annihtion


    ¡°Lame Zhang, Jade Schr, this guy is a cultivator from our Hanyuan City. You people from the Yusheng Dynasty meddling in this¡ªisn''t that a bit too much?¡±


    The middle-aged Daoist nun snorted coldly.


    The schrly-looking middle-aged man lightly closed his folding fan and chuckled. ¡°We¡¯re all here for the money. Talking about principles, Real Master Miaolian, are you sure your head''s in the right ce?¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Real Master Miaolian¡¯s rosy face flushed with anger.


    ¡°What ¡®you¡¯?¡± The Jade Schr smirked. ¡°We rogue cultivators, rootless and without attachments, have never followed any rules. If my words offend you, we can duel after the matter is settled. For now¡­ this guy dared to gamble like that and managed to leave the ck market safely with the money. He must have an extraordinary background. How about we all act together, take the goods, and then discuss how to divide them? By then, even if we fight to the death, no one will interfere.¡±


    The Jade Schr waved his hand.


    ¡°I agree!¡±


    The burly man and the green-bearded elder beside Real Master Miaolian nodded in unison.¡°Alright!¡± Real Master Miaolian also nodded.


    ¡°Fatty, you¡¯ve seen the situation. Are you going to hand over the money yourself, or shall we kill you and take it?¡±


    Seeing everyone agree, the Jade Schr wasted no time and turned his cold gaze to Sun Qiang with a sneer.


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re after money! You should¡¯ve said so earlier. I thought you wanted to rob my virtue¡ªI was scared to death!¡±


    Patting his chest, Sun Qiang stood up, his round face wearing an awkward smile. ¡°However, this money isn¡¯t mine. If I give it to you, I¡¯m afraid my master won¡¯t agree!¡±


    The Jade Schr shook his head. ¡°Since we dared toe, we¡¯re prepared to offend anyone. At worst, we¡¯ll buy a Masked Skin to change our identities and live just fine! As for you, if you lose your life out of loyalty, wouldn¡¯t that be a bit foolish?¡±


    ¡°That does make some sense.¡± Sun Qiang nodded thoughtfully, then nced toward the end of the alley. ¡°Master, what do you think?¡±


    The faces of the Jade Schr and the others changed abruptly. They turned to look and indeed saw a middle-aged man walking over slowly. Who else could it be but Ling Buyang, who had just fought in the gambling duel?


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you seriously injured?¡±


    Real Master Miaolian¡¯s pupils contracted.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been tricked! Everyone, join forces and kill him! Otherwise, none of us will escape!¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The Jade Schr reacted quickly, immediately understanding the situation. With a furious shout, he flicked his wrist, and his folding fan shot like a bolt toward Ling Buyang at the alley¡¯s end.


    Although they were strong, they were far from being a match for him. The best strategy was to strike first.


    As the fan flew, the Jade Schr tapped his foot and dashed sideways at full speed.


    For rogue cultivators, loyalty held no weight. They often said ¡°join forces,¡± but in truth, survival came down to running faster than your allies.


    Given his distance from the target and his quick reaction, the Jade Schr had the best chance of escape. Yet, before he had moved far, a fierce gust rushed toward his back.


    Feeling the sudden danger, his hair stood on end. He immediately curled into a ball,nding face-first in the dirt. In the blink of an eye, the gust struck a rock not far away, embedding itself over two meters deep and disappearing from sight.


    It was his own folding fan, which had been deflected back at him so quickly that he barely avoided a fatal blow. If he hadn¡¯t reacted in time, his heart would have been pierced, killing him instantly.


    ¡°If I¡¯d known it was him, I wouldn¡¯t havee to steal¡­¡±


    The Jade Schr¡¯s face turned deathly pale with regret.


    He had thought the fat man¡¯s backing, even with the Destiny Hall, wouldn¡¯t prevent them from sessfully looting. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine it was Ling Buyang.


    He had seen the earlier duel. Ling Buyang had beaten Han Qianye, who wore Cold Nether Armor, into spitting blood¡ªa sheer disy of monstrous power.


    Turning to check on hispanions, the Jade Schr saw the burly man and the green-bearded elder charge head-on in defiance, theirbined strength exceeding 300 horsepower. Yet, they were like fragile porcin in front of Ling Buyang. With a single shoulder m, both were sent flying. Before they hit the ground, their internal organs had burst, and they were dead on the spot.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Real Master Miaolian trembled with fear.


    Watching from the stage, she had known Ling Buyang was formidable. But witnessing him in action, she realized the terrifying speed and strength firsthand.


    From the Jade Schr¡¯s attack to the deaths of her two allies, not even a single breath had passed!


    ¡°Jade Needle Sword Technique¡­¡±


    Realizing escape was impossible, Real Master Miaolian flicked her wrist. Her longsword shed forward, sending out a wave of sword energy that split the air, aiming straight for Ling Buyang.


    Despitecking family backing or a Heaven¡¯s Fate boost, she had cultivated to the Ninth Level of the Source Pool Realm. Her talent was evident. The sword energy spread out like a sweeping broom, covering a range of over ten meters.


    Though dispersed, its power remained undiminished, like countless flying steel needles piercing toward Ling Buyang¡ªa technique that had once in five opponents of the same level.


    It was her strongest martial technique: the Jade Needle Sword Technique!


    With this technique, she had killed five experts of equal rank.


    Ling Buyang, who had just in the burly man and the elder, nced at the iing sword energy. He raised his palm and casually shed downward.


    Using his palm as a de, the energy surged forward like a dragon.


    ng! ng! ng!


    The sword energy collided with the de energy like raindrops hitting iron bars. Without pausing, the de energy tore through, heading straight for Real Master Miaolian. She wanted to dodge but felt her destiny locked, a fatal inevitability overwhelming her.


    Heaven¡¯s Fate martial techniques are terrifying because they can influence the soul and mind.


    Only by facing them directly can one grasp their dreadful nature.


    The thought barely crossed her mind before her body hit the ground, lifeless. Her flesh was obliterated, and even her soul couldn¡¯t escape.


    Having killed three people in quick session, Ling Buyang¡¯s speed didn¡¯t waver. He continued to pursue the fleeing Jade Schr. Using his fingers as a sword, he shed toward both sides with precision.


    ¡°He¡¯s using a sword?¡±


    The two masked men in ck on either side saw Ling Buyang, a master of the Heaven¡¯s Fate Mo Dao technique, suddenly wielding sword energy against them. Both felt a strange sense of relief.


    It seemed that while Ling Buyang¡¯s de energy was terrifying, it wasn¡¯t unlimited¡ªjust like techniques that required a cooldown. After unleashing his de technique, he likely needed time to recover before using it again.


    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have switched to sword techniques.


    ¡°Block the sword strikes and scatter! You go left, I¡¯ll go right!¡±


    The masked man on the left whispered, raising his sword to meet the iing attack.


    The masked man on the right nodded and did the same, shing back with equal ferocity.


    Their strength, as Ninth Level Source Pool Realm experts, was like crocodiles thrashing with deadly fervor¡ªviolent and deadly. Compared to the faint glimmer of Ling Buyang¡¯s sword energy, their strikes seemed vastly more menacing.


    However, when their weapons met Ling Buyang¡¯s sword energy, it was as if heated iron met soft snow. The resistance was nonexistent.


    Boom! Boom!


    The two men¡¯s heads exploded like watermelons smashed by a hammer, their bodies copsing lifelessly.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Even in death, they couldn¡¯tprehend how such faint sword energy could deliver such overwhelming power.


    More shocking was that after killing five people in rapid session, Ling Buyang¡¯s pace remained unchanged. His advance hadn¡¯t slowed for even a fraction of a second.


    They had known Ling Buyang was powerful but had never imagined he was <em>this</em> powerful!


    ¡°Run¡­¡±


    Lame Zhang, who had been fleeing alongside the Jade Schr, initially nned to unleash his full power and fight the Destiny Hall Vice Hall Master. However, seeing this horrifying scene, he felt his courage evaporate. His supposed limp right leg, which earned him his nickname, suddenly became agile. He bolted forward, his speed surpassing even the Jade Schr¡¯s.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    The Jade Schr felt like screaming.


    He¡¯d known Lame Zhang for over a decade, always believing the man to be disabled. The nickname ¡°Lame Zhang¡± had stuck, yet it turned out to be a ruse. This was the man¡¯s true trump card!


    What a scoundrel!


    As the Jade Schr cursed inwardly, he suddenly heard the sound of hooves thundering beside him. Turning his head, he saw a magnificent steed running alongside him, matching his pace effortlessly. To his shock, the horse grinned at him!


    ¡°???¡±


    The Jade Schr froze in disbelief.


    He was a Ninth Level Source Pool Realm expert. Even at full sprint, his speed surpassed that of tigers and leopards. Yet this horse not only kept up but had the audacity to spare a moment to smile at him?


    ¡°Source Energy?¡±


    On closer inspection, the Jade Schr¡¯s expression turned to horror.


    This horse wasn¡¯t ordinary¡ªit was a Source Beast brimming with Source Energy!


    ¡°Die!¡±


    Knowing the horse must be connected to Ling Buyang, the Jade Schr flipped his palm and struck toward the steed. Before the attack couldnd, the horse raised a hoof and kicked straight at his chest.


    The strike wasn¡¯t overwhelmingly powerful, but it disrupted his momentum, causing him to falter.


    In the next instant, a blinding de of light enveloped him entirely.


    As his consciousness faded, the Jade Schr saw the horse trotting up behind Lame Zhang, lowering its head to butt the man¡¯s rear. The force sent Lame Zhang flying through the air. A de light followed, severing his body in two.


    Lame Zhang¡¯s head separated from his torso as blood sprayed in every direction.


    The Jade Schr¡¯s mind plunged into darkness. Only now did he understand why the fat man had dared to leave the ck market so brazenly with three billion Source Coins. It wasn¡¯t recklessness; it was a trap, designed to lure them in.


    <strong>Meanwhile, by the riverside...</strong><strong></strong>


    Han Qianchou, Han Qianye, and several others disembarked from a small boat.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that the ones chasing that fat man were Jade Schr, Lame Zhang, Real Master Miaolian, and seven others?¡±


    Han Qianchou frowned as he listened to his subordinate¡¯s report.


    ¡°Yes, sir. That group of rogue cultivators is notorious for preying on other practitioners. Despite their infamy, their strength is undeniable. Even the dynasty has failed to suppress them after multiple attempts. They¡¯re not easy to deal with.¡±


    Han Qianchou nodded. ¡°They¡¯re infamous scoundrels among rogue cultivators, often plundering and causing resentment. Even I¡¯d have a hard time dealing with them if caught off guard. It seems Ling Buyang has gone too far this time. He might be in serious trouble!¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 56: Teaching Destiny Martial Arts

    Vol 2 Ch 56: Teaching Destiny Martial Arts


    ¡°Your Majesty, your reasoning is sound. The Schr Xiaoyao Steps of the Jade Schr, the Drunken Eight Immortals of Lame Zhang, and the Jade Needle Sword Technique of Master Miaolian are all renowned even among the Hanyuan Dynasty, let alone scattered cultivators. Facing any one of them, I would not be afraid. Facing two at once, I might struggle to prevail even at full strength¡­ But seven attacking simultaneously? Even Hall Master Han Xiao would have to flee!¡±


    Han Qianye nodded.


    No wonder they dared to strike as soon as they left the ck market. These individuals truly had such abilities.


    Sun Lianxiang''s eyes brightened. ¡°Elder Ling was already injured after sparring with the Prince. Trying to protect that fat man won¡¯t be so easy...¡±


    Han Qianye grunted in acknowledgment, intending to continue the conversation when a rider on horseback hurriedly approached. A guard d in golden armor dismounted and knelt.


    He recognized this as a member of the emperor¡¯s Golden Guard. Every one of them possessed cultivation at the Jade Bone Realm, making them true elites. Their urgent arrival clearly indicated significant news.


    ¡°Your Majesty, we will take our leave first¡­¡±


    ¡°No need! This is someone I sent to track Ling Buyang.¡±Han Qianchou waved his hand and turned to the Golden Guard with a puzzled expression. ¡°I told you to keep following him. Why have you returned so soon?¡±


    The guard bowed, his face full of fear. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s my failure¡­ I lost him!¡±


    Han Qianchou frowned. ¡°Exin in detail!¡±


    The Golden Guard quickly spoke. ¡°Elder Ling deceived the ck market¡¯s Steward Chen but couldn¡¯t fool me. I held my breath and followed him underwater. I tracked him to the shore, but after walking a short distance, Elder Ling suddenly sped up, and I lost him...¡±


    Han Qianchou¡¯s displeasure deepened. ¡°His direction must lead into the city. If you keep pursuing him, you¡¯ll find clues eventually. Why return so quickly?¡±


    The Golden Guard continued, ¡°Your Majesty, I chased him into the city but didn¡¯t go far before I saw blood everywhere. Jade Schr, Lame Zhang, Master Miaolian, and the others¡ªall seven of them were dead. Knowing this was critical, I rushed back to report.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°D-dead?¡±


    Han Qianchou was stunned. ¡°You mean the seven scattered cultivators attacking the fat man not only failed but were all killed instead?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The Golden Guard exined, ¡°From the time Elder Ling left my sight to when I found their bodies, less than a hundred breaths had passed. I examined carefully¡ªthe seven experts were all killed simultaneously. The first andst deaths happened within ten breaths of each other!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Han Qianchou¡¯s mind reeled. He was momentarily speechless.


    Beside him, Han Qianye was equally shaken.


    Just moments ago, they had agreed that even if the seven attackers couldn¡¯t seize their target, retreating unscathed wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Now, this... These were seven Ninth Level Source Pool Realm experts! Even storming the imperial pce would take them at least an hour to repel, with countless casualties. Yet they couldn¡¯tst even ten breaths against their opponent.


    ¡°Lead the way! I must see this for myself!¡±


    Han Qianchou, still incredulous, waved his hand.


    Han Qianye followed closely. Soon, they arrived at the alley where the fight had taken ce.


    The blood on the ground had yet to coagte. The seven expertsy in disarray, their eyes filled with disbelief, as if they couldn¡¯t ept their deaths even in their final moments.


    ¡°These two were crushed to death by a shoulder strike. These two were in by sword energy... Master Miaolian, after using her Jade Needle Sword Technique, was struck by de energy that severed her soul¡­¡±


    Han Qianchou slowly moved along the bodies, analyzing the causes of death.


    ¡°Forget ten breaths¡ªperhaps it wasn¡¯t even five¡­ All seven experts were killed!¡±


    Han Qianye trembled.


    Before this, he had thought the gap between himself and the opponent was not insurmountable, that with effort, he could catch up. But now, such delusions were thoroughly shattered.


    This was no small gap¡ªthis was an insurmountable chasm!


    ¡°We must form a good rtionship with Elder Ling¡­ and never offend him!¡±


    Han Qianchou, too, felt a wave of fear.


    Thankfully, they hadn¡¯t shed earlier. Otherwise, there would have been no room for reconciliation.


    On horseback, Zhang Xuan shook his head as he rode away.


    Killing Jade Schr and the others, he looted their corpses. Yet, theirbined wealth barely amounted to a million Source Coins¡ªtruly impoverished!


    No wonder they resorted to robbery.


    Back at his residence, Zhang Xuan distributed the medicinal herbs he had acquired from the No Need Hall among Luo Ruoxi and the others. Then, he summoned Zheng Yang.


    Although Zheng Yang had been cultivating for only a few days, with abundant resources, he had already reached the Fourth Level of the Source Pool Realm¡ªBody Tempering. Seeing his teacher call for him alone, he looked confused.


    ¡°I recently learned a spear technique called Flowing Light. I¡¯ll teach it to you¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan grabbed Zheng Yang¡¯s spear and performed a swift thrust. The spear moved like a shooting star, stopping precisely before an oilmp without extinguishing its me¡ªnot even causing it to flicker.


    Zheng Yang¡¯s eyes widened.


    He could extinguish amp or pierce a pinpoint target with his spear, but to move at such speed without disturbing the me was unfathomable.


    If this were in the Firmament, such precision could be achieved by bending space. But his teacher had made no spatial adjustments, leaving him baffled.


    Zhang Xuan retracted the spear. ¡°This is a Heaven¡¯s Fate Martial Technique!¡±


    Zheng Yang looked on curiously.


    Zhang Xuan exined, ¡°Everything in existence is bound by fate, from birth to death. For instance, if you hadn¡¯t walked into my ssroom in Tianxuan City, instead of being here in the Source World, you would likely be buried six feet under.¡±


    Zheng Yang nodded.


    The Firmament¡¯s time flow differed greatly from the Master Teacher Continent¡ªwhat felt like five years there equated to millennia here. Without Zhang Xuan¡¯s guidance, he would have long perished.


    Zhang Xuan continued, ¡°Fate is intangible yet undeniable. It shapes destinies: some survive falls from cliffs with minor injuries, while others perish from simple missteps.


    ¡°The moment I thrust the spear, I determined themp¡¯s fate¡ªnot to extinguish or waver. No matter how powerful the strike, the oue was preordained¡­¡±


    Zheng Yang understood.


    Fate was unseen yet real.


    Seeingprehension dawn on his disciple, Zhang Xuan imparted the Flowing Light Spear Technique.


    Despite Zheng Yang¡¯s rtively low cultivation, his experience as a former Nine Sovereigns-level expert enabled him to master it within half an hour. At first, themp still flickered, but with practice, it ceased to waver altogether.


    As Zheng Yang perfected the technique, Zhang Xuan felt a surge of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy rushing toward him. The Flowing Light Stream grew to rival the Mo Dao Water Stream, which had required tens of thousands of threads of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy to form.


    ¡°This is¡­ the second stage of Heaven¡¯s Fate?¡±


    Zhang Xuan was astonished. By teaching Zheng Yang, he had unexpectedly gained cultivation progress himself!


    He realized why Heaven¡¯s Fate practitioners emphasized training disciples. Teaching Heaven¡¯s Fate techniques yielded direct benefits.


    Though the energy obtained could only enhance his Heaven¡¯s Fate Streams, it was enough to significantly improve his strength.


    Excited, Zhang Xuan resolved to teach more techniques to more disciples. Enhancing his streams would allow him to advance quickly, potentially reaching the Dharma Aspect Realm.


    Gathering the others, Zhang Xuan began teaching the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate technique, intending to see who could master it. Before long, Sun Qiang hurried in.


    ¡°Young Master, Hall Master Han Xiao of the Destiny Hall is here to see you. He¡¯s waiting in the reception hall¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded. Having decided not to conceal his return, he was unsurprised by Han Xiao¡¯s visit. He instructed his disciples to continue practicing before heading to meet Han Xiao.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 57: Deputy Palace Master

    Vol 2 Ch 57 Deputy Pce Master


    In the hall, Han Xiao and Chai Yunsheng sat opposite each other.


    When Zhang Xuan walked over, Chai Yunsheng stood up and cupped his fists. ¡°Elder Ling¡ªoh, no, Vice Hall Master Ling, let me offer my early congrattions!¡±


    ¡°Vice Hall Master?¡± Zhang Xuan was puzzled.


    Han Xiao smiled and nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve already held the Elder Council meeting and decided to promote you to Vice Hall Master. Here¡¯s your appointment letter. From now on, you and Vice Hall Master Chai will jointly manage the Destiny Hall in Hanyuan City. Let¡¯s strive to make it even greater!¡±


    Taking the appointment letter, Zhang Xuan¡¯s face showed excitement. ¡°Thank you, Hall Master, for nurturing me. If it weren¡¯t for the pills you gave me, I wouldn¡¯t have broken through so quickly¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what I should do!¡± Han Xiao raised his hand to interrupt him, his expression full of expectation. ¡°It makes me happy to see you grow so fast. To be honest, I n to step down as Hall Master next year¡­ After that, the Destiny Hall will depend on the two of you.¡±


    Zhang Xuan was stunned. ¡°Hall Master, you¡¯re still young¡­¡±


    Han Xiao shook his head. ¡°For years, I¡¯ve wanted to pursue a higher realm, but I¡¯ve been tied down by too many trivial matters to focus on cultivation. Now that you¡¯ve had a breakthrough and the Destiny Hall has no further worries, there¡¯s no need for me to hold onto this position. Starting today, I¡¯ll evaluate everything you two do. Once I step down, the more outstanding one will be the Hall Master!¡±Chai Yunsheng and Zhang Xuan exchanged nces and nodded simultaneously. ¡°Understood!¡±


    Han Xiao smiled, stroking his beard. ¡°Buyang, the books you asked for are ready. They¡¯re on the third floor of the Destiny Hall. Now that you¡¯re a Vice Hall Master, you¡¯re qualified to view them. I won¡¯t keep you any longer.¡±


    With that, Han Xiao and Chai Yunsheng turned to leave. After a few steps, Zhang Xuan heard Han Xiao¡¯s voice transmission.


    ¡°Buyang, to be honest, I think you¡¯re the better candidate. I¡¯ve always hoped for you to take my ce. If you hadn¡¯t be Vice Hall Master, I might have held on for a few more years¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan quickly cupped his fists. ¡°Thank you, Hall Master, for your trust and nurturing!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, work hard!¡± Han Xiao finished speaking and walked out of the hall. Momentster, Zhang Xuan saw streams of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy surging from the void and entering his body, though not inrge quantities.


    The bnce of fate was once again restored.


    Zhang Xuan did not absorb it. Instead, he headed for the outer area while saying, ¡°I¡¯m going to the Destiny Hall!¡±


    On the third floor of the Destiny Hall¡¯s library, he found the books Han Xiao mentioned. They were all about the Ninth Level of the Source Pool Realm, densely packed, totaling two to three hundred volumes.


    Running his fingers over the spines, he collected them all into the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path. With the books now sufficient, he used the ability of Heaven¡¯s Path Order to sessfully create a cultivation technique for the Dharma Aspect Realm.


    On the street, the corpses of Jade Schr and the others had been cleared away. The previously chaotic scene was now filled with the earthy scent of freshly turned soil, as though the battle had never happened.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong are already on their way and should arrive at the imperial capital by noon tomorrow.¡±


    A golden-armored guard approached.


    Han Qianchou nodded.


    ¡°Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong? The City Lord and Dean of White Roc City?¡± Sun Lianxiang asked curiously from the side.


    Her father, Sun Chengyou, had lived in White Roc City for a long time and had recently returned there, so she was quite familiar with it.


    Han Qianchou replied, ¡°After Ling Buyang returned from White Roc City, his cultivation suddenly surged, and his actions becamepletely different from before. I suspect someone else is impersonating him. Based on my investigation, a genius named Zhang Xuan appeared in White Roc City during this time, and the two seem to be connected. I want to summon these two for questioning.¡± ?


    Sun Lianxiang frowned. ¡°Zhang Xuan?¡±


    Han Qianchou looked over. ¡°The Princess Consort knows him?¡±


    Sun Lianxiang nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve met this genius before. His medical skills are extraordinary. My father was saved from the brink of death because of him.¡±


    Han Qianchou¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°The royal family summoned dozens of top physicians, and none could cure Elder Sun. This person seeded? What happened? Could you tell me in detail?¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s what happened. My father, knowing his illness was incurable, returned to White Roc City. By the time I arrived, he had already passed¡­¡±


    Sun Lianxiang recounted her experience in detail.


    After hearing her story, Han Qianchou and Han Qianye exchanged incredulous nces.


    To revive someone who had already stopped breathing¡­ Such medical skills were beyond extraordinary.


    ¡°Brother, are you suspecting¡­ Ling Buyang is Zhang Xuan in disguise?¡± Han Qianye asked.


    Han Qianchou nodded. ¡°Exactly! Sudden personality changes are not umon, but such drastic transformations are exceedingly rare. For instance, would the old Ling Buyang agree to spar with you? And when faced with Jade Schr and the others, would he kill them all, leaving no survivors?¡±


    Han Qianye fell silent.


    Ling Buyang¡¯s strength wasn¡¯t weak, but his reputation in Hanyuan City had always been mediocre. The recent events were filled with valor and decisiveness, utterly unlike his former self.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense!¡± After a moment of silence, Han Qianye said, ¡°If it¡¯s a disguise, how could he perform Heaven¡¯s Fate Mo Dao or cultivate to the Second Stage of Heaven¡¯s Fate?¡±


    This was the biggest w.


    Heaven¡¯s Fate techniques couldn¡¯t be learned by mere observation. Only those recognized by the wielder could unlock the Fate Lock and practice them.


    Thus, while someone could use disguises to impersonate another, the use of Heaven¡¯s Fate techniques would expose them immediately.


    Han Qianchou said, ¡°Have you heard of the Chaotic Fate Practitioners?¡±


    ¡°Of course. They are said to disrupt heavenly patterns and alter predestined fates, which the Destiny Hall cannot tolerate. Are you suggesting Zhang Xuan might be a Chaotic Fate Practitioner?¡±


    Han Qianchou¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°Exactly. The Princess Consort mentioned that not only is this person skilled in medicine, but he¡¯s also an expert in taming beasts and has an unimaginable cultivation speed. Most importantly, he disappeared soon after Ling Buyang arrived in White Roc City, as if he never existed. It¡¯s suspicious from every angle. Anyway, specting here won¡¯t help. Once Yu Longqing and the others arrive, the truth wille to light.¡±


    Han Qianye nodded. ¡°If it¡¯s confirmed that Ling Buyang is Zhang Xuan in disguise and a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, how will you handle it?¡±


    ¡°Chaotic Fate Practitioners are enemies of all! If the Hanyuan Dynasty captures him first, we¡¯ll gain unimaginable benefits, perhaps even helping you and me break through to the next realm.¡±


    Han Qianye agreed.


    The Destiny Hall feared Chaotic Fate Practitioners immensely. Capturing one could bring tremendous rewards, enough to increase the Hanyuan Dynasty¡¯s territory tenfold.


    Still, this needed careful confirmation and nning.


    ¡°Of course, Chaotic Fate Practitioners are rare and unique. If he can be recruited, it would also be an excellent choice. It depends on whether he knows what¡¯s good for him,¡± Han Qianchou said confidently, gesturing expansively.


    As an emperor, he enjoyed being in control. Even a Chaotic Fate Practitioner could be a powerful ally if handled correctly.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Han Qianye said no more as the group strode toward the imperial pce.


    In his room, Zhang Xuan stood up.


    Although the Heaven¡¯s Path cultivation technique for the Ninth Level of the Source Pool Realm wasplete, progress wasn¡¯t as rapid as before. After a night¡¯s effort, he had just stabilized his Roaming Realm.


    In terms of cultivation, he was now on par with Ling Buyang. However, when it came tobat power, even peak Dharma Aspect Realm experts would find it nearly impossible to defeat him. In all of Hanyuan City, he was among the strongest.


    ¡°There must be realms beyond the Ninth Level of the Source Pool. I wonder what they are¡­¡± Zhang Xuan spected.


    The techniques in Hanyuan City only went up to the Ninth Level of the Source Pool, with nothing beyond. However, he was certain that the Dharma Aspect Realm was not the end of cultivation.


    As he left the room, pondering who to ask, he suddenly felt a surge of unique power. His recently stabilized cultivation seemed to improve slightly.


    ¡°This is¡­ someoneprehended Heaven¡¯s Fate Mo Dao? Who could it be?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s curiosity was instantly piqued.


    Author''s Note


    Hi readers! The newest chapter is here, fresh from BOTI Trantor team. Enjoying our trantions? Let us know by giving a 5-star rating on NovelUpdates. Thank you for being awesome!

 Book 2: Chapter 58: Who laughs at whom?

    Vol 2 Ch 58 Whoughs at whom?


    This doubt didn¡¯t linger for long before the answer emerged.


    In the courtyard, Liu Mingyue wielded a long Mo Dao, her de swinging continuously. A faint trace of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy flowed along the edge, exuding an air of destiny.


    ¡°It''s her?¡± Zhang Xuan was startled.


    Whether it was Zhao Ya, Wang Ying, Liu Yang, or Lu Chong, each had extraordinary talent, far surpassing this youngdy. Yet, none of them seeded, while she had already stepped through the door.


    Though it was only a shallow entry, her progress was far less useful to him than Zheng Yang''s.


    Even with his strength suppressed, the disparity in insight and understanding of cultivation between a novice and a seasoned expert who had roamed the heavens was enormous.


    ¡°That¡¯s not right. Raise the tip of the de slightly, let the power sink, and imagine your strength emanating from the Source Pool¡­¡±


    After recovering from his surprise, Zhang Xuan began providing hands-on guidance.


    Under his pointers, Liu Mingyue progressed rapidly. In less than an hour, she could already execute aplete Mo Dao martial technique and had gained deep insight into the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate. Her understanding even surpassed that of Madam Yu and Yu Qingyu.


    With a single sh, the aura of destiny lingered, as if the soul itself would tremble before her de.


    This was no longer a mere initiation. Like Zhang Xuan before her, she had reached the state of "Heaven¡¯s Fate Lies Within Me."


    To have stepped into this realm so quickly could only mean one thing: this girl possessed the potential to be a Destiny Master!


    Zhang Xuan shared his thoughts aloud. ¡°It seems you may have the chance to be a Destiny Master!¡±


    Liu Mingyue¡¯s face lit up with disbelief. ¡°Ah?¡±


    A Destiny Master was akin to a divine being in White Roc City. The three great families, including Dean Lu and City Lord Yu Longqing, had all pursued this goal without sess. That she might have such an opportunity felt like a dream.


    Seeing her stunned expression, Zhang Xuan smiled. ¡°If you could grasp the Mo Dao so quickly, it shows you have the aptitude. Pack up, and I¡¯ll take you to the Destiny Hall for a proper assessment.¡±


    The Destiny Hall had methods to assess talent. If she truly possessed this potential, it would surely be discovered and nurtured early.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Liu Mingyue nodded excitedly.


    ¡°Teacher, can wee too?¡± Yu Xiaoyu and Hong Yi looked over expectantly.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Zhang Xuan nodded. ¡°I also have a few disciples from earlier. I¡¯ll call them over to meet you, and we¡¯ll go together for the test!¡±


    Zhao Ya and the others had been training separately from Yu Xiaoyu and her group, so they hadn¡¯t met yet. As they were all his students, it was a good opportunity to introduce them.


    As he walked away, Yu Xiaoyu turned to Hong Yi with curiosity. ¡°Didn¡¯t Teacher only be a teacher after arriving in White Roc City? How could he have other disciples? I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡±


    When they first met, their teacher had been a stable hand without cultivation, seemingly incapable of guiding disciples.


    ¡°Probably like Old Zhou the horse trainer¡ªhe likely epted students with nonbat talents. Their aptitude must not be great!¡± Liu Mingyue spected.


    ¡°That makes sense. Even if their talent isn¡¯t outstanding, we shouldn¡¯t mock them as fellow students!¡± Yu Xiaoyu cautioned, worried that Liu Mingyue might act arrogantly.


    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m not even officially recognized as Teacher¡¯s disciple yet. I wouldn¡¯t dare act out¡­¡± Liu Mingyue quickly agreed.


    Though she had followed the teacher here, she was still merely an observer, not a formal disciple. She had no grounds to mock others, no matter their talent.


    Yu Xiaoyu looked at Hong Yi, who immediately waved his hands. ¡°I won¡¯t. My own talent is poor enough¡­¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    As the three talked, the sound of approaching footsteps came from the courtyard¡¯s depths. Soon, they saw a group of youths around their age following Teacher out.


    ¡°Their strength really isn¡¯t great¡­¡±


    The group didn¡¯t hide their auras, and Yu Xiaoyu and the others quickly discerned their cultivation levels. Most hovered at the Source Pool Realm Fourth Level, Body Tempering.


    In contrast, after their recent training, they had reached the Source Pool Realm Fifth Level, Meridian Unclogging¡ªclearly a full stage ahead.


    ¡°These are my newly epted disciples: Yu Xiaoyu, Liu Mingyue, and Hong Yi. These are my earlier students: Zhao Ya, Wang Ying, Liu Yang, and Zheng Yang¡­¡±


    As Zhang Xuan introduced them, the two groups quickly got acquainted.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Without further boration, Zhang Xuan led them out of the courtyard.


    The Destiny Hall was some distance away. Initially, Zhang Xuan kept a slow pace, but seeing that everyone could keep up, he gradually sped up. This became an impromptu endurance drill.


    At first, Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue managed smoothly, but as they progressed, they began to feel the strain, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads.


    This pace was clearly at the limit of their Meridian Unclogging cultivation. Afraid to fall behind, they gritted their teeth and pressed on.


    ¡°Seniors, I can¡¯t keep up¡­¡± Hong Yi, however, was the first to falter, his True Energy in disarray and his breathsbored.


    ¡°Hang in there¡­¡± Yu Xiaoyu frowned and gritted her teeth. ¡°If Teacher¡¯s earlier disciples, with their lower cultivation, can keep up, why can¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Encouraged, Hong Yi pushed through his difort.


    Peering ahead, Zhang Xuan¡¯s earlier disciples ran with ease, their movements fluid, contrasting sharply with their own struggles.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ Why aren¡¯t they tired?¡± Yu Xiaoyu muttered, puzzled.


    With lower cultivation, those students should have been struggling even more. Yet, they moved with effortless grace.


    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re just pushing through like we are,¡± Liu Mingyue guessed. ¡°They probably look calm but are faking it.¡±


    ¡°True!¡± Yu Xiaoyu nodded, agreeing with her assessment.


    Just then, Teacher increased his pace again. Gritting their teeth, the trio drew on their Source Pool¡¯s reserves to sustain their True Energy. But they soon realized that their seemingly abundant energy had been entirely depleted.


    ¡°No matter. With our high-grade Source Pools, we can refine Source Energy as we go¡­¡± Liu Mingyue murmured, and the other two nodded.


    Activating their Source Pools, they absorbed energy from the air. This eased their strain somewhat, but when they nced back at the earlier disciples, they were still moving smoothly, as if unaffected.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    The trio was baffled. Despite their superior cultivation, they were struggling to keep up while the others, weaker on paper, remained unfazed.


    As confusion set in, Wang Ying turned and called out, ¡°Teacher, they¡¯re falling behind¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Zhang Xuan¡¯s earlier disciples all nced back at them, and Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s and Liu Mingyue¡¯s faces flushed with embarrassment.


    ¡°My mistake. Apologies!¡± Zhao Ya smiled as she approached Yu Xiaoyu. ¡°Here, let me help you.¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu wanted to refuse, but before she could, Zhao Ya ced her hand on her arm. A warm energy flowed through her meridians, erasing her exhaustion in an instant. Her steps felt light, and the pace that had seemed overwhelming moments ago became trivial.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s pupils contracted. Though Zhao Ya¡¯s cultivation was lower, the True Energy coursing into her was boundless and pure, far beyond her own.


    Her own energy was like a stream, while Zhao Ya¡¯s was like mercury¡ªdense and unyielding.


    ¡°Could her talent exceed mine?¡± Yu Xiaoyu spected, finding it reasonable. ¡°Since she¡¯s Teacher¡¯s senior disciple, it¡¯s natural she¡¯d have greater talent. The others, though, should be different¡­¡±


    Before the thought concluded, she heard a voice nearby.


    ¡°You¡¯re too slow. Forget it¡ªI¡¯ll carry you!¡±


    Turning her head, she saw Hong Yi being hoisted effortlessly by a young man, who then charged forward at an astonishing pace.


    ¡°???¡±


    Struggling to walk, Yu Xiaoyu could hardly believe her eyes. How could someone carry another person and still move this swiftly?


    The young man was ranked tenth among Zhang Xuan¡¯s disciples¡ªShan Xiaotian. His cultivation? Only at the Source Pool Realm Third Level, Energy Storing!


    A mere Energy Storing practitioner was running faster than them, and with someone on his back no less.


    For a moment, Yu Xiaoyu questioned her earlier assumptions. Mocking these disciples now seemed unnecessary. Clearly, they weren¡¯t as ordinary as they appeared.


    ¡°Shan Xiaotian, Zhao Ya, what are you doing?¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s stern voice cut through the air as he turned to face them. His expression darkened.


    ¡°Teacher¡­¡± Zhao Ya and Shan Xiaotian froze, immediately letting go. Yu Xiaoyu stumbled and nearly fell, while Hong Yinded face-first on the ground, groaning pitifully.


    ¡°I purposely increased the pace to temper their weak foundations. What¡¯s the point if you help them?¡± Zhang Xuan waved dismissively. ¡°Move aside. I¡¯ll handle it!¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 59: Asking for divination and lighting incense

    Vol 2 Ch 59: Asking for divination and lighting incense


    Knowing full well that this group of kidscked the necessary strength, Zhang Xuan intentionally quickened his pace.


    Cultivation is a process of aligning with nature and the Heaven''s Path. Only by mastering one¡¯s strength and establishing a specific rhythm while walking can the process be effortless.


    This was something Zhao Ya and the others quickly understood. Even though their cultivation level in the Source World was inferior to that of Yu Xiaoyu and her group, they were still able to adapt with ease.


    Thetter group, however, clearly struggled to keep up.


    ¡°We¡¯ve pushed them too hard¡­¡±


    These three had only recently begun cultivating, so it was natural for them not to measure up to Zhao Ya and the others¡ªsuper strong cultivators at the pinnacle of their world.


    ¡°You three, adjust your breathing and circte your energy as I instruct¡­¡±


    With a sigh, Zhang Xuan transmitted his voice to them.


    Yu Xiaoyu, Liu Mingyue, and Hong Yi nodded simultaneously.


    The teacher¡¯s voice was like heavenly music. Following his instructions, the three quickly found their rhythm. Their nearly exhausted True Energy began to regenerate, flowing gently through their meridians and forming a unique cycle.


    By following this cycle and borrowing strength, they no longer appeared as disheveled as before.


    ¡°Wait a moment¡­ earlier, when Senior Sister transmitted her energy to me, wasn¡¯t her True Energy circting in the same way?¡±


    A thought struck Yu Xiaoyu as she recalled the earlier scene.


    When Zhao Ya had ced her arm on her shoulder, the energy flowing into her body had guided her True Energy in precisely this manner. She just hadn¡¯t noticed it then.


    ¡°Senior Sister, did Teacher teach you how to circte energy this way?¡±


    Unable to hold back her curiosity, she asked.


    ¡°Nope!¡± Zhao Ya shook her head, surprised. ¡°Isn¡¯t it something simple you can figure out on your own?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu¡¯s face flushed red with embarrassment.


    Turning to look at Liu Mingyue, she saw herpanion¡¯s toes digging into the ground in equal difort.


    Just moments ago, she had thought Liu Mingyuecked talent and had decided to be polite and not mock her. It turned out, however, that the real fool was herself¡­


    What a profound cultivation method¡ªothers had grasped it with ease, while she could only stick her tongue out and scramble to keep up. The gap was just too wide!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    As she wasmenting this disparity, Liu Mingyue¡¯s voice rang in her ear.


    ¡°They¡¯ve probably been with Teacher long enough to develop strongerprehension skills. Their innate talent may not actually be better than ours. After all, we rank among the top in all of White Roc City¡­¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu nodded.


    It wasn¡¯t arrogance; the two of them were undeniably among the top ten prodigies in the city¡¯s thousands of years of history. Other than Mo Yanxue, they feared no one!


    Even if Teacher had exceptional luck, it wasn¡¯t likely that every disciple he took in would be so ridiculously strong!


    With these thoughts, she felt much better.


    Having mastered the method, the three no longer held the group back. Running at full speed, they arrived at the towering Destiny Hall half an hourter.


    Zhang Xuan still maintained his guise as Ling Buyang. As soon as they reached the entrance, a servant came forward to greet him.


    ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling, you¡¯ve arrived¡­¡±


    It was Xie Feng, the one who had received him before.


    By now, every servant in the hall knew he had been promoted to Vice Hall Master. The ridicule and contempt from before hadpletely disappeared.


    ¡°These people wish to test their Heaven¡¯s Fate aptitude. Make the arrangements,¡± Zhang Xuan instructed, gesturing to his group.


    The Destiny Hall aptitude test only required a fee. Every year, countless people came for it. It wasn¡¯t considered unusual.


    Xie Feng nodded and motioned to Zhao Ya and the others. ¡°Everyone, please follow me.¡±


    He led Liu Mingyue and the rest toward a side room.


    ¡°Testing Heaven¡¯s Fate aptitude differs from normal aptitude tests. Thetter relies on the Source Pool Assessment to measure part of one¡¯s potential, but for the former, such methods are ineffective!¡±


    As they walked, Xie Feng exined, ¡°Heaven¡¯s Fate is about destiny. To harness this power, one must first master Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, so the test is rtively straightforward¡­¡±


    They arrived at a grand hall. Xie Feng pushed the doors open and led them inside.


    The room was spacious, with dozens of incense stands arranged in the center. Each stand held a pale blue stick of incense.


    Some of the incense sticks at the front bore burn marks, while those at the back appeared untouched, as if they had never been lit.


    Noticing their confusion, Xie Feng exined, ¡°Here, we have 99 sticks of Destiny Incense. The test taker steps inside and uses Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy to light one. Lighting even a single stick indicates talent, and the more you light, the stronger your talent.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the highest number of sticks ever lit here?¡± Liu Mingyue asked curiously.


    Xie Feng smiled. ¡°In Hanyuan City¡¯s Destiny Hall, the record belongs to Hall Master Han Xiao. Forty years ago, he lit 17 sticks during his test, bing a living legend!¡±


    ¡°17 sticks?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to the Destiny Incense, and sure enough, 17 burned sticks stood out clearly.


    At that moment, others were also praying in the hall. Zhang Xuan nced toward the center, where a plump man stood holding a cylinder, bowing deeply.


    ¡°Junior Xu Yuancheng seeks to glimpse his destiny. May the heavens take pity and guide my path¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he gave the cylinder a light shake. A wooden lot fell out, transforming into a wisp of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy that floated toward the Destiny Incense.


    Zhang Xuan watched with interest.


    He had read about this method, called Destiny Divination, in books. It was a fairly urate way to measure talent, with each divination costing around 100,000 Source Coins¡ªnot cheap.


    Back then, even Yu Longqing had tried it but managed to light only one stick of Destiny Incense. While he possessed talent, it wasn¡¯t impressive, forcing him to spend vast sums on the Heaven¡¯s Fate Tide. Unfortunately, he still failed to gain destiny¡¯s favor.


    To be honest, destiny is something you either have or don¡¯t; it can¡¯t be forced.


    The wisp of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, controlled by the plump man, reached the first stick of incense. It sparked briefly but failed to ignite.


    ¡°What a pity¡­¡±


    Xie Feng sighed. ¡°It was so close¡ªjust a little more, and it would¡¯ve lit!¡±


    Others in the hall also expressed regret, but the man simplyughed.


    ¡°No need to feel sorry. If the test shows I have no talent, I can give up peacefully. It¡¯s better than lighting one stick and getting false hope, only to waste my time.¡±


    ¡°True!¡±


    ¡°Having no talent means you can focus on other things. What¡¯s really frustrating is having just a bit of talent¡ªnot enough to make it worthwhile but too much to ignore¡­¡±


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    Zhang Xuan nced at the man, somewhat impressed.


    This individual was remarkably pragmatic. If only Yu Longqing had possessed such a mindset, he wouldn¡¯t have wasted 30 million Source Coins in vain.


    Several others underwent testing after that. Of a dozen people, only two managed to light any incense, with the highest being two sticks¡ªa modest level of talent.


    ¡°Such aptitude qualifies them to enter the hall and learn Heaven¡¯s Fate martial techniques,¡± Xie Feng noted.


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Lighting any incense stick was proof of some talent. Even if one couldn¡¯t be a Destiny Master, they could still train as a Fate Guardian or apprentice in the hall.


    For example, Xu Xin had lit two sticks during his test.


    ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling, how will your people proceed with the test?¡± Xie Feng asked, looking over curiously.


    ¡°Here¡¯s their testing fee. Let them all take the test,¡± Zhang Xuan replied, handing over several Source Notes.


    At 100,000 Source Coins per person, it was a significant expense, but it was trivial to him now.


    Taking the notes, Xie Feng prepared the hall and then bowed. ¡°Who will go first?¡±


    ¡°Mingyue, why don¡¯t you try?¡± Zhang Xuan suggested.


    Since this girl could cultivate Heaven¡¯s Fate martial techniques, she clearly possessed talent. Testing her would provide rity.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Being chosen first by her teacher, Liu Mingyue¡¯s eyes gleamed with excitement.


    This was her chance to impress Teacher and perhaps earn formal discipleship instead of being merely an auditor.


    She stepped into the hall, took the cylinder, and peered inside.


    It held dozens of lots, each surrounded by a unique energy. They weren¡¯t physical objects but condensations of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy.


    Taking a deep breath, Liu Mingyue gave the cylinder a shake.


    ¡°Swish!¡±


    A lot flew out, transforming into pure energy as it floated toward the first stick of Destiny Incense.


    Whoosh!


    It lit effortlessly.


    ¡°Impressive! She has talent!¡±


    Xie Feng¡¯s eyes gleamed with envy.


    Though he worked in the hall, hisck of talent relegated him to the lowest ranks. If he could light even one stick, his life would¡¯ve been different.


    Buzz, buzz, buzz!


    While Xie Feng marveled, Liu Mingyue continued. In rapid session, she lit three more sticks!


    In less than ten breaths, she had ignited four sticks¡ªan impressive achievement unmatched in the past two months.


    ¡°Incredible!¡±


    ¡°Are we witnessing the rise of a prodigy?¡±


    ¡°Four sticks is good, but ten or more is required to qualify as a Destiny Master¡­¡±


    Everyone in the hall stopped to watch, curiosity piqued by the young girl¡¯s performance.


    Even Zhang Xuan was intrigued.


    He could elevate others¡¯ cultivation or teach them techniques, but lighting the incense was beyond his ability to influence.


    Such talent was predetermined at birth¡ªeither you had it, or you didn¡¯t.


    Buzz, buzz, buzz!


    After lighting four sticks, Liu Mingyue seemed to find her rhythm. The pace quickened, and the number climbed. In the blink of an eye, she surpassed ten sticks.


    ¡°With this level of talent, she¡¯s destined to be a Destiny Master¡­ Vice Hall Master Ling, where did you find her?¡± Xie Feng was astonished.


    In Hanyuan City, the odds of possessing talent for Heaven¡¯s Fate were roughly one in ten thousand. Yet Vice Hall Master Ling had casually brought someone with such potential. His luck was extraordinary!


    If this girl sessfully sought destiny and gained an inheritance, Ling Buyang¡¯s position as Vice Hall Master would be unshakable. Surpassing Vice Hall Master Chai would only be a matter of time!


    Deep within the Destiny Hall, Han Xiao, who was in the middle of cultivation, suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

 Book 2: Chapter 60: The Talents of Zhao Ya and Others

    Vol 2 Ch 60: The Talents of Zhao Ya and Others


    Slowly opening his eyes, Hall Master Han Xiao¡¯s gaze revealed a hint of confusion.


    What¡¯s going on?


    Didn¡¯t having Ling Buyang and Chai Yunshengpete already stabilize the bnce?


    Why is there a sudden loss of power again?


    ¡°Could it be that Ling Buyang broke through? That¡¯s unlikely¡ªhe just recently reached the Second Stage. There shouldn¡¯t be any progress in such a short time¡­ Unless he has recruited more Destiny Masters!¡±


    Thepetition between the two vice hall masters for the position of hall master typically followed two paths.


    The first: elevating one¡¯s cultivation. For instance, when Ling Buyang eliminated Feng Zhaoting, removing apetitor. Without an opponent, maintaining bnce was impossible.


    The second: forming alliances to expand one¡¯s influence. Ling Buyang had also done this before, even going as far as offering his concubine to win over Elder Liu Bingshan.


    Aside from these, other methods existed¡ªsuch as allying with oneself to set the tone or seeking backing from a higher-level Destiny Hall. However, such approaches were rare and unpopr.


    Using authority to overpower others would leave one struggling to win respect, even if they became the hall master.


    ¡°Forget it. The bacsh isn¡¯t severe, so it shouldn¡¯t be a big issue¡­¡±


    Sensing that his injuries weren¡¯t too serious, Han Xiao stopped dwelling on it and closed his eyes to continue cultivating.


    ¡°Surpassed Hall Master Han and reached 21 sticks¡­¡±


    As the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy in the incense dissipated, the crowd looked on, stunned.


    The pinnacle expert of Hanyuan City, the most gifted Han Xiao, had only lit 17 sticks. Yet this obscure girl had lit 21 in one go¡­


    Incredible!


    ¡°With a genius of this caliber as an ally¡­ Vice Hall Master Ling¡¯s chances of bing hall master have significantly increased!¡± Xie Feng¡¯s expression was solemn.


    The advantages of befriending such a prodigy were self-evident. What seemed like an even match between the two vice hall masters now tilted in Ling Buyang¡¯s favor, thanks to this girl.


    Of course¡­ they still needed to determine her exact rtionship with Ling Buyang. The closer the bond, the greater the advantage. Otherwise, changes could ur before the genius fully matured.


    As the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy settled, Liu Mingyue clenched her fists, letting out a breath of relief.


    ¡°With talent like this, my teacher should give me some special attention now, right?¡±


    She nced at the young man nearby. Yet, instead of joy, he had a slight frown as though deep in thought.


    ¡°Congrattions¡­¡±


    Yu Xiaoyu was full of envy.


    Liu Mingyue nodded, her gaze shifting to Zhao Ya and the others.


    On the way here, without mastering the running technique, she hadgged behind them. But now, with this talent assessment, she should finally stand out and make a name for herself!


    Although her teacher never demanded much, she still didn¡¯t want to fall behind.


    ¡°Yu Xiaoyu!¡±


    Unaware of her thoughts, Zhang Xuan beckoned.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Yu Xiaoyu walked over and shook the bamboo tube in her hand. Momentster, a single lot floated out and began igniting Heaven¡¯s Fate Incense.


    One, two, three¡­


    ¡°She also has Destiny talent¡­¡±


    The crowd, still reeling, was once again shocked.


    Two people in a row with remarkable talent, lighting the incense at speeds previously unseen.


    Vice Hall Master Ling¡¯s luck seemed almost too good to be true¡ªwhere had he found such individuals?


    ¡°Both junior sisters are impressive¡­¡± Zheng Yang chuckled.


    ¡°Indeed! No wonder the teacher epted them as students¡ªthey truly have merit,¡± Zhao Ya agreed.


    ¡°Of course, our teacher¡¯s judgment is always sharp,¡± Kong Shiyao added with augh.


    As the group marveled, Yu Xiaoyu continued igniting the incense. Her speed was no slower than Liu Mingyue¡¯s, and within just a few dozen breaths, she also reached 21 sticks.


    Finally, she stopped¡ªat 23 sticks!


    Her talent surpassed even Liu Mingyue¡¯s by a whole level.


    <em>Pfft!</em>


    Inside the cultivation chamber, Han Xiao spat blood again.


    If the earlier bacsh wasn¡¯t severe, this one hadpletely undone his recent progress.


    ¡°Someone, find out what¡¯s happening with Elders Chai Yunsheng and Ling Buyang!¡±


    After opening the door and giving the order, he swallowed a pill to stabilize his chaotic energy flow.


    Two bouts of bacsh had left him spitting blood, but surely there wouldn¡¯t be a third time¡­ right?


    No matter. Even if one of them had an unexpected breakthrough, it shouldn¡¯t have caused multiple consecutive advancements. Once the cause was identified, he could restore bnce and avoid unnecessary worry.


    With that thought, he sat down cross-legged again.


    In the hall, Zhang Xuan turned to look at Hong Yi.


    After the two senior sisterspleted their tests, it was his turn. Unfortunately, this guy seemed tock any talent as a Destiny Master. When the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy formed a lot, it hovered over the incense but failed to ignite it.


    ¡°His talent is just too poor¡­¡±


    Although Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue had benefited from his help, they had decent natural aptitude. But Hong Yi¡­ was genuinely weak.


    Without Destiny talent, his potential was capped. Even with help, reaching the pinnacle would be nearly impossible.


    ¡°Can I transfer my unused Destiny to him?¡±


    A thought crossed Zhang Xuan¡¯s mind. Concentrating, the Thousand Threads Stream in the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path flowed silently from his fingertip and into Hong Yi.


    This was a copy of the Thousand Threads Heaven¡¯s Fate he had acquired from killing Feng Zhaoting. He had rarely used it. Perhaps transferring it could shatter the barriers preventing Hong Yi from cultivation?


    The Thousand Threads Stream entered Hong Yi¡¯s brow, coursing through his body.


    The next moment, the previously unlit incense suddenly sparked and burst into me.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Everyone was stunned.


    They had believed it impossible for the incense to ignite, yet an unexpected change had urred.


    <em>Ssssss!</em>


    The unusual development continued. One stick ignited, followed by another, and soon over ten sticks were aze in mere moments.


    ¡°So fast¡­¡± Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    They had assumed their junior brother¡¯s talent was far below theirs, but he seemed even more extraordinary, as though his potential knew no bounds.


    After several dozen breaths, the speed finally slowed and stopped.


    Thirty-seven sticks!


    From having no talent to igniting 37 sticks, Hong Yi, with Zhang Xuan¡¯s Thousand Threads Stream, had far surpassed Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue!


    ¡°Destiny can indeed be inherited¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression turned serious.


    Transferring his Thousand Threads Heaven¡¯s Fate to Hong Yi caused him to lose his own understanding of it.


    If this were his only Destiny, it would mean he had lost it entirely.


    ¡°Teacher¡­¡±


    Hong Yi returned, his face full of emotion.


    He clearly understood what had just happened.


    His teacher had transferred his own Destinyprehension to him¡ªa kindness too great for words.


    Normally, no one would do such a thing unless at the brink of life and death, let alone for someone who wasn¡¯t exceptionally close.


    ¡°Focus on your cultivation. Don¡¯t waste my efforts!¡± Zhang Xuan instructed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Hong Yi clenched his fists.


    Previously, without Destiny talent, his future was limited despite any effort. Now, not only did he possess talent, but his aptitude surpassed that of Yu Xiaoyu and Liu Mingyue. His future achievements were boundless¡ªall thanks to his teacher!


    ¡°My talent is the weakest¡­ deadst?¡±


    Liu Mingyue felt dizzy, on the verge of tears.


    She had thought lighting 21 sticks of incense with her Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate would make her stand out among her peers, but¡­ she truly stood out¡ªas the weakest.


    ¡°No matter. The other senior brothers and sisters surely aren¡¯t as gifted as I am¡­¡±


    ncing at Zhao Ya and the others, she breathed a sigh of relief.


    Having three disciples with such talent already made their teacher renowned. She couldn¡¯t imagine the rest being as gifted as she was.


    ¡°Zhao Ya!¡±


    Following Zhang Xuan¡¯s call, Zhao Ya strode forward. Using the same process, she began igniting the incense.


    20¡­ 30¡­ 50¡­


    In mere moments, 80 sticks were lit.


    If the crowd had only been shocked before, now they were utterly stunned.


    Thirty-seven sticks had seemed like an unattainable limit. But Zhao Ya, in less than ten breaths, lit 80 sticks¡ªand the speed didn¡¯t slow.


    <em>Whoosh!</em>


    All 99 sticks were ignited.


    ¡°Zhao Ya and the others, under my guidance, have long defied destiny and gained the power to shape their own fates. Lighting these sticks is naturally no challenge¡­¡± Zhang Xuan spected.


    Destiny talent, in essence, represented one¡¯s ability to control fate.


    Some individuals, no matter their humble beginnings, could rise against all odds. Others, born into privilege, squandered it and fell into ruin.


    Zhao Ya, having followed him, had already be the ruler of a world. Destiny was firmly in her grasp, and her talent was naturally unmatched.


    ¡°Zheng Yang¡­¡±


    To confirm his hypothesis, Zhang Xuan called upon Zheng Yang next.


    Inside the chamber, Han Xiao¡¯s face turned pale again.


    <em>Pfft!</em>


    Another mouthful of blood sprayed out, this bacsh worse than the previous ones.


    Struggling to rise, he felt a sharp pain in his chest.


    <em>Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!</em>


    Blood gushed uncontrobly. His hard-earned cultivation regressed from the peak of the Dharma Aspect Realm to itster stages.


    Once ranked among Hanyuan City¡¯s top three experts, he now struggled to remain in the top ten.


    ¡°Can someone tell me what on earth is happening?!¡±


    Tears streamed down Han Xiao¡¯s face.


    From the heights of power, he had fallen to ruin. Who was behind such a ruthless act?

 Book 2: Chapter 61: Wanxiang Gate

    Vol 2 Ch 61: Wanxiang Gate


    In the center of the continent, on a massive ind within the Sea of a Fleeting Moment, eight towering stone monuments pierced the skies, each standing hundreds of meters tall and stretching beyond the eye''s reach.


    Around each monument, hundreds of Destiny Disks powered the formations. Each rotation consumed thousands of strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy, necessitating the recement of these disks every hour. In total, these eight stone pirs alone devoured tens of thousands of disks daily, expending over a billion strands of energy.


    This was the headquarters of the Wanchang Sect, one of the most powerful factions in the world.


    The Hunter''s List of Hanyuan City originated from this very ce.


    ¡°Hurry up and record! Do not make a single mistake!¡±


    As usual, Elder Ouyang Hai arrived, instructing his subordinates.


    Each stone monument corresponded to a direction, collecting all information from the Source World, which was then consolidated and disseminated through the Omniscient List.


    <em>Rustle!</em>Hearing hismand, the subordinates extended their hands. Large Dharma Aspects hovered behind them as brush pens flew into the air, recording swiftly under the control of their power.


    Though appearing like ordinary scribes, every single one of these recorders was a powerhouse beyond the Ninth Level of the Source Pool Realm. In a ce like Hanyuan City, any one of them could dominate the entire region, but here, they were merely servants.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Seeing everything proceed smoothly without error, Ouyang Hai sighed in relief, flicked his sleeves, and sat on the central throne. Scanning the surroundings, he asked, ¡°Gu You, how is it today?¡±


    ¡°Elder Ouyang¡­¡±


    A middle-aged man holding a brush and Jade Ledger stepped forward, bowing low. ¡°As of now, there¡¯s only one bronze-level event. The rest are all below iron-level significance.¡±


    Bronze and iron referred to event grades. The higher the grade, the more important the event. The fall of a dynasty like Hanyuan would barely qualify as iron-level; anything lesser wasn¡¯t worth recording.


    For instance, the deaths of Han Xiao and Han Qianchou wouldn¡¯t even qualify to be submitted to Elder Ouyang.


    ¡°What¡¯s the bronze event?¡± Ouyang Hai asked.


    Gu You opened the Jade Ledger and began, ¡°It pertains to a Chaotic Fate Practitioner from the Zouyi Dynasty, who appears to have encountered danger in the Zhi Lan Valley. There¡¯s been an energy disturbance within the Heavenly Fate Domain, and no one can approach within a thousand miles.¡±


    ¡°An energy disturbance? It seems that individual may fall within,¡± Ouyang Hai nodded. ¡°And the iron-level events?¡±


    ¡°The Destiny Hall headquarters¡­¡±


    Gu You was about to exin further when the ground beneath them trembled. Suddenly, the northernmost stone pir radiated blinding light, transforming into a brilliant golden hue in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°This is¡­ an unexpected golden-level event!¡±


    Gu You¡¯s pupils contracted.


    Golden-level events were far more significant than bronze-level ones. It was rare for even one to ur in a year, yet one had just appeared out of nowhere.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not golden¡­¡± Ouyang Hai abruptly stood, his eyes sharp as an eagle¡¯s, fixed on the stone pir.


    Startled, Gu You looked again. His pupils shrank further as he realized the golden monument was slowly turning tinum. In just a dozen breaths, it hadpletely transformed.


    ¡°This is a tinum-level event¡­¡± Gu You¡¯s lips trembled.


    tinum events were an even higher grade, ranked fourth in significance. Their appearance could send shockwaves throughout the entire continent.


    What had just happened to trigger such an extraordinary event?


    Hovering before the monument, Ouyang Hai stroked its surface.


    <em>Buzz!</em>


    A line of text emerged: 99 strands of Heaven¡¯s Fate Incense ignited.


    ¡°Ny-nine strands? That¡¯s the ultimate Heaven¡¯s Fate talent! In the history of the Source World, only seventeen individuals have ever disyed such talent. The weakest of them achieved the peak of the Eight-Star Destiny Master Realm!¡±


    Ouyang Hai¡¯s eyes gleamed with excitement. He had once been tested and ignited seventy-seven strands, yet someone had just ignited ny-nine. Such unparalleled talent was simply unimaginable.


    ¡°This person must be recruited! With proper cultivation, they could inherit the greatest destiny and rise to the pinnacle of the world.¡±


    The inheritance of destiny was tiered, and without exceptional talent, one couldn¡¯t bear the highest levels. Those who did could attain supreme power in a short time, transcending ordinary limitations.


    ¡°Find this genius! Locate them immediately!¡± Ouyang Hai roared, unable to suppress his excitement.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Gu You activated the formation. Momentster, a new line of text appeared on the monument: Hanyuan City.


    The words had barely formed when the monument glowed again, disying the same text: 99 strands of Heaven¡¯s Fate Incense ignited.


    ¡°???¡±


    Ouyang Hai froze. Could the monument be malfunctioning? How else could it repeat the same message?


    Gu You hesitated, then murmured, ¡°Elder Ouyang¡­ Could this signify a second individual?¡±


    ¡°A second?¡± Ouyang Hai¡¯s eyes widened, his fists clenching. ¡°Impossible¡­¡±


    Just as he dismissed the thought, the monument shone again, disying the same message for the third time.


    ¡°Three?¡± Ouyang Hai faltered, then shook his head. ¡°No way! Investigate thoroughly¡ªthere must be an error with the monument.¡±


    Gu You bowed, ready toply, when he noticed something unusual. ¡°Elder Ouyang¡­ the monument¡¯s color¡­ has changed!¡±


    Looking up, Ouyang Hai saw the tinum monument had turned an earthy yellow, its heavy aura connecting it to thend.


    ¡°This is¡­ this is¡­¡±


    Trembling, Ouyang Hai¡¯sposure shattered. ¡°A terrestrial-level event? One super-genius couldn¡¯t cause this¡­ Could there truly be three individuals who ignited ny-nine strands?¡±


    A terrestrial-level event, exceeding even tinum, was rare across centuries. It could only mean that three of the most extraordinary geniuses had simultaneously emerged.


    ¡°Prepare the map! I¡¯m heading to Hanyuan City now,¡± Ouyang Haimanded. ¡°Inform the Wanchang Sect branch there to seal off the testing site and suppress the news.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Gu You responded quickly. The emergence of three supreme talents would undoubtedly shake the world.


    Meanwhile, within the Destiny Hall in Hanyuan City, a middle-aged man rushed into the hall master¡¯s chambers.


    ¡°Hall Master Han, Elder Ling just conducted talent tests on six individuals. Of them, three ignited ny-nine strands of Heaven¡¯s Fate Incense, one ignited thirty-seven, and thest two ignited twenty-three and twenty-one!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Han Xiao stood, mirroring Ouyang Hai¡¯s disbelief. It was no wonder he¡¯d been coughing blood¡ªLing Buyang had assembled several prodigies,pletely breaking the bnce with Chai Yunsheng.


    ¡°Take me to them immediately!¡± Han Xiao ordered, rushing out.


    Oblivious to themotion, Zhang Xuan had finished testing Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, and Wang Ying. Each ignited ny-nine strands.


    ¡°Forget the rest,¡± Zhang Xuan sighed. Testing further was unnecessary, and he preferred to avoid unnecessary attention.


    Watching the scene, Liu Mingyue and Yu Xiaoyu felt humiliated. What they thought were exceptional talents now seemed utterly inferior.


    As Zhang Xuan prepared to leave, a hoof pressed on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Dao Li, who nodded solemnly.


    ¡°You want to test too?¡± Zhang Xuan asked, frowning.


    Dao Li nodded again.


    ¡°Fine. No harm in trying since we¡¯ve already paid.¡±


    Dao Li wagged its tail and trotted to the testing area.


    ¡°A horse can test too?¡±


    The onlookers were dumbfounded, while Liu Mingyue and Yu Xiaoyu exchanged horrified nces. Could their rankings fall even lower?


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 62: Dao Lis Achievements

    Vol 2 Ch 62: Dao Li''s Achievements


    Seeing the peculiar expressions on everyone¡¯s faces, Xie Feng pondered for a moment before speaking, ¡°Actually, animals can cultivate Heaven¡¯s Fate too¡­¡±


    The recently tested Xu Yuancheng and others looked over, their faces full of confusion.


    "Animals can cultivate? This is the first I¡¯ve heard of it," someone muttered.


    Xie Feng exined, ¡°Any living being has its own destiny. If the opportunity arises, they can naturallyprehend Heaven¡¯s Fate. For example, the Fox Charm Destiny from Green Hill Mountain¡ªit¡¯s said to have originated from a fox. After transforming into human form, it passed on its knowledge, eventually establishing a sect¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Xu Yuancheng and the others finally understood. Even Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t help but feel astonished.


    He had read records about animals cultivating Heaven¡¯s Fate before. It was exceedingly rare and typically limited to Source Beasts with pure bloodlines. Although Dao Li was a thousand-mile horse, it might not necessarily qualify.


    ¡°No, wait. This guy¡¯s original body has long since died. What¡¯s attached to it now is the spirituality I activated, which helped it awaken its Source Pool andpletely altered its fate¡­¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The original Dao Li, a mere thousand-mile horse, had been possessed by the spirituality Zhang Xuan had awakened. It had already transformed into a Source Beast, and its destiny had fundamentally changed. It might indeed possess the potential to master Heaven¡¯s Fate.Curious, Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t help but watch as Dao Li trotted to the center of the hall, carrying a wooden bucket in its mouth. A Destiny Lot ignited with Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy and floated towards the Destiny Incense in the distance.


    Whoosh!


    The first incense was lit with ease.


    ¡°It actually works¡­¡±


    ¡°This horse has talent?¡±


    ¡°Am I seeing things? I¡¯m even worse than a horse now?¡± Xu Yuancheng looked as if he was about to cry. After all his self-reassurance, he was still outdone by a horse.


    ¡°It seems¡­ that so-called Heaven¡¯s Fate Talent isn¡¯t fixed. With the right opportunity to alter one¡¯s destiny, the talent will change ordingly¡­¡± Zhang Xuan spected.


    Perhaps some individuals didn¡¯t initially possess the talent to master Heaven¡¯s Fate, but when presented with an extraordinary chance to change their fate, such abilities could emerge.


    It was like a situation Zhang Xuan had read about¡ªsomeone who initially struggled to make a fortune but, after acquiring 10 billion coins, could amass wealth with ease.


    Reflecting on Hong Yi¡¯s earlier test, Zhang Xuan felt confident the young man would have seeded even without his intervention¡ªthough perhaps not as spectacrly as lighting 37 incense sticks. He probably wouldn¡¯t have outdone Liu Mingyue either.


    Lost in thought, Zhang Xuan noticed Dao Li slowing down. Eventually, it stopped after lighting 22 incense sticks,nding neatly between Liu Mingyue and Yu Xiaoyu.


    Yu Xiaoyu heaved a sigh of relief, while Liu Mingyue¡¯s face darkened, tears welling up.


    Her supposed unparalleled talent couldn¡¯t evenpare to her teacher¡¯s mount!


    At that moment, a calm voice rang out. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, it seems there¡¯s been a malfunction with the Destiny Incense. Please refrain from spreading rumors or misinformation while we carry out repairs.¡±


    An imposing elder strode in.


    ¡°Malfunction?¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. Otherwise, how could an ordinary horse light the Destiny Incense and possess talent surpassing even Hall Master Han Xiao¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°True¡­¡±


    The crowd nodded in agreement. It¡¯s hard for people to admit inferiority, and when faced with inexplicable phenomena, many would rather believe in an error than ept weakness. ???


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Zhao Ya and the others were about to speak when Zhang Xuan cut them off, looking at the elder curiously.


    The elder smiled faintly. ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling, you truly forget people easily. I am Yue Longxiao. We¡¯ve met before.¡±


    Zhang Xuan was surprised. ¡°The master of the Wanchang Sect in Hanyuan City?¡±


    No wonder his presence was so formidable¡ªhe ranked second on the Hunter¡¯s List!


    ¡°He¡¯s Master Yue!¡±


    ¡°The Wanchang Sect controls all sources of information. If he ims there was a malfunction, it must be true.¡±


    Recognizing Yue Longxiao¡¯s identity, the crowd was convinced. If anyone would know the truth, it was someone in charge of information distribution.


    ¡°Indeed, there was a malfunction¡­¡± Zhang Xuan nodded with a smile.


    He didn¡¯t want to draw too much attention, so having someone else provide an excuse was perfect.


    ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling, what¡¯s your rtionship with those people? Wanchang Sect would like to invite them as guests. Would that be convenient?¡± Yue Longxiao¡¯s eyes glinted.


    ¡°They¡¯re just some acquaintances I recently met. I brought them over to test whether they could cultivate Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate. Who knew the incense would break¡­¡± Zhang Xuan said with a smile. ¡°But it¡¯s an honor to be invited by Master Yue!¡±


    He was ying the part of Ling Buyang. Admitting Zhao Ya and the others were his disciples would expose his identity.


    ¡°Please,e this way!¡±


    As Yue Longxiao prepared to leave with the group, another elder hurried over. ¡°Wait!¡±


    It was Hall Master Han Xiao.


    ¡°Master Yue, your presence here honors Destiny Hall. Why don¡¯t we discuss this in the conference hall? I have something to discuss with you,¡± Han Xiao suggested, his tone firm.


    Yue Longxiao hesitated briefly before nodding. ¡°Very well. I also have matters to discuss with Hall Master Han.¡±


    Relieved, Han Xiao turned to Zhang Xuan. ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling, please join us as well.¡±


    Zhang Xuan instructed Zhao Ya, ¡°You all head back. I¡¯ll stay and talk with Hall Master Han.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Zhao Ya cupped her fists and obeyed.


    ¡°They can¡¯t leave¡­¡± Yue Longxiao interjected, rmed.


    He had been tasked by the Wanchang Sect to identify and recruit the testers. Letting them go would waste his efforts.


    ¡°If I brought them here, I naturally have ways to contact them. With me around, Master Yue, are you worried they¡¯ll disappear?¡± Zhang Xuan smiled.


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Yue Longxiao relented. Insisting further would only raise suspicion.


    In the Destiny Hall conference room, Han Xiao studied Zhang Xuan with curiosity. ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling, where did you find those people earlier?¡±


    Lighting 99 incense sticks was a level of talent unimaginable even at Destiny Hall¡¯s headquarters. Yet this man had found three such individuals at once!


    ¡°I was passing through White Roc City and happened to notice them. Though young, their talents were exceptional, so I brought them along,¡± Zhang Xuan casually replied.


    ¡°Pure coincidence?¡± Yue Longxiao was incredulous. How could someone be this lucky?


    ¡°Of course! I thought they might be able to cultivate Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate, but who knew the Destiny Incense would malfunction? What a pity¡­¡± Zhang Xuan sighed.


    Han Xiao and Yue Longxiao exchanged nces, their expressions strained. It felt like Zhang Xuan was toying with them.


    ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling,¡± Yue Longxiao said, breaking the silence. ¡°Those friends of yours¡­ could you introduce them to me? Wanchang Sect is very interested. If they join, we¡¯ll provide the best resources and opportunities.¡±


    ¡°Join the Wanchang Sect?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s smile deepened. He had expected high-level attention after Zhao Ya¡¯s test.


    To ensure his disciples¡¯ safety and give them opportunities to grow, Zhang Xuan had always nned for them to join major powers. This approach had proven effective in the past.


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Yue Longxiao confirmed.


    ¡°I can, but¡­ what¡¯s in it for me? They¡¯re not my disciples or rtives. Bringing them here was already a favor. If you want them, you need topensate me,¡± Zhang Xuan said bluntly.


    ¡°You wantpensation?¡± Yue Longxiao frowned.


    ¡°Of course! If they aren¡¯t helping me cultivate Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate, they¡¯re just acquaintances. To part with them, I need a fair price.¡±


    Han Xiao interjected, ¡°Leave them with Destiny Hall. I¡¯ll request a reward from the headquarters on your behalf. I guarantee it¡¯ll rival Wanchang Sect¡¯s offer.¡±


    ¡°Han Xiao, what are you doing?¡± Yue Longxiao¡¯s expression darkened.


    Han Xiao replied calmly, ¡°Since Wanchang Sect is making a move, Destiny Hall can¡¯tg behind.¡±


    The battle for the prodigies had begun.


    ¡°I¡¯m all about practical benefits,¡± Zhang Xuan grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s make it simple¡ªwhoever offers the most in three days takes them. I¡¯ll bring those three prodigies back, and the highest bidder wins. Master Yue, Hall Master Han, this arrangement suits you both, right?¡±


    Han Xiao hesitated but eventually agreed. ¡°Fair enough. But I hope you won¡¯t regret this decision.¡±


    Zhang Xuan smiled enigmatically. ¡°Oh, I doubt I will.¡±


    Han Xiao¡¯s face twitched slightly at Zhang Xuan¡¯s calm and unbothered attitude. He nced at Yue Longxiao, who was also deep in thought, and eventually nodded.


    ¡°Alright, three days then!¡± Yue Longxiao dered, a glint of determination in his eyes.


    Having reached an agreement, Zhang Xuan excused himself from the discussion under the guise of needing rest. His real intention, however, was to observe how the situation unfolded and gauge the level of interest from both factions.


    As Zhang Xuan exited the conference hall, Zhao Ya and the others were waiting in a quiet area nearby. Seeing him approach, their faces lit up with curiosity.


    ¡°Teacher, what happened in there?¡± Zhao Ya asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Zhang Xuan said casually. ¡°Destiny Hall and Wanchang Sect seem to have taken an interest in your talents. I¡¯m negotiating the best terms for you.¡±


    ¡°Our talents?¡± Yu Xiaoyu looked astonished. ¡°But we¡¯ve just begun learning. Why would they care about us?¡±


    ¡°Your potential speaks volumes. Lighting 99 incense sticks is no small feat. Even at the continent¡¯s peak, such results would draw attention,¡± Zhang Xuan exined, his tone patient but firm.


    The group fell silent, the weight of their achievement beginning to dawn on them. After a moment, Liu Mingyue hesitated and asked, ¡°Teacher, will we be separated?¡±


    Zhang Xuan sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not separation¡ªit¡¯s opportunity. If you join these great factions, you¡¯ll gain resources and training far beyond what I can provide right now. It¡¯s all part of preparing you for the greater challenges ahead.¡±


    The disciples exchanged uneasy nces but nodded. They trusted their teacher¡¯s wisdom.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 63: Mo Qing is here

    Vol 2 Ch 63 Mo Qing is here


    Cultivating Bnced Destiny had always been Hall Master Han Xiao¡¯s principle. He treated everyone equally, encouragingpetition among subordinates. Whenever he spoke, it was always in the same impartial tone. However, he hadn¡¯t expected his own words to be thrown back at him by Zhang Xuan, leaving him feeling stifled and ufortable.


    Slightly displeased, Han Xiao frowned. ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling, as a vice hall master of Destiny Hall, shouldn¡¯t you prioritize the interests of the hall and make greater contributions? If you¡¯re only focused on personal gains and even considering transactions with the Wanchang Sect, how can I trust you with the position of hall master?¡±


    ¡°And what exactly should I do?¡± Zhang Xuan looked over.


    Han Xiao replied, ¡°It¡¯s simple. Bring those people here now, and let me send them to headquarters. If the higher-ups are pleased, they¡¯ll reward you handsomely. It¡¯ll be a great boost to your future! Trust me, as long as we handle this well, we¡¯ll earn their favor. Asking for benefits directly only makes you look bad and might ruin your bright future. Vice Hall Master Ling, I¡¯m genuinely doing this for your own good. I truly wish to pass on the hall master position to you¡­ If it were Vice Hall Master Chai in your ce, I wouldn¡¯t even have to waste so many words. You must understand my good intentions!¡±


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. What an attempt at emotional maniption! No wonder Han Xiao was so skilled at bncing Destiny¡ªhis eloquence was unmatched.


    Once Han Xiao had said enough, Zhang Xuan¡¯s face lit up with feigned excitement. ¡°Are you saying you really n to pass the position of hall master to me?¡±


    Han Xiao nodded. ¡°Of course. You¡¯re so exceptional that, aside from Chai Yunsheng, there¡¯s no one in Destiny Hall of Hanyuan City who canpare. Initially, the two of you were equally aplished. But if you contribute these few geniuses, I can guarantee you¡¯ll be my first choice¡ª¡±


    Interrupting him, Zhang Xuan said, ¡°Don¡¯t bother prioritizing. With Moon Sect Leader here, why not draft a formal agreement now? Relinquish the hall master position to me, and as long as you agree to give these geniuses to the Destiny Hall, I might consider it.¡±¡°This¡­¡± Han Xiao¡¯s face flushed, his chest heaving with suppressed rage. If he agreed to Zhang Xuan¡¯s terms, it would mean destroying the bnce he had painstakingly maintained, leading to inevitable bacsh.


    Zhang Xuan continued, ¡°What? Can¡¯t do it? How about¡­ you dismiss Chai Yunsheng as vice hall master right now and leave only me?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ wouldn¡¯t be proper. Vice Hall Master Chai has always been diligent and dedicated. If I did that, it might break his spirit¡­¡± Han Xiao shook his head.


    ¡°This won¡¯t do, and that won¡¯t do. All you¡¯re giving me are empty promises. If this is how Destiny Hall treats me, why should I keep thinking about Destiny Hall?¡± Zhang Xuan waved his hand dismissively.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Han Xiao frowned. ¡°As a vice hall master of Destiny Hall, the hall has given you status and power. If you don¡¯t think about giving back and only seek benefits, how can you be at peace with your conscience?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I, Ling Buyang, don¡¯t have a conscience.¡± Zhang Xuan shook his head. ¡°If Hall Master Han really had a conscience, you wouldn¡¯t be saying such things. If you hurt my feelings, I might just resign from my position as vice hall master!¡±


    Trying to manipte me? Nice try!


    ¡°You¡­¡± Han Xiao almost choked on his anger. He never imagined that Ling Buyang, who used to be capable but meek, would suddenly transform in a few short days¡ªhis strength skyrocketing, hidden cards aplenty, and his demeanor now aggressive, with no respect for him at all.


    Could he really be someone else in disguise? Although seeing him use the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate technique had dispelled his doubts earlier, the suspicion crept back now.


    Losing interest in further debate, Zhang Xuan turned to Yue Longxiao. ¡°Sect Leader Yue, don¡¯t you agree with me?¡±


    Yue Longxiao nodded. ¡°Of course! Whether as hall master or vice hall master, the ultimate goal is cultivation and acquiring resources. If there are other ways to obtain resources, nothing else matters.¡±


    Zhang Xuan praised him. ¡°Sect Leader Yue, you¡¯re very open-minded!¡±


    Yue Longxiao smiled. ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling, what kind of resources do you need? I¡¯ll report it to my superiors to prepare in advance.¡±


    Zhang Xuan replied, ¡°It¡¯s simple. I need arge amount of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. As long as the quantity is sufficient, you can take the people with you. We¡¯re strangers anyway; I might as well profit a little.¡±


    ¡°Deal!¡± Yue Longxiao nodded.


    ¡°Hall Master Han, Sect Leader Yue, I¡¯ll wait for your good news then. I have other matters to attend to, so I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Zhang Xuan sped his hands in farewell and left.


    ¡°Hall Master Han, I¡¯ll take my leave too. Let¡¯s meet again in three days!¡± Yue Longxiao also sped his hands before turning to leave.


    As the two departed, Han Xiao suppressed his irritation and strode out of the hall toward his private chamber. He had yet to inform headquarters of what had happened due to the bacsh he had been dealing with.


    Truthfully, he understood that lighting 99 Destiny Incenses indicated unparalleled talent. However, he hadn¡¯t realized just how exceptional they were. His attempts to intervene were mostly to interfere with Yue Longxiao¡¯s sudden interest.


    ¡°Hall Master¡­¡± Just a few steps toward his chamber, Xie Feng rushed over.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Han Xiao halted.


    ¡°Reporting to the hall master, an esteemed guest from the Zouyi Dynasty, who identifies as Mo Qing, requests to see you,¡± Xie Feng said hurriedly.


    ¡°Mo Qing¡­¡± Han Xiao froze for a moment before realization dawned on him, his expression shifting to surprise. ¡°Could it be the elder-level expert from the Mo Dao Sect? They say his cultivation has long surpassed the ninth level of the Source Pool Realm, and he¡¯s revered as an elder in the Destiny Hall of the Zouyi Dynasty. Why would hee here? Take me to him immediately!¡±


    Han Xiao had heard of Mo Qing before. Over a decade ago, Mo Qing had already reached the Second Stage of the Heaven¡¯s Fate Mo Dao martial technique, surpassing the Source Pool Realm. Such a figure deserved utmost respect anywhere.


    Returning to the guest hall, Han Xiao saw a tall, stern-faced middle-aged man sitting in the room. A long Mo Dao leaned against the table beside him.


    ¡°Han Xiao of Hanyuan City greets Elder Mo Qing¡­¡± Han Xiao bowed deeply.


    Mo Qing nodded. ¡°Hall Master Han, no need to be so formal. I¡¯m here to ask about a certain matter.¡±


    Han Xiao rxed slightly. ¡°Elder Mo Qing, please feel free to ask. As long as it¡¯s within my knowledge, I will answer everything.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± Mo Qing smiled faintly. ¡°I heard that my junior, Ling Buyang, has be a vice hall master of Destiny Hall. How much do you know about him? Has hisprehension of the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate reached the Second Stage?¡±


    Han Xiao was taken aback but quickly nodded. ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling just yesterday broke through to the Second Stage during a battle¡­ Since he is from the Mo Dao Sect, Elder Mo should have sensed his progress, right?¡±


    Mo Qing¡¯s expression grew awkward. ¡°Years ago, my junior made a grave mistake. To avoid bacsh, our teacher severed part of their connection. Only significant progress in cultivation would reestablish the link. However, when the incense for the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate was lit, our teacher didn¡¯t sense anything, so I was sent to investigate.¡±


    Han Xiao understood. Connections forged through destiny or mentorship could foster growth or lead to bacsh. However, someone in control of their fate could sever such ties at will. Otherwise, a strong master¡¯s downfall could be easily orchestrated by attacking their disciples.


    Han Xiao mused aloud, ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling has indeed reached the Second Stage and has disyed its techniques¡­ but there is something peculiar I need to mention.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°What is it?¡± Mo Qing asked.


    ¡°Just a few days ago, Vice Hall Master Ling heard about a Chaotic Fate Practitioner appearing in the Zouyi Dynasty and went to assist. When he returned, his strength had skyrocketed, and his personality hadpletely changed¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re suggesting that my junior, Ling Buyang, might be an imposter?¡± Mo Qing frowned.


    ¡°I only have suspicions. There¡¯s no evidence, so I dare not im anything,¡± Han Xiao replied cautiously.


    Mo Qing considered this. ¡°The Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate is a technique created by our teacher. To cultivate it, one must receive direct tutge or approval. It¡¯s nearly impossible for an outsider to reach the Second Stage. Still, let¡¯s confirm this. I¡¯ll test hisprehension of the Mo Dao myself.¡±


    Han Xiao asked, ¡°What kind of test would Elder Mo require? How should I assist?¡±


    Mo Qing replied, ¡°Simple. Summon him for a duel. Everything will be clear.¡±


    Han Xiao rxed. ¡°That¡¯s easy to arrange. However, there¡¯s another matter I¡¯d like to discuss first. Just now, Vice Hall Master Ling brought some individuals for talent assessment. Among them were three who lit 99 Destiny Incenses¡­¡±


    Mo Qing¡¯s eyes widened, and he stood abruptly. ¡°Are you certain?¡±


    Han Xiao nodded and recounted the earlier events involving Yue Longxiao and the Wanchang Sect.


    Mo Qing¡¯s eyes glinted with excitement. ¡°If these individuals can cultivate the Mo Dao technique¡­ I might achieve a breakthrough to the Third Stage and surpass our teacher!¡±


    Excitement surged in Mo Qing¡¯s voice, and his ambitions were clear.


    Author''s Note


    Hi everyone! The BOTI Trantor Team is here! If you¡¯re enjoying our work, please consider rating us 5 stars on NovelUpdates. Your support means the world to

 Book 2: Chapter 64: No Matter What

    Vol 2 Ch 64 No Matter What


    Such a level of genius, once they choose their Fate, their rate of progress would be unimaginably fast. If they could be taken as disciples, their cultivation of Fate would also allow their master to advance rapidly.


    It¡¯s akin to a father bing the Supreme Emperor when his son ascends the throne¡ªa great opportunity for both parties.


    This thought circted in Mo Qing¡¯s mind, but he quickly shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m not the founder of the Mo Dao. If the Mo Dao Fate strengthens, the teacher''s power will increase, but my gains wouldn¡¯t be as significant¡­¡±


    The cultivation of an inherited Fate benefits its founder the most. The more practitioners, the stronger the future generations be, which in turn makes the founder more powerful.


    Unless¡­ they lose in thepetition for Fate. Otherwise, the founder must always suppress their rival.


    As forpeting for Fate, that¡¯s something only a Seven-Star Destiny Master would consider. For a minor Fate like the Mo Dao¡¯s, it¡¯s uncertain if it could even reach that level!


    ¡°I¡¯ll represent the teacher to take them in. This way, if the teacher breaks through to the Fourth Realm and gains more standing, I¡¯ll benefit as well¡­¡±


    With this decision made, Mo Qing looked at Han Xiao and instructed, ¡°Don¡¯t report this matter yet. Let¡¯s go directly to find Junior Brother Ling Buyang and have him hand over the individuals. I¡¯ll take them back to the Zouyi Dynasty. If word spreads, I fear unnecessary trouble¡­¡±Han Xiao hesitated, ¡°Go straight to Vice Hall Master Ling? But he said three days¡­¡±


    Mo Qing shook his head. ¡°As his senior brother, if I ask him to do something, would he dare to argue? Let¡¯s go. Lead the way, now!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Han Xiao hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°Master Mo Qing, please wait a moment. There¡¯s a minor matter at the Destiny Hall I need to address before I can take you there.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead!¡± Mo Qing waved his hand dismissively.


    Relieved, Han Xiao left the room and found Xie Feng, instructing him in a hushed tone: ¡°Go find Yue Longxiao immediately and tell him that Elder Mo Qing is here to see Ling Buyang and intends to take some geniuses away¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Xie Feng turned and left.


    Watching him leave, Han Xiao sensed a new surge of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy flowing into his body and let out a sigh of relief.


    With the bnce between Ling Buyang and Chai Yunsheng disrupted, Mo Qing and the Wanchang Sect seemed evenly matched again in their struggle for geniuses. Proper utilization of this situation might provide him an opportunity to advance as well.


    Bnce is omnipresent. As long as it¡¯s created by him, it could be leveraged for growth.


    Back in his quarters, Zhang Xuan gathered Zhao Ya and the others once more.


    ¡°Teacher, we don¡¯t want to leave¡­¡±


    Hearing his decision, Zhao Ya and the rest were filled with reluctance.


    ¡°Cultivating Fate requires immense resources, and I simply don¡¯t have enough here. If you get a good opportunity, seize it. This way, when I face danger in the future, you¡¯ll be able to assist me!¡±


    Zhang Xuan advised.


    After a moment of silence, Zhao Ya and the others finally nodded in agreement. Having faced countless hardships together, they understood his concerns. Staying by his side might indeed be a burden, whereas leaving could offer greater support in the long run.


    ¡°This parting now is for a better reunion in the future¡­ Of course, if they don¡¯t properly nurture you and only see you as tools to be harvested, just send me a message, and I¡¯ll stand up for you!¡±


    Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow.


    Granting someone an inheritance is eptable if it¡¯s for cultivating aplete Fate. But if they treat you as mere heirs to be exploited for profit, he has ways to help his disciples regain their dignity.


    Hearing their teacher¡¯s promise, Zhao Ya and the others nodded excitedly. His words reminded them of their past parting. Back then, many thought he was boasting, but he proved with his actions that no matter how powerful a force, it became insignificant in the face of his growth.


    The Yin-Yang Pce, the Saint Yuan n, the Hall of the Saints¡ªone by one, these mighty institutions that stood tall on the Master Teacher Continent fell to their knees before him in less than two years.


    ¡°Leave a thread of thought connected to the New World. If anything happens, just ry the message to that thread, and I¡¯ll know immediately!¡±


    Zhang Xuan continued.


    With the power of the New World, he couldmunicate with his disciples anytime, without the slightest obstacle. Hearing this, Zhao Ya and the others finally felt at ease. They left their threads behind, and just as they finished, a voice called out from outside the courtyard.


    ¡°Is Vice Hall Master Ling here?¡±


    Zhang Xuan frowned, instructing the others to focus on their cultivation before stepping out.


    Entering the hall, he saw Han Xiao entering with a middle-aged man.


    ¡°Hall Master Han, didn¡¯t I say to meet again in three days?¡± Zhang Xuan frowned in displeasure.


    Han Xiao waved his hand quickly, ¡°It¡¯s not me; it¡¯s this gentleman¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan turned to the middle-aged man, puzzled, just as the other narrowed his eyes. ¡°Junior Brother Buyang, it¡¯s been over a decade. Have you forgotten me?¡±


    ¡°Junior Brother?¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    For someone to address him this way, they were likely from the Mo Dao sect.


    With a flick of his finger, Zhang Xuan activated a formation he¡¯d secretly prepared earlier. The spiritual energy in the room shifted instantly. It was the array he had brought from Bu Xu Hall, which he hadid in the room. The motion had just infused it with his strength to activate it.


    As expected, sensing the formation¡¯s power, the middle-aged man frowned. Just as he was about to suppress it, the pressure vanished. The formation seemed to have stopped.


    While the man was confused, Zhang Xuan immersed his mind in the Library of Heaven''s Path.


    ¡°Mo Qing, second-generation disciple of the Mo Dao Sect, third disciple of Sect Master Mo Baiye, cultivation level: Mid-Star River Realm¡­¡±


    ¡°Star River Realm?¡±


    As expected, the Star River Realm was above the Ninth Level of the Source Pool Realm.


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s current strength allowed him to handle Ninth Level experts, but facing a Star River Realm practitioner was still a challenge.


    ¡°w #1: Overeagerness to break through, resulting in lung damage. Suffers from shortness of breath after 100 moves.


    w #2: Impotent¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm???¡±


    Zhang Xuan blinked in surprise.


    Ling Buyang and Xu Xin had suffered simr issues before. Now this ¡°Third Senior Brother¡± had the same problem? Could it be¡­ training in the Mo Dao required this condition?


    ¡°Desiring this skill, must one castrate oneself?¡±


    Come to think of it, it seemed usible. Otherwise, why were they all gathered with such issues? Yet¡­ Zhang Xuan himself trained in it and remained perfectly fine!


    Setting aside his doubts, Zhang Xuan smiled. ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect Senior Brother Mo Qing to grace me with your presence without prior notice, or I would have gone to wee you¡­¡±


    ¡°No need!¡± Mo Qing waved dismissively, sitting down and cing the Mo Dao de on the table. ¡°I hear you¡¯ve found some talented juniors? Hand them over, and perhaps the teacher might remember old ties and allow you to return to the Zouyi Dynasty.¡±


    ¡°Senior Brother must be joking. Those juniors aren¡¯t really connected to me. They¡¯re free to go where they wish. Forcing them to leave wouldn¡¯t be appropriate,¡± Zhang Xuan replied.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Mo Qing¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I¡¯m personallying here out of respect for our shared history. Do you really want me to forcefully take them?¡±


    Zhang Xuan frowned. ¡°Are you nning to seize them?¡±


    Han Xiao interjected, ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling, how can you put it like that? Elder Mo Qing, though your senior brother, is also a Destiny Hall elder of the Zouyi Dynasty. He¡¯s merely recruiting talent for the hall. How can you nder him by calling it robbery?¡±


    ¡°Recruiting talent? What a nice way to put it¡­¡± Zhang Xuan shook his head. ¡°But unfortunately, their decisions on where to go are up to me.¡±


    ¡°You dare disrespect me¡­¡± Mo Qing stood, his hand closing around the Mo Dao de. ¡°Ling Buyang, back then I left you beaten and banished from the Zouyi City. I can do the same now in Hanyuan City! I¡¯ll give you one chance: hand them over, and I won¡¯t pursue the matter further. Otherwise, even if you¡¯re a Vice Hall Master, I¡¯ll have cause to kill you, and no one will speak on your behalf!¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s face turned grim. ¡°You¡¯re resorting to outright robbery?¡±


    Mo Qing sneered, ¡°That¡¯s right. By now, you should know power rules everywhere. Since those geniuses aren¡¯t deeply tied to you, and I¡¯m offering them promising futures, why bother wasting an opportunity?¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how you see it¡­¡± Zhang Xuan murmured in realization.


    Indeed, if the connection was shallow, why should he have the right to dictate terms? Why not simply eliminate him and take what¡¯s needed?


    ¡°An ordinary man is innocent, but possessing treasure brings disaster!¡± Mo Qing¡¯s gaze swept the room. ¡°Your ce looks nice. You have plenty of attendants. If you disagree, I¡¯ll kill them all.


    And I hear you¡¯ve got a mansion full of lovely wives and concubines. I¡¯ll kill them too¡ªleave none alive!¡±


    ¡°You mean to say that just because I won¡¯t hand over some talented individuals, you¡¯ll ughter all my friends, family, and household?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression grew colder.


    ¡°Why not? They¡¯ve enjoyed a privileged life with you, so when dangeres, it¡¯s only natural they pay the price! I advise you toply. Otherwise, even if you¡¯ve reached the Second Stage of Mo Dao Fateprehension, you¡¯re still nothing before me!¡±


    Mo Qing¡¯s energy surged, a sharp de aura emanating from the edge of his Mo Dao, pressing heavily on the surroundings.


    Zhang Xuan turned to Han Xiao. ¡°Hall Master Han, he openly threatens to ughter everyone connected to me. As the head of Destiny Hall, will you stand by and do nothing?¡±


    Han Xiao shook his head. ¡°Destiny Hall only handles cultivation and the teaching of Fate. As for life and death matters, that¡¯s up to one¡¯s own destiny. It has nothing to do with me. Besides, this is an issue between fellow disciples¡ªI couldn¡¯t interfere even if I wanted to.¡±


    ¡°Abandoning all responsibility, turning a blind eye, and even aiding criminals¡ªno wonder Hanyuan City is in such chaos, with everyone on the Hunter¡¯s List deserving their fate¡­¡± Zhang Xuan shook his head in disappointment before stepping forward. His voice carried a growing intensity. ¡°So this is the so-called Destiny Hall? An organization that exploits the people and drains them dry¡ªbetter it didn¡¯t exist at all.¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 65: Killing Mo Qing

    Vol 2 Ch 65: Killing Mo Qing


    Han Xiao frowned, "What do you mean? Are you actually thinking of resisting Elder Mo Qing''s reprimand? Such arrogance!"


    Mo Qing sneered coldly, "It seems you¡¯ve grown bolder after all these years apart. Very well, let me remind you that no matter how much time has passed, you are still the same worthless, pathetic failure in my eyes. I can humiliate or kill you whenever I please¡­"


    "Then let''s see just how strong you really are!"


    Not wasting any more words, Zhang Xuan stepped forward.


    Though they were over ten meters apart, that single step closed the gap in an instant.


    Weaponless, Zhang Xuan''s presence tore through the air like the sharpest de. As his hands rose, True Energy surged and roared like thunder within the confined room. The explosive power rippled fiercely, condensing into dazzling arcs of lightning as Heaven''s Fate Energy swirled around him, creating a torrent of de energy.


    His left hand unleashed the Xuanlong Palm, while his right wielded the Mo Dao, the twin ultimate techniques roaring with the power of a dragon.


    "You dare make a move against me? Ling Buyang, you''ve got some nerve!"Han Xiao''s face darkened with fury as he bellowed and thrust his arms outward. His move created a bridge-like arc, designed to redirect and neutralize the iing force.


    Specializing in the Bnce of Power, Han Xiao''s techniques could dissipate any attack through his body, redirecting it harmlessly. Knowing his opponent''s anger, he prepared for the full brunt of Zhang Xuan''s assault.


    But the moment their strikes shed, Han Xiao''s expression shifted as if crushed under a mountain. The immense force shattered his Bnce of Power technique instantly.


    "Not good¡­!"


    Though he had anticipated Zhang Xuan''s strength, he hadn¡¯t expected it to reach this level. Knowing he couldn¡¯t hold on, Han Xiao quickly channeled the iing energy downward.


    <em>Crack! Crack!</em>


    The stone floor beneath them fractured as his feet sank over half a foot into the ground. Yet, the overwhelming energy continued to push him deeper, like a nail being hammered relentlessly.


    His pupils contracted.


    This guy¡¯s power¡­ was monstrous! He had heard of Zhang Xuan''s feats¡ªeasily defeating powerful cultivators like the Jade Schr¡ªbut witnessing it firsthand was entirely different.


    What stunned him most wasn¡¯t just the force but its unyielding persistence. Despite his superior cultivation, Han Xiao found himself utterly suppressed.


    "Go down!" Zhang Xuan roared, driving Han Xiao entirely into the ground. Only his head remained above the surface, like a mushroom nted in soil.


    The third most powerful figure in Hanyuan City had been defeated in a single exchange.


    As Zhang Xuan raised his fist to finish the job, a sharp whistle pierced the air.


    A de intent surged toward him, carrying an oppressive aura that seemed to ensnare his soul. Forced to abandon his strike, Zhang Xuan turned to see Mo Qing charging, wielding his Mo Dao.


    The de''s edge emitted a radiant light, its energy converging into a single point aimed at Zhang Xuan''s forehead¡ªa strike known as Brow Kill, one of the deadliest techniques of the Mo Dao school.


    If hit, all of Zhang Xuan''s energy would copse instantly, as if punctured like a balloon.


    Despite the speed and lethality of the move, Zhang Xuan moved faster. Sidestepping the de, he countered with a lunge, a Mo Dao suddenly appearing in his hand as he shed back at Mo Qing.


    The attack was a torrent of power¡ªno fancy techniques, just raw strength to test the limits of the Star River Realm.


    "So, you''ve had a breakthrough." Mo Qing''s expression turned grave as he deflected Zhang Xuan''s strike. "But do you think this level of power is enough to defeat me? Dream on¡ª"


    Before he could finish, Zhang Xuan hurled the Mo Dao aside and lunged forward, delivering a kick toward Mo Qing''s most vulnerable area.


    The unorthodox and unexpected angle caught Mo Qing off guard. Though he dodged most of the force, the blow still grazed its target, sending excruciating pain coursing through him.


    "AHHHHHHH!"


    His body went rigid, his vision blurred, and his head buzzed with agony. Mo Qing knew instantly¡ªhe was crippled.


    "You¡¯ll regret this, Ling Buyang!" Mo Qing roared with rage, hatred burning in his eyes.


    "Regret? You were already useless; this just makes it official." Zhang Xuan sneered, mming into Mo Qing with his shoulder.


    In close quarters, Mo Dao techniques lose their edge, and Zhang Xuan exploited this disadvantage perfectly. His relentless assault overwhelmed Mo Qing, who found himself increasingly outmatched.


    With a precise strike, Zhang Xuan drove two fingers forward, unleashing sword energy directly toward Mo Qing''s eyes. Panicked, Mo Qing raised his de to block, but his attempt was feeble. Zhang Xuan seized the Mo Dao from his hands and drove his shoulder into Mo Qing''s chest.


    <em>Boom!</em>n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Mo Qing was sent flying, smashing into the wall and leaving a massive crater.


    In just five breaths, two formidable warriorsy defeated, both gravely injured.


    "So this is a Star River Realm expert? Pathetic." Zhang Xuan scoffed, leaping toward Mo Qing and nting his foot on his face.


    "Ling Buyang, you dare humiliate me?!" Mo Qing fumed, struggling to rise, but froze as he felt the cold edge of his Mo Dao at his throat.


    "What are you doing?" Han Xiao, who had freed himself from the ground, cried out in horror.


    "He tried to kill me, so I''ll kill him. Fair, isn¡¯t it?" Zhang Xuan replied nonchntly, tightening his grip on the Mo Dao.


    "Stop! Elder Mo Qing is not only your senior but also a Destiny Hall Elder of the Zouyi Dynasty! Killing him will be your doom!" Han Xiao pleaded.


    "Indeed! If you harm me, my teacher will know immediately and crush you!" Mo Qing threatened, even as his confidence wavered.


    "Your teacher will know?" Zhang Xuan raised a brow.


    "Of course! As his direct disciple, I share a unique connection with him. If I die, he¡¯ll sense it instantly."


    "And me? If you kill me, does he know as well?"


    "No! You were cast out of the Dynasty long ago. That bond was severed!" Mo Qing sneered.


    Zhang Xuan smiled coldly. "Good to know."


    With a swift motion, the Mo Dao shed across Mo Qing''s throat.


    "Even as a prisoner, you should¡¯ve known when to shut up."


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s voice carried no trace of pity as Mo Qing¡¯s severed head rolled away.


    "You¡­ killed Elder Mo Qing?" Han Xiao staggered, his face pale.


    "By the way," Zhang Xuan turned toward Han Xiao, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Was there a bounty on him? Can I collect it?"


    ¡°???¡±


    Han Xiao stood frozen, utterly speechless.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 66: Moon Gate Masters Shock

    Vol 2 Ch 66: Moon Gate Master''s Shock


    "At a time like this, you''re still thinking about iming a bounty? Aren''t you afraid of retaliation from the Mo Dao Sect?"


    "Wait, are you trying to get them to retaliate against me instead?"


    "Not willing?" Zhang Xuan stepped forward with the Mo Dao in hand, de energy swirling around him, exuding a murderous aura.


    ¡°...¡±


    Han Xiao''s eyelids twitched.


    This man had the audacity to kill Mo Qing. Han Xiao was certain that if he uttered even one unnecessary word, he would also be cut down.


    As the Hall Master of the Destiny Hall in Hanyuan City, when had he ever been subjected to such threats? This was utterly intolerable! But¡­ refusing might truly get him killed.


    Though his face darkened, Han Xiao eventually nodded with a forced smile. "Willing, of course, I''m willing. Whatever Vice Hall Master Ling says goes. It¡¯s just¡­ I don¡¯t have the Hunter''s List from the Zouyi Dynasty, so I can¡¯t confirm if he¡¯s on it or determine his bounty...""That¡¯s easy. If you don¡¯t have it, he does!"


    Zhang Xuan casually walked over to Mo Qing''s corpse and rummaged through it, soon pulling out a list identical to the one he had purchased from the ck market.


    Unfolding it, he scanned the densely packed names.


    The first section was the Star River Potential List, listing ten names, followed by the Star River List.


    After searching for a while, Zhang Xuan found Mo Qing ranked somewhere above the 400th position, with a bounty of only 3 million Source Coins.


    "So low?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.


    Even Han Xiao before him had a bounty of 220 million Source Coins. Given Mo Qing¡¯s status as a Star River Realm expert, Zhang Xuan had expected at least 10 billion. Three million felt absurdly cheap.


    "The bounties on the Hunter''s List are determined based on a person¡¯s actual ranking within each city. The higher the rank, the greater the value; the lower the rank, the less significant the bounty. This is to prevent people from wantonly killing for profit," Han Xiao hurriedly exined upon noticing Zhang Xuan''s confusion.


    "That doesn¡¯t make sense. If that''s the case, wouldn''t a person¡¯s bounty vary drastically? For instance, if you went to the Zouyi Dynasty, you wouldn¡¯t even be worth three million, right?" Zhang Xuan asked.


    "If I went to the Zouyi Dynasty, I¡¯d just be a nobody, so of course, I wouldn¡¯t be worth much..." Han Xiao replied.


    "Then¡­ if someone from the Zouyi Dynasty killed you, could they im the 220 million Source Coins bounty?" Zhang Xuan probed further.


    Han Xiao shook his head. "Of course not! My bounty is only valid if I¡¯m killed in Hanyuan City by someone from here. The Wanchang Sect has a specialized calction system to prevent exploitation. If someone tries to game the system, they won¡¯t hesitate to send someone to eliminate them."


    Zhang Xuan nodded. "Alright, three million it is..."


    Han Xiao''s face twitched, his voice trembling. "If I im the bounty¡­ you¡¯re not going to kill me to avenge Mo Qing, are you?"


    This guy had done something simr before¡ªkilling Feng Zhaoting, then letting Li Yue¡¯an im the reward, only to kill Li Yue¡¯an afterward. To outsiders, it looked like Zhang Xuan was avenging the dead.


    Now in a simr situation, as long as Han Xiao admitted to killing Mo Qing, Zhang Xuan, as the junior brother, would surely take action. Not only would Han Xiao be branded guilty, but Zhang Xuan would also be seen as the righteous disciple avenging his senior brother. ?


    "Do you think you have any other choice?" Zhang Xuan looked at him coldly.


    Han Xiao fell silent. Indeed, he had no other options. Either he agreed or died immediately¡ªthose were the only two paths left.


    "Fine, I¡¯ll do it..."


    Taking the Hunter''s List, Han Xiao extracted Mo Qing¡¯s essence blood and prepared to register the im. However, just as his finger was about to touch the list, he flicked the blood toward Zhang Xuan. The drop of blood exploded midair, releasing immense power.


    "Die!"


    At the same time, with a chilling gaze, Han Xiao sprang up, a dagger appearing in his palm, aimed straight for Zhang Xuan''s chest.


    No matter the oue, his death seemed certain. A desperate counterattack was his only chance at survival.


    Yet before the dagger or the exploding blood could reach Zhang Xuan, a radiant sword energy shed.


    Han Xiao had never seen such a beautiful sword technique. It was like an aurora or a descending rainbow, stirring his very soul.


    Then¡­ darkness. His consciousness faded.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Han Xiao¡¯s lifeless body copsed. Even in death, he couldn¡¯tprehend how Zhang Xuan, known for his Mo Dao techniques, could wield such extraordinary swordsmanship¡ªsurpassing even his de skills.


    "I wasn¡¯t nning to kill you..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    He had intended to remain low-key for a while longer, but the situation had forced his hand. If he hadn¡¯t acted, Han Xiao would have killed him. Since it came to this, there was no point dwelling on it.


    Zhang Xuan rummaged through the two corpses, retrieving 20 million Source Notes, two Destiny Disks, and three small bottles of elixirs.


    Storing everything in the New World, he smiled faintly at Han Xiao¡¯s corpse. "You think I¡¯d have no other way if you refused?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    cing his hand on the corpse, Zhang Xuan activated the Spirit Awakening Technique.


    Momentster, Han Xiao''s corpse stretched and sat upright.


    "Master!" the reanimated "Han Xiao" greeted with a smile.


    Using Spirit Awakening, Zhang Xuan animated Han Xiao¡¯s corpse. While its abilities were limited, it could pass as him temporarily.


    "Alright, say you killed Mo Qing and im the reward!" Zhang Xuan instructed.


    "Yes!" "Han Xiao" nodded, taking the Hunter''s List and operating it briefly. Soon, the 3 million Source Coins bounty was transferred.


    While not much, the transaction sent a clear message: Mo Qing''s death had nothing to do with Zhang Xuan.


    "Young Master, Yue Longxiao, the Wanchang Sect''s leader, is here to see you," Sun Qiang reported as he entered.


    "Him? Why now?" Zhang Xuan frowned, ncing at Mo Qing¡¯s headless corpse. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he ced his hand on it.


    Soon, the reanimated "Mo Qing" picked up his head and reattached it to his neck. Although the severed line and bloodstains were visible, as long as he didn¡¯t move too much, the head would stay in ce.


    "Alright, you two stay here. I¡¯ll see what this Yue Sect Master wants."


    As Zhang Xuan headed outside, he saw Yue Longxiao rushing toward him with an anxious expression.


    Yue Longxiao had rushed over after receiving the message Han Xiao had sent through Xie Feng. He was worried Mo Qing might use his status and strength to poach the talents they were grooming.


    Pausing at the doorway, he peeked inside the room.


    Han Xiao sat upright on one side, rising to greet him when he entered. On the other side, a middle-aged man wielding a Mo Dao sat with a calm demeanor¡ªclearly Mo Qing.


    At first nce, everything seemed peaceful, with the two parties appearing to get along. However, the walls and floor told a different story, marked by a gaping hole and bloodstains that hinted at chaos.


    "Could they have already fought?" Yue Longxiao''s heart sank.


    This couldn¡¯t be allowed. If Mo Qing had forced his hand, the situation might spiral beyond his control.


    His gaze shifted to Mo Qing, attempting to glean any clues from his expression. To his shock, the Star River Realm expert casually raised a teacup to his lips.


    But the next instant, water began seeping from Mo Qing¡¯s neck, leaking through a faint seam...


    ¡°???¡± Yue Longxiao froze in confusion.


    Meanwhile, at the Mo Dao Sect in the Zouyi Dynasty, Sect Master Mo Baiye sat cross-legged in his chambers, immersed in cultivation. Abruptly, his focus shattered, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.


    "How...?"


    His pupils constricted, his body trembling uncontrobly.


    This was the bacsh from a severed Fate Path, tied to the death of a direct disciple.


    "Mo Qing is dead?"


    His fist clenched involuntarily. Given the timing, Mo Qing must have just reached Hanyuan City. Yet, he¡¯d already been killed.


    ¡°Who would dare kill my disciple?¡± Rising to his feet, Mo Baiye stormed out of the room.


    ¡°Investigate immediately! I want to know what happened to Mo Qing!¡±


    Not long after, a disciple rushed over in a panic. ¡°Sect Master, we¡¯ve received word from the Wanchang Sect in Zouyi City. Mo Qing was killed by Han Xiao, the Hall Master of Destiny Hall in Hanyuan City. Han Xiao has already imed the bounty...¡±


    ¡°Han Xiao? A mere Hall Master from a small city dares kill my disciple? Who gave him the audacity?¡±


    Mo Baiye''s face darkened.


    As the founder of the Mo Dao lineage within the Destiny Hall system, Mo Baiye held a prominent position as a Vice Hall Master of the Zouyi Dynasty¡¯s Destiny Hall. His authority was nearly unparalleled¡ªkilling an elder from a branch hall was trivial, let alone someone from Hanyuan City.


    For such a lowly Hall Master to kill his disciple and shamelessly im the reward was a tant provocation.


    "Min Jiangtao!" Mo Baiye called out.


    A lean man stepped forward, bowing respectfully. "Sect Master."


    ¡°Go to Hanyuan City. Find out what happened with Mo Qing. If Han Xiao killed him without cause, bring me his head. If Mo Qingmitted some wrongdoing, kill everyone in Hanyuan City who knows about it¡ªleave no witnesses.¡±


    ¡°Understood. But what if Ling Buyang also knows about this?¡± Min Jiangtao asked.


    Mo Baiye¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°I¡¯ve already said, leave no witnesses. Kill them all.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Min Jiangtao acknowledged, pausing briefly before continuing. ¡°Sect Master, if we ughter an entire branch of the Destiny Hall, it might attract unwanted attention...¡±


    Mo Baiye sneered. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a Chaotic Fate Practitioner active in the area? Pin the me on them!¡±


    ¡°I understand. Your disciple will handle this,¡± Min Jiangtao said, turning to leave.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 67: A Girl Visits

    Vol 2 Ch 67: A Girl Visits


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen my senior brother in years, so I couldn¡¯t resist sparring with him. The room got a little messy, I hope you don¡¯t mind¡­¡±


    As Yue Longxiao reeled from shock, he heard Ling Buyang¡¯s voice ring out.


    Turning his head, he saw the Vice Hall Master standing in the middle of the hall with a wide smile on his face.


    Realization dawned on Yue Longxiao. He looked at Mo Qing again, trying to understand why he was ¡°leaking.¡± Just then, a horse inexplicably appeared, blocking his view. One hoof held a rag, the other a teapot, and its massive head grinned at him foolishly.


    ¡°¡­¡± Yue Longxiao¡¯s eyelids twitched.


    He must be seeing things¡ªhow could a horse serve tea and clean?


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we just part ways, Lord Yue? Why are you back so quickly?¡± Zhang Xuan looked over, puzzled.


    ¡°Well, Vice Hall Master Ling mentioned three days, but I felt that was too long. To avoidplications, I thought I¡¯d discuss matters with you again¡­¡± Yue Longxiao exined quickly.After delivering the message from Xie Feng, he had hurried back without rest. The stakes involving the three geniuses were far too high for him to rx even for a moment.


    ¡°Ah, I had thought of discussing it too, but my senior brother arrived and expressed his interest in taking these geniuses away. He even offered a price I couldn¡¯t refuse¡­¡± Zhang Xuan looked troubled.


    Hearing this, Yue Longxiao¡¯s heart sank. He quickly turned to Mo Qing. With the horse no longer blocking his view, he saw the expert from Zouyi City sitting serenely in his seat, eyes closed and face expressionless. He seemed inscrutable and unfathomable.


    ¡°No wonder he¡¯s a master at the Star River Realm! Not only is his aura and cultivation unreadable, but I can¡¯t even sense his breathing or heartbeat¡­ Such strength is incredible!¡±


    Yue Longxiao grew more cautious.


    In Hanyuan City, aside from Emperor Han Qianchou, he feared no one. But against a Star River Realm expert who excelled in offensive techniques tied to destiny, he felt some trepidation.


    More importantly, while the man could easily discern Yue Longxiao¡¯s cultivation level, Yue couldn¡¯t even tell when the other breathed¡ªa gap in strength too vast to ignore.


    Taking a deep breath, Yue Longxiao gritted his teeth and spoke, ¡°Everything is negotiable. Vice Hall Master Ling mentioned that the highest offer wins. If that¡¯s the case, we can bid against each other. The Mo Dao Sect may be strong, butpared to our Wanchang Sect, they¡¯re far inferior!¡±


    Though both were titled ¡°sects,¡± the Wanchang Sect spanned the entire Source World and was brimming with experts. They boasted countless Destiny Masters above Seven Stars, while the strongest figure in the Mo Dao Sect, Mo Baiye, was merely a Three-Star Destiny Master.


    The difference was staggering.


    Though Yue Longxiao himselfcked strength, he hoped his deration would intimidate the other party. After speaking, he nced again at Mo Qing, who remained motionless, his eyes still closed. It was as if he hadn¡¯t heard anything.


    Whatposure, what a calm mind¡­ This was truly an extraordinary figure, a difficult opponent to deal with!


    ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling, what¡¯s your opinion?¡± Yue Longxiao cupped his fists.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Zhang Xuan, unsure of what to do, hesitated before looking at Mo Qing nearby. ¡°Senior Brother, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, bidding is eptable. However, mere Source Pool Realm cultivators are unqualified. Send someonepetent from your side to negotiate with me!¡± Mo Qing snorted.


    His voice was sharp and piercing, giving the impression that any significant movement might cause his head to fall off.


    ¡°Alright!¡± Yue Longxiao breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°But I¡¯ll have to trouble Lord Mo Qing to wait a little while. Someone from the Wanchang Sect headquarters is on their way. I¡¯m unsure of their arrival time, but it won¡¯t beter than tomorrow!¡±


    The message from headquarters didn¡¯t specify who wasing or their level of expertise.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a rush,¡± Mo Qing replied curtly and said no more.


    The room fell silent. Yue Longxiao, feeling awkward, stood in ce, unsure whether to stay or leave.


    Unknown to him, the Mo Qing sitting before him was already dead, his demise recorded on the Hunter¡¯s List in the Zouyi Dynasty. However, this information had not reached Hanyuan City.


    ¡°In that case, Lord Yue, why not rest for now? When your people arrive, we can proceed with the bidding,¡± Zhang Xuan suggested, hoping to clear the area.


    The room was already in disarray, and he needed time to deal with his ¡°senior brother.¡± Otherwise, if Mo Qing¡¯s head fell off during a conversation, there would be no point in continuing negotiations.


    ¡°No need. I¡¯ll stay here. It¡¯s only a day or two; I¡¯m sure Vice Hall Master Ling won¡¯t mind my presence,¡± Yue Longxiao insisted.


    Not knowing Mo Qing¡¯s intentions, he decided to stay put. If he left, the other side might take the geniuses and disappear¡ªthen he¡¯d have no recourse but to cry.


    If they returned to the Zouyi Dynasty and the Mo Dao Sect, tracking them would be manageable. But if they vanished entirely, even the headquarters¡¯ experts couldn¡¯t search the entire continent.


    Most importantly, if the three geniuses underwent a Destiny Baptism and their fate alignments were confirmed, imparting any legacy to them would be exceedingly difficult.


    Seeing Yue Longxiao refuse to leave, Zhang Xuan frowned. If this man wouldn¡¯t go, there was no way to take Mo Qing away. Sitting still, Mo Qing could barely keep his head on; if he got up, it would surely fall off¡­


    What to do?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of the two living people in the room, both were lost in their thoughts.


    After a moment of silence, Yue Longxiao couldn¡¯t help but nce at Han Xiao and sent him a voice transmission. ¡°Hall Master Han, what happened earlier? Are the three geniuses still here?¡±


    Given their good rtionship, Han Xiao had shared much about Ling Buyang¡¯s activities.


    Han Xiao nodded slightly and replied via voice transmission, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re all here. It¡¯s just that Lord Mo Qing sparred with Vice Hall Master Ling¡­¡±


    Yue Longxiao asked, ¡°Who won?¡±


    Han Xiao replied, ¡°Of course, Lord Mo Qing. He defeated Vice Hall Master Ling with a single move. The crater on the ground and the hole in the wall¡ªthose were caused by him.¡±


    Yue Longxiao frowned, puzzled. Mo Qing and Han Xiao were covered in dust and dirt, while Ling Buyang was spotless¡­ And they expected him to believe it was Ling who got beaten?


    ¡°What did Lord Mo Qing offer that Vice Hall Master Ling couldn¡¯t refuse?¡± Yue Longxiao pressed.


    Han Xiao shook his head and advised, ¡°I¡¯m not sure; their discussions were private. But I suggest you prepare to increase your bid. The higher your offer, the better your chances.¡±


    Yue Longxiao nodded, about to ask more, when hurried footsteps echoed. A chubby figure entered the room.


    Sun Qiang bowed. ¡°Master, there¡¯s a woman outside asking to see you¡­¡±


    ¡°A woman? Who?¡± Zhang Xuan asked, confused.


    Why was it suddenly so lively here today? First Mo Qing, then Han Xiao, followed by Yue Longxiao¡ªand now a woman?


    Could this be another of Ling Buyang¡¯s unresolved flings?


    ¡°She¡¯s wearing a veil and didn¡¯t reveal her identity. She only said you helped her in the past, and she¡¯s here to repay you. It won¡¯t take long,¡± Sun Qiang exined.


    ¡°Repay me?¡± Zhang Xuan was even more baffled. Whoever it was, he¡¯d figure it out once he saw her. If it were someone Ling Buyang had provoked, he could just smooth things over with a few words.


    ¡°Let her in,¡± Zhang Xuan said, nodding.


    Sun Qiang left and soon returned with a veiled woman. d in green, her features were obscured, but her figure was graceful, and her exposed skin suggested she was in her early twenties.


    The woman frowned slightly upon seeing Zhang Xuan and the others. She bowed and said, ¡°I greet Vice Hall Master Ling.¡±


    Her voice was altered, making it impossible to discern her identity.


    Zhang Xuan nodded. ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    The woman hesitated. ¡°I wish to speak with Vice Hall Master Ling privately. Would that be convenient?¡±


    ¡°Privately?¡± Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow.


    Could she really be one of Ling Buyang¡¯s romantic escapades? That guy¡¯s abilities might be questionable, but he sure seemed popr¡­


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a matter of great importance and urgency. I hope Vice Hall Master Ling can decide quickly,¡± the woman said earnestly.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Zhang Xuan agreed. The woman didn¡¯t seem particrly strong, so she likely wasn¡¯t a threat. ¡°Please wait in the side hall.¡±


    Nodding, the woman followed Sun Qiang to the side hall. Zhang Xuan turned to Mo Qing and the others. ¡°Senior Brother, Hall Master Han, Lord Yue, I¡¯ll join you after handling this.¡±


    Yue Longxiao nodded. ¡°Go ahead, Vice Hall Master Ling.¡±


    Zhang Xuan said no more and headed for the side hall. Upon entering, the woman turned to face him, her eyes sharp and piercing.


    ¡°Teacher Zhang Xuan, it¡¯s been a while,¡± she said.


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s scalp tingled as his eyes narrowed immediately.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 68: The Imperial Palace

    Vol 2 Ch 68: The Imperial Pce


    "Who are you?"


    Currently posing as Ling Buyang, Zhang Xuan realized that the person in front of him had called out his true identity. There was no point in hiding any longer.


    "I am Sun Lianxiang. It¡¯s an honor to meet my benefactor¡­"


    Seeing his uncertain expression, Sun Lianxiang quickly removed the veil covering her face, revealing a stunning visage. She was none other than the consort of Han Qianye, the Prince of Pingyuan, whom Zhang Xuan had previously encountered in White Roc City when he had saved her father, Sun Chengyou.


    "It¡¯s you?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Zhang Xuan suddenly understood and shook his head. "Saving your father was apensated act, so I wouldn¡¯t call it a favor."


    "Without your treatment, my father would have been buried, and while he wouldn''t have truly died, it would have been no different from his children personally killing him. You prevented that tragedy, and for that, I am eternally grateful¡­"


    Sun Lianxiang bowed deeply."Miss Sun, there''s no need to be so formal."


    Zhang Xuan nodded and shifted the conversation. "Is your visit today purely to express gratitude?"


    "Of course not¡­"


    Sun Lianxiang shook her head and nced around cautiously. Lowering her voice, she said, "Yesterday, His Majesty Han Qianchou summoned City Lord Yu Longqing and Dean Lu Mingrong to the imperial pce. He has almost confirmed your true identity. I¡¯m worried they mean to harm you. I came secretly to warn you¡ªleave as soon as you can. If they rally their forces, even the strongest of fighters won''t escape!"


    "City Lord Yu and Dean Lu were captured?"


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s face darkened.


    "Yes¡­"


    Sun Lianxiang nodded. "I came here in secret and can¡¯t stay long. Farewell!"


    "Thank you, Your Highness, for the warning. I am deeply grateful!" Zhang Xuan sped his fists in respect.


    Reveiling herself, Sun Lianxiang turned and left.


    Watching her figure recede, Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t return to the discussion hall. Instead, he began analyzing the situation at hand.


    Though his strength was formidable, capable of fighting even a First Level Star River Realm expert, opposing an entire dynasty was still beyond him. More importantly, any battle would expose his identity as a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, making him an enemy of the entire Source World.


    With Kong Shi yet to be rescued, getting entangled in endless pursuit would onlyplicate matters.


    However, fleeing as Sun Lianxiang suggested, though safe, would mean abandoning City Lord Yu and Dean Lu¡ªindividuals who had risked much to help him. Leaving them to suffer was not something he could ept.


    What should he do?


    "It¡¯s just one dynasty. If they really want to die, I wouldn¡¯t mind wiping them out!"


    A glint shed in Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes. Knowing someone was targeting him gave him time to prepare. With Mo Qing around, Yue Longxiao wouldn¡¯t dare act recklessly. Leaving the courtyard temporarily wouldn¡¯t draw suspicion. He could use this chance to rescue his allies. ?


    "Wait a moment. If Han Xiao killing Mo Qing is unbelievable, what if Mo Qing died in the imperial pce?"


    Just as he considered storming the pce, a thought struck him.


    Han Xiao¡¯s reputation as a formidable fighter was well-known in Hanyuan City. While defeating elders like Chai Yunsheng and Liu Bingshan was usible, ying someone as strong as Mo Qing quietly was not. However, if Mo Qing was killed by the imperial family, it would seem far more usible.


    If he sessfully pinned the crime on the imperial family, Han Qianchou and the others would face retaliation from the Mo Dao Sect. This would not only clear Zhang Xuan¡¯s name but also keep him safe.


    "That¡¯s the n!"


    With a decision made, Zhang Xuan wasted no time. He called for Sun Qiang to gather Zhao Ya and the others before stepping into the discussion hall himself.


    "Vice Hall Master Ling¡­" Yue Longxiao stood and cupped his hands.


    Zhang Xuan nodded and, with a serious expression, approached Mo Qing while subtly blocking Yue Longxiao¡¯s line of sight.


    "Senior Brother, I need to discuss something with you¡­"


    He lowered his voice. Yue Longxiao could vaguely see Mo Qing¡¯s head bobbing up and down as though nodding in agreement.


    The sight left Yue Longxiao astonished.


    His body remained unmoving, yet his head could sway so fluidly. How flexible must one be for that? Incredible!


    After a while, Zhang Xuan turned, looking apologetic. "Sect Master Yue, I must trouble you a bit. My senior brother and I have something to attend to, and we may be gone for a while. If you¡¯re staying, I¡¯d appreciate you watching over the others."


    "What¡¯s the matter? If I can help, please let me know!" Yue Longxiao offered hurriedly, wary of them taking Mo Qing away under false pretenses.


    "It¡¯s a private matter; His Majesty has summoned us. It¡¯s not convenient for outsiders to intervene," Zhang Xuan exined. "To avoid misunderstanding, I¡¯ll leave Zhao Ya and the others here. If you have time, perhaps you could guide their cultivation?"


    Zhao Ya and the others entered the room, following Sun Qiang. Upon seeing the gathered group, they respectfully bowed.


    "Since you¡¯re leaving them here, I won¡¯t interfere further¡­" Yue Longxiao rxed, content that Zhang Xuan hadn¡¯t whisked them away.


    After instructing Zhao Ya and the others, Zhang Xuan turned to Mo Qing. "Senior Brother, shall we?"


    "Let¡¯s go."


    Mo Qing picked up his Mo Dao, stood, and strode out. Zhang Xuan followed closely.


    "Vice Hall Master Ling, Elder Mo Qing, wait! I have something to report¡­" Unable to sit still, Han Xiao quickly followed them.


    Watching the group leave, Yue Longxiao remained seated, a slight frown on his face. Yet seeing Zhao Ya and the others still present, he quickly dismissed his concerns.


    "My only interest is those three geniuses. Whatever they do doesn¡¯t concern me!"


    Stepping outside, Zhang Xuan activated his spatial storage, cing Mo Qing¡¯s lifeless body and Han Xiao¡¯s corpse within. With Han Xiao¡¯s approval, he had already imed the reward for ying Mo Qing. In the Mo Dao Sect¡¯s records, Mo Qing was officially dead.


    Disguising himself as Mo Qing, Zhang Xuan donned the elder¡¯s robes and took up his Mo Dao. Not even Han Xiao, were he alive, would recognize him now.


    "Sun Qiang, take care of Zhao Ya and the others. If Yue Longxiao acts strangely, intervene immediately."


    "Rest assured, Young Master! With me and the ckscale Phoenix Eagle here, even if the Sect Master is strong, we can hold him off!"


    Sun Qiang responded confidently.


    Having advanced to the Dharma Aspect Realm alongside the ckscale Phoenix Eagle, they could dy Yue Longxiao long enough if necessary.


    Zhang Xuan nodded and vanished from the courtyard.


    Though only in the Second Stage of the Nine Levels of the Source Pool Realm, hisbat abilities rivaled Star River experts. At full speed, he moved like a shooting star.


    After twenty breaths, a magnificent pce appeared before him¡ªthe imperial pce.


    In a deserted alley, Zhang Xuan ced Han Xiao outside to stand guard before stealthily scaling the pce walls.


    Triggering the defenses with a well-aimed stone, Zhang Xuan observed the activated formations, deducing weaknesses to locate the most heavily protected areas. This method quickly brought him to the heart of the pce.


    The silence was eerie; not even birds chirped.


    "This must be the ce¡­"


    He examined the expansive courtyard filled with ornate buildings but devoid of guards. Carefully, he moved closer to the grand hall. Just as he was about to enter, footsteps echoed nearby.


    Quickly concealing himself, Zhang Xuan saw a golden-armored guard bowing before the doors.


    "Your Majesty, as expected, the target has been captured¡­"


    "Bring them in!"


    Amanding voice responded. Momentster, the guard returned with a woman in a tattered green dress¡ªSun Lianxiang.


    Her once-regal appearance was gone, reced with disheveled hair and a frightened expression.


    "Step forward, Your Highness," the guard ordered, shoving her forward.


    Sun Lianxiang stumbled but steadied herself, gritting her teeth. "I can walk myself."


    Approaching the door, she pushed it open, revealing the interior of the hall to Zhang Xuan¡¯s watchful eyes.


    Author''s Note


    Hello, readers! The BOTI Trantor Team is so excited to share this chapter with you. Don¡¯t forget to give us a 5-star rating on NovelUpdates. Thank you! ??

 Book 2: Chapter 69: Flower Picker in Dreams

    Vol 2 Ch 69: Flower Picker in Dreams


    Han Qianchou sat firmly in the center, while Han Qianye, who had previously sparred with him, stood not far away with a whip in hand. Not far from them, City Lord Yu Longqing and Dean Lu Mingrong were bound to wooden frames, covered in blood, their heads drooping lifelessly¡ªwhether they were alive or dead was unclear.


    Clenching his fists, Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.


    He had expected the two to be in dire straits after being captured but hadn¡¯t imagined they would be beaten so brutally.


    ¡°Get in there!¡±


    As Zhang Xuan was mulling over the situation, a Golden Guard pushed Sun Lianxiang forward. She stumbled, falling awkwardly into the room.


    The guard saluted respectfully. ¡°Reporting to Your Majesty and Your Highness: I followed the princess closely as ordered and personally saw her enter Lord Ling Buyang¡¯s mansion¡­¡±


    Han Qianye¡¯s expression turned icy. ¡°Earlier, my imperial brother warned that you might tip off Zhang Xuan. I didn¡¯t believe him, but now that you¡¯ve been caught red-handed, what do you have to say for yourself?¡±


    Sun Lianxiang shook her head, her gaze steady and calm, even with a trace of relief. ¡°Since I¡¯ve been discovered, I won¡¯t deny it. Zhang Xuan saved my father¡¯s life. He is my benefactor. I wanted to save him, to stop him from being killed without understanding why. That¡¯s all.¡±¡°Repaying a debt? What a pathetic excuse!¡± Han Qianye sneered. ¡°I gave you a lofty position, wealth, and everything you could desire. Have you ever considered that your actions are a betrayal of me?¡±


    ¡°Everything I could desire?¡± Sun Lianxiang¡¯s pale face twisted into a mocking smile.


    ¡°My father served the court as a musician for a lifetime. For beingte once, you sentenced him to death. It was only after I knelt outside the pce for three days that you spared his life. Even then, he was beaten into critical condition and exiled from Hanyuan City, left without a ce to call home¡­ Why didn¡¯t you mention grace then?¡±


    ¡°When I wished to follow him back to White Roc City, you saw my beauty and forcibly brought me back to the royal mansion, where you vited me. For my father¡¯s sake, I swallowed my anger and obeyed you. Why didn¡¯t you talk about giving me everything then?¡±


    ¡°I thought that if I endured, I might find a chance to escape. But¡­ I became pregnant.¡±


    ¡°It was my first child. I cherished it deeply and even considered trying to spend my life with you. But on the very first day I entered the royal mansion as a concubine, your princess poisoned me, causing a miscarriage. Not only that, but my cultivation waspletely crippled.¡±


    ¡°When I reported the incident to you, hoping for justice, you used me of overstepping my bounds and locked me away. I am merely the daughter of a court musician, a lowly status. You marrying me as a concubine was supposedly a blessing beyond my worth. The princess, on the other hand, is the daughter of a powerful figure, of esteemed lineage. How could Ipare? What could I possibly use topete?¡±


    ¡°It was then that I understood. In your eyes, I am nothing but a ything. Talk of grace? What a joke!¡±


    ¡°And so, I sought your favor, advised you on strategies, and assisted your cultivation. Eventually, I earned your trust. Finally, through my designs, the princess was killed, and I climbed to my current position¡­ But so what?¡±


    ¡°To the public, you feign the image of a martial arts fanatic who avoids women, an upright figure. But I know very well¡ªbehind the scenes, you¡¯re the despicable scoundrel ranked 14th on the Hunter¡¯s List, infamous for defiling women in their dreams!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve ruined thousands of women over the years. Someone like you dares speak of grace? You¡¯re unworthy of uttering such words!¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    Zhang Xuan was stunned by the exchange.


    Previously, Fu Yingying had mentioned this despicable figure, and even she had spoken of him with loathing. Yet, Zhang Xuan never imagined that this infamous figure would turn out to be a royal prince¡ªand one of the most powerful and reputable ones, no less.


    Something was amiss. When he had used the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path to analyze Han Qianye, there had been no signs of a Destiny aligned with such acts. If it were true, the w would have been evident.


    ¡°You¡¯re spouting nonsense!¡±


    Han Qianye cast a guilty nce toward his elder brother before ring angrily at the concubine before him, shouting furiously.


    ¡°Nonsense? You might deceive many people, but do you think you can fool the one who shares your bed?¡± Sun Lianxiang sneered.


    Han Qianye rebutted, ¡°I cultivate the Flowing Light Heaven¡¯s Fate, a spear technique of great power. How could I practice such an abhorrent art?¡±


    ¡°Yes, your Heaven¡¯s Fate is indeed the Flowing Light technique,¡± Sun Lianxiang said coldly. ¡°But defiling women in dreams isn¡¯t a Heaven¡¯s Fate¡ªit¡¯s a secret martial technique tied to soul cultivation! Your overindulgence in this practice has filled your soul with excess Yin energy. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve struggled to break through the Roaming Realm and form a Dharma Aspect.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    Han Qianye lunged forward and grabbed Sun Lianxiang by the neck, prepared to choke her to death.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Han Qianchou, seated above, interjected, stopping Han Qianye in his tracks.


    Han Qianye turned to his elder brother nervously. ¡°Imperial Brother, don¡¯t believe her¡­¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Han Qianchou shook his head. ¡°Do you really think I don¡¯t know? Eight years ago, you vited the daughter of Minister of Personnel Cui Yanzhi, leading her tomit suicide out of shame. I silenced Cui Yanzhi by executing him. Six years ago, you assaulted a princess from the Han Chi Dynasty during peace negotiations. To appease them, I ceded three cities¡­¡±


    ¡°In short, I¡¯ve known about your twisted methods for ten years. I¡¯ve been covering for you all this time, or you¡¯d have been exposed long ago.¡±


    Thinking his secret had been well-kept, only for his concubine and elder brother to both know, Han Qianye turned pale. ¡°Imperial Brother, I¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Han Qianchou waved dismissively. ¡°As a member of the royal family and my younger brother, destined to inherit the family¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Fate, what does it matter if you¡¯ve had your way with a few women? Even if you married thousands or tens of thousands, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal!¡±


    ¡°Thank you for understanding, Imperial Brother!¡±


    Relieved, Han Qianye turned back to Sun Lianxiang. ¡°What do we do with her?¡±


    ¡°She betrayed us and knows your secret. That alone is unforgivable,¡± Han Qianchou said coldly. ¡°Didn¡¯t she love her father, Sun Chengyou, dearly? I¡¯ve heard she also has several brothers. Kill them all.¡±


    Han Qianchou stood, approaching Sun Lianxiang. ¡°But first, I need her to confirm a few things.¡±


    He looked her over and continued, ¡°I already knew Zhang Xuan had saved your father. That¡¯s why I deliberately mentioned that Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong had identified you and nned to kill you. Predictably, you took the bait and ran to inform him.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you nned this all along?¡± Sun Lianxiang¡¯s pupils shrank in disbelief.


    ¡°I did.¡± Han Qianchou nced at the bloodied figures of Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong. ¡°These two refused to admit they knew Zhang Xuan or reveal his whereabouts. So I staged a trap for you. Now, I¡¯m certain about his identity.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Sun Lianxiang¡¯s vision darkened.


    What she thought would save someone had only caused harm.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote now. I¡¯ve already informed Zhang Xuan of your ns. He¡¯s likely left Hanyuan City,¡± Sun Lianxiang retorted.


    ¡°Left?¡± Han Qianchou smirked. ¡°I¡¯ve sealed all routes out of Hanyuan City. He¡¯s trapped. His strength is indeed formidable, even mastering the second stage of the Mo Dao technique. But against the royal family, he¡¯s just an ant¡ªeasily crushed.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Sun Lianxiang copsed to the floor, despair overwhelming her.


    Han Qianchou sneered. ¡°I¡¯ll spare you if youplete one task. Do it, and Zhang Xuan lives. You can remain my princess, and your family will be spared.¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Sun Lianxiang asked hesitantly.


    Han Qianchou handed her a jade vial. ¡°Give him this medicine.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s already wary of me. Why would he take anything I offer?¡± Sun Lianxiangughed bitterly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not for him to consume,¡± Han Qianchou replied coldly. ¡°It¡¯s for you.¡±


    Sun Lianxiang froze. ¡°For me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Han Qianchou confirmed. ¡°You will take the poison, and I will hang you in in sight to lure him into saving you. If he takes the bait and contacts you, I¡¯ll have you seduce him.


    Once the poison transfers to him during intimate contact, he¡¯ll have no choice but to obey me. The poison will seep into his bloodstream and soul, binding him to my will.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Sun Lianxiang¡¯s face turned pale.


    Poisoning her own body to trap someone else¡ªHan Qianchou¡¯s cruelty knew no bounds.


    ¡°You have no choice,¡± Han Qianchou said, his tone calm but resolute. ¡°Do this, and not only will you live, but your entire family will also be spared. Refuse, and everyone dies.¡±


    He tossed the jade vial casually to the ground and ordered, ¡°Make her take it. Oh, and remind her¡ªif she doesn¡¯t manage to engage him, the poison will kill her instead. The decision is hers.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, my apologies!¡±


    A Golden Guard stepped forward, picking up the vial. He approached Sun Lianxiang and tried to force her mouth open. Just as he was about to administer the poison, a cold glint of steel shed behind him.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    The guard¡¯s head hit the floor, and the jade vial shattered into countless pieces.


    Han Qianchou¡¯s pupils constricted as he realized that an imposing figure had appeared in the room¡ªa tall, masked man wielding a Mo Dao.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 70: Han Qianye was killed

    Vol 2 Ch 70: Han Qianye was killed


    "Who are you?"


    Han Qianchou circted his True Energy internally, ready to unleash it at any moment.


    "Mo Qing!"


    The masked figure sheathed his de and removed the cloth from his face, revealing his features. "Do you think my junior brother will obediently follow your orders, Han Qianchou? Are you trying to make the entire Mo Dao Sect submit to you, even making my teacher your servant?"


    Han Qianchou hadn¡¯t expected this person to suddenly appear and take charge. Flustered, he quickly exined, "Elder Mo Qing? This... this is a misunderstanding... Lord Ling Buyang, if nothing unexpected urred, has already been killed by that scoundrel named Zhang Xuan. The Vice Hall Master Ling you encountered is likely a disguise by that very man..."


    "Nonsense! Zhang Xuan was disguised as my junior brother from the start. They''re the same person, so where¡¯s the killing in that?"


    "Mo Qing" let out a cold snort.


    "Zhang Xuan was Ling Buyang in disguise, and then Zhang Xuan disguised himself as Ling Buyang..."Hearing this, Han Qianchou felt as if his mind was about to overheat trying to parse the statement. While still processing the implications, his younger brother Han Qianye¡¯s urgent shout snapped him back to reality.


    "Watch out, Imperial Brother!"


    Han Qianchou looked up hurriedly and saw a dazzling de light descending upon him. It shimmered like the Milky Way, emitting a serene and calm aura, free from any trace of killing intent.


    "Is this the Second Stage of the Heaven''s Fate Mo Dao?"


    Every hair on Han Qianchou''s body stood on end. Without thinking, he quickly withdrew his neck and rolled backward, narrowly avoiding the strike.


    <em>Crack!</em>


    A de mark over ten meters long shed across the ground. If not for Han Qianye''s warning, he would likely have been cleaved in two.


    "You were deliberately spouting nonsense!"


    Han Qianchou realized what had happened and roared in fury. The other party had purposefully imed that Zhang Xuan and Ling Buyang were the same person to confuse him and divert his attention. Seizing the opportunity, theyunched a sneak attack¡ªand seeded.


    "It''s toote to figure that out now!"


    Without further ado, Zhang Xuan raised the Mo Dao in his hand and shed down again.


    de energy surged like a dragon, cutting across the air. Han Qianye¡¯s palm suddenly produced a spear, and he thrust it forward with astonishing speed. The strike, executed after the de light, was so fast it seemed to sever the de energy midair.


    "Mo Qing" remained unfazed,unching another strike with his de.


    In an instant, two de energies rippled outward like waves on water, cascading forward.


    "This..."


    Han Qianye''s grip on his spear tightened as his scalp tingled. For most, executing one move of a Heaven''s Fate Martial Technique at the Second Stage would already push their limits. Yet, Mo Qing had seamlessly unleashed a second strike in the blink of an eye. ???


    How vast and robust must one¡¯s Source Pool and physique be to achieve such a feat?


    There was no time to ponder. Han Qianye¡¯s spear tip shattered the first de energy, leaving him too spent to counter the second. Just as he braced himself for what seemed like certain death, his brother Han Qianchou recovered from his shock and appeared in front of him.


    Han Qianchou countered with a spear strike. The thrust gleamed like a star.


    "This is... the Second Stage of the Flowing Light Heaven''s Fate? Has my brother already broken through?"


    Han Qianye¡¯s pupils shrank.


    The Flowing Light Heaven''s Fate was the royal family''s legacy in Hanyuan City. Han Qianye had always known his brother was stronger, but now he realized he had already reached the Second Stage.


    Does that mean he¡¯s surpassed the Source Pool''s Ninth Level and entered the Star River Realm? He¡¯s been hiding this all along!


    <em>ng!</em>


    The star-like spear thrust collided with Mo Qing''s second de energy. Against all odds, it gained the upper hand, extinguishing the de light and pressing forward.


    Just as Han Qianye thought Mo Qing would have no choice but to retreat in disgrace, thetter¡¯s long de swung again. In an instant, three more de energies erupted.


    Han Qianye''s scalp went numb.


    Every time he executed a Heaven¡¯s Fate Martial Technique, he needed a moment to recover, a sensation akin to the post-ecstasy tranquility that left one detached and drained. Normally, such recovery wouldst at least half an hour, if not longer.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Yet here stood an opponent who seemed to transition seamlessly, unleashing one attack after another¡ªfaster, stronger, relentless!


    What kind of monstrous meridians and immense True Energy reserves would this require?


    Han Qianchou, equally astonished by the disy, flipped his wrist and threw out a talisman. His voice boomed across the courtyard: "Golden Guards, assemble!"


    <em>ng!</em>


    Hundreds of guards d in golden armor appeared, brandishing their swords. In mere moments, their collective sword energy coalesced into a radiant beam aimed directly at Mo Qing.


    These Golden Guards were only at the Jade Bone Realm, individually unimpressive, but together they posed a formidable threat even to a Star River Realm expert.


    Rather than retreating and risking being surrounded, Mo Qing darted into a corner of the room and stomped his foot.


    <em>Buzz!</em>


    A faint hum echoed as the courtyard¡¯s array activated, enshrouding the area in thick mist that isted all iing sword energy. The dense fog also obscured visibility within the room.


    "How can you control the array within my Imperial Pce?"


    Han Qianchou¡¯s voice rang out, filled with disbelief.


    Mo Qing¡¯s resounding reply echoed throughout the pce: "That¡¯s none of your concern. All you need to know is that if I wish to kill you, you can only sit quietly and await death!"


    <em>ng!</em>


    Mo Qing charged forward, his Mo Dao slicing down relentlessly. In a flurry of ten sessive strikes, the room''s furniture shattered under the relentless wave of de energy.


    Han Qianchou retreated swiftly, but before he could get far, he heard Han Qianye shout: "Die!"


    A momentter, Mo Qing¡¯s furious roar followed: "You dare wound me? Then we¡¯ll perish together!"


    The surrounding True Energy surged violently as de energy and spear light erupted, tearing through the room¡¯s walls.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The building copsed amidst a cloud of dust and debris.


    Silence fell.


    "What just happened?"


    Han Qianchou, his face tense, quickly took out hismand token and infused it with True Energy. The fog began to dissipate as the array stabilized, revealing the aftermath of the battle.


    The entire hally in ruins, covered in dust. Not far from Han Qianchou, a corpsey sprawled on the ground, gripping a spear tightly.


    It was his brother, Han Qianye!


    "Qianye..."


    Han Qianchou¡¯s face turned ashen, his body trembling. His eyes then fell upon another figure¡ªMo Qing¡ªwhoy decapitated, his severed head nearby, and his Mo Dao discarded not far away.


    "...?"


    Han Qianchou froze.


    Dead? Mo Qing was killed by Han Qianye, his head severed? How could this be?


    Han Qianchou couldn''t believe it. Mo Qing¡¯s strength seemed endless during their fight, yet in the blink of an eye, his brother had defeated him.


    Taking two steps closer to inspect the bodies, Han Qianchou grew even more puzzled.


    Mo Qing¡¯s neck was cleanly severed by a de, while Han Qianye¡¯s throat bore a small puncture wound, as if pierced by a spear.


    Han Qianye, skilled in spear techniques, was in by a spear. Mo Qing, a master of the de, was decapitated by a de. Everything about this was perplexing.


    "Your Majesty..."


    The Golden Guards approached and knelt. "Are you unharmed?"


    "I¡¯m fine."


    Han Qianchou shook his head and gave new orders. "Search for the consort, Yu Longqing, and Lu Mingrong. I want them found, dead or alive!"


    "Yes!"


    The guards searched the area, but momentster, their leader returned, looking ashamed.


    "Your Majesty, we searched the entire courtyard but found no trace of the consort or the others. It¡¯s as if they vanished into thin air!"


    "They disappeared?"


    Han Qianchou was stunned.


    In less than two breaths, his brother and Mo Qing perished, while the others vanished. Everything seemed both bizarre and perfectly logical.


    "Give Prince of Pingyuan a proper burial. Seal news of Mo Qing¡¯s death, and send people to check Ling Buyang¡¯s quarters. See if he¡¯s still there!"


    Hismands were swift and resolute, befitting a ruler.


    "Yes!"


    Soon, a report came in: "Your Majesty, Ling Buyang hasn¡¯t left his quarters, but Yue Longxiao, the Wanchang Sect Master, is there and hasn¡¯t emerged..."


    "Yue Longxiao is with Ling Buyang?"


    Han Qianchou frowned.


    If he moved to confront "Zhang Xuan" now, Yue Longxiao would


    undoubtedly spread word of the incident. Whether capturing the Chaotic Fate Practitioner or enlisting his help, things would be far moreplicated.


    After pondering, Han Qianchou instructed, "Keep a close watch. If Ling Buyang leaves, capture him immediately. Do not let him escape!"


    "Understood!"


    The Golden Guards bowed in unison.


    "Guard this area. I need to recover my strength..."


    Having made all necessary arrangements, Han Qianchou finally allowed himself to sit down, consume a medicinal pill, and restore his True Energy.


    Though the fight with Mo Qing had been brief, every move was perilous. A single misstep could have meant death.


    Thankfully, Han Qianye had proved reliable and delivered the fatal blow. Otherwise, the victor of this battle would still be uncertain.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 71: Putting the Blame on Others

    Vol 2 Ch 71: Putting the me on Others


    Cold Abyss City, Zhang Xuan¡¯s Residence.


    Yue Longxiao watched in a daze as the spirited Su Shang busily served tea and water. Even after a while, the surreal nature of the situation hadn''t worn off.


    Ever since Ling Buyang left, three prodigies arrived, and after Zhang Xuan offered a few pointers, the steed strolled in. Now it was pouring tea and tending to guests like an expert servant. Yue Longxiao couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this was a horse disguised as a human.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Sun Qiang, is it? Your family¡¯s horse¡­ has it always been like this?¡± Yue Longxiao asked, his curiosity piqued.


    ¡°It was tamed by our master. It¡¯s a natural variant with Source Beast abilities, so of course, it¡¯s more obedient,¡± Sun Qiang exined.


    Only then did Yue Longxiao rx, picking up his cup to savor the tea. He had to admit, it was quite exquisite. As his gaze drifted to Su Shang, the steed remained quietly at the tea station, methodically performing each step of the process¡ªrinsing, steeping, and serving tea¡ªwith practiced precision. The orderly and elegant disy left Yue Longxiao dazzled.


    Once the tea was ready, the steed took a sip, smiling in satisfaction.


    ¡°Hehe, hehe¡­¡±¡°Strange!¡± Yue Longxiao muttered under his breath, shaking his head.


    He was about to continue his questioning when hurried footsteps echoed from outside. Momentster, Hall Master Han Xiao stumbled in, covered in blood. He copsed to the floor with a heavy thud.


    ¡°Hall Master Han, what happened to you?¡± Yue Longxiao¡¯s expression darkened as he rushed to help.


    Han Xiao¡¯s eyes were zed over, but he mustered hisst bit of strength to choke out, ¡°Han Qianchou¡­ he killed Elder Mo Qing¡­ forced me to confess and request rewards from Zouyi City. I feignedpliance but escaped, only to be gravely injured¡­¡±


    ¡°Han Qianchou killed Mo Qing?¡± Yue Longxiao felt his vision blur as the weight of the words hit him.


    Elder Mo Qing, though not the most aplished, was still the third disciple of Sect Master Mo Baiye of the Mo Dao Sect. For a mere emperor of a small dynasty to not only neglect decorum but outright murder him¡­ This was a tant provocation against both the Mo Dao Sect and the Destiny Hall.


    ¡°What about Ling Buyang?¡± Yue Longxiao asked, his voice trembling.


    ¡°He¡­ he¡¯s also being hunted by Han Qianchou. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s alive¡­ Yue Sect Master, you must avenge us. Even if you can¡¯t, you must expose his atrocities!¡± Han Xiao¡¯s voice grew fainter until it ceased altogether. His hand fell limply to the ground as his breathing stopped.


    Yue Longxiao ced a trembling hand on Han Xiao¡¯s pulse. There was no heartbeat. His body had already turned cold.


    ¡°First Mo Qing, now Han Xiao¡­ and Ling Buyang¡¯s fate is unknown¡­ Has Han Qianchou gone mad?¡± Yue Longxiao couldn¡¯t fathom why the Cold Abyss Dynasty¡¯s emperor would act so recklessly. Yet, Han Xiao¡¯s dying words left no room for doubt.


    ¡°Wait¡­ if Ling Buyang is dead, doesn¡¯t that mean I can take the three prodigies without owing him any benefits?¡± Yue Longxiao suddenly realized.


    But now wasn¡¯t the time to dwell on such matters. He quickly leaped to the tallest building in the courtyard, scanning the surrounding streets. Sure enough, the alleyways were teeming with soldiers¡ªthousands of them.


    The entire city guard must have been mobilized! Besides the emperor himself, who else couldmand such a force?


    Any doubts Yue Longxiao had about Han Xiao¡¯s words vanished at this sight.


    ¡°This is insane¡­ I must report this to the Zouyi Dynasty¡¯s branch immediately!¡± Yue Longxiao muttered before jumping down, retrieving amunication jade slip, and hastily transmitting the news.


    In a void-like space, Zhang Xuan floated silently. Not far away, Sun Lianxiang, Yu Longqing, and Lu Mingrongy unconscious, their eyes shut.


    Reying the recent events, Zhang Xuan carefully pieced everything together. Activating the formation, assassinating Han Qianye amidst the chaos, throwing out Mo Qing¡¯s corpse, and having Han Xiao ¡°report¡± the news¡­ This sequence of actions perfectly framed the Cold Abyss Dynasty¡¯s royal family for the crime.


    Though he could remain hidden and avoid provoking the Mo Dao Sect, he couldn¡¯t afford to leave loose ends. Knowing that Han Qianchou might suspect him of being a Chaotic Fate Practitioner and that he had harmed Yu Longqing and the others, Zhang Xuan had to eliminate him.


    While he could have done it himself, such a move would leave traces. If anyone investigated carefully, his disguise as Ling Buyang would be exposed.


    By framing Han Qianchou for Mo Qing¡¯s death, the Mo Dao Sect would inevitably sh with the Cold Abyss Dynasty. Zhang Xuan could then exploit the chaos to achieve his goals.


    As for his Ling Buyang persona? He could abandon it if necessary.


    While timing was a concern, the Cold Abyss Dynasty was far from Zouyi City. By the time the truth emerged, he would likely have reunited with Kong Shi.


    After double-checking his n and confirming no major ws, Zhang Xuan finally rxed. Shaking off his thoughts, he turned his attention to the three unconscious individuals.


    This void was part of his newly-created world. Before fleeing the pce, he had brought them here.


    ¡°Though they wouldn¡¯t intentionally betray me, it¡¯s safer not to reveal the existence of this world¡­ Anyone skilled in soul-searching could cause trouble,¡± Zhang Xuan murmured.


    To ensure secrecy, he had knocked them out the moment he brought them here.


    Returning to the Source World, Zhang Xuan resumed his Ling Buyang guise and swiftly made his way back to the courtyard, entering an empty room. With a wave of his hand, the three appeared, lying t on the floor.


    A flick of his finger sent Heaven¡¯s Path True Energy into their bodies, healing Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong¡¯s injuries at a visible rate. Once finished, he gently brushed his hand again, and the trio slowly regained consciousness.


    ¡°Where is this? Am I¡­ dead?¡± Sun Lianxiang, unharmed, was the first to wake. She looked around in confusion before her gazended on Zhang Xuan.


    ¡°It¡¯s you! My savior¡­ I owe you my life once again,¡± she eximed, recognizing him as the masked figure who had saved her before.


    ¡°It was nothing. Thank you for risking your life to deliver the news,¡± Zhang Xuan replied with a smile.


    Sun Lianxiang looked sheepish. ¡°Given your strength, my message probably didn¡¯t matter much¡­¡±


    ¡°Without you, they might still be suffering¡ªor worse, dead.¡± Zhang Xuan nced at Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong, who were now awake.


    The pair bowed deeply. ¡°Thank you, Teacher Zhang, for saving us. And thank you, Miss Sun¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to stand on ceremony. I repay my debts, whether of gratitude or enmity. Since my actions dragged you into this mess, it¡¯s only right that Ipensate you,¡± Zhang Xuan said, his smile broadening. ¡°Tell me, would you like to be Destiny Masters?¡±


    Yu Longqing chuckled bitterly. ¡°It¡¯s the dream of every cultivator. Unfortunately, my talent iscking. I only managed to light one Destiny Incense¡­ I¡¯ll never have the chance in this lifetime.¡±


    Lu Mingrong shook his head as well. ¡°Only Destiny Masters can break through bodily limitations to reach higher realms. It¡¯s what every cultivator yearns for, yet I have no talent for it either.¡±


    Zhang Xuan turned to Sun Lianxiang. ¡°And you?¡±


    She sighed, her expression bleak. ¡°My cultivation was destroyed by poison, my foundation ruined. I can¡¯t even cultivate anymore, let alone dream of bing a Destiny Master.¡±


    ¡°That may not be true. Try circting your energy,¡± Zhang Xuan said, smiling.


    Doubtful, Sun Lianxiang attempted to channel her energy. To her shock, a powerful force surged within her Source Pool, coursing through her body.


    ¡°I¡­ I can cultivate again? How is this possible? The physicians said my Source Pool was irreparably shattered!¡± Sun Lianxiang eximed, her eyes wide.


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°I repaired your Source Pool while treating your injuries.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ repaired my Source Pool?¡± Sun Lianxiang was still processing the revtion, but Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong were already stunned speechless.


    The Source Pool, a gift from the Destiny Hall, was the foundation of cultivation. Once damaged, it was considered irreparable. Yet Zhang Xuan had restored it effortlessly.


    To Zhang Xuan, however, it was trivial. Creating or repairing a Source Pool was a minor feat for him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve recently started cultivating the Heaven¡¯s Fate Mo Dao. If you¡¯re interested, I can teach you,¡± Zhang Xuan offered casually, steering the conversation away.


    Yu Longqing¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°The Heaven¡¯s Fate Mo Dao is unparalleled in single-targetbat. No wonder Sect Master Mo Baiye holds such a lofty position in the Zouyi Dynasty¡­¡±


    ¡°If I could learn it, I¡¯d wake upughing from my dreams. But¡­¡± Lu Mingrong hesitated. ¡°City


    Lord Yu managed to light one Destiny Incense, but I couldn¡¯t light any. Can I even practice it?¡±


    ¡°I tested my talent once and was deemed unqualified,¡± Sun Lianxiang added.


    Zhang Xuan cut them off with a confident smile. ¡°If I¡¯m offering, I have a way. All I need to know is if you¡¯re willing.¡±


    His certainty left the trio speechless.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 72: Han Qianchous Response

    Vol 2 Ch 72: Han Qianchou''s Response


    Allowing people without talent to cultivate Heaven''s Fate and be Destiny Masters...


    Is that even possible?


    If this news spreads, the entire world would go mad!


    "Could this be the fundamental reason why the Destiny Hall fears Chaotic Fate Practitioners?" Yu Longqing¡¯s pupils shrank, and his body trembled slightly.


    He had never understood before¡ªwhy someone who could disrupt fate would face the wrath of the entire Source World. But now, it all became clear; this had already shaken the foundation of Destiny Hall in three profound ways.


    ¡°I¡¯ll demonstrate the de technique now. Watch closely and follow along to learn¡­¡±


    Toozy to exin further, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, and a Mo Dao appeared in his palm. With a gentle swing, he executed the technique.


    Instantly, Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy surged from the void, imbuing the de technique with a force that made even the soul tremble, flooding every corner of the room.Before long, the demonstration wasplete.


    ¡°How much did you memorize?¡± Zhang Xuan looked over.


    ¡°Not a single move¡­¡± Yu Longqing¡¯s face turned awkward. ¡°I understood what I saw and even have a clear impression of it, but I just can¡¯t execute it¡­¡±


    ¡°Same here! I might be able to mimic a few moves, but the power would be far less,¡± Lu Mingrong nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Give it a try!¡±


    Zhang Xuan casually tossed the Mo Dao to Lu Mingrong.


    The dean took it and swung the de.


    Although his movements perfectly mirrored Zhang Xuan¡¯s demonstration, the moment he executed them, an inexplicable force distorted the trajectory, turning it into a clumsy mess.


    It felt like knowing the answer was ¡°Zhu Yuanzhang¡± but involuntarily writing down ¡°Sun Honglei¡± instead.


    This was the power of fate. Without destiny¡¯s approval, any effort was futile.


    ¡°Keep going!¡±


    Seeing him hesitate, Zhang Xuan called out, flicking his finger. Streams of aura from the Library of Heaven''s Path entered Lu Mingrong¡¯s body.


    Boom!


    A sh of light enveloped Lu Mingrong, and the distorted de path straightened. A sharp gleam apanied by Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy surged forth, like a blood-red sunset illuminating the entire room.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    ¡°Did he really learn it?¡±


    Yu Longqing and Sun Lianxiang were both stunned.


    Previously, they had doubted it was possible. Now, they were absolutely convinced.


    ¡°I...I¡­¡± Dean Lu Mingrong was even more thrilled. With just a flick of Zhang Xuan¡¯s finger, the de technique that had been elusive suddenly became crystal clear in his mind.


    This was the unlocking of the Fate Lock.


    ¡°You try it too,¡± Zhang Xuan instructed.


    Yu Longqing and the others tried their moves, and with his assistance, they quickly mastered the Mo Dao technique as well.


    The fact that they could cultivate such a profound de technique, surpassing even Yu Qingyu¡¯s previous achievements, indicated that they now possessed the qualifications to be Destiny Masters.


    ¡°Stay here and continue practicing. I¡¯ll arrange for you to leave soon.¡±


    Having repaid his debt of gratitude, Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t linger, turning to leave.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Yu Longqing and the others were filled with excitement.


    Not revealing his secret was already a favor repaid, but this unexpected windfall was a blessing.


    ¡°It seems my choice back then was correct¡­¡± Yu Longqing clenched his fists.


    When he recognized Zhang Xuan¡¯s talent, he had chosen to invest in him, even having his daughter be Zhang¡¯s disciple. Who would¡¯ve thought it would turn out to be the wisest decision of his life?


    Meanwhile, Liu Tianzheng, who had chosen the wrong side, had perished, and the Liu Family was utterly destroyed.


    Leaving the room where the three were, Zhang Xuan disheveled himself deliberately, covering himself in dust and grime. Looking haggard, he stumbled toward the main hall of the courtyard.


    Before he could reach the entrance, he copsed with a loud <em>thud!</em> and fainted on the ground, his vision going ck.


    Hearing the sound, Sun Qiang rushed out immediately, his face full of concern as he cried out in panic, ¡°Master! Master¡­! Hall Master Yue, please save the Master!¡±


    His shouts echoed throughout the courtyard.


    ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling?¡±


    Upon hearing themotion, Yue Longxiao hurried out. Seeing Zhang Xuan¡¯s battered state, he immediately ced his hand on Zhang¡¯s wrist to check his pulse.


    ¡°What a mess!¡±


    Yue Longxiao frowned deeply. ¡°Are his injuries this severe?¡±


    It was the first time he had encountered such a chaotic pulse. Zhang¡¯s aura was unstable, his true energy reversing¡ªit was clearly the precursor to going mad from cultivation deviation.


    After a moment of hesitation, Yue retrieved a pill, ced it into Zhang Xuan¡¯s mouth, and used his true energy to dissolve it. Only then did Zhang Xuan groggily regain consciousness.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Yue Longxiao asked urgently.


    Zhang Xuan struggled to sit up, his voice weak and trembling like a wounded bird. ¡°Hall Master Yue, you must seek justice for us! Earlier, Emperor Han Qianchou heard that my senior brother had arrived and summoned us to the pce. After a couple of drinks, he suddenly attacked without warning. None of us saw iting¡­ There was poison in the wine! My senior brother was beheaded on the spot, and Hall Master Han and I barely escaped with our lives¡­ By the way, did Hall Master Han return safely? How is he?¡±


    ¡°He¡­ didn¡¯t make it,¡± Yue Longxiao shook his head gravely.


    Earlier, he had found it hard to believe that someone of Mo Qing¡¯s caliber could be killed by Emperor Han Qianchou. But now it made sense¡ªpoison had been involved.


    ¡°Dead? Hall Master Han is dead?¡± Zhang Xuan was visibly shocked, grief and anger shing in his eyes.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Yue Longxiao nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve already reported this to the Wanchang Sect of Zouyi Dynasty. If nothing unexpected happens, the news will soon reach Destiny Hall headquarters.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief¡­¡± Zhang Xuan exhaled in apparent relief.


    Still, Yue Longxiao was puzzled, his face filled with doubt. ¡°Emperor Han Qianchou has always been cautious and meticulous. Why would he suddenly resort to such extreme measures and kill someone outright?¡±


    From his years of interaction with the emperor, Yue Longxiao knew Han Qianchou to be an ambitious yet reserved ruler. Years ago, when Yue first became a sect master in Hanyuan City, he had deliberately provoked the emperor bymitting minor offenses, yet thetter pretended not to notice.


    This level of patience and scheming didn¡¯t align with a reckless, poisonden ambush.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s face reddened, as though caught in a lie. Eventually, he sighed and revealed the truth. ¡°Senior Brother Mo Qing drank a little too much and made advances toward the Prince of Pingyuan¡¯s consort. Prince Pingyuan, Han Qianye, challenged him in rage, and my senior brother killed him in the ensuing duel¡­¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what happened!¡± Yue Longxiao finally understood.


    This exnation fit perfectly. Mo Qing was known for his lecherous behavior¡ªa trait shared by many in the Mo Dao Sect. It was rumored he kept dozens of concubines and indulged in daily excesses. It wasn¡¯t surprising that he had taken liberties with the wife of Han Qianye, a notorious martial arts fanatic and a fiercely protective husband.


    Meanwhile, high above the skies far from Hanyuan City, Min Jiangtao sat astride a massive flying Source Beast.


    Suddenly, he sensed something, reached into his pocket, and retrieved a jade token. Gently tapping it, countless streams of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy flickered, and a hazy figure materialized before him¡ªit was his teacher, Mo Baiye.


    ¡°I just received news from Destiny Hall. The investigation confirms it was Emperor Han Qianchou of Hanyuan City who killed Mo Qing and framed Hall Master Han Xiao. Han Xiao is dead as well¡­¡±


    ¡°Han Qianchou killed our third brother? Why?¡± Min Jiangtao was stunned.


    ¡°Find out the details. If it¡¯s true, Hanyuan Dynasty won¡¯t be allowed to exist any longer,¡± Mo Baiye said coldly.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Min Jiangtao nodded solemnly.


    Although his strength far surpassed that of Mo Qing, confronting an entire dynasty alone was no simple matter. Even the most powerful warrior could sumb when besieged by countless enemies.


    ¡°Speed up! Get us there as quickly as possible!¡±


    After issuing orders to the Source Beast beneath him, Min Jiangtao put away any thoughts of cultivating. Instead, he drew his Mo Dao and began meditating on its techniques.


    Initially, he had nned to investigate Junior Brother Ling Buyang, but this devastating news about his third brother now consumed all his thoughts.


    Mo Qing was not just a fellow disciple; he was a trusted brother-in-arms, someone Min Jiangtao had fought alongside for years. Now, he was gone¡ªkilled in Hanyuan City. The anger in Min Jiangtao¡¯s heart burned fiercely.


    ¡°Han Qianchou, regardless of your reasons, daring to kill my brother means the end of Hanyuan Dynasty!¡± Min Jiangtao¡¯s eyes shed with murderous intent.


    Back in Hanyuan City, Emperor Han Qianchou stood silently before Mo Qing¡¯s lifeless body, his face clouded with confusion.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    His younger brother Han Qianye had been talented, nearly his equal in spear techniques. Yet, even so, Mo Qing had decapitated him with one strike¡ªsomething Han Qianchou still struggled toprehend.


    The reality, however, was undeniable. In the fog of chaos, he had heard Han Qianye¡¯s furious roars and Mo Qing¡¯s anguished cries. The two had fought to the death, both perishing in the confrontation.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯ve confirmed that Ling Buyang remains within the courtyard and hasn¡¯t fled. He¡¯s still with Yue Longxiao,¡± reported a Golden Guard.


    ¡°If Yue Longxiao is present, it¡¯s not convenient to attack¡­¡± Han Qianchou frowned.


    Wanchang Sect was among the continent¡¯s strongest factions. With Mo Qing¡¯s death in the imperial pce, the Mo Dao Sect had already been thoroughly provoked. Offending the Wanchang Sect on top of that would spell disaster.


    ¡°Wait¡­ Leak the information that Ling Buyang is a Chaotic Fate Practitioner. im that Mo Qing died protecting him. This should entice Wanchang Sect into action,¡± Han Qianchou said, his eyes gleaming with cunning.


    Chaotic Fate Practitioners were universally reviled and hunted. By using Mo Qing of shielding one, Han Qianchou could shift me and possibly ally with Wanchang Sect against the Mo Dao Sect.


    ¡°If Yue Longxiao receives this news, he¡¯ll bepelled to act. Wanchang Sect values secrets more than anything, and this revtion could fetch a high price. With their involvement, even if Mo Baiye personallyes, what could he do?¡±


    Turning to his attendants, Han Qianchou issued his orders. ¡°Send word to Yue Longxiao. Inform him I have something important to discuss and request a meeting¡­¡±


    Author''s Note


    Dear readers, the BOTI Trantor Team is thrilled to bring you another exciting chapter! Please rate us 5 stars on NovelUpdates if you¡¯re enjoying our work! ???

 Book 2: Chapter 73: Breakthrough

    Vol 2 Ch 73: Breakthrough


    "Vice Hall Master Ling, now that Elder Mo Qing has been killed, leaving nopetitors, what should we do about these three geniuses?"


    Yue Longxiao, having understood the situation, lost interest in further discussions and turned his attention to the scene, curiosity in his eyes.


    "Dog eats dog," he thought with disdain. Whether the Mo Dao Sect or the Hanyuan Royal Family survived, it wouldn''t shake his status as the Sect Master of the Wanchang Sect.


    What caught his interest, however, were the three prodigies. If he could sessfully bring them into the headquarters, he would earn significant merit and countless rewards.


    "This..."


    Before Zhang Xuan could respond, Sun Qiang approached again. "Young Master, someone is requesting to see you outside!"


    Noticing that Zhang Xuan had something to say, Yue Longxiao gave a slight bow with his fists sped. "Sect Master Yue, I have a personal matter to handle. Please wait in the room. Once I¡¯m done, I¡¯lle to discuss further matters."


    "Alright." Yue Longxiao nodded and turned to leave.Once Yue Longxiao was out of earshot, Sun Qiang lowered his voice. "Young Master, one of Sect Master Yue''s attendants hase to find him."


    Zhang Xuan frowned. "Did you ask what it¡¯s about?"


    Sun Qiang exined, "I probed a little. It seems Han Qianchou is looking for Sect Master Yue for something urgent. The attendant didn¡¯t know the details but blurted out everything they were told."


    A sh of insight appeared in Zhang Xuan''s eyes.


    "As I suspected, Han Qianchou isn''tpletely foolish. Knowing Elder Mo Qing died here, a situation he can¡¯t exin away, he''s trying to implicate the Wanchang Sect instead. The simplest way to achieve this is to expose his identity as a ''Chaotic Fate Practitioner.'' With such a revtion, Wanchang Sect would undoubtedly pay a high price for the information.


    "Still... as a lord of a world, would I leave such an obvious w for others to exploit?"


    Zhang Xuan''s lips curved into a subtle smile.


    "If I handle this right, not only can I resolve today¡¯s crisis, but I¡¯ll also secure my safety moving forward."


    After mentally reviewing his n once more, Zhang Xuan decided. "Lead the way."


    He strode confidently outside, his appearance shifting along the way until he looked identical to Yue Longxiao.


    In the side hall near the main entrance, a middle-aged man stood up anxiously the moment Zhang Xuan entered.


    "Sect Master Yue..."


    Zhang Xuan waved dismissively, his tone tinged with impatience. "Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m handling important matters? What¡¯s so urgent that you came running here?" ?


    The middle-aged man quickly responded, "Your servant reports that His Majesty Han Qianchou has urgent business to discuss and requests your immediate presence. He says the matter is critical, and any dy could cause significant trouble."


    "Trouble?" Zhang Xuan hesitated before nodding. "Very well, lead the way."


    Turning to Sun Qiang, he sped his fists. "Steward Sun, please inform Vice Hall Master Ling that I have an urgent matter to attend to and will returnter to continue our discussions."


    "Understood!" Sun Qiang replied and left swiftly.


    Maintaining Yue Longxiao¡¯s disguise, Zhang Xuan followed the middle-aged man out the door, boarding a carriage that took them to a spacious teahouse.


    Inside a private room, the rich aroma of tea filled the air as Han Qianchou sat by a tea tableden with fine teaware. Relief washed over his face when Zhang Xuan arrived.


    "Sect Master Yue..."


    "May I ask what brings Your Majesty to seek me out?" Zhang Xuan asked with a slight frown, maintaining the guise of cluelessness.


    With a wave of his hand, Han Qianchou dismissed the Golden Guards and the middle-aged man. Once they were alone, his expression turned serious. "I have news regarding a Chaotic Fate Practitioner and wish to sell this information to your Wanchang Sect. Is Sect Master Yue interested?"


    "News about Chaotic Fate Practitioners is everywhere," Zhang Xuan replied indifferently. "I¡¯ve grown tired of hearing about it. What makes Your Majesty¡¯s information unique?"


    "It¡¯s indeed unique!" Han Qianchou smiled confidently.


    "Oh?" Zhang Xuan sat opposite Han Qianchou, poured himself a cup of tea, and sipped it leisurely. "Let¡¯s hear it."


    "Since I intend to sell the information, I must ensure I get a fair price. How much authority does Sect Master Yue have in these matters?" Han Qianchou asked.


    Zhang Xuan ran his finger along the rim of his teacup. "That depends on how valuable your information is. If it¡¯s genuine and highly significant, the Wanchang Sect will offer a price that satisfies you. But if it¡¯s false, even as the Emperor of the Hanyuan Dynasty, you¡¯ll face consequences."


    "I swear on the honor of the Hanyuan Royal Family that it¡¯s 100% true!" Han Qianchou dered solemnly.


    "Your confidence intrigues me. However..." Zhang Xuan shook his head. "If your information is about Vice Hall Master Ling being a Chaotic Fate Practitioner, don¡¯t bother saying more."


    "What?" Han Qianchou froze, his body turning cold. "Sect Master Yue knows about Vice Hall Master Ling being a Chaotic Fate Practitioner?"


    "You specifically sought me out for this information. Surely it¡¯s not just that?" Zhang Xuan asked with feigned exasperation.


    "It... it is," Han Qianchou admitted awkwardly. "I recently discovered that Ling Buyang is actually someone named Zhang Xuan in disguise, and this Zhang Xuan is highly likely to be a Chaotic Fate Practitioner."


    "If that¡¯s all, you can keep it to yourself." Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression darkened.


    Frustration painted Han Qianchou¡¯s face. He had hoped to use this revtion to gain the Wanchang Sect¡¯s protection, only to find out they already knew.


    Clenching his teeth, Han Qianchou pressed on. "Sect Master Yue, I know your sect has excellent sources and may already suspect Zhang Xuan¡¯s identity. But I have details that can confirm it 100%, including eyewitness ounts!"


    "Eyewitnesses?" Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued.


    "Indeed!" Han Qianchou pped his hands, and two figures entered the room, kneeling immediately.


    "Your servants greet His Majesty!" came two familiar voices.


    Zhang Xuan turned to see Steward Feng and Wu Xiang, both of whom had crossed paths with him before.


    Back in White Roc City, after framing him, they were beaten by Mo Yanxue and expelled from the Mo Family. Unexpectedly, they had resurfaced here as Han Qianchou¡¯s confidants.


    No wonder Han Qianchou suspected him and traced the incidents to Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong. It all stemmed from these two traitors.


    If he had known earlier, he would have dealt with them himself.


    Feigning ignorance, Zhang Xuan furrowed his brow. "And who might these two be?"


    Han Qianchou exined, "These two hail from White Roc City and know everything about Zhang Xuan. With their ounts, I can confirm that he¡¯s a Chaotic Fate Practitioner."


    Zhang Xuan interrupted him, "Your sources im Zhang Xuan excels at beast taming, teaching, and medical treatments, yes?"


    Han Qianchou stiffened but nodded reluctantly. "Yes."


    "In that case, your so-called intelligence doesn¡¯t tell me much more than I already know." Zhang Xuan¡¯s tone grew colder. "Enough. Stop digging into this matter or spreading it around, Your Majesty. I¡¯m saying this for your own good."


    "Sect Master Yue, what do you mean by this?" Han Qianchou asked, puzzled.


    Zhang Xuan chuckled lightly. "Let me ask you, how many Chaotic Fate Practitioners exist in the Source World?"


    "Very few," Han Qianchou admitted. "In the countless years of its history, there has only been one... or rather, two, if we include the one from the Zouyi Dynasty."


    "Exactly! If they¡¯re so rare, why would another appear in White Roc City so soon after the one in the Zouyi Dynasty? And why would this one be so weak and careless, exposing their identity so readily? Do you honestly believe someone could go from having no power to reaching the second stage of Heaven¡¯s Fate in just half a month?"


    Han Qianchou¡¯s expression changed as realization dawned. "Could it be... Zhang Xuan is a high-ranking agent from the Destiny Hall, pretending to be a Chaotic Fate Practitioner to gather intelligence?"


    "That¡¯s your conclusion, not mine. But let me warn you: Zhang Xuan¡¯s identity is not for you to specte on. If you value your life, keep this matter buried. Otherwise, I doubt you¡¯ll see tomorrow morning. Also..."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s gaze turned to Steward Feng and Wu Xiang, his tone icy. "Loose tongues like these two, who led you astray, are better dealt with swiftly. Otherwise, they¡¯ll cause you endless trouble."


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 74: Zhang Xuans Suggestions

    Vol 2 Ch 74: Zhang Xuan''s Suggestions


    ¡°Hall Master Yue speaks most wisely!¡± Han Qianchou nodded.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Wanchang Sect was renowned for being the most informed organization in the world. Since Hall Master Yue made such a im, he must have absolute confidence. Reflecting on it carefully, it did seem logical.


    That Zhang Xuan had appeared too coincidentally, precisely at the time when the Chaotic Fate Practitioner emerged. The location wasn¡¯t random either. It was hard to believe there wasn¡¯t some mastermind behind the scenes orchestrating everything.


    ¡°Guards, drag them out and execute them by slow slicing! Exterminate their nine generations!¡± Han Qianchou waved his hand dismissively.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±


    A group of Golden Guards charged in, grabbing the two individuals and dragging them out.


    ¡°No¡­ Your Majesty, spare us! Have mercy, Your Majesty!¡±


    The cries of Feng Jin and hispanion echoed, their terror palpable as one of them soiled himself. Having been expelled from the Mo Family and knowing they couldn¡¯t survive in White Roc City, they had sought refuge in Hanyuan City. By chance, they gained an audience with the emperor himself. They had thought that bringing news of the Chaotic Fate Practitioner would guarantee a meteoric rise in status and wealth. Yet, it had only led to their entire family being sentenced to extermination.Had they known this would be the oue, they would have preferred to stay in White Roc City. Even if they were despised and had no chance of redemption, at least they wouldn¡¯t face execution. But now, regret was futile.


    Watching the two dragged off to their deaths, Zhang Xuan remained indifferent.


    Opposing him back then and deliberately making things difficult¡ªthey should have anticipated the consequences.


    ¡°Well, I should be going. I still need to discuss matters with Vice Hall Master Ling.¡±


    Uninterested in prolonging the conversation, Zhang Xuan rose to leave.


    ¡°Hall Master Yue, please wait! I have a request for Wanchang Sect''s assistance...¡± Han Qianchou anxiously stepped forward to block him. The most important matter hadn¡¯t yet been addressed!


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Zhang Xuan halted.


    Han Qianchou gritted his teeth and exined, ¡°It¡¯s like this: Qianye and Mo Qing had some conflicts. In their duel, both perished. I fear this will provoke a frenzied retaliation from the Mo Dao Sect. I wonder if Hall Master Yue might have a way to save the Hanyuan Dynasty. I am willing to pay any price!¡±


    ¡°I thought Your Majesty wouldn¡¯t bring this up.¡± Zhang Xuan sneered.


    Han Qianchou froze. ¡°Wanchang Sect is already aware?¡±


    Zhang Xuan replied, ¡°Such arge fluctuation of power within the imperial pce¡ªdo you think I wouldn¡¯t know? Does Your Majesty truly believe that while you might have spies in my sect, I wouldn¡¯t have any in your pce?¡±


    ¡°This...¡± Han Qianchou was visibly embarrassed. He dropped to one knee and sped his fists in a plea. ¡°Since Hall Master Yue already knows, I beg you for aid¡­¡±


    Against the Mo Dao Sect, he knew he stood no chance. His only hope was the man before him.


    ¡°You think just a piece of Cold Nether Armor is enough to save the entire Hanyuan Dynasty? Emperor Qianchou, do you underestimate yourself, or overestimate me?¡±


    With a cold snort, Zhang Xuan continued toward the exit.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Han Qianchou gritted his teeth. ¡°As long as Hall Master Yue can help me resolve this crisis, I will pay any price!¡±


    Zhang Xuan paused, turning to nce at him. ¡°I need Destiny Disks and pure Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy for my cultivation¡ªthe more, the better. If you can provide enough, helping you would be no trouble.¡±


    With someone so desperate, Zhang Xuan naturally intended to exploit the situation. If the Hanyuan Dynasty were to fall, it would be difficult to acquire anything from themter. Now, both his Library of Heaven¡¯s Path and the expanding Xuan World demandedrge amounts of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy for stability. This energy was invaluable¡ªZhang Xuan could never have too much of it.


    ¡°Destiny Disks?¡±


    Han Qianye hesitated briefly, then his expression firmed. ¡°Hall Master Yue, please wait. I will have them brought immediately!¡±


    As long as there was a price to pay, it wasn¡¯t an issue¡ªwhat he feared most was being unable to spend his wealth.


    Exiting the room, he issued orders to a Golden Guard, who swiftly departed. Before long, the guard returned to the teahouse with arge chest.


    Han Qianchou opened it carefully, revealing a massive pile of Destiny Disks, numbering over a thousand.


    ¡°As a dynasty ruling over millions of square kilometers, we possess abundant resources, but our consumption is equally vast. These are the umtions of over a thousand years¡ªaround 1,000 Destiny Disks in total. They are all yours, Hall Master Yue.¡±


    With a grimace, Han Qianchou pushed the chest forward.


    Destiny Disks were not only used for cultivation but were also frequently distributed as rewards. Thus, despite the dynasty¡¯s vast size, its reserves were not substantial. These thousand disks truly represented the entirety of their umtion.


    ¡°Hmm, this will suffice.¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded, cing his hand on the chest. In an instant, all the Destiny Disks vanished into his New World.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Han Qianchou¡¯s pupils contracted in shock.


    A spatial artifact! Even he couldn¡¯t afford one, as they were incredibly rare. For Hall Master Yue Longxiao to possess one only reinforced his immense wealth¡ªclearly surpassing even that of a monarch.


    ¡°Since I¡¯ve epted your offering, I will naturally assist you in resolving this issue.¡±


    Zhang Xuan looked at him calmly. ¡°In truth, this matter, while it seems urgent, is not difficult to resolve.¡±


    ¡°I humbly ask for Hall Master Yue¡¯s guidance!¡± Han Qianchou bowed deeply.


    Zhang Xuan pondered briefly before speaking. ¡°There are two steps. First, if the Mo Dao Sect sends experts to confront you, admit immediately that Mo Qing was killed under your orders. Do not make any denials, and the more arrogant your attitude, the better.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Han Qianchou staggered in disbelief.


    You took my money and gave me such advice?


    If he said that, wouldn¡¯t they cut him in half on the spot?


    While he was reeling from the suggestion, Zhang Xuan continued, ¡°Don¡¯t panic. I wouldn¡¯t suggest this without reason! Mo Qing died in the imperial pce with so many witnesses. Even if you deny it, the truth can¡¯t be hidden. Instead of going through the trouble of covering it up, it¡¯s better to own up to it outright.¡±


    Han Qianchou remained silent.


    What Zhang Xuan said made sense. If the Mo Dao Sect sent someone, it would mean they already knew the truth. Denials would only invite further investigation. Survivors like Yu Longqing and Sun Lianxiang would surely reveal the details eventually. Owning up might indeed prevent greater trouble.


    ¡°I understand admitting it directly. But why the arrogance?¡± Han Qianchou asked.


    Zhang Xuan smirked. ¡°It¡¯s simple¡ªkeep them guessing about your hidden cards. That way, even if they want to kill you, they¡¯ll hesitate and seek confirmation. Being in unfamiliar territory like Hanyuan City, the only way for them to find urate information would be through the Wanchang Sect. And that gives me the opportunity to speak on your behalf.¡±


    Han Qianchou suddenly understood. ¡°I see¡­ And the second step?¡±


    ¡°The second step is for me to exin things to them. I¡¯ll reveal that Mo Qing¡¯s death was part of a scheme by the Wanchang Sect against the Chaotic Fate Practitioner. This way, they¡¯ll understand that killing you means provoking the Wanchang Sect and challenging its authority. While the Mo Dao Sect isn¡¯t weak, I doubt they have the courage to defy us.¡±


    Han Qianchou nodded.


    Mo Dao Sect¡¯s strongest, Mo Baiye, was a peak expert within the Zouyi Dynasty. Butpared to the vast influence of the Wanchang Sect, he was insignificant¡ªutterly outssed.


    After some thought, Han Qianchou asked cautiously, ¡°If we im that Zhang Xuan is a powerful figure in disguise, seeking to lure out the Chaotic Fate Practitioner, and that Mo Qing discovered this secret, forcing us to kill him to maintain confidentiality¡­ does this sound reasonable? It might even turn their anger into gratitude.¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded. ¡°Precisely! However, you can¡¯t say that Zhang Xuan is a powerful figure¡ªit muste from me as a subtle hint. Otherwise, it would only invite suspicion.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense¡­¡± Han Qianchou agreed.


    His status didn¡¯t justify knowing such secrets, but a statement from the Wanchang Sect¡¯s branch leader would carry weight.


    Even so, his safety now depended entirely on Zhang Xuan. If Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t speak on his behalf, he would be doomed.


    ¡°I understand Your Majesty¡¯s concerns¡­¡± Zhang Xuan chuckled. ¡°But think about it¡ªwhat good would your death do me? Especially after such a generous offering. Why wouldn¡¯t I help?¡±


    Han Qianchou nodded.


    Although the Hanyuan royal family had shed with the Wanchang Sect¡¯s branch in the past, their overall rtions had been amicable. Moreover, he had never personally offended Zhang Xuan.


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt Hall Master Yue. It¡¯s just that the situation feels beyond my control¡­¡± Han Qianchou sighed.


    Knowing this still wasn¡¯t enough to fully convince him, Zhang Xuan paused, then offered another reassurance. ¡°How about this? If the Mo Dao Sect truly sends someone to investigate, admit to ordering the killing, but then shift the me onto me. Say that it was at my instruction. To protect myself, I would have no choice but to exin the situation clearly.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Hall Master Yue, for your understanding¡­¡± Han Qianchou finally let out a sigh of relief.


    With this promise, he felt much more secure. Even if the Mo Dao Sect was formidable, they wouldn¡¯t recklessly kill him¡ªa monarch of a dynasty¡ªwithout first confirming the truth.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Zhang Xuan resumed his exit. ¡°Since the matter is resolved, I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡±


    ¡°Hall Master Yue, take care! Commander Hu, see our guest out!¡±


    Han Qianchou gestured with a wave of his hand.


    The Golden Guard who had retrieved the Destiny Disks followed Zhang Xuan out, escorting him out of the pce. Soon, Commander Hu returned to the tea hall and bowed deeply. ¡°Your Majesty, the guest has been sent off.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Han Qianchou nodded, his fingers lightly tapping the tea table. After a moment of contemtion, he looked up and spoke. ¡°I recall that Hall Master Yue is unmarried but has a few disciples he deeply cares for?¡±


    ¡°Our intelligence says the same,¡± Commander Hu confirmed with a nod.


    Han Qianchou¡¯s eyes glinted coldly. ¡°Retrieve the <strong>Cold Bone Jade Poison</strong> I had prepared earlier. Use the Wanchang Sect¡¯s covert agents to find a way to administer it to his disciples. If he dares to speak falsely or go back on his word¡­ I¡¯ll make sure his disciples apany him to the grave.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Commander Hu sped his fists and quickly left the hall.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 75: Eternal Destiny (1)

    Vol 2 Ch 75: Eternal Destiny (Part 1)


    ¡°This time, I really hit the jackpot!¡±


    On the way back to his estate, Zhang Xuan walked along with a broad smile on his face.


    A thousand <em>Destiny Disks</em>! From the moment he entered the Source World until now, he had never fought such a prosperous battle. Previously, obtaining even one required painstaking effort. Yet this time, with just a bit of intimidation, he had made a windfall.


    ¡°Break!¡±


    With a thought, 500 <em>Destiny Disks</em> shattered, transforming into a torrent of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy that surged madly toward the Xuan World.


    The Xuan World, which Zhang Xuan had created as a substitute for the Source Pool, had previously absorbed tens of thousands of streams of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. While this had provided some stabilization, as its range expanded and it absorbed more Source Energy, it had begun to show signs of instability.


    Now, with an abundant supply of <em>Destiny Disks</em>, he could reinforce it in one go andpletely stabilize the world!


    Five million streams of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy condensed into azure currents that flowed around the Xuan World like towering stone pirs, fixing the previously trembling world firmly in ce.<strong>Crack!</strong>


    As the Source Pool stabilized, Zhang Xuan felt as though he had touched some kind of barrier, and a fissure appeared within it.


    This kind of barrier only existed between major realms. Since Roaming and Dharma Aspect both belonged to the ninth level of the Source Pool Realm, such a barrier shouldn¡¯t exist.


    Considering that he had just recently reached the Roaming Realm and hadn¡¯t even broken into the Dharma Aspect Realm, it was impossible for this to be the barrier to the Star River Realm...


    ¡°Let¡¯s try again!¡±


    Puzzled, Zhang Xuan focused his spirit and directed his attention toward the location of the earlier sensation.


    ¡°It seems like¡­ the 999-horsepower <em>Fate Lock</em>!¡±


    He suddenly realized.


    For cultivators in the Source Pool Realm, no matter how vast their umtion or how strong their power, they could only reach 999 horsepower¡ªjust like how those in the Jade Bone Realm were limited to 99 horsepower.


    Even Zhang Xuan hadn¡¯t broken this limit, which demonstrated how formidable it was. Could it be that he was now on the verge of surpassing the 999-horsepower threshold?


    If he could truly break through, even without reaching the Star River Realm, he would beparable to it.


    ¡°Previously, I couldn¡¯t sense it, probably because the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy was insufficient, and the Source Pool was unstable. Now that those issues have been resolved, maybe I can seed in one fell swoop! I wonder, though, if anyone has ever broken the 999-horsepower limit before.¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes gleamed with excitement.


    Knowing that this wasn¡¯t the ce to conduct an experiment and that his current identity was Yue Longxiao, he wasted no time and quickly returned to his estate.


    Upon arriving, he reverted to his ¡°Ling Buyang¡± appearance.


    ¡°Tell Yue Longxiao that my injuries are severe, and I need time to recover. When the people from Wanchang Sect¡¯s headquarters arrive, he can call me then,¡± he instructed Sun Qiang before heading to his room.


    Sitting cross-legged on his bed, Zhang Xuan turned his attention to the newly discovered barrier.


    It appeared like a membrane, and beyond it seemed to lie a vast sea of stars.


    Taking a deep breath, the power within his Source Pool surged as he mmed it toward the barrier.


    <strong>Boom!</strong>


    A mouthful of blood spurted out, and his face instantly turned deathly pale.


    ¡°Brute force won¡¯t work¡­¡±


    Re-stabilizing himself, Zhang Xuan fell into deep thought.


    That single impact didn¡¯t cause the barrier to ripple in the slightest, yet it nearly killed him. If he kept this up, it was likely his life would end long before the barrier ever gave way.


    After pondering for a while withouting to a solution, Zhang Xuan smacked his forehead.


    ¡°So dumb. If I can¡¯t figure it out, someone else surely can. Why not ask them¡­¡±


    With a faint smile, he brought his fingers together as if holding a sword and thrust them into the void.


    <em>The heart is like a web of twin threads, tangled with countless knots.</em><em></em>


    <strong>Pathos of Heaven Sword Technique.</strong>


    <em>Whoosh!</em><em></em>


    A vortex appeared, and soon Kong Shi¡¯s voice echoed from within.


    ¡°Master Zhang¡­¡±


    ¡°Kong Shi, are you holding up?¡± Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve found the Heaven¡¯s Fate Inheritance within the Divine Domain and am trying to see if I can tame it¡­¡± Kong Shi replied.


    ¡°That¡­¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Others trapped in the Divine Domain would be worried about survival, yet Kong Shi was focused on taming the inheritance.


    As expected of Kong Shi, as relentless as ever.


    ¡°Did Master Zhang encounter some difficulty?¡± Kong Shi¡¯s voice continued.


    ¡°There¡¯s something, yes¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan detailed his discovery of the <em>Fate Lock</em> and the barrier.


    ¡°You¡¯re correct,¡± Kong Shi analyzed. ¡°The <em>Fate Lock</em> forms the foundation of Heaven¡¯s Fate in the Source World. It uses destiny to cap cultivators¡¯ limits. Unless you can break fate itself, it¡¯s impossible to surpass it through brute force.¡±


    ¡°Break fate?¡± Zhang Xuan nodded thoughtfully.


    When facing the barrier in the Jade Bone Realm, he had tried every method. Yet, his strength seemed stuck, unable to advance no matter how much his cultivation improved.


    Now it appeared to be the same situation.


    After bidding Kong Shi farewell, Zhang Xuan fell into deep contemtion.


    ¡°Since I transmigrated, I¡¯ve journeyed across the Master Teacher Continent, breaking through destiny¡¯s confines time and again¡­¡±


    ording to the fate of his original body, he should have been discarded by the Zhang n after his bloodline was extracted, left to rot in the wilderness. Without his transmigration, he would have long turned to dust, erased from existence. Yet, instead, he rose to unify thends and was crowned emperor of the Nine Heavens.


    For him, fate was meant to be broken.


    The only question was whether he could do so again this time.


    ¡°If I can perceive the barrier, then I must be able to break it¡­¡±


    In games, the rules for NPCs couldn¡¯t be changed. But stepping outside the game itself, modifying those rules was a simple task for a programmer.


    If the Source World were likened to such a game, the 99-horsepower and 999-horsepower limits were akin to the immutable speed-of-light limit from his previous life. For ordinary people, breaking it was nearly impossible, but for Zhang Xuan, not so much.


    ¡°Humans can change fate because of choices, and the greatest influence on choices is emotion.¡±


    When people speak of altering their destiny, they might meet a benefactor who recognizes their worth, find the right path, or ride the wave of an era.


    But in all these cases, emotions are involved.


    Recognition by a benefactor stems from being liked; finding the right path arises from an inner yearning; rising with the times requires support, guidance, and eptance from others.


    ¡°If Mo Dao martial techniques can consolidate into a Mo Dao Fate, could I cultivate a <em>Pathos of Heaven</em> Fate to shatter my current shackles?¡±


    He could cultivate the Heaven¡¯s Fate Mo Dao because he had mastered the Mo Dao techniques. So, could the <em>Pathos of Heaven</em> sword technique and cultivation method simrly form a fate?


    With a flip of his wrist, a longsword appeared in his palm. Sword energy from the <em>Pathos of Heaven</em> emanated from the de.


    Previously, when he used his fingers to perform the sword technique, it merely acted as a bridge to connect with Kong Shi. If he wanted to truly wield the technique to perfection, he would need the support of an actual sword.


    <strong>Boom!</strong>


    The sword energy was too overwhelming for the de to bear, and the sword shattered instantly.


    Zhang Xuan frowned.


    Since arriving in the Source World, he hadn¡¯t used sword techniques much and, as a result, never sought a suitable weapon. If an ordinary longsword couldn¡¯t handle it, where could he find one that would?


    ¡°Time for some modifications!¡±


    He nced at his belongings and realized the only material of exceptional quality was the <em>Cold Nether Armor</em>. With a thought, the armor appeared in the Xuan World.


    With a light touch, the strongest defensive weapon of the Hanyuan Dynasty transformed into a longsword in the blink of an eye.


    The Xuan World, being his personal domain, not only allowed him to shape reality with a word but also made altering the form of objects incredibly simple.


    Reaching out, Zhang Xuan grasped the longsword. As he gave it a swing, the de cut open a spatial fissure tens of thousands of miles long within the Xuan World.


    Having absorbed five million streams of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, the Xuan World was now far more stable than the Firmament had ever been. While it still fell short of the Source World¡¯s stability, the gap wasn¡¯t as significant anymore. For such a sturdy world to be cleaved with a single sh showcased the terrifying power of the sword.


    ¡°Not bad!¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes sparkled with satisfaction.


    Though he hadn¡¯t studied weapon crafting in the past five years, as the master of a world, the principles of countless great paths were now at his fingertips.


    If ordinary cksmiths could transform armor into a sword, there was no reason he couldn¡¯t do the same¡ªonly better.


    So long as the material remained unchanged, any weapon forged by him would surpass its original grade.


    Thus, the longsword created from the <em>Cold Nether Armor</em> had already transcended the armor¡¯s original level, reaching an entirely new realm of quality.


    Returning to his room, Zhang Xuan felt the chilling aura emanating from the de. He nodded in approval, thoroughly pleased.


    This was undoubtedly the strongest weapon he had ever wielded. Compared to it, the <em>Crimson Sky Sword</em> was insignificant. In the Firmament, just casually tossing this weapon would injure the so-called Nine Heavens¡¯ Emperors with the sword energy it radiated.


    ¡°I¡¯ll name you <em>Cold Nether Sword</em>.¡±


    At the announcement, the <em>Cold Nether Armor</em> emitted a faint, whistling hum, trembling as though excited.


    Despite being newly forged, it already exhibited its own sentience.


    ¡°Heaven might grow old if it had emotions; the righteous path is one of enduring hardship!¡±


    With the longsword in hand, Zhang Xuan softly intoned the essence of the <em>Pathos of Heaven Sword Technique</em>. As he activated the apanying cultivation method, an overwhelming sword intent burst forth from the de.


    The sword let out a melodious hum, as if it had been recognized by a profound power, quivering with excitement.


    <strong>Boom!</strong>


    As the sword energy soared into the vast heavens, the sky seemed to sense its presence. It turned iparably dark as countless storm clouds converged. Thunder rolled ominously, heralding the arrival of a torrential storm.


    Author''s Noten/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Book 2: Chapter 76: Eternal Destiny (2)

    Vol 2 Ch 76: Eternal Destiny (Part 2)


    The ancient and ever-present Kunlun Holy Mountain drifted through the void, traversing the river of time and space, its precise location unknown to all, its origins shrouded in mystery.


    At its summit stood the Destiny Observation tform.


    This ce was reserved for only the most elite figures of the Source World, individuals so powerful that even Eight-Star or Nine-Star Destiny Masters were unqualified to approach. However, at this moment, the tform was devoid of any figures, an empty expanse.


    From this vantage point, one could see the rivers of destiny cascading diagonally across the heavens, emerging from and vanishing into the void, with no beginning or end.


    These rivers varied in size. Some were vast, spanning universes, stretching across time, and glowing like dazzling gxies. Others were small, no longer than a few meters, resembling slowly crawling caterpirs.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The smaller rivers constantly emerged and dissipated amidst the turbulence, while others were born out of thin air, striving to flourish. Yet, most would fade into obscurity before achieving brilliance.


    Destinies like Han Xiao''s "Bnced Fate" or Li Yue¡¯an''s "Betrayed Fate" fell into this category. These fates wereprehended due to personal temperament or unique opportunities but would dissipate upon the individual''s death.


    Therger rivers, however, were a different story. Eight immense rivers hung in the deepest parts of the heavens, supporting the fabric of existence like celestial pirs. Heaven''s Fate Energy roiled within them, emanating a power that inspired awe and reverence.Ordinary Destiny Masters, whether in the first or second stage or even the third or fourth, capable of Knowing Fate and Establishing Fate, would be obliterated into dust if they dared to approach.


    These eight grand destinies had dominated the ages, transcending time and space, eternally suppressing all resistance. They were: Source, Power, Influence, Wealth, Reputation, Physique, Spirit, and Fortune.<ul> <li aria-level="1"><strong>Source</strong>: The essence of martial arts, the precursor of the Destiny Hall. Wherever martial practice reached, this fate thrived, empowering all who pursued cultivation. It was the most potent path of fate in the Source World.</li> <li aria-level="1"><strong>Power</strong>: The essence of authority, fueled by empires, kingdoms, officials, and sects.</li> <li aria-level="1"><strong>Influence</strong>: The embodiment of dominance and momentum, controlled by the four ancient ns.</li> <li aria-level="1"><strong>Wealth</strong>: Representing financial power, embodied by the Heaven''s Vault Pavilion, the issuer of Source Coins.</li> <li aria-level="1"><strong>Reputation</strong>: Governed by the eight Holy Lands.</li> <li aria-level="1"><strong>Physique</strong>: The domain of physical strength.</li> <li aria-level="1"><strong>Spirit</strong>: Pertaining to the divine soul.</li> <li aria-level="1"><strong>Fortune</strong>: Symbolizing luck and providence.</li> </ul>


    These fates intertwined with the most influential powers of the Source World. A being might survive without authority or momentum, butcking wealth, physique, spirit, reputation, or fortune was tantamount to death.


    Thus, the eight destinies enveloped all life, impossible to escape or resist.


    These eight were ssified as <strong>First-Grade Destinies</strong>, also known as Eternal Destinies, existing in the First Heaven Domain. Their mereprehension elevated one to the apex of the Source World, admired by all.


    Beneath them were <strong>Second-Grade Destinies</strong>, such as the Statistical Fate of Wanchang Sect, the Forging Fate of the Forging Sect, the Karma Fate of the Buddhist Sect, and the Natural Fate of the Daoist Sect. Twenty-four in total, these Second-Grade Destinies represented the strongest heritages of the Source World.


    Below these were <strong>Third-Grade Destinies</strong>, numbering ny-nine, including the Fox Charm Fate of Green Hill Mountain and the Painting Path Fate of the Painting Sect.


    Further down were Fourth-Grade and Fifth-Grade Destinies, and so on, with the lowest at the Ninth Grade. For example, the Mo Dao was currently a Seventh-Grade Destiny. Even if Mo Baiye advanced, it might only reach the Sixth Grade, a significant limit.


    Destinies were inherentlypetitive. To ascend in grade, one had to extinguish another destiny, a contest known as "Striving for Destiny." Destroying a smaller destiny like "Betrayed Fate" was as simple as killing its practitioner, but contesting a high-grade destiny meant shing with entire forces, an almost insurmountable challenge. ?


    However, there was an enigma: the number of First-Grade Destinies seemed iplete. Theoretically, there should be nine rather than the current eight. Likewise, the Second-Grade Destinies should number twenty-seven, not twenty-four. Third-Grade Destinies should total 108 rather than ny-nine.


    Birthing a new destiny to fill these gaps was exponentially harder than extinguishing an existing one. It required facing the wrath of the heavens and enduring catastrophic trials.


    In the Source World¡¯s endless history, countless geniuses had chosen to contest existing destinies rather than create new ones.


    "To fight man is possible; to fight the heavens, hopeless."


    Amidst the First Heaven Domain, a faint blue thread emerged, resembling a delicate fishing. Unlike the radiant rivers of other destinies, it was tiny and inconspicuous, hidden among the dazzling stars.


    This was the legendary Ninth Eternal Destiny.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Xuan immersed himself in a peculiar state. With his long sword, he continuously executed moves, embodying the sentiment of the Pathos of Heaven Sword Technique he had previouslyprehended.


    "Like a dual-threaded web, woven with countless knots."


    "Moved not by leisure, but by filial grief."


    "Spring silkworms spin till death; candles burn till their wax is spent!"


    "Who says a de of grass can repay the sunlight?"


    "The heavens and earth may fade, but this sorrow endures forever!"


    His sword danced, while True Energy roared within him.


    Upon arriving in the Source World, Zhang Xuan¡¯s body and strength were fragile. Training with the Pathos of Heaven Technique risked obliteration by Heaven¡¯s Path. He had been forced to return to cultivating Heaven¡¯s Path techniques.


    Now, having reached the Ninth Level of the Source Pool Realm andprehended numerous destinies, Zhang Xuan rediscovered the Pathos of Heaven Technique. As he executed it, his refined Heaven''s Path True Energy transformed, weaving into a resilient thread-like flow.


    The <strong>Library of Heaven''s Path</strong> trembled as a stream appeared, forming a web-like structure connecting his previouslyprehended Mo Dao and Flowing Light destinies.


    Apanied by the emergence of this emotional thread, countless books filled with Heaven''s Fate Energy surged forth, pouring their power into the thread. In moments, 500 million units of energy had been consumed,pletely depleting the Destiny Disks Zhang Xuan had recently acquired.


    Strengthened by this infusion, the thread solidified, exuding an overwhelming aura.


    The Mo Dao and Flowing Light destinies, trembling on the sidelines, dared not resist, cowed by the hierarchy of power.


    Zhang Xuan, however, remained oblivious, fully engrossed in his training. He channeled all his insights into his swordsmanship, the refined True Energy within his dantian bing as sharp and flexible as the "flying des" described in <em>Three-Body Problem</em>.


    Unbeknownst to him, the appearance of the Ninth Eternal Destiny had triggered a cosmic cmity. Thunderclouds swirled above, ready to unleash devastating bolts. Zhang Xuan¡¯s current strength, no matter how multiplied, would be utterly annihted if struck.


    Author''s Note


    Hey everyone! The BOTI Trantor Team hopes you¡¯re loving the chapters. Don¡¯t forget to show your support with a 5-star rating on NovelUpdates. Thank you! ??

 Book 2: Chapter 77: Destroy with a Wave of the Hand

    Vol 2 Ch 77: Destroy with a Wave of the Hand


    Ouyang Hai reached out, and ripples appeared in the space before him. In the next instant, he slipped through them and reappeared thousands of miles away. Repeating this process countless times, even with his vast cultivation, he found himself short of breath.


    However, when news of a genius of this level spread, countless powers would undoubtedly rush over with red eyes. A moment''s dy might mean losing the opportunity altogether.


    With a flick of his wrist, a map appeared in his palm. ncing at it, Ouyang Hai let out a sigh of relief.


    "It should be close now..."


    After almost a full day of frantic travel, his strength was heavily depleted, and his spirit was utterly exhausted. He retrieved a pill, swallowed it, and felt the energy in his body replenishing before he ripped through space again and continued forward.


    After another dozen or so jumps, his pupils contracted sharply, and he involuntarily came to a halt.


    Aheady a vast expanse shrouded in lightning that stretched for tens of thousands of kilometers. Thunder roared with unrelenting ferocity, as if ready to descend at any moment.


    He had seen lightning before, and no amount of it would usually trouble a powerhouse like him. But this lightning... even he felt a chill in his heart."This is the kind of lightning that appears during a contest for Heaven¡¯s Fate... Could it be that a peerless expert vying for Heaven¡¯s Fate is ahead?"


    The Seventh Level of Heaven¡¯s Fate, also known as the Fate-Seizing Realm, was a realm where even Star River Realm experts could be obliterated with a single finger.


    "That doesn¡¯t make sense! A Fate-Seizing expert would only dare undergo tribtion near the River of Destiny. Attempting it here would be courting death!"


    "Wait, this is Hanyuan City. Could it be that the appearance of those three geniuses has provoked the Heavenly Dao''s wrath, summoning this lightning?"


    As he confirmed his location, Ouyang Hai¡¯s heart sank.


    After expending so much effort to rush here, if these so-called geniuses had been struck down by a bolt of lightning, he¡¯d be leftmenting his misfortune.


    "I need to hurry and see!"


    He hesitated only briefly before gritting his teeth and flying toward the scene. Under such immense lightning, the spatial fabric was unstable; traveling as before could easily result in him being struck dead before reaching his destination.


    In a teahouse within Hanyuan City:


    Captain Hu knelt before Han Qianchou. "Reporting to Your Majesty, the disciples of Yue Longxiao have been poisoned and are now under our control."


    Han Qianchou heaved a sigh of relief.


    Forcing himself to publicly admit to killing Mo Qing was a gamble. If Yue Longxiao had taken the money but failed to deliver, it would have been the end of him.


    Having leverage ensured that Yue Longxiao, even if unwilling to admit the matter, wouldn¡¯t dare act recklessly.


    "Has the Moon Sect Master emerged from Ling Buyang¡¯s residence yet?" Han Qianchou turned to a Golden Guard monitoring the situation.


    "Reporting to Your Majesty, he has note out since entering." The Golden Guard cupped his fists.


    "What exactly is he discussing with Ling Buyang?"


    Han Qianchou¡¯s face was filled with doubt. "Keep investigating..."


    Boom!


    Just then, dark clouds gathered overhead, and the sky roared with violent thunder. A single nce turned Han Qianchou¡¯s face as pale as a sheet.


    "Hanyuan City is doomed..."


    The power within this lightning was such that if it struck, not only he but the entire Hanyuan City would be reduced to ash in an instant.


    What on earth was going on?


    "No, the center of the lightning seems to be... Ling Buyang¡¯s residence!"


    His pupils contracted violently.


    The lightning spread out in concentric rings,yer uponyer without end. The very center of these rings was precisely where Ling Buyang resided¡ªthe focal point of their encirclement.


    Inside the residence, Yue Longxiao sat anxiously, his eyes filled with worry.


    The Wanchang Sect headquarters had promised to send someone over. Yet after almost a day, there was still no sign of anyone. Had they gotten lost?


    Normally, he could wait as long as needed, but right now, Han Qianchou was acting like a madman. He had killed Mo Qing and Han Xiao and now had this ce surrounded. Yue Longxiao had no idea when the storm would descend upon them.


    In his current state, he was powerless to resist.


    As for Ling Buyang, he was gravely injured, and it was unclear whether he had recovered. Truly a troubled time.


    Looking up, Yue Longxiao saw Zhao Ya and the others quietly cultivating with utmost focus.


    These geniuses were so diligent. If the Wanchang Sect managed to take them back, it would indeed be a stroke of fortune.


    "Let¡¯s wait a bit longer..."


    Realizing this wasn¡¯t the time for impatience, Yue Longxiao exhaled deeply and prepared to adjust his mindset. Suddenly, he sensed something and snapped his head up to look outside.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Unbeknownst to him, the sky had darkened, and countless bolts of lightning hung overhead, ready to descend.


    Although Yue Longxiao had experienced thunderstorms before, those lightning strikes felt distant. These, however, were terrifyingly close, as if they could strike him at any moment.


    "Doomed..."


    Overwhelmed with fear, he instinctively prepared to flee but soon realized something odd.


    "The lightning¡¯s center isn¡¯t here¡ªit¡¯s... Ling Buyang¡¯s residence?"


    The vortex¡¯s heart pointed directly at Ling Buyang¡¯s quarters.


    This guy had managed to cultivate the Mo Dao to the Second Stage and was certainly talented, but even such talent shouldn¡¯t attract lightning of this magnitude!


    It¡¯s over. Judging by the power of this lightning, he might get caught in it and lose his life.


    No, I have to check what¡¯s going on and see if there¡¯s a way to resolve it in advance.


    Unable to remain seated, Yue Longxiao stepped outside.


    For brevity, the continuation involves Zhang Xuan¡¯s reaction to the lightning, his decision to avoid it by entering the New World, and the shocking disy by Sun Qiang dispersing the immense lightning with a casual gesture, leaving Yue Longxiao utterly stunned at the disparity in power.


    As Yue Longxiao pushed the door open to investigate, Sun Qiang arrived ahead of him, his face pale as he stared at the overwhelming lightning. His legs felt weak.


    Originally, Sun Qiang wouldn¡¯t have dared interrupt without specific orders, but the looming threat forced his hand. This young master of his was truly a handful¡ªalways either causing trouble or heading straight into it. Couldn¡¯t he learn from Sun Qiang and keep a low profile?


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s voice rang out as he stepped forward, frowning slightly. Having been interrupted, he emerged from a state of deep enlightenment.


    Through his cultivation, his Heavenly Path True Energy had fully transformed into the profound True Energy of Pathos of Heaven, a pure and boundless force. He even felt the shackles of 999 horsepower begin to loosen, though this wasn¡¯t the moment to dwell on it.


    Opening the door, he nced up and saw the skies consumed by bolts of lightning.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± His vision darkened as he nearly fainted on the spot.


    ¡°Sun Qiang, what happened? How did such a massive storm of lightning appear?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s head spun.


    He had only been cultivating for a short while¡ªhow had things escted to this? No, this couldn¡¯t possibly be his doing... could it?


    Looking up, he realized the focal point of the lightning was indeed him. The crackling arcs followed his every movement, identical to the tribtions he had faced on the Master Teacher Continent.


    ¡°Spot on...¡± Zhang Xuan was speechless.


    Despite his frustration, he quickly pieced things together. The lightning had to be tied to his cultivation of the <strong>Pathos of Heaven Sword Technique</strong>. This technique transcended the Heavenly Path, inevitably drawing the Heavenly Dao''s wrath in the form of punitive lightning.


    ¡°This won¡¯t work. The power of this lightning is far too great. If it strikes, even burning the Xuan World and New World entirely won¡¯t suffice to withstand it...¡±


    After examining the lightning, Zhang Xuan quickly came to a conclusion.


    Back on the Master Teacher Continent, he could toy with lightning and use it for body refinement. But here, that was impossible. Judging by the sheer force of the bolts, even his full strength wouldn¡¯t let him endure such punishment.


    Lightning and rtionships needed time to develop. Start with small storms and build up a rapport before challenging something this catastrophic. Jumping straight into this would only lead to death!


    ¡°This lightning is here because of the <strong>Pathos of Heaven Sword Technique</strong>. If I vanish and it can¡¯t find a target, it should naturally dissipate...¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for Zhang Xuan to identify the crux of the issue. This tribtion-like lightning carried a punitive intent. Once its target disappeared, the storm would gradually fade on its own, sparing others from harm.


    Realizing this, Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t hesitate. In a sh, he slipped into his New World andpletely vanished from the Source World. Not a single trace of him remained.


    Meanwhile, Yue Longxiao approached, his face pale. ¡°Where¡¯s Vice Hall Master Ling? We need to leave this ce immediately! Otherwise, once the lightning descends, none of us will survive!¡±


    When Yue Longxiao arrived, Zhang Xuan had already disappeared after briefly opening the door. Having not seen Zhang Xuan leave, Yue Longxiao¡¯s anxiety only deepened.


    Sun Qiang turned to face the prominent figure of Hanyuan City, Yue Longxiao. The normally rotund steward now exuded amanding presence, hands sped behind his back. Despite his bulk, he seemed towering and imposing.


    ¡°What are you so afraid of? It¡¯s just lightning. What¡¯s there to panic about?¡± Sun Qiang said with a dismissive wave.


    ¡°Just... lightning?¡± Yue Longxiao nearly fainted.


    This wasn¡¯t just any lightning. Its sheer power could annihte all of Hanyuan City in an instant. Yet here was Sun Qiang, brushing it off as if it were a minor drizzle. Was he mad, or just ignorant?


    Realizing Sun Qiang might not understand the gravity of the situation, Yue Longxiao suppressed his irritation and forced himself to exin calmly. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. The power within this lightning is unimaginable. If it strikes, even I will be reduced to ashes...¡±


    ¡°Such a minor storm? One wave of my hand, and it¡¯s gone,¡± Sun Qiang replied nonchntly, his expression calm.


    As Yue Longxiao¡¯s anger peaked, the plump steward lifted his hand and casually waved at the heavens.


    <strong>Buzz!</strong>


    The violent thunderstorm, which had been on the verge of annihting the city, suddenly paused as if suppressed by an immense force. The crackling arcs of electricity dissipated, and the once-ominous sky cleared. Within moments, the sun shone brightly over Hanyuan City.


    ¡°???¡±


    Yue Longxiao froze, utterly stunned.


    With a single wave, Sun Qiang had dispersed a storm so powerful it could obliterate even a Star River Realm expert.


    If this ¡°mere steward¡± could casually do such a thing... just how strong was the so-called Ling Buyang, whom he served?


    For a long time, Yue Longxiao stood motionless,pletely at a loss for words.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 78: Peerless Master

    Vol 2 Ch 78: Peerless Master


    Swift as lightning, Ouyang Hai finally arrived above Hanyuan City, not far from the thunderstorm''s center. Even with his cultivation, he dared not approach too closely, fearing coteral damage.


    ¡°That should be the center¡­¡±


    Enhancing his vision, he gazed into the distance. A mansion came into view, where a rotund man and an elder stood facing each other, seemingly in conversation.


    ¡°The man on the left should be Yue Longxiao, the head of the Wanchang Sect¡¯s branch in Hanyuan City. It seems my guess was correct; it¡¯s likely those three geniuses triggered the lightning.¡±


    Beforeing, Ouyang Hai had contacted Yue Longxiao through special channels and received a description of his appearance. So, even though they had never met, Ouyang Hai recognized him instantly.


    However, the identity of the man across from Yue Longxiao was a mystery. Standing calmly under the storm, he showed no signs of panic.


    With a thought, Ouyang Hai extended his spiritual sense to probe the man. In an instant, the man''s cultivation became clear: Source Pool Realm, Eighth Level, Divine Soul Stage.


    Such cultivation was decent in Hanyuan City, but in front of someone like Ouyang Hai, it was no more significant than an ant.Shaking his head, Ouyang Hai was about to rush forward to rescue the man when the rotund figure''s displeased voice boomed: ¡°Scram!¡±


    With a wave of the man¡¯s hand, the thunder, which even Ouyang Hai could barely withstand without severe injury, vanished in the blink of an eye, as if it had never existed.


    ¡°This


    Ouyang Hai¡¯s pupils contracted in shock.


    That thunderstorm, with all his trump cards, he might have been able to endure, but he would pay a heavy price. Yet, this man dismissed it effortlessly, leaving the lightning no chance to resist. What kind of cultivation was this?


    Most rmingly, Ouyang Hai hadn¡¯t sensed the slightest energy fluctuation. This meant that the man¡¯s power was so concentrated that none of it leaked out¡ªa level of mastery beyondprehension.


    To dispel such a terrifying lightning tribtion without scattering energy¡­ This person was undoubtedly a supreme expert, far beyond Ouyang Hai¡¯s level.


    And judging by his external aura of the Divine Soul Stage, it was obviously a disguise. Ouyang Hai¡¯s mind reached an immediate conclusion.


    Why was Yue Longxiao interacting with such a formidable individual? Could this be anotherpetitor vying for the three geniuses? If so, things might not go well.


    With these thoughts racing through his mind, Ouyang Hai did not dare linger. Before long, he arrived at the mansion''s gate and knocked politely.


    When faced with such a powerhouse, one must show proper courtesy. Provoking them could mean certain death.


    <em>Creaaak!</em>


    The gate opened. The portly expert, as if expecting him, personally came out to greet him!


    Apparently, this man had already noticed his arrival. Otherwise, with the ease he showed in dispelling the lightning, why would hee running?


    ¡°Inferior Ouyang Hai¡­¡± Ouyang Hai¡¯s expression grew heavier as he cupped his fists in salute. Before he could continue, the man spoke up.


    ¡°You¡¯re here to see our master, aren¡¯t you? Pleasee in¡­¡±


    ¡°Master?¡±


    Ouyang Hai¡¯s expression grew more serious.


    If even the servant was this powerful, how much stronger could the master be?


    He had thought his status would grant him respect wherever he went, but clearly, he had underestimated the situation.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Bowing again, Ouyang Hai said little else and followed the man inside.


    As they entered the room, Ouyang Hai¡¯s eyes fell upon a thousand-mile horse sitting quietly and brewing tea. The water poured over the teapot, producing a soft sshing sound.


    ¡°This horse¡­ Its physical body and spirit aren¡¯t fully harmonized, giving off a faintly contradictory aura of life and death. It must have died, only to be revived through some miraculous means¡­¡±


    His eyelid twitched.


    Such a resurrection technique was something even he had only heard of. Seeing it applied to a horse was beyond belief.


    His gaze shifted to three figures¡ªtwo women and one man¡ªcultivating in the room. The Source Energy in the air visibly streamed into their bodies without pause.


    ¡°This¡­ this is a Saint-Grade Source Pool, and an Imperial-Grade Furnace?¡±


    The size of a Source Pool was naturally fixed, determining one''s potential for greatness. Furnaces, while capable of enhancement, required extremely rare materials to achieve supreme quality. Yet all three individuals had Imperial-Grade furnaces!


    To think they had no backing from a major power was simply unthinkable.


    What Ouyang Hai had considered an easy recruitment mission now seemed far moreplicated.


    In mere minutes, the small Hanyuan City had shocked him more than anything he had seen at headquarters.


    ¡°This esteemed one, please wait here. I will fetch the master.¡±


    Sun Qiang turned and left.


    Once Sun Qiang was gone, the oppressive atmosphere seemed to lift, allowing Ouyang Hai to finally breathe freely. He turned to Yue Longxiao not far away.


    ¡°Yue Longxiao, I am Ouyang Hai, from the main headquarters!¡±


    ¡°Elder Ouyang?¡±


    Yue Longxiao¡¯s body trembled as he hastily bowed.


    An elder from headquarters¡ªsuch a figure would be at least Seven Stars, possibly even Eight Stars!


    ¡°Enough, tell me¡­¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Waving off the formalities, Ouyang Hai got straight to the point. ¡°Who was the expert who brought me in just now? And what is this ¡®master¡¯ they mentioned?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Yue Longxiao hesitated before nodding and exining:


    ¡°The man just now is Sun Qiang, steward to Vice Hall Master Ling Buyang. The three geniuses were recruited by them¡­¡±


    Yue Longxiao quickly recounted what he knew in detail.


    Hearing this, Ouyang Hai let out a sigh of relief. If they were willing to let the three geniuses go, that was a good sign¡ªit meant the Wanchang Sect still had a chance.


    After asking a few more questions, Ouyang Hai quietly extended his spiritual sense to follow the rotund steward into another room.


    <em>Knock, knock!</em>


    Sun Qiang knocked on the door. ¡°Young Master, are you ready? Another guest has arrived¡­¡±


    Puzzled, Ouyang Hai peeked into the room.


    Empty. Not a soul in sight.


    If there¡¯s no one here, who is he talking to?


    Zhang Xuan waspletely unaware that his brief absence had allowed Sun Qiang to create such an impression. At this moment, he was standing quietly in the New World, clenching his fists as he casually threw out a punch.


    <em>Whoosh!</em>


    A ripple surged through the air. As the lord of a world, Zhang Xuan could instantly sense his strength¡ª2000 horsepower!


    Though his cultivation remained at the second stage of the Source Pool Realm¡ªRoaming Stage, his strength had not only broken through but had doubled!


    As expected of a Destiny formed from a technique surpassing Heaven''s Path, it had immediately shattered the limitations imposed by the Source World.


    Smiling in satisfaction, Zhang Xuan turned his attention to the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path.


    At the top of the books, a thread-like stream of water shimmered faintly, emitting a soft glow. It was none other than the Pathos of Heaven Destiny. Like his sword technique, the Destiny thread seemed fragile, yet it was extraordinarily tenacious¡ªimpossible to sever or disentangle.


    This delicate thread linked two types of Destiny: the Mo Dao Destiny and the Flowing Light Destiny. Though the Mo Dao Destiny had reached the Second Stage, it appeared as docile as a child before the thread, utterlypliant.


    ¡°It seems Destinies also have hierarchies. The Pathos of Heaven Destiny Iprehended is evidently of a higher tier¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan reasoned.


    Given that the Pathos of Heaven technique was a manual surpassing Heaven''s Path, it was only natural for the Destiny it produced to be extraordinary. He had expected as much, so this revtion didn¡¯t surprise him.


    ¡°If it¡¯s a Destiny¡­ it should be able to absorb Heaven''s Fate Energy, right?¡±


    With that thought, Zhang Xuan willed the book containing Heaven''s Fate Energy to move closer, only to freeze in astonishment.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my 5 million Heaven''s Fate Energy?!¡±


    The world dimmed around him, and Zhang Xuan almost fainted.


    Through extorting Han Qianchou, he had amassed thergest sum of Heaven''s Fate Energy since entering the Source World. He had nned to indulge in it for a while, but who could have predicted¡­ that after a single session of cultivation, it was all gone!


    Worse yet, the Pathos of Heaven Destiny floating in midair looked weak and feeble, as though it could extinguish at any moment.


    What a scam!


    At this rate, even if he worked like a beast of burden, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to sustain this gluttonous Destiny!


    Nevertheless, his breakthrough in strength and soul had reached the Peak of the Roaming Realm, bringing him close to the Dharma Aspect Realm.


    Not only that, but his physical body, tempered by the Pathos of Heaven Sword Energy, had be more robust and resilient. It brimmed with raw power.


    At this moment, even without techniques or swordsmanship, Zhang Xuan felt confident he could obliterate Mo Qing with his bare fists.


    ¡°Judging by the appearance of the Pathos of Heaven Destiny, I should be able to replicate other Destinies¡­¡±


    Seeing how the Mo Dao and Flowing Light Destinies obediently allowed themselves to be connected to the thread without resistance, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly. He was considering experimenting with copying another Destiny when he suddenly sensed something amiss.


    With a thought, he left the New World and immediately heard Sun Qiang¡¯s voice.


    With a slight shake of his body, Zhang Xuan returned to the room.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    He pushed the door open and stepped out. ncing upward, he saw that the thunderstorm had indeed dissipated, and he sighed in relief.


    Meanwhile, Ouyang Hai, who was still puzzling over whom the ¡°expert¡± had been conversing with, suddenly froze as Zhang Xuan appeared.


    His body stiffened.


    He had scanned the room twice with his spiritual sense and found no one. Yet here someone had suddenly emerged, leaving only one conclusion: this person¡¯s abilities far surpassed his own, allowing them to evade detection.


    No wonder even the servants were so formidable. It was no surprise that the so-called ¡°master¡± was even stronger!


    Uncertain of what to make of the situation, Ouyang Hai scrutinized ¡°Ling Buyang¡± once more, only to find his aura perfectly concealed. He couldn¡¯t discern the man¡¯s cultivation level.


    For someone of his own level to fail in discerning it meant one of two things: either the man¡¯s strength wasparable to his own or far superior.


    At this point, Ouyang Hai was utterly convinced. Sun Qiang and Ling Buyang were unparalleled experts.


    While Ouyang Hai was reeling in shock, Ming Jiangtao, the second disciple of the Mo Dao Sect, had finally arrived in Hanyuan City after rushing from the Zouyi Dynasty.


    He had noticed the earlier thunderstorm but dismissed it since it was unrted to him. Now that it had dissipated, he paid it no further mind.


    ¡°Should I go directly to Han Qianchou, or speak with Ling Buyang first to understand the situation?¡±


    If he confronted Han Qianchou directly, thetter might grow hostile and attack. Ling Buyang, as his junior brother, should be easier to approach.


    Unbeknownst to Ming Jiangtao, Ling Buyang had already been used of being a Chaotic Fate Practitioner.


    After asking around, Ming Jiangtao quickly located his ¡°junior brother¡¯s¡± residence and mounted his flying Source Beast, heading straight for it.


    As a senior brother, it was time to set some ground rules!


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 79: Phantom Grass

    Vol 2 Ch 79: Phantom Grass


    "Apologies for the dy, Senior..."


    While Ouyang Hai observed Zhang Xuan, Zhang Xuan also scrutinized this sudden visitor.


    Judging by appearances, this must be the expert from the headquarters that Yue Longxiao mentioned. Though the individual¡¯s cultivation level wasn¡¯t outwardly disyed, the oppressive aura they exuded was unmistakable. It was clear without any confrontation that even a hundred Zhang Xuans together couldn¡¯t pose a threat.


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind¡­¡±


    Seeing Zhang Xuan¡¯s courteous demeanor, Ouyang Hai was taken aback and quickly stood up, tension radiating from him.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Yue Longxiao blinked in confusion at Ouyang Elder''s reaction, struggling to make sense of the situation. <em>Did I see that right? Why does it seem like Elder Ouyang is somewhat afraid of him?</em>


    Zhang Xuan was equally puzzled. <em>So this is what someone from the Wanchang Sect headquarters is like¡ªsurprisingly polite!</em>"Master Yue exined to me in detail about taking these three geniuses for better cultivation. We also discussed obtaining certain benefits in exchange. May I ask what Senior thinks about this arrangement?" Zhang Xuan asked directly, wasting no time.


    Hearing this, Ouyang Hai''s eyes reddened with excitement. ¡°Of course! Whatever you want, Vice Hall Master Ling, the Wanchang Sect will fulfill it without hesitation!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±


    Zhang Xuan pondered briefly before responding, ¡°I¡¯d like¡­ a sufficient number of Destiny Disks.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy enough, but... I left in a rush and didn¡¯t bring many with me. Would it be eptable to make up for it with other items?¡± Ouyang Hai asked cautiously.


    Destiny Disks were plentiful at the headquarters, so he never thought to carry them. It was baffling that this supposed expert would ask for something so seemingly mundane¡ªlike trading the imperial jade seal for two bags of rice.


    ¡°That works, but the items must be valuable. Don¡¯t try to deceive me with something trivial,¡± Zhang Xuan said firmly.


    ¡°Of course¡­¡± Ouyang Hai nodded fervently. With a flip of his wrist, a jade bottle appeared. ¡°These are two <em>Life-Grasping Divine Pills</em>. They can significantly enhance the sess rate when a Destiny Master grasps their fate.¡±


    ¡°L-Life-Grasping Pills?¡± Yue Longxiao stammered, swallowing hard.


    These pills were immensely precious, effective even for Seven-Star Destiny Masters attempting to grasp fate. To give them away freely demonstrated Ouyang Hai¡¯s incredible generosity, a hallmark of someone from the headquarters.


    But Zhang Xuan frowned slightly. ¡°Just this?¡±


    The two pills, while rare, were practically useless to him. His cultivation level was far from the requirement, and even if it weren¡¯t, pills didn¡¯t offer him much benefitpared to other resources. I¡¯d rather have more Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy! ?


    "Of course not..." Ouyang Hai waved his hands hastily, embarrassed by the failed attempt to impress. After a brief hesitation, he clenched his teeth and produced another jade bottle. ¡°This is a Fifth-Grade Fate, part of the <em>Momentum</em> branch. I obtained it during a fortuitous encounter but haven¡¯t used it because it doesn¡¯t align with my cultivation. I now offer it to you.¡±


    ¡°A Fifth-Grade Fate?¡± Zhang Xuan was stunned and epted the bottle. He peeked inside, where a stream-like Fate swirled, exuding immense power and pressure.


    <em>So it¡¯s true¡ªFates can be extracted and gifted. Even top experts can remove them intact from their own bodies.</em>


    This revtion wasn¡¯t something the Destiny Hall in Hanyuan City had recorded; clearly, its level wasn¡¯t high enough. Furthermore, as he suspected, Fates were categorized by grades.


    Although unsure how this Fifth-Grade Fatepared to his Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate, the fact that Ouyang Hai offered it reluctantly proved its immense value.


    ¡°Yes! While not the highest grade, it¡¯s incredibly rare. There¡¯s only one in existence currently, and I was fortunate to obtain it,¡± Ouyang Hai exined, face flushed. ¡°I know it might not help you much, but it¡¯s the best I have.¡±


    Despite its worth, the Fate couldn¡¯t be used if it didn¡¯t align with the cultivator¡¯s path. For Ouyang Hai, it had been a prized possession for decades with no practical use. Seeing Zhang Xuan¡¯s capabilities, he had no choice but to offer it up.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Zhang Xuan wasn¡¯t thrilled but decided to ept it. <em>Seems like this Wanchang Sect elder is skilled but not exactly wealthy...</em>


    As soon as he focused on the Fate, the <em>Library of Heaven¡¯s Path</em> trembled.


    <em>Whoosh!</em>


    The Fifth-Grade Fate vanished, merging with Zhang Xuan¡¯s <em>Thousand Threads Fate</em>.


    Inside the library, the Fate now appeared massivepared to its thumb-sized form in the bottle. Even the Level Two Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate seemed toy-like inparison.


    "So, a Fifth-Grade Fate is this powerful... What about Fourth-Grade? Or even Third-Grade?" Zhang Xuan murmured, overwhelmed by its enormity. <em>No wonder Ouyang Hai was so reluctant.</em>


    Unaware of Zhang Xuan¡¯s thoughts, Ouyang Hai¡¯s jaw dropped in disbelief. The fact that Zhang Xuan absorbed the Fate so effortlessly indicated that his cultivated Fate was far superior.


    This could only mean one thing: Zhang Xuan¡¯s Fate had to be at least Third-Grade. Third-Grade Fates were among the rarest, with only 99 existing in the Source World.


    <em>Could he be one of those 99 legendary powerhouses?</em> Ouyang Hai thought. But he couldn¡¯t recall a ¡°Ling Buyang¡± among the greats. <em>He must be using an alias!</em>


    ¡°Do you have anything else?¡± Zhang Xuan asked indifferently.


    Ouyang Hai hesitated before producing another item. ¡°This is a stalk of <em>Illusion Grass</em>. I nned to use it for my breakthrough, but I¡¯d rather give it to you.¡±


    Zhang Xuan epted the gift. Upon examining it, the library consumed 50,000 Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy points just to generate its analysis.


    ¡°<em>Illusion Grass</em>, an Eight-Star herb, can be refined into Illusion Pills that assist Destiny Masters inprehending ten new Paths of Fate¡­¡±


    Stunned, Zhang Xuan stored it in his New World. <em>This is incredibly valuable¡ªdefinitely worth saving, even if just to sellter.</em>


    Relieved by Zhang Xuan¡¯s satisfaction, Ouyang Hai retrieved a pile of Destiny Disks. ¡°I only brought around 2,000. Apologies for the limited quantity¡­¡±


    ¡°Two thousand?!¡±


    Zhang Xuan nearly fainted from joy. He¡¯d expected at most a hundred, given Ouyang Hai¡¯s earlier words. This was an overwhelming windfall.


    ¡°That will do.¡± He collected the Disks, finally satisfied. <em>As expected of the Wanchang Sect¡ªa true treasure trove!</em>


    ¡°I have one more question, though. If you can address it, I¡¯ll release the three geniuses to you immediately.¡±


    Before Zhang Xuan could borate, a loud voice interrupted from outside the courtyard.


    ¡°Ling Buyang, get out here now!¡±


    Everyone turned to see Min Jiangtao perched on a flying Source Beast, staring coldly into the room. Ouyang Hai¡¯s eyes narrowed at the tant disrespect.


    Author''s Noten/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Book 2: Chapter 80: Shocked Min Jiangtao

    Vol 2 Ch 80: Shocked Min Jiangtao


    The man before him was a formidable master whom even he held in awe. Every word he spoke was always measured and cautious. Yet this neer dared to shout rudely, even demanding that someone ¡°roll out¡±... utterly audacious.


    ¡°I know you''re in there! I''ll count to three. If you don¡¯te out, I won¡¯t hear a word of exnation. And by then, it¡¯ll be toote for excuses. Three¡­¡±


    Standing atop the Source Beast, Min Jiangtao sped his hands behind his back, his eyes brimming with indifference and arrogance.


    Just a disgraced disciple cast out by the master years ago. His senior brother was killed, yet he remained apathetic and continued chatting idly with others. If he wasn¡¯t taught a lesson, he might forget the master¡¯s authority and the rules of the Mo Dao Sect.


    However, Zhang Xuan found it strange.


    Who even is this guy?


    Coming here so brazenly and shouting like this.


    Yet since this person dared to yell with such confidence, there must be some connection to Ling Buyang. ying this role, Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t simply ignore it. He turned to Ouyang Hai with an awkward smile, ¡°Apologies, another visitor has arrived¡­¡±¡°¡­One! You¡¯ve run out of chances to exin!¡±


    Before Zhang Xuan could finish, Min Jiangtaopleted his count. His brow furrowed, and he pulled out a Mo Dao de, shing straight at the living room before him.


    The de carried immense power, far stronger than that of Mo Qing. Its aura surged like a tidal wave. Even before it struck, the bricks and tiles of the courtyard began creaking under the pressure, seemingly unable to withstand the impending sh.


    Zhang Xuan frowned.


    Clearly, this person¡¯sprehension of the Mo Dao was superior to his own. Before his breakthrough, Zhang Xuan would¡¯ve needed to use the <em>Pathos of Heaven Sword Technique</em> to block it. But now, with his full power, he should be able to stop the attack.


    Flipping his wrist, Zhang Xuan was about to draw the Cold Nether Sword when Ouyang Hai beside him could no longer stay still.


    Who was he?


    An elder of the Wanchang Sect headquarters, a cultivator standing at the pinnacle of the world. For someone of his stature, even the Mo Dao Sect¡¯s Sect Master Mo Baiye, or the Emperor of the Zouyi Dynasty, would need to show deference in his presence. For this mere disciple to act so recklessly was courting death.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    A soft snort resounded like a thunderp, its deep vibrations shaking the heavens.


    Without even standing, Ouyang Hai reached out into the air. The radiant de aura vanished in an instant, and before Min Jiangtao could react, he was pulled from the sky and thrown to his knees in the courtyard.


    The Source Beast he rode fared no better¡ªits mouth was sealed, its wings twisted into a pretzel, and its hooves bent in humiliation. As it knelt in the hall, Dao Li curiously circled the beast. ?


    Min Jiangtao had used all his strength, yet in the face of Ouyang Hai, he was no more than a bug to be crushed.


    Sun Qiang''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    He had thought that Ouyang Hai¡¯s earlier humility meant he was weak. But now it was clear¡ªhe was overwhelmingly strong!


    Thankfully, he had been respectful earlier. If this man had struck, Sun Qiang wouldn¡¯t havested half a move.


    ¡°Young Master is amazing. Even such a powerful figure is terrified into handing over treasures¡­¡±


    Recalling Zhang Xuan¡¯s calm demeanor, Sun Qiang¡¯s eyes were full of admiration.


    He had always wanted to show off, butpared to Young Master, he still had a long way to go.


    Unaware of Sun Qiang¡¯s thoughts, Zhang Xuan turned to the kneeling Min Jiangtao. A book materialized in his mind.


    ¡°Min Jiangtao, second disciple of Mo Baiye, Star River Realm Second Level Peak,prehended the second stage of the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate¡­¡±


    When Min Jiangtao wielded his de earlier, Zhang Xuan had activated the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path, which provided his detailed information.


    As his gaze fell upon the entry ¡°w: Impotence,¡± Zhang Xuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    It seemed the Mo Dao Sect disciples all suffered from this issue.


    Whether this was a side effect of cultivating Heaven¡¯s Fate or a prerequisite for sess, he couldn¡¯t say.


    Noticing Zhang Xuan deep in thought, Ouyang Hai grew uneasy. Worried that his actions might have displeased this powerful figure, he spoke nervously, ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling, I intervened because this man was being insolent. If I was out of line¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan waved dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Not dwelling on the issue, he continued, ¡°As I was saying, what kind of training and Heaven¡¯s Fate will Wanchang Sect provide for the three of them?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°These extraordinary talents will undoubtedly be given ess to the most powerful Heaven¡¯s Fate of our Wanchang Sect. Rest assured, we will nurture them as inheritors, not just ordinary disciples,¡± Ouyang Hai said quickly, eager to reassure him.


    ¡°That¡¯s good¡­¡± Zhang Xuan nodded, relieved.


    For Ouyang Hai to travel so far and offer such generous terms was proof of his sincerity. This was indeed a valuable opportunity for Zhao Ya and the others.


    ¡°Very well, Zhao Ya, Wang Ying, Zheng Yang, go with Elder Ouyang. Train diligently and aim for great aplishments!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The three hesitated to speak but ultimately remained silent. They knew that clinging too closely to their teacher would only invite trouble, given their talents. It was better to leave and grow stronger.


    ¡°You need strength to relieve your teacher¡¯s burdens¡­¡± Zhang Xuan sent a telepathic message tofort them.


    The three fell silent, their resolve solidified.


    Ouyang Hai, seeing no resistance, was overjoyed. ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t overstay my wee. Farewell!¡±


    He turned to Min Jiangtao. ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling, should I take care of this troublemaker for you?¡±


    ¡°No need¡­¡± Zhang Xuan waved him off.


    There was still a role for this man to y. Killing him now would be wasteful.


    ¡°Very well, we¡¯ll be on our way!¡±


    Grabbing Zhao Ya, Wang Ying, and Zheng Yang with a special energy, Ouyang Hai stepped forward, and the four disappeared into a spatial rift.


    Watching them vanish, Min Jiangtao was horrified.


    The power to rip open space was something only the most advanced cultivators on the continent possessed.


    When did Ling Buyang form such connections with these unfathomable figures?


    As fear reced his earlier arrogance, Ling Buyang approached with a smile. ¡°Senior Brother Min, you¡¯re here! Elder Ouyang didn¡¯t realize we were joking and identally struck you down¡­ Please, rise.¡±


    With Zhang Xuan¡¯s help, Min Jiangtao managed to stand, his gaze still wary. ¡°That Elder Ouyang¡­ Who is he? How is he so powerful?¡±


    Instead of answering, Zhang Xuan turned to Yue Longxiao. ¡°Sect Master Yue, could you exin to my senior brother?¡±


    Yue Longxiao stepped forward. ¡°I am Yue Longxiao, Sect Master of Wanchang Sect¡¯s Cold Abyss City branch. Elder Ouyang is a senior elder from our headquarters, Ouyang Hai.¡±


    ¡°Headquarters?¡±


    Min Jiangtao froze, the realization of Ouyang Hai¡¯s true status leaving him pale.


    This wasn¡¯t Ling Buyang. It couldn¡¯t be. His junior brother couldn¡¯t possibly have ties to such powerful people.


    Author''s Note


    Hi everyone! Loving the trantions? The BOTI Trantor Team would appreciate your support with a 5-star rating on NovelUpdates. Thank you! ??

 Book 2: Chapter 81: Han Qianchou is sick!

    Vol 2 Ch 81: Han Qianchou is sick!


    Unaware that his intentions were already under suspicion, Zhang Xuan, upon seeing that his show of intimidation had achieved its purpose, feigned a sorrowful expression, his eyes dimming with grief. His voice choked as he said, ¡°Senior Brother, you¡¯ve arrived just in time! You must avenge Senior Brother Mo Qing and seek justice for him!¡±


    Min Jiangtao frowned deeply. ¡°What exactly happened to Mo Qing? I heard it was Emperor Han Qianchou of the Hanyuan Dynasty who caused his demise.¡±


    Previously, Min Jiangtao had harbored doubts, wondering if Ling Buyang was behind it. But seeing Elder Ouyang supporting Ling and Yue Longxiao also taking his side, those suspicions dissipated, reced by a sense of absurdity.


    With such powerful figures backing him, forget about Mo Qing¡ªeven if Ling¡¯s teacher were in, no one would dare utter a word in protest. In this world, strength reigns supreme.


    Moreover, just now, if the elder seated here had casually ordered, ¡°Kill him,¡± Elder Ouyang would undoubtedly have obeyed without hesitation. In that sense, Ling had actually saved Mo Qing¡¯s life. How could he then be the one to have murdered him?


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s precisely that man¡­¡± Zhang Xuan reiterated the excuse he had given Yue Longxiao earlier: Han Qianchou had invited them to a banquet where Mo Qing took a liking to the Prince of Pingyuan¡¯s consort. A conflict broke out, and Mo Qing was killed.


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what happened. I saw it all with my own eyes. It¡¯s the absolute truth,¡± Yue Longxiao earnestly corroborated, his tone leaving no room for doubt. Since Mo Qing had left the courtyard, Yue Longxiao had been present, witnessing every event unfold. He held the most authoritative ount.


    ¡°For a woman, Han Qianchou dared to attack Junior Brother Mo Qing? Who gave him such audacity?¡± Min Jiangtao squinted, his disbelief evident.When had the Mo Dao Sect¡¯s deterrence weakened to this extent? Could a mere dynasty now act so recklessly? Even if Mo Qing hadmitted a grave offense, shouldn¡¯t they have first informed his teacher before deciding his fate?


    ¡°Take me to see Han Qianchou. I¡¯ll question him directly. Even if Junior Brother Mo Qing was at fault, it¡¯s not his ce to deal out such punishment!¡± After a moment of contemtion, Min Jiangtao waved decisively.


    Although he trusted the ount from Zhang Xuan and Yue Longxiao, he still needed to verify the specifics. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t know how to answer his teacher.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Zhang Xuan nodded and turned to Yue Longxiao. ¡°Might I trouble Sect Master Yue to apany us as a witness? If His Majesty Han Qianchou admits to killing Senior Brother Mo Qing, we can promptly ry the news back to Zouyi Dynasty.¡±


    ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll dly assist!¡± Yue Longxiao readily agreed. Despite Elder Ouyang¡¯s departure, with three prodigies present, the gathering remained significant. Strengthening ties here was an opportunity he couldn¡¯t miss.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Seeing Yue Longxiao¡¯s agreement, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and led the group out of the mansion. Knowing that the emperor was nearby in a teahouse, Zhang Xuan avoided advancing straight ahead. Instead, he approached the hidden guards surrounding them.


    Before he got close, arge group of soldiers surrounded the area.


    ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling, please return to the mansion¡­¡± The leader, a young man in azure armor, appeared to be about thirty years old.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m under house arrest now? Excellent! Just wonderful!¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s face filled with indignation. ¡°Has the Mo Dao Sect truly declined to the point where we can be humiliated so tantly?¡±


    He subtly nced at Min Jiangtao, who predictably wore a grim expression. Any lingering doubts Min Jiangtao had about Han Qianchou¡¯s role in Mo Qing¡¯s death were rapidly vanishing.


    ¡°We¡¯re merely following orders. Please forgive us, Vice Hall Master Ling¡­¡± the young man said with a cating gesture.


    Zhang Xuan snorted. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t proceed any further. But you must immediately inform Han Qianchou that my Senior Brother Min Jiangtao demands an audience. Tell him toe here and pay his respects!¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± The young man hesitated.


    Zhang Xuan frowned. ¡°My senior brother isn¡¯t just a powerful figure in the Mo Dao Sect; he¡¯s also an elder of Zouyi Dynasty¡¯s Destiny Hall. Ry the message truthfully, and I¡¯m certain Han Qianchou will make a wise decision!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Though reluctant, the guard turned to leave and soon returned. ¡°His Majesty is waiting at the teahouse ahead. He asks that youe to meet him.¡±


    ¡°What? He wants us to go to him and pay respects?¡± Zhang Xuan trembled with anger, his face reddening.


    Even Yue Longxiao was dumbfounded. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Han Qianchou? Didn¡¯t he used to be quite reserved? How did he be so audacious today?¡±


    After taking a few deep breaths, Zhang Xuan suppressed his fury and looked at Min Jiangtao apologetically. ¡°Senior Brother, it¡¯s myck of influence in Hanyuan City that¡¯s dragging you into this¡­¡±


    ¡°No matter. I¡¯ll see for myself what kind of backing this Han Qianchou relies on!¡± Min Jiangtao dered, motioning for the guard to lead the way.


    The group arrived at the teahouse where Zhang Xuan had previously met Han Qianchou. Inside, the seating arrangement had changed slightly. Han Qianchou satfortably at the head of the table. Without looking up as they entered, he casually poured tea.


    ¡°Han Qianchou! My senior brother is here, and you still won¡¯t pay your respects?¡± Zhang Xuan shouted, clenching his fists.


    ¡°Silence! His Majesty is preparing tea. How dare you interrupt him? Do you want to die?¡± a gold-armored guard bellowed.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Han Qianchou waved a hand and set the teapot down, finally ncing up. His gaze fell on Min Jiangtao. ¡°You must be Min Jiangtao. Take a seat. Once the tea is ready, I¡¯ll address your questions.¡±


    He briefly shifted his gaze to Yue Longxiao and offered him a reassuring wink, as though signaling, <em>Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got this.</em>


    ¡°???¡± Yue Longxiao was thoroughly confused. <em>You¡¯re acting arrogant, but why are you looking at me?</em>


    ¡°You¡¯re bold. Very bold,¡± Min Jiangtao seethed, his body trembling with rage. His initial suspicion¡ªthat Mo Qing may have provoked the incident¡ªwas fading. It seemed more likely Han Qianchou had deliberately sought conflict.


    Even Yue Longxiao, known for his patience, couldn¡¯t hold back. ¡°Your Majesty, this Elder Min is the second disciple of the Mo Dao Sect Master himself¡­¡±


    ¡°I know! Sect Master Yue, no need to worry. I understand your concerns,¡± Han Qianchou interrupted with a smile, winking again at Yue Longxiao.


    ¡°What? Understand? Understand what?¡± Yue Longxiao was utterly baffled. <em>I¡¯m telling you to show respect, not to escte this further! What is wrong with this guy?</em>


    Clearly, <em>something was seriously wrong.</em>


    Author''s Noten/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Book 2: Chapter 82: Death of Han Qianchou

    Vol 2 Ch 82: Death of Han Qianchou


    "Enough!"


    Min Jiangtao could no longer hold back. A powerful aura burst out from his body like a surging wave, crashing outward and forcing everyone to retreat repeatedly.


    The teapot in Han Qianchou''s hand, which he had been using to prepare tea, exploded under the impact, spilling hot water all over the floor.


    "How dare you act insolently before His Majesty! Courting death!"


    The surrounding Golden Guards drew their swords in unison, swiftly surrounding him.


    With a wave of his massive hand, Min Jiangtao unleashed a torrent of True Energy. The guards charging at him were sent flying, crashing into the walls and leaving massive craters.


    "What are you doing?"


    Realizing he had gone too far and provoked the other party¡¯splete fury, Han Qianchou showed a trace of panic in his eyes and quickly stood up.Min Jiangtao took a step forward, his tone cold and resolute. "What am I doing? I only want to ask¡ªwas Mo Qing killed by you?"


    Han Qianchou nodded. "That''s right. He did die in the imperial pce..."


    Before he could finish his sentence, Min Jiangtao¡¯s figure blurred and reappeared right in front of him, his palm striking down with unstoppable force.


    "You..."


    Shocked by the speed, Han Qianchou leapt back, tapping his foot to retreat while simultaneously pushing his palms forward to block the attack.


    However, Min Jiangtao''s power was overwhelming. Before Han Qianchou¡¯s force could even reach him, a devastating surge of energy had already descended.


    <strong>Boom!</strong>


    Han Qianchou felt his entire body grow heavy. The floor beneath him shattered, and he fell to the lower level,nding heavily. Blood spurted from his mouth as his chest tightened painfully.


    Fortunately, his internal organs were well-tempered; otherwise, this strike alone would have left him crippled or dead.


    "So strong..."


    At that moment, he finally realized the vast gulf in strength between him and Min Jiangtao.


    And this was without him wielding the Mo Dao yet. If he used his de, how terrifying would it be?


    <strong>Crash!</strong>


    As he was still in shock, the roof was shattered by Min Jiangtao, who descended like a giant shadow. Knowing he couldn¡¯t withstand another attack, Han Qianchou stopped pretending and turned desperately to Yue Longxiao.


    "Master Yue, exin quickly..."


    It was the perfect timing. All he needed was an exnation, and even in his fury, Min Jiangtao would not dare offend the Wanchang Sect.


    But to his dismay, Yue Longxiao lookedpletely bewildered. "Exin what?"


    Yue truly had no idea what was happening or what Han Qianchou expected him to do.


    Min Jiangtao nced coldly at Yue Longxiao. Seeing that his confusion was genuine, he snorted. The Mo Dao appeared in his hand as he strode forward.


    "Master Yue, you¡ª"


    Han Qianchou retreated repeatedly, nearly exploding with anger. This guy was utterly unreliable!


    Yue Longxiao, equally aggrieved, eximed, "Elder Min, I have no idea what he means! I have nothing to do with him..."


    "I know," Min Jiangtao cut him off, raising the Mo Dao and pointing it forward.


    The de¡¯s gleam spread like water, engulfing the room. Han Qianchou hastily grabbed a nearby Golden Guard''s sword to defend himself.


    Sword light shimmered, flowing with the energy of the Flowing Light Heaven''s Fate technique.


    For most, facing such formidable sword energy would induce panic. But Min Jiangtao¡¯s immense strength made him unshakeable. With another strike of his Mo Dao, the sword energy copsed. ??


    Han Qianchou spat blood, his back mming into the wall.


    Struggling to stand, he red at Yue Longxiao with hatred. "I knew you''d deny everything! Did you really think I wasn¡¯t prepared?"


    With a wave of his hand, the sound of armor nking apanied a group of Golden Guards dragging several individuals into the hall.


    Yue Longxiao turned his gaze, his pupils contracting sharply.


    The captives were his most cherished disciples, their faces pale and their bodies evidently tortured.


    "Teacher..."


    One of the disciples couldn¡¯t help but cry out.


    "Han Qianchou, you despicable fiend!" Yue Longxiao''s face darkened with rage.


    "Despicable? I only wanted to ensure you¡¯d keep your promise," Han Qianchou retorted coldly. "Master Yue, I trust you will exin properly as agreed."


    His prior preparations had paid off. Without them, Yue¡¯s silence would have ensured his own demise earlier.


    "Exin? To hell with exnations! I¡¯ll kill you to avenge Senior Brother!"


    Before Han Qianchou could finish speaking, a furious roar echoed as Ling Buyang, who had remained silent, suddenly brandished his Mo Dao, shing it down at Han Qianchou.


    "You..."


    Han Qianchou tried to retort, but the force of the de was suffocating, making it impossible to even utter a word.


    He raised the sword to block, but the de energy surged like relentless waves, leaving him no room to catch his breath.


    <strong>Crash!</strong>


    The sword shattered, and his back mmed against the wall once more.


    "Master Yue, stop hesitating and rescue your disciples!" Zhang Xuan shouted urgently.


    "Understood!"


    Yue Longxiao snapped out of his daze. His figure blurred as he charged at the Golden Guards.


    As a cultivator at the pinnacle of the Ninth Level of the Source Pool Realm, Yue made quick work of the guards, saving his disciples within moments.


    Relieved, Yue turned back to see Ling Buyang gaining the upper hand. The Mo Dao danced in his hands, its de energy surging like dragons.


    "He¡¯s truly reached the Second Stage..." Min Jiangtao nodded inwardly.


    Ling Buyang¡¯s recent breakthrough had been rumored, and now it was evident. Though slightly unpolished, his de art was formidable. Had it been more refined, Han Qianchou wouldn¡¯t have withstood even a single strike.


    Even so, the oue was already clear.


    "Charge!"


    Themotion drew more guards to the scene. They swarmed in, fearlessly throwing themselves at the three.


    Min Jiangtao snorted coldly, swinging his Mo Dao. The de energy formed a wall, keeping the attackers at bay.


    Without formation support, these guards posed no threat. However, mindful of conserving True Energy, Min Jiangtao shouted, "Buyang, speed it up and subdue him!"


    "Got it!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Zhang Xuan nodded and roared, his Mo Dao shing down.


    This strike was more potent than before. Han Qianchou tried to evade but found himself locked in ce by the power of Zhang Xuan¡¯s soul energy. He couldn¡¯t move.


    <strong>sh!</strong>


    With a sickening sound, Han Qianchou¡¯s shoulder was cleaved apart. His once-vibrant aura instantly dissipated. Though he wasn¡¯t dead yet, he was on the verge of copse.


    "Why didn¡¯t you dodge?" Zhang Xuan asked in rm. "Senior Brother, I only meant to injure him and subdue himpletely. I didn¡¯t expect him to throw himself into the attack..."


    "No matter. Dead is dead," Min Jiangtao replied, unconcerned.


    The Emperor, leaning weakly against the wall, knew the truth. It wasn¡¯t that Han Qianchou had chosen not to dodge¡ªhe had been immobilized by Zhang Xuan¡¯s soul energy.


    Feigning concern, Zhang Xuan rushed over, clutching the Emperor''s wrist. A surge of True Energy coursed through him.


    The Emperor, trying to speak, felt his meridians shatter under the energy''s assault. His vision darkened as his life ended.


    "Han Qianchou!" Zhang Xuan called out, pretending to mourn.


    "No use. He¡¯s already gone," Min Jiangtao remarked, satisfied.


    "Dead, atst!" Yue Longxiao sighed in relief.


    Turning to his disciples, Yue freed them and discovered to his horror that they had been poisoned.


    "Ling Vice Hall Master, search Han Qianchou for the antidote!" Yue shouted desperately.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 83: I am Zhang Xuan

    Vol 2 Ch 83: I am Zhang Xuan


    "Alright!"


    Zhang Xuan quickly rummaged through Han Qianchou''s body but came up empty-handed.


    As an emperor whose every need was attended to by his subordinates, it turned out he didn¡¯t even carry a single Source Coin with him.


    "How broke¡­" Zhang Xuan sighed, looking helplessly over at the others.


    "Impossible! There must be something!" Yue Longxiao rushed over and conducted another thorough search, only to find nothing. He slumped to the ground, utterly devastated.


    Having remained unmarried throughout his life, Yue Longxiao saw his disciples as his emotional anchors. Watching them die before him was even more painful than facing his own death.


    "Master Yue, please don¡¯t worry. I have some expertise in medicine. Let me take a look¡ªthere might still be a way¡­" Zhang Xuan stepped forward upon seeing his desperation.


    "If Deputy Hall Master Ling can save my disciples, I, Yue Longxiao, am willing to serve you withoutint or regret!" Yue Longxiao looked at Zhang Xuan like a drowning man clutching at a lifeline."You¡¯re too kind, Master Yue." Zhang Xuan felt a bit awkward.


    To tell the truth, these disciples suffered such a cmity because of his impersonation of someone else. Even if Yue Longxiao hadn¡¯t made this plea, Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t let them perish.


    Taking a few steps toward the disciples, Zhang Xuan ced his fingers on their wrists, allowing his True Energy to flow through their meridians.


    Indeed, they had been poisoned¡ªand the toxin was potent, strong enough to overwhelm even Divine Soul Realm experts. However, such poison was insignificant to him.


    Zhang Xuan retrieved a set of silver needles and inserted them into the disciples¡¯ acupoints, channeling his True Energy through the needles into their bodies.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Back on the Master Teacher Continent, his Heaven¡¯s Path True Energy could neutralize any toxin. Here, it was no different.


    Not to mention, his current Heaven¡¯s Path True Energy was infused with the power of <em>Pathos of Heaven</em>, an even more formidable force. Before long, the deadly poison waspletely eradicated.


    The disciples coughed up mouthfuls of ck blood, and their paleplexions gradually turned rosy.


    Even without a detailed examination, their improved appearance made it clear they were out of danger.


    Min Jiangtao frowned slightly, seemingly deep in thought, but refrained from speaking.


    After carefully observing his disciples, Yue Longxiao finally confirmed that the poison was thoroughly dealt with. Only then did he rx, turning to Zhang Xuan and bowing deeply.


    "Thank you for your intervention, Deputy Hall Master Ling. If there¡¯s anything you need in the future, just say the word. I, Yue Longxiao, will not hesitate to act."


    "It¡¯s my duty." Zhang Xuan smiled awkwardly. Just as he was about to respond further, his face suddenly turned ashen, and a mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips.


    "Ugh!" He stumbled and copsed.


    "Deputy Hall Master Ling!" Yue Longxiao hurriedly supported him, while Min Jiangtao stepped forward, cing a hand on Zhang Xuan''s wrist.


    "He was already seriously injured. Saving others has drained him even further, leaving his energy depleted. He¡¯ll recover after some rest."


    "Deputy Hall Master Ling did all this for me¡­" Yue Longxiao was deeply moved.


    Clearly, in order to save his disciples, Deputy Hall Master Ling had pushed himself to the brink. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been left so weakened.


    And indeed, given that Han Qianchou''s poison wasn¡¯t ordinary, resolving it so quickly must have required some extraordinary method.


    Without hesitation, Yue Longxiao took out a jade bottle, extracted a pill, and ced it in Zhang Xuan¡¯s mouth.


    This pill, an <em>Essence Restoration Pill</em>, was a reward he¡¯d received from the Wanchang Sect for an outstanding mission. He had always been reluctant to use it but didn¡¯t hesitate now.


    The pill dissolved instantly, and a surge of energy coursed through Zhang Xuan¡¯s body, slowly reviving him.


    "Thank you, Master Yue. I¡¯m fine now¡­" Zhang Xuan struggled to stand, though his body trembled with weakness.


    "You should head back. I have some matters to attend to," Min Jiangtao said with a wave of his hand.


    With Han Qianchou and the Golden Guards in, the city guards dared not approach further. After all, present were a deputy hall master of Destiny Hall, the master of Wanchang Sect, and a notable figure from the Zouyi Dynasty.


    "Very well. I¡¯ll escort Deputy Hall Master Ling back to rest." Yue Longxiao nodded and supported Zhang Xuan as they left.


    After they departed, Min Jiangtao¡¯s eyes narrowed. In a sh, he appeared next to a Golden Guard lying on the ground.


    This guard, Captain Hu, was supposedly dead from Min Jiangtao¡¯s earlier attack. However, with a touch to his pressure point, the man coughed and slowly regained consciousness.


    "Y-you¡­" Recognizing Min Jiangtao, Captain Hu attempted to move, but an overwhelming force rendered him immobile.


    "Han Qianchou is dead." Min Jiangtao gestured, prompting Captain Hu to nce toward the emperor¡¯s corpse. His body trembled.


    "I¡¯ll ask, and you¡¯ll answer." Min Jiangtao¡¯s tone was cold as he pressed Captain Hu¡¯s joints, injecting de energy that caused excruciating pain.


    This was a unique interrogation technique of the Mo Dao Sect, where de energy was inserted into the victim¡¯s bones, mimicking the sensation of countless ants gnawing away, driving them to the brink of madness.


    As expected, it wasn¡¯t long before Captain Hu broke down.


    "Ask¡­ whatever you wish."


    "How exactly did Mo Qing die?" Min Jiangtao demanded coldly.


    Captain Hu hesitated before replying, "Lord Mo Qing came to the imperial pce to rescue someone. During the confrontation, Prince Qianye killed him in front of everyone."


    "Prince Qianye? You mean Han Qianye? Where is he now?" Min Jiangtao¡¯s frown deepened.


    If what Hu said was true, it differed greatly from "Ling Buyang¡¯s" version. Evidently, Zhang Xuan hadn¡¯t been entirely truthful. Otherwise, why would he deliberately kill Han Qianchou in front of him?


    Captain Hu replied, "Prince Qianye perished alongside Lord Mo Qing. Their corpses are stored in the pce¡¯s ice cer."


    Min Jiangtao nodded. "You said Mo Qing came to rescue someone. Who was he trying to save?"


    "White Rock City¡¯s City Lord Yu Longqing, White Rock Academy¡¯s Dean Lu Mingrong, and¡­ the Princess Consort of Pingyuan."


    "The consort? Didn¡¯t they say Mo Qing incurred enmity with Han Qianchou over harassing her?" Min Jiangtao was taken aback.


    "Not at all. His Majesty suspected that Deputy Hall Master Ling had already been killed and reced by an imposter. So, he captured Yu Longqing for interrogation¡­" Captain Hu recounted the entire incident in detail.


    "So, you¡¯re saying that Ling Buyang is dead and this Zhang Xuan is merely impersonating him? Yet he can wield the second stage of the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate technique?" Min Jiangtao¡¯s body turned cold.


    If this was true, Zhang Xuan wasn¡¯t just an imposter but a mastermind of unfathomable strength.


    "This was His Majesty¡¯s suspicion. Neither Yu Longqing nor Lu Mingrong confirmed it¡­ but Master Yue Longxiao did!"


    "Master Yue Longxiao?" Min Jiangtao was stunned.


    "Yes. Two hours ago, he met with His Majesty. ording to him, Zhang Xuan is a superpower deliberately disguising himself as a Chaotic Fate Practitioner to lure out other such individuals and uncover their secrets¡­"


    "A ruse by someone powerful?" Min Jiangtao¡¯s fists clenched tightly.


    In the game of high-level politics, letting information leak was uneptable. Anyone privy to such secrets had to be eliminated to protect the broader n.


    With a sh of de energy, Min Jiangtao ended Captain Hu¡¯s life. He left the tea house, ensuring that no other potential informants survived.


    As he investigated the imperial pce, the clues aligned perfectly with Hu¡¯s ount. Feeling uneasy, Min Jiangtao returned to "Ling Buyang¡¯s" residence, where he found Zhang Xuan resting.


    Just as he contemted leaving this dangerous situation, a cold, detached voice spoke behind him.


    "Master Min, you must already know that I¡¯m Zhang Xuan, not your junior brother Ling Buyang."


    Min Jiangtao¡¯s pupils shrank, and a chill swept through him as his body tensed involuntarily.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 84: The Power of the Huge Wave

    Vol 2 Ch 84: The Power of the Huge Wave


    "I¡­"


    Min Jiangtao turned around, trembling, and saw his "junior brother" seated calmly in the room, holding a teacup and pouring tea with measured movements. The rich aroma of tea filled the room, but instead of enjoying it, he felt an overwhelming sense of killing intent and the stench of death.


    "Don''t be nervous, have a seat," Zhang Xuan said, gesturing invitingly.


    Min Jiangtao¡¯s body stiffened. Knowing he dared not refuse, he shuffled forward step by step and sat down uneasily. Picking up the tea bowl with shaking hands, he forced a smile. "Junior Brother, you''re not resting?"


    "There''s no need to be nervous. If I really wanted to kill you, you¡¯d have already been dead the moment you showed disrespect," Zhang Xuan said casually, waving his hand.


    Min Jiangtao exhaled a long breath. That made sense. If the other party truly wanted him dead, he wouldn''t still be breathing.


    Zhang Xuan, noticing his silence, began tapping the table lightly with his fingers. His expression was calm as he gazed at Min Jiangtao. "Since you''ve figured it out, there''s no need for me to hide it anymore. You understand what a Chaotic Fate Practitioner is without me exining, right? This whole act was staged to infiltrate their ranks. It¡¯s a decision made collectively by all the elders of the Destiny Hall headquarters. You should know what this means!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Zhang Xuan had killed Mo Qing, fully aware that the Mo Dao Sect wouldn''t let it slide and would likely send their experts, maybe even Mo Baiye himself. Thus, he preemptively set up this borate trap to lure them in.Exining outright that his actions were part of a grand "scheme" to target the Chaotic Fate Practitioners would convince no one. However, leaving a trail for someone to uncover the "truth" on their own would cement belief. People naturally trust what they think they''ve discovered through their own efforts.


    This was why Zhang Xuan feigned injury earlier¡ªto give Min Jiangtao time to "investigate."


    "I understand¡­" Min Jiangtao nodded repeatedly.


    From Zhang Xuan¡¯s words, he gleaned two critical pieces of information.


    First, everything the guardmander had revealed was true¡ªthis individual had impersonated Ling Buyang to deal with the Chaotic Fate Practitioners.


    Second, the man before him held an extraordinary identity, likely that of a senior elder at the Destiny Hall headquarters.


    No wonder Elder Ouyang Hai showed such respect. Whether in status or strength, this man was far above his peer.


    "Good. Since you understand, I hope you¡¯ll keep this to yourself. If the Chaotic Fate Practitioners catch wind of this ahead of time, all our efforts will be wasted. Not only will you suffer the consequences, but the entire Mo Dao Sect and even the Zouyi Dynasty will face the wrath of the Destiny Hall headquarters," Zhang Xuan said, his eyes narrowing. In a blink, a domineering aura surged forth like a mighty dragon soaring through the heavens. Min Jiangtao nearly fell off his chair in fright.


    The sheer pressure left him gasping for air. It was clear this man¡¯s cultivation was far beyond his own.


    "I-I understand¡­" Min Jiangtao stammered, his grip loosening on the Mo Dao weapon, which ttered to the ground.


    Seeing his frightened demeanor, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.


    The intimidating aura was, of course, drawn from the "Momentum" granted by Ouyang Hai. Though he hadn''t yet fully studied it, merely channeling itstent energy was enough to overwhelm Min Jiangtao.


    "Since we''ve met, let me give you an opportunity," Zhang Xuan said, his expression softening into a kind smile. "Your cultivation is currently at the peak of the Second Level of the Star River Realm. The reason you¡¯ve been unable to break through is your unclear heart and unrefined spirit. These stem from innate ws and lingering insecurities. If I help you resolve them, wouldn¡¯t that solve the issue?"


    Min Jiangtao trembled, his eyes widening in disbelief. His condition had persisted for years, defying every remedy he¡¯d tried, including countless elixirs. Yet, this man saw through it at a nce. Such insight surpassed everyone he¡¯d ever met.


    He was indeed extraordinary¡ªa true elite of the Destiny Hall headquarters.


    Zhang Xuan stood, his hands sped behind his back. "Humans possess six roots: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Only when these roots areplete can one understand and establish their Fate. Your issue lies in iplete roots, making breakthrough exceedingly difficult. Let me guide you. Have you heard of the Forget-Me Herb?" ??


    Min Jiangtao nodded. "Yes. It¡¯s an herb with a unique fragrance, said to induce illusions and relieve sorrow. Some call it Forgetfulness Herb or Worry-Relieving Grass."


    "Precisely. Before attempting a breakthrough to the Third Level of the Star River Realm, find one and consume it on a stormy night. It may yield miraculous results. But understand, this is a temporary fix. True understanding of Fate requires more profound methods," Zhang Xuan exined before gesturing toward the door. "That¡¯s all for now. I still need to heal. Take care, ''Senior Brother.''"


    "Yes!" Recognizing the dismissal, Min Jiangtao rose and left in a hurry. Only after exiting the room did he notice his back drenched in cold sweat. The man¡¯s presence was simply too overwhelming.


    "Forget-Me Herb¡­ I¡¯ll give it a try!" Min Jiangtao clenched his fists in determination. The man had subtly indicated that loyalty could bring even greater rewards¡ªsolutions to his ws, breakthroughs to higher realms, and possibly dominance over the Mo Dao Sect.


    "This is a golden opportunity!" His eyes gleamed with excitement.


    Inside the room, Zhang Xuan exhaled in relief. Although he had mastered the Pathos of Heaven Fate, without igniting his New World, he was still slightly weaker than a Star River Second Level peak expert. Bluffing had been nerve-wracking, but fortunately, it had worked.


    "This ''Momentum'' is incredibly useful. I should delve deeper into its secrets," Zhang Xuan mused, his mind entering the Library of Heaven''s Path. With a wave of his hand, the massive Fate bestowed by Ouyang Hai materialized before him.


    The blue-gray energy flowed like smoke, its current dynamic yet gentle. Within it, Zhang Xuan sensed a ceaselessly surging force akin to a mighty river.


    The river¡¯s bed was vast, but its flow seemed weak, barely upying the central stream. To fill it entirely, it would require an immense amount of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy.


    He estimated the need for at least a billion units to fill the entire river. Even with the two million units he¡¯d just poured in, it had only restored about one-fifth of its capacity.


    "Such a bottomless pit¡­" Zhang Xuan muttered, shaking his head. Yet, the potential of this "Momentum" excited him. When unleashed, it magnified his presence, making him appear as an invincible giant.


    His newfound power startled both Sun Qiang and Dao Li, who identally dropped their belongings in fear. Their reactions confirmed the sheer intimidation of the "Giant Wave Momentum."


    "With this, no one will doubt my facade as a top expert. Time to head for Zouyi Dynasty and seek out Kong Shi!" Zhang Xuan smiled, a glint of confidence in his eyes.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 85: Dharma Realm

    Vol 2 Ch 85: Dharma Realm


    During this period, Zhang Xuan had been tirelessly earning money, collecting techniques, and cultivating. All of this effort aimed at quickly enhancing his cultivation and strength so he could rescue Kong Shi.


    Although he had yet to break through to the next level, the new Heaven''s Fate power he had acquired,bined with his prior nning, was enough to create an illusion of strength. With this, he could confidently re-enter the Zouyi Dynasty and ensure his own safety.


    Unlike before, when he was burdened with the title of "Chaotic Fate Practitioner," a single misstep could have led to countless Destiny Masters besieging him, following the same disastrous path as Kong Shi.


    Even as the lord of a world, the immense power gained from burning his world wasn¡¯t enough to guarantee escape from the coordinated pursuit of the entire Destiny Hall. Though his New World offered a refuge, if his fate were traced, even a sliver of fate energy could spell disaster¡ªnot only for himself but for the New World as well, ultimately resulting in widespread destruction and the copse of the entire universe.


    This wasn¡¯t pessimism or idle spection but cold, hard truth.


    The destruction of the Firmament had been a dire example. A single palm had shattered Heaven''s Path and divided the Firmament into three sections, likely due to a formidable Destiny Master tracing Nie Yun''s fate. The palm contained no fate energy, onlymon Source Energy, yet it obliterated the Spirit Source Heaven of the Firmament, killing the Deathless Monarch Little Chick on the spot. Countless deities lost their divinity and became aberrant spirits.


    The spiritual energy of the entire Firmament dissipated, leaving it to rely on spiritual energy tides for survival. If Zhang Xuan hadn¡¯tter surpassed and mended Heaven''s Path, reviving Nie Yun, the Firmament would have eventually copsed. This copse would also plunge the Upper Heavens and the Master Teacher Continent into chaos, reducing everything to nothingness.


    Thus, facing danger, he could use the New World to hide, but being discovered¡ªeven slightly¡ªcould cause the world to shatter, leading to his demise.He couldn¡¯t gamble on that possibility.


    Even if his goal was to rescue Kong Shi, he first needed to ensure his own safety.


    After persistent effort, he had finally gained some confidence.


    ¡°The momentum of this tidal wave has yet to fully recover, but it should now possess the strength of a Level Six Heaven''s Fate¡­¡± Zhang Xuan spected as he dismissed his stray thoughts.


    This "Tidal Wave Momentum" had been extracted from a cultivator using an extraordinary method. It had the potential of Level Five but hadn¡¯t yet reached its peak.


    It was akin to possessing Lin Dan''s talent in badminton but only just starting out¡ªit was impossible to defeat world champions immediately.


    The potential of Level Five was a theoretical ceiling without a bottleneck, not a current reality. When Zhang Xuan refined it, it had only been around Level Eight. Its sheer potential and high specifications were what had overwhelmed Min Jiangtao.


    After replenishing it with 20 million strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy, its strength had reached Level Six, exuding an imposing aura thatmanded fear from the likes of Sun Qiang and Dao Li.


    A Level Six Heaven''s Fate power matched the realm of a Four-Star Destiny Master. This meant Zhang Xuan¡¯s understanding of fate now rivaled a Four-Star Destiny Master, far surpassing an expert like Mo Baiye, a mere Three-Star.


    Unfortunately, the Tidal Wave Momentum only enhanced aura, not cultivation or strength. Thus, his cultivation remained stagnant at Source Pool Realm Ninth Level.


    Inyman''s terms, his aura was nowparable to a Star River Realm Sixth or Seventh Level expert, but his cultivation was still firmly rooted in the Source Pool Realm.


    Tragic!


    As Zhang Xuan pondered this, Sun Qiang''s voice broke his reverie.


    ¡°Young Master, was that aura just now a kind of Heaven''s Fate? I¡¯d like to learn it¡­¡±


    ¡°You?¡± Zhang Xuan was taken aback.


    Sun Qiang nodded eagerly, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. A power that allowed him to exude overwhelming presence without actual strength? It was perfect for showing off!


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll demonstrate Heaven''s Fate for you. Whether you can grasp it depends on your ability,¡± Zhang Xuan agreed after some thought.


    With a resounding roar, the Tidal Wave Momentum surged once more. Wave after wave rippled outward, as if tearing apart the spirit and soul.


    Across from him, Sun Qiang gritted his teeth and endured. After an indeterminate amount of time, his previously tense demeanor rxed considerably.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Young Master, I got it!¡± Sun Qiang eximed, his fat trembling with excitement.


    ¡°Show me,¡± Zhang Xuan said, curious.


    Sun Qiang raised his eyebrows, sped his hands behind his back, and unleashed his aura.


    In an instant, a powerful presence emanated from him, exuding an undeniable sense of dominance. The aura was indistinguishable from that of a Star River Realm First Level expert. Even Zhang Xuan found it hard to discern its authenticity at first nce. ?


    ¡°This¡­¡± Zhang Xuan was stunned.


    The aura Sun Qiang had managed to replicate wasparable to the Second Stage of Heaven''s Fate. And he had achieved this after merely a brief period of observation?


    As Zhang Xuan nced at the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path, the Riverbank of the Tidal Wave Momentum in his mind expanded slightly. Though the growth was modest, it indicated a notable increase in potential.


    Pleased, Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Sun Qiang might not excel in de or sword techniques, but when it came to shy moves, he was a natural prodigy. Letting him perfect such techniques could provide Zhang Xuan with an easy path to advancement.


    After assigning Sun Qiang some training, Zhang Xuan entered seclusion. Since he had adapted his techniques into the Pathos of Heaven, it was time to attempt a breakthrough to the Dharma Aspect Realm!


    While Zhang Xuan focused on his cultivation, Hanyuan City plunged into chaos.


    First, Hall Master Han Xiao of the Destiny Hall was killed, followed by Han Qianchou¡¯s death. The loss of these two influential figures left a power vacuum, causing widespread unrest.


    Several factions seized the opportunity to expand their territories, achieving significant gains.


    For example, the Second Prince of the Hanyuan royal family staged a coup, imprisoning the Crown Prince and seizing the throne.


    Within the Destiny Hall, Vice Hall Master Chai Yunsheng convened a council of elders and was unanimously elected as the new Hall Master.


    Amidst these power shifts, smaller halls and groups were not spared. Once-dominant factions like Baiyun Hall and Hanyetang were destroyed, while others like Moyoutang rose to prominence.


    However, none of this concerned Zhang Xuan.


    He had only vied for the position of Vice Hall Master to cement Ling Buyang¡¯s identity. Now that it was no longer needed, there was no reason to linger.


    The upper echelons of Hanyuan City were well aware that Han Xiao and Han Qianchou¡¯s deaths were likely linked to Ling Buyang. Yet, his fearsome reputation deterred anyone from seeking trouble.


    Zhang Xuan relished the rare peace.


    Three days of rigorous cultivation brought Zhang Xuan¡¯s strength to a tipping point. His aura grew increasingly formidable, signaling an imminent breakthrough.


    Finally, with a deafening roar, his Source Pool resonated, releasing an overwhelming surge of energy.


    He had shattered the barrier of the Roaming Realm, and a colossal Dharma Aspect manifested behind him.


    Source Pool Realm Ninth Level¡ªthe pinnacle of the Dharma Aspect Realm!


    Apanying his breakthrough, Zhang Xuan¡¯s strength surged once more, reaching an astonishing 2,500 horsepower!


    Not far away, Min Jiangtao also reached a crucial moment in his cultivation. During the past two days, he had acquired and consumed the Forgotten Flower Grass Zhang Xuan had rmended.


    As the herb slid down his throat, a euphoric sensation overwhelmed him, fogging his mind and lifting his spirits.


    ¡°Cultivate!¡±


    Suppressing his drowsiness, Min Jiangtao gripped his Mo Dao tightly and began his practice.


    With each swing of his de, Heaven''s Fate Energy gathered around him. In this state of euphoric focus, he overcame his physical limitations and executed a dozen wless strikes.


    Suddenly, a warm energy surged from his Source Pool, clearing his mind with unparalleled rity.


    This post-euphoric state left him feeling serene andpletelyposed.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve really broken through?¡±


    Sensing his newfound power, Min Jiangtao clenched his fists tightly.


    After years of stagnation at the peak of the Star River Realm Second Level, he had finally advanced.


    With his Third Level Star River Realm, also known as the Serenity Realm, he felt a newfound freedom from distraction¡ªaplete focus unhindered by external concerns.


    Min Jiangtao¡¯s joy was soon interrupted by a mighty aura radiating from Zhang Xuan¡¯s direction, leaving him both awed and intimidated.


    The waves of energy emanating from Zhang Xuan now towered like a tidal surge, reaching an impressive 150 feet in height and filling him with despair.


    ¡°This aura¡­ Why does it contain the power of the Dharma Aspect Realm?¡± Min Jiangtao muttered in shock.


    Author''s Note


    Hey there, "Library of Heaven''s Path 2: Eternal Destiny" fans! Your feedback means everything to the BOTI Trantor Team. Please take a moment to rate us 5 stars on NovelUpdat

 Book 2: Chapter 86: Fu Yingyings Request

    Vol 2 Ch 86: Fu Yingying''s Request


    The oppressive aura he felt from this presence suggested that the individual far surpassed him in cultivation. However, the awkward mix of Dharma Aspect energy made the manifestation appear out of ce.


    ¡°I must have sensed it wrong¡­¡±


    Shaking his head, Min Jiangtao dismissed the thought and strode toward Zhang Xuan¡¯s room.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With matters here settled, it was time to return to the Zouyi Dynasty; otherwise, who knew what actions his teacher might take in his absence.


    Unaware that Min Jiangtao had sensed the aura of his breakthrough, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze to his Dharma Aspect.


    Ordinarily, a Ninth Level Source Pool Realm cultivator''s Dharma Aspect would stand at a modest height of 12 feet, emitting a faint cyan hue reminiscent of a ghostly apparition. While it carried an imposing aura, itcked any aesthetic appeal.


    In stark contrast, Zhang Xuan¡¯s Dharma Aspect stood a towering 24 feet tall and radiated a pale golden hue. It was majestic, akin to a divine being descending on clouds, making it impossible for anyone to entertain thoughts of resistance at a single nce.


    ¡°Why does this look so different?¡±Zhang Xuan mused, pondering aloud, ¡°Could it be rted to breaking the 999-horsepower barrier?¡±


    Though unsure of the exact reason for the golden hue, he suspected it had to do with hisprehension of the Pathos of Heaven Fate.


    As the Dharma Aspect merged back into his body, he sensed his Divine Soul bing even more solidified.


    Previously, his soul could traverse far at night but needed to remain close during the day. Now, he felt it could safely roam a radius of hundreds of miles. Even strong astral winds would find it difficult to disperse his essence.


    Nevertheless, he remained cautious. Leaving the body unguarded was a risk; without physical protection, a cultivator skilled in soul arts or Fate maniption could easily destroy him. His lifeless body would then be utterly defenseless.


    He recalled the instance with Ling Buyang. The man had attempted to kill Zhang Xuan by using his Divine Soul to leave his body¡ªonly to meet his demise at the hands of Sun Qiang.


    ¡°Young Master, Pavilion Master Fu is waiting for you in the guest hall¡­¡±


    Sun Qiang walked over, his cultivation evidently improved. He had broken through to the Detached Realm, radiating a deep and boundless presence with his tidal wave-like aura.


    Zhang Xuan concealed his cultivation and strode into the guest hall, where he saw Fu Yingying sitting quietly. Her gaze seemed distracted, lost in thought.


    The past few days had been turbulent for the entire Hanyuan City. Many attributed Emperor Han Qianchou¡¯s demise at Elder Min Jiangtao¡¯s hands to offending the Mo Dao Sect. However, Fu Yingying knew the truth¡ªthis was undoubtedly linked to ¡°Ling Buyang.¡±


    First, Fu Zhaoting was in, and someone collected the bounty under Li Yue¡¯an¡¯s name before killing Li Yue¡¯an himself. The sequence mirrored how Han Qianchou killed Mo Qing, imed his reward, and was then eliminated.


    To suggest that "Ling Buyang" wasn¡¯t involved? Even she found that impossible to believe.


    Still, since he chose not to bring it up, she kept silent as well.


    Though "Ling Buyang" seemed gentle and harmless in daily interactions, his ruthlessness in action was unmatched. Even Fu Yingying dared not offend him lightly.


    ¡°Pavilion Master Fu¡­¡±


    The gentle voice startled her from her thoughts. She turned to see "Ling Buyang" standing before her.


    After just a few days, the vice hall master¡¯s demeanor had deepened, his presence bing even more overwhelming. Despite masking his cultivation, Fu Yingying instinctively knew that if he wanted to, he could kill her with a single p.


    Hurriedly, she stood up, cupped her fists, and bowed. ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling, I have urgently procured 150 Destiny Disks as you requested and brought them here.¡±


    She gestured to the side, and Zhang Xuan noticed the stack of Destiny Disks piled on the floor.


    ¡°Excellent!¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded repeatedly, feeling delighted. Having just exhausted his Heaven''s Fate Energy, this timely delivery felt like a pillow offered to a drowsy man.


    Although 150 disks weren¡¯t much, they would suffice for the time being¡ªas long as he refrained from upgrading his Pathos of Heaven Fate or enhancing his Tidal Wave Momentum.


    With a casual wave, the disks disappeared into his New World. Turning, he signaled Sun Qiang, who approached with a warm smile. ¡°Pavilion Master Fu, here are three billion Source Coins¡­¡±


    Thanks to gambling and scavenging, Zhang Xuan had amassed a considerable fortune. Though three billion was a hefty sum, it wasn¡¯t beyond his reach.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Fu Yingying hesitated before bowing again. ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling, if you would assist me, consider these Destiny Disks as a gift.¡±


    ¡°Assist you?¡± Zhang Xuan asked, puzzled.


    Fu Yingying exined, ¡°To be honest, I am also a Destiny Master and cultivate the Fox Charm Fate. This particr path requires me to beguile young and gifted individuals to advance. The greater their talent, the more I progress¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan was taken aback. Though he had known she specialized in Fox Charm Fate, he hadn¡¯t expected its cultivation method to be so peculiar.


    ¡°So, does your request pertain to this Fox Charm Fate?¡± Zhang Xuan asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she admitted, biting her lip. ¡°I hope Vice Hall Master Ling will ept my charm and apany me back to my n!¡±


    ¡°ept your charm? And return to your n?¡± Zhang Xuan was stunned, shaking his head fervently. ¡°Apologies, but I have principles¡­¡±


    What a joke! For 150 Destiny Disks, she expected him to go along with this? Ridiculous.


    Fu Yingying flushed and quickly exined, ¡°You misunderstand, Vice Hall Master Ling. What I mean is¡­ I hope you can pretend to be charmed and apany me back. Once I inherit the Fate, you are free to leave. Besides, with your willpower, even if I tried, I doubt I could truly charm you.¡±


    She was right¡ªshe had attempted it multiple times, even resorting to borderline indecent methods. Yet he remained as oblivious as a blind man, leaving her utterly frustrated.


    ¡°No, I truly cannot help,¡± Zhang Xuan declined firmly.


    His wife was in the backyard! ept her charm and leave with her? Was he asking for death?


    Fu Yingying¡¯s expression turned anxious. ¡°Please, Vice Hall Master Ling. The n selection is in half a month. If I fail to find a suitable candidate, I¡¯ll lose all chances of inheriting the Fate¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your problem, not mine,¡± Zhang Xuan replied. ¡°Besides, doesn¡¯t your charm technique work best on younger, more talented individuals? I¡¯m far too old and unfit for such criteria.¡±


    Currently masquerading as Ling Buyang, a man close to fifty, Zhang Xuan¡¯s Ninth Level Source Pool cultivation was impressive for Hanyuan City. However, in the Zouyi Dynasty or broader regions, he would hardly be considered a genius.


    Fu Yingying scrutinized him and gritted her teeth. ¡°Vice Hall Master Ling, I suspect your identity is a facade. Your true age is likely under thirty, correct?¡±


    ¡°What makes you think that?¡± Zhang Xuan frowned.


    Taking a deep breath, Fu Yingying exined, ¡°Everyone knows Wanchang Sect has an unparalleled intelligencework. But the ck market¡¯s information is just as reliable, if not superior. If I¡¯m correct, you¡¯re not Vice Hall Master Ling. You are Zhang Xuan, the genius from White Rock City!¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 87: Zouyi City Fu Family

    Vol 2 Ch 87: Zouyi City Fu Family


    ¡°Oh?¡± Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes.


    He was confident in his disguise, yet somehow, so many people had managed to pick up on subtle clues. This woman had only seen him twice, but she¡¯d already investigated everything thoroughly. It seemed that the path of disguise wasn¡¯t the best choice for him.


    For outstanding individuals, disguises were akin to cing a diamond amidst coal. Its brilliance shone through without needing to sift¡ªit was impossible to hide.


    <em>Sigh, being excellent is exhausting!</em>


    Seeing that Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t deny it, Fu Yingying realized she had guessed correctly. Clenching her teeth, she looked at him intently. ¡°You¡¯ve disguised yourself as him and haven¡¯t been exposed. There¡¯s only one exnation: the real Ling Buyang is already dead. I happen to know Elder Min Jiangtao of the Mo Dao Sect is still in Hanyuan City and hasn¡¯t left. If he hears of this, how do you think he¡¯ll react?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re threatening me?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s smile was calm as he nced at her.


    Fu Yingying bowed her head and sped her fists. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare! I just wanted to show my sincerity to Lord Zhang. While I know this information, I¡¯ve kept it to myself, which proves my goodwill¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t need your goodwill, nor do I ept threats.¡±Fu Yingying pressed on. ¡°I only hope Lord Zhang will reconsider. The Mo Dao Sect is one of the stronger sects in the Zouyi Dynasty and has recently be a branch of the Ten Thousand des Alliance. Even if I don¡¯t reveal this, it could still cause trouble once they find out. However, if you cooperate with me, having Green Hill Mountain as an ally will make them think twice before acting against you¡­¡±


    ¡°Green Hill Mountain is powerful?¡± Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow in doubt.


    Fu Yingying¡¯s expression was full of pride. ¡°While Green Hill Mountain doesn¡¯t rival top-tier powers like the Destiny Hall or the Wanchang Sect, it stands out among second-tier factions and is renowned across the continent. It¡¯s not something a minor sect like the Mo Dao Sect canpare to! If you¡¯re willing, I can shield you from Elder Min Jiangtao¡¯s inquiries¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, a tall and slightly gaunt middle-aged man strode into the hall. He knelt on one knee and sped his hands. ¡°Jiangtao pays respects to Lord Zhang. I n to return to the Zouyi Dynasty today. Would you like to apany me, my lord?¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Fu Yingying was utterly stunned. Her face twisted in disbelief as she stammered, ¡°What¡­ What did you say your name was?¡±


    Min Jiangtao frowned, turning his head to look at her. ¡°My name is Min Jiangtao of the Mo Dao Sect. I don¡¯t change my name whether standing or sitting.¡±


    ¡°???¡± Fu Yingying was frozen on the spot.


    She had just threatened Zhang Xuan, iming that if Min Jiangtao discovered his disguise, it would spell danger. Yet the next moment, this very Mo Dao Sect elder came running in, knelt down, and addressed him as ¡°Lord Zhang¡±¡­


    <em>He knows everything already!</em>n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    And yet, here she was, making low-intelligence threats. How ridiculous did she look right now?


    Unable to bear it anymore, her lips trembled as she asked, ¡°You call him ¡®Lord Zhang¡¯... Don¡¯t you know he killed Ling Buyang?¡±


    Min Jiangtao raised an eyebrow, stood up, and dered, ¡°It was Ling Buyang¡¯s honor to die at Lord Zhang¡¯s hands. I couldn¡¯t be happier! What are you implying with this? Are you trying to sow discord?¡±


    ¡°Honor? Happiness?¡±


    Fu Yingying felt like her world was crumbling.


    Her junior had been killed, and not only was Min Jiangtao unbothered, but he was kneeling and defending Zhang Xuan as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Was this man insane?


    ¡°Alright, if there¡¯s nothing else, you may leave,¡± Zhang Xuan said dismissively, waving his handzily. ¡°Sun Qiang, see her out.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Sun Qiang stepped forward and gestured. ¡°Master Fu, this way, please.¡±


    Faced with such an attitude, Fu Yingying knew continuing would only annoy them further. She reluctantly turned to leave but stopped at the door, looking back. ¡°Lord Zhang, if you help me gain my family¡¯s recognition, I¡¯ll give you 500 Fate Disks¡­ no, a thousand!¡±


    ¡°A thousand?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes lit up at the offer, but he quickly raised the stakes. ¡°Five thousand Fate Disks, and I¡¯ll help you. Otherwise, no deal.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t dangerous, and there was money to earn¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t take the opportunity? Having condensed the <em>Pathos of Heaven Destiny</em>, Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy was incredibly valuable to him. Since she casually offered a thousand, he saw no harm in pushing the price.


    ¡°Five thousand?¡± Fu Yingying gritted her teeth in hesitation but then lifted her head resolutely. ¡°Deal! But you must guarantee that I¡¯ll gain my family¡¯s recognition. If I be the heir, five thousand Fate Disks won¡¯t be an issue for my Fu n.¡±


    ¡°The Fu n? Are you from the Fu family in Zouyi City?¡± Min Jiangtao couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Fu Yingying nodded.


    Zhang Xuan grew curious. ¡°Is this Fu family well-known?¡±


    Min Jiangtao nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not thergest family in the Zouyi Dynasty, but it¡¯s undoubtedly one of the most powerful and wealthy. They excel in investments and are known for producing stunning beauties. Over the years, their alliances have included individuals with extraordinary talents or exceptional business acumen. From prime ministers to wealthy merchants and even two vice-hall masters of the Destiny Hall, all have married into the Fu family. Many consider it an honor to wed a Fu woman. Even I once tried, though I was unsessful¡­¡±


    ¡°You?¡± Zhang Xuan gave him a skeptical look.


    <em>Do you even realize your own limitations? Wanting to marry into the Fu family¡­ You have no shame.</em>


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Fu Yingying confirmed. ¡°If I pass the test and be the heir, five thousand Fate Disks won¡¯t be an issue.¡±


    ¡°What kind of test?¡± Zhang Xuan asked, intrigued.


    Fu Yingying hesitated for a moment before answering. ¡°As I mentioned, our family specializes in charm techniques. To inherit the family destiny, one must prove their ability to enchant and attract talented individuals¡­¡±


    ¡°Does everyone have a chance?¡± Zhang Xuan pressed.


    Before she could respond, Min Jiangtao spoke up. ¡°Of course not. Only core descendants are eligible, and they must undergo a bloodline baptism from birth. You¡¯re one of the chosen seven infants from twenty years ago, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Fu Yingying admitted without hesitation.


    Zhang Xuan was puzzled. ¡°Twenty years ago? What¡¯s the story?¡±


    Min Jiangtao exined respectfully. ¡°Lord Zhang, the path of destiny can either beprehended or inherited. Green Hill Mountain has eight branches, with the Fu family being one of them. Over a hundred years ago, Madam Hu Qing, an elder of the family, married into the Fu family and established this lineage. However, despite their growing numbers, the destiny she controlled wasn¡¯t passed down.


    ¡°In the Source World, unlike those who govern a realm like yourself, cultivators have limited lifespans. Most Source Warriors rarely live past a hundred unless they reach the Star River Realm, where the limit is around two hundred years.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t due to physical decay but rather the suppression of their fate by the heavens. Unless their destiny advances, it begins to crumble, eventually dissipating back into the world.¡±


    ¡°...So, she set rules to find a sessor before her time ran out?¡± Zhang Xuan mused.


    Min Jiangtao nodded. ¡°Exactly. She selected seven infant girls, performed bloodline baptisms, and sent them away to cultivate independently. Twenty yearster, those who demonstrate the greatest mastery over the Fu family¡¯s <em>Fox Charm Destiny</em> will inherit it.¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded in understanding but suddenly looked at Fu Yingying with suspicion. ¡°You¡­ should be in your thirties. How can you be one of the seven infants from twenty years ago?¡±


    Caught off guard, Fu Yingying rolled her eyes. ¡°If you can disguise yourself, so can I. This isn¡¯t my true appearance. Without sufficient strength, I¡¯d have been devoured long ago. Before inheriting the destiny, we can enchant, but we cannot lose our purity.¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded thoughtfully. The <em>Library of Heaven¡¯s Path</em> revealed ws but wouldn¡¯t expose identities if the disguise was wless. He had assumed she was around thirty, but it turned out she was barely twenty, and her appearance was false.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see your real face. If it¡¯s eptable, I¡¯ll consider helping you,¡± Zhang Xuan said after a moment of reflection.


    Fu Yingying smiled faintly. With a wave of her hand, her body shimmered, revealing a stunningly enchanting face and a figure that would make countless women envious.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 88: Foxy Fate

    Vol 2 Ch 88: Foxy Fate


    ncing over, Zhang Xuan secretly nodded.


    "If you had shown your true appearance earlier, enchanting a few geniuses shouldn¡¯t have been difficult..."


    Though her beauty and figure couldn¡¯tpare to Luo Ruoxi''s, she was undoubtedly still a rare beauty, far surpassing Mo Yanxue and Yu Xiaoyu. Paired with her Fox Charm Destiny, not to mention ordinary people, even formidable experts might find it hard to resist.


    Take Prince of Pingyuan, Han Qianye, for example¡ªhe would likely fall without a fight.


    The idea of "beauty wreaking havoc" or "losing a kingdom over a woman" wasn¡¯t just a legend. Fox Charm Destiny wasn¡¯t particrly strong inbat, but when used skillfully, its impact was immense.


    "Beauty fades, and the true mastery of Fox Charm Destiny lies in the unseen. To enchant the world''s top talents with ordinary looks is the ultimate achievement. It¡¯s said that the former ruler of Qingqiu wasn¡¯t exceptionally beautiful yet could captivate the masses. I¡¯ve always regarded her as my goal..."


    Fu Yingying¡¯s expression revealed her deep admiration.


    "Alright, I can agree to help you. However, you¡¯re free to continue searching. Before the family assessment, if you can find someone with even better talent than me, it¡¯s fine to have them assist you instead," Zhang Xuan said."Are you sure you¡¯d let me bring someone else to the assessment?" Hearing this, Fu Yingying''s eyes brimmed with a intive look. In an instant, the woman who had ruled Hanyuan City with an iron fist for years turned incredibly delicate, evoking a strong protective urge.


    The Fox Charm Destiny took effect!


    At this moment, her beauty, paired with the alluring power of her destiny, was enough to make hearts itch uncontrobly. Even off to the side, Min Jiangtao stared dumbfounded, ovee by an impulsive desire.


    "Trying to charm me?"


    Understanding her intent, Zhang Xuan shook his head, ready to dismiss the idea of assisting her. However, he suddenly sensed streams of Heaven''s Fate Energy tearing through the void and pouring into her body.


    Though the amount wasn¡¯tparable to directly absorbing from a Destiny Disk, it was still immensely beneficial to him.


    With a thought, Zhang Xuan stealthily directed the flow of energy into the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path, forming new books one after another.


    Zhang Xuan was thrilled.


    In the absence of Destiny Disks, even this trickle of stolen energy was invaluable. After all, every little bit counted, especially in crucial moments.


    "What if he genuinely develops feelings for me and wants to be with me? Wouldn¡¯t that upset you?"


    Seeing that Zhang Xuan wasn¡¯t as resistant as before, Fu Yingying¡¯s eyes lit up, and she continued gazing at him with a pitiful expression.


    "I wouldn¡¯t be upset..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    With his response, the flow of Heaven''s Fate Energy abruptly ceased entirely, as if it had been cut off.


    Fox Charm Destiny could only progress when it sessfully enchanted others, allowing the destiny to advance alongside it. However, since it wasn¡¯t affecting him, the reward of energy naturally stopped as well.


    Frowning slightly, Zhang Xuan tested the waters further, "Then... who would be upset?"


    Boom!


    In an instant, the Heaven''s Fate Energy surged to double its previous amount. Within the library, waves of energy were being transported, creating a flurry of new books.


    "Really?"


    Not expecting such a response, Fu Yingying was momentarily stunned before bing ted.


    For Fox Charm Destiny to progress, two conditions must be met. The first was that the target must be exceptionally talented¡ªthe more brilliant the individual, the greater the benefit. The second was that the target must possess a resolute mind¡ªoveing such resistance would yield even greater results.


    As the ck market¡¯s overseer, she had encountered numerous so-called "geniuses," and every one of them would obediently fall under her charm the moment she unleashed her talent. Only Zhang Xuan remained unaffected, acting entirely on his own terms.


    At that time, she knew he was extraordinary and likely someone disguising their true self.


    Later, learning that this Zhang Xuan, barely in his twenties, had defeated Han Qianye d in Cold Nether Armor with a single strike, she was even more intrigued.


    With his unwavering determination and exceptional talent, he was the perfect "furnace" for her to cultivate her Fox Charm Destiny.


    If she seeded, the rewards would be immeasurable.


    Thus, she approached him, hoping he would cooperate. Even if he didn¡¯t, bringing him back to her family would still make her shine.


    She had little hope initially but found that revealing her true beauty had worked instantly.


    Ah, men!


    Overjoyed, she cast him a seductive nce, her voice soft and alluring: "I trust youpletely. Don¡¯t go back on your word~~"


    Her honeyed tone sent shivers of pleasure down the spine of anyone who heard it.


    After unleashing her full charm, Fu Yingying looked inward to check for any progress in her destiny. Yet, to her shock, not a single thread of Heaven''s Fate Energy had entered her body. It was as if all her efforts had been in vain.


    Confused, she nced at Zhang Xuan, who looked positively delighted, nodding repeatedly. "Of course! You can count on me."


    Seeing his enthusiastic demeanor, Fu Yingying assumed he had fallen under her spell. Relieved, she focused once more, only to find there was still no energying her way.


    In that instant, the noblewoman felt as though she¡¯d cast a worth tens of thousands, only toe up empty.


    "Miss Fu, just let me know what you need. I¡¯ll do anything for you..."


    At that moment, Min Jiangtao suddenly burst out, veins bulging on his forehead as he spoke with overwhelming passion.


    Even though Fu Yingying hadn¡¯t directly targeted him, the residual allure of her destiny had already overwhelmed him.


    "This doesn¡¯t make sense! Even if Zhang Xuan wasn¡¯t enchanted, Min Jiangtao¡¯s reaction alone should have generated some Heaven''s Fate Energy as a reward. Why is there nothing at all?"


    Puzzled, she tried again but remainedpletely empty-handed, leaving her utterly bewildered.


    While Fu Yingying was still confused, not understanding what had gone wrong, Zhang Xuan, not far away, suddenly spoke:


    "Miss Fu, just let me know what you need. I¡¯ll do anything for you..."


    Looking at his earnest expression, Fu Yingying once again nced at her destinyprehension, only to find that there was still no progress at all.


    No matter how she looked at it, Zhang Xuan¡¯s talent and determination were the strongest she had encountered. By all logic, if her charm worked on him, the benefits should be immense¡ªenough to elevate her Fox Charm Destiny to the second stage. Yet now, it seemedpletely stuck, showing not the slightest improvement.


    Although she couldn¡¯t figure it out, Fu Yingying still nodded and tilted her body slightly, revealing a perfect curve. She bit her lip and adopted a look of delicate vulnerability. "If you¡¯re truly willing to do anything for me, even without receiving my Destiny Disk, would you still help me?"


    She thought he would immediately agree, but instead, a voice rang out:


    "That¡¯s not going to work!"


    "???"


    Fu Yingying froze and looked back at Zhang Xuan, only to see his eyes clear and tranquil, without the slightest trace of infatuation.


    "You... weren¡¯t you already enchanted by me?" Her eyes widened in disbelief.


    Logically, anyone charmed by her should have readily agreed to anything she asked. But his outright rejection was so firm it left her at a loss for words.


    "Of course, I was enchanted by you. But if you think I¡¯d help you for free, that¡¯s not happening," Zhang Xuan replied with utmost seriousness.


    "..."


    Fu Yingying¡¯s eyelids twitched.


    This is what you call "enchanted"? Are you messing with me?


    Whoever heard of someone under a charm being so rational¡ªcalcting gains and losses like this?


    No wonder there was no Heaven''s Fate Energy reward. You¡¯ve been toying with me all along!


    The brief excitement she had felt earlier instantly plunged into despair.


    Though frustrated, she also felt a sense of relief. If someone this difficult to enchant were sessfully charmed, the benefits would be even greater. While she had failed now, once they reached her family and she could leverage the power of her ancestors, he wouldn¡¯t have any choice in the matter.


    With this thought, Fu Yingyingposed herself and smiled faintly. "Since Lord Zhang has agreed, let¡¯s consider the matter settled. Once we¡¯re in Zouyi City, I¡¯lle to you personally..."


    With that, she turned and left. As she stepped outside, a scroll appeared in front of her. A sh of light enveloped her, restoring her previous appearance.


    "What a shame..."


    Seeing the Heaven''s Fate Energy flowe to an end, Zhang Xuan shook his head in mild disappointment. He turned to Min Jiangtao. "You wish to return to Zouyi City?"


    "Yes!" Min Jiangtao snapped out of his infatuated daze and quickly cupped his fists.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I¡¯ll go with you."


    Zhang Xuan dismissed his disguise with a slight shake, revealing his true appearance. "As for Sect Master Mo, you¡¯ll need to coordinate matters on your end. I don¡¯t want my involvement leaked!"


    "Understood!" Min Jiangtao nodded earnestly. "I¡¯ll convince the teacher to remain calm."


    "Prepare yourself. We¡¯ll set out this afternoon," Zhang Xuan instructed.


    "Yes!" Min Jiangtao bowed and withdrew.


    After he left, Zhang Xuan walked into the courtyard.


    Luo Ruoxi, Luo Qiqi, Liu Yang, Yuan Tao, and the others were still cultivating. When they noticed his arrival, they all stood up.


    Thanks to the top-tier Source Pools and furnaces they had activated, their cultivation had advanced significantly. In just a few days, Luo Ruoxi had already reached the Jade Bone Realm and was not far from her next breakthrough.


    As for the others, they had reached the sixth level of the Source Pool Realm¡ªthe Organs Easing Stage. Their auras were extraordinary.


    "You all should continue cultivating in the Xuan World. I¡¯ll adjust the time flow there to elerate your progress," Zhang Xuan said.


    In both the Xuan World and the Source World, Zhang Xuan could alter the size of the space and the flow of time with a mere thought.


    Given the steady progress hispanions had achieved with a one-to-one time ratio, adjusting the Xuan World to a ten-to-one, twenty-to-one, or even a hundred-to-one ratio would drastically speed up their advancement.


    Previously, the Xuan Worldcked sufficient Heaven''s Fate Energy to remain stable, making it difficult for them to cultivate there. But with 5 million streams of Heaven''s Fate Energy now flowing in, it was sturdy enough to support their elerated cultivation.


    "That¡¯s amazing..." Luo Ruoxi nodded quickly.


    As his wife, she naturally wished to assist her husband. However, her low cultivation level had left her feeling anxious. A method to advance quickly was precisely what she needed.


    "I want to go too!" Luo Qiqi chimed in enthusiastically.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 89: Heading to Zouyi City

    Vol 2 Ch 89: Heading to Zouyi City


    "Alright!"


    Seeing everyone agree, Zhang Xuan said no more. With a skybound grab, an immense power enveloped the group, and in the blink of an eye, they arrived within the Xuan World.


    Suspended mid-air, Zhang Xuan gently pointed, and a sea of clouds materialized before them. Then, towering pces appeared out of thin air, each featuring spacious rooms and grand martial arts fields. Everything from food to bathing essentials was fully equipped.


    Creating a world was as simple as a thought for him.


    "Time distortion!"


    With a single thought, Zhang Xuan enveloped the cloud in a special barrier. Momentster, the flow of time around the pces subtly shifted, bing about twice as fast as the outside world. One day outside equaled two days here. Although it was far from the 100:1 ratio of the Firmament and Master Teacher Continent, it was a start.


    As he pushed further, he felt the stabilized space begin to tremble, as if it might copse at any moment.


    Time and space exist simultaneously, mutually reinforcing each other. Altering time effectively changes the metabolic rate of all life within the space. It¡¯s akin to halving the lifespan of a person meant to live 100 years. Without a strong enough body, they would perish under the strain.The 5 million strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy used to stabilize the Xuan World had made it somewhat simr in durability to the Source World. Yet, adjusting the flow of time proved to be beyond its current capacity.


    For now, doubling time was the limit. Any higher, and the world would risk copsing.


    "Double speed it is. Once I acquire more Heaven''s Fate Energy, I can reinforce it further," Zhang Xuan muttered.


    The Source World spans four dimensions¡ªlength, width, height, and time. Doubling the time flow required 5 million strands of energy. Increasing it to four times would need 80 million strands, or 5 million multiplied by 2 raised to the power of four.


    As for eight times, it would cost 160 million strands.


    To make matters worse, the Xuan World constantly absorbed Source Energy and kept expanding. Even with so much Heaven''s Fate Energy, it still wouldn''t be enough.


    Clearly, Heaven''s Fate Energy remained a bottleneck for Zhang Xuan. There was still a long way to go.


    "You all stay here and focus on reaching the Dharma Aspect Realm. Once you''ve done that, I''ll think of a way to help youprehend Heaven''s Fate," Zhang Xuan instructed.


    For the Xuan World to progress faster,prehending a powerful Heaven''s Fate was essential. Although the Xuan World¡¯s time eleration could enhance the Source Pool and physical strength, it offered no help in Heaven''s Fate cultivation.


    "Alright!" Luo Ruoxi nodded and walked up, sniffing lightly as she approached. Raising an eyebrow, she nced at him with a half-smile. "Who''s this?"


    "Who¡¯s who?" Zhang Xuan asked, puzzled.


    Luo Ruoxi''s tone remained indifferent. "Pretty, isn¡¯t she?"


    Realizing who she meant, Zhang Xuan nodded. "You mean Fu Yingying? She cultivates the Fox Charm Destiny and asked for my help¡­"


    Before he could finish, Luo Ruoxi''s gaze turned cold. "I want to learn that Heaven''s Fate!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "You???" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.


    Her usual aloof demeanor hardly matched the seductive allure of the Fox Charm Destiny. Was she joking?


    But if she mastered it¡­ life might get interesting. With her beauty, such techniques could throw the entire world into chaos.


    "Take me along the next time you meet her," Luo Ruoxi said, striding toward thergest pce without looking back.


    "Uh¡­" Zhang Xuan scratched his head awkwardly.


    The disciples watching the exchange all stifled theirughter.


    "Alright, stop loitering. Go cultivate!" Waving his hand, Zhang Xuan, flustered, fled the Xuan World and returned to the Source World.


    After sorting everything out, he headed to the courtyard where Yu Longqing and two others resided.


    "Teacher Zhang, now that Cold Night is dead, I should be safe. I n to return to White Rock City, live in anonymity, and spend the rest of my days with my father," Sun Lianxiang said. ?£Á


    "Alright," Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Though she was a royal consort, she had been a caged bird, her emotions dictated by Han Qianye. By helping her break free, Zhang Xuan had granted her liberty.


    As for higher realms or grander ambitions, she had no interest.


    "And you two?" Zhang Xuan turned to Yu Longqing and Lu Mingrong.


    The two men had supported him throughout his journey. If they wanted to stay with him, he''d bring them along.


    "My family and business are in White Rock City. For now, I don''t wish to leave," Yu Longqing replied.


    Although his daughter followed Zhang Xuan, his wife and other children remained in White Rock City.


    Lu Mingrong also nodded. "White Rock Academy has worked hard to maintain its advantage over other academies. If I leave, I fear the others won¡¯t work diligently enough."


    "Alright then," Zhang Xuan relented. He handed over some treasures and medicines obtained from defeated enemies and instructed Sun Qiang to escort them back.


    Everyone has their own pursuits. Not everyone is willing to take risks.


    Exining the truth about Ling Buyang¡¯s identity to Yue Longxiao, Zhang Xuan handed over Ling Buyang''s corpse and imed rewards amounting to 60 million. He also exposed Han Qianye and Han Qianchou¡¯s misdeeds, iming additional bounties.


    By the time Zhang Xuan left Han Yuan City, his assets exceeded 1 billion Source Coins, making him a certified tycoon.


    Learning of his departure, Yue Longxiao breathed a sigh of relief. "Lord Zhang, I¡¯ve been reassigned to Zouyi City¡¯s royal capital for my contributions. Let¡¯s meet there!"


    After finalizing matters, Zhang Xuan sought out Min Jiangtao, who presented him with an Iron-Scaled Winged Beast, a Star River Realm Level One source beast.


    The beast, resembling a wyvern with scales instead of feathers, roared defiantly as Zhang Xuan approached.


    "Silence!"


    With a frown, Zhang Xuan released his Tidal Wave Momentum. The beast immediately copsed, trembling uncontrobly.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s uncooperative, I¡¯ll stick with my ckscale Phoenix Eagle,¡± Zhang Xuan said, patting his eagle affectionately.


    To everyone¡¯s shock, he upgraded the eagle to the Dharma Aspect Realm with a single strike. The once-arrogant Iron-Scaled Winged Beast now groveled before him, eager for the same treatment.


    Finally, Zhang Xuan mounted the Winged Beast, taking along Dao Li and Sun Qiang. Looking at the distant city, he clenched his fist. "Kong Shi, here Ie!"


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 90: The Third Realm of Strange Blades Destiny

    Vol 2 Ch 90: The Third Realm of Strange de''s Destiny


    The fierce astral winds howled in the sky, with violent air currents threatening to blow anyone off at any moment.


    The ckscale Phoenix Eagle, now having advanced in strength, stillgged behind the Ironscale Winged Beast in speed but was not too far off. It managed to keep up with difficulty. Sun Qiang, who had broken through in his cultivation, could now resist the astral winds on his own. Dao Li, however, was struggling. Still only at the Body Tempering Realm, coupled with insufficiently sharp hooves, it was on the verge of being blown away.


    "Pouring tea and serving water isn¡¯t wrong, but you can¡¯t neglect your cultivation..." Zhang Xuan remarked as he saw the horse struggling to hold on and approached it.


    ¡°Neigh~!¡± Dao Li snorted, a hint of grievance shing in its eyes. It had been trying hard, but it was, after all, just a horse. Progress couldn¡¯te as quickly for it as for others.


    Understanding its frustration, Zhang Xuan looked down at the Ironscale Winged Beast beneath him and smiled faintly.


    ¡°Lend me a few drops of your essence blood...¡±


    Though the beast didn¡¯t know his intentions, it still nodded. A few drops of its blood floated out from its brow andnded in Zhang Xuan¡¯s palm.


    With a twist of his wrist, the Cold Nether Sword appeared in his hand. He tapped lightly in the air, and a sharp sword aura shot straight toward Dao Li¡¯s heart.Startled, Dao Li¡¯s eyes went wide with fear. While it trusted its master not to harm it, the instinctive terror was unavoidable. Nevertheless, it stood still, enduring the fear.


    <em>Pfft!</em><em></em>


    A sword scar appeared, and Zhang Xuan flicked his finger. The essence blood he had collected earlier flew directly into the wound.


    Dao Li immediately felt an overwhelming surge of power coursing through its heart, so potent that it seemed as if its body might explode. The immense energy spread throughout its body with each heartbeat.


    ¡°Lord Zhang, Ironscale Winged Beasts and Thousand Mile Horses arepletely different species. Injecting essence blood like this might trigger rejection and lead to the horse¡¯s death...¡± Min Jiangtao, watching this unfold, couldn¡¯t help but exim, his voice trembling.


    Even among humans, mismatched blood types caused rejection reactions, let alone two entirely different kinds of source beasts.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Zhang Xuan replied calmly.


    What Min Jiangtao said was true; blood from different source beasts would naturally cause rejection. However, the essence blood had been purified into pure energy by his Heaven¡¯s Path True Energy as it entered his palm. Any harmful properties had been eradicated.


    As expected, once the essence blood entered Dao Li¡¯s heart, its potent energy coursed through its body, elerating its strength. Within a dozen breaths, it had broken through to the Meridian Unclogging Realm and soon after, to the Organs Easing Stage.


    This technique of using bloodlines to enhance the strength of source beasts was something Zhang Xuan had frequently employed back on the Master Teacher Continent. Now, executing it again felt as natural as breathing.


    For him, this was effortless. But to Min Jiangtao, it was a different story entirely.


    This man could not only boost his own strength but also enhance that of source beasts... Such prowess was beyond imagination!


    ¡°Serve him loyally, and not only will your strength grow, but surpassing your teacher might not be out of reach!¡± A thought stirred in Min Jiangtao¡¯s mind.


    As a sessor of the Mo Dao legacy, his talent was average at best. His original n was to quietly cultivate under his teacher and hope to advance as his teacher reached new heights.


    But now... his thoughts began to waver.


    If Zhang Xuan could easily tame the Ironscale Winged Beast and help the Thousand Mile Horse advance, then perhaps... he could also deepen Min Jiangtao¡¯s understanding of the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate?


    If, by chance, he broke through to the third stage, wouldn¡¯t he have the qualifications to rival his teacher?


    Who doesn¡¯t aspire to grow stronger? Resolving himself, Min Jiangtao clenched his teeth and looked over. ¡°Lord Zhang, I have a presumptuous request. Could you guide me on the Mo Dao technique? I feel like my cultivation has encountered some issues...¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Zhang Xuan replied without hesitation. Ever since he had reached the second stage of the Mo Dao, he hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to study it in depth. Now that Min Jiangtao sought his guidance, it was a perfect chance for him to observe and learn.


    ¡°Thank you, my lord!¡±


    Hearing his agreement, Min Jiangtao¡¯s face lit up with excitement. With a flip of his wrist, a massive Mo Dao de appeared in his hand.


    The energy radiating from him was so powerful that even the ckscale Phoenix Eagle below him involuntarily sank dozens of meters under the pressure.


    Knowing the beast was struggling against the force of the de aura, Zhang Xuan gave an order, ¡°Move closer!¡±


    The Ironscale Winged Beast obeyed immediately. Before long, Min Jiangtao stood before Zhang Xuan, while Sun Qiang and Dao Li had boarded the ckscale Phoenix Eagle.


    <em>Whoosh!</em><em></em>


    The Mo Dao swept through the air, stirring the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy around them. The movements carried an extraordinary rhythm, disying immense power.


    Min Jiangtao¡¯s understanding of the Mo Dao far surpassed that of Ling Buyang. Each move exuded a unique charm that even Zhang Xuan, who had reached the second stage of the Mo Dao, found challenging toprehend.


    Every Heaven¡¯s Fate path was intricate and required time and effort to master. Even as the lord of a world, Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t possibly grasp it fully with just a nce.


    Fortunately, he had his golden finger.


    With a single thought, the 150 Destiny Disks sent by Fu Yingying shattered, unleashing a surge of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy into the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path¡¯s Mo Dao Flow.


    The flow pulsed rhythmically like a living entity, growing increasingly robust and expansive.


    As it transformed, Zhang Xuan¡¯s ability toprehend the Mo Dao deepened significantly. Moves that had seemed perplexing moments ago now became clear and easy to master. It was evident that the techniques would be even more powerful when executed by him.


    The Mo Dao Flow in the library shuddered violently, expanding to double its size. Though still far from the level of Tidal Wave Momentum, this qualitative improvement was undeniable.


    ¡°Could this be the third stage of the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate?¡± Zhang Xuan murmured in surprise.


    Had he already achieved the third stage, barely after advancing to the second?


    He turned back to Min Jiangtao, observing his de technique. With his enhanced understanding, the ws and inefficiencies in the movements became ringly apparent, and he could even deduce improved variations to amplify their potency.


    ¡°It really works¡­¡± Zhang Xuan nodded with satisfaction, though he couldn¡¯t help but notice the cost. In mere moments, he had consumed 20 Destiny Disks, equivalent to 200,000 streams of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy.


    Creating the Mo Dao cost 50,000 streams, advancing to the second stage required 100,000 streams, and now the third stage demanded 200,000 streams. The energy expenditure doubled with each breakthrough.


    ¡°Would feeding it 400,000 streams allow it to advance to the fourth stage?¡± He pondered the possibility and decided to test it.


    However, as the overwhelming energy surged toward the Mo Dao Flow, it remained unresponsive.


    ¡°Has it reached its limit?¡± Zhang Xuan frowned.


    The Mo Dao Flow was akin to a river channel. While it could be filled with Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, overloading it beyond its capacity would cause it to burst.


    The Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate, created by its founder Mo Baiye, had its limits set at the third stage. As a copy, the Mo Dao Flow in the library couldn¡¯t exceed its original.


    To go further, the river channel would need to be expanded, either by Mo Baiye or Zhang Xuan himself. Only then could it amodate greater energy, enhancing the Mo Dao¡¯s power.


    That said, every Heaven¡¯s Fate path had its inherent potential. No matter how much effort was invested, the limits were ultimately defined by its essence.


    ¡°Forget it. Since the Mo Dao Flow can¡¯t absorb more, I¡¯ll direct the energy to the Flowing Light Heaven¡¯s Fate instead¡­¡±


    Not wanting to waste energy, Zhang Xuan redirected the remaining 400,000 streams to the Flowing Light Heaven¡¯s Fate. This Heaven¡¯s Fate, acquired from Han Qianye, was a branch of spear techniques and had only reached the first stage after consuming 100,000 streams during its creation.


    As it absorbed 200,000 streams, its form shifted, advancing to the second stage. However, it abruptly stopped, unable to absorb the remaining energy.


    ¡°Flowing Light¡¯s channel is wider, so it shouldn¡¯t have reached its limit. Why can¡¯t it absorb more?¡± Zhang Xuan wondered, his gaze falling on Min Jiangtao¡¯s de technique. Suddenly, realization dawned upon him.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It seemed that advancing a Heaven¡¯s Fate path required more than just sufficient energy. A deeper understanding and mastery of the path itself were necessary.


    Even with the golden finger, forcefully upgrading the technique withoutprehension was impossible.


    ¡°Lord Zhang, I¡¯ve demonstrated everything I¡¯veprehended. May I request your guidance?¡± Min Jiangtao sheathed his de and looked at Zhang Xuan with anticipation.


    Author''s Note


    Hey everyone! The BOTI Trantor Team is excited to share another chapter with you. Show us some love with a 5-star rating on NovelUpdat

 Book 2: Chapter 91: Keep a Hand

    Vol 2 Ch 91: Keep a Hand


    ¡°Of course! The Mo Dao is a type of long de thatbines the power of a sabre with the flexibility of a broadsword. However, its w is evident: it excels at long-range attacks but bes restricted in closebat. Your de technique flows continuously like a stream, and its power is impressive. However, every time you execute it, there¡¯s a deviation at a certain point. This deviation makes it extremely difficult to break through to the third stage no matter how much effort you put in.¡±


    Zhang Xuan exined his observations in detail.


    ¡°Deviation?¡±


    Min Jiangtao was stunned. He executed the Mo Dao technique again, stopping at a particr point. ¡°Here?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Zhang Xuan nodded. ¡°ording to the proper Mo Dao technique progression, after the de slides down, it should continue into a horizontal sh. However, you abruptly retract your strength, which not only scatters the gathered de energy but also disrupts the flow of energy within your body. It¡¯s like throwing a punch and then suddenly switching to a straight jab midway, losing the full force of your blow.¡±


    Min Jiangtao stiffened, disbelief written all over his face. ¡°But that¡¯s what my teacher specifically told me to adjust! He said it would catch opponents off guard¡­¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Zhang Xuan replied, ¡°If catching opponents off guard is the goal, you can connect the technique into seven consecutive variations. Each move extends the strength from the sliding de. Try using the move on me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Min Jiangtao nodded and raised his Mo Dao. Taking a deep breath, he brought the de crashing down toward Zhang Xuan¡¯s head in a dazzling arc.Zhang Xuan merely flicked his wrist, and a Mo Dao appeared in his palm. With a gentle thrust, the iing de energy scattered. Min Jiangtao felt a heaviness in his chest and a stinging pain in his hand as the Mo Dao slipped from his grasp.


    Whoosh!


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s Mo Dao stopped at Min Jiangtao¡¯s throat.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Min Jiangtao¡¯s eyes widened, and his body trembled involuntarily. Thankfully, it was just a sparring match. Otherwise, that single move would have pierced his throat.


    ¡°Now, adjust your technique as I instructed!¡± Zhang Xuan flicked the fallen Mo Dao back to him and demonstrated the move. Unlike Min Jiangtao¡¯s previous execution, Zhang Xuan followed through with a swift horizontal sh instead of retracting his strength.


    Min Jiangtao hesitated briefly but mimicked Zhang Xuan¡¯s method. Instantly, he felt the flow of energy within his body smooth out, bringing an unprecedented sense offort.


    Even without enteringbat, he knew this was the correct way to wield the technique, confirming that his prior method had been wed.


    He practiced the de technique over ten times, each iteration bing smoother. Suddenly, he let out a long roar, and an explosion of energy surged from his body. His strength, which had just reached the Star River Realm third level¡ªSerenity Realm¡ªhad advanced again.


    ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Master Zhang¡­ I¡¯ve benefited greatly! This adjustment not only applies to me but likely to my teacher¡¯s technique as well. With your permission, I¡¯d like to share this insight with him upon my return.¡±


    Afterpleting his practice, Min Jiangtao looked toward Zhang Xuan with a mixture of gratitude and hesitation.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine to share my adjustments with Mo Baiye. However¡­¡± Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m curious¡ªhow profound is his understanding of the Mo Dao?¡±


    Min Jiangtao smiled wryly. ¡°The Heaven¡¯s Fate Mo Dao was created by my teacher himself. Hisprehension has already reached the peak of the third stage, and he¡¯s on the verge of a breakthrough.¡±


    ¡°The peak of the third stage?¡± Zhang Xuan frowned slightly. ¡°If his understanding is so advanced, how could he fail to notice the ws and gaps in the technique? And why would he let you continue practicing this way?¡±


    Min Jiangtao froze.


    Indeed, as the creator of Heaven¡¯s Fate Mo Dao, his teacher¡¯s understanding should be unparalleled. If Zhang Xuan could identify the ws with a single nce, why hadn¡¯t his teacher corrected him?


    ¡°Take some time to think it over¡­¡± Seeing Min Jiangtao deep in thought, Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t press further. He sat cross-legged and began to ponder as well.


    He had only recently advanced to the third stage of the Heaven¡¯s Fate Mo Dao, yet he could easily identify the ws in the technique. Mo Baiye, as the technique¡¯s creator, undoubtedly had the ability to see the same ws. Why would he choose not to correct them?


    ¡°It¡¯s clear now!¡± Min Jiangtao suddenly sighed, his expression filled with disillusionment.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Zhang Xuan nced over.


    Min Jiangtao exined, ¡°The principle of a singr fate dictates that cultivating the same Heaven¡¯s Fate can lead topetition. To avoid being surpassed by their students, teachers intentionally hold back some knowledge. In other words, they don¡¯t impart everything they know. This is likely why my senior brothers and I have all reached the second stage of the Mo Dao but have been unable to break through to the third.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Zhang Xuan frowned.


    A teacher deliberately holding back to prevent their students from surpassing them¡­ This concept was new to him.


    On the Master Teacher Continent, teachers were expected to give their all to nurture their students, never withholding knowledge. The idea of deliberately sabotaging one¡¯s students would have been met with universal condemnation and resulted in eternal disgrace.


    Min Jiangtao nodded. ¡°It¡¯s actually quitemon. I¡¯ve also held back critical techniques when teaching my own students. Singr fate¡­ Teachers don¡¯t want to be surpassed, and I don¡¯t want others to surpass me either.¡±


    ¡°No wonder Kong Shi was so quicklybeled a Chaotic Fate Practitioner and hunted by the entire Destiny Hall¡­¡± Zhang Xuan muttered.


    In a world where everyone held back, someone who selflessly shared everything, even encouraging students to surpass their teachers, would naturally stand out as an anomaly.


    ¡°Master Zhang, I¡¯ll return to my training now¡­¡± Min Jiangtao bowed before retreating, realizing he had spoken too much. Returning to his position, he began to refine the de technique Zhang Xuan had taught him.


    Zhang Xuan ignored him and immersed himself in the study of the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path¡¯s analysis of the Mo Dao Flowing Stream technique. Although it was only a seventh-tier Heaven¡¯s Fate technique, it was of immense help given his current strength. If mastered correctly, even a Star River second-level expert could be cleaved in two with a single strike.<hr>


    <strong>Zouyi City, Mo Dao Hall.</strong>


    Mo Baiye sat cross-legged in quiet cultivation. Suddenly, the old man rose, reaching out into the air. A Mo Dao leaning against the wall flew into his grasp.


    With sharp precision, he executed a series of de techniques. The shes flowed like water.


    Had Min Jiangtao been present, he would have immediately recognized that this was the very technique Zhang Xuan had modified, not the wed version Mo Baiye had taught.


    <em>Buzz!</em>


    As the de technique unfolded, the Mo Dao in his hands began to tremble. Mo Baiye froze, shifting his gaze to a long incense stick in the corner. It had ignited spontaneously, releasing streams of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy that coalesced into the shape of a Mo Dao.


    Much like when Zhang Xuanprehended the second stage, this was a sign of someone advancing¡ªbut this time, it burned three sticks of incense, signifying an even greater power.


    ¡°Someone has reached the third stage? How is that possible?¡±


    Retracting his de, Mo Baiye¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°The Mo Dao is a fiercely masculine weapon. Breaking through to the third stage requires overwhelming yang energy. Neither Mo Hong, Mo Qing, nor Min Jiangtao possesses such energy. How could anyone have achieved it?¡±


    It didn¡¯t make sense to him. To prevent his disciples from surpassing him, he had not only altered their techniques but also weakened their physical constitutions, leaving them with diminished vitality and even¡­ impotence.


    By all ounts, it should have been impossible for anyone to break through to the third stage. Yet, the undeniable truth of the incense left him feeling deeply threatened.


    He observed the incense trail closely.


    ¡°The scent drifts southeast¡­ toward the Hanyuan Dynasty. Could it be Min Jiangtao or Ling Buyang?¡±


    Mo Baiye squinted. He was aware that Mo Qing had been killed and had just received word of Ling Buyang¡¯s death. Could Min Jiangtao have been the one to advance?


    He tried to sense the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy generated by the breakthrough, hoping to absorb some of it, but found the areapletely barren.


    If Min Jiangtao had broken through, as his direct disciple, Mo Baiye should have gained some benefit. The absence of such a connection felt suspicious.


    ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll question him when he returns¡­¡±


    Unable to make sense of the situation, Mo Baiye waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Send for Mo Hong!¡±


    Mo Hong was his eldest disciple, a middle-aged man in his forties with cultivation at the peak of the Star River Realm third level¡ªSerenity Realm. His understanding of the Mo Dao had reached the pinnacle of the second stage, far surpassing Min Jiangtao and Mo Qing.


    ¡°Yes, teacher!¡±


    Mo Hong entered the hall.


    ¡°Min Jiangtao is investigating something and should return today,¡± Mo Baiye said, rising. ¡°When he arrives, I want you to test his strength and report back to me.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Mo Hong nodded.


    ¡°If he reveals his full strength, do not hold back. Otherwise, you might not be his match. If you sense anything suspicious, deal


    with him on the spot!¡±


    Mo Baiye¡¯s voice was calm but carried a chilling intent.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Mo Hong hesitated before bowing. ¡°Understood, teacher! If Second Brother does anything to betray the sect, I will show no mercy.¡±


    As a loyal disciple raised by Mo Baiye, Mo Hong had no qualms about carrying out his master¡¯s orders.


    After arranging this, Mo Baiye let out a deep sigh of relief.<hr>


    ¡°Finally, I¡¯ve mastered it¡­¡±


    Standing atop the Iron-Scaled Winged Beast, Min Jiangtao continued to practice the adjusted Mo Dao technique tirelessly. Atst, he fully grasped the nuances of Zhang Xuan¡¯s teachings.


    Each strike now unleashed de energy with precision. His power had effectively doubled. Coupled with his recent breakthrough, Min Jiangtao had undergone aplete transformation in just a few days in Hanyuan City.


    ¡°It¡¯s clear now that the technique my teacher taught me had issues¡­¡±


    Sighing to himself, he turned his gaze to the distant figure of Zhang Xuan. Without the man¡¯s intervention, he might have spent decades stuck at the second stage, never breaking through to the third.


    ¡°Should I disy this newly learned technique in front of my teacher?¡±


    Min Jiangtao hesitated, contemting his next move.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 92: Red Cherry

    Vol 2 Ch 92 Red Cherry


    On the Iron-Scaled Winged Beast''s back, Zhang Xuan sat cross-legged. As he breathed, the surrounding Source Energy surged through his body. Suddenly, his palm thrust forward, resembling both a spear piercing out and a dragon leaping from the sea. A streak of spear light shot forward, extending dozens of meters in an instant before dissipating into the air.


    ¡°Still no progress¡­¡± Zhang Xuan opened his eyes.


    After teaching Min Jiangtao, he began toprehend the Flowing Light Spear Technique, attempting to elevate it to the third stage. However, it was evident that breaking through was no simple task. Without practical sparring or a sudden inspiration, relying on mere imagination wouldn¡¯t suffice.


    ¡°Master Zhang, we¡¯ve arrived at Zouyi City!¡± Min Jiangtao¡¯s voice echoed, drawing Zhang Xuan¡¯s attention. Looking down, he saw a vast and majestic city stretching endlessly across the horizon.


    ¡°Alright, find a convenient location for purchasing an estate and drop me off. We¡¯ll part ways here.¡± Knowing this city was where Kong Shi had been pursued, and that Zhi Lan Valley, where he hid, wasn¡¯t far, Zhang Xuan let out a sigh of relief and gave a slight smile.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Min Jiangtao nodded.


    Though Zhang Xuan wasn¡¯t his junior brother but instead the man who had killed Ling Buyang, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to take him directly to his teacher. The situation required careful handling; otherwise, if his teacher offended Zhang Xuan, the entire Mo Dao Sect might face destruction.


    Soon, the Iron-Scaled Winged Beast descended in front of a massive trading house.¡°Master Zhang, this is thergest property market in Zouyi City. Whether renting or purchasing, you can find a suitable estate here,¡± Min Jiangtao exined.


    Zhang Xuan nodded and turned to Sun Qiang. ¡°Find a fitting residence quickly.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Sun Qiang promptly entered the trading house. After a short while, he returned with a middle-aged man who appeared to be a merchant.


    ¡°Gentlemen, I have a spacious estate near the Destiny Hall, with an excellent location. However, the price is rather steep¡ªit will cost three billion Source Coins¡­¡± The merchant wore a wide smile, clearly addressing Zhang Xuan as the decision-maker.


    ¡°Master Zhang, I¡¯ll take my leave now¡­¡± With the arrangements made, Min Jiangtao sped his hands in farewell.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Wait. Upon your return, I suspect you might encounter trouble. Let me teach you a knife technique¡ªit maye in handy.¡± Zhang Xuan entrusted the property purchase to Sun Qiang and sought temporary lodging at a small inn with a courtyard. He then gestured for Min Jiangtao to step forward, smiling as he spoke.


    The fact that Mo Baiye had deliberately taught Min Jiangtao a wed spear technique showed he intended to suppress his disciple¡¯s potential. With Zhang Xuan¡¯s guidance, Min Jiangtao had already detected the issue and was advancing rapidly. Such progress wouldn¡¯t go unnoticed, and once discovered, trouble was inevitable.


    This was Zhang Xuan¡¯s carefully cultivated ¡°spokesperson,¡± and he couldn¡¯t afford for him to fall so quickly.


    ¡°Understood!¡± Min Jiangtao nodded, though inwardly he was skeptical. His teacher, though harsh toward others, had raised him for many years with deep affection. Surely, he wouldn¡¯t resort to killing him over discovering ws in the technique?


    However, receiving guidance from a master like Zhang Xuan was an opportunity he couldn¡¯t pass up.


    Without addressing Min Jiangtao¡¯s doubts, Zhang Xuan reached out, and the Mo Dao in Min Jiangtao¡¯s hand flew into his palm. With a light motion, Zhang Xuan raised the de and shed downward.


    In an instant, an overwhelming de energy swept through the air, creating sonic booms as it cut through at incredible speed.


    Although Zhang Xuan hadn¡¯t advanced the Flowing Light Heaven¡¯s Fate to the third stage, his recent insights had deepened his understanding of the Mo Dao Technique.


    Typically, spear techniques like Flowing Light and knife techniques like the Mo Dao were ipatible. However, using the emotional threads of the Pathos of Heaven, he had managed to fuse elements of the two. Thus, this knife technique hade to life.


    ¡°What a powerful knife technique¡­ Does it have a name?¡± Min Jiangtao was awestruck, his face glowing with excitement.


    The move, though unique and distinct from his teacher¡¯s style, struck directly at the essence of the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate. Mastery of it could very well propel him to the third stage!


    The third stage of Heaven¡¯s Fate corresponded to the fourth level of the Star River Realm, a significant leap toward bing a Three-Star Heaven¡¯s Fate Master capable of entering the Middle Star River.


    ¡°Naturally, it has a name. I call it **¡®Red Cherry.¡¯¡± Zhang Xuan smiled serenely.


    Since the move incorporated elements of the Flowing Light Spear Technique, its core spirit remained: <em>The flowing light forsakes men, reddens cherries, and greens ntains.</em>


    ¡°Red Cherry?¡± Min Jiangtao froze, then quickly understood. ¡°A fitting name!¡±


    Clearly, Zhang Xuan must have felt the technique was as impactful as slicing an opponent¡¯s head into cherry-red fragments. A bold and bloody name indeed.


    Unaware of Min Jiangtao¡¯s thoughts, Zhang Xuan lifted the Mo Dao, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll demonstrate it once more. How much you can grasp depends on yourprehension.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Min Jiangtao watched attentively,mitting the move to memory. He then took the knife and practiced it slowly, managing to emte two or three-tenths of its essence.


    ¡°Not bad¡­¡± Zhang Xuanplimented with a faint smile.


    Though inheriting from the same lineage of martial techniques, mastering the basics after only two demonstrations was a testament to Min Jiangtao¡¯s talent.


    ¡°All right, practice at your own pace.¡± Without lingering, Zhang Xuan turned to return to his room but suddenly froze. A torrent of Heaven''s Fate Energy surged toward him, entering the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path and forming new books.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Zhang Xuan looked at Min Jiangtao in surprise.


    He was certain this energy originated from the disciple of Mo Baiye. But why was he benefiting from Min Jiangtao¡¯sprehension?


    ording to the principles of Heaven¡¯s Fate, any advancements by a student would benefit their teacher. This was the mechanism behind the student-teacher bond. Yet, Min Jiangtao was Mo Baiye¡¯s disciple. How could Zhang Xuan, who had only imparted a single move, reap such rewards?


    ¡°Could it be because Mo Baiye¡¯s technique was wed, and my guidance not only corrected it but also introduced a novel concept?¡± A thought dawned on him.


    If this was true, then it was no mere mentorship but a seizure of the grand path itself!


    A quick look into the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path confirmed his spection. The third-stage Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate had thickened, evolving from the early stage to the mid-stage. A stream of energy flowed from the void, consolidating his advancement.


    ¡°This is¡­ Min Jiangtao¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Fate!¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyelid twitched.


    He had sessfully diverted Min Jiangtao¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Fate away from Mo Baiye. From now on, any breakthroughs Min Jiangtao made would yield no benefits to his teacher.


    No wonder the Destiny Hall feared Chaotic Fate Practitioners so deeply. The ability to seize students¡¯ Heaven¡¯s Fate at will was enough to terrify anyone!


    Shaking off his shock, Zhang Xuan masked his emotions and headed back to his room. He needed to determine whether this ability was unique to him or could be replicated by others. Since direct inquiry wasn¡¯t an option, consulting the library archives seemed the best approach.


    Meanwhile, Min Jiangtao, oblivious to the shift in his Heaven¡¯s Fate, focused on perfecting the Red Cherry technique. After over an hour of practice, he finally achieved proficiency and exhaled in relief.


    ¡°Time to head back.¡± Grateful, he bowed deeply toward Zhang Xuan¡¯s room before mounting the Iron-Scaled Winged Beast and speeding toward the Mo Dao Sect.


    Upon arrival, disciples greeted him warmly. As a personal disciple of Mo Baiye, Min Jiangtao held considerable esteem among his peers.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the teacher?¡± he inquired.


    ¡°The teacher¡¯s whereabouts are unknown, but Senior Brother instructed us to send you to him immediately,¡± a disciple replied.


    Nodding, Min Jiangtao proceeded to his senior brother¡¯s residence. Upon entering the courtyard, he was greeted with silence. Knocking on the door yielded no response.


    ¡°Senior Brother, are you here?¡± he called, stepping through the threshold.


    Before he could take another step, an ominous premonition struck. Retreating swiftly, he narrowly avoided a lethal de light shing down where he had just stood.


    Had he hesitated, he might have be the very image of ¡°Red Cherry.¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 93: New Residence

    Vol 2 Ch 93 New Residence


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    Unexpectedly attacked within the Mo Dao Sect headquarters and nearly killed, Min Jiangtao¡¯s face darkened. He raised the Mo Dao in his hand, and a river of de light surged forth, slicing through the air.


    <em>Ding ding ding ding!</em>


    Caught off guard, the attacker fumbled, hurriedly deflecting with four swift moves to block the river of de light. A surprised hum escaped them.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Min Jiangtao froze and peered ahead, spotting a familiar figure.


    ¡°Senior Brother?¡±


    It was precisely the person he had been looking for¡ªSenior Brother Mo Hong. At this moment, Mo Hong stood gripping his Mo Dao, his sharp eyes like those of an eagle, staring intensely, emanating a dangerous aura.¡°It¡¯s been a while since we sparred. Let¡¯s see how much stronger you¡¯ve gotten!¡±


    With a casual statement, Mo Hong swung his de again.


    In an instant, de energy crisscrossed the air, emitting a sharpness that made Min Jiangtao¡¯s skin crawl as if exposed to a freezing wind. His expression turned grave. The attack was clearly not just sparring¡ªit was an all-out strike, seemingly intending to kill him on the spot.


    Realizing a single mistake could result in death, Min Jiangtao dared not waste words. He raised his Mo Dao to counter.


    de light exploded in all directions as the two Mo Dao Sect experts shed with full force. The shockwaves carved deep trenches into the ground and caused the courtyard¡¯s pavilions and corridors to copse.


    ¡°Not bad! Your strength has improved considerably!¡± Mo Hong¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Before this, his junior brother¡¯s strength was only at the peak of the Star River Realm Second Level. Mo Hong could have defeated him in three moves. But in just a few days, Min Jiangtao had broken through to the Third Level of the Serenity Realm, and hisprehension of de techniques had significantly deepened. Even with Mo Hong¡¯s peak Serenity Realm prowess, defeating him wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    ¡°It seems Teacher was right; this guy is indeed strange. Let me test him with my ultimate move!¡±


    Having sparred for years, their familiarity with each other meant standard moves were unlikely to secure victory. Mo Hong¡¯s thoughts shifted, and he swung his Mo Dao in a half-arc, slicing it downward.


    This was his ultimate technique, honed through years of practice. de energy enveloped everything within dozens of meters, so powerful that even fate seemed to be severed.


    ¡°Senior Brother¡­¡± Min Jiangtao¡¯s face turned ashen.


    Sparring between senior and junior brothers was supposed to stop short of deadly force. But this was a full-power strike, focusing all energy into the de. Even a slight misstep could result in his death.


    Knowing he could no longer hold back, Min Jiangtao shifted his stance and unleashed the ¡°Red Cherry Blossom¡± technique he had just learned from Zhang Xuan.


    Two streams of sharp de energy collided head-on.


    <em>Crack!</em>


    The de energy of the ¡°Red Cherry Blossom¡± cleaved through Mo Hong¡¯s ultimate move like a hot knife through butter, slicing it apart in an instant.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Mo Hong, caught off guard by the overwhelming strength of the move, felt a sharp pain in his brow. Before he could react, his junior brother¡¯s de had stopped just short of his forehead. R


    ¡°Senior Brother¡­¡±


    Min Jiangtao, equally stunned, found the oue hard to believe.


    The technique imparted by Lord Zhang Xuan was fast and powerful, but he had only expected it to be on par with his senior brother¡¯s ultimate move. Who could have imagined it would obliterate the attack entirely? It was a decisive, crushing victory.


    This could only mean that their teacher¡¯s ultimate move was utterlyughablepared to the technique from Zhang Xuan!


    Quickly withdrawing his de, Min Jiangtao apologized with embarrassment. ¡°Senior Brother, I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t hold back in time¡­¡±


    Mo Hong touched his brow and felt a trace of moisture. Though his junior brother had retracted his de, its sharp energy had still left a cut.


    Had Min Jiangtao not pulled back, Mo Hong¡¯s head might have been split open.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Mo Hong¡¯s pupils contracted, and his body trembled.


    Despite his peak Star River Third Level strength, he had lost! How had his junior brother improved so much in just a few days? Moreover, that technique wasn¡¯t one their teacher had taught¡ªit waspletely foreign!


    Mo Hong forced a smile. ¡°Injuries are inevitable in sparring. I just didn¡¯t expect you to improve this much.¡±


    Feigning calm, he added, ¡°You must be tired from your journey. Rest for a while. Teacher has some matters to attend to. When he returns, I¡¯ll notify you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Senior Brother!¡±


    Relieved that his senior brother wasn¡¯t angry, Min Jiangtao left.<hr>


    Mo Hong returned to his quarters, but before he could enter, Mo Baiye emerged.


    ¡°Teacher!¡±


    Mo Baiye nodded. ¡°You must have noticed¡ªhis technique wasn¡¯t one I taught.¡±


    The teacher had observed the entire sparring match, noting the frightening power of the technique. Even Mo Baiye himself would have struggled to withstand it.


    Mo Hong nodded solemnly. ¡°Could it be that Junior Brother has learned a different Heaven¡¯s Fate?¡±


    Typically, once a Heaven¡¯s Fate is chosen, it is difficult to switch. However, within the same category¡ªsuch as de techniques¡ªupgrading to a more advanced path was possible.


    Mo Baiye shook his head. ¡°That technique still originates from the Mo Dao Heaven¡¯s Fate, but it¡¯s been significantly enhanced. It must be a modification of one of my own moves. Investigate whom he¡¯s been interacting with recently.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Mo Hong cupped his fists and left to follow the order.<hr>


    Back in his quarters, Min Jiangtao marveled at the terrifying potential of the ¡°Red Cherry Blossom¡± technique.


    Having only mastered 20-30% of its power, he had effortlessly countered his senior brother¡¯s attack. What could he achieve at full mastery? Ovee opponents far beyond his level?


    Meanwhile, in his private space, Zhang Xuan, surrounded by faint streams of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, realized that these benefits came from Min Jiangtao¡¯s practice of his techniques.


    ¡°No wonder those who master powerful Heaven¡¯s Fates cultivate disciples. This kind of passive reward is indeed gratifying,¡± he mused.


    If one disciple¡¯s cultivation provided this much benefit, what about ten? A hundred? A thousand? The gains would be unimaginable.<hr>


    ¡°Master, the estate has been purchased.¡± Sun Qiang arrived the next day, bowing.


    The residence, once a prince¡¯s estate, was vast and well-fortified with defensive formations. Zhang Xuan inspected the property, nodded in satisfaction, and instructed, ¡°Once the estate is settled, investigate how to be a Destiny Master.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Sun Qiang left to fulfill the task.


    After repairing the estate¡¯s formations, Zhang Xuan returned to his room, activated the defenses, and contemted his next move: contacting Kong Shi to locate him within the Zouyi Dynasty.


    Zhang Xuan flipped his wrist, and the Cold Nether Sword appeared in his hand. Activating the <em>Pathos of Heaven Sword Technique</em>, he thrust the de forward.


    <em>Swish!</em>


    Space distorted, and a cloud of mist appeared before him. A voice filled with surprise soon echoed through it.


    ¡°Teacher Zhang? Contacting me now¡­ could it be you¡¯ve reached Zouyi City?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Zhang Xuan replied with a nod.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°That¡¯s excellent news!¡± Kong Shi sounded pleased. ¡°It seems your strength has improved significantly. I¡¯ve discovered a method to refine Zhi Lan Valley, but it¡¯s a task too difficult to aplish alone. Enhance your cultivation as quickly as possible. If you reach the Star River Realm Third Level,e find me.¡±


    ¡°Star River Third Level?¡± Zhang Xuan was startled. ¡°Does the Heaven¡¯s Fate Divine Domain impose a cultivation requirement?¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Kong Shi exined, anticipating his question. ¡°If your strength is insufficient, entering the Heaven¡¯s Fate Divine Domain recklessly would expose you to extreme danger.¡±


    Understanding this, Zhang Xuan nodded. ¡°I see.¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 94: Atlas of the Universe

    Vol 2 Ch 94: As of the Universe


    "Alright!" Zhang Xuan nodded.


    He had now reached the pinnacle of the Dharma Aspect Realm and was just a step away from breaking through. Once he entered the Star River Realm, given his cultivation speed, it shouldn''t take long to advance further.


    "Do I need to prepare anything?" Zhang Xuan asked after a moment of hesitation.


    There was a brief silence from the other side before the voice continued, "At the Destiny Hall, there is an artifact called the Convergence Mirror. If you get the chance, find a way to bring it over¡ªit should help speed up the refinement of Zhi Lan Valley."


    "Understood!" Zhang Xuan nodded andmitted the name to memory.


    "It''s inconvenient for me to maintain contact here for long. Once your cultivation improves,e find me!"


    As the voice of Kong Shi faded, Zhang Xuan retracted his sword energy and exhaled deeply.


    It was no surprise that it was Kong Shi¡ªsomeone who dared to refine the Heaven''s Fate Divine Domain, which others feared like a venomous snake. The most impressive part was that he had already identified the key item to achieve it.Understanding the current situation, Zhang Xuan no longer worried too much. He resumed his cultivation while awaiting news from Sun Qiang. At the same time, he continued refining his Flowing Light Heaven''s Fate, aiming to break through to the Third Stage.


    It wasn¡¯t about attaining overwhelming power but testing the path to advancing Heaven¡¯s Fate.


    In the quiet courtyard, Zhang Xuan gripped the butt of his long spear with one hand, the tip held steady as he stood motionless like a bridge.


    Buzz!


    A fly buzzed past. Seemingly sensing it, Zhang Xuan swiftly retracted the spear and thrust forward in one fluid motion.


    The fly, however, wobbled away unscathed, as if nothing had happened.


    "Failed?" Sun Qiang, who had just arrived, looked curious.


    "Look closely¡­" Zhang Xuan smiled faintly and flicked his spear, bringing it closer.


    Sun Qiang, full of doubt, released his spiritual sense. A nceter, he was stunned. "You clipped one of its legs?!"


    In the split second that his young master attacked, he had struck the fly and severed one of its legs without harming its body.


    Piercing a moving fly midair was already impressive, but severing a single leg without inflicting further injury¡­ This level of control over power was terrifying.


    "It''s still not enough. If I can clip just a leg hair, I should be able to break through¡­" Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    Sun Qiang was in disbelief, but Zhang Xuan understood that he was still short of achieving the Third Stage.


    The Flowing Light Heaven''s Fate was a Level Six Heaven''s Fate, far superior to the Mo Dao technique. Moreover, with Han Qianye''s death, there was no one left to demonstrate it, making further progress exceedingly difficult. £Ò


    Simply channeling Heaven''s Fate Energy was no longer effective. Only breaking through this stage would allow him to continue channeling the Flowing Stream, expanding the River of Destiny¡ªan inherently challenging task.


    "Forget it. Let¡¯s focus on breaking through to the Star River Realm first!"


    Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan prepared to store his spear in the New World. Suddenly, his body trembled as an overwhelming surge of Heaven''s Fate Energy flooded the area, flowing wildly into the Flowing Stream within the Library of Heaven''s Path.


    In mere moments, this Heaven''s Fate doubled in strength, emanating a powerful aura.


    Flowing Light Heaven''s Fate, Third Stage!


    Sometimes, the most unexpected results ur when you stop trying. Zhang Xuan had failed when he intentionally sought sess, yet now, without any defense, he achieved a breakthrough effortlessly.


    "It''s¡­ Zheng Yang! He broke through the Flowing Light Spear Technique to the Second Stage!"


    Zhang Xuan quickly realized the reason.


    This sudden reward likely came from Zheng Yang''s breakthrough, enabling Zhang Xuan to advance rapidly.


    "They must have reached the Wanchang Sect headquarters by now." Zhang Xuan surmised.


    It had been five or six days since parting ways with Ouyang Hai. Even if traveling with others slowed them downpared to solo flight, Zheng Yang and the others should have arrived by now.


    He wondered how they would be trained and what kind of Heaven¡¯s Fate inheritance they might receive.


    As long as they didn¡¯t contact him, it meant there were no issues, and they were safe.<hr>


    Sea of Moments, Wanchang Sect Headquarters


    The grand and towering halls were presided over by three indistinct figures, their appearances blurred and indiscernible. Below them, a stern-faced middle-aged man sat at a lower seat.


    "Elder Ouyang, are these the geniuses you brought back?"


    The man nced at Zhao Ya and the others standing in the hall with a hint of doubt in his eyes. "They don¡¯t look young, yet their cultivation is still so low¡­"


    Upon returning to the Wanchang Sect, Ouyang Hai had reported that he had found a group of geniuses. He hadn¡¯t borated on their capabilities but expressed hope they would receive proper training.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The middle-aged man knew Ouyang Hai¡¯s strength well. As one of the top experts in the Wanchang Sect, anything he deemed significant was unlikely to be trivial. Yet after observing for a while, the man saw nothing remarkable about these three individuals.


    They were all in their twenties, with cultivation no higher than the Source Pool Realm''s Seventh Level - Jade Bone Stage. Even many auxiliary disciples of the Wanchang Sect could achieve that.


    As one of the most powerful factions in the Source World, individuals considered geniuses elsewhere might not even qualify as beginners here.


    "The Sect Master can test their talent!" Ouyang Hai cupped his fists.


    The speaker was none other than Baixiao Sheng, the current Sect Master of the Wanchang Sect.


    Baixiao Sheng, whose name meant ¡°Master of Omniscience,¡± inherited the title associated with those who oversee Heaven¡¯s Fate statistics. Every sect master bore this name, and his original name had long been forgotten.


    "A talent test?"


    Baixiao Sheng nodded and flipped his wrist, causing a jade tablet to hover in the air. As it was about to descend, Ouyang Hai interrupted.


    "Sect Master, I request the Wanchang Diagram!"


    Baixiao Sheng retracted the tablet and frowned. "Elder Ouyang, are you aware of the implications of requesting the Wanchang Diagram?"


    The Wanchang Diagram was the Wanchang Sect¡¯s supreme treasure, vital for cultivating and analyzing Heaven¡¯s Fate. It was crafted by the first-generation Baixiao Sheng by collecting treasures from all over the world.


    Usually housed in the Wanchang Tower and guarded by the three Supreme Elders, it was rarely shown to anyone. Only under extraordinary circumstances would it be brought out, and certainly not for a mere talent test.


    Ouyang Hai nodded solemnly. "I am aware. However, the Ling Tablet cannot urately evaluate their talents. I believe the Wanchang Diagram is necessary!"


    Baixiao Sheng raised an eyebrow. "The Ling Tablet is the most precise talent-evaluating artifact in the Source World, capable of measuring even Imperial-Grade Talent. Are you suggesting their talents might surpass Imperial-Grade?"


    Talent evaluation in the Source World factored in many aspects, including the Source Pool, Furnace, and Heaven¡¯s Fate, making it moreprehensive than individual assessments.


    Simr to furnace grades, talent levels were divided into Low, Middle, High, Supreme, Royal, and Imperial Grades.


    Imperial-Grade Talent was already the pinnacle, enabling one to inherit a Tier Three Heaven¡¯s Fate. Such individuals were exceedingly rare across the Source World, emerging perhaps once in billions of cultivators.


    Surpassing Imperial-Grade was almost unheard of; those who did were considered unparalleled figures, often the ones whoprehended the 24 Tier Two Heaven¡¯s Fates currently in existence.


    The Eight Tier One Heaven¡¯s Fates, on the other hand, were ancient and existed since the Source World¡¯s inception, not subject to evaluation.


    Even the Sect Master, Baixiao Sheng, with his immense power, only possessed talent barely reaching the Imperial Grade. This was typical, as sessors often fell short of their creators.


    For Ouyang Hai to suggest not one but three individuals whose talents couldn¡¯t be assessed by the Ling Tablet was astonishing.


    "Indeed," Ouyang Hai affirmed.


    "Very well."


    Understanding Ouyang Hai¡¯s seriousness, Baixiao Sheng made no further objections. With a wave of his hand, immense energy surged forth, creating a flow of peculiar air currents that extended behind him.


    The three blurry figures grew more distinct, revealing the forms of three elders. These were the Wanchang Sect¡¯s strongest Supreme Elders, tasked with guarding the Wanchang Tower and the Wanchang Diagram.


    "What is the meaning of this disturbance?" asked the elder on the left, his voice calm but powerful.


    "Seniors, Elder Ouyang has brought three individuals he believes to be extraordinary talents and requests the Wanchang Diagram for evaluation," Baixiao Sheng exined, bowing respectfully.


    Even as Sect Master, he dared not show disrespect to these elders.


    "To test talent with the Wanchang Diagram?" The elder on the right frowned. "Are you certain they can withstand its pressure?"


    "I am certain," Baixiao Sheng replied firmly.


    "Very well. We shall summon the


    Wanchang Diagram now. Should these individuals fail to endure its effects, both you and Elder Ouyang will face consequences."


    The middle elder gestured lightly, and a suffocating pressure filled the hall. Momentster, a radiant book-like artifact appeared, exuding a dazzling glow.


    The Wanchang Diagram¡ªthe supreme treasure of the Wanchang Sect.


    "Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, Wang Ying, step forward and try to touch the diagram," Ouyang Hai instructed carefully. He paused before transmitting a message to the trio telepathically.


    "No matter what, expend every effort to touch the Wanchang Diagram. Doing so will cause it to manifest a Heaven¡¯s Fate projection tailored to your physiques and talents. This will greatly aid your future cultivation, reducing many difficulties."


    The Ling Tablet could measure talent but couldn¡¯t deduce Heaven¡¯s Fate. The Wanchang Diagram, however, was unparalleled in this regard, making it a treasure he could not forgo.


    Such intentions, though, couldn¡¯t be shared openly in the hall.


    "Understood!"


    Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, and Wang Ying, fully aware of his good intentions, nodded gratefully.


    "You three, who will go first?" Baixiao Sheng¡¯s gaze fell on them.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 95: The stars are shining brightly, and the Milky Way is flying in the sky

    Vol 2 Ch 95: The stars are shining brightly, and the Milky Way is flying in the sky


    "Let me do it!" Zheng Yang''s eyebrows shot up as he stepped forward. Among the three of them, he was the only man, and regardless of the danger, he had to take the lead.


    "Alright!" Bai Xiaosheng nodded approvingly. Whatever Zheng Yang''s final talent might be, this resolute mindset was something he admired.


    Zheng Yang strode forward. Before he even approached the <em>Myriad Forms Chart</em>, a powerful oppressive force bore down on his mind. In an instant, it felt as though he had entered a unique space.


    Here, countless straight paths intertwined into a web, stretching endlessly into the distance. Each path was identical, without any discernible differences, as if he had fallen into an enormous chip. All around were identical grids of light, making it impossible to find a clear direction.


    The <em>Myriad Forms Chart</em> connects with the myriad forms of the world and calctes all things, involving immenseputation. Ordinary people trapped within could easily lose themselves, falling into endless darkness if they couldn''t find a way out.


    This is why the chart is used to test talent. Sess brings great benefits, but failure can be perilous.


    "If they''re all the same, I''ll just pick a direction and move forward!"


    Zheng Yang didn''t feel lost. Instead, he smiled slightly, flipped his wrist, and a long spear appeared in his hand. Tossing it lightly, the weapon hovered in mid-air, acting like apass, pointing in a specific direction.His teacher had once taught him: in anybyrinth or illusion, as long as you pick a direction and persist without doubt or hesitation, you¡¯ll eventually find the way out.


    Back at Hongtian Academy, when he first met his teacher, Zheng Yang had been disheartened from heartbreak and lost confidence in his spear techniques, unable to unleash their full power.


    Boom!


    With his unshakable confidence, the space of countless roads copsed into nothingness. The next moment, he found himself in a world ofplete darkness. If the previous challenge tested his confidence and sense of direction, this one probed his courage and conviction.


    Outside, in the hall, the three Great Elders watched the youth below as they whispered among themselves.


    "Elder Sun, did you activate the <em>Myriad Forms Chart</em> directly?" The elder on the left frowned.


    "Yes," Elder Sun, seated in the center, stroked his beard. "Ouyang Hai was personally trained by me, and I know his temperament well. Since he rmended these three, they must be extraordinary. I wanted to see their full potential."


    "The <em>Myriad Forms Chart</em>, once activated, creates a world with each step, a universe with each thought. Without unshakable conviction, unparalleled willpower, tremendous mental fortitude, and astonishing courage, it¡¯s impossible to reach the end. Back then, even with my cultivation at the peak of the Star River Realm, I only managed seven steps," the elder on the right nodded.


    "I made it eight," said the first elder.


    Elder Sun smiled faintly. "I barely managed nine steps myself. I won¡¯t ask for much¡ªif thisd can make it six steps, I¡¯ll personally take him as a disciple." ?


    "Let¡¯s see. Even if his talent is high, he¡¯s still too young, and his cultivation is too shallow. Without much tempering, managing three steps would already be impressive!" The elder on the left shook his head.


    As they conversed, Zheng Yang advanced without hesitation, stepping forward decisively.


    "So quickly? He¡¯s already out of the maze of paths?" The elder on the right was stunned. Before he could finish his thought, Zheng Yang had taken another step, unwavering and determined.


    Step two. Step three. Step four.


    In just five breaths, Zheng Yang had crossed five steps!


    "This..."


    The three Great Elders felt their scalps tingle as they stared wide-eyed, looking as though they had seen a ghost.


    This was the <em>Myriad Forms Chart</em>, where each step was a world. Why did it feel like a child¡¯s ything in front of him?


    Normally, taking five steps within half an hour was already the mark of a genius among geniuses. Yet Zheng Yang had done it in five breaths.


    Whoosh!


    Zheng Yang took his sixth step.


    "Elder Sun, are you taking him as a disciple? If not, I will!" The elder on the right was already trembling with excitement.


    If they had previously doubted Ouyang Hai''s im of finding three geniuses, now all such doubts were gone.


    "I..." Elder Sun was about to speak when the youth in question advanced again.


    Step seven. Step eight. Step nine.


    What had been insurmountable obstacles in the eyes of the elders appeared as nothing more than children¡¯s toys to Zheng Yang. By his tenth step, he had reached the <em>Myriad Forms Chart</em> and ced his hand gently upon it.


    "Ten steps? This is a true genius, an absolute prodigy!"


    All three elders stood up at once. If they had been indifferent before, now they were fully energized.


    The strongest among them had only managed nine steps. Yet this young man had achieved ten with ease, implying a future surpassing even theirs.


    Their current strength was nearly at the pinnacle of the Source World. To surpass them would mean reaching a level capable of challenging the greatest powers.


    "Ten steps so effortlessly... How many stars do you think he¡¯ll light up on the chart?"


    "I lit up nine. I think he¡¯ll reach at least ten!"


    Buzz!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Before the discussion could finish, the <em>Myriad Forms Chart</em> released a dazzling radiance. Star after star emerged, outlining a celestial expanse. Among them, a star shaped like a long spear shone the brightest.


    "A sky full of stars, the gxy above... This is the mark of an unparalleled genius. He must have the qualifications toprehend a Second-Stage Fate!"


    "A once-in-a-millennium genius! I must take him as my disciple!"


    "Elder Sun, didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t taking disciples anymore? Leave him to me. The other two are also talented; you can choose one of them, but this one is mine!"


    Looking at the star-filled room, the three Great Elders could no longer maintain theirposure.


    Bai Xiaosheng stood frozen, trembling uncontrobly.


    This talent surpassed even imperial-grade, far exceeding his own abilities. Could such a genius truly exist in this world?


    "I knew he would be extraordinary..." Ouyang Hai let out a sigh of relief.


    Although he had known Zheng Yang could ignite 99 sticks of Destiny Incense, he had no idea about his other talents or how far he could go in the test. His cautious suggestion was merely to encourage him tost longer. He hadn¡¯t anticipated such an explosive performance right from the start.


    It seemed not only would he avoid punishment, but his contributions would earn him immense rewards.


    "Alright, step down now. Who¡¯s next?" Bai Xiaosheng suppressed his excitement and called for the next candidate.


    "Senior Sister, I¡¯ll go!" Zhao Ya was about to step forward when Wang Ying timidly interjected.


    "Fine, you go!" Zhao Ya smiled and nodded.


    "Alright!" Wang Ying nced curiously at Zheng Yang, who had just returned. "Senior Brother, was the test hard?"


    Zheng Yang shook his head. "Not too hard. Just make your way to the chart and press it. The challenges along the way... teacher has prepared us for them."


    "Got it!" Hearing his exnation, Wang Ying grinned and skipped forward.


    Meanwhile, the three Great Elders were already arguing heatedly over who would take Zheng Yang as a disciple.


    "That¡¯s the peak. The other two might be talented, but there¡¯s no way they¡¯ll surpass this one. His talent is unparalleled. If any of you try to take him, I¡¯ll sever ties with you!"


    "Fine, sever ties then! As if I¡¯m afraid... He¡¯s mine. Take the other two if you want; I don¡¯t care, but this one is non-negotiable!"


    "Enough! I was the first to im him. He¡¯s obviously mine. You two can split the others."


    "Why should we?" The other two elders red.


    "Ahem..." Bai Xiaosheng¡¯s voice cut through. "Could you three hold off your argument and watch the other two tests first?"


    Elder Sun shook his head. "No need. Elder Li is right; the boy just now is definitely the peak. No one else could possibly surpass, surpass¡ª"


    His voice faltered as his eyes fell on the hall.


    The girl they thought couldn¡¯t possibly surpass Zheng Yang, Wang Ying, had skipped up to the <em>Myriad Forms Chart</em>. Her ponytail swung as she radiated youthful energy.


    Skipping... She had skipped all ten steps?


    Did the obstacles in this treasured artifact have no effect on her at all?


    Buzz!


    Before they could recover from their shock, Wang Ying ced her hand on the chart. Simrly, a sky full of stars appeared, with one special star shining brilliantly.


    "That¡¯s... Spirit? Could she have mastered the Spirit Fate?"


    The three elders felt their vision darken as they struggled to process this.


    A Spear Fate was indeed powerful, likely reaching the Third Stage. However, advancing to the Second Stage would be incredibly challenging.


    The Spirit Fate, on the other hand, was inherently at the Second Stage. For the Spirit Race, its n leader was a figure on par with the head of the Myriad Forms Sect.


    If this was true, Wang Ying¡¯s talent was even more astounding than Zheng Yang¡¯s.


    "Elder Sun, the boy is yours. This girl is mine. From this moment on, she¡¯s my disciple!"


    The elder on the left smiled broadly.


    "Nonsense! Earlier, you insisted on taking the boy. I conceded, so this girl is mine!" Elder Sun waved dismissively.


    "You two have no shame! W


    eren¡¯t you the ones iming you wouldn¡¯t take her as a disciple? She¡¯s clearly mine!"


    As the three elders argued again, the final participant, Zhao Ya, frowned slightly.


    "It¡¯s just a talent test; why are you all so noisy?"


    Her figure flickered, and in a move that looked like teleportation, she appeared directly before the <em>Myriad Forms Chart</em>.


    "Did she just... run over?" The three elders were utterly stupefied.


    They had always believed their ability to take seven, eight, or nine steps was extraordinary, proof of their unparalleled talent. But now, one had casually walked ten steps, another had skipped her way through, and thest had outright sprinted past the obstacles.


    Before they could recover, Zhao Ya reached out and touched the chart,pleting her test without breaking a sweat.


    "It seems our ¡®ceiling¡¯ was far too low..." Elder Sunmented.


    Just when he thought Zheng Yang was the pinnacle, it turned out that all three were far beyond their imagination. The "ceiling" they spoke of was nothing more than a fragile construct easily shattered by these prodigies.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 96: The tide of destiny is turbulent, and a super genius emerges!

    Vol 2 Ch 96: The tide of destiny is turbulent, and a super genius emerges!


    Very quickly, Zhao Yapleted her test. Among the vast expanse of starlight, a stream of water-like energy spread out.


    Second-Grade Heaven''s Fate, Water of the Five Elements!


    This was a Heaven''s Fate even more powerful than "Spirit."


    "We¡­ don''t seem qualified to be their teachers, do we?" Elder Sun spoke with a bitter smile.


    To be their masters, one must first possesspatible Heaven''s Fate. These three geniuses¡ªone excelling in spear techniques, one in "Spirit," and one in "Water"¡ªwere all beyond what they could offer.


    "Indeed."


    The Supreme Elder on the left also shook his head.


    Moments ago, the elders had been fighting tooth and nail, but now, they had sobered up.It''s not about wanting to ept disciples; the disciples must also be willing, and qualifications were key. It was clear¡ªthey werecking.


    Previously, they had thought Ouyang Hai was exaggerating when he insisted on using the Myriad Phenomena Diagram for the talent assessment. Now, it seemed he hadn''t overstated the importance¡ªif anything, he''d downyed it. They had truly been short-sighted.


    The Supreme Elder on the right added, "With such talent, these three would be wasting their potential practicing ordinary Heaven''s Fate. Even if they followed us, it would be beneath them."


    It was akin to installing a jet engine into apact car. Even if the car could reach F1 speeds someday, it still wouldn''t reach its full potential.


    This was their predicament. Their abilities were adequate to teach, but it was like painting Peppa Pig on a ten-meter-long canvas¡ªaplete waste of resources.


    "I have an idea. I wonder if it might work¡­"


    The room fell silent for a moment before Baixiaosheng spoke. "Our Myriad Phenomena Sect has always kept a low profile. If we were to keep all three of them here, we¡¯d undoubtedly provoke jealousy. Instead, why not do them a favor and send them elsewhere? Consider it sowing goodwill. When they inherit Heaven¡¯s Fate in the future, it could be a tremendous benefit for us."


    "Baixiaosheng makes a good point! We agree."


    Without much hesitation, the three Supreme Elders nodded in unison.


    If these individuals had merely possessed Imperial Grade talent, they would have been weed to strengthen the Myriad Phenomena Sect. But talent surpassing Imperial Grade, with the ability toprehend Second-Grade Heaven''s Fate, was far more terrifying!


    The Source World had only 24 Second-Grade Heaven¡¯s Fates, each backed by powers on par with the Myriad Phenomena Sect. If others learned they monopolized three such geniuses, an alliance of factions would descend upon them. ?


    At that point, the Myriad Phenomena Sect''s neutral status would crumble, possibly leading to its annihtion.


    The 24 Heaven''s Fate forces maintained a delicate bnce. For the Myriad Phenomena Sect, a statistics-focused group, remaining ordinary was safer. Being overly strong would only attract animosity.


    Sending these talents to the appropriate factions would not only gain immense goodwill but also avoid potential disasters.


    "Alright, I¡¯ll take Zheng Yang to the Hall of the King of Arms. The spear is the king of all weapons, and the Hall specializes in training the Heaven¡¯s Fate of spears," said the Supreme Elder on the right.


    "I¡¯ll escort Wang Ying to the Spirit Domain. They cultivate Spirit-rted Heaven¡¯s Fate. From what I¡¯ve heard, the Spirit Emperor¡¯s health has been deteriorating, and they¡¯re seeking a sessor."


    "I¡¯ll take Zhao Ya to the Water Realm. The Water Emperor has also been searching for an heir recently."


    The three Supreme Elders set the course.


    "What a pity to send such talented individuals away¡­"


    Though they knew it was for the best, the thought of losing these geniuses to other factions still caused a pang of regret.


    "How I wish a genius perfectly suited for my Heaven¡¯s Fate would appear. It would be amazing to see my Heaven''s Fate flourish," Elder Sun sighed.


    The Supreme Elder on the left shook his head. "Stop dreaming. Let¡¯s be honest¡ªthis level of genius is a once-in-ten-thousand-years urrence. Having three appear at once is already miraculous. How could there possibly be a fourth?"


    Boom!


    Before he could finish, the ground suddenly shook violently. The three Supreme Elders, Baixiaosheng, and Ouyang Hai all turned toward the source of the tremor.


    They immediately saw the massive stone pirs surrounding the ind rapidly changing color. Within a dozen breaths, they turned a shining tinum color.


    "Another tinum Event¡­"


    Ouyang Hai felt his scalp tingle.


    A few days ago, these three had caused a tinum Event by lighting 99 sticks of Destiny Incense, whichter escted to a Terrestrial Event, leaving him in a state of constant anxiety. Now it was happening again?


    "It''s not tinum; it¡¯s Terrestrial¡­"


    Before Ouyang Hai could finish, the stone stele had shifted from tinum to earthy yellow.


    "This¡­ this¡­"


    Ouyang Hai¡¯s voice trembled, and he could barely speak. "Could it be¡­ another three super-geniuses lighting 99 sticks of Destiny Incense?"


    What else could possibly cause such an event?


    "How could that be? You think super-geniuses are asmon as mushrooms after a rain?" Elder Sun shook his head.


    But before he could finish, the ground shook again. The earthy yellow stele transformed once more¡ªthis time into a sky-blue hue.


    "It¡¯s¡­ a Celestial Event! The greatest event in the Source World! What¡¯s going on?"


    The room fell into a deathly silence.


    Terrestrial Events, though rare, were at least known. Celestial Events, however, were unheard of¡ªnever witnessed, not even in legends. Yet here it was, happening before their eyes.


    Someone tell me, what in the world is going on?


    "This level of event won¡¯t be shown on the stele. Quickly, activate the Myriad Phenomena Diagram!" Baixiaosheng shouted.


    The event was of such a high level that its details couldn¡¯t be casually disyed. Only the Diagram could reveal the truth.


    "Understood!"


    The three Supreme Elders wasted no time. They extended their hands toward the Diagram, theirbined power surging like a tidal wave. Within moments, the Diagram floated silently in the air and slowly opened.


    A line of text emerged, glowing with brilliance:


    "Heaven''s Fate Tide Ripple¡­ A super-genius emerges¡­"


    Sixteen words, radiating an overwhelming sense of pressure.


    "A super-genius?"


    The crowd¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    For the Myriad Phenomena Diagram to use this title, the individual''s talent must be unfathomable.


    Even the three geniuses together had only caused a Terrestrial Event. But this super-genius alone had triggered a Celestial Event¡­


    Could their talent be even greater?


    Elder Sun couldn¡¯t hold back his curiosity. Hemunicated with the Diagram''s spirit, "Is this super-genius truly more talented than those three?"


    Though sentient, the Diagram didn¡¯t respond. Whether it didn¡¯t know or simply didn¡¯t care, the silence was maddening.


    "You''re asking the wrong question, Elder Sun! Let me try," Baixiaosheng stepped forward. "What grade are those three geniuses considered?"


    If they were alsobeled "super-geniuses," then the talents wereparable. If not, the neer was undoubtedly more fearsome.


    Buzz!


    The Diagram glowed briefly before revealing two words:


    Geniuses.


    It confirmed that Zhao Ya and the others were "geniuses" but not "super-geniuses."


    "So, the neer is even more extraordinary¡­"


    Everyone clenched their fists, their awe palpable.


    "What about me? What grade am I?" Baixiaosheng asked after a pause, unable to resist his curiosity.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    If Zhao Ya and the others were "geniuses," where did he stand? After all, his Imperial Grade talent was considered exceptional¡ªone in a billion. Surely, he wouldn¡¯t be rated poorly?


    Buzz!


    The Diagram vibrated before two words appeared:


    Trash.


    "???"


    Baixiaosheng froze, nearly choking. "What did you just say?"


    He was the proud inheritor of Heaven¡¯s Fate statistics and the leader of the Myriad Phenomena Sect. Trash?


    Buzz!


    As if thinking he didn¡¯t understand, the Diagram disyed more words in rapid session:


    Waste! Good-for-nothing! Useless! Dunce!


    "Enough! Enough! I get it, okay?"


    Baixiaosheng¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears.


    D*mn it, was this really necessary? I¡¯m supposed to be your disciple!


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 97: Yan Thirty-three

    Vol 2 Ch 97: Yan Thirty-three


    An Hour Ago


    Zouyi Royal City, Zhang Residence


    At this moment, Zhang Xuan was entirely unaware of the events transpiring at the Sea of Moments. Seatedfortably, he looked at Sun Qiang standing before him.


    ¡°Young Master, I¡¯ve found out that there¡¯s a recruitment event for Destiny Masters happening today. All it takes is a fee of 30 million Source Coins to participate in the assessment and try to discover one¡¯s corresponding destiny,¡± Sun Qiang ryed the information he had just gathered.


    ¡°Pay the fee. Let everyone try their luck,¡± Zhang Xuan instructed.


    Zhao Ya and the others would undoubtedly receive top-tier training after joining the Wanchang Sect. As their teacher, Zhang Xuan felt it necessary to keep up. Additionally, the other disciples also deserved an opportunity to hone themselves.


    ¡°Understood!¡± Sun Qiang nodded.


    For this venture into the Source World, Zhang Xuan had brought along Luo Ruoxi, Luo Qiqi, Little Chick, and all his direct disciples¡ªa total of eleven people: Zhao Ya, Wang Ying, Liu Yang, Zheng Yang, Yuan Tao, Lu Chong, Wei Ruyan, Zhang Jiuxiao, Kong Shiyao, Shan Xiaotian, and Bai Ruanqing.With three of them already engaged elsewhere, along with Yu Xiaoyu, Liu Ming, Hong Yi, and Sun Qiang, there were now 15 participants requiring assessment.


    ¡°Sign me up as well. I want to give it a shot,¡± Zhang Xuan added with a smile.


    Thirty million Source Coins wasn¡¯t a significant expense for him. It was also an excellent chance to familiarize himself with the Destiny Master assessment process.


    ¡°Neigh~ Neigh~¡±


    Just as Sun Qiang was about to leave, Dao Li, who had been dutifully serving tea and water, approached. cing its two front hooves on Zhang Xuan¡¯s shoulders, it massaged him in an obsequious manner.


    ¡°You want to give it a try too?¡± Zhang Xuan asked curiously.


    Dao Li nodded enthusiastically, itsrge eyes brimming with eagerness.


    ¡°Alright, pay for it too,¡± Zhang Xuan instructed.


    Sun Qiang nodded and left to make the arrangements.


    Thirty million Source Coins was an astronomical expense for most factions, but here was the Young Master enrolling not just people but even a chicken and a horse. Wherever he went, he caused a stir.


    Nevertheless, they were already here. Not participating would surely lead to regrets.


    Preparations were quickly made, and the group set off grandly toward the Destiny Hall.


    ¡°Young Master, is that your new pet? It doesn¡¯t seem that impressive¡ªugly and unremarkable. Its appearance doesn¡¯t evene close to a fraction of mine¡­¡± ?


    Perched on Zhang Xuan¡¯s shoulder, Little Chick pped its wings and chattered incessantly as it stared at Dao Li in the distance.


    Upon entering the Source World, the oppressive Source Energy had forced it back into its original form, leaving it stuck in this diminutive shape.


    ¡°Why do you sound so jealous?¡± Luo Ruoxi teased with a smile.


    ¡°Jealous? Women get jealous. I¡¯m the illustrious Deathless Monarch. How could I possibly feel jealous? Isn¡¯t that right, Young Master?¡± Little Chick said with a fawning tone.


    ¡°Yes, my Brother Kun is the most righteous of all!¡± Zhang Xuan replied with a faint smile.


    ¡°Hehe!¡±


    Little Chick nodded repeatedly, its curiosity piqued. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯ve been calling me ¡®Brother Kun¡¯tely. What does it mean?¡±


    Zhang Xuan rolled his eyes. ¡°The heavens are in constant motion, and a gentleman strives for self-improvement. The earth is vast, and a gentleman carries himself with great virtue. Calling you ¡®Brother Kun¡¯ signifies that your character is as steadfast and dependable as the earth itself.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡±


    Though something felt off, Little Chick nodded excitedly. ncing sideways at Dao Li, it felt a surge of pride. <em>You¡¯re just a horse. How could you possiblypare to me?</em>


    This thought had barely taken root when Dao Li trotted over, rubbed its enormous head against Zhang Xuan, and stood still. With a light jump, Zhang Xuannded on its back.


    Dao Li strode forward confidently, shaking its body and causing Little Chick to tumble to the ground in an undignified heap.


    ¡°Neigh~ Neigh~¡±


    Snorting gleefully, Dao Li swaggered ahead.


    Little Chick could faintly make out its taunting message: <em>Aren¡¯t you arrogant? But I can be ridden¡­</em>


    Finally understanding, Little Chick wanted to retort that it could be ridden too. But as the words reached the tip of its beak, it hesitated. After all, while the Young Master might be able to ride a chicken, doing so would look utterly ridiculous.


    The Zhang Residence wasn¡¯t far from the Destiny Hall. In no time, they reached a towering building. After paying the Source Coins, Sun Qiang returned with arge stack of tokens, distributing one to each participant. For Dao Li and Little Chick, the tokens were hung around their necks.


    Following the bustling crowd, they entered the spacious hall, where a cacophony of conversations filled the air.


    ¡°I heard that the prodigy from Cloud Valley City, Yan Thirty-Three, is here for the assessment today!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the same. This Yan Thirty-Three is the most gifted genius of the Zouyi Dynasty in the past 30 years. At just 17 years old, he has already reached the peak of the Dharma Aspect Realm and ranks third on the Star River Potential Rankings.¡±


    ¡°That third ce is only because he hasn¡¯t challenged the first and second yet. Rumor has it that Fei Ling and Su Yunzhe, ranked first and second, have been avoiding him. Otherwise, their rankings wouldn¡¯t hold.¡±


    ¡°True. He¡¯s already so formidable without even bing a Destiny Master. If he sessfully discovers his destiny, he might break through on the spot!¡±


    ¡°Highly likely!¡±


    The murmurs of the crowd were unending.


    ¡°Seventeen years old, at the peak of the Dharma Aspect Realm, and ranked third on the Star River Potential Rankings?¡±


    Overhearing this, Zhang Xuan silently nodded.


    Having been in the Source World for a while, he understood that withoutprehending one¡¯s destiny, progress was slow. For someone to reach the Dharma Aspect Realm¡¯s peak at such a young age was a testament to Yan Thirty-Three¡¯s exceptional talent.


    While Zhang Xuan marveled inwardly, Sun Qiang had already struck up a conversation with others nearby.


    ¡°Brothers, is Yan Thirty-Three named because he has 32 other siblings?¡±


    ¡°That I don¡¯t know. What¡¯s clear is that he hails from the Yan Family of Cloud Valley City! Cloud Valley is the secondrgest city in the Zouyi Dynasty, after the imperial capital. The Yan Family is considered the top family there. It¡¯s not surprising if they¡¯rerge in number.¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t know the full story then! I¡¯m from Cloud Valley City and can exin why he¡¯s called Yan Thirty-Three,¡± a young man interjected with a grin.


    ¡°Yan Thirty-Three¡¯s original name was Yan Song. Eight years ago, during a familypetition, he ranked thirty-third. Feeling humiliated, he changed his name to remember the disgrace. Since then, he¡¯s taken first ce in everypetition.¡±


    ¡°So, he was only nine years old eight years ago?¡± Zhang Xuan asked curiously.


    The young man continued, ¡°Exactly! At that time, he had yet toprehend his destiny. His goal has always been to prove that he could achieve greatness without relying on destiny. Otherwise, given the Yan Family¡¯s influence, how could he have not be a Destiny Master by now?¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded in realization. Comprehending destiny indeed elerated cultivation, but there was no evidence to suggest that dying it led to greater achievements. His earlier confusion about Yan Thirty-Three¡¯s circumstances was now cleared up.


    As they conversed, the crowd suddenly erupted in excitement. A voice called out.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Yan Thirty-Three has arrived!¡±


    Zhang Xuan turned quickly and saw a young man stride into the hall.


    d in blue, he stood tall with sharp features, a high-bridged nose, and an air of defiance. His mere presence exerted a palpable pressure,pelling those around him to make way.


    In terms of bearing, he was undoubtedly impressive.


    Most participants in the assessment were neers who had just reached the eighth level of the Source Pool Realm, the Divine Soul stage. Yan Thirty-Three¡¯s cultivation stood out starkly among them.


    Stopping in the center of the hall, Yan Thirty-Three surveyed the room before speaking in a calm butmanding tone:


    ¡°Fei Ling, Su Yunzhe, I issued a challenge letter yesterday. I¡¯m here to duel you both today. Are you present?¡±


    ¡°A challenge letter?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s challenging the first and second-ranked geniuses on the Star River Potential Rankings simultaneously?¡±


    ¡°I get it now! Yan Thirty-Three must anticipate that finding his destiny will cause him to break through to the Star River Realm. At that point, he¡¯d no longer qualify for the rankings. He¡¯s seizing thisst opportunity to challenge for the top spot!¡±


    As his words sank in, the crowd gradually understood and became abuzz with excitement.


    The Star River Potential Rankings were the most prestigious list for young talents in the city, and Yan Thirty-Three, already ranked third, was clearly aiming for the top


    before his breakthrough.


    ¡°The question is, will the other two ept the challenge?¡±


    Realizing what was at stake, the onlookers scanned the hall eagerly. Witnessing such a battle between prodigies would be a rare treat.


    ¡°I doubt they¡¯lle. If they can just avoid him for today, Yan Thirty-Three¡¯s breakthrough would disqualify him from the rankings,¡± someone spected.


    Before thement could settle, a loud voice rang out.


    ¡°Yan Thirty-Three, I acknowledge your strength, but challenging both of us at once, in front of this crowd, isn¡¯t that a bit overconfident?¡±


    A burly youth emerged. It was Fei Ling, ranked first on the Star River Potential Rankings.


    ¡°Ambition is admirable, but excessive arrogance leads to ruin. Perhaps you¡¯re a prodigy in Cloud Valley City, but here in Zouyi City, your ceiling might not even reach the rafters,¡± a refined youth holding a folding fan added. This was Su Yunzhe, the second-ranked talent.


    Su Yunzhe¡¯s poprity clearly exceeded Fei Ling¡¯s, as his arrival elicited excited cheers from many young women in the crowd.


    He deserved the attention. With outstanding talent, impressive strength, and a striking appearance, his charisma was undeniable.


    ¡°Brother Su, you¡¯re here too?¡± Fei Ling greeted with a faint smile. ¡°Since you¡¯ve arrived, I won¡¯t need to act today.¡±


    Su Yunzhe waved his fan lightly. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you, Brother Fei. I¡¯ll just observe from the sidelines.¡±


    Fei Ling countered, ¡°Brother Su, I¡¯ve sparred with you before. Your Luohe Palm, with its seamless continuity, is perfect for dealing with this overly arrogant youth. You could dispatch him with ease.¡±


    Su Yunzhe frowned. ¡°Brother Fei, your Constetion Seal is equally remarkable. A single step locks down the surroundings, leaving no room for evasion. I think it¡¯s better if you teach him a lesson.¡±


    ¡°Enough. Both of you cane at me together,¡± Yan Thirty-Three interjected with a slight frown. ¡°I don¡¯t have all day.¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 98: Kong Shiyaos Help

    Vol 2 ch 98: Kong Shiyao''s Help


    "So arrogant!"


    The crowd collectively gasped when they heard Yan San-shisan dere he would challenge both the first and second-ranked on the Star River Potential List simultaneously.


    "In a hurry? A hurry to die?"


    Su Yunzhe''s earlier smile vanished, reced by a cold, grim expression. "Since you don''t know your ce, let me show you that your so-called talent is worthless before me!"


    Fei Ling, equally displeased, strode forward with heavy steps.


    Seeing his intent to act, the crowd quickly parted, leaving arge open space in the hall. Zhang Xuan and his group were pushed to the back amidst themotion.


    "What''s with all the talk? Hurry up and get on with it! The Destiny Assessment will begin soon..." Yan San-shisan shook his head and stepped forward. Without any superfluous moves, he extended his right hand. His five fingers immediately covered a five-meter radius like crackling bolts of lightning.


    Fei Ling, initially dismissive, could no longer afford to underestimate him. His expression tightened as he stepped forward with his signature move, the "Kui Xing Seal." The technique resembled an exquisite seal pressing down, symbolizing a bright and prosperous future.Yan San-shisan''s expression didn''t change. His fingers flicked lightly, sending streaks of lightning-like energy shing toward the Kui Xing Seal. At the same time, he stepped forward and struck down with his other hand in a seemingly crude but overwhelming motion, as if tearing the very fabric of the heavens and earth.


    "You..."


    Under the immense pressure of this move, Fei Ling''s expression shifted. He dared not meet it head-on and hastily retreated. But no matter how fast he was, Yan San-shisan was faster. The energy radiating from his fingertipsshed like a whip.


    <em>Rip!</em>


    Fei Ling''s robe was torn open, and with a muffled groan, he staggered back seven or eight steps, clearly at a disadvantage from just one strike.


    "So this is the number one on the Star River Potential List? Not much of a challenge!" Yan San-shisan sneered. After forcing Fei Ling back with a single move, he turned to Su Yunzhe. "I told you toe at me together. Alone, neither of you can win!"


    "Since you wish to die, I¡¯ll oblige!"


    Recognizing the opponent''s unusual strength, Su Yunzhe growled coldly and stepped forward. Before he arrived, his folding fan had already darted forward, targeting several of Yan San-shisan''s vital points. Beneath its obvious trajectoryy a hidden technique¡ªa feint designed to exploit the opponent''sck of awareness and ensure a decisive advantage.


    Yan San-shisan, seemingly unaware of the trap, bellowed loudly. Behind him, a Dharma Aspect materialized, its shadow merging with his body. Heunched a punch devoid of technique but filled with raw, overwhelming power¡ª999 horsepower.


    The st of energy surged forward like a tidal wave. Su Yunzhe, ready to execute his feint, found his technique utterly nullified in the face of such crushing might. It was like a surfer attempting to ride graceful waves only to be overwhelmed by a category 16 hurricane''s tsunami. There was simply no contest.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The air erupted with a resounding bang as Su Yunzhe groaned, staggering back over ten steps. Like Fei Ling, he couldn¡¯t withstand even one strike.


    With just two moves, Yan San-shisan defeated the top two on the Star River Potential List. Standing calmly, his breath steady, he left the crowd speechless. Everyone had anticipated his strength but never imagined it would be so overwhelming.


    "Impressive indeed..."


    Watching from the back, Zhang Xuan nodded subtly. "This guy is nearly as strong as I was before grasping the Pathos of Heaven''s Fate."


    "Together!"


    Seeing that all eyes were fixed on this outsider, Fei Ling and Su Yunzhe exchanged a nce and stepped forward simultaneously, their pride taking a backseat to survival.


    "The first and second-ranked teaming up to take on the third? Shameless!"


    Kong Shiyao snorted coldly, her voice brimming with disdain.


    "Enough, it¡¯s none of our business. Stay out of it!" Zhang Xuan frowned.


    "Understood!"


    Though Kong Shiyao fell silent, her words had already reverberated throughout the hall, turning the crowd¡¯s gaze on Fei Ling and Su Yunzhe with disapproval.


    The Star River Potential List was revered for showcasing young talent and courage. For the top two to gang up on the third simply to secure victory was disgraceful.


    Fei Ling''s face flushed red, then white. Unable to bear the shame, he cupped his hands and bowed. "Yan, your strength is formidable. I admit defeat and ept my loss wholeheartedly."


    With that, he turned and left in embarrassment.


    "I..."


    Su Yunzhe was stunned by Fei Ling¡¯s abrupt departure. Reflecting on Yan San-shisan''s technique, he realized he, too, had no countermeasure and sighed deeply. "I am no match for you either."


    He left as well.


    What had been a vtile confrontation dissipated into nothingness thanks to a single remark from Kong Shiyao. All eyes turned toward her.


    "Thank you!" Yan San-shisan also looked at Kong Shiyao and cupped his hands in gratitude.


    "It¡¯s nothing. I just don¡¯t like shamelessness."


    Kong Shiyao smiled faintly. As a descendant of Kong Shi, she had been raised with extraordinary talent and a strong sense of justice, and such behavior was the antithesis of her principles.


    "Fair enough..." Yan San-shisan nodded. His gaze shifted to Zhang Xuan and the others, and he shook his head slightly. "Everyone here is hoping to pass the assessment. Typically, younger candidates have a better chance of sess. Yet, the youngest among you looks over twenty. Your talent isn¡¯t bad, butpared to mine, it¡¯s a world apart."


    After a moment''s thought, he turned to Kong Shiyao. "You helped me out today. I¡¯d feel uneasy if I didn¡¯t repay you. During the Heaven''s Fate Energy Tideter, stay behind me. I¡¯ll help you find a suitable fate as repayment."


    "No need. I¡¯ll stay with my teacher; he¡¯ll protect us," Kong Shiyao replied with a shake of her head.


    "Teacher?"


    Yan San-shisan looked at the group, puzzled, unable to identify someone who fit the role.


    "I¡¯m her teacher," Zhang Xuan said with a smile.


    "You?"


    Yan San-shisan studied the calm young man before him. Though Zhang Xuan¡¯s cultivation was unclear, hisposure and demeanor hinted at hidden depths. Yan nodded withoutment.


    At that moment, an elder strode into the hall, his voice loud and clear. "The Destiny Assessment begins now. Groups of ten will enter to endure the Heaven''s Fate Energy Tide and receive the baptism. Everyone has their own destiny. Grasp the one most suited to you for sess. Outside the Tide Chamber, the stone tablet will disy the results. If your name lights up in red, it means you¡¯ve seeded. Otherwise, it won¡¯t appear. The mental pressure during the energy tide is immense. Persist if you can, but leave immediately if you can¡¯t to avoid long-term damage."


    "Yes!"


    The crowd responded in unison.


    Zhang Xuan, having studied this process in advance, had briefed his group, who all nodded in understanding.


    "Let¡¯s begin. First group, step forward as I call your names: You Menghua, Lu Jiaxi, Deng Xiangyu..."


    Ten people moved into the chamber, ranging in age from under twenty to their early thirties. After a brief period, the stone tablet outside emitted a red glow, revealing a single name¡ªDeng Xiangyu!


    When the group exited, all ten appeared pale and drained. Only one had seeded.


    "One sess out of ten?" Zhang Xuan was mildly surprised. He had known bing a Destiny Master was challenging but hadn¡¯t expected the odds to be so low.


    Three more groups followed, and only two more seeded, making it three out of forty¡ªless than ten percent. These were elites chosen from the best, yet sess remained elusive.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Next group: Yan San-shisan, He Mingsheng..."


    The elder read off names until his tone turned perplexed. "Huang Sisi? Zhang Dao Li? Kong Shiyao...?"


    The names were peculiar, especially "Huang Sisi" and "Dao Li," which sounded like a joke.


    His confusion deepened when a small yellow chick strode out from the crowd, its wings crossed and chest puffed indignantly. A token dangled from its neck.


    "You¡¯re... Huang Sisi?"


    The elder rubbed his eyes, astonished. Just as he was about to speak, a horse in the corner neighed and revealed a simr token around its neck.


    "You¡¯re here for the assessment too?"


    The elder was utterly dumbfounded.


    The elder¡¯s shock was evident as he nced between the small yellow chick and the horse.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 99: The River of Destiny

    Vol 2 Ch 99: The River of Destiny


    Not only was he stunned, but the surrounding crowd quickly realized what was happening. After a brief silence, the room erupted into raucousughter.


    "Bringing a chicken and a horse to the assessment? What kind of joke is this?"


    "Do they think these two could seed in Seeking Destiny and be Destiny Masters?"


    "Who came up with this brilliant idea? This is a story I¡¯ll beughing about for three years!"


    "I¡¯ve got you beat¡ªI¡¯ll beughing for ten years!"


    The entire room burst into chatter andughter.


    Hearing the ridicule, the elder''s expression darkened. He swept his gaze around the room. "Who brought them here?"


    "Reporting to the senior, they are my pets¡­" Zhang Xuan stepped forward."Pets? These ordinary animals qualify as pets?" The elderughed in exasperation.


    People keep pets that are either flying Source Beasts for long-distance travel or ferocious ones forbat support. But you¡ª a chicken and a horse? What is this¡ªgetting hungry and preparing dinner in advance?


    "Senior, are you saying they can¡¯t take the test?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "Doesn¡¯t the Destiny Hall ept anyone who pays the fee?"


    "Of course, but letting them take the test is just throwing money away¡­" The elder shook his head.


    The elder, Zhu Xun, was in charge of assessments at the Destiny Hall of the Zouyi Dynasty. He was well aware that some wealthy individuals had strange entricities. But paying for these two to take the test? That wasn¡¯t an entricity; it was insanity.


    Three million Source Coins¡ªa significant sum for any family.


    "As long as it¡¯s allowed, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll trouble you to let them proceed." Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, uninterested in further exnations.


    Regarding the Little Chick, Zhang Xuan had confidence in its sess. As for Dao Li, he was less certain. After all, Dao Li was just a horse he picked up randomly from the Source World, unlike the Little Chick, who had apanied him in countless battles across the universe.


    "Alright¡­"


    Seeing Zhang Xuan''s insistence, Elder Zhu hesitated but eventually nodded. He couldn¡¯t care less whether it was a human or a horse taking the test¡ªafter all, they were still getting paid.


    Just as he was about to arrange for everyone to enter, Yan Thirty-Three, who had been silent until now, suddenly frowned. "I object!"


    "You?" Elder Zhu looked puzzled, as did Zhang Xuan.


    Why does my spending money concern you?


    "I am a renowned genius of the Zouyi Dynasty, ranked first on the Star River Potential List. I didn¡¯t mind being tested alongside others, but being grouped with a chicken and a horse is an outright insult!" Yan Thirty-Three sped his hands behind his back.


    His pride was evident, as even experts like Fei Ling and Su Yunzhe had joined forces to deal with him earlier. Now, asking him to take the Destiny Master assessment alongside non-Source Beasts was humiliating.


    "You¡¯re overthinking it. These two are not only Teacher''s beasts but also his friends. If they¡¯re here for the assessment, it¡¯s to be Destiny Masters, not to insult anyone! Besides¡­"


    Kong Shiyao frowned and exined, "Aren¡¯t I taking the test alongside you too?"


    "This¡­" Yan Thirty-Three hesitated. "Fine, I¡¯ll take the test this time, but consider your earlier favor repaid."


    "That¡¯s fine," Kong Shiyao agreed. It wasn¡¯t a significant favor to begin with, so if he felt repaid, so be it.


    Though still disgruntled, Yan Thirty-Three waved his hand and turned to Elder Zhu. "I have no further issues now."


    Elder Zhu sighed in relief and gestured with his hand. The stone door of the room slowly opened. "Go in. Onest thing¡ªif you can¡¯t withstand the pressure, leave immediately. Otherwise, it could cause fatal damage to your soul."


    The group nodded and entered one by one. Dao Li and the Little Chick nced back at Zhang Xuan.


    "Take your time to explore and find something suitable for yourselves. If you don¡¯t find anything, don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll help youter. This is just for the assessment." Zhang Xuan advised.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Understood!" Kong Shiyao, the Little Chick, and Dao Li all nodded in unison and strode inside.


    "As if animals like these can even understand¡­"


    "Testing a chicken and a horse¡ªthis guy¡¯s lost it."


    "Just wait and see how humiliated he gets!"


    "Humiliated? Watch me spit in his faceter!"


    Watching Zhang Xuan seriously instruct the two animals, the room erupted inughter again. Even Elder Zhu couldn¡¯t help but shake his head.


    He had seen extravagance before, but this was an unparalleled disy of wastefulness. That six million Source Coins were as good as flushed away.<hr>


    As soon as Kong Shiyao, the Little Chick, and the others entered, a rumbling noise echoed, and the stone door closed behind them. They found themselves in a massive room over thirty meters in diameter. Eight stone pirs stood ahead, covered in inscriptions that emanated an overwhelming aura even from a distance.


    "Things will get intense soon. Your teacher isn¡¯t here¡ªare you sure you won¡¯t need my help?" Yan Thirty-Three turned to Kong Shiyao, his expression earnest. "Your favor is still valid with me¡­"


    "No need." Kong Shiyao declined once more.


    Seeking Destiny was a personal journey. She didn¡¯t want assistance from anyone.


    Yan Thirty-Three said no more and stood quietly, waiting. Before long, waves of Heaven''s Fate Energy surged down, and everyone felt a momentary daze as if they had plunged into a vast river.


    The river was boundless. Upstream, there was no source; downstream, no end. The shores on either side were invisible. It was as though they had left the room and fallen into an endless, rushing torrent.


    There was no sound other than the roaring current.


    "This is the River of Destiny? No, it must be a simtion created by the Destiny Hall at great expense. The real River of Destiny requires power beyond the Star River Realm to summon¡­" Kong Shiyao recalled her teacher¡¯s teachings.


    The true River of Destiny existed in an unknown space, inessible to most cultivators.


    Rxing and letting herself sink, Kong Shiyao noticed she could still breathe underwater and sighed in relief. It wasn¡¯t the real river.


    The true River of Destiny left no room for choice. In it, one was entirely at the mercy of fate¡ª"All is predestined; nothing can be forced." Only those with extraordinary talent could swim even slightly, using the opportunity to seek their destined fate.


    Taking a deep breath, she surveyed her surroundings.


    Within the river, koi fish asionally swam by like fleeting shooting stars. They came in gold, silver, and gray hues, each distinct in quantity and brightness.


    "These must be opportunities. The golden ones are the most valuable, silver the second, and gray the weakest. If I can catch one, I¡¯ll find my destiny!" Kong Shiyao¡¯s eyes lit up.


    The River of Destiny often presented opportunities¡ªsome monumental, some minor. Grasping a significant one could transform one¡¯s life entirely, while even a small one could ensure temporary sess and security.


    In other words, catching any of these koi could grant someone their destiny and lead to unparalleled sess.


    Just as she was about to reach for one, she heard sshing nearby. A figure floundered toward her.


    It was none other than Yan Thirty-Three.


    Despite being able to swim, he appeared clumsy and awkward, a far cry from the elegance he had disyed earlier when facing two powerful opponents.


    "Follow me, and I¡¯ll help you catch an opportunity!" Yan Thirty-Three, sweating profusely and slightly trembling, spoke with determination.


    "You¡¯ll help me?" Kong Shiyao was taken aback.


    She had only offered him a word of support earlier¡ªwas this level of enthusiasm really necessary?


    "I can withstand some of the Heaven''s Fate Energy. Stay close, and it¡¯ll be easier for you. You might even catch a gray or silver opportunity!" Yan Thirty-Three exined.


    Kong Shiyao was unimpressed. "Why can¡¯t I catch a golden one?"


    Yan Thirty-Three shook his head. "Opportunities differ in strength. Grasping a golden one triggers an intense Heaven''s Fate Energy bacsh. Even I couldn¡¯t endure it, let alone you! Forcing it would bring disaster, not fortune."


    "That serious?" Kong Shiyao frowned. Her teacher hadn¡¯t mentioned this¡ªperhaps he didn¡¯t know.


    But it made sense. Throughout history, not everyone could im the highest opportunities. Why did Liu Bang rise as an emperor amidst the chaos of the Qin Dynasty while the legendary warrior Xiang Yu fell?


    Talent was crucial. Xiang Yu simply wasn¡¯t destined to rule.


    "It¡¯s true!" Yan Thirty-Three nodded solemnly. "That¡¯s why opportunities are rare and not everyone can seize them. Take that chicken and horse of your teacher¡¯s, for instance. They aren¡¯t even Source Beasts. Even if opportunities appear before them, how could they possibly grasp them? It¡¯s just a waste of money¡­"


    <em>Cough, cough!</em>


    Kong Shiyao awkwardly patted his shoulder. "Uh¡­ Thirty-Three, maybe you should look behind you?"


    "Look behind? At what? This ismon sense I can¡­" Yan Thirty-Three sneered


    , only to freeze mid-sentence.


    The Little Chick, the very creature he had mocked, was swimming leisurely in the River of Destiny. With effortless movements, it darted here and there. Suddenly, it pecked at the water, and a golden koi fish appeared in its beak, promptly devoured with a loud crunch.


    "¡­What?"


    Yan Thirty-Three was utterly dumbfounded.


    After struggling to swim half a meter, a mere chicken¡ªbarely qualifying as a Source Beast¡ªwas not only swimming freely but had casually caught a golden opportunity.


    Someone, please tell me¡ªwhat on earth is happening here?


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 100: Yan Sanshisans Shock

    Vol 2 Ch 100: Yan Sanshisan''s Shock<hr>


    "I... I didn''t see that wrong, did I?"


    After a long while, Yan Thirty-Three finally snapped out of it and let out a long breath.


    "Of course not, Uncle Little Chick just caught a golden fortune..." Kong Shiyao nodded.


    "You¡¯re calling a chicken ''uncle''?" Yan Thirty-Three was full of confusion.


    "Of course!" Kong Shiyao nodded again.


    Although the chicken currently looked like an ordinary "kun" bird, she was well aware of its true identity.


    The Deathless Monarch of the Firmament, their teacher¡¯s spirit pet, deserved nothing less than respect."Its luck is incredible! It managed to catch a golden fortune without being bacshed by Heaven''s Fate Energy... The destiny it canprehend in the future will definitely be extraordinary!"


    Feeling emotional, Yan Thirty-Three was about to make his own attempt when he noticed Little Chick chomping a few times, as if finding the golden koi fish it had caught unappetizing.


    "Ptui!"


    It spat it out on the spot.


    "???"


    Yan Thirty-Three''s vision went ck. "That was a golden fortune! Most people are lucky to get one chance in a lifetime to grab it, and it spat it out?! How stupid can it be..."


    The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He almost exploded on the spot. As a young and passionate man, nothing irritated him more than seeing such waste.


    Whoosh!


    Before he could finish venting, Little Chick once again dipped its head into the river and pulled out another golden koi fish.


    "..."


    The number of question marks over Yan Thirty-Three''s head multiplied.


    It just spat one out, and now it grabbed another? Since when were golden fortunes this easy to catch?


    "Could it be that the ones in Zouyi City are easier to grab?"


    After his initial shock, a new thought crossed his mind. Locking onto a golden koi, Yan Thirty-Three lunged forward.


    Ssh, ssh, ssh!


    The golden koi jumped up andshed its tail across his face seven or eight times before diving back into the river.


    "???"


    His face swollen, Yan Thirty-Three felt dizzy.


    Apparently, it wasn¡¯t easy to catch after all! Could it be that the fish he picked was just tougher?


    High-level fortunes did have varying degrees of difficulty. Earning a billion and earning a trillion¡ªclearly, thetter was much harder toe by.


    While still confused, he saw Little Chick once again find the golden koi unappetizing and spit it out. Then, as if nothing had happened, it dipped its head back into the water and mped onto the very koi that had just pped Yan Thirty-Three.


    "..."


    Yan Thirty-Three¡¯s face turned entirely red.


    At this moment, he finally understood¡ªit wasn¡¯t that the fish were easy to catch; it was that the chicken was just too strong!


    Howughable that he had been looking down on it this whole time. Turns out, he wasn¡¯t even on par with a chicken!


    "Thank goodness I still have a horse to keep mepany in this humiliation..."


    He heaved a sigh of relief.


    While being inferior to a chicken was humiliating, at least he wasn¡¯t at the very bottom, he thought as he nced toward the majestic steed. Then, he froze on the spot.


    The steed, which he had also looked down upon, was leisurely swimming in the river. With its hooves wing at the water, it had pinned down arge golden koi, which iled in vain, unable to escape.


    "..."


    Yan Thirty-Three rubbed his eyes vigorously, confirming that he hadn¡¯t seen it wrong. His mouth twitched, and he felt the urge to cry.


    This was just absurd. Not only was he inferior to a chicken, but now even a horse was better than him...


    "What¡¯s with them? What¡¯s going on?" He couldn¡¯t help but ask Kong Shiyao.


    "I¡¯m not sure; maybe they¡¯re just lucky!" Kong Shiyao shrugged. "Anyway, since there¡¯s a time limit, I won¡¯t waste any more time. You carry on..."


    With that, Kong Shiyao leapt into the water. A momentter, her hand emerged, holding a golden koi.


    "I..."


    Yan Thirty-Three¡¯s eyelids twitched as he watched the girl swim away. He fell into a deep self-doubt.


    So, in the end... the joke was on him?


    The ones he had been looking down on, thinking they weren¡¯t capable, were all leagues above him.


    It was just too much to bear!


    This thought didn¡¯tst long. He quickly snapped out of it.


    Among the ten people who entered, three were disciples of Zhang Xuan¡ªKong Shiyao, Shan Xiaotian, and Bai Ruanqing.


    These three, along with a chicken and a horse, could easily grab golden koi. Turning his gaze to the remaining four people...


    Blub, blub, blub~~


    Blub, blub, blub~~


    They seemed more like they were drowning. Struggling in ce, gulping down water. Forget catching koi, it wasn¡¯t even certain they could stay afloat.


    "Could it be... there¡¯s something special about Zhang Xuan? Otherwise, how are all his associates, even animals, so formidable?"


    A thought crossed his mind.


    "Whatever, I better focus on catching one myself..."


    Realizing there was a time limit for the Destiny Master assessment, he knew that if he hesitated any longer, the River of Destiny¡¯s current would grow too fierce to withstand.


    iling desperately, Yan Thirty-Three lunged for a silver koi.


    Whoosh!


    The koi jumped up, smacking him across the face a few times before diving back into the water.


    "Cough, cough, cough!"


    Blushing with embarrassment, he downgraded his target to a gray koi.


    The gray koi struggled briefly before he caught it. Just as he heaved a sigh of relief, its thick tail twisted around and delivered another p to his face...


    Yan Thirty-Three felt utterly defeated.


    Why did all the koi he caught want to p him, while Kong Shiyao, Shan Xiaotian, and the others were able to grab theirs with ease?


    It was so unfair!


    "Here..."


    Amidst his frustration, a soft voice spoke up. Turning his head, he saw Kong Shiyao handing him a golden koi.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "For me?" Yan Thirty-Three couldn¡¯t believe it.


    "Of course. You¡¯re struggling to catch one, so I¡¯m giving you one..." Kong Shiyao smiled.


    Having been reminded by him multiple times, she naturally wanted to return the favor.


    "What about you? Won¡¯t you need it?" Yan Thirty-Three, knowing how important such an opportunity was, couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    "Me? I¡¯ll just catch another one!" With that, Kong Shiyao dove back into the water. Momentster, she surfaced holding an evenrger golden koi.


    Yan Thirty-Three: "..."


    Fine! No more words. The more he said, the more embarrassing it became...


    Inside the room, while everyone was busy grabbing golden koi, the crowd outside was equally anxious, chattering non-stop.


    "Do you think anyone will seed this time?"


    "Of course! Yan Thirty-Three is ranked first on the Star River Potential List. It''s obvious he''ll pass first."


    "Exactly. With his talent, not only will he seed, I bet he¡¯ll make the stele shine with dazzling red light."


    "I think so too. As for the others, it¡¯s hard to say. Especially that chicken and horse¡ªthey¡¯re clearly just here forughs."


    The mocking voices grew louder as everyone turned to Zhang Xuan, treating him as the fool of the day.


    Even Elder Zhu Xun couldn¡¯t help but sigh. "Being in the same assessment as Yan Thirty-Three¡ªthese people really aren¡¯t lucky."


    "Elder Zhu, what do you mean?" A young man who knew the elder asked curiously.


    Elder Zhu exined, "The Heaven''s Fate Energy Tide contains opportunities. Once caught, these allow one to find their destiny and be a Destiny Master. This much ismon knowledge. But what most people don¡¯t know is that those with higher talent possess a stronger attraction to these opportunities! In other words, the same fortune will naturally gravitate toward someone with higher talent. With Yan Thirty-Three¡¯s outstanding aptitude, others in the same group will find it much harder to seed."


    "Think of this assessment as fishing. The higher your talent, the more enticing your bait is. All the fish will naturally swarm to you. If one area is crowded, other areas will be sparse. People who could¡¯ve caught lesser fortunes might walk away empty-handed this time."


    "Ah, I see now..." Zhang Xuan nodded thoughtfully.


    It seemed thatter, when he and his disciples entered, he would need to be cautious. Otherwise, if he ended up attracting all the opportunities, his disciples might struggle to find any, making it impossible for them to be Destiny Masters.


    As he was contemting, the crowd grew noisier. Enough time had passed since the participants entered the stone gate; the results should being out any moment.


    Buzz!


    With a low hum, the stele suddenly emitted a brilliant red glow, and a name appeared on its surface.


    "Yan Thirty-Three! As expected..."


    The name that appeared wasn¡¯t surprising¡ªit was Yan Thirty-Three, the one who had just dominated two powerful opponents.


    The red glow signified that he had captured a significant fortune and found a destiny that suited him perfectly.


    As expected of a genius¡ªhe was indeed remarkable!


    "Excellent, excellent. This kid has limitless potential..." Elder Zhu Xun nodded in satisfaction.


    "And what about that horse you sent in? And the chicken?" someone in the crowd jeered.


    "Why bother asking? No one expected those useless creatures to seed. If no names show up, that¡¯s perfectly normal. Elder Zhu, you can open the gate now. Even if we wait longer, those others won¡¯t find any fortunes."


    "Mm!" Elder Zhu nodded.


    Fortunes were either yours to im, or they weren¡¯t. Waiting longer wouldn¡¯t change anything.


    Just as Elder Zhu was about to push the stone door open, the stele lit up again, and three more names appeared in session.


    Kong Shiyao, Shan Xiaotian, Bai Ruanqing!


    "This..."


    Elder Zhu was stunned.


    Weren¡¯t others supposed to struggle when a super-genius like Yan Thirty-Three was around? How could not one, but three more people seed?


    He wasn¡¯t the only one in shock; the rest of the crowd was dumbfounded as well.


    "It seems... these three are all Zhang Xuan¡¯s disciples!"


    "That¡¯s right!"


    "All three of his disciples became Destiny Masters? Their luck is unbelievable!"


    "Maybe they just got lucky, but surely those two animals don¡¯t stand a chance..."


    Buzz!


    Before the ridicule could fully fade, the stele glowed red once more, and two more names emerged.


    Huang Sisi! Zhang Daoli!


    "What the..."


    "Huang Sisi... isn¡¯t that the chicken?"


    "And Zhang Daoli, isn¡¯t that the horse? They actually passed? And with red light, too? What¡¯s going on here?"


    The crowd wentpletely wild.


    Those who had been mocking Zhang Xuan earlier now felt their faces burn, as if they¡¯d been pped.


    The chicken and horse they¡¯d dismissed had also found their destinies and be Destiny Masters...


    Meanwhile, all they could do was sit here running their mouths!


    "What¡¯s... what¡¯s going on?" Elder Zhu asked shakily, turning to Zhang Xuan. He had assumed the young man would be ecstatic, but instead, he saw a frown of displeasure.


    "Taking this long to find their destinies... What on earth are they doing?" Zhang Xuan muttered, clearly dissatisfied.


    Elder Zhu: "..."


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 101: Zhang Xuan Assessment

    Vol 2 Ch 101: Zhang Xuan Assessment


    No wonder Zhang Xuan was displeased.


    He had assessed Yan San-shisan¡¯s talent before¡ªit wasn¡¯t particrly outstanding. Compared to Kong Shiyao, Shan Xiaotian, and the others, it was significantlycking, even slightly inferior to Dao Li. Under such circumstances, how could this guy have ended up in first ce?


    "Maybe, like me, he prefers to keep a low profile..." After a moment of surprise, Zhang Xuan had an epiphany.


    Although he hadn¡¯t explicitly asked his disciples to keep a low profile, his influence likely encouraged them to emte his demeanor. It seemed Yan San-shisan deliberately slowed down his pace to avoid unnecessary trouble. This was for the best. Zhang Xuan¡¯s purpose in bringing everyone for the assessment was to help them be Destiny Masters, not to draw undue attention. A subdued approach aligned perfectly with his intentions.


    Creak!


    The stone doors opened, and the group exited one by one.


    ¡°Congrattions, Thirty-three¡­¡±


    ¡°This is surely the top talent in Zouyi City! Incredible!¡±As Yan San-shisan emerged, the crowd gathered around him withpliments.


    Under normal circumstances, hearing such praise would have made Yan San-shisan proud and eager to ept it. But now, remembering what had just transpired, his face flushed red with embarrassment, and he wished he could find a hole to crawl into.


    Yet, recalling Kong Shiyao¡¯s words, he forced himself to endure.


    Kong Shiyao had gifted him a golden koi for one purpose: to ensure he found his Destiny first, overshadowing everyone else. Otherwise, with his senior and junior disciples sessfully advancing alongside even a horse and a chicken bing Destiny Masters, attracting attention would have been inevitable!


    "Alright!" Elder Zhu Xun, despite his curiosity about what had transpired inside, held back his questions. ¡°Next group: Zhang Xuan, Luo Ruoxi, Luo Qiqi, Liu Yang, Yuan Tao, Lu Chong, Wei Ruyan, Zhang Jiuxiao, Sun Qiang, and Yu Xiaoyu¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll let themplete their assessment, and then I¡¯ll ask,¡± he muttered to himself.


    ¡°Elder Zhu, Hong Yi and Liu Mingyue are also my students. Could you include them in our group? It¡¯ll save some hassle,¡± Zhang Xuan requested.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. But the more people there are, the more vtile the River of Destiny bes. You must all exercise caution¡­¡± After a moment of hesitation, Elder Zhu agreed.


    The chamber could easily amodate twenty or thirty people at a time, though the standard limit was ten to increase the chances for each participant. Arger group reduced the likelihood of seizing opportunities.


    Since Zhang Xuan was unconcerned, it wasn¡¯t an issue to include them.


    ¡°Thank you, Elder.¡± Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and led the group inside.


    Creak!


    The stone door shut with a rumble.


    Zhang Xuan curiously surveyed his surroundings.


    While he had read about the Destiny Assessment process, this was his first time experiencing it personally.


    After a short wait, the runes on the stone pirs began to wriggle. In an instant, a torrent infused with Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy manifested before them, and everyone felt as though they had plunged into surging waters.


    ¡°So, this is the River of Destiny? It doesn¡¯t seem entirely pure¡­¡± Zhang Xuan assessed his surroundings and nodded to himself.


    The river wasn¡¯tposed solely of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy; much Source Energy was mixed in. This wasn¡¯t a true River of Destiny but a simtion, likely formed by diverting a branch through special methods.


    It was akin to channeling a small stream from the Yangtze River. While it could mimic the Yangtze¡¯s flow in a narrower passage, itcked the depth and substance of the original. Even so, it was possible to find opportunities and resonate with one''s Destiny here. However, it could neverpare to the authentic River of Destiny''s grandeur.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s impressive to form such arge flow. The Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy in this river must amount to seventy or eighty million strands!¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s excitement grew.


    The most Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy he had ever seen was from Han Qianchou¡¯s two thousand Destiny Disks, totaling just twenty million strands. To encounter seventy or eighty million strands now was remarkable. If absorbed, it would be a substantial reserve.


    But this wasn¡¯t the time to absorb energy; he had to wait until everyone had found their opportunities.


    He himself hadprehended the Heaven¡¯s Pathos Destiny, and opportunities weren¡¯t crucial for him. However, his disciples, including Sun Qiang and the others, needed them.


    With that, he didn¡¯t rush to catch the koi but instead observed his surroundings.


    Luo Ruoxi, Luo Qiqi, Liu Yang, Yuan Tao, and the others had exceptional talent. They would likely have no trouble catching koi and didn¡¯t require his assistance. His attention soon turned to Liu Mingyue, Yu Xiaoyu, and Hong Yi.


    These three were disciples he had casually epted after arriving in this world. While they had sessfully established their Source Pools and ignited their furnaces, their talents weren¡¯t outstanding. Their only advantage was their solid foundation due to simplified Heaven¡¯s Path cultivation techniques.


    Their weaker talent became apparent as they struggled to catch koi, unlike Luo Ruoxi and the others, who managed effortlessly.


    Zhang Xuan stepped forward to assist them.


    ¡°Teacher¡­¡± Yu Xiaoyu and the others looked to him for guidance.


    ¡°Let me help you!¡± Zhang Xuan reached into the stream.


    Moments ago, the koi had been aimlessly swimming. But as soon as he made his move, every koi in the river rushed toward him, leaping into the air eagerly as if begging to be caught.


    ¡°???¡±


    Zhang Xuan was taken aback.


    He had never encountered anything like this.


    Yu Xiaoyu and the others were equally stunned.


    They already knew their teacher¡¯s talent was extraordinary, far beyond theirs. But seeing this made the disparity even clearer. Others had to struggle to catch a fish, while he simply needed to think about it, and the fish willingly leaped into his hands!


    ¡°Alright, three will do for now!¡± Zhang Xuan, shaking his head at the koi¡¯s eagerness, extended his hand.


    Plop! Plop! Plop!


    Three golden koi jumped into his palm, their mouths opening and closing excitedly.


    ¡°Here, one for each of you¡­¡± Zhang Xuan handed them to Yu Xiaoyu and the others, relieved. ¡°Absorb these opportunities, then resonate with the river. Once you feel the pull of Destiny, channel the power into yourself to form your Heaven¡¯s Fate andprehend the Heart of Destiny.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Teacher!¡± The group closed their eyes and began to resonate with the river.


    Seeing them immersed in their practice, Zhang Xuan turned his attention back to the koi still circling him. A thought struck him.


    ¡°Absorbing one opportunity allows forprehending one Destiny. Since I canprehend multiple Destinies, could I absorb more?¡±


    Acting on the idea, he extended his hand again.


    Plop! Plop! Plop!


    One golden koi after another collided with his body. Upon contact, they transformed into golden streams of energy and entered his body.


    ¡°Store!¡±


    Following his intent, the koi were absorbed into the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path, transforming into silver books floating within.


    ¡°As I thought¡­ it works!¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes lit up.


    He continued to collect koi. Within a dozen breaths, thousands of silver books had gathered in the library. At this point, the golden koi in the river were depleted, leaving only silver and gray ones swimming sluggishly.


    ¡°Forget it. These are too weak to bother with¡­¡± Zhang Xuan shook his head and shifted his attention to the flowing Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy.


    ¡°If I secretly absorb some, no one will notice¡­¡±


    Seventy or eighty million strands of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy were a considerable reserve, likely the core foundation of Zouyi¡¯s Destiny Hall. Completely depleting it would cause trouble, but taking a portion shouldn¡¯t be an issue as long as the river remained intact.


    After ensuring the others had found suitable opportunities, Zhang Xuan activated his will, beginning to absorb the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy.


    Boom!


    The raging river surged into his body and mind, flowing toward his Heaven¡¯s Pathos Destiny.


    This Destiny required a massive amount of energy. Lacking a chance like this, he had been cautious about replenishing it. Now, he wasn¡¯t going to let the opportunity slip away.


    Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!


    With ample energy, the Heaven¡¯s Pathos Destiny let out a joyful hum, growingrger and sturdier.


    In mere moments, one million strands of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy were absorbed.


    Two million! Three million! Eight million!


    In just over ten breaths, he had absorbed ten million strands, yet the Destiny only grew slightlyrger, far from reaching a breakthrough.


    ¡°The consumption is this high?¡± Zhang Xuan was astonished.


    Forming this Destiny had already consumed twenty million strands, which he had thought was extreme. Yet even after absorbing another ten million, it showed only minor changes, with no signs of advancing to the Second Stage!


    This was rming!


    At this rate, where would he find enough Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy?


    Despite his frustration, Zhang Xuan understood this was an unparalleled opportunity. Without hesitation, he resumed absorbing energy.


    Rumble!


    His rapid absorption caused the entire river to tilt, pouring into his body like a reversed gxy.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Those resonating with the river snapped out of their focus and stared in shock. The sight of a gxy-like torrent descending upon Zhang Xuan left them speechless.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Luo Ruoxi and Luo Qiqi, ustomed to his unfathomable feats, remainedposed. However, Yu


    Xiaoyu and the others, unfamiliar with such disys, were dumbfounded.


    They had always known their teacher was powerful, but this¡­ was beyond their imagination.


    ¡°Those who haven¡¯t connected with their Destinies, hurry! You¡¯ll lose your chance soon¡­¡± Luo Ruoxi, quick to recover, urged them.


    She knew her husband well. Once he started absorbing energy, stopping him was nearly impossible. It was only a matter of time before he drained the testing chamber entirely.


    ¡°Yes!¡± The group scrambled to focus on their resonance.


    Inside the chamber, it resembled a battlefield, while outside, Elder Zhu Xun and the others grew increasingly anxious.


    It had been over fifteen minutes since they entered, and no one had resonated with their Destiny. Could it be that¡­ they all failed?


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 102: The Palace of Destiny Explodes

    Vol 2 Ch 102 The Pce of Destiny Explodes


    "Surely they all failed, or else it wouldn¡¯t have taken this long without anyone seeding!"


    "Just earlier, Yan Sanshisan and the others managed to do it in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Yet now, no names have appeared, and there¡¯s no movement. I bet none of them became a Destiny Master..."


    "We¡¯re even worse than a chicken, and he¡¯s no better himself. That¡¯s just hrious..."


    The crowd erupted into various discussions, with some puzzled and others mocking.


    That Zhang Xuan used a chicken and a horse to humiliate everyone. Now that there¡¯s a chance for him to mess up, of course, they wouldn¡¯t let it slide.


    When someone suffers embarrassment in one ce, they¡¯ll often try to recover their dignity, even if only in their imagination.


    "Impossible! Teacher will definitely seed!"


    Kong Shiyao shook her head, her gaze firm.If even she had managed to seed without much difficulty, how could someone with Teacher¡¯s talent possibly fail? That would be a joke!


    "Yan Sanshisan, what do you think?"


    Elder Zhu Xun couldn¡¯t help but ask the young man standing not far away.


    At his question, the surrounding crowd immediately stopped their discussions, eager to hear the opinion of this prodigious talent.


    "I..."


    After a moment of hesitation, Yan Sanshisan nodded. "I believe Master Zhang and his students will all sessfully find their Fate and be true Destiny Masters..."


    While others might not have seen Kong Shiyao and the others grasping their opportunities, he had witnessed it firsthand.


    What had taken him a grueling effort to aplish seemed as effortless to them as pulling a bird out of one¡¯s sleeve.


    If even the students could do this, the teacher had to be even more remarkable!


    "If they¡¯re sure to seed, then why hasn¡¯t anyone seeded so far?"


    "Exactly! Whileprehending Fate varies in timing and isn¡¯t always better the earlier it happens, with over ten people, at least one of them should have seeded by now!"


    "Elder Zhu, do you think it¡¯s because so many of them entered this time? Maybe they¡¯re affecting each other, slowing things down?"


    "That¡¯s possible..."


    Elder Zhu was startled. Such a scenario wasn¡¯t out of the question. After all, having more than ten people enter at once was unprecedented in all these years.


    Pondering this for a while without reaching a conclusion, Elder Zhu set aside the spection, turning his curiosity back to the young man nearby. "By the way, Yan Sanshisan, earlier... what exactly happened? How did so many of you seed simultaneously?"


    The crowd¡¯s attention shifted to him again, equally intrigued by this question.


    "There are no shortcuts in the Destiny Master assessment. For so many of us to seed at the same time, it¡¯s simply because everyone had extraordinary talent..."


    Mindful of Kong Shiyao¡¯s instructions, Yan Sanshisan didn¡¯t dare divulge too much.


    "You say all of you are highly talented. While I find it hard to believe, I can ept it. But then you¡¯re iming that chicken is talented too? Do you take us for fools?"


    A young man jeered sarcastically.


    "Exactly! Chickens like that¡ªwe eat hundreds of them a year. If it truly had talent, why would it resign itself to being ughtered?"


    Another chimed in.


    "It..."


    Yan Sanshisan¡¯s expression twisted into one of utter helplessness.


    If that chicken wasn¡¯t talented, then what did that make him? Less than trash?


    Just as he struggled to find a way to exin, a surge of powerful energy suddenly radiated from not far away.


    The previously ridiculed Little Chick began exuding an overwhelmingly powerful aura, and the illusory form of a mighty rooster appeared behind it.


    "This... is it in the Dharma Aspect Realm? It¡¯s a Dharma Aspect chicken?!"


    The room fell into dead silence.


    For a chicken that looked so ordinary, reaching even the first level of the Source Pool Realm would be impressive enough. But as it turned out, it was at the peak of the eighth level of the Source Pool Realm, and uponprehending Fate, it directly broke through!


    Looking around, it became evident that more than half of those present couldn¡¯t match the chicken¡¯s cultivation level.


    "No wonder it was brought to participate in the assessment. A Dharma Aspect chicken isn¡¯t just a chicken; it¡¯s a Source Beast! Anyone would have made the same choice."


    "True, we admit we can¡¯tpare to a chicken. But we¡¯ve raised horses for years, and that one¡ªdespite decent qualities¡ªis still just an ordinary horse. It can¡¯t cultivate. So how could itprehend Fate?"


    Someone raised another doubt.


    As the crowd¡¯s questioning persisted, Dao Li suddenly let out a long neigh, lifting its forelegs as an illusory form appeared behind it. Unlike its actual body, this form had wings sprouting from its ribs.


    "This... is that the Dharma Aspect of a Pegasus?"


    Elder Zhu Xun¡¯s pupils shrank.


    "Pegasus?" The crowd looked on in confusion.


    Elder Zhu¡¯s expression turned grave. "Yes. The Pegasus is a renowned divine beast known for its speed, traversing space freely and unmatched across the heavens and earth. Unfortunately, such creatures are exceedingly rare, and there might not even be one across the entire continent. If Dao Li has condensed the Dharma Aspect of a Pegasus, could it mean it possesses... Pegasus bloodline?"


    "Pegasus bloodline?"


    The crowd¡¯s eyes lit up with fervor.


    Amon Source Beast was already enough to stir excitement. A Pegasus¡ªa mythical existence¡ªeven with the faintest trace of its bloodline, would be utterly captivating.


    "Neigh~~" Dao Li snorted disdainfully at their spections.


    "Pegasus, my hooves! I only have these wings because I refined the blood of an Iron-Scaled Winged Beast, enabling me to achieve the Dharma Aspect Realm. Pegasus? Never even heard of it!"


    "Looks like we underestimated them..."


    Having witnessed the extraordinary qualities of Little Chick and Dao Li, the crowd finally realized their earlier mockery was misced. They were now utterly convinced.


    No wonder Zhang Xuan was willing to spend 30 million Source Coins to help them take the assessment and search for Fate. With such talent and potential, anyone would have done the same.


    "If their pets and disciples are so amazing, why hasn¡¯t anyone seeded yet?"


    After a brief silence, someone raised another question.


    Just then, the stone tablet before them suddenly radiated a brilliant red light.


    "Someone seeded..."


    Eyes narrowing, the crowd turned to look, only to feel their vision darken as if staring at the sun itself.


    "My eyes..."


    Everyone clutched their eyes, groaning in difort.


    Meanwhile, Elder Zhu Xun¡¯s body trembled, his pupils shrinking as his face disyed utter disbelief. "Blinding Light... Could this mean... someone hasprehended a Tier 3 Fate or even beyond?"


    As an elder overseeing the Destiny Master assessments, Zhu Xun was well aware of what the stone tablet¡¯s glow signified.


    Ordinary red light meant a golden koi destiny with a respectable level of Fateprehension.


    Blinding Light, however, was legendary, requiring Tier 3 Fate or higher to manifest. Could someone among the recent entrants possess such talent?


    Throughout the Source World, only 99 paths of Tier 3 Fate existed, each tied to an immense force. Anyone whoprehended one could gain the chance to be a disciple of such forces, instantly elevating their status.


    Tier 2 Fate was even rarer, with only 24 paths in existence. To be a core disciple of one of these meant unparalleled opportunities, far surpassing anything the Zouyi Dynasty¡¯s Destiny Hall could offer.


    Excitement surged within him as his fists clenched tightly. Narrowing his eyes, he forced himself to endure the blinding light, eager to see who possessed such a fate.


    Before he could discern the answer, the stone tablet¡¯s glow intensified further, shing erratically as if provoked, illuminating the hall like a nightclub. Even Zhu Xun struggled to keep his eyes open.


    Rumbling noises erupted as the ground trembled violently. A massive energy fluctuation rippled through the hall, and Zhu Xun could feel the tablet¡¯s heat rising as it glowed red-hot, like a branding iron.


    "Something¡¯s gone wrong! Everyone, leave the hall immediately!"


    Sensing the stone tablet¡¯s increasing instability and the worsening tremors, Zhu Xun knew something unforeseen had urred. He couldn¡¯t risk the lives of so many, especially the future prospects of the Destiny Hall.


    "Got it!"


    At hismand, the crowd abandoned their attempt to view the tablet, fleeing in a panic. After all, there was nothing to see amid the dazzling light anyway.


    "Teacher..."


    Kong Shiyao, Shan Xiaotian, and the others, however, looked on anxiously, preparing to rush into the room. Before they could get far, Zhu Xun stopped them midair.


    "Leave immediately! If you go in now, not only will you fail to save anyone, but you¡¯ll also lose your lives!"


    Although he wasn¡¯t sure what had caused such amotion, the scale of the event left no doubt that it was a major incident. Their only hope was for Zhang Xuan and the others to survive on their own. Sending these students in was a futile act.


    "But..." Kong Shiyao protested.


    "No buts! Elder Zhu is right. Going in now would only lead to certain death!" Yan Sanshisan also shouted urgently.


    Kong Shiyao hesitated, trying to think of a counterargument, when Bai Ruanqing spoke softly beside her, "Let¡¯s leave first. I think... this wholemotion might actually be Teacher¡¯s doing


    . He¡¯s probably fine..."


    Knowing Zhang Xuan well, Bai Ruanqing couldn¡¯t believe he wasn¡¯t the cause. While everyone else¡¯s assessments proceeded smoothly, his entry alone was enough to almost blow everything up. To think he wasn¡¯t responsible would be self-deception.


    "You¡¯re right..."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Her words brought Kong Shiyao back to her senses.


    Not only was Teacher immensely powerful, but he also possessed the New World. Even if something went wrong, he could undoubtedly protect himself. If she rushed in, she¡¯d only be a burden.


    Resolving herself, she said no more, grabbing Dao Li and Little Chick as she rushed toward the exit.


    Just as they reached the doorway, the ground¡¯s shaking intensified, and the red light grew blindingly bright.


    Boom!


    A deafening explosion rang out as the stone tablet, glowing red-hot, suddenly shattered. The resulting shockwave tore through the hall.


    Crash!


    The once-majestic and awe-inspiring Destiny Hall copsed in an instant, reduced to rubble.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 103: Origin of Destiny, Supreme Mystery

    Vol 2 Ch 103: Origin of Destiny, Supreme Mystery


    Shi Yunjing was the Hall Master of the Destiny Hall in the Zouyi Dynasty. His cultivation had already reached the pinnacle of the Sixth Level of the Star River Realm, making him one of the most powerful individuals in the entire dynasty.


    Some time ago, the Chaotic Fate Practitioner emerged, and Shi Yunjing was ordered to hunt them down. He had been stationed in Zhi Lan Valley ever since. He originally thought that his target wouldn¡¯tst long under the pressure and would soon flee, but unexpectedly, nearly a month had passed with no trace of them. Not only that, but the once-chaotic Heaven''s Fate Divine Domain had stabilized significantly.


    Realizing that his target wouldn¡¯t surface anytime soon, Shi Yunjing arranged for subordinates to keep watch and boarded a flying Source Beast to return to Destiny Hall. A long absence had left many affairs piling up, requiring his immediate attention.


    As he reminisced about his quarters in Destiny Hall, a faint smile appeared on his face. He had remained unmarried throughout his life, with no wife or children, and had not purchased a property. Instead, he lived in a room within Destiny Hall. Although notrge, the room was meticulously decorated with various formations: defense arrays, energy-gathering formations, and concealment formations¡ªover a dozen in total.


    This was not out of fear of assassination or cowardice but tied to his cultivation path. He practiced Treasured Destiny, a technique that allowed him to break through his cultivation bottlenecks by collecting rare artifacts and valuable treasures. As the esteemed Hall Master of Destiny Hall in the Zouyi Dynasty, his lofty status made treasure collection rtively easy. Consequently, his quarters were filled with precious jade, agate, ancient paintings, calligraphy, and even a variety of porcin items.


    These treasures were his lifeblood. Every time he returned home, he would meticulously clean them, taking more care than he did for his own bath.


    ¡°It¡¯s been days since I¡¯ve seen my treasures. I¡¯ll give them a thorough cleaning when I get back,¡± Shi Yunjing thought with a smile. Thinking of his collection, the fatigue and exhaustion from the past few days seemed to dissipate.


    ¡°Hurry up. Fly faster, and I¡¯ll reward you with something deliciouster,¡± he urged, standing atop the beast¡¯s back, hands sped behind him, gazing forward.Soon, the sprawling Zouyi City appeared in his sight. Towering stone walls and bustling streets teeming with people showcased the city¡¯s prosperity.


    ¡°Chirp, chirp!¡±


    Hearing themand, the Source Beast nodded, pping its wings like a meteor streaking across the sky. In just over ten breaths, the towering buildings of Destiny Hall came into view.


    ¡°Finally, I¡¯m home¡­¡±


    Excitement flushed Shi Yunjing¡¯s face red at the thought of soon seeing his treasures. As he prepared to leap from the beast¡¯s back, he noticed Elder Zhu Xun rushing out of a room with a group of people, looking anxious.


    Shi Yunjing frowned. Elder Zhu was usually calm andposed. Why was he so flustered today?


    As he wondered, more elders came running out, all equally panicked. Shi Yunjing grew displeased. His absence seemed to have made everyone restless and unsettled.


    Just as he was about to reprimand them, a loud ¡°Boom!¡± came from the towering, sturdy Destiny Hall in front of him. The entire building copsed in an instant. Rooms crumbled, and in the blink of an eye, it was reduced to rubble.


    ¡°???¡±


    Shi Yunjing froze, darkness clouding his vision. He almost fell off the Source Beast in disbelief.


    ¡°I was gone for a bit¡­ and my home is gone?¡±


    ¡°My jade, my treasures, my collection¡­¡±


    Unable to hold it in, he felt his chest tighten and spat out a mouthful of blood. These items were the culmination of his life¡¯s work. Could they have all been destroyed in the copse of Destiny Hall?<hr>


    Rewind to a few minutes earlier, inside the room:


    Zhang Xuan was absorbing Heaven''s Fate Energy at an astonishing speed. The entire River of Destiny seemed to flow backward, and countless golden koi fish surged madly into his body. This made everyone else incredibly anxious.


    ¡°It¡¯s truly impossible topete with Teacher¡­ He¡¯s too outrageous!¡±


    ¡°We need to focus on finding our own Heaven''s Fate and extract as much as possible,¡± Luo Ruoxi called out urgently.


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    Everyone knew time was running out. Setting aside any reservations, they began madly absorbing the Heaven''s Fate energy from their respective alignments.


    Boom!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Over a dozen prodigies, all surpassing the Imperial Grade, simultaneously absorbed Heaven''s Fate energy. It was as if multiple whirlpools had formed in the river, splitting its once-surging flow into countless tributaries. The River of Destiny, now riddled with gaps, teetered on the brink of copse.


    Feeling the instability, Zhang Xuan opened his eyes and slowed his absorption. Although he needed the energy, he was willing topromise if it meant others could make significant progress.


    However, the others showed no restraint. Especially Luo Ruoxi and Luo Qiqi, whose energy-devouring speed rivaled Zhang Xuan¡¯s.


    Boom!


    With their simultaneous absorption, the river¡¯s illusionary form could no longer hold. The stone tablet engraved with runes inside the room emerged, and tremors rippled across the floor.


    The River of Destiny was not entirely real but a projection extracted from the main river. To maintain it, Destiny Hall¡¯s formations were used to bnce the energy flow. With the river¡¯s copse, that bnce was disrupted, triggering an uncontroble chain reaction¡ªlike demolishing a building¡¯s load-bearing wall.


    ¡°This group of lunatics¡­¡± Zhang Xuan sighed helplessly.


    Although his absorption was aggressive, he had some regard for bnce. These people, however, had obliterated the foundation of Destiny Hall in their frenzy.


    "Just look at them¡­ How did I end up with such reckless students?"


    It was toote to stop anything now.


    With the copse underway, not even the strongest cultivator could prevent the destruction. And with Zhang Xuan''s current strength, there was no way he could stabilize the situation.


    "Forget it. Once the formation breaks, the Heaven''s Fate Energy will dissipate into the world. Instead of wasting it, we might as well absorb everything!"


    After pondering briefly, Zhang Xuan decided to follow his principle of avoiding waste and continued to absorb the remaining energy alongside the others.


    In the span of just over ten breaths, the room¡ªwhich had held nearly seventy to eighty million strands of Heaven''s Fate Energy¡ªwas drained to thest drop. Zhang Xuan himself only absorbed around thirty million strands, less than half of the total, while the rest was divided among the others.


    Immersed in the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path, Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated. Despite absorbing so much energy, he still hadn¡¯t broken through to the Second Stage of Pathos of Heaven. The energy demands of this cultivation path were truly immense.


    Lifting his gaze, he nced at the others. Luo Ruoxi, Luo Qiqi, Yuan Tao, Liu Yang, and the rest were all radiating dazzling light as they gained insight into their own Heaven''s Fate. Their auras surged rapidly, marking significant progress.


    Boom!


    Luo Ruoxi was the first to break through. Behind her, a Dharma Aspect emerged, appearing as a saintly figure floating in the void, pure and ethereal beyondpare.


    Following her lead, Luo Qiqi, Yuan Tao, Liu Yang, Lu Chong, and Wei Ruyan also broke through one after another. In just a few breaths, everyone had reached the Ninth Level of the Source Pool Realm¡ªDharma Aspect.


    Theprehension of Heaven''s Fate had significantly bolstered their cultivation, allowing them to ascend rapidly.


    "Not bad," Zhang Xuan said with a satisfied nod.


    Having gained Heaven''s Fate and achieved enough strength, this group no longer required his protection. They could now explore the Source World and make their mark.


    Rumble!


    With their breakthroughs and theplete absorption of the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, the examination room could no longer hold together. It crumbledpletely, the copse reverberating through the surroundings.


    "Be careful!"


    Zhang Xuan waved his hand, forming a protective barrier around everyone. Once they were safe, he finally exhaled in relief.<hr>


    Meanwhile, at the distant and enigmatic Destiny Hall headquarters...


    The once-in-a-century Heaven''s Fate Selection Competition was underway.


    "I hope everyone will give it their all. The top three winners will have the opportunity to inherit the secrets of the Key of Destiny!"


    Hovering above the stage, an elder with a halo around his head spoke, his serene voice spreading like a gentle spring rain, prating the hearts of all present.


    ¡°The Key of Destiny?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the power to break the Fate Lock! Once inherited, one can control thews of cultivation in the heavens and earth, bing one of the strongest figures of the era. I must seed!¡±


    ¡°That belongs to me, Hao Tianyi! I am the most outstanding genius in this world!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! It¡¯s mine, Murong Feng¡¯s! My ancestor was once a Hall Master of Destiny Hall. I¡¯ve inherited his bloodline and am born to im this legacy!¡±


    ¡°Bloodline means nothing! I, Xuanyuan Mu, am the true chosen of Heaven¡¯s Fate. The rest of you might as well stop dreaming!¡±


    The audience erupted in amotion.


    Destiny Hallmanded countless Heaven''s Fate Masters and controlled countless fates, but only one stood at the pinnacle¡ªthe fate of Source.


    Among the Eight Eternal Heavens¡¯ Fates, the Key of Destiny represented the most powerful branch of Source¡¯s fate. While not the root itself, it could unlock the Fate Lock imprisoning the heavens and earth. This was a power countless cultivators dreamed of but could never attain.


    ¡°Thepetition begins now!¡±


    Satisfied with the crowd''s enthusiasm, the elder in the sky nodded and waved his hand. A stage abruptly appeared in the void, encased in a special barrier.


    ¡°Your cultivation is too strong. Without the barrier, your shes might cause spatial disturbances and endanger the Source World. Inside this barrier, you can unleash your full strength.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The crowd responded in unison. As the elder finished speaking, two young men stepped forward.


    ¡°I am Xuanyuan Mu.¡±


    ¡°Murong Feng.¡±


    The two geniuses stood tall and proud, prepared to face off. However, before they could exchange blows, the spherical dome above them flickered, and a thin, dragon-like line streaked across it.


    The line shimmered like lightning, stretching from north to south, as though splitting the space itself. At the same time, the ground beneath their feet glowed brilliantly. A majestic River of Destiny suddenly materialized in the air, radiating the brilliance of countless stars.


    Startled, bothbatants froze, unable to take their eyes off the spectacle.


    ¡°What¡­? Someone has independentlyprehended the Supreme Secret of Source''s Fate? This¡­ this is impossible!¡±


    Hovering mid-air, the elder''s pupils contracted, his face filled with utter disbelief.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 104: Seven-segmented insect

    Vol 2 Ch 104: Seven-segmented insect


    "Supreme Profundity?"


    The elder¡¯s words were spoken without any concealment, and everyone present heard them clearly. Their eyes widened in disbelief.


    ¡°The Heaven¡¯s Fate of the Source World is divided into the Supreme and the Four Major Streams. What weprehend are merely the streams. Even the Hall Master of Destiny Hall, who has mastered the Profundity of Keys, only wields the strongest stream. But the Supreme Profundity governs all the streams, mastering the entire Heaven¡¯s Fate of the Source World... How could anyone possiblyprehend it without guidance?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Other than the creator of the Heaven¡¯s Fate of the Source World, no one has ever seeded inprehending it, despite countless years passing in the Source World¡­¡±


    Murong Feng and Xuanyuan Mu both trembled slightly.


    As super-geniuses with the chance to inherit the Destiny Hall, they naturally understood the terrifying nature of the so-called Supreme Profundity!


    And yet, someone hadprehended it independently, without training!


    It was akin to surpassing the Star River Realm before even beginning cultivation!Who was it? How was it even possible?


    ¡°To the north of the continent, find out for me. I want to know who this person is. They must be brought to headquarters and properly trained¡­ Elder Mu, go fetch them. No, I¡¯ll go myself!¡±


    With an urgent cry, the elder in the sky waved his hand and disappeared from view.


    A super-genius capable ofprehending the Supreme Profundity could undoubtedly be the strongest existence of the era if properly nurtured. Even he paled inparison to such a person, and they must not be allowed to meet with any misfortune!<hr>


    On a massive mountain range in the Source World, an ordinary thatched hut stood amidst curling smoke.


    From afar, it resembled the home of a mountain dweller or a simple hunter, without anything remarkable.


    At that moment, an elder emerged from the hut and took two steps to sit in a stone pavilion outside. He settled himself in front of a stone table with a chessboard filled with various pieces.


    ¡°This one will do¡­¡±


    Picking up a piece casually, the elder smiled faintly. In the next moment, he transformed into a beam of light and entered it.


    Whoosh!


    The space rotated, and the world inside the chess piece unfolded before his eyes. Sun and moon hung obliquely in the sky, the heavens stretched endlessly, and countless lives toiled below. Within this chess piecey a world of its own.


    ¡°Master!¡±


    A middle-aged man flew up upon seeing him.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± The elder nodded in satisfaction. ¡°How is the progress?¡±


    ¡°Reporting to Master, we can now mass-produce spatial rings with a diameter of 100 meters. However, creatingrger spaces is still beyond us¡­¡±


    The man looked embarrassed.


    ¡°A hundred-meter diameter is already sufficient for Star River Realm cultivators. Not bad, not bad. Keep cultivating and strive toprehend more of the Spatial Heaven¡¯s Fate¡­¡± ?


    The elder smiled gently, but just as he was about to continue, he sensed something and raised his head abruptly.


    High above the chess piece¡¯s space, a radiant Heaven¡¯s Fate appeared suddenly, twisting space into a kaleidoscope of dazzling colors.


    This was the hue unique to the essence of space, a phenomenon that only urred when someoneprehended the fundamental Spatial and Temporal Heaven¡¯s Fate.


    ¡°Someone hasprehended the Temporal Heaven¡¯s Fate?¡±


    The elder¡¯s eyes gleamed with excitement. ¡°Hurry, observe these resplendent flows carefully. They will greatly benefit your cultivation!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The youth quickly focused on the disy, and within moments, his aura surged, forming dragon-like waves.


    ¡°Master, I¡­ I¡¯ve broken through!¡± the youth eximed, his face filled with disbelief.


    He had been stuck at the same level for over a decade, assuming it would take years to make any progress. Yet, after just a nce at the brilliant disy, he seeded.


    ¡°This is the essence of space and time¡­ For millennia, Spatial and Temporal Heaven¡¯s Fate have beenprehended separately. Who could have thought someone could cultivate both simultaneously? Consolidate your cultivation here while I find this person!¡±


    Whoosh!


    With those words, the elder vanished from the chess piece and reappeared in the pavilion. He raised his hand, summoning a beam of Heaven¡¯s Fate that pointed straight north.


    ¡°Northward, hahaha! This is my good disciple. No one else shall im them!¡±


    With a flicker, the elder disappeared.<hr>


    In a tranquil bamboo forest, two elders suddenly appeared.


    ¡°Are you certain they¡¯re here?¡± The green-robed elder looked puzzled.


    The bamboo forest seemed utterly ordinary, with no dense Source Energy or abundant Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, devoid of anything remarkable.


    ¡°My Soul-Tracking Art is unparalleled. Once confirmed, it cannot be wrong!¡± The ck-robed elder chuckled confidently.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s look around.¡±


    The green-robed elder pushed through the bamboo and soon spotted another elder lying on the ground, his rear end in the air, seemingly searching for something.


    ¡°Old Zhou¡­ What are you doing?¡±


    Seeing the figure, the green-robed elder was both impressed and bewildered.


    The renowned Culinary God of the Source World, instead of cooking, was crawling around in a bamboo grove¡ªwhat an odd sight!


    ¡°Shush¡­ Quiet!¡±


    Old Zhou turned his head, making a hasty gesture for silence.


    The green and ck-robed elders exchanged a nce. Although baffled, they held their tongues and waited.


    After a long while, Old Zhou suddenly reached out and caught a thumb-sized bug from the ground. The insect writhed vigorously, its body shimmering with seven or eight colors, yet it couldn¡¯t escape.


    ¡°Hahaha! Finally, I¡¯ve caught it!¡±


    Looking at the struggling bug in his palm, Old Zhouughed heartily.


    ¡°Old Zhou, what¡¯s this about?¡± the green-robed elder asked curiously.


    ¡°This is the Seven-Segment Bug, born of the seven-colored energy of heaven and earth. It hides in bamboo roots and is highly adept at evasion. It¡¯s incredibly rare, but its taste is unparalleled. I once ate half of one in my youth and have yearned for it ever since. Ten years ago, I heard rumors of it here, so I nted ten thousand acres of bamboo to lure it out. Atst, I seeded today!¡±


    Old Zhou¡¯s face lit up with excitement.


    ¡°You ignored the Culinary God Hall for ten years, left without a word, and didn¡¯t inform anyone¡­ all for this Seven-Segment Bug?¡±


    The green-robed elder¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    Spending a decade on a mere taste from his youth¡ªwas he mad?


    ¡°You think I¡¯m crazy? Tell you what, since you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll let you taste it. Then you¡¯ll understand. Forget ten years, even thirty years wouldn¡¯t be a waste for such a delicacy!¡±


    Old Zhou stroked his beard smugly.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll try it!¡±


    The ck-robed elder nodded as well.


    ¡°Hmm!¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Old Zhou wasted no time. With a flick of his wrist, he produced arge array of cookware and an assortment of rare ingredients: dragon hearts, phoenix livers, qilin meat¡­ Each one could tempt any powerhouse, yet here they were, used as seasonings.


    ¡°These are¡­ just the condiments?¡±


    The ck-robed elder swallowed hard.


    Previously skeptical, they now believed him entirely.


    Soon, as the ingredients were prepared, the Seven-Segment Bug hit the pan with a sizzle, releasing an aroma so intense that birds above forgot to p their wings and plummeted to the ground.


    ¡°Smells amazing¡­¡±


    The green-robed elder could barely contain his drool.


    Previously doubtful, he was now utterly convinced.


    Ignoring the elders'' reactions, Old Zhou continued cooking. Before long, a dish of unparalleled aroma, vor, and color was served.


    ¡°This is the culmination of my ten years¡¯ effort. You¡¯re in for a treat¡­¡±


    Old Zhou chuckled, handing them chopsticks.


    Excited, the two elders reached for the dish, but just as they were about to taste it, a dazzling light shone from the sky. A celestial Heaven¡¯s Fate emerged, resembling countless stars shimmering.


    ¡°This¡­ Chef¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Fate? Someoneprehended the Chef¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Fate?¡±


    Old Zhou froze, dropping his chopsticks in shock.


    ¡°Chef¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Fate?¡± The green-robed elder was stunned. ¡°Is this your Heaven¡¯s Fate? Then you have an inheritor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my culinary skills won¡¯t perish with me¡­¡±


    Old Zhou immediately took off, vanishing into the sky.


    ¡°Hey, Old Zhou, eat first! That Seven-Segment Bug took you ten years¡­¡±


    The ck-robed elder was dumbfounded.


    ¡°Compared to such a gifted sessor, even a hundred-year meal isn¡¯t worth eating. Enjoy it yourselves. Goodbye!¡±


    Old Zhou¡¯s voice echoed faintly from afar.


    ¡°This guy¡­¡± The green and ck-robed elders exchanged nces, shaking their heads.


    What a missed feast!


    The green-robed elder picked up a piece of dragon heart, but just as he was about to eat, the sky trembled again. A light mist appeared above, carrying an ethereal glow.


    ¡°This is¡­ someone hasprehended the Soul Heaven¡¯s Fate? Hahaha, my Soul Hall is saved!¡±


    Dropping his chopsticks, the green-robed elder disappeared as well.


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Watching the two vanish, the ck-ro


    bed elder sighed. ¡°Should I call this good or bad luck? But if someoneprehends the Poison Heaven¡¯s Fate, I¡¯d run faster than any of them!¡±


    Just as he mused, another light red across the sky. Seeing it, his body trembled involuntarily.


    ¡°Someone actually didprehend it¡­ Wait for me!¡±


    In an instant, he was gone, leaving the delectable Seven-Segment Bug behind in the bamboo grove.


    The bug seemed toment silently: <em>Was my death in vain?</em>


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 105: Putting the blame on someone

    Vol 2 Ch 105: Putting the me on someone


    The same scene unfolded across the entire Source World. In an instant, over a dozen first-rate and top-tier powers were thrown into turmoil, with countless experts rushing urgently toward the Zouyi Dynasty.


    The stronger the Heaven''s Fate, the harder it was to inherit. Without immense talent, it was impossible to bear its weight. Naturally, when a suitable candidate emerged, no one wanted to miss the opportunity.


    Unaware of the massivemotion he had caused, Zhang Xuan stood amidst the ruins with a helpless expression.


    ¡°These guys are utterly unreliable. If they were half aspetent as me, life would be much easier¡­¡±


    Just as he wasmenting, a furious and sorrowful cry broke the silence:


    ¡°My porcin bowl! My jade incense burner! My ss trinkets¡­ Ahhh!¡±


    Turning toward the voice, he saw an elder coughing up blood as he plummeted from the air,nding headfirst on the ground.


    ¡°Hall Master!¡±Zhu Xun and the others panicked, rushing to his side. They hurriedly pulled him out of the debris, pinched his philtrum, and massaged him until he finally regained consciousness.


    ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    Struggling to sit up, Shi Yunjing could no longer contain his fury.


    The entire Destiny Hall had copsed. It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine that most of his treasured artifacts, apart from those made of the sturdiest materials, were likely destroyed. At this point, rushing to salvage them would be futile; it was better to first figure out what had transpired.


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not entirely sure. Someone was undergoing a test today, and the stone tablet suddenly broke, causing the test area to copse. That¡¯s what triggered the hall¡¯s destruction!¡± Zhu Xun exined, recalling the events.


    ¡°Ridiculous! That stone tablet is carved from Heaven Azure Stone and has operated wlessly for a century. How could it suddenly break?¡±


    Shi Yunjing scolded angrily.


    The testing stone tablet was incredibly durable, not much weaker than certain high-grade treasures or weapons. How could it crack during a simple test? And even if it did, how could it cause the copse of the entire testing hall?


    ¡°It¡¯s true! We saw it with our own eyes¡ªthe tablet was shing with red light!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it was glowing red and seemed to be on fire!¡±


    ¡°The red light flickered for a while, and then the hall copsed¡­¡±


    Voices from the surrounding crowd chimed in.


    ¡°shing red light?¡±


    Hearing this, Shi Yunjing frowned deeply, racking his brain but failing to deduce the cause. Turning to the others, he demanded, ¡°Who was undergoing the test earlier? Bring them here!¡± ?


    If the issue wasn¡¯t with the stone tablet or the testing hall, then it had to be with the people undergoing the test.


    ¡°They¡¯re right there¡­¡± Zhu Xun pointed toward the group emerging from the ruins.


    Thanks to Zhang Xuan¡¯s protection, while they had been trapped beneath the copsed hall, no one was injured. On the contrary, due to breakthroughs, they all looked spirited and exuded extraordinary auras.


    Unaware that they had been called out, Luo Qiqi looked worried as she whispered, ¡°Teacher Zhang, we absorbed too much, and the entire Destiny Hall copsed. If they me us, it¡¯ll be dangerous. Maybe¡­ you should escape first!¡±


    ¡°Escape?¡± Zhang Xuan blinked in confusion.


    ¡°Yes. Whether it¡¯s the Destiny Hall or the testing chamber, they¡¯re incredibly valuable. I¡¯m worried¡­¡± Luo Qiqi¡¯s delicate eyes were filled with concern.


    ¡°Teacher¡¯s wife, don¡¯t be afraid! If they dare make us pay, we¡¯ll just fight them!¡± Bai Ruanqing dered.


    ¡°Exactly! With over ten of us at the Dharma Aspect Realm, we can definitely escape!¡± Shan Xiaotian added confidently.


    ¡°If anyone dares stop us, I¡¯ll poison them all!¡± Wei Ruyan threatened coldly.


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Zhang Xuan pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Are you three out of your minds? Enough! All of you, shut up and don¡¯t say another word. I¡¯ll handle this!¡±


    With their current strength, their bluster wasughable. It seemed he had protected them too well over the years. Breaking someone¡¯s property and then threatening to fight them¡ªwhere did they get the nerve? Couldn¡¯t they keep a low profile for once?


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for all this drama. At worst, we¡¯ll pay for the damages. At the rate the young master makes money, even covering the entire cost wouldn¡¯t be an issue,¡± Sun Qiang interjected.


    ¡°Alright, you zip it too!¡±


    Too tired to argue, Zhang Xuan led the group toward Elder Zhu Xun and the others. Before they even reached them, the elder announced, ¡°Zhang Xuan, this is Hall Master Shi. He has some questions for you all.¡±


    ¡°Hall Master?¡±


    Not expecting to meet such a high-ranking figure, Zhang Xuanposed himself. With a respectful bow, he said, ¡°Junior Zhang Xuan greets the Hall Master.¡±


    To be the head of the Destiny Hall in the Zouyi Dynasty, one¡¯s cultivation had to be at least at the Sixth Level of the Star River Realm. Such a person was far beyond his current capabilities. Bai Ruanqing and Shan Xiaotian¡¯s talk of fighting was utterly ridiculous.


    ¡°Do you know what just happened? Why did the Destiny Hall copse?¡± Shi Yunjing asked directly.


    ¡°Hall Master, I was in the testing chamber undergoing the assessment, trying to seek my fate. Just as I seeded, the room copsed. I don¡¯t know the exact cause. I came here hoping to rify¡ªdoes this count as a sessful test or not?¡±


    Zhang Xuan feigned innocence. His tone then turned displeased as he added, ¡°And¡­ does the Destiny Hall have a structural problem? We paid for this test, but if even basic safety can¡¯t be guaranteed, who would daree in the future? Shouldn¡¯t the Destiny Hall give us an exnation?¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Wei Ruyan, Shan Xiaotian, Bai Ruanqing, and the others were stunned.


    Teacher, is it really okay to twist the facts like this?


    Even Luo Qiqi had to stifle augh, her eyes sparkling with admiration as she looked at the young man.


    ¡°Well¡­ about that¡­¡±


    Caught off guard by the question, Shi Yunjing hesitated. ¡°I will investigate and provide you with a proper exnation¡­¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t just about exnations, Hall Master. A prestigious ce like the Destiny Hall copsing so easily¡ªhow can anyone feel safe? Fellow cultivators, am I wrong? We were lucky to escape this time. But if someone were interrupted while fully immersed in seeking their fate, could they not lose their life?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s uneptable! The Destiny Hall must address this issue!¡±


    ¡°We paid so much money for this, only to risk death? This is unheard of in other Destiny Halls¡­¡±


    Fuelled by Zhang Xuan¡¯s words, the surrounding crowd erupted in righteous indignation.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Shi Yunjing¡¯s expression grew grim. The testing fee of 30 million Source Coins was a hefty sum, even for him. With such subpar service andck of safety, the outrage was understandable.


    Unable to bear the pressure, he turned and barked, ¡°Zhu Xun, I want answers!¡±


    ¡°Me? I¡­¡±


    Zhu Xun stammered, too flustered to speak. He had followed protocol during the test and genuinely didn¡¯t know what went wrong. But with the Hall Master angry, he could only nod begrudgingly. ¡°Understood, I will investigate thoroughly¡­¡±


    ¡°I might have a lead,¡± Zhang Xuan interjected helpfully.


    ¡°Oh?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Zhu Xun¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Please share, Young Master Zhang!¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Zhang Xuan adopted a sincere expression. ¡°When I entered the testing chamber, I noticed the formation seemed unstable. Could it be that the hall¡¯s formation malfunctioned and caused the copse? Otherwise, even if the stone tablet exploded, it shouldn¡¯t have destroyed the entire Destiny Hall.¡±


    Redirecting their suspicions should buy him some time. The formation had been obliterated along with the copse, making it nearly impossible to investigate further.


    ¡°That¡¯s possible¡­¡±


    Shi Yunjing fell into deep thought. Such destruction was indeed unlikely without a malfunctioning formation. After a moment, hemanded, ¡°Thoroughly investigate the formation!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Zhu Xun responded.


    ¡°Zhang Xuan, my apologies. This was a failure on our part¡­¡± Shi Yunjing said with a bow.


    ¡°Hall Master, no need for that!¡± Zhang Xuan replied graciously. ¡°I just want to know¡ªdid we pass the test? If so, can we receive our Destiny Master badges? If not, will the assessment fees be refunded?¡±


    ¡°Refund?¡±


    Sun Qiang and the others gawked. They had expected shamelessness but not this level of audacity. To destroy the hall and then ask for a


    refund? This was peak Zhang Xuan.


    After a brief hesitation, Shi Yunjing nodded. ¡°This was our mistake. You will be refunded in full. Elder Zhu, take care of it!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Zhu Xun acknowledged.


    ¡°As for the Destiny Master badges, if you¡¯re not opposed, let¡¯s head to the nearby Wanchang Sect for another test. If your fates meet the criteria, the badges will be prepared immediately!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Hall Master!¡± Zhang Xuan cupped his fists in gratitude.


    ¡°Elder Zhu, escort them there,¡± Shi Yunjing instructed.


    ¡°This way, please!¡± Zhu Xun led the group toward the Wanchang Sect.


    As they departed, another elder approached Shi Yunjing with furrowed brows. ¡°Hall Master, don¡¯t you think¡­ the hall¡¯s copse might have been caused by those few? Why else would nothing happen during others¡¯ tests, but copse when it was their turn?¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 106: Azure Universal Card

    Vol 2 Ch 106: Azure Universal Card


    As the voice fell, Elder Chen was about to respond when he noticed everyone around staring at him as if he were a fool.


    ¡°What? Did I say something wrong? Even if they didn¡¯t cause it directly, they must have some connection to it, right?¡± Elder Chen said in confusion.


    Shi Yunjing shook his head, his face full of sympathy. ¡°Elder Chen, you¡¯ve participated in the Heaven¡¯s Fate Assessment, haven¡¯t you? Let me ask you¡ªwhen you entered the River of Destiny, did you find it easy to move?¡±


    ¡°Destiny is irresistible. When you¡¯re in it, even taking a single step is tough. Moving around? Of course not!¡± Elder Chen nodded.


    Shi Yunjing exined, ¡°Exactly! Since you couldn¡¯t move, others wouldn¡¯t be able to either. In the middle of those tidal currents, the most anyone could do is look for opportunities andprehend Heaven¡¯s Fate. Trying to wreck the testing hall? They wouldn¡¯t have the strength or the chance!¡±


    ¡°Hall Master is wise!¡±


    Elder Chen suddenly understood. No wonder the Hall Master hadn¡¯t suspected the other party¡ªit all boiled down to this.


    The others, upon hearing this exnation, once again looked at Hall Master Shi with expressions of admiration. No wonder he could be the Hall Master; his insight alone was far beyond their reach.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//omIn the crowd, only Yan Thirty-Three looked conflicted, his face twisted like a pretzel.


    Not fast? Then why did he distinctly remember both Kong Shiyao and the Little Chick zipping back and forth in the River of Destiny like it was nothing?


    Still, even though he felt stifled, he ultimately didn¡¯t say a word.


    It wasn¡¯t just about whether anyone would believe him. Even if they did, he didn¡¯t want to sell out Kong Shiyao. After all, without her, he¡¯d have been lucky to get a silver-tier opportunity, let alone the golden-tier one that earned him such a high-grade Heaven¡¯s Fate.


    Ignoring the muttering elders, Hall Master Shi strode toward the Wanchang Sect of the Zouyi Dynasty.


    The Wanchang Sect not only published various rankings but also asionally issued tasks, allowing cultivators and Destiny Masters to earn Source Coins or Destiny Disks. They even had special artifacts to test Destiny Masters.


    These tools evaluated a task taker¡¯s level to assess feasibility, though they only tested levels and couldn¡¯t probe the specifics of someone¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Fate cultivation.<hr>


    In a corner of the spacious hall of the Wanchang Sect, a middle-aged man sat quietly, a straw hat shading half his face, making it hard to discern his identity. He was carefully watching Zhang Xuan in the distance.


    ¡°Min Jiangtao returned from Hanyuan City with this guy¡­¡± His eyes glimmered.


    If Min Jiangtao were present, he would recognize the man immediately¡ªit was none other than his senior brother, Mo Hong! Surprisingly, Mo Hong wasn¡¯t in the sect but had secretly followed them here.


    Thanks to the Mo Dao Sect¡¯s influence, it wasn¡¯t hard to find out who Min Jiangtao had returned to Zouyi City with. However, their master had instructed them not to alert anyone prematurely, so he had remained in the shadows.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if this guy is a Destiny Master and, if so, at what level¡­¡±


    Mo Hong lifted the teacup on the table, taking a cautious sip as he waited. Earlier, he had blended into the crowd and overheard Zhang Xuan¡¯s conversation with Shi Yunjing, learning that Zhang Xuan hade for a test.


    If Zhang Xuan were a newly advanced Destiny Master, then he likely wasn¡¯t the one who had taught Min Jiangtao the de techniques. But if he was highly skilled¡­ that would be another story.


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting, Zhang Xuan.¡±


    As Mo Hong pondered, Hall Master Shi and an elderly man walked over together. Shi Yunjing hadn¡¯t even reached Zhang Xuan before apologizing with augh.


    ¡°Hall Master is too kind!¡± Zhang Xuan cupped his fists.


    Shi Yunjing waved his hand, gesturing to the old man beside him as he introduced, ¡°Let me introduce you. This is Qian Yuhuan, the Branch Master of the Zouyi Wanchang Sect. Branch Master Qian, this is Young Master Zhang, who just participated in the Destiny Master Assessment.¡±


    Zhang Xuan looked at Branch Master Qian.


    The man appeared to be in his sixties. Though he didn¡¯t exude a powerful aura or an overwhelming presence, his sharp gaze asionally revealed a chilling intensity, making him an intimidating figure.


    From his expression alone, it was clear he wasn¡¯t an easy person to deal with.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Sure enough, Qian Yuhuan merely nced at Zhang Xuan and gave a faint nod, his face devoid of much expression.


    Shi Yunjing, seemingly ustomed to Qian¡¯s demeanor, smiled slightly. ¡°Brother Qian, I¡¯vee to ask if we can use your Wanchang Sect¡¯s Wanchang Monument to test if they¡¯veprehended Heaven¡¯s Fate¡­¡±


    He then briefly exined what had happened earlier.


    The copse of the Destiny Hall was too obvious to hide. Given its proximity, anyone who wasn¡¯t blind could see it. Rather than try to cover it up, it was better to be honest.


    The Wanchang Monument was a special artifact of the Wanchang Sect with numerous functions, includingpiling rankings and detecting Heaven¡¯s Fate. Its capabilities ovepped significantly with the Destiny Wall of the Destiny Hall.


    ¡°One million per person,¡± Qian Yuhuan said indifferently.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Shi Yunjing hadn¡¯t expected to be charged and looked embarrassed. ¡°Brother Qian, it¡¯s only because our Destiny Wall broke that I¡¯vee to you. Once it¡¯s repaired, you¡¯re wee to use it as you please. Must you really charge us?¡±


    Qian Yuhuan shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not personal. It¡¯s the rule. You know how we at the Wanchang Sect value our regtions. Since you¡¯ve often transacted and helped us, you¡¯re a Level-One user. For you, testing your Destiny Level would normally be free. But this Young Master Zhang is a new face with no history with us. Naturally, we can¡¯t offer him a free service.¡±


    Shi Yunjing fell silent.


    The Wanchang Sect was excellent in many ways, but their overlymercial nature was irksome.


    Every service came with a price tag. Be it the Hunter¡¯s List, Potential List, or task listings, each had a corresponding fee. Even using their treasures to explore,prehend, or undertake tasks required payment.


    To avoid fees, one needed either sufficient status or contributions to the Wanchang Sect. Shi Yunjing, as the Hall Master of the Zouyi Destiny Hall, had both, havingpleted numerous tasks, purchased resources, and provided substantial aid to the Wanchang Sect. This entitled him to free ess to many resources.


    Zhang Xuan, however, was clearly a neer. To use their artifact, he¡¯d have to pay.


    Hearing the conversation, Zhang Xuan smiled.


    He had experienced the Wanchang Sect¡¯s business model firsthand in Hanyuan City. It was no different from some high-end marketces or clubs in his past life¡ªexclusive benefits for premium members, while others had to pay.


    It was a clever way to target affluent customers.


    ¡°Hall Master Shi, paying isn¡¯t a big deal,¡± Zhang Xuan said. Asking them to bend the rules was clearly too much, and he didn¡¯t want to make things difficult.


    At one million per person, testing a dozen people would cost only around ten million. If they refunded the earlier test fees, it would be enough to cover dozens of tests.


    ¡°All right, then.¡±


    Seeing his willingness, Shi Yunjing reluctantly agreed.


    ¡°Everyone,e over!¡±


    Once payment was confirmed, Qian Yuhuan led them to a stone pir in the hall. Pressing his hand lightly against it, a pure white light began to flow from the surface.


    ¡°To test your Heaven¡¯s Fate Level, simply ce your hand on the pir. Red light signifies Level One, orange for Level Two, yellow for Level Three¡­ and so on ording to the seven colors of the rainbow.¡±


    Qian Yuhuan¡¯s indifferent gaze swept over the group before settling on Zhang Xuan. ¡°Who¡¯s first?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Zhang Xuan stepped forward. Since they were testing, he thought it best to set an example for his disciples.


    ¡°Pay first.¡±


    As he approached, Qian Yuhuan¡¯s expression remained stoic.


    Zhang Xuan frowned slightly but gestured toward Sun Qiang, who immediately stepped forward with arge stack of Source Notes. ¡°Here¡¯s the payment for all of us. Feel free to count it.¡±


    Qian Yuhuan nodded in satisfaction, his expression softening. ¡°Since you¡¯ve paid, why not get a Wanchang Card? It¡¯s convenient for storing ie and eliminates the need to carry Source Notes.¡±


    ¡°A Wanchang Card?¡± Zhang Xuan blinked before recalling something. ¡°I think I already have one.¡±


    With a flick of his wrist, he produced a jade-like card from his palm.


    This card was a gift from Yue Longxiao, the Sect Master, before leaving Hanyuan City. He had mentioned it mighte in handy.


    Qian Yuhuan took the card and chuckled. ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s a card from Hanyuan City. If I¡¯m not mistaken, this is likely a Level-Three card, the lowest tier¡­ it can only be used for deposits and withdrawals. It doesn¡¯t offer any additional privileges.¡±


    As he spoke, he was about to return the card when a faint azure mark appeared on its surface, like a


    cloud of mist.


    Qian Yuhuan¡¯s pupils contracted, his body stiffened, and his fingers trembled as they reached for the mark. In an instant, an overwhelming pressure surged forth, as if it would crush his soul or issue a dire warning.


    ¡°It¡¯s real?¡±


    Swallowing hard, Qian Yuhuan¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°This¡­ this is¡­ beyond Level One, even beyond Supreme or Elder ranks¡­ a Sky Azure Wanchang Card?¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 107: Four Colors of Light

    Vol 2 Ch 107: Four Colors of Light


    The Wanxiang Gate¡¯s Wanxiang Cardse in several levels. The lowest is the third-level card, whose main function is to receive payments forpleted tasks.


    Second-level cards offer some privileges, such as the free use of some treasures from the Wanxiang Gate and ess to low-level intelligence.


    As for the first-level cards, these are reserved for the Stone Hall Masters, allowing them to use items like the Wanxiang Stele without any cost.


    Above that is the Supreme Card, given only to those Hall Masters and Elders of the Wanxiang Gate who have made significant contributions. It has always been something Zhang Xuan dreamed of possessing.


    Of course, these cards are granted through spending or making contributions. The legendary "Heaven" and "Earth" cards, however, are the rarest and most difficult to obtain. They are never easily distributed, and even the Elders at the headquarters don''t always receive them.


    Especially the Tianqing Wanxiang Card, which is incredibly rare. Zhang Xuan has never seen one, but he can feel the immense power in the azure traces of the card, which is clearly not something that can be replicated or disguised.


    This means that the card is absolutely genuine.


    A person he had once underestimated suddenly takes out such a rare card... Could it be that the so-called identity test was just a disguise?Qian Yuhuan trembled slightly, feeling a wave of dizziness hit him as his vision blurred.


    How could an ordinary person casually present such a valuable card? Howughable that he had acted so arrogantly. He must have thoroughly offended this person...


    Thinking back to his earlier behavior, cold sweat immediately ran down his back.


    He had been so arrogant earlier, and now he regretted it immensely... While he was regretting, thinking about how to apologize, he heard the young man across from him speak with a slightly confused tone.


    "Is this card eptable? If not, I can apply for another one!"


    It would have been fine if Qian Yuhuan hadn''t heard this, but once he did, he nearly copsed in shock.


    A sarcastic remark!


    The other person was clearly teasing him with his words!


    This was one of the highest-level cards from Wanxiang Gate. If this one didn''t work, what else could?


    To his surprise, although the young man looked young, he was actually quite ruthless!


    His scalp tingled. Qian Yuhuan gritted his teeth and forced himself to respond, "Of course, it''s fine..."


    He carefully returned the card and clenched his fists, apologizing, "I''m sorry, Young Master Zhang. I didn''t recognize your greatness earlier... These source tickets are yours now. If you ever visit, don''t hesitate to ask. Even if you want to demolish this room, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal!"


    "Demolish the room?"


    Zhang Xuan looked at him suspiciously.


    Could this guy know something? Is he deliberately teasing me?


    No, if he tells Shi Yunjing about this, no amount of money would be enough to cover it...


    Realizing this, Zhang Xuan quickly spoke up, waving his hands repeatedly. "I¡¯m an honest person, I wouldn''t do that! You can''t say such things casually." R??


    He would never admit to anything and was curious to see how Qian Yuhuan would react.


    "Say things casually?"


    Seeing the expression and tone of the other person, Qian Yuhuan''s heart skipped a beat.


    It seemed that the other party still hadn''t forgiven him. The two words "say things casually" were pointing out his disrespect and nonsense!


    Realizing the implication, Qian Yuhuan showed an expression that seemed like he might cry. He gritted his teeth and bowed deeply, "Young Master Zhang, I''m sorry, it was my mistake. I didn¡¯t recognize your greatness earlier, please forgive me!"


    "???"


    This time, it was Zhang Xuan¡¯s turn to be confused.


    Wasn''t this guy trying to mock him? But instead, he seemed to be sincere?


    "Old Qian, you..."


    Shi Yunjing, who was standing by, blinked in confusion, unsure of what exactly had happened.


    After apologizing, the atmosphere froze for a moment. Since the other party didn''t say anything, it seemed he still hadn''t forgiven him. Qian Yuhuan gritted his teeth and walked toward Sun Qiang, "These source tickets are yours. Also, here''s a small gift for our first meeting, please ept it..."


    He took out a thick stack of money and handed it over.


    Sun Qiang blinked. He nced at the stack of money, and from the quick look, he could tell it was at least 50 million, if not 100 million.


    Just a moment ago, he was insisting on money, and now not only was he returning it, but he was even giving a gift...


    It was puzzling. He couldn''t help but nce over at Young Master Zhang, seeking his opinion.


    At this point, Zhang Xuan finally realized something was off. His eyes fell on the Wanxiang Card in Qian Yuhuan¡¯s hand.


    He had guessed correctly¡ªit was because of that card.


    He initially thought it was a gift from Yue Longxiao, but now it seemed it was more likely from Ouyang Hai. Otherwise, there was no way Qian Yuhuan would change so drastically.


    With that realization, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief, nodded, and said, "As long as you don''t say anything inappropriate, feel free to ept the gift."


    Still, he reminded him to not speak recklessly about the destruction of the Tianming Hall.


    "Thank you..." Qian Yuhuan breathed a sigh of relief.


    So he was teasing me! He doesn''t want me to say anything...


    "???"


    "What just happened? This is Qian Gate Master, why did his attitude change so suddenly?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "When I camest time, I had to pay for the test, so why the sudden change?"


    Shi Yunjing didn¡¯t understand, and the people around him were all looking at each other in confusion, unsure of what was going on.


    Everyone had heard of Qian Yuhuan and knew he was stubborn, serious, and unsympathetic...


    For such a person to insist on money and then suddenly back off, return the money, apologize, and even give a gift¡ªit was odd.


    "Could it be... this guy¡¯s identity is not simple?"


    Mo Hong, observing from afar, clenched his fists.


    As an outsider, he could more easily see the issue. Qian Yuhuan must have only shown such deference after confirming that Zhang Xuan''s identity was extraordinary.


    It seemed that Zhang Xuan was not just an ordinary one-star Tianming Master.


    "Young Master Zhang, please!"


    Ignoring the others'' expressions, Qian Yuhuan pointed to the Wanxiang Stele in front of him.


    "Mm!" Zhang Xuan nodded and approached the stone tablet. Following the instructions, he ced his palm on it.


    Buzz!


    After only a brief pause, the stone tablet wobbled slightly, and a red light shed out, illuminating the surroundings.


    The red light signified one-star Tianming¡ªjust a beginner Tianming Master.


    "Congrattions, Young Master Zhang, it looks like our Tianming Hall has gained another Tianming Master..." Shi Yunjing smiled.


    "Just one star? Wait, could this be unrted to Min Jiangtao¡¯s sword technique?"


    Mo Hong was puzzled again.


    He had initially thought that Qian Yuhuan''s change of attitude was a disguise and that Zhang Xuan¡¯s true power was far greater than it appeared. After all, a one-star Tianming Master couldn¡¯t be this valuable. But now it seemed like he had overestimated things!


    He was just a one-star Tianming Master¡ªhis cultivation must only be at the peak of the Law Body realm.


    To break through to the Starry River realm, one must have understood the second realm of Tianming, which was nearly impossible otherwise.


    As Mo Hong was in shock, Qian Yuhuan was also confused. A mere one-star Tianming Master should not possess such a rare Tianqing Wanxiang Card.


    Before he could dwell further on this thought, the stone tablet in front of them suddenly changed color, releasing orange, yellow, and green lights in rapid session.


    The lights kept shing, creating an effect simr to a disco.


    "???"


    Qian Yuhuan was stunned.


    Toprehend Tianming, one would either achieve the first, second, or third realm. The realm should be fixed, but now the stone tablet was shing in multiple colors. What was happening?


    Not only Qian Yuhuan, but also Shi Yunjing and the others watching were equally confused, their expressions showing they were witnessing something bizarre.


    They had seen red, orange, and yellow lights before, but never all four together.


    "This is impossible. If he¡¯s just in the first realm, how could so many colors appear? Zhang Xuan is definitely not ordinary!"


    Mo Hong¡¯s expression became serious once again.


    He had just thought he might have been mistaken, but now he was sure Zhang Xuan wasn¡¯t an ordinary person.


    Thank goodness he realized Zhang Xuan¡¯s connection to Min Jiangtao, otherwise, he might have caused unnecessary trouble.


    "I must report this to my Master..." Mo Hong thought.


    Despite his confusion, Qian Yuhuan suddenly smiled. "Young Master Zhang, is the Tianming Stele broken? How else could it be shing so many colors?"


    "Ah... yes! You''re right, it''s broken!" Qian Yuhuan immediately replied, recalling his earlier teasing. "This stone tablet has been malfunctioning for a while. We haven¡¯t had the chance to fix it... I¡¯m so sorry!"


    "Broken?"


    Hearing this, although everyone was still puzzled, they reluctantly epted the exnation. They couldn¡¯t just say Zhang


    Xuan hadprehended multiple levels of Tianming, could they? That was impossible!


    "No matter what color, doesn''t the fact that I lit up the stele mean I¡¯m officially a Tianming Master?"


    Seeing that Qian Yuhuan was covering for him, Zhang Xuan nodded with satisfaction and looked over at Shi Yunjing.


    "Of course!" Shi Yunjing responded. "I¡¯ll have someone arrange a token to represent your status as a Tianming Master!"


    Their main purpose foring was to test whether Zhang Xuan had passed the examination andprehended the Tianming that suited him. No matter the color, as long as the stele lit up, it meant he had seeded and now held the title of Tianming Master.


    Zhang Xuan sighed in relief and looked at the rest of the group. "You all should test it as well!"


    Sun Qiang and the others nodded.


    "Since this Wanxiang Stele has a problem, let''s move over here and use this stone tablet for testing..."


    Qian Yuhuan led everyone to another stone pir.


    As long as they ensured this one wasn¡¯t broken, everything would be fine.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 108: Family

    Vol 2 Ch 108: Family


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go first!¡±


    Sun Qiang nodded and walked to the stone tablet.


    ¡°No need to activate the Destiny you¡¯veprehended; just rx, the W¨¤nxi¨¤ng Stele will naturally perform the test¡­¡± Master Qian Yuhuan of the W¨¤nxi¨¤ng Sect said.


    Sun Qiang responded, and when the young master tested earlier, he had paid close attention. It should be simple.


    Thinking this, he ced his palm gently on the stone tablet.


    ¡°Whum!¡±


    A red light immediately shed out.


    ¡°To have two Destiny Masters appear from one test, this is quite a spectacle¡­¡±Shi Yunjing nodded in satisfaction.


    Normally, a test might have one person pass out of ten, but for two people to pass in the same session is incredibly rare¡­


    ¡°Ahem, Hall Master, before the test, there are still the horse and the chicken¡­¡±


    Elder Zhu Xun, who was about to exin the spectacle caused by Yan Thirty-Three, saw the W¨¤nxi¨¤ng Stele shake once more.


    ¡°Whum~~¡±


    An orange light shed out again.


    ¡°???¡±


    What he was about to say got stuck in his throat, and he couldn¡¯t speak another word.


    It wasn¡¯t just him; Master Qian Yuhuan was alsopletely stunned.


    Just now, the four colors had been shing continuously, which could have meant the W¨¤nxi¨¤ng Stele was broken. But how is it that this fat guy also released two types of light? ?


    Everyone around went silent again, looking at each other in confusion.


    Four types of light shing might as well have been a ghost sighting¡­


    And now, it was two ghost sightings?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°Um¡­ Master Qian, is this also broken?¡±


    Zhang Xuan awkwardly pulled Sun Qiang back and spoke up.


    Though he didn¡¯t know why this guy was showing two colors, he figured it was better to keep a low profile for now.


    ¡°Should be¡­¡±


    Master Qian Yuhuan stiffly responded. After a moment, he pointed to another side, ¡°This is thest W¨¤nxi¨¤ng Stele of our sect¡­¡±


    The W¨¤nxi¨¤ng Sect of the Z¨°uy¨¬ Dynasty only had three W¨¤nxi¨¤ng Stele in total. If this one was broken, there would be no more tests.


    ¡°Alright, go test over there¡­ Ahem, be careful, just light it up. No need to linger too long¡­¡±


    Looking at Luo Ruoxi and the others, Zhang Xuan coughed.


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    Understanding his meaning, Luo Ruoxi smiled slightly.


    Her husband was good at everything but just liked to keep a low profile too much¡­


    Zhang Xuan sighed in relief and looked at the fat man in front of him: ¡°What¡¯s going on? You¡¯veprehended two Destinies?¡±


    Sun Qiang nodded and transmitted a voice message: ¡°I learned the Giant Wave Momentum from the young master. Just now, when I was in the River of Destiny, I saw the Destiny of Commerce, so I learned a bit¡­ and ended upprehending it as well¡­¡±


    ¡°Commerce?¡± Zhang Xuan frowned.


    He could learn multiple Destinies because of the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path, but how did Sun Qiang do it?


    Could it be rted to him helping open the Source Pool?


    It was possible!


    The way he opened the Source Pool was the same as creating a new world. He could freely learn multiple paths without restriction, so it made sense that Sun Qiang could learn two.


    Of course, this was just a guess, and whether it was true or not needed to be investigatedter.


    ¡°No¡­ Since Sun Qiang can learn two, others won¡¯t be able to, right?¡±


    A thought popped up, and Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyelids twitched. He quickly looked ahead.


    Two people had already shed two colors. If another person showed up, it would be impossible to keep a low profile anymore¡­


    At this moment, Luo Ruoxi had already ced her palm on the stone pir. With a gentle smile, red light instantly illuminated.


    Swallowing hard, Zhang Xuan stared, considering how to exin that this stone pir was also broken when he was interrupted, and saw that Luo Ruoxi had already withdrawn her hand and walked back to the crowd.


    ¡°Phew!¡±


    Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.


    It seemed Luo Ruoxi was reliable. Otherwise, if all three stone pirs emitted multiple colors of light, even the most oblivious person would realize it wasn¡¯t the W¨¤nxi¨¤ng Stele that was faulty, but them.


    Next, Luo Qiqi, Liu Yang, Yuan Tao, and others stepped forward, all lighting up only red without any other colors.


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡±


    As he was deep in thought, Zhang Xuan suddenly realized the issue. He looked at the fat man again: ¡°Did you reach the second stage of Destinyprehension?¡±


    The difference in the light emitted by the stone tablet wasn¡¯t because of the number of Destiniesprehended, but because of¡­ the realms!


    First stage was red light, second stage was orange light¡­


    This guy showing two colors clearly meant he hadprehended two different levels of Destiny.


    Sun Qiang awkwardly scratched his head: ¡°Yeah, the ¡®Momentum¡¯ the young master taught me¡­ I learned it really quickly! Recently, while gathering information outside, I kept using it and reached the second stage¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyelids twitched.


    He could already imagine how this guy would look when arguing with others¡­


    I see, you just like showing off, don¡¯t you?


    Sigh, how can I, a low-profile person, have such an over-the-top steward? My head¡¯s going to explode!


    Frustrated, Zhang Xuan noticed Shi Yunjing not far away, his eyelids twitching nonstop. He had been so shocked that he couldn¡¯t speak.


    Typically, if ten people tested, one passing would be considered good, but now¡­ the second, third, fourth, fifth¡­


    In the blink of an eye, they had already reached the tenth person, and all nine had passed!


    It wasn¡¯t a test for Destiny; it was a free pass!


    His lips trembled as he continued to watch.


    ¡°Whum!¡±


    The tenth person ced their palm on the stone tablet, and once again, red light shed. It was clear that they had passed the test effortlessly.


    ¡°Ten people, all passed¡­¡±


    Swallowing hard, Shi Yunjing was speechless.


    In twenty years of managing the Destiny Hall in Z¨°uy¨¬ City, the most people who passed any test in one session was three. But now, all ten passed¡­ it was unheard of.


    ¡°This is going to cause a huge stir¡­¡±


    He shook his head helplessly.


    If the Destiny Hall were still operational, he would have found a way to cover this up, but now they were at the most informed W¨¤nxi¨¤ng Sect. In just half a day, every kingdom nearby would know¡­


    However, it could be a good thing for the Destiny Hall, as it would attract more talent.


    He thought he had sighed in relief when he saw the situation. Just then, the eleventh person walked up.


    ¡°???¡±


    Shi Yunjing waspletely confused.


    Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be ten people testing? What¡¯s going on?


    Seeing his expression, Elder Zhu Xun quickly exined: ¡°To report back to the Hall Master¡­ these people are all rted to Young Master Zhang. Earlier, Young Master Zhang said to avoid trouble by testing everyone at once, and I agreed thinking it could lower costs¡­¡±


    ¡°Eleven people tested all at once?¡± Shi Yunjing¡¯s face turned dark.


    ¡°Twelve¡­¡± Zhu Xun quickly added.


    While they were speaking, thest two people also lit the stone tablet red¡­


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Shi Yunjing couldn¡¯t say another word.


    Twelve people testing at once and all bing Destiny Masters¡ªthis would be extraordinary even at the headquarters! No wonder the Destiny Hall copsed¡­


    Shi Yunjing finally understood what had happened and red fiercely: ¡°Breaking the rules and letting so many people test at once! Zhu Xun, you¡¯d better be ready for punishment when we get back!¡±


    You call that lowering costs? You¡¯ve just ruined the whole ce!


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Elder Zhu Xun almost cried.


    It was just a test! Who would have thought this would happen?


    If anyone was to me, it had to be Young Master Zhang and his over-the-top group of people¡­


    ¡°Forget it, I can¡¯t fully me you. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll report the truth! As for how the headquarters will decide, I can¡¯t help with that!¡±


    Seeing his state, Shi Yunjing coldly said. After thinking for a moment, he asked, ¡°By the way, what were you going to tell me earlier?¡±


    Earlier, when Sun Qiang tested, Zhu Xun wanted to say something but was interrupted by the two colors.


    ¡°I wanted to say¡­ before Young Master Zhang tested, his disciples and pets also underwent testing!¡±


    Elder Zhu Xun said with difficulty.


    ¡°Pets?¡±


    Shi Yunjing asked curiously, ¡°What level of Source Beast? Star River First Stage? Second Stage? Or do they have some pure bloodline?¡±


    ¡°T


    Zhu Xun pointed at a distance, ¡°That horse and the chicken beside it.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Shi Yunjing was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°You mean those are Young Master Zhang¡¯s pets? His ability to pick people is so good that he can turn a chicken into a Destiny Master?¡±


    With his discerning eyes, he could tell that both the horse and the chicken were very ordinary.


    ¡°Ordinary?¡±


    Zhu Xun awkwardly scratched his head: ¡°This chicken and horse also passed the test and became Destiny Masters¡­ It seems their opportunities are even higher than Yan Thirty-Three¡¯s. So when making the tokenster, we¡¯ll also make one for them¡­¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Shi Yunjing was left speechless.


    He had thought the shock would end there, but it seemed the real bombshell was only just beginning!


    Not just him, but everyone present, including Master Qian Yuhuan and the others, were left dumbfounded.


    Even Yan Thirty-Three was about to cry.


    An hour ago, when he defeated Fei Ling and Su Yunzhe, he had been so confident and radiant. Now he suddenly felt that even a chicken was above him¡­


    Is this my fate?


    ¡°So many people, and all of them passed the test!¡±


    In the corner, Mo Hong swallowed hard, casually tossing a few Source Coins to pay for tea, then turned to leave.


    As an Elder of the Z¨°uy¨¬ Dynasty¡¯s Destiny Hall, he naturally knew how rare Destiny Masters were. For all the people he brought with him to pass the test in one go, it was nothing short of incredible!


    Previously, he had thought that Zhang Xuan was too young, and the stunning sword techniques of Min Shidi were probably unrted to him. But now, that thought hadpletely changed.


    Anyone who could make the W¨¤nxi¨¤ng Stele sh four colors, get Master Qian Yuhuan to behave this way, and get all the people they brought to pass the test¡ªthis had nothing to do with being ordinary¡­


    Perhaps¡­ Min Jiangtao¡¯s sword techniques were taught by this guy!


    ¡­


    In the skies above the Z¨°uy¨¬ Dynasty, the figure of an old man suddenly appeared.


    It was the old man, Zhou Laotou, who had caught the Seven-Segment Bugs earlier.


    At this moment, he was quietly floating in the air, looking at the vast city below, seemingly deep in thought.


    ¡°You were right, the descendant whoprehended my Culinary Path Destiny is in this city¡­ but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a man or a woman¡­¡±


    Old Zhou smiled and said, ¡°If it¡¯s a man, I¡¯ll treat him like my son; if it¡¯s a woman, I¡¯ll treat her like my daughter¡­ Anyway, whoever it is, they¡¯re all family to me!¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 109: Fake Life

    Vol 2 Ch 109: Fake Life


    This old man, Zhou Laotou, named Zhou Cang, is the controller of the Chef Dao Destiny.


    The Chef Dao Destiny, although not very strong in terms ofbat power, is revered by countless powerful figures for its ability to cook the world''s finest delicacies and control the culinary arts.


    Just the other day, the two individuals, Qing and Hei, had been searching for him as loyal followers, willing to travel billions of miles in search of a single exquisite meal.


    For practitioners, as long as they haven¡¯t transcended their destiny, they must obey the fate''s constraints, and their lifespans are finite. When they can no longer advance in cultivation, many powerful individuals indulge in the pleasures of fine cuisine. Because of this, Zhou Cang''s status has always been high.


    This destiny, without natural talent, leads to slow progress. Though Zhou Cang has cultivated many disciples throughout his life, very few have been able to truly inherit his mantle.


    As his life nears its end and no sessor is in sight, all the countless dishes he has painstakingly created are at risk of being lost forever.


    Therefore, when he heard someone hadprehended the Chef Dao Destiny, he could no longer hold himself back, abandoning even the rare Seven-Segmented Worm he had searched for over ten years, rushing to find the individual.


    "Such amotion must mean the person has just discovered their destiny, which means if they''re still in the Destiny Hall..." Zhou Cang thought for a moment, then quickly flew towards the center of Zouyi City. In no time, he arrived and, upon seeing the wreckage, was left dumbfounded.The Destiny Hall, as the most important building in the city, was not something anyone dared to attack¡ªeven if a royal pce could be destroyed, who would dare to touch this ce?


    Why did it look so devastated?


    Never mind. He decided to first ask around to understand what had happened, then look for the disciple who hadprehended the Chef Dao Destiny.<hr>


    In the Great Hall of Wanxiang Gate, Mo Hong had not gone far when he saw Mo Baiye walking over briskly.


    Mo Hong hurriedly approached, saluted, and with a slight hint of confusion, asked, "Master, what are you doing here?"


    "The Destiny Hall suddenly copsed, and as the deputy hall master, I came to see what happened!" Mo Baiye waved his hand.


    Mo Hong understood. His master was not only the head of the Mo Dao Sect but also the deputy hall master of the Zouyi Destiny Hall, which is why he had the opportunity to be an elder. Otherwise, with his and his two junior brothers'' strength, though not weak, they would still be far from the position of elder.


    "And you? Didn''t I ask you to investigate the matter? Why are you here?" Mo Baiye asked.


    "It''s like this..." Mo Hong quickly exined the information he had gathered.


    "Your guess is correct. The sword technique that Min Jiangtao is cultivating was taught by this Zhang Xuan?" Mo Baiye said.


    "Yes!"


    Mo Hong replied, "However, whether it''s true or not still needs to be verified..."


    "No need to verify. It''s almost certainly him!" Mo Baiye said, hands behind his back.


    Mo Hong was puzzled: "Why is Master so sure?"


    Mo Baiye narrowed his eyes: "First, some time ago, the Mo Dao scent suddenly appeared, meaning someoneprehended the second realm of Mo Dao. At the time, I thought it was Ling Buyang, so I sent Mo Qing to investigate. Later, Mo Qing was killed, and I sent Min Jiangtao to investigate."


    "A few days ago, there were three Mo Dao scents again, and I thought Min Jiangtao had broken through. You tested it, and he onlyprehended a strange sword technique, but his realm did not improve. Therefore, I spected that maybe someone else alsoprehended Mo Dao and reached my realm."


    "Based on the timing, it''s exactly when Min Jiangtao came to Zouyi City. As long as we confirm who he was with, we can be sure who taught him the sword technique!"


    "Just now, you saw that the boy made the Wanxiang Monument glow with several colors. I suspect that he has a special method to hide his destiny within himself! And the yellow glow should be the light emitted by the Mo Dao Destiny..."


    "Hide his destiny?" Mo Hong asked in confusion. "Isn''t destiny supposed to be unique? Can someone cultivate multiple destinies?"


    "I always thought destiny was unique too, but it was this Wan Dao Alliance meeting that opened my eyes to some unknown secrets!" Mo Baiye''s gaze shed.


    Mo Hong was curious: "Secrets?"


    The Wan Dao Alliance meeting is a grand event where all Destiny Sword cultivators gather. Over two months ago, his master attended and met countless experts.


    Mo Baiye said, "Your cultivation is too low, so you don''t need to know for now. Just understand that things have their truth and falsity, and destinies can be true or false. Some powerful figures, fearing they might be killed during a battle for destiny, often use special methods to cultivate one or more fake destinies."


    "These fake destinies often help preserve their true lives in times of crisis, which is known as ''Li Dai Tao Jiang''... Many top-level experts who seem to have fallen are actually still alive, just living under a different identity. Of course, I don''t have the qualifications to know exactly how this works with my current cultivation."


    "Fake destiny? Li Dai Tao Jiang?" Mo Hong was speechless.


    He had never heard of these before and felt like a whole new world had opened before him.


    After a moment of shock, he asked, "So... this Zhang Xuan is the kind of expert Master mentioned, one who cultivates fake destinies?"


    Mo Baiye said, "It''s possible! But whether he¡¯s truly an expert is still uncertain. He could just be someone from a good family who obtained the secret technique early on..."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Many roads lead to Rome, but some people are born right in Rome. These secret techniques are something we''ve never heard of, but for some of the favored children of powerful families, they may have been exposed to these techniques from a young age."


    "If he¡¯s a family prodigy..." Mo Hong¡¯s eyes showed a hint of worry. "Should we continue?"


    Since his family background was so exceptional, it wouldn¡¯t be something they could easily touch. Otherwise, it would mean the destruction of their own sect.


    "Of course!" Mo Baiye¡¯s gaze shed. "First, he has cultivated the Mo Dao Destiny, which already puts him inpetition with me. If he enters the Fourth Realm before me, my destiny will automatically be his subordinate!"


    Mo Hong was stunned: "A fake destiny can also be real?"


    Mo Baiye nodded: "When a fake bes real, the real bes fake! It¡¯s fake now, but as long as he enters the Fourth Realm before me, or kills me, it will automatically turn real..."


    "This..." Mo Hong''s face showed disbelief.


    This newspletely overturned his understanding of destiny.


    Looking at his disciple, Mo Baiye shook his head. When he first learned this, his expression was not much better.


    "Are you saying that we¡¯re at an impasse now? Either he dies or I die! Since it¡¯se to this, why not push forward? Moreover, since he cultivates a fake destiny, he naturally knows the cultivation mantras for these secrets. If we can get them, even if we abandon our current identities and live in hiding, what¡¯s the harm..."


    Mo Baiye¡¯s face showed a ruthless expression.


    Mo Hong nodded.


    For a secret technique of such a level, if they could obtain it, even being hunted down by powerful families would be worth it.


    Suddenly thinking of something, Mo Hong looked at his master with curiosity: "Master, there¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t quite understand. Cultivating a destiny is difficult. To cultivate one to its extreme requires countless years. Some people might spend their entire lives without reaching the peak. How can there be time or energy to cultivate a fake destiny?"


    Just like him¡ªhe had cultivated the Mo Dao for decades and had only reached the second realm. He had no idea how far he was from the third realm... Let alone cultivating another destiny. There was no time for that.


    Mo Baiye shook his head: "You¡¯re still too na?ve. You don¡¯t really think that these noble scions or experts themselves cultivate these fake destinies, do you?"


    Mo Hong: "Aren¡¯t they?"


    "Of course not!" Mo Baiye nodded. "Some powerful families cultivate fake destiny practitioners, just like they cultivate death warriors. They provide them with the best resources and cultivation techniques. When needed, they extract the destiny from them... Of course, this is just one method. Truly powerful families and experts, in order to survive, are far more ruthless than you can imagine. They might even do this to their own talented descendants!"


    Mo Hong shrank his neck.


    He had always thought his master was ruthless, but hearing this, he now understood how much further up thedder these high-level figures were. Compared to them, he and his master were still far behind.


    Every strong figure has blood on their hands.


    "Enough!" Mo Baiye waved his hand, his gaze shing. "Since we know that this person taught Min Jiangtao the sword technique, I¡¯ll go over and test his true strength. If he¡¯s weak... we¡¯ll seize the opportunity to kill him! If he¡¯s strong, we¡¯ll find a way to use the sword to kill him! In any case, there¡¯s no turning back. It¡¯s either him or me!"


    Mo Hong nodded, his face serious. "Understood, Master!"


    "Let¡¯s go!" Mo Baiye said no more and walked briskly towards the direction of Wanxiang Gate.<hr>


    At Wanxiang Gate, Shi Yunjing handed out the tokens to Zhang Xuan and the others, saying, "This token represents your identity as Destiny Sword practitioners. Keep them safe. Starting today, you are officially registered as Destiny Sword practitioners of the Zouyi Dynasty..."


    When he handed a token to Qianlima and Xiao Huangji, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit conflicted.


    Elder Zhu Xun had already confirmed that these two had indeed reached the Law Manifestation Realm, and they were indeed legitimate Destiny Sword practitioners. But still... had the bar for Destiny Sword practitioners dropped so low?


    "Focus on cultivating, and make sure to visit the Destiny Hall often..." Shi Yunjing patted Dao Li¡¯s head, giving him the usual advice, before turning to Zhang Xuan, "Young Master Zhang, do you have some time now? I¡¯d like to have a conversation with you, there are some things I need to rify..."


    Although it was already clear that the Destiny Hall copse had been caused by Elder Zhu Xun not following the rules, there were still some details that needed rification.


    "It would be my honor!" Zhang Xuan cupped his hands.


    "Master Qian, may I borrow your side hall?" Shi Yunjing asked.


    Qian Yuhuan nodded, "Of course, but I also have some questions to ask Young Master Zhang. Shall we go together? I hope Master Shi doesn¡¯t mind?"


    "Of course not..." Shi Yunjing nodded.


    Zhang Xuan looked at Sun Qiang and the others: "I have something to discuss with Master Shi. You guys go back first!"


    "Yes!" Sun Qiang and the others nodded and were about to leave when they heard a loud shout from outside.


    "Wait!"


    Soon, everyone saw Mo Baiye striding in.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 110: Knowing the Fate

    Vol 2 Ch 110: Knowing the Fate


    "Vice Hall Master Mo?" Shi Yunjing looked over.


    "Hall Master!"


    Mo Baiye pretended to be surprised, cupping his hands: "I heard about the copse of Destiny Hall and came here specially. Since the Hall Master is here overseeing the situation, it seems I was too hasty!"


    Shi Yunjing smiled and nodded: "Vice Hall Master Mo is concerned for Destiny Hall, how could that be hasty!"


    Mo Baiye looked over curiously: "Since the Hall Master is here, can you find out what exactly happened? Why would such a solid building as Destiny Hall copse so suddenly? Could it be that someone attacked?"


    "Well..."


    Shi Yunjing hesitated for a moment and exined what he knew.


    Mo Baiye had already heard it from Mo Hong, but he pretended it was the first time hearing about it, lookingpletely disbelieving. When Shi Yunjing finished, he looked toward Zhang Xuan not far away: "Everyone else''s assessments went smoothly. But with the copse of Destiny Hall during their assessment... Could someone have tampered with it?"Shi Yunjing frowned: "Vice Hall Master Mo, be cautious with your words!"


    Mo Baiye quickly nodded: "Perhaps I was overthinking. I have an inappropriate request. I hope the Hall Master will permit it! I would like my disciple Mo Hong to test Zhang Shao¡¯s abilities... It would clear his name. Otherwise, even if we don''t think this way, others will hear about it, and it won¡¯t be good for him!"


    "Well..."


    Shi Yunjing furrowed his brow and turned to Zhang Xuan: "Zhang Shao, this is Mo Baiye, the leader of the Mo Dao Sect and the Vice Hall Master of Destiny Hall. He would like to see your strength. I wonder if that would be convenient for you..."


    "It is my honor!" Zhang Xuan smiled and nodded.


    Since he had already copied Mo Dao, the other party must have noticed. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have sent their disciple repeatedly! It seemed they wanted to see if Zhang Xuan could use Mo Dao, and whether it had any rtion to the death of his disciple.


    Seeing that Zhang Xuan agreed, Mo Baiye nced at Mo Hong. Receiving the signal, Mo Hong took a step forward, and a powerful aura immediately swept toward them.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Mo Hong, a peak practitioner of the Star River Realm''s third level, was stronger than Min Jiangtao, who had just broken through.


    Knowing Mo Hong was a tough opponent, Zhang Xuan knew it would be hard to win without activating New World. His eyes narrowed, and with a swift motion, he grabbed the air, and the Cold Nether Sword appeared in his palm. He released his internal energy¡ªDharma Aspect Realm peak!


    "Using a sword?"


    Mo Baiye furrowed his brows and secretly gestured to Mo Hong.


    Reaching the third stage of Mo Dao, Mo Hong''s strength should surpass that of a swordsman. As long as enough pressure was applied, Zhang Xuan would be forced to use his sword. Even if not directly, he would still secretly notice it.


    Mo Hong understood the message and nodded. He unsheathed his long knife: "Please!"


    "Please!"


    Zhang Xuan nodded and drew his long sword.


    "Wait..."


    Just as the tension escted, a faint voice rang out: "Elder Mo Hong, with your strength, is it really fair to spar with someone who hasn¡¯t even reached the Star River Realm?"


    Everyone turned around and saw the genius Yan Thirty-Three ring disapprovingly.


    Mo Hong smiled slightly: "Just a test, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go easy!"


    Yan Thirty-Three took a step forward: "I also want to test how strong a Star River Realm¡¯s third level expert is. Elder Mo Hong, would you mind giving me some guidance?"


    "Uh..."


    Mo Hong frowned and looked toward his master.


    "This one is..."


    Mo Baiye was puzzled.


    He had never seen this rising youth before.


    "I am Yan Thirty-Three!" Yan Thirty-Three nodded.


    Mo Baiye suddenly realized: "The super genius of the Yan family? To challenge someone at the third level of the Star River Realm at your age takes guts, but your strength is stillcking a lot... Better wait until your cultivation improves, thene challenge Mo Hong!"


    Yan Thirty-Three snorted coldly: "By the time my cultivation improves, will he still be worthy of being my opponent?"


    "What a prideful boy!"


    Mo Hong was enraged to be looked down upon by a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old. "Fine, I¡¯ll see what you rely on to act so recklessly!"


    "Very well!"


    Yan Thirty-Three stepped forward, and as he took two steps, a whisper came from Kong Shiyao, not far away: "What are you doing? You¡¯re not his match!"


    Yan Thirty-Three nodded: "I¡¯ve just realized my destiny. I need a fight to break through to the Star River Realm! If I wait to break through on my own, it will take me at least another half a month. Besides, you gave me the golden carp, so I¡¯ll help your teacher by challenging Mo Hong first!"


    Kong Shiyao was speechless: "I didn¡¯t ask you to repay me..."


    Yan Thirty-Three: "That¡¯s not important! A man must repay kindness and settle grudges!"


    "Repay kindness? You¡¯re just a brat! Stop overthinking..." Kong Shiyao shook her head.


    Yan Thirty-Three didn¡¯t say more. He reached Mo Hong and activated his full power. His right hand extended: "Please!"


    "Since you won¡¯t use a weapon, I won¡¯t bully you!"


    Mo Hong flicked his wrist, and the Mo Dao knife stabbed into the ground not far away, vibrating. He took a step forward, his fist ready.


    Facing a boy who hadn¡¯t even reached the Star River Realm, using Mo Dao was beneath him.


    "Good!"


    Yan Thirty-Three didn¡¯t hesitate, clenching his fist and stepping forward. In the blink of an eye, the surrounding energy surged violently, creating a gust of wind.


    Zhang Xuan observed, and a book appeared in his mind, flipping open.


    "Yan Thirty-Three, originally named Yan Song, a descendant of the Yan family in Yungu City. He cultivates the ¡®Knowing Destiny Art,¡¯ where the more he repays, the faster he progresses..."


    "This..." Zhang Xuan was surprised.


    Knowing Destiny Art¡ªrepaying kindness to progress... what an interesting fate!


    No wonder Kong Shiyao just gave a word of advice, and Yan Thirty-Three insisted on repaying her, even challenging Mo Hong first. It all made sense now.


    As these thoughts shed in his mind, he turned his gaze to Mo Hong.


    "Mo Hong, the eldest disciple of Mo Dao Sect, peak Star River Realm, peak second stage of Mo Dao. Weakness: impotence..."


    "Sure enough!"


    Seeing thest two words, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.


    It was clear now that everyone who practiced Mo Dao had thismon w¡ªit was a problem with the technique.


    He turned to Mo Baiye, but he had not yet used any martial skills, so no book appeared.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Zhang Xuan flicked his finger, and a stone shot out from his fingertip, heading straight for Mo Baiye''s face.


    Mo Baiye lightly squeezed and caught the stone, looking over with a confused expression.


    "Are you ill? Trying to attack me?"


    Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t speak, only smiling faintly and ignoring him.


    From that brief moment, he had already sensed the power and gained information about Mo Baiye.


    "Mo Baiye, founder of Mo Dao¡¯s Destiny, leader of Mo Dao Sect, a Star River Realm sixth level expert, peak of the third stage of Mo Dao Destiny. Weakness: a fierce de wind..."


    "Wait, his weakness doesn¡¯t include ¡®impotence¡¯!"


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    It seemed Mo Baiye had intentionally led his disciple astray in the teachings of Mo Dao!


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 111: Yan Sanshisans Shock

    Vol 2 Ch 111: Yan Sanshisan''s Shock


    It had only been spection before, but deep down, Zhang Xuan always felt that, as a teacher, he needed to consider his disciples'' interests. How could he possibly intentionally hold back or teach them the wrong methods?


    At this moment, seeing that Mo Hong, like the others, had problems, but the founder of Mo Dao, Mo Baiye, was without issue, Zhang Xuan immediately understood what was going on.


    ¡°Deliberately teaching a wed technique to a disciple ensures that even if thetter has high talent, it would be nearly impossible for them to surpass the teacher¡­¡±


    Quickly, Zhang Xuan grasped the key point.


    Heaven¡¯s Fate is unique. If the teacher teaches everything to the disciple, once the disciple surpasses the teacher,petition is inevitable. Rather than allow that, it¡¯s better to deliberately leave gaps in the teachings, making it so the disciple is always chasing but can never overtake.


    ¡°So this is what a Destiny Master is?¡±


    Zhang Xuan looked around.


    This Mo Baiye wasn¡¯t the first, and certainly wasn¡¯t the only one. It was likely that in the entire Source World, there were many such individuals.The famous teachers of the Master Teacher Continent could not wait to pass on everything they knew to their students, hoping their students would grow stronger, surpassing them. But here, it was the exact opposite¡ªteachers epted disciples but feared them surpassing their own abilities¡­


    No wonder Kong Shi was discovered to be a Chaotic Fate Practitioner and immediately surrounded and attacked.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange¡­ Destiny Masters like to hold back, while famous teachers teach everything they know. It¡¯s like the opposite sides of the same coin, almost like entanglement in fate¡­ Could it be that I, Teacher Kong, and my father-inw Nie Yun, are in the Source World because of this reason?¡±


    An idea began to form in Zhang Xuan''s mind.


    Previously, he thoughting to the Source World was his own initiative, to solve the potential risks of the new world. But now, it seemed far moreplicated than that.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    It felt as if some special fate had enveloped him, Kong Shi, and others, forcing them toe.


    While his mind wandered, Yan Thirty-Three and Mo Hong had already exchanged blows for several rounds.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time to end this¡­¡±


    With a low shout, Mo Hong stepped forward and shed down with his right hand, a mighty de of Qi striking.


    In the previous exchanges, he hadn¡¯t used the Mo Dao, trying to defeat his opponent with just his fists and feet. Clearly, that was not so easy.


    ¡°Break!¡±


    Yan Thirty-Three didn¡¯t retreat but instead charged forward, his internal energy circting to its peak, making crackling sounds like beans frying in a pan. With a roar, he exhaled like a dragon.


    Crack!


    Countless Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy surged into his body, the Source Pool rumbling, and his aura suddenly soared.


    As expected, under pressure, Yan Thirty-Three sessfully broke through and reached the first level of the Star River Realm.


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    He had courage, resolve, and most importantly, was grateful¡ªa good disciple indeed.


    With his strength increased, Yan Thirty-Three¡¯sbat power almost doubled. However,pared to Mo Hong, he was still far behind. After Mo Hong unleashed the Mo Dao, Yan Thirty-Three had to retreat again.


    ¡°I lost¡­¡±


    Yan Thirty-Three jumped out of the arena.


    His goal was always to break through, and now that he had seeded, continuing the fight had no meaning.


    ¡°Just breaking through and being able to hold out for so long under my hands¡­ No wonder you''re the top talent of Zouyi City¡­¡±


    Mo Hong no longer looked down on him, but rather, showed admiration.


    Yan Thirty-Three had just broken through, reaching the first level of the Star River Realm, and Mo Hong had some difficulty dealing with him. If he broke through to the second level, Mo Hong would most likely be defeated!


    No wonder he was ranked number one on the Star River Potential List. His talent was far superior.


    ¡°Young Master Zhang, please!¡±


    Mo Hong threw the Mo Dao up into the air and looked at Zhang Xuan.


    ¡°Please!¡±


    Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t say much and stepped forward.


    ¡°This Mo Hong¡¯s strength is unfathomable. Don¡¯t you want to warn your teacher?¡±


    Yan Thirty-Three, having retreated to stand next to Kong Shiyao, couldn¡¯t help but say.


    Mo Hong was unarmed, and Yan Thirty-Three couldn¡¯t even match him. Once Mo Hong wielded the Mo Dao, his strength would increase even more. Although Zhang Xuan was Kong Shiyao¡¯s teacher, he hadn¡¯t broken through the Star River Realm either. Yan Thirty-Three didn¡¯t think Zhang Xuan would be stronger than him.


    ¡°Teacher never does things without confidence. Don¡¯t worry!¡± Kong Shiyao smiled and shook her head.


    No matter what her teacher did, she had absolute faith in him.


    ¡°I used to have absolute confidence too, but¡­ the fact is, the gap in strength is too big. Even with great talent, it¡¯s useless¡­¡±


    Seeing Kong Shiyao¡¯s expression, Yan Thirty-Three shook his head.


    It seemed that both Zhang Xuan and his disciples were quite arrogant¡­ However, once they faced defeat, they would understand that in a duel, arrogance alone won¡¯t work!


    Swish!


    Realizing that Mo Hong was likely a hidden master, the battle was bound to be intense. Mo Hong immediately shed out with the Mo Dao. In the blink of an eye, the entire hall was filled with brilliant de energy.


    Knowing this would be a tough battle, Zhang Xuan took a step back and unsheathed his sword.


    The Pathos of Heaven Sword Technique was a sword art that surpassed Heaven¡¯s Path. Once unleashed, it would attract much attention. He couldn¡¯t use it unless it was a life-or-death situation, and only when he was certain he could defeat his opponent.


    Fortunately, Zhang Xuan was proficient in numerous sword arts. The Dreaming Sword Art he had learned from his parents on the Master Teacher Continent was also powerful. As he wielded his sword now, it moved erratically like a dream, making it hard for Mo Hong¡¯s fierce Mo Dao tond a blow.


    Yan Thirty-Three had initially thought that Kong Shiyao¡¯s teacher would fail with just one move, but to his surprise, Zhang Xuan not only blocked the attacks but even held his own for several moves. Yan Thirty-Three couldn¡¯t believe his eyes.


    He had always thought that, below the Star River Realm, he was truly invincible. He had easily defeated Fei Ling and Su Yunzhe.


    But now, facing Zhang Xuan, he realized just how far behind he was.


    ¡°Had Mo Hong used this move earlier, my palm would have been severed!¡±


    ¡°If he had used this move, my legs would have been chopped off¡­¡±


    ¡°If he had used this move, my head would have been decapitated¡­¡±


    In just a few breaths, Yan Thirty-Three had already seen several moves he couldn¡¯t possibly withstand, but Zhang Xuan dodged them effortlessly, as though he had predicted everything. The more Yan Thirty-Three watched, the paler he became, his body involuntarily trembling.


    So powerful! No wonder Kong Shiyao had so much confidence in him.


    Now, even if he broke through to the Star River Realm, he would still not be Zhang Xuan¡¯s opponent.


    Turning his gaze toward Kong Shiyao and Zhang Xuan¡¯s other disciples, he saw that they all remained calm, as though they had known their teacher would perform like this all along.


    ¡°What kind of freaks are these?¡±


    Yan Thirty-Three could no longer speak.


    In contrast to his shock, Mo Baiye squinted his eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s so skilled with a sword? Did I misjudge?¡±


    If he practiced the Mo Dao Destiny, his swordsmanship shouldn¡¯t have been that strong. But now, with just his Dharma Aspect, he had stopped a disciple in the third level of the Star River Realm. This was truly incredible.


    ¡°Attack!¡±


    He looked at Mo Hong and silently nodded, making a gesture to kill.


    Mo Hong understood, and the Mo Dao spun, releasing a magnificent de energy that shed down.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 112: Five Bells

    Vol 2 Ch 112: Five Bells


    "Mo Hong, what are you trying to do?"


    Before the Stone Cloud Temple Master could speak, Qian Yuhuan, who was beside him, nearly lost hisposure, his soul almost leaping out in anxiety.


    The holder of the Sky Azure Wanchang Card, the most esteemed guest of the Wanchang Gate, if he were to die here, he wouldn¡¯t even need to live anymore. He would definitely be torn into pieces by people sent from headquarters.


    A powerful surge of energy erupted from within him, and as he took a step forward, he was about to charge ahead to stop them. But then, he saw a sh of de light, with Mo Baiye standing in front.


    "Master Qian, they are in a duel. It wouldn''t be appropriate for you to rush in like this!" Mo Baiye said.


    Qian Yuhuan narrowed his eyes. "Mo Baiye, are you going to stop me?"


    Mo Baiye shook his head. "Not at all, Master Qian. How could I dare stop you? I just don¡¯t want the duel to be interrupted. Don¡¯t worry, Mo Hong knows what he¡¯s doing¡­"


    Qian Yuhuan snorted coldly. "He better know what he¡¯s doing, or if Young Master Zhang is hurt even a little, I won¡¯t hesitate to wipe out the Mo Dao Sect!""This¡­" Mo Baiye¡¯s eyelid twitched. Though filled with anger, he dared not speak further.


    Although Mo Baiye was a Sixth-Level Star River realm expert, he was still far from being a match for Qian Yuhuan, especially since thetter was supported by Wanchang Gate. If Qian Yuhuan truly wanted to kill him, even Stone Temple Master couldn¡¯t save him.


    However, the threat did provide Mo Baiye with one clear piece of information: Zhang Xuan''s identity was definitely extraordinary. Otherwise, Qian Yuhuan would not be so protective.


    This only reinforced Mo Baiye¡¯s earlier suspicion.


    Not knowing that Mo Baiye had deliberately blocked Qian Yuhuan, Zhang Xuan''s gaze was fixed tightly on the de light before him.


    Whoosh!


    With a powerful stomp, Zhang Xuan shot forward toward the de light.


    It seemed like he wasn¡¯t avoiding it but charging straight into it, almost seeking death. As long as Mo Hong did not retract his de light, Zhang Xuan would be split in half on the spot.


    Just as everyone was on edge, Mo Hong¡¯s de light descended. Only then did the crowd realize that the tip of the sharp Mo Dao was less than a centimeter from Zhang Xuan''s nose, just barely missing.


    It was as though the movement had been perfectly timed, not a single hair¡¯s breadth off.


    ¡°How is this possible?¡±


    Mo Hong¡¯s pupils contracted as he continued to swing the de. Each strike became fiercer than thest, the wind howling, and the onlookers dared not approach, retreating to over thirty meters away.


    However, no matter how fierce his de techniques were, Zhang Xuan dodged them by the smallest margins, causing each of Mo Hong¡¯s strikes to misspletely.


    "Impressive!" Yan Thirty-Three could no longer speak.


    At that moment, he understood that the so-called "first ce" he had was nothingpared to the opponent¡¯s strength.


    "This must be the real first ce on the Star River Potential List?"


    "Yeah, it''s terrifying. No wonder he canprehend Destiny¡­"


    The people who had mocked him before were now filled with embarrassment.


    Only now did they realize, whenpared to Zhang Xuan, their so-called talents were nothing but trash, like tortoises.


    The crowd was stunned, but Zhang Xuan had beads of sweat forming on his forehead.


    Normally, even though his talent was extraordinary, the gap in strength between him and Mo Hong was simply toorge. Without burning the New World, he would have never been able to hold out. But Mo Hong was using Mo Dao, and since Zhang Xuan hadprehended the third stage, he gained the upper hand in this moment.


    This meant that Zhang Xuan could predict each of Mo Hong¡¯s attacks in advance and respond ordingly. But this was the limit; he couldn''t retaliate.


    Unless¡­ he used Pathos of Heaven or burned the New World!


    "Mo Hong, that¡¯s enough!" Just as Zhang Xuan was on the verge of being unable to hold on any longer, Mo Baiye¡¯s voice rang out.


    Whoosh!


    The Mo Dao stopped, and Mo Hong retreated a few steps.


    From this, it was clear that Mo Hong was still holding back some strength.


    "To have such strength at such a young age, truly worthy of Young Master Zhang¡­" Mo Baiye smiled faintly and turned to Stone Cloud Temple Master and Master Qian, "Temple Master, Master Qian, I¡¯vepleted the assessment. Young Master Zhang is truly extraordinary, worthy of his title. I¡¯ll take my leave now."


    "Go ahead!" Seeing that Mo Baiye hadn¡¯t harmed anyone, Qian Yuhuan nodded in satisfaction, and Stone Cloud Temple Master waved casually.


    Mo Baiye said no more and walked out.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Master, why did you make me stop? If I had continued, I could have forced out more of his moves¡­" Mo Hong, following behind his teacher, was filled with confusion.


    "No need," Mo Baiye shook his head. "He can predict every one of your moves in advance, showing that hisprehension of Mo Dao''s Destiny surpasses yours. Continuing wouldn¡¯t make any sense."


    Mo Hong was shocked. "You mean¡­?"


    Mo Baiye nodded. "Correct. He hasprehended Mo Dao¡¯s Destiny to the third stage. The de technique that Min Jiangtao used was taught to him by Zhang Xuan!"


    "What should we do now?" Mo Hong clenched his fists.


    Mo Baiye¡¯s gaze flickered. "With Qian Yuhuan protecting him, it¡¯s impossible to deal with him for now. Let¡¯s wait for an opportunity. In just such a short time, he¡¯sprehended Mo Dao from the second stage to the third. His talent is indeed remarkable. It¡¯s a pity¡­ he shouldn¡¯t havee to Zouyi City. If I didn¡¯t know who he was, it would have been fine, but now that I know¡­ don¡¯t me me for being rude!"


    Since Destiny is singr and unyielding, as the host, I must act first and eliminate him. It seems I have to think about how to kill him without implicating myself¡­


    ¡°Mo Baiye, what a surprise¡­¡±


    Seeing Mo Baiye turn to leave, Qian Yuhuan once again looked at Zhang Xuan with admiration.


    At this point, any doubts he had werepletely erased. Zhang Xuan was undoubtedly the descendant of a major family. After all, it was impossible for someone who wasn¡¯t from a powerful background to be at such a level¡ªhe had already surpassed Mo Hong, who was at the peak of the Star River Third Realm.


    "Let¡¯s go."


    Qian Yuhuan gestured and walked quickly toward the side hall.


    Stone Cloud Temple Master nodded in agreement, following closely behind.


    ¡°You all head back first¡­¡± Zhang Xuan instructed Sun Qiang and the others as he began to walk forward.


    He figured, unless something unexpected happened, they wouldn¡¯t need topensate for anything for now¡­


    ¡°Yes!¡± Sun Qiang nodded and was about to leave with the others, but suddenly, a long, resonant bell rang from above.


    The sound was loud and clear, echoing across all of Zouyi City, reverberating for at least dozens of miles.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Qian Yuhuan stopped in his tracks, instinctively looking up.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Stone Cloud Temple Master asked, confused, as he looked up as well.


    At the highest point of Wanchang Gate, there was arge bell, which had not sounded for decades. So why was it ringing now, and with such intensity?


    ¡°This¡­¡± Qian Yuhuan froze for a moment, then suddenly recalled something. His pupils contracted, and his face changed color. ¡°The bell rang five times, with three longs and two shorts¡­ It¡¯s bad! A master is here¡­ Set up the formation!¡±


    As his voice boomed, a beam of light enveloped the entire Wanchang Gate. In the blink of an eye, the defensive array activated.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening? This time, it¡¯s not my fault, right?¡± Zhang Xuan, also startled, couldn¡¯t help but look toward the gate. Soon, an elder appeared out of nowhere,pletely ignoring the defensive array, and slowly walked in.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 113: General Qualifications

    Vol 2 Ch 113: General Qualifications


    This elder, who appeared to be in his sixties, was dressed in coarse linen robes, with a bit of dust on him. From a distance, he resembled an ordinary farmer, devoid of any remarkable traits.


    Yet, wherever he passed, the grand formations of Destiny Hall, which usually shone resplendently, seemed like mere decorations, utterly ineffective in stopping him.


    ¡°An expert!¡±


    Qian Yuhuan¡¯s pupils contracted sharply.


    There was no need to ponder; it was evident that this elder''s strength had surpassedprehension. Could he be at the peak of the Star River Realm? Or perhaps... even higher?


    What could such a person want here?


    A wave of apprehension surged within Qian Yuhuan. Knowing that maintaining the formation against someone of such caliber would not only be futile but might also incur their displeasure, he made a skyward grasp, causing a token to appear in his hand. As he infused power into it, the radiant formation gradually dissipated.


    By this time, the elder had approached within twenty meters of them, curiously observing the surrounding crowd.After a moment of hesitation, Qian Yuhuan stepped forward and cupped his fists in greeting. ¡°I am Qian Yuhuan, the sect master of Wanxiang Gate in Zouyi City. May I ask what brings Senior here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just looking around...¡±


    The linen-d elder paid him no heed, instead scanning the area. Not finding who he was looking for, he turned back with a puzzled expression. ¡°Why is the Destiny Hall next door in ruins? I intended to go there to find someone, but it¡¯s already be rubble!¡±


    ¡°Senior wishes to visit the Destiny Hall?¡±


    Qian Yuhuan heaved a sigh of relief and quickly pointed to Shi Yunjing beside him. ¡°This is Shi Yunjing, the hall master of Zouyi City¡¯s Destiny Hall!¡±


    <em>Better him than me!</em>


    Delighted, the linen-d elder turned his gaze toward Shi Yunjing.


    Having been thrown under the bus by his old acquaintance, Shi Yunjing inwardly cursed but could only brace himself, stepping forward and bowing deeply. ¡°This junior, Shi Yunjing, greets Senior!¡±


    ¡°I wish to ask something. About two hours ago, did someone take an assessment at your Destiny Hall?¡± The linen-d elder, none other than Old Zhou, Zhou Cang, cut straight to the point.


    He had rushed to Zouyi City, even abandoning a meal involving a rare Seven-Segment Bug, and had circled the Destiny Hall ruins multiple times, questioning dozens of people to no avail. This led him here.


    His overwhelming strength had inadvertently triggered the formation of Wanxiang Gate, setting off rms.


    Shi Yunjing was taken aback by the question but quickly nodded. ¡°Yes, someone did take an assessment¡­¡±


    Had there been no assessment, the Destiny Hall wouldn¡¯t have been destroyed.


    Zhou Cang¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Where are the participants now? Was there an exceptional talent among them?¡±


    From the elder¡¯s tone, Shi Yunjing discerned his purpose and breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He immediately nodded and pointed toward Zhang Xuan and the others. ¡°The talented ones are all here.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all here?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Zhou Cang¡¯s excitement grew as his gaze scanned the group, quickly settling on Yan San Shi-San.


    Among them, Yan San Shi-San was the youngest and had the highest cultivation. Judging from his aura, his talent was undoubtedly the best of the group.


    ¡°It¡¯s you?¡±


    Like a prospector finding gold, Zhou Cang¡¯s eyes gleamed with satisfaction.


    A genius who hadprehended the Chef Dao Destiny! Handsome and talented, this individual not only deserved to be a disciple but also warranted being taken in as an adopted son. Zhou Cang was ready to impart his lifetime of skills without reservation!


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Zhou Cang stroked his beard, smiling warmly.


    ¡°Me?¡± Yan San Shi-San, stunned to be singled out, felt a surge of excitement. ¡°This junior is Yan San Shi-San¡­¡±


    It was obvious that anyone who couldmand such respect from Qian Sect Master and Shi Hall Master was an unparalleled expert. To gain such favor would be a tremendous opportunity.


    Zhou Cang nodded in approval. ¡°A fine name. Come closer so I can take a look at you!¡±


    Noticing Zhou Cang¡¯s favorable attitude and sensing his search for talented individuals, Qian Yuhuan rmended, ¡°Senior, this young man, Zhang Xuan, also underwent the assessment. His talent is equally remarkable...¡±


    He gestured toward Zhang Xuan.


    Zhou Cang nced briefly at Zhang Xuan before shaking his head. ¡°At his age, to have only reached the peak of the Dharma Aspect Realm... his aptitude is mediocre at best.¡±


    Zhang Xuan appeared to be around 26 or 27 years old. While such an aplishment might be considered excellent in Han Yuan City, White Rock City, or even Zouyi City, it paled inparison in Zhou Cang¡¯s eyes.


    In many prestigious families, children began cultivation at an early age, and it wasn¡¯t umon for some to reach the Star River Realm by sixteen or seventeen.


    Failing to break through the Star River Realm implied they hadn¡¯tprehended even the Second Stage of Heaven¡¯s Fate, making their talent only average.


    Such qualifications were unworthy of learning his Chef Dao Destiny.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Having his talent dismissed so bluntly, Zhang Xuan simply shook his head, unfazed. He had always preferred to keep a low profile. If others underestimated him, all the better¡ªit saved him trouble.


    ¡°Senior!¡± Yan San Shi-San approached, attempting to defend Zhang Xuan. ¡°This young master Zhang¡¯s talent and strength far surpass mine¡­¡±


    Zhou Cang interrupted with a wave. ¡°Enough! He¡¯s older than you, so it¡¯s natural he might seem stronger. Though I may be old, I¡¯m not blind. His aura is unstable, and his strength fluctuates. He may have some talent, butpared to you, he¡¯s far inferior.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    Yan San Shi-San wanted to argue further, but Zhou Cang cut him off. ¡°Enough! I didn¡¯te here to debate. Let me be frank¡ªI am here to ept a direct disciple!¡±


    ¡°A direct disciple?¡±


    ¡°Being chosen by such an expert... that¡¯s like ascending to the heavens in a single step!¡±


    ¡°Indeed! Under his tutge, reaching the peak of the Star River Realm would be almost guaranteed!¡±


    Hearing this, the crowd was abuzz with excitement.


    For cultivators, having a great master was tantamount to possessing wealth, resources, and techniques. Progress would naturally follow.


    Even Qian Yuhuan and Shi Yunjing couldn¡¯t help but ask excitedly, ¡°Senior, are you epting older disciples too?¡±


    Zhou Cang retorted with a dismissive wave. ¡°Get lost!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    Embarrassed, they stepped back before hesitantly asking, ¡°What are Senior¡¯s requirements for discipleship?¡±


    Zhou Cang snorted. ¡°Naturally, the younger and more powerful, the better. I am quite satisfied with Yan San Shi-San here!¡±


    He turned to Yan San Shi-San. ¡°Young man, show me your strength. If convenient, could you also share your Heaven¡¯s Fate? Privately, of course.¡±


    Some Heaven¡¯s Fates were transmissible and could be shared without issue. Others, however, were non-transmissible and revealing them would expose weaknesses, potentially leading to exploitation.


    For instance, Yan San Shi-San¡¯s Gratitude Destiny could be a liability if others knew about it. If someone deliberately did him favors, they could bind him with karmic obligations.


    Aware of these sensitivities, Zhou Cang didn¡¯t press for public disclosure. Instead, he sought to test both talent and character in private.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 114: Three Masters Arrive

    Vol 2 Ch 114: Three Masters Arrive


    "Regarding Heaven¡¯s Fate¡­ it¡¯s not convenient to disclose for now, but I can demonstrate my strength!"


    Yan Thirty-Three shook his head.


    "Not convenient?"


    Zhou Cang nodded. "Alright then."


    Culinary talent wasn''t considered a traditional cultivation path, so being embarrassed to talk about it was understandable. Back when he firstprehended it, he had also felt shy and awkward.


    "Understood!"


    Yan Thirty-Three breathed a sigh of relief. He channeled his energy to the limit and threw a punch.


    <em>Boom!</em>The air rippled with explosive sounds as a shockwave shot straight out of the hall, like the crackling of firecrackers.


    "As expected of Zouyi City''s top genius. In just a short time, his strength has improved again!"


    "With such power, even if he''s not on par with Mo Hong, he surely wouldn¡¯t lose as quickly now!"


    The crowd was stunned.


    This guy had just broken through to the Star River Realm during his bout with Mo Hong. Yet in less than a quarter of an hour, not only had his strength stabilized, but it had also improved. Such talent was truly invincible!


    Even Shi Yunjing and Qian Yuhuan couldn¡¯t help but nod, admiration for talent welling up in their hearts.


    If this powerful figure didn¡¯t take him as a disciple, they were more than willing to do so themselves.


    "Not bad..."


    Zhou Cang nodded in satisfaction, extending his hand. With a light gesture, a vortex of light appeared before everyone.


    "ce your hand inside and activate your Heaven¡¯s Fate. If your Fate aligns with mine, the vortex will merge into your body, enhancing your cultivation. Consider it a meeting gift from me. Of course, if our Fates don¡¯t align, the vortex will remain unchanged, indicating we aren¡¯t destined. Don¡¯t worry¡ªif there¡¯s no fusion, even I won¡¯t know what your Heaven¡¯s Fate is."


    "Thank you for your understanding, Senior..."


    Hearing that he could test his Heaven¡¯s Fate without others knowing, Yan Thirty-Three breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward. Just as he was about to ce his hand inside, the hall¡¯s great bell rang out again.


    <em>DONG-DONG-DONG-DONG-DONG!</em>


    Five chimes¡ªthree long, two short!


    "What now?"


    Qian Yuhuan felt his scalp tingle as he anxiously looked outside. Sure enough, another elder strode into the hall.


    This man was of simr age to Zhou Cang, d in green robes with a stern expression. Though he had yet to approach, his presence brought a heavy pressure to everyone¡¯s soul.


    It was none other than Feng Yuanping, the Hall Master of the Soul Hall. Like Zhou Cang, he had sensed someoneprehending the Heaven¡¯s Fate of Soul, and had rushed over after abandoning his feast of Seven-Segment Bugs.


    "Old Feng, what brings you here?"


    Seeing Feng Yuanping, Zhou Cang was surprised.


    He hade because someoneprehended the Culinary Heaven¡¯s Fate. But why was Feng Yuanping here?


    Such long-distance Heaven¡¯s Fate sensing was only possible for those cultivating the same type of Heaven¡¯s Fate. Even if others saw the glow, they wouldn¡¯t know its nature.


    "Why I¡¯m here is exactly why you¡¯re here!"


    Feng Yuanpingughed as he approached in just a few steps.


    From the moment the elder appeared to when he reached the hall, it took less than three breaths. His speed was astonishing, yet it seemed as if he hadn¡¯t moved his legs at all.


    For others, such movement might appear stiff or awkward. Yet for some inexplicable reason, everyone felt it was natural¡ªeverything about him seemed fluid and unassable.


    "Is this¡­ the mind-warping aura of a soul master?"


    Shi Yunjing was the first to recover, his hands and feet growing cold.


    If Zhou Cang had already shocked him, this neer was even more terrifying!


    He hadn¡¯t deliberately spoken or used any power, yet everyone¡¯s thoughts and will had been forcibly distorted.


    It was foreseeable that if this man wanted to act, he wouldn¡¯t need to use any force. A mere thought could erase everyone¡¯s memories, leaving them as empty shells.


    Terrifying!


    Turning to Qian Yuhuan, he saw the same pale expression, unable to utter a word.


    "You¡¯re here to take a disciple too?"


    Zhou Cang recovered and widened his eyes.


    "Why not? You¡¯re allowed to find a sessor, and I¡¯m not?"


    Feng Yuanpingughed heartily.


    "Of course, you can!"


    Zhou Cang nodded, then smiled at Yan Thirty-Three. "However, this exceptionally talented young man will undoubtedly be my disciple¡­"


    If the youth¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Fate was rted to the soul, he would have revealed it by now. Since he hadn¡¯t, there was a high chance it was culinary.


    "That¡¯s not necessarily true¡­"


    Feng Yuanping chuckled, but before he could finish, the great bell tolled once more. Soon, a ck-robed elder walked in.


    Seeing yet another powerhouse, Shi Yunjing and Qian Yuhuan swallowed hard, utterly speechless.


    What was going on today?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    First, the Destiny Hall was shaken to its core, and now top experts were arriving one after another as if they cost nothing!


    "Old Miao, you too¡­?"


    Feng Yuanping was equally stunned.


    "Of course, just like you. I sensed a connection and decided this young man should be my disciple!"


    Miao Hengsheng, the Nine Poison Sect Master, pointed cheerfully at Yan Thirty-Three.


    "Your disciple? Dream on¡­"


    Zhou Cang¡¯s face darkened. These two hade to eat his Seven-Segment Bugs, and now they wanted to steal his disciple? Outrageous!


    "I trust my instincts. Shall we ce a wager?"


    Miao Hengsheng smiled.


    "A wager? What kind?"


    Zhou Cang frowned.


    "Simple. We¡¯ll both let him undergo the test. If he bes my disciple, you owe me ten gourmet meals. If he bes yours, I¡¯ll catch you another Seven-Segment Bug."


    "Wait! I¡¯m joining this wager too. What if he bes my disciple?" Feng Yuanping stepped forward.


    "If he¡¯s yours, I¡¯ll gift your disciple a Detoxification Pill, making him immune to all poisons. How about that for a meeting gift?"


    "That¡¯s generous!"


    Feng Yuanping nodded. "In that case, regardless of whose disciple he bes, I¡¯ll offer a Golden Soul Pearl."


    "Agreed!" Zhou Cang nodded.


    Hearing this exchange, Shi Yunjing and Qian Yuhuan felt their throats go dry.


    They might not understand the value of Zhou Cang¡¯s gourmet meals, but they knew the rarity of the Detoxification Pill and the Golden Soul Pearl. Both were priceless treasures. Yet these three elders casually threw them into a bet!


    What kind of people were they?


    "Yan Thirty-Three is about to rise to prominence!"


    "We must establish good rtions with the Yan family¡­"


    The same thought echoed in their minds.


    As for Yan Thirty-Three, he too understood, his fists clenching with excitement, his face flushed red.


    Finally, he was about to rise!


    Earlier, all the glory had been stolen by Zhang Xuan. This time¡­ he would take it all back, doubled!


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 115

    257 Chapter 115: The Awkward Yan Sansan


    Yan Sansan was indeed a genius, and it was true that he always reciprocated favors, but it was also true that he liked to show off and act arrogantly despite his young age.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have managed to arrange a meeting here with Fei Ling and Su Yunzhe, topete with them at the same time.


    He initially thought that after overpowering the two masters in one battle and taking the opportunity to break through to the Gxy Realm during hispetition with Mo Hong, he would be the most dazzling one in everyone''s eyes. He had never dreamed that Zhang Xuan would suddenly appear and totally steal his thunder...


    The adversary hadn''t even broken through yet, but was already evenly matched with Mo Hong. If he did break through, wouldn''t he be even more formidable?


    However, at present, the three great masters were all interested in him, vying to take him as their disciple¡ªa point hispetitor couldn''t match!


    "Let''s start then!"


    The decision being made, the three of them didn''t want to waste any more time, and Zhou Cang smiled lightly, "Come over and give it a try. Just seriously channel your Heavenly Destiny Power."


    "Yes!"


    Yan Sansan took a deep breath and stepped forward.


    Although he didn''t know which of the three his understanding of the fragments of the heavens suited, with their capabilities, it was an opportunity for him to soar to greater heights no matter who it was. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Excited, he reached his arm into the ring of light while silently channeling his Gratitude Destiny.


    A stream of Heavenly Mandate Vitality slowly gathered toward him, but the ring of light remained motionless without any change.


    "Have you channeled your heavenly destiny?"


    Zhou Cang''s smile froze on his face.


    Yan Sansan felt awkward.


    "Hahaha, I told you he''s my disciple, and you didn''t believe me. Looks like your ten meals are on me¡­"


    With a heartyugh, Feng Yuanping looked over at the young man, "My dear disciple, why not give mine a try!"


    After saying this, he lightly tapped his finger, and a ring identical to the other one appeared in front of everyone.


    "Yes!"


    Yan Sansan breathed a sigh of relief.


    This one seemed even stronger. Training with him didn''t seem bad either.


    "Is it also just cing my hand in and channeling heavenly destiny?" he asked with slight hesitation as he approached.


    "Exactly!"


    Feng Yuanping nodded, "Rest assured, the moment I arrived here, I sensed my disciple in this very room. If it''s not you, then who else could it be?"


    Seeing Feng Yuanping so certain, Yan Sansan breathed a sigh of relief. Delight and excitement covered his face as he stretched his arm inside the ring.


    After waiting for a moment, Feng Yuanping''s smile also froze on his face, "What do you feel?"


    Yan Sansan thought for a moment, "It feels warm andfortable¡­"


    Feng Yuanping''s eyelids twitched, and he looked helplessly toward Miao Hengsheng, who was standing not far away in ck, "This disciple is yours!"


    "Hahaha, I''ll take those ten meals and the golden soul pearl without hesitation. Truly sorry about this!"


    Old Man Miao stroked his beard andughed heartily, unable to contain the excitement in his eyes.


    Since he wasn''t their disciple, this genius naturally belonged to him.


    With a gentle tap, a simr light ring appeared in front of him, "My good disciple, prove it to them so they finally give up¡­"


    "Yes!"


    Although Yan Sansan felt a great blow from his two unsessful attempts, he still walked over with big strides.


    This man''s power seemed even mightier, it seemed that fate was purposefully saving the best forst¡­


    As he mulled over various thoughts and channeled his Gratitude Destiny again, the light ring remained as silent as a sheet of iron, without a hint of disturbance.


    A flicker in his eyelids, Yan Sansan suddenly had an ominous premonition and hastily channeled his heavenly destiny again, but the light ring remained utterly still.


    His face turned pale in an instant.


    It was over. He had intended to show off and gain back some face in front of Zhang Xuan, but now it seemed he had only made a fool of himself¡­


    "Ah, this¡­"


    The room was dead silent, and everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.


    Even Shi Yunjing, Qian Yuhuan, and the others were a bit stupefied.


    The three great masters hade full of confidence to find a disciple,peting fiercely, but after multiple trials, none chose him¡­


    "It''s not you?"


    Miao Hengsheng also snapped back to reality, ring sharply at Zhou Cang, "Elder Zhou, is this the person you were looking for?"


    "I¡­"


    Zhou Cang, slightly aggrieved, "Among all the people present, his talent is the highest, so I thought he was the only one qualified to be my disciple¡­"


    Miao Hengsheng''s eyelids flickered, thinking the other had some basis for his choice, but it turned out it was just because he saw the highest talent. However, he would have made the same choice¡ªafter all, who wouldn''t want a disciple with the highest talent?


    Seeing that the three of them hadn''t chosen him, Yan Sansan, after his initial disappointment, clenched his teeth, "Honored seniors, although I''m not the person you were looking for, I do pride myself on my decent talent. I could serve as an outer disciple and follow you for life¡­"


    "Go y elsewhere!"


    Miao Hengsheng flicked his sleeve dismissively.


    If the three of them truly wanted a disciple, thousands of people wishing to be apprentices could line up around Zouyi City in just a few days. His talent might be decent, butpared to those true prodigies, it was still far inferior¡­


    Ignoring the red-faced Yan Sansan, Miao Hengsheng looked around the room, searching, when he heard Zhou Cang''s voice.


    "Are you the Zhang Xuan that Leader Qian rmended just now?"


    Miao Hengsheng looked over.


    The young man in front of Zhou Cang, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, was tall and thin, with a handsome face that conveyed a sense of freshness. His spirit moved, and the other''s cultivation level immediately came to mind.


    Dharma Manifestation Realm Peak strength, not too high.


    "Yes¡­"


    Zhang Xuan bowed with a sped fist.


    "You too, give it a try!"


    Zhou Cang gestured, "Although your talent seems a bit lower, as long as you cultivate my heavenly destiny and be my disciple, you can also make a name for yourself and be a master of this era."


    "I''m sorry, I don''t n to take on a master, so there''s no need to test!"


    Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    Empyrean Kong shi had wanted to take him as a disciple, and he hadn''t agreed, let alone this person¡­


    Besides, although this person hadn''t disyed his heavenly destiny, Zhang Xuan could affirm that no one had cultivated the "Pathos of Heaven" destiny before, and he was the first.


    Therefore, to test or not to test, there was no point.


    "Don''t want a master?"


    Not expecting such a good opportunity to be in front of him and the other person to reject it, Zhou Cang looked displeased, "Do you know who I am? What does rejecting me signify?"


    Qian Yuhuan also looked anxious, "Young Master Zhang, don''t be reckless¡­"


    "No matter what it signifies, I currently have no ns to take a master!"


    Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    Watching this, Yan Sansan''s face was full of regret.


    Had he known there was no chance, he would have also refused, and now, damn it, he had been outyed by this guy again¡­


    "Since you''re not interested, I won''t insist, but there''s no harm in trying!"


    Seeing that the person in front was indeed uninterested, Zhou Cang hesitated for a moment, then lost his previous solemnity and smiled slightly, "Moreover, as I said earlier, as long as our heavenly destinies are the same, you can absorb this light ring into your body. It not only helps in advancing your cultivation but can also transform into tens of thousands of Heavenly Mandate Vitality streams, aiding yourprehension of heavenly destiny to reach a higher level¡­"


    "Tens of thousands of¡­ Heavenly Mandate Vitality?"


    Zhang Xuan''s eyes immediately lit up.

 Book 2: Chapter 116: Zhou Cang Accepts a Disciple

    Vol 2 Chapter 116: Zhou Cang epts a Disciple


    "Indeed! These are merely meeting gifts. As long as it¡¯s confirmed that our fates align, tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, millions, or even over a billion strands of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy are not hard for me to provide!"


    Seeing that Zhang Xuan wasn¡¯t interested in bing his disciple yet seemed so eager for Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, Zhou Cang, though frustrated, couldn''t help but speak up.


    "Over a billion strands?"


    Zhang Xuan''s breathing grew rapid.


    With that many strands, his Pathos of Heaven¡¯s Fate could break through to the second stage in an instant. He could also cultivate other Heaven¡¯s Fate to his heart¡¯s content, never having to worry about this again in the future¡­


    In that case, bing a disciple didn¡¯t seem entirely out of the question.


    "Old Zhou, have you no shame? Using Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy as a bargaining chip? Young man, don¡¯t listen to him. Come over and try mine first. If our fates arepatible, you can absorb and take all the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy in this halo too!"


    Feng Yuanping smiled gently, his finger lightly tapping the halo. A surge of robust Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy immediately poured into it, exuding an intoxicating aura. Just one nce told Zhang Xuan there were at least over a hundred thousand strands¡ªclearly more than Zhou Cang''s offer."Why not give mine a try as well? Be my disciple, and you can have as much Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy and medicinal herbs as you want."


    Miao Hengsheng also pointed his finger, injecting three to four hundred thousand strands of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy into his halo.


    "This¡­"


    Watching the three experts all being so weing, Zhang Xuan looked torn but eventually shook his head.


    Using the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path, he could learn any Heaven¡¯s Fate without being detected, but doing so would mean he had to leave with them. In that case, rescuing Kong Shi would be impossible.


    More importantly, Zhang Xuan carried too many secrets. Short-term interactions were fine, but following them for long periods would risk exposure.


    The Library of Heaven¡¯s Path and his identity as a Chaotic Fate Practitioner were far too dangerous. If discovered, the bond of teacher and disciple might not protect him¡­


    With his current strength, he could still hold his ground against experts like Shi Yunjing or Qian Yuhuan. But facing these three? They could probably chase him to a new world and kill him on the spot.


    "I appreciate the goodwill of the three seniors, but I must decline the test. Although I¡¯m unsure of the specifics of your Heaven¡¯s Fate, I suspect that the individuals you seek are among them."


    Zhang Xuan gestured toward his disciples behind him.


    He didn¡¯t know why the three hade searching, but it was likely simr to what happened with Zhao Ya and Zheng Yang back then¡ªthe talents of his disciples during their assessments had caught someone''s attention.


    "Among them?"


    Hearing his refusal and seeing him point to others, Miao Hengsheng frowned. His gaze fell upon the group Zhang Xuan indicated.


    They were all around twenty-two or twenty-three years old, with the strongest one at the Dharma Aspect Realm. Compared to someone like Yan Sanshisan, their talents seemed far inferior.


    "Yes!"


    Zhang Xuan nodded. "If you don¡¯t believe me, feel free to try."


    "Very well."


    Seeing that Zhang Xuan was unwilling and had even pointed to others, Miao Hengsheng, though displeased, nodded. With a light push of his palm, the halo expanded to envelop everyone present.


    "Each of you, activate your own Heaven¡¯s Fate. If it resonates with mine, you¡¯ll be able to absorb the halo¡¯s energy."


    Miao Hengsheng instructed.


    Letting the halo cover everyone was a strain, even for him. This was why he hadn¡¯t done it initially. However, since he¡¯d already lost face once, he couldn¡¯t afford another embarrassment.


    "Understood!"


    Upon hearing his instructions, Luo Ruoxi and the others nodded and activated their respective Heaven¡¯s Fate. In an instant, the halo was drawn to Wei Ruyan, pouring into her body.


    "This¡­ this¡­"


    Miao Hengsheng trembled, his face lighting up with excitement.


    It seemed Zhang Xuan was right¡ªhis disciple was indeed among them.


    He hurriedly turned to the figure absorbing the energy¡ªa young woman in her early twenties, with a cold demeanor and a slightly frail build.


    "This is¡­ the Sacred Constitution of Poison?"


    Realizing what he¡¯d seen, Miao Hengsheng''s pupils contracted, and he trembled with excitement.


    No wonder she couldprehend the Heaven¡¯s Fate of Poison. It turned out she possessed the Sacred Constitution of Poison¡ªa talent even he coveted.


    While others had to be cautious in cultivating the Heaven¡¯s Fate of Poison, she could treat poisons like daily meals...


    "As expected of my disciple! Exceptional talent and extraordinary looks!" Miao Hengshengughed heartily.


    Not only was this young woman talented, but she was also beautiful¡ªtruly impressive!


    "My turn!"


    Not wanting to be left behind, Feng Yuanping expanded his halo, enveloping the group as well.


    The next moment, the halo¡¯s energy surged into a young man.


    "Good, good¡­"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Feng Yuanpingughed in satisfaction.


    He had worried that the person attuned to the Heaven¡¯s Fate of Souls might be too old orcking in talent, but now, he couldn¡¯t be happier.


    "What¡¯s your name?"


    Unable to contain his excitement, Feng Yuanping asked.


    "My name is Lu Chong," the young man replied with a cupped fist.


    He was one of Zhang Xuan¡¯s quieter disciples, Lu Chong.


    "Good!"


    Feng Yuanping nodded. "Would you be willing to follow me and train under my guidance?"


    Lu Chong nced at Zhang Xuan, who subtly nodded. Only then did he bow and reply, "I am willing."


    "Excellent, excellent!"


    Feng Yuanping smiled and turned to Zhou Cang. "Old Zhou, we¡¯ve found our disciples, each with exceptional talent and outstanding aptitude. It¡¯s your turn now."


    "My disciple is definitely among them!"


    Not wanting to be outdone, Zhou Cang grunted. "Once I find them, I¡¯ll treat them like my own child!"


    "Like your own child?"


    Miao Hengsheng nodded. "You haven¡¯t changed a bit. Alright, let¡¯s see who¡¯s lucky enough to be your disciple."


    Zhou Cang pushed his halo forward, enveloping the group like the others.


    "Wait, nothing¡¯s happening?"


    After a moment, the halo remained unmoving, showing no signs of resonance.


    Zhou Cang was stunned.


    How could this be? The others had their halos absorbed just like that. Could his disciple not be among this group?


    "My dear disciple, where are you?"


    Feeling conflicted, Zhou Cang muttered to himself. Just as he considered expanding the halo, he noticed arge horse walk in from the back. It raised its head and took a deep breath.


    Whoosh!


    In an instant, the entire halo¡¯s energy was swallowed.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 117: Zhou Cang Accepts a Disciple

    Vol 2 Chapter 117 Zhou Cang epts a Disciple


    "???"


    The room fell silent instantly.


    Everyone''s eyelids twitched, question marks practically floating above their heads, leaving them speechless.


    Even those diligently channeling their Heaven''s Fate, thinking they had a chance, exchanged helpless looks, their expressions despairing.


    Especially Yan San-shisan, who had just been selected by Zhou Cang. He had hoped to be Zhou Cang''s disciple, unt his new status before Zhang Xuan, and bask in glory. But in the end... he wasn¡¯t even qualified.


    That alone was bad enough¡ªFate is tricky, after all¡ªbut epting a horse as a disciple?


    "This... this might have gone too far," Shi Yunjing muttered, his eyelid twitching. Next to him, Qian Yuhuan nodded repeatedly.


    The crowd was stunned. Zhou Cang, who had just sworn to treat the chosen one as his own son or daughter, was struck dumb. His vision ckened, and he nearly fainted on the spot.What did I just witness?


    After searching for so many years for a sessor in culinary Dao and failing, you¡¯re telling me it¡¯s... a horse?


    Trembling, he rubbed his eyes.


    Dao Li, now having absorbed the light ring, let out a satisfied burp.


    Boom!


    A deafening roar echoed as Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy surged around the horse''s body. Its aura exploded outward, and countless streams of Source Energy flowed into it.


    Simultaneously, it broke through to the Star River Realm and the second stage of Heaven''s Fate!


    If that wasn¡¯t enough, as it broke through, a stream resembling a River of Destiny faintly appeared around it. Zhou Cang¡¯s gaze involuntarily followed the river to its source, where it intertwined perfectly with his own culinary Heaven¡¯s Fate.


    It was an exact match!


    A horse hadprehended his legacy?


    Come on, exin to me¡ªhow does it hold a knife, chop vegetables, or toss a wok with hooves?


    Originally, I was ready to adopt a godson or daughter. But now, am I supposed to adopt... this?


    Imagine attendingpetitions where everyone introduces their disciples with pride: <em>¡°This is my beloved student.¡±</em>


    And then there¡¯s me, pointing at a horse: <em>¡°This is my son.¡±</em>


    Just thinking about it made his vision go dark.


    As Zhou Cang wallowed in frustration, Zhang Xuan suddenly approached the horse. Without warning, he smacked its face.


    ¡°Spit it out! Who told you to absorb that?¡±


    ¡°Neighhh!¡± Dao Li whinnied, looking aggrieved.


    It had simply found the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy in the ring simr to its own understanding and couldn¡¯t resist taking a bite. Who knew its master would get so angry?


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Zhou Cang couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, seeing how familiar the man and the horse acted.


    ¡°Well...¡± Zhang Xuan scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°This horse is my pet. It identally swallowed your light ring. I¡¯ll make it spit it out right away...¡±


    In truth, he was just as baffled. He¡¯d merely helped the horse open a Source Pool and infused some Primordial Yellow Energy into it. Who knew things would escte like this?


    ¡°No need to spit it out!¡± Zhou Cang sighed weakly, stepping closer to Dao Li and staring it down. ¡°Can you cook?¡±


    Dao Li raised its head. ¡°Neigh!¡±


    Zhang Xuan tranted: ¡°It says, ¡®Who are you looking down on?¡¯¡±


    Zhou Cang: ¡°... And can those hooves of yours even chop vegetables?¡±


    Dao Li snorted indignantly. ¡°Neigh, neigh!¡±


    Zhang Xuan cleared his throat. ¡°It says, ¡®You old fool! Who are you calling unfit?¡¯ Uh, those are its words, not mine...¡±


    Zhou Cang: ¡°... Then why don¡¯t you cook some horse meat for me?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Dao Li shrank back. ¡°Neigh~~ Neigh~~¡±


    Zhang Xuan tranted, ¡°It says horse meat doesn¡¯t taste good and admits its mistake...¡±


    Zhou Cang was at a loss for words.


    Even a fool could see it now¡ªthis horse had trulyprehended his culinary Heaven¡¯s Fate... and could actually cook!


    ¡°Cough, Zhou, maybe we should keep looking. There¡¯s still time, and the culinary Heaven¡¯s Fate flows like a great river. Surely, we can find a better match...¡± Miao Hengsheng tried to console him, seeing his friend''s constipated expression.


    ¡°Disciples are easy to find. But someone capable of inheriting my mantle... how easy is that?¡± Zhou Cang gave a bitter smile.


    ¡°Well...¡± Miao Hengsheng and Feng Yuanping exchanged helpless nces.


    Culinary Heaven¡¯s Fate was one of the 99 third-tier Heaven¡¯s Fates. Inheriting it required several conditions: unparalleled talent andprehension of its core principles. Meeting all these criteria wasn¡¯t easy.


    That¡¯s why, despite all these years of searching, neither Zhou Cang nor his peers had found a suitable candidate. Now, after detecting a faint sign from afar, they¡¯d thought they¡¯d struck gold¡ªonly to find out it was... a horse.


    ¡°So what will you do?¡± Feng Yuanping asked.


    ¡°What else can I do? This is fate... Since destiny has given me a horse as a disciple, I must ept it.¡±


    Despite his reluctance, Zhou Cang heaved a sigh.


    As cultivators of Heaven¡¯s Fate, they all knew that no matter how high their aspirations or strong their wills, they could not defy the mysterious workings of destiny.


    ¡°Fine...¡±


    Seeing their friend so resigned, Feng Yuanping and Miao Hengsheng could only nod and offer their blessings.


    Even at their level, their lifespan had limits. If Zhou Cang didn¡¯t take a disciple soon, his skills would vanish into the river of time. Lingering regret could even result in the formation of a Heaven¡¯s Fate Divine Domain, harming countless lives and leaving his soul restless.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see what you can do. Show me a dish,¡± Zhou Cang said, shaking his head and retrieving a set of cooking tools and ingredients with a flick of his wrist.


    ¡°Neigh, neigh!¡±


    Dao Li nced at Zhang Xuan, seeking permission. Seeing his master nod, the horse tied on an apron, bnced a kitchen knife between its hooves, and got to work.


    ng, ng, ng!


    A te of julienned potatoes was ready in moments¡ªsurprisingly fine and evenly cut.


    ¡°This knife work is already better than most chefs who¡¯ve trained for over a decade...¡± Zhou Cang muttered, his eyelid twitching.


    Despite its seemingly clumsy hooves, Dao Li¡¯s skill was undeniable. Though not yet at Zhou Cang¡¯s level, it surpassed most ordinary chefs.


    Cutting, mixing, lighting the fire, cooking¡ªitpleted the entire process with ease. Soon, a te of stir-fried julienned potatoes was presented.


    Zhou Cang tasted it. While not exceptional, it was decent enough.


    ¡°Fine, you¡¯ll do...¡±


    Seeing the horse''s potential, Zhou Cang relented, smiling faintly at the steed. ¡°I¡¯ll take you as my disciple. Come with me to the Culinary God Hall. Don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯ll ensure you improve rapidly under my guidance...¡±


    Dao Li froze. Itsrge head swayed like a pendulum. ¡°Neigh, neigh!¡±


    Zhang Xuan tranted, ¡°It says no. I refuse.¡±


    Zhou Cang: ¡°???¡±


    He had worked through countless mental hurdles to ept taking a horse as a disciple, only for it to... refuse?


    Zhou Cang was utterly dumbfounded.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 118: Immortal Supreme

    Vol 2 Chapter 118: Immortal Supreme


    "Why?"


    Unable to hold back, Zhou Cang felt a sharp pain in his chest and finally let it out.


    "Remember, you d**n horse, you''re just a horse! Refusing a peerless expert like me... What right do you have?!"


    Dao Li solemnly neighed, "Neigh, neigh!"


    Zhang Xuan tranted, "It says it wants to cook for Young Master and serve him!"


    "..."


    The pain in Zhou Cang''s chest intensified.


    So, you rejected bing my direct disciple just to cook for this guy? Do you have any ambition?"Old Zhou, right? It''s just a horse. Sometimes I even ride it. Let''s drop this matter here!" Zhang Xuan chimed in, seeing that Dao Li was clearly unwilling to be Zhou Cang''s disciple.


    "..."


    Zhou Cang felt short of breath.


    You ride my disciple? Have you no shame?!


    After pondering for a moment, he shook his head. "I¡¯ve spent so much effort finding a disciple who suits me. How can I give up? Even though it''s just a horse now, once it cultivates to a higher level, it can shed its animal form and be human!"


    The creator of the Fox Charm Destiny on Green Hill Mountain was also a fox that entered the Dao andter became famous worldwide.


    Even though this fellow is a horse now, it could still one day shed its form and be a true culinary god with advanced cultivation!


    "You¡¯ve heard it yourself. Elder Zhou is willing to take you as a disciple¡ªit''s a great fortune. Make your decision quickly!" Zhang Xuan urged.


    Although it would be inconvenient not having Dao Li to cook and serve him, Zhang Xuan figured he could manage.


    "Neigh, neigh..." Dao Li¡¯s big eyes looked over pitifully.


    "Don¡¯t be like that. Elder Zhou is a renowned figure of his era. For him to ept you as a disciple, he''s clearly made a significant concession¡­" Feng Yuanping said helplessly, seeing Dao Li''s expression.


    He was well aware of how proud his old friend was. Many experts had waited outside Zhou Cang''s door for months, hoping to taste his personally cooked meals, to no avail.


    And now, this same man was humbling himself to beg a horse to be his disciple, while the horse still yed hard to get... Unbelievable!


    "It¡¯s rare for an expert like him to take an animal as a disciple. You should consider yourself lucky," Miao Hengsheng chimed in coldly.


    Before he could finish, the ringing of the bell above echoed again. Momentster, more figures appeared at the hall¡¯s entrance, striding in.


    "More... more experts?" Qian Yuhuan''s lips trembled.


    What¡¯s going on today? Are experts falling like dumplings from the sky?


    While he was puzzling over this, he saw Miao Hengsheng, Feng Yuanping, and Zhou Cang''s expressions change. They quickly stepped forward, cupping their fists respectfully before an elder.


    "Miao Hengsheng (Feng Yuanping, Zhou Cang) greets the Longevity Sovereign!"


    The three bowed, looking like obedient schoolchildren.


    "Hmm!"


    The elder nced at them curiously. "Why are you all here?"


    "Well¡­" Feng Yuanping¡¯s face turned awkward as he struggled to exin. Zhou Cang quickly stepped in, "Reporting to the Sovereign, we came searching for the Seven-Segment Bug delicacy."


    "The Seven-Segment Bug?"


    The Longevity Sovereign nodded. "That is indeed worth your efforts!"


    As he spoke, he moved closer to the group, his gazending on Qian Yuhuan. "Are you the master of this Wanxiang Gate?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Yes!" Qian Yuhuan quickly cupped his fists in greeting.


    Although he wasn¡¯t sure of the elder¡¯s strength, seeing Zhou Cang and the others behave this way suggested that the man was among the world¡¯s strongest.


    The Longevity Sovereign¡¯s eyes flicked to Qian Yuhuan. "What happened to the Destiny Hall next door? I was going there to find someone, but it¡¯s now a pile of rubble!"


    "You were heading to the Destiny Hall?" Qian Yuhuan¡¯s eyelid twitched. Why did this feel so familiar? Where had he heard it before?


    "Hmm!"


    The Longevity Sovereign nodded, his gaze distant. "Since you¡¯re nearby, I have a question. About two hours ago, was anyone conducting an assessment at the Destiny Hall?"


    "¡­"


    Qian Yuhuan realized the elder¡¯s intent. It seemed his purpose was the same as Zhou Cang and the others.


    With this in mind, he nced at Shi Yunjing, who caught the signal and reluctantly bowed. "Reporting to the Sovereign, I am Shi Yunjing, the master of the Destiny Hall. Two hours ago, those assessed are all here¡­"


    He pointed toward Zhang Xuan and his group.


    "All of them?"


    The Longevity Sovereign scanned the group before flicking his finger. A circr ring appeared in the air before them.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, I have this ring. Insert your arm and activate the Destiny you¡¯veprehended. If it matches mine, I will take you as my disciple¡­"


    "¡­"


    Everyone was silent.


    What is happening today?


    Experts of this caliber, who wouldn¡¯t normally visit the Zouyi Dynasty, were now lining up, all for the sake of recruiting disciples.


    What kind of disciples are worth this much effort from these legends?


    Zhou Cang, Miao Hengsheng, and the others exchanged uneasy nces.


    They were familiar with this elder¡ªthe Longevity Sovereign, the apex figure of the Longevity Heaven. Ranked among the top in the second-level Destinies, his presence indicated there might be someone more talented than the disciples they had just rejected!


    Their hearts sank. All eyes turned toward Yan San-shisan in unison.


    Earlier, they had collectively rejected this young genius due to an ipatibility with their Destinies. Could it be that his Destiny aligned with the Longevity Sovereign¡¯s?


    "What Destiny does the Longevity Sovereign cultivate?" Zhou Cang couldn¡¯t help but ask Feng Yuanping quietly.


    Feng Yuanping recalled, "I believe it¡¯s¡­ the Life-and-Death Destiny."


    "The Life-and-Death Destiny¡­ One of the strongest second-level Destinies, second only to the primary ones. Perhaps only that boy couldprehend it!"


    Zhou Cang suddenly understood. Looking at Yan San-shisan again, his previous disdain was reced with admiration.


    The Culinary Destiny was merely third-level, far inferior to the Life-and-Death Destiny. They weren¡¯t even in the same league.


    The Longevity Sovereign¡¯s gazended on Yan San-shisan, observing his demeanor. "At such a young age, in a ce like this, you¡¯ve already reached the Star River Realm. Your talent is remarkable. What¡¯s your name?"


    "Me?" Yan San-shisan felt ttered. He hurriedly bowed. "Reporting to the elder, my name is Yan San-shisan!"


    He had thought missing the chance to be chosen by Zhou Cang meant his aspirations to ascend were over. Who would¡¯ve thought the real opportunity was here all along?


    Just from Zhou Cang and the others'' attitudes, it was clear this elder¡¯s identity and strength far surpassed theirs.


    Bing such a person¡¯s disciple would ensure he soared higher and further!


    Lu Chong, Wei Ruyan, and that horse might be impressive, but in the end, I¡¯ll be the most extraordinary!


    In an instant, Yan San-shisan¡¯s confidence was reignited.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 119: The Supreme is also embarrassed

    Vol 2 Chapter 119 The Supreme is also embarrassed


    ¡°Come here and activate your Heaven''s Fate.¡±


    Interrupting his daydreams, the Longevity Supreme pointed at the glowing circle in front of him.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    With prior experience to guide him, Yan San-shisan no longer hesitated. He took two steps forward, stretched out his hand, and ced it near the circle.


    This time, he held his breath and proceeded with extreme caution, fearing any mishap. Yet, like before, the glowing circle remained utterly still, as if lifeless.


    Sweat beaded on his forehead as Yan San-shisan tried his hardest to activate his Heaven''s Fate, feeling as though his mind was on the verge of crashing.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. You can step down now,¡± the Longevity Supreme gestured dismissively, his face devoid of expression.


    ¡°Senior, I didn¡¯t do it properly earlier. Let me try again¡­¡± Yan San-shisan said anxiously.¡°No need to continue. You and Ick the bond of teacher and disciple. Even if you try several more times, the result will be the same,¡± the Longevity Supreme shook his head.


    He was seeking someone who hadprehended the Heaven''s Fate of Life and Death, and it was evident that Yan San-shisan wasn¡¯t suitable.


    Crushed by the rejection, Yan San-shisan turned pale. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and his gazended on Zhang Xuan. ¡°If it¡¯s not me, could it be him?¡±


    One disciple, one pet, and now even the beasts had taken on mentors like Zhou Cang. Could their teacher, Zhang Xuan, be even more extraordinary?


    ¡°Would you like to give it a try?¡± the Longevity Supreme turned his gaze toward Zhang Xuan.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m unworthy to be your disciple. Let¡¯s not waste any more time. If senior finds it bothersome, why not do as the others did and let the circle cover everyone to select on its own¡­¡± Zhang Xuan replied with a shake of his head.


    A powerhouse of this level required Zhang Xuan to expend tens of thousands, if not millions, of strands of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy to probe him using the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path. Deciding it wasn¡¯t worth the effort, Zhang Xuan abstained. Thus, he had no idea what kind of Heaven''s Fate the Supreme practiced or what type of sessor he sought.


    ¡°Like the others?¡± The Longevity Supreme looked slightly puzzled.


    ¡°Those three seniors earlier used the same method to select their disciples¡­¡± Zhang Xuan exined.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    The three seniors, Zhou Cang andpany, felt their faces flush with embarrassment.


    They had lied, thinking Zhang Xuan would leave soon after passing by. Who would have thought he would expose them for having the same purpose¡ªseeking disciples!


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve already chosen, who are the lucky ones?¡± the Longevity Supreme asked with interest.


    Even though these three were far beneath him in strength, they were still prominent figures on the continent. To be their disciples would be an extraordinary stroke of luck.


    ¡°You three, step forward,¡± Miao Hengsheng gestured toward Wei Ruyan and the others.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Wei Ruyan, Lu Chong, and Dao Li stepped out from the crowd.


    The Longevity Supreme raised a curious brow. ¡°epting disciples and including a pet as a bonus?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    <em>Cough, cough.</em> Zhou Cang nearly choked on his own saliva. He hastily exined, ¡°Esteemed Supreme, that horse isn¡¯t a pet; it¡¯s my disciple!¡±


    ¡°Your disciple?¡±


    The Longevity Supreme was momentarily stunned. ¡°Although Chef¡¯s Heaven''s Fate isn¡¯t abat-oriented Heaven¡¯s Fate and is considered an auxiliary domain¡­ isn¡¯t this going a bit too far?¡±


    Being acquainted with Zhou Cang, he naturally knew what Heaven''s Fate Zhou Cang practiced.


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Unhappy with the slight against his disciple, Zhou Cang rified, ¡°Supreme, don¡¯t underestimate Dao Li. Not only has itprehended the Chef¡¯s Heaven''s Fate, but it also recently broke through to the Star River Realm. Furthermore, it¡¯s only five or six years old, far more talented than Yan San-shisan.¡±


    ¡°Hm, its age is indeed young, and its cultivation time is short. Talent-wise, Yan San-shisan truly pales inparison!¡±


    The Longevity Supreme nodded after taking a nce.


    Yan San-shisan: ¡°???¡±


    Why am I being dragged into this again?


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Zhou Cang continued, ¡°Not only that, it has fullyprehended the Chef¡¯s Heaven''s Fate. Although it¡¯s only at the second stage, with a bit of nurturing, it will undoubtedly soar to greater heights!¡±


    ¡°Fullyprehended the Chef¡¯s Heaven''s Fate?¡±


    Realization dawned on the Longevity Supreme. ¡°I see! That exins why you chose it as your disciple. But is selecting a horse based solely on itsprehension of aplete Chef¡¯s Heaven''s Fate not too rash?¡±


    ¡°Rash?¡±


    Zhou Cang shook his head. ¡°Supreme, my disciple may not be human, but it¡¯s bigger, more spirited, and more talented than Yan San-shisan. Choosing it as my disciple is beyond question!¡±


    Yan San-shisan felt like crying. Could you stop bringing me up already?


    ¡°Well, when you put it that way, it does make sense,¡± the Longevity Supreme nodded.


    Zhou Cang seized the opportunity to ask, ¡°Supreme, if you were in my situation, what would you do?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    The Longevity Supreme pondered for a moment before smiling faintly. ¡°The Heaven''s Fate I practice is among the pinnacle of the Source World. Only the strongest humans canprehend it. If I were in your ce, confronted with the choice between a horse and Yan San-shisan, I¡¯d choose Yan San-shisan without hesitation.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright then,¡± Zhou Cang fell silent.


    He was at the end of his lifespan. Even if his disciple was just a horse, there was no turning back now. All he could hope was that Dao Li could someday transform into human form, saving him from embarrassment.


    ¡°Enough of this. I¡¯ve traveled a great distance and am eager to see what kind of person my sessor might be!¡±


    Brushing off the previous topic, the Longevity Supreme smiled and extended his finger forward.


    <em>Buzz!</em>


    The glowing circle expanded abruptly, enveloping everyone present.


    Luo Ruoxi, Luo Qiqi, Liu Yang, and the others waited with bated breath, hoping to inherit the Supreme¡¯s legacy and achieve rapid advancement.


    However, after a moment, the glowing circle remained motionless, showing no reaction.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    The Longevity Supreme frowned. By all logic, if anyone hadprehended the Heaven¡¯s Fate of Life and Death, the circle should have resonated upon contact. Could he havee to the wrong ce? Was his sessor absent?


    Confused, he expanded the circle¡¯s range to include Zhang Xuan, who had been speaking to him earlier.


    Still, there was no reaction.


    ¡°Hall Master Shi, is everyone who participated in the assessment still here?¡± The Longevity Supreme turned to Shi Yunjing with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°They¡¯re all here. No one has left,¡± Hall Master Shi confirmed before spotting something. Pointing, he added, ¡°Oh, except that little chick over there¡ªit hasn¡¯t been tested yet¡­¡±


    ¡°A chick?¡±


    The Longevity Supreme froze momentarily, his face darkening. ¡°My Heaven¡¯s Fate can only beprehended by the most exceptional talents. And you¡¯re suggesting a chick? Have my years of istion made people forget my power to the point where they dare to insult me?¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, the little chick hopped toward the glowing circle. The next moment, the circle¡¯s energy surged like a flood, pouring entirely into the chick¡¯s body and vanishing without a trace.


    The Longevity Supreme: ¡°???¡±


    The little chick: ¡°Cluck cluck¡­ cluck?¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 120: Farewell

    Vol 2 Chapter 120 Farewell


    Silence fell over the surroundings once more.


    The sheer power and terror of the Longevity Supreme had been witnessed by all. Everyone aspired to be his disciple, especially Yan Sanshisan, whose longing was nearly tangible, spilling from his eyes...


    Yet reality delivered him a devastating blow. Not only him, but none of the Heaven¡¯s Fate insightsprehended by the others were deemed suitable. And yet, a mere chicken managed to outshine them all¡­ How did it feel like everything connected to Zhang Xuan ended up being so absurdly oundish?


    All eyes turned toward Zhang Xuan, only to see him pause briefly before resuming his expressionless demeanor. It was as if the idea of his chickenprehending such a Heaven¡¯s Fate waspletely ordinary to him...


    How could he stay so calm?!


    In stark contrast to the others'' reactions, the Longevity Supreme''s vision darkened, and he nearly burst into tears on the spot.


    He had just mocked Zhou Cang, only to find that the one inheriting his Heaven¡¯s Fate was "not even as good as a horse"...


    ¡°Cluck-cluck-dah~ Cluck your sister!¡±Feeling stifled and overwhelmed, he looked up just in time to see Yan Sanshisan, as though making a critical decision. With a firm bite of his lip, Yan cupped his fists and knelt on one knee. ¡°Greetings, Teacher¡­¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    The Longevity Supreme was stunned.


    Yan Sanshisan, full of righteous conviction, dered, ¡°Teacher, you just said that if your Heaven¡¯s Fate was inherited by a horse or another animal, you¡¯d rather ept me as a disciple than ept it¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The Longevity Supreme¡¯s eyelid twitched.


    I didn''t think much of you before, but now I see your delusions are quite impressive¡­


    ¡°Get lost! Who said I wouldn¡¯t ept it?¡±


    With a swift kick, he sent Yan Sanshisan flying. Forcing down his embarrassment, the Longevity Supreme called out, ¡°Chicken! Come here!¡±


    The Little Chick tilted its head to nce at its owner. Only after Zhang Xuan gave a slight nod did it p its wings and flutter over.


    The Longevity Supreme gently stroked it, instantly sensing a warm, identical power flowing from within the chicken, soothing andforting.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    There was no need to guess¡ªit was indeed the Heaven¡¯s Fate of Life and Death!


    After waiting so many years, unable to find anyone capable of inheriting it, it had beenprehended by a chicken¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± asked the Longevity Supreme.


    ¡°Cluck-cluck-dah!¡± The Little Chick nodded.


    Zhang Xuan tranted, ¡°Its name is Huang Sisi.¡±


    ¡°???¡± The Longevity Supreme looked utterly confused.


    Zhang Xuan scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. ¡°Apologies, Sisi is my beast pet¡­¡±


    ¡°Beast pet?¡± The Longevity Supreme¡¯s vision darkened even further.


    Frustrated but unable to say much, he could only nod reluctantly. ¡°I wish to take it as my disciple and have it inherit my legacy. You¡­ don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Zhang Xuan shook his head repeatedly.


    Having someone of such stature mentor the Little Chick was undoubtedly better than teaching it himself.


    ¡°Good¡­¡± The Longevity Supreme heaved a sigh of relief. Not wanting the others to focus on him any longer, he turned and instructed, ¡°I¡¯ve made my choice; now it¡¯s your turn to pick.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The group following him finally stepped forward. Only then did Zhang Xuan notice that these individuals, though unassuming in appearance, were all experts on par with Miao Hengsheng.


    As they entered, the room¡¯s atmosphere seemed to solidify.


    Yan Sanshisan''s eyes lit up with hope once again¡­


    With so many present, surely he had a chance!


    Half an hourter.


    Sitting in a corner, tears streamed down his face uncontrobly.


    He had thought himself unrivaled in talent, that these experts would surely notice him and ept him as their disciple. But in the end, he had merely served as a palette forparison¡­


    Liu Yang, Yuan Tao, Lu Chong, Wei Ruyan, Zhang Jiuxiao, Kong Shiyao, Shan Xiaotian, and Bai Ruanqing¡ªall were chosen as disciples, weed as inheritors¡­


    And he could only watch as his hopes crumbled inch by inch.


    ¡°Now that everyone has found their inheritor¡­ this matter is concluded. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    The Longevity Supreme had grown familiar with the Little Chick by this point. Realizing it wasn¡¯t just an ordinary chicken, he finally rxed, satisfaction growing in his gaze.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Zhou Cang and the others nodded simultaneously.


    Having searched for a sessor for ten years, not even pausing to eat the Seven-Segment Bug they¡¯d been hunting, their arduous task had finallye to an end.


    <em>Dong, dong, dong!</em>


    At that moment, the great bell above rang out feebly once more.


    Shi Yunjing, already numb, looked up and saw two figures walking toward them.


    They were two elderly men, hair and beards snowy white, their presences restrained. They seemed more like ordinary janitors sent to clean the Destiny Hall than imposing figures.


    ¡°May I ask who you¡¯re looking for, Seniors¡­¡±


    Although he couldn¡¯t sense their strength, Shi Yunjing dared not act rudely. Before he could finish, the once arrogant Longevity Supreme strode forward, his haughty demeanor reced by nervous humility. Bowing deeply, he greeted, ¡°Greetings, Source Hall Master, and Temporal Saint!¡±


    ¡°Source Hall Master?¡±


    Shi Yunjing trembled violently.


    He didn¡¯t know who the Temporal Saint was, but there was only one Source Hall Master in existence¡ªthe Head of the Destiny Hall!


    He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s actually here?


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    The Source Hall Master nodded. Before anyone could react, Shi Yunjing felt his mind go nk. In an instant, hepletely forgot what he¡¯d just heard. Looking again at the elderly figure, he was filled with confusion. ¡°Who¡­ is that?¡±


    The Source Hall Master had erased all memory of him in an instant.


    Even Zhang Xuan was briefly disoriented. However, the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path quivered faintly, clearing his mind swiftly.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t show any sign of this, pretending he too had forgotten everything.


    ¡°Is the Source Hall Master here to seek an inheritor?¡± the Longevity Supreme asked tentatively.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Source Hall Master nodded.


    ¡°May I ask who it is?¡± The Longevity Supreme was curious.


    The Destiny Hall oversaw countless exceptional talents. Why would someone of this calibere here, bypassing so many geniuses? Was he like me? Also looking for a chicken?


    ¡°It¡¯s her.¡±


    The Source Hall Master smiled faintly, his gaze falling on Luo Ruoxi. ¡°Are you willing to be my disciple?¡±


    The Longevity Supreme still needed a glowing circle to determine who could inherit the Heaven¡¯s Fate. The Source Hall Master, however, required no such thing. As the Head of the Destiny Hall, he had seen countless Heaven¡¯s Fates and could discern the inheritor of the Supreme Profundity of Heaven¡¯s Fate at a nce.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Luo Ruoxi hesitated briefly before nodding. ¡°I am willing.¡±


    At the same time, the Temporal Saint turned to Luo Qiqi. ¡°Would you like to leave with me?¡±


    Luo Qiqi nodded as well. ¡°I am willing.¡±


    ¡°Since everything is settled, let¡¯s go.¡±


    The Source Hall Master nced at the Temporal Saint, then at Luo Ruoxi and Luo Qiqi, and smiled. With a single hand, he tore open the fabric of space before them.


    Just as he was about to step through, Luo Ruoxi suddenly retreated a step. ¡°Senior, please wait. May I say farewell to my husband first?¡±


    At that moment, Luo Qiqi also cupped her fists respectfully toward the Temporal Saint. ¡°I would also like to bid farewell to my husband!¡±


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 121: No such fate

    Vol 2 Chapter 121 No such fate


    "You''re both married?" The Sourceborn Hall Master was stunned.


    "Yes!" Luo Ruoxi and Luo Qiqi nodded simultaneously.


    The Sourceborn Hall Master exchanged a nce with the Temporal Sage, and both frowned deeply.


    Cultivation emphasizes four critical aspects: wealth,panions, techniques, and location. A teacher can provide three of these, but panions" cannot be given¡ªand this aspect is particrly vital.


    Especially for individuals like them who haveprehended their own Heaven¡¯s Fate. In the finalpetition of destinies, even the smallest change could be the straw that breaks the camel¡¯s back. A powerful Daopanion can not only provide mutual support in critical moments but also exchange insights into cultivation, affirm one another''s fates, and even merge destiniespletely. In some cases, one partner''s life could be preserved through the other''s destiny, reshaping existence itself.


    However, with their current talents and cultivation of only the Dharma Aspect Realm, even if their husbands were stronger, they might only be at the first or second level of the Star River Realm. Such strength, without a remarkable Heaven¡¯s Fate, makes it almost impossible to reach the pinnacle of the world. From any perspective, their so-called husbands appeared to be nothing more than burdens.


    "They''re not worthy of you!" the Sourceborn Hall Master was the first to speak bluntly.


    The Temporal Sage turned to Luo Qiqi and added, "You too. No matter who this person is, they''re unworthy of someone with your talent.""Unworthy?" Luo Ruoxi and Luo Qiqi exchanged a nce and broke intoughter.


    Their husband? No matter where he went, he stood at the very pinnacle of existence. If one were to discuss worthiness, others might view it as their high climb to reach him. Yet, here was the first time someone suggested otherwise!


    "I''m stating facts!" the Sourceborn Hall Master insisted. "Where are they? Bring them to me, and I''ll show them the gap between you and them. Let them understand the reality themselves and back away sensibly."


    Luo Ruoxi turned her head. "Zhang Xuan, the Hall Master wants to see you!"


    "Cough, cough!" Zhang Xuan stepped forward. "Greetings, Hall Master!"


    "You¡¯re her husband?" The Sourceborn Hall Master furrowed his brow and scrutinized the young man before him. A cultivation level only at the peak of the Dharma Aspect Realm¡ªfar inferior to someone like Yan San-shisan earlier. By all appearances, entirely mediocre.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Where is your husband? Call him here too," the Temporal Sage said to Luo Qiqi.


    Luo Qiqi likewise turned. "Teacher Zhang, the Sage wishes to meet you!"


    Zhang Xuan scratched his head and sped his hands. "Zhang Xuan greets the Temporal Sage."


    "???" The Temporal Sage and the Sourceborn Hall Master were both dumbfounded.


    The husbands of these two exceptional geniuses were... the same person? This guy... even if he had umted merits over eight thousand lifetimes, he still wasn''t deserving!


    Instantly, their expressions grew darker with anger. To monopolize even one of these remarkable women would be the fortune of a lifetime, yet here he was, iming both. Shameless!


    The Sourceborn Hall Master couldn''t hold back any longer and fixed Zhang Xuan with a cold, oppressive gaze. "I''ll give you two choices: first, I provide you with cultivation resources and a decent Heaven¡¯s Fate, but you divorce them and never have anything to do with them again. Second, I destroy youpletely, leaving no trace of your existence."


    Zhang Xuan froze. "Are you saying that if I don''t divorce them, you''ll kill me?"


    He had been watching the drama unfold, fully expecting his disciples to be taken away for the best cultivation opportunities. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that the focus would suddenly turn on him.


    "You could put it that way," the Sourceborn Hall Master nodded.


    Zhang Xuan looked helplessly at Luo Ruoxi and Luo Qiqi. "What do you think?"


    "What else can we think?" Luo Ruoxi rolled her eyes. "Hall Master, if you believe my husband is unworthy of me, then you¡¯re not qualified to be my teacher either. After all, I¡¯m not exactly begging to be your student."


    "Exactly," Luo Qiqi said firmly as she addressed the Temporal Sage. "If you want to harm Teacher Zhang, then I will fight to the death. Unless you kill me, I will not stop until I kill you."


    Though the two women had different personalities and experiences, their feelings for Zhang Xuan were identical.


    "This..." The Sourceborn Hall Master and the Temporal Sage exchanged looks, both frowning.


    After waiting so long to find such Heaven¡¯s Fate prodigies, losing them over this would be a tremendous loss.


    "Very well, then let us speak to Zhang Xuan alone," the Temporal Sage decided. With a wave of his hand, the surrounding space twisted and rotated. Though Zhang Xuan could still see Luo Ruoxi and Luo Qiqi, they seemedpletely out of reach, as if they had vanished from his perception.


    It was as though he had entered a television screen, cut off from all outside connections.


    Zhang Xuan''s heart sank. This seamless maniption of space was far beyond anything he had encountered before, suggesting the Temporal Sage''s strength vastly exceeded even that of Ouyang Hai.


    "You¡¯ve seen our power," the Sourceborn Hall Master said, locking eyes with Zhang Xuan. His gaze red with oppressive force, and Zhang Xuan felt a mountainous pressure bearing down on him.


    Under this overwhelming force, his scalp tingled, and he felt like a lone boat in a storm, on the brink of capsizing. His spine bent under the pressure, about to snap.


    A show of dominance.


    The Hall Master clearly intended to teach him a lesson, hoping Zhang Xuan would back down and retreat.


    Clenching his fists, Zhang Xuan''s veins popped. Despite being a lord of a world and a teacher of countless generations, he found himself utterly outmatched before the pinnacle figures of the Source World. After all, Nie Yun had once nearly died to a palm strike from a simrly powerful figure.


    "If she inherits my Heaven¡¯s Fate, she will gain power equal to mine," the Sourceborn Hall Master said coldly, staring at Zhang Xuan¡¯s strained expression. "Moreover, she could be the master of Destiny Hall, wielding unparalleled authority. A single word could send shockwaves across the continent. And you? After a lifetime of struggle, you might be a Hall Master in a minor dynasty or sect master of the Wanxiang Gate. You won''t even be able to see her shadow."


    "I..." Zhang Xuan tried to speak but found himself paralyzed by the immense power. His senses dulled, and he felt as though he no longer existed.


    The Sourceborn Hall Master aimed to crush Zhang Xuan''s resolvepletely, erasing any thought of resistance.


    "Bing my disciple, she would inherit the Temporal Heaven¡¯s Fate," the Temporal Sage added. "Though I have few disciples and no faction, this is one of the strongest Level-Two Heaven¡¯s Fates. Once mastered, she would be unstoppable. And you? Can you endure decades, centuries of cultivation in solitude while she soars far ahead?"


    "To cling to her despite this is to drag her down¡ªit¡¯s ungrateful and selfish."


    Biting his lip, Zhang Xuan mobilized his inner strength to resist their oppressive aura. His journey¡ªfrom the Master Teacher Continent to the Firmament and beyond¡ªhad been filled with countless challenges, but he had never yielded. This time would be no different.


    As the forces within him surged, he activated the "Pathos of Heaven" Heaven¡¯s Fate. Pure energy coursed through his meridians, easing the crushing pressure.


    "The suppression isn¡¯t from cultivation¡ªit¡¯s from fate." Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.


    The disparityy in their levels of destiny. Some are born with the world at their feet, needing no effort to rise to power, while others struggle their whole lives to reach even a fraction of such heights. This was the fundamental inequity of "fate."


    But Zhang Xuan had faith. Though his Heaven¡¯s Fate was weak now, with time, it could rival any other.


    Slowly, his spine straightened, and his senses returned. "Ungrateful? If abandoning her were gratitude, that would be the truest ingratitude," Zhang Xuan said, his calm voice shattering the oppressive silence.


    Both the Sourceborn Hall Master and the Temporal Sage were momentarily stunned. To not only withstand their Heaven¡¯s Fate suppression but also respond¡ªthis was unprecedented.


    But they quickly dismissed the thought. Compared to true geniuses¡ªthose who reached the Star River Realm at seven and its seventh level by twelve¡ªZhang Xuan was nothing.


    "Even if you¡¯re not ungrateful, so what?" the Temporal Sage sneered. "They only choose you now because they haven¡¯t seen what true excellence looks like. Compared to that, your so-called talent is insignificant."


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. "The future is uncertain. Who¡¯s to say I won¡¯t surpass those so-called geniuses?"


    "Surpass?" The Sourceborn Hall Masterughed coldly. "You...ck the fate."


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 122: Peeping into Destiny

    Vol 2 Chapter 122: Peeping into Destiny


    ¡°Not destined for it?¡±


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. ¡°What my future holds is not up to you to decide!¡±


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t believe it... Don¡¯t think that just because you¡¯ve be a Destiny Master, you can truly control your own fate. You¡¯re far from it.¡±


    Seeing his defiant expression, the Source Hall Master let out a cold snort. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll show you what fate truly means!¡±


    Without further ado, the Source Hall Master made a swift motion with his hand, tearing a rift in space-time. Instantly, Zhang Xuan felt an overwhelming power enshroud his entire body.


    The next moment, he was drawn into the rift.


    Amid the dizzying disorientation, a pitch-ck void appeared before him, as though he had been plunged into the depths of the universe.


    Just as Zhang Xuan was puzzling over why he had been brought here, a magnificent river surged into view, stretching across the cosmos.This river coursed from the heavens, flowing endlessly toward some unknown destination, its turbulent currents roaring with immense power, twisting space with its might.


    ¡°Is this... the true River of Destiny?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s pupils contracted.


    During a previous test, he had glimpsed a simted tributary of the River of Destiny created by Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. Butpared to whaty before him now, it was likeparing a puddle to the vast ocean. The disparity was iprehensible.


    ¡°Indeed, this is the true River of Destiny!¡±


    The Sage of Space-Time suddenly appeared nearby and pointed forward. ¡°Each of these rivers represents a unique destiny, embodying different lives.¡±


    Zhang Xuan looked down and saw the river below, its countless streams converging, some vast and powerful, others slender and pure. From afar, the waters shimmered with a dazzling array of colors.


    ¡°An inexhaustible source of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes lit up.


    These streams were condensed from Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, with each drop containing billions of energy strands.


    If he could enter and absorb the energy recklessly, he would neverck power again!


    The Library of Heaven¡¯s Path trembled violently, and his entire body instinctively opened up, attempting to absorb the energy.


    However, momentster, Zhang Xuan frowned. Despite his efforts, he couldn¡¯t absorb even a trace of the Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy.


    ¡°Can¡¯t absorb it, can you?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Source Hall Master sneered, clearly aware of Zhang Xuan¡¯s actions.


    ¡°You... How did you know?¡± Zhang Xuan was startled.


    He had absorbed Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy drawn by others countless times without detection. He hadn¡¯t expected the Source Hall Master to notice so easily. The strength of such a powerful individual was terrifying.


    ¡°There is no destiny here that you¡¯veprehended, so naturally, you cannot absorb it.¡±


    The Source Hall Master waved his hand dismissively. ¡°I¡¯ll make you give up!¡±


    Saying so, he grabbed Zhang Xuan once more. Zhang Xuan, unable to resist, was whisked along. In the blink of an eye, they traversed billions of miles and arrived at the headwaters of the River of Destiny.


    Here, eight massive rivers converged, each resembling a cosmic star river, stretching endlessly.


    The eight rivers flowed into a singr vortex, like countless stars copsing into a ck hole, radiating an awe-inspiring force.


    At this ce, time and space seemed non-existent, leaving only a singrity.


    Not even ordinary cultivators¡ªperhaps not even Zhang Xuan himself¡ªcould resist the pull, instead sumbing to the current, unable to move freely.


    This was the first threshold of the true River of Destiny.


    The streams emanating from the vortex could form secondary Rivers of Destiny with ease.


    The Source Hall Master halted and pointed at one of the streams. ¡°This is the destiny I¡¯veprehended, and the one your wife is about toprehend¡ªthe ¡®Source.¡¯ It is one of the eight great destinies of the Source World. Try absorbing its Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. If you seed, I¡¯ll stop interfering with you.¡±


    Zhang Xuan hesitated but attempted to absorb the energy, only to find that he couldn¡¯t take in a single strand of energy.


    His expression shifted as he observed the river before him.


    The River of Source was formed by four tributaries, each surpassing any he had seen before, winding into the distance with an unknown origin.


    ¡°You can¡¯t absorb it, can you? Withoutprehending the ¡®Source,¡¯ you cannot draw its energy.¡±


    With another grab, the Source Hall Master whisked Zhang Xuan further upstream. Momentster, they arrived at thergest of the four tributaries.


    Drawing closer, Zhang Xuan noticed a thin stream flowing from the void, connecting to the river, creating a convergence in destiny.


    ¡°This is... Luo Ruoxi¡¯s destiny?¡± Zhang Xuan realized.


    ¡°Indeed, she hasprehended the Supreme Profundity of the Source, the only destiny capable of epassing three of the Source¡¯s tributaries. If she seeds, she¡¯ll undoubtedly be one of the strongest¡ªsomething even I haven¡¯t achieved.¡±


    The Source Hall Master shook his head. ¡°Although I¡¯ve alsoprehended the Supreme Profundity, my limited talent has only allowed me to merge two tributaries so far.¡±


    Zhang Xuan observed closely and saw that, near the vortex, two of the tributaries had merged, their immense power indistinguishable from one another. Luo Ruoxi¡¯s stream was connected to one of these tributaries, appearing pitifully weak inparison.


    ¡°I can show you her fate if she doesn¡¯t sever ties with you...¡±


    Seeing Zhang Xuan¡¯s speechless astonishment, the Source Hall Master waved his hand lightly, causing Zhang Xuan to descend into Luo Ruoxi¡¯s river.


    The stream wasn¡¯t wide, and Zhang Xuan¡¯s presence was like a rock blocking its flow. The smooth current was immediately disrupted, diverging away from the ¡®Source.¡¯


    It was as if a mountain stream, initially flowing toward a great river, had been forcibly diverted into a dry field.


    The Source Hall Master pressed down gently.


    Zhang Xuan found himself helpless against the torrent. Overwhelmed by the endless waters, he was swept away.


    ¡°No¡ª!¡±


    After choking on a mouthful of water, Zhang Xuan struggled to escape, but his body shuddered, and he suddenly found himself in a small courtyard.


    ¡°Where is this?¡± Zhang Xuan was bewildered.


    Wasn¡¯t he just in the River of Destiny? How did he end up here in the blink of an eye?


    Filled with confusion, Zhang Xuan walked toward the courtyard¡¯s exit. After a few steps, the sound of chaos reached his ears.


    Rounding a circr doorway, he saw an open area where sword and de shes filled the air. Numerous figures were locked inbat.


    Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyes swept across the scene, then suddenly froze.


    In the chaos, Luo Ruoxi¡¯s aura was in disarray, her hair disheveled, and her body covered in blood. She had clearly sustained severe injuries. Surrounding her were over ten ck-armored figures, their faces obscured, relentlessly attacking with swords.


    <em>St!</em>


    Unable to dodge in time, Luo Ruoxi was pierced through the chest by a de.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 123: Peeping into Destiny

    Vol 2 Chapter 123: Peeping into Destiny


    After being stabbed by the sword, Luo Ruoxi''s face turned deathly pale, and she spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Her body, weak to the extreme, swayed involuntarily before copsing to the ground.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    Seeing her in such a state, the ck-d assants surged forward simultaneously, their des and swords creating a deadly web of energy. At any moment, his wife, who had apanied him into the Source World, could be in right before his eyes!


    ¡°Ruoxi!¡±


    With bloodshot eyes, Zhang Xuan flickered into ce. Using two fingers as a sword, he lunged at one of the ck-d figures.


    As the Heaven¡¯s Fate trembled, a surge of energy flowed through his meridians into his palm. Just as he was about to strike, his body unexpectedly staggered, and he inadvertently stumbled straight into the shadowy figure.


    Surprisingly, the enemy¡¯s fierce moves had no effect on him at all, as if they were not even in the same dimension or space-time.


    ¡°This¡­¡±Zhang Xuan paused and realized that Luo Ruoxi, the ck-d assants, and everything else in sight were as illusory as a dream,pletely devoid of reality.


    <em>Swish!</em>


    The small courtyard vanished, Luo Ruoxi disappeared, and the ck-d figures were no more. All that remained was Zhang Xuan, iling as he continued choking on the water of the River of Destiny.


    He quickly held his breath and struggled to surface. As he broke free, he saw the Source Hall Master standing nearby with a puzzled expression, seemingly in disbelief.


    ¡°You broke free this quickly?¡±


    The Hall Master¡¯s face showed slight approval. Entering the River of Destiny usually meant being ensnared by fate, unable to extricate oneself. For Zhang Xuan to regain rity and escape so swiftly, even if his talent wasn¡¯t remarkable, his mental fortitude was unquestionably superior.


    Realizing this, the Hall Master¡¯s expression softened, though his gaze remained cold.


    ¡°Senior, what exactly is going on?¡± Zhang Xuan asked, unaware of the Hall Master¡¯s changing thoughts.


    ¡°Step out first, and I¡¯ll exin!¡±


    With a light gesture, the Hall Master pulled Zhang Xuan out of the river. As he emerged, Zhang Xuan felt a weight lift from his entire body.


    Though the flow in Luo Ruoxi¡¯s River of Destiny wasn¡¯t particrly strong, it still left him with a profound sense of powerlessness.


    ¡°This is the art of glimpsing fate,¡± the Hall Master exined without reservation.


    ¡°Glimpsing fate?¡± Zhang Xuan was filled with doubt.


    The Hall Master nodded. ¡°Everyone has their own destiny. By identifying its trajectory, one can observe it. For instance, ordinary people can easily predict the future of someonezy and idle or someone who works hard and studies diligently. It¡¯s a natural rule.


    ¡°For the strong, it goes further. They can project their consciousness into the grand waves of the River of Destiny and glimpse significant events that have yet to ur!¡±


    ¡°So, our position in the river represents the present, the front represents the future, and behind us is the past?¡± Zhang Xuan asked in shock.


    ¡°Precisely!¡±


    The Hall Master nodded. ¡°The River of Destiny, like the River of Time, consists of the past, the present, and the future. But it can only be observed, not altered. What you saw earlier was a scene I deduced by intertwining her fate with yours. It is a future that is certain to ur.¡±


    ¡°Certain to ur?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s face turned grim.


    ¡°The River of Destiny, no matter how winding or turbulent, always flows toward a predetermined destination, much like how every river eventually empties into the sea,¡± the Hall Master exined. ¡°This is its endpoint. But along the way, countless changes can ur. When you entered the river earlier, you disrupted its natural flow, creating a significant obstacle. This led her River of Destiny to deviate from the Source. Even if I wanted to help, there was nothing I could do. However, if she follows my guidance¡­¡±


    With a wave of his hand, the Hall Master merged Luo Ruoxi¡¯s river back into the grand flow of the main river. Instantly, it was as though a dragon had returned to the sea, free and unrestrained.


    ¡°Streams returning to the river, no matter the waves, cannot alter its ultimate course,¡± the Hall Master borated.


    Zhang Xuan fell silent.


    How do you keep a drop of water from drying up? The answer: merge it into the ocean.


    Streams are the same. In their isted weakness, a single rock or bump can leave them parched. But once they join a mighty river, no matter the heat or obstacles, they will eventually reach the sea.


    ¡°Your talent and cultivation are too weak. Entangling her fate will only lead her to lose herself and fall into an irrecoverable situation,¡± the Hall Master said. ¡°Enough! I¡¯ve said my piece. You¡¯ve seen the disparity between you two. If you continue this entanglement, even if it means Ruoxi despising me, I will personally end your life. The Heaven¡¯s Fate of the Source must remain wless and safe. You are simply unworthy of being involved with her!¡±


    Had it been anyone else, he wouldn¡¯t have wasted so much time. But Zhang Xuan was the husband of his dear disciple. The fact that he restrained his fury and exined so much was a testament to his tolerance.


    ¡°Worthy or not, time will tell¡­¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s gaze revealed no fear.


    Before he could say more, the Hall Master waved his hand.


    Zhang Xuan felt the world spin. The River of Destiny vanished, and he was back in the courtyard.


    As he left, the Sage of Space-Time appeared before the Hall Master. ¡°You allowed him to glimpse the future?¡±


    The Hall Master nodded. ¡°Yes. I quietly observed his fate. He¡¯s entangled in countless tributaries of karma, all reaching deep into the heart of destiny. Such a web of connections ensures that he will be burdened by causality, unable to achieve great sess. If Luo Ruoxi and Luo Qiqi remain entangled with him, they may also be dragged into the abyss!¡±


    The Sage of Space-Time nodded solemnly.


    ¡°Do you think¡­ those tributaries might serve as his strength instead?¡± he asked thoughtfully.


    ¡°Tributaries?¡± The Hall Master sneered. ¡°For tributaries to be beneficial to Ruoxi or Qiqi, they would need to connect to a Tier-3 or even Tier-2 Fate. Do you really think a small-town nobody like him can have connections to such figures? Dream on!¡±


    ¡°True.¡±


    The Sage of Space-Time chuckled, realizing the absurdity of the notion.


    With that, the two tore open a space rift and returned to the main hall of the Wanchang Gate.


    When the spatial barrier was lifted, Luo Ruoxi and Luo Qiqi hurried over, their faces full of concern. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Zhang Xuan reassured them with a shake of his head.


    ¡°Zhang Shi, we won¡¯t leave you. Forget about powerful fates or formidable talents. As long as we¡¯re with you, nothing else matters!¡± Luo Qiqi said resolutely.


    ¡°Exactly. No matter how strong they are, as long as you¡¯re here, the world isplete. Without you, what¡¯s the point of any cultivation?¡± Luo Ruoxi agreed firmly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish. Staying with these two seniors to cultivate is a great opportunity for you¡­¡±


    Cutting them off, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly.


    Though he was constantly belittled, he had to admit there was some truth in their words. If his troubles endangered Luo Ruoxi or Luo Qiqi, he would never forgive himself.


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°No buts. If you want to help me, then grow stronger. Only when you¡¯re powerful enough will no one be able to stop us!¡± Zhang Xuan transmitted telepathically.


    The two women exchanged a nce before nodding.


    Having journeyed from the Master Teacher Continent to now, they understood this truth well.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave with you. As for Zhang Xuan, unless his cultivation improves, we won¡¯t meet again. This way, he won¡¯t be affected¡­¡± Luo Ruoxi said, addressing the Hall Master.


    ¡°I feel the same as Luo Shi.¡± Luo Qiqi nodded.


    ¡°Good!¡±


    The Hall Master and Sage of Space-Time exchanged relieved looks.


    Their greatest fear was the women insisting on taking Zhang Xuan along. Now that the issue was resolved, it was a relief.


    ¡°Today¡¯s events must remain unknown. Forget about it!¡±


    With a wave of his hand, the Hall Master unleashed a ripple of light that spread outward.


    To prevent future troubles, he intended to erase the memory of those present.


    But just as the ripple reached Xiao Huangji, it dissipated. A calm voice sounded. ¡°Apologies, Hall Master. My disciple¡¯s memories are not yours to erase.¡±


    It was Longevity Supreme.


    Momentster, the other experts also intervened, shielding their disciples and dissipating the memory-erasing ripple.


    ¡°Wait¡­ all of them are your disciples?¡± the Hall Master asked, bewildered.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And how are they all here?¡±


    Longevity Supreme smiled. ¡°Because they are Zhang Xuan¡¯s students¡­ oh, and his beastpanions¡ªone¡¯s his pet, and the other is his steed.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    Both the Hall Master and Sage


    Author''s NoteN?v(el)B\\jnn

 Book 2: Chapter 124: The Second Realm of Destiny

    Vol 2 Chapter 124: The Second Realm of Destiny


    "Could it be¡­ those tributaries you saw¡­ are them?"


    After a long pause, the Sage of Space-Time finally snapped out of his daze, his eyes widening in shock.


    A river with numerous tributaries could indeed have potential dangers. However, if these tributaries were at the level of the Yangtze, Yellow, Mekong, or Nile Rivers¡­ they wouldn''t be mere tributaries but empires of water!


    "This¡­ this¡­"


    The Source Hall Master was equally at a loss for words.


    Before them stood the Longevity Supreme, Feng Yuanping, Miao Hengsheng, Zhou Cang, and others. Although their cultivation and mastery of Heaven¡¯s Fate were slightly inferior, each was a renowned figure in their own right, possessing immense strength. Combined, they were not people one could afford to offend lightly.


    What they had assumed were insignificant tributaries or small fry turned out to be beings on par with themselves!


    "We were too rash¡­"The Source Hall Master and the Sage of Space-Time were both left speechless.


    Had they known Zhang Xuan was this formidable, they wouldn''t have dared to make threats! After all the fuss, the true clowns turned out to be themselves.


    Still, no matter how strong one''s connections, if theycked strength, it was all meaningless.


    "Let¡¯s go!"


    Realizing that staying any longer would only lead to further humiliation, the Source Hall Master didn''t hesitate. With a wave of his hand, Luo Ruoxi was enveloped in a surge of power, and the two disappeared into the void.


    The Sage of Space-Time followed suit, taking Luo Qiqi with him.


    "We shall take our leave as well!"


    The Longevity Supreme gave no further exnation.


    One by one, Zhou Cang, Feng Yuanping, and the others tore through space and departed. In mere moments, Zhang Xuan''s allies¡ªLiu Yang, Yuan Tao, Lu Chong, Wei Ruyan, Zhang Jiuxiao, Kong Shiyao, Shan Xiaotian, Bai Ruanqing, Dao Li, Little Chick, Luo Ruoxi, and Luo Qiqi¡ªwere all taken away.


    Only Sun Qiang, Liu Mingyue, Yu Xiaoyu, and Hong Yi remained.


    Sun Qiang¡¯s mastery of Heaven¡¯s Fate hadn''t drawn the attention of any great powers. As for Liu Mingyue and the others, though Zhang Xuan¡¯s teachings had elevated their talents above average, they were still far from true prodigies.


    Even theirprehension of Heaven¡¯s Fate failed to impress.


    "Teacher¡­ we''ve let you down¡­"


    Liu Mingyue and the others flushed with embarrassment.


    They had once thought themselves exceptional, capable of standing out anywhere. But after meeting their teacher¡¯s other disciples, the gulf was stark.


    Even in a simple examination, those earlier disciples were snatched up by powerful figures, while they¡­ were left behind.


    "There¡¯s no such thing as letting me down as long as you keep cultivating earnestly," Zhang Xuan reassured them with a gentle smile.


    "Don¡¯t worry, Teacher. I¡¯ll double my efforts and strive to be as talented as our senior brothers and sisters!" Liu Mingyue dered resolutely.


    Her father was gone, the Liu family had fallen, and all that remained was to dedicate herself wholeheartedly to cultivation under Zhang Xuan¡¯s guidance.


    "Me too! I¡¯ll work harder and stop ying around so much!" Yu Xiaoyu chimed in, herrge eyes blinking earnestly.


    She had always been talented but overly yful. In White Rock City, she hadn¡¯t felt any pressure, but now she realized that if she didn¡¯t change, she wouldn¡¯t even measure up to Dao Li, much less her senior brothers and sisters.


    "I-I¡¯ll work hard too!" Hong Yi nodded fervently.


    Zhang Xuan had given him the opportunity to choose his destiny; he couldn¡¯t afford to squander it.


    Seeing their determination, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.


    It reminded him of Zhao Ya and the others when they first started out¡ªlost but gradually growing resolute. With confidence, the future was no longer out of reach.<hr>


    The surrounding spectators, meanwhile, began murmuring amongst themselves.


    "What¡¯s going on? How did we get here?"


    "I have no idea. Maybe we were looking for missions at the Destiny Hall?"


    "That makes sense. Let¡¯s go check it out."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Many among the crowd seemed disoriented, their memories erased by the Source Hall Master.


    Even prominent figures like Shi Yunjing and Qian Yuhuan were left puzzled.


    The former frowned deeply and nced over. "Gate Master Qian, did you bring me here?"


    "Not that I recall¡­" Qian Yuhuan scratched his head before a thought urred to him. "Wait, weren¡¯t you checking on the Heaven¡¯s Fate assessments? How did it go?"


    "Yes, I was, but¡­ who did I bring?" Shi Yunjing sank into contemtion.


    As they tried to piece things together, Yan San-shisan rubbed his head. "Feels like I forgot something¡­ No matter. At least I broke through to the Star River Realm during this test. Who in the Zouyi Dynasty canpare to me now?"


    Seeing that everyone had mostly forgotten the critical events, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. Calling for Sun Qiang and the others, he led them back to his residence.<hr>


    Returning to Zhang Manor, Zhang Xuan went straight to his room.


    Though he had made rapid progress, he still felt the need to push harder. Otherwise, he feared falling behind.


    "Let¡¯s focus on breaking through to the Star River Realm first."


    He had reached the peak of the Dharma Aspect Realm. It was time to take the next step.


    Hisprehension of the Tidal Wave Momentum (Level Four), Mo Dao (Level Three), and Flowing Light (Level Two) were solid, yet the Heaven¡¯s Fate of Pathos remained his weakest. Ironically, it was also the key to his further advancement.


    He needed to elevate it to the Second Stage before breaking through.


    Immersing his consciousness in the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path, Zhang Xuan observed the Tidal Wave Momentum, massive and potent, yet constrained within the web of Pathos Heaven¡¯s Fate¡ªa cocoon waiting to unfurl.


    Breaking through required grasping its profound principles and gathering sufficient Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy.


    As his mind followed the intricate threads of emotion, a hazy memory surfaced¡ªa bright morning atop a mountain.


    Standing beside his father-inw, Nie Yun, he recalled:


    "The Source World¡­ can you sense it?" Nie Yun asked, gazing into the distant firmament.


    Hesitating, Zhang Xuan answered, "Yes, all power to create new worlds originates from there. But it¡¯s peculiar¡ªunless fully controlled, it leaves hidden dangers that can¡¯t be resolved."


    Kong Shi nodded in agreement. "It feels as though someone else is controlling my fate, ready to sever it at any moment."


    Nie Yun¡¯s expression darkened. "Your senses are urate. The Source World is indeed peculiar. Years ago, I was gravely injured by a single palm strike from someone wielding its power. Recently, I¡¯ve uncovered who that person might be and why they targeted me."


    Before Zhang Xuan and Kong Shi could ask further, Nie Yun pressed his finger to their foreheads, transmitting a beam of light.


    "I¡¯ve sealed the answer within your memories. You¡¯ll understand when your cultivation reaches the requisite level. Knowing prematurely might expose you to danger."


    With that, Nie Yun vanished into the Source World, leaving a cryptic warning: "Don¡¯t recklessly use the powers of a new world when you arrive. The consequences could be dire."<hr>


    Snapping back to the present, Zhang Xuan shook his head. The memory was too fragmented to piece together fully, but it would be clear in time.


    For now, he focused on refining the Pathos Heaven¡¯s Fate. Itswork of emotional threads shone brighter, growing tougher and more resilient. He had seeded in reaching the Second Stage!


    Still, the breakthrough felt iplete. Without sufficient Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy, he couldn¡¯t advance further. Others required only thousands of strands for simr breakthroughs, but he needed tens of millions.


    "Why didn¡¯t I ask them for resources earlier?" Zhang Xuan pped his forehead in frustration.


    It was toote now, but perhaps it was for the best. Asking for Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy in front of so many might have raised suspicion. For now, he would make do.<hr>


    Suddenly, the ground began to shake violently. A seven-colored cloud burst forth, illuminating the sky like blooming lotuses.


    "What¡¯s happening now?"


    Zhang Xuan stepped out, puzzled. He hadn¡¯t done anything¡­ had he?


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 125: Divine Realm Flowing Colors

    Vol 2 Chapter 125: Divine Realm Flowing Colors


    The clouds in the sky shimmered with radiant hues, like a vibrant sunset, spreading from the heavens and illuminating much of the sky.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Not only did Zhang Xuan notice the anomaly, but everyone in the Zhang Estate was also rmed. Sun Qiang, Liu Mingyue, and others emerged from their rooms, lifting their heads toward the sky in curiosity and astonishment.


    The spectacle before them was clearly not a natural phenomenon but a sign that something extraordinary was urring.


    ¡°Could it be the birth of some kind of treasure?¡± Sun Qiang couldn¡¯t help but specte aloud.


    ¡°Impossible¡­¡± Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    While treasures might emit such brilliance, causing such a massive disturbance would require an item of unparalleled rank. The sheer pressure from it would have been unbearable for them.


    Moreover, if a treasure of this caliber had appeared, Zhou Cang and the others who had recently departed would surely have rushed over. It wouldn¡¯t have gone unnoticed.¡°Then could it be the arrival of a divine beast?¡± Sun Qiang continued to guess.


    Seven-colored light was often considered a sign of auspiciousness. It typically indicated the presence of treasures, medicinal herbs, or divine beasts. He couldn¡¯t think of any other possibilities.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment but couldn¡¯t arrive at an exnation. Just as he was about to ask Sun Qiang to go out and gather some information, a servant hurriedly entered the room.


    ¡°Master, someone named Min Jiangtao is here to see you!¡±


    ¡°Let him in,¡± Zhang Xuan gestured. Shortly after, Min Jiangtao entered, led by the servant. Upon stepping into the room, he cupped his hands respectfully and greeted, ¡°Lord Zhang!¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Zhang Xuan nodded, his gaze filled with curiosity. Normally, Min Jiangtao wouldn¡¯t visit unless there was a significant reason. His sudden arrival hinted at urgent news.


    Noticing Zhang Xuan¡¯s questioning look, Min Jiangtao quickly exined, ¡°I¡¯ve just received word that Senior Brother has been inquiring about your whereabouts all day¡­¡±


    ¡°I already know.¡± Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Mo Baiye had unexpectedly shown up at the Wanxiang Gate and ordered Mo Hong to attack. It was clear that his whereabouts had been discovered.


    ¡°ording to what I¡¯ve learned, my teacher¡­ my teacher might be nning to act against you!¡± Min Jiangtao hesitated for a moment before revealing his concern.


    After being forced to use the Red Cherry Blossom to defeat Mo Hong, he hadn¡¯t thought much of it at first. However, upon returning, he realized something was amiss and discreetly investigated Mo Hong¡¯s recent actions. His suspicions were confirmed.


    Zhang Xuan simply replied, ¡°I had already guessed as much.¡±


    Although he hadn¡¯t used the Mo Dao technique during his duel with Mo Hong, his understanding of the technique allowed him to avoid the attacks in advance. This might have exposed some clues to the other party.


    Since killing Ling Buyang, Zhang Xuan had given up on mending his rtionship with Mo Baiye. Their falling out was inevitable.


    ¡°So¡­ what should we do now?¡± Min Jiangtao¡¯s expression was tinged with anxiety.


    Although Mo Baiye had taught him faulty de techniques, he was still his teacher. On the other hand, Zhang Xuan was both formidable and had shown him great kindness. Maintaining good rtions with both was a dilemma.


    ¡°You can discreetly reveal my identity to him. If he¡¯s smart, I¡¯ll let it slide out of respect for you. If not¡­ I won¡¯t hesitate to rece the Mo Dao Sect¡¯s leader.¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s hands were sped behind his back, his tone calm.


    At this moment, he wasn¡¯t confident about defeating the Mo Dao Sect¡¯s master. However, given some time¡ªperhaps a month or more¡ªthe oue of their next encounter would be far from certain.


    For now, all he needed was time. The reason he had spared Mo Baiye earlier was to use him as a mouthpiece.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Min Jiangtao trembled slightly at the bold statement.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Zhang Xuan asked, his voice easing after addressing the pressing issue.


    ¡°No, nothing else. I¡¯ll take my leave now,¡± Min Jiangtao stammered before hurrying off.


    Watching him leave, Zhang Xuan turned toward Sun Qiang, who was standing nearby. ¡°Three tasks: First, have someone monitor the movements of the Mo Dao Sect. If they make any hostile moves against us, inform me immediately. Second, find out where we can purchase arge amount of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. Third, investigate what¡¯s causing this anomaly in the sky.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Sun Qiang cupped his fists and left to carry out the instructions.


    Although his own abilities made it impossible to spy on the Mo Dao Sect directly, information could be easily bought for the right price. This task wasn¡¯t particrly challenging.


    An hourter, Sun Qiang rushed back, his expression filled with urgency.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Zhang Xuan noticed his unusual demeanor and frowned.


    ¡°Master, I¡¯ve found out about the anomaly in the sky. It seems to be rted to Kong Shi¡­¡± Sun Qiang reported.


    ¡°Exin in detail!¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression grew solemn.


    The phenomenon in the sky had not only persisted but had grown even more vibrant over time, like a fiery cloud zing on the horizon.


    ¡°Zhang Xuan! Zhang Xuan¡­¡±


    Before Sun Qiang could borate, a voice called out from outside the courtyard. A woman appeared, following a servant who seemed unable to stop her.


    ¡°Young Master¡­¡± the servant began to exin but was promptly ignored.


    Hearing the address, Zhang Xuan looked at the woman. Her stunning eyes were filled with a hint of confusion. ¡°Are you Zhang Xuan?¡±


    ¡°Leave us,¡± Zhang Xuan waved the servant away. He looked at the woman who had barged in and smiled faintly. ¡°What brings Lady Fu here unannounced?¡±


    The visitor was none other than Fu Yingying, the overseer of the underground market in Hanyuan City.


    ¡°So it really is you¡­ I didn¡¯t expect you to be so handsome and younger than I imagined¡­¡± Fu Yingying eximed with excitement.


    Previously, she had only seen him disguised as Ling Buyang. She had known he was young but hadn¡¯t expected him to be so dashing and brimming with charisma.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Ahem!¡± Zhang Xuan coughed awkwardly.


    Being overly handsome wasn¡¯t something he could control. A burden, really!


    ¡°I have urgent business with you. The matter we discussed in Hanyuan City¡ªis that still valid?¡± Fu Yingying asked directly, her earlier amazement giving way to focus. ¡°My n¡¯s selectionpetition has just been announced to start this afternoon. Can you spare the time to help me?¡±


    ¡°This afternoon?¡± Zhang Xuan was startled.


    Previously, they had agreed that he would assist in the n¡¯s selection process half a monthter. Only six or seven days had passed. Could such a major family event be moved up on a whim?


    ¡°Yes!¡± Fu Yingying¡¯s expression carried both urgency and helplessness. ¡°I had nned to prepare more thoroughly and lessen your burden. But before I had the chance, this news arrived¡­¡±


    ¡°n selections are usually stringent and carefully arranged. Why the sudden change?¡± Zhang Xuan frowned. It seemed uncharacteristically haphazard.


    Fu Yingying nced at the sky. ¡°It¡¯s all because of this anomaly.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Zhang Xuan grew even more curious.


    ¡°The radiance in the sky is called the ¡®Radiance of the Divine Domain.¡¯ It¡¯s caused by the activation of the core of the Heaven¡¯s Fate Divine Domain!¡± Fu Yingying exined.


    ¡°Radiance of the Divine Domain? Core activation? Are you talking about¡­ Zhi Lan Valley?¡± Zhang Xuan¡¯s expression shifted as realization dawned. He quickly turned to Sun Qiang, who nodded in confirmation. A surge of excitement and anticipation filled his chest.


    The activation of the Heaven¡¯s Fate Divine Domain¡¯s core¡­ Could it mean that Kong Shi was about to refine it?


    Near the Zouyi Dynasty, the only known Heaven¡¯s Fate Divine Domain was Zhi Lan Valley. Kong Shi had been pursued into it and had remained silent since.


    Zhang Xuan had traveled here painstakingly to rescue him. Yet, before he could even find a way to enter the domain, Kong Shi had already activated its core. Could it mean that the refinement process was nearlyplete and sess was imminent?


    If so, this was incredible news.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 126: I Still Feel Pity

    Vol 2 Chapter 126 I Still Feel Pity


    "That¡¯s Kong Shi we¡¯re talking about! If he manages to attain supreme power, he¡¯ll be far more reliable than anyone else. At least then, I wouldn¡¯t have to roam around so pitifully searching for Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy."


    ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s the Zhi Lan Valley!¡±


    Unaware of Zhang Xuan¡¯s thoughts, Fu Yingying nodded in confirmation.


    ¡°This ce being activated... what does it have to do with your family¡¯s early selection process?¡± After his initial excitement, Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously.


    ¡°The Heaven¡¯s Fate Divine Domain is divided into the outer area, the inner area, and the core! The activation of the core means that someone has already broken through the outer and inner areas. Once the core is breached, the domain can be refined, granting its inheritor unparalleled power!¡±


    Fu Yingying exined, ¡°The Zhi Lan Valley ranks 21st among all the Divine Domains, which is a testament to its prestige and strength. If one can refine it, the benefits are beyond imagination. So when the Divine Domain¡¯s Radiance appeared, it disrupted the ns of all major families in the Zouyi Dynasty. After all, ording to their calctions, that Chaotic Fate Practitioner was supposed to perish inside it. There¡¯s no way they expected this kind of oue.¡±


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    When Kong Shi was chased into the Zhi Lan Valley, he had just entered the Source World and was, like Zhang Xuan, in the early stages of cultivation. At such a level, being thrust into such a perilous location seemed like a certain death sentence. It wasn¡¯t surprising that no one held out hope for him.Yet, against all odds, he proved them all wrong.


    Not only did he break through the outer and inner areas, but he even activated the core.


    Fu Yingying continued, ¡°An activated core in the Heaven¡¯s Fate Divine Domain is like a chestnut with its shell removed¡ªits spiky defenses gone, leaving the treasure exposed. My Fu family doesn¡¯t want to miss this opportunity, so we¡¯re also vying for entry. But determining who gets to enter and whom to listen to bes a critical issue. This is why the selection process has been moved up. On one hand, it¡¯s to find a suitable sessor, and on the other, it¡¯s to recruit more talents and secure greater benefits.¡±


    Realization dawned on Zhang Xuan, though he also felt a twinge of unease. ¡°How long does it take from core activation to actual inheritance?¡±


    ¡°The Heaven¡¯s Fate Divine Domain is formed from the remains of a superpower, and the core holds immense energy. Once activated, a powerful will manifests, creating an aurora in the skies! During this period, it¡¯s impossible to approach, and this phenomenonsts about three days. So, the earliest anyone can attempt to reach the core and im its benefits is after three days. Rushing in before that would be dangerous. And to fully refine the domain, it would take no less than half a month to a month,¡± Fu Yingying borated.


    Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief but couldn¡¯t hide the concern in his eyes.


    He had worried that Kong Shi might have already refined the Heaven¡¯s Fate Divine Domain, but it seemed he hadn¡¯t seeded yet.


    The influx of powerful figures and factions would only make things moreplicated.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Zhang Xuan, can you help me? If I seed and receive my family¡¯s inheritance, you¡¯ll benefit greatly too. The Fu family will be your backer, helping you enter the Divine Domain and seize opportunities!¡±


    Fu Yingying looked at him expectantly.


    ¡°Well...¡± Zhang Xuan hesitated.


    He desperately needed Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy. If the Fu family could support him, breaking through to the Star River Realm would be much easier. Once inside the Divine Domain, with their backing, he could also assist Kong Shi¡ªkilling two birds with one stone.


    ¡°Are you sure I can help you?¡± After a brief pause, Zhang Xuan asked again.


    Fu Yingying¡¯s expression turned conflicted. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not entirely sure. I only realized after returning to my family that they¡¯ve invited so many geniuses¡ªthe top three from the Star River Potential List are all here. Each of them is exceptionally gifted and extraordinary.¡±


    ¡°The top three on the Star River Potential List?¡±


    Zhang Xuan blinked.


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Fu Yingying¡¯s gaze turned serious. ¡°Especially the one ranked first¡ªYan San-shisan. His potential is limitless, and he has already broken through to the Star River Realm. His talent is unparalleled. If you think it¡¯s too difficult, we can drop our previous agreement, and I¡¯ll stop troubling you. But if you think you can manage, my earlier promises still stand.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Zhang Xuan nodded.


    During their discussion back in Hanyuan City, she had offered 5,000 Destiny Disks as payment. That was equivalent to 50 million strands of Heaven¡¯s Fate Energy!


    Who would turn down such a lucrative offer?


    ¡°Really? You¡¯re willing to take the risk for me?¡±


    Seeing him agree so readily, Fu Yingying¡¯s eyes sparkled with both disbelief and gratitude. For a moment, Zhang Xuan felt enveloped by a strange, alluring energy.


    Fox Charm Destiny, the allure of Heaven¡¯s Fate!


    This woman still seemed intent on turning him into her loyal follower.


    ¡°So, there¡¯s danger involved... I¡¯ll pass then!¡± Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    ¡°...¡± Fu Yingying¡¯s eyes twitched.


    She thought reverting to her usual charms might truly win his allegiance rather than just strike a deal. Yet she failed again.


    ¡°Do I hold no ce in your heart at all?¡±


    Pouting, Fu Yingying¡¯s face filled with grievance. Her gaze, filled with sorrow and longing, carried a technique from the Fox Charm Destiny known as ¡°Irresistible Pity.¡±


    A single nce could evoke sympathy in any man¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Of course, you do...¡± Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Fu Yingying brightened, but before she could respond, she heard his next words:


    ¡°...5,000 Destiny Disks!¡±


    Her vision darkened as anger red.


    Although her charm wasn¡¯t the strongest among her seven sisters, it was still potent enough to sway both men and women. Yet here he was, more interested in Destiny Disks than her.


    ¡°You said the selection starts this afternoon, right? If we don¡¯t leave now, we¡¯ll bete,¡± Zhang Xuan remarked, cutting short the conversation with a dismissive wave.


    Frustrated but resigned, Fu Yingying nodded.


    While Zhang Xuan¡¯s talent was impressive, her decision to choose him was mainly because he was immune to her charm. If she couldn¡¯t sway him, it was unlikely others could either. At least she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about him being stolen away by her sisters¡ªsomething that had happened before.


    To avoid attracting attention, Fu Yingying hade in a carriage. Without Dao Li, Zhang Xuan followed her and climbed in.


    The carriage was cozy and faintly scented. Seated inside, Zhang Xuan seemed entirely unbothered by sharing it with a beautiful woman. Instead, he furrowed his brows and turned his attention to the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path.


    Among the countless books, awork of emotional threads had somehow trapped a flowing river, wrapping it like a cocoon.


    ¡°Is this... Fox Charm Destiny?¡±


    Zhang Xuan was stunned.


    Wasn¡¯t this a destiny exclusive to women? Why would heprehend it?


    Did this mean he¡¯d have to sway and seduce others too?


    The thought made Zhang Xuan¡¯s eyelid twitch, filling him with unease.


    It wasn¡¯t that he had an overly masculine ego, but Fox Charm was inherently feminine. What if his time disguised as Ling Buyang had altered him... made him more effeminate?


    He imagined himself wearing a red robe, sitting cross-legged, embroidering... and couldn¡¯t help but grimace, on the verge of tears.


    Meanwhile, Fu Yingying had just entered the carriage. After calming her earlier embarrassment, she smiled faintly and began loosening her robe. ¡°It¡¯s so hot...¡±


    The garment slipped slightly, revealing her fair shoulders and the soft curves of her chest.


    Surely, if words couldn¡¯t charm him, actions would do the trick, right?


    Feeling smug, she nced over at the young man across from her¡ªonly to see his expression transform from disbelief to anguish, as though he were about to cry.


    ¡°???¡±


    Fu Yingying was baffled.


    What just happened? Did seeing me undress make him nauseous?


    Could it be... he doesn¡¯t like women?


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 127: Fox Charm Destiny Second Stage

    Vol 2 Chapter 127: Fox Charm Destiny Second Stage


    "Forget it..."


    After studying for a while, Zhang Xuan realized that as long as the technique wasn¡¯t cultivated to a higher level, it wouldn¡¯t have much impact¡ªit would at most add an extra ability.


    With that settled, his consciousness returned, and he looked at Fu Yingying, asking directly, "So what exactly is this ''assessment'' you mentioned? What do I need to do?"


    Fu Yingying exined, "The specifics will be determined by the n leader before the assessment begins, so I¡¯m not entirely sure. But one thing¡¯s certain¡ªthe higher your talent, the better it will be for me."


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    At this point, Fu Yingying resembled an angel investor, and he was like a startup entrepreneur. The greater his future achievements, the more power she would gain. Conversely, if he went bankrupt, she would suffer bacsh as the investor.


    This was simr to those skilled in the Fox Charm Destiny going around enchanting promising schrs, hoping they¡¯d achieve top honors in the imperial exams.


    Thus, true Fox Charm Destiny didn¡¯t involve indiscriminately flirting or seducing; it required careful choices. Xi Shi wouldn¡¯t be remembered for all eternity if she hadn¡¯t enchanted King Fuchai. Simrly, Diao Chan wouldn¡¯t have her ce in history without choosing L¨¹ Bu.The strength of the Fox Charm Destiny heavily depended on the connection with the one being enchanted. Considering this, Zhang Xuan realized the great deliberation Fu Yingying must have undertaken before choosing him.


    This thought made him feel slightly better, so he asked, "What level of mastery have you achieved with your Fox Charm Destiny? And what about the others?"


    Fu Yingying replied awkwardly, "I¡¯ve only reached the peak of the First Stage, unable to break through. Of the other six, four have reached the Second Stage, and the remaining two are simr to me..."


    "That¡¯s not much of an advantage..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    "Not much" was an understatement. It was practically at the bottom. Though only one level apart, the gap between the First and Second Stages was immense, offering significant advantages to those at higher stages.


    "Run your destiny energy; I might have a way to help you improve in a short time," Zhang Xuan suggested after some thought.


    "Help me improve? You¡¯ve studied Fox Charm Destiny too?" Fu Yingying asked curiously.


    Zhang Xuan shook his head vehemently, like a rattle drum, denying quickly, "Of course not! I just figured an extra hand might give me more to work with. But if you¡¯re not interested, forget it..."


    "No need to forget it!"


    Fu Yingying chuckled lightly, exuding charm. "Just know, when I use my full power, it¡¯s quite potent. If you end up enchanted, don¡¯t me me..."


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    Without further ado, Fu Yingying¡¯s eyes lit up with determination as she activated her Fox Charm Destiny with full force for the first time since regaining her original appearance. The cramped carriage seemed to glow with a faint pink hue, exuding an intoxicating aura. A single breath of it could leave someone dazed and impulsive.


    Swish!


    Fu Yingying¡¯s robe slipped from her shoulders, revealing tantalizing glimpses of her bare shoulders and legs.


    In the confined space, the energy of the Fox Charm Destiny flowed, amplifying her allure even further. While her mastery remained at the First Stage, the actual effect was nearly at the Second Stage due to the environment.


    Just as Fu Yingying thought she¡¯d finally have Zhang Xuan willingly sumbing to her, his disdainful voice rang out.


    "You¡¯re doing it all wrong. If you¡¯re biting your lip, it should be your upper teeth lightly pressing your lower lip, not the other way around."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "That movement¡¯s okay, but your waist is too stiff¡ªespecially here. It¡¯s like a nk! Rx, rx!"


    "Removing clothes can add allure, but stripping too much ruins the effect. Drape this veil over yourself¡ªit works best when there¡¯s a sense of mystery..."


    ...


    Unable to hold back, Zhang Xuan moved closer and began offering nonstop corrections.


    No wonder this woman was so beautiful yet couldn¡¯t break through to the Second Stage. Under the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path¡¯s scrutiny, her ws were ring¡ªdozens of them on just one page!


    "I..."


    At first, Fu Yingying thought Zhang Xuan was spouting nonsense. But as he continued, her body trembled uncontrobly.


    It wasn¡¯t nonsense¡ªit was <em>too</em> urate!


    Each of his suggestions perfectly addressed her previous oversights. Though she couldn¡¯t see her own movements, she could clearly feel how her absorption of destiny energy had elerated after his corrections. Her strength flowed more smoothly too.


    "He... can understand Fox Charm Destiny?"


    Her eyes widened in disbelief.


    This technique was said to be exclusive to women¡ªhow could a man possibly master it? Yet, here he was, critiquing her every move with astonishing precision.


    "Could it be..."


    A peculiar thought surfaced, sending a shiver through her heart.


    She had heard of men who looked male but were not attracted to women, preferring their own gender instead. Such individuals were known for their peculiar preferences, like the tales of Long Yang and "cutting the sleeve."


    Could Zhang Xuan be one of <em>those</em>?


    Otherwise, how could he remain utterly unmoved by her charm and even seem repulsed? Not to mention his uncanny insight into how to seduce men!


    "What a pity..."


    Realizing this, Fu Yingying shook her head helplessly.


    She had initially thought that if Zhang Xuan¡¯s talent proved promising, she¡¯d go all out to charm him¡ªeven if it meant sacrificing herself. But now, it seemed she¡¯d have to settle for being his "sister."


    Oblivious to her thoughts, Zhang Xuan finished pointing out all her ws and, seeing that some of her movements remained stiff, had no choice but to demonstrate himself.


    Thankfully, his understanding of Fox Charm Destiny wasprehensive enough to guide her effectively.


    "That should do it. Just keep running your destiny energy for a while, and you should break through soon!"


    After making further adjustments, Zhang Xuan saw that Fu Yingying was absorbing destiny energy more effectively, and her strength was growing steadily. Relieved, he stepped back.


    Helping her was ultimately for his own benefit¡ªif she could inherit the destiny properly, he¡¯d gain 5,000 destiny disks. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement. Otherwise, without enough charm, she couldn¡¯t inherit the destiny, and achieving his own goal of acquiring 10 million strands of destiny energy within three days would be nearly impossible.


    Seeing her rapid progress, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction. Just as he was about to check the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path for more ws to correct, he felt a sudden jolt in his body.


    In an instant, countless strands of destiny energy surged from the void, flooding into the Library of Heaven¡¯s Path. Simultaneously, the books stored within exploded with knowledge, merging into the Fox Charm Destiny that had been enveloped by Pathos of Heaven.


    The destiny energy surged wildly, repairing all previous ws and even enhancing its effectiveness by leaps and bounds. In mere moments, it doubled in strength, making him radiate an irresistible charm.


    But unlike Fu Yingying¡¯s charm, his exuded a profound allure that captivated people from the inside out with just a nce.


    "???"


    Zhang Xuan stood frozen, utterly bewildered.


    He had been coaching Fu Yingying to break through¡ªso how had <em>he</em> broken through first?


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 128: Fu Qingqing

    Vol 2 Chapter 128 Fu Qingqing


    Everything went ck in front of Zhang Xuan''s eyes, and he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.


    What is this?


    He really didn''t want to cultivate this thing!


    It was too soft!


    But even so, he broke through silently...


    A sharp pain in his heart, he was thinking about how to cover it up when he saw the worshipful look from Fu Yingying. Her eyes were practically sparkling: ¡°Zhang Xuan, how did you do it?¡±


    Having cultivated the Fox Charm Destiny herself, she naturally sensed the power within his body and knew that his current cultivation had far surpassed her own...


    ¡°I...¡±Zhang Xuan rubbed his forehead, wanting to exin but unsure of how to say it. He could only raise his brow and say, ¡°Did you remember the questions I asked? Hurry up and correct them.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Fu Yingying responded softly, her face full of tenderness, then¡­ she continued adjusting her posture. However, the effect seemed minimal¡ªdespite some progress, it wasn¡¯t very obvious.


    "Are the movements correct? Have all the ws been fixed? Why hasn''t she broken through to the second stage?"


    After adjusting her movements for a while, seeing that the girl was almost perfect but still hovering at the peak of the first stage with no progress, Zhang Xuan couldn''t understand it.


    Could it be that her talent is so poor? Even with this guidance, she can''t break through?


    "Do you have any impulse to break through now?" Unable to hold back, he asked.


    "Not at all... Did I do something wrong? Please guide me carefully, I''ll correct it..." Fu Yingying¡¯s gaze was as gentle as water.


    ¡°???¡±


    Seeing her like this, Zhang Xuan had an ominous premonition. He tentatively asked, "If... you don''t obtain the inheritance, can you still give me the 5000 fate discs?"


    "Don¡¯t worry, as long as you want, even if I have to steal it, I¡¯ll help you steal it..." Fu Yingying said firmly.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m already married!¡± Zhang Xuan continued.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, whether you¡¯re married or not is not important. As long as I can follow behind you, listen to your orders, and talk to you, that¡¯s enough for me...¡± Fu Yingying hurriedly said,pletely ying the role of a devoted admirer.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhang Xuan fell silent.


    Great, it seemed that he had identally enchanted this woman...


    No wonder he had smoothly broken through to the second stage, while she hadn''t.


    With the Fox Charm Destiny, the breakthrough could only happen if she was sessfully enchanted. But as he remained unmoved, teaching her actually made her admire him more and more...


    After a while, the result appeared before his eyes.


    What is going on here¡­


    ¡°Forget it, go enchant someone else. Don¡¯t use it on me anymore...¡± After helping her adjust her clothes, Zhang Xuan rubbed his forehead.


    The carriage moved forward for about half an hour before stopping in front of a huge mansion.


    At this moment, another carriage had stopped in front of the gate as well. Four horses pulling the carriage, decorated luxuriously, clearly not an ordinary carriage.


    "Third Miss, we''ve arrived!"


    The coachman hurriedly got off the carriage, leading the horses with a respectful look.


    "Mm!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    A soft hum came from inside the carriage: ¡°I want to get off.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    A male voice responded, and the carriage curtain was lifted. A young man in his twenties stepped out of the carriage, jumped down, and knelt on the ground.


    He had even voluntarily acted as a stool for the carriage.


    If Zhang Xuan had seen him, he would immediately recognize him as Su Yunzhe, the second ce of the Star River Potential Ranking, who had previouslypeted with Yan San-shisan.


    At this moment, Su Yunzhe¡¯s aura surged, and he had also broken through, reaching the Star River Realm!


    A girl with an extremely beautiful figure and face slowly walked out, stepping on his back andnding on the ground.


    Su Yunzhe hurriedly stood up and supported her with a ttering expression: ¡°Qingqing¡­¡±


    The girl named Qingqing nodded. "Has the second sister returned as well?"


    The carriage curtain opened, and Fu Yingying stepped out. She walked two steps to the front of the carriage and knelt on the ground: ¡°Hurry up and get off¡­¡±


    ¡°???¡± Qingqing.


    ¡°???¡± Su Yunzhe.


    Not only were the two of them confused, but Zhang Xuan was also stunned, his face turning red: ¡°Hurry up and get up¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Fu Yingying reluctantly stood up, and Zhang Xuan awkwardly jumped down from the carriage.


    Unexpectedly, after being enchanted, he had lost all self-respect... Sure enough, a devoted admirer has no rights!


    Not knowing his thoughts, Fu Yingying came over and helped him up. The two of them walked towards the mansion¡¯s main door.


    ¡°Second Sister!¡± At this moment, Fu Qingqing walked over.


    ¡°Third Sister¡­¡±


    Fu Yingying stopped and turned to Zhang Xuan with a smile, exining: ¡°This is my third sister, Fu Qingqing!¡±


    Zhang Xuan looked over and was equally stunned by her beauty.


    No wonder Su Yunzhe willingly fell at her feet.


    "Second Sister, is this the genius you brought? Doesn¡¯t seem impressive, old, low cultivation, and doesn¡¯t listen well..."


    Fu Qingqing gave Zhang Xuan a disdainful nce.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Fu Yingying frowned.


    Fu Qingqing raised her head, exposing her graceful swan-like neck: ¡°Nothing, just stating the facts. This Su Yunzhe, who was ranked second in the Star River Potential Ranking, has an unfathomable cultivation... He¡¯s the one who deserves us, not this old man you brought.¡±


    ¡°Old man? Who are you calling old man? Zhang Xuan is powerful and has unparalleled talent. You, no matter how young, are just a pretty face, good-looking but useless¡­¡±


    Fu Yingying exploded.


    You can praise me, but you can¡¯t say my idol is useless!


    ¡°You¡¯re the useless one! Your whole family is useless!¡± Fu Yingying gritted her teeth.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Fu Qingqing was so angry she was breathing heavily.


    Seeing this, Zhang Xuan couldn¡¯t help but feel a little awkward. The situation was starting to get out of hand.


    Seeing her anger, Fu Qingqing suppressed it and tossed her sleeve aside, standing tall and straight: ¡°I won¡¯t argue with you¡­ Since you say this Zhang Xuan is very impressive, I wonder if he dares topete with Su Yunzhe in a battle?¡±


    ¡°How are we going topete?¡± Fu Yingying asked.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a martialpetition. Whoever has stronger strength will be the genius. The loser will kneel here and apologize!¡± Fu Qingqing coldly snorted.


    ¡°Kneel and apologize?¡±


    Fu Yingying shook her head: ¡°No, that¡¯s not eptable!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t dare?¡± Fu Qingqing sneered: ¡°If you¡¯re not afraid, then admit it! Admit that this Zhang Xuan is just a waste!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t dare, but if we lose, I¡¯ll kneel and apologize, Zhang Xuan doesn¡¯t need to!¡± Fu Yingying said.


    ¡°???¡± Fu Qingqing.


    ¡°???¡± Su Yunzhe.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 129: Defeated with a Slap

    Vol 2 Chapter 129: Defeated with a p


    Not only were the two of them utterly stunned, even the guards at the door and the coachman stared in disbelief.


    Enchanting others isn''t about making them willingly pay the price, right? Why are you constantly considering the other person''s feelings?


    Ignoring the expressions of those around her, Fu Yingying smiled and looked at Zhang Xuan, "What do you think, is this okay? If you really don¡¯t want topete, we don¡¯t have to."


    "Uh... apetition wouldn''t hurt!"


    Seeing her cautiously trying to avoid upsetting him, Zhang Xuan suddenly felt that the foxy charm was... perhaps not as bad as he had imagined.


    Fu Yingying sighed in relief and turned to Fu Qingqing, "Third sister, I¡¯m fine with it. Since you want topete, let''s start!"


    "You¡¯re asking for trouble yourself!"


    Fu Qingqing turned to Su Yunzhe with a cold snort, "Give him a good beating, don¡¯t hold back! And if you lose, don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever talk to you again.""Don¡¯t worry!" Su Yunzhe¡¯s eyes flickered, "I won¡¯t lose!"


    After saying that, he took two steps toward Zhang Xuan, a hint of doubt in his eyes. "Haven''t we met somewhere before?"


    When he fought with Yan Thirty-three, it was in the Hall of Destiny, and Zhang Xuan was also there. Although they didn¡¯t speak, it was still a brief encounter.


    "Attack," Zhang Xuan saidzily, not interested in exining.


    "It seems you don¡¯t know who I am, and that¡¯s why you dare act this way!"


    Su Yunzhe snorted coldly. "To be honest, I was once ranked second on the Star River Potential List. Before my breakthrough, I could fight against a Star River Firstyer expert. Now that I¡¯ve sessfully broken through, I can even face Secondyer experts. Do you think you¡¯re worthy of being my opponent?"


    Fu Qingqing frowned, "No more nonsense, hurry up and fight!"


    "Yes! Since Qingqing spoke, I won¡¯t hold back!" Su Yunzhe nodded repeatedly, extending three fingers. "Three moves, in three moves, I¡¯ll make you kneel and apologize..."


    With that, he swung his hand in the air, and a powerful palm strike came down.


    This palm strike was much stronger than the one he had used in the Hall of Destiny, with an overwhelming aura and force. Before it evennded, a three-meter-diameter air wall had already formed.


    "So much nonsense!" Zhang Xuan stepped forward, not making any major movements, just waving his hand lightly.


    Whoosh!


    The powerful air wall instantly dissipated, and then Su Yunzhe was struck across the face and flew sideways, crashing into the carriage.


    "What?"


    "A single p from the Dharma Aspect realm sent Su Yunzhe, who is in the Star River realm, flying?"


    "How is this even possible?"


    The onlookers were all wide-eyed and open-mouthed, unable to believe what they had just seen.


    They had expected a one-sided situation, but they never imagined it would be in this direction...


    Fu Qingqing was also stunned, her face turning red with anger as she red at Su Yunzhe. "You trash! Didn¡¯t you just say that no one in your age group or realm could beat you? How is it that you can¡¯t even defeat someone weaker than yourself?"


    "I..." Su Yunzhe struggled to get up, his face alternating between red and white. Then, gritting his teeth, he said, "I was just careless earlier¡­ Qingqing, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely win this time!"


    After saying that, he took a deep breath, and the Star River realm¡¯s power surged through his meridians, emitting a muffled thunderous sound.


    "Stupid kid, I was letting you go just now. This time, I won¡¯t be merciful!"


    Whoosh!


    Before his words even ended, he charged at Zhang Xuan, his hand reaching out to grab, creating four afterimages of his most powerful move, the Five Extremes Palm.


    At its highest level, this technique can manifest five palm prints, making it nearly impossible to defend. Although he had not reached the pinnacle of this technique yet, it was still at a very high level.


    When he fought Yan Thirty-three, he had reached this level, and he was confident that he could win this time.


    "Lie down!" he shouted angrily.


    Before his voice even ended, he saw a hand appear on his face out of nowhere.


    Bang!


    Once again, he was sent flying, crossing over ten meters and crashing heavily onto the ground.


    "You..."


    Su Yunzhe was full of disbelief. As he tried to struggle to his feet, he saw that Zhang Xuan had already arrived before him. A light pressure from his palm made him feel an overwhelming force, as though his bones might shatter.


    "I... I surrender..." Realizing that he couldn¡¯t bear the full brunt of the attack, Su Yunzhe quickly shouted.


    Whoosh! The pressure vanished instantly, as though it had never been there. Zhang Xuan was now back next to Fu Yingying, standing quietly, as if he had never lifted a finger.


    "Trash, you¡¯re nothing but trash!"


    Fu Qingqing was furious. She never expected this so-called genius to give up after a single attack. Her face flushed red with disgust.


    "Third sister, what about the bet from earlier?" Fu Yingying smiled as she looked over.


    "I..." Fu Qingqing turned to Su Yunzhe, "Aren¡¯t you going to kneel and apologize right away? Do you really want to embarrass me?"


    "Yes!" Su Yunzhe looked embarrassed but finally knelt before the two women. His knees gave way, and he copsed on the ground. "Sorry... I was blind. It has nothing to do with Qingqing!"


    "Hmph!" After hearing the apology, Fu Qingqing didn''t want to stay any longer. She flicked her sleeve and turned to head into the mansion.


    "Qingqing, Qingqing..." Su Yunzhe looked at Zhang Xuan and the others with aplicated expression before hurriedly following her.


    "This..."


    Zhang Xuan shook his head, "Are you sure someone who is so easily enchanted still deserves the title of ''genius''? How can they keep improving and getting stronger?"


    Cultivation is a process of constant challenges. All geniuses have pride, with an unyielding heart inside them. Only with such a heart can they continue to surpass themselves and move forward.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This Su Yunzhe, when he fought with Yan Thirty-three, was proud and unyielding, full of arrogance. But now, he only obeys orders, kneels when told to, and does whatever is asked of him, like a sycophant...


    Even if he had talent before, with time, he would only grow weaker and eventually fade into mediocrity.


    "I don¡¯t know..." Fu Yingying shook her head, then looked at Zhang Xuan with admiration. "But you''re right, I believe your judgment!"


    "Let¡¯s go!" Zhang Xuan realized that after charming this woman, she had turned into a lovestruck fool. He knew that asking more questions was pointless, so he stopped and walked toward the courtyard ahead.


    Before long, they arrived at a spacious hall, and Zhang Xuan saw that Fu Qingqing and Su Yunzhe had already arrived. There were also five other women inside, each one more beautiful than thest, with figures that could rival any goddess.


    It felt like entering a kingdom of women, where the air was intoxicating and seductive.


    Using his Insightful Eye, Zhang Xuan scanned the women in front of him.


    As Fu Yingying had said, four of them had mastered the second stage of the Foxy Charm of Destiny, while the remaining three had reached the peak of the first stage.


    These seven sisters were all stunningly beautiful, each one a mesmerizing beauty, and two of them were even on par with Fu Yingying, with their imposing auras perhaps surpassing hers.


    Originally, Zhang Xuan had been confident in his ability to win Fu Yingying¡¯s affection, but after seeing these girls, his confidence wavered.


    "To obtain the inheritance, my strength is only part of it. What''s more important is what happens on Fu Yingying¡¯s side... It looks like I must help herprehend the second stage as soon as possible!"


    They were all nearly as beautiful as Fu Yingying, some even more charming in their temperament. Without advancing to the second stage of Foxy Charm, he would have no advantage over them.


    To break through, one needed to enchant others sessfully, and it was best if the target was a genius...


    Zhang Xuan scanned the room.


    As Fu Yingying had mentioned, the six remaining sisters had brought along followers, most of whom were talented, with the oldest being no more than thirty. All of them had reached the Star River realm, including the previous number one on the Potential List, Fei Ling, and Su Yunzhe, who had ranked second, as well as Yan Thirty-three, who had defeated them all.


    This Yan Thirty-three indeed possessed the highest talent among them. If he could be enchanted, Fu Yingying would immediately break through.


    However, since he was already present here, it was clear that he had already been enchanted, and he had lost his value.


    Zhang Xuan nced at Yan Thirty-three.


    One of the women who hadprehended the second stage of the Foxy Charm of Destiny stood next to him. She wore a simple blue gown,cking the heavy makeup of Fu Qingqing or the thin attire of Fu Yingying. Yet, she carried an air of elegance that,bined with her beauty, gave her a unique charm.


    No wonder she had been able to trap Yan Thirty-three, a proud and unparalleled genius, who had actively followed her.


    If Fu Yingying could enchant her, not only would this solve the second stage problem, but it would also give them a significant advantage in thepetition for the inheritance!


    With her mastery of the second stage of the Foxy Charm of Destiny, Zhang Xuan understood that the essence of enchanting someoney in making thempletely devoted, regardless of gender.


    Since Fu Yingying had already been enchanted by him and was willingly serving him like a "loyal dog," it would be highly inappropriate for her to enchant other men.


    "I must find a way..." Zhang Xuan fell into deep thought.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 130: Ancestral Hall

    Vol 2 Chapter 130: Ancestral Hall


    Zhang Xuan pondered as the eyes of everyone else fell upon the two of them.


    "Do you mean to say that this guy, with only the cultivation of the Dharma Image Realm, defeated Su Yunzhe with a single p?"


    The girl with an elegant face looked at Fu Qingqing in confusion, her eyes filled with disbelief.


    "Yes, Jingjing, you have to help me get revenge!"


    Fu Qingqing lowered her voice, "Once thepetition begins, you must have Yan Thirty-Three teach this guy a lesson! It¡¯d be best if he beats him so badly that he can''t take care of himself."


    "Okay! I''ll have Yan Thirty-Three take actionter..." Fu Jingjing nodded. "But... we still don¡¯t know what the content of the assessment will be. If there¡¯s nopetition, I won¡¯t be able to help you."


    "Hehe, as long as you promised, I¡¯m at ease. We¡¯ll definitely find a chance!" Fu Qingqing smiled brightly.


    While they were talking, an old woman with a cane walked over. She looked around before bowing slowly to Zhang Xuan and the others, saying, "You are all famous geniuses from Zouyi City. Originally, ording to the agreed-upon schedule, the assessment would be seven days from now. However, due to the sudden appearance of the Divine Domain Flowing Light in the sky, our Fu family, not wanting to miss the opportunity, decided to move the assessment forward. If we have been abrupt, please forgive us!""Master Fu, you are too polite!"


    "Being recognized by the Fu family¡¯s youngdy is an honor for us..." Everyone responded with smiles.


    Zhang Xuan nced over at the old woman who had spoken. Her strength might not be on par with Shi Yunjing or Qian Yuhuan, but the Fu family, with their expertise in ttery, could align with many influential forces. Perhaps even the royal family wouldn¡¯t dare to underestimate them.


    ording to Min Jiangtao, the two vice-masters of the Hall of Destiny were the sons-inw of the Fu family... This was telling enough.


    "This is the head of our family, but not my biological grandmother. She is my eldest grandmother. My real grandmother is ranked fourth and passed away a few years ago..." Fu Yingying sent a voice transmission.


    "My condolences," Zhang Xuanforted her.


    Fu Yingying continued, "Originally, my grandmother intended to leave the position of family head to my grandmother, but for some reason, it was the eldest grandmother who seeded. So¡­ our branch has always been ostracized. To avoid trouble, I left for Hanyuancheng at a young age and hardly ever returned. I didn¡¯t break through because I had no one to guide me. Fu Qingqing is the biological granddaughter of the eldest grandmother, and perhaps because of my grandmother, she has always looked down on me..."


    Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.


    No wonder they kept insulting each other upon meeting as sisters. It turned out there was a conflict between the older generations.


    The old woman continued, "Although we¡¯ve moved things forward, our Fu family will not treat everyone unfairly. No matter who eventually earns the qualification to inherit the Destiny, everyone who participates in the assessment will enter the Zhnyou Valley with our Fu family, and all the treasures obtained will be shared together!"


    "That¡¯s great!"


    "The Fu family¡¯s nobility, we all admire..." Everyone¡¯s eyes lit up, especially Yan Thirty-Three, who looked excited.


    The fact that he had been charmed by Fu Jingjing had a lot to do with this.


    Zhnyou Valley, ranked 21st in the Divine Domain of Destiny, was home to numerous treasures, and it was clear how valuable it was. Moreover, since his Yan family¡¯s base wasn¡¯t in Zouyi City, it would be easy for them to be taken advantage of if they entered recklessly. With the Fu family¡¯s backing, even if someone wanted to make trouble, they would have to think twice.


    The Fu family master said, "No need for pleasantries. The assessment concerns the inheritance of our family¡¯s Destiny. Everything will be decided by the matriarch. Please, everyone, follow me to the ancestral hall."


    "Yes!" Everyone followed the old woman, and after a moment, they arrived at the entrance of the ancestral hall. It was a small courtyard that housed many memorial tablets. An elderly woman with white hairy on a bench, her eyes closed, without any movement.


    "Mother..." The Fu family master lowered her voice, "The participants in the assessment have arrived!"


    The white-haired old woman slowly opened her eyes and nced at everyone, eventually focusing on Yan Thirty-Three. She nodded in satisfaction, "A good genius. It seems the efforts from twenty years ago were not in vain..."


    "Mother, your calctions are wless, so of course there is no problem..." The Fu family master smiled faintly.


    "Let them introduce themselves first. It''s been twenty years, and I don''t recognize them anymore..." The white-haired old woman waved her hand.


    The Fu family master nodded, straightened up, and looked around. "The matriarch would like to meet you all, so please introduce yourselves!"


    "Greetings, matriarch and family head. I am Fu Jingjing, and this person beside me is the number one genius of Zouyi City, Yan Thirty-Three. He is only sixteen years old but has already reached the first level of the Starry River Realm!" Fu Jingjing stepped forward first, smiling as she introduced, with Yan Thirty-Three proudly stepping forward as well.


    "Matriarch, family head, I am Fu Weiwei, and this is the seventh prince of Zouyi King''s City, Shen Wujun, who is twenty-seven years old and has reached the early stage of the third level of the Starry River Realm!"


    "Matriarch, family head, I am Fu Qingqing, and this is Su Yunzhe..."


    Everyone began introducing themselves.


    After listening for a while, Zhang Xuan was dumbfounded.


    The young people who had been charmed were either top three geniuses on the potential ranking or royal princes. One of them was even the son of the Stone Hall Master...


    Not to mention the others, just these few individuals almost epassed the most powerful forces of the entire Zouyi Dynasty.


    Soon, it was Fu Yingying¡¯s turn.


    "¡­ I am Fu Yingying, and this is Zhang Xuan, who just arrived in Zouyi King''s City from Hanyuancheng. His cultivation is¡­ at the peak of the Dharma Image Realm!"


    "Peak of the Dharma Image Realm? He¡¯s from Hanyuancheng? No strength, no power?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "With this cultivation, does he need to rely on charm? A simple wave of the hand could summon a crowd!"


    "He doesn¡¯t even qualify to be apdog. Yingying actually brought him to participate in the assessment. Does she intend to give up?" Everyone sneered.


    As a member of the Fu family, one didn''t need to rely on ttery. Just announcing a name was enough for people of this level to rush over. Only Fu Yingying would directly bring someone like this.


    "Peak of the Dharma Image Realm? When did our Fu family¡¯s core disciples'' assessment allow such cultivators to participate?" The Fu family master frowned.


    As core disciples, they had undergone bloodline baptism since childhood. Even if their talent wasn''t the highest, they shouldn¡¯t have chosen someone this poor, right?


    Seeing the ridicule, Fu Yingying¡¯s face flushed red as she stepped forward. "Zhang Xuan''s strength isn¡¯t very high, but... just a moment ago, he easily defeated Su Yunzhe, whom Fu Qingqing brought!"


    The Fu family master frowned and looked over. "Qingqing, is what Yingying said true?"


    Fu Qingqing quickly exined, "Yunzhe is at least seven or eight years younger than him, and he hasn¡¯t practiced as long. In terms of talent, he¡¯s definitely stronger than the old guy I brought..."


    "A genius is judged by potential, by the future. Relying on age to bully the young, not only does heck talent, but his character doesn¡¯t seem to be much better either!" The Fu family master gave Zhang Xuan another look, sneering in her heart.


    But unlike her thoughts, the matriarch also turned to look at Zhang Xuan and couldn''t help but say, "Aiyo..."


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 131: Wanhujing

    Vol 2 Chapter 131 Wanhujing


    The young man before her had low cultivation, but the power within him was dormant like a coiled dragon, giving off an air of unfathomable depth.


    Of course, these things were not that important. No matter how strong one might be, in terms of rank, they could not defeat a Star River realm expert. What truly surprised her was that, within his body, she could faintly sense the supreme profundity of the Fox Charm Destiny.


    Everyone in the Zouyi Dynasty knew she cultivated the Fox Charm Destiny, but few knew that this third-tier destiny had many branches. She belonged to the "Charming Aspect" branch, one of the eight major branches.


    As the origin of this destiny, Qingqiu Mountain had always passed down a saying: "The aspect is not as good as the bone, the bone not as good as the posture, the posture not as good as the heart, and the heart not as good as the will."


    In other words, the charming aspect is inferior to charming bones, which in turn is inferior to charming posture, which is inferior to charming heart, and the charming heart is inferior to charming will.


    Fox Charm, the most important thing is will; the rest are merely aids.


    Because of this, she was not highly valued among the eight branches, which led to her marrying far away and living for a century without much attention. She had thought she would spend her life in obscurity with no chance of turning things around, but unexpectedly, she sensed the supreme profundity in this person.


    This was the core power of the Fox Charm Destiny. Back in the day, she was not qualified to learn it. How¡­ could she feel it from an outsider?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om¡°It must be Fu Yingying!¡± She hurriedly looked toward the girl beside him.


    This situation could only mean one thing: Fu Yingying had used the Fox Charm ability on Zhang Xuan. He couldn¡¯t resolve it, and that was why she sensed it.


    Could it be¡­ that this little girl, with only first-tier cultivation, had not learned the marginal Charming Aspect, but instead, the core Charming Will?


    Cultivating the Charming Aspect Destiny and then attempting to cultivate Charming Will would be as difficult as ascending to the heavens, but cultivating Charming Will, while integrating the Charming Aspect, would be incredibly easy.


    This is also the terrifying part of the supreme profundity: all eight branches can be integrated and coalesce into aplete Fox Charm Destiny!


    If that¡¯s the case, not only would the Fu family grow stronger, but it wouldn¡¯t be impossible for them to rule Qingqiu Mountain in the future!


    Remembering her experience when she left, the matriarch¡¯s fists clenched involuntarily.


    It was humiliation, it was unwillingness.


    ¡°Qingqiu Mountain has yet to allow me to return, so it seems no one hasprehended the supreme profundity... But if one of my descendants seeds, how can my branch not prosper!¡±


    Her hand clenched in excitement as she looked back at Fu Yingying, growing more and more fond of her.


    However, she had only sensed a faint aura from Zhang Xuan, leading to this line of thought. Whether it was true or not still needed further verification.


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    With that, the matriarch slowly sat up from her reclining chair and spoke lightly.


    In an instant, the surroundings fell silent. Even the head of the Fu family dared not say a word.


    ¡°Cultivation has its early andte stages. While achieving fame at a young age certainly indicates extraordinary talent, steady progress, and seeking victory through stability may not be another way forward. In the end, who is strong and who is weak, no one knows! After all, current low strength doesn¡¯t mean it will always be the case. A slow horse can still finish the race if it perseveres.¡±


    The matriarch waved her hand.


    Everyone fell silent.


    Extraordinary talent is just one condition for bing a master; the more important condition is perseverance and effort.


    In history, very few true geniuses reached the pinnacle, and those who stood at the top were often not the ones with the most talent but the ones who worked the hardest.


    After a while, the head of the Fu family sped his hands and said, ¡°May I ask how we will be assessed? Matriarch, have you reached a conclusion?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The matriarch fell into thought, and after a moment, smiled faintly. ¡°Since the assessment is to select an heir, then the strength of one¡¯sprehension of the Fox Charm Destiny bes the most crucial factor. Therefore, your strength, and the strength of your followers, are not important. What matters is whether you can align your wills and cooperate tacitly. This way, there¡¯s no need for any more hassle¡ªjust go directly into the ¡®Ten Thousand Fox Well!¡¯¡±


    ¡°Ten Thousand Fox Well? You want us to enter the Ten Thousand Fox Well from the start?¡±


    The Fu family head¡¯s face changed, and a trace of hesitation appeared in his eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t this too dangerous? Shouldn¡¯t we... After all, many of them have high status. If something happens, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to exin it.¡±


    ¡°I also wanted to take it slow, but the Divine Domain Flowing Light is right there. Time waits for no one. Alright, that¡¯s settled. Do it quickly!¡±


    The matriarch waved her hand.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Seeing her determination, the Fu family head no longer said anything.


    ¡°What¡¯s the Ten Thousand Fox Well?¡± Zhang Xuan asked, puzzled, looking at Fu Yingying.


    The girl shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure either¡­¡±


    Not just her, but everyone around them looked confused. Clearly, this was the first time they had heard of this.


    At that moment, the Fu family head¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°I suppose everyone is unfamiliar with the Ten Thousand Fox Well, so let me exin.¡±


    ¡°The Ten Thousand Fox Well is a ce we, the Fu family, built after imitating Qingqiu Mountain¡¯s Ten Thousand Fox Ridge. It houses many wild green foxes. Each fox possesses the strength of the Star River realm, capable of killing and charming people.¡±


    ¡°Not only that, but the Ten Thousand Fox Well also contains an array that affects the mind. Once you enter, it¡¯s easy to fall under its influence. If you don¡¯t cooperate well, there will be a trust crisis¡­ and things will be even more dangerous, possibly leading to death!¡±


    ¡°Therefore¡­ be cautious of anything you see or hear in there!¡±


    Saying this, the Fu family head looked around. ¡°That¡¯s all I¡¯ll say. If you think it¡¯s too dangerous and don¡¯t want to try, you can back out now.¡±


    ¡°Does this mean there¡¯s a possibility of death during the trial in there?¡± A young man couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    It was none other than the Seventh Prince, Shen Wujun.


    ¡°Yes!¡± The Fu family head nodded.


    ¡°Then I withdraw!¡± Shen Wujun shook his head and took a step back.


    ¡°Ah? What are you going to do? If you withdraw, what will I do?¡± Fu Weiwei¡¯s face turned pale.


    She had finally charmed a prince¡ªstrong, high-ranking. She thought this was secured, but now, before it even began, he was leaving.


    Shen Wujun shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m with you to gain the Fu family¡¯s support toy the foundation for my future progress. If I don¡¯t receive help yet, but there¡¯s danger now, then it¡¯s natural I won¡¯t continue.¡±


    As a royal offspring, he had long lost his humanity, and only interests remained in his eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re really going to just watch me enter the Ten Thousand Fox Well, face danger, and not do anything? Are you really so heartless, letting me fail the trial and be mocked by my people?¡±


    Fu Weiwei looked at him with a sorrowful gaze, and in an instant, the Fox Charm Destiny activated. Waves of Destiny energy poured out, letting her release her full charm.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Shen Wujun¡¯s face flushed red, and he looked conflicted.


    ¡°Seventh Prince, you¡¯re so strong, you¡¯re definitely not afraid of danger. Besides, you wouldn¡¯t let me embarrass myself, right?¡±


    Fu Weiwei took a step forward, staring at Shen Wujun with innocent eyes.


    ¡°Well¡­ okay! We¡¯ll go together. How can I let you face danger alone¡­¡±


    Softening inside, Shen Wujun hurriedly spoke.


    ¡°I knew you were the best¡­¡±


    Fu Weiwei nodded excitedly, relieved at the same time.


    She didn¡¯t expect this guy to wake up at the crucial moment. Fortunately, her methods were high enough, and she charmed him sessfully again.


    Seeing this scene, Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    This Fu Weiwei was one of the three girls who hadn¡¯t broken through to the second stage, and her cultivation was simr to Fu Yingying¡¯s, not even having reached the Star River realm. Given her strength and grasp of the Fox Charm Destiny, forcibly charming someone at the third level of the Star River realm, like Shen Wujun, would indeed be difficult.


    Perhaps¡­ he should charm her first!


    Fu Yingying was weak to begin with. Forcing her to charm someone stronger like Fu Jingjing might backfire.<hr>


    "¡®Husband and wife are birds of the same forest. When disaster strikes, they fly away separately.¡¯ This Zhang Xuan can do this, so he is naturally enchanted and can¡¯t extricate himself.¡±


    Thinking of this, the matriarch looked at Fu Yingying again. The more she looked, the more satisfied she felt.


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 132: Ancestors’ Blessing

    Vol 2 Chapter 132: Ancestors¡¯ Blessing


    "Since no one is withdrawing, let''s begin!"


    The head of the Fu family looked at everyone for a moment, and seeing no one leaving, he sighed in relief and turned to look at the elder in front of him.


    The old matriarch waved her hand. "Ancestor worship, activate the Ten Thousand Fox Well!"


    "Yes!"


    The head of the Fu family nodded, setting up incense and candles for ancestor worship, with Fu Yingying and the others following suit.


    Zhang Xuan and the others were merely the objects of enchantment. ording to the terms of their previous life, they were considered to be in the "boyfriend" role, and had no qualification to participate in this, so they quietly waited off to the side.


    Zhang Xuan was quietly sitting when he saw Yan San-shisan approach. He looked over with a hint of disdain in his eyes. "If I remember correctly, don''t you have a wife?"


    Under the control of the Source Hall Master¡¯s methods, Yan San-shisan¡¯s memory of entering the Wanxiang Gate had been erased. However, his memory of the Destiny Hall trial still remained. Kong Shiyao seemed to be one of his disciples, along with two extremely beautiful women, who were referred to as his "shimu" (master¡¯s wife).Given this, they should be his wives.


    And yet, his wife was being enchanted, and this fool came running over for the trial like apdog... How shameless!


    "Yes, I do. What about it?"


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    "You¡¯re not worthy of the Fu family. After a while, just admit defeat and leave. I¡¯ll spare you the trouble of making a move, or else, don¡¯t me me for being impolite..."


    Yan San-shisan put his hands behind his back and looked indifferent.


    "Impolite?"


    Zhang Xuan shook his head. Just as he was about to say something, he heard the sound of drums from the front.


    He looked up and saw that the ancestor worship had reached its final stage. The ancestral tablets ahead suddenly began shaking in unison. In an instant, countless strands of Destiny Energy were drawn from the void and swirled around the tablets, wandering and drifting.


    This was the blessing of the ancestors, something only obtainable through ancestor worship.


    Everyone inrge families or sects usually cultivates the same type of Destiny. Although the cultivators may have passed away, their understanding of Destiny still resides in the tablets. Through ancestor worship, this power is released to nourish the descendants.


    The higher the talent of the descendants, the more Destiny Energy they can absorb.


    The old matriarch intentionally proposed ancestor worship, partly tofort the spirits of the ancestors, and partly to see just how great Fu Yingying¡¯s potential was.


    "Looks like it¡¯s starting to absorb the Destiny Energy. I want to see just how much she can absorb..."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The old matriarch smiled slightly, focusing on the tablets ahead.


    Her strength was not weak, but even she couldn¡¯t see the flowing Destiny Energy in the void. However, as long as she watched the tablets, she could still get a hint of what was happening.


    The more the descendants absorbed, the more blessings they received. If they could make the tablets shake, it would show that the ancestors fully recognized their talent.


    Hopefully, this time they would seed...


    While the old matriarch was looking at the tablets, Zhang Xuan focused on the vast Destiny Energy in the sky, feeling excited.


    He had been struggling to find something to use, and now it appeared¡ªtruly, things came when you least expected!


    Ignoring Yan San-shisan, who was so full of himself, Zhang Xuan¡¯s spirit stirred, and he immediately began devouring the surrounding Destiny Energy.


    Whoosh!


    A stream of pure power surged through his acupoints into his body, and in the next moment, it entered the Library of Heaven''s Path, flowing into the Fox Charm Destiny.


    In just a few breaths, the flow of Destiny Energy grew significantly thicker.


    Zhang Xuan furrowed his brow.


    His n was to have the Affection Destiny absorb the energy and use this opportunity to break through to the second stage. But instead, it was all consumed by this thing¡­


    He hadn¡¯t wanted to cultivate the Fox Charm Destiny in the first ce, but now it kept increasing. Was it ying him?


    "Affection Destiny absorb..."


    Zhang Xuan muttered in his mind, trying to redirect the iing energy to the Affection Destiny. However, before he could reach it, the Fox Charm Destiny devoured it once more.


    At this moment, the Fox Charm Destiny seemed like a sponge that was desperately soaking up water, not leaving a single drop behind...


    After several attempts that failed, Zhang Xuan finally understood.


    "These Destiny Energies must belong to the ancestral blessing, and can only be absorbed by the Fox Charm Destiny..."


    He had originally thought that he could help the Affection Destiny progress, but now that it couldn¡¯t, his interest quickly faded.


    Even so, the absorption speed was still too fast. In just a few minutes, he had absorbed tens of thousands of strands.


    Meanwhile, Fu Yingying, Fu Qingqing, Fu Jingjing, and the othersbined had only absorbed fewer than two hundred strands...


    They were absorbing slowly, but the old matriarch couldn¡¯t see that. She only saw that the tablets, which had been shaking smoothly at first, were now shaking more and more rapidly, like banana leaves in the wind.


    "Good, good, good..."


    Excited, the old matriarch¡¯s face flushed red, nearlyughing out loud.


    Before, she had merely suspected, but now, she was one hundred percent certain.


    Only the supreme profundity of the Fox Charm Destiny could absorb energy this quickly. Fu Yingying truly was extraordinary!


    "Alright, the ancestor worship ends here..."


    Seeing that the tablets were shaking violently and might explode if they continued, the old matriarch waved her hand.


    Boom!


    Before she even finished speaking, all the ancestral tablets simultaneously let out a whimper, like wounded little dogs, and exploded, sending wood chips flying everywhere.


    "???"


    The old matriarch blinked in disbelief.


    Even the ancestral tablets couldn¡¯t withstand the absorption¡ªwas the supreme profundity really this terrifying?


    "Matriarch..."


    The head of the Fu family was also stunned. He had never even heard of such a situation.


    "It¡¯s fine!"


    Not wanting to exin the reason, the old matriarch waved her hand and quickly looked over at Fu Yingying. She saw that the great-granddaughter, who looked equally surprised, seemed unaware of what had happened.


    "Her disguise is so well done..."


    The old matriarch nodded in satisfaction.


    She was indeed a great child¡ªclearly powerful, yet so humble. So much better than the others.


    "This..."


    Zhang Xuan hadn¡¯t expected that absorbing Destiny Energy would cause the ancestor tablets to explode. Feeling guilty, he looked around to make sure no one noticed it was him. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.


    He secretly nced at the Library of Heaven''s Path. Destroying the Fu family ancestral tablets also made the Fox Charm Destiny grow by almost double. It seemed like it just needed one more push to break through.


    "Is this the peak of the second stage?"


    Zhang Xuan scratched his head.


    It took less than two hours to go from understanding to reaching the peak of the second stage... The more he didn¡¯t want to progress in this Destiny, the faster it improved. Meanwhile, the Affection Destiny, which he had been trying to advance, showed no signs of progress...


    What kind of situation was this!


    At this moment, Fu Yingying, Fu Jingjing, Fu Qingqing, and the others felt the surrounding Destiny Energy hadpletely dissipated. They were all dumbfounded.


    Is this the end?


    They had expected the ancestral blessing to bring something great, but instead... this was a huge letdown!


    Author''s Note

 Book 2: Chapter 134: Cruel Destiny Realm

    Vol 2 Chapter 134: Cruel Destiny Realm


    "The master said that thending pearls can''t fall; once they fall, they will disappear. Could it be that all thending pearls are gone?"


    After thinking for a moment, unable to figure out what was going on, Fu Yingying suddenly spoke up.


    "This..."


    Zhang Xuan, who had no real leads, was momentarily stunned upon hearing this, as if something clicked in his mind. His eyes gradually brightened. "That''s right! If thesending pearls disappeared into the ground, no matter how long we search, we won''t be able to find them."


    "What do you mean?"


    Fu Yingying looked confused.


    "It''s simple."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Without exining, Zhang Xuan stepped forward to the cave''s rocky wall. He ced his palm lightly against it, not applying force but simply giving it a gentle shake. Immediately, a palm print about half an inch deep appeared on the wall.Fu Yingying nced at it and immediately felt admiration.


    A palm print about an inch deep on the wall seemed simple enough, but the way it was done so effortlessly, without any cracks or splinters around it, was like a precise cutting or polishing. His control of power was certainly far superior to hers.


    "Try it yourself..."


    Ignoring her admiration, Zhang Xuan waved his hand.


    "Me?" Fu Yingying''s face showed a trace of embarrassment. "I can''t do it!"


    Though her cultivation realm wasn''t far behind his, their true strength was vastly different. They were not on the same level.


    "Try it!" Zhang Xuan urged.


    "Fine!"


    Seeing that he insisted, Fu Yingying didn¡¯t say more. She also approached the rocky wall, ced her palm lightly on it, and exerted her internal strength, pressing down hard.


    Crack!


    A palm print appeared on the rock wall, identical to Zhang Xuan''s¡ªhalf an inch deep, as if sliced by a knife.


    "This..."


    Fu Yingying was stunned.


    She knew her own strength well, and achieving this waspletely impossible for her. Yet, now, she had done it effortlessly.


    Ignoring her dazed expression, Zhang Xuan focused on the ground beneath them. He suddenly stamped his foot, and an imprint appeared. It wasn''t too deep¡ªhalf an inch deep.


    "This cave is strange..."


    At this point, even Fu Yingying, though not the sharpest, began to catch on.


    The power of the hands and feet must be different, and the wall and the ground were different as well. Yet, they were both able to create simrly deep impressions. There was only one possibility...


    After a brief hesitation, Fu Yingying said, "Could it be that we''re still inside a formation and haven''t gotten out yet?"


    "Formations shouldn''t be this realistic..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    With the Heavenly Dao Library, his understanding of formations and thews of destiny was as strong as that of a powerful expert. To have been deceived for so long could not simply be the result of a formation.


    If the formation were that powerful, the Fu family wouldn''t be confined to a ce like Zouyi City but would have entered an even greater world.


    After thinking for a while, Zhang Xuan turned his head. "Does your Fu family have any treasure that can create a virtual illusion?"


    "Virtual illusion? Treasure?"


    Fu Yingying thought for a moment. "I''ve never heard of such a thing, but... if this cave isn''t real, but virtual, could it be that this is not a formation at all but... a Destiny Divine Domain?"


    "Destiny Divine Domain?" Zhang Xuan was startled.


    He had heard of it before, back in Baiyan City. It was created from the death of a Destiny expert. It was filled with dangers, and once trapped inside, it was almost impossible to escape. Even Master Kong had wandered into it and had yet to break free...


    Of course, he had only heard rumors and had no idea what it really contained. Upon hearing Fu Yingying¡¯s words, he couldn''t help but feel a little surprised.


    After thinking for a moment, Fu Yingying said, "Hmm, when I was young, I seem to remember hearing a family legend. It was said that the Old Madam left Qingqiu Mountain because someone wanted to steal her mother''s bones. Her mother was a descendant of the Fox Charm Destiny, one of the eight branches of Destiny. As for what happened after, I don''t know. Could it be that the Old Madam brought the bones to Zouyi City and nted them underground, forming a Destiny Divine Domain?"


    "Can the Destiny Divine Domain be nted?" Zhang Xuan was surprised.


    "You don''t know?"


    Fu Yingying suddenly understood. "You must have been focused on your cultivation and didn''t pay attention to these little details."


    She exined, "Normally, no, it''s not possible. But some Destiny cultivators, when their descendants are unworthy and cannot inherit all of their powers, will willingly give up their lives, working with their descendants to seal their remaining power, forming a controble Destiny Divine Domain. The power of such a domain is weak, but it preserves the power that the descendants cannotprehend, preventing it from being lost. However, because it''s iplete, the number of times it can be activated is limited, usually only three or four times. After that, the power ispletely exhausted. Each activation consumes great amounts of energy, and ordinary strong experts can''t bear it. It¡¯s only activated when they are on the verge of death..."


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    He had always thought that the Destiny Divine Domain was formed after a powerful expert''s death and beyond control. He didn''t expect that it could be controlled.


    "Giving up one''s life, I can understand. But what do you mean by working with the descendants?" Zhang Xuan asked.


    Fu Yingying exined, "It means that the expert willingly allows the descendants to kill them. Only by restraining the power before death can the Divine Domain be formed without copsing. Otherwise, the power will disperse, and no one will be able to control it."


    "Willingly allowing the descendants to kill them?" Zhang Xuan''s expression shifted.


    Everyone admires the inheritance of great families, but now it seems that continuing the inheritance is not as simple as imagined.


    Killing one¡¯s parents or close elders... This is not something just anyone could do.


    Shaking his head, he stopped dwelling on the matter. Zhang Xuan looked around again. "If your spection is correct, this is most likely a Destiny Divine Domain. No wonder our Destiny Yuan Force, though it should be able to find a direction, is just spinning in circles, as though we''re chasing ghosts, because... even if we walk down every path, we won''t find thending pearls! Nor will we find the Qing Fox."


    "Can''t find them?"


    Fu Yingying looked confused.


    "Yes!"


    Zhang Xuan nodded. "Because thending pearls aren''t in the cave at all, but beneath the ground!"


    After speaking, Zhang Xuan made a sweeping motion with one hand. The Destiny Yuan Force contained in the Fox Charm Destiny flowed out like a stream, pointing toward a fork in the road. Approaching it, Zhang Xuan released the Yuan Force again, continuously casting it for several more times. Finally, the Yuan Force stopped at one spot, hovering gently.


    They had been here before but left without noticing anything. This time, Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t continue and suddenly stamped his foot.


    Boom!


    The ground cracked, and a pit about half a foot deep appeared.


    Fu Yingying''s expression grew serious.


    No matter how much force they used earlier, they could only create a half-inch, clean hole, but now, just one stomp, and they had created a pit half a foot deep... Clearly, the ground here waspletely different from where they had been before.


    Author''s Note


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Book 2: Chapter 134: Cruel Destiny Realm

    Vol 2 Chapter 134: Cruel Destiny Realm


    "The master said that thending pearls can''t fall; once they fall, they will disappear. Could it be that all thending pearls are gone?"


    After thinking for a moment, unable to figure out what was going on, Fu Yingying suddenly spoke up.


    "This..."


    Zhang Xuan, who had no real leads, was momentarily stunned upon hearing this, as if something clicked in his mind. His eyes gradually brightened. "That''s right! If thesending pearls disappeared into the ground, no matter how long we search, we won''t be able to find them."


    "What do you mean?"


    Fu Yingying looked confused.


    "It''s simple."


    Without exining, Zhang Xuan stepped forward to the cave''s rocky wall. He ced his palm lightly against it, not applying force but simply giving it a gentle shake. Immediately, a palm print about half an inch deep appeared on the wall.Fu Yingying nced at it and immediately felt admiration.


    A palm print about an inch deep on the wall seemed simple enough, but the way it was done so effortlessly, without any cracks or splinters around it, was like a precise cutting or polishing. His control of power was certainly far superior to hers.


    "Try it yourself..."


    Ignoring her admiration, Zhang Xuan waved his hand.


    "Me?" Fu Yingying''s face showed a trace of embarrassment. "I can''t do it!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Though her cultivation realm wasn''t far behind his, their true strength was vastly different. They were not on the same level.


    "Try it!" Zhang Xuan urged.


    "Fine!"


    Seeing that he insisted, Fu Yingying didn¡¯t say more. She also approached the rocky wall, ced her palm lightly on it, and exerted her internal strength, pressing down hard.


    Crack!


    A palm print appeared on the rock wall, identical to Zhang Xuan''s¡ªhalf an inch deep, as if sliced by a knife.


    "This..."


    Fu Yingying was stunned.


    She knew her own strength well, and achieving this waspletely impossible for her. Yet, now, she had done it effortlessly.


    Ignoring her dazed expression, Zhang Xuan focused on the ground beneath them. He suddenly stamped his foot, and an imprint appeared. It wasn''t too deep¡ªhalf an inch deep.


    "This cave is strange..."


    At this point, even Fu Yingying, though not the sharpest, began to catch on.


    The power of the hands and feet must be different, and the wall and the ground were different as well. Yet, they were both able to create simrly deep impressions. There was only one possibility...


    After a brief hesitation, Fu Yingying said, "Could it be that we''re still inside a formation and haven''t gotten out yet?"


    "Formations shouldn''t be this realistic..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.


    With the Heavenly Dao Library, his understanding of formations and thews of destiny was as strong as that of a powerful expert. To have been deceived for so long could not simply be the result of a formation.


    If the formation were that powerful, the Fu family wouldn''t be confined to a ce like Zouyi City but would have entered an even greater world.


    After thinking for a while, Zhang Xuan turned his head. "Does your Fu family have any treasure that can create a virtual illusion?"


    "Virtual illusion? Treasure?"


    Fu Yingying thought for a moment. "I''ve never heard of such a thing, but... if this cave isn''t real, but virtual, could it be that this is not a formation at all but... a Destiny Divine Domain?"


    "Destiny Divine Domain?" Zhang Xuan was startled.


    He had heard of it before, back in Baiyan City. It was created from the death of a Destiny expert. It was filled with dangers, and once trapped inside, it was almost impossible to escape. Even Master Kong had wandered into it and had yet to break free...


    Of course, he had only heard rumors and had no idea what it really contained. Upon hearing Fu Yingying¡¯s words, he couldn''t help but feel a little surprised.


    After thinking for a moment, Fu Yingying said, "Hmm, when I was young, I seem to remember hearing a family legend. It was said that the Old Madam left Qingqiu Mountain because someone wanted to steal her mother''s bones. Her mother was a descendant of the Fox Charm Destiny, one of the eight branches of Destiny. As for what happened after, I don''t know. Could it be that the Old Madam brought the bones to Zouyi City and nted them underground, forming a Destiny Divine Domain?"


    "Can the Destiny Divine Domain be nted?" Zhang Xuan was surprised.


    "You don''t know?"


    Fu Yingying suddenly understood. "You must have been focused on your cultivation and didn''t pay attention to these little details."


    She exined, "Normally, no, it''s not possible. But some Destiny cultivators, when their descendants are unworthy and cannot inherit all of their powers, will willingly give up their lives, working with their descendants to seal their remaining power, forming a controble Destiny Divine Domain. The power of such a domain is weak, but it preserves the power that the descendants cannotprehend, preventing it from being lost. However, because it''s iplete, the number of times it can be activated is limited, usually only three or four times. After that, the power ispletely exhausted. Each activation consumes great amounts of energy, and ordinary strong experts can''t bear it. It¡¯s only activated when they are on the verge of death..."


    Zhang Xuan nodded.


    He had always thought that the Destiny Divine Domain was formed after a powerful expert''s death and beyond control. He didn''t expect that it could be controlled.


    "Giving up one''s life, I can understand. But what do you mean by working with the descendants?" Zhang Xuan asked.


    Fu Yingying exined, "It means that the expert willingly allows the descendants to kill them. Only by restraining the power before death can the Divine Domain be formed without copsing. Otherwise, the power will disperse, and no one will be able to control it."


    "Willingly allowing the descendants to kill them?" Zhang Xuan''s expression shifted.


    Everyone admires the inheritance of great families, but now it seems that continuing the inheritance is not as simple as imagined.


    Killing one¡¯s parents or close elders... This is not something just anyone could do.


    Shaking his head, he stopped dwelling on the matter. Zhang Xuan looked around again. "If your spection is correct, this is most likely a Destiny Divine Domain. No wonder our Destiny Yuan Force, though it should be able to find a direction, is just spinning in circles, as though we''re chasing ghosts, because... even if we walk down every path, we won''t find thending pearls! Nor will we find the Qing Fox."


    "Can''t find them?"


    Fu Yingying looked confused.


    "Yes!"


    Zhang Xuan nodded. "Because thending pearls aren''t in the cave at all, but beneath the ground!"


    After speaking, Zhang Xuan made a sweeping motion with one hand. The Destiny Yuan Force contained in the Fox Charm Destiny flowed out like a stream, pointing toward a fork in the road. Approaching it, Zhang Xuan released the Yuan Force again, continuously casting it for several more times. Finally, the Yuan Force stopped at one spot, hovering gently.


    They had been here before but left without noticing anything. This time, Zhang Xuan didn¡¯t continue and suddenly stamped his foot.


    Boom!


    The ground cracked, and a pit about half a foot deep appeared.


    Fu Yingying''s expression grew serious.


    No matter how much force they used earlier, they could only create a half-inch, clean hole, but now, just one stomp, and they had created a pit half a foot deep... Clearly, the ground here waspletely different from where they had been before.


    Author''s Note


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!