Placing the incense on Lu Chong's glabella, Zhang Xuan lit it up.
A melodious voice sounded from the smoke of the Soulrouse Incense. It was as though a god was dancing, singing an intoxicating song. Staring at the smoke, one could vaguely see a figure dressed in a long robe dancing a unique dance, summoning one's soul.
"Return of the soul! Go to the east, why do you care so much? Leave the joy of the king, and leave the other side inauspicious. Return of the soul! Can't the east be a little more? Grow a thousand feet tall, but the soul is a little more. Rise on the tenth day, Flowing Gold Nightmare Stone a little more... "
The voice sounded from Lu Chong's soul, and it slowly seeped into Lu Chong's glabella, nourishing his dormant soul.
"Whether I can wake him up or not depends on this step!"
Hearing the melodious voice of the Soulrouse Incense growing louder and louder, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath. With a jolt of his mind, his soul left his body and morphed into a shadow before charging into Lu Chong's mind.
Following which, a vast ocean appeared before his eyes.
"Why is it so huge?"
Upon seeing the ocean of consciousness before him, Zhang Xuan was taken aback.
The ocean of consciousness before him was reminiscent of a real ocean, and it felt deep and profound. Even with his Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle soul, he couldn't see the end of it with a single glance.
The consciousness of an ordinary cultivator was usually only the size of a pond. Even he found Lu Chong's appearance inconceivable.
"Where's Lu Chong's soul?"
Astonished, Zhang Xuan hurriedly scanned his surroundings.
Those who had fallen into a deep slumber usually had their souls hidden in a corner of their consciousness, preventing them from waking up. With the help of the Soulrouse Incense, Zhang Xuan should be able to wake Lu Chong up.
Traveling along the vast sea of consciousness, Zhang Xuan flew for a moment, and as expected, he saw a massive figure lying in the midst of the mist.
It felt as though a massive mountain was lying before him. His eyes were tightly shut, and he was unconscious.
"This... Isn't this a little too huge?"
Zhang Xuan blinked his eyes in astonishment.
Not only was Lu Chong's consciousness huge, even his soul was so majestic as well. In fact, it was even stronger than his Transcendent Mortal 4-dan soul... How could this be?
One must know that when he fell into a deep slumber, he was only at Zongshi realm. How could he possibly possess such a powerful soul?
"Could it be... Acquired Soul Physique?"
A name popped up in Zhang Xuan's mind.
There were Innate Soul Constitutions in the world that, upon awakening them, would allow one's cultivation to surge exponentially. Naturally, there was also an extremely formidable soul oracle technique … the Acquired Soul Oracle Physique.
As such, not even master teachers were able to discern the difference between the two of them. It was a change that would only appear after undergoing some kind of special transformation.
It was just like how some people would fall and become Yin-Yang Eyes, allowing them to see ghosts and gods. There were also some people who were struck in the head and thus awakened the memories of their previous lives. They memorized the entire scripture and gained special abilities that were unknown to others.
If he wasn't mistaken, this was the case for Lu Chong.
He used to be an ordinary person, but after the upheaval in his clan, his temperament had changed. Then, in order to save him, he fell into a coma.
The two special experiences had caused his soul to undergo a metamorphosis.
"If that's really the case, with such a massive soul, once it wakes up, it should be able to surpass even my current cultivation …"
His eyes lit up.
He thought that it would take years for Lu Chong to recover from his injuries. Who could have thought that he would encounter such a fortuitous encounter?
However, if Zhang Xuan didn't understand soul oracle techniques, he wouldn't have been able to do anything about it. But now... as long as he was awake, he could impart the Heaven's Path Soul Art to him, and his cultivation would surely soar.
"Lu Chong, I am Zhang Shi. Hurry up and wake up!"
Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan walked up to the massive figure and called out softly.
...
While Zhang Xuan was saving Lu Chong, Sect Leader Luo Huang and the others received news that Zhang Xuan had returned to the residence.
"Since he's back, we should go and question him!"
"Indeed, Kong Shi's handwritten letter is something that a mere 4-star master teacher like him has. What right does he have to possess it?"
"If he were to hand it over obediently... we'll have to interrogate him on the spot to find out the origin of the handwritten letter! If he were to violate the ethics of a teacher, he would have to be punished! "
...
Voices sounded one after another.
Kong Shi's handwritten letter was a treasure that no master teacher could reject. As the head of a power, no matter how soft-hearted he was in the past, as time passed, he would eventually become incomparably resolute.
That was because he wasn't backed by a single person but a huge group of people.
If sacrificing Zhang Xuan could bring about the rise of their power, they were willing to take the risk.
"Everyone, calm down. That butler doesn't fear us in the slightest. In fact, he even looks down on us. Don't you suspect anything?"
Sect Leader Luo Huang interrupted the agitation of the crowd and looked at them calmly.
"This..." The agitation of the crowd subsided.
They had gone to look for Zhang Xuan with such authority, only to be chased away by a mere butler. They were all infuriated by this matter. However, they were curious as well. Was that fellow not afraid of death, or did he have some sort of backing?
"That fellow must be relying on the Mingshi Tang from Myriad Kingdom City, right?"
"He doesn't know that the matter regarding Kong Shi's handwritten letter has been leaked, so naturally, he would be so confident. However, if he were to learn of it, he wouldn't dare to do such a thing anymore!"
"I think that he's relying on the Demon Cinque Beast. That fellow is indeed powerful, being able to match even a Transcendent Mortal 5-dan Consonant Spirit realm primary stage cultivator!"
"With such a powerful tamed beast in Myriad Kingdom City, if he doesn't have the slightest bit of confidence, he wouldn't be fit to be the butler of a master teacher."
Discussions broke out.
Even though the overall strength of the Mingshi Tang from Myriad Kingdom City couldn't match up to them, it still had the authority of the host. Even though the crowd had charged over aggressively, they were bound by the rules of the master teacher, so they didn't dare to go too far.
It was probably because the butler had seen through this that he dared to act so arrogantly.
Hearing the words of the crowd, Sect Leader Luo Huang shook his head and said, "It seems that everyone doesn't know much about Zhang Xuan. I've been looking into it for the past few days!"
These sect leaders had always been wary of Fleeting Cloud Sect, Cascading Sand Sect, and Frigid Gale Sect. They didn't think much of the League of Nations, so they had never paid any attention to Zhang Xuan. As such, they didn't know much about the other party.
It was just like how a human wouldn't care about the thoughts of an ant.
If they needed anything, they could just ask for it... They had never considered the possibility that the participant from the League of Nations wasn't as weak as they thought.
"Oh?"
Seeing the grim expression on Sect Leader Luo Huang's face, everyone turned to look at him.
"It's said that Zhang Xuan isn't even twenty yet, and he has only just passed the 2-star master teacher examination two months ago. His rate of improvement is truly astounding..."
Sect Leader Luo Huang said slowly, "Of course, this isn't important. It's possible that he has been concealing his strength from the start so as to shock the masses..."
There were many master teachers who had never passed the 2-star master teacher examination before, but they were able to advance to 4-star or even higher.
As such, it wasn't too shocking for a 2-star master teacher to reach 4-star.
"What's more important is that... to be able to allow such a young person to become a 4-star master teacher and even defeat Pavilion Master Kang's direct disciple, Jun Ruohuan... Don't you think that there's something amiss about his background?"
Sect Leader Luo Huang revealed his thoughts.
"This..."
Everyone fell into deep thought.
Previously, they didn't think much of Zhang Xuan. They thought that a mere 4-star primary master teacher would obediently hand over the item without any hesitation.
A 4-star primary master teacher might possess some standing in Myriad Kingdom City, but to their sects and powers, he was nothing at all.
Now that they thought of it, there was indeed something amiss.
The resources of Myriad Kingdom City were lacking, and there weren't any half 5-star master teachers or Consonant Spirit realm experts... As such, there weren't any long-distance Tutelage Jade Tokens. Under such circumstances, it was difficult to groom a 4-star master teacher.
Under such circumstances, it was indeed extraordinary for a 4-star master teacher to reach such a level under twenty.
"Based on the news I've received, Zhang Xuan's teacher is Yang Xuan, a half 5-star master teacher."
Without beating around the bush, Sect Leader Luo Huang scanned the surroundings and reported the news that he had just received.
Based on what he knew, Yang Xuan had only appeared a few times, and most of his appearances were in low-tier kingdoms. Those who knew the news were limited by their eye of discernment, so they weren't able to accurately gauge the other party's cultivation.
Based on the strength Yang Xuan displayed at the start, he was only at the level of a 3-star or 4-star master teacher. Given his strength, it was impossible for him to nurture a genius like Zhang Xuan...
And the basis for his judgment was that... Su shi and Ling shi had paid a visit to him before leaving respectfully.
For a 4-star master teacher to treat Yang Xuan with such respect, it was likely that the other party was a half 5-star master teacher as well.
That was the limit of a half-5-star master teacher. If he was any stronger, he would have left a small place like the League of Nations to head to a higher empire. Furthermore, for an expert of that level to leave Mingshi Tang and head to a low-tier kingdom, he would surely report it. It was impossible for there to be no news at all.
More importantly... those who had come into contact with Yang Xuan didn't notice that he was capable of 'Spirit Gathering Words and Lotus Words'.
Since he was unable to do so, it meant that he hadn't reached 5-star primary stage yet.
"Half 5-star? If he's on par with us, there's nothing to fear! "
"Indeed, so what if he possesses such strength? Kong Shi's handwritten letter is of utmost importance... Even a 5-star master teacher wouldn't hesitate to ask about it, needless to say, a half 5-star master teacher! "
"As a half 5-star master teacher, not only did he not hand it over, he even kept it for himself. If he were to report this matter to the headquarters, he would be in deep trouble!"
...
They were still wondering how powerful Yang Xuan would be, but upon hearing that he was on par with them, they heaved a sigh of relief.
"Sect Leader Luo Huang, what do you think?"
One of the elders asked.
"Based on my sources, that Yang Xuan doesn't seem to be in Myriad Kingdom City. However... In order to avoid trouble, I think that we should head there directly and obtain the handwritten letter before deciding on the distribution of the spoils. Before that, it would be best for us to remain united. Otherwise... I fear that all of our efforts will be for naught. "
Sect Leader Luo Huang said grimly.
Regardless of whether they were going to cook or stir-fry it, they had to capture the wild goose first.
The wild goose was still flying in the sky, and it was too early for them to discuss such matters.
Kong shi's handwritten letter would still end up in the hands of all of them. At the very least, they would have to wait until they saw the real thing first.
Otherwise, even if they weren't afraid of a half 5-star master teacher, they would still be able to stand on equal footing with them. If they were to face a half 5-star master teacher head-on, they wouldn't dare to go too far.
"Sect Leader Luo, rest assured. We aren't three-year-old kids, so we understand the rules!"
"A treasure of Kong Shi's caliber isn't something that a single power can take for themselves. We know that as well!"
"Let's obtain the treasure from Zhang Shi first. Everything else is just empty talk!"
Everyone nodded.
As an overlord of a region, even if they didn't say anything, they understood the importance of such matters. Thus, they nodded in agreement.
"Since everyone is in agreement, I'll start assigning the tasks!" Seeing that everyone had agreed, Sect Leader Luo Huang nodded. "When we arrive, I hope that Sect Leader Hu and Sect Leader Bai will be able to suppress the Demon Cinque Beast so that it won't retaliate!"
"The rest of you, follow me. We'll capture Zhang Xuan first and retrieve Kong shi's handwritten notes before deciding what to do next. Otherwise, if we delay any further, it will be too late for him to move the object! "
"Alright!"
Everyone nodded.
Since they were going to make a move, they had to do it as quickly as possible. Otherwise, no one could guarantee what would happen.
"Let's go!"
After setting the rules, Sect Leader Luo Huang waved his hands and the group headed straight for Zhang Xuan's residence.
...
In the spacious courtyard, Sun Qiang frowned.
Even though the young master wasn't worried about those people, he was still worried.
Previously, they were so aggressive, and it was clear that they were up to no good. Previously, when the young master wasn't around, he could still avoid them. However, now that they were back, it would be difficult for him to stop them once more.
"Where's Zhang Shi?"
Garden Owner Xue walked up.
Zhang Shi had done her a huge favor, saving her herb garden from disaster. Knowing that those people were here to cause trouble, he volunteered to stay behind and guard the courtyard for the past few days.
"The young master is currently treating Young Master Lu Chong, so we can't disturb him for the time being!"
Sun Qiang nodded.
"Oh!"
Hearing that they couldn't disturb him, Garden Owner Xue shook her head. Then, she looked at Zhang Xuan worriedly and said, "Since Zhang Shi isn't around, those people haven't made a move either. I fear that they might be unable to hold themselves back after learning that you're back!"
"That's right …" Sun Qiang sighed. "If only Master was here. These demons and monsters are nothing to be afraid of!"
"Yang shi... How many stars is he?"
Seeing how confident Zhang Xuan was in the old master, Garden Owner Xue couldn't help but ask.
"I don't know either, but... there's nothing that he can't solve. Previously, I heard from Su shi and Ling shi that... he seems to be at least a 6-star master teacher!"
Sun Qiang said.
"At least a 6-star master teacher?"
Garden Owner Xue narrowed her eyes.
The minimum cultivation requirement for a 6-star master teacher was Transcendent Mortal 9-dan.
If he was at least a 6-star master teacher, didn't that mean that... his cultivation had surpassed that level?
"Indeed. Even though I haven't known the old master for long, there's nothing that he can't solve. Take your soul for example, as long as the old master is willing to help, he'll be able to treat it easily!"
Sun Qiang said confidently.
He had seen the old master's means with his own eyes. Being able to see through the root of the problem with a single glance, no matter how difficult the problem was, it was nothing to him.
Over the past few days, Garden Owner Xue had heard of the matter regarding her soul being damaged. Thus, he remarked.
"My soul can be treated?"
Garden Owner Xue's face reddened, and her breathing hastened.
Her soul had been damaged for so long, and there was no way to treat it. She even went as far as to consume the spirit of medicinal herbs in an attempt to heal it... But in the end, she still failed. If it was really possible to heal her soul, she was willing to do anything.
She was willing to pay any price.
"Un. However, you shouldn't harbor too much hope. Given the old master's standing, he won't make a move easily!" Sun Qiang shook his head.
"You're right..."
Garden Owner Xue shook her head with a bitter smile.
Who was this Yang shi?
There was a good chance that he was a 6-star master teacher or above. If she wanted such a person to make a move, she would have to pay an immeasurable price.
At the very least, it would be difficult for her to take out a treasure of that caliber.
"Don't think too much about it. We don't even know where the old master is. If he's here, I can plead on your behalf. Even though the old master holds a high position in the empire, he is an amiable person..."
Sighing deeply, Sun Qiang was just about to continue speaking when he suddenly felt a powerful aura gushing toward them. In an instant, the entire courtyard was sealed within.
"Zhang Shi, Fleeting Cloud Sect's Luo Huang, White Helios Sect's Bai Kaizhi, Cascading Sand Sect's Huang Qi... Fourteen sect leaders and the emperor of the empire are here.
Hong long!
A resounding voice sounded. Following which, dozens of figures appeared in the courtyard. Every single one of them wielded immense strength, and they carried a strength reminiscent of a raging river.
Sect Leader Luo Huang and the others... were here!
Hualala!
Upon hearing the voice, Zheng Yang, Wang Ying, and the others rushed out of their rooms as well, and they stared at the crowd warily.
"Our young master is currently in seclusion, so it's inconvenient for him to meet guests. Please return!"
Gritting his teeth, Sun Qiang stepped forward.
"Seclusion? I think... he must have done something against his teacher's ethics, so he doesn't dare to meet anyone! "
A middle-aged man harrumphed coldly as he stepped forward.
A formless pressure gushed forth, and Sun Qiang immediately felt as though a mountain had appeared before him. Given his strength, no matter how hard he tried, he was unable to move it at all.
Consonant Spirit realm expert!
Such strength was sufficient to exert pressure on one's soul. Putting aside him, even Pavilion Master Kang wouldn't be a match for the other party.
"Zhang Shi is an upright and righteous person. How could he have done something against his teacher's ethics? I hope that you won't spout nonsense! "
Seeing how the other party was trying to frame her, Garden Owner Xue frowned and stepped forward to block him.
"Who do you think you are? Do you... have the right to speak here? "
Frowning, the middle-aged man raised his palm and struck.
"This is bad!"
Not expecting the other party to be so forceful, making a move without a single word, Garden Owner Xue narrowed her eyes and hurriedly raised her hands to face the other party.
Boom!
Before Garden Owner Xue could even react, she felt a stifling sensation in her chest. A powerful surge of energy was rushing straight for her chest.
Pu!
Spurting fresh blood, she was sent flying more than a dozen meters away.
Even though she was one of the strongest experts in Myriad Kingdom City, she was still far from matching up to the other party.
There was an entire realm between Consonant Spirit realm and Clarifying Turbidity realm.
Roar!
The Demon Cinque Beast guarding the courtyard roared furiously as it charged forward.
"Beast, how dare you act so viciously!"
Harrumphing coldly, Sect Leader Bai stepped forward together with the middle-aged man and clenched his fist.
Huala!
A fishing net formed from zhenqi immediately appeared in the sky, and it flew straight for the Demon Cinque Beast's head.
Roar!
Trapped by the fishing net, the Demon Cinque Beast roared furiously. It tried to struggle free, but to no avail.
This zhenqi net was as tough as steel. Even with its strength, it was unable to break free from it.
The Demon Cinque Beast was an invincible spirit beast in the League of Nations. However, compared to the heads of these sects, be it in terms of treasures or value, it paled in comparison. Not to mention, the two of them were making a move at the same time.
"What are you all up to?"
Seeing how decisively these people were, injuring Garden Owner Xue and sealing the Demon Cinque Beast in just a few breaths, Sun Qiang's face darkened, and his heart sank.
(We're finally home. Let's do a two-in-one first. There will be more updates tonight. Tonight, Zhang Shi will make a grand entrance. Hehe. My recent recommendation votes aren't working so well. Do you still have any? Also, at 8.30pm tonight, I'll be posting the photos of Zhao Feiwu on my official account. Feel free to take a look. Search for 'Sweeping the World' on WeChat and add me as your follower!)
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