Chapter 426: The Might of the Mysterious Language
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"The ancient beast language is expansive and profound. It's impossible to succeed just by learning a few sounds!" Grand Elder Wei Yuqing interjected.
The other party said that he would study the language, and he cooped himself within the library for an entire day. Despite everything, Wei Yuqing still bore some expectations of the other party, yet he returned saying that he had only learned a few sounds... Are you here to amuse us?
Even if you had learned the entire ancient beast language, it still remains an uncertainty whether that fellow will listen to you. With just a few sounds, do you think that the other party will bother with you?
You must be joking!
Given Zhang Xuan's declaration of 'Let me try!', they thought that he was very confident of the matter. Yet... to think that he was here just to cause trouble.
Seemed like even top geniuses weren't reliable either...
"If it doesn't work, you all should just think of a way to knock it out!"
Honestly speaking, Zhang Xuan did not have much confidence either, given that he had only learned a few sounds.
"We'll talk about that later. You should give it a try first..."
Afraid that the fellow would continue pestering him on the matter, Hall Master Xie Jiuchen hurriedly interjected.
What the heck is going through your mind!
Just because you managed to tame the Whirlwind Wolves by pummeling them, do you think that the same method will work again?
This is the Nightmare Beast, a top-notch savage beast possessing the Dragon Bloodline, a proud and noble existence. Even if you were to beat it to death, it would not lower its head to you.
If it were that simple, they would have long done it.
"Alright!"
Sensing the other party's reluctance, Zhang Xuan decided to give it a try first. Thus, he took two steps forward to the Nightmare Beast.
The massive savage beast was nonchalant to Zhang Xuan's presence. It didn't even bother taking a glance at him.
"He's starting..."
Wei Youdao clenched his fists tightly.
He had even gone to the extent of taking out the Seven-colored Honey, but it proved to be useless. What kind of solution would the fellow who managed to clear the Ten Beasts Cage come up with?
He stared fixedly at the situation in front with widened eyes, fearful that he would miss out a single detail. However, in the next moment, his lips couldn't help but twitch.
That fellow didn't take out anything of interest to the Nightmare Beast, and instead, he simply frowned. After a long moment of struggling, a bizarre sound suddenly escaped from his throat.
"Gu!"
It sounded like lightning, and no one could understand what it meant.
"This is ancient beast language?"
Wei Youdao didn't comprehend the other party's bizarre action, but Hall Master Xie Jiuchen and Grand Elder Wei Yuqing's face immediately tightened. They hurriedly turned their gazes over to the Nightmare Beast.
That fellow had gone off to study the ancient beast language previously, so it was likely that this sound was a part of the language.
Even though it was just a single sound, there was an off-chance that it might just work!
Under the intense gazes of the crowd, the lazy Nightmare Beast suddenly opened its eyes...
Then, it yawned lazily, lay down, and fell silent.
"It is ineffective?"
Seeing that it was completely ineffective, Zhang Xuan scratched his head.
Of the ancient beast language, Zhang Xuan had only learned a total of eight words. He had no problem reading or verbalizing it, but as the meaning wasn't written in the books, he couldn't tell what it was either.
In other words, he only knew how to speak those words, he didn't know what they meant at all.
Even if he were to voice out all of them, that fellow still wouldn't know what he was up to.
"The next one."
Even so, it was still worth a try. Thus, Zhang Xuan opened his mouth once more, "Wu!"
It sounded like the call of an eagle, crisp and bright, piercing one's ears.
Hall Master Xie Jiuchen and Grand Elder Wei Yuqing hurriedly turned their gazes over, but the Nightmare Beast seemed to have fallen into a deeper sleep. With its paws cushioning its head, it lay comfortably on the spot.
"This... So, is it working or not?"
The duo stared at one another in confusion.
If that fellow's ancient beast language was useful, why was there no response from the Nightmare Beast?
But at the same time, the Nightmare Beast did at least adjust its sleeping posture, so whether it was completely useless or not...
Could the sounds that Zhang Xuan was voicing a lullaby...
I thought that you went away to learn the ancient beast language, why did you learn a lullaby instead?
What is the use of your lullaby!
What I want is to tame it, not for it to sleep...
"Ji!"
Amidst their bewilderment, the young man before him voiced the third sound.
This time, not only did the Nightmare Beast get into a comfortable sleeping posture, it even stuck its tongue out, and saliva was flowing out of its mouth.
"The heck!"
"With just three notes, he managed to bring the Nightmare Beast into a deep sleep?"
The surroundings beast tamers were stunned.
They thought that the young genius would use some kind of inconceivable beast taming technique on the Nightmare Beast.
While their thoughts were spot-on, it was completely different from what they were thinking.
Aren't we supposed to tame it? What do you mean by luring it to sleep?
"Hmm?" Zhang Xuan was baffled as well.
However, upon seeing the sight, his eyes lit up.
"This is good as well. If I can knock it out with these words, I won't have to waste my effort on trying to knock it out!"
Besides the ancient beast language, Zhang Xuan had a backup plan. He could knock the Nightmare Beast out, and through the Library of Heaven's Path, he would be able to determine its flaws and tame it.
But it was a pity that Xie Jiuchen, Wei Yuqing, and the others refused to cooperate with him, and Zhang Xuan wasn't a match for the Nightmare Beast himself. Thus, he had been unable to carry it out. If he could lure it to sleep through the ancient beast language, that would be perfect.
"Wu Ya Hai Wu Wu!"
The more he thought about it, the happier he got. Thus, he voiced of the remaining words all at once.
Hearing those words, the crowd immediately turned their gazes to the Nightmare Beast.
This was especially so for Hall Master Xie Jiuchen. Anxiety could be seen in his eyes.
However, with a single look, he suddenly felt a wave of vertigo striking him.
The drowsy Nightmare Beast abruptly opened its eyes, and its massive body rose up.
吼!
Roar!
A deafening roar pierced through the heavens, parting the clouds above. The crowd in the surroundings felt dizzy-headed under the powerful roar.
At the same moment, the massive head suddenly charged straight toward the metal cage.
Weng!
The formation immediately activated, sealing its movements. Even so, under the powerful charge, the sturdy metal cage was bent out of shape, and it seemed as though it would collapse soon.
"This is bad..."
Hall Master Xie Jiuchen's eyes narrowed, and his face reflected his astonishment.
He thought that the fellow was still immobile from its severe injuries. To think that he had recovered sufficiently to stand up and exert such offensive might after a few days of recuperation.
But of course, perhaps it was agitated by Beast Tamer Zhang's 'ancient beast language', it seemed to be in an extremely bad mood.
If the Nightmare Beast were to escape under such conditions, the Beast Hall would be in grave danger. Most likely, it might be wiped off the face of the world.
"See what you've done..."
The more Hall Master Xie Jiuchen thought about it, the more furious he became. Thus, he turned around and chastised Zhang Xuan.
What in the world is this?
I asked you here to tame the savage beast, not to provoke it.
"Elders, prepare the [Constellation Beast Confinement Formation]!"
Knowing that it was useless to blame this fellow at this point, Hall Master Xie Jiuchen bellowed.
"Yes!"
The elders of Xuanyuan Kingdom Beast Hall also knew how dangerous the situation was, so they immediately got into action. They hurriedly rushed to their places with a grim expression.
The Constellation Beast Confinement Formation was a powerful formation used to trap savage beasts. Many of the elders in the Xuanyuan Kingdom Beast Hall had studied and cultivated it. As long as they ran to their allocated location to infuse their zhenqi into the formation, they would be able to activate it even without in-depth understanding of the formations.
"What's going on?"
"Beast Tamer Zhang seems to have provoked that savage beast?"
"Isn't he here to tame it? How did he end up provoking it instead?"
...
Wei Youdao, Jiang Nanping, and others also felt nervous upon seeing the situation.
That was a Half-Transcension savage beast! Once it went on a rampage, the entire Beast Hall would be reduced to ruins!
Hong hong hong!
Amidst everyone's shocked gazes, the Nightmare Beast threw its body at the metal cage several more times, and a huge hole, through which he could escape, appeared in it.
Weng!
As soon as its head appeared outside, a clear buzz suddenly echoed. The Constellation Beast Confinement Formation had been activated. A white light shot out from the locations of the elders, forming a gigantic net that wrapped itself around the Nightmare Beast.
Trapped by the gigantic net of light, the Nightmare Beast became even more irritated. It howled furiously, and its giant claws grabbed at empty air.
Tzzzzzz!
White energy emanations reminiscent of sword qi shot out from the claws of the Nightmare Beast, striking straight at the net trapping it.
The net tremored violently, and as though a shield struck by a powerful hammer, a deep reverberation sounded.
Pu! Pu!
Under the massive force, some of the elders standing at the center of the formation spat out large mouthfuls of blood.
Half-Transcension savage beasts were already an extremely strong existence, and this fellow possessed the Dragon Bloodline on top of that. Its immense strength allowed it to match up to even a Transcendent Mortal expert. Even though the elders were strong as well, most of them were only at Zhizun realm intermediate and advanced stage. They weren't a match for this fellow at all.
"Hurry up and infuse more zhenqi in to reinforce the formation..."
Seeing that the Nightmare Beast was about to escape, Xie Jiuchen panicked. He hurriedly called for help.
As soon as the formation collapses, the entire Beast Hall would surely be destroyed. They could not back away at this point.
Hong long!
Knowing the severity of the issue, most of the elders immediately got into action. They charged forward and infused all of their zhenqi into the formation.
Accompanying the furious surge of zhenqi into the formation, the darkened net suddenly glowed brilliantly once more.
While the formation had been strengthened, the Nightmare Beast seemed to have derived strength from its rage as well. Roaring furiously once more, its lower limbs pushed against the ground, and its massive body struck the massive net in midair.
Si la!
Under the violent power contained in the massive body, the Beast Confinement Net caved in and was torn apart.
Deng deng deng deng!
All of the elders who had operated the formation collapsed onto the floor with pale faces.
Hu!
After escaping from the formation, the Nightmare Beast glared at Zhang Xuan with widened eyes. Carrying unparalleled strength in its body, it charged swiftly toward him.
"It's over..."
Seeing that the formation and metal cage had failed to contain the Nightmare Beast, Hall Master Xie Jiuchen's face was ghastly pale.
He didn't expect that the savage beast would suddenly go on a rampage in the midst of the beast taming process.
Given that so many people were unable to withstand the might of the Nightmare Beast, no matter how talented Beast Tamer Zhang was, he would surely be torn to shreds.
"Moo!"
Knowing that it was impossible to save the other party, Hall Master Xie Jiuchen was about to avert his gaze when the young man released another bizarre sound.
Xie Jiuchen staggered.
It was precisely because of your random babbling that provoked this fellow. Yet, to think that you wouldn't learn your lesson...
Are you that intent to die?
Just as Hall Master Xie Jiuchen was about to urge Zhang Xuan to hurry up and leave instead of continuing to dabble in the ancient beast language or whatever it was, he saw the Nightmare Beast suddenly kneeling onto the floor after hearing the sound. It stuck out its tongue, and it licked the young man all over. Its appearance... was no different from the Whirlwind Wolves back then.
"Word of Submission, Bloodline Suppression... Could this be the True Voice of Dragons?"
Hall Master Xie Jiuchen's eyes narrowed, and his face paled.
"What in the world was going on?"
.
.
.
Chapter 427: True Voice of Dragons
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
The True Voice of Dragons was a language that only ancient Pureblooded Dragons were capable of using. As long as one's Dragon Bloodline didn't reach the level of a Pureblooded Dragon, a single word would cause a suppression from its bloodline, forcing it into submission.
The Nightmare Beast was still baring its fangs at Beast Tamer Zhang previously, but at the very next moment, it suddenly fell to the floor and became as tame as a pup. If this wasn't the language depicted in the legends, Hall Master Xie Jiuchen had no idea what other languages were capable of such a feat.
But... didn't this language disappear along with the Dragon Tribe, its heritage lost?
How did he learn of it?
More importantly... Even if the members of the Dragon Tribe were to impart the True Voice of Dragons to him, it was impossible for humans to learn it.
This was not just a matter of talent. Even if one possessed superior zhenqi, the human body was still unable to withstand its sharp notes.
This sound had to travel through all of the meridians within one's body and harmonize all of one's acupoints before it could be produced. Even if one cultivated the most profound cultivation technique, it was impossible for one to open up all of their meridians and acupoints!
"Can it really be... that he's the True Incarnation of Dragons?"
Hall Master Xie Jiuchen narrowed his eyes, and his body trembled uncontrollably.
Legends had it that the Dragon Tribe traveled across the world, and they took on many forms. Some became beasts, some became humans, some became spirits, some became monsters... No one could discern their true identity.
Just by pummeling the Whirlwind Wolves, the latter immediately submitted to him and fawned on him; with a single fist, he caused the Tiger Head Beasts to play dead; with just a few words, he made the Steel-armed Golden Ape waved him goodbye, as though buddies with decades of history behind them...
If he isn't a True Incarnation of Dragons, how can he possibly achieve such ridiculous feats?
Even 5-star beast tamers are incapable of such a feat!
"Regardless of whether he is one, I mustn't reveal this matter... Otherwise, I'll surely be silenced!"
Hall Master Xie Jiuchen's face paled.
The members of the Dragon Tribe were incomparably strong, and from birth, they were granted with powerful destructive might.
If this Beast Tamer Zhang was a True Incarnation of Dragons, and he exposed the other party's true identity when he wished to conceal the fact, he might incur the wrath and killing intent of the other party to himself.
Hall Master Xie Jiuchen's conjectures caused his face to slowly pale in fear.
On the other hand, the crowd, baffled by the sight before them, was about to go insane from bewilderment.
The rage of the Nightmare Beast was not feigned in the least; even the grade-3 pinnacle formation maintained by so many elders was torn apart. Its might was truly fearsome.
Yet, this strong, proud fellow was suddenly lying on the floor, licking the other party's pants... What in the world happened in between?
"What is it doing?"
"I've no idea. Could it be that... there's something about Beast Tamer Zhang's pants that's even more delicious than the Seven-colored Honey? Is that why it's licking it non-stop?"
"It can't be that... it has been tamed? But even if it's tamed, it couldn't possibly have changed its attitude so quickly!"
...
Some of the older beast tamers tore their beards out, but their minds were too preoccupied for them to feel pain.
The sight before them was simply too frightening.
In the blink of an eye, a Half-Transcension savage beast, who was thinking of slaughtering everyone here just a moment ago, was suddenly lying so docilely on the floor. No one could accept this abrupt twist.
"With a scream... this fellow was tamed?"
Wei Youdao, Jiang Nanping, and the others stared at one another, and their heads were about to burst from shock.
Wei Youdao had taken out the Seven-colored Honey, which was ranked fifth on the list, but even so, he was disregarded. Just when they thought that this haughty fellow could never be tamed... Beast Tamer Zhang simply cried out a word, and that fellow immediately sprawled on the floor and fawned on the other party, as though afraid that the other party would not take him in...
When did a Half-Transcension savage beast became so shameless?
Was it insane, or were our eyes playing tricks on us?
"Hmm?"
In truth, Zhang Xuan was dumbfounded as well.
Previously, when he accidentally agitated the Nightmare Beast through the ancient beast language, he was anxious as well.
He only gave that bizarre language a try, especially since he could escape with the Heaven's Path Movement Art if he failed. He didn't think that the other party's attitude would change completely after hearing it.
If only he'd known before those words were so formidable, he wouldn't have wasted his effort with the ancient beast language.
Glancing at the massive head, which kept cuddling itself up to him, Zhang Xuan suppressed his astonishment and asked, "You wish to submit to me?"
"Roar!"
The Nightmare Beast hurriedly nodded its head.
"This..." Even though the other party had admitted to the matter, Zhang Xuan was still a little dumbfounded.
Wasn't it being... a little too easy?
"Then... let's establish the contract then!"
Even though Zhang Xuan was bewildered, he knew that this was a good opportunity. Touching the other party's head, he drew a droplet of blood from the tip of his forefinger.
As though fearing that Zhang Xuan would change his mind, the Nightmare Beast hurriedly swallowed it with a contented look.
After which, Zhang Xuan felt a will being bound to his own, allowing him to communicate with the other party.
"This is... Complete Submission?"
The beast tamers in the surroundings felt light-headed.
Just by shouting a few bizarre sounds, the other party actually succeeded. When did taming a Half-Transcension savage beast become so easy?
"To think that we even thought about competing with him..."
Many of the geniuses of the younger generation were on the verge of tears.
Even though Zhang Xuan had passed the Ten Beasts Cage, there were still a few who refused to concede.
However, upon seeing this sight... they realized that the difference in their capability was simply too vast...
Even Hall Master Xie Jiuchen, a 3-star beast tamer, was unable to succeed, yet, in just a dozen breaths or so, the other party was already done. This feat was so incredible that it felt that it could not have been done by a human.
"This is a truly master beast tamer!"
Someone amidst the crowd sighed.
Hearing those words, the rest nodded their heads in agreement.
Most probably, only masters of this level would be capable of taming the Nightmare Beast so easily and clear the Ten Beasts Cage in half a tea's time...
Everyone turned their gazes toward the 'master', curious to see how he would do now that he had established a contract... only to see the other party walking toward Hall Master Xie Jiuchen.
"Hall Master Xie, I've already tamed this fellow, so twenty droplets of spirit beast blood essence... Wait, you said that you're going to give me ten more. When will you be passing those to me?"
"Spirit beast blood essence..."
Xie Jiuchen's body swayed, and his mouth twitched.
When I told you to tame this Nightmare Beast, I meant that you should convince it to serve the Beast Hall as the organization's tamed beast.
Yet... not only did you take it for yourself, you even have to cheek to ask for compensation...
Can you be more reasonable?
It is just like I have asked you to help me court a beautiful lady that I met with much difficulty, and yet, you seduced her for yourself... and you even expect me to pay you for it...
Hall Master Xie Jiuchen felt so stifled inside that he was on the verge of throwing up blood.
You cannot be so unreasonable...
"Beast Tamer Zhang, you have tamed the Nightmare Beast to become your tamed beast. Isn't it inappropriate for you to expect us to pay you spirit beast blood essence like that?"
Seeing the hall master go speechless from rage, Grand Elder Wei Yuqing could not help but interject.
"Inappropriate? Didn't I tame the Nightmare Beast?" Zhang Xuan asked.
"That's right..."
"Didn't you say that you'll pay me the spirit beast blood essence as long as I tame it?" Zhang Xuan continued.
"Yes..."
Hall Master Xie Jiuchen was on the verge of tears.
Initially, he thought that no matter how formidable this fellow was, he was only a Zongshi realm pinnacle cultivator. Given how the Nightmare Beast disregarded even them, how could it possibly submit to such a weak fellow?
Never in their dreams did they expect that the other party would really succeed...
"Since you've agreed to it, then we should get it over and done with. Otherwise... I'll go and clear the Ten Beasts Cage!" Zhang Xuan said.
"Forget it. Grand Elder Wei, go and fetch the spirit beast blood essence.
The corner of Hall Master Xie Jiuchen's lips twitched, and he hurriedly waved his hands.
There was no way to undo the matter of the Nightmare Beast anymore. On the other hand, if that fellow were to continue challenging the Ten Beasts Cage, it would not be long before all of the savage beasts in the Beast Hall would become his...
If that truly happened, then as the hall master of the Beast Hall, he would become a huge laughingstock...
"Alright!"
Even though Grand Elder Wei Yuqing felt frustrated as well, he still fulfilled the hall master's command. A moment later, he returned with a jade bottle in his hands.
Taking the jade bottle over, Zhang Xuan uncapped the lid and took a look. Scarlet blood flowed within the container, and it filled up to half of the bottle. Making a rough estimation, he confirmed there were around thirty droplets inside.
"Great!"
Zhang Xuan's purpose at the Beast Hall was this. Having obtained what he wanted, Zhang Xuan happily placed the bottle into his storage ring.
Seeing the sight, Hall Master Xie Jiuchen's heart bled.
Despite the huge accumulation of Xuanyuan Kingdom Beast Hall over a span of a thousand years, it only had around fifty droplets here. Having more than half of it taken away in an instant, he could not help but feel a sense of loss.
However, upon thinking that it was possible for the other party to be a True Incarnation of Dragons, he hurriedly pushed down his displeasure.
"Alright, there's no use for you to follow me. You might as well submit to the Beast Hall and stay here! As long as you agree to it, I'll take care of the afflictions you are suffering from. It's also not entirely impossible for me to help you become a spirit beast!"
Oblivious to Hall Master Xie Jiuchen's reactions, Zhang Xuan turned to the Nightmare Beast and waved his hands casually.
This fellow was strong, but it was not capable of flying. Thus, its usability was limited to Zhang Xuan.
Xuanyuan Kingdom was only a temporary resting point. Zhang Xuan had to reach the Myriad Kingdom Alliance within three months, and it would be impossible for him to take the other party along. Since that was the case, he might as well sell a favor to the Beast Hall.
Of course, if the other party had not given the spirit beast blood essence to him, he would've rather let the Nightmare Beast loose than help tame it for the Beast Hall.
In the end, Zhang Xuan was no Samaritan. If the other party had reneged on his promise, why should he help them?
"You... What did you say? You want the Nightmare Beast to submit to our Beast Hall?"
Initially, Hall Master Xie Jiuchen was displeased by the other party's extortion, but upon hearing his words, his breathing hastened in agitation.
"Un!"
Zhang Xuan waved his hands casually.
"This..." Hall Master Xie Jiuchen and Grand Elder Wei Yuqing were stunned. Their eyes slowly turned red.
This was a Half-Transcension savage beast! If anyone of them were to tame it, it would be impossible for them to give it up. Yet, this fellow was saying that he would give it to them. Wasn't he being too generous?
They thought that the other party was a selfish and greedy person who only knew how to extort from others. However, Zhang Xuan's actions had changed their opinion of him.
Perhaps, he really might have some urgent use for the spirit beast blood essence.
A Half-Transcension savage beast which possessed the potential to make the breakthrough to become a spirit beast was clearly much more valuable than thirty droplets of spirit beast blood essence. In fact, even a hundred droplets would still be unable to match up to its value.
Since the other party was willing to give away such a formidable savage beast directly, how could he possibly be a greedy person?
"We... We misunderstood him. Geniuses have their own pride, so how could he possibly act dishonorably just for this bit of interest..."
A thought suddenly appeared in their heads. The impression the two had of Beast Tamer Zhang immediately went through a 180-degree reversal.
But at that moment, the young man before them suddenly spoke up hesitantly, "Oh, right... Since I convinced the Nightmare Beast to submit to Beast Hall, shouldn't you all offer some token of appreciation? For example, spirit stones, pills, medicinal herbs, or that sort. I wouldn't mind a carriage or two of them..."
"..." Hall Master Xie Jiuchen and Grand Elder Wei Yuqing.
.
.
.
Chapter 428: Uncle Sun Qiang Is Here (1)
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
We are the Beast Hall, not some spirit stone mining clan. How much of it do you think we possess?
Still a carriage or two... Just a few dozen would already be almost their entire stock...
As for pills, medicinal herbs, and the sort, even if the Beast Hall had them, they are mainly reserved for the savage beasts. How in the world are we going to find so many for you?
They had just thought that this fellow was generous when he gave himself in right after...
"Beast Tamer Zhang, you must be jesting. It's not that we don't want to give some to you, but it's just that we don't have that many resources here..." Hall Master Xie Jiuchen replied with a reddened face.
"It's alright if you don't have those. However, there's something that I really require, and I hope that you won't turn me down!" Zhang Xuan turned to look at them.
"Feel free to speak!"
"I need over a thousand Half-Zhizun and Zhizun realm cultivation technique manuals. There are no requirements to their quality, and the more there are, the better it is!" Zhang Xuan said.
Zhang Xuan's motive wasn't spirit stones or medicinal herbs, but this.
Only with sufficient cultivation technique could he form the Zhizun realm Heaven's Path Divine Art and achieve a breakthrough.
No matter what, if he wanted to avenge Lu Chong, he would require strength.
"A thousand Half-Zhizun and Zhizun realm cultivation technique manuals?"
Hall Master Xie Jiuchen blinked.
What did he need those for?
It's not like you could boil cultivation techniques together to make a stew... On top of that, to demand nothing of their quality.
"This is simple, I can prepare them for you. However, I'll require at least three days!" After pondering for a moment, Hall Master Xie Jiuchen nodded.
Zhizun realm cultivation techniques were valuable in Tianwu Kingdom, and it was nigh impossible to find even a single one in the market. However, in Xuanyuan Kingdom, most clans would possess several books. Collecting a thousand of them was troublesome, but with the connections of the Beast Hall, it would not be too difficult.
"Fine!"
Hearing that it was possible for the other party to collect all of them, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.
With this, he had met two main goals he had at the Beast Hall, spirit beast blood essence and cultivation technique manuals.
"Alright, I'll cure your wounds now!"
Zhang Xuan turned to look at the Nightmare Beast.
The fellow had suffered some afflictions when it failed in its breakthrough to Transcendent Mortal realm. Previously, Zhang Xuan had promised to treat it as part of his deal, so it was time for him to fulfill the end of his bargain.
"Roar!"
The Nightmare Beast knew that it would not be able to follow behind Zhang Xuan once its injuries had recovered, so it howled in reluctance.
The other party was an expert capable of producing the True Voice of Dragons. If it were to follow behind him, it would surely be able to reach great heights in the future.
Staying at this Beast Hall meant losing this great opportunity.
However, the master had already made its stand. Contractually-bound to Zhang Xuan, it did not dare to protest.
"For me to solve your problem, I've to know what problems you are suffering from first!"
Ignoring its unhappiness, Zhang Xuan glanced at it and said, "Alright... Knock yourself out!"
"Roar???"
The Nightmare Beast widened its eyes in bewilderment.
Hall Master Xie Jiuchen and Grand Elder Wei Yuqing were speechless as well.
It seemed like this fellow had not given up his intention of knocking the Nightmare Beast out...
"What are you roaring for, hurry up!"
Zhang Xuan chastised with a slight frown.
He had no time to waste here, he needed to make use of his time to cultivate Heaven's Path Golden Body 2-dan.
"Roar~~~~"
It stared at Zhang Xuan pleadingly, but upon seeing the other party's determined gaze, it gritted its teeth before striking its massive hand on its head.
Padah!
The sight before it turned dark, and it passed out.
If Xie Jiuchen and the others wanted to knock it out, they would probably have to go through a huge hassle. It was much simpler for it to do the work itself.
"What is it doing?"
"What's happening?"
When the Nightmare Beast barged out of its cage, the other beast tamers immediately retreated far away. Thus, they missed out on the conversation of the others. However, upon seeing the huge fellow knock itself out, bizarre expressions appeared on their faces.
"Beast Tamer Zhang is about to treat that huge fellow!"
Hall Master Feng and Beast Tamer Wang chuckled.
"Treat?" Luo Tang, Fang Jin, and the others were bewildered.
One had to knock out savage beasts before treating them?
"This is Beast Tamer Zhang's unique diagnosis method, the Unconscious Treatment Method!" Hall Master Feng explained.
"Unconscious Treatment Method? Beast Pummeling Taming Method... What the heck is with his techniques?"
The duo found themselves at the end of their tolerance for this insanity.
They had seen many eccentric things in this world, but such a bizarre sight was one they could have never imagined.
Ever since they were apprentice beast tamers, there was an iron-clad rule seared deep in their minds: To tame a savage beast, one had to have an intimate relationship with it first. One must never come into conflict with.
Yet...
Yet, the Beast Pummeling Taming Method and Unconscious Treatment Method...
If anyone else were to try pummeling a savage beast, they would definitely be beaten to death. Yet, not only was this fellow still in perfect condition, he even managed to get the savage beast to submit to it...
Just by thinking about it made them feel stifled.
Amidst everyone's bewildered and gloomy gazes, Zhang Xuan had already touched the Nightmare Beast and formed a corresponding book. Flipping through it, he found the root of the fellow's illness.
"Indeed, he suffered severe injuries from his failed breakthrough. Not only are his meridians injured, his internal organs are also damaged. He will require the nourishment of medicinal herbs... I'll write down a prescription for you all now. If you all treat him, it'll help you all in earning his good will!" Zhang Xuan said.
This fellow was indeed severely injured. After all, if that wasn't the case, it would have been impossible for the Beast Hall to capture him.
On top of that, he overexerted himself previously, exacerbating his injuries.
Even though Zhang Xuan could treat it without the Library of Heaven's Path given his current level of medical knowledge, he would be only able to treat its symptoms, not the root of its illness.
Knowing the specific location of the injuries had made it much simpler to cure the Nightmare Beast. However, to heal it to the point that it could try for Transcendent Mortal realm once more would still take at least half a year.
Of course, if Zhang Xuan were to use his Heaven's Path zhenqi, the other party's recovery rate would be boosted.
However, Zhang Xuan's current cultivation realm was far too lacking as compared to the other party. Putting aside the doubt of the effectiveness of the Heaven's Path zhenqi under such circumstances, there was a chance that Zhang Xuan's pure zhenqi might be revealed, and this would bring him a whole string of trouble.
Thus, he would rather dump the problem on the Beast Hall. In any case, this would also serve as a platform for them to strike up a relationship with the Nightmare Beast.
"Yes!" Hall Master Xie Jiuchen nodded.
Zhang Xuan took out a piece of a paper and a brush, and started writing down a prescription. The main ingredient of the prescription just so happened to be Wei Youdao's Seven-colored Honey.
He was only responsible for providing the prescription. As for how the other party would negotiate the matter, that was no longer a matter for him to worry over.
"I need a quiet chamber!"
After dealing with this matter, Zhang Xuan raised his request.
Hall Master Xie Jiuchen did not dare to keep Zhang Xuan waiting. He hurriedly prepared a quiet and spacious residence for him.
This Beast Tamer Zhang had successfully cleared the Ten Beasts Cage. Just that in itself was sufficient reason for the Beast Hall to give him a residence already.
Not to mention, the other party even tamed the Nightmare Beast and gave it to the Beast Hall. It would be hard for the Beast Hall to return this debt.
After settling Zhao Ya and the others in, Zhang Xuan turned to Hall Master Xie Jiuchen and asked, "Right, Hall Master Xie, may I trouble you on another matter?"
"Feel free to speak!" Hall Master Xie Jiuchen chuckled.
Despite this fellow young age, Xie Jiuchen already viewed him as a fellow peer, or perhaps, even a senior.
Putting all things aside, just the fact that Beast Tamer Zhang was able to tame the Nightmare Beast so easily and produce the True Voice of Dragons showed that his capability was far beyond his.
"Hall master, may I trouble you to assign a person to escort a friend of mine to Gale Valley of the Duskfall Mountains?"
Zhang Xuan called Sun Qiang over and gestured to him.
"Duskfall Mountains... Gale Valley? You are going to the... Poison Hall?" Hall Master Xie Jiuchen narrowed his eyes.
The Xuanyuan Kingdom Poison Hall branch was well-hidden, and very few people knew of its exact position. Even so, as the head of the Beast Hall, Xie Jiuchen was well-informed on such matters.
It was in Gale Valley!
That region was usually forbidden lands for ordinary cultivators. Why was Beast Tamer Zhang sending his subordinate over?
"You know of the Poison Hall as well? Indeed, I need him to make a trip for me!"
Zhang Xuan chuckled.
"But... the surrounding area of the Poison Hall is treacherous land..." Hall Master Xie Jiuchen tried to talk Zhang Xuan out of it.
The Poison Hall had a horrible reputation, and there were many casualties under them. To abruptly pay a visit was an extremely dangerous affair.
More importantly, this subordinate of his was only at Dingli realm!
"Ah, I have a friend at the Poison Hall, and I just need Sun Qiang to look for him in my stead. There won't be any danger, so you don't have to worry! It's just that I need someone to protect him on the way to avoid unnecessary trouble," Zhang Xuan explained.
Back then, when Gu Mu left, he had left Zhang Xuan with a token, saying that he could bring it to look for him when he needed help.
Since Zhang Xuan was going against the Xuanyuan royal family now, he needed all the help he could get.
However, Zhang Xuan urgently needed to cultivate now so that he could gain sufficient strength to exact his vengeance. Thus, after much contemplation, he decided to send Sun Qiang over.
This fellow might be arrogant, but he was able to retain his composure even before experts like Su Fan and Ling Yuheng. As such, he was in a much better position than Zhao Ya and the others.
"Alright then! I'll go make preparations!"
Hearing that Zhang Xuan had a friend at the Poison Hall, Hall Master Xie Jiuchen hesitated for a moment before eventually nodding his head.
Then, after the other party left, Zhang Xuan turned around to face Sun Qiang.
"Butler Sun, I have something I require your help on."
"Young master, feel free to speak!" Sun Qiang hurriedly clasped his fist.
As the sole direct disciple of the old master, Sun Qiang had to obey Zhang Xuan's commands.
"Take this token, visit a poison master named Gu Mu in the Gale Valley Poison Hall and have him meet me at Xuanyuan Kingdom!" Zhang Xuan instructed, taking out a token.
"Alright!" Sun Qiang nodded his head. "May I know if this Gu Mu is young master's friend? How should I address him?"
Zhang Xuan had never told anyone about the happenings in the Poison Hall, so Sun Qiang did not know about the matter.
"Oh, this Gu Mu... is my teacher's grandstudent, meaning, my junior nephew!" Zhang Xuan replied.
Initially, Zhang Xuan was going to say that the other party was his grandstudent, but if the other party were to find out that his senior granduncle was not even twenty yet, he would surely bear doubts. Thus, he might as well push the identity of the elusive expert to his 'teacher'.
In any case, his 'teacher' had always been an unfathomable figure. Adding another layer of secrecy to his identity did not mean anything much at this point.
"The old master's grandstudent?" Sun Qiang's eyes lit up.
He did not expect the old master to be so formidable as to have a grandstudent in the Poison Hall.
"As a servant of the old master, even if I am of inferior standing to the old master, I am at least of the same standing as the young master! Since that Gu Mu lad is the old master's grandstudent, young master's junior nephew, that means that he's my junior as well..." Sun Qiang thought. "As his senior, it's only right for him to run over as soon as he's called. Besides, as his senior, he should at least welcome me grandly with good alcohol and meat!"
The more he thought about it, the more satisfied Sun Qiang felt with the job he was assigned.
Seeing the other party's delighted expression, Zhang Xuan warned, "The Poison Hall is a dangerous place, so be careful!"
"Young master, rest assured!" Sun Qiang nodded.
"I'll leave a surge of zhenqi with you just in case someone tries to poison you. At the very least, you'll be able to protect yourself this way!"
After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan flicked his finger, and a surge of Heaven's Path zhenqi flew through the other party's meridians, seeped into his dantian, and lay dormant within.
.
.
.
Chapter 429: Uncle Sun Qiang Is Here (2)
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
Zhang Xuan's Zongshi realm Heaven's Path zhenqi could neutralize all poison of grade-3 and below.
It was hard to tell what kind of dangers Sun Qiang would meet, so it was best for him to be careful.
With this surge of zhenqi, Sun Qiang should be able to protect himself from the poison of ordinary poison masters.
"Thank you, young master!"
Knowing that the young master was doing this for his safety, Sun Qiang bowed in gratitude.
After the last few days of fellowship, he knew that even though the young master might be inferior to the old master, he was also a man of great capability.
Since he decided to do so, he must have his own considerations.
After explaining the method of triggering the surge of zhenqi and ensuring that the other party understood his words, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.
Even though Sun Qiang was a little coarse, his ability to get things done was reliable. All along, he had been able to reliably accomplish the tasks Zhang Xuan entrusted to him, saving him a lot of hassle.
'Yang shi' was an unfathomable, advanced master teacher, and the butler of such a figure had to possess a befitting disposition. Even though Sun Qiang's cultivation was so-so, he had been able to play the role of a butler perfectly.
Otherwise, Zhang Xuan would not have gone through the trouble of bringing him here from Tianxuan Kingdom.
"These are a few pills beneficial to your cultivation. Remember to cultivate hard even when traveling."
With a flick of his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out several pills that he obtained from the Lin Clan and passed them over.
"Yes!" Sun Qiang hurriedly received them.
He was no fool. Given that his cultivation was already lagging behind, he knew that if he did not work harder, he would soon lose his value.
While Zhang Xuan was delegating a few more points for Sun Qiang to take note of, Hall Master Xie Jiuchen returned with an elder before him. It was Wei Yuqing,
"The Poison Hall is dangerous, and after much consideration, I decided to assign Elder Wei to follow him. This way, his safety can be guaranteed!" Hall Master Xie said.
On top of being a 3-star beast tamer, Wei Yuqing was a Zhizun realm pinnacle expert. Other than Xie Jiuchen, he was the strongest person in the entire Beast Hall. Also, he possessed the deepest understanding of the affairs of the Poison Hall as well.
It should be safer for him to escort Beast Tamer Zhang's subordinate.
Beast Tamer Zhang was an important guest of the Beast Hall. On top of that, they had yet to fully tame the Nightmare Beast. Thus, no matter what, they had to protect the other party's subordinate well.
"I'll be depending on Elder Wei then!"
Zhang Xuan clasped his fist.
"Don't worry!" Wei Yuqing nodded with a smile. "Even though I've never been to the Poison Hall, I've heard some rumors about it. If it's just looking for someone, there won't be any danger!"
As long as they weren't going to the Poison Hall to wreak havoc, it should be fine.
After all, even though poison masters were formidable, beast tamers, as a member of the Upper Nine Paths, were not to be trifled with either.
"Un!" Since Grand Elder Wei Yuqing was making a move personally, Zhang Xuan felt reassured.
The duo left on an aerial savage beast. After trading some pleasantries with Zhang Xuan, Hall Master Xie Jiuchen took his leave.
The Nightmare Beast had awoken, and he had to make use of this opportunity to strike up an intimate relationship with the latter before it recovered fully.
"Time to start!"
After the crowd left, Zhang Xuan found himself a quiet room, conditioned himself, and sat down cross-legged.
With his recent gains, he should have sufficient spirit beast blood essence to reach Heaven's Path Golden Body 2-dan.
After adjusting his state, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, and a few droplets of spirit beast blood essence appeared in his palm.
There was a dense concentration of spiritual energy in the room. This was a unique cultivation chamber in the residence, and a spiritual energy gathering formation had been set up here.
Closing his eyes, Zhang Xuan began to drive his zhenqi according to the formula stated within the Heaven's Path Golden Body 2-dan. Then, with a flick of his finger, the blood droplets suddenly turned into a mist, permeating into the pores throughout Zhang Xuan's body.
The spirit beast blood essence was the essence of the blood extracted from a spirit beast. Even though it wasn't as valuable as inner cores, harnessed within every droplet was the very essence of a spirit beast. The energy contained in every droplet was even purer and denser than those in spirit stones.
A huge spiral formed within his body, taking in all of the energy within the blood to nourish every single cell within him.
"The effects are indeed significantly less effective than before..."
Taking a look at his body after absorbing the first batch of spirit beast blood essence, Zhang Xuan frowned.
Along with the rise in his strength, the requirement on the spirit beast blood essence would increase as well. In the past, a single drop could induce massive improvements, but now, its effects had been greatly cut.
But in any case, Zhang Xuan had sufficient spirit blood essence in his possession, so he had no worries.
Based on his previous calculations, twenty droplets of spirit beast blood essence should be sufficient for him to reach Zhizun realm pinnacle.
As long as his strength reached that level, it would be possible for him to face even a Half-Transcension cultivator through the Eye of Insight and Library of Heaven's Path.
He would be able to exact vengeance then.
Tzzzz!
Under the effects of the Heaven's Path Golden Body 2-dan, the constitution of Zhang Xuan's muscles were modified, making his physical strength soar to new heights.
Boom!
After an unknown period of time, with the sound of an explosion, Zhang Xuan seemed to have broken a shackle binding his body. It felt as though he was submerged into a tub of hot water, and a feeling of relaxation spread all over him.
Finally, he had broken through the 9999 ding bottleneck to reach the level of Zhizun realm!
Even though there was only a single ding of difference between 9999 ding and 10,000 ding, it set apart the boundary between a Half-Zhizun and Zhizun. With this leap, one's level of existence became completely different.
Zhizun was the peak of the Fighter realm. Regardless of whether it was one's physical body, spirit, or energy, one would be approaching the limits of a human at this realm.
Only when one had reached this realm could one attempt to break their mortal limits to become a Transcendent Mortal. Upon success, their lifespan and strength would be enhanced immensely.
If one could not even take the step to Zhizun realm, one would be doomed to remain as a mortal for life. One could only watch helplessly as time left its mark on one.
In other words, it was the stepping stone to become a true expert.
Many cultivators found themselves locked outside its gates, unable to take the final step in, and thus, dying in regret.
After previously absorbing the two droplets of spirit beast blood essence, Zhang Xuan also found himself stuck before this hurdle, unable to raise his strength by that final ding to push through the next realm no matter how he cultivated.
However, with sufficient blood essence in his hands, he could finally take that final step.
With the breakthrough in his cultivation, Zhang Xuan's reaction speed and senses were enhanced immensely.
His vision became much sharper and clearer.
As expected of the top realm of a Fighter. Just the breakthrough in his physical body had brought him many benefits.
Even though his strength was just increased by a single ding, his overall fighting prowess rose by almost two folds.
If he were to fight with the Steel-armed Golden Ape once more, even without the Library of Heaven's Path, he would be able to crush it easily with just his strength.
This was Zhizun realm!
"Finally!"
Knowing that it would be easier to raise his cultivation now, having broken through his bottleneck, Zhang Xuan frenziedly absorbed the spirit beast blood essence within the jade bottle and drove the Heaven's Path Golden Body 2-dan. Once again, his strength rose at a rate visible to the eye.
10,100 ding!
10,200 ding!
10,300 ding!
...
30,000 ding!
In just a single day, Zhang Xuan reached 30,000 ding straight, granting him strength equivalent to a Zhizun realm advanced stage expert.
At this moment, he had already expended a total of eighteen drops of spirit beast blood essence.
"The expenditure is greater than I've expected..."
He thought that it would only take at most ten droplets for him to reach Zhizun realm advanced stage, but contrary to his expectations, it took eighteen instead. That was far beyond his estimations.
It was fortunate that he received ten additional droplets from Hall Master Xie. With twelve droplets remaining, it should be sufficient for him to push to Zhizun realm pinnacle.
"Continue!"
Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan closed his eyes and continued cultivating.
...
While Zhang Xuan was in seclusion, Sun Qiang had finally arrived at the Gale Valley in the Duskfall Mountains after half a day of traveling.
Similar to the Red Lotus Range, it extended far beyond the horizon, and the Poison Hall was hidden somewhere amidst this vast plot of lush greenery.
If one didn't know the exact location of the Poison Hall, putting aside finding it, one would probably end up dead at the hands of the powerful savage beasts prowling around or from the poisonous mist which lingered in the air.
"Be careful!"
Grand Elder Wei Yuqing took out an antidote pill in advance.
The duo abandoned the aerial savage beast and began proceeding through the mountain valley on foot.
Grand Elder Wei Yuqing's strength of Zhizun realm pinnacle made the weaker savage beasts dare not approach him. On top of that, he was an experienced veteran, and under his guide, the duo avoided most of the danger.
After a day of walking, having circled around innumerable savage beasts and poisonous mist, a massive infrastructure appeared before them.
Countless tall dark-gray stone buildings reminiscent of ancient relics clustered around it.
The layout was similar to the Red Lotus Range Poison Hall, but it was clearly larger and grander. There were all kinds of formidable formations laid out in the area.
After circling around a massive boulder, they finally arrived at the entrance.
Before they could walk in, they seemed to have triggered some kind of mechanism. Jiya! A loud sound echoed, and immediately afterward, and the ringing of bells sounded.
Huala!
A few poison masters wearing long robes appeared before the duo.
Even though Poison Hall was well-hidden and no one would easily attempt to besiege it, it was still one of the most hated and feared occupations in the continent. As such, they went to the extent of building a strong defensive system.
"Who dares to barge into the Poison Hall?"
A young man walked forward as he assessed the two intruders with a cold gaze.
These few people seemed to be in their thirties, and they had all reached Zongshi realm, and the young man who spoke had even reached Zongshi realm pinnacle.
But of course, what was fearsome about poison masters wasn't their strength but their ability to utilize poison.
Even though they were only at Zongshi realm, Grand Elder Wei Yuqing didn't dare to underestimate them.
"I am a 3-star beast tamer from the Beast Hall, Grand Elder Wei Yuqing. I'm here to seek a friend!"
Wei Yuqing stepped forward and clasped his hands.
After a day of accompaniment, Wei Yuqing realized that Sun Qiang was only at Dingli realm. It was likely that the poison masters would simply disregard his presence so he chose to take on the job of interacting with the other party.
"An elder from the Beast Hall?"
Taken aback, a grim look slowly surfaced on the young man.
Even though they rarely interacted with the outside world, poison masters still roughly knew the various powers out in the world. Given that the other party was an elder of the Beast Hall, his strength was most probably at Zhizun realm pinnacle. This wasn't a figure that they could trifle with.
"May I know which poison master within our Poison Hall are you looking for?"
The young man replied politely.
"It's a poison master named Gu Mu!" Sun Qiang said.
"Gu Mu?"
The young man was taken aback by Sun Qiang's words, and a furrow slowly appeared on his forehead. "You're looking for Hall Master Gu Mu?"
"Hall master?"
Sun Qiang and Wei Yuqing were dumbstruck.
Wei Yuqing knew that they were here to look for Zhang Xuan's junior nephew... He thought that the other party would just be some unknown poison master, to think that he would be the head of the Poison Hall!
The standing of the head of the Poison Hall was in no way inferior to the head of the Beast Hall.
"That's right!" Seeing that the other party clearly didn't know that Gu Mu was the hall master despite being here to look for him, a wary look appeared on the faces of the poison masters. "May I know the reason why you are looking for the hall master? I'll help you relay your message!"
"The reason?"
Sun Qiang hesitated for a moment, but upon recalling his standing, he straightened his plump body and stood imposingly.
Placing his hands behind his back, his eyebrows shot up, and an arrogant look appeared on his face, "Hmph, tell him that his Uncle Sun Qiang is here, so he should hurry out to welcome me!"
.
.
.
Chapter 430: Gu Mu's Teacher Is Here Too [2in1]
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"Uncle Sun Qiang?"
Wei Yuqing was just about to explain the matter when he heard these words. His lips trembled, and he nearly bit his own tongue.
As the head of the Poison Hall, there were no doubts about the other party's strength and his ability to utilize poison. Even if Hall Master Xie Jiuchen were to come personally, there was no guarantee that he could defeat the other party.
Even Wei Yuqing had to bow respectfully before such an elder for fear of offending the other party.
Yet, this fellow declared that 'uncle is here' as soon as he arrived.
Where in the world did that come from?
Even if Gu Mu was Yang shi's grandstudent, you should have nothing much to do with it!
For a Dingli realm fellow to claim to the be uncle of a Zhizun realm expert...
And to declare it so loudly and imposingly at that...
Wei Yuqing felt his face turn green.
He thought that it should be a simple matter bringing Sun Qiang here to look for someone. How could he have known that Sun Qiang was such an unreliable companion?
"What did you say?"
"Where did this fool come from!"
As expected. As soon that Sun Qiang spoke those arrogant words, everyone's fury immediately erupted.
They had always admired Hall Master Gu Mu's incredible strength, so how could they tolerate a random stranger claiming to be his uncle, his senior? This was an insult!
Furthermore, even if Hall Master Gu Mu were to really have an uncle, the other party should at least be a powerful Transcendent Mortal expert. How could such a shameless-looking Dingli realm fellow like you be his uncle?
"Audacious!"
Used to such situations, Sun Qiang's eyebrows shot up as he bellowed authoritatively, "Hurry up and call him out. Otherwise, don't blame me if I get that lad Gu Mu to tear you apart!"
"Lad? Gu Mu?"
Wei Yuqing's mouth twitched yet again.
He felt that a heart problem would crop up if he continued listening to these words.
"You..."
The faces of the poison masters steeled in fury. Unable to hold back their fury, they were about to make a move on Sun Qiang when a voice echoed.
"What happened? Who are these visitors?"
Turning to the origin of the voice, an imposing young man walked over with widened strides.
It had not been long since the bell rang, and it was already ringing for the second time. When did the Poison Hall get so bothersome?
"Poison Master Wu Xi, you came at the right time. These fellows popped out from nowhere and claimed to be Hall Master Gu's uncle..." The group hurriedly explained the matter to the young man who had just appeared.
"Teacher's uncle? I don't recall teacher having any relatives..."
Wu Xi frowned in confusion.
Even though he was baffled, he chose to handle the matter prudently. Thus, he clasped his fist and asked.
"I am Wu Xi, and Hall Master Gu Mu is my teacher. May I know how to address you and where did you come from so that I can report this matter to teacher."
Seeing the other party's respectful attitude, Sun Qiang nodded his head in satisfaction. "How to address me? I am your teacher's uncle, so you can address me as grandfather!"
Wu Xi's eyebrows twitched, and his body swayed for an instant.
As the direct disciple of the hall master, he possessed a high standing in the Poison Hall. For a Dingli realm fellow out of nowhere to claim to be his grandfather...
Stifled, he nearly exploded.
Even so, if the other party was truly his teacher's uncle, there would be no problem with the address.
"Since you claim to be teacher's uncle, may I know if you have... anything to affirm your identity?"
Suppressing his rage, Wu Xi clasped his fists respectfully.
"Here!"
With a flick of his wrist, Sun Qiang threw the token Zhang Xuan gave him over.
"It's teacher's token..."
Upon seeing the object, Wu Xi's face changed.
He had seen teacher's token once, and it was a one-of-a-kind object. To think that he would see it on this plump man... Could this unimpressive fellow truly be teacher's uncle?
"Elder, please wait for a moment. I'll report this matter to teacher now!"
Given that the other party was able to take out his teacher's token, it was highly likely that his words were true. Thus, Wu Xi hurriedly clasped his fists respectfully. At the same time, he also changed his method of address to 'elder'.
"Un, go on!"
Sun Qiang waved his hands proudly.
Seeing the imposing Wu Xi behaving so respectfully, the other poison masters were dumbfounded.
They thought that this fellow was bragging. To think that it was actually true!
Just a moment ago, someone had just appeared claiming to be the hall master's teacher. Given his powerful and majestic disposition, no one doubted his words at all.
And now, the uncle had appeared as well. However, why did this uncle seem so weak and unimpressive?
...
In the lounge of the Poison Hall, Gu Mu was seated on a chair, and he had an extremely respectful and humble look on his face.
In the past twenty days, his cultivation had leaped considerably. Vaguely, one could sense that he was just a single step away from reaching Half-Transcension.
It seemed like it wouldn't be long before he managed to make that breakthrough to a whole new world.
Seated before was a white-haired elder. His eyes were deep as though an abyss, filled with the vicissitudes of life, leaving one with an unfathomable impression of him.
Seated beside the elder was a youth dressed in a white robe. The youth had rosy lips and held a foldable fan in his hands. Taking a closer look, he was even more dashing than the refined Ji Mo gongzi, who won the hearts of the ladies in Tianwu Royal City.
In fact, the disposition and appearance of this youth far exceeded that of Ji Mo. The difference was as huge as though the gap between the heaven and the earth.
A feature that stood out for that youth was his smooth and pale skin. Even Zhang Xuan, who had already cultivated the Heaven's Path Golden Body 2-dan, could not match up to his complexion. Perhaps, only Zhao Ya could be a match for him.
The youth sat quietly on a chair beside the elder. Even though he didn't speak a single word, he exuded a pressure that caused the white-haired elder to feel slightly restrained, not daring to speak excessively.
"Teacher, this is the Crimson Flame Lotus Seed. Upon consumption, it'll increase a person's chances of breaking into the Half-Transcension realm by twenty percent!"
With a flick on his wrist, Hall Master Gu Mu took out a jade box and passed it over to the elder.
Opening the box, a blood-red object the size of a peanut appeared before everyone's gazes. It exuded astonishingly concentrated spiritual energy which revitalized one with just a single breath.
Crimson Flame Lotus Seed!
This was the treasure obtained back when he was at the Red Lotus Range.
"Un!"
Nodding his head, the elder took it and passed it to the youth beside him, "Gong-gongzi!"
"This is the reason why you came here?"
The youth who was addressed as 'gongzi' glanced at the seed for a moment before closing it.
The incomparably valuable Crimson Flame Lotus Seed that other cultivators would kill to obtain seemed to be something of zero value in his eyes.
"I heard that this object is beneficial to gongzi's recovery..." the elder hurriedly explained.
"You've been troubled!"
Upon hearing that it was for him, 'gongzi' nodded his head, kept the jade box, and fell silent once more.
"Well done!"
Seeing the finicky 'gongzi' accept the Crimson Flame Lotus Seed, the elder heaved a sigh of relief. Only then did he turn to Hall Master Gu Mu and nod his head in satisfaction.
"Teacher has done so much for me, it's only right for me to be filial to you!"
Gu Mu hurriedly clasped his fist humbly.
The person seated before him was his ex-teacher, 4-star Poison Master Jin Conghai.
When Jin Conghai was still a 3-star poison master, he accepted Gu Mu in as his student and groomed him. Eventually, he managed to break through his bottleneck, so he left Xuanyuan Kingdom. With this departure, he was gone for two whole decades.
Even so, his guidance had played a fundamental role to Gu Mu's current accomplishments.
Otherwise, he would probably still be trying to crawl ahead as a 2-star poison master.
Knowing that the Crimson Flame Lotus Seed was an incredible treasure, he immediately sent the news over to his teacher. As such, his teacher made a detour to the Xuanyuan Kingdom Poison Hall.
"Since we've obtained what we needed, let's go!"
The 'gongzi' didn't seem to care for pleasantries or that sort. Waving the fan in his hand, he stood up.
"Yes!" Jin Conghai nodded.
"Teacher, may I know... where are you heading in such a hurry to? If it's within my means, I wish to offer my assistance..."
Hall Master Gu Mu hesitated for a brief moment before asking.
He thought that his teacher would stay a period of time, during which, he could seek his guidance on his cultivation to break through his bottleneck. Yet, the other party was going to leave right after arriving. This left him slightly disappointed.
"Gongzi is intending to head to a Tier 1 Kingdom below Xuanyuan Kingdom. There's nothing we need your help on, you don't have to worry about it!"
Jin Conghai shook his hands and rejected the other party's offer with a smile.
"There is a total of twenty-seven Tier-1 Kingdoms under Xuanyuan Kingdom. May I know which one is gongzi and teacher intending to head to? I am familiar with some of them, so perhaps I can help lead the way."
Knowing that his teacher was deferential to this 'gongzi', Hall Master Gu Mu asked for the latter's opinion as well.
"Tianwu Kingdom!" Jin Conghai said.
"Tianwu? I've just returned from there a few days ago. In fact, this Crimson Flame Lotus Seed came from the branch there! I am well-versed with the directions there, so if I may, I could guide you both!"
Gu Mu's eyes lit up in excitement.
Given that he had just come from Tianwu Kingdom, he was still rather familiar with the basic layout of the region.
"You've just returned from Tianwu Kingdom?"
Hearing the Gu Mu's words, the nonchalant 'gongzi' suddenly turned around and asked, "Good, I've something to ask you about."
"Gongzi, feel free to speak!" Gu Mu replied respectfully.
After a momentary pause, the 'gongzi' was just about to voice his query when anxious footsteps sounded outside. Then, Wu Xi appeared in the group's sight. "Teacher!"
"What's wrong?"
Given that the other party interrupted the esteemed 'gongzi's' words, Gu Mu's complexion immediately darkened.
"There's a person outside claiming to be your uncle, and he insists on meeting you..." Wu Xi hurriedly said.
"My uncle?"
Gu Mu was baffled. "When did I ever have an uncle?"
His father was the sole son in his family, so how could he have an uncle?
"But... he has your token!"
Wu Xi quickly lifted the token Sun Qiang gave him up.
Upon seeing the token, realization suddenly struck Gu Mu. "Could he be someone senior granduncle sent?"
It was just a few days ago that he gave this token to the mysterious 'senior granduncle'.
Even though the other party looked young, he possessed unfathomable means. The reason why he managed to touch on the gates of Half-Transcension in just a short span of twenty days was because of this senior's guidance.
The other party had cured him of his affliction and helped him tame the Lava Beast, thus granting him sufficient time and hope to avenge his wife.
To be honest, the gratitude he felt toward this mysterious senior didn't pale to that of his teacher.
"What senior granduncle?"
Hearing Gu Mu's mutterings, Jin Conghai turned his head over.
"I was just about to report this matter to teacher..."
Gu Mu hurriedly walked forward and asked, "May I know if... teacher has a young-looking senior uncle?"
Since the other party was his senior granduncle, then naturally, he would be his teacher's senior uncle.
"Senior uncle?"
Jin Conghai was bewildered. "Young-looking? What's his name?"
"His name is Bai Chan... However, I think that it's just an alias. I'm not too sure what his real name is either!" Gu Mu said.
Gu Mu had Liao Xun investigated the matter, but the results showed that Bai Chan was only an ordinary physician in Tianwu Royal City. Most probably, senior granduncle did not want others to know his identity, that's why he chose to conceal his true name.
Seeing that Gu Mu was unclear of the matter as well, Jin Conghai asked, "Where's he now?"
It was common for a cultivator to have many teachers throughout his entire life. However, most of them could only be considered as a half-teacher. More often than not, one would only have a single true teacher.
His teacher had already passed away many years ago, and he didn't hear of his teacher having any juniors at all. Where did this senior uncle appear from?
"I haven't met him ever since I parted with him at Red Lotus Range. However, I gave him my token, and someone is looking for me now with it. Most probably, that person should be his junior or his student!" Gu Mu said.
Since the other party claimed to be his uncle, it meant that the other party was a junior of his senior granduncle.
"My teacher, Jin Chengxue, has already passed away, thirteen years ago. He'd never spoken of our lineage, so I'm not too sure about the details as well. However, if he's truly related to my teacher, I should be able to recognize it..."
With a deep frown, Jin Conghai suddenly felt intrigued to know who this 'senior uncle' was. After a moment of hesitation, he turned to look at 'gongzi'.
"It's only out of interest that I'm heading to Tianwu Royal City. It isn't much of a problem for me to push back my schedule for a few days. Since this is a problem regarding your lineage, you should investigate it properly to prevent anyone from making use of your name!"
Knowing Jin Conghai's intentions, 'gongzi' shook his hands casually.
"Thank you, gongzi!"
Upon receiving the other party's approval, Jin Conghai's eyes lit up. Then, turning to Gu Mu, he issued an instruction.
"Allow him in. I would like to see if this senior uncle is real or not..."
"Yes!"
Gu Mu nodded before gesturing to Wu Xi.
The young man walked out, and before long, he returned with two figures behind him.
The one walking in front was a plump man whose cultivation was only at Dingli realm. His hands behind his back, his chests were puffed up, and he carried a slight air of superiority.
Sun Qiang.
The other man was an elder possessing a cultivation of Zhizun realm pinnacle. He had a composed disposition, but there was a sharp glint in his eyes.
Grand Elder Wei Yuqing.
As soon as the trio walked in, before Wu Xi had a chance to introduce them, Sun Qiang's eyes swept across the people in the room and he said, "Which of you is Gu Mu?"
Seeing how that fellow arrogantly addressed the hall master by his name, the complexion of Wu Xi and the others turned awful.
"I am!"
Gu Mu frowned as well, but he clasped his fist and responded politely.
"I believe you have seen the token already. The old master hopes for you to make a trip to Xuanyuan Royal City."
Without the slightest hesitation, Sun Qiang walked up to the main seat and waved his plump hands, "You should hurry up and make preparations!"
"May I know... the reason why senior granduncle is asking me to head for Xuanyuan Royal City? And what should I prepare?" Gu Mu asked in confusion.
Since the other party had the token, it was unlikely that this plump man was an imposter. Besides, Gu Mu had given his word that regardless of who it was, as long as they came to him with the token in hand, he would fulfill their demands regardless of what it was.
Sun Qiang replied, "As a subordinate, I dare not comment on the old master's affairs. I advise you to do the same as well... When you reach Xuanyuan Royal City, he'll inform you on the rest!"
"This... Yes!" Gu Mu nodded.
Not only was this Dingli realm fellow fearless before the Zhizun realm pinnacle Poison Hall Hall Master, he even spoke with a lecturing tone. Grand Elder Wei Yuqing felt so faint-headed that the whites of his eyes were showing.
He thought that given Sun Qiang's weak cultivation and shabby background, it was unlikely for him to be experienced in this kind of huge matter. Thus, as a Zhizun realm pinnacle, the grand elder of the Beast Hall, he intended to bring him along and teach him a thing or two...
In the end... he became the countryside bumpkin instead.
Before the fearsome head of the Poison Hall, he was so scared that he didn't dare to utter a single word. On the other hand, the other party was able to speak nonchalantly, lecturing as he pleased, not giving the slightest consideration to the hall master's face at all...
He sure was bold!
Where in the world did he get such confidence from?
Did he really think that the other party wouldn't dare kill him?
Even the composed 'gongzi' couldn't help but widen his eyes in astonishment.
He had seen arrogant people before, but this plump man clearly topped them all.
Given the other party's strength, even an apprentice in the Poison Hall could easily extinguish his measly life. Yet, he was able to speak fearlessly here. Could his backing truly be that great? Was he certain that Gu Mu wouldn't make a move on him, that's why he was able to remain fearless?
"This friend here, may I know how I can address your old master?"
Unable to hold himself back anymore, Jin Conghai spoke up.
The other party's confidence and boldness had left him puzzled as well.
If the other party was an imposter, he would surely show some hints of fear. However, Jin Conghai could sense that this plump man was truly confident and fearless.
This meant that he must have something to fall back on...
Such boldness was not something an imposter could possess.
"Audacious! Who do you think you are? I'm speaking to Hall Master Gu Mu, this isn't your place to butt in!"
Sun Qiang's eyebrows shot up furiously.
"The heck!"
Grand Elder Wei Yuqing nearly spurted a mouthful of blood. He nearly couldn't hold back his urge to escape.
Due to Sun Qiang's lack of strength, he was unable to gauge the strength of this elder. However, as soon as Wei Yuqing walked in, he had already noticed the peculiarity with this elder. Given the deeply concealed and exceptionally calm aura of the other party, there was a high chance that he was a Transcendent Mortal expert!
It was precisely of this elder that he didn't dare to move or speak at all. Yet, this fellow... berated him!
Doomed!
Wei Yuqing thought that this should be an easy mission since they only had to look for a person. But from the looks of it now, this simple mission was going to claim his life...
He wasn't the only one astounded by this situation. 'Gongzi' and Gu Mu also nearly bit their tongues.
How dare a Fighter 5-dan Dingli realm weakling speak to a Transcendent Mortal expert like that...
This was no longer boldness, this was madness!
"You..."
Having been bellowed at, Jin Conghai's face darkened. He flung his sleeves and said, "I am Hall Master Gu Mu's teacher, 4-star Poison Master Jin Conghai. Even so, I still have no rights to speak?"
"Gu Mu's teacher? 4-star poison master?"
Sun Qiang was taken aback.
He thought that the other party was just a sidekick, and he didn't expect him to be such a formidable figure.
Even so, Sun Qiang didn't panic in the least. He simply stared at Jin Conghai with a look of disdain.
"So what if you're a 4-star poison master? Even 4-star master teachers like Su Fan and Ling Yuheng have to pay respect to the old master in the capacity of a student, not daring to refute even when reprimanded... Why, do you think that you're superior to 4-star master teachers?"
Trying to scare me?
Let me tell you, I, Brother Qiang, am no bumpkin!
Back then, even the 4-star master teacher 'Little Su' acted subserviently to the old master, not daring to speak loudly or go against his wills. You are just a mere poison master. No matter how incredible you are, do you think you can match up to the number one occupation in the world?
Didn't I try to spare your pride already? What are you bragging for!
"Su Fan? Ling Yuheng? Do you mean Elder Su and Elder Ling from the Myriad Kingdom Alliance's Master Teacher Pavilion?"
Jin Conghai was about to erupt from rage when he heard those words. His face immediately warped in shock.
As 4-star master teachers, Su Fan and Ling Yuheng were famous figures in the Myriad Kingdom Alliance. Not only were they powerful, they also possessed incredible influence as the elders of the Master Teacher Pavilion. Their standing was comparable even to the nobles of the Myriad Kingdom Alliance's royal family.
Yet, these two noble and powerful master teachers actually paid respect to his old master in the capacity of a student... Are you for real?
If that's true... Then who in the world was his old master?
A grave look surfaced on Jin Conghai's face.