Chapter 1010: Death of the Hall Master
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
Being a teacher was a responsibility, as well as a set of principles that one had sworn to abide by.
From the moment he comprehended the Heart of the Teacher, the true meaning of being a teacher had been imprinted deep in Zhang Xuan’s mind, and he had never forgotten about it, not even for the briefest moment.
And at this point, he had indeed displayed it through his own actions.
To his direct disciples, he would impart whatever he felt would benefit them without any reservations 1 , achieving the true essence of ’selflessness in teachings’.
After settling Wei Ruyan, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and took out two bottles of foundation reinforcing nourishment pills. With a tap of his finger, he infused several surges of Heaven’s Path zhenqi into it.
Typically speaking, the consumption of these pills shouldn’t have any effects on a Saint 4-dan expert. However, with his Heaven’s Path zhenqi infused into it, it was no longer an ordinary pill; it had become a divine medicine that could cure any injury and neutralize all poisons.
Furthermore, as the zhenqi was deposited into a nourishment pill, it would be nurtured by it, thus allowing to exist for extended periods of time outside of Zhang Xuan’s body without dissipating.
This was dissimilar to when he infused his Heaven’s Path zhenqi into a wine gourd.
Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction. Each jade bottle has ten pills. It should be enough for the duo to make the journey to the Poison Hall and overcome whatever challenges come their way!
These pills were prepared for Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai. Since Zhang Xuan had decided to have them protect Wei Ruyan, he had to ensure that they wouldn’t be poisoned to their deaths.
After doing all of that, Zhang Xuan took out an empty book and brush, and wrote out a manual on a simplified version of the Heaven’s Path Poison Art. After which, he contemplated over Poison Master Bai’s condition for a moment and tailored a unique formula to resolve the issues the other party was facing. Only then did he finally back out from his Anthive Nest and return to the courtyard of his accommodation.
With everything he had been up to, it was already night by the time he returned. Despite the immense quantity of zhenqi he wielded, he still couldn’t help but feel exhausted.
Sitting on the ground, he drove the Heaven’s Path Divine Art for several cycles before he finally recuperated from his weakness. Shortly after he was done, he heard knocking at his door.
It was midnight!
"Come in."
Right after those words were spoken, Poison Master Bai and Poison Master Hai pushed the door open and walked in.
Kneeling on the ground, they began speaking with unwavering resolution in their eyes. "Founder, we have made up our minds. We are willing to undertake this mission!"
"Un. Since you have decided to aid me, I won’t treat you poorly!" Zhang Xuan nodded, having known already that the other party would make such a choice. He accepted the parts of their souls they had offered before flicking his wrist to whip out the pills and cultivation technique manuals that he had prepared beforehand.
As soon as they laid their eyes upon the manuals, the breathing of the duo hastened.
As Saint 4-dan pinnacle experts who had been cultivating poison cultivation techniques ever since they were young, they could tell that despite the simplicity of the secret manual before their eyes, it was directed toward the very essence of the Way of Poison. If they were to follow the manual, it would be a walk in the park for them to successfully concoct and control a grade-8 poison!
Of course... the prerequisite was that he had to achieve a breakthrough in his cultivation first!
"Bai Ting, this is the cultivation technique I have specially prepared for you beforehand. It can help you resolve the problem of your blocked Yuanshen acupoint. Cultivate strictly to it, and you will be able to achieve a breakthrough very soon!"
After saying those words, Zhang Xuan passed a secret manual over.
Without a Saint 4-dan Heaven’s Path Divine Art, he couldn’t impart a cultivation technique to the other party and allow him to achieve a breakthrough immediately. However, through the Library of Heaven’s Path, he could still analyze the other party’s flaws and design a solution to resolving the issue.
In simple terms, the secret manual that he had just passed to Poison Master Bai didn’t contain a cultivation technique but a treatment method tailored to the other party’s condition.
As long as the other party cultivated according to the manual, the issue of his sealed Yuanshen acupoint would be resolved. Once that impediment was gone, considering the massive accumulation from cultivating diligently over many years, the other party would be able to achieve an instantaneous breakthrough.
After instructing Bai Ting to cultivate it properly, Zhang Xuan turned to Poison Master Hai and said, "Hai Jinming, execute a fist art!"
Knowing that the other party was going to offer him personal guidance too, Hai Jinming hurriedly executed a battle technique.
A book materialized in the Library of Heaven’s Path. After studying it carefully, Zhang Xuan fell into deep contemplation to deduce a feasible solution before imparting it to the other party verbally.
As he was facing the duo with his eyes closed, it would be troublesome for him to write it down on paper. Thus, he decided to impart it verbally instead.
On the other hand, after hearing the content that Zhang Xuan was speaking of, Hai Jinming couldn’t help but be astonished and impressed at the same time.
Just a single fist, and the other party was already able to see through the flaws and problems in his cultivation. In less than an incense’s time 2 , the other party had already tailored a cultivation technique. Most probably, only the founder of the Poison Hall, who had been able to stand toe-to-toe with Kong shi in battle, would be capable of such an incredible feat!
Boom!
Before the sky even lit up, a resounding buzz echoed in the air. Bai Ting’s body jolted, and an immense Primordial Spirit floated out from his body, bringing radiance to the surroundings. Its presence carried a domineering pressure on those standing before it.
Saint 5-dan, Leaving Aperture realm!
Leaving Aperture realm was the cultivation realm where a cultivator would be able to draw their Primordial Spirit out through an aperture in their body and roam the world freely. Even if their body were to meet with demise, they would still be able to exist as a Primordial Spirit. While the cultivator’s lifespan would be significantly reduced existing in such a form, it was nevertheless an extremely incredible ability.
More importantly, one’s Primordial Spirit would be further aligned with nature and the world, allowing it to draw even greater fighting prowess.
Every single cultivator who had reached this level wielded destructive fighting prowess that instilled deference and horror in others. It was also the fundamental requirement to reaching 8-star in most occupations, thus standing among the ranks of the top of the continent.
Not too long after Poison Master Bai made a breakthrough, the surrounding spiritual suddenly flurried once more, and Poison Master Hai’s Primordial Spirit broke out from his body as well.
After cultivating the method that Zhang Xuan had tailored specifically for them, they were able to achieve breakthroughs back to back.
Retracting their Primordial Spirits back into their bodies, they walked up to Zhang Xuan and bowed deeply. At this moment, they were left with nothing but deep respect for the other party.
Even 9-star poison masters would be unable to resolve their conditions so easily and allow them to achieve a breakthrough so quickly, but the person before them had actually managed to achieve such a feat. Who else could the other party be other than the founder?
"Alright, stand guard for me outside. Don’t allow anyone to interrupt me, and you aren’t to peek either!" Ignoring the looks of admiration of the duo, Zhang Xuan waved his hands.
"Yes!" The two poison masters quickly backed out of the room. After which, Zhang Xuan swiftly set up an isolation barrier to prevent anyone who peering in before putting Wei Ruyan out.
After which, he waited patiently for daybreak before removing the formation and indicating for Bai Ting and Hai Jinming to enter.
"Poison masters!"
At this moment, even though Zhang Xuan still looked the same as ever, his cultivation and aura were only at the level of a Nascent Saint. At the same time, his eyes were also filled with innocence and purity, devoid of the domineering air of a conqueror from before.
Knowing that the soul of the founder had already left his body, the duo sighed internally as they clasped their fists to greet the man before them.
"Un. This is her... new body. You must make sure to accomplish the mission she has assigned to you!" Zhang Xuan said as he gestured toward Wei Ruyan.
"Rest assured, we will definitely have it done!" Nodding, the duo turned their gazes to Wei Ruyan, and a moment later, their faces reddened in agitation. "C-could it be... this young lady possesses the Innate Poison Body?"
"There is no doubt about it! Otherwise, there is no way she would be able to contain the poisonous soul of our ancestor!"
At this moment, Wei Ruyan’s constitution had already been awakened, and she was continuously emanating a poisonous aura. As 7-star pinnacle poison masters, it was natural that they were able to recognize it.
They had been thinking that their founder had been forced to choose a random body to contain her soul, but who would have thought that the latter would have actually managed to find an Innate Poison Body! They could already imagine the great heights the Poison Hall could very well be brought to under the leadership of the powerful founder. Gone would be the days where they were forced to hide in the shadows of the world, as if rats scampering on the streets.
"Founder has said that you should leave this area and head to the Poison Hall headquarters as soon as possible. While her possession was successful, she has fallen into a deep coma as a result of that. She must be treated as soon as possible, and not even the slightest delay is acceptable!" Zhang Xuan instructed grimly.
Poison Master Bai nodded. "Our purpose here is to obtain a booklet from two thousand years ago. We have already instructed Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan to fetch it yesterday, so it should be arriving very soon. As soon as we obtain that item, we will leave immediately!"
Fetching the booklet from the Mausoleum of Hall Masters shouldn’t take too much effort, so it was unlikely that it would take too long.
"Booklet?" Zhang Xuan asked with a doubtful look.
"Un. It is a booklet regarding an ancient domain in Firesource City. There are rumors going around saying that it will open very soon. Thus, the headquarters sent us here to procure it in the hope that we might find something from it!" Poison Master Bai said.
Even though the founder’s soul was no longer in the other party, their souls were still under the other party’s control, so they dared not conceal anything from the other party.
The booklet is concerning an ancient domain in Firesource City? Could it be... the map? Zhang Xuan’s eyes lit up.
A while ago, he had heard from a message left behind by the old principal in the Mausoleum of Principals that there was a map of the ancient domain that was in the hands of the Poison Hall. It seemed like these two poison masters were here for it as well.
With such thoughts in mind, Zhang Xuan asked, "Regarding the booklet you are speaking of, can you allow me to take a look at it after you obtain it? I won’t even touch the booklet open, if that bothers you!"
As long as it was a book, the Library of Heaven’s Path could replicate it perfectly just by laying his eyes on it. Even touch wasn’t required anymore.
"Of course..." Poison Master Bai nodded.
The other party was a poison master as well, not to mention, he was also the first body that the founder had possessed. Besides, his life was held in the other party’s hands. Putting aside taking a look at the booklet, even if the other party wanted to take it away, he wouldn’t dare object to it.
"You have my gratitude." Smiling, Zhang Xuan was in the midst of his words when the ground abruptly shook violently. A dull rumbling echoed in the distance, as if something had collapsed.
"What is happening?" Alarmed, the trio hurriedly flew out of the room and turned their gazes in the direction that the uproar had come from. Taking a closer look, they noticed that a powerful shockwave had emanated from a mountain not too far away. It seemed like there were two powerful experts clashing with one another.
"That is the might of a Saint 4-dan expert," Poison Master Bai remarked with a deep frown.
"That is... where the Mausoleum of Hall Masters is! Quick, let’s head over to take a look!"
The strongest expert in the Hongyuan Empire Poison Hall was Ruo Qingyuan, who only possessed the cultivation of Saint 3-dan pinnacle. For the might of a Saint 4-dan to burst forth in the Poison Hall, it was apparent that something must have happened!
And most important of all, the ruckus originated from the Mausoleum of Hall Masters!
That was where the booklet was stored!
Sou! Sou! Sou!
With incomparably fast speed, it took merely the blink of an eye for them to arrive at the Mausoleum of Hall Masters. At this moment, the entire building had already collapsed. Vice Hall Master Xu and the others were standing not too far away with anxious looks on their faces.
"What happened?" Poison Master Bai asked.
"Reporting to Poison Master Bai, I am not too sure either. Last night, our hall master said that he was going to the Mausoleum of Hall Masters to retrieve something, and he instructed us to wait here. But despite waiting for so long, he still hasn’t returned yet," Vice Hall Master Xu said with dread.
"He still hasn’t returned yet? There is no doubt about it, something must have happened to him. Let’s hurry in to take a look!" Frowning, Poison Master Bai rushed into the Mausoleum of Hall Masters without any hesitation.
Poison Master Hai and Zhang Xuan followed closely behind.
Upon seeing them enter, Vice Hall Master Xu and the others hesitated for a moment before clenching their jaws and following them in as well.
According to the rules, the Mausoleum of Hall Masters could only be accessed by the incumbent hall master of the branch. Despite being esteemed elders, they were unqualified to enter the premises. However, in the face of such a major crisis, they could only forgo conventions for the time being.
Upon entering, the elders noted that the entire mountain slope was filled with towering and majestic tombs, and the hall masters of each generation were buried in each of them. Inscribed on the tombstones in front of the tombs were the outstanding contributions they had made to the Poison Hall.
Not too long later, they caught up with Poison Master Bai, Poison Master Hai, and ’Sun Qiang’. At this point, they had already come to a halt. Standing right before a huge depression, the trio had an awful complexion on their faces.
Following the gazes of the trio, Vice Hall Master Xu’s eyes narrowed in astonishment as his face turned ghastly pale. "Hall Master..."
At the very center of the depression lay Hall Master Ruo Qingyuan, his body crimson with fresh blood.
Quickly flying over to help the Ruo Qingyuan up, Vice Hall Master Xu realized that the other party had already stopped breathing. Judging from the other party’s injuries, it seemed like he had been killed with a single palm strike. In fact, it seemed like the huge depression in the ground had been caused by the same palm strike.
"Our hall master... is dead?"
The faces of the many elders paled in horror.