Chapter 1041: Finding Trouble

"Sun Jin is one of the most powerful artifact forgers in the guild, with many disciples and followers. I'm just an apprentice, and I've been expelled, so I'm not qualified to take you to see him..." The middle-aged man hesitated upon hearing that Zhang Xuan intended to meet Sun Jin directly.

Fire Origin City, rich in underground flames, grants artifact forgers and alchemists extremely high status. They are not people anyone can simply meet, especially peak artifact forgers like Sun Jin, who has reached six stars or higher.

"Not qualified? Don't worry, I'll take you to see him!" Zhang Xuan snorted, then, after confirming the location, strode forward.

The Artifact Forger Guild in Fire Origin City was indeed bustling. The main hall was packed with cultivators buying and selling weapons, and numerous one-star and two-star artifact forgers were managing the reception, ensuring order among the visitors.

After walking through the main hall for a while, they arrived at a spacious chamber. Just as they were about to enter, two four-star artifact forgers stepped forward. Recognizing the middle-aged man behind Zhang Xuan, they both smirked coldly.

"Well, well, if it isn't Song Zhen, still an apprentice after more than 20 years of studying artifact forging. What, you haven't given up yet? Want to come and try the test one more time?"

"It's pointless, no matter how many times you take it. It's not like you haven't tried before! A good-for-nothing remains a good-for-nothing; no amount of trying will change your essence!" Their faces were contorted with sneering smiles, clearly indicating they were well aware of the middle-aged man's history.

"I..." Song Zhen, the middle-aged man, turned pale upon hearing their taunts, wanting to speak but ultimately unable to utter a word.

"Alright, enough of your stuttering. Get out! Our teacher has no desire to see you, so it's useless for you to keep coming back!"

As Song Zhen was about to explain, Zhang Xuan raised a hand, cutting him off, and looked at the forgers: "It's not him who wants to see your teacher; it's me! Tell Sun Jin to come out and greet me!"

"Tell our teacher to greet you? What do you think you are?!" Hearing the young man speak with such an arrogant tone, actually demanding their teacher come out to greet him, the four-star artifact forger guarding the entrance snorted in derision, his face twisted in a sneer. Their teacher's status was so high that even the City Lord of Fire Origin City had to submit an official request for an audience in advance. Yet, this fellow, who appeared to be only in his twenties, had the gall to demand he be greeted. He clearly didn't know his place.

"I'll count to three. Leave immediately, or do you believe I'll throw you out?" The other artifact forger also frowned.

Seeing their expressions, which showed no intention of letting him in, Zhang Xuan helplessly shook his head. "Since he won't come out, I'll just go in myself." With that, he ignored the two blocking his path and strode confidently inside. As the esteemed Principal of the Master Teacher Academy, even if he were to meet a seven-star Master Teacher, the other party would not dare to block him outside.

"How dare you! What do you think you're doing?" Seeing him forcefully push his way in, the expressions of both four-star artifact forgers changed simultaneously. They quickly blocked his path, flipping their palms as power surged forth, clearly intending to attack. However, before their attacks could be launched, they were met by a colossal surge of power.

*Thud! Thud!*

Both men were involuntarily sent flying backward simultaneously, crashing heavily onto the ground. Their faces flushed, and they spat out blood. These two, it seemed, were accustomed to using their influence to bully others, especially those of lower status. Thus, Zhang Xuan held nothing back. With a mere release of his *zhenqi*, he inflicted severe injuries upon them. Four-star artifact forgers were merely at the Bridging Heaven realm level. Even a casual release of his *zhenqi* was something they couldn't withstand.

"Oh no! Someone's forcing their way in!" Struggling to his feet, one of the four-star artifact forgers roared loudly. The loud cry immediately echoed throughout the entire guild hall.

"Forcing their way in? What's happening?" Countless gazes immediately swiveled towards the commotion.

Ignoring the stares, Zhang Xuan continued to walk deeper into the building with a composed expression.

The middle-aged man, Song Zhen, had initially thought that this individual would come here to find a solution to his situation. He never imagined he would simply force his way in. Frightened, he cringed, hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and followed close behind. Regardless, the other person had forced his way in for his sake. As the one directly involved, how could he possibly retreat?

Seeing him follow without a word, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction. While Zhang Xuan was indignant at such a fraudulent "teacher" and intended to deal with the situation, it would have been quite troublesome for him if the person involved, following behind, had been timid and hesitant.

"Daring to force your way into the guild! You're asking for death!"

"Quick, stop this fellow!" Hearing the shout from the four-star artifact forger, six or seven middle-aged men immediately surged out from a nearby room. All were clad in artifact forger robes, most of them four-star or five-star. The moment they appeared, they blocked the two men's path, launching various attacks without a word.

The Artifact Forger Guild in Fire Origin City held a revered status; it was not a place where just anyone could barge in. If they failed to stop him, they would lose face. Thus, these individuals didn't hesitate, intending to subdue the man before them immediately.

"Ruckus!" Seeing them launch their attacks directly, Zhang Xuan sneered but said nothing. With his hands clasped behind his back, he continued to walk forward.

*Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!*

All the attackers were sent flying backward; the stronger their attacks, the harder they fell. One by one, their faces paled, and they vomited blood. Five-star artifact forgers had already reached the Transcendent Mortal 8-dan and 9-dan realms. Yet, with all their strength, they didn't even qualify to make Zhang Xuan truly act, simply being sent flying. Song Zhen, behind him, was so terrified that his face turned pale and his body trembled. From childhood, the strongest person he had ever seen was the Guild Master of the Artifact Forger Guild. This individual before him, however, was likely even more formidable.

"Quick! Someone's breaking in..."

*Whoosh!*

As these individuals fell, another wave of people surged forward, almost all uniformly five-star artifact forgers. The moment they appeared, they attacked Zhang Xuan. However, these attacks were just as ineffective; like those before them, they ended up sprawling on the ground.

After knocking down three consecutive waves of attackers, the two had already stepped into the main hall.

"Song Zhen, what is the meaning of this?" Upon entering the hall, they saw an elder glaring at them coldly, his eyes alight with fury. Beside him stood two artifact forgers who had reached the six-star level.

"I..." Song Zhen's face paled at the sight of the elder. It seemed the elder's long-established authority had rendered him speechless.

"It means nothing in particular. I just want to ask how, as a peak six-star artifact forger, you can have a clear conscience by harming apprentices like Song Zhen, letting them harbor hope yet providing them with no path forward?" Ignoring the elder's reprimand, Zhang Xuan turned, sat down on the elder's seat, and raised an eyebrow as he looked at him.

The elder's face twitched, and his expression turned grim. "Who are you? This is the Artifact Forger Guild, not a place for you to cause trouble!"

"Cause trouble?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I'm merely here to seek justice for Song Zhen. That's hardly causing trouble!"

"Justice? What justice is he seeking? He's studied for twenty years and can't even pass the one-star artifact forger examination. What justice can such a good-for-nothing claim? It's only because Master Sun is generous and tolerant that he's been kept for so long. Otherwise, such a worthless person wouldn't even be qualified to remain in the guild!" A six-star artifact forger standing beside the elder stepped forward. This man, appearing to be around forty, had already reached the Conferred Saint realm. He cast a disdainful glance at Song Zhen, mockery evident in his eyes.

"I'm speaking with Sun Jin. Do you have the right to interject?" Zhang Xuan's face darkened. "Kneel!"

*Crack!*

The six-star artifact forger's pupils constricted. Immediately afterward, he felt a massive force surge over him. Without even a chance to resist, his knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.

"Daring to act so presumptuously here! What incredible audacity!" Seeing his companion forced to his knees with a single command, the other six-star artifact forger instantly became enraged. With a roar, a long sword materialized in his palm, which he thrust straight forward. The sword light shot out like a bolt of lightning, carrying an intense chill. Although the man's cultivation was only at the early stage of Saint 1-dan, the long sword in his hand had already reached the ultimate Spirit-tier! When combined with such a weapon, even a Saint 1-dan mid-stage expert would struggle to contend.

Ignoring the man's roar, Zhang Xuan flicked his finger. The long sword in the six-star artifact forger's hand immediately flew out, then landed in Zhang Xuan's palm with a soft *ding*, its spirit instantly recognizing him as its master. His own weapon had recognized someone else as its master! The six-star artifact forger looked as if he had seen a ghost. His face paled, and he spurted blood, instantly suffering severe injuries.

"Who exactly are you?" Seeing the young man before him make one of his students kneel with a single command, and cause an ultimate Spirit-tier artifact to recognize him as its master with a mere flick of his finger, Sun Jin's expression finally changed.

"I'm just here to seek justice for Song Zhen!" Zhang Xuan looked at him. "What, you don't want to explain?"

"He's been with me for twenty years and can't even pass the one-star artifact forger examination. His aptitude is simply too poor. What does that have to do with me?" Sun Jin gritted his teeth.

"Nothing to do with you?" Zhang Xuan poked his ear with a finger, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "I don't like to hear such things... Tell me the truth."

"You..." Seeing Zhang Xuan's demeanor, as if he had him completely cornered, the veins on Sun Jin's forehead pulsed, a hint of ferocity in his expression. "I am telling the truth! Talent is simply something that cannot be forced. If you don't believe me, ask Song Zhen himself; he can't even forge a one-star weapon. How is that related to me...?"

"It seems telling the truth is... difficult for you! In that case, let me give you a hint..." With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan looked at him. "The *zhenqi* he cultivates is suitable for locating ores, but it conflicts with underground flames, making him unable to forge artifacts... Can you tell me what's truly going on here?"

"This..." Sun Jin's expression shifted, and his fists clenched behind his back. "He's merely one of my ordinary apprentices. How am I supposed to know what cultivation technique he practices? What, as a dignified six-star artifact forger, am I expected to concern myself with how an apprentice cultivates? If that were the case, I wouldn't have time for anything else!"

"You..." Upon hearing his words, Song Zhen's face flushed red with anxiety. "My cultivation technique was taught to me personally by you, and you often guided me! How could you... not know?"