Chapter 1060: Absolute Skill

In his opinion, if a problem arose, they would definitely discover something unusual and thus infer they were under attack by the demonic sound. This process shouldn't take long; even the slowest person would surely figure it out within two or three days.

He never expected that the old dean and his companions would take over half a month to realize what was happening. That's simply too slow!

"Perhaps it's related to their strength," Zhang Xuan mused. "Dean Wu Tianqiong and the others couldn't withstand it. Their minds were internally confused, preventing them from regaining their sanity, so it's natural they couldn't discover these issues."

After pondering for a while, Zhang Xuan came to a conclusion. The old dean and the many elders he brought at the time were all only around Saint 1-dan. Even the strongest among them, the dean, was merely at the Spirit Perception realm. At such a level, it was highly probable that, just like Wu Tianqiong and the other combat masters, their minds became chaotic as soon as they arrived, leaving them unaware of their injuries. In such a state, even self-medication would be a huge problem, let alone finding the root cause and solving the issue.

"Since the old dean left behind inscriptions, it indicates they made it out of here alive..."

Having understood the situation, Zhang Xuan no longer dwelled on it. After traveling so far and enduring so many dangers, he finally knew for certain that the old dean and his group had indeed passed through this place, just like them, and were even trapped here.

Shifting his thoughts from the old dean, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze back to the stone tablet. "The stone tablet states that anyone who reaches this point within three days will acquire a unique secret technique," he murmured. "I'm currently within that timeframe, so let's see what I can gain."

He didn't know what material it was made of, but it was extremely heavy. As his finger lightly touched it, he quickly noticed something unusual.

On the side of the stone tablet was a groove designed for a hand, appearing as if a mere touch could activate some imprint left within. The creator of this ruin was truly enigmatic; although the stone tablet presented itself as benign, it was always better to be cautious.

After a careful inspection revealed no hidden mechanisms or dangers, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath, prepared his defenses, extended his palm, and pressed it onto the groove.

The moment his palm touched the groove, a beam of light flashed, and the hypnotic demonic sound that had previously been inescapable ceased, as if a switch had been flipped. Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. With the sound stopped, even if he didn't immediately rescue Teacher Wu and the others, they would surely be able to escape the danger on their own and would no longer be uncontrollably compelled to act as before.

Creaking!

With the sound silenced, the stone tablet quivered once more, as if activating a special mechanism or formation. Then, with a whoosh, a faint figure materialized before him.

It was an old man with white hair and a beard, from whom emanated a sharp aura. Though merely a remnant soul, he exuded a powerful mental pressure.

"So strong..." Zhang Xuan's face grew solemn, his eyes filled with vigilance.

Although the figure was only a soul, having existed for countless years and now fading, if it were to genuinely attack him, Zhang Xuan knew he still couldn't resist. This was an insurmountable disparity in rank and power. In other words, the master of this remnant soul must have reached at least Saint 5-dan or even higher during their lifetime. Otherwise, Zhang Xuan wouldn't feel such apprehension.

"No need to be nervous, I am the one who left this ruin!"

Sensing the vigilance in Zhang Xuan's eyes, the figure smiled. "That you were able to discover the trap I laid and find this place so quickly indicates that your insight and perception are extraordinary. You are qualified to receive my unique technique and carry it forward!" The figure's tone was filled with praise. He had set a three-day limit, yet Zhang Xuan had taken less than half an hour, a level of capability that exceeded his expectations.

"I am merely a remnant soul, and I cannot remain here for long," the figure continued. "Time is pressing, so quickly acknowledge me as your master!" With hands clasped behind his back, the figure looked over at him.

"Acknowledge you as master?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"Indeed. If you wish to inherit my legacy, you must become my disciple. Otherwise, how can I impart my unique technique to you?" the figure nodded. The tradition of master-disciple inheritance emphasizes proper acknowledgement; to receive a unique technique without formally becoming a disciple would be inappropriate.

"This..." Zhang Xuan hesitated. Up to this point, he had never acknowledged anyone as his master; even Master Kong's invitation to take him as a disciple had been declined. Therefore, he strongly resisted the idea of casually acknowledging as his master someone whose origins were unknown and whose name he didn't even know.

"What, you're unwilling?" Seeing his conflicted expression, the figure showed surprise. When he was alive, those who wished to become his disciples could have formed a line around an entire city. Now, to offer to take a disciple and impart a unique technique, only to be met with hesitation, filled him with disbelief.

"It's not that I'm unwilling," Zhang Xuan replied, "but I already have my own teacher. To rashly acknowledge someone else without his consent would be against the principles of discipleship..." Anyway, the identity of Yang Xuan was his convenient scapegoat, so he might as well use it again.

"It's impossible for a person to have only one teacher in their life. Even Master Kong, in his time, had multiple teachers... that's nothing!" Thinking Zhang Xuan was concerned about this, the figure smiled upon hearing his words. Although Master Kong was revered as the teacher of all ages, he was not a born sage; he achieved his realm step by step, and thus, he also acknowledged many teachers in his youth. If even he was like that, why should anyone else hesitate?

"Senior, what you said is very true. I was being rigid!"

Nodding, Zhang Xuan then smiled faintly. "Acknowledging you as my master is certainly possible. However, could you perhaps first demonstrate the unique technique you intend to teach me? That way, I'll have a clear understanding and be fully motivated to learn."

"Very well!" The figure nodded. To take disciples and impart unique techniques, one must first demonstrate their power to gain willing acceptance. It was akin to inspecting goods before a purchase. While this might seem to question his authority, after so much time and with his identity unrevealed, it was best to truly convince the other party with a genuine, unique technique.

With hands clasped behind his back, the figure spoke of his unique technique with immense confidence, subtly radiating an aura of invincibility. "This unique technique of mine is a movement art called 'Boundless Traveler'," he announced. "It has five levels, and when cultivated to perfection, it allows one to disregard the shackles of space, reaching any desired location in the shortest possible time!"

"Boundless Traveler?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. Although he hadn't yet seen this movement art, the name alone, which exuded an air of transcending the world, revealed its formidable power.

No wonder this place was called the Boundless Realm; it was likely designed to test a cultivator's mental fortitude, spatial awareness, sense of direction, and overall talent! Only individuals of extraordinary talent could detect the anomaly and find this place within three days. If Zhang Xuan hadn't possessed his Heaven's Path zhenqi, it would likely have been very difficult for him to notice.

"Indeed," the figure affirmed. "Heaven and Earth have their boundaries, but the Traveler is boundless. To master the most profound movement art, one must first discard the mental limitations of boundaries. Only with a boundless heart can one move freely and unconstrained."

Zhang Xuan nodded. It was like sword techniques: reaching their pinnacle meant transcending specific moves. Being fixated on individual forms was merely the lowest level of mastery. True unique techniques prioritized fluidity and adaptability over rigid forms. Although he had yet to witness the 'Boundless Traveler' in action, the figure's mere explanation of it conveyed a sense of immense scope and extraordinary depth.

"Since you wish to see it, I shall let you witness it!"

Noticing the young man's shock and realizing that his pride and confidence had been utterly shattered, the figure smiled faintly. Without any discernible physical movement, the figure suddenly vanished, reappearing thousands of meters away in the next instant.

"So fast..." Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted. The figure's speed was impossible to discern with the naked eye; it was almost instantaneous teleportation. While his own Heaven's Path movement art was impressive, compared to this, it felt as slow as a snail. Of course, it wasn't that the Heaven's Path movement art was inherently inferior, but rather that its current cultivation level was too low. What he was currently cultivating was merely a compilation of basic techniques he had gathered, not even reaching Saint-grade level, so it was understandable that it fell short of the figure's art.

While still in shock, the distant figure flickered once more, appearing before him. In the blink of an eye, it darted thousands of meters away, then returned in an instant, as if its body had remained stationary—a speed beyond imagination.

"Are you willing to learn?" The figure laughed heartily. His movement art was unparalleled throughout history; even Master Kong himself had praised it. He found it hard to believe anyone could refuse.

"This movement art is indeed good, but..."

Instead of answering immediately, Zhang Xuan hesitated, his voice trailing off.

"But what?" The figure frowned.

"I just feel there are a few flaws that prevent it from being entirely perfect..." Zhang Xuan replied.

He never expected this young man to be so arrogant. The figure swung his arm, clearly displeased. "Flaws? How presumptuous!" the figure exclaimed. "With your level of strength, you claim to see problems in my movement art?"

"First," Zhang Xuan began, ignoring the figure's anger, "when you moved just now, although your speed was incredibly fast and hard to discern, if I'm not mistaken, it was achieved through qi threads! The method is simple: you first project your true qi to your desired location, and then your body, like a puppet pulled by strings, instantly follows. While incredibly fast, it has a significant flaw: if someone discovers this technique and severs the connecting threads, you could be flung to an unpredictable location. In combat, such a mishap could easily lead to instant death."

"Second, this technique must consume an enormous amount of true qi, correct? While it allows you to evade attacks and reach a safe spot quickly, if your true qi is insufficient, it will be completely depleted, leaving you as vulnerable as a fish on a chopping block. Used in battle, it wouldn't just fail to secure victory; it would make you even more susceptible to danger!"

"Third, such extreme speed also places incredibly high demands on the physical body. You are currently in a soul state, so you are unaffected, but for a physical body, it would be almost impossible without Saint-grade level or higher refinement. And if someone possesses a body of Saint-artifact caliber, how powerful would they already be? Do you have corresponding cultivation methods for that? If not, what is the true purpose of this movement art?"

"You..." The figure, initially unconcerned, suddenly changed expression upon hearing Zhang Xuan's words.