Chapter 1067: He Is a Heaven-Recognized Master

The ground trembled violently, countless buildings collapsed, and a gigantic palm print appeared before them. Zhang Xuan was in a sorry state, covered in dust.

Fortunately, he reacted quickly and had the formidable being attack; otherwise, both of them would have been flattened into paste and killed instantly.

“How can he be this strong?” Feng Xun gritted his teeth, his face full of disbelief. As a Centurion of the Combat Master Hall, he could easily defeat ordinary Saint 4-realm master teachers. Yet, this individual before him was like an unshakeable mountain… far stronger than he had anticipated. Had he held back during his fight with Wu shi?

That shouldn't be possible! “No, he must have refined the Lightning Orb and is using its power along with the grand formation!” Feng Xun’s pupils constricted, his eyes filled with terror. He had thought he could intervene and stop him, but now it seemed too late! Although the opponent hadn't fully mastered the Lightning Orb, it looked like he had refined at least seventy to eighty percent of it. With its power and the formation, even a Saint 5-realm expert might not be able to contend, let alone them.

“Who are you?” Just as shocked, Stoneleaf King was equally appalled. He sharply turned his head and stared coldly at Zhang Xuan. The murderous aura moments ago had been terrifying, no less potent than his own, and for it to suddenly emanate from a human youth left him in disbelief.

“Let’s go!” Knowing that Feng Xun was there and that more words would only cause more trouble, Zhang Xuan let out a low cry, pulled him along, and continued to flee outwards. The individual before them was far stronger than Violetleaf King, Goldleaf King, and the others. Even if the two of them tried to stop him, they wouldn't succeed. It was better to leave quickly than be killed.

“Trying to leave? Do you think you can escape?” Stoneleaf King snorted coldly, spread his five fingers, and made a sudden grasp. With a whoosh, the suspended Lightning Orb completely fell into his palm. He lightly flicked a finger, and with a roar, several bolts of lightning struck down from the sky, forming a cage that enveloped both of them.

“There’s no escaping…” Seeing their surroundings sealed off, Zhang Xuan’s heart turned cold. If they tried to break through, they would likely be reduced to ashes instantly. The opponent had completely refined the Lightning Orb and gained control of the Sea of Lightning formation. As long as they remained within the formation’s range, escaping his pursuit would be impossible.

“Teacher Zhang, our Combat Master Hall has a secret technique that can double one’s power. I’ll go and block him, and you can seize the opportunity to escape…” Feng Xun struggled, stood up, and waved his hand in front of Zhang Xuan.

“Double your power? After using it, will you still have a chance to escape?” Zhang Xuan frowned and looked at him. Such secret techniques that rapidly boost power typically deplete one’s foundation and cultivation. Once used, even if one could kill the opponent, one would inevitably not live long.

Without answering his question, Feng Xun merely smiled faintly. “Principal Zhang, your students have disgraced our Combat Master Hall. To be honest… the first time I saw you, I didn’t like you! The sparring match was just an excuse; I simply wanted to find an opportunity to teach you a lesson, but unfortunately, I never succeeded!”

“Although I dislike you, I also know that you are more useful alive than I am; you have a greater role to play for humanity!” He didn’t want to admit it, yet he had to… just thinking about it felt a bit sad. “But it doesn’t matter. The prosperity of humanity is more important than personal feelings. So… in a moment, I will break open the lightning barrier. You must seize the chance to escape, run as fast as you can… You must live!”

“Escape?” Zhang Xuan was somewhat moved that this man, at a crucial moment, could set aside personal grudges and devote himself entirely to humanity. He nodded, “Alright!”

“Let’s begin!” Seeing Zhang Xuan agree, Feng Xun breathed a sigh of relief. His eyebrows shot up, and his aura suddenly surged. *Boom!* Just as his aura reached its peak and he was about to activate the secret technique, he suddenly felt a powerful blow to the back of his head. His vision went black, and his body crashed heavily to the ground as he fainted.

“Even if you used the secret technique, we wouldn’t be able to escape. My apologies…” Zhang Xuan knocked the man unconscious and shook his head helplessly. The other party’s idea was indeed good, and currently the best option, but for him… it would only lead to everyone’s complete annihilation. Even if he could escape with Feng Xun’s obstruction, he wouldn’t be able to leave the Sea of Lightning’s range. As long as he remained inside, he would still be killed. Moreover, if this guy wasn’t dealt with, Wu shi and the others would be discovered and also wouldn’t escape their doom. Therefore, the best method now was not to escape, but to… confront him!

Since the two of them were communicating telepathically, Stoneleaf King opposite them was unaware of their conversation, but seeing them seemingly fighting each other, he couldn’t help but be startled.

“Stoneleaf King, long time no see. Didn’t you just ask who I was? I’ll tell you now, it’s me…” After knocking Feng Xun unconscious, Zhang Xuan looked up at the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe King not far away and smiled. His body began to creak, and the jade token on his chest flashed as if removing some kind of disguise. His entire being became taller, and a profound murderous aura spread out, giving off a powerful, mountain-like presence.

“Violetleaf King?” Stoneleaf King was stunned as he recognized the other party’s appearance.

“It’s me!” Zhang Xuan nodded. The other great kings had been killed, and this fellow likely already knew. However, Violetleaf King hadn’t died; he had remained in Zhang Xuan’s Myriad Anthill. Impersonating him now was the most suitable option. Furthermore, Zhang Xuan was most familiar with him, making it difficult for anyone to find flaws in the disguise.

“You and Waterleaf King went on a mission, but no news came back. What exactly happened?” Stoneleaf King’s expression darkened. This fellow had gone with Waterleaf King to the Poison Hall to find a map. As a result, Waterleaf King’s soul jade token shattered, and while this guy seemed fine, there had been no word from him. Everyone had thought he had met a tragic end, but unexpectedly, he suddenly reappeared.

“As you can see, I secretly disguised myself and infiltrated humanity. To gain their trust, I dared not send any messages casually…” Zhang Xuan explained.

“Infiltrated humanity?” Stoneleaf King frowned, his divine sense spreading out and instantly enveloping the disguised Violetleaf King. To be honest, it was hard to believe his sudden appearance after being missing for over half a month. After a thorough probe, he found that the murderous true energy within him was pure, his aura robust, and there were no issues whatsoever. This meant that the one standing before him was indeed Violetleaf King.

“Yes, I discovered a great secret of humanity, one with immense implications. Once confirmed, this information could very well lead to the downfall of our Spirit race… So, I didn’t have time to report; I immediately disguised myself and infiltrated humanity.” Knowing that the other party was secretly probing him, Zhang Xuan did not evade. Instead, he furrowed his brows and lowered his voice.

“Downfall?” Stoneleaf King withdrew his divine sense and shook his head. “What kind of joke is that? Back then, even Master Kong, who was so powerful, only managed to push us out of the continent. What news could possibly lead to our downfall?” Master Kong established the Master Teacher profession and unified humanity, becoming incomparably powerful. At that time, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, though unable to resist, only retreated from the continent, preserving their lineage. How could a single piece of news wipe out the Spirit race? This was alarmist talk!

“I didn’t believe it at first either, but… it’s the truth!” Zhang Xuan’s expression was grave. No matter how perfect his disguise as Violetleaf King was, suspicion would inevitably arise. To prevent the other party from dwelling on it, the best method was to divert his attention… by revealing something shocking that would leave him no time for doubt.

“The truth? What truth?” Seeing his expression, Stoneleaf King looked over. To be honest, he still didn't fully trust the Violetleaf King before him, but that didn't stop him from listening to the news he had to share.

“Have you ever heard of a Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher?” Zhang Xuan looked at him.

“A Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher?” Stoneleaf King was startled, his pupils contracting. “Of course, I know! Master Kong was one! Such master teachers gain the recognition of heaven and earth and are truly invincible beings. Could it be that…?”

“That’s right… Originally, I was tasked with the mission to the Poison Hall. However, I inadvertently discovered a Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher. That’s why I didn’t have time to report; I temporarily changed my plan, disguised myself as a human, and blended into the crowd!” Zhang Xuan nodded.

“How is that possible?! According to the information we have, Master Kong is the only Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher in history. No one has been able to achieve it since, not even his direct disciples, the Seventy-Two Sages… Where did you hear this news?” Stoneleaf King’s body stiffened in disbelief. The implications of a Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher were too significant. If there truly was one who reached Master Kong’s level, their Otherworldly Demonic Tribe might indeed face complete annihilation. Not to mention anything else, when they fled the continent back then, they suffered immense losses to their vitality and took tens of thousands of years to fully recover. If another such individual appeared… they truly wouldn’t be able to resist. After tens of thousands of years of development, they had recovered, but humanity, with its master teachers, had also grown stronger.

“This news is absolutely true, and what’s more… I’ve been following this Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher and deliberately lured him here…” Zhang Xuan nodded.

“Lured him here?” Stoneleaf King paused, then looked down at Feng Xun, who was lying unconscious on the ground. “Are you saying he… is that Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher?”

“Exactly, it’s him!” Zhang Xuan replied, his voice righteous and firm.

“This…” Stoneleaf King frowned, full of doubt. Although the individual before him possessed the ability to fight beyond his cultivation level, he seemed somewhat reckless and bore no resemblance to the legendary Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher.

“What, you don’t believe it?” The disguised Violetleaf King (Zhang Xuan) scoffed. “Our Spirit race must have a method to verify a Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher, right? If you don’t believe me, you can certainly verify it yourself!”

“We do… have a way,” Stoneleaf King frowned. “It’s just quite troublesome…” “Trouble is nothing! The crucial thing is, once he’s confirmed to be a Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher, if we can find a way to make him serve us, our Spirit race will undoubtedly become even stronger! Our contributions will be astonishing and enshrined in history—it’s only a matter of time!” Zhang Xuan’s voice carried a hint of temptation.

“That’s true…” Stoneleaf King nodded, hesitating for a moment. “However, to test a Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher, Jadeleaf King needs to take action. Only he possesses that ability. As long as he comes, we can confirm whether this individual is truly a Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher!”