Chapter 1092: Goodbye King Tianye

Zhang Xuan shook his head as he watched everyone practice for a while, none of them managing to grasp the technique. Although he had corrected eighteen flaws in the palm technique, many earlier imperfections remained, meaning its practice still demanded an immense amount of True Qi. Though none of them were weak, they still fell far short when compared to his Heaven's Path Divine Art. It was impossible for them to master it in such a short time.

It was like him mastering the incredibly powerful saber technique of the Green Dragon Crescent Blade and being willing to impart it selflessly. However, how could students practice if they couldn't even lift the saber? Just as a clever cook cannot prepare a meal without ingredients, even as a Grandmaster, he was helpless if their True Qi reserves and purity were insufficient.

"I'm heading to the Sanctum of Sages to find the old dean. Is anyone coming along?" Zhang Xuan spoke, knowing that staying longer was pointless—the palm technique had been taught, and their future cultivation depended entirely on themselves. Ancient Sage Qiuwu had previously mentioned that the old dean and King Tianye had gone to the Sanctum of Sages up ahead. To rescue anyone, they would have to go there.

"Let's go together!" Wu shi and the others nodded. Everyone had already committed the Grand Solace Heavenly Demon Palm's techniques to memory. Staying here any longer was pointless; they might as well go together to search for Dean Zhang Yinqiu and the others.

"Where did you go just now?" As they continued forward, Zhang Xuan recalled Luo Ruoxi flying back from ahead moments ago and couldn't resist sending a voice transmission.

"I just had a look around..." The girl smiled softly.

"Oh..." Seeing her reluctance to elaborate, Zhang Xuan didn't press further.

Following the map's indications, they soon arrived at a pavilion. Clouds swirled around it, imbuing it with a sense of sacredness.

After a glance, President Han's expression turned grave. "This place is protected by an incredibly powerful formation. Once inside, it might be difficult to leave. So, Wu shi, Zhang shi, and I will enter first. Everyone else, please wait outside for now!"

The pavilion was unnamed, giving the impression of being hidden in the void, clearly enveloped by a colossal formation. Combined with what the Ancient Sage had previously said about potentially entering and never returning, there was no need for everyone to risk going inside.

"We're not afraid..." Feng Xun and the others said with solemn expressions.

"It's not a question of fear," Wu shi interjected. "If all of us get trapped inside, there'll truly be no one left to rescue us. Everyone should guard outside and investigate the surroundings. If we don't emerge after three days, then you can consider other options!" This involved everyone's safety, so impulsive actions were out of the question. Otherwise, if they all got trapped, there would truly be no way out.

"Alright!" After a moment of hesitation, everyone finally nodded.

"You wait outside too. I'll be fine..." Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, looking at Luo Ruoxi. He didn't know what they would encounter inside, but it was undoubtedly extremely dangerous, and he didn't want the girl to follow him.

"Let's go together. We can look out for each other!" The girl looked at him.

"This..." Seeing her firm, unwavering gaze, Zhang Xuan paused before reluctantly nodding in agreement. "Alright, but you must be very careful once we're inside!"

Luo Ruoxi smiled softly and nodded.

Fearing that the remnant soul of King Tianye, which had escaped earlier, might cause trouble for the group, Zhang Xuan had President Han set up a peak-level Tier-7 killing formation to guard their surroundings. Only then did he, Wu shi, and the others proceed into the pavilion. The formation surrounding the pavilion, much like the seal in the underground cave, was one-directional: entering posed no obstacle, but once inside, it immediately formed a restriction, making departure impossible.

"Just as expected, there's no return..." After walking for a while, they felt the space behind them solidify, trapping them. Everyone exchanged grim glances.

They passed through the seal without encountering any danger, which brought a sigh of relief. Reaching the pavilion, they pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The first floor was immensely vast, with rows of stone tablets standing upright, covered in densely carved text.

"These are... insights on breaking through to the Saint realm?" After a glance, Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi exchanged surprised looks. They had seen the text on these stone tablets before; it was identical to the carvings on the mountain path of the Sanctum of Sages' Platform, all offering insights on how to achieve a breakthrough to the Saint realm.

"It appears this Sanctum of Sages indeed has a close connection with the Platform of Deification..." With similar names and identical content on the stone tablets, neither of them would believe there was no connection between the two places. Wu shi and President Han also seemed to have visited the Sanctum of Sages' Platform. They too were surprised by the content on the stone tablets, then looked at each other with confusion.

As they continued forward, just as they were about to enter the second floor, their hair stood on end. A sword beam shot straight out from the depths of the pavilion.

Boom!

Wu shi and President Han's True Qi suddenly erupted. They simultaneously stepped forward, meeting the sword beam head-on in unison. Their powers merged, and though they didn't form a deliberate formation, their combined strength produced an effect greater than the sum of its parts. After colliding with the sword energy, they both staggered back several steps, their faces pale.

"It's King Tianye..." Zhang Xuan's expression changed instantly. A single sword energy, appearing from nowhere, was enough to overwhelm two grand masters. Likely, only King Tianye, trapped here and unable to escape, could possess such power.

"Hehe, impressive! Zhang Xuan, it would have been fine if you hadn't come, but now that you're here, there's only one path: death..." With a cold sneer, King Tianye's voice rang out, followed by a tall figure slowly emerging from the depths of the hall. Unlike the primordial spirit they had seen before, this King Tianye was corporeal and substantial, remarkably tall, even slightly taller than King Hongye and King Yuye.

"You know me? Did that remnant soul... enter here and merge with you?" Zhang Xuan was startled to hear his name spoken so readily. It seemed the remnant soul that had escaped earlier had also entered this place. Otherwise, with the other party trapped for over two years, there would be no way for him to recognize Zhang Xuan or harbor such intense hatred.

"You damaged my primordial spirit. If you hadn't come in, I would have had no way to deal with you, but since you did, don't even think about leaving!" With a cold sneer, King Tianye raised a finger and sharply pointed it.

Wu shi and President Han stepped forward again, their True Qi boiling within them.

Bang! Thump!

With two muffled thuds, both were sent flying backward. Although both were very strong, they were still significantly weaker compared to King Tianye.

"Zhang shi, quickly, run..." Twisting his body, Wu shi forcibly landed on the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood as he roared. The opponent's primordial spirit hadn't even left his body, yet their combined efforts couldn't withstand him. If he truly unleashed his full power, they would be absolutely no match!

"Run? Do you truly believe you can escape?" King Tianye sneered, then suddenly made a grasping motion with his palm.

Whoosh!

The entire hall seemed instantly enveloped as a formidable power sealed off their surroundings.

"This is bad..." Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted. He hadn't expected to encounter King Tianye so soon after entering, especially not at his full strength. The other party was already on guard against him, making deception impossible. And head-on combat was out of the question since they were no match. Were they doomed to simply wait for death here?

"Break through!" Raising his palm, he unleashed the Grand Solace Heavenly Demon Palm he had just learned, striking at the confinement before him. The seal rippled like water but didn't crack. Instead, a rebounding force surged back, making him involuntarily stumble back a few steps, as if he had struck a spring.

"This is my ultimate move, developed during the two years I've been trapped here. Even Saint 5-dan experts can't break it. And you, merely a Half-Saint?" Seeing his attempt, King Tianye smiled faintly. President Han and Wu shi also rose, each unleashing their strongest attacks on the seal, only to find them as ineffective as Zhang Xuan's.

"I still have to comprehend what Master Kong left behind. I don't have time to waste with you..." Shaking his head, King Tianye pointed a finger, and another sword beam shot towards them. This time, the beam was even more powerful, striking directly at Zhang Xuan. Its immense force suggested that if it hit, not even divine intervention could save him.

"It's over..." His pupils contracted, and Zhang Xuan's body went rigid. He couldn't even resist a remnant soul from the opponent. At full strength, and having cultivated here for two years, he naturally had no chance of resisting.

Just as he was about to release his clone to withstand the sword beam, a flash of light shot forth, followed by a tremendous roar, and his vision was instantly engulfed in a thick mist.

"It's a peak-level Tier-7 formation plate..." Only a peak-level Tier-7 formation plate could instantly generate such a dense mist. Such an item was incredibly rare; even President Han didn't possess one. How could it appear here?

"Everyone, quickly follow me..." As they wondered, a voice transmission sounded in their ears, and an elder's figure appeared before them.

"Is that... Vice Dean Jiyan?" Recognizing the figure, Wu shi couldn't help but exclaim.

"It is indeed I. Wu shi, please follow me..." The elder nodded.

"Alright!" Agreeing, Wu shi gestured for everyone to follow closely behind him.

"Vice Dean Jiyan?" Overhearing their conversation, Zhang Xuan immediately understood. This Vice Dean, like Vice Dean Murenxu whom he had met previously, was also a Vice Dean of the Master Teacher Academy. He had entered this place with Dean Zhang Yinqiu, and it now appeared he had not perished.

"Such immense strength..." Following closely behind him, Zhang Xuan secretly glanced over, his eyebrows involuntarily twitching in surprise. This Vice Dean Jiyan, just two years ago, should have possessed only Saint 1-dan strength, similar to Vice Dean Murenxu and the others. Yet now, he had astonishingly reached Saint 4-dan, no weaker than Wu shi. To have advanced three entire major realms in just over two years, especially within the Saint realm, was simply too exaggerated.

"Your strength..." Wu shi also noticed and couldn't help but inquire.

"The spiritual energy here is incredibly dense, and Master Kong also left behind numerous treasures. Furthermore, with the constant battle of wits and strength against King Tianye and the others, anyone with slightly weaker cultivation would have likely perished long ago..." Vice Dean Jiyan shook his head with a bitter smile. The spiritual energy in this place was many times denser than outside, and combined with the various treasures and King Tianye's oppressive presence, anyone without Saint 4-dan strength likely wouldn't have survived until now.

"How many... how many of your group are left?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask. The old dean had originally brought around thirty people. Over a dozen bodies had been seen outside, suggesting that at least ten more should have survived.

"Fewer than three remain..." Vice Dean Jiyan sighed.

"Fewer than three?" Everyone was stunned. Either three or two, but "fewer than three"—what did that mean? Could there be two and a half?