Chapter 1095: He Killed Nine People

“You?”

Hearing him interrupt, everyone paused, looking at him as if he were an idiot.

“Cough, cough!” Master Wu couldn’t help but interrupt the awkward silence. “Master Zhang, I know you are exceptionally talented and have unique methods and insights in cultivation. However, achieving sainthood is not something just anyone can do; it involves too much. It’s impossible for anyone to succeed!”

“That’s right, I’ve specifically researched Master Kong’s process of achieving sainthood, visited the Sainthood Platform, and reviewed countless documents. According to my deductions, to achieve sainthood, the first necessary condition is to be a Heaven-Recognized Master Teacher! Only when heaven and earth acknowledge your profession do you qualify for sainthood. Secondly, you must cultivate special techniques and possess exceptionally profound True Qi to knock open the gates of heaven and earth, cleanse impurities, and attain the supreme achievement of all time!”

Zhang Yinqiu, who was not far away, couldn't help but offer a word of advice upon hearing the fellow say this: “Your ability to see through the flaws in Ancient Sage Qiuwu’s palm technique shows a profound understanding of martial arts. Your ability to reach this place with your current strength indicates good combat power. However, relying solely on these to achieve sainthood is far from enough!”

“Achieving sainthood is no child’s play. Aren’t there many geniuses among the Sage Clans? And in the Combat Master Hall? So many powerful individuals, yet in tens of thousands of years, no one has been known to succeed. That shows how difficult it is, Master Zhang. You can try, but I’ll tell you upfront, don’t hold out too much hope,” President Han also said with a bitter smile.

No one was optimistic.

“Alright then!” Zhang Xuan wanted to say something but shook his head, ultimately deciding not to speak. To be honest, even though he had cultivated the Sainthood Unsealing Art, he wasn’t sure if he could achieve sainthood. As they said, he could only do his best. He wasn’t a show-off by nature, so it was best not to talk about something he wasn’t certain of, lest he fail and be ridiculed.

“Good, it’s fine that you understand. Achieving sainthood is not simple. Do your best if you can; if not, you’ll just have to accept it.” Ji Yan nodded as well. Just as he was about to continue speaking, he saw the light barrier around the stone platform in front of them begin to waver, its light gradually dimming.

Seeing this, his expression changed: “Time’s up! Everyone, hurry! Dean Zhang, we’ll see you tomorrow!” With that, he beckoned to the others and turned to walk down.

Seeing his panic, the others didn’t say much and quickly followed him. It wasn’t long before they reached their narrow living quarters again, and only then did Ji Yan finally breathe a sigh of relief.

“What’s going on? Why the sudden rush?” Master Wu couldn’t help but ask.

“Didn’t I say we only had the time it takes for an incense stick to burn?” Ji Yan looked at them.

“Yes!” Everyone nodded. He had indeed said something like that earlier.

“For the past year, the Sainthood Platform has been releasing holy light daily, illuminating the surroundings. During this time, King Tianye can only hide in his residence, unable to move, or else he’d be scorched by the holy light, suffering severe damage to his Soul! As Master Teachers, we can take advantage of this to move around. However, this window is only for the duration of an incense stick. Once we miss it, King Tianye will rush out and try to kill us!” Ji Yan explained.

Everyone suddenly understood.

No wonder he was so anxious when he saw the holy light about to fade. If they had been late and King Tianye appeared, it would have been truly difficult for them to escape.

“I was wondering how your strength could have improved so much after being trapped here for two years, while King Tianye is still only at the Soul Departure realm’s initial stage. It must be related to this holy light!” Master Wu realized.

“Yes! Master Teachers can absorb the holy light to improve their cultivation, but King Tianye cannot. That’s why he hasn’t progressed as quickly as us. However, he occupies the entire Sainthood Platform, while we can only huddle here. Master Kong left many good things for future generations to achieve sainthood smoothly, and almost all of them have been taken by him! Over the past two years, even without major breakthroughs, his Soul has become increasingly resilient, making him impossible for us to contend with.” Ji Yan shook his head.

“You said that for the past year, holy light has been released daily? Did it not do that before?” Zhang Xuan’s focus was different; he was more curious about the Sainthood Platform and couldn’t help but ask.

“Yes, a year ago, the Sainthood Platform was quite ordinary. Although it did release holy light, the amount was very small and irregular! But starting around late August or early September last year, it suddenly began radiating intensely, as if waiting for someone to arrive. I’m not clear on the exact details,” Ji Yan thought for a moment before nodding.

Trapped there, without the regular cycle of day and night, their sense of time had become somewhat inaccurate. However, as Master Teachers, they could still estimate a general timeframe, which wouldn’t be too far off.

“Waiting for whom? Could Master Kong return?” President Han shook his head with a smile. Master Kong had disappeared tens of thousands of years ago; even his seventy-two direct disciples didn’t know his whereabouts, let alone later generations. His return was absolutely impossible!

“Even a Saint doesn’t have a lifespan of tens of thousands of years! I think it’s impossible for it to be waiting for someone. Perhaps your arrival triggered some mechanism, causing the daily emission of holy light,” Master Wu nodded.

“Perhaps,” Ji Yan and Master Wu nodded simultaneously.

Limited by their strength and knowledge, many things remained unexplainable. For instance, where did the constantly flickering holy energy from the Sainthood Platform come from? And why could it block King Tianye while benefiting Master Teachers?

“Alright, let’s not discuss this for now. These matters, like achieving sainthood, are too far beyond our grasp. Dean Tan Qing, I have a Bone-Rejoining Pill here; see if it might be useful for you.” Shaking his head, Master Wu looked at Dean Tan, who was not far away, and took out a jade bottle. The others stopped dwelling on these issues.

At this moment, Dean Tan’s legs and arms had been severed, rendering him disabled. Only the legendary Level 7 Bone-Rejoining Pill could reattach severed limbs.

Previously, Zhang Xuan had specially refined this kind of pill for Wei Ruyan, allowing her body to recover.

“Thank you, Master Wu!” Seeing such medicine, Tan Qing’s eyes lit up with excitement. No one could refuse something that could regrow severed limbs.

He eagerly took the jade bottle. Inside was a pill, indeed a Bone-Rejoining Pill, but its grade wasn’t high; it had barely formed.

Upon taking the pill, a vast surge of life force coursed through his body. Dean Tan Qing immediately felt an itch all over, and his previously severed arms and legs slowly began to grow. However, before they had fully regrown, his face darkened, and he shook his head with a bitter smile.

“Although the Bone-Rejoining Pill’s medicinal power is astonishing, this one is too low-grade. Furthermore, my limbs were severed by King Tianye, and they contain his murderous True Qi. It seems they won’t be able to recover.”

“I only have this one,” Master Wu frowned.

This type of medicine was extremely precious, even rare in the Qingyuan Empire. He had acquired this one at a great cost and had always been reluctant to use it. He didn’t expect it to be of little use to Tan Qing.

“I’ve refined Bone-Rejoining Pills before. If there are enough ingredients, I can certainly refine them,” Zhang Xuan said.

“Refine? My auxiliary profession is an alchemist, and I can gather the other ingredients, but I don’t have the main ingredient, Bone-Rejoining Grass!” Master Wu said.

“Bone-Rejoining Grass is too rare; I don’t have it either,” President Han shook his head.

Zhang Xuan also wore a bitter smile.

Bone-Rejoining Grass was indeed hard to find. Back then, he had to specially apply to the Alchemist Guild of the Qingyuan Empire to obtain a single stalk, which he then successfully used to refine a pill.

Although he had killed many of the Foreign Tribe kings during this period and obtained many good things, he had not come across this particular medicinal herb.

“Actually, Bone-Rejoining Grass is right here on the Sainthood Platform!” Ji Yan suddenly said from the side, seeing everyone shake their heads.

“It’s here?” Everyone was surprised.

“Yes, didn’t I mention earlier that Master Kong left many treasures here for future generations to achieve breakthroughs? Bone-Rejoining Grass was among them. I once risked sneaking in there and saw it with my own eyes, but it was seized by King Tianye!” Ji Yan said.

“This…” Everyone smiled bitterly.

If it were anywhere else, they might be able to retrieve it when the Sainthood Platform released its holy light. But with King Tianye occupying it, getting their hands on it was almost impossible.

“Where are these treasures you’re talking about? I can discreetly go and take a look. If I succeed, Dean Tan won’t have to suffer this pain anymore!” Zhang Xuan smiled.

“You?” Master Wu and the others frowned: “Since King Tianye is guarding it, it’s definitely very dangerous. I think we should forget it!”

“Yes, King Tianye is a Soul Departure realm expert. In his residence, like us, he has set up all sorts of seals. If we rush over and get trapped, no one will be able to rescue us,” Ji Yan and the others added.

“Don’t worry, I have a way! I’ll just go and take a look. If there’s an opportunity, I’ll take it; if not, I’ll return. Rest assured, I won’t get into a conflict with him,” Zhang Xuan said.

“This…” Everyone exchanged glances. Master Wu wanted to continue speaking, but Zhang Xuan interrupted him again: “No need to worry. Even if I encounter King Tianye and he catches me, I have a way to escape!”

“Alright then!” Seeing his confidence, Master Wu nodded.

“Then I’ll head out first.” Without another word, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, walked out of the room, swayed a few times outside, and then vanished from their sight.

“Master Wu, letting him go alone to find King Tianye is simply too reckless,” Tan Qing couldn’t help but say.

He didn’t want anyone to lose their life trying to save him.

Ji Yan felt the same, filled with anxiety.

“Actually, I also think it’s reckless, but if you knew about Dean Zhang’s exploits against the Foreign Tribes, you’d probably think he might actually succeed!” Knowing he would ask this, Master Wu shook his head with a bitter smile.

“Exploits? What exploits?” The two looked over.

“You’ve been with King Tianye for so long; you must have heard of the Ten Kings of Qingtian, right?” Master Wu looked at them.

“Of course, they are said to be masters no weaker than King Tianye, each stronger than the last, utterly terrifying!” Ji Yan nodded.

“They are indeed terrifying; each one is no worse than me, some even stronger! But our Dean Zhang, alone—” Master Wu gave a bitter smile. “—killed nine of them!”