Chapter 1229: Ji Tianxiong

"Enhance bloodline? How is that possible..." Zhang Jiuxiao shook his head. "The bloodline of a Sage Clan is determined at birth. Many true core members even have their rank determined while still in the womb, before they are born. Like special constitutions, this is innate. Can external methods really change a person's constitution?"

"This..." Zhang Xuan paused. He had no knowledge of Sage Clans, having never interacted with them, but he did have two students with special constitutions. Zhao Ya and Wei Ruyan, one with a Pure Yin Body and the other with an Innate Poison Body, genuinely could not be cultivated later in life. It was like an earthworm, no matter how hard it tried, it could never transform into a divine dragon. This was a chasm that could not be bridged. Otherwise, he would have long ago elevated Zheng Yang, Liu Yang, Sun Qiang, and others to special bloodlines, allowing them to advance rapidly.

"It seems I thought too simply..." He shook his head. He had previously enhanced the bloodlines of spiritual beasts and mistakenly believed the same could be done for Sage Clan members. Now, it was clear he had underestimated the complexity.

"A pure bloodline only allows for extremely rapid cultivation at the beginning and high achievements, but it also has a flaw: it's incredibly difficult to surpass one's ancestors!" Zhang Jiuxiao continued. "That's why, for tens of thousands of years, Sage Clans have mostly just maintained their standing. Breaking through and reaching higher levels is very challenging..." Everything has its pros and cons. A pure bloodline signifies exceptional talent, which greatly accelerates early cultivation. However, breaking through the realms achieved by one's ancestors becomes exceedingly difficult. It's similar to an empire; it's not easy for later generations to surpass the achievements of the founding emperor.

After inquiring for a while, Zhang Jiuxiao elaborated on everything he could disclose, remaining silent about what he could not. Understanding that Sage Clans had their own rules, Zhang Xuan did not press further. Although the other party did not reveal crucial information, through their conversation, Zhang Xuan learned that the engagement between the Zhang and Luo Clans indeed existed. The talented individual from the Zhang Clan was also as mysterious as Master Mu had described; he had only heard of such a person but had never seen any trace or even a shadow of him. However, according to Zhang Jiuxiao's estimation, despite being only twenty years old, this genius's strength had likely reached at least Saint 7-dan! While he had not seen this particular individual, he had met other core disciples. One of them, with a high-level bloodline, had already reached this rank at less than thirty years old. If someone with a lower bloodline level could be so powerful, it went without saying that the young master would be even more formidable!

"Saint 7-dan..." A profound pressure welled up in Zhang Xuan's heart. Luo Chengxin was an expert of this caliber. With just a thought, or even without moving a single martial art, Luo Chengxin could suppress him, leaving him utterly defenseless. The gap between them was immeasurable.

"At the Saint realm, especially after reaching the Primordial Spirit stage, each minor advancement requires immense effort and resources... It seems that successfully marrying Luo Ruoxi will require even greater effort!" He clenched his fists. After Saint 4-dan, every step demands extremely high requirements for spiritual energy and talent. If the young master of the Zhang Clan, regardless of whether he had revealed himself, truly reached Saint 7-dan, Zhang Xuan knew he would be no match if he didn't seize the time to cultivate intensely. If he couldn't even defeat this "love rival," how could he possibly win back Luo Ruoxi?

"I need to cultivate..." Feeling the pressure, Zhang Xuan spent the remaining days not only cultivating but also digesting the vast amount of knowledge in his mind. His cultivation became more stable, and his understanding of martial arts deepened. In particular, after meticulously studying the Ethereal Sky Tome left by Ancient Sage Qiu Wu, his comprehension of space became even more refined. Although he was only at the Embryonic Soul realm, he could already manifest spatial constraints typically used by experts at the Out-of-Body realm! Once activated, anyone within a five-meter radius would feel as if they were trapped in a swamp, with both their speed and attack power significantly reduced. Fighting within this range, even Hall Master Xing could easily crush an opponent with a single finger, let alone Master Wu and the others.

"This is merely because my Embryonic Soul and True Qi are exceptionally strong. My actual influence over space and my understanding and comprehension of it are still too weak... I'm still some distance from the second stage!" Aware of his shortcomings, Zhang Xuan remained humble. The Ethereal Sky Tome was divided into five stages. Although he had reached the peak of the first stage, spatial techniques were profound and vast, and he was still far from the second stage.

Time seemed to vanish during cultivation. Six days later, the holy beast stopped above a massive city. "Teacher Zhang, this is Jibei City, also known as Ji City. It's considered one of the top-ranking cities among the many in Qingyuan Empire!" Master Wu pointed forward. Zhang Xuan looked down and saw a colossal city, faintly visible beneath the white clouds. Countless towering buildings stood rooted, stretching endlessly as far as the eye could see. It was indeed a very large city; even if it couldn't compare to Qingyuan City, it was far more magnificent than places like Hongyuan City.

"The Jibei Marsh is incredibly dangerous. Not only is the ground impassable, but the air also lacks support, making flight impossible. To enter it, we must find a guide familiar with the terrain. Otherwise, even with our considerable strength, we might not find our target and instead be swallowed by nature itself!" Master Wu explained. "Understood," Zhang Xuan nodded. Through his studies, he had gained some understanding of the Jibei Marsh. Just as Master Wu said, it was extremely bizarre. Even experts at the Primordial Spirit realm couldn't fly and could only obediently walk on the ground. Without a good guide, they could easily fall into traps set by hunters, be besieged by special holy beasts, or even stumble into nests filled with venomous insects. While these threats were not insurmountable for their group's strength, they would undoubtedly delay their journey and potentially leave traces, allowing the "ruthless man" to be forewarned.

"Hall Master Ji Tianxiong of Jibei City's Master Teacher Pavilion is a good friend of mine, and his character is absolutely trustworthy. I've already sent a message to him, and he should arrive soon. When he does, he can guide us, which will save us a lot of trouble," Master Wu continued. "Ji Tianxiong? I've heard of him. He once spent some time in our Combat Master Hall; his strength is not to be underestimated!" Hall Master Liao interjected from the side. "Indeed. His Ice True Qi, combined with his Ice Finger, can freeze water instantly. This is incredibly practical in a marsh environment. With him guiding us, even if we encounter danger, we won't be as passive," Master Wu nodded, expressing strong confidence in his friend.

As they spoke, the holy beast arrived over Jibei City, and the group immediately saw an elderly man flying towards them. Zhang Xuan observed him. He appeared to be in his fifties, full of vigor, with eyes like a hawk's — sharp and bright, conveying a sense of shrewdness. His strength was at the peak of the Primordial Spirit realm, and his entire being exuded the aura of a dormant iceberg, clearly indicating he cultivated an ice-attribute cultivation technique. Upon seeing him, Master Wu quickly greeted him. After the man entered the wooden house, Master Wu introduced him to everyone: "This is Hall Master Ji Tianxiong, Master Ji, of Jibei City's Master Teacher Pavilion! This is Teacher Zhang Xuan, and this is Hall Master Xing of the Combat Master Hall..." He then introduced the rest of the group as well.

Upon hearing "Zhang Xuan," Master Ji's face filled with respect. "Ji Tianxiong greets Teacher Zhang!" Although Jibei City was millions of kilometers away from Qingyuan City, news of Zhang Xuan's challenge at the Master Teacher Pavilion had still reached him. The fact that one man single-handedly challenged an entire Master Teacher Pavilion, holding his ground against all comers, was enough to command awe. "No need to be so polite!" Zhang Xuan smiled. "I presume Master Wu has already explained why we've asked for your presence?" "Master Wu has indeed informed me!" Master Ji nodded. "Excellent. We plan to enter the depths of the marsh to find the so-called 'Ghost Cave,' and we might need Master Ji to guide us!" Zhang Xuan stated.

"The Ghost Cave is a very strange place. It's not located at a fixed spot. Some people might even arrive at the general area and still fail to find it. I can only use my experience to locate the approximate vicinity; whether we can actually enter it... I cannot guarantee!" Master Ji explained. Although the Ghost Cave was in the Jibei Marsh, it wasn't a static location; finding it required luck.

"You just need to lead us to the general location. Teacher Zhang Jiuxiao has entered it before, so he might be able to find something!" Zhang Xuan smiled. "Alright!" Master Ji agreed. The Ghost Cave was known for tempering one's state of mind, and many Master Teachers came annually to try their luck. Some succeeded, while others vanished forever. Although Zhang Jiuxiao had been there once, he had been guided by someone. Marshes, like deserts, change significantly, so even returning again would require a guide. However, once the exact location was found, they might be able to enter as smoothly as last time.

"You've been flying for so many days. Would you like to rest at the Master Teacher Pavilion?" "No need. Let's hurry!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand. "Otherwise, I fear more Master Teachers might fall victim!" Each day's delay increased the danger. As cultivators, they could practice cultivation on the road instead of sleeping and didn't feel tired.

"Very well, let's depart!" Master Ji did not hesitate. He directed the flying holy beast to set a course and flew straight ahead. The marsh was located north of Ji City. After about an hour of flight, the group saw a vast, dark marsh stretching as far as the eye could see, seemingly connecting with the horizon.

"Let's land here. Ahead, the marshland has turbulent air currents and many peculiar energy fields. A slight misstep during flight could cause us to plummet, making escape impossible. To proceed, we must travel on foot!" After flying a little further, Master Ji had the holy beast land and then explained. The Jibei Marsh not only had man-eating swamps on the ground but also circulating energy fields in the air. Flying above them meant that a single slip could result in being swallowed, leading to an unknown fate.

Disembarking from the beast, the group looked ahead. The marsh was filled with vivid red vegetation, resembling lotus leaves, spreading across the ground and extending into the depths. "These are called Man-Eating Lotuses. Don't let their beauty deceive you; they are extremely dangerous. Even experts at the Mortal-Transcending realm find it difficult to escape once caught!" Master Ji explained. With an aerial grab, Master Ji picked up a small stone and threw it toward one of the lotus leaves. *Splash!* As soon as the stone touched the lotus leaf, it was instantly enveloped and pulverized, as if devoured by a strange force. "This..." Zhang Xuan's eyebrows twitched. Unless seen with his own eyes, he would never have believed such a plant existed in the world.