Chapter 1272: 潜冲帝国

"I'll go study this thoroughly. You continue cultivating according to the method I explained to you earlier!" Zhang Xuan's eyes brightened as he received the vital blood. He immediately enveloped it with his true qi and turned to enter his room. With a quick gesture, he set up a sound-proof barrier and then entered the Myriad Ants' Nest. Absolute quiet was necessary for this research, and this was the safest place.

He found a place to sit and levitated Zhang Jiuxiao's vital blood in front of him. With a flick of his finger, a drop of blood flew from his own fingertip, moving towards the other. "There's no response... It seems I'm not from the Saint Zhang Clan..." After observing carefully for a while, Zhang Xuan shook his head in resignation. According to his investigation, there was no reaction between Zhang Jiuxiao's blood and his own. This indicated that the body he had possessed through reincarnation had no connection whatsoever to the Saint Zhang Clan. It appeared he had overthought things.

"So I'm not a Zhang family member, yet I was afflicted with the congenital fetal poison... Which poison master was this, to have so much free time?" Such a formidable poison master, traveling to a small place like Tianxuan Kingdom just to poison an unknown young man... it seemed utterly absurd. However, whether he was related to the Zhang family or not made no difference to him. If he were... well, at least he might go easier on any genius marrying Luo Ruoxi in the future. But if not, he wouldn't hold back.

"It is indeed difficult to advance one's bloodline..." Realizing he wasn't a Zhang family member, and after further study, Zhang Xuan understood why. It was incredibly difficult, almost impossible, to elevate one's bloodline. If it were that simple, everyone would have become a core disciple years ago.

Before leaving the Myriad Ants' Nest, he remembered his recent surge in power and, full of confidence, sought out his clone for a fight. Unsurprisingly, he was once again beaten bloody, nearly to death. Compared to others at the same cultivation level, he was virtually invincible. However, when compared to his clone at the same level, there was still a significant gap. The thought of it was deeply disheartening.

Back aboard the beast, he resumed guiding Zhang Jiuxiao. True to his reputation as a Zhang clan genius, despite his bloodline lacking absolute purity, his talent was undeniable. His learning capacity far surpassed that of the Xuanxuan Society members. In merely six days, he seemed completely transformed. Although still at the mid-Nascent Saint realm, he could likely defeat the two auditors in a one-on-one battle.

"His guidance... it goes straight to the heart of the matter. Many of these details, even I might not have noticed..." Zhao Xingmo watched, filled with astonishment. He hadn't even perceived some of Zhang Jiuxiao's flaws and weaknesses, yet Zhang Xuan addressed them with targeted and flawless advice. Such keen insight was truly remarkable! No wonder he succeeded in the Trial of the Master Teachers. With such vision combined with his mental fortitude, Zhang Xuan was sure to stand out and excel once he entered the Saint Son's Hall.

"We've reached Qianchong Empire..." On the seventh day of their journey, a colossal city appeared before them. "Based on the schedule, candidates selected from the other empires should have arrived by now. Let's head directly to the Master Teacher Pavilion!" Zhao Xingmo announced from the window. As they walked, Zhang Xuan learned that Master Zhao was responsible for selecting candidates from within the eight Grand Empires. The candidates from the other empires had arrived earlier, with Qingyuan Empire being the last. Those who had passed the initial assessment had already made their way here, and by now, they should all be ready for the re-test.

"I wonder... how many have passed the initial assessment so far? And how many will be selected in the re-test?" Zhang Xuan asked, looking at him. "Qianchong Empire has three slots. The three other stronger Grand Empires each have two, while Chongyuan Empire, Qianyuan Empire, and your Qingyuan Empire each have only one. This brings the total from the eight Grand Empires to thirteen. Additionally, within the territories of the eight Grand Empires, there are also ten third-rank Saint Clans, each with two slots. So, altogether, there are thirty-three candidates. After the re-test, twenty will remain," Zhao Xingmo explained. "That's not bad!" Zhang Xuan sighed in relief. With twenty out of thirty-three candidates advancing, more than half would make it, so it shouldn't be overly difficult.

"Don't get complacent just because the ratio seems high," Zhao Xingmo cautioned, seeing Zhang Xuan's relaxed expression. "Every one of these thirty-three candidates is a genius among geniuses, a powerhouse among the strong. The difficulty of standing out among them will be immense!" He added that Qingyuan Empire was one of the weaker Grand Empires, so excelling there might not necessarily provide an advantage in the re-test.

"Your strength is unmatched at the mid-Nascent Saint realm; even I couldn't defeat you. However, the Saint Son's Hall requires Master Teachers under thirty years old... and some formidable geniuses have already reached the Spirit Severing realm! This means you won't just be facing experts at the Nascent Saint realm." "Spirit Severing realm?" Zhang Xuan asked. "Yes, Qianchong Empire has a genius who has reached the Spirit Severing realm. Although he hasn't undergone the lightning tribulation, his combat power is immense! Several individuals among the Saint Clans have also reached this state; they are the true powerhouses," Zhao Xingmo confirmed with a nod. He understood that while Zhang Xuan was indeed powerful at his own level, he would not be facing opponents of the same cultivation. Furthermore, his opponents certainly wouldn't suppress their cultivation to the mid-Nascent Saint realm to fight him. Therefore, distinguishing himself among the thirty-three candidates would not be as straightforward as it seemed.

"I'll handle whatever comes my way," Zhang Xuan stated calmly. Far from feeling nervous, he found himself unexpectedly excited at the prospect. Although his current cultivation was only at the mid-Nascent Saint realm, his combat power was already comparable to a late-stage Spirit Severing expert. Earlier, when fighting Zhao Xingmo, he had been careful not to use too much force, employing less than a fifth of his true strength. If the other assessment participants proved strong enough, he might actually enjoy the challenge.

Seeing this expression, Zhao Xingmo knew his words were falling on deaf ears. He shook his head, said nothing further, and the sacred beast beneath them suddenly lurched, soaring straight towards the magnificent, sprawling city ahead. Moments later, the Qianchong Empire's Master Teacher Pavilion came into view. As they gently descended into the plaza before it, just as their feet touched the ground, several elders came forward to greet them.

"Master Zhao..." The first elder, around sixty years old, had a pale, beardless face and sharply slanted eyebrows. Dressed in a green robe, he exuded an imposing aura. Zhang Xuan secretly activated his Eye of Insight and perceived that the elder's strength had already surpassed the Spirit Severing realm, reaching the Half-Domain level. The cultivation of the other elders was also formidable, comparable to Song Xuan, all being peak Spirit Severing experts. Truly befitting its status as the leading Grand Empire, these few individuals alone could effortlessly overthrow Qingyuan Empire without any resistance.

Responding with a curt nod, Zhao Xingmo maintained his usual impassive expression. "Hall Master Yue, these two are Master Zhang Xuan and Master Zhang Jiuxiao, who have been selected from Qingyuan Empire." He then turned to Zhang Xuan and Zhang Jiuxiao. "This is Yue Yiquan, Master Yue, the Hall Master of the Qianchong Master Teacher Pavilion branch!" Upon hearing this was the Hall Master, Zhang Xuan and Zhang Jiuxiao simultaneously stepped forward, bowing respectfully.

Yue Yiquan glanced at them but ignored their greetings, instead merely nodding to Zhao Xingmo before leading the way. "If I recall correctly," Zhang Jiuxiao transmitted to Zhang Xuan, "Song Xuan is related to him; he's his brother-in-law. Song Xuan was sent to Qingyuan Empire for experience, with the intention of being promoted to Vice Hall Master, but the outcome..." Zhang Xuan immediately understood. No wonder the Hall Master showed no courtesy; he harbored animosity. As an envoy, Song Xuan should have investigated thoroughly before taking action, yet he directly ordered the execution of Sun Qiang and Elder Xu, among others, which was a clear overstep. His punishment was therefore justifiable. However, Song Xuan's dismissal not only thwarted his own promotion but also cast a shadow of favoritism on Hall Master Yue's reputation, explaining the unpleasant reception.

"Let's go!" Knowing the reason for the animosity, he couldn't be bothered to dwell on it. After all, Qianchong Empire was merely a stopover on their way to the Saint Son's Hall; they wouldn't be staying long. The other party's attitude was of little consequence. At most, they could simply avoid him.

The Master Teacher Pavilion must have been cleared in advance, as there were few people around, only numerous Master Teachers who had arrived to greet them. The lowest-ranked among them were at the peak of 7-star, and there were hundreds of them lined up. "It certainly has profound foundations," Zhang Xuan mused as they walked through the hall. A peak 7-star Master Teacher's cultivation was equivalent to a peak Nascent Saint. Such strength was rare in Qingyuan Empire, yet here, they were as common as weeds, a testament to its status as the leading Grand Empire.

"Qianchong Empire's power stems from its abundant spirit mines, which supply an inexhaustible source of spirit stones. This, combined with the continuous support from its Master Teacher Pavilion, has allowed it to develop over countless years to reach its current scale!" Zhang Jiuxiao transmitted, noticing Zhang Xuan's surprise. He had thoroughly researched the Imperial Alliance's landscape and was well-informed. "Spirit mines?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"Yes, it's rumored that Qianchong Empire possesses a spirit mine of prime-grade spirit stones," Zhang Jiuxiao confirmed with a nod. "It is precisely this abundance that attracts countless experts to serve here, creating a virtuous cycle that continually boosts the nation's prosperity." He explained that in cultivation, wealth, companions, techniques, and land are crucial, with wealth being paramount. With ample financial resources, countless individuals are drawn to serve, leading to more experts being cultivated and, consequently, a stronger nation. A destitute empire, on the other hand, would attract no one, and even a high-level Master Teacher Pavilion would likely be impossible to establish.

"There's... a spirit mine of prime-grade spirit stones here?" Zhang Xuan's breathing quickened. "Yes, it seems that the prime-grade spirit stones circulating in the other major empires all originate from this place," Zhang Jiuxiao confirmed with a nod. "If I wanted to earn such spirit stones, where should I go?" Zhang Xuan asked eagerly. He was currently in need of spirit stones to advance his cultivation. Given the presence of a spirit vein here, there would likely be an abundance of spirit stones for trade, providing him with a means to earn them without the need for his previous frugality.

"I don't know about that," Zhang Jiuxiao replied after a moment's thought, "but... it's rumored that Qianchong Empire has an underground black market where prime-grade spirit stones are traded in significant quantities. If you need them, you could go and take a look." He added, "However, these are just rumors I've heard; I don't know the exact details."