Chapter 1539: Do Be My Student (Part 1)

“Yang Xuan…”

Zhang Xuan was startled by the name. He wanted to escape but ultimately stopped. The other party seemed to have long known of his disguise. Since he didn't attack but asked calmly, it meant he had no ill intent. Moreover, the other party stood before him like a bottomless pool, incredibly profound. Whether he could successfully escape if he tried was unknown. Instead of going through such trouble, it was better to first understand their intentions.

Zhang Xuan was deeply shocked, and Master Yang, opposite him, was equally surprised.

From his discerning eye, he could tell that the young man before him was genuinely only twenty years old, yet his state of mind was unfathomable, beyond his ability to penetrate. No wonder no one could discover him disguised as himself; even Master Yang had to admire him. Most importantly, even after realizing who he was, the young man remained composed, showing no hint of panic. This level of composure alone surpassed anyone he had met before.

"I believe my disguise is quite effective. How did Master Yang see through it?" After a moment of silence, Zhang Xuan looked over, puzzled.

His disguise, if not flawless, was certainly good enough that with his mindset comparable to a peak 9-star master teacher and his flawless physique, elders like Elder Qu definitely wouldn't be able to detect anything. So where did Master Yang, standing before him, find the flaw, and how was he so certain that he was Zhang Xuan?

"Actually, just by outward appearance and soul aura, even I couldn't detect it," Master Yang explained. "The reason I could confirm it was because of the Sanctum Head Token you carry!"

"Sanctum Head Token?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback. The token floated in his palm. After it blocked Elder Qu's attack at the Ice Palace, he had put it back into his ring. He never expected it would become the key for the other party to find him.

"Indeed," Master Yang said with a smile. "The Sanctum Head Token was painstakingly refined by Sage Kui and others back then. Although not the most powerful weapon, it gathers the influence and scholarly aura of the entire Sanctum of Sages. Even stored in a storage ring, its radiance is hard to conceal. That's why, despite some past heads dying violent deaths, the Sanctum Head Token has always remained, never lost!"

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood. The Sanctum Head Token represented the most esteemed status within the Sanctum of Sages. For a top expert from the Master Teacher Pavilion, knowing such an item existed, it wouldn't be difficult to detect.

"Since Master Yang knows my identity, are you here to apprehend me?" Zhang Xuan asked, looking at him.

"I haven't been back to the Master Teacher Pavilion for a long time, so whatever commands they issue have nothing to do with me," Master Yang replied, looking at him with a puzzled expression. "I came to find you simply out of curiosity... Such a genius, appearing out of nowhere, I want to know your lineage, who your teacher really is!"

In truth, what he was most curious about was the young man's lineage. On his way here, he had carefully reviewed the young man's profile. This person publicly claimed to be his student, but Master Yang knew perfectly well he had never met him, let alone taught him anything. On the Master Teacher Continent, he knew every peak master teacher. Even his own direct disciple, Feng Ziyi, was far behind this young man. Who could possibly have taught such an exceptional individual? Most importantly, this person's reputation wasn't widely known, even to him.

"This... To be honest, I haven't formally apprenticed myself to a teacher yet!" Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly, not expecting this question. He could claim Yang Xuan as his teacher to others, but doing so in front of the real Yang Xuan would be meaningless.

"You haven't apprenticed yourself yet?" Master Yang was stunned, his face full of disbelief. "How is that possible? I've observed your track record. You were just an ordinary martial artist in Tianxuan Kingdom. In just over a year, you've progressed step by step to possess the strength of a Saint 8-dan Dimension Sundering realm. How could you achieve that without a teacher?"

This young man, whether in cultivation or auxiliary occupations, seemed to leap forward in a straight line, breaking through whenever he pleased, effortlessly, without any obstacles or limitations. If he had guidance from a powerful teacher, this situation would be somewhat understandable. But to say he cultivated on his own was simply unbelievable; even Master Yang found it hard to believe. It seemed even Confucius himself didn't have such a monstrous rate of progress back then!

"I don't know why, but whether it's cultivation or other professions, I grasp them immediately and master them quickly. It's just my talent, there's nothing I can do about it!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He certainly couldn't explain the Library of Heaven's Path, so he could only attribute it to talent. Historically, there were indeed some individuals with incredible, unexplainable talents. For instance, wasn't it said that the little genius from the Zhang Clan was a Saint realm expert from birth? If being born a Saint was possible, then his ability to learn and master things instantly shouldn't be too shocking.

"This..." Master Yang frowned. He had seen many geniuses, and indeed some possessed such abilities, like the little princess of the Luo Clan. But... none were quite this incredible! Furthermore, the Luo Clan had abundant resources and master teachers readily available, which allowed for such rapid progress. This young man, however, was just a rogue cultivator... to be even faster than them, without a teacher, was simply impossible! And even the lightning tribulations obeyed him... that was something even Master Yang couldn't achieve.

"I have a set of martial arts here, a finger technique," Master Yang said after a pause, flipping his wrist and producing a jade token. "Even Feng Ziyi has been practicing it for three years and still hasn't reached the Grand Mastery realm. Since you possess such abilities, would you be willing to learn it? It would help me believe that you truly have no teacher!"

"Martial art?" Zhang Xuan took the jade token and looked down. "Sun Severing Finger!" It was a peak Saint-grade martial art. With a single touch, it could sever the sun; its power was unparalleled, an ultimate killing move.

"I have many finger techniques here... Correct!" Knowing that the other party was testing him, Zhang Xuan didn't hesitate. As long as he learned it, he could even deceive him. He lightly touched the jade token, absorbing its contents into his mind. Then, with a thought, the countless finger techniques he had collected previously from the Combat Master Hall and other places immediately converged.

This Sun Severing Finger technique was somewhat similar to the Great Stellar Finger Art he had previously cultivated, both involving concentrating all one's power to a single point and then suddenly releasing it. Soon, a book appeared in his mind. He quickly opened it and looked down. As expected, the merged finger technique was flawless, reaching the level of the Heaven's Path. The knowledge flowed into his mind, constantly being refined.

"This finger technique of mine is exceedingly lethal, but it's excellent for dealing with the Bizarre Demon race," Master Yang continued. "A single finger can sever a person's lifespan, though it also causes some harm to oneself. It requires strength, essence, qi, and spirit to all be at their peak for perfect execution... So, learn it now. I won't give any pointers or disturb you. If you can achieve minor mastery within three days, I will believe that you've reached this point without a teacher..."

"Three days? No need..." Zhang Xuan opened his eyes and looked at Master Yang. "I've already learned it!"