Chapter 1583: Strength Surge

"So that's it!" Zhang Xuan suddenly understood. All his previous doubts were now clear.

No wonder the innate saint's predecessor ended up in a small place like Tianxuan Kingdom, with no parents, nothing, and crucially, no one even knew when he died... It turned out his bloodline had been stripped! Although he didn't know how the bloodline was stripped, it certainly couldn't have been easier than Zhao Ya shattering her meridians. It must have caused fatal damage to the essence of life. If not for his predecessor's robust foundation, the Zhang Clan's numerous experts, and abundant resources, he probably would have died then and there, unable to even last until Zhang Xuan's transmigration.

"Hmm? Wait a minute! If the congenital fetal poison was caused by them, why did Master Kong also have fetal poison?" He frowned. He had just inquired and learned that Master Kong also had fetal poison. But Master Kong's era allowed him to become an Ancient Sage; there was no need for such abandonment. Surely, Master Kong hadn't gone through a similar experience!

"What form does the venom you mentioned, which replaces the bloodline, take? What are its effects on a person?" Thinking of this, Zhang Xuan hurriedly asked.

"This poison can temporarily replace the bloodline, preventing the body from collapsing quickly, but it also causes significant damage to the body. Without a special fortuitous encounter, one might die prematurely before reaching twenty!" Sword Saint Xing said this, then looked over: "You're already over twenty now, and your strength is formidable, your cultivation pure. The poison must have been resolved, right?" His son's student was the Hall Master of the Poison Hall, so he must have a deep understanding of poisons. Seeing him completely unharmed, Sword Saint Xing assumed the poison had been dealt with and wasn't too worried.

"This... it's resolved!" Fearing the other party might overthink, Zhang Xuan nodded. The other party said that without a special fortuitous encounter, one would die prematurely before twenty. It seemed his predecessor indeed died from the fetal poison. However, whether his current fetal poison was the same as the one the other party had was uncertain. After all, Master Kong had specifically mentioned that resolving the fetal poison would lead to greater trouble. It was highly probable that some unknown complication had occurred within him. However, none of this was important. The most crucial thing was to raise his cultivation as quickly as possible and reach the level of a 9-star Master Teacher.

"Alright, you now know the cause and effect of these matters. With so much happening today, you must be tired. Get some good rest. Tomorrow, I'll take you to pay respects to our ancestors and inherit the family head position. After that, you can go marry the one you love!" Seeing him distracted, Sword Saint Xing smiled, thinking he was overwhelmed by the shocking news and struggling to adapt.

"Okay!" Zhang Xuan nodded. He hadn't felt it until the other party mentioned it, but he was indeed mentally exhausted. After Master Kong's droplet of power vanished, his body had been somewhat overwhelmed, but with so many things happening, he had pushed through until now.

"Oh, by the way, do you have any top-grade spirit stones, or other treasures rich in spiritual energy? Give me some. I'll take this opportunity to consolidate my cultivation and see if I can make another breakthrough!" Stepping out of the palace adorned with reliefs, Zhang Xuan looked at the middle-aged man before him. Although he had confirmed that this person was his predecessor's father and had somewhat accepted it in his heart, calling him "Father" was still difficult. Knowing that he hadn't accompanied his son for a single day during his growth, Sword Saint Xing found it normal for Zhang Xuan not to address him as "Father." He showed no displeasure, only a slight hint of disappointment, then chuckled softly: "Consolidate cultivation? I don't have many top-grade spirit stones, just over two thousand. Take them for now... I also have some treasures that provide spiritual energy. These ten jade bottles each contain a type of ninth-grade pill that can replenish spiritual energy consumed in the body... Oh, right, there are also two gourds of Earth Vein Marrow Fluid here; they're quite effective! Hmm, and these two White Mark Spirit Stones, I obtained them during a trial, they're also useful for cultivation advancement..." After speaking, he flipped his wrist, and a large pile of items instantly appeared on the ground.

"This..." Zhang Xuan's mouth twitched. He had always considered himself wealthy, but compared to the other party, he was poorer than a beggar. Over two thousand top-grade spirit stones, ten bottles of ninth-grade pills, two gourds of Earth Vein Marrow Fluid... Any single item far exceeded his entire fortune by countless times! No wonder everyone wanted to be born into a large clan; the cultivation resources were vastly different from those available to rogue cultivators. If he had these items in Tianxuan Kingdom, he might be able to attempt a breakthrough to Ancient Sage in less than half a year.

"I only kept this little bit of private money. If it's not enough, you can ask your mother; she has even more good stuff..." Seeing his son standing still, Sword Saint Xing thought he found it too little and looked embarrassed.

"It's enough..." He shook his head with a wry smile. After all that, this was just his private stash... If acknowledging his kin meant he wouldn't have to worry about cultivation resources in the future, it might be a good option.

"Enough is enough. Your living quarters have always been there. I haven't let anyone else enter! It's right over there..." After telling Zhang Xuan to put the items away, Sword Saint Xing led the way. Even before his son was born, a large courtyard had been specially prepared for him. Later, when complications arose, it remained empty, but no one else was allowed to live there. Now that Zhang Xuan had returned, it was only natural for him to move back into his own courtyard. One after the other, they soon arrived at a spacious courtyard. Upon entering, he felt the pervasive spiritual energy, which invigorated his spirit.

"Then I'll rest now..." After looking around and being quite satisfied with his current lodging, Zhang Xuan clasped his fist. "Alright!" Knowing the day's events must have exhausted him, Sword Saint Xing said no more and walked out.

After the other party left, Zhang Xuan found the spot with the densest spiritual energy in the courtyard, took out his top-grade spirit stones, and began restoring his depleted energy. After meditating for nearly two hours, he felt his essence, qi, and spirit completely restored, and he was back in peak condition.

"It's time to break through..." With a soft smile, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. The cultivation techniques for Saint 9-dan had not yet been delivered by the Master Teacher Pavilion, but he had already gathered thousands of Saint 8-dan techniques and formed a Heaven's Path cultivation art. With a touch of his finger, the contents of the books immediately flowed into his sea of consciousness, becoming his knowledge. Saint 8-dan, Void-Amalgamation realm, involved opening a void space within one's domain, deepening one's understanding of space. He controlled the true qi within his body, letting it flow slowly according to the Heaven's Path cultivation art. His cultivation and strength gradually improved with the circulation of true qi. In less than an hour, he reached the peak of the Void-Amalgamation realm, ready to break through to the Cosmos-Amalgamation realm at any moment. Knowing that a breakthrough would inevitably trigger the Cosmos Tribulation, and currently being within the Zhang Clan's inner courtyard, he forcibly suppressed the thought and shifted his mental energy to the secret techniques for cultivating his soul. Previously, through the Vicious's memories, he had obtained Saint 9-dan soul cultivation techniques. However, without suitable books for fusion, he hadn't truly practiced them. Now that Lu Chong had arrived and brought considerable knowledge on the subject, after fusing it, he already possessed a Heaven's Path cultivation art for reaching the 9th Dan. With abundant spirit stones now, he could continue cultivating and strive to reach Saint 9-dan for his soul in one go.