Chapter 1641: You and Master Kong's Relationship?

Zhang Xuan understood the intentions of the elders and Luo Qianzhen. Luo Tianya's reputation was simply too small. To quickly establish the Luo Clan's renown and prestige, they had no choice but to challenge Zhang Xuan, who was currently riding high on his fame.

Feeling utterly dejected, he turned to Luo Ruoxi, who was sitting beside him, waiting. He saw her smiling broadly, a radiance he had never witnessed before, as she had always been rather aloof since they first met.

This made Zhang Xuan even more frustrated.

"Is she even my girlfriend anymore? Things are like this, and she hasn't said a single word..."

Just as he was at a loss for how to respond to everyone's expectations, Luo Ruoxi stopped smiling and sent a telepathic message: "Actually, I think it would be better if you agreed!"

"Agree?" Zhang Xuan's mouth twitched. "You want me to... beat myself up?"

"Not exactly," Luo Ruoxi explained. "First, go to the Zhang Clan, then find the right moment to reveal your identity, and let the two clans resolve their conflict. Otherwise, given the Luo Clan's animosity towards the Zhang Clan, the more you try to compensate them, the greater the likelihood of future clashes. It's better to settle everything once and for all."

"This..." Zhang Xuan fell silent.

She was right. The Luo Clan was currently at loggerheads with the Zhang Clan. Coming forward with good intentions to offer compensation would, in fact, be like pouring oil on a fire. Far from easing the situation, it would only make the flames burn more intensely!

In this scenario, if he were to simply turn and walk away, ignoring everything, it would only be a matter of time before the two clans engaged in full-scale conflict. Rather than leaving a potential hidden danger, it would be better to resolve it completely, once and for all.

He couldn't keep switching between pretending to be Luo Tianya and then reverting to Zhang Xuan. Doing so would be utterly exhausting.

"It seems this is the only way..." Though filled with resignation, Zhang Xuan nodded decisively after considering it. He looked around and declared, "Alright, I promise you all, I will go to the Zhang Clan now!"

"To the Zhang Clan!"

"Let's beat Zhang Xuan!"

"Kill that scoundrel!" The elders burst into excited cheers.

"..." Zhang Xuan remained speechless.

The Luo Clan members were already prepared. Upon seeing his agreement, they didn't hesitate, rising in unison and summoning their flying sacred beasts. In an instant, dozens of powerful beasts soared into the sky, their presence formidable.

Knowing that the Luo Clan intended to assert its dominance, Zhang Xuan understood that even with his spatial manipulation techniques, teleporting was not an option. They needed to fly directly to create a grand display, so he reluctantly abandoned his plan of setting up a teleportation channel.

As he landed on the back of a flying sacred beast, Zhang Xuan gazed at Luo Ruoxi, who was laughing so hard she was practically gasping for air, with a look of deep resentment.

"Is it easy for me? Who exactly have I offended to deserve this...?"

"Never mind, I won't dwell on it," he thought. "I should focus on comprehending how to break through to the Great Sage realm as quickly as possible!" Despite his frustration, he knew that once a decision was made, further rumination was pointless. He immediately closed his eyes, meticulously recalling all the insights and experiences he had gathered, seeking a way to advance to the Great Sage realm.

Just as he had been refining his understanding for two full days, feeling he had made some progress and was ready to attempt a breakthrough, Luo Ruoxi, sitting beside him, looked over. "Are you trying to break through to the Great Sage realm?" she asked.

"Yes," Zhang Xuan nodded. There was nothing he needed to hide from the girl sitting before him. With anyone else, he might have to explain his unbelievably rapid progress, which would be hard to believe, but with her, it was completely unnecessary. He wasn't sure if she was simply accustomed to it or for some other reason, but no matter how quickly he advanced, she never seemed shocked; in fact, she appeared to consider it entirely natural.

"Don't rush," Luo Ruoxi advised. "The Saint realm, encompassing Conferred Saints of Heaven and Earth, and the Great Sage realm, both have their unique characteristics! A hasty breakthrough could lead to more harm than good."

"Unique?" Zhang Xuan looked at her, puzzled.

When he reached the Saint realm, it was she who guided him to search for Master Kong's Conferred Saint location, where he successfully broke through with the help of the Conferred Saint Platform. That was why the power within his body was so immense and peerless; no one at the same level could surpass him. Could it be... that there's also a "Conferred Saint" concept for the Great Sage realm?

"Although the Great Sage realm doesn't have a 'Conferred Saint' concept," Luo Ruoxi said, as if sensing his confusion, "Great Sages who advance through different methods possess varying levels of power!"

"This..." Although he didn't know his girlfriend's true identity, she undoubtedly knew more about cultivation than he did. If not for her, he certainly wouldn't have achieved Conferred Saint status. Given her words now, the differences must be significant.

"Yes, the first level of the Great Sage realm is called Indestructible Divine Perception," she explained. "At this stage, your divine sense can penetrate individual cells within your body and even influence their normal metabolism!"

Luo Ruoxi's expression grew serious. "A normal breakthrough requires one's divine sense to become stronger and more refined to gain the necessary insights for a successful advancement. While this method allows one to become a Great Sage, it is considered the lowest tier—also known as the inferior breakthrough method."

If there's an inferior method, there must be a superior one.

"However, every cultivator breaks through using this method; no one is an exception," Luo Ruoxi continued. "On the Master Teacher Continent, only one person has ever devised a superior method and successfully achieved it!"

"Are you talking about... Master Kong?" Zhang Xuan asked, looking at her intently.

For tens of thousands of years, Master Kong was the only truly luminous figure on the Master Teacher Continent. If anyone could achieve such a feat, it would undoubtedly be him.

"Exactly, Master Kong!" Luo Ruoxi nodded. "When he was at the pinnacle of the Saint Realm ninth dan, he drew down heavenly fire to temper his physical body. His divine sense, refined through the scorching flames, also became incredibly resilient and powerful. This is precisely why, after his breakthrough, he was so much stronger. Both his True Qi reserves and his personal cultivation far exceeded those of ordinary Great Sages! Only then could he become the greatest figure of all time, irreplaceable!"

"Heavenly fire?" Zhang Xuan stiffened.

He recalled encountering Master Kong's consciousness, where Master Kong had specifically mentioned that to resolve the congenital foetal poison within his body, he simply needed to become a 9-star Master Teacher and attract heavenly fire. Normally, 7-star Master Teachers were at Saint Realm second to fourth dan, with fifth dan being half-step 8-star. 8-star Master Teachers were at Saint Realm sixth to eighth dan, and ninth dan was half-step 9-star. In special circumstances, a Saint Realm ninth dan peak expert could be granted a 9-star Master Teacher badge. However, the most crucial requirement for becoming a 9-star Master Teacher was to break through to the Great Sage realm. Could it be that what Master Kong meant by "becoming a 9-star Master Teacher" wasn't about receiving a badge from the Master Teacher Pavilion, but rather about reaching the strength to break through to the Great Sage realm using the superior breakthrough method?

"Heavenly fire, like lightning tribulation, is a form of celestial punishment for cultivators," Luo Ruoxi explained. "When you broke through to the Saint Realm and experienced the Conferred Saint Tribulation, didn't you feel that both your soul and physical body improved significantly, and that challenging those above your own level became remarkably easy?"

Zhang Xuan did not deny this.

Normally, cultivators must reach Saint Realm fifth dan, the Ethereal Egress stage, before they can temper their primordial spirit with lightning tribulation. However, having endured the Conferred Saint Tribulation, his soul and physical body had both made substantial advancements, making him considerably stronger than typical cultivators. If this heavenly fire functioned similarly, it could indeed strengthen his divine sense and boost his combat capabilities.

"I've read so many books, yet none of them ever mentioned that breaking through to the Great Sage realm is divided into superior and inferior grades," Zhang Xuan said, no longer able to contain himself. He looked directly at her. "If only Master Kong achieved this, Ruoxi, how... how did you know?" He pressed further, "What exactly is your relationship with Master Kong...?"