Chapter 1653: Dantai Admits Defeat

Zhang Xuan's comprehension of the true essence of time did not cause any special energy fluctuations. However, Tantai Zhenqing still noticed something amiss and couldn't help but frown.

In his view, the young Clan Head Zhang's entire demeanor seemed different from before. He was more composed and reserved, exuding an unfathomable aura.

"Time's up!"

Soon, the half-hour period ended. Zhang Xuan flicked his finger, and Zhang Jiuxiao awoke from his meditation. He closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths to consolidate what he had just learned, and then approached Tantai Jiankui.

He bowed and cupped his fist, saying, "Please begin!"

"Alright!"

Tantai Jiankui nodded without further words. He quickly suppressed his internal power, and in the blink of an eye, he matched Zhang Jiuxiao's cultivation, becoming a Saint 8-dan pinnacle expert.

"Begin!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

"Jiuxiao asks for your guidance!"

Without hesitation, Zhang Jiuxiao took a step forward, seemingly vanishing. The next moment, he appeared before Tantai Jiankui. He gently pressed his palm, and power surged from its center.

"So fast, so strong!"

Tantai Jiankui, who had initially been unconcerned when suppressing his cultivation for the fight, saw this scene. His pupils constricted sharply, his true energy erupted, and he rapidly retreated.

Although this person hadn't comprehended the true essence of time, he was very close! How had he managed to almost grasp it in just half an hour?

However, while Tantai Jiankui was fast, Zhang Jiuxiao was even faster. The downward-pressing palm spread its five fingers and lightly swept. Swish, swish, swish! Five streams of sword energy were released simultaneously from his fingertips.

These sword energies appeared slow, but in reality, they seemed unrestricted by time or space, arriving in the blink of an eye, impossible to guard against.

"Is that the highest profoundness of the Zhang Clan Sword Art? He, he..." Saint Xing Sword and Saint Meng Sword exchanged glances, their eyes wide. The highest profoundness of the Zhang Clan Sword Art was something they could barely execute even when combining their efforts. Yet, Zhang Jiuxiao, who had never learned it, had directly comprehended it after just sitting there for half an hour—and even projected it as sword energy from his fingertips! What exactly had their son taught him?

Pfft, pfft, pfft! The sword energy arrived rapidly. Although Tantai Jiankui retreated quickly, he was still struck. However, due to his immense strength and rich combat experience, the attacks only pierced his clothes, causing no actual harm.

"My turn..."

He had expected an easy victory, a merit for the Hundred Schools of Philosophers. He hadn't anticipated almost getting injured in one move. Tantai Jiankui's expression became solemn. Dispensing with further words, he clenched his fists and charged forward.

His fist art was mighty. Having also comprehended some rules of time, his speed was incredibly fast; he would appear before his opponent almost instantly, undetectable even by spiritual sense, let alone the naked eye.

Showing no fear, Zhang Jiuxiao continuously pointed his palms, and sword energy spread around him like a protective film, blocking all the incoming fist attacks.

"Jiankui is going to lose." After watching for a while, Tantai Zhenqing couldn't help but shake his head, a look of disappointment on his face.

"Going to lose? I think they're pretty evenly matched!" Nangong Yuanfeng was startled. From his perspective, Zhang Jiuxiao had been passively on the defensive, finding it difficult to counterattack. How could their side be about to lose?

"Zhang Jiuxiao hasn't used his bloodline power!" Tantai Zhenqing said.

"This..." Nangong Yuanfeng fell silent. Before coming, he had naturally investigated the Zhang Clan's situation in detail and knew that when they ignited their bloodline, their speed and strength would both increase dramatically. Zhang Jiuxiao was already fighting Tantai Jiankui to a standstill without using his bloodline; if he were to use it, victory would indeed be easy.

"Furthermore, he appears to be on the defensive, but have you noticed that a moment ago, he couldn't counterattack even once, yet now he can land two or three counter-punches out of ten? This means he isn't fully familiar with the power he just comprehended, and he's using the pressure of fighting Jiankui to continue his comprehension and breakthrough, not employing his true strength!" Tantai Zhenqing's face was filled with a bitter smile.

Although he didn't want to admit it, it was the truth before his eyes. Previously, when Nangong Yuanfeng spoke of their loss at the Luo Clan, he had thought it might be an exaggeration. Now, witnessing the progress of this Zhang Clan genius firsthand, he understood that the Master Teacher Continent was not to be underestimated. The Hundred Schools of Philosophers, having guarded a single world for tens of thousands of years without venturing out, had become frogs in a well, oblivious to the advancements of others!

Hearing his lament, Nangong Yuanfeng looked forward and indeed saw that the passively defensive Zhang Jiuxiao was counterattacking more and more frequently. Moments later, he was landing six or seven punches, and Tantai Jiankui gradually found himself suppressed.

"Whoosh!" Another punch ripped through space, appearing before Tantai Jiankui, looking as if it could shatter him at any moment.

"I concede..." His face ashen, Tantai Jiankui took a step back. Clearly, he hadn't anticipated this outcome either.

"Teacher, I'll go..." Seeing him concede, another young man stepped forward.

"Although your strength is a bit higher than Jiankui's, the difference isn't significant. If Jiankui couldn't win, neither can you." Tantai Zhenqing shook his head. His four disciples were actually quite close in strength. Even though the one who just spoke had a more profound understanding of the laws of time, it would still be impossible for him to defeat the current Zhang Jiuxiao! Even if they were to continue the match, the likely outcome would still be a loss.

"How about you also suppress your cultivation and fight, like me?" Realizing this, Nangong Yuanfeng glanced at his old friend beside him.

Tantai Zhenqing hesitated, then looked at Zhang Xuan not far away. Seeing Zhang Xuan's impassive face, he shook his head helplessly, "Forget it! A loss is a loss. Even if I went up, I might not succeed!" If he were to act, he could indeed easily defeat Zhang Jiuxiao by not giving him time to train, but defeating Zhang Jiuxiao didn't mean defeating the Zhang Clan! This Zhang Clan Head could "remember texts with his spiritual sense and recite tens of thousands of words in a single thought." He could also enable his student to gain a deeper comprehension of time in half an hour than Tantai Zhenqing's own student had gained in over a decade. If his teaching ability was like this, what realm had he personally reached? If he made a move and the other party also made a move, the outcome would likely be the same. Worse still, he might end up like Nangong Yuanfeng at the Luo Clan, taking a "free tour thousands of miles through the sky," only to humiliate himself.

"We concede!" Without much hesitation, Tantai Zhenqing cupped his fists and declared.

"Thank you for the concession, Senior!" Seeing him concede after only sending one disciple, Zhang Xuan nodded and smiled slightly. Zhang Jiuxiao's victory over Tantai Jiankui was entirely expected; it was rather gracious of the other party to concede so readily. At least they didn't struggle for a while like Nangong Yuanfeng had.

"A loss is a loss; it's not a concession!" Tantai Zhenqing nodded, then with a flick of his palm, the Sage Zi Yu's ancient inkstone flew towards Zhang Xuan. Immediately after, he cupped his fists and said, "Farewell!"

Reaching out to take the inkstone, Zhang Xuan then grabbed the floating Space-Time Mirror, glanced at it, and casually tossed it into the air, saying, "Your mirror!"

"Hmm!" Tantai Zhenqing caught it and, along with the others, turned and left, vanishing from the spot in the blink of an eye.