Chapter 1689: Longhu Mountain Cave

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood. He had previously thought that the so-called Kong Temple only contained the Spring and Autumn Annals and the legacy of Kong shi. Now it seemed that, like ancient ruins, it held countless treasures and opportunities.

"Not only that, but the Kong Temple contains the spiritual and cultural essence passed down by Kong shi. Even if one doesn't find treasures, cultivating there will lead to rapid progress, advancing a thousand miles in a day. Especially for those who have hit a cultivation bottleneck, it is said that the temple contains the 'Teacher's Words of Heavenly Sound,' and by listening attentively, breakthroughs are easily achieved."

Observing the second sun in the sky, Luo Ruoxi's expression turned serious: "In short, the opening of the Kong Temple is a major event for cultivators across the entire continent. At that time, not only humans, but also the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and hidden Sacred Beasts will not miss this opportunity... Therefore, to enter and gain something, one must be prepared and not act blindly!"

Zhang Xuan's heart tightened. The Otherworldly Demonic Tribe has countless experts, and many Sacred Beasts are also terrifying. Given the immense allure of the Kong Temple, once it opens, even if the Master Teacher Pavilion could stop them, they wouldn't. The implications are too vast; truly blocking them would be akin to severing their cultivation paths, directly igniting a great war and causing untold devastation. If the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe were to seize that opportunity, the trouble would be immense.

The only solution was to get the Spring and Autumn Annals first, control the Kong Temple, and seize control of the situation. Although he possessed a Legacy Heavenly Talisman, Kong shi had originally refined six such talismans, plus a master talisman, making a total of seven. Currently, it was known that the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, the Zhang Clan, and the Luo Clan each held one, leaving three whose whereabouts were unknown. Without a doubt, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and the Hundred Schools of Thought likely possessed them as well.

Furthermore, individuals with special physiques could also enter. This meant that, not counting the periphery, countless people could enter the Kong Temple. Without prior preparation, they would indeed be very passive. Not to mention others, the experts from the Hundred Schools of Thought possessed an endless array of treasures. If he encountered them, even with his vastly improved cultivation, he certainly wouldn't gain any advantage. His strength had increased, but it wasn't yet at the level where he could disregard all other powerful cultivators in the world.

"First, I'll return to the Zhang Clan to see how they are preparing!" He didn't know much about how to enter the Kong Temple or how to find the Spring and Autumn Annals, but a major clan like the Zhang Clan must have been preparing for a long time.

Understanding this, Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi did not hesitate. They tore through space and flew back. With their cultivation vastly increased, the space they tore through was much more stable. Before long, the massive Zhang Clan manor appeared before their eyes.

Upon returning to the clan, after walking a short distance, Zhang Xuan immediately felt that something was wrong. Previously, the Zhang Clan manor was always bustling with people, but now the vast estate was deserted, with hardly any figures visible.

"What's going on?" After finally finding an elder, Zhang Xuan quickly asked.

"Almost all cultivators above the Saint realm in the clan have gone to various underground caves to block the attacks of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe. The Old Clan Head and the Madam have also already departed!" Seeing that it was the Clan Head, the elder quickly bowed and replied.

"They've all gone to the underground caves?" Zhang Xuan was startled. At the Master Teacher Pavilion, he had sent a message back, asking the three major clans to prepare to support the Master Teacher Pavilion. He hadn't expected that such a large clan would be almost completely empty, with even Xing and Meng Jiansheng having departed.

"Which underground cave did they go to? Take me there!" Frowning, Zhang Xuan said. With the Kong Temple opening, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe certainly wouldn't miss the opportunity. If this large-scale attack couldn't be repelled, what good would obtaining the Spring and Autumn Annals do? Although that item could greatly increase one's strength, confronting another race required tens of thousands of Master Teachers. If defenses were breached and they fell into crisis now, it would truly be troublesome. It was no wonder the Master Teacher Pavilion was so anxious. When they saw him, they gave him the green light to directly pass the nine-star Master Teacher assessment without any prior preparation. Otherwise, a new educational philosophy alone would require countless students and several years of validation.

"Although all 108 underground caves have shown disturbances, investigations reveal that most are feints that local Master Teacher Pavilions can suppress. There are truly six major offensives! First, the underground cave at the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, then the Dragon Gate Cave, Ice Sea Cave, Cloud Sea Cave, and the Dragon Tiger Mountain Cave guarded by the Zhang Clan, along with the Starry Sky Cave guarded by the Luo Clan!"

"At the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters, many nine-star Master Teachers are stationed, so no help is needed there. For the Dragon Gate Cave and Cloud Sea Cave, Zheng Yang, the Battle Son, has been entrusted with the critical mission of succeeding as the Hall Master of the Combat Master Hall and leading countless combat masters to suppress them! For the Ice Sea Cave, people from the Ice Plain Palace, Yuan Clan, Saint Son Hall, and the Spirit Awakener Guild have gone to resist... Other Saint Clans and some powerful guilds and forces are patrolling other caves to prevent unforeseen circumstances. As for the Jiang Clan, they are working with our Zhang and Luo clans to jointly suppress the Dragon Tiger Mountain and Starry Sky Caves!"

"The Otherworldly Demonic Tribe in these two major caves is advancing fiercely. The seal left by Ancient Sage Qiuwu can no longer hold them back, so all Zhang Clan Master Teachers above six stars have already gone there!" The elder explained, "I am responsible for staying within the clan to coordinate. Should a crisis arise, I will relocate the remaining clan members to preserve our lineage!"

"Dragon Tiger Mountain Cave? Is it right below here?" Zhang Xuan's eyebrows twitched. He had long known that Master Teacher Pavilions across the land not only gathered human fortune but, more importantly, suppressed scattered underground caves. He hadn't expected the Zhang Clan to do the same. Dragon Tiger Mountain was a mountain range directly adjacent to the Zhang Clan. Given that the cave was named after it, it was probably not far.

"Yes, the entrance is directly below. If the Clan Head wishes to go, I will take you there now!" The elder quickly nodded.

"Alright, I'll go take a look!" Zhang Xuan replied. The Kong Temple hadn't even opened yet, and even if it had, it wasn't as important as this.

"Clan Head, please follow me!" The elder did not hesitate, leading the way. Soon, they arrived at a location and stopped.

"Is this the Zhang Clan's ancestral graveyard?" Zhang Xuan was stunned.

"Yes, the underground cave is right beneath this!" The elder nodded.

"Using the heroic spirits of ancestors to suppress it..." Zhang Xuan fell silent. This was somewhat similar to the underground cave at Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy back then. Countless ancestors had fought against the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe their entire lives, and after death, their heroic spirits guarded the cave entrance, preventing anything from breaking through the seal and reaching the continent.

"Only the heroic spirits of our ancestors can make them wary and keep them from escaping! Clan Head, the underground cave is ahead. I still need to relocate the clan members, so I won't go any further!" The elder pointed forward, then turned and left. If the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe breached their defense here, the Zhang Clan would face utter annihilation. They had to relocate in advance, otherwise, if everyone perished, who would resist the enemy in the future?

"Understood!" Ignoring the elder, Zhang Xuan stepped into the Zhang Clan's ancestral land before him. Countless stone tablets stood upright, each recording names of individuals who were once the most peak figures of their time... Unfortunately, none escaped the erosion of time, turning into mere dust. Even with unmatched talent or profound genius, after thousands or tens of thousands of years, they would become lonely names on gravestones, just like these individuals. With no life, no consciousness, they would completely vanish into the river of history, leaving only their heroic spirits to endure.