Chapter 1765: Stone Forest World

Gongxi Qing and the others were all dumbfounded.

This was their Ancestor, a Stone Saint-level expert, who had just sworn to uphold justice for them. Yet, the moment he saw Zhang Xuan, he turned and left without the slightest hesitation.

What happened?

Wasn't this guy just at the Grand Perfection of the Golden Body realm?

How did it feel like their Ancestor didn't dare to face him?

Gongxi Qing and the others felt depressed, while the Shadow Ancestor felt like he was about to vomit blood.

He was precisely the Stone Saint who had been wounded and left blood outside the Hall of Great Accomplishment by the ominous Black Saber.

He naturally didn't care about facing someone in the Golden Body realm, but the other party had a Stone Saint-level long saber, and Zhang Hongtian had been protecting and following him, with his whereabouts unknown.

Now that he was injured, if that person and saber were to surround him, he might very well fall here.

Stone Saints didn't easily perish, but if one were truly killed, all their treasures would be lost.

He had initially thought that Zhang Xuan was able to enter the Hall of Great Accomplishment because he had thoroughly understood the Zhang Clan's Heavenly Talismans, and that it had nothing to do with the inner chambers. He never expected to encounter him again after all this.

"Those few are busy with important matters; I cannot disturb them for now. Once they are done, I will find them, and together, we will reclaim our dignity," he mused.

He scoffed inwardly.

The Hundred Schools of Philosophers had experts in abundance, so it was naturally impossible for him to be the only Stone Saint present. However, the others had important tasks to attend to, so he was dispatched to look after the younger generation.

He had thought that with him present, neither the Master Teacher Pavilion nor the Spirit Tribe would dare to act presumptuously, fearing consequences. He never imagined he would be injured the moment he appeared.

The more he thought about it, the more miserable he felt.

However, as a Stone Saint, he had seen every kind of situation. It was better to endure for now and wait for others to gather before seeking trouble.

Holding the ominous Black Saber, Zhang Xuan walked out of the seal.

After beating up the people from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, he knew it would surely attract a Stone Saint, so he had prepared in advance.

If a Stone Saint remained hidden, killing them would be almost impossible. But once they showed themselves, Zhang Xuan had nothing to fear with the ominous Black Saber and the Library of Heaven's Path.

Emerging from the seal, he immediately saw eight people standing there, completely unharmed. They looked at him with faces full of anger, but made no move.

"They recovered?"

Frowning, Zhang Xuan carefully looked around.

While the Bone Reconnection Pill could restore broken limbs, it required at least several days of recuperation. Yet, they had recovered completely in less than ten minutes after being thrown out. This was likely the work of a Stone Saint.

After looking around and finding nothing, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. He bothered no further with the trembling eight youths, and with a sway of his body, headed back the way he came.

Returning to the world of poisonous gas, without the koi fish present, poisonous insects proliferated around the pond. The entire ecosystem seemed to be in disarray.

Following the exit, he arrived in a world full of rocks.

It was like entering a barren mountain range, devoid of any greenery. Giant rocks were everywhere, forming an undulating stone forest.

This place lacked the dryness of the desert and the abundant spiritual energy of the jungle world. However, the numerous rocks were strangely shaped, each unique, giving a dazzling impression.

"It seems these rocks are demonstrating a cultivation technique and combat moves," he thought.

Leaping onto a towering rock, Zhang Xuan frowned.

The rock forest before him, with its varied forms, resembled powerful experts demonstrating cultivation techniques or martial arts.

"I'll know if I try," he murmured.

He randomly found a cluster of rocks, observed them, and slowly mimicked their stances with his hands. Sure enough, he felt his *zhenqi* circulating in a special way within his body. The next moment, his palm lightly trembled.

A rupturing sound filled the air, and a small, dark hole appeared before him.

"It truly is a martial art! And it's so powerful!"

His pupils contracted.

He had merely imitated it casually, without serious cultivation, yet it possessed such power. Could it be that all these rocks truly formed powerful cultivation methods?

If that were the case, where should one begin cultivating, and what was the correct sequence?

What would happen if the sequence was wrong?

"I'll worry about that later. First, I need to find the exit," he decided.

Finding the exit would lead him to the corresponding sub-temple. For him, these worlds were merely trials; the true treasures were still within the Confucius Temple itself.

He chose another direction and rapidly moved forward.

Half an hour later, he found traces of human activity. Following them, it wasn't long before he saw a group of master teachers standing in an open space, arguing endlessly.

"My sequence is correct! There will definitely be no problems if you cultivate according to mine!"

"Mine is the correct one! You've clearly mistaken these two rocks!"

"You're all wrong! I just cultivated according to this, and my cultivation technique improved significantly. If you don't believe me, let's have a match!"

"No more arguing! Let our skills speak for themselves; let's compete with our strength!"

As the master teachers spoke, they began to fight, with winds howling and power surging.

However, they all controlled their aura, trying their best not to damage the surrounding rocks.

"Just like the people I saw in the Sword Lagoon back then, they're completely engrossed," Zhang Xuan thought.

After watching for a while, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He had seen similar situations in the Sword Lagoon, where many master teachers fought due to disagreements. He never expected the same here.

Soon, one of them emerged victorious.

"My method yielded the greatest power, so this sequence must be correct. Now, let's begin the ritual," the victorious master teacher said, nodding in satisfaction.

"Alright, we'll follow your method," the others agreed.

"Ritual?"

Zhang Xuan was completely confused.

Why was it becoming increasingly incomprehensible?

Didn't master teachers traditionally show no fear of ghosts or gods and not advocate for rituals?

Hiding to the side, he continued to observe.

The victorious master teacher took out a treasure, placed it before the rock, and performed a ritual. Before long, it ignited, releasing a golden glow.

Immediately afterward, a figure suddenly emerged from the rock, moving its limbs, demonstrating a cultivation technique.

"What they were cultivating earlier was the external form, but this is the internal *zhenqi* circulation technique," Zhang Xuan mused.

The figure emerging from the rock was performing a set of internal breath circulation methods, somewhat similar but not entirely identical to what the others had just practiced.

"Still wrong! My sequence doesn't connect with these internal circulations either... *Pfft!*"

Dancing along with the figure, the victorious master teacher cultivated for a moment, then his face turned pale, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

When combat moves and internal breath circulation didn't align, it was easy to suffer a qi deviation. He had thought he found the correct method, but he was still wrong.

"I'll have to research again. I can't be wrong this time, or I'll be trapped here indefinitely," he muttered, shaking his head helplessly.

Helplessly shaking his head, the victorious master teacher let out a snort. Just as he was about to continue studying the surrounding rocks, he saw a young man fly over. "Sirs, I've just arrived here. May I ask what you are doing?"