Chapter 187: Lu Xun's Visit

As Zhao Ya began cultivating after taking the Yin-Breaking Pill, Yuan Tao, in a small grove on the back mountain of Hongtian Academy, finally settled his mind and stared intently at the jade bottle before him.

As a rogue cultivator with poor entrance exam results, Yuan Tao didn't have the luxury of a private apartment like Zhao Ya; he shared living quarters with others. Teacher Zhang had warned him that applying the contents of the jade bottle would be both agonizing and dangerous, making the dormitory an unsuitable place. After careful consideration, he chose this spot.

It was quiet, free from beast attacks, and ideal for cultivation.

"Let's begin!"

Having resolved himself before arriving, he had no further hesitation. With a raised brow, he unstoppered the jade bottle.

A pungent, bloody smell assaulted him, followed by a volatile energy that made his skin tingle.

He quickly stripped off his clothes, poured the liquid from the jade bottle, and applied it evenly to his body.

A sizzling sound erupted!

The moment the bright red liquid touched his skin, Yuan Tao felt as if countless needles were piercing him. A tearing pain, as if his skin were being ripped away, overwhelmed him.

"Ah..."

The intense pain made him collapse to the ground. This agony, which felt like a sharp blade peeling him open from head to toe, surpassed all the pain he had ever experienced combined.

His face quickly turned an extreme pale, cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his entire body trembled uncontrollably.

"It hurts so much..."

Waves of dizziness washed over him, and he felt himself nearing his limit.

After all, he was only sixteen or seventeen. Though his past experiences had toughened him, this extreme agony made him recoil.

"Maybe... I should just give up... I'm doing fine now, why push myself to get stronger?"

This thought arose, relentlessly invading his mind.

"If I quit... will Teacher Zhang scold me?"

Just as his will wavered and he neared collapse, a figure seemed to materialize before his eyes.

Teacher Zhang!

He was looking at Yuan Tao with a subtle frown, clearly displeased.

"No, I cannot let him down..."

Seeing Teacher Zhang's apparent anger, Yuan Tao felt a jolt, reigniting his boundless fighting spirit.

Before meeting Teacher Zhang, Yuan Tao was the butt of jokes—obese, clumsy, and weak in cultivation. He had sought out ten teachers, only to be dismissed by all of them; no one paid him any heed.

He had resigned himself to a lifetime of mediocrity, but then... he met Teacher Zhang.

It was Teacher Zhang who, far from disdaining his obesity or mocking his weakness, even specially devised cultivation methods and tirelessly searched for liquids for days and nights, all to help him improve and achieve breakthroughs!

Teacher Zhang had shown him great benevolence, recognizing his potential and nurturing his growth.

If he couldn't even endure this level of pain, how could he possibly face Teacher Zhang again?

"Teacher Zhang, please rest assured, I will not disappoint you. I will persevere and earn your praise!"

A surge of resilience filled his heart. He opened his eyes, and the excruciating pain from moments before seemed to have significantly dulled.

After an indeterminate amount of time, the pain receded. He looked down and discovered that the red liquid he had applied had been entirely absorbed by his body. A thick, scale-like armor had formed on his skin.

Though he didn't know what it was, he understood that his defensive capabilities had increased manifold.

"Teacher Zhang said this application isn't a one-time process. I must continue!"

Noticing a substantial amount of liquid still left in the jade bottle, Yuan Tao took it out again and applied it to his entire body.

Each application brought a fresh wave of pain. Though initially fearful, Yuan Tao grew increasingly resolute, driven by the thought of not disappointing Teacher Zhang.

Finally, the red liquid in the jade bottle was completely depleted.

"What is this...?"

Looking down, Yuan Tao realized that after fully absorbing the red liquid, a thick, scale-like keratinous layer had formed on his skin.

"I should test it..."

A curious urge arose within him. He charged headfirst into a small tree nearby.

*CRACK!*

With a sharp snap, the tree, as thick as a bowl, was instantly broken. Yet, he felt no pain, only a sensation like a mere tickle.

His pupils constricted.

What incredible defense, what immense power was this?

"Teacher... I succeeded..."

Recalling the agony he had just endured, Yuan Tao clenched his fists, and tears welled up uncontrollably.

He had finally lived up to his teacher's expectations...

"Teacher Zhang, I did what you asked!"

At the same time, Wang Ying, Zheng Yang, and Liu Yang were also diligently cultivating.

Having received the leg and movement techniques from Teacher Zhang, Wang Ying wasted no time. She returned home and immediately began her practice, her strength steadily increasing.

Zheng Yang, meanwhile, relentlessly pushed towards the Martial Artist Second Realm, aiming to reach the Dantian realm within five days.

Liu Yang also began cultivating the Heavenly Dao Fist Art, his powerful punches creating a whistling sound.

All five disciples were diligently cultivating, while their most admired mentor, Teacher Zhang, finally stretched and awoke.

"How did I fall asleep here?"

Opening his eyes, he found himself in the classroom's temporary resting area. There were no blankets, yet he felt no cold. He then noticed he was covered with several layers of clothing.

There were both men's and women's clothes...

They were actually jackets his five students had taken off, fearing he might get cold.

"These little ones..."

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He had been so exhausted yesterday that he'd fallen asleep on the stool. His students, likely not wanting to disturb his rest, must have moved him here and covered him with their clothes.

It seemed he had truly been utterly exhausted; otherwise, with his strength, he would never have been moved without his knowledge.

Upon waking, all his fatigue had completely vanished.

He looked up and saw that it was already late, well into the afternoon of the next day.

"Since I've taken their money, I should at least go back and check on them..."

He, a "renowned master," had accepted over eighty million coins from others. Being utterly exhausted yesterday, it was understandable he couldn't attend to them. But now, fully recovered, he felt he ought to provide some guidance.

Otherwise, he would feel uneasy.

Returning to the mansion, he found Sun Qiang, teary-eyed and eagerly awaiting him.

After a quick meal, he instructed Sun Qiang to admit visitors in the order they had paid.

Most of these individuals had reached cultivation bottlenecks and sought breakthroughs.

A cultivation bottleneck is, in essence, like a stagnant river—something is undeniably blocking its flow. With his profound insight, identifying the precise location of these blockages was effortless. Subsequently, using silver needles and refined true qi, assisting them in achieving breakthroughs proved to be straightforward.

After all, these individuals had cultivated for countless hours and accumulated sufficient power; they merely needed that final push to succeed.

All Zhang Xuan had to do was guide them through that final step, akin to making a small cut in an irrigation ditch. Once a breach occurred, a powerful surge of water would rush forth, completely tearing open the gap.

Of course, while it sounded simple, it would be exceedingly difficult for any other renowned master to achieve.

Every individual possesses a unique physique, practices different cultivation methods, and has distinct habits. Consequently, the points of meridian blockage are bound to be entirely different. Just as no two leaves in the world are identical, the same principle applies to cultivators' blockages.

Without discerning the specific defects, it would be impossible to help them break through; indeed, one might not even identify any issues at all.

Outside the mansion, Sun Qiang pushed the door open, stepped out, and surveyed the crowd: "Next..."

"Excuse me, I apologize for the inconvenience, but could you please make way?"

Before his words had fully landed, a voice spoke up, and two young men strode forward.

They were Lu Xun and Wang Chao, who had come specifically from Hongtian Academy to meet Master Yang.

Noticing their teacher's attire, the crowd, despite their displeasure at being cut in line, still parted to create a path.

"Steward Sun, we are..."

Wang Chao stepped forward and quickly cupped his fists in greeting.

They had been waiting for over a day, assuming their status as renowned teachers would earn them Master Yang's attention and an immediate summons. However...

Master Yang hadn't appeared all day, and when he finally did, he immediately called for people without accepting any visiting cards, which left them feeling quite anxious.

"Scram!"

Before Wang Chao could finish speaking, Sun Qiang's brows furrowed. "Do you think this is your home? Just barge in like that? Go queue at the back!"

"I..."

Reprimanded by a steward who was only at the Skin-Bone Realm, Wang Chao's face flushed with anger, and he almost exploded.

As a renowned teacher, he commanded respect wherever he went. In Tianxuan Kingdom, without any true master teachers, he and Lu Xun were practically the most popular figures. He had expected that merely presenting himself and stating his identity would allow him to offer his visiting card and gain smooth entry into the mansion. He never in his wildest dreams imagined this corpulent steward would tell him to "scram" before he could even finish speaking.

"What? You intend to disregard the rules?"

Sun Qiang waved a dismissive hand. "Believe it or not, if I merely give the command, someone will throw you out without me having to lift a finger?"

*Hmph*, where did this bumpkin come from? Trying to cut in line right outside a renowned master's residence—you truly have no idea of your place.

Though he wasn't a master teacher himself, all these people were here seeking an audience. If he so much as said another word, someone would undoubtedly be willing to intervene.

Hearing this, Wang Chao trembled with fury.

Such an insignificant character, in other places, he could casually swat them aside, and no one would dare utter a word. Yet here, he was being told to scram and threatened with being thrown out...

His face crimson, his fists clenched, he was furious but dared not speak another word.

He had come today hoping to earn Master Yang's favor and become his apprentice. He hadn't even met the master yet, and if he truly offended the steward, he could forget about any future prospects.

Pulling his fuming friend back, Lu Xun stepped forward with a smile. "Steward Sun, please don't be angry. I am Lu Xun, a teacher from Hongtian Academy. I wish to meet Master Yang and hope you might grant us an introduction..."

"Teacher Lu Xun?"

Sun Qiang froze.

Although he was merely a merchant from a trading firm, he had long heard of Teacher Lu Xun's esteemed reputation: the sole son of Grand Tutor Master Lu Chen, and the individual most likely to become a master teacher in the entire Tianxuan Kingdom.

Furthermore, at under twenty-five years old, he had already reached the Aperture Opening Realm, a level of talent renowned throughout the entire kingdom.

Due to these credentials, even powerful experts at the Martial Artist Seventh Realm, the Tongxuan Realm, would treat him with utmost respect, fearful of showing any slight.

And just now... he had actually told him to "scram?"

*Cough cough*, what terrible luck.

He had just offended three master teachers, and now he had offended a future one...

Observing how effortlessly his master could wave his hand and reprimand anyone, Sun Qiang wondered why it was so challenging for himself.