Chapter 1943: Online Chat and Online Shopping

He actually got slapped! How could he possibly maintain his dignity?

Her delicate body trembling, Xue Qin quickly turned to the gray-robed young man. "Senior Brother, please don't listen to this guy's nonsense. He's just spouting random words. If the pill wasn't successfully refined, it doesn't necessarily mean his answer is correct..."

Before she could finish speaking, the gray-robed young man suddenly spun around and slapped her, forehand and backhand, three times in quick succession.

*Slap! Slap! Slap!* Each blow echoed through the room. In the girl's terrified eyes, her once delicate skin instantly became red and swollen.

"Is that enough?" After doing this, the gray-robed young man put his hands behind his back and looked over coldly.

He was highly skilled in alchemy and had thoroughly inspected the medicinal ingredients. There was no need to continue refining; he already knew whether the other person's assessment was correct. Since the answer was clear, refusing to admit it would not only cost him his personal dignity but also disgrace the Lingyun Sword Pavilion!

"Slapping her was just something I said offhand. She's just a girl; we aren't engaged, and she didn't specifically come here to break off an engagement, so there's no real animosity... Given that, let's leave it at that. The bet has been fulfilled, Senior Brother, please..."

Zhang Xuan bowed. The gray-robed young man gave him a cold glance, said nothing more, and turned to leave. Everyone swiftly followed him, and someone was assigned to carry the fainted young man.

He had intended to come here to display his abilities and instill fear in everyone in Xuanjiang City. He never expected to be publicly humiliated instead.

His fury burned intensely. Soon after exiting the merchant establishment, he turned to look at the girl with the swollen face, narrowing his eyes. "Who was that?"

"Senior Brother, I really don't know that person..." Xue Qin stammered, trembling slightly.

"The limping young man!" the gray-robed youth corrected.

"H-he..." Xue Qin's face turned ashen, and she hastily explained, "He... we have an engagement; it was arranged by the elders in our clan when we were very young... there's nothing between us, and I've barely seen him!"

"You should know why you were accepted as a menial disciple!"

The gray-robed young man scoffed coldly, his face devoid of emotion. "Inner disciples focus solely on cultivation; they need someone to attend to their daily needs! Your appearance is acceptable, you are a virgin, and your cultivation is decent. You were allowed into the Sword Pavilion to serve others, perhaps even as a concubine!"

"I know..." Xue Qin lowered her head.

"Good that you know!" Waving his hand, the gray-robed young man turned and walked towards a nearby carriage. He stepped inside, and then an utterly emotionless voice continued from within: "Handle this matter properly; do not let it reach the Sword Pavilion! Also, I want to know the background and identity of that guy wrapped in bandages tonight! Elder Lu Yun will pass through this area in three days; I do not want any unnecessary complications!"

"Yes..." Her head bowed to her chest, Xue Qin didn't dare to breathe loudly.

*Clip-clop, clip-clop!* The carriage drove away. Only then did Xue Qin realize her back was drenched in sweat. She looked back at the Hongyan Merchant Guild, a strong murderous intent in her eyes.

"Go back and tell the Master to act tonight!" The many young men behind her nodded in unison. "Yes!"

"Thank you, Master..." Seeing Xue Qin, who had insulted him multiple times, now beaten black and blue and speechless, Shan Xiaotian knew his Master had done this for him and was filled with gratitude.

"Since you are my student, I naturally won't let you suffer any injustice!" Zhang Xuan smiled faintly. "Alright, help me find a quiet room. I want to try out this Divine Connection Jade Token!"

"Yes!" Nodding, Shan Xiaotian found the middle-aged man from earlier, and a quiet room was arranged for them shortly.

Upon entering the room, Zhang Xuan looked around, noting the formations surrounding them that made it very quiet. He nodded with satisfaction, then took out the jade token and held it in his palm.

"Master, I heard that this type of Divine Connection Jade Token requires specific steps to enter, and that fully activating it costs a great deal..." Before Shan Xiaotian could finish speaking, he watched as his Master tapped the jade token several times. Immediately, with a *buzz*, the token glowed with dazzling light.

It was fully activated! Immediately, a drop of fresh blood emerged, and upon touching the light, it instantly transformed into a unique pattern that imprinted itself into Zhang Xuan's glabella in the blink of an eye. Shan Xiaotian was dumbfounded.

According to what he knew, activating a Divine Connection Jade Token not only required special procedures but also countless Divine Connection Coins, and sometimes even the assistance of a powerful expert. Yet, his Master had completed the activation and soul-binding in a single try, as if he had done it countless times before.

Ignoring Shan Xiaotian's shock, Zhang Xuan carefully felt the pattern that had entered his glabella. Confirming there was no harm, he finally relaxed completely and let out a sigh of relief.

The next moment, his consciousness seemed to leave his body and enter a special space.

"This..." He looked down at his body, which felt both illusory and real, giving him an indescribable sensation.

"Welcome to the Divine Connection Hall!" While he was still puzzling over this, a faint voice echoed from the air.

"This voice..." Zhang Xuan's brows furrowed, and his body stiffened. He had actually heard this voice before!

"It's Master Teacher Kong!" It was Master Teacher Kong's voice! While he knew Master Teacher Kong must have ascended to the Firmament, he never dreamed that this place would be connected to the Divine Connection Hall, one of the most powerful organizations in the entire Firmament!

"Could it be... the Divine Connection Hall was created by Master Teacher Kong?" Shan Xiaotian had said that the Divine Connection Hall was founded by a super-expert thousands of years ago, but... Master Teacher Kong had left the Master Teacher Continent tens of thousands of years ago... Zhang Xuan was momentarily stunned, then his eyebrow suddenly twitched. "Could it be... that the flow of time in the Firmament is different from that on the Master Teacher Continent?"

After arriving, he had immediately fainted and then woken up to a series of events, so he hadn't experienced the true flow of time in the Firmament. Thinking about it this way, the time flow here was indeed completely different from that on the Master Teacher Continent.

As these thoughts flowed through his mind, the voice spoke again: "I founded the Divine Connection Hall solely to facilitate better communication among cultivators. Here, you can freely change your appearance and aura without worrying about others discovering you! As long as you pay a sufficient price, you can learn any cultivation technique you desire without fear of someone knowing your true identity."

"Within the Divine Connection Jade Token, every participant has the same power and level; there is no hierarchy of nobility or commonality. Everyone can communicate as equals, truly embodying the principle of all beings being equal, without needing to worry about differences in status or strength..."

"...That is all I have to say. Go forth and purchase or trade for the items you desire!" The voice then fell silent.

After hearing all of this, Zhang Xuan was certain. Only Master Teacher Kong possessed such vast vision and magnanimity, believing in equality for all, with everyone having the potential to become like a dragon!

He had thought it would take an unknown amount of time to find information about Master Teacher Kong after arriving in the Firmament tens of thousands of years later. He never expected to learn so much simply through a Divine Connection Jade Token.

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Zhang Xuan carefully replayed Master Teacher Kong's words in his mind. A strange thought suddenly flashed into his head. "Equal communication, without regard for names or strength... isn't this just a more advanced form of online chat and online shopping?"