Chapter 2040: The Temple Returns

Han Jianqiu had once given him a detailed overview of the six major sects, specifically mentioning the Seven Star Pavilion, which was renowned as "Seven Stars Shaking the Universe" and "The Foremost Pavilion Under Heaven." It was the largest trading hub on the entire continent, selling all kinds of treasures and immortal weapons.

Two hundred high-grade immortal elemental pills represented a substantial amount anywhere. While there had been no hope of acquiring them in Wuhai City, this place might be different.

The flying immortal beast soon descended.

Before them lay a colossal plaza, likely the most bustling area in all of Biyuan City.

"Sect Leader, that's the Seven Star Pavilion..." the disciple said, smiling slightly as he pointed forward. He seemed very familiar with Biyuan City, likely a frequent visitor.

Zhang Xuan followed the direction of the disciple's finger and saw a cluster of tall buildings emerge before them. There were seven structures in total, arranged like the Big Dipper, mirroring the constellations in the sky and forming an enormous formation.

"This is quite remarkable..." Zhang Xuan thought, a sense of awe secretly settling over him.

No wonder it was one of the six major sects; it was clearly not to be underestimated. While this place lacked the imposing grandeur of the Lingyun Sword Pavilion or the Myriad Beasts Sect, its alignment with the seven stars in the sky meant it harmonized with heaven and earth. This made it even more difficult for anyone wishing to cause harm.

"Would the Sect Leader like to go and see?" the disciple asked with a smile.

"No, that's fine... Where is the Spirit Comprehension Hall in Biyuan City? Take me there!" Zhang Xuan replied, shaking his head. He had no particular treasures to buy and thus little desire to visit the Seven Star Pavilion. Furthermore, what if he went and they insisted he become their sect leader? Should he accept or refuse? One sect leader position was quite enough; having more would be a bother! After all, exceptional individuals were like fireflies in the dark—they shone brightly wherever they went, making it impossible to hide.

Zhang Xuan looked and indeed spotted another tall building, situated not far from the Seven Star Pavilion. While it lacked the imposing aura of the pavilion, the bustling crowds flowing in and out were no less significant. He followed the throng and entered.

"How much does a Spirit Comprehension Jade Token for the True Immortal realm cost?" he asked.

"Two thousand Seven Star Coins or Spirit Comprehension Coins!" the attendant replied.

"I'll buy one..." Zhang Xuan said, letting out a sigh of relief. It seemed the Spirit Comprehension Coins here were similar to those in Wuhai City, with no significant fluctuations, and two thousand wasn't an exorbitant price. After purchasing the jade token, he rented a quiet room, instructed the Myriad Beasts Sect disciple to stand guard outside, then set up several aura-isolating formations before settling down cross-legged.

With practiced ease, his consciousness once again entered the Spirit Comprehension Hall.

"I wish to purchase items!" Zhang Xuan declared, handing over the token bestowed upon him by Master Kong.

"Please wait..." the Spirit Comprehension Hall attendant said, his expression changing upon seeing the token before he hastily departed. Before long, an elder arrived, bowing respectfully to the ground. "Esteemed guest, you hold the Hall Master's token, which signifies the Hall Master's personal presence. What would you like to purchase?" he asked.

"Two hundred high-grade immortal elemental pills!" Zhang Xuan replied.

"Two hundred?" the elder exclaimed, startled. He had seen people purchase immortal elemental pills, but usually no more than ten at a time. Two hundred at once was like eating candy! Furthermore, high-grade immortal elemental pills were exceedingly valuable, each worth twenty thousand Spirit Comprehension Coins. Two hundred would amount to over four million... Such a fortune could buy an entire city.

"That's right. Just tell me if you can provide them," Zhang Xuan said, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Well..." The elder paused, then nodded. "If we gather them from across Biyuan City, it should be possible. However, we'll need to apply to the Spirit Comprehension Hall headquarters. Please wait a moment..."

"Understood," Zhang Xuan nodded.

Before long, the elder returned, his face beaming. "The headquarters has already approved the two hundred immortal elemental pills. Esteemed guest, you simply need to return and activate the teleportation array on your jade token to retrieve the pills!"

"Thank you for your trouble..." Zhang Xuan sighed in relief, his consciousness withdrawing from the Spirit Comprehension Hall.

Back in the quiet room, he lightly tapped the jade token with his finger. Twenty jade bottles materialized before him, each containing approximately ten pills.

"These are two hundred high-grade immortal elemental pills. If you consume them and fail to break the seal, just wait and see how I deal with you!" he sneered, allowing the gourd to fly out from his dantian.

"Don't worry," the gourd hummed, wriggling its body. "I am a divine beast that roams the heavens and earth! I'm merely temporarily confined within this gourd. With sufficient energy, I can easily burst through the void and demonstrate my true power..."

"Alright, hurry up..." Zhang Xuan said, waving his hand, too impatient to listen to its boasting.

Upon receiving the command, the gourd spun rapidly, extending a powerful suction force. The two hundred immortal elemental pills immediately flew towards it. *Crunch! Crunch!* As they were swallowed, the gourd showed no discomfort; instead, its power intensified rapidly, and its aura surged explosively. Previously, this creature had only consumed low-grade immortal elemental pills; now, with the direct upgrade to high-grade, the difference in power was several hundredfold. In an instant, the gourd began to violently shake, as if on the verge of exploding. *Boom!* Immediately afterward, an invincible aura radiated outwards, and cracks appeared around the gourd, as if even space itself could not bear the pressure.

"So powerful..." Zhang Xuan's eyes gleamed. It seemed this goofy gourd hadn't lied to him after all. This aura alone genuinely surpassed that of an Immortal Monarch, even stronger than the black-robed figure from the Divine Hall he had encountered earlier! The gourd hadn't been boasting, and the two hundred high-grade immortal elemental pills hadn't been wasted. Fortunately, he had set up aura-isolating formations earlier, otherwise, such a commotion would undoubtedly have drawn a crowd.

As its power intensified, a fine crack began to spread down the gourd's surface from top to bottom, appearing as if it could split open at any moment.

"It's about to break open..." Zhang Xuan exclaimed, his eyes wide as he watched eagerly. He was filled with curiosity about this gourd, eager to discover what kind of creature would emerge from within. According to its own claims, it was a divine beast that traversed the heavens and earth. Immortal beasts were already incredibly powerful; he had never encountered a divine beast before and truly wondered what magnificent form it would assume.

*Crack! Crack!* The crack grew progressively wider, then suddenly stopped just below the first protrusion, unable to advance a single inch further.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Xuan asked, his brows furrowed in confusion as the surging aura simultaneously ceased.

"Well..." the gourd chuckled awkwardly. "It seems I miscalculated. There isn't quite enough energy... How about you get me another two hundred high-grade immortal elemental pills to consume? This time, I guarantee I can break free from the gourd, no lies!"

"Another two hundred?" Zhang Xuan swayed, nearly fainting. Did it really think high-grade immortal elemental pills were mere candies...? Two hundred in one go wasn't enough... Did it have to be so insatiable? Besides, even though the jade token Master Kong had given him was unlimited and could be used to acquire countless treasures for cultivation advancement, Biyuan City producing these two hundred immortal elemental pills was already their absolute limit. Asking for another two hundred... Master Kong himself would probably come after him with a knife!

"You'd better just stay in the gourd then..." Zhang Xuan said, waving his hand with a speechless expression. He had hoped that by coming here, he could help the gourd break its seal and gain a divine beast capable of traversing the heavens and earth as his pet... Now, it seemed he had been far too optimistic! This thing was as unreliable as ever!

"If there are no pills, weapons will do! That Wutong Robe Sword is quite good..." the gourd quickly offered. Inside the storage ring, the Wutong Robe Sword visibly flinched.

Too lazy to deal with the unreliable creature, he returned it to his storage ring. Only then did Zhang Xuan emerge from the quiet room. His primary reason for coming to Biyuan City had been to help the gourd break its seal, but the task remained unfulfilled, leaving him somewhat dejected.

"Sect Leader!" the disciple exclaimed, rushing forward to greet him as he emerged.

"Let's continue our journey!" Zhang Xuan said, shaking his head helplessly, disinclined to elaborate further. Since he couldn't get it to break its seal, they might as well proceed and address it once they reached the Sea of Chasing Stars. Besides, with his identity disguised, the Divine Hall wouldn't be able to track him, making the situation less perilous than before.

"Understood!" the disciple responded. Following Zhang Xuan out of the Spirit Comprehension Hall, the Myriad Beasts Sect disciple clapped his hand, produced a flying sacred beast from his pet bag, and leaped onto its back. Zhang Xuan followed suit, and just as he was about to jump on, his pupils suddenly constricted as a wave of dread washed over him. "Damn it, run!" he cried out sharply, but before the words could fully escape his lips, he watched as the beast pet nearby instantly swelled up. It exploded on the spot! The explosion of an early-stage Immortal Monarch realm immortal beast unleashed a powerful force that radiated outwards like a tidal wave. The disciple on the beast's back was blown clear away before he could even attempt to escape, crashing into the distance, his life status unknown. Circulating his True Qi to form a protective light shield around his body, Zhang Xuan managed to block the initial impact of the force. He had only retreated a few steps when he felt another chill down his spine.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!* Six powerful forces attacked simultaneously from all directions—front, back, left, right, above, and below—as if intending to instantly crush him into a pulp.

"Damn it..." Zhang Xuan muttered, clenching his fists, feeling as though his head was about to explode. With a flick of his wrist, the Wutong Robe Sword appeared in his palm. In the blink of an eye, he unleashed his defensive sword art, shielding himself completely as if encased in a sphere. *Thump! Thump! Thump!* The six forces struck the sword, each impact feeling like a collision with a speeding train. With every blow, Zhang Xuan felt the web between his thumb and forefinger on the verge of tearing, his chest constricting, and a wave of dizziness overwhelming him. After deflecting the sixth force, he could no longer endure it and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"To be able to block my attacks under such a passive situation... not bad at all," a voice remarked. Circulating his Heavenly Dao True Qi, Zhang Xuan rapidly healed his injuries and looked up. Three figures, all appearing youthful, stood before him. Like the black-robed man from the Divine Hall he had previously encountered, they were all at the pinnacle of the Immortal Monarch realm, yet they seemed even more formidable, exuding an aura that suggested they could tear space apart at any moment. His body stiff, Zhang Xuan glanced around. Just like last time, he had been drawn into a folded space at some unknown moment, and not a trace of the sacred beast's explosion had escaped.

"Why are you ambushing me?" Zhang Xuan demanded, his eyes narrowing with fury.

"Why? If I'm not mistaken... you must be Zhang Xuan, the new Sect Leader of the Lingyun Sword Pavilion, right?" the leading young man said indifferently.

"You are from the Divine Hall?" Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted, and a chill spread through his body. He had disguised himself so thoroughly, ensuring not a single detail was leaked, yet the other party had called out his name instantly. Coupled with their immense strength, if he still couldn't deduce who they were, he would truly be a fool! But... how had they managed to detect and find him?