Chapter 2058: Seal Elder

"Elder Liu, this is Elder Feng, the Seal Elder of our sect. Elder Feng, this is Elder Liu Yang. He will be the one attempting the Bridge to Heaven!" After they boarded the small boat, Sect Master Kuixiao introduced them to each other.

"Elder Liu Yang!" Elder Feng looked at Zhang Xuan, his brows slightly furrowed. He had assumed Zhang Xuan was merely the Sect Master's disciple and never imagined he would be attempting the Bridge to Heaven. This decision suggested that the person before him was the sect's top expert under the age of one hundred. The top expert in his twenties? When did the Sevenstar Pavilion become so unserious?

"Since it has been decided that you will attempt the Bridge to Heaven, you must be truly exceptional and deserving of admiration. I happen to have some questions about cultivation; I wonder if Elder Liu could perhaps answer them for me?" He lowered his gaze and cupped his hands. Sect Master Kuixiao remained silent. Anyone who attempts the Bridge to Heaven, if they do not perish, will become the future Sect Master of the Sevenstar Pavilion. As the helmsman of the Sect Master's hidden power, Elder Feng had to fully submit. Thus, this was Elder Feng's test for Elder Liu, and also the best opportunity for Elder Liu to establish his authority. If he failed to grasp it, the most powerful force under the Sevenstar Pavilion's Sect Master would become uncontrollable, and the position of Sect Master would not be easily secured.

"Please proceed," Zhang Xuan nodded. Elder Feng said, "I cultivate the Sevenstar Palm technique, but I find it difficult to progress beyond the third level. Does Elder Liu have any good suggestions?"

"This question is a bit too general..." Before Zhang Xuan could answer, Sect Master Kuixiao couldn't help but interject. It was understandable for a subordinate to test someone before submitting, but they should at least explain the problem clearly. There were at least hundreds of reasons why someone might be unable to continue cultivating the Sevenstar Palm beyond the third level. Without any information about his personal situation, how could anyone answer? Even he himself was completely baffled.

"It's fine!" Zhang Xuan interrupted Sect Master Kuixiao with a slight smile. "If I'm not mistaken, Elder Feng, your internal energy was damaged eighty-one years ago, and you were close to death, wasn't you?" "Yes!" Elder Feng nodded, glancing at Sect Master Kuixiao. Eighty-one years ago, he had been besieged by enemies and nearly died. It was the person before him who saved him, after which he became completely loyal, willing to remain hidden behind the scenes and resolve all worries for the Sect Master. This matter was originally a secret, and he hadn't expected Sect Master Kuixiao to reveal it. "I... I didn't say anything..." Understanding the meaning in Elder Feng's eyes, Sect Master Kuixiao quickly waved his hand. Just as he was about to explain in detail, Zhang Xuan, standing beside him, interrupted: "No one needed to tell me; I could tell just by looking. You spent a lot of valuable resources at the time. Although your strength and cultivation have seemingly recovered, in reality, a great hidden danger still lurks within you! If I'm not mistaken, when your immortal energy flows through the Zhen and Jiangyong acupoints, you feel your whole body go numb. For the Sevenstar Palm, these two acupoints are particularly crucial. With your body numbing and meridians blocked, it's naturally impossible to achieve the fourth level!"

"This..." Elder Feng was stunned. What the other party had revealed were his personal secrets, things he hadn't even told Sect Master Kuixiao. Yet, the other party spoke of them so casually... Could he truly perceive such things?

"Not only that, your left arm probably isn't as functional as it used to be, is it? Does it become stiff and difficult to control?" Zhang Xuan continued.

Elder Feng's expression grew serious. The other party was still absolutely correct. For some unknown reason, his left hand had often twitched uncontrollably and become incredibly stiff over the past two years. He had tried countless methods with no effect, and even consulted many renowned physicians who couldn't explain it. How did the other party know?

"The cultivation technique you initially practiced was the Azure Wave Art, created by your ancestors by observing the waves of the azure sea. After your internal energy was damaged, you felt this technique lacked power. Moreover, your internal true qi was exhausted, so you forcibly modified the cultivation method and switched to the Blazing Sun Art, which you practice now... Its power did increase, but from the start of your cultivation, your meridians were nourished by azure waves. Suddenly changing to blazing sun energy is like fertile, moist land being scorched by the intense sun without any water replenishment... What do you think would happen?" Zhang Xuan smiled.

"This..." Elder Feng's pupils contracted. "It would cause the land to crack and its fertility to disappear..." "The disappearance of fertility is the simplest outcome. Over time, it will become barren land where no grass grows!" Zhang Xuan nodded. "Barren land where no grass grows? It can't be that serious, can it?" Sect Master Kuixiao frowned.

He knew that Elder Feng had changed his cultivation technique. At that time, Elder Feng was utterly despairing and willing to do anything to seek revenge. That was why he risked granting him the Blazing Sun Art. During its cultivation, things did seem amiss, but after he reached the False God realm, he personally treated Elder Feng and spent countless treasures, believing all problems were resolved. He never expected hidden dangers to still exist.

"The human body has a limit to what it can endure!" Zhang Xuan said, with his hands clasped behind his back. "His internal energy was completely destroyed; that itself was a major trauma. In such a state, instead of properly nourishing himself and allowing his strength to recover slowly, he forcibly changed his cultivation method. The fact that he didn't die on the spot already shows he was incredibly lucky, and that you spent a lot of treasures!" "To tell you the truth, the stiffness in your arm is just the initial symptom. Within two years, your legs will also become stiff, and your spine will deform, making walking difficult. If you don't find a solution soon, within five years, all your meridians will be unable to withstand the power and will completely rupture! Your profound cultivation will be utterly ruined..."

"Are you... are you serious?" Elder Feng's brows furrowed. Although his left arm had indeed become stiff, he didn't believe what the other party said was true. It was too alarming to hear. His cultivation completely ruined within five years... Why did he not feel anything at all?

"If you don't believe me, I can give you a demonstration!" With a light smile, Zhang Xuan brought his fingers together like a sword and suddenly thrust them forward. It was just an ordinary move, without sword qi or immortal energy, simply a gentle touch that landed on Elder Feng's shoulder. The latter immediately felt his whole body stiffen, as if frozen in place, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. He involuntarily took a step back, trying to evade, only to see the other's finger follow closely, landing on another spot on his chest. Just as he tried to move, his internal energy felt constrained, and a tearing pain shot through his meridians. "Pfft!" He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his expression somewhat listless. "How do you feel now?" Zhang Xuan withdrew his hand and stood, speaking lightly. "I... I feel like all my meridians could rupture at any moment..." After taking a few breaths, Elder Feng looked at the young man again, his eyes filled with profound admiration. "I implore Elder Liu to guide me and help me resolve this hidden danger. If successful, I will willingly pledge my allegiance to you as Sect Master, without any reservations!" With just one glance, he had discerned so many problems within his body and pinpointed their root cause. Both his strength and insight were truly worthy of respect.

"It's very simple: pick up your Azure Wave Art and cultivate it again!" Zhang Xuan smiled. "Cultivate it again? This... how is that possible?" This time, not only was Elder Feng confused, but Sect Master Kuixiao was also stunned. Elder Feng was currently cultivating the Blazing Sun Art. Cultivating the Azure Wave Art again would easily cause a conflict between the two techniques. With the slightest carelessness, not only would it fail to heal his injuries, but it was highly probable he would go berserk on the spot and die.

"Of course, you won't be cultivating your previous Azure Wave Art, but rather the modified version I've prepared..." Zhang Xuan flipped his wrist, took out a jade tablet, and lightly tapped it with his finger. A thought entered it, recording a complete set of cultivation methods. Elder Feng took it and glanced at it. His immortal energy involuntarily circulated according to the instructions. A moment later, he spat out three mouthfuls of black blood, felt his entire body lighten, the previous restrictions gone, and his arm was no longer stiff. "This..." He clenched his fist and looked back at Zhang Xuan, his expression no longer just admiration, but a mixture of terror and reverence. Having reached his level of cultivation, he understood his own body very well. The cultivation technique granted by the other party had such an immediate effect after only a short period of practice. If he strictly followed it, he could be certain that all hidden dangers within his body would be completely resolved. The hidden danger that had plagued him for over eighty years, which the sect had spent countless treasures trying to resolve without success, was completely eliminated by the other party with just one glance and a set of cultivation methods... This ability was simply terrifying! Not only did Elder Feng wear such an expression, but Sect Master Kuixiao on the side was also completely dumbfounded. He had previously worried that the other party was too young to command respect, but he never expected him to be so powerful with his first move. Not only was his talent in cultivating martial arts exceptional, but his understanding of medicine and cultivation had reached an unimaginable level, far surpassing his own.

"Alright, cultivate strictly according to the requirements of this technique. All your hidden dangers will be resolved within half a year, and it might even allow your cultivation to advance to a higher level!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand. For him, it was merely a trivial matter. When the other party maneuvered the small boat, he used martial arts, which allowed Zhang Xuan to immediately see through the potential hidden dangers. Combined with the secret manuals he had read recently, providing a suitable solution was not difficult.

"Many thanks, Elder Liu!" Elder Feng bowed. "Up ahead should be the array and seal you set up, correct?" Knowing that the other party was already filled with utmost admiration, there was no point in continuing the conversation. Zhang Xuan smiled faintly and looked ahead. As the two spoke, the small boat had traveled for hundreds of kilometers across the sea. A body of water, resembling a mirror, appeared before them. "This is the Small Mirror Sea, and my array and seal are indeed laid out here..." Elder Feng nodded. The Small Mirror Sea contained special aquatic plants beneath its surface, making the entire water body resemble a mirror. With the array and seal set up, even False God realm experts couldn't detect them. How could this person before him discern them? Just as he was wondering and about to ask, the young man's voice continued to resound. "The One Water Two Waves Array, when placed in the ocean, can indeed blend in perfectly, making it undetectable, and its power is quite strong. However, it's still too weak to trap a False God realm expert! The most crucial point is... the target lives permanently in water and has strong control over water currents. If this array is detected by them, it might not trap them; instead, they could use the power of the water waves within it to escape successfully, making them impossible to pursue!" "You can tell what array I set up..." Elder Feng was stunned.