Chapter 2102: Return to the Continent of Famous Teachers

These patterns contain the mysteries of the altar's teleportation. Although they appear to be an exit, anyone who approaches them would actually be silently teleported to a random location in Xuanjiang City. Otherwise, when I came here injured and unconscious, I likely wouldn't have survived encountering these people.

"But... this place is so hidden that even a False God wouldn't be able to find it, and only the blood of Master Kong or mine can activate it. Who is this designed to guard against?"

Zhang Xuan became increasingly confused. The secrecy of this passage is absolutely top-tier, even in the Firmament. Master Kong must have left it here precisely because he didn't want it to be discovered, fearing unforeseen changes. If that's the case, why would this "Master Kong" from the Firmament send people to guard this place, showing no friendliness towards those from the Master Teacher Continent? More importantly... when people are sent to guard this place, is it because they don't understand the meaning of these formation patterns, or because they don't know that anyone entering from here will be randomly teleported?

"Perhaps what the ruthless man said is true... this is a fake Master Kong!"

He had been skeptical when the ruthless man said that before, but now it made a certain kind of sense. If it were the real Master Kong, it would be impossible for him not to know the situation of something he himself left behind, unless... he had lost his memory, just like the little yellow chick.

Speaking of the little yellow chick, Zhang Xuan felt helpless again. He had fed it the special airflow from the Heaven-Connecting Bridge, but it still couldn't break through to False God! He had tried hundreds of methods, but he still couldn't figure out how this creature could break through.

"Suppress your cultivation to Ancient Sage Four-fold and enter!"

After confirming the passage was intact and not significantly damaged, Zhang Xuan activated the disguise token and suppressed his cultivation. The Master Teacher Continent's limit was Ancient Sage Four-fold. Other Immortal Sovereigns or False Gods, even if they suppressed their cultivation, would still be rejected by the world due to their inherent strength and might not be able to enter. However, Zhang Xuan and Wu Chen both possessed the disguise tokens and methods given by Luo Ruoxi, allowing them to perfectly mimic Ancient Sage Four-fold cultivation, undetectable even by the Master Teacher Continent's Heavenly Dao. Luo Ruoxi had entered in this very manner back then. Later, during the struggle for the Spring and Autumn Codex, her aura was exposed, and she was immediately expelled by the Heavenly Dao, forced to leave the Master Teacher Continent.

Upon entering the passage, they indeed saw chaotic spatial currents raging, with various spatial storms rushing towards them, seemingly intent on tearing them to shreds. A true Ancient Sage Four-fold expert would quickly have their consciousness shattered and fall into a coma. However, at their current peak cultivation in the Firmament, even with their power suppressed, their formidable spiritual strength and physical bodies easily withstood the storms' onslaught. They moved at incredible speed. The passage that had taken half a month to traverse previously was now completed in less than an hour.

A massive coffin floated silently in mid-air, sealing off the surrounding space, making it appear as one impenetrable entity. With a gentle tap of his finger, the formation broke, and Zhang Xuan along with Wu Chen swayed, then emerged.

The sun shone brightly, and the familiar aura of the Master Teacher Continent enveloped them once more.

"Master Zhang..."

As he stood firm, he heard a call, and Ancient Sage Yan Qing appeared before him. After more than a year apart, Yan Qing's cultivation had advanced further, and he no longer appeared as frail as before.

"Mm." Zhang Xuan nodded, then looked to the side where someone was performing a sacrifice. Fierce flames burned on an altar, emitting an eerie glow. The aura they had sensed from the mountain peak earlier was emanating from this very spot.

"Who is this person? Where's Liu Yang?" Wasn't the Spirit Emperor his student Liu Yang? Why was there now an unfamiliar Spirit race member?

"This is Chen Xiao, the new Spirit Emperor! Liu Yang's... personal disciple!" Ancient Sage Yan Qing replied.

"Liu Yang's personal disciple? My grand-disciple?" Zhang Xuan was momentarily stunned. He was only in his early twenties and still taking disciples; he hadn't expected to already have a grand-disciple.

"Yes..." Ancient Sage Yan Qing nodded.

"He became the Spirit Emperor, so... where is Liu Yang? And Kong Shiyao, Zhao Ya, and the others?" Zhang Xuan asked, puzzled. Although he hadn't explicitly stated he was descending to the lower realm in the message he sent through Elder Zhao Yue, as disciples, they should have been curious about the sacrifice to the Firmament. Why hadn't he seen any of them?

"Reporting to Master Zhang, your nine personal disciples already went to the Firmament three months ago, following the path you took..." Ancient Sage Yan Qing said with a wry smile.

"They went too?" Zhang Xuan was astonished. Three months ago, or about ninety days, which would be just over nine days in the Firmament's time... At that time, he had been in the Sea of Chasing Stars, cultivating Elder Hong Wu and the others...

"I'll look for them when I go back up..." Knowing they had left so long ago and he hadn't encountered them in the passage, Zhang Xuan concluded that his disciples were likely already in Xuanjiang City or elsewhere. He no longer dwelled on it. Just as he was about to speak again, two figures rapidly flew towards him.

It was his parents, Sword Saint Xing and Sword Saint Meng!

"Xuan'er..."

Sword Saint Meng was filled with emotion, her eyes slightly red. "It's good that you're alright..." The Firmament was full of dangers. Ever since her son went there, as a mother, she had worried every single day, enduring torment for over a year. Seeing him again, safe and sound, finally allowed her to breathe a sigh of relief.

Sensing their sincere emotions, Zhang Xuan smiled. "Mother, Father, I'm fine..."

At this moment, his parents' cultivation had also greatly improved, both reaching the peak of Ancient Sage Four-fold. After inquiring, he learned that the Master Teacher Pavilion was also developing for the better. Under Liu Yang's restraint, the Spirit race had not caused any further disturbances and were living peacefully with the human race. With the mercury true qi now usable, the human race was growing stronger and stronger. In the future, the likelihood of war would presumably diminish, and there would be no need to worry anymore.

Arriving at the main hall where the Hundred Schools of Philosophers entertained guests, Zhang Xuan saw many old acquaintances: the Luo Clan Head, the Jiang Clan Head, Master Teacher Pavilion's Yang Xuan... These individuals' cultivations had also reached Ancient Sage Four-fold, just like Sword Saint Xing and Sword Saint Meng. If the Divine Communion Hall warriors who had surrounded them in the Firmament were to enter through the passage again, they likely wouldn't be able to escape and would be instantly slain.

"Zhang Xuan... did you see my sister in the Firmament?" After a short conversation, Luo Xuanqing approached, his gaze filled with worry.

"Your sister?" Zhang Xuan was surprised. "Qiqi, isn't she on the Master Teacher Continent?" When he left, he was alone, and he hadn't seen Luo Qiqi during his long stay in the Firmament.

"About a year ago, not long after you left, she departed, saying she was going to find you..." Luo Xuanqing shook his head.

"Find me? She used this passage too?"

"No, she didn't use the passage. Instead, she activated the Tranquil Spatial Pearl and broke through the spatial restraints of the Master Teacher Continent..." Luo Xuanqing explained.

Zhang Xuan was taken aback. With his current cultivation, he could directly break through the Master Teacher Continent's restraints and enter the Firmament, and spatial currents wouldn't harm him in the slightest. He no longer needed to use the passage to return. But... a year ago, Luo Qiqi's cultivation, no matter how strong, was only comparable to his own, at Ancient Sage Four-fold. How could she possibly break through the continent's restraints?

"Do you know why she named herself Qiqi, and why our Luo Clan cherishes her so much?" Seeing his confusion, Luo Xuanqing shook his head and spoke. Knowing that their strengths now differed immensely, Luo Xuanqing no longer harbored any desire for rivalry. He only hoped that Zhang Xuan could help him look after his sister and bring her back.

"She's called Qiqi because she's the seventh child, and has six older brothers, right?" Zhang Xuan seemed to recall something like that.

"Yes, she has six older brothers, and I'm the sixth. My five elder brothers have all passed away! My father is the Luo Clan Head. Considering the Luo Clan's status and position on the Master Teacher Continent, don't you find it strange that all five of his sons died?" Luo Xuanqing stated.

Zhang Xuan froze. He had been curious about it back then but hadn't given it much thought. Now that he did, it truly was unusual. The Luo Clan's power and standing on the Master Teacher Continent were immense. Even if Spirit race experts launched a sneak attack, it was inconceivable that they could kill all five of the clan head's sons, leaving not a single one behind!

"Because of the Tranquil Spatial Pearl!" Luo Xuanqing explained, "This artifact is a treasure our ancestor obtained, possessing immense power. My sister was able to refine it as soon as she was born, not because her bloodline was the purest, but because of... my five elder brothers! Back then, something happened to the Tranquil Spatial Pearl, and it was on the verge of tearing through space and leaving at any moment. If it had departed, the Luo Clan would surely have fallen from its position among the three great clans. My five elder brothers sacrificed their essence blood and even their lives to stabilize it! Only then did the Tranquil Spatial Pearl remain, and its spirit gradually awakened... that spirit is Qiqi!"

"Its spirit awakened? You mean... Luo Qiqi is the artifact spirit of the Tranquil Spatial Pearl?" Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted.

"The spirit entered my mother's womb, and then Qiqi was born. So, it's fair to say she's the spirit of the Tranquil Spatial Pearl, and it's also perfectly fine to say she's my biological sister, as her flesh and blood were bestowed by the Luo Clan..." Luo Xuanqing said.

Zhang Xuan nodded. He had seen countless weapons and personally tamed at least eight thousand, if not ten thousand. Their spirits were always inseparable from their main bodies, even for False God-level artifacts. For the spirit of the Tranquil Spatial Pearl to be able to leave its main body and be reincarnated as a human... it was simply unbelievable.

"How did she break through space? And how do you know she went to the Firmament?"

"After you left, her desire to find you grew increasingly strong. The Tranquil Spatial Pearl sensed this intent and released immense power, seemingly breaking through the Ancient Sage Four-fold restraint and reaching an unknown realm. Then, the Master Teacher Continent's space began to reject her, pushing her and the Tranquil Spatial Pearl out together!" After a moment of thought, Luo Xuanqing added, "Our countless Luo Clan experts used all their strength but couldn't keep her here..."

Zhang Xuan fell silent. This was somewhat similar to Luo Ruoxi's departure, where she was forcibly squeezed out by space, like a wooden stick in water. No matter how much force you use to hold it down, it will always float back to the surface once released. It seemed she had indeed been pushed into the Firmament.

"Alright, when I return to the Firmament, I'll inquire thoroughly. If I find her, I'll have the people from the Palace of Chasing Stars inform the Spirit Emperor, who can then relay the message to you..." Understanding this, Zhang Xuan said.