Chapter 2130: Yang Xuan Reappears

Unaware that Wang Ying had already noticed, Zhang Xuan was at this moment hidden in a tall bush, secretly gazing forward.

Before him were several young people, appearing to be sixteen or seventeen years old. He had rushed over after hearing the commotion, having first instructed Wang Ying to hide carefully. Both male and female, they each carried packs and walked forward along the valley, seemingly searching for something.

Zhang Xuan's expression darkened with a single glance. There were seven people in total, the oldest of whom was only around seventeen. Yet, their power was robust and steady, indicating they were all at the God realm, just like him! Most critically, the valley was rugged, but these individuals were perfectly adapted to it, moving through it as if unfatigued.

"It's getting dark soon, let's rest here! Tomorrow, after we find what we need and complete the trial, we'll head back!" The leading youth in white surveyed the setting sun, smiled faintly, and instructed.

"Alright!" Hearing the word "rest," everyone looked pleased and promptly took off their packs. Some began spreading a special powder to deter insects and other divine beasts, others searched for water, and some took out food to prepare meals. Their division of labor was clear and orderly, suggesting they had already formed a well-coordinated team, familiar with their respective roles.

"I must find a way to leave with them!" Seeing that the young men and women had not noticed him, Zhang Xuan pondered.

He had no idea which mountain range this was in the God Realm, but there was almost no spiritual energy here. Forget cultivation or advancing to higher levels; if things went wrong, he could even starve to death! He wouldn't mind if it were just him; he could pick any direction and keep moving until he found his way out. However, with his parents, disciples, and others following behind, he couldn't afford to act rashly.

Through his investigations over the past few days, he knew that while spiritual energy was extremely thin in this mountain range, the divine beasts here were far from weak. Even a randomly encountered one would be a formidable opponent. Taking everyone with him and ensuring their safety without a secure path was simply impossible. If they ventured deeper and encountered even higher-level divine beasts, they would simply be waiting for death.

Thus, he had been scouting for days, hoping to find signs of human activity and the most suitable route. Now that he had encountered them, he certainly couldn't let them just leave. However, these individuals were not weak. If he approached them rashly and they mistook him for a villain and attacked, he would be in a dire situation. His injuries hadn't healed, and after eating wild vegetables for over ten days, he was incredibly weak, probably unable to even retaliate.

What's more... His Eye of Insight shimmered as Zhang Xuan looked several hundred meters outside the valley, and he couldn't help but shake his head. Here, his Eye of Insight was usable, and its effectiveness was quite remarkable. As for the Library, it had been completely silent for half a month, only recovering today. It was likely adapting to the Heavenly Dao of the God Realm, attempting to seize a portion of its power for his use.

Through his Eye of Insight, he had already discerned that this group of young men and women had not come alone; powerful individuals were following them. This was likely for their safety. Otherwise, their families or teachers wouldn't be at ease with such young people entering a spiritual-energy-depleted mountain range alone. With experts providing protection, forceful interrogation was definitely out of the question. It would be best if he could somehow gain their trust and follow them out of the mountains. Even if that wasn't possible, simply learning the path or the location of the nearest town from them would alleviate his current predicament.

"It seems this is the only way..." After pondering for a long time, a plan formed in his mind.

With this thought, he quietly withdrew from the bushes, his body shifting as he changed his appearance. The disguise token Luo Ruoxi had given him was not only usable here but also remarkably effective. His disguise was so lifelike that even the Eye of Insight couldn't see through it. His disguised appearance now made him look around thirty years old, with refined manners that immediately gave off an approachable aura. As for his cultivation... it was unfathomable! At least the students before him couldn't discern it.

Once ready, Zhang Xuan no longer concealed himself. "Who dares intrude upon my sanctuary and disturb my cultivation?" he declared.

"Who's there?" The young people, who had been cooking and resting, were startled by his words. They all simultaneously grabbed their weapons and turned to face the source of the voice. They then saw a young man in his thirties standing atop a tall rock, his hands clasped behind his back. His robes fluttered in the strong wind, giving him an ethereal, almost divine appearance. A hint of cold arrogance crossed his face, suggesting considerable displeasure.

"Playing the fool..." A rather attractive young woman took a step forward, about to speak, but was blocked by the white-robed youth at the front.

"Senior, we are students from Night冥 Academy in Night冥 City. We are here for a trial and meant no offense. Please forgive us!"

"Night冥 City? Night冥 Academy?" Zhang Xuan noted the names, yet his face remained impassive. "I am also here to guide my students through a trial!" he stated.

"Guiding students?" The white-robed youth breathed a sigh of relief, then, with a hint of doubt in his eyes, asked, "May I ask which academy you are from, teacher?" Since he was a teacher, he certainly wouldn't be a malicious individual who would indiscriminately harm the innocent.

"I've merely taken on a few rather slow students myself and am showing them around," Zhang Xuan replied evasively, fearing exposure.

Seeing his reluctance to elaborate, the white-robed youth found it inconvenient to press further. He cupped his fists and said, "Since you, teacher, arrived here first, we shall find another place to rest!" The cultivation of the person before him was unfathomable to the youth, who already felt a sense of apprehension. Anyone would feel uneasy encountering such a powerful figure suddenly appearing in a desolate mountain range with no one else in sight.

"No need, students of Night冥 Academy. As it happens, your dean and I are acquaintances, and I have a few things I'd like to ask." Zhang Xuan wouldn't let them leave so easily after finally encountering people.

"Senior, you know our dean?" The white-robed youth's pupils constricted. Their dean's strength was unfathomable, having already reached the peak of the High-grade God realm. If this individual knew him, did that not mean their cultivations were comparable? No wonder he couldn't discern his cultivation. If a powerhouse of this caliber truly intended to act, their combined strength would likely not last a single breath before they were instantly killed.

Zhang Xuan had casually dropped a big name and was about to inquire about the exact location of this "Night冥 City" and "Night冥 Academy" so he could guide his disciples there. Just then, a middle-aged man's voice rang out: "Our dean has always been in secluded cultivation. I know most of his friends, and he has few old acquaintances. May I ask your name, Senior?"

As the voice ceased, a middle-aged man, roughly forty years old, rushed forward, placing himself in front of the white-robed youth. This was precisely the powerful individual who had been following behind to protect them.

"Teacher!" All the young people were stunned by his sudden appearance. "How did you get here?" Clearly, he had been following behind them without their knowledge.

"As your homeroom teacher, how could I not worry when you're out on a trial?" The middle-aged man gave a wry smile, said no more, and then looked back at Zhang Xuan, his expression now one of doubt. He had been a teacher at Night冥 Academy for nearly twenty years and knew almost all of the dean's acquaintances. He had never heard of the person standing before them. Focusing his mind, he scrutinized the individual carefully. To his dismay, even with his own strength, he couldn't discern the cultivation of the person before him. A sense of awe filled his heart. The other party's strength was likely no weaker than that of their dean.

"Observing your approach, you utilized the Rapid Step Cloud Chasing movement technique, your temples bulge, and your Sibai acupoint is dim, indicating you're cultivating the Underworld Sea Absolute. While these two cultivation methods can indeed grant illusory speed, there's a problem with your cultivation. The two haven't perfectly aligned, leading to a backlash of divine energy..." Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow. "If I'm not mistaken, you must be Teacher Mo Yuan from Night冥 Academy!"

"You... how do you know that?" The middle-aged man, Mo Yuan, was startled, his eyes widening. His reputation at the academy was considerable, so it was normal for others to know his name. However, the issues with his cultivation were not something one could simply inquire about. To discern them with a single glance indicated terrifying insight.

"I know more than just that," Zhang Xuan continued. "I also know that recently, when your meridians flow through the Huihai acupoint, they become somewhat sluggish. Not only does this hinder your progress through a vital bottleneck, but prolonged cultivation also causes nosebleeds, bleeding from the mouth, and chest tightness!"

"This..." Teacher Mo Yuan was once again stunned, his face full of disbelief. While someone with higher cultivation might notice the imperfect coordination of his techniques and movement method upon seeing him rush over, to instantly articulate the hidden problems within his personal cultivation... Unless they were intimately familiar with his cultivation, there was only one other possibility... The individual's strength was likely no weaker than that of their dean, if not superior. Only such a powerhouse could discern his cultivation techniques, movement methods, and even the flaws in his cultivation with a single glance! A powerhouse of this caliber, having claimed to know the dean, would naturally not stoop to lying. Perhaps... he truly was a friend of the dean.

"Your cultivation is diligent, but unfortunately, you've taken the wrong path. The Underworld Sea Absolute, with its 'Underworld into the Sea' concept, demands an extremely high level of soul cultivation. Your soul clearly hasn't reached that realm, and forcing your progress like this, it's a wonder you haven't suffered a severe backlash!" Zhang Xuan continued. When the other party rushed over earlier, he had used a martial technique. With the aid of the Library, Zhang Xuan immediately spotted its flaws and weaknesses. According to Master Kong, the higher the world's cultivation level, the greater the backlash from using the Library. However, to gather information and safely leave this place now, he had no other option but to use it. Every cultivator had errors and flaws. Moreover, with his own cultivation being imperceptible to the other party, it wasn't difficult to bluff his way through.

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior!" Cold sweat beaded on Teacher Mo Yuan's forehead. If he had any doubts before, they were now completely gone. Just as the individual had stated, his hidden health issues were indeed due to insufficient soul power and his forceful attempt to increase his strength. It had now formed a chronic injury, making recovery difficult.

"Senior, would you mind telling me your name?" Gone was his former arrogance; Teacher Mo Yuan humbled himself, asking with a sincere expression.

"I am..." Zhang Xuan let out a subtle sigh of relief, then slightly raised his head. "Yang Xuan!"