Chapter 2217: Again Transmitting the Skill

Zhang Xuan did not dodge the attack. Instead, he smiled faintly, his hands clasped behind his back. As the force was about to reach him, he puffed out his cheeks and exhaled.

The expelled air formed a sword beam in mid-air. The vast amount of true qi unleashed by Feng Jiang at full power scattered like a punctured balloon upon contact with it.

It was also like a rushing torrent of water hitting an umbrella.

The force splattered outwards, striking the ground and forming a circular crater around Zhang Xuan, yet not a single drop touched him.

He advanced slowly, unhurriedly, breaking the attack with a single breath. Everything about him seemed to suggest he was a tiger strolling among sheep, not even on the same level.

“No matter how strong the power, if you find its weakness, it can be shattered with a single blow. He is the same; he’s not that formidable!”

Zhang Xuan continued to move forward, a faint smile on his face. He darted across the uneven ground as if teleporting, appearing instantly less than half a meter in front of Feng Jiang.

Feng Jiang was flustered, having never expected this person to be so powerful, with his strongest attack having no effect. Just as he tried to jump back, he felt something trip his heel.

He tumbled to the ground, covered in dirt.

A hush fell over the surroundings.

Feng Jiang had been tripped by the young man in front of him. Such a move usually belonged in street brawls among commoners, yet a peak Celestial God had used it, and crucially, with remarkable effectiveness.

Understanding the onlookers’ thoughts, Zhang Xuan smiled again: “There is no superior or inferior move; victory is paramount!”

At any other time, let alone Feng Jiang, even the most ordinary low-grade Celestial God would not have been hurt by such a move, yet it had genuinely worked now. It wasn't that his leg move was particularly subtle or clever, but rather that his opponent's technique had been shattered, and Zhang Xuan had gotten so close, that Feng Jiang's state of mind was already in disarray.

With a chaotic mind, how could one fight? How could one win?

In a competition, strong true qi and high cultivation do not guarantee victory. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many astonishing comebacks.

“Have you understood?” Returning to Feng Jiuge, Zhang Xuan looked at his new disciple, who still appeared puzzled.

Cultivators in the Divine Realm relied too heavily on martial arts, bloodlines, and raw power. They would unleash divine power and true qi upon attacking. While this could certainly overwhelm opponents, true combat was not about flashy moves, but about understanding the fight itself. Fast speed is useless if you can't hit your opponent; landing a hundred punches in a second means nothing. But landing one punch in half a second, as long as it connects, is a victory.

“This disciple understands...”

Feng Jiuge’s lips trembled. He knew his teacher’s ability to obtain that token meant his strength must be among the top thirty on the Divine King Potential Rankings, and defeating Feng Jiang shouldn’t be difficult. He just hadn't expected him to be *this* powerful!

“It’s just... being powerful himself is one thing; making others powerful is another. Can this person truly enable me to pass the Nine Phoenix Formation in a short amount of time?”

“Oh, then tell me!” Zhang Xuan looked at him.

Feng Jiuge pondered, then said, “No matter how powerful a move is, it’s only truly powerful if it connects. Otherwise, it’s just fancy footwork.”

“Excellent, a very thorough understanding!” Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

From the martial art technique he had previously taught to resolve chaotic true qi within the body, it was clear that despite two years without proper cultivation, this individual’s talent remained. That's why he had boasted about an hour's time. Seeing him grasp it so quickly now, it might not even take an hour!

While Zhang Xuan was explaining, Feng Jiang stood up. Though fuming, he didn't charge over. Instead, he looked at Zhang Xuan again and couldn't help but ask, “You... are you truly a scattered member of our clan?”

“Yes!” Zhang Xuan nodded. “If you don’t believe me, you can test my bloodline!”

With the disguise token, bloodline tests and such were merely trifles.

Seeing Zhang Xuan’s confidence, Feng Jiang pondered for a moment, then said, “You two wait here. I will go inside to report and prepare the Nine Phoenix Formation! Feng Jiuge, having been expelled from the family, needs to pass the trial. You, as a scattered branch member, do not. So, if he can pass, both of your bloodlines will be tested simultaneously...”

Scattered clan members, if their cultivation reached a certain level, did not need to challenge the formation; they could directly have their bloodline tested. The fact that Feng Jiang couldn't defeat him already demonstrated his strength.

Zhang Xuan nodded, said no more, and looked at his newly accepted disciple: “You now have time to learn...”

Reporting and preparing the formation, no matter how fast, would take at least one or two hours. This period was perfect for him to impart his understanding of martial arts to his new disciple.

The Heavenly Impartation of Teacher's Word activated, his voice becoming a focused line, transmitting the combat techniques and insights into martial arts he intended to explain.

Feng Jiuge had initially been hesitant, but upon hearing the first sentence, he was immediately captivated, unable to pull himself away. These cultivation methods and knowledge were vastly superior to anything he had learned before. Immersed in them, the more he learned, the more shallow his previous understanding seemed.

He didn't know how much time had passed. When Feng Jiang reappeared, Feng Jiuge finally recovered, his eyes gleaming with excitement. In less than an hour of learning, he had gained a new understanding of combat and martial arts. His previous techniques, in comparison, were no different from the brawling of ordinary animals. Whether he could overcome the Nine Phoenix Formation was unclear, but if he encountered strong opponents like Feng Jiang again, he could even contend with nine of them combined!

“Thank you, Teacher...”

He knelt on the ground. Only now did he truly understand what a great fortune it was to acknowledge this person as his teacher. This set of combat techniques alone, he thought, could probably only be understood so profoundly by their living ancestor.

Seeing this former genius kneeling before a side branch member, Feng Jiang's expression soured. He said nothing more, merely snorted, and said, “Let’s go!”

Following him, the two soon arrived at a secluded location. Dozens of colossal phoenix statues stood around them, completely enclosing the central arena.

“This is the family’s training ground. The Nine Phoenix Formation is ready. If you wish to back out, now is your chance... Otherwise, once it begins, there will be no turning back!” Feng Jiang paused before speaking. Although he strongly disliked this person, he still didn't want him to die.

“No regrets!” Feng Jiuge nodded.

“Then let’s begin...” Feng Jiang said no more, lightly swayed, and stepped onto the central arena.

With a soft chime, the mist on the arena dissipated, and eight tall figures appeared.

“Feng Xu, Feng Yuancheng, Feng Qingyan...”

Recognizing the faces of the figures, Feng Jiuge’s fists clenched tightly. He had thought that the Nine Phoenix Formation’s participants would at most be similar in cultivation to Feng Jiang, but now it seemed he had been too naive. A quick count revealed that no less than five of them surpassed Feng Jiang in strength! How... how could he fight this?