Chapter 311: Student Jiang Shu

He had seen powerful figures who would injure others at the slightest disagreement, or simply turn and leave, ignoring worldly affairs. But to ask someone to become a disciple based on a disagreement… The middle-aged man blinked his eyes.

Having cultivated to the peak of the Grandmaster realm, his talent was certainly not poor. However, he was also self-aware that he was still a ways off from being a true genius. So, for someone to immediately offer to take him as a disciple, despite him not being a genius… What was happening?

"Indeed! Are you wondering why I asked you to become my disciple the moment I spoke?" Zhang Xuan waved his hand, his gaze deep and calm. "Your talent isn't exceptional, and your strength is nothing special. What about you could I possibly be interested in?""I…"With his thoughts exposed, the middle-aged man's expression became slightly embarrassed.

"When you fought the Crimson Tiger just now, your Surging Waves Movement Technique combined with your Hongyan Fist, while quite subtle, couldn't unleash its full power," Zhang Xuan said indifferently. "If I'm not mistaken, you've only learned an incomplete version of this Hongyan Fist, haven't you?"

"Senior, Senior… how did you know?" The middle-aged man's expression changed, filled with shock. The Surging Waves Movement Technique was a relatively well-known technique in Tianwu Kingdom, so recognizing it wasn't surprising. But the Hongyan Fist was his unique, secret skill. He had learned it during a past training expedition when he discovered relics left by a supreme expert in a mysterious valley.

The fist technique was named after its creator, a senior named Hongyan. Its momentum was fierce and its power immense, capable of unleashing a force strong enough to confront raging savage beasts head-on. Although the relics left by this expert only contained an incomplete version, he had already mastered it through years of cultivation, treating it as a life-saving trump card he rarely used in public. Just now, during his battle with the Crimson Tiger, he had used it with the intention of honing his skills, never dreaming that this senior would recognize it with a single glance.

Zhang Xuan didn't answer his question, his face calm and unperturbed. "Hongyan Fist is broad and and powerful, with immense strength. If you only cultivated this technique, even if it were an incomplete version, it wouldn't cause any major harm or burden your body. Yet you insist on also cultivating the Three-Inch Palm alongside it. The power of the Three-Inch Palm is concentrated within a mere three inches, generating an explosive inch-force for rapid strikes. Inch-force and broad, powerful fist techniques are inherently conflicting. If I'm not mistaken, your body must have some persistent ailments that you can't get rid of, right?"

"I…" The middle-aged man's face was filled with shock, and his body trembled. He quickly clasped his fists, his attitude becoming even more respectful. "Senior… you are absolutely right!" The martial art he had first cultivated was indeed the Three-Inch Fist. Later, he acquired the Hongyan Fist. Although he knew the two might conflict, he was still reluctant to give up such a powerful fist technique and forcibly cultivated it. He had thought that, given his status, he could resolve any issues, but to his surprise, the deeper he cultivated, the greater the harm to his body. Especially in recent years, he had felt his physical strength greatly diminish. It was precisely because of this that he was determined to tame this young Crimson Tiger, so that if anything happened to him, it could protect his family.

"As a Master Teacher, to know that fist techniques conflict, yet still learn them, harming yourself unknowingly—that is foolishness," Zhang Xuan said, his voice carrying a hint of sternness.

"Senior… you know I'm a Master Teacher?" The middle-aged man looked over again, filled with disbelief. During the battle, he had used Hongyan Fist and Three-Inch Palm, so it wasn't surprising that the other party could recognize them. But he wasn't wearing an emblem or a Master Teacher's robe, so how did the other party know? It didn't seem like he had displayed any Master Teacher traits just now!

"When fighting the Crimson Tiger, you were able to anticipate and evade its powerful attacks. While there's a possibility this familiarity comes from fighting it multiple times, every move you made was aimed at the opponent's flaws, launching a counter-attack. Non-Master Teachers wouldn't be able to do this, would they?" Zhang Xuan said. Master Teachers possess a Clear Understanding realm of mind, allowing them to discern flaws and errors in martial techniques, thereby identifying problems and providing guidance. It is precisely because of this that Master Teachers are absolutely the strongest among cultivators of the same level. The middle-aged man's offense and defense were well-measured. Although battling a raging savage beast, he was not nervous at all, and every move had profound meaning. Any cultivator could almost certainly see the underlying issues. Furthermore, when he and the Crimson Tiger battled just now, both displaying martial techniques, the Library of Heaven's Path had already formed relevant content.

"Senior has good insight…" The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment, paused, then his eyes suddenly lit up. "Could it be… Senior is also a Master Teacher?"

Zhang Xuan stood with his hands clasped behind his back. The mountain breeze blew, his sleeves fluttering, making him seem like an immortal. "I've been traveling for many years; it's been a long time since I've heard anyone call me that!""As expected, he is a Master Teacher…" Hearing this, the middle-aged man's eyes immediately lit up, filled with excitement.

The other party was at least a supreme expert, and possessed insight far exceeding his own, indicating… at least a 3-star Master Teacher! If he was indeed a Master Teacher, it made sense why he asked him to become a disciple the moment they met. Master Teachers shoulder the responsibility of imparting knowledge and guidance. When they encounter someone confused or lost, they can provide answers. It is precisely because of this that the entire continent, and even humanity, flourishes so prosperously, and why the profession of Master Teacher is revered by billions.

The Master Teacher hierarchy was strict; lower-ranked Master Teachers could naturally address higher-ranked ones as 'Teacher,' so the so-called apprenticeship posed no issue. Furthermore, the other party could see his problems at a glance and even help him subdue the Crimson Tiger. If he truly became a disciple, he would definitely profit immensely!

"If Senior is willing to accept me as a student, it would be my honor!" His face flushed as he suppressed his excitement and hastily said.

"No more doubts?" Zhang Xuan looked over."This junior wouldn't dare!" The middle-aged man quickly nodded. He couldn't discern the other party's cultivation level, and taming a half-step supreme beast was truly astonishing insight. Even if the other party now claimed not to be a Master Teacher, he wouldn't believe it.

"The Crimson Tiger you just fought is not yet an adult, and its strength has not reached its limit. If you have a way to make it grow rapidly, reaching the peak of the Grandmaster realm, then it won't be difficult for it to submit to you!" Seeing that the middle-aged man believed his Master Teacher identity, Zhang Xuan knew the rest would be easier. He said no more and offered the benefit.

"This… I know that too, but I've tried. I really can't think of any item that could make its strength grow…" The middle-aged man hesitated. As a Master Teacher, he was knowledgeable and well-read, having dabbled in beast taming. He knew that to tame a beast, one must appeal to its preferences. Unfortunately, he had tried many times and still didn't know what could make this Crimson Tiger break through. After all, the beast wasn't suppressed by a power restriction; it was simply not yet old enough. No amount of medicine could suddenly make it grow older! Even if such a thing existed, it would be forcing growth, and if the Crimson Tiger knew, it would only resent him, making true submission impossible.

"Do you have any pills on you?" Zhang Xuan asked indifferently.

"Yes… a few healing pills!" Not knowing why this senior asked, the middle-aged man hesitated before replying."Give them to me!" Zhang Xuan extended his hand.

"Yes!" Although he didn't know why the other party wanted the pills, the middle-aged man didn't hesitate. With a flip of his wrist, a jade bottle appeared in his palm. With a gentle flick, propelled by true qi, it slowly floated towards Zhang Xuan. Although this move was simple, it demonstrated an extremely strong control over true qi. Surprised in his heart but showing no change in his expression, Zhang Xuan took the jade bottle. Upon opening it, he indeed saw a dozen smooth, round pills inside, all of which had reached the second-grade level. Each second-grade pill was highly valuable; a dozen of them combined would likely exceed ten million gold. Carrying them so casually and tossing them over so readily, perhaps only a Master Teacher would have such boldness.

Pouring the pills into his palm, Zhang Xuan willed it, and pure Heaven's Path True Qi immediately surged into them, compressing the dozen or so pills into a single large pellet. To help an immature savage beast break through its limitations, there was no other method unless its bloodline was advanced. What kind of medicine could achieve this, Zhang Xuan wasn't clear, but he knew… his Heaven's Path True Qi could!

The other party was only at the Grandmaster peak, and Zhang Xuan himself wasn't far from the Grandmaster realm. The difference between them wasn't large, so the effect of Heaven's Path True Qi should still be significant. However, Heaven's Path True Qi was too high-level, and the middle-aged man was a Master Teacher with astonishing insight. If Zhang Xuan wanted to help the beast advance, there was a risk of exposing himself and ruining his disguise. Moreover, to directly inject Heaven's Path True Qi into its meridians for advancement, the beast must not resist. He couldn't just run over and knock out the Crimson Tiger. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't! By infusing the true qi into the pill, once the pill melted, the true qi would automatically enter the body, circulate with the blood, purify the bloodline, and similarly achieve the effect of advancing the savage beast's bloodline.

The only downside was that doing this wasted pills. The higher the grade of the pill, the more true qi it could hold. With this single action, medicines worth tens of millions of gold coins were effectively wasted. Of course, to Zhang Xuan, it didn't matter; he was simply being generous with someone else's resources. Exchanging tens of millions for taming a Grandmaster peak savage beast… this guy definitely made a huge profit.

"Alright, I've re-refined your pills. Just give this to the Crimson Tiger to consume, and it will immediately break through. As for how to make it submit to you, that will depend on your subsequent methods!" With a flick of his finger, the pellet shot straight towards the middle-aged man. Zhang Xuan didn't have the other party's effortless technique, so he had to use this simpler method.

"Yes!" Casually taking the pill, the middle-aged man's face was filled with bewilderment; he was somewhat unconvinced. These healing pills he had bought from the Alchemist Guild had no special properties. They were in this senior's hands for a moment, at most squeezed from a dozen pills into one. Like this… it could make the Crimson Tiger advance? It felt unreliable no matter how he looked at it.

"Go give it to it now!" Zhang Xuan didn't explain further."Yes!" Despite his doubts, he thought that the other party was likely a 3-star Master Teacher and a supreme expert, so it was impossible for him to be deceived. The middle-aged man nodded, carefully put away the pellet, and with a leap, chased in the direction the Crimson Tiger had fled. Zhang Xuan didn't follow; he quietly waited on the back of the Roaring Sky Beast.

About an hour later, a violent roar echoed, and the middle-aged man arrived, riding on the back of the Crimson Tiger. This time, he didn't hesitate. He dismounted the tiger and immediately knelt on the ground. "Your student, Jiang Shu, respectfully greets Teacher!"