Chapter 55: Encountering Encirclement (Part 1)

After chatting for a while, when asked where he had obtained the Golden Jade Fruit, Zhang Xuan casually replied that he had found it at a market, which made Master Lu Chen and the others exclaim how lucky he was.

"By the way, Brother Zhang Xuan, are you a local or..." Lu Chen asked.

"I am a teacher at Hongtian Academy!" Zhang Xuan replied.

"I see! No wonder you possess such strength and such profound understanding of calligraphy and painting!" Master Lu Chen praised him, then couldn't help but turn to Huang Yu and Bai Xun, who were standing nearby. "Calligraphy and painting can cultivate one's character and temper one's mind. Don't spend all your time thinking about fighting! Since Brother Zhang Xuan is an academy teacher, you two should often seek his guidance when you have time. Whoever learns true skill, I will naturally consider passing them in their assessment and giving them what they desire!"

"Yes, sir!"

Huang Yu looked dejected, while Bai Xun's eyes gleamed with excitement.

After their confrontation, he already knew that Zhang Xuan's strength far surpassed his own. Being able to seek guidance from such a powerful person was much better than simply learning calligraphy and painting, which he found boring.

At least seeking guidance from Zhang Xuan would be more relaxing than seeking it from Master Lu Chen.

Seeing that he had accomplished what he came for, Zhang Xuan didn't linger any longer. He cupped his fists and said, "I apologize for disturbing you today. It's getting late, Master, I'll take my leave and visit again another day!"

"You came here looking for cultivation techniques for Fighter 6-dan, but I don't have any here," Master Lu Chen said. "In a few days, I'll speak with Shen Zhui and take you to the Kingdom's Imperial Library to look for them! He seems to be out hunting these past few days and isn't around!"

"Then thank you very much, Master!" Hearing this, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Cultivation techniques for Fighter 6-dan were certainly hard to find in ordinary places, but the Kingdom's Imperial Library, reputed to have the most complete collection of books in the entire Tianxuan Kingdom, would surely have many!

If he could truly enter, the Fighter 6-dan techniques might allow him to form the Heaven's Path Divine Art, enabling his cultivation to break through smoothly!

"You're welcome..."

Lu Chen smiled and nodded.

Leaving the Master's residence, Zhang Xuan walked towards the academy.

It was already dark when he had dinner with Shen Biru. Now, the moon hung high in the sky, casting light on the ground like silver frost. Based on his previous life's time, it was almost midnight.

Although he was delayed until so late, he didn't feel the slightest bit of fatigue. Instead, his eyes gleamed with excitement.

He had to admit, this trip to the Master's residence was truly worthwhile!

The cultivation technique that allowed him to condense a Heaven's Path physique had greatly advanced his physical body and significantly increased his strength. With his current cultivation, he could fearlessly face even a Peak Aperture Opening realm expert!

Furthermore, he had also found more than ten Fighter 6-dan cultivation techniques. Even if he couldn't form a complete Heaven's Path Divine Art, they should still have some benefit for his cultivation.

"My physical body can reach over 90 ding of strength," he wondered, "if I find higher-level physical cultivation methods, won't I become even stronger?"

Although there were many secret techniques for physical cultivation in Master Lu Chen's study, they were all the simplest and most basic cultivation methods. If these could yield such effects when compiled by the Heaven's Path Divine Library, wouldn't more profound physical cultivation methods be even more powerful when compiled in the future?

If that were the case, his physical body would likely become one of his primary combat strengths!

While he was secretly feeling pleased, his ears suddenly twitched.

With his physical strength greatly increased, his senses of hearing and sight had also become sharper. He realized someone was tracking him from behind!

He paused, swaying slightly. "Friend following behind, come out!" he called out.

"Heh heh, didn't expect you to be so alert!"

"What good is alertness?!" another voice scoffed. "Kid, you made us lose our earnings, and today you won't be leaving either..."

*Whoosh!*

As the voice ended, several figures darted out from the darkness, surrounding Zhang Xuan, and glared at him coldly, as if looking at a dead man.

"It's you?" Zhang Xuan asked, recognizing them.

It was Master Mo Yang, whose fraudulent identity he had exposed at the market, and the stall owner who had conspired with him.

As for the others, they were likely the "shills" who had been mingling in the crowd.

At this moment, "Master Mo Yang" had a swollen face, dark circles around his eyes, and his clothes were torn in several places. He no longer had his previous ethereal, unworldly appearance; if he were thrown on the street, people would believe he was a beggar.

It seemed that after his identity was exposed, the "victims" had not gone easy on him.

This made sense; anyone who could afford to gamble such high prices on treasures must come from an extraordinary family background.

Knowing they had been swindled, it was already good that they hadn't beaten him to death on the spot.

The stall owner who dealt in treasure gambling looked much the same, with two black eyes, and his mouth so swollen he couldn't speak clearly, as if he had a sausage hanging from it.

Looking at Zhang Xuan, naked hatred gleamed in their eyes.

They had spent a great deal of money to set up this scheme, but it had been ruined by this youth. Not only did they lose the fat profits they had almost secured, but they were also beaten nearly to death. One could only imagine the hatred in their hearts.

"Little beast!" the stall owner snarled, his eyes flashing with excitement and ferocity. "You ran quite fast, didn't you? Let's see where you'll run now!"

"You want to kill me?" Zhang Xuan frowned, feeling the chilling aura around him.

"Blame your loose tongue!" Master Mo Yang sneered, clenching his fists until they cracked. "You said things you shouldn't have. Next time you reincarnate, remember to control your mouth!"

Their fraudulent scheme failed because of this fellow, and they had searched for a long time to find him. Naturally, they couldn't let him go!

"Sorry," Zhang Xuan said, "but I don't want to die just yet, nor do I want to control my mouth!"

"Don't want to die?" A ruthless glint flashed in Master Mo Yang's eyes. "That's not up to you! Brothers, kill him and chop him into pieces for the dogs!"

"Yes, boss!"

With an excited sneer, one of the "shills" stepped forward, raised his large hand, and chopped down at Zhang Xuan with a palm strike.

His move immediately revealed his cultivation: Peak Fighter 5-dan!

No wonder he was wanted by the Liuzhu Kingdom and could still run to Tianxuan Kingdom to commit fraud. He indeed possessed some strength.

If this were before tonight, even if Zhang Xuan could defeat this guy, he would definitely need to rely on the Heaven's Path Divine Library to find his opponent's flaws. But now, with his physical body greatly advanced and possessing nearly a hundred ding of immense strength, a mere Peak Dingli realm expert was nothing.

He chuckled lightly and slapped out.

"Seeking death!"

"Old Fourth is known as Iron Palm," someone scoffed. "His hands can split stone tablets and crack rocks. Back then, even an early Aperture Opening realm expert in the Liuzhu Kingdom was beaten to death with one palm by him. This kid actually dares to meet him bare-handed without any preparation? Truly, ignorance is bliss!"

"It's truly bad luck that we were ruined so miserably by a guy like this!"

...

Seeing Zhang Xuan not dodge but meet the attack directly, Master Mo Yang and the others all sneered.

Although this "shill" seemed inconspicuous, his strength was no joke. Especially his palms; he could shatter steel. For a teenage boy to meet him bare-handed, what was that if not seeking death?

Just as they believed Zhang Xuan would surely have his hands broken and body maimed, they immediately saw "Old Fourth's" Iron Palm shatter like tofu. He couldn't even block; with one slap, his hand was crushed, his sternum caved in, and he flew straight back, landing headfirst in the ground like a wild onion.