Chapter 590: Strange Path Clash

The young man's strength was identical to before he woke up, remaining at the Grandmaster realm with no significant progress. There were also no discernible soul power fluctuations within him, making everything Zhang Xuan had seen in the sea of consciousness seem like an illusion.

"That's not right..."

Zhang Xuan frowned deeply. He had entered the young man's sea of consciousness before, which was not only vast but also contained a soul as enormous as a mountain. To be precise, it seemed as strong as, if not stronger than, his own. He had assumed that upon waking, the young man would possess strength comparable to his just from soul power alone. Yet, there was absolutely no change.

"Could it be that he hasn't drawn his soul out of his body yet?" A thought occurred to him.

The true strength of soul power is difficult to gauge when someone is awake; only when the soul leaves the physical body can its power be observed.

"I will teach you a method to cultivate your Witch Soul. From now on, your primary focus will be on cultivating your soul; you won't need to practice true qi anymore!" Zhang Xuan said, making a guess. He extended a finger and tapped the young man's forehead. A simplified version of the Heaven's Path Soul Drawing Art immediately appeared in Lu Chong's mind.

Lu Chong's Grandmaster realm strength didn't stem from true qi. Instead, it came from a Heaven's Path physical body enhanced by poison, which, when combined with soul power, complemented him perfectly and allowed for smoother progress than true qi cultivators.

"Thank you, Teacher!" After finishing the cultivation method in his mind, Lu Chong looked at Zhang Xuan again, his eyes filled with profound gratitude.

Although he had been in a coma, his soul, trapped within his sea of consciousness, could still hear and his skin could still feel. This meant he was fully aware of everything his teacher had done for him since he lost consciousness.

With Supreme realm cultivation, Zhang Xuan had confronted the Xuanyuan Kingdom, which boasted Transcendent Mortal realm experts. He had purchased a Soulless Golden Figurine and risked his life entering the Witch Soul Tomb, barely escaping death. He had even split his own soul to cultivate the Spirit Awakening Grass and entered Lu Chong's sea of consciousness. This immense kindness was as vast as the heavens, something he could never repay in this lifetime.

On top of all this, Zhang Xuan had selflessly bestowed such a precious cultivation method upon him.

*Teacher, rest assured, I will cultivate diligently and not disappoint you!*

Clenching his fists, Lu Chong's gaze became resolute. He had once been a boisterous individual, but after the tragic upheaval of his family, he had grown silent and reserved. Now, even in his gratitude, he would not voice it but instead strive to prove himself through doubled effort.

After reviewing the cultivation method in his mind twice, thoroughly understanding and memorizing it, Lu Chong exhaled slowly and sat cross-legged on the ground.

Zhang Xuan remained by his side, guarding him. The first time a soul leaves the body is incredibly dangerous; even a slight mishap could cause it to dissipate from a gust of wind within the room. When Zhang Xuan first drew his soul out, he was in a sealed underground tomb and was cultivating the complete Heaven's Path Soul Drawing Art, so the risks were minimal. Lu Chong, however, needed to be cautious.

With a thought, Zhang Xuan's Witch Soul left his body, allowing him to cultivate while observing Lu Chong.

After an unknown period, Lu Chong's eyes suddenly shone brightly. His body, seated before Zhang Xuan, swayed slightly as an identical shadow struggled to emerge. His Witch Soul had finally left his body!

"Hmm? He's still very weak..." Zhang Xuan frowned again. The soul that emerged from Lu Chong's body was still not as powerful as he had imagined. It was as frail as any newly extracted soul, so weak that even a gust of wind too faint to extinguish a candle could scatter it. What was happening? His sea of consciousness and soul were so formidable, yet after drawing his soul out, his soul power was so feeble?

"Teacher!" Now that his Witch Soul had left his body, Lu Chong saw the world differently than with his physical eyes, and his face was alight with excitement.

"Your soul is still very weak. Avoid strong emotions like great joy or sorrow. Absorb the spiritual energy from this spirit stone and cultivate quickly!" Zhang Xuan casually tossed a mid-grade spirit stone to Lu Chong. With another tap, a simplified version of the Heaven's Path Witch Soul cultivation method entered Lu Chong's mind. A newly extracted soul found it difficult to withstand external pressure; not only wind but even extreme emotions could cause its nascent spirit to waver. At this stage, it was crucial to minimize soul fluctuations and focus on rapid cultivation.

However, with Zhang Xuan guarding him, and provided with a cultivation method and sufficient mid-grade spirit stones, Lu Chong's cultivation conditions were significantly better than Zhang Xuan's own when he first began.

"Yes!" Lu Chong controlled his emotions, and his soul sat before the spirit stone, absorbing the spiritual energy within it to cultivate.

"His cultivation speed isn't fast either. Is there something I'm missing?" Zhang Xuan scratched his head. Lu Chong's cultivation speed was indeed not quick; it was a completely different concept from the scene Zhang Xuan had witnessed in his sea of consciousness. Originally, Zhang Xuan had surmised that Lu Chong was very likely an Acquired Witch Soul Physique. If so, with cultivation and the powerful soul within his sea of consciousness, his progress should have been astonishingly rapid, leaving even Zhang Xuan far behind. Yet, now, his progress was methodical, showing nothing remarkable. Could it be... he had guessed incorrectly, and Lu Chong wasn't the so-called Acquired Witch Soul Physique? But if not, why was his sea of consciousness so vast, and his soul body so enormous?

Filled with doubt, Zhang Xuan saw that Lu Chong's cultivation had stabilized, and he no longer needed constant guarding. He then exited the room, found Mo Hunsheng, and voiced his concerns. Although this six-star Witch Soul Master servant had imparted all his Witch Soul techniques and cultivation methods to Zhang Xuan, when it came to understanding the profession, Zhang Xuan was still far inferior. After all, a six-star Witch Soul Master, coupled with a lifespan of tens of thousands of years, would astound countless people if the knowledge were to spread.

"This... I can't quite explain it," Mo Hunsheng mused, shaking his head. "How about this: once the young master finishes his cultivation, I'll go and take a look myself." No matter how much information he heard, nothing could compare to observing it firsthand to truly understand.

"Understood!" Zhang Xuan nodded, no longer dwelling on the matter, and returned to his residence. Although it felt like a short time helping Lu Chong cultivate, an entire night had actually passed. Today was the day of the Master Teacher Tournament, and it was time to prepare for the competition.

Although mid-grade spirit stones no longer piqued his interest, participating in such competitions was an excellent opportunity to significantly boost his reputation, and he couldn't afford to miss it. Otherwise, advancing to higher-ranked Master Teachers in the future would prove much more challenging.

"From today onwards, you shall be known as my clone, and you will address me as your true body!" Zhang Xuan instructed as he entered the room and saw his clone sitting in cultivation. The clone nodded in agreement.

"I'm going out to participate in the Master Teacher Tournament, so you can't stay here. If someone comes to clean the room and discovers you, it'll be impossible to explain..." Their current residence had been arranged by Zhao Feiwu, and people from the Myriad Kingdom Alliance Leader's manor were specifically assigned to clean it. If Zhang Xuan himself was present, it might be manageable, but if he were absent and the cleaners discovered another Zhang Xuan, wouldn't they be scared to death? As for the clone impersonating Yang Xuan... even if it could perfectly replicate his appearance, it lacked Yang Xuan's aura. Upon encountering high-level Master Teachers, its disguise would be immediately exposed, making it far less effective than the true body.

"I'll go into your storage ring then!" the clone suggested, having also considered the issue.

"You can enter?" Zhang Xuan was momentarily stunned, then gave a wry smile. Storage rings were airless, vacuum environments; any living being entering one would instantly turn into jerky. Not to mention Transcendent Mortals, even Saints couldn't survive in such conditions! However, his clone was different. Forged from a divine artifact like the Nine Heavens Lotus Embryo, it didn't require breathing, was impervious to water and fire, and unharmed by blades. There would be no problem at all with it entering the storage ring.

Accustomed to the inability of storage rings to hold living beings, Zhang Xuan had instinctively asked the question before realizing the unique nature of his clone.

"Into the ring!" Knowing that his clone could enter the storage ring, there was nothing more to ponder. Zhang Xuan extended his palm, and with a mental command, the clone vanished from sight, entering the ring.

Carrying the clone with him would prevent a lot of trouble. As for what to do if Master Teacher Yang was not seen in the courtyard... it was a joke. It would be an absolute nightmare if a Master Teacher of his rumored caliber could be casually encountered by anyone.

Walking out of the room and into the living room, Zhang Xuan saw that Hall Master Kang, Young Master Ruohan, and others had already been waiting for some time.

Young Master Ruohan had by now completely consolidated his cultivation at the peak of Transcendent Mortal 4-dan. His eyes shone with a dazzling brilliance, radiating an aura of vibrant vitality. It appeared that during this period, not only had his cultivation advanced, but his understanding of Master Teachers had also greatly improved.

"The Master Teacher Tournament is held publicly, just outside the Alliance Leader's manor, in the main square. Master Zhang, shall we head over now?" Hall Master Kang said with a smile upon seeing him emerge.

"All right!" Zhang Xuan nodded, just about to follow them out when he saw a figure blocking his way.

"Senior Brother, allow me to accompany you!"

"Se... Senior Brother?" Zhang Xuan was stunned. He turned to look and realized that Garden Master Xue was also standing in the room.

Garden Master Xue's aura was now stable, and her soul and physical body were perfectly integrated, having actually reached Transcendent Mortal 5-dan, the Spirit Unification realm! Due to soul damage, she had been trapped at the peak of the Turbid-Clear realm for many years, unable to advance even an inch. Half a month ago, "Master Yang" had imparted a solution that healed her old injury. The accumulation of many years then broke through in one fell swoop, and like the Demonic Feline, she successfully became a Spirit Unification realm expert. Moreover, her aura was subtly profound, indicating she had already reached the peak of the early Spirit Unification realm and could enter the mid-stage at any moment.

Zhang Xuan was initially surprised, but then it dawned on him. To heal her soul, she had been absorbing the spiritual essence of the herb garden every day for years, accumulating an enormous amount of power. His guess was correct; in a short period, her strength would undoubtedly advance by leaps and bounds, making it entirely possible for her to reach the peak of the Spirit Unification realm.

"Yes, that's right. I am Master Yang's lectured student, while you are his direct disciple... that automatically places you a rank higher than me. If I don't address you as Senior Brother, what else should I call you?" Garden Master Xue said, cupping her fists.

"Uh, that's true!" Zhang Xuan finally realized. That day, the situation had been critical, and he knew that merely "frightening" them wouldn't suffice. At that crucial moment, he had to exert a display of power, so he accepted Xue Yiyao as his student and imparted a method to resolve her soul issues. This was to earn her gratitude. True to his predictions, a golden book had formed in his mind, which he then used to crush Sect Leader Bai into a pulp, terrifying the entire assembly.

Accepting her... had merely been an an expedient measure, an act born of desperation that he had forgotten about shortly after. He hadn't expected her to take it so seriously.

However, it was true. She was a lectured student of "Master Yang," while he was a direct disciple. A direct disciple automatically became the senior brother... so the address was perfectly reasonable.

"There's no danger at the Master Teacher Tournament, so there's no need to worry. Please stay here and guard the place," Zhang Xuan said, knowing her intentions were good, but still waving her off. The Master Teacher Tournament was an event organized by the Master Teacher Pavilion; anyone who dared to cause trouble would be challenging the Pavilion itself, so safety would certainly not be an issue.

"But..." Garden Master Xue hesitated.

"There's nothing to worry about!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand, dismissing her concerns, and followed Hall Master Kang and the others out.

Master Teacher Tournament, Zhang Xuan... has arrived!