Chapter 717: Zhang Xuan's Physical Body

"Alright!" the young man sneered. "If you're not convinced, we can have a physical combat. If you lose, you'll obediently let Young Master Tao come with us and admit you're not fit to be a teacher! If you win, I'll even acknowledge you as my master..."

"What do you say? Do you dare or not?" the young man roared.

Zhang Xuan's eyes narrowed.

The opponent was a Spirit Realm 8-dan expert. Although he hadn't used any martial techniques just now, it was clear his physical body was extremely powerful. Even with all of his own combined attack power, exceeding ten million ding, he probably still couldn't break through the opponent's defense and defeat him! What's more, relying solely on his physical body, he only possessed four million ding of strength!

If even he couldn't defeat the young man, what right did he have to be "Young Master Tao's" teacher?

It could be said that while the opponent seemed reckless, he had instantly seized Zhang Xuan's weakness and cornered him.

Furthermore, by only using physical strength, it would avoid the effects of the Heaven's Path Divination... it was a win-win situation, so to speak.

"Alright! I'm asking you, do you dare or not?" The young man snorted coldly, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Hmph!" Seeing the opponent steadily approach, Zhang Xuan was about to speak, flicking his sleeve, when he heard excited shouts ringing out: "Teacher..."

Turning his head, he saw Yuan Tao, Zheng Yang, Wang Ying, and the others approaching, their faces filled with excitement at seeing him.

After a month apart, his students' strength had improved once again. Their vitality, spirit, and cultivation levels had all become significantly stronger.

This showed that they hadn't been idle during this period, having all strived to catch up.

"Young Master!"

Sun Qiang also walked over.

At this moment, Steward Sun had already reached Spirit Realm 3-dan, Yin-Yang Realm mid-stage.

Although he was still slightly inferior compared to Wang Ying and the others, for someone who wasn't naturally diligent in cultivation, this was already quite remarkable.

Seeing everyone full of vigor and vitality, Zhang Xuan felt immense comfort. He smiled faintly, and a surge of ambition suddenly welled up within him. He turned to look at the young man nearby, his expression calm: "Alright, a duel. Only physical strength!"

"A duel? Teacher..."

Yuan Tao and the others were stunned, filled with anxiety.

Although the teacher had progressed rapidly, competing against a Spirit Realm 8-dan expert proficient in body cultivation, winning would likely be very difficult.

"Don't worry! He's just a clown. Watch as I, your teacher, single-handedly defeat him!"

With a slight smile, Zhang Xuan clasped his hands behind his back, exuding an invincible demeanor.

Since the opponent had challenged him to this extent, if he, as their teacher, didn't act, what face would he have left to guide his students in the future?

"Good that you dare to fight! Come on!"

Unexpectedly, the opponent actually dared to agree. The young man laughed heartily, leaped to the center of the hall, and his body swelled. His muscles rippled, and his height seemed to increase slightly, giving him a fierce, beast-like aura.

"Don't be in a hurry!"

Seeing the opponent jump into the arena, Zhang Xuan didn't follow. Instead, he smiled faintly and looked at Prince Huai nearby: "Your Highness, I might need to trouble you. Do you happen to have a private room here? I have something I need to attend to."

"A private room? Of course!"

Prince Huai, who had been wondering how to improve his relationship with Master Zhang, immediately smiled upon hearing this. With a wave of his hand, a smooth wall on one side of the hall slid open with a "creak," revealing a side room.

As a prince of a first-tier empire, reception halls were usually equipped with several such private rooms for discussing confidential matters.

Such places were protected by formations, making it difficult for even the most powerful individuals to see through or spy on them.

"Thank you!"

Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, walked inside, closed the door, and with a flick of his wrist, his clone appeared before him.

Relying solely on his physical body, with only four million ding of strength, it would definitely be difficult to teach the opponent a lesson. But... his clone was different.

The clone was refined from the Nine Heavens Lotus Embryo. Even if Zhang Xuan used all his own strength, it wouldn't be enough to withstand one punch from the clone. Relying solely on its physical body, no matter how strong the young man was, he would certainly be no match.

"That's the situation. Go over there and beat him until he's spitting teeth!"

With a thought, Zhang Xuan communicated the recent events to the clone and gave his instructions.

"Don't worry!"

The clone nodded, put on clothes identical to Zhang Xuan's, pushed the door open, and walked out.

Since the main body was hidden in the private room where no one could see it, there was no need to worry about being suspected.

"Come on!"

Seeing "Zhang Xuan" emerge, the young man sneered. His bones crackled and popped, and his aura grew increasingly powerful. With a flick of his wrist, the air shrieked, as if on the verge of exploding.

Once the physical body reached a certain realm, its power was no weaker than true qi.

The young man possessed the bloodline of a Dragon-Rhinoceros, and even if it was diluted, it was still extremely powerful. Combined with his family's long-standing heritage and potent body cultivation techniques, his physical achievements had already surpassed his true qi, also reaching the Spirit Realm 8-dan level.

The "clone" smiled faintly and, with a sway of its body, appeared in the center of the hall.

"Hmph!"

Seeing a mere Fusion Realm fellow dare to contend with him in physical combat, the young man's face contorted fiercely. He stomped his foot on the ground and charged straight forward.

*Boom!*

His speed was too great; the air emitted a muffled thunderous sound.

Before he even arrived, the air had already burst open, forming a massive sphere that completely enveloped Zhang Xuan.

"Teacher..."

Seeing the opponent unleash his most powerful strike without a word, Yuan Tao clenched his fists.

Although this was his clan member, compared to his teacher, his closeness was far less.

Wang Ying and the others were all tense.

They knew their teacher's strength very well. A month ago, when they parted, he was only at the Pure-Impurity Realm. Even if he had broken through by now, he would only be at the Fusion Realm. Compared to Spirit Realm 8-dan... the difference was simply too vast!

It could be said that the two sides were not even in the same league. How could they compete?

"Don't worry, since the Young Master agreed to the fight, he definitely won't lose!"

Sun Qiang said from the side.

This Young Master, in front of his students, upheld the dignity of a teacher. Wang Ying and the others thought it would be extremely difficult to win, not because they lacked faith, but because they felt the cultivation gap was too large.

The teacher was also extremely upright; he wouldn't do anything unethical.

But... he didn't think so.

Having been with the Young Master for so long, he knew exactly how he operated. Had he ever done anything he wasn't sure about?

Since he dared to agree, he must have been prepared to beat this guy to a pulp. Otherwise, why would he ask for a private room before the fight?

"Won't lose?"

Wang Ying and the others were half-believing, half-doubting.

The teacher in the center of the hall saw the young man attacking with all his might. Without dodging, he raised an eyebrow sharply, lifted an arm, and met the attack with a punch of his own.

"A head-on attack?"

Seeing such a confrontation, everyone's eyebrows twitched. Even Elder Yuan on the side frowned deeply, not understanding.

Elder Yuan knew the young man's strength and defense very well; even ordinary Spirit Realm 8-dan mid-stage experts would find it difficult to break through. For a small Fusion Realm individual to meet a punch... wasn't that suicidal?

Fist met fist. A strong gust of wind swept through, and the ground beneath their feet cracked layer by layer.

Upon striking, the young man's face was initially filled with excitement. Suddenly, he felt as if his fist had struck steel, and the bones in his hand throbbed with intense pain.

*Crack! Crack!*

His fist was shattered in an instant, followed by a surge of immense power rushing up his arm, seemingly intent on crushing him.

He was sent flying backward.

Due to the cultivation limitation, the clone's power might not have been as great as the opponent's. However, the physical body refined from the Nine Heavens Lotus Embryo was incredibly tough, comparable to a divine artifact... When the young man struck with all his might, it was like hitting a solid hammer. How could he possibly withstand it?!

"How could you possibly have such a powerful physical body..."

His pupils contracted, and the young man was on the verge of going mad.

He possessed the Dragon-Rhinoceros bloodline and had cultivated powerful body refining techniques passed down in his family. He was practically invulnerable; even top-tier spirit weapons might not be able to pierce his skin...

Yet, one collision with the opponent's fist, and his bones were shattered...

Was he the one with the Dragon-Rhinoceros bloodline, or was it the other guy?

How could anyone have such an incredibly powerful physical body?

With a roar, he was about to stabilize himself when his vision blurred. The opponent's figure had inexplicably appeared behind him.

His body, still flying backward, collided with the opponent again.

*Crack! Crack!*

There was another crisp cracking sound. His bones, which he had cultivated for countless years and always been proud of, cracked once more. He didn't know how many had just broken.

"I..."

The intense pain drove him frantic. He immediately turned and elbowed with his other intact arm.

This fellow was indeed excellent at close-quarters combat. It had to be said, his reaction with that move was exceptional. Any other cultivator would have surely dodged or even blocked.

But Zhang Xuan stood perfectly still.

The elbow struck him on the head.

"Excellent..."

The head was the most vulnerable part of the human body. Seeing a direct hit, the young man's eyes lit up. However, before he could even feel happy, he felt another surge of pain in his arm.

The bones in his elbow were actually shattered by the impact as well.

"What in the world is going on?"

The young man was practically in tears.

His Dragon-Rhinoceros bloodline was supposed to grant him invincible defense. He had thought that dominating the opponent would be as easy as smashing cabbage, dealing with him however he pleased. Yet, after repeated forceful attacks, the opponent was completely unharmed, while all his own bones were shattered...

It was as if he was fighting a Saint artifact.

Was this a joke?

"This..."

Elder Yuan, standing on the side, also widened his eyes.

With his eyesight, he could naturally tell that Master Zhang was simply passively receiving blows. Yet, to be able to shatter the bones of a formidable body cultivator, leaving him mostly broken... this was simply too powerful!

Not to mention the young man, even his own physical body, cultivated for countless years, couldn't achieve this by simply taking hits!

Could it be... that they had mistaken the young master? Was Master Zhang actually the one with the true Dragon-Rhinoceros bloodline, and Young Master Tao... wasn't?

"Teacher... is this strong?"

Wang Ying, Yuan Tao, and the others exchanged bewildered glances.

After more than a month apart, they had thought their own progress was significant. But their teacher's progress... seemed even greater!

Getting hit so hard that the opponent's entire body shattered... probably no one else could do that!

*Crack! Crack!*

The same astonishment appeared on Prince Huai's face. While everyone was still struggling to process what they saw, unable to believe it, Zhang Xuan once again shattered the young man's legs. He then stood quietly in the center of the hall, looking over with a calm expression, his voice serene and unaffected by praise or criticism.

"May I ask... with this level of physical strength..."

"...am I qualified to be Yuan Tao's teacher?"