Chapter 769: Master Ancestor?

A Heaven-Recognized Master Teacher is recognized by heaven and earth. When such a master activates their mental state and employs their abilities, they manifest the might of heaven and earth, compelling everyone to submit.

Throughout recorded history, only Master Kong achieved this feat. Even his direct disciples, renowned as the Seventy-Two Sages, failed to reach this echelon. Yet, the man standing before him was one such master...

Master Mu felt a chilling dread grip him, rendering him speechless.

A Heaven-Recognized Master Teacher, an existence acknowledged even by the heavens, and he had dared to doubt him... He could have slapped himself twice in frustration!

"Whoosh!" As Master Mu reeled in shock, the figure before him casually flicked his hand. The terrifying aura instantly dissipated, and the man’s demeanor returned to its former profound and unreadable composure.

At the same time, the man turned around. He was a middle-aged individual, appearing to be in his late thirties or early forties, with sharp, almost electric eyebrows and dark eyes that shimmered with profound wisdom, intricate patterns swirling within their depths.

"The Eye of Discernment..." Master Mu quivered once more.

Though the Eye of Discernment could potentially be comprehended by any six-star master teacher, only the most exceptional geniuses ever succeeded in mastering it, making it incredibly rare even within the prestigious Sage Clans.

Not only others, but even he, in his prime, had failed to grasp it. If he had possessed such insight, he would never have been deceived and reduced to his current predicament.

Not a single one of the Ten Great Master Teachers of the Illusionary Feather Empire possessed this ability, which underscored its immense difficulty.

No wonder the man possessed such piercing insight, discerning all of Master Mu’s problems at a glance and even predicting his potential expulsion from the Mu Clan... Only the Eye of Discernment could possibly achieve such a feat!

By this point, the last vestige of doubt in Master Mu's heart had vanished completely, replaced by an overwhelming admiration for the man before him.

"This Mu Yuan was truly reckless," Master Mu stated, his voice filled with awe. "I humbly request that senior enlighten me and guide me out of my confusion." His heart pounded with newfound respect; he no longer dared to feign arrogance. Master Mu immediately bowed deeply, refraining from speaking another unnecessary word.

"Indeed," the middle-aged man across from him nodded. "This is the proper decorum for a junior. However, you need not worry; I do not concern myself with trivial matters involving juniors. Do not resist!"

With that, he gently extended a finger. Master Mu felt his entire body tremor as a cultivation technique was transmitted directly into his mind, seemingly imprinted onto his spiritual consciousness, impossible to forget.

"Soul Transmission?" Master Mu's face paled further.

As a seven-star master teacher, Master Mu possessed a powerful soul and could also perform soul transmission. However, to transmit knowledge so clearly and indelibly into someone's mind from such a distance with just a flick of a finger—even a high-grade seven-star or low-grade eight-star master teacher would find this exceedingly difficult, let alone him!

Terrifying! If he had held any lingering doubts before, they now vanished without a trace. With the man confirmed as a Heaven-Recognized Master Teacher, possessing the Eye of Discernment, and now performing soul transmission, Master Mu was utterly convinced and filled with profound admiration.

"The Huaihai and Longzhen points, both associated with water and the dragon, are acupoints that gather water-attribute spiritual energy within the human body. If you were still within the Mu Clan, avoiding these two points would present no issue. However, at this moment, the metal attribute within your body is dominant, while the wood attribute is receding. You can fully absorb spiritual energy through these two acupoints. Water generates wood, which will allow your power to return and completely suppress the chaotic qi within your system," the senior explained, his hands clasped behind his back, after transmitting the knowledge.

Master Mu had just finished reviewing the cultivation technique transmitted by the man. Though seemingly foundational, it pointed directly to the Great Dao, illuminating his mind and feeling like a new door had been opened for him.

It was clear that by diligently cultivating, suppressing the metal-attribute true qi within his body would become effortless. Perhaps... after three centuries of being trapped, he could even achieve further breakthroughs!

To pinpoint his cultivation's core issue with a single glance and then offer a solution... the man before him was truly formidable!

"Having received your esteemed guidance, Mu Yuan is deeply indebted," Master Mu began, bowing respectfully. "Senior has bestowed upon me the grace of instruction. May I know your name, Master?"

The cultivation technique transmitted by the other party, though seemingly simple, precisely addressed the long-standing issue that had plagued him for years. He had truly received the grace of instruction, and calling him 'Master' was entirely appropriate.

Furthermore, if he could truly apprentice himself to such a formidable Master Teacher and receive further guidance, it might even be possible for him to one day return to his clan.

"Master?" The figure across from him furrowed his brows, seemingly displeased by the address.

"My apologies, I was presumptuous," Master Mu quickly corrected himself, shrinking slightly as he remembered the hierarchy. "Senior is of the same generation as my Old Ancestor, so I should address you as Grandmaster..."

"Huh?" The figure was momentarily taken aback by the sudden change in address.

This figure was, of course, Zhang Xuan. He had merely disguised himself as Yang Xuan to intimidate Master Mu and avert the crisis. He had assumed that by casually bestowing a cultivation technique, they would form a superficial teacher-student bond, preventing any further trouble. He never in his wildest dreams imagined that this man, so thoroughly bluffed, would immediately try to apprentice himself!

After all, Master Mu was a seven-star master teacher, a powerhouse of such caliber that he was considered a peak expert even in a Conferred Kingdom. Zhang Xuan was naturally surprised that such an individual wished to become his disciple and hesitated for a moment. To his dismay, this brief hesitation led to a misunderstanding: Master Mu no longer wished to be his disciple, but instead addressed him as Grandmaster...

Good heavens! That escalated quickly!

Nevertheless, since he was now being addressed as Grandmaster, it would be awkward to revert to being called 'Master.' Zhang Xuan simply nodded and stated, "I am Yang Xuan!"

"Yang Xuan..." Master Mu quickly nodded, committing the Grandmaster's name to memory. "Should I encounter any further issues in my cultivation and wish to consult you, Grandmaster, where might I find you?"

"Our encounter was simply a matter of fate," Zhang Xuan said, waving his hand dismissively. "I have imparted the technique to you, and with that, our karmic connection is complete. If destiny permits, we shall meet again; otherwise, we will be like the clouds in the sky, dispersing into nothingness. Would you expect to find the same cloud tomorrow?"

Maintaining a disguise in front of such a formidable Master Teacher was truly exhausting. Fortunately, it was night, obscuring clear vision; during the day, his deception would have been easily exposed. Therefore, it was best to avoid any future encounters if possible...

"This..." Hearing that the man did not wish to deepen their connection, Master Mu's face fell. He could only bow with cupped fists.

When he looked up again, the senior had already flown far into the distance, vanishing into the night sky, his silhouette no longer discernible.

"Yang Xuan... Master Yang..." Master Mu committed the name to memory, then let out a sigh. Only then did he recall his original purpose: the Violet Yang Beast. After searching the skies for a long time and finding nothing, he reluctantly returned to the academy.

"That was a close call!" Zhang Xuan finally breathed a sigh of relief once he was out of Master Mu's sight.

He had never imagined that Master Mu was a descendant of a Sage Clan, let alone a seven-star master teacher.

With such formidable strength, why would he be working for the Spirit Material Pavilion?

"It seems he truly was searching for someone, and by pure chance, he stumbled upon me..." A wave of irritation crossed his face. What kind of luck was this?

To encounter such a formidable expert just by stepping outside—fortunately, he reacted quickly and successfully bluffed the other party. Otherwise, he wouldn't even have known what hit him.

"Never mind," he decided. "My luck isn't great today. I'll head back and rest. Tomorrow, I'll deal with dismantling the Spirit Material Pavilion!"

He had originally planned to go outside the city and give the Violet Yang Beast a good beating to vent his frustration, but it seemed his luck was currently unfavorable, so he decided to let it go.

Restoring his original appearance, he returned to his residence to find that the Heavenly Xiong Beast had already thoroughly subdued the four black-clad men.

Zhang Xuan paid them no mind. After cultivating in his room for a while, he noticed the sun peeking over the horizon; dawn had already broken.

Despite having been awake all night, he felt invigorated and showed no signs of fatigue.

He stretched languidly before stepping out of his room.

After breakfast, he spent some time explaining cultivation techniques to Zheng Yang and the others. Seeing that it was already mid-morning, he instructed the Heavenly Xiong Beast to take the half-dead black-clad men to wait in the sky, while he and Sun Qiang headed toward the Spirit Material Pavilion.

The Spirit Material Pavilion was the central hub for treasure transactions in Hongyuan City. Even before they reached it, they could see a steady flow of people, with long queues already forming outside.

"There's a black market here where stolen weapons can be sold," Sun Qiang explained, gesturing at the bustling crowd. "Prices are generally lower than legitimate transactions, which attracts many cultivators."

This Spirit Material Pavilion differed from the Exotic Treasure Pavilion in the Illusionary Feather Empire. The latter dealt in treasures personally acquired by its master, ensuring their legitimate origins.

Here, however, many items were obtained through murder and plunder, or outright theft. Due to their illicit origins, sellers dared not demand high prices, and thus the goods were sold for less than their legitimate market value.

Consequently, it attracted numerous cultivators. After all, cultivation was an expensive endeavor, and rogue cultivators without strong backing saved money wherever possible, reluctant to spend more than necessary.

Upon reaching the pavilion, he looked up. The Spirit Material Pavilion towered dozens of meters high, appearing grand and imposing, radiating an awe-inspiring presence.

"It's a single, cohesive structure," Zhang Xuan mused, his eyes narrowing. "It could very well be a colossal Heavenly Crafting Artifact!"

The Spirit Material Pavilion's various levels were exceptionally tall, yet the entire structure felt like a single, flawlessly crafted weapon. If he wasn't mistaken, it likely contained numerous intricate mechanisms, making the entire building a massive Heavenly Crafting artifact.

It certainly lived up to its reputation as Hongyuan City's renowned treasure trading hub; such a grand undertaking was truly impressive.

Aside from its contents, the pavilion itself would likely fetch a considerable sum if sold. Its construction would have required dozens of five-star Heavenly Craftsmen toiling day and night; it would have been nearly impossible to complete otherwise.

Reaching the entrance, he touched a wall, then silently praised the craftsmanship before blending into the crowd and entering.

As expected of a major city's treasure exchange, its grandeur was undeniable. The moment he stepped inside, he was immediately captivated by the surrounding sights.

The grand hall was filled with an astonishing array of treasures, each of considerable quality. Though no prices were openly displayed, the sheer number of people clamoring for them indicated that the costs were likely reasonable.

"Young Master, look!" While he was examining the treasures, Sun Qiang's slightly nervous voice broke the silence, as he pointed ahead.

Following the direction of his finger, Zhang Xuan looked to see a patrol team approaching.

The team comprised six individuals, each possessing the strength of Half-Transcendent 8-dan. The leader, in particular, was a Half-Transcendent 9-dan expert in the Chrysalis Sealing realm.

"This patrol team is responsible for maintaining order within the Spirit Material Pavilion," Sun Qiang explained with a dry chuckle. "Anyone causing trouble is immediately thrown out..."

Zhang Xuan acknowledged with a slight nod.

With so many treasures present, and considering the Spirit Material Pavilion’s audacious engagement in illicit dealings, it undoubtedly possessed formidable backing and cunning methods. Otherwise, it wouldn't even be operational; it would have been overthrown long ago.

"Then..." Seeing his young master nod, Sun Qiang was filled with doubt. "Weren't you here to cause trouble?" he wondered.

If even a mere patrol team possessed such formidable strength, how would they even begin to cause trouble? They would likely be thrown out before they could utter a single word!

"Heh heh, causing trouble doesn't necessarily involve fighting," Zhang Xuan chuckled, understanding Sun Qiang's apprehension.

This Spirit Material Pavilion had dared to target Sun Qiang and his group, and as such, it definitely deserved a lesson.

But did teaching them a lesson necessarily mean creating a commotion?

This was Hongyuan City, the esteemed capital of a first-tier empire. And he, as a Master Teacher, was a man of culture. If he were to resort to violence here, he would be the one acting irrationally.

"Not fighting? Then..." Sun Qiang blinked in confusion.

"Just follow my lead!" Zhang Xuan said with a faint smile, offering no further explanation. His dark eyes continually flickered as he scanned the rows of treasures surrounding them.

As he looked around, he saw ores, spirit pills, armor, weapons, formation arrays... essentially, everything a cultivator could possibly need.

Cultivators were clustered together all around them, intently browsing, eager to purchase what they desired.

After walking for a short while, Zhang Xuan suddenly paused, smiled faintly, and instructed, "Go call a service attendant over!"

"Yes, Young Master!" Sun Qiang didn't understand his young master's intentions, but he didn't dare to hesitate. He immediately turned and walked towards the front desk.