Chapter 788: Six-Star Shocking Phoenix Division

Under the cover of night, things like flying are hard for others to notice, but it's a different story during the day. If I didn't hurry back, and someone discovered me, it would be impossible to explain myself clearly.

With this thought, Zhang Xuan’s witch soul floated without hesitation, speeding down the stairs towards the first floor. The student he had followed in earlier was still inside searching for books. It seemed that despite searching all night, she hadn't found what she wanted, her brows furrowed in frustration.

He didn't know what she was looking for, and even if he wanted to help, he couldn't. Zhang Xuan didn't linger and immediately walked towards the room's main door.

"Hmm?"

He reached the door and pushed, but found it wouldn't open. To prevent unauthorized entry, the library had special mechanisms installed. Unless one possessed a student ID and sufficient credits, even an expert at the Mortal Transcendence Ninth Stage or a Half-Saint would find it difficult to break through. Previously, he had been able to enter because the student led him. Now that she wasn't leaving, he was trapped inside, unable to escape.

"What should I do?"

He was filled with frustration. It was just dawn, and few people were awake. If he left quietly, no one would notice. But once everyone was up, a stranger appearing in such an important place in the Grandeur Pavilion would be impossible to explain!

But if the door didn't open, the various formations and mechanisms could block even a witch soul, making escape impossible. He turned and saw that the student searching for books had no intention of leaving. Zhang Xuan shook his head and had no choice but to wait patiently. Unless she left or someone else came in, he couldn't get out. There was nothing he could do.

"Forget it, worrying won't help," he thought. "I might as well take this opportunity to look at the Grandeur Master's books..."

Since he couldn't leave, there was nothing to fret about. He immediately found a secluded spot and sat down, immersing his consciousness in the library to examine the Grandeur Master's secret manuals that had just been generated. Manuals from one-star to six-star were all available, densely packed with cultivation methods and their effects upon mastery.

Since he had nothing else to do anyway, Zhang Xuan casually opened a one-star cultivation technique and read it carefully. Thanks to his library's ability, as soon as a book was opened, its content would automatically flow into his mind, becoming his knowledge. Thus, his comprehension was much faster.

"To become a Grandeur Master," he read, "one must first possess strong soul power and then express it through dance movements that are almost akin to the Great Dao... The purpose of the dance is to allow the soul power to be unleashed to its limit, achieving its maximum effect..."

The knowledge of Grandeur Master flowed through his mind. After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. The one-star cultivation manual had been completely assimilated. This meant that if he were to take the examination now, he could easily pass the one-star Grandeur Master assessment.

Grandeur Masters require extremely strong soul power. He cultivated a witch soul, and his soul body exceeded ten meters. His soul power was undoubtedly immense. A realm that others might spend their entire lives studying without achieving was as simple as eating and drinking for him.

"Continue!"

Seeing that the student still had no intention of leaving and knowing he couldn't leave, Zhang Xuan continued to read the two-star books.

"Martial artists have martial skills, and Grandeur Masters have dance skills. In short, dance is their skill, and dance is their art of killing. One dance performed, and heaven and earth tremble; one dance performed, and souls perish! Dance serves as the medium for soul attacks..."

Reading what the book said, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but nod. The dance skills of Grandeur Masters, like Witch Souls and Heavenly Impartation of Teacher's Will, are a form of soul attack. They require dance as a medium to unleash their strongest power.

"...Since it's a medium," he mused, "when cultivated to an advanced level, would it be like soul attacks, where dance is no longer needed?"

As he continued to flip through the pages, a passage caught his eye.

"No need for dance? Could it be... the realm of no sword?"

His heart stirred with excitement. He didn't understand dance skills, but he was highly skilled in swordsmanship. According to the description, when swordsmanship is cultivated to an advanced realm, one is no longer constrained by objects; grass, trees, bamboo, or stones can all serve as swords. If one continues to refine it, one can even reach the realm where "no sword is better than a sword." In other words, a sword is merely a medium for wielding power. Without a sword, one can still execute sword techniques, even more freely, smoothly, and swiftly. This manual described these concepts, clearly differing from the cultivation methods of other Grandeur Masters. It progressed towards the ultimate Great Dao, where "no sword is better than a sword" and "no move is better than a move" were paramount.

He continued reading.

"...Since soul attack power is unleashed through actions, then speaking is an action, walking is an action, gesturing is an action, and all unintentional movements are also actions. They should conform to the Great Dao and all be considered dance..."

"To replace deliberate dance with true naturalness—that is the mark of a true Grandeur Master..."

He read through the entire book.

*Crack! Crack!*

His soul let out a crisp sound, as if his entire being had entered a new realm. Two-star Grandeur Master, achieved!

"Continue!"

Continuous learning felt like drinking sweet nectar, exciting him more and more. He continued to read the remaining books.

Two hours later.

He had read through all the secret manuals, understood them thoroughly, and assimilated them completely. His massive soul body seemed to have been tempered, becoming even more pure and transparent.

Grandeur Masters use dance to stir the soul for attack, illusion, allure, and slaying, possessing an inexplicable power. Although Zhang Xuan hadn't formally learned dance skills, he had grasped the most profound abilities that directly pointed to the Great Dao. Now, his understanding of this profession was unparalleled among those below seven-star. In other words, if he were to take the examination now, he would definitely be able to reach the peak of six-star.

"So fast!"

After the library's upgrade, his learning speed had also increased. Previously, for such specialized professions, learning one-star took about an hour; now it was reduced to half an hour. From knowing nothing about Grandeur Masters to being unrivaled among those below seven-star, it only took him three hours.

"Where is that person?"

He stood up and looked around, but couldn't help but be stunned by what he saw. The vast library was empty and devoid of people; there wasn't a single soul in sight.

"Oh no... When did she disappear?" His eyes widened, and Zhang Xuan nearly fainted. He had been too engrossed in his cultivation just now and hadn't expected the student who brought him in to have already left. Entering the library required consuming credits, and it wasn't usually very crowded. From last night until now, there had only been this one student... If she was gone, how was he supposed to get out?

He wouldn't be trapped for several days, would he? Zhang Xuan was filled with frustration. What kind of situation was this? He wouldn't have cultivated so engrossed if he had known.

"Being trapped here for a while is nothing," he thought, "but my physical body is still outside. If it's discovered, the trouble will be immense..."

He was a soul body, and being trapped in the room without food or water for a few days was nothing. The crucial part was his physical body, which was still hidden in a large tree outside. Although it was well hidden and hard to find at night, the same couldn't be said for daytime. If it were discovered, he would really be in trouble.

"Let's see if there's a way out..."

Knowing it was nearly noon, Zhang Xuan couldn't wait any longer. He hurried to the main door to see if he could find a crack or another way to leave. He walked around once and was filled with helplessness. These mechanisms were extremely tightly constructed and could not be opened without the power of the Saint realm. If his physical body were here, he could touch it with his finger, generate a book, and easily find its flaws to break through. But now he was only a soul body, and there was nothing he could do.

Such inanimate objects could not be touched or generate books, and his Eye of Insight couldn't see through them... Could he only wait here? Zhang Xuan's eyelids twitched erratically in frustration.

"Forget it, I'll just wait," he muttered. "Someone is bound to come to the library eventually..."

Unable to find a way out, he had no choice but to give up. Just as he was about to find a place to hide and wait, he heard the main door creak open slowly from the outside.

"Hmm, someone's here?"

He hadn't expected someone to come so soon. Excited, he immediately sprang up, darting behind the door, ready to escape. A figure walked in. It was a woman in her thirties, elegantly dressed and with a noble aura.

As soon as she entered, the woman was about to walk further inside when she suddenly frowned, and her gaze shot straight towards Zhang Xuan's location.

"Who's there? Come out!"

Hearing this and seeing her gaze, Zhang Xuan froze. He was currently a witch soul, meaning he was formless and intangible, invisible to normal people. He had hidden here without moving; how could she have discovered him instantly?

"A Saint realm... expert?"

His pupils constricted. For her to be able to do this, there was only one possibility... She was a Saint realm expert! Cultivators who reach the Saint realm transcend the ordinary, gaining an understanding of space. Although he was hidden very secretly, limited by his cultivation, the spiritual energy fluctuations at his soul body's location were different from other places, allowing him to be discovered.

"What, you don't want to come out?"

Her delicate brows furrowed, and the elegantly dressed woman let out a cold snort. With a flip of her palm, she fiercely grabbed towards Zhang Xuan's location.

*Boom!*

True energy surged, and the entire space seemed to be sealed. Zhang Xuan felt his whole body stiffen, as if his neck had been gripped, and he could be crushed into oblivion at any moment. Although his soul body was massive, his strength was only at the peak of Mortal Transcendence Fifth Stage (Harmonizing Spirit Realm). Compared to a Saint realm expert, the difference was simply too great! They weren't on the same level at all.

"Escape!"

Knowing that if he didn't dodge and allowed her attack to land, he would very likely die on the spot. His witch soul activated, and Zhang Xuan shot straight outwards.

*Boom!*

His massive soul body stirred up gusts of wind, sweeping out towards the door with a howl.

"It's... a witch soul?"

The woman's expression froze. Just now, she had sensed someone in the room and thought it was some kind of illusion. She hadn't expected it to be a witch soul. The profession of witch soul master had disappeared tens of thousands of years ago. Yet, one this large had suddenly appeared in the Grandeur Pavilion library. What was its origin?

"Where do you think you're escaping to..."

With a soft shout, she made a grabbing motion and seized at the fleeing soul body from mid-air.

*Boom!*

When a Saint realm expert attacked with full force, the space within several thousand meters seemed to be immediately sealed by true energy, and the air itself roared.

"Oh no..."

Zhang Xuan's soul body had just escaped the library and intended to leap into the air when he felt his body stiffen, as if he had fallen into a swamp. He wanted to escape but found himself completely unable to move.

"Is this a Saint realm expert's true energy space lock?"

His entire body tensed, and Zhang Xuan was completely rigid.