Chapter 855: Folded Space

The most important and sought-after item at the Conferred Saint Platform was this collection of insights. Since it was left by Master Kong, every Master Teacher regarded it as a sacred relic, standing before it reverently, afraid to speak loudly for fear of desecration.

And you, as soon as you arrived, you completely dismantled it, leaving it in such a state that it's beyond repair...

In the academy, your constant disturbances turning everything upside down were one thing; those were minor incidents, and the Master Teacher Academy would protect its reputation by not publicizing them. But here... This is the venerable Conferred Saint Platform, the very place where Master Kong achieved sainthood, a site of such solemnity and sanctity, and you’ve managed to demolish even this... Can you not be a little more restrained? This is a direct slap to the face of the Master Teacher Pavilion!

Without a doubt, you probably won't even make it down the mountain before being surrounded by numerous Master Teachers and beaten to death. What on earth is this? Do you have a vendetta against intact buildings, or are you just a born destroyer? Can't you be more careful?

Speechless, Luo Ruoxi could no longer care about anything else. Her delicate figure swayed, and she was instantly by Zhang Xuan's side, grabbing his sleeve and rushing outwards. Regardless, she was the one who brought him here. They needed to escape this place first, otherwise, once everyone reacted, there would be no escaping.

"Huh?" She had assumed that knowing he had caused trouble, he would leave with a single pull, but he remained motionless, as if rooted to the spot. "Hurry up!" She couldn't help but turn and urge him softly.

"Don't rush!" Zhang Xuan's hand tightened, pulling her sleeve back with a reverse grip. He shook his head, then pointed to the ruins with his other hand: "Look!"

"Look at what?" Luo Ruoxi frowned, surprised that he still had the composure to look at the ruins. She wanted to say something, but finally couldn't resist looking herself. After just one glance, her eyebrows twitched uncontrollably.

Within the collapsed rock wall, there wasn't just rubble and dust, but a one-meter-square stone platform. It was surrounded by a unique halo of light, and a pure, majestic aura flowed slowly from it, giving an ethereal and transcendent feeling.

"This... could this be the exact spot where Master Kong achieved sainthood?" Her pupils contracted, and Luo Ruoxi's delicate body trembled. Her purpose for coming here was precisely this. She had circled the peak earlier and found nothing, believing it had long been lost to history and was now unrecoverable. She never dreamed it would be hidden within the rock wall! No wonder the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe had tried to destroy it several times but found nothing! They only destroyed the inscriptions, while this rock wall had always remained intact, undamaged each time.

"Let's go take a look!" While she was still in shock, she felt a tug as Zhang Xuan grabbed her and walked towards the stone platform. Luo Ruoxi didn't hesitate and followed closely.

The halo emitted a faint glow, concealed within the dust. It would have been completely unnoticeable without a careful look. Zhang Xuan extended his palm and gently touched it. The halo immediately expanded, enveloping them. Moments later, Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi felt the ground give way beneath their feet, the scenery before them shifted, and they vanished instantly from their original spot. The stone platform, too, lost its glow and disappeared amidst the dust and rubble, as if it had never been there.

"So this was the true insight! All these years of research, and it turns out we were wrong..." As the two disappeared, Master Wu and the others finally recovered from their shock. Earlier, Master Kong's acknowledgment, represented by nine large characters, had plunged them into a temporary stupor, from which they were only now regaining consciousness. Recalling the astonishing events, their faces flushed with excitement. Wasn't the purpose of the Conferred Saint Society's research into these insights to uncover the true meaning of Master Kong's inscriptions? After so many years, their understanding was still not as profound as that of a junior in the Harmonization Realm!

"Where is that senior who deciphered Master Kong's insights?" They hurriedly looked towards where Zhang Xuan had been, only to find the spot empty, not a single person in sight. Their appellation for him had also changed from "that pretentious fellow" to "senior."

"He's gone, he was just here..." Master Wang, standing to the side, was also stunned. They had been so overwhelmed by Master Kong's nine characters that it felt like only an instant had passed, but in reality, a considerable amount of time had elapsed. Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi had walked into the dust and disappeared into the light membrane, yet they had no memory of it, as if they hadn't seen it happen at all.

"To be able to interpret Master Kong's insights and receive his venerable acknowledgment, this person is extraordinary... What a pity, we don't even know his name!" Master Wu shook his head, filled with shame. He had just claimed the other person understood nothing, but now he realized that individual's comprehension was far deeper than his own. And he, in contrast, seemed truly laughable, like a mere clown. However, a Seven-Star Master Teacher possessed the demeanor befitting their rank. Although he had acted wrongly just now, if he were to meet this senior again, he would certainly apologize in person.

"Master Wu, the rock wall has collapsed..." Master Sun, from the side, couldn't help but point out. Countless people visited the Conferred Saint Platform every year. Now that it had collapsed to this extent, how would they explain it?

"Although the Conferred Saint Platform is precious, it's only effective for cultivators who haven't reached the Saint realm, and it's just one of many relics. I will contact the Calligraphy Master headquarters immediately and have them send someone to transcribe the insights anew, and this time... transcribe the correct version!" Master Wu's eyes gleamed. Master Kong's message of approval indicated his profound satisfaction with this matter. If he wasn't angry, what was there for them to be troubled about? Furthermore, having now seen the flawless insights, if they were recopied, the Conferred Saint Platform would undoubtedly attract even more visitors and become more glorious than ever before. It would also further propagate Master Kong's wisdom!

"Master Wang, stay here to manage the situation and reassure everyone. Master Sun, you and I will go after him; that young man might not have gone far. If we can find him and have him explain Master Kong's insights, we will surely benefit immensely!" Master Wu continued.

"Alright!" Master Sun and Master Wang nodded simultaneously.

After making arrangements, Master Wu and Master Sun swiftly pursued him down the mountain. As Seven-Star Master Teachers, they moved with incredible speed and soon reached the base of the mountain. However, the young man had vanished without a trace, as if he had evaporated into thin air. Although he had pulverized the rock wall, he had deciphered Master Kong's insights and received Master Kong's acknowledgment. Even as Seven-Star Master Teachers, they dared not utter a single complaint; instead, they could only feel fortunate to have witnessed such a grand event firsthand.

"What a pity..." Unable to find him, they knew he must have gone far. Both felt a profound sense of loss.

Vanishing from their original spot, Zhang Xuan and Luo Ruoxi reappeared moments later in a spacious area. Before them lay a vast expanse of lush green grass and blooming flowers. A small thatched cottage stood not far away.

"Where is this...?" Zhang Xuan blinked. They had just been on the mountain peak; how had they arrived here in an instant? In his confusion, he remembered he was still holding her sleeve. He turned to look and saw the girl's face flush as she quickly pulled her arm back.

"If my guess is correct, this should be... a folded space!" Recovering quickly, Luo Ruoxi said with some hesitation.

"Folded space?" Zhang Xuan asked, puzzled.

"Yes, it's like a mustard seed containing a universe — folding space to expand an incredibly vast area within a very small one. Storage rings are a type of folded space. The difference is that storage rings cannot hold living beings, whereas this place can!" Luo Ruoxi explained.

"Similar to the Thousand Ant Hive..." Zhang Xuan understood. Storage rings couldn't hold people, but the Thousand Ant Hive could; both were methods of "a mustard seed containing a universe."

"Exactly, it's similar to the Thousand Ant Hive, but much more expansive!" Luo Ruoxi nodded, "Testing if it's a folded space is simple: the space within a folded dimension is less stable than the outside world, so a full-force attack can easily cause it to tremor!"

Zhang Xuan paused, took a deep breath, and threw a powerful punch. Boom! A wave of energy swept through, and the entire space seemed to tremble.

"Indeed, it's not very stable..." It seemed this was indeed a folded space. Such a vast space, even more miraculous than the Thousand Ant Hive, indicated that the creator's power was truly terrifying.

"Achieving this kind of feat requires at least a Nine-Star Master Teacher or someone possessing extraordinary means!" Luo Ruoxi said, seemingly aware of his thoughts.

"Nine-Star?" Zhang Xuan gasped. A Master Teacher of that caliber stood at the pinnacle of the continent. Even if he possessed such power, he wouldn't dare breathe heavily in their presence. This was a disparity in strength and rank. It couldn't be compensated for by mere bluster.

"Could it be... left behind by Master Kong?" he couldn't help but ask. Having just found the site of the Conferred Saint, and then arriving here, there was only one possibility: Master Kong had deliberately left this behind. Pointing out the flaw and breaking Master Kong's trap was akin to opening a certain restriction.

"It's possible, but... I'm not certain. Let's check the thatched cottage; perhaps we'll find something there!" Luo Ruoxi nodded.

"Alright!" Zhang Xuan responded.

The thatched cottage appeared very simple, roughly the same size as the one they had seen on Thundercloud Peak. The door was unlocked; with a gentle push, it slowly creaked open. The two stepped inside.

The room was only about twenty to thirty square meters, with a small table in the center upon which rested an ancient scroll. Exchanging glances, Zhang Xuan reached for the scroll and gently unrolled it. The scroll was filled with characters, identical to the content carved on the stone tablet outside. These characters, unlike the flamboyant script outside, conveyed a sense of unpretentious simplicity that resonated deeply within one's heart.

"This is... Master Kong's handwriting!" His pupils contracted. Zhang Xuan immediately felt his entire bloodstream activate as if by some unknown force. His mental state spontaneously began to function, and his identity as a Celestial Master Teacher involuntarily manifested. In an instant, he entered a peculiar artistic conception, appearing completely dazed.

"Teacher Character Tempering Heart?" Luo Ruoxi was startled. Without needing to guess, she knew this was truly Master Kong's own handwriting. Only this Teacher of Ten Thousand Generations possessed such an ability, capable of immersing people in a special artistic realm merely through his calligraphy. Once triggered, "Teacher Character Tempering Heart" could refine one's mental state, an opportunity that Master Teachers sought but rarely found.

Knowing not to disturb him, Luo Ruoxi glanced around. Seeing that there was nothing else in the room apart from the scroll, she shook her head and stepped back outside. After leaving the cottage, the girl walked around the area. Her beautiful eyebrows furrowed, and her previously expectant gaze turned somewhat disheartened, though no one knew what she was thinking.

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