Chapter 885: Dingding, It’s Your Turn

“Of course not. If you lose, I am willing to buy the five Crimson Glow Fruits for fifty high-grade spirit stones!” the Half-Saint said.

“Fifty?” Zhang Xuan shook his head. “Bring out five thousand high-grade spirit stones, and I can sell them to you right now!”

Hu Yaoyao and the others had prepared Primordial Heavy Water and numerous formation plates for these Crimson Glow Fruits, and their cost already exceeded that price. Fifty spirit stones for five fruits... that was truly preposterous.

If he wanted to buy them, that was fine, but anything less than five thousand, and there was no discussion to be had!

However, to be fair, fifty high-grade spirit stones was not a low price in itself.

“Young man, you should choose your words carefully. While your talent is decent and your strength is good, in my eyes, it amounts to nothing! Even though Master Teachers are not permitted to kill indiscriminately, teaching you a lesson and crippling your cultivation entirely is well within my capabilities!”

The Half-Saint’s eyes narrowed, his voice turning cold.

“What, out of money, so you’re resorting to threats?” Zhang Xuan chuckled softly.

“It’s not a threat, it’s a fact. No matter if you’re a Master Teacher or anything else, strength is still paramount!” The Half-Saint scoffed, his eyebrows rising. His aura burst forth like a sharp sword, pressing down on the surrounding vegetation, causing it all to bow.

Sensing this aura, Hu Yaoyao and the others’ expressions changed.

They had encountered many Half-Saints, but this one before them was like a keen sword, ready to strike at any moment. Even ordinary Conferred Saints wouldn’t possess such power.

“So, you’re saying whoever has the bigger fist is in the right?” Ignoring the other party’s pressure, Zhang Xuan looked over with a playful gaze.

“Precisely! While Master Teachers uphold rules, those rules can be broken by force! I advise you to be sensible and hand over the Crimson Glow Fruits obediently, lest we ruin our amicable relations. Otherwise, I wouldn’t mind issuing a Master Teacher challenge! At that point, not only will you receive no spirit stones, but you might even have to be carried back.”

With his hands clasped behind his back, the Half-Saint smiled coldly, an air of arrogance about him.

While Master Teachers couldn’t outright seize possessions from one another, it didn’t mean they couldn’t engage in duels.

There were no other Master Teachers stationed here, and with his strength, even if he deliberately suppressed them, no one would be able to say anything.

After all, their ages weren’t vastly different; if they lacked the strength, it was their own problem.

Seeing that the other party was determined to resolve this with force, Zhang Xuan shook his head and snorted. “Alright, if that’s what you say, then there’s nothing we can do. Ah Zi, go take him out!”

Before anyone could react, a Violetgale Beast flew out from the valley and landed in front of the Half-Saint.

To avoid revealing the Thousand Ant Hive, Zhang Xuan had summoned the Violetgale Beast from behind a large rock, which was easily done as long as the distance wasn’t too great.

“Hmm?”

The Half-Saint’s expression changed. He hadn’t expected a Saint 2-dan Violetgale Beast to suddenly appear. Just as he tapped his foot on the ground, intending to fly up, a massive palm came slapping down.

His body stiffened instantly, and he tumbled seven or eight times, crashing into a nearby mountain wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Although his combat prowess was astonishing, a Sacred Beast like the Violetgale Beast was naturally capable of fighting above its rank. Furthermore, its cultivation level far surpassed his, making it impossible for him to resist.

“Damn it!”

Knowing he couldn’t escape, his face so grim it looked as if it could drip blood, the Half-Saint flipped his wrist. A longsword appeared in his palm, and his body swayed, transforming into a streak of sword light that shot straight towards the Violetgale Beast.

“Impressive!”

Seeing his moves, Zhang Xuan couldn’t help but nod.

No wonder this fellow was so arrogant; he indeed had the capital for it. With just that one sword strike, let alone a Half-Saint, even an ordinary Conferred Saint would likely struggle to contend with it.

Even he, if he were to face it, would probably only end up at a disadvantage.

Unfortunately... he had run into the Violetgale Beast!

This Sacred Beast from the Master Teacher Academy had witnessed countless battles; how could it be afraid of a Half-Saint? It smiled faintly, and with a grab in the air, its massive palm uprooted a large tree as thick as a bowl. Treating it like a wooden club, it swung it forward.

The opponent’s longsword was still seven or eight meters from the Violetgale Beast when it was struck on the head, sending him flying backward again, plastering him against the rock wall, his face covered in blood.

The two were simply not on the same level; there was no need for a battle at all.

“You…”

Struggling to leap down from the rock wall, the Half-Saint swallowed a pill to alleviate his injuries, gritting his teeth. “We are all Master Teachers, yet you let a senior Sacred Beast attack. Isn’t that beneath your dignity?”

In his view, such a powerful Violetgale Beast must be a senior protecting them as they came to retrieve the Crimson Glow Fruits.

If you let an elder intervene in a fight between peers, it would not be honorable if word got out!

“Elder?” Zhang Xuan shook his head. “This is my beast pet. How did it become an elder? Beast Tamers fighting, it’s not stated anywhere that their beast pets cannot interfere, is it?”

“Your beast pet?” The Half-Saint was stunned.

He had seen many Beast Tamers. Even those who reached Seven Stars could at most tame beasts one or two major cultivation realms higher than themselves. Yet this young man, who was only at the Void Amassment realm, had tamed a Sacred Beast at the Spirit Severance realm...

This... how was this possible?

Void Amassment, Cocoon Seal, Half-Saint, Conferred Saint, Void Pursuit, Spirit Severance... that was a difference of five entire major realms!

“Precisely!” Zhang Xuan replied calmly. He waved his hand, and the Violetgale Beast immediately walked over, rubbing its massive head against him, appearing exceptionally affectionate.

“This...” The Half-Saint’s mouth twitched, his face filled with awkwardness.

If he had known earlier that the other party possessed such a powerful beast pet and was such an incredible Beast Tamer, he wouldn’t have dared to provoke them even if he were beaten to death!

Beast Tamers always fought alongside their beast pets; if this matter got out, no one could say anything against it. It was just... who would have thought that this fellow had actually tamed a beast pet five major cultivation realms above his own!

How was he supposed to fight now?

If he dared to make another move, he would definitely be asking for a beating!

“What’s wrong? Weren’t you going to duel in the Master Teacher way? As you wish, beast taming is one of my auxiliary occupations, and letting my beast pet act also represents my strength. Come on, you can make three moves as much as you like, and I’ll let Ah Zi make three moves too. Don’t be shy!” Zhang Xuan said with a smile.

Wasn’t this fellow incredibly arrogant just now, thinking he had them cornered?

Since that’s the case, come on. If you can withstand three moves from Ah Zi, I’ll admit defeat!

“I…”

The Half-Saint’s body swayed, and he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

A Saint 2-dan Violetgale Beast, if it truly wanted to strike, could instantly kill him. Three moves... he wouldn’t even be able to withstand one!

“Beast Tamers can indeed bring their beast pets into battle, but... since we are both Master Teachers, isn’t it counterproductive to rely excessively on the Beast Tamer profession?”

His face flushed, the Half-Saint said, “Do you dare to duel me? As long as you don’t let this senior Violetgale make a move, you can use any other means! As long as you can defeat me in combat, we’ll turn around and leave without another word...”

“Any other means?” Zhang Xuan looked over.

“Precisely!” the Half-Saint gritted his teeth.

As long as the other party didn’t rely on the Violetgale Beast, winning would be very simple with his own strength.

Although Wu Xu was not an opponent, he had watched their previous battle. He was at least 99% confident of victory if he made a move.

“If I lose, I’ll compensate you with a hundred mid-grade spirit stones. Dueling you once more wouldn’t hurt!” Zhang Xuan said.

Free rides were certainly not allowed; if they were to compete, there naturally had to be a wager.

“A hundred mid-grade spirit stones? Good. If you lose, it’ll be the five Crimson Glow Fruits!” Seeing him agree, the Half-Saint’s eyes lit up.

“I haven’t lost before...” Zhang Xuan shook his head.

“Hmph, winning or losing isn’t about talk, but about strength!”

Taking a deep breath, the Half-Saint’s eyebrows rose. He shook the longsword in his hand, producing a crisp clang, and declared, “Come on!”

“Hold on, let me just confirm something with you. You said that as long as I don’t let Ah Zi intervene, you’ll acknowledge my victory regardless of what methods I use, correct?” Zhang Xuan asked.

“Precisely, but the premise is combat!” the Half-Saint replied.

“Yes, it is combat!” Zhang Xuan nodded.

“Good then!”

Smiling coldly, the Half-Saint regained his confidence, standing proudly. His entire being seemed to merge with his longsword.

It had to be said that this fellow’s understanding of the sword was no weaker than Zhang Xuan’s; he had also reached the Sword Heart realm of Human and Sword as One. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to fight above his rank, and his single sword strike would have been difficult for even a Conferred Saint to withstand.

“Teacher Zhang... be careful!”

Hu Yaoyao looked over, full of concern, seeing that although the Half-Saint had been thoroughly thrashed twice by the senior Violetgale, his strength hadn’t been significantly damaged.

She didn’t know Zhang Xuan’s exact strength, but his cultivation level was evident. It would certainly be difficult to defeat this Half-Saint.

Not just her, Xue Zhenyang and the others also looked slightly worried.

It wasn’t that they didn’t trust Zhang Xuan, but the opponent was truly too strong. Neither his aura nor his sword intent was something an ordinary person could contend with.

“Don’t worry, he said that as long as I don’t let Ah Zi intervene, any other method is fine!”

Seeing their expressions, Zhang Xuan smiled. He flipped his wrist and raised an eyebrow. “Ding Ding, it’s your turn. Go give this fellow a beating!”

As soon as his words fell, a massive cauldron appeared before everyone, flames rising within its belly, radiating intense heat.

“This is... the academy’s guardian Sacred Artifact, the Golden Origin Cauldron?”

Recognizing it, Hu Yaoyao nearly collapsed.

The academy possessed a guardian Sacred Artifact. Though she had never seen it, she had read about it in books. It was incomparably powerful, so much so that even senior Violetgale Beast was no match for it.

She had thought that for Teacher Zhang to tame senior Violetgale was already heaven-defying enough... How could he have tamed even this academy-guarding Sacred Artifact?

Xue Zhenyang and Long Cangyue also felt their vision darken, nearly fainting.

Taming the academy’s guardian Sacred Artifact...

No wonder they had to make him the principal; they couldn’t not.

If they genuinely didn’t appoint him and he took both of these away, the Master Teacher Academy’s entire foundation would effectively be swept clean...

While Hu Yaoyao and the others were shocked, the Half-Saint opposite felt as if ten thousand divine beasts had flown through his mind. His mouth opened like a fish, but he couldn’t breathe, nearly suffocating.

“I tolerated you taming a Sacred Beast; maybe you were lucky, encountered an injured one, and showed it kindness... But to tame a Sacred Artifact, and such a powerful one at that, how on earth did you do it?”

However, time didn’t allow him to wallow in dismay. The Golden Origin Cauldron opposite, hearing it could beat someone up, nearly jumped with excitement. It roared, “Don’t worry, Master! I guarantee to complete the mission! Watch as I, the Golden Origin Cauldron, turn him into cinders in minutes...”

Immediately after, the Half-Saint’s vision blurred as the cauldron forcefully crashed into him.

Crack!

The longsword in his hand was instantly shattered upon impact. Before he could react, he was sent flying, suffering over a dozen broken ribs. His back slammed hard against the rock wall, creating a large ‘大’ (big) shaped indentation, and blood gushed out continuously.