Chapter 963: The News of Innate Fetal Toxin

He was the 104th dean, which meant the 103rd was naturally the previous one, the former owner of the Ziyang Beast.

That old dean of the Master Teacher Academy who had gone missing!

According to the information he possessed, this dean had never entered this place, and his fate remained unknown after his disappearance. So how could a tomb suddenly appear here?

Filled with confusion, Zhang Xuan examined it closely.

The mausoleum before him was constructed from ordinary bluestone, indistinguishable from the other tombs outside. It completely lacked the status and dignity befitting a 7-star Master Teacher.

He walked around it and soon noticed something unusual. His brows furrowed as he approached the tombstone. With a light brush of his hand, a mechanism was triggered, and an aged voice slowly began to speak.

Just like in the underground palace, it was a spring-activated recording device.

“I am Zhang Yinqiu, the 103rd Dean of the Master Teacher Academy. This time, I anticipate it will be very difficult to return, so I indulged in a small act of selfishness. Without informing anyone, I secretly came here and prepared my own tomb in advance. Inside are my personal clothes, making it a cenotaph, I suppose, and also a place for me to reside after death...”

Although the spring-recorded message was delivered in a plain, unassuming tone, Zhang Xuan discerned a profound sense of helplessness within it.

It is easy to die a heroic death, but difficult to face it calmly.

To know one's inevitable death and prepare for it in advance—how profound must that sorrow be?

Zhang Xuan had long heard about the old dean's numerous achievements, and You Xu had recounted the details of how he was framed. Zhang Xuan had always believed that the dean had been ensnared in peril simply because he hadn't accurately assessed the dangers of the trial.

Now, however, it seemed that wasn't the case at all.

Coming to the Dean's Mausoleum beforehand to construct a tomb for himself clearly indicated that he was already aware of the impending dangers and had prepared for the worst.

“It is the greatest regret of my life that I couldn't leave behind a fragment of my consciousness to guard the academy! It's not that I didn't want to, but what I must accomplish is far more crucial, and it requires my soul to remain utterly whole, without any loss or defect. Even if there are treasures that can mitigate the damage from soul division, there simply isn't enough time for me to split my soul!”

Treasures capable of splitting the soul allow cultivators who are not Witch Soul Masters to successfully separate a fragment of their consciousness. However, achieving this successfully requires a long period of careful nurturing.

Otherwise, there would still be considerable damage to the soul.

Only someone like Zhang Xuan, who has cultivated the Heavenly Path Witch Soul and possesses an exceptionally vast soul, could accomplish this with such ease and without adverse effects. Otherwise, even a 7-star Master Teacher would find it impossible.

“The fact that you've managed to come here and activate this mechanism indicates that you are the new dean—perhaps we are even old acquaintances. I hope you will treat the Ziyang Beast kindly. Please tell it that I died for humanity, a glorious and great sacrifice, without any trace of grievance or regret, so it has no need to worry. Also, be wary of the Saint Beasts in Cloudmist Ridge...”

With a sigh, the voice continued.

It seemed the old dean believed that only a handful of individuals in the academy could succeed him if he were to disappear, so he was effectively making arrangements for his demise in advance.

He never dreamed, however, that this new dean, whom he had never met, would have already completed the two tasks he had entrusted.

“What were you going to do?” Even though he knew the mechanism couldn't respond, Zhang Xuan still posed the question.

Judging by the tone, he knew he was facing certain death, yet he felt compelled to proceed, even going to the extent of building a cenotaph in advance... What exactly was he pursuing?

Wasn't it merely a trial?

“The information you might have suggests I'm merely undergoing an ordinary trial, but in reality, that is far from the truth. This matter is connected to a secret from Master Kong’s youth, and it appears to be related to the Poison Master profession. I don’t possess the full details; only by witnessing it myself can I confirm everything! Moreover, since it involves the Teacher of Ten Thousand Generations, I cannot speak carelessly; I must remain absolutely silent!”

The voice explained.

“A secret from Master Kong’s youth? And it’s related to the Poison Master profession?”

Zhang Xuan was momentarily stunned, then his body stiffened. “Could it be... congenital fetal poison?”

Based on what he knew, Master Kong, like Zhang Xuan, had also suffered from congenital fetal poison in his youth. Only by successfully advancing to a 9-star Master Teacher before the age of thirty might he have been able to overcome his predetermined fate of certain death.

It was precisely for this reason that he had always cultivated relentlessly, not daring to pause even for a moment.

The old dean’s message stated that it concerned a secret from Master Kong’s youth and was related to poison masters. How could Zhang Xuan not be excited?

“If you truly wish to know, you can visit the Poison Hall in the Hongyuan Empire. However, this place has always been clandestine, especially when it comes to Master Teachers, who hold it in great reverence. I investigated its precise location for many years but was never able to ascertain it. Nevertheless, based on my deductions, it should be near Jingyuan City. This place should contain a detailed map of the trial grounds. Unfortunately, time did not allow me to investigate thoroughly and make complete preparations; I had no choice but to proceed immediately...”

“A detailed map?” Zhang Xuan paused in confusion for a moment, then understood.

The destination of this old dean was extremely perilous.

While finding a detailed map in the Poison Hall would undoubtedly have made the journey much safer, something urgent compelled him to proceed, forcing him to take the risk and never return.

The fact that he left this information behind clearly indicated his desire for future deans to have ample time to prepare before making a decision.

“Very well, this is all I can disclose. How you choose to proceed is entirely up to you.”

The voice slowly dissipated, as if it had never been there.

“Thank you!”

Even though he knew it was merely a recorded message and not a live person, Zhang Xuan still bowed respectfully.

His gratitude wasn't for the revelation about congenital fetal poison, but for the dean's unwavering resolve in the face of certain death.

He knew he might not return from this journey, so he arranged for the Ziyang Beast to stay behind and even left a cenotaph to caution future generations... Yet he still departed, not even leaving a fragment of his consciousness!

This selfless act mirrored that of the Master Teachers in Cloudmist Ridge who had bravely faced death, utterly disregarding their own lives for the sake of their convictions.

Perhaps this is the true essence of a Master Teacher, the profound allure that inspires countless individuals to follow in their footsteps, one after another!

It was what truly commanded respect.

A willingness to sacrifice their very lives for the benefit of humanity!

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan activated his Eye of Insight. Finding no other mechanisms or restrictions, he continued onward.

On both sides of the path stood the tombs of other deans, each inscribed with their life stories and accomplishments. After reading for a while, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but sigh.

A significant portion of these high-ranking and influential deans had not died of old age but had instead perished in conflicts against the Ethereal Demonic Tribe.

For instance, Dean Mo Liuzhen, widely acclaimed as having the greatest talent, never returned after entering the underground cavern.

“Aren’t members of the Ethereal Demonic Tribe supposed to be rare? How could so many have died by their hands?” Zhang Xuan fell silent.

He had traveled from Tianxuan Kingdom for nearly a year. In all that time, he had only encountered one living member of the Ethereal Demonic Tribe, roughly twenty puppets, and the severely damaged 'Ruthless Guy'...

Hadn't this race been completely driven out?

Yet, judging by the circumstances of these deans, almost all of them seemed to have died fighting against them?

“I should retrieve the Thunderous Stone first! Regardless of whether I confront the Ethereal Demonic Tribe, I need strength as a foundation...”

He examined a dozen more tombstones, none of which offered any explanation. Knowing he wouldn't unravel the mystery immediately, Zhang Xuan continued his journey.

Mu Kai, Master Mu, was the first grandmaster and his tomb was located at the very end of the Dean’s Mausoleum. After about ten minutes, Zhang Xuan finally reached it.

This tomb appeared as simple as the others. Zhang Xuan respectfully kowtowed several times before taking out the special token given by the puppet. With a flick of his finger, it slowly flew forward.

Click!

As the token hovered above the tomb, it instantly activated a hidden restriction. With a rumble, a storage ring slowly floated up from beneath the ground.

With a flick of his finger, the ring landed in his palm. Zhang Xuan channeled his True Qi into it and examined its contents.

“So many treasures!”

The ring contained an abundance of rare ores and treasures, and the Thunderous Stone he required was prominently displayed among them.

These must have been collected by Grandmaster Mu Kai during his lifetime.

He was buried in the tomb after his death, leaving these items for future generations in need, expecting nothing in return. This truly exemplified the noble integrity of a Master Teacher.

“Thank you!”

Zhang Xuan put away the token and the ring, then respectfully bowed to the tomb once more before heading back outside.

With the Thunderous Stone in hand, it was time to cultivate and attempt his breakthrough to Half-Saint.

It wasn't long before he returned to the mausoleum stele at the entrance.

With a flick of his wrist, he retrieved the Azure Soul Bell he had acquired previously.

The Azure Soul Bell was still continuously nourishing his soul. While the immediate effect wasn't profound, he knew that with prolonged integration, it would certainly be able to form an independent consciousness.

“I should use the Witch Soul separation method...”

Knowing that separating his consciousness this way would take an unknown amount of time, Zhang Xuan shook his head. He sat cross-legged on the ground, and with a thought, his Witch Soul emerged from his body.

His massive soul, over ten meters tall, subtly shifted according to the method Mo Hunsheng had comprehended. Soon, a soul identical to his physical body appeared before him.

“Separating a soul indeed causes significant damage to its core...”

After splitting off a new soul, his main soul body shrank back to roughly ten meters. Zhang Xuan felt an overwhelming weariness and couldn't help but shake his head.

Even though it was only a small fraction, less than a tenth of his primary soul, it still left him feeling somewhat overwhelmed.

With a flick of his wrist, the remnant soul of the Azure Horned Dragon Beast, which he had obtained in Cloudmist Ridge, appeared before him. It transformed into streams of warm energy, slowly nourishing his being.

He dared to use the Witch Soul separation method directly, without fear of harming his original soul, precisely because he possessed this powerful resource.

This remnant soul had already had its consciousness obliterated by the 'Ruthless Guy,' allowing him to absorb it at any time without fear of backlash.

As he absorbed the remnant soul to recover from the damage and consumption, the separated soul fragment flickered and phased into the Azure Soul Bell.

Without a host, this soul fragment would consume its own essence, undergo the Five Declines of Soul Energy, and ultimately dissipate.

The Azure Soul Bell was precisely the place to preserve a fragment of consciousness, a method adopted by deans throughout history.

“Once the two merge, I just need to enter the mausoleum stele...”

As the soul fragment and the Azure Soul Bell merged, the portion of consciousness Zhang Xuan had separated let out a breath of relief. With a thought, it slowly floated upwards, flying directly towards the mausoleum stele before him.

The moment his body made contact with the mausoleum stele, he immediately felt a powerful suction surging forth. His body flickered, vanishing from its original spot, and the next moment, he found himself inside a sealed room.

It was less a room and more a cavern. Immediately afterward, a peculiar sensation surged into his mind, making his scalp tingle uncontrollably.

“This is... the murderous aura of the Ethereal Demonic Tribe?”

His pupils contracted, and this fragment of Zhang Xuan's consciousness froze in place.