Chapter 557: Zhao Ya's Departure (2)
Chapter 557: Zhao Ya's Departure (2)
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"Eradicate the Glacier Plain Court?"
Envoy Liu Xuan was stunned by those words.
"That's right. I mean what I say!" Zhang Xuan's gaze was indifferent, but there seemed to be some compelling authority behind it.
"This..."
If anyone else were to say such words, Envoy Liu Xuan would have surely thought that the other party had a screw loose.
After all, the overwhelming might of the Glacier Plain Court was known even throughout the entire continent. Even 9-star master teachers would dare not utter such words, let alone some 4-star master teacher.
For an insignificant figure which she could kill with a single pinch to actually utter such arrogant words...
If it was under any other circumstances, she would surely mock the other party for his arrogance. But for some reason... looking into the determined gaze of this young man, her heart couldn't help but beat with slight apprehension.
It seemed as though a subconscious part of her was saying that the young man before her... might just really do as he said!
"Don't worry, our Glacier Plain Court values its words. Reneging on promises is something we despise..."
She instinctively gave her guarantee without much thought.
"Un!" Hearing the words of the other party, Zhang Xuan felt a heavy burden weighing on his heart being released. Then, turning to Zhao Ya, he said, "If you find yourself unable to cope there, you can come to look for me at any Master Teacher Pavilion. Don't worry, even when following behind me, you'll still become one of the strongest experts in the world!"
"Yes!"
Zhao Ya nodded her head.
"Alright, I'll be leaving then!"
Since everything was settled, there was no longer any reason for Zhang Xuan to remain here. Thus, he began walking toward the entrance.
"Teacher..."
Seeing the back of her teacher slowly disappearing in the distance, Zhao Ya kneeled down and kowtowed eight times. Her determined gaze was free of any hesitation. "Teacher, I won't let you down. I'll surely become one of the strongest experts in the world!"
"You're a good student!"
Helping Zhao Ya up, Envoy Liu Xuan gazed at the silhouette in the distance and sighed. "He's a good teacher as well."
"He's the good teacher, but I'm not a good student."
Zhao Ya shook her head.
For her, he was willing to go through so much hardship. Yet, she had chosen to leave his side.
"Don't worry. Once you awaken your Pure Yin Body fully and become the court chief, it won't be difficult for you to repay your debt to him. Rather, if you were to follow behind him, you would just impede his progress. There's no banquet in this world that doesn't end. All students have to leave their teacher's side eventually; this is the way of the world. After all, one can't possibly stay behind the protection of one's teacher forever."
Envoy Liu Xuan continued, "If he had tried to forcefully keep you with him, he wouldn't have been a good teacher."
Everyone had to grow up at some point. Even the strongest expert in the world couldn't possibly keep his student with him at all time, and even more so, the student shouldn't become completely reliant of the teacher. Only after undergoing storms could one truly become independent.
"I know that! Just that... I am reluctant to part with him!"
Zhao Ya's eyes turned red. Turning around, she walked away.
Envoy Liu Xuan knew that she would be in low spirits for a short period of time, but as long as she could turn the pain of parting into her drive, she would grow swiftly in the time to come.
Only through such experiences could she temper her mental resilience.
…
While Zhao Ya's departure wasn't planned, it wasn't beyond expectations.
In truth, Zhang Xuan had already been harboring some thoughts of having his own students train independently to temper themselves. Just that, he wasn't able to bring himself to do it.
Since such an opportunity came by, it would be a waste if he were to restrain his student instead.
Seated cross-legged in the room on top of the aerial spirit beast, Zhang Xuan was motionless as if a statue.
Ruohuan gongzi couldn't help but ask, "Teacher, it has been five days since Zhang shi has been in this state... Is he alright?"
Ever since the trio left the Glacier Plain Court, Zhang shi had been seated on the same spot, not moving in the slightest. He couldn't help but feel perplexed as to what the other party was doing.
"I've no idea either..."
Pavilion Master Kang shook his head in worry.
Knowing how much Zhang shi cared for his students, could it be that he was in such a state due to his depression from Zhao Ya's departure?
"Wait, could this be..."
He glanced at Zhang Xuan doubtfully once more when his eyebrows suddenly shot up in disbelief.
"What's wrong, teacher?"
Noticing the peculiarity in his teacher, Ruohuan gongzi hurriedly turned his gaze over.
"This isn't due to excessive sadness but... Soul Enlightenment!" Pavilion Master Kang exclaimed.
"Soul Enlightenment?" Ruohuan gongzi was baffled.
He had never heard of such a phrase before.
"Un. Even though Zhang shi is meditating, there isn't the slightest disturbance in the spiritual energy around him. In other words, he isn't cultivating his zhenqi. But to remain seated for five days despite not cultivating, it could only mean that he managed to dive into a state of enlightenment!" Pavilion Master Kang explained.
Even though cultivation was an extremely mundane task, it wasn't easy for one to remain completely motionless for five days straight doing nothing at all. The more plausible reason was that the other party's mind had managed to reach a unique state that propelled the maturing of his state of mind.
And this was known as Soul Enlightenment.
"Soul Enlightenment is a mental state that only comes by chance. If a master teacher succeeds in reaching such a state, his Soul Depth will increase significantly..." Pavilion Master Kang said in awe.
Given how the young man before him was able to beguile him with his Impartation of Heaven's Will, it could only mean that the other party's Soul Depth of at least the same level as his. It was difficult to imagine how powerful he would be once he broke out of this Soul Enlightenment.
"The more powerful he is, the better it'll be. It's about time for the rise of Myriad Kingdom Alliance..."
Pavilion Master Kang's eyes glowed in anticipation.
The stronger Zhang shi became, the more likely Myriad Kingdom Alliance would achieve outstanding results in the Master Teacher Tournament. As the head of the Myriad Kingdom Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion, having a master teacher under him achieve such astounding results could be considered as a huge honor.
The Myriad Kingdom Alliance had been suppressed for too long. It was about time... for them to cleanse away their previous shame and rise up above the other powers!
Excited, Pavilion Master Kang turned to Ruohuan gongzi and instructed, "Don't disturb Zhang shi, you should focus on your cultivation as well. Before returning to Myriad Kingdom City, you must reach Clarifying Turbidity realm pinnacle. Otherwise, don't bother calling me your teacher!"
"What?"
Ruohuan gongzi was dumbstruck.
What did the other party undergoing Soul Enlightenment have to do with him? Why was his teacher suddenly urging him to cultivate?
But knowing that his teacher was saying this for his own good, Ruohuan gongzi obediently sat down, took out the middle-tier spirit stone that Zhang shi gave him, and continued to cultivate.
Unlike Zhang Xuan, the significance of a middle-tier spirit stone was great to his cultivation. Just one was sufficient to raise his cultivation from Clarifying Turbidity realm primary stage to pinnacle.
As such, the spirit stone was still concentrated with spiritual energy.
…
Pavilion Master Kang's guess was spot-on, Zhang Xuan was indeed in the midst of a Soul Enlightenment.
While the separation with Zhao Ya had left him slightly down, this experience had also given him a greater insight into the true essence the responsibilities of a teacher.
Memories of his past ever since his transmigration flashed through his head as though a movie screen. Slowly, as though a jade that was being tempered, excessive thoughts flowed out from his mind, bringing him tranquility.
Only after a heavy storm would a rainbow emerge.
While Zhao Ya's departure was a trial for her, the same could be said for Zhang Xuan as well.
As his mind broadened, his Soul Depth began rising slowly from 14.1.
Unlike the Book of Heaven's Path and Soul Tempering of a Mentor's Calligraphy which induced an instantaneous surge in his Soul Depth, Soul Enlightenment was a gradual process.
14.1!
14.2!
14.3!
…
In just five days, Zhang Xuan's Soul Depth had increased by 2.0, reaching a total of 16.1!
Hu!
He finally opened his eyes.
His gaze was composed and deep. It seemed to compel others to trust him.
A Soul Depth of 16.1 was already comparable to that of a 5-star master teacher. Previously, to beguile Pavilion Master Kang, he had to utilize words to shake the mental resilience of the other party before he could succeed. But now... as long as he executed the Impartation of Heaven's Will, the other party would be coaxed into doing anything instantaneously.
On top of that, his Eye of Insight had also become more potent than before, allowing him to peer even deeper into all that his gaze fell upon.
At the same time, he also managed to reinforce his cultivation in the past five days. As long as he willed it, he would be able to reach Transcendent Mortal 3-dan Yin-Yang realm immediately.
"I should focus on my cultivation now..."
The rise in Soul Depth had given him a deeper insight into cultivation as a whole, thus boosting his rate of cultivation. Even though he didn't have any more middle-tier spirit stones at hand, his cultivation still rose quickly.
The Master Teacher Tournament was about to begin-he had no time to waste.
...
While Zhang Xuan and the others were busy cultivating on top of an aerial savage beast, an elder wearing a bamboo hat approached the city gates of Myriad Kingdom City.
Looking at the grand city walls, he clenched his fists tightly together.
'Myriad Kingdom City... I'm finally here! I must grasp onto this opportunity to get back what I lost and... exact my vengeance!'
A look of savagery appeared on the face of the elder as a malevolent aura shrouded him. Staring deep into his eyes, one could nearly see the frenzy and hatred that clouded his mind.
A gust of wind blew, and the left sleeve of the black robe he was wearing fluttered freely in the wind, revealing his missing arm.
If Zhang Xuan were here, he would surely have recognized the other party.
That elder was the old ancestor of Xuanyuan Kingdom, Ding Hong!
Back then, he had burned his essence blood to escape, and after three months of journey, he finally arrived at Myriad Kingdom City, the very core of the alliance!
He desired for vengeance!
The other party had actually killed his descendent and destroyed his kingdom, turning him into nothing more than a roaming vagrant now. How could he possibly simply let this grudge go?
'I mustn't go to the Alliance Head Residence. Given how even the envoy was sided toward him, it would be suicidal if I were to head there!'
Even though hatred had filled his mind, he didn't allow it to cloud his judgement. He knew very clearly what his current plight was, and to exact vengeance, recklessness was something he couldn't risk.
The envoy back then turned a blind eye to the downfall of the royal family, even going to the extent of supporting a female emperor. If he were to head to the Alliance Head Residence in an attempt to redress his grievances, the odds were that he would only be silenced.
'Given that Zhang Xuan is a master teacher, heading to the Master Teacher Pavilion is out of question too!'
Within the past month, news about the young genius becoming a 4-star master teacher and becoming a representative of the Myriad Kingdom Alliance for the Master Teacher Tournament had been spreading like wildfire. Naturally, Ding Hong had also caught wind of such news.
As a 4-star master teacher who was going to represent the Master Teacher Pavilion in the Master Teacher Tournament... wasn't it clearly a futile attempt to report the other party to the Master Teacher Pavilion?
'There isn't anyone in Myriad Kingdom City that I can rely on... Seems like I can only depend on other powers!'
Viciousness flashed across his eyes.
Even though the Alliance Head Residence and the Master Teacher Pavilion wouldn't stand up for him... Wasn't the Master Teacher Tournament just around the corner?
Since no one in the alliance would redress his grievances, he could seek the Master Teacher Pavilions from other powers!
Given the monstrous capability of that Zhang Xuan, the other powers would surely be delighted to find a reason to lay their hands on him.
Ding Hong didn't just want Zhang Xuan to die, he wanted to rip the other party's reputation to shreds as well.
'There is a total of twenty-eight powers involved in the tournament. Mingxia Empire and Henghai Empire are of equal strength to the Myriad Kingdom Alliance, so it might be difficult to render their assistance. Thus, I should approach the stronger Cascading Sand Sect and Frigid Gale Sect, or perhaps, even the strongest Fleeting Cloud Sect!' Ding Hong thought.
As the previous emperor of a Conferred Kingdom, he had a clear picture on the various powers located in the vicinity of the Myriad Kingdom Alliance.