“What’s going on?”
Everyone was stunned.
Ancient Sage Yan Qing’s eyebrows shot up as he rushed forward anxiously to check on what had gone wrong.
Why were they rejected by the seal, suffering a major backlash even before entering the Prime Hall?
Those were the top geniuses of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers! Nothing bad could be allowed to happen to them!
The Prime Hall had already opened, and they had the Prime Amulet in hand. All of the criteria had been met!
While he was completely baffled by the situation, Ancient Sage Yan Qing flicked his finger and sent several pills into the mouths of the injured youths.
It was only after consuming those pills that those from the Hundred Schools of Philosophers finally felt themselves recovering a little.
The fact that the seal in front of the Temple of Confucius was able to fend off an Ancient Sage was enough to show how powerful it was. If not for Kong shi’s benevolence, they could have died!
Even Ancient Sages were no exception to the rule!
Of course, if the seal did not boast such prowess, the Ancient Sages could simply have banded together to forcefully destroy the seal. They would not have had to waste their breath.
Perhaps the Master Teacher Pavilion and the Hundred Schools of Philosophers might still be a little hesitant due to their deference toward Kong shi, but those from the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and Beast Tribe would not have been so reserved.
Looking at the recovering crowd, Ancient Sage Yan Qing turned to Yan Xue and asked with a deep frown, “Why did they suffer a backlash from the seal?”
As one of the people in question, he thought that Yan Xue should know what was going on.
“Old ancestor…” Yan Xue hesitated for a moment before saying, “It seems like the Prime Amulet is insufficient for us to pass through the seal!”
Previously, he had been able to enter the Apricot Pavilion by utilizing Yuan Tao’s bloodline. At the very least, he had been able to pass through the seal without suffering any backlash. However, when he tried to enter the Prime Hall, he had vaguely gotten the feeling that the Prime Amulet was nothing more than a flimsy piece of paper, providing no protection from the seal at all.
“It’s insufficient for us to pass through the seal?” Ancient Sage Yan Qing frowned.
With a clasp of his fist, the Prime Amulet swiftly flew between his fingertips. He pinched the Prime Amulet in his grasp lightly.
Huala!
Under the influx of his energy, the seemingly powerful amulet dissipated into countless sparks. As if a piece of paper thrown into flames, it disintegrated into countless pieces before vanishing completely from sight.
“The Prime Amulet… is a fake!” Ancient Sage Yan Qing’s eyebrows shot up in horror.
By that point, it was apparent to anyone present that the Prime Amulet in their grasp was a fake! Otherwise, how could a treasure specially forged by Kong shi possibly be reduced to dust so easily with just a light pinch?
After all of the commotion that he had stirred up, who could have thought that the Prime Amulet in his possession would actually be a fake?
At that instant, he felt as if someone had bestowed him with several crisp slaps, leaving him with a burning sensation on his cheeks.
To think that the Hundred Schools of Philosophers would actually make such a huge mistake… Everyone fell completely silent.
Unable to suppress his rage anymore, Ancient Sage Yan Qing spat at Yan Xue with a hint of coldness in his voice, “Are you sure that you acquired this amulet from the Master Teacher Continent’s White Creek Mountain?”
If the Prime Amulet was truly acquired from the ancient domain left behind by Ancient Sage Ran Qiu, there should have been no way that it was false!
“There’s no doubt about it. I definitely acquired it from there!” Yan Xue nodded as he explained himself agitatedly. All of a sudden, he froze for a moment before exclaiming, “Wait a moment… Back then, Zhang Xuan competed with us over the Prime Amulet! It was out of fear that he would snatch the Prime Amulet from us that we left in a hurry…”
“He competed with you over the Prime Amulet?” Ancient Sage Yan Qing turned to look at Zhang Xuan.
The young man had already shocked everyone present by taking out five cruxes required to unlock the Prime Hall. Could it be that he had, by any chance, acquired the Prime Amulet as well?
It was through the records of their predecessors that they had found out that the Prime Amulet was located in the White Creek Mountain, so there was no way that there was any mistake with the information. Since they had acquired the fake one, could the real one be in the hands of the young man?
It would really be damned if that was the case.
Taking a deep breath, Ancient Sage Yan Qing turned to Zhang Xuan and asked, “Zhang shi, do you know what’s going on?”
“This… Yan Xue is right. Back then, we were all on the White Creek Mountain, and Brother Yan Xue took the fake Prime Amulet and fled away right after. I tried to stop him to warn him, but it was to no avail. As a result, I had no choice but to take the real Prime Amulet away with me…” Zhang Xuan sighed with a look of pity.
He would eventually have to enter the Prime Hall, so there was no point denying it.
“You… Pu!”
Hearing those words, Yan Xue nearly choked on his rage. The injuries he had sustained immediately flared up, and blood spurted from his mouth.
Are you really saying that I fled after taking the fake amulet?
You were even more determined to grab the Prime Amulet than me back then, alright?
If not for the fact that I fled fast enough, you might have ended up snatching the fake amulet from my hands!
So, why are you making it sound like I was acting like a retard?
To say such words after grabbing the real amulet… is it really fine for you to be so despicable as a master teacher?
“Are you saying that the real amulet is in your hands?” Ancient Sage Yan Qing asked with a deeply stifled sensation in his chest.
“Indeed, it’s with me!” Zhang Xuan nodded. “Going by the previous rules, the one who possesses the Prime Amulet is able to claim a third of the total slots, five of them. A slot will be distributed to each of the major powers, and each crux entitles one to an additional slot… So, all in all, I trust that you have no complaints with me taking eleven slots, right?”
Ancient Sage Yan Qing’s body staggered as he felt fresh blood coursing up his throat.
He had set such terms because he had thought that he would be able to grab at least half of the slots for the Hundred Schools of Philosophers. Yet, they were telling him that the Prime Amulet was a fake. This turnaround meant that they only had two slots in total.
All of a sudden, he felt that all of his arguing previously had benefited a stranger…
The intense feeling of indignation made him feel as if his heart was going to explode on the spot!
Moreover, the fact that the young man knew that the Prime Amulet in their hands was a fake all along but chose not to point it out… he had obviously intended to watch them make a fool of themselves!
Then again, even if the young man had said it earlier, he might not have believed it.
After all, the fake Prime Amulet had been forged so exquisitely that despite having examined it closely with his eyes and Spiritual Perception, he had been unable to find any flaws with it at all!
Only when attempting to challenge the might of the Prime Amulet would one realize that it was completely fragile!
Even though Ancient Sage Yan Qing felt as if he had been made to look a fool, he still nodded in agreement. “Since we already agreed on it previously, we won’t change our minds now!”
It was too late for them to change their minds, and two slots could still work for them.
In terms of understanding the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn, there was no one on the Master Teacher Continent—be it humans, Otherworldly Demons, or beasts—who came close to competing with the Hundred Schools of Philosophers. As long as they were able to enter the Prime Hall, the ones who bore the most hope in obtaining the Great Codex of Spring of Autumn was indubitably them!
It was precisely with such confidence that they had chosen to readily distribute the slots to others. Otherwise, holding the Prime Amulet as hostage, they would have been able to fight for much better terms for themselves!
“That’s good to hear,” Zhang Xuan said. “Wait here for a moment. I’ll bring everyone in once I’m done organizing my group.”
“This…”
The Ancient Sages of the Master Teacher Pavilion were shocked by the turn of events as well. They never would have thought that things would suddenly turn so favorable for them. They could not help but direct curious gazes toward the young man who had made all of that happen.
It was one thing for that young master teacher to single-handedly obtain the cruxes of five outer dimensions, but to think that he would actually be resourceful enough to acquire even the Prime Amulet itself, thus outdoing even the Hundred Schools of Philosophers. When did such an incredible figure appear in the Master Teacher Pavilion?
“We have to proceed carefully,” Yang shi advised Zhang Xuan worriedly. “The others might attempt to pull something off after seeing that the situation is so skewed in our favor.”
As descendants of the Hundred Schools of Philosophers, it was unlikely that Ancient Sage Yan Qing and the others would go against their principles within the sacred Temple of Confucius. However, nothing was certain given that the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn was at stake.
Not to mention, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe and Beast Tribe were waiting patiently for a chance to strike. There was no doubt that they would attempt to pull something off if a window of opportunity surfaced.
Knowing what Yang shi was worried about, Zhang Hongtian harrumphed coldly. “They won’t make a move for the time being. Only those beneath the Sempiternal realm are able to enter the Prime Hall and Subordinate Halls. No matter who acquires the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn, he won’t have the strength to assimilate it!
“They will have no choice but to bring the Great Codex of Spring of Autumn out. Once the artifact is brought out of the Prime Hall, that will be when the true fight starts! As important as the slots seem to be, all it does is lend credibility to one’s possession of it. In the end, it still boils down to the prowess of the Ancient Sages to determine the final allocation of the Great Codex of Spring and Autumn!”
