“The Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblet is a test for 5-star appraisers, and it’s of extreme difficulty. Under usual circumstances, one would have passed the test just by successfully appraising a single object. Yet, you managed to appraise three of them and even to the extent of… having the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblet operation table acknowledge you as its owner. If you can’t even qualify as a 5-star appraiser with that…”
Seeing through Zhang Xuan’s thoughts, Hall Master Sai smiled bitterly.
Honestly speaking, in his view, even the rank of a 5-star appraiser seemed to be an understatement of the other party’s ability.
Just through his appraisal, he could make those invaluable artifacts acknowledge him as their master. That as a skill that only appraisers of 6-star and above possessed.
But of course, the Honghai City Appraiser Hall wasn’t of sufficient rank to apply for a 6-star emblem.
“Does appraiser have no demand on one’s cultivation?” Zhang Xuan couldn’t help but ask.
Master teacher, apothecary, beast tamer, physician… All of these Upper Nine Paths occupations were very demanding on one’s cultivation. Without a sufficiently high cultivation realm, no matter how capable one was in the occupation, one would still be unable to progress through the ranks.
It was just like how even though Zhang Xuan caused such a huge uproar in Tianwu Kingdom Physician Guild back then, the Myriad Kingdom Alliance Physician Guild was only able to grant him the position of an elder and his ranking was still pending to date.
To be suddenly given the ranking of a 5-star appraiser just like that, wasn’t it making a little too light of the occupation?
“The main responsibility of an appraiser is to appraise artifacts. As such, there isn’t any specific requirement to one’s cultivation. In truth, most Middle Nine Paths and Lower Nine Paths occupations work in the same way as well. Only the occupations of the Upper Nine Paths have such rigorous restrictions on one’s cultivation!” Hall Master Sai explained.
Zhang Xuan nodded his head.
While the duo was chatting so happily, Song Chao’s vision was turning dark and he nearly fainted from anger.
No matter what, he was a 4-star master teacher, a pinnacle existence within the Myriad Kingdom Alliance. Putting aside how that Zhang shi ignored him right after greeting him… To think that Hall Master Sai would do the same as well! Furthermore, for the two of them to be chatting so happily in his presence, disregarding his existence…
Wasn’t this blatant disregard for him?
Previously, he thought that the butler must have a screw loose to have tried to attempt to chase him out. But now, from the looks of it… it was probably the owner’s influence!
To think that the two of you would disregard a 4-star master teacher and chat so happily together like that, do you all not even know basic courtesy…
“Hmph!” Unable to hold it in anymore, Song Chao flung his sleeves and tilted his face upward. Placing his hands behind his back, he spoke furiously, “Zhang shi and Hall Master Sai, a 4-star master teacher is in your presence. Is this how you treat your guests…”
But before he could finish his words, the elder beside him said awkwardly, “Young master, they have already left…”
“Left?”
Taken aback, Song Chao quickly turned his head around, only to see Zhang Xuan and Hall Master Sai walking out of the room with a smile on their faces.
Having obtained the cultivation technique and battle technique manuals he had been waiting for, Zhang Xuan was eager to compile the Heaven’s Path Divine Art to make the breakthrough to Transcendent Mortal 1-dan. Thus, how could he possibly be willing to stay here a single moment longer?
“You…”
Song Chao was on the verge of spewing blood.
It was one thing to disregard his presence, but to leave without saying a word… It was clear that they had forgotten about him, a 4-star master teacher! Damn it!
Were they simply too brave or was he really that insignificant?
“Hold it right there…”
Bellowing furiously, his figure blurred and as though an apparition, he flitted a distance of several dozen meters in an instant and blocked the path of the duo.
His cultivation was immediately revealed as soon as he used his cultivation technique.
Transcendent Mortal 3-dan Yin-Yang realm primary stage!
“Zhang shi, do you know that there is a fatal flaw with your cultivation technique, and your life is hanging by a thread?”
Knowing that violence should be the last option, Song Chao suppressed his anger and donned the disposition befitting of an expert.
“My cultivation technique?”
The cultivation technique Zhang Xuan practiced was derived from the Library of Heaven’s Path so how could there possibly be a flaw in it?
But a moment later, Zhang Xuan immediately comprehended the situation.
Flaws in one’s cultivation technique were an unavoidable problem for all cultivators. The other party was probably trying to use words to hoodwink him before using some method to find a flaw in his cultivation technique so as to offer him some pointer.
There were some master teachers who used this method to have the person they had set their eyes on to have him acknowledge them as his teacher.
In fact, Zhang Xuan had done so himself as well. Back then, Wang Ying fell for the exact same trick.
“That’s right. If you wish to overcome your current realm, I can lend you my assistance. If so, you can avoid many unwanted hassles!”
Seeing that Zhang Xuan was hooked, Song Chao felt gleeful. With an earnest expression on his face, he was just about to randomly spout some common problems in cultivation so further enhance his credibility when the young man before him stared at him with a frown.
“Song shi, do you feel an aching pain in your [Huihai Acupoint] and frailty in your [Baichi Acupoint] that results in you being unable to focus your attention?”
“I’m talking about your problems so you should…” Song Chao was just about to reprimand the other party when he suddenly realized something and his body froze. “How do you know about it?”
Recently, during his cultivation, he found that he was unable to gather zhenqi in his Huihai acupoint, and whenever he did so, he would experience a sharp pain as though someone was tearing it apart. His Baichi acupoint also felt a little feeble, thus making it hard for him to concentrate.
This was precisely the reason why he took this trip out, unintentionally heard news regarding the Soulless Metal Humanoid, and came over here. Otherwise, as a talented 4-star master teacher, how could he have the spare effort to be wandering around?
“Not only so, when you cultivate, do you feel a numbness in your left thigh and your right leg often convulses?”
Zhang Xuan continued.
“I…” Song Chao’s face slowly turned pale.
That was spot-on.
“If I’m not mistaken, your cultivation technique should be [Supreme Art of Heaven’s Frost]. There’s no mistake with your cultivation method and your cultivation technique, at Spirit intermediate-tier, is rather powerful as well. However, it’s a pity that… three months ago, in an attempt to forcibly raise your cultivation, an error occurred which resulted in your meridians being blocked by the frost element of your cultivation technique. The direct result of that is numbness in your left thigh, convulse of your right leg, frailty in the Baichi acupoint, and sharp pain in the Huihai acupoint!”
Zhang Xuan analyzed calmly.
This fellow had just executed his battle technique to block their way, and this had caused a corresponding book to be compiled within the Library of Heaven’s Path.
“Then… is there a way to resolve this problem?”
Song Chao asked anxiously.
The other party had described his current physical condition accurately. However, there wasn’t a clear solution for the blockage of his acupoints. Even his teacher, a half 5-star master teacher, was incapable of solving the problem so he could only let it recover gradually with time.
Thus, Song Chao had given up all hope and decided to simply wait it out. Yet, this young man here had identified all of his symptoms clearly… How in the world did he manage to do it?
“Five thousand spirit stones. I’ll help you solve your problem and achieve a breakthrough!” Zhang Xuan spoke impassively.
“Five thousand?” Song Chao hesitated.
“If I’m not mistaken, you should have consulted a few other people on your problem but they are all helpless before it. If you don’t use my method, you’ll need at least an entire year to recover. I’m sure you know the consequences of not cultivating for an entire year!” Zhang Xuan was in no hurry at all.
“Alright, here is the spirit stones. I beseech Zhang shi for your guidance!” Soon, Song Chao gritted his teeth and replied.
With a flick of his wrist, a bunch of spirit stones fell to the floor. In an instant, dense spiritual energy gushed into the air.
“Un!” Zhang Xuan nodded his head in satisfaction. He swiftly kept the spirit stones in his storage ring before saying, “The cure is extremely simple. You just have to drive your zhenqi along this meridian…”
“To offer pointers to even 4-star master teachers? Exactly how highly ranked is this Zhang shi…”
Hall Master Sai widened his eyes in shock.
He already knew that Zhang shi was extraordinary but still, he didn’t expect it to such a degree.
This Song Chao was a 4-star master teacher, and yet, his cultivation errors could still be pointed in an instant. On top of that, Zhang Xuan was able to solve the problem that had plagued the former for such a long period of time! Through this, it could be deduced that Zhang Xuan’s capability had reached an astounding level.
The body of the elder in the lounge froze, and his hyperventilation nearly acted up.
The young master had gone over to offer guidance to the other party in hopes of winning the other party’s gratitude and earn the Soulless Metal Humanoid. Yet, in the blink of an eye, he became the one being guided instead? And on top of that, to be paying money as well…
What was with this sudden twist?
Even though he had witnessed the sight with his own eyes, he still felt as though he was going mad.
“… Alright, just cultivate using the method I just told you and your affliction will definitely be solved within three days!”
While the duo was shocked speechless, Zhang Xuan finished his guidance.
“Thank your Zhang shi for your guidance…”
After memorizing the method the other party spoke of, Song Chao felt awed. He subconsciously clasped his fist in gratitude.
“Un!”
Replying with a nod, Zhang Xuan continued walking on.
Any other master teacher would definitely find it hard to determine the cause of Song Chao’s affliction. However, once the cause was determined, solving it became much easier. Given how the other party was a 4-star master teacher, he should be more than capable to tell whether what Zhang Xuan said was true or not.
“Young master… Aren’t you going to ask for the Soulless Metal Humanoid from him? Why did you end up paying him instead…”
After Zhang Xuan left, the elder hurriedly walked up.
“Ah?”
Song Chao was suddenly jolted from his trance.
For some reason, when he was listening to the other party’s analysis and guidance previously, he unknowingly fell into a state of trance.
“This is… Impartation of Heaven’s Will? He used Impartation of Heaven’s Will on me? And I actually fell for it?”
Upon realizing something, Song Chao’s mouth twitched and he nearly fainted on the spot.
Even though the other party’s analysis and guidance were spot-on, logically speaking, he shouldn’t have obeyed every single word the other party said, going to the extent of even paying money. The only logical explanation for it was that… the other party had used Impartation of Heaven’s Will on him!
That was an ability unique to master teachers. As long as one’s words were true, one would be able to stimulate the zhenqi within the bodies of others’ and induce unconditional trust within others, making others follow one’s orders obediently.
His original intention was to offer guidance to the other party and yet, he ended up falling for the other party’s Impartation of Heaven’s Will instead… Song Chao felt as though he was going insane.
However, as a 4-star master teacher, Song Chao’s Soul Depth had reached 12.0. For the other party to be able to induce unconditional trust in him through the Impartation of Heaven’s Will, didn’t that mean that the other party’s Soul Depth was higher than his?
Are you for real?
“On top of that, just Impartation of Heaven’s Will by itself is insufficient… More importantly, one has to have the acknowledgement of the predecessors! Those who have been acknowledged of the predecessors of the Master Teacher Pavilion will possess a disposition that induces deference in others… Could it be that this fellow had earned the acknowledgement of even more predecessors than me?”
Song Chao’s fist clenched tightly together once more.
Master teachers were exceptionally sensitive to this kind of disposition, thus making it much easier for them to listen to the words of acknowledged master teachers.
This was also why it was said that even without the master teacher emblem, those who had been acknowledged by the predecessors could be easily recognized by their peers.
Song Chao was an incredible young genius who had been recognized by nine predecessors during the ritual, and as such, his sect had sent him to participate in the Master Teacher Tournament… Yet, such a figure was sent into a trance just by a single word. Didn’t this mean that the other party was acknowledged by even more predecessors than him?
B-but…
How was this possible?
Where in the world did this fellow come from? How could he be so formidable?
Song Chao was dumbfounded.
Happy New Year~
Congratulations to Library of Heaven’s Path for being in the fourth place of the overall Chinese Qidian book ranking for 2017!!!
This is tabulated by the total number of monthly tickets voted to Library of Heaven’s Path over the year.
Just to show how incredible this is, the Chinese web novel industry is a very competitive industry filled with many top authors, and each of them has a strong fanbase. Getting into the fourth place is truly no easy feat against such powerful rivals. As the translator and a fan of this book, I feel very proud of its achievements.
Also, if I’m not mistaken, the last time I checked, Zhang Xuan is the eighth most popular protagonist among Chinese Qidian novels in the official poll!!!
