Pu!
Hearing those words, Zhao Feiwu, Hall Master Han, and the others nearly coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Aren’t we in danger? Isn’t the other party threatening to kill us?
Soul oracles, as one of the most sinister occupation in the ancient times, are even more feared than poison masters. Not to mention, the other party is significantly stronger than them, possibly even reaching the zenith of Transcendent Mortal realm…
How did it suddenly turn out that you are going to accept the other party as your student?
Can it get even more exaggerated than this?
Even though you are a master teacher, you have only barely stepped into the Transcendent Mortal realm. On the other hand, the other party is a Transcendent Mortal pinnacle expert! The gap between the two of you is immeasurable… Aren’t you afraid of being killed for saying such words?
Luo Zhu widened his eyes in shock.
When this Zhang shi first came to the soul oracle tomb, he didn’t know anything about the occupation at all. However, just by glancing at the Soul Guiding Formula, he immediately learned about the Five Soul Declines and even found a way to solve it…
It is no wonder why even the heaven acknowledges you… Your strength is truly fearsome!
Sun Qiang and the others were also awed.
As expected of young master, he is indeed as incredible as always. It doesn’t matter whether the other party is a 6-star soul oracle or a Transcendent Mortal pinnacle expert, all have to bow before him…
“Acknowledge you as my teacher?”
The owner of the voice also seemed a little flabbergasted.
As a 6-star oracle, a being whose cultivation has reached Transcendent Mortal pinnacle, how can I acknowledge you, a Transcendent Mortal 1-dan ant, as my teacher? You must be pulling my leg!
“Audacious…”
Infuriated, his voice became sharp and piercing.
Kacha!
The sound of the mechanical trap whirring into operation sounded, and a gleam of light suddenly shot toward Zhang Xuan, as though trying to teach him a lesson for his rudeness.
Hu!
However, before it could even reach him, Zhang Xuan had already stepped away, dodging the sword qi easily.
No matter how formidable a mechanical trap was, it was inflexible. By using the Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan could make judgements beforehand and dodge assaults easily with the Heaven’s Path Movement Art. It wouldn’t be easy to hit him.
“There’s no need to waste your efforts. If you were to make a move yourself, you might still be able to injure me. Mechanical traps… You should just drop this ludicrous idea. The trap at the entrance was stopped by me. Do you think that these things will be useful against me?” Zhang Xuan said impassively.
“Hmph!”
The voice harrumphed furiously.
Even though the mechanical trap at the entrance was powerful, the young man still managed to stop it with a single kick.
No matter how powerful his mechanical trap here was, it was truly unlikely for him to be able to injure the other party.
Thinking so, the owner of the voice fell silent. The mechanical traps also stopped their operation.
Even though the mechanical trap was powered by the kinetic energy of the waterfall, there was still a limit to its ammunition.
Seeing that the other party had dropped the idea of resorting to the mechanical traps, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief within.
Regarding the traps, if he had to come into direct contact with it before he could form a book, learn of its flaws, and deal with it.
However, there were many mechanical traps scattered around the room, and Zhang Xuan had no idea where they were as well. He might be able to dodge one, but if the other party were to attempt to launch all of the traps at once, given Zhang Xuan’s limited capability, it would be impossible for him to get away unscathed.
In truth, the words he had just spoken were mostly a lie. He didn’t really expect to succeed.
Facing this kind of hidden adversary, he had to use his words to outwit the other party.
“It’s such a pity!”
Even though the other party had stopped his assault, Zhang Xuan had no intentions to stopping here. Shaking his head, he sighed in dismay. “It’s such a good opportunity but you simply let it slip past you. Sigh, you are indeed such a soul—brainless!”
“You…”
Hearing those words, the voice nearly spurted blood from frustration and died on the spot.
The heck!
I am a 6-star soul oracle, who do you think you are speaking like that too?
Putting aside how you are only a Transcendent Mortal 1-dan cultivator, even a Transcendent Mortal 4-dan would have to tremble before me. Yet, how dare you dream of taking me in as your student, even going to the extent of calling me brainless…
You are the one who is brainless, your entire family is brainless!
“Don’t think that I’ll restrain myself just because I intend to possess one of you. If you are that intent to die, I don’t mind granting your wish at this instant…”
The voice was laced with threat.
“Kill me? Do you dare?”
With a look of disdain, Zhang Xuan glanced in front and said, “Besides, you are just a monster who been dead for innumerable years already. All you have left are your mechanical traps. If you can kill me, you would have done so yourself previously. You wouldn’t be threatening me now!”
“You…”
“You, what you?! If you have the capability, come and kill me now. Stop wasting time! Otherwise, hurry up and show us your three trials. To think that you are a 6-star soul oracle, how can you be so dumb?”
Zhang Xuan sighed. “Forget it. Even if you want to acknowledge me as your teacher now, I don’t want to accept you anymore. I’m afraid that you’ll pull down my reputation!”
“You…”
The owner of the voice was about to explode.
You are scared of your reputation being pulled down if I acknowledge you as my teacher?
Can you be any more shameless than that?
Seeing that the other party was leaping in anger, Zhang Xuan continued, “Why? Has all of your cultivation has gone to your mouth, and you are incapable of fighting anymore?”
“You are seeking death!”
Seeing Zhang Xuan’s annoying face, the owner of the voice exploded.
Hong long!
A violent ripple diffused in the air and an overwhelming might suddenly crushed down on the crowd.
The soul oracle was initially hesitant to fight for fear of Combat Decline. However, choking with anger from the words of the young lad before him, he could no longer hold himself back anymore.
Hula!
A force suddenly crushed on Zhang Xuan’s neck, as though an intangible hand was grabbing onto it, lifting him up.
“Teacher…”
“Zhang shi!”
Seeing that the soul oracle was provoked into making a move, everyone panicked. They hurriedly rushed forward.
“You want to kill me? It won’t be that easy!”
Despite being suffocated, Zhang Xuan didn’t panic. Instead, chuckling lightly, he willed and a gray scale-like object appeared before him.
Weng!
A light buzz.
A barrier of light embraced his body. As though coming into contact with burning oil, the hand grabbing onto Zhang Xuan quickly retracted.
“AH!”
The voice yelled in agony. From the looks of it, he seemed to have sustained significant injuries from it.
Dragon Scale Amulet!
This was the object that he’d obtained at the Appraiser Hall some time ago. Based on the evaluation of the Library of Heaven’s Path, it could ward off the attack of a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan expert three times. The time had finally come to use it!
An amulet only had protective capabilities. However, once activated, it would return the force from the other party’s assault back to him in the form of a backlash.
This was precisely the reason why Zhang Xuan intentionally used his words to provoke the other party into action.
In any case, he could use this amulet thrice. Furthermore, as long as the fellow remained hidden, everyone else could only be manipulated by him. Thus, Zhang Xuan decided to lure him out despite the potential risks.
Besides, given the age of the tomb, the other party was likely to have been dormant for a significant period of time already. His cultivation would have surely already deteriorated greatly, and in his weakened state, it was impossible for him to break the defense Dragon Scale Amulet!
With just a single strike, the other party was already severely injured.
“This…”
Everyone thought that Zhang shi would be doomed given how the powerful soul oracle decided to make a move himself. They didn’t expect him to possess a tool so strong that it could even injure a 6-star soul oracle. As such, they were astonished by the sight.
“I will kill you…”
Severely injured, the soul oracle flew into a frenzy. He bellowed furiously as he prepared to launch a second round of attack.
“You want to kill me? You might have been able to succeed a moment ago but now… I’m afraid you don’t stand a chance anymore!”
The barrier of light could be sustained for several breaths. Seeing that it hasn’t dissipated yet, Zhang Xuan charged forward toward the stone tablet.
He didn’t know where the other party was previously so there was no way for him to attack the other party at all. However, after the other party had executed a battle technique, not only did the Library of Heaven’s Path reflect the other party’s flaws, it had even detailed his current location.
Hong long!
With the immense might of two hundred thousand ding, the stone tablet was immediately smashed to smithereens.
After smashing the tablet inscribed with the Soul Guiding Formula, Zhang Xuan didn’t stop. Instead, he continued charging all the way to the coffin. Just as everyone thought that he would forcefully smash open the coffin, the other party’s hands swiftly pat on several places over the coffin, his movements so swift that it left after images in its wake.
Pah pah pah pah!
It was a consecutive sixteen pats. There was seemingly no specific logic behind his blows, and his strikes weren’t heavy either. With such force, he might have been able to break ordinary boulders but it was completely useless against a coffin that was crafted by a high-ranked blacksmith like this. No one had any idea what he was thinking of.
After that, he paused for a moment. Just as everyone was baffled by Zhang shi’s actions, the latter suddenly turned around, “Hall Master Sai, your saber!”
“Saber? Alright!”
Hall Master Sai was taken aback for a moment before registering what Zhang Xuan said. Flicking his wrist, he took out a saber and threw it to the other party.
It was the same one that Zhang Xuan used back at the Formation Master Guild to carve the formation plate.
Grabbing the saber, Zhang Xuan’s aura abruptly changed. A sharp aura suddenly emanated from his body.
Huala!
The saber fell down with immense might.
Boom!
As soon as the saber came into contact with the coffin, a loud explosion sounded. It was as though someone had lit an explosive within the coffin, causing the thick coffin lid to blow up and burst into the surroundings. The immense force from the explosion lodged the fragments of the coffin lid onto the tough wall.
“Shattered by none, the lock of Crimson Metal, an undisturbed rest for ten millenniums… This is a Crimson Metal Coffin! Even a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan would be helpless before it. For Zhang shi to break it open with a single slash… How is this possible?”
Upon seeing the sight, while others didn’t think much of it, Luo Zhu’s body trembled in shock. He was on the verge of going insane.
“Crimson Metal Coffin? You mean… the Crimson Metal Coffin crafted by 6-star blacksmiths using an alloy of deep ocean metals?”
Upon seeing Luo Zhu’s state, Hall Master Sai fell into a short moment of contemplation when realization suddenly struck him, and his eyes narrowed.
“Indeed! It’s that Crimson Metal Coffin!” Luo Zhu nodded his head.
“Isn’t it said that… once the coffin is sealed, no one will be able to open it? Why would…” Realizing the impossibility of the matter, Hall Master Sai also went into a frenzy.
As the head of the Appraiser Hall, he had seen countless invaluable artifacts, and he had heard of many different treasures as well.
Generally, coffins could be divided into nine main grades. Take for example, the four coffins at the other chamber are known as Grade-7 Adamantine Coffin, forged using incomparably resilient top-quality metal. Even Spirit intermediate-tier weapons would find it hard to break it.
And above the nine grades of metal was crimson metal!
Crimson Metal Coffins were crafted by 6-star blacksmith. It was designed such that once it was sealed, no thief below the cultivation of Transcendent Mortal 9-dan would be able to break it.
Such came the saying ‘shattered by none, the lock of Crimson Metal, an undisturbed rest for ten millenniums’!
In order to not be disturbed after death, many powerful cultivators would specially hire a blacksmith to craft a coffin of that tier for them so as to ensure that their corpses would remain intact and that no petty tomb raiders would be able to disturb their peace.
For Zhang shi to break a coffin that only Transcendent Mortal pinnacle experts could break, how could they not be astonished?
It was already an amazing feat that they didn’t faint upon realization.
To see through the flaw of the Soul Guiding Formula with a single look, to injure a 6-star soul oracle, and to break the Crimson Metal Coffin with a single slash…
Was this Zhang shi… really just a Transcendent Mortal 1-dan?
Bonus chapter~
I just returned from my trip, and I just want to thank you all for reading this book and your support all along. It really means a lot to me. I’m quite an introverted person, and I find calmness and happiness in reading books. The main reason why I started translating back then (I started with The Experimental Log of the Crazy Lich) is because I really love that book and want to share it, so it is honestly my delight and pride to see people enjoy the story I translate.
I’m still working hard to try to better grasp of how to better translate and bring out the flavor of the story, as well as to improve the flow. Do feel free to leave behind any suggestions (or thumbs up any suggestions that you can relate with), and I’ll take those factors into consideration when I work on future chapters.
Alternatively, you can message me on the Webnovel Discord channel. (Just @ me there, there is a higher chance I’ll see it there)
I’ll end here with another big thank you.
