Chapter 1107: Concealed Emptiness

"The highest secret technique of the Heart Hall was left by the founder of the Qingyuan War Master Hall. Among successive hall masters, fewer than five in a hundred could pass the assessment—it's extremely difficult to succeed!"

Hall Master Xing frowned.

What the other said was true: once one cultivated that highest secret technique of the Heart Hall, few at the same level could be rivals. Even those from the Xuanxuan Society, as heaven-defying as they were, would surely be unable to defeat him.

The Heart Hall, the most mysterious hall of the War Master Hall, focused on training the heart, containing terrifying inner demons. If one could pass the assessment and obtain the highest secret technique legacy left by the founder, almost no one at the same level could overcome them.

He had considered this method before, but the assessment was too difficult. Among successive hall masters, only a handful had succeeded. Even with his formidable strength and unparalleled talent, he dared not rashly attempt it.

"I know it's hard, but... there's no other way! Judging by the appearance of the other hall masters, ten to one they'll all join that Xuanxuan Society. When that happens, the Qingyuan War Master Hall will likely become a laughingstock in everyone's mouths..."

Hall Master Liao smiled bitterly.

He also knew this was an impossible task, but... the current situation had forced their hand, leaving them no choice but to decide.

"Alas..."

Hall Master Xing sighed.

If they let things develop as they were, it was only a matter of time before the war masters of their Qingyuan Empire War Master Hall became members of the Xuanxuan Society.

With his influence, he could still suppress the news for now, but paper could not wrap fire. Once it fermented and spread, how could the dignified War Master Hall, inferior to a student organization from a first-class empire, continue to hold its head high?

Wouldn't they be laughed to death on the spot by War Master Halls of the same level?

Moreover, the exchange meeting of War Master Halls of the same level was imminent... At this critical moment, no mishap could be allowed!

"Hall Master, we've reached the brink of danger now. We can only take a gamble..."

Hall Master Liao urged.

"Alright, I'll try!" Taking a deep breath, Hall Master Xing nodded.

The War Master Hall's current situation was not optimistic. Passing the Heart Hall assessment, though dangerous, would not be fatal or cause death—it was the only solution.

"President Ruan and Vice President Chen of the Enlightener Guild are both friends of mine. I can take you to them. If they are willing to help, they will surely make your primordial spirit more rounded and your power stronger, making it not too difficult to pass the inner demon assessment."

Hall Master Liao said.

"Then I'll trouble Hall Master Liao!"

Hall Master Xing nodded.

Although the Enlightener was only a support profession, it was indeed of great help to the primordial spirit and soul, allowing one to eliminate distracting thoughts and thus not be easily tempted when confronting inner demons.

Many half-step Out-of-Body experts, when breaking through to the Out-of-Body realm, would seek the help of Enlighteners to withstand the Out-of-Body tribulation.

According to their War Master Hall's statistics, the probability of a half-step Out-of-Body expert passing the Out-of-Body tribulation was only one in ten. With the help of an Enlightener, the probability could be directly increased threefold, reaching three in ten!

For this reason, the Enlightener profession was so popular that supply fell short of demand in the Qingyuan Empire.

Even on the entire continent, the headquarters of the Enlightener Guild held a revered status, with influence no less than that of a top-tier great family.

Because, as cultivation progressed, the stronger one's strength, the heavier the inner demons. The Enlightener profession could make the soul more crystalline and rounded—this alone could attract countless forces to befriend it.

It was said that at least six forces had publicly declared that finding trouble with the Enlightener Guild meant finding trouble with them.

Even among the super-strong experts at the headquarters of the Master Teacher Hall, many master teachers specialized in Enlightener as a secondary profession and maintained good relations with it.

For this reason, although this profession lacked combat power, even their War Master Hall dared not offend it.

"Let's go!"

Hall Master Liao nodded and said no more. The two flew out one after the other, heading straight for the Enlightener Guild.

...

At the Enlightener Guild, Zhang Xuan followed behind President Ruan and the others with an embarrassed look, arriving at a spacious hall.

"May I ask how this young master is called?"

Once they were seated, President Ruan looked over.

Since entering the Enlightener Guild, Zhang Xuan had not yet given his name; even Vice President Xu did not know it.

"I am Zhang..."

Just as he was about to say his name, Zhang Xuan paused and smiled lightly: "Ahem, I am Sun Qiang!"

Having brought the guild to life, it was best not to reveal his name; otherwise, if it got back to the Master Teacher Academy, how could he, as its dean, hold his head up in front of the students?

"So it's Young Master Sun!"

After thinking carefully, President Ruan still couldn't recall any such figure in the War Master Hall, and couldn't help but ask in confusion: "Young Master Sun, you're not from the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Hall, are you?"

"I've only recently arrived in the Qingyuan Empire..." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Oh!" President Ruan nodded. "Actually, the reason I invited you here, as I mentioned earlier, is to ask for your help. You have enlightened our guild. We would like... you to help tame it, or... you could directly join our Enlightener Guild and become a member."

"Join the guild?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I am a master teacher; I cannot join another guild. How about this: I can help you tame it, but... I don't quite understand how it should be done."

Enlightening the guild's artifact spirit was just an accident!

How was he to know that the black iron pillar was the guild's framework, and that taming it would bring the entire guild to life...

"Actually, it's not difficult. We need Master Sun's help to draw out the activated spirituality of the guild and have it sign a contract with me."

Hearing that the young man would not join the Enlightener Guild, President Ruan shook her head.

To be honest, this young man, able to enlighten the entire guild successfully just by reading books without any guidance, possessed an Enlightener talent that could be called unparalleled through the ages.

Unfortunately... he was a master teacher!

And a man at that; otherwise, she would definitely recommend him to the headquarters.

Although the Enlightener Guild also had men, their numbers were extremely small. The entire inheritance, even the founder, was female. Even if a man had no less talent, he would not become a true high-level member.

"Alright!"

Zhang Xuan nodded. "That's simple!"

As the other had said, because he had successfully enlightened this building, it had a strong sense of belonging to him. As long as he was willing, having its spirituality sign a contract should not be difficult.

"Then we'll trouble Master Sun!" After the discussion, President Ruan smiled and waved her hand: "Let's go outside. Signing a contract requires looking each other in the eye; it won't do inside here."

Signing a contract required the spirituality to leave the body. Since they were currently inside the guild's 'belly,' it was naturally not suitable.

The four flew out of the room again and hovered in the air.

Zhang Xuan looked at the building before him.

With the spirituality activated, the thing had moved around, causing huge cracks in the originally orderly street. The surrounding civilians had long fled without a trace, leaving only dozens of cultivators of no small strength hovering in the air, watching this way.

They also seemed very astonished that such a huge guild had suddenly come to life.

"I'll try communicating with the spirituality now..."

Seeing the presidents behind him, Zhang Xuan smiled awkwardly, looked up at the building before him, concentrated his mind, and used the means of an Enlightener to communicate with the spirituality within.

Swish!

As if hearing his communication, the building shook and raised its head again.

"Hmm!"

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and began to negotiate with it, having it sign a contract with President Ruan.

While he was communicating with the building's spirituality, not far from the guild, a pale-faced old man glared fiercely at Zhang Xuan in the air, his eyes full of hatred.

"Is this the one who injured you?"

Beside him was another old man with two thin mustaches, slanting eyebrows, and a scar on his brow that was slightly crimson, like an eye.

"It's him! You must kill him, tear him to pieces, or I won't be able to vent the hatred in my heart..." The pale-faced old man clenched his teeth.

It was Dao Kou, one of the Jibei Twin Heroes, the Falling Land Hero!

This fellow had been severely injured by Zhang Xuan with a single punch. After waking up, the more he thought about it, the angrier he became, so he had sought out the old man beside him.

He was the other of the Jibei Twin Heroes, the Sky-Supporting Hero, Cang Xu!

Cang Xu was a super-strong expert at the peak of the Saint Domain Fourth Layer, Primordial Spirit Realm, with formidable strength; otherwise, he would not have earned such a great reputation in Jibei.

"Don't worry. Whoever dares to attack you, I will make sure his soul is scattered and he dies without a burial place!"

With a cold snort, Cang Xu frowned: "But as you investigated earlier, this fellow is likely a master teacher. A mere Saint Domain First Layer is nothing, but killing a master teacher like this—we probably won't even be able to leave the Qingyuan imperial capital before being imprisoned by the Master Teacher Hall!"

Master teachers were not to be insulted.

Even if the other party was only a Six-Star, or even a Four-Star, if something happened to him, only the Master Teacher Hall could handle it. They could report him, but if they dared to act... they would also be sanctioned!

If the Master Teacher Hall took action, not to mention them, probably no one on this continent could escape.

"So what if he's a master teacher? As long as you use the secret technique and act quietly, even the Master Teacher Hall won't be able to find out, right?"

Dao Kou gritted his teeth.

"If the Master Teacher Hall really wants to investigate, they can certainly find out. But... a little fellow at Saint Domain First Layer shouldn't be worth them spending such a price."

Cang Xu snorted coldly.

As long as a murder was committed, no matter how secretive, if the Master Teacher Hall wanted to investigate, they would inevitably find out—but the cost would be too great.

This fellow, though he had injured Dao Kou with a single punch by surprise, should not be of low status, but... it was far from enough to warrant a costly investigation.

"You know my secret technique; I obtained it from the guidance of a senior. When performing it, I need absolute silence without any disturbance... Later, guard for me. I'll find a way to capture his soul."

Cang Xu continued.

His secret technique, related to the soul, was obtained from a relic and could kill a person invisibly, making it hard to guard against.

For this reason, the two of them could dominate Jibei, with no one daring to provoke them.

"Don't worry!"

Dao Kou nodded.

"Hmm!" Nodding, Cang Xu looked up and said: "The secret technique only has a range of three hundred meters. Get closer and find a hidden spot to perform it."