Chapter 1173: Entering Qiuwu Palace Again

Although the Zhang family described that genius as the most extraordinary under heaven, with the Library of Heaven's Path, he had absolute confidence that if they met at the same level, he could definitely crush him, making him cry for his parents and doubt his life.

Not for anything else, but for the grievances Ruoxi had suffered over the years!

My woman—whoever dares to touch her, I'll kill them!

“Teacher Yang, since this Teacher Zhang is your student, I won't disturb you any longer. I'll take my leave…”

Seeing “Teacher Yang” narrow his eyes, murderous intent bursting forth, Luo Chengxin shrank back and said cautiously.

If only he had known that this Teacher Yang had left such a powerful will on Zhang Xuan, he would never have come to warn him…

“Go ahead.”

The “young man” waved his hand.

“Thank you, Teacher Yang…”

Luo Chengxin quickly turned and walked a few steps, then stopped, hesitated, and looked back again: “I hope Teacher Yang can tell Teacher Zhang to let go if possible. The little princess has suffered too much since childhood. I really don't want to see her… continue to be hurt!”

Hearing this, the “young man” frowned. Seeing that the other was sincere and truly concerned for Luo Ruoxi, he shook his head: “Go ahead.”

“Yes!”

Luo Chengxin breathed a sigh of relief and then turned and left.

Seeing him go far, the “young man” finally relaxed. The aura that had pierced the heavens and earth instantly dissipated. He deflated like a punctured ball, his whole body limp, as if he couldn't lift his arms.

“That was close… I almost couldn't hold on!”

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Earlier, having the ruthless devourer consume Kong Shi's handwriting to produce a powerful aura had been effective, but it couldn't last long.

Fortunately, his mental state had recently increased, making him not too far from the other, so he wasn't seen through; otherwise, he would definitely have been exposed.

Of course, it was also thanks to his mad dash earlier; this place was remote, or else such a powerful aura leaking would have inevitably attracted countless experts.

“I need to get back quickly. If this guy senses something wrong and comes back, I won't have any more of Kong Shi's handwriting to generate momentum…”

Knowing this was no time to rest, Zhang Xuan hurriedly flew toward the War Master Hall.

Not long after, he returned to his residence and felt as if he had fought a tough battle, drowsy and sleepy.

Although he had intimidated the other with various means, he knew that pretending in front of such a high-level expert was like dancing on a blade's edge or seeking skin from a tiger—the mental pressure was immense.

If not for his strong psychological resilience, he would surely have been seen through.

He sat cross-legged on the ground and meditated for an hour before fully recovering.

“I must, before March next year… have the strength or status to contend with the Zhang family!”

Recalling his conversation with Luo Chengxin, Zhang Xuan felt a heavy sense of urgency.

From his tone, this marriage was not just an alliance but involved a major matter that could not be refused. Even Luo Ruoxi, the most beloved little princess of the Luo family, was no exception!

Although he was a genius, he dared not publicize his status as a Heaven-recognized master or Heaven-recognized sage, so it was inevitable that the other party would not take him seriously.

Thus, to openly marry Luo Ruoxi and prevent her from regretting for life like Mu Shi, he could only improve his strength and status as quickly as possible!

Before March next year, he must have the ability to negotiate on equal footing with the Zhang family!

Only then would they take him seriously and consider his proposal.

Otherwise, they would never offend the continent's foremost saintly clan for a so-called “genius,” nor offend a super genius who could make Kong Shi's statue float.

“About eight months left… I'm currently at the peak of Saint Realm Second Layer. To have the ability to negotiate with the Zhang family, I need at least to surpass this Luo Chengxin, beyond Saint Realm Seventh Layer…”

Zhang Xuan pondered, feeling a strong sense of pressure.

Although it had taken him less than a year to go from the start of cultivation to Saint Realm Second Layer, extremely fast, he understood… the further one goes, the harder it gets!

Not only are cultivation techniques fewer and harder to find, but more importantly, there is a scarcity of cultivation resources!

Previously, a single low-grade spirit stone could take him from a martial artist to the Mortal Transcending realm, across a dozen major levels. But now… even high-grade essence spirit stones might not allow him to progress quickly.

Moreover, cultivating to the Saint Realm involves the soul and primordial spirit; it's not just about sufficient spiritual energy but also about temperament and mental state. It can no longer be achieved overnight like before.

Therefore, although it's only six levels, completing them in eight months… is still very difficult! Even for him, there is no certainty; he can only seize every moment and make the most of his time.

“Hurry up and cultivate… Ruoxi, wait for me. I will never let you suffer!”

Clenching his fists, Zhang Xuan's gaze was firm.

From his conversation with Luo Chengxin, he also knew what kind of torment Luo Ruoxi had endured to agree to be with him.

Since she had decided to be with him, as a man, he could not let her down.

No matter what, he would make her marry him openly and without any grievance.

If the Zhang family tried to stop him… then he would trample over them!

With this decision, his mind became more unobstructed. Zhang Xuan felt his soul undergo a transformation, becoming purer and more refined.

“Cultivate! Strive to break through to Saint Realm Fourth Layer before dawn…”

Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Zhang Xuan thoroughly reviewed the cultivation techniques for Saint Realm Third and Fourth Layers again.

He had collected them earlier; now he had time, so he might as well cultivate.

With a flick of his wrist, the 17 high-grade essence spirit stones obtained from Chu Tianxing appeared in his palm.

Now, ordinary spirit stones were ineffective for his cultivation.

Calming his mind, he circulated his true qi within his body, and his consciousness instantly arrived before his embryonic core.

Saint Realm Third Layer, the Embryo Infant Stage, also called the Nascent Soul Stage, involves merging the embryonic core with the soul to form an infant.

The hardest part of this stage is breaking the embryonic core, letting it emerge from the cocoon like a butterfly—the so-called core breaking into an infant.

Many cultivators are stuck here, unable to break through.

With the Heaven's Path technique, although there are no cultivation barriers, his embryonic core had reached a perfect level, extremely tough, so breaking it might be much harder than for ordinary people.

“Soul, out!”

With a mental command, his massive soul body appeared before the embryonic core.

Breaking through to the Embryo Infant Stage involves two steps.

First, merge the soul with the embryonic core; second, the core breaks out of its cocoon, shattering into an infant.

“According to the description in the Heaven's Path technique, entering the embryonic core with the soul is very simple. Just open a door on the core, enter, and merge…”

Deliberating on the cultivation formula, Zhang Xuan focused his mind, and a door slowly appeared on the embryonic core.

His soul body shook and plunged straight in.

Crack!

It went in only a little before stopping mid-way, its legs twitching uncontrollably.

“Oh no… I'm stuck!”

His soul body was simply too large. After being sanctified, it had returned to ten meters. Although his embryonic core was considered heaven-defying at the same level, compared to his soul body, it was far too small.

It simply couldn't fit in!

Even though the soul could change size, expanding or shrinking, there were limits—like trying to stuff an elephant into a walnut… an impossible task.

After struggling for a long time, he finally pulled out the stuck soul. His mouth twitching, Zhang Xuan's face was full of frustration.

He had high-grade essence spirit stones, and the Heaven's Path technique was flawless, but… his soul body was too big to enter the embryonic core. How could he cultivate?

If he couldn't enter, he couldn't merge… let alone break the core into an infant!

“What kind of situation is this…”

He tried a few more times, getting stuck each time, and once almost couldn't pull out. Zhang Xuan was so frustrated he could cry.

He had thought that, spurred by the shock, he could work hard and break through two consecutive layers to reach the Primordial Spirit Stage… but now it seemed he had thought too simply.

“The Heaven's Path technique is flawless, but… I cultivated the Soul Imprint Master ability, making my soul body too strong, so it's no longer suitable…”

He rubbed his brow.

In previous cultivation, the soul was the soul, and true qi was true qi.

But to break through to the Embryo Infant Stage, these two must be perfectly merged.

True qi cultivators and soul cultivators follow two different paths, and both can reach the pinnacle in the end.

Normally, no one can cultivate both.

Zhang Xuan, with the help of the Heaven's Path technique, had successfully improved the Soul Imprint cultivation method, allowing his body and soul to develop together. In the early stages, it wasn't a problem, but now, at the point of fusion, issues arose.

Both had reached their extremes… like oil and water, they were difficult to merge!

For example, when crafting a complex tool without an overall framework to reference, even if individual parts are beautifully and perfectly made, they might not fit together properly due to size mismatches.

His embryonic core and soul body were like a walnut-sized nut corresponding to a screw with a ten-meter diameter… it would be a miracle if they fit.

“What should I do?”

Withdrawing his consciousness from his dantian, Zhang Xuan was troubled.

This was the first time he had encountered such a situation.

Previously, with the cultivation experience of predecessors, he could directly use the Library to merge. Now… no one had encountered this before, so he couldn't even learn from others.

“No wonder Kong Shi said that to go further, one needs to forge their own path. Simply inheriting the wisdom of predecessors, while allowing faster progress, also shackles the direction and motivation of advancement… It seems he had already seen the problems in my cultivation!”

Back in Qiuwu Palace, Kong Shi had told him that cultivation requires walking one's own path.

Now he understood that the other might have seen his problem and given a warning, but… he hadn't taken it seriously.

“Walk my own path? How?”

With no reference to draw from, Zhang Xuan frowned in thought.

Walking one's own path sounds simple, but in reality, it's extremely difficult… one might say impossible.

“Right, I'll go to Qiuwu Palace. Maybe I can find something left by Kong Shi that will inspire me!”

After pondering for a long time without finding a solution, an idea struck him.

With a flick of his wrist, a crystal ball appeared in his palm, engraved with special patterns resembling a map.

Back then, after refining the crystal, he had stored the entire Qiuwu Palace inside and carried it with him… but he had never entered it.

“Let's go in and take a look!”

As the owner, he knew how to enter. With a mental command, Zhang Xuan instantly vanished from the spot.