Chapter 1259: Group Beatdown

"Challenge Hall Master Yue?"

"Hall Master Yue is a super expert at the Half-Step Domain realm..."

Everyone was stunned simultaneously, each one unable to believe it.

Yue Yiquan was the hall master of the Qianchong Empire Master Teacher Hall, and his cultivation had reached the Half-Step Domain realm. Challenging him... Was this Zhang Xuan crazy, or was he just too arrogant?

"You challenge me?"

Unexpectedly hearing these words, Hall Master Yue was taken aback, then his eyes narrowed.

"That's right!"

Lifting his eyelids, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly: "What? Scared?"

This fellow had been making things difficult for him from the start, finding all sorts of excuses, which had long displeased him...

Initially, by showing weakness, he could lure others to rush forward and deliver spirit stones. Now that his strength was exposed, no one should be foolish enough to keep charging at him.

Since that was the case... it was time to settle some personal grievances.

Deliberately trying to set me up, weren't you?

Then let me see if you have the strength for it!

"How dare you..."

An elder behind Hall Master Yue suddenly stood up: "Zhang Xuan, mind your status! You are merely a Seven-Star Master Teacher from a first-class empire, while Hall Master Yue is a quasi-Eight-Star Master Teacher surpassing the Nascent Soul realm. Are you qualified to challenge him directly?"

"Qualified?" Smiling lightly, Zhang Xuan flipped his wrist, and a badge floated in the air: "I am a specially invited elder of the Master Teacher Pavilion of the Empire Alliance. I wonder... if that qualifies?"

"Specially invited elder... of the Empire Alliance?"

"This... how is this possible?"

Everyone was startled, their faces flushed with disbelief.

They all knew how powerful the Master Teacher Pavilion of the Empire Alliance was. Becoming a steward there meant being a top expert, holding an extremely revered status. A specially invited elder... was simply unattainable.

Not only the crowd, but Yue Yiquan also stiffened.

Clearly, Song Xuan had not passed this information along; he was unaware.

If he had known in advance, even with ten times the courage, he would never have dared to oppose an elder of the Alliance!

"Yes, yes... qualified!"

The elder who had just spoken now had trembling lips and a pale face.

With his discernment, he could tell that the badge was genuine. That meant the person before him, despite his mediocre cultivation and low rank, was a bona fide elder of the Empire Alliance.

Such a status was something they could only look up to and never dare to offend.

"Since I'm qualified..."

Putting away the badge, Zhang Xuan looked at Yue Yiquan: "Does the hall master dare to accept? Deliberately using this cup of Tianchen Intoxication to incite others to challenge me, all just to avenge your brother-in-law! There's no need to be so sanctimonious. We are all master teachers; we can see through that much. What, after challenging me... and angering an elder of the Empire Alliance, are you backing down?"

"This..."

"Avenge his brother-in-law? What's that about?"

"I arrived early and heard some news. There was some trouble at the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Hall. Hall Master Yue sent his brother-in-law to handle it, but he mishandled it, abusing his authority. Not only was he crippled, but he also received punishment from the Alliance..."

"So that's it? No wonder I felt Hall Master Yue was a bit off..."

Everyone was sharp; hearing this, they understood the situation. They looked at Yue Yiquan with changed expressions.

They had thought this hall master was bold and principled, but now it seemed he was somewhat petty...

Praising openly while undermining secretly—his methods were indeed clever.

"Since Elder Zhang wants to compete with me, I accept!"

Seeing the crowd's gaze shift, Yue Yiquan clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes.

He was now in a dilemma; he had to accept even if he didn't want to.

But he was clever, directly addressing Zhang Xuan as Elder Zhang, thereby establishing his position as the underdog.

With a swish!

Standing up, he walked to the center of the hall. Yue Yiquan smiled lightly: "Master Zhang, as a specially invited elder of the Alliance, you hold a revered status. Competing with you is a learning process for me. I suppose I don't need to suppress my cultivation, right?"

"Not suppress cultivation?"

"Does Hall Master Yue mean... to fight Master Zhang with his Half-Step Domain strength?"

"Master Zhang is only at the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm. Even with that cauldron weapon, it's hard to say if he can defeat a Soul Departure realm expert. Half-Step Domain... that's a bit bullying!"

"Indeed, it's excessive. I was doubting Master Zhang's words earlier, but now it seems they must be true..."

...

The crowd buzzed with discussion.

Zhang Xuan's eyes also narrowed.

Old and not dead, a thief indeed.

This fellow, as the hall master of the Master Teacher Hall and a quasi-Eight-Star Master Teacher, was adept at using tricks within the rules, one after another, making it hard to guard against.

First, he addressed Zhang Xuan as Elder Zhang, using his status to pin him down, then lowered his own posture...

Since he was an Alliance elder, acting as a senior instructing a junior, why should he suppress his cultivation?

In an instant, he turned from passive to active.

It seemed he also realized that at the same level, he was no match, and wanted to utterly dominate.

"Fine!"

Letting out a breath, Zhang Xuan nodded.

Want to dominate me?

Then let's see if your teeth are hard enough!

It seemed that those who wanted to dominate him along the way, if they were lucky enough not to die, nine out of ten ended up as his disciples.

"Thank you for your guidance, Elder Zhang!"

Smiling lightly, Hall Master Yue's eyes flashed. He stretched his body, and his true qi immediately surged, his entire aura soaring like a dragon ascending to the heavens.

At the Half-Step Domain realm, his strength already surpassed that of the ruthless man back then. The surrounding space instantly seemed to freeze solid, making movement impossible.

Whoosh!

As his aura peaked, Yue Yiquan flipped his wrist, and a long sword appeared in his palm.

True qi flowed along the blade, emitting a whimpering sound. It was clearly of a very high grade, at least reaching the mid-grade Saint Domain.

With such a weapon, his own cultivation, and his understanding of the sword... his strength was absolutely terrifying!

"He's even drawing his sword?"

"This is clearly meant to intimidate Master Zhang!"

"Having been challenged publicly and the truth exposed... he naturally wants to save face!"

"Master Zhang is probably in for trouble now..."

Everyone frowned.

This hall master was already very strong without a weapon; with a long sword, unless one truly reached the Domain realm, no one could defeat him.

"Drawing a weapon, so... can we fight with weapons?"

Zhang Xuan chuckled.

Yue Yiquan nodded: "I am best at swordsmanship, so naturally I hope to receive Elder Zhang's guidance..."

"Since you're using a weapon, can I use one too?" Zhang Xuan asked.

"Elder, as you wish!" Yue Yiquan nodded.

He had seen the other's cauldron; its power was not weak, but it was only comparable to a late-stage Soul Departure expert, certainly no match for him. Even if thrown out, it wouldn't matter.

"Alright!"

Nodding, Zhang Xuan lifted his eyelids and flipped his wrist.

Whoosh!

Over a hundred puppets appeared before him.

These were the many Heavenly Craftsman puppets he had obtained from the ruthless man in the Jibei Swamp.

These fellows were crafted by Heavenly Craftsmen, without the aura of the Otherworldly Tribe, nor were they Soul-less Golden Men. Even if brought out, they could only be used as weapons.

"These are my weapons!"

Zhang Xuan grinned, smiling lightly: "All together, give him a good beating!"

"Yes!"

All the puppets had completely submitted. Hearing the command, they roared and charged straight at Yue Yiquan.

Although they were only at the mid- and late-stage Soul Departure realm, over a hundred of them together were formidable. With a rapid flurry of attacks, their mighty power rained down, and the entire hall instantly seemed to descend into hell.

"You..."

Clearly not expecting the other to suddenly produce so many puppets, each with such strong combat power, Yue Yiquan's face changed instantly. He swung his long sword in the air, intending to cleave one of them, when he felt two fist winds strike his back.

Before he could turn around, forces from above, below, and behind all struck his weak points, as if someone knew the flaws in his swordsmanship and cultivation in advance and exploited them.

"It's the coordination formation of the War Teacher Hall... and someone is directing!"

His pupils contracted, and Yue Yiquan's whole body stiffened.

If these were just ordinary puppets, with his Half-Step Domain combat power, even if he lost, it wouldn't be too bad. But... the other party knew his weaknesses in advance and had the puppets form the most advanced combined attack formation of the War Teacher Hall...

That was dangerous!

Sure enough, after enduring a few moves, he hadn't injured a single puppet, but he felt pain all over, as if being torn apart.

Bang bang bang bang!

Enduring several more moves, he took more and more punches, sometimes with soles stomping on his face. After ten minutes, his eyes were swollen and he could barely open them.

Even though his strength was great, being besieged by puppets coordinated like war teachers was too much to withstand.

"If only I hadn't used a weapon..."

Yue Yiquan felt like crying.

He had been so confident that as long as he didn't suppress his cultivation, the other would suffer a great loss... He never dreamed that the other could casually produce so many puppets!

Puppets were also a type of weapon; strictly speaking, it didn't violate the rules...

The most crucial thing was... he had just confidently said the other could do as he wished!

Well, now he really did as he wished...

"This..."

The others swallowed their saliva, looking as if they had seen a ghost.

Good thing they hadn't let him continue using weapons earlier; if they had, even all of them together wouldn't have been able to withstand it!

"Please, Master Zhao, save Hall Master Yue..."

The elder who had spoken earlier, seeing the hall master beaten so badly, couldn't help but clasp his fists.

Zhao Xingmo lifted his eyelids, casually picked up a piece of fat, and ate it: "The match was agreed upon by Hall Master Yue himself, and the rules were set by him. I'm afraid I can't help."

Even if he could save him, he wouldn't.

If a student selected for the Sacred Son Hall couldn't even fight back when bullied, how could he be a master teacher?

Besides...

He had even beaten me into a pig's head. If you're looking for trouble, aren't you just asking for death?

"Hall Master..."

Seeing that he wouldn't act, the elder couldn't help but look over. He saw Yue Yiquan lying on the ground, his face covered in footprints, spitting blood and convulsing...