Chapter 1750: Apricot Altar

"You've refined the sternum. How much of your strength has recovered?"

Seeing it absorb the power from the Saint's Trace Stone and its spirit improving, Zhang Xuan asked.

Back then, when it refined the finger bone, its cultivation recovered significantly; when it refined the skull, it improved again. Now, with such a large sternum, it should have made even greater progress.

"Reporting to master, I am now comparable to a newly promoted Ancient Sage, possessing combat power akin to an Ancient Sage!"

The Cruel One said.

"Ancient Sage?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Earlier, he had guessed whether this fellow would have the combat power of an Ancient Sage after refining it. Now, it seemed indeed so!

Being also an Ancient Sage, the Cruel One, with its previous combat experience, was certainly much stronger than that Ancient Sage corpse!

Coupled with the Demonic Abstruse Blade, it was equivalent to having a true Ancient Sage guarding him at all times, ensuring safety without worry.

"Hmm, and the sternum was suppressed by Saint Kui using the Saint Son Hall for tens of thousands of years, so it has long lost its killing aura. What remains is pure power. Now, if I use techniques, even pretending to be a master teacher, no one would see through it!"

The Cruel One added.

"Excellent..."

Zhang Xuan clenched his fist.

He had just been thinking that even if the Cruel One possessed the power of an Ancient Sage, it couldn't be used lightly on the Master Teacher Continent. Otherwise, the charge of colluding with the Otherworldly Tribe alone would be hard to refute. Now, this hidden danger was completely eliminated.

Indeed, although Saint Kui was not a disciple of Confucius, he was a grand-disciple. Using the statue to draw on the literary aura of the Saint Son Hall to suppress the sternum for tens of thousands of years had long washed away its killing aura.

It seemed he could now use the Cruel One with confidence, without worrying about how to explain it.

"First, recover your soul, and strive to reach your peak strength!"

Knowing he had a stronger backing, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and walked out of the stone forest.

With the Confucian Temple opening, countless Ancient Sages were arriving. The stronger the Cruel One was, the more his safety was guaranteed.

He had to be careful.

He put away the various weapons and sacred beasts, returned to the previous hall, and collected the many paintings hanging on the walls into his ring one by one. Then, with a gentle flicker, he walked out.

Outside, the many master teachers were still standing before the Saint Trace Hall, learning the techniques and scriptures carved on it.

"Yuan Tao isn't here. Where is he?"

Zhang Xuan frowned.

Only the Otherworldly Tribe members were here, meaning the Hundred Schools of Thought hadn't come. If so... where had Yuan Tao gone?

Just as he was about to return to the stone forest world to continue searching, he suddenly flipped his wrist, and a communication jade slip appeared in his palm.

A line of text appeared on it.

"Zhang Xuan, come to the Apricot Altar quickly!"

"A message from Luo Ruoxi? Apricot Altar... where is the Apricot Altar? Can she send messages across worlds?"

Zhang Xuan was startled.

He had tried earlier; communication jade slips only worked within the same world. Now, he had received a message from Luo Ruoxi...

Since when could messages be sent across worlds? If so, why couldn't it be done before?

"The Apricot Altar is the corresponding branch hall of the desert world. I'm waiting for you in the desert world!"

Knowing his confusion, Luo Ruoxi's message continued.

"Desert world?" Frowning, Zhang Xuan didn't pause and returned to the stone forest world.

Having been there before, it was easy to find the previous entrance. Before long, he was back in the desert world.

Now, this world had no desert or scorching heat. The spiritual energy was abundant, and although there was no vegetation, it was somewhat similar to the previous jungle world.

The cultivators who had entered were all cultivating on the spot, each making great progress.

The whim cultivator he had interacted with earlier had broken through to the Immortality Realm in just a few hours, and even seemed younger.

Knowing this was the wonder of the Confucian Temple ruins, Zhang Xuan said nothing. He oriented himself and quickly flew toward the location of the former oasis. Before long, he indeed saw the girl and Wu Chen.

"You're here..."

Luo Ruoxi smiled, seeming to read his confusion, and explained, "The many worlds of the Confucian Temple have been connected. There's nothing strange about sending messages!"

"Connected?" He was taken aback, then understood.

He had found the exits of each world and passed through them, effectively linking the major worlds. Moreover, not only he, but many master teachers were now traveling between worlds, so message transmission was no longer surprising.

"How did you know that this world corresponds to the Apricot Altar?"

Understanding this, Zhang Xuan was still puzzled.

Before entering the branch hall, he didn't know its name. Since Luo Ruoxi knew, why hadn't she mentioned it before?

"Some people have already been there. It's not strange to know. Moreover, not only this one, but the other branch halls have also been figured out."

Luo Ruoxi said, "The Confucian Temple has six branch halls: Kuiwen Pavilion, Apricot Altar, Two Corridors, Dacheng Hall, Sleeping Hall, and Saint Trace Hall. The Hundred Schools of Thought have the heavenly talisman to open Kuiwen Pavilion and have entered it, taking away all the books left by Confucius. The Master Teacher Pavilion has the heavenly talisman for the Two Corridors. The Luo family, Zhang family, and Otherworldly Tribe correspond to Sleeping Hall, Dacheng Hall, and Saint Trace Hall respectively. These have all been entered and fully activated. Now only the Apricot Altar remains unopened... That formation core, if I'm not mistaken, was taken by you, right? Let's go investigate together and activate this branch hall!"

"Is the formation core you mentioned that tree root?"

Zhang Xuan asked.

"Yes!" Luo Ruoxi nodded. "Let's hurry. Many people have already gone there. The Hundred Schools of Thought have also brought Yuan Tao, intending to use his Dragon Rhinoceros bloodline. I'm not sure exactly what they plan to do."

"Hmm!" Hearing that Yuan Tao was there, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let's go!"

After speaking, Luo Ruoxi turned to look at Wu Chen.

"Hmm!" The young-looking boy nodded and suddenly pointed upward.

Rip!

A crack appeared in the space above the oasis, revealing a passage with a hall faintly visible above.

"Tearing space with a finger?"

Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had been to the desert world before and knew how solid its space was. At least an Ancient Sage level was needed to break it. Wu Chen pierced it with a finger, seeming even more effortless than the Demonic Abstruse Blade... Could it be that he had found an opportunity and reached that realm?

"Let's go up!"

Seeing his surprise, Luo Ruoxi didn't explain and flew upward first, with Zhang Xuan following closely.

As before, after passing through the space to a flat area, they walked a short distance and indeed saw a tall building ahead, with two large characters shining: Apricot Altar.

At this moment, many people had gathered before the hall, including members of the Hundred Schools of Thought, Otherworldly Tribe, and many sacred beasts, all watching eagerly, as if waiting for the opening of this last branch hall of the Confucian Temple.

Powerful auras lurked around, clearly showing that the various forces could only remain at peace because Ancient Sages were mutually restraining each other.