Chapter 2105: Yang Xuan Reappears

Unaware that Wang Ying had already noticed, Zhang Xuan was at this moment hiding in a tall bush, quietly peering ahead.

What appeared before him were a few young people, around sixteen or seventeen years old.

He had come here after hearing a noise, having just instructed Wang Ying to hide carefully.

There were both males and females, each carrying a pack, walking along the valley ahead, as if searching for something.

After a glance, Zhang Xuan's face darkened.

There were seven people in total; the oldest was only about seventeen, but their strength was vigorous and steady, surprisingly at the same Divine realm as himself!

Most crucially, the valley was rugged, yet these people adapted perfectly, moving through it as if not at all fatigued.

"It's getting dark; let's rest here! Tomorrow, after finding the item and completing the trial, we'll go back!" The leading youth in white glanced at the setting red sun, smiled slightly, and arranged.

"Alright!" Hearing about rest, everyone looked delighted and took off their backpacks.

Some spread special medicinal powder around to keep mosquitoes and other divine beasts away, others looked for water sources, and some took out food to prepare... The group divided tasks clearly and methodically, seemingly having formed coordination and familiarized themselves with their respective roles.

"I must find a way to leave with them!"

Seeing that these youths had not discovered him, Zhang Xuan pondered.

This was unknown which mountain range in the Divine Realm, almost devoid of spiritual energy; not to mention cultivation or advancement to a higher level, it might even lead to starvation!

If he were alone, it would be fine—he could just pick a direction and keep walking, eventually getting out. But now, with his parents, disciples, and others following behind, he dared not act rashly!

After these days of exploration, he knew that although this mountain range had very thin spiritual energy, the level of divine beasts it possessed was not weak.

Any random one that appeared would be no match; bringing everyone along and protecting them safely without a secure path was absolutely impossible.

If they ventured deeper and encountered higher-level divine beasts, they would only be waiting for death.

Thus, he had been scouting these days, hoping to find traces of human activity and the most suitable route. Now that he had encountered them, he certainly couldn't let them just leave.

However, these people were not weak in strength. If he approached rashly and they took him for a villain and attacked directly, with his injuries not yet healed and after eating wild vegetables for over ten days, he was weak and feeble, probably unable to even fight back.

Moreover...

With the Eye of Insight gleaming, Zhang Xuan looked at a spot a few hundred meters away outside the valley and couldn't help shaking his head.

Here, the Eye of Insight was usable and quite effective.

As for the Library, it had been dormant for a full half month and only just recovered today, likely adapting to the Divine Realm's Heavenly Dao and trying to seize some power for its own use.

Through the Eye of Insight, he had detected that this group of youths had not come alone; behind them followed a strong individual.

Presumably to ensure their safety.

Otherwise, with these people so young, their families or teachers would not be at ease letting them enter such a spiritually barren mountain range alone.

With an expert protecting them, forcing information through interrogation was certainly not feasible... If he could gain their trust and follow them out of the mountain range, that would be best. Even if not, learning the path or the location of the nearest town from their mouths would resolve his current predicament.

"It seems I have no choice but this..."

After deliberating for a long time, a plan came to mind.

With this thought, he quietly withdrew from the bush, shook his body, and changed his appearance.

The disguise token given by Luo Ruoxi was not only usable here but also highly effective; the disguise was lifelike, and even the Eye of Insight could not see through it.

Now, his disguised appearance was about thirty years old, with refined manners, giving an immediate sense of approachability. As for his cultivation... unfathomable!

At least, the students before him could not see through it.

Preparations complete, Zhang Xuan no longer concealed his form and said, "Who trespasses into my domain, disturbing my cultivation?"

"Who goes there?"

The youths, who were cooking and resting, were startled by the voice and simultaneously grabbed their weapons, looking toward the source.

They then saw a man in his thirties standing on a high rock, hands behind his back, robes fluttering in the strong wind, giving an impression of one ascending to immortality.

His face showed cold pride, as if greatly displeased.

"Playing tricks..." A rather attractive girl stepped forward, about to speak, but was stopped by the leading youth in white.

"Esteemed elder, we are students from the Nightfall Academy of Nightfall City, here for a trial. We meant no offense; please forgive us!"

"Nightfall City? Nightfall Academy?"

Zhang Xuan noted this but showed no expression on his face, saying, "I am also here to lead students on a trial."

"Leading students?" The youth in white relaxed a little, a hint of doubt in his eyes, and asked, "May I ask which academy the teacher is from?"

Since he was a teacher, he was certainly not a vicious person and would not indiscriminately kill.

"I have taken on a few clumsy students myself and am showing them around." Fearing exposure, Zhang Xuan was vague.

Seeing that he was unwilling to elaborate, the youth in white did not press further and cupped his fists: "Since this place is already occupied by you, elder, we will find another spot to rest."

This person's cultivation was unfathomable; his eyes could not see through it, and he had already become wary.

In a desolate mountain with no one around, suddenly appearing such a strong figure would make anyone uneasy.

"No need. Students of Nightfall Academy—coincidentally, I am acquainted with your principal and would like to inquire about some matters." Having finally encountered people, how could he let them leave directly? Zhang Xuan said.

"Does the elder know our principal?" The youth in white's pupils contracted.

The principal's strength was unfathomable, having reached the Upper Divine realm. If this person was acquainted with him, did that mean his cultivation was similar?

No wonder he could not see through him. With such a strong figure, if he truly wanted to act, their strength would not last a single breath before being killed on the spot.

Zhang Xuan casually invoked a big name and was about to ask where exactly Nightfall City and Nightfall Academy were, so he could lead his disciples there, when a middle-aged voice rang out: "Our principal has been in seclusion for cultivation. I know most of his friends, and he has no old acquaintances. May I ask how the elder is addressed?"

As the voice ended, a man around forty years old rushed over and stood in front of the youth in white.

He was the strong figure following behind to protect them.

"Teacher!" The youths, seeing this person suddenly appear, were all startled: "Why are you here?"

Clearly, he had been following them without their knowledge.

"How could I, as your homeroom teacher, be at ease while you go on a trial?" The middle-aged man smiled wryly, said no more, and looked at Zhang Xuan again with suspicion.

He had been a teacher at Nightfall Academy for nearly twenty years and knew most of the principal's friends, but he had never heard of this person.

Concentrating and looking carefully, he found that even with his strength, he could not see through this person's cultivation, and he couldn't help feeling shocked.

This person's strength was probably not inferior to the principal's.

"Seeing you approach using the 'Swift Step Chasing Clouds' movement technique, with your temples bulging and the Sibai acupoint dim, it indicates you are practicing 'Minghai Absolute'... These two techniques combined can indeed make one's speed dreamlike, but you have encountered a problem in your training—they are not perfectly integrated, causing divine power to flow back..."

Zhang Xuan raised his eyelids: "If I'm not mistaken, you should be Teacher Mo Yuan from Nightfall Academy, right?"

"You... how do you know?"

The middle-aged man, Mo Yuan, was startled, his eyes wide.

He was quite famous in the academy, so it was normal for others to have heard his name, but... the problems in his cultivation were not something that could be found out.

To see through it at a glance—his insight was terrifyingly sharp.

Zhang Xuan said: "I not only know this, but I also know that recently, when your divine power flows through the Huihai acupoint, it becomes somewhat sluggish. Not only can you not break through the barrier, but prolonged training also causes nosebleeds and chest tightness."

"This..." Teacher Mo Yuan was shocked again, full of disbelief.

If it were just the previous issues with the techniques and movement not matching, a high-level cultivator might be able to tell after seeing him rush over. But to speak out the hidden problems in his cultivation at a glance...

If not from being very familiar, then there was only one possibility...

This person's strength far exceeded his own, perhaps even... surpassing the principal!

Only such a strong figure could see through his techniques, movement, and even the flaws in his cultivation at a glance!

A strong figure of this level, since he claimed to know the principal, would not stoop to lying and demean himself.

Perhaps... he really was the principal's friend.

"You are very diligent in cultivation, but unfortunately, you have gone in the wrong direction. Minghai Jue—the Nether Sea entering the sea—requires extremely high soul power. Your soul clearly hasn't reached that level. Forcing improvement, it's fortunate you haven't suffered backlash!"

Zhang Xuan continued.

When the other party rushed over just now, he used a martial technique, and with the help of the Library, he immediately saw the flaws and loopholes.

According to Teacher Kong, as the world's level increases, using the Library causes greater backlash. But now, to gather information and leave here smoothly, he had to use it; there was no other way.

As long as one is a cultivator, there will always be errors and flaws. Moreover, since the other party couldn't see through his cultivation... bluffing wouldn't be difficult.

"Thank you for the guidance, elder!" Teacher Mo Yuan's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

If he had doubts before, now he absolutely had no other thoughts.

Just as the other party said, his hidden ailment was indeed caused by insufficient soul power and forcibly raising his strength, which had now become internal damage, difficult to recover from.

"May I ask the elder's name, if convenient?" No longer arrogant, Teacher Mo Yuan lowered his posture and asked sincerely.

"I am..." Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and raised his head slightly: "Yang Xuan."