Chapter 512: I Can Fly!

Hua Fan, though far stronger than a martial artist and possessing some control over nature, still could not fly. The distance from the ground to the mechanism on the ceiling was at least seventy or eighty meters. The surrounding walls were smooth and hard, impossible to break through. To get up there was simply impossible!

"What do we do then? Are we really going to be trapped here to die?"

They had thought the other party had left them a way out, but hearing this, their hearts sank.

Now that this guy had failed to possess them, he naturally couldn't use the power of a Witch Soul Master. Even if he could, they wouldn't trust him!

He couldn't use it, and the others couldn't fly. They would probably be trapped here, unable to leave.

"How about this: sacrifice one of you, let me possess you, and I'll take you out. Otherwise, none of you can leave. Even if you have plenty of stored supplies, they'll eventually run out, and sooner or later you'll die here!"

said the tomb owner.

This was a sealed environment; there was no way out. Even if they had plenty of food, it would eventually be consumed, and they would be trapped alive until they died.

"Shut up! You have no say here!"

Seeing that this guy still wouldn't give up and still wanted to possess someone, Zhang Xuan slapped the lotus and said displeasedly, "You don't need to worry about how we leave. Now I'll give you two choices. First, become my servant, my underling, and obediently write down all the Witch Soul Master techniques you know. I'll find a way to help you break free from this damned thing."

"Become a servant, an underling?" The tomb owner was stunned and almost cried: "Wasn't it to become your disciple?"

"That was just now. If you had agreed then, I would not only help you break free but also teach you proper techniques so you wouldn't fear the Five Declines of Soul Power. But now... it's too late!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

"I..." The tomb owner's voice sounded like he was constipated, so depressed he could die.

True enough. Just now he had the advantage, and the other party hadn't found his exact location. If he had become his disciple, bound by the master-disciple relationship, he would certainly have guided him diligently... But now, he was at the other's mercy, and killing him was as easy as a thought. Taking him in as a servant was already very merciful.

"And the second?"

After sulking for a moment, his voice sounded helplessly.

"I'll slowly interrogate you. Once I've learned everything I want to know, I'll kill you," Zhang Xuan said calmly.

Though the other spoke lightly, the tomb owner knew he could certainly do it. The lotus trembled involuntarily: "Alright, I, Mo Hunsheng, am willing to be Zhang Shi's servant..."

This guy before him had broken his attacks, seen through his schemes, and even split the Red Gold Coffin with one blow. His abilities and means were beyond imagination. If he really wanted to kill him, it would probably be very simple. Instead of struggling, it was better to agree readily.

Having lived for who knows how many years, he knew the value of life.

As long as he could break free from this damned thing, he would do anything, even be a servant!

Having made his decision, he was about to continue when he heard the other say impatiently: "What are you doing?"

"I'm swearing an oath..." The tomb owner, Mo Hunsheng, stopped.

Slap!

"What use is an oath? Sign a soul contract. Don't tell me a dignified Witch Soul Master doesn't know how to do that!" Zhang Xuan slapped the lotus again.

No kidding. With so many tricks up a Witch Soul Master's sleeve, if an oath were useful, he would be dead without knowing how.

"Soul contract?"

The lotus trembled.

He felt like he was going crazy. He had thought he could fool them with an oath and, once free, make this guy pay. But who knew... the other wasn't buying it at all!

A soul contract was similar to a beast contract. Once signed, one dared not violate it, or else the soul would scatter and no one could save them.

He, a dignified Six-Star Witch Soul Master at the ninth level of Hua Fan, almost stepping into that realm, was to contract himself as a servant to a first-level Hua Fan?

The more he thought about it, the more depressed he became, nearly going crazy.

"What, unwilling?"

While he was still agonizing, he felt a silver needle pierce him, a stream of pure true energy stabbing straight into his soul.

"Ah... I agree..."

Feeling that the other could slaughter him as easily as killing a chicken, Mo Hunsheng no longer hesitated. Then, before everyone's eyes, a white light flashed, and a ball of soul shot straight into Zhang Xuan's mind.

The soul contract was formed!

"Good!"

Sensing a soul in his mind that he could destroy at will, knowing the other had completely submitted, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and put the lotus into his storage ring.

This was a divine object. He would study it when he got back; it might be very useful. The trip was not in vain.

"This lotus is extremely strange. I hope you all won't speak of it outside," Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment, then looked at Sai Guozhu and the others.

Zhao Ya and the others were his students and trustworthy, but the others were not necessarily so.

A divine object was a treasure surpassing a sacred object. If news leaked, they would surely face endless pursuit.

Even though he had the identity of a master teacher, which might make others hesitate, sneak attacks were still possible.

"Rest assured, Zhang Shi. If I reveal this matter, may heaven strike me down, may I die instantly, fall into reincarnation, and never be reborn!"

Knowing his concern, Sai Guozhu raised his hand and swore to heaven.

Then Zhao Feiwu, Jin Conghai, Gu Mu, Luo Zhu, and the others also swore oaths.

They too understood the principle that an innocent man may suffer for the treasure he possesses.

"Well, since everyone has worked hard to come here, you shouldn't leave empty-handed. That coffin lid was forged by a Six-Star Artifact Refiner; it's a treasure. If sold, it should fetch a good price!"

Having taken the most precious lotus, Sun Qiang also collected several coffins. Since everyone had come all this way, they shouldn't get nothing. Zhang Xuan pointed to the coffin lids embedded in the walls.

These were from the Red Gold Coffin, forged by a Six-Star Artifact Refiner, extremely sturdy. Even if they couldn't compare to peak spiritual-grade divine weapons, their material was certainly no less!

If taken out and sold, they would surely fetch a high price.

"Forget it, we didn't help much..."

"Zhang Shi is too kind..."

Understanding his intention—not wanting everyone to leave empty-handed—the Pavilion Master Sai and the others hesitated for a moment before shaking their heads.

If it hadn't been for Teacher Zhang on this trip, they would surely have been wiped out long ago. As for treasures... don't even think about it.

Although they hadn't obtained any treasures, they had learned a Soul-Commanding Art. If they slowly studied it later, it would surely benefit their advancement in strength.

"Since you don't want them, I won't stand on ceremony. Sun Qiang, gather all these things..."

Before he could finish his polite refusal, Teacher Zhang's voice rang out.

"Coming!"

Then they saw Steward Sun, his face full of excitement, approach the red-gold coffin and, piece by piece, collect the coffin boards that Zhang Xuan had split with a single knife stroke into his storage ring.

"..."

Everyone.

This fellow before them was clearly such a formidable master teacher; if he wanted wealth, what treasures couldn't he have? Yet he was still so greedy for money.

These coffin boards were already shattered into pieces, and he was still collecting them one by one. If he could take away the mechanisms outside, would he let them go too?

Just as they were thinking this, they heard his voice again: "Sun Qiang, take this Little Mo and look around. Take away any mechanisms that can be dug up as well—these are good stuff!"

"..."

Everyone.

"Ahem... Teacher Zhang, it's still too early to talk about collecting treasures. Whether it's mechanisms or coffin boards... we need to get out first for them to be useful..."

Choking on his saliva, Zhao Feiwu couldn't help but speak out.

The most important thing now was not whether Lotus would speak out, nor whether to take these coffin boards and mechanisms, but... how to leave this place!

The Dragon-Breaking Lock was fastened, there was no way out, and they couldn't fly. How could they leave?

If they couldn't leave, all the topics just now were useless.

"How to get out? Didn't Little Mo just say? There's a passage above!"

Zhang Xuan pointed upward.

"But... it's so high. If we can't fly, it's impossible to leave!"

Seeing that this fellow hadn't considered this at all, everyone was speechless. Zhao Feiwu rolled his eyes and couldn't help saying.

"Flying, that's all!" Seeing him fixated on this, Zhang Xuan glanced at him and said calmly, "I can."

"You can?"

Startled, everyone's eyes went wide.

Really?

Even a Mortal Transformation Ninth Layer expert couldn't fly, and you, a Mortal Transformation First Layer, say... you can?

"Mm."

Zhang Xuan nodded casually: "It's just one of the abilities of a Heaven-Approved Master Teacher. Nothing special."

The matter of the Red Dust Stepping Heaven Steps, like that of Lotus, could not be spread. To leave this place, flying could not be hidden from everyone. After thinking it over, he could only shift the blame to the Heaven-Approved Master Teacher.

After all, this highest opportunity for a master teacher was not something everyone had. Even if they knew, they could only envy inwardly and couldn't learn it.

Moreover, only Confucius had achieved the Heaven-Approved Master Teacher status. Whether he could actually fly or not, no one could say, and there was no way to verify it. It was the perfect excuse.

"Nothing special..."

Everyone felt like vomiting blood.

This was flying... something even Mortal Transformation Ninth Layer couldn't do. How did it sound as simple as buying a cabbage from the street in his mouth?

While shocked, they also wondered: Could a Heaven-Approved Master Teacher really make one fly?

Why... was there no record of this in the books about Confucius?

But then, they didn't know much about master teachers, so they couldn't be sure whether it was possible.

"Wait for me a moment!"

Without further explanation, Zhang Xuan moved his spirit, and his entire body rose straight up, flying swiftly toward the mechanism at the top.

Red Dust Stepping Heaven Steps, Qi Tian Scroll!

When he was at the Half-Step Mortal Transformation level, he could only stay in the air for a few breaths before falling. Now that his cultivation had reached the peak of Mortal Transformation First Layer, his true qi was purer, so the duration naturally increased.

It had now reached several dozen breaths.

Such a short time was not enough for long-distance travel like a flying savage beast, but opening a passage and flying out was still very simple.

"He really can fly?"

Watching him rise from the ground, everyone's mouths twitched uncontrollably.

Flying was the greatest human desire. This fellow, only at Mortal Transformation First Layer, could soar into the sky...

This was too terrifying!

"About the Heaven-Approved Master Teacher and the Soul Witch... it's better not to speak of it. Teacher Zhang... is destined to be a figure who soars through the nine heavens. Such a person must never be offended."

After a long silence, the same thought arose in everyone's mind.

A dragon will always gallop across the universe; a hero will eventually shake the world with his fame.

Such a person could only be befriended, never offended.

And Teacher Zhang...

was exactly such a figure.