Chapter 551: Zhang Xuan Plays Matchmaker

You asked me to treat you, so why are you asking about Hall Master Kang?

Palace Master Wu looked puzzled. "Hall Master Kang and I have known each other for years. We're quite familiar."

Kang Gan, standing to the side, was also baffled, unable to figure out what this Teacher Zhang was thinking.

"If you're familiar, then it's simple!"

Zhang Xuan smiled faintly and spoke eloquently: "Our Hall Master is upright and righteous, eager to help others. He's also a master teacher with a promising future. Most importantly... he's quite good-looking..."

Hearing him go on and on, Palace Master Wu grew more and more confused, her face full of bewilderment. "Hall Master Kang is indeed a good man, willing to spend a fortune to secure a spot in the Yin-Yang Pool for the entire Master Teacher Academy... But what does this have to do with treating my yin-yang conflict?"

"Of course it does!"

Zhang Xuan looked at her calmly. "How about you two get married?"

Pfft!

Hall Master Kang choked on his saliva and nearly fainted. Young Master Ruohuan's eyes went wide.

Aren't you supposed to be treating her? Why does it seem like you're playing matchmaker?

Setting up Hall Master Kang and Palace Master Wu... you sure have some nerve...

"Married?"

Palace Master Wu swayed, her vision going dark. She had only asked him to treat her illness, and now suddenly they were talking about marriage?

What's this about marrying this Hall Master Kang?

"That's right. As a woman, cultivating a fierce masculine technique is fine. But your mistake was switching to a cultivation method of the opposite attribute midway, causing yin and yang to clash and creating a hidden danger in your body. To completely resolve this, you need to marry someone of similar cultivation who has perfect control over true energy and power, to achieve yin-yang harmony."

Zhang Xuan continued: "Hall Master Kang is at the peak of Mortal Transformation realm fourth layer, just half a step away from the fifth. As a peak four-star master teacher, his understanding of cultivation far surpasses yours. So... he's the most suitable candidate! If you two get together, within three months at the shortest, half a year at the longest, your yin-yang clash will be resolved, and you'll recover completely."

"This..."

Palace Master Wu was stunned.

She hadn't expected her condition could be resolved this way.

Since she began cultivation, she had remained chaste, never touching men. Even if it was to cure her physical ailment, marrying someone outright was psychologically hard to accept.

"Isn't there another way? This... definitely won't do!"

While she hesitated, Hall Master Kang quickly interjected.

Although he had never married either... making him marry a bearded beauty was impossible!

Just thinking that she shaved more often than he did sent chills down his spine.

"Other methods? Of course there are, but this is the simplest!" Zhang Xuan said.

"As long as there's another way, I'll do it, no matter what..." Hall Master Kang hurriedly said, but before he could finish, he felt a fierce glare and heard a sinister voice.

"Kang Gan, what do you mean? Do you think I'm not good enough for you, or what? Why are you so eager to refuse?"

Even if it was for treatment, she didn't want to marry this old geezer. But if anyone was going to refuse, it should be her! This old man was acting like she was a hot potato. What did he mean?

Was she really that unwelcome?

In cultivation, she was at Mortal Transformation fifth layer, far above him; in status, she was the Palace Master of Icefield Palace, sought after by countless master teacher hall masters; in appearance, though not a national beauty, she was still stunningly beautiful, one in ten thousand. Even if she was older, her charm hadn't faded...

She hadn't even said she would marry him, so why was he so eager to distance himself?

"Palace Master Wu is joking. I didn't mean that. I just thought..."

Not expecting her to dwell on this, Hall Master Kang twitched his mouth. "I'm not worthy of you. I'm not worthy of you!"

"Good that you know your place!"

Hearing this, Palace Master Wu felt a bit better and turned back to the young man. "What other method were you talking about? If I can do it, I will, no matter what!"

"..."

Hall Master Kang was speechless. That's exactly what I said! If you hadn't interrupted, he would have finished long ago...

"Another method is to find a pure yin constitution expert of similar cultivation to yours. With a drop of her blood, you can dissolve the residual yang energy in your body. Just one drop is enough."

Zhang Xuan continued.

"Pure yin constitution?"

Palace Master Wu smiled bitterly.

Special constitutions were like a grain of sand in the ocean. If they were so easy to find, everyone would be an expert.

Their Source Fire Icefield had people cultivate yin and yang attribute techniques from a young age, even going so far as to create the Yin-Yang Pool, all to nurture a pure yin or pure yang cultivator...

Unfortunately, after all these years, they had never succeeded.

And even if they did, that person would immediately be taken by headquarters. Borrowing their blood to solve her problem was nearly impossible.

"This... is impossible. How about... I marry Hall Master Kang?"

Her face dark, Palace Master Wu hesitated.

"No need... no need to marry me. There's a pure yin constitution right here!"

Seeing that the bearded beauty was considering marrying him, Hall Master Kang nearly died of fright and quickly shouted.

"Here?"

Palace Master Wu was startled. "Where is there a pure yin constitution?"

Such a constitution appeared only once in a thousand years, extremely rare. How could there be one?

"Teacher Zhang's student, Zhao Ya, has a pure yin constitution, and it's already 20% activated..."

Afraid she would latch onto him, Hall Master Kang quickly introduced.

"You... are pure yin constitution?"

Her pupils constricted, Palace Master Wu quickly looked at the girl before her.

"Yes, she is pure yin constitution, absolutely!"

Hall Master Kang finished and couldn't help turning to Zhang Xuan. "Since a drop of pure yin blood can solve it, why did you want us to marry..."

This Teacher Zhang was something else. Since the second method was so simple, why make them marry?

"Zhao Ya is my student. It's my duty to protect her from any harm, so naturally I have to sacrifice you. Besides, helping you find a wife is a good thing. You really don't appreciate kindness..." Zhang Xuan said matter-of-factly.

Hall Master Kang swayed.

Protect your student, so you make a scapegoat of me...

Good intentions, my foot!

If you're so capable, try marrying a bearded lady yourself...

While they argued, Palace Master Wu trembled as she looked at Zhao Ya, still unable to believe it. "Are you really... pure yin constitution?"

"Yes."

Zhao Ya raised her brows, activated her true energy, and her constitution erupted, sending a chill into the sky.

With her cultivation at half-step Mortal Transformation, her constitution manifested even more fully. At the same level, only a freak like Zhang Xuan could surpass her; even some master teachers would find it hard to defeat her.

"It really is... it really is... The people of Source Fire Icefield are saved..."

Feeling the aura from Zhao Ya, Palace Master Wu's eyes reddened, and she grabbed Zhao Ya's arm. "What's your name?"

"Zhao Ya."

Frowning at the suddenly frantic Palace Master Wu, Zhao Ya pushed her hand away.

"Miss Zhao Ya, come back to headquarters with me. If you agree, you can immediately receive the best inheritance and activate 100% of your pure yin constitution in a short time, becoming the top expert of the entire continent..."

Palace Master Wu was extremely excited.

"No need. I want to stay with my teacher." Zhao Ya said calmly.

Teacher Zhang had guided her all the way, like a father and brother. He was the person she respected and admired most. She couldn't leave.

"Teacher? Who is your teacher?"

Too excited, Palace Master Wu had forgotten.

"It's Teacher Zhang Xuan."

Zhao Ya said proudly.

"Teacher Zhang?"

Palace Master Wu finally came to her senses and quickly looked at him. "Teacher Zhang, could you... lend us your student? Source Fire Icefield really needs a pure yin constitution expert..."

"Lend?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "My student is a person with her own thoughts and decisions. If she's willing to go, I'll gladly agree. If not, no one can force her."

His voice was calm but carried an unshakable confidence.

Indeed, with the Library of Heaven's Path, he was destined to walk a different path from everyone else. As long as Zhao Ya disagreed, he could guarantee that no one could force her.

"I... I didn't mean it that way. Please don't misunderstand, Teacher Zhang."

Hearing such confident words, Palace Master Wu recovered from her excitement and quickly shook her head.

"Tell me what's really going on." Zhang Xuan looked at her.

With his insight, he could tell that Palace Master Wu was genuinely happy, not just putting on a show.

She hadn't been this excited even when hearing that her physical problem could be solved. There must be more to it.

Moreover, she had mentioned activating the constitution and saving Source Fire Icefield.

"This... involves the secrets of Source Fire Icefield. I'm afraid I can't disclose it without permission..."

Hesitating, Palace Master Wu said, "How about this: since you're definitely going into the Yin-Yang Pool, after you come out, regardless of whether headquarters agrees or not, I'll give you an explanation."

"Hmm!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Every profession has its secrets and privacy that cannot be spoken of, so it was perfectly normal for the other party not to be willing to say.

"You want three slots—should be that all three of you want to enter the Yin-Yang Pool, right?"

Not dwelling on this issue, Palace Master Wu looked over.

"Me, Young Master Ruohuan, and Zhao Ya." Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Very well. Ahead is the Ice-Fire House. Only by passing the assessment can you enter the Yin-Yang Pool!"

Palace Master Wu explained: "The reason we make you take the assessment is that the Yin-Yang Pool is extremely eerie—yin and yang intermingle, causing unbearable pain. If you can't even hold out in the Ice-Fire House, then rushing in recklessly could very well lead to death and destruction, either burned to ashes by the scorching yang current or frozen into an ice lump by the frigid yin current."

"I see."

Zhang Xuan nodded.

He had been wondering why, after all that had been said, an assessment was still needed; now he knew the reason.

It was like getting a skin test before a penicillin shot—if you didn't test in advance, you might die from not being able to adapt.

Thus, the so-called assessment was actually a protective measure, a way to test whether one could enter the Yin-Yang Pool.

Arriving before the Ice-Fire House, Zhang Xuan looked it over. It was somewhat similar to the Trust House used when assessing masters in the Tianwu Kingdom—one needed to drip blood to enter.

"Who will go in first?"

Palace Master Wu looked over with a smile.

"I..."

Before he could finish, he saw Young Master Ruohuan, looking anxious, dart to the front.

Through the several rounds of assessment with this Zhang Xuan, he had learned his lesson. If he let this fool go first, not only would his own light be completely overshadowed, but even Palace Master Wu might get implicated—either injured or cursed with bad luck...

From the previous Elder Wu, Elder Yun, Elder Bai... one could see that this guy absolutely must not go first.

To be safe, one must stay away from Zhang Xuan.

Rather than face all kinds of trouble and humiliation later, it was better to finish the assessment first.

At least he could still have some confidence.

"Drip a drop of blood on the crystal stone outside the door, then enter!"

Seeing this fellow so eager, Palace Master Wu nodded and instructed.

"Yes!"

Stepping forward, Young Master Ruohuan bit his finger, dripped blood, and walked in.

As soon as he entered, a rumbling sound came from inside, like thunder and lightning, as if he was experiencing something terrifying.

Palace Master Wu seemed to have expected this; he stood quietly with his hands behind his back.

Creak!

After who knows how long, a figure emerged, charred all over, hair standing on end, still emitting black smoke. Who else could it be but Young Master Ruohuan?

At this moment, Jun Ruohuan no longer had the demeanor of a graceful young master; instead, he looked like a beggar who had just crawled out of a trash heap, covered in burns, utterly miserable.

"Though his mental state was broken, he still managed to come out within an hour. That shows he's not bad—he can enter the Yin-Yang Pool."

Glancing at the burning incense stick outside and calculating the time, Palace Master Wu nodded.

Although this Young Master Ruohuan had spent nearly an hour inside, he had come out within the allotted time, and his mind was still relatively clear. This showed that his endurance and perseverance were already impressive, and he was qualified to enter.

"Didn't Palace Master Wu say the Ice-Fire House tests endurance and mental fortitude? Then how..."

Zhang Xuan looked over, puzzled.

"The Ice-Fire House is indeed a place to test endurance and mental fortitude, but once the mind loses its defense, the body also suffers. However, being able to come out under such circumstances is enough to prove strong endurance."

After speaking, Palace Master Wu turned to look over: "Master Zhang, will you go, or Zhao Ya?"

"I'll go!" Zhao Ya stepped forward.

The same procedure, she entered as well. However, she finished in just over half an hour, which made Ruohuan so frustrated he cried out in protest.

After all, Zhao Ya was much younger and weaker than him in both age and strength.

Of course, it wasn't that Zhao Ya was stronger than Young Master Ruohuan, but rather that her pure yin constitution made her unafraid of yin cold and resistant to yang energy... What was a life-or-death trial for the latter was not so terrifying for her.

Thus, when Zhao Ya came out, she also looked somewhat disheveled, but compared to Young Master Ruohuan, she was in much better shape.

"Let me have a look."

With both having passed the assessment, Zhang Xuan also walked in.

...

"Teacher, how long do you think... Master Zhang will take this time?"

As Zhang Xuan entered the room, Ruohuan Gongzi looked over.

"You took nearly an hour, Zhao Ya took over half an hour, but Teacher Zhang... I think he might come out in less than a quarter of an hour!"

Hall Master Kang said.

This guy had created too many miracles; even his student could last over half an hour, so he himself probably needed only half that time.

"A quarter of an hour?"

Ruohuan Gongzi shook his head: "I think at most five minutes!"

He had a deep understanding of this guy's freakishness; whenever it seemed impossible to succeed, he would accomplish it in an even more impressive manner.

Just like this time, he also thought the other party would finish in about a quarter of an hour, but... somehow, subconsciously, he felt the result would be even more terrifying.

"Five minutes?" Hearing their conversation, Palace Master Wu shook his head.

This was the Ice Fire Room, the most terrifying place; coming out in five minutes? Dreaming, right?

"Palace Master Wu doesn't know how formidable this Teacher Zhang is... To be honest, I sometimes wonder if even saying five minutes is too long..."

Ruohuan Gongzi explained.

"Is he that powerful?"

Seeing this genius teacher speak so confidently and without doubt, Palace Master Wu began to waver.

This Teacher Zhang could spot problems that even Hall Master Kang couldn't; honestly, he was indeed somewhat peculiar, and might really accomplish what others couldn't.

"Indeed, let's wait and see!"

Ruohuan Gongzi was full of confidence, even more than when he himself took the exam.

"Five minutes have passed..."

Five minutes was very short; soon it passed, but the room showed no sign of opening.

"Maybe... ten minutes..."

With an awkward expression, Ruohuan Gongzi changed his tune.

Ten minutes also passed quickly, but still no one came out.

"Could it be... fifteen minutes?" Having guessed wrong twice in a row, Ruohuan Gongzi began to doubt.

But... unfortunately, fifteen minutes passed quickly, and still no one appeared.

Thirty minutes!

Fifty minutes!

Eighty minutes...

...

An hour soon passed, and the Teacher Zhang who had entered the Ice Fire Room was like a stone sunk in the sea, with no movement at all.

"Time's up, and he hasn't come out... It seems he didn't pass the assessment."

Palace Master Wu shook his head, looking regretful.

He had really thought this guy would create a miracle as everyone said, but now it seemed he had overthought it.

Not only did he not create a miracle, he didn't even pass.

"Didn't pass..."

His face twisted, Ruohuan Gongzi looked as uncomfortable as if constipated.

Every time he doubted this guy, he would be slapped in the face; this time, he finally spoke confidently, saying he would succeed and even exceed expectations... and now he went in and couldn't come out...

Teacher Zhang, are you deliberately embarrassing me...

Clutching his chest, Ruohuan Gongzi felt extremely distressed.

Hall Master Kang also swayed, on the verge of tears.

Teacher Zhang had performed so freakishly in the Master Teacher Hall; why was he failing here?

What... exactly happened inside?

...

Time went back an hour earlier, as Zhang Xuan entered the room.

Behind the door was a narrow passage, stretching far into the distance, its end unknown.

Boom!

As the door closed, an oppressive, scorching heat immediately hit him, making him feel as if he had fallen into an oven, about to be roasted at any moment.

Heavenly Dao true qi circulated to resist the heat; looking back, he couldn't help but frown.

The door he had just closed had vanished behind him, as if it had never existed.

"Could it be that we have to go through this passage to leave?"

He frowned.

The main door had vanished as soon as he entered; could this Ice-Fire Room be an extremely powerful formation? And the way out was to reach the end of the passage before him?

Puzzled, he walked forward.

Whoosh!

After just a few steps, the heat grew more intense, and a vast sea of flames appeared around him. To continue forward, he had to pass through it; there was no way to avoid it.

"Forget it, I'll just go through and see."

After searching around and finding no exit, Zhang Xuan had no choice but to stride forward.

His Heavenly Dao true qi was immensely powerful; although the flames scorched his skin and flesh, causing pain, they could not harm him.

As he approached the flames and was about to step through, his vision blurred again, as if he had fallen into a world of ice and snow. Bitter cold surged into his body through his acupoints, making him shiver uncontrollably.

He was nearly frozen stiff.

He was already a Mortal Shedding cultivator; under normal circumstances, even if he slept in an ice cave, as long as he had true qi protecting his body, he would not feel cold. Yet now he was trembling involuntarily—an eerie strangeness.

"No wonder Ruohuan was in such a miserable state; he was probably eroded back and forth by these flames and icy air..."

As true qi flowed to ward off the cold, Zhang Xuan pondered.

Although Mortal Shedding cultivators could withstand natural elements, the sudden and drastic shifts between heat and cold could still overwhelm and utterly break a person.

It was like putting a hand in ice—bearable. But if you first soaked it in hot water and then plunged it into ice water, even at the same temperature, it became unbearable.

"Flames, ice-cold... No, even a peak four-star formation couldn't achieve this."

Just as he was about to continue forward, a thought struck him.

The temperature in this Ice-Fire Room changed so rapidly that even a peak four-star formation couldn't manage it. How could the Icefield Palace have accomplished this?

"Moreover, before entering, there was no change in spiritual energy. If there were a formation, I would certainly have detected it..."

He was a four-star formation master; if a formation were present, even if inactive, he would have noticed it. Yet there was no formation, yet flames and ice-cold alternated freely, catching one off guard...

To get out, it probably wasn't as simple as just walking through the passage.

Coupled with Palace Lord Wu's earlier remarks about testing one's nature, endurance, and mental state, he grew even more suspicious.

"Let's see what's really going on... Eye of Insight!"

On guard, he stopped moving and stood still, activating the Eye of Insight.

Whoosh!

Light radiated before his eyes, countless patterns emerged, and in the blink of an eye, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"So it's a mental trial; the body is merely incidental... My soul and consciousness have entered an illusion!"

Through the Eye of Insight, he finally understood what was happening.

The flames and ice before him were not real but illusions.

Like the Trust Crystal, it used blood to create an illusion, making one feel as if they were in a place of fire and ice. Those who succumbed would be trapped, unable to leave without help.

The Eye of Insight could pierce illusions. Although this illusion was extremely realistic, under its gaze, it was easily broken. He could see at a glance that the main door was still before him, and his physical body was sitting in the middle of the room, motionless. The surrounding air alternated between hot and cold but did not harm his core.

In other words, the pain and torment he had just experienced were all tempering of will and spirit.

"This isn't a formation, yet it achieves such an effect. The Icefield Palace is truly impressive!"

After observing for a while, he realized that it was indeed not a formation, but it could produce the same effect, even more powerful. The Ice-Fire Room was indeed extraordinary.