Chapter 749: Deadly Crisis

"Purple Yang Beast?" The girl frowned. "Are you talking about the old dean's beast pet?"

"Exactly!" Master Wood nodded. "The old dean and I have been friends for years. I'm very familiar with his beast pet. Although the aura just now was extremely faint, I still detected it!"

He and the missing old dean of the Master Academy were old acquaintances, so naturally he recognized the old dean's beast pet, the Purple Yang Beast.

Having just heard this afternoon that it had been captured by the Heterodox Spirit Clan, and now sensing its aura, he could no longer contain himself.

"Let's go take a look."

Knowing his thoughts, the girl said indifferently.

"Yes!"

Nodding, Master Wood was full of gratitude. With a leap, he flew straight toward the place where the aura had just emerged.

Seeing him leave, Luo Ruoxi frowned.

"He finds things so easily—why am I having such trouble? If only I had taken that thing earlier, now I can only sense a general area. Who knows when I'll find it..."

Rubbing her brow, the girl shook her head and said no more. She stood quietly in the courtyard, gazing at the star-filled sky, like a silent painting.

...

"Didn't expect you to be so loyal!"

Seeing that this Purple Yang Beast was utterly devoted to the Heterodox Spirit Clan member and would rather die than betray its master, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He really wondered what kind of brainwashing the Heterodox Spirit Clan had given this creature, that even after being beaten like this, it still insisted on keeping their secrets.

"Aren't you afraid of death?"

He couldn't help but look over.

"What's so scary about death? To be honest, even if I die, as long as I'm with my master, it's fine!" The Purple Yang Beast gritted its teeth.

"This guy..."

Seeing the creature's unwavering attitude, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

What kind of nonsense was this?

Whenever he encountered a spirit beast, he usually settled it with one punch or one kick. At worst, a beating would make it submit. But this one, beaten half to death, not only refused to yield but remained utterly loyal to its master, unyielding even in death.

To be honest, seeing this, he almost admired it.

As expected of a sacred beast—its willpower was far stronger than that of savage beasts or spirit beasts.

"There's not enough room here..."

Seeing the creature's refusal to submit, Zhang Xuan was about to give it another beating when he glanced at the cramped room and courtyard and couldn't help shaking his head.

The place Sun Qiang had found was too small. If he summoned the puppets and a fight broke out, the commotion would not only attract attention but also likely destroy the room and courtyard.

After finally finding a place, if it collapsed, where would everyone stay?

He didn't have much money right now.

"Let's go outside the city!"

After all, it wasn't far from the city. As long as he found an open space, he could beat it however he wanted!

With that thought, he flipped his wrist and put the creature back into the Thousand Ant Beehive.

With a leap, he flew outward.

Since the Tianxiong Beast wasn't strong enough to teach this guy a lesson anyway, it was better to leave it guarding the courtyard for emergencies.

Since the Spirit Material Pavilion had sent one group, they might send another. It was better to be cautious.

Zheng Yang, Sun Qiang, and the others couldn't afford to be lost.

He flew straight out of the city. Just as he left the courtyard, a figure appeared in the sky above and stopped directly.

"Hmm? Gone?"

It was a white-bearded old man. He looked around below and frowned.

It was Master Wood from before.

Having sensed the Purple Yang Beast's aura, he had flown over quickly, but by the time he arrived, it had vanished without a trace, as if it had never appeared.

"Has it been captured again?"

His face darkened.

Although he had set the rule that whoever found the Purple Yang Beast would become the dean, if he could find it, he would certainly rescue it.

The Purple Yang Beast was his old friend's beast pet, which had rendered great service to humanity. The sooner it escaped danger, the sooner it would be free from suffering.

"There's someone over there!"

Scanning the surroundings, a figure appeared in his sight under the starry sky.

Although he couldn't discern the person's cultivation level, the fact that they could fly meant they were definitely a Saint realm expert.

"Flying in the middle of the night—that's suspicious..." Master Wood raised an eyebrow. "Let's go check it out!"

With a flicker, he gave chase.

Every Saint realm expert in Hongyuan City held a very high status. For someone to fly away in the dead of night, and for the Purple Yang Beast's aura to disappear from here, it was hard not to be suspicious.

"Hmm? Someone's following me?"

As he flew, Zhang Xuan's eyelids suddenly twitched.

His plan was simple: find a quiet place outside the city to properly deal with the Purple Yang Beast and make it reveal the whereabouts of the Heterodox Spirit Clan member. But unexpectedly, he was being followed as soon as he left the courtyard!

"Even Saint realm experts can be dispatched—this Spirit Material Pavilion really goes all out!"

The other party was flying steadily in the air, clearly a Saint realm super-expert!

He had just captured four black-clad men, and now this guy was chasing after him. It was hard not to believe he was sent by the Spirit Material Pavilion!

For just those few items, they had even alarmed an expert of this level. This treasure-selling place was really persistent!

"Could it be... that among the things I got from the Marvelous Treasure Pavilion, there's some treasure I don't know about?"

Back when he cracked the stone tablet, the other party had given him everything from the Marvelous Treasure Pavilion—a messy pile that he hadn't examined closely.

He had thought they were just junk when he arrived in Hongyuan City, but now, for these items, the Spirit Material Pavilion had even mobilized a Saint realm expert!

What a grand gesture!

"I'll lure him out of the city and kill him!"

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, and a murderous glint appeared in his eyes.

Wasn't this endless?

Four Void Step realm experts were already ruthless enough, and now they sent a Saint realm expert? Did they think he wouldn't kill this guy?

So what if he was Saint realm?

Hadn't the Purple Yang Beast been beaten until it had no temper?

If he dared to make a move, Zhang Xuan wouldn't hesitate to release the Fiend and those puppets!

Did he really think that just because Zhang Xuan was new to Hongyuan City, he was easy to bully?

"No, the Purple Yang Beast was bewitched by the Heterodox Spirit Clan. Killing it would be fine. But this guy is human, and the Spirit Material Pavilion surely knows they came looking for Sun Qiang and the others. If he's killed... the matter of the puppets might be exposed!"

Although he really wanted to kill this arrogant fool, he knew he couldn't be reckless.

Since this guy was sent by the Spirit Material Pavilion, they would know his whereabouts. If he died, the news would likely be transmitted, and Zhang Xuan would face investigation.

Saint realm experts were the pinnacle of existence in Hongyuan City. The death of even one would cause great panic. Unless absolutely necessary, it was best not to act.

Otherwise, if they investigated Sun Qiang and the others and then traced it back to him, he wouldn't be able to explain the Heterodox Spirit Clan puppets, and it would be hard to conceal his many secrets.

After all, how could a mere four-star master tame a great demon from the Heterodox Spirit Clan? And how could he make those puppets obey?

These things couldn't withstand scrutiny.

"If I don't kill him, he might come after me... What should I do?"

He couldn't kill him, but the other party was clearly after those treasures. What if he really made a move against Zhang Xuan?

He couldn't just sit and wait for death!

"Looks like it's time for Master Yang to make an appearance!"

After hesitating for a moment, an idea struck him.

With his own strength, without relying on the Heterodox Spirit Clan members or the Fiend, he couldn't possibly withstand a Saint realm expert—unless... he could trick him!

After all, it wasn't the first time he had done this.

As long as he made the other party become his disciple, even if the Spirit Material Pavilion wanted to cause trouble, they would back off.

With that thought, he didn't hesitate. His muscles writhed, and his face changed, taking on the appearance of Yang Xuan.

As the Heavenly Way Golden Body grew more profound, his muscles could change at will. The disguise he made was undetectable even by a six-star pinnacle master.

Back then, Mo Gaoyuan had been easily fooled and hadn't realized that Master Yang and he were the same person.

Since his back was to the other party, it was dark, and the other party hadn't seen his face, a quiet change wouldn't be noticed.

After doing this, he circulated his Heavenly Way true energy to subtly alter his aura, making it seem ethereal and unfathomable. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief and quietly turn his head to look.

"Flaw!"

He called out in his mind.

Although Saint realm flight, unlike the Red Dust Heaven-Stepping Step, consumed very little true energy, as long as true energy was circulating, it meant a martial technique was being used, and he could observe it with the Library of Heaven's Path.

Buzz!

As the sound faded, his mind stirred, and sure enough, a book appeared before him.

Continuing to fly, he gently opened the book.

"Mu Yuan, from the Master Hall of the Qingyuan Title Empire, seven-star master, Saint realm third layer. Weaknesses: ..."

"Seven-star master? Saint realm third layer expert?"

Zhang Xuan's mouth twitched, and he nearly fell from the sky.

What kind of background did this Spirit Material Pavilion have?

They could even invite a seven-star master?

Shouldn't someone of this level be staying in the Master Hall of a Title Empire and not going out? Was it really true that he had come after Zhang Xuan for those items?

"Good thing I didn't use the puppets; otherwise, I'd probably be the one dead..."

He was both frustrated and secretly relieved.

His large collection of puppets could handle Saint realm first and second layer experts, but the third layer was difficult.

Saint realm first layer, the Void Step realm, opened the Void Step acupoint, allowing one to walk on air.

Second layer, the Divine Sense realm, opened the fetal eye, generating divine sense and allowing mental projection, enabling perception and observation even without using the physical eyes.

Third layer, the Fetal Infant realm, was somewhat similar to the Silkworm Seal realm. The latter condensed a fetal essence in the dantian, like a golden pill, while the former involved the golden pill breaking out of its shell, taking the form of an infant. Hence, this level was also called the Nascent Soul realm.

With the soul condensed into a nascent soul, one could already harness the power of heaven and earth. At this level, one was truly immortal and saintly, capable of moving mountains and seas and diverting rivers with a single thought.

This was definitely not something that could be achieved through brute force or true energy alone.

The twenty-plus puppets he had could, using a swarm tactic, kill a Saint realm second layer expert, but they were completely incapable of dealing with a great expert at the Fetal Infant realm.

Even if the Fiend could intervene, who knew if this guy had any life-saving measures?

If he couldn't kill him, it would bring endless trouble.

"Let's see what weaknesses I can exploit!"

Unable to defeat him and unable to escape, his only option now was to see if he could use his silver tongue to make the other party obedient. If he succeeded, he could avoid danger; if he failed... he would be crushed on the spot, with no one to save him.

He hurriedly looked at the weaknesses listed afterward. After reading for a moment, his mouth fell open and his eyes widened: "This..."