Chapter 770: Six-Star Jinghong Master

Under cover of night, flying and the like are hard for others to detect, but daytime is different.

If he didn't hurry back and was discovered by others, he wouldn't be able to explain himself even if he tried.

Thinking this, without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan's soul floated and flew down the stairs toward the first floor.

The student who had followed him in earlier was still inside looking for books. It seemed that although she had been at it all night, she hadn't found what she wanted, her brows knitted into a knot.

Not knowing what she was looking for, and unable to help even if he wanted to, Zhang Xuan didn't linger and headed straight for the door of the room.

Hmm?

Arriving at the door, he pushed it, only to find that it wouldn't open at all.

The library had been specially equipped with mechanisms to prevent unauthorized entry. Without a student ID and credits, even someone with the strength of the ninth level of Mortal Transformation or even a Half-Saint would find it hard to break through!

Earlier, he had been able to enter because this student led him in. Now that she wasn't leaving, he was trapped inside with no way out.

What to do?

He felt utterly frustrated.

It was just dawn, and few people were up. If he slipped away quietly, no one would notice. But once everyone was up, a stranger appearing in such an important place as the Jinghong Courtyard would be impossible to explain!

But... if the door wouldn't open, the various formations and mechanisms could block even a soul, making it impossible to evade.

Turning to look, he saw that the student searching for books showed no sign of leaving. Zhang Xuan shook his head and had no choice but to wait obediently.

If she didn't leave, or unless someone else came in, he couldn't escape. There was nothing he could do about it.

Forget it, worrying is useless. I might as well take the chance to look at the Jinghong Master's books...

Since he couldn't get out, there was no point in fretting. He found a quiet spot, sat down, immersed his mind in the library, and looked at the Jinghong Master manuals he had just generated.

From one-star to six-star, they were all there, densely recording cultivation methods and the effects after mastery.

Since he had nothing better to do, Zhang Xuan casually opened the one-star cultivation technique and read it carefully.

After the Heaven's Path Library upgraded, as soon as he opened a book, its content would automatically flow into his mind and become his knowledge, so he understood it much faster.

To become a Jinghong Master, one must first have strong soul power, then perform it through dance moves that are nearly in harmony with the Dao... The purpose of the dance is to unleash the soul's power to its limit and achieve the greatest effect...

The knowledge of the Jinghong Master flowed through his mind.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

He had fully mastered the one-star technique manual.

That is to say, if he went to take the exam now, he could easily pass the one-star Jinghong Master assessment.

The Jinghong Master requires extremely strong soul power. He cultivated the Witch Soul, and his soul body was over ten meters tall. His soul power was undeniably strong. What others spent a lifetime learning but could never achieve was as simple as eating and drinking for him.

Continue!

Seeing that the student still showed no sign of leaving, knowing he couldn't get away, Zhang Xuan continued to read the two-star books.

Martial artists have martial techniques; Jinghong Masters also have dance techniques. In short, using dance as a skill, using dance as a method to kill enemies. One dance and heaven and earth shake; one dance and souls are extinguished! Dance is the medium for soul attacks...

Reading the words in the book, Zhang Xuan couldn't help nodding.

The dance techniques of the Jinghong Master, like the Witch Soul and the Teacher's Heaven-Bestowed Words, are a form of soul attack that requires dance as a medium to unleash the strongest power.

...Since it's a medium, when cultivated to a high level, would it be like soul attacks, where dance is no longer needed?

Continuing to flip through, a passage caught his eye.

No need to dance? Could it be... the state of no sword?

His heart raced with excitement.

He didn't understand dance techniques, but he was very skilled in swordsmanship. According to the description, when swordsmanship reaches a high level, one is no longer constrained by the sword; grass, trees, bamboo, and stones can all be swords. With further refinement, one could even achieve the state of no sword surpassing the sword.

That is to say, the sword is merely a medium for exerting power. Without a sword, one can still perform swordsmanship, even more freely, smoothly, and swiftly.

This manual mentioned these things, clearly differing from other Jinghong Masters' cultivation methods, advancing toward the ultimate Dao: no sword surpassing the sword, no technique surpassing technique.

He continued reading.

...Since movements unleash soul attack power, then speaking is a movement, walking is a movement, raising a hand or stepping is a movement, and all inadvertent gestures are also movements. They should conform to the Dao and all belong to dance...

Replacing deliberate dance with true nature is the real Jinghong Master...

...

He finished flipping through the book.

Zhang Xuan closed his eyes tightly, comprehending the knowledge within.

Creak! Creak!

A crisp sound came from his soul, as if he had entered a brand-new realm.

He had reached the two-star Jinghong Master!

Continue!

Continuous learning was like drinking fine wine, making him more and more excited. He continued to read the remaining books.

Two hours later.

He had read all the manuals, fully understood them, and integrated them.

His massive soul body seemed to have been tempered, becoming purer and more refined.

The Jinghong Master uses dance to channel the soul for attacks, illusions, attachments, slayings... possessing mysterious power. Although Zhang Xuan had never learned dance techniques, he had mastered the most profound, Dao-direct abilities. Now, his understanding of this profession was unmatched by anyone below the seven-star level.

That is to say, if he took the exam now, he could definitely reach the peak of six-star.

So fast!

After the library upgraded, his learning speed had also increased.

Before, learning a one-star special profession took about an hour; now it was reduced to half an hour.

From knowing nothing about the Jinghong Master to being invincible below seven-star, it had only taken three hours.

Where is that person?

Standing up, Zhang Xuan looked around and couldn't help but freeze.

The vast library was empty, with not a single person in sight.

What the... when did she leave? His eyes wide, Zhang Xuan nearly fainted.

He had been too absorbed in cultivation and hadn't noticed that the student who brought him in had already left.

Entering the library required spending credits, so there were usually few people. From last night until now, there had only been this one student... If she was gone, how could he get out?

Would he be trapped here for days?

Zhang Xuan was utterly frustrated.

What kind of situation was this? If he had known, he wouldn't have been so absorbed in cultivation.

Being trapped here wasn't a big deal, but his physical body was still outside. If it was discovered, there would be big trouble...

He was a soul body; being locked in a room for days without food or drink was nothing. The problem was his physical body, still hidden in a tree outside.

Although it was well hidden and hard to find at night, daytime was another story.

If discovered, it would really be trouble.

Let's see if there's a way out...

Knowing it was almost noon, Zhang Xuan could no longer stay put. He hurried to the door to see if there was a crack or some other way to leave.

After circling around, he was filled with helplessness.

These mechanisms were very tightly constructed; without the power of a Saint, they couldn't be opened.

If his physical body were here, he could touch it with his finger, and the Heaven's Path Library would generate a book, allowing him to easily find weaknesses and exploit them.

But now, with only a soul body, there was no way.

These inanimate objects couldn't be touched, couldn't generate books, and his Eye of Insight couldn't see through them... Could he only wait here?

His eyelids twitching, Zhang Xuan felt a wave of frustration.

Forget it, I'll just wait. Someone will come to the library eventually...

Unable to find a way out, he gave up and was about to find a place to hide and wait when he heard the door creak open slowly from outside.

Hmm? Someone's here?

Unexpectedly, someone came so soon. Excited, he jumped up, dashed to the back of the door, and waited to escape.

Whoosh!

A figure walked in—a woman in her thirties, richly dressed with an elegant bearing.

As soon as she entered, she was about to walk further in when she frowned and looked straight at Zhang Xuan's hiding spot.

Who's there? Come out!

Hearing this and seeing her gaze, Zhang Xuan's whole body stiffened.

He was a Witch Soul, formless and intangible, invisible to ordinary people. He had been hiding there without moving, yet she had spotted him instantly. How was that possible?

A Saint...?

His pupils contracted.

There was only one possibility for this... she was a Saint!

When one's cultivation reached the Saint realm, one transcended the mundane and gained an understanding of space. Although he was hidden very discreetly, limited by his cultivation, the spiritual energy fluctuations at his soul's location differed from elsewhere and could still be detected.

What, not coming out?

Frowning, the elegant woman snorted, turned her palm, and grabbed at Zhang Xuan's location.

Boom!

True energy rolled, and the entire space seemed to be sealed. Zhang Xuan felt his whole body stiffen, as if someone had grabbed his neck, on the verge of being crushed into oblivion.

Although his soul body was enormous, his strength was only at the peak of the fifth level of Mortal Transformation, the Unity Realm. The gap with a Saint was simply too vast!

They weren't even on the same level.

Flee!

Knowing that if he didn't dodge and let her attack hit, he would likely die on the spot, Zhang Xuan activated his Witch Soul and rushed straight out.

Boom!

His massive soul body stirred up gusts of wind, howling as it swept toward the door.

A... Witch Soul?

The woman's expression tightened.

She had sensed someone in the room and thought it was some kind of illusion technique, but it turned out to be a Witch Soul.

The profession of Witch Soul Master had disappeared tens of thousands of years ago. Yet such a large one had suddenly appeared in the Jinghong Courtyard's library. What was its origin?

Where do you think you're going...

With a sharp cry, she reached out and grabbed at the fleeing soul body in the air.

Boom!

A Saint striking with full force—the space for thousands of meters around seemed instantly sealed by true energy, and even the air roared.

Damn it...

Zhang Xuan's soul body had just escaped the library and was about to leap into the air when he felt his body stiffen, as if falling into a swamp. He tried to flee but couldn't move at all.

Is this the Saint's [True Energy Locking Space]?

His whole body tensed, Zhang Xuan froze solid.