Chapter 879 Zhang Xuan's Methods (Part 1)

"Fifty thousand high-grade spirit stones? And five hundred great formations? What a pipe dream! Change the terms!"

Elder Mi's face darkened.

This was simply extortion.

Fifty thousand high-grade spirit stones—even if they turned the entire Master Teacher Academy upside down, they couldn't come up with that!

Besides, the Master Teacher Academy wasn't afraid of them; it was merely concerned about widespread suffering. If it came down to it, they could mobilize all their forces and level Cloud Mist Ridge just as easily!

But that would result in heavy losses on both sides and violate the harmony of heaven. If it could be avoided, it was best to avoid it.

"Change the terms? No, this is the only one. Accept it or not—if not, we continue fighting! Let me tell you plainly, I haven't even sent out my flying spirit beasts yet. Once they start, with your students who can't fly, can you stop them? If they charge into Hongyuan City, it won't be just a few dozen casualties. Then see how you explain to headquarters and to the common people!"

The Golden Bear-Tiger Beast snorted coldly.

The Master Teacher Academy was responsible for protecting the region. If they allowed the enemy's flying spirit beasts to charge into the city and massacre, the academy's credibility would certainly be questioned and undermined.

The human race's confidence in the Master Teacher Pavilion would also be shaken.

"You... are you threatening me?" Elder Mi's gaze turned icy.

For the prestigious Master Teacher Academy to be threatened by a group of saint beasts—this was the height of absurdity!

If it weren't for headquarters' initial consideration that these saint beasts could temper the students and instill a sense of crisis in the many master teachers, spurring them to strive harder, they would have wiped them out long ago!

How could they have let them strut around so arrogantly?

Master teachers cannot be humiliated.

This was no empty talk, nor was it false. If anyone dared to challenge that, they wouldn't hesitate to erase them from the continent.

Back then, the Wu Hun lineage was so powerful—didn't it also vanish into the river of history?

Even the poison masters, as sinister as they were, didn't dare to build their Poison Hall out in the open, did they?

Just as he was about to flare up and fight to the death, he heard the academy head's voice transmission in his ear: "Find a way to ask where their flying spirit beast contingent is, and let me go there!"

Elder Mi was startled.

Ask about that? Go there? To see the flying spirit beast contingent?

Nevertheless, since the academy head requested it, he had no choice but to frown and look at the Golden Bear-Tiger Beast before him: "Even if Cloud Mist Ridge has flying spirit beasts, their numbers must be limited. The Master Teacher Academy has hundreds of sages—blocking them is no big deal! If you want to threaten, you need to show some real capability. Saying that, do you think I'll be afraid?"

"Limited numbers? Our Cloud Mist Ridge has a full three thousand flying spirit beasts, and each one is extremely fast in short bursts. Even if the Master Teacher Academy has many Saint realm experts, it won't be easy to stop them! If just a few hundred break through, they can cause massive destruction... We could even bypass the imperial capital and strike at smaller surrounding cities. I don't believe you have sages stationed everywhere!"

The Golden Bear-Tiger Beast sneered coldly, its threat unmistakable.

"Three thousand?" Elder Mi scoffed. "I suspect most are at the first or second level of Mortal Transformation, or even below that. A rabble, nothing more. No matter how many, what does the Master Teacher Academy have to fear?"

Flying spirit beasts, though capable of flight, still depended on their strength.

If some hadn't even reached Mortal Transformation, or were only at the second or third level, what did it matter if they could fly?

The Master Teacher Academy could easily send a few students to shoot them down.

"First or second level of Mortal Transformation? Elder Mi, it seems you don't know the strength of our Cloud Mist Ridge! My three thousand flying spirit beasts all possess strength at the seventh level of Mortal Transformation or above! Do you think the Master Teacher Academy can stop them?"

The Golden Bear-Tiger Beast said.

"Seventh level of Mortal Transformation or above? Quite the boast!" Elder Mi shook his head, his face full of disbelief.

Cloud Mist Ridge was only so big—how could it possibly have so many powerful flying spirit beasts?

The resources wouldn't be enough!

Moreover, the spirit beasts fighting the students below were countless.

Could the resources of Cloud Mist Ridge really support so many powerful spirit beasts?

"You don't believe me?" The Golden Bear-Tiger Beast frowned.

"With such an exaggerated claim, how can you expect me to believe you... Since you lack sincerity, I see no point in continuing negotiations!"

Elder Mi waved his hand, then paused: "Of course, it's simple to make me believe. You can send a saint beast to take this student of mine to see for himself. If there really are that many powerful spirit beasts, I will naturally send word to the other elders and can even negotiate with Her Majesty Yu Shenqing!"

"Since you refuse to be convinced until you see the evidence, fine. Black Spirit Leopards, take Elder Mi's student to see our flying spirit beast legion!"

The Golden Bear-Tiger Beast waved its thick hoof and snorted.

Though it spoke fiercely, it was actually quite afraid of the Master Teacher Academy.

The academy had produced so many master teachers and was full of hidden talents. If they only dealt with students, they had confidence, but if the teachers joined in, even relying on the terrain, they would surely be wiped out!

Even if the teachers didn't act and only the students trained, they would still suffer heavy losses, undoing years of recovery.

For this reason, they tried to negotiate whenever possible.

"Roar!"

The two half-sage level Black Spirit Leopards that had been guarding the entrance responded and walked in.

"Elder Mi, stall for time as much as possible, don't clash with them, and protect yourself..."

Zhang Xuan transmitted his instructions, then rose and followed the Black Spirit Leopards out.

"Yes!"

Though he didn't know the academy head's purpose, Elder Mi still acknowledged and looked up: "My student is going to inspect now. If it is as you say, I will report the facts to the academy and then decide. If there really is such a large spirit beast legion, the conditions you mentioned might not be impossible..."

"Oh? Elder Mi is reasonable. Then we'll wait..."

The Golden Bear-Tiger Beast nodded.

The other saint beasts also fell silent.

It was naturally best to gain benefits without fighting.

Though they were powerful, they still dared not clash head-on with the Master Teacher Pavilion.

The cave immediately fell into silence. Seeing that he had successfully stalled for time, Elder Mi couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, while inwardly wondering... what did the academy head want to know the exact location of the flying spirit beasts for?

With so many spirit beasts, even if all the teachers of the Master Teacher Academy mobilized, they would be hard-pressed, let alone one person.

...

Following the Black Spirit Leopards, Zhang Xuan walked out of the cave and immediately saw dozens of half-sage and sage-level spirit beasts prowling around, watching him warily.

"Gentlemen, I am of low strength... These saint beasts lurking around might harm me... Could you have them withdraw first?"

Zhang Xuan shrank his neck.

"Roar!"

Seeing that a master teacher at the Silkworm Seal realm was so timid, the two Black Spirit Leopards curled their lips in contempt.

"My teacher insisted on bringing me here. I'm really scared. Going to see the flying spirit beasts isn't something I want to do either... Please be kind. If you can keep them away, these two high-grade spirit stones are yours..."

Flipping his wrist, he produced two high-grade spirit stones and tossed them over, his eyes filled with vigilance as he looked around, seemingly full of insecurity.

Taking the spirit stones, the two Black Spirit Leopards' eyes lit up.

They were only half-sages and enjoyed few resources; two high-grade spirit stones were already a considerable fortune.

"Roar!"

Stashing the spirit stones, the two Black Spirit Leopards raised their thick hooves and roared.

Hearing the command, the surrounding sage and half-sage spirit beasts retreated one after another, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye.

Though the Black Spirit Leopards were not the strongest among them, they were attendants to several kings of Cloud Mist Ridge, and no beast dared to disobey their orders.

"Roar!"

Seeing the beasts leave, the two Black Spirit Leopards raised their heads, looking at Zhang Xuan with pride, as if to say... How did someone so timid become a master teacher?

"Heh!"

In response to their mockery, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly and flipped his wrist.

Whoosh!

An identical figure appeared beside him. The two of them flickered like ghosts, in the blink of an eye arriving before the two Black Spirit Leopards, and simultaneously punched out!

Bang! Bang!

Too fast—the two Black Spirit Leopards didn't even have time to react before they were sent flying, landing on the ground and twitching uncontrollably.

"Submit to me, or... die!"

The two Zhang Xuans each approached a Black Spirit Leopard, stepping on their heads, looking down at them with calm expressions.

"Roar..."

The Black Spirit Leopards hadn't expected this guy to change his attitude so quickly. Clearly only at the Silkworm Seal realm, yet even they, half-sages, couldn't withstand him. They were completely stunned.

After a few breaths, they made a decision. A drop of blood flew from their foreheads and landed before Zhang Xuan.

The Black Spirit Leopards... submitted!

"Good. Now, call over those half-sage and sage-level spirit beasts that were around earlier, one by one, and say that the Golden Bear-Tiger Beast inside summons them."

Having tamed them, Zhang Xuan instructed.

"Roar!"

Not daring to disobey, the two Black Spirit Leopards nodded their huge heads and turned to walk out.

Seeing them leave, Zhang Xuan moved his mind, and the Purple Yang Beast and the Golden Origin Cauldron appeared before him.

"A'zi, Dingding, in a while, beat these spirit beasts into submission for me..."

"Yes, master!" The Purple Yang Beast nodded.

"Hehe, I love this kind of thing. Master, if any don't obey or submit, can I turn them into coal slag?" The Golden Origin Cauldron's voice was full of excitement.

As the sacred artifact guarding the Master Teacher Academy, it was usually very reserved and rarely had a chance to fight freely.

"Fine."

Zhang Xuan nodded.

His purpose in coming this time was to slaughter Cloud Mist Ridge. Those who didn't submit... had only one path—death!

Roar!

Before long, a sage-level spirit beast was called over by the Black Spirit Leopards. Two minutes later, it knelt before Zhang Xuan and submitted completely.

A few minutes later, three half-sage level spirit beasts submitted.

Ten minutes later, all the sage and half-sage spirit beasts that had been prowling around earlier were under Zhang Xuan's command.

"Alright, you all stay scattered around as before, don't let the other beasts notice. Black Spirit Leopards, take me to the flying spirit beasts."

Having arranged this, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

These sage and half-sage beasts were easier to tame than expected. Only two were disobedient, and the Golden Origin Cauldron turned them into coal slag on the spot.

After this example of killing the chicken to scare the monkeys, the other spirit beasts dared not resist and obediently complied.

"Master, the flying spirit beasts are all gathered in the valley over there..."

Having acknowledged their master, the Black Spirit Leopards now did their duty diligently, leading the way.

Zhang Xuan put the Purple Yang Beast, his clone, and the Golden Origin Cauldron back into the Thousand Ant Beehive, then followed behind, striding forward.