Library of Heaven’s Path

There weren’t too many books amidst that pile, numbering just roughly twenty to thirty of them. After scanning through them, a deep frown surfaced on Zhang Xuan’s forehead.

They were all relating to Saint 7-dan Phantasmal space realm, but those books were not something which Zhang Xuan would even call cultivation technique manuals. If he really had to give a name to it, they were more like ‘assignment booklets’.

Written on those books were what that appeared similar to assignment questions which teachers would pass down to their students in his previous life. All in all, there was only a single book that could be said to be useful.

“This…” Zhang Xuan shot a deep look at Zhang Wuchen.

“It’s against the rules to impart the Zhang Clan’s cultivation techniques to outsiders, so I can only show you these. Nevertheless, it’s still quite a formidable cultivation technique, suited for cultivators of any attribute to practice…” Noting Zhang Xuan’s gaze on him, Zhang Wuchen explained with an awkward chuckle.

“…” Zhang Xuan was rendered speechless.

Unlike in academies, the cultivation techniques that were passed down in clans were limited in variety. As all members of the Zhang Clan shared the same bloodline, they were likely to be similar in terms of attribute and could cultivate the same cultivation technique.

At the same time, honorary elders who chose to ally with the Zhang Clan were likely to already have their own cultivation techniques and lineage as well. As such, despite the Zhang Clan’s influence and standing in the Master Teacher Continent, its collection of cultivation technique manuals was actually not too big.

“If that’s the case, do you have any physical body cultivation technique or soul cultivation technique?” Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before asking.

The massive lightning tribulation was like a big feast to him; he might just regret it for life if he couldn’t make good use of this opportunity to push for a breakthrough or two.

“I do have quite a few physical body cultivation techniques here!” Elder Wuzhen flicked his wrist, and a pile of books numbering over a thousand appeared right before him.

“I also have a few soul cultivation technique manuals with me.” Zhang Wuchen said as he took out a pile of books too.

As they weren’t confidential secrets arts of the Zhang Clan, there was no problem with him showing these books to Zhang Xuan.

Seeing that these two fellows were finally reliable for once, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. He swiftly shot a glance at those books and collected them into the Library of Heaven’s Path.

“Alright, I’ll go and fend off the lightning tribulation!” Saying those words, Zhang Xuan leaped up and soared right into the midst of the storm clouds.

“W-what? He’s going to fend off the lightning tribulation? This…” Zhang Wuchen and Elder Wuzhen were visibly shocked by Zhang Xuan’s abrupt actions.

Even Zhang Ziqing’s face had turned pale in horror.

They thought that the young man would have a good solution to deal with the lightning tribulation, but he ended up dashing over blindly instead. Wasn’t that as good as courting death?

…

Huala!

Zhang Xuan dashed right into the dark clouds.

At the same time, he swiftly compiled the physical body cultivation technique manuals and soul cultivation technique manuals he had gathered into a higher tier Heaven’s Path Golden Body and the Grand Dominion realm Heaven’s Path Soul Art.

“I probably won’t be able to finish absorbing a lightning tribulation of this size, and if it were to really fall, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast would lose its life… Alright, you lot, come out as well!”

Looking at the storm clouds which extended past the horizon, Zhang Xuan knew that no matter how huge an appetite he had, it would be impossible for him to devour it clean within a short period of time. Thus, he chose to bring out his clone, the Dongxu Gourd, and the vine out too.

“What a splendid lightning tribulation this is!”

Looking at the sheer scale of the storm clouds that had congregated in the area and feeling the immense lightning energy harnessed amidst it, his clone, the Dongxu Gourd, and the vine couldn’t help but release an excited shriek as they dashed right in.

Zhang Xuan didn’t slack around either. He drew out of his Primordial Spirit and began furiously devouring in the lightning energy around him. At the same time, under the effects of the Mind of Void, his body also began drawing in the lightning energy and cultivating the Heaven’s Path Golden Body instinctively too.

Some time later, as per the norm with previous lightning tribulations, it fled in fear after realizing that there were several mysterious powers robbing its energy. Zhang Xuan swiftly kept his clone, the Dongxu Gourd, and the vine back into his storage ring before heaving a sigh of relief.

He assessed his gains during this period of time, and he couldn’t help but nod in contentment.

His soul cultivation had successfully reached Grand Dominion realm pinnacle. At the same time, his physical body had also surpassed its previous bottleneck, reaching a level comparable to half-Saint pinnacle artifacts.

With the current resilience of his physical body, even if he were to stand completely unguarded before a Saint 7-dan cultivator, the latter would still be unable to harm him in the slightest.

In the truest sense, he could be said to be a human-shaped weapon.

And that wasn’t the happiest news yet.

It seems like the Innate Fetal Poison has been further suppressed as a result of my breakthrough!

He realized that the more lightning energy he absorbed, the more he was able to suppress the Innate Fetal Poison. After digging into the Macrocosm Ascendancy Ordeal, it had been forced to cower quietly by a corner, not daring to move in the slightest.

It seems like the lightning energy harnessed within cultivation ordeals is indeed highly beneficial to me. I must make sure to look for more in the future… Zhang Xuan thought as he casually shot his glance downward to take a look.

And what that came into his sight left his eyelids twitching in horror.

The resplendent guest accommodations of the Zhang Clan had been replaced by rubble.

Even though Zhang Xuan had charged up to absorb the Macrocosm Ascendancy Ordeal, the lingering might that the lightning tribulation emanated was still too powerful. At the same time, these buildings had quite some age to them, so they eventually succumbed to the pressure.

Zhang Xuan hurriedly turned is gaze to Zhang Wuchen and the others, and just as he had expected, he saw that they had an awful look on their faces. He couldn’t help but shudder a little.

To think that he would actually reduce this place to ruins just like that! This was really… really… exhilarating!

With the mess that he had caused, even if the young prodigy were to continue holing up wherever he had been hiding for all those years, surely Xing Sword Saint should show up?

“Zhang shi, thank you for helping us resolve the lightning tribulation. Otherwise, our Zhang Clan would have been in deep trouble…” Clenching his trembling fists tightly, Zhang Wuchen suppressed his anger and clasped his fist.

No words could describe what he was feeling at this moment.

Even though the lightning tribulation was brought here by that young man, he had only done so in order to tame the Inferno Qilin. Not to mention, this incident had happened under his watch, so he also had to take responsibility for this incident too.

It would only reflect badly on him and the Zhang Clan if he were to push the blame to Zhang Xuan right now.

It was truly fortunate that the problem was resolved in the end, or else the consequences would be truly dire. Not only would the guest area be destroyed, a huge part of the Zhang Clan’s establishment could have been reduced to ruins too!

At the very least, this was all he could tell himself to soothe his indignant heart right now.

Zhang Wuchen turned his gaze to Zhang Jiang and bellowed furiously, “Zhang Jiang, for acting on your own accord, you have to take responsibility for the mess that you have caused. I hereby order you to return back to your residence and await your punishment. Until any further orders are given, you are not to leave your room!”

“Yes…” Clenching his fists tightly, Zhang Jiang lowered his head despondently. Turning around, he was just about to return back to his residence when he suddenly recalled something and halted in his footsteps. He hurriedly turned back around and clasped his fist humbly toward Zhang Wuchen and said, “I have no qualms about being punished for this matter, but… my duel with Zhang shi isn’t over yet! Third Elder, I beseech you to give me some time to wait for the results. Once the results are out, regardless of whether it’s my loss or victory, I’ll make my way over to the Hall of Punishments to take responsibility for my recklessness…”

He recalled that his duel with Zhang Xuan was still ongoing, and if he was going to be punished for this matter, the least he could do was to make things difficult for Zhang Xuan too.

“Results?” Zhang Wuchen frowned.

“That’s right, Third Elder. I have made a bet with Zhang shi whether he would be able to reach a higher intimacy level with the Inferno Qilin than me within three days. However, looking at how fixated the Inferno Qilin was in dragging that fellow down to the depths of hell with it, I don’t think that we would need three days to determine the victor…” Zhang Jiang hurriedly explained.

Just by how Zhang Xuan had resorted to schemes to poison it, there was no way the Inferno Qilin would feel the slightest shred of goodwill toward it. If a saint beast could submit to a man like that even after all that had happened, there would really be no need for beast tamers in the world! Everyone would have just become a poison master instead!

Just like humans, saint beasts had their own pride too. They would only submit to people whom they recognize, and naturally, for a person like Zhang Xuan who resorted to underhanded means such as poisons and schemes… Only someone with a loose screw would be willing to acknowledge such a person as their master!

This was especially so for a fiery-tempered saint beast like the Inferno Qilin. Using underhanded means against it would only intensify its hostility, making it nigh impossible to tame it.

Hearing the conversation between the two, Zhang Xuan couldn’t help but scratch his head in embarrassment.

He thought that he could win the Inferno Qilin’s respect by having the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast achieve a breakthrough before it, thus convincing it submit to him. However, just by looking at how the Inferno Qilin didn’t hesitate to provoke the lightning tribulation just to deal with him, most likely, it would be impossible for him to tame it anymore!

“Forget it, I admit…” Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan was just about to admit his defeat when he suddenly felt a slight warmth on his leg.

Turning his head over, he saw the Inferno Qilin lying right next to him, licking him with its tongue. With a face filled with respect and awe, it pleaded, “Master, please take me in!”