38 Chapter 969: Returning to the Surface (1/2)

He had just said that their combat masters were powerful, and the next moment, they had been utterly defeated by two youths.

It was one thing for the young man, considering that he was strong, but the young lady had only started cultivating two months ago, completely ignorant of battle techniques.

The moment they stepped into the academy, they had been subdued by ordinary students of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. After which, the incredibly difficult Dragon Gate Formation, which only a handful of their countless combat masters had cleared in the past three hundred years, ended up being overcome by two challengers consecutively.

Honestly speaking, he was starting to doubt life itself.

Principal Zhang, even if you are really formidable and powerful, surely you need not tear us apart so callously!

It is one thing for you to be so powerful, but even students that you have casually taught are so formidable as well! What does that make us combat masters?

Just as Liao Song was still feeling frustrated over the matter, Wang Ying suddenly spoke. ”Combat Master Liao, it seems like… your men are unable to carry on with the next trial. What about the both of us?”

It was then that Liao Song suddenly recalled that the nine combat masters on the stage were still unconscious from poison.

In the past trials, it had always been their combat masters knocking others unconscious. Yet, the other party had only sent two students up, and their men were already either knocked unconscious or severely injured.

Liao Song couldn't help but feel his heart turn cold.

He pondered for a moment before replying. ”Our men need to rest for time being. We will resume the trial in three days! Just in case, we will bring in some more combat masters from the Combat Master Hall as well.”

There was nothing else he could do.

His nine subordinates were clearly under the effects of a very potent poison. Even if he were to treat them right now, they would still need several days to fully recover to their peak.

If their strength was already compromised before the start of the battle, the results of the trial would be inaccurate, and the headquarters might not be willing to recognize it.

Since that was the case, it would be best to first rest for several days and request for more men to be dispatched to serve as back up.

It couldn't be that the great Combat Master Hall couldn't even deal with a couple of students.

”Alright!” After a moment of hesitation, Wang Ying nodded.

Zheng Yang had succeeded due to the preparation he had made beforehand, and Wei Ruyan had her unique constitution to fall back on. On the other hand, she and Liu Yang had neither of the two. If they were to depend solely on their strength, it would be too difficult for them to clear the trial.

If they had three additional days, perhaps their teacher might have returned by then. They would be able to seek guidance from him, and their chances at clearing the trial would be significantly higher.

It was not that their fighting prowess was beneath Zheng Yang's, but many of their moves and maneuvers had been exposed to the combat masters in the earlier fight, and the combat masters were bound to be guarded against them in future fights.

Without the element of surprise, it would be hard for them to succeed.

On the other hand, seeing that Wang Ying had agreed to it, Liao Song heaved a sigh of relief. If the other party were to insist on challenging the trial that instant but they were unable to come up with the required numbers for it, that would be truly humiliating for the Combat Master Hall.

”That was truly exciting!”

”After watching such an incredible battle, I can pass away without any regrets!”

”As expected of Principal Zhang's direct disciple, that Zheng Yang is indeed powerful!”

”Of course! Just think about how formidable Principal Zhang is, how can his student be ordinary?”

Only two trials had been held, and many people were unable to comprehend the happenings in Wei Ruyan's trial, but nevertheless, Zheng Yang's battle had still been incredibly exciting. The many cultivators who had travelled from far and wide to spectate the battle couldn't help but feel that their trip hadn't been wasted. They had managed to witness the birth of a new legend with their own eyes.

”I wonder what the conditions are to becoming Principal Zhang's direct disciple.”

”If it is possible, I would love to become his direct disciple, too.”

There were also quite a few among the crowd who began to contemplate about how they could become Principal Zhang's direct disciple and ascend to the top in a single step. Even the candidates of the other three academies who had failed to clear the Combat Master Selection couldn't help but harbor such thoughts as they gazed at Zheng Yang with an excited gleam in their eyes.

At this very moment, however, the man whom they wanted to acknowledge as their teacher was currently still within the depths of the Subterranean Gallery, seated within the seal with his eyes closed.

After some time, he finally opened his eyes.

Just a little more!

Exhaling deeply, Zhang Xuan got to his feet.

The previous few days spent recultivating the Saint Ascension Decipher, which had been modified according to the structure of the seal, while repairing the seal had enhanced his strength by leaps and bounds. While his cultivation was still at Nascent Saint pinnacle, the same as before, the fighting prowess he could exert was far greater than before.

At the same time, his Origin Core had also become even stabler and sturdier, revolving slowly within his dantian in the form of a golden sphere. At this point, he was already at the final step of his cultivation, lacking just the final decipher.

According to Zhang Xuan's deduction, he would need to take in vast amounts of spiritual energy as soon as this step was completed, and that could destabilize the seal if he were to do it within. Thus, he decisively halted his cultivation.

Hu!

Zhang Xuan leaped out from the interior of the seal.

The seal didn't pose much of an impediment to humans, but to the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, it was no different from a barrier severing space, making it nigh impossible for them to cross through it.

Returning to the Subterranean Gallery, Zhang Xuan quickly found himself a safe location. Taking out his formation flags, he set up a grade-6 Spirit Gathering Formation with a snap of his fingers. After which, he took a seat at the center, tossed a few hundred high-tier spirit stones around him, and began to cultivate.

With the spoils of war from slaying the two hundred Otherworldly Demons and the profits he had obtained from the Shen Clan, he had no lack of high-tier spirit stones at the moment. Besides, as long as he could raise his strength, there was no price too heavy to pay.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xuan opened his acupoints, and the surrounding spiritual energy immediately gushed into his body with furious momentum, creating a whirlpool of spiritual energy around him.

The vast amount of spiritual energy was swiftly converted into zhenqi before being gathered together to be crafted into a decipher through a unique method, filling up the last remaining gap of the golden sphere.

Hong long!

After some time, with a resounding blast, the spiritual energy in the Spirit Gathering Formation was abruptly dried out in an instant, and the hundreds of high-tier spirit stones were reduced to dust. Following which, Zhang Xuan felt his dantian jolt violently. The golden sphere underwent a metamorphosis as a deep shade of violet crept onto it.

This violet Origin Core carried a weight reminiscent of an entire planet, granting one immense strength as it revolved slowly on the spot.