Chapter 867: I Can Use Any Means at My Disposal?
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"Of course, we aren't expecting to take the Scarlet Firefly Fruits from you for free. If we win, we will buy those fruits from you at a price of 50 high-tier spirit stones!" the Half-Saint cultivator said.
"50 high-tier spirit stones?" Zhang Xuan scoffed. "If you can fork out 5000 high-tier spirit stones, I can sell them to you right now!"
Just the several bottles of Origin Heavy Water and formation plates that Hu Yaoyao and the others had prepared to obtain the Scarlet Firefly Fruits already exceeded 50 high-tier spirit stones. To offer to buy five of them for such a price... Did he really think that they were fools?
If you want to buy some of the fruits, sure, we are willing to sell them. Five thousand high-tier spirit stones, no more, no less!
"You should learn to watch your words. You might possess exceptional talent, but in my eyes, you mean nothing at all! The Master Teacher Pavilion might forbid killing among fellow master teachers, but teaching you a lesson... I think I have sufficient authority to do so!" the Half-Saint said coldly as he glanced at Zhang Xuan with narrowed eyes.
"Why? Are you going to resort to threatening me now that you don't have enough money?" Zhang Xuan burst into laughter.
"This is not a threat; I am merely stating facts. In the world that we live in, the only thing that truly counts is strength!" The Half-Saint harrumphed as an aura reminiscent of a sharp sword abruptly burst out of him, forcing all flora and fauna in the area to lower themselves subserviently.
Feeling that aura, the faces of Hu Yaoyao and the others paled in astonishment.
They had met plenty of Half-Saints in their time, but the aura of the other party felt like a guillotine above their heads, threatening to decapitate them should they show the slightest resistance. This fearsome aura was something that they had never felt before, even from a Nascent Saint expert.
Seemingly unaffected by the other party's overwhelming aura, Zhang Xuan asked with a wry smile on his lips, "In other words, you are saying that justice lies in the hands of the strong?"
"That's right. The Master Teacher Pavilion might have its own set of rules, but before true strength, those rules are meaningless! I recommend you learn your place and hand over the Scarlet Firefly Fruits obediently; perhaps, we might still be able to settle this matter peacefully. Otherwise, I don't mind challenging you all to a Master Teacher Confrontation. By then, not only will you not receive any spirit stones at all, you will have to call someone to carry you back!" the Half-Saint cultivator sneered coldly as he placed his hands behind his back, glancing at Zhang Xuan with an aura of superiority.
Snatching was forbidden among master teachers, but challenging one another to duels was allowed.
Furthermore, considering that they were in a rural area, there would be no eye-witnesses to say anything if the pair did do something to them.
"Fair enough. Since you have already said that much, there is nothing else I can do."
Seeing that the other party was insistent on settling the matter with force, Zhang Xuan shook his head with a sigh and commanded, "Byzantium Lad, get him!"
Hu!
Before anyone could process what was going on, the Byzantium Helios Beast abruptly flew over from further down the valley and appeared before the Half-Saint.
In order to not reveal his possession of the Myriad Anthive Nest, Zhang Xuan had secretly slipped the nest a distance away before having the Byzantium Helios Beast emerge from it.
"What?"
The Half-Saint cultivator did not expect to see a Saint 2-dan saint beast appear before him abruptly. He immediately leaped in the air to flee, but the next instant, a massive palm smacked him back to the ground.
Peng!
Due to the immense force, the Half-Saint cultivator tumbled eight rounds before knocking heavily into the cliff face, and a large mouthful of blood spewed from his lips.
In the first place, the Byzantium Helios Beast was a saint beast capable of rivaling cultivators who possessed a cultivation beyond it, not to mention, its cultivation was far higher than his at that. He might possess exceptional fighting prowess, but there was no way he could be a match for the other party!
"Damn it!" Knowing that it was impossible for him to flee, the Half-Saint cultivator's face turned so dark that it could bleed ink.
Flicking his wrist, a sword appeared in his hands, and with a swift motion, he charged forward to strike the Byzantium Helios Beast.
Seeing the other party's movements, Zhang Xuan nodded in commendation. "Not bad!"
It was no wonder the other party was so arrogant. He did have the strength to back up his words. Just this single move in itself could easily overwhelm an average Nascent Saint!
Even Zhang Xuan didn't have the confidence to overcome this move head-on.
However... it was a pity that his opponent was the Byzantium Helios Beast!
As one of the elders of the Master Teacher Academy, the Byzantium Helios Beast had fought innumerable battles. How could it possibly be afraid of a mere Half-Saint? With a roar, its massive palm plucked an enormous tree from the side and flung it toward the Half-Saint cultivator.
Peng!
When the sword was still eight meters away from reaching the Byzantium Helios Beast, the wielder of the sword was already struck on his head, and he was smacked flying toward the cliff face once more.
In the first place, this battle served no purpose at all. There was an insurmountable gap between the two of them, so there could only be one outcome.
"You..."
Pushing himself away from cliff, the Half-Saint cultivator popped a pill into his mouth to alleviate his injuries. Gritting his teeth, he spat, "We are all fellow master teachers; don't you think that it is underhanded for you to have a saint beast elder interfere in our duel?"
In his view, the Byzantium Helios Beast was probably an elder accompanying them on this trip to ensure their safety.
It should have been a fight among peers, but you had an elder fight in your stead. Don't you think that it is embarrassing?
"Elder?" Zhang Xuan burst into laughter. "The Byzantium Helios Beast is my tamed beast, why do you think that he is an elder? Surely a beast tamer can use his own tamed beast in a duel, right?"
"Your tamed beast?" The Half-Saint was stunned.
He had seen many beast tamers before, but even the most capable 7-star beast tamer he had seen could only tame a saint beast one realm stronger than him. Yet, this lad, despite being only at the Ethereal Treading realm, actually managed to tame a Spiritual Perception realm saint beast...
How could this be possible?
Ethereal Treading, Chrysalis, Half-Saint, Nascent Saint, Void Pursuit, Spiritual Perception... That was five whole realms!
"That's right," Zhang Xuan replied nonchalantly as he beckoned with his hand.
The Byzantium Helios Beast immediately walked over and nudged intimately Zhang Xuan with its head.
"This..." The Half-Saint was rendered speechless.
If he had known that the other party had such a powerful tamed beast, he would have never provoked him!
Beast tamers always fought with their tamed beast. While the other party's tamed beast might be irrationally powerful, that could only be credited to his astounding capability as a beast tamer. There were no bones anyone could pick from this.
How was this duel supposed to proceed?
Even if he were to grit his teeth and fight on, he would only be furthering his suffering!
"What's wrong? Didn't you say that you want to challenge me to a duel? Sure, I accept your challenge. Beast taming is one of my supporting occupations, so my tamed beast can be considered part of my own strength as well. You shouldn't have any problem with that, right? Feel free to make your three moves, I will also have Byzantium lad make three moves as well, there is no need to stand on ceremony!" Zhang Xuan said as he politely gestured for the other party to make his moves.
Weren't you arrogant just now, thinking that we are powerless before you?
Sure, two can play that game. If you can withstand three blows from my Byzantium Lad, I will admit defeat willingly!
"I..." The Half-Saint cultivator nearly spurted a mouthful of blood.
If the Saint 2-dan Byzantium Helios Beast were to fight him seriously, he would be destroyed in an instant! Three moves... He wouldn't even survive the first one!
"It's true that beast tamers can bring their tamed beasts into battle, but since we are master teachers, don't you think that you are diverging too much from your origins by relying so much on your tamed beast?"
With a reddened face, the Half-Saint cultivator challenged, "I dare you to have a battle with me without the assistance of your tamed beast. You can use any other means at your disposal, and as long as you can defeat me, we will turn around and leave immediately."
"I can use any other means at my disposal?" Zhang Xuan asked the Half-Saint cultivator with a peculiar smile on his lips.
"That's right!" The Half-Saint cultivator nodded vehemently.
As long as the other party didn't make use of the Byzantium Helios Beast's strength, given his prowess as a Half-Saint, he could achieve victory easily.
He had gained a rough gauge of the other party's strength from his battle with Wu Xu earlier, and he was confident that he could defeat the other party in a normal duel.
"Don't you think that those words sound familiar? I recall that someone said those words just a moment ago... However, if you are willing to compensate me a hundred high-tier spirit stones if you lose, I don't mind having another duel with you!" Zhang Xuan said.
Naturally, Zhang Xuan wouldn't accept a duel if he had nothing to gain from it.
"A hundred high-tier spirit stones? Fine! But if you lose, you have to give me five Scarlet Firefly Fruits!" Seeing Zhang Xuan agree to the duel, the Half-Saint cultivator's eyes lit up in excitement.
Sensing the other party's excitement even before the duel had started, Zhang Xuan shook his head and said, "I haven't lost yet, you know..."
"Humph, we will see soon enough!"
The Half-Saint cultivator flicked his sword, and a crisp reverberation sounded from his sword. "Come!"
"Wait a moment. Allow me to confirm once more. As long as Byzantium Lad doesn't make a move, I can use any other means at my disposal?" Zhang Xuan confirmed once again.
The Half-Saint cultivator nodded. "That's right!"
"Alright then, sounds fine to me," Zhang Xuan replied.
"Good!"
With a cold sneer, the Half-Saint cultivator stood upright, and in that moment, it felt as if he had become one with his sword.
Despite the arrogance of the Half-Saint cultivator, his comprehension of swordsmanship wasn't beneath Zhang Xuan's at all, achieving Sword Heart realm. Otherwise, his swordsmanship wouldn't harness might that could destroy even a Nascent Saint expert.
"Zhang shi, be careful!" Hu Yaoyao said worriedly.
Even though the Half-Saint cultivator had been struck twice by Senior Byzantium Helios, due to the latter going easy on him, his injuries weren't too severe, and they had mostly recovered with the pill he had swallowed earlier. In his current state, he should be able to exert his full strength.
Hu Yaoyao wasn't too sure how powerful Zhang Xuan was, but the disparity in their cultivation realms was simply too huge. No matter how formidable Zhang Xuan might be, defeating a Half-Saint while at the Ethereal Treading realm seemed to be nigh impossible.
This worry was also shared by Xue Zhenyang and the others.
It was not that they didn't have faith in Zhang Xuan's strength, but that his opponent was simply too powerful. Be it the other party's aura or Sword Intent, those weren't what ordinary cultivators could withstand.
Seeing everyone's expressions, Zhang Xuan chuckled leisurely.
"Don't worry. He said it himself that I can resort to any means as long as Byzantium Lad doesn't interfere in the duel!"
With a flick of his wrist, he said, "Ding Ding, you're up. Teach that fellow a lesson!"
Hu!
In the next instant, a massive weapon cauldron appeared before everyone else. It seemed to harness searing flames within it, causing in the surroundings to become exceptionally torrid.
"This is... the Guardian Saint Artifact of our academy, the Golden Origin Cauldron?" Recognizing the other party, Hu Yaoyao nearly collapsed to the ground.
It was well-known among the student populace that the Master Teacher Academy had a powerful Guardian Saint Artifact that even Senior Byzantium Helios wasn't a match for. Even though Hu Yaoyao had never met the Guardian Saint Beast before, she had seen a painting of it in some books.
She had thought that it was already formidable that Zhang shi had succeeded in taming Senior Byzantium Helios... but he had actually managed to tame the Guardian Saint Artifact as well?
Beside her, Xue Zhenyang and Long Cangyue also saw the world darken before them, and they nearly keeled over.
To tame even the Guardian Saint Artifact...
It was no wonder he was 'forced' to become the principal. There were no viable candidates other than him!
Otherwise, if he were to take both Senior Byzantium Helios and the Guardian Saint Artifact away with him, it would be no different from the Master Teacher Academy's treasury being emptied out...
Hu Yaoyao and the others were only overwhelmed by shock, but at the moment that the Golden Origin Cauldron appeared, the Half-Saint cultivator saw ten thousand divine beasts stampeding through his mind. His mouth widened to the point where one could stuff an egg in, but he was still unable to alleviate the suffocating sensation he felt in his chest.
You tamed a saint beast? Fine, I will accept that. Perhaps, you might just be lucky, encountering an injured saint beast and treating him, thus becoming its benefactor... But to tame a Saint-tier artifact as well, not to mention one as powerful as that cauldron, just how in the world did you do it?
A pity it was that the Half-Saint cultivator wasn't even granted the time to brood over his misery. The Golden Origin Cauldron, upon hearing that that there was someone it could beat up, leaped up in excitement and declared, "Don't worry, Master. I will fulfill the mission you have asked of me perfectly. Watch how I, the Golden Origin Cauldron, reduce him to cinders within moments..."
After which, the Half-Saint cultivator saw the large figure before him turn into a blur, and he instinctively raised his sword in defense.
Kacha!
The sword in his hands broke into smithereens, but before he could even process that, his body was already whizzing through the air before crashing right into the cliff face once more, leaving a huge '大'-shaped depression behind him. More than a dozen of his ribs had shattered, and fresh blood spurted uncontrollably from his mouth.