Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric

"Father's senior?"

Jiang Chen spurted blood.

Are you for real? When did father acknowledge someone as his teacher?

Furthermore, you are his senior? If that's true, then what am I?

Your junior nephew?

Jiang Chen's face distorted in agitation. Frustration clawed at him as he teetered on the edge of losing his mind.

The others quickly turned their attention to the pavilion master, as though trying to spot any signs of him joking.

"You are Yang shi's direct disciple?"

Ignoring the gazes from the surroundings, Pavilion Master Jiang took a moment to let this information sink in before he came to a realization. "It is no wonder you are so formidable despite your age. So you are teacher's student..."

He would never believe it easily if someone were to appear and claimed that to be his senior. However, if the other party wasn't Yang shi's student, how could he have known that he had become Yang shi's student?

And how could he possess such astonishing capability?

To be able to cause such a huge commotion just by taking an examination, he would never believe that Zhang Xuan didn't have a formidable teacher behind him.

He just met Yang shi yesterday, and Zhang Xuan appeared today. Considering the coincidence in timing, he judged that it was unlikely for the matter to be a lie.

"Indeed. Teacher said that you have met with some trouble while cultivating and that had left traumas on you. He had entrusted me with a cultivation technique and said that as long as you cultivate accordingly, your traumas will be resolved. In fact, reaching Half-Zhizun will not be a problem at all!"

Zhang Xuan sent a telepathic message to Pavilion Master Jiang.

"What?"

Pavilion Master Jiang's face flushed.

Yesterday, when Yang shi pointed out his problem, Jiang Shu thought that he would have to do several things for the other party before he would treat his affliction. He didn't expect the other party to send Zhang shi to relay the solution to him.

"Listen carefully!"

After seeing what affliction Jiang Shu was suffering from through the Library of Heaven's Path, he flipped through numerous books and finally found a solution to his problem. Since he wanted to obtain the gratitude of the other party to form the golden page, there was no reason for him to hesitate in telling him the solution.

Thus, he imparted the complete method without holding anything back.

Soon, he finished relaying the entire cultivation technique.

As a 2-star pinnacle master teacher, before Pavilion Master Jiang heard the entire cultivation technique, he could already tell that it would be effective on his affliction!

After hearing the complete formula, he trembled in excitement.

He could foresee that if he were to cultivate according to the other party's formula, not only would his trauma be treated, his cultivation would also progress swiftly. Reaching the level of his dreams was no longer an impossible feat!

Pavilion Jiang's knees caved in, and he kneeled onto the floor. Earnestly, he clasped his fist.

"Thank you, teacher, for the bestowment! Thank you senior for imparting this cultivation technique to me!"

The duo had been communicating through telepathy, so no one knew what the duo was talking about.

Just when they were perplexed over what was going on, Pavilion Master Jiang suddenly kneeled on the floor.

Everyone was shocked.

"Pavilion Master Jiang actually kneeled to this lad?"

"He isn't kneeling to this lad, but his teacher... Which means to say, Zhang shi is really his senior!"

"Who in the world is Yang shi? How strong is he?"

"Who knows? But to be able to get Jiang shi to willingly acknowledge him as his teacher, he must be at least 3-star, or perhaps even higher..."

...

The crowd clenched their fists tightly.

The highest ranking master teacher in Tianwu Kingdom was Pavilion Master Jiang at 2-star pinnacle. Yet, someone who he was willing to acknowledge as a teacher suddenly appeared. Anyone who heard of this would surely find the matter unbelievable.

"Father..."

Jiang Chen cried.

He thought that the fellow was just bragging and that his father would destroy him. Yet... it was real!

Furthermore, his father even kneeled in submission?

Heavens, you shouldn't play with me like that...

At the same time, Zhao Ya and the others flushed in agitation.

It was just awhile ago that they thought that since their teacher was able to send Physician Bai Chan running in fear and Princess Mo Yu to clasp her fist to him respectfully, it was just a matter of time before the pavilion master of the Master Teacher Pavilion greets him, yet... Not only did the pavilion master greet him, he even kneeled down...

As expected of their teacher, he was indeed incredible!

Just when everyone was dying from shock, Zhang Xuan's eyes turned red with excitement.

As expected, diligence does not betray one. At the moment of Pavilion Master Jiang's kneeling, Zhang Xuan's mind jolted and the golden book appeared. Flipping it open, another golden page was in it.

Seemed like his previous conjecture was correct.

Only the earnest gratitude from a student could form the golden page.

"With this, I can finally raise my Soul Depth..." Zhang Xuan's lips curled up.

Boom!

His head jolted, and the golden page immediately burnt into ashes. Immediately, Zhang Xuan felt as though his head was filled with something. All of his doubts from before suddenly cleared up, and his flow of thoughts hastened as well.

"So this is the State of Insight..."

Many confusing issues that he was stuck with previously suddenly seemed clear and orderly to him. Without even checking, Zhang Xuan knew that his Soul Depth must have increased.

The greater one's Soul Depth, the easier it was for one to find and grasp the essence of something.

In the past, Zhang Xuan required the Library of Heaven's Path to look for flaws. However, along with the increase in his Soul Depth, he found himself being capable of finding flaws without using the Library of Heaven's Path, and he could even deduce the solution to them as well.

"My original intention was to use the page to assimilate the contents into my mind..."

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He had recently collected a huge number of books in the Library of Heaven's Path, so he intended to use the golden page to assimilate their contents into his head.

Even though he ended using the golden page for his Soul Depth, it was of no consequence now that he knew of the method to form those golden pages, he could just find a way to form more of those.

Calming his mind, Zhang Xuan exhaled deeply. Then, he turned to Elder Zhu and smiled, "Alright, my Soul Depth is sufficient now!"

"Your Soul Depth is sufficient now? What do you mean?"

Mo Hongyi looked over.

Even though he wasn't present then, he had heard from the others that Zhang Xuan had tested his Soul Depth and it was at 5.1. Thus, he shouldn't be eligible for the 2-star master teacher examination. Yet, after speaking to Pavilion Master Jiang for a moment, he turned around and said that his Soul Depth had reached the requirement...

What do you mean? Surely you don't intend to say that... in this short period of time, your Soul Depth has exceeded 6.0?

If it was anyone else who said those words, Mo Hongyi would surely kill the other person on the spot. But... this fellow was different.

With a maximum score of 100, he was able to achieve a score of 130. Despite accidentally trespassing into the second stage, he was still able to find 30 flaws. Just by shutting his eyes for a moment, he was able to achieve a breakthrough to Zongshi realm...

He wasn't something that common sense was applicable to!

"You... mean to say that... your Soul Depth... has reached 6.0?" Elder Zhu's mouth twitched as he looked at Zhang Xuan doubtfully.

"I'm not sure.... But I think it should be enough. We can look for a Stone of Insight to test it now!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

The golden page was capable of raising his Soul Depth, his previous experience had proved this. However, he couldn't confirm how much it would increase each time. After all, no one could guarantee that the previous increment of 5.0 wasn't an exception.

Thus, Zhang Xuan didn't dare to phrase it definitely.

When he said he wasn't sure, the crowd went speechless again.

You don't know?

Should be enough?

You don't even know your Soul Depth? You must be joking!

At my age, I had seen countless monsters and geniuses, but this is my first time seeing such a peculiar and frustrating one!

"I have one here, take it!"

Holding back his urge to vomit blood, Elder Zhu took out a Stone of Insight and offered it to him.

Grabbing hold of it, Zhang Xuan focused his mind to enter Heart of Tranquil Water.

Weng!

A light buzz.

"Quick, how much is it?"

"It can't be that it has really exceeded 6.0, has it?"

"Who knows? If it is anyone else, I will definitely think he is boasting. But this fellow..."

...

Everyone's eyes were gathered on Zhang Xuan. They wanted to know the result of the test.

Even Mo Hongyi's breathing hastened unknowingly.

Hu!

Zhang Xuan opened his palms expectantly and glanced downward. However, what he saw almost made him throw the Stone of Insight outward.

"This... What is going on?"

The glowing Stone of Insight had turned gray and lost its radiance. Moreover, there were no numbers on it.

No numbers?

Before he used the golden page, even his Soul Depth of 0.1 was reflected. Yet, nothing was shown on it now, not even a zero. What the heck was going on?

"Could it be..." Gedeng, Zhang Xuan's heart leaped a beat, and his mouth twitched.

Could it be that while the Soul Depth could increase his Soul Depth, it could cancel it out as well?

The 5.1 which he had painstakingly accumulated has been canceled out?

If that was the case, then it was really darned...

He had just boasted about the matter when this happened... Would he be beaten to death by everyone here?

"No numbers?"

"I thought that he would really reach 6.0. Seems like he's just bragging after all!"

"Indeed! How can it be possible for one to reach 6.0 from 5.1 in just an hour?"

...

Not only was Zhang Xuan stunned, the crowd was confused as well.

Didn't you just confidently declare that you had met the requirement for the 2-star examination? Why does your test... reflect nothing at all?

"You sure know how to act. To think that I really believed you..."

"Seems like we're just thinking too much into it. Soul Depth has to be slowly cultivated, how can it increase on one's whim?"

Voices sounded from the crowd.

The matter of Zhang Xuan reaching Zongshi realm could still be attributed to his solid foundation. However, Soul Depth was different. The previous test had clearly reflected 5.1, so how could it reach 6.0 all of a sudden? Just the very thought of it was ludicrous.

"Since there are no numbers, this also means that your Soul Depth hasn't reached 6.0 yet. As such, you aren't qualified to take the examination. Elder Zhu, there's no need to delay it any longer. Let's begin!"

Seeing that the other party's Soul Depth had not reached 6.0, Mo Hongyi heaved a sigh of relief, and slowly, he regained his confidence.

Continue acting!

Hmph, you screw it up this time, right!

Since your Soul Depth has not fulfilled the requirement, you aren't eligible to take the examination. You wish to catch up with me? Try harder!

"Un...".

Looking at Zhang Xuan's Stone of Insight and noticing the lack of numbers on it, Elder Zhu shook his head. Just as he was about to speak, Pavilion Master Jiang walked over with a grim expression.

"Hold on for a moment!"

"What's wrong?"

Elder Zhu was bewildered. It was the first time he had seen such an expression on the pavilion masters face. The crowd also turned their gazes over as well.

Pavilion Master Jiang didn't reply. Instead, he walked up to Zhang Xuan and picked up his Stone of Insight.

The moment his fingers came into contact with the Stone of Insight, kacha!

A crisp sound and the Stone of Insight was reduced to powder.

"This..."

Everyone froze.

Just like jade, the Stone of Insight was incomparably resilient. Pavilion Master Jiang didn't even exert any force on his fingers, so why would it break?

"As I expected..."

As though having verified something, Pavilion Master Jiang nodded his head, and a bright gleam flashed across his eyes.

"Pavilion master, what is going on?"

Elder Zhu asked. The crowd also looked at him anxiously.

"As long as one possesses the State of Insight, when grabbing the Stone of Insight while in the state of the Heart of Tranquil Water, numbers should appear on it. All of you had personally witnessed Zhang shi's Soul Depth reaching 5.1 so don't you all think that it's weird that there's no result at all this time?"

Pavilion Master Jiang asked.

The crowd nodded.

This was indeed the case. As long as one possessed the State of Insight, there should be numbers reflected on the Stone of Insight. How could it be completely blank?

"There are only two possibilities for the Stone of Insight to not display a result. Firstly, one doesn't possess the State of Insight. Secondly... one's Soul Depth has surpassed the range which the Stone of Insight could bear. Thus... it isn't that there isn't a result, but that... it is unable to show it!" Pavilion Master Jiang explained slowly.

"Surpassed the range which the Stone of Insight could bear?"