Chapter 1126: The Great Star Luo Finger Force

"Teacher..."

Hall Master Wei and Xiao Bo stood frozen in place, both stunned.

They had only been gone to the inner breath passage for a while... how had so many battle masters of the Inner Breath Hall become his students?

This apprenticeship was too fast!

Hall Master Wei, in particular, was utterly confused, his face full of bewilderment.

Although orders from the Battle Master Hall must be obeyed without violation, the relationship between hall masters, branch masters, and ordinary battle masters was like brothers, without overly strict hierarchy.

Because of this, whether it was Shi Hao or Xiao Bo, they spoke to him freely, without刻意 flattery just because he was hall master.

Everyone was brothers... and suddenly a teacher appeared...

Just moments ago, he had been thinking of recruiting the other into the Inner Breath Hall, and now the other had become everyone's teacher... What was this!

Just as he wondered if this Master Sun had drugged everyone, he saw the young man standing in front shake his head.

"Rise! The path of cultivation is not about working behind closed doors; what matters is mutual exchange. From now on, let's just exchange ideas, no need to call me teacher!"

Having only casually explained, he hadn't expected these people to suddenly take him as teacher. Zhang Xuan was full of helplessness.

"Master Sun's explanation was incisive, pointing directly to the core of cultivation. We have benefited greatly. Calling you teacher is not excessive; on the contrary, we have gained a great bargain!" Shi Hao said.

He was a famous genius of the Battle Master Hall, extremely proud.

Under normal circumstances, even a hall master might not be able to win his heartfelt admiration, but he was sincerely impressed by the one before him, without the slightest disrespect.

It wasn't just that the other had pointed out the problems and cruxes in his cultivation; more importantly, the explanation just now was like heavenly music. If he digested it well, the reserve of true qi in his body would surely advance further, reaching an inconceivable level.

To explain such profound cultivation methods without reservation, without any concealment or holding back...

This state of mind alone was worthy of being called teacher, sincerely and without any hypocrisy.

"Yes, Master Sun, we sincerely call you teacher. Please do not decline!"

"With the methods you explained, our strength will surely advance rapidly in a short time, and passing the assessment will be easy!"

...

Others also hurriedly spoke.

"This..." Hall Master Wei was stunned again.

Just now he thought Master Sun might have used some underhanded means to recruit the battle masters of the Inner Breath Hall, but seeing this, it seemed his battle masters were sincerely learning and had gained benefits.

He had only been gone to the passage for a while... what exactly had been explained that made so many people so impressed?

"Alright!"

Seeing the others' attitude brooked no refusal, Zhang Xuan, though unwilling, nodded.

As he said, explaining so much was only for exchange, not to take disciples. He hadn't expected so many people to call him teacher, leaving him at a loss.

Being too outstanding was actually quite troublesome; having people want to take him as teacher wherever he went was also a kind of annoyance.

"Hall Master Wei, you're back... Let's go to the Martial Arts Hall!"

Just as he was at a loss, he saw Hall Master Wei approaching and quickly called out.

"Alright..."

Knowing that the other was using him to fend off the enthusiasm of the many battle masters, Hall Master Wei had no choice but to nod and stop talking, leading the way toward the Martial Arts Hall.

The Martial Arts Hall was not far from the Inner Breath Hall. After walking for a while, they arrived.

"Hall Master Feng is my good friend; we have known each other for over three hundred years. Just to look at some cultivation techniques, if I ask, he will surely agree!"

Walking through the hall, Hall Master Wei smiled.

Hall Master Feng had once been a famous master teacher of the Qingyuan Empire's Master Teacher Hall, proficient in various martial arts and with astonishing combat power. That was why Hall Master Xing had specially hired him to guide the many battle masters of the Martial Arts Hall and made him branch master.

The two had become acquainted many years ago and were close friends.

"Reporting to Hall Master Wei, our branch master went out and hasn't returned yet..."

A battle master came forward.

"Not returned?" Hall Master Wei frowned.

The battle master looked apologetic.

"When he returns, tell him I came looking for him..." Since the other wasn't there, there was nothing to be done. Hall Master Wei shook his head.

"Yes!" The battle master nodded and smiled: "Actually, Hall Master Wei doesn't need to find Hall Master Feng. The branch master has indeed collected many martial arts and techniques, but he doesn't keep them on him. Instead, they are placed in the Martial Arts Passage. If you can succeed in the challenge, you can enter and look as long as you want, and even copy freely."

"Challenge?" Hall Master Wei was startled.

He rarely came to the Martial Arts Hall and was unaware of many things.

"Yes, the Martial Arts Hall has hundreds of martial arts techniques. You can choose any to learn. As long as you can defeat the puppet left by the branch master using the same technique, you succeed!" the battle master explained.

Hall Master Wei understood.

It was actually a kind of assessment for battle masters.

Somewhat similar to their Inner Breath Hall's inner breath passage.

Only when one had cultivated a certain martial art to a certain level could they learn new ultimate moves; otherwise, too many bites without chewing would be useless no matter how much one learned.

"Master Sun..." Understanding what was happening, he looked toward Zhang Xuan not far away.

"I can go over and give it a try..." Zhang Xuan smiled.

Since passing the assessment would allow him to see the books, there was no need to owe anyone a favor.

"Alright, I'll take you there!"

The battle master smiled and led the way.

Before long, they arrived at a spacious hall. Like the inner energy passage before, it was packed with battle masters, each wearing a solemn expression.

"This is the martial skill passage. On the wall ahead are the names of martial skills. If you cultivate any one of them to the Great Perfection stage, you can challenge the puppet left by Hall Master Feng and enter the library to choose more secret manuals... Master Sun, do you see any martial skill you're familiar with? If so, I can sign you up right now!"

The battle master looked over.

Through their conversation, he also knew that it wasn't Hall Master Wei who wanted to read the books, but the man before him.

For a hall master to personally accompany him, he was filled with curiosity about this man.

"Let me take a look!"

Zhang Xuan nodded and looked toward the wall not far away.

The wall was densely covered with names of martial skills: Thousand Leaf Palm, Red Dust One-Line Fist, Star Finger...

There was a great variety; counting them, there were as many as two hundred!

"This... so many?"

Zhang Xuan was shocked.

"Our hall master loves collecting these. This includes all the Saint-grade martial skills of the Qingyuan Empire. Master Sun, do you have any expertise?" the battle master said with a smile.

"This..."

Zhang Xuan was slightly embarrassed: "These martial skills... I'm hearing them for the first time... I haven't cultivated any of them yet..."

These martial skills were unique to the Battle Master Hall and even the Qingyuan Empire. He had been here less than a day, and to be honest, he was hearing these two hundred names for the first time, let alone cultivating them.

The battle master was taken aback: "Most of these are the most common Saint-grade martial skills. Master Sun... as a peak Saint Domain First Layer, you haven't practiced... even one?"

Of the two hundred martial skills, a hundred and eighty were very ordinary, not difficult to learn. To have never learned any... how low must his starting point be!

"I've only learned one Saint-grade martial skill, but it's not among these two hundred..."

Zhang Xuan smiled wryly.

The martial skills he knew were all learned earlier and had not yet reached the Saint-grade level. The only one, the Great Compassion Demon Palm, he had only studied for a very short time, and later, feeling it had too many flaws, he hadn't practiced it much.

"Only learned one? And it's not among these?"

The battle master looked over with a sympathetic expression.

He had thought it was some young genius from a great clan, but it turned out to be a fellow who had never seen the world.

In the Martial Arts Hall, anyone who hadn't practiced three or five martial arts wouldn't even dare to claim they knew martial arts...

"Yes!" Zhang Xuan thought for a moment and said, "How about this: do you have any saint-grade martial arts here? Let me take a look, I'll learn it and try to break through the passage..."

Having never studied the martial arts listed above, he could only pick one at random and learn it on the spot.

"Learn it? Break through the passage?"

The battle master was taken aback, almost laughing out loud.

To be honest, if it weren't for Hall Master Wei bringing him here, he would have already started cursing.

Saint-grade martial arts, though common in the Martial Arts Hall, were still considered supreme arts in the Qingyuan Empire. Did he really think they were roadside weeds that could be picked up at will? Learned just like that?

Among those who came to challenge the passage, which one hadn't studied the same martial art for no less than several years?

Even a true genius wouldn't dare to challenge without at least two years of study... This guy, judging by his tone, wanted to learn right now and then go challenge immediately...

Truly ignorant to the point of being frightening!

"Learning martial arts isn't that easy. Each one requires thousands of temperings and countless years of honing..." Suppressing his displeasure, he still explained patiently.

"I know... Do you have any secret techniques? Just lend them to me for a look. If I can master them, I'll practice; if not, I'll have to give up!" Zhang Xuan said.

If the other's martial arts could form a Heavenly Dao technique with those he had collected, he wouldn't mind practicing; if not, he wouldn't even bother—a waste of time.

"This... very well!"

Glancing at Hall Master Wei not far away, the battle master suppressed his urge to explode, flipped his wrist, and produced a book.

"This is the [Great Star Luo Finger Force] I practice, one of these two hundred martial arts. It's somewhat difficult; I immersed myself in it for a full seven years before achieving minor success..."

The battle master introduced it.

Though he said seven years, a hint of pride showed on his face.

"Seven years to achieve minor success in the Great Star Luo Finger Force... Could you be the super genius of the Martial Arts Hall that Hall Master Feng often mentions, Jiao Tan?"

Hall Master Wei recalled something and raised an eyebrow.

When they had sought Hall Master Feng earlier, only this battle master was present, so they had casually asked without knowing his name. Now, hearing the name of the martial art and the training time, he remembered.

The Great Star Luo Finger Force was undoubtedly the most difficult and most powerful among these two hundred martial arts. Even Hall Master Feng back then had taken a full twenty-three years to achieve minor success. This man's achievement in seven years was terrifyingly talented.

"Indeed, it is I!"

The battle master Jiao Tan nodded, a sense of pride welling up within him.