Chapter 1383: You Are Not

Unlike the quiet of other halls, the Ritual Hall was bustling with people, filled with cultivators everywhere.

Although on the Master Continent, various professions flourished like stars, dazzling and bright, for cultivators, combat strength remained the most important.

Thus, battle was still paramount to them. The Ritual Hall was a place where students competed and fought, attracting countless people daily to spar and improve their cultivation through combat.

Following closely behind Feng Ziyi, they soon arrived at an independent hall. The spacious hall was divided into countless arenas, surrounded by transparent light barriers arranged with great force, like glass walls.

“Master Fei and the others are over there…”

Feng Ziyi pointed ahead.

Zhang Xuan looked and indeed saw Master Fei, Zhang Xu, and others standing before an arena.

Approaching, two people were sparring. Recognizing their figures, he smiled slightly—they were both old acquaintances.

Chen Leyao and Zhang Zhuo!

Zhang Zhuo had been knocked unconscious last time and slapped in the face, suffering great humiliation. After these days of recuperation, not only had his strength recovered, but he had even improved beyond before. Unable to hold back any longer, he had challenged Chen Leyao to battle, intending to take revenge himself.

Within the light barrier, true qi crisscrossed, and power surged. The two unleashed various techniques, and for a time, they were evenly matched.

“Not bad!”

After a glance, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

Chen Leyao had broken through to the Domain Realm under his guidance twenty days ago. He had thought that in such a short time, her cultivation might be unstable, but unexpectedly, it was already thoroughly consolidated. With her own cultivation, she was in no way inferior to Zhang Zhuo.

It seemed she hadn’t slacked off these past twenty days and had fully digested his guidance.

“Master Zhang, who do you think will win?”

Just as he was marveling, a voice sounded. Turning his head, he saw Zhang Xu, ranked second in the elite class, looking at him.

Previously, Zhang Xu had paid little attention to this minor figure who had barely entered the class. But after witnessing him guide Chen Leyao to a breakthrough, he realized that the other party was extraordinary in both strength and insight, and he began to consider recruiting him.

“They…”

Just as he was about to answer, he suddenly paused and turned to Zhang Xu: “Did you guide Zhang Zhuo’s cultivation?”

This Zhang Zhuo—when he had seen him fight twenty days ago, his cultivation was decent, but his combat skills were lacking. That was why Chen Leyao, under his guidance, had been able to defeat him.

If it were Feng Ziyi, even he would find it hard to improvise and overcome him, let alone guide someone else to do so.

That this originally mediocre fighter was now locked in a deadlock with the breakthrough Chen Leyao, with no clear winner in sight, likely had much to do with Zhang Xu.

“I guided him for five minutes!”

Hands behind his back, Zhang Xu said calmly, his face full of pride.

The man before him had guided Chen Leyao for five minutes, enabling her breakthrough and defeat of Zhang Zhuo. He, not wanting to be at a disadvantage, had also guided for five minutes.

With equal time of guidance, he wanted to prove that he was stronger and had keener insight.

“To increase his cultivation so much in five minutes is indeed impressive…”

Zhang Xuan nodded.

As expected of the second-ranked this time, close on the heels of Feng Ziyi. This Zhang Xu was no simple character.

Though still lacking in foundation and time compared to Zhang Chun and Zhang Feng, in both talent and insight, he was already not inferior to them.

No wonder the Zhang family was called the number one clan. Though he was displeased with them, he had to admit that geniuses emerged in abundance, inspiring awe.

“So? Who do you think will win?”

Zhang Xu asked again.

“Zhang Zhuo has improved greatly, but Chen Leyao has also progressed significantly. Twenty days ago, she could defeat him; this time, it should be similar…”

Zhang Xuan smiled lightly and nodded.

When he had guided Chen Leyao before, he had pointed out Zhang Zhuo’s flaws. Though he had improved recently, many ingrained habits were hard to change. As long as she wasn’t foolish, she could find them again and win.

“Last time was luck. This time, it won’t be so fortunate…”

Still with hands behind his back, Zhang Xu was full of confidence.

In his view, Chen Leyao’s victory last time was because the man before him had investigated Zhang Zhuo thoroughly enough to gain an advantage. This time, he had carefully investigated Chen Leyao and given Zhang Zhuo targeted guidance. Winning again was nearly impossible!

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

In truth, he didn’t care who won. Sometimes losing brought more gains than winning. Like himself, after many battles, he only wished for a defeat at the same level…

Unfortunately, no one could grant this simplest request, leaving him sighing.

Crack! Crack!

Amid his reflections, Zhang Zhuo on the arena seemed to activate some secret technique, his aura surging, his strength somewhat terrifying. Chen Leyao, who had been holding her own, now dodged repeatedly, struggling.

She retreated continuously, soon cornered at one side of the arena. It seemed her defeat was inevitable.

“No need to watch; the outcome is decided!”

Seeing her hard-pressed and losing all initiative, Zhang Xu curled his lips.

“Yes, the outcome is decided…”

Zhang Xuan nodded.

What he saw was different from the other’s view.

Though Chen Leyao was forced into a corner, each step was steady, as if actively luring the enemy in. Zhang Zhuo, though appearing to attack, had used a secret technique with a time limit and had lost his composure.

Comparing the two, who would win and who would lose was already clear.

He had to say, this Chen Leyao had indeed not wasted time; she had remembered all his guidance and even gained deeper understanding.

She hadn’t let down his cultivation.

“Master Zhang, in this arena, there’s no need to worry about damaging the building with excessive force. Please!”

Just as both had their answers and felt the match would soon conclude, a voice rang out.

Feng Ziyi had already arrived atop another arena, holding a long sword, looking at Zhang Xuan with blazing battle intent.

“Feng Ziyi wants to challenge Zhang Xuan?”

“This Master Zhang, ranked last in the elite class, may have good insight and guidance, but his own strength is only at the Out-of-Body Realm. For a genius like Feng Ziyi to challenge him is a bit bullying, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, what’s going on?”

The crowd buzzed.

Feng Ziyi was the most dazzling of all the geniuses. Many saw him as a rival to surpass, but they also knew the possibility was slim…

They had thought that if he challenged anyone, it would be top-ranked ones like Zhang Xu. Why challenge the last place?

Winning would be unworthy and undermine his dignity!

“Brother Feng… if you want to fight, I can oblige…”

Frowning, Zhang Xu looked over.

“You are not my match!”

Feng Ziyi waved his hand.

“How do you know without trying?”

Eyes narrowing, Zhang Xu gritted his teeth and leaped onto the platform.

During the mountain gate challenge, the other had been first, and he had been holding a grudge. Now being directly told he was no match, he could no longer contain himself.

I, the dignified second place, you don’t challenge, but you challenge a fiftieth place…

Fine then, I’ll show you my power!

Boom!

Mid-air, he already unleashed his power. Fingers like hooks, he pressed down, enveloping the entire arena, as if to crush the figure in the center.

Fearing the other might refuse to fight, he used his strongest technique from the start, showing no mercy.

“Hmm…”

Seeing his power, Zhang Xuan couldn’t help nodding.

It seemed not only Feng Ziyi had surged in cultivation; Zhang Xu had also improved considerably, reaching the peak of the Domain Realm, only a step away from breaking through to the Void Realm.

Truly worthy of being the most formidable genius of this generation of the Zhang family, appearing extremely powerful in every aspect.

“I said, you are not my match!”

Facing his attack, Feng Ziyi didn’t even lift his eyelids. Instead, he turned sideways and thrust his palm forward.

“Don’t be so arrogant! Your talent is high, but I am also a one-in-ten-thousand genius. Who will win is still uncertain…”

Seeing his arrogance, Zhang Xu was furious. With a roar, he poured out his inner power, his palm force seeming to crush the entire arena to dust.

But before this force reached Feng Ziyi, Zhang Xu felt the other’s palm power cut through, breaking through his force barrier in an instant and striking his chest.

Bang!

His face pale, with an expression of utter disbelief, he flew backward, tumbling from the air and landing on the ground not far away.

In the eyes of onlookers, before he even jumped onto the platform, he was slapped flying by the other, like a swatted fly, with no power to resist.

“A one-in-ten-thousand genius?”

After slapping him away, Feng Ziyi shook his head, spread his hands, and sighed: “Clearly, you are not!”