Chapter 1630: Tantai Zhenqing

"I am Tantai Zhenqing, a descendant of the ancient sage Ziyu. Greetings, Patriarch of the Zhang family, and everyone!"

The ugly middle-aged man stood up and bowed deeply, showing full courtesy, leaving no fault to be found. Most importantly, despite coming to challenge, his demeanor and behavior made it impossible to feel anger.

"This is a true great Confucian..."

Zhang Xuan sighed inwardly.

Previously, he had seen many renowned teachers and strong experts, many with impressive bearing, but compared to the man before him, they were clearly lacking.

One could tell at a glance that he was a true Confucian scholar.

"Senior Tantai is too kind..." He rose to return the greeting.

"Brother Yuanfeng has surely explained our purpose. The legacy left by Confucius is something we renowned teachers must contend for without yielding. Therefore, I will not back down. The ones behind me are my personal disciples, who have studied with me for some time and come to challenge your family's understanding of time. Regardless of the outcome of today's contest, this inkstone once used by my ancestor is presented to the Zhang family as a token of apology."

Tantai Zhenqing flipped his wrist, and a black inkstone floated in the air.

"An artifact of the ancient sage Ziyu?"

Xing Jian Sheng and the Zhang family members were all startled.

The inkstone was not large, yet it gave a sense of crushing the heavens, as if under its suppression, chaotic time and space could be stabilized.

"This is a true ancient sage treasure!"

Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow.

The long sword brought by Luo family's Nangong Yuanfeng was merely a weapon once used by the ancient sage Zirong, not his peak possession. Though valuable, it was not extraordinary. But this inkstone had been used by the ancient sage Ziyu from beginning to end.

"However, compared to the Dragon Bone Divine Spear, it is still far inferior..."

Not to mention that the ancient sage Ranqiu himself surpassed Ziyu in strength, the Dragon Bone Divine Spear was a combat weapon, while the inkstone was a scholar's item—they were not on the same level.

Yet even so, if obtained and kept in the family, it would undoubtedly be a treasure to suppress fortune.

"It seems this contest is unavoidable!"

Withdrawing his gaze from the inkstone, Zhang Xuan clasped his hands.

"Indeed!" Tantai Zhenqing nodded. "I hope you will forgive me."

"The Confucian Temple is a place all renowned teachers wish to visit in their lifetime. No matter how many polite words we exchange, the fact of conflict remains. Since that is the case, let us compete!" Zhang Xuan smiled lightly, waved his hand, and stood up. "May I ask how we are to compete? Please state the rules."

The other party's purpose in coming was the World-Transmitting Heavenly Talisman. Since that was the case, no amount of talk would help. It was better to begin directly.

"If Patriarch Zhang trusts me, I will state my rules." Tantai Zhenqing nodded. "In our Hundred Schools of Thought, such contests are divided into civil and martial bouts. Civil bouts do not harm harmony; martial bouts rely on one's own abilities."

"What is the civil bout? What is the martial bout?"

"Simply put, I have here a Time-Space Mirror. It shines on the primordial spirit, allowing one's consciousness to enter it. Inside, there are specially arranged time formations and traps... This is the civil bout."

A golden mirror appeared before everyone.

This mirror was not a single plane but had many facets, each reflecting the others, creating a dense, dizzying sight.

"The martial bout is simple: everyone suppresses their strength to the same level and relies on their own skills. The one with greater strength and more techniques wins."

After explaining, Tantai Zhenqing fell silent, looking over with a full smile, waiting for the Zhang family to decide.

"The Time-Space Mirror—our Zhang family disciples have never encountered it and do not know its mechanisms and secrets. Competing in it would surely put us at a disadvantage. As for the martial bout, the Hundred Schools of Thought have countless martial techniques; winning at the same level is not easy either."

An elder could not help but say.

"Indeed, they are using their influence to pressure us."

"There's no help for it. Although the Zhang family is not weak, compared to the Hundred Schools of Thought, we are far behind—not on the same level. Today they have come with a clear attitude: we must compete whether we want to or not."

"Then what should we do?"

The elders in the room all had grim expressions.

The civil bout sounded harmless, but no one knew the specifics of the Time-Space Mirror. If the opponent's disciples were familiar with it, even with the same understanding of time, victory would be impossible.

It was like a race: if you are unfamiliar with the track, even with equal strength, it is hard to win.

As for the martial bout, it seemed fair, but the Hundred Schools of Thought inherited from Confucius, with countless techniques and secret methods. Even if the Zhang family's ancestors were exceptionally talented, who could compare to Confucius or the various masters?

In short, neither type of contest favored them.

"Forget the civil bout; let's go straight to the martial bout. It will be faster and avoid harming harmony." Ignoring everyone's concerns, Zhang Xuan said calmly.

"Martial bout? Very well!"

Tantai Zhenqing nodded with a smile and beckoned. A young man stepped forward from behind him. "This is Tantai Jiankui, my personal disciple. He is thirty years old this year and has grasped some皮毛 of the laws of time. He may show off a little."

Swish!

As he finished speaking, the young man walked before everyone. Before he moved, his internal aura surged upward, giving a strong sense of oppression.

"Great Saint First Level, the Indestructible Realm!"

Xing Jian Sheng's eyes narrowed immediately.

Only thirty years old and already at the Great Saint level. This Tantai Jiankui's talent was unmatched in the Zhang family except for his newly found son.

Even he himself had far exceeded this age when he reached the Great Saint level.

"Tantai Jiankui requests instruction from the Zhang family's experts!"

The young man clasped his hands and bowed.

"Son, your strength has reached the peak of Saint Domain Ninth Level, but you haven't been in the Zhang family long and haven't systematically studied our family's understanding of the laws of time... If you cannot win, you can use that special secret technique, the one you used when fighting me last time that raised your strength to the Immortal Realm..."

Seeing his son move, Xing Jian Sheng quickly transmitted his voice.

Within the clan, the one under a hundred years old with the highest talent was only Zhang Xuan.

If he used the secret technique from their previous duel, his combat power would be invincible for a short time, making it easy to defeat the opponent.

"That secret technique... can no longer be used..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

It relied on Confucius's blood.

And there were only three drops of Confucius's blood, now completely consumed. Even if he wanted to use it, he couldn't.

"Cannot be used?"

Xing Jian Sheng's eyebrows jumped. "Then..."

Without that secret technique, it would not be easy for a peak Saint Domain Ninth Level to defeat an Indestructible Realm expert, even if the latter suppressed his cultivation.

"Don't worry, I didn't say I would compete..."

Zhang Xuan smiled slightly.

"You're not competing?"

Xing Jian Sheng was startled, and the others also looked over in confusion.

If not you, then who?

"Of course not me. As the clan patriarch, if I act, it would inevitably be bullying the young..."

Zhang Xuan's lips curled up. "Better to give the chance to the younger generation... Let my disciple, Zhang Jiuxiao, come!"