Chapter 1732: Opportunity to Advance to Ancient Saint

“Spring and Autumn Ceremony?” Zhang Xuan was stunned.

“The Spring and Autumn Ceremony is said to be Confucius’s most powerful treasure. Some say it’s a book, some say it’s a weapon, and others say it’s a spatial item… No one knows exactly what it is, so no unified conclusion can be drawn. Could it be a painting?”

Xing Jian Sheng analyzed, “Otherwise, why would the strong from the Hundred Schools of Thought come here and break the seal as soon as they arrived? And knowing that Zhao Ya had this special ability, why did they capture her in advance?”

Zhang Xuan fell into thought.

His reasoning was not without merit.

The news coming from outside was not necessarily correct. For example, holding the Mother Talisman allowed entry into the main hall. The Mother Talisman was in his hands, but the main hall… he had yet to see any trace of it.

The Spring and Autumn Ceremony, according to legend, was a book, but it might not be impossible for it to be a painting.

He continued to look at the painting. Under the cover of the seal, though the content was unclear, he could make out that it was covered in snow, somewhat desolate, like a scene of winter passing through.

“There really are time laws…”

Upon careful examination, he found that within this painting, there was not only spatial power but also the spread of time. That is, the flow of time in the painting differed from that outside.

Outside, it was only late autumn, while in the painting, it was already deep winter.

Time existed in the painting… Could it really be the Spring and Autumn Ceremony?

If it were, he would seize it by any means necessary, regardless of whether the other party was from the Hundred Schools of Thought; he would show no mercy.

“By the way, I don’t recognize it, but Little Talisman surely can!”

His mind stirred.

He didn’t know much about ancient times, but Little Talisman was different. As a key specially refined by Confucius to enter the Confucian Temple, it could certainly recognize what the Spring and Autumn Ceremony looked like.

With this thought, he sent a telepathic message.

“Spring and Autumn Ceremony? What a stretch of imagination. This is the [Four Seasons Painting] personally painted by Confucius!”

Little Talisman stretched lazily in the folded space, its talisman paper rustling like maple leaves in the wind.

“Four Seasons Painting?”

“When you came, didn’t you notice the pavilions outside? Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter—they represent the four seasons!” Little Talisman explained.

Zhang Xuan was startled and nodded.

At the time, he had seen the so-called Spring Warm Pavilion and Summer Restless Pavilion but hadn’t paid much attention. Now that it was mentioned, it indeed made sense.

Moreover, Confucius’s secret technique for breaking through to Great Sage involved using oneself as heaven and earth to evolve spring, summer, autumn, and winter—the four seasons… Could there be a connection?

“What use does this Four Seasons Painting have, that the strong from the Hundred Schools of Thought are so devoted to it?” Realizing it wasn’t the Spring and Autumn Ceremony, Zhang Xuan felt a slight disappointment but also curiosity.

Even if it wasn’t the ceremony, it was probably a formidable treasure. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have made so many strong individuals so intent on it.

“The Four Seasons Painting appears to be a painting, but it actually contains the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and its time flow is about twice as fast as outside. That is, cultivating inside for two years equals one year outside… For nurturing talent, it’s an absolutely excellent treasure!”

Little Talisman said.

Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.

The reason the Zhang family had become the top family and endured for so long was mainly because they possessed a Blood Pool, allowing souls more time to comprehend techniques and practice martial skills.

The headquarters of the Master Teacher Pavilion had countless geniuses and guidance from nine-star master teachers, which helped avoid detours, but more importantly, it had the Spring and Autumn Hall, which had a time difference from the outside world.

Zheng Yang had progressed so quickly, even faster than him. The War Master Hall inheritance was only one reason; another was that he had entered here to cultivate.

This Four Seasons Painting, using one year as two, was indeed a formidable treasure.

“However… as far as I know, the most important thing about this painting is not the time difference, but that… Confucius sealed off a part of heaven and earth!”

Pausing, as if recalling something, Little Talisman continued.

“Sealed off heaven and earth?” Zhang Xuan was taken aback, then smiled. “This painting contains spatial power; sealing off a part of heaven and earth is normal!”

Ordinary folded spaces open up a realm that can hold objects but cannot sustain life, such as storage rings.

More advanced ones, like greenhouses, can sustain life and grow plants, but if they are not connected to the outside for a long time, the ecological environment will be damaged, and over time, spiritual energy will weaken, making life unsustainable.

His current folded space was of this level, requiring spiritual energy supply for better development, unlike the Master Teacher Continent, which could generate its own spiritual energy and give birth to new life, forming a dynamic balance.

This painting, possessing time laws and capable of evolving the four seasons, should be like the jungle world before, able to nurture life and automatically generate spiritual energy, naturally more advanced than his folded space.

It was not strange that Confucius created it and sealed a part of heaven and earth inside.

“It is normal… but you must realize, this is a part of heaven and earth from ancient times!” Little Talisman said.

“Heaven and earth from ancient times? So what? Could it be different from today’s heaven and earth? At most, it has more abundant spiritual energy…”

Zhang Xuan was unconcerned.

In ancient times, when Confucius and the Seventy-Two Virtuous could be born, spiritual energy must have been more abundant than now. But so what? The sealed part of heaven and earth was, after all, a small realm, incomparable to a vast place like the Master Teacher Continent.

“No…”

Before he could finish, Zhang Xuan’s pupils contracted. “You mean, it sealed off a part of heaven and earth from that time? Doesn’t that mean… here, there is an opportunity to break through to Ancient Saint?”

Yang Shi and Xing Jian Sheng had discussed many things about Ancient Saints with him. In the past ten thousand years, this part of heaven and earth seemed to have lost something. Many cultivators, even reaching the peak of the Imperishable Realm, could not break through the final shackle to become Ancient Saints.

For this reason, Ancient Saints willingly slept, awakening only during battles to prolong their lives.

If something had been missing only in the last ten thousand years, and if this part of heaven and earth was sealed during Confucius’s time, wouldn’t that mean that thing still existed, enough to allow people to break through to that realm?

“Exactly. Who do you think these people are working so hard for?”

Little Talisman continued.

“So that’s it… This painting involves the opportunity to break through to Ancient Saint… No wonder they are so desperate!”

Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

Although he was currently at the peak of the Golden Body Realm, he was close to the Ancient Saint realm. If he couldn’t find such an opportunity and remained stuck at the Great Sage realm, it would be a torment.

Now, with the opportunity right before him, he had to obtain it by any means!

“Thanks for the reminder, Little Talisman. I suddenly realize you’re still somewhat useful…”

His eyes lit up, and Zhang Xuan laughed heartily.

If not for this fellow recognizing this item and knowing these secrets, he might have missed this treasure.

“…” Little Talisman.

Seeing his son’s silly grin, Xing Jian Sheng was stunned and utterly confused.

Was he… happy to the point of madness?