Chapter 867: Dingding, Your Turn!

"Of course not. If you lose, I'm willing to buy the five Red Fire Fruits for fifty high-grade spirit stones!" said the Half-Saint.

"Fifty?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "If you offer five thousand high-grade spirit stones, I'll sell them to you right now!"

For these Red Fire Fruits, the One-Yuan Heavy Water and numerous array plates that Hu Yaoyao and the others had prepared were worth more than that price. Fifty stones for five... what a preposterous claim.

If you want to buy, fine. But without five thousand, don't even talk about it!

Still, to be precise, fifty high-grade spirit stones was not a low price.

"Young man, you should be careful with your words. Although your talent is good and your strength is considerable, you are nothing in my eyes! Even if masters are not allowed to kill at will, I can still teach you a lesson and cripple your cultivation!"

The Half-Saint narrowed his eyes, his voice icy.

"What, no money, so you switch to threats?"

Zhang Xuan chuckled lightly.

"It's not a threat, but a fact. No matter whether you're a master or anything else, strength is what matters most!" Snorting coldly, the Half-Saint raised his brows, and his aura shot out like a sharp sword, pressing down until all the surrounding vegetation bowed.

Feeling this aura, Hu Yaoyao and the others changed color.

They had seen many Half-Saints, but this one was like a sharp sword, ready to descend from the sky at any moment. Even ordinary Saint Ascenders did not possess such strength.

"You mean, whoever has the bigger fist is in the right?" Ignoring the pressure, Zhang Xuan looked over with a hint of amusement.

"Exactly! Although masters emphasize rules, rules are meant to be broken by fists! I advise you to be sensible and hand over the Red Fire Fruits obediently, so as not to harm our goodwill. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to challenge you as a master! At that time, not only will you get no spirit stones, but you might even have to go back lying down."

With his hands behind his back, the Half-Saint sneered coldly, exuding an air of arrogance.

Although masters could not rob each other, that did not mean they could not fight.

With no other masters stationed here, even if he deliberately suppressed the other party, no one could say anything.

After all, they were not far apart in age; if the other's strength was inferior, that was his own problem.

"Alright, since you put it that way, we have no choice. Azi, go kill him!"

Seeing that the other was determined to use force, Zhang Xuan shook his head and snorted.

Whoosh!

Before the crowd could react, a Purple Sun Beast flew over from the valley and landed in front of the Half-Saint.

To avoid revealing the Thousand Ant Hive, Zhang Xuan had placed the Purple Sun Beast behind a large rock when he took it out. As long as the distance wasn't too far, it could still be done easily.

"Huh?"

The Half-Saint, not expecting a sudden appearance of a Saint Realm second-layer Purple Sun Beast, changed color. He stamped his foot on the ground and was about to fly up when a large, coarse hand slapped down.

Bang!

His body stiffened, and he tumbled seven or eight times before crashing into a nearby cliff wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Although his combat power was astonishing, the Purple Sun Beast, as a sacred beast, was naturally capable of cross-tier combat. Moreover, its level far exceeded his, so he simply could not withstand it.

"Damn it!"

Knowing he could not escape, his face darkened as if about to drip blood. The Half-Saint flipped his wrist, and a long sword appeared in his palm. He shook his body, transforming into a sword beam that shot straight toward the Purple Sun Beast.

"Impressive!"

Seeing his movement, Zhang Xuan couldn't help nodding.

No wonder this fellow was so arrogant; he indeed had the capital to be proud. Just this one sword strike alone would be difficult for even ordinary Saint Ascenders to withstand, let alone Half-Saints.

Even he, if pitted against it, would probably only end up at a disadvantage.

Unfortunately... he had encountered the Purple Sun Beast!

This sacred beast from the Master Teacher Academy had seen countless battles. How could it fear a Half-Saint? With a faint smile, it reached out with its large hand, grabbed a bowl-thick tree, uprooted it, and used it as a club, swinging it over.

Bang!

The opponent's long sword was still seven or eight meters away from the Purple Sun Beast when it was struck on the head, sent flying backward again, and stuck to the rock wall, face covered in blood.

The two were simply not on the same level; there was no need for a fight at all.

"You..."

Struggling to jump down from the rock wall, the Half-Saint took a pill to alleviate his injuries, gritting his teeth: "We are all masters, yet you have a sacred beast elder make a move. Isn't that beneath your dignity?"

In his view, the Purple Sun Beast, being so powerful, must be an elder sent to protect them while gathering the Red Fire Fruits.

If you fight among peers but have an elder intervene, it would not be honorable if word got out!

"Elder?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "This is my beast pet. How did it become an elder? In a beast tamer's battle, it's not said that beast pets cannot intervene!"

"Your beast pet?"

The Half-Saint was stunned.

He had seen many beast tamers. Even those at Seven Star could at most tame beasts one or two major levels above themselves. This kid before him was only at the Void Step realm, yet he had tamed a sacred beast at the Divine Consciousness realm...

This... how was it possible?

Void Step, Silkworm Seal, Half-Saint, Saint Ascender, Sky Soaring, Divine Consciousness... a full five major levels apart!

"That's right!"

Zhang Xuan's expression was calm. He beckoned, and the Purple Sun Beast immediately walked over, rubbing its huge head against him affectionately.

"This..." His mouth twitching, the Half-Saint was utterly embarrassed.

If I had known the other party had such a powerful beast pet and was such a formidable beast tamer, I wouldn't have come looking for trouble even if it killed me!

Beast tamers always fight alongside their beast pets. If this got out, no one could say anything, but... who would have thought that this guy had actually tamed a beast pet five major levels above himself!

How could they still fight?

If they dared to make a move, they'd definitely be asking for a beating!

"What? Didn't you want to compete in the manner of a master teacher? I'll oblige you. Beast taming is one of my auxiliary professions. Having my beast pet fight also represents my strength. Come on, you can go all out for three moves, and I'll have A'zi also use three moves. Don't hold back!"

Zhang Xuan smiled.

Wasn't this guy just now being extremely arrogant, thinking he had them cornered?

In that case, bring it on. If you can withstand three moves from A'zi, I'll admit defeat!

"I..."

His body swayed, and the Half-Saint nearly spat out blood.

A Purple Sun Beast at the second level of the Saint Domain, if it really wanted to strike, could kill him instantly... and three moves? He couldn't even withstand one!

"A beast tamer can indeed bring a beast pet into battle, but... since we are both master teachers, relying too heavily on the beast tamer profession, isn't that putting the cart before the horse?"

His face reddening, the Half-Saint said, "Do you dare to have a duel with me? As long as you don't let this senior Purple Sun intervene, you can use any other means! If you can defeat me in combat, we'll turn around and leave immediately, without saying another word of nonsense..."

"Any other means?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

"That's right!" The Half-Saint gritted his teeth.

As long as the other party didn't rely on the Purple Sun Beast, with his own strength, winning would be very simple.

Although Wu Xu was no match, he had also watched the previous fight. If he made a move, he was at least ninety-nine percent sure.

"If you lose, you pay one hundred high-grade spirit stones. It's no harm to have a match with you!" Zhang Xuan said.

Getting something for nothing wouldn't do. If they were to compete, there naturally had to be a wager.

"One hundred high-grade spirit stones? Fine. If you lose, you give me five Red萤 Fruits!" Seeing him agree, the Half-Saint's eyes lit up.

"I've never lost before..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"Hmph, winning or losing isn't decided by words, but by strength!"

Taking a deep breath, the Half-Saint raised his brows, shook his longsword, and it let out a crisp ring: "Come on!"

"Hold on, let me confirm with you again. You said that as long as I don't let A'zi make a move, no matter what means I use, if I win, you'll admit it, right?"

Zhang Xuan said.

"That's right, but the premise is combat!" the Half-Saint said.

"Mm, it's combat!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Then good!"

With a cold laugh, the Half-Saint regained his confidence, standing proudly, his entire person seemingly fused with the longsword.

It had to be said, this guy's understanding of the sword was in no way inferior to Zhang Xuan's; he had also reached the sword heart realm of unity between man and sword. If not for this, he wouldn't have been able to fight above his level, shooting out a sword that even a Saint could hardly withstand.

"Teacher Zhang... be careful!"

Seeing that although the other party had been fiercely whipped twice by Senior Purple Sun, his strength hadn't suffered much damage, Hu Yaoyao looked over with great concern.

She didn't know Zhang Xuan's exact strength, but his level was right there. To defeat this Half-Saint would surely be very difficult.

Not only was she worried, but Xue Zhenyang and the others were also slightly concerned.

It wasn't that they didn't trust Zhang Xuan, but the opponent was simply too strong. Both his aura and sword intent were not something an ordinary person could contend with.

"Don't worry, he said as long as I don't let A'zi make a move, all other means are allowed!"

Seeing everyone's expressions, Zhang Xuan smiled, flipped his wrist, and raised his eyelids: "Dingding, it's your turn. Go give this guy a beating!"

Whoosh!

As soon as he spoke, a huge cauldron appeared before everyone, flames surging within its belly, scorching the surroundings.

"This is... the academy's guardian sacred artifact, the Gold Origin Cauldron?"

Recognizing it, Hu Yaoyao nearly fell over.

The academy had a guardian sacred artifact. Although she had never seen it, she had read about it in books. It was immensely powerful, and even Senior Purple Sun Beast was no match for it.

She had thought that Teacher Zhang taming Senior Purple Sun was already heaven-defying enough... How had he even tamed this guardian sacred artifact of the academy?

Xue Zhenyang and Long Cangyue also felt their vision go dark, about to faint.

He had even tamed the academy's guardian sacred artifact...

No wonder they wanted to make him the dean. They couldn't not do it either.

If they really didn't let him be dean, once he took these two things away, the Master Teacher Academy's assets would be cleaned out...

While Hu Yaoyao and the others were shocked, the Half-Saint on the opposite side felt as if ten thousand divine beasts were stampeding through his heart. His mouth opened like a fish's, but he couldn't catch his breath, about to suffocate.

You taming a sacred beast I can tolerate—maybe you were lucky enough to encounter an injured sacred beast and had a favor to call in... But taming a sacred artifact, and such a powerful one at that, how in the world did you manage that?

However, time didn't allow him to wallow in frustration. The Gold Origin Cauldron opposite him, upon hearing that it could beat someone up, was so excited it nearly jumped. It let out a shout: "Rest assured, master, I guarantee I'll complete the mission. Watch me, the Gold Origin Cauldron, turn him into cinder in no time..."

Then, before the Half-Saint's eyes could focus, he saw the thing crash straight into him.

Crack!

The longsword in his hand was instantly shattered. Before he could react, he was sent flying, his chest bones broken in over a dozen places, his back pressed tightly against the rock wall, smashing a '大' shaped crater, blood gushing wildly.