Chapter 53: Bai Xun’s Breakdown
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Thaddpole&Tortex
"This..."
The crowd stare at one another, dumbfounded.
This is Master Lu Chen, the emperor’s tutor. Who is the one who dared lay his hands on him, beating him into such a state?
Besides, didn’t you two go to the study? Why did he return... like this?
Could it be that they didn’t go to the study to read books, but to... fight?
The elegant Master Lu Chen has such interest?
"I’m fine..." Master Lu Chen waves his hands awkwardly.
After all, he can’t possibly say that... Zhang Xuan has just achieved a breakthrough and unintentionally injured him due to lacking control of his strength.
He also knows that it will be difficult to explain. Thus, Master Lu Chen walks over to the main seat, then turns to look at Uncle Cheng and says, "Ah Cheng, go and fetch a Strength Measuring Rock Pillar over!"
He is a master painter, not a fighter. Thus, no Strength Measuring Rock Pillars are placed in his lounge. However, as this item is related to one’s cultivation, there are still a few of them in his house so it will be fine bringing one over.
"Yes!" Despite being unsure of what his master is up to, Uncle Cheng nods his head and retreats out of the room.
"Master Zhang, have you really reached Fighter 5-dan pinnacle?" Upon seeing the room turn silent, Bai Xun can’t resist walking up towards him with an excited expression.
"Un!" It might be inconvenient to speak of it in the academy, but it isn’t any secret here, so there’s no need for Zhang Xuan to conceal the fact.
"I’m also on the same level. May I exchange some blows with you?" Hearing the young man’s confirmation, Bai Xun’s eyes burn with enthusiasm.
"Bai Xun, what are you doing. Look at where you are..." Taken aback, Huang Yu quickly tries to advise him otherwise.
Master Lu Chen is an elegant person, and he hates people arguing and fighting before him. Don’t you think that it’s a joke to be issuing a challenge in his lounge?
It is just as Huang Yu said, Lu Chen doesn’t like others to be brandishing their spears and swords before him. However, while the Strength Measuring Rock Pillar isn’t here yet, the best way to test whether Zhang Xuan has improved is through Bai Xun.
He is aware of the fact that the latter has reached Fighter 5-dan pinnacle.
With the same level of cultivation, he should be able to see whether Zhang Xuan’s strength has surged.
At this point, he raises his head and says, "I don’t have any objections if it is just ordinary sparring. However, don’t go too far!"
"Great!" Initially, Bai Xun thought that Master Lu Chen would object to it. However, contrary to his expectation, he approves. Bai Xun almost leaps up due to overwhelming excitement. With a delighted expression, he takes two step towards the center of the lounge and with a cool pose, he beckons Zhang Xuan. "Come!"
"Alright!"
Zhang Xuan has just completed his cultivation of Heaven’s Path Golden Body and he is curious to know how far his strength has progressed as well. Thus, he doesn’t reject the other party’s challenge and walks over to the center of the lounge as well.
"The strength behind my fists are great, so be careful!" With hardened eyes, Bai Xun no longer has that gentlemanly look he usually has and replacing it is the aura of a powerful person unmatched by anyone.
As Fighter 5-dan pinnacle, in terms of strength, he is above even Shang Bin!
Huala!
After gathering his might, Bai Xun steps forward. With his strength as a sword, the shock wave of his punch as a blade, he sends a jab straight towards Zhang Xuan.
To test his level of cultivation, Zhang Xuan doesn’t bother to look at the flaws on Bai Xun compiled in the Library of Heaven’s Path and instead, he faces his fist with one of his own.
Hu!
The two fists connect midair and Zhang Xuan frowns.
"Why is the strength behind his fist so lacking? Could it be that he isn’t Fighter 5-dan pinnacle?"
Zhang Xuan’s fist goes straight through the other party’s fist without slowing at all, completely overpowering him, as though a stone has met with a bubble.
Thinking that the other party isn’t well-prepared and has yet to exert his full strength yet, Zhang Xuan quickly reduces his strength by half.
Even so, Bai Xun’s face pales and he is sent flying like a rubber ball. Sou! He only comes to a stop when his back crashes onto a pillar forcefully.
"Why aren’t you using your full strength?"
Retracting his fist, Zhang Xuan walks forward and stretches out his hand to help the latter up.
"Don’t..."
Upon seeing this sight, Master Lu Chen’s eyes narrow. He immediately tries to stop them, but he is too late.
Sou!
Bai Xun, who was pulled by the young man, flies away like a kite who had its string snapped. With a whistle of the wind, he flies in the air once again.
Paji!
After flying for a dozen meters, his face crashes into the wall and fresh blood spurts out from his mouth and nose.
"Wuuu...."
Bai Xun almost cries on the spot.
Big brother, I know that I’m not a match for you, but you don’t have to be so merciless. My dashing features, my face...
"Why are you..."
Seeing Bai Xun fly away with a pull of his, Zhang Xuan scratches his head with an innocent look.
What are they doing?
First Master Lu Chen, and now Bai Xun. Is it really alright for the both of you to be leaping around?
If the two of them were to know the thoughts that are running through his mind, they would have surely vomited blood on the spot out of depression.
You are the one who is leaping around... We were thrown by you, alright...
"This fellow..."
Standing by the side, Huang Yu’s eyebrows twitch and she finds her head unable to cope.
Bai Xun can be considered one of the outstanding ones among the younger generation. Except for a few others, he is practically unmatched. This is precisely the reason why he cultivated a competitive, but reluctant to admit defeat personality. He thought that the latter would not be able to match up to him in a duel, but never did he imagine that he would be sent flying with a single punch.
He lost thoroughly!
This fellow looks ordinary, how can he possess such overwhelming might?
"Are you alright?" Unsure of what the others are thinking about, Zhang Xuan walks up to Bai Xun with an apologetic look.
"I’m fine..."
Bai Xun struggles upwards and pats the dust off his clothes.
As Fighter 5-dan who has tempered his bones and skin, small wounds like these do not pose a problem.
"Great. I realized that you have not used your full strength previously. How about this, let’s spar once more with you using your full strength...."
Zhang Xuan says with a serious expression.
"Again?"
Bai Xun’s face twitches and he almost cries.
If we were to continue fighting, I might die here...
He immediately waves his hand and says, "No need, master is indeed stronger than me. I don’t think there’s a need to continue sparring..."
"There’s no need to be courteous, it is just friendly sparring, so you don’t have to be so restrained. Also, don’t call me master, that sounds so distant..."
Zhang Xuan thought that the other party was acting cautiously due to his identity as Master Lu Chen’s peer, causing his reluctance to give his all in the spar, thus resulting in his weakness as perceived by Zhang Xuan.
When his cultivation had just reached Fighter 5-dan pinnacle, he crossed blows with Yao Han, and the latter gave him a lot of pressure through his formidable strength. Yao Han’s cultivation realm is higher than Bai Xun, but as there isn’t too much of a difference between the two, he thought that it would be the same as when he faced him. Yet, Bai Xun was sent flying with a single fist. Finding it unbelievable, he attributed it to him not exerting his full strength.
Otherwise, with his 8 ding of strength, it is impossible for him to send a Fighter 5-dan pinnacle who possesses 4 ding of strength flying with a single fist.
"Spar?"
Bai Xun trembles in fear. You call this sparring? With just that single fist of yours, I almost ascended to the heavens, you know that?
Besides, as a fellow peer of Grandpa Lu Chen, what do I call you if not master?
A thought flashes through his mind and his face twitches, seemingly on the verge of tears. "Since you said that it feels distant calling you master, then why don’t I call you grandpa? Grandpa Zhang, I admit my mistake, okay? I shouldn’t have been so hostile towards you, so I beg of you... Stop asking me to spar with you!"
"The Strength Measuring Rock Pillar is here!" At this moment, Uncle Cheng walks over and sees such a sight unfolding before him. Upon hearing Bai Xun’s shouting plea, he petrifies on the spot. "What?"