201: The true meaning of space

Qinglan Academy, Zhang Sheng's residence.

Song Xian's face was filled with irrepressible excitement as he spoke like a rapid-fire cannon:

"Zhang Sheng! How about it? Your buddy here isn't just on the fledgling tiger ranking now; I've officially become a One-star Qinglan Guard!"

He grabbed the teacup on the table and, ignoring the heat, took a large gulp, the fragrance of tea filling the air.

This tea was no ordinary brew; it was bodhi leaf that Zhang Sheng had "scavenged" from Tiger's storage ring, and it was brimming with Spiritual Qi.

"You should have seen the look on Qingqing's face when she found out!" Song Xian's eyes sparkled.

"She was thrilled! She said as long as I can reach the rank of a Four-star Qinglan Guard, she has the connections to pull some strings and have me transferred directly to Qingchuan Province!"

"That's the direct superior of Qinglan Prefecture!" He leaned in closer and lowered his voice with a hint of secret excitement.

"I specifically asked—Mansion Lord, once you reach four stars, you can also be transferred to the Qingchuan Academy in Qingchuan Province!"

"The resources there are miles ahead of this tiny, broken prefecture of ours!"

Zhang Sheng sat opposite him, his expression calm. With a light tap of his finger, an invisible force lifted the teapot, steadily refilling Song Xian's cup with the emerald tea, the stream of water flowing smoothly.

Suddenly, the excitement on Song Xian's face faded, replaced by gravity. A faint voice transmission entered Zhang Sheng's ears:

"Zhang Sheng, something's not right. I feel like there's a power specifically targeting those on the fledgling tiger ranking. Since making the list, I've encountered three assassination attempts!"

"Fortunately, they all ran into my Clones... damn it, even my Clones were almost destroyed."

Zhang Sheng picked up his own teacup and took a slow, deliberate sip, the tea leaving a faint, refreshing scent of bodhi in his mouth.

He looked up, his gaze steady: "Song Xian, don't underestimate this prefecture."

"The factions are deeply entrenched, and the influence of the Imperial Dynasty has become pervasive over the years."

"Cultivators like you and me who have ascended and chosen to join the Qinglan Academy on the fledgling tiger ranking naturally become thorns in the side of certain people. Taking action early to eliminate threats is their usual tactic."

"Dammit!" Song Xian cursed under his breath, frustratedly running a hand through his hair.

"If I had a choice back then, I wouldn't have ascended even if it killed me! This godforsaken place is a quagmire!"

His eyes suddenly became sharp again, carrying a sense of desperate determination:

"Mansion Lord, I've made up my mind. Once our strength is solid enough, we'll move the entire Hua Mansion to Qingchuan Province! This place is too close to the Desolate Region! I've checked the records; countless large prefectures in history have been completely leveled by Desolate Beast Tides!"

"If Luoxia Prefecture ever falls, the adjacent Hua Mansion will be like meat on a chopping block!"

Zhang Sheng's knuckle tapped lightly on the smooth tea table, producing a crisp, faint sound.

How could he not know what Song Xian was saying?

"This matter indeed requires planning ahead," Zhang Sheng's voice was steady. "If possible, the Hua Mansion will certainly move to a safer location. However, you don't need to worry too much."

He paused, his tone certain. "Even if Luoxia Prefecture is truly overrun, I am confident I can transfer all the Cultivators of the Hua Mansion away in an instant."

A flicker of curiosity flashed in Song Xian's eyes, but his trust in Zhang Sheng was already bone-deep.

If Zhang Sheng said it was possible, then it definitely was!

Zhang Sheng's trump card was the ten-thousand-mile small world within the star bead, which was enough to accommodate the entire Hua Mansion.

"Also," Zhang Sheng changed the subject, warning him,

"Your Clones are clever, but they are by no means a foolproof solution. In the Major Thousand Worlds, divine abilities and Spells are treacherous and unpredictable. There must be methods that can trace back through a Clone to the Origin and harm your original body!"

"Furthermore, since you've joined the Qinglan Academy, there's no need to deliberately strive for a higher rank on the fledgling tiger ranking. A tall tree catches the wind; a high position isn't necessarily a blessing."

Song Xian's expression turned solemn, and he nodded seriously: "I understand!"

He suddenly grinned and pulled a transparent bead from his storage ring, looking like a crystal ball. He placed it gently on the tea table and pushed it toward Zhang Sheng.

"Take it, a teleportation pearl. I have many ways to save my life, and a Clone is like an extra life. You're different; you're the anchor of the Hua Mansion, you can't afford any mishaps!"

Zhang Sheng looked at the priceless life-saving treasure, a faint smile touching his lips. "This is a gift from Song Qingqing; keep it for yourself. Why do you think I wouldn't have one?"

With a slight movement of his fingertips, a nearly identical teleportation pearl appeared in his palm, its silver light contained within, emitting profound spatial fluctuations.

Song Xian was stunned, then he gave a thumbs up, his smile brilliant:

"The Mansion Lord is indeed the Mansion Lord! Badass!" He knew well how difficult it was to obtain such a thing on one's own; it was only accessible to those with great divine abilities or immense backgrounds.

Zhang Sheng put away the bead and said seriously:

"A teleportation pearl is a good thing, but remember, in front of someone in the Star God Realm, it's just a decoration."

"Even some experts in the Divine Power Realm who are Proficient in Spatial True Intent can interfere with its operation."

"Don't bet your whole life on this bead; your own strength is the foundation."

Thinking of the various things within the academy, he added: "The waters of the Qinglan Academy are deep; don't trust anyone easily. If you receive any special mission assignments, be sure to inform me first."

Before Song Xian got up to leave, Zhang Sheng handed him two more Jade Slips.

The jade was warm and smooth, with brilliant colors flowing inside, and profound runes faintly circulating.

"Take these, the Kun Yuan Dragon Capturing Hand and the Void Splitting Finger, both are second-tier Heaven-Grade items.

"They are high-quality goods that you can't even buy at the Ten Thousand Treasures Hall."

Zhang Sheng specifically pointed to the second Jade Slip. "Especially the Void Splitting Finger; if you can use it to comprehend even a sliver of Spatial True Intent, your future will be boundless. Put in the effort!"

Song Xian took the jade slips; they felt warm in his hand.

He gave Zhang Sheng's shoulder a heavy pat, everything understood without words: "Thanks, brother!"

Through his authority as a Three-Star Qinglan Guard, Zhang Sheng had already learned that the most important reason why the vast majority of Divine Power Realm Cultivators were stuck in that realm was their inability to comprehend Spatial True Intent.

Spatial True Intent had blocked countless Genius Divine Power Realm experts, and the most common way to comprehend it was by practicing spatial Spells. However, spatial Spells were precious resources in any organization.

Moreover, even if one obtained a spatial Spell, it was still very difficult to Cultivate, let alone break through to the True Intent Realm.

After seeing Song Xian off, the palace returned to silence.

Zhang Sheng sat cross-legged, once again immersing himself in the refinement of his Spells.

The Nine Tribulations Secret Codex had given him a nearly monstrous self-healing ability, but he knew well that in this danger-filled Upper Realm, more recovery power was never enough.

He forcibly suppressed the surging self-healing instinct within his body, his mind shifting slightly.

In an instant, countless moonblade flashes—finer than a hair and refined to the extreme—silently emerged on the surface of his body and began to cut!

Amidst the faint sound of slicing, his skin was cut with dense, tiny wounds, and beads of blood instantly seeped out.

The intense pain was like hundreds of millions of steel needles piercing him!

His face remained expressionless as he focused all his effort on circulating the most basic first-tier Spell—the Rejuvenation Spell.

A cool and gentle green light emerged from within his body, surging toward the wounds.

The numbing sensation of healing intertwined with the sharp, stabbing pain, as if he were in a purgatory of ice and fire; the feeling... was so intense it made his scalp tingle!

Time passed in his self-torturous cultivation.

Two days later, the Rejuvenation Spell broke through, and the green light transformed into a tangible True Intent of Life, circulating throughout his body.

Four days later, the True Intent of the Spring Breeze Turning into Rain Technique condensed, as if a fine rain was silently moisturizing everything in the room.

Seven days later, the True Intent of the Thick Earth Art burst forth, and the ground beneath his feet seemed to emit a steady resonance.

At this point, all the first-tier Spells he had mastered had entered the True Intent Realm!

If word of this got out, it would be enough to make everyone's jaws drop.

For ordinary Divine Breath or True Embryo Cultivators, it was already extremely difficult to practice a single Spell to the stage of Perfected Transformation; breaking through to True Intent? That was already the mark of a Genius.

Zhang Sheng was well-versed in the art of hiding his capabilities; in the past, the methods he revealed against enemies were just the tip of the iceberg.

Once he promoted to the Divine Power Realm, these Spells that had reached the True Intent Realm would all transform into divine abilities of peerless power!

How many divine abilities would he possess by then? Even Zhang Sheng himself found it hard to estimate.

After using Nether Erosion to pass the eighth tribulation—the Tribulation of Dark Spiritual Power—the final tribulation was already close at hand.

But during this seven-day interval, Zhang Sheng still chose to Cultivate his Spells.

This time, his mind sank into the seemingly comical monkey face mask on his face.

This Legacy item from the Twelve Divine Halls had so far only allowed him to glimpse a single Spell—

Obstacle Breaking!

The name was simple and unadorned, yet like the Soul-Startling Thorn, it was an ancient Spell that required no hand seals; it was obscure, profound, and exceptionally mysterious!