Chapter 1982: Kou Chongxue Leaves Seclusion!

After the fall of the Essence Xing World, thanks to the insights gained just before the final collapse, Shang Xia experienced a rare surge in cultivation even after advancing to a high-level Sage.

Of course, it was not solely due to Shang Xia’s extraordinary comprehension. It was largely attributed to the aid of the Crimson Soul Tablet. Although the support from the Essence Luxuriant World was gradually diminishing, it still played a role.

However, that alone was not enough for Shang Xia to achieve another breakthrough in his cultivation, especially since he had advanced not too long ago.

In the blink of an eye, the beginning of the 21st year of the Essence Luxuriant Calendar had rolled around.

The whole time, Shang Xia remained in the Heavenly Field. Although not in closed-door cultivation the entire time, he had spent considerable effort digesting the gains from the world origin of the Essence Xing World.

Yet during the same period, Kou Chongxue, who was supposed to have exited seclusion long ago, unexpectedly remained within the Tongyou Dao Field without signs of advancement.

Fortunately, the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field had been developing steadily and in good order.

Not only that, but the Heaven Observation Star Region also appeared calm, even the space where the Void Mirage was located remained utterly silent after being jointly sealed by Shang Xia and the Star Origin Lord.

It was rare for Shang Xia to stay in the Heavenly Field for so long, and the institution naturally wouldn’t miss the opportunity.

Though Shang Xia had been preoccupied with external affairs in recent years, he still officially held the position of an instructor, a role he was never relieved of. That meant he always bore the responsibility of being a teacher and role model of students in the institution.

Over the past two years, although it had become increasingly inconvenient for him to enter and exit the Essence Luxuriant World, it did not prevent mid to high-level cultivators from the institution from personally visiting his temporary residence to seek guidance.

In the end, Shang Xia simply decided to host public lectures outside his residence on the last three days of each month. It was open to any cultivator of the institution who was in the Martial Intent Realm or higher.

Thus, at the end of each month, Star Ships full of cultivators of the institution would travel back and forth through the heavenly screen.

As for the content of Shang Xia’s lectures, he chose them freely. Sometimes, he detailed discussions of his own martial path, or deep insights into the martial pathways of the Essence Luxuriant World. He spoke effortlessly on the institution’s internal martial legacies, and when the mood struck, he would comment on the dao of talismans, dao of formations, dao of alchemy, dao of weapon crafting, and even the art of stargazing. His insights were often so sharp they cut to the core, and an offhand remark could suddenly enlighten a junior of the institution, clearing away their confusion. Occasionally, he would recount his experiences in recent years. His travels through the eight Star Regions of the Chaotic Sea of Stars, dozens of Heavenly Fields, wondrous secret regions, forbidden zones of peril, even local cultures and customs of other worlds. They were vividly detailed, enlightening those who heard it.

Moreover, on the final day of each session, Shang Xia often allowed the attending cultivators to ask questions freely.

Because the lectures were both profound and wide-ranging, and their effects remarkably apparent, they quickly attracted the attention of many cultivators. Even some elite Martial Dipper Realm cultivators and True Immortals who had already found their personal martial paths would attend the lecture as long as they had no pressing duties and were present in the Heavenly Field.

Once news spread, many cultivators from beyond the You Continent, disciples of Elysium-level sects and others, also sought opportunities to attend Shang Xia’s lectures. They used various means. Even the four affiliated Spirit Worlds sent requests through prominent figures like Xiao Yugang, the Ying Brothers, and the Giant Ape King, asking the institution for attendance quotas.

𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

From the beginning of the 20th year to the beginning of the 21st year of the Essence Luxuriant Calendar, Shang Xia held a total of 13 lecture sessions spanning 39 days, attracting nearly 30,000 attendees.

According to incomplete statistics, in the less than two years since Shang Xia began lecturing outside the heavenly screen, close to 100 cultivators had broken through major cultivation bottlenecks, over 300 had enjoyed minor breakthroughs, and another 300 to 400 saw significant improvements in martial techniques, martial intents, and their arts. There were even many who, after attending, ventured into the worlds outside and encountered many fortuitous encounters, or successfully avoided danger by applying what they had learned.

In short, during the brief two year period, a small wave of cultivation breakthroughs and combat strength enhancement surged through the cultivators of the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field, especially within the Tongyou Institution.

Because of that, when Shang Xia concluded his most recent session, many experts from the institution felt unsatisfied and petitioned for him to hold even more lectures, even if they were held after longer intervals.

As for cultivators outside the institution, although they too longed to hear a Sage teach, they clearly had no standing to make such requests.

The reason Shang Xia halted the lectures was that he had suddenly sensed Kou Chongxue’s aura.

There was only one thing that could cause that! The patriarch had emerged from the Dao Field!

After emerging, his cultivation had reached the fourth star, placing him as a mid-level Sage. Naturally, Shang Xia wasn’t surprised.

What intrigued Shang Xia more was how far Kou Chongxue’s strength had advanced. It should be far beyond his original expectations. Also, he wanted to know what level of combat strength the patriarch had.

Upon leaving seclusion, Kou Chongxue instantly noticed the gaze from outside the heavenly screen and seemed to immediately understand Shang Xia’s thoughts.

The second he stepped out of the Dao Field, Kou Chongxue drew his sword!

Ge Qingzhu, who had learned of Kou Chongxue’s imminent emergence earlier than Shang Xia and had been waiting at the entrance of the Dao Field, was startled by Kou Chongxue’s sudden strike.

However, confusion soon spread across his face, for the drawn sword carried no accompanying aura. No sword qi split the sky, and apart from the normal hum of a blade leaving its sheath, no phenomena followed.

"Did the patriarch draw his sword for fun?”

Naturally, Ge Qingzhu didn’t believe Kou Chongxue would make such a meaningless gesture. His heart stirred, and he immediately extended his divine soul through the heavenly screen into the void.

As a dignified fifth tier Elysium True Immortal who experienced the advancement of the Tongyou Elysium into the Tongyou Dao Field, Ge Qingzhu had long surpassed cultivators of the same level.

The moment his divine soul entered the void, he captured a flash of vast, abyss-like aura from the direction of Shang Xia’s temporary residence. The next second, everything returned to its original calm, as though nothing had happened.

He understood that in that fleeting instant, Kou Chongxue and Shang Xia carried out an exchange in the void, completely unnoticed by anyone else.