“Are you feeling indignant because I said that there are 37 flaws in your battle technique? Fine, I’ll list them for you!”
Seeing how the other party was refusing to learn humbly despite erring so much, Zhang Xuan frowned in displeasure. In the tone of an elder educating his juniors, he said, “First and foremost, I’ll start with the greatest flaw of your Autumn Breeze Intertwining Silk Hands.
“You mentioned that you created it while observing the leaves being raked up by the autumn breeze, but I cannot see the desolation of autumn from your battle technique at all! All I can see is the intertwining nature of the zhenqi threads; there is completely no conception in it at all! Intent without strength is a pipe dream, and strength without intent is simply wasted energy! If it was just a Spirit-tier battle technique, it would not pose much of a problem at all. However, for a Saint realm expert to utilize a battle technique devoid of conception, there’s no doubt that it’ll place him at a severe disadvantage against his peers!”
“This…” Zhao Zhen was stunned.
It was not impossible to create a Saint-tier battle technique devoid of conception, but conception could augment the might of a battle technique significantly and make it easier to grasp the technique.
In a sense, it could indeed be considered a flaw.
Back then, when he created the technique, he had just successfully cleared his 8-star master teacher examination. With his heart filled with delight from his success, he was not in the correct state of mind to comprehend the desolation of autumn. As a result, while he did succeed in creating a powerful Saint intermediate-tier battle technique, he failed to infuse the correct conception into it.
“As for the second flaw, as useful as your Entwining Threads of Golden Silk is in limiting the movements of an opponent, it’s only effective against ordinary cultivators. True experts will be able to swiftly notice the openings in the technique. Look, if I just concentrate my zhenqi at this point…”
As he spoke, Zhang Xuan raised his hand and drew fine zhenqi threads from his fingers. In a moment, he had already weaved the web that Zhao Zhen had created earlier.
“You…” Zhao Zhen widened his eyes in shock.
He had never executed this technique in public before, so there was no way the young man could have learned it from anywhere else. Since that was the case… didn’t it mean that the young man had learned the technique from him just by observing it once?
But how could that be? Not even the most formidable of prodigies that he knew of could grasp a battle technique that swiftly!
A moment later, Zhao Zhen suddenly noticed a slight discrepancy in Zhang Xuan’s actions, and he exclaimed in delight, “Wait a moment, your Entwining Threads of Golden Silk is slightly different from mine!”
He was the man who had single-handedly created the Autumn Breeze Intertwining Silk Hands. As similar as the young man’s Entwining Threads of Golden Silk was to his, the subtle differences in their movements were still unable to escape his eyes.
“Oh. The original version is too trashy, so I quickly altered it a little.” Zhang Xuan waved his hand as he replied leisurely. “Don’t interrupt me, let me finish my words first.”
“Too trashy? Quickly altered it a little?” Zhao Zhen’s body trembled in shock upon hearing those words. He turned his sight toward the ‘altered version’ that the young man was executing to examine it closely, and it seemed like… the other party’s version was much stronger than his.
Hu la!
While he was still caught up in the shock from seeing the battle technique that he had perfected with much difficulty being improved by another so easily, he saw the young man raising his other palm and striking a certain point within the web.
Huala!
In an instant, as if having its crux destroyed, the zhenqi web swiftly shriveled, and the surge of zhenqi abruptly reversed as if an alarmed beast.
“The crux of your Entwining Threads of Golden Silk lies in the constriction of the zhenqi threads upon contact with the opponent so as to trap the latter. I’m not saying that it doesn’t work, but its flaw is apparent as well. Once this mingmen is noticed by the opponent, the latter just has to tap on it lightly in order to cause the flow of zhenqi to reverse, resulting in a backlash!”
Those words left Zhao Zhen’s eyes narrowing in shock.
He was indeed aware of this flaw in his Autumn Breeze Intertwining Silk Hands, but one had to be at least an 8-star high-tier master teacher before they were able to notice it, and against such experts, victory was already impossible in the first place! Thus, he had not really paid much attention to it.
“Moving on, for your second move, Threading the Heavens, a silver thread infused with one’s will is skillfully maneuvered to control the environment, allowing one to corner the opponent. However, the problem is that the silver thread can be easily severed. Once the opponent notices the presence of the silver thread and severs it, it will inflict significant damage to one’s soul…” Zhang Xuan continued.
“Hold it for a moment!” Zhao Zhen’s eyes widened upon hearing those words. “I haven’t executed my second technique yet, right? So, how could you know its name and its flaws…”
“I told you not to interrupt me! Given how simple your battle technique is, anyone would easily have deduced the rest as long as they are no fool…” Zhang Xuan waved his hand impatiently.
“As for your third move, Cry of the Autumn Cicada, I understand that you wanted to incorporate a sonic attack into the Autumn Breeze Intertwining Silk Hands in order to grant it more variability and transformations, but this happens to be the most flawed move in your battle technique as well! Out of the 37 flaws, it takes up a whole 8 of them, and they are namely…”
Zhang Xuan proceeded to explain every single flaw in elaborate detail, clearly pointing out the fundamental principle behind each move and how it could be easily deciphered. Just by hearing this much, Zhao Zhen could tell that there were no longer any secrets in his battle technique. At this point, it was as if the other party was the creator of the Autumn Breeze Intertwining Silk Hands and not him!
His lips twitched as he felt his body growing more and more illusory, threatening to dissipate at any moment.
Had it not been for his superior mental fortitude as an 8-star master teacher, he might have gone mad there and then.
To be able to deduce the other nine moves just by seeing the first one, even accurately naming them… why did it feel as if he was dreaming?
At this point, the young man’s lecturing voice suddenly sounded once more, jolting him out of his dazed state. “Alright, these are the flaws that I have noticed so far. Have you understood them? Do you know where you have erred now?”
“Yes, I know my errors now. I won’t do it in the future…” Zhao Zhen replied instinctively, but halfway through his words, he suddenly paused before redness spread across his face.
The other party had placed himself in the role of a teacher, and somehow, he had been dragged along with the flow and subconsciously placed himself in the role of a student.
He was an old ancestor from 13,000 years ago, an elder countless generations more senior that the young man before him! For this to happen…
“Cough cough!” Unable to take it any longer, Zhao Zhen quickly waved his hand and ushered Zhang Xuan to move on. “Alright, alright! You have already cleared the test, so you should proceed to the next floor.”
“Cleared the test? Is that the problem now? It seems like you still have not realized what the problem is. As a master teacher who has ventured beyond the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, do you know how many people look up to you as their role model? And yet, is this the attitude you have toward learning?” Zhang Xuan berated furiously. “You are really the worst student I have seen in my years of teaching! You should learn some humility!”
“…” Zhao Zhen was crazed.
I am the invigilator over here! How in the world did I turn into your student?”
Pop!
Frenzied, Zhao Zhen finally reached the limits of his tolerance, and his will wavered before vanishing from the spot.
Seeing the other party’s will vanishing out of embarrassment, a glint flashed across Zhang Xuan’s eyes.
You knew why I am crashing this Master Teacher Pavilion, and yet, you still chose to hold me back. If I didn’t choke you with my words, who else should I choke?
Since I am here to crash the pavilion, I might as well go all the way with it.
…
Outside the Master Teacher Pavilion…
Seeing the light on the Master Teacher Tower, Wu shi remarked, “The second floor has lit up. It seems like Principal Zhang has encountered Elder Zhao!
“Elder Zhao has a deep comprehension of battle techniques, achieving a level unmatched by any other in our Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion. Even if Principal Zhang is able to clear his test, it’ll probably take quite a while…”
Wu shi had lived in the Qingyuan Empire all his life, so he was familiar with the various tests in the Master Teacher Tower as well.
Hu!
Just as Wu shi was analyzing the situation, the light on the second floor abruptly extinguished.
The moment a challenger stepped into one of the tests, the corresponding floor would light up. When the test was cleared, the light would automatically be extinguished.
“This… He cleared the test?” Wu shi was taken aback.
He had thought that Zhang Xuan would take some time before he was able to clear Elder Zhao’s test, but who could have known that… he would actually be so fast!
To clear a test within just three minutes… when did 8-star master teachers become so easy to deal with?
“Hmm? The second floor has lit up again?” someone within the crowd exclaimed in shock.
Raising his gaze to take another look at the Master Teacher Tower, Wu shi was stunned.
The light of the second floor, which had just been extinguished a moment ago, suddenly lit up again.
For the light to suddenly return… did it mean that Zhang Xuan did not actually clear the test? But if that was the case, why would it be extinguished in the first place?
Just as everyone was bewildered by the bizarre happenings, Pavilion Master Gou suddenly spoke. “Wait a moment, the color is different! That color should belong to… Elder Han of the third floor!”
Taking a closer look, Wu shi realized that there was indeed something amiss.
The color that had lit up previously was yellowish-orange whereas the one that had just lit up was milky-white.
“That should have been the color to represent Elder Han’s test. Elder Han is a master teacher who left the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion 8,000 years ago, and even though he’s an 8-star low-tier master teacher as well, he possesses capabilities surpassing those of Elder Zhao. That is why he has been tasked with the responsibility of guarding the third floor. So, why would he suddenly appear on the second floor?” Pavilion Master Gou’s voice was tinged with confusion.
Wu shi and the rest of the gathered crowd frowned in bewilderment as well.
“Under normal circumstances, the light will only be extinguished when the test has been cleared, and the challenger will move on to the next floor. The location of the tests shouldn’t change…” Pavilion Master Gou analyzed. However, halfway through his words, his body suddenly stiffened as his mouth opened wide, and his eyes bulged in disbelief. “Or does this mean that… the will of Elder Zhao has dissipated?”
“Dissipated?”
“That’s right. According to what I know, if the will of the predecessor guarding a certain floor of the Master Teacher dissipates, the other predecessors guarding the floors above will automatically slide down to take his place,” Pavilion Master Gou said hoarsely. “But it should just be a simple test, so why would Elder Zhao’s will dissipate?”
Considering that there was no fight involved in the tests of the Master Teacher Tower, there should have been no way that the wills of the predecessors would dissipate all of a sudden.
What could possibly be happening within?
Just as the crowd was bewildered by the absurd situation, the milky-white glow suddenly flickered before vanishing altogether. After which, a light blue glow lit up on the second floor.
“Elder Han’s will has dissipated as well?” Pavilion Master Gou was dumbstruck. In the next moment, everything suddenly struck him simultaneously like a bomb exploding in his mind, and he abruptly leaped up in a panic. “This is a disaster! Quick, we need to stop Zhang shi from carrying on! Our Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion only has this many experts in its history! If all of their wills dissipate, our Master Teacher Pavilion will really be a goner!”
On top of serving as the final line of defense against pavilion crashing, the wills of the predecessors also served to clarify the doubts of the master teachers. With the extensive knowledge they possessed, they could be considered the greatest asset of their Master Teacher Pavilion! If they disappeared as well, the days of the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion would truly be over!
“It’s impossible to stop him at this point. The headquarters have given Principal Zhang the permission to crash the pavilion, and we would be flouting the rules if we intervened!” Wu shi panicked upon realizing the severe implications of the situation as well, but due to the rules set in place, there was nothing they could do.
“Can’t we just admit our defeat?” Pavilion Master Gou was so flustered that it seemed as if he would burst into tears at any moment.
“That might work.” Wu shi pondered for a moment before swiftly nodding. “As long as our Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion officially acknowledges that he has successfully crashed the pavilion, there will be no need for him to challenge the Master Teacher Tower anymore. If so, we will be allowed to head in and stop him.”
Hearing those words, Pavilion Master Gou whipped out his Pavilion Master Token, bit his finger, and dripped a droplet of blood on it.
Weng!
A brilliant burst of light rose into the sky.
Hong long!
An overwhelming aura descended from the sky, placing immense pressure on those standing beneath.
Following which, a grand voice echoed in the air. “The Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion officially surrenders to Master Teacher Zhang Xuan, and I seek permission to end the pavilion crashing… Ah, there’s no need for it anymore. He has already finished his pavilion crashing…”
At that moment, ‘jiya!’, the doors to the Master Teacher Tower suddenly opened. Zhang Xuan emerged with a look of bewilderment on his face.
“What is wrong with your Master Teacher Tower? Why are all of the predecessors cramping up the second floor?”
