On the spectator stand.
A sliver of worry and agitation appeared on Shen Bi Ru’s impeccable face.
After the Enlightenment Will Trial, she had matters to attend to and left Tianxuan Royal City. When she returned yesterday, she heard of the Teacher Evaluation immediately and nearly fainted from shock.
Is this Zhang Xuan insane?
Who is Lu Xun?
He is the living signboard for Hongtian Academy, a true celebrity teacher. To be pitting against him… Does he wish to be shamed that much?
Moreover, he had specially poached several students to specifically counter Zhao Ya and the rest.
“Why are you that rash…”
Gritting her jade teeth tightly, Shen Bi Ru recalled what happened yesterday and felt even more stifled.
After knowing of the news, she went to find Zhang Xuan to persuade him, but… the other party was out!
She waited an entire night outside the other party’s dormitory… Yet, he didn’t come back at all.
Tomorrow is the duel, and it is said that Lu Xun had spent the entire night tutoring his students, suffering from a lack of sleep due to that. Yet, you threw your students aside and stayed out…
Does anyone prepare for competitions the way you do?
Aren’t you way too gutsy!
Or do you think that the situation is hopeless and that you have given up?
After the incidents at the Compendium Pavilion, Hongtian Pavilion, and Enlightenment Will Trial, she thought that even though Zhang laoshi had a terrible reputation, he is actually an extremely prudent person. Now, it turns out that…
Prudent your ass!
Who has ever seen a person disappearing for several days right before a competition?
“What exactly are you thinking? Why do you seem out of sorts the moment you return?”
She was burning with anger within when a beautiful face suddenly appeared before her.
The other stunner of the academy, Han Qiong!
Han Qiong is also a rare beauty. In terms of just her appearance, she is slightly inferior to Shen Bi Ru. However, she is currently twenty-five, the age where a woman’s charm shines through. Considering her figure and her feminine charm, the latter would be far from a match.
As such, there are many followers of Han Qiong laoshi, and their numbers far surpass that of Shen Bi Ru’s.
As top-class beauties, the two teachers have a good relationship in private and are bosom friends.
“Who else can it be except for that Zhang Xuan. God knows what that fellow is thinking of, to actually duel with Lu Xun laoshi!” Shen Bi Ru harrumphed furiously. “If he were to lose, the reputation which he had just built up would be tarnished, and his credibility would crumble!”
He had just proven at the Enlightenment Will Trial that the Education Bureau had framed him. If he were to lose in this duel, all kinds of rumors would be generated and no one would believe his words anymore.
“From the looks of it… It seems that you are concerned about him?”
Han Qiong chuckled. A sly grin flashed through her eyes.
“No one is concerned about him! He is just an arrogant fellow!” Shen Bi Ru harrumphed.
“It’s good that you are unconcerned about him. I thought that our Great Beauty Shen had fallen in love!”
Han Qiong stretched her back, revealing an astonishingly voluptuous figure. Not lingering on the topic, Han Qiong asked curiously, “Oh right, say… Who do you think will win the duel?”
“Zhang Xuan’s five students, Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, and the others are not bad. However, Lu Xun laoshi had made arrangements to specifically deal with each of them. Mo Xiao and the others are obviously their nemeses. I’m afraid that… it is unlikely for Zhang Xuan to win.”
Upon mentioning who would win in the Teacher Evaluation, the anger and stifled expression that Shen Bi Ru had before disappeared, and in its place is calmness and intelligence.
After hearing of the duel, she looked into the matter and found out about Lu Xun’s arrangements.
That fellow’s actions do indeed appear unscrupulous, but truthfully speaking, this is also the sign of an outstanding teacher.
Regardless of who one faces, he should give it his all and vie for all advantages he can possibly get. This is a basic quality that teachers and cultivators should have.
“Unless…”
At which, Shen Bi Ru paused for a moment. Wisdom reflected in her bright eyes and she said, “Zhao Ya and the others have reached Fighter 2-dan. Through the advantage in their cultivation, they might still be able to match up against Lu Xun’s students!”
Lu Xun had specially found students to deal with Zhao Ya and the others. Unless the latter achieves a breakthrough, thus overcoming their opponents’ advantages through sheer strength, it is nigh impossible for them to win.
“You’re right!” Han Qiong nodded her head in agreement.
“Look, Zhang laoshi and his students have arrived…”
“What powerful aura! Zhao Ya and the others have actually reached… Fighter 2-dan?”
“But… It’s impossible! Reaching Fighter 2-dan in half a month’s time?”
…
The duo was discussing the Teacher Evaluation when a commotion suddenly broke out among the crowd. Following immediately, they saw Zhang Xuan walking up with Zhao Ya and the others following behind him.
At this moment, Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, Wang Ying, and the others were emitting exceptionally powerful auras. Every single gesture of theirs felt mighty and intimidating.
Fighter 2-dan!
Except for Yuan Tao, who is at Juxi realm advanced stage, the others have already reached Dantian realm!
“This…” Shen Bi Ru and Han Qiong’s eyes lit up,
“Even though Zhang Xuan laoshi doesn’t look reliable, it seems that he is nevertheless quite capable!” Han Qiong smiled.
“Except for Yuan Tao, who is slightly weaker, the others do possess a chance at victory…” Shen Bi Ru nodded her head in agreement. Halfway through her words, her face suddenly paled.
“What’s wrong?”
Seeing her good friend fall into such a state, Han Qiong felt baffled.
“Lu Xun laoshi and his students have arrived!”
Shen Bi Ru clenched her fists tightly.
“Lu laoshi? So what if he comes? Zhao Ya and the others have reached Fighter 2-dan, so they stand a good chance at victory…” Han Qiong chuckled. At this point, she suddenly saw Zhu Hong, Mo Xiao, and the others who followed closely behind Lu Xun and her mouth twitched. “Fighter 3-dan? All of his students… have reached Fighter 3-dan?”
“At Fighter 3-dan Zhenqi realm… One gains the ability to propel zhenqi and one’s strength reaches 300kg… How can Zhang Xuan and his students win?”
The duo froze in astonishment.
It is a qualitative difference between 2-dan and 3-dan. At 1-dan Juxi realm, one absorbs spiritual energy and propel it through his body, thus refining his body to that of a fighter, making it suitable for cultivation.
At 2-dan Dantian realm, one’s body starts to accumulate spiritual energy at his dantian, expanding it.
At 3-dan Zhenqi realm, one will be able to drive their zhenqi in their body. In terms of physique, reaction speed, or strength, the two prior realms are too far below for comparison.
It can even be said that one reaches a whole new level as a lifeform upon reaching Zhenqi realm. If Lu Xun’s students were just ordinary mortals before, they are currently comparable to tigers and wolves. How can the Zhang Xuan’s students match up to them under such conditions?
Just a moment ago, upon realizing that Zhao Ya and the others have reached Fighter 2-dan, Shen Bi Ru and Han Qiong thought that it is likely that Zhang Xuan wins. But from the looks of it now… It would be a miracle if he can even win a single match!
There not a single chance at victory!
“If he wants to win… Only if a miracle happens!”
Shen Bi Ru smiled bitterly.
Previously carrying hope for Zhang laoshi’s victory, she doesn’t dare to harbor such thoughts now.
The two beauties were indescribably astounded. The other teachers who are spectating the fight became dumbfounded as well. In an instant, the entire surroundings turned silent. All of them glanced at Zhang Xuan with eyes of sympathy.
To be competing with Lu Xun laoshi… He sure is looking for trouble!
“Fighter 2-dan against Fighter 3-dan? It would be hard for Apothecary Zhang to win!”
Just like the other teachers, Guild Leader Ouyang and Apothecary Du Man glanced at one another and shook their heads simultaneously.
“Indeed, the two are entirely different levels. There is no hope of victory!”
“Looks like Apothecary Zhang… will lose!”
The other apothecaries also arrived at the same conclusion and they sighed in lamentation.
With just the appearance of Zhang Xuan and Lu Xun on the field, many people have already come to the verdict that the scale of victory is tilted toward Lu Xun.
…
“Today is the day of the Freshmen Tournament. But before that, we shall first hold a competition between the teachers, the Teacher Evaluation between Lu Xun laoshi and Zhang Xuan laoshi.”
Seeing that the two stars of the show had arrived, the principal, who hadn’t appeared in public for a very long time, stood at the dueling platform, and his voice resounded across the entire academy.
Hearing his words, Zhang Xuan and Lu Xun led their students onto the dueling platform, and the both of them sat by the side of the ring.
The Teacher Evaluation is a battle between students; teachers are not allowed to interfere in the battle at all and can only sit by the side.
Naturally, the duels between the students are only a part of the Teacher Evaluation. There are also written papers, potential assessments, and similar trials. However, as cultivators value strength greater than anything else, even if they were to triumph over their opponent in the latter examinations, it wouldn’t be a glorious victory.
“Who wants to go first?”
Zhang Xuan paid no heed to the surrounding discussions. Rather, he looked at his five students calmly.
“Allow me!” Yuan Tao stood forward.
Zhang Xuan nodded his head.
Zhang Xuan is confident in the other party’s abilities now that his Emperor Bloodline has been awakened.
“Kong Jie, go up. Defeat that worst student of the academy!”
Seeing the other party had sent the fellow who is ranked the last in the entrance examination out first, Lu Xun sneered coldly.
After a night of individual tutoring, his five students had already reinforced their Fighter 3-dan Zhenqi primary realm cultivation, and they had already gotten used to propelling the zhenqi in their body.
With their strength, defeating a couple of Fighter 2-dan isn’t a problem at all.
“Later on, when you suffer a crushing defeat, I’ll see how you are qualified to become the apprentice of the three master teachers!”
A cold gleam flashed across his eyes and Lu Xun sneered.
All of his hard work is for today. When his students defeat Zhang Xuan in public, that fellow will be humiliated, making it impossible for him to become the apprentice of the three master teachers.
By then, everyone will know that he, Lu Xun, is an invincible existence in Hongtian Academy.
…
“Senior Kong, please go easy on me…”
Staring at the opponent before him, Yuan Tao looked at him with a pitiful expression. “Look at how plump I am, my cultivation is only at Fighter 1-dan as well…”
“Go easy?” The edges of Kong Jie’s lips curled up. His disdain for the latter was clear, “I never go easy on others in a battle! Either you admit defeat, or… be kicked off the ring by me. Make your own choice!”
“Admit defeat? If I admit defeat, Zhang laoshi will beat me to death…” With a look of distress, Yuan Tao walked forward.
“If you do not wish to admit defeat, be prepared to be kicked off the ring then! It’s that simple!”
Ignoring the other party’s show of weakness, Kong Jie sneered coldly.
The battle hadn’t begun, yet the fellow is already pleading for mercy. He is truly an eccentric person.
However, from this by itself, it can be seen that Zhang laoshi doesn’t have any abilities. Lu laoshi’s victory is certain.
“How about this? Since I can’t defeat you anyway, allow me to put on an act and hit you a few times before I admit defeat. This way, Zhang laoshi won’t be able to blame me for this. If you cooperate with me, I will pay you a thousand… No, five hundred… three hundred gold coins as compensation.”
Walking until he was right before the opponent, Yuan Tao said with a suppressed voice.
“Three hundred gold coin? For putting on an act?” Kong Jie was taken aback. “Do you really have that much gold coin?”
“I do, look!”
Yuan Tao stretched his left hand into his pocket to retrieve something.
At the same time, Kong Jie couldn’t help but lower his glance.
However, what waited for him wasn’t gold coins. Instead, a fist came flying straight toward him.
“I fell for his trick…”
At this moment, he understood that this is the other party’s ploy.
Yuan Tao had planned it out well. Feigning weakness and acting pitifully to convince the other party of his plight before going on to bribe the other party to divert his attention and last but not least, launching a sneak attack on him… The heck, do you need to be so shameless?
So many students and esteemed figures are looking at them! Can you at least consider your own reputation…
He felt a stifled sensation in his chest, but it was already too late for him to react. Narrowing his eyes, he felt an incredible strength surging at him. Before he could do anything, an excruciating pain spread through his face.
Hu!
He was sent flying out of the dueling ring immediately.
