“The senior of the master teachers?”
Not only did Liu Xun not understand what his cousin was saying, he even felt more bewildered now. He convulsed intensely, as though suffering from a stroke.
As a student of a master teacher, he understood how prestigious a master teacher’s standing was.
Even the emperor of Tianxuan Kingdom wouldn’t dare to act arrogantly around a master teacher.
With a single word, they could easily eradicate a country off the map.
This was the might of a master teacher!
And Zhang Xuan was such a person’s… senior?
Are you mistaken?
When did such an impressive figure appear in Tianxuan Kingdom?
In an instant, he subconsciously assumed that the Zhang Xuan everyone was talking about wasn’t the same Zhang Xuan he knew.
One was a useless teacher whereas the other one was the senior of the master teachers. Their standings were worlds apart so how could they be the same person?
While Liu Xun’s thoughts wandered, he soon reached Hongtian Academy.
The first thing that came into his sight was a massive crowd. Each of them had a brush and a notebook in their hands, and they were rushing to the sparring field excitedly.
“This is… the famous lone adventurer, Cangsong Swordsman, Bai Song? Is that Swordsman Zhu Hongyi who dared to mock the entire world? Old Master Zhao who was able to shake even the Heavens with his saber? The single-armed Ye Tianxiong who instills fright in all? Are you sure… they are all here to listen to the lecture?”
Recognizing the famous figures in the crowd, Liu Xun’s lips twitched and he nearly passed out from the shock.
These were incredible figures whose names had spread throughout the whole of the Tianxuan Kingdom for numerous years. His father, despite being the clan head of the Liu Clan, would have to treat them with respect. In fact, even the emperor would find it hard to invite them to the royal palace. Yet, at this moment, they were all holding a brush and book in their hands, and it seemed as though they were waiting excitedly for something….
What kind of public lecture was this?
“Indeed!” Yu’er nodded her head enthusiastically. “Yesterday, Zhang laoshi said that he was going to talk about the fundamental knowledge of cultivation. As the news spread, figures like them appeared!”
“Wait a moment, you’re saying that… it’s just a lecture on fundamental knowledge?”
Liu Xun staggered and nearly faceplanted.
Lessons on fundamental knowledge revolved around how one could cultivate, how one gathered spiritual energy, how one utilized the spiritual energy absorbed to temper their body… this knowledge was only useful to those who were Fighter 2-dan and below, yet these elders, clan heads, and Tongxuan realm experts had sprinted here…. Why?
Are you completely certain they are here to listen to a lecture on fundamental knowledge of cultivation, not to start a coup d’état?
“Yes! I was close to the dueling ring when he spoke of it previously, so I heard his words loud and clear!” Yu’er nodded her head. Upon recalling the mighty image of Zhang laoshi yesterday, she couldn’t help but feel thrilled for the lecture afterward.
A bunch of Tongxuan experts listening to a lecture on fundamental knowledge of cultivation?
Why did Liu Xun find the sight incredulous?
“Ah, I knew it. We came too late….”
Just when he was overwhelmed with shock and disbelief, he heard an exclamation from his cousin. Lifting his head to take a look, his eyes narrowed once more.
The massive stands of Hongtian Academy, which could house up to ten thousand people, were already crowded with people. There were even a few who had mats laid out over the seats, and from the looks of it, they had been camping here since yesterday.
“Those who are at the very front are… teachers of the academy?”
Seated at the very front were the teachers of Hongtian Academy. Even though they didn’t set out mats on the ground to rest, judging from the dew on their body, they had definitely waited here overnight.
To think that he thought his cousin and the other clan members were making too much of a fuss by rushing to an afternoon lecture at daybreak. Never in his dreams did he expect the teachers of the academy to camp overnight at the stadium just for the lecture.
“There are no seats anymore. Looks like we’ll have to stand….” Yu’er was on the verge of tears.
A sea of people blocked their way. Other than the teachers and students of Hongtian Academy, all kinds of powers from Tianxuan Royal City were also at the venue. If not for the fact that he knew that someone was going to conduct a lecture, he would have thought that someone was planning an uprising.
“Yu’er, what kind of person is Elder Zhang Xuan?” Liu Xun asked his cousin, forcefully suppressing his shock.
At this point, his confused gaze had been replaced with a fiery one.
“Elder?”
“Indeed!” Liu Xun nodded his head.
Even his teacher, as a 1-star master teacher, would be unable to gather such a crowd for a lecture on fundamental knowledge of cultivation.
Since this Zhang laoshi was the senior of the master teachers, even if he wasn’t a master teacher, he had to be advanced in age. There shouldn’t be a mistake in addressing him with “elder.”
“Cough, Zhang Xuan laoshi isn’t even in his twenties yet. He is younger than you….” Upon seeing Liu Xun’s serious gaze, Yu’er’s face turned red.
“Not in his twenties?”
Liu Xun froze.
Under twenty… Yet, he was the senior of the master teachers… Not to mention, making so many people willing wait an entire night, just to listen to his public lecture?
“This…”
Liu Xun felt his horizons expand. Unable to hold it in any longer, he asked, “Can… can you tell me the details of this Zhang laoshi?”
“Speaking of Zhang laoshi, I have to begin from the Teacher Evaluation. Oh, no, it should be the cultivation of a student of his going berserk….”
Before she could finish her words, a commotion stirred in front of them. Lifting their heads to take a look, they saw three elders walking over. Wherever they walked by, the crowd would immediately shuffle aside to give way to them.
“It’s… Beiwu Kingdom’s Liu shi and Zhuang shi? Also… Hanwu Kingdom’s Zheng shi?”
Liu Xun immediately recognized the trio.
As the student of a master teacher, he had the honor of meeting the three of them once. Back then, his teacher had treated them respectfully, claiming that he wasn’t able to match up to them.
To think that the three of them were at Tianxuan Kingdom, and furthermore…
“Could it be that… they’re here to listen to the lecture as well?”
The waves of shock had pounded him ever since his arrival at the Liu Clan’s gate and dumbfounded him.
“Indeed, Zhang laoshi is the senior of the three master teachers!” Yu’er nodded her head.
“He is their…” Liu Xun was on the verge of tears. Initially, he thought that he could brag about being the student of a master teacher after returning, but from the looks of it…
His feats meant nothing at all.
Despite not being in his twenties, that person was a star teacher, as well as the senior of the three master teachers….
Exactly what kind of person was this Zhang laoshi?
…
By the time Zhang Xuan woke up, it was already afternoon. Sun Qiang had ordered the servants to prepare some food for him, so after eating well, Zhang Xuan headed for the academy.
Initially, he thought that there wouldn’t be anyone since it wasn’t time yet, but upon seeing the horde gathered there, he was stunned.
As too many people had pleaded for Zhang Xuan to admit them under his tutelage, Zhang Xuan could only compromise and offhandedly agreed to hold a public lecture.
He thought that only a few people would come; after all, it was just a lecture on the fundamental knowledge of cultivation, and it was only useful for those beneath Zhenqi realm…. Yet, what the hell was with this crowd?
“Excuse me, can you allow me to pass?”
After circling around the dueling ring, he wasn’t able to find any openings for him to enter. As a result, he could only pat on the shoulder of a young man.
“Pass? You wish to cut in line? I arrived early in the morning to listen to Zhang laoshi’s lesson. Get to the end of the line!”
The young man waved him away impatiently.
The young man was Liu Xun!
Wasn’t this fellow too brazen!
He and his sister had been lining up since early morning, and even then, they were only able to squeeze into the outer perimeter. Yet, that fellow was telling him to allow him to pass…. He must be kidding!
Of all the people here, you just had to choose me to give way to you. Are you trying to bully me just because I’ve just returned?
Furthermore, even if I allow you to pass, how far do you think you can get?
“Get to the back of the line?”
A bizarre expression appeared on Zhang Xuan’s face. Where did this fellow pop out from?
“Indeed, if you wanted to get good seats, you should have come earlier. Wanting to cut the line of others after coming at such a time… Brother, let me give you a warning. If you continue to try to squeeze your way in, you’ll just be pummeled by the others!” Liu Xun said seriously.
After hearing about the details of Zhang Xuan laoshi from his cousin, Liu Xun’s admiration for the former had soared to the high heavens. He finally understood why everyone had rushed here to listen to his lecture.
Putting aside the fact he was the direct disciple of a master teacher whose rank was beyond that of 2-star, the 1-dan Juxi realm students he had groomed from the start of the semester were able to fight squarely against a Pixue realm pinnacle expert just after half a month of lessons…. This was an unimaginable feat! His lecture was indeed worthy of the arrival of all of these experts!
Even if they weren’t here to learn, it was a good opportunity for them to get close to him!
If Yang shi were to arrive on the spot personally, everything would be even more perfect.
Honestly speaking, most of these Tongxuan realm experts weren’t interested in the lecture. They wanted to use this opportunity to get closer ties with Zhang Xuan and, if possible, strike up a relationship with Yang shi through Zhang Xuan.
After all, the words of a direct disciple were much more authoritative than a mere butler.
“Cough, rest assured. They won’t beat me up!” Upon realizing that the fellow didn’t recognize him, Zhang Xuan could only shake his head helplessly.
“They won’t?” Seeing that the other party didn’t believe his words, Liu Xun was displeased. “I don’t know where your confidence comes from, but since you said so, I’ll allow you to pass then. But if someone does beat you up later on, don’t blame me for not warning you!”
“Thank you…”
Upon seeing the young man before him opening up a space for him, he stepped forward. Just when he was about to proceed further ahead, a lady in front seemed to have noticed the commotion behind and turned around.
“Ah, Zhang laoshi. You’re here…”
The lady’s face flushed in excitement.
——
Cangsong Swordsman -> Literally translated to Green Pines. There is an idiom on how pines were green all year long, and it refers to an upright person.
