The Whilom Sage Bell was forged personally by 4-star master teachers, and their will were infused within it. The entire Master Teacher Pavilion, including the pavilion master, treated the bell as if it were their ancestral tablet. Yet, a lad who was taking the 1-star master teacher examination lashed out at it without hesitation…
Furthermore, with such fury and annoyance…
The hell!
At this moment, Wu shi and the others even had thoughts of dying.
Upon receiving the Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells, Submission of the Sages, they would definitely become so excited that they would even forget their own names.
On the contrary, this fellow thought that it was too noisy, and berated angrily as if he were scolding his own grandson…
Frick, frick, frick, frick (屮艸芔茻)!
Can you be any more arrogant and brazen than that?
This isn’t the most shocking part… The most shocking part of the entire affair is that the chiming of bell actually stopped after he bellowed at it!
In order words, the will of the 4-star master teacher infused within the bell has submitted to him…
The heck!
This is no longer admiration, but submission!
The faces of the master teachers turned green, and they could, they would have pulled off their own heads right on the spot.
As master teachers, they were all worldly veterans, but such situation nonetheless sent them into an uncontrollable frenzy.
Especially so for Jiang Chen.
He had always viewed the other party with hostility. Upon witnessing this sight, he nearly dived underground in fright.
Where did this monster come from?
To bellow at the will left behind 4-star master teachers and frighten them to the point that they don’t dare to chime any further…
The heck!
Even his father wasn’t as savage as that!
“I… I… won’t lose to you…”
Mo Hongyi’s body had stiffened. After a long while, he revealed a ferocious expression.
Ever since he started cultivating, he had been walking around with the halo of a genius. Regardless of occupation, cultivation technique, or battle technique, as long as he put his mind to it, he had always emerged to be the number one!
It was the same for the master teacher examination. He broke every single record in the Master Teacher Pavilion, and his name resounded throughout thirteen countries. But now…
All of his records were getting broken one after another by the person right before his eyes. A strong sense of humiliation sent him into a frenzy.
“I will go out now and take the 2-star master teacher examination!”
Mo Hongyi said with a determined gaze.
He could long have taken the 2-star master teacher examination, but in order to break more records, he had been holding back his attempt. However, after seeing Zhang Xuan hot on his heels, he no longer dared to rest.
“You might be formidable, but your Soul Depth is only 5.1. There’s still a long way before you can take the 2-star master teacher examination. By the time you are eligible, I would have widened the distance between us once more.”
Mo Hongyi’s confidence rocketed once more.
The other party achieved astounding results in the House of Trust, the Supporting Occupation Pavilion, the Puppet Hall, and the Cultivation Technique Ocean, but so what?
The Soul Depth is the basis of a master teacher, and Zhang Xuan only has 5.1.
To take the 2-star master teacher examination, one’s Soul Depth has to be at least 6.0. He wasn’t eligible to take the 2-star master teacher examination.
He might be a genius in the other aspects, but for Soul Depth, the only way is for him to progress bit by bit, step by step.
When he passes the 2-star master teacher examination, he will be able to retain his title as the number one genius. No one will be able to take it away from him!
…
Seeing the bells fall silent after berating at them, Zhang Xuan finally heaved a sigh of relief.
Say, is there something wrong with these bells? Just a single chime or two to express its recognition would have done, but for all of them to ring at once, and to ring non-stop at that… I have already given you much face.
Bastard.
If not for the fact that you’re a public property that belongs to the Master Teacher Pavilion, I would have disassembled you into pieces.
After lecturing for another short while, Zhang Xuan then paused and lifted his head to look at Wu shi.
“Me like this… is it considered as a pass yet? If I haven’t passed the test, I’ll continue…”
He was merely halfway through deciphering the battle technique, but he recalled Ling Xiaoxiao and Wu shi’s words, saying that it would be a pass as long as the bell chimes. Since the bell had chimed time and time again, he should have already passed the examination.
“You have passed…” Swallowing his saliva, Wu shi nodded.
He has already caused a Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells, Admiration of the Sages. If he didn’t give him a pass, the pavilion master would probably beat him to death the moment he stepped out from the room.
“Good!” Upon hearing that he had passed this test, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. “Since I have passed, let’s move on to the next test…”
After which, he walked out of the room.
…
In the examination hall.
“According to the records, the Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells should last for a tea’s time. Why would it stop after chiming after just a few breaths?”
At this moment, Vice Pavilion Master Guan and Elder Zhu had already arrived at the examination hall, and they were staring at the fourth door with a perplexed expression.
“Can it be that… the examinee was extremely lucky, and he picked an easy battle technique or cultivation technique which he had read about, and that’s why he managed to achieve the Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells, Admiration of the Sages? However, as it isn’t his original understanding and theory, the chiming lasted for only a short moment before ending abruptly.”
Elder Zhu contemplated for a moment before voicing his conjecture.
A master teacher should possess his own unique perspective. If one were to just copy from others, he cannot be considered as anything above mediocre.
If that is really the case, it is understandable why the Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells lasted for only a moment.
“Your conjecture seems plausible!”
With a grim expression, Vice Pavilion Master Guan was about to continue speaking when ‘Jiya!’ the door opened, and Zhang Xuan was the first the emerge.
Following immediately, the other master teachers stepped out of the room as well.
“Wu shi!”
Upon seeing that the group was out, Vice Pavilion Master Guan beckoned for Wu shi.
He was just about to speak to Zhang Xuan when he saw the vice pavilion master. Due to the esteemed standing the latter possessed, he had no choice but to attend to him quickly.
In the entire Tianwu Kingdom, there were a total of thirteen 1-star master teachers and three 2-star master teachers. Vice Pavilion Master Guan and Elder Zhu were two of the three 2-star master teachers.
Two 2-star master teachers had called for him, how could he possibly dare to keep them waiting?
“What was the secret manual picked for the examination just now?” Vice Pavilion Master Guan frowned as he voiced his doubts. “If it is Tianwu Nine Dan Formula, Air Revolving Palm, or such manuals, we might have to get the examinee to retake the examination…”
The Tianwu Nine Dan Formula and Air Revolving Palm were similar to the Hongtian Nine Dan Formula of Hongtian Academy. They were the two fundamental cultivation and battle techniques of Tianwu Kingdom, and virtually everyone knew it. If an examinee happened to have drawn a technique of this standard for the master teacher examination, it would mean nothing even if they were to receive the approval of the sages.
They were simply too shallow and explaining it can’t prove an examinee’s capability.
“Tianwu Nine Dan Formula? Air Revolving Palm?”
Wu shi didn’t expect the vice pavilion master to think this way, and he shook his head with a bitter smile. “It is… the Undulating Water Ripple Palm!”
“Undulating Water Ripple Palm? What… did you just say?”
Vice Pavilion Master Guan froze for a moment before his entire body shuddered.
“That set of incredible confusing and unfathomable battle technique?”
“He drew that?”
There were also a few others who shared the same thoughts as Elder Zhu, and they trembled upon hearing Wu shi’s words as well.
It was a known fact that it was one of the hardest battle technique to practice in Tianwu Kingdom. To pick that book and induce the Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells…
“If it is the Undulating Water Ripple Palm, then… why did the Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells chime for just a moment before stopping? Based on past records, shouldn’t it chime for a tea’s time straight?”
Elder Zhu couldn’t help but interject.
The crowd also turned to look at Wu shi, curious to hear his answer.
“It is…”
With a bizarre expression, Wu shi said, “Initially, the bell should have continued chiming, but Zhang laoshi thought that it was too noisy, so he reprimanded it…”
He described what he saw just now.
The other master teachers nodded their heads too. Even until now, they still had dazed expressions, and it appeared that they had yet to recover from their shock.
“Too noisy?”
“Reprimanding the Whilom Sage Bell?”
Upon hearing about the events that occurred within the room, Elder Zhu, Vice Pavilion Master Guan, and all the others in the hall nearly vomited fresh blood.
Other people would die just to have the bell chime a few times for them, yet this fellow thought that it was too noisy…
“Alright, since there’s no problem, let’s continue with the fifth test! I would also hope for another genius to emerge from our Master Teacher Pavilion!”
Upon confirming that there was nothing wrong with the test in the Cultivation Technique Ocean, Vice Pavilion Master Guan forcibly suppressed his astonishment forcibly and gave instruction.
It was an honor for him, as the vice pavilion master, to have a genius emerge from the Master Teacher Pavilion.
“Yes!”
Wu shi nodded. Then after scanning his surrounding, he jerked all of a sudden. “Where is Zhang Xuan laoshi?”
He was right before him a moment ago, how did he suddenly disappear in the blink of an eye?
“He has already entered the Unerring Pavilion!”
A person in the crowd said.
After Zhang Xuan came out, he saw Wu shi rush straight toward two elders. Since he had to take the fifth test sooner or later, he decided to enter the fifth room right away. In any case, the first four tests were just as how Ling Xiaoxiao has put them out to be, so he thought the fifth one shouldn’t be too different as well.
“He entered?”
Wu shi was taken aback. Seeing the tightly shut door of the fifth room, Wu shi was just about to say something when a thought appeared in his mind. His eyes narrowed, and his face paled, “This is bad…”
“What’s wrong? Isn’t he supposed to take the fifth test anyway? There shouldn’t be any problem, right?”
Seeing the other party’s face turn pale, Vice Pavilion Master Guan frowned.
He was supposed to enter anyway, why are you making such a big fuss?
“He is supposed to take the fifth test…”
Wu shi panicked, and a sliver of fear flashed across his eyes, “But… I haven’t told him about the rules of the Unerring Pavilion, and the things he should take note of…”
He was about to explain the fifth test to Zhang Xuan when the vice pavilion master called for him. By the time he had realized it, the other party had already gone through the fifth door.
He hadn’t gotten a chance to explain anything.
Meaning to say… the other party entered the Unerring Pavilion knowing nothing.
“It shouldn’t be a problem even if you didn’t explain the fifth test to him beforehand. Which of the examinee who came for the master teacher examination wasn’t aware of the five tests? Don’t worry about it, he would surely have made preparations for the tests in advance!” Vice Pavilion Master Guan initially thought that it was some grave matter, but after hearing Wu shi’s words, he waved his hands casually.
Which of those who came to take the master teacher examination didn’t know about the five tests?
Since they knew, they would surely have looked into the tests beforehand so that they can prepare for them in advance. This way, they wouldn’t panic and err during the tests.
“Made preparations? I would also like for him to have made preparations…”
Recalling Zhang Xuan’s performance in the previous few tests, Wu shi nearly burst out crying.
If that was the case, he wouldn’t have to panic.
But no matter how he looked at it, this fellow seemed to be an ignorant newbie.
If he were to know that the Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells was the highest compliment, how could he possibly have berated the Whilom Sage Bell?
If he had known the tricks for the House of Trust, how could he possibly have brought students of his age over?
If he had known that the Puppet Hall has the ability of self-regeneration, how could he possibly have tried to fix the puppet inside despite having passed the test?
“He… he probably doesn’t know anything. The five tests of the master teacher are something that I just told him about… When I met him yesterday, he didn’t even know the location of our Master Teacher Pavilion!”
Hearing the conversation between the two, Ling Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but speak up.
In an instant, the entire crowd in the examination hall turned to look at her. Vice Pavilion Master Guan, Elder Zhu, and the others seemed to recognize her, and they didn’t get mad at her abrupt interjection.
Ling Xiaoxiao recounted the details of her meetings with Zhang Xuan yesterday and today.
“He came for the master teacher examination not having known about the tests, but he achieved such outstanding results nonetheless?”
After hearing her words, everyone flew into another frenzy.
They thought that this fellow must have been extremely familiar with the tests and had made sufficient preparations beforehand in order to achieve such results. Yet… the other party doesn’t even know the rules, simply strutting into the rooms for the tests!
To have achieved such results so easily…
How formidable is he?
Mo Hongyi’s body swayed violently, and he felt an urge to vomit blood.
He had spent countless hours preparing for the 1-star master teacher examination before he could achieve his results. Yet, he was unable to match up to the other party, who simply came without possessing the slightest idea…
If that was the case, why did he waste his time on those preparations!
“If he knows nothing at all, then he surely doesn’t know that the Unerring Pavilion… has two stages!”
After hearing Ling Xiaoxiao recount, Vice Pavilion Master Guan’s face darkened as well, and his body trembled in agitation.
“This…”
“That’s right. Furthermore, the two stages are just side by side…”
Upon recalling the matter, the others narrowed their eyes as well.
“What do you mean by two stages?”
Unable to understand the anxiety on the others’ faces, Apothecary Hong asked doubtfully.
“On the surface, the Unerring Pavilion consists of a puppet displaying cultivation technique and battle technique, similar to that of the Puppet Hall, but the two are actually completely different! In the Puppet Hall, the two puppets fight one another, and what one is tested on is his ability to guide another. On the other hand, in the Unerring Pavilion… not only is one tested on his ability to discern the flaws in a puppet, one is also examined on his cultivation!”
“That means to say… in the Unerring Pavilion, one has to fight with the puppet. Within an incense’s time, one has to find flaws and use it against the puppet to defeat it. If the examinee is unable to find them, the puppet will not stop its attacks, and it might even… kill him!”
“Kill him?”
Most of the apprentices here weren’t aware that the Unerring Pavilion was that fearsome, and they were startled.
“But those who take the master teacher examination would have to undergo this test, so there shouldn’t be any great danger…” Apothecary Hong Yun could not help but ask.
So many people have taken the master teacher examination, but he hadn’t heard of anyone getting killed during the test. Since those who came before him were fine, he should be the same as well.
“Others might be alright, but he is different…”
Wu shi’s mouth twitched, “There’s a total of two stages to Tianwu Kingdom’s Unerring Pavilion. The first stage is for the 1-star master teacher examination while the second stage is for the 2-star master teacher examination. If it were anyone else, they will definitely come out after completing the first stage. However, as I didn’t explain, it is highly likely that he doesn’t know. If he were to enter into the second stage… What he will be facing is a Zongshi realm puppet!”
“Zongshi realm puppet?”
Everyone was shocked.
Those who take the 1-star master teacher examination usually possess a Tongxuan realm cultivation, so the puppet they had to face was Tongxuan realm as well, in order to make it possible for them to defeat it.
However, if they were to face a Zongshi realm puppet…
Especially a Zongshi realm puppet with nearly no flaws!
This is no different from courting death.
The crowd’s faces turned pale.
This is a situation of absolute death!
Tongxuan realm and Zongshi realm were two completely different levels.
“Hurry up and stop him…”
Vice Pavilion Master Guan shouted.
It wasn’t easy for a genius to appear in their guild. If he were to fall due to his ignorance about the rules, the entire branch would be in deep trouble.
Weng!
Before he could finish his words, the door of the fifth test, Unerring Pavilion, quivered, and a brilliant light shone from it.
“He… He…”
Seeing the color of the light, Wu shi’s body trembled, and his vision turned gray.
“It’s too late… He-he didn’t go for the first stage, he went straight for the second stage!”
—
Frick, frick, frick, frick (屮艸芔茻)!
These four pitchforks are a slang word in Chinese. The pronunciation is ‘che cao hui mang’. It is a roundabout swear word. Grass is a homophone of a swear word in Chinese, and these four pitchforks refer to grasses in one way or another.
