The reason why Zhang Xuan had traveled all the way to the Myriad Kingdom Alliance was for this tournament. While the final prize was only a hundred middle-tier spirit stones—it no longer possessed as much of an allure to him anymore with his newfound wealth—as long as he emerged as the champion, he would become highly-regarded by the Master Teacher Pavilion. With such, it would be easier for him to gain access to Transcendent Mortal 4-dan cultivation techniques.
Besides, his cultivation and capability had already reached a bottleneck in the Myriad Kingdom Alliance. If he wanted to progress any further, he would need to venture into higher tiered empires. The top ten of this tournament will gain the chance to study at Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, and this was a good opportunity as well.
Thus, Zhang Xuan still bore some expectations for the Master Teacher Tournament.
“Zhang shi, I’ve spent the last few days compiling a list of potential contenders for the top ten places. You should take a look…”
Pavilion Master Kang handed a book over.
He hadn’t been idling about the past half a month either. He’d had his men investigate the other powers, and eventually, he managed to compile this list. With this list, the participants of the Myriad Kingdom Alliance would be able to prepare themselves. After all, like the saying goes, ‘If you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles’.
“Thank you!”
Knowing that the other party had put in a lot of effort into the list, Zhang Xuan nodded his head and casually flipped it open.
“The number one contender to look out for is Luo Xuan, the direct disciple of Sect Leader Luo Huang of Fleeting Cloud Sect. 4-star pinnacle master teacher. Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle. Supporting occupations: 4-star physician, 4-star formation master…”
“This fellow is actually the number one contender to look out for?” A bizarre expression appeared on Zhang Xuan’s face.
Zhang Xuan remembered this fellow. Half a month ago, he used 150 middle-tier spirit stones to bargain with ‘Yang shi’ for Sect Leader Luo Huang’s life.
Based on what Sun Qiang had said regarding the other party, it seemed like the other party had also nearly died from being crushed under the Demon Cinque Beast.
This kind of fool was actually the number one contender for the champion seat of the Master Teacher Tournament?
“Cough cough!” Seeing Zhang Xuan’s bizarre gaze, Pavilion Master Kang immediately deduced what he was thinking about and coughed. “Actually, Luo Xuan isn’t as bad as you think. He’s extremely strong, and even if I were to go against him, it would be hard to tell who would emerge triumphant…”
After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Xuan nodded his head in agreement.
The Demon Cinque Beast possessed the Dragon Bloodline; it was normal for cultivators of the same cultivation level to be unable to match up to it. By no means should one judge Luo Xuan’s strength through that encounter! And of course, when Zhang Xuan met the latter in the capacity as ‘Yang shi’, given how even half 5-star master teachers dared not utter a single word of dissonance, naturally, a 4-star pinnacle master teacher like him wouldn’t dare to get ahead of himself.
So, in truth, Luo Xuan was still quite a fearsome adversary to face.
At the very least, there were very few cultivators at Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle who would be a match for him.
“But of course, even though he is placed number one in the contenders to look out for in the tournament, the truth is that the capabilities of the top ten on the list are around the same level. It’ll be hard to say for sure who would be in the first place!” Pavilion Master Kang continued.
Noting that, Zhang Xuan continued looking through the list.
And just as Pavilion Master Kang said, there really wasn’t much disparity in the capabilities of the top ten. They were all 4-star master teacher, Clarifying Turbidity realm pinnacle experts.
Given that they possessed similar cultivation realms and master teacher ranking, it would be impossible to tell who was above whom.
It didn’t take long for Zhang Xuan to finish browsing through the book.
Of the twenty-eight powers, a total of fifty-six participants had been elected, and even the weakest of them was a 4-star primary master teacher… in other words, Zhang Xuan was the weakest of the lot.
And considering how Ruohuan gongzi was the only 4-star master teacher back in the selection rounds, it was no wonder why the Myriad Kingdom Alliance was always placed in the lower rankings each tournament…
Furthermore, only powers with talents who placed amongst the top in the tournament would be granted better resources, and it was through such resources that they would be able to groom even more formidable master teachers… And vice-versa.
Thus, this formed both a virtuous cycle and a vicious cycle.
It wouldn’t be a mistake to say that if the Myriad Kingdom Alliance were to continue with its placing in the Master Teacher Tournament, it would be a matter of time before it was annexed by other powers, turning it into a mere name in history books.
This was precisely the reason why every single power viewed the Master Teacher Tournament with utmost importance, not daring to let their guard down at all.
“Song Chao?”
As he browsed through the book once more, in the twenty-fifth rank, he saw a familiar name-Song Chao.
He didn’t expect the fellow whom he had beguiled for so many times to be placed so highly in the list of contenders.
Digesting the information, Zhang Xuan gained a good grasp of the various contenders in the tournament.
“Zhang shi, your knowledge as a master teacher and in your supporting occupation is unmatched by any of the participants in the Master Teacher Tournament. Even though your cultivation is slightly lacking, as long as your luck is good, getting into the top ten… shouldn’t be a problem at all!” Pavilion Master consoled.
Zhang shi had accomplished extraordinary feats in the selection rounds, but before so many geniuses, his radiance became dim. Putting others aside, just his cultivation alone would pose a fatal weakness to him.
It was just like the wooden planks making up a pail; only when all of them were long could one fill the pail with more water. As long as one of the wooden planks was short, it would be all for naught.
Similarly, Master Teacher Tournament assessed one’s overall strength. Even if one was proficient in everything except for one aspect, that single aspect would be exploited by one’s competitors. Under such circumstances, it would be impossible for Zhang Xuan to achieve an even higher placing than that.
Knowing what Pavilion Master Kang was worried about, Zhang Xuan asked, “Are the tests for the tournament decided yet?”
Pavilion Master Kang pondered for a moment before replying. “It has already been decided… but we aren’t privy to such information. The tests are decided solely by Hong shi, and to uphold fairness, it was decided that he will announce the tests on the spot!”
Even Pavilion Master Kang wasn’t entitled to the contents of the examination. Otherwise, there was a possibility that he could conduct special training for the Myriad Kingdom Alliance’s participants to have them adapt to the conditions they would be subjected to in the tournament. If so, that would compromise the integrity of the tournament.
In any case, given that it was Hong shi hosting the event, as a 5-star master teacher and a master teacher of Hongfeng Empire, there was no need for anyone to worry about him siding with powers.
Hongfeng Empire was a vassal empire directly under Huanyu Empire, and it was significantly stronger than Fleeting Cloud Sect, White Helios Sect, Myriad Kingdom Alliance, and powers of that level.
Even among Unranked Empires, it was ranked at the forefront.
“Even though I’m not too sure what the tests will be, there has been some news on the prize recently!” Pavilion Master Kang’s eyes glowed in agitation.
“Prize? Isn’t it a hundred middle-tier spirit stones and the opportunity to study in Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy?” Zhang Xuan asked in bewilderment.
Zhang Xuan had heard of it from Su shi back then, and there was nothing to be awed about.
“That was indeed the case back then, but the prize has been raised recently. The new prize is so high that even I can’t help but feel moved!” Pavilion Master Kang said excitedly.
Last night, the heads of the various powers in the Myriad Kingdom Alliance received news from Hong shi regarding the increase in the prize of the tournament. When he first set eyes on the information regarding the prize, despite being a top expert and the head of a Master Teacher Pavilion, his breathing couldn’t help but hasten, and his eyes widened uncontrollably in disbelief.
He thought that the prize offered previously was already sufficiently generous, but compared to the new one… It was nothing at all! It was as though an ant meeting an elephant!
“Oh? What is the new prize offered?” Zhang Xuan asked in interest.
“The one who is placed first in the tournament will receive a high-tier spirit stone!” Pavilion Master Kang said.
“High-tier spirit stone?”
Wasn’t it a hundred middle-tier spirit stone? How did it turn into a high-tier spirit stone?
As though fearing that Zhang Xuan couldn’t understand the value of a high-tier spirit stone, Pavilion Master Kang explained, “A high-tier spirit stone has the value equivalent to ten thousand middle-tier spirit stone, and that’s assuming that there’s a person willing to sell it! Its value is unimaginable!”
“Ten thousand middle-tier spirit stones?” Zhang Xuan’s breathing hastened as well.
He had worked so hard, putting himself at grievous risk, only to extort 600 middle-tier spirit stones from the Fleeting Cloud Sect and thirteen other powers. Yet, to think that being placed first in the tournament would earn him a high-tier spirit stone straight… This was way too exaggerated!
“Indeed! And on top of the opportunity to study at Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, he will also be allowed to cultivate in ‘Cleansing Lake’ for three days…” Pavilion Master Kang continued.
“Cleansing Lake? What’s that?” Zhang Xuan asked curiously.
“It’s one of the greatest treasures of Huanyu Empire’s royalty, as well as the greatest foundation behind its establishment!”
Unconcealable envy shone in Pavilion Master Kang’s eyes as he said, “Cultivators who have managed to reach Clarifying Turbidity realm understand that ‘turbid’ and ‘clear’ also refers to one’s physical body and soul respectively. The Cleansing Lake is a blessed land that nourishes one’s soul. Cultivating there, one’s soul would undergo a metamorphosis, thus increasing one’s chance of achieving a breakthrough to Consonant Spirit realm significantly!
“If I were to get a chance to cultivate there for three days, the chances of me being able to reach Consonant Spirit realm would surely be more than fifty percent! However… the Cleansing Lake is one of the most precious resources of Huanyu Empire, and there are limited slots to its use. Only for the Master Teacher Tournament, which happens once every decade, are they willing to spare a few slots!”
Zhang Xuan nodded his head calmly in response, but on the inside, he was astonished.
To increase the chances of Pavilion Master Kang advancing to Consonant Spirit realm to more than fifty percent, that Cleansing Lake was indeed formidable!
A high-tier sprit stone, the opportunity to study at Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, and three days of cultivation in the Cleansing Lake…
Honestly, just any single one of them was enough to send countless experts into frenzy. And yet, for the three of them to be the prize of the champion of the Master Teacher Pavilion, fearsome!
“What about the second place?”
Since the reward for the first place was so generous, what about the second place?
“The second pales a lot in comparison. It’s three hundred middle-tier spirit stones, the opportunity to study at Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, and two days in the Cleansing Lake!” Pavilion Master Kang replied.
Even though it was just a single placing, the rewards had decreased by manifolds.
Putting aside the reduction of a single day in Cleansing Lake, there was a difference of thirty times in value between a high-tier spirit stone and three hundred middle-tier spirit stones.
“And the third place is one hundred middle-tier spirit stone and one day in the Cleansing Lake. As for the fourth to tenth place, they won’t be allowed to enter the Cleansing Lake, and they will only be given ten middle-tier spirit stones each. But fortunately, all of them will be given the opportunity to study at Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy.”
Pavilion Master Kang recounted the rewards of the top ten of the Master Teacher Tournament.
“Seems like… I really must take the first place!”
Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly.
He was still thinking that it would suffice as long as he got into the top ten in the tournament, but with the increased rewards… his determination to obtain the first position was sparked.
Putting aside everything else, just the high-tier spirit stone in itself was invaluable to him.
With this, he could probably cultivate all the way to the pinnacle of the Transcendent Mortal without worrying about spirit stones.
Hearing Zhang Xuan’s words, Pavilion Master Kang smiled bitterly.
“Indeed, it would be good to take the first place. However… how could it be so easy?”
There wasn’t anyone who wasn’t interested in the first place, especially with the increased reward. But considering the talented geniuses who would be participating in the tournament, it would be no easy feat.
Yang shi was a formidable master teacher; there were probably none who would dare to cross his path. However, Yang shi’s existence was only known amongst the top echelons of the fourteen powers, the participants of the tournament were unaware of it.
Thus, there would be no one who would go easy on Zhang shi just because he was Yang shi’s student.
Zhang shi might be formidable in other aspects… but when it comes to a battle of cultivation, he stood little hope.
Even though Pavilion Master Kang had entrusted his hopes to Zhang shi, he didn’t bear much expectation for the latter to take down the champion position.
“We’re here!”
Upon hearing Pavilion Master Kang’s sigh, Zhang Xuan was just about to speak but Ruohuan gongzi’s voice sounded. Lifting his gaze, he realized that they had already arrived in the square in front of the Alliance Head Residence. At the current moment, the square was bustling with huge crowds.
After so many days, the Master Teacher Tournament… was finally going to begin!
