The Golden Origin Cauldron was a real Saint artifact, the guardian of the Master Teacher Academy. It was an extremely prideful existence, such that even though the preceding principals had the right to mobilize it in extreme situations, none had succeeded in taming it before.
Even the previous principal, despite having made a breakthrough to 7-star before he went missing, had been unable to make it submit to him.
To make things worse, the Golden Origin Cauldron was also extremely lazy. It preferred to spend its time dozing lazily, so nearly no one had been able to convince it to allow them to smith a weapon using it.
Yet, Zhang Xuan was asking it to forge a pill… Everyone thought that he would be disappointed, but who knew that such a godly twist was waiting for them!
Not to mention, what the heck is Ding Ding…
Ding your head!
You are a Saint artifact, the guardian of the Master Teacher Academy… Where is your pride and dignity?
On the other hand, Lu Feng felt as if he was going insane as well.
When he invited the Golden Origin Cauldron to the conference earlier on, it had acted extremely arrogantly, even threatening to reduce him to cinders. Yet, at this very moment, it was cozying up to Zhang Xuan in an attempt to fawn over him, as if fearing that the latter wouldn’t allow it to help him…
How could there be such a huge difference in treatment even though they were both humans?
Having tamed the Golden Origin Cauldron, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze back to the crowd and smiled. “Done!”
Even though the Golden Origin Cauldron was a Saint artifact, it still had its fair share of flaws. Using the Library of Heaven’s Path, Zhang Xuan had been able to find them easily, and he had corrected some of them on the spot. After building up his credibility, he had given his word to the other party that he would help it raise its tier.
With such an alluring offer placed before it, it was inevitable that the Golden Origin Cauldron would jump at it.
After a long moment of speechlessness, Zhao Bingxu could only raise his thumb and compliment him. “Incredible, my principal!”
It was impossible not to be impressed by him. Zhang shi had always managed to exceed their expectations each and every time. Under his lead, the academy just might reach unprecedented heights, perhaps even surpassing the other three to become the top Master Teacher Academy under Qingyuan Empire.
“Master, that fellow has gone to great lengths to do you in. Shall I reduce him to cinders for you?”
After pledging allegiance to Zhang Xuan, it immediately began thinking on his behalf as well. With an aura dripping with savagery, it glared at Lu Feng ferociously, seemingly threatening to devour him whole.
It had seen how the other party had gleefully tried to bring his master down. His master, as a grandteacher-like figure to the other party, could overlook his grandstudent’s mistake, but as his master’s loyal artifact, it couldn’t do the same.
Hearing those words, Lu Feng’s face immediately paled in fright. “Senior…”
Famed as the Master Teacher Academy’s Guardian Saint Artifact, the Golden Origin Cauldron’s standing could be considered equivalent to an old ancestor of the Master Teacher Academy. Even if it were to really reduce him to cinders, considering that this was an internal affair of the Master Teacher Academy, not even Mu shi would be in a good position to speak up on his behalf.
“Who are you calling senior? Call me your grandfather!” the Golden Origin Cauldron sneered coldly.
“I…” On the verge of tears, Lu Feng turned to Mu shi desperately to plead with him for help.
However, Mu shi shook his head and said, “Senior Golden Origin Cauldron is right. You framed an innocent master teacher and nearly ruined his reputation. I will report this matter to the headquarters as I have seen it. Not only will you lose your position as the head of the Apothecary School, there is a good chance that your master teacher license will be revoked as well!”
“My master teacher license will be revoked?” Lu Feng muttered in utter shock as he suddenly felt a surge of weakness through his body, and his knees fell to the ground.
He had known that this matter would result in the loss of his position as the head of the Apothecary School, but if he were to be stripped of his master teacher license as well, he would have lost everything that he had worked hard for over the past few centuries.
Seeing Lu Feng’s defeated state, Mu shi sighed pensively. “As the role model of mankind, master teachers must remain upright at all times. You allowed your own emotions to get in the way of your judgement, leaping at an opportunity to frame a fellow master teacher without conducting prudent investigation beforehand. This is already against the moral code that we, as teachers, have to observe. I can’t help you with this matter. You only have yourself to blame for your plight.”
If he had really listened to Lu Feng’s words and punished Zhang shi without giving him a chance to explain himself, he would have truly erred greatly.
A person like Lu Feng was like a black sheep among the master teachers. In order to maintain a righteous culture within the Master Teacher Pavilion, he would have to be expelled.
“I understand…” Lu Feng replied weakly.
Two hours ago, he had still been the influential stand-in principal of the Master Teacher Academy, a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, and a Half-Spiritual Perception realm expert. Alas, he had fallen from grace, and the authoritative disposition that he commanded before had withered into helplessness.
In this battle against Zhang Xuan, he had suffered a complete defeat.
After dealing with Lu Feng, Mu shi turned his sights to Chen Chengxun.
“Chen Chengxun, for blindly listening to the words of another, failing to discern right from wrong, you will be stripped of your responsibility as the head of the Formation Master School, and you are to await the verdict from the headquarters!”
While School Head Chen might not have played a huge role in this incident, he was still a culprit who had played a part in framing Zhang shi.
“I understand.”
In that instant, Chen Chengxun seemed as if he had aged a decade.
“As for Dong Xin, as a student of the Master Teacher Academy, instead of working hard on your studies and acting as a role model for the freshmen, you got involved in the politics of the academy and became a tool for Lu Feng to frame Zhang shi. From today onward, you will be stripped of your position as a student… In other words, you are expelled from the academy!” Mu shi waved his hands.
With the accusations against Zhang Xuan proving to be unfounded, and that he was going to be the next principal of the Master Teacher Academy, those who had attempted to do him in had to be dealt with. Otherwise, if they were to set a precedent for leniency in such a matter, it might encourage others to do the same.
Furthermore, the authority and standing of the principal could not be sullied by just anyone.
While Dong Xin had said that she was just recounting what she had seen, it was due to her words that Lu Feng and Chen Chengxun had put the plan into motion. The words of a master teacher held great power, so it was imperative that they should be held accountable for their words. It was an unfortunate mistake, but it was a fact that she had unwittingly become Lu Feng’s accomplice as well, so she had to be promptly punished, too.
With a darkened complexion, Dong Xin clasped her fist and bowed. “Yes!”
She had thought that having found a handle on Zhang Xuan, she could finally get one over him. But not only had she become of the same seniority as the other party’s great grandstudent, she was even expelled from the academy…
While she was still a 6-star master teacher after leaving the academy, the connections she had built up in the academy over many years had gone to waste. On top of that, there was also a blemish on her record, making it difficult for her to advance further as a master teacher.
Of the four of us, it seems Hu Yaoyao is the wisest after all! Dong Xin sighed deeply.
Their four student factions had been competing with one another for several years, and thinking about the matter, it seemed like Hu Yaoyao was the one with the most foresight of the four leaders. As Zhang shi’s apprentice, it would mean that she was a direct subordinate of the academy’s principal… With such an identity, her prestige would skyrocket, and many would be eager to fawn over her, making it easier than ever for her to obtain resources and forge connections.
After dealing with the trio, Mu shi turned to Zhang Xuan and asked, “Principal Zhang, is this resolution fine with you?”
Even though Mu shi was a 7-star master teacher, Zhang Xuan was currently the principal of the academy. By addressing Zhang Xuan as Principal Zhang and consulting him on this matter, he was expressing his respect for the other party’s authority, as well as to clear away any doubts that he might be siding with Lu Feng and the others.
“Yes, the resolution is fine with me.” Zhang Xuan nodded in response.
Actually, in his view, as long as the trio were willing to contribute all of their spirit stones to him, he didn’t mind dropping the matter altogether. In any case, those three were unlikely to be able to start anything anymore. Yet, not only were they removed from their current positions, some of them might even lose their master teacher license… What complaints could Zhang Xuan have of this?
“I still have matters to tend to, so I will be returning now… Ding Ding, let’s go!” Leaving those words behind, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist and stored the Golden Origin Cauldron in his storage ring as he bade the others farewell.
After returning to his manor, he had Sun Qiang head to the Xuanxuan Faction headquarters to invite Apothecary Lu and the others over before making his way to the Apothecary School.
Back then, he had communicated with the headquarters, and the other party had said that they would bring the Grand Intermittence Grass over.
Walking through the Apothecary School, he soon reached the reception of the Apothecary Pavilion and found that the medicinal herb the headquarters had promised him had arrived several days earlier.
It was said that the man who delivered the medicinal herb had wanted to hand it over to him personally, but after waiting a day in futility, he could only leave in disappointment.
Having obtained the Grand Intermittence Grass, Zhang Xuan was just about to return to his manor to check up on Wei Ruyan’s condition when he suddenly saw Luo Qiqi walking toward him.
Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, Luo Qiqi’s eyes lit up. “Teacher, you’re back!”
“Zhang shi!”
There were several others standing behind Luo Qiqi. They were Yu Fei-er, Xing Yuan, Wu Zhen, and Ye Qian.
Just like Luo Qiqi, they had all achieved a breakthrough in their cultivation, reaching the Perfect Harmonization realm.
It seemed like Zhao Bingxu’s Meridian and Bone Cleansing was indeed extremely useful to them. In just a single period of seclusion, they had already made significant advancements in their cultivation.
“Not bad!” Zhang Xuan remarked with a smile.
Even though he had a conflict with the others previously, the experience they had shared in the underground chamber had forged a unique bond among them. Thus, he truly felt happy for them from the depths of his heart when he saw them achieving greater heights.
“Zhang Xuan, I told you that I will repay my debt to you. Here are three high-tier spirit stones, treat the remaining as extra compensation for that day!” Yu Fei-er stepped forward and handed him a jade box. Three high-tier spirit stones were lined up within it, and they harnessed such great energy within them that even the spiritual energy in the surroundings was disturbed.
She had gambled with Zhang Xuan on multiple occasions, but not once did a bet end in her victory, and she even became the other party’s maid… though thinking about it now, she had never really fulfilled her ‘responsibilities’ as a maid.
Nevertheless, as a princess of Hongyuan Empire, and considering the fact that she had just made a breakthrough to the Perfect Harmonization realm, it wasn’t too difficult for her to ask for a couple of high-tier spirit stones from the royal court.
“I won’t stand on ceremony then…” If there was one thing Zhang Xuan always needed, it was spirit stones. With a flick of his wrist, he placed the jade box into his storage ring.
“Zhang shi, we have heard of your encounter in the academy. Did the school heads… make things difficult for you?” Xing Yuan and Wu Zhen asked anxiously.
From the moment they came out from their seclusion, they had been hearing about Zhang shi’s affairs in the academy, how he crippled several schools and even challenged a vice school head to a Life-and-Death Physician Duel… It could be said that in just the half of month since Zhang shi’s enrollment, the ruckus he had caused in the academy was greater than what the four of them had caused over the past few years.
Seeing that the others were sincerely worried for him, Zhang Xuan replied with a smile, “They didn’t. Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
“That’s good!” Hearing those words, the group heaved a sigh of relief.
At this point, Yu Fei-er stepped forward, and gritting her teeth, she hesitated for a brief moment before saying, “My father hopes to meet you.”
“Your father? That is… the emperor of Hongyuan Empire?” Zhang Xuan was taken aback.
Since Yu Fei-er was the Sixth Princess of Hongyuan Empire, naturally, her father must be the incumbent emperor.
“That’s right.” Yu Fei-er nodded.
“When?” Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully.
“He has asked me to invite you to the banquet tonight,” Yu Fei-er replied.
“Why would he invite me to a banquet?” Zhang Xuan was puzzled.
He was only a 4-star master teacher. He might have caused quite a ruckus in the academy, but surely what he had done wasn’t sufficient for the emperor of a Tier-1 Empire to extend an invitation to him?
“King Huai has gifted you a luxurious manor, and you once took me in as your maid as well. On top of that, you caused quite a huge ruckus in the academy and emptied out nearly the entire Spirit Emporium… Naturally, my father hopes to meet the mastermind behind all of that!” Yu Fei-er said.
At Zhang Xuan’s current pace, it seemed as if he would tear apart the capital next. If Yu Fei-er’s father hadn’t heard of him after everything that he had done, he would truly be an incompetent emperor.
Not to mention, he had taken the other party’s daughter as his maid at one point in time. Even though Yu Fei-er didn’t mention it to him, he still had his sources to uncover that.
“This…” Zhang Xuan scratched his head awkwardly.
“Alright then. However, I need to forge a pill first. If I have time, I will make sure to drop by…”
Since he was staying in Hongyuan Empire for the time being, it would be impossible for him to steer completely clear of Yu Fei-er’s father way, especially if the other party was intent on meeting him. Besides, there was nothing for him to fear either.
“It’s settled then. I will meet you at the banquet. The location is the royal palace, and here is your invitation letter!” Seeing that she had received Zhang Xuan’s agreement, Yu Fei-er passed a letter over with a smile.
“Un.” Zhang Xuan took the letter and stowed it in his storage ring.
After bidding farewell to Yu Fei-er, Luo Qiqi, and the others, Zhang Xuan returned to his manor. However, as soon as he stepped through the door, Sun Qiang suddenly rushed up to him with an anxious look on his face.
“Young Master, bad news… the Ten-leafed Flower you have planted in the courtyard… has changed colors!”
