Forming the Principal’s Seal required gathering the wills of every single student and teacher in the Master Teacher Academy. It was a solemn and sacred event.
Before doing so, the succeeding principal was required to conduct a public lecture so as to give the members of the academy a glimpse of his capability in imparting knowledge. If the succeeding principal couldn’t even convince the members of the academy of his capability, how could he possibly gather their wills to form the Principal’s Seal?
“I am excited to hear Zhang shi’s lecture!”
“Since even his students are so capable, little has to be said about the teacher!”
“I wonder what the lecture from a man recognized by all of the preceding principals will be like…”
Anticipation surfaced on the faces of the crowd.
Given how even Zhang shi’s students could lecture about the foundation of cultivation and battle techniques so well, he should be able to do far better than that!
“I shall conduct a lecture on the fundamentals then!” Zhang Xuan nodded as he walked toward the edge of the stage.
School Head Mo had told him earlier that he would have to hold a public lecture as part of the inauguration ceremony, so there was nothing much for him to hesitate over.
Besides, having comprehended the Heart of a Teacher, he had a deeper insight into the responsibilities of a teacher. Knowledge served as a tool to further the prosperity of mankind, and only through imparting it would they serve their purpose. There was no point in him keeping it to himself.
After surveying the crowd, Zhang Xuan began to speak.
“One can view cultivation as similar to building a castle. Only with a strong foundation can a castle reach great heights. Otherwise, it will only be like the moon in the lake, disappearing with the slightest ripple…”
Even though he didn’t intentionally amplify his voice, his words still reached the ears of every single person in the training grounds crisp clear.
As he spoke, spiritual energy began to surge in from the heavens and gathered around the training grounds. The sheer concentration of spiritual energy resulted in its materialization as innumerable pure white lotuses, creating an exceptionally beautiful sight.
Spirit Gathering Diction!
Listening to Zhang Xuan’s lecture, it didn’t take long for the students to fall into a trance.
…
On the streets beyond the Master Teacher Academy were stores trading in every sort of commodity that one could think of, be it daily necessities, accommodation, or consumables. Over the years, each store had developed an extremely effective supply chain that drove the economy of Hongyuan Empire.
Being a master teacher was one of the most lucrative occupations in the Master Teacher Continent, so those who succeeded in securing a store around the Master Teacher Academy often made a killing out of their businesses.
“Boss, isn’t the main reason most choose a store location close to the Master Teacher Academy to come into contact more with master teachers and possibly receive their guidance and advance their cultivation? Why has your cultivation remained stagnant over the past twenty years then?”
In a tavern, a carefree swordsman with a cup of fine wine in his hand gazed lazily at another person standing not too far away from him.
He had visited the tavern once twenty years ago and lived there for several months. In that period of time, the both of them had grown rather close with one another.
The man who he was speaking to was a potbellied man in his fifties, with an appearance that deeply resembled a merchant. However, he was actually a renowned swordsman, boasting incredible skill dozens of years ago!
However, for some reason, he had backed out of the pugilistic world and became the owner of a tavern instead. It had been dozens of years since then, and many merchants along the street had come and gone; he was the only one who had remained constant in this time, and his cultivation had shown no change as well.
As such, the swordsman couldn’t help but be bewildered by this puzzling sight.
“I also wish to advance my cultivation, and there must have been at least eight thousand master teachers who have drunk in my tavern, and of which, probably two to three thousand have offered me pointers on my cultivation at some point. However… it seems like I have already reached the limits of my talent. No matter how hard I try, I am just unable to take another step forward!”
Sighing deeply, the boss shook his head with a bitter smile.
As a swordsman who had lived alongside his sword for many years, he wouldn’t have chosen to cast aside his sword had he not met with overwhelming difficulties.
Severely damaged in a fight against a rival, he had found his cultivation and his ability to cultivate crippled. Hoping to find a cure, he had opened this tavern just outside the Master Teacher Academy so that he could seek their advice and return to his peak…
However, dozens of years had passed, and he had indeed encountered many master teachers as well. However, not a single one of them possessed the capability to cure his trauma and allow him to pick up the sword once more!
Over time, disappointment after disappointment had eroded the confidence he had, and eventually, his skill with the sword became beneath his skill with a butcher’s cleaver.
“Sigh!”
Realizing the boss’s helplessness toward his plight, the carefree swordsman gulped down large mouthfuls of wine and sighed. Just as he was about to say something in consolation, he suddenly felt the surrounding spiritual energy gushing furiously toward the Master Teacher Academy.
“What is happening?” the swordsman asked with a deep frown.
The boss took a glance and replied nonchalantly, “I heard that the Master Teacher Academy is holding an inauguration ceremony for their succeeding principal today. Most likely, they are currently in the public lecture formality at the moment. For a 6-star master teacher to trigger Spirit Gathering Diction, that isn’t anything to make a fuss about…”
A 5-star master teacher was already capable of utilizing Spirit Gathering Diction, just that the area of effect would be significantly smaller.
Considering that the one conducting the lecture was the succeeding principal, it should come as no surprise that he was capable of utilizing Spirit Gathering Diction.
“Oh…” The swordsman nodded. However, just as he was about to continue drinking, he suddenly heard a voice from afar. “One can view cultivation as similar to building a castle. Only with a strong foundation can a castle reach great heights…”
The voice seemed to gradually fade off from the boundary of the Master Teacher Academy, but as the tavern was located right against the academy’s walls, it was a little vague but still barely audible in there.
“This… the content may seem basic, but it is very direct, seemingly pointing straight to the essence of cultivation!” After listening for a brief moment, the carefree swordsman’s eyes suddenly brightened, and he placed his wine cup down. The zhenqi in his body began to move spontaneously according to the other party’s words, furthering his cultivation.
“Incredible!”
For his body to have such a reaction despite being such a distance away from the speaker, just how powerful was the person lecturing in the Master Teacher Academy at this very moment?
This was no longer a simple lecture but an impartation of the true essence of the world!
Taking a swift glance at the boss of the tavern and seeing that the latter was still in the midst of preparing his wine, the carefree swordsman quickly yelled, “Boss, you should listen to the lecture, too!”
The trauma the latter’s body had suffered had hindered him from cultivating. Perhaps, the formidable might of this lecture would be able to aid him in overcoming his trauma and bring him back to his peak!
“Listen to what? It’s not like I haven’t met the elders of the Master Teacher Academy before. I have already received personal guidance from a couple of them, but none of them were able to do anything about my situation! What use can a mere public lecture be?” The boss shook his head, thinking nothing of it.
Since even the personal guidance of the elders of the Master Teacher Academy was unable to treat him, what could a public lecture possibly do for him?
After so many years of disappointment, the hope he had harbored initially had already eroded, leaving nothing but disappointment and despair.
His faith in master teachers had also fallen to a minimum as a result.
On the other hand, seeing that the boss of the tavern was reluctant to budge, the carefree swordsman urged anxiously, “I am not joking, you really should give it a listen. This is really good stuff…”
Wandering the world, he had encountered many master teachers and listened to many of their lessons, but there were none who could compare with this public lecture. Or perhaps, it might be more accurate to say that they were on two totally different levels!
Despite the faint voice depriving him of a few words here and there, he still benefited greatly from the lecture.
“It’s fine, I have already gotten used to this life!” The boss shook his head with a smile as he continued to prepare his wine behind the counter, not bothering to make his way over.
“You don’t believe me? Take a look at that donkey then!”
Seeing that the boss was reluctant to come over, the carefree swordsman shook his head helplessly, unsure of how he should convince the boss otherwise when he suddenly caught sight of something, and his eyes widened in shock. He hurriedly raised his finger and pointed at a donkey in the courtyard of the tavern.
It was the animal that the boss used to transport his wine about.
“Donkey?” Frowning, the boss shot a gaze over, and the sight before him left him stunned.
The donkey, which he had spent several years with, had pricked up its large ears and placed one against the wall of the academy, listening intently so as to not miss a single word of the lecture. Under the effects of the lecture, it seemed to have fallen into a trance, snorting in excitement from time and time while nodding continuously to express his respect for the lecturer.
“Even a donkey is listening to the lecture?” The boss narrowed his eyes in shock.
It was said that the most formidable of master teachers were able to impart knowledge beyond racial boundaries. Be they human or beast, the master teacher would be able to draw them in with their lecture, convincing their bodies to cultivate obediently.
However, those who had managed to achieve such heights were extremely rare. At the very least, despite managing a tavern right outside the Master Teacher Academy for so many years, he had never seen a master teacher capable of such.
For the public lecture of the succeeding principal to successfully convince even a donkey to listen to his words… Just what in the word was being said?
In that moment of bewilderment, the boss suddenly saw his perfectly ordinary donkey raising its head to the air and braying out loud. The aura it emanated from its presence intensified as spiritual energy gushed into its body, nurturing its strength.
Kacha! Kacha!
The donkey had successfully achieved a breakthrough from an ordinary animal into a savage beast!
Aoooooo, aooooo!
With this breakthrough, the donkey brayed arrogantly as it turned its sight to its boss tauntingly.
Courage that had long disappeared within the donkey after the many years of oppression finally bloomed within it once more, and the determination to use is donkey hooves to fight against the inequality in its fate permeated its being.
“Since even a donkey is capable of achieving a breakthrough, don’t you think that it’s still too early for you to give up? Surely you can’t be inferior to even a donkey, right?” the carefree swordsman remarked.
The boss’s face turned pale.
The donkey that he had bought was only an ordinary animal, possessing no bloodline of any savage beast whatsoever. Yet, just by listening to a lecture momentarily, it actually managed to achieve a breakthrough… Just how formidable was the lecturer?
Perhaps, if he were to listen to it, he might just be able to overcome the bottleneck that had limited his progress…
Just as he was about to approach the wall against the Master Teacher Academy to listen to the lecture, he suddenly saw a rooster, which he was intending to kill later in the night for dinner, leaping out of its cage, spreading its wings, and soaring into the boundless skies, reminiscent of a proud phoenix!
An ordinary rooster had also become a savage beast after listening to the lecture!
Following which, the pig he had bred, the fish within the pail… Changes began to emerge in each of them as strength welled up within them, and they began to thrash about in hopes of escaping the courtyard, as well as the desolate fate that was awaiting them…
“Th-this…” The boss rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
Just what in the world was the succeeding principal lecturing on for such changes to emerge in all of these fellows?
Gugu huahua!
But before he could recover from the shock of it, he suddenly heard many beasts and animals along the streets calling out delightfully as their strength reached new heights. At the same time, many vendors who were listening to the public lecture also felt invigorated as they overcame their previous bottlenecks.
In just a short moment, the street seemed to have become completely different from before.
“I must hurry… I have to listen to the lecture as well…” Knowing that this change was caused by the lecture occurring within the academy, the boss dared not to hesitate anymore. He quickly ran over and placed his ears against the academy walls, intent on listening to what was being said within.
And with just a couple of words, his eyes immediately glazed over as he fell into a trance.
Hong long!
Some time later, his cultivation, which had remained stagnated for dozens of years, abruptly began moving once more, and with a resounding buzz, he overcame the locks tying him down previously.
“I have succeeded!”
Realizing that he could finally pick up a sword once more, the boss’s body trembled in agitation. He had no idea who the lecturer was, but he still kneeled down toward the Master Teacher Academy to express his earnest gratitude for a very long time.
…
The same sight was also occurring along all of the streets in proximity to the Master Teacher Academy.
At least nine out of ten of those who had reached a certain level in their cultivation would receive a tangible benefit from listening to the lecture or even achieve a breakthrough!
However, what was even more exaggerated was the animals. Almost all of them had turned into savage beasts just by listening to the lecture!
In the royal palace, a white-haired historian recorded the events.
Hongyuan Empire, the 33rd Year of Emperor Yu Shenqing’s rule, spring.
In the inauguration ceremony of the 104th principal of the Master Teacher Academy, Zhang shi held a public lecture. Spiritual energy descended from the heavens, and heavenly lotuses were scattered in the sky. All members of the Xuanxuan Faction achieved a breakthrough simultaneously, and many other students had managed to advance their cultivation significantly as well.
In order to listen to the lecture, all of the savage beasts and spirit beasts pressed their ears against the walls of the Master Teacher Academy. During that time, there was not a single animal to be found along the streets and alleys of Hongyuan City, but their calls echoed resoundingly throughout the entire city…
Millman: Posting this slightly early as I need to go out 😀
