As a 7-star high-tier master teacher, Wu shi was more than glad to see talented fresh blood in the Master Teacher Pavilion.
However, his rage at You Xu’s betrayal had given him a bad impression of the new principal, which was also the reason he had snubbed Zhang Xuan right from the start. On top of that, Zhang Xuan was also a little too young to have become the principal of a Master Teacher Academy. Achieving success too early in life tended to result in complacency, and that could be a particularly dangerous trait for a master teacher. He felt that a little bit of suffering to quell the other party’s pride and temper his state of mind could go a long way.
He had thought that he would be able to easily make the other party learn that the world was larger than he thought and that there was always a man greater than the other. Yet, he had become the one learning that there was a man greater than the other instead.
Just the thought of it left him feeling stifled within.
Wu shi shook his head with a bitter smile. It is no wonder he was able to become a principal at his age and win Mu shi’s praise and respect, inducing the latter to willingly address him as Senior Uncle. He sure isn’t an ordinary person!
He had always respected those who had made great contributions to humanity, and the young man before him had personally descended into the Subterranean Gallery despite his esteemed position as the principal and rescued forty 6-star master teachers, slain hundreds of Otherworldly Demons, and repaired the seal.
Any of those three were feats worthy of respect!
Knowing all this, Wu shi decided to put aside his airs and apologized earnestly. “Principal Zhang, I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions without trying to understand the situation. I ask you to forgive me for my previous offense!”
Master teachers valued etiquette, and a mistake was a mistake. Even if he was a 7-star high-tier master teacher, it was only right for him to admit his mistake wherever he had erred.
“Wu shi is being too polite; we are fellow master teachers working for mankind. Considering how dangerous the expedition will be, it is only right for you to act prudently.” Zhang Xuan nodded.
“I am glad you didn’t take it to heart.” Wu shi also nodded. Putting aside the matter, he continued the discussion regarding the expedition. “Alright, since we have decided that everyone will be joining in the expedition, we shall meet in one month at Firesource City.”
“Firesource City?”
“Un. Based on You Xu’s account and the scouting done by our Master Teacher Pavilion, the entrance to the ancient domain is located in the vicinity of Firesource City,” Wu shi replied.
The map of Hongyuan Empire came into his mind, and Zhang Xuan asked to confirm, “If I recall correctly, Firesource City is located near the boundary of Hongyuan Empire, close to the Saint Ascension Platform, right?”
Due to the close proximity between Firesource City and the Saint Ascension Platform, only a distance of several hundred kilometers, there were many pilgrims who would drop by for a short stay. As such, it had quite a prosperous economy.
“Yes, it is a city close to the Saint Ascension Platform,” Wu shi replied. “The Saint Ascension Platform is the ground where Kong shi ascended to Sainthood, and the ancient domain is located close to it. Perhaps, there might be a connection between the two, but it is still too early to make any assumptions! We don’t have enough information.”
“Un.”
The crowd nodded.
Anything relating to Kong shi shouldn’t be spoken of easily without any concrete proof.
“Speaking of the Saint Ascension Platform, I must speak about something that happened just a while ago.”
Wu shi chuckled softly as he turned his gaze to the crowd. “Kong shi left behind his writings on the Saint Ascension Platform, and three months ago, someone actually uncovered the true meaning behind those words, causing a huge ruckus then! Honestly speaking, I would really love to meet the expert who received Kong shi’s acknowledgement. If possible, I would like to acknowledge him as my teacher and learn from him.”
As Wu shi spoke, the admiration in his eyes deepened. Halfway through his words, he suddenly noticed that Wu Ran’s face had reddened to the point that it seemed like it would blow up at any moment. Displeased with the other party’s reaction, he frowned. “Principal Wu, is there something wrong? If I remember correctly, you are the leader of the Saint Ascension Circle, aren’t you? After so many years of research, you were unable to figure out the true meaning of Kong shi’s writing. Yet, someone else actually succeeded in doing so… Don’t you think that it is an incredible feat?”
“Cough cough!” Wu Ran’s eyes flew around the place. Unable to take it anymore, he said, “Wu shi, the expert who deciphered Kong shi’s writing… is right before you!”
“Right before me?” Taken aback, Wu shi’s eyes widened in astonishment. “Who is it?”
“It is… the person you said put on airs, Principal Zhang,” Wu Ran said with a complicated expression.
“Principal Zhang?” Wu shi staggered on the spot, and he nearly fainted from the heavy shock.
You must be joking with me?
A Nascent Saint actually managed to find mistakes in Kong shi’s writing?
Zhang Xuan also felt a little awkward, not knowing what to make of the situation. “The person you are speaking of… does indeed seem to be me!”
What is this? The man who put me down as if I was nothing a moment ago is actually saying that he wants to acknowledge me as his teacher. Sigh, these must be the problems that a person too outstanding faces all the time. What a dilemma!
“For several dozen thousand years, everyone thought that there couldn’t be a single mistake in Kong shi’s writing, so they cultivated strictly according to it. You are the man who found the mistake in it and courageously questioned it publicly… T-this…” Wu shi’s lips trembled in frenzy.
As a 7-star high-tier master teacher, he had thought that he would be able to easily teach the new principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy a lesson for his lapse of responsibility regarding You Xu’s matter so as to send out a stern warning to him. Who could have known that he would be the one who was taught a lesson instead?
For so many years, there had not been a person who dared doubt Kong shi’s words. Even thinking about it was blasphemous to them!
This notion had become far too ingrained in their minds to change.
This was precisely why, when they heard that someone actually voiced doubts regarding Kong shi’s writing in the Saint Ascension Platform, they had been extremely shocked. This was equivalent to challenging a prevalent mindset that had dominated the Master Teacher Continent for many, many years, as well as challenging Kong shi’s authority.
He had thought a person possessing the courage to do so would at least be a Saint 3-dan or 4-dan expert, a person who had a deep understanding of Sainthood. Who would have thought that it would turn out to be a twenty-year-old man whom he had just lectured a moment ago!
It could be said that the shock the other party had given him today was far more than what he had suffered in his entire life.
At this point, he felt that he should start rethinking life.
Seeing how shocked the other party was, Zhang Xuan shook his head. “It’s nothing much. Kong shi was ultimately still a mortal. There is no mortal who doesn’t make mistakes.”
There was no man in the world who was infallible, and Sages weren’t any exception to the rule!
“Y-you…”
Upon hearing these words, everyone’s face paled. Wu shi even hurriedly closed his palm to seal the surroundings with his zhenqi, fearing that those words would have been overheard by others.
“Principal Zhang, Kong shi is the World’s Teacher! His affairs mustn’t be spoken of so lightly…” Noticing that their principal was unaware of the convention, School Head Mo hurriedly sent a telepathic message over to advise him.
“Oh.” Zhang Xuan scratched his head. He had only just recalled a moment ago that in this world, a lower ranked master teacher was forbidden from speaking about the affairs of a higher ranked master teacher easily.
It was also thanks to this very rule that no other master teacher dared to look into his other persona, Yang Xuan.
As the World’s Teacher, the founder of the Master Teacher Pavilion, Kong shi was naturally an existence that one shouldn’t speak lightly of. If it was found that Zhang Xuan had spoken of him disrespectfully, he would be criticized by many master teachers.
In fact, it was not entirely impossible for him to be killed on the spot for his rudeness.
Those of the Master Teacher Continent had been brought up to respect their teachers, and the word ‘teacher’ held an exceptional position in each of their hearts. On the other hand, Zhang Xuan still retained the modern thinking he had in his previous life, so it was only natural that many would find it hard to accept his different line of thoughts.
It seemed like he really had to pay more attention to such matters in the future. Otherwise, if others were to use such an incident against him, he could be really put into a spot.
“I apologize for my prior faux pas. Please do not take it to heart,” Zhang Xuan apologized.
School Head Mo quickly reacted with a soft chuckle. “Principal Zhang, what are you referring to? I didn’t hear anything at all.”
“Indeed, we didn’t hear anything either.”
The others nodded in agreement.
Since it was a matter regarding Kong shi, it was best to play a fool and act as if they hadn’t heard anything at all.
Firstly, it was to avoid the fire from getting on them as well. Secondly, they could avoid offending the talented Principal Zhang.
In order to alleviate the awkward atmosphere, Liao Song asked, “Principal Zhang, your other two students, Wang Ying and Liu Yang, intend to challenge the trial of our Combat Master Hall as well. When do you think it will be convenient for them? It will be best for them to do it as fast as possible so that we can return soon.”
“Let’s hold the trial tomorrow then.” At this point, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before speaking once more. “Also… there is a faction in our academy known as the Xuanxuan Faction. If it is not too much trouble, I hope to bring them to your Combat Master Hall in the future so as to broaden their horizons. They will be able to interact and learn from one another.”
It was impossible to become an expert by cultivating in isolation. The Combat Master Hall was filled with experts, and if the Xuanxuan Faction could interact with them, they would be able to broaden their horizons and learn about many new things. That would be beneficial to their growth in the future.
Zhang Xuan had been contemplating this issue for the past few days, and since Liao Song was there, it was a good opportunity to broach this subject.
“Xuanxuan Faction, interaction…” Recalling what they had undergone two days ago, when they had just entered the academy, Liao Song’s face paled and his heart jolted in terror.
Even just hearing the word ‘Xuanxuan’ could easily send shivers up his spine at this point.
If it had been a normal interaction, it could be beneficial for the members of the Combat Master Hall as well. After all, everyone had their own unique interpretation of combat, and perhaps the insights that the students had could serve as a source of inspiration for their members. However, it was the Xuanxuan Faction they were talking about here.
If that group of tens of thousands of monsters were to visit their Combat Master Hall, would their members lose all faith and confidence?
Looking at the deep frown on Liao Song’s face, an expression that looked as if he had eaten two jin1 of salted vegetables, Zhang Xuan asked worriedly, “What’s wrong? Am I putting you on the spot?”
“It’s not that…”
Gritting his teeth, Liao Song said, “It’s like this. Our Combat Master Hall branch is located in Qingyuan Empire, which is more than a month’s journey from here. The reason I was able to arrive quickly is because I was in proximity to Hongyuan City when I received Zhuo Qingfeng’s message. The ancient domain will be opening in a month. Why don’t we talk about it once more after we survive the expedition?”
Qingyuan Empire was a significant distance away from Hongyuan Empire. Even if one rode on a saint beast, it would still be a journey of many days.
“You’re right. Since that’s the case, why don’t I just show you and your members to them later on so that you can interact with one another? Those fellows really can use some of your men’s pointers. Also, this will also be a good opportunity for them to see the true experts in this world so that they don’t become complacent!” Zhang Xuan said with a smile.
The fellows of the Xuanxuan Faction had also listened to his lecture, but they hadn’t really internalized his teachings through practical combat yet. If they could spar with the experts of the Combat Master Hall, they would be able to improve by leaps and bounds.
“Pointers? True experts?” Hearing those words, Liao Song’s lips twitched, and he nearly blacked out on the spot.
We might be considered experts before others, but to the freaks of the Xuanxuan Faction… Expert your head!
We were completely crushed by the Xuanxuan Faction right after we entered the academy, so what pointers could we possibly offer them?
You must be joking!
“It is an interesting notion, but I think we will pass on it.” Liao Song waved his hand and turned it down awkwardly.
“It’s just a normal interaction. Or does Combat Master Liao think that the students of our academy are too weak and are unworthy of your guidance?” Zhang Xuan asked with a frown.
He was unaware of the traumatic experience that Combat Master Liao had gone through, and this was a rare opportunity for the Xuanxuan Faction to meet and interact with combat masters too, so he wanted to vie for this opportunity for his students.
Besides, the combat masters specialized in fighting. Shouldn’t they be eager to join in, especially since it was a rare chance for them to display their skills?
“That’s not it…” Liao Song waved his hands.
“It’s settled then! It’s just a normal spar to learn from one another; nothing bad will come of it! However, I will have to ask your combat masters to go easy on my students so as to not traumatize them too much,” Zhang Xuan said affirmatively with a bright smile on his lips.
“Alright then…” Looking at the sincere and earnest face, Liao Song could tell that the other party wasn’t attempting to humiliate him. Left with no choice, he could only nod in agreement with despair reflected in the depths of his eyes.
Well, on the bright side, the interaction could help to raise the fighting prowess of their combat masters too if they could survive the ordeal…
