Library of Heaven’s Path

”Are you saying that I won’t be getting any Academic Credits?” Hearing the other party’s words, Zhang Xuan was stunned.

”Of course not!” Yuan Hong flung his sleeves in displeasure. ”In order to uphold the integrity of the challenge, the Passageway of Records have a system in place to check if there was any cheating involved. Now that the entire place has collapsed, how can we ensure that you didn’t use any artifact inside?”

Naturally, the records must be achieved using one’s own capability, and the Passageway of Records had several systems in place to allow others to check on how the challenge went. Otherwise, if one was allowed to use artifacts as they pleased during the challenge, it would become a competition of wealth instead of capability, and the concept of challenging records would become meaningless.

However, given that the entire passageway had been reduced to ruins, it would be impossible to ensure the integrity of the challenge. As such, how could they deem whether one had truly broken the record or not?

Furthermore, you caused such devastating damage to the Blacksmith School right after you arrived. I haven’t even talked about the reparation costs yet, and here you are asking me for Academic Credits... You must be kidding me!

”This...” Zhang Xuan was dumbstruck.

He thought that he would be able to obtain Academic Credits since he had already broken the record, but based on the other party’s tone, it seemed like it was a hopeless cause.

He had wasted his time this time around.

But at the very least, he did receive something good from the challenge. Not only did he achieved Second Incandescence in the Quintuple Incandescence Golden Body, his soul had also successfully surpassed the ten-meters bottleneck.

”Since I won’t be getting any Academic Credits from this, I’ll challenge the other records then...” After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan said.

Since he was already at the Blacksmith School, he should at least return with a 5-star blacksmith emblem. Otherwise, wouldn’t this be a wasted trip?

”Challenge what? Look at the state of the Passageway of Records! Do you think that you can still challenge any records?” Luo Yan stood up and roared furiously.

How are you going to challenge the other records when the Passageway of Records is already wrecked!

”Then... How can I earn more Academic Credits then?” Zhang Xuan scratched his head.

”The Passageway of Records represents the honor and glory of the Blacksmith School, and yet, you broke it as soon as you arrived. Let me give you a word of advice, don’t bother thinking about Academic Credits anymore. Think about how you can compensate for the damages!” Luo Yan gazed at Zhang Xuan in pity.

It took the Celestial Designer School and the Blacksmith School much effort before they managed to craft the Passageway of Records. It had survived the challenge of innumerable students over several millennia, and you destroyed it as soon as you came... Instead of thinking about how you can compensate for what you have done, you are still dreaming of obtaining Academic Credits?

You sure are brazen-faced!

”Compensate?” Zhang Xuan’s face twitched. After a moment of hesitation, he asked meekly, ”How much?”

Hearing those words, Luo Yan turned to his teacher.

As a student, he didn’t have the right to dictate the compensation amount.

”The Chamber of Earth Flame is forged more than four thousand years ago by the head of the Blacksmith School and the head of the Celestial Designer School then. Four Earth Flame Hearts and several other valuable materials were used in its construction. Even if we were to take in the depreciation cost due to damages over time, it would still cost at least twenty high-tier spirit stones!”

After a moment of mental calculation, Yuan Hong replied.

In most guilds, there were usually policies that spared geniuses the liability of compensating for the damage they have caused. More often than not, the guild could just report the issue to the headquarter, and the latter would send someone down to repair the relevant facilities.

However, this rule didn’t hold in Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. After all, this place was literally a gathering of geniuses. If everyone were to act negligently and destroy as they pleased, how would the academy continue to function?

Even if they were to sell the principal of the academy away, they still wouldn’t be able to bear the cost!

”H-how much did you say? T-twenty high-tier spirit stones?” Zhang Xuan’s body swayed weakly, and he nearly spewed blood.

Are you joking with me?

If I have that much spirit stones, why would I even bother going through the trouble earning Academic Credits? I could have just easily bought them off others!

While Academic Credits were indeed valuable, there should be plenty of students who would be willing to sell it to him for high-tier spirit stones.

”Considering that you are a freshman and the matter is an unintentional doing on your part, I can reduce the compensation by half for you. You just have to pay ten high-tier spirit stones!” Hong Yuan said.

”Ten... I don’t have that much either.” Zhang Xuan shook his head.

All in all, he only had one high-tier spirit stone, and he had obtained it from emerging as the champion of the Master Teacher Tournament. Even if he were to sell all of his possessions, he couldn’t possibly fork out ten high-tier spirit stones!

”I know that you don’t have that much, so I’ll offer you an alternative then. As long as you work for the Blacksmith School for ten years, I’ll consider it as you have repaid the debt!” Hong Yuan waved his hands.

High-tier spirit stones were used by Saint realm experts or those attempting a breakthrough to Saint realm, there was no way that a freshman like Zhang Xuan could possibly have any of that. From the very start, Yuan Hong had intended to have Zhang Xuan work to pay off his debt!

It wasn’t uncommon for students to work in the schools of the academy. Take the receptionist Li Xuan for example, she was also a student working at the Blacksmith Academy to earn additional Academic Credits.

However, in Zhang Xuan’s case, since he had to repay his debt, he wouldn’t be receiving any Academic Credits for his effort.

”Ten years of work to repay a debt of ten high-tier spirit stones? That is an extremely good deal!”

”Indeed! High-tier spirit stones are incomparably valuable. Just a single one of them is worth 10,000 middle-tier spirit stones. It sure is kind of Vice School Head Yuan to offer such generous terms!”

”Well, the intention of the punishment is to deter future students who engaging in similar actions. Otherwise, even if he were to work for his entire life, it’s questionable whether he can repay the debt of ten high-tier spirit stones!”

...

Hearing Yuan Hong’s words, the crowd nodded in approval.

To cultivators who possess significantly longer lifespan than an average human, ten year wasn’t a long period of time. For an average 4-star master teacher, ten years might not even be enough for them to advance to 5-star.

To wipe off a debt of ten high-tier spirit stones with just ten years of work could already be considered as an extremely lenient term.

”Ten years?”

However, contrary to the response of the crowd, Zhang Xuan’s lips twitched upon hearing those words.

It was questionable whether he would even need to stay in this academy for half a year, let alone ten years!

If he were to really spend ten years here, he would have already died from the Innate Fetal Poison before he was freed.

”I can’t accept those terms. I don’t have the time to do so!” Zhang Xuan shook his head and rejected the offer.

”You can’t?” Yuan Hong’s face turned livid, and his eyes narrowed menacingly.

As the vice head of the Blacksmith School, this was the first time a student was so arrogant as to bargain with him even after erring.

Even after laying ruins to the Passageway of Records, do you not feel the slightest guilt?

It’s out of utmost kindness that I granted you the option of repaying your debt through work, did you think that you are in a position to bargain with me?

”How about this? Allow me to take a look at the damage to see if it can be fixed. If I can fix it, I won’t have to compensate the Blacksmith School, right?” After a long moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan suddenly asked.

”Fix? You?” Yuan Hong stared at Zhang Xuan as if he was looking at a monster.

Are you sure you brought your brain out with you today?

The Chamber of Earth Flame and Passageway of Corridor were constructed in a collaboration between 6-star pinnacle blacksmiths and celestial designers. Even Yuan Hong himself wasn’t confident if he was sufficiently skilled to repair them, but this fellow said that he wanted to give it a try?

Who do you think you are? Blacksmith Grandmaster Wu Yangzi?

How conceited can you get?

”Un!” Zhang Xuan nodded. After a moment of hesitation, he added, ”If I fail to fix it... I can offer you guidance on your smithing capability or your cultivation as compensation too.”

”Offer me guidance? Audacious!” Yuan Hong flew into a rage.

He was an elder of the Master Teacher Academy, the vice-head of the Blacksmith School, a 6-star pinnacle master teacher! He was an esteemed figure throughout the Master Teacher Academy, and he had always been the one to offer guidance to others, taking others in as his disciple. Yet, a freshman actually dared to say that he could offer him guidance on his smithing or cultivation?

Do you know what the heck are you saying?

”Was this fellow’s brain fried inside the Chamber of Earth Flame?”

”To speak of offering guidance to Vice School Head Yuan... Just what is going through his mind?”

Luo Yan and the others widened their eyes in disbelief at those words.

Brother, remember your identity! You are just a freshman!

To speak of offering guidance to Vice School Head Yuan, did you think that you are the head of the Blacksmith Academy or something?

Know your place!

”Ahh... What I mean is to have my teacher offer you some pointers on your cultivation!” Hearing the other party’s furious bellow, Zhang Xuan was taken aback for a moment before he realized the implications of what he had said, so he quickly changed his words in embarrassment.

This was the side effect of disguising as ’Yang shi’ too often. There were times which he would just find himself saying such words unwittingly.

As a mere freshman, it was no wonder why the others would be annoyed to hear him speak of offering guidance to a 6-star pinnacle master teacher.

”Teacher?” Suppressing his rage, Yuan Hong asked.

”My teacher Yang Xuan has once offered his pointers to Pavilion Master Mo Gaoyuan, and Elder Mo is also in awe of him.” Zhang Xuan chuckled as he flicked his wrist and took out a token. ”Here is the token Elder Mo gave me!”

”Elder Mo... You mean the head of the Beast Tamer School, Elder Mo?” Taking a glance at the token, Yuan Hong’s eyebrows shot up.

As the vice head of the Blacksmith School, it was natural that he would recognize that token.

That token served as a symbol of Elder Mo’s authority, and standing before it was as good as standing in the presence of Elder Mo himself. Due to the complications that came with it, Elder Mo would never give out his token easily.

Even though Yuan Hong and Elder Mo were both 6-star pinnacle master teachers, there was still a significant gap in their standing and their capability.

The fact that the latter was one of the Ten Great Master Teachers spoke loudly about his capability.

And furthermore... what did this fellow just say?

His teacher, Yang Xuan, had once offered his pointers to Mo Gaoyuan?

As the head of Hongyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, Mo Gaoyuan possessed a standing on par with the Ten Great Master Teachers. To be able to offer guidance to such a person, didn’t that mean that... Yang Xuan was at least a 7-star master teacher?

In an instant, Yuan Hong’s face turned grave.

If he had been thinking of strangling this ignorant fellow to death just a moment ago, at this instant, he was starting to feel a little apprehensive.

”Head of the Beast Tamer School? He’s a school head too?” Zhang Xuan was taken aback.

”You didn’t know?”

Judging how the other party didn’t know Elder Mo’s position in the academy, it didn’t seem like they have a close relationship. Nevertheless, Elder Mo still chose to give him his personal token. This seemed to hint that the other party had a truly incredible teacher.

Otherwise, why would one of the Ten Great Master Teachers go to the extent of giving a freshman his token? After all, there were many ways that he could show his goodwill towards a student.

It wouldn’t make sense for him to give out his personal token to a person he had barely met.

On the other hand, Zhang Xuan shook his head in response to Yuan Hong’s query.

He had never heard anyone speaking about it before him, so naturally, he was unaware of it.

”Elder Mo is a close acquaintance of mine, but even so, I can’t excuse you from the repayment. However, I can consider other alternative solutions you propose.” After a moment of contemplation, Yuan Hong said.

Regardless of whether what the other party said was true or not, the fact that he had Elder Mo’s token in hand goes to say that how highly the latter valued him. But even with the immense authority the Ten Great Master Teachers wielded, they couldn’t override the rules of the academy.

”It’s my mistake that I damaged the Passageway of Records and Chamber of Earth Flame. Can you allow me to attempt to repair it? If it still doesn’t work out after that... I’ll try to find a way to repay the Blacksmith School.” Zhang Xuan asked.

”Since you have Elder Mo’s token in hand, you should be a trustworthy person. Alright, I’ll give you this opportunity then!” Yuan Hong nodded.

It would be best if the other party could fix the damage, but even if he were to fail, that should make him give up on any other ideas he had in mind.

”Elder Mo’s token?”

”Who in the world is that fellow?”

”His teacher even offered pointers to Pavilion Master Mo? When did such an incredible figure appear amidst the freshmen...”

Hearing the conversation between the duo, a commotion broke out amidst the crowd.

Li Xuan and Luo Yan glanced at one another in astonishment.

It was just a moment ago that they had shown their displeasure towards Zhang Xuan. They thought that it would be fine since he was just a freshman, but who could have known that he would have such a powerful backing!

To be honest, if he had taken out Elder Mo’s token earlier on, they would have even willingly lent him their Academic Credits