Library of Heaven’s Path

Even before arriving at the training ground, Zhang Xuan and Zhao Bingxu could already see the massive crowd that had gathered in the area. Nearly every student in the academy had congregated, curious to watch the event. The bustle was even comparable to that on the day of the inauguration ceremony.

The Combat Master Selection was a festive event that only happened once every hundred years. On this occasion, one would be able to witness the strongest fighting power of their power class, so there was no master teacher who would be willing to miss such an opportunity.

It wasn’t just the students of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy who were present, the master teachers from the Hongyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion and even those from the surroundings empires were there, too, and each and every one of them had an excited expression that revealed their anticipation for the event that would occur very soon.

”Even though the Combat Master Hall is just a branch of the Master Teacher Pavilion, being a combat master grants one the opportunity to obtain even more resources, allowing one to cultivate faster than others. This is also the reason many hope to join their ranks,” Zhao Bingxu said.

Typically speaking, combat masters commanded less prestige than master teachers. After all, as the military branch of the Master Teacher Pavilion, they specialized only in fighting, which meant that their capability in their supporting occupations and their ability to impart knowledge, the very factors that gave rise to the master teachers’ prestigious standing in the world, fell beneath that of normal master teachers.

However, if one could join the Combat Master Hall, the Master Teacher Pavilion would devote resources to groom them, thus allowing them to grow easier and faster than an ordinary master teacher.

This was also the reason many master teachers desired to join their ranks.

However, it was a pity that the requirements to become a combat master were very demanding on one’s combat talent. Out of ten thousand master teachers, there might not even be one who could meet the mark.

Halfway through his words, Zhao Bingxu suddenly recalled the astounding battle talent that their principal possessed too, and he couldn’t help but ask, ”Principal Zhang, have you ever thought of becoming a combat master?”

He might not have had much confidence in the students of their Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, but he had no doubt that their principal would qualify if he were to take the examination too.

”Me? I have no interest!” Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Like Kong shi, his plan was to study many occupations and become a true master teacher who would spread his teachings across the world.

Besides, if he were to become a combat master who knew nothing but battle, how was he going to resolve his Innate Fetal Poison?

As such, he didn’t have much of an interest in becoming a combat master.

”That’s a relief…” Zhao Bingxu heaved a sigh of relief.

If their principal were to join the Combat Master Hall, the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy would surely return back to the disunited and chaotic situation it had been in before.

There was no way they would be able to find another principal who could win the recognition of every single preceding principal and held the respect and admiration of every single student and teacher.

While they were speaking, they arrived at the training grounds, and the students who saw them hurriedly bowed respectfully.

”Paying respects to Principal Zhang, paying respects to School Head Zhao!”

”Principal Zhang has returned!”

”I heard that the reason for Principal Zhang’s absence was because he was challenging the Empire Building test of the 6-star master teacher examination. To have returned now, could it be that he has cleared the examination?”

”Do you even need to ask? Of course, he must have cleared the examination! Given the prowess of our principal, taking a 6-star master teacher examination is nothing at all!”

”Indeed! Putting aside the 6-star master teacher examination, even if he were to become a 7-star master teacher this very instant, I wouldn’t be surprised at all…”

…

The news swiftly rippled across the crowd, and it didn’t take long for everyone present to learn that Zhang Xuan was at the training grounds. Their eyes couldn’t help but light up in excitement.

The emotion they harbored toward most elders was just deference for their power and authority, but toward the principal, who was younger than most of them, the emotions they felt were nothing but respect and admiration, and it was to the point where one could nearly call it blind faith.

After witnessing their principal produce miracle after miracle, at this point, they wouldn’t be too surprised regardless of what the other party did. Instead, they would just think of it as what ought to be the case.

After gesturing with a nod at the hot-blooded students, Zhang Xuan turned his attention back to Zhao Bingxu and asked with a frown, ”Where are other elders and the men from the other three Master Teacher Academies?”

The place was filled with students of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy and master teachers from the surrounding Master Teacher Pavilions, but not a single student or teacher of the other three Master Teacher Academies was anywhere to be seen.

”They are currently on the flying ship.” Zhao Bingxu pointed with a bitter expression.

Tracing his finger, Zhang Xuan immediately saw a massive ship floating in the air, propped up by eight saint beasts both at the front and the back. Its sheer size was sufficient to block out most of the sky, and its very presence seemed to carry an indomitable air around it.

Too preoccupied with the students on the training ground, Zhang Xuan had failed to notice the massive ship flying high in the sky instantly.

Focusing his sight toward the ship, he soon noticed three old men standing on the deck with their hands behind their backs. They commanded a grand air around them, as if conquerors who could shake the world with a wave of their hands.

As for School Head Mo and the others, they were currently standing right in front of the three old men, seemingly negotiating with them.

”They aren’t coming down?” Seeing this sight, Zhang Xuan frowned in displeasure.

To arrive at their Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy but refuse to alight from their flying ship, this could be said to be disregarding the honor and prestige of their Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy.

”School Head Mo is currently trying to invite them down, but considering how long it has been since then, it doesn’t seem like it’s working.” Zhao Bingxu’s complexion wasn’t too good either.

Instead of walking in through the entrance with their students as it should be for a formal visit, they had chosen to fly their ship all the way in instead. That was no different from barging into one’s living room on a mount, and it was considered extremely disrespectful behavior.

On top of that, the fact that School Head Mo and the others were speaking to them in front of the ship instead of on the ship showed that things weren’t going well on their end.

”Tell them that I, the principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, invite them to the audience stand to spectate the Combat Master Selection,” said Zhang Xuan.

”Yes!” Zhao Bingxu nodded, but just as he was about to leave to relay their principal’s words, he hesitated for a moment and asked, ”But… what if they still refuse to come down?”

Considering that School Head Mo and the others had negotiated with the other party but to no avail, there was a good chance that the name of their principal might not work either.

With a displeased frown, Zhang Xuan raised his fingers and said, ”I will give them three minutes.”

”Three minutes?” Stunned, Zhao Bingxu’s lips twitched.

Judging from their principal’s tone… it seemed like he was prepared to wreak havoc if needed to!

But… of the Four Great Master Teacher Academies, Hongyuan was the weakest. If they were to start something, the ones to ultimately lose out would indubitably be them too.

Hesitating for a moment, Zhao Bingxu felt that he should advise their principal against that. ”Principal Zhang, no matter what, they are still guests. If we make a move against them, others could easily find faults with us…”

If the other party were to be pummeled at their doorstep, wouldn’t they suffer the same fate when they arrived at the other party’s doorstep a hundred years later?

”Make a move against them? You are overthinking it.”

Zhang Xuan shook his head and shot Zhao Bingxu a look of disdain. ”We are master teachers, cultured individuals, so how can we resort to violence just because things don’t go as we wish? Besides, the three principals are 7-star master teachers. Even if we wish to make a move against them, we have to be able to defeat them first!”

As 7-star master teachers, even with the most conservative of estimates, they had to be at Saint realm 2-dan. Unless Zhang Xuan were to have the Golden Origin Cauldron, the Byzantium Helios Beast, and the Myriad Anthive Queen attack them simultaneously, it would be difficult for him to achieve victory.

Besides, to resort to violence right from the start, how could the Master Teacher Academy lower itself to such brutish measures?

As master teachers, they were all dignified members of society. Naturally, they should be using civilized means befitting their standing to deal with conflict!

”Cough cough!” Feeling Zhang Xuan’s disdainful gaze on him, Zhao Bingxu couldn’t help but feel an extremely stifled sensation in his chest. ”Then… the three minutes you spoke of…”

If it was another principal who had said that he was a cultured person, he would have believed it without any hesitation! But the man before him… he rummaged through everything in his brain but just couldn’t find any reason to believe those words!

Would a cultured person challenge another to a Physician Life-and-Death Duel without any hesitation? Would a cultured person reduce a huge chunk of the entire Physician School to ruins on a whim?

Would a cultured person dismantle a puppet into its respective parts just because it wouldn’t submit to him?

Could anyone be less cultured than him?

”Oh… What I mean is that if they are still up there by the end of three minutes, I will just have to use my own way to invite them down!” Zhang Xuan waved his hand leisurely. ”Alright, just go ahead and do as I’ve told you to.”

”Ahh… Alright then,” Zhao Bingxu replied with an uneasy frown, apprehensive of what their principal would do.

However, since their principal had already issued such an order, he would just have to do as instructed. Thus, he leaped up and made his way toward the flying ship.

…

In the sky, School Head Mo and the others looked at the three old men and the many students behind them standing on the deck with looks of helplessness.

Just as Zhao Bingxu had said, they had been negotiating with the other party for a very long time, but the other party just wouldn’t go down. On top of that, as fellow master teachers, they couldn’t possibly do anything that could be considered a breach of etiquette, thus resulting in the awkward standstill they were in.

”Elders of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, you should return for the time being. We won’t be sending you off,” Wo Tianqiong said with a smile as he stroked his beard.

”This…” Seeing that he was unable to convince the other party to alight from the ship, School Head Mo and the others sighed deeply. Just as they were about to give up and head down, they suddenly saw Zhao Bingxu flying up.

”Principals, I am School Head Zhao Bingxu of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. Our principal invites you and your students down for a gathering.” Zhao Bingxu clasped his fist respectfully.

”Your principal has arrived?”

The three principals immediately turned their gazes downward to catch a glimpse the legendary new principal that they had heard so many rumors about, but there were simply far too many people below; it was hard for them to find the other party, especially considering they knew nothing about the other party’s appearance.

”That is indeed the case.” Zhao Bingxu nodded.

”Since he is here, I won’t make things harder for you all anymore. Relay our message to him. We will send our men down to participate in the Combat Master Selection when it begins. We won’t cause any unnecessary delays, so he doesn’t have to worry about that,” Wo Tianqiong said.

”This…” Seeing that the three principals had no intention of budging, Zhao Bingxu recalled their principal’s words, and the feeling of uneasiness he felt suddenly intensified. Anxious, he urged, ”Principals, I think that it will be best for you to head down now. Our principal… doesn’t have the best of tempers, and he has the uncanny ability to realize the seemingly unexpected and impossible. It wouldn’t be good if some unhappiness were to arise among our academies out of this matter.”

Their principal hadn’t said what he intended to do, but this only served to worsen Zhao Bingxu’s apprehension.

His words were extremely earnest, but to the ears of those hearing them, it sounded as if he was threatening them instead.

”Doesn’t have the best of tempers? Unhappiness? Hah, he just became the new principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, but his head is already in the moon?” Shen Pingchao was the first to flare up.

His face darkened as he said in displeasure, ”A young man like him shouldn’t get complacent and think that he is the entire world just because he has achieved some accomplishments of his own. Our Luoqing Master Teacher Academy does not belong to him, and there is no reason we should listen to his words! I will say this clearly, I won’t be alighting from this ship today. What is your principal going to do about it, is he going to force me down from this ship?”

”Principal Shen is right. If we refuse to alight from this ship, is your Hongyuan going to make a move on us? Tell your principal that youth is not a reason for recklessness. One must be absolutely careful with his words. I was still rather impressed with him after hearing about his feats, but to think that he would be such a complacent individual instead. You should start praying that his arrogance doesn’t lead to Hongyuan’s downfall instead!” Flinging his sleeves, Wu Ran harrumphed with a livid expression.

Bad temper? Unhappiness? Does that new principal really think that he can climb over our heads that easily?

Even if some unhappiness does arise, with the three of our academies on the same side, the one to suffer will be you!

”I… That isn’t what I mean…” Not expecting his kind advice to be misunderstood in such a manner, Zhao Bingxu hurriedly tried to clarify his earlier statement, but he just couldn’t find the words to do so properly. In an instant, he panicked even more.

Their principal had given him the time limit of only three minutes. Given the other party’s personality, who knew what he would do?

If he were to have dispatch all of the spirit beasts and saint beasts of the Cloudmist Ridge to encircle the flying ship and attack it, there would be an intense battle even before the Combat Master Selection began!

If that was the case, the Four Great Master Teacher Academies would become a laughingstock of the entire Master Teacher Continent!

”That isn’t what you mean? What else do you mean then? Why don’t you tell us what your principal instructed you to tell us word for word then?” Gazing at Zhao Bingxu with eyes as sharp as an eagle, Wo Tianqiong could tell that the other party had words that he was hesitant to say.

”Our principal…”

Zhao Bingxu was conflicted, but he knew that it would only complicate matters if he were to continue hiding it at this point. Thus, gritting his teeth, he said, ”He said that he hopes for you to come down within three minutes, or else… he will have to find other ways to resolve this problem…”

”Three minutes?”

Hearing those words, School Head Mo and the others nearly keeled over.

Doomed… At this rate, a battle would really occur!