The vast lands of Tianwu Kingdom span tens of thousands of kilometers.
Due to the backing of 2-star master teachers, it is classified as a Tier 1 Kingdom.
Tianxuan, Beiwu, Hanwu, Beichen, Qianyuan, Anyuan, Baili... With Tianwu located right at the center of twelve other neighboring kingdoms, Tianwu Kingdom became the cultivation and trading hub in the area, a sacred land where countless people yearned to traveled to.
Princess Mo Yu had long left on her Viridescent Eagle, and thus, Zhang Xuan was the only person on the Howling Firmament Beast’s back. Out of boredom, Zhang Xuan worked on increasing his knowledge in the Library of Heaven's Path and, at the same time, reinforced his cultivation and evaluated his current condition.
"Along with the rise of my cultivation, the effect of the Heaven's Path Golden Body is becoming increasingly insignificant..."
When Zhang Xuan was at Tongxuan realm, the Heaven's Path Golden Body had allowed him to easily subdue cultivators of the same realm. Upon reaching Half-Zongshi, the effects had become less apparent. Eventually, when he reaches Zongshi realm, its potency would be reduced further.
To the point that it becomes insignificant.
It appeared there was a need for him to look for additional physical body cultivation techniques for further upgrade and training.
As for Heaven's Path Fist Art, Heaven's Path Leg Art, Heaven's Path Movement Art... Even though they were simple moves, they wielded incredible strength. From the looks of it, before he reached Zhizun, it was unlikely for him to be outdone in terms of battle technique. Thus, there was no hurry for him to look for new books.
"I'll have to take the master teacher examination as soon as possible after reaching Tianwu Kingdom. Only after becoming a master teacher will I gain the rights to enter the Master Teacher Pavilion and browse through records on Kong shi..."
On the way here, he had written what Gu Mu told him about Kong shi on a blank piece of paper and confirmed the matter using the Library of Heaven's Path. It was true that Celestial Kong shi was afflicted with the Innate Fetal Poison just like him and that he was later cured of the poison.
That was to say, the Innate Fetal Poison wasn't without a cure. It was just that at his current standard, he was unable to identify the correct method to cure it.
After coming to this conclusion, Zhang Xuan felt reassured. However, at the same time, doubts emerged in his mind. His previous self was only an orphan, so why would an 8-star or 9-star poison master go so far as to poison him himself?
Could it be possible that he possessed an incredible background and came from a powerful family?
Even though Zhang Xuan was perplexed, he decided not to think too much about the matter. Putting aside the fact that his previous self was an abandoned orphan, he, as a transcender, felt uncomfortable at the thought of abruptly stumbling upon people claiming to be his parents or one of his kins.
Rather than to feel distressed, it was much wiser to just ignore it altogether.
In any case, with the Library of Heaven's Path in his grasp, Zhang Xuan could only grow stronger. The world is vast, and there was nowhere that he couldn't go!
After traveling for another two days, when the sun was about to set in the west, a towering city appeared before Zhang Xuan's eyes. Under the orange glow of the evening sun, the city appeared just like a vast mountain range which extended into the horizon.
The city was more than several dozen times larger than Tianxuan Royal City. Its infrastructures were beautiful and elegant and the ancient city walls which stood dozens of meters tall were comparable to relics of history and were altogether an imposing sight.
Staring down from above, the streets in the city were well-connected and filled with crowds walking to and fro. All kinds of carriages and horses were traveling in and out of the city, creating an image of a lively painting.
As the trading hub of thirteen kingdoms, Tianwu Royal City was extraordinarily grand. It simply wasn't something that any of the cities Zhang Xuan had seen could compare to.
"Let's go down!"
Knowing that a city of such scale would surely have restrictions on massive savage beasts such as the Howling Firmament Beast, Zhang Xuan decided not to cause a ruckus. Thus, he landed at a location in the mountains not too far from the city, where the Howling Firmament Beast could behave freely, before walking toward the grand city with big strides.
"Please wait a moment! You've to pay the entrance fee to enter the city!"
He was about to walk through the gates when a group of guards stopped him.
"Entrance fee?"
Only upon looking around him did he realize that all visitors had to pay a certain sum to enter the city. If there wasn't such a restriction, the Tianwu Royal City's population would surely suffer from an uncontrollable population growth, possibly to the point that even the Tianwu royal family would be unable to manage the situation.
"That's right! Unless you're a master teacher or apprentice, you'll have to pay the toll fee!"
The guard said.
Master teachers were the foundation to the progress of the world, and thus, they possessed a high status in society. No matter where they went, they would be granted special privileges. This was something that the other occupations can never enjoy.
"Enough, what's the use of wasting your breath on him? Given his age, how could he be a master teacher or a master teacher apprentice?"
"That's right. Hurry up, there is a huge crowd waiting behind you!"
Seeing that the fellow was wasting their times, the two guards became impatient. The crowd behind which was waiting to enter the city was also urging them to hurry up.
What are you putting an act for?
Since its establishment several thousand years ago, a toll had been imposed on all entries into the city. For you to not even know such a basic fact, which backward place did you come from?
"How much does it cost?"
Ignoring their irritated gazes, Zhang Xuan asked.
"100 gold coins!" A guard replied.
"100?" Zhang Xuan was astonished.
Even a star teacher in Hongtian Academy earn only two thousand gold coins per month. Hundred gold coins for an entrance fee was indeed exorbitant.
"That's right!"
Seeing the shocked expression on the other party's face, it was clear that he was someone who had never seen the world. The guards stared at him contemptuously.
To make such a huge fuss over a hundred gold coins, it is clear that he is a poor bloke.
"I don't have money..."
Zhang Xuan shook his head.
Upon hearing those words, the guards revealed an expression that screamed 'I knew that you would say that' and bellowed, "If you don't have money, don't waste our time here! For you to think that you can enter the city like that, you must be dreaming..."
However, before he could finish his words, the irksome fellow before him lifted up a token in his hand and looked at him with an excited expression, "But with this, I shouldn't have to pay any money, right..."
"No matter what you have, it doesn't make a difference... Ah? A master teacher apprentice identity token..."
Halfway through his words, the guard recognized the token in the other party's hands. His entire body trembled in shock, and all of the words that he was about to speak choked in his mouth. At this point, he was already on the verge of tears.
"Are you... a master teacher apprentice?"
Those guards who were criticizing him just a moment ago turned pale upon seeing the token.
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They had thought that he was a countryside bumpkin, but to think that he would be a formidable figure.
Brother, if you're a master teacher apprentice, you could have just entered straight away. Why do you have to go through all the trouble to ask us about the toll fee? Aren't you intentionally making things difficult for us...
"Please enter..."
Suppressing the stifling sensation in their chests, the guards stepped aside immediately to open up a path for him...
If the royal family were to find out that they had troubled a master teacher apprentice, their heads might be lopped off their necks.
Upon seeing that the token Liu shi and the others could allow him to enter freely, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction. "To think that this toy would be this useful, saving me a hundred gold coins so easily..."
"..." The guards.
They had seen misers, but they had never seen such a scrooge.
For a master teacher apprentice, a figure who induces respect no matter where he goes, to be so happy just because he saved a hundred gold coins...
Behaving like that, aren’t you doing injustice to your prestigious identity?
Ignoring the stifled guards, Zhang Xuan walked right into the city.
Even though he had several ten million gold coins in his storage ring, he nevertheless maintained the mindset of a spendthrift. After all, gold coin saved is a gold coin earned. As for the opinions of others...
What does it have to do with me!
...
The streets within the city were wide, shops could be seen all around and vendors shouted passionately to gather customers. The remaining sunlight from the setting sun reflected off the towering buildings, inducing in oneself a warm feeling.
"As expected of Tianwu Royal City, an object picked at random from any vendor is of much higher grade than those in Tianxuan Kingdom!"
Walking along the street, Zhang Xuan glanced at the various products sold in the stores and he could not help but feel astonished.
Him right now was like Granny Liu stepping into the Prospect Gardens, curious about everything around him.
Even though he had read about most of the objects present here in the books, it was a different thing to see them in person.
"So you're a master teacher apprentice as well?"
Zhang Xuan was looking around his surroundings when a voice sounded behind him. Turning around, he saw a lady in her twenties looking at him with a perplexed expression.
This lady was dressed in a light green robe. Even though her appearance paled in comparison to amazing beauties like Shen Bi Ru and the others, she had an amiable face which felt pleasant to the sight.
An elder dressed in an obvious bodyguard outfit stood beside her, and the aura he exuded felt deep. From time to time, a spark of light would flash across his eyes.
He was a Zongshi realm expert!
To be able to hire a Zongshi realm expert as her bodyguard, this lady was likely to be of an extraordinary standing.
"Un!"
Zhang Xuan replied casually. It was likely that these two saw his apprentice token when he entered the city, so they gave chase to ask him about it.
"Me too!"
With a laughter, the lady flipped her hand and a token appeared in her palm.
To think that she would be a master teacher apprentice as well.
"Incredible!" Zhang Xuan was impressed.
In Tianxuan Kingdom, even someone as outstanding as Lu Xun was unable to become a master teacher apprentice, but a random lady he met on the streets turned out to be one. The disparity between both kingdoms was indeed huge.
The lady was clearly satisfied with Zhang Xuan's response, and her attitude toward him improved significantly. "My teacher is 1-star Master Teacher Cheng Xuan. May I know who you're studying under?"
"My teacher isn't well-known, and I doubt you would have heard of him!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.
He didn't actually have a teacher, and this token was given to him by Liu shi and the others. As such, he could only beat around the bush.
Seeing that the other party was unwilling to disclose anything, the lady also didn't pursue this any further. Instead, she looked at him with a doubtful expression and asked, "For you to arrive at the capital at such a time... can you be here for the [Question Symposium] as well?
"Question Symposium?" Zhang Xuan was bewildered. "What's that?"
"You don't know?" The lady stared at Zhang Xuan as though he was a monster. "The Question Symposium is the final test for the master teacher examination. Only those who have passed the Question Symposium can become a true master teacher. Since you're a master teacher apprentice, how can you not even know about it?"
Zhang Xuan was confused.
He only obtained the apprentice token by impersonating as 'Yang shi's' disciple, so there wasn't anyone to explain to him the process of the master teacher examination. Previously, Liu shi and the others had only spoken briefly about the eligibility for the examination, and they hadn’t touched on anything else in detail. Thus, he didn't know about the Question Symposium.
"That's right!" The lady hesitated for a moment, and a thought seemed to have flashed into her head. Coming to an epiphany, she said, "I get it, you must have just become an apprentice not too long ago! As a new apprentice, it is a long way before you can take the master teacher examination. Naturally, your teacher wouldn't have told you about the examination yet!"
Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.
Putting aside how long it had been since he became a master teacher apprentice, it wasn't even two months since he arrived in this world. Besides, there wasn't even a single master teacher in Tianxuan Kingdom, and there wasn't a single book on master teachers. Thus, it would be a wonder if Zhang Xuan knew about the examination process.
"Since you've just become an apprentice, you need not be so anxious. Study hard, and as long as you pass the examination within ten years, you will bring glory to your ancestors!"
Hearing that the other party had just become an apprentice, the lady's attitude became even more amiable. "After all, we can't expect ourselves to be as talented as Princess Mo Yu and pass the master teacher examination at twenty-two!"
Upon speaking of Princess Mo Yu, her eyes began to glow in reverence.
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Granny Liu stepping into the Prospect Gardens
Reference to the Dream of the Red Chamber. It is similar to Alice walking into Wonderland.