It took a while before Zhang Xuan was finally done 'inspecting' the chicken thighs and put them down.
It seemed like, for objects other than a book, laying his sight on them wasn't enough. He still had to come into physical contact with them in order to collect their information in the Library of Heaven's Path.
Nevertheless, it is good enough that I am able to gather and read books faster than before! Zhang Xuan thought in satisfaction.
It was embarrassing that a noble master teacher like him had been forced to run around in the library in order to collect books in the past. With the newly upgraded Library of Heaven's Path, he would be able to remain graceful while taking in new knowledge.
Soon, he completed his meal and stood up. "I'm done. Let's go!"
Back at the underground chamber where Wu Yangzi had been imprisoned before his demise, he had said that he had left his most important heritage and treasure at the Three Stars of the Earth Dragon. However, it had been two thousand years since his passing, and putting aside whatever the Three Stars of the Earth Dragon was, even finding his old residence was a huge trouble in itself.
Luo Qiqi had been looking into the matter ever since her return, and in the past two days, while she was taking care of the unconscious Zhang Xuan, she'd happened to receive some clues to the matter.
"Alright." Luo Qiqi nodded.
As they were walking out of the residence, they suddenly saw a young lady standing before the door, seemingly intending to knock on it. Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, she quickly clasped her fist and bowed. "Zhang shi!"
"Ran Xiaoxiao?" Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully.
It was the person who had challenged him back when he'd first received the keys to the residence, as well as the second runner-up in the Grade-1 Annual Tournament.
She had challenged him to a duel of Impartation of Heaven's Will, only to end up falling under his control and defeating the first runner-up Wu Chan and third runner-up Xiao Nan in his stead.
"Yes, I came here to thank Zhang shi for your guidance…" Ran Xiaoxiao smiled.
Initially, she was extremely displeased to hear that a freshman was going to take up the first residence available to Grade-1, which was also the reason why she'd marched up to his residence upon hearing the news and challenged him to a duel. Yet, the other party had been able to point out the various flaws in her cultivation directly, and it was then that she'd realized the gap between her and the other party.
Under the other party's guidance, she'd been able to overcome her bottleneck, achieving a long-awaited breakthrough in her cultivation. Out of excitement, she'd rushed to his residence in order to express her gratitude. At the same time, she had also heard some worrying news, so she came over to enquire about it as well.
"There is no need to stand on ceremony. We are fellow students, so it's only right for us to help one another." Zhang Xuan waved his hands casually.
"If not for Zhang shi's guidance, I would still be stuck at my previous bottleneck, unable to take a step forward in my cultivation…" Ran Xiaoxiao was just about to bow deeply to express her gratitude once more when she suddenly caught sight of the figure beside Zhang Xuan and widened her eyes. "Senior Qiqi?"
She had been too excited to see Zhang Xuan earlier on that she'd neglected the person who was standing behind him. To her astonishment, it was the most famous Grade-2 senior of the academy, Luo Qiqi!
Luo Qiqi nodded in response to her.
Ran Xiaoxiao was one of the top five geniuses of the Grade-1 students, so it was natural that Luo Qiqi had heard of her as well.
"You two…" Ran Xiaoxiao blinked rapidly in shock.
Luo Qiqi was extremely famous in the Master Teacher Academy, not just because of her incredible talent or her beautiful features, but more importantly, it was said that she had an extraordinary background as well.
She was known to be very diligent, spending most of her time studying and cultivating. Thus, she rarely had any interactions with the opposite sex. Why would she be in Zhang shi's residence?
On top of that, the sun had already disappeared beyond the horizon, and darkness had set into the sky. For two people of the opposite gender to meet under the same roof in the middle of the night… What could they be up to?
"I am learning pill forging from Zhang shi. He is my teacher!" Luo Qiqi replied.
"Teacher?" Ran Xiaoxiao widened her eyes in disbelief upon hearing those words.
Zhang shi is just a Grade-1 student in the academy, and on top of that, he only arrived a few days ago. For a Grade-2 genius like you to acknowledge him as your teacher…
Not to mention, you are also one of the school belles! If word spreads, won't a riot occur amongst the men of the academy?
"If you are here to thank me, there is really no need for it. As fellow master teachers, we should help each other wherever we can." Not wanting to be delayed here, Zhang Xuan waved his hand as he prepared to leave with Luo Qiqi.
"AH!" Hearing those words, Ran Xiaoxiao suddenly recalled the other reason she was there, and she quickly spoke up. "Actually, there is another matter I need to talk to Zhang shi about."
"Oh?"
"Over the last few days, as I was walking around the academy, I heard some news… The student populace is saying that you have offended quite a few student factions, and it seems they are going to coordinate with one another to deal with you!" Ran Xiaoxiao said worriedly.
"I offended the student factions? When did I?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.
He did refuse to purchase the Teacher Information Documentation from the factions back then… but surely, they wouldn't be that offended over such a small matter?
Besides, it should be his freedom to decide whether he would buy something or not. For student factions consisting of master teachers to band together against him over such a small matter, that was plain ridiculous.
"You didn't offend them?" Seeing the confusion on the other party's face, Ran Xiaoxiao shook her head. "These student factions spend the entire year gathering information on each teacher in order to compile them into a book so as to sell them to the freshmen… However, their business ended up being foiled by Zhang shi, and their morals were even questioned for their doings. How could they possibly not be angry?"
"I foiled their business?" Zhang Xuan scratched his head in confusion. "But I didn't do anything at all!"
What the heck did I foil?
I have been unconscious the past three days, so what could I have possibly done? Or are you saying that I actually sleepwalked and did something that even I am unaware of?
"You didn't do anything?" Ran Xiaoxiao sighed deeply in frustration. "Does Zhang shi know the freshmen Jun Ruohuan, Song Chao, and Luo Xuan?"
"I do," Zhang Xuan replied.
"The three of them have distributed their own version of the Teacher Information Documentation in your name for free, and the content of the book has been shown to be even more detailed and accurate than those sold by the other student factions… This has caused a huge uproar amongst both the freshmen and seniors alike," Ran Xiaoxiao said.
"They distributed the Teacher Information Documentation for free?" Zhang Xuan's eyelids began twitching uncontrollably.
That explained everything!
It was out of goodwill for the trio that he'd compiled a version of the Teacher Information Documentation based on the information he had gathered from the others so that they could better choose their teacher, but those fellows actually distributed them freely to the other freshmen! Not to mention, they even used his name!
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While the other factions were selling theirs at a hundred middle-tier spirit stones each, they were giving them away for free, and their version was even more accurate at that… That was practically spoiling the market. Of course they would incur the ire of others!
However, it was unlikely that Jun Ruohuan and the others were intentionally trying to screw him over. Most likely, they were just intending to build up a good reputation for him amidst the student populace, just that they failed to think the matter through. As a result, they ended up offending most of the student factions.
"Once a freshman offends the student factions, he will find himself hindered throughout the academy. Zhang shi, you must be careful… If things really come down to it, it might be necessary for you to consider joining a powerful student faction so as to come under their protection," Ran Xiaoxiao advised.
She was a member of a student faction as well, so she was conflicted for a moment after hearing the news. But eventually, she still decided to inform Zhang Xuan of this issue.
Zhang Xuan might be powerless against the student factions as an individual, but if he could come under the umbrella of one of the more formidable factions, it would be harder for the other factions to do anything to him.
"Thank you!" Knowing that the other party had chosen to inform him of this matter at the risk of falling out with her faction, Zhang Xuan thanked her earnestly.
To be honest, while it might be troublesome, he didn't really fear the student factions.
After all, from the start of his journey from Tianxuan Kingdom until now, there was no lack of people he had offended.
If they knew what was good for them, they would learn to stay out of his way. Otherwise, he didn't mind showing them his true prowess.
Even the boss of the Spirit Emporium was nearly driven insane by him, let alone a couple of students.
"I will be taking my leave then." After saying all that needed to be said, Ran Xiaoxiao clasped her fist and left.
"Those student factions are troublesome to deal with. Teacher, you must be careful!" Luo Qiqi said with a frown as she watched Ran Xiaoxiao's departing back.
Having spent several years in the Master Teacher Academy, she had seen plenty of the filthy doings of those student factions. If they were to really put their mind to it, they could even force a student to retire voluntarily in just a single day.
This was the reason those without backing or power had to join a student faction. Otherwise, they would be too vulnerable to survive in the academy.
"I understand." Knowing that the other party was saying those words for his sake, Zhang Xuan nodded.
Luo Qiqi was worried, but considering how Zhang Xuan had School Head Mo and School Head Zhao's protection, those student factions shouldn't dare to act too brazenly. Thus, she decided not to think too much into it.
The duo walked along the streets, and soon, they arrived at a gazebo beside the lake.
"This is the location I have agreed on with the other party," Luo Qiqi said as she came to a halt.
"Who is it? Are they a student of the academy?" Zhang Xuan asked.
"I am not too sure either. I sent the request at the Succor Tower, and someone responded to me. We made an appointment to meet here. Unfortunately, there are no additional details regarding the other party's profile," Luo Qiqi replied.
"I see." Zhang Xuan nodded.
The academy's Succor Tower was a place where the students or even teachers could post requests such as to seek assistance on certain subjects they were unsure of or to help them with a certain problem in exchange of certain rewards. Often, the reward tended to be Academic Credits.
In a sense, it worked in a similar fashion to the Wall of Dilemma in the Physician Guilds.
It had been two thousand years since Wu Yangzi had disappeared, and the map of Hongyuan City had also changed significantly over the years. Without any additional assistance, it would take forever for them to track down the location of his old residence. Thus, Luo Qiqi decided to post a request at the Succor Tower, promising Academic Credits in exchange.
She'd thought that it would take quite a long period of time before she could receive an answer, but who would have thought that she would receive a response on the third day?
However, as the identities of respondents and responders were kept anonymous by the Succor Tower, it was impossible for her to know who the other party was. Nevertheless, considering that they were in the academy, the other party should either be a student or a teacher.
"Let's wait a little longer then," Zhang Xuan said.
At that moment, a breeze suddenly blew, and a figure abruptly emerged from the darkness of the night.
Under the dim illumination of the stars, one could barely make out the silhouette of a lady. She was tall, but what particularly stood out was her slender waist, which one could easily wrap around with a single hand.
But despite her slender waist, she had a curvaceous figure which would send the hearts of males running in agitation.
Hu!
Soon, the figure landed in the gazebo.
Finally, Luo Qiqi managed to catch sight of the other party's appearance.
She was a young lady in her late twenties. Just like Yu Fei-er and Luo Qiqi, she had a beautiful face with distinctive features, but unlike the duo, she commanded a bewitching air around her.
"Senior Yaoyao?" Taken aback, Luo Qiqi quickly clasped her fist and greeted her.
"Oh, so it's you!" Recognizing Luo Qiqi and well, Hu Yaoyao asked curiously, "Are you the one who is seeking out Wu Yangzi's old residence?"
"That's right." Luo Qiqi nodded. "Do you have any news regarding that?"
"I do know something about it!" Hu Yaoyao nodded.
Hearing the other party's confirmation, Luo Qiqi clenched her fists tightly in agitation. However, at that moment, she suddenly caught sight of the look of confusion on her teacher's face, so she quickly filled him in. "Teacher, she is a Grade-5 student from our academy, Senior Hu Yaoyao!"
"Hu Yaoyao?" Zhang Xuan scratched his head.
Hu Yaoyao, Luo Qiqi, Ran Xiaoxiao…
Was this a trend in the academy? Why did all of the ladies he had met had such names?
"You don't know me?" Seeing the confused look of the young man before her, Hu Yaoyao was perplexed. She walked up to him, and with an entrancing smile, she asked, "What's your name?"
"Me?" For some reason, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before replying earnestly, "I am Xuanxuan!"