"Is this Zhang shi whom you spoke about? He is much younger than I expected!"
In the area of the training grounds where the emperors were seated, Zhu Yi frowned in displeasure.
He had already learned that the succeeding principal was only a twenty-year-old 4-star master teacher a few hours ago from Yu Shenqing, but even though he had known this was going to happen, it didn't stop him from doubting his eyes when he saw an incredibly young man heading toward the stage.
Never in the history of the Master Teacher Academy had anyone that young become the principal!
Were the Ten Great Master Teachers out of their minds? How could they nominate such a young brat as the principal?
"Didn't Mu shi nominate Zhang shi as the principal too? Where is he?" one of the emperors asked.
Hearing those words, the others scanned the surroundings as well, but they couldn't find Mu shi anywhere.
"Mu shi has left last night due to some urgent matters cropping up," Yu Shenqing explained.
"Left last night? Urgent matters cropping up?" Zhu Yi sneered coldly. "More like he doesn't wish to watch this farce unfold!"
In Zhu Yi's view, nominating a twenty-year-old brat as the principal of the Master Teacher Academy was, in itself, a huge farce.
"Brother Zhu, don't jump to conclusions so quickly. You might have a different view of Zhang shi once you get to know him better…" Seeing that Zhu Yi was so prejudiced against Zhang Xuan, Yu Shenqing sighed deeply. Knowing that it was impossible to change the other party's view with just words, he could only say those words.
"Let's just hope that is the case," Zhu Yi replied perfunctorily.
…
The same sight was also occurring in the area where the heads of the regional Master Teacher Pavilion were seated. Upon seeing that the succeeding principal was so young, their faces turned livid.
Zhang Xuan had also noticed the commotion below, but he paid it no heed and continued walking calmly onto the stage.
He knew that for someone as young as him to become the principal, it was natural that there were many who doubted his capability.
Ignoring the discussions below, Zhao Bingxu announced, "Zhang shi might be young, but he possesses exceptional talent and capability. He has received the unanimous approval of Mu shi and the Ten Great Master Teachers to take the position of the 104th principal of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy!
"We shall proceed on with the first formality, the Question Symposium! Is there anyone who wishes to pose a question to Principal Zhang?"
An elder immediately stood up as soon as Zhao Bingxu finished speaking. "I have a question for Principal Zhang!"
The head of the Hongchi Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, Wu Weitian!
Wu Weitian was a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, and he possessed exceptional standing and respect in the surrounding empires. Back then, in the selection of the Ten Great Master Teachers of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy, he had lost to Zhao Bingxu by only a single vote. Had that not been the case, he would have been the head of the Blacksmith School at this very moment.
"May I know what kind of question Wu shi has for our principal?" Zhao Bingxu frowned.
The convention was to have several representatives pose the questions.
For Wu Weitian to speak up so abruptly, it was clear that the other party was intent on causing trouble. However, the other party possessed a standing equivalent to his, so Zhao Bingxu didn't have the right to reprimand the other party for his actions.
"The principal of the Master Teacher Academy must possess superior strength, or else how could he command the respect of the masses?" Wu Weitian said as a powerful aura burst forth from him.
"I am Wu Weitian, the pavilion master of Hongchi Empire. While my standing might be beneath that of Principal Zhang, I wish to challenge Principal Zhang to a cultivation duel. I hope that you can accede to my request!"
"A cultivation duel?"
"He is clearly trying to humiliate that young lad there…"
"Indeed! That lad is only twenty years old. Even if he started cultivating from his mother's womb, how strong can he possibly get? On the other hand, Wu Weitian is a pavilion master, so little has to be said about his prowess. To challenge that lad to a cultivation duel… he sure isn't giving that lad any face at all!"
…
Hearing Wu shi's words, a disturbance rippled through the crowd.
A master teacher's capability to impart knowledge and nurture the capability of others was important, but without sufficient power, it would be difficult to command respect from others, and the master teacher's credibility would be called into question as well.
It was just like how a Transcendent Mortal master teacher would never be able to guide a Saint realm cultivator in their cultivation; even if the Transcendent Mortal master teacher did indeed possess deep knowledge of Saint realm cultivation, he would have to find a way to win the trust of the Saint realm cultivator first!
To challenge the new principal to a cultivation duel right from the start, it could be said that Wu shi was intending to humiliate him through and through.
"Wu shi, Principal Zhang is only at Chrysalis realm primary stage at the moment. How can he be a match against a Saint realm 1-dan pinnacle expert like you?"
Not expecting Wu shi to make such a request, Zhao Bingxu's face darkened. However, at that moment, Zhang Xuan abruptly raised his hand to stop Zhao Bingxu before turning his gaze to Wu Weitian.
"Pavilion Master Wu, you wish to challenge me to a cultivation duel?"
"Indeed. I hope that Principal Zhang can accede to my request!" Wu Weitian sneered coldly.
It was his intention to make things difficult for Zhang Xuan today, cornering and humiliating him before the crowd that had gathered.
"I can agree to your request, but before that, I would like to ask, what do you define as 'cultivation'?" Zhang Xuan asked.
"Cultivation refers to one's fighting prowess!" Wu Weitian replied without any hesitation.
"I see. So, as a beast tamer, if I were to have my tamed beast aid me in my fight, is that considered part of my fighting prowess as well?" Zhang Xuan asked calmly.
"The ability to tame beasts is considered part of one's capability as a beast tamer, so naturally, one's tamed beast is considered part of one's fighting prowess too." Even though he did not understand why Zhang Xuan would ask such a question, Wu Weitian still replied to it nevertheless.
A beast tamer fighting alongside his tamed beast could be considered synonymous to a martial artist fighting using his weapon.
"I see."
Chuckling softly, Zhang Xuan raised his hand and said, "Byzantium Lad, I will be leaving this fellow to you then!"
"Yes, Master!"
Along with a furious roar, the crowd saw a massive saint beast descending from the sky, its massive palm aimed straight for Wu Weitian.
"What?" Not expecting a Spiritual Perception realm saint beast to emerge out of nowhere, before Wu Weitian could even process what was going on, he was already smacked into the ground by the might of the palm, and huge spurts of blood spewed from his mouth.
Even when the Byzantium Helios Beast was still at Saint realm 1-dan, none of the Ten Great Master Teachers were a match for it. Even though Wu Weitian was not weak, he stood no chance against the Spiritual Perception realm Byzantium Helios Beast.
After Wu Weitian was smacked into the ground, Zhang Xuan turned to the crowd and said calmly, "Allow me to introduce everyone. This is my tamed beast, Byzantium Helios Beast."
"Isn't the Byzantium Helios Beast the old principal's tamed beast? How did Zhang shi manage to tame it?"
"Wait a moment, doesn't it seem like Senior Byzantium Helios is significantly stronger than before?"
"The strength of a tamed beast is considered part of the strength of the beast tamer as well. Since the Byzantium Helios Beast is Zhang shi's tamed beast, that means that Zhang shi possesses strength beyond Saint realm 1-dan as well!"
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…
Zhang Xuan's words caused a huge ruckus to break out beneath the stage.
Beast tamers had always been feared for the frightening strength that their tamed beasts possessed. Given that Zhang Xuan had such a powerful tamed beast, who would dare to underestimate him anymore?
…
Shortly after Wei Weitian's defeat, someone else within the crowd spoke up.
"I admit that you are indeed capable to have been able to tame the Byzantium Helios Beast. However, a man who possesses nothing but power can only be said to be a brute. To become the principal of the Master Teacher Academy, you must have a high Soul Depth as well. Thus, I, Liao Cong, wish to challenge Principal Zhang to a duel of Soul Depth. I hope that you can accede to my request!"
Zhao Bingxu turned his gaze over.
It was the head of the Yuanjiang Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, Pavilion Master Liao Cong!
Pavilion Master Liao was slightly lacking in terms of strength as compared to Wu Weitian, but he was known for his incredible composure. It was rumored that he possessed an exceptional Soul Depth of 20.9, just a step short of reaching the level of a 7-star master teacher!
"A duel of Soul Depth?" Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully.
"That's right!" Pavilion Master Liao Cong nodded.
Given that the other party had the Byzantium Helios Beast—a Spiritual Perception realm spirit beast—on his side, there was no way he would be a match for the other party in terms of fighting prowess. Thus, he would have to use other means to corner the other party.
In any case, as long as he could defeat the other party in any challenge, the entire inauguration ceremony would be reduced to a farce.
"Fine by me. How should we conduct the duel?" Zhang Xuan asked impassively.
"Simple. We shall use the Impartation of Heaven's Will on one another, and whoever manages to beguile the other will be the victor!" Pavilion Master Liao Cong said with a confident smile.
"Impartation of Heaven's Will?" Zhang Xuan was slightly taken aback for a moment before shaking his head. "Change it to something else, I don't have an interest in bullying others…"
His Impartation of Heaven's Will had grown considerably stronger after comprehending the Heart of a Teacher, allowing him to make the hundred thousand spirit beasts of Cloudmist Ridge submit to him.
A mere 6-star master teacher like you, just where did you find the confidence to challenge me?
"You…" Hearing those words, Pavilion Master Liao Cong nearly burst with rage.
I am a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, a person who possesses a Soul Depth of 20.9! Yet, you said that… you don't want to bully me?
Ridiculous!
"Why? Are you backing out from my challenge?" Pavilion Master Liao Cong spat through clenched jaws.
With a glint in his eyes, Zhang Xuan said, "Since Pavilion Master Liao insists on it, I will accept your challenge then. How about this? Pavilion Master Wu was injured in the previous duel, so why don't you help him out?"
There was a peculiar quality in his voice that seemed to compel others into obedience.
"Yes…" Pavilion Master Liao Cong was stunned for a brief moment before walking up to Pavilion Master Wu and driving his zhenqi to pull the latter out of the ground. However, as soon as he finished doing that, he suddenly froze.
To obey the other party's commands, it was clear that he had just been beguiled!
"You…"
Pavilion Master Liao Cong's face turned livid, and just as he was about to speak, the young man opposite to him continued speaking with a composed look. "It seems like there are some problems with your cultivation. Do you feel a persistent dryness in your throat and an aching pain in your Huyang acupoint? Don't worry, the symptom should be resolved by slapping yourself twice…"
"Slapping himself?"
"This… Pavilion Master Liao can't be so foolish as to listen to that, can he?"
"That is clearly an attempt to humiliate Pavilion Master Liao…"
…
Hearing those words, the hundred thousand people gathered in the training ground were taken aback. Every single eye in the area was gathered on Pavilion Master Liao Cong, waiting intently to see how he would react.
But before countless faces of disbelief, Pavilion Master Liao Cong raised his palm and struck his face forcefully.
Pah! Pah!
After the two powerful slaps, blood began flowing out of the edges of Pavilion Master Liao Cong's mouth.
Paying no heed to the shocked crowd, Zhang Xuan continued. "Do a handstand right now and channel your zhenqi downward!"
Without any hesitation, Pavilion Master Liao Cong immediately flipped over and did a handstand. A few breaths later, his face started swelling up intensely due to the two previous slaps.
"What is going on?"
"Could this be… Impartation of Heaven's Will?"
"But even if he is under the effects of the Impartation of Heaven's Will, it shouldn't be possible to make a 6-star pinnacle master teacher, the head of a Master Teacher Pavilion, slap himself and do a handstand on a whim, right?"
"I have no idea what is going on either. However, it is clear that Pavilion Master Liao has lost utterly in this duel of Soul Depth!"
…
Seeing Pavilion Master Liao, who had just challenged Zhang Xuan to humiliate the latter, abruptly slapping himself and doing a handstand, everyone felt lightheaded. The situation before them was unbelievable, they couldn't make sense out of what was happening at all!
As master teachers, they were capable of using Impartation of Heaven's Will themselves. However, to make another harm himself and pose in humiliating postures publicly, that was far beyond their capability.
In fact, that was already beyond the capability of the Impartation of Heaven's Will itself!
"Unless… Zhang shi isn't playing with him, and there is no mistake with what he is saying, causing Pavilion Master Liao to obey his words instinctively…" a 6-star master teacher amid the crowd remarked.
It was indeed possible for one to control a master teacher's body through the Impartation of Heaven's Will for a short period of time, but it was only on the basis that the words spoken were flawless and aligned with the essence of the world.
Even though he had no idea why Pavilion Master Liao would have to slap himself and do a handstand, there should be no mistake with the instructions. Otherwise, even if Zhang shi's Soul Depth was far beyond Pavilion Master Liao's, it was still impossible for him to make Pavilion Master Liao obey his commands unconditionally.
Pu!
A moment later, before everyone's astonished gazes, Pavilion Master Liao spurted a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground. Following which, he got back to his feet, and facing the young man on the stage once more, he clasped his fist. This time, instead of skepticism, his eyes were filled with admiration and respect.
"Zhang shi, I am truly grateful to you for saving my life…"