Chapter 1680: Master Hall Headquarters

The headquarters of the Master Teacher Pavilion did not appear luxurious; in fact, it was far less opulent than even some imperial palaces. However, under the illumination of the Eye of Insight, countless vast energies surged forth, creating an atmosphere of solemnity and grandeur that inspired admiration from the depths of one's heart, leaving no room for the slightest disrespect.

"It's scholarly qi!" Luo Ruoxi's voice rang out. "The Master Teacher Pavilion has suppressed the continent for tens of thousands of years, imparting knowledge to the world and awakening wisdom. Almost all of the world's scholarly qi converges here. Because of this, cultivating here makes it easier to break through realms, yielding twice the results with half the effort!"

"Mm-hmm!" Zhang Xuan nodded. He didn't ask why she, like him, could see the scholarly qi. Instead, he continued to walk forward.

In front of the Master Teacher Pavilion was a vast plaza. A tall stone monument stood there, reaching over a hundred meters high and piercing the clouds.

"Is this... the Master Teacher Heroes' Monument?" Zhang Xuan's expression grew solemn.

Although he had never been here before, he had read relevant books and knew that the Master Teacher Heroes' Monument stood in the plaza directly in front of the Master Teacher Pavilion, dedicated to recording the heroes who had sacrificed for the freedom of humanity.

There were no decorations in front of the monument, only a few scattered flower baskets and continuously burning incense sticks. The large characters on the front gave off a strong sense of oppression even before one approached, an oppression that came from the soul. Even Great Sage experts would humbly lower their heads, daring not to act presumptuously.

"These are the characters personally left by Master Kong," Luo Ruoxi said, looking up at the stone monument before them, her expression complex. "They record the countless heroes who died during the past conflicts against the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe! Indeed, many people died!"

"Indeed!" Zhang Xuan nodded. Although it was Master Kong's handwriting, which, if devoured by the Ruthless One, could unleash extraordinary power, Zhang Xuan had no such thoughts.

On the back of the monument were countless names. "Zhang Lingyuan, Chen Qiquan, Wu Lingzhi..."

They were merely names, with no annotations or indications of rank. Yet, these names, as if imbued with souls, represented the struggles and sacrifices of that era, causing one's expression to involuntarily turn solemn.

"Without them, there would be no peaceful life today. Humanity might still be embroiled in continuous conflict..." Zhang Xuan nodded: "They are indeed heroes!"

After a moment of reflection, the two walked through the main gates of the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. Unlike other Master Teacher Pavilions or specialized professions, there was no one to stop them or stand guard here.

Noticing his surprise, Luo Ruoxi smiled faintly. "This is the most powerful place on the entire continent. Unless someone has a death wish, who would dare cause trouble here? Besides, even if they had a death wish, they wouldn't dare come here..." Other specialized professions and Master Teacher Pavilion branches had guards because they were worried about people causing trouble. But the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters... who would dare? Since that was the case, there was no need to waste people guarding it.

"That's true!" Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

Inside the hall, scholarly qi permeated the air. Entering it gave one a feeling of mental clarity. It seemed Luo Ruoxi was right; cultivating here would not only yield twice the results with half the effort, but it would also be difficult for inner demons to even arise.

Knowledge leads to wisdom; scholarly clouds suppress inner demons!

"Sirs, this is the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. If you have a Master Teacher you're familiar with, I can help inform them!" A young man walked over.

Glancing at the badge on his chest, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but be surprised. He appeared to be only in his twenties, yet he was a Seven-Star Master Teacher! A Seven-Star Master Teacher acting like a waiter in the main hall—in the past, such a thing would have been unthinkable. This truly was the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters!

"We're looking for Master Ren Qingyuan!" They weren't here to cause trouble this time, so seeking the acting pavilion master was the most sensible approach.

"Master Ren?" The young man was startled and couldn't help but feel a little shocked. However, he didn't show it on his face. He asked with a hint of doubt, "May I know your name, sirs? Oh, don't misunderstand, I just need it to better inform the acting pavilion master!"

"Zhang Xuan!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Zhang Xuan? You are Zhang Xuan?" The usually composed young man was startled upon hearing the name, and his voice became sharp, seemingly filled with disbelief.

His voice was loud, and many people around heard it, turning to look with curious expressions.

"He's Zhang Xuan?"

"I thought he'd have three heads and six arms! Didn't expect him to look so ordinary!"

"More than ordinary, I'd say he's quite plain. Not as handsome as me!"

"I truly pity you for being blind at such a young age..."

Whispers and discussions broke out all around. Unexpectedly, he had such a great reputation at the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. Zhang Xuan's eyelid twitched. Without saying more, he cupped his fists and said, "Thank you for your trouble!"

"Oh, oh, this way please!" Only then did the young man react, hastily leading the way. As he walked, he agonized... "I heard this person is very ruthless. He wouldn't beat me up because of my impoliteness, would he...? I'm only a Seven-Star; I'm definitely not his match. If he really wants to beat me, should I lie down and let him, or strike a cool pose and wait for the beating? It's so perplexing... What kind of pose would let me keep my dignity and still look handsome? The key is... if he beats me, it would be quite prestigious when word gets out later... Maybe Cuihua would secretly fall for me and marry me directly." His mind was filled with wild fantasies.

If Zhang Xuan had known what the young man in front of him was thinking, he would surely have kicked him flying immediately. "He's a peaceful, friendly, self-respecting, self-loving, unassuming, and modest person, isn't he..." Zhang Xuan mused, "How did he become someone who casually beats people up and acts unreasonably in others' minds?"

Following behind him, they soon arrived at a large hall.

"The acting hall master is inside. Please go in yourselves; I won't be joining you..." Seeing that Zhang Xuan had not attacked him, the young man said with a hint of disappointment.

"No need to announce us?" Zhang Xuan was momentarily stunned.

"Master Zhang is the clan head of the Zhang Clan and the Hall Master of the Saint Son Hall," the young man explained. "When meeting the acting pavilion master, there's no need for an announcement; you can go straight in..." The young man offered an awkward smile. With his status, which was no less significant than Master Ren's, there was naturally no need for the trouble of an announcement.

"Thank you!" Without further words, Zhang Xuan pushed the door open and entered.

As soon as he entered, he immediately sensed something was amiss. Not only was Ren Qingyuan present in the hall, but there were also many familiar faces. Many of the Nine-Star Master Teachers he had met earlier in the Empire Alliance were here, along with numerous powerful individuals he didn't recognize.

Seeing him approach, everyone turned their heads simultaneously, all momentarily stunned.

"Master Zhang, you've come at just the right time. We were just about to look for you..." Master Ren was the first to react, offering a faint smile. "You have now simultaneously comprehended the true essences of time, space, and soul. Your strength has reached the Saint 9-dan peak. Although you haven't yet met the rigid requirements for a Nine-Star Master Teacher, you are already qualified to apply for the badge. Since everyone is here, why don't we conduct your Nine-Star Master Teacher assessment today? That way, you can better join us in defending humanity and protecting the continent!"

"Assess me for Nine-Star Master Teacher?" Zhang Xuan was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected the other party to mention this the moment they met, and he was taken aback. "I'm not ready. I didn't even brush my teeth this morning. Is it really okay to take the assessment like this...?"