Chapter 2: Don't Be Shameless

After studying for a while longer, Zhang Xuan realized that all the books in the library were visible but entirely unattainable, like flowers viewed through mist or the moon reflected in water. He lost interest and withdrew his consciousness from the Sea of Knowledge.

"It's time for lunch. I'll figure out how to trick two more this afternoon!"

He looked up at the window; the sun was already directly overhead. Eighteen students had come in the morning, but only one had agreed to become his disciple – the success rate was truly low. He couldn't let it continue like this in the afternoon. After all, he was a transmigrator; if he couldn't even trick an ancient person, how could he have the face to say he lived in an age of highly developed information?

Stretching, he walked out of his lecture hall and slowly made his way into the academy's dining hall.

Like universities in his previous life, Hongtian Academy's dining hall was vast, large enough to accommodate tens of thousands of students dining simultaneously. Having successfully recruited one student, Zhang Xuan was in high spirits. He got several extra dishes, found a corner, and ate with gusto.

"Isn't that Teacher Zhang?"

Just as he was eating happily, a voice sounded. He looked up to see a young man smiling at him. The smile, however, lacked warmth, giving him the impression of a fake smile.

"Teacher Cao?" Zhang Xuan recognized him.

Teacher Cao, whose name was Cao Xiong, had joined the academy at the same time as him. He always liked to compare himself with Zhang Xuan and then use the opportunity to put him down.

The original owner of the body had died from alcohol poisoning because he couldn't stand the constant ridicule. This guy, who had subjected him to such pressure, was certainly not blameless.

"New students are reporting today, choosing their own teachers. How's your harvest been? Seeing that you still have the appetite to eat here, it must be pretty good, right! Look, these are all my newly recruited students, twelve in total. I'm taking them to eat first, then I'll arrange their accommodation!"

Teacher Cao's face wore an air of superiority as he gestured behind him, openly showing off.

Indeed, he was there to gloat.

There was no real animosity between him and Zhang Xuan. They had joined the academy at the same time, so it was inevitable they would be compared and evaluated. Zhang Xuan was a prime example of failure, so naturally, Cao Xiong wanted to show his superiority.

Indeed, a group of young students followed behind him, all looking energetic and full of curiosity about new things.

"Everyone, let me introduce you to Teacher Zhang Xuan, a celebrity in our academy. Oh, he's the only one in all these years since the academy was founded to score zero on the teacher qualification assessment! He's made history!"

Teacher Cao introduced him to the group.

"Scored zero on the teacher assessment?"

"Ah, I heard about it when I arrived. A student he taught went berserk in cultivation and nearly became crippled!"

"I heard it too. Before I came, many people told me not to choose him as a teacher, or else I wouldn't just be unable to cultivate, but it would be like committing suicide!"

"I didn't expect it was him; he seems quite kind!"

...

The teacher qualification assessment combined various factors, with multiple items added together for a unified score. Student evaluations also made up a portion, and as long as a teacher had students, they would have a score. To score a direct zero was truly unprecedented.

"Are you done with the introduction?"

Zhang Xuan wasn't offended by the students' discussions.

It was the previous Zhang Xuan who scored zero, so what did it have to do with him?

However, while not particularly angry, he was still annoyed by Teacher Cao's habit of putting others down to elevate himself. He casually waved his hand and said, "Now that you're done introducing, you can scram. Don't disturb my meal here!"

He hadn't expected that after exposing Zhang Xuan's history, the guy would show no sign of embarrassment and even tell him to scram. Cao Xiong's expression darkened. He flicked his sleeve, displaying the solemn authority of a teacher: "You scored zero on the teacher assessment and broke the academy's record. Don't you have any sense of shame?"

"Shame? Why should I be ashamed? As you said, I broke history and became famous. All the new students know who I am. What about you?" Zhang Xuan raised a hand and pointed at the many students behind Cao Xiong: "How many points did you get on your teacher assessment? Do they know? Before coming to the academy, did they even know who you were? If you hadn't desperately wooed them, even treating them to meals, do you think they would have chosen you as their teacher? As a teacher, you have no reputation at all. And you're trying to show off to me? What exactly are you showing off?!"

"Gah?"

Anyone else who scored zero on the teacher assessment would surely hide their face, afraid of losing face. But this guy, on the contrary, was smug and proud. Cao Xiong, who hadn't scored zero, had instead become the object of his scorn.

Cao Xiong was almost driven mad.

What audacity! The key thing is... with such a record, where did he get the confidence to be so arrogant?

The students standing behind him also exchanged bewildered glances, completely dumbfounded.

"Where's his sense of shame? This teacher... he's truly shameless!"

As for Zhang Xuan, shame and dignity? What a joke! In his previous life's era, some celebrities would do anything humiliating or outrageous to climb the ranks – nude photos, scandalous news, various "gates" – and didn't feel ashamed at all. His scoring zero on a teacher assessment was simply nothing by comparison.

Cao Xiong's face turned red with anger: "Teachers should focus on teaching. I won't argue with you today. When you manage to recruit a student, if you have the ability, let's see who's better at teaching students!"

Having said that, he turned to leave.

Just then, the voices of a man and a woman sounded from behind him.

"That teacher is really good, and his personality too..."

A somewhat naive female voice spoke, full of hesitation.

"My Young Miss, please just listen to me. Before we came, the Young Master instructed me to have you apprentice under Teacher Lu Xun. But you insisted on not listening and even deliberately sent me away. That's fine, but out of all people, why did you have to apprentice under *him*?"

Immediately after, an old man's voice followed, filled with helplessness.

"That teacher... he's not as terrible as you say. He... he's a very good person. He even guided me and said that if I... cultivate well, I could become first in our year..." The female voice still carried hesitation.

"First in the year? If you really learn from him, it'd be a blessing just to not suffer qi deviation. Young Miss, do you know who he is? He's the academy's most infamous useless teacher, he scored zero on the teacher assessment last semester... My little ancestor, please quickly withdraw! Otherwise, if the Young Master finds out, he'll surely kill me..." The old man's voice was full of pleading.

"Brother!"

Hearing the old man mention the Young Master, the girl began to get scared. Her face twisted, unsure of what to do.

Overhearing these words, Cao Xiong, who was about to leave, his eyes lit up. He smiled broadly and looked at Zhang Xuan, who was eating: "Teacher Zhang, is this girl your newly recruited student? Haha, it doesn't look good. They're planning to withdraw!"

Teachers could choose students, and students could also choose teachers.

If a student felt a teacher was unsuitable, they could simply return the token the teacher had given them.

Cao Xiong's voice was loud, immediately attracting the attention of many. The master and servant, who had been discussing, also turned their gaze.

"Young Miss, is this the teacher you just apprenticed under?" The old man's gaze fell on Zhang Xuan.

"Yes!" the girl nodded.

The old man immediately stood up and took a few steps toward Zhang Xuan: "Teacher Zhang, our young lady intends to withdraw from your tutelage!"

"Old Liu..." The girl's face flushed. She hadn't expected the old man to act so quickly and hurried forward. Then she turned to Zhang Xuan, her face full of apology: "Teacher, I..."

It was indeed Wang Ying, Zhang Xuan's newly accepted student.

"Wang Ying, you know I generally don't accept students. Accepting you means we have a special connection. Are you really going to withdraw, throwing away such a great opportunity? Do you know how many people wish to be my students, yet I refuse them?"

Upon hearing his words, those around who knew the truth felt their vision darken, almost fainting.

"Dude, have some shame! Still saying you generally don't accept students, that you have a special connection with her, and how many people wish to be your students... When clearly, you can't even get students, alright..."

"I, no..."

Questioned by him, Wang Ying quickly waved her hands, but her words were cut off before she could finish.

"Yes!" Seeing the Young Miss's indecisive nature, Old Liu, the elder, stepped forward: "Teacher Zhang, our Young Miss has already decided to withdraw from your tutelage. She finds it difficult to say it herself, so please help her process the paperwork!"

"Withdraw?" Zhang Xuan rolled his eyes: "You need to think this through carefully. Withdrawing from a teacher leaves a bad reputation in the academy. Afterward, it's likely no other teacher will dare to accept you! Are you really going to let your own impulsiveness ruin your young lady's life? Can you bear that responsibility?"

"This..." Old Liu was startled.

Students could indeed withdraw from teachers, but doing so was an insult to the teacher. Moreover, if you withdrew from one, it implied you could withdraw from another. Generally, students with such "misconduct" would not be accepted by other teachers.

After all, if the dignity of a teacher was insulted to their face, no one would be willing to accept such a student again.

Furthermore, accepting such a student would mean slapping another teacher's face. Since they were all colleagues, it was impossible to offend a fellow teacher for the sake of one student.

To cultivate in the academy without a teacher meant one's life would be ruined.

Old Liu, who had been assertive moments ago, was now at a loss for what to do after Zhang Xuan's single sentence.

He was just a servant. If the Young Miss's future was ruined because of this, he wouldn't be able to escape responsibility even if he died a hundred times.

"Don't worry, your young lady has good talent. If I teach her well, she'll definitely achieve excellent results..." Seeing him waver, Zhang Xuan once again employed his bluffing technique.

It was a joke! How could he let a sure thing slip away?

"Wait! Who said no other teacher would dare to accept her? Little girl, as long as you withdraw from Teacher Zhang, I'll immediately accept you as my student!"

Before Zhang Xuan could finish his sentence, Cao Xiong, standing nearby, stepped forward with a grand gesture.

He had just been humiliated by Zhang Xuan, so now that an opportunity arose, how could he let it go?

"Cao Xiong, what are you doing?"

"What am I doing? Such a good talent can't be wasted! If she wants to withdraw from you, I'll immediately take her! Students come to the academy to learn, so of course they should choose the teacher who can give them the best guidance, not someone who scored zero on the teacher assessment!"

Cao Xiong chuckled, his face full of smug satisfaction.

"You're openly poaching my student! Believe it or not, I'll report you to the disciplinary office!"

This was no longer mere annoyance; it was open poaching! While the academy encouraged teachers to choose students independently, it did not advocate such reckless snatching! If it happened, it wouldn't just affect the relationships between teachers, but also throw the entire academy into disarray and impact its atmosphere.

"Poaching students? You're exaggerating. At worst, we'll have a live demonstration of guidance, a fair competition, and let the student choose for herself. Do you dare to agree?" Cao Xiong said.