Chapter 237: Master Senior Brother

"Call him uncle?"

Teachers and students alike were speechless, as if their throats had been seized.

Lu Xun to call Zhang Xuan "uncle"? On what basis was this derived?

Had they heard that correctly?

Grandmaster Lu Chen was a dignified Imperial Tutor, noble in status. If Lu Xun were to call him uncle, wouldn't that imply that His Majesty Shen Zhui would also have to address him as such?

How could this be?

Realizing this, everyone looked towards His Majesty, seated in the place of honor. Indeed, his expression was visibly displeased. A dignified King, a man in his forties, to be considered a generation lower than a boy not yet twenty... no one would be pleased with such an arrangement.

"Call him... uncle?"

Lu Xun almost cried. What in the world was going on? He wasn't even older than Lu Xun, and he was only a low-level teacher; Lu Xun should call him uncle? He felt so stifled he wanted to vomit blood.

"What? You find it hard to say? Grandmaster Zhang and I are peers; I address him as my brother. If you don't call him 'uncle,' what will you call him?" Grandmaster Lu Chen smacked his son on the head and roared furiously. "What kind of brat have I raised? Daring to lay hands on his uncle! He truly has a death wish. Fortunately, Grandmaster Zhang is magnanimous; otherwise, you wouldn't be going home today."

"I..." After several struggles, Lu Xun was on the verge of tears, utterly unable to utter the words.

"You beast..." Grandmaster Lu Chen's beard bristled with fury. Just as he was about to continue scolding, Teacher Zhang, standing nearby, stopped him.

"Alright, Brother Lu, the child is simply confused and doesn't understand for now. It's nothing; just educate him properly in the future. It's not good to constantly hit him in front of everyone!" Zhang Xuan interceded. Honestly, he didn't particularly care about this so-called seniority. However, he still had to show respect to Grandmaster Lu Chen. Ever since he had transmigrated to this world, Grandmaster Lu had offered him significant assistance. Otherwise, given Lu Xun's provocation, he would have long since beaten him to a pulp.

"Yes, Brother Zhang is right!" Grandmaster Lu nodded, then smacked his son again. "You beast! Quickly thank Uncle Zhang for his generosity and magnanimity!"

"I..." Lu Xun felt like he was going mad. He looked at Zhang Xuan again, feeling utterly exasperated. *Brother, you've embraced this identity far too quickly! "The child" doesn't understand for now... Whose child am I, for crying out loud? You're younger than me, yet you speak with such conviction! Where does this confidence come from?* His heart filled with endless sorrow, yet in front of his father, he dared not utter another word.

He was merely distressed, unaware that someone else had already fainted. It was his best friend, Wang Chao. This Teacher Zhang was a semi-teacher to Wang Chong, which meant... even Wang Chao's father was of a junior generation. By that reckoning, he would have to address Zheng Yang and the others as 'uncle'...

"Zhang... Uncle!" After a long struggle, Lu Xun gritted his teeth, stood up, took a deep breath, and with a cold glint in his eyes, declared, "You may have won against me in the teacher evaluation, but I'm afraid you won't be able to become an apprentice to the Three Grandmasters!"

"Oh? Why do you say that, dear nephew?" Zhang Xuan asked, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"You..." Knowing that Zhang Xuan's use of "dear nephew" was deliberate, Lu Xun was so enraged he nearly spat blood again. His body swayed as he gritted his teeth and declared, "To become a Master Teacher's apprentice, you first need to be a certified Star Teacher or at least a High-Level Teacher by the Teacher Guild. You are merely a Low-Level Teacher; your status doesn't meet the requirements!"

Teachers are categorized as Low-Level Teachers, High-Level Teachers, and Star Teachers. To become a Master Teacher's apprentice, one is typically a Star Teacher, or at the very least, a High-Level Teacher. A mere Low-Level Teacher simply does not meet the necessary qualifications. What if the Three Master Teachers appreciate you? As Master Teachers, their every action must adhere strictly to the rules and regulations.

"This..." Zhang Xuan paused. His previous self had always been a Low-Level Teacher. After his transmigration, his schedule had been too tight, and he hadn't had the chance to test for High-Level status. It seemed he would need to find an opportunity to do so in the future; otherwise, his current status alone would prevent him from becoming a Master Teacher. The Master Teacher profession, as one of the most prestigious and dazzling occupations in this world, requires every step to be taken diligently. Otherwise, if any irregularities are discovered, merely losing face would be a minor concern; all their accumulated honors would be instantly incinerated.

"Teacher Zhang, we meet again!" Just as he was pondering when to take the assessment, he heard a familiar voice. Turning his head, he saw Elder Mo of the Teacher Guild had approached, seemingly unnoticed.

"Oh, it's Elder Mo!" He held Elder Mo in high regard. Elder Mo was someone who corrected his mistakes, refrained from favoritism towards friends or family, and was publicly selfless. During the previous Academic Heart Inquisition, if not for his intervention, it would have been truly difficult to render Shang Chen and Shang Bin speechless.

"Teacher Zhang, I am truly sorry that a scoundrel like Shang Chen emerged among our teachers and caused you so much trouble. After that day, I immediately reported the matter to the General Assembly. We only received a decision now, and I apologize for the long wait!"

"Oh? There's a result? Good!" Zhang Xuan nodded. During the previous Academic Heart Inquisition, Elder Mo had only temporarily revoked Shang Chen's position as Director of the Teaching Office and canceled Teacher Shang Bin's courses, without issuing a final judgment. The Teacher Guild's official punishment had been delayed for half a month. He had assumed they weren't planning to issue any punishment, so it was a surprise to learn the matter had been reported to the General Assembly. The Teacher General Assembly was located an unknown distance away. Even with the fastest communication methods, reporting to the Conferred Kingdom and then utilizing their teleportation arrays for a round trip would require at least half a month.

"I will now read out the General Assembly's result!" Elder Mo nodded, then retrieved a scroll from his robe and carefully unfurled it.

*Whoosh!*

A beam of light shot directly from the center of the platform into the sky, illuminating the surroundings.

"It's a Guild Mandate from the Teacher Guild!"

"A Guild Mandate? What's that?"

"Kingdoms have Imperial Decrees, verbal edicts, and royal commands. The Teacher Guild, being one of the continent's most esteemed powers, possesses a similar document: the Guild Mandate! It is used to sanction teachers who violate regulations or to appoint branch presidents, among other things. Once read aloud, it is automatically recorded in the Teacher Guild's annals, accessible to any branch for verification!"

"The fact that the Guild issued a Guild Mandate indicates they take this matter very seriously!"

"Naturally. Deliberately suppressing a genius, especially one with the potential to become a Master Teacher, would certainly warrant the Guild's attention."

"Indeed, Shang Chen brought this upon himself by targeting the wrong person! It serves him right!"

Upon seeing the document, all the knowledgeable teachers were secretly astonished. A Teacher Guild Mandate is not typically issued lightly; its appearance now clearly demonstrated the gravity with which this matter was viewed.

*Rustle!*

As the Guild Mandate appeared, all teachers, students, and even the Three Grandmasters, rose to their feet in unison, their expressions deferential.

"Shang Chen, a teacher at Hongtian Academy in the Tianxuan Kingdom, abused his position as Director of the Teaching Office to deliberately suppress other teachers, thereby violating the Guild's fundamental principles. His teaching qualifications are hereby revoked, and he shall never be employed again!"

*Thud!*

Elder Shang Chen, who had been seated amongst the crowd, instantly blanched, collapsed to the ground, his face ashen. He had never imagined that merely helping his grandson vent his anger would lead to such a catastrophic outcome. Revoking his teaching qualifications and forbidding future employment meant that his current identity and status had utterly collapsed, transforming him from a figure of authority into a commoner.

"Shang Bin, a teacher at Hongtian Academy in the Tianxuan Kingdom, failed to foster unity among colleagues and uphold the dignity of a teacher; his teaching qualifications are hereby suspended for three years. Teacher Cao Xiong, for maliciously instigating trouble out of jealousy, is hereby stripped of his teaching qualifications, and no academy shall ever employ him!"

The judgments for Shang Bin and Cao Xiong were then announced. A three-year suspension of teaching qualifications meant he would be unable to teach for that period. This was relatively lenient; at least after three years, he could re-enter an academy. However, his grandfather Shang Chen and Cao Xiong had effectively lost their opportunities for life. Cao Xiong's case was particularly severe: no academy was permitted to employ him, implying he couldn't even work as a cleaner. If any academy was found to have hired him, the entire institution would face Guild sanctions.

"Zhang Xuan, a teacher at Hongtian Academy in the Tianxuan Kingdom, is hereby commended for his integrity, consideration for the greater good, resilience in enduring hardship, and significant achievements in teaching and nurturing students. He is truly an exemplary teacher and is hereby specially promoted to the rank of Star Teacher."

As the voice from the Guild Mandate concluded, the light gradually faded.

"I'm a Star Teacher now?" Zhang Xuan blinked. He had initially thought he would need to pass an assessment to become a High-Level Teacher, and then find a way to advance further. Now it seemed entirely unnecessary; a single Guild Mandate from the Teacher Guild had completely resolved the issue.

"Teacher Zhang, congratulations!" Elder Mo looked over excitedly, stroking his beard and smiling.

"Thank you for your efforts, Elder Mo!" Zhang Xuan bowed. He knew Elder Mo had played a significant role in this judgment and felt deeply grateful.

"You're too kind. I merely came to announce the Guild's decision. I won't disturb you further. Farewell!" Elder Mo said, cupped his fist, and departed with a smile.

The moment he left, silence descended upon the area. Everyone's gaze simultaneously shifted to Lu Xun, standing in the center. *Didn't you just loudly declare that he was unqualified?* Elder Mo had instantly appeared, announcing the Teacher Guild's decision to make Teacher Zhang a Star Teacher. The sheer humiliation of this public rebuke... honestly, everyone felt the sting on Lu Xun's behalf. They looked at Lu Xun and, as expected, saw his face was pale, looking as if he wished to die.

"Grandmaster Zhang, this boy has been spoiled by me since childhood. Please be magnanimous..." Witnessing this scene, Grandmaster Lu Chen shook his head. Though he wished to remain detached, he ultimately couldn't resist cupping his fist to Zhang Xuan.

"Grandmaster Lu, please don't mention it..." Zhang Xuan smiled. "He was merely overly eager to become a Master Teacher's apprentice, which might have muddled his judgment regarding status. I don't mind at all!"

"Then many thanks indeed..." Seeing that Zhang Xuan wouldn't pursue the matter, Lu Chen quickly cupped his fist in gratitude.

"No need to be polite. Oh, right!" Zhang Xuan turned to face the Three Grandmasters seated at the place of honor: "Grandmaster Liu, Grandmaster Zhuang, and Grandmaster Zheng, although Lu Xun's recent behavior hasn't been ideal, his capabilities in teaching students and his actual skill are undeniable. If any of you are considering taking an apprentice, you might want to consider him!"

"You..." Lu Xun, who had been dying of mortification on the side, heard these words, his face flushed, and his eyes suddenly widened in disbelief. The sole reason he had wanted to compete with Zhang Xuan was to vie for an opportunity to become an apprentice under the Three Grandmasters. Yet, how could it be... that this Teacher Zhang, who had clearly won, was now trying to help *him* fulfill that very wish...? "And what kind of attitude is that? These are Master Teachers! Aren't you afraid of being beaten to death speaking to them like that?"

Before his shock could subside, he saw the Three Grandmasters step forward, stand before Zhang Xuan, and simultaneously cup their fists.

"Senior Brother!"