Chapter 244: Confused Liu Xun

Unaware of Shen Biru’s thoughts, Zhang Xuan was rubbing his forehead, pondering what else needed to be done before his departure, when he noticed a throng of people with expectant eyes gathering around him.

“Teacher Zhang, don’t abandon us…”

“Are you going to Tianwu Kingdom? Take us with you!”

“We want to be with Teacher…”

It was Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, and the others.

They had overheard Zhang Xuan’s conversation with Shen Biru and the others, and their eyes were filled with intense anticipation.

“You want to come with me?”

Zhang Xuan looked at them. “You need to think this through. I’m going to a higher-level kingdom, not just playing around. There are many powerful individuals there, and numerous unknown dangers. A single misstep could lead to disaster, even death!”

“We know!”

Their expressions were resolute.

Although their time with Teacher Zhang had been short, he had genuinely devoted himself to them without expecting anything in return. They had long developed a bond with him that was as strong as family ties.

“Don’t be so quick to decide. I’ll give you a night to think it over; give me your answer tomorrow!” Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

To be honest, it wasn’t just them; he had also developed feelings for these students after teaching them for so long. If he were to take them, he wanted them to consider it carefully and come willingly, not under duress.

Furthermore, even if he took them, he couldn't let them follow him directly. After all, the Red Lotus Mountain Range might be the Poison Master's lair, extremely dangerous. He could barely guarantee his own safety, let alone that of these inexperienced individuals.

“Teacher Zhang, I don’t need to think about it. Everything I have now is because of you. Wherever you go, I’ll follow!”

Yuan Tao shook his head, immediately knelt on the ground, his eyes filled with determination.

He was an orphan with no cultivation resources, originally the weakest student in the academy. It was Teacher Zhang who guided him step by step, providing the best cultivation techniques, the finest elixirs, and the most excellent instruction…

…which led to his current strength.

Therefore, there was no need to think; wherever Teacher Zhang went, he would go.

“Me too, Teacher Zhang! Please don’t send us away. We want to be your students… for life!” The second person to kneel was, surprisingly, the usually delicate Wang Ying.

“Teacher Zhang, please take us with you!”

Immediately after, Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, and Liu Yang also knelt down, their gazes firm and unshakeable.

Seeing his five students, though young and inexperienced, display a resolve to face death without regret, Zhang Xuan, despite having lived two lives, couldn't help but feel a tremor in his heart.

“I can take you with me, but you can’t travel with me directly. I will have Master Liu and the others take you straight to Tianwu Royal City. Once I’ve finished my affairs, I will come to find you!”

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan said.

Once the problem of the poisonous qi in his body was resolved, he would definitely go to the Master Teacher Pavilion in Tianwu Royal City to take the Master Teacher examination.

If these students went ahead first and had Master Liu and the others to look after them, they should be considerably safer.

“Thank you, Teacher!”

Hearing that he was willing to take them, all five students’ eyes reddened with excitement.

In truth, they didn’t know what immense changes this decision would bring to the continent in the future, nor what heights and realms the five of them would ultimately reach.

“Alright, go back and prepare. After leaving Tianxuan Kingdom this time, it’s uncertain when you’ll be able to return!” Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

“Yes!”

The five nodded simultaneously and withdrew.

After arranging things for his students, Zhang Xuan returned to his residence. He saw that Liu Ling and the others had been waiting for him. When he told them about his impending departure, they were filled with sadness.

He then had them bring out their cultivation techniques and offered them some guidance. As a result, Liu Ling was the first to achieve enlightenment and break through to the Grandmaster realm.

Zheng Fei had only recently broken through, so it would be difficult for him to make significant progress in a short time. However, Zhuang Xian had also made great strides; as long as he consolidated his gains, he would likely be able to successfully challenge the Grandmaster realm within half a month.

After instructing the three masters to look after his ‘direct disciple,’ Zhang Xuan finally called for Sun Qiang.

“Master, please don’t leave me behind. I want to follow you…”

As soon as he entered, Sun Qiang knelt on the ground.

Like Yuan Tao, he had no impressive background. Before meeting Zhang Xuan, he was merely a minor figure renting out rooms for Tianyu Trading Company, with no status whatsoever.

All the respect and status he enjoyed today came from the man before him. His heart was filled with gratitude and reluctance to part.

“If you truly want to follow me, then go to Hongtian Academy and faithfully manage my affairs as Teacher Zhang there. I will return to check on you when I have time,” Zhang Xuan said.

“Yes!” Sun Qiang nodded repeatedly, thrilled that his master wasn’t planning to abandon him.

“Your cultivation is still a bit low. This is a cultivation technique I’ve tailored for you. Train diligently, and I hope that the next time we meet, you’ll possess strength befitting your status!” Handing over a secret manual, Zhang Xuan stared intently at the plump man, his expression hardening. “Don’t disappoint me!”

“Master, I will work hard!”

Sun Qiang’s expression grew serious.

His master was right; his strength was crucial. As a Master Teacher’s steward, being only at the Fourth Stage of Martial Artist, the Skin-Bone realm, was simply too weak.

It was fine to drift aimlessly before, but if he wanted to continue following his master, insufficient strength would certainly be unacceptable.

“You may go!”

With everything arranged, it was already late at night. Zhang Xuan had a public lecture to deliver the next day, so he didn’t cultivate further and went straight to rest.

Although he was still vexed about the whereabouts of the Path to Heaven’s Impartation, there was nothing he could do since he couldn’t find it.

Liu Xun was the most outstanding young talent from the Liu family, one of the four great clans in Tianxuan Royal City. At twenty-three, he had already reached the initial stage of the Aperture Opening realm. Most importantly, he was a disciple of a 1-star Master Teacher from Jinyang Kingdom, possessing profound insights and comprehension regarding cultivation.

After three years of studying abroad, traveling day and night, he returned to his family’s gate just as dawn was breaking. As he was about to push the door open and enter, he saw his clansmen rushing out.

“Hurry, or you’ll be late!”

“Yes, make haste!”

“This is a great opportunity; if we miss it, we’ll surely regret it for the rest of our lives!”

Those coming out were mostly the younger generation, along with some middle-aged individuals in their thirties. Each held a notebook and pen, their expressions anxious.

“What’s going on? Is someone looking for trouble with our Liu family?”

Seeing their appearance, Liu Xun frowned, circulated his true qi, and secretly prepared for combat. However, the thought flashed through his mind and was immediately dismissed.

If someone were truly causing trouble, the elders would surely be out; it wouldn’t just be the younger generation. More importantly… if they were going to fight, what good would a notebook and pen do?

They couldn’t possibly face an enemy by drawing on their faces with a brush!

“Cousin Liu Xun, you’re back!” While he was pondering, a young girl approached him.

“Yu’er, what are you all doing…”

Yu’er was his cousin; they had grown up playing together. It was said that she had recently been admitted to Zhenwu Academy this year and had become a student of Teacher Lu Xun, with a promising future ahead.

“Oh, Teacher Zhang is giving a public lecture, and we’re all going to attend. Since you’re back, why don’t you come and listen with us?”

Yu’er smiled.

“Teacher Zhang?” Liu Xun frowned. “The useless teacher you mentioned in your last letter? What’s so special about his lecture?”

Although he had been away from Tianxuan Kingdom for a long time, he still knew a fair bit about what was happening there.

He had long heard about Zhang Xuan’s unprecedented last-place ranking, even though he was thousands of kilometers away.

“He’s not useless at all; he’s a true star teacher!” Yu’er pulled his hand. “Hurry up, or if we’re late, we won’t find a good spot.”

“Won’t find a good spot? A lecture this early in the morning?” Liu Xun grew increasingly puzzled and couldn’t help but ask.

“Not in the morning, it’s at noon!”

“Noon?” Liu Xun almost fainted.

If the lecture was at noon, it wouldn’t be too late to go then. Why were they rushing out at dawn? What in the world was going on?

“Just listen to me. Hurry up; I’ll explain in detail once we get there!” Yu’er said, her face full of urgency, as she walked toward Hongtian Academy.

Seeing her and the rest of the clan so anxious, Liu Xun couldn’t resist any longer and quickly followed.

“Are those… people from the Bai family?”

They hadn’t walked far when they saw another group of people rushing along, their faces full of urgency.

There were even more of them than Liu Xun’s group; not only the younger generation, but even some white-bearded elders were among them, their eyes gleaming as if a great treasure awaited excavation ahead.

With just a glance, Liu Xun recognized them as members of the Bai family, also one of the four great clans.

“Is that… Patriarch Bai Ming? He… came too?”

Feeling surprised, he looked at the person at the very front. After clearly seeing the face, his entire body trembled.

It was Patriarch Bai Ming!

He hadn’t expected him to lead the group personally, and their direction was the same as his cousin’s and the others’.

“Is that… Patriarch Wang Hong?”

His shock hadn’t subsided when he saw another group of people appear nearby, also heading towards Hongtian Academy. He recognized the leader: Patriarch Wang Hong of the Wang family, one of the four great clans!

He had heard that Patriarch Wang Hong was always proud and powerful, and their family was essentially dominant among the four great clans. How could he… have come personally as well?

Moreover, he also held a notebook and a brush…

“Du Miaoxuan from the Du family? Du Yuan… and the younger generation of the Du family too?”

After walking a bit further, he saw people from the Du family again. Like his own family and the others, they each held notebooks and pens, rushing forward with excited expressions.

With all four great clans gathered, Liu Xun felt his head spinning; he was almost dizzy enough to fall.

“Yu’er, what in the world is going on?”

Unable to restrain himself, he looked at his cousin ahead.

“They’re all here to listen to Teacher Zhang’s lecture!” Yu’er replied.

“Listen to a lecture? Could it be that this Teacher Zhang… is a Master Teacher?” Liu Xun truly didn’t understand.

Besides a Master Teacher, he couldn’t fathom who else would possess such influence to make the patriarchs of the four great clans of the royal city personally lead their people and rush to attend.

“He’s not a Master Teacher!” Yu’er shook her head.

“He’s not? Then…”

Filled with confusion, Liu Xun was about to ask how someone who wasn’t a Master Teacher could attract so many people, when the girl’s voice chimed in.

“Although he isn’t a Master Teacher, he is a Master Teacher’s…”

“…Senior Disciple Brother!”