Chapter 3: Heavenly Dao Has a Flaw

"On-the-spot guidance?" Zhang Xuan's expression soured.

Although he had merged with the memories of his previous self, he hadn't meticulously organized them. At best, he only understood cultivation levels. As for errors in cultivation, his predecessor had been muddled, let alone him now! Giving guidance to others… he certainly couldn't compare to Teacher Cao. If they truly competed, he would undoubtedly lose!

"What's wrong? Are you afraid to accept?" Cao Xiong chuckled softly, flicking his sleeve. He appeared calm and extremely refined, saying, "The academy has clear regulations: an on-the-spot competition, where students make their own choice, doesn't count as poaching!"

"Guidance on what?" Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth, knowing that if this matter wasn't resolved properly today, the student he had just painstakingly recruited would surely leave. Teachers' guidance came in many forms: advice on cultivation, martial arts techniques, or errors in practice. Different areas meant different specialties for each teacher.

"How about this: these are all new students, and we don't know any of them. Let them perform a set of fist techniques. We'll identify the flaws and offer guidance, then conduct an immediate test. Whoever shows the most significant improvement wins. What do you say?" Cao Xiong wasn't confident when facing other teachers, but he had great self-assurance against this individual, who was ranked last in the entire school for performance and had a zero score on the teaching qualification exam.

Zhang Xuan hesitated.

"Surely you're not afraid to accept, are you? Didn't you just boast that many students wanted to be your disciple but you wouldn't take them? If you truly have skill, then let's compete. Don't mislead that young girl!" Cao Xiong pressed him relentlessly.

"This... fine!" Zhang Xuan nodded. He thought, 'When a man dies, he faces the sky!' At worst, he would simply lose. If he didn't agree now, his newly recruited student would certainly withdraw. At this point, there was no turning back. If all else failed, he would just have to bluster; after all, he had thick skin, so a little embarrassment wouldn't hurt.

"Teacher Cao and Teacher Zhang are competing!""Are you talking about the Teacher Zhang who's ranked last?""Yes, him!""Someone with a zero on the teaching qualification exam is competing? Is that real? Isn't he just asking to be humiliated?"...

As soon as he agreed, it immediately drew the attention of many students who were eating. It was new student registration day, and many had heard about the teacher who scored zero on the qualification exam even before coming to school, but they had never seen him in person. They were all filled with curiosity.

"According to the rules, you'll guide my student, and I'll guide yours!" Seeing the crowd gather, Cao Xiong's desire to show off intensified. He waved his hand and said with a smile. To ensure fairness in competitions between teachers, one couldn't guide their own students, as it would raise suspicions of cheating. Usually, students were exchanged for guidance.

"Little girl, come here and demonstrate a set of fist techniques, then strike the stone pillar in front of you with all your might!" Having settled on the competition's content and method, Cao Xiong, acting like an enlightened master, looked towards the sweet, innocent girl nearby.

"Me..." Wang Ying's face flushed. She secretly glanced at Zhang Xuan, and seeing he wasn't angry, she stepped forward. As she parted her hands, a serene energy filled her body. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Her fists whistled through the air with immense power. If one hadn't seen it firsthand, they would never believe that such a seemingly delicate girl could execute these techniques. Her movements were solid and full of strength, clearly demonstrating a very strong foundation. Soon, she completed the entire set of fist techniques.

After watching for a while, Zhang Xuan felt a wave of despair. With his limited knowledge, even after merging with his predecessor's memories, he couldn't spot a single flaw. No wonder he scored zero on the teaching qualification exam; his discerning eye was truly terrible.

"Good. Now, use all your strength and strike the stone pillar!" Cao Xiong nodded in satisfaction, secretly acknowledging her potential. The stone pillar, located not far from them, was used to test a student's raw strength, giving them a clear understanding of their own power.

Wang Ying timidly approached the pillar, condensing the power she had accumulated from her recent fist routine into a forceful strike, like a shooting star. *Bang!* The stone pillar trembled, and a number appeared on its surface: 53!

"Fifty-three kilograms! Excellent punching power!" Cao Xiong nodded repeatedly. For a new student, especially a girl, who hadn't even officially entered the academy or received any formal guidance, to achieve such striking force was very impressive.

"I just observed your fist technique," Cao Xiong began. "It's powerful and full of strength, but there's a slight issue: the trajectory of your punch is a bit short. If you can increase the rotation speed of your lower body, your power will surge dramatically! If I'm not mistaken, your legs must have been injured at some point, correct?" As expected of a teacher, his insight was far superior to Zhang Xuan's. He immediately recognized that Wang Ying's lower body was crucial to her technique and deduced a past injury.

"Yes," Wang Ying nodded.

"Because of your past injury, you're hesitant when applying force from your lower body," Cao Xiong continued. "I'll teach you a method now; don't worry, it won't worsen your leg condition!" He then proceeded to explain a new technique in detail.

"I'll try!" Wang Ying, possessing such strength at her age, demonstrated considerable comprehension. She quickly grasped the concept, returned to the stone pillar, clenched her small fists, and a surge of power coursed through her body, making her seem like a coiled dragon. *Bang!* The number 63 appeared!

A simple piece of guidance had increased her power by a full 10 kilograms!

"Her strength increased by 10 kilograms, which is an almost twenty percent boost! I'm finished with my guidance; it's your turn!" Seeing this impressive result, Cao Xiong smiled faintly and looked at Zhang Xuan with unconcealed pride. Enabling a student to increase their strength by nearly twenty percent with a single piece of guidance was considered an excellent achievement.

"Teacher Zhang!" As soon as Cao Xiong finished speaking, a student stepped out from behind him, preparing to demonstrate his fist technique."Wait!" Zhang Xuan raised a hand.

"What's the matter? Does Teacher Zhang want to go back on his word?" Cao Xiong snorted.

"Go back on my word? What are you talking about? Do you think I'd renege on something I've agreed to?" Zhang Xuan blustered, but inwardly, he was consumed by anxiety. How could he, a transmigrator, possibly guide students in cultivation? If it were about instructing them on how to download films or the essential techniques of watching adult movies, that would be a different story.

"I just think..." Seeing everyone staring at him, Zhang Xuan had no choice but to brazen it out, fabricating an excuse. "This is your student; he follows your orders. If he deliberately doesn't use his full strength after I've given guidance, wouldn't I have lost automatically?"

"I will absolutely use my full strength; I have that much integrity!" the student asserted, gritting his teeth at Zhang Xuan's suspicion.

"Alright, I believe this student has integrity," Zhang Xuan conceded, realizing that pressing the point further would only invite ridicule. He pushed on, "But our competition still isn't fair!"

"Unfair? How so?" Cao Xiong asked.

"Wang Ying is my student," Zhang Xuan explained. "If I win, she remains my student, and I gain nothing. But if I lose, she becomes your disciple. How is that fair? It's like we're gambling with our lives: if I win, you give me your life; if I lose, I give you *my* life back... Do you consider that fair?"

"Uh..." Cao Xiong was momentarily stunned. When Zhang Xuan put it that way, it did seem somewhat unfair. This wager was essentially a gamble where he stood to gain everything while risking nothing, and if his opponent lost, their disciple would be handed over to him.

"In that case, if you win, this Liu Yang will become your student!" After a moment's thought, Cao Xiong waved his hand dismissively. Liu Yang was the very new student who had just stepped forward for Zhang Xuan's guidance.

"Teacher..." Liu Yang was stunned by Teacher Cao's unexpected decision, his face filling with anxiety. He would rather die than become the disciple of someone who scored zero on the teaching qualification exam...

"Don't worry," Cao Xiong assured him with a confident look. "I, your teacher, certainly won't lose!"

"Understood!" Seemingly very confident in Teacher Cao, Liu Yang took two steps to a nearby spot and, without waiting for Zhang Xuan's attention, began his fist routine.

"This..." Zhang Xuan, who had intended to say a few more words to convince the young man to give up, grew despondent as Liu Yang immediately began his routine, offering no chance to speak. To be honest, he didn't even recognize the fist technique Liu Yang was performing. How was he supposed to find its flaws, let alone offer guidance?

"Flaws... what are the flaws in this fist technique?" Sweat beaded on his forehead as he grew increasingly anxious. If he couldn't identify the flaws and offer guidance, losing face would be a minor concern. His hard-won student would leave him for someone else, and he would surely be expelled from the academy!

*Boom!* Just as he was consumed by anxiety, the Library of Heaven's Path within his mind shuddered, and a muffled, thunderous sound reverberated. Immediately after, four large characters appeared above the previously empty bookshelf: "Heaven's Path is Flawed!"

These four characters conveyed a sense of mountainous weight, imbued with boundless majesty and aura. As the four characters materialized, a book that had previously been out of reach and intangible on the bookshelf suddenly appeared, dropping directly before him.

"What is this?" His heart skipped a beat as Zhang Xuan looked down at the book in his palm. On the cover were two characters: "Liu Yang!"

He casually opened the first page, which was densely covered with text."Liu Yang, from the Liu family in Xiayun City, admitted to Hongtian Academy. Martial Artist First Realm, Qi Gathering Stage!""Cultivation Technique: Lotus Acupoint Charging Energy!""Martial Arts: Minor mastery of Flying Flower Fist, Major mastery of Inch Dragon Fist!""Flaws: Twelve points. First, too many feints, leading to dispersed power... Second... Third... Twelfth, his left arm is stronger, but his fist technique relies on his right side, preventing him from unleashing his strongest attack..."

"This... this is unbelievable..." Seeing the densely packed text, Zhang Xuan felt as if he were losing his mind. Was this real? Just as he was thinking about flaws, the Library of Heaven's Path had produced a book detailing Liu Yang's imperfections! If what was written was true, then this "transmigration gift package" he received was far too potent! Everyone had flaws, and every technique and martial art had imperfections; there was nothing perfect in the world. For the library to be able to identify these flaws and compile them into a book—this was truly defying the heavens!

*Bang!* While Zhang Xuan was still stunned by the changes within the library in his mind, Liu Yang had already completed his set of fist techniques. With a tremor, a number appeared on the stone pillar: "62!"

His punching power was a remarkable 62 kilograms!

"Teacher Zhang, Liu Yang has finished his demonstration. Please come over and guide him, won't you?" Cao Xiong smiled faintly. The surrounding onlookers, hearing this, all turned their gazes towards Zhang Xuan, eager to see how this man—the first in history to score a zero on the teaching qualification exam—would actually instruct a student.