Chapter 335

"I know that everyone present has extensive teaching experience and is an officially certified teacher by the Guild. Simply relying on resumes or a few casual questions would make it difficult to convincingly decide who to select and who not to."

Dean Xie Bi surveyed the room and continued, "Since that's the case, I will make my selection based on the criteria for teachers."

"The criteria for teachers?" Everyone looked over with puzzled expressions.

"Precisely! As the saying goes, 'A teacher imparts wisdom, teaches skills, and resolves doubts!' A teacher's primary duty is to guide students onto the right path and help them achieve better development. I have two students here who both have some issues. Whoever can resolve them will be admitted to the academy. If multiple candidates can resolve them, the one who does it best will rank higher!" Dean Xie Bi stated.

"A teacher's duty is to teach; if they can't teach well, everything else is useless!" "Even if one's cultivation is exceptionally high, it's meaningless if they cannot articulate it!" Hearing the selection criteria, everyone nodded in agreement.

"This assessment certainly aligns with the rules!" Mo Hongyi also showed a look of satisfaction. Every profession has its specialization. Without teaching experience, practical student guidance, or pedagogical theory, even immense personal strength doesn't guarantee effective classroom results. Many esteemed scholars might lecture on various topics, but after a single class, students often leave having learned nothing and understood even less.

"Bring them in!" Following Dean Xie's call, two students, approximately fifteen or sixteen years old, were escorted into the room. One was a boy, the other a girl.

The girl wore a cold, arrogant expression, while the boy's eyes glinted like a hawk's. The two students stood before the assembly, showing no fear in their eyes. They seemed aware of their role and remained perfectly still and quiet.

"These are the two students. Who would like to examine them first?" Xie Bi inquired, sweeping his gaze across the assembled teachers.

"I will!" The young man, a late-stage Transcendent Mortal who had been standing in front of Zhang Xuan and Mo Hongyi, snorted and stepped forward with an arrogant expression.

"Excellent. A teacher should possess such a bold and proactive attitude. Hesitation and excessive caution will likely not produce outstanding students!" Dean Xie Bi nodded with satisfaction.

Hearing this, everyone felt a pang of regret. If only they had known, they would have stepped forward. Not only had this fellow gained attention, but he had also won Dean Xie's approval, potentially securing his success in the assessment.

At the sound of the praise, a spark of pride lit up the young man's eyes. He took a few steps, circled the two students, and then instructed, "Each of you, perform a set of your martial arts techniques!"

"Yes!" A hint of nonchalance flickered in the girl's eyes as she stepped forward to begin. Her martial arts display was conventional yet full of power and grace, showcasing remarkable talent. As soon as she finished her routine, the boy entered the training area.

His movements were less graceful than hers, but more direct, swift, and imbued with powerful force, even subtly hinting at a lethal intent. As the two students demonstrated their techniques, the other teachers observed, each engrossed in their own thoughts.

Shortly after the martial arts demonstration concluded, both students returned to their positions, standing with clasped fists.

"Alright, this teacher may now offer his assessment!" Dean Xie Bi signaled.

"Very well!" the young man replied, clasping his hands behind his back with an air of profound authority. "The martial art technique demonstrated by this girl is the 'Clear Water Floating Cloud Hand.' It is light and graceful, with agile power. Although the movements are exquisite and her cultivation foundation is quite solid, her True Qi is insufficient, and it appears rather strained when flowing through her meridians. If I'm not mistaken, she must have recently broken through to the True Qi realm and is not yet fully proficient in its application." He then looked at the girl, an expectant look in his eyes. "Am I correct in my assessment?"

"I only broke through to the True Qi realm three months ago!" The girl confirmed with a nod.

"Though her movements are refined, it's regrettable that her True Qi control is inadequate. No matter how beautiful or precise her forms, they are merely superficial. If she were my student, I would instruct her to dedicate herself to cultivation, prioritizing the condensation of her True Qi. Only when her True Qi reaches a profound level can she truly master these techniques." The young man smiled. "Her physique is elegant and composed, and her aura is pure. I would suggest she cultivate the academy's Jade Purity Art, as it aligns perfectly with her temperament and she would find it easy to master."

"I am indeed cultivating the Jade Purity Art!" Upon hearing his words, a flicker of surprise appeared in the girl's eyes, and she couldn't help but exclaim.

"Hehe!" With a triumphant smile, having advised the girl, the young man turned his attention to the boy nearby. "Your strength is fierce and potent, indicating that you are suited for cultivating strength-based techniques and martial arts. I believe the Bamboo Yang Art would be quite fitting for you!"

"Teacher, I am indeed cultivating the Bamboo Yang Art!" The boy confirmed with a nod.

"Alright, my assessment is complete..." With a flourish of his sleeve, the young man, a smug expression on his face, walked back into the crowd. He stopped in front of Zhang Xuan and the other candidate, even deliberately lifting his chin in a show of arrogance.

"I saw all that too; I should have stepped forward earlier and said it!" "Exactly! He seized the initiative; to go up now and repeat it would be like 'drawing legs on a snake' — entirely superfluous and even counterproductive!" "How frustrating..." Hearing the young man's remarks, everyone present showed signs of regret.

Naturally, those qualified to be official teachers could discern these points. However, since someone else had already articulated them, repeating the same observations would inevitably invite accusations of plagiarism and certainly wouldn't earn any favor.

"Hmm." In contrast to the general reaction, Dean Xie's expression showed little change; instead, a hint of disappointment flickered across his face. He then surveyed the room, asking, "Does anyone else have anything to add?"

"I will!" After a brief hesitation, another individual stepped forward. It was a middle-aged man, approximately forty years old.

"It's Teacher Du Xun from Tianquan Academy!" "I heard he's a renowned teacher and has even been accepted as an apprentice by a famous master!" "Yes, I've attended his classes; they're truly exceptional..." "It looks like another spot is about to be filled!" As the middle-aged man stepped forward, a murmur went through the crowd, and many faces tightened with apprehension. While he had not been particularly conspicuous within the crowd moments before, as soon as he stepped forward, many recognized him. Individuals who achieve the status of renowned teachers or apprentices to famous masters invariably possess extraordinary abilities. Most of the applicants present were ordinary teachers, and there was a discernible gap between their capabilities and someone of his standing.

"I also observed their martial arts demonstration just now," Teacher Du Xun began, approaching the two students and scrutinizing them for a moment before offering his detailed assessment. "The girl's strength is light and nimble, and the previous teacher was correct in stating that she is suitable for cultivating the Jade Purity Art. However, he overlooked one crucial point. This girl only entered the True Qi realm three months ago, yet she can execute such formidable martial arts, integrating her True Qi with her body so effectively... This unequivocally indicates a talent that far surpasses the average person! She is, in essence, a genius!"

"The Jade Purity Art is merely a relatively common cultivation method for women. While suitable for those with average talent, it would be a waste for someone with exceptional gifts. I believe it would be more appropriate for her to switch to cultivating the Jade Maiden Art!"

"As for the boy, his strength is fierce and formidable, and his aura is robust. While the strength-based Bamboo Yang Art is quite suitable, his movements are sharp and concise, directly targeting vital points, clearly indicating extensive combat experience. While the Bamboo Yang Art can enhance cultivation, its execution can be somewhat slow. This is a significant drawback given his aggressive combat style. I believe cultivating the 'Overlord's Might' would be more appropriate. This technique is quick and direct, allowing him to better utilize his strengths!" Concluding his assessment, Teacher Du Xun clasped his fists. "I am finished."

"Very good!" Hearing his words, Dean Xie Bi nodded in satisfaction. Earlier, when the young man spoke, the dean had shown disappointment, but now, he offered praise to Du Xun, clearly indicating a notable distinction between the two assessments.

"Damn it!" Seeing Dean Xie's change in expression, the young man's smug look vanished, and his fists clenched. A true expert's insight is immediately recognizable. While the young man's assessment wasn't incorrect, it seemed rather pedestrian when compared to Du Xun's. Indeed, Du Xun's suggested approach would undoubtedly yield superior results.

"Alright, does anyone else have anything to add?" Dean Xie Bi scanned the room once more.

A few more individuals stepped forward, but their comments largely echoed what the previous two had said, offering little new insight.

"If there are no further additions, the positions will go to the first two teachers who assessed!" With a slight hint of disappointment, Dean Xie Bi continued.

"I'll give it a try!" Mo Hongyi stepped forward.

Seeing that so much had already been discussed, yet someone still stepped forward, everyone's attention converged on him. However, upon recognizing his cultivation level, they all shook their heads in unison. Many late-stage and peak Transcendent Mortals had already offered their insights with little innovation; how could a mere early-stage cultivator possibly possess greater discernment?

Even Dean Xie Bi and the various elders didn't hold much hope. While cultivation level doesn't directly equate to teaching proficiency, it often correlates. A higher cultivation level generally signifies a deeper understanding of cultivation, which in turn usually leads to greater expertise in teaching.

Disregarding the collective gaze, Mo Hongyi approached the two students, circled them once, and then turned to Dean Xie. "Dean, if I'm not mistaken, the 'issues' you referred to regarding these two students are not about their cultivation levels, but rather something else entirely, aren't they?"

"Something else entirely?" "If a teacher isn't guiding cultivation, then what exactly are they guiding?" "Absurd! Don't speak nonsense if you don't understand!" Hearing his words, the faces of those who had just participated in the assessment all darkened, and the young man who had spoken first displayed a look of utter contempt. If a student has problems, and it's not related to their cultivation, what else could it refer to? Their background or family, perhaps?

"Oh? Please, elaborate!" Dean Xie, who had previously been quite disappointed, couldn't help but look up, intrigued by this statement.

"For this girl, whether she cultivates the Jade Purity Art or the Jade Maiden Art, the impact wouldn't be substantial," Mo Hongyi explained, looking towards the dean. "As Teacher Du Xun mentioned earlier, her talent is exceptionally high, and even slight variations in cultivation methods wouldn't significantly impede her. Furthermore, even if the Jade Purity Art is marginally weaker, she has cultivated it for many years and is already proficient. A sudden change would actually obstruct her progress. And truly, with proper guidance, these two cultivation methods, which are inherently quite similar, would make little practical difference!"

"Therefore... in my opinion, her primary issue is neither her cultivation method nor the need to strengthen her True Qi, but rather... her aversion to learning!"

"Aversion to learning?" Dean Xie's eyes immediately lit up, and he couldn't help but lean forward. "Precisely! Please continue!"

"This..." Hearing Dean Xie's admission, everyone's eyes widened in disbelief. Aversion to learning? Were they mistaken? How could one possibly discern that?