Chapter 395: Collapsing Physician Mu Hong (Part 1)

“With this page, all the books collected in the Library these past few days can become my own knowledge!”

Zhang Xuan smiled faintly. Since leaving Tianxuan Kingdom, and having visited the Beast Hall, Poison Hall, Alchemist Guild, and the Kingdom’s Archives, the books collected in the Library have already exceeded tens of millions. If all of them are converted into his own knowledge, his knowledge reserves will immediately skyrocket. At that point, even without the aid of the Library, his sheer erudition alone would impress countless people, and passing the assessments for a two-star, or even three-star, master teacher would be effortless.

“I’ll wait until I’ve finished reading all the books in the Archives!”

Knowing that the golden page was hard-won, Zhang Xuan was not in a hurry to use it. After all, it was a one-time item, and its effect would be greater with more accumulated books. He had only read about half of the Kingdom’s Archives, so it wouldn’t be too late to use it after finishing them all. Having condensed a golden page, he felt delighted, and the more he looked at Lu Chong, the more satisfied he became.

“Get up! You are my student, and I am my teacher. As long as the bond between teacher and student exists… I can’t stand by and watch you be humiliated without doing anything!”

Zhang Xuan extended a hand, helped the young man up, and nodded. Having comprehended the true meaning of the teacher-student relationship, his words were utterly sincere, spoken from the heart, like a divine impartation, echoing all around and causing an involuntary shock in everyone’s minds. Even he himself felt a sense of clarity and mental rejuvenation after speaking.

Hearing this, Mo Yu clenched her delicate fists. “No wonder Zhao Ya and Mu Xueqing were willing to fight desperately and risk injury for him! So this is the true meaning of ‘teacher’!” She was a master teacher herself, with students and teaching experience, but her relationship with them was limited to imparting knowledge and explaining difficult concepts. She had never understood why Zhang Xuan’s students could fight so fiercely and refuse to give in for a single word, but now she finally understood… it was the students’ heartfelt admiration for their teacher! Only when a teacher sets an example and acts as a role model will students willingly follow, and even strive to protect their reputation.

“Amazing!” Mo Tianxue also nodded. As the King of Tianwu Kingdom, he had seen many teachers and students, but very few had the mutual trust displayed here. Many teachers and students became strangers for the sake of profit, never interacting again. No wonder he could earn the complete trust of students within just a few days of entering Tianwu Academy; this personal charisma was something many teachers, even master teachers, could not achieve.

“To earn others’ sincerity, one must first be sincere oneself…” He mused simultaneously. Teacher Liu treated his students with honesty, without deception or concealment, never abandoning them, and genuinely caring for them. Naturally, he earned their true support and respect.

After his musings, he turned to glance at the guards scattered on the ground and Elder Lin Hui, still convulsing in unconsciousness. His head began to ache again, and he couldn’t help but speak. “Ahem, I don’t mean to spoil the mood, but President Liu, you were truly… too reckless this time!” You and your student didn’t just beat ordinary people; you beat the Lin Clan, which gives even *me* a headache! Even if the Lin Clan is wary of you as the President of the Physician Guild and won’t do anything to you, what about your student? What about his family and friends? The Lin Clan isn’t just backed by the Formation Master Guild; more importantly… they have the Crown Princess of Xuanyuan Kingdom behind them! Lin Lang’s unreasonable elder sister! That’s the most concerning part. Two years ago, when the Qu family had a conflict, it was during her visit to her parents’ home, and she personally had one of her Supreme subordinates act on it. The royal family knew about it, yet under the pressure of a Supreme expert, they dared not utter a single word! Now, your disciple ambushed Lin Lang and severely injured him, apparently even throwing him into a cesspit, disfiguring him; and the teacher beat the Third Elder so badly he can no longer function, like a eunuch… This means you’ve forged an irreconcilable enmity with the Lin Clan; there’s no way to mediate it now!

“Reckless?” Zhang Xuan neither confirmed nor denied his words, looking over. “Even if I hadn’t acted today, do you think the Lin Clan would have toasted me in friendship?”

“This…” Mo Tianxue was stunned. If Lu Chong had truly been captured, it would have been simple for the Lin Clan, with their influence, to find out who his teacher was. Even if they didn’t become enraged over this specific incident, the fact that this person had cured the Golden-tailed Lion and pointed out the poisoning meant disrupting the Lin Clan’s plans against the royal family… He had likely already become a thorn in their side, an inevitable target, and a direct confrontation was bound to happen sooner or later. This moment merely brought the conflict forward.

“As long as Lu Chong calls me teacher, I cannot stand idly by!” He snorted, no longer dwelling on the issue. He said calmly, “You handle the rest. I haven’t finished reading my books yet; I’m going back to read for a bit. As for Lu Chong, wait for me here. Don’t go out for now…” With that, he walked directly towards the Archives and soon vanished from everyone’s sight.

“Read books?” “At a time like this, he still has the mood to read?” Seeing him turn to go read, Mo Tianxue and Mo Yu exchanged bewildered glances, feeling a wave of dizziness.

Bro, that’s the Lin Clan! Even the royal family is anxious and trembling when facing them, and you just beat up their elder, left him on the ground, and walked away… To read? This archive contains millions of books; if he really wanted to read them all, it would take ten or eight years. What good would it do to read for a bit longer now?

“This… guy, perhaps… just likes to read!” Mo Yu finally managed to stammer out after a long pause. She had known Master Zhang for a long time. Back in the Beast Hall, he was also clamoring to read books. Later, when he went to Honglian City, the reward he requested for treating the Grand Apothecary was also books. Now, with the Lin Clan almost at their doorstep, he still wants to read… Just how much does he love books?! No wonder he mastered so many professions at such a young age; it’s likely very related to this love of reading. The two of them were lost in thought, each with their own conjectures.

In reality, Zhang Xuan’s indifference was not a pretense; it was because the Lin Clan, though powerful enough to overshadow everything in Tianwu Kingdom, genuinely meant nothing to him. Although his current strength was only at the peak of the Grandmaster realm, with the Library of Heaven’s Path and the Eye of Insight, he was not far from a Half-Supreme expert! Even if his strength wasn't enough, he still had the Iron-toothed Roaring Beast as a trump card, and if things got really bad… he could simply reveal his identity as Master Zhang! A genius master teacher, senior brother to Hall Master Jiang Shu, and a student of Master Teacher Yang Xuan… With these identities, no matter how audacious the other party was, they probably wouldn’t dare to do anything to him! Therefore… the Lin Clan, which instilled great fear in Mo Tianxue and the others, was simply not an issue in his eyes. Rather than wasting time, it was more practical to go read books.

***

The Lin Clan.

In the most luxurious and spacious hall, the usual meeting place for the Lin Clan elders, where ordinary people were forbidden and even elders needed prior application to enter, there was now a bustling crowd and complete chaos. Two young men lay sprawled on the ground, their faces swollen like pig heads, making it hard to distinguish who was who from their appearance alone. These were precisely Lin Lang and Young Master Ji Mo, who had been brutally beaten by Lu Chong. The filth on their bodies had been cleaned, but the stench had seeped into their skin and couldn’t be removed no matter how many times they washed. Green bottle flies constantly swarmed around them, as if they had found delicacies, making anyone watching feel nauseous enough to vomit. Several people stood in the room, among them the Lin Clan Head, Lin Ruotian, and others.

“Clan Head Lin, what exactly happened? My son just went to Emerald Pavilion, how did he end up like this?”

Amidst the clamor, a tall middle-aged man strode in, full of anxiety. It was Ji Feng, the Head of the Ji Clan! Entering the hall, he saw his son lying on the ground like a corpse. His face turned ashen, and a surge of anger churned within him, as if about to explode. He knew that Young Master Ji Mo had come to intercede with Young Master Lin Lang. He had even tacitly encouraged it; otherwise, how could his son, under family confinement, openly leave by carriage with a servant? He had thought that finding Lin Lang and relying on the Lin Clan’s influence would easily resolve the issue and spare his son from blame. He never dreamed that his son would be beaten into a pig’s head without even meeting Master Zhang. Emerald Pavilion, Lin Lang’s property, the royal city’s pleasure den! Even royalty and nobles dared not cause trouble here, yet Ji Mo was beaten into unconsciousness, completely insensible… Who did this? Is there no justice? Is there no law? This is too arrogant!

“Clan Head Ji, don’t worry. The Third Elder has already led men to apprehend the culprits; there should be results very soon!” Lin Ruotian said, “Furthermore, not only was your son beaten, but even Lang’er suffered a terrible fate!”

“Young Master Lin Lang was also beaten?” Ji Feng had only received news of his son being beaten and knew nothing else. He was startled and quickly asked, “Where is Young Master Lin Lang? Is it serious?”

“Isn’t he lying right there with your son?” Lin Ruotian’s face darkened. *What kind of eyesight do you have? You only see your son severely injured, but my son is also lying there, how did you not notice?*

“This is… Young Master Lin Lang?” Only then did he notice another person lying next to his son, and Ji Feng was startled. Although his son was seriously injured, he could at least make out his general appearance and vaguely recognize him. But Young Master Lin Lang had been beaten beyond recognition, completely disfigured, and reeked horribly. If not for Clan Head Lin’s admission, no one would have guessed that this pig-headed fellow… was the renowned First Young Master of the royal city. From his appearance alone, it was impossible to tell…

“What exactly happened?” Swallowing hard, Ji Feng couldn’t help but ask. He had thought that merely beating his son was lawless enough, but now knowing that even Young Master Lin Lang was beaten, he realized it wasn’t just lawlessness; it was a complete disregard for all authority and consequence!

“When I received the message and went over, they were already like this!” Lin Ruotian shook his head. He couldn’t say for sure what exactly happened; he had to wait for the Third Elder to return to confirm.

“Then… they are seriously injured and need urgent treatment…” Seeing that he was also unclear, Ji Feng didn’t press the matter and quickly said.

“Their injuries are very serious and somewhat strange; ordinary physicians would find them hard to treat. I’ve already invited Physician Mu Hong from the Physician Guild; according to the schedule, he should arrive soon…” Lin Ruotian nodded.

“Mm!” Ji Feng nodded. Among physicians, besides President Liu, who recently gained the most fame, perhaps only Physician Mu Hong was left. As the former president and a three-star physician, even with his high status and great arrogance, he wouldn’t dare refuse a personal invitation from the Lin Clan.