Chapter 425: Apprentice Student

Right before their eyes was the group of people who had just been so arrogant in the sky.

The man who had appeared to be the leader, standing on the barbaric beast's head, his large hands spread wide, exuding an unparalleled aura of dominance with power that could shatter the universe and an aura that dominated the world — how did half of his body end up buried in the ground, like a sapling?

The Crown Princess, the main culprit, looked like a pig's head; if not for her luxurious clothes, she would have been unrecognizable among a group of beggars.

Not only the three of them, but even the fierce barbaric beast appeared to have been so violently thrown around that it couldn't tell its directions.

This... this... Mo Hongyi's eyes were as wide as gongs.

What exactly happened? In the blink of an eye, the people who were so arrogant moments ago were reduced to this state?

Amidst his confusion, he heard two more thuds.

He quickly looked over and saw the "patients" who had been lying on the barbaric beast's back flung out, flying for a while longer in the air before finally landing.

It was Lin Ruotian and Lin Lang.

They were already severely injured, and after flying hundreds of meters and falling from a height of dozens of meters, all their bones shattered and their breathing ceased. They had truly perished.

"Father, brother..." Seeing this scene, the heavily injured Lin Long became frantic and furious, and promptly fainted.

She only fainted, but Lin Ruotian died with his eyes wide open, full of resentment.

He had thought that with his daughter's arrival, they would surely display their might, slay Zhang Xuan and all his people, and completely avenge themselves. But he never dreamed that they would merely arrive above the mansion before the barbaric beast plunged down, nearly dashing them to death.

Immediately after, he still hoped they could turn the tables, but instead, they became human projectiles... and then, there was nothing more.

He came for revenge, but died without even seeing his enemies.

Who in the world could be more tragic than him?

If he had known this, he might as well not have waited for his daughter and died earlier, to avoid suffering for these past few days.

"The Lin family has truly hit a brick wall this time!"

"Indeed! Not only is Master Zhang highly talented, but he also has a good teacher. Fighting against them, isn't that just seeking death?"

"Rushing over without even bothering to inquire, they deserve their misfortune..."

Witnessing their miserable state, people felt no sympathy; instead, they rejoiced.

Everyone knew about Lu Chong's affair. The Lin family already had a bad reputation, and now, with them down, everyone piled on, spreading like wildfire.

"Was this Master Zhang's teacher's doing?"

"No, someone just watched from the Heavenly Gaze Tower. It was a Master Teacher named... Little Su. I'm not sure who it is!"

"No matter who it is, for a Supreme Realm expert to casually toss them out like that, that level of power is terrifying..."

"Indeed! From now on, this Zhang Manor is forbidden territory. Any junior who dares to trespass will immediately be expelled from the family!"

Discussions erupted.

"Little Su? Could it be... Master Su who made the move?"

His face flushed, and Mo Hongyi clenched his fists.

A Four-Star Master Teacher truly is formidable. It seemed his decision was correct; if he became their student, he would definitely make rapid progress in the future.

Creak! Just as he was excited, waiting for Master Su and the other to emerge so he could go and formally acknowledge them as teachers, he heard the main gate nearby creak open, and two figures walked out.

"Steward Sun, then we shall take our leave. Please also inform Master Zhang, if you see him, that we will be waiting for him in the Myriad Kingdoms Alliance!" Master Su said, cupping his fist.

"Don't worry, it's a small matter!" Sun Qiang waved his hand dismissively.

"This..." Mo Hongyi swayed.

Those were Master Su and Master Ling, Four-Star Master Teachers from the Myriad Kingdoms Alliance. It was understandable that Master Yang didn't see them off, but why didn't Master Zhang come out either?

Only a steward came to see them off, and most importantly... this steward was far too casual!

Look at that expression, clearly perfunctory... and impatient!

How could he be impatient? If he hadn't known the identities of Master Su and Master Ling before, that would be one thing, but they had just displayed earth-shattering power, and he still had such an attitude...

Was he crazy or sick?

"Neither... Perhaps Master Yang's power is unfathomable, and that's why even his household, including the steward, benefits from his prestige and acts so arrogantly..."

Mo Hongyi wasn't stupid and quickly understood, leaving him dumbfounded.

To make Four-Star Master Teachers wary... just how powerful was Master Yang?

***

Master Teacher Pavilion.

Pavilion Master Jiang looked at Elder Zhu, who had come to report, with shock. "You said... Teacher referred to Master Su as... Little Su?"

"Yes!" Elder Zhu replied. "Not only that, Master Su also seemed to be very obedient to Master Yang..."

"Master Su is a dignified Four-Star Master Teacher from the Myriad Kingdoms Alliance, and yet he was so respectful to Teacher, not even daring to object to being called Little Su... Could it be that Teacher's power has already surpassed the Four-Star level?"

He had long known that Teacher's power was unfathomable, but Pavilion Master Jiang never dreamed it was this formidable.

For a Four-Star Master Teacher to be so respectful and refer to himself as a junior, just how strong must Teacher be?

After the shock, he couldn't help but sigh with emotion, "Only a Master Teacher this formidable could teach a genius like Zhang Xuan!"

Master Zhang's talent was evident to all. If it were him, he certainly couldn't teach him; only Teacher had such ability.

"Oh, by the way, Pavilion Master," Elder Zhu continued, "Master Su and the others left Master Zhang's mansion and immediately took a flying barbaric beast back to the Myriad Kingdoms Alliance!"

Pavilion Master Jiang nodded. "Hmm. Master Su and Master Ling are elders of the Myriad Kingdoms Alliance's Master Teacher Pavilion, and certainly have many things to do. They couldn't possibly stay here for long!" He hesitated for a moment. "Prepare yourselves. We will go to see Master Zhang and Teacher. I estimate they won't be staying in Tianwu Royal City for much longer!"

He knew something of Master Su and Master Ling's objectives. Now, with the two of them leaving immediately without any delay, it indicated that things were mostly settled.

The Master Teacher Tournament would take place in three months, so Master Zhang and the others would likely be leaving soon.

"Indeed!" Elder Zhu nodded.

Master Zhang was a great talent. A small place like Tianwu Royal City could clearly no longer hold him. He needed to go to a more glorious place and soar.

Both Pavilion Master Jiang and Elder Zhu saw that Zhang Xuan was indeed considering leaving at this moment.

His current cultivation had reached the peak of the Master realm. Without more Supreme-tier cultivation techniques, it was almost impossible to achieve a breakthrough.

And in a place like Tianwu Kingdom, such cultivation techniques were simply unavailable.

He could only go to a higher-ranked kingdom.

***

Restoring his original appearance, he returned to the reception hall.

At this moment, Zheng Yang and the others were still kneeling in place, having endured for two days and two nights without a single drop of water. Though their bodies trembled and they were struggling to hold on, their gazes grew increasingly firm, devoid of their previous frivolousness.

Two days and two nights of tempering, as expected, had sharpened their minds and refined their wills.

Knowing that the purpose of punishing them had been achieved, Zhang Xuan nodded.

"You may all rise!" He waved his hand and sat down in a seat in the room.

Lu Chong, Zhao Ya, and the others also came forward. At this moment, all six students were gathered.

Looking at everyone, Zhang Xuan said lightly, "I am leaving Tianwu Kingdom for the Myriad Kingdoms Alliance. Those unwilling to go will not be forced!"

It was time for another decision.

Students were not slaves. If they wished to follow, he would take them; if not, it meant their destined connection had ended, and there was no need to force it.

"I am willing to follow Teacher!" Zhao Ya took a step forward.

"I am willing too!" Zheng Yang and the others also spoke up quickly.

Without Teacher, they wouldn't have their current strength. Naturally, they wanted to follow in Teacher's footsteps and go further and further.

"Lu Chong, what about you?" The five students who had come from Tianxuan quickly expressed their willingness to follow, never leaving. Only Lu Chong stood to the side, saying nothing.

Lu Chong hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I said before that this life of mine belongs to Teacher. Naturally, I will follow Teacher wherever he goes! However... before that, there are some matters I wish to settle!"

"Hmm?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

Lu Chong said, "The Myriad Kingdoms Alliance is hundreds of thousands of kilometers away from here. The journey is long. Once I go, I don't know when I'll be able to return. I want to... pay respects to my parents and relatives before I leave!"

"Paying respects to your family is only right!" Zhang Xuan agreed.

The journey's duration was unknown. It was human nature to pay respects to deceased parents and relatives before a long departure.

Lu Chong continued, "If there's an opportunity... I also wish for Teacher to help retrieve something left by my ancestors. My strength is still... slightly insufficient!"

Zhang Xuan assented.

The ancestral item he spoke of should be the handwritten notes by Master Kong.

This item was of no use to him, but Lu Chong's family was annihilated because of it, and it was left by his ancestor. It was perfectly understandable for him to wish to obtain it before leaving.

"Many thanks, Teacher!" Lu Chong's eyes were filled with gratitude.

Seeing that everyone wanted to follow, Zhang Xuan looked around, his expression serious. "Since you all wish to follow me, then I shall lay down some rules!

"The teacher-student relationship emphasizes destiny. Ordinary students in an academy who don't want to attend class can leave; it makes no difference if they change teachers. But... if you are to follow me, it's different."

An ordinary teacher-student relationship, though respectful, had no great restraints.

Just like Teacher Bai, who previously taught Lu Chong and the others, even though he taught them for a long time, they wouldn't feel much guilt if they changed teachers.

It was the same at Hongtian Academy. If students felt the teaching was poor, dropping classes or changing teachers was common.

Realizing, Zheng Yang's face flushed with excitement. "Teacher... are you going to accept us as your direct disciples?"

Zhao Ya and the others also clenched their fists.

Among students, direct disciples and regular students had vastly different statuses; they couldn't be compared.

Regular students could leave and change teachers. Direct disciples, however, doing so would be considered betraying their sect, and no one would dare to say anything if they were executed!

Becoming a direct disciple meant receiving the most profound cultivation techniques, the most detailed guidance, and automatically becoming a "senior disciple" when encountering regular students.

Similarly, they also had to be loyal to their sect, with no second thoughts.

Furthermore, becoming a direct disciple was also the teacher's acknowledgment of the student. If not acknowledged, one could not be accepted.

Zhao Ya and the others had always considered themselves direct disciples, but Master Zhang had never formally stated it, leaving them somewhat disappointed. Now, hearing these words, they were all uncontrollably excited.

Becoming a direct disciple meant having a true identity.

And now, when standing up for Teacher, they could do so with full justification.

"Indeed." He stood up, his hands clasped behind his back. With each rule Zhang Xuan spoke, his expression grew sterner. By the end, the air in the entire room seemed to have solidified. "To become my direct disciple, you must abide by several rules: Respect your teacher and the Dao, obey your teacher's commands, and never defy them.

"Teachings of the sect must not be divulged without permission.

"Be tolerant in conduct; never bully the weak.

"Prioritize integrity; never deceive superiors or conceal from subordinates.

"Unite with your fellow disciples...

"If you can abide by these articles, you may be my direct disciple. If you fail to do so, or violate them in the future, I, Zhang Xuan, will personally eliminate you, showing no leniency!"

After these days of assessment, these students, though sometimes appearing unruly, had always been deeply respectful of him inwardly and never dared to defy him in the slightest, thus meeting the standards for direct disciples.

However... since they were to be accepted as direct disciples, rules naturally had to be established.

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhao Ya and the others knelt simultaneously. "We are willing to enter Master Zhang's lineage and become direct disciples, obeying Teacher's commands, remaining loyal and unwavering, and having no regrets until death!"

"Good!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"From today onward, Zhao Ya shall be the senior sister disciple, Wang Ying shall be the second senior sister disciple, followed by Liu Yang, Zheng Yang, Yuan Tao, and Lu Chong. The six of you, as fellow disciples, must cherish each other and never engage in internal strife!"

Although Wang Ying was the first to join the sect, her personality was too weak. Among the group, only Zhao Ya had a broad perspective and her cultivation was the highest, making her suitable to be the senior sister disciple. If Zheng Yang and the others were put in charge, there was no telling how much trouble they would cause.

"Yes, Teacher!" The students nodded.

The ceremony was complete, and their seniority was confirmed.

Tianwu Calendar, year 1736. Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, Liu Yang, Wang Ying, Yuan Tao, and Lu Chong formally acknowledged their teacher, becoming Master Zhang's direct disciples.