Chapter 592: The Rules of the Grand Competition

Walking along the crowded path, I headed forward. In the middle of the spacious plaza, a massive platform had been erected at some point, shrouded in mist and unclear to see.

It seemed a formation had been deliberately set up, preventing anyone from seeing what was inside.

Numerous master teachers, clad in long robes, sat around it.

Zhang Xuan looked around.

As expected of a grand gathering of master teachers, thousands had arrived from 27 different powers, plus the Myriad Kingdom Alliance. Each wore an emblem signifying their rank, reflecting light and dazzling the eyes.

Thousands of master teachers gathered in one place – such a grand event hadn't been seen in many years. No wonder the entire population of Myriad Kingdom City was ecstatic, having waited outside since early morning.

To prevent any incidents, the Alliance Lord's Mansion had begun preparations half a month ago, deploying their strongest soldiers to guard the perimeter, ready to respond immediately should anything unexpected occur.

"This is the Master Teacher Tournament! So many master teachers!"

"Normally, master teachers are too proud to even be seen, but here, there are thousands…"

"To see so many powerful master teachers compete, I could die without regret!"

Everywhere he went, there was excited chatter, and everyone was visibly thrilled.

The Master Teacher Tournament, held only once every ten years, was already rare. Coupled with the random selection of the host city, many people would never witness such a grand event in their lifetime. Thus, with it being held here, naturally, everyone wanted to attend in person.

This was precisely why the Master Teacher Pavilion deliberately chose this location for the competition: to showcase the power of master teachers to everyone, and to encourage more people to admire the profession, thereby ensuring a continuous supply of new talent.

"Look, it's Young Master Ruohuan!"

"He's so handsome! The one next to him must be Master Teacher Zhang Xuan, right?"

"It must be! I've heard about him, and I'm a loyal fan of his…"

"Me too! He forfeited one round of the five-stage selection test and still came in first. No one else has that kind of ability…"

As the three walked by, some recognized them, and a wave of cheers erupted.

Although Zhang Xuan's participation in the selection had been an internal affair of the Master Teacher Pavilion, after two months of circulation, almost everyone in Myriad Kingdom City knew about it.

A four-star master teacher under twenty; his auxiliary occupations led to exceptional applications from physicians, formation masters, and beast tamers; he defeated Young Master Ruohuan and others to top the selection test by only completing four stages… Every one of these stories was a legend, inspiring reverence and adoration among the younger generation.

"Master Teacher Zhang is so handsome!"

"Handsome? Why do I think he looks a bit… sneaky?"

"Sneaky? Even if he's sneaky, I'd still marry him and have a bunch of his children…"

Hearing Zhang Xuan's exploits, some young women were utterly captivated, and many mustered their courage to shout aloud.

"Sneaky? Have children?"

Zhang Xuan's face darkened with exasperation.

"It seems Master Teacher Zhang's fame has surpassed this old man's!" Hall Master Kang chuckled, stroking his beard.

Two months ago, he hadn't even known who Zhang Xuan was, but now, the entire capital city practically knew his name.

The Master Teacher Tournament indeed had the power to make one's reputation skyrocket instantly.

After finally pushing through the dense crowd and reaching the designated area for the Myriad Kingdom Alliance's Master Teacher Pavilion, they saw a graceful figure approaching, clearly excited.

"You've emerged from seclusion…"

It was Zhao Feiwu, the Second Princess of the Myriad Kingdom Alliance.

After returning from the Yin-Yang Lake, Zhang Xuan immediately went into seclusion. In fact, they hadn't seen each other for nearly two months.

Zhao Feiwu was now dressed entirely in feminine attire, her figure light and graceful, her sleeves fluttering. She exuded the unique noble and gentle aura of a princess, appearing like a fairy from afar.

"Mm!"

Responding, Zhang Xuan looked at the young woman before him.

After two months, he hadn't expected her to have started cultivating, with subtle qi fluctuations in her body indicating she had already reached Fighter 6-dan, Aperture Acupoint realm.

To reach such strength in such a short cultivation period, even with the ample resources of the Alliance Lord's Mansion, her talent was truly astonishing.

"Master Teacher Zhang!" Jin Conghai, her bodyguard, also approached.

"Have a seat!"

After exchanging a few casual greetings, the group found their seats. Soon after, an elder strode onto the circular platform.

"That's Master Teacher Hong Qian, a five-star master teacher, who will be presiding over the tournament!" Hall Master Kang's voice sounded.

Zhang Xuan looked on.

Master Teacher Hong was tall, with exceptionally long limbs. His aura perfectly melded with his surroundings at all times, as if a colossal bridge existed within him, connecting with his environment, allowing spiritual energy to continuously nourish his body and soul.

Transcendent Mortal 6-dan, Bridging Heaven realm!

To become a five-star master teacher, the most basic requirement was to reach this level.

In the Bridging Heaven realm, one establishes a bridge to heaven and earth, forming a special tacit understanding between human and nature. Even without active cultivation, spiritual energy would continuously nourish the body through this bridge, allowing one's strength to rise steadily.

At this realm, both zhenqi and soul would expand rapidly, reaching a terrifying degree, granting the true ability to move mountains and fill seas.

"I didn't expect him to be so formidable when viewed alone!"

Zhang Xuan had seen this Master Teacher Hong yesterday, when he stood behind Mo Gaoyuan, timid and meek like a quail. He hadn't expected him to be so formidable when seen on his own.

With his current strength… not to mention one, even ten of them would likely be no match.

His zhenqi was at Transcendent Mortal 3-dan pinnacle, and his soul had reached 4-dan pinnacle. His total strength amounted to 2.6 million ding, allowing him to contend even with mid-stage Spirit Unification realm cultivators.

However, against a Bridging Heaven realm expert, he still had no power to resist.

Experts at this level possessed 4 million ding of strength even in their initial stages. Not to mention their understanding of heaven and earth, their sheer power alone made them impossible to contend with.

"Everyone!"

As Zhang Xuan mused, Master Teacher Hong on the platform paused, his voice, imbued with the resonance of thunder, echoed throughout the square.

The plaza, capable of holding tens of thousands, immediately fell silent upon hearing his words.

Master teachers' words carried the power of Heaven's Mandate for Teachers, which naturally inspired reverence, quelling any inclination to argue.

"As the host of the decennial Master Teacher Tournament, I, Hong, feel deeply honored!"

With a sweep of his hand, Master Teacher Hong surveyed the surroundings.

"I believe everyone is already aware of the rewards for this tournament. To save time, I will skip the pleasantries and words of encouragement, and proceed directly to the competition's procedures and rules!"

Seeing the five-star master teacher's directness, everyone held their breath, afraid to miss a single word.

The Master Teacher Tournament had countless methods, thousands of them. Without clear rules, even with many master teachers present, it would be difficult to guess the format.

Zhang Xuan also looked intently.

He had always been curious about what kind of competition the other party could design that would be fair and allow for selection without causing discord.

"Master teachers who reach four stars have already entered the intermediate ranks, with significant improvements in both identity and status. To match this status, to educate and guide others, and to stand out among numerous master teachers… mental fortitude, cultivation strength, teaching ability, understanding of cultivation, pointing out flaws and defects… these compulsory subjects must have already been assessed by the various powers during their selections. Re-evaluating them would be redundant and would not truly showcase your strength!"

Master Teacher Hong smiled as he looked around.

"If not these, then what will be assessed?"

Everyone was taken aback.

The most fundamental aspects of a master teacher were precisely those few: mental fortitude, cultivation strength, and teaching ability…

These were the most basic criteria for assessing master teachers. If the tournament didn't test these, then what would it test?

"Don't be impatient, let me finish!"

Seeing everyone's confusion, Master Teacher Hong continued, "This assessment is divided into two major stages: selection and combat. The selection is simple: I have set up four rounds. All participants who can pass all four rounds will qualify for the combat stage. Those who fail, I'm afraid… will be eliminated!"

"Selection?"

"Combat?"

Everyone's expressions became serious.

They had originally thought this tournament would be like the previous selection, testing mental fortitude and cultivation strength. They hadn't expected it to be so complex.

"Everyone understands combat, so I won't go into detail there. Let's talk about the selection first."

Master Teacher Hong continued, "To be selected by various powers to participate in this tournament, you are undoubtedly among the best four-star master teachers. It's highly probable you will attempt to break through to five stars, or even higher levels. However… the higher the master teacher rank, the more difficult it becomes. It's not simply about having high talent or strong cultivation; there are also certain requirements for one's disposition, courage, wisdom, and comprehension. Only by excelling beyond your peers in these aspects can you truly stand out and make a name for yourself."

"Therefore, for today's selection test, I have set up four events, which will precisely assess these four qualities in all of you!"

"Assessing disposition, courage, wisdom, and comprehension?"

"How will these four be assessed?"

"I don't know, but since Master Teacher Hong announced the rules, it must be fair!"

"Indeed, with so many master teachers watching, there's no way it could be rigged. I'm just curious how these will be assessed!"

Understanding the assessment content, everyone was filled with surprise.

As master teachers, they had heard of assessments for teaching ability and understanding of cultivation techniques, but never for disposition, courage, or wisdom.

These qualities were intangible and unquantifiable, making them very difficult to compete in.

"Alright, all participants in the tournament, please come forward!"

Ignoring the chatter, Master Teacher Hong briefly explained the competition before gesturing with a sweep of his hand and speaking.

"Let's go up!"

Zhang Xuan and Young Master Ruohuan exchanged glances, then stood up and walked towards the platform together.

At this moment, master teachers from other powers participating in the tournament also began to walk forward.

These were all young talents under thirty, their chests adorned with four shining stars, indicating their talent and rank.

Zhang Xuan looked at these individuals, realizing he barely knew any of them, with only Luo Xuan and Song Chao being familiar faces.

"For this tournament, the age requirement is under thirty. At the entrance to the circular platform, there is a crystal ball. Please touch it as you approach; it will measure your true age based on your soul aura!" Master Teacher Hong instructed as the participants walked closer.

Zhang Xuan looked towards the entrance of the circular platform and indeed saw a crystal ball standing there, emitting a soft glow.

In the Master Teacher Tournament, to verify age and prevent imposters, a special method was used to check ages.

This crystal ball could detect a person's soul. By simply touching it, one's age could be accurately and clearly measured.