Chapter 615: Competition in Teaching and Educating

The wind expelled from his sleeve was calm and gentle, incapable of blowing a single hair out of place. There was only one possible explanation for this: Master Zhang had not cut his hair with a single sword stroke, but with dozens!

Yet, these sword movements had not directly severed the hair; it still appeared as whole strands. Only when a slight breeze touched them could they no longer bear it, breaking into dozens of pieces.

He lowered his head to look at the scattered strands of hair. Each piece was exactly the same length, and the broken ends were smooth and rounded, without any roughness.

Many skilled swordsmen could cut a hair with a single stroke. But to make dozens of continuous cuts without severing the hair completely, with every stroke perfectly precise... what kind of control was this?

Trembling all over, Liao Wuzhi was speechless.

He had thought he understood when the opponent severed the hair with one sword stroke, but now he realized... he hadn't understood at all!

This wasn't just a matter of control; it was as if the sword had a sense of touch, like his own fingers, knowing the thickness of the hair and precisely how deep to cut so it would break with just a breeze...

His expression dawning with realization, he quickly looked up to see Master Zhang had already stepped down from the arena and returned to his seat.

"I will work hard and not fail your kindness in imparting this sword technique!"

Recalling Master Zhang Xuan's movements and demeanor as he wielded the sword, knowing he had gained much, Liao Wuzhi clenched his fist and also descended. As soon as he returned to the Hanqi Sect, he was surrounded by many elders from his sect.

"How exactly did you lose just now? I didn't see him use a sword. What did he use to defeat you?"

Everyone was filled with curiosity.

Master Zhang hadn't even drawn his sword, so why did Liao Wuzhi concede defeat?

"What did he use to defeat me?"

Recalling the scene, Liao Wuzhi let out a bitter laugh, his pupils involuntarily constricting, his body trembling slightly: "A single finger..."

"A single finger?"

Everyone was stunned.

In the quarter-finals (eight into four), luck played a minor role. Song Chao and Young Master Ruohuan had been eliminated at this stage. Apart from Zhang Xuan, whose cultivation was slightly weaker, the other three qualifiers had all reached the peak of Four-Star, or peak Mortal-Transcendent Fourth Stage.

They were almost all the ones who had previously been considered the strongest contenders for the championship.

Especially the match between Luo Xuan and Young Master Ruohuan, which was a complete rout, showing they were not on the same level at all.

However, even though he didn't reach the top four, Young Master Ruohuan was content. If not for Master Zhang, he might have been eliminated in the preliminary rounds. How could he have possibly made it to the top eight and earned a chance to study at the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy?

"Next up: Luo Xuan of Flowing Cloud Sect against Bi Jianghai of Wangjiang Sect, and Huang Zheng of Falling Sand Sect against Zhang Xuan of the Myriad Kingdoms Alliance!"

"Huang Zheng of Falling Sand Sect? The one ranked fourth on the Potential List?"

Zhang Xuan looked towards a young man on the stage.

This name was also on the Potential List, ranked fourth. In terms of cultivation and strength, he was no less impressive than Liao Wuzhi.

"Yes, Master Zhang, be careful. I've watched all of Huang Zheng's matches. Each one was different, yet he won by completely overwhelming his opponents. His true strength is quite remarkable! I even suspect he might have secretly hidden his abilities, as his previous ranking wasn't as high as Liao Wuzhi's."

Hall Master Kang said with a solemn expression.

He had watched all of Huang Zheng's previous matches. In several contests, no two were alike, yet he always won with an invincible demeanor. His true capabilities were likely no less than what was rumored.

He might not even be at a disadvantage when compared to Luo Xuan.

"No matter who it is, when they face Master Zhang, they're the one who'll have a headache!" Zhao Feiwu chuckled.

"That's true..." Hall Master Kang offered an awkward smile.

Previously, he had worried that Master Zhang's cultivation level might be a weakness, making it difficult for him to reach the final stages. But after witnessing the matches against Wu Tianhao and Liao Wuzhi, that thought had completely vanished.

The Zhang Xuan before them was like an invincible god of war. Anyone who encountered him would be unlucky and have their confidence shattered.

Although Huang Zheng seemed formidable in the previous rounds, that was when he faced other opponents. Against Master Zhang... the outcome would likely not be much better than for anyone else.

Seeing everyone's confidence in him, Zhang Xuan gave a wry smile and stepped onto the arena.

Huang Zheng had already arrived on the opposite side. Seeing Zhang Xuan ascend, he cupped his fist and said, "Master Zhang!"

"Master Huang!" Zhang Xuan respectfully returned the gesture.

"I would like to compete with Master Zhang in teaching and nurturing talent!" Huang Zheng said calmly.

"Teaching and nurturing talent?"

"Yes, the rules are simple. We'll randomly select one hundred people from the square and teach them simultaneously. We are not allowed to use 'Teacher's Enlightenment'. After the lecture, the one whom more people are willing to take as their master wins!" Huang Zheng stated the rules.

For the same competition content, rules could vary, and of course, one could refuse if they felt it was unfair.

"Alright!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Competing in teaching and nurturing talent? And not allowing 'Teacher's Enlightenment'? Isn't that a bit excessive?"

"Indeed, 'Teacher's Enlightenment' is a hallmark of a Master Teacher, the most convincing method they possess. If it's not allowed, how can they compete?"

"Master Huang is playing a clever game. Based on Master Zhang's previous experiences, he's difficult to defeat in any other competition. But teaching and nurturing talent is different; sometimes, even if a teacher is excellent, if students don't like them, it's hard for them to learn. Therefore... this competition involves a lot of randomness, and without 'Teacher's Enlightenment', the outcome... it's hard to say who will win!"

"That's true..."

Hearing the content of the competition on stage, the audience below began to murmur.

In teaching and nurturing talent, a teacher's fame doesn't automatically guarantee that people will be more convinced to learn from them. Many other factors are at play, just as even the most perfect and outstanding person cannot be liked by everyone.

This involves human emotions and cannot be measured by standard criteria.

In other competitions, Master Zhang could dominate, but in this one, it was hard to say; no one could predict the winner.

As expected of a renowned genius in the Grand Competition, he immediately found the crucial point and proposed the competition most suitable for him.

Otherwise, in any other type of competition, he probably wouldn't be a match for Master Zhang.

With the competition rules set and agreed upon by both sides, preparations were swift.

Before long, one hundred people were seated in the arena. Some were guards from the Myriad Kingdoms Alliance, and others were ordinary people who had come to watch the Master Teacher Grand Competition.

To be selected to listen to two Master Teachers lecture, everyone's eyes lit up with excitement.

Such a great opportunity was not something everyone was lucky enough to experience firsthand.

"These individuals have varying cultivation levels. I suggest we explain some fundamental cultivation knowledge. Otherwise, I'm concerned that those with lower cultivation won't understand, and those with higher cultivation won't find it suitable!"

Huang Zheng said.

The hundred chosen individuals had mixed cultivation levels, ranging from Martial Artist First Stage to Mortal-Transcendent Third Stage. Explaining cultivation methods for the Mortal-Transcendent realm would be incomprehensible to Martial Artists, while explaining lower-level techniques would be dull for those with higher cultivation.

Therefore, they could only explain some fundamental cultivation common sense that would resonate with everyone.

"Okay!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

Rules were just rules; the opponent could set them however he wished. Explaining other topics might not be feasible, but as for fundamentals... even Master Kong, if he were here, might not explain them better than Zhang Xuan.

The fundamentals he had compiled contained no errors, something no other Master Teacher could achieve.

"Alright, we will both teach simultaneously using spiritual transmission. They can choose to listen to whomever they wish, without interfering with each other. The time limit is the burning of one incense stick. After the incense stick has burned, the one whom more among the hundred people are willing to take as their master wins!"

After Huang Zheng finished explaining the competition details, he waved his hand and said, "Let's begin!"

"You go first!" Zhang Xuan said, not in a hurry, with a slight smile.

"Then I won't hold back!"

Huang Zheng's eyes flashed, and he immediately began speaking.

Since they were using spiritual transmission, only the people in the arena could hear them; those outside could only see their mouths opening and closing, not knowing what was being said.

After listening for a while and finding the opponent's explanation quite good, Zhang Xuan nodded, then stepped forward and began his own lecture.

"The competition has begun!"

"Both are lecturing simultaneously. How will the listeners distinguish whom to listen to and whom not to?"

"It's simple: whoever's content attracts you more and helps you make greater progress in your cultivation, that's whom you listen to!"

"That's right. Although ordinary cultivators can't divide their attention between two things, they can still filter out one person's speech!"

Seeing the competition start, the audience below discussed.

"Who do you think will win?"

"It's hard to say, but I still think Master Zhang will win!"

"If 'Teacher's Enlightenment' could be used, Master Zhang would certainly have no problem. Since neither can use it, it depends on who has a firmer grasp of cultivation fundamentals..."

"Huang Zheng comes from a sect with numerous secret manuals, so his fundamentals are probably more solid than Master Zhang's!"

Where there was a competition, there was concern for the outcome. Unable to hear what was being said, the crowd grew restless, eager to discern something from the changes on stage.

But unfortunately, nothing could be discerned.

The people seated and listening to the lecture seemed hypnotized, listening intently as if in a trance. It was unclear whether this was due to Master Zhang's content or Master Huang's lecture.

"The match between Luo Xuan and Bi Jianghai has ended..."

Just as everyone was puzzled, wondering what the two were lecturing about, someone in the crowd shouted, and they quickly looked over, indeed seeing that the match on the first arena had concluded.

Bi Jianghai's brows were raised, his aura like a dragon's, radiating an unassailable presence.

Meanwhile, Luo Xuan, who had been the favorite to win the championship, stood quietly opposite him, shaking his head repeatedly, seemingly somewhat dejected.

"What happened?"

"Who won?"

Seeing this scene, everyone was taken aback.

Bi Jianghai was not well-known and wasn't even ranked in the top ten on the Potential List. Everyone had assumed he would instantly lose against Luo Xuan, who was ranked first in potential, but it didn't look like that at all.

"Master Luo lost!"

A Master Teacher who had been observing their match couldn't help but say, seemingly unable to believe his own words.

"Master Luo is acclaimed as having the most potential, the most likely candidate for the championship. How could he lose?" Many found it hard to believe.

"Their match was a cultivation contest. Their strengths were similar, and in fact... Master Luo even had a slight advantage. Logically, he should have won. But who would have thought... Master Bi Jianghai, whether by sheer luck or because he had accumulated enough, actually broke through during the match, reaching the Harmonizing Spirit realm!"

The Master Teacher said with a bitter smile.

"Broke through during the match?"

"Harmonizing Spirit realm?"

Everyone was stunned simultaneously.