Chapter 710: Rules of the Master Academy

Zhang Xuan had heard some rumors about the events he caused in Myriad Kingdom City and the Fleeting Cloud Empire. Everywhere he went, chaos followed. Whether it was a good or bad decision for the Master Teacher Academy to recruit him as a student remained to be seen. It was truly an unknown outcome! It seemed the academy, established countless years ago, could only pray for good fortune.

Above, the Violetwing Heavenly Gliding Beast soared through the sky. Behind it was a boat-like vessel, seven to eight meters long, adorned with multiple cabins, dividing it into three separate rooms. This allowed Zhang Xuan and his companions to each have their own private living space.

A flying boat!

The Beast Hall had specially custom-built it as a token of gratitude for his success in subduing the menacing Heavenly Gliding Beast. It was fully equipped with everything needed for eating, sleeping, and daily living. Only after learning that the flying boat was worth at least several thousand mid-grade spirit stones did Zhang Xuan feel considerably more at ease. It seemed his trip hadn't been in vain; he had gained something after all.

If anyone else in the Beast Hall had known his thoughts, they would have surely coughed up blood. He had only been at the Beast Hall for a few days, not only subduing their strongest spirit beast but also having such a precious flying boat custom-built for him, and yet he still felt he hadn't received enough... His expectations were truly immense! Would he only be satisfied after plundering the entire Beast Hall until it was penniless?

In truth, Zhang Xuan had no intention of completely emptying the Beast Hall's coffers. He had merely hoped they might offer him a hundred or so high-grade spirit stones. Unfortunately, Elder Qian had been thoroughly impoverished over the years and couldn't even produce a hundred mid-grade spirit stones, let alone any high-grade ones.

"Teacher!" On the deck of the flying boat, facing the strong winds, Luo Qiqi approached him.

"You've come at a good time. I heard you mention before that the Master Teacher Academy has a Pill Faculty and an Artifact Forging Faculty. What exactly are they?" Zhang Xuan looked at her. Since he would soon be entering the Master Teacher Academy, it was crucial for him to understand its structure.

"Master Teachers need to cultivate a sufficient number of supporting occupations to pass their assessments successfully. Therefore, the academy isn't just a place to learn Master Teacher abilities; many auxiliary professions can also be studied directly within its walls." Luo Qiqi explained, "Over many years of development, these auxiliary professions have been divided into ten distinct faculties: the Pill Faculty, the Artifact Faculty, the Heavenly Crafts Faculty, the Formation Faculty, the Calligraphy and Painting Faculty, the Martial Arts Faculty, the Beast Taming Faculty, the Medical Arts Faculty, the Demonic Tune Faculty, and the Ethereal Grace Faculty."

"The Pill Faculty is where one learns alchemy; that's where I studied it. The Artifact Faculty is for learning artifact forging. Before, my artifact forging skills weren't even among the top hundred there, but with your guidance, Teacher, I'm confident I'll distinguish myself!"

"As for the Heavenly Crafts Faculty, Formation Faculty, Calligraphy and Painting Faculty, and Medical Arts Faculty, I assume you already understand their purposes without me needing to elaborate. Now, let's discuss the Martial Arts Faculty, the Demonic Tune Faculty, and the Ethereal Grace Faculty!"

The Heavenly Crafts Faculty was clearly for training Heavenly Crafts Masters, specializing in mechanical techniques, which was evident from Wu Zhen. As for formations, medical arts, and calligraphy and painting, their purposes were self-explanatory. He had already learned a bit about these professions and was quite familiar with them. Only these remaining three, he had a partial understanding of and wasn't entirely clear about.

"The Martial Arts Faculty isn't actually a distinct profession; rather, it's a place specifically designed to hone the combat abilities of Master Teachers. Through assessments, one can learn martial arts and steadily increase their strength. The Demonic Tune Faculty, on the other hand, trains Demonic Tune Masters. Teacher, have you heard of them?" Luo Qiqi looked at him.

"Yes, I've heard a little. They're supposedly among the lower-ranked professions, yet they can bewitch people with music, profoundly affecting their minds. Even powerful cultivators find it hard to resist!" Of course, he knew about Demonic Tune Masters; he had even encountered two of them. One he had driven to madness, and the other had fallen directly from the sky, their fate currently unknown.

"Oh, if you've heard of them, that makes it simpler. As for the last one, the Ethereal Grace Faculty, that's where Ethereal Grace Masters are trained!" Luo Qiqi said with a smile.

"An Ethereal Grace Master? Are you referring to a Dance Master?" Zhang Xuan was momentarily stunned.

"Precisely, a Dance Master!" Luo Qiqi nodded. "Like Demonic Tune Masters, Dance Masters interpret the Great Dao through their movements, captivating those who witness them. Powerful Dance Masters can perform an 'Ethereal Grace' that can even draw countless birds to them... hence the name."

As there were dancers in the world, the profession of Dance Master naturally emerged. The person credited with creating this occupation was from the Gongsun clan. It was said that a single dance from them could captivate even Saints, making them utterly enthralled.

Legend has it that this individual from the Gongsun clan had their entire family annihilated when they were young, leaving them with an unquenchable thirst for revenge. One day, while observing swans soaring through the heavens, they achieved enlightenment and created the Dance Master profession. After thirty years of arduous cultivation, their 'Ethereal Grace' performance caused the world to tremble, leading to an invitation to display their skills in a Conferred Empire.

The target of this Gongsun clan member's revenge was none other than the emperor of that very empire, an incredibly powerful Saint. As she danced, flowers seemed to fall from the sky and a myriad of colors burst forth. The Saint became utterly lost in her performance, allowing her to calmly strike him down. Just as she was about to escape the imperial city, she found herself surrounded by a million soldiers. She performed the 'Ethereal Grace' dance once more, and in the end, the million imperial soldiers laid down their weapons, allowing her to leave unimpeded. This feat became a celebrated legend.

Upon learning of this, Master Kong specifically sought out this individual from the Gongsun clan to witness her dance. He praised it profusely, uttering words like, "My only worry is I cannot grasp it, it flies away to chase the ethereal grace." He personally acknowledged and formalized this profession, and from then on, the name "Ethereal Grace" resonated throughout the land.

This profession was also considered one of the lower-ranked occupations, primarily dominated by women, and even rarer than Demonic Tune Masters, which contributed to its obscurity. The Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy had coincidentally acquired the inheritance of this profession, leading to the establishment of this faculty. However, due to its sparse enrollment, it was considered the weakest among the ten major faculties.

"Yu Fei'er, for example, has been studying since childhood and recently passed her assessment to become a Five-star Ethereal Grace Master." Luo Qiqi smiled.

In essence, the Master Teacher Academy was quite similar to universities in his previous life. Although it was a single institution, it was divided into numerous smaller faculties and departments. Master Teachers studying here could freely choose professions to cultivate as auxiliary occupations, allowing them to test for higher ranks. It had to be said that this was indeed an excellent place for cultivating Master Teachers, which explained why it was so renowned even in first-tier empires.

"While the Master Teacher Academy is a revered sanctuary for many Master Teachers, it is, in fact, exceptionally demanding. Whether for studying or attending lectures, one requires a sufficient number of academic credits; without them, progress is impossible! To earn credits, one must complete various tasks or pass challenging assessments... Many Master Teachers voluntarily withdraw because they can't withstand the pressure, and a significant number are expelled for achieving unsatisfactory results in their year-end assessments!" Luo Qiqi's expression turned solemn as she spoke.

"Withdraw? Expelled?" He had initially assumed that entering the academy would be a guaranteed path to success and a smooth journey ahead, but now it seemed that wasn't the case at all.

"Yes, when Master Kong first established the Master Teacher Academy, he once said, 'Master Teachers are the ladder of human progress; only when teachers are strong can humanity truly thrive!' Therefore, the Master Teacher Academy has no need for students who are passive or slack. It's simple: either you make progress, or you leave!" Luo Qiqi let out a wry laugh.

"'Only when teachers are strong can humanity truly thrive!'" Zhang Xuan's entire body trembled. What she said was indeed true. For humanity to progress, teachers were of paramount importance. If they couldn't instill correct life philosophies and values, their students' achievements would be limited. If teachers themselves were complacent, how could they possibly educate active and ambitious students? And how could that lead to the progress of all humanity? It had to be said, this was an excellent theory. Survival of the fittest. Even the world's foremost profession offered no room for complacency.

"Teacher, you actually don't need to worry. With your abilities, even if you wanted to be eliminated, it would be impossible..." Recalling her teacher's extraordinary aptitude in numerous professions, Luo Qiqi offered a wry smile, then added, "However, to truly stand out and make it onto the academy's Master Teacher Roll, it would likely take several years; it's extremely difficult to achieve!"

"The Master Teacher Roll?"

"Yes, it's a list compiled by the Master Teacher Academy that automatically displays the names of the top one hundred most outstanding Master Teachers. Those who make it onto the roll are undeniably the cream of the crop within the academy, admired by all!" Luo Qiqi explained.

"The top one hundred in the entire academy? How many students does the academy have in total?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask.

"The Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy recruits students not only from within the empire but also from other first-tier empires. The entire academy has no fewer than a hundred thousand students, so those who manage to get on the roll are truly geniuses among geniuses!" Luo Qiqi clarified.

Those capable of entering the Master Teacher Academy were already one-in-ten-thousand prodigies. To then be further selected, with only one out of a thousand making the cut, the difficulty involved was immense. Although Master Zhang was extraordinarily talented, in her opinion, even he would find it extremely challenging to make it onto that prestigious roll.

"Are you not on this roll?" Zhang Xuan inquired. From his interactions with her, he knew Luo Qiqi's skills in alchemy, artifact forging, and cultivation were quite impressive among her peers. Could it be... she still hadn't made it onto the roll?

"Me? How could that be possible! This roll is linked to academic credits, cultivation level, and accumulated knowledge. Those who make it on are typically senior students. I'm just a second-year student, a small figure..." Luo Qiqi shook her head with a wry smile. If it were that easy to get onto the roll, then what would be the point for the senior students who had dedicated years to their studies? They had studied in the academy for countless years, completed innumerable tasks, and accumulated a mountain of credits. For someone who had only been a student for a few years to expect to surpass them was practically impossible.

"I see!"

After hearing her detailed explanation, Zhang Xuan finally had a clearer understanding of the Master Teacher Academy. He had initially thought it was a place where one could freely acquire knowledge, but he hadn't anticipated the immense difficulty involved. No wonder Yu Fei'er, despite being a princess, had to undergo such dangerous trials; it seemed the academy made no exceptions for those with status or power. In fact, this was even better, as it presented a greater challenge for him. Otherwise, it wouldn't be as interesting. In that instant, an immense surge of fighting spirit welled up within Zhang Xuan, and his curiosity about the so-called Master Teacher Academy intensified.

Over the following days, whenever Luo Qiqi had free time, she thoroughly explained various aspects of the Master Teacher Academy. Zhang Xuan, in turn, offered her guidance in both alchemy and artifact forging. Within a mere ten days, her proficiency in both areas improved significantly once more.

"Teacher, we've arrived at Hongyuan City!" That day, as Zhang Xuan was explaining something, he heard Luo Qiqi's voice. He looked down and indeed saw an enormous city, countless times vaster than the Fleeting Cloud Imperial Capital, appear in their view.