Chapter 72: Unable to Expel

“Save him? He can't control his strength?”

“Listening to the Little Prince, Teacher Zhang Xuan's strength is even greater than Elder Shang Chen's? This... how is that possible?”

The series of events had unfolded quickly, not taking much time, and only now did the crowd fully process what had happened. Especially Shang Bin and Cao Xiong, who had just claimed Zhang Xuan was weak and Wang Tao was lying, found it hard to believe.

During his last assessment, Zhang Xuan was only at the peak of the True Qi Realm. This was a fact known throughout the entire academy, and there had been no news of him breaking through. How could he be stronger than even Little Prince Bai, or, judging by the words, far superior to Elder Shang Chen?

Though strange, no one dared to doubt Bai Xun's words.

Everyone knew that not only was Little Prince Bai extraordinarily talented, but he was also inherently pugnacious, absolutely loving a good fight! If he didn't get into a few scuffles a day, he'd feel restless. For him to admire Zhang Xuan so much, could it be that Zhang Xuan truly possessed such strength?

With this thought, they all widened their eyes, staring at the young man they had previously dismissed as a good-for-nothing.

The young man was unremarkable, with fair, smooth skin that made him look even younger than his age. How could he possibly be a master?

“Cough, cough!”

Seeing their doubtful gazes, Zhang Xuan helplessly shook his head.

It seemed his true strength would soon be impossible to conceal.

But... going from the last place in the teacher assessment, a Martial Artist Triple True Qi Realm practitioner, to a grand master comparable to the Aperture Opening Realm after just one holiday... anyone would be suspicious!

“Is it truly this hard to maintain a low profile?”

Zhang Xuan felt a headache coming on.

He simply wanted to keep a low profile, conceal his strength, and subtly impress people. He had assumed that Bai Xun had no connection to the academy whatsoever, so no one would ever suspect him. He never dreamed that after only one night, this fellow would come storming in...

With such a spectacle, there was no hiding it now!

What a mess!

As he stood there, his face contorted in a mix of emotions, he saw Little Prince Bai Xun shamelessly scamper over, wearing a fawning expression.

“Hehe, Master Zhang, Grandpa Zhang, I handled that pretty well, didn't I?”

It was no wonder Bai Xun behaved this way. Master Lu Chen had explicitly stated that his success in the assessment rested entirely with Zhang Xuan. Of course, he had to go out of his way to flatter and fawn over him.

He had rushed over the moment he woke up this morning. After several inquiries, he found out Zhang Xuan was here and promptly stormed in with his retinue.

“It's alright.”

Since the events had already unfolded, Zhang Xuan could only acknowledge it and nodded.

“Teacher Zhang, please accept me as your student...”

Knowing that Zhang Xuan's true strength was far beyond the True Qi Realm, Patriarch Wang Hong no longer hesitated. With a glance, Wang Tao, who was not far away, stepped forward again and knelt on the ground.

“Become Master Zhang's disciple? Who are you? I'm going to be his disciple! You want to contend with me? Shall we have a match?”

Before Zhang Xuan could even speak, the Little Prince's eyes flared.

“I wouldn't dare...”

Wang Tao flinched in fear.

Although Bai Xun was around his age, his strength had long since reached the peak of Martial Artist Fivefold, making him many times stronger. To compete with him... wouldn't that be courting death?

“Alright, Wang Tao can audit my class tomorrow. If he performs well, I can consider taking you on as a student!”

Fearing that Little Prince Bai would cause another scene and genuinely beat Wang Tao to a pulp, Zhang Xuan waved his hand dismissively.

“Thank you, Teacher Zhang!” Patriarch Wang Hong breathed a sigh of relief, offering repeated thanks.

Auditing didn't quite make him a student, but given the circumstances, it was the best possible solution. After all, his son had disappointed them by trying to kill someone... Which teacher would accept a student under such circumstances?

However, even if he was only auditing, with time, and if he behaved well, he would surely become a formal student.

“Auditing...”

Elder Shang Chen, off to the side, felt like crying but had no tears left.

He was a dignified academy elder and dean of students, usually the one who sought out and selected students. Now, he had been rejected face-to-face. It would have been bad enough if the rejection had led to a good alternative, but instead, his student was going to audit someone else's class!

Auditing the class of the academy's worst teacher...

Elder Shang Chen felt his reputation was being continually trampled, and his dignity was completely gone.

He was so utterly humiliated it was as if he'd shamed his great-aunt's entire family. Why not his grandmother's? Because that had already happened just moments ago...

“Master Zhang, are there any unfinished matters? If so, I'll help you take care of them. Once we're done, we can get to my calligraphy and painting lessons...” Bai Xun waved his hand, looking at Teacher Zhang.

“There are still some matters,” Zhang Xuan said, looking at Shang Chen. “Elder Shang, the Heart-of-Learning Interrogation is complete. Is it time to honor our wager?”

He had come here for the Heart-of-Learning Interrogation. Now that it was over, and so many other things had transpired, it was time to collect on the wager.

“Zhang Xuan, don't get ahead of yourself! I may have lost the Heart-of-Learning Interrogation and will receive a hundred Slaying God Rod strikes at most, but you probably can't revoke my teaching qualifications!”

Knowing there was no escaping this time, Cao Xiong no longer tried to evade. He stepped forward, a grim expression on his face.

“Can't do it?” Zhang Xuan's brow furrowed.

“That’s right, I have no negative teaching record, and none of my students have gone astray. Although I didn't achieve an 'excellent' in the teacher assessment, I did pass. You can't revoke my teaching qualifications based solely on a wager; not even the Teacher's Guild has that authority!”

Cao Xiong roared frantically.

“Really?” Not fully understanding the rules, Zhang Xuan looked at Elder Mo, who was standing nearby, with a doubtful expression.

As an elder of the Teacher's Guild, Elder Mo would know these matters best.

“Indeed!” Elder Mo nodded. “Teacher qualifications, once approved by the Teacher’s Guild, are generally very difficult to revoke unless there are significant ethical breaches or misconduct...”

“I see...” Zhang Xuan's brow furrowed.

He recalled his previous life, where teachers held civil servant status with permanent positions. Even if their teaching was poor, schools couldn't dismiss them, nor could the education bureau, unless they committed a serious breach of professional ethics.

It seemed the situation here was quite similar.

“But when we made the wager, you didn't mention this...” Zhang Xuan couldn't help but interject.

At the time of the wager, he had simply assumed it was possible and casually stated it. If he had known revoking teaching qualifications was so difficult, he would have just expelled him from the academy instead.

“Cough, cough, I assumed... you would lose!” Elder Mo admitted, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Zhang Xuan had scored zero on his teacher assessment and had even taught a student who succumbed to a mental deviation. If strictly scrutinized, he could indeed have been expelled.

Elder Mo had also expected Zhang Xuan to lose, which was why he hadn't elaborated. He never imagined Zhang Xuan would win so decisively.

“If you truly wish to enforce the wager, it's not entirely impossible, unless...” Elder Mo recalled something and hesitated.

“Unless what?”

“Unless... a renowned master or a renowned master's apprentice personally confirms he is unsuitable to be a teacher, and then reports it to the Teacher’s Guild...” Elder Mo explained.

“Renowned master? Renowned master's apprentice? Where would I find them?” Zhang Xuan shook his head. Both renowned masters and their apprentices were highly esteemed figures in the teaching profession. How could he possibly know any? And even if he did, they wouldn't concern themselves with such a minor wager!

Just as his brow furrowed, the duty teacher from outside entered again. With a cupped-fist salute, a clear voice resonated through the room.

“Elder Shang Chen, a young woman identifying herself as Huang Yu says she needs to speak with Teacher Zhang Xuan!”