Chapter 81: I Want to Drop the Course (Part 1)

At Hongtian Academy, in Lu Xun’s classroom.

As the academy’s star teacher, his classroom was hundreds of meters wide, like a giant football field. Inside, hundreds of students stood in rows.

"As expected of Teacher Lu! I've heard outside that countless students consider it an honor to study under you, practically fighting over it!" Looking at the numerous students in the classroom, an old man stroked his beard involuntarily as he gazed at a young man nearby. The young man, who appeared to be twenty-six or twenty-seven, wore a green robe. Standing still, he resembled a javelin piercing the sky, exuding an air of pride. As for the old man, if Shang Bin were here, he would surely recognize him as Elder Hong Hao, the proprietor behind the Hongtian Restaurant!

"Elder, you flatter me. I merely do my best to cultivate students; they are the ones who show me favor," the young man chuckled. Although his words were modest, his demeanor was full of pride and confidence.

"Ah, whether it's flattery or not, one can tell from the quality of these students. I've heard that among the top hundred students in this admissions exam, over seventy applied to you and were accepted. And among your more than two hundred new students, none seem to be ranked lower than five hundred, correct?" Elder Hong Hao stroked his beard and smiled. When he first heard these figures yesterday, he was quite startled. This Lu Xun, though young, had become the academy's most dazzling star teacher, practically scooping up all the best new student talents. Such an achievement was rare, even throughout the many years the academy had been established.

"I am honored that students wish to enroll with me!" Hearing a venerable seventh-level martial artist elder praise him, Teacher Lu Xun was filled with pride. He then turned his head and asked, "Elder Hong Hao is always busy; why have you come here today? Is there something you need my help with? If it's within my power, I will certainly do my best!" He didn't believe an elder of such standing would simply come to chat.

"To be honest, there is indeed something I need your help with. Your father and I are old friends; I've watched you grow up and know you're an upright person. I specifically want your help investigating a teacher!" Elder Hong Hao said.

"Don't mention my father; he's an old fossil!" Hearing the elder bring up their personal connection, Lu Xun frowned. "Tell me, which teacher is it?"

"Zhang Xuan!" Elder Hong Hao replied. Due to this Teacher Zhang, his Hongtian Restaurant's business was now virtually nonexistent. Fury already burned in his heart; if it weren't for maintaining his status, he might have rushed to the door and beaten the man himself!

"Zhang Xuan? You mean the Zhang Xuan who scored zero on the teacher qualification exam and caused Zhao Yanfeng to qi deviation?" Lu Xun looked over. He had heard about some of Teacher Zhang's "illustrious" deeds, and besides, he had even taken one of his students, so how could he not be aware?

"Precisely!" Elder Hong Hao nodded.

"He's a useless teacher; he'll be expelled sooner or later. Why, does the Elder have a conflict with him?" Lu Xun was full of surprise. One was an established elder who could contend for the position of dean, while the other was a teacher who could be expelled at any moment. The two were poles apart; how could they be connected?

"Just a small matter! I heard the Faculty Affairs Office issued an ultimatum: if he doesn't recruit any students this semester, his teaching qualification will be revoked, and he'll be expelled from the academy! So, I hope Teacher Lu could do me a favor and see if you can take his few students under your tutelage!" Elder Hong Hao stated his purpose. Before coming here, he had thoroughly inquired about Zhang Xuan, even learning that he had enrolled five students this semester. As a teacher, Zhang Xuan had the protection of his status, so he couldn't directly harm him. But once he lost his qualifications, wouldn't he be at his mercy?

"Take them under my tutelage?" Lu Xun hadn't expected the elder to approach him for this.

"Exactly. As Hongtian Academy's star teacher, you're the only one who can achieve this! As soon as you hint at it, I'm sure his few students will immediately drop his class and scramble to join yours!" Elder Hong Hao chuckled. "Disciplining a teacher with students can be troublesome, but without students, it's much simpler!"

"Hmm..." Lu Xun hesitated.

"There's nothing to hesitate about. Have you forgotten about Zhao Yanfeng? If this Zhang Xuan is allowed to continue teaching students, they will surely follow the same path and ruin their lives! By taking them in, you'll be considering their well-being and saving them!" Elder Hong Hao pressed his point.

"Alright, I agree to this. I'll spread the word today that I'm interested in accepting a few of his students!" Lu Xun nodded.

"It's settled then..." Elder Hong Hao's eyes lit up, his heart filled with excitement. With Teacher Lu's agreement, he could clearly envision Zhang Xuan's face shifting from disappointment to despair. Hmph, for causing his Hongtian Restaurant to nearly go bankrupt, he would slowly play with the man, making him experience true terror! Just as he was secretly rejoicing and imagining how to deal with Zhang Xuan next, a new student approached.

"Teacher Lu!" He came forward and knelt down.

"Wang Yan, what is it?" Seeing the young man, Lu Xun nodded with a slight smile. This Wang Yan was considered one of the most gifted new students of this cohort, and he was also the grandson of the Wang family's Second Elder, holding a respected position. Even Lu Xun couldn't help but feel a touch of pride in accepting such a student.

"Teacher Lu, I... I..." It was indeed Wang Yan, who had just returned from the Learning Heart Tower. At this moment, he knelt on the ground, his face full of conflict.

"Do you have some difficulty with cultivation? Speak freely!" Seeing his hesitant manner, Lu Xun spoke magnanimously.

"Teacher Lu is profoundly knowledgeable and the most renowned teacher in the entire academy. Just ask whatever problem you have; he can certainly help you solve it!" Elder Hong Hao also stroked his beard and smiled.

"Then I'll say it..." Wang Yan gritted his teeth, "I want to... drop your class. I hope Teacher Lu will grant my request!"

"Drop my class?" Lu Xun staggered, his eyes wide with disbelief. Everyone else was clamoring to get into his class, and this fellow actually... wanted to drop it? Is this for real? In all his years of teaching at Hongtian Academy, he had never encountered such a thing!

"Yes!" With the words out, Wang Yan breathed a sigh of relief and quickly nodded.

"Do you have some unspoken difficulty, or have you been threatened by someone?" Lu Xun couldn't help but ask.

"No, I am doing this voluntarily!" Wang Yan replied.

"Do you know that if you drop my class, no other teacher in the entire academy will dare to accept you?" Hearing that it was voluntary, Lu Xun couldn't help but press further. He was the academy's most famous teacher; if a student dropped his class, how would other teachers dare to accept them?

"As long as I can drop your class, I can go audit Teacher Zhang Xuan's class. This is an opportunity, and I hope Teacher Lu will grant it!" Wang Yan bowed deeply.

"Drop my class to audit Teacher Zhang Xuan's class?" Lu Xun instantly looked constipated, dumbfounded, and felt like he was going crazy.