Chapter 916: Shock at the Academy of Famous Teachers (Part 2)

"Didn't they say that after negotiating with them, there would be no more beast tides? How could this happen?"

"So many spirit beasts and saint beasts have surrounded us; we can't possibly hold them off!"

"It's over now!"

"This is probably the greatest crisis since the founding of the Master Teacher Academy, even bigger than the one encountered four thousand years ago during Dean Mo Liuzhen's tenure..."

It was a long time before anyone spoke, their voices hoarse.

With so many saint beasts and spirit beasts pouring out, even if the Master Teacher Academy could win in the end, it would surely be a Pyrrhic victory! Out of a hundred thousand students, no more than one-third would survive. If that were to happen, it would certainly go down in history!

To have this situation occur right after confidently declaring that there would be no more beast tides, even if this new dean successfully ascended, he would have no deterrent power and might even become a laughing stock to the entire world!

"From his previous performance, it's clear that Zhang Shi does have some ability, but facing something like this, no one can turn the tide. He can only blame his bad luck!" a certain emperor said.

"Indeed!" Chu Yi shook his head, looking at Zhang Xuan on the platform with deep sympathy. "No matter how he responds, no matter how well he minimizes casualties... it's useless! For the inauguration ceremony to be so openly besieged by so many spirit beasts, no matter what he does, he will become the most failed dean in the history of the Master Teacher Academy, without exception!"

After what just happened, he had developed a bit of admiration for this young new dean. Unfortunately, fate was cruel; even the most exceptional genius would be helpless against so many saint beasts and spirit beasts.

As he was sighing and wondering how Zhang Xuan would resolve the situation, he noticed the surrounding commotion suddenly stop, and everyone's breathing quickened, as if something major had happened.

"What's wrong?" he frowned, looking at Yu Shenqing, who was nearby.

"See for yourself!" The Emperor of Hongyuan Empire, his face pale, didn't answer but pointed upwards.

"See what?"

Chu Yi was stunned for a moment, then quickly looked up. With just one glance, his pupils involuntarily contracted, his body froze in place, and his throat went dry. "W-what... what is this?"

It wasn't just him; all the teachers and students in the entire academy instantly fell silent, as if they had seen a ghost. Zhao Bingxu also looked up and saw that the numerous saint beasts and spirit beasts flying in the sky had, at some point, changed their formation. From a distance, they had formed a line of huge characters in the air, spanning dozens of miles, covering the sky and sun, majestic in their presence! The calligraphy was fluid and powerful, like ink treasures left by a master calligrapher, exuding a unique charm.

" 'Congratulations, Master, on becoming the Dean of the Master Teacher Academy, your meritorious deeds will be celebrated through the ages...' Could it be, could it be that they weren't here to cause trouble or oppose us? They're here to offer congratulations?"

Reading the characters above, Chu Yi's voice was hollow, and he was completely stunned. He had thought that so many spirit beasts and saint beasts surrounding them would surely launch a fierce attack or seize the opportunity to demand benefits... He never dreamed that not only did they not do any of that, but they arranged themselves into characters to offer congratulations.

What is going on?

Boom!

Before his confusion could subside, the three Cloudmist Ridge Kings in the sky simultaneously cupped their fists, faced Zhang Xuan on the platform, and bowed deeply. "Green Bamboo Earth Dragon, White-Eared Beast, and Iron-Scaled Beast congratulate our Master on becoming the Dean of the Master Teacher Academy. We have specially prepared 103,200 jin of Cloudmist Flower Tea as a congratulatory gift!"

Whoosh!

As their words ended, thirty half-saint level flying spirit beasts immediately flew over, each grasping a huge box in its claws. They slowly placed them on the high platform and gently opened them. Instantly, the fragrant aroma of tea filled the air, and clusters of colorful mist rose from the boxes, illuminating the entire platform like a dream, as if it were a fairyland.

"This is..."

Yu Shenqing's eyes widened, almost popping out, and his lips trembled. "Supreme-grade Cloudmist Flower Tea?"

"Cloudmist Flower Tea? The kind you sent us?" Chu Yi couldn't help but ask.

As a neighboring emperor, he had also enjoyed Cloudmist Flower Tea, though the quantity was extremely scarce, and even with his esteemed status, he had only tasted it a few times. Even so, its flavor and texture were unforgettable. Just thinking about it made his mouth water.

"The kind I sent you?" Yu Shenqing shook his head. "You're overthinking it. What I gave you was only the lowest, common grade. Compared to this, it's not even as good as trash!"

"Not even... as good as trash?"

Chu Yi and the other emperors from major empires instantly turned ashen.

"Don't misunderstand," Yu Shenqing quickly explained, seeing their expressions and knowing they had definitely misunderstood. "It's not that I wanted to give you inferior tea, but this level of Cloudmist Flower Tea... even our imperial palace doesn't have it!"

"Don't have it?" The others were startled.

The most powerful person in the Hongyuan Empire doesn't even possess this?

"Each plant of this Cloudmist Flower Tea has lived for at least 200 years, then it undergoes tempering by spiritual ground essence and is roasted for a full three years to complete... The tea leaves our imperial family has are all less than three years old, belonging to the lowest grade..." Yu Shenqing gave a bitter smile. Though both were Cloudmist Flower Tea, what they presented was truly "tea," while theirs was probably not even as good as weeds.

"Your imperial family can't even acquire such rare tea, yet these saint beasts... they actually sent 100,000 jin as a congratulatory gift?"

Chu Yi and the other emperors exchanged glances, each feeling a tightness in their throats, unable to speak. They knew the price of Cloudmist Flower Tea; even the common grade Yu Shenqing mentioned was priceless, impossible to buy even with ten thousand gold!

To send 100,000 jin as a gift all at once...

Isn't that a bit too extravagant?

Before their shock subsided, another hearty laugh rang out, echoing powerfully throughout the academy.

"Fiery Lion, Iron-Backed Bear, and Tiger-Headed Beast also congratulate our Master on becoming the Dean of the Master Teacher Academy! We have specially prepared thirty boxes of spirit herbs and saint herbs as a congratulatory gift!"

Whoosh!

As the voice ceased, ten Fiery Lions, ten Iron-Backed Bears, and ten Tiger-Headed Beasts walked side-by-side. Each carried a two-meter-square box on its back. They placed the boxes on the high platform and gently opened them. Instantly, the potent aroma of herbs permeated the air, spreading for ten miles.

"This is... Bright Flower Saint Herb, Red Leaf Saint Herb, Rainbow Chrysanthemum Saint Herb... So many saint herbs, even if you searched the entire Physician Academy, you wouldn't find them!"

"Not just the Physician Academy! It's not only saint herbs, but also Greenleaf Flower Roots, Scented Leaves, Wood-Beard Spirit Grass... Each of these spirit herbs is incredibly rare. I doubt even the Grand Apothecary of the Hongyuan Empire would possess them!"

"Look, isn't that a Thousand Gold Flower? I spent ten full years, traveling through twenty first-tier empires, and couldn't buy a single one, but here... there's more than half a box?"

"Exquisite Heart-Devouring Grass? This herb, when brewed into fine wine, can make people drunk into oblivion, even forget their dearest loved ones... It's incredibly rare. When I was young, to forget a certain emotion, I specifically searched for it and it took me three years to find one that was only three months old. These here... are hundreds of years old?"

Seeing the various medicinal ingredients appearing in the boxes, the numerous Master Teachers from the Pill Master Academy and Physician Academy were all on the verge of madness. Each of these herbs was extremely valuable, impossible to obtain even with ten thousand gold. Yet, they produced thirty boxes at once, and every single herb was aged sufficiently...

Just as a congratulatory gift...

Did they clear out the entire Cloudmist Ridge?

"Iron-Toothed Wolf, Green-Nosed Elephant, and Red Fire Ape also congratulate our Master on becoming the Dean of the Master Teacher Academy! We have specially prepared thirty boxes of various ores as a congratulatory gift!"

Whoosh!

Before the shock of the thirty boxes of spirit herbs and saint herbs had fully subsided, the last three kings also stepped forward, and their powerful voices rang out.

Rumble!

Ten Iron-Toothed Wolves, ten Green-Nosed Elephants, and ten Red Fire Apes also came to the high platform and opened the boxes on their backs, one by one. Spiritual energy surged, radiating in myriad colors. Various rare ores, treasures that many had only heard of but never seen, appeared before everyone's eyes.

"This must be... Cyan-Traced Iron, right? It's said that this iron is harder than profound iron. When forged into a weapon, it naturally forms a cyan pattern, making it incredibly sharp and incapable of holding blood... Countless people sought even an ounce of it but couldn't acquire it, yet this box alone contains dozens of tons?"

"I see Blood Imprint Ore! Using this on weapons, even the most unyielding steel can easily melt into liquid... When I went to the Artificer Guild to purchase it back then, my rank was too low, so I wasn't even qualified... and they gave Zhang Shi a whole box?"

"Those are Adamantite Stones. If properly carved, they can become the most beautiful diamonds... Even if their value isn't as high as the others, there's no need to send them by the boxful!"

"Could these be Accumulated Snow Stones? Naturally cold, wearing them can make cultivation for those with Yin-cold attributes twice as effective..."

As soon as these ores appeared, all the Master Teachers from the Artificer Academy went wild. As artificers, they recognized all sorts of ores and knew their value. The combined worth of these thirty boxes was something that couldn't be amassed even by searching the entire Master Teacher Academy, or even the Hongyuan Empire's imperial treasury! And now, they were merely a congratulatory gift for Zhang Shi becoming the Dean!

"Zhu Chenqing, didn't you say that some unequal agreement was signed, and our Master Teacher Academy paid a huge compensation for the spirit beasts of Cloudmist Mountain to withdraw?"

"That's right, even if we turned the Master Teacher Academy upside down, we wouldn't be able to produce these!"

"The key point... is that *they* delivered them!"

The many students who had stood up earlier all turned to look at Zhu Chenqing. This fellow had previously claimed that the academy had paid an unknown sum in compensation, losing prestige and disgracing the academy, just to ensure a smooth succession for the new Master Teacher... which was why they had been righteously indignant and joined in the questioning.

But... the scene before them showed that the many saint beasts and spirit beasts of Cloudmist Ridge not only didn't demand anything but came to deliver gifts... and such precious ones at that! Seeing this, even the most foolish person would know that the so-called "paying for treasures and compensation, losing prestige and disgracing the academy" was absolutely false...

"I, I... how would I know?" Zhu Chenqing's body trembled, and he was so frustrated he was almost in tears.

Going to someone's lair to negotiate, anyone would assume that it was due to being in a weaker position, and the terms of the negotiation would inevitably involve losing dignity and being disgraced... Who could have imagined that the negotiation would be so magnificent, so high-profile? So utterly maddening and unbelievable...

Damn it!

Was this truly a negotiation? Or was it a robbery?