Translator: StarveCleric Editor: GaiaNove

"Teacher, why are you here?"

Zheng Yang couldn't help but ask. The others also quickly turned to look over.

They had searched the entire area but didn't even see a hint of him in the city. Yet... It turned out that they were in the same inn.

Truly, one always overlooks the places closest to them.

"I just arrived at Tianwu Kingdom today. This inn is closest to the city gates, so naturally, I settled in here as well!" Zhang Xuan smiled.

This was the only decent inn near the city gates. Where else would he choose to stay if not here?

"You just arrived today? Then..." Zheng Yang pointed at Physician Bai Chan's departing figure in disbelief.

The other party was so arrogant that if he could, he would have torn down the entire heaven. Yet, after you beat him up, he acted so obediently as if he were a loyal dog. It is inconceivable for the two of you to not have known each other before that.

Furthermore, the patrol squad seemed to have left fearfully after they heard something. He had just arrived but was able to instill fear in them? What was going on?

"Perhaps my slaps were more painful than usual, so he felt intimidated!"

Zhang Xuan replied casually.

The matter regarding the Red Lotus Ridge involved the Great Herb King, Poison Hall, poison master, physician, disguiser... This wasn't a matter that could be easily explained even if he wanted to. Therefore, he decided that he might as well avoid the topic altogether.

Besides, what Bai Chan was fearful of wasn't just his connection with the Great Herb King. What he was more intimidated by was his relationship with Princess Mo Yu, so in a way, Zhang Xuan was taking advantage of another persons prestige. It wasn't anything honorable, so Zhang Xuan didn't feel compelled to explain the matter to them.

"Slaps are more painful than usual?"

Everyone became speechless.

If beating the other party up was useful, they would have long done so. There wouldnt have been a need for you to interfere at all!

If you dont want to explain, you should at least come up with a better lie! This lie of yours is way too perfunctory?

"This fellow is the same as ever..."

Huang Yu rolled her eyes.

This fellow was just like that. If he didn't want to speak, he could just say so. After all, everyone has their own secrets. However, what they found hard to accept was him lying so blatantly without any feelings of embarrassment.

"Regardless of the reason, as expected of teacher. No matter how big the problem is, you can solve it without a hitch!"

Zhao Ya and the other students' eyes burned ardently.

The issue with Physician Bai Chan had left all of them helpless, yet their teacher was able to turn the situation around the moment he appeared. More importantly, the other party listened obediently to him. As expected of their teacher, it seemed as if there was nothing in the world that was insurmountable to him.

"Senior, if I'm not wrong, your cultivation has reached Half-Zongshi, right?"

Seeing that Zhang Xuan was reluctant to remain on that topic, Liu Ling stroked his beard and asked.

Zhang Xuan possessed the Heaven's Path zhenqi, and even a Zhizun realm expert or a 2-star master teacher would be unable to tell the depth of his cultivation. However, during the battle just now, Liu Ling was able to discern Zhang Xuan's cultivation realm through the overwhelming might and aura he that displayed.

Even so, he found it hard to believe.

Although reaching Half-Zongshi wasn't as difficult as reaching Zongshi realm, it was nevertheless an extremely tall obstacle to overcome.

In Tianxuan Kingdom, there were several hundreds of Tongxuan realm pinnacle experts, but only one of them, Old Ancestor Shen Hong, was able to reach Half-Zongshi. This proved clearly how herculean the advancement to Half-Zongshi was.

It was just a while ago that Zhang Xuan was still Tongxuan realm pinnacle. Liu Ling thought that it would take at least two to three years of effort before Zhang Xuan could take the final step to reach higher realms. Yet, never in his dreams did he expect that... in just a month of absence, the other party had already achieved Half-Zongshi!

"Half-Zongshi?"

Everyone was astonished, especially Lu Xun, who became wide-eyed.

After an entire months time, Lu Xun finally broke through to reach Tongxuan realm. He thought that he could finally be on equal footing as the other party. He wasnt expecting that... the other party would have walked even further ahead!

"Un!" Zhang Xuan replied.

"By embracing the various schools of cultivation, a Zongshi is able to create his own unique school. This is the first difficult hurdle of the Fighter 9 dans. Even though you aren't far from it at Half-Zongshi, it will be difficult for you to achieve a breakthrough without accumulating experience and reinforcing your cultivation time and time again."

Upon hearing the other party affirming his conjecture, Liu Ling nodded.

Half-Zongshi may sound as though one is extremely close to reaching the level of a Zongshi, but in reality, one has only stepped onto the jumping platform. To truly make a successful leap over is another matter.

Shen Hong, him, Zhuang shi, and Zheng shi, which of them weren't famous geniuses when they were younger?

Alas, they were stuck at this hurdle for decades, unable to make the final jump no matter how hard they tried.

If not for Yang shi, they might have been stuck at Half-Zongshi for the rest of their lives.

Thus, Liu shi knew very well that if one didn't adjust one's state of mind to cultivate properly and patiently, reaching Zongshi would be nothing but a fleeting dream.

"Yes!" Zhang Xuan knew that the other party was saying these words for his own good, so he nodded in agreement.

"You're much more talented than I am, and you are entitled to teacher's personal guidance. Thus, your breakthrough should be much smooth-sailing than mine. The reason why I said so much to you is that I hope that you won't get anxious and lose yourself. You would still be considered a genius among geniuses if you manage to reach Zongshi realm within three years." Liu Ling continued.

This senior of his had reached Half-Zongshi at such a young age, and it was unavoidable for him to feel complacent. The reason why he said so much was that he wanted to remind the other party to remain humble and persevering so as to not lose himself in pursuit for greater heights. Otherwise, he might just end up destroying himself.

"Alright, I won't obstruct the reunion between senior and your students. We'll leave to take a rest first!"

Knowing that Zhang Xuan and his students had a lot to catch up on, Liu Ling smiled, clasped his hand, and bided his farewell. Huang Yu, Lu Xun, and the others followed behind him.

"Teacher!"

After the three left, Zheng Yang and the others kneeled onto the floor in agitation.

This was especially so for Zhao Ya. She felt extremely grateful to her teacher for saving her.

If not for his timely appearance, who knows what might have happened to her by now.

"Execute a punching routine so that I can see how much you have all improved!"

Flinging his sleeves, Zhang Xuan sat down and looked at his students.

Since he was their teacher, it was his responsibility to keep a close watch on their cultivation.

"Yes!"

The group immediately executed their punching routine.

Huhuhu!

A strong gust of wind, full of might, whipped up within the room immediately.

If it were anyone else, even if they manage to discern the cultivation realm of the five, they wouldn't be able to see where their flaws laid.

However, Zhang Xuan was different. With a jolt inside his mind, the recent flaws in their cultivation appeared in their respective books instantly.

"Not bad. All of you have improved in the past month. Nonetheless, you are still far lacking."

After browsing through the issues they met in cultivating written in each of their books, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up. "Zheng Yang, the cultivation technique I gave you specifically called for you to cultivate your taiyin meridian, why are you cultivating your sancu meridian instead? Not only are you wasting your effort, you are destroying your own cultivation. If you continue to behave like this, you should just scram now. Don't waste my time!"

"Liu Yang, although your right arm has recovered, when you're training, you still have to be mindful of exerting too much strength. Do you wish to be crippled again?"

"Wang Ying..."

...

Very quickly, Zhang Xuan pointed out the recent cultivation flaws that his five students had and imparted them some new methods.

Even though Zhang Xuan might be unreliable when it came to other aspects, he didn't slacken at all when it came to guiding his students.

Honglong! Pipa!

In the next two hours, the five students started to achieve breakthroughs. Zheng Yang and Wang Ying first broke through Pigu realm to reach Dingli realm primary stage, and Yuan Tao followed closely behind, reaching Pigu realm pinnacle.

Of the five, the one who experienced the biggest improvement was still Zhao Ya. Initially, she had only opened two acupoints. However, after Zhang Xuan's explanation and deciphering of the Pixue realm, she opened ten acupoints consecutively in the next two hours, resulting in an exponential rise in her strength.

Having their cultivation raised significantly in such a short period of time, everyone felt both excited and astonished.

Previously, Liu shi said that if they wanted to achieve a breakthrough, they would require an impetus. Even at the fastest, it would take about half a month. However, after a session with Zhang laoshi, all of them broke through into higher realms immediately. Didnt this display clearly that Zhang laoshi's means were superior to Liu shi's?

Upon realizing this fact, they felt even greater admiration for Zhang laoshi.

"Alright, I'll be taking the master teacher examination tomorrow, so we'll stop here for today! Have a good rest!"

Zhang Xuan instructed.

After this incident with Zhao Ya, he realized that there was an urgent need for him raise his status. This fueled his determination to pass the master teacher examination.

...

"I have urgent matters to report to Ji Mo gongzi!"

At the Ji Clan, one of the Three Great Clans of Tianwu Kingdom, a figure could be seen in an urgent rush to the doorstep.

If Zhang Xuan were here, he would surely have been able to recognize the person as the leader of the group whom he pummeled outside the city previously.

This leader was still wounded throughout his body. However, after undergoing treatment, his situation had alleviated greatly, and at the very least, he was able to move around without help.

"How is it? Have you succeeded yet?"

Jiya!

The doors opened. Upon seeing the other party's face, Ji Mo gongzi's face lit up.

"Reporting to gongzi, even though we are severely injured, we have managed to accomplish the task you asked of us!" The leader kneeled onto the floor.

"Un, not bad, not bad!"

An excited gleam flashed across Ji Mo gongzi's eyes.

That lad had caused him to lose his entire dignity, and he wouldn't be able to vent his anger if he didn't teach him a good lesson.

"Take out the Record Crystal, I want to take a look!" Stretching his palm forward, Ji Mo gongzi asked expectantly.

Weren't you full of arrogance?

Producing paintings of the third level, fourth level, and fifth level as if they are circus acts... So what if you're a 3-star painter? Let's see if you can remain as haughty now that we hung you nude on a tree.

"Reporting to young master, the Record Crystal was ruined in the middle of the battle!" The leader answered in embarrassment.

"Ruined?"

"Yes. However, we have hung that lad on a tree outside the city, and the other brothers are currently guarding him. Young master, why don't you follow me there to mock him in his face? This way, you will be able to vent your anger better!"

The leader replied.

"That's a good idea. Ridiculing him right in his face is what I like best!"

Chuckling, an evil gleam flickered across Ji Mo gongzi's gaze.

It felt that it would be a great pity if he didn't personally view and mock that arrogant fellow who had been hung naked on a tree.

"Let's go!" Ji Mo gongzi was ready to go right after putting on his robe.

"Gongzi. No matter what, the person we have offended is a 3-star painter. Even if we were to record his sorry state with a Record Crystal in order to blackmail him and that the other party does not dare to do anything to us, if any of those elders in the residence find out about this, you won't be able to avoid a lashing. In my view... Why don't you put on a black suit and sneak out? This way, we won't alarm anyone, thus preventing the news from leaking out and avoiding unnecessary trouble."

Seeing that Ji Mo gongzi was about to walk out openly through the main door, the leader immediately advised him otherwise.

"You're right. Not bad, seems like you have given the matter some thought. I'll deal with those old fellows sooner or later. Once I become a 2-star painter and inherit the position of the clan leader, I'll definitely teach them a lesson!"

Ji Mo gongzi nodded his head in satisfaction.

Did you see that? This is what a loyal subordinate should be like, keeping the welfare of his owner at heart.

I am probably the only person who is sufficiently charismatic such that my subordinates give their all in order to accomplish my tasks.

Thinking of this, he felt exhilarated.