"Have you heard? Cao Xiong laoshi had just competed with the academy's number one teacher from the bottom, Teacher Zhang Xuan!"
"They competed? Then, won't Zhang Xuan laoshi lose for sure?"
"Unexpectedly, that wasn't so. Zhang Xuan laoshi won! He casually guided a student and made his strength increase by one fold!"
"Increase by one fold? In his first guidance? Even Lu Xun laoshi wouldn't be capable of doing that! Are you for real?"
"A lot of people witnessed it for themselves, so how could it not be real?"
...
Those who witnessed the competition in the canteen are discussing over it excitedly.
"For the student's strength to increase by one fold in the first guidance?" Zhao Ya scoffs. "It is definitely just luck!"
Baiyu City is the third biggest city in the Tianxuan Kingdom and Zhao Ya is the daughter of its City Lord. From young, she has been put through top class education and her motive for coming to Hongtian Academy is to be accepted as Lu Xun's student.
However, she didn't expect to hear that Lu Xun would be inferior to Zhang Xuan before she even found him. Naturally, she doesn't believe such rumors.
"Luck? I don't think that it is luck. After all, it is an increase by an entire fold! Just luck itself won't explain it!" A student sitting not too far away from her couldn't help but respond to her words.
"You think that it isn't luck? Don't think that I do not recognize that Zhang Xuan laoshi. He is the one who scored a zero in the Teacher Qualification Examination and almost got fired! What capabilities do you think a guy like that would possess? If you do not believe my words, I can unmask his facade right here and now!"
Zhao Ya has had an impatient personality since young. Upon hearing someone praise the worst teacher in the academy, she immediately bellows.
"Fine! We also want to know whether the teacher is just all talk!"
Instantly, two students stand up.
The three of them walked out of the canteen and after asking around, they found Zhang Xuan's classroom. Pushing open the door, they walked in.
"You are Zhang Xuan laoshi?"
Walking into the classroom, they see the young man sitting on the teacher's seat smiling foolishly to himself. No matter how they look like it, he doesn't seem like an impressive teacher. In fact, they started to feel uncomfortable.
"That's me!"
After noticing the entry of a few students, Zhang Xuan stopped analyzing the Library of Heaven's Path and turns over to look at them.
"We've heard that you have won in a competition against Cao Xiong laoshi and the student you guided had an increase in strength by one fold." Zhao Ya states with clear disbelief in her tone. "Good. Then I would like you to guide me as well, to see whether you can increase my strength by one fold as well!"
"I'm not free!"
Zhang Xuan waves them away.
Teachers also have their own pride as educators. They aren't performers who would perform to the will of the audience. How could they just guide others just because they want them to?
Besides that, what's with your attitude? It's not like I owe you something.
"Not free? Aren't you very idle right now?" Zhao Ya could tell that the other party is just trying to shake her off. She grinds her teeth in anger.
She told her friends that she would come and expose his facade, yet right now, she is being chased away without even getting a glimpse at his abilities. She feels embarrassed.
"I have to recruit students. I don't have the effort to fool around with an arrogant little girl!" Zhang Xuan says calmly.
"You..." Zhao Ya is so furious that her beautiful eyes roll around.
She is the daughter of a city lord, not to mention she is blessed with good looks. No matter where she goes, people look at her with eyes of admiration. However, not only did this fellow reject her, he even said that she was fooling around. How hateful!
Even if he is a teacher, this is unforgivable!
"What must we do for you to guide us?" Grinding her jade-like teeth, Zhao Ya questions.
"Acknowledge me as your teacher!" Zhang Xuan replies calmly, as he looks at Zhao Ya with a bizarre expression.
Seeing how the other party is looking at her as though she is an idiot, Zhao Ya staggers, "Fine, I will acknowledge you as my teacher. However... If you were to teach me erroneously or give me bullshit, I will expose your lies!"
"Zhao Ya!"
"You can't! If you were to take him as your teacher, you won't be able to become Lu Xun laoshi's student..."
The two friends who came with her almost fainted upon hearing her acceptance of his request. They immediately try to persuade her.
Hearing the persuasion of her two friends, Zhao Ya hesitates.
She is aware of the school rules. After becoming a teacher's student, if the student wants to acknowledge another teacher, they would have to first withdraw from the lessons of their current one. However, if they were to do so, the other teacher would tend to reject the student. Not to mention, a popular teacher like Lu Xun.
"You don't have the guts to? If you don't dare to, just hurry up and leave. Don't hold up my business... Recruiting new students!" Zhang Xuan waves her away.
"Who says that I do not have the guts to?"
She was still hesitating but upon hearing Zhang Xuan's words, Zhao Ya immediately explodes. Her eyebrows frown and she says, "I will acknowledge you as my teacher right now! Let's verify our relationship!"
"You attitude is too bad. Even you want me as your master, I don't want to accept you!" Zhang Xuan waves her away yet again.
It is natural to want to recruit obedient students, just like the previous Wang Ying. However, the current one seems to be on gunpowder. Even if he lacks student, he is unwilling to admit her in.
"You..."
She didn't expect that when she chose to bear with it to acknowledge him as her teacher, he still refused to accept her. Zhao Ya can feel flames arising from her.
She came here specially to expose his fraud. If she were to stomp away furiously now, wouldn't she be falling into his trap?
Perhaps, this fellow is intentionally trying to chase her away so that his fraud cannot be exposed.
She is adamant to not allow things go his way!
"Hmph, I will just admit it as my fault first then. After I expose your true face, see how I will put you in place!"
Thinking so, Zhao Ya suppresses the rage in her heart. She smiles faintly, exposing her white teeth, "Teacher, don't get angry. I was disrespectful! I sincerely wish to become your student, may I plead with you to accept me!"
"This is more like it!" Seeing her change in attitude, Zhang Xuan nods his head. "I can accept you as my student. Before that, I would like you to clean this room. I don't want to see a speck of dust here. Also, help me tidy up the washroom outside. Scrub the toilet bowls clean. Afterward, I will check on it. If I am satisfied with your work, I will admit you in under my tutelage!"
"Don't go too far!"
Zhao Ya is about to go on a rampage.
What is her identity? She is the daughter of a city lord, a daughter of a noble. From young, she has never done any household chore before, and yet this fellow intends for her to sweep the room? Even... cleaning the washrooms? Scrub the toilet bowls?
Is he insane?
"If you can't even do such superficial tasks, you can leave right now. I don't need lazy and useless students!" Zhang Xuan says.
Hehe, little lass. You want to play with me? You are still much too inexperienced!
"Who says that I am useless! I will clean up now, I will scrub now!" Zhao Ya grinds her. Grabbing a broom and mop, she starts to tidy up the room.
"Zhao Ya, how about we just forget about it..."
"I don't think he is really capable. He is purposely making things hard for you..."
The two friends who tagged along with her, upon seeing the young mistress of a city lord starting to clean up the place, they are all horrified and quickly attempt to convince her otherwise.
"Both of you wait outside first. Since young, I, Zhao Ya, have never really lost before. Today, I have decided to go all out against him!" Zhao Ya frowns.
"That..."
Her two friends understand Zhao Ya's temper. Seeing that she can't be persuaded, the both of them look at each other, at a loss of what to do.
"Inform butler Yao, didn't he come as well? If the butler were to know that the fellow who scored zero for his Teacher Qualification Examination was ordering young mistress to scrub the toilet bowl, he would definitely stop him!"
After staring at each other for a moment, one of them came up with a solution.
For a person of Zhao Ya's identity, even though there weren't any threats on the journey to the academy, there was still someone who escorted her. The person who escorted her was butler Yao. Presently, he should still be around the academy.
"Alright, let's look for him now!"
Without any hesitation, the two of them immediately rush out of the academy.
For Zhao Ya who has a stubborn temper just like any other daughters of rich households, even though she has never done household chores before, it didn't take her long to adapt to it. Swiftly, the interior of the room became clean. Even the washroom outside is sparkling.
"Not bad!" Zhang Xuan nods his head in satisfaction.
"You should be satisfied now. You can admit me as your student and guide my cultivation now, right?"
After finishing her work, Zhao Ya crushes her teeth together 'luo luo!'. Her jade-like face distorts as she tries to hold herself back from punching the guy in front of her.
"Un, your identity card!"
Disregarding the other party's murdering gaze, Zhang Xuan throws a jade token to her casually.
Taking a deep breath, Zhao Ya drips a drop of blood on it, verifying their relationship.
"Zhang laoshi, now that I can your student, can you give me a pointer or two?"
Now that she is on the verge of accomplishing her objective, revealing the true face of the despicable man before her, Zhao Ya suppresses the excitement in her heart and asks.
"Display fighting technique to me first, so that I can gauge your fundamentals!" Zhang Xuan beckons.
"Yes!"
Without any nonsense, Zhao Ya clasps her hands together and bows before executing her skills.
Huhuhuhu!
The wind howls. Her blow is full of might. As a female as well, her blows are much faster and stronger than Wang Ying. With a single look, it is apparent that she put quite a bit of effort into her training.
While looking at Zhao Ya execute her skill, Zhang Xuan's mind is currently in the library. As expected, with a light tremor, a book falls from the shelves.
The two words 'Zhao Ya' are written on the cover.
"Zhao Ya, the daughter of the City Lord of Baiyu City. Fighter 1-dan Juxi Realm Pinnacle!"
"Cultivation Technique: White Jade Pure Maiden Skill!"
...
Weakness: 27 flaws. No.1, her personality is rash and she is easily angered. This goes against the White Jade Skill's nature of calmness and smoothness, so she is unable to bring out its full strength. No.2..."
The book is just like what he saw previously. It records all of the flaws and deficiencies in Zhao Ya's cultivation.
Peng! Peng! Peng!
After a short moment, Zhao Ya completes the entire punch routine. Clenching her feminine hands, she turns around and sends a blow towards the rock pillar in the classroom that is used for measuring the strength of one's blow!
A crisp sound. A set of number appears on it.
110!
"Not bad, not bad!" Zhang Xuan can't help but nod his head.
To be capable of wielding such strength in her fist before coming to the academy, Zhao Ya is indeed the daughter of a City Lord, holding extraordinary strength.
"Alright, give me some pointers!"
After executing her skill, her face doesn't turn red nor does she gasp for breath. Zhao Ya turns to look at Zhang Xuan.