In the lofty "Enlightenment Will Tower".
“Elder Mo, I will be depending on you this time!” Elder Shang Chen looked at the elderly who was sitting by his side.
An elder from the Teacher Guild, Mo Xiang!
“Elder Shang, there is no need to be so formal. After all, we are already old friends!”
Elder Mo Xiang was in his fifties and a sparse gray-colored beard could be seen on his face. “Worry not, if this teacher really resorts to coercion and forces others to become his students, I will definitely report it up to the guild to strip him of his teaching license!”
“Sigh, it is negligence on my part!” Elder Shang Chen shook his head. With a bewailing look, he lamented, “When this teacher scored a zero in the Teacher Qualification Examination, I gave him an ultimatum. If he doesn’t recruit any students, he would be fired immediately… Perhaps due to pressure, he resorted to such means… It is all my fault!”
He sighed.
“Elder Shang, you shouldn’t blame yourself. Out of sheer kindness, you gave him another chance. Yet, this fellow knows no gratitude, and instead, he chose to commit such despicable actions. He is truly shameless and vile!” Elder Mo’s face darkened as he exuded a forceful aura. “As a teacher, instead of pondering on how to better nurture others, he spends his time on such underhanded tricks. I would like to see the one who gave him the guts to resort to such means!”
Elder Mo Xiang was well-reputed for his hatred towards villains and villainous acts. Upon hearing about a teacher coercing the students, he was on the verge of erupting from anger.
“If it wasn’t for Cao Xiong laoshi‘s righteousness in reporting the incident to say that his student has been coerced by that teacher, even going to the extent of applying for the Enlightenment Will Trial to resolve the issue, I would still be oblivious to all these happenings.”
With both of his hands behind his back, Elder Shang Chen shook his head continuously. His contemplating eyes were directed towards the empty sky, as though he had committed the world’s greatest negligence.
If Zhang Xuan was here, he would definitely be surprised. This fellow’s ability at zhuangbi [1] was far more superior than him.
“Although the Enlightenment Will Trial wounds the harmony and camaraderie between teachers, it is still worth it if it weeds out the poisonous ones of the lot. Don’t blame yourself too much!” Seeing his expression, Elder Mo Xiang was secretly impressed.
Oftentimes, a student whom several teachers favor at the same time would appear in the academy. At such a moment, everyone would try to settle the issue privately. This way, not only was the fellowship between colleagues not wounded, order was also maintained in the institution. Only when the problem was truly unable to be settled privately would they apply for such a method to resolve it.
Enlightenment Will Trial, just as its name dictated, was a test on the heart of the student, allowing him to make a choice based on his true will. However, this meant that the relationship between the competing teachers would become totally hostile, thus wounding the harmonious spirit between teachers.
This was the reason why in the century since the inception of Hongtian Academy, there were only slightly more than ten applications for the Enlightenment Will Trial. They didn’t expect that they would be able to encounter such an incident as well.
After feigning contemplation, Elder Shang Chen secretly chuckled upon seeing that he had managed to rile up the rage of the other party. He gestured with his hand and passed down an order, “Let them enter!”
Jiya!
Immediately after his words sounded out, the heavy doors slowly opened and Zhang Xuan, Cao Xiong, Shang Bin, Shen Bi Ru and Liu Yang walked in.
“Cao Xiong laoshi, are you the one who has applied for the Enlightenment Will Trial?”
The moment everyone stopped in their footsteps, Elder Shang Chen asked with raised eyebrows.
“I beg of elder to redress my grievance!” Cao Xiong cried loudly. “This Zhang Xuan coerced my student, Liu Yang, who has already acknowledged me as his teacher, thus violating the rules of fair competition among teachers. As such, I specially applied for the Enlightenment Will Trial so as to bring Liu Yang justice. At the same time, I hope that the academy can punish this shameless fellow!”
“Bring justice?”
Liu Yang was oblivious to what was going on as he was simply ordered to follow the group here. Upon hearing the words of the other party, he finally understood that Cao Xiong was trying to make use of him to deal with his benefactor. As such, he hurriedly sent a gaze towards Zhang Xuan, “Teacher…”
Before he could finish his words, he saw a fluster flashing across the Zhang laoshi, who was calm and formidable a moment ago in the classroom. Indignantly, he said, “Cao laoshi, you are spouting nonsense… Liu Yang is… willing to become my student! I… I… had never coerced him!”
His voice carried a trace of unconfidence and panic, as though his lie had been exposed.
“Err?”
Unable to believe this sight, Liu Yang blinked his eyes.
After two lessons, he was already completely impressed with Zhang Xuan, even to the extent of thinking that he was omnipotent. He felt that becoming his student was a result of fair competition between two teachers and that it could be explained easily. How did the situation evolve to such a point all of a sudden?
Zhang Xuan’s eyes were filled with fear and his body trembled slightly, as though he was caught red-handed in the bed with someone else. Liu Yang was unable to make heads or tails of the situation… Which nerve of Zhang laoshi’s brain was convulsing for him to behave like this?
“Teacher…” Liu Yang looked over, but before he could voice out the doubts in his heart, he saw Zhang laoshi turning over to harrumph, “Liu Yang, you better explain it properly. Did I coerce you or not?”
As he said so, he secretly blinked his eyes.
“Ah… No, no!” Liu Yang hurriedly shook his head.
No matter how dimwitted he might be, it was clear to see that Zhang laoshi was trying to pull one over the other party!
It will do as long as he cooperated with him.
The both of them were aware of what was going on, but in the eyes of others, it seemed as though Zhang Xuan was threatening Liu Yang to say something against his will. Otherwise, why would Liu Yang answer so hesitantly?
As expected, upon seeing this sight, Elder Mo’s complexion turned slightly awful.
“You must be Zhang Xuan! I will give you one more chance. As long as you obediently cancel the lessons of this Liu Yang and allow him to come under Cao laoshi‘s tutelage once more, I can choose not to proceed ahead with the Enlightenment Will Trial!”
“Cancel lessons?” Zhang Xuan scratched his head. “Liu Yang has acknowledged me as his teacher out of his own will. It would be unfair to him if I were to push him away…”
“Unfair? Own will?”
The corner of Elder Mo’s lips twitched.
[Don’t you feel embarrassed for saying these words?
You are just a teacher who scored a zero in the Teacher Qualification Examination. He can’t be happier to push away your lessons, yet you speak of unfairness…
Where did your self-confidence come from?]
Just as he was about to continue speaking, he heard Cao Xiong and Shang Bin shouting simultaneously, “Elder Mo, this won’t do!”
“Why?”
The Enlightenment Will Trial was something very troublesome. The moment it started, someone had to be punished. Otherwise, if everyone were to follow through with this process, the academy would be unable to upkeep with the expenditure!
Initially, Elder Mo intended to have this incident resolved peacefully. Upon hearing the obstruction of the duo, he turned around and looked at them.
“Elder Mo, Cao laoshi has already applied for the Enlightenment Will Trial and the academy has already agreed to it. If it were to stop abruptly at this moment, doesn’t this mean… mean that the academy’s rules are being taken lightly?” Shang Bin hurriedly said.
What kind of joke was this!
It wasn’t easy for them to set up this situation to push Zhang Xuan off the cliff. If they were to settle peacefully, didn’t this mean that all their efforts would be in vain?
If so, wouldn’t the humiliation he was put under yesterday be in vain?
“Indeed, Elder Mo. I am also thinking in the stead of the student. I hope that he can follow his own heart and choose the teacher that he favors the most, rather than being coerced into making a choice!”
Cao Xiong hurriedly said. His words were righteous and emotional. If not for the crimson palm print from Shang Bin’s slap yesterday, he would’ve surely be able to impress many.
“Alright then!” Upon hearing the words of the two, Elder Mo nodded his head, no longer holding up the process.
“Since you all have chosen the Enlightenment Will Trial, then naturally, I will have to list the rules out clearly first. After the test is completed, whoever the examinee Liu Yang ultimately chooses to acknowledge as his teacher will be victorious in this trial. Of course, the one who loses will be punished. Thus, let’s clarify the punishment first!”
At this point, the quiet Elder Shang Chen surveyed the surroundings before saying, “This time, Cao Xiong laoshi has chosen the harshest punishment, that is, upon the end of the trial, the losing side will be expelled from the academy! Zhang Xuan, do you have any objection to it?”
Upon hearing that it was the harshest punishment, Zhang Xuan looked over in disbelief. With a sincere face, he said, “There isn’t a deep grudge between me and Cao laoshi, to have him expelled… Isn’t it going a little too far?”
“Err?”
Upon hearing these words, Elder Shang and the others froze. They turned and stared at Zhang Xuan as though they were looking at an idiot. [Is there something wrong with the head of this fellow… You are the one who is going to be expelled, alright?]
“Hmph, regardless of your opinion, you will have to agree to undertake the Enlightenment Will Trial! It is already too late to turn back now!”
Thinking that Zhang Xuan was spouting rubbish to reject the trial, Cao Xiong sneered coldly.
“I am really doing this for your good… I still think that expelling straight away is too harsh. How about this!” Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before saying, “Why don’t we… drop with the expulsion. We will just strip the losing side of his teaching license then… add in another hundred God Slaying Flogs!”
“Strip teaching license? Hundred God Slaying Flogs?”
The crowd blinked their eyes simultaneously and stared at one another. Every single one of them felt as though they were going mad.
It seemed as though the losing side had managed to retain his position, so that he wouldn’t end up jobless. However, in reality, this was much harsher than a direct expulsion.
[Are you sure that you didn’t misspeak?]
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[1] Zhuangbi -> Acting cool (Putting on an act)