Chen Changsheng gazed at Xuanyuan Po in front of him. After a moment's thought, he said, "Try metamorphosing your right arm."
Xuanyuan Po had never held the slightest hope that Chen Changsheng could cure his injuries. After sitting on the floor for such a long time, he had begun to lose his patience. Upon hearing that Chen Changsheng wanted him to metamorphose his already-crippled right arm, his complexion turned very unsightly. He looked at Chen Changsheng like he wanted to swallow him up.
"Did you not hear what Teacher said?" Luoluo asked.
Xuanyuan Po's demeanor instantly took a turn as he obediently began to attempt metamorphosis.
Although his right arm was crippled, back in his tribe, he had already cultivated to the level where he could casually metamorphose. His right arm began to visibly change, incessantly swelling and bursting through his clothes. Countless black hairs began to sprout from his arm, as tough as an iron brush.
Chen Changsheng reached out to grip his wrist, feeling his powerful pulse, sensing the clearly twisted meridians, sensing those tangled clumps of true essence. He very seriously sensed, analyzed, and simultaneously compared what he saw to the records in the Daoist Canon.
Time gradually passed. Seeing his solemn expression, Xuanyuan Po suddenly felt a little hope and thus grew nervous.
After a long time, Chen Changsheng released his hand.
Luoluo asked, "Teacher, how is it?"
Chen Changsheng did not reply to her question. From the needle box that he had previously requested her to retrieve from the house, he took out a copper needle and very casually stabbed it down.
This copper needle was the thickest one in the box and its primary use was to help with the circulation of blood. Now, however, it was being used by him for another purpose.
The needle's surface gleamed with a cold light, its point extremely sharp, but after metamorphosis, the skin of Xuanyuan Po's arm was incredibly tough. Normal weapons would find it impossible to break and so logically speaking, it was impossible for the needle to enter. But unimaginably, the needle pinched between his two fingers easily stabbed in.
"What do you feel?" he asked as he looked into Xuanyuan Po's eyes.
Xuanyuan Po was a little perplexed. After feeling for a few moments, he replied, "Somewhat…numb?"
Chen Changsheng's finger lightly rubbed the end of the needle, and then he asked again, "What about now?"
"It aches somewhat." Xuanyuan Po's expression became excited.
No matter if it ached or was numb, any feeling was very good. Even if it was pain? Anything was better than the rock that was his right arm in these days after he was injured!
Xuanyuan Po stared at Chen Changsheng, his lips trembling, his shock and admiration at their peak.
Although it was just a small change, this youth had really managed to do what the teachers of Star Seizer Academy or even the imperial physicians could not!
Seeing the look on his face, Luoluo gave two grunts of satisfaction.
She had never doubted Chen Changsheng's ability. She firmly believed that he was only hiding himself and his abilities away for some sort of special reason.
The countless matters that had occurred in these days where she went from the Hundred Herb Garden to the Orthodox Academy were all proof of her view.
At present, even members of her own race, such as Guardian Jin and Guardian Li, were almost convinced by her.
...
...
"Dispersing that true essence and repairing your meridians is not a one-day affair."
Chen Changsheng put away his needle box and turned to Luoluo, saying, "It might require a very long time. I don't advise him to leave the capital and return to his tribe."
Luoluo replied, "We all obey Teacher."
Chen Changsheng turned to Xuanyuan Po and said, "Just stay in the Orthodox Academy—there's still a lot of empty space."
The Orthodox Academy was very large, but at present, it only had him and Luoluo as students. It was truly too spacious and desolate, so one more person wouldn't count for anything.
Xuanyuan Po was still amidst shock and elation, and when he thought about his discourteous attitude towards Chen Changsheng, he also felt somewhat uneasy. Upon hearing Chen Changsheng's words, his face turned red and he tightly shut his mouth, unwilling to speak, too embarrassed to accept this act of charity.
Chen Changsheng turned to Luoluo and said, "You solve this."
Luoluo raised up the teaching stick and looked at Xuanyuan Po, commanding, "Say it yourself."
Xuanyuan Po did not speak. His meaning was, if my lady beats me to death, I still won't say it.
Luoluo was helpless, so she looked back at Chen Changsheng and asked, "Teacher, what should we do?"
Chen Changsheng advised Xuanyuan Po, "To refuse any sort of sympathy or assistance is at times not pride, but foolishness."
Xuanyuan Po was very distressed. Scratching his head, he answered, "I know, but I can't do it."
Chen Changsheng sighed and said no more.
Luoluo was rather angry and asked, "Why aren't you willing to stay?"
Xuanyuan Po awkwardly responded, "I'm not even a student of the Orthodox Academy."
Luoluo's eyes glowed as she said, "That's easy to fix."
"Ah?"
"We just need to make you a student of the Orthodox Academy."
"Ah?"
"There's no need for a test."
"Ah?"
"You just need to register."
Receiving Chen Changsheng's approval, Luoluo removed the Orthodox Academy's register from a drawer. She dipped a brush in ink and offered it to Xuanyuan Po.
Xuanyuan Po's mouth was agape. Holding the ink brush and staring at the two names on the register, he felt that this affair was far too lacking in solemnity.
Even if the Orthodox Academy was in decline, it was still one of the Six Ivies. He just needed to casually write his name and he would become a student?
He thought it over and in the end still chose to write his name down.
He wrote down his name, his stroke rather stiff and his way of holding the brush rather clumsy.
Luoluo said, "Congratulations to you for becoming the Orthodox Academy's third student."
Xuanyuan Po asked, "What are the academy's rules?"
"There are no academy rules."
Luoluo elaborated, "Teacher's words are the academy's rules. Whatever Teacher asks you to do, you do."
Confused, Xuanyuan Po asked, "There is no principal or teachers?"
"Teacher is the principal.
"Teacher is the teacher.
"Of course, Teacher is also a student.
"The three are in one body, so Teacher is the Orthodox Academy."
Luoluo did not believe in any way that her words were like the brainwashing sermons of the Orthodoxy's priests to the faithful because she truly did think this way.
Xuanyuan Po was somewhat at a loss, asking, "Then I will be learning from him?"
Luoluo was not willing for Chen Changsheng's time and energy to be used on other people, even if it was a young member of her race that she deeply admired, so she shook her head and said, "I will teach you."
Xuanyuan Po was very happy upon hearing that he needed to acknowledge her as teacher. He thought, once I send news back to the tribe, the entire tribe will definitely rejoice.
Luoluo continued, "Teacher is my teacher, so he is your grandteacher."
Xuanyuan Po was once more at a loss, thinking, I suddenly have a grandteacher?
Chen Changsheng was also quite at a loss, thinking, I suddenly have a granddisciple?
Luoluo said, "Pay respects to Teacher."
Xuanyuan Po was already convinced by Chen Changsheng and now with Luoluo's request, he prostrated himself on the floor without hesitation and knocked his head three times on the floor towards Chen Changsheng. He kowtowed with great strength, causing dust to fly out of the seams in the floorboards, the gentle lantern light transforming the dust into fragments of stars.
Chen Changsheng was speechless. He prostrated himself at the window towards the east, where the morning sun was just rising.
He truly did not expect that at the age of fourteen, he would become a grandteacher.
Master, do you know?
Senior Brother, it seems like our sect will truly open another branch in the Orthodox Academy.
Just as he was sighing with emotion, a sudden whoosh came from outside the window.
Tang Thirty-Six's face appeared at the window.
He looked at the prostrate Chen Changsheng and, somewhat startled, asked, "Just what wrong did you commit against me that you would actually prostrate yourself to me?"
Chen Changsheng looked at his pale face and asked in astonishment, "You're hurt?"