306-310

Chapter 306: The Expert

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: GaiaNove

"101?"

Mo Hongyi's shuddered violently and he nearly fell onto the ground.

The heck!

The maximum score in the Supporting Occupation Pavilion is 100 and you tell me 101?

Are you for real?

It was no wonder why this servant was trembling as if he had gone mad! If Mo Hongyi were in his place, he would be shivering as well!

Managing to achieve 60 points back then had already made him the idol of countless people. What in the world is 101?

"What's key is that... 101 doesn't seem to be the conclusion. His points are still increasing, and until now, the test at the Supporting Occupation Pavilion has not yet ended..." The servant added in.

"The test isn't over yet?"

Mo Hongyi felt a sudden urge to rip out his hair.

Achieving 60 points in the Supporting Occupation Pavilion for his 1-star master teacher examination had made him a legend, but now, the other party had reached 101... and the test had yet to end...

Madness! The world has gone mad!

"Let's go and take a look!"

Unable to endure any longer, Mo Hongyi lifted his legs and made his way out immediately.

"Your Highness, about my punishment..." The servant was about to follow along when he recalled something.

"Punishment? What punishment? Go and claim your reward, ten Night Illumination Pearls, and one steel sword!"

Taking big strides, Mo Hongyi continued his way to the examination hall.

Upon hearing that not only was the punishment abolished but that there were also generous rewards, the servant knew that he had made the correct decision reporting this matter to the master.

Overjoyed, he chased after Mo Hongyi hurriedly.

...

The same situation was also occurring at several other locations.

In the Apothecary Guild.

"Congratulations, congratulations!"

"Apothecary Hong, congratulations on your breakthrough. You have finally taken the final step and became a 3-star apothecary. You have my admiration and respect!"

"Indeed! Back then, we took the 2-star apothecary examination together, but in the end, you are the only one who has managed to reach this level!"

Numerous apothecaries surrounded a middle-aged man.

Dressed in a long robe, a prominent emblem decorated with three stars was pinned on his chest.

He was the person who reached 3-star not long ago, Apothecary Hong.

He took the examination a few days ago, and today, the emblem representing his new identity finally arrived.

The most formidable apothecary in Tianwu Kingdom's Apothecary Guild was also a 3-star. At his grade, he was already standing toe-to-toe with the guild leader.

"There's no need for all of you to be so modest. I happened to meet an expert when I was out a while back, and his guidance has enlightened me. If not for him, I couldn't have imagined how long I would take before I can reach this level!" Apothecary Hong said.

"Even if you meet an expert, you need to possess the wisdom to decipher his words. I wonder when I can reach 3-star like you!"

Seeing the Apothecary Hong responding to their praises with such humility, another apothecary shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Teacher!"

At this moment, an apprentice apothecary barged into the room in a hurry.

"Calm down, it is unseemly to panic like that!"

Upon realizing that the apprentice was his student, Apothecary Hong flung his hand.

"Yes!" The apprentice halted, panting heavily to catch his breath.

"I told you to ask Master Teacher Jiang Chen about the feast. What did he say? Will Princess Mo Yu be attending?" Apothecary Hong asked.

"I..." The apprentice was taken aback by his teacher's question. "I... haven't asked him!"

"You didn't ask him?" Apothecary Hong's face darkened in rage. "If you can't accomplish such a simple task, don't bother calling me teacher anymore!"

The apprentice's face paled.

Apothecary Hong was a 3-star apothecary, and as his student, he would have a huge advantage when taking the 1-star apothecary examination in the future.

If he were to be expelled from his tutelage... he would lose all hopes of becoming an apothecary in this lifetime.

"Teacher, I have a reason... for panicking. Just now... someone was taking the 1-star master teacher examination... and he entered the Supporting Occupation Pavilion. He chose pill forging and..." The apprentice's body shuddered.

"What's wrong? Did he achieve a score of 60? Is his score higher than that of Mo Hongyi Mo shi?" Apothecary Hong waved his arm.

The student quivered for a moment before replying, "He... he scored... 101 points!"

"What? 101 points?"

Apothecary Hong's entire body trembled, and his eyes nearly popped out from their sockets. His face spoke of nothing but disbelief.

Even though the master teacher and the apothecary were two separate occupations, many formidable master teachers chose apothecary as their supporting occupation, so he was very familiar with how master teachers worked.

The maximum score for the Supporting Occupation Hall is 100. For someone to score 101, what in the world is going on?

"101 points in the Supporting Occupation Hall?"

"Let's go and take a look!"

After hearing the apprentice's words, everyone went into a frenzy. All of them rushed out of the Apothecary Guild.

To score 101 for instructing a puppet in pill forging in the Supporting Occupation Hall, how incredible must that person be?

They felt that this was a sight they mustn't miss.

The Apothecary Guild was located nearby the Master Teacher Pavilion and it didn't take long for them to arrive at the examination hall. The hall, by this time, was already flooded with people, and all of their gazes were fixated on the tightly shut door.

"Jiang shi, what is going on?"

Scanning the surroundings, Apothecary Hong finally noticed a familiar figure and walked over.

That person was Jiang Chen.

At this moment, his eyes were opened so wide that they might drop out at any moment. His body was shaking uncontrollably, his fists were tightly clenched by the side, and he had an expression full of fear. Upon seeing Apothecary Hong, he pointed to the door in front with a shaky finger.

"Take a look for yourself..."

"Un?"

Lifting his head, Apothecary Hong saw the numbers on the door and his body wobbled, causing him to nearly fall to the ground.

"130? How can it be 130? Isn't the maximum score for the Supporting Occupation Pavilion 100?"

He exclaimed in shock.

The number '130' was displayed prominently on the door. The number seemed to pierce into the hearts of those who laid their sight on it. The apothecaries behind him froze on the spot, dumbfounded.

"I am not sure what happened as well..."

Jiang Chen shook his head. He, too, felt that the situation was insane, "Perhaps there is a problem with the Supporting Occupation Pavilion. Otherwise, how can it be possible for someone to achieve such a result?"

"A problem?"

"That's right! There must be a problem with the system. Otherwise, how can one achieve such a high score?"

"If there's a problem, this result should be invalidated and a retest should be conducted!"

Someone chirped in.

The maximum score was 100, yet someone shoved a 130 in their faces. It was natural that anyone would think this way.

"I'll talk to Wu shi later..." Jiang Chen nodded, but halfway through his words, a voice interjected.

"The examination hall is a spiritual treasure that the Master Teacher Pavilion specially tasked experts to create, so it is impossible that it contains any faults!"

Not expecting someone to refute his words so disrespectfully, Jiang Chen was about to rebuke when he obtained a clear look at the other party's appearance, immediately suppressing himself. "Since Mo shi said that it isn't a problem with the Supporting Occupation Pavilion, then... what is going on?"

The one who refuted his words was the number one genius of the kingdom, Mo Hongyi.

He had also received the shock of his life after witnessing the results displayed on the door.

"I've heard of a legend regarding the master teacher examination, but I'm unsure of its authenticity!" Mo Hongyi said with a grim face.

Looking at his grave expression, the surrounding crowd turned uniformly to focus their attention on him.

Even Wu shi, who was conducting the examination, turned to look at him as well.

"In the Supporting Occupation Pavilion, what is tested is one's ability to guide another. A wrong guidance results in the deduction of one point, and a correct guidance results in an addition of a point. Everyone should know this, so I will not elaborate any further!" Mo Hongyi said.

The crowd nodded.

"However, have all of you ever thought... about how the Supporting Occupation Pavilion judges whether one's actions are correct?"

Mo Hongyi surveyed the surroundings and continued, "Just like the apothecary test going on now, the so-called correct procedure is based on the standards of a 4-star apothecary forging the same pill. What if... one were to judge the process from the perspective of a 5-star or 6-star apothecary?"

"This..."

Everyone's body trembled simultaneously.

Knowledge was relative.

Something that a 1-star apothecary thinks to be a fundamental law might not necessarily be true in the eyes of a 3-star apothecary.

A child might think that the sky is round and the earth is flat, but the same could not be said about an adult.

The assumption for judgment in the Supporting Occupation Pavilion is that the forging procedure created by the 4-star apothecary is entirely correct.

If one's pill forging standards haven't reached 4-star, one would think that there is no mistake in his actions. However... what if one's skills and knowledge surpasses 4-star?

If a 5-star, 6-star or even 7-star apothecary were to come, will he think that the forging procedure is perfect?

That might not necessarily be so.

In the eyes of such an expert, the 'model answer' might actually be filled with mistakes.

"Are you saying that... the fellow taking the examination inside possesses knowledge that already exceeds that of a 4-star apothecary?"

How could Jiang Chen possibly believe this?

How can that seemingly ordinary lad actually be such an incredible apothecary?

"If that's not the case, how can you explain why a point is deducted before three is added? In the Supporting Occupation Pavilion, a single mistake that is pointed out should award only one point, the total score rising in increments of one!"

With a grim expression, Mo Hongyi continued, "The person taking the test inside must have found loopholes in the answer key, and initially, these were judged by the Supporting Occupation Pavilion to be mistakes. However, the Supporting Occupation Pavilion is a treasure which possesses intelligence. It realized that the modifications that the examinee made allowed the pill forging process to continue more smoothly, so it compensated for the points immediately, and awarded double bonus points for discovering the loophole."

"This..." The crowd's eyes narrowed involuntarily.

"So that is to say... has the person inside found 15 mistakes in the pill forging procedure of a 4-star apothecary?"

If one were to follow the forging procedure of 4-star apothecary perfectly, one would be able to attain a score of 100 points. However, given that the score had reached 130, it meant that Zhang Xuan had found 15 mistakes in the model answer provided by a 4-star apothecary!

The heck!

Is he human?

"Other than this... I truly can't think of any other possibility!" Mo Hongyi shook his head.

"Now that Mo shi mentioned it, I recall having read about this situation while browsing through books regarding the master teacher examination. However, as no one has managed to achieve such a feat for a very long time, it became forgotten!"

Seeming to have remembered something, Wu shi could not help but remark.

Having had two master teachers verify the situation, the crowd realized that it was highly likely to be the case. Nonetheless, they continued to find the situation hard to believe.

Not only did the person inside notice the mistakes intentionally incorporated into the puppet, he was even able to point out the flaws left behind by the 4-star apothecary. If so, what is the actual standard that the fellow inside possesses as an apothecary?

"Who is the person inside? Can it be that he is an elder in the Apothecary Guild? "

Apothecary Hong could not help but ask.

"He isn't an elder, he is merely a 1-star apothecary. What's more, he hasn't even reached twenty years of age. His name is..."

Jiya! Just as Jiang Chen was about to speak his name, the door of the Supporting Occupation Pavilion opened all of a sudden.

A young man walked out slowly from within.

"Ah... Zhang Xuan? Why is he here?"

Apothecary Hong burst out in shock.

"Apothecary Hong, do you know him?"

A 2-star apothecary that had followed behind him asked immediately.

"He... he..."

Apothecary Hong's face paled. "He is the one who helped me achieved a breakthrough in my pill forging, the expert whom I just spoke of!"

.

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Chapter 307: How Many Moves?

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: GaiaNove

"Expert?"

The several 2-star apothecaries at the back glanced at one another in astonishment.

"That's right. Didn't someone request to purchase the Unravel Yin Pill and Colossal Rhinoceros Blood some time ago? Out of all the kingdoms nearby, we are the closest branch who possesses both items. Thus, I was ordered to deliver the medicine!"

Apothecary Hong nodded.

"I know about this matter. Didn't they say that you were going to the lowest tiered Tianxuan Kingdom? Why would..." The person from before, a 2-star apothecary, felt baffled and asked once again.

Going to the lowest tiered kingdom and meeting an expert? Inducing a huge improvement in his pill forging skills?

"I did go to that lowest tiered kingdom, and during my journey, I found out that the person who purchased the two objects is a 1-star apothecary who passed the examination through the Pill Debate!" Apothecary Hong replied.

"Passed the examination through the Pill Debate?"

The crowd's eyes narrowed into thin slits.

In a small and weak country like Tianxuan Kingdom, not many people knew what the Pill Debate was. However, in the powerful and large Tianwu Kingdom, virtually every apothecary knew about it.

This examination is several times harder than forging a grade-1 pill. One has to have a profound knowledge of pill forging in order to pass. Even in the thousands of years of history of Tianwu Kingdom, there wasn't anyone who passed the Pill Debate with success!

How fearsome would someone who became an apothecary through the Pill Debate be?

"Indeed. After hearing that news, I was infuriated. I thought that Tianxuan Kingdom Apothecary Guild didn't know the rules and was interpreting it as they please. However, when I arrived and looked at the Record Crystal they left behind, I realized that I was wrong!" Recalling the situation that day, Apothecary Hong was still daunted.

If Zhang Xuan were to see him, he would surely be able to recognize this Apothecary Hong whom Jiang Chen said he would introduce him to. He was Apothecary Hong Yun who made a wager with him in Tianxuan Kingdom and eventually gave him the Unravel Yin Pill and Colossus Rhinoceros Blood for free.

Back then, he was still a 2-star apothecary. In the single month after they parted, he managed to pass the 3-star examination and was successfully promoted.

"Can it be that... the person who passed the 1-star apothecary examination through Pill Debate... is him?"

Realizing the meaning behind Apothecary Hong's words, another 2-star apothecary exclaimed.

"That's right, it's him!" Apothecary Hong Yun smiled bitterly. "After we met, the pointer he offered gave me enlightenment, allowing me to forge a grade-3 pill and advance to become a 3-star apothecary!"

"This..."

Everyone stared at the young man who emerged with fearful, narrowed eyes.

He became an apothecary through Pill Debate, allowed a 2-star apothecary to forge a grade-3 pill through his guidance, and achieved 130 points in the Supporting Occupation Pavilion...

"How can he possess such profound pill forging knowledge when he isn't even twenty..."

Someone couldn't help but mutter.

No matter how talented a person is, there is a limit to what he can learn in a fixed period of time. It was hard to believe that he could possess such profound knowledge considering his age.

"I was also puzzled at first, so I found someone to specially investigate this matter. It turns out that he has an extremely incredible teacher called Yang Xuan, and he is a master teacher whose rank is likely to exceed 3-star!"

"A master teacher whose rank exceeds 3-star?" The crowd's breathing hastened.

Just like any other jobs, the highest rank that a master teacher can attain is 9-star, and every 3 stars signify a different league. Even Conferred Kingdoms might not necessarily have master teachers above 3-star!

With such a powerful background, it is no wonder why the other party can be so incredible at such a young age.

...

Members of the crowd were still whispering among themselves when Zhang Xuan walked up to Wu shi.

Zhang Xuan was able to identify numerous mistakes in the puppet's pill forging at a single glance, but due to the limitation of time, he knew that he wouldn't be able to point out all of them. Even so, when the cauldron was opened and upon seeing the pill, he knew that he would pass for sure.

The pill was round and smooth, and a unique pattern had formed on the surface of the pill. It was a pill that surpassed the level of Perfection, an Inscribed Pill.

It would truly be unbelievable if he were failed after producing such a pill.

He thought that managing to forge such a pill would award him with seventy or eighty points, but never in his dreams did he expect to attain 130. He was also shocked by the score he saw on the door.

"This... is it malfunctioning?" Zhang Xuan uttered.

Hearing those words, Wu shi's body swayed as he explained, "It's because you found the flaws in the pill forging of a 4-star apothecary..."

"Is this the level of a 4-star apothecary?" Zhang Xuan blinked his eyes, and a look of disdain appeared on his face. "Isn't that too weak?"

Members of the crowd vomited blood.

It's not the 4-star apothecary who is weak, you are the one who is too formidable, alright...

It was no wonder why Zhang Xuan thought that way. This time, he didn't resort to the Library of Heaven's Path, relying on solely his own judgment for the test.

After taking in the knowledge of all of the books in Tianxuan Kingdom's Apothecary Guild for his own, his understanding of forging grade-1 pills had reached a different realm.

If he were to instruct another person on forging grade-2 pills without using the Library of Heaven's Path, he might turn out inferior to some 2-star apothecaries. However, for grade-1 pills... Putting aside a 4-star apothecary, even a 6-star apothecary might not be able to match up to him.

This was just like Heaven's Path Divine Art. It was currently limited at merely Half-Zongshi, but in terms of the most basic of foundations, even the most valuable cultivation technique in the world might not be able to create pure zhenqi like his.

Which means, even if a 5-star or 6-star master teacher were to explain the cultivation method for Half-Zongshi and below, they might not be able to point out the essence as precisely as he could.

"Let's begin the third test, Puppet Hall, then!"

Knowing that he would only get increasingly frustrated speaking to this monster, Wu shi ushered him toward the third door.

"Un!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"There's no scoring system for Puppet Hall. Upon entering, you will meet a red puppet and a blue puppet of similar cultivations. You have to offer pointers to the red puppet to help it defeat the blue one. Once you do so, you will have passed this test."

Wu shi explained the rules.

"Alright!" It was the same as Ling Xiaoxiao explained to him. Without too much hesitation, Zhang Xuan pushed the door open and walked in.

In the room was a circular dueling ring which was about 20 meters wide. Two puppets were in the dueling ring, one dressed in a blue and another dressed in a red.

Upon seeing him enter, the two puppets began their battle.

Peng peng peng!

The duo crossed blows and the shock waves from their fists caused gusts of wind to billow around them.

"Tongxuan realm pinnacle?"

Zhang Xuan was full of astonishment.

To think that the two are able to exert the strength of Tongxuan realm pinnacle cultivators! Furthermore, their movements are nimble and profound, such that even an ordinary Tongxuan realm pinnacle cultivator might not be a match for them.

In Tianxuan Kingdom, a Tongxuan realm pinnacle cultivator is already the regarded as among strongest, on par with its royal elder. Yet, to think that they would not compare to even a puppet here.

As expected of the Master Teacher Pavilion!

"This test is indeed difficult. No wonder people say that it is uphill to pass the master teacher examination if one does not reach Tongxuan realm pinnacle. Seems like this is the reason why!"

Zhang Xuan was awed.

If a person's strength does not even match the two puppets, it would be difficult for him to see through their flaws in order to offer wise guidance. If so, how can one pass the examination?

"Let's begin!"

Even so, Zhang Xuan was already in the midst of the test. Thus, he swiftly focused his attention on the battling puppets.

He had already achieved Half-Zongshi, and even without the Library of Heaven's Path, he was capable of clearly identifying flaws in those who had not reached his level of cultivation.

It was because his cultivation was a perfect version, and anyone who possessed a different cultivation had to be wrong. It was child's play for him to identify any flaws.

It didn't take long before he memorized every flaw that the two puppets had.

Hu!

The battle stopped.

Just like what happened in the Supporting Occupation Pavilion before, a voice sounded, prompting him to guide the red puppet to victory.

"The red puppet's movements are forceful and savage whereas the blue puppet's movements are lithe and nimble. Both of them have their own strengths, making it difficult for one to triumph over the other... Since that's the case, I'll point out the flaws in them both side in a way that grants the red an advantage over the blue..."

Very quickly, Zhang Xuan had formulated a plan. He simulated it once in his mind, and it was only after confirming that it was feasible that he heaved a sigh of relief.

Hu hu hu!

Not long after he finished thinking, the puppets began fighting once more.

"Red puppet, retreat three cun, twist your body to the right by half a body, and strike with your fist..."

Seeing the both sides engaged in a battle once more, Zhang Xuan began issuing instructions.

...

"Do you think that he'll be able to pass this test? Even though his skills as an apothecary are remarkable, the same might not apply to his ability to impart knowledge relating to cultivation!"

"Looks like you are still unaware. Apothecary Hong Yun said just now that this Zhang Xuan is a student under a master teacher whose rank exceeds 3-star!"

"The student of a master teacher whose rank exceeds 3-star? Then... he will certainly pass the examination!"

"Indeed..."

Master teachers are adept at guiding others in cultivating. As the student of a master teacher, his ability to guide another person in cultivating is most likely to be far superior to his ability to guide another on pill forging. It would be hilarious if he couldn't pass this test.

"Even though there isn't a score for this test, many people compare the results among candidates through the amount of time they take and the number of moves required to pass!"

Standing before the door of the third test, Wu shi stroked his beard.

The other master teachers nodded as well.

In guiding a specific person to defeat the other when they are of the same cultivation realm, using three minutes and ten seconds are two very different concepts.

Similarly, after receiving the guidance, whether the person used a hundred blows or a single blow to defeat the enemy were also two very different concepts.

"I remember that Mo shi's guidance back then allowed the red puppet to defeat the blue puppet in less than twenty blows, and that went on to become a legend in the Master Teacher Pavilion!" Wu shi glanced at Mo Hongyi in admiration.

"It's seventeen!"

Mo Hongyi nodded confidently.

"Indeed, it's seventeen blows! To be able to get one of the two equally powerful puppets to triumph over the other in so little blows, Mo shi's understanding of cultivation must have reached an extremely high level!"

After complimenting the latter, Wu shi turned to the door once more. "Just that, I wonder how many blows would this Zhang Xuan take!"

"I am curious as well!" A gleam flashed across Mo Hongyi's eyes.

The other party has already broken several of his records, so he was interested to see how formidable this fellow who came from Tianxuan Kingdom would be. Can his guidance on cultivation be as incredible as the other skills he had just displayed?

...

"Given how he is under twenty, I'll accept that he is phenomenal at pill forging, but I don't believe that he can be so incredible at cultivation as well!"

With eyes fixated on the door, Jiang Chen harrumphed.

He had grown up in a clan of master teacher, and under his father's guidance, he rarely stumbled in his cultivation. At the same time, this gave him a deep insight into cultivation. Even then, he had to take a full twenty-five blows before managing to pass this examination. He didn't believe that this fellow could fare any better than him.

"The first demonstration should take around three hundred breaths, and ten breaths after that, the test will officially begin! Based on the assumption that one blow is made in a single breath, we can roughly calculate how many blows he used..."

Even though he didn't think that the other party could match his record, Jiang Chen felt nervous nonetheless.

This fellow had exceeded all of the expectations that he had of him previously.

Before this, if someone were to tell him that a person has achieved a Trust Level of 85 after casually teaching his students for a few days, he would definitely spit on the other party's face.

If someone said that an examinee achieved a score of 130 in the Supporting Occupation Pavilion, he would definitely have torn the person's mouth.

But now... all of these which he had deemed impossible before was happening with this fellow.

Even though he was hostile to him due to Mo Yu, he had to admit that this fellow did possess exceptional abilities.

"312, 313, 314..."

He counted the time, tapping his right forefinger on his left arm.

As more time passed, his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"333, 334, 335!"

Eventually, when he reached 335 breath, the duration which Jiang Chen took to pass the test, the other party had yet to come out from the room. Only then did Jiang Chen heave a sigh of relief, and a delighted look appeared on his face.

"Haha, looks like his ability to give guidance on cultivation is lacking..."

With a cold harrumph, his eyebrows shot up haughtily.

He thought that the other party would be able to surprise him just like he did with the previous two tests. In the end, it had already exceeded 335 breaths, but he was still inside the room. This meant that under his guidance... the red puppet wasn't able to defeat the blue puppet within twenty-five blows. Even if the other party were to come out now, his result would be considered inferior to his.

...

While Jiang Chen's eyes lit up, Wu shi and Mo Hongyi glanced at one another and shook their heads.

"Looks like he is still slightly lacking in imparting knowledge on cultivation!"

"Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. While he might be skilled in pill forging, his ability to instruct on cultivation is lacking. However..."

Mo Hongyi's head tilted upward and, with an intimidating brilliance, said, "He has abandoned his fundamentals! There's nothing to fear about such a person!"

You are taking the master teacher examination, and the main responsibility that a master teacher has is to provide guidance on cultivation so that his students can grow stronger.

So what if you are skilled in pill forging? There are many other skilled apothecaries who have devoted their lives to pill forging. There's no reason for them to look for you!

What use is a teacher if he is skilled in flying an airplane instead of teaching?

He had forgotten the core responsibility of his occupation.

In the previous two tests, this fellow achieved such overwhelming results, that Mo Hongyi thought that he would become his greatest rival from this day on. However, from the looks of it now, he had simply been thinking too much.

If he is mediocre at guiding cultivation, then he is nothing to fear as a master teacher.

"Indeed, it's such a pity..."

Understanding this as well, a look of regret appeared on Wu shi's face.

The other party had performed exceedingly well in previous two tests, so Wu shi thought that he would do the same for the third test too. But looking at how things turned out, he had pinned too many expectations on the other party.

How can there be a person in the world who is skilled at all occupations?

He is already a formidable apothecary. Isn't it too much to expect him to be as knowledgeable in cultivation?

Everyone's thoughts continued to wander as another ten breaths passed.

Jiya! At this moment, the door finally opened, and only Zhang Xuan's head could be seen popping out from behind.

"A total of 352 breaths. That means that the two puppets have crossed a total of 42 blows..."

Jiang Chen sneered coldly. Just as he was about to commence his mockery, the young man scratched his head in embarrassment.

"That... During my guidance, the red puppet exerted too much force and bashed the blue puppet's head off... I tried to fix it but to no avail. May I ask... that... It's not a fail, right?"

"Bashed the head off?"

"Regardless of the resilience of their physical structure or strength, they are of the same level. At the very most, it should only be possible for one side to subdue the other. To bash the other puppet's head off... What in the world happened?"

The crowd fell to the floor in shock. For a moment, the entire examination hall became silent.

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Chapter 308: Cultivation Technique Ocean

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: GaiaNove

Top-notch blacksmiths were invited to create the puppets in the Puppet Hall and infuse spirit into them. The moves and cultivation technique of the two puppets were calibrated to the same level, making it difficult for one to defeat the other in battle.

Under usual circumstances, the examinees are only able to grant a slight advantage to one of the puppets so that it can defeat the other.

Yet, this fellow got the puppet to bash the other puppet's head out... How in the world did he do it?

Wu shi, Mo Hongyi, and a few other master teachers walked to the door in a hurry and peered inside. Their eyes narrowed immediately, and they nearly fainted.

They saw the blue puppet lying on the floor with its head was lying a great distance from its body.

For the red puppet to smash through the blue puppet's head, they thought that it should have suffered some kind of severe injury in exchange for this fatal blow. However, after glancing at the red puppet, they realized that they were wrong.

The red puppet stood motionless on the spot, and there wasn't a single scratch on it.

Without incurring the slightest injury, it was able to knock the other puppet's head off...

The heck!

How in the world did it happen?

In a normal battle, such a situation was only possible if a person's cultivation was way above the other's.

With just a simple guidance, he was able to raise the red puppet's strength exponentially to subdue the other puppet so overwhelmingly?

Why does it feel like a dream?

"You said that you took a long time trying to fix it... How many blows did the red puppet take before defeating the blue puppet?" Mo Hongyi asked.

It was the matter he was most concerned about.

Hearing his words, everyone pricked their ears up immediately, afraid that they might miss a single word he was about to say.

"How many moves? Given the immense strength of the red puppet, a single blow was more than enough. If it were to execute a few more moves, the blue puppet would have become a meat paste by now..." Zhang Xuan was speechless.

What do you mean by how many blows? The blue puppet didn't even manage to survive the first blow. If the red puppet were to release any more blows, wouldn't it become completely wrecked?

"One blow..."

Mo Hongyi, Jiang Chen, and the others' vision went gray, and their bodies swayed violently.

They thought that their feats of seventeen blows and twenty-five blows were incredible, but to think that this fellow required only a single blow...

With a single blow, not only did he allow one of the two equally powerful puppets to subdue the other, he even managed to knock off the other puppet's head... Is he still a human?

More importantly... What is with your look of disdain?

Under guidance from other examinees, the puppets usually had to exchange numerous blows before the battle could come to an end. Yet, with your advice, the red puppet crippled the blue with a single strike...

"This... Pardon me, but for the red puppet to destroy the blue with a single blow... how did you do it?"

Wu shi couldn't hold it back any longer, and he asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

Every single master teacher here had been through this Puppet Hall test, and they knew that the two puppets were of absolutely equal strength. In a normal battle, it would already be considered an incredible feat for one side to defeat the other in just a dozen blows, needless to say, in a single blow.

This was precisely the reason why he couldn't understand how this was possible.

Mo Yu looked at him in doubt as well. She had just taken the examination a few days ago, and it took her twenty-two blows before she succeeded. Thus, she was also curious to know what method Zhang laoshi utilized.

Hearing the question, Zhang Xuan was stunned for a short moment before he replied casually, "It's simple! The red puppet possesses extraordinary strength whereas the blue puppet is exceptionally swift. In a normal battle, it would be difficult for either side to defeat the other. However, it becomes a simple matter once you realize the flaw in the blue puppet's movement. No matter how fast it is, it can't possibly remain in a state of constant motion! By predicting the location it would stop at and then instructing the red on where to land its strike, the latter would be able to subdue the former easily..."

"Predicting?"

"Foresee the other party's location?"

Everyone present trembled

Zhang Xuan's theory sounded simple, but it was extremely difficult to carry out in practice.

Everyone knew that with a 10000 ding strength, even a Zongshi can be defeated with a single blow. However... even though everyone knew that it was true, it would be useless if one isn't able to exert that strength.

Similarly, the method that Zhang Xuan spoke of sounded simple, but a battle changes every single moment. A lapse of judgment in a tenth or even a hundredth of a breath could very well spell failure, and if things go wrong, the other party might even be able to make use of this lapse in judgment to retaliate.

Predicting the other party's location so that the red puppet could strike off the blue's head with a single punch...

To do this, not only must one possess absolute grasp over the flow of the battle, one must know about the strength, physical condition, speed of the movements and punches of the two puppets, so on and so forth!

Only after knowing all of these can one issue a precise command to achieve such a feat...

The heck!

Brother, are you actually a 3-star master teacher feigning as a 1-star master teacher candidate to play with us?

Ling Xiaoxiao's slender body trembled so violently that it seemed as if she was about to fall to the ground convulsing.

When she met the other party a day ago, she thought that he was an ignorant apprentice. Only at this moment did she realize that he was actually a hidden monster!

Despite being so ignorant, you are able to fare so well in the examination... You monster... Where in the world did you pop out from?

She felt an extremely stifling sensation in her chest. If not for her holding herself back, she would have long spurted blood all over the room.

"About this... I shouldn't need to pay, right?"

After explaining himself, everyone in the room fell dead silent. Zhang Xuan nervously pointed to the puppet on the floor.

"The Puppet Hall possesses the ability of self-recovery. After a few days of rest, the puppet will become as good as new!"

Snapping back to reality from his shock, Wu shi nodded.

"That's good..." Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. "Then... Is this considered as a pass?"

"Of course!" Wu shi smiled bitterly.

The others rolled their eyes as well.

With your guidance, the red puppet wrecked the blue puppet with a single move. If you do not pass, who else can?

The next test is Cultivation Technique Ocean!"

Holding back his dismal, Wu shi started to explain the content of the next examination. "The Cultivation Technique Ocean possesses countless cultivation techniques, and a book is chosen at random and one has to conduct a lecture on its contents. During the lecture, one will not only be judged by numerous master teachers, but by the Whilom Sage Bell as well!"

"The Whilom Sage Bell is a spiritual treasure which has the comprehension, that past sages had over cultivation techniques, imprinted within. If the examinee is unable to satisfy its requirements, it will not chime, and he will be considered to have failed! The more chimes there are, the more accurate and precise one's lecture is indicated to be."

Zhang Xuan nodded his head.

"Alright, you may enter now. Master teachers, please follow me in. As for the others, I will have to request you to remain outside!"

Surveying the surroundings, Wu shi said.

The fourth test, Cultivation Technique Ocean, requires master teachers to be present to serve as examiners. Outsiders do not possess the qualifications to participate in the test.

"Yes!" Everyone answered simultaneously.

Pushing the door open, Zhang Xuan walked into the room.

The Cultivation Technique Ocean was similar to an ordinary classroom, and the primary objective of the test was to assess a master teacher's ability to conduct lessons.

No matter how incredible a master teacher is and how good his pointers are, if he is inept at lecturing, he would only serve a good private tutor, and would not be considered a good teacher.

An excellent teacher should have students all over the world, and every student under his tutelage should be an expert.

It isn't anything impressive to produce just one or two good students.

Surveying the interior of the room, there were two rows of large, magnificent bells hung on the two sides of the room. Every single one of these bells was around the height of a human, and there were unique and profound inscriptions on them.

There were tables and chairs in the center, and they were arranged neatly like in an ordinary classroom.

More than ten master teachers walked entered and took their seats.

At this moment, they were just students, and there was only one teacher, Zhang Xuan.

Once the crowd sat down, the doors closed and the room became quiet immediately.

Hu!

The lecture table trembled for a moment and a book slowly appeared.

"This is the secret manual taken at random from the library. You have an incense stick's worth of time to read through it before conducting a lesson! The Whilom Sage Bell will analyze the content of your lecture, and we will make our own judgment as well. The final verdict of whether you pass or not will be based on both the input from us and the Whilom Sage Bell."

Upon seeing the book appear, Wu shi explained.

The Whilom Sage Bell was left behind by a 4-star master teacher, and contained within was his understanding toward cultivation techniques, battle techniques, as well as their merits and demerits. As long as the content of one's lesson was aligned with the concepts infused within it, one would gain the recognition of the Whilom Sage Bell. On the other hand, if one's lecture turned out to be full of mistakes, the bell wouldn't chime.

Even though it sounded complicated, it was actually similar to the Supporting Occupation Pavilion test.

In the Supporting Occupation Pavilion, the accuracy of the examinees' guidance was reflected in their score whereas over here, it was reflected through the chiming of bells.

"Un!" After hearing Wu shi's explanation, Zhang Xuan stretched out his hand and picked up the book before him.

"Undulating Water Ripple Palm?" Numerous eyes fell on the cover of the book.

It was a battle technique.

"Undulating Water Ripple Palm? Seems like his luck isn't good. This is one of the most profound battle techniques in the Master Teacher Pavilion used for the purpose of this test!"

"That's right. The more profound the technique is, the more difficult it is to decipher and explain. In the several millennia that the kingdom's Master Teacher Pavilion has been established, there were eight examinees who had managed to pick this book, and out of them, seven left disappointed. The remaining one had also managed to only touch on the surface of the battle technique and barely passed!"

"Even if he were to pass this test by luck, it is unlikely that his results would be as good as those before..."

...

Upon seeing the name on the book, the master teachers seated below shook their heads, and looks of pity flashed across their faces.

The Cultivation Technique Ocean picked cultivation techniques and battle techniques at random, so luck played a part as well.

If one is lucky, he would manage to pick an easy book or a technique that he has seen before. If so, it would be much easy to explain and decipher. However, if one were to pick a difficult technique which he finds hard to even practice, how can he possibly give a lecture about it?

It was apparent that this Zhang Xuan's luck wasn't too good.

This Undulating Water Ripple Palm might not be the toughest battle technique to learn in the entire Master Teacher Pavilion, but it wasn't too far from it.

Innumerable cultivators had tried learning it and they put in great effort, only to end in failure. It was nigh impossible to obtain a sufficient understanding of the entire technique in just an incense's time.

Oblivious to the thoughts in the crowd below, Zhang Xuan flipped open the book casually, browsed through it briefly, and nodded his head.

Even though this secret art seemed to be profound, it was nonetheless within the scope of a Tongxuan realm cultivation.

Having cultivated the Heaven's Path Spear Art, Heaven's Path Movement Art, and such, he had gained a deep understanding of battle techniques. As long as it was within his level, no matter how profound or difficult it was, he would be able to see through the intentions the creator had in mind when creating the technique and from there, identify the correct cultivation method.

Having been trained by the Library of Heaven's Path, Zhang Xuan's eyes became extraordinarily sharp. Many times, even without resorting to the Library of Heaven's Path, he was able to discern a thing or two in a person's cultivation technique and enlighten them.

It was just like after coming into contact with a genuine money note, even if one hadn't seen a fake money note, with a single touch, one would still able to discern whether it was real.

Heaven's Path Divine Art and the various battle techniques borne from the Library of Heaven's Path stood at the very pinnacle of cultivation. Standing right at the peak, it was extremely easy for Zhang Xuan to look down and pinpoint the problems in other techniques.

"Alright, I'll start my lecture..." Several dozen of breaths later, Zhang Xuan was done browsing through the secret manual and he placed it on the table casually.

"Zhang laoshi, there's no need for you to rush. You have an incense's time to analyze it carefully..." Seeing that Zhang Xuan was about to start the lecture after browsing through the book once, Wu shi couldn't help but advise him.

"There's no need for it!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

It was instead a waste of time for him to browse through such a simple battle technique once more.

Scanning the crowd, Zhang Xuan couldn't be bothered to dawdle any longer and began immediately. "Undulating Water Ripple Palm may sound like a water attribute palm technique, and many perceive the technique as such when practicing it. However... this is wrong!"

"Wrong?" The crowd was taken aback.

Zhang Xuan continued, "Actually, what the name, Undulating Water Ripple Palm, means is that after mastering the technique, one's attack will be just like ripples, striking one after another ceaselessly! This technique has nothing to do with the water attribute..."

Zhang Xuan offhandedly raised the common problems that a cultivator would face with the technique, as well as the correct training method.

"This..."

"To think that this would be the case, I didn't expect it at all..."

"So that's the case! I am enlightened!"

...

His explanations left everyone flushed and trembling in agitation

Those present were all master teachers, and naturally, they possessed the capability to deduce whether his explanations were correct or erroneous. Initially, all of them assumed that this palm technique was a water attribute technique. Never in their dreams did they expect themselves to be so sorely mistaken.

After analyzing the technique from another angle, the incredibly technique from before seemed to be just like a beautiful lady who was fully stripped; demystified.

"There is indeed a great difference between us..."

After hearing the explanation, Mo Yu glanced at the young man on the stage with a complex gaze.

She had seen this Undulating Water Ripple Palm before, and her understanding of the technique was no different from what the others believed. She never thought that the technique could also be interpreted in such a manner.

After hearing the other party's explanation, she felt that her understanding of battle techniques had been too shallow.

"Incredible..."

Mo Hongyi clenched his fists tightly.

Even though he didn't want to admit it, he felt that the other party's explanation was flawless.

"This person will probably be my greatest rival..." Narrowing his eyes, a strong fighting spirit had been ignited within Mo Hongyi.

As an unparalleled genius in Tianwu Kingdom, he had never met any equals. To have met a person who was tied with him, or had even surpassed him, had ignited his fighting spirit.

"Looks like it's time for me to take the 2-star master teacher examination!"

Exhaling fully, Mo Hongyi harrumphed coldly.

In actual fact, given his cultivation, he could have taken the 2-star master teacher examination. However, he chose to delay it so that he could improve himself and break all of the records in the Master Teacher Pavilion in a single go. However, after seeing Zhang Xuan's outstanding performance, he felt that if he didn't pick up his pace, he might be soon be overtaken by the other party.

...

Every master teacher present had their own thoughts, but one thing they had in common was that they felt impressed by the young man before them. On the other hand, the crowd outside was anxious to know the results.

"I wonder how his results would be!"

Ling Xiaoxiao's eyes were fixated on the fourth door. If she could, she would have dived right in at this very instant.

"The result of the Cultivation Technique Ocean is closely tied with the chiming of the Whilom Sage Bell. A single chime means a pass, two chimes means good, three chimes means excellent, four chimes means outstanding, five chimes means that there are no flaws in the person's comprehension of the technique, and six chimes mean a perfect score!"

The Zongshi guard behind her said. "The record holder for this test is Mo Hongyi with four chimes. Back then, he astounded many with this feat. If Zhang Xuan wants to outdo him, he must achieve a result of at least five chimes!"

"Five chimes? How can it be that easy? It is too difficult to browse through a battle technique and understand it fully within an incense's time."

"I heard that when Mo Hongyi took the examination, he was lucky enough to pick a battle technique which he happened to have seen before, allowing him to explain the technique in depth. I doubt that this fellow can be as lucky as him!"

Hearing the duo's conversation, the crowd shook their heads. They didn't think well of Zhang Xuan.

Everyone wants to score well in examinations, but how is it possible that one ace every single subject?

He might have been formidable in the past few stages, but they didn't believe that he could do the same for this stage.

Dang!

Everyone was still immersed in their discussions when the ground suddenly trembled, and a deep and loud chime resounded.

The Whilom Sage Bell rang!

"How many chimes will there be?"

Everyone held their breaths as they gazed at the door in uniformity.

,

,

,

Chapter 309: Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: GaiaNove

"How is it happening so quickly?"

"It hasn't even been half an incense stick's time since he entered, right? And he has started on the lecture... and already finished it?"

"What in the world did he lecture about?"

Upon hearing the chime, everyone in the crowd trembled.

After the Cultivation Technique Ocean passes a secret manual to the examinee, the examinee is given an incense stick's time to browse through it before having to conduct the lecture.

It had only been a total of half an incense stick's time since the very first examination began, but the Whilom Sage Bell has already chimed. Does he... not need to read the secret manual before beginning to teach?

Furthermore... to complete the lecture so quickly?

It is only after one finishes his lecture will the Whilom Sage Bell express its recognition or lack of through its chimes.

If it were anyone else, even if he were to earn the recognition of the Whilom Sage Bell, it would take at least three to four incenses' time before it chimed. There was even a case where an examinee lectured for half a day before it chimed!

For it to start chiming after just half an incense stick's time...

Putting aside whether they had ever seen this, they have never even heard of such an occurrence!

"Given how short his lecture is, his content must be lacking. I think a single chime must be the limit!" The elder behind Ling Xiaoxiao shook his head in pity.

Haste makes waste, this saying applies to everything in life.

Even if he is capable and can understand the technique swiftly... But to start lecturing right after glancing through the book is just too rash. In such a hurry, it is likely that he has missed out some parts. After all, no matter how simple a technique appears to be, it is the crystallization of our predecessors' wisdom. The slightest mistake can lead result in a cultivation going amok and cause irreversible damage.

In this world, it wasn't rare for a cultivator's cultivation to go berserk. Most of the time, it was due to their erroneous understanding of a technique that resulted in a divergence in their cultivation.

It was one thing for Zhang Xuan to be unable to comprehend the technique completely, and it was another for his lecture to be short. It was highly likely that he missed out many important points given how brief his lecture was.

Most master teacher examinees would treat this test as a written examination. They would spew all of the knowledge they knew of and pray that one of the words that they spoke would turn out to be correct.

For the lecture to end so swiftly meant that the lecture was lacking in content. Even if the Whilom Sage Bell chimed, it was unlikely to chime more than once.

"Indeed. It seems that he's still too young and impatient..." Apothecary Hong Yun nodded.

Zhang Xuan laoshi could be considered his benefactor, and naturally, he hoped that the other party would fare well. He hadn't expected him to be so reckless. With this, it was likely that he wouldn't obtain any stellar result.

"Even though it is a pity, he should at least learn from this incident. When he finally takes the 2-star master teacher examination, he probably won't be so reckless anymore..." The elder nodded. He was still lamenting when the ground trembled once more, and a resounding chime sounded once again.

Dang! Dang! Dang!

It was three consecutive chimes. The ground could be seen trembling.

"Four chimes? Outstanding? Is his result on part with Mo Hongyi Mo shi?"

The elder and Apothecary Hong Yun glanced at each other, and they nearly vomited blood.

They had just said that the other party was too reckless and that his results would surely be poor, yet in the next moment, the bell chimed another three times... They felt a stinging pain on their faces as if someone had set them alight.

"Four chimes... that should be the limit, right?"

After four chimes, the entire hall fell silent and only then did the elder heave a sigh of relief. Looking at the door with a meaningful gaze, he was just about to continue speaking when another deafening chime assaulted his ears.

Dang!

The bell sounded once more.

"Five chimes, Flawless Comprehension... It's a new record!"

Everyone became dumbfounded.

Since the establishment of the kingdom's Master Teacher Pavilion several thousand years ago, the best result achieved that was ever achieved was Mo Hongyi's four chimes... Yet, in just half an incense stick's time, this Zhang Xuan induced five chimes from the Whilom Sage Bell... At this moment, he had become the new record holder!

"Genius! He is truly a genius! He is able to understand the technique right after picking the secret manual, allowing the bell to chime five times. Flawless Comprehension... I'm impressed, I'm..."

But before the elder could finish his words, the ground shook once more.

It was yet another chime.

"..."

The heck!

Are you done yet?

The elder was on the verge of tears.

Every single time he thought that the other party had reached his limits, the bell would chime... You must be doing it on purpose!

In other people's cases, the bell would chime in a consecutive fashion only after they finished their lectures. There weren't such long intervals between any chimes. Yet, why is it that when it came to you, the bell chimed so irregularly? Are you trying to scare us out of our wits?

"Six chimes, Perfection..."

At this instant, everyone's face turned pale, and as if they were stone statues, they stood unmoving for a very long time.

...

"Vice Pavilion Master Guan, where is the pavilion master? Send someone to get him now!"

In a room located in the depths of the Master Teacher Pavilion, an elder rushed in with big strides.

"The pavilion master returned last night and is currently cultivating in seclusion. He gave the instruction that no one is to interrupt him if it isn't anything pressing!"

Vice Pavilion Master Guan Zequan glanced at the elder doubtfully. "Elder Zhu, what in the world could have happened for you to become so flustered? Come, tell me about it. If it is something important, I'll look for the pavilion master right now!"

"Cultivating in seclusion?"

Elder Zhu frowned. Then after hesitating for a moment, he started speaking, "It's someone taking the 1-star examination!"

"Taking the 1-star examination?"

Vice Pavilion Master Guan chuckled before shaking his head, "Isn't Wu Quan there? He should be more than capable of conducting the examination, there is no need to trouble the pavilion master over such a small matter. Don't you know that the pavilion master sustained internal injuries and has to rest?"

"I know that it isn't worth alarming the pavilion master over a 1-star master teacher examination, but... if you know what results the examinee has actually achieved and the ruckus it is causing, you won't be saying such words!" Elder Zhu shook his head.

"Oh? Did it manage to create a commotion? Can he be a genius of Mo Hongyi's caliber?"

Vice Pavilion Master Guan was taken aback.

"Mo Hongyi?" Elder Zhu shook his head. "I went to take a look only after hearing the Whilom Sage Bell, so I don't know his result for the first three tests. All I know is that when I arrived, the Whilom Sage Bell was chiming ceaselessly..."

"Chiming ceaselessly? Do you mean to say that it chimed more than four times?" Vice Pavilion Master Guan's eyebrows shot up.

"More than that..." Elder Zhu smiled bitterly.

"If it is more than four chimes, does it mean that... his result has reached five chimes? That is Flawless Comprehension! It means that there is zero mistake in his lecture..."

Pavilion Master Guan could no longer maintain his composure by this point. With a grim face, he stood up, "Infused within the Whilom Sage Bell is the knowledge of a 4-star master teacher. If he achieved five chimes, that means that the person's lecture has gained their absolute acknowledgment... Are you sure that the person taking the test is undergoing the 1-star master teacher examination?"

"The one taking the test is undergoing the 1-star master teacher examination!" Elder Zhu nodded. "Furthermore... The chimes didn't just stop at five!"

It wasn't that Elder Zhu was reluctant to speak or that he was trying to keep the other party hanging, but that even until now, he was still unable to accept what he had just seen.

"Didn't just stop at five..."

Vice Pavilion Master Guan's hands shook in agitation, and through his quivering lips, spoke, "Can it be... six chimes? Six chimes represent Perfection, and it means that the person's understanding of the technique is no different from that of a 4-star master teacher..."

Before he could finish his words, Elder Zhu exclaimed in a frenzied voice, "It's seven chimes!"

Putong!

Vice Pavilion Master Guan's knee caved in and he fell back onto his seat. At this point, his face had turned completely pale.

"Seven chimes, Approval of the Sages? How... How is this possible?"

Most people knew that six chimes represented Perfection, but very few knew that there was another level above it.

In such a situation, it means that the examinee has gained the approval of the Whilom Sage Bell!

In other words, he has gained the approval of a 4-star master teacher, and that he can be considered as an equal in terms of his understanding of the technique.

A fellow taking the 1-star master teacher examination has gained approval from the spiritual will left behind by the 4-star master teacher, such that it regarded him worthy as a peer?

Guan Zequan felt the blood draining from his face, and at this moment, his mind had gone into a turmoil.

After innumerable years as the vice pavilion master of the Master Teacher Pavilion, he had seen plenty of geniuses.

However, he has never even heard of such a monster!

"Seven chimes... Shouldn't we invite the pavilion master?"

Elder Zhu wasn't surprised by Vice Pavilion Master Guan's reaction. Anyone who heard of this news would probably act in the manner he did.

"This... Of course, we should! However, I want to take a look personally to first ascertain the matter..."

Suppressing his shock, Vice Pavilion Master Guan exhaled deeply and flung his sleeves.

"Alright, let's go!"

Elder Zhu nodded his head, and just as they walked out from the room...

Dang!

A resounding chime echoed throughout the entire Master Teacher Pavilion.

Previously, the chime resounded only within the examination hall, but this chime seemed to have caused the entire Tianwu Royal City to rattle for a moment.

The tremor was extremely violent and it felt as if the Whilom Sage Bell was trying to break free from the shackles of the Master Teacher Pavilion and open a path to heaven.

Under the powerful tremors, both Vice Pavilion Master Guan and Elder Zhu fell to the ground simultaneously. Their faces had turned pale and they spoke in disbelief...

"Is this... Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells... Admiration of the Sages?"

"This... What in the world is going on?"

...

"Admiration of the Sages? What does that mean? Why haven't I heard of it?"

All of the bells chimed at once, and the deafening sound seemed as if it would rip apart the air. Ling Xiaoxiao turned to the elder behind her and yelled.

She had heard of one chime, two chimes, three chimes... all the way to six chimes, but she had never heard of seven chimes!

Not to mention, Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells... At this moment, she felt a splitting headache. She couldn't understand what was going on.

"[Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells, Admiration of the Sages] means that... even if a 4-star master teacher were present, he would listen to the lecture obediently and quietly... In other words, Zhang Xuan's explanation of the technique has already exceeded the level of a 4-star, reaching the level of a 5-star master teacher, or even higher..."

The elder trembled.

"What? Exceeded the level of a 4-star master teacher?"

Ling Xiaoxiao's face paled.

That ignorant fellow's understanding of cultivation and battle techniques surpasses that of a 4-star...

How is that possible?

Her body shuddered slightly, and she felt as if she was about to go insane.

"That's right. However..."

At this point, the elder hesitated for a moment. Doubt could be seen within his fearful eyes.

"However what?" Apothecary Hong Yun has been standing beside the duo, and he had heard their conversation. Perplexed by the elder's words, Apothecary Hong Yun asked.

"However... Under normal circumstances, the Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells should at least last for a tea's time as a celebration. However, why would it only chime for just a short moment before coming to an abrupt end?"

(10-15 minutes)

"A tea's time?"

"That's right!" The elder nodded. "Seems like we will only know the answer after the master teachers come out!"

...

In the room where the Cultivation Technique Ocean test was conducted.

Every single 1-star master teacher who was here as an examiner was in a trance.

The explanation of Undulating Water Ripple Palm by the young man before them was too thorough. If they were to cultivate according to the way he explained, it wouldn't take long before all of them master the skill.

Truly, it was at the level where everyone becomes an expert.

Dang dang dang dang!

Everyone was listening to his lesson attentively as if they were in a trance when the bells by the side, upon hearing such profound theories, chimed excitedly, and their resounding peals penetrated straight into the heavens.

"Shut up, are you done yet? When you chimed for the first time, the second time, and the third time, I did not make a fuss. And you have now climbed over my head, chiming together in such disorder. I'm not yet done with my lecture, why the heck are you chiming!"

With his eyebrows knitted into a frown, Zhang Xuan bellowed.

Wu!

The chiming of the many large bells silenced abruptly.

.

.

.

Chapter 310: This is Bad!

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: GaiaNove

The Whilom Sage Bell was forged personally by 4-star master teachers, and their will were infused within it. The entire Master Teacher Pavilion, including the pavilion master, treated the bell as if it were their ancestral tablet. Yet, a lad who was taking the 1-star master teacher examination lashed out at it without hesitation...

Furthermore, with such fury and annoyance...

The hell!

At this moment, Wu shi and the others even had thoughts of dying.

Upon receiving the Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells, Submission of the Sages, they would definitely become so excited that they would even forget their own names.

On the contrary, this fellow thought that it was too noisy, and berated angrily as if he were scolding his own grandson...

Frick, frick, frick, frick (屮艸芔茻)!

Can you be any more arrogant and brazen than that?

This isn't the most shocking part... The most shocking part of the entire affair is that the chiming of bell actually stopped after he bellowed at it!

In order words, the will of the 4-star master teacher infused within the bell has submitted to him...

The heck!

This is no longer admiration, but submission!

The faces of the master teachers turned green, and they could, they would have pulled off their own heads right on the spot.

As master teachers, they were all worldly veterans, but such situation nonetheless sent them into an uncontrollable frenzy.

Especially so for Jiang Chen.

He had always viewed the other party with hostility. Upon witnessing this sight, he nearly dived underground in fright.

Where did this monster come from?

To bellow at the will left behind 4-star master teachers and frighten them to the point that they don't dare to chime any further...

The heck!

Even his father wasn't as savage as that!

"I... I... won't lose to you..."

Mo Hongyi's body had stiffened. After a long while, he revealed a ferocious expression.

Ever since he started cultivating, he had been walking around with the halo of a genius. Regardless of occupation, cultivation technique, or battle technique, as long as he put his mind to it, he had always emerged to be the number one!

It was the same for the master teacher examination. He broke every single record in the Master Teacher Pavilion, and his name resounded throughout thirteen countries. But now...

All of his records were getting broken one after another by the person right before his eyes. A strong sense of humiliation sent him into a frenzy.

"I will go out now and take the 2-star master teacher examination!"

Mo Hongyi said with a determined gaze.

He could long have taken the 2-star master teacher examination, but in order to break more records, he had been holding back his attempt. However, after seeing Zhang Xuan hot on his heels, he no longer dared to rest.

"You might be formidable, but your Soul Depth is only 5.1. There's still a long way before you can take the 2-star master teacher examination. By the time you are eligible, I would have widened the distance between us once more."

Mo Hongyi's confidence rocketed once more.

The other party achieved astounding results in the House of Trust, the Supporting Occupation Pavilion, the Puppet Hall, and the Cultivation Technique Ocean, but so what?

The Soul Depth is the basis of a master teacher, and Zhang Xuan only has 5.1.

To take the 2-star master teacher examination, one's Soul Depth has to be at least 6.0. He wasn't eligible to take the 2-star master teacher examination.

He might be a genius in the other aspects, but for Soul Depth, the only way is for him to progress bit by bit, step by step.

When he passes the 2-star master teacher examination, he will be able to retain his title as the number one genius. No one will be able to take it away from him!

...

Seeing the bells fall silent after berating at them, Zhang Xuan finally heaved a sigh of relief.

Say, is there something wrong with these bells? Just a single chime or two to express its recognition would have done, but for all of them to ring at once, and to ring non-stop at that... I have already given you much face.

Bastard.

If not for the fact that you're a public property that belongs to the Master Teacher Pavilion, I would have disassembled you into pieces.

After lecturing for another short while, Zhang Xuan then paused and lifted his head to look at Wu shi.

"Me like this... is it considered as a pass yet? If I haven't passed the test, I'll continue..."

He was merely halfway through deciphering the battle technique, but he recalled Ling Xiaoxiao and Wu shi's words, saying that it would be a pass as long as the bell chimes. Since the bell had chimed time and time again, he should have already passed the examination.

"You have passed..." Swallowing his saliva, Wu shi nodded.

He has already caused a Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells, Admiration of the Sages. If he didn't give him a pass, the pavilion master would probably beat him to death the moment he stepped out from the room.

"Good!" Upon hearing that he had passed this test, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. "Since I have passed, let's move on to the next test..."

After which, he walked out of the room.

...

In the examination hall.

"According to the records, the Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells should last for a tea's time. Why would it stop after chiming after just a few breaths?"

At this moment, Vice Pavilion Master Guan and Elder Zhu had already arrived at the examination hall, and they were staring at the fourth door with a perplexed expression.

"Can it be that... the examinee was extremely lucky, and he picked an easy battle technique or cultivation technique which he had read about, and that's why he managed to achieve the Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells, Admiration of the Sages? However, as it isn't his original understanding and theory, the chiming lasted for only a short moment before ending abruptly."

Elder Zhu contemplated for a moment before voicing his conjecture.

A master teacher should possess his own unique perspective. If one were to just copy from others, he cannot be considered as anything above mediocre.

If that is really the case, it is understandable why the Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells lasted for only a moment.

"Your conjecture seems plausible!"

With a grim expression, Vice Pavilion Master Guan was about to continue speaking when 'Jiya!' the door opened, and Zhang Xuan was the first the emerge.

Following immediately, the other master teachers stepped out of the room as well.

"Wu shi!"

Upon seeing that the group was out, Vice Pavilion Master Guan beckoned for Wu shi.

He was just about to speak to Zhang Xuan when he saw the vice pavilion master. Due to the esteemed standing the latter possessed, he had no choice but to attend to him quickly.

In the entire Tianwu Kingdom, there were a total of thirteen 1-star master teachers and three 2-star master teachers. Vice Pavilion Master Guan and Elder Zhu were two of the three 2-star master teachers.

Two 2-star master teachers had called for him, how could he possibly dare to keep them waiting?

"What was the secret manual picked for the examination just now?" Vice Pavilion Master Guan frowned as he voiced his doubts. "If it is Tianwu Nine Dan Formula, Air Revolving Palm, or such manuals, we might have to get the examinee to retake the examination..."

The Tianwu Nine Dan Formula and Air Revolving Palm were similar to the Hongtian Nine Dan Formula of Hongtian Academy. They were the two fundamental cultivation and battle techniques of Tianwu Kingdom, and virtually everyone knew it. If an examinee happened to have drawn a technique of this standard for the master teacher examination, it would mean nothing even if they were to receive the approval of the sages.

They were simply too shallow and explaining it can't prove an examinee's capability.

"Tianwu Nine Dan Formula? Air Revolving Palm?"

Wu shi didn't expect the vice pavilion master to think this way, and he shook his head with a bitter smile. "It is... the Undulating Water Ripple Palm!"

"Undulating Water Ripple Palm? What... did you just say?"

Vice Pavilion Master Guan froze for a moment before his entire body shuddered.

"That set of incredible confusing and unfathomable battle technique?"

"He drew that?"

There were also a few others who shared the same thoughts as Elder Zhu, and they trembled upon hearing Wu shi's words as well.

It was a known fact that it was one of the hardest battle technique to practice in Tianwu Kingdom. To pick that book and induce the Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells...

"If it is the Undulating Water Ripple Palm, then... why did the Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells chime for just a moment before stopping? Based on past records, shouldn't it chime for a tea's time straight?"

Elder Zhu couldn't help but interject.

The crowd also turned to look at Wu shi, curious to hear his answer.

"It is..."

With a bizarre expression, Wu shi said, "Initially, the bell should have continued chiming, but Zhang laoshi thought that it was too noisy, so he reprimanded it..."

He described what he saw just now.

The other master teachers nodded their heads too. Even until now, they still had dazed expressions, and it appeared that they had yet to recover from their shock.

"Too noisy?"

"Reprimanding the Whilom Sage Bell?"

Upon hearing about the events that occurred within the room, Elder Zhu, Vice Pavilion Master Guan, and all the others in the hall nearly vomited fresh blood.

Other people would die just to have the bell chime a few times for them, yet this fellow thought that it was too noisy...

"Alright, since there's no problem, let's continue with the fifth test! I would also hope for another genius to emerge from our Master Teacher Pavilion!"

Upon confirming that there was nothing wrong with the test in the Cultivation Technique Ocean, Vice Pavilion Master Guan forcibly suppressed his astonishment forcibly and gave instruction.

It was an honor for him, as the vice pavilion master, to have a genius emerge from the Master Teacher Pavilion.

"Yes!"

Wu shi nodded. Then after scanning his surrounding, he jerked all of a sudden. "Where is Zhang Xuan laoshi?"

He was right before him a moment ago, how did he suddenly disappear in the blink of an eye?

"He has already entered the Unerring Pavilion!"

A person in the crowd said.

After Zhang Xuan came out, he saw Wu shi rush straight toward two elders. Since he had to take the fifth test sooner or later, he decided to enter the fifth room right away. In any case, the first four tests were just as how Ling Xiaoxiao has put them out to be, so he thought the fifth one shouldn't be too different as well.

"He entered?"

Wu shi was taken aback. Seeing the tightly shut door of the fifth room, Wu shi was just about to say something when a thought appeared in his mind. His eyes narrowed, and his face paled, "This is bad..."

"What's wrong? Isn't he supposed to take the fifth test anyway? There shouldn't be any problem, right?"

Seeing the other party's face turn pale, Vice Pavilion Master Guan frowned.

He was supposed to enter anyway, why are you making such a big fuss?

"He is supposed to take the fifth test..."

Wu shi panicked, and a sliver of fear flashed across his eyes, "But... I haven't told him about the rules of the Unerring Pavilion, and the things he should take note of..."

He was about to explain the fifth test to Zhang Xuan when the vice pavilion master called for him. By the time he had realized it, the other party had already gone through the fifth door.

He hadn't gotten a chance to explain anything.

Meaning to say... the other party entered the Unerring Pavilion knowing nothing.

"It shouldn't be a problem even if you didn't explain the fifth test to him beforehand. Which of the examinee who came for the master teacher examination wasn't aware of the five tests? Don't worry about it, he would surely have made preparations for the tests in advance!" Vice Pavilion Master Guan initially thought that it was some grave matter, but after hearing Wu shi's words, he waved his hands casually.

Which of those who came to take the master teacher examination didn't know about the five tests?

Since they knew, they would surely have looked into the tests beforehand so that they can prepare for them in advance. This way, they wouldn't panic and err during the tests.

"Made preparations? I would also like for him to have made preparations..."

Recalling Zhang Xuan's performance in the previous few tests, Wu shi nearly burst out crying.

If that was the case, he wouldn't have to panic.

But no matter how he looked at it, this fellow seemed to be an ignorant newbie.

If he were to know that the Harmonious Chiming of the Hundred Bells was the highest compliment, how could he possibly have berated the Whilom Sage Bell?

If he had known the tricks for the House of Trust, how could he possibly have brought students of his age over?

If he had known that the Puppet Hall has the ability of self-regeneration, how could he possibly have tried to fix the puppet inside despite having passed the test?

"He... he probably doesn't know anything. The five tests of the master teacher are something that I just told him about... When I met him yesterday, he didn't even know the location of our Master Teacher Pavilion!"

Hearing the conversation between the two, Ling Xiaoxiao couldn't help but speak up.

In an instant, the entire crowd in the examination hall turned to look at her. Vice Pavilion Master Guan, Elder Zhu, and the others seemed to recognize her, and they didn't get mad at her abrupt interjection.

Ling Xiaoxiao recounted the details of her meetings with Zhang Xuan yesterday and today.

"He came for the master teacher examination not having known about the tests, but he achieved such outstanding results nonetheless?"

After hearing her words, everyone flew into another frenzy.

They thought that this fellow must have been extremely familiar with the tests and had made sufficient preparations beforehand in order to achieve such results. Yet... the other party doesn't even know the rules, simply strutting into the rooms for the tests!

To have achieved such results so easily...

How formidable is he?

Mo Hongyi's body swayed violently, and he felt an urge to vomit blood.

He had spent countless hours preparing for the 1-star master teacher examination before he could achieve his results. Yet, he was unable to match up to the other party, who simply came without possessing the slightest idea...

If that was the case, why did he waste his time on those preparations!

"If he knows nothing at all, then he surely doesn't know that the Unerring Pavilion... has two stages!"

After hearing Ling Xiaoxiao recount, Vice Pavilion Master Guan's face darkened as well, and his body trembled in agitation.

"This..."

"That's right. Furthermore, the two stages are just side by side..."

Upon recalling the matter, the others narrowed their eyes as well.

"What do you mean by two stages?"

Unable to understand the anxiety on the others' faces, Apothecary Hong asked doubtfully.

"On the surface, the Unerring Pavilion consists of a puppet displaying cultivation technique and battle technique, similar to that of the Puppet Hall, but the two are actually completely different! In the Puppet Hall, the two puppets fight one another, and what one is tested on is his ability to guide another. On the other hand, in the Unerring Pavilion... not only is one tested on his ability to discern the flaws in a puppet, one is also examined on his cultivation!"

"That means to say... in the Unerring Pavilion, one has to fight with the puppet. Within an incense's time, one has to find flaws and use it against the puppet to defeat it. If the examinee is unable to find them, the puppet will not stop its attacks, and it might even... kill him!"

"Kill him?"

Most of the apprentices here weren't aware that the Unerring Pavilion was that fearsome, and they were startled.

"But those who take the master teacher examination would have to undergo this test, so there shouldn't be any great danger..." Apothecary Hong Yun could not help but ask.

So many people have taken the master teacher examination, but he hadn't heard of anyone getting killed during the test. Since those who came before him were fine, he should be the same as well.

"Others might be alright, but he is different..."

Wu shi's mouth twitched, "There's a total of two stages to Tianwu Kingdom's Unerring Pavilion. The first stage is for the 1-star master teacher examination while the second stage is for the 2-star master teacher examination. If it were anyone else, they will definitely come out after completing the first stage. However, as I didn't explain, it is highly likely that he doesn't know. If he were to enter into the second stage... What he will be facing is a Zongshi realm puppet!"

"Zongshi realm puppet?"

Everyone was shocked.

Those who take the 1-star master teacher examination usually possess a Tongxuan realm cultivation, so the puppet they had to face was Tongxuan realm as well, in order to make it possible for them to defeat it.

However, if they were to face a Zongshi realm puppet...

Especially a Zongshi realm puppet with nearly no flaws!

This is no different from courting death.

The crowd's faces turned pale.

This is a situation of absolute death!

Tongxuan realm and Zongshi realm were two completely different levels.

"Hurry up and stop him..."

Vice Pavilion Master Guan shouted.

It wasn't easy for a genius to appear in their guild. If he were to fall due to his ignorance about the rules, the entire branch would be in deep trouble.

Weng!

Before he could finish his words, the door of the fifth test, Unerring Pavilion, quivered, and a brilliant light shone from it.

"He... He..."

Seeing the color of the light, Wu shi's body trembled, and his vision turned gray.

"It's too late... He-he didn't go for the first stage, he went straight for the second stage!"

---

Frick, frick, frick, frick (屮艸芔茻)!

These four pitchforks are a slang word in Chinese. The pronunciation is 'che cao hui mang'. It is a roundabout swear word. Grass is a homophone of a swear word in Chinese, and these four pitchforks refer to grasses in one way or another.