Trust Level

If one was expelled from the school, at the very least, he would still be a teacher. Even if not in Hongtian Academy, he could still teach at other academies!

On the other hand, if one’s teaching license was revoked, it would mean losing their identity. No matter where they go, it would remain as a stain on their history and they would suffer from the mocking of others!

That’s precisely the reason why Elder Shang Chen got Elder Mo from the Teacher Guild here. After all, despite being the head of the Education Bureau in Hongtian Academy, he didn’t have the qualifications to strip a teacher of his teaching license. Just then, he didn’t expect that… before he could even talk about it, this fellow had already brought it up!

Furthermore, adding a hundred God Slaying Flogs into the mix…

God Slaying Flog was a unique object created specially within Tianxuan Kingdom. One’s flesh would tear apart and they would feel excruciating pain when beaten by it. Yet, it didn’t hurt their core. No matter how powerful a person was, they would probably be half-dead by the time the sentence was completed.

[Do you find the punishment insufficiently harsh, or do you think that you aren’t dying fast enough?]

Everyone looked at the young man as though he was an idiot.

“Zhang Xuan laoshi, you…”

From behind, Shen Bi Ru laoshi barely managed to avoid fainting on the spot.

[Are you really unable to tell that this is a trap Shang Bin and Cao Xiong specially dug out for you? Their purpose is for you to leap in. Initially, being expelled from the school is already harsh enough. Yet, not only do you not try to push it down, you even raise the stakes up higher. Have you really gone insane…]

“Don’t blame anyone else since you are courting death!” Harrumphing coldly, Cao Xiong looked at Shang Chen, who was standing in the middle of the crowd. “Elder Shang, I concur with Zhang laoshi‘s suggestion. I hope that the academy can grant our request.”

Seeing him accept it so readily, Liu Yang slapped his forehead and looked at him with eyes of sympathy.

[Zhang laoshi is really evil!

He first feigns guilt so as to boost the other party’s confidence. After which, he makes use of the situation to up the stakes. Most probably, Cao Xiong laoshi won’t even know what is going on even after he is played to his death!]

“It is fortunate that he became my teacher. Otherwise, my life would be over…”

Upon recalling how he almost became the student of this Cao laoshi, Liu Yang shuddered and cowered backward.

“Un, alright then. Since both parties have agreed on the stakes, then let’s start the process!” Elder Shang Chen nodded his head. Two crystal balls, about the size of a watermelon each, were brought forward and placed on a stone pedestal. Completely transparent, they radiated warm light.

“These are crystal balls made of 【Will Inquisition Stone】. Zhang Xuan and Cao Xiong, both of you will drip a droplet of fresh blood on one of them each! After which, Liu Yang will touch them and the crystal balls will reflect the true thoughts in his mind in the form of 【Trust Level】! The one whose trust level is higher, he will emerge victorious! Are there any other questions?”

Elder Shang Chen asked.

“None at all!”

Zhang Xuan and Cao Xiong nodded their heads.

The Enlightenment Will Trial was actually a simple process. It only involved making use of the Will Inquisition Stone to peer into the innate world of the student. Whichever teacher the student trusted more, that teacher would win.

The rules might be simple, but the Will Inquisition Stone was an expensive commodity, not to mention that it was the type of product that was exceptionally rare. Furthermore, it was a single-use consumable. Thus, unless required, the academy was unwilling to use such means.

As for the expenditure required for the process, normally, it was compensated by the losing side.

In the eyes of Cao Xiong and the rest, Zhang Xuan was just an incapable trash who had scored a zero in the Teacher Qualification Examination. How could it be possible for Liu Yang, a student among the top hundred, to become his student willingly?

He was bound to lose the moment the trial started!

By then, not only would he be expelled from the academy shamefully, he would be bankrupt as well and his reputation would be in the gutters. Truly killing three birds with one stone.

“Let’s begin!”

Seeing that the two have no objections to it, Elder Shang Chen gestured with his hand.

Zhang Xuan and Cao Xiong walked upwards to a crystal ball each and dripped a droplet of their fresh blood on the crystal balls.

A warm glow radiated and their faces reflected in the Will Inquisition Crystal Balls.

“Go!” Elder Shang Chen said.

Liu Yang walked over and placed his left and right hands on a crystal ball each.

Weng!

The crystal balls immediately lit up and their radiance enveloped his entire body.

“The Will Inquisition Stone has hypnotic abilities. The moment one comes into contact with it, one will descend into an illusory realm. In there, all actions done will be a result of one’s true will, and no external factors will influence one’s will. If one was truly forced to become a student, not only will one not hold any trust towards his teacher, one might even hold feelings of abhorrence towards him! As such, the Enlightenment Will Trial is the most straightforward and accurate method to differentiate whether a student is truly willing to acknowledge a teacher!”

Gazing upon Liu Yang who had already closed his eyes and descended into the illusory realm, Elder Mo Xiang slowly said.

“Indeed, trust level represents the level of trust one holds towards another, and the maximum of which is a hundred points. Every ten points is a demarcation zone and zero points means an absolute lack of trust! Ten points means slight trust, twenty means average trust… The relationship between a teacher and student tends to be around thirty. It is said that the more incredible teachers can make a student’s trust in them reach fifty. That is considered an extremely fearsome result, and it is extremely rare for such results to appear, even considering the entire Tianxuan Kingdom! After all, a child’s trust towards their parents only hovers around sixty or such!”

Elder Shang Chen stroked his beard as he continued.

The conversation between the two was, in fact, telling the others about the concepts behind the Enlightenment Will Trial.

Humans were thinking creatures and each of them had their own thoughts. It wasn’t that easy a feat to have one trust in another.

Not mentioning others, even one’s parents, who have lived with them since young, were unable to reach a hundred points of trust!

Needless to say, a teacher.

Only through long periods of interaction could one’s trust level in another slowly rise up.

Yet, it had been barely two days since the start of school. Furthermore, given Zhang Xuan’s horrid reputation, how could he induce trust in any of his students?

It was clear to see even when thinking with one’s toes.

“Right, Elder Mo, I heard that one of the prerequisites to become a master teacher seems to be the student’s trust level, may I know if it is true?”

After explaining the process, Elder Shang Chen remembered something and was unable to hold in his curiosity, he asked.

Teachers could be divided into low-level, intermediate-level and high-level. Zhang Xuan belonged to the bottom category, low-level, whereas Shen Bi Ru and Shang Bin have already attained the ranking of high-level.

Most people’s journey came to an end as a high-level teacher.

The two famous teachers of Hongtian Academy, Lu Xun and Wang Chao, were also at this level.

Master teachers, however, were a level above that of high-level teachers!

Master teachers weren’t just famous for their reputation, they possessed their unique insights into cultivation. One could only become stronger under the tutelage of such a person, allowing them to eventually becoming a heroic figure of a territory.

Emperor Shen Zhui was neither the queen’s son or the eldest son. By logic, it was impossible for the crown to be passed down to him. However, it was said that during his youth, he once studied under a master teacher for a few days, causing his strength to increase by leaps and bounds, thus becoming the strongest of the younger generation. Eventually, he even became the number one expert of the royal family, therefore forming the basis for him to inherit the throne to further the country’s greatness!

It was the dream of countless people to study under a master teacher!

Teachers could only be considered as a lower occupation of the Upper Nine Paths. However, if one were to become a master teacher, then even among the numerous occupations among the Upper Nine Paths, they were without a doubt, and indisputably, a member of the number one occupation.

This was especially so, given the occupation’s frightening ability to rally people. Even the popular occupations like apothecary, blacksmith, formation masters… weren’t able to compete at all!

Teachers were known to have innumerable students all over the world. This was even more true for a master teacher. It was very possible for any expert one sees or hears of to be his student. The moment something happened, many people would answer to their calls, to the point that even those in authority dared not offend them.

It was said that there was once an emperor from a great kingdom who offended a master teacher. With a single call, dozens of Fighter 8-dan Zongshi realm experts surged in and in less than a day, the entire kingdom was destroyed. The royal family was completely purged, not a single descendant of their bloodline remained.

This was precisely why it is a known fact among cultivators that one could offend anyone, just not a master teacher!

Who knew how many students he has? Who knew how many experts there are in their midst?

Offending them was equivalent to stirring a hornet’s nest. Even if one didn’t die, he would be crippled!

Of course, the title of a master teacher wasn’t that easily attainable. There were many conditions and prerequisites to it, and earning a student’s trust rapidly was one of it.