Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"You…"
Princess Fei-er nearly spurted a mouthful of fresh blood.
Pour you a cup of wine? Pour your head!
Didn't I redeem myself for ten days already?
I'm not your maid now, alright?
"I know!" Zhang Xuan nodded. "We've met previously, and we can be considered friends, right, Sixth princess?"
Glaring at Zhang Xuan with a look that exclaimed that she would strangle the other party if she could, Yu Fei-er clenched her teeth tightly and replied, "Of course!"
She had no other choice. By saying that she was his friend, the other party was already sparing her dignity. If the other party were to say that she was his maid, she would really die of shame.
"I'll pour it for you!"
Yu Fei-er stomped her way to the closest bottle and poured Zhang Xuan a bottle of wine while insulting the latter in her mind. If she could, she would really want to skin this hateful man alive.
But of course, she would never do that. She did lose the bet fair and square, and her master teacher emblem was the other party's hostage as well. She couldn't do anything even if she wanted to!
"Alright!"
Seeing the reluctance on the other party's face, Zhang Xuan shook his head.
Back then, when we were having the bet, you tried to make me kneel before you! So what if you're a princess? This is just returning a little bit of the favor to you.
"Teacher… Fei-er is my good friend, so is it possible…"
Seeing that her good friend had turned so red that she might explode at any moment, Luo Qiqi didn't know whether she should laugh or cry at this situation.
She could never have expected that the rotten fellow her close friend wanted to strangle so badly would actually be her apothecary teacher.
She regarded the both of them highly, so she wished to resolve the conflict between them.
"She's your friend? Alright then, I'll give her ten days off…"
Zhang Xuan nodded.
On the other hand, Princess Fei-er thought that with her good friend intervening in her stead, the other party would drop the matter entirely. Who knew that it would only be ten days? Her face immediately flushed in anger, and she raged, "Qiqi, there's no need no need to plead with him. Isn't it just spirit stones? It's not like I don't have any…"
Zhang Xuan's eyes gleamed as he said, "It's good that you have spirit stones to repay me. Since that's the case, I believe there's no need for me to offer you any discount. The ten days off shall be voided!"
Ten days was equivalent to around 700 middle-tier spirit stones! If he could save it, he should definitely do it.
"You…"
Princess Fei-er nearly spurted blood on the spot.
"Teacher is just jesting with you, calm down…"
Seeing that her good friend was on the verge of collapsing from anger, Luo Qiqi shook her head and said, "Right, didn't you say that you want to learn pill forging from Zhang laoshi? He's right here…"
"Humph! I'd rather learn from a pig than from him!"
Princess Fei-er gritted her teeth.
"Alright then!"
Knowing that it was impossible to resolve the conflict between her good friend and Zhang laoshi at the moment, she could only try to pacify both of them in the future.
With the arrival of the guests, the banquet resumed.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtHowever, with Emperor Ye Wentian and Wei shi in the room, as well as the Sixth Princess who could just erupt at any moment, the atmosphere grew visibly tenser, and the merry atmosphere from before dampened.
A while later, Luo Zhao and the others couldn't stand it any longer and bade their farewell.
Considering how their entire group was beaten up so badly, they had to return quickly and recuperate. Otherwise, considering how the Cleansing Lake was opening tomorrow, the two slots that they had might just go to waste!
"Your Highness, we'll be taking our leave as well!"
Seeing the others leave, Hong shi also stood up and clasped his fist.
"Wait a moment!"
Just as the group was about to leave, Wei Jiang stepped forward and approached them.
"Wei shi!"
When the group entered, Crown Prince Ye Qian had introduced the other party to be the pavilion master of the Huanyu Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, a 5-star high-tier master teacher. Not daring to pull his weight before such a figure, Zhang Xuan clasped his fist and greeted him.
"Zhang shi, may I speak to you for a moment?"
Wei Jiang smiled.
"It's my pleasure to do so!"
Seeing that the other party wanted to talk to him privately, Zhang Xuan smiled in response.
Gesturing for Hong shi and the others to return to their living quarters first, Zhang Xuan followed behind Wei shi, and the pair walked into a room.
"May I ask if… Zhang shi is a combat master?"
There was a formation set up in the room that prevented anyone from eavesdropping on the conversation inside.
"Combat master? What is that?"
Zhang Xuan was perplexed.
Combat master was a higher order secret of the Master Teacher Pavilion. As such, the books that Zhang Xuan had access to didn't have any details on them, so he wasn't too clear on what it was.
"Err… it's a sub-occupation of master teacher that specializes in combat…"
While explaining the matter regarding combat masters to the other party, Wei Jiang carefully examined the other party's expression.
Noting that the other party didn't seem to be putting on a front, he felt a little perplexed.
He did harbor some doubts that the other party was a combat master before—after all, how else could he possibly defeat nine cultivators with a cultivation higher than his?
He had seen the pitiful state of the master teachers the other party had beaten up. But while their faces were swollen, and it looked rather appalling on the surface, he could tell that the person who pummeled them went easy on them.
As long as they were to apply some medicine to their wounds, they would be as good as new in a day or two.
To be able to go easy while fighting nine master teachers with higher cultivation levels than him… how powerful must he be?
"There's such a branch of master teacher?"
Hearing that there was actually a sub-occupation known as combat master, Zhang Xuan was astonished.
He thought that all master teachers were responsible for imparting knowledge to the masses. To think that there would actually be a branch specializing in combat as well!
It did intrigue him how master teachers could drive away Otherworldly Demons when most of them were immobilized just by the killing intent of the latter.
What Wei shi said had addressed his doubts… the ones in charge of defending mankind weren't the average master teachers but a specialized group that possessed superior fighting prowess!
"Why would Pavilion Master Wei think that I'm a combat master?" Zhang Xuan asked curiously.
"I heard that you were able to easily defeat nine other people who possess higher cultivation than you…" Wei Jiang replied.
"I see!" Coming to a realization, Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I've only heard of this sub-occupation, so I can't possibly be one of their members!"
"Then… do you have a unique constitution?" Wei Jiang asked.
"The reason why I am able to defeat the nine of them is because I was able to see through the flaws in their battle techniques and exploit it against them," Zhang Xuan replied. "It wasn't because of a unique constitution!"
Speaking of unique constitutions, he had three students who possessed them. Honestly speaking, he was a little envious of them.
"Alright then!"
Seeing the other party admitting that he wasn't a combat master and didn't possess a unique constitution, Wei Jiang was slightly disappointed.
If a combat master were to come from Huanyu Empire, it would surely strike its name across the entire world.
Unless awakened, a unique constitution was nearly undetectable. Not even a 5-star high-tier master teacher like him would be able to detect it.
The duo chatted a little longer, but the questions that Wei Jiang had were all adeptly sidestepped by Zhang Xuan.
The reason why Zhang Xuan was able to defeat multiple opponents far above his current cultivation was due to two reasons, the Library of Heaven's Path and Heaven's Path Divine Art, and his ability as a soul oracle.
But these two were secrets that mustn't be made known.
As such, despite Wei Jiang's questions, Zhang Xuan admitted to nothing at all.
A moment later, after realizing that it was impossible for him to gather any useful clues from Zhang Xuan, Wei Jiang could only clasp his fist and bid farewell.
"I've bothered Zhang shi!"
"Don't worry about it!"
Zhang Xuan chuckled lightly in response before walking away.
Not too long after Zhang Xuan left, the door to the room was opened, and Emperor Ye Wentian rushed in with an anxious look.
"How is it?"
"It's unlikely that he has a unique constitution, but… I'm not sure whether he's a combat master or not!" Wei Jiang shook his head.
"Not sure?" Ye Wentian was perplexed.
After a moment of contemplation, Wei Jiang said, "Un. To qualify as a combat master, one has to pass through multiple exams. Zhang shi might be able to defeat those with cultivations above him, but I feel that he's still rather lacking in comparison to a real combat master… Forget it, let's not think about it. I'll report this matter to Hongyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion and leave it to Pavilion Master Mo to make a judgement on this matter!"
With his current standing, he was indeed unqualified to make such judgement.
As such, he decided to simply report this matter and allow the headquarters to make a decision on it.
Ye Wentian pondered for a moment before nodding his head.
"Indeed, it would be best for this matter to be reported to the headquarters!"
Wei Jiang flicked his wrist, and an object that covered his entire palm appeared on his hand. He wrote his report on the object. Then, with a flash of light, the words written disappeared.
The effects of a Communication Token were similar to a Communication Wall, just smaller in scale, thus allowing one to carry it around easily.
Back then, Hong shi also made use of this object to send a message to Mo Gaoyuan.
Weng!
A few moments after the information was sent over to the other side, the Communication Token glowed once more.
"This…"
Seeing the words on the token, Wei Jiang's eyes narrowed in disbelief.
"What did Pavilion Master Mo say?"
Seeing the bewildered expression of his old friend, Ye Wentian frowned.
"Look…"
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmSwallowing a mouthful of saliva, Wei Jiang passed the Communication Token over.
Ye Wentian lowered his head to look at the message written on the Communication Token, and he immediately froze in place as well.
There was only a single line of words written on the Communication Token.
'For the matter regarding Zhang Xuan, do not discuss, ask, or speak of it!'
Hu!
Right after he looked at the words, the words on the Communication Token faded.
"A silence restraint… Could it be that Pavilion Master Mo is acquainted with Zhang shi?"
Ye Wentian narrowed his eyes in shock.
A silence restraint was usually a form of respect a lower ranked master teacher would show to a higher ranked master teacher. Given that Zhang shi was only at 4-star, why would Pavilion Master Mo issue such an order?
Could it be that… Pavilion Master Mo knew Zhang shi beforehand?
Otherwise, why would such a situation occur?
"He must have known the other party in advance. Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to give such a response so quickly…"
Wei Jiang nodded in agreement.
While Mo Gaoyuan did pay Myriad Kingdom Alliance a visit, he left right after paying Yang shi a visit. Other than Zhang Xuan, Hong shi, and a few other people, no one was aware of the matter.
Wei Jiang might be Hong shi's teacher, but he wasn't informed of this matter either.
"Then… What should we do?" Ye Wentian asked.
"Since Pavilion Master Mo has made such a decision, let's not speak about it. In any case, Zhang shi is going to enter Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy. If my memory serves me well, the academy has a Combat Master Selection once every five years. It should be starting very soon… If he does possess potential in that aspect, he will surely do well then!" Wei Jiang said.
Ye Wentian nodded his head and sighed.
"Combat Master Selection? Now that you speak of it, there is indeed such a matter… However, for an outsider to join the ranks of the combat masters, he must be a half 5-star master teacher at minimum. Considering how Zhang Xuan is only at Clarifying Turbidity realm pinnacle currently, who knows how long it would take for him to reach Consonant Spirit realm pinnacle!"
Wei Jiang nodded. "Regardless of when he can qualify as a combat master, since Pavilion Master Mo has already sent a silence restraint, let's just remain silent and watch on!"
"You're right!" Ye Wentian replied.
…
While the duo was having their discussion behind closed doors, Zhang Xuan found himself intercepted as soon as he left the crown prince's Eastern Palace.
"Zhang shi, I would like to talk to you privately!"
A slender figure blocked his path.
"Sixth Princess?"
Upon realizing the other party's identity, Zhang Xuan frowned.
It was the Sixth Princess whom he had taken as his maid. Why was she looking for him at such an ungodly hour?
"Un! This isn't a convenient place, follow me!"
Princess Fei-er harrumphed before dashing off in one direction.
But a moment later, she realized that there was no movement behind her. Perplexed, she turned her head around and her body immediately shook in rage.
The young man didn't follow behind her at all! The other party simply placed his hands into the pockets before walking in a completely different direction.
"You… Why didn't you follow me?!" She hurriedly turned around and harrumphed angrily.
"I'm not interested in whatever you have to say!"
Zhang Xuan shrugged.
"You…"
Princess Fei-er's breathing grew agitated, and yet again, she found herself on the verge of erupting.