Chapter 526: Selection Round
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
Stepping into the lounge, Zhang Xuan saw Su shi and Ling shi seated on the chairs by the side. Upon seeing him, the duo seemed visibly relieved.
If not for the ruckus he had caused at the herb garden a while ago, they wouldn’t have known that Zhang shi was already in the city.
As soon as Zhang Xuan entered, Su shi immediately stared at him expectantly and asked, "May I know if... Yang shi is in Myriad Kingdom City as well?"
Back in Tianwu Kingdom, Yang shi had helped him reach the seventh circulation of the Miniature Solar Art, thus inducing a huge leap in his cultivation. Even until now, he was still grateful to the other party for his help.
Inviting Zhang Xuan over to the Master Teacher Pavilion was only one of the reasons behind his visit. The other one was to meet his benefactor.
After all, the other party was a master teacher who was likely to exceed 6-star!
Otherwise, there was no need for the two of them to come personally just to meet a 2-star master teacher.
"My teacher... is currently wandering around the lands. I have no idea where he is either!" Zhang Xuan replied.
The ’teacher’ Zhang Xuan spoke of was actually referring to Zhang Xuan himself. It was already so difficult for him to fool this duo; given that there were so many experts here, if he were to get caught playing off as Yang shi here, he would surely be a goner.
In any case, just the existence of Yang shi itself was sufficient to induce fear in others, there was no need for him to take such a risk. If people were to realize that Yang shi was actually a fake, the entire situation could backlash on him.
Upon hearing that Yang shi wasn’t around, Su shi and Ling shi shook their heads in disappointment. However, they soon recovered and said, "In truth, Ling shi and I are here because we have something we require your help on!"
"Su shi, please speak!" Zhang Xuan nodded.
"It’s like that. We have invited you to participate in the Master Teacher Tournament before... May I know if Yang shi has talked to you about the matter yet?" Su shi asked.
Back then, in Tianwu Kingdom, they had once brought up the matter with Zhang Xuan, but Zhang Xuan seemed to be slightly hesitant about agreeing. In the end, it was Yang shi who accepted it in his stead.
Even though Yang shi said he would persuade Zhang shi on their behalf, it was best to double confirm the matter before jumping into any conclusion.
"My teacher has told me about it! As long as I become the champion, I’ll be rewarded with middle-tier spirit stones. Don’t worry, I’ve agreed to it already!" Zhang Xuan nodded his head.
"Cough cough..."
Choking on their saliva, Su shi and Ling shi fell speechless.
Champion?
You sure know how to dream!
Twenty-eight powers consisting of innumerable experts. Your talent might be formidable, but they are also geniuses, and not to mention, they have cultivated longer than you.
Our motive in looking for you is just in hopes that you could win us a better placing. Even top ten seems out of reach, champion...
They would only dare to say such words in their dreams.
"It’s like that. The Master Teacher Tournament is a battle among the geniuses of the twenty-eight powers, and our Myriad Kingdom Alliance is given the privilege of playing host this year. Pavilion Master Kang hopes for us to get a better ranking this year. Thus... we gathered the top-notch geniuses from throughout the lands for them to pit it out in advance and narrow the group down to just two to participate in the tournament..."
After hesitating for a moment, Su Fan spoke his motive.
"Pit it out in advance?"
"Yes. A total of six candidates have been nominated by the elders..." Su shi said.
As the Myriad Kingdom Alliance was hosting the Master Teacher Tournament this time around, Pavilion Master Kang regarded this event very highly and he hoped that they could win a much better placing from before. As such, he passed down an order for the elders to nominate the most talented genius they could find, and it was for this purpose that Su shi and Ling shi visited Tianwu Kingdom.
However, they weren’t the only elders in the Master Teacher Pavilion. The others also made their nominations too, and a total of six candidates were chosen. The duo had to spend a lot of effort to confirm Zhang Xuan’s placing as a candidate as well.
Otherwise, given Zhang Xuan’s identity as a 2-star master teacher, how could he possibly be qualified to compete with all the other geniuses?
"What you mean is that... you wish for me to participate in an internal selection round conducted by the alliance’s Master Teacher Pavilion?" Zhang Xuan quickly understood what the other party was driving at.
"That’s right. Only two participants from each power are allowed for the Master Teacher Pavilion. Thus, there’s a need for us to conduct a selection round among the six candidates. The two finalized candidates will become a target of grooming for the Master Teacher Pavilion for the next two months so as to prepare them for the Master Teacher Tournament!" Su shi said.
The most practical way of getting a good placing was to train harder. Even if it was a last-minute effort, two months should be sufficient to achieve significant results.
After hearing the explanation, Zhang Xuan came to a realization.
The Master Teacher Tournament was a huge event which the Myriad Kingdom Alliance and twenty-seven other powers were involved with. Even with Su shi and Ling shi’s recommendations, the alliance couldn’t give the slot so easily to him.
After all, he came from a humble kingdom. It had only been three months since his rise, and it was extremely normal for him to be doubted by others.
Zhang Xuan didn’t think much of the situation. In any case, he was also curious to see where he ranked among the geniuses of the Myriad Kingdom Alliance.
After settling Lu Chong’s matter, he would concentrate his effort on cultivating so as to reach 9-star master teacher before thirty. Otherwise, once the Innate Fetal Poison made its move, everything would be for naught.
Having read through innumerable books, Zhang Xuan learned that master teachers weren’t just about strength and capability. Reputation was also of essence. Reputation was credibility, and without a good reputation, how could a master teacher win the trust of others? As such, this was one of the less tangible criteria taken into account when one was applying for a promotion.
And the easiest way to accrue reputation was to join the Master Teacher Tournament.
Besides, to raise his cultivation, Zhang Xuan needed innumerable cultivation techniques to form the Heaven’s Path Divine Art and sufficient middle-tier spirit stones.
Even though Zhang Xuan was skilled in the art of beguiling, there was a limit to what he could gather through such. If he could achieve incredible results during the Master Teacher Tournament, it should become much easier for him to gather spirit stones.
After thinking all of these through, Zhang Xuan had nothing to hesitate about anymore. Thus, he asked, "When does the selection round begin?"
"According to Pavilion Master Kang’s intentions, it’s supposed to be conducted a few days ago. However, you had yet to appear and so, the both of us tried all ways to postpone the selection round. Now that you’re here, we can finally begin!"
Seeing that the young man before them didn’t reject the matter, Su shi and Ling shi heaved a sigh of relief.
After all, they had to fight very hard to delay the selection round by several days, and there were many who were displeased by their action. If Zhang Xuan were to really refuse to join the selection round, they would be in trouble.
"Is it conducted in the Master Teacher Pavilion?" Zhang Xuan asked.
"That’s right!" The duo nodded their heads.
"Then let’s go over then!" Zhang Xuan stood up.
Since he had decided on the matter, there was nothing for him to hesitate about.
"Ah..."
Seeing that Zhang Xuan was in a rush to head over, the duo smiled bitterly, "Zhang shi, hold on for a moment. Allow me to introduce to you the other candidates first. This way, you will be prepared when you meet them!
"Of the five candidates, three are from the Myriad Kingdom Alliance Master Teacher Pavilion. The most famous among them is Ruohuan gongzi, Jun Ruohuan. He’s the head of the Four Gentlemen in Myriad Kingdom City, the direct disciple of Pavilion Master Kang. He’s twenty-nine this year, and he passed his 4-star examination at the start of the year, thus making him a full-fledged 4-star primary master teacher!"
Zhang Xuan nodded his head.
He had seen a 4-star primary master teacher genius before as well-Song Chao.
Even though that fellow seemed a little slow-witted before him, as a 4-star master teacher, he surely possessed an astonishing eye of discernment and unbelievable talent.
Jun Ruohuan should be the same as well.
"After him is the direct disciple of the Master Teacher Pavilion’s Elder Hai, Fu Xiaochen, Fu shi. He was evaluated as a 3-star pinnacle master teacher two years ago, and since then, he hasn’t taken any examinations at all. Thus, no one knows the current extent of his ability. Even so, based on my estimates, he should be on par with Ruohuan gongzi!
"These two are the most popular candidates this time around, and thus, they will be your greatest competitors as well. As for the remaining three, one of them is Elder Feng’s disciple while the other two are picked out from the vassal kingdoms under the Myriad Kingdom Alliance. They are all 3-star pinnacle master teachers under thirty as well!"
Su shi quickly briefed Zhang Xuan on the background of the other five candidates.
"Even the weakest of them is a 3-star pinnacle master teacher?"
Zhang Xuan was astonished.
One would already be considered as an incredible talent for reaching 2-star beneath thirty in Xuanyuan Kingdom, and yet here, there were five who far exceeded that level, and one of them had even reached 4-star. As expected of the alliance, the center of power and affluence of the innumerable kingdoms.
Thinking that Zhang Xuan might have lost his confidence, Su shi consoled, "Indeed, but you need not worry about that. Your master teacher rank might be beneath them, but your eye of discernment and knowledge are in no way inferior to them... I think that you still stand a good chance!"
If not for the latter’s outstanding performance in Tianwu Kingdom previously, the duo wouldn’t have gone to such extents of recommending him.
After all, an ordinary 2-star master teacher wouldn’t stand a chance against that line-up at all.
"What will be tested in the Master Teacher Tournament?" Zhang Xuan asked doubtfully.
He had only heard briefly about the Master Teacher Tournament from the duo and as such, he didn’t know much detail about it.
The books he had read also had a limited description on the matter.
"You don’t know?" The duo was taken aback for a moment before they flew into a frenzy. "Yang shi didn’t explain the matter to you?"
They had told Yang shi about Zhang shi’s participation in the Master Teacher Tournament back in Tianwu Kingdom, and so, they thought that Yang shi would at least offer some guidance or advice to Zhang shi beforehand... If that was the case, with the guidance from a 6-star or above master teacher, they would stand a much better chance.
But who knew that... After so long, Zhang shi actually knew nothing at all?
Are you mistaken?
Half of the reason why the duo insisted on having Zhang shi participate in the competition was because of his outstanding performance, and the other half was due to their trust in Yang shi’s teaching capability.
Since Yang shi had agreed on the matter, surely he wouldn’t make his student embarrass himself... But why in the world did Zhang shi not know anything at all?
"My teacher hasn’t told me anything about it!" Zhang Xuan replied.
Hearing the other party’s reply, the duo rolled their eyes.
Was Yang shi simply that courageous or did he possess absolute trust in his student?
Shaking his head, Su shi could only start explaining the matter helplessly. "The Master Teacher Tournament assesses a master teacher on his overall capability. The test varies every year but... they are centered around the fundamentals of master teachers, such as Soul Depth, cultivation realm, teaching capability, understanding of cultivation, offering pointers, discerning flaws...
"In truth, it is similar to a master teacher examination, just that it will be slightly stricter. For example, in a normal master teacher examination, one is considered to have pass the examination just by meeting the passing requirement within a given period of time. On the other hand, the Master Teacher Tournament will gauge one by the duration one takes to accomplish a task, and the one who takes the shortest time will be victorious."
Zhang Xuan came to a realization.
This was extremely similar to the competitions in his previous life.
Take a normal hundred-meter race for example, if A took ten seconds whereas B took three days, naturally, A would be the winner.
Under the pressure of time, one’s mental fortitude would be put to the test. Often, there were capable master teachers who found themselves unable to perform under such stress.
After explaining the matter a little longer, Zhang Xuan’s understanding of the Master Teacher Tournament deepened.
In truth, the Master Teacher Tournament was a battlefield where different master teachers pitted their capability against one another, and the strongest one would emerge victorious.
As long as one’s foundation was strong, one need not fear anything in the tournament.
This was the reason why Su shi and Ling shi went through so much trouble to go to Tianwu Kingdom just to recruit Zhang Xuan into their team.
After introducing the tournament, Su shi said, "Alright, let’s go to the Master Teacher Pavilion. Even though the tests in the selection round are likely to be different from the real tournament itself, the main idea is still there. This time, Pavilion Master Kang has come up with the tests personally. I think this will be a good experience for you to prepare for the real tournament!"
"Un!" Nodding his head, Zhang Xuan instructed Sun Qiang on several matters before leaving to the Master Teacher Pavilion with the duo.