Library of Heaven's Path

A tall and slender figure stood imposingly in the air. An ordinary face he had, but in his eyes was a brilliance reminiscent of the stars.

There was nothing exceptionally powerful about his presence, and there were plenty of people possessing a cultivation stronger than him. Yet, there was a suffocating pressure coming from him, leaving the crowd feeling as if they were facing the might of the heavens instead.

To oppose him would be no different from opposing the very world they lived in, and there was only one fate that could come out of such foolishness.

“Zhang shi…”

“Principal Zhang is here!”

“Finally!”

Song Chao and the others clenched their fists tightly in agitation, and their eyes reddened.

The pressure they had been under for the past few days was simply so great that it felt as if they would be crushed beneath it.

It was truly fortunate that their principal had arrived at this timely moment.

With his arrival, the members of the Xuanxuan Faction and the combat masters seemed to have finally found their backbone and their direction.

“You are Zhang Xuan?” Song shi glanced at Zhang Xuan with a displeased frown. “You’re finally here. That will at least spare me the trouble of finding you.

“As a master teacher, you failed to keep your student in check, allowing him to act as he pleased and ruin the order that the Master Teacher Pavilion has established with difficulty in this world. Surely you should understand how heavy a crime it is even if I don’t explain it to you, right?

“In light of your previous contributions and the fact that you were not around in Qingyuan City when the incident happened, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. As long as you can harden your heart to punish these men personally so as to affirm your values, I’ll plead for leniency to the Master Teacher Pavilion on your behalf.”

Song shi’s initial intention of executing Sun Qiang and the others was to lure out Liu Yang, but who would have thought that he would draw out Zhang Xuan instead? Nevertheless, this still worked.

To raise but not teach is the fault of a father, and to teach but lack sternness is the blunder of a teacher! ¹

Even though it was Liu Yang who had killed Chu Tianxing, Zhang Xuan’s failure to instill the correct values in his direct disciple despite imparting cultivation techniques and battle techniques to him could also be said to be the root of the problem. As such, he also had to take responsibility for this matter.

Typically speaking, while Zhang Xuan would have to be punished for the matter, it would not be too severe. However, considering that the person Liu Yang had killed was the emperor of a Conferred Empire, the Master Teacher Pavilion had no choice but to be harsher in the matter. In the worst-case scenario, Zhang Xuan might even be stripped of his 7-star master teacher license!

However, this was not something that Song shi wanted to see. No matter what, just Zhang Xuan’s feat of successfully crashing the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion was more than sufficient to show that he was an outstanding talent, a person who would become a firm pillar of the Master Teacher Pavilion in the days to come. As long as the young man was willing to reflect on his mistake and right his wrong, severing the relationship between him and his troublemaking butler and the poison masters, there was still some ground for reconciliation.

“You want me to kill Sun Qiang and the others to affirm my values? What lofty words you speak!” Zhang Xuan’s eyes narrowed coldly.

“Are you intending to raid the execution platform like the rest of them?” Hearing the hostility in the young man’s tone, Song shi’s face darkened. “Have you forgotten that you are a master teacher? As a 7-star master teacher, you are a role model for the rest of the world. Someone like you has no right to act willfully! In view of your talents and past contributions, I’ll give you just one last opportunity. Please don’t waste this precious chance that I have placed in your hands.”

“You can keep that chance for yourself!” Seeing how Song shi was acting as if having him kill Sun Qiang was a great mercy, Zhang Xuan could not even be bothered to waste his breath anymore.

In the next moment, a torrential aura surged forth from Zhang Xuan, piercing right through the clouds.

“Do you think that you can climb over my head just because I have been considerate of you?” Song shi bellowed wrathfully as he raised his hand.

The other party was just a 7-star master teacher who happened to have a bit of talent. He had already gone so far to help the other party, and yet, the other party simply had shrugged his goodwill away as if it was nothing at all. Arrogant! Truly arrogant!

With a face livid with rage, Zhang Xuan slowly walked over to the towering execution platform a step at a time. “Considerate? There’s no need for it! I, Zhang Xuan, have never required the consideration of others!”

At this moment, he was incredibly angry.

Not long ago, Pavilion Master Gou, Tian Qing, and seven other 7-star master teachers had passed away, and as a quasi 8-star master teacher, Song shi should have investigated that matter right away!

Yet, he had neglected so many more important issues and chosen to clutch at this matter relentlessly instead. On top of that, there were also plenty of suspicious aspects to the issue even if Song shi did not have any prior knowledge beforehand, such as Chu Tianxing’s abrupt kidnapping of Liu Yang, and Wu shi instructing an elder to keep a tight watch on Chu Tianxing.

A more meticulous person would have investigated deeper and waited for Wu shi to return in order to get the full story before passing judgement. Granted, there was pressure from the officials and nobles, but as a quasi 8-star master teacher, Song shi should have been able to suppress their movements for quite some time.

Just why in the world did the headquarters send such an incompetent fellow?

“Audacious! Zhang Xuan, don’t think that you can act as you please just because you successfully crashed the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion! I, Song Xuan, am a quasi 8-star master teacher, an envoy dispatched here by the headquarters to deal with the mess here. As a 7-star master teacher of a subordinate Master Teacher Pavilion, how dare you speak and behave so disrespectfully before me? Have you forgotten the formalities that you should follow as a master teacher?” Song shi bellowed angrily.

He had heard about Zhang Xuan crashing the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion, and even he had no choice but to admit that the young man was an exceptional genius. This was also why, despite being an austere and inflexible person himself, he had still chosen to make a special exception on this matter to grant leniency to the young man.

It was one thing for the young man to not appreciate his goodwill, but to actually forgo all formalities and treat him with utter disrespect was intolerable!

“Formalities? I am in no mood for those at the moment. All I know is that those men on the execution platform do not deserve to die!” Zhang Xuan uttered coldly as he continued advancing toward the execution platform.

“It’s not your place to decide if they deserve to die. Just on the grounds that they have assassinated the emperor of a Conferred Empire and induced panic and chaos within the country is more than enough to have them beheaded numerous times over! As a master teacher, you should be well aware of this!” Harrumphing coldly, Song shi flicked his palm, and the execution blades floating above Sun Qiang and the poison masters’ heads rose up once more, and just as they were about to decapitate the helpless bunch beneath them…

Peng! Peng! Peng! Peng!

The hundred or so execution blades shattered into dust before scattering into the surroundings.

“Preposterous! I finally know why the peaceful Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion suddenly found problems cropping up one after another following your arrival! Indeed, a mere droplet of poison ruins an entire pot of porridge. Zhang Xuan, do the laws of the Master Teacher Pavilion mean nothing to you? Just because you have a little bit of talent doesn’t mean…” Song shi was so angered that he could have exploded on the spot.

The young man was clearly there to raid the execution platform as well!

“Shut your mouth.”

Despite the clear sky overhead, the deep rumbling of thunder reverberated deafeningly in the air. Standing less than ten meters away from Song shi, Zhang Xuan glared at the latter with deadly sharp eyes, carrying a disposition and might that compelled one to defer to him.

“You…” Hearing the young man tell him to shut his mouth, Song shi’s body trembled from the sheer rage running through his veins. He was just about to give the young man a tongue-lashing when the latter’s deafening voice sounded in the air.

“You want to talk to me about the rules? About the formalities? Very well, let’s do just that. While I, Zhang Xuan, was investigating the murders in the Master Teacher Pavilion and foiling the schemes of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe, what were you doing?

“While I was venturing deep into the treacherous Marshlands of the Northern Meadows to hunt down the Qingtian Emperor so as to prevent him from claiming any more innocent lives, what were you doing?

“While I was imparting my knowledge to the master teachers and combat masters so as to reduce potential casualties in the fight against the Otherworldly Demons, what were you doing?

“As a quasi 8-star master teacher, instead of properly investigating the truth behind the deaths of the master teachers, you took what you saw for granted and turned a blind eye to everything else, choosing the easiest way out of this matter for yourself. So, tell me, what right do you have to judge me and my men?”

Boom!

Zhang Xuan’s voice echoed clearly throughout the entire Qingyuan City along with the deep rumbling of thunder, as if even the heavens were resonating with his rage.

The righteous aura that Zhang Xuan emanated added a majestic authority to his words, allowing no one to refute him.

“You…” Choked speechless, Song shi’s face reddened in frustration, and it looked as if he would blow up at any moment.

However, Zhang Xuan was not intending to just stop there, and he interrupted Song shi forcefully.

“Chu Tianxing chose to side with the Otherworldly Demons, why aren’t you investigating that?

“Tian Qing was a clone of an Otherworldly Demon Emperor, why aren’t you investigating that?

“Pavilion Master Gou neglected his responsibilities and left the affairs of the Qingyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion fully in Tian Qing’s hands, resulting in the Master Teacher Pavilion’s decline day after day, why aren’t the investigating that?

“Shall I point the answer out for you? It’s because you don’t give a damn at all! You allowed yourself to remain ignorant, willfully turning a blind eye to all of those important issues and choosing to devote your effort to cornering my butler and a bunch of poison masters instead. Song Xuan, I just want to ask you—is this how you intend to use the authority that the Master Teacher Pavilion has granted you?

“Is this how you conduct yourself as a quasi 8-star master teacher?”

“I…” Song shi immediately wanted to refute Zhang Xuan’s argument, but the latter was not intending to give him a chance to speak.

“The reason Kong shi established the Master Teacher Pavilion was to bring knowledge and clarity mankind, thus bringing us to greater heights. He became an embodiment of his beliefs and dedicated his life to teaching others, and that has why he was eventually respected by countless as the World’s Teacher!

“The meaning behind the existence of the Master Teacher Pavilion is to emulate Kong shi’s greatness and bring wisdom to the minds of mankind. As a quasi 8-star master teacher, why don’t you tell me how my direct disciple, Liu Yang, a cultivator who hasn’t even reached Saint realm, manage to kill a Half-Leaving Aperture realm expert like Chu Tianxing?

“If Chu Tianxing could really be killed so easily by my direct disciple, is there any significance behind the existence of the Qingyuan Empire?

“Don’t bother justifying it by saying that the poison masters have used poison. I have already looked into the matter myself, and it’s confirmed that they have only used the Scattering Breeze Powder.

“Twenty years ago, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe used the Scattering Breeze Powder to assault the Qingyuan Empire, nearly resulting in its destruction. Putting aside the fact that Chu Tianxing was a puppet of the Qingtian Emperor and could very well have an antidote prepared for himself, after the failure twenty years ago, do you think that the royal family would not have taken any precautions against it?

“If they did not take any precautions, does that not mean that they have a screw loose in their heads, or… have they chosen to betray mankind to side with the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe? If the royal family is really that negligent, do they really have what it takes to protect their people from external threats?” Zhang Xuan’s voice grew more and more forbidding.

“This…”

Unknowingly, Song shi rage had turned into bewilderment and horror, and he began trembling uncontrollably at Zhang Xuan’s words.

On the other hand, flinging his sleeves furiously, Zhang Xuan pressed on. “Chu Tianxing’s death was riddled with discrepancies, but you failed to conduct a thorough investigation of the matter to uncover the truth. This is incompetence!

“You allowed yourself to be swayed by the words of the nobles and officials, choosing to heed their will instead of making a fair judgement. This is foolishness!

“As a quasi 8-star master teacher, you ignored the direct threat that the Master Teacher Pavilion was in, and your negligence could have potentially resulted in the deaths of many more master teachers. This is getting your priorities wrong!

“You had the division heads and combat masters of the Combat Master Hall imprisoned on a whim, using your identity as an envoy of the headquarters in order to suppress their dissension, effectively undermining the command structure that the Master Teacher Pavilion has put in place. This is an abuse of power!

“Incompetence, foolishness, getting your priorities wrong, and abuse of power…” Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back, and his eyebrows shot up. “Song Xuan, how could you possibly have the cheek to call yourself a quasi 8-star master teacher?”

“I… Pu!” Song shi’s face was completely scarlet, and blood spurted from his mouth. His body wavered intensely for a moment, and he nearly fell to the ground.

“This…”

“He actually made Song shi spurt blood through mere words?”

Song Chao and the others gulped down a mouthful of saliva as they glanced at one another with pale faces.

In order to conduct a successful raid of the execution platform, they had undergone much discussion and refined their plan time and time again. Yet, when it came to the time for them to make a move, they had helplessly realized that they were no match for Song shi at all. If they had really gone against the latter, there was no doubt that they would all have been wiped out.

They had thought that they were doomed when the massive dragon they had created by putting all of their strength together was subdued so easily, but who knew that Zhang Xuan would suddenly appear at this moment? And without making a single move, he actually managed to make Song shi spurt blood with just his words!

“Young Master’s mouth technique is really formidable!” the bound Sun Qiang muttered as he stared at the sight before him.

“Mouth technique? Cough cough!” That peculiar term left Elder Xu choking on his saliva. “Benefactor, what should we do now?”

“Don’t worry. Didn’t I tell you earlier? Our Young Master will surely make a move to save us. Even if he does not, there’s still our Old Master. They won’t watch as a mishap befalls me, so there’s no need to worry at all,” Sun Qiang replied calmly with a yawn.

Over the couple of days that he had been imprisoned, not only had he remained completely uninjured, it even seemed like… he had grown even plumper than before.

It was as if he was exhausted from cultivating, so he took a short vacation over at the prison of the Master Teacher Pavilion.

“Our benefactor sure is fearless…” Hearing Sun Qiang’s words and actions, Elder Xu was speechless. At the same time, he couldn’t help but wonder—why did it seem like the benefactor before him was different from the one he had met before?

The benefactor he knew was valiant, decisive, and incredibly wise. He could remain composed even in the most threatening situation to find the most suitable manner to maneuver his way out of danger. On the other hand, the person before him…

While being locked in the Master Teacher Pavilion, he had eaten portions intended for five people and slept his time away. No matter how he looked at it, the two of them seemed to be completely different people.

Still, there was no doubt that their benefactor was a one-of-a-kind individual.

Despite being indicted in the Master Teacher Pavilion, possibly losing his life at any moment, he was still able to keep his cool, continuing to carry out his usual routine fearlessly. There were not many people in the world who had such nerves of steel. At the very least, Elder Xu knew that he did not.

Perhaps this was why the founder had chosen their benefactor in the first place!