LoHP Chapter 70: Doubts

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Chapter 70: Doubts

“The heck!”

“Refuse? Brother, are you serious?”

Shang Bin, Cao Xiong and Shen Bi Ru tug on their hair, every single one of them on the verge of going mad.

The thrill that they have experienced today is much more than what they have experienced in their entire lifetime.

Who is Wang Tao? One of the top ten geniuses in the academy. There isn’t a single teacher who isn’t vying to pull him under their wing. Back then, Elder Shang Chen only managed to rope him in through exploiting his identity as the head of the Education Bureau…

A genius like that, accompanied with the personal plea from the Wang clan’s head… The hell, you actually refused it?

Shang Bin and others feel as though they have just incurred 10000 damage, and they find themselves unable to catch their breath.

Just a moment ago, he just criticised him for being unable to recruit students. Yet, the next moment… the Wang clan’s head sends his son over to him! However, what is the most shocking of all is that… he refuses to accept him!

“My heart, my liver…”

Elder Shang Chen feels fresh blood coursing erratically around his throat, threatening to spurt out at any moment.

Is there still justice in the world? Is there still law in the world?

I am an elder, not to mention the head of the Education Bureau. It is one thing that you withdrew from my tutelage to acknowledge a fellow who scored zero in his Teacher Qualification Examination as your teacher. The worst of it all is that he refuses to accept…

Elder Shang Chen feels as though his face has been torn off violently, ground and scattered onto the floor. At this moment, he wishes fervently for a hole to appear in the ground so that he can conceal himself in it.

Too embarrassing!

He feels as though his dignity has been thrown away all the way to his grandmother’s house!

Standing by the side, Elder Mo Xiang’s eyeballs are also about to fall to the floor.

Just a moment ago, his opinion of Zhang laoshi has improved, but by the looks of it now, it seems that it is still insufficient!

“Refuse?” Awkwardness reflects on the face of Wang clan head. He immediately shoots a glance at his son.

“I beg Zhang laoshi to accept me as your disciple!”

Wang Tao hurriedly steps forward, kneels on the floor and looks at Zhang Xuan with a sincere expression.

It is true that he has looked down on this Zhang laoshi before. However, upon seeing his younger sister’s legs being healed and an explosive surge in her strength, as well as recalling how his sword was clamped by two mere fingers of the other party, he is already impressed with him from the bottom of his heart.

“I refuse!” Zhang Xuan waves him away.

A student can choose his teacher. Similarly, a teacher can also choose his students as well!

Yesterday, this Wang Tao barged into his classroom. Not only was he disrespectful, he even pointed a weapon at him. How can he possibly accept such a student under his wing?

Back then, even though Zhao Ya had only challenged him verbally, she was still punished to clean the washroom!

If a teacher were to not have any dignity, his students will look down on him. If that’s the case, how can his guidance bear any results on them?

“I know that I was rash and I had offended Zhang laoshi, but on the account that I am still immature and ignorant of etiquette, I hope that you will not hold it against me!” Knowing the reason behind his refusal, Wang Tao hurriedly speaks.

The dignity of a teacher cannot be sullied. After he wielded a sword to attack Zhang Xuan, it is one thing for the other party to not to fuss over the matter. Yet, at this moment, he still hopes to be admitted under his tutelage. It is no wonder that his request would be rejected!

“Indeed, my son is ignorant of teacher’s greatness, so he was a little rash back then. I hope that you can forgive…” Clan head Wang Hong quickly explains.

“Wang clan head, there is no need to say these. I don’t think that this is the reason why Zhang laoshi refuses to accept your son!”

At this point, an abrupt voice echoes in the room.

Tracing the source of the voice, it came from the one who had just lost in the Enlightenment Will Trial a moment ago, Cao Xiong.

If it was just a moment ago, with Elder Shang Chen’s prestige and standing, he is surely able to annul the punishment for him. If that fails, he can also think of methods to drag the punishment out, allowing the agreement to gradually fade out of view. Yet, at this moment, the clan head of the Wang clan, Wang Hong, came over to beg Zhang Xuan. It is very probable that he would be unable to escape the punishment from the Enlightenment Will Trial if the situation were to continue on like this.

In any case, the situation is already irreversible. There is no need for him to worry about souring his relationship with Zhang Xuan even further.

“Un?” Hearing someone interrupt his words, clan head Wang Hong’s face darkens in displeasure.

“This Zhang Xuan only has the strength of a Fighter 3-dan Zhenqi realm whereas Wang Tao shaoye‘s current level of cultivation is Fighter 4-dan Pigu realm. Since his strength is unable to match up with him, how can he guide him or give him pointers? The reason why he is reluctant to accept him as his student is because he is aware of it as well!”
Shaoye -> Young master

With a savage expression on his face, Cao Xiong roars.

“Indeed, his strength doesn’t even match up to Wang Tao shaoye. To think that he would even consider accepting him as his student, what a joke!” Shang Bin immediately reacts and hurriedly adds in.

“Clan head Wang, please reconsider your decision. It’s alright for Wang Tao shaoye to withdraw from my tutelage, but if he were to acknowledge someone whose cultivation realm is lower than him as his teacher, it would be difficult for him to raise his cultivation level in the future!” A gleam flashes across Elder Shang Chen’s eyes as well.

That’s right, the Zhang Xuan standing before them only has the strength of a Fighter 3-dan Zhenqi realm. This is a fact well-known by everyone in the academy.

A Fighter 4-dan expert acknowledging someone weaker than him as his master, this in itself is a joke!

“This…”

Gedeng, clan head Wang Hong’s heart beats.

He has heard of Zhang Xuan’s incredible theories from Wang Ying’s mouth, but he doesn’t know his exact level of cultivation.

Although Wang Tao had attacked him before, as he had never told him about it, he isn’t aware of it either.

If what the other party says is true, and this Zhang laoshi only has the strength of Fighter 3-dan Zhenqi realm, then he is truly incapable of teaching Wang Tao!

It is true that a teacher who is knowledgeable in theories can impart them to his student, but only by cultivating it and testing it out first-hand will he have a greater comprehension of it. If the teacher himself has yet to reach such heights, then it is unlikely that he is able to teach them well.

This is just like in Zhang Xuan’s previous life. If the teacher himself is incapable of solving a problem, then how can he teach his student to do it?

There are many matters that a teacher is required to be precognizant of so that the student can take note of them while cultivating.

Otherwise, no matter how many incredible theories a teacher might wield in their brain, they are just like a reflection of the moon on the lake, unable to come to be of practical use.

“Zhang Xuan, even if you wish to teach Wang Tao shaoye, do you have the ability to? If you don’t, stop putting on an act here. With your strength as a Fighter 3-dan, you might be able to muddle some freshmen who have just entered the academy, but don’t dream about doing the same with the older students!” Seeing Zhang Xuan remaining silent, savagery and excitement gleam in Cao Xiong’s eyes.

“Indeed, clan head Wang. What Cao Xiong laoshi says makes sense. Zhang Xuan himself has yet to break through to Fighter 4-dan, so it is natural that he is unsure of the method of cultivation at that level. How can he guide a student’s Pigu realm cultivation like that!” Regaining his confidence once more, Elder Shang Chen says as he strokes his beard.

“No, your words are wrong!” Hearing the mocking of the crowd, Wang Tao hurriedly stands up to explain. “Who says that Zhang laoshi‘s strength is unable to match up to me? Yesterday, when I unintentionally offended him, I attacked him with my sword using my full strength. Yet, he managed to catch my sword easily with just two fingers of his. Such a feat is impossible if he is only at Zhenqi realm!”

“Catch with two fingers? Haha, Wang Tao shaoye, even if you wanted to spare him some dignity, you need to come up with something more believable!”

Cao Xiong sneers coldly, “You are a Fighter 4-dan Pigu realm expert and your strength exceeds 700kg. Furthermore, given the weight and the speed of your blade, even a Pixue realm primary stage expert will find it hard to take it on bare-handed, needless to say with two fingers… You can’t be trying to tell me that our Zhang laoshi, who scored zero for the Teacher Qualification Examination, has reached Pixue realm, just like the elders of our school!”

A sword is light and flexible in its movements, and the full strength attack of a Pigu realm advanced stage expert is fast as lightning. If the other party isn’t well-versed in the opponent’s swordsmanship and know precisely where the attack is going to land beforehand, even a Pixue realm primary stage expert will find it hard to catch his attack… Yet, Wang Tao actually said that the worst teacher in the academy managed to catch his attack easily… You must be joking!

“I’ve seen it too, teacher used two fingers to hold his sword in place!” Liu Yang explains in a fluster as well.

He has seen the situation that day with his own eyes and there isn’t any falsehood in his words.

However, given his high trust level in Zhang Xuan, the moment he says it, it seems as though he is helping him to cover up the lie.

“Clan head Wang Hong, you are a great clan of cultivators!” Ignoring the explanations of the two, Elder Shang Chen sneers coldly. “Do you think that someone who isn’t at Pixue realm intermediate stage is capable of catching Wang Tao shaoye‘s full strength attack?”

“This…” Clan head Wang Hong hesitates.

Catching Wang Tao’s attack at full strength with just two fingers, this is a feat that average Pixue realm experts will find difficult to accomplish!

This Zhang laoshi might have incredible theories, but to reach Pixue realm intermediate stage at such a young age… Even he finds it hard to believe.

After all, it is too shocking!

“Wang Tao shaoye, I understand that you said those things intentionally to bring up Zhang Xuan’s reputation because you want him to accept you as his student. However, there is a limit to everything. Sometimes, going too far isn’t good…” Seeing Wang Hong stumped, Elder Shang Chen opens up his arms majestically and speaks with a wise demeanor. Just as he is about to continue chatting casually with clan head Wang Hong and bring up some profound theories to prove that what Wang Tao said was untrue, he hears the voice of the teacher on duty sounding from beyond the room once more.

“Elder Shang!”

“What’s the matter?” Elder Shang Chen frowns in displeasure.

Didn’t you see that I am in the midst of zhuangbi?
Zhuangbi -> Acting cool, profound

How can one be so incapable of reading the situation!

“There is someone outside who is seeking an audience with Zhang Xuan laoshi…” The teacher on duty says in a fluster.

“Looking for Zhang Xuan? Who?”

What’s going on today?

Why is everyone looking for Zhang Xuan today?

“It is… the son of Zhennan Wang, Bai Xun xiao wangye!” The teacher on duty says.

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Zhennan Wang -> The king who stabilises the North
Just like mentioned before, wang (king) is a nobility conferred by the emperor onto someone (usually members of the royal family). wangye is a name that is used to address them.
The reason why they call Bai Xun xiao wangye (Xiao means small/little/younger) is probably to differentiate him from his father. After all, his father’s surname must also be Bai, and he is a wangye as well. Previously, I used little
It is similar to how sometimes Junior is added to someone’s name.

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