Chapter 1244: It Was Master Zhang Giving the Lecture

Hearing Master Yao's question, everyone turned to look in unison.

Song Xuan's words from earlier were still fresh in their ears—not only did he want to cripple Master Zhang, but he also demanded an apology...

Now that the outcome had reversed, they wondered how Master Zhang would handle it.

But given what the other had done, no matter what, it wouldn't be excessive.

Song Xuan clenched his fists, wanting to see how this Zhang Xuan would deal with him.

When a master challenge was lost, the victor could make any demand... and the loser had no choice but to comply.

"Master Song wanted to execute meritorious figures like Sun Qiang and Elder Xu, but he was deceived, not acting of his own will. I have no personal grudge against him... If anything, my weapon struck too harshly. As for punishment, let's forget it!"

Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

The man before him had already been thoroughly humiliated and received his due punishment. Continuing to pursue the matter would be meaningless and would only make him seem petty and intolerant.

"Truly worthy of Master Zhang—such magnanimity!"

"Indeed, both are masters of the Master Teacher Hall, but how vast the difference in character!"

"Not just a difference—they're not even on the same level..."

"From now on, Master Zhang is my idol. Anyone who argues with me about it will have to fight me!"

"He's my idol too..."

Hearing this, the crowd below was filled with admiration.

Even Yao Mantian couldn't help nodding.

No wonder this Master Zhang had reached such heights at such a young age—his breadth of mind alone was beyond ordinary people.

"Although Master Zhang is magnanimous, Song Xuan, as a special envoy, failed to thoroughly investigate the root cause of the incident and rashly issued a death sentence, nearly causing a catastrophe... He cannot escape blame! I will report this truthfully to headquarters and let them decide!"

Yao Mantian said.

Master Zhang might not punish him, but that was only because he had won the challenge. In fact, Song Xuan had committed a serious error and must be punished.

Otherwise, the Master Teacher Hall would have no rules.

"Thank you, Master Zhang, thank you, Master Yao..."

Hearing this verdict, Song Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Zhang Xuan again, full of admiration.

Earlier, when the other's weapon had crippled him, he had been so angry he wanted to kill him... But now, every move the man made had a purpose and represented the identity and duty of a master teacher, making it impossible for him to hate him.

Perhaps... this was what a true master teacher was like.

"You're welcome!"

Seeing the matter resolved satisfactorily, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief, smiled slightly, looked up, and pointed at the many characters in the sky.

Boom!

The first character immediately exploded, releasing dense spiritual energy that enveloped the entire Qingyuan Imperial Capital.

In an instant, all living beings in Qingyuan City heard a resonant voice, as if it sounded deep in their souls, making them unable to help but be enraptured.

Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!

The characters exploded one after another, the sound growing louder.

"The path of cultivation: take the body as heaven and earth, take the spirit as yin and yang..."

Hearing these words, Yao Mantian and Song Xuan were both stunned.

Earlier, when they saw the characters, they knew the technique was extraordinary, but only now did they understand just how profound it was!

Compared to the content being explained, the techniques they cultivated were as slow as snails, utterly insignificant.

"Master Zhang has transformed the master-character sound written with the Heavenly Sound Brush into a master's words bestowed by heaven..."

Suppressing the urge to start cultivating, Yao Mantian looked up.

He saw that all the visible cultivators on the square had sat cross-legged on the ground, circulating their true energy according to the formulas in the voice.

Crackle!

Before long, the crowd below sounded like firecrackers as countless people began to break through.

"That's..."

Such profound cultivation secrets, making people suddenly enlightened and break through, was understandable... But outside the crowd, flocks of wild chickens and countless birds in the sky were also surging in power and breaking through...

That was too exaggerated!

"Not just birds... those livestock and poultry... seem to be breaking through too!"

Shocked, he extended his divine sense and immediately saw countless donkeys, wild horses, geese, chicks... all of them, as if cultivating, surging in aura.

His mouth twitched, and just as he was about to withdraw his divine sense, he trembled again, nearly falling over.

"Huh? Wasn't that iron pipe bent just now? Why is it suddenly straight..."

He saw that some bent iron pipes in front of the platform had somehow become straight, standing like soldiers, valiant and spirited... with a proud bearing.

Even iron pipes could be straightened by words...

Swallowing his saliva, Yao Mantian looked at Master Zhang before him again, feeling like he was going mad.

This was no longer something that could be achieved simply by a teacher's words being divinely bestowed.

"It is the teacher's heart..."

Realizing this, Yao Mantian's eyes lit up.

Only the teacher's heart possessed such ability!

He hadn't expected that the person before him, so young, had already comprehended this...

No wonder he could unreservedly share these writings with everyone, always considering the Hall of Renowned Teachers.

"If such a brilliant genius could be taken as a student..."

His heart stirred, and a thought emerged.

Although the other party was highly gifted, after all, the Qingyuan Empire was too backward, ranking last among the titled empires.

If he could take him as a student and bring him to the Empire Alliance, providing the best resources and connections, it would definitely reduce many troubles and allow him to progress quickly.

Later, when he shone brilliantly... she, as his teacher, would surely become famous.

"I'll ask him later..."

Seeing the characters in the air dissipate one by one, and countless people around breaking through, Yao Mantian suppressed the urge to inquire, waiting for the divine bestowal of the teacher's words to end.

...

At a blacksmith's shop on the outskirts of Qingyuan City.

Inside a precisely structured room, the old blacksmith was tirelessly forging an item in his hands.

"Old Zhou, I still need eighteen iron pots; you must finish them for me today!"

An elderly man came up to him, smiling.

The man before him was neither a weapon refiner nor a celestial artisan, but merely an ordinary blacksmith, forging pots and pans to make a living.

"No need to rush, you can count on me... I'll get the job done today!"

With a smile, the old blacksmith's hammer, like a magic wand, struck a few times, and the item in his hand immediately changed shape.

"We've known each other for decades; of course I trust your work..."

The elderly man smiled.

He had been acquainted with this blacksmith for decades, and their relationship had long evolved from a business one to friendship.

The iron pots and spoons the other forged were exquisitely crafted and beautiful in appearance; when taken out for sale, they were quickly snapped up, doing excellent business, even with nobles and aristocrats vying to buy them. Thus, he always came here to stock up.

"Alright, wait here. I'll finish up in the afternoon, and then we can have tea together..."

With a chuckle, the old blacksmith was about to bring his hammer down again when he heard a series of clattering and rattling sounds from the room. He couldn't help but look up and saw the pots and pans hanging on the wall, moving on their own as if stirred by an unseen wind, joyfully lining up and marching out.

"This..."

Utterly incredulous, the old blacksmith rubbed his eyes vigorously.

These iron pots and ladles had no spirit—how could they suddenly run away?

"What's going on?"

Seeing a swarm of iron spoons rushing out of the room, the old man who had been talking to him was also bewildered and hurriedly asked.

"I have no idea..."

The old blacksmith looked as if he was about to cry.

These were things he had hammered out with his own hands, pouring endless effort into them. If they escaped, where would he ever find them again?

He swayed and blocked the path of a pot, trying to stop it, but felt a sharp pain in his hand. The hammer in his palm broke free and ran out of the room.

"Don't run..."

This hammer had been with him for decades; it was his livelihood. The old blacksmith was about to chase after it when he saw a flash of darkness before his eyes—the iron door slammed into his head and knocked him back.

Before he could react, he felt the house shake, and he frantically chased after the hammer.

"The house has run away too?"

The old blacksmith was somewhat frantic.

It was one thing for the pots and pans to run away, but even the house had run off... Where would he live from now on? How could he still forge iron?

"Old Liang, don't you have a flying spirit beast? Go out quickly and see what's going on... What's happening to my house and the forged ironware?"

Unable to hold back any longer, the old blacksmith said hurriedly.

"Alright!"

Old Liang, who had just been talking to him, nodded and quickly called out. A flying spirit beast immediately flew over. He stepped onto its back and charged off into the distance.

Not long after, he returned, his face pale, looking as if he had seen a ghost.

"What's wrong? Have bandits come to steal my treasures?"

The old blacksmith asked hastily.

He had heard that some powerful bandits could snatch people's belongings from afar, even from a great distance.

Could it be that his spoons and iron pots had fallen victim to such a technique, no longer obeying him and desperately fleeing outward?

"It's not bandits..."

Swallowing his saliva, Old Liang's voice was somewhat dry: "It's... Teacher Zhang giving a lesson!"