Chapter 166: Royal Library

"Oh?" Shen Zhui looked over.

A few days ago, a suspected master teacher arrived in the royal city, and it seems he's not just a one-star.

Master Yuanyu shared the news he knew.

"Master teacher? Not just one-star?" Shen Zhui had been outside these past few days and hadn't even had time to read the reports from Chancellor Qian, so he didn't know about the "five-star" incident.

"Yes, this master teacher easily cured the illness of Ling Tianyu's wife and resolved Du Miaoxuan's chronic ailment..." Master Yuanyu relayed the information he had.

As a medical master, he had been invited to treat these people and knew how difficult the cures were. This "Teacher Yang" managed to heal them in just ten or twenty minutes, leaving even him stunned. That was why he planned to visit.

"Curing an illness makes one a master teacher?" Hearing their conversation, Master Zhuang shook his head. "Master teachers have various methods, but their main role is helping people break through. Healing illnesses is the domain of medical masters."

Master Liu and Master Zheng also shook their heads in disagreement.

No wonder they didn't believe it. A powerful master teacher could guide any profession and even diagnose and treat illnesses, but that required an extremely high level. Ordinary one-star or two-star masters only helped with breakthroughs and could guide a few special professions.

Besides, master teachers attracted attention wherever they went. How could one come to a small place like Tianxuan Kingdom and rent a house to live in?

"Uh..." Master Yuanyu couldn't refute that.

Although this "Master Yang Xuan" had caused quite a stir recently, it was almost all about diagnosing and treating illnesses, not about helping anyone break through. Moreover, whether he was truly a master teacher was just hearsay; without seeing it firsthand, no one could be sure.

"What's the name of this person you mentioned? I know almost all the two-star master teachers in the kingdom." Seeing his embarrassment, Master Liu smiled and looked over.

"His name is Yang Xuan. I don't know the specifics..." Master Yuanyu said.

"Yang Xuan?"

Master Liu hesitated, then shook his head. "There's no two-star master teacher by that name in the kingdom. I even know some three-star ones, but none named Yang Xuan!"

Master teachers had their own circles. Although Master Liu was only a one-star, he knew most of the master teachers in the kingdom, including two-star and three-star ones, and could name them all. Yang Xuan was clearly a name he'd never heard before.

"Probably a fraud. You said that to visit him, you first have to pay three million gold coins. Would a real master teacher care about such worldly possessions?" Master Zhuang sneered.

Master teachers held a revered status. If they wanted any resource, a single word would have any major power, even the royal family, offering it willingly. Renting a mansion and demanding three million gold coins from visitors was clearly a scam to make money.

"This..." Master Yuanyu still found it hard to believe.

In the past two days, news about this Master Yang Xuan had spread like wildfire. He had been eager to visit, but now hearing the three master teachers say he might be a fraud, he felt a deep sense of disappointment.

"Actually, it's simple to tell if he's a fraud. Old Tian's birthday banquet is still a few days away, and I have nothing to do tomorrow. I can go with you to check him out and expose whether he's a master teacher or not!" Master Liu said.

"I want to go too. The master teacher profession must not be defiled. Someone is impersonating one, and I want to see if this guy has the guts to play with fire!" Master Zhuang snorted.

"Count me in. Honestly, I'm quite interested." Master Zheng also laughed.

"Alright!" Master Yuanyu nodded.

What they said was true: what's real can't be faked, and what's fake can't be real. If the man was genuine, the three master teachers' visit wouldn't matter. If he was a fraud, he'd be exposed on the spot, and he wouldn't have to worry anymore.

Seeing the three master teachers finish their discussion, Emperor Shen Zhui didn't dare to interrupt and could only shake his head helplessly.

Though he was the ruler of a country, he still didn't dare to act arrogantly in front of monsters like master teachers.

...

Unaware that three master teachers had arrived in the kingdom and planned to expose him, Zhang Xuan woke up to find the day already bright.

After tidying up and having breakfast, he instructed Sun Qiang: "I'm going out. If anyone comes looking for me, have them wait outside."

"Yes, Master!"

Sun Qiang nodded, full of pride.

As the butler of a master teacher, he was now riding high. No matter the four great clans or nobles—those he once had to curry favor with—now they all had to bow before him!

No matter your status, the master said to wait outside, so you wait!

After the incidents with Du Miaoxuan and Ling Tianyu, he had gained enough confidence.

Unaware of Sun Qiang's thoughts, Zhang Xuan assumed he understood and nodded, then left the mansion.

Finding an empty alley, he changed back to his original appearance and headed straight for Lu Chen's mansion.

Master Lu had said today he would take him to the royal library, where he should be able to find the cultivation technique for the Aperture Opening Realm and successfully advance.

Before long, he arrived at Master Lu's mansion.

"Brother Zhang, I'm sorry..."

As soon as he saw Master Lu Chen, the man looked at him with an apologetic expression.

"Sorry? Can't we get into the royal library?" Zhang Xuan's heart skipped a beat.

If he couldn't get in, where would he find books to study and supplement the Library of Heaven's Path?

"It's not that. It's about my unfilial son..." Master Lu Chen shook his head.

"Unfilial son?" Zhang Xuan was baffled.

What did his unfilial son have to do with him? He didn't even know him...

"Yes, I only heard last night that that unfilial brat plans to cause you trouble and challenge you to a teacher evaluation. It's my fault. I'll go today and make him concede..."

Master Lu Chen said.

"Teacher evaluation?" Zhang Xuan was stunned, a strange look on his face. "Master Lu, you don't mean to say... Teacher Lu Xun is your son?"

"Yes, that unfilial wretch. Three years ago, we argued, and he ran away from home, never to return..." Master Lu Chen shook his head.

"Uh... Since the competition is already set, I won't trouble you, Master Lu. Otherwise, people might think I'm scared and had to ask for your help..."

Zhang Xuan said with a wry smile.

He had known Master Lu Chen for a while, but he never expected Lu Xun to be his son.

What a coincidence.

However, news of the competition had already spread. It was too late to back out now. Since he was going to win, he would do it openly and honestly. If Master Lu Chen went to intervene, wouldn't that ruin his reputation?

Losing to a son and then asking the father for help—wasn't that like failing to teach a student and then calling their parents?

He didn't want to do that.

"Alright then..."

Seeing his insistence, Master Lu Chen had to let it go.

"Brother Zhang, my son has never suffered a setback since childhood and is used to being arrogant. Since you're going to take him on, make him understand his limits. Let him fall hard and learn that there's always someone better, so he won't be so conceited."

After chatting a bit more, Master Lu Chen spoke with anticipation.

His son was too arrogant. Just because he had said a few words to him, the boy ran away from home and didn't return for years, nearly making him sick with anger.

If Brother Zhang could teach him a lesson, that would be perfect. Let him suffer a bit and realize the world is vast; only by lowering his head could he go further.

"Uh... alright!"

Zhang Xuan had been thinking about going easy on him because of his good relationship with Master Lu, but hearing this, he nodded.

Since the other party said so, if Teacher Lu Xun insisted on pushing things, he wouldn't mind making him take a big fall.

Chatting along the way, they soon arrived at the royal palace.

The royal library was inside the palace, housing countless books collected by the kingdom. Only royal family members and the most prominent nobles were qualified to enter and read.

As the imperial tutor, Master Lu Chen bringing someone in wasn't too difficult. Before they even reached the entrance, the guards let them through.

"So this is the royal palace..."

Walking inside, Zhang Xuan looked around.

Although Tianxuan Kingdom wasn't a major power, the palace was extremely luxurious, rivaling even the Forbidden City in his previous life, if not more splendid.

Deep courtyards stretched endlessly, countless in number. Without a guide, one could easily get lost and lose all sense of direction.

Under Master Lu Chen's lead, they wound through a dozen corridors before stopping in front of a massive palace.

"This is the library!"

Master Lu Chen pointed with a smile.

Zhang Xuan looked ahead and saw a palace dozens of meters tall standing before him. Above the entrance hung a horizontal plaque with three large characters: "Library," red background with silver edges and golden lettering that reflected the sunlight, shining brightly.

"This is Emperor Shen Zhui's Golden Dragon Token. With it, you can browse the books freely without triggering the formations inside. I won't go in."

With a flick of his wrist, Master Lu Chen handed over a golden token.

On it was engraved a ferocious dragon, fierce and eye-catching.

"Thank you, Master Lu!" Taking the Golden Dragon Token, Zhang Xuan quickly clasped his fists.

The royal library was one of the kingdom's most important places, surely filled with formations and restrictions left by formation masters. Without this token, entering might trigger an attack.

"No need for formalities between us. If there's nothing else, I'll head back. Find whatever books you need inside; no one will disturb you." Master Lu Chen stroked his beard and smiled.

"Alright!" Zhang Xuan said no more and, holding the Golden Dragon Token, walked inside.

True to its reputation as the royal library, the bookshelves stretched layer upon layer, endless to the eye. The books covered numerous professions, densely packed, numbering in the tens of millions.

"Since I'm here, I might as well imprint all these books into the library!"

Seeing so many books for the first time, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up with excitement. Instead of looking for cultivation techniques, he went straight to the first shelf and began flipping through them.

Rustle, rustle!

The sound of pages turning echoed in the royal library.

...

While Zhang Xuan entered the royal library and started flipping through books, on the other side, Master Yuanyu brought Master Liu, Master Zheng, and Master Zhuang to the outside of his mansion.

"This is where that Teacher Yang lives..."

Master Yuanyu pointed ahead.

"Mm, knock on the door." Master Liu waved his hand.