Chapter 207: Back to the Academy

Taking the tea, Zhang Xuan vanished in a flash.

He hadn't planned to attend this birthday banquet in the first place. If not for Huang Yu and the others' sake, plus his desire to see the three masters and inquire about the poison gas, who cared about this Old Man Tian?

Even if it were a funeral, he wouldn't have come to look.

Although he hadn't asked the three masters now, judging by their demeanor, they would surely come to find him soon. He could ask then.

That being the case, there was no need to stay.

As for how he spotted the flaws in Old Man Tian's tea brewing, it was simple: when he entered, the old man was brewing tea, and the library generated relevant books, which he just skimmed.

If the fellow hadn't deliberately brought up Lu Xun to compete with him and set him up to lose, he wouldn't have bothered or said anything.

Trying to use Lu Xun to slap my face?

Joke. Anyone who tries to slap my face gets slapped back, whether you're Old Man Tian or anyone else—no exceptions.

"Old Man Tian, Your Majesty, Master Liu, Master Zhuang, Master Zheng, we'll take our leave too!"

Seeing Zhang Xuan leave, Huang Yu and Bai Xun quickly clasped their fists and departed.

They had brought Teacher Zhang here, and now they felt embarrassed to stay.

Once they left, the room fell silent.

"Grandfather, that was Calming Spirit Tea, you... why did you give so much..."

Tian Long was full of resentment.

Even if the other had guided Grandfather, was it necessary to be so generous?

These two taels of tea leaves had cost them countless resources to have picked and roasted. In gold coins, tens of millions couldn't buy them.

Even Grandfather usually couldn't bear to take a sip, and he just gave it away...

Just thinking about it hurt.

"Much? Not much at all!"

Glancing at his grandson, Old Man Tian shook his head.

He seemed clever and had once been full of promise, but now, whether in temperament or bearing, he fell far short.

"Old Man Tian is right. Two taels of Calming Spirit Tea is not much at all. Setting aside the guidance for Teacher Tian, just the two characters on the painting are priceless."

Emperor Shen Zhui spoke.

The simple characters 'Wild Deer' elevated the painting by nearly a realm. Those two characters alone were invaluable. Even if all the tea in the Tian family were given, it wouldn't be a loss.

Moreover, this had forged a bond with a calligraphy and painting grandmaster, easing their relationship.

"Teacher Zhang's guidance has benefited me greatly. Tian Long, Tian Gang, you handle today's banquet. I want to go into seclusion to digest this; perhaps I can advance further in the tea way."

Old Man Tian nodded and said no more.

"Then we won't disturb Teacher Tian!"

Liu Ling knew the host was dismissing them, so he and Emperor Shen Zhui and the others left.

"Your Majesty, we have matters to attend to, so we won't return to the palace with you."

Leaving the Tian residence, the three greeted Emperor Shen Zhui and hurried away.

Needless to say, they were going to find that Teacher Zhang.

"A dragon among men!" Seeing the three masters all bow to this Teacher Zhang, Emperor Shen Zhui sighed and said to the eunuch nearby, "Prepare things. Tomorrow's teacher evaluation, I want to attend too!"

"Yes!" the eunuch replied.

...

After the three masters and Emperor Shen Zhui left the Tian residence, Lu Xun and Wang Chao also came out. Once out of sight, their eyes blazed with intense fury and resentment.

"What right does he, a low-level teacher, have? What right? Damn it! Damn it!" Lu Xun roared, his hatred so deep that even all the water in the rivers couldn't wash it away.

He had thought today at Old Man Tian's banquet he would make a breakthrough and become Master Liu's apprentice. He never dreamed... this would happen.

The brat he had always looked down on kept slapping his face, infuriating him to the point of vomiting blood.

The intense humiliation drove him nearly mad.

He, Lu Xun, son of an imperial tutor, had always had smooth sailing and slapped others' faces. When had he ever suffered such treatment?

"That kid probably put all his effort into calligraphy, painting, and tea. I think his teaching must be lacking. As long as you win tomorrow's teacher evaluation, you can still wash away the shame," Wang Chao said from the side.

Even if this Zhang Xuan had talent, he couldn't be good at everything!

Even if he were talented in everything, a person's energy is limited. If he spent most of his time on calligraphy, painting, and tea, he surely hadn't put much effort into teaching.

The two were confident in their teaching; they didn't believe they could lose there.

"I must win tomorrow's teacher evaluation." Hearing his words, Lu Xun nodded.

He had been slapped in the face repeatedly; he couldn't lose this time.

"Wang Chao, don't you know that alchemist? I want to buy a few pills to try."

Clenching his fists, Lu Xun turned to look at him.

"Buy pills? You don't mean to..."

Realizing something, Wang Chao's face changed, and he quickly shook his head: "No, no. This might boost cultivation temporarily, but it harms the students too much. They'll likely find it hard to improve later..."

"I can't care about that now! I must win tomorrow... There's no turning back. Once I win and become an apprentice, I'll become a master teacher within ten years. Then I can help them remove the隐患, even give them a lifetime of wealth—it's nothing."

His eyes flickering, Lu Xun gritted his teeth.

"This..." Wang Chao hesitated.

He knew his friend's talent. He was only a step away from being a true calligraphy and painting master. Once he crossed that threshold, he would qualify to take the master teacher exam. With his years of teaching experience and study of master teachers, passing the exam within ten years was a sure thing.

If he really became a master teacher, compensating a few people would be easy.

A lifetime of wealth was simple, and removing the隐患 was not impossible.

"Enough, time waits for no one. These three million, borrowed from the emperor when visiting Master Yang, haven't been repaid. It's enough to buy five pills. Go buy them now. Tomorrow, I'll make them shine. Not only will I win decisively, but I'll also make everyone know that in Hongtian Academy... I, Lu Xun, am invincible!"

Flicking his sleeve, Lu Xun's voice roared.

"Alright, I'll go check now..."

Seeing his friend's resolve, Wang Chao knew further persuasion was useless and nodded.

What he said was true; there was indeed no turning back now!

Having offended Master Yang at the palace, becoming his apprentice would be difficult.

The three masters were focused on Zhang Xuan. If he lost again, there would be no hope.

His only hope was to win tomorrow's teacher evaluation overwhelmingly, making everyone know that Lu Xun was the true star teacher, the true number one of Hongtian Academy and even the entire Tianxuan Kingdom.

And that Zhang Xuan... what was he?

Competing with them... he wasn't worthy!

...

"Wasn't that painting meant as a gift for Old Man Tian? How did it become Master Liu's gift?"

Zhang Xuan hadn't gone far when Huang Yu and the other caught up. Sitting in the carriage, recalling the earlier events, she couldn't help asking.

Back then, Huang Yu and Bai Xun had competed for the Ink Pavilion painting. After he painted a fifth-level work, they both bought it as gifts. How did it become Master Liu's gift? And what about Bai Xun's painting?

"Actually, when we sought the Ink Pavilion painting, it was meant as a gift for Master Liu. Giving it to him is only natural," Huang Yu said. "I'm just a junior; even attending Old Man Tian's banquet, I wouldn't need to give such a precious gift."

"Ah..." Zhang Xuan was startled, then understood.

Indeed.

Huang Yu was a junior. Even if she wanted to pay respects to Old Man Tian, she could prepare something novel. Why would she need a treasure like the Ink Pavilion painting?

Naturally, it was prepared for Master Liu. Later, when Master Liu got the scroll, giving it to Old Man Tian as a gift was only logical.

"And you? You're just Master Zhuang's student; there's no need to prepare one for him, right?"

Bai Xun was different from Huang Yu.

She was a master teacher's apprentice, while Bai Xun was just Master Zhuang's student. The difference in status and identity was vast; they weren't comparable.

Huang Yu could seek a gift for Master Liu, but as a student, you didn't need to do that.

"Actually... I..." Bai Xun scratched his head, embarrassed. "Xiaoyu wanted the Ink Pavilion painting, so I said I wanted it too, so I'd have a reason to stay with her... As for the painting I bought from Master Zhang, I gave it to my father; he liked it very much..."

"..." Zhang Xuan was speechless.

So this guy wanted the Ink Pavilion painting just to pick up girls.

The thought was dizzying.

Still, his decision wasn't wrong. Only by competing with Huang Yu could he see her every day, making pursuit natural.

But it seemed the king had a dream, but the goddess was indifferent; this guy was doomed to fail.

Bai Xun was just Master Zhuang's student; there was no need to give a fifth-level painting as a gift. As the young prince of Bai, finding another gift wasn't hard. So at Old Man Tian's place, there was only one 'Wild Deer' painting, not the other one he had sold.

"Master Zhang, didn't you say you didn't know tea? Then how..."

The carriage traveled a while longer. Seeing Hongtian Academy ahead, Huang Yu couldn't help asking.

He had said he didn't know tea, and it didn't seem like a lie. How did he then point out the flaws in Tian Long's and Old Man Tian's tea brewing, leaving them convinced?

"I really don't..."

Zhang Xuan nodded.

Although his mind held many books on tea, he hadn't studied them carefully. To be honest, he really didn't know a thing.

"Then..."

Huang Yu and Bai Xun were baffled.

If you don't know, how could you speak so confidently, leaving them speechless?

Liar!

"I just happened to read a few books on tea and spoke casually. I didn't expect to guess right," Zhang Xuan said offhandedly.

"Spoke casually?"

Bai Xun and Huang Yu exchanged glances, speechless.

Bro, if you don't want to say, just don't say. Such a brush-off is too敷衍.

Do we really look that easy to fool?

"We're at the academy. Farewell!"

Seeing their disbelief, too lazy to explain further, Zhang Xuan smiled and stepped off the carriage.

Hongtian Academy had arrived.

He hadn't seen Zhao Ya and the others for a few days; he wondered how far they had progressed in their cultivation.