Chapter 213: Shocked Qian Chao

Qian Chao was the son of Grand Secretary Qian. Originally planning to take the day off and rest, he was dragged here early in the morning by his father, full of resentment.

"Dad, for this teacher evaluation, we could just ask someone about the results and report them. There's no need for you to come in person!"

Qian Chao's face was full of grievance, indescribably wronged: "No matter what, you're one of His Majesty's most trusted men. You didn't even go to the duel between the Marquis of Huainan and General Jifeng, so what's so interesting about a student competition?"

He really couldn't understand what was wrong with his old man.

A grand secretary of the highest rank, who need not bow even before the king, ignoring the conflicts among first-rank officials, but insisting on watching some student competition.

A teacher evaluation, though it involves the teacher's reputation, is essentially a few students fighting... For something like this, just send a servant to watch and report back. Why does the intelligence chief need to come in person?

Aren't you afraid of scaring people?

"This is a three-star event. I must be present..." Grand Secretary Qian waved his hand.

"I know it's a three-star event. Since it involves the academy automatically gaining a star, and Teacher Lu Xun is a star teacher, that adds another star. But really, it's just a one-star event..." Qian Chao curled his lips dismissively.

A one-star event, under normal circumstances, could be reported or not. If he had to come in person for every such event, he'd be exhausted!

"It's not that simple!" Grand Secretary Qian snorted.

"How complicated can it be? A student competition—I don't believe it can have a higher star rating than the duel between the Marquis of Huainan and General Jifeng. That duel alone had twelve officials above the second rank watching, definitely one of the most spectacular competitions of the year..."

Qian Chao was unimpressed.

The Marquis of Huainan and General Jifeng were both first-rank officials of the kingdom. Their duel was publicized in advance, and many experts came to watch. Yet his father stubbornly refused to go, saying the star rating wasn't high enough...

But now he came to watch a few students fight, making Qian Chao wonder if the old man was losing his mind.

"This morning, I received news that Patriarch Wang Hong of the Wang family and Patriarch Bai Ming of the Bai family have both arrived at the academy. With two family patriarchs present in person, it shows how important this competition is. Do you think I should come in person?"

Grand Secretary Qian said.

"Patriarch Wang Hong is a peak Tongxuan realm expert, ranked among the top in the entire royal city. Patriarch Bai Ming, though not as strong, is a genuine alchemist of high status... They came to watch a few students fight?"

Qian Chao didn't believe it.

These two patriarchs, though without official positions, held status no lower than first-rank officials. How could such formidable people come to watch a student competition?

"Look for yourself..."

The two turned a corner and arrived at the Hongtian Academy competition stage. By then, the surrounding stands were already packed.

Grand Secretary Qian pointed casually.

"I thought there wouldn't be many people on the main seats... Ah?"

Muttering, Qian Chao couldn't help but look at the main seats on the competition stage. The moment he looked, his body froze.

"Patriarch Wang Hong and Patriarch Bai Ming are really here... And that is... President Ouyang? President Ouyang of the Alchemist Guild is here too? And Alchemist Meng Yan, Alchemist Lin Mu, Alchemist Jin Chen... How is this possible?"

He had thought a student competition wouldn't attract attention, but not only had two of the four great family patriarchs come, nearly ten alchemists had also arrived, including the guild president.

What was going on?

Alchemists, as one of the most prestigious professions among the upper nine classes, were extremely noble. People like President Ouyang were so hard to see that even King Shen Zhui might not get an audience. Yet today, he came here to watch a bunch of kids compete...

Qian Chao's head spun; he couldn't believe it.

"Not just them. Look over there!"

Before his shock subsided, Grand Secretary Qian pointed again.

Following the direction, Qian Chao trembled again, almost speechless.

"The kingdom's top physician, Master Yuanyu? And that is... Elder Tian? He didn't even attend His Majesty's birthday banquet, making excuses to decline. How... how..."

He had just thought his father was making a fuss, but now he was shocked nearly to death.

Master Yuanyu was a formidable figure whom even the king treated with courtesy and dared not demand too much of!

As for Elder Tian, even the king couldn't get a cup of tea from him. How impressive was that?

Yet these two incredibly impressive people were sitting obediently in the audience, motionless, waiting for something...

Can someone tell me what's happening?

Is this real?

"Who are those people? Why are so many giving up their seats for them?"

"I don't know. They must be very high-status..."

While he was shocked out of his wits, he heard exclamations from students nearby. He looked up and stumbled again.

"The Three... Great Masters? They... they came too?"

Before him appeared three old men.

If the previous people were just shocking, these were earth-shattering.

These were the Three Great Masters.

Even his father, Grand Secretary Qian, might be ignored if he visited them. Such supreme beings.

And today, they were sitting in the audience like everyone else...

But his shock was far from over. Soon, he saw two middle-aged men sit down.

"That's... King Shen Zhui and City Lord Zhao Feng of White Jade City?"

His throat went dry.

He had just thought his father was lowering his status by coming here, but now even the king and City Lord Zhao Feng had come in person.

White Jade City, the second largest city in Tianxuan Kingdom, its city lord second only to the king!

Was this really a student competition?

Even a prince's duel wouldn't have such a grand scale!

"Actually... the highest-status person in the crowd isn't His Majesty or the Three Masters, but that one."

Seeing his son so frightened, Grand Secretary Qian spoke.

Qian Chao quickly looked and saw a completely unremarkable fat man.

"He is..."

Knowing his father had wide sources of information and wouldn't speak without reason, Qian Chao couldn't help asking.

"He is... Master Yang's steward, Sun Qiang! His presence here represents Master Yang..." Grand Secretary Qian said slowly.

"Represents Master Yang?" Qian Chao swallowed his saliva. "The Master Yang who even King Shen Zhui was turned away by?"

He had heard about Master Yang these days—how Master Liu and others willingly visited him, admitted inferiority, and how King Shen Zhui was kept waiting outside the door...

Such a formidable master sent his steward here...

Qian Chao's body trembled. He couldn't fathom what kind of competition this was.

"Is this really a three-star event?"

"Originally judged as three-star, but now it seems... it's probably five-star!"

Grand Secretary Qian's face was grave.

Only a five-star event could have such momentum and attract so many experts.

"Could it be... Teacher Lu Xun?"

After thinking for a long time, Qian Chao couldn't help asking in a trembling voice.

Lu Xun was a star teacher, famous throughout the kingdom. Could it be that because he was competing, so many people came?

Turning a three-star event into a five-star one!

"Him? I'm still puzzled. Though he's famous, I don't think he's qualified. Now I'm wondering if it's that Teacher Zhang Xuan."

Grand Secretary Qian hesitated, then said.

Lu Xun was indeed famous, but at most he could attract Wang Hong, Bai Ming, and the like. To bring President Ouyang and a group of alchemists, that was impossible.

Not to mention King Shen Zhui, Elder Tian, and Master Yang's steward Sun Qiang.

Since it wasn't him, it had to be the other party in the competition.

This... once notorious Teacher Zhang.

"Zhang Xuan..."

Hearing this somewhat familiar yet unfamiliar name, Qian Chao was stunned.

If his father's guess was true, and he could make so many formidable people come in person...

How did this guy manage that?

Not only was he shocked nearly to madness, but the academy's many teachers were also pulling their hair in frustration.

Are you sure this isn't the dean's duel?

Otherwise, why would the king, the Three Great Masters, Elder Tian, Master Yuanyu... all these formidable figures come?

Zhang Xuan, having returned to his original appearance, brought Zhao Ya and the others to the competition stage. Seeing the crowd on the main seats and the excited King Shen Zhui and others, he also looked bewildered.

"This is a teacher evaluation between me and Lu Xun. What are these idiots... doing here?"