Chapter 227: The Realm of Understanding

Of course, Zhang Xuan knew this was impossible.

Having become an alchemist, he also knew that no matter how potent a medicine was, consuming too much would lead to resistance, let alone pills that directly enhanced cultivation.

Having resolved the hidden dangers of a few people and completely dissolved the conflict with Lu Xun, everyone was delighted. Just as he was about to announce the official start of the new student competition, he saw countless students surging forward, their eyes red with excitement, staring intently at Zhang Xuan like hungry wolves spotting food.

"Teacher Zhang, I want to become your disciple. Will you accept me as your student?"

"Please take me in! Not only do I have good talent, I can also make the bed, fold blankets, and do housework..."

"I've always admired you. Even if I can't be an official student, I'd be happy to just audit your classes..."

"Teacher, my family has plenty of money. As long as you accept me as your student, no amount is a problem!"

"Money, money, money your sister! Get lost! Is Teacher Zhang a greedy person? If he is... my family also has a lot of money. Take me as your student..."

His stunning performance in the teacher evaluation, casually solving problems that even the three masters couldn't, drove all the students present crazy. They could no longer contain themselves, eager to become his disciples on the spot.

In an instant, the entire competition platform was swept by a frenzy of apprenticeship-seeking.

Those who had doubted and questioned before vanished like smoke. Countless students scrambled, afraid of missing the opportunity.

Many regretted so much they wanted to jump off a building, thinking how blind they had been to believe the rumors and not seek apprenticeship earlier.

If they had sought apprenticeship at the start of the semester, the ones basking in glory on the stage now would not be Zheng Yang and the others, but them!

After all, during the entrance test, Zheng Yang and the others had not shown much promise, especially Yuan Tao, who had come in last.

But now, the scene of Yuan Tao crashing into Teacher Lu and making him stagger backward, standing firm against him, was still vivid in everyone's minds, stirring excitement in countless people.

From being last place, barely admitted, to challenging a Pith Opening realm expert... it had only taken a little over half a month. If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, they wouldn't have believed it.

"This..." Zhang Xuan was also startled.

Clearly, he hadn't expected these people to be so excited.

"Teacher... has truly held his head high!"

This scene fell into the eyes of Zhao Ya and the others, and they clenched their fists.

Ever since they learned that Lu Xun was going to challenge Teacher Zhang, they had been holding a breath in their chests, determined to win honor for their teacher. And now... they had finally done it!

Teacher Zhang's excellence was finally understood.

A sense of pride welled up inside them.

It was as if they wanted to tell everyone, even stand before them and proudly say one thing...

Look, this is my teacher—

Zhang Xuan!

...

"I already have five students, and I don't plan to take on any more in the short term. However, since you are so enthusiastic, how about this: I can give you a basic lesson on cultivation, which might be helpful to you!"

Knowing that if he really accepted so many students, he would be exhausted to death sooner or later, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment, then came up with an idea and spoke.

Teaching five students was already driving him to bankruptcy and driving him crazy. With so many... even begging wouldn't be enough to support them!

"No more students?"

"Even just listening to one lesson would be good..."

Seeing that he was no longer accepting students, everyone showed disappointment. But when they heard he would give a lesson, they all became excited again.

How could a lesson that enabled Zheng Yang and the others to advance by leaps and bounds in such a short time be ordinary?

"This basic lesson will be held tomorrow at noon, right here. Those who want to listen can come early. For today, everyone should focus on the new student competition!"

After giving his instructions and calming the crowd, Zhang Xuan left the competition platform.

If he didn't leave, he was afraid these crazy students would devour him.

Besides, the highlight of today was the new student competition; the teacher evaluation was just an appetizer. He couldn't let the guest overshadow the host, could he?

Leaving the competition platform, he had just returned to his classroom when he saw the three masters walk in.

"Senior Brother!"

The three clasped their fists in unison.

"Mm, please have a seat. I happen to have something to trouble you with!" Zhang Xuan smiled.

"You are Master Yang's direct disciple. We are merely instructors. As senior brother, if you have any orders, just say them. 'Trouble' is too humble..."

Liu Ling smiled awkwardly.

Even among students of the same teacher, there were differences in status; the rank of direct disciples automatically elevated, so that even if they were low in cultivation and young in age, the teaching students had to address them as senior brothers.

Naturally, they had to follow the instructions of their senior brother.

"That's right!" Seeing them agree so quickly, Zhang Xuan nodded and said, "You also know that Teacher Yang wanders the world, indifferent to worldly affairs. Although he accepted me as a direct disciple, he only told me to study more and did not give me a suitable identity... So, I want to take the master teacher examination; I may need to trouble you a few!"

Taking these people as his students was precisely for this purpose. "Teacher Yang" said it was inconvenient, so he had to say it himself.

"Oh, I thought it was something serious. This is simple." Liu Ling smiled. "To take the master teacher examination, one must have the status of a master teacher apprentice. Teacher Yang has retired and is not convenient to reveal his identity; the three of us can act on his behalf."

As he spoke, he flipped his wrist and took out a jade token, handing it over.

"This is a jade identity token containing the aura of the three of us. As long as you carry it, it means you are a master teacher apprentice whom we have tested and approved. You only need to drip your blood into it to bind it, and no matter which Master Teacher Hall you go to, you will be recognized and allowed to register for the master teacher examination."

"Oh? That simple?"

Taking the jade token casually, Zhang Xuan found it hard to believe.

He had thought it would be complicated, but it turned out to be so easy.

"Becoming an apprentice teaching assistant is easy; as long as a master teacher approves, any ordinary star teacher or senior teacher can do it. But to take the master teacher examination is difficult!" Liu Ling said.

"Oh? Then... how does one take the master teacher examination?"

After dripping blood to bind the token, Zhang Xuan put it away and couldn't help asking.

The Tianxuan Kingdom had no master teachers, and the library had no similar records. Although he had been posing as a master teacher these days, to be honest, he had no idea how to take the examination or where to take it—he was completely ignorant.

"To take the master teacher examination, one must have sufficient external and internal conditions. The external conditions are: a master teacher's recommendation, the status of an apprentice teaching assistant, and at least one auxiliary profession!"

Liu Ling explained.

"Mm!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

He had heard this before and was not surprised.

"There are only two internal conditions!" Liu Ling continued. "They are: reaching the state of 'heart like still water' in the Understanding Principle realm, and reaching the Tongxuan realm in cultivation!"

"Understanding Principle realm?" Zhang Xuan looked over.

The second level of the mind was 'heart like still water,' which he had known for a long time, but what was the Understanding Principle realm?

Liu Ling said, "The mind is something that every cultivator, even every profession, must continuously temper. 'Heart like still water' is just a general term, indicating that a person can control their mind, focus their thoughts on a single matter, and not be affected by the external environment."

Zhang Xuan nodded.

He was right. Alchemists Chen Xiaodan and Meng Yan, because they hadn't reached this state, infused their negative emotions into the Tranquility Pills while refining, making the medicine ambiguous and losing its original efficacy.

"If we break it down in detail, this state of 'mind like still water' can be divided into two: one for master teachers, and one for martial artists and other professions."

"Why this division? It's simple. The 'mind like still water' that master teachers must achieve is completely different from that of other professions. This is also why master teachers are so special and revered."

"For other professions and martial artists, 'mind like still water' only requires a unified state of mind, unwavering and unshaken. But for master teachers, it requires discerning principles and identifying truth from falsehood!"

"Discerning principles and identifying truth from falsehood?" Zhang Xuan was utterly confused.

"Correct. If it's hard to understand, it's simpler to put it in two categories. The ordinary person's 'mind like still water' is called the 'Unity Realm,' requiring only focus on a single task. The master teacher's 'mind like still water' is called the 'Clarity Realm,' enabling one to distinguish things, investigate the logic of matters, and find the core problem."

Liu Ling said, "That is to say, even if both reach 'mind like still water,' the master teacher's is different from the ordinary person's. Only those with the Clarity Realm of 'mind like still water' are qualified to take the master teacher examination. This is why some higher academies have alchemy teachers, tea ceremony teachers, formation teachers, artifact forging teachers... yet these people are not master teachers."

Having an auxiliary profession qualifies one to take the master teacher exam. Old Tian was a tea ceremony master and a teacher at Northern Martial Academy. Previously, Zhang Xuan had wondered why he didn't take the exam. Now he knew the root cause.

Without the Clarity Realm of 'mind like still water,' one was not qualified.

"Then... how does one cultivate to achieve the Clarity Realm of 'mind like still water'?" Having understood so many mysteries, Zhang Xuan couldn't help asking.

"How to achieve it?" Liu Ling, Zhuang Xian, and the others exchanged glances and laughed simultaneously. "It can't be cultivated; it's talent! Those with the potential to become master teachers will naturally discern principles and identify truth from falsehood once they reach the state of 'mind like still water'!"

"It's like how alchemists must have a wood attribute physique. Without it, no matter how hard you train, it's useless! To put it simply, no matter how capable a man is, even if he masters every profession in the world, he can't give birth to a child. Without talent, no amount of cultivation is like drawing water with a bamboo basket—all in vain!"

"Reach 'mind like still water'... and naturally discern principles and identify truth from falsehood?" Zhang Xuan's heart skipped a beat.

He had already reached 'mind like still water' long ago, so why didn't he feel this way?

"What's the difference between the Clarity Realm and the Unity Realm?"

"To use the simplest example: with the Clarity Realm of 'mind like still water,' when others practice martial techniques, you automatically analyze the logic and sequence of the moves, then deduce how to train for the best effect. Ordinary 'mind like still water' can't do that."

Liu Ling said, "Master teachers like to take star teachers as apprentices, because if they can make students willingly follow them through their own ability, it shows they definitely have this talent."

"Automatically analyze the logic and sequence of martial techniques?"

Zhang Xuan's body trembled.

Damn it, he also had 'mind like still water'? Why didn't he have this feeling?

Could it be... he wasn't suited to be a master teacher?

If that were really the case, that would be screwed up.