Chapter 598: A Contest of Teaching

The wind from his sleeve was steady and calm, impossible to break a hair. The only explanation was that... Master Zhang had not cut his hair with one sword stroke, but with dozens!

However, these sword strikes did not sever the hair directly; it still appeared as a single strand, but when a gentle breeze brushed it, it broke into dozens of pieces.

Looking down at the drifting fragments, each section was exactly the same length, and the breaks were smooth and round, without any roughness.

Many skilled swordsmen could cut hair with one stroke, but to strike dozens of times without breaking it, each strike perfectly placed—what kind of control was this?

Trembling all over, Liao Wuzhi could no longer speak.

He had thought he understood when the opponent cut hair with one sword, but now he realized... he hadn't understood at all!

This was no longer just a matter of control; it was as if the sword had become an extension of his fingers, possessing a sense of touch, knowing the thickness of the hair, how deep to cut, and when the wind would break it...

With a dazed expression, he quickly looked up and saw that Master Zhang had already left the competition stage and returned to his seat.

"I will work hard and not let down your grace in teaching me the sword!"

Recalling Zhang Xuan's sword-wielding motion and demeanor, knowing he had gained much, Liao Wuzhi clenched his fist and walked down. As soon as he returned to the Cold Air Sect, he was surrounded by many elders.

"How did you lose just now? I didn't see him take out a sword; what did he use to defeat you?"

Everyone was puzzled.

Master Zhang didn't even draw his sword, so why did Liao Wuzhi voluntarily concede?

"What did he use to defeat me?"

Recalling the scene, Liao Wuzhi gave a bitter smile, his pupils involuntarily contracting, his body trembling slightly: "A single finger..."

"A single finger?"

Everyone was stunned.

...

In the round of eight to four, luck played a smaller role. Song Chao and Ruohuan Gongzi both stopped here. Among those who advanced, aside from Zhang Xuan, whose cultivation was slightly weaker, the other three had all reached the peak of Four-Star, the peak of the fourth level of Mortal Transformation.

Almost all were the ones previously favored to win the championship.

Especially the match between Luo Xuan and Ruohuan Gongzi, which was a complete碾压 from start to finish; they were not on the same level.

However, despite not making the top four, Ruohuan Gongzi was satisfied. If not for Master Zhang, he might have been eliminated in the selection round. How could he have entered the top eight and have the opportunity to study at the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy?

"Next match: Liuyun Sect's Luo Xuan vs. Wangjiang Sect's Bi Jianghai; Luosha Sect's Huang Zheng vs. Ten Nations Alliance's Zhang Xuan!"

Master Hong announced the subsequent matchups.

"Huang Zheng of Luosha Sect? The guy ranked fourth on the Potential Ranking?"

Zhang Xuan looked at a young man on the stage.

This name was also on the Potential Ranking, ranked fourth, and his cultivation and strength were no less than Liao Wuzhi's.

"Yes, Master Zhang, be careful. I've watched all of Huang Zheng's matches. Each one was different, yet he won by crushing his opponents. His true strength is not simple! I suspect that his previous ranking lower than Liao Wuzhi and others might be because he secretly hid his strength!"

Hall Master Kang said solemnly.

He had watched all of Huang Zheng's previous matches. Several bouts were all different, yet he won in an invincible manner. His true methods were probably no less than what the outside world reported.

Even compared to Luo Xuan, he might not be at a disadvantage.

"No matter who he is, if he meets Master Zhang, he should be the one with a headache!" Zhao Feiwu laughed.

"That's true..." Hall Master Kang gave an awkward smile.

If before, he had worried that Zhang Xuan's cultivation level might be a flaw and that he might not make it to the end, after watching the matches with Wu Tianhao and Liao Wuzhi, he had completely abandoned that idea.

This Zhang Xuan was like an invincible war god; whoever met him would be unlucky, their confidence shattered.

Although Huang Zheng seemed formidable in previous rounds, that was against others. Against Master Zhang... the result probably wouldn't be much better.

Seeing everyone so confident in him, Zhang Xuan gave a bitter smile and stepped onto the arena.

By then, Huang Zheng was already across from him. Seeing him come up, he clasped his fists: "Master Zhang!"

"Master Huang!" Zhang Xuan returned the greeting respectfully.

"I want to compete with Master Zhang in teaching!" Huang Zheng said calmly.

"Teaching?"

"Yes, the rules are simple: randomly select a hundred people from the square and teach them simultaneously, without using Heaven's Voice. After the lesson, whoever has more people willing to become their disciple wins!" Huang Zheng explained the rules.

The same competition content could have various rules. Of course, if you felt it was unfair, you could refuse.

"Alright!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

...

"A contest of teaching? And not allowed to use Heaven's Voice? That's a bit too much!"

"Indeed, Heaven's Voice is a hallmark of a master teacher, the most convincing method. Without it, how can they compete?"

"Master Huang is playing his cards well. Based on Zhang Xuan's previous experiences, it's hard for him to win in any other contest. But teaching is different. Sometimes, no matter how good the teacher, if the students don't like him, it's hard to learn. So... this competition has a lot of randomness. Plus, without Heaven's Voice, the outcome... who wins is hard to say!"

"That's true..."

Hearing the competition content on stage, the audience buzzed with discussion.

Teaching is not just about the teacher's fame making people more willing to learn; many other factors come into play. Just as no matter how perfect or excellent a person is, they can't make everyone like them.

This involves human emotions and cannot be measured by standards.

In other contests, Master Zhang could dominate, but in this one, it was hard to say. Victory or defeat was uncertain.

As expected of a famous genius in the competition, he quickly found the key point and proposed the most suitable contest for him.

Otherwise, in any other contest, he probably wouldn't be a match for Master Zhang.

...

With the rules set and no objections from either side, preparations were quick.

Soon, a hundred people were seated on the arena. Some were guards from the Ten Nations Alliance, others were ordinary people who had come to watch the Master Teacher Competition.

Being selected to listen to the lectures of two master teachers excited everyone, their eyes shining.

Such a good opportunity was not something everyone could experience.

"These people have different cultivation levels. I suggest we explain some basic knowledge of cultivation; otherwise, those with low cultivation might not understand, and those with high cultivation might find it unsuitable."

Huang Zheng said.

The selected hundred people had varying cultivation levels, from Martial Warrior First Level to Mortal Transformation Third Level. Explaining Mortal Transformation techniques would be incomprehensible to martial warriors, while explaining low-level techniques would bore the highly cultivated.

Only basic common knowledge of cultivation could resonate with everyone.

"Alright!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

It was just a rule; the opponent could set it however he wanted. Explaining other things might not work, but basics... even if Confucius came, he might not teach better than Zhang Xuan.

The basics compiled by the Library of Heaven's Path were error-free, something no other master teacher could achieve.

"Alright, let's both teach using telepathy. They can listen to whoever they want, without interference. The time is one incense stick. After that, whoever has more people willing to become their disciple wins!"

Huang Zheng finished explaining the rules and waved his hand: "Begin!"

"Mm, you go first."

Zhang Xuan was not in a hurry and smiled slightly.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony!"

Huang Zheng's eyes flashed, and he began to speak.

Using telepathy, only the people on the arena could hear; outsiders could only see their mouths moving but not the content.

After listening for a while and finding the opponent's explanation not bad, Zhang Xuan nodded, then stepped forward and began his own lecture.

...

"The competition has started!"

"Both are teaching simultaneously. How do they decide who to listen to?"

"Simple: whoever's content attracts you and helps you improve in cultivation, listen to them!"

"True. Although ordinary cultivators can't multitask, they can still block out one person's voice."

Seeing the competition begin, the audience discussed.

"Who do you think will win?"

"It's hard to say, but I still think Master Zhang will win."

"If they could use Heaven's Voice, Master Zhang would definitely win. But since neither can use it, it depends on who has a firmer grasp of the basics of cultivation..."

"Huang Zheng comes from a sect with many secret manuals; his basics are probably more solid than Master Zhang's."

...

With a competition, people cared about the outcome. Unable to hear the specifics, the audience was anxious, trying to discern something from the changes on stage.

But unfortunately, they couldn't see anything.

The seated listeners seemed hypnotized, listening with rapt attention, though it was unclear whether it was due to Master Zhang's or Master Huang's lecture.

"The match between Luo Xuan and Bi Jianghai has ended..."

Just as everyone was puzzled, wanting to know what the two were saying, someone in the crowd shouted. They quickly looked and saw that the match on the first arena had indeed ended.

Bi Jianghai's brows were raised, his aura like a dragon, his whole person exuding an inviolable presence.

Meanwhile, Luo Xuan, who had been the favorite to win, stood quietly across from him, shaking his head constantly, looking somewhat disappointed.

"What happened?"

"Who won?"

Seeing this, everyone was stunned.

Bi Jianghai was not very famous, not even in the top ten of the Potential Ranking. Everyone thought he would surely lose against Luo Xuan, the top potential. But it didn't seem that way!

"Master Luo lost!"

A master teacher who had been observing their match couldn't help but say, as if even he found it hard to believe.

"Master Luo was hailed as the top potential, the most likely to win the championship. How could he lose?" Many couldn't believe it.

"They competed in cultivation. Their strengths were similar, even... Master Luo was slightly better. Logically, he should have won. But who knew... Master Bi Jianghai, whether by luck or accumulated experience... actually broke through during the match, reaching the Harmonious Spirit Realm!"

The master teacher said with a bitter smile.

"Broke through during the match?"

"Harmonious Spirit Realm?"

Everyone was stunned.