Chapter 636: Silence

"You..."

Princess Fei'er nearly spat blood.

Pour wine? Pour your sister!

Didn't I buy ten days?

I'm not your maidservant now, am I?

"I know!" Zhang Xuan nodded. "We've met before, and we're friends, right, Sixth Princess?"

"Yes!"

Glaring at him, wishing she could strangle him to death, Yu Fei'er gritted her silver teeth and replied.

She had no choice but to agree. Calling her a friend was already saving face; if he directly called her a maidservant, she really wouldn't be able to live.

"I'll pour for you!"

Stomping her foot, Yu Fei'er walked over, grabbed the wine cup, and filled it to the brim, cursing him in her heart, wishing she could skin him alive.

But she knew it was just a thought. She had lost the bet, and he held her master teacher badge; even if she wanted to resist, she couldn't.

"Alright!"

Seeing the woman's reluctance, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

During the bet, she had wanted him to kneel. So what if she was a princess? She still needed to be taught a lesson.

"Teacher... Fei'er is my good friend, how about..."

Seeing her friend's face turn green with anger, Luo Qiqi found it both amusing and exasperating.

She never expected that the scoundrel her best friend constantly wanted to strangle was actually her own alchemy teacher.

Both were important to her, so she wanted to see if she could ease the conflict.

"Your friend? Fine, I'll waive ten days for her..."

Zhang Xuan nodded.

Thinking that pleading for her friend would make him drop the maidservant matter, but he only waived ten days, Princess Fei'er's face flushed with anger: "Qiqi, don't plead for me. Isn't it just spirit stones? I'm not lacking..."

"Good, that saves me the trouble. Those ten days are as good as not waived!" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Seven hundred mid-grade spirit stones—if he could save them, he would.

"You..."

Princess Fei'er's face alternated between pale and red, so angry she nearly spat blood.

"Teacher is just teasing you, don't be angry..."

Seeing her friend about to explode, Luo Qiqi couldn't help shaking her head: "By the way, didn't you want to learn alchemy from Teacher Zhang? He's right here..."

"Hmph, I'd rather learn from a pig than from him!"

Princess Fei'er gritted her teeth.

"Alright!"

Knowing the conflict between her friend and her newly acknowledged Teacher Zhang was significant, Luo Qiqi decided to mediate later.

Everyone had arrived, and the banquet continued.

However, with Emperor Ye Wentian and Master Wei present, and the volatile Sixth Princess, the atmosphere was noticeably heavier, lacking the previous cheerfulness.

After a while, Luo Zhao and the others couldn't stay any longer and rose to take their leave.

These master teachers, with faces swollen like pig heads, needed to hurry back and heal; otherwise, even if they got two slots, it would be useless.

"Your Highness, we also take our leave."

Seeing them leave, Master Hong also cupped his fists and stood up.

"Master Zhang, please stay."

Just as he took a few steps, Wei Jiang approached.

"Master Wei!"

During the banquet, Crown Prince Yeqian had introduced him. Knowing that this was the head of the Master Teacher Pavilion of Huanyu Empire, a five-star peak master teacher, Zhang Xuan did not dare to be presumptuous and cupped his fists solemnly.

"Master Zhang, may I have a word?"

Wei Jiang smiled.

"It's my honor."

Unexpected that the other wanted to speak with him alone, Zhang Xuan smiled slightly.

Letting Master Hong and the others return to their residence first, Zhang Xuan followed Master Wei into a room.

"May I ask... is Master Zhang a war master?"

Setting up a barrier around them to prevent eavesdropping, Wei Jiang looked over.

"War master? What's that?"

Zhang Xuan was completely confused.

War masters involved secrets of higher-level master teachers; the books he had read had no record of them, so he didn't know.

"Uh... it's a master teacher specializing in combat..."

Explaining what a war master was, Wei Jiang observed carefully as he spoke.

Finding that the other didn't seem to be feigning ignorance and truly didn't know, he was filled with doubt.

If not a war master, how could he have such formidable combat power, defeating nine people above his level?

He had also seen the miserable state of those master teachers; although their faces were swollen and looked terrible, the attacker had not been ruthless but had deliberately shown mercy.

With medication, they would recover completely in a day or two.

Fighting nine opponents stronger than himself and still holding back... how strong was he?

"There's such a master teacher?"

Hearing about the profession of war master, Zhang Xuan was astonished.

He had always thought master teachers were educators who taught the world; he never knew there were those specialized in combat.

No wonder many master teachers couldn't even move their feet when facing alien tribesmen—how could they kill them?

So... the ones truly responsible for combat were not them, but these super master teachers who could fight above their level.

"Why does Pavilion Master Wei think I'm a war master?"

He turned to look.

"I heard you single-handedly fought above your level and easily defeated nine people stronger than you..." Wei Jiang said.

"Oh!" Now understanding, Zhang Xuan shook his head: "I just learned of this profession, so naturally I'm not one."

"Then... do you have any special constitution?" Wei Jiang continued.

"I could defeat those nine because I could see the flaws and weaknesses in their martial techniques and exploit them..."

Zhang Xuan said: "It's not due to any special constitution."

Speaking of special constitutions, he had two students with them; as their teacher, he had always been envious.

"Alright."

Hearing him admit he wasn't a war master and had no special constitution, Wei Jiang was somewhat disappointed.

He had hoped Huanyu Empire could produce a war master to become famous, but now it seemed he had been overthinking.

Special constitutions, if not activated, were nearly undetectable; even as a five-star peak master teacher, he couldn't do anything about it.

They chatted a while longer, but Zhang Xuan skillfully deflected all questions.

His ability to fight above his level was due to the Library of Heaven's Path and the Heaven's Path techniques, and second, to his soul shaman methods.

Neither of these could be revealed to others; if he claimed to be a war master and was taken back for research, it would be troublesome.

So no matter what the other said, he didn't admit it.

"Sorry for troubling Master Zhang!"

After chatting a bit more without finding any useful clues and failing to discern anything after probing, Wei Jiang could only cup his fists apologetically.

"You're welcome."

Zhang Xuan smiled lightly, said no more, and turned to leave.

Shortly after he left, the door was pushed open again, and Emperor Ye Wentian walked in, looking anxious.

"How did it go?"

"He probably doesn't have a special constitution, but... whether he's a war master, I'm not sure." Wei Jiang shook his head.

"Not sure?" Ye Wentian was puzzled.

"Hmm, war masters go through layers of selection and assessment. Although he can fight above his level now, compared to a true war master, he's still far off... Forget it, let's not think about it for now. I'll report this situation to the Hongyuan Empire Master Teacher Pavilion. Let Pavilion Master Mo decide personally!"

After a moment's hesitation, Wei Jiang said.

His current ability was indeed insufficient to confirm.

It was better to report it and let the higher-ups decide.

"Good, report it."

Ye Wentian thought for a moment and nodded.

Wei Jiang flipped his wrist, and a palm-sized object appeared in his hand. He tapped it, wrote the message, and with a flash of light, the words disappeared.

A communication jade talisman, similar in function to a communication wall but more portable and easy to carry.

Earlier, Master Hong had used such a device to send a message to Master Mo Gaoyuan.

Buzz!

Shortly after sending the message, light flashed again.

"This..."

Seeing the words on it, Wei Jiang's pupils contracted, as if in disbelief.

"What did Pavilion Master Mo say?"

Seeing his old friend's expression, Ye Wentian also frowned.

"See for yourself..."

Swallowing his saliva, Wei Jiang handed over the communication jade talisman.

Puzzled, Ye Wentian looked down and was also stunned.

There was only one line on it.

"Regarding Master Zhang Xuan's matters: do not discuss, do not ask, do not speak—seal your lips thrice!"

Whoosh!

As soon as he finished reading, the words on the jade talisman, their preservation time expired, vanished before his eyes.

"Seal your lips thrice... Could it be that Pavilion Master Mo already knew about this Master Zhang?"

His pupils contracted, Ye Wentian couldn't help saying.

Sealing one's lips thrice was a sign of respect from lower-level master teachers to higher-level ones. This Master Zhang was only a four-star; why would Pavilion Master Mo issue such a gag order?

Could it be... that Pavilion Master Mo already knew about this Master Zhang?

Otherwise... why would he say that?

"He must have known already; otherwise, as soon as I mentioned the name Zhang Xuan, he wouldn't have... sent back this message!"

Wei Jiang nodded.

Mo Gaoyuan had gone to Wanguo City and left the same day; few knew about it, besides Zhang Xuan and the others, only Master Hong and Pavilion Master Kang of Wanguo City.

Although Wei Jiang was Master Hong's teacher, he was also unaware.

"Then... what should we do?"

Ye Wentian looked over.

"Since Pavilion Master Mo has decreed this, let's not say more. Master Zhang will be entering the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy anyway. If I remember correctly, the academy's once-every-five-years war master selection should be starting soon... If he truly has talent, he will surely make a name for himself!"

Wei Jiang said.

"War master selection? Right, you mentioning it reminds me. But... a true war master requires at least a five-star master teacher. He's only at the peak of Zhuqing realm now, hasn't even reached Heling realm. Who knows when he'll break through!"

Ye Wentian nodded in agreement, then said with some concern.

"Regardless of when he reaches it, since Pavilion Master Mo has issued a gag order, we won't say more. We'll just wait!"

Wei Jiang nodded.

"True."

Ye Wentian responded and said no more.

...

As the two discussed behind closed doors, Zhang Xuan had just stepped out of the Crown Prince's residence when he was stopped.

"Master Zhang, I want to speak with you alone."

A slender figure blocked his way.

"Sixth Princess?"

Seeing who it was, Zhang Xuan frowned.

It was the Sixth Princess he had taken as a maidservant. What did she want with him in the dead of night?

"Yes. This is near the palace; it's not convenient to talk. Follow me!"

Princess Fei'er snorted, tapped her foot on the ground, and shot straight ahead.

After a while, she suddenly noticed no movement behind her. Turning her head, her delicate body trembled.

She saw the young man hadn't followed at all but had his hands in his pockets, walking in another direction.

"You... why didn't you follow?" She turned and chased after him, gritting her teeth.

"Not interested."

Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

"You..."

Her chest heaving, Princess Fei'er was about to explode.