Chapter 1 The Swindler

"Swindler! Big swindler!"

An angry, delicate shout, followed by the sound of footsteps fleeing across the bluestone floor.

Zhang Xuan helplessly spread his hands: "I'm really not a swindler, I'm a teacher at the academy... I just wanted you to be my student! And even if you call me a swindler, why add the word 'big'? Makes me sound like a heinous criminal..."

After muttering, recalling what the dean had said, Zhang Xuan rubbed his brow: "The seventeenth! If I can't recruit a single student today, I can pack my bags and go home tomorrow!"

Zhang Xuan was originally not from this world, but a librarian at an ordinary university on Earth. He only remembered a blazing fire, and then... nothing more. When he woke again, he had come to this world.

Much like what was described in novels, martial arts reigned supreme, strength was king!

He had thought he might transmigrate into a waste, suffer a broken engagement, then slap faces and rise in rebellion, advancing triumphantly... It seemed he had overthought it. Upon arriving, he discovered he wasn't a student, but... a teacher!

The most miserable teacher in the entire academy!

In others' classrooms, it was packed to overflowing, so crowded there was no room to sit, while his classroom had none at all. The few he managed to drag in all ended up cursing him as a "swindler" several times before turning and fleeing!

The reason? The guy whose body he had possessed was not only the weakest among the teachers, but also had terrible judgment, couldn't see anything clearly, and crucially... had taught incorrectly, causing a case of qi deviation!

This was like a hospital death—reputation ruined, despised by all. Even new students kept their distance, afraid of falling into his hands and being taught half to death!

With no students and subject to criticism, in last year's faculty evaluation, he ranked dead last in the entire academy, even receiving the only zero score in history.

Depressed, he drowned his sorrows in drink, and as expected, kicked the bucket, giving him the chance to transmigrate.

The new semester began, and the academy issued an ultimatum: if he couldn't recruit a single student for his class this year, he would be directly dismissed from his teaching post!

Today, seventeen new students had passed by his classroom, and upon hearing his name, every single one fled without exception, like a little girl encountering a creepy uncle, running as fast as they could.

"Looks like I have to find a way to trick one into staying!"

Just as he was thinking about how to rope someone in, he saw a girl with a dazed expression poke her head in from the doorway.

"Excuse me, is this Teacher Lu Xun's classroom?"

Her voice was sweet and lovely, her appearance delicate and charming.

Teacher Lu Xun was the academy's star teacher; his classes were always packed, and countless people came seeking him by reputation.

"She's the one!" Seeing someone walk right into the trap, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

Recalling various pretentious tricks he had seen in his previous life, he sat quietly in his seat, striking a pose of a transcendent master: "You want to become his disciple?"

The girl nodded eagerly like a sparrow, her jet-black eyes full of admiration: "I heard Teacher Lu Xun is the most powerful teacher at Hongtian Academy. The students he teaches are all exceptionally skilled. Everyone is proud to join his class!"

"Rumors aren't necessarily true. A teacher is like a shoe—what matters is whether it fits! No matter how well he teaches, if it conflicts with your cultivation theory, not only will you not improve, you might even regress! A teacher with little fame, if his theory aligns with yours, can still help you progress quickly and greatly enhance your cultivation!"

"Is that so... I've heard similar words from my brother too!" The girl paused, her beautiful eyes somewhat confused: "But I don't know what kind of class suits me!"

Seeing her take the bait, Zhang Xuan's eyes brightened. He hesitated for a moment, letting sages like Marx and Engels flash through his mind, and put on a troubled expression: "Meeting is fate. How about this: I'm also a teacher at this academy. I can help you assess your bone structure, talent, and nature for free, and recommend a suitable teacher for you!"

"Then I'll trouble you, sir!" Not expecting this teacher she happened upon to be so righteous, the girl nodded excitedly.

"First, show me your cultivation."

Zhang Xuan's eyes were half-closed, seemingly indifferent.

"Yes!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

In a moment, the room was filled with the sound of punching fists, and streams of energy swirled around the girl like dragons. Her entire aura was condensed yet not scattered, imposing yet not overt, indicating she had an excellent foundation.

"Alright, I can see that you train diligently and hard, have a solid foundation, and excellent talent—a rare genius!" After she finished a set of punches, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

He had learned this from fortune-tellers on Earth; the words were all-purpose, broad in scope, making it hard to find fault, and instead making people secretly exclaim at their accuracy.

"Especially the power in your legs, like coiled dragons. Every move is like surging rivers, endless and inexhaustible. If you train well in the future, you'll definitely have a bright future..."

"Teacher, I injured my leg. The physician said it's basically useless..." The girl interrupted his torrent of words, a hint of doubt in her eyes.

"Injured..." Zhang Xuan's old face reddened, but with thick skin, no one could tell. He continued his rambling nonsense: "Do you think I didn't notice? I knew it when you were displaying your power just now! The reason I said that is because... what doesn't kill you makes you stronger! Although your legs are injured, you've unexpectedly gained a fortune that others can't imagine. If you handle it well in the future, your leg techniques will surely become your strongest combat power, leaving others in the dust!"

Anyway, it was all bluffing. If he could talk nonsense, he would, just to trick a disciple first.

"Fortune? Teacher, what kind of fortune?" The girl's eyes lit up.

After her leg injury, she had always felt inferior to others, secretly harboring low self-esteem. She hadn't expected that misfortune might turn into a blessing.

"This fortune can make you soar to great heights, even becoming the top freshman. After all, your talent is inherently excellent—a peerless genius rarely seen in millennia. However..." Zhang Xuan boasted endlessly, almost pulling out a "Buddha's Palm" manual.

Hearing that she could become the top freshman and being called a genius, the girl's face involuntarily flushed with excitement, and she quickly asked: "However, what?"

"However..." Zhang Xuan sighed, with an expression of lament that a fine talent was about to be buried: "There are few teachers in the entire academy who can recognize this kind of fortune. Including me, there are only three. The other two stopped taking students three years ago, so... it's not easy for me to speak on your behalf..."

"Not taking students?" The girl had been full of hope, but upon hearing this, her eyes dimmed slightly. Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, she jumped up: "If they don't take students, then teacher... do you take students?"

"Of course I still do, but as you can see, I'm indifferent to fame and fortune, and I don't have much time!" Zhang Xuan put on a troubled expression: "Unless it's a fine jade of good quality and fated to meet me, I won't easily agree..."

Thud!

Before he could finish, the girl knelt down: "I know you are noble, sir. Please take me as your disciple! I will train hard and not bring shame to your name!"

Zhang Xuan was overjoyed inside, but still wore a troubled expression: "You and I are indeed fated, but... as you can see, I like peace and quiet..."

"I promise not to disturb you unless absolutely necessary!" Seeing his reluctance, the girl quickly nodded, her face sincere.

"I don't have many students, so resources might not compare to other teachers, and you may face criticism from others..." Zhang Xuan continued.

"Is that so... I've heard that training resources are very important..." The girl hesitated.

The resources a teacher received from the academy were tied to many factors, including the performance and number of students they taught. If resources were insufficient, cultivation would be difficult to advance.

"Ahem, I said that deliberately to test you. Since your resolve is firm and you sincerely acknowledge me as your teacher, I will reluctantly accept you!" Seeing her hesitate, Zhang Xuan immediately interrupted and quickly said: "Now, verify your identity!"

"Th-this fast?"

Not expecting this teacher to change his face as quickly as turning a page, the girl was slightly stunned. She took the identity token Zhang Xuan handed her and was still considering whether to verify it when she saw the previously composed Teacher Zhang grab her hand, produce a sharp knife, gently cut it, and let a drop of blood fall onto the jade token.

Hum!

Light flickered.

"Ah..."

The girl was dumbfounded.

Hadn't this teacher just said he needed to consider, that he was indifferent to fame and fortune? How was he so fast, and... had the knife ready?

"From now on, you are my student!" After the blood-bonding, Zhang Xuan finally breathed a sigh of relief and resumed his transcendent master demeanor: "What's your name?"

"Reporting to teacher, my name is Wang Ying!"

Knowing it couldn't be changed, the girl said no more and nodded with a dazed expression.

"Good. Take your identity token, get your bedding and books, and find your dormitory. Come to me here for class tomorrow!"

Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

"Yes!" Wang Ying nodded and turned to leave.

"Phew! Successfully tricked one!"

Seeing her become his student, Zhang Xuan finally relaxed and smiled slightly.

It really wasn't easy. If he hadn't read many pretentious techniques online, he probably wouldn't have succeeded today.

With one student, he could avoid being fired. Zhang Xuan's mood lightened, and he felt his entire spirit smooth out instantly. The lingering obsession of his predecessor in his mind also began to fade away.

"Don't worry, since I've transmigrated into you, I'll live well for you!"

The previous Zhang Xuan had died because he couldn't recruit students, full of unwillingness. Now that he had a student, the last of his persistence vanished without a trace. At this moment, Zhang Xuan had fully mastered this body.

Boom!

Having fully taken control of his body, Zhang Xuan was about to think about tricking a few more students when he felt a tremor in his mind, and a resounding voice like a great bell rang out.

"Heaven and Earth are ruthless, treating all things as straw dogs..."

"The sun and moon wax and wane, Heaven and Earth are flawed..."

Boom!

All kinds of mysterious words shook him, making him dizzy, and then a massive palace appeared in his mind, with five large characters shining brightly above it.

Heavenly Dao Library!

Pushing open the door and walking in, countless bookshelves stood in rows, with endless books stretching beyond sight.

"Is this the transmigrator's gift package? A library? Damn it, I was a librarian in my last life. Am I going to be the same in this world?"

Other people's gift packages included either an old master or a system, all kinds of awesome stuff, but he got a library. Zhang Xuan felt darkness before his eyes and nearly fainted.

A library? What for? Was he supposed to throw books when others threw swords in a fight?

"Let's see what books these are."

Helpless, Zhang Xuan reached for a book on the shelf, wanting to see what function this library had. But when he grabbed, his hand passed straight through the bookshelf, grasping nothing.

"Are you messing with me? Giving me a library but I can't get any books, can't read them. What am I supposed to do?"

Zhang Xuan was utterly speechless, wanting to cry but having no tears.