Chapter 323: You're Fired!

After resolving the issues with the two students, Dean Xie no longer doubted his ability and directly handed over the class's student tokens.

Having experience teaching at Hongtian Academy, he knew that each token represented a student. He put them into his storage ring and walked toward the classroom.

After making several wrong turns and asking around for directions, he finally found the place.

Creak!

He pushed the door and walked in.

This classroom was much larger than the one he had at Tianxuan Academy, a full seven or eight hundred square meters. The floor was entirely paved with polished bluestone slabs, and the walls were carved with ferocious beast figures, majestic and imposing.

In the center of the room, a dozen or so students were gathered around a beautiful girl, chattering about something. They were so engrossed that they seemed not to notice his arrival.

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

The sound of the door opening was neither loud nor soft, yet not a single one of these people noticed. Their alertness was far too poor.

He took a few steps forward, intending to greet them, when their conversation reached his ears.

"Senior, did you really meet Master Zhang Xuan yesterday? And he intends to take you as his student?"

"That's Master Zhang Xuan, the current number one genius of Tianwu Kingdom. I'd love to meet him... Senior, if you become his student, you must bring me along. I'm his loyal fan!"

"Me too..."

The students surrounding the girl were all excited, their faces flushed with infatuation.

"Met me? And intends to take me as a student?"

Zhang Xuan was taken aback, then looked over.

He could confirm that he had never seen this girl before.

Let alone taking her as a student.

Moreover, yesterday he went to the Mentor Hall, took the assessment, and then started reading. He never left. How could he have met a student from Tianwu Academy?

He couldn't even find where the academy was...

"Don't worry. Master Zhang is currently carrying out a task assigned by the Mentor Hall. Once he returns, he will definitely be a two-star mentor. Then, I'll beg him to give a lecture to our class..."

The girl in the center nodded with a smile. Halfway through her sentence, she noticed Zhang Xuan and frowned: "Who are you? What are you doing in our class?"

Whoosh!

As soon as she spoke, the surrounding students all turned around, their expressions wary.

"I have been assigned by the academy to be your teacher for this semester," Zhang Xuan said, looking at them.

"Our teacher?"

All the students were stunned.

The earlier recording jade was too far away to see clearly. They had heard that he even beat up students, so they expected him to be a burly, muscular fellow. They never expected him to look so delicate.

Zhang Xuan's disguise as Liu Cheng, a lean man in his mid-twenties, though not as handsome as his true self, still had a certain charm.

"Greetings, Teacher!"

The girl in the middle, Mu Xueqing, coughed, and the others snapped to attention, bowing in unison.

"Mm. My name is Liu Cheng. You can call me Teacher Liu. I will guide your cultivation and help you improve your strength."

With that, Zhang Xuan walked to the lectern, sat down, and looked at the girl nearby: "You have met Master Zhang Xuan?"

"Reporting to Teacher Liu, I was just lucky," Mu Xueqing quickly nodded.

"So you really have met him? What does he look like?" Zhang Xuan continued.

"This..."

Unexpectedly asked by Teacher Liu, Mu Xueqing hesitated: "He is a bit taller than Teacher Liu, with a sturdy build, a charming smile on his face, dressed in plain blue linen, eyes like lightning, giving a feeling of being detached from the mortal world, soaring through the heavens..."

Although she had heard many stories about Master Zhang, no one had ever described what he looked like!

But now that Teacher Liu had asked, if she didn't answer, it would arouse suspicion. So she had to grit her teeth and describe him as she imagined.

Zhang Xuan looked puzzled.

From an external perspective, he was just an ordinary person. When had he become so heroic and extraordinary?

"As far as I know, if a two-star mentor wants to take a disciple, countless people would flock to him. And Master Zhang Xuan is a genius among geniuses, with even greater appeal. Why would he choose you as his student?"

Now certain she was lying, and having gleaned some clues from the others' expressions, Zhang Xuan pressed on.

"I..."

Unexpectedly, this teacher, known only for beating students, asked such a sharp question. Mu Xueqing swayed, barely suppressing the urge to vomit blood, and forced herself to continue fabricating: "Yesterday I helped him with a small favor. Master Zhang saw that my talent was not bad, so he considered it. As for the specific reason... I don't know either!"

"I see... Since Master Zhang intends to take you as his student, I, an ordinary teacher, shouldn't compete with him. A fine bird chooses a tree to perch on. So, go ahead. Here is your identity token."

With a flick of his wrist, Zhang Xuan produced a token and tossed it over.

Although he didn't know the girl's name, the token contained her blood. Based on the aura, it was easy to identify.

"What does this mean..."

Mu Xueqing was stunned.

Taking the token, Mu Xueqing froze.

This wasn't how the script went.

A person can't have only one teacher in a lifetime; if one's student is favored by another renowned teacher, it's also an honor.

Shouldn't he be surprised that Teacher Zhang was willing to take her as a student, and value her more?

What did he mean by tossing the token back?

"Nothing much!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand, lifting his eyelids: "It means... you're expelled!"

"Expelled..."

Mu Xueqing's delicate body swayed, nearly spitting out a mouthful of blood.

I'm a genius, a super genius. No matter which teacher I go to, I'm someone they fight over. Expelled at first sight?

Are you sure you're not joking?

"Indeed. As a student, not behaving properly, relying on petty tricks to fool the teacher... what use do I have for that? Don't worry, I'll report this truthfully to the academy, then issue a notice to all students, welcoming everyone to comment. I won't wrong you!"

Zhang Xuan said calmly.

"I..."

Mu Xueqing's body swayed.

Because of her looks and talent, she was the most outstanding among all students at Tianwu Academy, with a great reputation. If she were truly publicly expelled, how could she ever show her face again?

She knew this teacher didn't play by the rules, but... this was too far off!

According to her plan, even if he didn't quite believe she knew Teacher Zhang, he should have been cautious.

After all, if it were true, she might become Teacher Zhang's student—a status that would make even the dean think twice, let alone an ordinary teacher.

Who knew this guy... didn't think twice at all, just expelled her...

If scoring last in the teacher qualification exam was the most shameful thing for a teacher, being expelled was the most shameful for a student.

No matter how high one's cultivation later, bearing this stigma would be like being crushed by a giant hand, unable to turn over.

"I didn't fool the teacher..."

Gritting her teeth, Mu Xueqing hurriedly said.

"Didn't fool me?"

Zhang Xuan shook his head, stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, and paced slowly in the classroom: "First, I came in with such a loud noise, yet you, as a Meridian Opening realm expert, didn't notice and kept chatting with others. Do you think I'd believe that?"

"When the teacher arrives, not showing respect, deliberately ignoring, already violates Article 17 of the Tianwu Academy Student Code: disrespecting the teacher. In severe cases, expulsion is possible!"

"Second, deliberately within my hearing, you claimed to know the renowned teacher Zhang Xuan... Even if it's true, it's an attempt to use Teacher Zhang's name to pressure me. Article 42 of the Student Code states: using family matters or background to speak rudely to or even threaten a teacher—severe cases warrant expulsion!"

"If it's false, then it's deliberately deceiving the teacher, violating Article 45: using false statements to deceive and mislead the teacher—also grounds for expulsion!"

"Whichever it is, strictly enforced, you'd be expelled. Do you have anything to say?"

The Tianwu Academy Student Code was posted all over the campus; he had memorized it on the way here.

These kids wanted to give him a show of force... Since that was the case, he'd let them know who was in charge!

"I..."

Mu Xueqing's face lost all color. She stepped back several times, staring at the teacher before her as if he were a monster.

Hadn't he just arrived at the academy?

How could he know the Tianwu Academy Student Code so well?

More importantly... wasn't he said to favor corporal punishment? How was he so sharp-tongued?

"Pack your things and leave. When I teach, I like students who have their own thoughts and ideas, but I don't like anyone inciting other students to oppose me!"

Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

This girl, with just a word, had gotten other students to come pay respects—enough to show her great authority among them.

If he didn't rein her in at the first meeting, he'd never be able to manage her later.

Although learning was free and teaching wasn't like alchemy with strict procedures, on the first day with students, if he didn't establish authority and make them obedient, once they started causing trouble, it wouldn't just be hard to manage—more importantly, they wouldn't learn anything.

If they looked down on the teacher, they naturally wouldn't study well.

"Teacher... Senior Mu is the most talented student in our class. At just eighteen, she's already reached the Meridian Opening realm. She's the goal and direction for all of us. Please, teacher, reconsider!"

Seeing the new teacher about to expel their big sister, Meng Tao couldn't help stepping forward.

"The most talented student? Goal and direction?"

"Started Qi training at seven, spent eleven years, swallowed three Moisture Acupoint Pills and over a dozen other pills, yet only opened twelve acupoints, with strength barely reaching twelve ding."

"Practiced a set of Floating Water Palm, achieved minor success in three years, still not proficient, unable to use full power in combat!"

"Cultivated true Qi, condensed in the body, at least seven meridians completely blocked by turbid true Qi, hard to advance, with the Tongxuan realm being a major hurdle..."

At this point, Zhang Xuan turned to look at Meng Tao, his voice calm as still water: "And this... can be called a genius? What a joke!"

"I..."

Mu Xueqing's face instantly turned deathly pale.