Chapter 603: The Lecture (Part 1)

No matter how long a teacher instructs students, the day of graduation always comes.

As his cultivation increased, Zhang Xuan knew that sooner or later he would have to part with these students. Since Zhao Ya's departure, he had been mentally prepared, but facing it now, he still felt reluctant.

"This is a strand of my true qi. Hide it in your body; if you encounter danger, it can serve as an emergency measure!"

Bringing Lu Chong to his room, Zhang Xuan gave careful instructions.

His departure with Mo Hunsheng was different from Zhao Ya's. The latter had the Ice Field Palace's meticulous care, with no danger. But they were crossing the continent to seek the ancestral land of the Soul Spirits, which might or might not exist, fraught with peril. Having a strand of Heavenly Dao true qi could save them much trouble.

"Yao Chen, from now on, you will follow Lu Chong..."

After everything was prepared, Zhang Xuan summoned the Beast of Yao Chen.

Although Mo Hunsheng, a super-strong cultivator at the ninth level of Mortal Transformation, would protect them, ensuring safety was no problem, they still needed a flying spirit beast for travel. The Beast of Yao Chen, at the fifth level of Mortal Transformation, would suffice for a short time.

After arranging everything he could think of, he let Lu Chong bid farewell to Wang Ying and the others.

Two of the six students had left, and everyone felt a sense of oppression.

After arranging for Lu Chong, he also made arrangements for Xue Yuanzhu, who called him senior master.

The latter had no intention of going to a higher nation for now, so Zhang Xuan did not take her along.

When everything was settled, the sun was already high in the sky, and the time agreed with Hong shi and the others was approaching.

"Let's go!"

Having given all instructions, he led Zheng Yang, Wang Ying, and the others toward the square outside the Alliance Master's residence.

He had promised to give a lecture, and before leaving, he had to fulfill this matter.

Walking along the corridor out of the residence, before even reaching the square, he saw a sea of people, a dense black mass, countless in number.

"Sect Leader Hu, you've come too? To attend Zhang shi's lecture?"

"The first undisputed champion in the Master Teacher Tournament, giving an open lecture—how could I miss it!"

"Indeed, the Master Teacher Tournament has been going on for hundreds of years, and Zhang shi is the first person to be recognized as number one before even entering the challenge round. Look, not only me, but Sect Leader Luo and Sect Leader Liu have also come..."

"Really, even Hong shi's personal lecture wouldn't have such appeal, right?"

"I don't know if Hong shi has such appeal, but I know that we quasi-five-star master teachers certainly don't..."

"Yes, the crowd is so large that I'm envious. But, speaking of it, when I put myself in Zhang shi's shoes during the Master Teacher Tournament, I simply couldn't do what he did! A newly promoted four-star master teacher accomplished what even quasi-five-star master teachers couldn't... It's only natural he has such popularity!"

...

The surroundings were bustling with noise.

"Are all these people here for my lecture?"

Zhang Xuan blinked.

In his view, a basic lecture might attract a thousand listeners at most; he never dreamed it would draw such a crowd. At this moment, he was stunned, even wondering if another Master Teacher Tournament was about to take place.

How many people were there?

A hundred thousand? A million?

And... what were those things on the walls and trees?

And what about those flying savage beasts in the sky?

"When they heard you were giving a lecture, those who couldn't get a spot went to the Beast Hall to rent savage beasts..." Hall Master Kang explained awkwardly.

"I can understand renting savage beasts—they can fly in the sky—but what about those land savage beasts over there?"

Zhang Xuan couldn't help asking.

There was a bunch of flying savage beasts in the air, which he could understand, but at the edge of the square, there was also a group of non-flying savage beasts lying around: saber-toothed tigers, broken-arm wind wolves, black-haired long apes...

What were they doing here?

"It's Hall Master Han Chong of the Beast Hall. When he heard you were giving a lecture, he brought all the savage beasts and spirit beasts from the Beast Hall overnight to cheer you on..."

Hall Master Kang said.

"..." Zhang Xuan.

Was this how you cheered someone on?

Just bring the beast tamers; what's the point of a bunch of savage beasts?

"Actually, it's because Zhang shi's reputation is too great now. Knowing you were giving an open lecture, no one could refuse!" Hall Master Kang said.

It wasn't that these people were causing trouble, but... after the Master Teacher Tournament, Zhang shi's fame was so immense that everyone wanted to hear his lecture... even intelligent savage beasts and spirit beasts wanted to listen...

Hence, this situation arose.

The square outside the Alliance Master's residence was vast; in theory, it could accommodate over a million people. But now, it was almost packed to the point where there was no room to insert a foot. Even he found it hard to believe at first.

He had given such large-scale lectures before; at that time, a total of over fifty thousand people came, which already broke the history of the Myriad Kingdoms Master Teacher Academy. He never dreamed that Zhang shi's lecture would attract so many...

There really was a gap between people...

"Forget it, no matter how many, I'll just teach with peace of mind!"

Shaking his head, not dwelling on it, Zhang Xuan stepped toward the high platform that had been erected in the center, seemingly overnight.

...

Li Hanbing was sixteen years old, a beggar, an orphan since childhood, enduring endless ridicule and humiliation.

His greatest dream was to one day become a strong cultivator, but unfortunately, his status was lowly; not only did he lack cultivation techniques, but more importantly, he had no resources for cultivation.

The poor study literature, the rich study martial arts. Without sufficient resources and guidance from a master teacher, even if he learned some ordinary techniques, progress was difficult.

Thus, at sixteen, he still lingered at the first level of martial artist, Qi Condensation, unable to break through.

Barring any surprises, his life would probably remain like this.

He thought he would never have the chance to hear a master teacher's lecture, but he never dreamed that this Zhang shi would give an open lecture explaining the basics of cultivation... Upon hearing the news, he rushed over overnight, found a corner, and waited patiently.

"It's starting..."

After waiting for who knows how long, he saw a figure stride toward the high platform.

"This Zhang shi doesn't seem much older than me..."

He had expected the champion of the Master Teacher Tournament to appear more composed, but he was so young, not much different from himself. He couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed.

He wondered if waiting nearly a day was worth it.

Would it be like before, where greater hope led to greater disappointment?

Master teachers gave public lectures every month, but the content was profound. With his lack of formal education, he simply couldn't understand, and thus couldn't learn.

After attending several times, not only did he gain no insight, but he lost confidence in normal cultivation and naturally lost interest.

Some master teachers, like old pedants, loved to court fame. Public lectures were a chance to display their knowledge... If they explained things too simply, how could they convince others?

Over time, the atmosphere completely changed, leading to situations like his—those who truly wanted to cultivate gained nothing from attending lectures.

This person before him, so young and a champion, was probably even more arrogant. It seemed this time... he would be disappointed again.

"The Way of Heaven is like drawing a bow! The high is brought down, the low is raised up; the excessive is reduced, the insufficient is supplemented. The Way of Heaven reduces the excessive and supplements the insufficient..."

Whoosh!

The voice reached his ears.

Although they were over a kilometer apart, this Zhang shi's voice seemed to resonate in his heart, every word clear and penetrating.

"Sure enough, I can't understand..."

Listening carefully, he found it no different from other master teachers' lectures—still incomprehensible.

It seemed all master teachers were the same, showing off their vast knowledge without caring whether others understood.

The people below were the same; if they didn't understand... instead of admitting ignorance, they pretended to understand, praising the speaker's brilliance.

Otherwise, if everyone else understood and they didn't, how embarrassing would that be?

That was human nature...

Shaking his head in disappointment, Li Hanbing stood up to leave. Just as he took a step, he suddenly felt a sharp jump at his Yingshu acupoint, followed by a tingling sensation at his Baihai acupoint. Endless spiritual energy poured into him from the air, flowing through his body.

Crack! Crack!

With a rumble, a pool-like vessel appeared in his vision in his lower abdomen.

"Is this... the dantian?"

Li Hanbing's eyes widened, his body trembling.

At the first level of martial artist, Qi Condensation, upon breakthrough, a dantian would appear in the lower abdomen to easily accommodate spiritual energy... He had been stuck at Qi Condensation for years, unable to break through. Unexpectedly, just one sentence from Zhang shi on the platform caused him to break through...

"Didn't I not understand? How could I break through?"

He stood frozen.

He hadn't understood a single word Zhang shi said; he didn't even know what it meant. Yet... how had he smoothly broken through?

Logically, if he didn't understand, he shouldn't be able to cultivate, right?

He quickly looked ahead and saw that several beggars who usually cultivated with him were now sitting cross-legged on the ground, their faces beaming with happiness, their aura greatly increased.

"The Way of Heaven reduces the excessive and supplements the insufficient... So this is the natural way. That means cultivation should follow nature to progress faster..."

Seeing his friends all break through, a sudden enlightenment surged in his heart.

Although the words were profound and hard to understand, for some reason, he clearly grasped the intention and ideas conveyed.

The Way of Heaven is nature!

He quickly sat cross-legged, letting spiritual energy flow slowly along his dantian.

Crack! Crack!

Another crisp sound inside him, and his cultivation steadily increased.

Early Dantian realm!

Mid Dantian realm!

Late Dantian realm...

His cultivation rose step by step; his whole body seemed to inflate.

Although he still didn't understand the words, for some reason, he gained more insights into cultivation... insights that were his own.

"This is what a true master teacher's lecture is like..."

As if drinking the finest nectar, Li Hanbing's face also broke into a smile.

Not because of the successive breakthroughs in cultivation, but because he could actually understand the knowledge Zhang shi conveyed, as if Zhang shi was teaching him alone!

Listening to his words, he controlled the spiritual energy to circulate in his body. With a slight tremor, he reached the third level of martial artist, True Qi realm!

True qi, the symbol of a martial artist. A beggar who had never attended a class could actually enter this realm...

Zhang shi, from today on, you are my revered teacher, and no one else!

Li Hanbing's knees went weak, and he knelt on the ground, making a silent vow in his heart.