Chapter 63: Elder Mo Xiang

The towering and majestic Learning Heart Tower.

"Elder Mo, it seems we'll have to trouble you this time!" Elder Shangchen looked at an old man sitting beside him.

Elder of the Teachers' Guild, Mo Xiang!

"Elder Shang, don't say that. We're old friends!"

Elder Mo Xiang, around fifty years old, had sparse grayish-green stubble on his face: "Don't worry. If this teacher really used coercion to force someone to become his student, I will definitely report it to the guild and revoke his teaching qualification!"

"Ah, it's a lapse in my work!" Elder Shangchen shook his head, putting on a sorrowful expression: "This teacher scored zero in the last teacher assessment. I gave him an ultimatum: if he couldn't recruit students, he'd be dismissed outright... He must have felt the pressure and resorted to this desperate measure... My fault, my fault!"

He sighed as he spoke.

"Elder Shang, what are you saying? You are kind-hearted and wanted to give him a chance. Who would have thought this ingrate would be so ungrateful and commit such a despicable act? Simply shameless and heinous!" Elder Mo's face darkened, and he exuded a powerful aura: "As a teacher, instead of focusing on educating students, he engages in these crooked ways. I want to see who gave him the audacity to do this!"

Elder Mo Xiang was known for his abhorrence of evil. Hearing that a teacher had coerced a student, he was nearly bursting with anger.

"If it weren't for Teacher Cao Xiong's righteous report that his student was being coerced by this teacher and his application for a Heart Learning Inquisition, I might still be in the dark!"

Elder Shangchen clasped his hands behind his back, shaking his head incessantly, his gaze fixed on the void, his face deeply solemn, as if he had committed the most negligent act under heaven.

If Zhang Xuan were here, he would be astonished—this guy's pretentiousness was far more refined than his own.

"Although a Heart Learning Inquisition harms the friendship and unity among teachers, it's worth it to root out the rotten apple! Don't blame yourself!" Seeing his demeanor, Elder Mo Xiang secretly admired him.

In the academy, it often happened that several teachers liked the same outstanding student. In such cases, they usually resolved the matter privately, preserving harmony and maintaining normal teaching order. Only when it was truly irresolvable would they apply for this kind of arbitration.

A Heart Learning Inquisition, as the name suggests, interrogates the student's heart, allowing him to make a choice based on his true feelings. Doing so meant that the competing teachers had completely burned bridges, harming teacher solidarity.

Because of this, in the hundred years since Hongtian Academy was founded, there had been no more than a dozen applications for a Heart Learning Inquisition. They never expected to encounter one.

After feigning deep concern and seeing that he had fully ignited the other's anger, Elder Shangchen chuckled inwardly, waved his hand, and gave an order: "Let them in!"

Creak!

With the words, the heavy door slowly opened, and Zhang Xuan, Cao Xiong, Shang Bin, Shen Biru, Liu Yang, and others entered.

"Teacher Cao Xiong, are you the one applying for the Heart Learning Inquisition?"

Once everyone was in place, Elder Shangchen raised an eyebrow.

"Please seek justice for me, Elder!" Cao Xiong declared loudly. "This Zhang Xuan has coerced Liu Yang, a student who has already taken me as his teacher, into becoming his student, violating the rules of fair competition among teachers. I hereby apply for a Heart Learning Inquisition to restore justice for Liu Yang and hope the academy will punish this shameless individual!"

"Restore justice?"

Liu Yang, who had been told to come but didn't know why, realized that Cao Xiong was moving against his esteemed teacher. He hurriedly looked at Zhang Xuan: "Teacher..."

Before he could finish, he saw that the Teacher Zhang, who had been calm and inscrutable during the lesson, now had a flicker of panic in his eyes. Stiffening his neck, Zhang stepped forward: "Teacher Cao, you're talking nonsense... Liu Yang is... willing to be my student! I... I... never coerced him!"

His voice carried a hint of panic and uncertainty, as if his lie had been exposed.

"Huh?"

Liu Yang blinked.

After two classes, he had already admired Zhang Xuan immensely, believing him to be all-capable. His becoming Zhang's student was the result of fair competition among teachers, easily explained. So why had Zhang suddenly become like this?

Especially his demeanor—his eyes were panicked, his body trembled slightly, like someone caught in the act. It left Liu Yang completely baffled... What had gotten into him?

"Teacher..." He couldn't help but look over, but before he could voice his doubts, he saw Teacher Zhang turn around and say with a blustering tone: "Liu Yang, tell the truth: did I coerce you or not?"

As he spoke, he subtly winked.

"Ah... yes, yes!" Liu Yang nodded repeatedly.

Even if he were slow, he now understood that Teacher Zhang probably wanted to set a trap for the other side!

He just needed to play along.

Their tacit understanding, however, appeared to others as Zhang Xuan threatening Liu Yang into saying what he wanted. Otherwise, why would he hesitate so much?

Indeed, seeing this, Elder Mo's expression turned grim.

"You're Zhang Xuan, right? I'll give you one chance. Voluntarily cancel Liu Yang's course and let him return to Teacher Cao's tutelage, and we can avoid the Heart Learning Inquisition."

"Cancel the course?" Zhang Xuan scratched his head. "Liu Yang sincerely wants to be my student. Dropping the course would be unfair to the student..."

"Unfair? Sincerely?"

Elder Mo's mouth twitched.

Aren't you embarrassed to say that?

A guy who scored zero in the teacher assessment—students would be thrilled to drop his course, and he talks about unfairness...

Where do you get the confidence?

Just as he was about to continue, he heard Cao Xiong and Shang Bin shout simultaneously: "Elder Mo, no!"

"What's wrong?"

A Heart Learning Inquisition was very troublesome. Once initiated, someone had to accept punishment; otherwise, if everyone went through this process, the academy couldn't bear it.

Elder Mo had hoped for a peaceful resolution, but hearing their objection, he looked over.

"Elder Mo, Teacher Cao has already applied for the Heart Learning Inquisition, and the academy has approved it. To stop now would mean... treating the academy's rules as child's play!" Shang Bin said hastily.

Are you kidding?

They had worked hard to set up a trap to get Zhang Xuan. A peaceful resolution would mean all their efforts were in vain.

If so, wouldn't yesterday's humiliation be for nothing?

"Yes, Elder Mo. I, too, am thinking of the student. I hope he can follow his heart and choose the teacher he likes most, rather than being coerced!"

Cao Xiong quickly added, speaking with great righteousness and loyalty. If not for the five vivid finger marks from Shang Bin's slap yesterday, many might have admired him.

"Very well," Elder Mo nodded, seeing their insistence, and did not object further.

"Since the Heart Learning Inquisition has been chosen, we must clarify the rules. We will examine Liu Yang. After the assessment, whichever teacher he wishes to take as his master wins. Of course, there must be a penalty for the loser. We need to state the penalty clearly first."

Elder Shangchen, who had been silent, looked around: "This time, Teacher Cao Xiong has chosen the maximum penalty. That is, after the inquisition, the losing party will be expelled from the academy. Zhang Xuan, do you have any objections?"

Hearing about the maximum penalty, Zhang Xuan looked over in disbelief, his face earnest: "Teacher Cao and I have no deep-seated enmity. Expelling him like this... isn't that too harsh?"

"Huh?"

Hearing this, Elder Shang and the others were dumbfounded, staring at him as if he were an idiot. Was this guy's brain working properly? It was you who was going to be expelled!

"Hmph, the Heart Learning Inquisition—you have to accept it whether you want to or not! It's too late to refuse!"

Thinking Zhang Xuan was deliberately talking nonsense to avoid the inquisition, Cao Xiong sneered.

"I really am thinking of you... Direct expulsion is still too harsh. How about this?" Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment, then continued: "Instead of expulsion, let's just revoke his teaching qualification and... give him a hundred strikes with the Demon-Slaying Rod!"

"Revoke teaching qualification? A hundred strikes with the Demon-Slaying Rod?"

Everyone blinked, exchanging glances, feeling like they were going crazy.

This punishment, while seemingly keeping his job and not leaving him unemployed, was actually far more severe than direct expulsion, wasn't it?

Are you sure you didn't misspeak?