Chapter 817: Mass Withdrawal from Classes

"Come to the Alchemy Academy?"

Dean Lu Feng was taken aback, then squinted: "He's no longer a student of the Master Academy. Why didn't anyone stop him?"

Since he was no longer a student, how could he be allowed to come and go freely?

"He... holds the tokens of Dean Mi, Dean Zhao, and Dean Wei, and is also the teacher of a guest elder, with a higher seniority than our teachers... We couldn't stop him!"

The young man's face flushed red.

The Master Academy wasn't some forbidden ground, and besides, he held the tokens of the academy's elders—how could they stop him?

"What is he doing at the Alchemy Academy?"

Knowing the young man had a point, and that not even he, let alone a student, could stop him, Lu Feng's face darkened.

"I don't know. He came to the academy and went straight to the library..." the young man said.

"The library?"

Dean Lu Feng frowned: "Without a student ID, it's useless for him to go there, isn't it?"

Entering the library required two things: a student ID and credits. The man had caused a ruckus at the Physician Guild and had no shortage of credits, but... without a student ID, and not even being a student of the academy, even if he wanted to enter, he couldn't!

"He didn't go in. Instead, he stood outside the library... staring blankly!" At this point, the young man's face showed a strange expression.

"Staring blankly?" Lu Feng and Vice Dean Zhou and the others were all taken aback.

What was there to stare at in that place?

"Yes, he just stood there motionless, eyes fixed straight ahead, not saying a word..." the young man said.

Everyone blinked.

They thought he had come to the Alchemy Academy to do something, but instead he came to stare blankly... What was he up to?

"Is he still there now?" Lu Feng couldn't help asking.

"He was there when I left. He had already been there for over half an hour!" the young man nodded.

"First he collapsed the Artifact Academy, then he challenged the Physician Tower and left it in shambles. Now he suddenly goes to the library to stare blankly—there must be something fishy. Come with me to take a look!"

Hearing that the man had been staring blankly for half an hour, Lu Feng felt something was wrong and couldn't help standing up.

Although he had only met this Zhang Xuan once, the scene where the man refused to let others off and even left him with no way out was still vivid in his mind.

Moreover, he had specifically mentioned before that he would come to challenge the Alchemy Academy. For some reason, Lu Feng felt uneasy and couldn't rest without seeing for himself.

"Yes!"

The other four deans, thinking of all of Zhang Shi's actions, also twitched their mouths and stood up.

Previously, they had been somewhat relieved that other academies had collapsed or fallen into chaos. Now that this man had come to their academy, a sense of crisis loomed over them.

They hurried toward the library, moving quickly and arriving in less than ten minutes.

As before, the library's tall building towered into the clouds, showing no signs of collapse. There wasn't a single person in sight. Lu Feng couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief and turned to ask: "Where is he?"

"I don't know... He was right here just now!"

The young man pointed ahead with a confused look.

That guy had been standing in front of the library staring blankly. How could he have disappeared in the time it took to fetch the dean—no more than half an hour?

Because Zhang Xuan was very famous, there had been quite a crowd here earlier.

"Wait, let me ask someone!"

After circling around and finding no one, the young man quickly walked toward a house next to the library.

That was where the students in charge of the library lived, all third-year students working part-time.

Before he reached the door, he heard a "creak!" as the door opened and two young men came out.

"Hu Xu..."

Recognizing one of them, he quickly approached.

"Senior Lu Hui!"

Hu Xu clasped his fists.

"You two... where are you going?"

Seeing the luggage on their backs, Lu Hui was puzzled.

Students working part-time at the library usually stayed there for a whole semester. It was only a few days into the term—why were they carrying luggage out?

"To report to you, senior. I just heard a lecture by Zhang Shi and was suddenly enlightened. I realized I'm not suited for alchemy, so... I want to leave here and study another profession!"

Hu Xu said.

"Lecture?"

Lu Hui's eyes widened, and Lu Feng and the others couldn't help looking over.

That idiot... gave a lecture here?

"Yes, Zhang Shi stood here for a while and began to teach. I was fortunate to listen for a bit and realized that although alchemy is the foremost of the upper nine professions, I'm simply not cut out for it. I've wasted these years..."

Hu Xu shook his head with a bitter smile, looking dejected.

Zhang Shi's lecture was profound and enlightening; just listening for a while had benefited him greatly.

Although he had been studying alchemy for some time, after the lecture he understood that he simply wasn't suited for it.

Even if he forced himself to continue, it would only get harder, and he would never improve.

It was better to give up immediately than to suffer.

After all, the Master Academy had nine auxiliary professions. If he didn't study alchemy, he could learn something else. There would always be something that suited him and allowed him to progress quickly.

"You also think you're not suited for alchemy?"

After hearing Hu Xu's words, Lu Hui turned to look at the other third-year student who had come out with him.

"I'm not suited either. Farewell!"

With that, the two turned and left without stopping.

"This..."

Seeing the two leave and the library now unattended, the deans looked at each other, unsure what to do. Just then, several students approached, also carrying luggage.

"Vice Dean Qi, aren't those... your students?"

Recognizing them, one of the deans couldn't help saying.

Although they were deans with high status, they also taught many students.

"Yes, they are my students, Shu Yongning and the others!"

Recognizing them, Vice Dean Qi nodded.

"They're also carrying luggage... Could it be that they also think they're not suited for alchemy?" The dean's mouth twitched.

"Impossible!"

Vice Dean Qi shook his head: "Among all the students I've taught over the years, Shu Yongning may not have the highest talent, but he ranks among the top. He has a very high understanding of alchemy. In time, becoming a six-star alchemist is within reach. How could he be unsuited for learning?"

Shu Yongning was one of his most outstanding students. If even he wasn't suited for alchemy, then almost none of his students were!

"Then why..." The other dean was puzzled.

Carrying luggage clearly meant he was leaving the Alchemy Academy, just like Hu Xu. Why else would he do that?

"Let me go ask!"

With a dark face, Vice Dean Qi snorted and was about to walk over when the student named Shu Yongning seemed to see him and hurried over.

"Teacher!"

Reaching him, Shu Yongning clasped his fists.

"What's the matter with you?" Vice Dean Qi squinted.

"To report to you, teacher, I... wish to take my leave!" Shu Yongning knelt down.

"Take your leave? You also think alchemy isn't for you?" Vice Dean Qi felt like he was about to explode.

"Of course not. It's just... I feel that your lessons are not quite suitable for me. Rather than continue studying and struggling to improve, it's better to resign now, so as not to delay you from taking on new students..."

Shu Yongning looked a bit embarrassed, and with a flick of his wrist, he took out the jade slip for the teacher's course.

Teachers could choose students, and students could choose teachers—it was mutual.

"My lessons... not suitable for you?" Vice Dean Qi was stunned.

He was the vice dean of the Alchemist Academy, and his alchemy skills were no less than Dean Lu Feng's. He was a true six-star peak alchemist...

And this guy wanted to drop his course?

"Yes. After hearing Zhang Shi's lecture, I finally understood what alchemy really is. Although your lectures are good... compared to his, they fall short. Please forgive me, teacher. I'm now going to join the Xuanxuan Society to attend Zhang Shi's lectures!"

Having said that, he handed over the jade slip, stood up, and turned to leave.

"..."

Taking the jade token, Vice Dean Qi stood frozen on the spot, his face twitching uncontrollably, on the verge of madness!

A dignified six-star peak alchemist was publicly dropped from a course... and was told outright that his teaching was far inferior...

Damn it!

This was a blatant slap in the face!

"Teacher, we've also come to withdraw from your course. Sorry!"

"Zhang Shi's lecture was enlightening. Although I only listened for a while, I already know that with him as my teacher, I can go further and improve faster..."

...

Before he could finish sulking, the students who had come with Shu Yongning also hurried over, each handing over their jade tokens.

These students had once racked their brains to get into his class, all excited. Now they were voluntarily withdrawing, afraid he might refuse—it drove Vice Dean Qi crazy.

"Something's not right!"

Watching the students leave cheerfully after withdrawing, Lu Feng twitched his mouth a few times and approached: "Did something go wrong with your teaching that gave this Zhang Xuan a handle, leading to a mass withdrawal?"

Students withdrawing en masse could only mean one thing: the teacher's lecture had a major problem!

Once that happened, not only would the teacher's reputation suffer, but the entire academy's prestige would plummet!

The Alchemist Academy was called the number one of the Master Academy because many people studied alchemy—over sixty thousand. If all of them withdrew... the entire academy would collapse instantly, going from first to last among the ten academies!

"I... there shouldn't be a problem..."

Hearing the doubt, Vice Dean Qi's face was bitter, and he was completely stunned.

He taught strictly according to alchemist standards. Even if it wasn't brilliant, there were no mistakes. How could there be a problem that made students voluntarily withdraw after just one lecture from someone else?

"Then what's going on?"

Lu Feng frowned and was about to continue when several students hurried over.

"Dean, they seem to be your students..."

Vice Dean Qi said.

Lu Feng nodded.

These students, like Lu Hui, had been his students for several years.

"Don't worry, my teaching is flawless. My students won't be like yours! They're probably here to report something about Zhang Xuan..."

Seeing them approach, Dean Lu Feng nodded and was about to ask when the arriving students simultaneously knelt down.

"Thank you for your teachings over the years, teacher. We wish to... withdraw from your course!"