Chapter 901: Beat Me to Your Heart's Content!

They had all been wondering just now, with only three sentences to speak, which aspect Zhang Shi would address.

If he were to demonstrate ability—whether alchemy, medicine, artifact forging, or demonic music—it would capture everyone's attention and earn boundless admiration!

If he were to display achievements—recovering Master Wuyangzi's corpse, contributing artifact-forging methods selflessly, reviving the Hongyuan Empire's royal bodhi tree, taming all the spirit beasts and sacred beasts of Cloud Mist Ridge—all were astonishing and no weaker than any previous dean.

Even in teaching, his few direct disciples, though not highly skilled, had a far deeper understanding of cultivation and martial techniques than many six-star masters, and had even been invited as guest elders by the Martial Techniques Academy...

Any one of these was exceptionally outstanding and could attract countless predecessors... But he mentioned none of them, directly asking to fight...

Brother, we are masters, not thugs!

All the masters below stood dumbfounded, and countless elders pulled out their beards, blood trickling from their chins, utterly oblivious.

They had seen people boast and brag to show off; they had seen people scheme and grovel for power, stopping at nothing... but they had never seen anyone summon the ancestors only to attack them.

And what's more, he said it with such righteousness, such noble spirit... Zhang Shi, aren't you afraid the ancestors will scratch you to death on the spot?

Even if you don't want recognition, don't want to be dean, there's no need to be so reckless.

Zhao Bingxu swayed, nearly falling off the high platform.

Elder Mi and the others also had their jaws nearly dropping to the ground, their faces flushed red, as if about to explode.

"Beat us up?"

Everyone was dizzy, and the ancestral spirits on the stage looked at each other, feeling like dying.

To become a dean, they had all undergone this assessment and had assessed countless juniors. They had seen people rack their brains to prepare three sentences for recognition, but never had they seen someone who, upon opening their mouth, wanted to fight.

Are you crazy!

Their faces darkened. Ancestor Mukai frowned: "You only have three sentences. Consider carefully what to say. Don't talk nonsense!"

"I've considered it. Just let me beat you up!"

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

With a flicker, he appeared before Ancestor Mukai in an instant, flipped his palm, and pressed forward.

Boom!

True qi surged, producing a powerful sonic boom. The moment he struck, its extraordinary power was evident—even a half-saint standing before him would likely be killed on the spot.

"He's really attacking?"

"What is Zhang Shi doing?"

"It's over. Once he attacks, he'll certainly be charged with great disrespect. Even if they wanted to recognize him, it's impossible now!"

...

The many masters below were frantic, and Zhao Bingxu, Elder Mi, and the others had their hearts twitching, on the verge of fainting from the strain.

Attacking the ancestors—this was no longer simply a matter of not wanting to be dean, but whether he could continue in the Master Teacher Academy!

Or even in the master teacher profession!

"How dare you!"

"Such audacity!"

"You're asking for death!"

...

Seeing him attack, the many deans shouted loudly. Ancestor Mukai's face twitched as he hastily retreated, raised his palm, and struck back. Zhang Xuan flickered, dodged the attack, turned, and retreated.

Ancestor Mukai was about to pursue when his expression changed suddenly, as if sensing something. His pupils contracted, and he trembled involuntarily.

Whoosh!

Seeing that he understood, Zhang Xuan smiled slightly and stopped.

But though he stopped, the other deans did not. They charged furiously, their thick forces like steel cables trying to entangle him.

Seeing his disrespect toward the founding ancestor, all were enraged and wanted to teach this new dean a lesson.

"Stop!"

Just as the steel-like forces were about to envelop Zhang Xuan, a loud shout rang out. It was the founding ancestor, Mukai.

All the deans hesitated, stopped, and returned to their places, waiting. A few of them stared intently.

"Master Mu, this new dean knows no respect, understands no rules, and dared to attack you. He has violated propriety. Please let us deal with him!"

"Masters always value propriety. If he is not punished, how can we win people's hearts!"

The deans were indignant.

In all their years as deans, they had never seen such audacity.

"How dare you!" Ancestor Mukai's face darkened as the crowd buzzed. "We are but lingering remnants of the departed. To discipline the current dean—what kind of decorum is that?"

Hearing Mukai, the most propriety-conscious ancestor, say this, everyone was stunned and looked at him in confusion.

It seemed... you were quite eager to fight just now!

It's just that he dodged quickly and didn't get hit... So why is it now improper?

"Then what do we do now?" a dean couldn't help asking.

"What else can we do..." Ancestor Mukai glared, waved his hand grandly, and said with righteous spirit: "Stand still and let him hit us..."

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The many masters below all went weak in the knees and fell to the ground!

Stand still and let Zhang Shi hit them... What the hell?

Are you sure you're not joking?

The deans' spirits looked at each other, as if seeing a ghost.

Especially the second and third deans, who had deep ties with Ancestor Mukai, even being his students and disciples, and knew his character well.

Upright and incorruptible, always valuing propriety—yet this new dean, so reckless and unscrupulous, didn't anger him; instead, he told everyone to wait to be beaten...

This, this is too absurd.

"Alright, hurry up. We can't stay outside long. Don't waste time!" Ignoring the crowd's astonishment, Ancestor Mukai waved his hand.

"Yes!" Seeing the ancestor displeased, the deans had no choice but to step forward one by one, with expressions of facing death, looking at Zhang Xuan: "Come on, beat me to your heart's content!"

"Forgive me!" Zhang Xuan nodded, said nothing more, and stepped forward. True qi within him surged like a dragon, instantly enveloping everyone!

After a moment, the true qi dissipated. He stepped back, came to the edge of the high platform, and stood quietly as if nothing had happened.

As for the deans, their faces were pale, as if they had understood something. They looked at the young dean again, now filled with admiration.

"Alright, time is short. Now, decide on your recognition of him!"

Mukai said: "I am the first to agree. I recognize Zhang Shi as the dean of the Master Teacher Academy. With him, the academy will surely thrive and go further."

"I, the second dean of the Master Teacher Academy, also recognize!"

"I, the third dean, agree!"

"I, the fourth dean, second!"

"I..."

...

"I, the one hundred and second dean, agree with all the above deans' views!"

A dean stepped forward, his voice like a bell. All recognized Zhang Xuan without exception.

"Am I seeing things? These deans, after being beaten, all recognized Zhang Shi?"

"I'm also puzzled. I don't understand what's going on!"

"Isn't attacking a superior a great disrespect? In the past, wouldn't this have resulted in zero recognition? How is this happening?"

"I don't know either. But everything that happens with Zhang Shi is strange..."

The many masters under heaven were speechless.

Over a hundred deans throughout history—only the founding ancestor had obtained the highest authority. But this guy, after brutally beating up the deans' spirits, not only gained recognition but a hundred percent...

How did he directly get the highest authority...

Could it be that these deans' spirits are all gluttons for punishment, not liking flattery or selecting talent by ability, but preferring to be beaten?

"Since all have recognized, and time is almost up, we should return."

After everyone had spoken, Ancestor Mukai nodded and turned to Zhang Xuan: "I hope that no matter how high Zhang Shi's future achievements, he will never forget that he was once the dean of the Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy!"

With that, he cupped his hands: "Farewell!"

As he finished speaking, the deans' figures grew fainter and disappeared into the air, presumably teleported away by the formation.

"Phew..."

Seeing them leave and that they all recognized him, Zhang Xuan couldn't help exhaling!

Knowing that with authority he could read more books, he couldn't resist the idea of obtaining the highest authority.

After thinking for a long time, he knew that relying on just three sentences to get eighty percent of the deans to recognize him was utterly impossible.

Especially since his strength was unremarkable and his master teacher rank insufficient.

Unless... there was a reason they had to recognize him.

To be honest, it was hard for others to find such a reason, but he... actually had one!

Heaven-Recognized Master Teacher!

A master teacher recognized even by heaven—who would dare deny it?

However, in a public setting, revealing his identity as a Heaven-Recognized Master Teacher would invite countless assassinations and dangers. But he couldn't show it to just these few people alone, given his strength.

Helpless, he had to resort to this expedient... fight with them, envelop them in true qi, and then release the aura of a Heaven-Recognized Master Teacher.

Though troublesome, under the interference of Heavenly Dao true qi, even someone a hundred times stronger would find it hard to detect.

Having successfully revealed his identity... how could the deans dare say another word of nonsense!

No matter how awesome, can they be more awesome than heaven?

A Heaven-Recognized Master Teacher—that was the treatment of Confucius!

Thus the scene just now occurred, and Zhang Xuan became the only master teacher in the academy's history recognized by all deans!

This matter could not be spoken openly, and others, not knowing the truth, looked at Zhang Xuan again, finding him even more mysterious.

The students and elders who had harbored doubts before were now also speechless.

All deans had recognized him—what right did they have to question?

"Alright, since Zhang Shi has been recognized by all deans, let's proceed to the next item: condensing the Dean's Token!"

Coming to his senses from the shock, Zhao Bingxu looked around and said in a hoarse voice.

"But before that, please, Dean Zhang, give a public lecture!"