Chapter 318: Hell Mode
Chapter 318: Hell Mode
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: StarveCleric
"Doesn’t the academy usually only recruit new teachers at the start of the term? For a public recruitment to be conducted now, is it an intentional action of the Master Teacher Pavilion?"
Upon entering the academy, Zhang Xuan saw innumerable passionate students studying and training peacefully on the campus. Seemingly influenced by the environment, he suddenly felt relaxed. Turning to Mo Hongyi, he asked.
Most academies accept students at the start or the end of the term so that when new students arrive, they would get to choose among the teachers.
Judging from the current point in time, it had already been two months since the start of the term. If they were to accept teachers now, who would they teach? Were the other teachers expected to 'donate' students to them?
This didn't seem practical.
Probably, only the Master Teacher Pavilion wielded such influence.
"That's not it!"
Mo Hongyi shook his head. "Some teachers of the academy have left for some unknown reasons, resulting in vacancies for their classes. Thus, they decided to recruit new teachers to take charge of these classes so as to not delay their lessons."
"Vacancies for their classes? You mean that... once hired, we'll take over their classes? It's not a schoolwide student and teacher selection exercise?"
Zhang Xuan was taken aback.
Taking a class straight and having a student choose you were two different concepts.
Taking a class meant that everything was already decided beforehand, and one had no choice even if one was displeased with the students. As for the latter, one was allowed to choose freely and take in students of one's liking.
"Student and teacher selection exercise? How can that be possible? It is not the start of the term, so there's no student for you to choose. Besides, given our current identity, it is unlikely that students will choose us either!"
Mo Hongyi rolled his eyes.
Knowing that it was impossible for him to surpass this monster before him, he no longer viewed his hostilely. As such, his attitude became much more amiable than before.
He wouldn't live up to his reputation as a genius if he couldn't even adjust his state of mind.
"That's true..."
Zhang Xuan scratched his head.
He was currently in disguise as a person named Liu Cheng. He didn't have a striking reputation and didn't have any impressive qualifications either. Even if it was at the start of the year, it was unlikely that any students would want to come under his tutelage.
But even so, this was already a much higher starting point as compared to his experience in Hongtian Academy.
Back then, he had to shoulder the notoriety as the worst teacher in the academy. In any case, he still managed to accept a few outstanding students.
"How are the grades divided in Tianwu Academy?" After pondering for a moment, Zhang Xuan asked.
"You don't even know that?" Mo Hongyi looked at Zhang Xuan as though he had lived under a rock all this time.
At times, this fellow seemed so monstrous that it made others despair. Other times, he seemed so innocent and pure, knowing nothing at all, as though a newborn infant.
Tianwu Academy was the kingdom's number one academy! All of the teachers know about it, so how could a master teacher like you not know such elementary knowledge?
"To enter Tianwu Academy, one's cultivation must at least be at Fighter 3-dan Zhenqi realm! There are a total of four grades, and they correspond to Zhenqi, Pigu, Dingli, and Pixue respectively. Upon reaching Pixue realm, one can apply for graduation."
After hesitating for a moment, Mo Hongyi continued explaining. "Teachers are allowed to accept new students every year. As such, most teachers will have students of all four grades."
Zhang Xuan nodded.
These rules were similar to those of Hongtian Academy. If his previous self hadn’t caused his student's cultivation to go berserk, Zhang Xuan would have had old students as well.
"We're here!"
Just as Zhang Xuan was musing over this matter, Mo Hongyi's voice sounded. Lifting his head, he realized he had arrived right before Tianwu Academy Elder Hall.
New teachers had to be approved by the elders to be recruited.
An entire row of around a dozen elders was seated in the center of the courtyard. The weakest of them was at Half-Zongshi while the strongest one had reached Zongshi realm pinnacle.
"The one sitting at the center is Principal Xie Bi, one of the top ten experts of our Tianwu Kingdom. He is a 1-star master teacher and is extremely famous in our kingdom. Even I would find it hard to defeat him in a duel!"
Mo Hongyi discreetly pointed across and sent a telepathic message to Zhang Xuan.
His finger was pointed toward a white-bearded old man seated at the very center of the row. His eyes were large like a ferocious tiger. Even though he wasn't young, it didn't seem his vigor had declined in the least. On the contrary, he exuded a spirited and powerful aura.
This was a Zongshi realm pinnacle expert!
However, Zhang Xuan didn't see him in Mo Yu's Question Symposium yesterday.
Standing before the white-bearded elder was a row of people lined up in order, the numbers seeming to exceed a hundred.
"If you two are here for the teacher interview, please write down your personal details here and line up over there!"
Upon entering, a student immediately walked up to them.
The both of them walked in and filled up a form.
The content was simple. They only had to fill up their name, gender, cultivation, and their qualifications as a teacher.
They had memorized the background of the person they were impersonating yesterday, so it didn't take them long to fill the form up.
"May I ask if everyone here is for the teacher interview?"
After passing the form over, Zhang Xuan pointed to the hundred people lining up and asked.
"That's right!" The student nodded.
"So many people?" Zhang Xuan was astonished. "Then... how many teachers is Tianwu Academy recruiting?"
If they were recruiting a sizeable amount, it shouldn't be a problem for Zhang Xuan and Mo Hongyi to get in. Otherwise, they would have to fight with the others for the placing.
"Oh. We are accepting a total of five teachers. Three had already passed the interview, so there are only two slots remaining!" The student said.
"Only two slots remaining?"
Zhang Xuan and Mo Hongyi glanced at one another.
Over a hundred teachers were competing for two slots...
Wasn't the test supposed to be on increasing the Trust Level of the students we accept? Why did it suddenly become a recruitment test instead?
If we were to fail the interview, does that count as an immediate failure?
"Yes!" The student nodded.
"Aren't these teachers still queuing up? Why had three of them passed already? What are the prerequisites for the recruitment of these teachers?" Zhang Xuan continued asking.
The others were still queuing, but three of them had passed already?
Shouldn't they go through everyone before choosing carefully?
"Oh, the principal looked over their interview, and after determining that they are suitable, he immediately brought them in. Those three who were accepted are Half-Zongshi experts, so they are more than qualified to become teachers!"
The student smiled.
"Half-Zongshi?"
Zhang Xuan and Mo Hongyi smiled bitterly.
With that level of cultivation, one was already qualified to become an elder at Tianwu Academy. It wasn't surprising that they would be accepted immediately.
On the other hand, the Liu Cheng whom Zhang Xuan was impersonating as only possessed a cultivation of Tongxuan realm primary stage, which was significantly much weaker than them.
A Half-Zongshi cultivator against a Tongxuan realm primary stage cultivator, no matter how foolish one was, it was clear which one would be chosen.
The person Mo Hongyi was impersonating also only possessed a cultivation of Tongxuan realm primary stage. Thus, they were both on the same starting line.
Initially, Zhang Xuan thought that once he became a teacher, he just had to lead a few students so it wouldn't be too difficult. He didn't expect to be thrown into a 'Hard Mode' stage which one might die even before seeing the dungeon.
One of them was the number one genius of Tianwu Kingdom while the other one was a rising star who broke numerous records of the Master Teacher Pavilion...
For the 2-star master teacher examination, they actually had to compete with a bunch of normal teachers... Just the thought in itself felt bizarre.
"Alright, you two should queue up as well. If you meet the criteria, the academy will pick you!" The student urged them on.
Nodding, Zhang Xuan and Mo Hongyi proceeded forward.
"You two are here for the interview as well? Tongxuan realm primary stage, I think the both of you should just leave. Even the worst of the lot here have reached Tongxuan realm intermediate stage!"
The moment they walked over, a young man turned to look at them disdainfully. At the same time, he revealed his cultivation. Tongxuan realm advanced stage!
Due to the disguise, they had to suppress their cultivation to be visibly at Tongxuan realm primary stage.
Otherwise, given how pure Zhang Xuan's Heaven's Path zhenqi was, even Pavilion Master Jiang would be unable to discern his cultivation realm, needless to say, this fellow.
"The ability to impart knowledge is the most important ability of a teacher. If a teacher is incapable of doing so, what's the use of having a high cultivation?"
Mo Hongyi harrumphed.
As a top-notch genius, he had been admired by others from young. Other than suffering a setback inflicted by Zhang Xuan, he had never been underestimated before. Yet, this fellow spoke such words to him the moment they met. Mo Hongyi’s blood boiled with anger.
"Despite your young age, you sure have a fiery temper!"
The young man harrumphed, "I am saying these words for your welfare. I'm afraid that you will just waste your time!"
After which, he turned around haughtily.
Disregarded by the other party, Mo Hongyi's face turned pale. On the other hand, Zhang Xuan chuckled.
To be able to send the number one genius into a fit of anger, that person could also be considered a talent.
Just as he was about to say something, the voice of an elder sounded from the front.
"I, Xie Bi, thank the teachers here for attending this public recruitment!"
Everyone immediately fell silent upon hearing the principal's voice and focused their attention on the front.
"I believe everyone here had heard about the shortage of teachers in the academy. Since all of you are here for the recruitment, I believe all of you are informed of the situation of the classes in question."
Principal Xie Bi surveyed the surroundings, "However, I should still say a few things about these two classes in advance. Their previous teachers were Hu Yi laoshi and Bai Fang laoshi. Thus, the students of these classes are outstanding. I hope to recruit a worthy teacher so that their talents don't go to waste."
"Hu Yi and Bai Fang?"
Upon hearing those names, Mo Hongyi frowned.
"You know them?" Zhang Xuan turned to look at Mo Hongyi.
"They are famous star teachers in Tianwu Academy and their teaching skills are outstanding. Furthermore... They are Pavilion Master Jiang's apprentices!" Mo Hongyi told him through telepathy.
"Pavilion Master Jiang's apprentice?"
To be capable of becoming the apprentice of a 2-star pinnacle master teacher, it was impossible for their teaching skills to be mediocre.
"That's right. I've heard that their classes are the two most outstanding classes in the entire Tianwu Academy. The students they accept are also top-notch. Seems like our test isn't as easy as we thought!"
Mo Hongyi rubbed his glabella.
An outstanding student had a tendency to be complacent and as a result, they often would feel less attached to a teacher.
It was just like if one taught a genius and a normal student. Assuming that you helped the both of them advance from Zhenqi realm to Dingli realm, the latter would be thankful to you while the former might think that you were merely a mediocre teacher who was impeding his talent.
Giving a rich man a thousand gold coins was a completely different notion of giving a beggar a thousand gold coins.
Delivering charcoal in winter was a completely different concept from gifting blankets in summer. It would be hard for Zhang Xuan and Mo Hongyi to win the favor of their students.
These two classes were the most outstanding classes of the academy and their students were also top-notch. If one was more talented than them, one might still be able to win their respect... However, given that they had to carry out this test with their fake identity, keeping them in control was already a challenge, needless to say, winning their trust...
How could those geniuses be willing to submit to two average teachers?
The heck!
Zhang Xuan had thought it would be a piece of a cake. He had thought that what was required of him was merely to come here to teach a couple of students. He had thought that the ten days was more than enough for him to win their trust. But what he hadn't expected was that it wasn't just 'Hard Mode', but 'Hell Mode'.
As expected, the 2-star master teacher examination... wasn't as easy as he thought.