Ooomm~~~!

Ooommmmmm~~~!

Accompanied by a resounding toll of bells, a vast sea of auspicious clouds coalesced in the sky. The clouds rained down countless azure beams of light, dense like falling rain.

The Confucian scholars were awestruck. The bell's resonance pierced their ears and souls, making them feel one with Heaven and Earth, as if enlightenment was within reach!

The rain-like azure radiance washed over them, cleansing them to the marrow, leaving them utterly renewed!

"The Yellow Bell and Great Melody? Is this a sage propagating the Dao to nurture all beings?"

"Vast cosmic energy unfurling like rain clouds? Could a great Confucian scholar be bestowing incredible merits upon the people?"

Countless eyes converged on Fan Li. The words he had just written rose from the paper, hanging high in the sky and radiating rosy halos in all directions.

"Heavens! I've broken through!"

"I've also broken through to the Golden Core realm. I'm a Golden Core cultivator now?!"

"Having heard the Tao in the morning, I can die content in the evening! I've truly heard the Tao!!!"

The chasm between Master Yichuan's writing and Fan Li's cosmic manifestation was as vast as a firefly compared to the brilliant moon - a difference of millions upon millions of times!

The Confucian scholars gazed at Fan Li with blazing reverence, as if he were the reborn sage Confucius himself!

"Students, let us bow in gratitude to our teacher!"

Suddenly, a thousand Confucian scholars knelt towards Fan Li in unison.

This time, without even Zhu Ziyang's prompting, everyone spontaneously performed the ceremonial kowtow of three kneelings and nine headknocks before Fan Li!

Zhu Ziyang's face drained of color. The cosmic imagery unleashed by Fan Li had already made his legs go weak, nearly forcing him to kneel.

Yet the vast cosmic deluge seemed sentient, enveloping the entire Luming Academy while avoiding him completely - not a single drop fell upon him.

Of the thousand Confucian scholars present, Zhu Ziyang was one of only two who failed to reap any benefits. The other, of course, was Master Yichuan.

"You dare take him as your teacher?"

"Have you all gone mad?"

"Do not kneel!"

"Stand up at once! None of you are permitted to kneel!"

Zhu Ziyang shouted hoarsely, trying to stop the scholars from kowtowing to Fan Li. But alas, not a single one of the thousand heeded him.

After completing the ceremonial kowtow, the scholars remained kneeling, gazing at Fan Li with reverent eyes, awaiting his teachings.

Fan Li did not falter. Who was he?

Duke Jin of Great Chu!

In the imperial court, had not all the civil and military officials knelt before him hundreds, thousands of times? This scene of over a thousand young scholars kneeling was trivial in comparison.

"Please rise, everyone." Fan Li raised his right hand slightly with a smile.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Yes, we obey our teacher's command." The thousand scholars replied in unison before daring to stand.

"You actually call him your teacher?!" Zhu Ziyang was truly infuriated. "This nobody is so young, just a Foundation Building cultivator. What qualifications does he have to be your teacher?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, countless disdainful glares befell him.

The scholar who had just broken through to the Golden Core realm said with disdain, "The sea of knowledge is boundless; the enlightened can be teachers. Zhu Ziyang, don't you even understand such a simple principle?"

Another scholar remarked, "Our teacher just said that Confucian cultivation is divided into scholarship and spiritual cultivation. Our teacher is clearly a paragon who has harmonized the human and celestial realms, fully deserving of our reverence!"

Zhu Ziyang's mouth gaped open in shock. He wanted to retort, but no words came for a long while.

At his wits' end, Zhu Ziyang could only seek help from Master Yichuan with an imploring look. "Master..."

Master Yichuan's face was ashen. He knew he had lost - a devastating defeat. But to lose to such a young man like Fan Li, how could he accept that? He had to have another round and turn his loss into victory!

With that thought, Master Yichuan's aged face flushed slightly. But he still stubbornly said, "The young man's fluke early lead is no cause for complacency. A few platitudes do not prove whose knowledge is superior."

"Ah?" Fan Li was momentarily stunned upon hearing this.

What did the old man mean? He lost but couldn't accept it? What's this about a 'fluke early lead'? From his tone, did he want a second round?

The observing scholars were also astonished and indignant, not expecting the supposedly great Master Yichuan to be such a sore loser.

"So what, you want to have another match?" Fan Li asked with a slight mocking smile.

"That was just a light sparring. I have not used my full power," Master Yichuan gritted his teeth. "Now the real competition begins!"

"Good! Once the master gets serious, you're done for, kid!" Zhu Ziyang clapped excitedly.

Unfortunately, not a single one of the over thousand observing scholars joined him.

Zhu Ziyang's palms reddened from clapping as he awkwardly retracted his hands into his sleeves, met only by silence.

"What a bother this old man is. Why don't I just cut him down with my sword?" the Sage Ruler Han Yue suddenly whispered to Fan Li.

Originally she had invited Fan Li out for an excursion, but it had turned into him sparring with this annoying old man instead. What a damper on the mood.

"Absolutely not," Fan Li replied with a wry smile, whispering back, "I just spoke of embracing diverse perspectives. If you skewer him with your sword, it will only give him infamy."

"...Alright, fine." The Sage Ruler Han Yue regretted this deeply. It was her idea to invite Fan Li for this lecture, but she had clearly chosen poorly.

Master Yichuan remained unaware that he had just walked back from the gates of the underworld.

Given the vast gulf between his and the Sage Ruler's cultivations, she could skewer him full of holes with just a twig from a tree, let alone her Condensed Frost Sword.

"Young man," Master Yichuan raised his voice deliberately. "Now we'll have a proper comparison."

"Zither, chess, calligraphy, painting - you choose the subject. I'm letting you pick so the world cannot mock me for taking advantage of a junior."

As soon as he finished, Zhu Ziyang loudly chimed in, "What great magnanimity and generosity from our master!"

Good lord!

This back-and-forth obsequious display between teacher and student was utterly disingenuous. The scholars inwardly looked down on them!

Originally most had only disdained Zhu Ziyang, but now their contempt extended to Master Yichuan as well.

Confucian studies encompassed a wide range beyond just zither, chess, calligraphy and painting - including rites, charioteering, agriculture, commerce, crafts, mathematics, arts, archery and more.

By only offering those four options clearly in his areas of expertise, Master Yichuan revealed his hand.

"I'll choose the zither," Fan Li replied casually.

Though the body he had transmigrated into had poor combat prowess, aside from cultivation it seemed to excel in every academic subject.

Back in his previous life, he would undoubtedly have scored a perfect 750 on the college entrance exams!

"You dare choose the zither?" Master Yichuan was inwardly stunned. "Could this kid be incredibly skilled at playing it?"

His expression soured as an unpleasant possibility occurred to him. Having already lost one round, if he lost another he would lose all face in the realm of Great Chu.

"Ah, what a shame!" Master Yichuan suddenly exclaimed. "I've only practiced the heirloom Nine Celestial Circlet Zither, which I did not bring today. Young man, please choose another subject for our comparison."

The scholars erupted in an uproar upon hearing this.

Backing out?

Is this the conduct befitting a great Confucian master? His credibility was lower than even a seven or eight-year-old child.

Even Zhu Ziyang gaped at his own teacher in disbelief, as he clearly remembered seeing Master Yichuan play that very Nine Celestial Circlet Zither just a few days ago when tending to him.

"You might as well choose then," Fan Li said impatiently.

"Good!" Master Yichuan blurted out, then realizing his impolite tone, quickly added, "You do seem to know some propriety by deferring the choice to me, an elder. Since you have generously yielded the decision, I shall decide for you."

At this point, no amount of face-saving mattered compared to winning or losing.

Master Yichuan pondered deeply before finally settling on a subject.

"Let's compare painting!"