Library of Heaven’s Path 2: Eternal Destiny

Chapter 58:Blow His Own Cover

Although Dean Lu had firmly denied it earlier, as academy elders, they all understood that igniting a furnace had a customary process. A normal teacher, following the standard steps, wouldn't have much trouble and could generally succeed. However, Zhang Xuan's method had nothing in common with this traditional process. To them, it seemed like he was just messing around, yet he had actually succeeded!

Instantly, everyone turned to look at Yu Xiaoyu.

"I... I really succeeded! I can absorb Source Energy now..." Seeing so many people, including the dean, looking at her with curiosity, Yu Xiaoyu's face reddened, and her voice lost its previous confidence.

"Igniting a furnace allows you to absorb and refine Source Energy. Xiaoyu, what grade of Source Pool did you ignite? Can you tell us more?" Mo Yanxue couldn't help but ask.

"I... I ignited a supreme-grade furnace. Like you, I can absorb 140 strands of Source Energy per day," Yu Xiaoyu said, holding her head high.

"Supreme-grade?"

Mo Yanxue looked skeptical.

"That's right... You don't believe me?" Yu Xiaoyu asked, her voice tinged with a bit of panic.

"It's not that I don't believe you, I just want to verify..." Mo Yanxue was about to say the word "test" when she was interrupted by Dean Lu Mingrong.

"Activated is good. Go back and get used to it quickly, absorb Source Energy, and fill your Source Pool!"

With his keen eyes, he could tell that Yu Xiaoyu hadn't succeeded. She must have been following the City Lord's instructions to prevent Zhang Xuan from being embarrassed. Since this aligned with his goals, he wouldn't expose her and would help cover it up.

"Yes!" Yu Xiaoyu nodded repeatedly and turned to leave. She could pretend to be unconcerned in front of others, but in front of her best friend, she felt a bit guilty.

"Wait..."

She had only taken a couple of steps when an unhappy voice called out, "You ignited your furnace? Why can't I sense it?"

"..." Yu Xiaoyu trembled and turned around, seeing Zhang Xuan standing behind her, frowning in confusion.

"I, I..." Yu Xiaoyu didn't know how to respond, feeling her body stiffen.

She was trying to cover for him, to back him up, yet he was tearing down his own stage... This wasn't how it was supposed to go!

Not only did Yu Xiaoyu look panicked, but the smiles on the faces of Dean Lu Mingrong, Ran Qingxu, and others also froze. They had thought that with Yu Xiaoyu's cooperation, they wouldn't need to come up with any more excuses, and today's issue could be smoothly resolved. They never imagined that Zhang Xuan would blow his own cover.

‘Bro... can you not make things so difficult?’

‘We are trying to help you!’

In an instant, Dean Lu Mingrong and the others felt as if a thousand curses were running through their minds. They've seen people make mistakes, but never anyone who sabotaged themselves so thoroughly.

"Uh, uh! Xiaoyu did ignite the furnace. I just felt the flow of Source Energy..." Dean Lu Mingrong forced a clumsy smile, his eyelid twitching.

"Yes, it's true. We all felt it!" Wu Liuyun quickly added, followed by Ran Qingxu, Wu Liuyun, and the other elders chiming in.

"Your method is correct. Igniting the furnace is naturally very straightforward!"

"It looks like nothing's happening, but in fact, the fire is burning vigorously and powerfully..."

Seeing the dean and the elders covering for her, Yu Xiaoyu was completely dumbfounded.

‘What is going on? Who am I? Where am I?’

‘Does my father have such influence? Did he bribe the entire top echelon of White Roc Academy just to help me lie?’

"No, no!" Zhang Xuan frowned. "If you really ignited the furnace, I would have sensed it. Don't be in a hurry to leave. Show me how you absorb Source Energy right here!"

Earlier, he had secretly released a strand of Primordial Yellow Energy into her dantian. This energy was connected to his consciousness. If she truly ignited the furnace, he would definitely sense it, but he didn't feel anything now...

Obviously, she was lying!

"I..."

Yu Xiaoyu felt like crying.

‘Why is lying so difficult?’

"That's right, Xiaoyu, I also think something's off. Try absorbing Source Energy, just like how you've seen me do it. We can all see it!" Mo Yanxue stepped forward.

Yu Feng urged, "Sister, it's just cultivation. It won't take much time!"

Looking left at Dean Lu Mingrong and the elders, then right at Zhang Xuan, and ahead at her best friend and brother... Yu Xiaoyu felt utterly lost.

‘I want to show it, but I'm faking it, faking it!’

Seeing the girl on the verge of being exposed, Dean Lu Mingrong could no longer hold back and forced a smile, "Cultivation is a private matter. With so many people watching... it's really unnecessary."

"It's definitely necessary! If it didn't ignite, I need to know where the problem lies so I can improve..." Zhang Xuan explained.

The method deduced by the Heaven's Path Order should have suited Yu Xiaoyu perfectly. Why didn't it succeed? It was too strange!

As the crowd debated, Liu Mingyue, who had been meditating with her eyes closed, suddenly stood up and looked at Zhang Xuan with disdain. "There's no need to test! I can testify that Yu Xiaoyu didn't ignite her furnace at all! This so-called Teacher Zhang doesn't know how to guide others in cultivation..."

"Testify? What proof do you have?" Ran Qingxu's scalp tingled, and he quickly scolded her.

‘What kind of people are these…’

Yesterday, they had gone all out to cover for Zhang Xuan, exhausting themselves to the point of collapse but feeling relieved. Today, even though they were still helping him, they couldn't feel at ease...

This constant tension was going to be the death of them.

"I'll use myself as proof. I just refined all the Lingyun Beast blood that this so-called Teacher Zhang gave me, but my Source Pool remains calm and unchanged. It hasn't ignited. If I didn't succeed, there's no way she could have!" Liu Mingyue raised her head, her eyes sharp and challenging. "Yu Xiaoyu, do you dare to have it tested, or will you admit you're lying?"

"I..."

Yu Xiaoyu was on the verge of tears.

Lying is so hard!

"Xiaoyu, what's really going on? Tell us!" Mo Yanxue urged her friend.

"I... I was afraid Teacher Zhang would be embarrassed, so I pretended, I deliberately..." Knowing she couldn't hide it anymore, Yu Xiaoyu admitted, her face flushed with shame. She couldn't reveal the truth about her father's involvement, so she took the blame herself.

But once she admitted it, the crowd erupted.

"Isn't that lying?"

"So all this time, this Teacher Zhang doesn't know anything about cultivation..."

"Damn, how dare he deceive us!"

The crowd grew noisy, especially Yu Feng and the others, who clenched their fists in anger, ready to confront Zhang Xuan.

"Dean, Teacher Zhang is a fraud who knows nothing about cultivation. Such a person doesn't deserve to be a teacher! I officially accuse him of fraud and teaching useless methods..." Liu Mingyue, seeing the crowd's anger, didn't hesitate and shouted out her pent-up rage.

"Hmph, if you make me lose face, I'll make you a hundred times more embarrassed..." Liu Mingyue thought, feeling smug. She believed this young man would soon be discredited. Suddenly, her body stiffened.

"Boom!"

A powerful aura erupted from within her, and in an instant, the dense surrounding Source Energy surged into her body.

"This is... igniting the furnace and starting to absorb Source Energy?"

There was a moment of stunned silence.