Library of Heaven’s Path 2: Eternal Destiny

Chapter 63: Hong Yi Sought Apprenticeship

"Jade bottles?" Chen Hao was puzzled.

The dean couldn't ignite the furnace, so now he was looking for external factors to blame?

Though confused, Chen Hao followed the dean's orders and handed over both jade bottles.

Lu Mingrong took the recently used jade bottle, removed the stopper, and sniffed it. Realizing something, his pupils constricted sharply.

"This, this…"

Clenching his fist, he hurriedly grabbed the other jade bottle and did the same. His body started to tremble uncontrollably. Then he looked up at Zhang Xuan with intense shock in his eyes.

"Dean, is there something wrong?" Vice Principal Wu Yunzhou asked.

"I'll explain later!" Lu Mingrong exhaled, calmed himself, and carefully put the jade bottles into his pocket. He then turned back to Zhang Xuan, "Teacher Zhang, why don't you try to ignite the furnace? If you succeed, everyone will see your true abilities."

If even the dean couldn't succeed, asking Zhang Xuan to try might offend him if he failed.

"I know what I'm doing!" Lu Mingrong waved his hand and looked at Zhang Xuan again, "What do you think?"

Zhang Xuan frowned, "Helping ignite the furnace is no big deal, but he isn't my student."

"Uh…" Lu Mingrong was taken aback. He turned to the new student, "What's your name, and who is your current teacher?"

"Dean, my name is Hong Yi. My talent isn't very good, so no teacher has accepted me yet… I can only attend public lectures!" Hong Yi blushed.

With limited teachers at White Rock Academy, only a few students could be formally taught. Most freshmen had to attend public lectures.

Hong Yi was one of them. His source pool evaluation had only absorbed a single stream of Heaven‘s Fate Energy, resulting in a ninth-grade source pool. Without any significant background, he naturally didn't attract any teacher's attention.

"public lecture? That simplifies things…" Lu Mingrong looked at Zhang Xuan again, "Teacher Zhang, would you be willing to accept him as a student? Don't worry, his training resources will be provided by the academy."

Zhang Xuan frowned, glanced at Hong Yi, and before he could ask, Hong Yi hurriedly stood up, excitedly kneeling, "Student Hong Yi, greets the teacher!"

Just like Yuan Tao before, when he saw an opportunity, he wouldn’t let it go. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have stepped out of the crowd and risked asking Chen Hao to ignite his furnace.

Zhang Xuan didn’t immediately agree. Instead, he looked over calmly, "I'm just an auxiliary teacher, and my teaching level isn't very high. Once you become my disciple, other teachers might not accept you. Moreover, after becoming my disciple, you must obey my commands without refusal or regret."

"Obeying teacher's commands is only right. I, Hong Yi, will never regret it!" Hong Yi bowed, his eyes filled with determination.

He knew his situation well—no family background, no talent, no resources… Being accepted by a teacher was already a great opportunity. Regret? Not a chance!

"Since you are sincere, I will accept you as my disciple."

Without further ado, Zhang Xuan agreed. For him, the most important qualities in a disciple were character and attitude, not talent.

Instead of waiting for someone who might betray him, he'd rather accept someone with less talent but a willingness to listen.

With Heaven's Path Flaw and Heaven's Path Order, even a horse could be trained to become a master.

"Thank you, teacher!" Hong Yi nodded repeatedly, overwhelmed with excitement.

"Now that you are my disciple, go sit over there. I will help you ignite your furnace!" Zhang Xuan walked over.

Hong Yi sat cross-legged near the formation, preparing to meditate, when Chen Hao approached, "I set up this formation, so I'm taking it back…" He pulled up the formation flags one by one.

Zhang Xuan didn’t argue. After Chen Hao removed the flags, he flicked his fingers, sending a thin stream of Primordial Yellow Energy into Hong Yi's source pool.

"Teacher, what should I do now?" Hong Yi, unaware of the energy in his body, asked in confusion.

"Three!" Zhang Xuan's deep, steady voice sounded.

"???" Hong Yi was puzzled.

‘Isn't he supposed to ignite my furnace? What's he doing?’

Not only Hong Yi but also Lu Mingrong, Wu Yunzhou, and the others were equally perplexed.

Normally, Zhang Xuan should have stopped Chen Hao from taking the formation flags and then continued pressing on Hong Yi’s belly…

Why was he doing nothing and just counting?

"Two!" Ignoring the confusion, Zhang Xuan continued.

"Putting on a show!" Chen Hao sneered, "I removed the formation flags. Without the formation's assistance, let's see how you ignite the furnace…"

"Even the dean couldn't do it. How can an auxiliary teacher succeed?" A sycophantic follower nodded eagerly.

At that moment, Zhang Xuan's final count rang out, "One!"

Boom!

Hong Yi, who had been at a loss, suddenly trembled all over as the dense source energy around him surged into his body. In the blink of an eye, the sound of rushing water echoed, like a mountain spring flowing with clear and crisp sounds.

"The Flowing Stream!"

"It's also a top-grade peak furnace…"

"Not only did he succeed, but he also timed it precisely to the second… This technique is incredible!"

Seeing the flustered and eager-to-cultivate Hong Yi, the onlookers were all stunned.

The same Lingyun Beast essence blood had been tried by both Chen Hao and the principal, to no avail. Yet, Zhang Xuan ignited it in an instant and timed it perfectly… How terrifying was his skill?

Could it be that his ability to ignite furnaces far surpasses the principal's?

"He succeeded again?" Liu Mingyue's eyes widened.

Previously, she thought her ability to ignite a top-grade furnace with the Hanbei Turtle essence blood was due to her own high talent. Now, it seemed it had little to do with her talent and everything to do with this auxiliary teacher!

Lu Mingrong was even more shocked, trembling slightly. If he had been confused before, now he fully understood. Turning again to look at the young man not far away, his eyes were filled with shock and excitement.

"Alright, he has successfully ignited the furnace. Chen Hao, do you have anything to say?" Zhang Xuan asked, looking at Chen Hao.

Even if Chen Hao was a student, a lesson needed to be given. Otherwise, he would become even more audacious.

"I…" Chen Hao's face turned red. He wanted to argue but couldn't say a word. He finally nodded, "A bet is a bet. I willingly kneel and apologize…"

He took a step forward, but before his knees touched the ground, he was helped up.

Looking up, he saw the teacher he had hated, Zhang Xuan, standing in front of him with a kind look in his eyes.

"Teacher Zhang…" Chen Hao felt a wave of emotion.

He hadn't expected that, despite his attempts to undermine him, Zhang Xuan would be so magnanimous, showing such generosity…

As he was feeling touched, Zhang Xuan's voice rang out, "Just pay up! Give me 500 source coins, and you won't have to kneel."

"???"

All the emotion disappeared in an instant, and Chen Hao's eyes widened in shock.

"My noble head, the head of the heir of the Chen family, is only worth 500 source coins? Are you mocking me?"