“Teacher Sun, there’s no need for a battle!”
Xiao Li laughed.
“It can’t be that you’re giving up as well, right?”
Tong Yiming was surprised. (What is going on with you guys?)
“Teacher Xiao, please don’t do this.”
Sun Mo tried to persuade him, but it was useless.
“That’s right, I’m giving up.”
When Xiao Li drew Sun Mo as his opponent, he had made this decision without any hesitation. It was because Sun Mo was the guy who had helped him find his honor back.
“…”
“Teacher Sun, if I can pass the examination this time around, I’ll do my best to catch up to your footsteps. Let’s determine the victor between us in the 3-star great teacher examinations.”
After Xiao Li said that, he then smiled in self-mockery. “But given your talent, you should go fight for the glory of rising by three stars in a year, right?”
“Teacher Xiao, your mentality isn’t right. What do you mean by ‘if you can pass’? You should be more confident.”
Sun Mo frowned, feeling a little begrudging.
He understood Xiao Li’s mentality. When someone kept on losing, they’d lack confidence even if they had the chance to win. They’d be scared of losing.
“Yes, Teacher Sun is right!”
Xiao Li bowed slightly, humbly receiving the teaching. He hadn’t adjusted his mentality.
Ding!
Favorable impression points from Xiao Li +100. Respect (1,920/10,000).
Xiao Li’s attitude made many examinees tsked. What the hell? Xiao Li looked very respectful toward Sun Mo. That shouldn’t be the case. Didn’t they say that his arm was broken by Sun Mo? He should hate Sun Mo, right?
“That is old news. Don’t you know that Jiang Zhitong didn’t wish to let Sun Mo participate in the examination, intentionally making things difficult for him? He said that Sun Mo can only take the examination if Xiao Li can. Therefore, Sun Mo used the Ancient Dragon Capturing Hands to cure his broken arms.”
Some examinees didn’t care about gossip and focused on their students. However, a few of them liked such rumors and would spread them tirelessly.
Xiao Li walked over to the side of the arena and jumped off it. This scene instantly brought a huge commotion.
“What happened? Aren’t they going to fight?”
“Didn’t you hear that? That middle-aged man gave up!”
“What the hell? Is there some kind of shady deal? Is this Sun Mo’s the illegitimate son of the Saint Gate’s Sect Lord? Why did most of his opponents give up?”
The people who had bet on Xiao Li were enraged. They felt that their money had gone down the drain.
He was at the Longevity Realm, a seed candidate who could get first place. Everyone would have nothing to say if he had lost in an open and aboveboard manner, but what was with giving up when he had no injuries at all?
This was like betting on Brazil winning the championship, but after they reached the semi-finals, with a complete team, they suddenly announced that they were dropping out from the competition. Who would be able to accept this?
A lot of bankers were going crazy, let alone the people who placed the bets. In this short moment, there were probably many people who wanted to see Xiao Li dead.
However, very soon, the scoldings and doubts implicated Sun Mo. They said that there were shady dealings or that he had bribed Xiao Li.
This was what Xiao Li couldn’t accept. He stopped in his footsteps and let out a strong bellow.
“Everyone, I’m sure that you guys must have heard the rumors between myself and Teacher Sun. That’s right, they are all right!”
Xiao Li admitted honestly.
“I’m trash who had taken part in the 2-star great teacher for the fifth time. If I were to fail again this year, I’ll forever lose the chance to upgrade my star level. To speak the truth, when I came, I didn’t have confidence. However, as I had a bet with someone else, I had no choice but to come participate in the examination…
“Therefore, I was jealous of a genius who’s able to have his star level raised consecutively when he has just graduated. Moreover, I drank too much the other day and thus offended Teacher Sun.
“My arms were broken and even my last chance was gone. At one point, I even wanted to give up on being a teacher and planned on going back to the countryside and be a cowherd. However, Teacher Sun didn’t hold the past against me. He used the Ancient Dragon Capturing Hands to help join my bones together and dispel the doubts that I had, allowing me to rebuild my confidence and standing in this examination location.
“That’s right, I’m already a middle-aged man and have been stuck at the ninth level of the divine force realm for many years. Thanks to Teacher Sun’s generosity was I then able to advance to the Longevity Realm. If I were to still fight against him, what kind of great teacher would I be?”
Xiao Li said all these in one breath and then turned to bow down deeply toward Sun Mo.
“Without Teacher Sun, there won’t be me! I’ll forever remember your favor! Thank you, Teacher Sun!”
Xiao Li said with great sincerity.
Ding!
Favorable impression points from Xiao Li +300. Respect (2,220/10,000).
The entire place was silent. It was only now that everyone noticed that Xiao Li had been using honorifics to address Sun Mo.
“I knew it. There must be an inside story.”
“Isn’t Sun Mo’s character too noble? To think that he made so many people willingly give up?”
“Don’t forget, all these people are considered his rivals. If you were him, would you help them to become stronger? This is very broad-minded of him!”
Not just the audience, even the examinees started to feel admiration for Sun Mo.
“Winning over people by virtues. This is the true realm of a great teacher!”
Ma Zhang felt emotional. He hadn’t made a wrong choice in acknowledging this teacher.
On the judges seats, the major characters felt very emotional as well. They wouldn’t find it strange if a great teacher with a high star level was to do something like this. But how old was Sun Mo?
Someone with such broadmindedness was really not easy to come by.
Mei Yazhi threw a glance at Jiang Zhitong. As expected, his countenance turned so black that it was like the bottom of a pot that had been brushed by charcoal ash.
The more famous Sun Mo became, the more embarrassing it was for the Jiang Clan.
“Cough cough! Everyone, be quiet!”
Sun Mo spoke up. He didn’t use a lot of force, but his clear voice instantly rang through the entire battle dojo.
“Teacher Xiao is too kind. I’ve only done some insignificant things. The reason Teacher Xiao can break through the bottleneck is because of his good aptitude.”
Sun Mo didn’t dare to accept the bow. He gestured for Xiao Li to quickly get up.
“Teacher Sun, don’t be modest!”
Someone from the spectators stand shouted. Then, applause rang out. After a few breaths, the applause was deafening.
Sun Mo’s handsome looks, good figure, simple dressing, and his polite attitude when facing praises…
Of course, the most important thing was still talent. Without any exceptions, all of these fulfilled the illusions the audiences had toward great teachers. They felt that this was the attitude that a great teacher should have.
“In the future, I also want to become a great teacher like Teacher Sun!”
A young boy was holding his mother’s hand and swore.
However, the examinees were more interested in Sun Mo’s great teacher halo.
“This is Lingering Sound, right? It sounds really nice! It’s said that it can let the listener unknowingly become immersed in it.”
“I heard that Sun Mo also knows some halos at the level of Teacher for a Day, Father for Life!”
“Huh? Doesn’t that mean that he can get people to kneel down and drop to their knees?”
The examinees talked amongst themselves.
From the perspective of most great teachers who came from ordinary backgrounds, one could get into top-notch famous schools through family connections; one could swallow peak-grade alchemical pills and natural fruits to raise their realms. Even getting a girlfriend from the Devastating Beauty Rankings might not be reliant on one’s own conditions.
However, great teacher halos were the only thing that couldn’t be faked. It was because no matter what price you paid, it’d be impossible to buy them. It’d depend on themselves to comprehend it.
Therefore, the more halos one comprehended, the greater the envy one would receive because this represented true wisdom and power.
In the great teacher world, you might not necessarily receive respect even if you were a specially recruited professor from the Nine Greats or a royalty. However, the higher your star level, then the greater the heartfelt respect you’d get.
It was because each star level represented the relative number of great teacher halos that one must comprehend.
“It seems that I’ll have to invite Sun Mo to a meal.”
Liang Hongda assessed Sun Mo, suddenly feeling very envious of a youngster like him.
He looked at how Xiao Li had to be so loud to speak up, then at Sun Mo, who was able to speak with great ease using Lingering Sound.
“Teacher Sun, leave some face for me!”
Xiao Li teased. (I really want Lingering Sound too. After comprehending it, I won’t have to worry about people not hearing me when I speak when many others are also talking.)
As it was another round when one side gave in, there were no examinees who were depleted or needed rest. Therefore, after getting Bai Shuang’s agreement, the judges decided to immediately start the battle for the top two.
The battle for Bai Shuang vs. Sun Mo was starting officially.
On the arena, the main examiner waited until the two of them went up. He then couldn’t help but look toward Bai Shuang, asking, “You won’t be giving up, right?”
The main examiner was really scared. If this carried on, there’d be no quantity nor quality at all.
“Why do I have to give up?” Bai Shuang asked. “I’ve been waiting for this moment from the start of the examinations.”
“That’s good then!”
The main examiner felt assured.
Bai Shuang looked toward Sun Mo. “Teacher Sun, I won’t hold back for Gu Qingyan’s sake. Therefore, there’s still time for you to give up now. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being brutal.”
The main examiner’s assured feelings spiked again. He threw a worried glance at Sun Mo.
(Don’t be giving up.)
However, he also hoped to see Sun Mo giving up. To speak the truth, after the days of invigilating the examinations, his impression of Sun Mo wasn’t bad. Therefore, he didn’t wish for Sun Mo to be beaten up badly by Bai Shuang.
Who was Bai Shuang?
She was the top graduate of the Skyraise Academy, a great spirit controller. However, she had been too busy and didn’t have the time to come take the examination. Otherwise, she’d have become a 2-star great teacher long ago.
If Sun Mo hadn’t beaten up Gu Qingyan so badly that he kept himself secluded, running to the Darkness Continent to exile himself, she wouldn’t have taken part in the examination this year either.
“What to do? This person is so fierce!”
Lu Zhiruo felt a little worried and she tugged Li Ziqi’s sleeves. It was because she sensed a powerful aura coming from Bai Shuang.
She must have a very powerful spiritual beast.
“Be calm!”
Li Ziqi patted the papaya girl’s hand. “Teacher won’t lose!”
Although the little sunny egg said this, she was feeling very anxious inside. It was because she had found out from her information broker that Bai Shuang was so amazing she didn’t seem human.
“Vice Sect Lord, should we persuade her a little?”
Mei Yazhi frowned. “Both Sun Mo and Bai Shuang are talented rising stars of our great teacher world. No matter which one of them gets injured, it’d be a great loss.”
“Teacher Mei, what you’ve said isn’t right. How would one grow without going through the wind and the rain?”
Jiang Zhitong interrupted and then looked at Mei Yazhi’s beautiful dignified looks. He couldn’t help but feel jealous. Damn it, it was really something to be handsome. Even such a peak-grade woman would speak up for him.
