Chapter 1006: Serve the Tea and Send the Guest Away. Impudently Bold!
Sun Mo and his students returned to the hotel and after freshening up, they gathered once more in the great hall. They were preparing to head to the most extravagant place in the Song An Preferecture, Swallow Phoenix Inn, to have a feast.
But before they could leave, they were stopped by the hotel owner.
“Great Teacher Sun, please wait!”
The boss who had just had his fortieth birthday smiled amicably and even rubbed his hands as he said, “Congratulations for your brilliant disciple on passing the 1-star great teacher examination. I specially hired the main chef from the Wind Dance Inn over to prepare a banquet for Great Teacher Sun and his genius disciples. I hope that Great Teacher Sun can give me some face.”
After the boss spoke, he bowed and waited for Sun Mo’s decision.
Honestly speaking, he felt trepidation in his heart.
What should he do if Sun Mo didn’t agree?
Sun Mo was a three-time champion after all, and the number of hotel bosses who wanted to treat him to a meal could queue from the south gate to the north gate of the city. Moreover, his beloved disciple had just defeated Secondary Saint Zhou’s beloved great grandson and obtained the 1-star great teacher title, breaking the record.
This was a living advertisement!
The people of the Nine Provinces were all willing to seek a good omen before they made any big decisions. In the future, if the Song An Prefecture wanted to organize any large-scale events again, those teachers and students would definitely choose a ‘lucky’ hotel to stay.
After all, Li Ziqi who had broken the record had stayed here before. Maybe, some of her good luck would rub off them if they stayed here too?
If he could get Sun Mo and Li Ziqi to write something for him to hang up, things would be even better.
For this, the boss was already prepared to pay an astronomical price.
“No need!” Sun Mo smiled. “I’ve reserved a banquet place.”
The boss sighed at his unluckiness, but he didn’t wish to give up and thus continued to try by placing his attitude even lower.
“Today is a great day for your brilliant disciple, and everyone will definitely toast a few cups to her. If she gets drunk, it will be inconvenient for her to return to the hotel. Why don’t you guys eat here instead?”
The boss persuaded, “Also, the main chef of the Wind Dance Inn is famous throughout the Song An prefecture. His Steamed Perch is his specialty.”
“Is it better than the Swallow Phoenix Inn?” Qin Yaoguang asked with a smile.
“Eh!”
The boss was silent for a moment. This chef’s skill was definitely inferior. Someone like him who had money but no status would surely not be able to hire the head chef of the Swallow Phoenix Inn.
“We booked a room in the Swallow Phoenix Inn and are preparing to admire the scenery there while we celebrate.”
After Qin Yaoguang said this, the boss had an ashamed look on his face as he retreated unwillingly.
A room in the Swallow Phoenix Inn that could allow one to admire the scenery was incomparably expensive, and it was fully packed every time. It was so popular to the extent that people had to queue to reserve it. The fact that Sun Mo could reserve it was already a sign of his status.
Ai!
He was really unworthy to associate with Sun Mo.
The boss gave up. But then again when he thought about it, it was only normal for him to fail. Sun Mo’s eldest disciple was a princess of Great Tang, but he actually dreamt of wanting to use the main chef of the Wind Dance Inn to make her stay here?
Wasn’t this a foolish fantasy?
If he really wanted her to have a good meal, he probably needed to hire 12 imperial chefs.
Actually to Sun Mo, it didn’t matter where they ate. He didn’t care about these things, but he definitely wouldn’t take advantage of the boss.
Everyone then went there with high spirits and returned with high spirits. All of them had a good time.
Looking at the bright moon in the sky, Lu Zhiruo suddenly clapped her forehead and called out.
“Aiya, did we play until it’s too late? Eldest Martial Sister still has to compete tomorrow!”
Those qualified students could continue and stay to participate in the competition if they were willing to do so.
After one more round, 32 people would be decided, and they would undergo the final battles to see who would become the champion.
“I won’t participate!”
Li Ziqi shook her head. She had discussed things with Sun Mo.
“Why? You might be able to get first place.”
Lu Zhiruo didn’t understand.
“You mean…spamming money all the way until I get into the finals?”
Li Ziqi had a self-mocking smile. “Although these spirit runes were drawn by me, ‘spamming money’ so crazily would only ruin my reputation.”
“I’ve never felt this way.” Lu Zhiruo shook her head.
“Because you are too pure!”
Tantai Yutang explained, “For the majority of people, they view the wealthy with hatred. After everyone regains their senses from the shock, they will start to envy her. Once the sour feelings kick in, various vicious-sounding evaluations would form. At that time, her reputation would turn bad.”
“Also, getting first in the martial segment doesn’t hold much meaning.”
Li Ziqi continued and explained. “After obtaining the great teacher title, it means that I’ve broken the record. Zhou Wenbin has also been defeated. I don’t wish to expose my trump card in the following martial segment. It is already meaningless.”
“Ah? You still have a trump card? What is it?” Xianyu Wei asked.
Li Ziqi smiled but didn’t answer.
She didn’t wish to expose her strength because she wanted to wait until the personal student battle in the 4-star great teacher examination to use it. If she used it now, prudent people would surely take note and be on their guard against it in the future.
After all, Sun Mo’s fame was so great. Since she had just broken the record, if she participated in the personal student battle in the 4-star exam, she would definitely be the focus of all attention.
“Don’t worry, your scores in the first three rounds are so good. Even if you skip the rest of the martial exam, you might very well still be the champion.”
Jiang Leng consoled her.
…
On the second day, even more people heard about the fight between Li Ziqi and Zhou Wenbin. They then hurried to the Golden Cherry Academy and when they were waiting to see her compete, they discovered that she wasn’t participating in the other matches to vye for the first place, causing them to feel greatly disappointed.
The people in the gambling dens were panicking. Those who betted on Li Ziqi becoming the first place also panicked. Hence, these people with the same-minded intentions started to rally and persuade everyone to leave.
They wanted to use their absence to threaten the Saint Gate to intervene, persuading Li Ziqi to continue competing.
Liang Hongda arrived at the hotel and after pushing the door to their rooms open, he saw Sun Mo explaining the concept behind a difficult question to Li Ziqi.
“Sect Lord’s grand arrival brings glory to my humble room. Please excuse and forgive me for not going out to meet you!”
Sun Mo exchanged polite words before leading Liang Hongda into the room.
Li Ziqi stood up and bowed.
Liang Hongda cast a glance at the books on the tables and discovered that they were actually about botany. He couldn’t help but feel astonished. (Isn’t your involvement in different knowledge domains a little too broad?)
(Also, today is just the second day after you became a great teacher. Shouldn’t you be taking a break to celebrate instead?)
(Why are you still studying at such a moment? Do you have to be so hardworking?)
Seeing the obedient, adorable little sunny egg who was neither impatient nor arrogant, Liang Hongda’s lips twitched. If it wasn’t for the fact he knew he couldn’t poach Li Ziqi, he really felt like offering a skyhigh price to headhunt her to join his tutelage.
Ai!
Why didn’t Secondary Saint Zhou want such an industrious student?
He must truly be blind!
“Sect lord, is there something I can do for you?”
When Sun Mo spoke, Li Ziqi served a cup of tea to Liang Hongda.
“Everyone is hoping for Ziqi to continue competing…”
Liang Hongda persuaded.
Sun Mo bitterly smiled and said that Li Ziqi didn’t wish to ‘spam money’ to obtain victory.
Liang Hongda was very shrewd and immediately understood their concerns. Hence, he feigned anger.
“What do they mean by ‘spamming money’ to win? This is skill, alright? Moreover, don’t spirit runists fight like this? Those who feel indignant about this method of combat can also spam their money! But can they draw such top-quality spirit runes? Ziqi, you should ignore these people with ignorant world views. You should continue to compete and vye for the number one position!”
“For yourself and for your teacher!”
One couldn’t help but say that Liang Hongda’s words were truly very provocative.
Sadly, Li Ziqi was already determined.
Seeing that the other party was unamendable to persuasion, Liang Hongda could only leave.
After walking out of the hotel, his expression sank.
This Sun Mo didn’t even give him a little face. (By asking Li Ziqi to continue competing, she doesn’t really have to fight. It was fine as long as she showed her face. You are so inflexible, just like that old headmaster.)
Liang Hongda spat out a mouthful of phlegm and started to loathe Sun Mo more and more.
(I will teach him a lesson and let him know why the flowers are red!)
Not long after Liang Hongda left, an old lady arrived.
“This humble-self is Luo Tianping.”
Sun Mo didn’t dare to slight her. She was the female headmaster of the Golden Cherry Academy, an 8-star great teacher who was an expert in alchemy.
“Teacher Sun, although Ziqi has broken the record, don’t you feel that this record has some flaws? She isn’t the champion yet.”
Luo Tianping sincerely spoke.
“A record with the glory from becoming the champion is something even more difficult for others to break.”
Luo Tianping and Li Ziqi didn’t know each other, so she naturally wouldn’t think on Li Ziqi’s behalf. Right now, she was persuading Sun Mo because of her own selfish motives.
The more fantastic the battles held at the Golden Cherry Academy were, the higher the focus would be. This would lead to their fame being greater and their income increasing.
Right now, Li Ziqi was in the limelight. Many people came here because they wanted to take a look at this princess of the Great Tang Empire who had empire-toppling beauty.
In the end, she refused to continue competing in the martial segment, and this decision naturally caused everyone to be greatly disappointed. There were many complaints and grumbles insinuating that the school authorities were useless and couldn’t even hold a competition properly. This caused Luo Tianping to feel very uncomfortable.
“As humans, we ought to know when to stop before going too far. Ziqi is already too deep in the limelight. We should leave the stage free for others.”
Sun Mo laughed confidently. “Ziqi is still young. In the future, she still has many chances to break more records!”
“…”
Luo Tianping choked and almost coughed up blood.
This reason was truly supreme and it made her unable to find an excuse to rebut against it for a time.
Because this concerned the school’s financial situation, Luo Tianping could only grit her teeth and came here to try and persuade Sun Mo. In fact, she even offered several benefits but she wasn’t able to move his heart.
There was no solution to it and she could only use her ‘ultimate’.
“Teacher Sun, we are willing to start a guidance exchange with your esteemed school.”
Li Ziqi, who had been obediently sitting there, knew that Luo Tianping was finished after she heard this.
(Teacher has always been someone amenable to coaxing but not coercion. He is the least afraid of people trying to use their authority to lord over him, yet you are actually using such a lofty and stuck-up attitude to talk to him?)
“Sorry, our Central Province Academy has just risen to the ‘B’ grade. Regardless of financial ability or teacher and student resources, we are lacking and have no way to participate in the guidance exchange program with your school.”
Sun Mo rejected.
“Ah?”
Luo Tianping, who was originally very confident, was stunned when she heard this. She almost cursed out. (Do you have a hole in your brain? Do you know how many ‘A’ grade famous schools there are in the Nine Provinces? Only 18! It is unknown how many famous schools want to participate in a guidance exchange with us, but they are unqualified. As for you, I gave you face but you don’t want it?)
Truthfully speaking, Sun Mo also knew that such opportunities were very rare. However, Luo Tianping’s attitude was too infuriating. It was like she was giving alms to beggars.
He could predict that even if a group of students of their school was sent over here, they would probably be met with arrogance and basically wouldn’t be able to learn anything.
Only when the strength of both parties was equal would they be qualified to have an exchange. From Luo Tianping’s point of view, the Central Province Academy was completely insufficient. She was simply giving their students a chance to come over to learn.
The Golden Cherry Academy wouldn’t get any benefits from the exchange at all.
If not, if the relationship between both parties was equal, why would she use ‘guidance exchange’ as her ultimate move?
Sun Mo lifted his cup and drank a mouthful of tea.
Luo Tianping, who originally still wanted to continue persuading, almost exploded in anger when she saw this scene.
(Actually drinking the tea as a sign of sending me away? How impudently bold!)
(Do you know that if it wasn’t for the sake of the Golden Cherry Academy, given my identity as an 8-star great teacher and the headmaster of an ‘A’ grade school, there’s basically no need for me to give a damn about you. A puny 3-stars like you dares to have the qualifications to be arrogant?)
“Teacher Sun. Good! You are really ruthless!”
Luo Tianping laughed coldly and left with the flick of her sleeves.
“Teacher, will there be trouble?”
Li Ziqi was worried. ‘A’ grade schools were definitely majestic entities. It would be very troublesome if one offended them.
“Is an ‘A’ grade school impressive? I won’t be bothered even if she’s from the Nine Greats.”
Sun Mo spoke unyieldingly but in his heart, he was thinking of how to rapidly improve the Central Province Academy’s strength.
He wanted to be able to lead the Central Province Academy into the ranks of ‘A’ grade within three years.
…
Huang Meibo stood under the shadow of a roof and stared at the hotel facing her with a cold expression.