"Big brother, can you at least have a sense of shame?" Lycoris exclaimed, frustration in his tone. "What do you mean by refusing students, claiming paths crossing, and boasting that many desire to be your pupil? You're the one who couldn't recruit a single student!"
"I… that isn't—" Luna Quinn stammered, trying to defend him, but before she could finish, Uncle Lyx, her loyal attendant, stepped forward decisively.
"Yes!" he said firmly, eyeing his young mistress. "Teacher Zeus, our family's second young mistress, has decided to withdraw from your class. It is difficult for her to express this herself, so I will handle the withdrawal procedure!"
"Withdraw?" Zeus eyelids twitched involuntarily. "You'd better think carefully. Abandoning your teacher leaves a mark on your record. Other instructors may refuse to accept you later. Are you willing to risk your future out of stubbornness? Can you take responsibility for that?"
Uncle Lyx froze. Technically, students were allowed to withdraw—but such an act was considered a grave insult to the teacher. A student who abandoned one teacher might be turned away by others, seen as disrespectful or unreliable. No instructor would want to openly offend a peer by accepting such a student.
For the second young mistress, failing to find a proper teacher could mean her cultivation was irreparably delayed. Uncle Lyx, a servant bound by responsibility, could not bear the consequences of her potential misfortune.
"Rest easy," Zeus said, his voice smooth and coaxing. "Your family's second young mistress is talented. I will guide her well, and she will achieve great results."
What a joke. I'm not letting this one fly away like an unclaimed duck.
"Hold on! Who says no teacher would accept her?" Zeus's eyes glinted. "Young lady, if you insist on withdrawing, I will personally accept you as my student!"
Before he could finish, Lycoris stepped forward, arms spread wide, a grandiose smile plastered across his face. Losing face to Zeus moments ago, he seized the opportunity like a predator spotting easy prey.
"Lycoris, what are you doing?" Zeus asked, his expression darkening.
"Doing?" Lycoris chuckled. "This is a treasure, a rare bud! It would be a waste to let it go. If she leaves your class, I will take her! After all, students choose the teacher best suited to guide them—not someone who scored zero on the Teacher Bar Examination!"
He laughed openly, full of pride.
"Poaching students from me? Do you think I won't report this to the Central Education Bureau?" Zeus' voice tightened. In the academy, stealing another teacher's student wasn't just rude—it was officially frowned upon. Such behavior could strain teacher relations and disrupt the school's culture.
"Poaching? Nonsense," Lycoris replied, shrugging. "Let's simply have a fair contest. We'll guide her side by side and let the student choose. Do you accept it?"
"A live teacher duel… for guidance?" Zeus felt his chest tighten.
Even with the memories of the previous Zeus he had not yet organized his mind completely. He could barely analyze cultivation errors, let alone mentor others effectively. Against a competent teacher like Lycoris, he had no confidence. If this went to a true contest, he would lose—hands down.
"Why hesitate?" Lycoris teased, the challenge clear in his eyes. "Rules explicitly allow teachers to compete, ensuring the student receives the best guidance. This isn't poaching—it's fair! What do you say?"
Zeus ground his teeth. The stakes were high: if he refused, the student he had painstakingly recruited would surely withdraw.
"Fine," he finally said, nodding. "I'll accept."
Death was the worst outcome—losing to Lycoris was far less terrifying. If he faltered, he could improvise on the spot. Thick-skinned as he was, embarrassment was hardly a concern.
"Teacher Lycoris and Teacher Zeus will compete!" someone shouted.
"Who will win among these two bottom-rank teachers?" another murmured.
"That's him!" a student exclaimed. "The teacher who scored zero wants to compete? Is he serious? Isn't he just asking for humiliation?"
Zeu's heart pounded as Cao Xiong prepared his display. Around them, tension and curiosity hung in the air. One misstep could cost him his first—and only—student.
And so, the stage was set.
The shameless teacher versus the arrogant teacher. Whom among them will emerge Victorious?