Absolute Great Teacher

(Why is it that no matter where I go, I will always be viewed with enmity?)

(I also have a brain, two hands, and am no different than any of you. I will also die if my heart is pierced.)

(Could it be because I was born in the Northern Barbarian Province and grew up rearing sheep and cows, I’m considered a lower-class human that lives in the plains?)

Helian Beifang’s blade danced around even faster.

He was angry and vexed, but it wasn’t simply because of the attitudes of these students. Rather, it was because his inner heart was also wavering.

Living in Jiangnan was really good.

There were fertile farms, and people were raising silkworms for silk. Their lives were easy and comfortable.

Although the rental here was somewhat more expensive, it wouldn’t cause one to die of hunger. It was different in the great plains of the north. When frost and snow came, those cows and sheep might be frozen and at that time, the whole family would have to die from hunger.

Other than the vile environments, they also had to deal with the plunderer from other tribes. The horse bandits were as countless as hairs of an ox. They could be merchants trading with you earlier, but in the blink of an eye, they would mask their faces and become bandits.

The girls of the Central Plains had fair skin, and they shone with luster. It was different for girls from the barbarian tribe. They were exposed to the elements and their skin was as tough as a tree’s bark. It was hard for anyone to feel interested in them at all.

Honestly speaking, if it wasn’t for the fact that he didn’t have money, Helian Beifang truly wouldn’t be able to control his urge to try out the services of a brothel.

(Why do I feel envy for such a lifestyle?)

“God, please forgive this descendant for being unfilial.”

Helian Beifang prayed. He then attacked even more fiercely because only when fighting and feeling pain would he be able to forget all these troubles.

“Damn!”

Qu Bo felt depressed. His opponent was clearly a dude who raised horses in the great plains, but why was he so good at fighting?

(If my combat strength is 6,000 points, he is at least over 10,000!)

(This can’t do. If this continues, I will be defeated.)

Qu Bo glanced at Helian Beifang’s sculpted muscles and knew that the endurance of this fellow was great. If he fought a prolonged battle, he would surely lose. Hence, he could only take a risk out of desperation.

“His blade arts aren’t good. Since that’s the case, I will win using profound sword techniques!”

After thinking of this, Qu Bo intentionally stumbled and revealed a ‘flaw’ to lure his opponent to attack before he unleashed his ultimate skill.

Celestial Maiden Flying Flower!

Swish~ Swish~ Swish~

The sword in Qu Bo’s hand fanned out like a peacock’s tail, instantly displaying thirteen sword shadows that enveloped Helian Beifang in unison.

Usually speaking, the vast majority of people would choose to evade when they encountered such an attack. Hence, Qu Bo had already thought of a few follow-up moves. But in the end, he discovered that the barbarian youth actually rushed straight with his curved blade brainlessly.

(Meow meow meow~ Is this fellow a crazy person? Or is he a retard?)

The sword’s edge sliced Helian Beifang’s clothes and opened wounds on his flesh. Fresh blood seeped out, but Helian Beifang remained unmoved and continued his attacks with determination.

Qu Bo’s battle strategy was in complete chaos now. There was no solution to this and he could only retreat. After that, he fell into Helian Beifang’s attacking momentum.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The blade and sword clashed. All of a sudden, Qu Bo screamed. His sword flew out of his hands and he retreated with a pale look on his face.

“Go to hell!”

Helian Beifang took large strides and chased after him. He leaped and cleaved down, akin to how an eagle would swoop down on its prey. His curved blade flashed with silver light as he attacked Qu Bo angrily.

Bang!

Qu Bo panicked and misstepped, falling down the stage with a miserable-looking appearance.

“You’ve lost!”

Helian Beifang stood on the stage and pointed his curved blade at Qu Bo, speaking his victory statement. After that, he glanced at the surroundings and roared, “I’VE WON!”

Boo!

The sounds of booing and cursing rang out.

The students exploded in rage. Helian Beifang’s shout was clearly provoking them.

“Hmph!”

Helian Beifang lifted his chin proudly. (So what if you have 14 consecutive victories? Are you not the one being defeated when fighting me?)

“How is it?”

Jin Mujie asked.

“Too brash and impetuous!”

Sun Mo shook his head. This could work because Qu Bo wasn’t strong enough. If his opponent was Jiang Leng, Helian Beifang’s brainless rush would be the same as courting death.

“But his body quality and constitution are really good.”

There was no need for Sun Mo to use Divine Sight. He could easily see that this barbarian youth was the second strongest among all students he had seen up until now in terms of constitution.

The strongest was naturally Xuanyuan Po.

Honestly speaking, this fellow resembled a wild beast. The feeling he gave off was already not in the range of what a human was like.

“Sadly, he’s a youth from a barbarian tribe.”

Gu Xiuxun sighed. It wasn’t that she was discriminating against Helian Beifang, but this was simply the truth. Given his identity, if he wished to be famous, he had to put in much more hard work compared to anyone from the Central Plains.

It was like students studying abroad in the United States. If they wished to obtain recognition and respect from the locals, they had to achieve a result that was several times better than the others.

For the vast majority of youths, if they had to face such enmity, they most probably would be terrified and quickly get off the stage. However, Helian Beifang didn’t do so. On the contrary, he brandished his curved blade and roared.

“Not happy? Come and fight!”

These four words echoed in the air.

A commotion instantly appeared in the battle hall. Some high-year students had rage on their faces and wanted to go up to teach this barbarian youth a lesson.

(In our Great Central Plains, how dare a barbarian flaunt here?)

“Let’s fight!”

“Leave this match to me!”

“Punch him to death!”

Swish~ Swish~ Swish~

There were a total of six guys and one hot-tempered girl who jumped up the stage.

Qu Bo’s expression turned gloomy.

(It’s over, my 14 consecutive victories became the stepping stone of this guy in the end. How would I be able to take on a personal teacher now?)

Qu Bo was someone who wanted face. Hence, he could only vent his resentment on Helian Beifang.

Seeing that a fight was about to break out, Jin Mujie spoke.

“Enough!”

Jin Mujie’s tone was severe. “All of you are young people. Why did you have such hatred toward a youth from a different race?”

As a great teacher, Jin Mujie hated war.

Were barbarians hateful?

Some were indeed so because they liked stirring troubles and plundering things everywhere. They would frequently go on punitive expeditions and caused the commoners who lived at the boundaries to endure suffering. However, this wasn’t the only reason why everyone was viewing this youth with enmity.

After all, what did a youth know?

If everyone viewed him with enmity, this hatred would seep into his bones and leave behind a seed for hatred.

Jin Mujie believed that if outsiders came, they should offer wine if they came in peace and clash with weapons if they came with enmity. However, for matters like the enmity between different races, Jin Mujie didn’t know how to make things clear. After all, the worldview, outlook, and ideology of these students weren’t matured yet.

The surroundings fell silent.

“If any of you are unhappy, get up the stage and speak with your fists.”

Gu Xiuxun also spoke.

She ultimately felt that racial discrimination was an indication of low self-esteem. If you were strong enough, you would feel a sense of superiority in your heart.

It was like when you came face to face with a beggar. Would you discriminate against them?

The vast majority of people disdained to do this because psychologically, they didn’t put the beggar on the same level as them. Discriminating against a beggar would only lower their own statuses.

“Enough, the combat ends now.”

Sun Mo stopped everyone.

The feeling and atmosphere had already changed. Even if the fights continued, there would be no meaning to them.

The few students on the stage cursed out loud and left.

Helian Beifang hesitated, but he still walked toward Sun Mo.

He wished to take Sun Mo as his personal teacher.

In the plains, great teachers were very rare because everyone had to do their utmost just to get a mouthful of food. Who would have sufficient time to learn?

The Barbarian Province in the north had a Dragon Subduing Academy, and it was in the ranks of the Nine Greats. However, the school fees were too expensive and required several cows and sheep. Helian Beifang was reluctant to part with such a heavy fee.

Besides, the headmaster of that school was the Great Khagan that governed the various large tribes of the north. Although if an outstanding student studied there, they could enter the vision of the Great Khagan and soar into the skies, this wasn’t what Helian Beifang was pursuing.

He came to the south because he wanted to seek a new path.

He heard that there were many intelligent sages in the Central Plains. But after Helian Beifang came here, he discovered that even those high officials with lofty statuses wouldn’t be able to meet those top-rated great teachers easily, let alone a youth barbarian like him.

Right now, he had roamed the Central Plains for over a year and suffered quite a bit. He was already very tired.

That day when he saw Sun Mo fighting half of the forces of the Myriad Daos Academy, Helian Beifang’s eyes shone. He recalled what his mother had told him.

“Some people will rise like a comet, illuminating the direction for others. If you cannot become someone like that, just follow one. Go and learn from him and imitate him.”

“After that, surpass him.”

“Maybe Sun Mo is that comet?”

Helian Beifang mumbled. His money reserves for traveling had been exhausted, and all sorts of hostilities he faced had also crushed his patience. He had decided to return home.

Now that he saw Sun Mo, it was like him seeing a ray of light, the beginning of the dawn on a cold dark winter night. This caused Helian Beifang to have another choice.

When he thought of this, Helian Beifang no longer hesitated. After he jumped down the stage, he hastened his steps and stopped before Sun Mo.

“Could it be he wants to take Teacher Sun as his personal teacher?”

Everyone looked over. After that, they saw the barbarian youth kneeling down.

“Teacher Sun, I wish to take you on as my personal teacher!”

Helian Beifang wasn’t good with words and was also bad with pleasantries. After expressing his intention with a sentence, he directly kowtowed nine times forcefully and pressed his forehead onto the ground, waiting for Sun Mo’s decision.

“Damn, is someone like you qualified to take Teacher Sun as a teacher?”

“Why don’t you pee and see your own reflection in the puddle? Even I don’t dare to say such a thing.”

“Does he feel that he is qualified just because he defeated Qu Bo?”

The majority of the students were silent, but a few immediately spoke words of obscenities, ridiculing Helian Beifang.

This was because they also wanted to take Sun Mo on as their personal teacher, but their aptitudes were too bad and Sun Mo definitely wouldn’t accept them. Now when they saw Helian Beifang doing this, they felt jealousy, panic, and trepidation.

(What if Teacher Sun really accepted him?)

As Helian Beifang heard the discussion in the surroundings, a feeling of grief and indignation surfaced in his heart.

“What is your name?”

Sun Mo formally asked the youth for his name.

“Helian Beifang.”

Upon hearing this name, Jin Mujie’s brows furrowed slightly. This surname ‘Helian’, temporarily leaving aside the connotations…Just daring to have the name ‘Beifang’ showed the great ambition of Helian Beifang’s father.

Naturally, she might be thinking too much.

“What do you want to learn from me?”

Sun Mo asked again.

“I wish to follow you and gradually grow stronger!”

Helian Beifang spoke bluntly. He also felt disdain to lie and say things like ‘I wish to listen to your teachings’ simply to make Sun Mo happy.

However, some students didn’t believe him.

“Stop farting, you are clearly doing this because you want to learn Teacher Sun’s peerless saint-tier cultivation arts!”

“That’s right, in the entire Jinling, who doesn’t know that Teacher Sun is very generous?”

“Stop dreaming, Teacher Sun would never accept you.”

The students noisily shot him verbally, judging him by their own measures. Wasn’t everyone following Sun Mo for the sake of learning his saint-tier cultivation arts?

“Silence!”

Sun Mo berated. After that, he surveyed Helian Beifang. Because he didn’t have Divine Sight, he didn’t know Helian Beifang’s true thoughts and intentions.

However, his reply did suit Sun Mo’s taste a lot.

To the so-called being strong, did it refer to powerful cultivation arts?

No, it referred to powerful methods!

Sun Mo was someone who emphasized heavily on methodology. As long as the method used was right, one would surely be able to reach Rome.

“Right now, these people are doubting you. What are you prepared to do?”

This question was quite tormenting to the answerer.

“Back when I first came to the south, I would definitely fight them. If one fight cannot settle things, I will fight twice. But now, I wish to know what teacher will do if you are in my shoes?”

Helian Beifang spoke honestly with no hesitation.

“Have you thought of gaining recognition from them?”

Sun Mo asked.

Helian Beifang started but then shook his head.

Upon seeing this, several students immediately scolded, “As expected of a barbarian.”

The Central Plains was the place of origin for civilization and had several tens of thousands of years of history. Even those tribal chieftains from Helian Beifang’s hometown felt that learning the customs of the Central Plains was something noble and graceful.

Brewing tea, appreciating music, weaving silk, writing songs and poems, mingling with educated men of culture…

However, this youth before their eyes actually felt contempt for everything?

(Who do you think you are?)

“I’m very satisfied with your answer. However, I can’t immediately accept you as a personal student as the understanding between us is still too little.”

Sun Mo looked at Helian Beifang. “How about setting a period of three months? At that time, if you still feel the same way and if I don’t see anything displeasing with your character, I’ll formally accept you as my personal student. What do you think?”

Even when buying vegetables, one would be picky. Let alone a major matter like accepting a personal student.

“Teacher. Even you are disdaining my identity as someone from the barbarian race?”

Helian Beifang asked.

“Why do you have such low self-esteem?”

Sun Mo counter-asked.

“…”

Helian Beifang fell silent, but the answer was easily seen. He was proud of his origin but also envied vast territories with abundant resources as well as the resplendent civilization from the Central Plains.

Honestly speaking, other than raising cattle and fighting, those tribes in the north truly had no civilization to speak of.

After all, who didn’t yearn for good things?

“I won’t tell you the answer to this question. You have to look at things and understand them yourself!”

Sun No had once considered such a question. Not only the students in his class, but even many adults felt that the moon overseas was brighter, and there would be better prospects for them there.

Overseas might be the powerful America, Japan, or even Korea. This was a type of battle strategy where the country used their culture to influence the rest of the world to achieve their strategic purpose.

As the world advanced, it was basically impossible for a world war to happen again. Instead, there would be battles without the usage of gunpowder in terms of economy, culture, and other domains.

The so-called conquering a race…did it mean a race was conquered if you occupied their land and plundered their wealth as well as children?

No!

It was making them feel that they belonged to the conqueror’s nation. They would then be willing to clash against their own countrymen to safeguard your interest.

“Alright. This question is too difficult. What you have to remember is that you are living for yourself now. Only when you grow stronger to a certain extent will you have the qualifications to live for others.”

Sun Mo advised, “Right now, you just have to do your best not to be a burden to others.”

Although the system gave a mission for him to recruit two personal students during the student recruitment meet, Sun Mo definitely wouldn’t accept them frivolously simply to complete the mission.

As a great teacher, he should be responsible for the students!

This was Sun Mo’s bottomline.

Note: Helian Beifang can be loosely translated as Awe-inspiring (He), Lian (Connecting), Beifang (The North). → Awe Connecting the entire North