After exploring for a while longer, Xiao Ran realized that the books in the library were like reflections of the moon on water—visible, but impossible to grasp. He lost interest and withdrew his consciousness. "Time for lunch. Afterwards, I'll have to think of a way to rope in a couple more." A glance out the window told him it was around noon. Of the eighteen students who had come by that morning, he had only managed to snag one. That acceptance rate was pitifully low. He couldn't let the afternoon go the same way. He was a transmigrator, after all. If he couldn't outwit people from this ancient era, what good was coming from the information age? Stretching his back, he left the lecture hall and headed for the canteen. Much like the high schools of his previous life, the Cangyun Academy’s canteen was immense, large enough to feed more than ten thousand students at once. Having successfully recruited one student had lifted his spirits, so he ordered a few extra side dishes and found a corner to enjoy his meal. "Isn't that Teacher Xiao?" He was eating happily when a voice cut through the noise. Lifting his head, he saw a young man watching him, a smile plastered on his face. It was a mask, devoid of any real warmth. "Teacher Cao?" Xiao Ran recognized him. Teacher Cao’s full name was Cao Xiong. He had joined the academy at the same time as the original Xiao Ran. He had a habit of measuring himself against others, using their shortcomings to inflate his own ego. The body's previous owner had drunk himself to death, unable to bear the constant humiliation. This man had no doubt played a significant role in that. "The new students are choosing their teachers today. How's your recruitment going? Seeing as you have the appetite for a meal like this, it must be going well! Look, these are the students I've recruited—twelve of them in total. I'm taking them for a meal before settling them into their dormitories!" An air of superiority clung to Teacher Cao as he gestured behind him, preening. There was no mistaking it. He was here to gloat. There was no deep-seated grudge between them, but since they had joined the academy together, comparisons were inevitable. Cao Xiong often used Xiao Ran to make himself feel superior. A group of youths trailed behind him, their faces bright with curiosity about their new surroundings. "Everyone, allow me to introduce you," Cao Xiong announced. "This is Teacher Xiao, our academy's resident celebrity. He is the first teacher to score a zero on the Teacher Qualification Examination since the founding of our academy! He made history!" "A zero on the Teacher Qualification Examination?" "Ah, I heard about him on my way here. A student he taught suffered a cultivation frenzy and was nearly crippled!" "I heard that too. Quite a few people warned me not to choose him. They said I wouldn't just fail to cultivate, I'd be committing suicide!" "I can't believe it's him. He has such a kind face!" … A murmur rippled through the students at Cao Xiong’s introduction. The Teacher Qualification Examination was a comprehensive evaluation, with a final score based on multiple factors, including student performance. As long as a teacher had students, they were guaranteed some points. Scoring a zero was, in its own way, an unprecedented achievement. "Are you done with your introduction?" The students' whispers didn't bother Xiao Ran in the slightest. The one who scored a zero was the previous Xiao Ran. What did that have to do with him? Still, while he wasn't truly angry, he found this man’s habit of puffing himself up by putting others down intensely annoying. He waved a dismissive hand. "If you're done, you can get lost. Don't interrupt my meal." Cao Xiong hadn’t expected this. The man wasn’t even embarrassed to have his history exposed; he was being told to get lost. Cao Xiong's face darkened. He drew himself up with a teacher’s dignity and said, "You broke the academy's record by scoring zero points on the exam. Have you no sense of shame?" "Shame? Why should I be ashamed? You said it yourself, I broke a record. I'm a celebrity. Every new student knows who I am. But you?" Xiao Ran raised his head and pointed to the students behind Cao Xiong. "What was your score? Do they know? Did they have any idea who you were before they came to this academy? If you weren't so insistent, even treating them to a meal, do you think they would have acknowledged you? You're a nobody, and you have the gall to brag in front of me. What the hell are you so proud of?" "Huh?" Anyone else who scored a zero on their qualification exam would hide their face in public for fear of disgrace. But this fellow was the complete opposite. He was practically beaming, holding his head high. He was even looking down on Cao Xiong for not scoring a zero. Cao Xiong felt like he was about to explode. The man’s skin was impossibly thick! And more to the point… how could anyone be proud of a result like that? The students behind him just stared at one another, completely dumbfounded. What about his dignity? His reputation? This teacher… wasn't he utterly shameless? Shameless? Thick-skinned? What a joke. In the era Xiao Ran came from, celebrities would pull any stunt to get famous. Nude photos, fake scandals—nothing was off-limits, and none of them felt an ounce of shame. Scoring a zero on some exam was nothing compared to that. Cao Xiong's face flushed crimson. "A teacher's primary duty is to teach. I won't bicker with you today. Let's see who's better after you've actually managed to recruit a student. Then we'll see whose is more skilled!" With that, he turned to leave. Just then, the conversation between a young man and woman drifted over from nearby. "That teacher really isn't so bad. He has a good personality..." a hesitant girl's voice said. "Second Young Mistress, please listen to me. Before we left, the Young Master instructed me to bring you to Teacher Gao Feng. But you wouldn't listen. You even ran off. And of all the teachers to choose, you chose him..." The voice of an old man, tinged with frustration, replied. "That teacher… isn't as bad as you say. He… he’s a good person. He promised to guide me. He said that… if I train properly, I can become the top student in my year…" The girl’s voice was still full of uncertainty. "Top of your year? If you study under him, you'll be lucky if your cultivation doesn't go berserk! Second Young Mistress, do you have any idea who he is? He's the most infamous, useless teacher in the entire academy. He scored a zero on the last Teacher Qualification Examination… Oh, my dear young mistress, you must withdraw your application at once! If the Young Master finds out about this, he'll kill me!" The old man's tone turned to pleading. "My brother!" At the mention of the Young Master, the girl grew frightened. Her face twisted with indecision. Hearing this, Cao Xiong, who had been about to leave, felt his eyes light up. He shot a grin at the still-eating Xiao Ran. "Teacher Xiao, could this young lady be the student you just recruited? Haha, it seems you're having some trouble. It sounds like she wants to withdraw!" Teachers could choose students, but students could also choose their teachers. If a student felt their teacher was unsuitable, they could return the token they were given. Cao Xiong's loud voice drew a fair bit of attention. The mistress and servant who had been arguing fell silent and looked over. "Second Young Mistress, is he the teacher you just acknowledged?" the old man asked, his gaze falling upon Xiao Ran. "Yes," the young girl nodded. The old man immediately stood up and strode over to Xiao Ran. "Teacher Xiao, my family's young mistress has decided to withdraw from your lessons!" "Old Liu…" The girl, not expecting her servant to move so quickly, flushed red and hurried after him. She looked at Xiao Ran apologetically. "Teacher, I…" It was the student Xiao Ran had just accepted, Su Ling. "Su Ling," Xiao Ran said, adopting the tone of a wise elder. "You know I do not normally accept students. I accepted you only because our paths were fated to cross. Why would you withdraw and throw away such a rare opportunity? Do you have any idea how many people beg to become my student, only for me to refuse them?" Of course, Xiao Ran had no intention of letting the student he had worked so hard to coax get away. "What the hell..." Hearing his words, the onlookers who knew his reputation felt the world go dark and nearly fainted from the sheer audacity. Brother, can you have a shred of shame? What do you mean you don't accept students? Fated to cross paths? People begging to be your student? You're the one who can't recruit anyone… "I… it isn't…" Su Ling waved her hands, flustered by his questioning, but before she could finish, she was interrupted. "That's right!" Seeing his mistress's indecisiveness, the old man, Uncle Liu, stepped forward. "Teacher Xiao, our Second Young Mistress has decided to withdraw. She is merely too polite to say it herself. I must trouble you with the withdrawal procedures!" "Withdraw?" Xiao Ran’s eyelid twitched. "You should consider this carefully. Withdrawing from a teacher's class leaves a black mark on a student's record. Other teachers will be hesitant to accept her! Are you going to ruin your young mistress's future because of your own stubbornness? Can you bear that responsibility?" "This…" Old Liu froze. Students could withdraw, but it was considered a grave insult to a teacher. Furthermore, a student who would abandon one teacher might just as easily abandon another. Teachers generally refused to accept students with such a 'bad track record'. No one wanted a student who had already disrespected the dignity of the profession. Besides, accepting such a student would be a direct offense to a colleague. It was foolish to antagonize a peer over a single student. Without a teacher to guide them, a student's time at the academy was as good as ruined. Old Liu’s determination wavered. He was, after all, just a servant. If the Second Young Mistress's future was jeopardized because of this, he could not bear the consequences. "Rest assured, your family's Second Young Mistress is very talented. I will teach her well, and she will certainly achieve great things…" Seeing Old Liu falter, Xiao Ran pressed his advantage. What a joke. He wasn't about to let the bird in his hand fly away. "Hold it right there! Who says no other teacher would accept her? Young lady, if you withdraw from this teacher's tutelage, I will accept you as my student immediately!" Before Xiao Ran could finish, Cao Xiong strode forward, arms spread grandly. He had just lost face to Xiao Ran. Now that an opportunity for revenge had presented itself, how could he possibly let it go? "Cao Xiong, what is the meaning of this?" Xiao Ran's face darkened. "Meaning? A promising sapling like this shouldn't be left to wither. If she withdraws from your class, I will take her in! Students come to the academy to learn, so it's only natural they choose the best teacher to guide them, not someone who scored a zero on their qualification exam!" Cao Xiong chuckled, his expression gleeful. "Poaching my student in public? Do you think I won't report this to the Directorate of Education?" This was no longer a simple squabble. This was public poaching. Although the academy encouraged teachers to freely choose students, it did not condone this kind of blatant snatching. It damaged the relationships between teachers and soured the academy's entire culture. "Poaching is such a strong word," Cao Xiong said smoothly. "Let's call it a fair competition. We will both offer our counsel, and we will let the student choose for herself. Do you dare to agree?"

Chapter 2: A Smile Without Warmth