"A public duel of guidance?" A grim look settled on Xiao Ran's face. He may have inherited the memories of his predecessor, but they were still a chaotic jumble in his mind. At best, he could make sense of the different cultivation realms. When it came to spotting flaws in technique, the original Xiao Ran had been forced to bluff his way through; what hope did he have? Guiding others... he was utterly outmatched by this Teacher Cao. If they were to truly compete, he would be crushed. "What's the matter? Afraid to accept?" Cao Xiong chuckled. He flicked his sleeves, striking a serene, scholarly pose. "The academy rules clearly state that teachers may compete to allow a student to make a better choice. This isn't poaching." "What would we be guiding them on?" Xiao Ran ground his teeth. He knew that if he didn't handle this properly, the one student he had managed to recruit would walk away. A teacher could guide a student on many things: their cultivation, their martial arts, their training methods... Different teachers had different specialties. "How about this," Cao Xiong began, his voice smooth and confident. "Since they are both new students we know little about, let's have them each perform a punching routine. We will then offer guidance based on the flaws we observe. Afterward, we'll test them on the spot. The one whose student shows greater improvement wins. What do you say?" Against any other teacher, Cao Xiong wouldn't have been so bold. But against the man who ranked dead last, who had scored a zero on the Teacher Qualification Examination, he was brimming with confidence. Xiao Ran hesitated. "Don't tell me you dare not accept?" Cao Xiong pressed, his tone turning sharp. "You were bragging so proudly just a moment ago about turning students away. If you have real ability, then let's see it. Don't hold back this young lady's future!" "Fine... I accept." Xiao Ran nodded, his mind racing. The worst that could happen was humiliation. If he didn't accept now, he would lose his student anyway. He had no room to retreat. If it came down to it, he would just have to make something up. He had thick skin; what was a little embarrassment? "Teacher Cao and Teacher Xiao are competing!" "Which of the two lowest-ranking teachers will win?" "That's him!" "A teacher who scored zero on his qualification exam wants to compete? For real? Isn't he just asking to be embarrassed?" The moment he accepted, the challenge rippled through the area. Students left their meals and began to crowd around them. This was the first day of freshman registration, and nearly everyone had heard the legend of the teacher who scored a zero. They were all curious to see the man in person. "As per the rules, you will guide my student, and I shall guide yours." Seeing the crowd gather, Cao Xiong's motivation surged. He smiled, gesturing magnanimously. To ensure fairness and prevent any suspicion of cheating, competitions between teachers required them to swap students. "Young lady, please demonstrate your punching routine. When you're finished, strike the stone pillar with your full strength." After confirming the terms, Cao Xiong adopted the air of a worldly master and turned to the bewildered young woman. "I..." Su Ling flushed, glancing nervously at Xiao Ran. Seeing no sign of anger on his face, she stepped forward. She spread her feet, and a composed aura settled over her. Huhuhu! The air whistled with the force of her movements. Each punch was crisp and powerful. No one watching would have guessed such a forceful routine could come from such a quiet young woman. Her stance was stable, her form solid. It was clear she had an excellent foundation. The routine ended as quickly as it began. Xiao Ran’s heart sank. With his level of experience, even bolstered by his predecessor's memories, he couldn't spot a single flaw. No wonder the man had scored a zero on his exam; his eye for detail was appallingly weak. "Good. Now, use your full strength and strike the stone pillar," Cao Xiong said, nodding in satisfaction. He could see she was a promising talent. A heavy stone pillar stood nearby, inscribed with markings used to measure the force of a student’s strike, giving them a clear understanding of their own power. Su Ling walked shyly toward it. She channeled all the momentum from her routine into a single, explosive strike. Peng! The stone pillar shuddered. A set of numbers flickered into view. 53! "Fifty-three kilograms. Your punching strength is quite good," Cao Xiong noted with approval. For a new freshman who had yet to receive any formal academy instruction, especially a female student, that was an impressive number. "I observed that your routine is vigorous and forceful," he continued, "but there is a flaw. The path of your punch is slightly too short. If you could increase the rotational speed of your lower body, its power would increase significantly. If I'm not mistaken, you've injured your leg before." As expected of a teacher. His perception was leagues beyond Xiao Ran's. With a single look, he had identified the core issue in Su Ling's form and even deduced its cause. "Yes," Su Ling nodded. "Because of that injury, you are hesitant to put your full weight on your lower limbs. Allow me to impart a method that will work around it. Do not worry; it will not aggravate the injury." Cao Xiong then explained a new technique, detailing the mechanics thoroughly. "Let me try." Su Ling was a quick study, a testament to how she had achieved her current strength. She absorbed the concepts and, after a moment, stepped before the stone pillar once more. Clenching her fist, she felt a surge of power fill her, coiling through her like a dragon. Peng! 63! With just a few moments of simple guidance, the force of her blow had increased by ten kilograms. "A ten-kilogram increase. That's nearly a twenty-percent improvement in power," Cao Xiong announced, a faint, self-satisfied smile on his face. "My guidance is complete. It's your turn." "Teacher Xiao." A student stepped out from behind Cao Xiong, readying himself to perform his own routine. "Wait," Xiao Ran said, raising a hand. "Why? Does Teacher Xiao intend to go back on his word?" Cao Xiong sneered. "Go back on my word? What a joke. Do you think I would regret something I've agreed to?" Xiao Ran's tone was forceful, but his heart was pounding with panic. As a transmigrator, what did he know about guiding a student's martial arts? If they needed help downloading romance films, he was an expert, but this? "I just think..." With all eyes on him, Xiao Ran could only swallow his embarrassment and grasp for an excuse. "He is your student. He listens to you. What if, after my guidance, he intentionally holds back his strength? Wouldn't I lose by default?" "I will definitely use my full strength!" the student declared, grinding his teeth at the insult to his integrity. "I still have that much credibility, at least!" "Alright, I believe in this student's credibility. However, our duel is still unfair." Seeing that path blocked, Xiao Ran knew he would only be mocked if he pressed the issue. He thickened his skin and tried a different angle. "Unfair? How is it unfair?" Cao Xiong asked. "Su Ling is my student. If I win, she remains my student. I gain nothing. But if I lose, she becomes your student. How is that fair? It's like a wager for my life where, if I win, you let me go, but if I lose, you kill me. Does that sound fair to you?" "Hmph..." Cao Xiong was at a loss for words. Phrased that way, the challenge did seem one-sided. He risked nothing, while Xiao Ran stood to lose his only student. "Fine," Cao Xiong declared after a moment's thought, gesturing with his hand. "If I lose, Liu Yang here will become your student!" Liu Yang was the freshman who had stepped forward. "Teacher..." He never expected his teacher to make such a decision. Liu Yang was stunned, anxiety flashing across his face. Acknowledge a teacher who scored zero on his qualification exams? He would rather die. "Don't worry," Cao Xiong said, looking at him with absolute confidence. "Your teacher will not lose." "Yes, sir!" Apparently reassured by his teacher's confidence, Liu Yang stepped forward and, without giving Xiao Ran another chance to speak, launched into his punching routine. Huhuhuhu! "This..." Xiao Ran had wanted to say more, to find some other way to stall, but the youth had already begun. A feeling of desolation washed over him. He didn't even recognize the style of the punching routine, so how could he possibly find a flaw in it, let alone offer guidance? "A flaw, where is the flaw..." Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead as anxiety tightened its grip. If he couldn't find something to say, humiliation would be the least of his worries. The student he'd worked so hard to recruit would be gone, and he would surely be expelled from the academy. Boom! Just as panic threatened to consume him, the Celestial Dao Library in his mind trembled. A sound like distant thunder rumbled through his consciousness. Four words materialized above the endless bookshelves. Heaven's Path is imperfect! The words were etched with an authority as immense and unyielding as a mountain range, radiating boundless prestige and power. The moment they formed, a single, intangible book floated down from a shelf and appeared before him. "What is this?" Xiao Ran's heart skipped a beat. He lowered his gaze to the book in his hands. Two words were written on the cover: Liu Yang. He flipped it open. The first page was filled with a dense script. "Liu Yang, of the Liu Clan from Xiayun City. Student of Cangyun Academy. Fighter 1-dan, Juxi Realm." "Cultivation Technique: Lotus Acupoint Breakthrough Might." "Battle Techniques: Soaring Flower Fists (Rookie), Dragon Inch Fist (Expert)." "Flaws: 12 aspects. No. 1, uses excessive force in his feints... No. 2... No. 3... No. 12, though his left arm possesses greater strength, his punching routine is suited for a right-handed fighter. He is thus unable to exert his full power..." "This... This is..." Looking at the detailed list, Xiao Ran felt his mind reel. Could this be real? Just by thinking about Liu Yang's flaws, the Celestial Dao Library had compiled a complete dossier on his weaknesses. If what was written here was true, then the gift package he had received as a transmigrator was simply... overpowered. Everyone had flaws. Every martial art, every technique, had its imperfections. Nothing in this world was perfect. To be able to perceive a person's every weakness and compile it into a book—this library was nothing short of heaven-defying. Peng! While Xiao Ran was still reeling from the change in his mind, Liu Yang had already completed his routine. With a resounding crash, he struck the stone pillar. Numbers appeared. "62!" His punch registered sixty-two kilograms. "Teacher Xiao, Liu Yang has finished his demonstration," Cao Xiong said with a thin smile. "Perhaps you'd care to offer him some guidance?" Hearing this, the entire crowd turned their gazes to Xiao Ran. They all wanted to see how the only teacher to ever score a zero on the qualification exam would guide a student.

Chapter 3: A Duel of Guidance