The instructors waited eagerly for Qingyun to choose.
But Qingyun looked at Li Ji'an.
Li Ji'an's gaze, however, passed over the seven instructors before him and landed on Instructor Wu, who was nearby as always, tirelessly and earnestly teaching.
Fifteen years ago, when Li Ji'an entered the martial academy, the young Instructor Wu had just returned to his hometown from the Prefectural City Immortal Seeking Academy.
He had been only twenty-one, nine years younger than Li Ji'an was at the time.
A native of Shangyi County, he had studied at this academy, but his talent was only average. Though he had worked hard, he had failed the military examinations twice in a row. In the end, the academy's former Head Instructor had recommended him for further study at a branch of the Prefectural City Immortal Seeking Academy, where he was trained specifically to become an instructor.
After ten years together, Li Ji'an already knew the young Instructor Wu's temperament. He was also someone who repaid kindness, and his return to the martial academy had mostly been to repay the former Head Instructor for recognizing his potential.
He was reserved and taciturn, yet exceptionally earnest and strict when it came to teaching martial arts.
He also cared nothing for fame or fortune. Whoever they were, as long as they were willing to learn, he taught them with all his heart.
Even when it came to Li Ji'an, who was already thirty and long past the age for martial arts training, he had still given his all.
Otherwise, given Li Ji'an's age and Root Bone at the time, even with the failed year of martial arts training from his previous life, he probably couldn't have ground the Golden Strength Technique to Minor Achievement, much less completed Skin Grinding.
"The young Wu of those days is about to reach forty now.
"Time spares no one." Seeing the traces of age on Instructor Wu's face, Li Ji'an sighed softly.
"Friend, Ma values brotherly loyalty above all. Seeing you like this reminds me of my brothers from when I was young. Today, I'll make an exception. No matter how talented your brother is, I'll take him as my disciple all the same. How about it?" Seeing Qingyun look at Li Ji'an, the quick-witted Ma Yuan spoke up at once.
Qingyun: "..."
Master Wan: "..."
What a lovely dream!
"Thank you for the kind offer, Instructor Ma. But I see that instructor over there is the most earnest and serious. My master taught me that strict teachers produce outstanding students, so I choose him." Li Ji'an didn't want to beat around the bush any longer, nor did he care about saving anyone's face. He spoke bluntly.
"Hm?"
"Instructor Wu?"
All seven instructors, along with Master Wan, looked at Instructor Wu in disbelief. He was still teaching earnestly over there, unaware of what was happening.
"Kid, you're choosing that Instructor Wu? Think it through. Young Wu has been at the academy for fifteen years, but he hasn't produced a single disciple who passed the military examinations. The reason he didn't come to pick any of you is that he thought he wasn't fit to teach you and didn't want to mislead you." Ma Yuan immediately laughed, his gaze at Li Ji'an full of amusement.
Li Ji'an didn't take it to heart. The young Instructor Wu simply didn't care for fame and fortune. As for never producing a disciple who passed the military examinations, that was only because he hadn't had any promising students. He didn't care whether a student's talent was good or bad; he truly lived up to his calling of teaching the Way, imparting knowledge, and answering questions.
What's more, with Li Ji'an's experience from his previous life—ten years of practicing the Golden Strength Technique to Minor Achievement and completing Skin Grinding—and his Root Bone and meridians shaped like a Wild Sparrow in this life, along with his stronger spiritual power, he might have completed Skin Grinding within two years and entered the Prefectural City Immortal Seeking Academy even without an instructor.
"I've made up my mind. I want to become Instructor Wu's disciple."
"Fine. Since you've chosen for yourself, I won't say anything. Just don't regret it." Ma Yuan answered at once.
He'd been willing to take Li Ji'an only for the sake of Qingyun, a high-grade talent and an excellent prospective disciple.
Now that Li Ji'an had voluntarily given up, Ma Yuan was pleased. In any case, he'd already made his intentions clear to Qingyun.
As for Li Ji'an's talent, neither Ma Yuan nor the other six instructors thought much of it. It wasn't as if they got two high-grade Root Bones at once every two years.
"Huh? Xiao Li, you..." Old Wan cried out in surprise. But the next moment, a thought struck him: in his eyes, the instructors at the academy were all about the same in ability. The young Instructor Wu, on the other hand, had the best attitude and character.
And with Li Ji'an's Wild Sparrow Physique, he was sure to pass the military examinations no matter which instructor he chose.
Thinking this, he stopped himself and looked at the young Wu, still teaching earnestly, with a hint of envy in his eyes.
"Fools really do have all the luck?"
This was a prospective immortal seedling who might well become a grandmaster one day. Once he reached the Grandmaster Realm, given the bond between the young Wu and his student... Tsk, tsk. The whole household would surely ascend to heaven!
"Friend, come train with me." Ma Yuan stopped paying attention to Li Ji'an and focused intently on Qingyun.
"Then I'll train with Instructor Wu too." Qingyun answered without hesitation.
"No!"
"No!"
Li Ji'an and Ma Yuan spoke almost in unison.
Ma Yuan didn't want to lose the achievement that was about to be his.
Li Ji'an, meanwhile, reasoned that although Instructor Ma's character was questionable, he was genuinely willing to invest in talented students, and could secure more resources for them. If Qingyun truly wanted to achieve something in martial arts, Ma Yuan was the better fit.
Second, Li Ji'an didn't want this troublemaker, who had not the slightest desire to practice martial arts, to damage the young Instructor Wu's faith in the Way.
In Li Ji'an's view, no one could achieve great things while not wanting them from the bottom of their heart, especially not in martial arts.
That sort of plot only existed in novels and television dramas.
Even heaven-defying talent wasn't enough.
After all, whatever it was, only when someone truly wanted to accomplish it could they work hard for it and possibly succeed.
If they didn't want it from the bottom of their heart, then even if forced to train, they wouldn't put their mind to it. How could they ever succeed?
As far as Li Ji'an knew, this kid truly wouldn't do it even if beaten to death.
In this life, unless some major upheaval changed his mind, he would never achieve anything in martial arts!
"Huh? Then... Junior Brother, who should I choose?" Qingyun was crestfallen, but as usual, he obeyed Li Ji'an without question.
At his words, the seven instructors in front of them all drew a deep breath.
They had never imagined that this high-grade Root Bone talent would obey the kid beside him so completely, as if he didn't dare contradict him even a little.
"Friend, even though you'll be studying under Instructor Wu, I promise to provide you with some extra resources." Ma Yuan hurriedly made a generous promise, regretting that he had treated Li Ji'an poorly just now.
The other six looked at Li Ji'an too, their eyes flickering as they frantically signaled to him.
Li Ji'an glanced at Ma Yuan, then turned to Qingyun with a faint smile. "Since Instructor Ma thinks so highly of you, go train under him."
Qingyun nodded indifferently. His goal was simple: coast along until the martial academy couldn't stand him anymore and sent him home.
"Hahaha! Good, good! Qingyun, don't worry. I guarantee you won't regret your choice today." Ma Yuan was thrilled.
He even walked over to Li Ji'an and nodded firmly at him. "Xiao Li, don't worry either. If you need anything in the future, just come to me."
"Thank you, Instructor Ma." Li Ji'an nodded.
Master Wan stood to one side, seeing that everything had been settled. Especially with Ma Yuan looking so delighted, he ultimately decided not to spoil the harmonious scene.
Officially, an apprentice's qualifications weren't supposed to be disclosed to the instructors. The idea was to make them treat everyone equally instead of all fighting to pick the most promising students. But as time went by, people repeatedly broke the rules, and the official decree became nothing but a formality.
"In that case, young Wu, here's a new apprentice who'll be training under you from now on." Old Wan called to Instructor Wu nearby.
Hearing him, Instructor Wu walked over without any change in expression.
He was used to this sort of thing. Usually, after the other instructors had picked their students, they would pass along anyone they didn't want to him.
He didn't mind. He would treat everyone equally.
"Li Ji'an?" Wu Cheng looked at the roster Master Wan handed him, and his memory briefly faltered.
Then a flicker of recollection crossed his usually stern face.
"What relation are you to Li Jichang?"
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