Zhang Sheng and the Daoist sat in the small courtyard, while Wei Yuan stood behind Zhang Sheng and listened.
The Daoist stroked his beard. "This term's centralized instruction will offer seven courses, one each day, with each class lasting half a day. The course titles and descriptions are all here."
Zhang Sheng took the jade paper the Daoist handed him and glanced at it. It listed seven courses: General History of the Human Race, History of the Tang, Introduction to the Immortal Path, Dao Foundation Theory, Heaven and Earth Theory, Fortune Theory, and Theory of Techniques. Each had a detailed description beneath it. Zhang Sheng was naturally familiar with the curriculum. After a moment's thought, he asked, "Why does the curriculum place such importance on history?"
The Daoist replied, "True Lord Yanshi said, 'Understanding the past lets us recognize the present; using history as a mirror reveals the rise and fall of fortunes.' Our human race rose from humble beginnings. Our forebears carved a path through the wilderness and endured countless trials before bringing us to where we are today. We must never forget their aspirations."
Zhang Sheng nodded. "The Zhi Gu Sect must be delighted. Otherwise, they wouldn't have allowed this proposal through so easily."
"True Lord Yanxing had to work very hard to implement centralized instruction. If your disciple wants to attend, he just needs to register and pay the full course fee."
"There's a course fee, too?"
"Each course costs ten taels of Immortal Silver. You pay for seven rounds in advance, for a total of four hundred and ninety taels of Immortal Silver. The cultivation resources needed for class are charged separately."
Zhang Sheng was taken aback. "That's so expensive?"
"The instructors need to be supported, after all, and the resources consumed during the courses have to be accounted for. If a hall's disciples attend centralized instruction, their masters can save a great deal of time and energy for other things. In the past, each hall trained its own disciples, and no one thought much about the expenses. Now that the classes are being held together, all the costs have to be tallied, so naturally it seems expensive."
The reasoning made sense, but when Zhang Sheng estimated his savings, his expression turned a little awkward.
After completing his cultivation, Zhang Sheng had gone down the mountain and spent seven years away without a word. He had made no contributions to the sect, so by the rules he had received no monthly stipend. After returning, he had also been docked three years' pay, which meant he had earned nothing for ten years. Zhang Sheng had always cultivated at a furious pace and consumed a great deal of resources. Even though the Azure Hall had covered most of them, he had still failed to put away any savings of his own.
Now that he took stock, Zhang Sheng realized that what little he had left would barely cover three months of Wei Yuan's course fees—and those were only the basic fees. The cultivation classes would cost resources, too. The Daoist had said those were charged separately!
Zhang Sheng hesitated, then asked, "I wonder if there are any... discounts on the course fees?"
Seeing the Daoist hesitate, Zhang Sheng felt his face grow hot and hurriedly added, "It's all right if there aren't."
The Daoist sighed. "I won't hide it from you, junior brother. Some disciples do receive discounts. For example, disciples of True Lord Yanxing and Feng Yuan True Monarch only have to pay seventy percent."
The two True Lords were the leaders of the Ding Xin Sect. They had pushed through centralized instruction, and most of the instructors had been drawn from their sect. It was only reasonable that they offer their own disciples some preferential treatment.
But seeing the Daoist's hesitant manner, Zhang Sheng knew there was more to it. He immediately pressed him. "What else?"
The Daoist finally said, "The few True Lords of the Zhi Gu Sect were crucial to getting this proposal approved. Centralized instruction only exists because they agreed to it. The Zhi Gu Sect has many disciples, so to encourage as many of them as possible to participate, the two True Lords specifically stipulated that Zhi Gu disciples who register only have to pay half the course fee. The same goes for the resources they consume."
The more Zhang Sheng heard, the less right it sounded. He slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet. "Half price for the Zhi Gu Sect, and thirty percent off for the Ding Xin Sect! What about our Azure Hall?"
The Daoist's gaze flickered away from him. "Your hall has three disciples this term. They aren't on the discount list."
Zhang Sheng flew into a rage. "There are over a hundred disciples in this term, and only the Azure Hall has to pay full price? This is outrageous! Such unfairness is intolerable! I'm going to argue this with whoever's in charge!"
At the word "argue," the Daoist could only smile wryly. "There's something you don't know, junior brother. The Zhi Gu and Ding Xin Sects have been fighting fiercely these past few years. Only the Azure Hall has remained impartial, and it has 'argued' with both sides. The matters involved had nothing to do with the disputes between the two sects, but we still inadvertently ruined quite a few of their plans and made enemies of them. To speak bluntly, the Ding Xin Sect has already shown great magnanimity by not multiplying your hall's course fees several times over."
Zhang Sheng refused to accept that. He sneered. "I see. The Ding Xin Sect just doesn't want Azure Hall disciples attending centralized instruction. Fine, we won't go. I can teach him myself! Hmph, every one of those Aristocratic Clans has its own secret method for awakening the mind, and they all boast about how precocious their children are. In the end, wasn't it Yuan'er who took first place?"
The Daoist glanced at Wei Yuan. "Your disciple truly is a heaven-gifted talent, junior brother. Few can compare. Oh, so you've decided to teach him yourself, then? I'll go report it right away..."
"Wait!" Zhang Sheng reacted in a flash and grabbed the Daoist. "Show me the list of instructors!"
The Daoist had no choice but to take out another sheet of jade paper and hand it over.
Zhang Sheng glanced at it and began to understand. Two names on the first page belonged to people he had "argued" with—there was no doubt they held personal grudges against him. The remaining senior Daoists were certainly respected for their virtue and learning, but to Zhang Sheng they were nothing special. He respected them, but didn't admire them, and had never had much to do with them. When he turned to the second page, his expression shifted.
"Feng Chutang? He's come out to teach, too?"
The Daoist said, "It was Feng Yuan True Monarch's idea. He wanted Feng Chutang to contribute a little to the palace's work. The True Monarch said that when you impart the Dao and teach and resolve doubts, you don't just resolve your disciples' doubts—you resolve your own as well. I heard that you and Senior Brother Feng weren't exactly... on good terms."
The Daoist had put it mildly. Back then, Zhang Sheng and Feng Chutang had been far more than merely on bad terms. They had nearly become sworn enemies. They had fought openly three times, battling until both were seriously wounded before stopping. No one knew how many times they had sparred in private.
Given their history, if Wei Yuan ended up in Feng Chutang's class, it would be no surprise if he came out missing a few layers of skin.
Yet Zhang Sheng said, "We're going!"
"What?" The Daoist could hardly believe his ears.
"We're attending centralized instruction!"
"But, but Senior Brother Feng..."
Zhang Sheng snorted. "If he dares to teach, we dare to learn! Surely he wouldn't stoop to making life difficult for a junior. At most, he'll just assign extra homework. Yuan'er, are you afraid of hardship?"
Zhang Sheng had asked him this question before. Three years ago, Wei Youcai had answered for him; this time, Wei Yuan answered for himself. "Those of us who grew up in the countryside fear hardship least of all."
"Good. Sign him up!"
The Daoist stared blankly for a moment, then sighed. "In that case, junior brother, please pay the course fee."
Zhang Sheng's face stiffened at once. "I just got back to the palace. I didn't bring my Immortal Silver with me. Please wait a moment while I go back to my cave abode and get it."
"That's all right. I'll wait here."
After Zhang Sheng left the courtyard, the Daoist looked at Wei Yuan and said, "Your master will be gone for a little while. Since we have nothing else to do, I'll tell you about the origins of Taichu Palace. That's part of the Introduction to the Immortal Path course, too."
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