Long Live Azure Cloud

Azure Cloud Master and the other six exchanged glances. What was ideological education?

What use did that have for comprehending the Heavenly Dao?

Zhang Yang wore a mysterious smile. "Don't worry about it. Once I have it ready, you'll understand. By the way, Second Martial Uncle, Fourth Martial Uncle, Seventh Martial Uncle, how did the inventory of Azure Cloud Sect's assets go?"

Ling Yunzi raised a hand and conjured a map. Every location marked with a village had already been labeled.

Biling Zi and Baiyun Zi likewise conjured maps, with the villages marked on them as well.

When the three maps were put together, they encompassed the entire territory of Azure Cloud Sect.

Zhang Yang swept his gaze across them and calculated that there were a total of one hundred and seventy-five villages around Azure Cloud Sect.

He secretly shook his head, somewhat dissatisfied. He had seen those villages before. Even the largest had only a few hundred people, while the smallest had merely dozens. Altogether, the one hundred and seventy-five villages did not amount to much of a population—far less than the densely populated world he had known in the Past.

Ling Yunzi continued, "Aside from the mine we discovered last time, I found another one that had been excavated! Over the past century, we have barely dealt with Azure Cloud Sect's affairs. Some people really took advantage of that and have been stealing our resources!"

Now that he understood the importance of these mines, his mindset had changed.

Biling Zi continued, "I found three mines. They were being excavated by the Cloud Mountain Empire, fifteen hundred li from Azure Cloud Sect. When I reclaimed them, I clashed with their people. However, the one stationed at the mines was merely in the Golden Core Realm and no match for me. I brought back all the minerals. I have already warned the Cloud Mountain Empire's people not to set foot within Azure Cloud Sect's territory again."

Baiyun Zi said with a smile, "I found only one mine, but it turned out to be a silver mine!"

Sixth Martial Uncle Huolingzi's eyes lit up. He hurriedly said, "A silver mine is excellent! The essence within silver ore can be refined into Mithril, one of the essential materials for crafting high-grade magical artifacts. Forget the other mines if you must, but we absolutely cannot let this silver mine go."

Baiyun Zi nodded. "Of course I took the silver mine back. However, the ones mining it were from the Thousand Feather Sect. They actually claimed that I had robbed them and said they would come looking for trouble!"

Zhang Yang frowned. Azure Cloud Sect was an ancient major sect, yet it was being bullied so badly?

He looked at Azure Cloud Master and said solemnly, "Master, shouldn't Azure Cloud Sect start standing tall?"

Azure Cloud Master silently nodded, but said nothing more.

The rest of the Azure Cloud Seven Sons did not express any opinion either.

Zhang Yang found it strange. He did not know where the problem lay, so he could only say, "Master, Martial Uncles, if there is nothing else, I will go prepare the ideological education."

"Go on!" Azure Cloud Master waved a hand.

After Zhang Yang left, he raised a hand and cast a restriction that shrouded the Azure Cloud Seven Sons.

What they discussed next was no longer something Zhang Yang could hear.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yang returned to his room. After recalling Azure Cloud Sect's history, he began drafting the content for the ideological education.

It was much like the corporate visions, dreams, missions, and such from the Past—emphasizing a sense of belonging and mission, mainly to win over people's hearts.

The next day, the seven-day deadline he had agreed upon with everyone arrived.

Zhang Yang waited before the main hall for the other disciples to come collect their grain.

After everyone had arrived, Zhang Yang said with a smile, "As disciples of Azure Cloud Sect, it is essential that we understand our sect's history. If we do not even know where our own sect came from, how can we call ourselves Azure Cloud disciples? I have written an account of Azure Cloud Sect's history. You must all memorize its contents until they are engraved in your hearts."

The disciples were utterly bewildered, but they also felt that as sect disciples, understanding the sect's history was only proper.

When each person came forward to collect grain, they also received a sheet of paper recording the sect's history.

Yet when they saw the contents on the paper, they could not help but freeze. It was actually quite catchy to read.

"Azure Cloud has stood for five thousand years, producing brilliant talents beyond compare... We who follow shall strive ever onward, joining hands to forge glory anew!"

Looking at the people who had received the "History of Azure Cloud Sect," Zhang Yang said with a smile, "From today onward, we shall take pride in remembering our sect's history and shame in forgetting it! The next time you come to collect grain, I will test you on it!"

"Yes, Senior Brother!"

The moment everyone heard there would be a test, they immediately took it seriously.

The content was not difficult to memorize. It rolled smoothly off the tongue, so learning it was hardly a challenge.

Before long, clear, ringing "reading voices" echoed across Azure Cloud Sect's mountain.

The Azure Cloud Seven Sons, who watched all this unfold, exchanged glances. They had no idea what Zhang Yang's purpose was in doing this.

Was this ideological education?

What use was it?

Still, as sect disciples, remembering the sect's history was indeed appropriate.

Though they could not understand it, they had no other objections and simply allowed it to continue.

Another seven days passed in the blink of an eye. When the disciples came to collect grain, Zhang Yang was already waiting at the entrance to the main hall.

"Senior Brother, I'm here to collect grain!" Wang Baole stood before Zhang Yang with a beaming grin.

"Question: How many years has Azure Cloud Sect existed?" Zhang Yang stared at Wang Baole.

Wang Baole grinned broadly. "Five thousand years!"

That question was far too easy.

Zhang Yang smiled as well, raising a fist in encouragement. "Five thousand years is no short span. We must carry on the past and usher in the future, revitalize Azure Cloud Sect—long live Azure Cloud!"

Wang Baole froze, not knowing how to answer.

However, he quickly caught on. He tentatively raised his fist and said, "Revitalize Azure Cloud Sect—long live Azure Cloud?"

"Teachable indeed!" Zhang Yang smilingly handed Wang Baole a bag of grain.

Zhang Yang looked at the second disciple who stepped forward, casually asked a simple question, then said, "Revitalize Azure Cloud Sect—long live Azure Cloud!"

With Wang Baole's example before them, the people behind him all understood. One after another, they said, "Revitalize Azure Cloud Sect—long live Azure Cloud!"

The people who came afterward no longer needed Zhang Yang to prompt them. Once they finished answering their questions, they would add, "Revitalize Azure Cloud Sect—long live Azure Cloud!"

This was ideological education!

After more than eighty consecutive cries of "Revitalize Azure Cloud Sect—long live Azure Cloud!" everyone had deeply imprinted those words in their minds.

Even in their daily lives, they could not help blurting it out, as though the phrase possessed some kind of magic.

"Long live Azure Cloud?"

Azure Cloud Master's brows were tightly furrowed. He could not understand it.

He naturally understood revitalizing Azure Cloud Sect, but what was the point of "long live Azure Cloud"?

Even he could not guarantee that Azure Cloud Sect would endure for ten thousand years! Since that was the case, why shout such an unrealistic slogan?

"This brat..."

During the ten years he had taught Zhang Yang, he had always thought Zhang Yang possessed some peculiar ideas and used some unfamiliar terms, but they had still been within the bounds of comprehension.

Ever since Zhang Yang began reforming Azure Cloud Sect, he had been unable to understand him.

When he swept Azure Cloud Sect with his divine sense, he found that the group who had just joined the sect had also begun to seem as strange as Zhang Yang.

"Azure Cloud Sect cannot possibly get any worse. I'll wait and see!"

Azure Cloud Sect was quietly changing.

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.

Zhang Yang came to Cloud Soaring Peak and found Ling Yunzi. "Martial Uncle, the one-month deadline we agreed upon with the Xiao Family has arrived. Yet they have neither sent anyone to Azure Cloud Sect nor offered any explanation. It seems we must make a trip to Anqing City."