In the academy conference room at the Tianyang Martial Dao Academy, Tianyang Sect.
The martial dao academy's personnel were all seated, with Zhang Qingyuan sitting at the far end of the conference room.
A pile of materials needed for the meeting lay before him.
Honestly, he really needed to find a secretary, preferably a female secretary...
He couldn't expect to do everything himself. He even had to take the meeting minutes.
Seated in the conference room were the Tianyang Sect's six elders and all the staff of the Tianyang Martial Dao Academy.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Zhang Qingyuan took out a sheet of paper, quickly scanned it, then said, "Today marks the first all-staff meeting of our Tianyang Sect and Tianyang Martial Dao Academy."
Everyone immediately sat up straight.
Before each of them lay a sheet of blank paper and a writing brush, mainly for recording important points from the meeting.
"First, the Tianyang Sect's council of elders will remain unchanged."
His six senior brothers maintained their smiles.
Old Eldest would still handle back-end work,
Old Second would still be the mascot,
Old Third would remain deputy sect master and continue his work in the Finance Department.
Old Fourth had just returned, bringing Zhang Qingyuan a pile of contracts...
Old Fifth handled personnel, and plenty of people had joined through him lately.
Old Sixth's Publicity Department had its newspaper business soaring. It would eventually cover all of Yu Province and was already spreading into Song Province and Zhao Province.
"Next are the departmental appointments for the Tianyang Martial Dao Academy."
"Over these three months of getting to know one another, we've gained a general understanding of everyone's abilities.
The Tianyang Martial Dao Academy is still a brand-new undertaking. I hope everyone can unite and achieve new glories!"
Everyone listened silently. Nobody flattered him.
Zhang Qingyuan couldn't help recalling the scenes of herding corporate livestock in his previous life.
Sigh, they still need training.
He looked around and said, "This year is our first intake, and judging by things so far, the results have been excellent.
Here, I will appoint the management of the Tianyang Martial Dao Academy.
Ding Jianming!"
"Present."
At the back, a man wearing a Security Department uniform stood.
He had a resolute face and an upright build, and was around thirty-five or thirty-six.
Zhang Qingyuan waved a hand at him. "Ding Jianming is appointed head of the Tianyang Martial Dao Academy's Security Department. Elder Zheng Jianxin will step down as head of the Security Department!"
Everyone exchanged looks. Apart from the six senior brothers, none of the academy's people had known about this arrangement.
Ding Jianming looked at Old Second. Only after seeing that Old Second showed no displeasure whatsoever did he relax.
Zhang Qingyuan said, "When Ding Jianming joined the sect, he was in the fifth-grade realm. Over these three months, he worked diligently during the day and spent his remaining time diligently practicing the Tianyang Nineteen Sword Forms, breaking through the fifth-grade realm to become a fourth-rank expert.
We have all seen his attitude.
Elder Zheng Jianxin also has other work assignments, so he will step down as department head, with Ding Jianming succeeding him.
During his tenure, his pay and benefits will triple, and he may select two deputies to assist him.
He will receive one Minor Rejuvenation Pill each year as a reward.
I hope Department Head Ding can keep up his efforts, maintain the academy's security, and ensure the safety of all its teachers and students."
"Yes, I guarantee I'll complete the mission!"
Everyone looked at Ding Jianming, with plenty feeling envy and jealousy.
He got a damn promotion just like that?
But nobody could really say anything. After all, Ding Jianming truly was outstanding, and Sect Master Zhang Qingyuan had appointed him directly.
Zhang Qingyuan continued, "Lu Guying is appointed head of the first-year teaching group, to unify its thinking and cultivate more outstanding talent for the Tianyang Martial Dao Academy."
Lu Guying stood. "I will never betray your trust, Dean!"
"I hope none of the other teachers will resent this. A student from Teacher Lu's class took first place in the first-year freshmen competition. You have all witnessed his abilities."
The other nine first-year teachers had differing reactions. Some didn't care, while others were jealous.
We all came together. Why should you get promoted?
Did he take first place because you taught him well?
That was because Liu Sidao had the talent!
They thought this, but couldn't say it aloud.
Yet every teacher held a pent-up determination: in next year's freshmen competition, they had to beat his class!
He could more or less guess what the teachers were thinking.
They were all human. How could they possibly have no feelings about it?
This was exactly how he needed to motivate them.
Without using a few tactics, they would probably start slacking off later.
"The group head will receive double pay and benefits," Zhang Qingyuan added.
"Also, the teaching group head position isn't permanent. It will rotate every three years, based on teaching quality.
The group head will be rewarded with one Minor Rejuvenation Pill and one Creation Pill each year."
Everyone grew even angrier.
A Minor Rejuvenation Pill that grants five years' worth of True Qi, given to someone in the eighth-grade realm? Wasn't that squandering a heavenly treasure?
Could he even make proper use of it?
Lu Guying was overwhelmed by the favor and felt as though needles were pricking his back.
"Th-thank you for nurturing me, Dean."
"Good. I hope you'll keep up your efforts, Teacher Lu."
"I guarantee I'll complete the mission!"
Zhang Qingyuan would have liked to reward him with something else, but he didn't have any other pills!
As for whether Lu Guying kept the pills to take himself, sold them for money, or gave them to someone else, Zhang Qingyuan wouldn't concern himself with that.
"Next is the second-year group."
Everyone looked toward the newly arrived teachers.
These teachers had barely shown themselves since joining the academy.
They were supposedly researching cultivation methods and compiling teaching materials.
Now that they had finally appeared today, everyone was curious.
Zhang Qingyuan introduced them. "Guo Lingjun, teacher of second-year Class One, seventh-rank realm."
The first person on the left stood and greeted his colleagues.
Everyone looked toward the second-year group. Someone counted them. Why were there eleven people in the second-year group?
"Cai Denglang, sixth-rank realm, responsible for second-year Class Two."
Another person stood and greeted everyone.
"Ren Huan, second-year Class Three, sixth-rank realm."
"Chu Yunshen, second-year Class Four, seventh-rank realm."
"Zhou Lei, second-year Class Five, sixth-rank realm."
"Yun Qingqiu, second-year Class Six, fifth-grade realm!"
At this point, the only woman in the second-year teaching group stood, and everyone drew in a sharp breath.
Fifth-grade realm?
Coming to teach at a school?
Her skin was exceedingly pale, with the cool hue of someone long untouched by sunlight, and her ink-gray eyes were always lowered in aloofness.
The lines of her features were cool and crisp, the angles of her nose and jaw like the edges of snowy peaks.
Her lips were very pale, and a faint old scar above her right eyebrow slanted into her temple. Her black hair was loosely pinned up with only a wooden hairpin, a few stray strands brushing her cheeks. She was like an ancient sword returned to its sheath, showing only the marks of wind and frost, its sharp edge concealed.
She looked a little down-and-out, with a trace of travel-worn dust about her.
She was around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, and Old Fourth unconsciously gave her another look.
Yun Qingqiu nodded lightly by way of greeting.
Zhang Qingyuan shot Old Fourth a sideways glance and continued, "Gao Yuan: teacher of second-year Class Seven, sixth-rank realm.
Xu Taosen: teacher of second-year Class Eight, seventh-rank realm.
Wang Yipeng: teacher of second-year Class Nine, sixth-rank realm.
Huang Shixiu: teacher of second-year Class Ten, sixth-rank realm."
Once all the introductions were finished, Gu Qianshan, seated in a corner, froze for a moment as bitterness instantly welled up in his heart.
I applied to be a second-year teacher too, and I've already joined. Why didn't he introduce me?
Could Sect Master Zhang have changed his mind because I have no internal power?