Between leaving something to endure through the ages and hoarding it like a treasure, the choice was not actually difficult. Before, they simply might not have been able to get past that hurdle in their hearts.
Now, after Zhang Qingyuan swung his great club of philosophy at them, every one of them had ascended to a higher plane.
Especially Gu Qianshan and Chu Yunshen.
When those two looked at Zhang Qingyuan now, he was practically a sage!
Gu Qianshan had originally come to the Tianyang Sect merely hoping to cultivate internal power.
Now, he suddenly felt that if he did not create a few peerless cultivation techniques that would endure through the ages, he would have lived for nothing!
Chu Yunshen felt this even more strongly!
Previously, he had only wanted to slap the Cloud Mountain Sect in the face and prove to those who looked down on him just how remarkable he was.
Thinking about it now, he had been far too narrow-minded.
How could I let something as trivial as face-slapping fill my supremely glorious heart?
Leaving something to endure through the ages was what I should be doing!
The others were thinking much the same thing. The flames of pride in every heart had been kindled, and they could hardly wait to throw themselves into the work.
Humans were actually very easy creatures to stir up.
Speeches, especially, were the easiest way to move people's hearts!
On the smallest scale, there were pyramid schemes: "Get rich, get rich, get rich!"
On the middle scale, there were success gurus: "If you understand, give me a round of applause!"
On the largest scale, there was that line in a beer hall: "Do you know how much it costs to buy bread these days?
"Five hundred thousand marks!
"Even a horse-drawn carriage can't hold all that money!"
Compared to that last heavyweight, Zhang Qingyuan certainly could not reach such heights.
But he could still try the middle approach.
From the looks of things, the results were very good.
Watching them all sink into their fantasies, Zhang Qingyuan waited a while.
Then he tapped the table again. "That will be all for the martial arts team for now. I hope all my colleagues can create a glorious future together!"
After wrapping that up, Zhang Qingyuan continued, "Next, Sixth Elder."
He looked toward his sixth senior brother, who raised his head and looked back at him.
Please give Old Sixth your orders to your heart's content, Sect Master!
That line suddenly popped into Zhang Qing's head again. Suppressing a smile, he continued, "The students will begin learning internal cultivation tomorrow. Some students may have been born with completely ruined meridians, or certain unavoidable factors may prevent them from cultivating internal power or cause their internal power to progress slowly."
Everyone nodded. These were unavoidable factors.
Some people were simply born that way. Even if they took all sorts of pills and practiced all sorts of cultivation techniques, they were not made for it.
Lu Guying, for instance, was still in the Eighth-Grade Realm.
If not for the exquisite way he used his moves, he would certainly have remained unknown all his life.
Even so, before Zhang Qingyuan found him, had he not been planning to retire from the jianghu?
"Our purpose in establishing the Tianyang Martial Dao Academy is to find a way forward for those children.
"We cannot exclude a small portion of them just because of their physical constitutions.
"Since we have accepted them and given them hope, we must not knock them back into the dirt."
"Sect Master, what do you mean?" Old Sixth asked.
This was a martial dao academy. If someone was born unable to practice martial arts, what could we do?
The others also looked at him curiously, wanting to see how Sect Master Zhang would resolve this.
Zhang Qingyuan said, "We cannot give up on a single enrolled student!
"Some people may be born unable to practice martial arts and have no talent for internal cultivation, even if they are a minority.
"But everyone has at least some talent points in other areas!
"For instance, some people are quick at arithmetic, some have literary talent, and some have exceptional gifts for handicrafts...
"Ordinary people all come with some innate skills, more or less.
"So, to give these children a craft they can make a living with in the future,
"I have decided!"
He looked around, finally resting his gaze on Old Sixth. "I have decided to recruit new teachers.
"The Tianyang Martial Dao Academy will offer specialized courses in medicine, arithmetic, literature, carpentry, smithing, weaving and embroidery, and other subjects.
"Sixth Senior Brother."
"Here."
"Put an advertisement in the Tianyang Daily tomorrow. Recruit people!
"And make sure our principle of not giving up on a single student is written out in plain terms," Zhang Qingyuan reminded him.
"I guarantee I'll complete the assignment!" Old Sixth thumped his chest in assurance.
"As for the faculty and staff of the other departments, if you know anyone with talents in these areas, you can invite them over to exchange ideas."
"Sect Master, you are truly righteous!" Gu Qianshan suddenly spoke, saying excitedly, "I know several physicians I can invite over, and I can teach as well."
"I know an old carpenter. He's getting on in years and might not be able to do physical labor, but his craftsmanship was excellent when he was young," Xu Liang of the Security Department said, rising to his feet.
Just then, Old Fourth suddenly said, "I know a blacksmith who's also a swordsmith, with skills passed down through the family. Can I invite them over?"
Old Fifth looked at him suspiciously. "A woman, right?"
"Just tell me whether it's allowed. Why do you care whether it's a man or a woman?"
"All right, all right," Zhang Qingyuan said. "As long as they can come and have the skills, it doesn't matter whether they're men or women, young or old.
"The physicians Gu Qianshan mentioned are fine, and so is the carpenter Xu Liang mentioned.
"Age doesn't matter. We're inviting them to teach students and take apprentices, not to do manual labor."
"Dean, your righteousness is admirable!" Zhan Hongling cupped her fist and said, "My husband got to know quite a few carpenters when he worked as an escort in his younger days."
"I know quite a few needleworkers!" Li Changsheng suddenly raised his hand, then felt rather awkward himself after saying it.
Everyone turned to look at him, their expressions varied.
Old Fourth gave him a thoughtful look, then signaled him with his eyes.
Li Changsheng returned the look. Let's exchange notes!
"Good." Zhang Qingyuan broke the mood. "No matter who they are, anyone who can bring in skilled workers is doing a good thing. None of you should discriminate.
"Once you've recruited someone, have them report directly to Fifth Elder Li Moran to register."
"Understood!"
That night, after the meeting ended, those who needed to write letters wrote letters, and those who needed to print newspapers printed newspapers.
The next day, in the nearby cities of Yu Province, the Tianyang Sect's front-page sheets were distributed.
Other cities were still using content from two days earlier.
After all, they were too far away for transportation to keep up.
By now, the people of Yu Province had made reading the newspaper a way of life.
In an age so short on entertainment, how could people not delight in something that gave them a topic for daily discussion and a source of amusement?
By now, other small newspapers had appeared throughout Yu Province, and even in places such as Song Province and Zhao Province.
But compared to the Tianyang Daily, they always seemed far inferior.
Lu Renjia saw the newspaper and bought a copy, then took it to a breakfast shop and ordered breakfast.
"Brother Lu."
"Second Brother Chen."
"What's today's front-page headline?"
"I've only just bought it."
"Hurry up and read it to everyone."
The people eating breakfast all turned to look as Lu Renjia unfolded the newspaper.
Someone beside him naturally brought over wontons and steamed buns and set them in front of him.
He began to read:
"[Tianyang Daily - Front-page recruitment notice]"
After reading that, he looked around, and everyone exchanged smiles.
"Only the Tianyang Sect could be this extravagant, advertising in their own newspaper. The front page!"
"No point envying them. Keep reading. What are they recruiting this time?"
Immediately beneath the recruitment advertisement for martial dao academy teachers, a larger section had been printed.
[We judge ability by neither sinew nor bone, and heroes by neither meridian nor channel! The Tianyang Martial Dao Academy solemnly announces the establishment of specialized vocational subjects and welcomes talent from across the world!]
"Purpose: We martial artists defy heaven to contend for our lives, yet heaven and earth are without mercy, and there are always unpolished jades buried in dust.
"Some possess youthful spirit, yet are trapped by inborn frailty and meridians that will not open.
"Some possess unwavering resolve, yet are constrained by injuries suffered later in life, unable to sustain their internal power.
"This is no fault of theirs. How could we cut off their road ahead and bury their talents because of it?
"The Tianyang Martial Dao Academy solemnly pledges: We will not give up on a single enrolled student!
"We firmly believe that beneath the vast heavens, everyone has a unique place of their own.
"The martial dao is not the only open road. Skilled crafts, too, can reach the pinnacle!
"To open a broader future for all students and help them acquire a skill with which to establish themselves and make a living, our academy has decided to add the following specialized vocational subjects and sincerely invites teachers from all corners of the world:
"Medicine: Those proficient in pharmacology and medical principles, skilled at identifying medicinal herbs, and capable of saving the dying and healing the injured.
"Arithmetic: Those skilled in calculation, versed in mathematical principles, and capable of discerning the finest detail.
"Literature: Those well-read in poetry and books, endowed with literary brilliance, and capable of chronicling the ages.
"Carpentry: Those with deft hands and a craftsman's ingenuity, skilled at making implements, and capable of constructing buildings.
"Smithing: Those proficient in forging, skilled at casting weapons and armor, and capable of tempering metal through a thousand hammer blows.
"Weaving and embroidery: Those meticulous as a strand of hair, skilled at weaving brocade and embroidery, and capable of adorning heaven and earth.
"Recruitment requirements:
"1. Solid professional skills; preference given to those with years of practical experience.
"2. Upright character, with patience and enthusiasm for passing on skills.
"3. No restrictions on age, gender, background, or cultivation! Even if you retired due to injury or have grown weak with age, as long as you possess exceptional skills and keep the flame of inheritance in your heart, you will be an honored guest of our academy!
"Compensation:
"Food and lodging provided, with generous compensation to be negotiated in person.
"The title of 'Specially Appointed Teacher of the Tianyang Martial Dao Academy,' with protection from the academy and the Tianyang Sect.
"Your skills will be passed on, and your name may spread with your students!
"Address: Tianyang Sect outside Phoenix Cry City, Academic Affairs Office of the Tianyang Martial Dao Academy. Report to Fifth Elder Li Moran to register.
"The Tianyang Martial Dao Academy is willing to light a lamp on the road ahead for all those beneath heaven who have lost their way!"
Everyone was stunned after hearing it!
"Wait, what does that mean?"
"The Tianyang Martial Dao Academy is recruiting carpenters?"
"Seems so. Blacksmiths and physicians too."
"What does a martial dao academy want carpenters for?"
"From the sound of it, some students aren't succeeding at martial arts, so the Tianyang Martial Dao Academy wants to teach them other crafts."
"That's a good thing. It's all to earn a living. No abandoning, no giving up."
This recruitment notice, unlike any that had come before it, was like a boulder cast into a tranquil lake, sending ripples through many corners.
Lu Cheng'an was an old carpenter. In a dim shack at the end of a shabby alley in western Phoenix Cry City, he was carefully polishing a small wooden kite by the faint daylight, his hands covered in calluses and wrinkles and trembling slightly. In his youth, he had been one of the city's finest carpenters, accomplished in everything from carved beams and painted rafters to intricate mechanisms. Now he was old, his eyesight poor and his hands unsteady. He could no longer do heavy work and received few commissions for delicate work, barely scraping by making little trinkets.
A literate young neighbor excitedly read the newspaper to him. When he heard "no restrictions on age," "not give up on a single student," and "the flame of inheritance," Lu Cheng'an's hands stopped.
A faint glimmer seemed to appear in his clouded eyes.
He looked at his hands, which had once created countless exquisite objects but now struggled even to hold a carving knife steady, and murmured, "Can these old bones of mine... still teach anyone? Would this academy... really want a useless old man like me? But... but if I take all these skills into my coffin, wouldn't I be letting down the ancestral master...?"
The ardent desire to pass on his craft, long since grown cold in his heart, was warmed by a tiny flame rekindled by this printed notice.
Yan Lie's smithy had long since closed for good, and a thick layer of dust covered its door panels.
At that moment, he was sitting in an abandoned Land God Temple outside the city, staring blankly at a battered wine gourd.
His right leg was lame. Once, while forging an urgent batch of military equipment for someone, he had spent days without rest at the furnace, exhausting himself in body and mind, and a falling iron billet had struck him. Though he had survived, he could no longer stand steadily before the forge and exert his strength.
His inherited blacksmithing skills had nowhere to be used. The once-renowned Fire Hammer Yan Lie was now merely a cripple who could not even lift heavy objects, surviving by occasionally mending scrap metal for others and enduring endless scorn.
A vagrant sharing the ruined temple had picked up half a newspaper to wrap food in, and the Tianyang Academy's recruitment notice happened to be printed on it. The vagrant knew few characters and read haltingly, "Smithing... proficient in forging... retired due to injury... no restrictions..." At first, Yan Lie only listened numbly, until the words "retired due to injury" pierced his heart like needles.
He suddenly snatched the dirty newspaper and widened his eyes, greedily making out each word.
"No restrictions... cultivation... inheritance..."
His breathing quickened, and the hands holding the newspaper trembled slightly with excitement. "They... they don't want a burly man who can swing a hundred-jin hammer. They want a 'brain' that knows how to swing one!"
He looked at his arms, still thick and strong but with nowhere to put their strength to use, and an indescribable mingling of sorrow and hope welled up in his heart.
"All my smithing methods, my eye for judging the heat and identifying materials, they're still here! Could it be... could this crippled body of mine still have a chance to pass on this craft?"
Wen Wangu had once been an embroiderer in Song Province, and her double-sided embroidery in different colors was an exceptional skill.
Later, disaster struck her hometown and scattered her family. She had drifted here alone, making a living through simple mending for clothing shops, a bright pearl buried in dust. No one appreciated her exceptional skill, and she had no one to pass it on to. Time and suffering had worn away her edge, leaving only day after day of numbness.
When Li Changsheng sent someone to bring her the news, Wen Wangu was threading a needle beneath a dim lamp.
She froze, almost believing she had misheard.
"Weaving and embroidery... specially appointed teacher?"
She looked at her fingers, somewhat misshapen from years of toil yet still nimble, and her eyes grew slightly moist.
"They... they're willing to invite me to teach students? Can this humble craft of mine really enter the grand hall and be called a skill?"
They could hardly be blamed for thinking this way.
The main reason was that this society ranked scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants in that order.
In this high-martial world, literature came first and martial arts second, while the other professions still had no standing.
She thought of the embroidery patterns she treasured, hidden deep at the bottom of her chest. Perhaps they would finally find people who appreciated them and were willing to carry them on. A long-absent feeling called "hope" quietly welled up in her heart.
Because of this recruitment notice filled with inclusiveness and ideals, the hearts of these dejected people scattered in the corners of the jianghu, long accustomed to silence, all gave a gentle beat once more. The Tianyang Martial Dao Academy's vow to "never give up" began to blow like a spring breeze toward those forgotten corners.