Chapter 519 - Chapter 519: Chapter 467: Intense Competition for Spots, Taking the Back Door?

Chapter 519: Chapter 467: Intense Competition for Spots, Taking the Back Door?

No one does not want to stand out, especially for those who lack opportunities. Once they see an opportunity, they become desperate to seize it, regardless of everything.

Thus, when the news about the Taoist Academy spread, the martial artists of the world began the first wave of internal competition. They started to move towards Tiandu, wanting to seize this opportunity and leap like carps crossing the dragon gate, riding on the wind.

“There are countless strong people in the world, but the only one who truly values us ordinary folk is the State Mentor.”

“Yeah, if not for Grandmaster Pei, how could we impoverished martial artists have our moment to shine?”

“I heard that Grandmaster Pei was the one who compiled the Martial Classics that we study.”

“Although some say that many strong people died during the Grandmaster’s rise, weren’t they seeking their own demise?”

“Grandmaster Pei establishing the Taoist Academy has opened a door for us ordinary people to climb up, an act of great virtue, almost comparable to the sages of ancient times.”

“If I could join the Taoist Academy, then the Grandmaster would be my benefactor. I would go through fire and water for him, repaying him even with my life.”

Today, what attracts people’s most attention is neither the promotion of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty nor the enfeoffments of divine positions, but the matter of Pei Xuanjing founding the Taoist Academy.

The ordinary martial artists actually understand this. Whether the Great Ming Divine Dynasty is promoted or divine positions are enfeoffed, what does it matter to them? They are merely being trampled on, living as workhorses for others, and have no chance to shine.

Can they be excused from paying taxes and offering tributes just because the Great Ming Divine Dynasty has advanced? Can it offer them any kind of title?

Therefore, they really don’t pay much attention to these matters. Instead, it is Pei Xuanjing’s announcement to establish the Taoist Academy and allow all martial artists to apply, with the potential to be selected, that attracts their attention.

Who is Pei Xuanjing? He is today’s State Mentor of Great Ming, and the first man without a doubt. If you can join the academy he founded, it is no different from changing your destiny.

As a result, the reputation of Pei Xuanjing has soared among all people, and he has become a figure of great virtue and benevolence, comparable to the sages of ancient times, and the great saviour of ordinary martial artists.

Even the past deeds of Pei Xuanjing were brought up by the people, praised and celebrated. Initially, Pei Xuanjing’s contribution to the compilation of the Martial Classics in the Martial Academy was not significant, it was trivial.

However, in the current situation, he has been praised by countless martial artists. They believe that the compilation of the Martial Classics was led by him and that he is the greatest contributor.

At such a result, Pei Xuanjing can’t help but laugh and cry. Even if he denies, these martial artists still think that Pei Xuanjing is just being modest. It doesn’t dampen their enthusiasm, but instead, makes them admire Pei Xuanjing even more.

Yu Qing, a twenty-seven-year-old Seventh-grade Martial Artist, is one such person.

As an ordinary person, Yu Qing, like most of the countless martial artists in the world, comes from an ordinary martial artist family. His father only became a Ninth-grade martial artist by relying on the Martial Classics, which led to some improvement in their family’s living conditions.

Unfortunately, before he could grow up, his parents were killed due to a martial grudge, leaving only him who luckily survived.

Although he had some martial arts talents under the age of ten, he couldn’t afford the expensive resources for martial studies, and couldn’t exchange for cultivation skills.

He could only cultivate with the most basic method – the Martial Classics. Later on, he accidentally ingested a spiritual medicine in a forbidden blessed land and became a martial artist. After taking revenge for his parents, he aimlessly happened to encounter an army expedition outside the border. He went with the army as a hired martial artist to fight and earn cultivation resources.

However, it’s not easy for an independent practitioner like him to survive outside the border. Even if they manage to kill a demonic beast, they are still subject to exploitation by the big forces. There’s little left for them in the end.

Even after spending several years outside the border, his hard work merely sustains his survival, with barely any resources left for cultivation.

However, everything began to change when Grandmaster Pei arrived. Grandmaster Pei proactively handed over a Military City, governed by the Taoist School, to the martial artists of the world.

As such, their oppression decreased, their lives became richer, and their daily share of the profits from hunting demonic beasts was no longer taken from them.

In Yu Qing’s heart, Grandmaster Pei is a good person. He is compassionate and benevolent, the legendary saint. Grandmaster Pei’s existence gives hope to ordinary martial artists like them and shows them the way forward.

And now, Grandmaster Pei is going to establish a Taoist Academy, willing to teach martial arts to all martial artists, providing everybody a chance to cultivate. His respect for Grandmaster Pei has therefore reached a peak.

“Establishing the Taoist Academy and teaching skills to all martial artists, what a great act of virtue!” Yu Qing sighed in his heart.

He silently vowed to strive for a place in the Taoist Academy, to enter the Academy, and to receive guidance from Grandmaster Pei.

He does not dare to hope to become a disciple, he merely hopes to do something in gratitude for Grandmaster Pei’s kindness.

Yu Qing looked around. There were many martial artists like him, rushing towards Tiandu in a disheveled state. They mostly came from humble backgrounds, and almost all of them have received favors from Grandmaster Pei.

Deng Zhong has been very busy for some time. As one of the few strong warriors in the Spirit Realm of the Shenxiao Sect, if he wished, he wouldn’t need to be so busy, he could just focus on cultivating in seclusion.

However, since it was something the Sect Leader personally ordered, he naturally wouldn’t refuse and was quite serious about handling these matters, ensuring there wasn’t the slightest mistake.

One day, he had just returned to Tiandu after visiting the suburbs and was about to return to the Taoist Temple to report to the Sect Leader about recent affairs. Unexpectedly, he ran into Daoist Xuanming from the Baiyun Temple.

“Daoist Deng, please stay.” Daoist Xuanming called him.

“Greetings to the Taoist Priest.” Deng Zhong nodded and asked, “Does the Taoist Priest need something?”

Daoist Xuanming nodded, glanced around, and said in a low voice, “Daoist Deng, please follow me.”

He led Deng Zhong a few steps away and said, “Today, I would like to ask you for a favor.”

Deng Zhong was puzzled and asked, “May I know what it is, Taoist Priest?”

Daoist Xuanming smiled, then whispered, “It’s this. I have an old friend who has…”

Hearing Daoist Xuanming’s words, Deng Zhong thought to himself: Just as I thought.

Daoist Xuanming has an old friend who was his old companion when he traveled the world. Although this friend has passed away, he left a child. Daoist Xuanming wanted to get a place in the Taoist Academy for this child.

“Doesn’t the Taoist Priest have some places? Why do you need to find me?” Deng Zhong asked in confusion.