I Can See Your Combat Power
Chapter 1729 - 167: Outstanding as a Tree Among the Forest

Chapter 1729: Chapter 167: Outstanding as a Tree Among the Forest

"Brother, where are you heading?"

"To Da Lin City to pass through the Dragon Gate."

"That’s a long distance away, brother. Why not go to Qiyao Mountain?"

"There’s a Dragon Gate at Qiyao Mountain, too?"

"Brother, you didn’t know? Not only does Mubai have a Dragon Gate, Yancang, Heqing, Nanji, and Chaochang all have one too. Furthermore, these are set up by the sects and the spirit assessments are more precise than the Five-turn Dragon Gate at Da Lin. If you’re willing to spend money, they can even tell you how much longer you need to train to break through your current level!"

"Really!? Thanks for letting me know, brother. I’ll head to Qiyao Mountain right away."

...

"Have you heard about it?"

"About what?"

"Yulin Pavilion opened a branch in the mountains to the north and south, teaching the basics of formations. Hey, hey, hey, where are you going? It’s almost your turn."

"I’m not waiting any longer; I’m heading to Chaochang."

...

Conversations like this were taking place all over Longzhou. Fueled by the relentless promotion by Wind Media, it became everyone’s aspiration.

In the midst of this storm, Unparalleled Academy had clearly become the bottom rung of the food chain. Watching the once bustling Unparalleled City lose a good portion of its permanent residents of Wind Media, Du Ting’s anxiety was palpable.

It has to be said that human nature does have some petty aspects. Previously, the city hall couldn’t think of enough ways to drive out those spies hiding within the city. Now that they’ve actually left, there’s a sense of emptiness instead.

In the past, even a simple cough during the night classes at Unparalleled Academy would result in several different rumors the next day. Now, even the official notices from city hall aren’t drawing any spies’ interest.

The disparity in treatment is like the difference between heaven and earth compared to just a few days ago.

What’s even more disheartening is the councilors’ pessimism about the future of Unparalleled Academy. Although for now the Academy’s various departments are still filled to capacity, besides those prospective students who were already waiting in the city, fewer and fewer people are coming to Unparalleled City.

It seems that the once unique Unparalleled City has become a mere option for independent cultivators, and even more frustratingly, the entire reputation of the Academy in Xiehe has plummeted dramatically.

The same nobility that once extolled the Academy are now stepping on it with all their might.

"Dean, Chaochang has claimed a shortage of winter grain and is unwilling to sell. Reading between the lines, it seems like they want to sever commercial ties with the Academy."

"There’s also Da Lin, stating that they have provided the venue for the Dragon Gate for free for many years. If the Academy wishes to continue using Da Lin for the Dragon Gate, they will need to start paying rent for the venue. Also, getting cooperation from the nobility for spirit assessment is also becoming difficult."

"The most severe issue is not even that. These past few days, a growing number of preparatory students who were planning to enroll in the Academy’s three operational courses have been leaving Unparalleled City, and each day more leave than the last. Just yesterday alone, over three hundred and forty have gone."

"The situation of the Academy and Unparalleled City is getting worse and worse. According to predictions from the city hall, after the sects from Zhongzhou arrive in Yuanzhou, the situation will deteriorate even further..."

Du Ting seemed to age ten years in an instant, his disheveled silver hair resembling the final notes of a symphony named "Anxiety."

Tang Luo was sprawled on the desk, his eyes lifelessly staring at the sheet of paper filled with messy arcs on the table, lacking any motivation as he murmured vague affirmations in response to Du Ting’s anxiousness.

"Please, Dean, think of a solution. If it continues like this, the great situation that was so hard to build up will be completely lost!"

The more one has experienced prosperity, the more reluctant they are to leave the heights, just like Du Ting at this moment, whose fear of decline filled his heart, pleading to Tang Luo with tears in his voice.

"The academy is fine, why are you crying?"

Tang Luo propped his chin with one hand, diverting his scant attention to Du Ting’s face, and spoke indifferently: "Sect interference is actually good for the individual martial artists of Longzhou, unless their goal isn’t to teach but to conscript."

"A new barrel of a privy is fragrant for three days, but sect establishments don’t set up branch institutions to benefit the world. Rather, they do it to siphon techniques suited to their own martial arts. As long as we stick to the educational philosophy of supporting and elevating the individual martial arts styles of warriors, there won’t be any real conflict with the sects’ branch institutions."

"As for your worries about the academy’s decline, that won’t happen, because the most important students of the academy are those adopted children, they are the future of Longzhou’s martial arts. As for those individual martial artists who already have some strength, whether they come in large or small numbers, it won’t affect the foundation of the academy. No need to pay them any mind."

The chaotic Du Ting was soothed by this calm tone but was still somewhat perplexed: "Does this mean that we should just do nothing, Dean?"

"Of course we can’t just do nothing. Now that the sects have entered the stage to share the pressure, we can prepare to move the Five-turn Dragon Gate back to Red Cloud Mountain. Besides, there’s no need to worry about Chaochang trying to cut off our supply of resources. The ranches and paddy fields in Chengzhou are on the right track now and can provide Red Cloud Mountain with enough living materials."

"Moreover, in recent years, wars have erupted across Longzhou, resulting in a large number of war orphans. Since most of the spies in the city have already withdrawn, we should dispatch all available personnel of Wind Media to bring those children back to Red Cloud Mountain."

Du Ting’s eyes lit up as if he grasped Tang Luo’s intent: "Dean, does this mean you intend to cultivate our own power?"

"This is an academy, not a place for training slaves, nor some assassin organization."

Tang Luo rubbed his throbbing temples, wordlessly said: "To change the world, we need more people who share our vision, and those who have already established order in their hearts are destined not to walk with us. Hence, these children are potential fellow travelers. Do you understand?"

"I... I... don’t quite understand."

"It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand, just do as I say."

...

At Wuji Immortal Mountain, Endless Hall

As an independent department overseeing the branch institutions, Young Master Tong and several external elders examined the recent reports, brimming with excitement.

Thanks to the trailblazing efforts of Unparalleled Academy in recent years, they had shown all the sects in Xiehe a way to engage with the world.

Especially for lofty sects like Wuji Mansion, which disdain competing with the commoners for resources, the temptation to dominate a territory like Evil King Palace was utterly unenticing.

However, as a sect, they had their own pride and didn’t want to cheaply impart their martial arts to insincere disciples.

Therefore, most sects established a series of tests on sincerity and comprehension to challenge those who sought their teachings.

Over time, this became a tradition, hence the common legends you hear:

Some young person wanting to enter Immortal Mountain, then after enduring countless hardships, finally achieves their desire to meet the sect’s esteemed figures. In the end, they are granted a certain martial arts technique, and decades later, they return to the mundane world as a renowned and powerful figure.

Such stories have always found a willing audience from ancient times until now, firstly because most people truly believe the power to change one’s life comes from external forces.

Secondly, it’s because of the high stature sects hold in people’s hearts, which is genuinely esteemed.

They believe that even the martial arts accidentally revealed by these sects are enough for ordinary martial artists in the world to reign supreme.