Chapter 376: Chapter 258: How dare you try to snatch someone on my territory?
Martial Arts Academy?
Recruitment?
Only now did Xu Yang remember that he was still the dean of Wu City Martial Arts Academy. He initially wanted to accept the responsibility, but then he thought to himself… Isn’t it unnecessary for the dean to recruit students personally?
Have you ever seen the president of Qing Bei University going out to recruit students?
A thought flashed through his mind, and Xu Yang laughed, “Director Feng, just let the people below handle such matters like recruitment.”
Feng Zhaoqing was, after all, somewhat of a “bureaucrat.”
How could he not understand Xu Yang’s implied message? He immediately said, “Indeed, the recruitment should be handled by people below. However, Supreme Sage Xu, you are the dean of our Wu City Martial Arts Academy. Since this is the first batch of students being recruited, could you kindly help supervise after the people below finish the preliminary selection?”
“Of course.”
Fortunately, there was nothing else to do.
Xu Yang exited the villa and took a walk in the neighborhood before driving to Wu City Martial Arts Academy.
The academy was not yet fully completed. Some facilities were still under construction, and the academy’s machinery and equipment had not been fully removed. However, this did not impede the enrollment process.
In the exercise field on the campus of the Martial Arts Academy, it was absolutely packed with people.
After all, this was the only martial arts academy in the entire Xi Xia Province. Which youngster in Da Xia didn’t have a martial arts dream in their hearts?
Now that it’s the first recruitment, no one wanted to miss it!
Whether they could get in or not, at least everyone should come and give it a try, right?
Moreover, among the crowd, many foreign dialect accents could be heard… These were people who came specifically to enroll!
Especially after the video of Xu Yang practicing the sword at Hukou Waterfall circulated online, countless teenagers made him their idol. It was said that the hotels and guesthouses in Wu City were fully booked in recent days, proving how many people came from other places!
Wang Lin, Bai Wei and other staff members from the Spirits Management Bureau, along with local police officers, were maintaining order at the scene.
A small leader from the education department stood on a table with a megaphone and shouted, “Everyone, do not rush, do not panic. Our enrollment will last until August 26th… lasting a week. The students and parents at the back please go home first…”
Some parents, realizing they won’t get in line today, could only take their children away.
Others, even knowing they wouldn’t make it today, were reluctant to leave and wanted to observe the assessment process.
Xu Yang, fearing that his presence might disrupt the hard-earned order, immediately put an Invisibility Talisman on himself and entered the academy in stealth.
With a sweep of his divine sense,
Xu Yang found the “Dean’s Office” sign on the top floor of the teaching building.
He arrived outside the “Dean’s Office.”
The office door was locked, and Xu Yang had no key, so he had to use the Earth Escape Skill to go through the wall.
The office was spacious.
The decoration was similar to the “President’s Office” Xu Yang had imagined.
There were many green plants inside.
A leather sofa set was placed on the ground, along with a grand marble coffee table.
In the corner on the right, there was Xu Yang’s office desk.
On the desk, there was a computer, some files and documents, and a bookshelf next to it. The bookshelf held many books, including famous Da Xia novels, Daoist Collection, and some well-known literary works.
Sitting in the leather swivel chair, Xu Yang tapped the desk with his hand, straightened his body, and assumed a solemn expression as he looked at the computer screen.
The unpowered computer screen reflected Xu Yang’s demeanor.
Xu Yang nodded his head and couldn’t help but laugh, “Not bad, not bad… It does give off a bit of a headmaster’s style.”
There was also a landline phone on the office desk.
Xu Yang thought for a moment, picked up the landline, and dialed Feng Zhaoqing’s number.
……
At the recruitment scene.
This place was the assembly hall of the Martial Arts Academy, and it was very spacious.
Feng Zhaoqing was sitting in a chair, conducting an assessment for a student who had come to register.
Along with him were Director Chen Jingzhou of Silver City Sub-Bureau, Master Luan Haiping of Maoshan Sect, and some martial artists and Dao cultivators dispatched from the department.
These martial artists and Dao cultivators were all cultivated by the Spirits Management Bureau and would assume teaching assignments at the Martial Arts Academy.
Suddenly.
Feng Zhaoqing’s phone rang.
He picked up the phone and wondered, “Huh… a call from the dean’s office? Isn’t the dean’s office not open yet?”
Answering the phone, he recognized the voice and laughed, “Supreme Sage Xu, when did you arrive? Why didn’t you tell me in advance?”
“Alright.”
“I’ll be right there.”
After chatting for a while,
Feng Zhaoqing hung up the phone and told Chen Jingzhou and Luan Haiping, “Director Chen, Master Luan, Supreme Sage Xu has arrived.”
The three of them immediately headed towards the “Dean’s Office.”
Feng Zhaoqing was fine, as he was already used to interacting with Xu Yang.
However, Chen Jingzhou and Luan Haiping appeared to be a bit reserved.
They were also familiar with Xu Yang, but they didn’t have a particularly close relationship… Unlike before, Xu Yang was now a powerful expert in Daoist skills and Martial Arts Heavenly Being Realm.
“Director Chen, Master Luan!”
Xu Yang smiled and said, “We are old acquaintances, so there’s no need to be so formal…”
“Please, have a seat.”
After inviting the three of them to sit on the sofa, Xu Yang continued, “This is my first time in my office, and I don’t have any tea, so I won’t serve any to the three of you.”
After some casual conversation,
Xu Yang asked about the enrollment assessment.
Feng Zhaoqing said, “Our Martial Arts Academy has age requirements for enrollees. We are only enrolling young people between the ages of 16 and 20 for this batch… After registering on the field outside, those who meet the age criteria can proceed to the auditorium for an assessment.”
“Since this is the first enrollment, ninety-nine percent of the students have no foundation in martial arts or Daoist skills, so the main purpose of the assessment is to ascertain the students’ innate talent.”
“Of course.”
“Apart from innate talent, one’s mindset is also very important.”
“An ordinary person with an unrighteous heart poses little harm to society; they may even bury their evil thoughts deep within, not daring to do anything outrageous in their lifetime. However, when such a person gains power, it’s a different story.”
The plan for the Martial Arts Academy had already been approved by the government ten years ago.
The specific arrangements and enrollment schemes must have been thoroughly tested.
Feng Zhaoqing briefly described the assessment process, laughing, “Since this is the first enrollment, it’s a bit more troublesome… The headquarters has invested in a laboratory studying assessment tools, such as strength testers, explosive speed measuring instruments, and nerve reaction speed testers, etc.”
“In a few years, when everything is on track and martial arts and Daoist skills are popularized in nine-year compulsory education, high school students will begin comprehensive martial arts training, and the enrollment for all Martial Arts Academies will be based on their college entrance examination results.”
Xu Yang nodded his head.
He had seen this method in novels before.
It was nothing more than a division between “martial arts” and “liberal arts.”
Then, Xu Yang also went to see the assessment site.
Based on the on-site data, he found that the proportion of students passing the assessment was very low. Between 7:30 am and 11:30 noon, more than 400 people participated in the assessment, but only 23 passed.
Among these 23 people, only four were suitable for practicing Daoism.
And among the four suitable for practicing Daoism, one had a Daoist background, allegedly having a Daoist ancestor, and her family had half a scroll on the practice of Daoism leftovers, a 17-year-old girl who had been practicing Daoism for three years and was now at the second level of the Qi Refining Realm.
“Director Xu, why don’t you try the assessment yourself?”
Seeing Xu Yang flipping through the data.
Luan Haiping said with a smile.
“Sure.”
Xu Yang nodded and looked outside.
A young man in a tracksuit entered.
He had already registered his name and ID number outside, and this personal information was uploaded through the network and could now be seen on the computers inside the hall.
“Chen Xiang, right?”
Xu Yang asked.
That student named “Chen Xiang” was delighted and exclaimed, “Director Xu… is it you, Director Xu?”
He ran over with excitement, a look of admiration on his face, “Director Xu, I’m your loyal fan. I came from Sichuan Province to learn swordsmanship from you… Director Xu, can you give me an autograph?”
After giving him an autograph and taking a photo together,
Xu Yang then asked seriously, “I’ve seen your information, 19 years old, currently a freshman at Chengdu University, a student of Chengdu University’s Kendo Club? Have you practiced swordsmanship before?”
“Yes, Director Xu.”
The student replied, “But the swordsmanship I’ve learned is just superficial. It wasn’t until the existence of martial arts and Daoist skills was announced by the country last month that our Kendo Club’s president brought out a basic swordsmanship book for us to practice.”
He carried a wooden sword.
He immediately demonstrated the Thirteen Basic Sword Techniques.
“Not bad, not bad.”
On the side, Feng Zhaoqing, Luan Haiping, Chen Jingzhou, and others showed great interest in Chen Xiang, praising him, “In just one month of practicing the basic sword techniques, he’s able to master the thirteen basic techniques like water, which shows that he has a good talent for swordsmanship.”
“Xu Yang: “…”
He didn’t comment.
Because…
He had never learned any basic sword techniques himself.
However, the smooth and unhesitating movements of the boy’s sword, and the concentration in his eyes while practicing, were enough to show that he genuinely loved swordsmanship.
Xu Yang immediately agreed to give Chen Xiang an admission quota.
Chen Xiang was overjoyed…
You see, even those who had passed the assessment before were only told to “wait for the notification” and not directly confirmed.
He put away his sword, excitedly said, “Director Xu… can I… can I be your disciple?”
All the teachers at the assessment site looked at him.
But Xu Yang just laughed, “To be my disciple, having this little talent is not enough… but since you’ve asked, I’ll give you a condition… during the four years at the Martial Arts Academy, if you can comprehend the essence of the sword, I’ll accept you as my student.”
“OK!”
Chen Xiang didn’t insist, holding his wooden sword confidently, “Why wait for four years? Within three years, I will be able to comprehend the essence of the sword!”
Feng Zhaoqing and others shook their heads secretly.
Young people…
They didn’t know the immensity of heaven and earth!
How easy was it to comprehend the essence of the sword? Many people in the martial world had practiced the sword since their childhood, but even after decades of practice, they might not be able to grasp the essence of the sword. For someone who had just started learning basic sword techniques at the age of 19, it was nothing but a dream to comprehend the essence of the sword within three years!
After that, Xu Yang assessed several more students.
Every student who saw the academy would ask for an autograph and a photo with Xu Yang.
Xu Yang smiled wryly, “Nevermind, you guys just do the assessment… Sitting here, I seem to be affecting the assessment progress. I’ll go back to my office. If you need anything, call me.”
Xu Yang returned to his office, focusing on practicing his talismans.
At 4 pm,
Wang Lin rushed into the office anxiously, saying, “Director Xu, something’s wrong… someone’s trying to poach our students at Wu City Martial Arts Academy!”
“???”
Xu Yang was clueless and asked in surprise, “Poach someone? Who are they trying to poach? Who’s doing the poaching?”
“The Li Clan from Longxi.”
Wang Lin panted, “There’s a girl in the crowd waiting for the assessment who has very good talent. People from the Longxi Li Clan want to take her away to practice in their clan.”
“What Longxi Li Clan?”
Xu Yang slammed his fist on the table, not knowing about these aristocratic families, but he did know that poaching on his territory was tantamount to a slap in the face. He stood up angrily, “Let’s go, show me!”