novelraw Chapter 254 247: Difficulties
Chapter 254 247: Difficulties
The Li Family of Shangjing Prefecture was the family Li Qingxuan came from, and its Patriarch was also a Spirit Guardian.
He hadn't been in touch for a long time, so he had no idea how Li Qingxuan was doing now.
Zhou Yuanjue looked at the young man. Though he appeared young, the data indicated he was already nearly a hundred years old.
The Li Family was a renowned major family throughout all of Donghua City.
"A pleasure."
Zhou Yuanjue said little else, merely extending his hand toward Li Zhaonan.
"A pleasure."
Li Zhaonan's voice was somewhat cold as he rose to shake Zhou Yuanjue's hand.
In that instant, Zhou Yuanjue felt his blood seem to boil, showing signs of being uncontrollably forced out of his body. Even his heart rate changed slightly.
Their palms touched and separated in a flash, but Zhou Yuanjue already understood. This man's special ability as a Spirit Guardian had to be related to human blood. No wonder the members of the Li Family could absorb the bloodlines of their own kin to purify their Bloodline Power—it was clearly inseparable from this unique ability.
The abilities of Spirit Guardians were truly bizarre. The strange illusion from the Moon Race, Daoist Bailong's control over magnetic fields—"feng shui"—and now this man's control over blood... none of these were abilities a normal human could possess. Even a Saint Awakening would find them difficult to replicate.
"This last gentleman, like you, hails from the Southern Martial Arts Realm. He is an elder of the Gang Qi Sect, one of the Southern Eight Sects, and his name is Zhao Beidou."
Then, the Chief Commissioner pointed to the final person, a burly elder dressed in a Martial Arts Uniform.
The Gang Qi Sect was supposedly the leader of the Southern Eight Sects. However, their successors hadn't performed exceptionally well in the Southern Fighting Competition. It seemed the only reason they could lead the Southern Eight Sects was because of this man's backing. He was clearly a pivotal figure in the Southern Martial Arts Realm, yet he had always remained hidden behind the scenes. This was the first time Zhou Yuanjue had even heard his name.
"A pleasure."
As before, Zhou Yuanjue extended his hand.
Zhao Beidou's gaze was piercing. He stood up without a word, extended a massive palm, and grasped Zhou Yuanjue's hand. A magnetic field erupted between them.
VMMMM!!
As their magnetic fields met, Zhou Yuanjue thought he saw a starry sky. A Pillar of Qi connected the stars above to the earth below, majestic and vast, like a pillar of heaven itself.
'What a domineering will.'
Zhou Yuanjue narrowed his eyes, his expression unchanging, and withdrew his hand.
At the same time, the way Zhao Beidou looked at Zhou Yuanjue also changed. He had, in fact, used a considerable amount of strength just now. His goal was to probe the depths of this recently famous young man and see what he was truly made of.
However, in that instant of contact, he felt the starry sky of his will ignite with a flash of fire, a light so bright it even overshadowed his own soaring Pillar of Qi.
'He may be young, but his strength is truly unfathomable. In a fight to the death, I fear I would be no match for him.'
Zhao Beidou's expression remained unchanged, but inwardly, he was deeply shaken.
Through that brief contact, without even a single blow exchanged, everyone present had gained a rough understanding of each other's will and strength.
To the secular world, their power was godlike, so it was only natural they had their own special ways of communicating.
"Seven Saint Awakening Level masters gathered in one room. This is likely a grand occasion unprecedented in the history of Donghua," Chen Qingmu remarked with a smile.
"I'm actually quite curious—how many Saint Awakening Level masters are there in all of Donghua?" Zhao Beidou asked. His relationship with the Secret Inspection Bureau was merely cooperative, so he didn't have access to some of its confidential data.
"Including all of you and the Guardians stationed in various regions, there are likely a dozen or so," the Chief Commissioner said. "However, there are some who, despite not having reached Saint Awakening, could likely achieve Saint Awakening Level power for a short time through special methods."
"I heard the Starry Sky Country only has ten Super Warriors? Doesn't that mean we have the advantage in numbers?" Zhao Beidou asked.
"The Super Warriors are only part of the Starry Sky Country's top-tier combat power. There are other special entities hidden in the shadows, and they are the truly terrifying ones. Besides, our enemy isn't just the Starry Sky Country. A dozen or so masters is enough to defend a single nation, but when facing the entire world—especially with the threat of the Celestial Demon—that number is far too small," Daoist Bailong said, shaking his head.
"Therefore, we need more Saint Awakening Level masters. I've invited you all here today not just to discuss the founding of the Martial Arts Association, but also to discuss an important plan for after it's established."
"And that is to establish a Martial Arts University," the Chief Commissioner said.
Hearing this, Zhou Yuanjue's expression flickered. 'So Feng Xun really did have inside information.'
"A Martial Arts University?" Zhao Beidou immediately frowned. "That's no simple matter. What would it teach? Which Martial Arts School would it favor? Would it teach secret techniques? How would you vet the character of the students? And who would the teachers be? Every school currently treats its secret techniques as priceless treasures. I doubt a single one would agree to this. If you try to force it, the leadership will completely lose the trust of the Martial Arts Realm. The Martial Arts Association has only just been established. Isn't this all a bit too rushed?"
He came from a Martial Arts School background and was naturally aware of the politics between them. Establishing a governing body like the Martial Arts Association was already an incredibly difficult task, only accomplished so quickly because of external pressure. If they were to establish a Martial Arts University, the resulting uproar would be even more intense.
Sectarianism ran deep among the schools. Establishing a Martial Arts University would be seen as an attempt to weaken them. If they were also required to give up their secret techniques, the reaction would be far more severe than mere opposition.
For the various schools, it would likely be a matter of life and-death.
This was an issue that would have widespread repercussions. Not everyone in this world was capable of understanding the greater good and acting selflessly; most were still caught up in their own petty pursuits.
"We are aware of the difficulties, which is why we've gathered you all here to discuss a strategy."
"The establishment of the Martial Arts University is imperative. I am sure you all understand the current situation and shortcomings of the Martial Arts Realm. It's completely fragmented. Even with the Martial Arts Association, it will be difficult to fix this problem at its root."
"Only by truly changing the entire system of inheritance can we completely change this situation. This is not just for the sake of the country, but also for the prosperity of the Martial Dao itself."
"According to our proposed plan, the schools will not be required to contribute their secret techniques. We will find a way to obtain the necessary teachings. We will also handle the faculty, curriculum, and everything else. The model can reference the Changhe Martial Arts School. What we need from those of you present is to use your influence to pacify the relevant schools and minimize any opposition," Chen Qingmu said in a deep voice.
"I don't think that's a good plan," Lei Yi spoke up. "If the Martial Arts Realm is excluded, this university will be meaningless. Just cultivating students who are qualified to enter such a university will take a considerable amount of time."
"What's more, if the issue of sectarianism among Martial Arts Schools isn't resolved, the Martial Arts Realm can never truly develop."
"I agree. The most important function of a university is to be a platform for scholarship and exchange. If it only teaches specific secret techniques and cuts itself off from the Martial Arts Realm, then it truly cannot achieve the effect of genuine exchange and promotion. There wouldn't be much difference between having it and not having it.
My opinion is that we must not only include the Martial Arts Realm, but also fully mobilize the enthusiasm of its various schools. We must encourage them to deepen their exchanges and research. That is where the true meaning lies."
Just then, Zhou Yuanjue spoke up.
"But how do you get the Martial Arts Realm to join and mobilize their enthusiasm? That's the big question."
"When it comes to their heritage, no one will be so generous," Lei Yi said with a frown.
"I happen to have a few ideas."
"This is the modern era. The inheritance of the Martial Dao shouldn't be bound by old conventions. The secret techniques of each school may differ, but the core of the Martial Dao is that all techniques lead to one."
"The Martial Arts University shouldn't teach and research the secret techniques of a single family or school, but should instead focus on something new that is suited for this era and transcends any single secret technique."
"That is the 'Dao'—or in other words, the most universal principles."
As Zhou Yuanjue spoke, he flipped his hand over, retrieving several documents from a pouch at his waist and handing them to the others.
Everyone stared down at the papers, utterly baffled.
Because the documents contained, of all things, a research paper.