Watching the Mountain

Chapter 403: Chapter 214: The Academy

Xu Ran glanced at Li Daoyi in surprise. He hadn’t expected him to say something like that.

But on second thought, it made perfect sense.

This martial-nephew of his was indeed committed to strengthening the Sect. But a sect’s power wasn’t measured by strength alone. There was also its culture, its ethos, and so on—it was a holistic kind of strength.

Clearly, his martial-nephew understood this.

His final words were the best proof of that.

At this thought, Xu Ran gave him an appreciative look. ’He’s an absolutely perfect Sect Leader.’

He nodded slightly and agreed, ”I understand. I’ll speak with Qing Li.”

”Then I’ll be troubling you, Martial-Uncle.” Li Daoyi gave him a slight bow, and with a brief farewell, he turned and left.

Afterward, Xu Ran found Qing Li and told her of Li Daoyi’s decision.

Qing Li had no objections and was delighted to accept the decision.

In truth, she was well aware of the Sect’s situation. She knew her application for three thousand new disciples was bound to be rejected. The only reason she had submitted it was because of a lesson Chen Minghe had once taught her.

When you want to achieve a goal, you can’t start by revealing your bottom line. First, you have to make an outrageous demand—an impossible ask.

Chen Minghe had been a wily veteran who’d gotten ahead by simply putting in his time, so he was all too familiar with such tactics. During his time practicing medicine with Qing Li in the Mortal World, he had passed these lessons on surviving at the bottom on to her.

Qing Li lowered her head slightly, fiddling with the hem of her clothes, her heart thrumming with excitement.

The technique Chen Minghe had taught her worked almost too well. In reality, she had only wanted to recruit thirty-six new disciples; the three thousand was just a number she’d thrown out offhandedly.

Now the number was so much larger, and she would be teaching the Sect’s older disciples as well. To be teaching so many people on her very first time as a teacher... she was actually quite nervous and lacked confidence.

Then, she took a deep breath and quickly composed herself, her gaze turning with determination toward the main hall on Qing Xuan Peak.

’Since the decision has been made, I’ll just have to do my absolute best to see it through.’

’Father spent most of the first half of his life in the Instructor Hall on Spirit Stream Peak. As his daughter, now that I’m also becoming a teacher, I absolutely cannot disgrace his name.’

「Half a year later.」

Qing Li walked into the physician’s classroom the Sect had established for her. The vast hall was filled with people.

In the front rows sat one hundred boys and girls, recruited at the same time as the Sect’s other new disciples. They were all between twelve and fifteen years old, their gazes innocent and naive as they quietly watched her enter.

Behind them were other Sect disciples who had come out of curiosity. There were men and women, young and old, and even a few Elders.

They were nothing like the new disciples. The moment Qing Li’s petite, delicate figure appeared, their intense gazes landed on her, brazenly sizing her up, filled with all sorts of emotions.

Qing Li, who had been holding her head high and trying to maintain a stern expression, suddenly felt her legs tremble under their scrutiny. Her face went pale as she turned and shouted toward the doorway, ”Hid—Hidden Mountain.” She was suddenly afraid.

However, her call received no response.

After a moment, she took another deep breath and forced her trembling legs to carry her to the dais. She looked out at the crowd and began to speak softly:

”I am Qing Li, one of the physicians who authored the *Mortal Medical Compendium*...”

As she continued to speak, her nervousness gradually faded, and her words flowed more and more smoothly.

From a corner outside the door, Xu Ran smiled as he watched the scene unfold.

Before she went in, he had told Qing Li not to be nervous. If she got scared, she should call for him, and he would appear right away.

That was why he hadn’t appeared when Qing Li had called for him just now.

Seeing that Qing Li had found her rhythm on the dais, he could finally relax.

It was just...

’I just hope that when the Dao Concealment ends, Teacher Qing Xuan never finds out about what just happened.’

’I’m only doing this to help train Qing Li, after all.’

With that thought, Xu Ran shook his head and silently departed.

Qing Li’s physician classes went very smoothly. Although she chewed Xu Ran out for most of the day after that first class, she was no longer nervous afterward and quickly settled into her role as a teacher.

The Sect, meanwhile, continued to prepare for war with the Overseas Archipelago, but no attack ever came. This left many in the Sect confused, wondering if they had overthought things. Perhaps the islands had no designs on the mainland of the Cultivation Realm after all.

Then, in the midst of this waiting, Xu Ran and Li Daoyi received a message from Zhang Zhentian and Shen Wuchen. They reported that they had finally engaged in their first battle in the Overseas Archipelago.