BXBX NOVEL Chapter 61 - 60: Rules of the Martial Academy
Pei Xuanjing’s special interest in the Scripture Pavilion didn’t surprise Qingyang Zi at all.
Rather, with a knowing nod, he said, “Of course, but each person is only allowed to browse three books per month. If you wish to read more, you will need to exchange for them with Achievement Points.”
Pei Xuanjing humbly asked, “May I ask, Principal, how may we acquire these Achievement Points?”
Qingyang Zi explained, “In addition to the stipends that the imperial court dispenses each month, the Martial Academy also awards Achievement Points. Furthermore, participating in the compilation of the Martial Classics, should your suggestions be adopted, or found useful, you will also earn
Achievement Points.”
He paused and looked at Pei Xuanjing.
“Of course, if you choose to submit martial arts skills not yet catalogued in the Scripture Pavilion, based on varying tiers, you’ll receive the corresponding Achievement Points.”
This was an Open Scheme, encouraging some to voluntarily contribute their skills.
Pei Xuanjing’s eyes lit up and he asked, “Regardless of the grading, does that include inferior martial arts skills?”
Qingyang Zi nodded, “Yes.”
“I understand.” Pei Xuanjing nodded.
He had already made a decision – if possible, he wouldn’t mind exchanging the skills he had collected from the Liu family and Shen’s Business Association.
After all, although he had many martial arts skills, most of them he had not truly cultivated, only refining them to accrue Taoyun value.
Initially, he thought these skills weren’t of much use, but now he saw a method of repurposing them.
If Qingyang Zi were aware of Pei Xuanjing’s thoughts, he might utter, ‘Only a lone wolf like him would do this.’ Even Qingyang Zi’s own Zhenwu Sect wouldn’t risk this play.
Even the most inferior martial art skill, for any formidable faction, would be kept as a foundation even if no one cultivated it. After all, who knew if a future generation could leverage that to forge an even more formidable martial art.
Had not Tie Qianshan, only little more than two decades ago, modernized the middle-tier martial arts skill of the Tie Sect, advanced it to an upper tier, and subsequently founded the dominant Tie Sect?
In fact, even the ‘Four Spirits Skill’ that Pei Xuanjing was currently cultivating was evolved and derived from several inferior martial arts.
After showing Pei Xuanjing around, Qingyang Zi introduced him to a few other editors who had recently arrived. Then, he summoned a junior official to guide Pei Xuanjing to select his living quarters before excusing himself.
With the Martial Academy newly established and the Principal absent, Qingyang Zi, as Vice-principal, naturally had many responsibilities.
Having been impressed by this young man’s eloquence, he already held him in high regard.
Guided by the junior official, Pei Xuanjing chose a relatively quiet residence within the Martial Academy and moved his belongings from the inn to his new quarters.
It must be said that the designer of the Martial Academy understood these martial cultivators. Each individual’s accommodations were separate courtyard houses, with specially built training rooms inside.
“Editor Pei, according to the rules, we will assign four servants to you tomorrow. Do you have any specific requests?” asked the junior official.
Of course, the ‘servants’ the junior official referred to weren’t ordinary servants.
This was, after all, the Martial Academy where every resident was a martial arts expert. Only a select few were qualified to serve them. In fact, opportunities to become a servant here were highly sought after.
Being servants to these masters warranted a chance to receive guidance from them, providing an invaluable opportunity for those who couldn’t secure famous teachers.
Pei Xuanjing thought for a moment, “I only need one here.”
He preferred a quieter environment; one was enough.
The junior official felt it was a pity, but didn’t dare to say more and just nodded in agreement.
Pei Xuanjing was unaware of the junior official’s thoughts, and even if he did, he wouldn’t mind.
At his current level, he followed his own heart in doing things. Even when dealing with imperial power, he would respect it but wouldn’t overly fear it.
Just as he treated Principal Qingyang Zi, it was more a respect for a martial arts senior, and not because of his authority.
After the junior official left, he picked up a book in front of him and began to study it carefully.
This wasn’t any Cultivation Method Manual, but more about the rules and systems within the Martial Academy.
If he decided to stay, naturally he had to understand the rules fully. After all, his current strength wasn’t enough to disregard these rules.
After a while, Pei Xuanjing put down the book, having gained some understanding of the Martial Academy.
Essentially, the duties of the Martial Academy were somewhat similar to those of the Imperial Academy within the imperial court.
The primary task of the editors was to research martial arts and then to teach the students of the Martial Academy.
The background of these students included royal descendants, offspring of noble officials, the second generation of civil and military officials interested in martial arts, and disciples sent from various sects in the Jianghu to learn.
In summary, it was like a martial arts research exchange academy.
Of course, there were currently few students in the Martial Academy, so the teaching tasks were light. More focus was placed on martial arts research and the compilation of the ‘Martial Classics’.
According to the Principal, who is also the emperor, the ‘Martial Classics’ would be divided into three volumes, corresponding to the three realms of Martial Artist: External Cultivation, Internal Cultivation, and Metamorphosis.
Moreover, the first volume, which is about External Cultivation, should be easy to understand and as accessible to as many people as possible, enabling more low-level martial artists to break through to become elite martial artists.
According to the emperor’s notion, the middle and lower volumes might not necessarily be widely disseminated in the future, but the first volume about External Cultivation should definitely be disseminated to the entire Great Ming, enabling all its people to benefit.
So, there was another stipulation for the first volume – martial artists who cultivate through the External Cultivation method in this volume should be able to switch to other methods without any hindrance, even if they can’t get the next two volumes.
Such requirements might seem easy at a glance, but actual implementation would not be simple.
“It seems like His Majesty has a grand vision,” thought Pei Xuanjing.
Just the completion of the first volume alone will see the entire strength of the Great Ming Empire double, if not more.
This achievement, compared to the compilation of the “Yongle Encyclopedia” by the Emperor Taizong, might be considered even more triumphant..