Purple Mist Dao Master-Chapter 135 - 117: The Backward Taikang Academy!

"I’m here to join Master Yan!"

Zhong Hui, light on her feet and carrying a bundle and a treasure sword, looked spirited and declared her intention.

"Join me?"

Yan Chuan looked at Zhong Hui, puzzled.

Was this about joining the Iron Wire Martial Arts Hall?

"I heard Master Yan is going to teach at Taikang Academy as a professor. I want to follow Master Yan, transfer to Taikang, become Master Yan’s research student, and learn boxing from him!"

Zhong Hui looked up earnestly, her big eyes gazing at Yan Chuan’s face with utmost sincerity.

So, it was about going to Taikang Academy!

Yan Chuan frowned, "At Guangling Academy, you’re almost at the level of four top elites. Your ’Fu Fist’ foundation is also at Guangling Academy, moving to Taikang Academy, it’s hard to develop."

This was the truth!

Taikang Academy was far behind Guangling Academy!

This was a widely accepted fact!

"Taikang Academy has Master Yan, so there’s Fu Fist. Staying at Guangling Academy, I can at most reach the level of Senior Sister Teng or Senior Sister Zhong, it’s hard to exceed them."

"But following Master Yan, I think there’s hope to surpass Senior Sister Zhong, and even chase after Elder Jian!"

Zhong Hui’s words left it unclear whether she had faith in herself or in Yan Chuan, but either way, to Yan Chuan’s ears, those words, that trust, were quite appreciated.

Since Zhong Hui was determined to follow, and it was a transfer from Guangling Academy to Tiankang Academy, he didn’t need to persuade her much.

However.

Before that, he had to mention: "At Taikang Academy, I’m only a guest professor with just three days of classes a month. I may not even have the qualification to take research students. Even if I do, I definitely don’t have extra time and energy for training."

"I understand it all!"

Zhong Hui laughed, "Even if Master Yan can just spare three days for teaching a month, offering guidance once or twice is already a blessing for disciples!"

Is she calling me ’Master Yan’ now?

Yu Renjie and Dai Pu watched, dumbfounded.

When they snapped out of it, Yan Chuan looked over: "You both are—"

The duo quickly regained their senses, exchanged glances, and promptly pointed to Zhong Hui, responding to Yan Chuan, "The same! The same! We are here to follow Master Yan too. We also want to transfer to Taikang Academy!"

With the template right in front of them, they used it without hesitation!

Yan Chuan was puzzled: "Didn’t you just pass the exam to become research students under Professor Cai Yuming?"

Before Yu and Dai could speak.

Zhong Hui explained for them: "What Master Yan doesn’t know is that Professor Cai ascended to immortality a few days ago!"

"..."

Dead?

Yan Chuan looked at Zhong Hui, then at Yu Renjie and Dai Pu, suddenly realizing—

Indeed!

The professor Mentor that Wang Kuan mentioned, killed by Tu Meng, was your professor, was it not!

Talk about bad luck!

...

Yu Renjie and Dai Pu also found it fascinating—

Originally just aiming to be research students under Teacher Chen Jingming, they performed exceptionally and ended up as research students for Professor Cai Yuming.

Originally overjoyed, waiting to delve into the ’Five Ancestors Crane Sun Fist’ under Professor Cai Yuming, but fate was against them, and Professor Cai Yuming died!

Originally planning to feel out Yan Chuan’s intentions and then decide whether to follow him to Taikang Academy, but unexpectedly met Zhong Hui, and caught Yan Chuan at the moment he was heading to Taikang Academy, so unknowingly, without even bringing any clothes or returning home, they followed foolishly, straight out of the city, heading for Taikang Academy!

"Did you tell your family?"

"No! What about you?"

"Found out about Professor Cai’s death this morning, so didn’t go home at noon and went straight to the Iron Wire Martial Arts Hall. Where would I find time to tell them?"

"So what now?"

"What else can we do? Just go along with it and follow Master Yan to Taikang Academy to report, I guess!"

"..."

"..."

Yu Renjie and Dai Pu whispered to each other, exchanging bewildered looks!

...

Thus.

By sheer coincidence!

As if by fate!

What was initially a small group of just Yan Chuan and Jin Yutang expanded to include five people. Even before officially teaching at Taikang Academy, Yan Chuan had already brought along three elites originally from Guangling Academy.

When Shao Yancong finds out, he’s likely to laugh his teeth out!

...

"Hahaha!"

"Good!"

"Good!"

"I knew I wasn’t wrong about you. Master Yan’s reputation in Guangling County is unmatched. Having Master Yan is like having a phoenix tree at our Taikang Academy. Indeed, even before it’s truly planted, it’s attracted three golden phoenixes!"

On the morning of November 27, Shao Yancong, eagerly awaited, finally welcomed Yan Chuan.

Yan Chuan kept his promise and arrived as scheduled!

Moreover.

Not only did he come alone, but he also brought a pleasant surprise for Shao Yancong, bringing along three students from Guangling Academy—

With Zhong Hui nearly on par with the top forty elites at Guangling Academy!

Yu Renjie and Dai Pu were slightly weaker, but they were still at the level of Guangling Academy’s research students!

All talents!

Shao Yancong was so delighted, he was on the verge of laughing his teeth out!

Yan Chuan traveled late yesterday, arriving at Taikang County’s city at nearly midnight. He found an inn to rest for the night and came to Taikang Academy early this morning.

Compared to Guangling Academy, at least in terms of architecture and decor, Taikang Academy was not inferior.

After all, it was a newly built martial arts academy for an entire county. It couldn’t afford to look shabby or destitute.

However.

Inside, taking a closer look, one could still spot the differences compared to Guangling Academy.

Number of students!

Quality of students!

The spirit of the students!

All were significantly lacking.

This was a comprehensive gap.

Thankfully, enthusiasm wasn’t lacking—

[Warmly welcome ’Shadowless Kick’ Yan Chuan to teach at Taikang Academy!]

Banners were stretched out everywhere.

Disciples lined the pathways, calling out loudly—

"Welcome!"

"Warm welcome!"

Others were chanting—

"Shadowless Kick!"

"Golden Touch!"

"When is Professor Yan’s first class?"

"Master Yan, I want to take your research student exam!"

"Professor Yan! Speak in Taikang dialect!!"

...

The people of Taikang were very enthusiastic, and the academy’s students were even more so.

Everyone was excited, surrounding and escorting Yan Chuan, giving him plenty of face.

Jin Yutang followed beside him, feeling honored.

Zhong Hui, Yu Renjie, and Dai Pu were also amazed. They only knew that ’Shadowless Kick’ was famous in Guangling City and that Yan Chuan had high popularity there, but they didn’t expect, after traveling over a hundred miles to Taikang County, Yan Chuan still had such high popularity.

Yan Chuan was also flattered, saying to Shao Yancong, "Elder Shao, this is too grand; it’s undeserved!"

"You deserve it! You deserve it!"

"Having you come is a blessing for Taikang Academy."

"Cold and cheerless is not acceptable."

"If it’s not grand, it wouldn’t express our respect for you!"

Shao Yancong held Yan Chuan’s hand warmly, speaking convincingly. With Yan Chuan, he was led by the crowd into the inner courtyard.

In the inner courtyard.

There was a sudden peace.

The crowd from outside, numbering in the hundreds or thousands, dwindled to just a few dozen.

At the forefront stood an elderly man, bearing a dignified air. Yan Chuan, being somewhat worldly, guessed accurately: "He must be at the level of the Ten Elders!"

As expected!

Shao Yancong, holding Yan Chuan, first introduced this person: "This is ’Five Elements Boxing’ Elder Zhao Ye, one of the four Inner Court Elders at Taikang Academy. Two others are not at the academy now; I’ll introduce them to Master Yan later. Elder Zhao, this is ’Shadowless Kick’ Master Yan!"

Shao Yancong!

Zhao Ye!

Besides these two, there are two more?

Does this mean Taikang Academy’s Inner Court has only four elders?

Yan Chuan had a thought but didn’t show it. He first greeted Zhao Ye, addressing him as: "Elder Zhao!"

"No need for formalities, Master Yan!"

Though Zhao Ye was an Inner Court Elder, he was also warm: "I’ve long heard Brother Shao often praise you. You fought through the entire Guangling Academy in the Martial Arts Competition and nearly killed Wu Qi of ’Wu Family Boxing’! Impressive! We old fellows have long been eager to meet you!"

"Elder Zhao is too kind!"

Yan Chuan humbly replied.

However, Zhao Ye wasn’t exaggerating. Ever since Shao Yancong returned, he frequently mentioned Yan Chuan’s capabilities and his teaching skills, offering high praise. With Capital Affairs colleague Ren Qiushan thoroughly investigating Yan Chuan in Guangling—

Martial Arts Hall!

Advanced Study Hall!

With Yan Chuan’s teaching records and achievements clearly laid out, there were no disputes, and all looked forward to Yan Chuan’s arrival.

Today.

Yan Chuan finally came!

On this side.

Shao Yancong smiled and continued introducing Yan Chuan—

The configuration in Taikang Academy differed from Guangling Academy, having only ’Four Elders.’ Thus, it was equipped with only ’Four Capital Affairs,’ and two of them were absent at the moment. Yan Chuan guessed that the two absent Inner Court Elders and two Capital Affairs were likely in the Mountain and Sea Realm.

Four Elders!

Four Capital Affairs!

This was the highest level of Taikang Academy!

Below them—

Five professors!

Eight teachers!

Fourteen lecturers!

Twenty assistant teachers!

Forty-six third-level research students!

This was the entire faculty and elite count of Taikang Academy, barely a hundred!

Gathered in the inner courtyard today were only about half, forty to fifty people, seeming a bit sparse, contrasting sharply with the external excitement.

"Four Elders?"

"Five professors?"

Yu Renjie and Dai Pu followed behind Yan Chuan, listening to Shao Yancong introducing Taikang Academy’s faculty and elite details, couldn’t help but feel a bit peculiar.

The Four Elders were one thing!

After all, since Guangling Academy had Wu Qi killed by Yan Chuan, and with Inner Court Elders Wen Wu and Yuan Shicai disappearing, only seven Inner Court Elders remained, not many more than Taikang Academy!

But!

Professors!

The exact number of professors at Guangling Academy was unclear, but they knew that, just for the Eighteen Families of Widespread Boxing, each had between two to five professors.

For example, there were three professors for the Five Ancestors Crane Sun Fist.

Of course.

A few days ago, one died, leaving two.

But even counting two professors per family for the Eighteen Families of Widespread Boxing, that’s thirty-six, almost seven times Taikang Academy’s number!

Actually, it’s far more!

Ten times may not be out of the question!

The gap was truly enormous!

And that was just in terms of quantity, yet to compare quality!

Even among professors—

Professors at Taikang Academy may not necessarily match those at Guangling Academy.

As for teachers and lecturers below them, there’s no need even to mention.

Though all officers and masters under the higher-level Military Suppression Department are tested, aspiring to move upwards, the strength of professors and teaching standards certainly vary between good and bad academies, forming distinctions.

Also, the forty-odd third-level research students were laughable.

Look at Guangling Academy—

In just one Fu Fist!

In just one Seven Star Boxing Club!

Starting from Society Leader Zhong Le, Master Ding Jia, Four Guardians, and Five Directions Quiet Master, the minimum was a third-level research student.

At least twelve in the Seven Star Boxing Club alone.

And what about Fu Fist research students who didn’t join the club?

One Fu Fist!

At least more than ten third-level research students!

Across the Eighteen Families of Widespread Boxing, some with more, some with fewer, all together, how many are there?

Probably rushing towards two hundred outside!

"The gap is too big!"

...