Zhang Sheng and the Daoist sat in the courtyard, while Wei Yuan stood behind Zhang Sheng, listening.
Gently stroking his beard, the Daoist said, "For this session, the centralized instruction comprises seven courses, one each day, lasting half a day per course. The names and contents of the courses are all listed here."
Zhang Sheng took the Jade Paper the Daoist handed over and glanced at it, noting titles such as 'Human Clan's General History,' 'Tang History,' 'Immortal Path General Knowledge,' 'Dao Foundation Theory,' 'Heaven and Earth Theory,' 'Luck Theory,' and 'Magic Theory,' each followed by a detailed description. Zhang Sheng was naturally familiar with these topics and, deep in thought, asked, "Placing such importance on history in the curriculum, may I inquire why that is?"
The Daoist replied, "Yan Shi True Monarch has said that understanding the past helps to comprehend the present; history serves as a mirror to the rise and fall of dynasties. Our Human Clan started from insignificance, and our forebears have gone through untold hardships to reach the position we are in today; we mustn't forget our ancestors' aspirations."
Zhang Sheng nodded and said, "The Zhi Gu Sect must be quite pleased, otherwise they wouldn't have let this initiative pass so easily."
The Daoist continued, "Yanxing True Monarch indeed exerted great effort to implement centralized instruction. If your disciple wishes to attend, just register his name, and then pay the course fee."
"There's a fee for the courses?"
"Each course costs ten taels of Immortal Silver, payable for seven cycles upfront, totaling four hundred ninety taels of Immortal Silver. The resources needed for cultivation during the course are calculated separately."
Zhang Sheng was startled, "That expensive?"
"After all, the instructors need to be provided for, and the resources consumed during the courses must be accounted for. When disciples from various halls attend the centralized instruction, it also saves a great deal of time and energy for their masters, which can be used elsewhere. Previously, each hall trained their own disciples without realizing many of the expenses. Now that classes are being combined, everything needs to be tallied, so naturally, it feels more expensive," the Daoist explained.
Though the logic was sound, Zhang Sheng estimated his own savings and his face showed an unnatural expression.
Zhang Sheng had descended the mountain for cultivation, spending seven years without any word outside, contributing nothing to the Sect, which, as a rule, meant he received no monthly salary. Upon his return, he was penalized three years' salary, effectively making it ten years without income. As Zhang Sheng's cultivation had advanced rapidly, his consumption of resources had also been high, and although the majority were provided by the Sky Blue Hall, he hadn't saved any of it himself.
Now, upon calculating, Zhang Sheng realized that his remaining savings were just enough to cover Wei Yuan's basic course fees for three months, not counting the cultivation courses, which required resources—and the Daoist had said, these were additional!
After a moment's hesitation, Zhang Sheng asked, "May I know if there are any concessions available for this course fee?"
Seeing the Daoist's hesitation, Zhang Sheng's face grew hot, and he quickly added, "It's alright if there aren't any."
The Daoist sighed, "Without hiding it from you, my brother, there are indeed some concessions for certain disciples. For example, disciples of Yanxing True Monarch and Fengyuan True Monarch only need to pay seventy percent of the fee."
The two True Monarchs were leaders of the Dingxin Sect. Having initiated the centralized instruction and with most instructors pulled from the Dingxin Sect, it was only logical for them to offer some discounts to their own disciples.
But noticing the Daoist's reluctance, Zhang Sheng sensed something was amiss and immediately pressed further, "What else?"
Finally, the Daoist said, "The key to implementing this centralized instruction was the acquiescence of several True Monarchs from the Zhi Gu Sect. They gave their consent for it to proceed. Considering the large number of Zhi Gu Sect disciples and to encourage their participation, the True Monarchs have decreed that should a Zhi Gu Sect disciple enroll, the course fee will be halved, and the resources consumed will be charged likewise."
The more Zhang Sheng heard, the more he felt something was wrong, and he rose abruptly, "Half off for the Zhi Gu Sect, thirty percent off for the Dingxin Sect! What about my Sky Blue Hall then?"
The Daoist's gaze shifted evasively as he said, "This session, your hall has three disciples but is not on the concession list."
Zhang Sheng burst into anger, "Hundreds of disciples in a session, and only disciples from my Sky Blue Hall have to pay the full amount? This is sheer bullying! Such injustice is intolerable! I will take this up with the management!"
Hearing the word "theoretical," the Daoist could only offer a wry smile and said, "Junior brother is unaware, in the past few years, Zhi Gu and Ding Xin have fought fiercely. Only Sky Blue Hall remained impartial, engaging in 'theoretical disputes' with both sides for matters unrelated to the conflicts with either sect. However, inadvertently, they have spoiled quite a few good deeds of both sects and garnered not a little resentment. To put it unpleasantly, the fact that Dingxin Sect didn't raise your hall's tuition several times over is already an example of their broad-mindedness."
Zhang Sheng refused to accept this, scoffing, "I see, the Dingxin Sect simply does not want my Sky Blue Hall disciples to attend the centralized teaching. If we don't go, we don't go; I'll just teach them myself! Humph, all those families have their own private Enlightenment Secret Methods, claiming to be precocious, but in the end, didn't Yuan'er still take first place?"
The Daoist looked at Wei Yuan, saying, "Junior brother's disciple is indeed a rare talent, incomparable to others. Oh, so you've decided to teach on your own, have you? I'll go report this right now..."
"Wait!" Zhang Sheng reacted with Divine Speed, grabbing the Daoist and said, "Show me the list of teaching instructors!"
The Daoist, having no choice, handed over a piece of Jade Paper.
Zhang Sheng took it and began to understand upon inspection; among the names on the first page alone, there were two with whom he had had "theoretical disputes," clear personal enmities. The remaining senior Daoist predecessors were indeed of high virtue and profound learning, but to Zhang Sheng, they seemed just okay—he respected but didn't quite admire them, hence, there had been no interaction. However, his expression changed slightly when he flipped to the second page.
"Feng Chutang? He's also teaching now?"
The Daoist replied, "This is according to the will of Fengyuan True Monarch, asking him to contribute to the palace's endeavors. The True Monarch says that when imparting teachings and solving doubts, the act of teaching not only resolves the disciples' confusions but also one's own. I've heard that there was some... discord between Senior Brother Feng and you in the past."
Actually, the Daoist's words were an understatement; the relationship between Zhang Sheng and Feng Chutang was far more than discordant, it nearly reached the point of a life-and-death feud. They had fought openly three times, only stopping after they had both been severely injured, not to mention the numerous private sparring sessions they had had.
Given the history between the two, it would be odd if Wei Yuan didn't shed a few layers of skin if he ended up in Feng Chutang's class.
Yet Zhang Sheng declared, "We're going!"
"What?" The Daoist could hardly believe his ears.
"We'll attend the centralized teaching!"
"But, but what about Senior Brother Feng..."
Zhang Sheng snorted and said, "Since he dares to teach, then we dare to learn! Does he even have the gall to bully his juniors? At most, he might just assign more homework. Yuan'er, are you afraid of hard work?"
This was a question Zhang Sheng had posed before; three years ago, it was Wei Youcai who answered, and now it was Wei Yuan himself who said, "Us folks from our village aren't afraid of hard work."
Zhang Sheng said, "Good, let's sign up then!"
The Daoist stood there stunned, sighed, and said, "Then please pay the tuition, junior brother!"
Zhang Sheng's face stiffened for a moment and he replied, "I've just returned to the palace and haven't brought any Immortal Silver with me. Please wait a moment, and I'll go to my cave mansion to fetch it."
The Daoist said, "No worries, I'll wait right here."
After Zhang Sheng left the courtyard, the Daoist looked at Wei Yuan and spoke, "Your master will be away for a while, and since there is nothing else to do, I shall tell you about the origins of Taichu Palace; this is also part of the Immortal Path General Knowledge course."