Mountain and Sea Demon Martial Arts, Starting with Vertical Pupils

Chapter 9 Registration and Record Making

As the manager of Zhengyang Martial Arts Academy, Li Jiangwei's main responsibility was managing the disciples.

Among the many matters involving the management of disciples, the most important one is to register and record each disciple who has made a breakthrough in the Nine Yang Strength.

She would record in a register which disciple, at what age, for how long, and at what level of the Nine Yang Force, had mastered it.

This roster, recorded by Li Jiangwei and then reviewed by Instructor Li Shen, is somewhat similar to a report card. It serves as both a record of the martial arts academy's progress in monitoring the disciples' studies and a benchmark for selecting promising talents.

After all, the level of Nine Yang Strength one has mastered is not written on one's face. Without the help of the roster, it would be impossible to distinguish the true masters from the three thousand disciples.

Chen Luo came here to register for a breakthrough in the Nine Yang Force.

Or rather, he came to report on his achievements.

The young man in front of him was also in the same boat, and seemed to have just arrived as well. He nervously clasped his hands in a fist salute to Li Jiangwei.

"This disciple has been fortunate enough to break through to the third level of the Nine Yang Strength and has come to register."

"No need to be so formal," Li Jiangwei said gently, sitting upright at the desk. "Name, age?"

"Lin Fan, nineteen years old."

"understood."

Li Jiangwei nodded, then rummaged through the pile of names on the table for a while before finally pulling out a sheet and examining it closely.

"Lin Fan entered the academy in the 93rd year of the Great Lin Xuanli era, which is four years ago now. Is there any error?"

"No mistake," Lin Fan said.

"Four years, and I've mastered the triple level of strength. Hmm, not bad."

As she spoke, Li Jiangwei drew a few strokes on the paper, then smiled slightly at the young man, "From now on, you will have one opportunity to ask Instructor Li for guidance once every ten days after class."

Only disciples with high potential have the opportunity to receive personal guidance from Instructor Li. Chen Luo glanced at Lin Fan with some surprise, not expecting that this person was quite outstanding.

But what he didn't expect was...

Upon hearing Manager Li's words, Lin Fan showed no joy, but instead shook his head with a wry smile.

"This disciple is dull-witted and only reached the third level of the Nine Yang Strength at the age of nineteen. I am afraid that I have reached the limit of this body. After careful consideration, I have made plans to take up a post in the Mountain Guard and I am afraid that I will not come to the Martial Academy again in the future."

"Martial arts are inherently difficult; you don't need to underestimate yourself."

Li Jiangwei offered a quiet word of comfort, her expression quite calm, seemingly unsurprised by his decision.

Immediately, she lowered her head and made another stroke on the roster, then changed the subject.

"However, now that you have chosen to serve as a member of the Mountain Guard, you have officially graduated from the Zhengyang Martial Arts Academy. In the future, you must not neglect your cultivation and tarnish the reputation of our Zhengyang Martial Arts Academy. Before you leave, do not forget to say goodbye to Instructor Li and express your gratitude for his teachings."

"This disciple understands." Lin Fan bowed deeply.

Meanwhile, Chen Luo watched this scene from the sidelines, sighing inwardly.

At the age of nineteen, he broke through to the third level of the Nine Yang Strength, which is already considered extremely outstanding among the thousands of disciples of the Zheng Yang Martial Arts Academy.

For example, Zhou Xiaoliang, who is only nineteen years old now, is only at the second level of strength, and is still inferior to this person.

Such an outstanding disciple had no choice but to take up a post in the Mountain Guard instead of continuing his studies at the Zhengyang Martial Arts Academy.

The difficulty of martial arts can be seen from this.

"What brings you here?" After watching Lin Fan leave, Li Jiangwei turned her gaze to Chen Luo.

Chen Luo bowed and smiled, "This disciple was fortunate enough to make a breakthrough in the Nine Yang Strength last night, and has come to register."

"Um?"

Seeing the gentle smile on his face, so different from the dejected look on Lin Fan's face, Li Jiangwei's eyes lit up slightly, and she said softly:

"Name, age, level of martial arts?"

"Chen Luo, nineteen years old, first level of Nine Yang Strength."

"..."

Li Jiangwei's expression stiffened slightly, then she found a piece of paper on the table as usual and looked at it.

"Chen Luo entered the academy in the 94th year of the Xuanli era of the Great Lin Dynasty, and it has been... three years since then."

"Yes." Chen Luo nodded.

Before he transmigrated, his predecessor had already trained at the martial arts academy for two years, but he wasn't very motivated. After two years of inconsistent training, his progress in the Nine Yang Strength was only 31 points, which was less than the initial level. It was less than the progress he had made in the past year.

"Three years, the first level of the Nine Yang Strength..."

Li Jiangwei put on a polite smile and said, "I understand. You can go now."

Chen Luo felt that her attitude was somewhat perfunctory.

But he didn't seem to mind. He had just grasped the mystery of "seeing the big picture from small details" and was eager to go home to verify it further, so he said goodbye and left.

As for Li Jiangwei, after watching Chen Luo leave, she immediately pouted.

Her originally gentle and refined demeanor instantly revealed a touch of girlish charm.

"He's nineteen years old, and it took him three years to reach the first level of strength, yet he still smiles so confidently."

"What a waste of my time."

Li Jiangwei muttered to herself and sat at the desk for a while longer.

After waiting until it was a little later and confirming that no other disciples had come, he got up and went out to the backyard of the martial arts school.

In the backyard, Li Shen was leaning against a grand chair, with a table, tea, and a locust tree beside him, and fallen leaves rustling overhead.

Not far in front of him, a dozen or so disciples were lowering their waists and throwing punches.

They are all the most promising disciples of the martial arts academy. After evening practice, they practice here for extra time. If there are any mistakes in their punches, Li Shen will give them pointers.

With Li Jiangwei's arrival, all the disciples straightened up slightly, each subtly adjusting their clothes, and a sense of restraint gradually filled the air.

Li Jiangwei seemed oblivious to all of this. She simply smiled gently at them, sat down next to Li Shen, and skillfully refilled his teacup.

As the sun sets and the aroma of tea wafts through the falling leaves, a gentle, graceful young woman and her disciples silently practice their martial arts, creating a scene of serene beauty.

Li Shen glanced sideways at Li Jiangwei's ladylike demeanor, and a slight twitch appeared on his lips.

"How was your day?" he asked casually.

"Father," Li Jiangwei said gently, "three disciples have completed their breakthroughs today. Two of them have reached the third level of strength and have no intention of staying at the martial arts academy; they are preparing to take up positions at the mountain guard. There is one more..."

Chen Luo's smiling face flashed through her mind, and her chest heaved slightly. "He's a nineteen-year-old disciple who only broke through to the first level of strength after three years of training."

"Oh?"

Li Shen looked up, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "Just broke through to the first level of internal energy?"

Li Jiangwei hadn't expected her father to pay attention to this. After thinking for a moment, she recalled, "He said he had just broken through last night."

"That's quite rare." Li Shen nodded slightly.

"Rare?" Li Jiangwei asked, puzzled.

Not only her, but the disciples practicing their martial arts in the arena also looked over in confusion upon hearing this conversation.

He was only nineteen years old and had been practicing for three years. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him dull-witted. What's so difficult about that?

"The muscles and bones of ordinary people tend to be fully formed after the age of eighteen. In other words, if one cannot master the Nine Yang Strength before the age of eighteen, there is probably no hope for him in this life," Li Shen said. "But this person was able to break through to the first level of strength at the age of nineteen, which is to break the norm. He must have paid a lot of perseverance and diligence, and perhaps also had a bit of luck."

As he spoke, he glanced at the disciples present and continued in a calm voice, "Others may be dull-witted, but they still make up for it with hard work. You are all the best in the martial arts academy, with far superior talents. You should be even more diligent and never slack off."

The disciples' hearts skipped a beat, and they replied in unison, "We understand!"

"Then, shall we summon that disciple over so he may receive some guidance from you?"

Li Jiangwei asked tentatively, not expecting her father to give Chen Luo such an evaluation.

"That won't be necessary." Li Shen waved his hand, his tone indifferent. "There is no shortage of hardworking people in this world, but the gap between talent and ability cannot be bridged by hard work alone. One level of effort is probably already his limit."

Li Jiangwei nodded and didn't say anything more.