Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist-Chapter 318 - 98: Yu Yongnian: Was I Carried By My Disciple?

"But what they didn’t expect was that these students didn’t become disloyal to the Great Liang. After leaving the Martial Arts Academy, they served our Great Liang. Although a few students betrayed our Great Liang, compared to the resources invested, it’s just a drop in the ocean."

Lin Chen’s mouth slightly opened, surprised at such operations.

So these talented youths were arranged by Emperor Taizu in advance?

No!

Those aristocratic families, including the countries backing them, must have investigated these students’ backgrounds and identities. If their background was suspicious, they certainly wouldn’t have been admitted to the Martial Arts Academy.

"To win the people’s hearts is to win geniuses!"

Jia Nanzhu looked at Lin Chen: "These are the exact words of Emperor Taizu. Emperor Taizu did not make any arrangements, but he believed that these youths could see the changes in Great Liang, see Great Liang growing stronger step by step. Traitors seeking personal gain would remain a minority; more people would still choose Great Liang."

"Emperor Taizu’s strategies are truly brilliant!"

Lin Chen felt even more admiration for this Grand Ancestor, protecting the territory, slaying demon fiends, establishing the Military Affairs Department... using foreign resources to train national Martial Path talents...

What confidence, the confidence to win the people’s hearts.

And indeed, Emperor Taizu made it happen.

No wonder, no wonder Great Liang has flourished for 300 years and has yet to decline.

"Teacher, did the Han Kingdom willingly give up?" Admiring Emperor Taizu’s exceptional talent, Lin Chen curiously asked.

"The Han Kingdom certainly wasn’t willing. Even with the other kingdoms putting pressure on it, the Han Kingdom still wanted to wage war on our Great Liang, gathering a million troops at the Black River border, along with two First-Grade Powerhouses, trying to seize our Great Liang’s Three Paths territory. Emperor Taizu stationed himself at Black River with a coffin, ten Third-Grade Martial Artists burned their Life Essence to elevate their Realm, and our Great Liang’s 300,000 Martial Artists faced off against the Han Kingdom across the river."

Jia Nanzhu’s eyes held a fierce expression: "Emperor Taizu had only one statement; if the Han Kingdom wanted to fight, then fight. All our Great Liang’s Martial Artists would abandon Great Liang, form squads of a hundred, and invade the Han Kingdom’s territory, exchanging land for land."

"Exchanging land for land?"

Lin Chen’s eyes shined with resolve; Emperor Taizu’s boldness...

Even if all of Great Liang’s Martial Artists surged into the Han Kingdom, it was enough to cause turmoil even if not as strong as the Han Kingdom. The surrounding countries would surely seize the chance to consume Great Liang’s territory. Great Liang might be lost, but the Han Kingdom wouldn’t gain any advantage.

"So, the Han Kingdom eventually gave up."

"Yes, the Han Kingdom gave up, but our Great Liang also paid a price," Jia Nanzhu’s voice was somber: "Ten Upper-Grade Martial Artists burned their Life Essence, and all passed away three years later. The cultivation resources the Han Kingdom provided were returned to them doubly."

Lin Chen’s mouth slightly opened, wanting to say something, but in the end, he just sighed lightly.

Even if Emperor Taizu showed the resolve to burn bridges behind him, the Han Kingdom wasn’t foolish, knowing that Emperor Taizu displayed a hardened stance mostly.

Dignity lies only on the sword’s edge!

Without sufficient strength, even choosing to burn bridges would, at most, make the opponent cautious.

"Don’t dwell too much on grief. Our Great Liang is strong now, no longer what it was. Your generation must ensure our Great Liang continues to flourish, living up to the sacrifices of our Great Liang’s ancestors."

Jia Nanzhu patted Lin Chen’s shoulder, offering comfort.

Great Liang has already endured the most challenging century.

"Back to the topic of the United Martial Arts Academy; one could say its establishment was a timely help. At that time, our Great Liang’s Martial Path resources were scarce. These countries offered generous warmth, and twenty years later, these surrounding countries and those aristocratic families finally realized something was off. The students they trained with resources and Cultivation Techniques didn’t betray Great Liang upon leaving the academy. Unfortunately, they realized it too late. Our Great Liang’s new generation of Martial Arts Powerhouses had already grown. Now, should there be a desire to wage war, our Great Liang fears no nation."

Jia Nanzhu beamed, thinking of how these countries had suffered a silent loss, which brought him immense satisfaction.

"Teacher, when these countries realized they had been deceived, did they choose to dissolve the United Martial Arts Academy?" Lin Chen curiously asked, recalling that, according to Senior Sister Jiang, the United Martial Arts Academy was later split into three.

"Yes, these countries realized they couldn’t make our Great Liang’s Martial Path talents loyal to them, or rather, that the few traitors weren’t worth the investment, so they stopped sending cultivation resources over. Naturally, our Great Liang smoothly took over the Martial Arts Academy."

What a smooth move!

Lin Chen couldn’t help but chuckle.

"However, back then, these countries, to ensure the students felt no sense of belonging to Great Liang, set many rules in the academy, including that its resources were to be allocated jointly by all nations, with resource distribution determined by the academy rankings. This rule still exists today; even now, the academy’s resources are jointly controlled by our Great Liang and the other eight kingdoms."

"Allocated by the Nine Kingdoms, then the academy should not only be in our Great Liang but in other countries as well?"

"Nine Kingdoms, sixty academies in total."

Jia Nanzhu looked at Lin Chen: "Martial Arts Academy rankings change every three years. Qingyun Martial Arts Academy is currently ranked tenth, the Capital Martial Arts Academy eleventh, Lingxiao Martial Arts Academy ninth, Canglan Martial Arts Academy twelfth, and as for Demon-slaying Martial Arts Academy... its situation is quite special and does not participate in rankings."

"Our Great Liang may be somewhat weaker in top-level geniuses compared to the other Eight Kingdoms, but overall, we surpass them, as you can see from the Martial Arts Academy rankings."

"Yes."

Lin Chen nodded. Nine Kingdoms, sixty academies, Great Liang’s strongest, Lingxiao Martial Arts Academy, is ranked only ninth, considered the bottom. Yet, the next three rankings are held by Great Liang’s academies, precisely showing that the strength of Great Liang’s academy students is remarkably balanced.