Chapter 1093: New Reward! New Mission! New Goal!
Ding!
"Congratulations, you've passed the 4-stars great teacher examination and obtained the honor of being the champion. You're rewarded with three seven-colored diamond treasure chests. Please keep up the good work!"
Ding!
"Congratulations, you've completed the legendary achievement, becoming the unprecedented four-time champion. You're rewarded with three seven-colored diamond treasure chests!"
Ding!
"Congratulations, you've perfectly topped the ranks, continuing to shine. You're rewarded with one mysterious treasure chest. You'll be able to get two great teacher halos or a grandmaster-level occupation from it."
The system congratulated Sun Mo and gave him a series of three rewards.
The lucky mascot was seated on Sun Mo's left side. Upon hearing that he might be able to get two great teacher halos, he couldn't resist and immediately touched the papaya girl's head.
"Open the mysterious treasure chest first!"
Sun Mo instructed and waited quietly for the reward.
Amidst bursting light, a book that emitted various colors flicked out.
"Excellent! It's a skill book!"
Sun Mo was excited. But after seeing the name on the book, he immediately furrowed his brows so tightly that they could clamp a crab to death.
Ding!
"Congratulations, you've obtained western painting techniques, oil painting branches. Proficiency index: grandmaster-level. Please keep up the good work."
"Why don't you f*cking go die?"
Sun Mo wasn't someone who easily scolded others, unless he couldn't hold it in anymore. But this time around, he was really enraged.
"System, what the hell are you up to? Even if you don't give me two great teacher halos, you should at least give me an occupation, right? It's fine even if it's at the expert level. What the hell is this western painting technique?"
Sun Mo was so angry that his lungs were going to burst.
In the modern world, he'd be able to act cool with it, duping those young girls who didn't know anything but admired the western culture.
However, in the Nine Provinces, even in a big city like Jinling, there weren't many people from the Western Empire, so what was the use of learning western painting?
Moreover, Sun Mo's knowledge with regard to it was limited to knowing a few well-known masterpieces like Mona Lisa, Sunflower, and Man with a Pipe.
He had heard of the names Van Gogh, Monet, and Da Vinci, but that didn't count as anything. Lastly, he also knew that oil paintings required human models.
It was said that people who dabbled in western painting could openly look at naked models while creating their work.
During his university days, Sun Mo had wanted to go to the art college next door to take a look at how those students had their classes. It was a pity that his wish was never fulfilled.
"Please do not look down on art!"
The system reproached him.
Sun Mo put up a middle finger at it. (This is f*cking upsetting!)
"Oil painting is segregated into renaissance art, baroque, neoclassical, romanticism, as well as neo-impressionism and post-impressionism. If you were to learn them one by one to the grandmaster level, how many favorable impression points would you have to spend? But now, you'll be able to learn them all in one go. You're getting a great deal."
The system said in disdain, wearing an expression as if Sun Mo was complaining despite having gotten the better bargain.
If Sun Mo only relied on his talent, he'd never be able to reach this level.
"What's the use even if I were to become a Saint Artist?"
Sun Mo was speechless. "In Europe, I might be able to get myself into the upper society with exceptional drawing skills, being able to communicate on a deeper level with those distinguished ladies. After all, this is popular amongst them. However, in the east, even looking at the small feet of a young lady in embroidered shoes is considered rude!"
"There isn't any useless art, only useless people!"
The system said conclusively.
"F*ck you!"
Sun Mo felt upset. (If I want to flaunt, traditional Chinese painting is sufficient. Moreover, it has a deeper meaning, such as a young lady is calling out softly amidst a scene of a small flowery path with lush green and red.)
'The first call, where's my husband?'
The eastern charm emphasized appreciating with the heart and not through words.
"Teacher! Teacher!"
Lu Zhiruo poked Sun Mo's arm hard.
"Huh?"
Sun Mo turned his head and saw the lucky mascot covering her mouth with her small hand, reminding him softly, "Mistress is asking you a question!"
"What did she ask?"
Sun Mo thought to himself that this was bad. He hadn't heard a single thing.
Li Ziqi was smart and quick-witted. When she saw Sun Mo's expression, she knew that he hadn't been listening and thus reminded him softly in simple terms.
"Mistress said that the work this year is very important—recruiting a batch of great teachers, increasing the qualifications of the school's teachers. Mistress is asking which famous school are you planning to recruit from?"
The power of a school depended on the number of great teachers they had.
Sun Mo was very strong, but he was only one person. Moreover, he had to do academic research as well and couldn't be teaching all the time. Therefore, they had to recruit some great teachers.
"What's your plan?"
Sun Mo asked.
"Although our school has managed to maintain our grade this year, the attraction of the 'B' grade title is still too low. I'm planning on headhunting some top students from 'A' grade famous schools!"
An Xinhui threw a glance at Bai Xiqing.
She was the only outsider here.
"Why aren't we headhunting high star-level great teachers?"
After Lu Zhiruo said that, she was pinched gently by Li Ziqi.
(Do you think the Central Province Academy is one of the Nine Greats?)
"The expenses for headhunting high star-level great teachers are too high."
An Xinhui smiled bitterly.
Right now, their school only had the darkness illusion dojo and the Greenhaze Forest.
"Your thoughts are right. Not only is the price for headhunting them high, but they also don't have a sense of belonging. It's better to recruit outstanding graduates and nurture them ourselves."
Sun Mo nodded. Becoming one of the top schools wasn't something easily achieved. It required planning for ten years or more.
Thankfully, both An Xinhui and him were young and could afford to wait.
"But if we wish to headhunt, we should headhunt the graduates from the Nine Greats!"
Sun Mo recalled his graduation season back then. The graduates from the top-notch universities were always fought for by the various big organizations. The treatment they received was so good that it'd make others drool from envy.
"Isn't this a little difficult?"
Jin Mujie felt that Sun Mo was in over his head.
The students from Nine Greats, even if they ranked at the bottom of the cohort, would think of all methods to stay in their schools. If they couldn't do that, they'd go to 'A' grade schools. As for those who went to 'B' grade school?
They were all useless trash who had been eliminated, being poor competition.
"It's very difficult!" Mei Ziyu pouted. "I grew up in Jixia Learning Palace but had only seen an 'A' grade headmaster coming to recruit twice. Thereafter, they were ignored."
"If you didn't have a strong heart that can withstand discrimination, then I'd advise you not to go!"
Mei Ziyu was saying this for Sun Mo's own good.
"Would I be able to headhunt people if I offer them saint-tier cultivation arts?"
Sun Mo suddenly spoke up.
Swoosh!
Everyone was stunned and they looked at him, shocked.
"Teacher Sun, do you have to be so ruthless?"
Bai Xiqing was speechless. "This is unfair competition. You'll attract public anger."
"Most importantly, are your saint-tier cultivation arts easily obtained? Won't your heart ache to give them out?"
Gu Xiuxun interjected. She thought about it and couldn't take it, so she quickly took a sip of chicken soup to calm down. This made her heart ache too much.
(This is my son's assets! Sun Mo, how can you be such a profligate?)
Pui! Pui!
(What the hell was I thinking?)
Sun Mo grinned, revealing eight snow-white teeth. (You're right. Many of my cultivation arts are free. As long as I have Immemorial Vairocana, I can get as many saint-tier cultivation arts as I want.)
"We can't use this method!"
An Xinhui shook her head.
The people from the Nine Provinces, great teachers especially, were prideful.
An Xinhui wanted graduates who could grow with them and help build the Central Province Academy, not those who came for interests.
"Then we can only convince them with our talents."
Lu Zhiruo looked at Sun Mo with admiration. "I believe that Teacher will definitely be able to do it."
Ding!
"Mission released. please participate in the next 5-stars great teacher examination. The reward will be given based on your ranking!"
Ding!
"If you get the champion again, you'll be given a great and astonishing reward."
Ding!
"Mission released. Please head to one of the Nine Greats and recruit at least ten graduates. If the mission fails, you'll be punished!"
The system's notification suddenly rang out by Sun Mo's ears, and his face turned black.
"Are you releasing these missions because I scolded you just now? Now you are purposely trying to disgust and make things difficult for me, huh?"
"Am I such a petty person?" The system explained, "This is to temper and encourage you!"
After dinner, Bai Xiqing left. The students also went to cultivate. Sun Mo, An Xinhui, Jin Mujie, and the others sat in the living room and were still discussing the school's future development.
"I've decided! I'll go to the Nine Greats to headhunt people!"
Sun Mo was the first to speak up and set the base for the discussion.
Since all the school's graduation season was in May, it'd be too late to go at this time. Everyone would have found a place to go to. Therefore, if they decided to headhunt people, they'd have to go right after the new year.
"You can exclude the Jixia Learning Palace. It'd be a waste of time even if you were to go."
Mei Ziyu tried hard to persuade them.
"Why?"
Gu Xiuxun thought. (Aren't you an exception?)
"In the Nine Greats, Jixia Learning Palace has the longest history, maybe even in the entire Nine Provinces. Their Jixia Rostrum is the dream stage for countless great teachers."
Mei Ziyu was right about this.
There were so many lecture theaters in the world, but the Jixia Rostrum was the stage with the greatest standards and the biggest size.
"Great teachers will need to be at least 3-stars to listen to the Jixia Lectures. However, the students of Jixia Learning Palace can enter the Jixia Rostrum as volunteers, working while listening."
Mei Ziyu threw a glance at Gu Xiuxun. "If you were them, would you be willing to give up on this chance?"
"I wouldn't!"
Gu Xiuxun spurted out.
The Jixia Lectures had a long reputation, and Gu Xiuxun had wanted to experience it for herself long ago. However, she didn't have the right to do so.
"Our Jixia Learning Palace has the greatest library in the whole Nine Provinces, as well as the most number of great teacher exchanges. There, your horizon will be broadened limitlessly!"
Why was Mei Ziyu so knowledgeable?
It was because she had seen a lot of things!
In the great teacher world, any important academic publication would be done in the Jixia Learning Palace.
In terms of connections, no one would dare to claim to be the first if Jixia Learning Palace were to claim to be second.
This place was comparable to standing at the forefront of academics, and any information could be obtained at the very first instant.
In this era where communication was inconvenient, it'd probably take a year before some secluded regions were to receive the latest academic reports.
After saying this, Mei Ziyu looked toward Sun Mo and let out a sigh.
If he was willing to join the Jixia Learning Palace, given the Mei Clan's influence, they'd be able to maneuver things a little and allow his reputation to reach an unprecedented height.
If that was the case, would someone like Jiang Zhitong dare to look for trouble?
He wouldn't even if he had the guts of a dragon.
It was like how there were so many famous prostitutes along the Qinhuai River, but the top courtesan was backed up by rich people. All great teachers wanted to become famous as soon as possible, but they'd require those influential great teacher clans to help them out.
As for why the great teacher clans didn't go into decline even after a thousand years?
Other than nurturing their outstanding descendants, they'd also keep on taking in geniuses from the commoners. What if the other party was too proud and refused them?
They could only apply pressure on them.
After all, there were limited resources in the great teacher world. No one would be willing to see the uprise of an additional influential clan who'd fight with others for resources. If Sun Mo wasn't An Xinhui's fiancé, he'd have gotten countless offers.
"Since we're headhunting people, we should be fiercer about it. How about the Skyraise Academy?"
Murong Mingyue proposed.
The others didn't say anything. Gu Xiuxun had a forthright character and put out a thumb.
She wasn't praising Murong Mingyue. There was a hint of mockery to her action.
(Please… The Skyraise Academy is recognized as the number one famous school in the Nine Provinces. You're going to ask their graduates to leave the number one famous school and join a 'B' grade famous school?)
(It's impossible even if the person has lost their mind.)
Some of their graduates wouldn't be able to become full-time teachers even after a few years. Hence, they could only be teaching assistants without the chance to teach a class. But even then, they were unwilling to leave.
As the greatest school, their graduates naturally viewed themselves with high status. They'd either teach in their school or choose not to be great teachers. They wouldn't pick a different path.
"The Skyraise Academy won't do."
Sun Mo shook his head.
What a joke. This was the famous school that he least wished to go up against. It was because he had the Grand Universe Formless Divine Art.
This was the Skyraise Academy's ultimate divine art.
Although there wasn't any problem with where the cultivation art came from, the people from the Skyraise Academy wouldn't care about such things. If they were to fall out with each other, it'd be too troublesome.
"Then maybe we should pick the Heavenly Mystery Academy?"
Mei Ziyu looked toward An Xinhui.
The Dragon Subduing Academy wouldn't work either. The famous schools in the Central Plains couldn't afford to have barbarian teachers in their schools. It'd be fine to recruit ten or so of them, but if there were several tens or over a hundred of them, the school's reputation would be affected.
Moreover, the Dragon Subduing Academy's graduates would generally not leave the plains.
"This won't do!"
An Xinhui rejected this idea.
"Sister An, it can't be that you feel embarrassed to be making a move on your alma mater, right?"
Gu Xiuxun teased.
"No!"
An Xinhui explained, "The Heavenly Mystery Academy's graduates place all of their minds onto deriving the heavens' mysteries, as well as studying the constellations and certain mysterious studies. They might be good in academics, but teaching? That'd be too impractical."
The Heavenly Mystery Academy's graduates were all either advocates for the School of Diplomacy[1] or fortune-tellers who liked to look for trouble or pretend to be mysterious. They liked to indulge in loud and empty talk, talking about anything and everything under the sun. Their speech capabilities were a lot better than their true capabilities.
In the course of history, many factions amongst the commoners such as the Yellow Turbans and the White Lotus were all founded by students from the Heavenly Mystery Academy.
An Xinhui didn't wish to see the Central Province Academy eventually becoming a place for the various sects to establish their grounds.
"Uhh!"
Gu Xiuxun was stunned. (Isn't it bad to be talking about your alma mater like this?)
"If it wasn't because of my grandfather's opinion, I don't think I would have gone to this famous school."
An Xinhui divulged and then let out a helpless sigh. "I'm actually not interested in those profound studies."
"Huh?"
Gu Xiuxun was speechless. "You don't like them, yet you were still able to become the most outstanding graduate in the Heavenly Mystery Academy's past century. You were even able to become the top three of your generation. Wouldn't you have shown heaven-defying results if you were to go to a school that you like?"
"What rubbish are you spouting?"
An Xinhui rolled her eyes at Gu Xiuxun.
"Oh right, given your qualifications, you shouldn't have learned the Armillary Sphere Chart, right?"
Mei Ziyu felt curious.
It was the Heavenly Mystery Academy's ultimate divine art. Rumor had it that this cultivation art was extremely mysterious and unfathomable. After one achieved success in learning it, they'd be able to speak to heaven and earth, communicating with the gods and the ghosts.
"The headmaster has shown it to me before, but I rejected him to avert suspicion."
An Xinhui smiled bitterly. "After all, my grandfather is the Central Province Academy's headmaster, and I feel that our Great Dreams Heart Sutra isn't bad either!"
"..."
Gu Xiuxun's red lips moved, feeling like scolding. (Damn these second-generation teachers. They really have a strong background. If someone were to show me a peerless-grade saint-tier cultivation art, I'd definitely call them daddy!)
(Hmm? If that's the case, I should have called Sun Mo 'daddy' multiple times.)
Gu Xiuxun couldn't help but throw a glance at Sun Mo.
(Hmm? Thinking of it like this, it feels quite good!)
"Half of the knowledge imparted by southeast Haizhou's Neptune Palace is related to the ocean. An inland country like us almost has no use for it."
Mei Ziyu counted with her finger and analyzed the situation.
"Yue Province's Myriad Spirits Academy specializes in bug masters, gu-bugs, curses, and the likes. Moreover, they are all from minority tribes and aren't liked by people from the Central Plains. Therefore, this famous school can be skipped too."
"Then there's the Westshore Military School and Black-White Academy left!"
Jin Mujie took a sip of water and said, "In terms of fighting, Western Xia's Westshore Military School might be the cream of the crop, but in terms of teaching, they are weaker."
Western Xia was a poor place. The things learned by people from this place were killing techniques and battle formations. They were very valiant and would draw their blades at each other when they couldn't come to an agreement.
An Xinhui's goal was definitely to build the Central Province Academy into an educating holy ground that produced great teachers and saints, not all sorts of combat fanatics and murderers.
"Then we can only pick the Black-White Academy!"
Gu Xiuxun's lips twitched.
Amongst the Nine Greats, the Black-White Academy's reputation was mediocre. What they were most well-known for should be that black and white chessboard in their school.
It was also known as the Black-White Star Disk. They said that its chess pieces were like stars, and with them, one could have a match against the heavens!
"I have quite a good impression of the Black-White Academy. Look at Secondary Saint Shi and Great Teacher Tong. They are both humble and courteous gentlemen!"
Jin Mujie praised.
"When harvesting wool, we can't just harvest from a single sheep!"
Gu Xiuxun was speechless. "I reckon that we'd be beaten and thrown out before we've entered the Black-White Academy's doors."
(Do you know how great the feud is to headhunt away a secondary saint? It is more serious than to have slept with someone else's wife!)
"The Black-White Academy it is!"
Sun Mo decided.
Due to Secondary Saint Shi and Tong Xugao, Sun Mo's impression of this school wasn't bad.
Moreover, he also wanted to check out the Black-White Star Disk.
"Sun Mo, when you go, remember to bring me along!"
Gu Xiuxun wanted to go too. "Given your reputation, you should be able to have a chance to access the Black-White Star Disk. I heard that this famous school's first headmaster had once won against the heavens by half a point!"
"Then we'll need to set off after the new year!"
An Xinhui calculated the time.
The Black-White Academy was far in the northeast Serene Province, situated between white mountains and black waters. It was said that the place was covered in snow, having rich resources, countless wild games, and famous relics. It was a good place to travel to.
"Don't be thinking about those things! Let's think about how to have a good year first!"
Sun Mo stretched his body.
Having obtained the 4-stars great teacher title, he could finally take a rest from his busy career. Moreover, his disciples had performed quite well, especially Li Ziqi who had an exemplary performance.
Right now, he was considered to have obtained a small achievement. He had the right to indulge for once!
Hence, after returning to Jinling, he'd first go visit all the brothels along Qinhuai River, living the life of a celestial where he'd spend money without any restraint and enjoy soft and fragrant embraces.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_of_Diplomacy