Chapter 1328 Selecting New Disciples!
Xu Chunbo scolded fiercely for five minutes, but there was nothing he could do in the end.
Many coal miners had no other options to survive on. If Saint Xu were to use his influence to close down the mines, even though the owners of the mines would suffer great losses, the laborers would be the first to die of hunger.
Some people would say that these people could do something else instead of mining coal, but the truth was changing jobs was extremely difficult.
Putting aside the impact of so many workers gushing into other industries, just their numbers alone would make it hard for the government to handle.
Stability was more important than anything else!
Otherwise, what would they do if someone were to call out for the coal miners who had lost their jobs to start a rebellion?
This was Saint Xu’s helplessness.
“Uncle, please pick me. Pretty please?” Coal Briquette pleaded. “I eat very little and work a lot. It’s a very worthwhile deal!”
“Do you know what I want you to do?”
Sun Mo felt curious.
“That uncle said that if I’m selected, I’ll be able to eat good food and learn some skills. But I don’t believe that. How could there be such a good thing in this world?”
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Coal Briquette pouted. “Even if there’s such a good thing, I won’t be the one to get it! I’m guessing that you must be looking for someone to do a very important matter that one would have to put their lives on the line for! I’m not scared!”
Coal Briquette was born and grew up in the mining area and had seen too many accidents including water leaks, mine collapse, and gas… Hence, it was too difficult for coal miners to want to live long lives.
Even if they didn’t die in the mines, they’d die at a young age from overwork. Their bodies would be plagued with illnesses.
This time around, a far-distant uncle knew that Coal Briquette was 12 years old and came to look for her mother, asking to let him bring the child here to give it a shot. It didn’t cost any money anyway! If she was selected, her life would be completely changed! Coal Briquette’s thoughts were very simple. Her younger brother was about to reach the age where he’d need to enter the mines too. Hence, she wanted to use her life to exchange for some money so that her mother and younger siblings could leave the mining district.
“Teacher, why don’t you pick her?”
Lu Zhiruo interjected. She felt soft-hearted.
“Don’t spout rubbish!”
Qin Yaoguang tugged the papaya girl. This wasn’t a time to let their emotions get the better of them.
“Saint Xu, I’ll pick her!”
Sun Mo beckoned at Coal Briquette. The young lass immediately ran over with a fawning smile. She had learned this while in the mining area. Her mother said that she had to smile like this when she saw the chief. Otherwise, she’d be whipped or sent to mines where it was more difficult to mine coals from.
“Sun Mo, you’ll need to think about this carefully!”
Xu Chunbo frowned. Although this young girl looked very intelligent, she wouldn’t be able to win against that Black Pig. In just three months, her lean and frail body wouldn’t be able to be built up.
“Although I want to win, before my victory, I’m first a great teacher. My responsibility is to help these children grow!”
Sun Mo smiled and rubbed Coal Briquette’s head.
“Don’t, it’s dirty!”
Coal Briquette dodged, worried that she’d dirty Sun Mo’s hand.
“Secondary Saint Sun is really everyone’s role model!”
Li Wanjun sighed. “Regardless of what the results of this round are, I’ll support you for the sect lord position!”
“Me too!”
“Count me in!”
Even though Saint Zhou had become a saint, his ideologies were a far cry from Sun Mo’s. Although these high star-level great teachers would also consider the various connections relating to benefits and interest, they were kindhearted people deep down inside.
Saint Zhou instantly felt uncomfortable as if he had eaten a fly. However, he really couldn’t win in this aspect.
When Sun Mo had just joined the trade, he had retorted against others for Ying Baiwu’s sake. This matter had long since become an event that was worthy of admiration, being seen as a role model for many.
After the students for the first round were picked, the ones for the second round were next.
There were a lot fewer students in this category. Every student who was ranked last in their cohort across all the schools in the entire city —all seven of them, including those without a famous school title—were brought over.
There were a total of over 300 of them.
Right now, all of them looked awkward. Their heads were lowered and they didn’t dare to say a word.
This could be considered a ‘public execution’. After today, everyone would know that they were trash. However, it was impossible for them to not come. Putting aside that this was a saint’s order, they had also yearned to be selected. Wouldn’t their life be able to change then?
Saint Zhou opened his eyes wide and inspected the group of people. Although they were all trash, he had to at least pick out the best amongst them.
“Which one of them do you guys think is a bright pearl shrouded in dust?”
Qin Yaoguang was also searching, trying to find buried talents from amongst them.
“Who’d know that?”
Li Ziqi could almost be certain that all of them were trash.
“Those who don’t come from famous schools, step forward!”
Saint Zhou instructed.
Many students walked out.
“Wow, Saint Zhou is so amazing. Is he going to increase the difficulty for himself?”
Someone said fawningly.
Tsk!
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Great teachers who knew their stuff felt despise in their hearts. Teachers from famous schools were more capable and thus there were extremely few cases of misjudgments, so trash was just trash. However, things were different in those trashy schools. After all, the teachers there were of lower standards and they might have missed out on a genius.
“I’ll pick this one!”
Saint Zhou finally picked a student he was satisfied with.
“Secondary Saint Sun, it’s your turn next!”
Li Wanjun urged. (Why aren’t you anxious in the very least?)
(You can’t be thinking of throwing this round, could you?)
“I made a set of lots on the spot. You guys can draw lots. I’ll pick the person who draws the red lot!”
Gu Xiuxun held onto the lot holder, not wanting to go over.
(Is it a really good idea to let fate decide?)
(We can also pick like how Saint Zhou did and try out our luck.)
However, the students were all agitated.
The great teachers present were first stunned and then started applauding, looking agitated and filled with admiration. Compared to Saint Zhou, Sun Mo’s performance was undoubtedly more magnanimous.
As the saying went, there should be no discrimination in education. Sun Mo had given all the students a chance while Saint Zhou picked one for himself.
Very soon, a lucky boy picked the red lot.
He came before Sun Mo. “I… I…”
“Don’t be nervous. From today onward, you’re my student!”
Sun Mo consoled him and activated his Divine Sight to scan his data.
(Mmm, he isn’t very strong, but he isn’t all that bad either!)
(Isn’t this going to be a sure win for me?)
At this moment, the candidates for the third round queued into a long row and started heading up the arena.
These students came from various schools. Although the fight hadn’t started, the competition already had.
If they had picked a student of a low cultivation level, it’d be over.
“How is Teacher supposed to pick?”
Lu Zhiruo felt troubled.
“It’s not possible to tell one’s cultivation level, so they can only judge based on one’s height, disposition, gaze, and other aspects. It won’t be wrong to pick one who is tall and has a strong body.”
Li Ziqi explained.
Cultivation required physical strength. Low-level cultivators would basically had a strong physique. “It’s also possible to tell from their clothings. Those who dress extravagantly must definitely come from big clans and tend to have better cultivating resources!”
Mei Ziyu explained in a soft voice.
Sun Mo assumed a prestigious expression, his gaze looking sharp and domineering as he stared at each student that walked past him.
Most students were unsettled, not daring to meet him in the eyes, but some wanted to be picked and bravely met Sun Mo’s gaze. However, they’d avert their gaze after being stared at by him for three seconds. Less than 1% of them could meet his gaze without turning away.
Sun Mo quietly remembered these people’s appearances.
Saint Zhou clearly knew this technique too. To avoid missing out on students who were more outstanding, he didn’t choose immediately. Instead, he only started to speak after everyone in the queue had passed through.
“I’ll pick this one!”
Saint Zhou pointed out. It was an 18-year-old young lady!
Great teachers who knew their stuff immediately shook their heads, feeling that things were going to be bad for Sun Mo.
“What’s the matter?”
Lu Zhiruo felt very nervous at the sight of this scene.
“Look carefully. That girl walks on her toes and has a unique dance-like rhythm. If my guess is right, she should be from the Gongsun Clan!”
An Xinhui frowned. This clan had a family-inherited peerless-grade saint-tier sword art and was always able to nurture the most outstanding swordswomen.
Many families sent their girls to the Gongsun Clan. Even if their children couldn’t pick up the sword art, they’d be able to pick up a set of sword dance, allowing them to perform in various imperial banquets. They wouldn’t have to worry about their livelihood then! “Teacher Sun, it’s your turn!”
Xu Chunbo urged. “I’ll pick this one!”
Sun Mo picked a boy. He wasn’t tall and looked very shy and reserved. When Sun Mo said that he picked the boy, the latter didn’t feel great elation but showed a puzzled expression without any confidence instead.
“Haha!”
Saint Zhou laughed loudly and left the arena.
(Sun Mo, it’s over for you this time around!)
“Teacher Sun, this…”
Li Wanjun, who was a 7-stars great teacher, couldn’t tell how amazing this boy was.
“Wait until three months later!”
Sun Mo smiled. He didn’t use Divine Sight, but his judgment was still there. Moreover, after having touched countless bodies with his ancient massaging technique through the decades, he was now similar to those watermelon farmers who could rely just on their sight to tell if a watermelon was good.
“Everyone, the selection has ended. Three months later, Secondary Saint Sun and Saint Zhou will go through three rounds of battles. The victor shall be the Saint Gate’s sect lord!”
Xu Chunbo announced.
After returning to the manor, Sun Mo first met up with the parents of his three new disciples.
Out of them, Coal Briquette didn’t have a father. Her mother was also a woman who hadn’t been in important situations before and was worried that she’d offend Sun Mo if she were to show any discourtesy. Therefore, she had Coal Briquette’s far-distant uncle came to meet Sun Mo.
Even though this uncle could speak well at the mines, now that he met Sun Mo, he just dropped to his knees and couldn’t say a single word.
This was a secondary saint, a very important figure. “You can get up. From today onward, Coal Briquette will be following me!”
Sun Mo had checked Coal Briquette with Divine Sight. Her data was very perfect and her potential value was extremely high. The only problem was that she had some ailments from overworking. However, with the ancient massaging technique, any muscle damages or bone deformations wouldn’t be a problem.
“En!”
Coal Briquette’s far-distant uncle had only wanted to come to try their luck, but he now felt at a loss that Coal Briquette had successfully been picked. After all, this happiness had come too quickly, catching him unaware.
“Ziqi, make arrangements for her family’s future lives and help them find some work!”
Sun Mo instructed.
“I’ve got it!”
Li Ziqi answered.
“Huh?”
Coal Briquette’s far-distant uncle was stunned. The name ‘Ziqi’ was well-known in every family in the Nine Provinces. The Great Tang’s female emperor was personally going to make work arrangements for them?
This…
He wasn’t dreaming, right?
“Coal Briquette, this is the chance for you to change your fate. It’ll be up to you on whether you can catch hold of it!”
Sun Mo looked at Coal Briquette and started his first lesson. “No matter how good a teacher is at teaching, it’ll be useless if the student doesn’t put in hard work!”
“Coal Briquette’s life will be Teacher’s from today onward!”
Coal Briquette didn’t know anything about hard work. She only knew that she had been sold and if she wanted to have a good life, she’d have to get into Sun Mo’s good books.