714 A Rebellion Within Ziyou! (1/2)

It was a widely known fact that not only was this son of Wu Lie bereft of a cultivation base, he was also an invalid. His was disabled from the waist down, and had even lost his sight for quite a while - it was only due to someone's kindness that he had managed to regain his sight and was able to see light again. Besides these traits that had been mentioned, there was another impression he seemed to give - he did not seem altogether too bright; in fact, he seemed to be somewhat dim-witted.

What was the use of a person like this, even if he could revert to the condition of a normal man?

How could a person like this manage to grab Wu Ying's attention? Or, in other words, what in the world were Wu Ying's standards like?

”As for my standards of selection, I prioritize one's nature over talent and other qualities. Wu Lie's son may not have many years to his age, but the things he had experienced were much more compared to a common man. His mind has reached the tempered state of perseverance and incomparable tenacity. Although he may not possess a cultivation base, and his body physically impedes him from practicing it, it wouldn't obstruct me from imparting my legacy, as long as he strengthens his body over time. However, the level of concentration he possesses is unattainable by most in this world; that is the most precious aspect of all.”

Wu Ying continued, ”Furthermore, allowing his upbringing to speak for itself, passing on the flame of wisdom is strong in his nature. I will not have any regrets.”

”To be able to live a life as honest and with a conscience as clear - that quality itself is my top choice in a man.”

The few big bosses were speechless upon hearing his reply.

As of now, Wu Ying had already selected the top two disciples to take under his wing - one who excelled in the arts, and one who excelled in combat. The rest would probably be present just to push the two a little harder - he would have to accept a few unofficial disciples to be their study companions.

Wu Lie was absolutely ecstatic over the fact that his son was selected, even seeming a little out of character; he went to express his gratitude to Wu Ying personally, and for the first time in recent history, had even presented someone with a gift by writing a stroke of calligraphy:

'Unstained Skies'1

Qiu Jianhan and the rest scoffed in disdain at a gift like this, judging it with scorn. Wu Lie, a man like you is no doubt a high-performing minister - an officer with exemplary morals - but those two simple strokes of calligraphy are barely appropriate. A gift of gratitude should be more precious than that; yours did not deserve to be given!

To everyone's surprise, Wu Ying looked as though he was honored with an award of the highest order when he was presented with Wu Lie's gift. He shook with emotion, carefully laminating the characters, eventually framing and hanging them at the main hall.

Did Wu Ying actually like the gift?

The few big bosses were elated at what they had discovered and began to brew a cauldron of ideas. Within the next few days, they gathered a bundle of calligraphies produced by famous artists and sent them over, hoping that a certain teacher would acknowledge their efforts - their very expensive and precious efforts - and return their appreciation by accepting two more disciples. They were certain that taking in a few more would not hurt!

However, they encountered a nightmare in the following days. ”These calligraphies were the perfect fuel for a fire to boil some water; for Sir Wu, they will last for a while.”

The big bosses had arrived at the ultimate state of speechlessness; every single one of them had been stunned into silence.

What?

They are being used as...what?

Seeing how overjoyed you were over some man's simple strokes, we really thought you were into this kind of hobby, which we then proceeded to present you with calligraphies from renowned artists. Those were the real deal - literally saying that one word was worth thousands was the humblest way to put it. How can those be compared against Wu Lie's two simple strokes? They did not even deserve to be mentioned in the same breath. Perhaps it was a truly worthless collection to you, but still, it was not exactly appropriate to start a fire with it!

This was absolutely crazy.

How could they have known that Wu Ying was a man with an inglorious past, and had since restrained himself from any form of material desires? Wu Lie was known as the embodiment of justice and righteousness, and he was the epitome of integrity in the whole of Yutang. The choice of words given by him, 'Justice and Impartiality', was far from ordinary, but to Wu Ying, it was the greatest form of acknowledgment.

That was the reason why he had decided to accept it - in an ecstatic, grandiose manner, nonetheless - for it was a gift from Wu Lie himself; the ones presented by others, however… they were merely pieces of paper tainted by a few brushstrokes - there was nothing else it could be used for!

I could still use a piece of blank paper when presented with one. What else can a piece of used paper be used for, if it not for starting a fire?

The understanding of Qiu Jianhan and the masses towards Wu Ying was too one-sided. They were not even aware of what Wu Ying had done or experienced - how could they even begin to empathize with Wu Ying's sentiments?

Just as the few big bosses were scrambling desperately to come up with a flurry of tactics in hopes to entice Wu Ying, a shocking piece of news was heard.