Immortal Martial Academy - Chapter 15
After the portly man signed his name, Wu Xianyao discovered his identity.
“Pan Xiaopang, within the next two weeks, you must learn at least ten dishes from this cookbook. Afterward, every month, you’re required to master three additional recipes.” Wu Xianyao handed Pan Xiaopang the World Culinary Compendium.
Initially fearing another beating, Pan Xiaopang’s eyes lit up upon seeing the cookbook. “Boss, I guarantee to complete this task.”
Pan Xiaopang was indeed gifted, though his talent seemed trivial—he could remove harmful substances from food. This ability extended to purifying xenobeast meat, although he lacked culinary skills and had no connections, leaving him with limited opportunities.
In such times, those skilled in their craft were reluctant to teach outsiders, fearing they might lose their livelihood someday.
As Pan Xiaopang looked at Wu Xianyao, his eyes welled up with emotion, unsure of what to say. Finally, he managed, “Boss, from now on, I’ll cook delicious meals for you every day.”
Wu Xianyao patted Pan Xiaopang’s shoulder. “Not just for me, but also for my students. They must never go hungry.”
“Understood! From now on, whoever you say to cook for, I’ll do it.” Pan Xiaopang solemnly stored away the World Culinary Compendium.
“All right, study it yourself while I head out.” Wu Xianyao didn’t perceive this as anything significant, but to Pan Xiaopang, it was truly momentous. In this world, possessing a skill meant never going hungry, and by sharing his knowledge, Wu Xianyao had essentially given Pan Xiaopang a path to survival.
Wu Xianyao first visited the training room, where he saw Jiu Xian’er instructing four others through nine specific exercises. He nodded approvingly; even the once-complaining little she-wolf could now lend her assistance.
On the other side, Xiao Lin stood at the forging station, eyes filled with fervor as he examined the weapon in his hands. This represented a whole new approach to weaponry, yet he also felt puzzled about why someone would entrust such valuable information to him.
Recalling the contract, Xiao Lin promptly signed it, thinking, “Now the boss should be satisfied!”
Previously, Xiao Lin had tried using his own methods to forge weapons but always fell short of achieving what Wu Xianyao described. However, after studying the Qi and Blood Forging Manual, it was like unlocking his potential, instantly clarifying concepts that were previously obscure to him.
Previously, Xiao Lin could only forge 1st and 2nd Rank weapons, but now he felt confident in creating 3rd Rank ones. Moreover, he believed that with access to subsequent chapters, forging 4th, 5th, and even 6th Rank weapons would be within reach.
Craftsmen often possess unwavering dedication bordering on obsession, and Xiao Lin was no exception. With this advanced forging technique at his disposal, there was no time to waste in aligning himself with its source.
Feeling the address imprinted in his mind, Xiao Lin called out, “Bruce, Kelly, help me pack up; we’re meeting the boss tomorrow.”
The two puppets entered promptly, assisting Xiao Lin efficiently with packing.
Unbeknownst to Xiao Lin, if he hadn’t signed that day, the book would have disappeared, along with all the knowledge he had absorbed from it.
Wu Xianyao, still at the academy, sensed the contract being signed and smiled faintly, knowing the deal was done.
Now, he needed an assistant and an alchemist, but finding skilled alchemists was challenging as most civilian alchemists were already enlisted by the military.
On this day, Wu Xianyao decided not to venture out. In the afternoon, he received a communication—someone had applied for the assistant position.
Wu Xianyao’s eyes lit up; as long as the candidate wasn’t too unsuitable, he was prepared to hire them, given the crucial importance of the assistant role.
They agreed to meet at District Eight’s commercial street.
The chosen location was a café, suggesting that this assistant had some discerning tastes.
Dressed casually, Wu Xianyao headed out, feeling slightly embarrassed for not having any formal attire—though he wondered if his cultivation uniform might count.
Inside the café, a young woman checked the time and glanced around, wondering, “Why does the princess want me to approach this person, and why is obtaining that admission notice so difficult?”
Xia Yi initially tried using her connections to secure an acceptance letter from the Immortal Martial Academy, but even such a seemingly simple task proved impossible.
It wasn’t Xia Yi’s fault; it was all due to the System’s interference.
Perhaps the System would grant more permissions later, but not yet.
Entering the café, Wu Xianyao searched for Table 9 and spotted it in a corner, walking over promptly.
“Hello, may I ask if you’re Miss Xia Yi?” Wu Xianyao’s magnetic voice interrupted Xia Yi’s thoughts.
Seeing the handsome man before her, Xia Yi momentarily froze but quickly composed herself. “Hello, I’m Xia Yi, and I’m here to apply for the assistant position.”
“Hi, I’ve reviewed your resume. Let me outline what you’ll be responsible for, so we can determine if it’s manageable for you.”
Wu Xianyao wasted no time with pleasantries and directly discussed the tasks Xia Yi would undertake.
“Our academy is located in District Eight’s industrial area, currently undergoing renovations. Your regular duties will include welcoming prospective students, handling routine matters such as recruitment, issuing admission notices, and managing employee contracts.”
Feeling slightly parched after speaking, Wu Xianyao took a sip of his coffee before continuing, “In summary, you’ll handle all external affairs related to the academy. Only approach me if something cannot be resolved by yourself; otherwise, avoid bothering me unnecessarily. As for salary, there are two options: one, learn a new Martial Skill each quarter, or two, receive a monthly wage of ten thousand credits.”
Xia Yi’s lips twitched; she was primarily here to gather intelligence and didn’t lack funds. Her interest lay in understanding these Martial Skills.
“I choose the Martial Skill option,” Xia Yi stated seriously.
Wu Xianyao nodded and produced an employment contract. Once signed, it would prevent any potential leaks by binding the signer to its terms.
Xia Yi swiftly signed the contract, then looked at Wu Xianyao with a hint of dismay, “Is this a binding covenant?”
Speechless, Xia Yi realized her mistake. A binding covenant meant neither party could violate its terms; breaking the agreement would result in both parties’ souls being annihilated.
As a proud 5th Rank powerhouse and Captain under the Ninth Princess’s banner, she had been outsmarted by an ordinary human.
This oversight was entirely due to Xia Yi’s carelessness for not reviewing the contract thoroughly. Had she done so, this wouldn’t have happened.
A hunter who spends all day catching hawks only to be pecked by one today—fate indeed.
“Alright, let me first show you around the academy.” Wu Xianyao breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that with an assistant now in place, his workload would significantly ease. He paid no further attention to the covenant contract matter.
Entering the academy grounds, Xia Yi was astounded. This was the Immortal Martial Academy, teeming with unimaginably abundant Heaven and Earth Energy. For the gifted individuals, cultivating here would undoubtedly yield extraordinary results.
Next, Xia Yi observed several sparring matches on the central square, again taken aback. These were ordinary people, yet their strikes carried tens of thousands of pounds of force.
As Wu Xianyao walked alongside Xia Yi, he produced twenty acceptance letters, saying, “These notifications allow you to personally select students. Prioritize those with strong determination. Remember, ordinary individuals should be given preference over the gifted for Martial Dao.”
“Why is Martial Dao not suitable for the gifted?” Although unsure about what exactly the Martial Dao entailed at the Immortal Martial Academy, it didn’t stop Xia Yi from questioning.
“The gifted already have their own path; do you think they have the time to also practice Martial Dao?” Wu Xianyao’s response was pragmatic. Cultivating as a gifted individual requires significant time, just like mastering the Martial Dao. Combining both pursuits would stretch one’s resources thin.
Xia Yi nodded, agreeing with this perspective.