Chapter 26 – Honing skills in Jiang Hu
Meng Chao Ran felt proud after hearing Wu Yun Liang praise Chu Yang, but upon the words 'enough to compensate for all', he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Eldest Martial Brother, you seem high-spirited! Even at this hour you're still in the mood to joke around."
"Why you rather have me crying?" Even though Wu Yun Liang was being facetious, his countenance was very serious. He slowly said, "This Chu Yang, you need to cultivate him well. In our Beyond the Heavens Sect, the number of people like him are too few." (TLN: Like, zero.)
Meng Chao Ran nodded and said with a sigh, "There's no other way! Since we no longer hold the title 'National Sect' of the Great State of Zhao and suffered from a severe loss of power, no one in court supports us, government officials treat us with discrimination and other large sects harass us. Any talented disciple, they could be stolen away or killed during competitions. Beyond the Heavens Sect's destiny is very precarious... If we cannot protect the talents of the sect, then I am afraid that in our generation, Beyond the Heavens Sect will cease to exist."
Meng Chao Ran's words included some very serious reminders and warnings.
Upon Wu Yun Liang's face there was a pained smile. He and Kong Jing Feng looked at each other. After, his wrinkled face slowly relaxed, he smiled and said, "Perhaps, you're afraid we would sell off your disciple?"
With a humph, Meng Chao Ran said, "You can't be too careful! Beyond the Heavens Sect is not what it used to be."
Wu Yun Liang sighed and said, "I know! So you guys are still dissatisfied with the ranking competition amongst the disciples in the sect. Indeed, Beyond the Heavens Sect is currently on the decline. If we have a competition like this, distinguished disciples will be known to the enemies and they will be put in danger. However... it must be done."
Meng Chao Ran clasped his hands behind his back, "I think you only want to maintain the archaic traditions of Beyond the Heavens Sect. If you are determined not to change them, then we have nothing else to say."
Meng Chao Ran was usually a pacifist, but he had just said these harsh words. Wu Yun Liang, who had been in the sect with him for decades, had never heard words like these before. At this point, Wu Yun Liang suddenly realized, that this junior martial brother was very dissatisfied.
With a sigh Wu Yun Liang said severely, "If I really wanted to change things, I only need to say so. But the reason I kept this old rule, is because I wanted to cultivate pure metal from inside the fiery hell."
Wu Yun Liang cooled down, he slowly said, "There are currently 800 disciples in the eighth generation of Beyond the Heavens Sect. Whereas our seventh generation currently only has 70 left. Of the masters from the sixth generation, there barely remain ten people. As for the fifth generation, there is currently only one, the Ninth Martial Great Uncle..."
His face strained as he gritted his teeth, "If my plans succeed, then of the thousand people of Beyond the Heavens Sect, the ones who are capable of surviving will not exceed a hundred. These people will become the foundation for Beyond the Heavens Sect to rise to its glorious peak."
"The useless need not be kept! The mediocre are not needed at all!!!" Wu Yun Liang took two slow steps and in a dreadful low voice, "Even I, Wu Yun Liang, when sacrifice is needed, will sacrifice!"
"A sect declining is not because of external pressure. It is due to internal disputes and lack of unity. Of this, our Beyond the Heavens Sect is a perfect example." Wu Yun Liang said cryptically, "If a sect wants to rise, it has to go through blood and fire to be reborn!!!"
